Season 3 Finale Opinions: What would you change?

[PrymeStriker 408]

Yeah but you have to remember that this was different, the finale was practically a musical with how many songs it had. Songs made up most of the episode.

 

In fact, this episode beats "A Friend in Deed" in holding the record for the most songs in one episode with a total of seven songs.

 

(Sorry, I'm trivial). 

[Leafeon 2,702]

Since what I'm getting from this is that you want someone's opinion on the episode as long as they agree with you?

 

If you don't find the songs catchy, that doesn't invalidate the opinion.

 

I guess i'll talk about the plot, I found it unique. It wasn't predictable and I'd never seen it done before.

Nope. I'm asking for a validated opinion. 

 

And; I've been on far too many threads where I'm been shunned away due to not liking the finale. So a change of pace isn't bad.

 

I also didn't say that that invalidates your opinion. I'm asking for you to confirm why the songs were good.

 

But; I agree the plot was not very predictable. Provided I didn't know that it was going to end with Twilicorn, but I'm pretending I knew nothing for this thread, so yea.

[hawkflame 3,310]

This may be odd coming from someone who is against Alicorn Twilight, but I thought that the episode, for what it was, was handled well.  It was rather light on story, yes, but the whole thing when she goes into that alternate dimension whatever and speaks with Celestia was really beautiful and a great way to sum up the series up to that point.  That more than made up for the relative weakness of the first half, IMO.  I think that may be a big part of the appeal for many fans.

 

If this was saved for a postscript/epitaph at the end of the series instead of just the season 3 finale, I'd have no problem with it whatsoever.

Edited March 17, 2013 by hawkflame

[Mutemutt 773]

I have a few ideas. May not be true and may not be the best, but possible. 

 

One idea I have is that people are imposing their expectations onto the end result. Like your birthday party that was supposed to be super awesome and ended up being really lame, but you were expecting it to be awesome, so you tell yourself it was. They were expecting something amazing for the finale, probably due to the last's season's amazing finale. But then, when it didn't meet their expectations, they still didn't want to believe that it was as bad as it was. So they delude themselves into thinking it was good, and presto, they don't have to be disappointed. 

*snip*

 

I agree with all of this post.

 

I like it because the writers molded the best cube they could with what play dough they were given on the table. In other words, since it was Hasbro's idea to make Twilight an Alicorn princess to sell toys, they were forced to work that into the plot. Although, they made it seem (to me at least) as though they were alluding to the outcome from the beginning.

 

I'll be honest; this is probably the one thing that bothers me the most when people defend the episode just because it sounds like a really bad excuse. I always try and judge an episode on its own merits and its own faults. Knowing that the writers were forced into making this Alicorn Twilight thing work doesn't make the finale itself any better in my eyes (though it may make it easier to swallow). 

[PrymeStriker 408]

I'll be honest; this is probably the one thing that bothers me the most when people defend the episode just because its sounds like a really bad excuse. I always try and judge an episode on its own merits and its own faults. Knowing that the writers were forced into making this Alicorn Twilight thing work doesn't make the finale itself any better in my eyes (though it may make it easier to swallow).

 

What I bolded was part of my point. Also, I'm not defending the episode, as it has many faults. The "excuse" I gave was part of the reason I liked it. My personal opinion can't stand as enough ground to defend something that has more problems than plus, because my opinion on this subject is too optimistic and [one might say] biased to be reasonable or "valid" defense.

 

And; I've been on far too many threads where I'm been shunned away due to not liking the finale. So a change of pace isn't bad.

 

Yet, one could argue that now you've started a thread where you shun others away who can't give a good enough reason to you for liking the finale. In such case, the "change of pace" would be the same pace in a different direction.

[Leafeon 2,702]

 

Yet, one could argue that now you've started a thread where you shun others away who can't give a good enough reason to you for liking the finale. In such case, the "change of pace" would be the same pace in a different direction.

Well, technically going left is a change of pace from going right. I'm not trying to shun anyone. I'm trying to get a decent answer, before I re-review this episode.

[Shanks 10,816]

I think alot of people like it simply because they want to like it so badly that they just can't get their blinders completely off. As much as I hate the idea of alicorn Twlight I really wanted to like this episode and after I finished watching it I myself was in denial for about an hour or so afterwards. I was confused as hell and keep trying to justify how what I knew was a terrible episode wasn't all that bad but I just couldn't do it anymore and after watching it again the next morning I knew it was a piece of crap.

[Mutemutt 773]

 

What I bolded was part of my point. Also, I'm not defending the episode, as it has many faults. The "excuse" I gave was part of the reason I liked it. My personal opinion can't stand as enough ground to defend something that has more problems than plus, because my opinion on this subject is too optimistic and [one might say] biased to be reasonable or "valid" defense.

 

 

Well I wasn't trying to attack you (sorry if it came off that way). I was only talking about the act of trying to protect the episode from criticism using the "it's all they had to work with" argument. 

Also I think we differ a bit on the "easier to swallow" front. In my mind, there is a clear difference between a delicious meal and something I can stomach. I can accept (stomach) that this finale happened the way it did but I don't "like" it anymore than before.

[Pony Of The Month 534]

People say that Magical Mystery Cure could have been a series finale. Sure, it could have been, but I wouldn't have been satisfied. Why? Because Twilight isn't the only character with a story arc.

 

The Rainbow Dash/Wonderbolt arc hasn't ended yet. It should have some sort of conclusion before the series ends. It doesn't necessarily have to end with her becoming a wonderbolt, it just has to have some sort of conclusion before the series ends. This would make a cool season finale.

 

The CMC should definitely get their cutie marks before the series ends. This would also make a cool season finale.

 

I want to see Rarity become well known in the fashion industry.

 

And if they want to introduce new story arcs for Fluttershy, Applejack, or Pinkie Pie, I'd be fine with that as long as they are concluded by the time the series ends.

 

And now that Twilight's original arc is over, they're going to introduce a new one, and that should also be concluded by the time the series ends.

 

Oh, and please keep the Magical Mystery Cure critiques to a minimum. This thread is more about incomplete story arcs.

 

[Lo23 32]

It is a fair point. Then again alot of shows do end with open threads and the writers leave it up to the fans to make there own conclusions. But hopefully season 4 will address these arcs maybe since Twilght's main arc is complete or they'll start a new one while continuing on with the Mane 6's arc as well. Just more of wait and see at the moment for the series.

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

I agree, at first I was skeptical because I thought the series would be ending after that episode, but I watched it and it didn't resolve anyone elses stories.  The ending was something that would be seen in a series finale though.  

[DND 2,355]

But then again, there's gonna be a season 4. They announced that the season 3 finale was actually just one part to her Alicorn story-line. So, therefore, that empty feeling should dissipate. I'm pretty sure Rainbow Dash will have a Wonderbolt episode in season 4, or maybe even later if they still continue Friendship is Magic...

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,632]

It is weird to think that this season was originally going to be the end of the series itself, as far as I know. Apparently, all the story arcs were originally going to be wrapped up in this one season with Twilight's being the last.

 

Let's just say, I am very happy that they did not do that.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Kyoshi

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Fair points. But I think they knew for a long while in advance that there was going to be a Season 4, so they didn't rush to tie up the loose ends.

 

IMO, what they should have done was rewrite their series finale idea from the ground up so it (1) felt more like a new beginning than the ending it was conceived as, and (2) didn't sound like something that was written along with the pilot in 2010.

Edited March 17, 2013 by TailsIsNotAlone

[Zygen 6,066]

Yeah I do kinda agree with you there, while the finale would've wrapped up Twilights story arc, it'd leave all the other story arcs behind and you'd just be left wondering what happened.

 

I imagine they'll cover and complete most if not all the story arcs by the series end hopefully, besides I wouldn't really be satisfied with the series ending where it is anyways because I want more Mlp .

[silvadel 1,393]

The episode was just fine for what it was trying to accomplish.  The only complaint I had was the length.  It should have been a double length episode or at least an extended one.  Then again I think the vast majority of season 3 episodes would have been better at 33 minutes than 22. (45 minute episodes)

[Phoenix237 353]

I have to go with your point on this one.

While some series do tend to leave something's to the viewers interpretations when they end, I the series had ended at this point it would have left a lot of unfinished arcs.

[hawkflame 3,310]

Yeah, but I think that would have been too much for one episode (or even a two parter) to handle and the resolutions of the other arcs would have been best left for other episodes anyway.  What it really was was a resolution of the *major* story arc and a nice coda on the series up to that point. 

 

I've said before that it would have made for a great series finale, but to clarify that, it would have been a great series finale given the natural resolution of the other arcs prior to it.  And then we'd have Twilight's ascension to cap off and sum up the whole show.  It was really that second half that made the episode feel "finale-esque," you know?

[Sunny Fox 5,952]

Good is where you look for it, my friends. The songs were good because they moved the story along in a musical fashion. Those scenes could have just been shown as normal, but it would have less of an emotional impact, I think. I don't agree that they interrupted the plot, because they form part of it. You couldn't have just cut them out, with perhaps one or two exceptions.

 

There are other reasons I personally enjoyed the finale. It was a good use of In Medias Res: the beginning with Twilight singing was interrupted by a downpour of rain, to add a bit of mood whiplash. Then the surprise that it wasn't Rainbow Dash playing a prank, as Twilight and indeed the audience themselves probably thought, but Rarity trying to control the weather. With Rainbow Dash's cutey mark to boot. So we have a mystery to pull us further into the story. It probably would have had more impact if there weren't spoilers about the episode before it aired, but that's nothing to do with the writing itself.

 

Next we get a montage of everything that is going wrong for our intrepid heroes, now struggling with a mixed up destiny, told again through song. As before, they could have done this with simple scenes and dialogue rather than a song, but I think the song conveys their quiet desperation far better. It also gave us Straight-hair Pinkie, and personally, I like that look on her. I wish it was shown more often. A few funny bits included, like Pinkie's water chute line, a chicken laying an egg on her head, Rarity giving ponies "frostbite over top of their sunburns," Applejack's Celestia-awful dresses, a number of cameos from background ponies like Vinyl Scratch. There were other funny bits threaded throughout the episode too, like Rainbow getting tied up as if the animals were your generic cannibal tribe. So I thought the comedy was a big plus for the episode.

 

Then the animation is good, for example, the scenes from past episodes flashing in their eyes like some sort of crazy slot machine when their destiny is restored, the "higher plane" where Twilight meets Celestia, the record of previous episodes floating in the ether. All of that looked beautiful.

 

Then, after Twilight becomes an alicorn, when she is speaking to the crowd, she calls all her friends forward and makes sure that the entire kingdom knows how much she values them. That was really touching to me.

 

Then there the fact that this episode ties together a number of points. We find out that the book from Crystal Empire Part 2 is Starswirl's journal, we see what Celestia's tasks for Twilight were leading up to, we have plenty of continuity links, such as the Elements being present (which may have been the reason why Celestia brought Discord back to be reformed - personally, I don't like   what that episode did to Discord, but it does help create that continuity, which is good.)

 

Does the episode have faults? Of course. But if you look back at any of the other episodes, you can say as much about nearly every single one of them. There. I have answered and given reasons, and they have nothing to do with experimenting, the quality of the songs, (I discussed mainly the purpose of them) the premise, or the rumour that it is a 3-parter that the OP mentions.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Full Spectrum

[Benna 21]

For me I would love to see a detailed story arc for Pinkie. I really feel that all her arcs are simple and short because she is seen as a simple pony but that isn't the case. For one the episode "Party of One" shows she has some deep seated mental problems and that she draws her reason for life based on her friends. Wiith out them she falls apart showing how truly fragile she is. And if you can't tell shes my favorite lol. The one thing that I would really like to see is have twilight step out of the spotlight for season 4 and focus on the other ponies. Develope their characters and give them interesting challenges to overcome. Fingers crossed

[Pony Of The Month 534]

I think it's pretty obvious by now that this is a very controversial episode, and will always be a controversial episode. It SHOULD be controversial, otherwise we look like we mindlessly agree with each other on everything. Some people absolutely loved it, and some absolutely hated it. We should keep it that way.

 

We should stop trying to convince each other to like or dislike this episode. And we should stop trying to make sense of everyone else's opinions.

 

It seems like everyone is trying to psychoanalyze the opinions of others who disagree with them, rather than just accepting the fact that we don't all share the same opinions.

 

No, the people who like this episode are not blinded by their love of pony, and the people who don't like it are not over critical or "butthurt" over Twilicorn. They just have different opinions. It's as simple as that.

 

This episode is so complex, that for some people (like me) it may take multiple viewings and long discussions in order to form an opinion about it. And whatever opinion they have is completely valid.

 

Some people love season 3, some people hate it. Season 3 is my personal favorite, despite being so short, and I may not understand why other people don't agree with me, but I'm not going to try to make sense of it. I'm just going to accept the fact that they have a different opinion than me.

 

No, I'm not saying that you shouldn't argue about the episode. Just remember, that at the end of the day, we're never going to agree with each other 100% and we should all accept that we have different opinions. 

 

We should treat each others' opinions on the best/worst episodes the same way that we treat each others' opinions on best/worst ponies. The fandom seems to be pretty good at accepting each others' different opinions when it comes to the ponies, so why not the episodes? 

 

I don't understand why the fandom seems to prefer Boast Busters over The Mysterious Mare Do Well, but I've decided that I'm not going to try to make sense of it, or convince them that I'm right, because their opinions are just as valid as mine, and it's better to accept that we have different opinions.

 

So I think you all get the point by now.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Flutterbass

[Bucky McGillyCuddy 956]

I read the first paragraph and typed out my comment but then read the rest of the post and realized i'd just be reiterating most of what you said. So i'll just say that i agree.

  

[Pony Of The Month 534]

Yeah, but I think that would have been too much for one episode (or even a two parter) to handle and the resolutions of the other arcs would have been best left for other episodes anyway.  What it really was was a resolution of the *major* story arc and a nice coda on the series up to that point. 

 

I've said before that it would have made for a great series finale, but to clarify that, it would have been a great series finale given the natural resolution of the other arcs prior to it.  And then we'd have Twilight's ascension to cap off and sum up the whole show.  It was really that second half that made the episode feel "finale-esque," you know?

I don't think the arcs should all be resolved in the series finale. The series finale could be about ANYTHING as long as the story arcs are all resolved by the time its over. The series finale could be about Rainbow Dash becoming a wonderbolt. It could be about The CMC getting their cutie marks. It could be about Mr. and Mrs. Cake for all I care, as long as the show's story arcs have been resolved somewhere in the show.

[Sunny Fox 5,952]

I have merged a few threads together into one thread for the purpose of discussing opinions about the Season 3 Finale specifically. I have also given it a new title. Please use this thread for further posts about the finale and your reactions to it. Thanks.

[Dark Photon 0]

Songs were perhaps the only way to execute such exposition in such a short amount of time, and reach the emotional depth that a finale demanded. And (this has probably been said somewhere) the episode was obviously less focused on specific arcs and stories than it was a celebratory reflection of what MLP has become, the fans that have propelled it along, and an overall catharsis of friendship (

).

 

Which ultimately leads to the 'ascension' (done poorly in regards to addressing key alicorn issues, but then again that's what season 4 intro is for!); the breath of fresh air, a new perspective, a new life...a natural transgression that was inevitable, based on overcoming crisis and restoring harmony.

 

 (

).