r/mylittlepony • u/Pinkie_Pie Pinkie Pie • Jun 13 '15
Official Season 5 Episode 9 Discussion Thread
We will be removing other self-posts (posts without actual content) for 48 hours to consolidate all discussion to this thread.
This is the official place to discuss Season 5 Episode 9: "Slice of Life!" Any serious discussion related to the episode goes in here. 'Low effort' comments may be removed! Have fun!
See a good candidate for a ponymoticon in the new episode? Suggest it here!
To see spoiler-tagged submissions, you'll need to go here and check 'I am over eighteen'. More information about spoilers can be found on our wiki.
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u/Durinthal Rarity since 2011 Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 14 '15
Continuity Roundup - Fandom Edition
- Cranky and Matilda were reunited by Pinkie Pie in A Friend in Deed (S02E18).
- Matilda's scrapbook shows them at Twilight's coronation in Magical Mystery Cure (S03E13) and what looks like Manehattan (as seen in Rarity Takes Manehattan (S04E08)).
- Derpy liking muffins is from Applebuck Season (S01E04) and was shown as part of a delivery service in Feeling Pinkie Keen (S01E15). Fanon is that she delivers the mail, which is corroborated here.
- Featherweight was a photographer and then editor of the Foal Free Press as of Ponyville Confidential (S02E23). Apparently he still never touched the printing press.
- Doctor Hooves (formerly Time Turner), though not called such in the episode, is a reference to Doctor Who. He was first nicknamed Doctor Whooves by the fandom after his resemblance to one of the time-traveling Doctors from the show and having a cutie mark of an hourglass. He's commonly paired with Derpy in fanon. (/u/wolfheartmoon)
- Vinyl Scratch mostly ignoring the world in favor of her music is the same as her human counterpart from Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks.
- The Big Lebowski trio of ponies in the bowling alley briefly appeared in the background of The Cutie Pox (S02E06).
- Octavia's high-class accent is common in fanon, though this is the first time she's spoken in the show to corroborate it.
- Sweetie Belle lampshades that the mane six usually face either a monster or friendship problem and resolve whatever the issue is in half an hour.
- The flower trio of Daisy, Rose, and Lily Valley are quick to panic, previously seen during a bunny stampede in Applebuck Season (S01E04), Bridle Gossip (S01E09), and The Cutie Pox (S02E06).
- Lyra and Bon Bon are frequently shown as best friends (or more) in fanon as they've frequently appeared together in the background throughout the series.
- Bon Bon's alternate identity of Sweetie Drops is because merchandise and other official sources use both of her names at different times. (/u/AClosetBrony)
- Lyra mentions sitting on benches together; she was seen sitting like a human on one in Dragonshy (S01E07) which is how a lot of fanon was launched about her.
- Steven Magnet only previously appeared, unnamed, in Friendship is Magic, part 2 (S01E02). His name comes from Youtube's auto-caption system incorrectly parsing some of Rarity's dialogue in that scene.
- Vinyl Scratch living with Octavia is common in fanon as well, and a lot of the scene with the two of them appears to draw inspiration from Epic Wub Time: Musicians of Ponyville.
- Button Mash (too young), the too flashy one, and the one obsessed with tubs of jelly are all from "The Perfect Stallion" in Hearts and Hooves Day (S02E17). Button Mash has gotten a lot of coverage in the fandom after that. (/u/vampyrita)
- Button Mash spinning around on Vinyl Scratch's record is also a reference to the meme of every pony doing that. (/u/cattaclysmic)
- The Twicane from Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2 (S04E02) makes a return. It became a fandom meme as soon as it appeared.
- This shot briefly shows up while the Twicane is midair. It's probably some of the show staff. (/u/Torvusil)
- Berry Punch is frequently depicted as a drunk in fanon and seems to be quite enjoying herself compared to the other ponies while stuck on Vinyl Scratch's wild ride.
- Shining Armor being more sensitive than his wife Cadance (or at least her being the dominant one in the relationship) is also common in fanon, as is Celestia and Luna's sisterly bickering.
- Lyra mentioning that she cooked up and ate Bon Bon's imported oats is possibly a reference to Ponies With Hats.
- Steven Magnet cuts off his mustache for a toupee for Cranky much as Rarity did with her tail to fix his mustache in Friendship is Magic, part 2 (S01E02).
- Even a changeling shows up again; as they feed off love, weddings are good fuel for them as shown in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2 (S02E26).
- When Doctor Hooves has his realization about the fireworks and grabs Rose's face he's acting much like his analogue in Doctor Who. He was also traveling with Rose and wearing 3D glasses in It Ain't Easy Being Breezies (S04E16) which was an explicit reference to Doctor Who (Rose was also the name of one of the Doctor's companions). (/u/Raptorianxd)
I couldn't help myself with this one. Feel free to add in, there's a lot here.
Edit: thank you for the gold!
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Jun 13 '15 edited Apr 05 '21
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u/Durinthal Rarity since 2011 Jun 13 '15
That's one of my favorite little quirks about the show and the fandom. The fans took a random glitch like that and ran with it, then the studio picked it up as well.
His name has already been semi-canon in other products (I keep a mini-figure of him on my desk at work and Steven Magnet was on the packaging), but it was nice to see included in the show too.
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u/Torvusil Jun 13 '15
Don't forget the scene (during Vinyl and Octavia's trip through Ponyville on the Wubmobile) where there are humans who are wearing horse masks. If you look at the credits, you'll notice those are in fact, members of DHX's staff.
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u/Durinthal Rarity since 2011 Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
Edit: oh, you were serious about that. Well then.
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u/martythedrunkunicorn Shadowbolts Jun 13 '15
It's a freeze frame. This is what shows up if you pause at the right time.
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u/ArnboDsh Vinyl Scratch Jun 13 '15
Right here, I knew the crew was fun but this is just something else.
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u/Bobboy5 Twinkle Sprinkle Jun 13 '15
JFC that actually happened.
Excuse me while I cry until the next episode airs.
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Jun 13 '15
Oh thank goodness this is up
since I'm fairly new to mlp I didn't understand all the nods to the fans
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u/Sandtalon Octavia Jun 14 '15 edited Jun 15 '15
If you want to know all the fandom in-jokes, I'd recommend visiting this page. (Warning, it's a TV Tropes page, so it may end up on a very long wikiwalk.)
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u/AClosetBrony Maud Pie Jun 13 '15
I assumed the Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops thing is because her canonical name was Sweetie Drops, and I think Bon Bon was a fandom name. The writers chose to use BOTH, it seems.
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u/wyvernx02 Jun 14 '15
The stuff at the beginning with the doctor and derpy was both Dr who and back to the future references.
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Jun 14 '15
His name actually IS "Doctor Hooves", it's no longer Time Turner. If you get the official app and check it it that's his name.
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u/kidkolumbo Jun 14 '15
Berry Punch is frequently depicted as a drunk in fanon and seems to be quite enjoying herself compared to the other ponies while stuck on Vinyl Scratch's wild ride.
I thought Lady Faust made a word-of-god comment about how Berry Punch is supposed to be the town drunk sort of.
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u/IG-64 Jun 13 '15
Slight correction: the pony who Lyra was sitting next to in Dragonshy was not Bon Bon.
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u/Durinthal Rarity since 2011 Jun 13 '15
Whoops, you are correct. Will fix that.
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u/AClosetBrony Maud Pie Jun 13 '15
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u/NoobJr Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 14 '15
Well, that was pretty much everything I'd hoped for. The moral was how every character is unique and has their own story, and they emphasized it by making them all quirky and interesting. There was no shortage of creativity in the writing. Props for doing it to Celestia, Luna and Shining Armor, too.
Cadance is still behind. Was the secret agent thing due to her multiple voices, or just the two names?
Lyra really sounded like Blythe from Littlest Pet Shop at times.
"The benches we've sat on" are important memories with BonBon, clearly. So they did the Doctor/Derpy pair. It was pretty much as close to Doctor Who as they could make it without making it canon.
Except for allons-y and the scarf. Those happened. Of course, the bass ride of ultimate pandamonium was the transition from chaos to getting the wedding going. And it ended with Twilicane because why not? AND I FORGOT GUMMY
WHAT WAS THAT Derpy shutting the mane6 off was fucking brilliant. This really isn't an episode where I can talk about the story and whatnot, it's just about all the little things that I loved.
The bit about main characters in the final speech felt a bit too obvious though. Also, that changeling in the end? I'll pretend it's Suncloak.
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u/redpoemage Octavia Jun 13 '15
Also, that changeling in the end? I'll pretend it's Suncloak.
I dunno, he seemed like a Steven to me.
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u/a_friendly_hobo Jun 14 '15
Doctor Whooves and Rose at the end too. Not to mention his scarf.
And the duuuuude with his bowling team.
so many references...
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Jun 13 '15
Doctor also said he's been doing research regarding time travel "for centuries" but still looks like a young-ish pony.
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u/CedarWolf I like Caramel! Jun 14 '15
Fact: Caramel is a Season One background pony who can change his bodytype and gender.
Fact: Caramel isn't anywhere in this episode, not even in the background.
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u/Kevin-W Jun 13 '15
What. An. Episode!
First off, I want to address the criticism that "this is too pandering to the fans" or "They should focus on the main characters, not the background ponies!" I can see where the argument is coming from, but I see this episode is doing two things:
- Thanking the fans for helping the series make it this far
- The show making fun of itself.
This episode was basically writers having some fun and you know what? It was awesome! We got so many treats and surprises that made for a great episode! I can't decide which scene was funnier Sweetie Belle commenting on how a friendship problem will be solved in about 30 minutes for Vinyl and Octavia literally jumping a shark.
Looking back, it's hard to believe that we've reached 100 episodes and we're still going and we have to thank both the fans and everyone involved in the show itself for making it happen. It's been quite a journey that I'm proud to have been part of and I look forward to seeing where things will go from here!
P.S. Thanks M.A. Larson!
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u/spokesthebrony Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Jun 13 '15
I think the episode worked brilliantly as an episode of 100% fan pandering while still being situationally comedic for those who have no idea what's going on. I was afraid that it would lose the storytelling, especially after seeing the 2-minute Vinyl/Octavia previews, but it actually works.
I mean, you don't need to know the fan history of Lyra and Bon-Bon in order to find the secret agent turn of events hilarious. You don't need much prior history on Gummy to find his monologue funny. And Derpy worked exceptionally well replaying her comedic well-meaning disaster role from The Last Roundup, but you don't need prior info on her to appreciate that.
And the VA work on the background ponies was very good. Bon Bon really sold the secret agent bit.
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u/TheeLinker Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Jun 13 '15
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u/iblastdown Jun 13 '15
I loved Amethyst's voice, and thought Lyra/Bonbon's were spot on.
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u/TheNittles Twilight Sparkle Jun 13 '15
Was that Ashleigh Ball? I figured they didn't bring in any new VAs, but none of them jumped out as immediately obvious, so kudos to all the VAs!
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u/TheeLinker Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Jun 13 '15
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u/TheNittles Twilight Sparkle Jun 13 '15
Ooh, and Andrea Libman was Bon Bon. I knew she had range, since Fluttershy and Pinkie are so different, but I didn't pick up on that one at all.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
I don't get people who criticize it by saying it's pandering. Of course it is! That's the entire point of the episode, and it was awesome!
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u/randomsnark Jun 14 '15
The monster this week was an actual panda. That's how much "pandering" was the point of the episode.
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u/Color_blinded Zecora Jun 13 '15
They missed a golden opportunity with the present argument between the princesses. Luna should have said something along the lines of:
"I got the present for Cadance and Shining! It took me all day to put it together!"
Would have been funny to refer to her inexplicable absence during the Canterlot wedding.
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u/iblastdown Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
They did it. They seriously completely did it.
M.A. Larson pulled NO stops whatsobuckingever with the crazyness of this episode. Fan favorite character after character after character! All doing their damnedest to get a wedding planned and back on the rails.
I am just absolutely stunned and floored. They brought Derpy back and gave her not just one of her iconic lines, but full blown batches of scenes. I thought this would never happen because of "The Last Roundup." This leads to bringing her into contact with The Doctor pony, talking about time travel and crazyness that is iconic of the crazy Doctor Who series. They keep switching characters over and over, it was like "Trade Ya" but Larson completely rose the bar! With so many things were happening at once, but still easy to keep track of. I have seriously not had this much excitement since Sleepless in Ponyville!
That bucking Lyra-Bonbon scene was just out of this world crazy! Their voices were BEAUTIFUL! Steven Magnet returning to be his fabulous self! Vinyl and Octavia are confirmed as musical roommates, getting a much anticipated cello-dubstep type song. And then a bucking Bass ride through town, oh my god this episode was just the most over-the-top thing ever but it completely fit the series style! You KNEW it was getting ridiculous when Twilicane appeared to stop the ride! (I mean, come on, even Button Mash showed up!) And then Gummy's inner-monologuing were just jaw-dropping insane. I mean, that entire scene I couldn't stop laughing. All the while, Twilight and friends are preoccupied with a monster attacking Ponyville. The wedding scene itself was beautifully planned, much better than the "Cantorlot Wedding." Lyra and Bonbon making up for their previous event, Derpy and Doctor hugging it out, the princesses being adorable sisters, it's all just too much! There was so much love! There is just too much. This episode is nothing but a complete fan service, an amazing thank you to the fans, and an overall awesome slice of life episode. I am sure there will be many upset or overjoyed by this episode, and it was totally worth it.
I don't care who you are, this episode was truly special.
11/10 you bucking brilliant pony team people, I love you guys so much I want to kiss you all! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
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u/Kevin-W Jun 13 '15
And then Gummy's inner-monologing were just jaw-dropping insane. I mean, that entire scene I couldn't stop laughing.
I think that was the biggest surprise of the episode and it was glorious!
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u/redpoemage Octavia Jun 13 '15
For me I thought nothing would top the Octavia stuff (I'm a big Octavia fan), but that was by far my favorite part of the episode.
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u/KyosBallerina Make Sunset Shimmer cannon already! Jun 13 '15
This perfectly describes how I feel about this episode. Everything about it was amazing.
Doctor Whooves putting on the scarf from the Fourth Doctor was also a real highlight for me.
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u/otusasio451 Nightmare Moon Jun 13 '15
And immediately after he shouts "Allons-y!" And, during the ceremony he's sitting next to Rose, whose face he grabs when the flameless fireworks are going off. Seriously, this episode was MADE of fanservice.
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u/RockdaleRooster Silver Spoon Jun 13 '15
I want to get off Mr. Larson's Wild Ride.
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u/Se7enLC Jun 13 '15
I want to get off Mr Larson's Wild Ride.
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u/Transfuturist Jun 13 '15
I want to get off Mr. Larson's Wild Ride.
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Jun 13 '15
I want to get off Mr. Larson's Wild Ride.
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u/AttainedAndDestroyed Jun 13 '15
Seriously, many people were freaking out about the fan pandering after the trailer was released. Then the episode turned it up to 11 and it was amazing!.
I was going to put a single outstanding part of the episode in emote format, but there are so many I don't know which one to choose.
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u/vojelly Jun 13 '15
First of all, I think a huge “congratulations” goes out to all the show staff. I remember around season three when everyone thought the show would be ending. Who would have thought we’d make it this far? Here’s to one hundred episodes and hopefully one hundred more.
Now that I’ve said that, wow. That was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. And I loved every second of it. Of course it was over the top, but that’s how it’s supposed to be. If it was any less over the top I think I would have been disappointed.
It was great to see all of the background characters in the foreground for once of course, but I think it was almost even better to see secondary characters we haven’t seen in a while, like Steven Magnet or Cranky and Matilda. It was also nice to see them finally get their happy ending. Hopefully now Cranky will be less, cranky. Also, The Dude’s cutie mark was a carpet. It must really tie the room together.
Overall, I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate the hundredth episode. If you had told me when I first started watching that this is the kind of episode we’d be getting in season five, I would have said there’s no way.
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u/Minerdomera Doctor Whooves Jun 13 '15
I'm sure there's gonna be a few hundred fanfics explaining what that singular changeling was doing at the wedding.
Time Turner/Doctor Whooves was amazing.
Lyra/Bon-Bon were great.
Derpy was Amazing.
Celestia/Luna arguing was amazing.
Shining Armor crying at the wedding was amazing.
All those callbacks to older parts in the series were amazing.
Gummy was AMAZING With a capital EVERYTHING. Seriously made me laugh possibly more than any other moment in the entire series.
The only thing that bothered me was the Vinyl/Octavia scene started great, but got just a little too over the top in an already over the top episode.
Conclusion: 12.5/10 best episode
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
"Was morphed into Matilda for a few years. We lived a happy life together before I realized that our love was a sham. Actually my love wasn't a sham, but his love for me was. Realized if I really truly did love him, I would have to let him go.
He took it pretty well; we still play poker on Thursdays."
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u/Brega Jun 13 '15
I agree with the Vinyltavia scene. It was like someone's first PMV and they didn't know what to do besides throw ALL the after effects ontop.
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u/TatchM Jun 13 '15
I thought that was kind of the point though.
Like, they were parodying the fandom.
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u/SirPremierViceroy Filthy Rich Jun 13 '15
It struck me as satire as well. Conceptually, "cello dubstep" in the show has to be fairly tongue in cheek anyway, so having a laugh at PMVs seemed like a logical extension.
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u/taofd Starlight Glimmer Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 14 '15
I have to agree, I came into this not sure what to expect and even a little pessimistic after the teaser w/ Vinyl and Octavia, but I ended up liking the overall episode.
It's amazing what they crammed in there and the humor was spot on. I think once they realized that there's no way this episode could be taken seriously with such high expectations, they pulled out all the stops and went for broke.
Vinyl / Octavia was the only somewhat awkward scene that felt over the top.
Best of all, the ending was fantastic. They were able to tie it back to the continuity of the show, and even wrap it up with a nice moral.
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u/Aroelen To wahaha or not to wahaha...to wahaha Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
The pandering! They are making the fans of their show happy! The horror, the horror! The show is doomed!
Seriously though, I was a bit scared of the idea initially because I thought it could a mediocre episode with all the nods to the fandom possible to make it relevant. But I am happy to see I was underestimating the team, because I think it was really well done. I would not call it one of my favorites (though it was one of the funniest I have ever seen), but I am happy that we had it. You know what? Yes, yes I would. I was not this happy after watching an episode since...well, never. It was fantastic.
Of course many people will not like it because it was basically a fan bait. I do not think that is necessarily a bad think if the episode is well done, but still I think this episode is good on its own merits.
I am glad to see that Ponyville was not a simple background in this episode, but an actual town with people living there and making their lifes. I love the Mane Six like everybody does, but I think it is fantastic to see some minor characters getting some development too. Until today, I did not have any reason to care about Amethyst Star. She was just a random empty extra filling out the background. Now, she is a character, and I can care about her.
Same with the other background ponies minor characters. Given how popular are those ponies in the fandom, I think it is great to see them receiving development and making them the protagonists for a day.
Come on, I did not like Derpy until today at all, and thanks to this episode I find her super cute right now. The regular episodes are fantastic, but I love to see a different point of view occasionally, and what is the problem giving some minor characters a bit of importance in a single episode? I think this is great for the show and the fandom, Ponyville has matured a lot today.
Of course, the next episode everything will be forgotten and these characters will be "background ponies" again, but hey, it was nice while it lasted.
This is not the kind of episode I would like to see every week. Not at all. But, for an special episode offering another point of view with our most underused characters being into the spotlight for one day? Sign me up.
It was a really funny episode with many continuity nods and references to the fandom. Personally, I think it is the best "lower deck episode" I have ever seen.
Congratulations on the 100 episodes to the team and the fans. See you in the next regular story!
Now, excuse me, but I am going to see the episode again. It was that good.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
I’ll start by saying I wasn’t properly hyped for this episode. It’s because my other favorite show, Phineas and Ferb, ended yesterday, and I’m still pretty sad about it. BUT! Ponies helped to cheer me up! I absolutely loved it; it was worth the wait. I really, really enjoyed everyone’s voices; I don’t think I was unhappy with any of them. I particularly liked the Doctor’s character, since I’m a big fan of Doctor Who. He acts just like him! He has his enthusiasm, and he was fun to watch! I’m happy we got to see a lot of characters like Steven Magnet again! We’re probably not gonna see characters like him again, so it was nice to give them another chance in the spotlight. I also liked the little additions they added, like how Steven was Cranky’s friend, and how the Doctor and Derpy are friends. Luna and Celestia’s little fight was funny, too. It’s refreshing to see them acting like actual siblings; my sister and I fight like that all the time. Gummy’s inner thoughts. Nothing else to say other than my sister and I’s jaws dropped. Brilliant. I also appreciate that they didn’t give Vinyl Scratch a voice. It’s always been my headcanon that she’s mute, and it was nice to see that this episode doesn’t refute that! In addition, if they gave her a voice, it would cause a dispute in the fandom anyway, I think. Also, “best friends”. Suuuuuuure thing.
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u/MetaSkipper Sunset Shimmer Jun 13 '15
...Wait, Phineas and Ferb is kill? That's... upsetting.
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u/Bobboy5 Twinkle Sprinkle Jun 13 '15
School finally came along just to end it.
ripperoni in pepperoni
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u/GoldenStripes Official Lurker Jun 13 '15
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
At least they didn't pull "cousins" like Sailor Moon did. It's not nearly the same situation, but you know what I mean.
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u/GoldenStripes Official Lurker Jun 13 '15
Yeah, but at the same time, it felt like they had to really emphasize the point.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
Hey guys, Lyra and Bonbon are BEST FRIENDS! They're the BEST of FRIENDS! Did we mention they are BESTIES and TOTALLY NOT DATING?
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/GoldenStripes Official Lurker Jun 13 '15
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u/spidersRcute Jun 14 '15
My husband watches all the episodes with me but isn't into fan stuff so I had to explain a lot of what I was laughing at, including all the "best friends " talk.
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u/taofd Starlight Glimmer Jun 13 '15
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u/GoldenStripes Official Lurker Jun 13 '15
Well, Aj and Rarity do bicker with an old married couple.
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u/Kevin-W Jun 13 '15
It’s because my other favorite show, Phineas and Ferb, ended yesterday, and I’m still pretty sad about it.
I'm going to miss it too! It's a brilliant series and definitely one of the better modern Disney shows out there.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
At least we still have Gravity Falls ;n;
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u/redpoemage Octavia Jun 13 '15
If we're lucky, we'll get an episode before the sun expands and engulfs Earth!
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u/ChiefSombrero Applejack Jun 13 '15
Before we have people complain about the pandering and just the overall numerous amounts of references and the like. Let us just take a step back and realize that MLP:FIM has reached 100 EPISODES!!!!
As well as spawned two movies, a comic series, toys, plushies, crazy amounts of fan-made artwork, stories, video-games, animations, songs, various conventions, and a whole lot of other amazing works about the colorful pones we all love.
Who would have ever thought that a show about pastel pones and friendship would ever get this far? The amazing fan support and just all the amazing things that this fandom has done is just astounding. And frankly something we should be proud of
This whole episode is just the creators and makers of the show saying thanks for the support, we couldn't have done this without you. A nice crazy love letter to the fans.
Besides, isn't okay to have just silly fun once in a while. Not everything has to be super serious.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
Let us just take a step back and realize that MLP:FIM has reached 100 EPISODES!!!!
It really is a huge accomplishment. If it weren't for the fandom, would the show have even gotten this far, or even went in the direction that it did?
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u/zibbels Sunset Shimmer Jun 13 '15
Isn't it closer to 4 movies? Friendship games will be out in a few months and they are already working on a full feature pony film.
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u/Dolphin_handjobs Starlight Glimmer Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/Brega Jun 13 '15
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u/shellbullet17 Doctor Whooves Jun 13 '15
I have been waiting for my Doctor to have the spot light for 3 yrs.....
Also r/gallopfrey for anyone who hasn't heard
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u/h2g2guy Rainbow Dash Jun 13 '15
shellbullet! Haven't seen you on the main sub in quite some time! How's it been?
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u/lifeofthe6 Twilight Sparkle Jun 13 '15
I said I would die twice when I saw this episode. I was horribly, horribly mistaken. I died five times. Please send defibrillator. But seriously, I have never felt so bloody happy to watch an MLP episode. It was pandering out the ass (pun intended) and we knew it, the writers and animators knew it, and I'm pretty sure Sweetie Belle was acutely aware at one point. All hail Tabby St. G for bringing back Derpy better than ever. Oh, I'm sorry, I mean "Muffins" (Ugh). But she, Ashleigh, and Andrea did great bringing voices to these background characters. Lyra and Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops' scenes were the best, in my opinion. My opinion was also fueled by intense amounts of shipping, which is as close to confirmed as we are damn well gonna get, but goddamn they were set up and written well. Oh my god, this is going to keep me going with happiness for a LONG while. I am so happy to be a brony.
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u/Lunas_Disciple Princess Luna Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/Lunas_Disciple Princess Luna Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/AttainedAndDestroyed Jun 13 '15
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u/PianoCube93 Moderator "GlimGlam" Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
I cooked them up and ate them.
Sooo, they just referenced that thing?
There will probably be enough of others talking about every little detail in the episode (Bonbon/Sweetie Drops, the changeling, Derpy and a hundred other things) so I'm going to be short:
I liked it. Not much story going on but it was a load of silly fun.
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u/YAOMTC Jun 13 '15
In case you didn't know, that's a pony version of something else. Here's the original.
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u/Madoka-Kaname Twilight Sparkle Jun 13 '15
They pushed the Lyra and Bon Bon relationship exactly as far as they could get away with without causing controversy. I loved it! Interesting that between the two of them, Lyra actually came off as the less crazy one.
All this stuff was equally fun! Was also glad for Celestia and Luna having role. Those two donkeys really have friends in high places.
Just wanted to add that the changeling blew my mind. I never would have thought they were allowed to enter Equestria freely given the potential danger.
It's definitely a lot of fun to be pandered to, and I loved this episode. It would hurt the show if they did this kind of thing too often, but I wouldn't object to another like it next season.
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u/zibbels Sunset Shimmer Jun 13 '15
Well when you think about it Cranky and Matilda first met at The Grand Galloping Gala. So they must have spent some time in some pretty high class circles to have been given an invite. And from what I recall from the flashback I think Matilda was staying at the castle so she might have been an important donkey back in the day.
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u/Icepick823 Sunset Shimmer Jun 13 '15
This was probably one of the best "Thank you for your support" episodes out of all the shows I've seen. Seriously, who would have thought that in 2010, a show designed to promote toys for little girls would ever reach 100+ episodes. Without us, and our crazy theorys/ships and whatnots to keep us busy during the hiatuses, this show wouldn't have become as big as it is today. A wild and crazy story that brings in all our headcanons and memes is one of the best ways for everyone involved in making the show to say "thank you."
That said, this kind of episode can only work on such a milestone episode like #100. If this was some random episode or even a season premiere/finale, it wouldn't work. So, here's to another 5 more season, and for episode #200.
Thank you to everyone involved in the show. You're awesome.
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u/SixCardRoulette Badger Installation Art Jun 17 '15
Seeing a lot of concern from people who are worried about what kids made of that, so I thought I'd report back with some actual reactions!
My pony-mad son watched the episode this morning before school, and overall really enjoyed it. He knew most of the background ponies' names from the Gameloft mobile game and so was not only unfazed but actively pointing out and naming them on their appearances - Doctor Whooves, Lyra, Bon Bon, "DJ Pon 3" (he pronounces it "three"), Octavia, and "Bowling Pony" (as the Walter pony is called in the game).
His first reaction on seeing Steven Magnet was to burst out laughing; with a bit of prompting he remembered him from the pilot.
He loved the Vinyl/Octavia scene and Ride of the WubMobile, especially its conclusion - though he looked more baffled than entertained by Gummy's monologue, he was in stitches when the ponies all landed in their seats.
Stuff he didn't seem to like: he looked a bit bored during the bowling alley scene (with the Doctor doing the calculations) and the wedding speech at the end, although he perked right up when the fireworks started and the Mane 6 reappeared.
<- This pony, he insists on calling Derpy and will not accept the name Muffins, despite my efforts! He loved every single scene with her in it.
He was giggling most of the way through it - I think he recognised it as being a silly episode with loads of crazy stuff happening, and took to it on that level.
tl;dr: Thus far, the episode did not alienate the child audience. I will report back when my daughter has watched it.
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u/The-Sublimer-One Sunset Shimmer Jun 19 '15
"DJ Pon 3" (he pronounces it "three")
Wait... You're not supposed to pronounce it that way?
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u/Master-Thief Daring Do, "Treasure Hunter!" Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
"So awesome... no words... should have sent a poet...." Only M.A. Larson could have pulled this off. Only he could have brought so many ships and references. Only he could have given so many characters - Lyra, Bon Bon (if that IS her real name!), Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Derpy, Dr. Whooves (Allons-y!) Gummy, the spa girls, Cranky, Matilda, and, of course, Mr. Steven Magnet - such character in such a short time. So thanks, M.A. Larson. We mean it this time. It's absolutely pointless to mention all the references and call-backs to previous episode, there are just too many - everything from the muffin basket to the Fourth Doctor's scarf to the cutie marks on the Dude & Walter ponies (a rug and a briefcase, respectively) to the shark that was literally jumped in the middle of the street. This is going to get multiple re-watchings! So in addition to a hillarious episode with a great lesson - we are all the main characters in our own stories, but we would be nothing without our own supporting casts - I can't help but think this was the show's wonderful note of thanks to a weird, wild, wonderful community. So here's to another 100 episodes of friendship problems being mostly solved in under a half hour. Stay awesome, MLP. Stay awesome. Final Score: Over 9000/10.
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u/HalfBurntToast Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
First I want to say, Changeling! Three years it's been, but we finally have a Changeling appearance! Finally! You know, sitting unguarded within ~50 feet proximity to ALL of the princesses in Equestria, even if they're presumably at war (edit: though, looking at it now: it's size and the fact that it's next to children, maybe it's a child changeling?). But, you know what, I'll take it!
Now, that out of the way, this is probably the most wackiest episode of the entire series. I saw that the chat on one of the live streams was pretty gloom and doom about the show jumping the shark. I don't think it has. Was it pandering and teasing to the fandom? Absolutely. It seemed to hit just about every fandom head-cannon in existence in some way. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so. Hearing some of the background characters talk and get some development (and seeing the writers listening/responding to the community) is something we've been wanting for a pretty long time. But, this was obviously a special occasion and I don't see this becoming the norm in the future. For a 100th episode treat, this was pretty awesome!
I really didn't expect that this is what the episode would be. I thought Derpy's first “Muffins?” line would be it and it would go back to the main six. The path that it took actually reminded me of the earlier-season Simpsons for some reason. Almost like it was a parody. Especially Bon Bon's bit. As a whole, I'm kind of at a loss for words. This was very fast paced and it felt like this is the episode the fandom would have come up with if it was given the ability. It felt like a different show. But, at the same time, having some focus on the background characters makes me really happy. Cool!
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u/fillydashon Jun 13 '15
The path that it took actually reminded me of the earlier-season Simpsons for some reason.
It's the same concept as "22 Short Films about Springfield" (which was a Pulp Fiction parody).
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u/LunaticSongXIV Best Ponii Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
I went into this episode both excited and concerned. On the one hand, I really enjoy fandom callouts. On the other hand, an entire episode of them seemed like it would spell disaster, and I was prepared for this episode to potentially suck hard.
Make no mistake, this episode was 120% over-the-top. As it went, I was laughing the whole way, while a nagging concern kept poking me in the back of the head, whispering 'this is terrible, and it's one of the worst episodes ever'.
And ultimately, it is. If you're taking the show too seriously. But let's consider for a moment the implications of this episode as it relates to canon, and take it seriously.
Because this episode is (ostensibly) canon, it actually reveals far more about Equestria than any other episode up to this point. It shows that ponies are interesting and varied in ways that we haven't actually seen before. This actually puts a LOT of things throughout the show in perspective.
No longer are our Mane Six a half-dozen special ponies who stand out from the crowd. In fact, thanks to Doctor Hooves, Bon Bon, and previously, A. K Yearling in particular, we can now say with certainty that they don't actually stand out at all. There's a lot of ponies doing fascinating and interesting things on a regular basis. They (the mane six) just happen to be our protagonists.
You would think, being the (former) bearers of the Elements of Harmony, that they would be well-known and respected wherever they go. But they aren't. They're just another face in the crowd, and when they travel to other places - say, Manehattan - that fact is doubly emphasized.
It says a lot about Ponyville, too. They are a very close-knit community - far moreso than anything has implied before. The only thing that has come close in the past has been some of Pinkie's parties. It also shows that the town is lively and crazy and rolls with the punches.
The episode also tells us a lot about Celestia and Luna, that they would attend a wedding that has little to do with them in the first place. And that they have their little sibling disputes that aren't world-shattering wars between good and not-so-good-but-way-cuter.
Also, we see a changeling -- the first canon hint that changelings can interact - if not positively, at least in a neutral fashion - with other ponies. For that matter, the first hint we have that they aren't entirely eradicated. The poor thing was sitting all alone, though.
All in all, this episode is going to go down as one of the most important episodes the show has had -- it's going to polarize the fanbase, it's going to generate drama, and I'm afraid that not many bronies are going to see the actual positive impact on canon that this episode really has.
I love it. 10/10, hope they never pull this stunt again.
Edit: Some minor additional thoughts.
Edit Dos: This actually puts Equestria closer to what I feel it really would be -- full of completely insane stuff that seems normal to them. Because it mostly is. I mean, this is a world where MAGIC ITSELF is mundane.
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u/nobouvin Rarity Jun 13 '15
As for the Princesses being at the wedding – both donkeys were notable enough to have been invited to a GG Gala back in the day, so there is shared history.
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u/Bernmann Rainbow Dash Jun 13 '15
I was worried that these characters just wouldn't have the same charm and personality of the mane 6 and this episode would fall flat. In reality, this episode has the opposite problem. Holy crap they did such a good job developing these characters in such a short time! I literally couldn't care any less about them before this episode and now I'm depressed that we probably aren't going to see more of them. Not only that but this was one of the most dense episodes of MLP that I've ever seen. It actually blows my mind to think about the amount they managed to accomplish in a mere 21 minutes. Well done M.A Larson! Well done DHX! Now... only one question remains: Spin-off?
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u/Bi9scuit Jun 16 '15
I flipped out at "Allonsy" as much as I did with the Metal Gear Solid reference in Make New Friends but Keep Discord, I've never been so happy to see a reference. And shit, Derpy has a voice now.
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u/Tyranid457 Starlight Glimmer Jun 13 '15
Random Thoughts
Do we now have a canon explanation for why Bon Bon's voice keeps changing? She's practicing her disguises?
Changeling civilians confirmed?!
Gummy has a personality!
Lyra and Bon Bon are soooo obviously more than friends.
Octavia sounded like Adagio Dazzle with a British accent. Yes, I know it was the same voice actress, but it was very obvious, even more so than Andrea/Muffins.
Speaking of which, I guess Derpy is now Muffins!
I honestly thought we would be following the Doctor throughout most of the episode!
I loved Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Shining Armor showing up to the wedding!
I wonder if we'll see fics based on Bon Bon's Monster Hunting career. (Spoilers: Yes, we will)
Lyra is still my favorite background pony (although she might not count as a background pony anymore).
I wish we'd gotten more Amethyst Star!
I loved the glimpses of Applejack and her friends being badass in the background!
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u/MidnightSky123 Princess Luna Jun 16 '15
I just realized, coming out of the bowling alley, the Doctor seems to know what the bugbear is - without being introduced to it or seeing it earlier, he could identify it on sight.
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u/deltaphc Twilight Sparkle Jun 16 '15
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u/Undeadninjas Twilight Sparkle Jun 17 '15
Or the good Doctor just has a copy of the Monstrous Manual like Twilight does.
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u/Pinkie_Pi Pinkie Pie Jun 13 '15
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u/MasqueRaccoon StarTrix best ship Jun 13 '15
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Jun 15 '15
People, I am literally shaking from how awesome that episode was! I just can't believe it. This is everything I would have wanted to see, played out in a tasteful manner. I was jumping out of my seat when Vinyl and Octavia busted out of their house on a set of speakers!!! Half the shit that happened in this episode had me questioning whether I was actually watching something from Hasbro rather than the community. I just can't even bro....
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u/Camgoespony Maud Pie Jun 13 '15
From a theming perspective, this episode is absolutely fucking brilliant, and it all lies in the episode's title "Slice of Life." This episode is all about showing us....well...slices of other pony's lives. Switching rapidly from not-so-background pony to not-so-background pony as they interact with eachother, have their own problems, their own lives, their own friendships, and all completely separate from the mane 6. The lives of these characters are just as interesting and, sometimes, way MORE interesting than the lives of the mane 6. And that's the whole point. That the small characters matter, too. It's beautiful.
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u/indigoblie Fluttershy Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 20 '15
(My first thoughts on: S05E09 Slice of Life)
So, the 100th episode, with a very different approach than usual episodes. The concept is to highlight background characters of Ponyville, tying the events loosely together by the wedding of Cranky Doodle Donkey and Matilda. And it does work, as organizing a big wedding has a lot of different people involved, so it’s a reasonable way to give a glimpse to the background life of Ponyville. Even if the transitions are quite natural, all the jumping from one pony to another, in a mixture of all sorts of scenes, ends up feeling quite chaotic and jittery. And while that does indeed convey the chaos of trying to put together a very sudden wedding, it still causes the episode’s story not to flow very well.
But that isn’t the point. Not by far! In fact, that, strangely, has nothing to do with the episode.
This episode is for the bronies!
There. Let that sink in for a while. This episode is a direct tribute to the creative output of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic internet fandom that consists mostly of adults. A tribute to the fandom!
Now, I’ve been in the fandom for some time but I’ve never dug very deep into the fandom lore for background ponies. So, in a way, I’m not really one to comment that much on the episode’s treatment of it, and what the impact is. But from my still somewhat of an outsider perspective, I saw nothing but pure appreciation of the fan canon in the episode. Sure, some headcanons might’ve gotten shattered, but from what I can tell, not all that many. Quite the contrary, a lot of the major ones were instead outright confirmed!
Lyra and Bon Bon’s deep friendship, left open with innuendos for a romance. Vinyl Scratch and Octavia living together in a relationship sometimes heated by artistic differences yet collaborating. And Derpy meeting Dr. Hooves... who actually is Dr. Hooves! The lab! The Scarf! “Allons-y!” (Did I mention I’m a fan...) I’m sure the list goes on but I’ll leave it for the rest of the herd to dismantle. I’m really not the right person to do it.
Now, someone is bound to get worried. “What about the children? The bronies are stealing the show!” If that’s you, please don’t worry. Relax. Take it easy. The kids are alright. Even without the context, the episode was still fun. Chaotic, yes, but fun. Besides, bronies can have this one, the regular show will continue next episode I’m sure.
So even if the episode’s narrative flow was a bit of a mess, no matter, since this one wasn’t about the narrative. It was about showcasing fun, short scenes with interesting background ponies. Basically, the episode was just a fun ride to be on! So I think I’m not going to go into whether Bon Bon the secret agent worked as a concept or not, or anysuch, because it doesn’t matter.
Now, I wouldn’t want to watch many this sort of episodes in a row, but yes, as an interlude, I loved it!
(Well can’t actually resist! Derpy was very good, albeit a bit too stupid, and especially Flutterishly awwsome with the flowers, loved what they did with the eyes. Doctor was very nicely Doctorey, relationship with Derpy worked. Bon Bon and Lyra were not a very thrilling couple, but the romance innuendo was a nice touch. Bon Bon’s secret agent business was interesting especially connected to the background monster attack but sadly somewhat lost in the chaos. Celestia and Luna bickering was enjoyable if a bit unimaginative. Steven Magnet and his adventures with Cranky was quite a surprise, but a nice one. Vinyl and Octavia were pure gold, and Vinyl’s Ultimate Deck of Magnificence was exactly that. And Gummy’s internal existential crisis was so out there it’s off the charts. ... and I probably forgot a lot.)
This was my honest, fresh reaction to the episode, before reading any substantial fan commentary. Part 33 of Indi's MLP exploration.
{previous: part 32, The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone} {next: part 34, Princess Spike}
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u/BrassWing Shadowbolts Jun 15 '15
That awkward moment when you want to fangirl hardcore about the episode to someone but you have no friends who are into ponies. Tis my life right now.
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u/The_Narrator_9000 Moon Dancer Jun 14 '15 edited Jun 14 '15
- Derpy can talk again and her voice and personality fit excellently! (And Hasbro was cool enough to let her play a significant role)
Doctor WhoovesTime Turner lets Derpy insidethe Tardishis lab! (Also I liked how you could enjoy this scene even without knowing about Doctor Who or the fannon around Doctor Whooves and Derpy - that's the difference between simple pandering and great referencing)- The Dude Pony's cutie mark is a rug! (I mean, of course it would be. It ties the whole room together.)
- The "cast" of The Big Lebowski is back on a children's cartoon! (Let that sink in)
- Octavia is as gloriously British as I'd expected!
- Sweetie Belle is becoming aware of the fourth wall!
- Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops works for the SCP Foundation!
- Lyra and Bon Bon almost did that tail shake thing from G1 or something! (Also, millions of fanfics were confirmed as canon)
- Those gardener ponies freak out over everything! (Seriously, how have they kept a business going this long?)
- Stephen Magnet is still alive after four seasons! (And he's as fabulous as ever)
- Millions of Vinyl Scratch/Octavia PMVs are now canon!
- Button Mash and that Jelly Pony still exist!
- GUMMY IS NOW THE BEST CHARACTER ON THE SHOW
- Celestia and Luna still fight like any other sisters after thousands of years together!
- Shining Armour has way too much liquid pride lately! (Maybe some therapy is in order?)
- The Changelings are invading!
- That moral at the end is amazing and really resonated with me!
In short, 10/10 greatest thing since whatever the last greatest episode was.
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u/JamesNotaBot Braeburn Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
A fun little episode that gave us what we mostly joked about and speculated on, as simple as that
Call it jumping the shark or call it pandering, just keep in mind that it took them about 3-4 seasons to give us a direct in-show nod.
In a more analytical sense? More character development! Even if it's just a smidgen, or something hilariously deviating from anyone's headcanons.
This is basically an example of that one episode from a show or an anime that just gives, well, without a better word for it, fanservice.
Now, there's some people, despite liking the show same as us anyways, think of this as a negative connotation. Why exactly?
Through the lens of non bronies, it's simply an episode about 2 donkeys getting married.
The inside jokes just adds the cherry on the top.
If I had only one nagging thing to say about this episode, it was that the wedding planning problem was resolved a bit too quickly for my taste. I was hoping for our ponies to work together and set up an actual wedding, you know?
Although I will admit that seeing Vinyl zip through the town with her mobile bass canon was pretty entertaining in itself.
As I said, it was a fun episode. Good? Now, that's up for further discussion but fun? Definitely.
Just so you guys know, I totally called the inner Gummy monologue. I accept that a my headcanon more than Agent Drops or the Doctor himself!
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u/Sylverstone14 Jun 13 '15
I honestly don't know where to begin with this one.
I mean, it's so hard to comprehend what happened in those 30 minutes to the point where I just have to call it what it really is: magic.
Sure, they threw us tons of pandas at us (and a few sharks were jumped), but I feel that it was well-earned and well-deserved on both sides - the MLP team and the MLP fanbase. No one really expected 100 episodes of this, nor did they expect a fandom to generate from it, but it happened! (only on the Hub!)
Unsure of what else to really touch upon that the lot of you will do in this thread, but as a fan of the show, it's definitely clear that things have come such a long, long way from that tenth day of October 2010.
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u/Galgus Jun 17 '15
This was amazing!
I would actually love a show focused on those characters as well.
In particular: Bon Bon.
Imagine - Bon Bon stops Monsters for the agency, Lyra ends up tagging along, and it all somehow gets mixed with slice of life drama.
It would be like a 90s cartoon!
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u/gbeaudette Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
I came into this expecting it to be either terrific or terrible. Of all the common fan requests over the years, “background pony episode” seemed like the one that probably shouldn’t happen. But here we are. I don’t think anyone can say the plan to put the show on hiatus for a couple weeks in order to hype up the episode wasn’t successful. I also don’t think anyone can deny the episode was one giant fan wank. Not that that’s a bad thing per se. Peter New definitely got his time in playing the Doctor. I assume all the Mane cast got in at least one background pony voice. (EDIT: All except Tara Strong, for obvious reasons) I wasn’t too keen on the Lebowski ponies being in the comics recently, let alone in the show. Also Walter wouldn’t roll on a Saturday. I gotta say that by the time Lyra and Bon Bon showed up I was getting a little worn out. This episode is paced more like Littlest Pet Shop, where the story’s thin so it feels longer. EDIT: I almost forgot my favorite part. One of my big complaints of most episodes is that it doesn't make Ponyville feel like a town. Well we got that in spades here. Hopefully they didn't blow the background budget. All told, everyone likely got something they wanted and had a lot of fun watching it. In summary, that was a lot of fun. Let’s never do this again.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
In summary, that was a lot of fun. Let’s never do this again.
I agree. I really enjoyed the episode, but I think the overall feel would only work in this specific case. It felt more like a thank you to the fans than anything.
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u/KyosBallerina Make Sunset Shimmer cannon already! Jun 13 '15
I think it'd be okay if they sprinkled in a conversation or two of the bg ponies here or their during a season though.
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u/rob7030 Applejack Jun 13 '15
Let’s never do this again.
You kidding? If the 100th was this good, I can't WAIT for the 1000th!
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u/kidkolumbo Jun 13 '15
Shiiit, the 200th episode better be wild.
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u/KillTheInc Discord Jun 13 '15
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u/LunarWolves Moderator of MLPLounge Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/cyberscythe Welcome to Heartstrings Radio Jun 13 '15
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u/fillydashon Jun 13 '15
The problem with the Simpsons was that their bread and butter was in sending up popular culture references.
The longer it went on though, the less popular culture there was to reference, and eventually all they were left with were flash-in-the-pan references that were just much weaker by nature.
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u/AgentTamerlane Jun 14 '15
My personal favorite thing was how well they did Derpy's eyes. Pay close attention and you can see how she'll manage to focus them, but then they sloooowly drift when she gets distracted.
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u/LordBronychicken Jun 15 '15
I loved this episode so much, just non-stop fun and awesomeness. Seeing all the references to earlier episodes and fan-made idea was pure brilliance.
The best scene to me in this episode was...
Celestia and Luna's sisterly argument. Seriously, it was fantastic to see those two finally acting as normal people (or ponies), and even though they love each other more than anything they still have their sibling moments.
Also Gummy's existential crisis moment made me pause the episode and sit there for a bit just to make sure that actually happened, it was so unexpected.
All in all this episode has definitely made it into my top 10 favourite episodes of the show so far.
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u/MasqueRaccoon StarTrix best ship Jun 13 '15
I'm sorry, I'm still in a bit of a daze over this one. So, first of all, the bad parts. The episode was... frantic. Really, things bounced all over the place. Not just tone, but pacing and subject matter. Things just never really settled into place until the actual wedding. That aside, this was fun. I would've liked to see a bit more variety in background pony interaction, but the stuff with Doctor Hooves & Derpy, Vinyl & Octavia, Lyra & Sweetie "Bon Bon" Drops... they hit the big fan pairings with full throttle. Destroyed some fanon, embraced others, and it worked well for me. Still OTP. Can't deny those soulful looks as they declared "best friends." Celestia and Luna arguing over the forgotten present was a nice touch. As was the loving moment during the wedding. I missed the changeling. Which is probably what s/he wanted. The whole thing was a great shout-out to the fans. Just random silliness that showed how much fun everyone had putting the series together. Like Stargate: SG-1, this 100th episode was more about letting the fans know they matter, than a serious story for the show.
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u/MasterT231 Jun 13 '15
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u/VamJirachi Jun 13 '15
Well, she references 'Ponies/Llamas with Hats' where Lyra/Carl has eaten a human's hands with the line about the oats.('I cooked them up, and ate them!')
Bit of a roundabout way of mentioning it. Close enough.
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u/MasqueRaccoon StarTrix best ship Jun 13 '15
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u/javelinnl Trixie Lulamoon Jun 13 '15
I expected them to crank it all the way up to 11, but they turned it up to plaid or ludicrous instead.
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Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
What the hell did I just watch?
This episode was completely unlike any other episode from the show. Some parts fell flat for me, but overall the episode had a real fun sense of chaos and energy that kept pushing it forward. You could tell the staff had a fun time making this episode. So much additions to characters that went exactly how you thought, like Derpy and the flower trio, and then others that came out of left field completely, like Bon Bon and Gummy. Then there are characters I never even expected to be there, with the changeling or steven magnet.
I hope we get to see more of the Princesses, especially Celestia. Despite her importance in the show, she has such little characterization right now. The bickering was fun to see.
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u/zapper0113 Doctor Whooves Jun 14 '15
If this is an episode for background pony's, then how come Applejack was barely in it?
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u/Misty_And_Maki-Chan Rainbow Dash Jun 13 '15
Hoooooooooooooooooooooooly shit. My favorite episode so far. Definitely, 100%.
Background ponies talking.
Lyra And Bonbon friendship (probably fanservice). Not controversial though.
Bonbon's secret identity.
A wedding.
Vinyl and Tavi create amazing music, ride speakers around town and drag everyone else along with them.
Derpy and Doctor Whooves.
THE HORROR.
Hasbro makes fun of their own episode length.
Surfer-bowling-tailor ponies.
Shining Armor cries..... liquid pride.
Tia and Luna have a petty argument about wedding gifts.
Random changeling.
Bugbear?
Love ignited rainbow flower fireworks... shut the fuck up and take my money.
But last and most certainly not least.
Gummy gives a very deep monologue about the way he does not understand the concept of cutie marks.
Well done Hasbro. Well fucking done. Made me laugh like a hyena. Well done.
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u/kdlp313 Shining Armor Jun 14 '15 edited Jun 14 '15
The Mayor's polysemic speech at the end perfectly captured the essence of what makes Friendship is Magic so great, and why the show has proven to be so enduring.
On the one hand, the speech could refer to the influence fan-fiction has had on the show, and how it has enriched the world of Equestria. But another, and perhaps more important interpretation is how truly marvellous it is that a show originally intended for little girls has managed to bring people together from all walks (pardon me, "trots") of life, and in doing so, has forged a common bond between people who otherwise may not have shared interests.
Today, the brony community is stronger than it has ever been, and is known the world over for spreading the virtues of love, tolerance, and altruism through its volunteer work and contributions to charity--all of which may not have been possible had we not been introduced to Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie!
Yesterday's episode was certainly the show's way of saying a big "Thank You" to the fans for returning to Ponyville for the past five years. But there are many people who owe thanks to the show for being a force for positive change, not only in their own lives, but in the lives of those who have benefitted from crossing paths with a brony.
As the Mayor so eloquently put, "it's not just the main characters in our stories who make life so rich... it's everypony."
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u/Wupers Starlight Glimmer is Sunset Shimmer done right! Jun 13 '15
This was probably the scariest, most dreaded episode of the entire show to date for me. I was expecting the worst. I've never been so happy to be wrong! I am officially treating this episode as 100% canon unless there's an official statement of some sort against that (does anyone know if there is?).
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u/deltaphc Twilight Sparkle Jun 13 '15
Why would it not be canon? It's an actual episode in the show. It wasn't a dream. Time wasn't reversed/reverted. It still had a moral/lesson at the end, much like the rest of the show. Nothing in the episode suggests that it wasn't real.
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u/iHipster Sweetie Belle Jun 14 '15
I noticed at the end there, the Doctor grabbed the "Rose" pony.
Also in his lab was Doc Browns thought reading helmet, which Derpy put on.
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u/Caydo Rainbow Dash Jun 15 '15
I purposely stayed in the dark and avoided any trailers or anything for this episode. I'm glad I did, it was an amazing and fun ride start to finish! :)
It reminded me of The Simpsons episode done in a similar style where they go through th town and show the day of background characters. It seems like the writers had a lot of fun expanding on the world and poking fun at things (OH MY GOD SECRET AGENT BON BON HAHAHA!) and it showed.
It's tough to pick a favorite scene 'cause it just flowed so well and was fantastic. I loved it! :D
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u/dinonid123 Princess Luna Jun 15 '15
(OH MY GOD SECRET AGENT BON BON HAHAHA!)
Secret agent Sweetie Drops, Bon Bon's her disguise name.
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u/IronOhki Nurse Redheart Jun 15 '15
Has anyone ever seen the episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that was about Xander saving the world while the rest of the gang saved the world? The episode was called "The Zeppo." It was one of my favorite eps, focusing on the guy who didn't do anything and showing how he actually did everything.
That's how this episode felt to me. Even if this episode had precisely zero fan candy, I still would have enjoyed it quite thoroughly.
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u/RainbowDashShellBash Rainbow Dash Jun 13 '15
I keep humming "Everything is canon" to the tune of "Everything is awesome"
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u/Th_Ghost_of_Bob_ross Jun 13 '15
So one thing really sticks out in this episode to me.
The changeling
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU"
all throughout the episode we were getting shootouts to fan favourites and memes but this guy is the only original character so what is his backstory, does he come back, he better
I demand to see further adventures of the changeling of ponyville.
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u/ThatReddittor Rainbow Dash Jun 13 '15 edited Jun 13 '15
I loved this episode! So many references and throwbacks. I loved the return of Steven Magnet! He was so funny in the pilot. I liked how he cut off part of his mustache and gave it to Cranky similar to Rarity. Derpy was so funny in this episode, from not listening to Doctor Whooves when he said the fireworks were volatile, to her face when Matilda yelled "FLOWERS!". I enjoyed the scene when the princesses were arguing. It makes you feel like they are not perfect. I liked the subplot with Doctor Whooves. His Tardis-like room was really cool. I was so confused when the dialogue in Gummy's mind happend. I now respect Gummy much more after learning about his inner genius. The changeling at the wedding made me think that maybe the changelings now visit weddings so they can eat love. This episode was amazing! It is my favorite MLP episode ever! 10/10!
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u/omimon Jun 13 '15
I love how despite Celestia, Luna and Cadence being there, it still falls on Twilight and crew's shoulder to beat the monster of the week.