Dark Qiviut

There's plenty of material in TGoMP to criticize, and this show has had its lazy writing in the past. Being a ripoff of The Gift of the Magi and laziness aren't either of them. It didn't completely follow the tale nor was it used to plug in the characters for the sake of it, like Hooffields and McColts. Unlike Rainbow Falls or the EQG films, there's definitely a certain amount of effort penned into this story.

There are plenty of NYC references here. Tiffany's, particularly the 5 Avenue shop and the Audrey Hepburn reference. Tavern on the Green, a very famous restaurant along the southwest edge of Central Park. Rockefeller Center: the statue and ice skating rink. The Financial District. FAO Schwarz, a long-standing toy store that unfortunately closed its flagship shop last year. One of its most iconic toys is the big floor piano. Grand Central, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge (of course ) Times Square/Broadway (Bridleway in the show). The brownstones. They're like the ol' water towers: very iconic in the city and full of character.

This episode is either a complete meh or sub-meh. Positives: Give credit to Pinkie for willingly sacrificing her party cannon to give Maud her pouch. For the most part, Maud's on point. I'll get to it later. As a NYer, it's great to see more and more tributes/refereces to the city, including Tavern on the Green, the Financial District, Wall Street, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Moral itself…really good. Negatives. While noble in her intentions, Pinkie really annoyed me in this episode. In fact, she acted like a complete idiot at times. She wears her emotions and is very sensitive, but she's also much more mature than to pound on the door, wail, and create a scene there. The moral is great, but it's diminished by the fact that Maud had to tell it directly in Pinkie's face because she was too dumb to figure it out herself. Some clunky dialogue throughout. Maud and Rarity bullying the stallion…no, no, NO! Not only did it marginalize Pinkie's sacrifice. Antagonistic or not, he had every right not to trade it back. Maud and Rarity were really out of character here. Rarity and Pinkie acted suspicious in front of Maud, and Maud bought into all of it. Cartoon logic or not, that's really stretching the suspension of disbelief.

I don't know. Season 5 was easily her best-characterized year since the second, and she wasn't that bad in The Crystalling. But this episode… *grumble* C'mon, Pinkie, you're way more mature than that!

Ditto. Pinkie's dedication is admirable, but the comedy is very repetitive, and her attitude when the rock shop is closed is completely reprehensible.

We don't know for sure the future impact twenty years from now, but it does have a really huge current cultural impact. FIM and bronydom at large prove how anyone can watch a feminine show. Not only are the characters and stories great, but they destroy stereotypes plaguing feminine TV. It's a part of pop culture. But there's more to it than that. FIM helped pave way for other shows, ones that have the same cross-demographic appeal, to both be produced and succeed. Current cartoons like Thomas & Friends are in the middle of an impressive revival through this same demographic appeal. New ones like Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Gravity Falls, and We Bear Bears began airing either simultaneously as FIM or a few years later. Similar lessons from FIM (appealing art, excellent animation, engaging and creative stories, deep characters, and not stubbornly sticking with the "kids' show" strawman) are there, too. Whether this formula will be used and refined remains to be seen.

Derpy is the mascot in this fandom: She went from an animation mistake in the background to getting full-fledged fanwork. Bronydom was responsible for building her, and her fanonical characterization is far more complete and compatible for the Equestrian world than any other background character fanon. The second option, conversely, is much tougher. Two candidates include: Rainbow Dash. Whether you love her or hate her, she embodies the dispelling of the tomboy stereotypes. A character who's passionate about her goals and is willing to support her friends through thick and thin. Rarity. This fandom is very passionate in their craft and their ability to address their adoration for the show. Many bronies are able to analyze the work, for better or worse, but they do it out of appreciation and care. Rarity is meticulous and pushes herself to much higher standards than others, because she loves her craft and respects it. Like Rainbow Dash, she, too, dispels feminine stereotypes. I'll go with Rarity here.

I don't think so. Zacherle's fortes are toy designing and illustrating, not script writing.