Your Favorite MLP Episode: Round Three Series

[Emerald Flame 381]

Suited for Success. Better song, better plot, and it introduces the gala dresses. The only thing I liked about Sweet and Elite was the song. The episode was boring, and Rarity getting away with all of her lies really irritated me.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Round Three Match Seven

See the bracket here: http://puu.sh/1QsIf

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65265945

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: Sisterhooves Social VS Hurricane Fluttershy

Yesterday's Matchup: Sweet and Elite defeated Suited For Success (23-20)

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

I liked and empathized with Sisterhooves Social a lot, but I elaborated in previous rounds why I think Hurricane Fluttershy may be the best episode of the entire series. Voting for Hurricane Flutters

[Kamil 315]

Another Rarity episode is on the list! Both are very good episodes, but I love the way Sisterhooves Social brought out the best in my favorite pony.

[An Old Head 4,816]

Oh good, Sweet and Elite won the last round.

I'm actually not a fan of either of these episodes. As a whole, they never particularly appealed to me. Because Hurricane Fluttershy was received so well by others, I'll start with that. Hurricane Fluttershy was yet another episode of Fluttershy-is-petrified-of-something-and-then-overcomes-it - there's three entire episodes with that basis, I'd have preferred something else in Fluttershy's character to have been explored. It disheartened me for the rest of the episode when I realised this, because I was thinking "Oh no, this is the point where the writers slowly run out of ideas." The lessons in being assertive from three weeks ago also vanished into thin air, being pressurised into helping with the tornado even when she clearly didn't want to.

 

I want to stay true to my optimistic side, though, so let me try and get some good points in. Fluttertree was a great touch. Everyone stayed true to their character without overdoing things. And... well, actually, I guess it says something when I can only think of two good points.

 

Sisterhooves Social - it's much easier for me to judge this one, actually. I simply didn't feel Sisterhooves Social stuck with me too much. I smiled all the way through at the sibling spirit, of course, and an Apple Bloom appearance is always appreciated, however I do think that this episode simply came and went. It's definitely not an episode I would re-watch. Unlike Hurricane Fluttershy, however, I can pick out several good points. Rarity lives up to the Element of Generosity this time around. The family feuds are very relatable. Sweetie Belle gets a considerable amount of episode time for herself, instead of splitting it in three with the two other CMCs. Tons of fanon was inspired.

 

I have to choose one over the other, though. My mind is niggling me to pick Hurricane Fluttershy seeing as Dash is in it and she's my second favourite. But I am going with Sisterhooves Social.

(One may argue that I'm not doing this objectively. That'd be pointless, though, the key word here is favourite episode.)

[hawkflame 3,310]

Sisterhooves Social. Two best ponies butting heads as siblings, with a gazillion really adorable moments/lines from Sweetie Belle? No contest.

[Night Shine 767]

Welp, here's my two bits.

 

The concept was a bit old for Hurricane Fluttershy; as has been mentioned, it's simply another confidence character-building episode for her.

 

That said, I do think that Hurricane Fluttershy was an awesome episode--the scenes near the beginning with the black and white film, as well as the Fluttertree part, were absolutely hilarious. The middle scenes with Fluttershy confronting her weakness were very feelsy and very well-executed. Still, even if the concept was well-executed, it's still a 'meh' concept.

 

 

Now, Sisterhooves Social was an episode I freaking loved. Not only was it perfectly executed, in the same format as Hurricane Fluttershy, I might add--hilarious and adorable character interaction moments, then very memorable, feelsy moments, then finally an awesome redemption-style scene at the end which is simply awesome--but the concept is much better. It's finally going in-depth into showing the relationship between Sweetie Belle and Rarity, as well as developing it. This episode is probably the thing that most leads to the relationship we see in Sleepless In Ponyville: not perfect (Sweetie manipulates Rarity into going; Rarity in turn manipulates Sweetie into carrying all her crap) but still very cute and positive.

 

Also, I personally think that there were more adorable moments in Sisterhooves Social than Hurricane Fluttershy, what with Sweetie Belle's FREAKING VOICE. THAT VOICE, I SWEAR. Gives at least as many heart attacks as Fluttershy's.

[Wingnut 7,003]

Woah, I can't believe Hurricane Fluttershy is up again so soon. This round is going so FAST! 

 

It’s early but I don’t want to wait until after work to tell everybody why I'm voting for my favorite episode of the series, Hurricane Fluttershy.  I don’t have time to bang out a lengthy post right now either.  Thankfully, I don’t need to, as one of our colleagues already did the heavy lifting for me.  This superb commentary from Round Two Match Fourteen says it all and is very much worth revisiting: 

 

But Hurricane Fluttershy... 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 disappointment 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.

 

There you have it. Special thanks to Stellafera for writing my favorite episode review to date.  Hurricane Fluttershy deserves not only to win this match but the entire tournament.  I also loved Sister Hooves social for all the laughs and character building it has.  It too was a well done episode, but I can't vote for it on this occasion.

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

I have to stick with Hurricane Fluttershy on this one.  I found its message to be extremely relatable, and it was done quite well.  Plus there's plenty of adorableness from Fluttershy.

 

I don't really have any complaints about Sisterhooves Social, I just didn't like it as much as I did HF.

[Stellafera 3,836]

I already stated my rational reasons for liking Hurricane Fluttershy, as quoted above, so the following post will be devoted 100% to opinions and hyperbole.

 

IF SISTERHOOVES SOCIAL WINS THIS MATCH, I AM DECLARING THIS TOURNAMENT OFFICIALLY A LOAD OF HORSEAPPPLES.

 

No contest for best episode makes both Sleepless In Ponyville and Hurricane Fluttershy losers without having some nefarious scheme involved. Either that or my faith in the brony community has just gotten 20% lower.

 

I kid, I kid. But seriously, the idea that someone looks at the poll and says "Yes, Magic Duel and Sisterhooves Social are better than both of these unbelievably amazing episodes" boggles my mind. Almost every other brony opinion that is opposite to my own, I can understand.

 

Pinkie Pie/Fluttershy is best pony. Okay.

Merriwether Williams is a bad writer. Okay. 

Applejack is a boring character. A little confused.... but okay.

 

BUT WTF KIND OF WORLD IS THERE WHERE HURRICANE FLUTTERSHY LOSES TO SISTERHOOVES SOCIAL. WHAT.

Edited January 25, 2013 by Stellafera

[Scootalove 10,689]

I say Sisterhooves Social, because I felt that it helped Rarity and Sweetie Belle bond as sisters it really brought a tear to my eye.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Round Three Match Eight

See the bracket here: http://puu.sh/1QsIf

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65274608

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: Magic Duel VS The Best Night Ever

Yesterday's Matchup: Sisterhooves Social defeated Hurricane Fluttershy (22-17)

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

While Magic Duel was pretty special in its own right I have a special place in my heart for The Best Night Ever. I was more than able to relate to the idea of dreams not living up to your expectations. But the important thing is that at the end of the day your loved ones will still be there for you and that was heartwarming to see . It had plenty of good visuals, Flutterwitch, Dashie breaking my d'awwwww meter, apple pie and lots of fun little tweaks to the Cinderella story. Plus, Spike going to the donut bar was hilarious XD. Oh, I didn't even mention the song! The song was awesome! Anyhow since Magic Duel can apparently beat Sleepless in Ponyville somehow I'm not especially confident we can pull it off but I'm casting in my vote for the Best Night Ever!

 

(Starts humming At The Gala)

 

EDIT: Wait. Hurricane Fluttershy lost?

 

Edited January 25, 2013 by ~Chaotic Rainbow~

[hawkflame 3,310]

Tough call. Magic Duel was a great episode, but one that was kind of geared towards Bronies and I feel that it kind of lacked the innocent charm of Best Night Ever. I liked seeing the fanservice/fandom nods in Magic Duel, but frankly I think they kind of overdid it. Most of the jokes were great, but I think that sometimes it didn't come too naturally, like they were trying to please the bronies.

 

Best Night Ever, on the other hand, had a lot of really great individual character moments, and I felt like regardless of who which pony you were a fan, there was something for you to enjoy. The song was fantastic, and I think that things not quite going as you hoped or expected after all the anticipation is something that a lot of people can relate to.

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

Best Night Ever.  I've mentioned before how impressive I find it that the writers were able to make that episode focus equally on each of the Mane 6 without making the episode feel rushed.  And again, I don't really see what other people see in Magic Duel.

[Dr. Eggnog 203]

Best Night Ever, though it's very hard to explain why.

 

I don't enjoy most of it.  But the way the ending was made me feel like that's perfectly fine, and in a way I consider it the show's most perfect episode.  It was actually after that episode that I decided MLP was one of my top ten shows of all time.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Hurricane Fluttershy losing to Sisterhooves was a travesty, but let's hope Magic Duel runs into a buzzsaw at last. I thought The Best Night Ever was a superior episode on every level but animation. Better story, characterization, you name it. It had everything you could ask for in a season finale.

[Wingnut 7,003]

 

IF SISTERHOOVES SOCIAL WINS THIS MATCH, I AM DECLARING THIS TOURNAMENT OFFICIALLY A LOAD OF HORSEAPPPLES.

 

 

BUT WTF KIND OF WORLD IS THERE WHERE HURRICANE FLUTTERSHY LOSES TO SISTERHOOVES SOCIAL. WHAT.

 

That's it, sugarcube, give them hell! 

 

I demand a recount and a Congressional investigation!  This is a gag, I tell you.  How could anybody vote against the episode that had an '80s style training montage that invoked Rocky and Flashdance?  Not to mention the best actor allusion of all time:

 

[Wingnut 7,003]

I'm still too bitter about Hurricane Fluttershy losing to even consider voting in the current match.  Maybe I'll be in a better frame of mind after work.  But for the time being, part of me wants to be a sore loser and stop participating in this. 

 

This is just like American Idol voting:  The fans don't always get it right. 

[Bucky McGillyCuddy 956]

The best night ever earned my vote. More character development and overall i thought the episode was more fun to watch.

 

This is the second time in a row my word count was at 97 lol.

[An Old Head 4,816]

Remember, both Magic Duel and The Best Night ever were voted better than Sleepless. They should both have fierce fortes in this one.

 

Magic Duel is probably the most overrated episode of the entire series. I'm not saying it was a bad episode, because the elements of a good old cartoon that needs its comedy came in there, but I felt it wasn't at all special. The moral felt like "Dear Princess Celestia, if you have nine people gang up on someone who wants to avenge her own humiliation, it's completely okay." Zecora was a welcome appearance, and a duel between two really powerful unicorns makes for a great show. But why do so many people revere it?

 

And then there's The Best Night Ever, which for me absolutely completes Season 1. And it's not just because Soarin' was in it. Every pony of the Mane 6 came together in their own spectacular celebration, with their own dreams and scenarios, all of which are relatable. It did everything right. It showed how you should never look back on a bad event with regret, but to turn it into a humorous memory and see the bright side - an ethic I always follow. It's really something special to me. (People also like it because of Octavia, and while I was never a big fan of her, it's made for so many pieces of work in our fandom that remind me of our own success). Not to mention that the song was absolutely brilliant - I would have expected myself not to enjoy some parts of it, but they were all amazing.

 

It also showed that even royalty can have a bit of fun instead of being responsible. A lesson for people who naturally lead their own band of friends - enjoy yourself once in a while!

 

I'm easily going for The Best Night Ever. It was a substantial episode, full stop. It's very close for my second favourite episode of the entire fourth generation, but I think I might have to give it that position right away. Thinking about it while writing this, I realised just how great it was.

[Stellafera 3,836]

...I don't even know what to say but that half of the bronies in this community have very foreign minds to me indeed. 

 

*switches voice to Sweetie Belle's*

 

"Maybe Hurricane Fluttershy should be your favorite episode, so it can teach you what a good episode is supposed to be!"

 

*switches voice out of Sweetie Belle's*

 

Uh, anyways....

 

The Best Night Ever is a great episode that shows each of the ponies get deconstructed and rebuilt again and had the best Season 1 song. Magic Duel is in my bottom 10. Come on, this isn't too hard.

Edited January 25, 2013 by ~Lawful Stella~

[Scootalove 10,689]

I'd have to say Best Night Ever. Even though all of Mane 6 didn't expect their night to go so bad. I would expect it to be a little bad since its in Canterlot, but they did not have a good night at all. This episode had a plot twist that made you oversee the way you thought the ending was going to be like.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

It's much closer now. Fourteen to twenty. Magic Duel still trails behind. You still have ten hours to vote. Could Magic Duel make a comeback?

[CrystalRose 636]

The Best Night ever takes this one for me. I enjoyed Magic Duel, but I can't stand Trixie. Whereas TBNE, I just loved every second. The dresses, the music, the moral. Everything about that episode is magical and wonderful.