Luffyiscool

...I'm not gonna let this spoil my enjoyment of the episode, but I just realized something. The thing we learned about her in this episode (subconsciously making note of everything around her during flight) is a big retcon. In the first scene of Griffon The Brush Off, she slams right into a huge mountain while trying to ditch Pinkie. Where were the observational skills she used to detect the helicopter? XD I know that i'm overthinking it, and that they weren't planning too far ahead in the show's early days, AND that it's a kids show filled with moments purely included for comedy. It's just that when i notice something like this, it bugs me enough to jot it down. Anyone else here know the feeling?

For me, the most enjoyable thing as a whole about season 4 has been the MASSIVE step up in animation/visual quality. Someone needs to at least put together a compilation of all the scenes with epic lighting effects.

I gave the episode 10/10 and thought it was very fun, charming and entertaining. It also had an excellent conflict and moral which wasn't babyish at all. I have no idea why you think the things you do about this episode, but i guess it's fair because you probably think the same about me. My worst episode will always be Mysterious Mare Do Well.

What do you mean? MLP is a slice-of-life / comedy show, so most of the episodes are supposed to be light hearted and/or random. It's never been about taking itself too seriously or making every single episode about an arching plot. Where's the "plot" in Pinkie making friends with a Donkey? Where's the "plot" in Fluttershy caring for a sick bird? Where's the "plot" in Twilight having a sleepover? Where's the "plot" in Rainbow Dash looking for a pet? I may be taking your post entirely wrong, but it seems like you're expecting something out of the show that i'm just not seeing. Besides, why are you wondering what the season's plot is? The "plot" of season 4 is to find the keys that are supposed to unlock the magic chest. It was spelled out for us pretty clearly. Y'know those rainbow eyes and glowing objects that we've been seeing? THAT'S the plot. Right there. A cast member has a conflict with their own element, and they get an item after resolving the problem. Those items are implied to be the keys.

This episode was bloody awesome. 10/10 from me. Also, rapping Pinkie is one of the best things season 4 has thrown at us.

Seriously? You don't see the cool thing they did here? It's an UNREALISTIC CLICHE in cartoons when, at the end of an episode, a character with stage fright is performing for sell-out crowds and suddenly fears nothing. Fluttershy, however, says "I'll get there someday, but for now... baby steps." THIS IS A GOOD THING. And how could you say there was no development? At the beginning of the episode, she had a panic attack when she knew her friends saw her singing. However, in this scene, she came out onto the stage and sung with the group in front of her friends and some animals. THAT was supposed to be the development, showing her *slowly* getting used to the idea of the spotlight. Keyword being "SLOWLY". Rushed development is just as poor as no development. "Baby steps" was a really mature and relevant side-moral, and i applaud the show for including that. I honestly don't know how you didn't pick up on this.

This episode has the heart of a season 1 episode and i love it. So gorgeous and charming. 10/10 for me, another gem of the season.

Rainbow is a good flier, but so are others. Twilight is a bookworm, but so are others. Rarity is good at fashion, but so are others. Applejack is a good farmer, but so are others. Fluttershy is good with animals, but so are others. Pinkie is good with parties, but so is Cheese Sandwich. There is literally no issue here, and it was a fun idea that they used well. It's highly unrealistic to expect Pinkie to be the only pony in the whole world capable of throwing a decent party. That would mean that while she's in Ponyville, everywhere else in Equestria is having no parties at all and being miserable as hell. And why is Cheese a jerk? He did NOTHING wrong. He showed up and introduced himself in a fun way, and it was the townsfolk who got carried away and forgot about Pinkie. He straight up said "I never intended to take your place in Ponyville, I just wanted to show you how much of a great party planner I am, Pinkie..." and then he gave us a sweet backstory that shows Pinkie inspiring him to smile and become a party pony. The two of them became buddies and threw an absolutely awesome bash for RD. How is this not a wonderful, sweet thing? How is Cheese a jerk? That thought process is eluding me really badly.

Because I really love this season, and so when I see someone saying negative things about it my brain frazzles by trying to see where they're coming from.

This really baffles me because in my personal opinion this season is blowing season 3 out of the water and is standing on equal ground with season 2.

I don't think there's been any terrible episodes at all this season (although I admit that Power Ponies was a little weird), but that's just me. Anyways, this episode gets my strongest 10/10. A brilliant successor to A Friend In Deed when it comes to an episode focused around a non-flanderized Pinkie Pie. It also proves to be a way better musical episode than MMC. Also, Pinkie Pie X Cheese Sandwich is my new OTP.

They heavily implied that Soarin was just distracted by the hot cheerleader ponies. He was looking towards them just before he crashed. Though you're probably talking about when they said "you can do better than that!" + "I hope so..." while watching him train. Even so, how does that make him a bad flier? Nothing points to this at all. Their words clearly imply that Soarin is having a slow start or an off day. They even say that he can do better, so where is the statement of him being a 'bad' flier?

Something I notice about the reaction to this episode is that some people don't like Fluttershy being willingly involved in the event, saying that it contradicts what's been shown in Hurricane Fluttershy and Hearth's Warming Eve (that she hates performances). However, by thinking about it from another angle, it isn't really THAT contradictory. In Hurricane Fluttershy, she was being held back by the childhood trauma caused by playground taunts over her weak flying. She always had the physical ability to make a great contribution to the tornado, but her mental block reduced her wing power by several levels. In the climax of the episode, she plucked up her courage and jumped into the tornado, but she was about to be held back again when the childhood chants started swimming in her head again. Y'know what she did? She defiantly shouted "NO!!", banished the negative thoughts, and blitzed her way to top speed. She finished the episode being carried away and cheered, while stating the moral about everybody's contribution counting. So... WHY can't she take part in the Equestria Games relay, if her performance issues were somewhat tackled in HF? People have complained at Fluttershy in the past for being too afraid of everything, or not learning/improving/developing. But now that she shows signs of improving in a certain area? She suddenly gets claims of 'contradiction' thrown in her face! To me, her participation in the race is actually a nod of DEVELOPMENT influenced by the events of Hurricane Fluttershy.

Why are so many people dismissing the shadow pony shown at the end? Why can't it be the season 4 villain? It's supposed to be a part of Nightmare Moon's magic, so it would make for an understandable foe. It would also save the episode/s from "Villain out of nowhere" syndrome. Chrysalis and Sombra, while good in design, appeared once and got booted out never to be seen again (so far). It would actually be quite refreshing and fitting to have a part of Nightmare Moon be the S4 villain. The mane six acquired the elements of harmony to win in season 1, and they got sealed away in this season. I think the shadow pony learned of this through watching Twilight doing her research about the chest, and will make itself known during the finale. Am i the only one who thinks it would be fitting to the point of being perfect?

I honestly don't see the problem that others are seeing when it comes to Rainbow in this episode. I thought she was great, and her conflict actually made me feel sympathy for her. It was a genuinely hard decision and a conflict applicable to real life, and it was too much for her to bear so she tried to quit. Doing something like that can be GOOD for a character and their development, because despite being a cartoon, they should be allowed to make bad decisions and mistakes like a REAL person would. What's important is how they realize they messed up, and how they correct it. Fluttershy gave her some touching sentiments, and then she came clean in front of everyone and gave another speech to spitfire. This was doing it WELL, in my opinion. VERY fitting for Dash. Rainbow got extremely motivated in Games Ponies Play because she was thinking of the heartbreak she had as a filly when Cloudsdale didn't get the hosting rights. She also got very excited at the prospect of training flag-carrier fillies for the games, drawing from the wonderful experience she had as one. She thrives off competition, she IS a born winner. Her dream is to join the best flight team in Equestria. To make a name for herself. Characters running past her = She says "Oh, are you two having a race? Can i play? 1-2-3-GO!" Can't decide on a pet = She holds an epically elaborate contest. Her heroes ask her to compete alongside them in a huge public sporting event? Hmm....decisions, decisions. OF COURSE i'd expect someone like her to take them up on their offer. It's the natural response. Some people over-analyze this show and point out the illogical. THAT'S the problem. A cartoon is supposed to entertain and be viewed as a big picture, not be broken down so much over the tiny details that all the fun and life is sucked dry. We even find out that Fluttershy would've had NO PROBLEM with Rainbow joining them. She UNDERSTANDS Rainbow because they're such good friends. THAT'S why i didn't mind Rainbow's indecision, and THAT'S why i think the choice wasn't meant to be obvious. Twilight tried to TELL US THIS by NOT forcing a stance on Rainbow, telling her to decide for herself. This indicates that both sides held merit. "Not choosing to choose... isn't a decision" is one of the best moralistic lines this show has ever done. That's all that needed to be said, and it truly felt like Twilight was channeling Celestia here. She's becoming the foil and guidance for the characters, which is GREAT because it reflects her changed role and gives her something to do. Her story arc is OVER now that her studies are complete, and the show is now more about the entire cast than it's ever been before (emphasized by two characters in this ep), so we should take what we can get when it comes to deciding what to do with her. And personally, i think what we're getting is very nice. Some of you are saying that Twilight was too soft on Rainbow? I say that we have completely different understandings on who/what was at fault here, and who was really being a jerk. (hint: they actually got told off)

I haven't read this thread, but did anyone else flip out with excitement when the rainbow glows happened again? KEYS CONFIRMED. KEYS CONFIRMED. Shining rainbow eyes, and rainbow fadeout. It's smacking us in the face with it.

Exactly, which is why i loved this episode so much. They had the wonderful ending of Applejack pretty much saying "fuck the documentation, you're a part of this family no matter what", and yet the show also hinted at it being true after all. It was such a good balance of fact and belief. (I personally believe that those parallels with Goldie were thrown in there just to quell those within the fandom who would take objection against their connection without solid proof. I'm not one of those people of course, but they do exist.) Either way, Pinkie ends up being an Apple, so it's all groovy XD