Part 2, in which I continue to defend Season 3.

Here's Part 1: http://mlpforums.com/blog/707/entry-4203-in-defense-of-season-3-part-1/

Fanfiction:

This episode was just like that fanfiction that I wrote that got 2 views and 1 thumbs down. Except in mine Discord married Fluttershy and turned her into the element of Cruelty... And Optimus Prime was there... And Rainbow Dash fell in love with Big Mac's evil twin... It was still just like my fanfic. Obviously, they copied my ideas, and twisted it around, and made it MUCH worse! It's not like there are a million fanfics out there, and only so many actual episodes that eventually, some could coincidentally resemble fanfiction...

The people who think this, don't realize that this season DESTROYS fanfiction. Discord is "good" and therefore, it's harder to write new fanfics with him as a villain. (although if you want to make him a villain in your fanfic, there's still nothing stopping you from doing so. Canon does not equal Fanon after all).

Not Enough Rarity:

I'm not going to be sarcastic here because this isn't a stupid argument, but it is a little naive. What no one seems to understand, is that the show staff doesn't plan how many episodes each pony will have. They just come up with ideas, submit them to Hasbro, and if they're approved, they make the episode. There is no "So, Rarity is going to have zero episodes this season, because we need more room for Spike." In fact, originally, Rarity was going to have a much larger role in Spike At Your Service, but the writers felt that Rarity was acting too mean, so they changed it. Better having no Rarity episode than having a terrible one right?

Too Much Spike!:

This is more of a personal preference, but it seems like some people like to claim that Spike having a lot of screen time is an objectively bad thing when it's not... It just means you personally don't like Spike.

Characters Didn't Develop:

Fluttershy is still shy?! Even after Putting Your Hoof Down where she learned how to be more assertive, she's still shy?! Blasphemy!! Obviously after that one little episode, she must be a master of the art, and thus should no longer be shy! That ONE time she used assertiveness correctly obviously means that her shyness has been completely erased. They should've changed her name to Fluttersertive!

Seriously, just because Fluttershy learns how to be assertive in an episode, does not mean she's going to be a master of assertiveness....

Characters Did Develop:

Twilight Sparkle, taking deep breathes?! Twilight never takes deep breathes! What have they done! Where is the sarcastic Twily?! Where is the obsessive Twily?! Where is the Twily who isn't worthy of being a princess?!

Do you guys want the characters to develop or not? Make up your minds.

Characters Are Flanderized:

Look at Pinkie Pie! She's being Random! That's Flanderization! It's not like we all knew she was going to be this random just from watching the very first episode.

What is she doing in Wonderbolts Academy?! Since when did she feel paranoid about losing her friends?! She definitely wasn't paranoid about it in Party Of One!

I'm sorry, but I don't see much flanderization in any of the characters. Pinkie Pie is the same as in Seasons 1 and 2. I'd understand the claim if she was acting like her clones from Too Many Pinkie Pies, but she isn't.

Cliche Episode Stories:

Sigh... A bullying episode? Hasn't this already been done before? Isn't there something else they can do, like maybe an episode about Scootaloo having nightmares or something? That would be much more original. This is so cliche! It's not like the show has been able to take cliche plots and twist them around or anything. I remember a simpler time, when episodes were less cliche... Just look at Friendship Is Magic Part 2. There is absolutely nothing cliche about that episode whatsoever!

Seriously, Season 3 doesn't have any more cliches than the first two seasons do...

King Sombra:

...I got nothing. You win this round.

Games Ponies Play:

This episode sucks. I'm not being sarcastic this time. This one isn't defendable.

Spike At Your Service:

Worst Spike episode ever. Again, not being sarcastic. But at least this one has it's moments. But none of those moments have anything to do with Spike. You neighsayers win this round as well.

Wait, Flutterbass. If you're purpose is to defend Season 3, why are you saying negative things?

Easy. Because I'm trying to not be biased here. What I have posted may sound like I don't like Season 1, and love Season 3, but that's not true. I love both seasons, I just wish everyone would stop treating Season 1 like it's completely flawless, and Season 3 like it has no redeemable qualities whatsoever. I just want everyone to know that I do see the flaws in Season 3, but I also see flaws in the first two seasons as well.

Next is the 3rd part, in which I defend the big stuff. The stuff that is much harder to defend, but is defendable.