Pick a Flaw: S1, E11 - Winter Wrap Up

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

Note: For the collection of other "Pick a Flaw" episode threads, head over to the "Pick a Flaw" blog portal (which'll be updated periodically) or check the list at the bottom of the OP (hidden under the "spoiler" tag).

 

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Most of the episodes during the series takes place during the spring or summer. This is one of the few during the winter. Or, specifically, the change from winter to spring. Twilight underwent a few specific challenges already, but none as far as her relationship with Ponyville is concerned. This was a big test to her, one she passed and led to a crucial leap in development of her character.

 

Many of you've participated in these threads before and understand how they work. But for those who are entering one of these threads for the first time, pick one of the flaws or weaknesses in the poll above and explain your reasons for them. If the one that bothers you the most isn't up there or if it's more than one/all of the above, click "other" and explain in your post.

 

One warning about the "other" option: It DOESN'T stand for "the episode is flawless."

 

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Dragonshy is the episode that got so many season-one bronies into the show. But for me, despite liking the pilot, it's Winter Wrap Up. Beyond simply the fantastic musical number bearing the same name, Twilight had to undergo many obstacles, but unlike Canterlot, they don't use any magic as a means of "tradition": Long ago, earth ponies roamed Ponyville mostly. Now, it's more a symbol of unity for all three races. But it's very relatable to see Twilight struggle to find her place, only to fail. This is what gives her triumph extra-sweet: she found her strength despite not needing to do any magic.

 

But I must cheat here and choose "other" for two choices: "tradition" used as the backdrop and the animation quality. To explain them, in order:

1. Back when Ponyville was run by Earth ponies, they had a good reason to not use magic. Pegasi and unicorns didn't live there in bunches, so they had to fend for themselves. However, as the years wound by, more unicorns moved into Ponyville, but they were unfortunately stuck with the concept of wrapping up winter without unicorn magic. But all this does really makes the Ponyville population look really stubborn in old-fashioned ways and pompous.
2. The season had a specific order of airing, but there are some episodes where the animation quality looked really unpolished compared to others. When comparing episodes like this one to, say, Party of One or even the pilot, this looks like one of the first. There are many awkward movements in the animation such as the obvious frames during the walk cycle in one of WWU's choruses and the weird eye shapes from Twilight during the montage.

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Season 1:

• Friendship Is Magic, Parts 1 & 2
• The Ticket Master
• Applebuck Season
• Griffon the Brush Off
• Boast Busters
• Dragonshy
• Look Before You Sleep
• Bridle Gossip
• Swarm of the Century
• Winter Wrap Up
• Owl's Well that Ends Well

Season 2:

• The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
• Putting Your Hoof Down
• Dragon Quest

Season 3:

1. Spike at Your Service

Season 4:

• Rainbow Falls
• Simple Ways
• Filli Vanilli
• Twilight Time
• It Ain't Easy Bein' Breezies
• Somepony to Watch Over Me
• Maud Pie
• For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
• Leap of Faith
• Testing Testing 1, 2, 3
• Trade Ya!
• Inspiration Manifestation
• Equestria Games
• Twilight's Kingdom

Other:

1. The Micro-Series, Part 1 - Mane Six
2. The Micro-Series, Part 2 - The Other Cast & Overall Series

 

 

Edited June 23, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Scootalove 10,684]

Winter Wrap Up's tradition felt like most old style traditions where you have to follow them, instead of adapting from the old style as an accustom to the unicorns. I understand that Ponyville was founded by Earth ponies and that they didn't wrap up Winter with magic, but instead they have to deal with it.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

"Winter Wrap-Up" is a very special episode for me, it was among the first episodes that I had heard of before even getting into this show, and I related a lot to Twilight's conflict as "fitting in" is something I have struggled with for the better part of my life. It remains one of my top favorites for Season 1 and the entire show.

 

I had to go with the tone of the humor for this one, mainly for Spike. As part of his character, it's excusable writing for Season 1 for reasons of character development (but I will tear them a new one if they write him like this in Season 5) to make Spike less aware of what he was saying from a social standpoint. His overtly sarcastic commentary was, though amusing, considerably heavy-handed considering the kind of situation Twilight was in. He does get his comeuppance in the end, in the form of a nice serving of severe cold symptoms, presumably with an appetizer of hypothermia and possible pneumonia for dessert. Yeah, definitely heavy-handed.

 

While we're on the subject of tradition...

Edited June 23, 2014 by ~Happy Gilda (WCP)

[Pastel 7,627]

Tone of the humor I guess, I loved this episode but I didn't find it very funny overall...

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,298]

Other - Don't take my reasons too too seriously lol:

1. Felt like one of those story arcs where a superhero is stripped of their special powers.  Oh, that one really useful thing you're actually good at??  Can't do it.  Or, in the case of "Winter Wrap-Up," you aren't supposed to do it.  (Maybe this falls somewhat under one of the other options.)

2. This one's purely a matter of personal taste: it's a Twilight-centric episode xD.  Too much Twi (and a rough episode for her, really - nothing went her way for 92% of it), not enough RD.  This is my impression of most Twi-centric episodes lol.

3. Ponies forced to wear vests.

[Pinkamena-Pills 6,838]

The only thing that i din't like is how AJ got so uptight towards Twilight after she used magic,i think she overreacted. 

 

 

 

I felt so bad for Twilight in that scene. 

 

 

[ghostfacekiller39 23,857]

I chose "Other" for Applejack's characterization - the way she treated Twilight for using magic just kind of irked me, and while Twilight shouldn't have gone beyond the rules, I can't see there being reason for being so harsh. 

 

Of course, that minor nitpick doesn't really affect the general quality of the episode for me too much, so it's all good It can be chalked up to "Tradition as the backdrop" or whatever, but ultimately I went with "other" because that was the only time that the tradition factor of the episode negatively affected it, I felt like

[Guest90210 3,567]

As much as I love Winter Wrap Up (I consider it one of the show's best), I thought the whole "tradition" excuse was ridiculous, especially seeing as the past few Winter Wrap Ups have been absolute disasters. You'd think they would let the "tradition" slide for a year or so to substantially increase productivity

[PoisonClaw 8,153]

While I'm usually not one to dwell on the animation as a whole, something about this episode just looks...off. I can't quite put my finger on why but when stacked against other episodes the animation doesn't quite look as polished at it normally does.