S04:E01+02 - Princess Twilight Sparkle

[Kittykittyvii 28]

is it just me or Celestia should have had pink mane in those "back to the history" moments? her mane was changed when she used elements of harmony to defeat nightmaremoon right? when she got new ability to rise/lower the moon as well, not just sun? right? ..right? please tell me im wrong, i really dont want this kind of mistake in the premier episode...

I'm pretty sure that's based on headcannon. But What I find weird is Luna still has her flowing mane in the past glimpses, yet it was normal in Season 1...... I wonder if the reason is because that's how Twilight remembers them in the present, I think 1000 years ago Tia would be a little smaller.But who knows. Gotta love the Alicorn mystery lol

Edited November 24, 2013 by Kittykittyvii

[Persona22 205]

Okay... anyone else noticed this: Celestia mentions that this would be the FIRST Summer Sun Celebration that she would be looking forward to, this is because she says that unlike the previous Celebrations, this represents, not the defeat of Nightmare Moon (in which she had to banish her own sister), but the return of her sister, Princess Luna.

 

So... we are to believe that NOT A SINGLE Summer Sun Celebration took part between "Friendship is Magic" (Season 1 Episode 1) where Nightmare Moon defeated and is transformed back into Princess Luna, and this episode Season 4 premiere.

 

Which means that the time between Season 1 and Season 3, and the movie, amount to ONE YEAR. That's it, just ONE YEAR... that is a load of crap! How can they even SAY that!? I mean, we KNOW that it MUST be more time, because Winter Warp Up and Hearts Warming Eve happen in two separate episodes, wich show seasons other than winter in them. But NO, Celestia has to actually SAY OUT LOUD that this is the FIRST Summer Sun Celebration she would be looking forward to, because it is the FIRST one where Luna will be taking part of since her banishment to the Moon. Which either means that only one year has passed between Twilight moving to Ponyville and turning into an Alicorn, or Equestria has like 3 winters, 2 attums, 6 spirngs, and only 1 summer in a year... you see where I'm going with this?

 

Seriously, WHY did Celestia say that this would be the FIRST Summer Sun Celebration she would be looking forward to? Why didn't she say that ever since Luna returned she had been looking forward to them instead? You know, implying that there had been more than ONE Summer Sun Celebration before this.

It doesn't change the message that Celestia was trying to give, it doesn't change ANYTHING in the scene at all, except that if done that way Celestia IS NOT implying that just ONE FREAKING YEAR has passed since the Season 1 premiere episode, and this episode.

Edited November 24, 2013 by lucasliso

[Kittykittyvii 28]

Okay... anyone else noticed this: Celestia mentions that this would be the FIRST Summer Sun Celebration that she would be looking forward to, this is because she says that unlike the previous Celebrations, this represents, not the defeat of Nightmare Moon (in which she had to banish her own sister), but the return of her sister, Princess Luna.

 

So... we are to believe that NOT A SINGLE Summer Sun Celebration took part between "Friendship is Magic" (Season 1 Episode 1) where Nightmare Moon defeated and is transformed back into Princess Luna, and this episode Season 4 premiere.

 

Which means that the time between Season 1 and Season 3, and the movie, amount to ONE YEAR. That's it, just ONE YEAR... that is a load of crap! How can they even IMPLY that!?

 

Seriously, WHY did Celestia say that this would be the FIRST Summer Sun Celebration she would be looking forward to? Why didn't she say that ever since Luna returned she had been looking forward to them instead? You know, implying that there had been more than ONE Summer Sun Celebration before this one that had Princess Luna in it.

It doesn't change the message that Celestia was trying to give, it doesn't change ANYTHING in the scene at all, except that if done that way Celestia IS NOT implying that just ONE FREAKING YEAR has passed since the Season 1 premiere episode, and this episode.

Because she's talking about the past 1000 years. This is the very first SSC she will enjoy because it means the return of her sister instead of the past (before NM was defeated again by the mane 6) where it symbolized the basnishment of Luna/ Nm for 1000 years.

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

is it just me or Celestia should have had pink mane in those "back to the history" moments? her mane was changed when she used elements of harmony to defeat nightmaremoon right? when she got new ability to rise/lower the moon as well, not just sun? right? ..right? please tell me im wrong, i really dont want this kind of mistake in the premier episode...

The fandom assumed that Celestia's mane was pink. Pretty fair because that's how she looks in the intro. But others said that the book Twilight was reading may not have been a good representation of what happened. After all, the book says she reasoned with her sister. In the flashback her reasoning was flying away from magic lasers and using the Elements seconds after Luna turned to nightmare Moon...

[HoneyCup 1]

I'm pretty sure that's based on headcannon. But What I find weird is Luna still has her flowing mane in the past glimpses, yet it was normal in Season 1...... I wonder if the reason is because that's how Twilight remembers them in the present, I think 1000 years ago Tia would be a little smaller.But who knows. Gotta love the Alicorn mystery lol

its just that when u look at the very beginning of the season 1 episode 1 Celestia is talking about what happend with nightmaremoon blahblah and she has pink mane there, and she was "adult" at that time or? maybe she was not, as u suggest... but why Luna´s mane hasnt changed a bit then? (or it did? havent i noticed something?)

The fandom assumed that Celestia's mane was pink. Pretty fair because that's how she looks in the intro. But others said that the book Twilight was reading may not have been a good representation of what happened. After all, the book says she reasoned with her sister. In the flashback her reasoning was flying away from magic lasers and using the Elements seconds after Luna turned to nightmare Moon...

maybe the reasoning was the part when she said "Luna, u must lower the moon!" and Luna was like "Nope, im gonna hunt u down with mah laserz

[Wayzer 1,418]

 

 

I'm pretty sure that's based on headcannon. But What I find weird is Luna still has her flowing mane in the past glimpses, yet it was normal in Season 1...... I wonder if the reason is because that's how Twilight remembers them in the present, I think 1000 years ago Tia would be a little smaller.But who knows. Gotta love the Alicorn mystery lol

 

I read somewhere that is was because she was still kinda weak after she just returned to her normal self and so she didn't have that great magic. That also explains why she looks completely different in Luna eclipsed.

[Persona22 205]

Because she's talking about the past 1000 years. This is the very first SSC she will enjoy because it means the return of her sister instead of the past (before NM was defeated again by the mane 6) where it symbolized the basnishment of Luna/ Nm for 1000 years.

 

I'm sorry but you just made my point even stronger.

She's looking forwards to THIS Summer Sun Celebration, unlike the ones in the previous 1000 years, because this is the first one where, as you said, does not mean Nightmare Moon was banished, but it means the return of her sister Princess Luna.

 

This events (The defeat of Nightmare Moon and the Return of Princess Luna) take place in the very first two episodes of the very first Season ("Friendship is Magic").

Celestia saying that this wuld be the FIRST one she would be looking forwards to, means that there had been NO SINGLE Summer Sun Celebrations between then and now. Then being Season 1, episode 1, and now being Season 4, episode 1. Which in turn means that only one year has passed (or only one summer has passed) between Season 1 and Season 3 and the movie. Only ONE YEAR! That's not insulting continuity, that's having any disregard of how seasons or even time works!

[spacestorm 183]

Yay! Fortunately fan-made subtitles for this episode appeared very soon after premiere so I could watch it now.

The episode was very good. Scenes with Discord were awesome, I hoped that he would appear but didn't expect that. It's great that he received so much screen time, very hilarious time.

I really like that Twilight stayed in character, her checklist of the lists . And those flying lesson given by Rainbow Dash which many expected.

They handled pretty well with this issue in this episode but I'm still afraid of future episodes that Twilight being a princess can lead to some unintended awkward situations.

 

They have solved very well the issue of the elements of harmony, it's better when they will be dealing with serious problems without them. No more one-shot ultimate weapon. This is such a good move as to get rid of scheme of letters written only by Twilight what they did in the beginning of second season.

 

And we have some flashbacks from the key events of the past. I wonder if they ever back to tell more details about these stories in next episodes, it was good taking into account the limited episode time but still not enough.

 

Small flaws.
They oddly too easily found this tree of harmony. Also sending back Twilight by her friends was quite off and implausible action.

And why they didn't try to ask or order Discord to go with them to Everfree forest?

[Lateon 589]

That's not insulting continuity, that's having any disregard of how seasons or even time works!

 

I don't see the problem you're having. Either I'm horribly wrong, and I've stopped caring, or there's only been one episode featuring each major holiday and they've all been pretty okay as far as chronological order goes. Consider:

 

Winter Wrap Up ==> Fall Weather Friends ==> Hearth's Warming Eve ==> Hearts and Hooves Day ==> Games Ponies Play.

 

There is (almost?) nothing wrong with the timeline. Sure, they might have jumped around a little bit (forwards and backwards) in time, but the only requirements for legitimate continuity are:

 

- Luna is Luna (well, that one was pretty easy, pick anything after the pilot)

- Discord being reformed had to happen after Season 1's events

- Cadance being a thing had to happen after Season 2's events

- Twilight being an alicorn had to happen after Season 3's events

 

...and that's literally it. Slice of life type episodes do NOT require any sort of ridiculously constrained timeline at ALL.

 

 

At least it isn't SpongeBob levels of time flow, where it could literally be the same fucking day and there's no continuity between episodes at all.

Edited November 24, 2013 by HandMan

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

I, for one, find if a bit hard to believe that only an year passed since the first episode to now, and it makes Twilight's ascension even more rushed. But it's not impossible.

 

My guess is that the producers were going for the feels with this. And I did find it touching. I always thought that it must have been hard on Celestia. I just wish that they explored her life without her sister more. 

And it was nice seeing Luna moving the moon. She seemed happy.

[Lateon 589]

 

 

And why they didn't try to ask or order Discord to go with them to Everfree forest?

 

They did.

 

He was all like "Well, since you guys all jumped the gun and blamed me for this (because it was totally me all along YEAHHHH), I don't feel like coming any more. If you had just asked nicely, I would have though, but NUP, chance's gone, cy@, gl hf!" 

[Persona22 205]

I don't see the problem you're having. Either I'm horribly wrong, and I've stopped caring, or there's only been one episode featuring each major holiday and they've all been pretty okay as far as chronological order goes. Consider:

 

Winter Wrap Up ==> Fall Weather Friends ==> Hearth's Warming Eve ==> Hearts and Hooves Day ==> Games Ponies Play.

 

There is (almost?) nothing wrong with the timeline. Sure, they might have jumped around a little bit (forwards and backwards) in time, but the only requirements for legitimate continuity are:

 

- Luna is Luna (well, that one was pretty easy, pick anything after the pilot)

- Discord being reformed had to happen after Season 1's events

- Cadance being a thing had to happen after Season 2's events

- Twilight being an alicorn had to happen after Season 3's events

 

...and that's literally it. Slice of life type episodes do NOT require any sort of ridiculously constrained timeline at ALL.

 

 

At least it isn't SpongeBob levels of time flow, where it could literally be the same fucking day and there's no continuity between episodes at all.

 

So, what you are implying is that the events of Season 1, 2 and 3, all happened in disorder and was never shown in chronological order? That is kind of not possible since plenty of times have one episode talked about events that happened in previous episodes in past tense.

 

Also, as you pointed out yourself, Winter Warp Up happens before Fall Weather Friends, and Fall Weather Friends happens before Hearth's Warming Eve. That means that we had a winter, then fall, then winter again, and only one year has passed? Well, according that ONE SINGLE LINE by Celestia; yes, yes it did.

[spacestorm 183]

They did.

 

He was all like "Well, since you guys all jumped the gun and blamed me for this (because it was totally me all along YEAHHHH), I don't feel like coming any more. If you had just asked nicely, I would have though, but NUP, chance's gone, cy@, gl hf!" 

 

Maybe I should rewatch this episode. I remember that they yelling at him ordering him to get rid of invading plants.

But they didn't retry with attempt to take him along with them to the forest.

[Lateon 589]

 

 

That is kind of not possible since plenty of times have one episode talked about events that happened in previous episodes in past tense.

 

Okay.

 

The timeline is screwy, more news at 11. Personally, this is how it goes for me:

 

My need for pony > my requirement for episodes making sense > my requirement for glaring continuity holes to make sense > my requirement for generalized timelines to make sense.

 

Chill.

[Flutter's lover <3 8,205]

I loved it, I  watched it last night on YouTube, because I'm in Canada, and I don't get the Hub. 

 

All I can say is, it was dark, epic and awesome. Probably the best season opener so far.

 

Also the moment when Celestia said "I hope you know that I will always be here if you need me. Just as I hope you'll be there when I need you" I thought of it as an innuendo. I guess just how they nuzzled after she said it.

 

My first thought was Queen Chrysalis becasue of the black and blue and the way the leaves on the vines had holes in them. Guess not. But having Discord in the first episode was kinda awesome too....and I liked the back story given on how Celestia banished her sister and how Luna and Celestia defeated Discord.

 

 

[Wayzer 1,418]

 

 

Maybe I should rewatch this episode. I remember that they yelling at him ordering him to get rid of invading plants. But they didn't retry with attempt to take him along with them to the forest.

 

Yeah they didn't explicitly ask him but Discord probably wouldn't have come with them. It's Discord we're talking about you see   

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

     This episode was SO different then anything else.  I was surprised at how awesome this actually turned out to be.  Probably the scenes that stuck out most in my eye were the flashback scenes with NMM and Celestia and the whole glass window scene.  The first because of how all around epic it was.  The action was perfectly done, and it had some nice CGI thrown in.  The transformation scene was CRAZY!  Everything about it was intense and I must say it had my attention.  The Glass window scene in the beginning stood out mostly because of the lighting, but also this scene seemed so different then what they have done before on the show.  Everything seemed so smooth.  The animation during this entire episode was really stepped up.  I couldn't believe some of the stuff they had put in this episode.  

   

    The character that stuck out most in my mind was Applejack.  She has always been the pony that the others go to for advice or help on different matters.  It seems that now she'll be getting more a leadership role in the mane 6.  I cannot wait to see how that fleshes out.  Twilight was very good in this episode and I feel they handled the Alicorn thing very well.  It doesn't impede her character, but it makes it stronger.  Especially in the scenes where she starts freaking out or learning to fly.  I still think ponies with wings look like swans if you take away the legs, but that is beside the point.  

   

     The pacing was SO GREAT!  (for the first episode and half the second one.)  Everything went down the drain the moment they stepped into the Everfree forest.  It's not that big of a deal, at least for me, but it felt odd watching it.  The whole Twilight going back to Ponyville thing was resolved REALLY quickly.  I was thinking that the others would get captured or something, but no they reunited and were friends.  

     

    The action was also brought up in this episode.  Namely the fight scene between the plants and the main 6 and the whole flashback scene with NMM and Celestia.  I always wanted to see NMM and Celestia fight and now I got to see it.  It was one of the coolest battles in MLP.     It's truly insane the amount of time and effort that went in to create that scene and and all the other scenes.  The plant battle was also very cool.  I especially enjoyed the way they showed each character do different jobs during the fight.  

     Discord is discord.  I thought the twist at the end was really done well.  There were little things about his time in this episode that caught my eye.  Namely, even though he's reformed he isn't reformed at heart.  He still does things and gets characters annoyed at him.  This is what I hoped they would do with his character.

    This episode gets a solid 9.4/10.  Best season opener thus far, and one of the greatest episodes as well.  

Edited November 25, 2013 by Dusty Soul

[OtakuBrony 349]

Howdy folks!

 

Great way to kick off season 4!

 

Cant waiit for more!

 

The VA work is superb!

Especially John DeLancie as Discord.

Hope he returns later in the season.

 

The flashbacks were pretty cool.

Man they gave Nightmare Moon a more creepier look with her fangs after her transformation.

Wich isnt a bad thing.

 

Poor Twilight crying.

Now now Twilight ya think one shot would hurt Celestia? LOL

 

A new quest for Twilight & her pony pals.

As to what kind of keys that open up the box we'll have to wait & see.

Nice little twist to the Elements Of Harmony.

 

See ya!

[Cloud Spark 5]

I was so sad to see the elements go!! I feel like a piece of the mane 6 is gone 

[Stancet 688]

This was the best season opener in my opinion. It had everything, and took everything up to the next level. The Mane 6 considered Twilight's position as a princess and also her position as a friend. The conflict was strong and the drama was unlike anything I've ever seen before. I couldn't believe it when Twilight cried. I LOVED it!

 

I even heard that Meghan McCarthy is even more excited about the finale than she is for this two-part opener. I can't even imagine how she expects to top herself after THIS!

[FlutterFerret 39]

I wub wub wub wub wub wub wub WUBBED it! 

[Never2muchpinkie 211]

Gotta say, my favorite part of the first episode was definitely Pinkie's letters. Both of them were so unexpectedly Pinkie that I couldn't help but start laughing hysterically.  It's why she'll always be my best pony.

 

 

Now now Twilight ya think one shot would hurt Celestia? LOL

  Hey, one shot knocked her out from Chrysalis. So that means that QC was even stronger than Nightmare Moon?

[Revy ~ Two Hands 862]

I found Season 4 premier episodes to be a little weak.

 

Season 2 and Season 3 premiers where also a little weaker, because it's basically trying to re-introduce the themes of the show, plot continuity, and the personalities of the protagonists to the audience. 
Basically in the Season 4 premiere it was like Magic, Friendship, Friendship, Magic, Magical Friendship. 
That and making it clear how all the characters differ.

I expect greater things in episode 3. All in all though for a premiere it was good enough, and looks like Season 4 will be probably good all round.
 (Hopefully better than Season 3 which was the weakest but I digress)  

[Emperor Posh 360]

 

 

Season 2 and Season 3 premiers where also a little weaker, because it's basically trying to re-introduce the themes of the show, plot continuity, and the personalities of the protagonists to the audience. 

 

 

They do this for new viewers, I forget where this was stated but it was stated somewhere. If they get new viewers in season 4 they kinda want the new viewers to be able to watch without going back to the first episode of season 1. You also have to remember this is a show intended for kids

[Revy ~ Two Hands 862]

 

 

They do this for new viewers, I forget where this was stated but it was stated somewhere.

 

That's a given with any series.

 

If they get new viewers in season 4 they kinda want the new viewers to be able to watch without going back to the first episode of season 1. You also have to remember this is a show intended for kids

Tbh I thought this was obvious/implied. 

Edited November 25, 2013 by Gamer Twilight