Sentimental Values

[Akaraah 77]

Hello everyone! I was thinking since we are all fans of FiM that we could discuss what episode in particular was your favorite, better yet; name at least 3 over the course of the discussion. I do want you all to explain one thing YOU'VE learned or had reenforced, below:

 

As you may know, after the course of nearly any one episode of FiM there is always one particular friendship related value that is indeed demonstrated to the audience. Sometimes even the subject matter is almost utterly unrelated seemingly at the very start. I'll start:

 

Episode 26 (season one finale)- Best Night Ever!

 

Okay! Here's the premise:

 

Twilight and friends are just about to embark on their long awaited trip to the Grand Galloping Gala to live out their umpteenth desire.

Twilight intends to talk to princess Celestia about both her yearnings and her learnings;

Fluttershy wants to befriend all the animals located in the garden (as bizarre as their ecological placement may be);

Rarity wants to (or as expectant of a noble stallion, the other way around) court Prince Blueblood, believing he is chivalrous, kind, and of course, a lady's colt.

Rainbow Dash wants to hanghigh with the Wondervolts .

Applejack wants to sell her farm's obvious harvest and make a killing.

And Pinkie Pie simply wants to enjoy what would be the biggest party in all of Equestria.

 

After the extravagant music number the 6, excluding the sadly abandoned Spike, pulled they all go their separate ways to make the greatest of this gauzy night.

 

With the obvious anthologies listed above I won't have to go into much detail about the very first of the nights' exploits (that, and I don't want to ruin it for those who hadn't watched the last episode of season one), but let's just say the Gala isn't as dreamy and colorful as the way the characters initially thought it to be.

 

Ultimate Opinion:

 

I think this episode was a great way to finish off season one but there are some continuity issues between this and the very first episode when the Gala had been referenced (The ticket Master). Perhaps since all season one episodes are said to have been worked on all at once there had been no chronological order established yet which would've eventually dated/connected some events with others we'd previously seen, I'd even contemplate that this episode was originally meant to tie-in with the aforementioned episode, however, I digress.

 

Having watched this episode, I think there are actually two or more possible lessons we could all write to Celestia if we happened to be attendees at the Gala. Here is what I myself probably would have drafted:

 

* To make the best of things doesn't always mean pushing off to some self-indulgent plight and do as you want, whether if by yourself or with friends. Being part of an ensemble can actually be one of the greatest things to experience in your life and breaking it up can lead to none-too satisfactory results.

*Sometimes things don't work out at all and you are left to stand only for yourself, which can ultimately be a drag.

 

* Don't overhype things, be expectant not always of the best or the worst, but poise yourself as none-too-expectant, but vigilant. Don't be hesitant, but keep a level-head (Fluttershy) and be aware of both the risks and the possibilities that the reality before you can bestow. Work from there to mold the layout for your dreams, not the other way around. You might just be... you know, disappointed by the results...

 

Part of the reason I love this show I only discovered just barely over two weeks ago is the cast of dynamic characters and relatable attributes, as well as a lot of the humor feeling unforced. I have no particular favorite character but me and my brother are fond of Rarity because she is generous yet still wants big things for herself (a humanistic trait rather than a flaw).

 

Perceive what you will from this post, but I hope others become just as engaged in a surrogate analysis process of their very own. Discuss!

 

-Akaraah

Edited October 4, 2011 by Akaraah

[sciaenops22 31]

I haven't really learned anything from one specific episode, but I have learned a lot from the show as a whole. Namely about real friends, and how to tell if you have a real friend.

 

In the past, I have had people that I called 'best friends' that happened to be terrible folk. They used to call me immature, expected me to be happy, and even told me flat-out "your true friends will always stab you in the back." So I turned antisocial for awhile. If my friends were just going to be mean to me and betray my trust, then why bother making friends?

 

But then this show comes along, with all these characters who don't ever betray their friends (Return of Harmony shenanigans excluded) and who don't tear each other down. People like Rarity, who go out of their way to teach you how to look your best? People like Pinkie, who pull you aside and throw you a party simply because you're her friend? People like Dash, who are there for you whenever you need them? My friends weren't like that. It was...mind-blowing, really.

 

And the way Twilight was in the first episodes? Trying to avoid making friends and just doing things on her own? Burying her face in her textbooks and ignoring the world? That's me. So it was inspiring to see that even an antisocial nerd can still get friends (twas another thing that makes me hesitant to reach out, my 'friends' used to call me a freak for being so nerdy). And not just people who friend them so they can get a study partner or whatever. Honest-to-god friends.

 

I've also learned that just because you fit the 'happy, silly girl' type doesn't mean that you can't have any negative emotions pop up. When I'm not being shy and antisocial, I'm this crazy goofy Pinkie Pie-like character. Seriously, a good chunk of what she says is stuff I would say. Because I was usually that happy and cheerful, when I started having life troubles and was being sad and such...people expected me to just get over it. "Hey, why aren't you happy anymore? You're the happy girl of our group, now cheer up! Get over it! Stop crying!" I was starting to think that I was crazy, because I was sad. I was the happy one, I must've been a freak if I was sad!

 

So then along comes Party of One. Yes, the creepiest episode of season one was one of the most inspiring episodes for me. Because Pinkie was sad, she was angry. The others didn't tell her to just start smiling and get over it. They just tried to calm her down, explain why they hadn't been talking to her. She wasn't a freak because she was something other than happy. She was just a normal girl going through normal emotions. So in other words, just because you're the stereotypical happy girl doesn't mean you can't have other emotions.

 

And, of course, the idea that there isn't just one type of girl in the world. You like make-up and fancy dresses? That's one way to be a girl. You like rough-and-tumble sports? That's one way to be a girl. There's several ways to be a girl, and you aren't less of a girl for being one or the other. Being a tomboy who grew up among several girly-girls, this was a very special lesson to learn.

 

Those are the main lessons I've taken from the show, anyway.

[Tyroq 344]

Well, I could write a lengthy post about what I've learned from this wonderful series. But I think there's a more fitting way to sum up what I feel when I watch this show. Hopefully this will link correctly. Below is a link to a beautiful 2 minute youtube video that really explains the strength of true friendship, how all the elements together are what can defeat evil. And how when they're gone, there is nothing. This says what I've learned better than anything I could write about it. Watch it. You'll be glad you did.