Okay, time for another episode.

This one is named "Campfire Tales". Wasn't there a CMC cutie mark summer camp mentioned recently (two episodes ago)? Maybe this is it! Though, with the "Tales" part, it's probably split into various stories. Maybe something like "Cutie Mark Chronicles", crossed with "Sleepless in Ponyville".

Whatever the case, this is the discussion thread for the episode, or you can discuss it on Discord, or in knighty's episode post on the site, whenever it's posted.

--Sweetie Belle
PS: There is a master list of these threads, btw.

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Man, I reeeeeally hope Rara is in this! I want her back!

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Well... it's probably unlikely. But if it is several stories being told, one of 'em could be about Rara. You never know!

Actually, there are a lot of characters they could revisit, too. Wouldn't it be neat if Little Strongheart showed up some time? Or Gabby? (Okay, same voice actor, so maybe I just want that voice actor to show up again.,..)

--Sweetie Belle

I have to say, this is one of the episodes I've been looking forward to the most. Not only will this be the first camping episode since Sleepless in Ponyville, but it will also be the first time we ever see the IDW characters in animated form!

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The stories have something to do with the comics.

Finally. We get to learn something about Somnambula in this new generation.

it's an annual camping trip, and they specifically reference Sleepless in Ponyville events as ‘last time’. It's a rare time marker! Confirmed, one year since season 3.

Flyders. Just yes.

Sweetie Belle created a miniature shield over her head; we haven't even seen Rarity do that. Is she still studying under Twilight, perhaps?

Rarity can do some amazing things with her hooves.

Some casual gold in the cave wall. Just another curious tidbit for Equestria's… interesting geology.

It appears Rainbow Dash has the idiot ball this episode. Though I suppose it isn't too far off her normal functioning level of thought.

Did that story just imply that Ember's father eats ponies?

*shudders* talk about everypony's worst nightmares, flying spiders!
I really enjoyed this episode though, was fun seeing more of the background of the ponies we have read about in the more recent comic series. (And seeing them from places outside of Equestria: Viking ponies, Japony's, ponies living near/with the dragons?) Though I am sad we didn't get to see the sphinx yet (like others here, that is one of the ones I was looking forward to seeing! Ah well, means it will hopefully have an awesome episode later on in the season!

The first story kinda sucked. The other two were decent though.

Nipping the bud right now- Mist Mane isn't a kirin/qilin/quilin/other spelling of the name. I know it's common to popularize that particular mythical creature as an "Asian unicorn", but said creature has scales and a pair of branching antlers

Also, it's its own thing. Dragon/horse hybrids in Chinese mythology are known as Longma, and are something completely different

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"Flyders": exactly what they sound like.

Suddenly my portal to Equestria project lost all funding.

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I think the ending was a little too convenient. Caves are super dangerous. Do you know where the water usually flows? deep underground. The thought of falling into an underwater river freaks me out, and they just went for it. That's a recipe for never being heard from again, and last I checked Scootaloo wants to be heard from.

Friendship is Magic first impressions review: Campfire Tales (s07e16)
by Obake

(SPOILERS!)

From the promotional trailer for Campfire Tales, it was immediately apparent the episode would be referencing season 3's Sleepless in Ponyville. Having now seen the episode, I can say that it does borrow, but is mostly its own thing. Applejack, Rarity, Dash, and the Crusader's are once again camping, with Scootaloo (once again) afraid of her own shadow. The camping concept is fine, but making Scootaloo such a wreck for most of the episode grew tiresome. There is not even a catalysts for her fears, like a scary story or nightmares. Just remembering the events of Sleepless are enough to make her jump out of her skin, even in daylight and with good rest. I would not mind if the episode made a small reference, or if Scootaloo's fears were integrated more naturally, but it's so forced.

The story here is that the ponies get stranded inside a cave during a Fly-der swarm. Fly-der's are a mix between flies and spiders, with the ability to projectile vomit webs. They are a neat menace with cool design. While stuck in the cave, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash tell stories of their favorite legends, in an anthology format.

Applejack's story is set in a viking style village. A stallion named Rockhoof wants to be one of the village protectors, a group known as the Mighty Helm. But he is too scrawny, and is laughed off. When a volcano erupts, Rockhoof proves his worth by digging a trench to lead the lava away from the town and into the ocean. Rainbow and Sweetie Belle interrupt to say how implausible it is that he could dig a trench fast enough to do that, which Applejack responds with (non verbatim) "luckily Rockhoof did not know the word impossible." In the process of digging, Rockhoof suddenly transforms into a hulking, muscled hero. It is an explanation akin to actual tall tales like Paul Bunyan, but not done in a way that feels purposely far fetched. Rather, it just comes off as lame.

Rarity's segment is the best. In imperial Japan or China, a unicorn named Mist Mane is sent to a prestigious magic school. After years of studies, she returns to her village to find it under the tyrannical rule of a one-time friend, a servant named Sable Spirit. Sable had grown tired of Mist Mane's fame, and in a misguided attempt to make herself more beautiful, cursed herself with an ugly visage. Enraged, she used her magic to take over, getting rid of everything beautiful. She and Mist get into a battle, resulting in Sable's overthrow. Unsatisfied, Mist Mane makes a selfless decision. She casts a spell that restores both the beauty to the village as well as to Sable's features -- at the sacrifice of her own. Mist Mane's face becomes wrinkled and tired, but she nevertheless lives on to restore beauty to everything else around her. Though her sacrifice holds weight, I feel it could have been made clearer as to whether the effects on her were permanent. Even so, the segment does a lot of things right, and has a unique style to the setting and characters.

The final story is told by Rainbow. Flash Magnus is a cadet in the royal legion, a group similar to the Wonderbolts but founded long before. When two of his fellow cadets are captured by a pair of dragons, Flash bravely decoys the dragons away from their lair, and leads them into a skyward chase. The dragons are defeated after being lead into an electrified storm. Flash is lauded as a hero, and receives a fireproof shield called Titus, which had been lent to him by his Commander, Ironhead. This segment is fine, and has decent action, but it's nothing amazing. It is neat seeing Dragon Lord Torch again, though, even if he does not get any lines.

What hurts Campfire Tales most, besides Scootaloo's needless panicking, is the schmaltzy ending. After realizing they are trapped (Rainbow purposely caved in the entrance earlier, to keep the Fly-ders out), they venture further in, riding down a stream which eventually leads them outside of a waterfall, to where they were headed to before their diversion: Whinsome Falls. I would not mind this if the characters behaved normal, but the Crusader's gush about how wonderful of an adventure they just had, which rings false. Getting attacked by bugs and stranded in a cave would be irritating, not fun. Heck, the cave was not even dangerous. Despite my gripes, Campfire Tales is simply okay, some segments stronger than others, but not much to remember.

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I wonder if this is a type of unicorn, or if it's just Rarity's stylized mental image. It would be neat to see this design again.

How do ponies even have the concept of shadow puppetry

I guess this just proves how ancient Torch is.

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Oh you silly bunny, we ponies are very handy with our hooves... I don't know, guess they can morph when not in direct line of sight.

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That's in line of sight, it doesn't count!

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It's also a puppet of Ballerina Twilight… which leads to even more questions. How does Rarity know about that? Does Twilight dress up and dance while we aren't looking? Is Rarity spying on her friends? Does Ballerina Twilight exist independently of Twilight, and now lives in Rarity's shop? Why does Rarity think of Twilight dancing when she's describing the concept of beauty?

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Does Ballerina Twilight exist independently of Twilight, and now lives in Rarity's shop?

I don't think so, but damn that needs to be a fic

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How does Rarity know about that? Does Twilight dress up and dance while we aren't looking?

That would also be an acceptable answer. Actually, I imagine that maybe the subject came up while Rarity was fitting Twilight for a dress, and Rarity convinced Twi to show her some moves.

6082467 I think it's a regional variant, and me too!

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First thing that really graps my attention was this shield thing too, really impressiv by her.