More proof that the episodes are not necessarily in chronological order?

[Discordian 6,013]

I've seen people mention lately that there is little telltales that the episodes are not necessarily in any particular order such as the Ticketmaster episode taking place so early but we don't actually get to see the Gala until the end of the first season when the episode implied the Gala was supposed to be that night or soon.

 

If there's others, I'm not sure of it but what I've seen kinda holds to that theory. Especially considering what we saw in Dragon Quest where we saw Cranky Doodle Dandy still traveling with his old toupee when a few episodes ago he was settling down in Ponyville.

[Colon Leftbracket 971]

I thought that Ticketmaster happens and then the entire season 1 is basically stuff they do in between to prepare for the Gala. That seemed to be the theme of Season 1.

 

Season 2 has a similar structure where in Lesson Zero Celestia has all the Ponies now send letters to her which is a theme that has taken Season 2 (and likely the rest of the series). I'm unsure if anything within Lesson Zero or any other episode is foreshadowing events of the Season 2 premiere (and there went most of my excitement for It's About Time).

 

Oh and if you do know any info on this please DO NOT spoil it for me!

I've pretty much spoiled this whole season for me and that may be a huge reason why I don't like it as much as Season 1. (There of course could be other contributing factors but I won't get into that right now.)

 

I don't want to know ANYTHING about the upcoming episodes from now on! (Well I know about them up to episode 24 or something like that )

 

Also MLP has other continuity issues. For instance the founding of Equestria is not very clear and has about 3 different stories.

The first told was that the Alicorn sisters founded it, the second is that it was ruled by Discord and the Alicorns overthrew him (which could tie into No. 1), and the third is that it was founded by 3 Pony Tribes coming together and that Discord and Celestia were not present (though there is an Alicorn sister flag which is confusing at best).

[Discordian 6,013]

Did Celestia ever specifically say that she founded Equestria or just saved it from Discord?

 

It's possible that they are three different time periods where each happens separately.

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

Linear Time Continuity is to be assumed that it does not exist unless otherwise explicitly stated, but that is only in terms of events and not character development.

For example, chronological development S1E3 Ticket Master, S1E14 Suited For Success, S1E10 Swarm of the Century, S1E26 The Best Night Ever makes sense, as a progression of events leading up to the Gala. (The dresses make an appearance

Another example of "skipping" would be S1E4 Applebuck Season, S2E4 Luna Eclipsed, S2E11 Hearth's Warming Eve, S1E11 Winter Wrap Up as a progression of Autumn and Winter (which may or may not demonstrate the same calendar year. They are generally assumed by the fandom not to be.)

 

However character development follows linear progression through the episodes. A lesson that is learned by one of the main cast in, say, Example Episode "1", will be retained to episode "2", "3", "4" etc onwards, even if those episodes do not follow an observed chronological series of events.

[Daring Do 195]

Hmm... I think maybe they were intended to be in chronological order, but then the animators either messed up or forgot. Even though there might be LOADS of evidence to support this, I don't exactly think it was supposed to be intentional.

[I used to be a stranger 7,989]

TL;DR

 

They messed up continuity between episodes intentionally because they didn't want it to matter.

 

However, there still is linear continuity between episodes regarding how the Mane cast characters develop- personality traits, memories, etc.

[Faithful Dawn 8]

They messed up continuity between episodes intentionally because they didn't want it to matter.

 

However, there still is linear continuity between episodes regarding how the Mane cast characters develop- personality traits, memories, etc.

 

Yup, I don't think they even bother with storytime chronology.

[Twi Rubix 726]

I saw nothing out of the ordinary myself, and I think they are chronological, but the Gala part did confuse me a bit. There were... 3 episodes about it? (Ticket Master, Suited for Success, Best Night Ever) I think the Gala just comes every few months. Cranky on the river is something too. I guess he just doesn't like to show off the one Pinkie showed, and he now runs a business where he sends ponies across the river?

[sweetolebob18 724]

Guys, S1 E 11 Winter Wrap Up is before S1 E13 Fall Weather Friends.  That means either the episodes are not in order or there is 6 months between them with only one episode.

[Ninjaed 526]

The writing staff has already stated that they were not necessarily in chronological order. As for stuff like the origins of Equestria and some other "continuity errors", allow me to remind you the real world suffers from the exact same thing. Almost every religion has its own story, science has its own and some people have their own headcanon. As for recent facts, details can be vague, mistakes can be made and truth can be distorted. It's nothing surprising, really.

 

Now if we had the castle but no alicorn Twilight, that'd be something else...