S04:E22 - Trade Ya

[Panne 1,342]

Oh, and the culinary skills of Rainbow Dash is now canon. She can now work at a fast food restaurant!

Well yeah what else do you think she does other than weather patrol especially on clear days? You need money somehow.

[dekutree64 713]

Well that was... interesting. I can't believe Rainbow almost traded Fluttershy for a book What would her pre-egghead self think if she knew that's where reading would lead her?

 

I wish Fluttershy hadn't dropped the bear call though, and they'd just kept the dog. That would have been awesome to have around Fluttershy's house, interacting with Discord and all And adopting a pet together is much more romantic than Fluttershy getting a bird call and Dash being left with nothing.

 

That whole trading sequence reminded me of old video games like Link's Awakening

 

Applejack and Rarity's story was pretty funny. Those two really don't work well together Started out in season 1 trying to do everything opposite and drove eachother crazy, and now try to do everything the same and drive eachother crazy   But it turned out pretty sweet in the end. I wonder what all they traded for those things, though? And are either of them really happy with the things the other got for them, or only happy for sentimental reasons?

 

Twilight and Pinkie's story was my least favorite of the bunch, but still a good lesson to think about it before trading/selling something. Although speaking from personal experience, saving everything can become a problem as well... unless you have an infinitely large basement to store it all. I guess Twilight will have a castle soon, so she should be ok.

 

Also, Pinkie's frequent wearing of mustaches amuses me.

 

And lastly, hooray for Spike! Never got dumped on, and was the only one who actually accomplished what he set out to do. And yet, he was the only one without a partner all day. So much for friendship making things better

 

It was nice to finally have Twilight getting some attention for being a princess, and some royal duties that didn't involve being separated from her friends. And cool to see a pony in a wheelchair-like device.

 

It seemed like half the point of the episode was to pair up ponies for shippers to enjoy, and yet there seemed to be very little shipping fuel for any of them. And still no Celestia, for Twilestia fans such as myself But at least she was mentioned, and has been sending Twilight books

[Panne 1,342]

Applejack and Rarity's story was pretty funny. Those two really don't work well together Started out in season 1 trying to do everything opposite and drove eachother crazy, and now try to do everything the same and drive eachother crazy   But it turned out pretty sweet in the end. I wonder what all they traded for those things, though? And are either of them really happy with the things the other got for them, or only happy for sentimental reasons?

 

That is why Rarijack is best ship!

[King Sejong 859]

Why does everybody treat her like she is a villain? There were no rules against trading ponies for their services. The only really defined rule was that both ponies needed agree with their exchange. Fluttershy agreed to help the lady train her Orthos and Rainbow Dash wanted the book. technically the one in the wrong was Rainbow Dash for not understanding the implications of her actions. She is just lucky the trader reconsidered and let the trade be reversed.

I do not see her as a villain, nor do I treat her as such, it is criticism of the economic transactions in this episode, it seems a slight off putting that a pony could be put in involuntary servitude, to provide services against their will, possibly no reimbursement, other than that I have no problem with the mare or this episode, but as I said they did end on a happier note.    

[Panne 1,342]

I do not see her as a villain, nor do I treat her as such, it is criticism of the economic transactions in this episode, it seems a slight off putting that a pony could be put in involuntary servitude, to provide services against their will, possibly no reimbursement, other than that I have no problem with the mare or this episode, but as I said they did end on a happier note.    

Well once again blame Rainbow for selling out Fluttershy, seriously the lady was just asking because she realized that Flutters was good with animals and Rainbow pretty much just was like, "Yeah yeah yeah, do what you want with her."

[Batbrony 16,051]

The road to Pinkiecorn in the S6 finale begins.  If books determine princesshood, Rainbow will probably become a princess at the end of S5.

 

READ, READ MANE 6, READ I SAY, AND FULFILL YOUR DESTINIES!!! 

 

[Will Guide 21,360]

Also, the wheelchair-bounded owner of the Discord Lamps stand said he's been trading all day! Really? Well, considering Discord is practically the most popular MLP Villain, I wouldn't be surprised if all the owner traded were the lamps

[Forlong 1,726]

This is a terrible place to put your reviews.  Try reddit.

http://us.reddit.com/

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

As I said already, this episode finally has someone other than school grade children acknowledge Twilight's new status (much to her increasing adorable embarrassment). The season is nearing a close and we've barely had any mention to it after all the fanfare of it following S3. On the further plus side, we have yet another episode that focuses on all the Mane 6 instead of focusing specifically on one or two in particular. Although...I don't think the individual pairs got equal screen time. Most of the episode was spent focusing on Dash and Fluttershy's fetch quest, with Twilight and Pinkie Pie taking some relevance and Rarity and Applejack coming off more like needless filler to fill time and space. Nothing really came of AJ's and Rarity's squabbles until the very end, though I did like the little detail of Dash and Fluttershy flying past in the background whilst the two of them were arguing. 

 

On a more positive note thought, this episode had multiple "Awww" moments and a nice bit of continuity in Twilight reminiscing about how the books she was ready to get rid of remind her about all the good times she's had since moving to Ponyville.

 

Though one character stood out from them all for me: The Pegasus selling the Discord lamps. I can't help feeling that he's either a reference to or an OC of an actual individual, not to mention this is the first time I can think of that we've ever seen that kind of wheelchair apparatus like his in the show. I'm curious is all.   

Edited April 19, 2014 by PoisonClaw

[takai 1,060]

Really liked this episode. I love how they got all the ponies involved this episode, it made it very entertaining.

 

Fluttershy proves again why she's best pony. Twilight was also good in this episode.

 

Ok, so what was with all of Applejack's expressions this episode? I feel like this is her troll episode. I also hope that "one eyebrow up" face starts to become a regular thing. 

 

Overall, fantastic episode. Truly entertaining and funny.

Edited April 19, 2014 by takai

[StarSwirlTheBearded 356]

Seeing that Twilight doesn't like all of the attention now...

 

 

 

...imagine what'll happen when she gets an entire kingdom.

 

 

[Batbrony 16,051]

Though one character stood out from them all for me: The Pegasus selling the Discord lamps. I can't help feeling that he's either a reference to or an OC of an actual individual, not to mention this is the first time I can think of that we've ever seen that kind of wheelchair apparatus like his in the show. I'm curious is all.   

 

How does everyone keep forgetting that we already saw wheelchairs just 2 or 3 episodes ago in the Applejack/Flim Flam brothers episode?   There were, like, at least 2 or 3 ponies in wheelchairs there.  I mean, yeah, they were wood, not metal like this guy's was, but still, they were most definitely wheelchairs.  Not calling you out in particular PoisonClaw, it's just I've seen a number of people say this is the first time wheelchairs have shown up, and considering it happened just a couple of episodes ago, I just thought I'd mention that. 

[MatrixChicken 879]

Well dat was fun. Like, really fun. I think this is a great example of how, at least for me, an episode can have some decent flaws, and even not have that amazingly written of a storyline, but it was just so fun that I didn't even care. The interactions between the ponies were all so interesting and fun to watch (well, AJ and Rarity's "no, I love you more" deal was kinda cliched and felt forced, but the rest were pretty good). I liked that the episode was weird. It had new ponies, new situations, new mythical beasts... I love it when they do that. It reassures to me that the show's writers' creativity hasn't been depleted yet, and it shows that FiM hasn't entirely become a cash-grab with no effort put into it other than animation (I say entirely, because quite a few of this season's earlier episodes felt this way). It was fresh, and didn't rely only on the characters being there, but the characters actually doing something interesting.

 

This is kinda hard to explain, but I feel like the episode wasn't extremely deep, or it wasn't necessarily the most amazingly written, but I really enjoyed it for some reason.

 

EHHH never mind, I'm just a terrible reviewer so LOLOLOLOLOLOL 28/19 BEZT EPIZODE EVR HAVE A LITTLE MOAR BAKLAVALALALALALA

 

 

Also, Antique Chicken.

 

Edited April 19, 2014 by MatrixChicken

[Castle Bleck 19,327]

Did Discord make those lamps too?

 

Wonder if he's getting any royalties...

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

That was a good episode, I enjoyed the moral and storyline, I enjoyed seeing Rarity and Applejack interact and seeing Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash go to so much effort for a book, also was nice to see Twilight interacting with all the ponies as a princess and lol Pinkie Pie. Good episode all in all, I like when the whole mane 6 are involved. 9/10!

[Pastel 7,630]

Good episode! I'm really glad to see The Rainbow Falls and some chrystal ponies again.

Great plots, my favorite was the Rainbow Dash/Fluttershy one.

 

However it wasn't really funny, and I didn't like the Discord statue, it was very weird.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Blobulle

[dekutree64 713]

How does everyone keep forgetting that we already saw wheelchairs just 2 or 3 episodes ago in the Applejack/Flim Flam brothers episode?   There were, like, at least 2 or 3 ponies in wheelchairs there.  I mean, yeah, they were wood, not metal like this guy's was, but still, they were most definitely wheelchairs.  Not calling you out in particular PoisonClaw, it's just I've seen a number of people say this is the first time wheelchairs have shown up, and considering it happened just a couple of episodes ago, I just thought I'd mention that. 

True, but those came off more as a prop as part of a generic crowd of mangled ponies, whereas this was a situation where the wheelchair was basically irrelevant... a positive message.

[Manman20x6 359]

This was a pretty good episode. All of  the mane 6 had a role, but overall it was mostly a Fluttershy/Rainbow Dash story.

 

Many people will be overjoyed to drown in shipping fuel; Flutterdash, Rarijack and Twipie ahoy!

 

The orthros was pretty funny, Fluttershy can turn even the most fearsome monster into a cuddly pet.

 

The Rarity and Applejack parts felt pretty pointless, it was pretty much the same joke repeated throughout the episode and felt more like filler than anything else since it never went anywhere. The Twilight and Pinkie parts were similar.

 

One small plot hole was that Pinkie prevented Twilight for trading her books for a broken quill since she doesn't get anything she wants from the deal. One could argue that she DOES get something from the deal, and that thing is free space in her shelves.

 

Another thing that bothered me was how easily Rainbow practically sold Fluttershy into slavery. These two are particularly close childhood friends, so one would think Rainbow would be more considerate.

Edited April 19, 2014 by Manman20x6

[Shift 4,272]

@@InkyJay,

 

B-But I loved Feeling Pinkie Keen! 

[Castle Bleck 19,327]

Good episode! I'm really glad to see The Rainbow Falls and some chrystal ponies again.

Great plots, my favorite was the Rainbow Dash/Fluttershy one.

 

However it wasn't really funny, and I didn't like the Discord statue, it was very weird.

 

Where was the Discord statue?

[Pastel 7,630]

Where was the Discord statue?

My bad, I meant the Discord lamps.

[Silverwisp the Bard 2,353]

Ooooh boy that was some good Slice of life.

 

-lot's of great shenanigans

-some great faces

-the Rancor handler pony

-the orthrus

-Pinkie freaking out that kid

-all of Rarity and AJ

-bearcaller ^^

 

Five stars from me me.

 

Also,totally gonna steal that firepony design from the comic booth.

 

Did Discord make those lamps too?

 

Wonder if he's getting any royalties...

I was half expecting him to run the stand

Edited April 19, 2014 by Silverwisp the Bard

[JH24 385]

Not a bad episode, but just like the previous one IMHO it didn't go anywhere. Had a slow but interesting build up, reached a climax around the middle and then just collapsed on itself. The scenes with Pinkie felt wasted, and I didn't like how she treated that little filly. (I was kind of hoping in the end that filly would at least get one book)

 

Rarity and Applejack went nowhere either, after an interesting start they just kept arguing. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash was interesting but predictable and while it was good that Rainbow Dash came to her senses, it shouldn't even have gone this far. (It felt forced)

 

Ending had a good moral, and this episode did show something we all have encountered in our lives. Loved the Discord lamps, either Discord has been busy or someone has been mass producing them.

 

 

Okay episode, but something did feel off. I can't say I really enjoyed the last episodes that much. Feels to dragged out lately while missing a good climax and well paced ending.

Edited April 19, 2014 by JH24

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

Eww.

 

You know, I've thought to myself "Piss off, Rainbow Dash" quite a few times, but I've never substituted "Piss" with the f-bomb.

 

Until this episode.

 

I was thoroughly disgusted with her when she didn't even seem to notice that her silly little book meant she was trading her friend. She didn't even notice! I've never thought she was the brightest of the mane 6, but she at least had competency! This is the element of loyalty! Trading off her friend for a book!   

 

The arc they had going was great up until that moment, but that was killer. The resolution to the conflict was sweet, but it still felt watered-down as in "I traded a two headed dog for a bird call because I'm a good friend who didn't totally sell her friend into slavery for a book now let's all read it together #elementofloyalty"   It was so...forced.

 

Furthermore, I found Pinkie to be headache inducing with her little auctioneer act. She paid no regard to Twilight's feelings and was just so...irritating about the way she was trying to pawn off Twilight's books. That's not being a good friend.

 

Finally, the arc that wasn't being screwed up and the one that was actually engaging with the same potential as the other arcs, the Rarijack arc, got little to no screentime. Seriously; I'd love to watch Rarity's passion for her looks go toe-to-toe with AJ's stubborness! It would've been great! But they just tossed that aside for the other two arcs, one which irritated me from the get go to another which was good until the repulsive display of friendship by Rainbow Dash.

 

Overall, I hated this episode.

 

On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it:

 

 

I'm not even going to do a gems and dirt for it. It was just...  

[Sig Hoovestrong 838]

Discord lamp's, it head discord lamps. XD