S08:E08 - The Parent Map

[Jonny Music 3,303]

This is by far another favourite episode of this season! I really liked how relatable the plot was, as for a 23-year old man like myself, I can easily relate and sympathize with both Sunburst and Starlight when it comes to how they are treated by their parents about caring too much for them. Glad they got it resolved in the end.

 

I definitely got a good laugh from the frustrated expressions from them both and the times Sunburst's eyes got stung from the "essences".

Edited May 5, 2018 by Jonny Music

[VeroxVitrus 70]

My Little Pony manages to flop again, you'd think that Starlight and Sunburst would of come to the realization that the source of the problem would be there relationship with there parents almost immediately, the friendship problem was literally banging the drumkits screaming notice me right in front of them since the start of the episode. Instead of resolution we get 15 minutes of filler of Starlight and Sunburst faffing around blind to the real problem, Season 8 has been 1 big disappointment so far with a few episodes that I have liked.

[Victoria Sponge 1,014]

Not as good as last week but a decent episode. I feel like there was missed potential though which let it down. I want to know more about why Starlight acted how she did, I thought maybe the parents would be the source but I don’t think being babied is enough to do that to someone. I also wish we’d found out if her dad actually knew about what she did because it seemed kinda like he didn’t. Still though, good Starlight and Suburst moments and it was nice to see their parents so a good episode overall.

[Sonic5421 423]

This was a funny episode in my opinion.

Not only is it the first time we see the map call someone outside of Ponyville in Sunburst, but it's the second time for Starlight, and the mission is to confront their parents over their over-protective behavior, with Sunburst's mom always wanting Sunburst to have a plan, while Starlight's dad keeps treating her like a little filly. Though they were forced to yell at their parents to get them to understand, once they spoke to them more calmly and in a friendlier way, they were able to patch things up with their parents, convince them to not be so over-protective of them, and make certain they stay in contact with each other more often.

I liked this episode, so I'll give it a 9/10 for my rating.

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,809]

This was a pretty good episode, but of course with parents involved...comes the cringe...communication is key to everything and there is no need to hold feelings against one another due to past events. The past is the past and nothing can change about it, you simply have to look ahead towards a brighter and better future, and keep on moving forward. 

Both of the parents were way too overprotective...to the point that it was extremely annoying, but...with proper communication, things resolve. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by C. Thunder Dash

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

5 minutes ago, VeroxVitrus said:

My Little Pony manages to flop again, you'd think that Starlight and Sunburst would of come to the realization that the source of the problem would be there relationship with there parents almost immediately, the friendship problem was literally banging the drumkits screaming notice me right in front of them since the start of the episode. Instead of resolution we get 15 minutes of filler of Starlight and Sunburst faffing around blind to the real problem, Season 8 has been 1 big disappointment so far with a few episodes that I have liked.

The friendship problem wasn't that noticeable to the characters, because they spent a great deal of their adult lives trying to stay away from their parents. To Sunburst and Starlight, their help only made them more stressed and isolated. They didn't want to return to Sire's Hollow and tried to avoid it, like Sunburst tossing Stellar's unopened letters aside. Them shouting, "We don't want your help!" was their frustration finally reaching the boiling point.

[RDDash 18,842]

Automated: Welcome to "Sire's Hollow."

 

I guess the whole episode can be summarized by Rainbow Dash's my parents are annoying, only this time with Starlight and Sunburst. I feel like the episode is trying to be relatable to viewers, but since we already had this same exact plot point with Rainbow Dash i guess its okay to rehash it again. Almost makes me wish they would sent Spike to Sire's Hollow

Edited May 6, 2018 by R.D.Dash

[Truffles 2,033]

9 hours ago, Dark Qiviut said:

No, Josh Hamilton did.

Ah, that's right. I guess the idea of the map calling a non-cutie marked character must of had an impact on David Rapp since he saw fit to include a callback to it in this episode, maybe as a tie-in to the fact that a non-Ponyville pony was getting a summoning? This pretty much means the map can call on any sapient creature in Equestria if it can call on both Spike and Sunburst.

 

6 hours ago, AlexanderThrond said:

Even Firelight's coddling felt to me like it should have assisted with Starlight being able to move on from Sunburst, and the episode never implies that he was anything worse than that, whereas Starlight's previously warped sense of right and wrong, and severe inability to consider the consequences of her actions, struck me as something which would only really be reinforced by continued isolation for a significant period of time.

This is my one gripe about the episode that is sticking in my craw. I've seen some explanations above that try to connect her emo phase to how she was feeling about the excessive attention, but everything I thought I knew about Starlight indicated she was a lonely individual with parents like Scootaloo's (who really are apparently derelict). If they ever reveal that her parents tried to help with her agony over Sunburst's leaving by giving her even more attention and that backfired (due to her already pulling away from them because she was feeling smothered) then that would go a long way to explaining how this new wrinkle about her past is supposed to make sense.

 

1 hour ago, R.D.Dash said:

Alost makes me wish they would sent Spike to Sire's Hollow

While I would have loved having Spike along with the two of them again like he was way back in "The Crystalling", I'm not sure he would have added anything to the comedy since everyone was already hilarious. Of course, having Spike wouldn't have hurt either, so, yeah - would have been nice but probably not practical.

It's funny - Sunburst was so grumpy and snarky compared to how he usually is that I felt like he was channeling Spike from "Horse Play" here, lol.

[Thrond 3,257]

4 minutes ago, Truffles said:

While I would have loved having Spike along with the two of them again like he was way back in "The Crystalling", I'm not sure he would have added anything to the comedy since everyone was already hilarious. Of course, having Spike wouldn't have hurt either, so, yeah - would have been nice but probably not practical.

I liked that Spike was so prevalent in the cold open, because that reminds me of how his own map episode, season 7's "Triple Threat," also involved him solving his own problem, just as Starlight and Sunburst do here. 

[Truffles 2,033]

11 minutes ago, AlexanderThrond said:

I liked that Spike was so prevalent in the cold open, because that reminds me of how his own map episode, season 7's "Triple Threat," also involved him solving his own problem, just as Starlight and Sunburst do here. 

In retrospect, that should have been a hint to me the friendship problem the map was asking to fix was indeed revolving around the characters called on to solve it. Of course, it would have been more obvious if they hadn't spent 2 acts looking for the problem around the town. X3

Edited May 6, 2018 by Truffles

[Thrond 3,257]

11 minutes ago, Truffles said:

In retrospect, that should have been a hint to me the friendship problem the map was asking to fix was indeed revolving around the characters called on to solve it. Of course, it would have been more obvious if they hadn't spent 2 acts looking for the problem around the town. X3

It was really obvious to me almost the moment they arrived. Why else would so much emphasis be put on their relationship with their parents? More often than not, the friendship problem in these episodes has been the first one they run into. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by AlexanderThrond

[Truffles 2,033]

9 minutes ago, AlexanderThrond said:

It was really obvious to me almost the moment they arrived. Why else would so much emphasis be put on their relationship with their parents? More often than not, the friendship problem in these episodes has been the first one they run into. 

I suppose that's true. What threw me off was how weird the whole town was. It gave Starlight's village a run for it's money in how out-of-whack it was compared to a normal town.

[gingerninja666 487]

32 minutes ago, AlexanderThrond said:

I liked that Spike was so prevalent in the cold open, because that reminds me of how his own map episode, season 7's "Triple Threat," also involved him solving his own problem, just as Starlight and Sunburst do here. 

 

The reason this felt different for me was that in Tripple Threat the problem existed because Spike was being an idiot, and the issue didn't really exist for spike until that episode and in some ways even felt out of character for him.

 

Here though? The Map is sending Star and Sun to sort out their long long standing issues with their parents. That's a much more meaty issue that needs fixing. Really, we're just seeing a different use for the map. Sending someone who needs to learn a lesson off instead of sending someone to give the lesson.

 

And I might be alone in this, but I appreciated the red herring plot because of how much it fits. Like, you could easily have an episode, a map episode even, where that IS the problem that needs fixing.

[Ganondox 899]

12 hours ago, cmarston1 said:

 

However given how Starlight grew up to become a former villain focusing on control, wouldn't have made more sense for her dad to have Sunburst's mom's personality instead of how he was presented in this episode?

I see this complaint a lot, but if you paid attention to what he said at the end he confessed that's he acting that way he did in response to her falling. We have no idea how he treated her prior her leaving home. What is clear is that even though he's affectionate, he's not sensitive, which means he wouldn't actually have been that effective of a parent. Also, a controlling parent does NOT lead to a controlling child unless it's based on something genetic, generally it actually has the opposite effect. 

11 hours ago, ShootingStar159 said:

Just like we saw Rainbow’s dad in the Equestria Games flashback... oh wait. It was just someone we assumed was Sunburst’s father, it could have been an uncle, or even someone who just looked like him.

I'm pretty sure that character is in fact Rainbow's dad, the design was just updated a bit between the two episodes. The general characteristics are the same. 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Ganondox

[Tacodidra 59,764]

This was another nice episode. Dave Rapp's episodes have been a bit of a mixed bag for me – "Newbie Dash" and "Flutter Brutter" were quite mediocre, but I found "Where the Apple Lies" very funny. Fortunately, this episode was closer to the latter in quality.

A fairly simple episode, again exploring a character's relationship with their parents. This episode reminded me a little of "Parental Glideance" in that respect: again, the parents' behavior led to their (grown-up) children avoiding them. It was nice to see the parents of Starlight and Sunburst, or rather one of each. Starlight's dad really stole the show here. He was hilarious with the way he treated Starlight, and I can definitely see why she didn't really like it. Starlight's old room was pretty cool too, quite a few ponies in the show seem to like rock (either now or in the past). Some pretty touching moments too near the end with Starlight and Sunburst and their parents. It was also nice to see Sunburst be the one to realize the actual friendship problem. As for the negatives, the episode was pretty predictable at times, and wasn't particularly groundbreaking (the theme has been explored before). But again, there were enough good parts that it didn't feel too much like a rehash.

This was another nice episode in season 8, with important character introductions (I hope we'll see the other parents at some point). It might not have had the particular standout moments of a few other episodes, but it was a solid one. I rate it 8.75/10 – probably my fifth favorite of the season so far, behind "Horse Play" and the first three.

[Ganondox 899]

3 hours ago, R.D.Dash said:

Automated: Welcome to "Sire's Hollow."

 

I guess the whole episode can be summarized by Rainbow Dash's my parents are annoying, only this time with Starlight and Sunburst. I feel like the episode is trying to be relatable to viewers, but since we already had this same exact plot point with Rainbow Dash i guess its okay to rehash it again. Almost makes me wish they would sent Spike to Sire's Hollow

It's not the same plot at all. The only similarity is both have annoying parents, the circumstances and themes are completely different. I'm so sick of this attitude, it's one that's impossible to satisfy because by that logic there is only so many possible plots. 

1 hour ago, gingerninja666 said:

 

The reason this felt different for me was that in Tripple Threat the problem existed because Spike was being an idiot, and the issue didn't really exist for spike until that episode and in some ways even felt out of character for him.

 

Here though? The Map is sending Star and Sun to sort out their long long standing issues with their parents. That's a much more meaty issue that needs fixing. Really, we're just seeing a different use for the map. Sending someone who needs to learn a lesson off instead of sending someone to give the lesson.

 

And I might be alone in this, but I appreciated the red herring plot because of how much it fits. Like, you could easily have an episode, a map episode even, where that IS the problem that needs fixing.

Generally the friendship problems that map sends people on relate to communities rather just individuals, so it did make sense that that was the problem rather than with their own parents. I think maybe the map was taking out two problems at once, their parent's conflict was what they were initially sent to deal with, but they had to fix their relationships with their parents while they were at it. 

[RDDash 18,842]

59 minutes ago, Ganondox said:

It's not the same plot at all. The only similarity is both have annoying parents, the circumstances and themes are completely different. I'm so sick of this attitude, it's one that's impossible to satisfy because by that logic there is only so many possible plots. 

Yeah whatever, and I am sick of the predictable stories that I can see from the mile away,  Their friendship problem was is that Starlight and Sunburst didn't want to go to visit their parent's so now the map is forcing them to go. If that's what the episode was about then I genuinely feel sorry for their parents.

Edited May 6, 2018 by R.D.Dash

[Dark Qiviut 22,160]

14 hours ago, cmarston1 said:

However given how Starlight grew up to become a former villain focusing on control, wouldn't have made more sense for her dad to have Sunburst's mom's personality instead of how he was presented in this episode?

No, it wouldn't.

1. Firelight coddles Starlight and treats her like a foal, because he witnessed her phases and devolution of her childhood. He wants her to be independent, but constantly worries of her eventual future. That's why he kept up the baby talk and wrapped her blankey around her head like a scarf: It's a protective mechanism to assure Starlight (and himself) that everything will be okay. His personality clashes with Starlight's commander-centric characterization, who's improved a lot as a person since she distanced herself from her dictatorial philosophy.
2. Stellar Flare, OTOH, is more upfront and completely on top of Sunburst, pun intended. She's constantly looking for any advantage for Sunburst to have a bright future. Remember, while he's knowledgeable of spells, he can't cast 'em, losing his prestigious status as Canterlot student. Since the Empire was resurrected, he moved there, studying the spells to cope with the shame he felt he cast on his family. Stellar knows this and contacts him regularly; she doesn't know his present job as Flurry Heart's caretaker, and he avoids any contact with her, hence the pile of unopened envelopes from her near his door. Like Starlight with Firelight, Sunburst's studious introversion and occasional awkwardness clash with Stellar's desire to prepare.

The separation and range of their personalities allow Rapp to create friction and spots to time his jokes. Put Stellar with Starlight and Sunburst with Firelight, your dialogue and premise will be forced, the story will be really tedious or boring, and the comedy will wilt quicker than a cold-weather flower in a heat wave. The conflict will die before it starts.

Edited May 6, 2018 by Dark Qiviut

[Thrond 3,257]

2 hours ago, Truffles said:

I suppose that's true. What threw me off was how weird the whole town was. It gave Starlight's village a run for it's money in how out-of-whack it was compared to a normal town.

I was distracted at first by the apparent gentrification motif, but doing I realized it was just a parallel for their parenting styles.

2 hours ago, gingerninja666 said:

The reason this felt different for me was that in Tripple Threat the problem existed because Spike was being an idiot, and the issue didn't really exist for spike until that episode and in some ways even felt out of character for him.

 

Here though? The Map is sending Star and Sun to sort out their long long standing issues with their parents. That's a much more meaty issue that needs fixing. Really, we're just seeing a different use for the map. Sending someone who needs to learn a lesson off instead of sending someone to give the lesson.

I liked that Spike episode a fair bit so I’m not sure I agree with your assessment, but there is more history to Starlight and Sunburst’s issue.

2 hours ago, gingerninja666 said:

And I might be alone in this, but I appreciated the red herring plot because of how much it fits. Like, you could easily have an episode, a map episode even, where that IS the problem that needs fixing.

It just felt like it was finished way too fast to me. Could have spent more time on stuff which would have made me enjoy this episode.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

Only one thing so memorable in this episode is Starlight's edgy room, it's amusing and irritating me at the same time.

Am I the only one who feel disappointed because... Starlight dad is a nice dude? Is it all about her equality extremist background story or Are there something more we will find out later? Because I don't find her dad relate to what she has become in later series. Bad people usually have very rough background. How can this nice daddy can produce such a pony who enslave an entire town and ruin timeline or some shits?

...............

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*something came to my mind*

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Ok, ok, maybe some people are evil from the beginning, these stories didn't try to make them sympathic anyway... Remember when we started to feel bad for Diamond Tiara? It's when we know how bad her mother is. I know there still some people really hate her motivation back to Cutie Remark and this episode just make it more silly. Maybe we will get her cutie mark origin someday. 

I really like her edgy room, it reflected her states of mind back then. It's really interesting to see such a progression, from a small filly who love magics and boardgame to an edgy pony who like skulls and metals to a dictator who erased people cutie marks to... a pupil of Princess of Friendship who love magics and kites.

After my second watch, I still didn't enjoy this ep as much as other episodes this season but I didnt hate it like my first watch. Maybe its because I expected something from this episode...

 

 

Edited May 6, 2018 by Lambdadelta

[Luminance 2,181]

From kites, skulls, creating her 'utopia' and now being a friendship counselor to younglings from all over Equestria, Starlight really has quite an interesting life that's one thing sure. 

[gingerninja666 487]

This was my favourite of the leaked episodes when I originally saw them. Then again I'm a massive Starlight fan so perhaps I'm biased.

The predictability thing. I knew where the episode was going, but I tend to know that with most episodes of MLP. Here I really appreciated how the initial red herring was exactly the type of set up any other map episode could've been about, so it's utterly believable that Star and Sun would've focused on it first. Some people say that they should've realized it was their relationship with their parents immediately but I don't see it. When they arrive they literally see a massive public discourse going on between their parents over the management of the town. Why WOULDN'T they initially think that was the problem?

[GiFTGewEhrSCHutzen-4 8,827]

Nice episode, I did like the part where they showed Starlight's old bedroom with skulls, an electric guitar, and other stuff. XD

Now that's my pony there! Also, getting the feeling that in future episodes, the cutie map's gonna be summoning non-Mane 6 ponies too, just as shown in past episodes, like Starlight, the CMC, and now, Sunburst. 

[Truffles 2,033]

2 hours ago, We_R_VeNoM said:

Also, getting the feeling that in future episodes, the cutie map's gonna be summoning non-Mane 6 ponies too, just as shown in past episodes, like Starlight, the CMC, and now, Sunburst. 

It would be pretty unusual if the map summoned Ember one day to fix a friendship problem. 

[gingerninja666 487]

2 hours ago, We_R_VeNoM said:

Nice episode, I did like the part where they showed Starlight's old bedroom with skulls, an electric guitar, and other stuff. XD

Now that's my pony there! Also, getting the feeling that in future episodes, the cutie map's gonna be summoning non-Mane 6 ponies too, just as shown in past episodes, like Starlight, the CMC, and now, Sunburst. 

My vision for a thing that'll never happen is that for some big villain at the end of the series the map will summon ALL of Equestria for the final moment.