Dark Qiviut

+ Twilight's character arc was satisfying. Despite being unsympathetic, it was easy to see where she was coming from. And because she did some bad things, getting a bunch of comedy at her expense was quite rewarding, and the same for realizing her terrible mistake. Very likely won't win Trivia Trot, but gets more out of it.

+ Many of the faces were really funny, especially Crazy!Twilight.

+ A lot of really good humor post-TT break.

+ Satisfying moral.

+ Despite a very light, stretched plot, it was paced well.

+ Applejack and Dash's competitive rivalry was really funny, especially Granny's quip after AJ missed an easy Zap Apple one to FS and Bulk. (Bulk high-5'ing FS a little too hard was the funniest moment of the episode.)

+ Pinkie wanted to win for Twi, but also have fun.

- But she came across as too random and dimwitted at times.

- Pinkie's crazy "TWIPIE!" face was way too creepy and not funny.

- Many jokes early didn't make sense or were too gross.

- The book was an obvious McGuffin. Pinkie's DQ came from a rule that made sense, but many other rules, like sleeping and minor taunts, were too outta left field, even for an episode this light in plot.

As fun as Trivial Pursuit's second half was, a lot of the first half didn't go over well, and when you have an episode with an extremely simple story, the jokes need to work very well as a whole. That doesn't happen.

It's a fine return to form after 246G, but worse than the worst S9A episode, Going to Seed. Dropping it down my list, from B to B- (from #82 to #113).

Quote

Twilight Sparkle: [brays] I don't know anything about those! That's not any kind of category!

Mudbriar: Technically, it's a kind of category where we know the answers and you don't.

Twilight Sparkle: [hyperventilating into paper bag]

…Given her cheating, she needed that comeback in the worst way.

Some of the rules for Trivia Trot are just plain stupid. The whole rule book is just a blatant plot device that the writers can use it to get the characters out of a sticky situation.

1. Pinkie’s crazy “TWI-PIE!” face with the camera close up. Most crazy faces worked, but Pinkie’s supposed to be eager and excited. Her crazy face is a jump scare and way too creepy to be funny.
2. Pinkie acts random and dumb on occasions when she’s supposed to be eager, like trying to tap into her brain as if it shrunk in sizes, losing train of thought away from the “Apples” category, and focusing completely on her tummy instead of the question.
3. The closeup of Pinkie’s growling stomach during said Q and its growl? Yuck!! D:
4. Pinkie’s full tummy when she ate the whole platter was a little too detailed for one quick sec. :/

I spy a Buffalo Man on the banner. 

I like it. I like the lesson, FS and RD not being dumb, Caballeron being competent, and (yes) the reformations of Ahuizotl and Caballeron. There are some flaws with Ahuizotl's reformation, particularly a plot hole in association with Daring Done, but it still works decently for what they had. It's a good episode.

Grade: B

Most of this episode is in FS’s point of view, but it doesn’t demonize Dash’s whatsoever. Because she spent many adventures with DD, it’s understandable why she’s so concerned. The same goes for Daring and her urgent pursuit to retrieve the Truth Talisman of Tonatiuh before C gets it first.

Also, Fluttershy’s kindness continues to “infect” the others. First, she shares her lunch with the bigger, blue henchman. Second, she reassures the second in command after he feels slighted by him. Then, when the henchman in glasses accidentally rests under a flyder hive, she lured them away so he escapes. She shows genuine respect for the entire gang from top to bottom.

This respect for her comes back after Caballeron tricks her into getting the Truth Talisman. When she was caught in the trap’s shooting lava, they coulda made a run for it and leave it and her behind, but they didn’t. They quickly made a path from one of the temple pillars to get her across. The same for Caballeron. He coulda let her fall to her doom, but he saved her instead.

However, there are a couple of problems here.

1. Fluttershy fell for his bad acting inside the Talisman’s crypt so easily. In all four of his appearances in the series, this was by far his smartest and most competent. This wasn’t his smartest idea, and it made Fluttershy too gullible.
2. Fluttershy didn’t realize that he tried to trick them. Again, same problem. If Fluttershy knew beforehand he was scheming yet went along, it would subvert the idea that she was too gullible. Right after he reveals to lie to her, he soon reveals that he valued her kindness and friendship, a smaller subversion in and of itself and downplays unneeded drama, but it also lessens the weight of his reformation.

If after his initial “no” that she shows that he knew well in advance that he was trying to trick her but went along anyway because she knew there can be more to him than being greedy, then it really shows that FS knows what she’s doing and was in control of the conversation. OTOH, writing it like this also shows how unconditional her kindness is, especially after She Talks to Angel, where her ignorance to Angel and his needs helped fuel the conflict. Also, Fluttershy’s “kindness” from Keep Calm was more like controlling channels of communication between her and Discord.

The first scene featuring FS with Caballeron and gang really begins his reformation process.

1. At first, he maintains his facade regarding being a good pony, almost blowing cover when he yelled at his henchman for nearly eating poisonous fruit.
2. However, he’s genuinely taken aback by Fluttershy’s decision to share her lunch with all of them, especially his henchmen.
3. He’s taken aback by her unconditional kindness towards the cats. Rather than fighting them, she treats them like equals, and the cats appreciate her.
4. All of the treasure hunters begin to admire her, and Caballeron’s eyes twinkle. For the first time all series, he begins to show sincerity towards somepony, leading to wonder if he will give up on his trick after all.

Two statuses ago, I referred to a throwaway exchange from Act 1. Well, to begin Act 2, it returns, as one of the fillies from before returned, confused and concerned.

Quote

Filly: So Daring Do doesn’t kick puppies?

AK: That was one time! Accidentally.

For a bit, I thought that was a reference to her fight from Daring Don’t, kicking away the wild cats, one of them a housecat. But those weren’t accidents. She was trying to defend herself. Despite an initial denial, she not only admitted to accidentally kicking a puppy, but didn’t put it in any of her books.

Why does this small exchange matter?

1. The Daring Do Series is a series of autobiographical events, but because she’s trying to sell stories to children as well, she sanitizes, alters, and omits things that might disinterest or repulse the audience. It’s edited to make the story more sellable.

2. It opens the door for possible reformations, both for Caballeron and Ahuizotl. Because it’s edited, it suggests more may be beneath to the whole Daring Do saga than it appears. Remember, the series is written in third-person limited perspective, every adventure in Daring’s point of view.

3. Caballeron’s book becomes more credible to the general audience. Yes, he’s scheming to get the Truth Talisman, but because of the editing of her own book, she opens things up for him to embellish his own side and sprinkle truths both big and small that she didn’t tell.