S04:E04 - Daring Don't

[Seaweed-Headed Dragon 356]

I think Daring's personality is a lot like RD's but much more mean. I did like the story line though. I was timed perfectly. I would like to read the book though 

[takai 1,060]

As a long time fan of Indiana Jones, I enjoyed this episode. It was a pretty good twist that A.K. Yearling was actually Daring Do. But seeing her actual design made it a little obvious. Overall a fun episode.

 

Still though.....

 

[Buttonmash1973 1,024]

That have been the best Season four episode until now and this was my 40 years Birthday ep.

 

So many shoutouts, memes, party fez and much more.

 

I hope for more Daring Do episodes.

 

10/10

Edited December 7, 2013 by Ulrik Raben

[Scootaloodle 1,621]

I rather enjoyed the episode: think my favorite part was Pinkie Pies line "might say the secret ingredient is.... A SECRET"

 

But all in all I liked the whole episode I'd rather it 8/10

[Bucky McGillyCuddy 956]

Dear Diary,

This morning I learnt that if I have between 4-5 hours sleep every night during the week that I'll be too tired come Saturday night to stay awake for the live-stream and miss watching my favourite show, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.

And the Youtube upload is missing parts...

 

[Scootaloodle 1,621]

Dear Diary,

This morning I learnt that if I have between 4-5 hours sleep every night during the week that I'll be too tired come Saturday night to stay awake for the live-stream and miss watching my favourite show, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.

sad_applejack_by_afkrobot-d5003r3.png

And the Youtube upload is missing parts...

 

Well it's up on Dailymotion where I watched it in whole: here's a link for you to the episode

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x184qvv_my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-4x04-daring-don-t-sd_shortfilms#from=embediframe

 

Edited December 7, 2013 by Asherdangerdash

[Scootalove 10,684]

I enjoyed the episode, it had moments where I didn't want to look away from it. It had a few Indiana Jones references in it, an enjoyable episode even though it's not the best. I guess the moral teaches that even when you think that you shouldn't trust anyone, you know that you will need help sooner or later and you're willing to accept help.

 

8/10

[jish55 20]

I was hoping that they would of held off doing a character based episode for another few episodes. But honestly, with it being rainbow dash, I wasn't as interested as I could of been. Yes, it was cool to see daring do there and both of them doing things... But come on, this could of had the main 6 teaching her that it's alright to rely on friends instead of just Dash. But meh, I'll take it or leave it.

[IlikeBoris 13]

Wow, apparently Daring Do's got the social skills of Batman.  Actually, scratch that, even Batman works with others when he has to.

 

Also, Dashie and Twilight are being adorable in this episode, but I'm getting seriously ticked off by the brain fart all of the Mane 6 (especially Dash) seem to have had.  I mean, have they completely forgotten that they, oh I don't know, HAVE SAVED EQUESTRIA COUNTLESS TIMES?!?  Get your act together guys and save the day, you're heroes all the time just like Daring Do!  I do expect the Mane 6 to show up with a plan put together, but still, RD's been a bit of a dunce here.  That's not to say it's not an awesome episode so far, it is, but that's been bugging me.

 

Exactly my thoughts about the conflict set-up phase.  It's like RD forgot who she was and started being Pinky Pie, without the narrative powers to make it work.

 

BTW, did you know that Ahuizotl is an actual myth? http://www.webcomicsnation.com/uvernon/irrationalfears/series.php?view=archive&chapter=787&mpe=1&fromwhich=1&direction=f

 

I was expecting a Lockheart or a Batman's Gray Ghost scenario, because what they did is very typical.

 

And I have a feeling they are making fun of Bronies along with other rabid fandom like HP.

[CT-1138 3,180]

We finally be a definitive Beloq character! I foresee much Rainbow Dash/Daring Do shipping in the future.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

This episode wasn't my favorite so far, but I did enjoy seeing the references to Indiana Jones and Rainbow Dash trying to appeal to Daring Do. I loved the scenes with Daring Do kicking butt and then Rainbow coming in and trying to help only for Daring to go "please stop". The big reveal was sort of nice even though I saw it coming essentially, I enjoyed the scene where Rainbow Dash berates herself for getting Daring Do captured, because it showed her flaws and that not everyone is perfect, but she still knows she's just as important equally. A good episode that gets a 9/10.

Edited December 7, 2013 by MLPFanatic34

[Felix 1,363]

To be honest, I always thought the author of Daring Do would have actually been Daring Do, it just seemed likely. I loved that they pulled the Indiana Jones on us. xD And how RainbowDash and Twilight had such great counters via their knowledge of the books Daring wrote. 'Twas awesome. This is my favorite Season 4 episode yet, or at least, tied for first with the season premiere.

Edited December 8, 2013 by FeIix

[Declen 118]

I have to say, I liked the very first scene of the episode very much!

The actual real birdies flying around crushed Dashie's head - that was a good one!

Unfotunately, that's pretty much it, what I liked about this episode.

 

Daring Do is real and writes adventure stories about herself. So what?

I personally never cared about Daring Do one way or another. Besides, we all know it's not how things really work in that business.

Actually, whole the time I expected another plot twist: all Rainbow Dash had witnessed would be nothing but a role play game. The liveRPG wich Daring Do would novelize (write a novel based on) afterwards. That would be interesting.

But no, they decided to make the whole adventure thing authentic. As it turned out, to let Rainbow Dash help Daring Do and proof to herself that she no less awesome than her idol. Well, I guess, it is a good lesson... wait a minute!!!

Since when did Dashie even had that issue?!!

IDK, maybe I was more stupid today, than usual, but I didn't see it was established. All I noticed, Dashie started to talk to herself and punch her face for some reason. Last time somepony behaved that way it ment a serious mental disorder.

So, it just left me confused: did Rainbow Dash get crazy?

 

The rest was filled with references to fandoms (in general) and Indiana Jones. For some reason they didn't engage me.

Maybe I just didn't get it. But on the other hoof it's an episode written by Dave Polsky. Nuff sayd.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,292]

Gotta say, this episode was fantastic. I actually did not expect the Daring Do twist (before I seen A.K.'s design of course) and her personality seemed very fitting for the character. Plus, I already love the journal concept. I always loved the moral aspect of the show and they are handling that well already. More and more I see that this season is going to be wonderful. Also, so many great faces here. So many.

 

Another thing: I have heard the complaint that the mane 6 were not remembering that they were heroes just like Daring Do. 'Be heroes!' You say? Problem: If they did that, that would probably destroy the moral aspect of the show and make the characters seem like they have no flaws. The way it was setup here was great for the moral in my opinion so it did not bother me. I don't see it as a flaw. Another complaint as well is the personality doesn't match Do. Um, why? She obviously only worked alone in her books and stories so.....Yeah, her working alone makes A LOT OF SENSE. Complaint number 3: Why didn't they help her? Two things: 1. They probably knew she could handle herself and 2. They were clearly mesmerized because they just found out that Daring Do is, I don't know, real?

 

Yep, I loved the episode.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Kyoshi

[Discount_Flunky 75]

First of all, the twist that A. K. Yearling (and can I just reiterate again that that play on J.K. Rowling's name is fantastic!  ) is in fact the real Daring Do, while epic on quite a few levels, also bothered me a bit, as did parts of her characterization.  Firstly, this twist apparently means that every single one of her adventures that she's written about have actually happened.  So you're telling me that nopony in all of Equestria, including Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor (former Captain of the Equestrian Royal Guard and now Prince of the Crystal Empire), and the newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle, was ever aware that ANY of these events that could have had disastrous ramifications across the globe EVER happened?!?!  I'm sorry, I just find that hard to believe.  I mean, yeah, it's epic that Daring Do is apparently a real figure in Equestria, not just a fictional character, but still, how the hay is nopony aware that she actually exists?  I know that some people might say that maybe Celestia just lets her do her own thing without revealing her identity, but I can't buy that because I just feel like if Celestia really was aware of her, she'd definitely involve herself in trying to help Daring Do out and save the world from the villains Daring Do confronts.  So yeah, that plot point was just a bit hard to swallow, even if it was awesome, and for the rest of the episode I was seriously waiting for it to be revealed that they'd somehow stumbled upon a film set for a Daring Do film or something, it just seemed that hard to believe that these events were actually happening!

 

Second, concerning Daring Do herself, I found her Batman-esque alienation in the extreme to be a bit... out of character?  OK, seeing as we've never seen her before outside of "Read It and Weep", let me explain.  Daring Do is obviously a send up to Indiana Jones, right?  Well, here's the thing; Indiana Jones never, ever turns down help.  Sure, there are some things he tries to do on his own or he tries to keep certain people he cares about from getting in harms way, but in all of the Indiana Jones films he never goes around telling every single person who tries to help him that he works alone!  So, in that regard, it felt like the writers were somewhat betraying the very source material for the Daring Do character.  Yes I know it was partly for plot convenience and delivering the lesson of the episode, but you're also telling me that in all her adventures Daring Do's never needed any help at all?  No, she's not Batman, she's Indiana Jones, and Indiana Jones is not a dark loner, he's a charismatic, Americanized James Bond, archaeologist style, who's worked with fellow professors, loudmouthed Egyptians played by John Rhys Davies, his father, adolescent Asians, and countless love interests to save the world from Nazis, communists, and terribly stereotyped Indian cultists!    So to me, the loner characterization just didn't seem to fit Daring Do, at least not the one we were introduced to in "Read It and Weep".

 

 

 

I understand how you were irked by part of Daring Do's portrayal and the initial reactions of the mane six, but I think your missing some things that cause it to make more sense.  

 

When they were standing there watching her fight the thugs the primary reason they didn't step in was due to the fact that since she was actually Daring Do she was more then capable of handling it herself.  It's an assumption they made yes, but one that makes sense given what they know about her.  In fact she would have actually won if it weren't for RD distracting her. (Although I do have to say for someone who's been battling countless enemies all her life she sure is pretty easily distracted.)

 

RD's lack of action was based off her nerves getting the best of her.  They set up early in the Ep that simply thinking about the book coming out in a few months was enough to cause her to become clumsy.  Throw in meeting her hero in person, and being partly responsible for her being defeated several times, and you have a nervous wreak.  I'd also like to point out that this is not the first time this has happened to RD.  In the sonic Rainboom Ep the thought of blowing it in front of her idol's made not even want to compete, and when she did she could barely fly at first. 

 

It's true that Daring Do being a loner doesn't fit with Indian Jones, but they are not the same character and Daring Do has her own reasons to not work with people, and that reason is her books.  Daring Do avoids working with people to lower the chance that some one will spill the fact that A. K. Yearling and Daring Do are the same.  Having this made public could have a lot of ramifications.  The biggest of which being that it makes her more vulnerable to attack.  A. K. Yearling acts as a secret identity for her, if that gets blow it would put her and her family (If she has one.) in danger.  It would also prevent her form living a normal life.

 

Although I do have to agree that it's a little weird that Princess Celestia and Luna don't know about her.  Daring Do's adventurers usually take place in the middle of nowhere though and Celestia isn't all knowing, so maybe it's possible she's gone under the radar, it's a stretch but it's possible. 

Edited December 7, 2013 by Discount_Flunky

[Super Derpy 535]

My favorite episode of this season to date. Also I called that A.K. Yearling being Daring Do before this episode air so that's something.

I can't even explain why I like this episode so much. I just did. It just gave off this "This is good, you should like it." vibe. The one complaint I have is why did the mane 6 just stand around watching Daring Do get the ring stolen from her and not help, really the whole situation could have been avoided.

 

This episode gets a 8.5/10

Edited December 7, 2013 by Super Derpy

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

Foreword: This is a rewrite of my old review. To see the old review, click to this blog (locked from commentating).

 

After a three-episode stretch that focused on the continuity to the letter, Episode 4 took a break in the form of "Daring Don't." Written by Dave Polsky, Dash anticipates the new Daring Do book to be released, only to be delayed. This leads Dash and her friends on a cluttered, unrealistic, and contrived journey.

Strengths and various likes:

1. The nerdy moment Twilight and Dash had as they explained various moments and scenes of the Daring Do canon cracked me up (and Pinkie following it clearly was a clever touch). As an out nerd, I've been on both ends of the spectrum (in in graphic design and FL9 diesels, out in bus specifications). Funny, yet extremely relatable. Best moment in the episode and so in character of them both.

2. Dash gushing over Daring Do was something I could really see her do. Since Read It and Weep, you could tell how close Dash was paying attention to the series as well as all of the details surrounding the DD canon. The little winks of her knowledge and fanaticism from Spike at Your Service were quite nice and reflected the continuity of the series.

3. Twilight actually uses her teleportation spell. Must be a holiday.

4. Another nice wink of the Indiana Jones series in the form of the Western map.

5. It paraphrases a connection fandom and creator has from here to others. Fandom is passionate, crazy, and wild. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. We've seen that so much in so many fandoms, namely sports fanbases like college football, baseball, ice hockey, and soccer.

Likewise, the same applies to the people who authorize the canon. Creators and writers (both official and fan) do owe their fans. Without fans, there's no fandom, no popularity, no fame, and (for the pros) no money. Rowling wouldn't have been a billionaire if Scholastic didn't entice the public and help create the gigantic Harry Potter fandom. Besides the gigantic TV revenue that's scheduled to begin in 2014 (about $1.5 billion from ESPN, TBS, and FOX altogether per year), one of the biggest reasons baseball players get millions of dollars is because fans pay a bunch of dough to sit and watch their favorite teams and players play (and if you're a market like LA; St. Louis; New York; and Boston, win).

6. "My mind is officially blown!" Obviously, Twilight.

7. Great animation, and the fighting sequences had nice action, humor, and tension. The fights were fast, yet paced well, and there was plenty of foreshadowing to the climax.

8. Conceptually, it was a breath of fresh air as far as Dash-centered episodes are concerned. While previous ones focused on her ego and sensitivity, this one focused Dash about how much she wants to put it aside and aid her idol. It was a change of pace for Dash and felt both in character and real for her.

9. Daring teasing Ahuizotl Owee-whoever-name-is and Dash's reaction were hilarious.

---

Weaknesses:

1. Some parts of the episode when there was no fighting felt rather quick. Not so much to disturb the plot (and seriously, the pace here is objectively better than Keep Calm and Flutter On), but enough to miss the plot points and confuse the viewers.

2. Dash played the fangirl too long. While she was shown a powerful lesson by inadvertently getting in Daring Do's way, she made up for it. And to be fair, she did think about what Twilight said to her as she followed her, talking back and forth about joining her idol and then doing the best she can to knock herself out cold after realizing she was behaving stupidly.

3. Up till the end, pretty much every pony minus Pinkie was in on the action. Rarity, Fluttershy, and Applejack were background ponies for the first sixteen minutes of Daring Don't. It would've been better if Dash, Twilight, and Pinkie were the lone characters of the Mane Six in this episode.

4. Daring Do was based on Indiana Jones, who welcomed help if needed (according to my research). While it backs up the book Dash read in RIaW (as well as her secret identity and remote location), DD, however, behaved similar to Batman and was out of character as far as the source material is concerned.

5. *rolls eyes at hearing the Wilhelm Scream*

6. The idea of Daring Do and her adventures being real and happening in a remote area in Equestria is contrived. It's just given to us, and the characters immediately believed it (despite the showing of how the books appeared to be written as "fiction").

Moreover, why didn't Yearling/Do try to smash the ring before Ahuizotl's henchmen showed up? And why were those rings so heavy, when Do was capable of carrying one big ring prior? There were plenty of inconsistencies as far as the plotting was concerned.

Overall, below-average to poor quality work. Definitely my most favorite Polsky episode, but Too Many Pinkie Pies is still his best in quality, and this is tied with (or worse than) Princess Twilight Sparkle (both halves) for the weakest episode this season.

P.S.: By the way…

Edited December 8, 2013 by Dark Qiviut

[crazitaco 596]

The episode itself was kinda eh (felt like one big poke from the writers regarding fan behavior), but I really love that Daring Do is an actual pony, and not just a made up character. That's so awesome! I hope they see her again.

And if all her adventures are real, that hugely expands the size of equestria. The Aztec temple region is apparently real, so are all the other places she's visited exist too!

Also, pony with Russian accent. Is there pony Russia too? This episode opens up a lot of questions for me.

 

I'm not much of a RD fan, but I liked hera bit more in this episode.

Edited December 7, 2013 by crazitaco

[Castle Bleck 19,167]

Castle Mane-ia was boring, but Daring Don't was actually pretty exciting and original-ish.

 

P.S.- Did they actually lampshade Daring X Ahuizotl?

Edited December 7, 2013 by Anti-Villain

[Megas 27,064]

P.S.: By the way…

Oh lord XD

 

I have to admit, I think the episode would have been just fine had it been just Twilight and Dash. Everypony else, maybe except Pinkie, just felt like extra legs.

[HeroBrony 36]

I personally liked this episode.  I loved it when Fluttershy asked everypony if they should go help Daring-Do.

 

8/10....

 

Oh and one more thing......   

 

"You could say that the secret ingredient is  ..... a Secret.....   "

Edited December 7, 2013 by Hero 194

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,705]

So all this time Daring Doo books were non-fiction?

[Just_Because 25]

Yesssss! My favourite from season 4 thus far! Last episode felt kinda lacklustre to me so I'm really happy that this one hit home.

 

Dash has a huuggee girl crush on Daring Do, eh? Notice the way she hugged and rubbed up all against her at the end? I know Dashie's sexuality can be a controversial topic among fans, but as a bisexual I think it would be really cool if MLP had an officially gay character, and who better than Rainbow Dash?

 

Also, when are we gonna have new Ingram songs?

[FNGRpony 655]

alright i'm watching the episode now,

and pro

I like rainbow fan boy...er fan girling it up,

con

is she a knock at us?  *cough*  Ow.

I mean well played by the writing staff but ow. OWwwww.

I felt really endeared to have rainbow dash act like a fan, and than she kinda went stalker fan.  I kinda love hate this.\

 

Hum obscene lengths to avoid fans,

 

Pinkie's best moment in season 4
"Maybe she's just an unbelievable slob!"

 

adorable sqee sound out of rainbow, should saw that coming.  God i love that sound, ....shut up don't judge me.

 

ooooo didn't see that twist coming. ....Wait the second part it taken down... FML!

okay now i feel like rainbow dash. stab your eyes hasbro, give me the rest of that episode.

 

oh wait found it all.  Woot.

 

okay i'm geeking out, i love this episode.

Okay i love nerd rainbow dash.

 

Will be re ranking her higher later.

 

okay nerd rainbow dash is going down a little with the hat thing lol.

Edited December 7, 2013 by FNGRpony

[galaxysquid 2,121]

There was so much fangirling in this episode.  This may be my favorite episode so far!

 

https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/12/7/492148__safe_solo_rainbow+dash_animated_cute_season+4_daring+don't_spoiler-colon-s04e04_dashabetes_swinging.gif

 

This episode was really nice. Daring Do's personality really matches Rainbow Dash's well. The part of the episode that made me laugh was when Twilight said, "My mind is BLOWN!" How awesome was that? XD

 

Although a problem I have with the episode is that the problem was solved in like 3 or 4 minutes. In my opinion, it should have gone on a little longer than what led up to it.

Edited December 7, 2013 by PrincessOfWinterWubs