It Has to be You!

[Comet Tail 808]

So, re-watching "Magical Mystery Cure," this line struck out to me a lot;
 

~Twilight and Fluttershy approach "Rainbow's" cottage and find her inside, tied up in a cauldron, being circled by hungry animals!

 

 

Fluttershy: Hurry, Twilight! Can't you do some sort of spell to get her out?

Twilight Sparkle: No. Fluttershy, you're the only one who can help! Rainbow Dash needs you!

 

 

Thing is... Actually, Twilight is a very powerful magician, and could have easily gotten Dash out. But that wasn't the purpose of what was going on. The objective wasn't actually to get Dash out of the pot and save her from the animals; it ran much deeper than that.

 

For a moment, let's drop what we know, and just look at this from Fluttershy's perspective.

 

Fluttershy doesn't remember ever living in the cottage. Rarity said at the start of the episode; "I'm simply doing what I've done since the day it first appeared," and said that the cottage was Dash's. Clearly, Twilight's spell gone amiss had retroactively altered the past along with everypony's "destinies."

 

So here Fluttershy is, living her regular life, feeling pretty down, when Twilight strolls in and tells her Rainbow needs help. She replies, "But... I don't really know anything about animals..." yet Twilight insists.

 

Come to find Rainbow in distress, and what does Twilight do? Makes Fluttershy do it.

 

Now, if we paused for a moment and looked at this, it would seem pretty odd from Flutters' perspective. Why doesn't Twilight just do it?

 

This is just like all the other times in the series when we're often thinking; "Why doesn't Celestia do it? Why send Twilight and her friends?," or those times bronies sometimes joke about saying Celestia is just lazy.

 

I think the reason that Celestia doesn't usually intervene, though, is the same reason Twilight just stood back while a cottage full of starving, ravenous animals moved in to eat Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy had to discover who she really was in order to be happy again, and in order to do that, Fluttershy had to act for herself. Twilight couldn't do it for her, otherwise Fluttershy would've never discovered her true self, her true destiny. "...you're the only one who can help! Rainbow Dash needs you!"

 

It's kind of beautiful how it comes full circle, there. In hindsight, this must have been what Celestia was doing all along. Just like Twilight knew Fluttershy had it in her to save Rainbow, but Fluttershy didn't know she had it in herself, I can think back to a number of times when Twilight is afraid to do something (when Twilight doesn't know if she has it in herself to do it), and afterward Celestia tells her she knew Twilight could do it.

 

All along, Celestia has been playing the same role with Twilight, that Twilight is now playing with Fluttershy. She's giving Fluttershy something hard and new to do, throwing her into a dangerous situation where Dash's life is on the line, so that she can both save Dash, and discover who she really is in the process, so she can be happy again.

 

 

 

This bit just really stuck out to me. As a Mormon, it especially appeals to my beliefs since we believe God is playing the same role with us as Twilight was playing with Fluttershy, and Celestia was playing with Twilight. And notice how in the show, as well, it's not until Twilight learns to play the role Celestia did, that she's ready to become a princess.

 

That's what princesses are, then, perhaps? They're individuals who help others to discover who they truly are; to see the light within themselves. That's why stopping Nightmare Moon, Discord, or saving the Crystal Empire wasn't "the test." Because the real test isn't just a "test," it's Twilight learning to become a princess; it's Twilight learning to take on Celestia's role: the role of helping others to shine, to uplift and help others, and in doing so discover their true selves.

 

That's when Twilight was ready, when she played the princess' part of helping others find themselves (find happiness), and helping others help others find themselves (She then got Rainbow Dash to show Rarity that she really loves making dresses, and from there Twilight mostly sat in the back while those she helped helped others), then she was playing the role of princess already by helping others shine, from one to another. Her gaining the wings and powers of an alicorn came as a result of her already playing the role, she made it her destiny by doing that, and then fulfilled it with the spell.

 

Well, at least that's my headcanon. It all makes beautiful sense to me, though, and now, I suddenly really like Twilight's ascension. I was pretty "meh" on it before, but now I see it entirely differently. She became to her friends, what Celestia is to Equestria. In doing so, she became a princess; gaining the wings was just a confirmation/validation of that.

 

 

 

All along, Celestia had been teaching Twilight who she really was, and the last step was for Twilight to discover that herself, by being who she was, by helping others discover who they are. It comes full circle.

 

 

Edited August 6, 2014 by Comet Tail

[neznamkaksa 79]

Dude,you made very long message which is very clever,but why you make harm to your brain to think so much about such things?

[boiteporte 591]

Well, I agree with that (deep) analysis, there is not much more to add here.

But, I would personally never have thought of that.....

[Pinky Pie 71]

That's a perfect analysis, well done!

But I have a question about that: Like you said, Twilight hepled Fluttershy to find out who she is. So Twilight was the one who started the domino effect, and thanks to her other ponies helped each other to find out who they are. And if that's what princesses do, can that hint that Mane 6 are going to be princess in the future?

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

My hat's off to you! That was never really a scene I had thought in depth about...in fact, I think you've made me appreciate this whole episode a lot more than I previously did.

 

Wow, nice.

[Jeric 46,880]

 

 

They're individuals who help others to discover who they truly are; to see the light within themselves.

 

Yes. You start to see shades of this in Season 4 with Twilight's conversations with Rainbow Dash about 'opting out' etc. It's not fully consistent yet since Twilight is still growing into her role, but I think that part of the motivation of the Princesses is to be guides. That adds to the argument that there is more than predestination going on. The Ponies have to find their own way, make their own decisions and figure life out by themselves and with the support of their friends. That is not to say that the Princesses are infallible. They obviously do not know the future, or what choices their subjects will make when being guided.

 

MMC has more depth and symbolism than most of the other episodes.

[Comet Tail 808]

Dude,you made very long message which is very clever,but why you make harm to your brain to think so much about such things?

 

Ready my signature. I like thinking about things. It's like what they say about exercise. Feel the burn. The burn is good

 

That's a perfect analysis, well done!

But I have a question about that: Like you said, Twilight hepled Fluttershy to find out who she is. So Twilight was the one who started the domino effect, and thanks to her other ponies helped each other to find out who they are. And if that's what princesses do, can that hint that Mane 6 are going to be princess in the future?

 

Alicorns! Everypony as alicorns! XD

 

 

Lol, okay, in all seriousness, though, I imagine it's something very few ever achieve in their lifetime.

 

Heh, perhaps Celestia, Luna, and Cadence are alicorns because they're immortal.

 

My hat's off to you! That was never really a scene I had thought in depth about...in fact, I think you've made me appreciate this whole episode a lot more than I previously did.

 

Wow, nice.

 

Awesome! This is just the sort of thing I was hoping for

 

Yes. You start to see shades of this in Season 4 with Twilight's conversations with Rainbow Dash about 'opting out' etc. It's not fully consistent yet since Twilight is still growing into her role, but I think that part of the motivation of the Princesses is to be guides. That adds to the argument that there is more than predestination going on. The Ponies have to find their own way, make their own decisions and figure life out by themselves and with the support of their friends. That is not to say that the Princesses are infallible. They obviously do not know the future, or what choices their subjects will make when being guided.

 

MMC has more depth and symbolism than most of the other episodes.

 

Heh, yeah. As a Mormon, I prescribe to an interesting kind of view: there's predestination to some degree, but not entirely... We're called to greatness, but then it's up to us to accept that calling.

 

Also, I like your profile pic! It doesn't happen to be 51 Pegasi by any chance, is it? That's what comes to mind when I see it

Edited August 6, 2014 by Comet Tail

[GuillermoGage 246]

This topic is good and you should feel good, Comet Tail.

[Jeric 46,880]

 

 

It doesn't happen to be 51 Pegasi by any chance, is it? That's what comes to mind when I see it

 

 

Yes ... out of the years I've used an artist rendition of the 51 Pegasi that is the 1st time someone guessed it correctly.

 

Aaaaaand. Friend list!

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Nice analysis. I feel Magical Mystery Cure, despite it's wonky pacing, is a really deep episode if you really think about it. This OP is an example of that.

[Pastel 7,630]

My hat's off to you! That was never really a scene I had thought in depth about...in fact, I think you've made me appreciate this whole episode a lot more than I previously did.

Same! (but it's still my least favorite episode because of its awful end) I've never realized that, great analysis!

Edited August 12, 2014 by Blobulle