I’ve already stated that I loved Amending Fences with a sudden post not long after it aired but now it’s time to truly say why this episode was so special.

While we certainly love the main characters of the show for just what they do on a regular basis, but what’s something about this show that sometimes gets overlooked is some of the interesting history of these characters. We don’t get many chances to learn about the characters of how they were prior to the show’s beginning. The only major one we can remember last was really Cutie Mark Chronicles where we learned how every one of the Main 6 got their Cutie Marks. Now there were certainly other episodes with glimpses of the Main character’s past that were plenty enjoyable and interesting too such as how we learned Fluttershy was bullied for not being very capable of flight in Hurricane Fluttershy, or when we learned Cheese Sandwich was inspired by witnessing a party started by a Filly Pinkie in Pinkie Pride. But even though those moments were great and all, they mostly mattered to just that one episode as opposed to the characters as a whole. Which is what the flashbacks in Cutie Mark Chronicles, as well as most of Amending Fences reveal.

We get real confirmation that Twilight wasn’t really just some pony that might as well be The Grinch to all ponies (Aside from her brother) that suddenly has her heart grow three sizes in the Pilot. She did have friends even if she didn’t really treat them as such some times. Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Twinkle Shine, Moondancer, and (Even though she didn’t appear much in the episode) Lyra are all those Twilight considered her old friends. It’s very interesting since all those ponies appeared or at least were mentioned in the first few minutes of pilot. That scene was originally written in just to establish Twilight (at the time) isn’t a character that’s very social or prioritizes something else (Even if it was quite important) over seeing a friend at a party. Now we definitely can’t say that Lauren Faust herself who wrote the episode intended that this was actually relevant to anything related to Twilight’s past as until Amending Fences’ concept was known it was just as probably those were just acquaintances that were inviting Twilight to something for fun. But in excellent fashion this episode expands on something that was just an establishing method of Twi’s character into something a little more then that. It’s probably one of if not the best use of continuity this show has had. And guess who even wrote this episode? M.A. Larson of course! Who may as well be the king of episodes involving continuity in this show.

But the massive continuity fest and exploration of Twi’s character isn’t the only reason this episode was so great. You have the lovable characters of each of Twilight’s old friends. Minuette first who has such a bubbly character to her that it’s no wonder that we find out she’s such good friends with Pinkie later on in the episode when Twilight brings Pinkie along to help her. In a poll of Twi’s old friends on Equestria Daily she’s even winning over Moondancer who no doubt got the largest focus of them all in the episode. Then you have Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine which while they were definitely outshined by both Minuette and Moondancer they showed that they were good enough friends to not be too bitter about how Twilight left Canterlot without saying goodbye. They were used to Twilight not saying what she was doing before going somewhere and they assumed she just moved on when she went to live in Ponyville. On another note Lemon Hearts even got a little more fame for her stuck getting stuck in a beaker which has become the latest meme over on Derpibooru.

But last not least we get to Moondancer who was definitely the central focus on the episode. The funny thing is of course is she’s the only friend of Twilight’s who we didn’t even know how she looked cause she was only mentioned and not seen during the Pilot. However, the main thing we get is that Moondancer is almost exactly like how Twilight would have been if she never got the experience she’s had in Friendship and possibly also the teachings of Celestia. Cause as we see, what Moondancer does from day to day is just move from house to Library and back again just to study with no real purpose. Now this show has had a lot of foils for Twilight in it’s 4-5 year history. You have Trixie who’s like the opposite of Twilight in that she’s very boastful of herself but her talent actually is much less then she makes it out to be. You have Sunset who was once in Twilight’s place as Celestia’s apprentice but was too forceful, you have Starlight who has a different definition of true friendship, and now you have Moondancer. However there’s one huge difference between Moondancer and the previous three. Moondancer isn’t exactly an antagonist of any kind, she doesn’t come back for revenge wielding a power-multiplying amulet, she doesn’t try to brainwash another world into her army for taking over Equestria, she doesn’t preach about equality and take away Ponies’ Cutie Marks. She’s just someone tha lives all on her own and is just mistrusting of Friendship simply because everytime she did try to come out of her shell something Twilight did made her seem ignored and it just weighed down on her too much. I’m saying that while the party that is mentioned in the Pilot is what ultimately made her go down the route she took since Twilight didn’t come I think based on how Moondancer reacted, the seeds of this push much further then just that one party as it feels like when she breaks down and cries she’s letting off tears kept within of years of trying her best to make good friends with others, especially Twilight. I think the party that Twilight didn’t come to (Although for a good reason, saving the world from Nightmare Moon after all) was just the last straw for Moondancer. And until the events of this episode happened, Moondancer would shut herself off from almost everypony even her friends that did end up coming to the party. Thankfully, Twilight’s efforts work out and they reconcile and finally have the party together that Moondancer wanted back then. I also loved the nice touch of them having the Librarian and other ponies come along too because when you see people that often you can consider themselves friends of yours even if you don’t speak with them much beyond just checking out another book. The episode just ends off on one of the sweetest notes as we see Moondancer now participating in events with friends at the end, even one that’s a little more athletic.

This is just an episode that I didn’t expect could ever happened but I’m so glad it did. It is without a doubt my new favorite of the season thus far. And it may be hard to beat this one out even with 14 episodes to go. Cause even series wise this was a special episode. It may have not been as much on the entertainment scale as some others especially this season, but on a character development and pure heart of an episode it’s up there with such episodes as Hurricane Fluttershy for sure. I think this episode deserves to be hailed as one of the best of the series for many of the reasons that I’ve stated and while I’m not saying Season 5 has been bad at all (I really liked 3 of the last 4 episodes for example). I’m glad Season 5 finally has an episode of this caliber to call it’s own. Cause this was a special one indeed.