S08:E23 - Sounds of Silence

[Will Guide 21,364]

With permission, I was allowed to open the discussion topic for this episode early.

Note: Please  don't link to or paste leaked assets.

The episode was first announced on Zap2It. More to come as September approaches.

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Title: Sounds of Silence

Airtime: September 29, 11:30am EST (United States)

Writer(s): Gregory BonSignore

Synopsis: Fluttershy and Applejack journey to the edge of the map on a Friendship Quest to help a group of ponies named Kirin -- who are so afraid of hurting each other’s feelings, they've taken a potion of silence.

Video in English Audio Now

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https://sendvid.com/mwqq5aq6

 

Edited September 27, 2018 by Willusion
English Audio Link

[Ganondox 899]

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOmxVHukd9M

 

[Steve Piranha 29,449]

Didn’t expect kirins to be so cute

[cmarston1 5,960]

I'm really looking forward to this episode, if only because I have been wanting to see Kirin appear in the show for a while now.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

I got the feeling they chose Flutters and AJ for this episode cause the writers had nothing else for them this season! I hope they get the episodes they deserve next season, cause this season really cheated them!

[Will Guide 21,364]

I'm hoping that a huge part of this episode has no dialog whatsoever and that the visuals, body expressions, and other non-verbal cues tell the story.

[Pripyat Pony 2,608]

Soooooo excited to see this episode.   😁

[TBD 17,259]

Really like their design and the part when they flame up. I wonder if Hasbro is going to make a merchandise figure of them?

[Dark Qiviut 22,491]

SoS aired in Denmark this evening. Haven't watched it, but…

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According to the FIM Wiki, someone brand-new wrote it, a playwriter and lyricist named Gregory Bonsignore. I got a guess he has communications with Dubuc.

ETA: Watching it now. Don't have a clue what they're saying, but…

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Writer confirmed!

 

Edited August 24, 2018 by Dark Qiviut

[Dark Qiviut 22,491]

I won't say much now, but…

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This is really good. Can't wait for the English version next week.

 

[Crystal Peppermint 1,108]

Oh my god. Just saw them on Deviantart and I love the style of the Kirin.

[bwrosas 252]

  On 2018-08-24 at 10:19 PM, Dark Qiviut said:

I won't say much now, but…

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This is really good. Can't wait for the English version next week.

 

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You're probably get a lot sooner than you think. Nickelodeon Sweden shows it in English.

[bigbertha 415]

This episode is bad. It's very shallow and has really bad pacing

Starting with the writing, every single line and joke feels forced and artificial. Like the writers were putting so much effort into making their interactions feel natural that they end up feeling unnatural. This plagues all of Applejack and Fluttershy's interactions along with Autumn Blaze. It comes off like it's trying way too hard to be quirky and cute instead of actually being quirky and cute leading to a lot of bland jokes and a personality that screams "haha she's talking quickly and is really enthusiastic, isn't she so quirky?"

The story also sucks. The episode sets it up like Applejack and Fluttershy are going to solve the problem for the Kirin, but no. Autumn Blaze is the one who ends up convincing the Kirin to talk again. All Applejack and Fluttershy do is find the plant needed for them to talk. Instead of the second act being Applejack and Fluttershy working with Autumn Blaze to make the Kirin want to talk, it's spent with Applejack and Fluttershy split up and with Fluttershy having nothing to do. I have no idea why the entire second act is spent on Autumn Blaze's backstory, but it's really bad since it doesn't move the story along and isn't funny. And even when it's over, the argument Applejack and Fluttershy have in the third act doesn't have enough time to be expanded upon, so it just feels pointless and rushed. It makes me thing the writers just wanted to show off Rachel Bloom and wrote the episode around her instead of naturally incorporating her into the story.

I'll admit that the lesson of anger not automatically being a bad thing is a good thing to teach kids and adults alike, but the episode around it is so bad that it doesn't bring the episode up by that much.

Score: 3/10

Edited March 31, 2019 by bigbertha

[Will Guide 21,364]

About what I was expecting from this episode:

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While there wasn't as many silent moments as I thought there would be, in the scenes where the Kirin wouldn't talk, their expressions when they do show it speak volumes. It's nice to take advantage of a visual medium like television and let the characters expression convey the thoughts instead of dialogue.

About the moral:

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It's a nice lesson that anger is natural. To quote the English Fansub: "It is just like any other feelings. It's not dangerous to have them. It's what you do with them!"

And one more thing:

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Their Nirik forms are pretty awesome and not evil, just a form of natural anger.

 

Edited August 29, 2018 by Will Guide

[Will Guide 21,364]

And the Kirin are based off on this design:

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http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/m/page/Kirin

 

[Buttonmash1973 1,026]

  On 2018-08-27 at 9:59 PM, bigbertha said:

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This is a really great episode. I'd put it on the same level of "Viva Las Pegasus" as it has the same main positive; Applejack and Fluttershy.

Applejack and Fluttershy still work surprisingly well together, being very charming and fun to watch. Autumn Blaze is a very fun one off character, and she'll probably be even better when we get to hear Rachel Bloom voicing her. Autumn Blaze provides most of the comedy in the episode, but there are still a good amount of jokes aside from her, whether they come from Applejack and Fluttershy or that crazy train conductor.

At first, I thought the third act felt a bit rushed thanks to the song, but a rewatch smoothed out that issue. 

My only problem is more of a personal problem. While Applejack and Fluttershy do work well together, Fluttershy doesn't get that much screen time. I know why and that this is more of a problem of time constraints, but it still stuck out to me. 

Score: 9/10

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Also 9/10

[RDDash 19,212]

I really love these episode as well as kirins, they are great too.

[Senko 459]

I enjoyed this episode and now the spoilers.
 

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1) The Kirin are cute although I was surprsied Autumn Blaze had the same hair/eye colour I was going for with my avatar.

2) I loved Autumn's chirpy, bubbly, never shutting up because all she's had is the voices in her head and her own voice to keep her compnay.

3) The station master was amusing especially with his retreating into his ticket box and pulling down the bilnd.

4) Interesting how the Nirik form is just angry not necessarily out of control as demonstrated by Autumn.

5) Love the facial expressions on the various characters.

6) The various objects with faces reminded me of party of one.

7) As i mentioned elsewhere even in a world of magic the couch is hard to move alone which is sad.

8) As was the choice they gave Autumn your voice or living with us ouch.

9) The kirin do need to learn a bit of a lesson in dealing with other people given they were just going to toss Applejack and Fluttershy in the stream of silence without even asking if they would rather leave the village than lose their voice.

10) Nice happy Twilight at this being the first time the map sent the same two ponies to solve a problem.

11) I liked the way Fluttershy went from "Great you go down the dark scary forest and I"ll stay in the happy village" to looking worried as the Kirin surrounded her.

12) So the ponies speak Ponish interesting.

13) Nice Applejack/Fluttershy interaction when she was onscreen and I loved how willing Fluttershy was to raise her voice and stand her ground to her friend. She's come such a long way.

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Senko

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

And the trend of Season 8 redeeming itself in the second half continues, this was yet another delightful episode!

 

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Applejack and Fluttershy had great interactions, the lore concerning the Kirin and the Nirik was fascinating and did a great job of worldbuilding.  Autumn Breeze was a delight to watch and listen to, her song was definitely one of the better ones. The humor was also pretty spot on, though not Laugh Out Loud funny, and the moral about it being okay to  be angry so long as you cope with it in a healthy way is very well done.

My only real issue with the episode is that Fluttershy was somewhat sidelined and didn't get as much to do, I wish that a little more time was devoted to seeing how she and the Kirin interacted.

1

 

Overall, "Sounds of Silence" is another gem of an episode, and I'll be curious if the last 3 episodes of Season 8 can keep the streak going to the end and elevate a meh season to a very solid one. 9 out of 10. 

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  On 2018-08-26 at 11:35 PM, bwrosas said:

You're probably get a lot sooner than you think. Nickelodeon Sweden shows it in English.

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Are  Episodes 24-26 subbed in English too?

Edited August 31, 2018 by Theanimationfanatic

[Senko 459]

  On 2018-08-31 at 11:34 PM, Theanimationfanatic said:

And the trend of Season 8 redeeming itself in the second half continues, this was yet another delightful episode!

 

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Applejack and Fluttershy had great interactions, the lore concerning the Kirin and the Nirik was fascinating and did a great job of worldbuilding.  Autumn Breeze was a delight to watch and listen to, her song was definitely one of the better ones. The humor was also pretty spot on, though not Laugh Out Loud funny, and the moral about it being okay to  be angry so long as you cope with it in a healthy way is very well done.

My only real issue with the episode is that Fluttershy was somewhat sidelined and didn't get as much to do, I wish that a little more time was devoted to seeing how she and the Kirin interacted.

1

 

Overall, "Sounds of Silence" is another gem of an episode, and I'll be curious if the last 3 episodes of Season 8 can keep the streak going to the end and elevate a meh season to a very solid one. 9 out of 10. 

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Are  Episodes 24-26 subbed in English too?

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24 is I just watched it and I believe 25-26 are as well, I'm about to watch them now. If they aren't I'll let you know.

Edited August 31, 2018 by Senko

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

  On 2018-08-31 at 11:54 PM, Senko said:

24 is I just watched it and I believe 25-26 are as well, I'm about to watch them now. If they aren't I'll let you know.

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Could you provide the links for all three (assuming 25 and 26 are also in English too) please?

[Senko 459]

  On 2018-08-31 at 11:59 PM, Theanimationfanatic said:

Could you provide the links for all three (assuming 25 and 26 are also in English too) please?

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Just go to the thread on those episodes there's a link in the first post its where I'm watching them from. 25 and 26 are both subbed.

[Dark Qiviut 22,491]

So far, I see only three problems:

1. The pacing to conclude the episode feels really abrupt. Them coexist a bit after she rescued AJ and FS, but it doesn't spend a lot of time showing Autumn Blaze fully reuniting with her clan and Rain Shine as a whole. Another few seconds would help.
2. After FS told AJ they'll only answer yes or no questions, AJ reverted to the same ol' shenanigans. It worked the first time, because neither of them understood, but here, they did, so her desperation isn't funny.
3. The Foal's Breath flower's impact in solving the friendship problem was also a little too obvious. Fluttershy and the story spent a good amount of time arranging a little bed of flowers for the squirrels, and its brilliant gradients of blue in the middle to yellow on the tips with all that detail stands out really strongly against the dirty-looking desert. The fact that Blaze landed in a bed of identical flowers and made a tea out of them connects the dots much more.

Yet, they're both very minuscule in the thick of things. Gregory Bonsignore, an award-winning playwright and lyricist, debuted here. While Dubuc and Big Jim wrote the song and reprise, his scripting talents really shine with well-done dialogue, pleasant characterization of AJ, FS, and Autumn Blaze, and intelligently simple story. Despite its fast pacing, the script is tight and polished; everything logically flows from one point to another without being contrived. Rachel Bloom is, like every other celebrity guest for the show, excellently included. Coming into this episode, I replayed A Kirin Tale and grew to really love it. After hearing it with clarity for the first time, it's the season's best song so far.

Overall, a phenomenal episode!

Edited September 1, 2018 by Dark Qiviut

[Loyal Defender 4,111]

The first time I saw the episode (well, actually I saw the thumbnail of Autumn Blaze forcing AJ's muzzle into a wide smile, gave me shivers), I automatically began to like it. I only grew a little frustrated with AJ when she didn't just take advice to always use 'yes or no' questions, and when she first met Autumn, I instantly found her cheerul and SO darn adorable. (I think the little design on the bridge of her muzzle really sells the adorability feature), and I liked how she seemed so happy to have someone visiting her after so long. A Kirin Tale was such a wonderful song, and I noticed how despite the episode description mentioned a POTION of silence. They waded into the river to become silent.

 

In short, I am in love with Autumn and this episode. 

 

Season 8's saving grace, after...some intolerable episodes (coughthemaudcouplecough).

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

"nothing but uncharted terrain and wild beasts that way

AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH

..

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHhaha."

anyway I loved this episode.