S08:E11 - Molt Down

[DuskUnicorn 10]

I really enjoyed this episode.  Both the continuity and callbacks to earlier episodes, and that we get actual character changes to Spike this far into the show!

But on a more personal note, I was very happy to see some head canon finally become show canon!  Back in 2012 I had an online RP that revealed and centered on there being a Roc in the Everfree (called "Roc'in' the Everfree").  Another one to check off finally. :-)

 

[Sonic5421 423]

Well, I have to say that this episode marked a huge milestone in Spike's life, not to mention all the callbacks to previous episodes that were seen in it, the best one being the return of Spike's phoenix buddy Peewee, now fully grown with a nest of his own near his parents, who look to be on good terms still with Spike since he returned Peewee to them when he was still a chick.

As for Spike, despite all his fears about having to leave Twilight and Ponyville due to what he was told by Smolder about the dragons and their natural molt they go through as they grow up, Twilight made it clear that no matter what Spike looks like on the outside, he's still himself on the inside, and she still loves him deeply, both as a friend, and her #1 assistant.

For me, this was a very awesome episode, so I'll give it a perfect 10/10 for my score.

[CypherHoof 26,482]

5 hours ago, DuskUnicorn said:

I really enjoyed this episode.  Both the continuity and callbacks to earlier episodes, and that we get actual character changes to Spike this far into the show!

But on a more personal note, I was very happy to see some head canon finally become show canon!  Back in 2012 I had an online RP that revealed and centered on there being a Roc in the Everfree (called "Roc'in' the Everfree").  Another one to check off finally. :-)

Was sedimentary, now metamorphic

[Rising Dusk 27,507]

Great episode.  Love all the calls backs that add to the sense of continuity in the series, especially explaining that greed growing is a thing.  Makes one wonder why most all the dragons we've see so far aren't really that big.  Good character growth, and physical for that matter, for Spike that's still been a baby dragon for six or so years now.  It was rather awesome to see toward the end there that the two ponies he cares about the most were all concerned enough to seek out Zecora on their own for medical aid to Spike's blemishes when he wouldn't.

Only thing that surprised me was that Twilight didn't nerd out over a new possible research project in her understanding of dragon development.

[Will Guide 21,360]

13 hours ago, YoshiAngemon said:

You can blame Equestria Girls for that!

The staff went on record several times that Equestria Girls had Nothing to do with Season 3 being short. If it did, then EVERY Season since then would have been short while the later EQG was being made.

Please stop perpetuating the misbelief.

People were quick to blame Equestria Girls for impacting the episode count of Season 3, even though the actual reason for Season 3's 13 episode count is because Hasbro was undecided on whether or not they wanted to continue the show past the standard 65 episodes that many animated shows get (26 + 26 + 13 = 65).

[Dark Qiviut 22,379]

Do you remember dreading the thought of a Spike episode?

I do.

For so long, Spike episode were usually among the worst of the series, much less the season. For the first five seasons, no matter the plot, episodes usually starring him were usually awful; anything better wasn't the norm. But since Princess Spike (his worst outing of the show), everything changed. His episodes became good. DHX wrote him with dignity. Since Newbie Dash, the Spikabuse vanished. Even today, the thought of not bashing a new Spike episode is completely refreshing.

Molt Down is the first S8 episode to star Spike, and the show's biggest evolution from the status quo since Newbie Dash.

How does it approach it? By describing how a child dragon goes through puberty. Like real life, puberty ain't fun, and several allegories hammer that point home.

1. Itchy, painful stone scales: rashes and pimples.
2. Volume shifts: deepening of the voice.
3. Armpit smell: body odor and hair.
4. Fire burps: dunno. A period, perhaps?
5. Sleep disruptions: teens being more alert late in the day. (Thank @Jeric for that pointer and the accompanying research.)

Haber's jokes are equally as funny as sympathizing for Spike. Yet, the jokes themselves have an extra layer of dimension, because they're not all the same type, the characters' reactions vary, and visual cues round the story. Other great jokes include:

1. Zecora stuffing each of her ears with a cottonball after Spike suddenly shouted.

2. Quote

   Rarity: Oh, and while I am here…do you have any blemish cream? Spike is having some scale issues!

   Spike *from the pot*: YOU HAVE NO IDEA!

   The camera's wide shot, Spike's irritated voice, and the squashing/stretching of the pot he's in as he complains create a perfect recipe for a joke. It's wonderfully timed and really hilarious.

3. Smolder smacking Spike a little too hard in the back, accidentally driving him in pain.

4. Quote

   Smolder: The molt is completely normal. Every dragon goes through it. Pretty soon, you'll leave and strike out on your own.

   Spike: Why would I do that?

   Smolder: Have you been living with ponies your whole life?

   Spike: Uh-huh.

   Smolder *side-glance*: Oh.

5. Pinkie's sudden shouting and liking that foul odor.   Her sly faces really sell the characterization, too.

6. Twilight grumbling at the thought of Celestia never creaking out.

That said, not all of them. Sometimes they got a little repetitive or cringeworthy, notably Rarity's shouts after a while and the grossout shot of Spike's stone scale. But for the most part, they did their job.

That said, let's talk about Spike. Although he grew considerably since hatching from his egg years ago, from how Twilight acted, this is the very first time Spike molted. The stone scale is painful already, but having so many throbbing and itching is completely foreign to him. Puberty is a part of life the majority of us experience, and whatever he has to endure throughout the episode parallels ourselves in some way. The stages of puberty poor Spike suffered through echoes our own. Impressively, despite many chances for Haber to unleash the most cringeworthy puberty-related joke possible, he restrains himself just enough to create them at his expense without crossing the line into Spikabuse.

How does he do that? I'm not sure, but many of the guesses include:

1. What Spike had to go through isn't his fault. Every dragon goes through this stage, including Smolder's presumably-older bro. The molt effect that Spike suffered from is no less different than any other dragon when they grow up. When they treat it as normal, we do, too.
    
2. Spike's friends and Twilight don't ignore him. When they noticed something is wrong with him, they're there to help. They care about Spike and want to work with him so he can get better.
    
3. Smolder interacts with Spike. Back in S2, Spike grew rapidly due to inherent greed, opening up a big implication into how dragons grew. Is greed the cause? Could Spike control it, which was a main part for two future conflicts? How did other dragons grow when they didn't show signs of greed? Smolder's description of greed-induced growth as not normal for a dragon cleared up so many questions and brought forth more insight on dragon lore and dragon culture in her homeland.

Smolder has an attitude, and her description of dragon culture's response to the molt effect increases Spike's anxiety for the unknown, increasing the conflict's stakes. But there's one thing to note, which the episode makes very clear — as scary as her description of dragon life during the molt is, she's not treated as a bad person, and Smolder isn't written to be antagonistic. The molt effect is a part of her life, so what she and others experienced is expected. For the most part, she's prepared for the challenges; theorize that others back home do, too.

Spike, on the other hand, isn't. He's lived with Twilight his whole life and knows so little about dragon culture. The molt effect, especially the smell, is putrid, and he fears that Twilight and the others will reject him, forcing him to live on his own. He's not prepared to defend himself from predators that relish for that smell, especially the roc. Because Twilight asked him to retreat to an area that won't fry anyone in the school, Spike assumes even more that the more out of control his molt becomes, the less Twilight will want him around. Can't you blame him for being so scared of growing up and fighting to alter the molt? Of course not!

For obvious reasons, Rarity and Twilight are usual partners for Spike in his episodes, but they're all really good here. This time, Zecora's added to the mix, and she's really well written in a nowadays-rare appearance. But rather than be treated as merely a vessel to deliver plot devices, she becomes deeply involved in both the A and B plots: Spike's puberty and Rarity's phoenix-related ear infection. Her interactions with the characters and their problems add depth to her character, occupation, and relationships with others.

One big change for this season is the treatment of the Everfree Forest, historically a really dangerous place to roam. What was a common plot device for the Mane Six, Spike, and CMCs to face conflict, its dangers and presence were mostly absent after Princess Twilight Sparkle. But for the third time this season, an Everfree creature threatened creaturekinds' safety. And the chase scene was really tense. Zecora, Spike, and Rarity were in great danger, and the score and sounds throughout hammered in the sudden perils they faced. In the leaked version, the chase's tone was more comedic, courtesy of Twilight's lasers sounding like video game beams. Here, the comedy was more toned down, an excellent change from the leaked product.

YO! Do you smell what the roc is cookin'?!

Oh, yeah! Another thing!

THANKS, JOSH HABER!

After everything he went through in this episode, Spike molting and earning wings is an excellent payoff. I don't know if he grew a little or not, but when you're making a child dragon molt, sticking with the status quo would be a complete slap to the face to Spike and the audience. Something about him had to change. Interestingly, even though his new wings feel earned, Spike and his friends treat his accomplishment as merely a new milestone in his life as he grows into adulthood.

Here, MD brings forth a really great moral: "Growing up is a part of life, and it's usually not very easy. Sometimes you'll doubt yourself or fear of what will happen to those who love you as well as your own future. But good friends and family will be there to help you through times of uncertainty. No matter how much you change physically, you're still you." Twilight delivering this lesson to him shows us how much he means to her, their hug proving their tight bond. DHX, please, more of their family dynamic!

If there was one little problem with the chase, it's what Silver Quill pointed out: Twilight's magic felt kinda weak. Yes, you could argue that she scaled it back because Rarity and Zecora were trapped within the roc's talons, but she needed Spike's assistance to rescue them from their fall, when Twilight magically corralled them all during the movie.

Conversely, the theme of growing was subtly foreshadowed through Peewee's reintroduction. The now-adult phoenix still interacts with his parents, but a sharp eye will notice he has his own nest now, indicating either a family of his own or the preparation for one. Spike may've released him, but they still know each other very fondly, evident by their embrace. Peewee grew up; Spike will, too.

---

Back in Season 5, I panned Spike being handed the bouquet of dragon sneeze flowers, the lowest moment of the season. Rather than capping off a broken episode with a rather sweet moment, DHX doubled down on his buttmonkey status. After all, isn't FIM supposedly a feminist show? Well, you don't empower women and girls by making your only male lead a punching bag for abusive comic relief. It's hypocritical and massively sexist, one of the biggest stains of the series.

But after that, the direction for his character improved. No longer did his personality shift to demand the plot. His role wasn't confined to pure comic relief. His episodes no longer beat him down or abused him just to teach him a contrived lesson. Starting out with secondary roles in Amending Fences and Re-Mark, Season 6 expanded his role, including becoming close friends with Starlight, bonding dragonkind and ponykind by working with and befriending Ember, and sacrificing his celebrityhood to stand up for Thorax. Season 6 was Spike's best season. Albeit a diminished role in S7, he was really good in Triple Threat, Owl's Well done right.

Coming into Molt Down, Spike was having a great year. Now he left his biggest mark in the show since Times. His wings demonstrate his evolution in not just his character, but also his role. It's unknown whether his wings will have a big impact on the season, or it's just cosmetic. But what happens in the future will wait.

When I watched the leaked version, I liked it, but wasn't totally happy with it. Days before its official airing, however, I was unsure whether I was fair to it or not. Now, when comparing the leaked version with the final product, the leaked Molt's lack of polish and missing score completely affected the episode's overall quality. The final product is excellent, well edited, and really makes the audience feel like Spike earned his pair of wings. Molt Down's one of the best episodes of S8 so far and one of the best Spike episodes altogether.

P.S.: And, yes, Molt Down's change of the status quo's superior to MMC's.

[Im_not_crazy_im_just 1,814]

I hope this won’t end up like twilight with spike getting his wings.

[Dark Qiviut 22,379]

1 minute ago, Im_not_crazy_im_just said:

I hope this won’t end up like twilight with spike getting his wings.

Ditto. Right now, though, let's celebrate his new stage.

[Jonny Music 3,400]

So happy that Spike finally has wings! Loved this episode!

[CypherHoof 26,482]

6 hours ago, SwitchGuy2018 said:

The staff went on record several times that Equestria Girls had Nothing to do with Season 3 being short. If it did, then EVERY Season since then would have been short while the later EQG was being made.

Please stop perpetuating the misbelief.

People were quick to blame Equestria Girls for impacting the episode count of Season 3, even though the actual reason for Season 3's 13 episode count is because Hasbro was undecided on whether or not they wanted to continue the show past the standard 65 episodes that many animated shows get (26 + 26 + 13 = 65).

I think there is a little truth in that though. Hasbro wanted to round out the "Syndication 65" for commercial purposes, but clearly were unsure if they would continue the series or not, and were experimenting with a more doll-like line; had EqG taken off in terms of toy sales, I suspect we would have seen a very different outcome.  Both EqG and the short season are a result of Hasbro's thinking, hence one is not the cause of the other.

Edited May 28, 2018 by CypherHoof

[Truffles 2,033]

6 hours ago, Dark Qiviut said:

For obvious reasons, Rarity and Twilight are usual partners for Spike in his episodes, but they're all really good here.

An amazing analysis, and I have a lot to reply to regarding it, but I wanted to point something out about these two characters in particular: This is the latest example you hold up as a mirror to explain why episodes like "Non-Complete Clause" and "The Cart Before the Pony," among others, get so much hate.

At no time did Rarity or Twilight get written a particular way to conform to the plot - even though it would have been easy to fall into that sort of trap - especially if it had been determined the episode needed more humor or more conflict regarding Spike's condition. We don't have characters who are his closest friends and family being dismissive, or belittling towards him. It would have been disastrous if those two had acted in that way, and in fact as you pointed out, Smolder was the perfect vehicle to create the conflict for Spike without it seeming out-of-place.

More later, the holiday weekend has taken more time than expected for all things pony. 

[jorge123esp 912]

 

Alright... this episode was completely unexpected for me. I didn't expect about Spike finally gaining his wings. That was completely impressive, and is such a really huge development. I really liked the episode, very funny, and a very important episode for the future of MLP. 

 

Thanks Josh Haber 

Edited May 28, 2018 by jorge123esp

[Music Chart Fan 819]

Overall, there might be two different things to consider when discussing this episode: how entertaining the episode itself is, and then the change of Spike's having wings in the show from now on. Regarding the episode itself, on the one hand, I thought there were several entertaining/nice moments, including: Spike's acting a little too suspicious, such that Rarity catches on to him trying to hide his stone scale; Spike's and Peewee's showing affection for each other; Twilight's and Rarity's being understanding about Spike's stone scale(s) and reassuring him that it's not that big of a deal; Twilight's and Rarity's taking the initiative to ask Zecora about a cure for Spike's stone scales, after Spike was too nervous/stubborn/etc. to do it himself; and of course, Rarity's and Twilight's being happy for Spike after he grew wings, and their assurance that they're there for him as he continues to grow up. However, I didn't like seeing Spike continuedly digging himself into a hole by trying and failing to hide the effects of his molting and not talking about it; the recurring gag where Spike, Rarity, and even Pinkie shout things quickly became obnoxious; I'm not sure that I like some of the puberty analogies in this episode, or that some of them quite work; and the action sequence seemed to have several contrivances in order to ratchet up the tension artificially.

Regarding the status quo change of Spike's growing wings, I'm not sure that it's had that strong of an effect for me yet. However, there have been other status quo changes in the show that didn't really sink in or have their full impact for me until later, after some time had passed and we saw some subsequent interactions about them or consequences of them. For example, Twilight's being able to fly and having pegasus abilities (setting aside the questions about Twilight's becoming a princess and what that meant) wasn't really cemented for me until we saw things like Twilight's standing on clouds, casually flying and talking with Rainbow, and breaking through clouds when flying in "Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3". Or, for another example, Rainbow's finally being accepted into the Wonderbolts didn't have much impact on me just after "Newbie Dash" aired, even if I tried to set aside the issues I had with that episode. But seeing Rainbow having good casual camaraderie with the other Wonderbolts and flying with them in later episodes like "Top Bolt" and "Parental Glideance" was what really sealed the deal and made me happy that Rainbow had achieved her goal of becoming a Wonderbolt. So, while Spike's growing wings in this episode may not have had as strong of an emotional impact on me, that may be subject to change, depending on how it's handled in the future. I hope that we get to see Spike using his wings and having interactions with other characters about his wings and about flying; things like that would help to make this status quo change more meaningful.

-----

To start off, there seem to be a few puberty analogies in this episode that I don't really like and/or might not quite work as intended.

The first is Spike's refusal to try to find help (with Zecora or someone else) regarding his breakout and the other things his body is going through. When Rarity first suggests that Spike see Zecora, he says "I don't want anypony else to see this". But Zecora lives in an isolated location, and I wouldn't think that Zecora would be a particularly judgmental jerk about it or anything. And the next morning, when even as Twilight is understanding about Spike's breakout and also tells Spike to see Zecora, he insists that "I'm not leaving the castle until my face is back to its adorable self". So, essentially, Spike refuses to seek out a solution to his problem until...his problem solves itself, which seems like a bit of a paradox. And after that, Spike hides his breakout from Rarity and tries to get away without even telling her about what has happened. But earlier, when Spike eventually revealed his stone scale to her, she was mature about it. She didn't laugh at his misfortune or tell him that he's gross and she never wants to see him again or anything like that. Rarity might insist again that Spike see Zecora or do something about his breakout, but that is what Spike should try to do. It looks like the puberty analogy being attempted here is to pre-teens' or teens' peers being judgmental jerks and making fun of others' acne issues, or finding them so gross that they never want to hang out again. But we see that Rarity, Twilight, and Zecora don't do that, and Spike could probably expect them to be reasonably mature about body problems that Spike doesn't have any real control over. So I'm not sure that that puberty analogy quite works.

Also, Smolder, and later Spike, both say that in the Dragon Lands, molting dragons are kicked out - or, as Smolder calls it, the "molt effect". In both cases, my first thought was "Well, this isn't the Dragon Lands". And of course, Twilight says those exact words to Spike when he brings that up. Smolder suggests that it's biological, but we're talking about other people's conscious actions and decisions here, not some uncontrollable biological phenomenon (hence why it's prefaced with "in the Dragon Lands"). So I don't like that Spike seems to think that Twilight would suddenly and irrevocably kick him out, just because that's what happens in the Dragon Lands. Since when has Twilight followed "what they do in the Dragon Lands" in her treatment of Spike? This feels like another "getting older" analogy - in this case, moving out or getting kicked out to make one's own living - that doesn't quite work.

This "molt effect" of a dragon's getting kicked out for the mere fact that molting is occurring also seems to be mixed in with the fear that the side effects of molting - the smell, uncontrollable fire burps, etc. - will be the new normal, and therefore, no one else will want to be around Spike any more. But that seems like a separate concern (with its own potential solutions), with the puberty analogy there being to having to worry about body odor, bad breath, etc., rather than moving out or getting kicked out of the house. So I don't know, the way those two things are handled in the episode seems a little needlessly convoluted.

-----

As I mentioned before, there are also a few instances where the action sequence with the roc seems to be drawn out or made more tense because of kind of contrived actions (or lack of actions) on the part of characters involved.

When the roc was chasing Spike as he baited it away from Zecora, what was the thought process behind Spike's climbing a tree? Did he think that the roc wouldn't see him doing that, and that he could hide from the roc until it lost interest? But he was just running over open ground - at least open enough that we could clearly see the roc flying above and following Spike. And besides, isn't the roc supposed to be attracted to his smell?

After that, when Spike runs into Rarity, he seems to understand that the first priority is to tell her "You have to get out of here! There's a giant roc trying to eat me! It's got Zecora!". But, of course, Rarity is having severe hearing problems. Spike had observed that already, and even if he forgot at that moment, Rarity goes back to doing the "shouting slowly" thing, which ought to clue Spike in. So why not, say, point to the flying roc and get Rarity to notice it, or grab Rarity's hoof and try to get her to run?

Then, when Twilight finds Spike, she can hear just fine, but Spike inexplicably doesn't immediately inform Twilight of the giant predator bird chasing him, or that the roc is holding Zecora and Rarity, as Spike had just done with Rarity; instead, Spike wastes time doing the "this would normally be really embarrassing" shtick.

Lastly, when Twilight finally understands that the roc is holding Zecora and Rarity, Twilight's solution is to chase the roc and try to fire generic magic laser blasts at it, which repeatedly miss and apparently aren't stopping the roc even when they hit. Why doesn't Twilight, for example, find Zecora and Rarity and teleport them to a safe location (perhaps followed by teleporting Spike and herself away as well)? Or why doesn't Twilight use her telekinesis to force the roc to stop and force open its claw so that Zecora and Rarity can escape? Even when Zecora and Rarity are in free fall, Twilight calls out to Spike and points, and the two of them race to catch up to Zecora and Rarity and catch them in their arms, rather than Twilight's just teleporting Zecora and Rarity or using telekinesis to stop them.

-----

Next, here are a few other larger observations I had about the episode.

Both Rarity and Twilight suggest that Spike pay Zecora a visit, since she "makes a cream that works wonders". But who's to say that a skin cream that works on ponies would also work on dragons? Is the cause of stone scales in dragons even understood by Zecora or by ponies in general? However, Spike never cites that as a reason not to see Zecora, and it would pretty obviously be better for Spike to at least see what Zecora thinks, rather than just hiding it and hoping that his issues will just go away, even as they continue to get worse. That's especially the case when people apparently don't have to schedule appointments with Zecora, make sure that insurance will cover the appointment and treatment, etc.

Peewee apparently holds affection for Spike, which is nice to see. But does Peewee actually remember Spike from being raised by him, and/or did Peewee learn that Spike had saved him? Back in "Just for Sidekicks", the framed pictures depict Spike returning Peewee to his parents, with Peewee apparently looking no different than he did when he had just hatched. That might imply that Spike didn't take care of Peewee for very long, in which case it might also be surprising for grown-up Peewee to remember Spike. However, this show has had several other cases of characters not appearing to age even when they should be getting older, so the length of time for which Spike took care of Peewee might not be clear. Or is Spike supposed to have been making regular visits to see Peewee over the years? I noticed Peewee's dad not looking amused when Spike returned Peewee in the "Just for Sidekicks" picture, so would Peewee's parents be okay with Spike's visiting him? Were Peewee and his parents somehow informed that Spike was trying to save Peewee from the other dragons, rather than intending to steal him away from his parents?

It seems that there are several questions about dragon molting that this episode doesn't answer. Did Smolder already go through molting, or did she merely observe it in other dragons? (On a side note, if Smolder molted already, and is actually older than Spike, that would be an interesting juxtaposition - Smolder is older than Spike, yet she's the student in school while Spike is helping to run the school.) Do all dragons only grow wings when they molt, or was Spike's growing wings upon molting particular to him, for some reason? Growing wings seems like a pretty big deal, so we might think that Smolder would mention growing wings when she talks about molting to Spike. Will Spike go through a non-greed-induced growth spurt, or grow horns like some (though not all) of the other dragons at some point?

According to Zecora, phoenix feathers "can affect ponies' ears", and "it's a magic ailment I've treated for years". So do phoenix feathers have that effect on all ponies? Or is it comparable to an allergic reaction, where only a relatively small percentage of the population is affected? How much exposure is necessary for an affected pony to lose his/her hearing? I went back and looked at "A Bird In The Hoof", and we don't seem to see Celestia ever touching Philomena's feathers. But then Philomena gives an "apology" feather to Fluttershy, uses her feathers to tickle the noses of the royal guards, and "high-fives" Rainbow with her wing. If Philomena was aware that contact with her feathers would cause hearing loss in all ponies, then those would seem like thoughtless things for Philomena to do. It would also seem like much more of a hassle for Celestia to keep Philomena as a pet if Celestia could essentially only touch Philomena's claws and beak without losing her hearing.

In Zecora's hut, even as Rarity had just said "I only know you're talking because your mouth is going up and down", Zecora proceeds to give Rarity the cure, then give Rarity verbal directions on how to use it. Zecora ought to be thinking that Rarity probably can't hear her, especially with what Rarity just said above. So Zecora could have said something like "In order to make these ear corrections / tell me if you understood my directions". But Zecora evidently did write directions for the ear drops on the bottle. At least that's a step up from "It Isn't The Mane Thing About You", in which the vials of identical-looking liquids were not labeled at all, and no one made sure that Pinkie and Rarity had the right ones. Now maybe the next step is writing directions clearly and making sure that her customers (if she's getting paid for any of this) understand those directions, which circles back to the point about Rarity's not being able to hear the verbal directions earlier.

-----

Finally, here are my other miscellaneous smaller observations.

It's amusing when Twilight resentfully says that Celestia "probably never had a blemish her whole life", but is there reason to believe that that's actually the case? Does Celestia's having lived for over 1100 years, and not looking ancient, have any connection to her apparently not being seen with any blemishes?

After Spike has a couple of uncontrolled fire burps, Twilight tells Spike "Maybe you should leave the castle after all. And go somewhere less... flammable?". Is crystal particularly flammable? It's not like they're living in a library made of wood, like they used to. (But yeah, I know, there's flammable books/papers/linens/etc. around.)

So Rarity complements another guy's clothing ensemble, boops his nose, winks at him, and then says "But I wonder if you wouldn't mind taking it off"? That sounds like a scenario out of a self-insert dating Rarity fantasy, lol.

In the episode, though, Rarity's complementing Spike's outfit, booping his nose, and winking at him is likely her attempt to butter him up and manipulate him just before asking a favor, sort of like she did with the delivery pony and with the castle guards in "Rarity Investigates!".

Why is Spike apparently unaware that he's shouting in the library? Is Spike unable to hear the volume of his own voice? Is the hearing loss effect of the phoenix feathers (which happened to Rarity) supposed to be happening to Spike, too? But I don't recall Spike being shown having trouble hearing in the rest of the episode. 

When Rarity is entering Zecora's hut, she says "Oh, dear! I'm talking even louder than I thought, aren't I?!", but then continues talking loudly, even as she's aware that she's probably doing so.

I do appreciate that Spike isn't an instant expert at using his new wings, but he still manages to fly pretty fast and dodge the roc's attacks after only using his wings for 30 seconds or so. I remember how Twilight appeared not to struggle to fly in "Magical Mystery Cure", but then she did struggle with it and had Rainbow teaching her basics in "Princess Twilight Sparkle" at the start of the next season. So will we see any more of Spike still getting the hang of flying later on, or is it assumed that his learning to use his wings in this episode is all that's needed?

[GiFTGewEhrSCHutzen-4 8,828]

If some fans like it, then good for them. As for me though, episode's meh. Well, congrats to Spike for getting wings, might come in handy in future episodes and stuff.

[Dark Qiviut 22,379]

Two other things I noticed:

1. As Spike wears his trench coat, his limbs darken in color compared to the rest of his body, visually foreshadowing his impending molt as well as where his cocoon forms first.
2. When he's encased in that cocoon, the music crescendos and stops. By making the scene completely quiet except for the background chase, tension increases, making the audience wonder what's going to happen to the poor dragon next.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Dark Qiviut

[ManaMinori 4,145]

So many things wrong with this episode. First of all- one of the first things said by Rarity in this episode is that everybody has to leave the nest someday. Sooooo….when are Starlight and Spike going to heed that advice? Because both are just continuing to lounge around in the castle, rather than finding their own places. I’m not saying that they need to leave their friends, but for pony’s sake, they need to get out and live on their own already! Twilight doesn’t really need an assistant anymore, and Starlight has “supposedly” graduated from friendship lessons, yet both are still kicking it in Twilight’s space.

 

Oh, and don’t even get me started on the molt. How is it that Zecora has known about this, to know its symptoms, yet NOT explained this to Twilight- even when Twilight brought him to her for “greed induced bigness” before? Or as a matter of fact, why hasn’t Ember told Twilight? They’ve been writing letters since “Gauntlet of Fire”, so how does nopony know about dragon puberty, by now?

 

And on the topic of Zecora……

 

why is there a sudden clearing around her place, other than plot convenience? And why is Rarity suddenly there, when she knows where Zecora lived, and it’s most certainly NOT in the clearing? You too, Twilight!

 

And speaking of Rarity….shouldn’t she be afraid of heights by now, after all those near-death height-related incidents that she’s been in? Nearly falling to her death in The Sonic Rainboom, Secret of My Excess, and now this?

 

also....how will the crystal empire ponies react to Spike having wings, now?

[Skytower 71]

Bearing in mind that we still don't know where Spike actually came from and what type of dragon he is I think this worked.  I thought Twilight's reaction a bit off, but from her point of view Spike was a fire hazard and there are lot of books around.  I can easily see how Spike or Twilight wouldn't have heard of this from Ember or Smolder as puberty is more often mocked in society then take seriously and it's never really discussed openly.  That would go double for a society like the dragons.  I get the feeling that the male dragons are kicked out, but are allowed back in once the molting passed.  Sort of like a walkabout test of maturity.

[DonMaguz 1,023]

1 hour ago, Skytower said:

That would go double for a society like the dragons.  I get the feeling that the male dragons are kicked out, but are allowed back in once the molting passed.  Sort of like a walkabout test of maturity.

It also gave me that impression, many tribal societies have those kind of tests to prove a boy's worth, changing their status after succeeding on it and becoming a man with responsibilities and a relevant opinion to their tribe.

[Justin_Case001 4,881]

I avoid spoilers as best I can, but I accidentally saw a youtube thumbnail of Spike with wings months ago.  And y'know something?  That really cheeses me off.  I think it's total BS how so much content always gets "leaked" and then shotgunned all over the internet months before airing.  Firstly, I'm not sure I'll ever understand what is so god damned hard about keeping something private until you're ready to air it, but whatever.  The main point is that I think people should be more respectful of those who want to be surprised.  I don't want to completely stay off youtube (not to mention the forums or Equestria Daily) for months, and I always end up seeing a flash of some spoiling thumbnail before I can even look away.  C'mon, dude--don't put frigging Spike with wings in the damn thumbnail until AFTER the episode has aired.  Use a non-spoiling thumbnail, and then put "(contains S8 spoilers)" in the title, ya jerks!

Okay, rant done.  So, I knew the wings were coming, and I've been very worried about how it was going to be handled.  After all, we've had some mighty big stinkers so far this season.  I can completely let bad episodes go when it's a throwaway thing that changes nothing about the universe, like Non-Compete Clause.  But the game changers, like Molt, are really important, and I really want those to be good.

So...what did I think of Molt?

*Drumroll...*

Spoiler

And the crowd goes wild!

It was great.  I loved it.  Looks like the adult writers wrote this one, instead of their kids.  You never know whether you're gonna get the real ponies, or the idiot caricatures like Non-Compete.  This was definitely the real characters.  It was mature and all-around great.  Spike getting his wings was a big deal, but I'm actually glad that they didn't try to make it too epic.  It was only a big deal because it's been so long, and we have all been wondering for years if it was ever going to happen.  I'm glad he didn't have to...like....I dunno....travel to the dragon lands and do some kind of trial or ritual or something.  I think the feel of the episode was just right and really hit the spot.  And of course, it had that puberty-is-part-of-growing-up-and nothing-to-be-ashamed-of message, which is nice.

I'm glad they showed him having a little trouble with the wings at first.  He did figure out how to use 'em much quicker than Twi did, but that makes sense since all dragons get wings, so he's evolved to have the instinct to know how to use them.

I'm really glad that Spike has another dragon around to talk to.  I'd love to see him and Smolder become friends.  It would be great for Spike to be able to spend time with another dragon regularly and feel closer to his own kind and learn more about them.  Oh yes, and I was thrilled that they mentioned the greed-induced growth, and differentiated it from the molt.  It didn't need much of explanation, and didn't have to be a big scene; just having Smolder mention it and say, "oh yeah, totally different," goes such a long way to maintaining continuity (and that's really appreciated, writers!)

Speaking of continuity, holy crap, we actually got Pee Wee closure!  That was a pleasant surprise.  My mom watches the show with me, and she's seen every episode, and she was like, "Pee Wee?  Who the hell is Pee Wee?"  Yeah, exactly.  I never thought we'd hear of him again.  So that was cool.

Spike's crush on Rarity, and Twilight's reactions to it, continue to be as precious, adorable, and endearing as ever.  Oh, and I'm sure I wasn't the only fan to notice this, but Twilight's gasp when she saw Spike's broken out face was the exact same sound she made here at 1:20:

Spoiler

 

Which, incidentally, was one of the best sounds ever uttered in the MLP G4 franchise, and one of my favorite sounds of all time! 

We got so much Zecora today!    And I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice this, but she didn't rhyme when she told Spike, "Rarity's gone!"  I just think it's kinda neat to have more proof that she just likes doing it, but she doesn't have to.

And, as always, Twilight's magic is tuned to just the right level of effectiveness for the plot so as to give others a chance to shine.  We wouldn't want her to be able to just teleport Zecora and Rarity to safety, now would we?  Then Spike wouldn't have been able to help save the day with his new powers of flight!  And Twilight certainly wouldn't be able to catch both Zecora and Rarity with telekinesis.  She can't lift two ponies at once.  That's too heavy for her.

2:19:

Spoiler

 

Now, if I was really trying to makes this properly cohere in-universe, I'd say that stopping a falling object with telekinesis is exponentially more difficult than lifting a stationary one, as you have to counter all of that momentum, but c'mon, dude, we all know the real reason: PLOT MAGIC!!

I don't mind plot magic.  It doesn't ruin anything for me.  I just love making fun of it.  It's funny.

Oh yes, and Twilight's reign as queen of facial expressions continues to go uncontested.

Awesome episode.  It was the bee's knees, baby.

Edited May 29, 2018 by Justin_Case001

[DonMaguz 1,023]

10 minutes ago, Justin_Case001 said:

I avoid spoilers as best I can, but I accidentally saw a youtube thumbnail of Spike with wings months ago.  And y'know something?  That really cheeses me off.  I think it's total BS how so much content always gets "leaked" and then shotgunned all over the internet months before airing.  Firstly, I'm not sure I'll ever understand what is so god damned hard about keeping something private until you're ready to air it, but whatever.  The main point is that I think people should be more respectful of those who want to be surprised.  I don't want to completely stay off youtube (not to mention the forums or Equestria Daily) for months, and I always end up seeing a flash of some spoiling thumbnail before I can even look away.  C'mon, dude--don't put frigging Spike with wings in the damn thumbnail until AFTER the episode has aired.  Use a non-spoiling thumbnail, and then put "(contains S8 spoilers)" in the title, ya jerks!

Agreed, I don't think this is stressed enough in sites like this one or Equestria Daily.

[Hierok 11,831]

Let me fangirl a little over this.

1. Spike got wings.
2. Zecora showed up.
3. Spike got wings!
4. Rarity was adorable.
5. Twilight fought again!
6. And Spike got freaking wings!!!

[ggg-2 3,552]

"Precious Pants"? Yeah, look me in the eye and tell me these aren't pet names.

[Skytower 71]

I thought it was nice at the end when Spike hops on Twilight's back and Twilight pointed out that she doesn't have to carry him anymore.  That is a good way of saying that their relationship will be changing as he grows older.

[Violet Bookish 350]

Well, this episode was relatable X,D In all seriousness though I really liked this episode and I'm glad we're seeing Spike grow. I was a bit worried he'd stay a baby dragon forever which would be boring. However, I wished there was a bit more design changes to spike than just giving him wings. Like, the grey diamond spots that were left after he stopped itching looked pretty cool, wish they had stayed. Regardless though, I enjoyed this episode and could relate to his struggle. I was worried this would be a sort of gross-out episode but instead, the episode focused more one Spike's worries about the future and I enjoyed his inner conflict. I'm also Rarity wasn't the typical diva type and was more worried about Spike's comfort rather than being grossed out and not wanting to have anything to do with him. Seeing that Rarity not only went to Zecora to help herself but to get something for Spike as well was sweet. The only issues I have with this episode is Rarity having hearing problems for most of the second half of the episode. It was more annoying than funny. The most frustrating issue, however, was Twilight. Twilight, despite being the one who looks after Spike, was terribly unprepared. You think she would have done enough research on dragons so she could properly take care of him. She should have known this is how dragons grow so she could prepare. Instead, she is completely clueless. If you're going to take care of someone that is a different species than your own, so they probably function differently in some regards, the least you can do is pick up a book on their species and learn the important things like, I don't know, what happens to them as they grow up?  Otherwise, though I enjoyed the episode, though it had some annoying issues, so I'm giving it a B-

Edited May 30, 2018 by Kreamer

[Music Chart Fan 819]

2 hours ago, Kreamer said:

The most frustrating issue, however, was Twilight. Twilight, despite being the one who looks after Spike, was terribly unprepared. You think she would have done enough research on dragons so she could properly take care of him. She should have known this is how dragons grow so she could prepare. Instead, she is completely clueless. If you're going to take care of someone that is a different species than your own, so they probably function differently in some regards, the least you can do is pick up a book on their species and learn the important things like, I don't know, what happens to them as they grow up?

I do see your point here, but Twilight's not knowing about dragon molting may not be too far-fetched. For one thing, back in "Dragon Quest", Twilight and Spike searched the whole Golden Oak Library and didn't find anything in the books there about dragons, and Twilight said that "It's hard to believe, but ponies know next to nothing about dragons. Apparently they're too rare and too scary to try to talk to or study!". Then, near the beginning of "Gauntlet of Fire", Luna says that "little is known about dragon culture" (although she's seen the call of the Dragon Lord before), and Twilight reiterates that "we are sadly lacking any information on dragon culture and customs".

And there doesn't seem to be much indication that ponies in general have communicated with or learned much about dragons since then. Ember's visit to Ponyville in "Triple Threat" may be the first visit by the Dragon Lord or any other dragon representative to pony society in a long time, if ever. It may be that, among ponies, only the Mane Eight have observed or interacted with dragons in general in any significant way, and even that has probably been pretty limited.

It is true that, at the end of "Gauntlet of Fire", Twilight said that "Ember said I could write to her any time I had questions about dragon culture". But asking about dragon culture may be somewhat different than asking about dragon physiology, and if Twilight didn't know that dragons go through significant non-greed-induced bodily changes in their "teenage" years, then it might be understandable that Twilight didn't ask about something that she didn't even know would be a problem. Plus, the whole molting process appears to have only taken about a day, so by the time that Twilight might have observed what Spike was going through, tried to find out more about it, and then tried to do something about it, the molt had already ended.

There are a lot of potential problems that we could encounter in our lives, and we could pre-emptively try to think of them and research solutions to them. But if things are generally going well enough, then rational ignorance often prevails, leading to our not thinking of problems or researching solutions to them until we actually encounter them. I could see that being the case here, and providing a plausible explanation for why Twilight didn't know about dragon molting until after Spike had already gone through it.