S04:E08 - Rarity Takes Manehattan

[Slick Scootaloo 6]

Wow. Season 4 is cranking a lot of great episodes. This one is no exception. Rarity's singing was exceptional. I loved every time she sings "Generosity". 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

I thought it was decent, not the best episode they have produced, but certainly worth a look. And to agree with an earlier post, I found the tone kind of confused when Rarity seemed to almost abuse the help of her friends, but the episode focused on her generosity.  Other than that I found it entertaining. 

[Shawn Parks 1,798]

And to agree with an earlier post, I found the tone kind of confused when Rarity seemed to almost abuse the help of her friends, but the episode focused on her generosity.  

 

I think that a lot of people can relate to that situation.  Something in life is causing you stress, and you end up going against your personal values in trying to deal with it. 

[Techite Sparkle 354]

Torwards the middle of the episode I was a tiny bit worried on how Rarity was being portrayed. But in the end she came out as her greatly generous self ^-^

 

So all in all I guess I loved it

[Noodles 109]

I thought the episode was a wonderful Normal slice of life show with a bit of a tease at the end. some possibly to subtle little flashes that makes me think that the thread will have greater meaning latter. unlike the other endings that seem tacked on, this one was seem to have a more Elemental connection to Rarity

[Hyper Tumble 1,483]

I thought that Applejack's line at the end was pretty awesome, but a great episode nonetheless. Rarity was more than bearable, she learned a great lesson, and Coco Pommel was introduced. Also, Grumpy Cat cutie marks.

[Cstriker 737]

Love mah Rarity episodes. She generally gets the best songs, though of her songs this episodes wasn't my favorite, but still good. Overall the episode was AMAZING! Rarity is best pony in my book; generous, caring, passionate, and FABULOUS!

 

 

 

Great writing on the episode though and the pacing was great too. The antagonist was truly low to me (Suri Polomare), even more so then evil Discord or King Sombra. There is something about being a thief and dishonest. At least Discord (pre Fluttershy) and Sombra are honest about what they are.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Cstriker

[Batbrony 16,053]

 

Well, well, well, "Rarity Takes Manehattan", our first episode starring Rarity since "Sweet and Elite" way back in Season 2.  Before I get into the review proper, I suppose I should start things off by just coming out and saying that this was, by far, my favorite single shot episode of the season thus far, namely because more than any other Season 4 episode we've seen so far, "Rarity Takes Manehattan" especially captured the slice-of-life feel that embodied the majority of episodes in the first two seasons of MLP.  The problem, the situation, the lesson learned, they all felt like something one could encounter in the real world, and thus especially applicable to the audience.  This wasn't just things happening for the sake of things happening; here we had a story that we cared about and in which one could see elements drawn quite clearly from real world scenarios.  So let's get to the particulars, shall we?

 

 

First, let's begin with our star, Rarity.  To be honest, this was her best episode since "Suited For Success", maybe even her best episode ever.  Why?  Because it highlighted her element more than any episode has highlighted any other member of the Mane 6's element since Pinkie Pie's in "A Friend In Deed".  Generosity was, quite explicitly, THE subject of this episode from start to finish, and I loved every minute of it.

 

Now, I am not one of those bronies who constantly complains that Rarity before now has never lived up to her element, because that's total BS.  If you look, not even that hard mind you, you can find plenty of examples of Rarity's generosity in the show.  It's on display quite extensively in "Suited For Success", where Rarity goes out of her way to make dresses for all of her friends for the Grand Galloping Gala at no charge whatsoever, and plenty of other times since then Rarity has been generous with her time, efforts, and resources to her friends, most notably in style and fashion matters, though she obviously always accompanies her friends on plenty of adventures and quests for their own and Equestria's sake.  That said, the fact remains that it still has never been directly addressed as much as it was in this episode, and the only other member of the Mane 6 who hasn't had her element be the subject of an entire episode now is probably Applejack (because to be honest I cannot say that any of AJ's episodes ever have revolved around her honesty, not explicitly at least).

 

So then, back to the episode at hand, what makes Rarity work here, both in her strengths and shortcomings?  Well first of all, we really get an idea for Rarity's particular brand of generosity when we see her functioning in an environment that she aspires to be a part of, at least some day.  Rarity's is not a boundless generosity, that is, she doesn't give without cause, because to be honest, that's stupid.  True generosity can and should be economical.  What do I mean by that?  Not that one should do something and automatically expect something in return, but that one should do something for another that will clearly have positive results and because it is the right thing to do.  If it's something small, you don't have to think about it quite as much, you can just do it on the spot (like Rarity sharing her scarf with a chilled tourist or she and her friends fixing a cab's wheel), but if it's something big, you need to put more thought into it and guarantee that your efforts aren't put to waste (like Rarity going through all the trouble she did to get her friends tickets to Hinny of the Hills as thanks for their accompanying her and, later, for their helping her win the fashion show and forgiving her for her behavior).  Point is, generosity can and should be calculated, it shouldn't just be done because it's the right thing to do, and Rarity is almost always smart in her giving to others.  It's when she slips up that she loses her groove and the perfect balance between selfless and businesslike that she almost always strikes.

 

Early in the episode, Rarity's faith that her generosity to any and every pony can lead only to good things in return is, in fact, rewarded.  Ponies, both her friends and strangers, repay her for her kindness and selflessness, and it works to her advantage, and there's nothing wrong with that at all.  Unfortunately, Rarity's faith in the goodness of ponies goes too far when she gives her material to her competitor Suri Polomare, and in turn is stabbed in the back by Suri as a result.  At that point, her entire perception of generosity is thrown askew, and she adapts a cutthroat attitude instead in her quest to win and get back at Suri.  For awhile, she no longer gives of herself without expecting anything in return (even if good things do come her way usually as a result), but instead insists to her friends that if she does something for them, then they in turn are obligated to do something for her.  This "I scratch your back you scratch mine" attitude warps her into a jerk for a short time, but thankfully she realizes it, and in splendid fashion.  Just as everything seems to be going her way once more and she's on the brink of winning Fashion Week, Rarity realizes that her friends aren't there to enjoy it with her.  Believing they've rightfully chosen not to attend as a result of her decidedly ungenerous attitude, Rarity despairingly searches all of Manehattan for them, only to find them back at the fashion show, having slept in on accident.  While her friends agree that she took things too far, they also reiterate that they knew all along that that wasn't who she was, and that she really is the most generous of ponies.  Her lesson learned, Rarity concludes the episode more sure of herself and her generous spirit than ever before; she knows that, while you can't necessarily trust every pony, and so should be careful and smart in your generosity, that doesn't mean that you should on the other end of things expect something in return for generosity either.  While you should be smart about who you give of yourself to, you should also be selfless in your giving, not expecting anything in return.  If good things come your way as a result, great, but if not, you'll still have done the right thing, and that's all that matters.  Intelligence and economy can and should go hand in hand with selflessness in one's generosity; neither extreme should dominate, but rather balance each other out, and selfless but also business-savvy Rarity understands that for good by the end of the episode.  This lesson was both subtle, down-to-earth, and excellently delivered in probably the most well-paced single episode of the season thus far, and I cannot praise Dave Polsky enough on the outstanding job he did in the writing for this episode, especially for Rarity.

 

I'm being fabulous and nopony can stop me!   

 

Next, let's discuss the rest of the Mane 6.  Honestly, I thought this was the best single episode for the rest of the group as well this season.  They had a great time with Rarity in Manehattan, you saw the impact her generous spirit had made on all of them since they first met her, and most importantly, they proved themselves to be great friends.  They didn't help Rarity because she'd gotten them tickets for Hinny of the Hills, as she mistakenly believed at that point, but rather because she was their friend and needed their help.  They also readily forgave her for her shortness and ungenerous spirit because they knew she was both hurt by Suri's betrayal and super stressed because the future of her career in fashion could hinge on her performance in Fashion Week.  While the Mane 6 don't have the same natural generosity that Rarity has, they displayed both great generosity, as well as patience and forgiveness, for another reason entirely: because they're Rarity's friends!  This behavior highlights another lesson entirely; when it comes to friends, there should be no question at all about generosity, or any other good things your friends do for you.  Friends do things for each other not because they're looking for something in return, but because of friendship, because they're somebody else's friend, love him/her, and would do anything for them within reason.  True friends cannot and shouldn't take this generosity lightly or abuse it as Rarity does by demanding excessively of her friends, but at the same time they shouldn't assume that their friends need something in return either for generous behavior.  When it comes to friends, you shouldn't do something for them because they did something for you, or at least not entirely for that reason, but because they are your friend, because you love them and want to do kind things for them simply to show how much you appreciate their friendship.  Rarity gets this by the end when she gets her friends to see Hinny of the Hills, partly as thanks for their help and forgiveness, but largely because of their friendship alone.

 

As for new characters, let's talk about the few we got here.  First, Prim Hemline was pretty fun, sort of a fashionista version of Ms. Harshwhinny from the little we saw of her (I especially enjoyed her line "The rest of you must go home early, so sad.").  I wish she would've asked Suri how the heck she "made" that material that she stole from Rarity, since that might've revealed her fraudulence early on, but that's just a little pet peeve of mine that can be excused by plot convenience.  Suri Polomare was quite enjoyably unpleasant, something I'd been hoping to see for some time now.  MLP feels real when we get minor antagonists like her who are jerks, bullies, or just plain nasty, because the real world is full of people just like that.  Suri was a very appropriate foil for Rarity, what Trixie or Lightning Dust have been in the past for Twilight and Rainbow, respectively.  In fact, curiously enough she was kind of a mesh of those two characters; she had the ambition of Lightning Dust, but the fraudulence of Trixie.  All in all, she was a lot of fun to dislike, and to make it even better she had a hilarious accent, m'kay!    Finally, I simply have to talk about Coco Pommel!  Oh my goodness, this timid little filly was ADORABLE!!!   More than that, however, I loved the unspoken details about her character that simply resonated in her movements and physical behavior.  She clearly was a soft spoken pony with a lot of talent and ideas, but having allowed herself to be taken advantage of by Suri, she'd also clearly been bullied and pushed around by her for a long time, and even worse, convinced that the only way to get ahead in Manehattan was to be cutthroat and ruthless.  With Rarity's example, however, the greatest fruit of Rarity's generosity this episode was born in Coco finally mustering the courage to quit and take her talents elsewhere, trying to make a name for herself the right way once more.  On top of that, her gift of a rainbow spool of thread may very well play a role later on this season; I wouldn't say so considering how many cliffhangers we've already gotten, but Meghan McCarthy apparently suggested the spool might reappear later this season in a tweet following the episode, so now I'm not so sure, guess we'll just have to wait and see.  All in all, Prim was fun, Suri was unlikable but in a good way, and Coco was both adorable but even more importantly very well used the few times she appeared.

 

We're, like, the best of friends, or something, m'kay?

 

No we aren't.   

 

You, on the other hoof, are adorable!

 

*gasp* I am?

 

YES!!!

 

Finally, I have to mention that there were quite a few fun background ponies in this episode, both in speaking and nonspeaking roles.  The bellhop and receptionist were especially fun characters (that receptionist's accent was too funny!), and on top of that we got cameos from Dr. Whooves, Hoity Toity, Sapphire Shores, Photo Finish, Grumpy Cat pony (who made no sense but was quite funny to behold ), and even Fancy Pants and Fleur Dis Lee.  Definitely a great episode for the background ponies this week!

 

Both the humor and the adorableness in this episode were through the roof!  Rarity, as she should be in any major appearance, was on full display with about as much eccentricity, over-the-topness, and fabulosity as she could muster!  When she was happy, she was HAPPY, when she was sad, she was SAD, and at every single moment, she was FABULOUS!!!!    I can't really point to one single moment that stands out (although I was especially impressed by her pants and sobs interspersed throughout her tearful explanation of Suri's betrayal to her friends, that was just really high quality VA work on Tabitha's part); all around, Tabitha St. Germain delivered some amazing voice work as usual, and the animator's in turn brought that voice work to life with some stellar animation for our favorite equine fashionista.  The rest of the Mane 6 had their own moments as well, both in the cute and hilarious departments (although oddly enough, Fluttershy didn't really do anything cute).  Twilight had a cute/hilarious moment at the beginning when she got excited at the prospect of Rarity taking them to Hinny of the Hills, Rainbow's line about singing ponies killed, and AJ had both a hilarious moment with her bluntly honest appraisal of Rarity's behavior at the end, but also a cute moment when earlier on she displayed excitement at the prospect of getting their manes done at a salon (little moments like that, or AJ's massage at the spa in Season 2, that silently reinforce that she's not just a tomcolt, but actually does enjoy feminine or, if you will, "girly" activities, are very much appreciated on my part).  Besides our stars, there was plenty of cuteness and hilarity to be found in the supporting characters and background ponies, too much to list it all; overall, the episode was solid in the humor and cute departments.

 

Alright, onto the more aesthetic qualities of the episode.  First, I just HAVE to start with "Generosity".  This is seriously the best song we've had this season, and once more proves that Rarity has the finest singing voice of any of the Mane 6.  While I do wish she did sing more, at the same time I'm glad that her singing is such a rarity (pun totally intended  ) simply because that, in part, makes it even more enjoyable when she actually does sing.  However, the song wasn't just pleasant because of Rarity's singing.  It had a delightful tune as well, and we even got to hear some of the other Mane 6 sing to boot.  "Generosity" also expressed in song one of the Mane 6's elements more clearly than any other song in the show has since Pinkie sang "Smile", and while I can't quite put it on the same legendary level as that number, it certainly comes close in its quality.  I guess my only complaint would be about the lyrics; the lyrics themselves were fine, but in both the original number as well as the reprise, there were brief moments where it was sometimes hard to understand what words the singers were saying.  It wasn't that bad, but it happened enough times that it was noticeable, and it struck me as odd since the ponies are usually so easy to understand in song.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhu-k8JvhwM

BUCKING LOVE THIS SONG!!!

 

As for animation, everything was fluid and gorgeous as usual.  Rarity was very graceful in her movements, not to mention we got to see a lot of her magic at work (I don't know why but I always love seeing Rarity's magic; the light blue hue is very pleasing to the eye, and on top of that the ways she utilizes it just seem to really reflect her own natural grace to a T).  Most impressive of all in the animation, however, was Manehatttan itself.  I'd wanted to see so much more of this city since we first learned of it in "Cutie Mark Chronicles" back in Season 1, and its true debut here certainly did not disappoint!  There were plenty of nods to its real world counterpart, New York City, but at the same time it maintained its own unique look as well.  Overall, another hit out of the park on the animation team's part.

 

OK, that's just bucking gorgeous!

 

Alas, even in a picture perfect episode there were a few things that didn't work, albeit very, very few here.  Besides the difficulty I had understanding some of the lyrics in "Generosity", there were really only a couple other things that didn't work here for me.  Spike really didn't contribute anything to this episode aside from manual labor and comedic bits at his own expense, and this coming from a guy who thinks that most Spike-abuse is overblown by fans as it is.  Lastly, Rainbow's "aiiight" at the end was very, very, VERY cringeworthy, a decidedly uncool moment that just didn't feel like something she would ever say.  Besides those couple of things, however, I can't really think of anything else that particularly bothered me in this episode.  All in all, this was not a good, not even very good, but I think undeniably great episode!  It was a fantastic return to a starring role for Rarity, perfectly embodied what makes her such a great character in an excellently written, executed, and well-paced story, and had some great laughs, style, cuteness, music, and animation.  If I may, "Rarity Takes Manehattan" is extraordinarily generous in its outstanding qualities, containing something for, really, just about everyone. 

Edited January 9, 2014 by Batbrony

[clokkers 0]

Is it me or does raity not get as many chances as the other ponies?

[Radiance64 7,053]

You know, the more I listen to Generosity, the more I love it, heck I've memorized all the lyrics already. I daresay that it's even better than The Smile Song, I've really grown to love it a lot more than I did initially. Rarity's best song, ever, and both parts are probably the best part of the episode besides the closing moments

Is it me or does raity not get as many chances as the other ponies?

You mean episodes? This one was her first time center stage since S2, but I'd say it was one hell of a comeback. Edited January 10, 2014 by Radiance64

[Stick Shift 84]

Torwards the middle of the episode I was a tiny bit worried on how Rarity was being portrayed. But in the end she came out as her greatly generous self ^-^

 

So all in all I guess I loved it

I was a little worried too. I was hoping they weren't going to have the rest of the mane 6 just go back to Ponyville and then she would have to gain her friends respect back after only one mistake. I was glad they didn't go that route and went the way they did.

 

Overall I enjoyed the episode and it was nice to see Rarity get an episode.

[lomk 20,663]

Possibly my favorite episode of the season!

 

Definitely on my top 10

 

And the music was also amazing in this episode! With Applejack level honesty, I enjoyed every second of this episode!

[Life Giver 1,063]

Well I got to say this episode remains me why I still like Rarity.... her Generosity was finally shown again... 

[SapAppleJamer 7]

Did any one else notice that when thy went to fix the wheel during the song the cab had rainbows on it and was the only one with rainbows all episode.

 

I loved the song and keep singing it. there were a few holes in the plot though. One thing that I noticed is that you see spike at the beginning but after that he just kind of disappears. 

[lomk 20,663]

By the way, when Rarity fixed the wheel on the taxi, the first thing I thought of was when Ed and Al fixed that radio in Fullmetal Alchemist. 

 

Then I thought, "Rarity is an alchemist?!!"

[DubWolf 17,254]

I thought this episode was going to be about how Rarity turns into King Kong and takes some gal up to the Equestria State Building, only to be shot by airplanes, leading to her demise after 1400 feet. Then some guy that looks like Jack Black in pony form says, "beauty killed the beast".

 

Ahh finally a Rarity episode. I didn't think they needed to say "generosity" in the episode so much (guessing they knew the fans haven't seen much of it from Rarity lately) since she proved that early on. We definitely needed a refresher on who Rarity truly is. Since my English essay scores have always been below average. I'm going to just list other things I liked:

 

-We got to visit Manehattan (so many upset ponies in the background...and the carrot dog!)

-Rarity's ability to wing it by creating the Hotel Chic outfits (won't she have to return those eventually?)

-Coco Pommel!

-Rainbow Dash's unusual excitement 

-Hrmm, I forget, who cares, I liked it! This is probably my second favorite episode of season 4 (behind Flight to the Finish).

 

Also, Prim Hemline reminded me of Mrs. Harshwhinny.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Wingin'Wolf

[Cstriker 737]

You know, this is one of my favorite episodes (if not they favorite) with close runner ups of Suited for Success, Sweet and Elite, and A Dog and Pony Show (just my own opinion, and I really pretty much love all episodes as Pinkies are up there for me too with a Friend in Deed!).

 

The song lyrically was fantastic, great rythmic devices and Musical Form. It differs in structure from other songs following AAA,B   CCC, D  (Chord progression) A,B,A for the chorus and also allowing for a refrain later when she looses because of her generosity to Suri.

 

 

I know I said earlier it wasn't my favorite song, but after listening to it a couple of more times I like it even more now. What threw me off of it the first time watching and hearing it was the interactions with the background ponies like the bell hop...they interrupt the flow of the song and are not timed right. When I hear the "Smile Song" from a Friend in Deed, the song flows much better and the interruptions turn from interruptions by background ponies to part of the musical strucutre i.e. "My name is pinkie pie (Hello!)  And I am here to Say (How ya Doin'?)...You get the jist, they are bette incorporated into the song itself.

 

 

So my verdict of the song is that aftre multiple listenings...it is one of the best songs written, equal to me with the Smile Song. I just didn't care for the interruptions...yes they emphasize Rarity's generosity, but they didn't flow well with the song. This has increased now my opinion of the episode and has pushed it further up my chart as possibly the best Rarity episode ever! So, this recieves the Seal of Fabulosity!!! 

   

[UserNotFound 964]

I LOVED this episode xD Rarity is rapidly becoming one of my favourite ponies! I loved the song... the fact it was set in manehattan... I wanted an episode outside of the usual Canterlot, Ponyville, Everfree settings... Coco Pommel was adorable and Suri Polomare... I wanted to punch her... she was so mean! great episode

[Pixel Stick 927]

I thought this episode was going to be about how Rarity turns into King Kong and takes some gal up to the Equestria State Building, only to be shot by airplanes, leading to her demise after 1400 feet. Then some guy that looks like Jack Black in pony form says, "beauty killed the beast".

 

You mean something like this?

 

[Bashscript 10]

These were my 3 favorite lines of dialogue, the ones that really cracked me up:

 

 

 

Oh no you got this wrong.... there is a line when rarity is freaking out that her friends are going to watch rarity go down in flames.... Rarity says something like, "Oh look there our friend Rarity going down in flames, IT FRIENDSHIP MAGIC".... Best line of the season.

[Wingnut 6,988]

You know what I liked the most about Rarity Takes Manehattan? Of the first six standalone episodes this season, this is the first one focused on a Mane 6 character that wasn't an action or adventure flick of some sort. I don't mind the shift toward added excitement and intrigue. But Rarity Takes Manehattan shows why slice of life should continue to be the series' mainstay. This was also the first new Rarity episode we got to watch in over two years and it was well worth the wait!

 

Was the song "Generosity" a bit over the top? Yes, but by now you should expect that from Rarity. :comeatus: As usual, she has no problem with material generosity. She came prepared to give away gems and fabric. But the twist comes when Suri Polomare takes that gift and uses it against Rarity. To say the least, she is shocked, angry, and desperate. She quickly formulates a Plan B and uses her friends as slave labor to get the new fashion line ready in time for the show. Long story short, Rarity is once again in a bind and she's forced to choose between her friends and her career aspirations. But by the time the fashion show is over, she realizes a victory would be absolutely hollow if she lost her friends in the process. True generosity isn't giving away excess cash or possessions. It's giving of yourself, and Rarity learns she fell way short in this regard.

 

The crisis, thankfully, is short lived. Not only did Rarity make amends with the rest of the Mane 6 and win the show but she picked up a new apprentice in the process. Coco Pommel is as cute as a button and I can't wait to see more of her! And I have to agree with what others said: It appears that "relearning" your element will be the key to unlocking the mystery box by the end of the season.

 

There is an important lesson here. Kindness, generosity, etc. aren't always returned to us the way we'd expect. But that doesn't justify throwing those virtues away. Two wrongs don't make a right. It's not fair, but nobody ever said life is fair. We need to stick to the values we were raised with even if taking shortcuts look faster and easier. Due to the solid moral presented and a story that looks and feels true to MLP:FiM's roots, Rarity Takes Manehattan is my favorite episode of Season 4 so far.

 

One more thing. MLP:FiM shouldn't be faulted for including pop culture references. Every cartoon in this genre does it. But seriously, a cutie mark of Grumpy Cat makes almost no sense. I still think Tardar Sauce (Grumpy Cat's real name) is adorable though.   And I thought having six spools of thread representing each of the Mane 6 next to the rainbow one at the end was a nice touch too. 

Edited January 11, 2014 by Wingnut

[RuqyoHighsong 23]

Three words: WET. MANE. RARITY.

Me gusta. 83

 

Coco Pommel is obviously a nod to Coco Chanel, who started as a meagre assistant before taking the fashion industry by storm. Oh yeah, she got a perfume named for her too, no need to elaborate on that. By the by, Coco was super cute. I would not mind seeing her again (CONFOUND THESE PONIES, THEY ARE ALL SO PRETTY).

 

I really did not like the song. It felt very subpar and disjointed. To me it just felt as if Daniel Ingram was either uninspired or in a rush. Becoming Popular is a better Rarity pop song. The reprise in the rain was better than the first instance, though.

[roptiriolg 49]

Seems I missed to mention my view on that episode, probably because the site went down...

 

Well, as not much of a fan of Rarity, I didn't find the episode that special or interesting to me, especially since I like some adventure or action episodes. It was interesting to see another city, I wonder if this is smth new - I thought the time of MLP was 'medieval' like only a fantasy one with castles and magic, didn't know there is a whole city and urban world of MLP in more contemporary time. After Power Ponies, this is the 2nd episode that features the big city. Maybe it's nice I don't know..

[ninjamon102938 222]

Spike the DragoN, wow I guess Cathy Weseluck is really Near

[Acchan 232]

Meh, I'm not a huge Rarity fan. I personally loved Coco- she was cute. 6/10 on my epicness scale.