S04:E18 - Maud Pie

[DubWolf 17,248]

I liked the episode. I'm a little unsure about Pinkie Pie's family since I don't recall ever seeing Maud Pie before in any of Pinkie Pie's flashbacks. Although according to the wikia, she is Pinkie Pie's third older sister, so she isn't seen in Cutie Mark Chronicles. Unless however, they are suggesting that Maud Pie is actually one of these two fillies (Limestone and Marble Pie), but this was disproved by the wikia anyways:

 

 

Setting that ambiguity aside, Maud Pie could have been named "Mild Pie" and that almost could have worked fine  . She did have an intense interest in rocks and well....in a nutshell, she was a very expressive indifferent pony (oxymorons!).

 

Other things to point out:

-"Hmm, sedimentary."

-So that's what a bored Gummy looks like.

-Thousands?!?! of rock poems?!?!

-That poor apple has been smashed.

-Maud Pie is very powerful, especially with rocks and when somepony (Pinkie Pie) is in danger.

-Thank you Apple Jack for your honesty about the group's mutual feelings about Maud Pie.

-How did Pinkie Pie put that giant boulder...I mean pebble (well hey! Maud Pie's pebble was named "boulder"!) on top of the hill?

-D'awww Maud Pie loves Pinkie Pie even though we can't see her be expressive about it!

 

This episode rocked! *drum beat and cymbal beat* I'm surprised it wasn't an option for the poll provided.

 

 

Awwe we never got to see her cutie mark (as far as I could tell from one viewing).

 

It's probably a rock...a grey rock.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Super80 Wolf

[Appleloosa 90]

Late to the comments so everything Im about to say has probably been said before. But I actually loved Maud's character! Great color scheme, interesting look, and new personality. Although she seemed like a b***h at times in her responses, she puts family above all, and honestly, this new personality really refreshes the show for me!

[cuteycindyhoney 13,306]

I really like it! It was a good episode, Maud was very funny (especially the poetry!) She wasn't as bland as I first thought, she had some good moments, my only problem was that the resolution wasn't as fulfilling some of the other episodes. Just a side note, I thought the outfit that Maud was wearing when she saved Pinkie was pretty creative.

I liked the resolution. While Maud didn't like candy, she did save every single necklace Pinkie sent her. She also took the trouble to carry the collection with her while traveling. That shows she thought of them as something worth keeping. Maud also showed emotion for the only time in the episode, when her expression softened and she smiled slightly while telling Twilight she loves Pinkie Pie. I thought that was the perfect ending.

Edited March 17, 2014 by cuteycindyhoney

[Metemponychosis 1,260]

So, I've re-watched the episode a few times. Read some opinions... I always do that. 

 

And turns out I like this episode more than I realized. I think I like how passionate is Maud even though she is so "moderate" on the outside. And I liked how the girls decided against taking part in the rock candy thing because they felt it would be wrong for them to take part in it. And I can take, with a grain of salt, that they are now capable of taking part in Pinkie and Maud's tradition because they realize that they all love Pinkie so much.

 

The humor, I still feel, comes mostly from the awkwardness of the girls interactions with Maud, but I get the feeling that it's mostly because they are not used to Maud and can't read her reactions as well as Pinkie. This was powerful for me... Pinkie understands her big sis in a way that only she and the rest of the family can. Just awesome, DHX.

 

There is something that I really didn't like: when Rarity asked her what her clothes were saying and Maud tells her that it doesn't talk... It's a dress. Oh, come on... You know what she means, Maud. Don't be a jerk. She ended up coming up as a jerk ratter than somepony that lives in her own world and has her own interests. and them she eats a rock? Or a crystal? I'm really hopping that happens to be one of the special rocks used to make the rock candies.

 

What really bothered me in this episode was the way Maud's abilities were shown. I mean... She turned a rock into a the equivalent of a balefire bomb by throwing it. It rubbed me the wrong way and I'll explain why later. After that, she rushes to rescue her sister in a way that just rubbed me in the wrong way again, but mostly because the other were just there gasping like idiots. It drove me right back to the Mane Six standing like dolts as Celestia got her flank kicked by Chrysalis and them as Daring Do was being beaten by those ponies in Daring Don't. Maud hit me HARD with the Black Hole Sue... Tell me if I'm wrong guys, because this is the thing preventing me from loving this episode that I now like.

[Music Chart Fan 819]

My overall reaction to this episode is that it's awkward and weird. I don't really understand the enthusiasm about Maud; perhaps she's supposed to be relatable as an introverted character who has deep interests/feelings yet isn't open about them, but she often comes across as just not knowing or not caring about social conventions or the Mane Six's time and effort spent trying to get to know her. Twilight's solution that Maud and the Mane Six are friends because they all care about Pinkie doesn't make much sense to me. The running joke that "the Mane Six and Maud are awkward with each other!" played out a little too often throughout the episode. Finally, it's rather frustrating that much of the conflict of the episode can be traced back to Pinkie: Pinkie's overzealous and inexplicable attempts to get Maud and the Mane Six to be best friends, Pinkie's misleading of the Mane Six about Maud's interests, Pinkie's failure to address (or maybe even notice) the awkwardness between Maud and the Mane Six, and the Mane Six's having to make futile efforts to befriend Maud and pretend to like her just because Pinkie can't handle them not being best friends.

 

Of course, probably the biggest problem in the whole episode is that Pinkie is trying to get her best friends Maud and the Mane Six to become each others' best friends. To this end, she tries to come up with things that Maud likes which the Mane Six like, also. But in doing this, Pinkie misleadingly describes Maud's interests in ways which, while they might technically be true, are only true in a narrow sense or in some manner that isn't how the Mane Six (and the audience) would understand it. So, Pinkie and Maud say that Maud is really into expressing herself through her wardrobe, but we only see her wear one outfit the whole time, which presumably expresses the same thing every time. Maud is into reading and poetry, but only her own works. Maud likes playing games, but the game she has the Mane Six play isn't very enjoyable to them. If Pinkie had been more clear about Maud's interests, or if the Mane Six had asked for more details before Maud arrived, then a lot of the issues with awkwardness and not liking the activities Maud does could have been avoided.

 

Throughout the episode, and especially during one-on-one time, Pinkie accompanies Maud, and thus should be seeing the awkwardness between Maud and the Mane Six, but she doesn't ever alleviate it, and may not even be aware of it, if her reaction to the Mane Six telling her that they're not best friends with Maud is any indication. The only thing Pinkie does is make more of the same misleading (yet arguably true) statements which imply connections that aren't really there, which in turn force the Mane Six to feign enjoyment and enthusiasm. A similar criticism could be made of Maud. The Mane Six act uncomfortable around her, and futilely try to bond with her even though it may not be enjoyable for them, yet Maud doesn't address these things as they're happening. She only says something at the end of the episode, when she mentions that she doesn't show enthusiasm in the same way Pinkie does (or really in any easily discernible way). This statement would seem to indicate that she was aware earlier of the awkwardness and potential misunderstanding, so why not say something about it then? Why not try to be nice, acknowledge the Mane Six's attempts to bond with her, and either try to reciprocate those efforts or let them know that they're not working so that the Mane Six can save their efforts?

 

One thing that I found a bit annoying about all of this is that the Mane Six feel obligated to keep hopelessly trying to connect with Maud and pretend to be enthusiastic about it, even as they obviously aren't, because Pinkie is too emotionally fragile and can't handle being told that her dream of the Mane Six and Maud becoming best friends is misguided and unrealistic. When the Mane Six do muster the willpower to tell Pinkie this, she first acts totally oblivious, but then does the whole routine with the deflated mane and acting like she's about to cry. Of course, this consequently makes the Mane Six feel guilty and (most likely) worried that she'll go off the deep end and do something crazy, which she does. I sure hope the Mane Six love having a friend whom they feel like they have to lie to, walk on eggshells around, and do fruitless and unenjoyable things for, all because they can't hurt her feelings without going on a guilt trip and worrying that she'll get too upset and do something stupid.

 

Now for some other miscellaneous observations:

 

When Pinkie is coming back with Maud from the train station, Pinkie goes far ahead of Maud and leaves Gummy with her so she doesn't get lost. Why doesn't Pinkie stay with Maud, talk to her, and show her around herself, especially considering how excited she was about the visit?

 

Rainbow Dash is understandably astounded and frustrated that Fluttershy (and others) are treating Maud's pet rock as though it has a personality, yet Rainbow Dash twice refers to Maud's pet rock using "he" instead of "it", even though Boulder's "gender" would solely be a construct of its personality.

 

When everyone is playing "Camouflage", how is it that Boulder was hiding in Maud's pocket the whole time? How was the game supposed to work? Did Maud say she was going to hide Boulder, but didn't? Or did Maud say that Boulder was going to go hide somewhere, and it (obviously) didn't move? Did Maud tell the Mane Six a general area to look in? Did she really expect the Mane Six to search for Boulder in her clothes, invading her personal space? This is another example of how Maud doesn't seem to know or care about social conventions or wasting the Mane Six's time and effort.

 

After Pinkie gets all depressed about Maud and the Mane Six not being best friends, Fluttershy suggests that maybe they should have just pretended they were friends with Maud, but I think it was better for them to stop the charade as soon as possible. If they didn't, they might very well have had to keep it up for the rest of their lives, and the longer they kept pretending, the harder it would be (and the stupider they would look) to come clean about it down the road.

 

In making and describing the obstacle course, Pinkie uses pretty crude caricatures of what the Mane Six like.

 

Why does the rock slide at the end of the obstacle course need a giant precariously-perched rock on top? Even if they're supposed to slide down the rocks on it, why couldn't it have been secured better at the top of the pile?

[Stancet 688]

@, 

 

Well... I'm not going to tell you you're wrong without good reason. You're right, Maud doesn't seem at all likable and there doesn't seem reason enough to tolerate her behavior. But, she did save Pinkie's life. At least everypony was honest in admitting they would not make good friends. The ending climax though doesn't bother me. Try to imagine how they're going to edit the shot if the Mane Six tried rushing to help Pinkie while Maud is, at the same time, already ahead of them. I'm only guessing they wrote this scene that way for simplicity sake. 

Edited March 17, 2014 by Stancet

[Cerbyrus 63]

I loved this episode. Maud is just... awesome. And I've noticed Pinkie is a complete screambox in Mane 6/Other Ponies' Episodes this season, yet in her own episodes she is this amazingly well-written character. Honestly, along with Rarity Takes Manehattan, Pinkie Apple Pie and Pinkie Pride this was the best episode of the season yet.

 

And I don't even like Pinkie that much

[Castle Bleck 19,333]

So, I'm browsing around, when all of a sudden, I find this:

 

 

And then I'm like:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHYj7dffBT4

 

See what I did there?

Edited June 10, 2014 by A.V.

[Metemponychosis 1,260]

 

 

When everyone is playing "Camouflage", how is it that Boulder was hiding in Maud's pocket the whole time? How was the game supposed to work? Did Maud say she was going to hide Boulder, but didn't? Or did Maud say that Boulder was going to go hide somewhere, and it (obviously) didn't move? Did Maud tell the Mane Six a general area to look in? Did she really expect the Mane Six to search for Boulder in her clothes, invading her personal space? This is another example of how Maud doesn't seem to know or care about social conventions or wasting the Mane Six's time and effort.

 

 

Boulder pissed me off. It was funny the first time and given the magic nature of Equestria, I can live with the idea of a rock that is somewhat sentient.

But when Maude told them that it was hiding in her pocket, I just... "She's mocking the Mane Six, right?"

 

People have pointed out that Boulder ate the sandwich she put it near, but I call continuity error because none of the characters acknowledged that.

 

I think you're right. Maybe the problem is that the writer had trouble balancing the two things he/she was trying to do: make Maud different/exotic and make her relatable to someone very introverted.

[Photon Jet 5,491]

You know, Maud Pie reminds me of Yuki Hagato from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya because of her personality and how she speaks. Well...except the fact that she smashes through rocks.

[roptiriolg 49]

Meh, it was ok. And that's the first  time I give that low to an episode. It was okay but also as not being a big fan of Pinkie Pie, and since nothing much happened in this episode, that's for me. But I like Maud's personality and look, very female One expected in the end of the episode she would show some emotion and maybe that's what they wanted to make viewers expect, but she remained as she was.

[Pixel Stick 927]

My opinions on this episode are pretty mixed - for the most part, I'm going to point to @@Music Chart Fan's post above and go "What he said".

 

I felt this episode was pretty awkward - which is appropriate, given the plot is about awkward moments where some ponies don't always become the best of friends.  But it felt muddled, mostly by Pinkie's over-the-top antics - the two episodes that previously touched on this (Griffon the Brush-Off and A Friend In Deed) both addressed this issue much more elegantly, IMO.

 

I feel like this episode is "just there".  I was kinda hoping and expecting that Maud would have a little bit of Pinkie's zaniness as well, but instead the writers went the total antithesis route, making Maud's personality as much a polar opposite of Pinkie's as possible.  Unfortunately, this extreme worked a bit against the episode - I honestly didn't find Maud to be at all likeable, and the only reason she had any real validity as a character IMO was because she was Pinkie's sister.  I know to some extent this was what the writers were going for, but again, I felt like there was just... nothing there.  (My wife commented that Maud reminded her of her brother's ex-girlfriend, who was similarly bland.)

 

A couple minor notes, btw: When Rainbow Dash got exasperated over the fact that Maud's pet rock was in her pocket the whole time, I said, "Yeah, I'm with Dash on that one."  And I realized shortly after the episode that Maud's appearance and the way she spoke reminded me of some of the Crystal Ponies in The Crystal Empire when they were still under Sombra's influence.

Edited March 17, 2014 by Pixel Stick

[Nine 707]

I can only think of one other significant side character we've had who was subdued and/or introverted without being grouchy, like Gilda or Cranky Doodle. The closest analogue I think we've seen is Zecora; a character who wasn't bad, just different. Incidentally, it's interesting what the mane six are initially tolerant of/hostile towards (fruit bats anyone?) 

 

I remember after A Friend in Deed (Cranky ep) hearing from a lot of people that they'd wished Pinkie and Cranky hadn't reconciled, and that "sometimes people just aren't compatible as friends but you don't have to be enemies" had been the lesson. In a show where friendship is magic, I don't know that anyone should expect that magic to fail, at least not for long (looking at you Discord).

 

I think that Maud Pie was that episode, sans the positive spin that I think is necessary. For Maud to just get on the train and leave and that be the end of it would have been a pretty lousy ending. But when she said that she just didn't think that she and the rest of the mane 6 were likely to be friends, that struck the chord missing from A Friend in Deed. When the episode ended, she and the mane 6 still weren't really friends, but they do have a common bond in Pinkie, and in the end the lesson is about relating to other people through the magic of friendship, but indirectly instead of directly.

 

And I think that's a pretty good lesson.

[GoldenCal 52]

Talk a bit about deadpan humour needless to say I quite like the change in style of this episode although this was always going to be a risky one, Given the reception i'd say it was a risk worth taking

[Cirrus. 1,089]

 

People have pointed out that Boulder ate the sandwich she put it near, but I call continuity error because none of the characters acknowledged that.

 

 

Boulder "eating" the sandwich was just the animators having fun. The mane 6 were too worried with Maud eating the rock anyway. I wonder if Maud's cutie mark of Tom was actually written, or if one of the animators did that as a joke. It really is though.

Edited March 17, 2014 by steve88

[Metemponychosis 1,260]

Boulder "eating" the sandwich was just the animators having fun. The mane 6 were too worried with Maud eating the rock anyway. I wonder if Maud's cutie mark of Tom was actually written, or if one of the animators did that as a joke. It really is though.

Doesn't really change anything. The fact still remains that I don't know if I was supposed to believe the freaking rock jumped in her pocket or she was just being a jerk.

 

Her cutie mark is another thing that really means nothing. I suppose I can imagine the animators did that because they thought it would be funny or because they re-used an asset. (not sure if it works this way). Either way, it doesn't bother me.

[Singe 2,111]

Giving Maud Pie a collection of rocks from various regions would likely be the best gift she'll accept.

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

I finally saw the episode.

I enjoyed it, but I'm not quite sure WHY.

 

I'm not smitten with Maud like some might be. And her interactions with the other Mane 6 were so awkward and uncomfortable, a feeling I have NEVER had any tolerance for. But I do like her design and her relationship with Pinkie Pie, especially when she saved her and hugged her on the train. It was adorable.

EDIT: Plus Maud is just more evidence that Earth ponies are, on average, incredibly strong.

Particularly farm working ones like the Apples and the Pies.

Edited March 18, 2014 by ShadOBabe

[Singe 2,111]

Pinkie Pie: Maud is really good at telling stories.

Spike: Okay. *Gets cozy in his bed.*

Maud Pie: One time, there was a dragon named Goliath rampaging through a village. So David took a rock he found on the ground and threw it at the dragon. The rock went through the front of its head and out the back. Goliath kneeled over and withered in agony for minutes... Then he died.

Spike: O_O;

Pinkie Pie: Ah! You sugar coated over the most gruesome part.

Maud Pie: He's still a baby, Pinkie.

Pinkie Pie: No way. Come on Spike, I'm sure you want to know how Goliath felt as that rock...

Spike: *Shivering.* No, thanks. I'm tired now. Good Night.

Pinkie Pie: Okay, good night. *Leave*

Maud Pie: Don't let the rocks bite. *Leave*

Spike: Rocks don't bite. *Sees Boulder on the floor by his bed.* AH!

[GrimCW 658]

lol interesting episode I must say, though I wonder if someone will whine about the "nazi" helmet she ended up with and have the episode's digital and disc releases censored :/

 

Also.. anyone else notice her name was ONE letter away from being "Mud"... heh...

Mud Pie!....

[CM Pony 30]

My overall reaction to this episode is that it's awkward and weird. I don't really understand the enthusiasm about Maud; perhaps she's supposed to be relatable as an introverted character who has deep interests/feelings yet isn't open about them, but she often comes across as just not knowing or not caring about social conventions or the Mane Six's time and effort spent trying to get to know her. Twilight's solution that Maud and the Mane Six are friends because they all care about Pinkie doesn't make much sense to me. The running joke that "the Mane Six and Maud are awkward with each other!" played out a little too often throughout the episode. Finally, it's rather frustrating that much of the conflict of the episode can be traced back to Pinkie: Pinkie's overzealous and inexplicable attempts to get Maud and the Mane Six to be best friends, Pinkie's misleading of the Mane Six about Maud's interests, Pinkie's failure to address (or maybe even notice) the awkwardness between Maud and the Mane Six, and the Mane Six's having to make futile efforts to befriend Maud and pretend to like her just because Pinkie can't handle them not being best friends.

 

Of course, probably the biggest problem in the whole episode is that Pinkie is trying to get her best friends Maud and the Mane Six to become each others' best friends. To this end, she tries to come up with things that Maud likes which the Mane Six like, also. But in doing this, Pinkie misleadingly describes Maud's interests in ways which, while they might technically be true, are only true in a narrow sense or in some manner that isn't how the Mane Six (and the audience) would understand it. So, Pinkie and Maud say that Maud is really into expressing herself through her wardrobe, but we only see her wear one outfit the whole time, which presumably expresses the same thing every time. Maud is into reading and poetry, but only her own works. Maud likes playing games, but the game she has the Mane Six play isn't very enjoyable to them. If Pinkie had been more clear about Maud's interests, or if the Mane Six had asked for more details before Maud arrived, then a lot of the issues with awkwardness and not liking the activities Maud does could have been avoided.

 

Throughout the episode, and especially during one-on-one time, Pinkie accompanies Maud, and thus should be seeing the awkwardness between Maud and the Mane Six, but she doesn't ever alleviate it, and may not even be aware of it, if her reaction to the Mane Six telling her that they're not best friends with Maud is any indication. The only thing Pinkie does is make more of the same misleading (yet arguably true) statements which imply connections that aren't really there, which in turn force the Mane Six to feign enjoyment and enthusiasm. A similar criticism could be made of Maud. The Mane Six act uncomfortable around her, and futilely try to bond with her even though it may not be enjoyable for them, yet Maud doesn't address these things as they're happening. She only says something at the end of the episode, when she mentions that she doesn't show enthusiasm in the same way Pinkie does (or really in any easily discernible way). This statement would seem to indicate that she was aware earlier of the awkwardness and potential misunderstanding, so why not say something about it then? Why not try to be nice, acknowledge the Mane Six's attempts to bond with her, and either try to reciprocate those efforts or let them know that they're not working so that the Mane Six can save their efforts?

 

 

Personally the reason I think I like Maud is that she reminds me of Steven Wright, one of my favorite comedians.  The monotone voice and the obvious observations are amusing because they sort of point out that many of us tend to really over think the simplest things.

 

Also, I don't really think Pinkie Pie mislead anyone about Maude.  I just think she sees Maude as she is.  Wearing only one draboutfit all the time qualifies as her extremely expressing herself through her outfit.  Maude for the most part has a very non dynamic personality.  Just because some may see this as off putting doesn't negate the fact that it is a true statement.  Pinkie doesn't see compare Maud against another backdrop of personalities, she judges everyone based off their own personalities, so her description of Maud expressing herself through her wardrobe is very accurate.  As far as the poetry and games went, all of the characters were trying too hard to please her and really should have shared their own things.  Maud's reaction is very likely going to be the same for everyone.

 

I think one of the reasons it is important for Pinkie to have her friends like Maud is because Pinkie is so personable and has interacted often with the family of her friends.  Not all of her friends, I know but she has shown to value familial relationships.  She was so happy to think she was a member of the Apple Family and that makes sense because they are such a loving bunch.  She has been witness to the close connection of Twilight and Shining Armor and Cadence, the remarkable relationship between Rarity and Sweetie Belle... it only makes sense that if she values her sister as much as she does that she would want her friends to love her the way she loves their family.

 

And yeah, there was a lot of discomfort when the mane 6 were trying to relate and be friends with Maud, but that's just real life.  I have many times been in uncomfortable company with people to make my friends and family happy.  They are important to me and their family is important to them, so it's the least I can do.

 

Oh and I am not trying to say any of your points are not valid because they all are  Just wanted to throw my thoughts in.

 

As far as my own view of the episode, I have to say it is now my favorite of this season.  Season 3 was so bad for Pinkie that it is good to see her get some good episodes in this season.  I enjoyed Maud's monotone and her matter of fact personality.  I love watching what friends will do for each other if it is important for them.  Definitely the best of the season.

[Ianpiersonjdavis 512]

In all honesty I was expecting to either hate this episode or be incredibly bored by it after noting the Pie family's characteristics from 'Cutie Mark Chronicles'.

 

But, I was glad to see that this is probably one of my favorite episodes of this Season as well as one that made me laugh a lot-especially since Maud's personality is the opposite of Pinkie's (I can't take too much Pinkie Pie in one sitting-too hyper) and it's good to see that her sister is a bit more chilled out.

 

Maybe it was because of her attitude, her coat, her mane, and her monotone voice-but, she reminded me a lot of Raven from Teen Titans.

[PrymeStriker 408]

Overall, Maud is awesome. 

[kageyuki 59]

my mom loves Pinkie Pie’s sister Maud only coz she is not hyper like Pinkie Pie

[WWAPD 126]

I liked this episode a lot more than I did the last one, mainly because the new character of Maud is pretty cool.

 

Also, Maud wears a German WW1 helmet when she's drilling.