S05:E12 - Amending Fences

[Dark Horse 12,799]

What a great and I have to say one of, if not the most, relatable episode I've seen in the series. I think we all have tucked away memories of the thing's we've left behind... whether it be our friends or whatever, not everything stays with us, but as Twilight demonstrated, their impact can last forever.

 

I enjoyed the way the episode played out, was nice to see some more background ponies get their time in the light. The throwbacks to the very first episode, feelings of nostolgia, and a little reminder of the things that the show itself has perhaps forgotten since that very first episode all those years ago, whether for better or worse, that's up for you to decide.

 

My only real beef was why the heck Lyra was mentioned as one of Twi's friends, gets shown in the photo at the end, and yet never makes an actual appearance or significant mention within the episode? I know she lives in Ponyville now, but you'd think she'd even appear in the flashbacks at the party, I guess she never showed up to it either. >.> Ah well, I guess the writers probably thought she got enough screen time in Slice of Life, but for me it just felt like it diluted a bit of the whole "Your friends don't really forget you." thing.

 

Overall, a fantastic episode for what is so far a great season. Nice to see they weren't exaggerating when they said they were "going places" this time.

 

Oh, and as for a certain sneaky somepony...

 

 

 

 

We'll be waiting. :okiedokielokie:

[Photon Jet 5,489]

This was better than the last two disasters, that's nice at least. Although, still not a Trixie episode...I am disappoint. 

 

Had a laugh at Twilight in the book part...she's been around Pinkie WAY too much...and it's canon, Pinkie can fly.

It could be me or Pinkie Pie has been taking lessons from Tails.

[OtakuBrony 349]

Howdy all!

 

All I can say is WOW!

 

Great episode.

 

No thanks to Spike's big mouth she goes to Canterlot to contact her old friends she left behind.

 

 

Tara Strong put in a heck of a performance as the Princess Of Friendship.

 

As for her Canterlot buddies.

Rebecca Hussain is hilarious as Minuette.

Ashleigh Ball as Lemon Drops is pretty neat.

Tabitha St. Germain adds another character to like as Twinkleshine.

Sweet Celestia Kazumi Evans put in her best performance of season 5 as Moondancer.

(Besides voicing Octavia Melody in the 100tH Episode of the series) 

Poor thing was devastated when Twilight didn't show up for her party.

And the studying and keeping herself isolated was pretty intense.

Confronting Twilight at the party about what she did and at the end crying got to me

Glad Twi got Pinkie to set up the secret weapon.

A pity Lyra wasn't in todays episode.

.

I was wondering whatever happened to Twilight's school chums after she left for Ponyville.

 

Now we know.

 

MA Larson wrote a gem and it showed.

Bravo sir! Bravo!!!!

[Singe 2,109]

Twilight Sparkle and Moondancer can't let it go and move on while the other three Unicrons are more stable.

[Scootaloo Is Best Filly 576]

I loved this episode, and I absolutely loved Minuette. Easily one of my favorite background ponies so far.  It's so amazing how the other 3 could so easily accept Twilight back, as if she hadn't gone away, and remain best friend's with her, as if she hadn't not contacted them up until now. I mean, she couldn't even remember their names. And suddenly she comes back to see them after I would think was a few years or even longer even. And they don't even question it. Not even a "HEY, you haven't talked to  us in so long, What gives"? No, just right off the bat they are so happy to see her again.  I wish I had friends like that.

 

I have to say when Moondancer broke down in tears, I almost ended up crying myself. I really hope we hear from these characters again. M.A. Larson did a terrific job.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Scootaloo Is Best Filly

[Celli 4,332]

That was absolutely amazing. I loved that Twilight made up with old friends, and the callbacks were nice, too. I teared up a bit, too.

10/10 best episode this season

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

I really like Twilight's old friends, especially Minuette.  I thought it was great that they took that short scene from the first episode and expanded on it.  And explained why we see certain characters in both Ponyville and Canterlot.  And called in Pinkie Pie as a secret weapon.  

[Zhortac 1,473]

It could be me or Pinkie Pie has been taking lessons from Tails.

 

If it were anyone but Pinkie, I'd agree..but it's Pinkie Pie...

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

What the hay? Why does it seem like all their houses are old and unkept even though they were living in them?

Minuette's house was fine.

[SparklingSwirls 21,261]

I liked it; I can kinda relate to Moondancer, since my old friends left me as well :c. Both in real life and on another site :/

 

I also thought Twilight was a bit of a jerk towards Moondancer; I can understand that she wants Moondancer to be her friend, but being forceful like that was sorta pushing it.

[Dynamo Pad 10,777]

This episode was absolutely amazing. I really liked the feel of this episode and how they brought different episodes throughout the series into this one episode. It was great having Twilight and Spike visiting their old home back in Canterlot and how it stayed the same since they had been gone. It was awesome seeing more background characters and having them talk and interact with Twilight and seeing some flashbacks of when the group was younger. I liked the references to the first episode and "A Canterlot Wedding" and seeing Celestia's school for gifted unicorns as well. I also liked seeing Moon Dancer because we only knew her name from the very first episode and it was nice to see what she looked like. Moon Dancer to me seemed like what Twilight could have been if she didn't never gave friendship a chance. It was also good development for Moon Dancer in how she became who she was when she and Twilight met again. I also think this was great development for Twilight as well for not only her role as the princess of friendship but for her as an individual. The friendships she's made, the lessons she learned, and with her role as the princess of friendship is helping her learn a lot more how friendship is special and what it can truly mean. This helps her with the friends she has in the present, friends in the past, and friends she will make in the future. All in all I think this was an awesome episode and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for next week's episode and rest of the season to follow  .

[Singe 2,109]

I liked it; I can kinda relate to Moondancer, since my old friends left me as well :c. Both in real life and on another site :/

 

I also thought Twilight was a bit of a jerk towards Moondancer; I can understand that she wants Moondancer to be her friend, but being forceful like that was sorta pushing it.

 

Push, bribed, and trapped her.

 

Twilight Sparkle has an obsessive trait about not letting things go and needs 100% perfect.

 

OMG! This is just A Friend in Deed version 2.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Singe

[BlackWater627 700]

 

 

All in all I think this was an awesome episode and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait for next week's episode and rest of the season to follow

 

 

You and me both, brony. 

 

Considering what Moondancer must know through study, I'm really hoping she comes in as a major helping force in a future episode. 

[EquestriaGuy 1,074]

One of my favorite episodes of the season and series. The Twilight in the book scare was hilarious, and the frequent callbacks to the pilot were clever and well placed. 

[WriteCodes46 178]

Nice episode. It's interesting to see all the continuity nods to episodes like Friendship is Magic (S1E1!), Look Before You Sleep, A Canterlot Wedding, The Cutie Map (Starlight Glimmer anyone?), and even Princess Spike (the episode right before).

 

Production-wise, it's also interesting to note that we get to see many flashbacks of unicorn Twilight, however in those scenes, her side is always covered in such a way that hides the area where her wings would be; that's probably because Hasbro Studios/DHX are under contractual obligation to always show Twilight Sparkle as an alicorn, and that is their way to work around that.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

I LOVED "Amending Fences"!!!! I can't really find anything wrong with it so I'll write about things that stuck out to me. I liked the beginning with Spike and Twilight together in the castle. I liked that we got to see Twilight's old Canterlot house again. I wonder why she never went back there during her other Canterlot visits in the series? I loved the callbacks to the very first episode. I always thought Moon Dancer would end up being one of the ponies that was actually seen in episode 1 but I am glad they found a way to introduce a new pony design and character. I liked that Moon Dancer was Twilight recolored. Moon Dancer also looked like Human Twilight in the new EG 3 Friendship Games trailer with her glasses. The flashbacks were awesome especially the one where they are fillies.  Nice to see more of Twilight's old life. I love how Moon Dancer said "Twilight Twinkle" since I remember hearing that used to be Twilight's name early in production. The addition of Pinkie was cool and her parts explained why we see Lemon Hearts in the background in Ponyvile sometimes. The way both Twilight and Moon Dancer felt are things I have felt growing up so it was very relatable. The lesson of not letting one person sour future friendships is a good one indeed. Another one of my top favorite episodes written by M.A Larson! 

[smitty121325 64]

I loved today's episode. One of the best of season five. Though, did everybody suddenly forget that Nightmare Moon was threatening to cast all of Equestria into eternal night on the day of Moon Dancer's party? This is one moment where I would have been fine with the "Easily Forgiven" trope. I loved all of the new characters and Moon Dancer's design reminded me of that one Obama poster than it did of the American flag. Now I see why this was aired today. It was great seeing filly Twilight again (adorable as always) and Spike was adorable wearing a bib.

[duidamasterXD 9,626]

First real chill, slice of life Twilight episode since Season 2 and not coincidentally, the best Twilight episode since season two. It hooked me from start to finish and was thoroughly amazing in every aspect. Gotta say, Larson's killing it this season.

 

Not much to say that hasn't been said already by others (dat Starlight Glimmer cameo tho :blink: ) but I did enjoy Spike and Pinkie sorta kinda getting in little digs at Twily all throughout . Twilight going into total stalker mode was fantabulous as well.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Nice episode. It's interesting to see all the continuity nods to episodes like Friendship is Magic (S1E1!), Look Before You Sleep, A Canterlot Wedding, The Cutie Map (Starlight Glimmer anyone?), and even Princess Spike (the episode right before).

 

Production-wise, it's also interesting to note that we get to see many flashbacks of unicorn Twilight, however in those scenes, her side is always covered in such a way that hides the area where her wings would be; that's probably because Hasbro Studios/DHX are under contractual obligation to always show Twilight Sparkle as an alicorn, and that is their way to work around that.

You're wrong. Here is a screen shot from today's episode with Twilight as a unicorn WITHOUT her side hidden   It appears about 9 and a half minutes into the episode. On top of that Twilight is still shown as a unicorn in the beginning of the theme song here  I can't think of any good reason why DHX or Hasbro would have an Alicorn only rule except perhaps on all new toys but definitely not on the show.

[JH24 385]

A nice episode with an interesting storyline and I especially liked Moondancer's character. It's a subject everyone probably had to deal with in their lives at some point. Certainly brought back some memories from my younger years.

 

Two things bothered me a bit:

 

 

Minuette and her friends seemed too forgiving or happy in their interactions with Twilight. I couldn't really get a good read on their feelings/personalities. They seemed too much like a blank slate. I had hoped that for example behind Minuette's mannerisms was something else as well. (Like hurt or disappointment, and being happy was her way of dealing with it)

 

Twilight is a Princess but everyone is treating her like she's a normal pony. If it was Celestia in that library would anyone have dared to "hush" her? 

Edited July 4, 2015 by JH24

[WriteCodes46 178]

You're wrong. Here is a screen shot from today's episode with Twilight as a unicorn WITHOUT her side hidden  Screen Shot 2015-07-04 at 4.50.49 PM.png It appears about 9 and a half minutes into the episode. On top of that Twilight is still shown as a unicorn in the beginning of the theme song here Screen Shot 2015-07-04 at 4.58.32 PM.png I can't think of any good reason why DHX or Hasbro would have an Alicorn only rule except perhaps on all new toys but definitely not on the show.

Well, it was Hasbro's directives who ordered that Twilight Sparkle be made an alicorn, and they would probably have a rule that no new episodes can be made with unicorn Twilight; perhaps because that footage was copied straight from the first episode (it's frame-per-frame the same) it was allowed, but notice that on the scene with filly Twilight in the science lab, they took special care to never reveal her side, since that is new footage and thus subject to the no-unicorn rule.

 

That scene at the intro is probably an animation mistake, a big one certainly. Maybe I could email Hasbro about it...

[Miles 2,512]

This episode did something that no other, not even Sleepless in Ponyville, has ever done.

 

Made me cry.

 

Seriously, this episode is absolutely outstanding. The portrayals of every character is magnificent. Twilight, Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Drops, Spike, and especially Moondancer. Everything is so well-paced, and the moral is mature and brilliant.

 

Lesson Zero was previously Twilight's best episode. Amending Fences might've changed that.

 

&
 

This!

There was something personal about this episode for me. It made me think of all the friendships I had in high school and college that I let slip away. How our past and being self absorbed can have tremendous influence on others. Every connection and opportunity to community matters.

10/10 - Amazing MA Larson! Perhaps my favorite episode of the season
I need to put the poll up!

 

 

This episode was massively powerful for me.

Seeing the flashback to the first episode.  Seeing the flashback to Twilight and Moondancer in the classroom together when they were young...  It reminded me of my childhood friends.  

From elementary school through grade school, and high school, I had always had the same small group of close friends.  But there were a few who were very special to me.  

In first grade one day at recess, I walked up to another boy who was sitting alone.  He was close to tears.  I asked him what was wrong, and he said that he'd never had any friends at school at all.  I asked him if I could be his new best friend, and from that day forward he became just that, and became a part of the rest of my close group of friends.  

He and I used to hang out all the time.  Sometimes I'd go over to his place after school, and vice versa.  But then one year his dad got a job in another state and he said he wasn't going to be here next year as he was moving.  I was crushed.  I had only been his friend for 3 or 4 years before he moved away.  He moved away in 4th grade.

Somewhat simultaneously in that time period... There was a girl who I had a big crush on.  She and I were really good friends too, and I remember riding my bike over to her house after school sometimes.  We even traded Pokemon cards... Heh, I actually still have an old Valentine's Day card she gave me.  

Then her dad also got a job in another state.  I remember when she told me.  We were out at recess in 4th grade.  She took me a ways out from the school just over the top of the hill.  We were both in tears.  She said she was moving soon.  And not much later, she did.  

The summer between 4th and 5th grade for me was painful.  I had lost two of my best friends.  Going back to school in 5th grade without them just didn't feel the same.  And it never did, really.  

Flash forward to graduating high school.  At the time I didn't fully realize how bad it would be, going to college, away from home, away from friends and family.  

My freshman year of college was all sorts of sad for me.  Especially the first semester.  Being an introverted person, I was pretty shy around new people, and didn't really make any friends at all.  I did live in a dorm room, but my roommate was hardly ever there.  He was always out with his new friends, doing something.  And a lot of nights he slept in his girlfriend's room, lol.  So, the fall of 2013 brought me through a sad array of emotions.  Homesickness shifted into pure loneliness, and then I just started to feel numb for a while.  

But miraculously, like a gift from the Lord, I found MLP in late December of 2013.  I watched the pilot episodes and was instantly hooked.  Second semester, thus the spring of 2014, I watched all of the episodes of all the seasons out at the time.  It was the cure I needed.  

But, for 6 months I didn't speak to anyone about the show, or about MLP at all.  I kept it totally hidden.  I finally got the itch to find somewhere to talk to others about it.  I found MLP Forums in late June of 2014.  I only lurked for an hour before I joined the site.  I hit the ground running; I was ready to finally have someplace to talk to others about MLP.

But what I realize now, after watching "Amending Fences," is that there is a hard truth to losing friends when you go to college.  I rarely ever see my old friends anymore.  And you may think now that it is summer and I am home, that I could see them... but most of them are busy doing their own things.  A few of them live in other towns far away now.  And of those remaining here, they have their own jobs with their own schedules, just like I do.  

I miss them...  I miss high school, even if only because of band and drama/theatre.  

---

"Amending Fences" was groundshakingly deep.  I can't explain in words the ups and downs, and tears it brought me.  

For many who are more apt to easily give high scores out of 10 for MLP episodes, it might be hard to understand how big of a deal this is for me to say...

But until now, I had only given one other episode a perfect 10/10.  Sure, I've given an adequate number of episodes 9/10, and some 9.4 or 9.5/10, and just a couple 9.9/10... 

But until now, the only episode I have given a 10/10 is the Season 3 Finale.  

Well, I am giving "Amending Fences" a 10/10.  It honestly was that deep, that moving, and that powerful for me.  

I loved it.

~ Miles

[cybershocker455 324]

I've been rewatching the very first episode and I realize that Twilight abandons MoonDancer only a few seconds after the opening theme song. I don't know who to blame: Twilight Sparkle or Lauren Faust (lol jk, you're still Lauren Faust   .

 

Another thing I notice, Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts and Lyra are all at Pinkie's welcoming party to Twilight (this is also where Lyra presumably first met Bon Bon), After Amending Fences, I think them being there, without MoonDancer,  shows off something much more sad now that I think about it...

Edited July 4, 2015 by cybershocker455

[Silver Letter 1,830]

It's not bad. From first impressions, I like the overall story and the character of moondancer. Considering they might be using this story idea for Equestria Girls 3, I am a bit worried that they used it for this episode. It can be overdone.

 

I liked the flashbacks, especially to foal Twilight. It helps to make the story interesting.

 

There is some canon violations such as the idea of Twilight having friends before the pilot and those friends living in Canterlot except for moon dancer. Like it or not, the show established the others as living in Ponyville. It's too late to go back on that. Also, moon dancer is a lazy recolor of Twilight.

 

After the two prior episodes, this one is golden by comparison. Not perfect but a good edition to the season.

[BritishBrony2012 719]

Kind of enjoyed it, like Twilight friends, specially Colgate (If that her, sure it is). Shame Lyra didn't turn up, Sure these Twilght friends was in Ponyville, kind of confess they never talk to Twilight when they in Ponyville. This season surprice me, loved it.