S04:E01+02 - Princess Twilight Sparkle

[Declen 118]

I'll dare to suggest, the creative crew decided that the main purpose of this double-episode should be a season start.

And they executed it at 110%. In a great, engaging and unexpected way. Given many anchores to the previous story and a few starters for further developement.

Ilke Discord: when I think about it, he feels little bit redundant for the episode plot. Only thing he actually did was provoking Twilight to return to her friends. I have no idea why though. Ah, and let Fluttershy to protect hin from being... uh... stoned (again).

So, it is my great hope, that they add Discord to show us: guys, Discord is back, brilliant as allways, and will be splendid add to the story from now on.

In fact we have a very delicate situation: Mane Six gave up EoH and Discord is free form that threat. His "reform" was just an act of good will, and not many ponies trust him. Which is unfortunate, becouse if anything can hold hon back from turning to be a villain again is the connection to as many ponies as possible. But for now it's just Flutty. And if he decides to throw it back, it willl be extremely difficult to defeat him this time (without a new Deus ex Machina of course). So, the tension between Discord and others is there and suggest some surprises.

The dilemma "royalty vs. friendship" is another case, though.

It was expected to be, and the crew approached it kinda lazyly.

Others go to Poniville - Twilight sad - Twilight goes to Poniville - All go to the forest - Others send Twilight back (because she is a princess) - Discord provokes her to return (because she is no more important than others) - Others stuck without Twilight - Others save Twilight - AJ says pompous speech - Altogether save the day, yay.

All this trotting back and forth looks kinda senseless. Especially in light of the fact, that we know what her decision will be. Seriously: wenn Discord told Twilight she is more important than her friends - had anybody doubted about how she react?

But I hope they think out something more creative on that matter in comming episodes.

Also, I'm not a big fan of RD, but sonic reainboom is 120% cooler than whatever Twily pooled out in the end.

Still, great episode.

[Renon Strike 67]

Some fans don't like it that there is no specific enemy but at this case i kinda liked the change where there was no specific enemy to beat, rather a healing of a corrupted source. I liked that the writers thought of something other than an enemy to beat in a 2 part opener. I do agree the Pacing was not great especially that they spent last 10-15 minutes at the forest to resolve the issue but the pacing is easier to grasp than last season.

But i like that there is an incoming plot that will be spent throughout the season, so that is good.

 

But there was still a lot going on that it took me another go to catch up.

[DragonKing235 198]

The episode was good i saw it on youtube.

[Silverhoof 2,844]

more screen captures of the opening credits

 

[Thaliel 116]

congratulations, MLP: it's a new season *dawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww*

 

I just wish the theme wasn't banned from YT, so I didn't get to see it

[Declen 118]

 

 

Twilight being able to do said Sonic "Starboom" WAY too suddenly (In fact, they should've waited and devoted a whole episode to that.)

That could be a good idea, But it also could easily turn into repeat of "Sonic Rainboom" episode.

[Silverhoof 2,844]

Some fans don't like it that there is no specific enemy but at this case i kinda liked the change where there was no specific enemy to beat, rather a healing of a corrupted source. I liked that the writers thought of something other than an enemy to beat in a 2 part opener. I do agree the Pacing was not great especially that they spent last 10-15 minutes at the forest to resolve the issue but the pacing is easier to grasp than last season.

But i like that there is an incoming plot that will be spent throughout the season, so that is good.

 

But there was still a lot going on that it took me another go to catch up.

It means each of the six will get to shine in their own episode.

I hope Rarity has to fight a giant crab to get her key.

[Solar Cloud 493]

To all those who are saying Twilight is not living in Ponyville anymore, that is not true. She was in Canterlot simply to help with the Summer Sun Celebration.

[LED Dasher 228]

I think the new intro should have Trixie if they are including Snips and Snails. Since Luna is considered equal to Celestia, perhaps she also should be given a throne. Cheerilee should also have been included. I wonder if there is anyone else I am forgetting.

[FadedSkies 1,874]

29 pages...wow. OK, I just watched this on You Tube, and loved it,

Haven't read where anyone's noticed changes in the opening credits...but Luna and Photo Finish have been added.

 

click to enlarge

LunaToo.jpg

 

Haha Luna is like "I wanna see!"

[Twinhead B 482]

Another thing to point out about the Season 4 opener: It takes place exactly one year (canonically) after the first episode! After all, this is the first Summer Sun Celebration after Luna's return (or at least that's the vibe I got from some of Celestia's lines).

Edited November 24, 2013 by Twinhead B

[Jammo 986]

Much better opener than Season 3s.  The Crystal Empire had some good scenes (The jousting, the flugelhorn bit) but this does a lot more of what a premier should do.  Hype, callbacks, foreshadowing, getting the audience invested in the adventures to come.  I also like it didn't follow the predictable path "Oh Discord is behind it all"...  well he is kind of but it wasn't any master plan just something he did eons ago and it just sort of grew into it's own problem.  I was worried we'd have some plant villain as an explanation in the last five minutes totally underused with no build up but no, the threat was just an unattended monster with no grand vision.  That's refreshing in a fantasy story.

[IlikeBoris 13]

It means each of the six will get to shine in their own episode.

I hope Rarity has to fight a giant crab to get her key.

 

Is this a reference to the Floreys and Posey getting her garden destroyed?  (Whatever that episode was that the moral was not to judge a person by their appearance.)  That would actually be pretty cool if done right.

 

Others go to Poniville - Twilight sad - Twilight goes to Poniville - All go to the forest - Others send Twilight back (because she is a princess) - Discord provokes her to return (because she is no more important than others) - Others stuck without Twilight - Others save Twilight - AJ says pompous speech - Altogether save the day, yay.

All this trotting back and forth looks kinda senseless. Especially in light of the fact, that we know what her decision will be. Seriously: wenn Discord told Twilight she is more important than her friends - had anybody doubted about how she react?

 

Yeah, this episode could have been shorter if they had decided to make her stay behind from the start.  But considering they reused a clip, and the people in charge are running a toy company.... What would you have filled the time with if not more running into dangerous things?

[Castle Bleck 19,351]

To all those who are saying Twilight is not living in Ponyville anymore, that is not true. She was in Canterlot simply to help with the Summer Sun Celebration.

I don't remember anyone saying anything about that.

 

Then again, I have an actual mental disorder, so maybe I missed something when reading spoiler articles and/or viewing the actual episodes on YouTube.

 

P.S.: My God, those people can upload fast!

[Declen 118]

Is this a reference to the Floreys and Posey getting her garden destroyed?

Nope. It's a reference to a fan-made comics, where Sweetie Belle finds a giant creab and rides it. And Rarity fights it, thinking Sweetie Belle is in danger.

Da link.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Declen

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

That was a really awesome episode. Caught it on YouTube. 

 

Really happy to see the 1000 years ago Equestria, that was really awesome

 

and...WILHELM SCREAM!

 

Discord was really good, was really surprised that he hold Twilight that she learned a lesson. 

 

Episode even gave me inspiration for a song I'll debut in the future. 

[immblueversion 331]

And also, approximetly 22:01 (for both episodes) when nightmare moon chasing Celestia over old castle, there is some statue of... a dragon? I never saw something like that in Canterlot (except obviously Spike ). Proof me wrong? What is were between ponies and dragons before nightmare moon?

 

Well, that obviously wasn't her castle in Canterlot. And if you knew that but are wondering why there are no dragon statues in the new castle...they aren't in style anymore, I guess.

[Floris 287]

So much Applejack love in this opening, YES!

 

I mean she had a lot of good dialogue and action scenes.

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2013 by Floris

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

I`m interested in knowing people`s opinions specifically on the Mane Six losing the Elements of Harmony.

 

Personally, it was sad for me. Not because it will break their friendship or anything like this, but because I always thought that the Elements were linked to the ponies in some deep way and that they might be as important as the Elements themselves. Also, Celestia did lose the Elements in the past, but I had assumed that it was because she`d lost Luna too.

 

Could anypony else have used the Elements if they befriended Twilight, who apparently has a special connection to the Elements? I`ve seen some people arguing that the ponies themselves were the Elements, or that they were inside the ponies, dormant.

 

Opinions?

[FadedSkies 1,874]

I`m interested in knowing people`s opinions specifically on the Mane Six losing the Elements of Harmony.

 

Personally, it was sad for me. Not because it will break their friendship or anything like this, but because I always thought that the Elements were linked to the ponies in some deep way and that they might be as important as the Elements themselves. Also, Celestia did lose the Elements in the past, but I had assumed that it was because she`d lost Luna too.

 

Could anypony else have used the Elements if they befriended Twilight, who apparently has a special connection to the Elements? I`ve seen some people arguing that the ponies themselves were the Elements, or that they were inside the ponies, dormant.

 

Opinions?

 

It was also sad for me to see the elements go. I do believe that the mane 6 are the elements and that they don't need it to defeat villains kinda like in Equestria Girls but without the crown. 

[NavelColt 22,880]

One can truly come to understand just why it is TV shows choose to air new seasons in November, when you walk outside of work and come to realize, 'shit, there's snow, ice and rain everywhere. I sure wish I was home doing nothing, today, so I could watch new TV shows that just happen to be airing during this dull, anti-being-outside time of year. Oh, wait.'

 

Miscellaneous points:

Part 1:

1:07 Adorkable face, adorakable sequence of extreme terror and perfect barrel roll and crash combination.

2:00 <3 Dashie, dat lighting and dat pose and expression make you look adorable. You must realize this. The sooner you get in touch with your loving side, the sooner you can be super sisterly to Scoots, and I can die from a heart attack. Truly though, the lighting on the character in this scene was altogether awesome.

3:15 No, mind, you're only supposed to be in the gutter when browsing for fan art! Stahp!

3:26 Speaking of heart attacks...

4:40 This, quite literally, escalated quickly

5:00 'Princess, were you...eavesdropping on me?' 'Of course not, Twilight. My horn simply alerts me to whenever you're having a meltdown, ever since the Want It, Need It spell incident.'

5:30   OUR LOYAL FOLLOWERS, WE HERBY PROMISE THAT WE SHALL HAVE ALL MANNERS OF SCREEN TIME, THIS FAIR SEASON. ALL BRONIES SHALL BASK IN THE NIGHT'S PRESENCE.

6:45-6:50 Well, as they say, 'I've seen enough hentai to know where this is going~'

8:10 This is like, the most lines any of the guards have had, ever

9:40 Of -course- this is how you approach the problem, AJ. Never change, plz.

10:20 Spike clouds? Somehow I feel I don't want to know what their equivalent of rain is.

11:00 Magic hijacking? That's a new, and very intriguing, potentially disastrous idea. I like it.

12:20 Pfft, best sound effects.

13:30 So, by this point, I can easily see the 'Everfree Forest: Better villain than Sombra' memes pouring in.

12:50 Haha, belts. Hueue. Welcome to Twiairlines, fasten your seat belts and keep your claws within the boundaries of your trainee alicorn at all times.

15:30 <3 Oh, Pinkie, you're too cute.

15:40 Oh, but, it's not like I called this or anything. Don't mind me~

16:08 So...Discord lives in, possibly a pocket dimension that neighbors Equestria, or at the very least, some far-away land that only he has access to at ease, and, instead of 'bunking with Fluttershy' as many believed he would do, he is summoned through the Elements calling him when the ponies need to confront him over something. I am very okay with this <3 Also, Discord, yay :'D Best possible entrance my old friend.

17:05 <333

 

Maybe I'll just quit while I'm ahead and say every scene, gag and line Discord has makes me squee up several mountains and across multiple airports.

 

17:34 Oooh, I like how he switched that around on them. Very clever while not only making himseld less suspicious, but turning the entire thing onto them.

18:00-18:06 Oh god, my lungs, I can't

18:26 First time Discord's ever mentioned let alone known about Zecora, I believe

19:12 Waitwaitwait...that's Dark Magic. But Zecora said 'alicorn magic'. WAAAAT.

14:40 HOHO, I TOLD YOU ALL IT WAS A FLASHBACK, I TOLLLLD YOOOOU, OH THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC

20:04-20:55 Holy shit, this is intense. This is like, borderline-MLP:FiM comic intense. And that's awesome <3

 

Part 2:

20:00-22:00 More of the same This is kicking even the weddings' ass in epicness, action and fighting. And feels.

23:00 Like I said <3

23:20 There is so much animation intensity in this bullshit the brony club can't even handle it.

23:50 http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/039/d/a/this_is_the_part_where_she_sends_you_to_the_moon_by_daringdoo-d4p1m5z.png

24:20 And Discord out of nowhere to stomp on your feely moment, and bring the visual gags and humor <3 YES.

25:00 I do believe, ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment I've wanted to see for a very, VERY long time.

25:40 "The Elements. Of Harmony.' Whoa, Celestia sounded so goddamn bad-ass right there X.x

26:02 Hmm, well I must admit that's a bit of downer :c There is no fight, it's the same exact, way-too-quick way he was defeated later on by Twi and friends. Nightmare Moon gets a fight scene, but Discord doesn't? Sounds like not enough time in the episode, need to focus on the Luna bit' is the cuplerate, I suspect. Ah well. I can imagine there was an epic fight if I want to, damnit. The flashbacks do seem to get shorter and shorter, going into rapid succession with no breaks, after all. It could skip some, for all we know.

27:40 There's that quote <3 Best timing.

28:27 New monster, everypony

30:20 :c

30:30 'Most of the time...' <3

31:00-31:30 Boy, he just goes right out and addresses the concerns everyone was having with this, doesn't he? Discord is best non-pony.

32:15 So the sisters built their castle over the cave to the Tree of Harmony, after discovering it and using it to defeat Discord. Very nice.

32:50 Dear god that's terrifying. Dripping and everything.

33:27 Always the first to get into a fight, huh, you two :3

34:00 Awesome actions scenes, once again

34:02 Hear that? It's the sound of countless blown out of proportion fears from the last nine months burning in agony.

38:10 And would you look at that, more continuity for even the future, at the end of an episode :3

38:22 Why is Discord the fanboy so great of a concept?

38:50-38:55 YES XDD

39:20 :|...Oh you thinking ten steps ahead of everyone else, bastard. I love you.

 

--

 

I suppose my initial reaction to Twilicorn learning to fly is a rather modest one. While I'm still distressed (minorly, mind you) that it was never explained how she flew seemingly great at the end of S3, the fact that they showed her learning to fly (and with best pony as her instructor, no less) at all, when they could have utterly skipped over any kind of learning curve altogether, makes me happy. I mean hell, at this point most people should be satisfied with tossing it up as 'writers sacrificed a little bit of sense in order to make what they saw as a great ending shot, work'. No it's not perfect but here we are. Those who still need some kind of headcanon can simply say that Twilight's over-the-top dress she wore at the coronation gave her temporary super adaptation powers.

As for the rest of the episode...well I must say, after all of this, Nightmare Moon topples both Sombra and Chrysalis (though she was already my least favorite villain), as second only to Discord. Easily makes up for her initial appearance. So strong into the show, the writers have picked up these characters and their emotions to a pinpoint. That's continually shown throughout the rest of this. Action, killer gags, references and, for once, impeccable and not rushed timing. For me there was plenty of Discord, two flashbacks I've been wanting to see for a long time, and an interesting plot that wasn't at all obvious, actually.

 

When Megan said that S4 was taking some liberties, she wasn't kidding. And that's a wonderful thing. Skillfully implanting more action and more dangerous themes increases the show's value for its' fans, without changing it for its younger audience either. As I've already seen many of the Youtube comments state, 'This is not My Little Pony! This is something I can show to any friend of mine, and feel confident and proud knowing that the action and themes will thoroughly surprise them!'

 

To that end, I feel that our topic(s) asking about what episodes to show friends and family will be filled with season 4 episode more and more, as they come out.

 

So, nine months later, are we all done bitching about Twilicorn, now? Because you know that TaraQueen will continue to stomp on any remaining blown out of proportion beliefs and bring friendship and understanding throughout the rest of the season, too </3 You may as well give it up, now.

[Envy 6,160]

I thought it was a pretty good opener. Probably my favorite of all of them, actually. Discord really stole the show. In fact, I found him more amusing than in his past appearances.

 

So yay, the new season is off to a great start IMO. =)

[Stellafera 3,836]

You know... this premiere would've been pretty interesting styled as an Applejack episode.

 

I'm not just saying this because I'm an Applejack fan. Upon rewatch, it really did have a lot of focus on her and a two-parter that wasn't about Twilight would be neat. Less expositional flashbacks, more conflicts as the second-in-command makes mistakes working as leader. Applejack has problems with relying on others anyways; this'd be a great setup. 

 

Having Twilight on the outside makes the plot more interesting because of the mystery factor of what exactly she saw after drinking the potion, too. I think the Nightmare Moon scene would have far more of an impact on me if you only saw Twilight's terrified reactions and were invited to imagine what was going on yourself. Sort of like Spike's vision of Twilight abandoning him in The Crystal Empire.

 

Maybe in fanfiction...

[Batbrony 16,054]

I think we should call the crocodile the "Rockodile"

 

THANK YOU, I've been calling that thing a rocodile/rockodile (I prefer the first myself, but either works) since I saw it on a commercial this week!  I mean, it makes perfect sense; we've got wolves made of wood called timberwolves, why wouldn't a crocodile made of stone be called a rocodile?!?! 

[Starflower 323]

Honestly, this season 4 premiere was as good as the season 2 premiere. I laughed and cried during both episodes. The plot was fantastic. It exceeded my expectations towards Twilight's new role as princess and I'm literally craving for more.