S05:E04 - Bloom and Gloom

[Soaring Symphony 372]

Oh, and I almost forgot. It's a total "blink and you'll miss it" moment, but Braeburn showed up for a split second. xD

when the hay did that happen???????

Edited April 18, 2015 by Serenade

[Batbrony 16,054]

There are many reasons why I loathe trolling so much, find it nothing but bullying, and find none of DHX's staff's "teases" funny anymore. For DF/Hub/whoever, Sweetie Belle coming up onstage to sing really set up expectations that they could finally get somewhere. To find out it was nothing but a dream is a killer for fans both young and old.

 

If trolling is in good fun, I don't mind it.  This just didn't seem to even be in good taste, though; there was no reason to troll us like that other than to just let us down.  Mind you, I still liked this episode a lot, and that didn't really make me angry, just disappointed considering what a loving relationship there usually is between DHX and the fans.

 

[Antidaeophobia 299]

I enjoyed the episode. I always wondered though, about ponies that have cutie marks which would signify manual labor, or jobs like janitor and pest control, do they enjoy those jobs, or are they stuck with them merely because of their cutie mark? Did some little foal clean a floor once and it filled him with such glee it became his special talent? When I grow up, I wanna be a janitor, and scrub toilets in a high school with ungrateful students cracking wise at me all day. Hmmm? What do you guys think?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I don't get why Apple Bloom acts so surprised to learn that Scoots and Sweetie don't want to be her friend anymore, in her dreams. Isn't she guilty of dropping Twist, like a hot potato after SHE got her cutie mark? =_=

also....The Apples are eating Twilight! D:

[A Joe in the Bush 255]

I totally thought the dream figure was Starlight Glimmer. Though I was really hoping the first Dream wasn't a dream. That pest pony guy was awesome.

 

Though honestly the dream sequence went on a bit too long. But Luna! Yes! Also Scootaloo's Nightmare was hilarious.

[[NULL] 906]

10/10

Would bait-and-switch steampunk again.

 

I won't lie that I kind of half-expected Starlight Glimmer to be in the dream, but that wouldn't work for the story, let alone make sense. This is about Applebloom's internal struggle with everything that could go wrong if she discovers her talent. Putting in Starlight Glimmer would lessen the whole self-acceptance conclusion.

 

I'll give this episode an 8/10.

Edited April 18, 2015 by SpaceOnion

[Batbrony 16,054]

But my personal most “disturbing” thing about this episode is not the writing, nor is it the Matrix/Inception mashup or the ending, no – it’s Babs’ Cutie Mark. Why? Just let me put it this way … If you give a tomboy a scissor as the symbol of their special talent … Get it? I hope not.

 

 What are you talking abou- wait...  oh... OH   ... OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

 

I think that's completely unintentional, for the record.    At least I hope it is.    You do have to stretch that a bit to make that, well... connection, so I really do think it was unintentional. 

[Prince Firemane 309]

when the hay did that happen???????

During the first dream, when the lightning bugs ((heh, heh)) were destroying Ponyville, Applejack and the family are fleeing Sweet Apple Acres. In a split second, Braeburn runs past the screen.

[Megas 27,624]

Sooo...am I the only one who actually found the whole thing Sweetie Belle singing trollbait thing extremely hilarious?

 

I mean, if there's anything teasers and trailers in general have taught me, it's to never expect things the way the trailers and teasers make them out to be 

Edited April 18, 2015 by Megas75

[Luffyiscool 397]

 

I liked the repetitive dream setup, they all detailed a fear that Applebloom expressed to her friends: getting a cutie mark she didn't like, not being part of the CMC anymore, being ditched if she was the last blank flank, being ostracized by her family if her cutie mark wasn't apple-related. It didn't hit me until the obvious moment that she was dreaming at first and when she was speaking to her shadow in the forest, I actually kind of thought that was Starlight Glimmer. After it was discovered that she was dreaming, I knew that the second and subsequent cycles were all dreams as well, then I thought it was Luna playing on her fears as I kept waiting for Luna to show up. But then, it wasn't her voice so I thought it may have been a one-shot force that really plays no real role later, like the Pony of Shadows from the last season.

 

Exactly my thoughts about this episode, especially the bit about suspecting Starlight Glimmer.

On the whole, this episode did a great job of messing with my expectations. 

 

 

Here's a run down of my chain of thoughts as I was watching:

 

- "woah, how did she get a cutie mark in her sleep? don't you have to perform the talent first?"

 

- "hmm, what if that guy put it on her somehow, cruelly using her to replace him before retiring?"

 

- "oh sh**, recurring events? groundhog day?"

 

- "you're dreaming again, right? your friends wouldn't just cast you out like that"

 

- "who's this shady pony anyways? Starlight Glimmer trying to brainwash her into giving up her mark? Someone new? Maybe they're behind this."

 

- "wait, the apples are casting her out....? ...OH, I GET IT.  This is every single fear she had, put into individual dreams."

 

- Luna enters: "f*** yeah, called it in time."

 

 

long story short, this episode was fun

[Buck Testa 5,505]

 

Its the little things that make me happy

 

[Duster Dawnhorse 248]

I mis-voted. I said "meh" when it should've been "didn't like it."

 

I just don't like CMC episodes because they're just so predictable. Go on a wild scheme to get cutie marks, screw up, realize cutie marks aren't that important, make the exact same mistake three episodes later and forget everything they learned. Really the reason I think this episode is gonna get high marks is because Luna's in it, and even her presence seemed a little hamfisted.

 

I think the only redeemable thing I actually liked about this episode is the idea of ponies getting a cutie mark they don't like. I would like to see this seriously explored sometime later.

 

Overall, 3/10. Predictable, tedious Groundhog Day sequences, and Luna fan pandering.

[MAIKUN 262]

OH MY GOD!! I knew it. There's no music contest episode after all, it was just a part of Apple Bloom's nightmare-ish dream.

[Pastel 7,630]

The scissors thing was unintentional of course, but maybe we will know later why she got that cutie mark (I hope).

[11th Doctor Whooves 794]

I really liked the episode today.  I was kinda disappointed that we found out that Sweetie Bell singing in front of Rarity, Vinyl and Octavia was just a dream, cause that would have been an amazing episode.

 

Also, I just thought of this.  Sweetie Bell and Scootaloo were both dreaming of what their cutie marks are probably gonna be.  Why haven't they realized that thats their destiny?  Maybe they're afraid that if they were to really try those, they'd fail, and then they really would have no idea as to what their cutie marks are going to be.

[Dynamo Pad 11,306]

This episode was really good and interesting. Didn't expect Babs to get her cutie mark but it was cool she was mentioned and we were told what had happened to her when she went back home. Multiple ways a cutie mark can represent and what your destiny may be whether it may be the one you want or not. The dream sequence was amazing and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon even in dreams are still bullies. Each dream scenario was crazy and the twittersprites were interesting creatures. Big Mac talking for a couple minutes and voicing Applejack and Granny Smith was funny and crazy because we hear him talk a couple times throughout the series but this episode felt as if it was the longest amount of time he talked. It was great to see Luna again and the nightmares for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were pretty good. I kinda wished that Vinyl and Octavia talked though lol. We even get to see Scootaloo fly and it felt like dream come true haha. But still it felt like the writers were having fun with the dream sequences and were giving us things we wanted to see or were not really expecting to see. Another amazing episode, keep it up season 5 

[Dark Qiviut 22,396]

Really the reason I think this episode is gonna get high marks is because Luna's in it, and even her presence seemed a little hamfisted.

Calling that the only reason is throwing stereotypes and fallacies. There are other reasons, too. You had the creepiness in the story, the internal conflict that many people — especially kids — can relate to, the heartwarming song in the beginning and ending, and plenty of good humor (which Haber's pretty good at).

 

I just don't like CMC episodes because they're just so predictable. Go on a wild scheme to get cutie marks, screw up, realize cutie marks aren't that important, make the exact same mistake three episodes later and forget everything they learned.

The only episodes to feature the CMCs this way were The Show Stoppers and The Cutie Pox. What caused the former to fail was how their talents were revealed so early and resulted in the waiting game. The latter failed due to the slow pace. Other CMC episodes like Flight to the Finish, Cutie Mark Chronicles, and Twilight Time are legitimately good.

 

Here, Apple Bloom wasn't even adventuring for her Cutie Mark, but worrying about what kind of Cutie Mark she might get someday. Although not executed as well as hoped, it's a long-time-coming question from bronies all-around, young and old alike.

 

 

 

Luna fan pandering.

Wrong. Princess Luna's appearance isn't fan pandering; she wasn't there simply for the sake of appeasing older bronies like you, me, or others. There's been a three-season-long arc of Luna appearing in other CMCs' nightmares, starting in Sleepless in Ponyville and continuing in Toils. This episode is written partially to help complete the arc.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Dark Qiviut

[ManaMinori 4,145]

 

Its the little things that make me happy

 

I wish DHX would show Vinyl with her brother, for a change

This episode was really good and interesting. Didn't expect Babs to get her cutie mark but it was cool she was mentioned and we were told what had happened to her when she went back home. Multiple ways a cutie mark can represent and what your destiny may be whether it may be the one you want or not. The dream sequence was amazing and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon even in dreams are still bullies. Each dream scenario was crazy and the twittersprites were interesting creatures. Big Mac talking for a couple minutes and voicing Applejack and Granny Smith was funny and crazy because we hear him talk a couple times throughout the series but this episode felt as if it was the longest amount of time he talked. It was great to see Luna again and the nightmares for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were pretty good. I kinda wished that Vinyl and Octavia talked though lol. We even get to see Scootaloo fly and it felt like dream come true haha. But still it felt like the writers were having fun with the dream sequences and were giving us things we wanted to see or were not really expecting to see. Another amazing episode, keep it up season 5 

Big Mac has talked for a decent chunk of time in "Apple Buck season" and "Ponyville Confidential" as well.

[Miles 2,512]

In every single other episode that made me shed tears, no matter if it was just a few or if it was bucket-full... Those tears were good tears.  The kind of tears that mix happy with sad; joyful tears.  

Though "Apple Bloom and Gloom" only necessitated that I use one tissue...  It was the first time that happiness was not involved.  They were slightly painful.  *Sigh* It isn't like me to rate an episode so low.  I swear, like, 90% of the episodes I could at least give a rating of "I liked it" (and some of which "I loved it")...  

It went too far for me.  Some of it left me confused as to why the writers thought it was good.  Twitterbugs?  Burning the barn down?  It's hard to swallow.  Then, the scene where Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were treating Applebloom like they weren't friends any more... was just awful.  It wasn't good in any way.  It was utterly distasteful.  I mean, at least the scene with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon wasn't too far fetched.

---

Suddenly, Princess Luna!

But this episode didn't come anywhere near the levels of awesome reached by "Sleepless in Ponyville", nor "For Whom The Sweetie Belle Tolls."  

---

 

I'll be honest - I didn't like the episode much.

 

[1] It started off very well. I absolutely adored AJ's little song to AB. Applebloom's first nightmare was pretty interesting. We got to meet a new pony and a new species of bug, and AB's ninja pest-control moves were cool. The barn gets zapped aaaand she wakes up. This is where it started to go downhill.

 

[2] It became obvious how the rest of the episode would go down. The nightmares started getting more predictable. The one where AB was kicked out of the Crusader's was sad, though at the same time you knew it was coming. Then her getting kicked out of the Apple family? Really? It was just too far fetched for me to get into.

 

[3] Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon bullying again? Excuse me while I sigh. I know it's a nightmare, but them being in practically every CMC episode just to repeat the same tired insults over and over gets monotonous and a chore to sit through.

 

[4] Throughout the episode, a voice is heard speaking to Applebloom. During the first nightmare, I seriously pondered the possibility that it was actually happening and that the voice was Starlight Glimmer. How awesome would that twist have been? It woulda been cool to see her return after having fled during the season premiere, to try and steal Applebloom's cutie mark. Then this would have meant that Starlight stripped Applebloom of her cutie mark, so now the town is in danger and disarray since she can't perform her job, getting revenge on Ponyville. Then again, that would have taken the spotlight away from Applebloom and her cutie mark for this episode, so maybe this wouldn't have been the best way to take it.

[5] But to be honest, they've driven this cutie mark story into the ground at this point. I want them to all just get their cutie marks already instead of dragging this plotline on for so long.

 

[6] Then Luna came and salvaged the episode to an extent. I loved seeing Scootaloo fly  . It was nice seeing the CMC back together again, and it's nice to see Luna. I liked that Vinyl and Octavia showed up. So while I wasn't much of a fan of this episode, it did have some good and some funny moments (Applebloom's winking cutie mark  ).

 

So overall, my vote goes to "Meh, It was okay". Not terrible, but not that good either.

 

 

We watched it together, and voted the same option, but whoa... we feel differently about this.

1. Yes, the song was lovely!  But I felt the episode was already starting to feel a bit off when she got the pest pony CM.  Plus, when the bugs zapped the barn down, that itself was the start of me saying "why?" over in my head a few times throughout the episode.  

2. It is obvious that this was Applebloom's turn to have a nightmare, and that Luna would be involved... But the way things actually went down?  Gosh, in my opinion, it was the most unpredictable thing.  I'd never have fathomed AB's friends would treat her like that.

3. Ditto.  DT and SS's bantering and mockery has become meaningless at this rate.

4. Starlight Glimmer would have made this interesting, I agree.

5. I would prefer it to happen near the end of season 5.

6.   I uh... thought that seeing Scootaloo fly... was slightly painful.  Because it was only a dream...  Anywho, Vinyl and Octavia together were great!  And, that winking CM was funny  ...

---

All in all, I agree that it was just okay. 

~ Miles

[Buck Testa 5,505]

I wish DHX would show Vinyl with her brother, for a change

Big Mac has talked for a decent chunk of time in "Apple Buck season" and "Ponyville Confidential" as well.

I think I saw him like ONCE in one of the mlp comics, unless that was her dad. idk

 

I welcome this shipping fuel though

[Persona22 205]

 

I'm sure I'm not the first one, nor I'll be the last one. But I'm sure we were all thinking it...

[Dynamo Pad 11,306]

I wish DHX would show Vinyl with her brother, for a change

Big Mac has talked for a decent chunk of time in "Apple Buck season" and "Ponyville Confidential" as well.

That's true but it felt like this is the longest he talked in an episode. "Apple Buck season" and "Ponyville Confidential" he talked for a little bit here and there, but in this episode it felt like he kept going on. It felt nice to hear him have more voice time than the other episodes we heard him speak in.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I think I saw him like ONCE in one of the mlp comics, unless that was her dad. idk

 

I welcome this shipping fuel though

he was actually in two comic issues- both of them being Cadance and Shining Armor's High school love at first sight, story "Neigh Anything". The first one where he was DJ'ing at the high school they went to, and the second, in a crowd with Vinyl standing on his back, and getting her cutie mark, as she watched teenaged Shining and his friends play their song for Cadance. (tweets from comic staff confirms that he (Long Play) is, in fact Vinyl's brother)

[Buck Testa 5,505]

he was actually in two comic issues- both of them being Cadance and Shining Armor's High school love at first sight, story "Neigh Anything". The first one where he was DJ'ing at the high school they went to, and the second, in a crowd with Vinyl standing on his back, and getting her cutie mark, as she watched teenaged Shining and his friends play their song for Cadance. (tweets from comic staff confirms that he (Long Play) is, in fact Vinyl's brother)

Good to know! I didn't see the second one you mentioned.

 

Also don't they look like they are the judges on a reality/talent show. Equestrian Idol or something XD

 

that needs to be a thing

[Jeric 46,851]

Ok, a few hours removed and a rewatch trying to view it with the SB dream scene as Haber likely intended it did help a little. The approach to the cutie mark concern, the heartfelt moments with the lullaby, Scoots flying, and Luna's message about self acceptance all made this a worthwhile outing for the CMC.

 

I'm not trusting DHX teasers anymore though. -_-