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Dark Qiviut

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Blog Comments posted by Dark Qiviut

  1. FIM's two-part pilot can't hold a candle to how G5 handled the formation of the Mane 5 (and eventual new Mane 6). Twilight didn't look at friendship with high regard at any point until the beginning of Part 2, largely in part due to how insular she grew up in under Celestia's tutelage.

    As you wrote, Sparkle, Sunny knew at least one pony really closely before the Mane 5 united, and Sunny knew Hitch since she was a filly. Sunny and her late dad also believed in the Magic of Friendship's existence long after generations of ponies forgot about it. When Twilight read the philosophy of the Mare in the Moon, she put her full focus on that and Celestia's second half of her assignment second.

    Additionally, the Mane 6 didn't really turn into a friendship until halfway during Part 2; its rushed pace made its unification feel largely hollow. Yes, Twilight had entertaining chemistry between the ReMane Five in Part 1, but we didn't see their chemistry blossom until FIM improved their slice-of-life episodes during Season 1. In ANG, the writers gave their eventual friendship time to build. Each of them lived under different backgrounds with different ambitions. Their talk around the campfire remains doubly important because they all realized how interconnected they almost all were from when they were fillies without realizing it. 'Twas at this point where Zipp, Pipp, Hitch, Izzy, & Sunny were all on equal ground and understood each other. Their friendship means something and feels like it truly matters.

    What we've seen since ANG with TYT and MYM is a consequence of how their friendship began. Despite all the shenanigans they experience, we know they all care for each other at the end.

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  2. 14 hours ago, Eren Jaeger said:

    Honestly, it seems likely that this year will be the first time since 2013 that nobody gets in

    It's becoming more likely. The one with the best chance, Schilling, has stalled. Those who didn't vote for him didn't add him; and more people dropped him (three currently; four with Posnanski's ballot not public yet) than added him (one — Jack Magruder). Even worse, private ballots aren't kind to Schilling at all.

  3. On 8/14/2019 at 9:08 PM, CloudMistDragon said:

    No insult, but I...think the general reason people who hate Rainbow Dash episodes do is because they don't want to accept that part of Rainbow Dash's character is being stubborn and oblivious. It's not something you're supposed to take to heart, just something you have to recognize as essential to a typical RD episode's humor and conflict.  

    I proudly admit 246G and Dash’s shitty behavior pissed me off. B) That said, I don’t hate the episode, only dislike.

    Also, people like myself dislike the episode in large part because Dash is written poorly.

    1. Bashed the idea of synchronized cheering even though she taught Fluttershy how to spontaneously cheer.
    2. Bashed the concept of cheerleading in front of five students who not only looked forward to it, but believed it was interesting. In their eyes, Rainbow Dash was the best teacher for the job. And she bashed their desire to their faces.
    3. Two students ran off crying because Dash’s insult hurt them, and she remained remorseless for it.
    4. The episode exaggerated her obliviousness and made her out of character by treating her cheerleading class and students as inferior to the buckball team itself. She actively showed to them that being at the buckball field, scheming her way out, and being less than lazy mattered more, and that they have to fend for themselves. Snips, despite Bit signs in his eyes, showed more patience and competence than her!
    5. By whining about being “demoted,” she took what was supposed to be a fun class, embarrassed them, and sucked the energy out in 48 hours. Only a teacher this callous and selfish could do that.

    Dash may not have the smoothest personality and doesn’t always need to be a sweetheart, but she is also supposed to be likeable and a role model. Common Ground and The Washouts are two recent examples of great Dash episodes; in the latter, Dash wasn’t exactly at her best with her ego accentuating the conflict, but her heart was in the right place. What she’s doing here isn’t role-modelish, endearing, or sympathetic. This would be a role I would rather see antagonists or hate sinks do, not one of the biggest protagonists.

    • Brohoof 4
  4. I still remember you telling me and my mom what happened. Like @Troblems above, I was so happy for you then and remain so. You are hilarious, inspirational, and magnificent. Your crying shows how human you are and how much you care. I can tell how much getting that plushie and that message mean so much to you. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to finally meet you in person, and we all love you. :D

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  5. 7 hours ago, Lambdadelta said:

    Well, take your time, maybe you will find something interesting to say after the break, The Last Crusade is your favorite episode, right?:rarity:

    love Last Crusade! Not my favorite of the series, but my favorite of the season thus far, and I argue (barely) the best of the season, too.

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  6. 31 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

    I especially liked how you pointed out that every time doom and gloom was spelled for the show, that doom and gloom only went on to be dispelled. :nom:

    :laugh: A lesson I had to learn at times. Suffice it to say that each crow roasted quite well in the oven. ;)

    38 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

    More need to realize that while Faust did a great job planting the seeds of MLP: FiM's legacy, it was in fact the hard-working people at DHX who has never rested on their laurels in nurturing what has come from those seeds that has maintained the show's legacy.

    Indeed. With Faust's resignation, it was up to the rest at DHX to maintain its success. In some cases, they had a lot going against it, such as loose continuity and annual turnover of editors and writers (some more so than others; S8 was the first not to have anyone before S4 on the writing staff). Yet, they deliver. Shadow Play and Amending Fences will be proof of how they can take its on-the-fly storyline and weave it into something that looks pre-planned.

    34 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

    One of the best essays on the show you've ever written.

    That line gave a gigantic grin on my face. :D

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  7. @chirox the pony

    Since you finished S5, I'll recommend a few more:

    S6: Gauntlet of Fire, A Hearth's Warming Tail, The Fault in Our Cutie Marks, Viva Las Pegasus

    S7: Discordant Harmony, The Perfect Pear (this I can never recommend nearly enough!), It Isn't the Man Thing About You, Marks & Recreation

    I also recommend The Times They Are A Changeling, A Flurry of Emotions, and Once Upon a Zeppelin, but I recommend watching the two-part The Crystalling first, as Cadance and Shining Armor are parents.

    Just now, Sparklefan1234 said:

    I *love* the exchange between Rarity and Twilight Sparkle in "Friendship University" when they are discussing their undercover backstories. 

     

    That exchange is so funny to me that just thinking about it makes me laugh. ^_^

     

    I apologize if this isn't what you meant. :please:

    No apologies necessary. Their humorous exchange works really well. :D

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  8. On 1/8/2019 at 7:11 PM, chirox the pony said:

    Is there any episode I can watch where I don't need prior context to understand it?

    Hmm, that's a good question. Off the top of my head, Amending Fences and Crusaders of the Lost Mark from Season 5, The Saddle Row Review for Season 6. There are a lot of really good to great episodes post-S4, but I recommend at least one episode previously to get the context.

  9. @Tacodidra Indeed. :D

    And with that in mind, I edited it to get it under the 200-word maximum. Unfortunately, my "Horse Play" example had to be cut. Here is the final version!

    Quote
    Season 8's Dialogue Quality
    By: Dark Qiviut
     
    Season 8 is one of the show's best. Its dialogue is an important reason why. Conversation drives much of the season, especially its humor-centric episodes, so how well they write and edit lines determines the overall story quality. What they accomplish is an organic, emotive, and crisp flow of lines full of personality. Allspark plays the characters off against each other, incorporating plenty of snark, occasional teasing, starts, and stops. Four episode examples include:

    1. The Break Up Break Down: Spike's and Discord's opposing personalities create lots of organic banter between them.

    2. The Mean 6: Snarkle and Chrysalis share wonderful chemistry, with the former exploiting the latter's pride and need for help. Conversely, the ReMane Seven's anger at each other feels raw and real.

    3. Road to Friendship: Starlight & Trixie's banter. Nuff said.

    4. The Washouts: Dash's concern, Scoot's desire for inclusiveness, and Dust's cleverly woven manipulation spark intense conflict.

    Sharp dialogue helped Shadow Play stand atop FIM's tier. From that point forward, it's like Dubuc and Haber expanded upon it for S8, and it really shows in the final product of many episodes. Hopefully, Allspark pursues this strength in S9.

     

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  10. 2 hours ago, Truffles said:

    I still stand firmly in my belief that the biggest revelation of this episode is that Spike has a very personal and private pain knowing he's an orphan and wishes he had at least his dad to share his experiences of growing up with. I'm hoping he doesn't destroy that list - my heart says he won't but we may never see him pull that list of activities out again. Like I said earlier this morning on EqD, how this episode is viewed historically depends on whether the subject matter of his origins is visited again next season. If they are, then this episode probably won't be hated so much by the fans who saw an opportunity to answers some very big questions wasted.

    Agreed firmly, and I b'hoofed your EQD post, too. If Spike's backstory comes to a standstill in S9 (or whichever the final season will be), FKB's rep will be hurt even more for the reasons you stated.

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