Side Characters in Magic Duel

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So when watching Magic Duel this week I kinda noticed something, this is the first episode that we have multiple side characters in it. Now we have had other side characters show up in other episodes. Like To Many Pinkies had Applebloom and Big Macintosh in it and One Bad Apple, had Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara in, but I can we don't want to see those 2 that much. Now in this episode we had a lot of them. Their was Mayor Mare, Snips, Snails, Granny Smith, Big Macintosh was in this episode, Zecora, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, and even Pumpkin Cake got in the episode. (No idea where Pound was.)

 

Also I have been hearing from a lot of reviewers that they are putting in a lot of background ponies, even using the same ones in the same seen.

 

So why is it now that we are seeing the side characters in episodes now and not in previous episodes?

 

I mean The Cake family could have been used in "To Many Pinkies" seeing as they are characters that are mostly used in Pinkie Pie related episodes. It could have been a big part or it could have just been a little part.

 

Now I could just be jumping the gun seeing as this is only episode 5, but why isn't we have yet to see side characters in any episodes? What are your thoughts?