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Stellafera

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  1. Stellafera
    Actually, 4, but one of them doesn't quite fit into the hate triangle, and that doesn't make for a snappy title. But yes, I engineered most of these characters specifically to be ponies who would majorly piss each other off, which is probably at least a little unique. I have been playing around with them all in my head for a while (especially my favorites, Moraine and Silent Night), and I thought I would reveal them to the world now. I don't have a particular fanfic or roleplay in mind; I just like toying with these ponies. Since I am NOT a drawing sort of artist, I used the pony creators to show color and the rough idea of each of their appearances. Any inaccuracies will be noted, as well as cutie marks because I didn't draw those either:
     
    The "Mane" 3
     
    Moraine:
     
     
     
    Moraine's Opinions On The Other Two:
     
     
     
     
    Vesta:
     
     
     
    Vesta's Opinions On The Other Two:
     
     
     
     
    Bright Lights:
     
     
     
     
    Bright Lights' Opinions On The Other Two:
     
     
     
     
    And Number Four
     
    Silent Night:
     
     
     
     
    Silent Night's Opinions On The Other Three:
     
     
     
  2. Stellafera
    So it's nice to think that Stellafera likes Apple Family Reunion wholly because it's deeeeeep and has character development and whatnot, but that's not true. Contrary to what they forced me to say on that MLP Forums Conspiracy thread, I am human, after all. I don't like things just for logical reasons. Only about half of my appreciation for the episode is cerebral and thoughtful. The other half is APPLEJACK BEING AMAZINGLY AMAZING AT BEING AMAZING. AMAZINGLY.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadllddddddlALL YOUR ARGUMENTS NOW INVALID
     
    Applejack starts the episode BY LOOKING SUPER HAPPY AND MAKING AWESOME COMMENTS BECAUSE SHE IS A HILARIOUS GENIUSSS.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    Applejack is BEST AND HARDWORKING AND UP FOR ANY CHALLENGE JUST LIKE THAT NO ADVANCE WARNING BECAUSE THAT'S HOW BEST PONY ROLLS AND YOU BETTER DEAL WITH IT OR ELSE YOU WILL BE FORCED TO LOOK AT AJ CRYING GIFs FOR HOURS.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    Applejack is super practical and focused and SUPER SMART because she can figure out that cryptic as heck Granny Smith method and I know I couldn't but I guess that's why I'm not BEST PONY then and I bet even Twilight COULDN'T GET THAT BECAUSE SHE ISN'T AWESOME ENOUGH
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    APPLEJACK ENJOY YOUR INFINITY HUGS BECAUSE YOU ARE SO STRONG AND YOU ARE AN ORPHAN AND YOU JUST DEAL WITH IT BUT YOU STILL NEED THE HUGS ON THE INSIDE AND YOU TOTALLY DESERVE THEM ALL BTW YOU ARE LIKE BEST SISTER EVER BUT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL THE IMAGES OF YOUR AMAZINGNESS LIKE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO MAN
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    I feel kinda bad for the other ponies here I mean THEY CANT EVEN COMPETE EVERYTHING THEY DO AJ IS BETTER PINKIE PIE BOUNCES BUT AJ DOES IT CUTER TWILIGHT MAKES LISTS BUT AJ MAKES BETTER ONES RARITY'S HAIR GOES ALL SUITED FOR SUCCESS BUT AJ'S IS JUST SO FLUFFY like again Im sorry guys its not your fault its just that you arent Applejack like Twilight your destiny is being an alicorn and Rainbow Dash you do the sonic rainboom and AJ's destiny is BEING AMAZING its a fact of life sorry have a nice day
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    THIS IS THE MOST ADORABLE THING IN MY LIFE EVER I DONT EVEN CARE IF I USED THIS LIKE 5 TIMES BEFORE SHES JUST SO HAPPY YOU KNOW WHAT THIS CALLS FOR I KNOW I SAID AJ GETS INFINITY HUGS BUT I WAS WRONG SHE GETS INFINITY PLUS ONE HUGS ON TOP OF INFINITY ALSO FOR AJ THAT RACE IS SUPER EASY THATS WHY SHE MADE IT LIKE THAT BECAUSE SHE'S A FREAKING BAD*** AND SHE JUST DOES THIS ALL IN HER SLEEP ALL DAY EVERY DAY ITS HER MORNING ROUTINE SO SHE JUST EXPECTS THAT EVERYONE CAN BE AS AWESOME AS HER BUT
     
     
     
     
    And how do you even make apple fritters awesomely I don't know but APPLEJACK CAN so I guess you better ask her after you are done with DYING ON THE FLOOR SQUEEING how can you make cooking apple fritters adorable I dunno but APPLEJACK CAN how do you make taking pictures adorable please applejack teach me I like photography I want to be adorable at doing photography but I CANT
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    SHES JUST SO EXCITE THAT IT WILL WORK IT IS INFECTIOUS LIKE WORSE THAN CHOLERA BUT BETTER BECAUSE ITS APPLEJACK OH AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WINGNUT THEY ONLY GO TO HER HAT BECAUSE APPLEJACK WANTED THEM TO MAKE A RAINBOW AND WHEN APPLEJACK SAYS SOMETHING YOU LISTEN
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    OH NOES APPLEJACK NEEDS LIKE INFINITY HUGS NO WAIT INFINITY PLUS ONE OH NO I ALREADY DID THAT WELL ALL THOSE OTHER INFINITIES WERE LIKE 1, 2, 3, 4... INFINITIES AND THIS ONE CONTAINS ALL THE FRACTIONS AND NEGATIVES SO ITS LIKE INFINITY INFINITY MORE HUGS I DONT KNOW MATH OKAY I JUST KNOW APPLEJACK NEEDS HER HUGS GIVE ME A BREAK HERE GUYS NO DONT GIVE ME A BREAK GO AND HELP APPLEJACK MAKE IT BETTER OR ELSE YOU HAVE TO WATCH SAD AJ GIFS WHILE THE MOST DEPRESSING MUSIC IN YOUR LIFE PLAYS OVER AND OVER AGAIN NO WAIT THATS THIS SCENE I CANT EVEN BOLD THAT ANYMORE MLP FORUMS YOU BETTER FIX THAT SO I CAN EXPRESS MY FEELINGS HERE
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    But then its okay and EVERYTHING IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD BECAUSE APPLEJACK GETS A SONG AND ASLEIGH BALL IS FABULOUS 100% NO DOUBT AND SHE JUST SWINGS IN HERE LIKE SWAG AND HER FAMILY IS PRETTY BOSS TOO OF COURSE NOT BOSS AS APPLEJACK BUT THEY ARE RELATED TO HER YOU KNOW AND APPLEJACKS PARENTS AGAIN AND MY LIFE IS NOW COMPLETE NO WAIT IT ISNT I NEED MORE APPLEJACK
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    dasdasasdasdsdasddasdasdasdsddadsslltMeh. I've seen better.
  3. Stellafera
    So, I've been thinking. I say that I like Apple Family Reunion a lot, but I've never really said why I liked it before, have I? And, well, part of it is just that I like Applejack a whole lot, and this episode had a whole lot of Applejack. But, seeking more rational answers, I decided to review my third favorite episode in the entire series.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadlldddddddasfsfffsffsafUh, is this thin' on?
     
    First, even without any subtext, this is a solid episode. It has good pacing, humorous moments, and the moral is well displayed. Sweet Apple Acres provides some great scenery to work with, and the music fits the mood very nicely. New and old members of the Apple family are introduced seamlessly, and it's just polished all around. Yep.
     
    So, how about Applejack's parents? I had already been in the camp that her parents were deceased, but that was just fanon until this episode. Fanon that makes the entire character of Applejack, especially in this episode, make sense.
     
    I love the past. Flashbacks, callbacks, all that stuff. It's just such a tremendous source of insight and understanding, and makes you truly understand the present and maybe even hint towards the future. In 2011, I got into personality type theory, which made me look inside myself. At first, it was just a fun little thing and I wanted to find out what type I was (ISTJ and a 6w7 3w2 1w9, by the way). But my questions and searches into theory led me into a journey of self discovery, and in the process, I found some underlying patterns in my life, and where those patterns came from (heheh, my extroverted intuition shadow is showing). The reason why this is relevant is because learning about where I came from told me a lot about who I was. And that lesson was reinforced by a certain television show known as Avatar: The Last Airbender. It sounds cheesy, but there was a very powerful message that I found in the show, which was that everyone is shaped by their past.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadaddaddsdliWhereupon I gained +20 in my empathy stat.
     
    Still wondering why this is relevant? Well, first, it was about the past, but also, it relates to Applejack here. Applejack is the character in the show with the most vividly painted past, and yet very little of it is actually shown directly. But it's the way she looked at the shooting stars, the way she gently tucks Applebloom into bed at night, the way she stays up all night to plan the perfect reunion, her absolutely crushing disappointment when she realizes she's being doing it all wrong... And don't even get me started on the way she acts in her other episodes. I need to keep this about Apple Family Reunion!
     
    So, I'll move away from the subject of the past for a little. What about the present? Applejack is clearly sympathetic in this episode, but she is also clearly making everyone else miserable. All of her positive traits are working against her, which makes this not a simple episode, like I have seen it described as. The Apple family doesn't just completely despise her, which would have felt fake and cruel. They are very proud of her enthusiasm, but they'd appreciate it if she stopped trying so darn hard. And for Applejack, who values hard work above anything, this is not an easy lesson to swallow. I mean, in Applebuck Season, it's not hard to see stubbornness as a bad trait. Not so black and white when the issue is that Applejack wants to make her family happy.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadaddaddsdlissllllSegue into symbolism! Also, this face.
     
    Not just her living family, either. Applejack wants to make sure not to dishonor the memory of her parents or of those who "might not be able to make it to the next one". Again, this is another instance where this episode surpasses Applebuck Season. There are more motivations than pride here, and more selflessness too. Despite presenting itself as a simple slice of life story, Apple Family Reunion has a lot going on.
     
    Speaking of kindheartness and selflessness, there's that quiet scene (with some funny moments) between Applejack and Applebloom on the night before the reunion. It really emphasizes Applejack's role as not only a sisterly figure to Applebloom, but a motherly one too. Applejack seems to be both the matriarch of the family and a young adult; I got the sense that she may actually be one of the youngest of the Mane 6 from this episode.
     
    Finally, there's the ending, which, considering some of Applejack's motivations for her actions and how much effort she put into the reunion, was a very heartwarming moment for her. However, in a way, it's a great moment for all the Apple family, as described eloquently by ByTheTides:
     
     
    So, not only was it a good episode for Applejack, but also for her family. Again; no matter how annoyed they were with some members of the family, it was obvious that they loved and cared about each other, and the Raise This Barn song is both very catchy and very good at showing it off. Applejack is unique among the Mane 6 for her familial focus. Apple Family Reunion expertly kept the focus on Applejack and relayed the importance of family to her. And considering how many pacing issues there were this season *cough cough* MAGICAL MYSTERY CURE *cough cough*, this is impressive.
     
    Thank you, Apple Family Reunion. I had a really hard time choosing my favorite Applejack episode before you came out. My choice has now been vastly simplified.
  4. Stellafera
    My current PMV in progress uses a technique, pictured below, that makes the video take a long time to finish (I started working on it in between No Good Deed and My Little Switcharoo Episode 2), so I figured it might be nice to give my friends at MLPforums a teaser:
     

     
    And some bloopers!
     

     

     

  5. Stellafera
    Because everyone's in a meta mood today and I want to make a forced meme about a joke only I found funny in a random blog post about The Mysterious Mare Do Well. I present to you:
     
    Stellafera Reacts To MLP As Rainbow Dash!
     
    You can use it in response to threads about best episodes...
     

     
    Best writers...
     

     
    Or just general Stellafera-isms!
     

     

     

     

  6. Stellafera
    So, I heard you didn't like The Mysterious Mare Do Well. And you heard that I liked it. And you said that it was a bad episode. More specifically, an episode that was bad for Rainbow Dash. Now, if I were the high-flying pegasus myself, I'd say this in response:
     

     
    However, I'll be a wee bit more diplomatic about it. I find a lot of validity in the claims criticizing the actions of the rest of the Mane 6 here, so you aren't going to see me defending that. My main focus is to argue that not only was Rainbow Dash characterized well in this episode (hehe), but it was one of the best characterizations of her.
     
    Let's get down to our first order of business. I haven't seen any complaints for the cold open, so I'll just echo everyone else and say that it was sweet, funny, and maintaining continuity. It also introduced RD as a celebrity, which is obviously further developed later into the episode.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda\
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadllddddddOkay, seriously, who could hate this?
     
    After the theme song, we find Dash lazing around in the clouds. Yet another example of character continuity (RD's laziness), check. Not so OOC now, huh? But when she hears a little filly in trouble, she doesn't even hesitate to dash and save her. I love this scene, and the animators deserve pats on the back for their work here. Her expressions say everything. She is surprised and even a little uncomfortable confronting such a large crowd of spectators, but they press on that she is totally awesome, despite her humble dismissals. And with a blush and a smile, Rainbow Dash begins her fall. In the moment where she flies away, she realizes that she likes this attention. When she deliberately seeks it next time, she's richly rewarded. And again, and again. It's an addiction of sorts. By the time the titular Mare Do Well show up, it's completely consumed her. Rainbow Dash, the hero, is gone. Enter Rainbow Dash, the tragic villain. Tragic, you ask? Why tragic?
     
    Because, as she gets worse and worse, I still felt sympathetic for her. It was really more of the unwitting crowd's fault that Rainbow Dash became such an arrogant jerk. Whenever she acted attention seeking, they loved it. They showered praise on her and they seemed to love her even more. Is there any wonder why she became so egotistical and so desperate to get noticed? The love of Ponyville made her feel like the best pegasus in the world.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasd dddlllPictured Above: Beloved episode, beloved episode, not beloved episode.
     
    And if there's any pony who would desire that ego boost, it'd be RD. Sonic Rainboom, sometimes considered to be the definitive Dash episode, displays Rainbow Dash's hidden insecurity. So does Read It And Weep. People loved her in both of those episodes. Why not this one? Everything about her behavior in The Mysterious Mare Do Well betrays a clear lack of any true self confidence and a need to have it be validated. This is part of the reason why her friends' choice to create a persona who exists to make Rainbow Dash feel inferior was kind of a jerk move.
     
    Fast fowarding to her monologue on the cloud now. This was a real moment for me. Ashleigh Ball gives a great performance, and through almost the entire sequence, you can hear that RD is on the verge of crying. I felt really bad for her. Did she bring it upon herself? Yes, technically, but how would you feel if everyone was your biggest fan, everyone loved you, and then suddenly some new person comes in and your adoring fans treat you like a waste of space? And furthermore, Rainbow Dash has no idea how this happened. All of her attention seeking before made everyone love her! What changed? Rainbow Dash is not exactly someone who has a high level of self awareness. When she tries to figure out why, she lists off only the surface aspects. There's something sad about how shallow she thinks the appreciation of her is.
     
    This scene only became better upon rewatch, now that Rainbow Dash has become a much more mature character. There's the answer right in front of her, but she can't quite reach it yet on her own. If this were Season 3, she'd have a moment of realization right there. It took the whole Mare Do Well thing for her to do it here. I just like being reminded of how the characters have grown and changed.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
     
    So, I think that while The Mysterious Mare Do Well has its flaws (namely, that it makes you root for the wrong side), it's an episode that really shines a light on some of Rainbow Dash's flaws and her fears. An episode doesn't have to be good all around to have something to offer, and Mare Do Well proves it. Since I was being all serious-y and stuff for most of this blog post, I neglected to mention a few other things I liked about this episode:
    It's still a visually and audiorially impressive episode even in light of the amazing art quality of Season 3. There are a few odd faces, as the animators were experimenting with some new types of expressions at this point, but you have amazing vistas and some excellent camera angles and framing. The music is also top notch, with little trills and touches to enhance each scene.
    It's hilarious, one of the funniest episodes in the series. "Another great feat of heroism! I have just saved this grass!" gets me every time. Everyone in the cast was really hamming it up.

    So, yeah, that's why I liked The Mysterious Mare Do Well. And if I were Rainbow Dash, well, now I'd say this on behalf of the episode, with Amethyst Star/Sparkler featured as most of the rest of the brony fandom's reaction to it and perhaps this whole analogy:
     

  7. Stellafera
    THE TALE OF TWO CREATURES THAT DEVOUR YOUR NIGHTMARES
     
    so I was sitting playing Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance when all of a sudden there was a dream eater named the mothafuddin 'Me Me Bunny' and it's description said "it knows bun-fu" and I was all RIKU NEEDS A BUNNY AND HE NEEDS IT TO BE NAMED XION
     
    because I had a naming theme where Riku named all his dream eaters after Sora-related things and Sora named his after Riku things
     
    (that is why I named my Meow Wow 'Highwind')
     
    well due to a 30% chance I got a MORE HARDCORE bunny and I was all "all right dude"
     
    because I know that Riku would love that bunny and it would be his favorite and he would pet it all damn day
     
    To those not in the know, Xion was a person relevant to Sora who got mind-wiped from everyone's memories. Occasionally they still unconciously bring her up, though.
     
    -----
     
    MEANWHILE IN SORA'S STORY
     
    Sora seems more like the type for giant friggen animals and keeping with my naming theme I had to give the next one a name and furthermore give it the name of a person so that Sora and Riku could match
     
    the result was a T-Rex (painted black for darkness) 3 1/2 times the size of Sora named Ansem as unfortunately Ansem, Seeker of Everlasting Darkness was a little too long
    -----
     
    And Ansem would, whether he liked it or not, be Riku's new pet.
     
    You see, the third party slot is able to be filled by dream eaters already in one of the the main two party slots of Sora. Or visa versa. Basically, it doesn't fight in battle, but it does gain XP.
     
    My headcanon is that Sora and Riku respectively found these as strays with a collar and name tag in their games. Riku likes small pets and generally more domesticated pets, I determined. Sora, again, wants to ride a huge tiger and considers his giant ram weighing thousands of pounds to be a sweet little fellow.
     
    Imagine Riku's shock when he finds a giant T-Rex spirit named Ansem following him and wanting treats.
     
    ------------
     
    Sora sucks with Xion. Really. He thinks he should be good at animals, but... ah... this rabbit hates him. It knows that this boy is not Riku and Xion Bunny is not happy about that. Sora smiles and puts her in his backpack since he has other ones fighting.
     
    She tries to kick him more than once.
     
    There's just a little person inside of Sora that makes him want to keep this rabbit against his better judgement, though.
     
    -----------
     
    Riku decides to adopt this... giant... sharp-toothed... thing because he fears the havok it would cause if left to its own devices. The name makes him nervous and he really hates seeing Xion and Kingdom Key (his kitten) get anywhere near it.
     
    -----
     
    Xion and Ansem, meanwhile, get along splendidly.
     
    -----
     
    Riku is in the World that Never Was, desperately looking for Sora and having not much but dream eaters for company for months. So maybe he was a little stir crazy when he named his final dream eater and in fact the final one of the game something... unusual.
     
    ----
     
    You see, Sora got a nickname by my sisters and I when we were playing Chain Of Memories: Bilbo Baggy Pants.
     
    (then it was Bilbo Baggy Panties but since that idea was conceived very late at night it does not count)
     
    Unfortunately, that name went over the maximum letters allowed.
     
    I had to come up with a shorter form.
     
    ------
     
    "Bilbo B-bag!" Riku happily chirps.
     
    ------
     
    After the completion of the game, Sora decides to tell Riku about his little naming scheme.
     
    "Hey, hey, you wanted the name Highwind for the raft right? WELL GUESS WHAT I FINALLY USED IT"
     
    ------
     
    "That race was two years ago, Sora."
     
    -----
     
    "I still won, though, and that's why the raft was not Highwind!"
     
    Besides, once Riku revealed he did the same sort of thing with his dream eaters, they were eve-XION BUNNY?
     
    -----
     
    "Xion is a gentle creature and you would know that if you ever took care of her properly. Oh, and that time, I just named her that because it sounded nice. I don't know anyone named Xion."
     
    -----
     
    "I don't know that girl either."
     
    Wait, what? What girl? Eh, whatever. More importantly...
     
    "HOW COULD YOU HATE ANSEM?"
     
    -----
     
    "When you release a giant t-rex named after my worst nemesis into the wild, it's a little disconcerting."
     
    -----
     
    Fine... Sora supposes Riku had the victory there.
     
    -----
     
    "But Bilbo B-Bag"
     
    ----
     
    Retract the previous statement.
  8. Stellafera
    NO SPOILERS PLEASE. It ruins the fun for both me and you; me for obvious reasons, you because you can't see my completely blind reactions to this show. And as they say... there are no spoilers in Stella Fera Se. Except for the myriad ones for A:TLA that mean that DashForever should stop brohoofing these because that means he is reading them and SPOILERS.






     
    In this edition of Stellafera Watches LOK, half of the story made me take the side of someone that I did not expect to, half of the story had one thing that made me RAEG, and some of my surprisingly accurate predictions come true yet again. It's time for Stellafera to review Out Of The Past.
     

    My reaction shot for this episode took a ridiculously long time to find.


     
    Tarrlock displays such dedication towards being as terrible as possible that it's almost admirable. He freaking electrocutes himself just so that he can say that he and Korra were attacked by the Equalists when she goes missing. Devotion.
     
    I expected that Korra was going to reach the Avatar state in that cage, but instead we have her connect with Aang in meditation. Prediction correct! I really like the voices they chose for the adult characters. They are all different (especially Aang), but you can see roots of their adult voices in what they sounded like in A:TLA. While Toph was my least favorite member of the original Team Avatar by a wide margin, I really liked adult Toph. She retains a bit of her immaturity, no matter how old she is.
     

    "Accused of bloodbending? THOUSAND YEARS DUNGEON."


     
    So, about Mako. He's the one that I didn't expect to take the side of but did. While I had issues with him in this episode, I didn't dislike him as much as everyone else seemed to. A large part of it is thanks to my powerful anti-shipping goggles. I don't think Mako's behavior here is entirely romantic (although the carrying Korra in his arms at the end RIGHT IN FRONT OF ASAMI did annoy me greatly and his interrogation of the guard was completely out of character). Mako has a tendency to be overbearingly protective of people, just like Katara.
     
    But you know what? The only thing that stops Mako from being as great of a character as Katara are BUCKING LOVE TRIANGLES. Imagine this season if you removed the love triangles. It would fix almost every characterization problem. There is no depth added because of the love triangles. They are not really significant to the overall plot. The ONLY good thing that came out of them was the Bolin flowers meme.
     

    Still flawless.


     
    Anyways, we continue with the flashback and OMG SOKKA. Adult Sokka is perfect. There is no way to improve upon him. None. A comment on "Mark Watches The Legend Of Korra" explains:
    Hi again, I'm still invisible
     
    Considering that Sokka from the original A:TLA was exactly like me in almost every way, I do hope that I continue in this respect and grow up to be like Sokka. So, bloodbending. Argh, if Katara were in this scene, she would've just stopped Yakone in ten seconds flat. I wonder what is is exactly that lets Yakone bloodbend in broad daylight and not Katara or Hama. Hama probably never thought she could outside of the full moon, and Katara would never want to bloodbend again anyways. That's my theory. Aang taking away Yakone's bending is justified, but it does put you on edge thanks to the show conditioning you to react that way. Very clever.
     
    AND THEN THE THING THAT MAKES ME RAEG happens. Tarrlock loses influence, and Amon takes his bending away. He barely got to be in control for an episode and a half! While this does thankfully prevent Tarrlock from being Amon, I wanted Tarrlock to be threat until the end of the season. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I want Tarrlock back. Thankfully, the LOK fandom is ready to fix terrible things yet again:
     

     
    Naga saves Korra's life, but this merely confirms my theory that naga is actually Amon. First, we've never heard Naga's voice. It could be Amon's! Ever notice that Naga goes missing at the same time as Korra? NOT A COINCIDENCE. And Naga only comes to save Korra AFTER we see Amon watch Korra roll down the hill. He actually did plan on doing something about that; he took off his Amon mask and it turned him back into a polar bear dog. It's all part of the plan. Finally, Amon is so competent because he constantly spies on Korra as Naga. Nobody thinks to keep secrets away from the polar bear dog. It shall be their downfall.
     
    Mark my words. Naga is going to be the mastermind behind this whole season. Just you wait.
  9. Stellafera
    NO SPOILERS PLEASE. It ruins the fun for both me and you; me for obvious reasons, you because you can't see my completely blind reactions to this show. And as they say... there are no spoilers in Stella Fera Se. Except for the myriad ones for A:TLA that mean that DashForever is NOT allowed to read this.






     
    Well... I'm glad I made some of my predictions before watching this episode. Very definitively glad. This episode reminded me of The Day Of Black Sun (for starters, it had a similar middle-season placement), and that is a Good Thing. In some ways, And The Winner Is... confirmed a lot of my expectations. In others... not so much.
     

    My reaction to this episode in a nutshell.


     
    Okay, the use of posters of Tahno as target practice was pretty funny. Also, cabbage corporation? The creators of this show are just so gleefully aware of their fandom. Also, apparently Bolin takes all the best parts from everybody in the old show; he wore the Wang Fire mustache in episode 3 and does impressions almost as well as Zuko in episode 4 and this one.
     
    And then Amon takes over the radio and ruins all the fun. Again. Team Korra heads to the city hall immediately to confront the council, and the most shocking plot twist thus far is revealed; Tarrlock actually has a moral compass! He calls Team Korra out on valuing pro-bending above the safety of everyone involved and the tenuous peace between benders and non-benders in the city.
     



     
    Team Korra argues that pro-bending is the only place where benders and non-benders interact without hostility, but I'm taking Tarrlock's side here. Amon is obviously planning something with the next match, and pro-bending is a sport that glorifies benders; this can very easily be exploited by the Equalists as evidence of the marginalization of non-benders. Suddenly, Lin Beifong!
     
    She provides a decentish argument against closing the arena, but I'm still on Tenzin's side here. Oh yeah, Tarrlock goes right back into his sleazebending and agrees with Lin once he realizes that if anything goes wrong, she'll take all the blame.
     




     
    Time for insight onto Lin Beifong, delivered by Korra being a lovably nosy brat. Also, Pema has some slight jerkish tendencies. I forgot to cover it in my last review, but yeah. I laughed at the emotional reveal with swelling music being cut off by "Wait, why am I telling you this?". It does explain why Lin seems to have such a grudge against Tenzin, though.
     
    Also, I think Amon wins the Light Yagami Award for being crazy prepared for anything. And I win an award for being a prediction GENIUS! Lookie here:
     
    I couldn't be more precisely right if I tried, unless the rest of the season is a vacation trip to Ember island or something. Thank you Mako, for saving the entire main cast's bending by not cheating. Although... I could've sworn that Tahno deliberately lost the tie-breaker there. That fall did not look real. I wonder why he would've done that, though. Tenzin getting so into pro-bending will never not amuse me. The joke worked with Sokka in the old show, it works here in the new show.
     
    Tahno's team still wins because they bribed the referee, though. I'm glad my prediction came true; the heroes need to focus on more important things right now, such as the Equalists disabling all the guards and our heroes. It also gives you a truly terrifying moment when Amon removes their bending. Even though Tahno was manufactured to be as unlikable as possible, you can't help but feel pity for him when you look into his terrified eyes. I like that LOK shows Amon using his ability not on the good guys so far, but on the antagonists. In one sense, it makes the Equalists less black and white. But the more important one is that it shows that even if it is being done to bad people, removing their bending is not right, and makes Korra's point much more potent.
     
    My predictions of Lin Beifong and (somewhat) Bolin saving our heroes also came true this episode. Thank goodness for Pabu. Remember in The Blue Spirits how Katara tried to use human words to instruct Momo? Yeah, Bolin shows the proper way to do things. Him being able to speak red panda is just so in character. I can totally imagine him as a little boy on the streets talking to birds.
     

    Mako: "Somehow that makes total sense."


     
    The episode ends in defeat, but I have a feeling that the rest of the season is going to be full of awesome from here on out. And Bolin shenanigans. We all need more Bolin shenanigans in our lives.
  11. Stellafera
    Decent overall
     
    Welcome again (or the first time, who knows) to Stellafera Reviews Littlest Pet Shop, where one of the less well beloved shows on the Hub gets its chance to shine in the spotlight! Today we review Bad Hair Day, which is only a so-so episode. Let's brush that aside though, as we are just on the fringe of the review, and haven't gotten to the good part (not being one to really start off with a bang). Maybe this one isn't as good as a pony tail, but it does have some highlights worth seeing. Alright, I'll stop these terhairble puns now. Just a warning though, this review contains plenty of spoilers and teasers for the episode.
     
    daasds
     
    Unlike most cartoon characters, Blythe actually wears a different outfit each episode! For some odd reason, most of the rest of the characters don't. Logic. Apparently the usual groomer of Zoe called in sick, so Blythe offers to help, saying that if she does a great job on other people she must do a great job on pets. In other words, the inverse of The Stare Master.
     
    A pretentious art critic with a poodle walks in, and is stunned by the artwork splattered on the glass of the daycare room. Not realizing that the "Minka" it was painted by is a monkey, he leaves, inspired to pretentiously criticize more art and never be seen again. But his remarks have an impact on Minka, who proceeds to have a fantasy about being a world famous artist. One of the more interesting quirks of the show is its love for scenes with alternate art styles or settings in order to tell the story, and these sequences are always fun to watch. Hipster glasses and berets everywhere!
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadlI would totally watch the "Russell, Sunil, And Vinnie Show"
     
    Another trait of this show is the plot structure, which is first seen here. Typically, the plot of each episode is split into two halves: A "Blythe" plot (like the dog grooming one) and a "Pet" plot (like Minka's art one). They often cover similar themes, and at the end of the episode they converge. This helps to make LPS distinctive and is a way to balance the large cast. Sometimes, it works, and sometimes, it doesn't, but it's an interesting concept.
     
    Russell offers to be Minka's agent and help her become a big famous art star in exchange for 10% of the profits. The other pets like this idea and try to find symbolism in her paint splatterings so that they can sell her image to the world. Minka climbs up a tree to get away from their chatter and questioning, as she didn't intend any symbolism and was just doing something that made her happy.
     
    Meanwhile, Blythe is hypocritically blabbering on about overly talkative hairdressers while not paying attention to Zoe, and predictable results ensue. To make matters worse, Zoe's owners were going to bring her to a dog show this afternoon. This afternoon this afternoon? Yes.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadladdMy reaction to Blythe's storyline for this episode
     
    Back to the good half! We are treated to another alternate art style sequence, where Pepper details their plans for marketing Minka. This entire scene is absolutely hilarious and would be a great thing to show anyone who is unconvinced of the quality of this cartoon. This plan is even further removed from the artist herself, and Minka has to ask them to repeat the entire thing because she was too occupied with destroying the piece of paper in front of her. I've been there, except that usually I don't resort to using the paper as a source of fiber. That's just silly. Confetti is the much more sensible use for decimated slips of paper. I thought everyone knew that.
     
    So, in order to do all of this stuff and become rich and famous and everything, Minka actually has to, you know, paint a masterpiece. Overwhelmed by the pressure of creating a great painting...
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ0vdin3MgY
     
    This happens. And she stays like this for nearly the entire rest of the episode. One witty comment on youtube states
     
     
    and I have nothing else to say on this subject. Let's get back to Blythe and Zoe. What should they be called? The hairduo? The fumbling fashionistas? Rainbow Dash and Princess Celestia? This is fallow territory, my friends. Blythe tries to hide from Zoe the fact that she looks like something half ate her and spit her out, but Zoe eventually finds a mirror and is horrified. New objective: hide it from everyone else.
     
    Minka continues to be broken. Blythe uses increasingly more ridiculous methods to try and disguise Zoe's bad haircut, including making a hologram of Zoe's entire body that follows her movements.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda'
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadladddddsCongratulations Zoe, you're the new Zoe.
     
    Oh, and her owners are going to come pick her up in about 10 minutes.
     
    Back with BSOD Minka, the other pets and especially Russell are starting to realize that maybe they should have considered what Minka was feeling in all of this and not just becoming bilionares and stuff. Russell states the moral of the story and apologizes to Minka, telling her that she can just focus on doing art for art's sake again. No money or anything to worry about. Minka returns to normal... but her spider monkey sense is tingling!
     
    Blythe is just about to have to reveal to Zoe's owners her mistake, and walks up with a dog behind her back and a long preemptive apology. Looks like she's gonna have to own up to her actions and admit her mistakes. Yikes. No wonder why Minka was feeling so agitated!
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadladsForget Sweetie Bot, Minka here is the real deal.
     
    After identifying the source of her "art emergency", Minka rushes behind Blythe's back and fixes up Zoe with some artsy fartsy skills and counterfeit. Blythe reveals Zoe to her owners, expecting the worst... and sees an adorable little hairstyle on her instead! No accountability for your actions today! So the episode ends with everybody happy, except for Zoe's owners, who find out about the painted on fur at the dog show and lose the medal. Apparently she will actually have to face punishment at a future time, but not in the episode! Somebody write a fanfic, stat.
     
    So, this episode. It was actually quite a bit better than I remember from the first time I saw it, but it doesn't have any truly stunning moments. Minka's story, which reminded me a lot of Suited For Success (which is a very good thing), I'd definitely rate higher than Blythe's, which was pretty boring outside of the hologram. It's decent all around.
     
    Next episode is going to be awesome! Next review will be some Mitch Larson action and the reason why everybody loves that darned mongoose Sunil so much. Until next time!
  12. Stellafera
    Mediocre: Don't Watch First
     
    Welcome to Stellafera Reviews Littlest Pet Shop, where one of the less well beloved shows on the hub gets its chance to shine in the spotlight! Today we review the pilot, which may have been the first (and last) episode many of you have watched. Well, I'm here to tell you that its not the best episode of the show, and you probably shouldn't see it first. Obviously, spoilers ahoy!
     
    addadasdasdasdd
    Episode 1 begins on a high note, what with the deformed looking bird flying in the clouds and all. Wait, I guess the good stuff starts a little later. After that, Blythe, our teenage protagonist, narrates about her idyllic small town life and idly remarks to a dog that she wishes that she could understand it. No worries though, she'll fall from the sky into a nearby forest soon and get rescued by butterflies and hold on I think I'm getting my shows confused here.
     
    Obviously, things won't stay that way. Blythe's father just got a new job opportunity in the city, and they're moving! He's excited about this, whereas Blythe is understandably not so. Blythe comes across as very likable in this scene, with dialogue that could conceivably happen in real life. Despite being a pilot, Blythe's dad is a hilariously terrible driver and somehow manages to ride through the sidewalk, through the subway station, into the air, and onto a tow truck. That takes a very special kind of talent.
     
    Turns out that they are living in an apartment above the Littlest Pet Shop, which is on the verge of going out of business. I'm not making this up. They seriously have that obvious of a title drop. And guess who pops up out of nowhere?
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdasdasdsdaasdadadd1Evidently the two most heroic characters in the show.
     
    Whitney (black hair) and Britney (white hair) Biskit, in their least entertaining and interesting appearance in the entire season at the time of writing. They are just stereotypically mean here. The music is pretty epic throughout this scene, which saves it from being completely terrible.
     
    After this, Blythe is left alone in her new room. Instead of unpacking, she decides to horrifically abuse her poor guitar and use it to open a crack. Predictably it breaks and is never seen again. On the bright side, this reveals a dumbwaiter and Blythe's life is completely changed by what happens when she goes down it, so I guess in the end it wasn't too stupid of an idea after all. Still makes any music fans cringe.
     
    Blythe crashes at the bottom of the dumbwaiter, and hears... people? Nope, animals! And they are talking? Well, we don't know who these animals are (well, supposedly, unless you saw my previous post), so the purple dog who looks like Twilight Sparkle is going to sing to you a rough description of each character!
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOfsDbDSrBE
     
    Yep, Daniel Ingram is on this show, and yes the songs are just as awesome as MLP's. Despite the song's best efforts though, you still might have trouble remembering each of the pet's names. One of the most reoccurring problems in this show is pacing, and it shows. The only pets we get a really good sense of from the pilot are Zoe and Russel (maybe Vinne), which is a shame. This is one of the reasons why I do not recommend the pilot as an introduction to the series; it doesn't show off each character's personality very well. Anyways, moving along...
     
    The society in LPS unfortunately does not have quite the enlightened viewpoint on speaking to other animals that Equestria does, and Blythe believes she has gone absolutely, 100% bonkers. We get a hilarious sequence where she runs out of the shop like a chicken with her head cut off, and discovers that she can now understand all animals in the most comedic fashion possible:
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGSbi70Zb5M
     
    While Blythe is having a nervous breakdown, a rude businesswoman comes in and tells the owner of Littlest Pet Shop, Mrs. Twombly, about her plans to open up a sweet shop once the space is open. The pets, who routinely go to daycare here, are not happy about hearing this news. Once Blythe returns, they tell her about their dilemma, and part 2 of the pilot begins.
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    sssssssssssssssssssssssssThese pets are either aliens, drug users, or both.
     
    The pets can't figure out a plan to save the shop that doesn't involve somebody showing off their talents, and Blythe has to go to school. There she finds her new friends while having locker trouble. They are pretty bland, although they get better in later episodes. We find out in some exposition that the reason why Littlest Pet Shop has been doing so badly has been competition from the Largest Ever Pet Shop, owned by the Biskit family. The same one. In even more of a coincidence, the Biskit twins, as it happens, go to this school, and proceed to bully Blythe about her fashion designs. You know, for being some of the best characters in the show, their first few scenes really do suck. But they'll get better, I promise.
     
    Blythe has an idea though. She'll hold a fashion show and that'll draw a crowd somehow and drum up business for Littlest Pet Shop. Fashion show preparation montage! Vinnie demonstrates that he's a smooth criminal and Minka breakdances. Blythe puts up posters to the fashion show everywhere, including (stupidly enough) the entrance to Largest Ever Pet Shop. The Biskit twins decide to write "Come get free money" on each of the posters, which brings a huge crowd that will be very angry once they realize that there's no free money and will be there to see them dump cat litter on Blythe's head. You've got to love that kind of creativity. Time for a good Biskit twins scene!
     
    dsdasdaasdadddsda
    asdddddddddd"OMG, Britney. Be careful with that. I worked on this cosplay for like, weeks!"
     
    Apparently, in Whitney's strange mind, their furry suits were supposed to help them blend in. This kind of insane troll logic is a hallmark of the Biskit twins and it makes them a true joy to watch. Shannon Chan-Kent has got to be having a blast voicing them. Following the laws of cartoon stealth, everybody who passes by falls for it.
     
    The fashion show itself is... not that great. Blythe, I'm sorry, but although you do have a good sense of style with humans, most of your outfits you make for the pets are less than amazing. That color combination on Penny... ouch. I like Minka's and Vinne's though.
     
    Russell, as the backstage guy, notices a few crumbs left by the Biskit Twins, and goes and saves the day. No, really. He's the one who stops their plan and turns the tables on them, so that they fall down and get cat litter dumped on them, instead of Blythe. Blythe didn't do anything. Hurrah for Russell!
     
    So the pet shop is saved, and Blythe now works there. Overall? The pilot was funny, but insubstantial. It doesn't follow the typical plot style of the show (which will be revealed next episode) and had somewhat flat characterization. Part 2 was definitely the better of the two, but neither I would particularly recommend.
     
    Merry Christmas, and next review I'll be looking at... aw man, another mediocre episode. It does get better after this, I promise! Next episode's just the The Ticket Master of the show.
  13. Stellafera
    Ponies is awesome. So is Dan Vs. Now there is a show on the Hub that is also pretty rocking, but not quite as awesome. That show is called Littlest Pet Shop, and it has a lot of potential.
     
    I'm planning on making a series right now where I review each Littlest Pet Shop episode, because seriously its fan base is far too small and it has a good collection of flaws to pick at. But first, I think that it'd help to introduce each of the characters from it, because it has a fairly ambitious cast size. First, our main character:
     
    Blythe:
     

     
    As we can see, our Blythe here has a bit of Rarity in her, as she too designs clothes and has a fabulous sense of style. But she's not a diva. That'll be later. Blythe is a bit eccentric, which should be expected considering that she is the only person here who can talk to animals. At first the vocal resemblance to Rainbow Dash was uncanny, but in recent episodes, Ashleigh Ball (Yes, that one) has developed more of a unique voice for her. Blythe works as Mrs. Twombly's assistant at the Littlest Pet Shop. If you thought MLP loved title drops, you haven't seen anything yet.
     
    Human Side Characters: Like, Don't Forget Them
     
    The Biskit Twins:
     

     
    Like, the most important side characters in the show. This pair of spoiled school bullies is voiced by Shannon Chan-Kent, who you may know as Pinkie Pie's singing voice and the speaking voice of Silver Spoon. The black haired one on the left is Whitney, the "brains" of the two, and the platinum blonde one on the right is Brittney, and no, that choice of names doesn't make sense to me either. Despite any misgivings you may have due to the words "school bullies", the Biskit twins are the funniest and most entertaining characters in Littlest Pet Shop and are sometimes unintentionally sympathetic.
     
    Blythe's Friends:
     

     
    On the left you have Youngmee (ALSO voiced by Shannon Chan-Kent), who looks stereotypically Asian, is very picky about food, and generally acts as the "weird" one. In the center is Jasper (voiced by Kathleen Barr/Trixie), the token guy. And finally, the leftmost one is Sue, a tomboy who is great at track and field and has a nice eye design. Not much else to say about these outside of episodes featuring them.
     
    Blythe's Dad (Rodger Baxter):
     

     
    Blythe's typical sitcom dad (who knows what happened to her mom?). He's a pilot, but is an ironically terrible driver. Sometimes he's pretty funny, otherwise dull.
     
    Mrs Twombly:
     

     
    Yet another person voiced by Kathleen Barr. She's the owner of Littlest Pet Shop and seems to be blissfully unaware of what the pets in her daycare are actually doing every day. And she collects doorknobs?
     
    That's all for the humans. Time for the animals!
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