I Dream of Twilight modblog
Month
I will be heading to SmashFest at my Best Buy on probably Saturday, June 14th to play the Wii U Smash Bros. demo. Mingle with other players and play as much of I can to get a taste of it before I have to wait probably close to half a year until the WIi U version will be in my grasp (Though luckily it won’t be too long until the 3DS version comes out)
I can’t wait to try things out. I’m likely to drag my cursor right to Sonic as soon as I start playing :) I may try out some of the Newcomers. But otherwise, I’m going to be the Sonic guy (Might even wear my Classic Sonic shirt that I have to the event)
Also Mario Kart 8 came out not too long ago. I’ll be getting that next Monday. I’m excited to play that as well. ^^
I don’t even count Spike at your Service since Dave made the story. But it was ultimately Williams that wrote it. And Games Ponies Play is average as you can get. And the rushed ending wasn’t Dave’s fault. I actually agree that Feeling Pinkie Keen is entertaining in a few ways. I just still think it’s one of the weaker episodes of Season 1. Better then Boast Busters, Look Before You Sleep, and Owl’s Well That Ends Well overall. But probably somewhere in the 20-16 area in terms of where it places among all 26 episodes. Over the Barrel was better then Pinkie Keen but I think it still doesn’t crack into the Top 13 still. While in Season 3 his first somewhat good episode was Too Many PInkie Pies as it was probably the best Pinkie was portrayed since Party of One up until Pinkie Pride came along. Mixed feelings on Keep Calm and Flutter On, and I already stated my thing on Games Ponies Play in this same answer. While in Season 4 he’s done pretty darn well. Every one of his episodes were good in my opinion. Even the ones I have somewhat mixed feelings about with Daring Don’t. It just feels like to me he’s certainly improved
That’s just different thoughts/opinions. There are people who can like the lesser liked episodes of the show despite it’s problems. And even the most loved episodes of the show can bit nitpicked to death. It all depends on how entertained you are throughout the episode. You can say these are Guilty Pleasure episodes. In each of the seasons my guilty pleasure episodes are the following. Season 1: Show Stoppers. Season 2: MMMystery at the Friendship Express (I think that one counts, I thought the episode was pretty funny though I think some people called bullshit about how Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow all ate the cake even though they knew it was Pinkie’s mission to get it to Canterlot safely). Season 3: Keep Calm and Flutter On (I kinda say this because I have a bit of love/hate relationship with the episode xP Like far more intense then for Daring Don’t) And Season 4: Somepony to Watch Over Me which you know why from what we’ve talked about.
However I generally agree with the consensus that Mare-Do-Well and Spike at your Service are the worst episodes of their respective seasons.
I’m gonna disagree as I feel like Applebuck is the first really good episode of the series myself. It was the first perfect example of the comedy that this show is capable of. While perhaps it may not be as good as some of the good episodes of later seasons. I still think it is a really good Season 1 episode. On an entertainment value standpoint, it may be the best of the first half of Season 1 for maybe the exception of Dragonshy. I think the only problem I’d say the episode had is that afterward it’d take a while before we’d get a substantial Applejack solo episode. And even that’s in dispute because some say in both AJ episodes in Season 2 she’s overshadowed by other characters for one reason or another (Last Round-Up = Derpy talking and the ensuing drama around the whole censorship, and to a lesser extent Pinkie, Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 = The Flim Flam brothers and there Monorail Man style song) and while Season 3 did provide two legitimately Applejack focused episodes. They were either so average it’s boring (Apple Family Reunion), or one of the worst episodes of the show (Spike at your Service). At least Season 4 however legitimately did both get episodes that focused on her and most of the episodes she had a big role in an episode were pretty good. One of the good things about Season 4 is we got a lot of more Applejack characterization, where until Season 4. Applejack’s only flaw seemed to be stubbornness and her dependability in episode where she isn’t actually the main focus. Unlike the others of the Main 6 there didn’t seem too much room for Applejack to grow as a character and we kept asking ourselves if Applejack’s character arc was basically already finished by the fourth episode of the show since the writers didn’t seem to know where else to go with Applejack afterward. And it’s a big reason why Applejack is the least popular of the Mane 6. Her biggest character development up until Season 4 was done within the first 4 episodes of the show. So it’s hard for a fan of the show to choose AJ as their favorite if the character doesn’t seem to have any more goals other then continuing to live as they’ve already have for a while now.
(You had many asks so I’m going to just compile them all in this one post. Your comments/questions will be in bold)
its-homerj: Also I actually thought that “Look Before You Sleep” is at least a better episode compared to “Applebuck Season” and “Boast Busters”. Largely because, of how entertaining and funny the exchanges between the characters and interactions are, as well as how it even served as good character development for both Applejack and Rarity.
We’ll just disagree on this. I personally kinda found Rarity and AJ’s arguing a bit annoying. And I already mentioned my problems with Twilight’s portrayal in the episode. It’s true that if you suspend your disbelief a bit that Twilight always wanted to have a sleepover when 7 episodes ago she had no interest in Friendship. That it can be pretty funny seeing what Twilight does in the episode. But I do wish that Twilight was at least a little smarter. I still stand she should of at least tried to help with the tree that crashed into the window instead of keeping her eyes glued to a book. Yes, Twilight’s favorite objects are books. But that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t go “By the book” all the time. That’s only something I’d expect out of Twilight if she weren’t a multi-dimensional character. Like I said, it seems like something a clone Twilight made from the Mirror Pool would do. Not the actual Twilight.
its-homerj: I also thought that the worst episodes of Season 1, in my opinion, are actually worse than even the bad episodes of Season 2. Which is saying a lot considering that season had the infamous “Mysterious Mare-Do-Well”.
I don’t really think so. Even though there are some Season 1 episodes I’m not a huge fan of. I can understand why they could be objectively better then some of the worst of later seasons. Mare-Do-Well was nearly a complete mess with perhaps the only shining moment I can think of is the brief moment where Rainbow is sad and alone on a cloud. In all of the episodes I don’t like too much in Season 1 there are at least a few more then one thing I like about them. Like for Boast Busters, I do love the scene where Twilight takes care of the Ursa Minor. And the one scene where Twilight conjures up a door and Spike goes through the door thinking it’s the exit only for him to open it back up and for both of them to have the most priceless faces xD And as much as I don’t like most of Boast Busters. Without it, Magic Duel wouldn’t have been made. And Magic Duel is like the direct opposite. It’s one of my favorites of the series.
its-homerj: Though I also respectfully disagree with how you regard M.A. Larson as the best writer of the series. Because, in my opinion, that honor actually goes to Dave Polsky, mostly due to how he’s a great comedic writer.
Eh, I think Dave Polsky is definitely the most improved writer. But I think he has to have another solid performance in Season 5 to really have any chance at becoming my favorite writer. And M.A. Larson just wrote a lot of episodes that I loved. Larson Episodes I enjoyed a lot: Sonic Rainboom, Cutie Mark Chronicles, Return of Harmony, Secret of my Excess, Magic Duel, and Magical Mystery Cure. While I don’t think all of Larson’s episodes are that great. I think Swarm of the Century wasn’t that good of a showing for him. And I find Luna Eclipsed a tad overrated in some ways. And while I did like episodes like It’s About Time and Ponyville Confidential. I don’t find them nearly as great as the ones I listed that I really liked. But considering M.A. Larson wrote 3 of my 9 Favorite episodes of the series (Even if Meghan takes up 4 episodes in my list. So technically by all means Meghan should be my favorite. But I think I still prefer Larson a little bit more for a few more reasons. That said Meghan is a definite second.) Cutie Mark Chronicles and Magical Mystery Cure are just two episodes that I love to death even among my 9 favorites. Even if I feel Seasons 1 and 3 are the bottom two seasons, those two episodes are something I could gush over for hours upon end that not even a lot of Season 2 and Season 4 episodes can say the same.
This is something I thought I’d do for a little bit. Give my personal thoughts on each of the seasons of Friendship is Magic. Starting with of course the first one. Find it all after the break. Just a forewarning though, if you’re one that loves the first season to the point it’s your favorite. I should tell you that I think it’s the weakest of the three 26 episode seasons and I explain why I feel that way. I like all of the Seasons, even the controversial Season 3. But I thought I’d share how I think of each of the seasons we’ve had to give a proper perspective on my thoughts toward each one. Another, I should give is that this might be a bit of a long post. Not as long as my thoughts on the Season 4 Finale was, but almost.
I actually did give that one a watch. I’m glad Josh enjoyed it. Even if a few of the plotholes he mentioned with the episode he mentioned was addressed by Mr. Enter too. But yeah. Both good to know that they both have positive thoughts about the episode.
It might be the only one I watch still though. I don’t think I want to risk seeing him possibly tear apart an episode that I enjoyed alot. I’d have to know in advance what he really thought of a particular episode before watching. Any reviews that tear apart my favorite episodes tend to not give me a happy feeling at the end. I checked out Digibrony’s view of the Finale without knowing how he felt and that was just the last straw. His whining about the tree being replaced with the castle, Celestia’s clearly desperate plan, not to mention his scathing thoughts on the “Play Your Part” song just made me angry.
It’s cute, but I think even the staff and/or Hasbro knows it probably won’t go anywhere more substantial then a one-sided crush. Poor Spike seems too young for Rarity usually. And in Equestria Girls, he’s a dog when Rarity’s a Human. Not good implications if you ask me… (That said, I know Spike being a dog was kind of to fit with the story more. But either way maybe the Magic Mirror Portal to the human world is just kinda racist against dragons or something :V
Though some of the unfortunate implications in Dragon Quest may explain it when the ponies themselves are kinda judge all dragons too harshly)
I don’t really have alot of ships that I’m into.
Though if the April Fools update wan’t enough of an indicator. I have grown a bit of a soft spot for TwiDash ever since Season 3 ended.
It is but unless you remove the ie. It doesn’t exactly make a fun name that’s a well-known product or object. Like Twinkie or ApplePie does.
That said that hasn’t stopped me from thinking of this sometimes…
I think Twinkie (Twi & Pinkie) and Discolight (Twi & DIscord) personally has an even better portmanteau shipping name. Flashlight is the name of an object, Twinkie is a popular dessert, and Discolight just makes me think of Twilight and Discord dancing to Disco together xD
(Hey they’ve danced to Tango in Three’s a Crowd. Disco may not be far behind)
Oh honorable mention to ApplePie (Applejack X Pinkie) as well
If there’s anything regarding FlashLight that I wouldn’t mind seeing happen even though I dislike the shipping. Is the Human Flash Sentry finding out the girl he fell for in the first movie was actually a pony.
I would love if in Rainbow Rocks. Even if say it’s the human Universe Twilight in that movie. Flash asks the HuMane 5 why (human) Twilight doesn’t recognize him.. Imagine like Human RD having to say something like “Uh… Flash, there’s something you should really know about the Twilight you met last year…” and Flash’s shocked reaction afterward.
That’s literally the only thing I’d love to see done with Flash Sentry.
I agree. And while I haven’t seen anything from a source that confirms that he was one-time (Especially since he’ll probably play some kind of role in Rainbow Rocks. Unless you mean one-time as in “Only for Equestria Girls”). That’s good to hear that the chances of Flash being anymore then just an occasional cameo in terms of the Main show at this point seem low.
That’d be better if they had to upgrade Flash beyond a background pony (Three’s a Crowd) or a guard pony with only one line (Twilight’s Kingdom). But it also might provide a bit of confusion for the younger audience. As far as the young audience is concerned, they saw Twilight have a bit of a crush on pony Flash at the end of Equestria Girls. But to have him appear in say Season 5 or beyond and they’re just regular ol’ friends might look odd.
So really I think the preferable route is that Flash remains how he is was in Season 4. Just one of the few notable Royal Guards that cameos occasionally.
The difference in that, is that it’s fanmade. I’d rather Romance in anything official stick to what it’s done other then in Equestria Girls. Either by making secondary characters like Shining and Cadence marry, or have any romantic plots that relate to known characters get upstaged by the comedy. Like Rarity’s part of Best Night Ever, and the entirety of Hearts and Hooves Day & Simple Ways.
I just fear the day if Flash Sentry were to ever become a recurring character in the show and as Twi’s boyfriend no less. No matter how much they flesh out his personality. I feel that’d be about as bad if not worse then jump-the-shark scenarios like making all of the Main 6 alicorn princesses or an out-of-nowhere 7th Element of Harmony :P Cause it messes with the messages of the show, this is Friendship is Magic. Not Love is Magic :S
Well I still want to see it. As I just want to hope this is a little more fun then the first one. But just like the first one I’m going to be waiting until a decent copy gets online to watch it. Cause I don’t feel like paying money for something that I have cautious expectations for.
As for Flash, I’m sure he’ll play a role and they might even expand his character from the cardboard cutout he was in the first movie. :P Kinda hope that there’s little to no Romance with Twilight but I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to go as far as a FlashLight kiss scene xP. Though this is another reason why I’m hoping the Twilight in the movie is the human born Twilight mentioned in the first film. Not the Pony Twilight returning for god knows what Reason. Cause if there has to be Flashlight moments. At least have the decency of using an alternate universe Twilight. Thank you. :P
Oh don’t get me wrong I know it’s not exactly black and white for either political views or parts of the fandom. I was just saying things as an example. Heck, considering I’m not the biggest fan of Equestria Girls and would much rather the staff make Pony movies in place of Equestria Girls would mean I hold at least some “conservative” views on the show. I can’t say I’m 100% liberal because that’d be two extremes. Liking everything that’s meant to be new or different, or there’s the the opposite extreme and wanting things to stay where they are or even go back to an earlier way. It wasn’t exactly my point to call out conservatives or liberals as to explain how heated arguments have come out of things like Alicorn Twilight and Equestria Girls came out of this with large contingents in the fandom having different views and opinions. Much like how politicians tend to have their own thoughts. I do understand there’s some that fit closer to the extremes, some that lean towards one but have elements of the other, and some are moderate at both ends at the spectrum. If I inadvertently sounded demeaning to either type of the political spectrum I formally apologize.
Yeah like I said a new castle tree home was the next best thing if she couldn’t have the castle of the twin sisters.
About Rainbow Power though, the only pony that looked somewhat decent was Twilight. But even the coloring of her wings were a bit too much. Everything else was just way too much color. While if it had become part of their permanent designs. I would of tried to watch still. But there is suc thing as too much color xP
I can kinda understand why people might be upset over the Treebrary being destroyed. It is an iconic location in the show. Being there since the very beginning, and by now artists have premade backgrounds of the place. While they may have to wait until Season 5 to get more of what the castle has. But I think it’s all part of how alot of the fandom does not like change. When for some reason, I love it whenever the status quo is shaken up. Lesson Zero, Magical Mystery Cure, and Twilight’s Kingdom are some of my favorite episodes of the series. What do they all have in common? They all changed something that was the norm for the show up until that point. Friendship letters no longer requiring Twilight to write them, Twilight becoming an Alicorn Princess, and the Treebrary getting destroyed before a new castle home is made for a replacement. Personally, I think there’s the possibility the castle is an improvement. However, the tree will always have it’s nostalgia value for fans of the earlier seasons. I personally think Seasons 2 and 4 were both overall better then Season 1. But I can understand there’s a section of the fandom who enjoys the first season the most. The majority of those I assume are probably the most bothered by the destruction. Because that stands as yet another thing that the show has derived from it’s roots.
It’s pretty much like we have conservative and liberal views on the show. People like me that adore the majority of changes to the status quo would be the liberals. While those who would rather have the show stick to it’s Pre Season 4 (Or even 3) style would be defined as the more conservative fans. And much like in real life politics, heated arguments come up as a result. And that all contributes to why things like Alicorn Twilight has split the fandom. It’s all how we feel about change to things that were normal for a while. But I kinda find this unique for a show like this to have. Say what some people will about how the show may change too much. But not alot of shows actually take these kind of risks. The reason I like the changes is that they normally handle them well and it prevents the show from getting stagnant. Which it would have gotten old fast if every episode followef Season 1’s formula. Not everyone’s gonna agree with me on that. But that’s just how I feel.
First off I’ll start saying that this really was an amazing Finale. It had all the positives of the Opener, along with a conclusion that may very well beat Canterlot Wedding’s ending by a mile. I’m going to be doing this response a little bit differently from the others. The following comments are through watching anything of note while I watched the episode and my personal thoughts about them. As such this will be a little longer then usual. As a result this will be the first one I put a read more for. So click read more for both my extensive thoughts of certain things of note throughout the episode. As long as some thoughts on Season 4 as a whole and the near future.
I consider it both their episode.
Both Pinkie and Applejack play a central role in the episode. There is such thing as paired episodes within the series. Both characters have something to do with the important things of the episode (Applejack is trying not to ruin Pinkie’s family time with her, Big Mac, Granny Smith, and Applebloom. And Pinkie wants to know if she really is related to Applejack), they both have a strong part of the ending and/or moral in the episode. (Applejack says at the end it doesn’t matter to her whether or not Pinkie is related, her time with them during the trip has made her consider her one anyway.)
If I had to lean towards one side, I’d actually say it’s more of an AJ episode because the explicit moral has Applejack learn something more then Pinkie did. (Exact quote: “bein’ a good family isn’t about bein’ perfect as much as it is about bein’ able to get through the rough patches together. About bein’ able to forgive each other for mistakes”) but that’s not to say Pinkie wasn’t a big part of the episode.
It’s similar to Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 where the main point of the episode makes it seem more based on Rainbow. But there’s also quite a bit of Twilight focus in the episode as well. So in essence that episode was a Twilight & Rainbow episode. In the same way, I count Pinkie Apple Pie as both an Applejack and a Pinkie Pie episode. The episode doesn’t go the same way at all if either of the two ponies roles are diminished from where they are.
No not at all. I think although Rainbow’s my 2nd now. I’m sure you know that after Hurricane Fluttershy. Fluttershy was my 2nd for a while now. It’s not that Fluttershy’s dropped a few pegs since then. You can say Fluttershy’s my 3rd favorite (While Rarity, AJ, and Pinkie are all tied for 4th).
For me Hurricane Fluttershy was just that awesome enough of an episode on it’s own to promote Fluttershy. The only time it’s come close for me since then was Filli Vanilli, but unfortunately Pinkie’s portrayal in that episode makes it a little difficult to appreciate at least for me. But regardless, since Hurricane Fluttershy. While still being herself, she’s tamed Discord, has taken baby steps on her stage fright, shown that sometimes being too kind can be dangerous as well with the Breezies, and had a heartbreaking moment in the Finale that still speaks to me that Fluttershy has very interesting characteristics to her.
Or considering Twilight is an Alicorn. You can basically say the Winged ponies in the Main 6 are my favorites xD
Yeah, I’m doing this because:
1. I wanted the Mother’s Day special to basically be this week’s update
2. Give me more time to think about what to do for the response (I already have a good idea though)
3. Give me time to actually make the Genie Twilight response
4. Giving myself a bit of a decent break :V
Yeah, I’ll post what I say about it just like with the others. Around the same time I post the Genie Twilight episode response to the Finale (Which will be a little while still). If you liked the finale however, I’m sure you’ll like what I have to say when it gets to there. ^^
Oh yeah, lots. A lot of my friends I associate with Fluttershy, and I have a few others I associate with Twilight, like my sister, or some combination of the 2. I suppose the only 2 friends I have I associate with characters commonly are 2 of my closest, since we talk about ponies a lot, so it’s on my mind more and I commonly associate them with the one I think they’re most like, which is Fluttershy and Twilight for the 2 of them.
That’s uh, sort of a way I tell which people I think I could and should try to be great friends with, and which I shouldn’t, I sort of search for ways to tell which FiM character they’re most like. Like generally, the more someone seems like Fluttershy, the more likely I think we’ll get along great and I should pursue things with them. The more someone seems the opposite, like Rainbow Dash, the more likely I think we won’t get along and I should just give them the cold shoulder and move to someone else, and yeah. Ponies has become a real big part of my life, for better or worse.
I have never been able to get into the Mother series.
I recognize they’re utterly amazing games that deserve their own shelf in the history of gaming.
But I personally find the combat in them too slow and visual boring for me. I tried playing, but I just got bored and moved on.
This is pretty much a faux pas among gamers I know, but that’s how I feel.
Yeah they were most definitely more average. (If I had to decide which of the two were better of the Season 3 duo, it’d actually be Just for Sidekicks). And I didn’t mean to exactly imply they should remove Inspiration Manifestation in favor of this idea. (As I’m not THAT upset by it, especially since I liked that episode)
But yeah the Equestria Games arc was like a subarc to what the Main arc is. And I’m at least glad that should get us a satisfying conclusion this Saturday. ^^
Complex and mixed.
There was some concern about the idea of implying that a “princess” is the highest goal a girl could aspire too—that seemed harmful from a feminist perspective. But really, it’s obvious at this point that “princess” means something different in Equestria than it does in our world. It really does, and apparently children have picked up on this too. I can’t find the quote, but apparently some mother sent a message to the writers saying how Magical Mystery Cure taught her daughter that being a princess is about “working hard and being a good person”. Which you know, doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all.
Additionally, at first it seemed like too much of Hasbro forcing story ideas down the throats of writers with minimal warning, all with the intention of selling toys (which, you know, is their primary interest, but still.) The writers managed to take that bullet and still make a good episode out of it, and continue to do so.
So in the end, it’s my belief that Alicorn Sparkle *may* have happened too soon, because I definitely liked the idea of Princess Sparkle—I just think Hasbro lacks the concept of dramatic timing.
But you know, it happened, the world didn’t end, the fandom didn’t die like all the obnoxious doom-sayers claimed it would. Magical Mystery Cure was a really good and emotional episode who’s only major problem was being rushed and crunched into one episode.
And the show has been doing just fine since.
Plus, I can’t help to admit that:
A. Wings are beautiful, and Twilight having them now is lovely~
B. The wings can be helpful in promoting my ship of choice, TwiDash.
So yeah, there is that,
fetch26291 said: So, you’d have liked “Equestria Games” to have been done similar to “Games Ponies Play” and “Just for Sidekicks”?
Basically yeah.
Just think about how it could of been cool to see the Equestria Games arc both start and end in something that is a really a cool idea to do with two episodes in a show like this. And like I said they could of made the 2nd one even smoother and even have some more of the same scenes with a different camera angle. (As the only scenes in terms of dialouge that were the same in Just for Sidekicks & Games Ponies Play was the beginning part where Twilight waves goodbye to Spike and when the Mane 6 start heading back to Ponyville on the Train.)
The episode that we got was still good. But having it set up the same way Just for Sidekicks and Games Ponies Play was done could have allowed us to see more of the Equestria Games that was built and/or hyped up since Games Ponies Play aired. I like Spike, so I enjoyed the episode still overall. But I was also waiting to see what the show did with the Equestria Games. And all those episodes that were building up the games, proved to just be nothing but a subplot in the final episode of it’s arc. So it does give some mixed feelings about the whole thing.
I think you misread what I said. I meant as in leave much of what made up of Spike’s struggle in the episodes as it’s own episode that canonically goes around at the same time as the other episode that would focus on the Mane 6 and the Equestria Game events. The Anthem Scene and some of the Ending being the only main parts that are the same in both episodes. Maybe it’s a tad odd to have an episode that has basically the same ending in some ways for 2 episodes in a row. But we’d get more from Equestria Games as a result.
I’m not that mad Equestria Games was kinda left out of all this. But I’m just thinking of a way they could of possibly both given a good amount of focus on the games and still have the Spike episode that we got. Having the Equestria Games begin and end like this would also feel like a book-end.
I don’t know, I would think it just would of been interesting to see alot more of the games since we had three episodes prior to it building up to it that seemed like it’d be a big thing. Maybe it would have been better if they did something like what Just for Sidekicks and Games Ponies Play did together where we have one Spike episode where he does his stuff and the other the rest of the Main 6 seeing the events of the game. And probably would have fit more too since the Equestria Games arc would both begin and end in episodes in which there are two of them where one half of the episodes is focused on Spike, while the other is on the Mane 6. This one could even be smoother by including the “Spike botches the Anthem” scene and much of the ending in both episodes.
I’m not really that upset over it. As I’d rather the show focused more on the much more important arc that ends in the Finale next Saturday. But I guess I’m just a bit of a Sports fan (Unlike most Bronies it seems) that would of liked to see something like the Olympics be an interesting plotline in the show. But all I can say is oh well, the episode was still good despite the distraction that it feels like Games Ponies Play, Flight to the Finish, and Rainbow Falls all built up to nothing but a subplot in the last episode before the Finale. But that’s the only real complaint with the episode I have.
Both Equestria Games and Filli Vanilli I consider good episodes myself of course.
Though Filli Vanilli is I suppose weird when you take into account all the songs that the Main 6 have done in the past. I guess for some reason that the majority of the songs that weren’t being performed are just a scene of the episode being done like how a Musical does things regarding the plot?
I believe there’s a theory that came out after the episode that In reality the Ponies would not be singing at that moment, but to show how the characters are feeling in a more fancier approach they have them sing in what’s shown to us? Think about why Disney includes songs in many of their movies. Are they there because the character likes to sing? That can be a reason why, but I don’t think that’s always the case and I think it’s more common to see DIsney include songs for the reason of “It’s Disney” and not because of the characters. They include songs to provide a much more entertaining way of showing what the character singing’s motivations or even dreams are sometimes. We see Frollo, the main antagonist from The Hunchback from Notre Dame sing “Hellfire” to express his inner conflict he has about falling for what he calls a Gypsy. It’s probably far more entertaining to the audience for him to sing about it in a Villain song then it is for him to just be talking to himself about it on screen. Which might be technically what he’s doing at the moment, but we don’t know that because we’re offered a pretty cool music sequence to go around him instead of just him alone talking to himself with nothing else to add visually or otherwise no enhancements done to drive the point of what Frollo is trying to say in a way that isn’t that entertaining to watch.
The same goes for a majority of the songs in Friendship is Magic. Magical Mystery Cure could basically be all this as obviously the events of MMC are not done in 22 minutes as the episode begins in the morning, and later comes up during the night, and then finally days or even weeks later when it shows Twilight’s coronation. The musical approach was pretty much the only way they could really show off all the complex feelings of the story and make it so that alot of the story could fit under the 22 minute timeframe. Meaning it’s quite possible that for the exception of Pinkie’s random songs that were quite prominent in Season 1 and any songs that are implied to be a performance, that most of the songs of the show did not happen in Reality as they’re more there to show us a far more entertaining way of exposition, showing how a character is feeling, or other kinds of usage for songs.
TL;DR version: The Filli Vanilli and previous Music situation can be explainable if you go into the thought that most songs that were not some kind of performance (Examples: “You Gotta Share, You Gotta Care”, both Flim Flam brother songs, etc.) actually did not happen in reality. When’s it’s just a much more dramatic and/or entertaining way of expressing what’s going on with the character(/s) who is/are singing at that time.
Also as a side note, regarding Fluttershy and the CMC you must be referencing “Hush Now, Quiet Now” which I don’t think would be like singing in front of a crowd because I imagine Lullabies are easier for Fluttershy to do especially for Animals or in this case children.
Ah, a pretty nice episode before we get to the epic episode.
It wasn’t quite as entertaining as last week Spike’s episode. Considering this didn’t exactly have a crazy Rarity. But it does have a bit of a relatable conflict and a very good moral that can resonate not just with kids. I loved both Spike and Twilight in this episode. One of the things I’m glad that the episode didn’t do that a lot of other shows might of done, is when Spike thought he could light things on fire with his mind. The other characters don't take time from the episode to make Spike believe the lie further then he should. Twilight as soon as Spike tries to use these mind powers a 2nd time immediately confronts him that wasn’t the case. It made Spike sad, but it would of been so irritating to see the characters just try to continue the lie only for them to reach the conclusion later when they could have done it in a few seconds like how the episode actually handled it.
When Spike was attempting to sing the Cloudsdale anthem. I had a hard time deciding if I should laugh because of the reactions from everypony else or feel really bad for Spike that he had to suffer such an embarrassing moment. It’s a bit funny to see the complete failure, but at the same time it’s hard to watch if you can relate to Spike at this moment.
Now there is two problems that I do want to bring up. They’re mainly nitpicks and they don’t really ruin the episode as more they really kinda sour stuff from either they came from something an earlier episode or it kinda makes some build-up that we have had since the end of Season 3 kinda pointless.
The first is of course with Fluttershy being an athlete in the Equestria Games. I said in my last episode response that the writers put themselves into a hole regardless of how they did it. They went with the far easier route of just having Fluttershy go with the flow and have no problems participating of the event despite such a large crowd watching her. Again this is just a problem from Rainbow Falls that had to have been continued at some point, so I can’t hold it against this episode. But I will say this: the fact she participates in an athletic event kinda contradicts Filli Vanilli, participating in the Olympics should be just as pressuring if not even more so then singing for a crowd. There’s taking baby steps like at the end of that episode, but what she does in the Equestria Games feels like something that should be one of her nightmares.
The other is the fact that all this time and build-up, ever since Games Ponies Play. . Which had follow-ups with Flight to the Finish, and Rainbow Falls. All seems completely pointless, because we barely saw any of the events other then the relay and the Ice Archery. It’s understandable if you didn’t exactly care for this if you’re not exactly a fan of sports. But I was kinda expecting a little more focus on showing the Ponified Olympics and what it means when people like me and other are fans of sports events such as the Olympics. Instead of getting an episode focused on a potentially cool cultural event, we got just a couple of parts of the event while the majority of it was on Spike. Especially when we had three episodes prior to this building it up. This is probably done because more focus was put on another ongoing arc, the Rainbow Trinket arc that comes to an end at this week’s finale. But nonetheless gives Season 4 a bit of a flaw, in which build up in two earlier episodes of the Season only build-up to what was essentially just a subplot in it’s final episode. And it also makes Games Ponies Play a little more useless as well (Interesting to note though, that Dave Polsky wrote both the beginning and end of the Equestria Games related episodes). The episode is still good and all, but this is probably the one thing that may leave people head scratching whenever we look back at episodes like Games Ponies Play, Rainbow Falls, and even Flight to the Finish. The very title of the episode is even kinda misleading, I don’t think anybody would hear the title “Equestria Games” and think “Yeah that sounds like a good title for a Spike episode!”
Other then that though, this was an enjoyable episode. But I’m sure this will be all overshadowed by next saturday as we finally get to the ending of the Season. Where not only should we get a more epic conclusion to an arc that’s been around since the beginning of the season. But a two-parter that I think could challenge the opener for my favorite potentially, and may outdo Canterlot Wedding Part 2 in pure epicness. I am hyped as Tartaurus for this finale, and I hope it proves to be the final ingredient that makes Season 4 ultimately kickass. Well more then it already has been anyway ;)
In show I do believe it has elements of both, so I’m with you there in regards to that. It’s just that in Genie Twilight that I really wanted to take it a different direction. I know for sure the show will never lean too heavily towards the Mother-Son angle because:
1. Twilight being a single parent would be odd in terms of relatability with young girls. (Even if they do sell those baby dolls xP)
2. The unfortunate implications as a result of this because of Equestria Girls (Twilight being a Teen Mom c.c Even if you believe Twilight is essentially age regressed. It wouldn’t stop some people thinking that since Twilight was a Teenager in Equestria Girls. That means she’s already taking up parenting at an early age if they ever went for the Spike becomes Twi’s adopted son). Equestria Girls is not canon to my ask blog. And I firmly have Twilight at a young adult age in the blog.
and 3. Spike being a bit of a comic relief character in the show more times then there are actual cute moments between Twilight and Spike kinda makes it less of a thing.
But the few moments we do get are special enough. The ending of Owl’s Well That Ends Well, The fact we learn that Twilight hatched Spike in Cutie Mark Chronicles, Spike’s role in Lesson Zero, The fear door scene in Crystal Empire, and yes, even Spike’s role in Equestria Girls (Despite the fact they made him a dog, which prior to the movie I was not happy to see. Though in terms of the plot. It was better for Spike to be a dog cause it’d be an 8-10 year old kid if he was human hanging out at a High School :V) are all great moments between Twilight and Spike to feed at least some of my want for Mother-Son moments between Twilight and Spike.
In my ask blog Genie Twilight, I enhance it further by having Twilight and Spike a bit closer then they are in the show. Spike is the main reason Twilight decided to remain a Genie.
I just feel like Twilight and Spike’s relationship is a bit more special then most character relationships in any show today when you really think about it. If you think they’re more brother-sister that’s fine. There are plenty of moments that are more closer to being between siblings then mother and son between them. I just wanted to provide another look at their relationship regardless or not the show actually follows it with my own ask blog that delves into something a little more. Heck my Mother’s Day Special on Genie Twilight coming up might provide a little more insight on how I view Twilight and Spike’s past. ^^
But please don’t think that I absolutely think Twilight and Spike must be Mother and Son in the show. I won’t lie that I prefer the Mother and Son angle. But I wouldn’t rage if say if there was a future episode that had Twilight and Spike call eachother little brother and/or big sister.