S08:E24 - Father Knows Beast

[CastletonSnob 3,025]

If you think about it, Spike’s actually 3-dimensional. He’s smart for his age, but he still likes things a kid would like. He’s happy to help, but sometimes feels overshadowed by the Mane Six and their accomplishments. His worst fear is Twilight no longer needing him. He has a wide variety of skills (Figure skating, playing the piano and drums, cooking, cleaning, announcing, and embroidery.). He's also kind of a nerd (He likes comic books and tabletop games).

[Buttonmash1973 1,024]

Cya at saturday the final episode before S8 official ends and the Christmas special awaits.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

New pony or...dragon this weekend fellows! :p

[Sparklefan1234 161,858]

6 hours ago, PathfinderCS said:

New pony or...dragon this weekend fellows! :p

 

I don't think I can take

 

Spoiler

Seeing Twilight Sparkle getting her heart broken by Spike's comment about Twilight not being his "real parent". 

 

again.

Edited October 4, 2018 by Sparklefan1234

[CastletonSnob 3,025]

This episode sucked. 

Spike has never had a good episode. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

38 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

This episode sucked. 

Spike has never had a good episode. 

What about:

- Inspiration Manifestation

- Equestria Games

- Gauntlet of Fire

- The Times They Are A Changeling 

- Molt Down

[CastletonSnob 3,025]

Just now, Theanimationfanatic said:

What about:

- Inspiration Manifestation

- Equestria Games

- Gauntlet of Fire

- The Times They Are A Changeling 

- Molt Down

>Equestria Games

>Good

 

You're kidding, right?

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

Decent. 

5 minutes ago, VG_Addict said:

>Equestria Games

>Good

 

You're kidding, right?

Decent, actually. 

But seriously, you can't think of one episode on that list that you like?

[Here No Longer 5,270]

I didn't know what to say about this episode, until it got to Sludge's song... Then I began to think that this was a pretty terrible episode. After a few minutes of There's really little good here, compared to the problems plaguing the episode.

 

The Good

• The Mane Six here weren't done fantastically, but as good as they could be if they lacked half of their character. But not putting that against them in this case.

 

The Bad

• Sludge  initially seemed kind of like a dragon version of Greg Universe. But... After mid-episode or so, he quickly became more like a sleazy, no-good punk that makes his freaking child go and STEAL from his own friends to satisfy his cravings for junk. Sick.
• Spike was just being downright hurtful after the first half. For what, trying to learn how to be a dragon? He hurt Twilight emotionally in ways that he should have been more than able to realize when he told Twilight off like he did. Twilight's been his mother for how many years now? Probably at least 10? 
• The whole plot of the episode seemed... Awfully convenient to me. I mean for Spike's Dad to suddenly appear out of nowhere after being in "prison" for 10 years... And for him to have randomly stumbled on to it after flying from who knows where... I have a hard time believing this story.

 

This episode had no real merits, but plenty of mediocrity to go around. I'll rate this one a 4/10, around where Yakity-Sax is.

[Passion 3,478]

While I do understand the emotions a heated discussion can evoke in all of us, I feel it is important to remind everyone that on the other side of that online avatar you are looking at there's a living person, with their own feelings, who is also just trying to enjoy themselves.

Please try to remember that when posting your answers and remain civil. A few unconsidered words can lead to provocations and escalate into events which both sides could possibly easily, and quickly, regret.

 

TL:DR

Have respect towards each other and everyone's opinions, which can change over time.

[Silver Letter 1,830]

I think this episode was limited by an unwillingness to really change anything. Things seemed to go back to normal in the end. I liked how Spike interacted with some of the other characters, but, he should have been more skeptical. It was a decent episode but it didn't need a singing element.

21 hours ago, Dusk Noire said:

Twilight's been his mother for how many years now? Probably at least 10?

I don't think that was ever set in stone. Their relationship was more of a brother/sister bond...but he should have known better anyway, to say those things.

[Senko 459]

18 minutes ago, Silver Letter said:

I think this episode was limited by an unwillingness to really change anything. Things seemed to go back to normal in the end. I liked how Spike interacted with some of the other characters, but, he should have been more skeptical. It was a decent episode but it didn't need a singing element.

I don't think that was ever set in stone. Their relationship was more of a brother/sister bond...but he should have known better anyway, to say those things.

Even laying aside the comics she hatched him, takes care of him, lectures him when he's wrong, praises him when he does well and he's literally known her his entire life. Mother/son makes a lot more sense to me than brother/sister simply because of that interaction.

[Silver Letter 1,830]

8 hours ago, Senko said:

Even laying aside the comics she hatched him, takes care of him, lectures him when he's wrong, praises him when he does well and he's literally known her his entire life. Mother/son makes a lot more sense to me than brother/sister simply because of that interaction.

Arguments can possibly be made for either. I once asked Spikes voice actress, Mrs. Weseluck, about it. She seemed to believe that Spike and Twilight are more like siblings in their relationship. I tend to agree as it is one of equals for the most part, even taking into account Spike being an assistant.

[Batbrony 15,994]

Spike having an 'embroidery zone' makes me so, so, SO happy. 

[Batbrony 15,994]

OK, so, is the show canon now that, like, the only dragons who get REALLY big the ones with giant hoards?  Because I can accept that since they did establish all the way back in Season 2 that in this universe, dragons do get bigger if they collect more and more stuff, BUT that said, it's kind of been an unanswered question ever since Ember first showed up (given how big her dad is).  So... if we're going by that logic, I guess the "normal" adult size for dragons is more like what Ember, Sludge, and Garble, etc., are, that is, of course, assuming they never start a massive hoard.  Otherwise, I suppose it's safe to assume they'd get larger than that, much larger.

[Batbrony 15,994]

Gosh, this guy's a dick.  He's like Bowser mixed with the bumness of Bob from King of the Hill.  I really hope his comeuppance is worth the wait. 

[ggg-2 3,550]

Hey, look at that, they finally said Klugetown's name onscreen.

Edited October 6, 2018 by ggg-2

[cmarston1 5,951]

This was yet another episode that I was curious to see, given that the whole concept of Spike meeting his dad seemed to be pretty interesting, given that we haven't seen anything regarding his family or origins over the course of the series yet.  I wasn't really sure what I was going to get, but I thought the episode itself was pretty good.  Spike's existence as a dragon raised by ponies is something that could lead to interesting stories when explored upon, which I thought was done well here, we got a fun new song, and I really liked how they handled Spike and Twilight's relationship here.  This would probably be another one of my favorites from this season.

[Batbrony 15,994]

Sooooooooooo... was this the MLP equivalent of this?

Nah, I'm just kidding, this episode was nowhere near as powerful as that.  Honestly, this episode kinda felt redundant.  "Dragon Quest" all the way back in Season 2 pretty much covered everything this episode did minus the parent plot, and frankly I thought that Spike was more effective in that episode seeing as he had a bit more agency in making his own decisions (something that episode made a point of emphasizing).  Here, while the Smoulder bits were great, she also had to be the one to knock sense into Spike, which made him look a little more stupid and gullible than he is.  Like, I get the whole "parental manipulation" aspect of the plot and the lesson that a "parent/parent figure" whose "feelings" for you are that conditional isn't really someone who cares about you, BUT like I said, this lesson was covered years ago and done better, so while this episode was fine, it just felt redundant is all.  Not bad, but not particularly great either.  Just OK.

[Buttonmash1973 1,024]

And that was the last song of S8.

Edited October 6, 2018 by Buttonmash1973

[Brainstorm 4,092]

I like how this episodes shows who's Spike's real family is, Sludge was a creep. 

[TransitPony 219]

Another great episode here. I really thought Sludge was Spike with the whole story with the past dragon king, but I was really unhappy when he showed his true face at the end. Seriously, Smolder is best dragon. She's been a great mentor of Spike in his phase of growing up. Also odd how the Mane 6 didn't see bs with the whole tale Sludge told them. 

BTW Twilight's reference to the hippogriffs and helping them defeat the Storm King reminded me that today is the 1st anniversary of the film's release. 

[Brainstorm 4,092]

7 minutes ago, TransitPony said:

Another great episode here. I really thought Sludge was Spike with the whole story with the past dragon king, but I was really unhappy when he showed his true face at the end. Seriously, Smolder is best dragon. She's been a great mentor of Spike in his phase of growing up. Also odd how the Mane 6 didn't see bs with the whole tale Sludge told them. 

BTW Twilight's reference to the hippogriffs and helping them defeat the Storm King reminded me that today is the 1st anniversary of the film's release. 

I agree.

Smolder is a great mentor for Spike being a dragon. Ember is too, when she's not busy with DragonLord duties.

[Nye 1,652]

My initial thoughts so far is that this “father” is a

Spoiler

total jerk. I think he is going to take advantage of them.

 

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Sludge REALLY IRRITATED me on so many levels. I kind of hoped for an episode like The Land Before Time 10 movie where Little Foot meets his father but instead we got this Sludge jerk. I loved all the scenes between Smolder and Spike especially the flying scene at the beginning between the 2.  I loved the shoutout to the MLP movie! I hope they make a better episode in season 9 where we do really find out where Spike came from.