Well this was certainly an interesting episode. a disease that if not cured in time transforms the affected into a tree. That’s a pretty dark fate regardless of what you want to think happens when they’re fully transformed. Either they’re straight up killed by the transformation or possibly worse: trapped forever as an alive tree with no way to talk or move. But I do kinda like that, just another of the dangers of the World of Equestria. If those bugs in the camping episode earlier this season wasn’t enough this should be another thing that if Equestria were a real place to go to just another reason to avoid the Everfree and/or any forest/jungle areas of Equestria in general.

Fluttershy showed more of how much she’s changed since the beginning of the season. Even able to get Twilight moving in the morning without having to apologize for it. Speaking of Twilight, she was pretty cute in this episode, especially regarding the things around the cook-off.

Regarding Meadowbrook, I was almost fully expecting the reason she disappeared was that she somehow got Swamp Fever herself and failed to get herself the cure in time (How could that happen to the main pony who’s been curing the disease? Maybe she got the bad luck of getting it in the last days of Fall and all nearby zap bees have already started hibernation). Of course that didn’t happen and we’ll probably hear the canon reason she disappeared later. But I was certainly thinking they were going that route for a time in the episode. Though I understand that might of been too dark a fate to even imply. I mean while we did get to see AJ’s parents despite their status being deceased, we weren’t told the details as to how they died (Some people did start a theory that they became the Apple and Pear tree twisted together due to Swamp Fever buuuut you don’t have to think too hard why that’s false)

Though the main thing about the episode and it’s moral is that’s it’s not just avoid the magic disease. But it’s also a big “Get some sleep!” episode since most of the episode Fluttershy does not get any sleep because she’s been doing everything she can to help Zecora. Which is a noble effort for certain, but yeah you need sleep to truly be able to do some productive things.

But yeah it’s a pretty good episode certainly for a Fluttershy perspective and adding more mythology. Only problem I know some have brought up is maybe Twilight could of used magic more then just trying to calm them down. But I suppose forcefully trying to get the honey out would probably still result in Twilight getting stung/attacked. Still some people may consider that a bit of a plot hole. But otherwise I thought it was a pretty fine episode.

Next time is another CMC episode, Seeya then!