S02:E20 - It's About Time.

[Strafe 594]

Twilight touching future twilight should of caused a time paradox but oh well.

 

Anyway my dream came true, METAL GEAR PONY!

[_Flitter 103]

Not gonna lie, I was hoping that when Spike said he knows somepony that can help, Dr. Whooves would play a role.

 

But I really enjoyed this episode

[DJ MUFF1N D3RP 322]

I liked this episode, but I have to be honest, the ending was a bit predictable. Twilight has a tendency to sweat the little things and have a full on mental breakdown if enough things go wrong, so I wasn't surprised when she ending up being the cause of Future Twilight's looks. I like seeing Twilight have mental breakdowns as much as the next brony, but hopefully now she'll save her freakouts for the big issues

[RagingTwilight 101]

After watching the episode again, it's a better episode than I originally thought. I think I over-hyped it for myself after seeing the preview Thursday. I was expecting something really epic in my mind and when I didn't see it, I was disappointed. But now that my unrealistic expectations are gone, I can enjoy the episode in its entirety.

 

One thing though: I'm starting to feel that Pinky Pie is being over-utilized for comedy. I've noticed this in several episodes now that aren't about her; she seems to be in the plot for comedy, and not much else.

[tejntanga 42]

I liked this episode, but I have to be honest, the ending was a bit predictable. Twilight has a tendency to sweat the little things and have a full on mental breakdown if enough things go wrong, so I wasn't surprised when she ending up being the cause of Future Twilight's looks. I like seeing Twilight have mental breakdowns as much as the next brony, but hopefully now she'll save her freakouts for the big issues

 

Well, here's the thing. Twilight really thought that it was a big issue that Future!Twilight was coming back to warn about. Considering the "survivor of an Epic Pony War" look, who can blame her? After the papercut incident it does become clear that there will likely be no major catastrophe and that it'll be your run-of-the-mill Stable Time Loop storyline. I know it's been mentioned before on this thread, but for the target audience, this is likely the first encounter with that concept, so it's excusable. They did it with Androcles and the Lion in S1E1, with Fluttershy and the Manticore - introducing children to classics of storytelling is hardly a bad thing.

 

Things like that are so low on my gripe list that they barely register as compared to such wonders as Cerberus popping up out of nowhere... or the flowerpot incident. "Where did that even come from?" had me rollin'.

 

I found it to be a very enjoyable episode which perhaps suffered a bit from time constraints. I'd give it a solid 4/5.

[DJ MUFF1N D3RP 322]

I agree with your points, Tej, I just didn't know how to word it. I loved that flower pot thing as well. Also, when Pinkie was running through the air tied to her ballons, screaming her head off and then just suddenly stops to ask if anypony else is going to panic as well, I was just laughing my butt off. I still have to wonder though...what was up with the voices? They seemed a little...off somehow.

[Eenohay 318]

I've rewatched it in good quality and this are my thoughts.

 

The episode felt like it was written in a different style as any other FiM episode. The script followed a regular cartoon targeted at a slightly older audience structure, where it's common to see huge things happening, and nobody giving a damn about them, so you just end like wtf?! That's cerberus moment. Biggest WTF moment in the whole series. Then it had that classic "It was so good, to bad you missed it" moment, when Spike mentioned that Twilight had gone into an epic journey. More random stuff happening without anypony caring, when suddenly Pinkie became gypsy and a flowerpot came out of nowhere. Then there's the sneaking scene with the typical character that realizes and points out that what the other one's doing is plain stupid. More random stuff out of nowhere with Princess Celestia, and that.

 

So this: It would have been nice if this were the Fairy Odd Parents, but this is is FiM! It's not bad as a cartoon, but it certanly not exactly what we are in for.

 

 

A particulary dumb moment was when Twilight got everypony to believe her and do what she said. That was idiotic, at first they laugh, but then they acept her equally laughable explanation?

[DrOphthalmos 497]

A particulary dumb moment was when Twilight got everypony to believe her and do what she said. That was idiotic, at first they laugh, but then they acept her equally laughable explanation?

 

Time travel? lol! Wait, this is super serious magical unicorn Twilight talking... maybe we should listen...

 

I think that's what went through their heads.

[Shteev 11]

Twilight Plissken? Solid Sparkle?

 

This episode was good to me if only for those brief moments where I was like "That has to be on purpose."

 

I agree, it was predictable, but still, seeing Metal Gear Sparkle 3: Spike Eater was worth it.

 

Can't wait for Metal Gear Sparkle 4: Horns of the Princesses, myself.

 

Or Peace Trotter... Or Colts of Liberity, but that one won't feature Solid Sparkle so much~

[hwrogers 168]

it seems too many people are suffering elevated expectations with this and the last episodes. watched with a poor outlook or overly high expectations any show or movie will seem a failure, even the best movies/shows ever made can become poor examples of entertainment with these circumstances.

 

am i saying lower your standards? kindof, but moreso i think a lot of people would benefit from adjusting their approach to new episodes just a bit.

 

btw anyone spot derpy yet? 'bout to try finding a HD version on YT to add to my collection, and watch a few times searching...

[Yellow Diamond 7,568]

Question: if Twilight Sparkle is Solid Snake, does that make Pinkie Pie Raiden?

 

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

Twilight Plissken? Solid Sparkle?

 

This episode was good to me if only for those brief moments where I was like "That has to be on purpose."

 

I agree, it was predictable, but still, seeing Metal Gear Sparkle 3: Spike Eater was worth it.

 

Can't wait for Metal Gear Sparkle 4: Horns of the Princesses, myself.

 

Or Peace Trotter... Or Colts of Liberity, but that one won't feature Solid Sparkle so much~

 

How'd you like Metal Gear Sparkle 2: Daughters of Friendship?

[Comet Tail 808]

This is easily one of my favorites of all time!

 

For one thing, it cemented a lot of one-shot appearences, and made them look less like badly written plot devices for one episode and more like respectable canon that's part of the universe, like they went back to the dam and they referenced the Pinkie sense (I LOVE when Pinkie said: "Where did that pot even come from?" +10 Hasbro! My thoughts exactly...), there's more but I forgot as I was writing, and I'm to tired to remember

 

I had an awesome paintball war this morning, and the last game I really took charge and we ended up being highly organized and strategic, It reminded me a bit of Twilight Sparkle; the organization part, and the part where she turns around and tells everyone what to do to prepare for a future disaster really hit the spot on that.

 

Anyways, we also saw Equestria be a little less perfect. Apparently there's a hell (tartarus), but more than that, the concept of war exists and is something that comes quickly to mind, "epic ponywar".

 

Lol, and I loved how Pinkie and Spike kept saying: "Why are we sneaking?", and when the guard saw Twilight I was cringing; because in that place I would just be emberrased, more than anything. (And wondering why she didn't just teleport her and everyone else through the bars) But I LOVE Twilight's response a little later: "Why isn't anypony concerned we're sneaking around!?" or something to that effect. Lol, I can even think of an answer: "Because they know you, Twilight." [and they're totally used to you being strange. ESPECIALLY Pinkie! It's clear Spike just got dragged into it]

 

Also, I kind of understood it. Suiting up, getting all serious about sneaking, etc., it just reminded me way too much of the really rediculous things I've done before, which, seemed great and a big deal and everything at the time, but quickly turned out to just be hugely emberrasing and make myself feel like an idiot, fool, baffoon, whatever... Exactly what Twilight did here.

 

Like in that paintball war I mentioned, there's a small bridge over a large stream; a line of bush blocks all vision and paintballs on either side of the bridge, making the bridge a perfect ambush chokepoint I'd used earlier. I stopped our whole team of 5 people, and laid out this elaborate plan on what each person was to do if we got ambushed as we crossed, knowing full well we only had 2 enemies and neither one of them ever uses any kind of strategy or forethought, and would never lay an ambush, and they were most likely way off somewhere else, and almost certainly not near the bridge.

 

Maybe it was still a good idea for that specific situation, but other times it wasn't, and I could just understand Twilight: getting really hyped up and excited about something and getting hugely involved, when really it's not a big deal at all. "It's not against the law to walk around Canterlot at night."

 

As for the moral, I think it was beautifully done. They got the message clearly, not to overstress and freak out about the future, though to be honest I think they were a bit too vague, but they did an excellent job of illustrating: "don't freak out about the future, but don't be a slouch, either" by having Spike say: "That's future Spike's problem", and it was beautifull illustrated in: "I thought that was future Spike's problem, not my problem!" when he got the stomach ache.

 

More comments... Can't think of them now, though

 

Cream dream is now canon.

 

Okay, I was horrified when I first heard Spike say that, at the very beginning of the episode I was a little "heh heh" because he was dreaming about Rarity, but that's still subtle, but then he tops it off with THAT?

About a second later, though, I realized he quickly said "ice" before "cream".

 

Honestly I haven't read the entire thread, but in case someone hasn't said it already;

 

ICE CREAM DREAM.

Not "cream dream".

 

Naturally thanks to circumstances I was forced to watch the episode in 480p on Youtube...all tiny and shrunken. Irrelevant though, because this was a good episode! Certainly better than last week's, that's for sure. I was breathing a MAJOR sigh of relief when I saw that M.A. Larson penned this one.

 

Twilight's OCD at the beginning was particularly amusing...primarily because I'm not convinced she schedules that much in advance, if only because things come up so often that she'd have to redo her schedule every few days. For example, everything she did after Future Twilight showed up was clearly not on the schedule, yet it didn't bother her at all to dump the schedule in favor of dealing with the issues. I do like how they strategically hid the month and year on the calendar.

 

Then we had the clip we already all saw...no reason to go into that. After it, though, things started going a little wacky. From poor Fluttershy carrying all that stuff, to Applejack and Rarity's "Oh we're here all of a sudden" appearance, as well as the possible Back to the Future reference in the way Twilight talked about her future self being sucked back to the future, it was really funny.

 

What's interesting is how they then started dealing with a whole bunch of things that could have become serious problems if left unchecked. In a way I feel like that undermines the message of the episode a bit, because while Twilight did go nuts with worry, she accomplished plenty of useful tasks while she was worrying. She didn't become unproductive, at least not until a certain point.

 

AND THEN SUDDENLY GREEK MYTHOLOGY. I had to back the episode up and rewatch that five times to make sure I heard Twilight correctly when she said Cerberus was guarding the Gates of Tartarus. I just...I can't believe they actually did that. I'm impressed, amazed...and a little uneasy. On the other hand, if the ancient evils ever break out, we have the fuel for a potential story arc in later seasons?

 

Anyway, the episode continued to be hilarious and make my jaw drop a second time with GYPSY PINKIE PIE. The people behind Friendship Is Witchcraft are going to go completely BANANAS over this. More Pinkie Sense was also good, even if it was just used for a gag.

 

The rest of the episode then turned into more insane antics on Twilight's part...monitor everything indeed. And then they sneak into Canterlot...what's interesting is that those appear to be latex suits, judging by how snugly they fit and how shiny they are. Huh.

 

Stable time loop ending was admittedly predictable, and I'm not sure it was necessary to show us the entire scene from the beginning again since we know what a stable time loop is...but as pointed out by others, the target demographic probably don't. And then Celestia out of nowhere...how does she keep doing that?

 

I'll have more in-depth analysis when I get to watching it a second and/or third time, with decent picture and sound quality, etc. For now I've been up for over twenty-four hours and need to sleep.

 

On the whole, that was a good episode. While it lacked a couple of things I might've liked to see, such as a Twilight song, and it does seem to suggest that the time travel was a one-time throwaway plot device...it's still quite enjoyable.

 

You could've waited a few hours and gotten the sweet large-screen HD

 

Greek Mythos injection was a huge, wonderful surprise.

 

Like what I said earlier, the idea that hades exists, really takes away from the "perfectness" of that world.

 

But anyways, let's not forget the show loves mythology. We had a manticore, dragons, griffons, and for goodness' sake, pegasus and unicorns! Mythology galore!

 

But what really shocked me is that Hades was a place that Twilight could just go to. That's hell, people. Twilight went to hell and back. No wonder she came back beat up like that

[Shteev 11]

How'd you like Metal Gear Sparkle 2: Daughters of Friendship?

 

The first 15 minutes were crazy and awesome, but then it switched over to Pinkie Pieden and I didn't know WHAT to think.

[Thewookie Wooker 64]

Disappointing if you solely look at the episode as one single episode. Not enough references, at least in quantity. But by far this has to be one of the best episodes in adding additional insight on Equestria in general along with continiuty nods. Though I did enjoy seeing Twilight go crazy again.

 

1. Greek Mythology

2. 2 more canonized city names

3. Pinkie Sense shows up

4. Pinkie has random objects hidden around Ponyville

5. Time Travel is possible

6. War is Canon

7. Hell/Underworld is somewhat canon, it may just be a prison of sorts

8. Pinkie breaks the 4th wall by asking about the flower pot's origin

 

 

Most importantly though: It is LEGAL to walk in Canterlot

 

I would give it around a 7 out of 10

8 out of 10 if someone can find more refs

Edited March 11, 2012 by Thewookie Wooker

[Beth Sycamore 28]

I was surprised when Twilight met herself from the future/past,and nothing happened. Becuse according to the Back to the Future movie series,seeing yourself from the future/past will rip/tear a hole in the time space continum and everything will get destroyed. At least this is what Doc Brown told Marty McFly.

 

It was fuuny when the trio tries to stalk into Canterlot's Library unnoticed,but was caught by both a guard and Princess Celestia. They were like "O Hai Twilight"

 

I like the look of future Twilight

[hwrogers 168]

the one thing other than the ending that i had called was when they start sneaking in canterlot i though "wouldn't the prize student of the princess have an all access pass to the libraries?" and then "hey twilight, let me open that for you!" lol

 

...

4. Pinkie has random objects hidden around Ponyville

....

Most importantly though: It is LEGAL to walk in Canterlot

 

I would give it around a 7 out of 10

8 out of 10 if someone can find more refs

 

two different types of items she keeps hidden around town, and not only is it LEGAL to walk in canterlot, it's legal to do it AT NIGHT! no cerfew in equestria...

[Zero Sonic 29]

Tartarus. Me Gusta.

[Saiko 67]

A good episode. Slightly worse than previous ones imo, had bigger potential, but nevertheless turned out really nice to watch

[S.M.S. 8]

HOW TO DELETE A POST????????????

Edited March 11, 2012 by leader darkspore

[Vannu 1]

I think MLP is getting a bit brony-ish like they forgot about the "demographic.."

 

But BALTIMARE!

 

And I love Spike and Pinkie and Twilight's..threesome.

And MADAME PINKIE!

[5guysburgersnfries 216]

TWILIGHT LOOKED SO FUCKING BADASS! :D I wish she's always look like that D: and she has a mofo eye patch, AN EYE PATCH

[Eenohay 318]

I was surprised when Twilight met herself from the future/past,and nothing happened. Becuse according to the Back to the Future movie series,seeing yourself from the future/past will rip/tear a hole in the time space continum and everything will get destroyed. At least this is what Doc Brown told Marty McFly.

 

It was fuuny when the trio tries to stalk into Canterlot's Library unnoticed,but was caught by both a guard and Princess Celestia. They were like "O Hai Twilight"

 

I like the look of future Twilight

 

That would be Back to the Future. Anybody has their own ideas on how time travel goes. For one, in back to the future it is possible to change the presents by going back in time and changing stuff, here, there's a time loop, wich means that no matter what you do, it's impossible to mess with the timeline, and things must happen one way. And there's nothing wrong with the Twilights seeing eachother, infact, this happens in many movies

[DrOphthalmos 497]

That would be Back to the Future. Anybody has their own ideas on how time travel goes. For one, in back to the future it is possible to change the presents by going back in time and changing stuff, here, there's a time loop, wich means that no matter what you do, it's impossible to mess with the timeline, and things must happen one way. And there's nothing wrong with the Twilights seeing eachother, infact, this happens in many movies

 

I agree. And don't forget Twilight did not have to gallop at 88 miles per hour either!

[Evilshy 5,090]

Equestrian physics regarding time don't seem to be the same as ours...

 

But if they were, twilight couldn't have gone back. As far as we know, the only way to travel in time without messing around with higher dimensions (which we can't do) is to travel at near the speed of light (which we also can't do, but we have a better idea of how we could do it). Since time and space are fundamentally linked, traveling at high speeds through space results in traveling at high speeds through time. Although, it only works on a noticeable scale at extremely, extremely high speeds, such as close to the speed of light.

 

And it's not even time travel in the traditional sense. To people on the outside, they'll see you traveling at near the speed of light. To you, you'll still see the outside world, but it will be greatly accelerated. In theory, you could then just slow down and step out after a few hours of travel, and it would 500 years later (I just made those numbers up, I didn't do any of the math or anything. But the concept is the same.)

 

Backward time travel in this way is impossible because it is impossible to travel at a negative velocity.