MLP Episode 712: Discordant Harmony

The Magical Movie Night trilogy might be behind us, but now, I'm gonna get back into reviewing the remaining fourteen episodes of season seven so I can make that Emotions' Corner episode on the Top 10 Best of My Little Pony Season 7. (That, and my solo overview on the season as well.) So let's kick things off with Discordant Harmony, shall we?

In the Dance Magic review, I said it was possible to take a simple idea work as long as there was great humor, strong characterization, a good moral, and that the pacing was strong. This episode proves my point.

So much of the humor is derived from Discord; whenever he's literally speaking to himself, using his fingers to eat (and scolding one of them for burping), his initial indifference to fading away (it's like Bender from Futurama operating for a long time without beer), and the irony on how being normal isn't... well, normal for him.

Every other character is brilliant; the aforementioned Disclones (my personal name for them), Pinkie  giving Discord advice for his tea party (every episode he's played a major role in thus far has had Fluttershy featured), the old mare's confusion, and the clerks ponies questioning his friendship with Fluttershy.

But once again, Fluttershy is the standout character; for the last four years since Keep Calm and Flutter On, she knows Discord inside and out (please don't take this the wrong way), and her confusion over his Mr. Rogers-esque persona is great to see. And that leads me onto the themes.

Yeah, I've got some issues with the "be yourself" moral being overdone, but it makes sense for Discord to learn it. The same goes for the theme about differences. People will judge others for being different from their friends, but those who are different - like Discord - shouldn't let those words get to them. The fact that the clerks ponies questioned him and Fluttershy being friends further added to that message.

Final Thoughts

There's not a whole lot I can say in regards to the episode; it feels like the Discord take on Fluttershy Leans In and On Your Marks, as well as bits from Futurama's Hell is Other Robots. It's fun to watch, has some really good themes, and continues the development to Fluttershy and Discord (as long as you ignore Scare Master and What About Discord).

Rating: 9 out of 10