Pick a Flaw: S4, E23 - Inspiration Manifestation

[Dark Qiviut 22,433]

After Sonneborn's Trade Ya!, Corey Powell and Meghan McCarthy co-wrote Inspiration Manifestation, an episode with a pretty decent, if not good, reception. Based on the comments presented and my own viewpoints, I've come up with a list of possible flaws or weaknesses impacting the episode.

 

So if you have to choose one weakness or flaw that impacts your viewing and/or its overall quality, which is it? Please choose and explain in detail below. If your option isn't available, hit "other" and explain.

 

And like what I wrote in the last thread:

 

 

Be advised that discussing the main flaw(s) does NOT mean he or she hates the episode. These topics merely direct its discussion in a different light.

 

---

 

For the other "Pick a Flaw" threads:

 

Season 1:

1. Friendship Is Magic, Parts 1 & 2
2. The Ticket Master

 

Season 4: (@@Doctor XFizzle's threads will be italicized.)

1. Simple Ways
2. Filli Vanilli
3. Twilight Time
4. It Ain't Easy Bein' Breezies
5. Somepony to Watch Over Me
6. Maud Pie
7. For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
8. Leap of Faith
9. Testing Testing 1, 2, 3
10. Trade Ya!

Edited April 27, 2014 by Dark Qiviut

[Adente 1,000]

No flaw stood out. I enjoyed the episode overall, and I didn't see any glaring flaws. Maybe if I'd been deliberately nitpicking or over-analyzing to find problems I'd have seen some, but I don't watch the show that way. I liked this episode! 

[Scootalove 10,689]

I didn't really find a flaw in this episode, so I decided to watch it again.

 

The only flaw I found was, Spike didn't really think about the mysterious symbol on the book and wondered why it was locked away in the first place when he was at the castle. A minor gripe, nothing too serious.

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

Once more we have Spike acting like a total moron for the sake of the plot. Secret of my Excess and Dragon Quest were good examples of a Spike/Rarity episode that showed Spike's growth as a character. But just like in Spike At Your Service, here Spike had his IQ drastically lowered to point I kept finding myself saying "He seriously can't be dumb enough to...and he does it anyway!"   

[Sir Wulfington 276]

My only complaint was that it was....dull. The problem was that they cranked Rarity's crazyness up to 11 way too early instead of it being a progressive thing over the course of the episode, so when it happened they had nowhere else to go with it As a result, the vast majority of the episode was just non-stop Rarity going around ruining things with her deranged desire to make everything how she wanted it to be with her new powers. So as a result, it felt like barely anything actually happened (also it was predictable, not the way it was resolved, but that it would be resolved within the 22 minute run time), and it ruined the episode as a result for me.

[Megas 27,697]

I felt that the length of the conflict went on longer than it should have

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

I would have selected both Spike and the length of the plot, but I could only choose one, so I went with the length of the conflict.

 

The entirety of the plot is driven by Spike standing idly by and being nothing more than a yes man to Rarity, apparently too dumb to notice that Rarity is obviously going insane. Spike himself should have picked up on this earlier due to greed being one of his great downfalls, but unfortunately from the writers' standpoint incompetence is another one, one which stands counter to his portrayals in season 1 and early season 2. The time spent drawing out this conflict could have been better used. One suggestion would have been to incorporate Applejack into the delivery of the moral based on its roots in the virtue of honesty.

 

Though it's definitely much better than what Spike has gotten for most of the season, there still needs to be a lot of work done regarding his characterization and his episodes. With the off-season coming up soon, I have hope that the writers listen to fan suggestions and make this happen.

[PrymeStriker 408]

I couldn't find a flaw in this episode. The conflict was interesting, the comedy was outstanding, and Spike was at long last fantastically written.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

Only flaw I found was very little explanation of the spell book other than what was shown and given, other than that, great conflict, great comedy and love Spike and Rarity as a couple!

[~Rule 63~ Lyeco 527]

Flaw was, many people thought that a changeling replaced her before the episode premiered

[Pastel 7,630]

It's very hard to choose.

It was a great episode overall, but maybe Spike was a bit slow to make up his mind and destroy the book.

=> Length of the conflict.

[OptimisticNeighsayer 478]

I loved the episode myself, but I think the episode's biggest flaw is that Rarity's intelligence was essentially hijacked from the beginning.  Spike's foolish behavior is at least somewhat excusable because he's still young and only wanted to help, while Rarity not only should have consulted with the puppet master in making his booth, she also should have been suspicious of some odd book and that a spell could help her in the first place.

 

Honorable mention goes to not depicting Spike's internal conflict convincingly enough to keep us from telling him "try and stop her already".

[FlutterDash4072 189]

I don't think the spell was strong enough. If it can take over someone that easily, breaking it should be a bit harder than telling someone the truth.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

Shame Twilight didn't just do this when she saw weird stuff going on due to Rarity.

 

 

[Ianpiersonjdavis 513]

Instead of hanging around and chastising Spike for his actions and decisions, why didn't Owlicious warn Twilight-his owner, Ponyville's residential magic expert, and Princess-if he realized this was such a big deal?

[Metemponychosis 1,261]

I voted Rarity's behavior in response to the puppet master's comments. To me it was a weak excuse to make a funny scene with Rarity freaking out about that jerk's comments, and then launch the story from it.

[Dark Qiviut 22,433]

And after enough time, I'm going ahead and explain my choice, the length of the conflict. Albeit gruesome flanderization of Rarity's melodrama, it was built up quite nicely after that, taking Rarity's desire to create via dark magic to the extremes. It started small and then expanded into graphic misdeeds. But the length of the conflict had to do with Spike being a "yes" man far beyond what he would've done at this stage in development. By basically tagging along Rarity and glowing praise during Acts 1 and 2, the conflict started to plod on his side.

 

I think all of you remember the exchange between Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity in Putting Your Hoof Down, specifically where Fluttershy demeaned their reasons for living. In it, Rarity told Fluttershy she was taking her training a little too far. I think Spike should've used those same words Rarity used on Fluttershy on Rarity in IM with some tweaks to fit it.

 

One thing about Spike (and pretty much all of the Mane Six, to be precise) is his occasional naivety. But there's a line between being naive and being stupid. As he continued to blindly support Rarity, he crossed it, even during his dilemma before the last commercial hit. If he realized it much sooner (maybe midway in Act 2), then you could do something about it.

[Nightmare_Shinigami 31]

The Spell got removed from Rarity and she doesn't remember ANYTHING??? She was currupted, not possed by it and all her Changes have her Hooveprints on them (turning a Foals Birthday into a fancy Party, Chrystals). Also the Writers missed a good opportunity to teach the Lesson that you need to balance Fragmatic with artistic (The puppeteer does have a point disliking her first design)

 

Last but not least Trixie was also currupted by an Evil Force, but she has to remember everything

[Pastel 7,630]

The Spell got removed from Rarity and she doesn't remember ANYTHING??? She was currupted, not possed by it and all her Changes have her Hooveprints on them (turning a Foals Birthday into a fancy Party, Chrystals). Also the Writers missed a good opportunity to teach the Lesson that you need to balance Fragmatic with artistic (The puppeteer does have a point disliking her first design)

 

Last but not least Trixie was also currupted by an Evil Force, but she has to remember everything

The Inspiration Manifestation spell and the alicorns' amulet are 2 different things. I guess they don't work the same way.

[Nightmare_Shinigami 31]

The Inspiration Manifestation spell and the alicorns' amulet are 2 different things. I guess they don't work the same way.

 

Yeah, I guess your right, but it still gives me the feeling that they don't want to have Rarity (a Mane Character) feeling guilty about the things she did, while they have no Problem to do this with Trixie (an Antagonist)

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

I'm gonna say pacing cuz this episode felt a little dragged out and boring. It felt a few minutes too long with the way it was written

[baba_booey 4,303]

Overall Pacing. This episode is basically feels like one of those episodes that are better for 11-minute segment shows, along with Apple Family Reunion to me.

 

Although it was still enjoyable.

Edited July 5, 2014 by Rusty5

[mars 4,862]

The climax was too easily solved. I wish it could have gone longer, and had something else besides Spike just saying the truth. That seems too simple...