S04:E03 - Castle Mane-ia

[Noodles 109]

I Liked the fun tone of this episode don't want all of them to be this light hearted filler fun. but once in a while as a break from the heavy story line.

[ArrowWing 1]

I really like the idea of the fact that everything they feared were basically caused by each other on accident.

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

I Liked the fun tone of this episode don't want all of them to be this light hearted filler fun. but once in a while as a break from the heavy story line.

Yeah, and I'd say it was well-timed since the premiere was just packed with excitement. Imagine if all the episodes got as exciting or even more than the last. By the time we get to the final episodes of the season, the bar would be set way to high and I doubt anything will impress us at that point.

 

Edited December 3, 2013 by SunBurn

[IDontExistAnymore 74]

Episode 1 & 2:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Amvg_dKc4

 

Thank you so much! yayayay!

[brohoof712 2]

Who would actually hate this episode?

Yeah bit of randomness there but duh, it was nice

[BalanceBrony 259]

*snip*

I have a few points. First of all, people are complaining about the lax plot because the premiere was so freaking epic, and set  the expectations of an overarching plot. To see this plot alluded to at the start of the episode, but not expounded upon, was but one reason the episode left something to be desired.

 

Regarding the entertainment value and the cliches in one point, as I mentioned, this cliche has been done many other times in many shows and movies, and got far more laughter out of me in those than in the MLP incarnation. I think the reason the humour failed to deliver is because, in the other cliche-based episodes, there was still a unique MLP spin on it. But in Castle Mane-ia, there didn't seem to be any uniquely MLP-type humour in this episode. They just recreated the archetype of this cliche with ponies instead of people.

 

The characters in themselves were nice, but I don't feel that their different reactions to the spooks were very unique reactions. Other cliches worked because of MLP's characters responding uniquely to these classical stimuli. But there is not much variety in the ways you can depict characters getting spooked, so the ponies had stereotypical reactions, as opposed to more unique responses like in the other cliche episodes.

 

And in other spooky-castle attempts, so much more was done, in terms of the characters causing mass chaos throughout the episode. In the MLP version, it is just the 3 different groups, but they don't meet until the very end, as opposed to other spooky-castles where the groups bump into each other and cause chaos multiple times.

 

Thank you so much! yayayay!

Np

Edited December 4, 2013 by BalanceBrony

[PegasusBoot 0]

I really liked how they introduced the shadow pony. I blogged some of my thoughts about the pony of shadows thing that was at the end of the episode. http://netsenshi.wordpress.com/2013/12/03/shadow-ponies/ I wonder if it's like, a changeling minion type of thing, or the actual boss or what. I can't wait to find out.

[Galen 1,354]

 

 

Here the walls are all dark and what's with the disembodied hooves holding up torches?

 

 

 

Hall of hoooves? what the buck did celestia and Luna do to the ponies that came to the castle?

 

They were probably fake. Going along with the theme of a playhouse castle for the sisters, the hall of hooves is basically the haunted house section. Haunted houses often have fake human limbs that look VERY real on display. A similar thing is being done here.

[Luffyiscool 397]

To see this plot alluded to at the start of the episode, but not expounded upon, was but one reason the episode left something to be desired.

 

Really? I just took it as a throwaway mention, to let us know that the characters haven't forgotten the chest. A reminder by the writers that this season will have an overarching plot.

This episode established that Twilight can't find mention of the chest in any of the books she knows of, after a full night of research. That's enough IMO. It's all we need for now.

 

It's just like season 3. Twilight was mentioned to be "learning new spells", reading a crapload of celestia-assigned books, and Cadence was teaching her how to not totally freak out.

These were all minor parts of episodes that were about different things, and yet they all provided a over-arching link between the opener ("next level of your studies") and the finale (graduating her studies)

 

I see this as no more than that. A small scene or two to show that the chest is still relevant, without taking away from the point of the episode (a fun romp through a creepy castle)

[Sunny Fox 5,950]

I have a few points. First of all, people are complaining about the lax plot because the premiere was so freaking epic, and set  the expectations of an overarching plot. To see this plot alluded to at the start of the episode, but not expounded upon, was but one reason the episode left something to be desired.

I disagree. While the box was only mentioned in the beginning, it wasn't until about halfway through the episode that Twilight found the book Celestia seemingly sent her to find, which may contain more information. I predict the journal will include some mention of the chest or keys, but we'll have to wait for later episodes to see. Even the message "the knowledge of the past can help solve your problems in the present" could be tied to the journal and to the larger situation. The problem is the box, the knowledge of the past is in the journal. I'm guessing.

[Galen 1,354]

 

 

Really? I just took it as a throwaway mention, to let us know that the characters haven't forgotten the chest. A reminder by the writers that this season will have an overarching plot.

 

Agreed. Many series contain episodes (or chapters for those who read manga) that while make reference to a greater plot, aren't directly related to its progression. One good example is Avatar: TLA, especially in book 1 altho the number of such episodes there was rather annoying given that a lot of them didn't appear to have any kind of purpose at all, as opposed to MLP where something is always delivered. In the case of this episode, it teaches how history can show us what happened in the past and give us insight as to how to deal with the present.

 

I could come up with more good examples, but they're mostly anime & manga some people here wouldn't be very familiar with   The point is, not every episode has to have a direct connection to the main story to be good, and MLP has never been known for that to start with.

[Whofch 128]

God, it was a crazy episode. So much random and sillyness but done in all the right ways. Can't help but like it.

 

I like the fact they acknowledge the box from the start. It just keeps the feeling that there is actually something going on in the background.

 

The whole pairing each of them off (aside from Pinkie ofc), was great. Definitely perfered the Rarity/Fluttershy pairing through it though, but AJ/Rainbow still worked very well.

 

The ending seemed to slow down to a crawl but that's probably just because the rest of the episode was so bloody crazy.

 

At the end of the day, it was just fun. Definitely prefered it to the 2-part opener. Much more replayablitiy for me.

[Forlong 1,726]

Can anypony tell me why this castle looks so creepy compared to Canterlot Castle?

Look at Canterlot castle, it has so many pale and light colors. Just a little bit or moonlight would light the place up. Here the walls are all dark and what's with the disembodied hooves holding up torches? Were the sisters in their goth phases when the castle was getting designed? XD

This castle was abandoned for about 1000 years.  In that time, a lot of decay set in.  Colors were washed out and it started falling apart.

[Frosty Flurry 173]

They were probably fake. Going along with the theme of a playhouse castle for the sisters, the hall of hooves is basically the haunted house section. Haunted houses often have fake human limbs that look VERY real on display. A similar thing is being done here.

mmmmm...fake disembodied legs of ponys as a playhouse decoration. Ok it may of just been for fun but.... Dats just creepy

But ok I guess u answered my query. thx!

[Twila Starshimmer 172]

I thoroughly enjoyed it, and laughed a lot more than I thought I would. Pinkie Pie is just...she's one of my favorites compared to in season 1 when I thought she an annoying party pony.

[owlnight 11]

man this was a great episode I loved it but It was a little predictable

[crazitaco 596]

I hope to god they aren't trying to make the other ponies completely reliant on twilight :|

Seriously this episode seems to be every pony getting scared and failing while twilight is fine

Rarity wasn't scared

She was just pissed at the ungrateful castle and being overly dramatic about the ancient tapestries, lol.

She was probably my favorite thing about the episode, Rarity is a hilarious character.

[Noodles 109]

I am pretty positive that that much dependence on Twilight was just for this episode. I really hope so.

on that note now that they don't need Twilight for the big zap the baddy thing we can have some of the adventures without Twilight.

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

You know; I'm curious. Why is everyone bashing this episode because it was predictable? (I know that's not the sole point but a lot of people bring this point up.) There has been many episodes that were predictable too. May The Best Pet in for instance and others.

[FNGRpony 658]

we got a new writer,

 

what appears to be an adventure story that de evolves into scoobie doe.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0deGb6Wt7Q

 

yeah i liked it at first, only because hay it's been so long with out new material.  

It's a strong episode for rarity,

but rain bow dash and apple jack are off playing the pony version of beavis and butt head (as close as ponies get any way).

Flutter shy is shoe horned in,

 

with out any thought to "flutter shy is going to a scary empty castle with out any fuss?"

 

[silverreverb 129]

I like it

despite the fact that we get no solid information on the keys for the box I found the episode funny

 

people keep talking about the story being sidetracked as if they never procrastinated on anything /=|

 

not a great episode but funny and I think that's a good thing

[NavelColt 22,880]

we got a new writer,

 

what appears to be an adventure story that de evolves into scoobie doe.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0deGb6Wt7Q

 

yeah i liked it at first, only because hay it's been so long with out new material.  

 

It's a strong episode for rarity,

but rain bow dash and apple jack are off playing the pony version of beavis and butt head (as close as ponies get any way).

Flutter shy is shoe horned in,

 

with out any thought to "flutter shy is going to a scary empty castle with out any fuss?"

 

I've merged your topic with the official subforum topic discussing Castle-Mania. I know you enjoy making new topics for your discussion points, FNGR, but please keep in mind that a lot of time, there are pre-existing threads that already serve a discussion point very well

[FNGRpony 658]

I've merged your topic with the official subforum topic discussing Castle-Mania. I know you enjoy making new topics for your discussion points, FNGR, but please keep in mind that a lot of time, there are pre-existing threads that already serve a discussion point very well

i couldn't find this.

 

and that's cool,

i'm glad you didn't' dump it in the project section,

no one would see it.

 

^^

[Carbon Maestro 1,003]

Hot damn this was a good episode. Loved this episode and the way Season 4 is coming out. I like the character development for all of the ponies.

[Batbrony 16,055]

I still wonder why they left the castle in the first place, it was because the Everfree Forest was getting too out of control for both of them to remain there so they moved back to Canterlot.

 

Um, I thought that the season premiere was pretty clear about that; I mean, Luna pretty much trashed the entire place when she became Nightmare Moon, so the damage wrought along with the painful memories of Luna that the site held for Celestia are probably why she left it.

 

Aww...am I the only person who actually really liked those Benny Hill chase scenes? :3   

 

Sister, you have no idea. 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1WpzrtQwI0

 

And because I'm me.  :comeatus: