FirestormCAN

Guess they were going for the MTV generation today. That was a lot of VHS being used. Can you really say anything about Pinkie's rap? Anyway, I absolutely adored this episode, mainly with the way Twilight finally managed to figure out Dash's study habits. Seriously, getting the whole town involved just for Rainbow Dash was absolutely amazing. Just goes to show they're cheering for their hometown hero. The play was adorable too. Sure it went to crap near the end, but they casted it pretty well. And Spike was actually doing quite well as the director. I just love the face he made when Dash rejected an encore. XP A lot of great expressions, too. Especially Rarity's. Good god I laughed so hard. All in all, pretty neat episode.

Ever had that parent who just won't let you go even though you're clearly competent enough to take proper care of yourself? Replace that with a sister who's been forced to take care of you in absence of their parents. Seriously think about it: with their parents dead (most likely when Applebloom was actually a baby), AJ was most likely the most responsible for raising her little sister. She's probably been doing it so much, she can act more like a mother to her than a sister. I'm willing to bet she doesn't want to let her parents down... ...buuuuuut that doesn't change the fact that she went wayyyyy overboard here. I was disturbed so much by her "guardianship" here, from all the safety devices and the constant check-ins. *shudder* Seriously, I wonder how my little brother handles himself, but I don't hover over him like a helicopter. Aside from that, I liked the meta joke with the song. Nothing much else I can really say about it.

*ahem* If they're gods, why did Celestia get her ass handed to her a couple times? Shot down by giant bug and her own sister. Captured by said sister and some thorny brush. Robbed of her tail. Would a goddess allow that to happen so easily? I don't think so. Princess does not equate to god in this world, or in any. Gods were portrayed as perfection, barely taking a scratch out of a fight. Neither Celestia or Luna meet this criteria. They got beat up pretty bad a couple times. And I'm pretty sure Lauren herself that they're not gods, just really long long living ponies.

That may be, but would they be able to match or even surpass the sisters' skill levels? Not for a long time, buster. And yet you don't question how Celestia and Luna became alicorns in the first place, let alone princesses.

I'm pretty sure you just skewed your argument there, 'cause by that logic, Celestia and Luna don't deserve their titles either, since all they do is change the skies and beat each other up. No. That's not all that they do. As princesses, it's their duty to maintain order in Equestria and protect their subjects by whatever means necessary, which includes using their magic. But just because they can use powerful spells does not automatically mean they deserve to rule the land as fair rulers. They have to know when and when not to use them, not to just let them loose on the populace. They also have to know how use their authority to change the world that benefits all inhabitants and punishes those who wish to cause harm. And some of those choices, as Luna!NMM's banishment demonstrates, can be extremely difficult to bear. Twilight earned her title because she been learning to be a strong defender, a wise leader, and a loving friend. And it's been with the help of every one of her friends in Ponyville. She may have had the smarts and the spells, but she lacked something crucial to being a princess: friendship. None of the adventures she's had or the lessons she's learned would've happened if her friends weren't around to join her. And while she hasn't reached the same level as Celestia, she's continuing to understand the traits of being a good ruler. We've only gotten a glimpse of what she can do, and there's still plenty more adventures to come down the line. And as far as Cadance is concerned, she was most likely going through the same thing as she grew up a princess. She was probably on her last leg of training between the Royal Wedding and her ascension to the Crystal Empire's throne. And yet we see she's been stressed herself close to the breaking point, powerful as she is. She was doing it to protect the innocent Crystal Ponies, not for herself. That takes dedication. And if "Games Ponies Play" and "Three's a Crowd" is any indication, she's found ways to cope with her new position, from taking moments to breathe to spend time with her new royal family. Just because they are princesses, doesn't mean they're useless. They all have responsibilities, and they're still learning about the world that they live in. And doing it with everypony close to them.

I'm sorry, what? Cadance and Twilight didn't earn their titles? Am I missing something here? I haven't read Crystal Heart Spell, but I can at least tell you that Twilight did indeed earn that title. She's spent much of her life as Celestia's pupil, learning much about friendship that no other pony, even powerful unicorns Starswirl the Bearded or Sunset Shimmer, could figure out. And as we all know, friendship in this world is a powerful magic, both figuratively and literally. She's been through so much over these four seasons, tackling every challenge that blocks her way, helping the others as a result. And in the end, Celestia rewarded all that hard work by adding her to the royal family. And as I've said before, it'll take some time for her to find what authority she'll eventually have. Besides, if the book explains Cadance's ascension, then that's good enough for me. Sure it may sound stupid but lemme remind you: world of magic. Equestria's got different rules than ours. Dumb as they may look to some people, this is what we've got to work with in the main canon. If you don't like it, then tough break. It's too late to turn back now, so if you want to be happy, you should probably either have to 1) accept it, 2) write an alternate universe fic, or 3) leave the series altogether. Everything happens for a reason, now matter how brilliant or stupid they are. The best thing you can do is find ways to adapt to it. Incidentally, Lauren Faust actually said she had planned Twilight to eventually become Celestia's successor. Of course, Hasbro got impatient and asked DHX to move along with that plot point, even if it wasn't intended early on. Eh, but what can you do? Trying to argue with the big boys gets you nowhere. Regardless, it happened, and we're stuck with it. There are some things you just can't change.

Uhhhhh hahahaha, I think we've had enough headaches with the last two additions to the royal lady brigade. ^^; However, i'm open to the idea of seeing princesses of other species. Gryphons, Mooses, heck, gimme some deer and I'll be happy. It'd be nice to explore the world outside of Equestria and interact with their rulers. But knowing Hasbro, that's probably wishful thinking. :/

Nothing much I can say about this one, tbh. I liked it, but at the same time I wasn't all that invested in it. Seabreeze was easily the best part, I was on a massive giggle fit when she--oh sorry, HE spoke the first time. I have to ask, how in the world do they determine a breezie's gender when they've all got huge eyelashes? That's usually the best indicator, especially with folks with high-pitched voices. There was just no clear clue at all until Fluttershy outright said it. @~@ One more thing: when the leaf broke off and ran into the breezies it brought to mind the beginning of A Bug's Life. I would've laughed my ass off if one of them shouted "I'M LOST!!!!!" be it in English or their own little gibberish. XP That would've made my day.

Qivuit, how dare you. How dare you insult my intelligence, as well as everyone else in agreement with me, and those on that Tumblr post (including Pixelkitties and AleximusPrime). Need I remind you that the entire brony community had its roots in 4CHAN. The source of 90% of the stupidity on the internet. All those horrid traits rubbed off on many fans, and you fucking know it. Or not, 'cause from the sound of it you haven't been witness or subject to some really shitty comments and posts. LIKE I HAVE. You don't know what it's like to have some dumbass come to my gallery and be all "This episode was so stupid, and you're stupid for liking it." Lemme ask you something, Qivuit. You been on Neopets? I've been there, and I'm still there. I'm nearly a ten-year veteran. I was there pre- and post-buyout at the hands of Viacom. Early on, people began to whine about the site's redesign and how radically different it is, despite it being a massive improvement over the old layout. It settled down after a while. Then came the NC Mall. And there's where it all went to shit. From that point onward, most of the effort went into the premium features, causing many features to be neglected. Item backlogs, lackluster games and site events, and lack of respect for loyal users. I lot of 'em left the site as a result. All because Viacom turned the site into a huge cash cow. While that's still true today, the staff at Neopets (now under the Nick Games division) have been putting more effort back into the main features. And for the most part, they've done quite well, with a few misses here and there. Some of the events have been astounding (and in one case, downright freaky), some of the new items are worth a giggle, and some of the loyal perks have been very helpful. It's why I'm still around, despite all the dumb things they did. Similar principle applies to Hasbro, DHX and the series. They're all doing their damned best to make the series still enjoyable, despite falling into those old traps. I don't care it some things didn't work, I'm still enjoying the series. I loved the Royal Wedding. I've warmed up to Twilicorn. I still had fun with EQG. I have a right to enjoy the series how I want, no matter what happens. And no one on the entire internet can change that. Also, I don't give a damn about how you think I should "butthurt" or "fanbrat." In the context of these stupid fans making a mess of things, I'll call these whining little punks whatever I want. I don't care about their origins. What else do you want me to say to these people, hmm? The old standbys? Have a look at those numbers, man. 30 brohoofs to 3 and counting? I think it goes to show how fundamentally flawed your whole post is. They don't care about how I said it, what they care about is the message I was trying to convey. And that is, Meghan is being treated so unfairly by so many in this fanbase. You may be entitled to your opinion, but I'm entitled to mine as well. I'm only gonna say this once: back the fuck down. As for you Furlong: *slap* It was not her goddamn idea. She did not lie. Stop saying she did.

Look at my third point again. Hasbro has a toy line in the works, and they want DHX to have the show reflect that. It's Meghan and the others' job to add it to the show and apply it to the show's mythos in a way that isn't as much of a blatant advertisement as it could be when left unchecked. Decisions are made between the two, but Hasbro is ultimately responsible for setting things in motion. Regardless of how well it goes, lots of fans unfairly bash them for it, when there's clearly more effort being put into this franchise than any other franchise of its kind. In their view, the series and hell, even the merch, should be meant for them. When it's clearly not. Many in the community care more about their fanfictions and comics than the actual show canon. They don't take it as speculation, they take it as actual fact, when it hasn't been fucking shown in the series yet or hinted by the staff. And I can tell you the same people would like to have Cadance, Shining Armor, Twilicorn and all of Equestria Girls wiped off the map, just 'cause they can't accept them as things that happened in the series. Again, I'm not saying all bronies are like this. I'm saying a lot of them are deluded and completely in denial.

Er, not necessarily. Check out this conversation she sparked on Twitter that week. You call making death threats and accusing her of taking away their waifu "criticism?" Tsk tsk, Rivendare. It's not that the staff are immune to criticism, but attacking them so harshly is pointless and does more harm than good.

Comes down to three reasons in my book. 1) She took over from Lauren Faust, and people just can't get over that fact. Lauren had a huge fallout with Hasbro and just couldn't continue at the reins. So she handed them off to a dear friend of hers, someone she's worked with for a very long time. And for the most part, Meghan's done her job well, despite having to take orders from Hasbro. You know, the ones who actually own the whole damn franchise. If you guys want Lauren back, forget it. She's done with the series. You'd do well to leave her alone. 2) She hypes up people with all sorts of hints and clues regarding future episodes. And while most turn out to be true, there were some points that went in without her knowledge. Take Flash Sentry's cameo a few weeks ago. People flipped the fuck out over that 5-second appearance and sent unwarranted hate to Meghan. Despite the fact that it was M.A. LARSON who slipped him in there. I can never forgive the fandom for that, nor can I forgive them for going absolute fanbrat over Twilicorn. 3) Most bronies nowadays are so caught up in their fantasies and headcanons that they perceive every move made under her watch to automatically ruin the show, even if it wasn't her decision. Equestria Girls. Twilicorn. The Royal Wedding. Those were mainly Hasbro's decision to advertise the relevant toy lines. Marketed towards the kids. The actual target audience. In layman's terms, they're acting like complete fucking morons. So many fans are so butthurt that "their" show is being ruined because of the kids. Well I got news for you, folks. It was never "your" show to begin with. It was built for both kids and adults, watching it side by side like a family. Lauren said so herself. If you can't accept that fact, then put down that merch and look at yourself in the mirror. So for crying out loud, leave the girl alone. She's just trying to do her job as best she can while trying to find a balance between satisfying the fanbase, Hasbro, kids and parents. And it's extremely hard to pull off. Even moreso with these fanbrats making a mockery of the whole franchise. There's constructive criticism, and then there's being an asshole. Learn the difference.

Ah, the perils of having someone famous as a friend. Ask anyone who personally knows the show staff and most would vouch for the CMC in this case. Seriously people, quit swarming someone just because they're friends with a comic artist, storyboarder, singer or any staffer of MLP. It's disrespectful. Oh, and don't be that guy who basically opens up said staffer to the public without their consent. That's their workplace/agency's job, not yours. They're your friend, so they expect you to treat them as such. As far as the episode's concerned, eeeeeeeee Sweetie Belle used magic! I'm sorry, but after One Bad Apple I was waiting to see some further progress and I got it. Not to mention friggin' PIPSQUEAK. <3 Also interesting to see Apple Bloom turn to potion making. Y'know, considering the last time she tried it. *cough* cutie pox *cough*. Oh sorry, must've laid it on to thick like that flower. Seriously, best part of the episode right off the bat. Thanks for not spoiling that joke, EW. Huh, guess being cooped up in the library researching a mysterious box for so long makes you lose your manners after not eating a wholesome meal in a while. And by wholesome, I mean greasy. Haven't been to a McD's in a long time thanks to Supersize Me, definitely never will after this episode. XP All in all, this was cute but it's out of my top five for the season. Not that it's bad, I just have different tastes is all. And not just in burgers.

Season 3's a mixed bag for me. Some episodes I really liked (One Bad Apple, Sleepless in Ponyville), some that didn't bother me so much (Magical Mystery Cure, Keep Calm and Flutter On), and some I really didn't not enjoy (Too Many Pinkie Pies, Just for Sidekicks). The shorter season went by really fast, and it kind of suffers for it. I know it was 'cause how Hasbro was trying to fit Equestria Girls into the budget, but the drop in quality after two stellar seasons really shows. I don't think it's terrible, I just think it's the weakest season so far.

Well... that just happened. I was expecting the stage fright plot point from the synopsis, so I wasn't getting hyped for this one. Boy did I get a big surprise. No only did Big Mac making his mark in the Ponytones surprise me, but the return of freaking Flutterguy. That was totally unexpected. Really liked the music that accompanied this episode. Pinkie... goddammit girl, you were sooo good two episodes ago, what the hell happened here? Did that turkey call make your brain take a nap today? I wanted to give her a smack in the back of the head. Clearly Rarity's little bop on the head at the start didn't do a thing. I'd really like this episode if Pinkie wasn't being such a twit.

Before I share my thoughts, I feel I should say something to the people whining about romance being in the show: IT'S. A. JOKE. It's not meant to be taken seriously, it's a plot device that shows how dangerous a crush can be if not checked, something a lot of kids go through. Trenderhoof was clearly being that guy (you know the one), Rarity was being that girl, and AJ was having none of it. As you clearly saw, this love triangle turned into a nightmare for our favorite farm mare, and caused nothing but confusion and delay for the festival. Besides, this is a staff's way of having fun with the fanbase, considering the amount of shipping and suggestive stuff most people do. Come on guys, cut 'em some slack. Also, need I remind you that this isn't the first time Rarity had a crush on a stallion? Does Blueblood from season 1 ring a bell to you guys? Deny the douchebag's existence all you want, but this has happened before and it can certainly happen again. GOD, people are so dense these days. Anyway, the episode was alright, certainly a few steps down from the past couple eps. Really wasn't expecting much in the first place. Although Spike's 4th wall break was a killer. I'm honestly surprised how well the little guy took it through the whole thing. I was expecting him to have a major meltdown at some point. Secondly, I can imagine how beat Tabitha was after recording Rarity's country accent. Hoo BOY did she go all out. That's what you call talent. And I like how AJ got Rarity back to her senses; guess staying with the Oranges did something good after all. Also, Dinky is best filly. Just sayin'.