MLP Episode 909: Sweet and Smoky

This was yet another bombshell for the season!

Sweet and Smoky

Written by Kim Beyer-Johnson

No, it's not perfect. I've made my feelings about villain redemption pretty clear in the past, and how poorly so many of them have been handled. Garble was very much one of the last characters I even considered redemption worthy.

And yet... it works.

Garble turning out to be the brother Smolder referred to in Molt Down was a bit unexpected, but it was very much relieving that they didn't spoil that information. The synopsis simply referred to him as "Smolder's sensitive brother", and he was the last dragon anyone would expect. That was a nice little twist.

Even nicer was Fluttershy calling him out for being a bully to Spike for all those years, as was Smolder for chewing her brother out for tormenting Spike behind her back. Although I prefer Yona out of the Young Six, Smolder has, by far, the most complete development as a character. She feels the most human out of them. She won't take in anyone's crap when they torment her friends.

Back to Fluttershy, and chewing out Garble like that further cements her my favorite of the Mane Six. It really shows how far she's gone since Dragonshy eight seasons ago. That said, it's a bit disappointing that they didn't address her fear of dragons here, but I think being around Spike and Smolder long enough has made her used to them by now. Heck, she and Ember were even on good terms with one another and Flutters geeking out over the baby dragons was cute.

Despite his overall presence, Spike didn't really do much in the episode. I thought we were past the point he was just there for the sake of being there. It would've meant a lot if we saw Garble apologize for being a bully to him for the past several years, but... nope.

Final Thoughts

It's safe to say that season nine has been a complete failure so far. A lot of their stories have rehashed older episodes and did nothing to make them stand out for what's supposed to be the final season. This episode's story and moral are pretty humdrum, but fortunately, the execution of both and the character moments pull through, and coming from the writer who gave us Non-Compete Clause last season, this is a genuinely good effort.

Rating: Good (8/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 4, Episodes 14-19

Season four so far has had an amazing record; nine Excellent episodes, two Good ones, and only Rainbow Falls was ranked Okay. We've yet to run into an episode that really sucks, but let's see if that can change during this next batch of revisits.

Filli Vanilli

Written by Amy Keating Rogers

Ever since this episode aired, it's been practically shredded by many with how Pinkie Pie has been portrayed. It probably didn't help that it aired after Pinkie Pride, her best starring role to date, but I find it ironic that Filli Vanilli has been ripped a new one for its bad portrayal of Pinkie, and yet A Friend in Deed gets let off the hook because... memorable song? Nice as it is, it doesn't save the season two episode from being atrocious.

But I digress. I'm not going into depth about the pink problem because I'd rather review this episode on its own merit... though it doesn't really give me much to talk about. It's a fairly typical "face your fears" episode with an okay end result. A smaller message within is working around the problem you're in, especially when it came to Big Mac losing his voice doing a turkey call, and when he regains it, Applejack interrogates him. That was the funniest moment of the episode just for how rapid-fire it was.

Some would consider it character degradation for Fluttershy, but I don't think it is; Hurricane Fluttershy was about her wingpower performance, and Rainbow Falls focused more on her athletic performance. This was about her singing performance. All three are completely different to each other.

However, I do feel that placing this after both Rainbow Falls and Pinkie Pride hurt this episode's merit among the fandom. If it had been placed earlier in the season, I think things could've turned out much different and no one would've attacked Amy Rogers over it. (Seriously, screw those people who thought it was a good idea to attack a writer simply because of one character's portrayal.)

Couple that with implying that performance anxiety isn't something that can be instantly gotten over - which is a fair point the episode raises - you get an episode that's just fine. Not really Top 10 material, but it's fine.

Rating: Good (7/10)

Twilight Time

Written by Dave Polsky

Up to that point, Twilight's princesshood hasn't really been brought up or taken much notice. Everyone seemed to treat her for the most part like she was just another pony on the street. Then this episode comes around to change that.

It's really nice seeing the Crusaders have a sort of bond with Twilight at the start. It adds a layer of depth to the three fillies' relationship with Mane Six members outside of their older sisters (or in Scoots' case, older sister figure). They want to learn new skills from Twilight and she's willing to help them out. Also, it's funny how Twilight seems to have bad manners when it comes to fast food; what is it with princesses and bad manners at the table?

Of course, Diamond Tiara is all too willing to exploit it just to make the Crusaders special to everypony else and acts all nicey-nice just so they didn't feel bad. That being said, it was funny as to how Sweetie Belle was fantasizing about moving Diamond about with her magic; I can imagine doing that to someone giving me a hard time...!

The message at the end was pretty good as well; never use your association with a celebrity to gain friends. Well, that's on the Crusaders' end at least. Yes, it's nice to invite a few friends to meet the celebrity you're friends with, but don't treat it like it's a big deal. However, am I the only one to notice how ironic it was that Twilight called out Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon for being hypocritical when she later acted hypocritical two seasons later?

Oh, and even though I don't mention voice acting that much, Pipsqueak got a new voice in this episode; Graham Verchere. The re-casting was because William Lawrenson went through puberty, though Graham seems the definitive voice for Pipsqueak as of this episode.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

It Ain't Easy Being Breezies

Written by Natasha Levinger

When I initially reviewed the episode, I thought it was good, but not really a noteworthy episode. Re-watching it, however, I thought it deserved more.

To start with, this is Putting Your Hoof Down done right, mostly because it's not over-the-top cruel. Granted, there is some cruelty, but it's done in a kind way.

When Seabreeze and a small part of his group get separated from the rest, it's pretty obvious how much Fluttershy cares for them and wants to please them in any way she can. But the Breezies would never survive for a very long time outside of their comfort zone, and Seabreeze is just desperate to get home. He's frustrated, yes, but he's also sympathetic. He cares for his kind, but goes about it the wrong way.

(And yes, Seabreeze is a male; don't let the eyelashes fool you.)

In return, Fluttershy displays kindness towards the wayward Breezies but ignores Seabreeze's concerns that they may never return home for a long time and eventually perish. It's only after Seabreeze's encounter with the bees that Fluttershy realizes she'll have to throw them out, whether she wants to or not. It's a perfect way of showing that sometimes, you have to be cruel to be kind.

Overall, it's a very understated episode in this season, and it does everything a great episode should do.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Somepony to Watch Over Me

Written by Scott Sonneborn

Up to this point, the quality of season four has been great. But it's inevitable that every season will get a dud episode along the way. And this episode is probably the worst of season four.

Let's start with the fact that Applejack is worrying about Apple Bloom staying home alone. Why is she making this a big deal? We've seen in episodes before and after this one that Apple Bloom was out in public without adult supervision, and she turned out okay. Hell, we saw her, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle heading to Twilight's as a group, and never did they need an adult looking after them!

Not only that, it gets worse that Applejack startled Apple Bloom when the former gets home, causing the latter to have an accident and making Applejack think Apple Bloom is too reckless to be alone. It gets to the point it becomes obsessive.

Honestly, instead of sympathizing with Applejack, you'd rather punch her in the face for being so illogical and unreasonable! It says a lot that Apple Bloom, someone who's a filly, has more maturity and common sense than this. And frankly, when Applejack fretted over never seeing Apple Bloom again when the latter escaped with the pie cart, I felt it served the former right for not thinking about Apple Bloom's actual needs.

In addition, why would a farm have to be baby-proofed? Yes, I know rakes and falling apples may pose a bit of a threat, but a farm is meant to be a dangerous place; that's kind of the point.

Overall, the comedy (especially in the second act) is repetitive and annoying to the point it's almost painful. It's as if Scott Sonneborn believes My Little Pony is an over-the-top comedy. Yes, the comedy is part of what made the show good, but the storytelling was the most important factor. And here, the story is practically pointless because of how simple the solution is.

Yes, Applejack realizes that Apple Bloom doesn't need constant supervision, but twenty minutes into this episode, it's far too late. And again, it's pointless because Apple Bloom is seen without adult supervision in future episodes!

I'd make suggestions on how you could fix this episode, but instead, I'll direct you to an episode that was produced three years after this one; Forever Filly. This has a similar plot structure with Rarity trying to understand Sweetie Belle and not realizing her little sister has grown up in the past several years and her interests have shifted. The difference between them is that the season seven episode was done better. And was a lot more charming.

Rating: Terrible (0/10)

Maud Pie

Written by Noelle Benvenuti

Looking back on this episode, it was pretty much the trendsetter for what we would come to expect in future Maud Pie-centric episodes; Pinkie being an obsessive idiot over her sister (though, to be fair, it's not that bad here), Maud's deadpan mannerisms being the source for comedy that's hit-or-miss at best (though here, there's one or two jokes that fell flat), and then there's somepony out of the Mane Six - or someone associated with them - not seeing what Pinkie sees in Maud.

That being said, the episode does hold up with its message about bonding with others and the Mane Six's attempt at trying to befriend Maud for Pinkie's sake, and her rescuing her little sister was a cool moment for her. Although, in retrospect, the ending with the Mane Six saying goodbye to Maud is kind of meaningless since she'd made further appearances since.

Rating: Good (8/10)

For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils

Written by Dave Polsky

Speaking of sisterly relationships...!

It's another take on Sweetie Belle and Rarity's sisterly relationship, and we're now seeing how it's developed since Sisterhooves Social. By now, the younger sister is willing to help her older sister with her duties, even if it means having to put up with ridiculous requests and smaller issues like whether or not a red ribbon is actually a red ribbon. "It's all the same!" as Sweetie Belle puts it.

I'm not that bothered too much about not seeing what Sweetie Belle's play was like; from what I understand, it's sort of like Tommy Wiseau's The Room from a decade previous, so maybe it was for the best we never saw how it went.

That being said, it does lead to Sweetie Belle lashing at Rarity for the costumes overshadowing the play itself, and even takes petty revenge to try and humiliate her in front of Sapphire Shores... except it wasn't a good idea and could've lead to Rarity becoming a laughingstock. Mind you, with Fame and Misfortune having recently come out, the nightmare sequence is pretty uncomfortable to watch nowadays.

In fact, the plot as a whole - well, the second act, at least - is reminiscent to A Christmas Carol, minus the holiday setting, the theme of death, there's a single spirit(...ish; Luna), and the motivations for the protagonist are different (Scrooge just wanted nothing to do with helping others and keep all the money for himself). Honestly, I feel it handled the Carol plot better than A Hearth's Warming Tail, which was just a beat-for-beat retelling with nothing new in it.

On whole, it's yet another of season four's best (how many times have I said that thus far?), and the moral about showing gratitude to those helping you was fantastic. Oh, and little Sweetie Belle is adorable; I wanted to go through the screen just to hug her...!

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

MLP Episode 908: Frenemies

The moment I heard about this episode's premise, I felt nothing but dread hearing about it. And watching it for real affirmed my initial fears.

Frenemies

Written by Michael Vogel

Where do I even begin with this? The premise alone is just... stupid. Basically, Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow are forced to work together - because we've never seen the teamwork moral before(!) - partly because they're driving Grogar up the wall with their petty bickering, but mostly to get his Bewitching Bell.

Yeah, much like the "be yourself" message, the "teamwork" message has been done so often you can put this in literally any show or movie. What makes the latter message worse (in this episode, at least) is that it's being taught to a group of dangerous criminals, which basically means "sympathize with bad guys who have no redeeming qualities whatsoever", and that's a harmful message to send to children.

Also, we're talking about a group of villains who nearly wrecked a wedding, kidnapped royalty (Chrysalis), caused a rampage across Equestria (Tirek), and committed treason against Equestria (Cozy Glow)! How are any of them meant to be sympathetic based on those actions alone?!

If we were to translate the implications of this episode into the real world, then maybe we should forgive Hitler for murdering Jewish people. We should forgive Stalin for communistic beliefs. We should forgive bin Laden for causing the destruction of the Twin Towers! We should forgive Adam Lanza for murdering innocent children! We should forgive Harvey Weinstein despite that he's a serial philanderer...! Yes, all the examples I listed are on the extreme end of the scale, but I'm listing them to make a point as to why I treat this bullshit ideology that "every criminal is misunderstood" with extreme contempt.

Yes, there are horrible people in the world, but if they want to change, it's on them entirely. They have to earn forgiveness, they don't just get it on a silver platter. Yes, in a kid's show, forgiveness should be a sweet, charming lesson, but if you apply idealized forgiveness like how Equestria Girls has done to the real world...!

Remember the Thomas and Friends episode Springtime for Diesel? That was how you handle forgiveness in a kid's show. Diesel caused trouble for Daisy and caused her springs to break, and although he didn't want to show it, he felt remorse for his behavior and apologized to Daisy privately. Yeah, she was still upset with him for doing so, but in the end, they still became friends. That was character development for Diesel, who feels a lot more like an anti-hero these days.

Back to Frenemies, and the episode is sluggishly paced. There's very little happening to the point they almost become actual friends, which was sickeningly sweet for the wrong reasons. And again, there is no reason we should sympathize with them because they're dangerous criminals!

Final Thoughts

I know there are people who will argue, "Oh, this episode is great because we got a villain-focused episode!" But I counter with what I've said about Sparkle's Seven; episode quality is not automatic based on a unique concept alone. It's the writing that truly matters most.

The teamwork moral is forced down your throat to the point you'd want to barf it back out again (the song didn't help either, nor did it help the villains' petty childishness), and the implications surrounding the characters learning it are horrifying. I know there's people out there who believe there's good in everyone, and that's fine and all, but again, not everyone wants to change.

Even if you take the unfortunate implications out of the equation, Frenemies is a boring, over-hyped slog-fest. I don't know if this is worse than The Mean 6, but considering that both were written by Michael Vogel, why should we be surprised they're as bad as each other?

Rating: Atrocious (-10/10)

MLP Episode 907: She's All Yak

I'm surprised they didn't go for My Fair Yona given what happens in this episode. Still, it's a nice episode... with yet another instance of the "be yourself" lesson being taught.

She's All Yak

Written by Brian Hohlfeld

I know I risk sounding like a broken record at the quarter-way mark of season nine, but all it's been doing is rehashing older episodes and previously taught lessons to make them look "new". It doesn't help that this episode has the exact same lesson as Common Ground, which aired last week! She's All Yak does hold up on its own, don't get me wrong, but having this air right after Common Ground wasn't the best move, and it further emphasizes how lazy the writing has gotten with season nine. Who knows what could've happened if the two episodes had swapped airdates?

Other than that, there's little to talk about in terms of story. All I can really say is that it feels like the opposite of Party Pooped with Yona wanting to learn about pony culture rather than the ponies learning about yak culture. It's also way less annoying, you feel sympathetic towards Yona (nothing to do with her being my favorite of the Young Six, though it might've helped), and the plot doesn't feel like it was pulled from the writers' backsides. That's... pretty much it, really.

Final Thoughts

I apologize that the review is pretty short, but there's very little for me to talk about. On its own, it's a nice, charming little episode, but the regurgitated storyline and overused moral bring it down for me. And yet the character moments and development just barely manage to salvage the whole thing. Who knew that one of the best dynamics of the whole season would be Sandbar and Yona?

Had this episode aired earlier - or perhaps held back to later in the season, we don't know at this stage - this could've easily been the best of the season, but either way, by far, this is the best yak-centric episode. Granted, it shouldn't be praiseworthy, but the bar wasn't that high to begin with since the last three episodes that featured yaks or yak culture being central to the plot have been utter failures, so...

Rating: Good (7/10)

MLP Episode 906: Common Ground

Well, this is a nice surprise!

Common Ground

Written by Josh Haber

As good a show as My Little Pony has been, let's not act as if it never had any bad episodes. My revisits of the first three seasons and the first half of season four so far prove that it was never going to be a perfect show. Nor will it be all things to all people. Heck, as much as I liked seasons seven and eight (from which the reviews I am happy with as they are), they had their share of duds. And the less said about The Point of No Return, the better.

Then comes Common Ground to turn things around. I'm not pulling any punches here; this is the best episode since What Lies Beneath (Uprooted came close, but even that was held back by a blatant lack of originality). Admittedly, this episode shouldn't be as great as it is given that the bar for season nine wasn't that high to begin with, but still.

It was so nice seeing Quibble Pants again, and unlike Moon Dancer who felt shoehorned for the sake of shoehorning (i.e. fanservice), we get to see what Quibble is like outside of his interest in Daring Do.

Although we never see what became of Clear Sky's first husband, it's pretty clear that Quibble Pants is sympathetic towards her plight of being a single parent to Wind Sprint, who doesn't even like her mom's new coltfriend. So Quibble does everything he can to impress Wind, even if it means making a horse's ass of himself in front of thousands of ponies. If there was any episode of the show that could appeal to both children and adults, this is it.

Children can relate to Wind Sprint either when the parents divorce or one of them dies, and adults can relate to Quibble Pants when their partner's child or children don't care for them that much.

In fact, in real life, Patton Oswalt lost his first wife from an undiagnosed heart condition (tragically, it was the same year that Stranger Than Fan Fiction aired), and he later re-married to Meredith Salenger in late 2017. It's as if the episode was made with Patton in mind.

(Fun fact: In one of his specials, Talking for Clapping, he talks about My Little Pony. Check it out whilst you can; it's really funny.)

Back to this episode, and it looks as though Rainbow Dash is back in good graces once again after Non-Compete Clause. She knows Quibble needs help in bonding with Wind and does everything she can to make it happen, despite that he isn't the most athletic pony around; he's all brain and no brawn (not a knock on him, just describing his character there).

But for all of Rainbow's efforts, it's fruitless when Quibble makes a fool of himself at a buckball game, and even gets called out by Wind for not being a true sports pony. It gets even worse when he thinks Clear Sky is going to break up with him.

The moral about being yourself here is okay, but it's been taught so often in children's media (My Little Pony included) that it's almost become meaningless. However, they do make up for that by teaching the audience about bonding with people despite your differences, so I can let this slide.

Final Thoughts

It might not be saying much, but this is so far one of season nine's best episodes. It's got the right mix of comedy, charm and heartwarming moments, and a good moral to boot. Common Bond does everything a great episode should do. Oh, and well done to Alice Oswalt for her first ever acting performance in media; it looks as though she has a bright future ahead of her.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 4, Episodes 8-13

So far, season four has been off to a flying start. Let's see if it can keep up the goodness we've got so far.

Rarity Takes Manehattan

Written by Dave Polsky

Throughout My Little Pony's nine-year run, Tabitha St. Germain and the writers of the show have always managed to find a way to ham up Rarity's personality. This episode is a good example - if not the quintessential example - as to why.

The premise is fairly simple; Rarity enters a fashion show in Manehattan but a competitor named Suri Polomare steals Rarity's fabric design after asking to use a swatch. It still works out because there's enough humor to hide the fact that the story is a bit on the thin side. (That's how SpongeBob gained his success.) Much of it comes in the second act with Rarity over-dramatizing that her generosity ruined her and forces her friends to fashion new dresses at the last minute. Not gonna comment as to how the hotel reacted to some of their property going missing; mostly suspension of disbelief.

But it's not just Rarity who shines. Rainbow Dash gets a funny moment by lampshading suddenly breaking into song just before Rarity does so herself, and another when even she is shocked by Applejack's brutal honesty. Heck, even the taxi driver and bell pony both repay Rarity's generosity at points; nice to know that not everybody in the big cities is a jerk.

Oh yeah, and speaking of whom, Suri Polomare's just plain unlikable, any way you slice it. Deceitful, manipulative and even a bully to Coco Pommel, it's no wonder Suri is hated by many, and why you feel sympathy for Coco. Suri is pretty much the anti-Rarity. Good thing Coco ditched her right there and then at the end.

Overall, another episode this season with a message that holds up now like it did then. Maybe better.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Pinkie Apple Pie

Written by Natasha Levinger

Another great episode. It shows that despite all the arguing families can get into, they still look out for each other... unless one particular member is a bad apple, but still. When I first watched it five years ago, and I'm not sure why, but I thought Goldie Delicious was a male given that she was voiced by Peter New. It sounded very convincing to me.

It's also one of those episodes where the humor shines. For once, Pinkie isn't annoying to the point you want to slap her and it was great how she maintained optimism despite the stressful journey. Even funnier was Big Mac getting increasingly annoyed about Applejack nagging him about the jalopy and (later) his indignant reply about being accused for overloading it.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

Rainbow Falls

Written by Corey Powell

The penultimate episode to the Equestria Games arc and it's... an odd one, come to think of it.

I do like the message the episode displays about being loyal to your close friends, but the way it was conveyed throughout the episode made it feel more like it about honesty as opposed to loyalty. I mean, Spitfire and Fleetwood straight up lie about Soarin's injury and abandon him in favor of Rainbow Dash. That being said, it led to a great moment for him - even though he didn't say anything calling them out - being displeased with his teammates. Mind you, that's more on the animators than Corey Powell.

And whilst on the subject of the Wonderbolts, how did Spitfire forget what she had learned back in Wonderbolts Academy, one season ago? It's almost as if the episode is confused as to whether it wants to follow continuity or be more self-contained.

Speaking of, whilst it was great to see Fluttershy be more eager to partake in the relay race (though that would be forgotten about in a few episodes' time, but I digress) and even had some good chemistry with Bulk Biceps, it's just strange that they're portrayed at pathetic fliers when episodes before and since showed they were capable fliers.

Also, this is minor, but I'll mention it anyway. Rainbow Dash said four teams would qualify for the Games, and yet five are present for the ceremony.

There were still good character moments like Twilight being a sort of conscience towards Rainbow Dash, as well as the latter's hilariously half-baked attempt at avoiding choosing between teams. Heck, I still think it's great she knows how to look our for her teammates and even for rival teammates as well.

Nitpicking aside, I thought this one was alright. It's got good character moments for the most part and moves two arcs (the Equestria Games, the Keys of Friendship) forward, but it's riddled with inconsistencies and plotholes so it's only fair to give it a rating based on those factors.

Rating: Okay (6/10)

Three's a Crowd

Written by Meghan McCarthy and Ed Valentine

Beginning with this episode and Princess Twilight Sparkle, Discord has become something of a semi-regular in the series, usually having two appearances per season. In the fourth season, he had five appearances (if we split both the premiere and finale in half), and this is his third.

As a spoiler for season five, this is What About Discord? done better for the following reasons:

1. Discord is punished for his actions. He fakes being sick just to screw with Twilight and Cadance during the latter's visit and plays the price for it when a sand worm spits all over him, making him sick for real.
2. The Mane Six's roles didn't feel out of place. In WAD?, they all felt interchangeable with each other, but here, they actually display more character when suspecting Discord. (I have my own issues with Pinkie, but more on that later.)
3. The humor never comes off as condescending, nor does it treat the audience like they're idiots. (Again, more on that later.)

Similarities aside, let's talk about what Three's a Crowd does on its own merits, shall we?

One thing that stuck out even on first viewing is how more laid-back Cadance is when not on royal duty. It's understandable why she'd be like this; running an empire can be a bit dull and every once in a while, just get out and do something. It's also the first time (excluding the first Equestria Girls film) that she and Twilight didn't do their "sunshine, sunshine" dance upon meeting each other - maybe it's due to the presence of the royal guards and Twilight's friends? Not sure if that was the intention or simply how I interpret it.

When it comes to Discord's "blue flu", some people have drawn comparisons to the Genie in Aladdin (1992 version, by the way; even if Will Smith does the role justice, he still pales compared to Robin Williams) and his song "Friend Like Me". I can see why with "Glass of Water" - performed by supporting character voiced by a big-name voice actor, crazy visuals with lots of shout-outs, but all in all, an overall sense of fun.

The only annoyance I have with this episode, again, is Pinkie Pie. First it's when she acts like Fluttershy is never coming back to Ponyville (a la Wonderbolts Academy), and the other when chasing a balloon on railway tracks. That's a big no-no in the safety department! Imagine if a train had come by, and Pinkie wouldn't be throwing parties after that.

The pink problem aside, it's another great episode out of season four, and the build up to Fluttershy's key episode was nice. However, the next episode on the list is something else altogether...

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Pinkie Pride

Story by Jayson Thiessen
Written by Amy Keating Rogers

It's safe to say that I've been extremely critical with how Pinkie Pie has been handled in recent years, but even in the show's early days, she wasn't the brightest bulb on the tree there either. But in the midst of bad episodes like Swarm of the Century, Yakity-Sax, Secrets and Pies, and especially A Friend in Deed, Pinkie still had starring roles like this one that were worthy gems.

What can I say that hasn't been said already? This is Pinkie Pie at her best, mostly because she isn't portrayed as an idiotic Designated Hero who stalks a newcomer for no reason or puts her feelings toward some dumb instrument over her friends' concerns. Here, she felt... right.

To be honest, I don't think this episode wouldn't have been great if it hadn't been for Cheese Sandwich playing off against her. He's probably one of the few characters - if not, the only character - who could've played her off in this episode. His arrival in Ponyville initially makes Cheese come off as a sort of Wild West-type bad guy, but there's a nice twist where he turns out to be a genuinely nice guy. Sure, it could be seen from a mile away given the cold open in Appleloosa, but it's not something that ruins the moment entirely.

It's when Cheese reveals his backstory that his character shines; if it hadn't been for a young Pinkie, he wouldn't have become the stallion he is today. It's one of those backstories that does what it needs to do in making a character actually sympathetic without forcing it down your throats.

I could talk more about this episode, but I think enough people (myself included) have given this high praise so let's move on.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Simple Ways

Written by Josh Haber

Josh Haber can write some real clunkers, but when he's good, he makes a potential contender for one of the season's top ten fan favorites.

Like Castle Mane-ia, it's a fairly simple plot that relies on humor to carry it through. Especially the third act when Applejack and Rarity act like flanderizations of their respective selves in an escalating war, culminating with Rarity's mud rant.

That being said, it happened because Rarity crushed on Trenderhoof, someone who's basically a predecessor to Timber Spruce, only with an even duller personality but his crushing on Applejack is cringeworthy. But in fairness, it's only within a shorter timeframe and Applejack rejected him, so maybe I can forgive that. But since Big Mac made a cameo, it kind of makes you wonder why AJ didn't think about telling him about Trenderhoof so he could scare him off. I saw a fan art that did just that.

That issue aside, I still enjoy the episode for what it is, and the moral about being yourself, despite the overuse to the point it's meaningless, was easy to grasp and a lesson Rarity needed to learn.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

MLP Episode 905: The Point of No Return

Well... the last season nine episode review was far more controversial and sparked more discussion than I initially imagined! I am genuinely sorry for those who liked it and felt like my thoughts on the previous episode rubbed you the wrong way, but just because one person didn't agree with you, that doesn't really give you the right to be a jerk to them. I'm not the only person who felt that way towards Sparkle's Seven (or Twilight's Seven, I can't really tell nor do I care) if you look at the comments on my journal for said episode on DeviantArt, so if a person doesn't enjoy what you do, don't get fussy about it. That person is not ruining your life - I'm looking at you, Justin Riley! - and they have the right to disagree with your views. It's a non-issue.

Okay, now that I got it out of my system, here's my review for The Point of No Return.

The Point of No Return

Written by Gillian M. Berrow

When are the writers of season nine going to produce an episode that's actually worth giving a second watch?

This episode is the absolute nadir of the writers ripping off older episodes when they don't have any ideas. Give or take, this episode is a blatant retreading of Amending Fences! I'm serious. It copies the episode point for point and does everything worse.

First off is Moon Dancer's presence; I mention it first because I care about that the least. In Amending Fences, it was shown that she was upset over Twilight not turning up at her party and the latter also felt bad for letting her friend down. Here, we don't get a glimpse of Moon's personality or her friendship with Twilight. Swap her out with anypony else, and the plot would remain the same.

What makes it worse is how hyped up everyone was for her to appear, only to make a meaningless speaking cameo! I genuinely think Moon Dancer was included just to pander to the older fans.

In fact, it's a similar problem that Sparkle's Seven had with Zephyr Breeze... sort of. At least there, they tried giving him a purpose so Rainbow Dash could distract him. Though it was still fruitless for Zephyr to appear in the long run, but I digress.

The point is, if you're going to include a fan favorite, they need to have a reason to appear in a particular episode, this one included. They can't just be featured solely to make fans go "Oh my gosh, it's Derpy!" or words to that effect. And you can't tell me that "they probably didn't have any ideas for Moon Dancer in seasons 6-8" especially since each season has 26 episodes to work with! There's no excuse to not include her in episodes between Amending Fences and this one! (And no, mentions do not count.) If you can't come up with good roles for a character, then don't use them!

Wow, I talked about Moon Dancer's role way more than I thought...!

Back to the episode, the other two points it rips off Amending Fences (though Moon Dancer's wasn't exactly plot relevant here, but that's not the point) are the flashbacks to the first episode of the show and Twilight making amends with an old friend. With Amending Fences, they based it off a seemingly random line in Mare in the Moon and tied it into the main story really well. Heck, continuity was down to the presence of Minuette, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts!

In this episode, it felt like the attempt at tying it to Mare in the Moon was pulled right out of their collective backside to maintain a sense of continuity.

And as for the third point? It felt as though the reconciliation between Twilight and Dusty Pages (the librarian) was written the way it did to make the Princess of Friendship feel special, which means the moral - nobody's perfect - whilst okay, feels ultimately contrived.

I haven't even begun to talk about The Point of No Return on its own merits. It's yet another case of Twilight freaking out over something completely unimportant, because we've never seen that type of story before(!) I'm honestly convinced they didn't have any ideas for this episode to begin with. It's further cemented by the fact Twilight freaks out about turning up at a library. She went inside the same library in Forgotten Friendship and turned out fine! Unless Equestria Girls as a whole is non-canon or it was tacked on to pad this episode to 22 minutes. However you view it, neither option is off the table.

Final Thoughts

I've been watching the show since 2013, and I've seen a lot of bad episodes with things that irritated me. Last year, I thought The Mean 6 was the absolute worst episode the series had put out, but The Point of No Return proved me wrong.

To be honest, I feel like I put far more effort into this review for The Point of No Return than the entire crew did into this episode. It's a blatant re-hashing of an older episode, the moral feels incredibly forced, and the plot and characters are insipid. The whole thing feels forced and, overall, completely pointless.

If you can't tell, I'm angry. For the last season of the series, it's supposed to be enjoyable and go out big, and so far, it's failing to impress. But I'm also disappointed. Not for myself, but for Gillian Berrow since it's her last episode in the series. I also feel bad that all the effort put into the visuals, music and voice acting was completely wasted on this miserable failure, for it's officially earned the title of the worst ever episode in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Rating: Atrocious (-10/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 4, Episodes 1-7

I said a while back that if season nine wasn't impressing me that much, I'd review seasons four through six alongside it. So far, season nine hasn't really put out an episode that could actually stand up on its own, least of all Sparkle's Seven, which prompted me to remind myself of what a good episode actually is.

That being said, let's get to revisiting the fourth season of My Little Pony! Does it really hold up at being the best in the show, or is it an overstatement?

Princess Twilight Sparkle

Written by Meghan McCarthy

When it comes to a big story arc with an even bigger finish, you normally wouldn't expect something big to kick things off, would you? Friendship is Magic (the episode, not the show as a whole) was an okay start to the first three seasons as a whole, whilst Magical Mystery Cure - although not necessarily big in terms of scale - was a strong finish. And in between, we had The Return of Harmony, A Canterlot Wedding, and The Crystal Empire, all great two-parters in their own right.

Admittedly, Princess Twilight Sparkle doesn't have the same scope as the aforementioned two-parters, but it still plays an important role in the Friendship is Magic lore.

Case in point, it gives off a bit of expanding to Celestia's battle against Nightmare Moon a millennium previous. When she uses the Elements against her sister, you can see the tears in Celestia's eyes. She knows she's banishing her sister (even if it isn't at this point) to the moon, but what other choice did she have? She was thinking about her subjects' well-being.

Before that, a few plunderseeds Discord "accidentally" spilled onto the ground (I say it like that because he implied his plan back then didn't work the way he intended) couldn't grow around the Tree of Harmony, so it took even longer for them to finally cause havoc. So Discord did cause trouble, but back when he was a troublemaker.

The way the two flashbacks (three if we include Celestia and Luna giving up the Elements) were tied into the main story was very clever and showed there is a sense of continuity in the series.

Speaking of, notice how Celestia implied that it was the first Summer Sun Celebration following Luna's return? That meant that all three seasons took place within a single year, albeit probably not in a specific order. I've even read about a brony trying to make sense out of the three seasons and re-ordering them into a specific timeline; read this to check out the details. It's a very good read.

As for the story itself, it starts off fairly normal, even for a premiere. However, the moment Celestia gets caught by a plunderseed's vine, and then she and Luna turn up missing, you know something is wrong. It really catches you off guard.

Apart from the flashbacks and saving the Tree of Harmony from the plunderseeds, there's not much else to talk about storywise, but the funny moments do conceal the slow pacing very well like Big Mac trying to fight a vine and Spike using Twilight as transport; the latter's even funnier in hindsight if we bring Molt Down into consideration.

However, a few jokes did fall flat like how childish and oblivious Pinke could be at times, especially with the coloring book.

And whilst I'm on the subject of storytelling issues, why bother sending Twilight back to Ponyville? It almost feels like they wanted to stretch the second half out to fill the runtime. Even if it's for tension, it's still pointless, however valid Applejack's reason might have been. Yeah, they lampshade it, but that doesn't make it less of an issue!

Problems aside, it's still fairly solid for a premiere. More so since the revival of the Tree of Harmony hints at what is to come for the next 22 episodes and the finale.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

Castle Mane-ia

Written by Josh Haber

Speaking of buildups...!

Sure, this one didn't have the complexity of the previous episode, but it still holds up in its own right. I mean, there are three plots going on at the same time - Rainbow Dash and Applejack competing to find out who the Most Daring Pony is, Rarity looking to restore the tapestries of the old castle, and Twilight and Spike looking to research the chest by the Tree of Harmony - and yet they're all tied together in the end by a clever twist with Pinkie and the organ.

Fun fact: A couple of plot threads would later lead to two season seven episodes - the infamous Fame and Misfortune and the lore-based Shadow Play.

Rating: Good (8/10)

Daring Don't

Written by Dave Polsky

Well, this is going to be interesting...

Surprising as the twist was about A.K. Yearling actually being Daring Do herself, I'm not going to dwell on that too much. As usual, I prefer to talk about the episode on its own merits.

Rainbow Dash is certainly relatable here. We've all wanted to meet our heroes at some point, hoping they'll meet our expectations, only to find out they aren't as perfect as you'd expect them to be. You've probably been through at one instance, I'm sure.

There's not really much to talk about in terms of story, but the humor does shine like Twilight and Dash's enthusiasm upon seeing the real Daring Do herself, as well as Rainbow trying to restrain herself when wanting to help her. Heck, even the battle between the Mane Six and Ahuizotl's minions was fun.

Speaking of, one joke that felt more cringe-worthy than funny was the Foe Yay moment between Daring Do and Ahuizotl. Rainbow's expression didn't really help much.

And instead of one message for this episode, there's two; one for Rainbow Dash - don't put your idols too high on a pedestal (something I know all too well as of late) - and the other for Daring Do - it's okay to ask for help sometimes. That was great.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

Flight to the Finish

Written by Ed Valentine

When I first reviewed the episode, I simply thought it was good, but nothing really amazing. Rewatching this, however, I felt it deserved more.

I'll start off with the message; it's one of the best the show has ever conveyed. Play to your own strengths. Don't let your disability bring you down, physical or mental. As someone who is autistic, that is something the world should know.

Scootaloo here is so enthusiastic about being a flag carrier that when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon bring up her flight disability, it crushes her. It only takes Rainbow Dash and her friends to make her realize that it shouldn't matter much to her. In fact, the episode relies heavily on emotion; anger towards the bullies for mocking a person's disability, sadness for the victim that they feel worthless because of said disability, and a sense of triumph when they come out on top in the end.

On a side note, whilst rewatching the episodes for re-reviews, it occurred to me why I didn't feel Crusaders of the Lost Mark held up anymore; it forces you to sympathize with a bully (Diamond Tiara) who had no redeeming qualities to begin with. But I'll get to that soon enough.

Back to this specific episode, there's the song. It is yet another of the show's best. The reason for that is because it makes you root for the Crusaders throughout (even if you aren't a fan of them) and you just can't resist singing along. (I know I couldn't!) I don't talk about music that much since it's a default setting for this series, but it's still nice to talk about songs like "Hearts as Strong as Horses" once in a while.

To end this specific review on a funny note, can I have an episode with Rainbow Dash and Miss Harshwhinny together? I mean, come on. Their chemistry is absolutely hilarious, especially when the latter tries to get Dash to maintain professionalism, and at the end, there's a role reversal between them. Whoever decides to take on the challenge, I reckon you could create gold with these two!

Overall, this is a Top 10 contender for season four, so there's only one rating it could possibly get from me.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Power Ponies

Written by Meghan McCarthy, Charlotte Fullerton, and Betsy McGowen

So far, we've got three Excellent episodes and a Good one. No stinkers thus far. Can this episode continue that good streak?

Well, it does and yet at the same time it doesn't. Apart from deconstructing Spike's butt-monkey status by this point in the series, it doesn't really hold a huge impact on the series in the long run. It was fairly ironic that Spike mocked the character that he ended up portraying in the comic book world. But other than that, there's nothing really to talk about. It's just... there.

Rating: Good (7/10)

Bats!

Written by Merriwether Williams

Here's another rather interesting episode, especially as it's Merriwether Williams' last contribution to the series (when it first aired, Meghan McCarthy was credited by accident). Was it a good send-off, especially when compared to the likes of Mare Do Well and Dragon Quest?

I think it was. It's one of the show's darkest episodes, much of that can be attributed to the visuals in play. Like the music, I don't talk about the animation as it's a standard by this point, but they set the tone perfectly, especially in the third act when Flutterbat attacks her friends. If the visuals weren't as scary as they were, then the story wouldn't have left a big impact.

Speaking of impact, there's Fluttershy and Applejack's argument to whether they should get rid of the bats or give them sanctuary. Both sides have a point; Fluttershy presents a more human... uh, sorry, pony side to them, but Applejack is afraid that they'll ruin Sweet Apple Acres' business, especially given that they're a link in the economy chain.

Whilst they may have their points, they weren't exactly 100% right either. Fluttershy didn't really bring AJ's perspective into consideration and sort of fell to peer pressure, and Applejack, valid as her reasons were, didn't really consider that the bats could also infest other apple orchards in Equestria.

Some may be tempted to consider the argument through song as all black and white. As I've just said, I don't agree with that stance. Well, not entirely, at least. There is some gray in the debate.

That being said, how is it that the seeds the bats spit out again grow apple trees back stronger than ever? It's never really explained how this works and just feels like it was put out there as an afterthought to show a more sympathetic side towards them. Also, even if the apples were sucked dry, wouldn't the trees still be able to grow more?

A bit of re-writing is in order, but the positive aspects outweighed the negative aspects for me. The messages about listening to both sides of the argument and not putting pressure on your friends were both useful for kids to learn.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

MLP Episode 904: Sparkle's Seven

Welp, back to mediocre territory we go. And it's only the 200th episode of the series?

Sparkle's Seven

Story by Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, Tara Strong, and Cathy Weseluck
Written by Nicole Dubuc and Josh Haber

Yes, apparently, this is episode 200 if we count Best Gift Ever as one. Without it, it's only episode 199. But like the aforementioned holiday special, it's a case of hype overshadowing the story itself. And it's a boring, slow-paced slog.

There is so little to remember or even enjoy. Literally, I felt nothing when watching it.

"Oh, but Shining Armor got to play a major role! That's a good thing, right?" Well... no. Because it took seven seasons since his debut for him to actually do anything! If they really weren't that bothered about expanding on his character until now, then what was the point introducing him to begin with?

This has been a problem which has festered in the series since season three. Characters getting introduced and then barely getting any screentime - or mentioned at all - following their debut stories. Babs Seed, Coco Pommel and Moon Dancer are a few examples that spring to mind. They've developed side characters like Big Macintosh and have done a great job with him since Brotherhooves Social, so why not expand on the aforementioned three?

And speaking of characters, this episode demonstrated how little the Mane Six have left to display. Their arcs are just about finished at this point; Rarity's expanding her business, Rainbow Dash is a Wonderbolt, Fluttershy has become more assertive, and heck, Twilight will be taking over for Celestia and Luna soon. Applejack's been perfectly content with her home life, but Pinkie Pie? Yeah, I'm not sure what else they can do with her.

This is why I liked what they did with the Young Six during the last season and Uprooted; they actually feel like they could be natural replacements for the Mane Six. Or at least, get a spinoff dedicated to them.

I haven't even begun to talk about the story yet. That's because it gives me very little to talk about. Shining Armor challenges Twilight for some cardboard crown and sets up a series of traps so she couldn't get by? Really? That's all there is at stake? Not some dangerous villain, a natural disaster, or even a terrorist attack? Instead, it's some crown that should've been thrown away by now? That's possibly the most stupid way to celebrate 199 200 episodes!

The only thing I could take from this episode is never overlook your friends. But... other episodes have taught that theme and produced a far more satisfying end result. Also, is it just me, or are they shoving Starlight further into the background?

Final Thoughts

A few days ago, I wrote a status update on DeviantArt concerned that there would be trying to handle many ideas into a 21 minute timeframe. I don't know how well they were handled, but the main bulk of the story is barely anything to write home about, and only affirms my frustrations that the writers are out of ideas. Sorry to say this, but Sparkle's Seven was all hype, no substance; combine that with main characters who've run their course, and you'll be left wishing you had chocolate cake instead of rice cake.

Rating: Terrible (-3/10)

MLP Episode 903: Uprooted

Last week, we saw the Tree of Harmony destroyed at the hooves of King Sombra. This week, we're going to find out the repercussions of said destruction. And since the Young Six are involved, this should be good, right?

Uprooted

Written by Nicole Dubuc

Well, it was, but it's still not giving me relief about the well of writing running dry. Was it really necessary to copy the conflict from Castle Sweet Castle (coincidentally, also the third episode of its season) for this one?

Actually, that doesn't really do this episode justice at all, and it's kind of harsh from me, in fairness.

This episode's heart is in the right place. Given their connection to the Tree of Harmony from What Lies Beneath and School Raze, the Young Six were absolutely fitting for the lead role. I really liked them during season eight, and if anything, it did the school setting way better in one year than the Equestria Girls spinoff ever did in five. That's mostly because A) they don't reuse the same story over and over again to the point it becomes predictable, and B) each character stands out when it comes to personality.

But back to this episode, there isn't much to say story wise. As I've said, it's Castle Sweet Castle with a different group of characters and different tree being honored after destruction. And the message about teamwork isn't really new either; the more you use it, the less meaningful it becomes to the point it's almost condescending.

That being said, the shared dream between all six was random yet funny at the same time, and it's also ironic that given the reputation of her kind, Yona is the one who talks sense into the others about how the Tree should be honored. It's no wonder she's my favorite of the group.

Also, did anyone get the idea that the Young Six are one day going to become the new bearers of the Elements of Harmony? It makes sense (sort of) for Sandbar to be the new bearer of Magic, and I can easily see Silverstream being Laughter. For the others, Gallus fits Loyalty bringing The Hearth's Warming Club into consideration, as does Yona with this episode and A Rockhoof and a Hard Place and Ocellus in pretty much every one of her appearances. The only oddity was Smolder as Generosity; maybe she's trying to break the mold of dragons being greedy, I don't know?

Final Thoughts

Complaints aside, this was a really good episode and it fit the Young Six perfectly. The story flowed naturally and the theme - despite sort of losing it's meaning after learning it for the umpteenth time - was solid. However, I felt the lack of originality held it back from being truly amazing.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

MLP Season 9 Premiere: The Beginning of the End

We knew this day was coming. It was inevitable, but this year, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic approaches its final season, and a couple of years down the road, we will be heading towards Generation 5. Season nine's got a lot to live up to, especially with School Raze and Best Gift Ever failing to impress. Can the first episode of the final season start things off strong, or is it a sign the show should've ended earlier?

The Beginning of the End

Written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco

It's... better than I thought it was going to be, but at the same time...

Well, here's the thing - we saw hints of it during seasons six and seven, and season eight made it a bit more obvious. The writers haven't really addressed the issue that's been plaguing the show for the past three seasons; a fair number of stories have felt similar to ones we'd seen in the first five seasons, and heck, even within six through eight. And this one had elements that reminded me of Princess Twilight Sparkle, The Crystal Empire (it didn't really help much that I had recently re-reviewed said episode), The Crystalling and even The Movie.

At least, that's during the second half.

The first half is where the premiere really shines. Despite that it's yet another instance of Twilight freaking out, it was funny how her friends lampshade it. Being around her for nine years (or, if you go by real time in universe, at least five) must've made them used to her freakouts.

I do think it's also worth pointing out that Twilight taking over for Celestia and Luna is a concept that Lauren Faust had intended when she was on board, so it looks as though her vision is finally being realized. It's nine years in the making, and it's on the writers to not mess this up.

What's also on the writers is how the remaining villains are handled. Some fans want them to reform, even though we've seen quite enough already, and many since Sunset Shimmer have been half-baked at best and pointless at worst since they never appeared again after their reformation arcs.

However small Grogar's role was, he leaves enough impact to make you wonder what he's planning for Equestria. Heck, even Tirek and Chrysalis are intimidated by him! Side note, it's funny how not even they like Cozy Glow.

But the MVP for the bad guys was undoubtedly Sombra. He was extremely overconfident about conquering Equestria by himself and it eventually leads to his second downfall. He first tries ruling the Crystal Empire again but is quickly defeated within the first half of the premiere. You'd think that'd be it right there...

...except he's got another plan and ends up destroying the Tree of Harmony. I wonder how that is going to impact the remainder of the season.

But I don't think I can talk about this episode without mentioning Discord's presence. Yeah, much of his appearances are random, but what did you expect from him? It's the final battle against Sombra that he really shines; faking his death just to give the Mane Six the confidence boost they need. Though admitting it out loud does make the ending feel anti-climactic.

As does Twilight admitting she's not ready to take over for Celestia and Luna, come to think of it. It almost makes you feel a bit defeated like nothing was achieved in the long run. Except that the ending with the remaining villains hints at what may be to come for the series finale...

Final Thoughts

Overall, there isn't much to take from this premiere. The plot as a whole is blatantly unoriginal, but I feel the character moments and the ending theme about admitting mistakes salvage it for the most part. It's just... there.

But where can season nine go from there? I honestly think it could go either way at this point; it could improve on its writing and give us some shining gems, or it may continue to rehash ideas and do nothing with them. I personally hope it's the former, especially if the show is to end out big.

Good luck with this last season, Hasbro; something tells me you'll need it.

Rating: Okay (6/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 3, Episodes 8-13

This is going to be interesting! (Side note: I'm reviewing these episodes based off of production order.)

Just for Sidekicks

Written by Corey Powell

So now we come to the first episode of the infamous Equestria Games Arc. And... there's honestly very little to talk about. In fact, it barely clings onto mediocrity.

Spike very much brings the problem of needing gems upon himself since he (rather stupidly) snacks on them whilst baking a gem cake. And then he's back to square one at the end with no gems. I'd let the slow pacing off the hook for the humor, but it's hit or miss at best. That being said, at least Owlowiscious and the other pets seem to agree with the fanbase about Angel being awful.

Rating: Okay (4/10)

Apple Family Reunion

Written by Cindy Morrow

I've got one word to describe this episode; nice. It's great to learn about the traditions of the Apple family, especially when hearing about them from Granny Smith. And it's also got its funny moments like Big Mac sneaking a fritter for himself and adorable moments like the flashback with baby Applejack.

And then there are the sad moments; there's the hinting about Applejack's parents no longer being around through two shooting stars, and whilst this one has nothing to do with the episode itself, it's the last major role Babs Seed had. She got a mention in Bloom and Gloom, but after that, nothing. She deserved more than what she got.

Rating: Good (8/10)

Spike at Your Service

Story by Dave Polsky
Written by Merriwether Williams

I read that Rarity was going to be in Applejack's place in this episode, which may explain the former's lack of lead roles in season three. Honestly, it was probably for the best that Applejack got the part instead. Had it been Rarity instead, I think this episode would've gotten a worse reception than it already does.

The episode's conflict is built up very well with Spike accidentally causing the hot air balloon to become a runaway and when he runs into the Timberwolves, Applejack saves him from getting hurt, and he thinks he owes her big time.

It does make sense (sort of) that he'd want to return the favor to Applejack, but it ends up feeling borderline obsessive, even for him. Also, when did he have a noble dragon code? It's never been mentioned in past episodes. If this was during season one, it'd be reasonable, but three seasons in? It's absolutely baffling, to say the least.

As a matter of fact, everyone else in this episode is in character for the most part, which can't really be said for the likes of Secrets and Pies. That being said, Applejack's half-baked command to Spike about delivering a pie is funny.

The climax was just plain ridiculous, even by MLP's standards. It just goes from being a fake rescue to a real rescue when the Timberwolves come in, all because of their breath, which the fake didn't have. It almost makes the episode more predictable than it really is.

Nitpicking aside, I thought it was okay for the most part. The plot isn't really that interesting, but the portrayal of the characters (minus Spike) and theme in general salvage things for the most part. It's kind of weak overall.

Rating: Okay (6/10)

Keep Calm and Flutter On

Story by Teddy Antonio
Written by Dave Polsky

On the other end of the scale...!

It's one of the show's cornerstone episodes for sure, but also one of the best, as well as one of the funniest. It all comes down to the dynamic between Fluttershy and Discord, one of the best of the series; he's a bit less of a troublemaker, and she's a lot more assertive, but that doesn't mean there's something else going on...!

I don't even know where to start with the humor; the dinner scene, Applejack's argument with the beaver, Discord tormenting Angel (especially since the latter's a complete brat), it rarely ever stumbles.

There's still the heartwarming moments such as Discord being surprised that Fluttershy considered him a friend, and just as he's about to have his way, he realizes that he doesn't want to lose it over his selfishness. Yeah, he did go to the side of good in the end, but Discord can still be a troublemaker if he wants to be. That's one part of him that'll never change, and let's hope it stays that way.

Although her character shone throughout seasons six through eight, this episode was where Fluttershy's development really kicked off. Granted, she still has shades of being a doormat here, but even then, she knows where a line needs to be drawn when is comes to Discord's mannerisms and help him become a better draconequus.

Overall, a great episode from start to finish.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Games Ponies Play

Written by Dave Polsky

And back to average territory we go. Much as it's nice to have an episode take place the same time as another, this one... didn't have much going on. It's a typical mistaken identity episode, to say the least. Other than a bit of character growth for Twilight about keeping calm as opposed to freaking out, there's very little about this episode that's memorable. It's just... there.

Rating: Okay (5/10)

Magical Mystery Cure

Written by M. A. Larson

I'm saying this outright; this is season three's absolute best, no hyperbole. It's genuinely difficult for me to decide the best part about it.

Originally, this was going to be a two-parter finale like A Canterlot Wedding, but re-watching it, I can't really see it working for this episode. Everything about the story flowed very well; not a single second felt wasted, nor did it make the viewer feel like they were stupid. It left you guessing what happened next.

How the Mane Six ended up with the wrong cutie marks added to tension Twilight was feeling; she accidentally caused them to switch destinies and had to help them get back to normal. Plus, the situations the Mane Six landed themselves in were funny.

Of course, I can't really talk about this episode without mentioning the songs, can I? All of them are good, but "A True, True Friend" is the absolute best of the bunch; I even sang along to it when re-watching it. "Celestia's Ballad" came a close second, however; I was even close to crying when listening to it. That's how beautiful it is.

But it's the ending that really gets me; if that really had been the finale to the show as planned, I'd have been okay with that. We followed Twilight's journey to learning about friendship from day one, and it feels as if her journey is coming to a close and a new one is just beginning. It's almost like high school graduation.

Magical Mystery Cure was the point were the show really began to improve for the better. It was growing up and began to take its own path; some choices were questionable at best, but they gave us future gems like Pinkie Pride, Twilight's Kingdom, Amending Fences, A Royal Problem, The Perfect Pear, and The Hearth's Warming Club (the latter three of which I've covered, the former three I will soon).

All of these and more owe their mere existence to this episode, but the sad thing is how overlooked it's become in recent years. It deserves every bit of love it can get. That's why I love this episode.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Final Season Ranking: Good (8/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 3, Episodes 1-7

Well, here we are at last; the shortest season of My Little Pony. But will it prove quality over quantity and become an unsung hero of the series? That's what I'm about to find out!

The Crystal Empire

Written by Meghan McCarthy

I'm going to say it outright; just because a villain doesn't get as much screentime as the heroes, that doesn't mean the story is harmed in any way.

With the small screentime King Sombra gets, it's far more effective than what one would give credit for. Does he have a backstory? No, but I'm glad the episode doesn't give him one. Heck, Discord didn't have one either in The Return of Harmony, and he's fairly well-beloved. Nor did Sunset Shimmer, for that matter (if you exclude the comics as canon, that is). But I digress.

You can already tell that Sombra is a force to be reckoned with; he's hellbent on driving fear and hatred into anypony unlucky enough to cross his path, and was even clever enough to hide the Crystal Heart from anypony (at least until the Mane Six and Spike came into the picture) wanting to find it. And he came very close to winning as well!

If that's not an effective villain, then I don't know what is. I just hope The Beginning of the End can do him justice...

Onto the story, and the stakes felt really high there; the Mane Six, Shining Armor and Cadance did everything they could to keep Sombra out of the Empire, as well as lift the Crystal Ponies' spirits during such a crisis. Heck, Cadance gave up every last bit of her magic just to create a temporary shield! Oh, and the faire was so much fun and almost made me want to go to one myself.

That's not to say the episode is without its faults; one being Rainbow Dash coming off as borderline manipulative to Fluttershy about the joust. I know it's a minor problem, but that doesn't look good for someone who's supposed to be the Element of Loyalty.

The other problem is Twilight's failure song. It's one of the most pointless of the entire show. Did she have to sing about how she was feeling to the audience? We could already tell she was in self-doubt, so what's the point? The reprise is just as useless and makes the end of the episode feel a bit anti-climactic. Luckily, the episode salvages itself with the Crystal Empire song.

This episode is also one of the first to finally give Spike justice; whether it be staying with Twilight the whole time and saving her from her worst fears to grabbing hold of the Crystal Heart (with Cadance's help) before Sombra could, it's one of his most overlooked performances. And that's a crying shame, really. Though it probably doesn't help given that some of his roles later this season were contentious among fans, but that's an issue for later.

So yeah, it's an overall an underappreciated premiere episode, and the foreshadowing to the finale is really good, making you wonder what will come next for Twilight. Like I said about Sombra, my only request in regards to season nine's premiere is this: Don't screw him up!

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

Too Many Pinkie Pies

Written by Dave Polsky

For a rather interesting start that he had back in season one, I think Dave Polsky is a good writer. After some contentious implications in his previous efforts, he started to get the hang of it, starting with this one.

The conflict Pinkie goes through in trying to spend time with all of her friends is ridiculous, yet hilarious at the same time. She tries spending time with everypony at once, but it all goes horribly wrong on her when her clones act even more bizarre than what's normal for her. Not even Pinkie Prime (regular Pinkie, for the record) can handle too much of herself!

The lesson she learned at the end was great; don't do everything all at once, or it'll lead to trouble. Though isn't is kind of odd that Twilight and Spike (and later, Rainbow Dash) couldn't tell right off the bat that the one Pinkie not jumping around repeating "fun" was the true Pinkie? It's the biggest anomaly in an otherwise fantastic episode.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

One Bad Apple

Written by Cindy Morrow

Episodes that tackle bullying are essentially a two-edged sword in children's television. If you get it right, you've got a candidate for best episode of your series. If you screw up, you get the likes of Apology Impossible.

So how does One Bad Apple handle it? Well, it started off well enough with the Crusaders wanting to make a good first impression with Babs Seed. However, when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon enter the scene, it goes downhill rather fast, save for the song, undoubtedly the best part of an otherwise flawed episode.

Then after setting up a trap for Babs, the Crusaders learn from Applejack that she was being bullied back in Manehattan for not having a cutie mark. Two things:

1. Why didn't Applejack mention it outright? The Crusaders could've avoided the whole mess they landed themselves (and Babs, to an extent) in! It almost makes Applejack look irresponsible.
2. (not really related to the message, but...) How did none of the Ponyville Apples notice the wreckage of the pumpkin float? Surely Granny Smith, since she's seen at the acres most often, could've been the first to notice and then told Applejack or Big Mac about it?

And that's before we mention that the morality of the episode is confusing. At least as far as the Crusaders go. Is their revenge against Babs justified, or were they just as bad as she was, maybe worse? The episode initially seems to point towards the former, but then the ending seems to lean towards the latter. It's just a mess all around.

I wouldn't say it's one of the show's worst ever episodes, but it is the worst so far out of season three, largely down to the confusing morality at the end. It's also sad that Babs has never been given a proper chance to redeem herself after this season, especially if she doesn't turn up in season nine.

Rating: Bad (1/10)

Magic Duel

Written by M. A. Larson

Fortunately, this episode manages to bring the season back on track. And Larson's credibility, come to think of it.

As I've said when reviewing Secret of My Excess, give him a simple idea, and he'll do it justice. Like said episode, it's more character-driven than plot-driven; Fluttershy smuggling herself outside to alert Twilight about the Alicorn Amulet, Zecora's mentor role to Twilight. But whether or not you feel Snips and Snails' mistreatment was deserved, they were responsible for Trixie's reputation falling to pieces. But even if she humbled herself (sort of) at the end, why do her future appearances backpedal her character development by making her arrogant again? It just makes this episode feel almost meaningless in the long run.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

Sleepless in Ponyville

Written by Corey Powell

Speaking of episodes having a point in the long run...!

A lot of the episodes featuring Scootaloo prior to this one showed her as something of a miniature Rainbow Dash, only a bit more grounded. Here, we get to show her more vulnerable side; Scootaloo wants to be as cool as Rainbow Dash, but is afraid of coming off as a scaredy pony in front of her. If you want further proof to see how much she admires her, just look at the establishing shot of Rainbow complimenting Scoots' moves.

Up until the ending, the episode is good, but not particularly amazing. But the moment where Dash admits that she and Scootaloo weren't so different pushes it over the edge. They become "sisters" and Scootaloo knows that it's okay to admit to being scared. It'd be easy to give all the credit to Luna for influencing her, but Scootaloo more or less admitted of her own volition.

This is one of those "pick-me-up" episodes if you need it, and it's very much the reason Hurricane Fluttershy is the best episode out of season two. It shows a more sympathetic side to Rainbow Dash, the main character is relatable and sympathetic, and the moral is fantastic. There's not much more you could ask for.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Wonderbolts Academy

Written by Merriwether Williams

It's incredibly ironic that Merriwether Williams would write a Rainbow Dash episode very poorly in season two, and yet here, in season three, she wrote a Rainbow Dash episode that was very good.

Anyway, it looks as if season three has been mostly kind to Rainbow Dash (ignoring her "off" moment in The Crystal Empire), and this episode shows that whilst she's willing to live her dreams, she knows where to draw the line. It really shows that when Lightning Dust puts her friends in danger, Rainbow Dash quickly goes to save them from falling to their doom and calls her partner out for her recklessness.

In fact, there's two messages to take from this episode; be careful about who you befriend (something I know about all too well), and recklessness is not the way to success. Both are played out masterfully, and frankly, Lightning Dust deserved to be kicked out of the Academy. There's no way she'll ever change her attitude. (No, I'm not commenting on Spitfire's character in this episode.)

Speaking of which, Pinkie's paranoia about Rainbow Dash forgetting her and the others is more groan-worthy than funny. Of course Dash will still come home to Ponyville; it wasn't as if she was leaving forever! But of course, that's a blemish to an otherwise great episode.

Rating: Excellent (9/10)

My Little Pony Revisited: Season 2, Episodes 20-26

So the second half of the season isn't doing so hot right now, but can this batch of episodes turn things around?

It's About Time

Written by M. A. Larson

I said that for every bad episode Larson writes, a good one is quick to follow. Unfortunately, this was two bad episodes in a row for him. It doesn't help that this has the exact same plotline (or at least, it's similar) to Lesson Zero. In the same season!

So Twilight gets a cryptic message from her future self, and freaks out. I don't like how this episode treats her, and it becomes obvious that when she gets the paper cut first that there's nothing to worry about, which makes her look like an idiot. It's to the point that she fixes up minor things like Pinkie getting a haircut and clearing garbage from the ground as if they're a potential disaster.

Oh, and speaking of whom, Pinkie adds nothing to the episode except comedy. She'd be cut completely and nothing would change.

Another bad episode, and one that's designed to be watched once. Even on a first viewing, the outcome is obvious, again, making Twilight look like an idiot. Much like her sneaking around Canterlot despite that the guard knew she was Celestia's student! You think she overthought that aspect too much? And how in Equestria did Cerberus escape?

Rating: Bad (1/10)

Dragon Quest

Written by Merriwether Williams

Now we're getting to this episode; one of the most infamously hated of the entire show.

The episode seems to imply that all ponies are nice and friendly, and dragons are rude and aggressive. Yeah, let's forget the times ponies have been rude to one another, shall we? Let's forget the fact that Spike is a dragon and has only terrorized Ponyville once, and that's only because he was under the influence of greed. Why would he want to act like other dragons if he was already happy with who he was?

Yeah, speaking of which, why do the Mane Six have to be so mean to him just because he wore an apron? That's not harmless teasing, that's just being an outright jerk! Heck, Rainbow Dash doesn't apologize for being mean to him, especially since she initiated the teasing to begin with and drive him onto taking his quest! I don't think Rarity or Twilight were any better either, especially when the former unintentionally upsets him with baby talk and the latter let him go on the quest to begin with. Yeah, she realized her mistake, but still; by then, it's too little too late.

And I know this doesn't have anything to do with the racist implications of the episode, but I'll mention regardless that it implies girls are nice and don't fight whilst boys are rude and do. It doesn't help that Garble and his gang are basically one-note stereotypes in this episode.

You notice I haven't even begun to talk about the story yet. It's supposedly about self-discovery, but it is so poorly handled that we don't even know anything about the dragons. Was the group Spike ran into the exception and not the rule? Why do they migrate? What's their relationship with other creatures outside of the ponies? Sure, some of them get resolved in future seasons, but it seems to paint all dragons (except Spike) in a negative light.

It's a tragic shame that Merriwether Williams went from great SpongeBob episodes like Band Geeks to awful My Little Pony episodes like this one. The implications the episode displays are utterly horrifying and it completely goes against what Dragonshy showed; the dragon in that episode wasn't causing trouble on purpose. He just didn't know that his snoring was putting innocent lives at risk. Heck, even the dragon from Owl's Well That Ends Well wasn't a straight up jerk; he was angry that some of his food was being stolen by another smaller dragon.

But here? The dragons depicted are one-note stereotypes with no redeeming qualities. Couple that with poor portrayals of Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Rarity and the botched message, you get one of the worst episodes of the entire show.

Rating: Terrible (-5/10)

Hurricane Fluttershy

Written by Cindy Morrow

Finally, after a string of episodes ranging from mediocre to outright awful, we're finally back on track with an episode that isn't good... but amazing!

To start with, this episode does everything that Putting Your Hoof Down wished it did. It portrays Fluttershy sympathetically, there's an actual reason for her to be picked around, and the moral is properly conveyed. Well, two morals, actually; don't give up when the stakes are high, and don't let your stage performance cloud your performance.

You really feel for poor Fluttershy in the flashback when she makes a poor performance and gets mocked viciously for it, and even more so when she was unable to produce one wingpower, much to her great shame. But then, she proves herself triumphant in the end by giving the extra push to transport the water needed for Cloudsdale, and the taunting against her becomes cheering for her.

Rainbow Dash was great too, especially considering the poor treatment she got this season. She's sympathetic towards Fluttershy and not the mean-spirited bully she was in 28 Pranks Later (trust me; I'll get to that piece of trash soon enough). Heck, poor Rainbow even feels dismayed that Fluttershy won't help despite her improvement, but perseveres anyway to try and get the water Cloudsdale needs, especially when a few Pegasi short due to feather flu.

There's honestly very little you can say about an episode that does everything right. Hurricane Fluttershy really is that good; you can't ask for more from it.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Ponyville Confidential

Written by M. A. Larson

Episode quality should not be guaranteed based off of its intention alone. I know what this episode's intention is, but it means nothing if the execution is sloppy, especially since this episode is one of the most unpleasant of the show to watch. However, that doesn't mean I hated watching it most; there are many episodes I hate more, so it doesn't necessarily make Ponyville Confidential the worst episode of the show either. Let's dig in, shall we?

I'll be fair and say that the episode starts decently enough with the Crusaders deciding to join the Foal Free Press, especially after Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo misunderstand what Apple Bloom tried telling them at first. But as soon as "Gabby Gums" becomes a hit, that's where things fall into uncomfortable territory - I couldn't even bring myself to watch the third act, but I know how it plays out anyway.

Yeah, I know you'll bring up the fact that the majority of Ponyville comes of as hypocritical, especially Rarity, who gets hit with it worst and is one of her worst performances of the show... except maybe for her "I'll destroy her" quote, which is kinda funny. That's not the problem I have here.

Then there is the fact that there are grown mares and stallions taking a school newspaper seriously like they need it in order to survive. That is not the problem I have either.

Speaking of grown mares, Cheerilee disappears from the story the moment Diamond Tiara turns up, and her sudden appearance at the end just raises questions why she didn't act earlier when it came to the Foal Free Press being distributed across Equestria. That, you guessed it, is not the problem I have either.

"But if it's not any of the above problems you have, then what is your stick with Ponyville Confidential?"

Even if you didn't, I'm glad you asked. The real problem with the episode is that it takes itself (and the message, by extension) way too seriously. This problem here is twofold.

The first is how compared to light-hearted episodes this season like Hearts and Hooves Day and Secret of My Excess, Ponyville Confidential feels too out of place. If this had aired during the later seasons, I could understand, but this is season two we're in. You could argue it lead up to more mature episodes like Amending Fences, but... other episodes have done something similar (Hurricane Fluttershy and Sisterhooves Social spring to mind) and they produced far more enjoyable experiences.

The second problem is how depressing the story becomes, especially in the third act, and as I mentioned, I couldn't even bring myself to sit through Rarity chewing out Sweetie Belle, much less Ponyville isolating the Crusaders. I know they were involved in the Gabby Gums scandal, but the adult ponies weren't exactly in the right either; they wanted more from them and got mad when they themselves ended up in the column. Yeah, they forgive them in the end, but it's too little too late and not enough to salvage the episode.

So yeah, the problem isn't the townsponies' hypocrisy or the plot contrivances; it's the fact that this type of story is in a show for little girls!

Yes, I know some kids take things differently from other kids and have their own breaking points, but an episode like this should think about their audience as a whole. For example, Henry Spots Trouble was banned from Australian television due to concerns about the episode promoting an anti-vaccination message towards chicken pox. Just One Bite was edited in the United States to remove a scene with Squidward trying to get into the Krusty Krab and getting burned out of fear of children imitating the stunt. Heck, even in this show, The Last Roundup was edited due to complaints about Derpy supposedly being a mockery towards disabled people, and The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 has not been broadcast in either the United Kingdom or Italy due to cider being viewed as an alcoholic drink.

While I don't think it's the worst episode of the season, much less the entire show, it's still pretty bad. For all the issues that have been brought up, however, the episode's pacing and story structure is its strongest aspect despite the convolutions, which I can't really say about Swarm of the Century, Not Asking for Trouble, and especially The Mean 6.

Rating: Bad (2/10)

MMMystery on the Friendship Express

Written by Amy Keating Rogers

For an episode that's mystery-related, there's nothing that really sticks out... except that once again, Pinkie's just incredibly irrational and, not to mention, rather stupid. She very much causes the mystery by detailing how delicious all four desserts were, and when the MMMM is eaten at, she's quick to accuse the other bakers of sabotaging it. Sure, Pinkie learns not to jump to conclusions like that, but it feels underwhelming.

Also, why were Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity so tempted to even eat the MMMM? No, wait; it's because of Pinkie, that's why! Then again, I expected nothing less from Pinkie in this season. (Oh, and by the way; the engineer and stoker are in charge of the locomotive, not the conductor.) It's really underwhelming as a whole (how many times have I mentioned it here?).

Rating: Bad (3/10)

A Canterlot Wedding

Written by Meghan McCarthy

After a season that's been all over the place since The Return of Harmony, I can safely say that A Canterlot Wedding ends things on... a very positive note!

Sometimes, if you wanna go out big, you gotta go out big. I'm not focusing too much on the... ahem, "controversies" surrounding this finale, but I will, however, address the accusation scene at the end of part one. Twilight is suspicious of what everypony thinks is Cadance but no one up to that point took her seriously. When she even called "Cadance" evil, everyone chews her out for it. Here's a few things to point out:

1. The rest of the Mane Six had never met Cadance before, so they wouldn't have known what she was like.
2. Twilight didn't have any solid evidence with her (physically, at least), and she was very much on her own.
3. A wedding as big as the one between Shining Armor and Cadance is a huge deal, so small things such as "Cadance's" rudeness wouldn't have meant much, referring back to point #1 for a bit.
4. We're seeing things from Twilight's point of view only; no one else's.

In a sense, however you look at it, both sides were right and wrong. Plus, I'd much rather see a few minutes of a wedding rehearsal going wrong than an entire special constantly dumping on a character who A) didn't deserve it and B) barely got any character development in Rainbow Rocks.

Now that that's out of the way, what else is there to say? Well, the first part is a bit slow paced in order to establish Shining Armor and Cadance; not necessarily a bad thing, but it does take a while for the plot to get off the ground.

That being said, it's nice to see how much Twilight looks up to her older brother and foalhood foalsitter, especially in the flashbacks. You can't get more adorable than Twilight and Cadance's "sunshine, sunshine" ditty. With a few exceptions, perhaps, but still.

I rarely bring up music, but the songs included are some of the best out of this season. Twilight's solo about Shining Armor, again, shows how much she cares for him, and the reprise is pretty heartbreaking. The ending song was also nice, but the villain song, "This Day Aria", is unquestionably the best of the bunch. One can imagine Britt McKillip having this much fun in the studio!

Speaking of villains, this reminded me of how good Chrysalis was as a bad guy back then. She's conniving, sinister, crafty, etc. and you can tell that she means business when her swarm attacks Canterlot. It's a shame she dropped to being a joke in The Mean 6, and people are campaigning for her to be reformed, even though there's evidence that such an idea is stupid and wouldn't work.

The fight between the Mane Six and the Changeling swarm is utterly awesome and funny; no words can be said to do it justice. Just watch it for yourself!

Oh yeah, and there's also the complaints about Luna not partaking in the final battle against the Changelings, even leading to the meme "Luna is Useless". If you wanted an episode that shows how little the writers seem to care for her, look at Luna Eclipsed and how it kept dumping all over her.

It's not really saying much, but this is one of the best episodes season two has had to offer. It's funny, action-packed, heartwarming, and has a great message. There's not much more you could ask for.

Rating: Excellent (10/10)

Final Season Ranking: Okay (4/10)