Retrospective Review: Winter Wrap Up and Call of the Cutie

S1E11 Winter Wrap Up

It took until Episode 11 to get one that I'm not going to have any big complaints about. The Mane Six finally feel like they're in character.

This is one of my favorite episodes, as can be seen with the multiple times I've referenced Winter Wrap Up in fics here, and the song Winter Wrap Up is one of my favorites. It's also the first of many episodes that describe an annual event that only happens once in the series (and many of these aren't even mentioned again). But we don't need to see it again.

The focus of the episode is wrapping up winter manually, in the traditional earth pony way. But watching it again, I'm now wondering what it's like to change from winter to spring in Canterlot. What kind of magic does Princess Celestia use? I don't think I've ever seen that as the focus of a story here. Furthermore, is there a pegasus method for changing seasons too?

I do like Twilight Sparkle's embracing the earth pony ways, pointedly not using her magic (until she has her moral failure later in the episode). But we do see Rarity use her magic when passing a bird's nest to Twilight Sparkle.

It just feels right for Twilight Sparkle to try a bunch of new things, physical activities, and not be good at them. And when she decides to cheat and use her magic, it feels like a natural progression in the story. She gets caught, she sees the error of her ways, and then finds something that she's good at that can help the town as a whole succeed.

All in all, a great episode.

S1E12 Call of the Cutie

There's nothing like an episode title that references the work of H. P. Lovecraft.

This might have been the first episode of the series I watched. [Since I'm apparently never getting one of those author interviews where the question "How did you discover My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic?" is asked, I'll briefly describe it. I remember seeing pictures posted on the Internet by early bronies, in particular homemade Magic: the Gathering cards for the Mane Six. I liked the art style, and since I've enjoyed shows like this before, I checked out the two episodes available on The Hub's website. This was one of them.]

Miss Cheerilee's lesson is really good at explaining cutie marks to someone who has never seen any iteration of MLP before. And I'm of the right age to appreciate 80's Cheerilee.

That poor class. All those students who never spoke, and will be written out of the class by the next episode showing the CMC.

Apple Bloom's whining is irritating, but perfectly in character for a child of indeterminate age. (Seriously. As a fanfic writer, there's an annoying disconnect between the characters acting around age 8, but I see the cutie mark as representing puberty/the cusp of adulthood, so maybe 12-13, and the name cuteceañera references a celebration at age 15.)

What has Applejack been teaching Apple Bloom that she's so clueless about selling? She didn't grow up tagging along while Big Sister sold apples?

The other ponies are in character here. Rainbow Dash tries a bunch of things (basically creating the template the CMC will follow later), Pinkie Pie does something she enjoys, Twilight Sparkle uses magic and gives a lecture.

Poor Pinkie Pie. Her song ends up ruined because of a certain fanfic named Cupcakes.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, as bullies, feel too real. There's that wonderful "whatever we say is right" attitude where, having only had a cutie mark for a couple of days, the new rule is cutie marks are in. And both Cheerilee and Applejack ignore/are unaware of the bullying.

At the end, it's a good way to introduce the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who are a younger version of the Mane Six and are great characters in which age-appropriate fans can see themselves.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

It's also the first of many episodes that describe an annual event that only happens once in the series (and many of these aren't even mentioned again).

Well, we do see them setting up winter in "Tanks for the Memories." It kind of counts.

Furthermore, is there a pegasus method for changing seasons too?

That's part of the earth pony way, suspiciously enough. Really, the whole tradition seems like a subtle way to tell unicorns to sit on their own horns and spin. I'm not saying it's a bad episode. Anything but! It just feels vaguely tribalist to say "No magic" when the pegasi are banishing storm systems with migration formations.

Miss Cheerilee's lesson is really good at explaining cutie marks to someone who has never seen any iteration of MLP before.

From what I recall from decades-old secondhand information—my sister was into G1, or at least the toys—this explanation for butt pictures is unique to Friendship is Magic.

She didn't grow up tagging along while Big Sister sold apples?

Well, she'd never met Sweetie Belle, who's presumably lived in town her whole life, so probably?

These retrospectives are a delight to see. Thanks for keeping them up.

[PresentPerfect]

5456222

From what I recall from deacdes-old secondhand information—my sister was into G1, or at least the toys—this explanation for butt pictures is unique to Friendship is Magic.

Can confirm. I'm not even sure they ever had a name, at least not in animated media, before G4.