Welp, it’s time to dive into a bit of controversy

This episode while I can’t say it’s the most controversial episode I still notice that there’s a decent amount of uproar about it. And it’s pretty easy to see why that is. It’s an episode that lampoons the fanbase or at the very least a certain part of the fanbase. Depending who you are you could either find it entertaining and be able to laugh at ourselves in regards to just how meta this episode gets or you’re offended personally and think the writers and hasbro just gave you the middle finger with this episode.

Personally, I’m in the former in that I enjoyed this episode though I do understand why some might not like some things in the episode. Cause some of the parts of the episode may have some unintentional implications that may make it seem they have a problem with the more older fans. So I’ll get this out of the way first, the staff and Hasbro love us. The fact they made episodes like Slice of Life alone should be proof of that. This episode is essentially just a little bit of airing of grievances for certain parts of the fanbase that either have had less then unkind words for the writers or a somewhat unpopular opinion and/or strong on one side of a particularly fandom splitting issue.

Though I think to some degree every one of us fans have said something or at least withhold an opinion that probably would count as one of the petty complaints the fans in this episode say. I’m pretty sure I’ve probably said something that would probably come out as petty to others. I’m not going to say that everything I’ve said about this show whether it was a positive or negative opinion on an episode was entirely on a strong basis. Cause that’d be arrogant of me, but there are those who ARE kinda that arrogant about their opinions, and adding a few more groups of the fanbase that are similarly annoying, it’s exactly what the episode intends to lampoon.

Changing subject a little, this episode seemed to be made by M.A. Larson. Albeit there’s a little bit of a asterisk on that. Considering while yes the episode is credited solely to M.A. Larson. It sounds like the episode was an old script of Larson’s that was written anytime after Season 4 but probably before Season 6. And over time it’s been left collecting dust until the staff decided to bring it over to Season 7. Making some changes to it so it reflects the season. So it’s a little confusing since we don’t know exactly how much of Larson’s script was kept and what was changed. So it could very well be true that the original version of this episode was written before Amending Fences. And if so that still kinda counts Amending Fences as M.A. Larson’s final episode for the show. But nonetheless it got me hyped to know M.A. Larson was even a little bit behind this episode for certain. And at least in my eyes didn’t disappoint.

But time to actually talk about the episode proper. Now the episode begins with two fillies fighting. I’ll get a little more about them later towards the end. But it’s very much related to when I mentioned there may be some unintentional implications about the message of this episode.

It’s neat seeing the journal from Season 4 again. Season 4 still stands as my favorite season of the show and aside from one certain episode, I appreciate any callbacks to such.

Starlight has the ability to make perfect (And more clean for that matter) copies of books. But of course we also get the mention that the original use for it was to make copies of a manifesto that we can imagine was used for that village. So… some awkward dark stuff.

Annnnnd that hopscotch scene mentioned that certain episode I mentioned in the Season 4 thing… Admitedly, I was like “Noooo anything but that episode”. But eh it’s just another opportunity for me to laugh at myself regarding the subject of this episode heh heh.

The scene with the two ponies who dislike Rarity and later the anti-rarity fans (Even with signs and such) represent fans who like the show and even most of the main cast. But absolutely despise one of the 6 that they wish that they’d write them out of the show. I’m pretty sure there’s a group of people in the fanbase that are like that for each of the Mane 6. And I’ve seen people who are like that to a particular character. Though an interesting tidbit about this scene is that apparently they mention something that happened in a comic. Which means this is the first time something from the comics were explicitly mentioned. Does that suddenly mean the comics are canon? Welllllll that’s a bit of a muddied subject there. As certainly now we must see that particular issue (I believe it was mentioned to be issues #30 and #31) to be canon but then you have comics like the one where Sombra is reformed but in the show he’s pretty much dead as a doornail. A reformed Sombra would be kinda an important thing to mention canonically, even if the reformation in said comic is actually seen as possibly the worst villain redemption in the franchise (And given how much this show has had some controversy about reformed villains that’s saying a lot)

Pinkie’s part is kinda a direct contrast to Rarity in it’s a positive reception from the fans. But kinda misconstrued. It’s kinda like Pinkie’s a famous comedian, and she’s been invited to a party but not to perform. Yet people going to said party expect the comedian to be doing funny stuff and wisecracks the whole time. So they watch them attentively and laugh at things they say even if it’s not a joke because they think the person’s there for entertainment. It could also be seen as what some people say about sitcoms of having the laughter at lines that aren’t actually funny.

Rainbow’s is pretty much the polar opposite of Rarity’s where they adore a character where they’re only interested in that character’s episodes and/or those fans who’d guilt trip them saying “You wouldn’t want to disappoint your fans would you?”. Considering Parental Glidance, we know Rainbow’s had enough blind devotion in her life and at least family would be more understanding and loving then fans.

And oh, oh, oh, ohhhhhhh that Fluttershy scene. I could swear I’ve seen the complaints about Fluttershy word. for. word. Saying all her lessons are the same, thinking they’d learn more then Fluttershy is, and even when Fluttershy does stand up for herself she’s no longer the Fluttershy they like. The kind of hypocrisy that makes fans completely miss the point about Fluttershy’s character. It takes more then one lesson to get over some of the anxieties and shyness Fluttershy had early on. And it’s easy to see a clear difference between the Fluttershy of recent seasons compared to how she was earlier in the show. I’m pretty sure all fans of Fluttershy got this scene to heart for many reasons.

Meanwhile back at Rar- OH GEEZ the insanity of the face she had xD Been a little while since we’ve had a real crazy pony face.

The part where the press pony asks Twilight questions can be kinda considered Twilight’s part in all of this and kinda represents on how real life celebrities get criticized when it seems unbelievable when other celebrities are friends with them because either they have opposite opinions on some issue (Usually politics, religion, or otherwise) or personality difference. And even when you post things that have actually happened some people might decry some things as if tt was a work of fiction. You can be friends with someone who disagrees with you on something, when both you and your friends are well-known enough that their thoughts on things are public knowledge and they happen to be the opposite of another it becomes difficult to understand for some people why they’re friends when the public paparazzi don’t put into account that there’s more to a friendship then that.

And after a few more meta statements from the crowd including “Are AJ and Pinkie related or not” and “Twilight was better before she got wings” (Oh boy was that one said) we get the song of the episode. We’re Not Flawless certainly isn’t going to win any best song of the show awards but it certainly has a strong message and decently catchy. Each of the Mane 6 have their flaws and those same flaws aren’t just what keeps them interesting it’s what makes their friendship and interactions interesting too. They all have moments where we hoped they’d do something different or made a bad decision and it’s fine to show how some feel by criticizing when an episode has something like that happen but when it comes to having it break the show for show or thinking it doesn’t make any sense for the characters to be friends you start sounding less like a fan especially if you start forgetting that for every one of those there is also a good decision, awesome moment, or genuinely great interaction between the characters. Also the line “We’re a work in progress” can also be something for how even after the characters have reached their new goals why they have more episodes for the Mane 6 because there’s absolutely no way even after so many episodes this show has had we have reached all the potential stories we could share between a combination of the 6. Even with goals reached that just adds more things to potentially do. Eventually the show will end and probably even then there will be so many potential stories that the show wouldn’t be able to get to. Even now the ponies are a work in progress that are constantly learning things and that’s why the show is still generally focused on the Mane 6 even if as of recent there has been focus on some new characters like Starlight. Bringing in new characters also add some new situations to do with the Mane 6, but it was the Mane 6 that brought us into the show. And this show is going to end with them too.

Buuuuut even after the song it doesn’t please the crowd. And that’s the way with fanbases. It was an unappeasable part of the fanbase. Heck you could even say whatever controversy and drama comes out of this episode was predicted by the episode itself because the crowd might be saying the exact things that people who disliked this episode are saying. Basically proving the episode’s point. (One thing I kind of wish would of happened though is having one fan who absolutely adores one of the Mane 6 to say “But I think you’re flawless, (*insert whichever character they adore*)” as an alternate way of not getting the song’s point)

And the ending where the two fillies from the start come back is what I mentioned about what some people might take the wrong way as the staff and Hasbro saying they prefer the children fans over the adult fans. Which I can kinda understand as an unintentional message. But there were kids amongst the annoying fans, and while maybe it would of been a little more fair to maybe have a few adult fans with the kids also there to say they were genuinely touched by the book. I don’t think they’re trashing all adult fans. As I said before, they love us, there is absolutely no doubt about that. One episode like this isn’t going to erase all the support and pleasant moments between fans and members of the staff. Just sometimes there were interactions that WEREN"T so pleasant. And this episode is a bit of an airing of grievances of moments like that. It’s an episode that’s full of truth, and depending how you react to some fandom truths especially negative ones will be the main thing that decides if you can find a way to like the episode.

I for one know the fandom isn’t perfect and many of the things in the episode I remember being said in the episode. Sometimes even word for word. And full knowledge that I’ve probably said something that could be seen as petty as some of the complaints in this episode. But I can look myself in the mirror and laugh at myself. This is an entertaining episode that lampoons certain parts of the fandom, absolutely the most meta episode of the show. And yet another good episode of Season 7. It’s going to offend some and there’s an understandable reason why. But there’s certainly one thing no one can say about this episode: It lied.