S08:E19 - Road to Friendship

[Will Guide 21,325]

That Saddle Arabian Stallion is my new character. It's refreshing to see a one-shot that DOESN'T act like a jerk.

[Frostgage 7,972]

The song alone makes this episode legendary lol

[Dynamo Pad 10,774]

I just finished watching the episode and I thought it was pretty awesome.

Spoiler

It's great to see Starlight and Trixie performing together in more magic shows. I like how Trixie explains how her caravan is really important to her when talking to the pony from Saddle Arabia. It reminded me of how I act the same way with my plushies and how they are important to me. It was pretty cool how Starlight and Trixie went on tour together and the places they passed through were great continuity. The song was amazing and pretty catchy, in my opinion. I also listened back to the song and noticed something interesting. When Starlight talked about the seasons and said nine during the song. I wonder if that was a confirmation of season 9 being the last season. I could relate to Starlight in having to wait in a line for something. I've always had trouble waiting while waiting in a food store. I also found their sleeping habits to be funny and understandable. I like how Starlight snores and Trixie mumbling in her sleep was funny, yet relatable. I was surprised how Starlight sold the caravan without even thinking of how Trixie felt about her caravan. I was happy to see that Starlight went back and helped Trixie in trading the caravans back. I also liked how Trixie tried to keep the pony from leaving with her caravan. Their friendship chant was cringe, but it was funny and adorable, in my opinion. All in all, I liked the moral and I thought the episode was pretty enjoyable. I hope to see more Starlight and Trixie episodes throughout the rest of the season.

 

Edited August 19, 2018 by Dynamo Pad

[Oleks 1,983]

It was a fuzzy ball of adorableness of an episode. I really like the dynamics and chemistry between Starlight and Trixie. And the song too.

It’s a pity they didn’t make it to Saddle Arabia though, but I won’t be surprised if we never see it after all. Probably, the show creators are too afraid to “offend” someone by “wrong” representation. But it’s not the destination that’s important in this episode, but the journey – both literal and emotional. And it was pure gold.

[bigbertha 410]

This is a fantastic episode. I feel like Starlight and Trixie have more chemistry than the mane six at this point because of how well they work off of each other in episodes like this and To Change a Changeling. Compared to "The End in Friend" where everything felt so tired and bland, Starlight and Trixie's interactions feel fresh and fun. It also helps that the writing is much better in this episode. The arguments are witty and the voice actresses nail every line. The song is also the best of the season, being a great homage to the "Road To" series of movies.

Score: 10/10

Edited March 30, 2019 by bigbertha

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

I loved it! I'm torn between whether this or "The Washouts" is my favorite episode of Season 8.

Every moment of this episode had me smiling and or laughing non stop, whether it be from the banter between Trixie and Starlight, the visual gags, or the song which made this episode in and of itself.

It might not be the deepest or emotional episode (The Washouts and The Hearth's Warming Club still hold that title), but it's by far the most entertaining episode of Season 8 thus far.

9 out of 10.

[Luminance 2,181]

I was hopeful of more development of Starlight and Trixie's uncanny friendship but we got needless fights, bickering and now involving a wagon. This feels like a common theme here in Season 8 with the yelling, betrayal and character immaturity and it's getting really old fast. Too much drama. This episode will be compared to the previous AJ & Rainbow, Rarity & Rainbow episodes and that just means that it doesn't amount to anything greater than what we already seen already. I'm really tired of these kinds of episodes where it seems like friends one minute but another, mortal enemies the next. This hurts character development and it just feels so immature and it doesn't lead anywhere afterwards. I get it, they all "make up" in the end but it feels like a continuous Friendship lesson loop on replay. At least for Startrix shippers, the episode is fuel and now it's replenished and ready.

 

[gingerninja666 487]

2 hours ago, Luminance said:

I was hopeful of more development of Starlight and Trixie's uncanny friendship but we got needless fights, bickering and now involving a wagon. This feels like a common theme here in Season 8 with the yelling, betrayal and character immaturity and it's getting really old fast. Too much drama. This episode will be compared to the previous AJ & Rainbow, Rarity & Rainbow episodes and that just means that it doesn't amount to anything greater than what we already seen already. I'm really tired of these kinds of episodes where it seems like friends one minute but another, mortal enemies the next. This hurts character development and it just feels so immature and it doesn't lead anywhere afterwards. I get it, they all "make up" in the end but it feels like a continuous Friendship lesson loop on replay. At least for Startrix shippers, the episode is fuel and now it's replenished and ready.

 

I feel like this epiosde was a lot more justified than either of those Mane 6 episodes. Both Starlight and Trixie have been characterized as having a very flawed friendship. With plenty of bickering and throwing one another under the bus. They're both some manner of screw up, and they're a lot less willfully sappy about their relationship than the Mane 6 are about theirs. The Mane 6 have been together for 8 years, so arguments between them feel even more tired. Trixie and Starlight have been together for 3, and within those three, they haven't been together for a lot of it.

This episode shows them gettingmore and more emotionally unstable as they have to travel. They get more tired, run down. There's more of a reason for them to be getting short with each other. Compared to The End in Friend where there's no real reason for it.

[KH7672 1,604]

4 hours ago, Luminance said:

This episode will be compared to the previous AJ & Rainbow, Rarity & Rainbow episodes and that just means that it doesn't amount to anything greater than what we already seen already. I'm really tired of these kinds of episodes where it seems like friends one minute but another, mortal enemies the next.

While I don't disagree with you that there was fighting let me give a better episode to compare this against: All Bottled Up.

In that episode we see Starlight as the one with all the know how about magic and trying to keep her composure while Trixie is just revelling in her new found magical abilities and close friendship. While it never got the point to "we're not friends anymore" it still tested their tolerance for each other.

Now it's Trixie's turn, she has the know how on travelling and Starlight is just revelling in this new experience and trying to make the best out of it. Now we get to the fighting 

Spoiler

First there was the impulsiveness to buy whatever, then the stubborn decision to only buy from one place, then the fact there was no planning ahead for reservations but at that time they were only frustrated with the turn of events NOT each other. These are very common traveling hiccups and it is important to get over them in terms of blame which they did.

They were more than willing to share the wagon but that wagon is the whole catalyst. Starlight sees it as an unconfortable place to sleep, but Trixie sees it as her home. So now we add sleep deprivation into this. That's what is meant by a logical build to fighting. It's not immature, it's incredibly frustrating, and STILL they care for each other. Trixie goes off to sleep outside because even in her exhausted state she'll give Starlight her wagon for the night. She doesn't kick Starlight out, and Starlight still cares for Trixie. She thinks she's being thoughtful enough by trading for a new bigger wagon so they can both be comfortable.

NOW Trixie is angry because this isn't just a "you don't like the same things as me, I hate you" this is a "you gave away my property behind my back!" and yes Starlight is completely in the wrong her as would anybody else be in that situation. Would you really trust someone again after that compared to trusting someone after they ignored your interests, I think the former is worse. And that's what it comes down to in the resolution. They don't both apologize for being mean to each other, no Starlight apologizes for not being thoughtful for Trixie. It doesn't matter if she thought she was doing good, when you have two parties in effect, both must be in agreement to be happy.

^That is not an immature lesson, that is a lesson even adults struggle with.

[Luminance 2,181]

On 8/21/2018 at 4:04 AM, gingerninja666 said:

I feel like this epiosde was a lot more justified than either of those Mane 6 episodes. Both Starlight and Trixie have been characterized as having a very flawed friendship. With plenty of bickering and throwing one another under the bus. They're both some manner of screw up, and they're a lot less willfully sappy about their relationship than the Mane 6 are about theirs. The Mane 6 have been together for 8 years, so arguments between them feel even more tired. Trixie and Starlight have been together for 3, and within those three, they haven't been together for a lot of it.

This episode shows them gettingmore and more emotionally unstable as they have to travel. They get more tired, run down. There's more of a reason for them to be getting short with each other. Compared to The End in Friend where there's no real reason for it.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Luminance

[The Nth Doctor 652]

On 8/17/2018 at 9:32 PM, gingerninja666 said:

God... WHY IS FLURRY HEART SO CUTE!?

Because she hasn't been given any character development to ruin her as a character yet

[KatonRyu 1,026]

This is seriously one of the best episodes of the season thus far. I love the chemistry between Starlight and Trixie, I like the song they have, and I especially like how the two have evidently learned from past mistakes by quickly apologizing to one another and not immediately get angry like they might have done before, instead only really fighting when they were sleep-deprived, and Trixie understandably being angry because Starlight just gave her fricking home away to some annoying weirdo. I really think everything was handled supremely well in this episode.

[Dethde 20]

Spoiler

So, aside from the fact that starlight was dumbed down again, i enjoyed this episode, but the fact that we never were introduced to the actual area of Saddle Arabia was kind of a disappointment, i realize that episodes have had morals on how you shouldn't solve everything with magic, but are there seriously 0 gosh darn spells that could have solved 90% of those problems?

So honestly, 8/10, also because the other episodes this season were meh - okay at best, i wouldn't call this episode one of the contenders for the best episodes of the entire series, but definitely a good episode for season 8.

[Aurora Glimmer 494]

I always enjoy it when Starlight Glimmer's a little snarky, self-centered or ill-tempered because those are the times in which Starlight feels like a villain who's trying to change her ways. I think this is why On The Road to Friendship was such an enjoyable episode: Starlight feels like she's a villain who's trying to change her ways, but still hasn't shaken all her old habits. She's inconsiderate (bringing along three steamer trunks of stuff even when there's clearly no room for them, buying food without Trixie's permission, eating the last haycake and selling Trixie's old caravan), sarcastic and generally a pain in the flank, but you also know she's genuinely friends with Trixie. One reason I enjoy episodes that focus on Trixie and Starlight is that the two of them have a chemistry that's completely different than that of the Mane Six: they'll bicker and insult each other and their egos will clash. You can tell these are two ponies who are still new to this "friendship" thing, making their reconciliation at the end all the more satisfying.

As an aside, I liked when Trixie and Starlight made jabs at Twilight Sparkle. It always seemed odd Starlight harbored no animosity towards Twilight, despite having been mortal enemies with her a season prior to her reformation. I always believed Twilight and Starlight's relationship should've been like Goku and Vegeta's in Dragonball, with Starlight initially being resentful of Twilight and only going along with her friendship lessons because she had no other option, but eventually growing to grudgingly respect Twilight while still throwing the occasional jab at her.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Aurora Glimmer

[Senko 459]

Ok playing catch up on episodes I missed due to work so lets begin. Fun episode, nice song and plenty of cute moments plus yes the hazards of long trips even with friends. I agree with Trixie on the haycakes if the lines that long for one store and no one is buying from the other there's probably a good reason. Those other two pegasi deciding to quit their jobs and travel together because two friends passed them by was amusing. I wonder does Starlight realize why her trading Trixie's wagon was a bad thing as opposed to just that it was? I mean this isn't just a means of travelling from A to B its her home, she has memories there good and bad. Sure some people are happy to just trade up but other's invest a lot in their homes (Twilight and Spike when they lost the library for instance) and for Trixie where this wagon has probably been the only thing that's really hers, that's been her shelter, her place of safety and the proof that she's great and powerful (since she had to replace the one lost in Season 1) just giving it away would have hurt a lot. Having her best friend do it without even talking to her would have made it even worse. Yes its small and cramped but its hers and on a purely pracetical level its a wagon a small pony like her can pull and get through difficult terrain.

I mean its not like Starlight would just trade away Twilight's castle because the Canterlot one is better I'd hope so why do it to Trixie.

On 8/18/2018 at 12:01 PM, Lord Valtasar said:

oh my, i just loved it, pure bliss from start to finish

  Hide contents

I loved the fact that everything went wrong and they didn't have a flowery friendly trip, also Trixie talking in her sleep fits her so much imo. and her attatchment to her wagon warms my heart(and makes me all the sadder thinking of the one she lost in s1) i was hoping we'll get to see saddle arabia but a somnambula feature is good enough, i'll take it.(makes me wonder if somnambula moved there now that she's back) i really hope they'll have that chant perfected in a future episode
p.s. i also really loved the contrast between the two shows they made, and how the insults they throw at each other. i don't see what motive could the Saddle arabia guy have to trade the wagons though, unless he was that big a fan

all in all, it was a great episode and gets a solid 10/10 from me

The weirdest part is he was not just interested in trading but he kept pushing and pushing for it even going behind her back technically and then being reluctant to trade back unless they proved their friendship. I was honestly expecting him to turn out to be Discord trying to teach his friends a lesson he'd learnt.

EDIT

This popped in my head as I was about to leave for lunch.

Starlight: "Hey Twilight."

Twilight: "Hi, you're back early?"

Starlight: "Yeah the road trip didn't go so well but I brought a soveneir from the one town we got too. It's a genuine Sonamnbulum native."

 

Edited August 26, 2018 by Senko

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

Keep in mind; StarTrix episode premieres in the US THIS Saturday!

[Sparklefan1234 161,556]

5 minutes ago, PathfinderCS said:

Keep in mind; StarTrix episode premieres in the US THIS Saturday!

YAY! 

I'm *really* excited for more StarTrix shenanigans! 

[Twilight Luna 30,916]

1 hour ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

YAY! 

I'm *really* excited for more StarTrix shenanigans! 

Now try that in your Trixie voice. 

[Senko 459]

What on earth is StarTrix? Yes I know starlight x trixie but what is premiaring?

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

9 hours ago, Senko said:

What on earth is StarTrix? Yes I know starlight x trixie but what is premiaring?

What's premiering is the episode that stars Trixie and Starlight as the leading roles; if you will. Not sure if that is what you meant by that...

[TheSupremePatriot 2]

Loved this episode and the song. Probably my most favorite episode now!

[Chronicplane 58]

Absolutely loved this episode, I've rewatched it 3 times now and can't get enough of it. This is my favorite episode out of this season(so far). 

[PoisonClaw 8,153]

Well, time for the rest of us to partake in this episode!

Man, even Flurry Heart seemed confused by Cadance and Twilight's "Sunshine, Sunshine" routine.

[ggg-2 3,549]

"For 9 at least" Nice try Glimgam, but Pinkie's the Fourth Wall breaker around here, not you.

[cmarston1 5,951]

As someone who rather enjoys Starlight and Trixie's friendship, I was looking forward to this episode as they are always fun to watch together.  Plus hearing there was going to be a song in it?  Sign me up.

After watching it, I have to say that I enjoyed the episode.

Cadence the princess of love saying that Starlight and Trixie have a great chemistry?  Hmm.  It's like the show is asking for shipping at this point.

The song was nice and catchy, and them joking about singing beforehand was pretty funny.

I really liked the continuity in the episode with Trixie and Starlight visit the swamps from Somepony to Watch Over Me, and The End In Friend, as well as visiting Somnambula.

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by cmarston1