S08:E06 - Surf and/or Turf

[heavens-champion 1,905]

Why is Dailymotion only showing the leaked version of this episode?

[Dark Qiviut 22,405]

1 minute ago, heavens-champion said:

Why is Dailymotion only showing the leaked version of this episode?

No one's uploaded the official aired one yet. Spazz will at some point today.

[Starshine Sprinkles 20]

I really enjoyed this episode - this was a clever way of indirectly tackling divorce, which is probably a bit too mature a topic for this kind of show. It's great to see the movie locations being integrated into the show, although it's a pity we didn't get to see Sky Star or Novo (even a non-speaking cameo would have been nice).

Some of you were wondering which one of the parents is related to Queen Novo. Jim Miller did a Q&A on twitter after the premiere and according to him, Queen Novo is Oceanflow's sister: https://twitter.com/jordanolling/status/977788248461230080

[ChB 18,554]

*Scootaloo talks through a conch shell*

"Everything sounds funny down here!"

Did Scootaloo just make an "It" reference?  

 

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

So I saw MLP "Surf and/or Turf". I originally watched the leak of this because I couldn't help myself. It wasn't one of my favorites but it was a lot better on a second watch fully completed. The lesson was good and it was nice to see them follow up on the events of the movie. It was interesting to see the personality types of the CMC clash. Sweetie Belle takes after Rarity a bit in this one. I also like how Scoots thought Swimming was like flying. Here's the things that bug me about the episode. The walking and swimming animation looks really awkward and too fast(Maybe just compared to the movie animation) and no Hippogriff seems pissed at Twilight at all for stealing the pearl. They almost treat her like a god in this. I know the Hippogriff is at the school and I'm glad Twi has been forgiven but their reactions seem more like how they would react to Pinkie and not Twi. Maybe I'm nitpicking. I thought the divorce comments made sense since I was like "Why do the parents live in 2 separate places in this?" the whole time I was watching. The idea of being torn between 2 cultures is also an interesting one. 

[ShootingStar159 2,156]

Hmm... I really don’t know how to feel about this one.

On the whole, there was nothing really wrong with this episode, but I’m coming away with a surprisingly ambivalent reaction. I think it’s because this doesn’t feel like it should be a map episode. Map episodes are supposed to be about characters using what they know and what they’re capable of to guide or fix a problem. But here, the CMC’s don’t really do that, the solution to the problem is something that anyone could have done, not just them. Heck, Twilight was more on top of the solution than they were, and she wasn’t even the one called. Maybe this is supposed to be as much a learning experience for the CMC as well?

Oh well, good episode, but also bizarrely the worst map episode.

[Dark Qiviut 22,405]

Back when I watched the leaks the first time, seeing Ocean Flow and Skybeak talk amicably with each other was such a pleasant surprise. Sometimes when you think of divorce, both in media and not, you think of the parents disliking or hating each other. This isn't the case: Neither of them live together anymore, but they still like each other and respect both each other and their kids. The ending where they apologize to Terramar for making him think he had to choose was a beautifully mature touch.

The moral at the end — "Families remain family, even if they live in more than one place or don't live together anymore" — is really good, too.

[Wonderbolt Slipstream 263]

I thought this episode was ok, I did like seeing all of the hippogriff stuff but the end result of it being "why choose?" was kinda boring as the point. At least Scootaloo felt like what it was like to fly.

[Sparklefan1234 170,817]

I liked "Surf and/or Turf" a lot more than "Twilight Time" which was the last time () that Twilight Sparkle & The CMC's shared an episode.

Also, are Terramar's parents actually divorced or is that just a theory?

Spoiler

When Scootaloo said the line about "Feeling like I'm flying." when she was swimming. 

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by Sparklefan1234

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Between this and the planned Okeanos midwater dive I'm far more hyped for the latter and that's basically watching a dark blue screen for a few hours. However, this was the first decent episode of the season, meaning that characters weren't butchered for the plot. That's what passes as "good" pony episode these days.

 

Not deep enough 7/10

[Dark Qiviut 22,405]

32 minutes ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

Also, are Terramar's parents actually divorced or is that just a theory?

They're divorced, and although they don't say the word, the episode isn't all that subtle about it. Skybeak and Silverstream live on Mount Aris, but Ocean Flow lives in Seaquestria, and Terramar alternates between the two places under the uncertainty of having to choose. But in the episode, their divorce is already done, and Sa/oT is more about how it affects a child.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Dark Qiviut

[Sparklefan1234 170,817]

5 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

They're divorced, and although they don't say the word, the episode isn't all that subtle about it. Skybeak and Silverstream live on Mount Aris, but Ocean Flow lives in Seaquestria, and Terramar alternates between the two places under the uncertainty of having to choose. But in the episode, their divorce is already done, and Sa/oT is more about how it affects a child.

 

It's like saying "hibernate" instead of "die" in "Tanks for the Memories"?

Also, I'm glad Terramar's parents don't seem bitter with each other, as that could potentially ruin the message they're trying to convey.

 

 

Edited April 21, 2018 by Sparklefan1234

[Thrond 3,263]

This isn’t really the show I signed up for. It does everything it aims to do fairly well, but I don’t think it’s aiming very high. It’s not even all that funny. I kind of enjoyed it, but this show’s late-period trend of either extremely high ambition or not much at all is poison to me. Point by point:

• The hippogriff niceness is at least toned down here, but I really do feel it robs them of complexity. I have no interest in a society of do-gooders. 
• The tone here is relaxed and mild to the point that I didn’t feel any stakes. There’s something anti-dramatic about this particular setup, which emphasizes the best-case scenario to the point that it eliminates almost anything interesting about the blatant divorce metaphor.
• And I’m sure this mora has resonance for a lot of people, but for me it’s sort of hard to relate to. I don’t even know why Terramar felt the need to choose. What are the pressures on him to do so? Is this expectation something actual kids feel in this exact scenario? I don’t know that, so I would like more context. This isn’t empathetic art, it’s a lecture.
• This is actually some of the the most imaginative worldbuilding the show has had recently, but the sheer emphasis on it feels to me like it actively harms the metaphor. Terramar barely mentions his parents, which seems like it should be a much bigger consideration. 
• And even in an imaginative world, I’m not terribly compelled by characters just sort of frolicking in it. Worlds should serve a purpose. Here, I feel like I’m being sold a play set, which isn’t helped by the relentless expository dialogue.
• What do the CMC add here? Childish squabbling? Their presence is cute but the conflict between them feels incredibly forced and childish, and not childish in a good way. If they’re there to provide an age-appropriate voice for Terramar to relate to, the episode places little emphasis on that.
• It continues to surprise me that people are able to tolerate the Cutie Map. It always feels contrived and arbitrary to me, and they haven’t fixed it in the four years it has existed. We’re just supposed to accept it, and I find the show doesn’t make much effort to give it any purpose beyond making impersonal stories happen. I truly hate it. At least someone finally decided to go even without being summoned.
• This was cute, sure. I didn’t hate it. But it lacks most of what makes the show interesting to me. Episodes like this don’t feel like a good show, they just feel good for a kids’ show. I want to recommend this show to my friends, but often I’m not even sure why I’d reccomend it.

Score

Entertainment: 6/10

Characters: 5/10

Themes: 7/10

Story: 4/10

Overall: 55/100

Edited April 21, 2018 by AlexanderThrond

[DonMaguz 1,023]

Hello everyone.

This episode was incredible, good excuse for the use of the first mission beyond Equestria. I'll list the things I liked and disliked (are there any?) about the episode below.

- Nice to see the CMC getting a mission of their own and traveling with a responsible adult.

- Terramar was a great character and very relatable for children going through their parents divorce.

- Twilight's excuse to go and have fun at Mount Aeris and Seaquestria is really funny!

- Applejack defeated the Stormking... loading headcanon... headcanon accepted (not really but the scene made me crack up). Also about this... Applebloom said AJ didn't say so, but it was a better way to tell the story. Well, that's how legends are born people, with heroic tales of shady sources!

- About the same scene, I loved how Applebloom's tale slowly drawn the attention of all the ponies on the wagon and the way the scene was animated, so much detail!

- Terramar and Silverstream's parents were ok, not so interesting characters but they achieved their purpose.

And now the big guns:

- Sweetie Belle's excitement over Harmony Heights was adorable and I hope it leads to her natural innate talent developing for a career.

- Scootaloo's love of Seaquestria and the feeling of flying, ok Hasbro... now you've done it! If Scootaloo is not able to fly at the end of the series (even if it means with the help of a prosthetic of some kind) I will be disappointed.

Back to normal points...

-The song was very enjoyable, not top pony song but very good nonetheless.

- The joke about Applebloom passing messages to Sweetie and Scoots was hilarious even when predictable.

- The resolution was obvious, but nothing to dislike about it.

- What I didn't get is how the map called the CMC for a "choosing path" problem instead of a friendship problem. I totally get that it is their special talent, but the map had a history of only friendship missions (even the self made Spike problem).

Overall an episode I loved, it would hardly join my top ten favorites but it is definitely my season 8 favorite at the moment.

Cheers!

Edited April 21, 2018 by DonMaguz
Spelling

[Oleks 1,993]

So, the show finally tackled the topic of divorce. Well, the way they did it was pretty much what you’d expect from MLP, but it was a bit surprising that CMCs played the central part in it. However, the outcome was obvious from the hippogriff kid’s name. “Terramar” speaks for itself, it’s a perfect name for a species fluid creature.

Some other things I learned today: hippogriffs have plenty of stairs; Sweetie Belle is amazingly fast, Twilight is less responsible as a chaperon than Rainbow Dash.

Also, maybe it’s just me, but the Hippo’s places really gave me some magical vibes, as some proper fairy-tale locations (in a good way). I guess it’s the combination of background music, sounds and light effects.

And the best part of the episode for me was seeing Scootaloo happy.

Spoiler

 

[Ganondorf8 11,312]

This episode featured a lot of lore surrounding both Mt. Aris and Seaquestria, and I had to listen to the explanation a few times in order for it to completely sink in. I'm surprised that the Pearl of Transformation was split up between the two worlds though I wish they had referred to it as such instead of what they did. Also, I am aware that Queen Novo was only mentioned by name and didn't make an actual appearance. I'm not annoyed by this as it would be difficult to feature her and Princess Skystar without having to alter their appearances to work with Flash as opposed to Toon Boom Harmony in addition to their voices needing to be different.

I liked how Apple Bloom was the only one of the CMC who didn't do anything wrong when it came to dealing with the problem surrounding Terramar--it was pretty obvious that he was their mission given he had a name as well as a unique body type compared to the generic hippogriffs. Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo meant well but it was clear that they were forcing their opinions on him rather than choosing to help him. We also got some development for the CMC despite what happened in the episode and it shows that they still have their disagreements. Apple Bloom made for an interesting voice of reason and her one expression really stuck out in my mind knowing that the others completely screwed up.

Princess Twilight... The adorkable side of her character returned in full as she was clearly more interested in having fun rather than taking care of the business she had come to deal with. I did find it weird that both the hippogriffs and seaponies went gaga over her appearance--nice reference via Silverstream--but it wasn't a distraction and it gave Her Highness extra credentials. In terms of the conflict, Twilight didn't really need to do much of anything other than give the CMC a helpful nudge, but from another perspective, she wasn't essential to the episode and could've been excluded entirely. But, the CMC needed a chaperone and Twilight made the most sense given she is the main character.

I'm sure people noticed this in the credits but Scootaloo had a different singing voice. I take that Madeline Peters no longer has the vocal range to be able to sing in her previous capacity so the job was given to someone else instead? Age no doubt was the prime reason for this. Speaking of the song, I definitely didn't expect it to happen so it was a pleasant surprise. It's conclusion was unfortunate but then this was part of the overall conflict so I can allow it to slide. Finally, I come to Terramar himself. Convenient that he turned out to be Silverstream's brother but that's beside the point.

He ended up causing his own problem due to feeling pressure into choosing which side to live in. A lot of people go through this in real life so his issue felt really close to home for them. I couldn't help but root for him the whole way through and was satisfied with what he ended up choosing--though it ended a bit too abruptly for my tastes but what are you going to do given time constraints constantly rearing its ugly head around. Overall, I enjoyed this episode and not once did I find myself cringing at anything. Mt. Aris and Seaquestria are fantastic additions to the world and I hope we can see them again in the future.

One last thing... Now Twilight understands what it feels like to be caught between two places.

I'll give this episode a 98%. Why? Because I can.

[Nyactis Mewcis Catlum 672]

7 hours ago, YoshiAngemon said:

I never saw some of the earlier CMC episodes, but I STILL think that Scootaloo needs to eat some of the things she hates, just to have proper wing growth. I mean, it's not like her parents are actually Earth Ponies, or even Unicorns, or are TOO busy to teach her how to fly and develop her wings better. I mean, Sonic eats Chili Dogs all the time, but if you DON'T have the metabolism rate HE'S got, you're gonna be as fat as that Egg-belly slow-mo, Dr. Robotnik.

It's a little presumptuous to think that Scootaloo's diet is what is responsible for her wings' underdevelopment, don't you think? I'm highly doubting that all of the other fillies and colts who do have their wings grow in have perfectly healthy diets.

Also, I'm definitely going to be watching this episode fully, just waking up right now, lol.

[RDDash 19,181]

10 hours ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

 

It's like saying "hibernate" instead of "die" in "Tanks for the Memories"?

Also, I'm glad Terramar's parents don't seem bitter with each other, as that could potentially ruin the message they're trying to convey.

 

 

Can we just get over this issue? because Tortoises do in fact hibernate, and second of all her pet is going to be abused by pies several seasons later.

 

 

I really liked this episode. On one hoof we have Scootalloo who would like Seaquestria because the poor girl can't fly, and on the second hoof we have Sweetie Belle who have a  different opinion because she is an unicorn, and she had different problems entirely

Edited April 22, 2018 by R.D.Dash

[eventyraren 180]

I feel like this was a divorce episode, A kids parents divorce and s/he feels he has to choose with who to live, only without the divorce.

Edited April 21, 2018 by eventyraren

[YoshiAngemon 223]

2 hours ago, Nyactis Mewcis Catlum said:

It's a little presumptuous to think that Scootaloo's diet is what is responsible for her wings' underdevelopment, don't you think? I'm highly doubting that all of the other fillies and colts who do have their wings grow in have perfectly healthy diets.

Also, I'm definitely going to be watching this episode fully, just waking up right now, lol.

Well, it's not like Rarity or Twilight would design some Prosthetic wings for underdeveloped Pegasi that would actually WORK!

[Truffles 2,033]

5 hours ago, StitchandMLPlover said:

no Hippogriff seems pissed at Twilight at all for stealing the pearl. They almost treat her like a god in this.

I'm sure Twilight worked it all out between herself and the hippogriffs/seaponies after the events of the movie. Even the end of the movie seemed to imply there were no hard feelings. Also her status as a princess no doubt raises her popularity among these species just like it does for ponies.

All the same, did anyone else besides me notice how nervous Twilight became and how quickly she changed the subject and left when Terramar explained the necklaces, especially the part about the pearl? lol. While some of that was because of how much of a hurry she was in to do her research, I still got this vibe she didn't want to stick around to hear questions from the CMC or Terramar along the lines of, "Hey, didn't you try to steal that?" XD   (Actually, I wish the episode had done that joke in retrospect.)

Anyway, I loved this episode. I liked how they handled the divorce subtext without directly referencing it, and I liked how it tied the problem Terramar and the CMC were having with the decision of where to live to Twilight being forced to make the same decision over which event she should attend. This shows kids that even adults like Twilight can get caught in the middle of a conflict between two groups/parents who live separately.

I am a bit confused over the whole "are they divorced" thing. @Dark Qiviut states they in fact are divorced, but I didn't get that impression. Divorce is a legal matter, and I don't see why they would need to get a legalized divorce just because one of them wanted to return to Mt. Aris and the other didn't. But maybe there's been info from DHX that says they are divorced? Were there scenes I missed where one or both of them had taken new partners? I dunno. I can see them as separated, but only for the reasons of them preferring a different lifestyle and not because they hate each other. In fact, they seem downright chummy with one another. It was interesting they left that particular revelation hanging for most of the episode before finally having them meet.

To expand on this a bit, I actually thought the task for the CMC was going to be to solve the problem of the two groups living apart in general, and not just for Terramar specifically. I suppose there is a bit of a hint by the groups coming together to celebrate at the very end that they may have indeed done some of that work. In that way, this episode feels a bit like "Over a Barrel," though there was a lot more animosity there due to the sharing of resources vs. this just being a difference of wanting to live a particular lifestyle.

I like the name "Terramar" - it's literally the combination of the words for "land" and "sea" and ties in with the conflict perfectly.

It seems young characters have a knack for creating friendship problems instead of fixing them. The CMC can join Spike in making the problem worse before having it fixed. And like with Spike having to do nothing because Ember and Thorax did it for him, I have to agree as some have said that it feels like Twilight really solved the problem with her suggestion than the CMC themselves. I was a bit surprised the CMC's relationship broke down so quickly with Apple Bloom stuck in the middle, (which was another nod to the troubles with divorce and kids) but I can see how passionately Sweetie and Scoots felt about each place. It kind of reminds me of some of the debates over MLP episodes, though, lol.

I guess like @AlexanderThrondI am also a little confused over why Terramar felt like he had to choose between his two parents. His existing plan of going between the two of them seemed to be working and in the end the solution was to simply change nothing. Unlike some families, it's not like his parents live great distances apart, and switching between the two forms doesn't exact any penalty on his health. Maybe if the episode spent some time showing us why this wasn't working it would have made more sense, but then that wouldn't have been a solution, only a compromise to a bad situation and a real downer.

But the episode gets points for not forcing the parents to make a sacrifice and decide they just need to tough it out and live together. That's not realistic in real life so taking a more realistic approach was welcome. (Though I can see why some who watch the show for escape might not like this.)

The episode also gets big points for giddy twirling Sweetie Belle and overjoyed swimming Scootaloo. I could feel their happiness for finding a place they felt they could really belong. Barring some other change in these characters, I think we've seen where these two will go to live after they decide to retire, lol.

I liked the song a lot. Hopefully we'll get more good songs this season after a bit of a downtrend last season (Pear Butter's and Rumble's songs being the only two I found outstanding.)

Also, Sweetie Belle forgot to mention one big negative about living in Seaquestria: You have to swim around in your own toilet! XD (Like, where do they go to the bathroom, anyway? And it's not like it will ever stay in one place after they do it!)

I have to wonder what "salmon juice" is. Supposedly, the hippogriffs love to eat the stuff and implies they are omnivores. It's not that big of a deal, I suppose, since Fluttershy had no problems killing fish for her ferret friends; but it is interesting that we got a mention of a food that seems to have a meat component to it.

So, if I limit my rankings to just the episodes that have officially aired, this one is the best of them all - so far. In coming weeks it will get pushed down to at least 3rd place since the two I did watch I liked better. =)

Edited April 21, 2018 by Truffles

[Nyactis Mewcis Catlum 672]

4 hours ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

It's like saying "hibernate" instead of "die" in "Tanks for the Memories"?

No, not really.

Saying "hibernate" instead of "die" is an attempt at an analogy which really just changes the situation entirely, since hibernation is a natural and healthy part of an animal's life cycle and death is... Well, um, an animal isn't exactly healthy if it dies.

What's going on here is much more akin to "Flight to the Finish", in which it's not outright stated that the reason that they're not living together is divorce but it's hinted at, just like "Flight to the Finish" hints at the idea that Scootaloo's inability to fly is the result of an abnormality. There's no analogy that is being made in either situation at all, because no explanation or word is given to either. In other words, Scootaloo likely does have a disability, and Terramar's parents likely are divorced; they aren't something else entirely. (At least, as far as we know, anyway.) In Tank's case, he wasn't dying or dead at any point and we know this for a fact.

2 minutes ago, YoshiAngemon said:

Well, it's not like Rarity or Twilight would design some Prosthetic wings for underdeveloped Pegasi that would actually WORK!

Rarity is a fashion designer and has demonstrated in the past to sacrifice practicality for the sake of aesthetic (although it seems she's getting better at the practicality thing). She's hardly an inventor, she's more akin to an artist.

Twilight is not an inventor, either. She can use magic and thus can create wings through a spell, but I'm giving the show the benefit of the doubt and assuming this spell has too many risks and costs for it to be considerably useful to Scootaloo at this time.

1 minute ago, Truffles said:

I am a bit confused over the whole "are they divorced" thing. @Dark Qiviut states they in fact are divorced, but I didn't get that impression. Divorce is a legal matter, and I don't see why they would need to get a legalized divorce just because one of them wanted to return to Mt. Aris and the other didn't. But maybe there's been info from DHX that says they are divorced? Were there scenes I missed where one or both of them had taken new partners? I dunno. I can see them as separated, but only for the reasons of them preferring a different lifestyle and not because they hate each other. In fact, they seem downright chummy with one another. It was interesting they left that particular revelation hanging for most of the episode before finally having them meet.

Not all of those who have a divorce hate each other, that's why DQ was praising the whole thing. Some divorces do happen simply because the two individuals have completely different lifestyles that aren't sustainable if the two of them stay together while keeping their intimacy. It's a common reason for splits in relationships that is often not depicted in media because drama is more entertaining than amicable separation.

If the two of them are supposed to be a couple who has a child but they live completely separately and the child is still, well, a child, it's an educated guess at worst that the two of them are at the very least no longer together.

3 minutes ago, Truffles said:

It seems young characters have a knack for creating friendship problems instead of fixing them. The CMC can join Spike in making the problem worse before having it fixed. And like with Spike having to do nothing because Ember and Thorax did it for him, I have to agree as some have said that it feels like Twilight really solved the problem with her suggestion than the CMC themselves. I was a bit surprised the CMC's relationship broke down so quickly with Apple Bloom stuck in the middle, (which was another nod to the troubles with divorce and kids) but I can see how passionately Sweetie and Scoots felt about each place. It kind of reminds me of some of the debates over MLP episodes, though, lol.

Yeah, I think this is where people seem to get hung up, believing that the fight between them is "childish", but it's only so because Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo feel passionate about the places that they were picking to live. It wasn't about the hippogriff they were helping anymore; it was about their own personal ideals being challenged. I'm surprised people have missed the point of this especially in Scootaloo's case, because it was incredibly evident why she preferred the undersea lifestyle. It's probably the first time that she's felt truly free and not like an outlier among her species, which is no doubt a problem that bothers her on a consistent basis. For someone to suggest that the place that gave her that freedom is worthy of that criticism, and that could feel like an utter slap to the face to her.

With them being children themselves, and what with Scootaloo's own confirmed lack of support from her own parents as well, it only makes sense that she would cling so tightly onto that (makes sense in a rather heart-wrenching way, at that).

You could argue Sweetie Belle was more childish, but perhaps she too had personal reasons for not having fondness for the undersea lifestyle like Scootaloo does.

8 minutes ago, Truffles said:

I guess like @AlexanderThrondI am also a little confused over why Terramar felt like he had to choose between his two parents. His existing plan of going between the two of them seemed to be working and in the end the solution was to simply change nothing. Unlike some families, it's not like his parents live great distances apart, and switching between the two forms doesn't exact any penalty on his health. Maybe if the episode spent some time showing us why this wasn't working it would have made more sense, but then that wouldn't have been a solution, only a compromise to a bad situation and a real downer.

I think this is unfortunately a problem that is too complex for the show to dive into. His feelings are very reminiscent of other children who are in divorced homes. Children need a stable home environment to stay in for their lives, and the hippogriffs had to do multiple drastic switches during his life. It's also why people can be fearful of moving out, even though it's a necessity. We have a natural innate need to belong somewhere, and a tumultuous childhood in that regard can be very damaging as it presents a lack of security in life.

Keep in mind that the hippogriffs were only just recently allowed to go back onto the surface again, since the movie's lore is canon. Before then, his parents would have both been on the surface, or both been in the sea, so they technically lived the exact same lifestyle. Now, they don't, because some hippogriffs have opted to stay underwater while the others moved back to the surface. This in-between isn't something that's been going on for a while for him, it's something that started just recently. Seeing it from that perspective might make the conflict's resolution easier to understand.

[Sonic5421 423]

I really liked this episode. Not only does Queen Novo permit the Friendship Express to build a railroad line to Mount Aris from Equestria, but even her people are allowed to ride on it because of the newfound friendship and alliance between their races. The Hippogriffs have rebuilt Hippogriffia back into its old splendor from the ghost town it was seen as in the movie, and things seem to be going fine with how many Hippogriffs have returned to Mount Aris while many chose to stay as Seaponies and live in Seaquestria.

We also learn of what Silverstream showed back in the premiere with her necklace with being able to swap back and forth between Seapony and Hippogriff form as Queen Novo decided to break her Pearl of Transformation down into smaller fragments that her people could wear as necklaces, allowing them to switch back and forth at will.

Other than that, we see the Crusaders summoned by the map to aid Silverstream's brother with figuring out where he belongs in terms of having his father as a Hippogriff on Mount Aris and his mother remaining a Seapony in Seaquestria. When Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo find themselves preferring one location over the other, it leads to them getting into an argument and leaving Apple Bloom to try and mediate between them until Twilight arrives to sort things out and see for herself why Silverstream's brother is having so much trouble with his indecision until she sees the Hippogriffs and Seaponies meeting up for friendly conversation, including Silverstream's parents, giving her a great idea.

The Crusaders bring Silverstream's brother back to see the Hippogriffs and Seaponies getting along with a beach-side picnic, and his parents apologize for putting so much pressure on him to decide which life is better and allow him to travel back and forth as he has been doing, which he is happy with, completing the Crusaders' mission from the map.

All in all, I enjoyed this episode, especially being located at Mount Aris and Seaquestria, and I give it a 10/10 for my score.

[Tacodidra 61,174]

The sixth episode of season 8 was another good one. While the first three episodes remain my favorites from the season, both of the last two episodes have shown an improvement over the previous one which is very promising for the rest of the season.

I feel I should mention first that the episode was amazing visually. The animation has been very lively in the last few episodes with the characters' expressions and this episode was no exception to that. The underwater sequences were the highlight for me – all the fish and the scenery which Scootaloo found so fascinating. And sea ponies – the first time we saw them in the series! The characters were also simply adorable in this episode – Twilight with her amazement for everything and likewise the CMCs. Scootaloo enjoying swimming so much and comparing it to flying was a really nice moment. The song was good too, especially with its end which I found pretty funny (even if it led to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo falling out) – the heart shattering was a nice touch. We finally got the CMCs Cutie Map episode which I remember a lot of people were asking for before this season, and it gave the trio a pretty great chance to shine, even if Twilight played a significant role in solving the friendship problem.

What negatives were there? Not many, I'd say. The episode really picked up at the end after a slow start, though I wouldn't say this bothered me much – just exploring Mount Aris and Seaquestria was interesting enough. One thing that made me wonder a little was Scootaloo's singing. It sounded different from what I remembered and the end credits confirmed she had a new singing voice (Arielle Tuliao). I think she did a good job, but in all previous seasons the singing voice was also performed by Madeleine Peters. Anyway, I would rate this episode 8.75/10 – a very good episode but not quite one of my all-time best. I hope to see more of the hippogriffs and sea ponies later in the series!

Edited April 22, 2018 by Tacodidra

[Victoria Sponge 1,017]

The synopsis didn't really get me excited for this episode, not sure why but it didn't sound that interesting. However this was an awesome episode, probably the best this season so far. The biggest part of why I enjoyed this so much was the setting, Mount Aris and Sequestria are truly some of the most beautiful places we've seen in the show. That and seeing more of the Hippogriffs/Seaponies was really cool, especially with throwbacks to the movie and everything. And having the CMCs called by the map and the map calling them outside of equestria for the first time at the same time was a good touch too. I think there was a subtle message about separated parents in there too, multiple houses, parents accidentally making the child feel like they have to choose, so that was interesting and a good morale to teach kids who are in the unfortunate situation of having their parents split up. 

Great episode, I'd probably rate it 8/10 just because it felt too short, and the conflict between Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle was solved way too quickly (obviously couldn't be helped but I feel like they may have crammed a little too much in at once). Everything else was perfect.