S08:E21 - A Rockhoof and a Hard Place

[MangoFoalix 25,057]

Note: Do not post anything that is from a leak if a leak has been discovered. Wait until it airs officially either in Australia, Sweden, or the USA.

Title: A Rockhoof and a Hard Place

Synopsis: "When Rockhoof, heroic Pillar of the past, is having trouble fitting into the modern world, Twilight Sparkle and her friends strive to help him find a new purpose."

Airtime: This episode is scheduled to air on August 22, 2018, on Nickelodeon in Sweden,twenty-four days ahead of its scheduled premiere on Discovery Family and on Boomerang in Australia on August 25, 2018.

Episode link:

Spoiler

https://sendvid.com/0o30yb1w

 

[Never Returning 28,615]

Finally we get to see at least one of the other pillars again! Can't wait for this one to air!

[FlareGun45 2,221]

Hey! I already called dibs on posting this episode! >:(

Guess I'm calling dibs on the one after then

[YoshiAngemon 223]

I propose this question: Is Rockhoof about as useful as a Shovel Knight, or is he about as out of it as the Lost Vikings?

[MangoFoalix 25,057]

Pinned and featured this thread on the main page due to it premiering in Sweden today and in Australia on the 25th.

[TBD 17,272]

If they're going to slide this reference in this episode..  

I'm gonna LMAO.

 

[Angle Alastor 3,806]

as much as twilight is my favorite , shouldn't just be apple jack with some of her family to help out  to fit in since it was there favorite stories ?  (from the campfire story episode)

[TBD 17,272]

4 hours ago, TheNerdyGriffoN said:

as much as twilight is my favorite , shouldn't just be apple jack with some of her family to help out  to fit in since it was there favorite stories ?  (from the campfire story episode)

Good point there, plus Applejack will be super thrilled to meet her idol. Just as Twilight did with Starswirl.

[Dark Qiviut 22,592]

17 hours ago, TheTaZe said:

Pinned and featured this thread on the main page due to it premiering in Sweden today and in Australia on the 25th.

Rockhoof aired in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark late Tuesday night, EST. What Lies Beneath aired last night. Sounds of Silence airs tonight.

[Will Guide 21,371]

1 hour ago, Dark Qiviut said:

Rockhoof aired in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark late Tuesday night, EST. What Lies Beneath aired last night. Sounds of Silence airs tonight.

Seeing how I'm the Topic Starter for Sounds of Silence, can you keep me updated on when an acceptable video of it airs, so I can properly and personally updated the OP there?

[TransitPony 239]

As always, Equestria Daily has posted up stream parties for those wishing to watch. 

https://www.equestriadaily.com/2018/08/aus-aus-my-little-pony-season-8-episode.html

 

 

Edited August 24, 2018 by TransitPony

[Maslovitz 122]

@Starlightglimmerfan19 I'm really certain the action took place around the time Starlight and Trixie were gone, so I wouldn't really bother thinking about that; also Spike got barely any screentime, quite an exaggeration

 

That intro was kinda depressing, I get both the archeoligst's point and Rockhoof's point, quite a thing if you ask me

Hey, look, Tavi in Canterlot!

Once a soldier, always a soldier!

I really dig Rockhoof's and Somnambula's accents, they sound most understandable to me somehow 

Stygian is a bookwriter, who knew? Sick cover art, would totally give it a try

That whole statue situation reminded me of euthanasia at first, not sure why

Aand Yona saves the day, awesome ^^

Overall:

*Pillars: Check! (Somnambula: Check!)

*Students: Check! (Sandbar: Check!)

*Tavi: Check!

*Neighsay: Nope!

10/10, would turn into stone again

Edited August 24, 2018 by Buttaflight

[MangoFoalix 25,057]

Look @Starlightglimmerfan19 

You already made thread on this. There is no need for your complaining here. Please keep it in one place and do some actual discussion on the episode and not your personal warfare.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,606]

Yet another very solid episode.

Spoiler

While the "Fish Out of Water" Premise is a bit stock and basic, the execution is very humorous and it actually feels appropriate for a character like Rockhoof to be going through a crisis of faith like this. I like how they portrayed his struggle as him genuinely feeling out of place with his contemporary environment, rather than portraying him as an idiot. The Student Six were used very effectively here and they got some great lines (well, most of them). Also, great use of the other pillars (Stygian becoming a self-help author had me in stitches).

Also, I can't be the only one who sees Rockhoof asking Twilight to stone him a euphemism for killing him. Kind of dark, but that was just my interpretation.

 

1

It's not the funniest or the most emotional episode, but it's still a strong entry and continues Season 8's upward trend.

9/10.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Theanimationfanatic

[Will Guide 21,371]

Livestreams are not my thing. So I'll just wait for a pre-recorded airing. I just hope that when Sounds of Slience and Father Knows Beast happen next week, I'll be able to see (pre-recorded, not livestream) of them as soon as I conveniently can. But I digress 

In the meantime, I should look for this episode, as I am curious how one of the Pillars are doing.

[Dark Qiviut 22,592]

28 minutes ago, Will Guide said:

Livestreams are not my thing. So I'll just wait for a pre-recorded airing. I just hope that when Sounds of Slience and Father Knows Beast happen next week, I'll be able to see (pre-recorded, not livestream) of them as soon as I conveniently can. But I digress 

In the meantime, I should look for this episode, as I am curious how one of the Pillars are doing.

I got the episode link! https://sendvid.com/0o30yb1w

---

And I'm in the middle of the episode right now.

Spoiler

>Somnambula performs yoga
>tells students to relax and be free to do anything they wish
>Rockhoof falls asleep

Given who the motivational speaker is and the town's name, that sleeping gag works all too well. XD

 

[Will Guide 21,371]

21 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

I got the episode link! https://sendvid.com/0o30yb1w

 

---

And I'm in the middle of the episode right now.

  Reveal hidden contents

>Somnambula performs yoga
>tells students to relax and be free to do anything they wish
>Rockhoof falls asleep

Given who the motivational speaker is and the town's name, that sleeping gag works all too well. XD

 

I can't use that link. it's forcing me to add an extension I don't trust.

Ok. I'm watching it now. So the credit text may be in another language but at least the audio's in English.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Will Guide

[Will Guide 21,371]

Well, what do you know?

(good news inside but still may spoil)

Spoiler

I thought only Rockhoof would be appearing in this episode, but it's nice to see how the other Pillars AND Stygian are getting along.
I think a self-pitied Rockhoof summed it best:
Flash Magnus doing his old job of leading fellow soldiers and guards in Canterlot
Mistmane adapted to working with crystal landscaping in the Crystal Empire 
Somnabula trying something new: Mediatation leader in the old town named after her.
Mage Meadowbrook found success working back home in the swamps she used to work in.
We've seen Starswirl in a previous episode is traveling around and sending Twilight Postcards of his journeys.
Even ex-host for a dark force Stygian found some success in writing a book about his history.

Now if only Rockhoof can find his success story.

 

[Dark Qiviut 22,592]

Spoiler

I found a comment calling out a supposed continuity error. In the episode, Ocellus says that the princesses cast a spell to turn Discord into stone.

That's not a continuity error. There's a reference to one REALLY subtle shot in Princess Twilight Sparkle!

The Elements of Harmony didn't do it alone.

After the Elements were released and triggered, they glow their magic, creating a combined spell with the Elements to banish Discord into stone. That's why Twilight had to write her own stone spell.

 

[ShootingStar159 2,157]

1 minute ago, Dark Qiviut said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I found a comment calling out a supposed continuity error. In the episode, Ocellus says that the princesses cast a spell to turn Discord into stone.

That's not a continuity error. There's a reference to one REALLY subtle shot in Princess Twilight Sparkle!

The Elements of Harmony didn't do it alone.

After the Elements were released and triggered, they glow their magic, creating a combined spell with the Elements to banish Discord into stone. That's why Twilight had to write her own stone spell.

 

Spoiler

Or she got Celestia to teach her the spell.

 

 

 

[Will Guide 21,371]

5 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

  Hide contents

I found a comment calling out a supposed continuity error. In the episode, Ocellus says that the princesses cast a spell to turn Discord into stone.

That's not a continuity error. There's a reference to one REALLY subtle shot in Princess Twilight Sparkle!

The Elements of Harmony didn't do it alone.

After the Elements were released and triggered, they glow their magic, creating a combined spell with the Elements to banish Discord into stone. That's why Twilight had to write her own stone spell.

 

I agree with your conclusion, Dark Qiviut.

I love episodes that show and tell

Spoiler

what our characters have been up to.

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Will Guide

[Truffles 2,033]

I thought I was going to find this episode likable but not remarkable when I heard the premise, but I was totally wrong. This episode was awesome.

The checklist of awesomeness:

We get to learn was the other Pillar's are up to - including Stygian. I totally wasn't expecting any of the other Pillars to appear.

Yona was absolutely adorable in her adoring of Rockhoof. If she were older, I'd ship them.

Spike and Smolder bonding!

We get to see the Hippogriff navy. And watch it sink.

Realistic portrayal of how stars work in the universe. That is sure going to cause debate about how the sun and moon works on this world if the stars are like real stars.

Spike gets to sub again! (No brainwashing this time. )

Smolder has found a pony she can relate to!

Twilight is capable of turning ponies into statues without the elements! Worldbuilding!

The whole idea of him wanting to be turned into stone like Discord was shocking. I felt bad for Twilight having to even temporarily have to carry out that spell. (As an aside, this opens up the possibility of a time-travel aspect if some pony with no family or friends wanted to do a one-way trip to the future if they wanted to see what it's like or be around for certain characters when they actually grow up....)

Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow taking a particular and personal interest in helping Rockhoof was wonderful.

I liked the spot they found for him, but as an alternative he probably could have joined Cerebus in helping guard Tartarus. Or maybe clean out the hydras and rocs out of the Everfree?

Now the only thing left on my Pillar checklist is to have Flash Magnus meet Torch.

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by Truffles
Removed spoiler boxes

[bigbertha 417]

This is a really fun episode.

Spoiler

 I wasn't a fan of the pillars in "Shadow Play", but this episode did a good job in showing where they ended up and giving them fun scenes. 

Rockhoof's conflict, while not very complex, was still fun to watch as his character has a lot of charm and charisma. He even got a sweet ending at the end involving the Student Six, who weren't shoehorned into the episode like they were in "The End in Friend". They're there when Rockhoof tries teaching at the school during the first act, and then only reappear at the end when Rockhoof gives up on finding something he can do.

The comedy isn't as strong as "Horse Play", but there's still enough that I never got bored, and it did have at least one knockout joke (the reveal of what happened to Stygian is hilarious).
 

Score: 9/10

[Truffles 2,033]

On 8/24/2018 at 8:45 PM, ShootingStar159 said:

Or she got Celestia to teach her the spell.

It may not even be that big of a deal to use that spell on non-godlike creatures:

Twilight may know how to turn ponies to stone due to the unfortunate incident back in season 1 when she herself got turned to stone by the cockatrice. Perhaps after that incident (and knowing Twilight's studious nature) she may have studied everything there is to know about turning creatures into stone and back again. Since a cockatrice can do it without the elements, then it should be possible for a powerful enough unicorn to do the same. She simply may not have had the power to do it, however, until she became and alicorn. And until this episode no one has ever wanted to be turned into a stone statue for her to test that ability.

Of course, she's was already perfectly capable of turning animals into oranges, so perhaps a simple petrification spell seems tame by comparison?

Edited September 19, 2018 by Truffles
Removed spoiler boxes

[RDDash 19,246]

My thoughts on the episode

Spoiler

I thought that episode was pretty enjoyable until the moment that Spike and Smolder set fire to the school, and Rockhoof was scolded for stopping them. I really liked how Yona liked Rockhoof for having similar wrecking abilities. And they should have just put his classes outside of the school grounds, of course if they did that then there won't be any conflict.