Your Favorite MLP Episode: Round Four Series

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

We're at the Quarterfinals!

Round Four Match One

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

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65284030

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: Sonic Rainboom VS Luna Eclipsed

Yesterday's Matchup:The Best Night Ever defeated Magic Duel (26-16)

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Arrrrg! Rats! There aren't going to be many easy decisions for me from here on out, are there? In any case my vote goes to Sonic Rainboom for the great visuals and for the fantastic development that it gave Rainbow Dash and to a lesser extent Fluttershy.

[Night Shine 767]

Dayum, this is a hard one.

 

On the one hoof,
Sonic Rainboom is the epitome of what a good MLP episode should be.
Great character development (in this case for both Rainbow and Rarity),
world-building by showing us Cloudsdale, and having one of those endings
that makes you feel as joyful as Pinkie Pie.

 

On the other hoof, Woona Eclipsed. This is the episode that really showed us how Luna was corrupted into Nightmare Moon by showing us what her personality is like--eager to make friends and have fun, but vulnerable and very short tempered. Also, bringing Luna back has all kinds of levels of awesome. Oh! And, world-building again, in a way--it showed us how Equestria treats their Halloween. This ep also gave us some insight as to what the civilians thought of NMM, given the tradition of "NMM will eat your children".

 

I'm undecided. i guess I'll wait to see everypony else's responses to make my decision.

EDIT: THE VOTING IS TIED AT 6-6!!! >.< so much freaking pressure i don't even know which to vote for

 

Edit again: Just kidding; I voted for Luna Eclipsed. How could I not? It's a freaking Woona episode! XD

Edited January 26, 2013 by Night Shine

[Scootalove 10,689]

I'd have to say Sonic Rainboom because, it helped Rainbow Dash go up to a whole new level to prove herself. Plus, we got to see Fluttershy's cute YAYs.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Thank Celestia Magic Duel is finally gone I mean, um, what a shame.

 

Although Sonic Rainboom losing to Luna Eclipsed might provoke another facepalm from me. Because was Luna Eclipsed that good, really? IMO the one saving grace was that Luna was IN the episode, and spoke in a Royal Canterlot Voice thingy. That's what people remember about it. They don't remember that we learned almost nothing about her character, they don't remember her wild mood swings that destroyed the flow of the episode. They don't remember that Pinkie Pie was as annoying as she's ever been, to the point of being almost OOC...I could go on. To its credit, that was the one episode where I enjoyed seeing Derpy. She just looked too damn cute in those paper bags.

 

But Sonic Rainboom was the unforgettable shining moment of the greatest Mane 6 pony. Everything about it rocked. And an animation sequence like the rainboom was truly amazing, especially when you remember they had only 15 episodes under their belts at the time.

Edited January 26, 2013 by TailsIsNotAlone

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

Sure, it was nice to see Luna, but in the end I find that Sonic Rainboom was simply just a more important episode.  I probably should watch Luna Eclipsed again at some point (I've only seen it once), but I don't think that a repeated viewing would change my stance.

[Wingnut 6,992]

I'm voting for Sonic Rainboom.  Seeing Fluttershy wildly cheering at the end, like Rainbow Dash wanted her to cheer all along, sealed the deal for me.  I think it's a notch above Luna Eclipsed as an all around episode.  However, some people have accused Luna Eclipsed of portraying a badly OOC and annoying Pinkie Pie.  I didn't think so because Pinkie Pie stops and tells Twilight it was all an act.  Pretending to be scared is what makes Nightmare Night so much fun. 

 

I can't believe were in the quarterfinals already.  The first two rounds took FOREVER!

[Emerald Flame 381]

Sonic Rainboom, no-brainer for me. I finally get to vote for my all time favorite episode after missing it in the first three rounds.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Argh, tough call!  On one hand, Sonic Rainboom has a lot of good development for Rainbow Dash and even Fluttershy, plus we see an expansion of the MLP world with a visit to Cloudsdale, and has a genuine Crowning Moment of Awesome when Dash pulls off the titular move. 

 

On the other hand, Luna Eclipsed has the introduction of Luna and the ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE!!!  as well as a ton of great tiny little jokes- "I should have been asleep five hours ago!", Mayor Mare trying to be spooky while in a silly clown costume, Luna's "Lesson" with Fluttershy. 

 

As much as I love Luna Eclipsed, though, I'll have to go with Sonic Rainboom, because I think it did more- developed more characters, expanded the world of Equestria, in addition to providing for a good story, and frankly the other characters' fear of Luna after they *know* she was reformed doesn't really make sense.

[An Old Head 4,816]

 

This will be the only time where I don't vote on the poll. I love both episodes equally.

 

The reason I love Sonic Rainboom, as I stated in a previous poll, is not because of the Rainboom itself, or because of the Fluttershy yay scene that everyone knows and loves. It's because it brought in a great means of character development - anxiety, and insecurity. Up until that episode, Rainbow Dash was always this boastful, cocky little blue Pegasus that thought she was hot stuff - and then the episode shows us that it's part of her nature to feel acknowledged and admired by her fellow ponies, and not being able to is the most distressing thing ever for her. It was a giant surprise to see, and you then really wanted her to overcome her fears. And then, she managed to win the Best Young Flyer's competition not our of desire to win, but to save her friend from falling to her death - that was admirable.

 

It also took tasting the rainbow to another level.

Luna Eclipsed was an equally touching episode. Straight from her introduction, you're torn between getting mad at Luna for rudely expecting the ponies to bow down to her, and sympathising with her because she's clueless after being locked in the moon for a thousand years. It also shows how sharing your wealth of knowledge with the less fortunate is a really kind thing to do. Furthermore, I think the concept of a Halloween-type festival in Ponyville was a wonderful idea on Hasbro's part - all of Ponyville was in spirit even when it was pitch black, made even more spirited by the costumes.

(I don't know why everyone found Pinkie annoying. She was so wild in her chicken suit.)

Yup, not voting for one over the other. Too hard a decision.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Flipturn

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

It's currently a tie with twenty votes each. We're very close now. It's neck and neck. This is what happens when you get in the quarterfinals folks!

[Thundershock 310]

i think i prefer luna eclipsed.sonic rainboom was pretty good,and fluttershy's yay....but its funny to see pinkie pie running around in a chicken costume,lol

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Five hours left to vote everypony. It's a close match thirty-one to twenty-eight. Will Sonic Rainboom make a comeback? Keep voting.

[SuperUltimateBrony 351]

Round Four Match Two

See the bracket here: puu.sh/1TjZp

 

Vote here: http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/203-cartoons-and-animation/65292329

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: The Cutie Mark Chronicles VS The Return of Harmony Part 2

Yesterday's Matchup: Sonic Rainboom defeated Luna Eclipsed (44-38)

[Feather Gem 967]

When I clicked the button to vote for The Return of Harmony, I was screaming in my mind 'I'm SORRY!'

And then I saw it had zero votes and was just like: 'I'm REALLY SORRY!'

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

What? Sonic Rainboom came back?

 

 

This one is just way too close for me, but I'm voting for The Cutie Mark Chronicles just because it has always been one of my favorites and I love getting backstories on characters that I love. The filly six were adorable as always, and there were many little things like Fluttershy's song, the Sonic Rainboom, Orangejack and the heartwarming ending that made it stand out to me. Honestly I'm disappointed that they both can't make it through.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Well, Return of Harmony Part 2 (well, both parts, really) is my favorite episode period, so it's an easy choice for me.  I appreciate the qualities of The Cutie Mark Chronicles and the way it fleshed out the lives of our Mane 6 and showed how they were connected even before most of them knew each other, but... Return of Harmony is about as close to an *epic* that MLP can get. 

 

I mean, the Mane Six were basically Discord's *playthings* in part 1.  and then in Part 2, it's more than just the fun the discorded personalities bounce off of each other that draws you in, you get wrapped up by seeing how desperate and hopeless things start to get.  I mean, the Elements of Harmony *lost!*  All of the Mane Six were discorded!  Twilight's about to *give up* and leave!  But then you have what I think is one of the biggest Crowning Moments of Awesome (to put  it in TV tropes terms) when Twilight starts reading the friendship lesson letters that Celestia returned to her.  And then when I saw her start to read those letters and regain her color, I just wanted to cheer.  When Twilight started to un-discord her friends,  I wanted to cheer.  When Fluttershy was chasing Rainbow Dash while pulling the balloon behind her and had that *giant* burst of speed, I wanted to cheer.  When they finally defeated Discord with the Elements and had that glorious ending with an homage to Star Wars, I wanted to cheer. 

 

I think some of the best stories are the ones where the hero has all but lost but then finds it in himself to pull out a big time victory. When the scale is this big, and the threat is imminent, and the hero gets pushed to the brink, the comeback, the victory, and the happy ending are just all the more sweet. 

[Antismurf9001 1,271]

Return of Harmony easily gets my vote.  While getting the backstories for each of the Mane 6's cutie marks was great, I don't think that it really compares to the character development that they all went through in the S2 opening.

[Stellafera 3,836]

If this were The Cutie Mark Chronicles vs The Return Of Harmony Part 1, I'd easily vote for the former. But I absolutely loved the deconstruction of Twilight Sparkle's character and her downward spiral in The Return Of Harmony Part 2, so it made the cut for being more emotionally resonant than the competitor. It seems that, in TV Tropes parlance, I just really (The Mysterious Mare Do Well) like (Secret Of My Excess) face (Party Of One) heel (Putting Your Hoof Down) turns.

[Emerald Flame 381]

Although Cutie Mark Chronicles was a great episode that gave us the backstories for the mane six, Return of Harmony Pt. 2 was just too damn good. The gags were great, the story was great, and Discord was amazing.

[Wingnut 6,992]

Well, the fourth round is REALLY where the men are being separated from the boys, so to speak.  Ordinarily, I would vote for the Cutie Mark Chronicles over almost every other episode.  But The Return of Harmony Part 2 shows what happens when deep down human...and pony...nature is exposed for all to see.  What would Fluttershy be like without her kindness or Applejack without her honesty?  This episode answers all that and much more.  Seeing Twilight become totally hopeless and decide to give up was one of the most touching moments in the whole series.  Everyone harbors a certain amount of greed, anger, resentment, and other undesirable qualities in their heart.  The struggle of the human condition is to continually overcome our sinful nature by embracing positive virtues for ourselves and striving to instill them in others. 

 

Return of Harmony Part 2 has my vote. 

 

EDIT:  Cutie Mark Chronicles is leading by seven votes.  I thought it would be close to dead even.  :/

Edited January 27, 2013 by ~Chaotic Wingnut~

[An Old Head 4,816]

I'm not accusing anypony, but... it's been two hours, and from 10-15 Cutie Mark Chronicles has since then gained another seventeen votes, as opposed to Return of Harmony Part 2's another five? Is someone making multiple GameFAQs accounts? I've noticed other people pointing that out in the comments of the GameFAQs thread as well.

Anyway, I don't know why, but I'm sort of... not up to writing paragraphs of praise for my favourite of the two episodes at this point. I'm just going to drop my vote in for Return of Harmony Part 2, for wonderful spirit and opening the gates for Season 2.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Flipturn

[hawkflame 3,310]

I can't believe that The Cutie Mark Chronicles is winning this poll so far 27-20, especially since RoH had an 18-12 *lead* earlier.   I know people have their opinions, but I find this one rather hard to understand. 

 

Edit:  Looks like I'm far from the only one who's noticed this. 

Edited January 27, 2013 by hawkflame

[Stellafera 3,836]

I'm not accusing anypony, but... it's been two hours, and from 10-15 Cutie Mark Chronicles has since then gained another seventeen votes, as opposed to Return of Harmony Part 2's another five? Is someone making multiple GameFAQs accounts? I've noticed other people pointing that out in the comments of the GameFAQs thread as well.

 

Maybe this is the person that made FREAKING SLEEPLESS IN PONYVILLE LOSE TO MAGIC DUEL I'M STILL MAD ABOUT THAT BY THE WAY some other surprising winners of these matches happen?

[An Old Head 4,816]

Maybe this is the person that made FREAKING SLEEPLESS IN PONYVILLE LOSE TO MAGIC DUEL I'M STILL MAD ABOUT THAT BY THE WAY some other surprising winners of these matches happen?

 

Best Night Ever still beat both of those episodes, wouldn't have mattered.

 

I'm just annoyed because if Return of Harmony Part 2 doesn't win after this match, it's almost definitely because of illicit crap - that was made pretty damn obvious here.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Flipturn