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Batbrony

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Blog Entries posted by Batbrony

  1. Batbrony
    Hello all, Batbrony here with some exciting news! After months of hard work, I have finally completed a massive editing job on the first six chapters of my first and (to date) only fanfiction, Batmare Begins. It's considerably shorter now by a few thousand words, and has been stripped of much troublesome junk, such as needless details, pointless adverbs, and worst of all, LUS (Lavender Unicorn Syndrome, i.e. the tendency to describe characters as, for example, "the lavender unicorn", "the grey filly", etc.).
     
    Besides these chapters being considerably more polished now than they were before, this news also means that I will now be able to resume writing new chapters for my fic! I have some great ideas for Chapter 7, and hope to have it typed up and posted reasonably soon. To anyone who's already following my story, I want to thank you for your patience; to those of you who have yet to check it out, I'd very much appreciate the support, and now would certainly be a good time to start reading it seeing as new chapter updates should start coming in more frequently in the near future. That's all for now everypony; you can find the revised story right here on FimFiction! Just click on the link below:
     
    Batmare Begins Revised: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/79481/batmare-begins
  2. Batbrony
    Attention all MLP Forums fan fiction writers! I'd like to draw your attention to the the recently created "MLP Forums Authors Helping Authors Group", now pinned in Creative Resources. This group is MLP Forums first ever fan fiction library, and all you need to do to join and see your work posted in our library is click on the link below, which will take you to the group. Please review the rules, post which fics you'd like posted, and we'll take care of the rest and see to it that your fics are added to our library. We hope that this group proves to be a valuable resource to you all and not only helps your fics to gain views/ratings/feedback, but also allows you to meet some fellow authors on the forums. Enjoy!
     

    http://mlpforums.com/topic/97940-the-mlp-forums-authors-helping-authors-group/

     



  3. Batbrony
    Note: Sorry it took me a few days to get this blog up ya'll. Just hadn't made time for it is all, my bad.
     
    OK, well, this review should be pretty short. Not that the episode was bad or anything, it accomplished what it wanted and needed to just fine. But for a key episode, or an episode in general, "It Ain't Easy Being Breezies" was just pretty boring and forgettable, despite doing some things quite well. So, without further ado, let's get started.
     
    First I guess we'll cover Fluttershy and the Breezies, seeing as there's not much to say about either of them and they were pretty interconnected in this episode. Both groups learned good lessons (will cover those more extensively in the next section) and learned something from one another. It's strange that, for her key episode of all things, Fluttershy didn't really do anything that was incredibly adorable or noteworthy (besides the bee costume I suppose, that was pretty cute). I did sort of like how grounded she was and that she was also in full-on animal caretaker mode and displayed no timidity whatsoever; it just gets old sometimes when Fluttershy's biggest recurring problem is her insecurity and fear of doing something (take your pick, there's a lot of things she's afraid of ), so I did appreciate that here she faced a dilemma in showering creatures with too much kindness instead. The Breezies themselves actually weren't that cute, at least I didn't think so; the cutest thing about them was actually their Scandinavian accents of all things! Now don't get me wrong, they didn't do anything unforgivable either, again, like Fluttershy here they just didn't leave that much of an impression on me, that's all. That's not as bad as being, well, just plain bad, but still, any film or television critic who knows their stuff knows that a cardinal sin of any form of media is to not really leave an impression of any kind, be it good or bad feelings, on the viewer. I know some people seem to think this episode was great, so if you saw something that you found particularly endearing, good for you, but for me, this episode just didn't leave that much of an impression, most notably in its two main characters, Fluttershy and the Breezies. Don't really have anything bad to say about them, but I don't really have anything good to say about them either. They were just all very forgettable here, and I have mixed feelings about that.
     




    Breezies: I don't see the "cute" factor here. Their hair is gigantic, both sexes have ridiculously big eyelashes and are pretty much impossible to tell apart without someone announcing their gender, their wings and antennas are freakishly large to boot, and their bodies are really wiry and insect-like. I don't know, the only thing I found appealing on an adorable level about any of them was their Scandinavian accents, those were hilarious!


     
    The lessons learned here, on the other hand, actually save this episode from being a bad one in my eyes. Not only were they executed very handily, with plenty of time devoted to both of them, but they were just plain good lessons in general. On one side you had Sea Breeze (who is awesome by the way, just gotta get that out there, that guy is hands down best Breezy! ) teaching Fluttershy about "tough love" and why sometimes it's actually more harmful than helpful to coddle someone with unconditional, endless love and adoration, and on the other side you had Fluttershy teaching Sea Breeze how, even though there is a time and place for tough love, one can't let it get out of control, otherwise it'll devolve into just plain nastiness and mean-spirited put-downs without any kind of meaningful, helpful support. Good lessons all-around, and even better, there are a lot of real-world parallels where these lessons could be applied, both in big or small scenarios (including U.S. politics, believe it or not, if you think about it a bit). Definitely one of the most smartly-written and executed lessons in awhile on this show, and easily my favorite aspect of this episode.
     




    I have no idea what to feel about this. This wasn't really "funny" when it happened, nor cute, just kind of... awkward and meh.


     
    As for the rest of the cast here, I guess we'll just lump all the supporting characters and background characters in here in one section. Like Fluttershy and the Breezies, the Mane 6 didn't do anything terribly offensive here, they just didn't leave much of an impression. No matter how tense or worried RD tried to be during the Breezy sequences, I just couldn't really get into those scenes myself; not trying to sound mean or anything, but I just wasn't convinced or sold on how high the stakes were. That has nothing to do with the small size of the Breezies really (though that aesthetic aspect doesn't help), but more really with the fact that we didn't know that much about them, and so it was a little difficult caring about something we the viewers didn't know that much about, at least I thought so. And can I just say that there was WAYYYYY too much time devoted to Rainbow working on getting those breezes just right? It may have been crucial to the plot, but it got so boring at times that it seriously felt like filler, it really did. Pinkie and Rarity both had some fun moments, but overall, like I said, none of the Mane 6 left that much of an impression either. Spike's goof up was hilarious just because it was so predictable (seriously saw that coming from a mile away ), but he just kind of disappeared from the episode after that. The other background ponies didn't do too much of note either, aside from Doctor Whooves and Roseluck showing up together later in the episode in a pretty clever Doctor Who nod (though I still have mixed feelings about those two showing up so much together, after all, the Doctor is DERPY'S WAIFU!!! ). Overall, like Fluttershy and the Breezies, no other character really left much of an impression, and I just found that boring in general.
     




    Oh goody, I can smell the new toylines coming from a mile away. Well at least somebody *cough* HASBRO *cough* is happy.


     
    Nothing too noteworthy to talk about concerning animation, comedy, or music, everything was pretty standard fare here. The one thing that was really notable were those Breezy-transformations at the end, and those were just plain terrifying. They worked in the plot I guess, they didn't feel too phoned-in or anything, but I still didn't really care for them and it was also a poorly-veiled move to launch a new toy line, which I'm guessing Hasbro has every intention of doing. Ah well, at least these transformations, even if I didn't find them aesthetically appealing, had far more of a purpose than those terrifying and pointless human-horse hybrid transformations in "Equestria Girls" *shudders recalling that bad memory *. Overall, this episode's biggest sin is that it's boring, forgettable, and didn't leave much of an impression, at least not on me. It handled the lesson and Fluttershy's receiving her key just fine, but nothing else here really moved me. All in all, I'm sad to say it, but this might be my least favorite episode of the season so far. Sure it was okay, and other episode's might've been worse, but at least those episodes made me feel something. This episode just didn't make me feel anything, so overall, all I have to say about it really is "meh". Sorry Flutters.
  4. Batbrony
    So today, I just saw Universal Pictures' Lone Survivor. I'm not going to do a full review or anything, but all I will say is that it was one of the finest war films I have seen in a long, long time. I liked the movie Act of Valor, but honestly, Lone Survivor was the movie that Act of Valor wanted to be; a heartfelt tribute to the Navy Seals and the unbelievably superhuman tasks required of them. The movie portrayed a wide array of themes and truths; the incredible brotherhood that each and every Seal must build and maintain as cadets in order to support each other and carry each other just through their training alone, and then carry on into their careers; the fact that in this fallen world where bad, truly evil people are allowed to run rampant, doing the right thing is not always rewarded, and oftentimes people end up making great sacrifices as a result of doing the right thing; and finally, perhaps my favorite element of the movie, an illustration of people over in Afghanistan who really do appreciate what the United States has been attempting to accomplish over there, people who really are good and willing to fight for what is right against truly bad individuals, even if it means laying down their lives for what is right.
     
    That's not to say that this movie is trying to justify the entire War On Terror or anything, but it shows something that too few war movies, in my opinion, attempt to portray at all, especially those revolving around modern conflicts; the people who our U.S. armed forces actions actually benefit, the people who really do want to build a country founded on good principles as a result of our intervention over there. That's certainly by no means easy, and sometimes with all the sacrifice, the bloodshed, the people lost and resources spent, it can feel hopeless and like banging your head against a wall, but this movie I thought quite expertly and touchingly highlighted the humanity and goodness underlying what our men and women serving overseas are attempting to accomplish, as well as what the people who really do want their help to build new, better lives want to accomplish. Overall, it's one of the most intense, gripping, touching, and most importantly of all, human war films I've ever seen, and I cannot recommend it enough. If you haven't seen it yet, I'd definitely recommend that you check out Lone Survivor as soon as you can.
     

    To all of our troops: thank you for everything


  5. Batbrony
    Hello one and all! Just posting this blog post to celebrate the publishing of the last of four recently completed chapters for "Batmare Begins" and give ya'll some news about what comes next. As it now stands, the fic is 6 chapters and +55,000 words long. This'll be the last chapter released for a little while. I'm busy getting underway writing Chapter 7, and even though I'm also getting started with a new part time job, with the holidays coming to a close things should be a little less crazy from now on, so hopefully I'll be able to devote a consistent and fair amount of time to writing on a regular basis. To my old readers, I want to again thank you for all of your patience during this 8 month hiatus; to my new readers, I want to thank you for giving my story a chance. I hope as my story develops that it does not disappoint, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you one and all for your support!
     
    To anyone who has yet to check my story out and would like to, you'll find the link to the story itself below. As I've said before, I started writing this fic as a way to give back to both MLP Forums and the brony community as a whole for bringing the show, so many new friends, and thousands of pieces of amazing artwork, fanfiction, music, and videos into my life. I promise you, it's not as goofy, predictable, or ridiculous a story as the premise sounds like; I've tried to put together a serious, dramatic, and original story here, and to anyone who decides to check it out, I hope you enjoy the read! Merry Belated Christmas everypony, and Happy-Late-By-A-Few-Days-New-Year!!!
     

    http://www.fimfiction.net/story/79481/batmare-begins

  6. Batbrony
    "Flight to the Finish", our first Cutie Mark Crusaders-centric episode of Season 4, actually surprised me in many ways and was, believe it or not, better than I expected it to be. Maybe that was largely because until today, I kind of expected this episode to end with Scootaloo flying; now, that would've been pretty heartwarming I'm sure, but maybe just a little too heartwarming, a little too Mary Sue-ish, shall we say. Such an ending, in hindsight, might've been too upbeat, especially given that the show has never actually addressed her inability to fly before. So what did we get instead? Well, something much, much more subtle and nuanced than what I had initially expected.
     
    First of all, let's cover the CMC themselves. The lovable trio of blank flanks were adorable as usual, plus it was great seeing that, well, they were actually able to put something together that worked for once! I liked that a lot actually; it shows that, well, they're learning, they're growing as characters and just maturing in general, and since they've been friends for so long, they now know each other's strengths and how to build off of those. It was a bit strange seeing Scootaloo take charge so much, seeing as Apple Bloom has so often in the past been the de facto leader of the group, but I can overlook it here since Scoots was mostly just super motivated by Rainbow Dash and trying so hard to impress her. Apple Bloom was perfectly fine as a supporting character, as she has been in the past, but Sweetie Belle actually felt a little off, at least in how the other two treated her. For some reason she felt like a third wheel here, and similar to "One Bad Apple", it seemed like the other two didn't care about her opinion half of the time, even though she was usually the most rational of them all. She was still the most adorable of the three, but I swear, little Sweetie's gotta start speaking up more! I also can't help but hope she gets an episode of her own soon, since she really hasn't been a starring character since "Sisterhooves Social" way back in Season 2, but still, overall, she and Apple Bloom were fine. They were adorable, funny, tenacious, and learned a good lesson about loyalty from none other than the Element of Loyalty herself.
     
    As for our star, Scootaloo, she most certainly did not disappoint. I loved seeing her throw together this awesome act that the CMC put on for Ms. Harshwhinny (which if you think about it might actually hint quite a bit at just what her special talent might be, at least more than past CMC episodes), and it was really great finally seeing her inability to fly directly addressed. I was a bit surprised that more of the episode wasn't devoted to that, but the pacing was pulled off well enough that we still got a good enough idea for just how much it hurt poor little Scoots that she just can't fly like most other pegasi. One little scene actually stuck out most for me, and it was a great and very effective bit of visual storytelling; right as Scootaloo decided that they needed flying to be a part of the act and she was watching Rainbow Dash coaching a pair of flying pegasi. She didn't say anything about that specifically, but she didn't need to; you could just tell that she desperately wanted to be one of those pegasi, flying in front of Rainbow Dash and, maybe even, getting to take to the skies with her role model. Short scene, but I took a lot from it, and it captured just as effectively, if not more so, her anguish as any of her later scenes did when she started breaking down and accepting that, at least for the time being, she simply can't fly. The entire plotline, however, was handled very effectively, so major kudos to the writers for treating this subject so well, especially in its resolution. As I said earlier, instead of Scootaloo learning how to fly, we got something a lot more nuanced. With Rainbow Dash's guidance, she was able to accept that not only can she not fly (at least for now) but that that's OK, because it doesn't mean she's any less of a pegasus or pony in general. Scootaloo is Scootaloo, and that's just fine, because she's still a very special pony with many wonderful traits and qualities about her. I really loved that message, and I also admired that the writers, at least for the time being, have chosen to respect Lauren Faust's original vision for Scootaloo. Given how the episode ended, I also can't help but think that Scootaloo might actually end up getting her cutie mark first out of the group, maybe even sometime later this season. Who knows right now though? We'll just have to wait and see. Overall, as far as Scootaloo's episodes go, this was worthy successor to "Sleepless in Ponyville", and I actually really appreciated that, in some ways, it focused more on her alone than the former episode did, seeing as that one was so heavily focused on Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash.
     
    Before I move on, I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention that we FINALLY know that Scootaloo has a house of her own (even if we didn't see her parents), and I'm quite relieved to know that honestly.
     



     

    Scootaloo, you don't need to fly; you can already soar as high as you want just the way you are.


     
    Alright, next, let's cover Rainbow Dash. Really, she was great this whole episode! I actually liked her here much more than I did in last week's "Daring Don't", just because I thought that her better qualities were far more effectively highlighted here, similar to how they were so effectively highlighted in last season's "Sleepless in Ponyville". Interestingly, as ~Chaotic Discord~ himself pointed out (and I know you were kinda let down by this buddy, but trust me, I think it worked to the episode's benefit to be honest), there wasn't nearly as much Scootalove as most of us had expected, but given how much was going on, I didn't really mind that. I think if there had been more than there was, it might've thrown the episode's pacing off. Rainbow Dash's maturity and her loyalty were both on display here, and she actually ended up teaching not one but two lessons. She reminded Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom that, no matter what, friends look out for each other and don't let each other make mistakes, even if said friends have good intentions but are still hurting themselves in the process, and on the other side of things she taught Scootaloo a very, very valuable lesson that, just because she can't fly, that doesn't make her any less of a pegasus. She's still a wonderful pony with many great gifts and traits, and that's all that matters in life. Seeing both of those lessons come from Rainbow Dash was really, really something, and not only showed why she hands down embodies the Element of Loyalty, but also spoke volumes about how much she's matured and grown as a character since the series began. Besides her awesomeness with the CMC, Dashie was very cute when she was fangasming over her coaching gig in front of all the fillies and colts (seriously, that was awesome seeing how excited she was about getting to train younger ponies and helping them all do their best to represent their hometown), her rapport with Ms. Harshwhinny was hilarious, and her attempts at maintaining a professional demeanor were very entertaining but also spoke greatly about her character. She took this entire coaching endeavor very seriously, and even though she was rooting for the CMC, I loved seeing RD coaching all of the teams, not just theirs; it's just great when we're reminded that, yes, Rainbow Dash can be a very responsible pony when she sets her mind to it. Overall, Rainbow Dash had a great episode, and I honestly thought it was her best appearance in Season 4 yet.
     




    Rainbow Coach is best coach.


     
    Next, I suppose we should cover Ms. Harshwhinny and the Equestria Games. I really liked seeing this character return and be expanded upon; recurring supporting characters are too rare in this show in my opinion, so it's always nice when they do show up in some capacity. As I mentioned, her rapport at the beginning and end of the episode with Rainbow Dash was very funny, as was her letting down her professional demeanor at the end of the episode. I didn't mind when she was uptight at the beginning though, either, because you could still tell that she wanted these fillies and colts to do their best; she just takes her job very seriously, though, and why wouldn't she? Games organizing is, after all, her special talent! Overall, I'd really like to see more of Ms. Harshwhinny this season, and wouldn't be surprised if we do at some point. As for the Equestria Games themselves, I'm very happy to see that DHX is continuing with this story arc from last season as well, on top of the season-spanning story arc we have from the season premiere already. I wouldn't be surprised, in fact, if we get one or two episodes devoted to the Equestria Games in the middle of the season when our own Winter Olympics role around later this winter, so keep your eyes open everypony!
     




    I don't know why, but I friggin' love this character!


     
    Finally, we got our first musical number of Season 4, and I was most pleased indeed by this! It wasn't the best CMC number by any means, that honor still goes to "Bad Seed" in my opinion, but it was still a very fun number that I felt really fit the mood and feel of this episode to a T, plus it just had its own unique feel in general, so kudos to Daniel Ingram on another wonderful number (plus it had a hilarious Snowflake cameo, which I absolutely adored ). Overall, it was a very lovely first musical number for Season 4, a great CMC number, and I look forward to seeing what else Daniel Ingram and the music team at DHX have up their sleeves for the remainder of Season 4.
     
    Just a few things left to cover in this review, mostly things that either didn't work or were just silly. The pacing was a little strange at times in this episode, no denying that; overall it worked, but there were still some parts that felt rushed and other parts that felt a little dragged out. How the CMC got to the Crystal Empire was absolutely ridiculous! Apparently Scootaloo, given her lifting both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom on her forelegs (twice) and dragging them both hundreds of miles on nothing but a wing-powered scooter, has the most freakish strength and stamina of any pony in Equestria!!! But ya know, that bit was so ridiculous that it actually worked; I was laughing too much to be bothered by it, and I knew they had to finish the episode, so overall, despite its ludicrousness, I could accept that plot point, I really could. All in all, this was a very solid CMC episode, especially for Scootaloo, secondarily a great Rainbow Dash episode, had some very nice plot continuity, a lovely musical number, and great animation as usual. Overall, "Flight to the Finish" was a great addition to Season 4, and I look forward to rewatching it.
     




    HOLY CRAP, SCOOTALOO IS FREAKISHLY STRONG!!!


     
    Well, next week we've got a very, very special episode, that being, a superhero themed episode!!! Unfortunately, everypony, I will actually be gone for the episode's premiere, as my family and I will be traveling in Wisconsin to Green Bay for the Packers game on Sunday, but I assure you, I will catch the episode on either Monday or Tuesday and most definitely get a review out! Later everypony!!!
  7. Batbrony
    Wow, just... just wow. "Magical Mystery Cure" was one heck of a season finale, and it did not disappoint in the slightest! Not gonna lie, I'm feeling the liquid pride big time right now! Well, now that I've seen it, it's time to collect my thoughts about the whole of Season 3 in general. So, here it is everypony, my full review of Season 3 of MLP: FiM, including my thoughts on "Magical Mystery Cure". Enjoy!
     
    The Story
     
    Although the shortest season thus far, Season 3 proved to quite possibly be the most impressive of the seasons as far as story telling goes, especially for one particular reason: there were already 52 episodes prior to Season 3. That meant that DHX had to maintain accurate continuity and atmosphere in each episode to stay true to the plot and characters we've come to know and love based on 52 prior episodes, and let me tell ya, that is no easy feat, not in the slightest. Did DHX cave? Of course they didn't, not in the slightest! Instead, we got some of the best plot developments, whether in the main Twilight-centered story line or the stand alone episodes themselves, that we've ever seen in MLP, and frankly, I couldn't be happier with how they all turned out. Below are my top three favorite plot developments of Season 3, each wonderful in its own special way!
     
    Top 3 Plot Developments:
     
    (1) Scootalove: need I say more? OK, I will, just because it deserves all the praise it can get. I cannot count how many times I myself, or any other brony in the fandom, between Season's 2 and 3 were absolutely begging, flat-out BEGGING, DHX to give Scootaloo an episode. It was undeniably wrong that she hadn't had an episode as of yet, and would've been simply unacceptable if she hadn't gotten an episode this season, so of course DHX, in all its awesomeness, gave us a Scootaloo episode, because awesome people tend to do the right thing. But did they stop there, was DHX simply satisfied to give us JUST a Scootaloo episode? Far from it! Instead, what we got was one of the greatest and most affectionate shout-outs to the brony fandom since Derpy's cameos in Season's 1 and 2. While it certainly made sense within the story line, considering Scootaloo's always idolized Rainbow Dash, it still caught a lot of us off guard that in Scootaloo's very first episode, DHX was breaking out the Scootalove. The fraternal relationship of sisterly affection that has budded between her and Rainbow Dash is one of the greatest plot and character developments in the show period, and, in my book, the greatest addition to MLP canon of Season 3. Here's hoping we get to see more Scootalove in Season 4 (which it sounds like we will)!!!
     
    (2) The Apple Family: prior to Season 3, thepotential plot developments that one has in Applejack's family had been sorely untapped, save for special exceptions such as the family reunion in the first episode and Cousin Braeburn in Appleloosa. Both DHX and bronies knew this, and so while the latter lobbied hard for some good new Apple Family developments on our forums, the former evidently listened and responded to our requests. Thus, I couldn't have been more thrilled when we got to see a number of canonical plot developments take place concerning the Apple Family throughout the season. First, we got an excellent new entry among the supporting characters in Babs Seed, Apple Bloom's new favorite cousin and frankly, a delightfully different type of supporting character. I mean really, who would've thought that one of the first Apple Family members whom we have really gotten to meet outside of the Ponyville bunch would have a Brooklyn accent of all things? But even that was trivial compared to the levels of awesome that we got in "Apple Family Reunion". This wasn't just an opportunity to meet and learn more about Applejack's family, this was also a fantastic chance to meet ponies from all over Equestria, and learn what little we could in a 22 minute episode about as many of them as possible, and ya know what, DHX, as usual, did a wonderful job illustrating all the diversity and different types of ponies in both the Apple Family and Equestria. Whether we see more of them in the future, I can't say, but this season I was quite satisfied with all the activities and goings on of the Apple Family that we got to bear witness to.
     
    (3) The Crystal Empire: this was undoubtedly the coolest and most unique new location of the show revealed in Season 3 (and all around one of the best locations yet in the show in general), and it also is where some of the best plot developments of the season took place. The fantastic season opener started the season off on a great note, setting the pace for what we'd be getting in the rest of the season and adding quite a bit to what we know about Equestrian history and lore; in addition, the Mane 6's return to the Crystal Empire later in the season was a fantastic bit of continuity on DHX's part, and a wonderful chance for us to get to see more of the Empire in its fully blossoming, love-filled, crystally state, which we'd only seen a little of in the season opener. All in all, some very great plot developments took place at the Crystal Empire, and I look forward to seeing it again next season; perhaps we'll get to see the Equestrian Games themselves even!
     
     
    Honorable Mentions
    The return/redemption of Trixie/Discord: I couldn't conscientiously list these in my top three for two big reasons: (1) in their general execution, as far as plot developments go, they were extraordinarily similar, and (2) we have yet to see what really may come of these new developments, especially for Discord. While the latter especially was probably a far more important development for the whole of Equestria than any of my top 3 (except for maybe the Crystal Empire's return), as I said, we simply don't know yet what really will come out of this development. While both of these characters' return and redemption were quite awesome and handled with expert skill by DHX, the true fruits and sincerity of their redemption have yet to be tested, and I hope that we may at some point, either next season or even later, get to see that these two are truly redeemed and doing some really good things for Equestria. Until then, the long term consequences of these plot developments are up in the air, and so I can only honorably mention them as fantastic plot developments this season.
     
    Alicorn Twilight: I'll talk a little more about this later in my review of the Season Finale at the end of the post, but for now, I'll just say this; I liked this development, I really did, and I actually also believe that it will most likely be permanent. This was, also, admittedly probably the most major plot development of the entire season. So, why isn't it in my Top 3? Well, that's thanks to Meghan McCarthy's Twitter post following the season finale today, in which she stated that the season finale is more like the first part of a 3 part episode. Yes, Twilight became an alicorn and a princess, and we know why, and it was handled, in my opinion, quite excelllently; but we don't know what she's going to be doing as an alicorn or as a princess, nor where she'll be ruling (my money's on Ponyville), nor 100% for certain that this change will for sure be permanent (although I'm still leaning towards its being permanent). Until Season 4, this is all going to remain up in the air and speculated upon constantly, and so, considering this plot development opened too many questions and didn't answer enough of them before the season ended, I can only honorably mention it. That's not bad, I understand why it happened, on account of the shorter season, but still, the fact remains that if this were a longer season, DHX could've tied up the loose ends that are left now as a result of this very quick and new development a lot better than they were allowed to. Oh well, we'll just have to wait until Season 4, that shouldn't be too hard right? Hehe... right?
     
     
    The Characters
     
    The Mane 6
     
    Rarity: I am not going to lie, and it's very sad because I love all of the Mane 6 equally, but there is no denying that this was a rough season for Rarity. I'm not mad in the slightest at DHX about this, not at all; they had the bad luck of having to put together a full season with as many characters as they have in only 13 episodes, and with some pressing plot developments that needed to be addressed, somepony was inevitably going to lose the spotlight to an extent, and that pony turned out to be Rarity. In many ways, this isn't surprising; she's generally never topped many bronies lists as best pony, and also had already had quite a few good episodes devoted to her in Seasons 1 and 2, including one of the funniest episodes of the show in general. This, along with the fact that she has such an outgoing and impressionable personality, means that her character has already been well established; we know exactly who she is and what to expect of her behavior, and so Rarity was relegated to a supporting role in Season 3 more than any of the Mane 6. That's not to say it was handled badly; on the contrary she showed up quite a bit and had some of the best supporting role moments. Her personality is so large that she simply can't help but leave an impression no matter how much screen time she gets, and so she actually worked quite a bit better than some other characters in the show do as supporting characters, such as Twilight or Fluttershy. Still, there is no denying that, relegated to supporting roles only and having a shorter season, Rarity definitely factored in a lot less than any of the Mane 6 on the whole, and that's still saddening. I hope that next season, being a 26 episode season once again, we get to see at least one Rarity episode, because those are always fun episodes!
     
    Pinkie Pie: save for her one episode "Too Many Pinkie Pies," Pinkie Pie was actually also, like Rarity, largely relegated to a supporting role. However, this didn't hurt her in the slightest, because if there's anypony who has a bigger personality than Rarity, it's Pinkie Pie. She's more perfect than any of the Mane 6 for playing a supporting role, because she's always ready to do something that will leave us rolling on the floor laughing and talking about her for weeks! While some bronies have complained this season that Pinkie's been awfully out of character and far too hyper, to the degradation of her character, I disagree, largely due to some comments made earlier in the season by my friend DashForever. He pointed out that in "Too Many Pinkie Pies," we were treated to Pinkie's serious side, a side only the true Pinkie could ever show; as such, the whole point of the episode really is to show that Pinkie is a more complex character than people tend to give her credit for, even her own friends! It just so happens that most of the time, she doesn't show that side of herself. I don't know about the rest of you, but I for one thought that Pinkie had a fantastic Season 3, both in the humor and serious moments departments. And of course, being Pinkie, she just had to end the season with a joke that pretty much summed up how all of us first reacted to Alicorn Twilight, because really, who else could make that joke? Pinkie Pie, we all love ya just the way you are! Stay pony my friend.
     
    Fluttershy: Fluttershy was a bit of a mixed bag this season, a very peculiar case among the Mane 6. Her one stand alone episode, "Keep Calm and Flutter On," was simply amazing, and highlighted everything that is great about Fluttershy. That said, it was also largely amazing on account of Discord's completely out-of-control personality and behavior, along with the character progression that he went through. Still, Fluttershy, to her credit (and DHX's), largely maintained control of the screen during her scenes, and if not for that, I'd have to say she had a poor season. Unlike Rarity or Pinkie Pie, or really any of the Mane 6 except for Twilight, Fluttershy is really, really difficult to pull off well as a supporting character, all because of her quiet and reserved nature. She'll have an adorable moment every once in awhile, but unless DHX really devotes their efforts in a scene to focusing on Fluttershy, she simply doesn't leave that much of an impression as a supporting character. The best that Fluttershy was as a supporting character this season was in "Magic Duel," and even there, in order for her to be as good as she was, DHX had to devote some scenes entirely to her, lest she get overwhelmed by other characters' stage presence the whole time. She was also pretty good in the season finale, but I won't go into detail about that here. Still, "Keep Calm and Flutter On" happened, and so I cannot help but assert that in the end, Fluttershy truly had a solid Season 3, just because that episode was so great!
     
    Rainbow Dash: our favorite blue pegasus had exactly the kind of season I expected; aside from the development of Scootalove, it was pretty much par for the course. That's not to say I didn't think RD was great, oh no, far from it, she was awesome as usual; she just got as much screen time as I pretty much expected she would when DHX is also trying to juggle all these other characters in a 13 episode season. Rainbow always stood out whenever she was filling a supporting role, because that's what RD does, she takes center stage even if an episode's not about her, and I love that. She remained impulsive, fiercely loyal, and ready to do whatever she had to do for her friends whenever and wherever she needed to do it. Her one solo episode, "Wonderbolt Academy," was a fantastic illustration of just how much RD has matured and grown as a pony and friend since Season 1; as DashForever also pointed out, the contrast between RD and Lightning Dust was simply fantastic, a perfect contrast of Dashie now with how she used to be, brash and egotistical. However, the greatest RD moment, I think we can all agree, came in "Sleepless in Ponyville"; as I mentioned earlier, Scootalove took a lot of us off guard, but was simply amazing in its execution and development, and opened up a treasure trove of new possible episodes and scenarios that Rainbow Dash can get into now that she's taken Scootaloo under her wing, and I very much hope that we'll get to see some more developments in Scootalove next season, just because it'd be a wonderful way to develop or show off traits about Dashie that we've never seen before. All around, Rainbow Dash had exactly the kind of season that I expected DHX would give her, and I loved every minute of it!
     
    Applejack: aside from Twilight, in my honest opinion Applejack had a better Season 3 than any of the other Mane 6, and let me tell ya, that's a very, very good thing. As I said, I love all of the Mane 6 equally, but prior to this season I'd developed a soft spot for AJ, because frankly, she'd never gotten a universally loved episode that really did her character justice in Seasons 1 and 2, and was kinda held in low esteem by a lot of the fandom, to my own dismay. But, DHX clearly saw this as well, and so decided to fix it as well as any of us could've hoped. She did not just get one, but TWO episodes in which she was either the only main character or one of two main characters; one of these episodes was undoubtedly excellent, and both treated her character excellently. Also, if you take out the season opener and the season finale, Applejack probably ended up with more screen time than any of the Mane 6; heck, she was the only character to both appear in and talk in every episode this season, and that includes Twilight! Especially for the first 9 episodes of the season, she always played at least a fairly major supporting role, and was usually (albeit, unsurprisingly) the most level headed and mature member of the Mane 6; it was especially fun seeing her in scenes with Rarity, since those two remain my favorite polar-opposite pair of friends among the Mane 6. Applejack both reaffirmed her role as the most mature member of the Mane 6 but also came out of Season 3 as undoubtedly a more complex and developed character than I'd say most bronies prior to Season 3 would've given her credit for, and so more than any member of the Mane 6 this season, I think that Applejack has most clearly seen a major resurgence in the love and respect that the brony fandom has for her, and I thank DHX very much for giving Applejack the kind of season she both especially deserved and needed!
     
    Twilight: OK, in many respects, Twilight had the best season of all the Mane 6, and most certainly had more important developments to her character than any of them. However, I get the feeling that the community's going to be split on just how good of a season she had more than for any other character, but here's what I think. First, I loved the major developments to Twilight's character, including the now canon Alicorn Twilight. It showed some really fantastic character and story progression, and just how much she's learned and grown since moving to Ponyville. That said, she did not have a perfect season; one weak spot in particular this season was Twilight as a supporting character. In two episodes, she just didn't show up at all, and even when she did, she did not necessarily play that large of a supporting role in other episodes; this may simply be the nature of having a main character in a supporting role and trying to ensure that she doesn't steal the show, but there's still no denying that she could be a pretty weak supporting character at times. I suppose the other reason I'd critique this is because I love ensemble episodes, where, although there may be a main character, all of the Mane 6 play important and notable supporting roles. For most of the season, there was not too much of this in any episodes; however, the last two were really well done ensemble episodes, so that gives me hope that DHX hasn't lost their touch or changed the direction of the show. While Twilight will always be the main character, all of the Mane 6 will always have to play a significant role in the show if it is to remain as good as it's always been. Still, as I said, Twilight, although at times her roles and amount of screen time were inconsistent, probably had the best season of the Mane 6, and I really can't wait to see where the show goes from here now that she's officially an alicorn and a princess!
     
     




     
    Spike
    Oh wow, this guy was all over the place this season, wasn’t he? Somepony at DHX must really, really, really love this character, but for the life of me, whoever they are, they could not figure out a consistent formula for the guy! He started off the season spectacularly, with the best two episodes he’s ever had, and in fact doing something that I’d been calling for quite a little bit since Season 2; he helped the Mane 6 with an epic quest against a villain, in fact, he played a crucial role and even got his image on a window! That was awesome, and a great bit of character development for the little guy; for once, he was doing something to help with a major threat, not just sleeping or hanging back in the library (or whatever the heck he was doing at the wedding, honestly, I have no idea what he was up to then!). But then “Spike At Your Service” happened. Now, don’t get me wrong, I thought that episode was a fantastic Applejack episode, and did her character a lot of credit; but, as a Spike episode, it kinda fell flat. He was just bizarrely out of character the whole episode, and just couldn’t do anything right; I don’t know, I’ve tried to justify it, but after the season opener it’s really hard to. I guess the best explanation I can come up with is that Spike’s still a baby dragon, and so still growing up and making plenty of mistakes along the way. They made up for his bizarre behavior there quite a bit with the episode “Just for Sidekicks,” where he didn’t seem that out-of-character, aside from being kind of a douche nozzle for most of it, but, ya know, gems will do that to a dragon; my only complaint with that episode was that it was the second Spike episode in a 13 episode season, where we had no Rarity episode. But, it was a good episode at that, so, I didn’t really mind that much; Spike went through some really great changes this season, and I can’t wait to see what the little guy is up to next season!
     
    CMC
    The CMC had quite a good season considering its length, showing up a lot more than I figured they would. I personally thought that they had their best proper CMC episode yet in “One Bad Apple”; the entire episode took me completely off guard with how good it was, and is now my favorite CMC episode, for a number of reasons, some of which I’ll discuss in more detail in a little bit. Apple Bloom remained a fantastic leader and glue that holds the CMC together; Sweetie Belle was adorable as ever, if not even more adorable (I think I died twice inside when she started crying in "One Bad Apple”). The addition of Babs to the CMC was very unexpected but pleasant as well, and thanks to her efforts back in Manehatten, there are now a total of six CMC in the show; even though we have yet to meet the other two, I imagine that with a 26 episode season, DHX will undoubtedly find time to introduce the two groups to one another at some point next season. Heck, it’d be a great excuse for us to finally really to get to see Manehatten in a full episode! And finally, Scootaloo, who undoubtedly had the best season of the CMC; as I mentioned earlier, she sorely needed her own stand alone episode, and DHX, in their infinite genius, did not stop there, not in the slightest, but delivered us with what I described earlier as the greatest plot development of Season 3 in the canonization of Scootalove. That was a massively important and extraordinarily well executed plot development, and her stand alone might even be the best CMC stand alone episode yet, since, as DashForever pointed out, it still focused nicely on the other CMC as well, illustrating two already existing relationships between sisters, and introducing us to a third fraternal relationship just budding in the show into all kinds of awesome.
     
    All in all, it was a fantastic season for the CMC; however, I think it’s time that DHX finally started getting serious about their cutie marks. It’s been 3 seasons, 65 episodes, and not a single one has gotten her cutie mark yet; if next season was a shorter season, I wouldn’t think it was quite such a pressing issue. However, it’s a full length, 26 episode season, and as such, one of them at least needs to get their cutie mark, because honestly that would be the best thing that could happen to the CMC; it’d be fascinating and heart-warming getting to see how they manage to stick together even after one of them gets a cutie mark, because that would stand testament to how deep and sincere their bonds of friendship are at this point. So, just as last year’s most pressing issue for the CMC was a lack of a Scootaloo episode, I’d say it’s safe to say that this upcoming season, the most pressing CMC issue will be that one of them should finally get her cutie mark!
     
     
     
     




     
    Supporting Characters
     
    This was a really great season for supporting characters as well, especially familiar faces we were introduced to in Seasons 1 and 2. Cadance and Shining Armor especially had some fantastic screen time throughout the season, starting with the opener (not gonna lie, greatest single moment for them was Shining’s “Cadance-javelin toss”!), and it was really great to see DHX expand upon their characters and not just relegate them to an exposition dustbin, as so many studios do with special characters introduced in special episodes as those two were. Probably the most important development for them then in that regard was actually their appearance in “Games Ponies Play,” since it was the first regular episode they’ve ever appeared in.
     
    In addition to those two, Princess Celestia remained a fantastic presence throughout the season, culminating in probably her best appearance yet in the show in "Magical Mystery Cure"; I honestly got teary eyed as she was explaining Twilight’s future and how much she’s watched over her at the end of the episode. It was simply a fantastic and beautiful moment, and Celestia’s song made it all the more precious.
     
    Her sister Princess Luna also had an incredibly memorable appearance in “Sleepless in Ponyville”; the idea that she can go into other ponies' dreams and watch over them was a very cool expansion on the duties of the Princess of the Night, and it was awesome getting to see her finally personally guide another pony just as her sister always does. One thing that I just realized in fact was that Luna, Celestia’s little sister, provided guidance to Scootaloo, who aspired to and actually became, more or less, Rainbow Dash’s little sister! That kind of subtle symbolism is awesome, and yet another reason that Luna’s appearance in that episode was so great.
     
    Trixie’s return was handled far better than I expected it would be, and in addition to her, we got to see some fun bits from Snips and Snails; I know many bronies don’t like those two, but honestly, I think their humor is underappreciated and misunderstood.
     
    Discord’s return was about as epic as any of us could’ve hoped it would be, and honestly, I cannot really say anything more about him than that; it was just perfect in every way!
     
    Finally, the six pets finally got their due in “Just for Sidekicks,” and boy howdy, that was hilarious; it was just too much fun seeing them all together in an entire episode, led by their ring leader Satan Bunny, I mean, Angel Bunny.
     
    As for new supporting characters, there weren’t quite as many as usual, due to the nature of the shorter season, but we had a fair share of them. Babs Seed was probably my favorite new supporting character, in addition to the rest of the Apple Family that we got to see later, and I really hope that Babs shows up more in Season 4, possibly in Manehatten itself!
     
    King Sombra was a very different and very cool new villain, even if he didn’t have that much screen time, and Lightning Dust was a very well-executed minor villain, providing a perfect contrast in the present between the old Rainbow Dash and the new Rainbow Dash.
     
    Finally, the Equestria Games Inspector, and even more so her doppelganger who was mistaken for her, were both pretty fun supporting characters in "Games Ponies Play"; the latter was especially sweet and funny, and her claustrophobia took me completely off guard and made for some very funny jokes. Her heartfelt and sincere appreciation of the Mane 6 was also really fun to watch, considering those six really don’t get nearly as much appreciation in the show as they should! All in all, this was a great season for supporting characters.
     
     
     
     





    Because you all know this was your favorite image of supporting characters in Season 3


     
    Background Characters
    This was a fair season for background ponies, but not a great one. The early episodes especially had quite a few great new background pony moments, including even some particularly tricky to spot Derpy moments. The moments were still few and far between, however, and aside from exceptions to this rule, such as “Wonderbolt Academy” and “Apple Family Reunion,” there were not that many consistently great background pony episodes. Probably the one background pony who actually had the best season was Doctor Whooves, ironic in that he had such a great season when his fanon companion and love-of-his-life Derpy had such a horrible season. He had some very funny and clever cameos, especially the pear costume cameo in "One Bad Apple”. Most of the other background ponies had their fair share of appearances as well (BonBon in particular seemed to show up a lot, not always, but often, with Lyra); still, there were a fair enough number of episodes in which background ponies didn’t even show up once, and given the shorter season, their absence as a result was more noticeable.
     
    However, above all else, there was an especially notable absence, and that was the void created by the all out disappearance of Derpy Hooves. For most of the season, it was clear that Hasbro had pressured DHX to leave her out, and I was beginning to despair that this could very well be the end of our favorite mail mare. But, DHX, once again, proved my fears to be misplaced; it just took them awhile to do so. By fans' counts, we had a grand total of not just one, but five, count ‘em, FIVE Derpy cameos in the season finale; in one of these cameos, she even breaks the fourth wall (the first time she’s ever done so, at least so blatantly, as far as I can remember) and winks at us with her derpy eyes. After that, I was left speechless; this is not just a Derpy send off, this has to be, undoubtedly, DHX’s way of saying, “Don’t worry bronies, she’s not gone, and she’ll be coming back better than ever next season,” and ya know, I’d believe it. The crap from “The Last Round Up” has died down, and soccer moms have completely forgotten about Derpy, so now I think it’s safe to say that Derpy will be back and better than ever next season in her cameos, even if she doesn’t talk again. So yeah, while I’m certainly sad that Derpy kinda got the shaft this season, if it’s only for this season, I can live with it; I’m just glad to know that she probably hasn’t been permanently axed from the show.
     
     
     
     




    Now, I said background characters for an important reason; while the background ponies played a much lesser role this season, the background animals had all kinds of cameos! Gosh dang, these guys were funny throughout the season, and heck, we even had some recurring cameos, such as Harry the Bear (who is AWESOME) and Mr. Beaverton Beaverteeth. All in all, the large amount of background animal cameos was very much appreciated on my part this season, and provided a healthy dose of some new and very cute humor that only added to the quality of the show.
     
     
     
     




     
    Aesthetic Quality
     
    Animation
     
    This season, we were treated to undoubtedly the finest visual experience that DHX has as of yet had to offer. Some of the locations, the animations, the characters themselves, were simply stunning in their quality, and it is amazing to contrast the level of quality we have now in the animation with the still excellent, but undoubtedly inferior, animation of Seasons 1 and 2. DHX’s animators continue to refine their craft in every way imaginable, and it is simply unbelievable some of the visuals we were treated to this season. I can’t even begin to imagine how fantastic Season 4 is going to look if they keep improving their animation more and more!
     
    Songs
     
    Well, for 95% of the season, although there were certainly some treats of songs, we got about as many as I figured we would, and I would’ve been totally content if we had just gotten one or two songs in the finale. “Bad Seed” took me completely off guard, and until today was probably my favorite song of the season, and “Raise this Barn” was likewise fantastic. But then the season finale happened, and Daniel Ingram, that sneaky son of a gun, just had to go and blow my mind more than he's ever done before! We had seven songs, SEVEN SONGS in a one-episode season finale!!! I still can’t wrap my head around how he pulled that off, but that musical genius did, and by golly, good on you Mr. Ingram, my hat’s off to you sir! So, here are my top three favorite songs of the season.
     
    Top 3 Season 3 Songs
    (1) “True, True Friend”: holy crap, this song took me off guard! This was undoubtedly the best ensemble song the Mane 6 have ever sung. It was heartwarming, it was catchy and beautiful, it had generous roles for each of the Mane 6, it had the townsfolk screaming “PINKIE!” in joy!!! Honestly, what more could we have asked for in a song? The ensemble songs have always been my favorite in the show ever since “Winter Wrap Up” set the standards for MLP’s full-length musical numbers in Season 1, and they don’t come nearly enough. But this… this might very well be my favorite song of the show of all time, even better than “Smile, Smile, Smile” which I didn’t think was possible for the longest time. Mr. Ingram, you never cease to amaze me, and I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us in Season 4!
     
     




     
    (2) “Bad Seed”: until today, this was my favorite song of the season, for one major reason especially: it took me off guard more than any song this season up until today, even more than “Raise this Barn”. It was extremely catchy, a legitimate trio for the CMC, not just a Sweetie Belle-dominated song, and just all around enjoyable in every sense of the word. That, and within the first ten seconds your heart will explode from cuteness when you see it. I feel kinda bad that it got usurped by “True, True Friend,” but of the songs from the normal episodes this season, it remains my favorite, and still one of the most surprising treats of Season 3!
     
    (3) “Raise this Barn”: in addition to a proper Applejack episode, there was one other thing that bronies, myself included, spent the entire off season begging for: an actual Applejack song! Until Season 3, she’d sung far less than any of the Mane 6, and it was a dang shame, especially considering Ashleigh Ball actually does her own singing for RD and AJ, and has a fantastic singing voice to boot. So, what did DHX do? Exactly what we wanted, giving AJ a delightful song that was very true to her character. While some thought it was a little hokey, and even began the memorable (and quite funny) “Racist Barn” meme as a result, this song was exactly what I wanted and expected from AJ this season in the form of her first song. Thank you DHX for finally doing justice to such a beloved character and giving her such a memorable song!
     
    The Season Finale
     
    OK, well, as I promised earlier, I’d include a full review of the season finale in my Season 3 review. So, how did I like the finale? Overall, I thought it was great, and quite impressive as well, considering DHX had to pull of everything that they did in this episode in 22 minutes. Hot dang, that was impressive to say the least, and it didn’t feel rushed for most of the episode for one big reason: Daniel Ingram and his seven songs! This was officially the first musical episode we’ve ever gotten; I’m not talking about just one or two musical numbers here, no, we had seven songs in 22 minutes, which took up between a third and a half of the episode. That right there was impressive, and it was a lot of fun to finally see an episode like this.
     
    That said, I will say this as well; I don’t want this to happen again, ever! “But Batbrony” you may ask in shock, “You just said it was awesome! Why don’t you want it to happen again?” Well I’ll tell ya why; TV shows should only ever pull the “musical episode” thing once, and that’s it. This was a fun, and somewhat necessary, experiment in storytelling for the DHX crew; however, it still felt at times like it was rushed, despite their best efforts, simply because so much was going on, and I just know that they (and I) would’ve killed to have another episode to cover everything that was happening. Heck, as Meghan McCarthy herself admitted, this will really in the long run play out to be more like the first part of a 3 part episode, continued in the season opener next season, so clearly there’s a bigger story to be told than what we had to settle with today. With 26 episodes next season, there is no reason whatsoever that DHX should have to close next season with a single episode that feels rushed in pacing at times, and I’m glad, because, even though this creative experiment was successful for the most part, I don’t want them to ever be forced again to do something like this on account of time constraints. I have no doubt that next season, we will be treated to both fully developed season openers and finales that have at least two episodes devoted to them both, maybe even more if DHX comes up with a particularly epic season finale!
     
    However, what this episode didn’t do, and this is what I think every brony both feared and can agree on, even if they didn’t like the episode that much, was this: jump the shark. Even if I didn’t hear anypony say it prior to the episode, a meme I saw following the episode actually pointed this out, and I finally realized that that’s what every brony feared the moment we heard about Alicorn Twilight; we feared, to varying extents, that the show would jump the shark, commit an unforgivable plot development that it could simply never recover from. While many are still uncertain as to how great Alicorn Twilight will prove to be, I have yet to hear anypony saying that MLP has jumped the shark and committed an irreparable action, and that is great credit to the finale, no matter what your other thoughts about it may be. Every brony is still looking forward to Season 4 as much as ever, and this finale did nothing to make anypony less excited about it! Kudos DHX, kudos.
     
    As for the rest of the episode, it was simply beautiful. The animation was stunning, the music, as I already alluded to, was time and time again incredible, and overall, it felt like a clip show episode done right! That’s a little confusing I know, considering that there was a lot of new plot developments going on throughout the whole episode, but think about it this way; everything that happened was the culmination of the events of the first 64 episodes, as Celestia herself explained at the end. Everything that’s happened in the show has been building up to this. Throughout the whole episode, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia, because really the primary theme of this episode was basically how much Twilight’s friends have come to mean to her and each other, and that, the magic of friendship, is, after all, the foundation of the show and fandom itself. So like I said, it kind of, in some ways, felt like a clip show, but a clip show done right, which is incredibly impressive considering those are so often just awful filler episodes in most TV series that try to pull them off!
     
    The humor was great (especially from Pinkie Pie towards the end; two words, “ALICORN PARTY!!!!!”); the heartstring tugging was sincere and oh so saddening, especially seeing how absolutely lost, forlorn, and despairing the Mane 6 were with their cutie marks all askew and messed up; their eventual triumph couldn’t have been executed better, especially with a song like “True, True Friend,” and it simply highlighted just how very close and loving these friends are (they even said to each other at the end that they love each other, tell me, when was the last time you saw characters in a kids show, that aren’t family members, say to each other, in a sincere manner, that they love each other?); and while Twilight’s transformation, which was handled excellently, was the overall emphasis of the episode, the episode went to great lengths to ensure us that the show will stay focused on all of them. Twilight may be the main character, but this is the Mane 6’s story, not just Twilight’s, and it will remain so for as long as the show runs, of that I have no doubt. After all, the final words of the episode were basically a shout out to us bronies even, with the Mane 6 and Twilight’s assurance that everything will be just fine! How can you not feel reassured after that? Overall, although certainly rushed at times, this might very well be my favorite episode of the season.
     
    Oh yeah, and one more thing: Derpy’s back. Derpy’s back. Oh let me say that again, because it feels so very good to say it, DERPY’S BACK!!!!!!! As the resident Derp Knight of the forums, I’m not gonna lie, this was basically my reaction when I saw that she was in the episode not once, but five times, and even broke the fourth wall:
     




     

    The muffin mare has returned everypony. Long live the muffin queen!!!


     




     
    Concluding Remarks
    This season started with a bang, and it ended with a bang, and at 13 episodes only, that couldn’t be more impressive. Throughout the whole season, a great question hung in the air, even if none of us were willing to admit it; will this be the final season, or will MLP transcend the 65 episode rule? Well, thanks to the show’s fantastic quality and our ever-growing devotion, the show will be back for at least one more season and better than ever! That alone stands as testament to just how good this season was; it clinched MLP’s continued renewal, and considering it was 50% shorter than all previous seasons, that says a lot. Overall, it might be my favorite season so far, although I am somewhat cautious to make that declaration, just because in many ways it’s very hard to compare it to Seasons 1 and 2, since those were twice as long. However, whether or not it is, there is no doubt that this was a special season, and executed simply to perfection by DHX, and really, have we come to expect anything less from them? The story of the Mane 6 will continue next season, and this in no small part thanks to Season 3 of MLP, and that alone is reason enough to love this season. Brony on, everypony, brony on, because everything’s gonna be just fine!
  8. Batbrony
    Oh me oh my, "Games Ponies Play" very pleasantly surprised me, and considering it employed the "misunderstanding" cliche, that's saying something! Let's get this review going!
     





    Holy crap, RAINBOW DAD IS CANON!!!!!!!!!!


     
    Well first of all, having an ensemble episode involving all of the Mane 6 once again (basically the first one we'd had since "Spike At Your Service") was really great! Being a shorter season, we didn't have too many of those in Season 3, and that's a shame, since they're usually some of the best episodes in the show and give us a chance to see all of the Mane 6 getting into shenanigans with each other and just having fun. Case in point, this episode might very well have been the funniest episode in Season 3, I'm not even joking or anything. The humor was just excellent and always surprised me, and I don't get how they pulled that off, considering, as I said earlier, they were employing the done-to-death "misunderstanding" cliche the whole episode to drive the plot. But in the end it simply worked fantastically, so kudos to DHX on what is in my opinion hands down the funniest episode of Season 3.
     
    Second, it was awesome getting to see the Crystal Empire once again, along with Cadance and Shining Armor. The Empire has some simply stunning visuals, but my favorite part about seeing those two and the Crystal Empire was really that we got to see them for a normal episode. There was no invasion, no evil villain to fight, we just got to see the empire and all the crystal ponies in a normal episode with a normal lesson, and that was a really fun treat and nice change. Rarity had some excellent funny moments with Cadance, and Shining Armor was pretty funny, especially when he was getting hit on! It's always fun when the Mane 6 get to visit new locations in normal episodes, and we honestly hadn't gotten too much of that in Season 3 (heck, we didn't even get that much in Season 2 aside from Canterlot showing up every once in awhile).
     





    Behold, the Princess of Lo- oh... I can see you're having a bad mane day at the moment. I'll just drop by later when your mane doesn't look like it just got run over by a lawn mower.


     
    Third, that vacationing pony and the Equestrian Games inspector were both a whole lot of fun. It's been awhile since we met any new supporting characters, and it really didn't happened that much in Season 3, aside from "One Bad Apple" and "Apple Family Reunion" I guess. The vacationing pony was too funny (her claustrophobia was especially hilarious!), but she was also really sweet, and they both had some really funny gags going on. Having some new characters just gave DHX the chance to have some fun and employ some new jokes, and it worked great!
     





    Ms. Peachbottom is too adorable!!! Seriously one of the sweetest supporting characters we've seen in the show to date!


     
    I will say this, I was a little confused by the lesson, mostly because Rainbow Dash was beating herself up so much at the end. Don't get me wrong, I get why RD was personally so upset, but at the same time she was acting as though it were all her fault, when it was just a misunderstanding by all of them, and heck, all of the Mane 6 knew that they'd all misunderstood the situation. Don't feel so bad about yourself RD!!! All in all though, the episode was a lot of fun, even if I didn't quite get the lesson.
     





    OH, RAINBOW SPLAT!!! Ya know, no matter how many times I watch it, it never gets old.


     
    Couple of final thoughts; once again, and I cannot emphasize this enough, the animation was absolutely stunning! The Crystal Empire is one of my favorite locations in the show, and even more so now that everything is all... crystally, for lack of a better word. The buildings, the ponies, they all just look fantastic! The few bits where "Just for Sidekicks" and this episode were crossing over were quite clever as well and a whole lot of fun. All in all, this was a fantastic episode, an extraordinarily, and surprisingly, fantastic episode, and in my book it might just be the funniest episode of Season 3, easily this season's "Party of One" or "Lesson Zero", and most definitely worth a rewatch!
     





    Swag: these ponies got it and they know it!


  9. Batbrony
    Gosh dang, this episode tried to fit A LOT in, and boy howdy did it ever! Quite a bit to cover in this one, so let's get going.
     
    First of all, "Just for Sidekicks" might be the funniest Spike episode yet! Much as we all love the little guy, I think it's safe to say that his best role is as a comedic character, and that's certainly what we got in today's episode. The gem eating (or losing) was too rich, his "WHYYYYYYY" at the beginning and end of the episode was a nice extension of and homage to his Season 1 "NOOOOOOO," and his bits with the animals and CMC were too funny!!! Not his best episode ever, but definitely a far better Spike episode than "Spike At Your Service" was; don't get me wrong, that was a fantastic AJ episode, but Spike was way too much of a dunce in that episode to do him much credit, even if he did take down Super-Robo-Bigfoot-Megatron-Timberwolf at the end.
     
     




    Mark my words dragon, before this day is over, I will consume your flesh and bone!!!


     
    Second, the pets were simply AWESOME!!! The first 7 minutes when Spike was going around promising to take care of everypony's pets was incredibly hilarious and adorable, especially getting to see Tank and RD give each other some loving, and Pinkie's ridiculously funny scene with Gummy (and no, I'm not going to ask why the buck she was in that chair; c'mon ya'll, it's Pinkie, is it really even worth asking at this point? ). Angel was the Satan bunny we've all come to love and hate throughout the episode (save for the very end there); Owlowiscious was, for once, not annoying (although he still didn't really contribute anything, he was just, well, there, and seriously, they're still going with that tired "Hoo" gag... seriously, was that ever funny after the first time they did it in Season 1???); Opal was pretty darn funny, especially when Rarity was going through all of her needs; Winona was adorable as usual, and looked hilarious under that industrial sized blow dryer; Tank was awesome, just plain and simple, AWESOME; and Gummy was... ummm... well, Gummy, I guess. I don't really know how else to describe that little enigma of a pet, he's possibly the only resident of Ponyville stranger than Pinkie Pie. Overall, the pets were awesome, funny, adorable... what more could you possibly ask for from DHX!!!
     
     





    OK, that's bucking adorable.


     
    Third, the CMC were quite funny and adorable as well, and I was pleasantly surprised to see them getting some screen time in this episode. The skydiving bit was a riot, I can't even begin to imagine just how they bucked up taking care of all the pets (but, once again, that industrial sized blowdryer was AWESOME!!!), and they all had cute moments, whether alone (especially when they were talking about the Crystal Empire) or with their sisters. I will say though that, once again, Sweetie Belle takes the cake as cutest CMC; sorry Scootalovers, but Squeaky Belle is just too adorable, and she had about three or four squeaks in this episode that almost landed me in an ER!
     
     


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQVaP2n8c4A


    Well buck, now I have diabetus. Oh wait, I already had that after foal AJ in "Apple Family Reunion". Carry on Squeaky Belle.


     
    In addition to the CMC, there were some pretty funny supporting and background pony bits scattered throughout the episode. Zecora had a pretty cool cameo (and apparently we learned from her scene that a Girl Scout/Salvation Army hybrid exists in Equestria; very cool to know that charitable institutions are now canon in the show! ), Granny Smith's was quite funny, and hey, we even got a quick appearance from Donut Joe!
     
    Finally, it was very cool that DHX FINALLY explained what happened to PeeWee with that picture at the beginning that showed Spike returning him to his parents. Yeah, it's a little thing, but going out of your way to make sure you cover all loose ends is one of the true signs of a high quality studio, and DHX further reaffirmed with that bit that they are, undoubtedly, a high quality studio!
     
    The only thing that really came across as a bit rushed was the lesson itself I suppose, and that's solely because there were so many shenanigans. Still, Spike learned a good lesson about greed and its dangers, a very good lesson for both him (being a dragon and all) and younger viewers. Overall, this was an adorable and hilarious episode that, quite honestly, surprised me with how good it was; I initially didn't see the point of another Spike episode, but the large number of supporting characters, especially the rarely seen pets, really made the episode work. Very nice follow up to the last episode, very nice set-up for the final two episodes, and a solid episode in and of itself, one that I personally think is far too underrated by many bronies. Yeah, there's not much to it, but it's not like it pretends to be a serious episode; it's just a fun episode that knows it's a fun episode and is a blast to watch all the way through. Overall, definitely a fun one to rewatch, especially back-to-back with "Games Ponies Play".
     
     





    Dang it Owlowiscious, stop making that joke, IT'S NOT FUNNY ANY MORE!!!!!!!!


  10. Batbrony
    The return of Discord was about as epic as I could've hoped it would be, so let's get down to this review and look at just what was so great about "Keep Calm and Flutter On".
     
    Well, first of all, this was a great Fluttershy episode, perhaps the best yet, because, unlike most of her other episodes, which have usually dwelt on her own insecurity or hidden strengths, this episode was possibly the first Fluttershy episode to ever really focus on her greatest strength, that being, her kindness. Now that I think about it, the last time her kindness got this much attention as a part of who she is was possibly in the first episode of Season 2, and I can see why, because it is by no means always an easy element to show on display, as this episode stands testament to. Throughout the whole episode, I think it was quite easy for both the Mane 6 and the audience to assume that Fluttershy was simply being gullible, but at the end of the episode, I realized that that simply wasn't the case. She is simply so kind, so patient, so willing to extend a friendly hoof to anypony and keep her cool for so long (hence the name "Keep Calm and Flutter On"), that, just as Celestia predicted, she really was the only pony capable of reforming Discord in the end, because, in all actuality, she probably was the first pony ever to extend a hoof of friendship to Discord. It was awesome seeing that strength of hers getting highlighted, as well as seeing just how far it took to push her to the point that she wouldn't be somepony's friend, because once her friendship was withdrawn, Discord finally understood just how much it would hurt to lose the first pony to ever try to befriend him. Her anger at the end also confirmed that she most certainly understood Discord the whole time and was on edge throughout her attempts to reform him, rather than just being gullible, and that made me even more impressed with both her intelligence, but even more so with her genuine kindness. Fluttershy, you are and always shall be the true embodiment of the element of kindness!!!
     
     
     





    Oh butter pony, I just know you and I are going to be besties!!! Noogie, noogie, noogie, noogie, noogie!!!!!!!!


     
     
    Next, Discord of course!!! This long-awaited return was as epic as I think anypony could've hoped it would be, and I must say, I was not disappointed. As any good and proper god of chaos, he jumped right back into the trolling from where he left off, and boy oh boy was that hilarious and infuriating all at once!!! From being Fluttershy's house guest, the most hilarious dinner party ever, and almost destroying Sweet Apple Acres even, Discord was all over the place, and his powers were certainly on full display!!! My favorite had to be his trolling Angel Bunny, simply because that little turd's had that coming to him for quite some time now! His penchant for being an evil genius also was very nicely highlighted, and I'm still not even convinced that he's been 100% reformed, simply because at the very end, when Celestia mentioned to Twilight that they should keep the elements, Discord perked up his ears a bit and made a strange face, just for a second. Still, I was happy to see him get reformed, at least for the time being, simply because of all the show's villains so far he is also hands down the most likable of the bunch. He was quite infuriating, especially at the end, but, as the episode's lesson highlighted, maybe that's simply because he's never had anypony actually offer him a hoof of friendship. You could tell, from the very first time Fluttershy called him her friend, that he was quite taken aback by that, and when he almost cast away her friendship, he finally realized just how much that would actually mean to him, and so officially learned his first lesson of friendship. Also, it was quite epic hearing him shout "Friendship is Magic!!!!!" Welcome to the herd Discord!!! John de Lancie has done it again with an outstanding performance, and hopefully now we'll get to see more of Discord in the future. I'm quite interested to see what Celestia has in mind using his magic for; maybe it'll even come up in the season finale!!!
     
     
     





    Discord: like a sir.


     
     
    Let's see, what else did I like about this episode? The lesson about how (most) anypony can be good and reformed if they just are given a little bit of kindness and friendship extended their way was very nice, and I think the studio even did a good job of emphasizing at the same time that even the best kindness might not work sometimes, depending on the person. I mean, heck, like I said, I'm still not totally convinced about Discord, and I doubt the show will ever pull something like this with Chrysalis, and obviously won't with Sombra (because, well, he's kinda, um, dead!). Despite the fact that Fluttershy ultimately saved the day, the Mane 6's support of her being on full display was very nice to see, and was one of the few ensemble efforts from all six of them (or, rather, the other 5) that we've gotten to see this season, even if, again, it was in a supporting capacity more than anything. The animation was simply stunning as usual, and Discord's return gave the crew at DHX the chance to put on display some really fun animations. My favorite animations of the episode would probably be Fluttershy's flying house and the dinner party, just because some very cool and bizarre animations were on display in both of those scenes. The animals were hilarious!!! Angel's antics with Discord were too funny, and I couldn't get enough of those beavers!!! Who knew that apparently beavers cuss like sailors in their beaver-tongue?!?! It was also very nice to once again see Celestia, because she's been a little absent from the show lately, with a lack of both letters to her and appearances from her this season. Her wisdom (or just dumb luck) was on full display as well in her placing her faith in Fluttershy as the one pony of the Mane 6 who could truly reform Discord, and that was quite nice to see as well, since her wisdom doesn't always come across every time she makes an appearance. Assuming Discord's reform keeps, as I said earlier, I'm quite interested to see how she plans on utilizing his help and magic. Should be very interesting indeed in the overarching storyline of the show!!!
     
     
     





    I WANT THAT LAMP!!!


     
     
    If there was any fault at all that I had with this episode, it would have to be the ending. Don't get me wrong, as I said earlier, I'm happy Discord got reformed. However, the ending felt quite rushed, and I know exactly why too! It's because there was a WHOLE LOT of filler earlier in the episode with Discord's antics, some of them necessary, others not so much. Does that mean I didn't enjoy the filler? No, I did, it was hilarious throughout the whole episode! But, as I said, the ending still felt a bit rushed; I mean, Fluttershy basically says, "You're not my friend!!!" and it takes Discord about two seconds to go "Well buck, that sucks, I guess I'm good now!". That simply felt really rushed, and it's probably one big reason that I'm still not convinced 100% that his reform is legitimate, but, time will tell. All around, aside from that slight pacing issue at the end, the episode was great. The humor was great, the animation was great, the characters were great, and the lesson was great!!! Overall, "Keep Calm and Flutter On" is a solid entry into MLP canon and definitely a fun rewatch.
     
     
     


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsijAV1eBZA


    HA!!! Welcome to the herd Discord ol' buddy ol' pal!!!!!!!!


  11. Batbrony
    Oh my goodness, "Wonderbolts Academy" is a wonderful episode!!! Probably up to that point in time my least favorite of Season 3, but that's not saying much, it was still an absolutely fantastic episode!!!!! It's probably just because most of it was a little more standard for their episodes, and they're getting into the middle of the season stride where episodes don't always blow ya out of the water at every turn. But there was still a whole lot that I loved about this episode!!!! So let's begin!
     
    First, this was an awesome Rainbow Dash episode!!! We got to see some awesome flying action from RD, which was amazing, but even more importantly, we got to see a whole lot of how RD's character has changed so much since the first season. She was humble enough throughout the episode to accept her position as wing pony, she repeatedly expressed concern for the less capable cadets at the Wonderbolt Academy, and of course, the grand daddy of them all, she was willing to actually give up her lifelong dream of being a Wonderbolt if it meant being too reckless and putting other ponies, including her best friends', lives in danger!!! THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!! It also makes me appreciate the character Lightning Dust a little bit more, because, honestly, I believe that in many ways she behaved exactly as RD would've at the beginning of Season 1, before she'd really been friends with the Mane 6 for a long time. RD was super competitive and impatient at the beginning of that season, just like Lightning Dust, and it especially showed in the episode "Dragonshy" when she repeatedly expressed impatience with Fluttershy. But now, she's simply not like that anymore, she's changed; she's a team player, and even if she wants to push herself to be the best she can be still, she's not willing to hurt or jeopardize other ponies in the process, and even wants to encourage them to be the best they can be. Rainbow's more now than just an incredibly talented pony; she has the makings of being a great leader among the Wonderbolts someday. As Spitfire said, she's a lead pony!!!
     
    Second, getting to see A WHOLE LOT of Spitfire. This was probably the biggest amount of fan-loving we got from DHX in this episode; they knew we'd wanted to see a lot more of Spitfire for a lonnnnngggggggg time, and they didn't disappoint. It was honestly a bit jarring at first to see her acting like such a hard flank (although I lol'd extremely hard when she glared at Snowflake and his tiny wings!!!!). It was interesting to see her training and drill instructing, as well as to learn a lot more about what it takes to get into the Wonderbolts (although honestly I'm still a little confused, even after 2 1/2 seasons, as to what they exactly do? Are they stunt flyers, racers, some sort of Equestrian military force/national guard, cause we've seen them do all of those things before? I just want to know what the full extent of their responsibilities are? ). Overall, it was awesome seeing so much of Spitfire and getting to learn more about how she leads the Wonderbolts!
     





    You just watch ladies, by the end of this episode I'll have started a new meme for the brony fandom so fast it'll be an academy record! Wait a minute... that gives me an idea!!!


     
    Next... Pinkie Pie. What can't I say about her in this episode!!! This honestly might have been her best episode so far this season, even better than "Too Many Pinkie Pies"!!!!!! I loved that episode, but here, Pinkie was just so adorable, and hilarious, and insane, and zany, and being such a good friend the whole episode, and it was all so balanced nicely, that it was just the perfect storm of Pinkie Pie, she simply was awesome the whole episode!!! THAT BEAR HUG!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH THAT BEAR HUG!!!!!!!!!! I honestly doubt we'll ever witness a bigger hug on the show than that!!!!!!!
     
    Once again, the animation was amazing. It was great to see a lot of the pegasi from "Hurricane Fluttershy" make a reappearance (let's see, we had Snowflake, Thunderlane, Cloud Chaser, and probably a few others) and their physical gags and humor were hilarious (SNOWFLAKE ATE A BUCKIN' CLOUD FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, THAT'S AWESOME!!!), the rest of the Mane 6 were great, even if they weren't in the episode much, the new setting with Wonderbolt Academy was really cool and gave us some cool new animations, and the message of not giving into peer pressure and doing your best but making sure that you do it the right way was a great message for anypony, especially those of us who are rather competitive, whether in physical or intellectual pursuits. All in all, it was a great episode, and I can't wait to watch it again!!!
     





    I'm not proud of how tiny my wings are, but that's the trade off when you take steroids! STOP STARING AT ME LIKE THAT, YOU'RE SCARING ME!!!


     
    The only thing I didn't like about this episode: NO DERPY!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, I wouldn't have minded so much if there weren't so many freakin' pegasi in the episode!!!!! I didn't even expect her to show up at the academy, I know that wouldn't make much sense, BUT THEY HAD A MAIL PONY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!!!!!! A MAIL PONY!!!!!!!!!!! OMG, THEY COULD'VE SO EASILY JUST DROPPED HER IN THERE AS THE MAIL MARE INSTEAD!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *we interrupt this post for a session of havoc and anger-induced property damage*
     
    *sigh* OK, I'm done, I'm cool, I'm cool.
     





    Go my brony minions, ship them, ship them hard, DO WHAT INTERNET FANDOMS ARE BORN TO DO AT THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF CONTACT BETWEEN TWO CHARACTERS!!!


     
    Overall, "Wonderbolts Academy" is a solid Season 3 episode with some cool new canon additions, a sweet antagonist, some great character development/continuity, rocking animation, great laughs, and a solid message. Not much more you could ask for than that, and it's definitely worth a rewatch here and there.
  12. Batbrony
    Once again, another home run from DHX!!!! Let's run through what I love, love, LOVED about "Magic Duel"!
     
    (1) Trixie's return certainly did not disappoint, and it was very cool to see another ancient magical object introduced in the Alicorn Amulet (i.e. earlier we had the Mirror Pool), not to mention the fact that Alicorn is officially now a canon term within the show.
     





    *in best Ben Stein voice* For dry, red eyes, Clear Eyes is awesome. Wow.


     
    (2) Fluttershy was absolutely adorable in this episode, and made more contributions in this episode than she'd made in any other episode in Season 3 up to this point; it was especially amusing to once again see her being helped by her animal friends, especially when she was Flutter-spy, and oh my gosh, those beavers were freakin' hilarious!!! Also, it was nice to see continuity in RD and Fluttershy's closer relationship when RD decided that Fluttershy was the perfect candidate for sneaking outside of Ponyville; if this were Season 1, RD would never have placed that kind of trust in Fluttershy, I'm sure of it.
     





    And that's officially the cutest spy I've ever seen.


     
    (3) There was also a surprising amount of tension this episode; you really couldn't wait for Twilight to come back and stop Trixie, especially after all the misery, suffering and hardship that she was causing for the rest of the Mane 6 and all of Ponyville after banishing Twilight.
     
    (4) RARITY AND APPLEJACK AGAIN!!!!!!!!! What the heck was going on this season with those two? Those two were always hanging out with each other or leaning on each other for support, and this episode had the most of that yet in Season 3! Both at the beginning and the end of the episode Rarity and AJ had small and subtle moments together, and I loved every minute of it! It's one of the most consistently alluded to bits of character development, dating all the way back to Season 1, that DHX continues to reference and build upon in this show. Not a shipper myself, but I'll just say that RariJack fans have got to be rejoicing this season with all of the material that the makers have been giving them; it's getting to the point where RariJack might even supersede AppleDash, and that's saying something!
     
    (5) Poor Snips and Snails!! Who other than me wanted to give those poor colts a hug? Those two especially suffered a lot, but I will say, it was nice to see them get some more screen time; not a huge fan of the characters themselves, but their VA's are hilarious, and you can tell they have a lot of fun together voicing those two. Their tag-team effort is reminiscent of famous comedic duos in animation, such as Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella's performance together as "Timon and Pumba".
     





    Wheels: apparently they're Trixie's greatest fear. Who knew?


     
    (6) Very cool to see Zecora return! She's one of the few adult characters that the Mane 6 frequently turn to for advice aside from Celestia, and her maturity and wisdom really shined in this episode. Plus, the Master Yoda allusions during some of Twilight's training scenes were priceless! Overall, it was great seeing Zecora teach the ponies a valuable lesson yet again about teamwork, ultimately overcoming Trixie with a different kind of magic... you know where I'm going with this. I'm talking about the magic... OF FRIENDSHIP!!!!!!!!!
     
    (7) With all of the magic in this episode, the animation was very, very impressive and fluid. There were some extremely cool visuals to see, and DHX did not disappoint in the slightest.
     
    (8) By far the best scene of the entire episode was the duel scene!!! So many laughs, such a great amount of teamwork from the whole gang, and some amazing references!!!!!!!! I mean, we got a Double Rainbow Dash and Rule 63 "spell" for crying out loud, how cool is that?!?!?! The twist afterwards completely threw me for a loop, because honestly, the whole time she was "casting spells," I honestly did think Twilight was doing magic. But instead, it was the combined talents and efforts of her and her friends that saved the day, proving once again that the most powerful magic out there is the magic of friendship. Fantastic lesson, and one that I'm glad to see the show returned to once again, considering, after all, it is the entire premise of the show in the first place.
     
    The only thing I was disappointed in at all was the very end. I would have liked to learn more about the horses from Saddle Arabia, and so I'd hoped they would show up in another episode, and not just oooooo and ahhhhhh at Twilight's magic for 30 seconds. Still, their designs were cool, and it was pretty neat to hear that Celestia was on a diplomatic mission to an entirely different nation. However, what I really cannot forgive so easily is Trixie's apology! It came completely out of left field, and I'm still scratching my head over it. I know that the amulet corrupted her, but still, that doesn't mean she wasn't a jerk before she put it on; honestly, I don't think she'd be too beat up over getting corrupted by it, so long as she got what she wanted. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing some characters honestly redeem themselves, but that's my primary gripe with her apology; as far as character consistency goes, it did not seem honest or sincere at all! There was nothing, I mean, NOTHING, before her apology that would have indicated she'd be inclined to make any apology whatsoever. But whatever, it's done, and I'll accept that she might honestly be trying to change her ways, at least a little bit; maybe she was just especially impressed by the power of friendship she saw displayed by Twilight and the Mane 6, and so now desires to gain some friends of her own.
     
    Overall, this was a great episode that took a direction I certainly did not expect. I came into this thinking that Twilight was going to learn how to increase her own magical ability; what we got instead was one of the best team efforts from the Mane 6 yet, along with a wonderful lesson about the magic of friendship. Kudos to DHX on yet another wonderful episode most definitely worth a rewatch now and then.
     





    Hey guys, wanna go back to my place after the magic show? There'll be cake!!!


  13. Batbrony
    Ah, "One Bad Apple": there was a lot, I mean, A LOT, that I loved about this episode!!!!! So let's begin.
     
    1) First, it was a joy to see the CMC once again. All three of their VA's have shown that they've further honed and sharpened their skills between seasons, as all three of them stood out tremendously and uniquely in their own ways. Honestly, this might be the best CMC episode yet, largely because it focused both on the CMC organization itself (that'd be awesome if it actually starts expanding into some sort of fraternal-filly society! ), and because it also addressed in a very mature manner the issue of bullying, a relevant topic for all ages, but especially focused in this instance on reaching out to the show's younger audiences. My favorite part about the theme of the episode was that they readily and directly admitted at the end that if somepony is getting bullied, he/she should not be afraid to tell their siblings or parents and go to them for their support, a message that many, many other children's shows, when they handle the issue of bullying, either completely ignore or even screw up when trying to address the topic. This episode delivered a solid message that counter-bullying is no solution to bullying, and instead, the real way to solve bullying is going to those more mature and wise than yourself (i.e. Applejack, Babs's older sister, the threat of going to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's mothers, etc.). The negativity surrounding so-called "snitching" is one of the saddest realities of the kids' world, and totally unwarranted, especially in that it has discouraged tens of thousands of children from taking the most direct and effective route to resolving bullying, and I am immensely impressed at the way that Studio B addressed this very pressing issue, especially for the sake of its younger audience.
     
    2) "Bad Seed". Holy crap, this song! This song was bucking amazing!!! Hands down the best song of Season 3 up to that point, and I'd go so far to say it's the best CMC song yet, even better than "Looking For That Special Somepony"!!! It was certainly a much more complete ensemble than the latter song (because let's be honest, Sweetie Belle pretty much dominated that song in "Hearts and Hooves Day"), and extraordinarily catchy. I especially loved the choreography and visual direction of the song as well, especially the way all three of them were bopping their heads at the beginning of the song. Little stuff like that encourages the audience to get involved in and enjoy the song as well, and its subtle stuff like that that goes to show that the crew at DHX were truly masters of their craft at this point in the show's production. Especially gotta give props to Daniel Ingram, who delivered a fantastic number yet again!
     
    3) Babs Seed; I liked her character design, her voice wasn't that annoying and actually kinda grew on me, and one can actually sympathize with her situation quite a bit. I'm not sure why she decided to turn so quickly on the CMC when they were making it quite clear that they'd be more than happy to back her up, but she still learned a good lesson and ultimately redeemed herself, so I won't have to destroy the space-time continuum and travel across dimensions to find her and beat the living pulp out of her after she made Sweetie Belle cry (and trust me, if she hadn't, I totally would! Dead-bucking-serious. ). Overall, she learned a good lesson, helped teach the CMC a good lesson, and officially became the fourth member of the CMC. She's practically family now! That, and she helped deliver the first quadruple brohoof ever, so that alone warrants forgiving her for her bullying!
    4) VEGGIE SALAD!!!!!!!! Pinkie Pie yet again proved that even if she's only in an episode for about 2 minutes, she can still manage to leave a massive impression and steal the scene in those two minutes alone. AB delivered a hilarious line in that scene as well when she said in total deadpan, "Seriously?"
     
    5) The humor in this episode was dead on yet again! Pinkie Pie aside, the CMC were hilarious the whole episode. In particular, their funny little mannerisms and behavior stood out, along with the A-Team-esque scene, Sweetie Belle's evil face when she set off the booby trap, and the gut-busting hilarious CMC initiation scene (between Scootaloo's rocking drumming and Sweetie Belle's hilarious and cute attempts at pronouncing all of those titles for Babs, that might honestly have been the funniest scene in the episode, with the only scene that can really compare being Pinkie's VEGGIE SALAD!!!!!!!). Overall, this episode was really, really funny, and it's great to see that Studio B could keep an episode addressing as serious an issue as bullying lighthearted and fun!
     
     
     

    Overall, this was an amazing and fun episode with a great message and subject, great new character, great old characters, great visual design, direction, animation, great music, and great humor!!! Always fun to rewatch, and definitely a solid first appearance for the CMC in Season 3.


     
     
     
     
     




  14. Batbrony
    Note: a few of my early Season 3 reviews are a bit shortened compared to later ones since when I started reviewing episodes back in Season 3, I hadn't really developed a reviewing system at that point. I apologize if some of these early reviews are a bit simplistic compared to my later reviews.
     
    Oh my, this was a wonderfully hilarious and creative episode! The Mirror Pool itself was an extraordinarily creative idea, one of the more interesting additions to MLP canon in Season 3, and the Pinkie Clones... oh my, the Pinkie Clones!!! I have now witnessed madness incarnate, and it is a pink swarm of chaos and insanity!!! The test absolutely made me lose it, mostly just the test itself! I mean, c'mon, who actually thought they'd have to watch paint dry?!?! That is sooooooo funny, but also so creative; certainly the anti-thesis to Pinkie Pie if there ever was one. Nice to see some of AJ's extended family as well, RD reading another Daring Do novel was a nice bit of continuity, and I lost it when Rainbow Dash actually became aware of Pinkie's breaking the laws of physics at the swimming pool (lovely meta moment right there )! The woodland critters with Fluttershy were delightful as well, and it was especially hilarious seeing the Harry the bear in the group, and also, we got the return of Tank (which I completely missed and only caught when I rewatched the tree clip on YouTube )!!!! Overall, this was a great first normal episode of the season, a worthy successor of "Party of One" and "Lesson Zero", and a great Pinkie Pie episode that highlighted her insecurity issues almost as well as "Party of One" and what makes her just a great and irreplaceable character all around!
     




    Well, it's official, we're all doomed.


  15. Batbrony
    "The Crystal Empire: Part 1 and Part 2" was an absolutely fantastic start to Season 3!!!! The songs were great, the message of self-sacrifice for the greater good was solid and well executed in its delivery, the Mane 6 and Spike were a joy to see again, along with Cadance and Shining Armor! The laughs were solid, the action and suspense were sick, and as usual, the magic of friendship was great!
     
    I guess the only thing I was disappointed by was King Sombra. Don't get me wrong, he was a scary and dangerous threat; I guess I was just expecting a little more dialogue from him, but hey, we probably wouldn't have gotten nearly as much of the Mane 6's shenanigans at the Crystal Fair if he'd had more screen time. Also, he was pretty much the first (and to date only) villain of the show DHX straight up killed, so that's something. I mean, he kinda blew up at the end there, it's not like he was purified or sent flying like Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings. I guess overall I get everypony's complaints about Sombra, but at the same time, even if I did want to see more of him, his presence as it was still worked for me. I don't think any other villain in the show has really ever had such a continuous sense of foreboding for so long in two episodes as Sombra did. The suspense throughout both episodes was amazing, and even from a distance, the guy was a major threat; he basically had every single thing that could've spoiled his plans covered, and some of his traps were downright devious and evil, especially that door that shows you your worst fears! While the few times he actually appeared throughout the episode were disappointing overall, the suspense that you felt throughout both episodes, even in the midst of the Crystal Fair, was great, and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. So while as a villain himself he had a lot more potential to do more, I overall love the role he played in the execution of both episodes.
     

    Spike finally saved Equestria, quite epically if I do say so myself, and I was very pleased to see the little guy in such a prominent role (quite possibly his finest role to date in fact); the whole time that he was jumping down from the tower and Sombra was going after him, I imagine his thoughts went something like this:


     





    Buck me, buck me, BUCK ME!!!!!!!


     

    Shining Armor chucking Cadance made myself and the entire brony community LoL so hard!


     





    OK honey, just like we practiced. 1, 2, 3, GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!


     

    Speaking of Cadance, I will add that seriously, she never thought to check the top of the castle's tower beforehand? I'm just saying, she's got wings.
    I guess you could argue she was busy keeping that shield up the entire time, but she didn't even notice it when she first flew in? IDK, I feel like she would've at least had 5 minutes at some point to check!!!

     





    Crystaaaaa- the buck? Did that seriously just happen???


     

    The little character interactions were incredibly polished and great to see; honestly, I think it was a lot more balanced than the Canterlot Wedding episodes, which focused so much on Twilight, whereas this time we got a nice balance of Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6, and even a bunch of shots of Cadance and Shining Armor together, which were really sweet (although my favorite of the latter had to be, as I previously mentioned, Shining Armor chucking Cadance
    ).

     
    The songs were once again fantastic; the biggest surprise for me was probably how delightful the reprise at the end of Part 2 was, since reprises can sometimes feel unnecessary or tacked on. But no, that was a wonderful reprise at the end! So glad to see that Daniel Ingram continues to do wonderful work for the show!!!
     
    Finally, the episode was incredibly dark. Usually we just hear about how bad things were for ponies under a villain (Discord, Nightmare Moon) or how bad they will be (Chrysalis), but this time, we actually saw ponies in slavery?!?! Dark, so dark! That's what I think Sombra ultimately added the most to the episode; as a villain himself, he was quite a let down, not gonna argue that, the guy simply didn't do that much or say that much. But, he added such a constant sense of suspense and foreboding to both episodes (that really did a lot to add to both episodes' atmosphere) that I did appreciate a lot of what he added to both episodes' execution. So overall, I'm not really disappointed in the results, even if he himself was lackluster as a villain.
     
    Overall, Season 3 got off to a fantastic start with "The Crystal Empire: Part 1 and Part 2". It set the tone for the rest of the season and showed that, whether or not this would be MLP's final season, DHX wasn't going to back down and instead was going to pull out all the stops to make this season as epic as possible, despite the reduced number of episodes. Great season opener, one of the highlights of the entire season, and most definitely always worth a rewatch!
  16. Batbrony
    So after the dud that was "MMMystery on the Friendship Express", one would hope Studio B would at least manage to end Season 2 adequately to say the least. Let's take a look and see how they did...
     

    *one epic viewing later*


     

    Oh... my... gosh...


     

    IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


     
    Wow... I mean, just... wow! That... that was amazing!!! OK, so they more than made up for "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" to say the least. "A Canterlot Wedding: Part 1 and Part 2"... where do I begin? Honestly, where do I begin with an episode that simply gets so very much right?!?! This episode is simply perfection in oh so very many ways. Strap yourselves in everypony: we've got a lot to cover on this one, so without further ado, here's "A Canterlot Wedding: Part 1 and Part 2".
     
    Story
     
    So seeing as there is so much that works amazingly in this episode, I'll have to divvy this review up to cover a number of different elements and factors. First off, let's cover the story. Like "The Return of Harmony", there is A LOT going on here, so I won't be recapping or going over the details of the story too much. I'll just summarize the episode as so: Twilight and friends go to BBBFF's wedding, the bride raises Twilight's ire and then her suspicions, mistakes are made, hooves pointed, and words said, BIG BUCKING TWIST OUT OF LEFT FIELD, bride revealed to be impostor, true bride found, s*** starts going down, Twilight and Cadance reveal impostor, more s*** goes down (along with a princess), Elements of Harmony must be recovered, epic s*** goes down, mission failed, villain partakes in gratuitous gloating, MOST EPIC OF ALL EPIC S*** GOES DOWN, Canterlot and wedding saved, marriage, happily ever after, THE END!!!! Buck, that is literally the shortest I could get those cliff notes down to; I think that just goes to show how very much is really happening in this two-parter's whole story. In "A Canterlot Wedding: Part 1 and Part 2", there is certainly no denying that these episodes are very, very story-driven. In fact, they're two of the most story-driven episodes of the entire show, and probably the most story-driven any episode had been up until this point, to the point that the lesson, while decent, kind of takes a backseat to all of the action and events taking place. So just why does it work so well here, in a show where morals of the week are usually so very important?
     
    In a word, execution. The execution of about every single plot point is simply perfect. Some parts feel more rushed than others, yes, but when it's all said and done, on the whole this story is one of the most professionally executed I've ever seen in two 22-minute long episodes. This story starts off with a premise that, while solid, has been done a lot. We've seen wedding episodes before, in both kids and adult television programs. But just when you think you're going to get a standard season finale, typical of what one would expect from inferior shows, the writers throw every single typical plot point in this general story arc-type under the bus and blow the audience's bucking minds! Tension rises, and rises some more, and rises some more, and suddenly we've got a full fledged invasion from an army of a brand spanking new species we've never seen before led by an insanely devious, twisted, evil looking and acting villain (and yes, this is still "My Little Pony"... now with invasions from hostile species)! Things end happy of course, I mean, they have to, it's MLP for crying out loud, but not before the Mane 6 face some of the greatest trials, challenges, and adversity they've ever encountered, Twilight especially. So really, the fun of this story, the true excellence of it, comes from the journey, not the destination; that's true with a lot of story-types of course, heck, it's true with the overall story of the show as a whole, but here it's especially apparent. From start to finish as things get more and more out of control, you're kept on the edge of your seat the whole time wondering, "Gosh, what's gonna happen next?!". By the time the end rolls around and Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's deus ex machina kicks in, you don't even care if it's somewhat stereotypical and rushed, because by that point these characters that we've grown to love have faced so much, tried so very hard to thwart the changelings' plans, that you just want to see them come out on top no matter how they do it! And boy oh boy do they ever come out on top! One deus ex machina sequence later, and the day's been saved, true love has conquered all, and things get wrapped up nicely with one hay of a wedding and reception, bringing Season 2 to a close. The laughs, the drama, the action, the suspense, heck, even romance, about every single plot element you could possibly imagine showing up in a story is here, and while no particular one stands out above the rest, they all meld and blend together perfectly in a balance I don't think I've ever seen pulled off quite so spectacularly before or since in this show. Hats off to Studio B's writers on producing what is simply among the finest story lines we've ever seen in this show to date!
     







     
    Characters
     
    Seeing as we've got some new faces in addition to the old, let's cover the usual suspects first. Twilight in particular shines in this episode, which makes sense seeing as she is largely the focus of it, further reinforcing the fact that, at the end of the day, she is and always will technically remain the star of the show. I like right away how, despite the abruptness of the news that she has an older brother (something both the Mane 6 and audience had never known before this episode), Twilight's quite accurately characterized in the sisterly role, so I can overall forgive the lateness of the news about Shining Armor, even if it is a bit silly. She's obviously conflicted as any little sister would be after just hearing that her brother is getting married in a few days, and just when she thinks she has nothing to worry about after learning that Shining Armor didn't tell her on account of being busy protecting the city after a threat against Canterlot (though you'd think they would've heard about that beforehand even more so than the wedding) as well as the fact that he's marrying her old foalsitter, Twilight's worries are reignited after she finds that Cadance is not the Cadance she once knew, and is acting rather rude, controlling, and cruel even. After witnessing "Cadance" perform some type of spell on Shining Armor, she knows she's on the right track that something is terribly wrong, but unfortunately she goes a little overboard in her accusation, namely in that she flat out calls Cadance out in the middle of the wedding rehearsal, declaring her to be EVIL!!! This is certainly not one of Twilight's shining moments, and I'm a little confused as to why so many bronies take her side on this one? I mean, yeah, she's right, but she should have been a lot smarter in how she delivered her accusation, namely, she should have pulled Princess Celestia aside and in private revealed her concerns and beliefs in a calm manner so that it would be clear she wasn't just being a spiteful, jealous little sister, which is exactly what she DID come across as when she calls the bride-to-be out so brazenly! Sorry, but she kinda dug her own grave on that one, even if it is understandable that at that point she was being driven as much by her emotions and love for her brother as she was her logic and what she knew to be true, if not even more so.
     
    Anyways, after being BANISHED BY HELL FIRE (you know, for kids!) to some caves beneath Canterlot and discovering the real Cadance, Twilight really starts to shine. She's very take charge for the rest of the episode and does whatever she has to do to stop Queen Chrysalis and the changelings, whether it be getting Cadance to the wedding to reveal Chrysalis as an impostor or leading the Mane 6 to retrieve the Elements of Harmony. Her persistence and belief in her gut instinct pay off in the end, and mark an important step in her path to becoming a princess at the end of Season 3; true leaders must be confident and have faith in their instincts when it matters most, and Twilight most certainly does here. Besides that, it's very touching seeing her in the role of little sister and just how much affection she really has for her BBBFF, along with just how much she's grown as a character since the start of Season 1. Perfect finish to a great season for our star character Ms. Twilight Sparkle!
     




    I'm gonna end this season with some karaoke!!!


     
    As for the rest of the Mane 6, they're very solid too, although I will admit the reduced roles they play really until the second half of Part 2 is why this episode ranks 2nd for me among my all-time favorite episodes behind "The Return of Harmony: Part 1 and Part 2". Let me be the first to defend their not believing Twilight by saying this; the entire time they're in Canterlot before the wedding, they're all very busy with their preparations, too busy in fact to notice anything amiss. In addition, they'd never met Cadance before; while one would think they'd be more open to hearing out Twilight's concerns, it still makes sense that they'd just assume she's only got wedding jitters and stress. Finally, however, and perhaps most importantly of all, the Mane 6 are helping prepare for not just any wedding, but a ROYAL WEDDING IN CANTERLOT! Let's put this in perspective; besides Twilight, the rest of the Mane 6 are young mares from Ponyville, a podunk little town in the middle of nowhere. Not only is any wedding going to get them all fangirling (which they do, ALL OF THEM, and yes, it's as adorable as it sounds), but also, as vital to the preparations for the wedding, they're all obviously going to be throwing their all into it with great excitement since this is one of the biggest occasions of their adult lives, unlikely to really notice anything out of place. So in conclusion, I get it, I totally do, I get why they didn't notice anything wrong and were able to dismiss Twilight's concerns as those of a jealous younger sister. What I cannot defend, however, is one moment at the end of Part 1, when they all just pretty much shun Twilight and go looking for Cadance to comfort her instead; that's pretty bucking OOC and kind of a douche move. I mean, they'd just seen Shining Armor publicly disavow their best friend (and his own sister); if anypony needed their comfort right at that moment, it was her, if only to have a shoulder to cry on. But hey, that's plot convenience for ya, so I can forgive that for the most part.
     




    BUCK YEAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!


     
    After Part 1, the Mane 6 kick some serious flank, especially in the MOST EPIC PONY FIGHT SEQUENCE YOU MAY EVER WITNESS IN YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!! I love that once it's clear that Twilight was right all along, there are no hard feelings; instead, like any great friends, they forgive, forget, and get down to doing what needs to be done, namely, giving it their all to save Canterlot and Equestria. No pressure or anything girls! Again, it's a little disappointing that they really didn't resolve the conflict with Chrysalis (though they did have a pretty epic showdown with her in the canon comic books later), but hey, seeing as the writers are significantly expanding the canon with the ending there, I can forgive that. Overall, they prove themselves once again to be loyal and true friends, awesome and always there for each other, and have a rocking awesome time together at the Royal Wedding. Like with Twilight, I can't really envision how Season 2 could've ended better for the Mane 6, and it's great that the final shot of any of the characters is just those six having a blast at the reception, laughing and enjoying each other's company to their hearts content. I'll briefly mention as an aside that, while it's a little disappointing that Spike is mostly just thrown in for some laughs in both episodes, with how much is going on I completely understand why, and so I'm not really bugged by that at all.
     
    Finally, rounding out our old characters, I gotta mention the princesses. While Luna only disappointingly makes a few cameo appearances (her first since "Luna Eclipsed"), Princess Celestia, after a somewhat OOC scolding of her favorite student (but again, plot convenience *shrugs*), has a pretty B.A. moment when she pretty much squares off against Queen Chrysalis at the Royal Wedding to protect her subjects and land. Of course, it kind of loses its effect in that she unfortunately gets her flank handed to her (and then cocooned to boot... man, talk about rubbing salt in the wound), but it's still awesome seeing Celestia unflinchingly jump into action to protect her ponies from the forces of evil. In addition, her delivery of the lesson of the episode at the end is quite lovely if I do say so myself, and overall she has a pretty solid role in both of these episodes, especially the latter.
     




    Hey sis, what I miss?


     

    Luna, were you gone on purpose?


     

    Did you send me to the moon for 1000 years?


     

    Yes...


     

    Then yes!


     
    Alright, onto the new! Well, let's cover Shining Armor and Princess Cadance (or Mi Amore Cadenza, whichever you prefer) first. Both of these characters, especially Cadance, could've easily proven to be a Gary Stu and Mary Sue (especially considering how radically Cadance was altered from what Lauren Faust originally envisioned), but instead they really ended up being fleshed out quite nicely for their first appearances. Shining Armor is believable as a brother, a groom, and a captain of the guard, switching quite naturally from each role with ease, and even though he has a pretty hilarious 90's surfer dude voice, it grows on you and there's no denying that he's a likable, all-around nice guy and solid character. Cadance, once we get to meet her, is simply a sweetheart, and a pretty strong-willed character to boot. We have no idea how long she was stuck down in those caves; heck, she could've been starving and on the verge of collapsing by the time Twilight found her! Yet she still manages to get out of the caves with Twilight, reveal Chrysalis as an impostor, cleanse Shining Armor of Chrysalis's mind control, and, with the power of their love, drive Chrysalis and her changelings away. I don't know about you, but to me, that's pretty bucking awesome. What I especially love about these two and how they defeat Chrysalis in the end is that they are such a power couple in the most literal sense of the word! Both of these characters are at their best when they're working together, and given that the love that two romantic partners planning to spend the rest of their lives together (simply an advanced form of friendship if you think about it ) is such an important theme in this episode, it's extremely fitting that the power of their love is only unlocked when they're working in tandem, not by one or the other, but each other at once. Very nice bit of thematic symbolism there, and overall both characters have an excellent debut that, rather than turning out to be a disaster, added two solid characters to MLP's already excellent cast!
     




    TACTICAL LOVE INCOMING!!!!!!!!!


     
    Finally, we've just GOT to cover Queen Chrysalis (and I guess I'll cover the changelings while I'm at it). Queen Chrysalis, in my measure of the show's villains so far, is probably my third favorite, behind Discord and Nightmare Moon. However, that's only because Discord is so amazing and also I like Nightmare Moon's physical design better (along with her deliciously over-the-top personality) and it doesn't really do justice to how threatening she really is. I don't think we've had a villain in this show who enjoys being evil as much as Chrysalis does. Think about it; Discord just wants to have fun, even if it causes suffering, Nightmare Moon's just very vindictive and holding a major grudge against Celestia, and Sombra hates everything too much to even really enjoy evil. But Chrysalis? She loves every minute of it! She has absolutely no problem at all with ruining the lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of ponies if it means leading her own species to a glorious future, and that is just downright despicable!!! In addition, she's very cunning, a dangerous foe not to be underestimated, and quite magically powerful to boot, defeating even Celestia herself in a magic duel (though to be fair we kind of saw her when she was overcharged, for lack of a better term, from Shining Armor's love). Not to mention SHE HAS A BUCKING ARMY AT HER BACK!!! The changelings are without a doubt one of the most interesting additions to the show's canon to date, and while they haven't made any appearances in the show since this episode (their only canon appearance since being in the MLP comic books), the fandom loves, loves, LOVES THEM!!! Their potential has not been lost on us, and they've appeared in a WHOLE LOT of fan work (seriously, they're everywhere), so I can only hope that the show's creators recognize their potential as well and decide somewhere down the road to bring them and their deliciously evil queen back. Of course, it's a bit silly that her downfall came as the result of the ultimate hubris; she literally turns her back while gloating, but hey, as I've said before in this review, plot convenience!!! Besides, her banishment certainly left potential for her to come back sometime down the road in the show, and if that ends up being the case then that'll be just fine by me. Overall, Queen Chrysalis is a great villain, and her changeling minions are tough foes and an awesome canon addition with some great potential that I hope is explored down the road. Hats off to the writers on coming up with such amazing foes for the season finale!!!
     




    OH S***, DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!!!


     
    Animation
     
    The artwork in this episode is among the most impressive we've seen in the show to date, with some truly awesome sequences. The entire episode, set largely in Canterlot in the midst of wedding preparations, is very colorful and bright, and the wedding dresses especially are very appealing to the eye (seriously, the Mane 6 look TOO CUTE in their bridesmaids outfits). Everything flows very smoothly as well, impressive seeing as there's a lot of action going on in both episodes, particularly A LOT of magic usage from Twilight, Cadance, Celestia, Shining Armor, and Chrysalis. The invasion of Canterlot is probably among my top five favorite animation sequences of all time in the show, and from start to finish is simply epic all the way through (this is "My Little Pony" we're still talking about, right?). Overall, this is probably the most lovely looking episode of Season 2, and personally it's even my favorite episode period as far as animation is concerned, though a number of Season 3 episodes certainly rival it, and we'll just have to wait and see if anything Season 4 has to offer can surpass "A Canterlot Wedding". However, if you're looking for a gorgeous looking episode in MLP, look no further than "A Canterlot Wedding"; you won't be disappointed!
     
    P.S. As an aside, I should probably mention that the new characters, Cadance, Shining Armor, and Chrysalis, all have lovely designs!
     
    Music
     
    Daniel Ingram hits it out of the park once again with not one, not two, but THREE new songs (plus a reprise), more than we'd seen in any single episode up till that point in the show (even if technically they all occurred over the span of two episodes). Since they're all very different from one another, I'll cover them separately in chronological order.
     
    B.B.B.F.F. (Big Brother Best Friend Forever)
     
    Our first song of this two-parter, "B.B.B.F.F." is, largely for sentimental reasons, my favorite of the three. Don't get me wrong, it has a very lovely tune, no doubt about that, but when you get down to it most of my love for this song stems from the subject of it. I'm a B.B.B.F.F. myself, to a sister no less, so of course I'm gonna be a sucker for a song that talks about the close, intimate relationship between a big brother and little sister and how much it means to both of them! In addition, this song gives us some nice backstory on Twilight that we hadn't had before, and it's always nice to learn more about the history of the show's main characters, and is also her first song in Season 2 (and first song actually since "At the Gala" back in Season 1, not counting "The Heart Carol" of course in "Hearth's Warming Eve"). Overall, it's a solid musical number to start off these episodes, and personally my favorite of the three, though again that's largely for sentimental reasons.
     
    This Day Aria
     
    When you talk about the music in "A Canterlot Wedding", this is probably the song that every single brony and pegasister immediately thinks of first, and for good reason. Musically, "This Day Aria" is easily the most impressive of all three numbers here, and to this day remains one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive, out of every single number Ingram's written yet for the show, even if there are other songs I like more. It's really unlike any song you will hear in a kids show today, a very classical aria (though it's really more of a duet, but it still cleverly fits the parameters of an aria technically) with an enchanting tune that builds the tension and suspense at the beginning of Part 2 wonderfully. It's also a lovely send up to Disney's "The Little Mermaid" (along with a number of the plot points of both episodes), and that fact alone makes it fantastic in so many ways! Britt McKillip, both Cadance's VA and singing VA, has an absolutely lovely singing voice and absolutely hits one out of the park here, nailing both Princess Cadance and Queen Chrysalis, capturing the personalities of two very distinct characters who couldn't be more unalike. To this day, it remains one of my all-time favorite songs of the show (and I can safely say the same for thousands of other broneis and pegasisters), is the only song sung by a villain we've had to this point, and still stands alone as one of the most unique and original songs in all of MLP! "This Day Aria", you brought the house down before the season was even over, and my hat's off to you for that!!!
     
     
     





    Bucking LOVE this song!!!


     
    This Day Aria Reprise
     
    Not much to say about this one since it's so short, but "This Day Aria Reprise" is a lovely follow up to part 1 of "This Day Aria", a fun bit of gloating from Queen Chrysalis (who has a pretty rocking singing voice as well if I do say so myself) as everything she's planned seems to have fallen into place. It's the low point of the epiosde for our heroes, and everything truly seems lost as Chrysalis surveys the conquered Canterlot. Makes for a very effective moment, even if it is pretty short.
     
    Love Is In Bloom
     
    The final full length song of the Season 2 finale, "Love Is In Bloom", while my third favorite out of all three songs, is the perfect way to end Season 2. While it may seem a bit stereotypical in its tune and lyrics for a show like this (i.e. the most girliest song of the episode), the tune is still lovely and the lyrics as well. It's fun and celebratory and a wonderful send off to the newly married couple of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, as well as the season as a whole, plus it's the second time Twilight sings in these episodes (and Season 2), and it's always nice to hear Twilight sing yet again, so that's an added plus! Overall, I can't think of a better note for Season 2 to end on!
     
    Final Thoughts
     
    "A Canterlot Wedding: Part 1 and Part 2" changed everything for MLP. It was the perfect end to the most impressive season the show's had so far, with oodles of great references, from "The Little Mermaid" to William and Kate, TONS of great new additions to the canon including three new characters, fantastic developments to the overall plot of the show, and some very fun laughs, action, and drama. It was unlike anything we've really ever seen in MLP before or since, though since then there have been a number of episodes more similar to it than not on the epic scale, especially "The Crystal Empire", and it set the stage for the next evolution to MLP's storytelling as the overall storyline of the show continues to progress. It's the best season finale the show's had yet, my second favorite episode of all time, and just about perfect in every way. I can say without a doubt that "A Canterlot Wedding" is one wedding I'm most happy to have attended, and always happy to attend again and again and again!!!
     




    A perfect end to an amazing season! Doesn't get much better than that.


  17. Batbrony
    Well... buck. *sigh* I suppose it had to happen sometime, right? I mean, no show is perfect; even the best have their duds. But gosh bucking dang it, why did it have to come in Season 2, a season so exceptional and picture perfect in almost every way? Why did it have to come so close to the end?! Why oh why is "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" such a sweet-Celestia-what-were-the-writers-even-thinking-this-is-so-bucking-atrocious bad episode?!?! *sigh* Well, no sense in fighting it, might as well write this review and be done with it. Buck... whatever, let's get this over with.
     
     





    Get used to this train car folks, cause we're gonna be in this bucking bland setting THE WHOLE EPISODE!!!


     
    OK, so seeing as there's so much wrong with this episode, let's go in chronological order, shall we? First off, the Cakes: they're bucking stupid in this episode, even if they only appear for about a minute and a half. Why, you may ask? BECAUSE IT'S THEIR FAULT THIS EPISODE HAPPENS IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! They've baked a delicious looking cake for the National Dessert Competition in Canterlot (given the high-sugar intake of pretty much every pony in this show well-established by this point, this really shouldn't come as a surprise), BUT for no explained reason have left Pinkie Pie and the Mane 6 in charge of safely transporting it there. Are they taking a different train? NOPE, they're not going at all! This seems stupid as it is, seeing as, oh I don't know, it's only THE NATIONAL DESSERT COMPETITION, a competition that could bring all sorts of rewards and open up business opportunities for the Cakes, and it comes across as even stupider once we see that THREE OTHER BAKERS are traveling on the same train because they've figured out that, gee, maybe they oughta present their baked goods themselves. The lack of an explanation doesn't really bug me if only because there is no good explanation for their not going. Are they not going because they want to keep Sugarcube Corner open? If so, that's bucking stupid; clearly pretty much every other baker in Equestria would rather close shop for a few days than miss such an important competition. Are they worried about leaving Pound and Pumpkin Cake by themselves? Well then maybe they should get a sitter, oh wait, THEY ALREADY HAVE ONE, WE SPENT AN ENTIRE EPISODE ESTABLISHING THAT, AND IT'S THE BUCKING PONY TRANSPORTING THEIR CAKE!!! So I rest my case: the Cake's are bucking stupid for not going to the competition at all, and already we've got a major bit of bad writing on the writers' parts. Brilliant, 2 minutes in and there's already a gaping plot hole!!!
     
     





    Seriously, where the buck are these two? What are they doing this whole episode that's so important they had to miss the National Dessert Competition???


     
    Next, Pinkie Pie... oh Pinkie. Pinkie, Pinkie, Pinkie, Pinkie... Pinkie. BY LUNA'S SWEET FLANK WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS EPISODE?!?!?!? Pinkie Pie, to be blunt, is an idiot in this episode, and as such, terribly OOC. I get the lesson they're going for, I really do; they're trying to teach that you shouldn't jump to conclusions before you have all the facts, that's a commendable lesson. But it's executed sooooooo poorly!!! Pinkie is just dense as a doorknob the entire episode. I mean, yeah, she's definitely not the brightest pony out of the bunch, but she's never displayed these levels of incompetency before or since this episode! The most ludicrous part is that she actually believes these ridiculous "theories" she comes up with as to who bit the cake when she's accusing Gustave le Grand, Donut Joe, and Mulia Mild of doing so; this is a bucking shame, seeing as these segments are one of the only highlights of the episode, but when you realize that she actually thinks it happened that way, it loses all its comedy and just comes across as stupid, plain and simple. She's coming up with these stories by the second, jumping from one to the next, and it seriously makes you question her sanity even. I mean, there is just no way that any character in a show so-well written as this one, a MAIN CHARACTER, should act this stupid!!! As a result of her stupidity, the entire effect of the lesson is lost, seeing as there should have been no need to learn this lesson in the first place AS MOST PEOPLE WOULD NEVER BEHAVE THIS STUPIDLY WHILE TRYING TO INVESTIGATE OR FIGURE OUT ANYTHING AT ALL!!! Pinkie's incompetence completely kills the lesson, is extraordinarily OOC behavior for her, and just gets plain annoying. Two thumbs way, way down on the writing for Pinkie Pie alone!
     
     





    Shoot, I think I left my brain back in Ponyville.


     
    Finally, let's talk about everyone else. Are they as stupid as Pinkie Pie in this episode? Nope. They're just terrible, terrible, terrible individuals with HORRIBLE self control! Let me recap what's going on here, just to put this in perspective; they're traveling to Canterlot for the NATIONAL DESSERT COMPETITION. This competition, I'd wager, is a huge business opportunity for thousands of bakers across Equestria, including the Cakes, so there's a lot (and by a lot, I do mean A LOT) riding on their getting the cake to Canterlot intact, along with every other dessert. So, should be no problem, right? In a sane world, or just a logical world even, they would've packed plenty to eat on the train ride or gotten some food on there at least. Instead, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity ALL take HUGE bites of the cake just because (and here's the real kicker) Pinkie Pie made it sound delicious in her description of it.
     
     
     




     
     
    Hey guys, guess what? YOU ARE HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!! This train ride takes about a day, you're going to a dessert competition that'll probably have thousands of entries that you can try, and you seriously couldn't restrain yourselves from taking three big bites of a cake that your good friends the Cakes are most likely counting on to boost their business?!?! WHAT THE BUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?! Oh, and just when you didn't think it could get any worse, it does, it gets a lot worse; THE BUCKING BAKERS THEMSELVES ALL TAKE BITES OF EACH OTHERS BAKED GOODS BECAUSE PINKIE MAKES THEM SOUND SO GOOD!!! Gosh dang it, does the stupidity and lack of self control in this episode know no bounds?!?! THEY'RE BAKERS, professional, seasoned bakers, they should know how to restrain themselves from eating product, especially when it's not their own to eat at the time. Major kudos to Twilight and Applejack for being the only ponies to maintain their self-control in this entire episode (though according to Amy Keating Rodgers, Applejack was originally supposed to confess at the end that she did take a bite and just hid it... I'm really glad that didn't happen). Finally, their solution is possibly their stupidest decision of all; they combine desserts that have already been bitten into, not cut by a sterile utensil, BUT BITTEN, into one massive dessert crawling with the germs of at least four ponies, a griffon, and a mule, AND DON'T NOTIFY ANYPONY! Not only is that kind of unethical given the competition format, it's also gross and extremely stupid.
     
     





    Wow, that cake is all kinds of wrong. I seriously do not want to think about how many different individuals have already bitten into all those desserts that they have now PUT TOGETHER AFTER THE FACT. That is sooooooo bucking gross it's not even funny.


     

    On a side note, the real cake on the right is kind of amazing. Assuming it wasn't made the same way of course.


     
     
    Besides the terrible writing for so many characters, the episode has plenty of other problems. It's terribly paced, with some parts dragging and others feeling too rushed, especially the conclusion, which is extraordinarily fast! The setting is extremely boring; they're in one train cart that doesn't change at all for most of the episode, and my bucking gosh does the episode drag largely because of the stale setting (and yes, I get that it's a bottle episode in some regards, but did we really need a bottle episode in MLP??? Or at least if we did, I'm sure they could make one better than that!)! Finally, it's just not that funny; aside from a few standout moments, such as Pinkie's ludicrous theories (which are a blast to watch to be honest) and Rarity's "I wear false eyelashes" line, there's really not that much that tickles my funny bone in this episode, and that just makes its stupidity all the more noticeable for me. We've had a couple of bad episodes in MLP history, but they were never bad overall, they just had bad elements, and at the very least they usually were either really fun, had unique, interesting, and varied settings and stories, or both even! This episode just has nothing, and it's a bucking shame because they send up a lot of genres that could've made for some fun material: Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, silent movies, even ninja movies! But instead, every pop culture reference either falls dead, comes across as forced, or just doesn't do that much for the viewer seeing as it's in such a terrible episode. Besides Twilight remaining competent and those theory sequences being hilarious and pretty original, I can't say anything good about this episode. Terrible writing resulted in poor execution, horribly OOC characters, a boring setting, and one of the stupidest conflicts I've ever seen in a kids show, born out of total lack of self control. Overall, it's my least favorite episode in all of MLP: FiM; it's bland and stupid and just does nothing for me whatsoever, and I cannot recommend rewatching it more than you have to, say, when you're attempting to rewatch all of the seasons chronologically. Beyond that, there's no reason one should torture themselves by rewatching this travesty out of order for its own merits, because as far as I'm concerned, it has none.
     
    Besides the fact that I understand, with the season so close to an end and having already produced so many amazing gems for Season 2, Studio B must've been absolutely exhausted of ideas for the regular episodes of the season, there is only one other reason that I'm usually quite forgiving of this episode: because of what followed this episode...
     
     





    Well, this sounds like fun. What could possibly go wrong?


     

    Till next time.


  18. Batbrony
    The final CMC episode of Season 2, "Ponyville Confidential" is a very fun episode with a high quality message. While certainly not their best episode to date, there's plenty of positive to find here, so without further ado let's get cracking.
     
     






    Girls, do you think I might get in trouble if we publish Rarity's diary? Girls?

     
    So for their latest attempt to get their cutie marks, the CMC decide to join the school newspaper, the Foal Free Press, in the hopes that maybe their special talent is journalism. Certainly reasonable enough, especially compared to some of their previous attempts. Their best laid plans, however, are thrown askew when none other than Diamond Tiara ends up being the new editor-in-chief for the paper. After she rejects the legitimate articles that the CMC try to submit, Diamond Tiara ends up taking a gossip piece the trio of fillies accidentally come up with and encourages them to bring her more. Soon, however, what starts out as seemingly harmless fun turns into a gossip-pandemic, with ponies all over Ponyville falling victim to the venomous and contagious gossip of the Foal Free Press. After things finally go too far and they are discovered, the CMC realize that, despite their success, no cutie mark is worth slandering other ponies and throwing away all of their friendships to boot, and more than make amends. Their good relations are restored, the Gabby Gums column is discontinued, Diamond Tiara is fired and replaced by the swagalicious colt Featherweight, and all is right with the world. So the CMC are pretty fun in this episode, obviously. They're up to their usual shenanigans, with some funny CMC attempts by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle at the start of the episode and hilarity all around as they pursue journalism, especially from Sweetie Belle, who gets up to all sorts of trouble at Carousel Boutique. I sort of take issue with the fact that they so easily went along with something that Diamond Tiara of all ponies was telling them to do, seeing as she's certainly no shining example of upstanding morality, but I can give it a pass seeing as they were pretty convinced (rightfully so) that this was a promising field to pursue their cutie marks in. Not much to say about most of their activity in the episode, seeing as aside from the conflict itself, it's pretty standard fare as CMC episodes go, and certainly not as funny as their previous episode "Hearts and Hooves Day". The lesson they learn is quite a good one for all ages, especially in the manner in which it is delivered; whether young or old, I think we can all agree that gossip can be extremely hurtful and emotionally scarring. The manner in which it is critiqued, however, is simply ingenious; since the CMC are the stars, the episode reaches out on one level to younger viewers, but at the same time the idea of this problem arising as a result of the CMC heading up a gossip column reaches out to older audiences on a number of levels, namely in that teenagers and adults witness every day the ridiculous stories that gossip columns in print, television, and on the Internet run in an attempt to create scandal, often where there is none, and also the journalistic aspects of the episode highlight the immorality of invasion of privacy. Gossip is hardly a new subject matter in kids television, but the manner in which we see it handled here is quite frankly very unique and orginal, at least it is in my opinion. I still take issue with the fact that the CMC didn't put a rest to this before it got out of control, but again, they're impressionable fillies trying something new, so it's forgivable and believable. In the end, with the help of some older ponies, the CMC learn a worthwhile lesson about the dangers of gossip and invading others' privacy, and act upon the lesson learned as they should. Good on the CMC!
     
     





    Seriously, at what point did you find the time to make that poster and put it there?


     
    Besides the episode's stars, "Ponyville Confidential is notable as probably involving all of the Mane 6 more than any other CMC-centric episode. We've got prominent appearances from Rarity, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, and even Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy get a few lines in. In addition, they usually appear all together in this episode, and the manner in which they deliver other ponies' observations of the effects of Gabby Gums' gossip column is a pretty unique storytelling device for MLP and creates a nice balance in screen time between the CMC and the Mane 6, something we don't usually see in a CMC episode. Their appearances all add to the story in some way; we see the negative effects of gossip in how all of them react to their own gossip articles being published, Twilight spends most of the episode laying the foundation for the lesson of the episode, critiquing the gossip column, foreseeing its negative effects, and taking the moral high ground. Rarity, like Sweetie Belle, shines quite a bit, proving herself at first to be (unsurprisingly) quite the gossip fangirl, but after suffering from it herself and discovering that her own sister is Gabby Gums, Rarity provides some wonderful sisterly guidance (rather notable seeing as Applejack and Rainbow Dash, AB's older sister and Scoots's role model, respectively, shun the CMC after discovering they're Gabby Gums) and sets the stage for Sweetie Belle and the rest of the CMC learning their lesson and making things right. Finally, the Mane 6 (and Spike) all have some very funny moments, from Rarity's fangirling over the gossip column to their hijinks in the spa (most notably RD's absolutely adorable refusal to get a hooficure). Overall, it's nice seeing the Mane 6 so heavily involved in a CMC-centric episode, and I hope we get more CMC episodes that strike this balance so nicely in the future.
     
     





    Oh crap, Spike forgot to turn his swag off!!!


     
    Besides these two big elements, just a few other things stand out. It's nice getting to see more of Ponyville Elementary's foals besides the CMC, and some of the newspaper staff have some funny moments of their own, especially Featherweight. I do question Ms. Cheerilee's decision to make Diamond Tiara the editor-in-chief; I mean, seriously, did that really at any point seem like a good idea? Cheerilee's smart enough to know that Diamond Tiara's a pretty rotten egg, and I doubt that Filthy Rich would ever pressure her to do so, but eh, whatever, plot convenience, am I right? Other than that, the animation's lovely as usual, though there certainly aren't any standout visuals in an episode like this. Overall, "Ponyville Confidential" is a very well done episode by Season 2 standards and a lovely send off to the CMC in Season 2, aside of course from their cameo appearances in "Canterlot Wedding". A fun CMC episode with a high quality lesson, and definitely a good rewatch.
     
     





    Fez pony is now canon: I think we can all agree that the world is most definitely a better place because of it.


  19. Batbrony
    The second Spike-centric episode of Season 2, "Dragon Quest" is a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill episode by the season's standards. Besides trying to tackle a fairly serious topic, that being Spike's journey of self-identity (arguably the most serious topic of any Spike-centric episode to date, even if I think this particular episode is inferior to "Secret of My Excess"), along with having some cool additions to the MLP canon, there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about this episode. So let's get started, shall we?
     
    So good ol' Spike suffers a bit of an identity crisis after witnessing the Great Dragon Migration pass by Ponyville and realizing that he's about as far from being a fierce, ferocious, fire-breathing dragon as possible. While he certainly doesn't want to be a terrifying monster or anything, he realizes he doesn't really know anymore about dragons, or what it means to be a dragon, as ponies themselves do, and this understandably deeply disturbs him as, well, he is a dragon. I mean, this is a very understandable quandary and mature theme for this show, and one that plenty of ethnic groups that have immigrated to the U.S. or other nations themselves can sympathize with; throughout the U.S.'s history, for example, plenty of the members of immigrant communities have worried that they or their descendants are removed from or forget too much of their own or their ancestors cultural and ethnic heritage, have lost their very own identity even, or at least a significant part of it. But anyways, back to Spike; in order to rectify this, the little guy decides to join the Great Dragon Migration in the hopes that spending some time with other dragons will help him learn what it means to be a dragon and, by extension, himself. In order to make sure he doesn't get in over his head too much, Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash understandably follow Spike in a dragon disguise put together by Rarity herself.
     





    OK, that's pretty awesome.


     
    So as soon as Spike gets there he realizes that adult dragons are a little too far out of his league, and so attempts to join a group of adolescent dragons instead. That's right, Spike doesn't meet just any dragons, he meets... TEENAGERS!!!
     




     
     





    Oh don't be such a drama queen Lily!


     
    Yes, teenage dragons, and boy oh boy there are lots of them! Now, to be honest, my feelings are a little split on these guys: on the one hand, there's certainly nothing wrong or inaccurate about their characterization. I mean, yeah, not all teenagers are that mean-spirited or obnoxious, but it does make sense that teenagers in dragon society would be, seeing as the species as depicted in MLP seems to be so aggressive and brutish. But at the same time they're just, for lack of a better way of putting it, kind of annoying. I mean, yeah, past secondary antagonists like Trixie or the Flim Flam Brothers were unlikable, but at the same time, most had had some sort of endearing quality about them, like a fun, over-the-top personality, etc. Heck, even an antagonist like Gilda was likable if only in that she used to be Rainbow Dash's friend! These douche-nozzle teenage dragons, however, are, I want to say, the most unlikable secondary protagonists since Dumb-Bell, Hoops, and Score in "Sonic Rainboom" in Season 1, and at least those pegasus jerks were not in that episode nearly as much as the dragons are in this one. The only good thing I can say about the teenage dragons is that at the very least they have some pretty humorous moments, but really, that's about it. They're jerks, but worst of all, they're very straight forward jerks, transparent, without much of a personality to speak of, and that makes them quite unlikable and not a very interesting element of this episode, which is a shame seeing as I kinda would've liked to learn some more interesting things about dragon society besides the fact that apparently their teenagers are douchebags who throw raves when they get together.
     





    Crackle is best dragon!!!


     
    Now Spike, on the other hand, is pretty cool throughout this episode. His Season 2 starring appearances are probably his most flattering to date seeing as they treat him and his problems so seriously, and that's very apparent here. He's relentless in his quest to discover what it means to be a dragon, no matter what tortures that group of jerky dragons puts him through, but in the end he makes the obviously difficult decision that he'd rather be a good person than a good dragon with great resolve and courage. Basically, this little guy, still a baby dragon, makes the conscientious decision to turn his back on his entire species because he'd rather do what he knows to be right than do that which'll allow him to fit into his own species! That is simply commendable, and Spike's refusal to smash a phoenix egg is most definitely one of his great shining moments in the entire series! The lesson he learns, that who he is is not the same as what he is, and that he doesn't have to look for a home among dragons when he already has one, and a family to boot, among Twilight and her friends in Ponyville, is really very touching and most definitely one of the best he's learned.
     





    Spike: he's kind of a bad @$$!


     
    Besides Spike's shining moments, Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash prove themselves to be great friends in the lengths they go to in order to make sure Spike's alright and stays safe during his quest. In addition, the humor of this episode, while certainly not the show's A-material, is pretty solid, and there are some comedic moments that definitely stand out. The various settings and locales that we see throughout the episode are a nice and unique change of pace from the usual Ponyville setting and look quite cool if I do say so myself. Other than that, there's not much else to say about this episode, good or bad; it's overall a pretty solid but still average episode by Season 2 standards, but I commend it for its serious treatment of Spike and especially exceptional lesson. If you're looking for a solid Spike episode, in my opinion, it's his second-best starring role to date in the show (not counting his shining moments in "The Crystal Empire"), so most definitely a must-watch for fans of Spike.
     





    Some friendships literally last a lifetime. It's well worth remembering, for those who may not have a high estimation of Spike, that he's really Twilight's oldest friend who still sees her on a regular basis.


  20. Batbrony
    Ahhhhh, "Putting Your Hoof Down", or as I like to call it, "The Return of Flutterb*tch"!!! Come on, you know as well as I do we all had a deliciously gratuitous chuckle when we saw that side of Fluttershy return in this episode. Alright, in all seriousness, there's a lot of good to be said about this episode, so let's get right on down to the meat of this review.
     
    So "Putting Your Hoof Down" is the first Fluttershy-centric episode of Season 2, the first actually since "A Bird in the Hoof" back in Season 1. While I don't consider it to be the best of her episodes, I'd say it's definitely in my top three Fluttershy episodes, for a couple of reasons. I guess let's talk about Fluttershy first; in short, she's got a confidence problem. Wait a minute... haven't I seen this episode before? Yes, as those of you well acquainted with this episode may know, one of the frequent criticisms of it is that we'd seen this lesson before for Fluttershy. More than once in fact. In fact, I will certainly admit that, on the surface, this episode is dangerously derivative of past Fluttershy-centric episodes, even if it's not entirely the same. That said, though, how does this differ from past appearances from good ol' Flutters? Well, in "Dragonshy" she had to overcome a fear of an actual, physical being, a dragon. In "Stare Master", she had to learn that she shouldn't underestimate how much work certain responsibilities require, not really so much about confidence besides that she shouldn't be afraid to be assertive for the sake of others who are her responsibility (which we'd already seen a lot in "Dragonshy"). In "Putting Your Hoof Down" however, Fluttershy learns how to be assertive, and not for any other ponies' sake, but simply, her own. At the beginning she's a bit of a doormat, as the episode goes on she goes way too far the other way and ends up becoming a raging terror, but by the end she's struck a nice balance, learning how to be assertive and stick up for herself while remaining her sweet self. It's a good lesson, the execution and pacing of Fluttershy's learning it is quite excellent, and Fluttershy displays a nice bit of character growth in the process. While the lesson she learns may seem a bit redundant on the surface, it is subtly different from those she's learned in the past, and for that reason along with everything else in the episode I'm pretty forgiving of it.
     





    Fie to all those people who say that Fluttershy is cutest po- HNNNNNGGGGGGG, heart attack!!!!!!!!!


     
    So what else works in this episode? Well first of all, Rarity and Pinkie Pie are a blast. I love that only a few of the Mane 6 are involved in this episode instead of the whole group, just because that's a nice change that we didn't always get in Season 1 but saw more and more in Season 2 on a regular basis. In addition, they're simply hilarious both of them, especially during the market scene when they're trying to teach Fluttershy how to be assertive. Pinkie Pie's haggling bit with the tomato stall owner (and later haggling with Iron Will) always leaves me in stitches and is an epic send up to one of the greatest Looney Tune's bits ever, the legendary "Rabbit Season/Duck Season" bit. Finally, they're just great friends throughout and remain at Fluttershy's side through thick and thin, even when she's treating them terribly. Kudos to both of them on being a couple of upstanding ponies!
     





    Right in the nostalgia in the absolute best of ways!!!


     
    Next, Iron Will, the new supporting character of this episode, is a hoot and a holler! Honestly, I love this guy, and who wouldn't; I mean, he's a Mr. T parody for crying out loud! He even says "I pity the pony", how amazing is that?!?! Besides his over-the-top, hilarious behavior, the guy's just an interesting and unique supporting character. I mean, he's a freakin' motivational speaker for crying out loud and a minotaur; no one could honestly have seen this guy coming even in MLP, and it just goes to show how creative Studio B's writers were by this point. Finally, I have to take issue with how so many bronies contend that Iron Will is a secondary antagonist, because, to be frank, he's not! He's quite polite at times throughout the episode, and while he teaches a flawed method of being assertive, he still has good intentions; he wants to teach ponies, probably far more timid than minotaurs are in the MLP universe, how to be assertive, that's hardly a bad thing! Heck, he even learns a little something from Fluttershy at the end, and certainly doesn't cause her any more trouble when she makes it clear that she hasn't been satisfied by his services and won't be paying his fee. Overall, Iron Will's not really a jerk, he just has a big personality and is a bit too aggressive for his own good, but as Fluttershy puts it best, "Iron Will's not a monster. He's a minotaur." Me, I like the guy; always have and always will!
     













    Oh my gosh I love this guy!!! SO MUCH WIN!!!!!!!!!!


     
    Well, that about does it for this review. Not much else to say other than what I've already said. Between nasty Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie/Rarity, and Iron Will, the episode's very funny, has a good lesson for a Fluttershy episode (even if it's a bit redundant on the surface of past lessons), and is all around just a good Season 2 episode. Certainly not the greatest episode in MLP, but definitely a noteworthy one with its own unique feel, and always fun to rewatch that's for sure!
     





    Prepare your butterfly-butt for hugs galore!!!


  21. Batbrony
    Smile. It's a simple enough of a word. It's a pretty straightforward concept. The corners of your mouth turn up when you feel happy, elated, get a chuckle, etc. Most of the time we don't think twice about it when we do it. But in MLP, a show that by this point in its canon had already redefined for many of its viewers the measure we held for friendship in our own lives, "A Friend in Deed" took the simplest of friendly gestures, making someone smile, and turned it on its head, showing viewers how that simple act of kindness and friendship alone can mean all the world to both the person smiling and likewise the person responsible for said smile. So come on everypony, put on a big smile, smile, smile, and let's take a look at "A Friend in Deed", an episode which, in my opinion, while certainly not the first episode that qualified MLP as something that was undeniably special, was possibly the show's big proclamation to the world, not just bronies but anybody who was listening, that it was awesome, it knew it, it loved everything about itself and the messages it preached, and it wasn't about to change a single thing!
     




     
    So seeing as this is basically how the episode starts, after a couple of minutes of Pinkie Pie being her good ol' self of course, let's start by looking at Daniel Ingram's "Smile Song". Simply put, "Smile" is... pure, unadulterated joy. This song... my oh my, this song. It's hard to express just how special this song is to me, and the important mark it's left on the fandom. Yes, there have been plenty of songs in the show more unique, original, or musically interesting than "Smile": "At the Gala", "The Flim Flam Brothers", "This Day Aria", and many more. But up until "A True, True Friend" debuted in "Magical Mystery Cure" at the end of Season 3, "Smile" held a special place in MLP canon, placing it in plenty of regards head and shoulders above any other song in the show. It was, to be quite honest, for the brony fandom the anthem of the show; in less than three and a half minutes, this song perfectly encapsulated everything that makes MLP: FiM such a wonderful show to begin with. Pure, sincere positivity, optimism, happiness, friendship, joy, laughter, and fellowship with anyone and everyone you could share those wonderful feelings with, these things all shine throughout "Smile". Its joyful, upbeat tune and honest lyrics are, plain and simple, the best qualities that the show has to offer in a microcosm. In my humble opinion, if you really want to convince someone that MLP: FiM is a show worth giving a chance at least, you might be actually better off showing them this song than you would showing any one episode even. It is just that good and the only reason that I even hold "A True, True Friend" to be a better song than the "Smile Song" today is simply because "A True True Friend" achieves everything that "Smile" does, but as an ensemble involving the whole Mane 6, rather than just a solo sung by Pinkie Pie, but I tell you, that is literally all that separates the two in terms of quality. It shall remain for all time one of the high points of the show, a moment that any fan will always happily point to as one of their most memorable moments, maybe even the first time they realized just what a special show MLP: FiM really was, and for me, it's probably the scene I look forward to the most every time I rewatch this episode. As far as any shows go, it's about as perfect a moment as you could possibly hope to encounter in even the best of television programs. What more can you say other than smile, smile, smile?
     




    Come on now, be honest, you know damn well you can't help but smile when you listen to this song! Don't fight the feels, embrace them!!!


     
    OK, so now that that picture perfect moment is out of the way, what else is there to cover in this episode? How 'bout Pinkie Pie... duh! Let me start by saying this; I do not think that this episode is possibly Pinkie's finest, her funniest, or even contains the most mature, complex lesson she's had in an episode. There's a whole bevvy of episodes to which each of those respective titles could go to, and "A Friend in Deed" is, in my opinion, not one of them. However, that being said, this episode does deserve one big laudation in its place in Pinkie Pie's canon, starring appearances; it is, in my opinion, the quintessential Pinkie Pie episode. What do I mean by that? Well, every one of the Mane 6 have in my opinion a quintessential episode, which by no means is necessarily their best episode; rather, a quintessential episode for a certain character is that episode which best encapsulates the best qualities that said character has to offer, what really makes them 'them'. For Rarity, it's "Suited for Success", Rainbow Dash, "Sonic Rainboom", etc. (at least, in my opinion it is). For Pinkie Pie, I don't think that any episode really highlights the best qualities that she has to offer, the laughter that she constantly enjoys spreading on a daily basis with as many ponies as possible and the smiles that she lives for seeing other ponies display each and every day, as "A Friend in Deed". The "Smile song" is very much a big part of being responsible for this, but the rest of the episode is as well. Pinkie's reaching out to Cranky Doodle Donkey shows how seriously she treats making other ponies and friends happy, that it's more than just impromptu parties and jokes. Those are just the staples that usually work on a day-to-day basis, but when presented with an individual who is clearly profoundly depressed, someone who life has just worn down, does Ms. Pie bat an eye and hesitate once to help? Buck no she doesn't! Instead, she pours her all into trying everything she can possibly think of and figuring out just how she can put a smile on Cranky's face and become his friend. That is, quite simply, Pinkie Pie when you get down to it, that is who she is, and this episode highlights those qualities and character traits that make her who she is so well that I cannot help but declare this to be her quintessential episode. It may not have the most complex message in the world, or the most in-depth insight into every aspect of Pinkie's character, but there is no denying I think that no other episode so excellently realizes what makes Pinkie Pie such a special pony as "A Friend in Deed".
     




    This episode in a nutshell.


     




    OK, that's pretty accurate too.


     
    Well, now that the two big talking points of the episode have been covered, let's wrap this review up by covering some last few highlights. First, the comedy is gold; Pinkie Pie's her usual hyper-energetic self, and her chipper personality plays off of new character Cranky Doodle Donkey's grumpy old man attitude hilariously, resulting in some very memorable encounters and very Looney Tune-esque physical humor, even more explicit than in "Baby Cakes". Crankey Doodle Donkey is a nice addition to the supporting character cast, and I especially enjoy that he's used to help Pinkie realize that you can still be true friends with someone even if you don't do that many activities together. As long as two people hold true, sincere feelings for one another, they can be great friends, even if they don't display that affection publicly too often. His true love Matilda is lovely as well, and really it was just nice seeing at this point that Studio B was clearly not going to shy away from adding new supporting characters to the show now that it was well established. The animation, especially during "Smile" and some of the chase sequences, was quite impressive; not the most standout the show's ever had, but by this point in Season 2 it was clear that the animators at Studio B had become masters of Flash animation to the point that their normal stood head and shoulders above anybody else's Flash animations. Finally, the lesson, while certainly not the most complex, is still quite lovely; it's nice that the show makes it clear that, while Pinkie Pie is a joy, as is her usual, energetic means of sharing friendship with others, friendship comes in all shapes and sizes, but no matter how brazen or inconspicuous it is, that does not change how special it is. It also highlights that sometimes being a friend with someone can be hard work, that you have to really give your all with some people to truly make them happy and be their friend, but if you truly hold friendship in that high of a regard, any work you have to put into making a friendship work is well worth it.
     




    Cranky Doodle Donkey: he's so BALDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!


     
    Overall, there's really nothing at all wrong with this episode, and it definitely stands out as a benchmark in MLP history, particularly for the "Smile" sequence. If you're looking to watch an episode that has pretty much everything that makes this show such a great and fun show to watch, you can never go wrong with "A Friend in Deed". Take care everypony; to those of you who read this, I can only hope that my review has perhaps at least left a smile on your face.
     




    Even something small as a smile can mean all the world to somepony who life hasn't been too kind to. Never forget that everypony; never, ever forget that.


  22. Batbrony
    Just as we were getting back into the swing of things with the Mane 6, Studio B went and threw another CMC and holiday episode at us all at once in the episode "Hearts and Hooves Day"! Hearts and Hooves Day, an obviously ponified holiday that is to Valentines Day what Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming Eve were to Halloween and Christmas, respectively, is a fun little pony holiday, and while we get far fewer details concerning this holiday (all we know about it really is that it's a special holiday for ponies to celebrate with their very special somepony's... which is an adorable name for a romantic partner if I do say so myself ) than the previous holidays, that's alright since in place of holiday details we get TONS of CMC madness! So, without further ado, let's dive in and take a look at "Hearts and Hooves Day"!
     

    OK... that's so sickeningly adorable it's not even funny.

    So first off, let's talk about the CMC in this episode, since they are after all the main characters. In my humble opinion, this is the best CMC episode the show's had so far, although "One Bad Apple" is a close contender (at the very least it's most definitely the second best CMC episode). Why does it stand head and shoulders above the rest? Couple of reasons. First, it's one of the only CMC episodes that does NOT revolve around their attempting to get their cutie marks; in fact, besides "One Bad Apple", it is the only other CMC episode that equally involves all three of the crusaders that does not, and it was the first one to do so. This is a welcome relief, as it shows the CMC tackling a problem that doesn't involve cutie marks whatsoever; it's just a normal, every day problem. Well... OK, so maybe giving your teacher and one of your member's older brother a love poison isn't really an every day problem, but you get what I mean. It's something outside the box that we're not used to seeing the CMC do, and it gives the audience a nice break from their usual shenanigans.
    Besides that, there's other things that make the CMC stand out in this episode. For one, they're bucking hilarious. "Hearts and Hooves Day" is quite possibly their funniest episode to date, and for good reason. They get into all sorts of mischief first trying to get Cheerilee and Big Mac to date each other and then trying to break them up, and it's really a laugh riot from beginning to end. In fact, it's one of the funniest episodes of MLP to date, which is quite impressive considering Valentines Day episodes in kids shows are generally just average-to-substandard filler episodes without much to them. Second, they sing a delightful little number (although to be fair, most of it's Sweetie Belle (singing voice done by AB's VA Michelle Creber, who has a lovely singing voice for her age), further hinting at her special talent eventually involving singing somehow); actually, "The Perfect Stallion" is their first song since the "Cutie Mark Crusaders Theme Song" way back in Season 1, and this is far more of a proper number than that 80's parody was, and really pleasant to listen to all in all. Finally, they learn a good lesson that you shouldn't try to hook someone up with somebody else against their will, even if you have good intentions and want nothing but the best for both of them. Love takes time and has a way of working things out on its own, and nopony no matter how honest, sincere, or decent their intentions can speed it up. Good lesson, very solid all around and nice to see the CMC learning something that doesn't have to do with cutie marks (besides the 'patience is a virtue' element of the lesson I suppose).
     

    Oh come on, we're not trying to get our cutie marks this week; how much trouble could we possibly get into?

    Besides the CMC, however, the episode is pretty bucking funny for another big reason: Big McIntosh and Ms. Cheerilee. These two, in the biggest roles they've had in the show to date, are hysterical once they drink the love poison given to them by the CMC, and they're even pretty funny when they aren't a couple of lovesick lovebirds! Things just spiral more and more out of control as the episode goes on, and I never tire of seeing their antics while under the love poison's influence. This episode really makes you appreciate the fact that these two are usually soft spoken and very mature characters, because it makes an episode like this all the funnier! The pet-names they come up for each other are too much, and the climax of the episode always leaves me in stitches. Finally, similar to how it's nice seeing the CMC learn a lesson unlike the standard CMC fare, it's a pleasant surprise seeing Big Mac and Cheerilee teach the CMC the lesson they learned, rather than one of the Mane 6. All in all, this episode made me really appreciate both of these supporting characters far more than I had before, and ever since then it's left me vying to see them more than we have. Here's hoping they both have prominent future appearances, and maybe even fall in love sometime down the road (hey, I'm just saying, they're a pretty cute ship, it's undeniable).
     

    He's my shmoopy-doopy sweetie-weety pony pie.

     
    You're my shmoopy-doopy sweetie-weety pony pie.

     
    I think I'm gonna throw up.

     

    Well, that about wraps up this episode review. While it's hardly the most serious episode in the show, "Hearts and Hooves Day" still delivers a solid lesson along with some great laughs that keep on coming the entire episode. It's very entertaining and a nice change from MLP's usual formula, and overall I'd definitely rank it as either the best or second best CMC episode so far that revolves around the entire group. If you're looking for an exceptional Valentines Day episode for a kids show, look no further than "Hearts and Hooves Day"; I guarantee you'll have a blast!
     


    What?! I don't have anymore to say about the episode and that's that! Sheesh... everypony's a critic.
  23. Batbrony
    As far as episodes go, "Read It and Weep" is pretty standard fare for Season 2, which I'd say is slightly better than an episode typical of Season 1, but not much more exceptional than that. That's not to say it's not a delightful episode, it's just there's nothing that really makes it stand out or a really outstanding episode. So then, what do we got here?
    Well, Rainbow Dash discovers the joys of reading; that's pretty much the entire episode in a nutshell. This lesson has appeared in quite a few kids shows over the years, and Rainbow Dash, being the athletic tomcolt that she is, was the obvious choice out of the Mane 6 to learn this lesson. Even the whole "being stuck in bed" trope is pretty standard for this type of episode, but I don't want to say it's cliche; rather, it simply follows an archetype, and follows it perfectly fine, hitting all the right points. Rainbow Dash gets injured. Check. She's stuck in a hospital. Check. She reveals that she thinks reading is lame. Check. When she has nothing else to do, she has to start reading and discovers that, surprise, surprise, it's awesome! Check. Tries to hide it from her friends, but inevitably they discover it after whacky shenanigans ensue and all have a good laugh, plus lesson learned. Check. While the episode certainly isn't that original, it works because it's execution is spot on again and again and again.

    Man, I love reading. I mean, I LOVE reading.

    The finest parts of the episode honestly probably come in the Daring Do sequences. An obvious homage to Indiana Jones, one can't help but get sucked into her sequences. The grainy animation and exotic setting make it refreshingly unique, and that along with Rainbow Dash's exuberant narration really help visually convey how a good book can quite literally transport the reader to a new land. She also has a lovely design, even if it's a bit redundant of RD's, but it works for an adventurous explorer character like herself, and the color scheme is different enough from RD's that it's not too noticeable. Finally, she's just fun to watch; this is her only appearance thus far, but despite having only a few lines she's really charismatic and her sequences are extremely entertaining. If Daring Do ever pops up in any future episodes (although considering she's a fictional character within the MLP universe itself I doubt that'll ever happen), I for one would have no complaints.
     

    Daring Do: she's kind of a boss.

    Besides Daring Do, Rainbow Dash is a lot of fun in this episode, particularly when she's learning to love reading more and more and during her hoodie-ninja sequence at the end of the episode. She also has quite a few cute moments, again, most of them as she's discovering how awesome reading is and trying to retrieve the book from the hospital at the end. The Mane 6 are pretty entertaining too for the few scenes they're in (I always find Rarity's comment about a good book being "almost as magnificent as silk pajamas on a Sunday morning" to be especially amusing). Twilight's pretty adorkable as she's trying to sell Rainbow on the joys of reading. But overall there's not too much to say about this episode. As I said before, it's pretty standard fare for Season 2; that's certainly not a bad thing, it's just a fact that it's hardly one of the most standout episodes in MLP. It's just the right amount of funny and exciting blended with a nice, very relevant lesson that's delivered solidly, and I like it just the way it is for what it is.
     

    Reading: it's awesome, plain and simple.
    Do it... like, as much as you can. I mean it. Like... right now! Go go, scoot, bury your head in the wondrous pages of a good book young scholars!!!
  24. Batbrony
    What the heck is she doing?

     
    I have no idea.

    Ah, "Baby Cakes", this is a fun episode! Don't have too much to say about it since so much of it revolves around shenanigans and physical humor, but I still got plenty of positive points to highlight, so let's begin.
    First, I guess I'll start by saying that, out of all of Pinkie Pie's episode, I actually think that this one has the best lesson of all, if only because it's actually touching on a fairly mature subject: responsibility, in particular, the responsibility of taking care of children. This entire lesson is actually more contrary to Pinkie Pie's character than I think any other lesson she's had to learn in the show. Responsibility doesn't entail any partying, fun time shenanigans, R and R... in a word, anything that is Pinkie Pie's specialty. She loves spreading smiles and laughs, but to be honest, sometimes doing what needs to be done doesn't involve smiles and laughs (even if it can at times), just a lot of hard work, sweat, and toil, and that's alright, and Pinkie learns in the course of the episode just as much. The other thing I love about the lesson is not only that Pinkie jumps headfirst, especially in the second half, into proving that she's responsible, but also come to the mature realization that, despite her best efforts, it's OK sometimes to admit that you may not be capable enough to tackle something, even if you really want to. Overall, as funny as it is, this episode as I said before has a mature lesson that (1) responsibility requires putting in great work and effort and (2) sometimes despite our best efforts we still may not be fully prepared for something, but it's important that we know our limits and can admit as much. This is why it stands out to me as probably the best lesson Pinkie Pie's learned in any of her episodes, seeing as it's such a mature lesson and Ms. Pie is usually the anti-thesis of mature!
     

    This guy is officially father of the year!!!

    So what else works? Well, first of all, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake are a wonderful addition to the show's cast (who I wish would show up more often). They're adorable, it's interesting learning some about how foal's behave in the MLP universe, and the shenanigans they get into with Pinkie Pie are priceless. It's also nice seeing Mr. and Mrs. Cake get elevated in status as a result of their twins' birth; besides Shining Armor and Cadance and Rarity's parents, to date they're the only married couple we've seen on the show, and probably the most extensively seen married couple at that. It's nice seeing also their tackling the everyday responsibilities of parents and businessponies like a couple of pros, and this episode definitely raised my measure of them substantially. Finally, the humor... oh boy, this is a funny episode!
     


    Are we supposed to be laughing or terrified?

     
    I don't know!!!

    This is probably one of the funniest episodes in the entire show, and that's saying a lot considering how spot on the humor usually is in MLP. I like to describe the humor here as very Looney Tune-esque; there's a big emphasis throughout on physical humor and shenanigans, along with a solid blend of Pinkie Pie either talking to herself or the babies, mixed in with a few 4th wall breaking moments (of course... I mean, it is Pinkie Pie! ). The increasingly nightmarish babysitting gig is hilarious to behold as events spiral more and more out of control, and all in all it makes for just one heck of a fun episode, plain and simple. Overall, "Baby Cakes" is an extremely entertaining episode with a great lesson, great laughs, and some wonderful additions to the MLP cast. Not much else to say other than it's most definitely worth a rewatch if you're looking for some high quality entertainment and laughs!
  25. Batbrony
    Of all the episodes in Season 2, I would say that none turned out to be more surprising than "Family Appreciation Day". The interesting thing about the episode is that, while most of it is largely average, it still contains one of the most beautiful scenes in MLP history, a wonderful addition to MLP canon that makes this episode truly standout when it easily could've just been a forgettable episode. So let's jump right into this review!
    Let's cover the standard fare of this episode first, that which deceives the viewer for most of the episode into thinking that it's just a fairly normal episode. First of all, the lesson is kind of glaringly obvious from the start; you know once it's apparent that Apple Bloom is going to have to bring Granny Smith to Family Appreciation Day that, after some whacky shenanigans, she's going to learn a lesson about not underestimating anypony, especially your family, and having faith that they'll come through for you. Second, the pacing for most of the episode is pretty rushed; to be fair, there's a lot going on, and the episode is also trying to leave plenty of time for the final scene, but still for first-time viewers it can just seem a bit rushed at times, at least for the first two-thirds of the episode. Finally, the Apple Bloom-Diamond Tiara interactions in this episode get a little old, if only because Diamond Tiara really got unlikable in my opinion starting in this episode. I mean, wow, we get it DT, you don't like Apple Bloom and you've apparently made it your sole purpose in life to torment her in whatever way you can possibly imagine! Sheesh, give it a rest already!!!
    OK, now that that's out of the way, what makes this episode exceptional despite these mediocre qualities. Well first of all, placing the focus on Granny Smith. This creative decision, like so many in Season 2, really came out of left field and threw many for a loop. Granny Smith up until this point had been nothing more really than a minor supporting character, practically equivalent to a background character with a few lines here and there, usually only good for a quick laugh or two in an episode. Here though, she's a costar alongside Apple Bloom, and in the course of this episode, we learn her backstory and more about her personality, and discover that she really is the matriarch of the Apple Family. She may be plenty eccentric and have some kooky mannerisms, but by the end it's clear that she's a really remarkable pony who's led a remarkable life, and suddenly she just became one of the coolest supporting characters in all of MLP. She's quirky, funny, quick-witted, isn't afraid to be who she is even if her mannerisms raise some eyebrows, but most importantly of all, she loves her family and would do anything for them. All in all, this episode resulted in Granny Smith emerging as a far more interesting character than any of us could have ever imagined prior to its debut, and for that I laud it.
     

    Don't let her age deceive you; this filly is one AWESOME granny!!!

    Second, Zap Apple Season. Like Granny Smith, Zap Apple Season starts off as something that just seems like it's going to be a plot point in this episode, not something all that interesting. However, as the episode continues, we see more and more of it, without being given too much. It's a strange phenomenon unique to the Ponyville/Everfree Forest area, and the viewer can't help but be drawn in by all the bizarre steps leading up to the Zap Apples blooming, wondering just what in the name of Celestia it's all about. And then the ending comes and we suddenly learn that Zap Apples, it turns out, have actually been far more important in Ponyville's history than we ever could have imagined. In fact, were it not for Zap Apples, there might not be any Ponyville. At that point, Zap Apples for me became one of the coolest additions to MLP canon in all of Season 2, and the only shame of it all is that we might never get to see them show up in the show again. Ah well, still a cool bit of canon!
     


    Rainbow apples?!?! What's next, a sonic rainboom??? THESE LOOK AMAZING!!! (For the record, I really, really, really, really, REALLY wanna know what these taste like!)
    Before I cover my final point that truly makes the episode stand out, I'll cover some miscellaneous points as well. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like Filthy Rich (or as like to call him, Mitt Romney pony), or the Rich family in general (besides Diamond Tiara of course). Sure he may be from what we know about him a fairly negligent father who doesn't know what a brat his daughter really is, but besides that he seems like a cool dude. He certainly appreciates Granny Smith and the Apples for all the hard work they do and the central roles both of their families have played in founding and building up Ponyville, he runs a successful business which I'm certainly not gonna knock him for, and all around he seems like a pretty chill, upstanding dude. Animation is pretty spot on as well, especially during some of the impressive Zap Apple Season sequences as well as the recounting of Ponyville's founding. The timberwolves make their first appearance in MLP in this episode, and they have certainly proven to be a cool addition to the extensive list of canon creatures. Finally the humor's spot on, from Granny Smith's quirky mannerisms to the CMC's shenanigans.
    Finally, however, I have to talk about the third act of the episode. THIS is what truly sealed the deal and makes this episode a standout. Granny Smith's retelling of Ponyville's history is a beautiful, fairly epic, and even somewhat awe inspiring sequence of events. Hearing how so few ponies were responsible because of their bravery, perseverance, hard work and tenacity for founding a town that so many ponies now call home is really quite amazing, not to mention the whole sequence is treated with appropriate reverence and respect by the writers. Besides a few physical gags, there's really no humor, and the writers just play it very straightforward. It also sheds light on how the most seemingly normal of figures are really sometimes the most remarkable and just as easily capable of accomplishing some extraordinary things. It places a great emphasis on the importance of history (discussed far more extensively in my review of "Hearth's Warming Eve" for those interested), and finally it shows not just what a remarkable pony Granny Smith really is, but also how humble she really is that she doesn't go about bragging about this all the time. All she does is go on with her life, doing the work she needs to do and loving her family, cause in the end that's all she needs to be happy. Overall, it's an extraordinary five minute sequence and one of the most beautiful in all of MLP, and it's largely responsible for making this episode as a whole exceptional at all. First time I saw it, I was completely taken off guard and blown away, and to this day it still gets to me.
     

    I was going to give you New Jersey, but you're a handsome stallion whose view I enjoy admiring, so here, have an uninhabited swamp surrounded by a deadly forest! I'm sure you, your wife, those two other stallions, and filly daughter will have not trouble at all settling it!

    So that's "Family Appreciation Day". While as a whole the episode is by no means among the absolute greatest in MLP canon, it is still very exceptional and contains a fantastic third act that qualifies it as well worth a rewatch any time. If you're looking for an episode with some interesting canon about Ponyville, along with a seldom seen supporting character getting to go in the spotlight in the best way possible, then this might just be the episode for you!
     

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