Pick a flaw-Dragon Quest[Season 2, Episode 21]

[Larkybird~ 734]

Well I'm not sure if it's been done yet, nor if it's really that okay for me to make a topic like this. But this one had to be done. As usual this is not a topic to discuss your hatred of this episode, just discuss flaws you had with it. Personally, I'd say either the dragons, the mane sixs attitude and the moral. If I had to pick one I'd say the moral. It tied in with my other choices in a sense I say that's the flaw. What about you guys?

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Oh there is so much I could go into with this episode but I voted for the teenage dragons mainly because I hate one dimensional bully characters that are just there to bully a character. There is also a lot wrong with this episode like the missed opportunity of Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity having an epic dragon fight only for them to run away like chickens. Not to mention the whole episode is a missed opportunity. It could've a Spike developing episode where we learn some back story to him. Instead, we get teenage dragons being a jerk to him.

Edited April 29, 2014 by ChikoritaBrony

[Scootalove 10,692]

I think that the teenage dragons treating Spike like that was mean-spirited, though most dragons like that act that way. That's probably the only flaw I saw.

[Shady Bubbles 429]

The biggest flaw for me was that Spike never got an answer to his question. "Who am I? What does it mean to be a dragon?"

 

It felt like the lesson the episode was trying to push was "Dragons are jerks, ponies are better"

[Megas 28,256]

Yeesh, the teenage dragons definitely, they were just really unpleasant

Edited April 29, 2014 by Megas75

[Dark Qiviut 22,626]

As much as I used to love this episode, there's so much wrong about it, I'm a little surprised it isn't so decried like other Williams-centered episodes like Mare-Do-Well or Spike at Your Service. At least four of these flaws are equally bad: the reprehensible dialogue of the Mane Six mocking Spike, the stereotypical bullies, the stealing of the phoenix egg, and the underhanded moral. On a personal level, I went ahead with the moral, although I could've chosen the conservative route and click "other" for all four.

 

Why the moral?

1. It reinforced the sexist presentation throughout the episode. Spike was mocked by his peers for his apron, thereby making him appear weak and stupid. The script writes his pink apron as against masculinity and something males should never wear. The dragons are stereotypes of teenage boys.
2. The eggnapping of Peewee is validated by association.
3. Because of its wording and lead-up to the moral, the moral itself killed the worldbuilding and potential of the dragon lore.

[Orablanco Account 3,708]

I actually like this episode as it was one the first I ever watched, but yeah, the fact that all dragons are just jerks is kinda weird. I guess if we're going by the classic European definition of all dragons being evil assholes by default it makes sense, and I think that could reinforce the interesting notion that Spike is a naturally evil creature raised to become the exact opposite of what he's suppose to be, but it totally obscures any world building they may have been going for.

 

If they never actually explore dragon culture/Spike's origins in the future, than this episode is in fact very disappointing.

[toonbat 28]

I picked the teenage dragons as my problem with the episode.  I do enjoy a good bullying villain, when it's actually interesting, but they weren't terribly creative or funny with anything they did.  A good villain torments the hero, but entertains the audience, and I didn't find them anything they said or did was cruelly witty, or disturbingly suggestive, or in any way memorable.

 

On the other hand, I'm glad they gave them some degree of dimention by not having them just be 'out to get' Spike, since they did acknowledge his victories, and celebrated his successes.  The real nasty side of it was that all that the tests set out to prove was how much Spike was willing to give up of himself to be more like them.  They certainly would never have celebrated his kindness, his acceptance of others, or his willingness to serve and to please, so that was somewhat interesting, at least, but not enough to make them compelling characters.

[Pastel 7,630]

The teenage dragons!! I was so disappointed by them, I was expecting real dragons, not that...

[Manman20x6 359]

I was excited for the episode because I thought it would reveal some of Spike's backstory, but it all got ignored in order to show that every dragon is an ass, except for Spike because he was raised by the more civilized ponies (which carries all kinds of unfortunate implications).

[Wind Chaser 4,769]

I just watched this thing again after, like, FOREVER. The strong points were Spike finally addressing his difference in status from the Mane 6, something I wish to see more of especially in light of recent developments, and the near-complete 180 from the normal tone of the series. I still believe it to be the best Spike episode for these reasons.

 

However, I put "other" because nearly everything else about this episode was a trainwreck. It had a fair share of forced, terrible dialogue from the Mane 6, but thankfully they all didn't stay on for most of the episode to ham it up, we got another crew of one-dimensional stereotypes to do that for us. Bad enough that their reasons for finally accepting Spike's "dragonhood" were a bit forced and that they plotted to commit BLOODY MURDER (and a thrill kill at that, the worst kind of murder), then the Mane 6-3 turn tail and run when they could've definitely taken on a few teen douches who couldn't even beat FIVE BABY PHOENIXES! Why couldn't they just be taught a lesson for once?

 

Voice of Reason & Buc Brony did the best review on this episode, Voice hated it while Buc liked it, and both made very good points. I choose to like the episode on its entertainment value and character development on one character who sorely needed it, despite the rest of it being a mess.

 

Edited April 30, 2014 by ~Happy Gilda (WCP)