There's a song reference here I swear with the title...eh it'll come to me eventually.

Welcome Hive Mind, to the next review part of the Nightmarish Betrayal arc! Things start to build up this episode, so lets get things rolling!

The episode begins with Bugze's hooded form, eyes glowing in orange fury, staring down Trixie's stage with only one thing on his mind...vengeance!

Of course before Bugze can do anything to get his vengeance, he notices the Ursa Minor heading towards Trixie's stage. This of course pleases Bugze, as he decides to sit back and watch as the pony who betrayed home is destroy by a giant bear. But he can't enjoy to soon to be destruction as he suddenly hears a voice telling him to help her coming from his side.

Naturally Bugze is confused by this and turns to see who spoke to him...only to see a Chibi Nightshade sitting on his shoulder. Before Bugze can even process this, the Chibi Nightshade speaks again telling him that despite what Trixie did, it would be wrong to not stop her home from getting destroyed.

Before Bugze can respond to this, another voice tells him to let the Ursa have his fun. Turning to see who spoke, Bugze sees a Chibi Nightmare Moon on his other shoulder. Course he doesn't know its Nightmare Moon, so he just calls her a Luna look-alike.

The two tiny ponies begin to go back and forth, the Nightshade one telling him to do the right thing while the Nightmare one telling him to let the monster have its fun.

That's right folks, we are doing a 'Conscience on your shoulder' gag! What is this gag you ask, well...

That is what the 'Conscience on your shoulder' gag is! Sadly it's only used twice and just in this season. The only other time I can ever remember it being used again is the season finale. Through now that I think about it we could do this joke Season 4 with [REDACTED] and [REDACTED].

Hmmm...welp I got another comment for next season!

Anyway, back on track here. Bugze decides having two mini people on his shoulders is where he draws the line as he begins to head butt a nearby wall in the attempt to make the two tiny ponies disappear.

After a few minutes of this he stops, and much to his dismay their still there. He asks how he can see them, and it is hilariously pointed out how its probably due to the fact he got knocked out twice on the same day. So it makes sense that he's seeing things.

I would say he got brain damage from this, but I'm inclined to believe that due to later events this only made his skull harder to crack. Cause seriously people, after all the stuff Bugze's been through and will go through its a surprise major brain damage isn't one of the injuries he's had!

Now before the two Chibis leave the Nightmare one asks him what he is going to do. Bugze is distressed by this as he tried being good and that failed, and he tried pretending to be evil and that just cost him his only friend in town.

Clearly he forgot about Derpy, and that Fluttershy seemed pretty glad that he wasn't squashed by a dragon. It's like the author purposely left those two out to create a dramatic moment.

*Looks directly at camera*

If you couldn't tell this is a plot hole, one that now annoys me as it is a pretty cheap one. Curse you pressures of writing a chapter a day forcing me to rush...and my tendency to be cut corners to do a good job! CURSE YOU!!!

Ahem, anyway after the two delusions disappear Bugze begins to walk aimlessly forward in thought, and he wonders why his luck is so bad.

Que a serious of unfortunate events that scream bad luck happening right in front of him, and Bugze can only respond with a simple 'Welp I'm dead' and the events implications. I'd go into more detail, but I'm afraid that if I recap these events my luck will get even worse then it already is, so I'm not taking that chance.

After this Bugze begins to look around the destruction of the town ala Shellshock style and wonders why he should help. It isn't his problem since he doesn't live here, and he'll just get blamed for it. But he remembers how most of the town is full of innocents, and he vowed to protect them.

This is the point where he sees the Ursa heading towards a group of cowering colts and fillies, Applebloom being among them. This sight snaps him into action as he rushes over to protect the kids. He gets in front of them in a protective stance, and while most of the foals are just scared at his sudden appearance Applebloom just glares at him.

While this does hurt Bugze, he puts it in the back of his mind as he'd rather lose her as friend that let her die. He turns to face down the Ursa, but sees out of the corner of his eyes a staff nearby. It's wooden one painted black with a read crystal sitting at the top of it. Remember how he defeated Smaug Bugze gets a idea as he picks up the staff, activates his RCV, and...well:

That's right folks! This staff is the first appearance of what will be dubbed The Boom Stick, Bugze's number one source of keeping the baddies back. It basically does what the above video shows every time he slams it into the ground.

Sadly for Bugze he happens to lose the staff due to things in the next episode, so I won't go into detail on it till it pops up again.

Anyway, Bugze's plan works as he manages to send the Ursa flying behind Trixie's stage. Bugze can't believe that worked and decides to keep the staff, but like I said before he loses it due to events next episode.

He looks over to the group of foals he just saved and tells them to scram, and the foals listen to his advice as they all run away. Applebloom stays behind so Bugze can give a 'I know you won't forgive, and you don't have to' speech before taking off herself.

Now like last review I shall be using a 20 sided dice to determine, plus 1 for Appleblooms presence. Now I'll just go ahead and roll....

...

Lucky lucky, we got a 19!

Good: +20 Saved foals from becoming pancakes

Two decent rolls in a row...this can not last I just know it.

Anyway, the episode ends with the Ursa crushing Trixie's stage, and while at first Bugze is happy about this he then remembers a very crucial fact...The Inventory was in there. Nightshade was in there.

...

Things are about to take a interesting turn next episode. And to keep things ominous I'm just going straight to the Title Segment so....yeah.

Favorite Moment:

"YOUUUU SHALLLLL NOT PASS!!!"

As you scream 'pass' you slam the end of the staff onto the ground. And it works! It sends a shock wave of magic towards the Ursa Major, causing the bear to be sent flying backwards over Trixie's wagon before slamming down at the entrance of the town. You look at the staff in awe,

"Huh, first of all I'm keeping you" you say as you point the staff in your hoof "and second of all, I can't believe that actually worked!"

Awesome moment? Check. Funny line after? Check. Any other reason needed to like this scene? Nope!

Embarrassing Moment:

...

Don't really have any this episode so...yeah.

Plot Hole Detected:

"I-I don't know. I've tried being the good guy and it's only brought me trouble! I tried to fake being the bad guy and I lost the only friend I had in this town! I want to do the right thing, but no matter what I do something goes wrong and someling ends up hating me."

I repeat, Bugze still had Derpy and technically Fluttershy in town. Sure this can be written off as Bugze over exaggerating due to his guilt, which wouldn't be the first or last time this happens, but I'm still marking it down as a plot hole. If it was a exaggeration it should have been addressed as such at a later point, which it isn't.

Welp that's it for this review! Reply if you have any questions concerning this chap, for me in general, or to just tell me what you thought of this chapter as well! See ya all later today with the next ep!

The Karma Counter:

Good: 39
Evil: 53

Plot Hole Count: 5

Rating: 7/10