Tall_But_Short_37

The Grumpy Cat pony, the pony voiced by Daniel Ingram (whoot!), the building modeled after the Chrysler Building, the Mad Men background ponies, Hinny in the Hills, of course Rarity on the lamp post, and my favorite, the assistant Coco Pommel is a play on Coco Chanel, fashion icon. 

Plus, the Coco Chanel logo being used multiple times but with horseshoes.

In this latest episode, there were many, many, many references to things scattered throughout the multitudes of shots of the city and big crowds of ponies. So many in fact, that I doubt anyone caught every single one. There were obvious ones of course (Grumpy Cat), but myself and many others probably missed a lot. Therefore, I think it's appropriate to have a thread to post all the various references, cameos, and inside jokes you saw in this episode! Please add and discuss!

In front of the theater, there's a billboard showing a poster clearly referencing the musical Cats. Instead of yellow eyes with humans in them, the poster has green eyes with ponies. 
 

 

There's also the obvious Sound of Music connection to Hinny of the Hills, but I caught another one that had to have been intentional. When Rarity is looking for fabric for a new collection and her eyes immediately flash to the curtains, I had to think of Maria making clothes from the curtains in SoM.
 

 
What other references and cameos did you catch in this episode?

Also, things that you feel as though they are referencing something, but aren't sure what. For example, this seconds-long office scene in the song.  It may just be there to build the big city atmosphere, but it wouldn't surprise me if it were something out of a scene from a movie or musical.

I thought it was pretty obvious that Pinkie was the one playing the organ. The other five were in the castle, so it only made sense to be her. I'm glad that that wasn't just the ending, and there was an actual cliffhanger.

I was really expecting some larger significance to the "star spiders." We first saw them menacingly surrounding Spike, then they were referenced by name later by Fluttershy. I was surprised when we got to the end of the episode and they never returned. I also wonder if the star spiders may have been created in part by Nightmare Moon's dark magic, hence the stars. Perhaps foreshadowing for a later episode?

This episode raises a lot of questions about the past...

• Why did Celestia and Luna have a hallway of disembodied pony legs in their castle?
• Why was their castle filled with booby traps?
• Why was a giant organ built to control said booby traps?

Seems kinda shady to me... 

But overall, it was a fun episode. I liked the Scooby-Doo feel to it, and it had some great moments!

You know, one of the most disappointing things I've found in Equestria Girls is the fact that Twilight's friends couldn't accompany her into the human-world, so instead she turns to their human-counterparts, whom in my opinion are bad, BAD substitutes for their ponified selves.

 

This is why I hope that, in Season Four, they make the two-part premiere a save-the-world story like always.  They set up a situation where Twilight thinks she could take on something on her own, especially after becoming an alicorn princess.  Then after that, just when she realizes that she's in over her head, her friends arrive to save her, as well as teach her that, even as an alicorn princess, her true source of magical power are her friends, rather than just a fancy pair of wings alone.

 

Yes, I'm still upset over this, and I don't like beating you over the head about this problem as you do.  But what else can I say here?

Well, what you described as your ideal premiere is basically what happened in EqG. Twilight left her friends and tried to take on this new world alone, but realized that she could never succeed without them. One of the main themes of EqG was that you can find friendship anywhere, so I liked that it didn't just have Twilight relying on her OLD friendships, but also building completely NEW ones.

When ponies enter the magic portal from EqG, they turn into humans. When dragons enter, they turn into dogs (or at least that we know of). How do you think it would affect other species (griffins, zebras, donkeys, for example) that entered from Equestria? Alternatively, do you think it works in reverse? If a dog from the human world went through, would it turn into a dragon?

I think that would be better off reserved for a well-written fan-fiction.  

Although it carries a good lesson, and yes, Trixie is awesome, that's pretty close to the plot-line of EqG.  I look forward to seeing your fan-fic about it!  Get on it!

Now THIS...is what I would expect to see in S4.  The jealous, darker side of Blueblood.  I think he would make a great side-story villain!

Blueblood is a jerk, not a villain. He also has no conflict with Twilight or really any of the Mane 6, so I don't think we'll ever see him again as a central character.

In my opinion, Trixie was a good character because she represented a sort of anti-hero status towards Twilight Sparkle. I think if she returns, she should be the anti-hero and not an antagonist again. Meaning that she could help the mane six in her own way while not discarding the personality that made her so different from Twilight. It was interesting that Twilight had to essentially become Trixie in "Magic Duel" and had to use trickery to get her to discard the Alicorn Amulet. It does bring up the idea that Trixie by herself has some value.

Though Twilight did use "trickery" in Magic Duel, it was way different from what Trixie had done. Twilight only proved that even though Trixie was super powered up, she could still be defeated using nothing but the magic of friendship. I don't think it's fair to equate Twilight with Trixie.

These are my opinions on all the songs from the movie (in order of whrn they appear).

1. Intro song: Really enjoyed this upbeat remix of the original opening song. Coupled with the cool animations, it's one of my favorites of the movie.

2. What a Strange New World: Basically just people-watching, Twilight being bad at being human, and cameos of ponies turned human. It's catchy, but nothing special or mind blowing. It seemed like it didn't have too much of a purpose in the movie, it was just there for the sake of more singing.

3. Helping Twilight Sparkle Win the Crown: I'm torn on this one, I really am... Because I loved the message, I thought the animation was adorable and spot on! Buuut I didn't like the actual SONG. Though also catchy, It was too generic pop song and too High School Musical for my tastes. I liked it, but I didn't...

4. Time to Come Together: Not too much to say here. Wasn't bad, wasn't amazing; just kinda forgettable.

5. This is our Big Night (and reprise): Dumbed down generic party song for 8 year olds, and as I heard one reviewer say, sounds too much like Tik Tok (Ke$ha). Some of the animation is cute, like Pinkies hair styles.

6. Friend for Life: I did really enjoy this song. I thought it was a nice way to end the movie and was very pleasing to listen to. I also liked how it was able to stand on its own without any animation.

Flash will be part of EQG I'm sure.

FiM universe Flash was just meant as a silly tease I think.

My guess is that when EQG is a series, the EQG universe' true Twilight will pick up where she left off while pony Twi will return to her old life, with the movie existing to form a bridge and explain how these universe are related and make people believe there is a universe full of colorful humanoids parallel to ponies.

Answer to #EquestriaGirls question I have a feeling i’ll be getting a lot today: Flash Sentry is not a character in #MLPFiM season 4."

From: https://twitter.com/MMeghanMcCarthy

So Flash is confirmed to not be in season 4, it seems he was just a tease.

Something I really liked about EqG was how little it mattered to me what the characters looked like. I found myself focusing not on the fact that they were anthropomorphized, but that they were still the same characters we still know and love in their personalities. My biggest concern with EqG was not that they were human, but that a different writing staff would handle the movie and the characters would be completely different in personality and quirks. I was very satisfied with how it was handled.

I think it would be an awesome idea! I think any song sung by Discord would be unique yet awesome.

Also, have John De Lancie singing about bronies. You're welcome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-OF9wZWDs

Really random, but when Sunset turned into the succubus/demon/whatever thing, did anyone else feel like they were watching one of the old Scooby-Doo movies...?

Aaaanyways, I have a theory on her sudden change of heart at the very end. I think that when Twilight's magic (which was purely produced from friendship) connected with the crown and blew a big hole in the ground, it showed her just how mean and cruel she had been to everyone, and how much she hurt everyone around her. It showed her her true self and how perverted and corrupted she had become after leaving Celestia and Equestria. I think the demon she transformed into was a representation of that true self. In that moment, she saw how far she had strayed from the good path, and decided she wanted to change.

First of all, I watched EqG for the first time today and loved. I am definitely one of the people on the positive side of it. I loved the message of breaking out of your cliques and finding the magic of friendship no matter where you are or who you're with.

But the scene that really connected with me on a deeply personal level was where Twilight is telling all of her friends that she's really a pony princess from an alternate world. To me, this drew a strong parallel to the experience that I've had, and that I imagine many others have had, with telling people that they're a brony.

Twilight hid the truth from her friends because she feared they wouldn't accept her because of it.
When she told them the truth, the complete opposite was true. They completely accepted her and it brought them even closer together.

I recently told my girlfriend I was a brony, and made a huge deal out of it because I thought she would be weirded out by it. But when I told her, she actually laughed because she didn't understand at all why I was ashamed of it! I've really opened up about it since then, and nothing bad has happened because I did!

The moral that I can pass onto pretty much everyone, especially so called "closet bronies," is that you should never be afraid to be yourself, and your true friends will always love you no matter who you are. I absolutely loved that EqG showed that scenario and exemplified that fact through Twilight's struggles!

This movie really exceeded my expectations. I was worried it would be terrible, but they pulled if off quite nicely! The Mane 6 were in character and there was a lot of good humor and animation. The songs weren't anything special (besides the opening credits, which I loved), but they were catchy! There's so much to say and process, so I'll just leave it at that I enjoyed it and thought it was well done!

Also, here's a version with a download link if anyone wants it. I haven't tried it myself so I don't know the quality, but it's there if anyone wants it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NuWANCUrkw

So I'm sure many of you are in a similar situation as I am where there isn't a theater near you showing Equestria Girls, so you likely won't be able to see it in theaters.

Now I'm sure that Hasbro will release it as a DVD, but who knows how long that may take. Does anyone have any info on how quickly the movie may be put up online so people like me can watch it and discuss it right away? I don't want to miss out on all the great analysis and discussion going on these forums right after it comes out!

Though Show Stoppers did perhaps give us a big hint towards Sweetie's special talent being singing, it is slightly contradicted by her horrendous performance in Sleepless in Ponyville. Maybe she was just going through puberty though.

From: http://www.equestriadaily.com/2013/03/sunset-shimmer-no-in-show.html

It's interesting to speculate and wonder what role she COULD have had, but looks like none of them will become a reality.

Everyone can be friends, even if they do feast and live off of your friendship!

But joking aside, I do agree with your points. It's a perspective I hadn't thought of yet for the Changelings.

Also, to add something I just thought of... The thing that really goes against the central ideas of MLP:FiM is that they used friendship as a WEAPON to defeat the Changelings. Against Luna, it just removed the evil in her. Against Chrysalis, it just blew her and her followers away to who knows where. Friendship shouldn't be used to cause pain like that.

I heard that he simply does not like the title "brony" but he does indeed like the show, and as someone mentioned earlier, Max does show up to cons in-character.

 

Here is a blog post he made on his website.

 

 

The term ‘Brony’ has been coined to denote men between 18 and 30 who enjoy and partake in the fandom of Lauren Faust’s reboot of My Little Pony, titled My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. From the fact that this vernacular exists in the first place we can infer not only that Bronies exist, but are commonplace to the extent that coining a word to describe them was apparently entirely necessary. 

Bronies are so numerous, in fact, that ‘Bronycon’ has been formed; an entire convention dedicated to said fandom. 

And as the cult (using the term loosely, and in parody) continues to grow, people who DON’T indulge in the animated series about talking, improbably-colored horses have demanded time and time again one thing; an explanation. 

…And to be fair, it’s easy to understand why. The fascinating thing about the phenomenon, and the reason why non-Bronies are perplexed, is that never before has something in the entertainment world been so passionately embraced by the demographic it was never intended for. And therein lies the enigma.

If you’re an adult who likes Pixar movies, you’re normal enough. Sure, they’re colorful and silly, but really, they’re not intended for children. They’re intended for everyone. Whom would bat an eye at an 18-year-old who likes Spongebob Squarepants, or a 35-year-old who’s heart belongs to The Muppets? These are simply those whom enjoy camp. Sweet, safe, innocent camp. 

The same can’t truthfully be said about MLP:FIM, a show that genuinely does cater to little girls exclusively. Any Brony who would tell you otherwise is deluding himself. And so, an explanation is demanded. I’ve had people ask me “Can you explain the Brony thing to me? I’ve seen the show. I don’t get it”. 

Unfortunately, here comes the cold, hard truth: This question can be answered. Explanations exist. A sufficient explanation, however, does not. 

I’ve heard what Bronies say. “The characters are really cool.” “The stories are really well thought-out.” “The voice acting is brilliantly done.” “It’s not pandering, it’s actually a very smart show”. I can’t understand how they can make such claims without seeing the irony in the situation. Maybe some of them do, I don’t know. 

Of course, the DOUBLE irony is that I agree with it all. But that’s a moot point. The real point is this; to the people who don’t understand the show’s appeal, these answers don’t suffice. No answer will. Not because it’s My Little Pony, but because anyone would say things like “It’s well-written” about any show they like. I’ve heard people say the same thing about F*R*I*E*N*D*S, and HOOOOO BOY do I hate F*R*I*E*N*D*S. Can we talk about how shitty F*R*I*E*N*D*S is for a minute? If you like F*R*I*E*N*D*S, you’re a moron. 

(I’m being facetious of course).

We have to look further to understand what’s really going on here. As a friend of mine suggested, perhaps by coincidence the combination of colors used in the show triggers something in the adult male brain. Perhaps the show contains subliminal hypnotic messages. Maybe it’s something Freudian, having to do with all of us subconsciously longing to be an 8-year-old girl. Surely, these theories make more sense than “It’s well-written”. 

I like to think it has something to do with the show’s ability to reach a certain level of cute without crossing that line over into schmaltzy or sugary. Who among us hasn’t watched a sleeping cat video on Youtube or something equally as insipid? And as insipid as it is, it probably has 25 million views. I assume the same basic principle applies here. It’s this adorableness, partnered with the show’s unique sense of sentimentality, that has caused people to create an emotional attachment to the characters. 

I also like to believe that MLP:FIM is a children’s cartoon that, unlike Pixar films, doesn’t cater to adults as well as children, but rather, caters to the children INSIDE adults. The phrase “inner child” is a dumb old cartoony cliche and I don’t fully understand what the actual psychological reality of it is, but I sure as hell know I have one. I hope other people have them too. I pray to God that they do. 

But once again, I realize these answers are insufficient, so offering them at all is an act of futility. 

I’ll say this, though; respect Bronies. Simply because they’re people, and you shouldn’t need any more reason to. If you think you’re better than them, you’re living in an ignorant delusion fueled by your own sense of insecurity. Bronies have committed no sin, and in fact, I can’t think of anything more innocent than enjoying a children’s cartoon show. If anything, these are men of passion, and that’s something, according to our system of values, to be admired. 

Frankly, I even find people demanding Bronies for an explanation to be mildly insulting. On one hand, I can comprehend genuinely being curious about something you don’t understand, but you’re also kind of implying something is wrong with them. And don’t make the mistake of telling yourself everyone who likes the cartoon only likes it because they have a sexual affinity for the characters. That’s simply not the case. 

Every day people ask me if I am a Brony, and why I’ve chosen to write and animate parodies about the series. I guess they can’t extrapolate whether my parodies come from fandom, malice, or perhaps just because I saw comedy in something I’m apathetic about. For some reason I feel reluctant to say the phrase “I am a Brony”, even though I’ve said it before. Perhaps it’s because I don’t care for labels. I’m a bigger Simpsons nut than anything else, and yet I’ve never felt the need to call myself a Simpsy.

But I like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. I really, really do. I’ve seen every episode. If, by definition, that makes me a Brony, I suppose I can’t argue. Maybe I’m a casual-Brony, I don’t fucking know. For whatever reason I even like saying the word ‘ponies’. Ponies. Ponies.

Ponies.

I have a friend who despised the show and the entire fandom. I jokingly told her “Be nice to Bronies, because one day, you’re going to be one”, making light of the show’s infamous ability to suck people in. She swore to me she would never, EVER in a million years like it, and that she hated everything about it and the people who partake in it. Sure enough, now she watches and enjoys it just as much as I do. She has an OC named Cookie Crumbs.

This doesn’t really have anything to do with why people like MLP:FIM, I just think it’s funny.

The only conclusion that can be reached is that what attracts these men to this series can not be described, because it is, in essence, an indescribable factor. You’d have as much luck explaining to a blind man the difference between red and blue. 

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. You either get it, or you don’t. 

~Max G. 

Gosh darnit, thanks for stealing what I was gonna post... 

Kidding of course, but here's the link for anyone who wants it. Really interesting views he's putting out there.

http://www.hotdiggedydemon.com/post/16367923346/why-adult-men-like-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic

I'm going waaay back with this reference here, we'll see if anyone gets me...

It reminds me of the story in the very original Bionicle comics (I'm talking like first 10 issues here) where the Toa fight their shadow counter-parts created by Makuta. When fighting their own clone, they're defeated. When they start to help and fight for each other, they're able to help each other through their unity.

Something similar could happen in MLP, though I kind of doubt it. It already kinda happened in the first battle with the changelings.

"In the next chamber they heard Makuta speak, telling them that they would defeat themselves. Suddenly, a stranger that looked like Tahu attacked the Toa of Fire. Eventually, all of the Toa had shadow counterparts. They struggled against these, but Onua finally realized that they had to be destroyed by fighting a different Toa's counterpart, not your own. The Shadow Toa were quickly finished off, Tahu's double crushed by Pohatu, while Tahu used intense flame to melt Gali's. Now the Toa were ready to fight Teridax. However, all they found was a Matoran with a pitted mask and shadowy infected body."

From: http://bionicle.wikia.com/wiki/Tahu

Why did I like the season finale?

Because it entertained me. I didn't realize I needed any further rational than that to like something.

Don't change the music. And if they're going to make a minor change to accommodate Twilight's wings, they might as well totally revamp the thing. Not that I don't like the current, but something new and fresh would be fun.

I'm possibly going to try all three seasons in a row sometime this summer... That's about a whole 24 hours of My Little Pony goodness right there! 

Tres leches cake is ridiculously delicious. No idea how to make it though... 

My personal specialty in deserts is pies though!

Barack Obama.

What?