S04:E07 - Bats!

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

 

 

Overall, one of the best episodes of the entire series, ever, loved every single moment of it- Every. Single. Moment. 10/10

 

 

I'm a bit skeptical on giving this episode a perfect score. While it did leave quite the impression on me (Especially since it gave me Flutterbat) It does have it's flaws. 

[Starlight Lunamoon 109]

Bats! just aired and Flutterbat is now canon. Brace yourselves for more fanfics piling up! 

[Metemponychosis 1,236]

I have a question... During the song, when saying that the bats care for their young, Fluttershy uses "we"... "... just like WE ponies"

 

Shouldn't it have been "... just like US ponies"?

Edited December 28, 2013 by moonlightavenger

[Skye 463]

I liked this episode...but...was the whole Flutterbat thing is kind of odd to me.

LOVED the song. Oh my god. That SONG.

[Radiance64 7,051]

I'm a bit skeptical on giving this episode a perfect score. While it did leave quite the impression on me (Especially since it gave me Flutterbat) It does have it's flaws.

 

Yeah, I guess they could have used Spike better for instance, and perhaps they didn't need to reuse the 'AJ getting ready to buck apples in the morning' sequence again, which might have been a bit lazy on the animator's part, but in terms of pure entertainment value, the way the other characters were used, the lack of annoying dialogue for the most part(a la Daring Don't), and the overall look and feel of the episode, I think they perfectly nailed what they were going for with this episode, for me anyway, and that's why I loved it.

[Heatwave 177]

Ok, episode hasn't just barely ended. Level headed analysis:

Positives:

Flutterbat

Dat Song

AppleJack giving up prized apple to save friend

Dat suspenseful ending

Journal Entry Lesson

Pinkie Pie

Rainbow Dash's Cider Addiction

 

Negatives:

HOW fluttershy became Flutterbat

Mane 5 completely ignorant of Fluttershy's wisdom with animals, even though it should be obvious

Spikes "oh it was nothing" comment

 

Overall, I'd say this is my favorite episode of the season. I loved every second of it. it kept me in suspense, while still feeling like season 1 all over again.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Daring Bat

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

Oh, oh, alright, let's see what we have here...Um... Flutterbat, "Would somepony please think of the cider!" and Rarity panicking while wearing a decontamination suit... Lots of laughs... felt a tiny bit rushed, especially the conflict between Applejack and Fluttershy was a bit of a rush; I think it was simply too fast dealt with, but, you know, that's just usual pacing issues for you. And the song was... Naaaaah... It was okay, um... but I liked "Hearts Strong as Horses" more. Still a good episode, though. Not my favorite of this season so far, but good.

[Nomadic 210]

Ok, episode hasn't just barely ended. Level headed analysis:

Positives:

Flutterbat

Dat Song

AppleJack giving up prized apple to save friend

Dat suspenseful ending

Journal Entry Lesson

Pinkie Pie

Rainbow Dash's Cider Addiction

 

Negatives:

HOW fluttershy became Flutterbat

Mane 5 completely ignorant of Fluttershy's wisdom with animals, even though it should be obvious

Spikes "oh it was nothing" comment

 

Overall, I'd say this is my favorite episode of the season. I loved every second of it. it kept me in suspense, while still feeling like season 1 all over again.

Just because everyone keeps bringing it up. I actually found RD's mentioning cider after the first couple times actually rather annoying. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it the nod towards the show's continuity. The writers could of easily toned it back a bit on that, but instead they kept hammering in that RD REALLY likes her cider. 

[Renon Strike 67]

i also did find it funny that Pinkie Pie was smiling as she sang, i don't think she actually felt the same way as the others, she was just going along with the ride as usual.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Renon Strike

[Revertz 159]

The song was defiantly the highlight of the episode and Flutter bat was too cute!

[ghostfacekiller39 23,856]

Just because everyone keeps bringing it up. I actually found RD's mentioning cider after the first couple times actually rather annoying. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it the nod towards the show's continuity. The writers could of easily toned it back a bit on that, but instead they kept hammering in that RD REALLY likes her cider. 

I think it's more or less personal preference

 

I mean, I'm willing to bet, by that Cider line alone he's a Dashie fan; while the Cider thing grated on me a bit as well, if it were Rarity making a reference to something she had done in a previous episode, I would've fan-boy squee'd and then mentioned it in my 3,000 character long reply/review  

[Jokuc 8,172]

I liked the episode a lot! I like how there was a different kind of song and the episode was not ridiculous like power ponies. I liked the whole story of the episode too, that the bats are all bad and stuff, though I disliked how the others didn't listen to Fluttershy when she said it would make the trees grow. Many people act like that ._.

Pinkie Pie was so cute and funny in this episode x3

oh also, as others have said I'm not a big fan of the RD is obsessed with cider thing

[PoisonClaw 8,153]

When i first read the synopsis for this episode, I thought somepony would get bitten and turn into a vampire pony. Glad to see I wasn't too far of...

 

I really enjoyed the song this time around. I liked how Applejack and the others were draped in shadows, while Fluttershy was bright and colorful and looking for a more peaceful solution.

 

You think Twilight would learn by now about using spells that completely and utterly alter the physical and mental make-up of something as complex as a living creature. Last time she tried this, the town ended up being devoured by parasprites, so did anyone really think this plan was going to go off without a hitch? Actually, it feels like Twilight is being given every possible chance this season to show off how much she's powered up since her ascension. Whether that's a good or bad thing I can't really say.

 

And now we get to the "mane" event: Flutterbat. I could have never guessed that a show about colorful ponies could manage to be so terrifying. Seeing the sweet and innocent turned into something as scary as a Vampire Bat-Pony was straight up nightmare fuel, not helped by the constant use of shadows in this episode to add to the eerie factor. Though I have no idea why they felt the need to zoom in on her ear changing when that never came into play before she was changed back. 

 

About that last shot though...I think the show writers are just trolling us by this point. They know we've wanted something like a season long arc for a while now and would look way too far into everything (as we tend to do) so I have no doubt that they're just leaving as many loose threads dangling for us to bat at (pun unintended I assure you) and go 'What does it mean?" while never planning to give any kind of resolution. We know the box will get answered because it's directly tied to the plot, but as for the Pony of Shadows, the existence of an Enchanted Comic Book Store and now Fluttershy still having a fang will never be answered and may in fact be nothing more than red herrings meant to distract us from anything really important.

 

Regardless, I can't find much at fault with this episode. This was a solid episode through and through and very much I enjoyed it. Though I have to wonder: if the vampire fruit bats don't eat apples anymore...what do they eat now? Has Twilight possibly doomed a species to starvation? We never saw her change them back like we did Fluttershy, unless this was just one big reversal and now the bats like apples again.   

Edited December 28, 2013 by PoisonClaw

[dekutree64 711]

OH SNAP! Fluttershy has retained an aspect of the bat? That is... foreboding. And also awesome. I have a feeling this is connected to the pony of shadows at the end of Castle Mania, and perhaps the mystery box too. I love this sort of Halloweenish vibe, and Flutterbat's design was great. The song was good too, definitely better than the last one. And Pinkie's "fruit bat roundup" was hilarious I find it amusing that both of Meghan's episodes this season feature short variations of Winter Wrap Up.

 

The conflict felt a little bit forced to me, with both sides going overly extreme. Also the resolution, with Applejack sacrificing the prize apple just as bait. Why not just use a basket of regular size apples? After Rarity admiring herself in it earlier, I thought they were going to use the apple as a mirror to reflect the stare's effects. But no, they had plenty of mirrors.on hand -_-

 

Pinkie's burrowing was pretty funny too. And after seeing that cross section of the ground, Applejack better count herself lucky that Rarity has never used her gem finding spell while at the apple farm

 

Loved the callback to season 2 with Rainbow's cider addiction Maybe Pinkie has been trying to help her all along, by drinking it all up before she can hurt herself with it

 

I also liked the callback to last episode's plot with Spike feeling useless. Maybe he's heading toward a major change this season, no longer feeling content living in Twilight's shadow?

 

Speaking of Twilight... for a magical genius, her spells sure don't actually solve problems very often. But I guess it's a good lesson, that doing things the easy way often has unintended side effects. And the actual spell casting scene was pretty cool. Fluttershy seems to have gained full control of her stare, doing it on command in this as well as Keep Calm and Flutter On. Not sure how I feel about that... I kind of liked the more mystical aspect to it in Stare Master, and it would have been funny if she unintentionally used it on Applejack during their arguing instead, since she's the one who Fluttershy really wanted to control.

 

Come on youtube, I need to watch it again

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

Yeah, I guess they could have used Spike better for instance, and perhaps they didn't need to reuse the 'AJ getting ready to buck apples in the morning' sequence again, which might have been a bit lazy on the animator's part, but in terms of pure entertainment value, the way the other characters were used, the lack of annoying dialogue for the most part(a la Daring Don't), and the overall look and feel of the episode, I think they perfectly nailed what they were going for with this episode, for me anyway, and that's why I loved it.

I was going more along the lines of how everyone went with Applejack considering Fluttershy was the animal expert.

 

Especially since after Keep Calm and Flutter on you'd think the others would at least give Fluttershy's idea a shot at the beginning.

[Nomadic 210]

I was going more along the lines of how everyone went with Applejack considering Fluttershy was the animal expert.

 

Especially since after Keep Calm and Flutter on you'd think the others would at least give Fluttershy's idea a shot at the beginning.

I think the biggest issue with it was actually, how quickly they rejected Fluttershy's side. I mean it seemed out of character for some of them just to jump on to Applejack's bandwagon without fully hearing Fluttershy's argument. I'm probably expecting way too much out of an half-an-hour episode though.

[DerpyTacos99 115]

Wow, just wow, so far each episode of Season 4 has brought with it a new level of awful, but this just takes the cake. That episode was just so horrible that I'm giving up on this series. Time to throw away all of my merchandise. I'm not sure I'll ever get the bad taste of this episode (and the rest of Season 4) out of my mouth for as long as I live.

[Envy 5,994]

This was a great episode that felt more like earlier episodes. That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed the episodes so far. I personally haven't found any of the episodes from this season to be weak. I just think that this is the best so far. Although I do have to admit that the Flutterbat concept was a bit strange to see in a cartoon aimed toward little girls.

 

Pinkie Pie's random bright and cheery smiley face during that part in the song was hilarious... Classic Pinkie Pie.

 

I wasn't at all bothered by Rainbow Dash's obsession with cider. I found it amusing and consistent with her attitude in the cider episode.

 

Although I do find it strange that Fluttershy was completely on her own in her viewpoint.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Envy

[Radiance64 7,051]

I was going more along the lines of how everyone went with Applejack considering Fluttershy was the animal expert.Especially since after Keep Calm and Flutter on you'd think the others would at least give Fluttershy's idea a shot at the beginning.

Yeah, I guess, I'm thinking they just really didn't like the bats and just wanted to get rid of them, but I didn't think the plan they went with was so bad at first. They did go with what she wanted to do after the whole shebackle though.

[Forlong 1,725]

Best Applejack episode, EVER!  I like that they make AJ like Rabbit from the Winnie the Pooh cartoons.  More info in my first impressions video:

 

I enjoyed it and hope the rest of you did too.

[FadedSkies 1,874]

Well heres the song from the episode

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjkmV7HiUf4

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

This one was tied with Flight to the Finish for favorite of the season so far, though IMO the moral wasn't done all that well but goddamn the episode was just too much freaking fun for me to care about that. And the song was great too, very Tim Burton movieish. 

And I don't even like Fluttershy but Flutterbat was hilarious and great.

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

I think the biggest issue with it was actually, how quickly they rejected Fluttershy's side. I mean it seemed out of character for some of them just to jump on to Applejack's bandwagon without fully hearing Fluttershy's argument. I'm probably expecting way too much out of an half-an-hour episode though.

Yeah that's what I'm getting act. Maybe If they tried Fluttershy's method and failed it would've went differently but I guess when Fluttershy first confronted the bats and failed the others decided to jump on With Applejack since the bats won't be convinced so easily.

 

For the episode's sake they were playing hard ball.

Yeah, I guess, I'm thinking they just really didn't like the bats and just wanted to get rid of them, but I didn't think the plan they went with was so bad at first. They did go with what she wanted to do after the whole shebackle though.

Yeah but to be fair Fluttershy's initial confrontation with the bats didn't go well so maybe the others just thought they can't convince them that way.

 

Still though the plan was kind of messed up. Brainwashing seems to be a recurring idea within the group.

Edited December 28, 2013 by Tyler Blu Gunderson

[Tropical Flower 39]

Is an HD version out yet ? I really want to see

EDIT: NVM 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp4A9rpipYo

Edited December 28, 2013 by Tropical Flower

[The Crystal Maiden 221]

I loved this episode! The song was my favourite one of the season so far, and I really like how they've finally done an episode that focuses on Applejack and Fluttershy's friendship.

But oh my god, Fluttershy being a vampire!! I wasn't expecting that, haha. xD It was quite creepy, but really cool at the same time.