Make Your Mark Chapter 4.

[Solar Power 299]

I really liked this chapter Looking at my spreadsheet, on which I keep a record of what I’ve rated each episode, I noticed that overall my ratings for chapter 4 were quite a bit higher than those for chapter 2 (the only comparable chapter in terms of number of episodes). I don’t want to get into too much detail so here’s a few notes:

Bridlewoodstock
I get the impression that someone came up with the idea to have a music festival-themed episode…and then added a few minor conflicts (Troggles and each act thinking they’re headlining, etc) to give the whole thing more of a purpose. It’s all good though. I thought Ruby Jubilee was going to play a bigger part in the episode considering the publicity the character got beforehand.

Top Remodel
Sprout’s still a jerk – and that’s the way I like him. I want to see more of Sprout in the future.

The Jinxie Games
I’m very happy that the Queen Haven-Alphabittle thing in Tell Your Tale wasn’t a one-off. But it pains me that it appears to cause continuity problems (yet again) between MYM and TYT In both cases it appears that Zipp and Pipp are learning about the relationship for the first time.

The Manesquerade Ball
That song and dance sequence though. My fave part of this chapter. I haven’t been able to get Show Me Your Pony Moves out of my head in two days. 
 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Solar Power

[AlbaTross 1,586]

13 hours ago, Kujamih said:

This show is just riding on gen 4. They shoulda just made a new one.

Heck it woulda been better if this wasnt connected to gen 4.

Fire alicorn woooooowwwww....

Dragon mcguffin!!?? Wooowowowowwowwww... 

Opaline got the power! Woooowwwwww oh look ahe still lost and trapped on the bubble.... Wow.....

Oh look they won... What did they do.... Nothing.... Hahahahahaha! 

This definitely made other gen4 episodes better thats for sure.

Maybe they made gen 5 to make gen 4 look better. Then they'll make a remake of gen 4 etc. Or because gen5 is bad it'll make gen 6 better since they'd be compared to gen 5 instead of gen 4.

Yeah i think gen 5 was made to lower peoples expectation. Or to kill the brony fandom.

I'm glad you're here to be an even bigger critic than I am.  I do think the series is getting better, but I also think it has a ways to go.  I do feel a bit like I have to walk on eggshells, as it seems taboo to even so much as insinuate that G5 might have some faults.  However, I'll give the Brony fandom credit for not being nearly as bad as many other fandoms in regards to accepting people who are less than praising of the latest media of said franchises.  Still, it almost seems as though there really can't be a legit conversation about what is less than stellar about G5 as that tends to be shut down pretty quickly, usually by people saying "but I like G5".  Someone on Reddit called me a snob for referring to aspects of the series such as memes and fart jokes as drivel, but I stand by my assertion that such isn't exactly high-end content.  If the worst I can be to this fandom is a snob though, then I'll accept that.  I think G5 has its moments, but you have pointed out areas in which it still isn't exactly the pinnacle of storytelling (and I really hope the inevitable Chapter 5 addresses some of that).  

[DivineMist1000 71,359]

C4: EP3: The Jinxie Games

This was a strange one with the namesake of the episode, but it does fit well with the strangeness of the Unicorns and the uniqueness of Izzy. 

Hitch trying follow along with the “rules” of the games were really funny and it’s great that he didn’t really crack at the absurdity of the games and just had fun instead. The part with Sparky climbing up the tree and Hitch abandoning the games to rescue him was very heartwarming too! 

Izzy continued to be a really fun character in this episode and I love how this episode really highlighted how zany and lovable she can be. 

The whole thing with Zipp and Pipp investigating their mother and Alphabittle was great and watching them be all lovey dovey was funny too. 

I’m glad that the two of them got together (again)… 

Regarding these “double introductions” between TYT and MYM: I believe that these two series’s exist in two separate continuities and I don’t think there’s been any connections between the two either. Honestly, I just see the MYM versions as “expanded” versions of the TYT episodes that go deeper into the material. 

Other than that, Misty’s role in this episode was small but it is still awesome seeing her (and house crashing at the Brighthouse) and she’s still struggling with choosing between her new friends and serving Opaline and that struggle will probably continue through the rest of the Chapter. 

Misty is an awesome character and I hope that she can finally make the New Mane 6 complete! 

[Silly Druid 6,974]

Episode 3: The Jinxie Games

Another good episode. During the weird competition in Bridlewood, we learn about the shipping of certain two characters, as well as continued internal struggles of Misty.

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

59 minutes ago, Silly Druid said:

Episode 3: The Jinxie Games

Another good episode. During the weird competition in Bridlewood, we learn about the shipping of certain two characters, as well as continued internal struggles of Misty.

Shipping of certain two? I got the impression another mare has a romantic interest herself

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

8 hours ago, Solar Power said:

The Jinxie Games
I’m very happy that the Queen Haven-Alphabittle thing in Tell Your Tale wasn’t a one-off. But it pains me that it appears to cause continuity problems (yet again) between MYT and TYT In both cases it appears that Zipp and Pipp are learning about the relationship for the first time.

I looked at the TYT episode again. It seems like they do know, they're just not happy about having him there. So that episode comes after this one. The order's getting a little weird between the two shows but probably not much can be done about that.

"This is literally what every sport looks like to me." I hear you, Pipp! 

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

Sunny Side Up

Wow, okay, Opaline grew up with cute little Celestia and Luna??? I really hope they can pull all this lore together in a satisfying way.

And the Mane Five plot was good too. Just doing things the way you want to, not worrying about popularity. But food fights are definitely the way I want to do things! 

[FlareGun45 2,221]

I'll say.... did I just hear Opaline say something about the dragons waking up? And did I not just see a hidden Spike ploosh near Pipp in her sick episode? Hmmm..... forehadowing? 

This show definitely got my attention now!

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

The Masquerade Ball

Nice Misty episode. It makes sense that she keeps going back and forth and doesn't just immediately betray Opaline.

Finally we get a good song! But come on, Sunny, "Let's rehearse when we get there"???

And as usual little masks over your eyes totally conceal your identity lol.

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

A Little Horse

Fun episode. Zipp nerding out with her fantasy books is what I related to most. 

[Fluttershutter 2,455]

Missing the Mark

Well, what there was was really good but it was really rushed. And at the end they just leave? This one should have been the long episode so they could take more time with the story.

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

9 hours ago, AlbaTross said:

I'm glad you're here to be an even bigger critic than I am.  I do think the series is getting better, but I also think it has a ways to go.  I do feel a bit like I have to walk on eggshells, as it seems taboo to even so much as insinuate that G5 might have some faults.  However, I'll give the Brony fandom credit for not being nearly as bad as many other fandoms in regards to accepting people who are less than praising of the latest media of said franchises.  Still, it almost seems as though there really can't be a legit conversation about what is less than stellar about G5 as that tends to be shut down pretty quickly, usually by people saying "but I like G5".  Someone on Reddit called me a snob for referring to aspects of the series such as memes and fart jokes as drivel, but I stand by my assertion that such isn't exactly high-end content.  If the worst I can be to this fandom is a snob though, then I'll accept that.  I think G5 has its moments, but you have pointed out areas in which it still isn't exactly the pinnacle of storytelling (and I really hope the inevitable Chapter 5 addresses some of that).  

The thing is... If the bronies back in the day was active now and so my posts.... Hell woulda broken loose... But the thing is.... Most of the community gave up on gen 5

.heck alot already left half way gen4.....

So brony fandom? What brony fandom 

And high five to you my friend.

We're the ones that lessen the expectations to others. Which is a good thing.

3 hours ago, FlareGun45 said:

I'll say.... did I just hear Opaline say something about the dragons waking up? And did I not just see a hidden Spike ploosh near Pipp in her sick episode? Hmmm..... forehadowing? 

This show definitely got my attention now!

The show got your attention due to foreshadowing of spike..... Thats bad.

[Misty Shadow 7,867]

I've finally finished watching every single episode, time for my first-time thoughts. I may do another review detailing my thoughts more like I did for MYM Chapter 2, but for right now, here are my thoughts based off of my first reactions. 

Spoiler

Top Remodel

So Pipp is a spectrophile? Priceless! Love the irony that adds to the Bridlewoodstock special!  Guess that also explains why she was the one who was most into the Halloween spirit in Tell Your Tale. Kind of underwhelming how that plot point kind of just gets dropped when the "spooky activity" is revealed to just be Sprout snooping around, but I loved finally getting an explanation for what happened to Canterlogic after the movie. I may not be too hot on how this one likes abruptly jumping back and forth between four plots, it's probably my least favorite part of the chapter for that reason, but hey, I did enjoy us getting Phyllis, Posey talking again in MYM, and Sprout in the same episode. We need more of our favorite likably unlikable goons. 

The Jinxie Games 

Okay, that running gag with Hitch getting screwed by the rules making no sense started getting kind of annoying. Very glad for that scene where it's shown Izzy is actually rooting for Hitch. The plot with the sports games is still decent, but I prefer the plot with Queen Haven and Alphabittle and the plot with Misty. Pipp and Zipp getting accustomed to their mom's romantic interest in Alphabittle, something we've seen in Tell Your Tale, is good to see expanded upon here. I like the parts with Misty even better, so wholesome to watch her learn that the Mane 5 actually care about her. That moment where Sparky gives her the picture is really sweet too. One high point of this chapter was definitely seeing Sparky become more likable, and I didn't even think Sparky was that bad to begin with. 

Sunny Side Up 

All I can remember from this one...THAT BACKSTORY OF OPALINE'S.  I'm exaggerating, but still, THAT BACKSTORY OF OPALINE'S. Even if she's lying, just the thought of her being an alicorn as a kid who knew Celestia and Luna when they were kids...and why does the artifact Opaline needs look like Sombra's horn? The lore development in this one definitely held my attention, but as I said, exaggeration, there is something that held my attention more...the perfect character development for Misty. She finally learns how to use her magic after that moment of self-reflection, something that honestly made me reflect on myself too. Failing as a subconscious choice because you're not doing what you really want to do with your life, deep stuff for a pony show. Beautiful how it also came from a plot about the Mane 5 doing a cooking show.  Definitely not the most memorable plot, but it worked, especially because of that. 

The Manesquerade Ball

I honestly thought this one was the strongest episode of the chapter besides the finale. They say you can't improve upon perfection, and this episode proves that wrong, Misty's perfect character development gets even better here. Although the plot of this one gave me FiM's The Best Night Ever vibes, The Best Night Ever this ain't. And I'm glad it ain't because this is better. First, Misty gets to continue with her "rebellious teenager" phase, sneaking out to have fun at a party, and then...wow. I did not see that coming, it leading to her getting confronted by Zipp like that and actually revealing one of her secrets. The pony most suspecting of her starts finding a friend in her too, so cool. Haven was pretty funny in this one too with her wanting the ponies to pretend they didn't recognize her and I love how everything culminates in the Mane 5 and Misty dancing together to a great song. It really makes you wish Misty could've had it in her to fully go against Opaline in the end, the only letdown.  

A Little Horse

For the first time, MYM tries its hand at doing a full remake of a TYT episode. One of TYT's strongest episodes showing us some unforgettable moments with Pipp and Hitch, A Day in the Life, at that. Very appropriately, the scenes where Hitch is trying to make Pipp feel better are spot-on and probably my favorite parts of the episode. I love that play scene with Sparky pretending to die and Hitch not wanting to repeat what that bird said. Misty's good here too, though her part in the plot with relaying the information Zipp gives as part of "talking turkey" to Opaline feels like something that "had to be written in" in order for this episode to not be filler. Filler can be good though and I definitely would've been willing to call this episode "filler done right". Something I'd say this episode improves over A Day in the Life too is actually letting us see Pipp get better in the end. 

Missing the Mark 

An even better chapter finale than Have You Seen This Dragon? and that one wasn't easy to beat. The pacing of this one may not be immaculate, I was definitely surprised when it immediately opened up with Misty already having Sparky, but this whole episode was just nonstop epic goodness. I don't care how much you dislike Sparky, don't be made of stone, he absolutely did not deserve what happened to him in this one. Opaline legitimately wanting to suck him dry and kill him...that was DARK. It really does bolster the tension though, making you hate Opaline the way you should hate a villain, and this episode was masterful with its tension. I love how it seemed Misty was genuinely going to get her cutie mark from Opaline but made a sacrifice to do the right thing. It gets even better after that when we get the long-awaited awesome showdown between two alicorns. One thing that really caught me off-guard though was Opaline not finding out at the end that Misty is now completely on the side of the Mane 5. I wonder what they intend to do with a plot of Misty only pretending to work for Opaline now, since she can't hide that cutie mark forever and is scheduled for a new mane look, but no puzzled feeling could've dampened my feelings of enthusiasm after watching that ending. So great to see Misty is finally in good hooves. 

Another very impressive chapter overall. It may have only had six episodes and a special, but all six episodes were at least of good quality and that special defied my expectations too. It wasn't just the animation that was better, I also thought this chapter did a better job of writing development for the characters and the world than Chapter 2, focusing more on that instead of humor. Even though character development for Misty was the biggest standout by far, we also got a pleasantly shocking standout with Sparky of all characters here too. I know haters gonna hate...but guys, come on...it's time to cut Sparky some slack. I also felt that Sunny and Hitch were better here too, with Sunny being at her peak in the finale and Hitch getting to show off his heroism with saving Sparky not once, but twice. Getting more of the dragons is going to be great and I definitely want more alicorn stuff with Skyros too. I honestly feel that gold is improving on gold in this series. 

[Last Line of Defense 98]

Probably gonna grind these out one at a time, over the course of the next few days in separate posts as i think of the proper ways to say what i want to say about each episode, and i probably have to go back and watch a couple of them as i have been very preoccupied these past few days with the passing of my father.

but i want to say underlying fact with the Bridlewood Stock, first and foremost, that definitely felt like an episode lightly targeted at the lgbt community, and it has me wondering if Hasboro is going to shoot itself in the foot later and make lgbtq canon/GF inclusion in a show clearly targeted at  primarily children ages 6-11.

Although that didnt bother me a whole lot, other than the episode being incredibly corny and predictable, what bothered me was Pipps selfish disregard for Unicorn tradition, and superstition, which ended up being true, and the moral really pissed me off. "Hey its okay to stomp all over your best friends traditions, and beliefs, because being cursed makes you feel alive, and unnecessary demon pig excitement is a fun change from doing nothing."  Umm no. i didnt like that AT ALL... 

I do however love some of the new pony designs included(Ruby Jubilee) in the episode, and i feel like that is going to be the focal point of G.5 is selling us cuteness, rather than story depth, or meaningful metaphors and conventional life wisdom, its kind of like they are completely winging this, and cashing in on the nature of the IP itself. I will say dont be deterred by this semi cynical review because there are later episodes i moderately enjoy. but as for a start to the new season, I feel like Bridlewood Stock, was below average and I did not enjoy the moral of the story, and i felt like it was pretty corny.

[Solar Power 299]

Did everyone notice that Opaline had the Chest of Harmony in Missing the Mark? Has this appeared in previous MYM episodes?

[EStarscout 56]

1 minute ago, Solar Power said:

Did everyone notice that Opaline had the Chest of Harmony in Missing the Mark? Has this appeared in previous MYM episodes?

Well, I am - but let's wait the whole story to tell itself via watching the wonderful show that I hope it's the main show ❤️🥰✨

[Ganondorf8 11,305]

I finally got around to watching Chapter 4, and I can't help but feel that they rushed through a lot of things. Either that, or they ignored ample opportunities to explain things and instead went straight to the main plot points. The animation has gotten way better since it started yet I can't say the same regarding the overall plot. Yes, we did get some impressive lore building from Opaline including a surprising cameo from two iconic characters of the past, but again, things felt rushed and it reached a point where I couldn't feel fully invested. Maybe this whole revelation seen in episode seven should've been saved for part five. That way, more time could've been spent building up plot rather than wanting to get it out of the way.

[Landi 600]

In my opinion, this is the best chapter of MYM yet. For once I feel that I can say G5 content is actually good and not just another mediocre entry to the franchise. The Bridlewoodstock was a good way to open up this chapter, and the episodes that followed were also good for the most part. I was actually interested in the story being told in this chapter, and overall I'm starting to like the characters more. To be more specific, the biggest character improvement I noticed this chapter was Pipp. Ever since the movie Pipp has been my least favorite of the main characters, largely due to being portrayed as an annoying social media obsessed influencer. In this chapter however, the writers moved away from her social media career, and instead focused more on her other interests and personality traits. A few examples of this are her passion for music, her love for spooky stories, and even an interest in board games. Heck, this chapter even showed her taking on the role of a coordinator. I'm glad to see that the writers are finally taking the time to improve and develop her character, along with the other characters of this show. That being said, Misty is still my favorite character in G5, and she continues to be great in this chapter. I do think her arc in this chapter was a bit messy, but her personality was still written well. Now, there are still negatives: Alicorn Sunny is getting increasingly more annoying, the lore of G5 still doesn't really make any sense, some of the episodes have a lot of filler, there are still only three main pony settlements, and etc. Still, I liked this chapter overall, and I hope that this generation can continue to improve. 

I have a decent amount to say about the specifics of each episode, but I'll save that for the episode threads when they are made. 

[Silly Druid 6,974]

Episode 4: Sunny Side Up

There's a big reveal at the beginning of this episode that adds not only to the G5 lore, but also to the G4 lore.

Spoiler

We got the name of the place where Celestia and Luna were growing up. It's called Skyros.

Also, Opaline decided to do things herself, Misty decided to join the good side, and Sunny did what she does best: an epic speech.

Edited June 9, 2023 by Silly Druid

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

9 hours ago, Solar Power said:

Did everyone notice that Opaline had the Chest of Harmony in Missing the Mark? Has this appeared in previous MYM episodes?

Excuse moi? Excuse moi?!! EXCUSE MOI ? I’M REWATCHING THAT SH17 IMMEDIATELY 

 

edit: IT’S AT THE 4:24, IT’S AT THE 4:24 

Spoiler

Wasn’t it smaller, tho ?

 

Edited June 10, 2023 by Steve Piranha

[AlbaTross 1,586]

On 2023-06-08 at 10:13 PM, Kujamih said:

The thing is... If the bronies back in the day was active now and so my posts.... Hell woulda broken loose... But the thing is.... Most of the community gave up on gen 5

.heck alot already left half way gen4.....

So brony fandom? What brony fandom 

And high five to you my friend.

We're the ones that lessen the expectations to others. Which is a good thing.

Oh, that explains why the majority here sound like some of the bigger critics of G4 during its run, who were then a vocal minority.  It makes perfect sense that they displaced the G4 fans who left.  Heck, I know quite a few people who made it to the end of FiM, but haven't watched G5 beyond the ANG movie and a couple TYT episodes.  Well, that clears that up.  High five.

[Solar Power 299]

7 hours ago, Steve Piranha said:

Excuse moi? Excuse moi?!! EXCUSE MOI ? I’M REWATCHING THAT SH17 IMMEDIATELY 

 

edit: IT’S AT THE 4:24, IT’S AT THE 4:24 

  Hide contents

Wasn’t it smaller, tho ?

 

It's clearly meant to be the same object. Here it is in Princess Twilight Sparkle:

And here it is in Missing the Mark:

It has the same star design on top and the same symbols above the keyholes.

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

21 minutes ago, Solar Power said:

It's clearly meant to be the same object. Here it is in Princess Twilight Sparkle:

And here it is in Missing the Mark:

It has the same star design on top and the same symbols above the keyholes.

Come on, I’m a hardcore brony for life. I’d recognize that chest anywhere 

[HereComesTom 2,267]

Wow.  Now I need to re-watch and see if I can find that easter egg back!

 

In any case, I liked Chapter 4.  It actually feels like a great continuation of the plot of G-5 so far, gave Misty a good character arc, and they managed to set it up in a way that continuing the story further makes sense, and will likely allow us to see more of Equestria going forward.

I had no idea that Opaline thought the other ponies already knew about her---maybe that's part of why she kept herself hidden, though the fact that they showed how weak Opaline was when she finally left the castle for the first time might also have something to do with it.

What I'm wondering is:  will Misty remain a mole and keep living with Opaline so the Mane Five will learn more of what Opaline's up to, or will she get a room at the Crystal Brighthouse?

[Evil Pink One 13,506]

Wow now im sure they just made gen 5 for the nostalgia of gen4...

That thing shouldn't even exist uhhh....

13 hours ago, Solar Power said:

It's clearly meant to be the same object. Here it is in Princess Twilight Sparkle:

And here it is in Missing the Mark:

It has the same star design on top and the same symbols above the keyholes.

Why? Why put that thing there!?.... Its okay 8f gen 5 is not a direct sequel to gen 4... But it is and destroys continuity and logic.