Which episode do you think had the most potential but needed a rewrite?

[Brainstorm 4,112]

I would think Princess Spike could use a rewrite, cause I can't see Spike taking advantage of Twilight's name.

[cmarston1 5,959]

I would probably go with the season five finale.

As much as I disliked how Starlight's reformation was handled, she was one of the few characters that I thought could be redeemed.

But I feel that the episode really failed to give her a decent backstory and villain motivation.

In order to fix this, I feel more time should have been focused on Starlight and less time should have been given to timelines in which Twilight and Spike visited to.  Either that or just getting rid of the whole time travel aspect all together and give Starlight a different evil plan that would give the writers more time to spend on her backstory and motivations.

Edited October 29, 2018 by cmarston1

[Singe 2,111]

Wonderbolts Academy needs a rewrite or just be scrapped because it's not consistent with future episodes where the Wonderbolts are rules and safety regulations now. Plus it didn't do Rainbow Dash any good because she was obsessed being second fiddle than trying to build a friendship.

Edited October 29, 2018 by Singe

[n1029 229]

Yakety Sax needed to take that time it used up showing Pinkie aimlessly moping around and used it to elaborate on the idiotic moral. 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,316]

On 10/24/2018 at 1:23 PM, Twilight Luna said:

I think the obvious one that comes to mind is the Magical Mystery Cure. It needed to be at least two episodes but everything was crammed into one which lead to a lot of plot holes and head scratches by viewers. 

I love "Magical Mystery Cure". A re-write, and being lengthened into two parts would change it from one of my favorite episodes, into something truly EPIC!

[Twilight Luna 31,423]

7 hours ago, cuteycindyhoney said:

I love "Magical Mystery Cure". A re-write, and being lengthened into two parts would change it from one of my favorite episodes, into something truly EPIC!

It’s one of my favorites as well. Hasbro cared more about selling new Princess Twilight toys than letting the writers tell a good story. 

[Megas 27,786]

Newbie Dash should have been an automatic A+. An episode about RD becoming a Wonderbolt? Shit practically writes itself. But the writers committed the equivalent of failing gym class by instead shitting out an episode that blatantly punishes you for liking RD. I don't care how overdramatic that sounds, I refuse to believe anyone was proud of this dumpster-fire or wrote it out of good will, and the fact that Jim Miller bailed twitter before the episode came out only further confirms my suspicion.

The best way to rewrite the episode is to take the original script, shred it and burn it, and then write something that isn't a colossal middle finger. Hell you don't even have to get rid of the stupid nickname plot, you can have her save the day only to have the WBs still address her by her nickname, maybe then it might actually come off as friendly banter and not come off like the writers were justifying hazing

Also get rid of that godawful impressions part of the episode

Edited January 18, 2019 by This Whomps

[Singe 2,111]

School Daze - Instead of Twilight wanting to build a school, she instead has to expand her roster that enrolls others outside the Mane 6 to help spread the message of friendship as the map becomes more demanding to the point where just the Mane 6 can't handle it all. The map starts displaying a bunch of new symbols where the Mane 6 has to seek out new members to assist on the friendship quests. Meanwhile there are some ponies pushing back and undermining Twilight's progression of making friends with creatures that had a bad history for the past seven seasons.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Singe

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

On 12/29/2018 at 10:03 PM, This Whomps said:

Newbie Dash should have been an automatic A+. An episode about RD becoming a Wonderbolt? Shit practically writes itself. But the writers committed the equivalent of failing gym class by instead shitting out an episode that blatantly punishes you for liking RD. I don't care how overdramatic that sounds, I refused to believe anyone was proud of this dumpster-fire or wrote it out of good will, and the fact that Jim Miller bailed twitter a day before the episode came out only further confirms my suspicion.

The best way to rewrite the episode is to take the original script, shred it and burn it, and then write something that isn't a colossal middle finger. Hell you don't even have to get rid of the stupid nickname plot, you can have her save the day only to have the WBs still address her by her nickname, maybe then it might actually come off as friendly banter and not come off like the writers were justifying hazing

Also get rid of that godawful impressions part of the episode

The fact that "Parental Glideance" ignores that episode speaks volumes.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Newbie Dash, it was a conclusion to Rainbows main character arc and yet it ended up being just a mediocre SoL episode.

[Odyssey 5,717]

I always felt that if Yakity Sax's moral was written differently, I wouldn't felt half the confusion I have had with it. It's one thing to be told that your work is terrible and you should give up on it, that is discouraging to hear as a creator. It's another to be told that you should just do whatever makes you happy, even if you're no good at it. For people who have creative hobbies, there's always the desire to get better and learn new skills, whether you're taking it casually or seriously. And being told to just do whatever you want, after being told that you're no good at it? It only creates more internal conflict.

So I'm kind of thinking the plot should've went like this instead - after Twi and the others tell Pinkie that her playing isn't good, she runs away to Yak Yakistan. Basically, cut out the Pinkamena parts since it's all fanservice-y fluff (and even taking it into consideration, pinkamena made sense back in party of one, not here). She gets trained by a yakimaphone(?) player, and while she makes strides with her practice, it still doesn't sound all that great to pony kind. Pinkie feels even more hurt, but only to have, say, a young yak come up to her (or even Yona, we can have a scene of her prior to that point enjoying the sounds being played in the school of friendship) and tell her that she's her most favourite player ever. Pinkie feels encouraged to do even better, her friends are also happy for her. Moral of the story: everybody learns at a different place, but don't forget to have fun with what you're learning.

Little things like the slow first half and Pinkie's exaggerated reactions over everything and even why she started playing should be fixed/mentioned too. I don't necessarily hate Yakity Sax, but man, it is certainly the number one episode I'm most conflicted on.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

6 minutes ago, RyanMahaffe said:

Newbie Dash, it was a conclusion to Rainbows main character arc and yet it ended up being just a mediocre SoL episode.

I don't think "Newbie Dash" is the conclusion of Rainbow Dash's character arc, but rather, the beginning of a new chapter in the arc.

At least, that's how I rationalize it to help get over how awful it truly is.

[imawesome 449]

For me, it would be Mysterious Mare Do Well.

It had the potential to grow Dash's character development, or have all of the Mane 6 learn the lesson that  it's no fun to be showed up by some one. 

Instead *sighs* we get a mean-spirited, one-sided look that's supposed to teach us about ego and FAILS. 

If it were rewritten, I would have had Dash's life put on the line and then when some one goes to save her, they get so caught up in their ego that Dash realizes her mistake ON HER OWN and fixes it by apologizing to everyone. The other pony then apologizes too and they both become friends. 

Same moral, just a different delivery. 

 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

20 minutes ago, TheAnimationFana said:

I don't think "Newbie Dash" is the conclusion of Rainbow Dash's character arc, but rather, the beginning of a new chapter in the arc.

At least, that's how I rationalize it to help get over how awful it truly is.

I mean her main goal was becoming a Wonderbolt, she did in that episode. The new chapter would be advancing through the ranks but that is more post arc. No one's story ends until they die but it was the conclusion to that one specifically, her becoming captain to me would be a different arc as it is far different.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

1 minute ago, RyanMahaffe said:

I mean her main goal was becoming a Wonderbolt, she did in that episode. The new chapter would be advancing through the ranks but that is more post arc. No one's story ends until they die but it was the conclusion to that one specifically, her becoming captain to me would be a different arc as it is far different.

I think her becoming a Wonderbolt is meant to coincide with her maturing and learning humility.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

1 minute ago, TheAnimationFana said:

I think her becoming a Wonderbolt is meant to coincide with her maturing and learning humility.

Yeah, which means "goal" may have been a better term than Arc. As one is a goal she achieves and one is her growing as a person.
Newbie Dash squandered the potential of RD achieving the goal she has had since episode 1.
Screw that episode.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,597]

4 minutes ago, RyanMahaffe said:

Yeah, which means "goal" may have been a better term than Arc. As one is a goal she achieves and one is her growing as a person.
Newbie Dash squandered the potential of RD achieving the goal she has had since episode 1.
Screw that episode.

It really did. "Top Bolt" and "Parental Glideance" definitely made up for i though, IMO.

[Thrond 3,263]

2 hours ago, TheAnimationFana said:

I don't think "Newbie Dash" is the conclusion of Rainbow Dash's character arc, but rather, the beginning of a new chapter in the arc.

It's very much a story about how, even now that she's achieved her greatest dream, there's still plenty more to learn and plenty more room to grow. Life goes on. That's part of why I kinda like it despite everything. 

[Twilight Luna 31,423]

Part 2 of Twilight’s Kingdom needed a new ending. The chest growing a new home for Twilight made no sense to me. It to too conventient and an easy way out. It would have been more meaningful if everyone in Ponyville, Canterlot, and the Crystal Empire helped build her a new home to show how much she means to them.

Another one is The Mean 6. This episode had so much hype and it was a big let down. The only good part was the mean 6. Chrysalis was a complete joke of a villain. She knows where the elements are but does nothing and flies away. The mane 6 are way too forgiving after thinking their friends made fun of and insulted them. 

It could have started a great story arc of the mean 6 getting the elements and corrupting them. 

[DonMaguz 1,023]

2 hours ago, imawesome said:

 "it's no fun to be showed up by some one."

Not fun, yet sometimes necessary.