My Review of MLP: FIM season 9 episode 23–The Big Mac Question · 1:46am May 21st, 2021
Grading Scale:
A (fantastic episode)
A- (an excellent episode with at least one flaw)
B+ (a great episode with a couple of flaws)
B (a good episode which still could have been better)
B- (a good episode with numerous flaws but still rewatchable)
C+ (a decent episode)
C (eh... it’s not terrible but not good either)
C- (it’s not worth rewatching although it does have good elements)
D+ (a bad episode with a few good things in it)
D (a really bad episode with wasted potential)
D- (a terrible episode with badly written characters and butchered moral)
F (horrible and unwatchable)
Greetings, fellas. Here is my review of season 9 episode 23, “The Big Mac Question”. This was absolutely a wholesome episode that served as a perfect wrap-up for Big Mac’s story arc and as the climax of his relationship with Sugar Belle. I really enjoyed watching this episode especially as it featured the CMCs, Spike, Mrs. Cake, and Granny Smith. The only character whom I felt was somewhat a negative factor in this was Discord; you all know how I personally feel about him and how I don’t like Discord that much. Nonetheless, I still was able to enjoy the episode for the message it conveyed and for the sweet moments it had. So, let’s dig into this, shall we?
The episode begins with the Crusaders, Spike, Mrs. Cake, and Discord having an interview with an off-screen character (Applejack) about what happened recently in Ponyville; then they shift to flashback sections of the story, starting with Spike’s point of view. There, we see Big Mac gazing at the wedding ring he holds with Spike accompanying him. Discord jumps into the scene and begs him to let him see what he was hiding. After a series of random ramblings he spewed, Big Mac hesitantly shows the Lord of Chaos the ring.
Then we have the running gag of the episode: shouting something surprising out loud that everypony hears it to some degree but then ignore it. To me, those type of running gags in shows and movies nowadays are just not funny.
Anyway, Big Mac asks Discord and Spike to lay all the apples with written hints on the tags across the town to lead Sugar Belle to the hilltop where he will be waiting for her. Discord, however, decides to scatter the apples to wherever by snapping his fingers. Wow, you clearly work really hard to help your friends, huh? If only it were that easy to do in real life...
Meanwhile, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Mrs. Cake help Sugar Belle make all the pastries and have the likewise written messages on the tags for Big Mac as a part of the marriage proposal. Hmm, that’s quite an elaborate, meticulous way of proposing to your spouse, eh? But just when things start out so well, Discord decides to shake things up a little.
He magically turns the apples into little monster apples and has them go to Sugar Belle directly to relay everything their tags say to her in person. Because he forgot to tell them where to go and give the message, they walk everywhere around town and unintentionally terrorize all the residents there.
See, this is one of the things I hate about Discord; he does everything with his chaos powers with almost little to no consequences most of the time. What’s even worse is that there are people in the fandom who will defend him saying, “He’s chaotic! He’s the Lord of Chaos! He’s supposed to do something stupid!” They will use that excuse to protect him from any criticism whatsoever. These people really annoy me in all honesty.
As for the CMCs, they try to make things right by helping out Sugar Belle as a make-up for everything they have done in the past specifically that time in “Hard to Say Anything”. Although they are not the central focus of this episode, I think they were much better handled in this one than they were in the previous episodes of this season. At least they weren’t their childish, idiotic selves from the earlier seasons.
Those same apples then combine into a humongous apple monster and scare off Granny Smith and the CMCs unto SugarCube Corner. There, Discord brings Sugar Belle with him where Big Mac likewise came and saw his marriage proposals coming to ruination. Before he could scold the draconequus, the apple monster corners them and spills the beans according to what was written in those tags. Honestly, that was entirely cringeworthy to listen to, and I had to facepalm myself because of Discord’s ridiculousness.
Fortunately, it didn’t stop there. The couple visit the Pear-Apple Tree his parents planted long ago and spend the remaining time together with heart-to-heart dialogue. Seizing the golden opportunity, Big Mac presents his wedding ring to her before they both proposed to each other in unison. That... was truly touching and tender. After so long of being romantically involved, they finally declared their love for each other.
Speaking of which, I noticed how Lyra and Bon Bon proposed to each other in the background from one of the shots where the apples ran everywhere. You can thank Morgan Shandro for animating that little scene.
Lastly, as Big Mac and Sugar Belle get married, Discord allowed the same apples to sing a marriage song for the couple in celebration of their union. That’s only one thing I liked from Discord in this episode.
Overall, this was really enjoyable and wholesome despite the flaws it has. With that said, I will give this one a solid B+!
Peace!
I betcha for sure that made the Lyrabon fanatics went wild because of that scene, right Mr. J? :3
And for you, that's when it goes downhill.
(I swear if you change your mind on the twist, I will reign terror upon you...)
Just kidding. Opinions are opinions.
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Well you know what I say for me: BRING ON THE MADDENING BY LETTTING LOOSE THE HATRED ON THE FINALE! X3
Takes a lot of courage to pop the question.
5522407
or Burp the Worm. :3
Guess what Video game reference that is. ;3
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No.
5522416
Here's the answer: GTA San Andreas. :3
5522417
I hate that franchise.
5522420
Eh.... I respect your opinion on it anyways. Nothing more and nothing less.
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Along with Common Ground, right? :)
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Thanks.
I guess you can call it a nitpick but the only thing I didn't like here is that Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6 didn't attend Big Mac and Sugar Belle's wedding and that Rainbow Dash was supposed to be the Element of Loyalty and she wouldn't pass or forget to attend something like that. I mean she's all for Cider and Apple treats right? Other than that, I really enjoyed this episode and Its a really nice conclusion to Big Mac and Sugar Belle's relationship. A really happy ending and I love it.
Lyra and Bon Bon becoming a homosexual couple was something I had a feeling was going to happen at some point, but all the same...this was a particular reason as to why they became some of my least favorite characters. It was bad enough they were always getting depicted as a homosexual couple in fanfiction with openly cringy romantic moments, but for it to be done in the show itself...well, that was where I drew the line with the two of them.
I never cared for Lyra and Bon Bon since the beginning anyway, so I wasn’t left entirely angry over the whole thing.
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You're welcome :3
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👍
5522696
Heh =3