spoiler Trixie's show was a little unsettling... I guess?

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

That scene was pretty disturbing, but not the worst thing I've seen on a cartoon, also found it interesting how Fluttershy was scared to see a manticore.

[Moony the Cat 3,697]

After she performs her Trick, you can see the Manticore bow before the Audience, like Trixie and Starlight, which cleary indicates

that the Manticore has to be sapient and knew that he was just part of a Trick.

And in that case i think, the Manticore, would have spit her out again, if he would realize, that the Trick didnt worked.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Supergirl Rarity

[Truffles 2,033]

After she performs the Trick, you can see the...umm..Lion?

After she performs her Trick, you can see the Lion bow before the Audience, like Trixie and Starlight, which cleary indicates, that the...Lion...thing?

Which clearly indicates that the Lion Thing has to be sapient and knew that he was just part of a Trick.

And in that case i think, the Lion...thing, would have spit her out again, if he would realize, that the Trick didnt worked.

 

You're right! That makes me feel better about the scene, actually, knowing it's possible he's a sapient creature and not something Trixie went out into the Everfree and captured and chained up just for her show.

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

After she performs the Trick, you can see the...umm..Lion?

After she performs her Trick, you can see the Lion bow before the Audience, like Trixie and Starlight, which cleary indicates, that the...Lion...thing?

Which clearly indicates that the Lion Thing has to be sapient and knew that he was just part of a Trick.

And in that case i think, the Lion...thing, would have spit her out again, if he would realize, that the Trick didnt worked.

Even so, it doesn't change the fact that the implications are there. She fell out with Starlight, found nowhere else to go but down, and was giving up. Starlight and Twilight listening to it and not getting involved as she approached the cannon makes the suicide implications more disturbing.

[Starflite527 24]

Yeah, it was pretty unsettling. She made it obvious that the manticore trick was something she wouldn't dare attempt until Starlight offered to help, and then after their fight, it's the first trick she does, and she knows it will kill her unless Starlight saves her. I think we all knew she would get saved, so it wasn't quite as bad as it could have been, but still unsettling nonetheless.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

I think the more interesting question is, would Starlight have helped her if Twilight hadn't said anything? 

Oh god now I feel even more creeped out thinking about it.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

That manticore scene feels like a suicidal implication. It wasn't played for comedy, I can feel it. There is a lot of fatal accidents happen in the show, like Feeling Pinkie Keen, but they are just played for laugh, nothing more. Trixie said she cant perform that trick without Starlight and she cant ensure 100% Starlight/Twilight will help her...

This scene is definitely NOT played for comedic purposes. I laugh when Twilight get hit in Feeling Pinkie Keen, but not this one.

I love this episode.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

Did anyone else notice that Starlight waited for Trixie to be swallowed completely? Trixie made it to the manticore's stomach before she was teleported to safety! Thank goodness he didn't chew, and swallowed her whole! The manticore also took a bow. I thought that was great!

 

I may have liked the scene too much, for reasons...

Edited May 2, 2016 by cuteycindyhoney

[Lil Pip 775]

MLPFanatic34, on 01 May 2016 - 11:49 AM, said:

That scene was pretty disturbing, but not the worst thing I've seen on a cartoon, also found it interesting how Fluttershy was scared to see a manticore.

It contradicts episode one though.

[pony.colin 156]

Did anyone else notice that Starlight waited for Trixie to be swallowed completely? Trixie made it to the manticore's stomach before she was teleported to safety! Thank goodness he didn't chew, and swallowed her whole!

 

I may have liked the scene too much, for reasons...

 

yep, noticed the slight pause delay (which even I interpreted as 'they're trying to push their luck here' with this scene.).  Still, they wouldn't have let her get digested or anything for reals. 

 

I might have also found that effect to be hilarious as well.

[Twilight Frost 271]

Suicide attempt huh..Never really fully occurred to me. wow...just..Dang. That was a dark scene if starlight wasn't there. 

 

 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

Honestly, after watching the episode last night, I never really got any sort of implication of suicide. Yes, Trixie was down and depressed over her actions and losing Starlight, but I really don't think it HAS to be seen as leading to suicide. Yes, I can see why people get that idea, but rather than trying to kill herself, I can't help but think she was hoping the trick was going to work regardless. She had plans of trying to make it work before meeting Starlight so I have to believe that was the plan from the start.

[Sunny Fox 5,932]

Yeah, show went dark today. It's really horrifying to know what must've been going through poor Trixie's mind to drive her to killing herself with almost no break in resolve. We've been told that Starlight was her first friend. I can't even begin to imagine what it's been like to be alone for perhaps, 20 years? To be laughed at, especially after Twilight's ass-kicking, and thought of as nothing more than a joke. My friends, Trixie didn't just lose her friend that day, she lost her will to live. It was the final straw and Twilight ALMOST made a pony kill herself. Had Starlight not looked back, and this wasn't a kid's show, it stands to reason Trixie would've died; rather painfully. The poor thing just wanted to be given another chance and have someone around who would care about her, and Twilight took what she felt as the last chance away from her, seemingly for good. 

Don't put this on Twilight. Trixie made her own decisions. No one has the duty to coddle her. 

 

Honestly, after watching the episode last night, I never really got any sort of implication of suicide. Yes, Trixie was down and depressed over her actions and losing Starlight, but I really don't think it HAS to be seen as leading to suicide. Yes, I can see why people get that idea, but rather than trying to kill herself, I can't help but think she was hoping the trick was going to work regardless. She had plans of trying to make it work before meeting Starlight so I have to believe that was the plan from the start.

Um, no, she clearly says she has NO IDEA how Hoofdini did his trick. She had no backup plan.

[ARagY 1,152]

Don't put this on Twilight. Trixie made her own decisions. No one has the duty to coddle her. 

 

Um, no, she clearly says she has NO IDEA how Hoofdini did his trick. She had no backup plan.

You know, there is such a thing as assisted suicide, where you impact the choice greatly. Yes, in the end it was Trixie's choice, but she wasn't in any state of mind appropriate for that choice to be considered valid. It's a reason why psychiatrists can easily take advantage of patients. Get them hooked on drugs to help the depression, refuse to give them anymore and ruminate about the pros of suicide. What do you think will happen?

 

It's not coddling to NOT drive a poor depressed mare to suicide. That's just not being a dick.

[Sunny Fox 5,932]

You know, there is such a thing as assisted suicide, where you impact the choice greatly. Yes, in the end it was Trixie's choice, but she wasn't in any state of mind appropriate for that choice to be considered valid. It's a reason why psychiatrists can easily take advantage of patients. Get them hooked on drugs to help the depression, refuse to give them anymore and ruminate about the pros of suicide. What do you think will happen?

 

It's not coddling to NOT drive a poor depressed mare to suicide. That's just not being a dick.

Assisted suicide (as I understand the term, you're welcome to correct me) is done to put a person out of their misery when there is no reasonable chance of them ever having a decently quality of life again, a decision made by the person affected in sound mind (or according to a will or the decision of someone who has been given power of attorney in the case where that isn't true) and is ultimately done to alleviate unnecessary suffering. It's not the same as someone ruining their own life with their own decisions and then expecting everyone else to pity them and save them. And any psychiatrist who did what you describe has abandoned their oath to help others and is guilty of murder. Hardly equivalents. Anyway, I took exception to your suggestion that Twilight is to blame for Trixie's own decisions.

 

I don't take suicide of any nature lightly, and I certainly don't think the writers were taking enough care to avoid the implications of what they showed us in this episode.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

 

Um, no, she clearly says she has NO IDEA how Hoofdini did his trick. She had no backup plan.

 

Maybe so, but that doesn't mean she was trying to commit suicide as such. Maybe she didn't have a solid backup plan, but being the showman she is it's also likely that she had a "the show must go on" mentality and was just hoping it would work.

 

Doesn't make it any less foolish, but again, I can't automatically connect the scene to attempted suicide. :/

[ARagY 1,152]

Assisted suicide (as I understand the term, you're welcome to correct me) is done to put a person out of their misery when there is no reasonable chance of them ever having a decently quality of life again, a decision made by the person affected in sound mind (or according to a will or the decision of someone who has been given power of attorney in the case where that isn't true) and is ultimately done to alleviate unnecessary suffering. It's not the same as someone ruining their own life with their own decisions and then expecting everyone else to pity them and save them. And any psychiatrist who did what you describe has abandoned their oath to help others and is guilty of murder. Hardly equivalents. Anyway, I took exception to your suggestion that Twilight is to blame for Trixie's own decisions.

 

I don't take suicide of any nature lightly, and I certainly don't think the writers were taking enough care to avoid the implications of what they showed us in this episode.

Is what you got out of the episode that trixie wanted everyone to feel sorry for her? Because that's not what I got, she never even suggested that.

Unless you intend to say that " not being given a second chance"  can be chalked up to boo-hoo no one loves u tough luk kid

A few inmates would like to talk to you, then

[Sunny Fox 5,932]

Maybe so, but that doesn't mean she was trying to commit suicide as such. Maybe she didn't have a solid backup plan, but being the showman she is it's also likely that she had a "the show must go on" mentality and was just hoping it would work.

 

Doesn't make it any less foolish, but again, I can't automatically connect the scene to attempted suicide. :/

It's possible, but it certainly doesn't look that way with the way the episode portrayed it. As she's flying towards the Manticore, she screams and covers her eyes. That doesn't give the impression of a showman hoping things will work out, but a mare who took a desperate step in a bad state of mind and is regretting it.

[ManyANewDay_36 178]

I felt a little disturbed about that too. I really felt like it was a suicide attempt because although we know that Starlight would come to the rescue, Trixie had no reason to believe that. She felt extremely guilty and was obviously depressed during her show. MLP is changing in some big ways. :awuh:

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

It's possible, but it certainly doesn't look that way with the way the episode portrayed it. As she's flying towards the Manticore, she screams and covers her eyes. That doesn't give the impression of a showman hoping things will work out, but a mare who took a desperate step in a bad state of mind and is regretting it.

 

In a sense I think we're somewhat seeing eye-to-eye here, but while I can agree she likely regrets her actions after being shot out of the cannon, I think it's likely to consider her decision before the cannon. Yeah, she realized her mistake afterwards, but it probably took the cannon and seeing the open mouth of the manticore to make her realize the trick wasn't going to work.

 

Not so much attempted suicide; but rather her putting her fate in false-hope.

[Sunny Fox 5,932]

In a sense I think we're somewhat seeing eye-to-eye here, but while I can agree she likely regrets her actions after being shot out of the cannon, I think it's likely to consider her decision before the cannon. Yeah, she realized her mistake afterwards, but it probably took the cannon and seeing the open mouth of the manticore to make her realize the trick wasn't going to work.

 

Not so much attempted suicide; but rather her putting her fate in false-hope.

I feel this is somewhat splitting hairs, though. There's plenty of things Trixie could have done other than launch herself to what she admits would be certain death without the outside help of someone who might not even be within sight or hearing, and if she is, might be too emotionally distraught herself to take action to save you. If you're willingly going into a situation that is nearly certainly deadly, even with an outside hope of intervention, I think attempted suicide is closer to the mark than not.

[Bright Honor 2,405]

Yeah it definitely seemed like a clever way for the show to cover such a topic. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

I feel this is somewhat splitting hairs, though. There's plenty of things Trixie could have done other than launch herself to what she admits would be certain death without the outside help of someone who might not even be within sight or hearing, and if she is, might be too emotionally distraught herself to take action to save you. If you're willingly going into a situation that is nearly certainly deadly, even with an outside hope of intervention, I think attempted suicide is closer to the mark than not.

 

While I think you have a fair point here, I still don't think it has to lead to the idea of suicide itself. Granted I'll probably need to rewatch the episode, specifically the part where she is explaining the trick to Starlight, to get a better idea of it, but again, for suicide to factor in I need to believe that she even had an inkling was wanting to killer herself, and I just can't see it.

 

Yeah, Trixie was definitely down, but I don't think she had reached that point yet.

[Sunny Fox 5,932]

Is what you got out of the episode that trixie wanted everyone to feel sorry for her? Because that's not what I got, she never even suggested that.

Unless you intend to say that " not being given a second chance"  can be chalked up to boo-hoo no one loves u tough luk kid

A few inmates would like to talk to you, then

My point is (as it ever was) that it's unfair to blame Twilight for Trixie's potentially suicidal actions, as you were doing in the post I originally quoted. Yes, Twilight probably should have been a little more forgiving, especially given the end of Magical Duel. It's one of the forced-for-the-sake-of-plot character choices that make this episode less than par for the course for me. But faced with that distrust, Trixie made choices of her own free will to risk her life in the manticore stunt. You can't always choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you respond to it. Trixie chose poorly and that isn't on Twilight.

 

Besides, Twilight not genuinely giving Trixie a second chance is not what upset her into taking that final step. It was the fact that in trying to one-up Twilight, she damaged her relationship with a pony she did come to consider her friend. And again, that's a decision she made, before she got all sad. One shouldn't confuse those ideas.

[Varrack 1,080]

The manticore was part of the trick though. It bowed at the end, showing that it wasn't some wild, random beast. It must've been trained for the act. Still, the suicidal implications are still there, where is unsettling, but I can look past that as it's a kids show and nothing like that would ever happen.