My Little Pony Friendship is Magic

[FirePuppy]

The Earth ponies in the main cast look like Peach and Daisy, only they're pony-ified, and one of the Pegasi is almost like Sonic.

 

[ArchagentEverlasting]

What makes you say that? I only wonder because I would have never made that connection, and I'm interested to understand how you came to that conclusion. After all, Daisy and Peach look nothing like either of the Earth ponies to me, though I do see the connection between Rainbow Dash and Sonic.

 

[The Golden Yoshi]

I still watch it, even though Gen 4 has technically ended. I should probably marathon it at some point.

 

[Milo Thatch]

I just watched the first 4 Season 7 episodes. I thought All Bottled Up and Rock Solid Friendship were pretty good but Celestial Advice had too much exposition and Flurry of Emotions was too close to Baby Cakes for me. Will continue my thoughts.

 

[Minty]

Yesterday, I watched My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (2013) for the first time.

Spoiler

Twilight Sparkle started the film struggling to adjust to her newly acquired wings, and I felt very concerned for her before Sunset Shimmer sneaked in to try stealing her crown. Sunset Shimmer has a really cool design, and her personality is very similar to Regina George from Mean Girls (2004). Once Sunset jumped into the portal, Twilight goes after her, but her friends can't join because it could cause a power imbalance. The mirror portals are very similar to the Dimension Mirrors from Kirby and The Amazing Mirror, and the Elements of Harmony losing power if the crown is stolen was reminiscent of the Ideya's functionality in Nights Into Dreams.

Twilight only has three days to try getting her crown back, much like Link saving Clock Town in Majora's Mask. When Twilight turns into a human, she has trouble adjusting to the world around her, and Spike becomes a wisecracking animal sidekick that helps her out at times. Although Twilight's first day at school didn't go well, she did stand up to Sunset Shimner in front of Fluttershy, met Pinkie Pie and Applejack, and fell in love with a cute rocker kid by the name of Flash Sentry.

One scene I didn't like was when Twilight Sparkle was insulted by Sunset Shimmer after she announced her run for Fall Formal Princess. She didn't fight back at all, though once she realized she wasn't fitting in, she tried to improve her behavior and reputation around Canterlot High. This resulted in meeting Rarity and Rainbow Dash, as well as getting the rest of the Humane Six back together after Sunset Shimmer seperated them prior to the events of the film.

I really like the scenes when the Humane Six are getting ready for the Fall Formal and getting the other students to support Twilight Sparkle's cause. Although Sunset Shimmer is having Snips and Snails spy on them, the group makes such a huge impact that even her cronies are in favor of Twilight. However, when Sunset sends her lackeys to destroy Pinkie Pie's decorations, she tries to frame Twilight by photoshopping a picture of her playing soccor/football to make it seem like she was responsible. Flash Sentry ends up saving her from this fate, though Twilight has to get the festival back in order before it's too late and make sure her friends understand her reason for running as Fall Formal Princess.

Once everything is back in order, the festival begins and Twilight Sparkle wins, but not without Sunset Shimmer trying to steal the crown for herself. The Humane Six and Spike attempt to stop her, but once Sunset gets her hands on Twilight's element, she turns into a demon princess and hypnotizes the students into her command. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity comfort Twilight, which allows them to transform and defeat Sunset once and for all.

The songs in this movie are all really catchy, and although Twilight had to say goodbye to her new friends and return to Equestria, she was given a warm welcome by the rest of the Mane Six when she arrived home. I'd give this film a 9/10. It's an easy reccomend for any fans of MLP, and fantasy high school films in general. Personally, I had a lot of fun watching this, and now I'm curious to see what the rest of the Equestria Girls series has to offer.

 

[SparksMarioWiki]

Aw yeah, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic! The greatest cartoon of all time!

 

[Jackie Frost]

Yesterday, I watched My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (2013) for the first time.

Spoiler

Twilight Sparkle started the film struggling to adjust to her newly acquired wings, and I felt very concerned for her before Sunset Shimmer sneaked in to try stealing her crown. Sunset Shimmer has a really cool design, and her personality is very similar to Regina George from Mean Girls (2004). Once Sunset jumped into the portal, Twilight goes after her, but her friends can't join because it could cause a power imbalance. The mirror portals are very similar to the Dimension Mirrors from Kirby and The Amazing Mirror, and the Elements of Harmony losing power if the crown is stolen was reminiscent of the Ideya's functionality in Nights Into Dreams.

Twilight only has three days to try getting her crown back, much like Link saving Clock Town in Majora's Mask. When Twilight turns into a human, she has trouble adjusting to the world around her, and Spike becomes a wisecracking animal sidekick that helps her out at times. Although Twilight's first day at school didn't go well, she did stand up to Sunset Shimner in front of Fluttershy, met Pinkie Pie and Applejack, and fell in love with a cute rocker kid by the name of Flash Sentry.

One scene I didn't like was when Twilight Sparkle was insulted by Sunset Shimmer after she announced her run for Fall Formal Princess. She didn't fight back at all, though once she realized she wasn't fitting in, she tried to improve her behavior and reputation around Canterlot High. This resulted in meeting Rarity and Rainbow Dash, as well as getting the rest of the Humane Six back together after Sunset Shimmer seperated them prior to the events of the film.

I really like the scenes when the Humane Six are getting ready for the Fall Formal and getting the other students to support Twilight Sparkle's cause. Although Sunset Shimmer is having Snips and Snails spy on them, the group makes such a huge impact that even her cronies are in favor of Twilight. However, when Sunset sends her lackeys to destroy Pinkie Pie's decorations, she tries to frame Twilight by photoshopping a picture of her playing soccor/football to make it seem like she was responsible. Flash Sentry ends up saving her from this fate, though Twilight has to get the festival back in order before it's too late and make sure her friends understand her reason for running as Fall Formal Princess.

Once everything is back in order, the festival begins and Twilight Sparkle wins, but not without Sunset Shimmer trying to steal the crown for herself. The Humane Six and Spike attempt to stop her, but once Sunset gets her hands on Twilight's element, she turns into a demon princess and hypnotizes the students into her command. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity comfort Twilight, which allows them to transform and defeat Sunset once and for all.

The songs in this movie are all really catchy, and although Twilight had to say goodbye to her new friends and return to Equestria, she was given a warm welcome by the rest of the Mane Six when she arrived home. I'd give this film a 9/10. It's an easy reccomend for any fans of MLP, and fantasy high school films in general. Personally, I had a lot of fun watching this, and now I'm curious to see what the rest of the Equestria Girls series has to offer.

I'm so happy to read this, Toadette. The film is very close to my heart so it's heartwarming to see a friend sharing my love of this movie.

 

[Milo Thatch]

Yesterday, I watched My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (2013) for the first time.

Spoiler

Twilight Sparkle started the film struggling to adjust to her newly acquired wings, and I felt very concerned for her before Sunset Shimmer sneaked in to try stealing her crown. Sunset Shimmer has a really cool design, and her personality is very similar to Regina George from Mean Girls (2004). Once Sunset jumped into the portal, Twilight goes after her, but her friends can't join because it could cause a power imbalance. The mirror portals are very similar to the Dimension Mirrors from Kirby and The Amazing Mirror, and the Elements of Harmony losing power if the crown is stolen was reminiscent of the Ideya's functionality in Nights Into Dreams.

Twilight only has three days to try getting her crown back, much like Link saving Clock Town in Majora's Mask. When Twilight turns into a human, she has trouble adjusting to the world around her, and Spike becomes a wisecracking animal sidekick that helps her out at times. Although Twilight's first day at school didn't go well, she did stand up to Sunset Shimner in front of Fluttershy, met Pinkie Pie and Applejack, and fell in love with a cute rocker kid by the name of Flash Sentry.

One scene I didn't like was when Twilight Sparkle was insulted by Sunset Shimmer after she announced her run for Fall Formal Princess. She didn't fight back at all, though once she realized she wasn't fitting in, she tried to improve her behavior and reputation around Canterlot High. This resulted in meeting Rarity and Rainbow Dash, as well as getting the rest of the Humane Six back together after Sunset Shimmer seperated them prior to the events of the film.

I really like the scenes when the Humane Six are getting ready for the Fall Formal and getting the other students to support Twilight Sparkle's cause. Although Sunset Shimmer is having Snips and Snails spy on them, the group makes such a huge impact that even her cronies are in favor of Twilight. However, when Sunset sends her lackeys to destroy Pinkie Pie's decorations, she tries to frame Twilight by photoshopping a picture of her playing soccor/football to make it seem like she was responsible. Flash Sentry ends up saving her from this fate, though Twilight has to get the festival back in order before it's too late and make sure her friends understand her reason for running as Fall Formal Princess.

Once everything is back in order, the festival begins and Twilight Sparkle wins, but not without Sunset Shimmer trying to steal the crown for herself. The Humane Six and Spike attempt to stop her, but once Sunset gets her hands on Twilight's element, she turns into a demon princess and hypnotizes the students into her command. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity comfort Twilight, which allows them to transform and defeat Sunset once and for all.

The songs in this movie are all really catchy, and although Twilight had to say goodbye to her new friends and return to Equestria, she was given a warm welcome by the rest of the Mane Six when she arrived home. I'd give this film a 9/10. It's an easy reccomend for any fans of MLP, and fantasy high school films in general. Personally, I had a lot of fun watching this, and now I'm curious to see what the rest of the Equestria Girls series has to offer.

Yeah, I remember liking the first Equestria Girls movie a lot too, but it still had a couple of flaws in my opinion. I felt that the biggest one by far was that Flash should have been more than just the love interest character for Twilight. I think I remember thinking Sunset was less interesting than she is in later movies too. But it was still fun to see Twilight interact with the rest of the Mane Six as humans, and the new environment felt utilized in a fun way, which completely still saved it for me.

 

[Jackie Frost]

Yeah, I remember liking the first Equestria Girls movie a lot too, but it still had a couple of flaws in my opinion. I felt that the biggest one by far was that Flash should have been more than just the love interest character for Twilight. I think I remember thinking Sunset was less interesting than she is in later movies too. But it was still fun to see Twilight interact with the rest of the Mane Six as humans, and the new environment felt utilized in a fun way, which completely still saved it for me.

I personally think Sunset was a great villain and if anything enjoyed her role in this movie more than her later roles as a reformed protagonist. I do see your point about Flash's character being more or less exclusively centered around being a love interest for Twilight, but personally I never really minded that as far as the first movie goes since I do find his relationship/interactions with Twilight extremely cute and I like his whole rocker vibe, I'm just angry that later entries in the EqG series basically tossed him aside when he could have had potential to be more.

 

[Minty]

Yesterday, I started Season 4 with Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Spoiler

Having this season opener start off with Twilight Sparkle still having to adjust to her wings after needing to do the same with her human form in Equestria Girls was a bit jarring. After we see a newly installed stained glass mural depicting Twilight's transformation, her friends leave for Ponyville to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration. This is the first time the festival has been held since Season 1, though this time, Princess Celestia wants to change the meaning behind the celebration to reflect on what has happened so far in Equestria.

Once the rest of the Mane Six leave, a letter is sent by the Royal Guards. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have been taken away by mysterious black vines that can only be defeated with alicorn magic. We see Fluttershy, The Apple Family, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity struggle to contain the vines in Ponyville. There are spiky clouds that shoot lightning, like Kracko from the Kirby series, as well as sparkles that mess with Rarity's magic. Twilight decides to check on her pals after the vines overtake the castle in Canterlot, though she has no idea what's causing this to happen.

Once Twilight Sparkle arrives in Ponyville, her friends are still dealing with the vines. She deduces that Discord could be behind their destruction, so the Mane Six use their elements to summon him. Discord quickly tries telling the group that he's innocent, though initially, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash try and use their elements on him, only for Fluttershy to stop them before they activate. Discord suggests the group should try getting assistance from Zecora, who's been forced to leave the Everfree Forest due to the vines' rapid growth. She has Twilight use her magic on a potion, which causes it to turn from purple to white.

Afterwards, Twilight Sparkle drinks the potion for the first time. We see the day Princess Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Princess Luna after she transformed into Nightmare Moon. I think these flashbacks are cool, as they do a lot of worldbuilding and provide backstory to certain characters. Moving on to the second part, after Twilight experiences Luna's defeat, she drinks the potion again, which allows her to see the two princesses defeating Discord, as well as discovering a special plant known as the Tree of Harmony.

Soon after, Twilight and co. head into the Everfree Forest to try saving the tree. But once she leads her friends into trouble thanks to an encounter with a cragadile, the Mane Six suggest Twilight should head back to Ponyville to protect it from harm while they find the tree on their own. I wanted Twilight to stand her ground, but to my disappointment, she agreed to their ideas.

Upon Twilight's return, the vines are close to overtaking Ponyville. Discord laments her decision to leave her friends behind, while Twilight tries her best to defend herself. Realizing that her friends could be in danger, she heads back into the forest, though she gets stopped in her tracks by the vines spraying her with powder.

Spike tells the Mane Six what's happened, and they work together to save Twilight Sparkle from danger. Once they're back together, they head back to the tree and relinquish their elements, allowing the tree to flourish, while the vines disappear from Equestria. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna return, and a special chest appears out of a flower bulb, though its purpose is currently unknown.

Once the group leaves the forest, Discord is impressed with their teamwork, though he mentions that some Plunder Seeds he planted should've sprouted long ago. Twilight doesn't know what this means, so she drinks the potion one last time, revealing that Discord planted the seeds in an attempt to drain magic from the Tree of Harmony and kidnap the princesses, though at the time of his defeat, the tree had enough magic to prevent the seeds from growing until after Twilight's alicorn transformation. Discord withheld this info so Twilight could learn a valuable lesson about friendship. With everything returned to normal, the Summer Sun Celebration begins without any further hitches.

I think this two parter was very forboding and mysterious, with a much darker tone compared to previous ones. I also really liked the flashback scenes and the Plunder Seed vines providing a significant challenge for the Mane Six to overcome. However, Twilight's decision making was a little dense in some spots, and though she does adjust to her newfound abilities, I think her quest to prove herself worthy of the title of princess isn't over yet.

I'm looking forward to a lot of the individual stories in Season 4, and am wondering what sorts of new adventures Twilight Sparkle and her friends will partake in. What could be inside that mysterious chest? Only time well tell, that's for sure...

 

[Minty]

Yesterday, I did my first set of individual stories for Season 4, which included Castle Mane-ia, Daring Don't, and Flight to the Finish.

Spoiler

Castle Mane-ia had a lot of backstory for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, but the plot had a fair amount of pacing issues. Twilight Sparkle didn't really help out her friends until close to the end of the episode, and spent most of her screen time looking around the castle and reading the Princesses' journal. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were competing in a contest for most daring pony, which only lead them into trouble when they were wandering the building.

Fluttershy was helping Rarity get some new tapestries for the Carosel Boutique, with Angel Bunny tagging along. Angel gets seperated from his owner later on and spends the majority of the plot with Twilight and Spike. Although some of the frights were terrifying, others fell flat quickly. It came to a point where Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were all scared so silly, that they were bumping into each-other and wrecking the place unintentionally.

However, the ending was somewhat good. Pinkie Pie is revealed to be the pony playing the organ, which was reminiscent of her being revealed as Mare Do Well in The Mysterious Mare Do Well from Season 2. After the group is back together, they decide to write their own Friendship Journal to chornicle their adventures, which is a nice step forward from the letters they sent Princess Celestia in Season 1, 2, and 3. Overall, I thought Castle Mane-ia was good, but not stellar enough to wow me that much.

Spoiler

Daring Don't has a really good lesson behind it. A lot of people that are huge fans of certain franchises don't know how to control themselves and act mature at things like conventions or meet and greets. This can cause them to forget how special they themselves are in real life, and that meeting someone behind your favorite series doesn't have to be treated like something bigger than what it already is.

Going back to the episode, Rainbow Dash is very excited because the next Daring Do book is coming out in a few months. A party is going on at the Golden Oak Library, but during the event, she is informed that the book is being delayed for another two months, much to her shock. However, RD does manage to convince the Mane Six to join her on a quest to find Daring Do and figure out the reason for said delay.

When the group finds Daring Do, her cottage is in shambles, and it's revealed that A. K. Yearling, the author behind the books, is actually her character irl. We are also introduced to Dr. Cabelleron and his lackeys, who are searching for a mysterious ring belonging to a creature known as Ahuizotl. However, when Rainbow Dash decides to try helping her out, Daring Do is distrustful of her behavior and tells the overexcited pegasus that she works alone.

Rainbow Dash's assistance only makes matters worse for Daring Do, allowing the Ahuizotl to steal the ring after she gets it back from Cabelleron using a cleverly put together disguise. He captures her, and when RD tries to help, Daring Do doesn't want her assistance, as it'll just bring more harm than good. This causes RD to lose faith in herself for a while until the Mane Six reveal to her that in placing Daring Do on a pedestal higher than her own, she forgot how amazing her own qualities were, and they wouldn't be like themselves if they didn't help her out at least a little.

Daring Do breaks free from her prison, only for RD to assist her in getting back to Ahuizotl's lair. The Mane Six distract the creature, allowing RD and Daring Do to remove the rings from the stone pillar, causing the fortress to collapse. The Ahuizotl is defeated, and Daring Do realizes that having a little assistance on her adventures isn't a bad idea. After receiving a hug from RD, A. K. Yearling returns to her cottage to finish her book. As thanks for her contributions, RD ends up getting a copy of the next Daring Do book in advance, which makes her ecstatic, especially when she shes herself alongside her hero on the cover.

I thought Daring Don't had a very cool plot, with lots of exciting action scenes and tense moments. We learned a lot about A. K. Yearling's daily life outside of writing, as well as seeing her adversaries in action. RD also learned a very important lesson here, and I'm glad she was able to meet her hero, even if their encounter was a little rough at first.

Spoiler

Flight to the Finish was a great episode that focused on the Cutie Mark Crusaders. It also acted as a follow up to Just For Sidekicks and Games Ponies Play from Season 3, as Inspector Harshwhinny makes a return and we get to see Ponyville Elementary's students compete for the role of flag bearer at the Equestria Games. The CMC really want to impress Rainbow Dash, who's coaching the try-outs, though Harshwhinny attempts to keep RD's enthusiasim under control so she can judge every pony professionally.

The CMC sing a really catchy song as they think about their act. Hearts Strong As Horses has this big band vibe, with a lot of lyrics promoting empowerment as a group and a high sense of self-worth. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are dismissive of the CMC's efforts as usual, thinking that blank flanks representing Ponyville will make the town look awful. However, Rainbow Dash is imprssed with the CMC's first routine during Day 1 of try-outs, causing the two fillies to begin plotting their next move.

After Day 1 try-outs conclude, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon attempt to get under the CMC's skin by pretending to praise their performance. They nag about how Scootaloo can't fly, which Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle try to defend in an effort to stand up to the two fillies. By the time they leave, Scootaloo is determined to get her flying improved so their next routine will be better than their first run, but her closest friends become exhausted from over-exerting themselves in trying to rework their act.

On Day 2 of try-outs, the CMC's reworked routine goes horribly. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are still tired from the night before, and Scootaloo ends up not destroying the paper surrounding the hoop with her flight. Rainbow Dash is trying to hold herself together, but believes that the CMC's original performance on Day 1 was better as is. In an attempt to salvage their act, Scootaloo continues to practice, but Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle leave to rest up for the big audition at the Crystal Empire.

After hours of practice, Scootaloo laments that she'll never be able to fly. At the train station, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are impatient in waiting for their friend to arrive. When they learn that Scootaloo has given up on their routine, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle say that they don't need her anymore, and board the Friendship Express without her. Once Rainbow Dash realizes what has happened as the train is leaving Ponyville, she pulls the emergency brake, and urges the two friends to join her so they can get Scootaloo back.

At Scootaloo's house, we see the young pegasus throw away her scooter alongside various posters. Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle reconcile with their friend, telling her that although she can't fly, their routine won't be the same without her, she shouldn't let her weaknesses stop her from being a good friend, and that friendship is the point of their performance. Once the CMC is back together, they sing a reprise of Hearts Strong As Horses and manage to make it to the Crystal Empire in time as auditions are about to kick off.

The CMC perform their routine without any hitches, which allows them to win the role of flag-bearer. Both Harshwhinny and Rainbow Dash are impressed, though RD reminds Harshwhinny to compose herself after congratulating the performance. The CMC are awarded with flower wreaths, and wonder if they'll get their Cutie Marks in flag bearing as the story draws to a close.

I thought Flight to the Finish was a pretty amazing episode. Not only did Scootaloo realize her weaknesses shouldn't bring her down, but I also liked how supportive Rainbow Dash was towards the CMC. One thing I would've liked to see was some of the other students' performances, though these were likely cut for time constraints. That being said, I thought the lesson was well written, and the song added a nice touch to an already great story.

 

[Minty]

Hey, everyone. Last night, I did my second set of stories, which included Power Ponies, Bats!, and Rarity Takes Manehatten.

Spoiler

Power Ponies had a great concept, with the ponies and Spike entering a comic book and getting superpowers. However, the first and second acts of this plot were a little questionable. The Mane Six were inexperienced with their powers, which lead them into trouble, Mane-iac had a cool design that was wasted because her personality, evil laugh, and motives were pathetic, and Spike only makes matters worse because he's trying to prove to his friends that he isn't weak and useless like Humdrum is in the comics.

However, the third act was where things really picked up for the better. The Mane Six's powers are used effectively and Spike makes himself useful to show that he doesn't need special powers to help out. I think all of the Mane Six's powers are pretty neat, with Twilight Sparkle having ice beams, Rainbow Dash using electricity, Applejack's magic lasso, Pinkie Pie's superspeed, Rarity's endless supply of objects, and Fluttershy's ability to transform into a bulky version of herself, kind of like The Incredible Hulk or The Infragable Krunk from The Justice Friends segments in Dexter's Lab.

Fluttershy's Transformation also reminded me of when Topaz was turned into an Ogre as part of a spell Sapphire casted in the first Trollz episode, Best Friends For Life. Going back to MLP, Spike learns an important lesson about how he shouldn't let his weaknesses prevent him from helping out his pals, and the comic book disappears soon after everyone is teleported back to Princess Celestia's old castle.

I thought Power Ponies was better than some superhero episodes from other shows, which either have lame powers given to the characters (ex. Super-Zeroes from Billy and Mandy) or are more hype than anything in execution (ex. Comic Relief from Dexter's Lab). But against other MLP episodes, it isn't one of the ones I'll go back to often.

Spoiler

Bats was very cool and had this spooky atmosphere. It's also a far cry from most vampire episodes in other shows, which either use the classic Count Dracula story for its base, have tomatoes instead of blood because they were appealing to kids (ex. Count Koopula from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show or Catula from Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater) or do a spin on Dracula that only works for certain audiences. But MLP using the apples and fruit bats is quite an original idea.

The song Bats has an ominous and foreboding tone, with Applejack wanting to protect her orchard from the creatures and get rid of them as soon as possible, and Fluttershy wanting to make a sanctuary for them so the apple trees can have stronger roots and longer lifespans. But later on, in an attempt to stop the critters, she suckers up to her friends' commands, helping them lure the fruit bats to a tree once Twilight Sparkle finds a spell that could get their appetites to diminish and using her Stare on them.

However, this has serious side effects, as something is still devouring the apples the next night. The bats aren't guilty, so the Mane Six vow not to leave the field until they find the culprit. Later that evening, they find out that Fluttershy is responsible, having been turned into a bat-like creature thanks to Twilight's spell backfiring, which she doesn't realize until after she discovers her mistakes and explains them to the group.

The Mane Six try getting her attention, but it doesn't work until AJ sacrifices her big apple that she was planning to enter into a competition. The other ponies assist by using mirrors to corner Fluttershy, and Twilight users her horn to turn her friend back to normal. Fluttershy is unaware of the trouble she caused, but the next morning, AJ repays her by making a sanctuary for the fruit bats. The timid Pegasus also learns how to express concern instead of obeying her friends without any thought, which is a valuable moral in my opinion.

Overall, Bats was a pretty good episode. The spooky atmosphere and departure from ideas that were tried by other shows gives it a uniqueness factor, the song fits the story, and the lesson is handled quite well, even if AJ and Twilight's writing was questionable here.

Spoiler

Rarity Takes Manehatten was a great New York style episode. I like when NY or a spin on it is shown in media, such as Home Alone 2 (1992) for the former or Strawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City for the latter. Rarity is planning to enter a competition against other ponies in the fashion industry, while the rest of the Mane Six want to take in the sights and watch a take on Heidi known as Hinny of the Hills.

Generosity has this big city tune to it, with lyrics showing how Rarity does nice things for the ponies in Manehatten while also allowing them to help her out whenever she needs it. But some of the ponies aren't too kind. Rarity is rejected from riding a cab and forgets her fabric when she does find one. When she arrives at the venue, the receptionist nearly disqualifies her until the Mane Six have a stallion bring her materials to the place.

Rarity is told by the competition's organizer, Prim Hemline, that since she didn't show up early, a lot of ponies will be showing off their creations before her on the big day. Rarity also meets a competitor named Suri Polomare, or Button Belle as she was known in the toy line. Suri has a cute design, but is very rude, taking Rarity's fabric and plagiarizing her own designs, as well as telling her that it's everypony for themselves around Manehatten.

In an effort to set things right, the Mane Six volunteer to help Rarity out after she rushes into their hotel room, crying in shame. However, they don't want to miss out on Hinny of the Hills, and Rarity chews them out for this, which really just shows how pompous she can be at times. I didn't like this scene at all, especially since the group complies after she takes her drama too far.

The next morning, the competition kicks off. The audience is wowed by both Suri's and Rarity's fashions. However, the ladylike unicorn realizes that her friends aren't in the audience, so she leaves the stage to search the city for them. This leads to a sad reprise of Generosity, with her mane and tail losing their ringlets because of the pouring rain. When she returns to the plaza, she reunites with her pals, but is told by Suri that she lost the event because of her sudden departure. Rarity is graceful towards her loss, being happy to just compete amongst other ponies in the fashion industry.

After taking her buddies to a surprise showing of Hinny on the Hills, Rarity is greeted by Coco Pommel. She awards Rarity with the competition trophy because of her giving personality, and explains that Suri lied to her in an effort to win by default due to the beautiful unicorn's forfeit. Pommel quit her job under Polomare, but Rarity quickly allows her to help make outfits for the next show Hinny's costume designer is contributing to. Pommel also gives Rarity a spool of Rainbow Yarn, which gives off a mysterious glow.

Although Rarity Takes Manehatten was a little rough around the edges, I had a pretty fun time with it. The big city vibes, combined with the amazing song, and the excitement of the competition allow it to shine amongst other Rarity centric episodes. The lesson is also well written, and Coco Pommel has a very cute design, with a similar voice to G3 Rarity, thanks to Cathy Weseluck being her VA.

 

[Minty]

How's everyone doing? My third set for Season 4 consisted of Pinkie Apple Pie, Rainbow Falls, and Three's A Crowd.

Spoiler

Pinkie Apple Pie's plot was very confusing to me. Although I like how Pinkie Pie tried to get along with The Apple Family through-out the adventure, I felt that the way the episode handled the group's writing was questionable. They were constantly arguing and trying to make themselves seem perfect, that their careless behavior was responsible for most of the conflict they got into as the story went on.

Apples to the Core is quite a catchy song, and is one of the episode's saving graces in my opinion. While it's far from one of my favorite songs, it has its merits and shouldn't be understated. But there was a lot of missed opportunities here. There's a sequence where the group enters a cave as they paddle down a river, but you can only see the outside of it, as well as the noises being made inside the caverns, and then it's over. I would've liked the see the inside of this cave, as it would've upped the scare factor and added a sense of urgency.

But by far, the biggest missed opportunity was the way The Apple Family's lineage, as well as the lesson in general, was handled. In previous episodes like Family Appreciation Day from Season 2 and Apple Family Reunion from Season 3, the family lineage is given a lot more focus and provides a decent amount of worldbuilding. But here, it just fades into the background within a few minutes. The family goes back to arguing at the end, so the lesson feels forced onto the viewer from the get-go.

While I wouldn't say Pinkie Apple Pie is terrible by any means, I personally would refrain from watching this episode again. Its rushed plot, questionable morals, and array of wasted potential make it a mediocre watch, with only a couple redeeming qualities to take note of.

Spoiler

I was not looking forward to Rainbow Falls from a fan perspective. When people talk about Season 4, this episode is often the one that gets the most criticism out of the bunch. So I paid very close attention to the events of this story as a whole. By the end of it, I was quite appalled by the writers' decisions, and felt that there was little to no redeeming qualities with this plot.

Rainbow Dash's writing falls apart quite early on, as she begins to lose faith in her group, consisting of Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps. Her partners aren't too great at their routine, and once Soarin of the Wonder Bolts gets his wing injured during practice, RD decides to help the group right away instead of getting her own team's performance under control. She checks in on them every once in a while, but they don't seem to be improving their act at all.

When RD is told that she's talented enough to join the Wonder Bolts permanently, she is torn between choosing her heroes or her friends. In the end, she attempts to run from her decision by faking an injury. Although her friends try making her feel better, with Fluttershy even having Derpy sign on as a replacement, nothing seems to work until after they leave the nurse's office. This is when Soarin reveals that his wing has healed up, and that Spitfire may have lied to both of them, which is just baffling in my opinion.

After telling the truth to Spitfire, RD decides to join her friends instead of the Wonder Bolts and is given a lightning shaped badge as thanks for her efforts. Her team just barely qualifies for the Equestria Games, and the badge gives off the same mysterious glow we saw with Rarity's Rainbow Yarn in Rarity Takes Manehatten.

Out of all the episodes I've seen so far in Season 4, Rainbow Falls might be the worst one I've sat through. The questionable writing, poor handling of the friendship lesson, and baffling story decisions all contribute to my dislike of it. I would never watch this episode a second time, and although the scenery of the falls was nice, it didn't do enough to save this story from getting a bad rating.

Spoiler

Three's A Crowd was a great sickness episode. It combines tropes from many different approaches to this story, so it offers a bit of everything. We also get to see two fan favorite characters return, those being Princess Cadence and Discord. Fluttershy is away studying Breezies, while Pinkie Pie is distracted by a red balloon. Twilight Sparkle is planning to spend her time with Cadence by visiting a Star Swirl The Bearded Traveling Museum.

Discord swirls in like a tornado, causing quite a ruckus between Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash once they notice him. His usual earthy colors are replaced with various shades of blue, and during his conversation, Discord ends up spreading this illness to both Rarity and Applejack, forcing them to head home for the rest of the story. RD leaves quickly, not wanting to get sick, while Pinkie's childish tendencies lead her away from the action within a matter of minutes.

Twilight and Cadence are enjoying their time at the museum, but upon seeing Discord, they shield themselves from his sneezing. The intelligent alicorn is initially reluctant to taking care of the sickly draconequus, but after hearing his constant pleading, she and Cadence oblige. They take him to Golden Oak Library and Discord becomes incredibly needy, wanting a variety of different things to make him feel better.

Glass of Water is the first time we've ever seen Discord sing, and this tune is just so fun. The lyrics are nonsensical but work within the universe, his voice has this baritone sound that I just love to hear, and the structure of the song is well balanced. After his long list of requests, Twilight begins to search for an antidote, and Discord tells her and Cadence that a rare pink flower on a hill at the edge of Equestria might do the trick.

When Twilight and Cadence find this flower, a Tatzlwurm appears and wreaks havoc, trying to defend the plant. At first, the two alicorns struggle to defeat the creature, but once they use their magic to blast it from the inside, they are victorious in their endeavor. It's then revealed that Discord only faked his illness to see if Twilight would stand up for him in times of need, thinking that although she was on good terms with him, she hadn't really shown it quite yet. However, the Tatzlwurm emerges from its hole and sneezes, causing Discord to get inflicted with the Tatzlflu and receive care from Fluttershy as the story draws to a close.

With its tremendous song, usage of fan favorite characters, and offering a bit of everything in terms of approach, Three's A Crowd is quite a stellar showing for Season 4. It's certainly up there among other episodes I've loved from this Season, such as Daring Don't and Flight to the Finish. After the disaster that was Rainbow Falls, this story really brought a smile to my face, having seen a fair share of these sickness plots, both good and bad, from other shows.

 

[Minty]

Hey everyone. It sure was a magical musical wonderland last night, as I did my fourth set for Season 4. The episodes included Pinkie Pride, Simple Ways, and Filli Vanilli.

Spoiler

At the beginning of Pinkie Pride, we're introduced to Cheese Sandwich, who has recently set his sights on Ponyville as his next party spot. The songs start off with Pinkie the Party Planner, a catchy tune that shows how much Ponyville's citizens appreciate the celebrations prepared by Pinkie Pie as she sets up for Rainbow Dash's birthday/anniversary. RD is excited about her big day, and soon after, Cheese arrives in Ponyville and his much more goofy and festive party throwing style leaves Pinkie impressed at first. But things are about to take a turn...

Cheese begins to sing about how great of a party pony he is. The Super Duper Party Pony is very fast-paced and energetic, showing Cheese's talents as Pinkie gets sidelined. The ponies decide to have Cheese take over as host for RD's party, causing Pinkie to worry that she might get replaced. Pinkie's Lament is a very somber, melancholy number, which has her try out various jobs and failing in the process until she realizes that she must take back her position after reminiscing about the previous parties she's held over the course of the show so far.

At 3:10, after much preparation, Pinkie and Cheese have a goof-off. They try outdoing each-other using cannons, singing, jokes, and even scenes with Gummy and Boneless, Cheese's rubber chicken, in real life. However, when a giant piñata falls on RD, who's judging the competition, Pinkie begins to regret what she's done and stops the goof-off. Before Pinkie can leave Ponyville though, her friends not only cheer her up, but allow her to see that although Cheese might have better, more spectacular parties than Pinkie, she's Ponyville's permenant Party Pony, and therefore, cannot be replaced.

Cheese comes in and confesses to Pinkie that he wasn't always a Super Duper Party Pony. He was an outcast as a young colt, and it wasn't until he wandered into a party by chance that he got inspired to hold celebrations all over Equestria, and by coincidence, that party was hosted by Pinkie. The two party ponies decide to combine their efforts, turning RD's party into a tremendous occasion.

After singing Make A Wish, a bopping tune about birthdays and having a good time, Cheese gives Pinkie Boneless for her efforts and support, and once again, we see that same glow Rarity's Rainbow Yarn and RD's Wonderbolt Badge also had. Cheese heads off for another town as the bash winds down and our story draws to a close.

I thought Pinkie Pride was the funniest episode I've ever seen from Season 4. It's certainly up there as one of my favorites alongside Daring Don't, Flight to the Finish, and Three's A Crowd. It's a great birthday episode, a magical musical, and the lesson behind it is thought out quite well. This is probably one I'll watch often, and this is actually my second time seeing it, as I did a Pinkie marathon at the beginning of 2024 with this episode alongside A Friend in Deed and Too Many Pinkie Pies. But that time, I was mainly watching for fun instead of doing my usual analysis/critiques.

Spoiler

Simple Ways was a mixed bag in my opinion. Rarity is picked as host for Ponyville's Ponyville Days festival. At the Carousel Boutique, she tells her friends that she's planning a cider auction/tasting at Sweet Apple Acres, a gala in the Town Square, and a fashion show. While the Mane Six is impressed with these ideas, Rarity is mainly trying to woo a preppy unicorn named Trenderhoof, who she has a crush on.

Now, this might just be me, but Trenderhoof kinda looks like Dick Hardly from The Powerpuff Girls episode Knock It Off. Not only that, but I do not support Rarity's crush on this guy at all, considering her last boyfriend, Prince Blueblood, wasn't exactly looking out for her too much. She and Twilight Sparkle head to the Train Station to meet up with him.

At first, Rarity is so in love, she can't even say hello to Trend, but soon after, she takes him on a tour of Ponyville, showing him her plans for the upcoming celebration. However, once Trend meets Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres, he is absolutely smitten by her rustic nature. This causes Rarity to have a dramatic meltdown, even though AJ doesn't find Trenderhoof appealing at all.

After this, Rarity begins trying numerous ways to steal Trend from AJ by trading her poise and grace for a more natural, rustic look. However, her fancy ways of doing farm chores only make Trend more fascinated with AJ by the minute. Frustrated, AJ avoids any sort of contact with Trend as his obession with her gets bigger. Rarity on the other hand, is more determined than ever to get Trend on her side and goes country, ditching her sense of style entirely, and even retheming her Ponyville Days plans to be more focused on Sweet Apple Acres.

However, everyone in Ponyville is unimpressed with the changes. AJ wants Rarity to realize her mistakes, and makes a sudden appearance on the runway, trading her rustic look for a beautiful party dress and calling herself Apple Jewel. The two ponies begin to outdo each-other, but their argument goes nowhere fast. After getting mud on AJ's outfit, Rarity regrets her behaviour, and upon seeing Trend in farm clothes, tells him he shouldn't have to change himself like she did to impress him.

The next day, Rarity has her Ponyville Days celebration go back to its original plans, and everypony is having a good time. Rarity receives a rose from Trend as thanks, and the Fashion Show commences without any hitches.

I personally thought Simple Ways was mildly entertaining, but not an episode I'd go back to anytime soon. It kind of stumbled with the handling of its lesson, had a poorly written new character, and Rarity and AJ's attempts to outdo each-other was a little much for me. But there were some highlights, like Rarity's outfit at the beginning, and AJ's Apple Jewel disguise.

Spoiler

Filli Vanilli begins with Fluttershy singing to her animal friends. Music in the Treetops is very similar in tune to So Many Wonders from the Season 1 episode The Cutie Mark Chronicles. The Mane Six admire her talents, but the timid pegasus gets worried when she finds out they heard her performing. There is a fundraiser happening at Ponyville's Pet Center, and a band called the Pony Tones is set to make an appearance at the event, and Rarity wonders why Fluttershy can't join them.

Fluttershy reveals that she has Stage Fright and even though she is a fan of Pony Tones' music, she would never perform with them because of her fears. She and her pals leave her Cottage and begin to set up for the fundraiser. We're introduced to the members of Pony Tones, which include Rarity, Big McIntosh, Toe Tapper, and Torch Song. They practice their song, Find the Music in You, which is this inspiring tune about discovering hidden talents and facing fears in the process.

However, at rehearsals the next day, Big Mac loses his voice because he lost a turkey call at Sweet Apple Acres to Pinkie Pie the previous night. Rarity and Fluttershy take the stallion to Zecora for a potential remedy, but she tells the group that his condition will take a few days for a full recovery. She suggests Fluttershy take his place on stage using the deep voice she got upon being inflicted with Poison Joke in the Season 1 episode Bridle Gossip, but after she reveals her fears, Rarity has a solution to her problem. She could sing backstage while Big Mac moves his lips in sync with her vocals.

On the day of the fundraiser, Pony Tones performs their song, and it is a rousing success. A young pegasus named Zipporwill is amazed with their act and wants them to make an appearance at her Cute-Ceñera. Initially, Rarity turns her down, but Fluttershy, not wanting to disappoint the little filly, convinces the group otherwise. Soon after their next show, more and more ponies want Pony Tones at various events, including Mayor Mare's ribbon cutting ceremony, the Spa Ponies at Ponyville's Day Spa, and Cheerilee's class at Ponyville Schoolhouse.

Fluttershy gets so invested in her performance, she begins to lose herself in the music. This causes Big Mac to become confused, having trouble keeping up with her enthusiasim. Before their next appearance at Sugarcube Corner, Big Mac's voice has recovered, but Fluttershy, wanting to perform for him one last time, does her wildest act yet. In her excitement, she makes the curtains fall down on the band. This causes her to go through a nightmare sequence where big pony heads with spotlights shine down on her. This scene was terrifying to me, and it causes Fluttershy to leave without warning.

After the Mane Six get the lowdown from Big Mac, they head for Fluttershy's Cottage to see what's gotten into her. Her voice is back to normal, but when the group tries to cheer her up, Pinkie Pie is blunt about her situation, causing the timid pegasus to cry and leave her Cottage in tears. Her friends chase after her, complimenting her singing talents, but Fluttershy never wants to perform in public again after what happened during their last show. Rarity reminds her that in being considerate towards the citizens of Ponyville and performing for them, that she wanted to sing all along, and everypony loved her talents.

In the end, Fluttershy joins the Pony Tones and they do one last performance in front of all her animal friends. Soon after their act, Rarity informs the band that they've been booked for The Apple Family's Zap Apple Extraordinare Event, but Fluttershy politely turns down her offer, since she's still a bit nervous about performing in front of a crowd. She happily sings to one of her bird friends as the story draws to a close.

Filli Vanilli not only had amazing songs, but did Milli Vanilli's lip sync scandals justice in comparison to other attempts such as Kootie Pie Rocks from The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. However, it's a bit rough around the edges. Pinkie's bluntness towards Fluttershy was mean-spirited in my opinion, and I felt that while the timid pegasus was performing in place of Big Mac, she was acting too much like a push-over towards the group. That being said, I had a fun time with this story, and I would probably watch it again sometime.

 

[Minty]

Great to see you guys. My next set was certainly a lot of mixed emotions, without many highlights. But that didn't mean I had not to write about! The episodes included Twilight Time, It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, and Somepony to Watch Over Me.

Spoiler

Twilight Time was pretty uninteresting for the most part. It was cool to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders learning new skills with the help of Twilight Sparkle, but soon after the cold opening, the plot falls apart. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon try to convince the CMC to let them join their practice sessions. Apple Bloom is suspicious of this offer, but Sweetie Belle thinks she can handle it on her own, while Scootaloo believes that doing this will allow them to get a better reputation amongst their classmates. In the end, they decide to have them tag along, but things aren't looking up...

Once the other students find out what their classmates are up to, they want in on Twilight Time as well. They join forces with Diamomd Tiara and Silver Spoon, becoming an angry mob that follows the CMC wherever they go. To show Twilight how much their time spent together means to them, the CMC invites her to Hay Burger for lunch. But as they enjoy their food, the mob takes pictures of Twilight behind her back. She goes off the investigate after a few minutes, only to find that she's a celebrity amongst the foals because of her status as Princess.

Soon after, the CMC's poplarity has increased, with Apple Bloom even wearing a shiny new bow with lots of gems on it. In an effort to separate the rest of the students from the CMC, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon invite them to a pool party at the former's house. But as they're enjoying their fun, the CMC soon realize the darker side of their newfound popularity. They soon leave the pool party and head towards the Golden Oak Library, but not without the rest of the foals going after them.

When they arrive, the CMC are cornered by the foals. Twilight unassumingly lets everyone in, so she can show them what the CMC have learned over the course of their practice sessions. But even with improvisions, the fillies' efforts prove fruitless. After getting covered in applesauce, Twilight realizes that none of her visitors have learned anything, despite her best efforts. Once the students leave, the CMC are disappointed, but before they leave, they use their skills to fix the scooter and give Twilight a pink flower. Touched by their kindness, Twlight gives the CMC another chance, but they decide to keep Twilight Time to themselves from now on.

I understand the message Twilight Time might be trying to teach its audience, but its efforts at executing said messages weren't that great. It was nice seeing the CMC learning new skills, but likening the rest of the foals to an angry mob for most of the episode wasn't too exciting. I also thought that this episode seemed like filler, as it didn't really contribute anything to the main story of Season 4 like so many other episodes have. So this one probably won't be watched again anytime soon.

Spoiler

I was kind of looking forward to It Ain't Easy Being Breezies at first. I liked the Breezies a lot in G3, as they were helpful assistants to the ponies, especially Wysteria, and had their own distinct personalities. Tra La La was the leader, smart, and quick-thinking. Tiddly Wink was a talkative chatterbox who often stayed on the sidelines. Zipzee, the youngest of the three, was excitable, curious, and clumsy because of her flower allergies. However, the Breezies in FiM are very different from their G3 counterparts.

Here, the Breezies live in another dimension and use breezes made by the pegasi's wings in order to bring their pollen back home before the portal to it closes for good. But in an effort to see the creatures up close, Spike accidently makes a leaf fall off a tree, causing a group of Breezies to get separated from their clan. A male Breezie with pink hair in a black coat named Seabreeze tries to get everyone back together, but they are unable to rejoin the rest of the group. Fluttershy saves the creatures and decides to care for them so they can recover from their injuries, but Seabreeze isn't so sure...

Inside Fluttershy's Cottage, the Breezies become increasingly dependant on her because of her kindness towards them. They mainly speak using gibberish, which is not only unintellgible, but also high pitched. Seabreeze sounds like a girl even though he's voiced by Brian Drummond, who has performed for other male characters like Mr. Cake, The Ahuizotl, and G3's version of Spike. Only Fluttershy can understand them, but as time closes in, the other pegasi want to ensure the Breezies' departure, and Seabreeze is determined to get home, leaving the Cottage through a pinhole on the door.

Fluttershy heads out to find Seabreeze a few minutes after he leaves. But the outspoken Breezie is soon cornered by a colony of bees who won't leave him alone. Fluttershy tries using her kindness on the colony, but soon realizes that sometimes, kind behavior isn't the answer in times of need. After confronting the colony, Fluttershy rushes back home and tells the rest of the Breezies that they must leave at once before it's too late.

Rainbow Dash and the other pegasi try their best to get a breeze going, but with a smaller amount of Breezies around, they aren't successful in acheiving their goals. Twilight Sparkle uses a spell on both herself and the rest of the Mane Six, turning them into Breezies. This makes their voices high-pitched and allows them to help out the Breezies. Seabreeze helps out his group instead of acting rude towards them, and gives Fluttershy a blue flower. The flower has the same glow that Rarity's Rainbow Yarn, RD's Wonderbolt Badge, and Pinkie Pie's Boneless also had.

Although it was cool seeing the Breezies in FiM for the first time, I think they weren't as interesting as their G3 counterparts. Seabreeze is the only one with any personality traits, and he isn't too likeable to begin with. Not only that, but I also felt that this episode was extremely similar to the Strawberry Shortcake episode When the Berry Fairy Came to Stay.

In that story, a fairy named Margalo B. Berryglow injured her wings, so Strawberry volunteers to take care of her. She introduces her to her friends, but Custard and Pupcake become jealous of the attention everyone's giving her, and think she's faked her injuries after seeing her fly while they're sleeping. They try to show Strawberry and co. that Margalo is fine, but they don't realize it until Strawberry sees her plants aren't growing because of Margalo shirking her duties. After confronting a crow, Margalo makes up by using her magic on Strawberry's plants, allowing them to grow again. She apologizes for her behavior and soon makes lots of friends after Strawberry teaches her to treat others with respect.

I do think MLP's version of this plot had some differences, with multiple dependant characters as opposed to one, Fluttershy being the only caretaker, and her friends wanting the Breezies to leave sooner rather than later. But I believe both episodes have a similar execution in their message, and their story beats aren't distinct enough to warrant an even match-up. In the end, while I thought It Ain't Easy Being Breezies was alright, DIC Entertainment and American Greetings already told a similar story back in 2006, so Hasbro and DHX Media's attempt 8 years later acheiving the same results wasn't too thrilling.

Spoiler

Somepony to Watch Over Me had a rough first and second act. Applejack and Big McIntosh are going off to deliver homemade apple pies to some hard to reach towns, and have Apple Bloom watch over Sweet Apple Acres while they're gone. At first, the young filly is excited about this task, but soon after they leave Ponyville, Applejack is worried that her sister might need some assistance and heads back home with her pie cart in tow.

By the time Applejack comes back home, Apple Bloom has finished all her chores. But upon seeing her sister, the young filly makes a huge mess around the kitchen. Seeing that her sister might need help, Applejack decides to look after her. But in doing this, her behavior begins to resemble that of a helicopter parent babying a child who's capable of fending for themselves. This only frustrates Apple Bloom, so she invites Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle over to devise a plan to deceive Applejack so she can escape without her knowing.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle decide to disguise themselves as Apple Bloom and sleep in her bed. The young filly makes her escape and decides to take over delivery duties for her sister's pie cart. By the time Applejack realizes what's going on, her sister's been gone for several hours. Worried about her safety, she heads after her. Apple Bloom soon finds herself in a lava filled area and encounters a Chimera that wants to eat not only her, but also the pies she's trying to deliver.

This is where the story gets a lot better in my opinion. At first, Apple Bloom runs away from the creature, but after she's cornered, Applejack rushes in to try saving her sister. She manages to defeat the creature using her quick feet, flute playing skills, and some ricotta cheese. Initially, Applejack scolds Apple Bloom for leaving Sweet Apple Acres without her knowing, but soon realizes that Apple Bloom managed to carry the pie cart all by herself, and commends her efforts.

Applejack and Apple Bloom make it up to each-other and succeed in their delivery, much to the delight of their customers. Applejack apologizes for her behavior and promises that the next time Apple Bloom's put in charge of the farm, she won't check back on her, even if she might need it.

I thought Somepony To Watch Over Me had a great third act, but its first and second act left a lot to be desired. Applejack's behavior for most of the episode wasn't very kind to her element of honesty, and I felt that the lesson was handled quite poorly. However, the Chimera encounter was cool, and the ending was very touching. But I won't be watching this episode again anytime soon, that's for sure.

I'm going to be taking an infrequency period with MLP starting next week. My Halloween playlist is starting that week, and it consists of three shows I haven't seen yet. These include Ruby Gloom, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Evil Con Carne. While I might use my Sunday slots for the remainder of Season 4 until one of those three shows has no more slots in the schedule, that will mean longer wait times for episodes 18-26. I'm also doing this out of respect for @G Major Steven Stone, so he doesn't get bombarded with reviews in this thread upon his return, so please keep this in mind.

 

[Cayde]

Evil Con Carne.

This is one of the most underrated Cartoon Network shows and I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did!

 

[Minty]

Hey everyone. Last night, I saw Maud Pie, For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils, and Leap of Faith.

Spoiler

Maud Pie had a really great lesson behind it. At the beginning of the story, Pinkie Pie has made a lot of rock candy for Maud's upcoming visit, and is planning to meet her at the Train Station. She thinks that her peers will get along with her right away, and initially, the Mane Six are looking forward to meeting her. They set up a picnic while Pinkie goes to the Train Station to meet up with her.

When Maud arrives at the picnic spot, the Mane Six try their best to make her visit worthwhile. However, her lack of emotion and low enthusiasm in certain subjects causes the group to not immediately become friends with her like Pinkie Pie had hoped. She then suggests that her friends try getting to know Maud individually, thinking that it might bring them a bit closer together.

Rarity tries to make Maud a dress, Fluttershy takes her on a walk to visit her animal friends, while Twilight Sparkle attempts getting her to read poetry. Instead, Maud has her listen to her own poetry, which focuses on rocks. Applejack tries making some cider with help from Maud, but her methods are different from the Apple Family's tradition. Finally, Rainbow Dash skips stones with Pinkie's sister, and finds out she isn't concerned about winning sports. Soon after, Twilight and co. visit Sugarcube Corner and tell Pinkie that although they've tried their best to connect with Maud, they haven't gotten along too well.

After hearing this, Pinkie Pie becomes worried about the situation that's unfolding. In a last ditch effort, she constructs an obstacle course consisting of areas catered to each of her friends' interests, as well as her sister's. But during her demonstration of it, Pinkie gets stuck in the rock pile. Maud sees her sister in danger and uses her bare hooves to save her, amazing Twilight and co. in the process. Afterwards, Maud tells Pinkie she's going to spend to the rest of her visit at the Pie Family's rock farm, believing that she might've toke her ideas a bit too far.

Pinkie accompanies her sister on the train ride home. When they exit the vehicle, they see Twilight and co. with all the rock candy Pinkie made earlier that week. They then tell the two ponies that although they might not see eye to eye on certain things, the one thing they do have in common is their support for Pinkie Pie, and that's what brings them together. The next day, everyone gives Maud a rock candy bracelet, and she trades one with Pinkie Pie before leaving Ponyville.

I thought Maud Pie was a very touching episode. It was fun seeing Maud and the Mane Six interact with each-other, even if they didn't have much in common at first. I liked how Maud saved Pinkie at the obstacle course, as it allowed her to come to her senses and realize how forcing people to become friends immediately doesn't always work out. The rock candy bracelets all having different designs was clever as well. Overall, I had a great time with this story, and was excited for the next two episodes as a result.

Spoiler

For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils was a spectacular story. It starts off with Sweetie Belle asking Rarity for help with the outfits she's designed for an upcoming play with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Rarity agrees to help her sister out after a bit of convincing, although she also has to get some designs ready for a visit with Sapphire Shores in Canterlot. Later that night, Rarity finishes her sister's request, and the dresses all look amazing. Sweetie and her friends put on a play for the crowd, but after their performance, a bitter feeling starts to set in.

Sweetie asks the audience about their thoughts on the play, but all they can think about is the costume designs. This frustrates Sweetie, reminding her of her fifth birthday, which was an embarrassing experience for her. She tries having a conversation with Rarity, but it doesn't work out because her sister says that although she didn't see the play, she knew how amazing the dresses were. This only angers Sweetie, causing her to have trouble sleeping.

Later that night, Sweetie sneaks into Rarity's room and unstitches the headdress she made for Sapphire. She heads back to her room and falls asleep. In her dream, she wins a trophy for her play, but Rarity's interference causes the award to melt and Sweetie to get frightened. Suddenly, Princess Luna appears and saves the young unicorn from her nightmare. She tells her that sometimes, she feels her sister, Princess Celestia, gets more appreciated than her. In an effort to help Sweetie, Luna transports her back to the time of her fifth birthday to witness what really happened.

On her fifth birthday, Sweetie spent a lot of time perfecting her appearance. By the time she entered the living room, the other foals were more interested in Rarity's party favors than her entrance. Luna then transports Sweetie to the same day, but from Rarity's side of the story. Here, the foals are impatient with how long Sweetie is taking to get ready. To prevent the celebration from becoming a disaster, Rarity handed out the party favors early, which was Sweetie's idea. This causes her to realize Rarity wasn't stealing her spotlight at all, and was only trying to help out.

After swimming with some dolphins, Luna transports Sweetie to a bad future where Rarity's designs for Sapphire aren't received well. Her failures cause her to stop making outfits for everyone in Ponyville, as well as Sapphire to abandon her designs. Not wanting this to happen to Rarity, Sweetie meets up at the Train Station with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to devise a plan to set things right.

When they arrive in Canterlot, the CMC are rejected by a security guard at the door. As Rarity is about to showcase her outfits, the fillies use their skills to make a surprise entrance, allowing Sweetie to take back the headdress before it's too late. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo distract Rarity along the way, and soon, Sweetie finds Luna in one of the rooms, where she fixes the headdress. She then exits the room and gives the box back to Rarity, who is wondering what caused her to do this.

Sweetie tells Rarity she's come to understand how much she means to her, even if she doesn't feel appreciated for her efforts. After apologizing, Rarity forgives Sweetie, but Sapphire grows impatient in waiting for her headdress. Rarity and Sweetie head back to the stage and give Sapphire her headpiece. Initially, she's unimpressed, but after seeing the stitches in a mirror, she feels relieved, as a dolphin is her lucky animal. Rarity asks Sweetie where she got her inspiration, and she says she got it in a dream, causing Luna to wink. Sweetie then admits that although her play wasn't the best, the best thing about it was the costumes.

I thought For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils was an outstanding story. It's definitely one of my most favorite episodes I've seen in Season 4 so far, alongside Daring Don't, Flight to the Finish, Three's A Crowd, and Pinkie Pride. It also expands on Luna's abilities to enter dreams and help ponies with their nightmares, which was first explored in Sleepless in Ponyville. I also thought the lesson was handled well, and it showcased Sweetie and Rarity's bond as sisters in a unique way.

Spoiler

Leap of Faith was a fun episode. The Apple Family is relaxing at a water hole together, but Granny Smith has no intention of jumping in. Apple Bloom asks her about her decision, and she reveals that she was once a famed aqua-pony in her youth. However, after the day she attempted to break the Equestria high diving record, she developed a fear of swimming because of her failures.

After their swim, the Apples see a bunch of injured ponies heading to a circus tent in the distance. Attracted by the strange music and the huge crowd, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith follow their path, much to the chagrin of Applejack and Big McIntosh. At the circus tent, the ponies witness a performance hosted by the Flim-Flam Brothers, where they try getting them interested in their latest scam. This time, it's a curative tonic that allows the person drinking it to feel better about themselves and lose their pain, injuries, and fears.

Upon revealing that it could make an old pony feel young again, Granny Smith is interested and gives the two unicorns some of her bits. Applejack isn't sure about how this is going to work, but Apple Bloom feels delighted, as it could cause Granny Smith to relive your youth as a result. The next day, Granny takes a drink of the tonic and then dives into a river. AJ and Big Mac attempt to get her out, but she avoids their assistance. Later that afternoon, she and Apple Bloom swim in the water hole together.

After overcoming her fears, Granny Smith feels inspired to enter a swimming competition with Apple Bloom as her partner. AJ and Big Mac are worried about her decision. That night, AJ and Apple Bloom head back to the circus tent, trying to find out what makes the tonic work. They encounter a stallion named Silver Shill, who tries his best to keep the Flim-Flam's true intentions a secret. But he unwillingly reveals the recipe to the sisters.

The next day, Granny Smith and Apple Bloom enter the competition and win after performing a beautiful swimming routine. After revealing that she used the tonic to help her gain the victory, the two earth ponies get showered with praise and photographs. This causes the Flim-Flam Brothers to set up a stand to attract more customers. But after witnessing Silver Shill make his first sale, AJ feels suspicious about the situation.

Granny Smith climbs up a tower and attempts to break the Equestria high diving record. Realizing her mistakes, AJ uses her lasso to rescue her before she gets hurt. Granny Smith questions AJ's actions, but not wanting to believe in the Flim-Flam Brothers' lies anymore, she reveals that the tonic is a fake. This astounds all of the ponies, as well as Silver Shill, who gives AJ the bit he received as thanks for her efforts. Later that day, as AJ writes about her friendship lesson, the bit gives off a mysterious glow, just like the items Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy received beforehand.

Although it is a bit rough around the edges, Leap of Faith was a much better viewing experience for me the second time around. I initially saw this episode while I was going through Season 8, prior to seeing Friendship University, which also starred Flim-Flam Brothers, alongside The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, and Viva Las Pegasus. My first response to it wasn't too warm, but after this watch, I thought a few of the scenes were very funny, and the song was catchy, even if the lesson wasn't handled in the best way.

 

[Minty]

Great to see you, everyone. Last night, I saw Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, Trade Ya, and Inspiration Manifestation.

Spoiler

I thought Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, had a very insightful lesson. Rainbow Dash is preparing for an upcoming test to become a reserve Wonderbolt. Twilight Sparkle doesn't think the speedy pegasus is taking her studies seriously, but RD tries to keep her cool, telling her that she'll ace the test. Twilight decides to help her study, but RD doesn't find her methods of using highlighters, sitting through a history lesson, or memorizing flash cards that interesting. After failing a pop quiz on the Wonderbolts, the two ponies get into an argument.

Fluttershy notices her friends fighting and breaks up their quarrel. After Twilight explains her problems with teaching RD, Fluttershy decides to try a different learning style. She has Spike put together a play with the pets, but RD finds the performance cute, not helpful. After the play, Pinkie Pie pops in and delivers her praises. She then tries to help RD by rapping about the Wonderbolts. However, RD doesn't understand the lyrics too well. Rarity tries to help with her fashion expertise, while Applejack thinks learning the subject over a long period of time might work, but their methods aren't successful.

Unable to help RD, the ponies are stumped on how to assist her. Twilight decides to fly with RD and see if that will work, but the pegasus is starting to lose faith in her abilities. Midway through their flight, RD pushes Twilight out of the way. Twilight asks why she did that, to which RD replies that while she flies, she uses a bird's eye view to keep track of things happening below her. That allowed her to notice a helicopter that was about to bump into Twilight, and push her out of the way to prevent her from getting hurt. But after their flight concludes, RD starts to feel depressed about herself.

Back at the Golden Oak Library, Twilight and her friends devise a plan to help RD study for the test. Twilight wakes up RD from her nap, and the two friends have another flight together. When they arrive in Cloudsdale, Twilight asks RD how the trip was, to which she replies with various history and facts about the Wonderbolts. RD asks Twilight how she was able to keep track of everything. Twilight reveals through a montage that she enlisted the help of numerous ponies to gather in specific spots throughout Ponyville to explain how the Wonderbolts were formed during their flight.

After the revelation, RD regains her confidence, much to the delight of Twilight. The next day, RD takes the test in Cloudsdale and manages to get a perfect score, allowing her to become a reserve Wonderbolt.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, was a great episode where a character has their knowledge tested. Usually, I don't care for these episodes because they either make the questions too hard, make one student succeed while their friends get low grades, are mean spirited towards characters with low intelligence, or are formulaic in execution. In contrast, Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, shows off many different learning styles with great effectiveness, and allows the character to overcome their problems without feeling ashamed of themselves. I really enjoyed it, and am looking forward to RD helping the Wonderbolts in a future episode.

Spoiler

I thought Trade Ya was a fun episode that allowed The Mane Six to play off each-other's personalities. The group has traveled to Rainbow Falls for the annual Trade Convention. Twilight Sparkle is in charge of the event, while her friends are looking to take in the sights and get a few items for themselves. Rainbow Dash is determined to get a first edition copy of a Daring Do book, while Rarity and Applejack are headed towards the vintage stands. Fluttershy decides to help out RD, while Pinkie Pie decides to look around before making a purchase.

When RD and Fluttershy arrive at the Daring Do stand, the seller doesn't want RD's horseshoe. Instead, she wants an Orthros from the dangerous beasts exhibit. The two pegasi decide to tackle this endeavor, but quickly lose themselves on a fetch quest for numerous different items. Meanwhile, Rarity and AJ both find a vintage item they want, but they will have to trade off their entire stock for it. AJ's contemplating a pie tin that could make pies five seconds faster than usual, while Rarity is seeking a brooch that looks exactly like the one in her saddlebag. The two friends end up in a tense argument over the items as a result.

Twilight sets up a stand for the books she doesn't read anymore. After encountering a filly that wants to trade a broken quill for all of them, Pinkie stops her. She decides to help out the Princess by donning a salespony outfit and setting up a speakers table. A large line of ponies crowd around the table, but Pinkie's antics aren't helpful in getting rid of Twilight's stock. Meanwhile, RD and Fluttershy trade the horseshoe for a crystal goblet, which breaks upon purchase. After putting it back together, they trade it for a chicken statue. However, the stallion running the lamp stand is on break, prompting RD and Fluttershy to find him.

After helping the food stand with their orders, RD and Fluttershy are able to trade the chicken statue for a Discord lamp. They then head back to the dangerous beasts exhibit, but the Orthros proves to be a lot of trouble. However, Fluttershy is able to calm it down. By the time they make it to the Daring Do stand, the seller is about to close shop. After much convincing, RD is able to trade the Orthros, but loses Fluttershy as a result. Devastated by her loss, RD heads over to Twilight and tells her she may have done an unfair trade.

The attendees head over to Twilight's stand, and eventually, RD and the seller settle their differences. Fluttershy returns to her side, while the seller gets to keep the Daring Do book. On the train ride home, Twilight gives RD a paperback copy of the Daring Do book she wanted, while RD gives Fluttershy a bird call to replace her bear call. Rarity gives AJ a different pie tin, while AJ gives Rarity a barrette with a purple jewel on it. The friends comment on their experiences, saying that the value of a friend is much more important than any material object.

I thought Trade Ya was an alright episode. It had a lot of comedic moments, and I liked how the Mane Six played off each-other during the story. However, the plot's friendship lesson could've been handled better, and certain characters like Rarity and AJ didn't get much of a purpose beyond their usual arguing. It's not a terrible episode by any means, but not one I'll go back to unless it's warranted.

Spoiler

Inspiration Manifestation was very eye-opening. The annual Filly Fair has arrived in Ponyville, and Pinkie Pie is in high spirits. Spike is helping Rarity put together a puppet show for an older stallion. But upon receiving the cart, the stallion is unimpressed, claiming that it can't travel and that there isn't enough room for his puppets. Devastated, Rarity heads back to the Carousel Boutique and begins to cry while eating ice cream. Determined to put Rarity in a better mood, Spike heads to the Castle of the Two Sisters to find something that'll please her.

Owlowicious attempts to help out Spike, but the young dragon only finds his antics distracting. Eventually, the owl triggers an entrance to a secret passage, which Spike uses his fire breath on the lock and enters. At the top of the stairs, he finds an ancient book with a green gem and spikes on top of it. After he picks it up, the floor begins to crumble beneath him. However, Spike manages to escape unscathed. As he leaves the castle, Owlowicious starts to feel uncertain about the book's effects, and keeps watch over Spike as the story continues.

When Spike returns to the Boutique, Rarity is still feeling upset. He gives her the book, and after she demonstrates its powers on itself, the book gains a new, more colorful design. Fascinated, Rarity decides to use the book to fix the puppet cart she put together. After its fixed, she and Spike head back to the stallion, who feels pleased upon receiving his new cart. This delights Rarity, and the Filly Fair goes on without a hitch. After the festivities are over, Spike intends to return the book to the castle. However, Rarity insists that she keep the book for a bit longer. Spike reluctantly agrees, much to Owlowicious' chagrin.

As Rarity uses the book to modify Ponyville more and more, the magic's power grows stronger. This causes her to fall under its control, not realizing the disappointment she's putting her friends into. Applejack's cart gets turned into a fancier one with shiny apples, Rainbow Dash ends up wearing a dress she can't fly in, a filly's birthday party becomes a high class soiree that is no fun, and Fluttershy's birdhouse is changed into a much larger home that confuses the bird inside of it. Eventually, Rarity becomes so deranged, that she turns Ponyville's gazebo into ice, while also trapping two ponies inside it.

Spike begins to realize that the book is doing more harm than good. However, he can't bring himself to tell Rarity the truth at first, as she gives him a heavy pair of armor. Twilight Sparkle is wondering what's going on. Spike struggles to tell her, but Twilight says that if Spike isn't being honest, the spell will just keep getting stronger. Spike finds Rarity, who has turned Ponyville's paths into glistening honey. As the ponies get stuck, Spike attempts to distract Rarity by taking the book away. But she turns Princess Celestia's chariots into much fancier vehicles without even needing it, showing how much stronger the spell has gotten over time.

Spike remembers the last few words of the incantation and expresses his kindness, telling Rarity the truth. This causes her to snap out of the spell's control, while also realizing the harm she has caused to not only her friends, but also Ponyville itself. After undoing the modifications, Rarity and Spike rekindle their friendship and the beautfiful unicorn promises not to use Spike for her own personal gain. Spike learns how being honest can help a friend when they really need it.

I thought Inspiration Manifestation was a creative episode. While I wasn't too keen on Rarity's slow descent into Psychopath territory or Spike's idiotic behavior throughout the story, the former was just being controlled by the spell, while the latter realized his shortcomings before they became his detriment, unlike in other episodes such as Just for Sidekicks and Spike At Your Service. I also thought the lesson was well written, and some of the things Rarity made looked very nice, even if others looked tacky or extravagent.

 

[Minty]

Last night, I finished off Season 4 with Equestria Games and Twilight's Kingdom.

Spoiler

Equestria Games starts off with Spike, the CMC, and team Ponyville heading to the Crystal Empire to compete in the Equestria Games. When Spike exits the train, he is heralded as a hero for saving the Empire from King Sombra back in Season 3. At first, Spike doesn't understand what's going on, so Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadence reassure his feelings. To honor his status amongst the citizens of the Crystal Empire, Spike is asked by Cadence to light the torch at the opening ceremonies. The young dragon agrees, but when the celebration kicks off, he begins to feel nervous.

As the ceremony continues, and the CMC perform their routine, Spike tries his best to light the torch. But to the frustration of Harshwhinny, his efforts are futile. In a last ditch effort, Twilight uses her magic to light the torch for Spike. While the crowd is amazed, Spike feels intrigued by the flames sudden appearance, wondering how he managed to achieve it. Once the ceremony concludes, Twilight doesn't want to reveal her assistance to Spike. But after failing to demonstrate how he can create fire with his mind to two crystal ponies, Twilight decides to tell him what really happened at the ceremony.

When Spike learns of Twilight's assistance, he feels guilty, thinking he let his friends down. As the Aerial Relay commences, Spike informs Harshwhinny that he wants to be more involved during the games. But as the stern earth pony declines his offer, Spike gets an idea for how he should help out. After the relay concludes, the teams are awarded their medals. Shining Armor is about to start the Cloudsdale anthem, but Spike chimes in, claiming he knows all the words. However, his performance goes disastrously, with most of the ponies except Pinkie Pie feeling appalled with his singing.

Feeling disappointed in himself, Spike sits out for the remainder of the games. Not even the CMC can cheer him up as the ice archery competition commences. Twilight starts to feel concerned about Spike, and heads into the castle to check on him. When she arrives, Spike tries to hide by scattering his belongings, but Twilight isn't fooled and drags him out. As the competition continues, one of the stallions misfires his arrow, causing it to hit a cloud. This results in the cloud transforming into a huge icicle and falling towards the stadium.

As the pegasi struggle, Spike senses an opportunity to set things right. He jumps on top of the pegasi, and with all his might, he uses his fire breath to melt the icicle. While the ponies are impressed with his efforts, Spike still feels disappointed. Twilight understands his problems, saying that the only one who can fix his feelings is himself. In an effort to help him out, Cadence asks Spike to set off the fireworks in her place during the closing ceremony. Spike agrees, and to his relief, the games conclude without a hitch.

I thought Equestria Games was underwhelming. While the lesson was handled well, I feel that I would've liked a plot focusing more on the events of the games as a whole. The way they're treated here after much anticipation makes them feel like background fodder that didn't need to be focused on. I also think this Spike plot is one of the weaker ones I've seen so far. While it's not as bad as the ones he got in Season 3, it seems like this one played it safe, without leaving much of a proper impact.

Spoiler

Twilight's Kingdom begins with the Mane Six heading to the Crystal Empire to welcome some visitors from Maretonia. However, Twilight Sparkle thinks that her role as princess doesn't amount to much. After opening a banner and greeting the visitors, Twilight feels concerned about herself, believing she's not as important as Celestia, Luna, or Cadence, who all have big responsibilities. That night, Twilight sings near the castle balcony. The other Princesses join her in song, telling her that eventually, she will play her part when the time is right.

During Celestia's sleep, she has a nightmare about a mysterious creature stealing magic from an unsuspecting stallion. After she wakes up, Luna comes into the room, thinking she may have had a vision about their future. The next day, the princesses have a meeting, and Celestia informs Twilight about the creature's origin. His name is Tirek, and he came to Equestria to steal the ponies magic long ago alongside his brother, Scorpan. But during their quest, Scorpan discovered the kindness of the ponies and began to appreciate them, even befriending a young Starswirl The Bearded.

Scorpan tried to get his brother to change his ways. But when Tirek refused to comply, Scorpan informed Celestia and Luna about what was going on. They decided to send Tirek to Tartarus for his crimes, while Scorpan returned to his own land. However, many years later, Tirek managed to escape his imprisonment, growing stronger and increasing in size as he devours more magic. Twilight is ready to prove herself by defeating him, but Celestia thinks another creature would do the job better: Discord.

When Twilight heads back to Ponyville, she tells her friends about Celestia's decision. Fluttershy is delighted, but the rest of the group is unsure about Discord's reforming. They head towards The Castle of The Two Sisters, but when they arrive, Discord flies in holding a parasol. He assures the ponies he won't fail, and follows them to the Tree of Harmony. At the tree, Discord sees that the chest hasn't been opened yet. He gives the group their Friendship Journal, thinking it could help them out. After he leaves, the Mane Six sift through the books, trying to find answers on how to open the chest.

While this is going on, Discord heads to the Crystal Empire disguised as a stallion. Tirek tries to steal his magic, but after Discord informs him about his reforming, Tirek attempts to settle a truce between themselves. He believes that Discord being friends with the ponies has weakened his spirits, and if he works with him, he'll get something a lot better: a chance at freedom.

As the draconequis thinks hard about his decision, the Mane Six begin to look through their Friendship Journal. Twilight reminds her pals about their efforts in embracing their elements, and they bring the items towards the chest. Pinkie Pie throws Boneless at the chest, and it turns into a key. Once the ponies see this, they place the rest of their items on top of the chest. Once they also turn into keys, Twilight sees that her key is missing. However, she doesn't much time to discover it, as Spike breathes out a letter telling Twilight she must travel to Canterlot at once.

When Twilight arrives at the castle, Celestia tells her that she may have put a bit too much faith in Discord. It seems that Tirek's offer was too good to turn down, and he has joined forces with him, helping steal not just unicorn magic, but pegasi and earth pony magic as well. Not wanting themselves to be weakened by force, the princesses give their magic to Twilight and tell her to keep it a secret from her friends. Afterwards, Twilight heads back to Golden Oak Library. Despite her efforts, she is unable to control her powers, struggling to rise the sun the next day.

Tirek and Discord arrive in Canterlot, intent on stealing the princesses' magic. After weakening Shining Armor, they head into the castle, only to find out the princesses have no magic to take away. While this is going on, Twilight is still struggling with controlling her magic as her friends pass by. She tells them to keep the citizens of Ponyville safe as she heads back to The Castle of the Two Sisters. Back in Canterlot, Tirek sends the princesses to Tartarus. Tirek gives Discord a pendant as a sign of their alliance, but once he sees a mural depicting Twilight, he demands to know her location.

Discord tells him that Twilight doesn't live in a castle, but instead, in a library. Afterwards, they head to Ponyville and trap Twilight's friends inside a cage, stealing their magic soon after. Fluttershy feels heartbroken upon learning Discord's betrayal, not realizing his reforming was only temporary. Once their magic is stolen, Tirek betrays Discord and steals his chaos magic, thinking that he has outlived his usefulness. As Tirek leaves, he informs Discord that the pendant he was given originally belonged to Scorpan, and it is as worthless as he is to him.

At the Castle of the Two Sisters, Twilight is still unable to control her powers. Once she sees Tirek, she teleports to the Golden Oak Library. He fires an energy blast towards the library, destroying it in the process. As Twilight escapes, she fight backs against Tirek with her own magic, but their battle soon reaches a stalemate. Tirek tells Twilight that she can either continue the fight, or give up her magic in exchange for her friends and Discord being set free.

Twilight, realizing how much her friends mean to her, decides to give up her powers, much to the disappointment of her group. Discord admits that Twilight relinquishing her powers made him realize the true power of friendship, and gives her his pendant as thanks. Afterwards, the Mane Six and Discord head back to the Tree of Harmony, where Twilight's pendant turns into a key and the chest is unlocked. Once it's opened, the ponies are showered with rainbow colored light, giving them rainbow magic. They use their newfound powers to defeat Tirek and save Equestria once and for all.

With the magic returning to Equestria, the chest burrows under the ground, revealing a castle for Twilight to live in, effectively replacing the Golden Oak Library. As the ponies welcome Twilight to her new home, we see the rainbow reminding the ponies who were helped by the Mane Six's efforts about their impact on their lives, with Discord giving a bouquet of flowers to Celestia. The story finishes with the Mane Six posing for a picture.

I thought Twilight's Kingdom was quite impactful, though it had a couple rough spots. Although Tirek was a genuine threat to Equestria, his defeat was a little anti-climatic. I also thought Twilight should've obtained her key earlier in the season, but it does make sense for her to get it here. I think both of the songs are catchy and meaningful, and Discord's role was quite solid. I'm glad he was able to discover the true power of friendship, and am looking forward to what the next season brings.

Before I start Season 5, I will take a look at Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks. I'm looking forward to seeing how this movie continues the story of Canterlot High and its students, as well as to give a proper send-off to Season 4 as a whole.

 

[Jackie Frost]

Before I start Season 5, I will take a look at Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks. I'm looking forward to seeing how this movie continues the story of Canterlot High and its students, as well as to give a proper send-off to Season 4 as a whole.

I'll be interested to hear what you think of this movie given that like me you enjoyed its predecessor a lot. My opinion is that Rainbow Rocks is a fun movie but is nowhere near as good as the first movie, however that seems to be a greatly unpopular opinion as the majority of the MLP/EqG fandom considers Rainbow Rocks to be the peak of the EqG series by far, while their reception of the first movie is mixed. I think you'll enjoy Rainbow Rocks and I look forward to hearing about it.

 

[Minty]

Last night, I saw Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks (2014) for the first time.

Spoiler

The film starts at a restaurant where the customers are arguing with each-other. As they argue, their negative energy gets absorbed by red gem pendants worn by three mysterious girls. The girls lament to each-other about how they've been banished to the human realm. After a few minutes, the girls witness the climax of the first movie. Once they realize what kind of magic they saw, they decide to go after it to make people adore them.

After the opening credits, we return to Canterlot High, where the annual music festival is about to unfold. Sunset Shimmer is struggling to find her place after her previous defeat, and a lot of the students still feel a negative vibe around her. This is only worsened by Principal Celestia's mention of the Fall Formal, which causes Sunset to hide in humiliation. Later on, Rainbow Dash and her pals try to cheer her up with a song. As they sing, they transform, and their power stops when they finish playing.

Both Rarity and Applejack express disbelief at this form change, but RD thinks it's awesome, letting her ego get the best of her. Flash Sentry has a brief conversation with the group, asking if any friends from out of town are coming the the festival. The group replies that they're not sure if Twilight Sparkle will come, and after Rarity mentions Sunset's prior relationship with Flash, Vice Principal Luna calls her down to the foyer to give a tour to some new students. RD and co. get back to rehearsing, though a song Fluttershy wrote is ignored for the time being.

When Sunset arrives at the entrance, she meets the three girls, named Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk. During the tour, they pass by a flyer for the music festival, which intrigues the trio. However, Sunset feels suspicious about their behavior, and heads to the cafeteria to reunite with her friends. A few minutes after, the trio enter the room and instill a school wide argument, convincing them to turn their music festival into a battle of the bands. The only students that aren't effected are Sunset and co., who head to Celestia's office to gather further information.

Inside the office, both Celestia and Luna believe that Adagio and co. are innocent, even praising their battle of the bands idea. After seeing the sisters' eyes glow green, Sunset and co. head to their lockers and deduce that their Equestrian Magic is protecting them from Adagio and co.'s spell. They consider getting assistance from Twilight, but the closed portal prevents her from returning. Sunset then finds an old book and explains that when she wrote messages to Celestia, they would appear in another book in her library.

After Sunset writes her message, we see the Mane Six settling into their new castle. As a stallion delivers a cart of books in, Twilight tells him to put them in the library. One of the books begins glowing and bouncing around, and Twilight inspects it. She reads Sunset's message and after looking for more information, she finds out that Adagio and co. are actually Sirens from long ago. In the past, they used their songs to turn ponies against each-other and feed on their negative energy. But before they could take over, Star Swirl the Bearded banished them to the human realm.

Once Twilight and co. repair the portal, she enters it and reunites with Sunset and co. As her human friends catch up with her, she comes up with a plan to defeat the Dazzlings. At the pre-party, Twilight and her peers attempt to stop the Dazzlings, but their magic doesn't activate. The friends regroup outside the school and figure out that since they can only transform when they play music, they must perform a counter-spell at the competition. They also decide that Twilight should replace RD as the lead singer of the Rainbooms, much to her frustration.

Later that night, the girls have a sleepover at Pinkie Pie's house. Twlight struggles to write her counter spell, but she begins to bond with Sunset because of their challenges. The next day, the group has a disasterous rehearsal at AJ's farm. As hostility continues to grow between the group, they agree to perform some other songs until Twilight can complete her spell, as well as keeping their magic a secret from the rest of students.

The Battle of the Bands kicks off with a terrible rap session performed by Snips and Snails. After they leave the stage, Twilight and co. perform Shake Your Tail, but during their act, Photo Finish and Snips and Snails try sabotaging their performance. After they finish, Twilight bumps into Flash, who is ignorant of her presence, thinking that it might ruin his chances of winning the competition. Once Trixie and the Illusions perform, the Dazzlings are called onstage. Sunset attempts to stop them, but they use her fragility to their advantage, making her feel useless.

As the Dazzlings perform, numerous students are eliminated, including Snips and Snails, the Eco Kids, Octavia Melody, Lyra and Bon Bon, and Flash Sentry's band. During the semi-final round, Rainbow Dash is about to transform, but Sunset pushes her off the stage, ruining their perfornance altogether. However, the Dazzlings convince the principals to let Twilight and co. move on instead of Trixie's band. As they leave, the Dazzlings settle a truce with Trixie, wanting her to perform instead of the Rainbooms.

The next day, Twilight and co. are setting up for their big performance when Trixie confronts them. As they argue, the Rainbooms fall through a trap-door, while Spike rushes to find help. That evening, the Illusions perform in the Rainbooms' place. Below the stage, the group begin to fight over how little their ideas matter within the band, allowing the Dazzlings to feed off their magic. Sunset realizes what's going on and attempts to settle their quarrel, revealing that ever since they started their band, they've been letting little things get to them.

Twilight is shameful that she failed to react when the time was right, but Sunset reassures her, saying that no one has all the answers, but friends can help them be found. They escape with the help of Spike and DJ Pon-3, while the Dazzlings finish up their performance. DJ Pon-3 drives in and converts her vehicle into a stage, allowing the Rainbooms to perform on it. The Dazzlings power grows, giving them fairy wings in the process. Afterwards, the Rainbooms begin singing and transform, but the Dazzlings quickly overpower them with their true forms.

As the Rainbooms fail, Twilight's microphone falls to the ground, and Sunset picks it up. After a little encouragement from Twilight, Sunset removes her jacket and begins to sing, with the rest of the Rainbooms joining soon after. As they perform, the Dazzlings' power weakens, returning them to their normal forms and destroying their pendants. In the aftermath, the trio's off-key act gets an unanimous rejection from the students, and they leave the stage in frustration.

The battle of the bands concludes, and Sunset decides to join the Rainbooms in Twilight's place. The next day, they say goodbye and Twilight enters the portal, heading back home. After the credits roll, we see another Twilight with glasses pasting notes on a bulletin board, concluding that some strange things are happening at Canterlot High.

I thought that Rainbow Rocks was a pretty fun sequel to Equestria Girls. All the songs were amazing and catchy, and I'm happy to report that a lot of them are top-notch bangers, such as Battle, Shake Your Tail, and Under Our Spell. The Dazzlings are interesting characters, and their influence on the school throughout the story was well-written. Twilight's involvement was decent as well, making her return feel warranted.

However, Sunset's redemption, while apparent, wasn't given enough depth to give her the growth she needed to fully cement it. Not to mention that Flash Sentry's role is mean to his personality in the previous film, and I feel that he shouldn't have been affected by the Dazzlings' spell. That being said, the film's lesson is handled nicely, and a lot of the other students' roles, especially Trixie's, more than make up for it. Overall, I would give Rainbow Rocks an 8.5/10. While it falls short of its predecessor, it's still a fun time, with enjoyable songs, compelling characters, and an intersting story.

 

[Jackie Frost]

Last night, I saw Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks (2014) for the first time.

Spoiler

The film starts at a restaurant where the customers are arguing with each-other. As they argue, their negative energy gets absorbed by red gem pendants worn by three mysterious girls. The girls lament to each-other about how they've been banished to the human realm. After a few minutes, the girls witness the climax of the first movie. Once they realize what kind of magic they saw, they decide to go after it to make people adore them.

After the opening credits, we return to Canterlot High, where the annual music festival is about to unfold. Sunset Shimmer is struggling to find her place after her previous defeat, and a lot of the students still feel a negative vibe around her. This is only worsened by Principal Celestia's mention of the Fall Formal, which causes Sunset to hide in humiliation. Later on, Rainbow Dash and her pals try to cheer her up with a song. As they sing, they transform, and their power stops when they finish playing.

Both Rarity and Applejack express disbelief at this form change, but RD thinks it's awesome, letting her ego get the best of her. Flash Sentry has a brief conversation with the group, asking if any friends from out of town are coming the the festival. The group replies that they're not sure if Twilight Sparkle will come, and after Rarity mentions Sunset's prior relationship with Flash, Vice Principal Luna calls her down to the foyer to give a tour to some new students. RD and co. get back to rehearsing, though a song Fluttershy wrote is ignored for the time being.

When Sunset arrives at the entrance, she meets the three girls, named Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk. During the tour, they pass by a flyer for the music festival, which intrigues the trio. However, Sunset feels suspicious about their behavior, and heads to the cafeteria to reunite with her friends. A few minutes after, the trio enter the room and instill a school wide argument, convincing them to turn their music festival into a battle of the bands. The only students that aren't effected are Sunset and co., who head to Celestia's office to gather further information.

Inside the office, both Celestia and Luna believe that Adagio and co. are innocent, even praising their battle of the bands idea. After seeing the sisters' eyes glow green, Sunset and co. head to their lockers and deduce that their Equestrian Magic is protecting them from Adagio and co.'s spell. They consider getting assistance from Twilight, but the closed portal prevents her from returning. Sunset then finds an old book and explains that when she wrote messages to Celestia, they would appear in another book in her library.

After Sunset writes her message, we see the Mane Six settling into their new castle. As a stallion delivers a cart of books in, Twilight tells him to put them in the library. One of the books begins glowing and bouncing around, and Twilight inspects it. She reads Sunset's message and after looking for more information, she finds out that Adagio and co. are actually Sirens from long ago. In the past, they used their songs to turn ponies against each-other and feed on their negative energy. But before they could take over, Star Swirl the Bearded banished them to the human realm.

Once Twilight and co. repair the portal, she enters it and reunites with Sunset and co. As her human friends catch up with her, she comes up with a plan to defeat the Dazzlings. At the pre-party, Twilight and her peers attempt to stop the Dazzlings, but their magic doesn't activate. The friends regroup outside the school and figure out that since they can only transform when they play music, they must perform a counter-spell at the competition. They also decide that Twilight should replace RD as the lead singer of the Rainbooms, much to her frustration.

Later that night, the girls have a sleepover at Pinkie Pie's house. Twlight struggles to write her counter spell, but she begins to bond with Sunset because of their challenges. The next day, the group has a disasterous rehearsal at AJ's farm. As hostility continues to grow between the group, they agree to perform some other songs until Twilight can complete her spell, as well as keeping their magic a secret from the rest of students.

The Battle of the Bands kicks off with a terrible rap session performed by Snips and Snails. After they leave the stage, Twilight and co. perform Shake Your Tail, but during their act, Photo Finish and Snips and Snails try sabotaging their performance. After they finish, Twilight bumps into Flash, who is ignorant of her presence, thinking that it might ruin his chances of winning the compeition. Once Trixie and the Illusions perform, the Dazzlings are called onstage. Sunset attempts to stop them, but they use her fragility to their advantage, making her feel useless.

As the Dazzlings perform, numerous students are eliminated, including Snips and Snails, the Eco Kids, Octavia Melody, Lyra and Bon Bon, and Flash Sentry's band. During the semi-final round, Rainbow Dash is about to transform, but Sunset pushes her off the stage, ruining their perfornance altogether. However, the Dazzlings convince the principals to let Twilight and co. move on instead of Trixie's band. As they leave, the Dazzlings settle a truce with Trixie, wanting her to perform instead of the Rainbooms.

The next day, Twilight and co. are setting up for their big performance when Trixie confronts them. As they argue, the Rainbooms fall through a trap-door, while Spike rushes to find help. That evening, the Illusions perform in the Rainbooms' place. Below the stage, the group begin to fight over how little their ideas matter within the band, allowing the Dazzlings to feed off their magic. Sunset realizes what's going on and attempts to settle their quarrel, revealing that ever since they started their band, they've been letting little things get to them.

Twilight is shameful that she failed to react when the time was right, but Sunset reassures her, saying that no one has all the answers, but friends can help them be found. They escape with the help of Spike and DJ Pon-3, while the Dazzlings finish up their performance. DJ Pon-3 drives in and converts her vehicle into a stage, allowing the Rainbooms to perform on it. The Dazzlings power grows, giving them fairy wings in the process. Afterwards, the Rainbooms begin singing and transform, but the Dazzlings quickly overpower them with their true forms.

As the Rainbooms fail, Twilight's microphone falls to the group, and Sunset picks it up. After a little encouragement from Twilight, Sunset removes her jacket and begins to sing, with the rest of the Rainbooms joining soon after. As they perform, the Dazzlings' power weakens, returning them to their normal forms and destroying their pendants. In the aftermath, the trio's off-key act gets an unanimous rejection from the students, and they leave the stage in frustration.

The battle of the bands concludes, and Sunset decides to join the Rainbooms and Twilight's place. The next day, they say goodbye and Twilight enters the portal, heading back home. After the credits roll, we see another Twilight with glasses pasting notes on a bulletin board, concluding that some strange things are happening at Canterlot High.

I thought that Rainbow Rocks was a pretty fun sequel to Equestria Girls. All the songs were amazing and catchy, and I'm happy to report that a lot of them are top-notch bangers, such as Battle, Shake Your Tail, and Under Our Spell. The Dazzlings are interesting characters, and their influence on the school throughout the story was well-written. Twilight's involvement was decent as well, making her return feel warranted.

However, Sunset's redemption, while apparent, wasn't given enough depth to give her the growth she needed to fully cement it. Not to mention that Flash Sentry's role is mean to his personality in the pervious film, and I feel that he shouldn't have been affected by the Dazzlings' spell. That being said, the film's lesson is handled nicely, and a lot of the other students' roles, especially Trixie's, more than make up for it. Overall, I would give Rainbow Rocks an 8.5/10. While it falls short of its predecessor, it's still a fun time, with enjoyable songs, compelling characters, and an intersting story.

I think this is a very good summary and review of the film. I agree with almost everything you said (except that I personally didn't love all of the songs: Battle in particular is one of the most mediocre songs in the series IMO. Rainbow Rocks stands out for its quantity of songs; and some are spectacular indeed; but the quality is less consistently great than the first movie). I think it's interesting that, like me, you didn't think Rainbow Rocks lives up to its predecessor but is still great in its own right. For me the main things that fell short were the simpler and more predictable plot, as well as Flash being mishandled and underused (as you mentioned), but despite this I still have fun watching this movie and definitely need to rewatch it again soon.

 

[Boo1268]

Pinky Pie Is My Spirt animal

 

[Minty]

Hey guys. Yesterday, I started off Season 5 with The Cutie Map.

Spoiler

The Mane Six are settling into their new castle. As they go over the events that lead up to the defeat of Tirek, Twilight Sparkle starts to question why the Tree of Harmony wants them to sit in their new home. Once she sits down, a table depicting a map of Equestria rises out of the center. Afterwards, the group's Cutie Marks begin to float towards an area of the map. The ponies wonder why they did it, and they quickly agree to head on a road trip to their destination.

Once the ponies exit the Friendship Express, they find themselves in a rural village. Pinkie Pie feels that the town seems sketchy, so she gets serious and begins investigating. Eventually, the ponies get closer to the town, and see that all the citizens have the same Cutie Mark, as well as big, wide smiles on their faces. The towns-ponies welcome the group to their home, but only Fluttershy finds them to be nice.

Two stallions named Party Favor and Double Diamond ask the group what brought them to town, but Twilight isn't sure of an answer. She asks if there's been any trouble, to which the stallions reply that there hasn't been any lately. They gladly take them to the founder's cottage. Once they are inside, a unicorn named Starlight Glimmer introduces herself, and explains that in her town, no one has any special talents. Together, she and the citizens sing about how great their home is, but this only makes the Mane Six feel more confused about their quest.

After they finish singing, Starlight encourages Twilight and her pals to join their society and give up their Cutie Marks. They decline her offer, so Starlight leaves the decision up to them. Afterwards, the Mane Six explore the village, but they feel uncomfortable with the drab fashion and constant staring. They decide to have lunch, and a unicorn named Sugar Belle is fascinated with their behavior. She serves them some terrible tasting muffins, but since most of the group can't stomach them, they convince Pinkie to eat them so they can enter her place.

Upon entering Sugar Belle's house, she, alongside Party Favor and a pegasus named Night Glider, express interest in having their own Cutie Marks. Twilight asks them how they get taken away, and it is explained that Starlight uses a staff to remove them, storing them inside a vault located in a cave. Twilight asks if they can visit the cave, and the group is lead there by Starlight Glimmer.

Inside, the group sees a large wall of many different Cutie Marks, as well as a The Staff of Sameness, which is controlled by Starlight's magic. She asks them why they decided to visit the caves, but Pinkie Pie accidentally blows her friends' cover. A bunch of ponies surround the group. Twilight tries to defend her pals, but is quickly defeated by Starlight's staff, with her friends knocked out soon after. Their Cutie Marks are taken away, and they are sent to the town jail.

Following their loss, the ponies start to feel hopeless. Rarity has lost her fashion sense, Applejack is unable to make western sayings or use her strength, and Pinkie Pie has become less joyful. Thinking of a way to escape, Twilight convinces Fluttershy to unwittingly accept their fate, thinking that her docile attitude will be easier for the towns-ponies to believe. A few minutes later, Starlight Glimmer lets out the Mane Six and asks if they have accepted their fate yet. They refuse, but Fluttershy speaks up, allowing Starlight to welcome her into the village.

Afterwards, Starlight pressures Fluttershy into pointing out who asked her about the vault. The pegasus struggles to answer, but Party Favor admits it was his fault, getting locked up with the rest of the Mane Six soon after. Fluttershy begins to settle into the town, and her friends are certain she'll come through for them. Later that night, the timid pegasus sneaks around the village, and sees Double Diamond bringing some jars to Starlight's house. Starlight hides them in her room, but trips over a bucket of water, revealing her real Cutie Mark.

The next day, the Mane Six once again refuse to join Starlight's society. As she prepares to lock them up, Party Favor confesses the error of his ways and lets himself out. Fluttershy then reveals that Twilight has also accepted her fate, allowing her to join the society. As Starlight reasserts her traditions, Fluttershy tries throwing a bucket of water onto her, partially revealing her Cutie Mark. Party Favor sees this and uses a cloth to further reveal the image, much to the shock of the towns-ponies.

Starlight begins to rant about her philosophy, but the towns-ponies don't believe her. She reveals that The Staff of Sameness was just a piece of wood, but as the ponies become more upset, she teleports away from them. Double Diamond leads the ponies to the vault and throws the staff at the wall, freeing their Cutie Marks. After regaining their powers, he, alongside Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and Night Glider, help the Mane Six search Starlight's house for their Cutie Marks. The group discover a passage under her bed, leading to a mountainous landscape.

Party Favor makes some binoculars out of balloons and finds Starlight trying to escape. The group begin their pursuit, with Sugar Belle throwing snow pies at the unicorn to trip her up. Starlight uses her magic to make a ledge, but Party Favor helps his friends by making a bridge out of balloons. After they exit the bridge, Double Diamond notices his old pair of skis. Night Glider attempts to keep him focused on their mission, but after he asks her if she'll be of assistance, the two corner Starlight by burying her in snow. This causes her to lose her grip on the jars, which makes them break open.

Once the Mane Six get their Cutie Marks back, Twilight protects her friends from Starlight's retaliation. Starlight questions Twilight's magic, saying that she's studied the spell for many years. Twilight explains that while she did study hard, each of her friends taught her something different about herself, and it was their unique talents that brought out the magic inside herself. Furious, Starlight teleports away from the scene.

Afterwards, the four ponies thank the Mane Six for helping them rediscover their true selves. Upon their return to the village, a celebration is underway, and the group's Cutie Marks start pulsating. Twilight assures her friends, telling them that their work is done and the castle is sending them back home. After a group hug, the friends decide to stay in the village a little longer to partake in the festivities.

I thought The Cutie Map was an alright opener. It wasn't as impactful as Princess Twilight Sparkle, nor did it have a major threat like Nightmare Moon, Discord, or King Sombra. But I did like how Sugar Belle, Double Diamond, Party Favor, and Night Glider helped out the Mane Six in getting back their Cutie Marks. I do wonder why Starlight Glimmer began to resent her own special talents, but I bet that will be revealed later on as the season continues. I'm looking forward to what kinds of adventures the Mane Six will get into this time around!

 

[Minty]

Great to see you guys. It was a Snow Day yesterday, so I decided to start off Season 5 with Castle Sweet Castle, Bloom and Gloom, and Tanks For The Memories.

Spoiler

Castle Sweet Castle begins with Twilight helping Fluttershy clean up her animal friends. Seeing her friend covered in mud from their hard work, Fluttershy suggests that Twilight take a bath at her new castle. But the princess of friendship purposely kicks Angel into a mud patch, so that she can stay longer. After cleaning Angel, Fluttershy decides to rest up for a pancake breakfast at the castle. But instead of taking her advice to get the place ready, Twilight decides to help Pinkie Pie make the pancakes for the next morning.

The next day, everyone except Twilight is enjoying their breakfast. Applejack thanks Pinkie for the delicious meal, but the ponies start thinking Twilight might be overexerting herself. She dug too many holes for Applejack, lost every race against Rainbow Dash, and arranged Rarity's jewels for an entire afternoon. Twilight wakes up and admits that she doesn't feel her castle is a proper home. Rarity thinks Twilight should decorate the place, but the alicorn princess believes it's too difficult of a task, so her friends decide to decorate the place while Spike takes Twilight to the spa for some much needed relaxation.

The friends decide to bring in some of their own special flare to the castle, but after they finish decorating, it looks like a mishmash of knicknacks. After Spike sees the disasterous results, Rarity tells him to distract Twilight until sunset, so they can get the castle back in order. When Spike returns to the spa, he stalls her by asking for a massage. Meanwhile, Twilight's friends can't decide what to remove from the castle. Back in Ponyville, Spike suggests to Twilight that they take a more scenic route home. Along the way, the two friends see the remains of the Golden Oak Library.

As they remember their memories at the library, Twilight thinks her friends should add some things from it to make the castle feel special. After Spike suggests buying a new bed, we see the castle empty again as the sun begins to set. Pinkie Pie is so worried, she dramatically acts out Twilight's reaction. After she calms down, the friends reminisce about their memories spent at the library. This gives them an idea to repurpose the tree house as a decoration in Twilight's castle.

While Twilight fails to find a suitable bed for Spike, Fluttershy and Applejack dig up the ground around the library, while Rarity takes Pinkie and Rainbow Dash on a shopping trip. After they put the decoration together, Twilight and Spike return from their day out. Applejack tells her that it doesn't matter what a home looks like, and that the memories made within make it feel special. After Twilight sees the decoration, she is moved to tears, feeling ready to make new memories within her home. As they enjoy a cake together, the friends admit they may have added their personal flare to the other rooms.

I thought Castle Sweet Castle was decent, with a lesson that was handled well. However, it's placement within the Season makes it serve a similar purpose to Castle-Mania, which doesn't help in making it stand out. However, I actually like it more than the former, mainly because of the more lively tone and the catchy songs.

Spoiler

Bloom and Gloom starts off with the CMC having a meeting at their clubhouse. Apple Bloom shows her friends a letter from Babs Seed, who has recently earned her Cutie Mark. The trio begins to worry about how Babs will feel, thinking that receiving a undesirable Cutie Mark might have bad consqences. After their meeting concludes, Apple Bloom has trouble falling asleep that night. But Applejack calms her down by singing a lullaby, and she rests for the night.

The next morning, Apple Bloom finds out she has the Cutie Mark of a pest pony. She is quickly recruited by an older stallion to track down twittermites, and proves her profession quite well. However, she gets bullied by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, causing her to break a jar and ask a mysterious voice to take her Cutie Mark away. Afterwards, the released twittermites infest Ponyville, even destroying Applejack's farm. Apple Bloom attempts to get the bugs under control, but is unsucessful. She then joins her family as they escape the wrecked farm.

In her next nightmare, Apple Bloom gets a potion making Cutie Mark. But upon entering her clubhouse, her friends leave her behind because a pony who already has a Cutie Mark can't be a crusader anymore. Feeling heartbroken, Apple Bloom wishes her Cutie Mark away. But afterwards, her friends reveal that they got their Cutie Marks on their own, effectively ending their friendship with Apple Bloom.

In another nightmare, Apple Bloom receives a dolphin Cutie Mark and is surrounded by her family, who use psychological horror to force her to move out. The next time Apple Bloom wakes up, her Cutie Mark keeps on changing until she's pestered by the mysterious voice. However, Princess Luna appears and reveals that the mysterious voice was Apple Bloom's own shadow. She tells Luna that she's worried about her Cutie Mark. Luna says that worrying about her Cutie Mark is the same as worrying about who she is as a pony. Apple Bloom realizes that if she likes who she is, her friends will accept her as well.

Afterwards, Apple Bloom sees Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle having nightmares about their own Cutie Marks as well. She and Luna enter a dream version of the clubhouse, and with the help of their friends, they decide to send a care package to Babs to make her feel better. The next morning, Apple Bloom wakes up, and to her delight, she has no Cutie Mark. Applejack feels relieved, glad that her sister got over her worries.

I thought Bloom and Gloom was an outstanding episode. The lesson was well written and Luna's role was quite solid. It's nice that all the crusaders have their own story where Luna rescues them from a nightmare, especially since every time they do it, they go all out. However, I do think this one might be too frightening for younger viewers, as it uses a lot more pschological horror compared to Sleepless in Ponyville and For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils. That being said, I enjoyed it a lot, and it might become one of my favorites of the Season that I've seen so far.

Spoiler

Tanks For The Memories takes place during the Running of the Leaves. Rainbow Dash looks forward to winter's arrival, excited to have fun with Tank. However, Tank is feeling sleepy as Twilight flies by. She notices that Tank is moving slowly, so RD decides to visit Fluttershy so she can check on him. At Fluttershy's Cottage, she finds out that while Tank is feeling fine, his sleepiness is a signal that he's about to enter hibernation. This frustrates RD, so she brings Tank to Spike, thinking he's an expert on reptiles. However, Spike insists that totoises and dragons aren't in the same family.

Afterwards, RD runs into Pinkie Pie as Tank begins to dig his burrow. As they argue with each-other, Twilight and co. tell RD that although she's upset about her pet's condition, she shouldn't take out her anger on them. This infuriates RD even more, and she flees to Clousdale alongside Tank. Once they return home, RD's worries become overblown, and eventually, she crafts a plan to stop winter so that she won't have to say goodbye to Tank.

RD kicks off her plan by eliminating snow clouds from the sky, but her efforts prove futile as the other pegasi bring in more of them. Seeing Cloudsdale in the distance, she decides to stop winter at its source, disguising herself as a cloud she sneaks around. Once inside, RD heads to the Winter Lab, where she detaches the pipes from the water tank. However, Tank bumps into one of the fans, causing RD to get covered in snow. She retreats, but gets hit by an explosion, causing both herself and Tank to get caught inside a machine as the other pegasi try getting everything back in order.

After landing back in Ponyville, RD and Tank are lying in bed when her friends come to cheer her up. RD is unphased by their words, but when Fluttershy says that her winter will be petless, she begins to cry. Applejack scolds the timid pegasus, but after she asks RD if she feels better, she, alongside Pinkie and Rarity, begin crying as well. Eventually, RD accepts that Tank has to begin his hibnation period, and they'll always be together in their hearts. The next day, as the ponies enjoy the winter weather, RD removes some snow near a tree, allowing Tank to make his burrow. After she and the rest of her friends say goodbye to him, she decides to read him a story before joining the others in their fun.

I thought Tanks For The Memories was a pretty good story. It explored RD's bad side quite a lot, and both her song and her evil plan were well written. Compared to other shows, where hibernation is either glossed over or put in a negative light, this episode feels unique in allowing RD to accept her pet's fate, even if she had to go through a lot to come to terms with it. That being said, I do think this is one of the weaker RD focus episodes, especially since her behavior was quite careless and her worries a bit too overblown, which made the execution of her plan go a bit too far for her own good.