S08:E22 - What Lies Beneath

[Will Guide 21,325]

I actually watched this episode with @Loyal Defender via Discord Screen Share, and we had so much fun together. This is the kind of episode I wanted to see in a while.

[Dynamo Pad 10,772]

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

Spoiler

I like how we get some lessons about the Tree of Harmony. I could relate to how the other students went through studying. I've always had difficulty when it comes to studying. Whether something didn't make sense, or if I get confused about one thing or another. So, I could really relate to the students during their study session. It was cool to see Cozy Glow again, but I didn't like how it seemed that she tried to cause trouble within the group. It seemed like she tried to get the students to have issues with one another and how friendship didn't seem to suit them well. It was crazy to see Twilight underneath the school as the students investigated the strange glow. Even though the answers revealed themselves later on, I still was curious as to what was going on. I liked how the students each had to face their own fear. I admit that I couldn't watch Yona's fear, as I have the same fear as she did. I liked how the students admitted their own fears to one another, so that they could conquer their personal fears. It was surprising to see the Tree of Harmony was the one who tested the students. I also like how the tree made astral projections of the mane 6. I guess it's a way to show that they are the connection to the tree, or something along those lines. I'm also glad to see that the tree was okay. After the episode, "The Mean 6," I had a bad feeling that the tree was corrupted. After the evil clones had tried to take over the elements. It was interesting to see that Cozy tried to cover for the students, but only became even more curious as to what the students experienced. I look forward to seeing what role she'll play later on in this season. 

I do like how the student 6 have gotten a good amount of screen time and character development. I have a feeling that the student 6 might have some bigger role later down the line. Just like @Dark Qiviut said about someone else's speculation, I feel that the student 6 might become the new elements of harmony. It would make sense though. The mane 6 have grown throughout the seasons and their stories are coming to a close. There's more room for them to learn, but I feel that they might pass on the torch for a brand new generation. When one story ends, another begins and I feel this is a good representation of that.

All in all, I really found this episode to be enjoyable and intriguing. I really look forward to how things go in these next few episodes. 

 

[Sparklefan1234 161,550]

What Lies Beneath Episode Spoilers

Spoiler

What even was this episode?! 

Also, Twilight Sparkle is Best Tree. Fluttershy has been dethroned. 

 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

WHAAA

WHAAAAT

WHAAAAT THE FUFJAIOFHQAWPOF

I'm dead, best episode of the season, oh my god oh my god oh my god OH MY GOD OH MY GOD
 

Spoiler

THE MOTHER FLUBBING TREE OF HARMONY IN SENTIENT FORM, THE TREEEE

COZY GLOW IS AN EVIL MONSTER

LOOOOORE

CHARACTER GROWTH
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

4 hours ago, Dark Qiviut said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

RaphLuna in another thread speculated how the Student Six may become the new Bearers of Harmony. This episode supports that theory.

Secondly, recall Dubuc referring to them as the Young Six (rather than the Student Six like most of us)? It might be a subtle hint of what may become of them in School Raze.

 

 

I love this episode but I absolutely hate that idea, I like to think the tree acts through all things and not just the wielder of the elements. So the young 6 do represent some of the trees power, but the mane 6 still represent the elements.

idk who cares, I love this episode

SO

DAMN

MUCH

[bigbertha 410]

Spoiler

This episode feels like "Campfire Tales" 2.0 in that it doesn't stand on its own and is only made to set up the finale. On its own, this episode doesn't work for me because it's just not paced right.

I'm going to compare this episode to another episode that had 6 mini-stories; "The Best Night Ever". In that episode, every story got an equal amount of screen time and each time the episode cut to one of the mane six, their story progressed in some way (except Twilight's which didn't really have anywhere to progress). in this episode, Gallus and Smolder finish their tests by the half way point and spend the rest of the episode helping others. Yona only gets an intro scene and the next scene with her is a resolution. Ocellus and Silverstream get the most high stake tests, yet they only get intro scenes and the next time we see them, Gallus or Smolder are helping them solve it. Probably the worst mini-story is Sandbar who gets 3 scenes, two of which are the exact same thing happening and then randomly changing his mind in the resolution. His story might've worked better if he was progressively getting more worried through his scenes like in Rarity's story from "The Best Night Ever" which had her get progressively more frustrated. It also helped that "The Best Night Ever" was really funny.

The only thing I like in this episode is the first act. It's cute and charming, if not much else.

 Score: 4/10

[RulesofRarity 489]

Cozy Glow is so obvious. Can we just skip to the inevitable redemption?

 

Edited August 26, 2018 by RulesofRarity

[JH24 385]

This has got to be one of my favorite episodes in this season. 8.5/10

 

I love the idea of the Tree of Harmony being alive, but also that the Tree believes friendship is for everyone and not only for ponies. 

The role of Cozy Glow was well done. She's a master in manipulation. She acts like she's encouraging others, but instead her words hurt and create doubt. Her speech at the beginning was very well written and the ending was perfect. The Student 6 don't suspect anything at all, they still think Cozy was helping them.

 

Edited August 26, 2018 by JH24

[Will Guide 21,325]

This picture is adorable!

[Goat-kun 2,490]

At long last, the Elder Light casts its damnable reflection onto the plane of flesh and blood. Dispatch this vile apparition! Send it back into the void abyss beyond the heavens!

[Will Guide 21,325]

There's a scene where the Young jump into a hole to adventure and a friend of @Loyal Defender named Trenton pointed out how the way the students jump in reflect their personalities. I agree and want to spread the list:

Smolder gloryblazed into the hole,
 Silverstream happily followed after,
 Yona jumped in, being the brave one, and got stuck,
Ocellus, being the kind one, helped her in,
Sandbar jumped in normally, being the normal pony race
But Gallus went ahead of him, being brash. 

[Steve Piranha 28,720]

22 hours ago, Will Guide said:

About the Tree of Harmony.

  Reveal hidden contents

It IS a living Spirit. Just as I suspected from the Mean 6 episode where the Tree protected itself from Chrysalis' Mean 6.

In fact, Twilight herself said right at the start. "Almost as if it has a mind of its own." complete with Twi moving her hoofs like you do with your mysterious hands.

 

Spoiler

Yeah, holy shit bro. I think this is the closest poneh ever gone in having an actual deity 

 

13 hours ago, RulesofRarity said:

Cozy Glow is so obvious. Can we just skip to the inevitable redemption?

 

Spoiler

I’m not that sure she’ll get redeemed. There was a statue with her over Tirek among the S9 vectors

 

[Will Guide 21,325]

15 minutes ago, Steve Piranha said:

  Hide contents

Yeah, holy shit bro. I think this is the closest poneh ever gone in having an actual deity 

 

  Hide contents

I’m not that sure she’ll get redeemed. There was a statue with her over Tirek among the S9 vectors

 

Whoa, let's not get a head of ourselves.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Will Guide

[Steve Piranha 28,720]

43 minutes ago, Will Guide said:

Whoa, let's not get a head of ourselves.

Spoiler

Still, it’s been a while we’ve seen some deep magic and unknown stuff not made by other intelligent beings. The fact that the tree communicated by a sparkly image of Twi is some serious pony shit we hardly see anymore

 

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

*Watching What Lies Beneath*

00:00 - 00:30

Spoiler

Silly Twilight, you let everyone know that you guys got a secret weapon that can nuke every villain of the entire series and you guys are the triggers? The Tree should be the top secret.

01:00 - 05:00

Spoiler

Wow, Cozy Glow, you little brat I predicted you are a spy of Neighsay but I cant predict what coming from your mouth. Every creature beside ponies has disadvantage at friendship? WOW, you should be Neighsay's daughter or something relative to that dude because everything come from your mouth disgust me.

05:00 - 08:00

Spoiler

Welcome to Friendship Torture Chamber. It's time to face your biggest fear, if a terrorizing God of Chaos and a bugbear is not enough for you.

This school is too dangerous for kids.

12:00

Spoiler

In the fantasy world where we can make friends with disgusting creatures that everyone loves to stomp them, Equestria.

Yona is getting better and better in every episode. I want to hug her so bad.

*continue watching*

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

*Finished watching What Lies Beneath*

Spoiler

IT'S THE TREE OF HARMONY ACTUALLY TEACH THOSE KIDS LESSON OF FRIENDSHIP!?? Why cant I predict that? They already hinted it in the beginning of the episode but I couldn't see it coming. The tree manifest itself as Twilight to talk with the kids is SUPER COOL.

 

What those kids learn from this adventure:

Gallus overcome his fear of closed space.

Yona overcome her fear of spiders (and make friend with them).

Silver Stream faces Storm King (even it's just an image of a dead guy) and tell him she no longer fear him. Best character moment of Silver Stream.

Ocellus learns "My past is not today". Or she should learn that evil is not inherented by gene (or do they????)

Sandbar learns to care about his friends more than pleasing his idols.(Twilight...…)

Smolder needs to embrace her feminism side or... just admit she like cute stuff, like what bronies struggling in the past. Smolder, you have pony inside you.

 

The theory the tree has a mind on its own has been confirmed. The student six is part of its grand divine plan, the true harmony of Equestria. Everything make sense now, the tree, the map, the school.

 

It's crystal clear that Cozy Glow is evil but they don't even put any smug face or some obvious evil face with green magic on her. That little filly is more manipulative than a changeling kingdom combine. I'm impressed even she cant fool me anymore.

 

 

This is the best Vogel episode. The writing is just superb, the dialogues are smooth, the pacing is decent. The chemistry between the student six is so entertaining to watch, they are my favorite new characters. 

This is the best Vogel episode and the best episode of season. 10/10 Can the remaining episodes take its place as the best episode? Based from what I heard, there is one episode can do that. Let see what it can do.

 

……………………….

Its sadden me that every best episode of this season is not about our mane 6.I hope the staffs don't forget this show is My Little Pony, not My Little Creature. The season 8 will be over soon, but all I remember about it is everything but the mane 6, they are the least memorable things about this season. Anyway, cheer for the new great episode of season 8,a  good episode is a good episode nonetheless.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

iFour really good/great episodes in a row!

Spoiler

"What Lies Beneath" works on multiple levels. The Student Six have great interactions with each other, and those interactions help develop each of them when they're encountering their personal fears. 

Some of the fears were entertaining and hilarious, like Smolder being afraid of girly stuff, but others are quite personal like Gallus being claustrophobic or Ocellus being afraid of being an outcast.

It also does a fantastic job of setting up for the season finale. 

The only major negative (which is more of a nitpick) is Cozy Glow manipulating them into going into the cavern. There might as well be a neon sign saying "She's Evil."

All in all, terrific and poignant episode that will either be made retroactively better or worse depending on how "School Raze" turns out. 

9 out of 10.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

1 hour ago, Lambdadelta said:

*Finished watching What Lies Beneath*

  Reveal hidden contents

IT'S THE TREE OF HARMONY ACTUALLY TEACH THOSE KIDS LESSON OF FRIENDSHIP!?? Why cant I predict that? They already hinted it in the beginning of the episode but I couldn't see it coming. The tree manifest itself as Twilight to talk with the kids is SUPER COOL.

 

What those kids learn from this adventure:

Gallus overcome his fear of closed space.

Yona overcome her fear of spiders (and make friend with them).

Silver Stream faces Storm King (even it's just an image of a dead guy) and tell him she no longer fear him. Best character moment of Silver Stream.

Ocellus learns "My past is not today". Or she should learn that evil is not inherented by gene (or do they????)

Sandbar learns to care about his friends more than pleasing his idols.(Twilight...…)

Smolder needs to embrace her feminism side or... just admit she like cute stuff, like what bronies struggling in the past. Smolder, you have pony inside you.

 

The theory the tree has a mind on its own has been confirmed. The student six is part of its grand divine plan, the true harmony of Equestria. Everything make sense now, the tree, the map, the school.

 

It's crystal clear that Cozy Glow is evil but they don't even put any smug face or some obvious evil face with green magic on her. That little filly is more manipulative than a changeling kingdom combine. I'm impressed even she cant fool me anymore.

 

 

This is the best Vogel episode. The writing is just superb, the dialogues are smooth, the pacing is decent. The chemistry between the student six is so entertaining to watch, they are my favorite new characters. 

This is the best Vogel episode and the best episode of season. 10/10 Can the remaining episodes take its place as the best episode? Based from what I heard, there is one episode can do that. Let see what it can do.

 

……………………….

Its sadden me that every best episode of this season is not about our mane 6.I hope the staffs don't forget this show is My Little Pony, not My Little Creature. The season 8 will be over soon, but all I remember about it is everything but the mane 6, they are the least memorable things about this season. Anyway, cheer for the new great episode of season 8,a  good episode is a good episode nonetheless.

I don't fully agree with this, see "The Washouts".

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,671]

Interesting title choice.

I actually liked this little character arc for the Student Six. And oh geez, Ocellus trapped in Chrysalis' form was quite a sight to behold. She could take on Chrysalis' form and still be just adorable.

And oh boy, Cozy Glow. My, my, she's quite a snake. Heck, she's a snake's snake. That part where she broke the student six's spirits with such a subtle backhanded insult... I'm not even mad, that's amazing.

Then at the end... I really should see that part a second time. Did her voice change? Normally she'd sound like she'd have a child-like cadence in her way of speaking and pronunciation but I think all that disappeared with her taking a more measured, adult-like tone after the student six fell asleep.

Another thing I'm thinking about is her CM, the Rooke chess piece. She's definitely on some mission but who is her king or queen? And when push comes to shove, will she ultimately end up getting sacrificed like many chess pieces eventually do? If so, will she expect it or will it come to her as a betrayal?

These questions will probably get answered in the finale. I'll just wait for it.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

12 minutes ago, Querch said:

Interesting title choice.

 

  Hide contents

I actually liked this little character arc for the Student Six. And oh geez, Ocellus trapped in Chrysalis' form was quite a sight to behold. She could take on Chrysalis' form and still be just adorable.

And oh boy, Cozy Glow. My, my, she's quite a snake. Heck, she's a snake's snake. That part where she broke the student six's spirits with such a subtle backhanded insult... I'm not even mad, that's amazing.

Then at the end... I really should see that part a second time. Did her voice change? Normally she'd sound like she'd have a child-like cadence in her way of speaking and pronunciation but I think all that disappeared with her taking a more measured, adult-like tone after the student six fell asleep.

Another thing I'm thinking about is her CM, the Rooke chess piece. She's definitely on some mission but who is her king or queen? And when push comes to shove, will she ultimately end up getting sacrificed like many chess pieces eventually do? If so, will she expect it or will it come to her as a betrayal?

These questions will probably get answered in the finale. I'll just wait for it.

 

I think it would be great if 

Spoiler

The reveal is that Cozy Glow is orking for Chancellor Neighsay to sabotage Twilight's school as well as the Tree of Harmony. Only for Cozy Glow to double cross Neighsay and become the big bad.

 

[RDDash 18,836]

Dagobah: Dark cave

Spoiler

I really really really and once again really dislike Cozy Glow, and I think only because of her I will give this episode 4/5, even though I was leaning to give it 2/5  only because she was asking for it,, sorry she is just as subtle as a doorknob.Even if she would be planted on Coruscant and adapted by Chancellor Palatine himself everyone would still be like heck no there is something wrong with this kid. On another note I don't really think Chrysalis is ugly, she is really pretty even if Ocellus gets stuck with Chrysalis appearance she would still not be ugly.

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

Added Episode link to the OP post

 

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

Just watched the episode here is my take on what I just saw (HEAVY SPOILERS WITH SPECULATION ON THE END OF THE SEASON)

Spoiler

Pretty fantastic episode. I loved how the Student Six faced all their fears in the face of friendship. Also, to be fair. I've got a really bad feeling from Cozy Glow. I'm thinking she might be chrysalis or something.

It all makes sense now. Cozy Glow is actually Chrysalis in disguise. She wants the tree of harmony, oh my god!

Want to know how I came to this realization? Right at the end of the episode she goes to look in the vent where three of harmony was. I remember earlier in the season that Chrysalis wanted the tree of harmony. It all makes sense now.

 

[Senko 459]

So since it may be a few day's before I get to watch this I'm REALLY curious now about that summary (please don't reply as I don't want spoilers I just want to get this out) first we have a hidden door to a swam and now a hidden, secret underschool. What on earth was going on with the building plans?

Edited August 29, 2018 by Senko

[Oleks 1,983]

It was a trippy episode. But I liked it.

Spoiler

We learned a bit more about each of the Student Six, came a step close to the great cozy Evil reveal and finally got an undeniable proof that the Tree is sentient. And I can’t decide which I like better – the tea party or Ocellus as Chrysalis. Also, I wonder if any of the students was in real danger during the “tree test” – it sure looked like it for Gallus.

 

[Senko 459]

Ok watched the episode and my thoughts.
 

Spoiler

 

1) Twilight does enjoy hamming it up in her lessons, so cute.

2) The student 6 missed the most important lesson in this episode "Don't taunt the tree."

3) I only just noticed cozy's cutie mark is a chess piece indicating her manipulative nature as her destiny and that's just a scary thought.

4) I wonder if that plumbing diagram is a reference to Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets?

5) The tree of Harmony is just plain creepy in how it talks.

6) Is the tree lurking below or did it grow the school without Twilight realizing?

7) Lots of fun lines in this episode "Am I suspended?", "no on so many levels just no", "The tree of harmony turned into a sparkly version of our headmare to talk to us. Did I miss a chapter in class?", "We just learnt a friendship lesson from a tree didn't we?" and so many more.

8) So they're upping the tree of harmony's powers and making it very clear the student 6 are the next gneration of element bearers here.

9) Of course we finish with the student 6 being tricked into not talking to the teachers when they could just leave out why the tree choose to test them and tell Twilght the tree under the school tested their friendship for some reason.