Well I was wrong about the comic last episode having to do with this episode. But Spike still ending up finding a book that caused some bad things to happen. So… Spike probably still needed that scolding from Twilight at the end of the episode.

Anyway, this was an enjoyable episode. Spike was done really well, but that’s not really a surprise when Meghan McCarthy helped with this episode. In case you haven’t noticed, Meghan writes Spike the best out of all the writers we have. How Spike was in Equestria Girls was one of the few positives about the Movie, and Lesson Zero still holds up as one of the best portrayals of Spike. Heck this episode was technically another insane pony episode. Something Meghan was kinda famous for in the days of Early Season 2.

Though I can’t really tell how much Corey Powell contributed. It definitely, definitely isn’t as bad as Rainbow Falls. In fact I think overall it’s a good episode. This episode even has the Magic Duel excuse where a character is doing something wrong but because of a certain artifact such as the Alicorn Amulet or the Book of this episode. You can’t fault the writer for making them cruel because they made it so the episode gave them something that affects their minds to the point that they’re not morally sane. I really wouldn’t say Corey completely redeemed herself since Rainbow Falls though, partly because we can’t tell what Corey did in this episode since it was a collab with Meghan. And Rainbow Falls was a bit of a deep hole for an episode like this to dig a writer out of. If Corey returns for Season 5, that will probably be the time to see if she can make up for Rainbow Falls. I know some people still argue with me that Somepony to Watch Over Me was worse, I just can’t agree because as I’ve said many times already I found reason to enjoy STWOM while Rainbow Falls is the only episode of Season 4 that still bugs me. Cause not only was a lot of the episode heavily flawed, because some of the problems I had with the episode is going to rear it’s ugly head again: How is Fluttershy not nervous at all about performing in an athletic event in front of a whole crowd? Regardless if it shows up or not, the writers are in a lose-lose situation there because if Fluttershy shows restraint about performing why didn’t she do so back in Rainbow Falls? If she doesn’t, they’re basically contradicting Filli Vanilli. Playing in the Olympics is just as pressuring if not even more so then singing in front of a crowd. And don’t get me started on Bulk Biceps. Regardless of how bad Somepony to Watch Over Me may be to some people, most bad episodes of previous seasons you could ignore it and it wouldn’t be something that effects something of the future of the show besides a passing mention (Like the reference to Spike at Your Service in Trade Ya… ick…). You can’t do that with Rainbow Falls since not only is it another one of the Equestria Games related episodes, it’s also one of the Key episodes. You watch Season 4 without Rainbow Falls, you never know how Rainbow gets her key at the finale

…And I didn’t mean to get a bit ranty about Rainbow Falls in this… Whoops ^^’ Before I end off the thing, I guess I’ll say at least a few more thing about the actual episode. I wonder, with the Mariachi band at the fillies birthday party… did Rarity switch locations between a band in canterlot or did the spell actually transform the Mariachi Band into completely different players? Because while two remained stallions, the one on the right seemed to have turned into Octavia. We never get any clear clue about this nor did we see them get changed back (Though I can assume they were by Twilight at the end). It could be argued that they were transformed into different ponies because that’s gotta be some really, really, really strong magic to just pick out random ponies in Canterlot and somehow switch them with a Mariachi band. That would be something I wouldn’t even think Celestia or Luna were capable of. Turning them into a different pony is more believable since it kinda seems like it could easily be like Changeling magic (Did I just make a theory that the spellbook was made by changelings?) plus there were items that Rarity just changed and not switched, unless all the crystal things she conveniently borrowed were all from the Crystal Empire. And with Transformation magic being more believable then switching out via teleportation, I have a sense that the spell is a lot like the Alicorn Amulet in that it corrupts the user the longer they’ve used it. And I have the sense that had Rarity been left unchecked for long enough, the spell might of made Rarity realize one day to make clothes or fabric out of things not usually made for clothing. Including ponies. Thinking of it that way… it’s probably good Spike basically destroyed the book by eating it (The only way it’s getting out is not appropriate for this show.)

Seeing Rarity going a bit crazy was fun, Spike was well-written, and being a blog that centers around a Genie. Seeing lots of Magic being thrown around was fun to see. Next week we have one last Spike episode before the big finale. The Equestria Games, I feel like what I said during my mini-rant about Rainbow Falls earlier is gonna come to fruition in one way or another. But let’s hope that’s the only thing I dread about the next episode.