Posting a little late this time, but this is the official discussion thread for the episode "A Royal Problem", which is the next Canadian episode. I think the US one that is about to air was Parental Glideance, and the official thread is over here. I personally liked that one a bunch.

This one looks to be interesting, too (Edit: and is by Joanna Lewis & Kristine Songco!). When I think "A Royal Problem", the biggest royal problem I can think of is Prince Blueblood. And the second biggest one is Prince Rutherford of Yakyakistan. In comic book continuity, they actually know each other, too. Now, I think it'd be kinda funny if some old treaty that was badly phrased meant that they were engaged. I'd love to watch an episode about that. Biggest problem would be both their countries would probably want both of 'em to go live in the other country.

That's probably not what this episode will turn out to be about, though, though I did think of it while discussing another episode just from the title. I'm personally thinking this is more likely to be like Sisterhooves Social, but with Celestia and Luna. they need some good bonding time anyways. Sending your sister to the moon 'cause you get in a fight isn't the best sisterly behavior.

Though I could see where it might be tempting.

Sorry if my last summary was a little hard on the last episode, btw, but not only was I having trouble being inventive about it, I really didn't think I'd like it. (And, as it turned out, I didn't. Oh well, maybe I'll rewatch it some time and see if it fares better.)

Anyways, you know the drill by now. You can discuss the episode here, in our Discord, in knighty's Discord, on knighty's site post, well, a lot of places really, though if you discuss it in threads other then this one on the Writer's Group, it'll probably get deleted or locked until it's no longer spoilers.

--Sweetie Belle

Ready to see glimglam do some more mary sueing so everyone can hate her even more woop woop
Can't wait for her to get her alicorn wings too!

Oh, also, finally a princess episode! This is gonna be grea--Oh wait, it's a glimglam episode! Hah!
Good job DHX

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synopsis is starlight helps a pair of ,millennia old mares well past the age where they can act like children because the two aren't appreciative of each other

kinda feel its a case of a day late and a dollar short to be honest with this one

5955002
Yeah, it's okay everything will be fine.
Mary sue will simply swap their cutie marks (apparently that's something a random unicorn can do), because, like, she didn't fuck up enough as is, and it totally isn't the exact same thing she did in her town, but then she'll save the day and learn a new friendship lesson! And all will be forgiven. Again.

We just wanted a SoL episode about the princesses doing silly stuff, some trollestia, some neet luna and there you go, everyone would've been happy.

I'm trying my best not to spoil this episode for myself, but that thumbnail I'm seeing on youtube isn't helping!

That episode was great. One of the best of the season. I loved the interactions between Celestia and Luna. Especially grumpy, half asleep Luna in the morning.

Pinkie wearing shades while air surfing Gummy. Daybreaker's biting lines. Luna's morning grumpiness.

This episode was pretty rad.

If I remember correctly, losing teeth is specifically related to anxiety. More specifically, anxiety towards one's self. Good for the writers to match that up with the smiling.

I'm more impressed with the writing this season with each passing episode.

5955136
I enjoyed it. I was a little relieved during the opening to notice that the writers for it were Joanna Lewis & Kristine Songco. They did Celestial Advice, and have generally done good episodes.

Celestia and Luna both really need more screen time. That moment where Luna declares in the Royal Canterlot voice that there are no Timberwolves made me laugh...

I do want to go back and look at all those pictures of dreams that passed by quickly. I remember Pinkie surfing on Gummy.

--Sweetie Belle

officially my favorite episode of this season, maybe even among my top 10-15 list overall.

Showing more character of Celestia is always amazing and I loved the whole dream-sequence.

5955513 Derpy had the best dream and Cadance had an amusing one.

Anyway I loved the episode. Story was what I expected and yet episode managed anyway to surpass my expectations.

5954990 I'm only halfway through the episode, but so far it's been everything I've ever wanted. And I didn't even realize I wanted it! I just need to take this in at my own pace.

Also, Luna's just all grit. Look how she bites into that pineapple!

5955551 DJ Flurry Heart in the house!

I'm trying to figure out what the Doctor's dream was supposed to be, It has to be a Doctor Who reference. Now that I think about it, Doctor Who is a lot of staring nervously into empty spaces.

Great episode. I had both, 'Princesses Slice of Life episode' and 'Nightmare Moon equivalent for Celestia' crossed off my bucketlist in a single episode. Definitely a good day.

As for the ongoing Starlight hate (which shall continue to make me laugh), her role wasn't really the point of the episode. She got the ball rolling, but it was Celestia and Luna who resolved the issue, themselves. Starlight fell into her own anxieties essentially as the climax hit. The most she did the entire episode was help Luna smile and wave. She wasn't the star of the episode, the princesses were.

5955513 The Daring Do and Twilight/Rainbow Dash ones stick out a little. They're just so bland.

The ones with multiple subjects are always difficult. I for one find it hilarious to think that Giant Angel is Angel's dream, DJ Flurry Heart is Flurry Heart's, and pillow fight with Discord is actually Smooze's dream.

Didn't Luna already live a day in Celestia's life back in the comics?

Also where is Luna's bat pony entourage?! Luna should be constantly surrounded by bat ponies! Were they just scared of Celestia?

5955625 Reference to Dr.Who and Weeping Angels. That's all I know at least.

Sorry to say, I wasn't a fan of this episode. To be honest, though I argue Starlight's redemption was rushed, I can't say I've disliked her in many appearances. A lot of the time (as in today's episode) she's the most rational of the Mane cast.

A small snippet of my first impressions review, written in the form of a letter, is as thus:
(SPOILERS!)
Dear Princess Luna,

Today I watched a play titled Royal Problems. It depicts the time Starlight was sent to help solve a friendship problem between you and your sister. The play has received negative press from ponies who feel the premise sounded too far fetched. But I went in with an open mind.
I was suprised surprised that the play fell apart before the opening orchestra. The pre-title act involves the Cutie Map calling Starlight to the royal palace, and Princess Twilight being a nervous wreck. I understand that the map had never called just one pony to a place before then, and that being sent to the palace is a big order. But it seems odd that Twilight wouldn't trust her star pupil with the task, and even ponders whether the map's wrong.
Act II depicts Starlight in Canterlot. She finds that you don't appreciate the breakfasts your sister makes each morning, and your sister doesn't acknowledge the work you do helping ponies in their dreams. In a rash decision, Starlight switches your cutie marks.
In a letter I wrote on the play Hard to Say Anything, I admit to not being that much of a stickler for continuity in these plays. But Royal Problems contains too many conundrums not to have questions on. Like, how was Starlight able to manipulate cutie marks without the aid of the magic staff from The Cutie Map? Did switching your marks change your destinies like in Magical Mystery Cure? Neither are absolutely necessary to be answered. Starlight could have known the cutie mark switching spell before, but that brings questions of its own. If the play were funnier or more endearing, it would be easier to look past thees these issues.
The third act is you and your sister living a day in each others shoes. You find her tasks, like meeting dignitaries, and waving to ponies on the street, more burdensome than expected. You also inadvertently stop a school from raising funds for a field trip by frowning.
A question I have is why Celestia is surprised that raising the moon is easier than the sun. Shouldn't she already know, having raised both for a millenia during your banishment?
Celestia delves into ponies dreams, arriving into Starlight's. Starlight's dream is about Nightmare Moon returning because she failed her mission. I understand what is trying to be conveyed, that little misunderstandings between ponies can fester until they become something significant (think back to the first play, Friendship is Magic.) But Royal Problems does not convey this well. Fearing Nightmare Moon's return for not appreciating pancakes seems rather silly. Also encountered in the dream is Celestia's nightmare counterpart: Daybreaker, who I admit has a cool design.
During the battle between Daybreaker and Nightmare, when you and Luna reunite, you fear for Starlight's psyche. If I may ask, why didn't you just tell Starlight it was a dream, or try waking her up?
Then in the next scene, when she's awake, she asks whether it was a dream or not, which begs why she didn't ask you during it!
I was not a fan of this play. It was like a sequel to No Second Prances, in that it wasn't the worst thing ever, but it had a lot of inconsistencies, and not much else.

Your sincere reviewer,
Obake

5955694
I feel like an apologist today...anyway forgive me if I am annoying with this defense.

Act I, Twilight was scared because for the first time map sent just one pony, it sent pony that wasn't one of mane 6 and it sent Starlight to Canterlot Castle. Twilight does trust Starlight but she is still new at letting others deal with problems themselves. It is a problem when a teacher gets too attached to their student.

Act II, The Staff of Sameness was just a stick. It was always just Starlight's own magic that changed cutie marks. Of course what isn't still clear is how she does it as Alicorns do not seem to know.

Act III, yes Celestia shouldn't be surprised. One could argue that she was not surprised but was bragging to Starlight because she wanted to point out how easy Luna's job is.
The nightmare was not logical but that is because it was a nightmare and Starlight's thoughts were running wild. This was also a lesson to Starlight as much as it was for princesses.
Also Starlight was aware that it was a dream once Celestia came. No idea why they didn't just wake her up, probably dreamland rules or something.

Anyway I am sorry you didn't find the episode enjoyable. Better luck next time.

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No worries! I'm always glad for input.

5955513
The most interesting other ones were Queen Derpy with the twicane, DJ Flurry Heart performing for her mother, and Doctor Whooves looking at a statue and seeming to be worried (Weeping Angel reference).

5955795 Could the AJ dream be the early cameo of her parents? It could be interesting if she has dreams of her parents when she was just a baby.

Those two things the Cutie Map has never done before, namely calling upon somepony other than the Mane Six, and calling only a single pony at a time, are contrary to both the origin of the Map, where it is magically connected to the Mane Six specifically through the Tree of Harmony, and to the operation of the Map, which is friendship, which is why it always sent at least two before. Other than this, I liked the episode (and lore galore!), but this really throws a wrench into understanding the Cutie Map and using it in a story.

Also, AJ dreams about being cradled in her parent's arms! That's adorable! And depressing! And adorable!

I really enjoyed this episode. It was nice to see more Celestia characterization, especially dropping her serene facade. And the fact that she apparently cooks her own breakfast just for fun.

It also provided some insight into how Equestria is ruled: Apparently Celestia deals with all the administrative stuff and guarding the dream realm is actually Luna's main job. That's interesting.

Oh, and then Daybreaker showed up.

HOLY SHIT THIS IS THE MOST AWESOME EPISODE EVEEEEEEEEEER!

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"Dear Obake.
I happened to see the same play, and I have to say that I quite enjoyed it.

Not pretending my judgement on the quality of the piece to be better than yours, I can however try to share what I think to have understood about the reasons behind the passages you pointed out.

First of all, for Twilight to be nervous about things she can't control is part of her nature. Especially when they have to do with her previous mentor. Above all since, this time, her pupil's ability would have been shown to Celestia herself. She probably took it like it was an exame for herself. And, knowing Twilight, I find it to be pretty in charcter.

In The Cutie Map, it had been plainly said that the staff had not magic powers. Starlight Glimmer's powers were the sole responsible for all the cutie marks' stuff.
Probably the cutie mark's switch would have changed our destiny, if it would have lasted for longer (in Magical Mistery Cure they had not being simply switched for a morning, but everyone's memory had been changed to make them believe that it had always been like that). But, since both me and my sister have the power to move celestial orbs, switching our cutie marks didn't change much in that respect. It only gave me some of her peculiar abilities (that I really had not the possibility to explore, since Celestia's daily job doesn't involve her using much of her magical abilities) and gave her the power to enter in the dream realm (that happens to be a good part of my job).

In the third act Celestia wasn't really surprised that rising the Moon was easier than raising the Sun. She did it for a thousand years, (but keep in mind that she had no more raised it for years, she had not fresh memories of it, and she had never done it with my cutie mark). She was instead bragging that it was easier. As to convince herself that my job was easier than hers (poor filly).

Believe me. The dream realm can be really wild and insane. Over night fears multiplies, and ponies freak out of things they would have considered only petty nuisances over the day. Sometimes even over things they already succesfully dealed with in the past. So, even if we weren't really risking of giving up to our evil counterparts (I'm not even sure my sister has one) for a matter of pancakes and lavender, i'm not really surprised if Starlight's imagination scaled up a bit the effects of her eventual failure.

So Celestia didn't say it to Starlight yet? My my... I didn't think her to be so bad at dream warding...
Jokes apart, Starligh knew it was a dream from the moment Celestia appeared in it, but that had not cured her fears. It only made her subconscious to call something more powerful than Celestia herself (the evil Celestia). Infact, when it was all solved, and Starlight asked if it was still a dream, she was still dreaming. Only in the subsequent scene my sister came back to the castle's balcoy, that her physical body had never left for the entire night.

Hoping to have given you a little feed for thought, I wish you all the best.
Princess Luna"

I gave in to the thumbnail. Could not resist.

This was a fun episode, even if Twilight was a bit stalkerish.

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Or that could be Applejack's mother dreaming of holding Applejack. Mind you, given the perspective of the other dreams, your interpretation is more likely.

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I'd just finishing watching The History of the World, I Guess, so Day Breaker reminded me that "the sun is a deadly lazer."

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She mostly reminded me of Utsuho Reiuji from Touhou Project:

Also, this kinda supports my headcanon that Celestia is very powerful but also not much of a fighter by nature, and tends to hold back a lot on the rare occasions she has to go into battle personally - either for fear of collateral damage or because she just doesn't like the idea of hurting others, or both.

5956597

Or that could be Applejack's mother dreaming of holding Applejack. Mind you, given the perspective of the other dreams, your interpretation is more likely.

If her mother was dead, how would she be dreaming it? I also got to thinking, maybe it's Applejack's dream of a daughter that bears a striking resemblance to herself....

Dreadnought

Can't believe I never joined the discussion on this. I absolutely loved this episode. I really enjoy seeing episodes about the Princesses, given the amount of headcanon worldbuilding one can do with them. In fact, right after seeing the episode, I was actually compelled to write up a story that very evening. I have never had that happen before, but I simply wanted to write something based on what happened, and what it meant in-universe... mostly about Daybreaker, although the episode was also an interesting insight into Celestia as well.

It's interesting to see that while Luna struggled with loneliness, Celestia's job by contrast involves too much attention - often of the shallow, political sort. And of course Celestia has to smile, wave, and do what's best for her kingdom rather than what she personally wants, and measure each action for what consequences it might have...

5956162 I've always seen the Cutie Map as a magical entity in and of itself - maybe not intelligent as we would think of it it, but definitely sentient (in the scientific definition) and with a will of its own. It uses whatever "tools" are at its disposal, with a level of planning and foresight that puts Celestia and her "let's send my student to Ponyville, she'll be able to fix things" move at the start of the series to shame. I always felt it simply never saw fit to send anypony but a former Element bearer until this episode. Either that or, ever since Starlight used the Map as a component for her time travel, it's linked to her as well and intends to use her for good.

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Based on the admittedly unpopular and perhaps unwarranted presumption that she isn't dead.

5993931
I thought the writers noted that the two comets in Apple Family Reunion was a nod to their parents being dead.

Dreadnought

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Yeah, but continuity in this series isn't as solid as one would expect. You're most likely right, but I thought I'd posit an alternate scenario just in case the writers retract that comment.

5955694
The second paragraph of that letter tells me you clearly don't know Twilight. You are likely judging this on who you think the characters should be and not who they are. And much of the rest of your letter demonstrates a significant lack of understanding. Perhaps you should watch the episodes more before you try to critique them.

"The staff is a piece of wood I found in the desert! It's my magic that makes all this possible!" - Starlight Glimmer, Cutie Markless part 2.

Starlight knew from the princesses' argument that Luna was feeling unappreciated and alone as well as jealous of Celestia being adored by their subjects... exactly what caused her to turn into Nightmare Moon in the first place. For her worry to cause her to dream of Nightmare Moon returning is not silly at all. And what's more, she knew that Celestia was harboring some negative feelings as well, which, in her worst-case-scenario nightmare, manifest as Daybreaker.

Starlight knew it was a dream, what she didn't know was if the Celestia and Luna she saw in her dream were real or just another part of her dream. She knows of Luna's ability to enter dreams after all, she could easily have just dreamed that they were there even if they weren't, which is why she's not sure if they were really in her dream or not when she wakes.

5996328
Episode 13 of this season makes it very clear that the Apple parents are dead, even if they don't outright say it. It was already released in Australia and is on youtube, at least it is until Hasbro takes it down anyway.