Your Favorite MLP Episode: Round Two Series

[An Old Head 4,816]

It's just a little difficult to describe how I feel about Super Speedy Cider Squeezy. Its beneficial qualities are clear - the song was wonderful (it's even nostalgic, because it echoes The Music Man which I adored in my youngster years), and Flim and Flam are actually very likeable antagonists. The teamwork during the cider-brewing contest was also brimming with pony spirit, as well as Hasbro realising how much Applejack was being left out thus giving us a new look into the Sweet Apple Acres business.

 

However, I did actually have quite a few issues with Super Speedy Cider Squeezy. First of all... CIDER? An alcoholic drink in a kid's show? That felt really wrong. I also disliked the way they presented Pinkie Pie - last season she made a song (trust me, she only makes songs for things that mean something to her) specifically about how "You gotta share, you gotta care" yet when she's the first in line and buys a load of cider, she doesn't even drop one off to Rainbow who wanted some too. (And then she happily gives Rainbow a tankard at the end... awkward change in ethics!) As well, I think Rainbow Dash was wrongly presented - how can she be the element of loyalty and at the same time fantasize about one-upping Pinkie by savouring her tankard of cider in front of her? Don't get me wrong, the episode was a load of fun (Applejack's letter at the end is probably one of my favourite scenes of hers), but it bore a light veil of... wrongness.

Sisterhooves Social, on the other hand, carried a lot more character accuracy, but for some reason I couldn't really connect with that episode. I think the main reason people like it is the episode timeline - it was the first episode to focus on merely one or two ponies. There was the grand two-part finale, then a drastic change in episode set up that I found out of place (Lesson Zero) and then the next episode introduces an entirely new character. Sisterhooves Social was refreshing because of that. But as an episode, I'm afraid I don't think much of it. It wasn't very memorable. The moral though, I appreciate - the values of sisterly love and how issues can easily be put aside if you both accept it really works - especially considering the target audience of the show, it'll apply to many households, so Hasbro earns decent props for that one.

It might seem biased based on how much I wrote for each episode, but for me it represents which episode stuck with me. My vote goes to Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 - despite its flaws, it was absolutely tons of fun, and very memorable. True, it was actually the first episode I ever watched - on a chatty live stream, might I add - so that might be why I think more of it, but hey, your vote is your preference.

Edited January 11, 2013 by Flipturn

[MorningFlash 214]

The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 for me, I loved it and the song, I also loved the message and meaning behind this episode.

[Rarietty 632]

I liked SSCS6000, particularly because of the song and I DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING, but yeah, in comparison to Sisterhooves Social... .

 

Sisterhooves Social is not only centered around my favorite pony, but it has to the most emotional episode for me to watch. I have a brother, and the two of us aren't as close as we used to be. The entire episode made me want to go to my brother's home and hug him.  Needless to say, the moral really hit hard for me. I also love the episode for it's character development, humor and a right-in-your-face plot twist that I somehow didn't see coming. How could I not have noticed the eyes?! 

[Scootalove 10,689]

Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, because of the way it was portrayed.

 

- Rainbow Dash's adorableness

- Mane 6 helping Applejack

- Trolololol that Applejack did.

- The amazing reason why Ponies drink cider.

[Archi the Atmomancer 564]

Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 because it's just... Better.

 

The only thing I minded about the episode was that AJ used labour she wouldn't normally have had to win, which is technically cheating.

[Stellafera 3,836]

Initially, I disliked Sisterhooves Social. I think I felt like Rarity was too unsympathetic in comparison to Sweetie Belle. While that's still somewhat true, after rewatching it much later, I've changed my opinion. I've become more aware of how my sisters see me and I see them, and I know that sometimes I can act a lot like Rarity. Sweetie Belle was shown as being annoying and was distracting Rarity from her job. With the characterization more balanced, I can enjoy the episode a lot more. Also, was I the only one who noticed "Applejack"'s blue eyes the first time around? I figured it was an animation error until the reveal.

 

Both episodes have awesome Applejack, so that's not a factor. I vote for Sisterhooves Social.

[hawkflame 3,310]

SSCS6000 is a fun episode, with a great non-lesson at the end, ("I didn't learn anything!") but Sisterhooves Social revolves around the two best ponies, and they happen to be sisters.    It's got the best illustration of a relationship between siblings I've seen in the show.  Being the youngest of three brothers I can relate to Sweetie Belle and trying to be cool enough to hang with my older siblings and just coming off as annoying.

 

Plus it's got the Sweetie Scoot.

 

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Round Two Match Fourteen

See the bracket here: puu.sh/1L5HE

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65186295

Each day I will post one topic pitting two episode of MLPFiM against eachother. It's a contest to see which episode is the most liked by the board.

Today's Matchup: Secret Of My Excess VS Hurricane Fluttershy

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Hey, you're doing this again! Yay!

 

I like both of them, but Hurricane Fluttershy due to it's characterization, excellent manipulation of my emotions, good visual effects, the training montage XD, and the general good feeling you get after watching it, might be the best episode in the entire series. I'd have a lot of trouble picking another over it.

 

So Hurricane Fluttershy.

[Koori 156]

Hurricane Fluttershy definitively. While Secret of My Excess had quite good Spike development part (and some hints on particular things), Hurricane Fluttershy was excellent as it showed why Fluttershy does prefer to stay ground... and the episode did show one of the saddest, kinda heartbreaking, scenes in the series if not even THE saddest scene.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Hey, you're doing this again! Yay!

 

I like both of them, but Hurricane Fluttershy due to it's characterization, excellent manipulation of my emotions, good visual effects, the training montage XD, and the general good feeling you get after watching it, might be the best episode in the entire series. I'd have a lot of trouble picking another over it.

 

So Hurricane Fluttershy.

 

So you did notice my absence. My GameFaqs account was having some trouble and I wasn't able to post any threads for three days.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

So you did notice my absence. My GameFaqs account was having some trouble and I wasn't able to post any threads for three days.

That would make sense. Of course I noticed that you weren't doing these! Voting kinda became part of my daily routine, so I was a bit confused when you stopped posting the topics. Good to do it again

[NavelColt 22,880]

Pfft, Hurricane Flutters.

 

Dashie got good character development, had a really cool storyline, had a really cool tornado sequence, had Spitfire, had a sweet old-school film propaganda-style commercial...the list goes on.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Don't forget on the voting to bring back an episode to make the tournament fair. You only have till tomorrow to let me know your vote. Sleepless in Ponyville has already been elected.

Edited January 15, 2013 by SuperUltimateBrony

[Night Shine 767]

I'm actually going to say Secret of My Excess.

 

As somepony who initially was drawn into the show by intriguing villains such as Discord, i was fascinated by the way Spike's greed corrupted and eventually consumed him. It turned him from just a side-character into an interesting tragic villain, along the lines of Luna and Nightmare Moon---and you know that she isn't liked at all as a result of her tragic-but-redeemed character status.

 

Also, I really loved the symbolism that the show used with the fire ruby, and the subtle message with that whole scenario that generosity breeds generosity and good acts cause a chain reaction of good--Rarity causes Spike to generously give up the ruby he had been saving for presumed weeks, and as a result, this later saves Spike from falling into the insane mindset of a raving beast.

[Dr. Vojislav Seselj 691]

Secret Of My Excess - Best D'awww moment ever in MLP

Hurricane Fluttershy - Fluttershy stops being a wuss

 

They're both pretty good eps, but HF has the advantage.

 

So, Secret Of My Excess ≤ Hurricane Fluttershy.

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

So you did notice my absence. My GameFaqs account was having some trouble and I wasn't able to post any threads for three days.

 

Ah, that explains it.  Good to know that you're back though.  I was missing voting for these.

 

Hurricane Fluttershy gets my vote.  Though I still don't quite get the mathematics of wingpower (it seems to be simple addition, but my mind won't really accept the physics of that) that's an extremely minor point compared to the look at Fluttershy's past and her character development.  Secret of My Excess was a good episode, but I don't think that it surpasses HF.

[Syrchalis 40]

I didn't like secret of my excess at all, don't ask me why, that episode had everything a good one needs, so there is no real reason behind it, except that I don't like Spike and his slightly artifical problems... .

 

Hurricane Fluttershy on the other hand was an awesome episode with my two favourite Mane 6 Ponies and a lot of friendship moments between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy - plus new aspects of both characters. Responsibility for Dash (which was finally really important in Sleepless in Ponyville) and bravery+self-confidence for Fluttershy.

It expands Fluttershy's character a lot, because now her limits are somewhere entirely else and she is not doomed to be shy and reluctant in any way. Of course other episodes showed different sides of her too, but this one seems the most reasonable and realistic.

[Stellafera 3,836]

Secret of My Excess was definitely the best Spike episode and was my favorite S2 episode until Hurricane Fluttershy (although since then I have moved it down my list in favor of Putting Your Hoof Down), but it was unfairly matched here. Too bad I already voted for what I wanted to come back. Typically I do not like the adventure episodes that much, but it was an exception to the rule. It had fantastic characterization of Twilight, Spike, and Rarity, and the ending is still one of the high points in the series for me.

 

But Hurricane Fluttershy... I have spoken about that episode already, but it is firmly cemented as my favorite. Not many episodes can be the best episode for TWO different ponies at once. Both the point of view of Fluttershy and the point of view of Rainbow Dash struck close to my heart, and the episode shows that they are true friends. And it didn't chicken out on its moral by making Fluttershy secretly a great flyer or make her addition smash the record. It stuck to the idea that "any contribution, no matter how small, can count".

 

It's not going to feel realistic for many people that they have a secret well of talent that they haven't tapped out of fear. If you are truly terrible at something and get better, it takes a lot of hard work, and doesn't instantly happen when you try hard enough. Usually when we see this moral, it is therefore too distant. But Hurricane Fluttershy got it exactly right. It showed that yes, your best might be pitiful, no matter how hard you work. But even if you suck, you can feel proud about the fact that you are truly putting your best effort in despite dissapointment and you can be proud of your achievements, no matter how small. Hurricane Fluttershy feels real in its moral. Having Fluttershy try so hard and fail again made you love her more, and it made her final triumph much more of an accomplishment. Trying your hardest even if you are afraid and you are not very good is one thing. Trying just as hard after all of your hardest work failed is another.
 

Rainbow Dash also made her own journey here. How can you comfort a friend who you don't understand the plight of? And how do you continue to encourage them after they gave their best shot and didn't even come close to reaching you? It wasn't about the record anymore for Dash. It was about trying to help her friend the best way she could, even if she couldn't help much at all.

 

I've read somewhere that if this episode was to be described in one word, it would be "Strong". I agree. It was like a pillar, focused and solid, straight and never wavering from its purpose. I'd also like to commend the amazing musical work of William Anderson in this episode. I shall end my post with this as a summary of sorts of everything fantastic about Hurricane Fluttershy:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO_eLEUkGhE

Edited January 16, 2013 by Stellafera

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Round Two Match Fifteen

See the bracket here: http://imgur.com/cViyM

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65193959

Each day I will post one topic pitting two episode of MLPFiM against eachother. It's a contest to see which episode is the most liked by the board.

Also, the winner of this matchup would skip a round because there is no episodes to face it. In the interest of fairness, you have the option of naming an episode that was beaten in the first round to return for tomorrows matchup. Here, people have voted for Sleepless In Ponyville to return. That episode will come back. An episode needs five votes to be eligible.

Today's Matchup: Magic Duel VS Wonderbolt Academy

Edited January 16, 2013 by SuperUltimateBrony

[Zygen 6,066]

Hm.. Well to be honest while Wonderbolt Academy had some cool moments and was a pretty solid episode, the ending still really bothers me.

 

And the magic duel's between Trixie and Twilight and all the other cool random references in Magic duel I found much funnier and more enjoyable overall.

 

So I'm gonna have to hand this one to Magic duel.

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Well, Magic Duel was great, but I have to hand it to Wonderbolt Academy. It had amazing visuals, Spitfire, set up a potential Lightning Dust return episode, but most importantly let Rainbow Dash show some of the many reasons that she is best pony. It just made me feel all around satisfied to watch . Thanks Merriwether.

 

It also made the Pinkiedash shipper in me happy, but I don't think I'm supposed to talk about that

Edited January 16, 2013 by DashForever

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

The Best Night Ever has four votes. Putting Your Hoof Down has three votes. Feeling Pinkie Keen and The Last Roundup has one. An episode needs five votes to be re-entered. The episode you vote in, goes against Sleepless in Ponyville, tomorrow.

[Jammo 986]

I'm gonna go Wonderbolt Academy. Magic Duel has some great moments but feels a little abrupt feels a little rushed in terms of pacing.

Wonderbolt Academy is probably my favorite Rainbow Dash episodes and highlights that despite her ego, she does have a strong sense of honor and resolve. I also think Spitfire is great in this episode and became a much more compelling character than just "That yellow pony who complimented dash in Sonic Rainboom". Pinkie and the mailbox was great. It also has the most adorable hug in the series (Even if it almost blows Rainbow Dash' eyes out.)

[Pinkazoid 3,493]

Well, Magic Duel was great, but I have to hand it to Wonderbolt Academy. It had amazing visuals, Spitfire, set up a potential Lightning Dust return episode, but most importantly let Rainbow Dash show some of the many reasons that she is best pony. It just made me feel all around satisfied to watch . Thanks Merriwether.

 

It also made the Pinkiedash shipper in me happy, but I don't think I'm supposed to talk about that

 

 

There's no link to the voting in the OP, but I tracked it down

 

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65193959

Lightning Dust didn't return, she was introduced, silly :3

 

 

 My vote goes to Magic Duel, Wonderbolt Academy was good and all, but Magic Duel was awesome