(Song Used: Full Moon - Sonata Artica)

When this episode’s synopsis was revealed. I couldn’t help but feel but have Phoenix Wright vibes, it wasn’t that long ago that I started getting into the series at the time. I was suddenly hoping we’d get Rarity at least yelling out one loud Objection! somewhere in the episode. While we didn’t really get that. What we got was still kinda nice. Even to the disappointment of Phoenix Wright fans we got just classic noir stuff rather then what we hoped. Though unfortunately the episode gets also a bit predictable, with first new character we meet Scooby-Doo cliche predictable with Wind Rider the former Wonderbolt trying to frame Rainbow before she has the chance to break his record (What is with recent episodes messing up the Wonderbolts reputation? You have Rainbow Falls and then this where even an honored member that retired is disgraced). On a side note it’s fun to have this episode follow-up straight up on a previous episode. With Rarity in the Canterlot Boutique and Sassy Saddles appearing again. Not many non Two-Parters happen like that where the next episode feels like it could start the next day after the previous episode. So it definitely stands out. 

While the episode certainly doesn’t get any points for any huge twist, it’s something fans of old mysteries can enjoy. And we don’t see a Rarity and Rainbow episode all that often. So fans of the two ponies that work as hard as they can to reach the glorious futures they strive for can enjoy this one.

I feel like this episode is also a little underrated similar to Party Pooped. As again it’s an episode that shows Pinkie as a character and not just a gag. The problem is maybe is that in previous episodes and even afterward there are points where Pinkie acts not too different from her clones to it doesn’t feel as consistent. (Three’s a Crowd has the worst of this where Pinkie is distracted by a balloon TWICE, considering the Pinkie clones were zapped for simply looking out the window, it makes you almost feel Twilight missed one Pinkie clone and the real Pinkie is somewhere else in Three’s a Crowd). But Too Many Pinkie Pies does show what a Pinkie with actual character is like among her one-dimensional clones. There is a fair bit of convenience when Spike and Twilight find a book on the mirror pool in a secret compartment in the Library. And there is the scare of what just would happen if Twilight zapped the real pinkie when testing all the Pinkie’s. It also may be considered yet another Dave Polsky controversy on whether this was even the right thing to do with the Pinkie’s. As even if they are one dimensional, some may argue that they didn’t deserve the fate they got. Because you could argue Twilight mass murdered those Pinkie clones. It doesn’t help that there was at least one clone that did show emotion early on in the episode expressing stress to the real Pinkie. That alone gives a solid argument to some that the Pinkie’s weren’t just mindless clones. And depending on anyone taking it seriously enough may put this episode a lot lower then I do. 

But as awkward that all is. I do feel they just had to do it because I don’t know where they really would put a whole army of Pinkie clones. As disturbing Twilight zapping them might be to some, there’s not a lot of options to do with them and might just have to be seen as a decision that had to be done. Again, that’s kind of the controversy that most pre-Season 4 Dave Polsky episodes had with them. For some reason there was always something to argue about in his episodes. So maybe it’s a little controversial to have this episode even this high up, but I feel a fair bit of the humor and another episode that actually helps Pinkie feel like a character justifies it.

*The Scariest thing of all: ANIME!

Scare Master is simply a reminder that not everybody is on board with certain holidays. While the theme is definitely Halloween and people who might be too scared or shy to go out and trick or treat. It can also be applied to Christmas for those who either aren’t Christian or into the commercialism that holidays like Christmas bring and that’s ok. On a side note this is the episode that leaked like an entire month early. With about three or 4 episodes and a movie that still had to air before this one. One of those being the huge CMC get their Cutie Marks. We should be lucky the CMC’s flanks are covered by their Costumes. Because imagine if say it had been The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows that had leaked instead where we see the Cutie Marks on the CMC straight-up in view and we saw it before the big episode that contained them receiving those marks. Thankfully it was just a Halloween episode that could of aired anytime and wouldn’t have mattered. But it’s certainly a bullet dodged there. But anyway, it’s an interesting episode that shows more of how Nightmare Night goes aside from what we got in Luna Eclipsed with more opportunity to see Ponies in costumes. With scary mazes and everything. Fluttershy’s “scary tea party” certainly was something a little amusing with Fluttershy’s making her attempt to make mundane things sound scary. 

Though the episode will probably be more remembered for what Fluttershy performs at the end, even adorning a Flutterbat costume (They must of listened when they asked for more Flutterbat, considering we also got Flutterbat back in Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?) and legitimately being able to scare her friends which upon seeing her faces she backs down and apologizes. And despite her friends telling her it’s ok and even perhaps asking if she could more of that another year she refuses saying it’s not her thing. Which goes in fine, cause as said before everybody not quite into holidays can relate. If there’s one nit pick I have with this episode is that Rainbow’s kind of a douche here, I mean back to Early Season 1 Dash douchery, I feel she should be better then that at this point. But oh well, not too big of a deal.

This is the episode that first followed up what we got in Pinkie Apple Pie from Season 4. Where it was revealed it’s possible the Apple Family and the Pie family may have a common ancestor and thus related. And the obvious result was to have the Apple Family meet up with Pinkie’s family for Hearth’s Warming Eve. Just like Scare Master the episode centers around a moral based on Holidays. Though instead of those who don’t celebrate, it’s those who celebrate it in a different way. The episode teaches instead of forcing traditions on each other, it’s best to make up entirely new ones that both families can appreciate. 

We’re also properly introduced with Pinkie’s 2 other sisters that we hadn’t seen since Pinkie’s flashback in Cutie Mark Chronicles. You have Marble Pie that quickly became a fandom darling for being practically perhaps the return of Season 1 Fluttershy (Though arguably she’s even shyer then Fluttershy ever was, running away and only saying “Mhmm”). And then there’s Limestone Pie who’s rather bitchy overtones certainly got her more of a mixed response, but you can see she’s just a hard boss that wants to keep the Rock Farm on it’s toes. (Not to mention really protective of Holder’s Boulder). While differences quickly arise not all is lost, as heck Marble Pie and Big Mac get all blushed throughout the episode. For once you can’t blame the fandom for shipping ponies, the episode itself wanted us to view them as cute together. It did result in a little debate on whether this was kind of incestuous, but many did look things a little more and found it’s quite possible they’re distant enough cousins that should they become a couple it should be alright. Though you could also say maybe the Apples and Pies aren’t family… yet. And through a Marriage between Big Mac and Marble (or for some of those who still cling on despite Pinkie Apple Pie and this episode, Applejack and Pinkie) they would become an official family then. Anyway, Hearthbreakers is a sweet holiday episode and only time will tell if we get a little more of the relation between the Apples and the Pies.

Big Mac being our only recurring male character aside from Spike (Unless Shining counts, though even Cadence at this point has probably had twice as much screentime as he has) is someone that’s often in the background of this show mainly centered around our female cast. Doesn’t help that he’s been pretty quiet aside from the opening scene of Applebuck Season (Possibly implying he was going to talk more but they decided from Season 2 onward that his stallion of few words would be his endearing quality) and a switcheroo scene in Ponyville Confidential doesn’t get the chance to speak everything he means aside from a yes (Eyuuuuup) or no (Noooooope). Well at least for this episode this changes, granted most of his speaking lines is when he’s pretending to be a mare but hey it still counts right? Well either way, Big Mac definitely talks more unique lines he has in this one episode then he has in the previous 107 episodes combined. 

Also I know initially this got a lot of people, especially on Tumblr where it’s a big deal that this episode would be making fun of Transgender people. But as it turns out, this episode actually is actually kind of open minded. If an episode like this aired in a different show even just 10 years ago or beyond, I definitely think there would be characters questioning a male participating in a race meant only for sisters. But as it turns out the Sisterhooves Social allows any kind of bond regardless of gender and possibly even species (It would of been cool if Twilight and Spike participated as a result, maybe would of given Twilight SOMETHING to do since she was so bored which I probably should of mentioned that there’s another neat continuity thing going on where the reason this episode even happens is Applejack is called by the map for Made in Manehattan) as long as they show something of a strong bond that the Social sees as ideal. So it’s just Big Mac that’s mistaken, still he insists on continuing as Orchard Blossom probably partly because he wants to set a good example that he can be the sibling that Applejack is to Apple Bloom. It’s also great that Scootaloo and Sweetie aren’t fooled whatsoever, Sweetie outright bluntly knows Orchard is Big Mac in a dress. It’s good when characters aren’t as fooled as they could be. Also aside from Big Mac and Apple Bloom there’s another importance racer that aren’t sisters that show further how the rules aren’t limited to just sisters. With Scootaloo and Rainbow which excellently follows up something that’s been there since Sleepless in Ponyville back in Season 5. They’re not related but Scootaloo looks up to Rainbow as a big sister figure. And that’s good enough for the social to allow it and that’s really great. It’s cool to see how open minded Equestria can be as that’s what we want to see from this show. The utter positivity is one of the things that drew us to the show in the first place. 

Speaking of positivity though, the best part of this episode is definitely the ending. Although Orchard doesn’t win the social due to being disqualified (Notably not for being a Stallion, but just reckless behavior) Apple Bloom and Big Mac sit under a tree with a beautiful sunset in the background. Apple Bloom wants Big Mac to know that everything’s fine despite what happened, and then Big Mac starts speaking and not in his Orchard Blossom voice, his actual natural voice in telling how Apple Bloom used to look up to him when she was younger and he misses being that person because now that Applejack is one of the Elements of Harmony where she’s helping save Equestria and spreading the message of Friendship with Twilight and the others while he’s just working on the farm, and he hoped that winning the Social would make Apple Bloom look up to him like she used to again. And Applebloom reassures him that he’ll always be a hero to her, and apologizes for never making that clear. Resulting in a very heartwarming hug, and even when Granny Smith says Applejack has returned. Apple Bloom decides to stay a little longer with Big Mac, asking how Orchard would react to the Sunset they ’re currently watching. Big Mac obliges in voicing his alias one more time before one more final laugh as the episode ends. Definitely one of the sweetest endings of an episode in the show yet. And it certainly provides us a better picture of Big Mac’s character then we’ve had for a while.