S03:E09 - Spike at your Service

[Tall_But_Short_37 233]

I honestly didn't like this episode at all... Definitely my least favorite of Season 3 so far, and I very rarely dislike this show! The plot was cliche and unoriginal, and nothing too special happened in it. We just saw basically 20 minutes of Spike being uncharacteristically clumsy, with an ending that felt forced and rushed. I completely missed what the message at the end was. Was it that you should ignore your own personal code and morals for the convenience of your friends? If there was a message, it went completely over my head.

 

His Dragon Code came out of nowhere and didn't fit with other episodes, and his actions regarding leaving Twilight weren't consistent with what he said and did in The Crystal Empire Part 2 (as I'm making a topic about right now).

 

Highlights of this episode for me:

1. Pinkie's usual antics. The mustache was funny, but her acting (or lack thereof) while they were running from Twilight's Timber Wolf just cracked me up
2. Spike's belly is now a bongo drum. Plus being a lighter, he's becoming a Swiss-army Dragon.
3. Water skis are now canon. I wonder what they use to pull themselves over the water?
4. Rainbow writing fics about herself    I would read it!
5. Using Twilight's OCD to free her from book land 

Other than that, it was a bad episode to me.

 

Was anypony else wondering what Spike meant when he said "I must serve her for the rest of my natural born days."? What does he mean by natural born days?

 

The Timber Wolves animation style was an interesting change of pace, but I don't think I enjoyed it... They just seemed so out of place! It was good to see them again, but if they're about and howling, does that mean it's almost time for Zap Apple season again? Also, I guess Timber Wolves can now turn into a Magazord?

 

Unfortunately, I can see lots of Spike and AJ shipping and fan-fics to come from this episode, especially from when he was scratching her back...

"So Spike, you say you'll do aaaanything to repay me?"

 

 

[TheTEChguy27 273]

This was a cute little episode. I thought the 3D CGI timberwolves were a nice touch, albeit a little out of place. I loved how, although the episode was mainly Spike-centered, all of the mane six got involved somehow. I guess Spike x Applejack shippers are happy.

 

Also... SPIKE. YOU CAN BREATH FIRE. YOU ARE FIGHTING WOOD. USE YOUR NOGGIN.

[Tall_But_Short_37 233]

This is one of the few times I've been able to say I honestly did not like an episode, and the for first time in Season 3. This episode had some maaajor inconsistencies that I just can't overlook. Someone's already made a topic about how Spike's Dragon Code doesn't fit with other episode, and that bugged me a lot. His uncharacteristic clumsiness as well. But what struck me even more then that, and I don't think I've seen anyone point this out yet, is how easily Spike left Twilight.

 

In The Crystal Empire Part 2, Spike looks into Sombra's magic door and though we don't see what he's seeing, we hear him saying "Please, I don't wanna go! Twilight, don't make me!" with tears in his eyes, as though Twilight has just fired him from her service or is forcing him to leave. Twilight then describes the door as "a door that leads to your worst fear."

 

SPIKE'S WORST FEAR IS HAVING TO LEAVE TWILIGHT.

 

But then, he gets his life saved by Applejack, gets a few inattentive grunts from Twilight, and he ditches her without any real fight. Sure he had tears in his eyes, but he didn't beg and plead like he did in the Crystal Empire. In fact, in the next scene he seemed perfectly okay that she had just let him go.

 

This episode really fell through for me unfortunately, ending Season 3's streak of excellent episodes...

Edited December 29, 2012 by Tall_But_Short_37

[Scootaloo Is Best Filly 576]

Maybe he does do things for others that we just haven't seen in the episodes. Maybe it's just me but it seems like Twilight might have had some prior experience with Spike's dragon code. I believe she said something along the lines of "I don't know AJ this is is the Dragon Code we're talking about" Doesn't it almost seem like Twilight may have experienced Spike's dragon code at some point and Spike became indebted to her? Maybe it's just me, but the way she said it made it seem like she may know about this Dragon Code from experience

Edited December 29, 2012 by Scootaloo Is Best Filly

[Mister Jack 565]

I will admit I thought RD's self insert fic was pretty funny.

 

I'M NOT RAINBOW DASH! I'M MY ORIGINAL CHARACTER: BLAINBOW BLASH!

[Nightmare Tsubasa 25]

It was an alright episode. It's not my favorite of the season so far. I felt this episode could of been a bit better. Spike could of obviously used his fire breath on the timberwolves since they were made out of.... wood. I guess he wasn't thinking clearly. I did like some of the aspect such as the humor. The humor was decent at least. Haha. Rainbow Dash is writing a novel. I wonder if it would be any good And Pinkie Pie just wanted to wear that mustache, didn't she? An don't know how Twilight can read twelve books over a span of a weekend. It takes me a about year to go through a one book. But then again I don't read much.   Applejack was cool in this episode. At least she wouldn’t want to take advantage of Spike like Rarity would of have.

 

Overall: 7/10 It was a decent episode.

[XMark 18]

If Spike used his fire breath, would he have burned the timber wolves, or would they just end up being a surprise gift to Princess Celestia?

[Champion RD92 8,653]

One thing that caught me offguard was when Spike rubbed AJ's back. For a moment, I thought he was massaging her butt .

 

I thought the same thing XD

 

 

This episode wasn't too bad, it had some funny parts like Pinkie with the moustache

 

 

I would say this was probably one of the weaker Spike episodes. It wasn't as good as the last couple Spike episodes in my opinion.

 

Also, I noticed that AJ and I seem to be very similar. I would have felt the same way as AJ, that Spike didn't owe me anything and didn't have to be my slave or whatever.

 

I thought Rarity was a bit selfish for saying that she would have him practically be her slave and give her hooficures and whatever. And of course RD was also the same way. AJ seems to have the most integrity out of the mane 6.

 

Also, that fake Timberwolf was so obvious, Spike should have figured it out right away.

 

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,694]

I've been looking forward to this one...

Once again, AJ is cool. Smashing up the Timber Wolves...I love when she gets physical.   *looks around* What?

 

Oh, poor Rarity and that pie. The things she does for friendship. And Rainbow's writing her own stuff now?! Just when I think that pony can't possibly get any more AWESOME... * fan squeal*

 

OK, that back rub alone = a dozen new AppleSpike fics. xD

 

Why do they need a convoluted scheme like this to resolve a simple problem? And why would Twilight go to the trouble of using a puppet? Why not conjure up an image of a real Wolf? At least Spike didn't fall for the puppet, that was a saving grace right there. You could see the ending coming thanks to the foreshadowing earlier, and the giant Timber Wolf was pretty cool until he choked to death on a pebble.

 

I know I'm not the first to point this out, but Spike's dragon code wasn't necessary. It's not the first time somepony saved his life (Twilight in Feeling Pinkie Keen for one), so why haven't we heard about it until now? Spike doesn't need a big reason that comes out of nowhere. AJ saving him is enough motivation for a few days, which is all this episode needs to worry about. Another thing: Spike messing up everything he tries to do is cliched and predictable. He doesn't screw up like that in the library, does he? Not to be a backseat writer but I think it would be more interesting if he did all his jobs well. Number one, it makes him look better. Number two, it makes Applejack's problem even bigger because she feels guilty about somepony (or somedragon) doing her work and doesn't know what to do with the free time. Tell me that wouldn't make this episode better.

 

I would also be remiss if I didn't point out that, once again, Celestia has some peripheral responsibility for how wrong things go in this episode: assigning Twilight a stack of books on a deadline that she can't meet without reading 24/7, so that when Spike shows up and tells her about this foolishness she's too distracted to hear him. Otherwise she would have thought of something right there. (And she's still cracking the books at the end, the poor thing.)

 

I liked this episode a little better than Apple Family Reunion but not as much as Too Many Pinkie Pies, putting it at slightly above average.

Edited December 29, 2012 by TailsAlone

[Batbrony 15,994]

I would also be remiss if I didn't point that, once again, Celestia has some peripheral responsibility for how wrong things go in this episode: assigning Twilight a stack of books on a deadline that she can't meet without reading 24/7, so that when Spike shows up and tells her about this foolishness she's too distracted to hear him. Otherwise she would have thought of something right there. (And she's still cracking the books at the end, the poor thing.)

 

 

 

 

That's Trollestia for ya!!!  All hail her benevolent trollness and all her trolling ways!!!  May her trolling continue to guide Equestria and place it 24/7 on the precipice of disaster for a thousand years to come and more!!! 

[Galex Dj 173]

I just watched it, and of course Applejack looks awesome like always. And Spike of course has to follow a dragon code to make sure he is a worthy dragon. I feel like every episode he is trying harder and harder to prove himself a mature dragon. But I must say the episode was at least ok, it wasn't one of my favorite but still was good. It had a few lessons to learn in there, yet no new Dear Princess Celestia letter as well. 

 

In my opinion I would give the episode a 8/10. It was an overall good episode to be honest.  

[Champion RD92 8,653]

Well he knew that he had to honor his dragon code no matter what, and he probably didn't want to make it more dramatic than it needed to be.

[TooTsaka 43]

I'm about to go ahead and watch the episode again because I'm simply confused about everything about it. I was a little 'meh' on the Apple Family Reunion, but this one... I hate to say it, but it's possibly one of the worst - if not, THE worst - episode in the history of G4 MLP. I watched Apple Family Reunion again a couple days ago and I enjoyed it a lot more that time around, but I doubt it'd happen for this one. The whole episode doesn't feel right to me.

[Motion Spark 7,806]

I think you are taking the episodes way too serious, tho I don't blame you, we, bronies, tend to over analyze everything in the show. For my part, I really didn't mind that, and I thought the episode was pretty awsome. These episodes are only 22 minutes long and are character driven, when season premieres and finales are 2 episodes and are more based in the storyline. So it's not convenient to put too much drama into the normal episodes.

[Wubsie 1,123]

In the crystal empire Spike saw himself leaving ponyville because he was not needed anymore.

In this episode he wasn't going anywhere! XD He was still in ponyville to talk to Twilight everyday. That's why he didn't take it so heavily. 

[Party Cannon 874]

You bring up a good point.

 

Him and Twilight are supposed to be practically inseparable. After what happened with Dragon Quest, I was waiting for Twilight at the end of this episode to be like "we've been through this already."

 

With you bringing this up, one can further say he chose following his "code" versus his relationship with Twilight. In crystal empire Twilight gave up her "code" (passing every test) for the sake of Spike and everyone else. Spike in this episode did not.

 

Obviously this was in the show and canon, yet somehow it's starting to feel like it's not. I really haven't felt that way about anything else in the show. It was that out of his character.

 

It's a shame that this episode was bad. Spike like the Mane Six is great.

[Yellow Diamond 7,561]

For the most part, I enjoyed the episode. A lot of the gags were well timed; the interactions among the Mane Six, though brief, were a source of amusement. It feels as though it has been a while since we've had all six of them working together in the same vicinity. I miss those sorts of episodes. The concentration on the individual characters is great, but the cast tends to be at its best when they can play off of one another (e.g., Rainbow showing up and attempting to help AJ dissuade Spike).

 

The story felt a bit lazy. I'm generally fine with clichés so long as they are self-aware. "Spike at Your Service" wavered between lampshading and falling for its own contrivances. For example, when Spike pulled out his little card to illustrate the seriousness of the Noble Dragon Code, it was evident that the card was meant to play for laughs. Later in the episode, however, Twilight addresses the Dragon Code as if it is serious business. Which is it exactly? Are we supposed to giggle at Spike's sudden obsession with fulfilling life debts, or is this an indelible part of his character that was somehow overlooked in the midst of previous life-threatening instances?

 

Merriwether Williams wrote the episode (Dave Polsky is responsible for the story). Once again I get a distinct Adventure Time vibe from the way the action unfolded and how contrived certain plot points were. (For the sake of clarity, Williams was a writer for Adventure Time.) In the case Adventure Time, one of the characters encountering a massive shift in their behavior is not uncommon; non-sequiturs which defy the overall "story" of the series add to the humor. It becomes rather awkward when implemented in MLP, however, since continuity is being increasingly respected by both the fans and the writers. For Spike to suddenly live by this previously unexplored Noble Dragon Code for the sake of an episode's worth of gags is inexplicable. Such flaws may be more the fault of Polsky than Williams, so I'll avoid instantly heaping blame on her.

 

Spike's clumsiness and occasional mishaps were a bit extreme. It can be mostly chalked up to Spike's overzealousness in assisting AJ, but the overall tone suggests his flaws were accentuated for the sole sake of humor. Elaborating on the matter further is probably a bit excessive, however.

 

What I did enjoy was Applejack. This season has been especially kind to her. But this episode in particular gave AJ a more authentic feel, so to speak. By that I mean I didn't have the impression I was watching a caricature of the Element of Honesty. It is quite difficult to explain concisely and accurately what I mean. Perhaps the best way to put it is this: AJ's flaws were not as glaring as they typically are portrayed. Because she is the most "normal" of the six ponies, or the least prone to theatrics and wild swings in behavior, I sense the writers struggle to make AJ less than perfect while competing with the antics of the rest of her friends. When AJ violates the expectations of her character (e.g., honesty, consistency, loyalty), they tend to be egregious for a pony so down to earth. By comparison it is easier for Rainbow to, say, sneak into a hospital to steal a book she wants to read because she is already prone to extremes. It is difficult for AJ to do that without the behavior coming off as affected for the sake of the story.

 

Here in "Spike at Your Service", however, Applejack could conceivably see the problems of Spike's servitude coming a mile away; yet she put up with his behavior even as it continually made things worse. So although AJ had circumscribed her typical forthrightness in the face of Spike's continued pleas, it was an incremental process. The disaster took time to ferment; the problem did not explode in her face, leaving you wondering why AJ would bother to put up with Spike. I think it was a fairly subtle take on her character, and I give Merriwether Williams kudos for her depiction of Applejack.

 

I also enjoy SeductiveJack finding Spike all alone in the forest. Really, what is up with that face???

 

 

"Spike at Your Service" could have benefitted from more consistency and less one-shot plot devices so as to better respect Spike's character development. The interpersonal and physical gags were top notch. Although I would certainly not say this episode was bad, there was definitely room for improvement.

[Lightning Fluttershy 1,844]

I really did like this one. There were some parts I laughed pretty hard at.

 

Pinkie: "And I'll wear a mustache!" ROFL

 

I also love that they made Spike look like an incompetent fool.

[roptiriolg 49]

I find the episode so-so. It had some good moments but a lot of it was a little bit boring and without anything significant going on. This comes from the fact that I am also not fan of Spike but Dragon's Quest from Season 2 was a great episode! They could have made something like Dragon's Quest as a plot. Timberwolves looked good with the 3D effects indeed, but the rest was kind of meh in what was going on...

[rjrgmc28 130]

Whew! After missing the first three minutes of the new episode (slept in, blame my iPad alarm for not going off on time) early this morning, the new episode was a bit of a 50/50 one in my opinion.

 

I mean, it's nice for Spike to get some airtime and a episode of his own and all, but I felt the episode was a bit rushed and incomplete and moved way too fast story wise, not being harsh on the writers of the episode and all. 

 

Although the one positive thing that came out of the episode was the little impromptu musical number that Spike sang. Overall, I wouldn't call this a bad episode, nor a good one. For me, it's a split between not being a bad episode, but also it's not a good one in my books and I consider this episode rating wise as a "in-between". 

[kirbyboi 587]

Well, didn't know Rainbow Dash had a novel! And Pinkie's mustache was awesome.

 

Also, what the heck happened to writing letters? I could tell the lesson learned in each episode of season 3. Hope they bring back the letter routine. I mean, I don't mind, but it kinda feels empty without it. 

 

However, I honestly didn't really find this episode appealing. I thought that the plot wasn't really that great in this one. But overall, the Timberwolves looked pretty cool (don't know why they couldn't have done the timberwolves like they did in the past episode). But meh, I personally didn't enjoy this one. But I'm glad it focused on the mane six. 

Edited December 29, 2012 by Pixiesong

[pinkieshyrose 58]

i think the clumsiness came from way him doing things that he wasnt very good at.....  and hes been clumsy before i think he even burnt a book once and his dragon code was what made him do it as you said he did cry and hadnt it not been a day he would have started crying way more.... if spike had a cuite mark it would be being twilights asssitant and i really liked it actually infact the truth is i didnt like the scotaloo episode  as much but i found these one really good and more season 2ish also spike wasnt going anywhere hed still be in ponyville and be able to talk to twilight

Edited December 29, 2012 by pinkieshyrose

[MadDoggyca 710]

begin was a bit slow. but the last half was funny.. pink pine mustache joke was awesome. rainbow dash looks were grate.. and apple jack trying to pull her self out... some one make a gif for that.lol

 

The Mustache joke btw shows how adobe flash can insert cheesy jokes/animation with minimal effort and make a epic moment out of nothing

Edited December 29, 2012 by MadDoggyca

[Heartstrong 12]

I thought this episode was decent. It wasn't my favorite, and it had it's issues, but it also had it's good moments.

 

Spike was way too clumsy and it seemed out of character, but maybe he was just excited and couldn't focus properly? It happens to me all the time, and I always screw things up. Still, he seemed a little TOO clumsy, like how he couldn't even rinse off a plate without flooding Rarity's sink, although at other times he was the complete opposite, such as when he built that giant rock tower for Rainbow Dash. It was extremely inconsistant. Not to mention,  when I was watching the parts with the Timber Wolves I was screaming at my TV "USE YOUR FIREBREATH YOU IDIOT!" Granted, I can see why they didn't want to burn them to a crisp... I mean, that would surely kill them, and death is a little dark for a kids show, but even so, it did seem kind of idiotic that Spike defeated them with a pebble

 

Speaking of the timber wolves, I thought they were awesome! The animation style used for them was cool, and the way they put themselves back together after being destroyed was awesome too. I guess they are invincible? Though I really want to see what happens if they get burnt. Will they die or just rise from the ashes like a pheonix?

 

As for the humor, I love the mustache, Pinkie and Applejack's acting, and the fact that Rainbow Dash is writing a novel!   And I know I am defiently in the minority, but I thought that Twilight basically ignoring Spike while she was reading  was kinda funny. I have a friend who is a complete bookworm, and a lot of our conversations are like that. So that was very realistic  Also Rarity poking the pipe after Spike broke her sink made me laugh, and I loved Dash's rawr and the way she and Fluttershy hoof bumped after Spike said it was realistic. And speaking of hoof bumps, Spike and Applejack's hoof and claw bump thing was really adorable.

 

There was also one more thing I really liked, and it might seem a little weird, but I loved how they were consistant with Cherry Berry and her balloon. She was shown in Mare Do Well in her balloon and wearing googles and she was shown like that again. I really like consistancy, even little things like that can really make the show for me.

 

The one major flaw in this episode was probably the Dragon Code... I was disapointed they didn't actually explain it, and the way they left it really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I mean, a lot of other ponies had saved Spike's life, why didn't he ever act like their servant? How does he even know about the Dragon Code? Why is there even a Dragon Code if dragons are extremely greedy and would never lift a claw for another dragon? It needed to be explained a lot more.

 

All in all, I'd probably give this episode an 7/10. It was good, had some funny parts and some consistancy , but it definetly had some flaws

Edited December 30, 2012 by Heartstrong

[MadDoggyca 710]

BTW that's apple jack that's has a unfinished novel, and rainbow dash just made up her story on the spot... if you re-watch it you catch it.

 

"How did you come up with that ingeniously plot. it just came to me"

of course you have to pay attention to Rarity Sarcastic tone/and looks.

 

its funny that ever pony (Rarity/RD) expect applejack found a way to abuse spike and finds it funny.,

 

also i believe that's the first time they called Applejack by AJ ever on the tv show

 

 

We are DOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMED...see like that

Edited December 29, 2012 by MadDoggyca