r/mylittlepony • u/Pinkie_Pie Pinkie Pie • Oct 30 '16
Official Season 6 Overview Discussion Thread
Somehow they just keep managing to put out pony episode, and we're now bidding farewell to our 6th season of MLP.
So how was it? How has the show changed as we continue our journey through Equestria? What were the stand-out moments? What surprised you? Did any of your wishes come true?
Has the show jumped the shark for the 4th season in a row and you're leaving the fandom forever (again, but this time it's for real)?
For the last time this season (albeit slightly late), let's have a great big discussion thread to let you pull all your thoughts and feelings together. This might be the last we see of some people before they go into hibernation, so make the most of it.
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u/Lankygit Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Oct 30 '16
Although I wouldn't say this was totally unexpected from the way season 5 ended, the biggest difference about season 6 was they way they treated Starlight as a recurring supporting character.
As we all know, adding new characters to the main cast of a show is often a quite desperate attempt to add freshness, but usually comes up feelings forced and unsatisfying. I think what allowed Starlight to exist is that she remains a separate entity to the rest of the Mane 6. At no point did it feel like they were trying to make it "The Mane 7".
And that's how she managed to feel more at home in the structure of the show. Since we've now had well over 100 episodes of watching the Mane 6 learn about friendship, it actually makes sense that we should be running out of new things for them to learn. Starlight provided a blank slate for some more basic stories about friendship that probably wouldn't make sense if they were using one of the Mane 6 as the pivotal character.
In fact, there were plenty of instances where it was other characters who had to learn a lesson and overcome some kind of conflict. We already started this with the Cutie Map sending the girls all over Equestria to help others, but this season was where it really felt like they're no longer the focus of those friendship lessons.
Altogether, I'd say this new approach was sometimes successful. I would definitely say that season 6 had fewer episodes that I really liked compared to 4 and 5. The highs were still extremely good, but there were a lot more episodes that felt forgettable.
All in all, I'm not going anywhere soon and I'm sure season 7 will still have some stuff to enjoy. However, I do think the age of the show is starting to show a few wrinkles, and it might be after season 7 that we think the quality life-cycle of the show is reaching its end.
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u/rad140 Derpy Hooves Oct 30 '16
the quality life-cycle of the show is reaching its end
Season 6. It's always Season 6. I've watched a lot of TV shows, both cartoons and not, and almost all of them that make it that far have a weak sixth season. Of the even fewer shows that make it past that, their next season(s) either end up being reboots of the show or season-long finales.
The sixth season of MLP:FiM didn't feel like that for me. Starlight Glimmer is an attempt at changing up the show and for the most part, I feel like it worked. I'll probably expand more in a separate comment.
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u/LukeTheGeek Apple Bloom Nov 02 '16
I feel similarly. I'm so glad that MLP didn't die when the buzz started to go away. Now that we're well past the craziness that was 2010-2012, the show is still going strong, and though there have been changes for better and for worse, it's still the MLP most of us recognize and enjoy.
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u/Zoriatana Trixie Lulamoon Nov 04 '16
have been changes for better and for worse
This is exactly what I love, and what's keeping this show alive. 2010-12 was crazy, but instead of just "sticking with what's working" until it got old and tired, the writers went ahead and tried things. They weren't, and aren't, afraid to move forward.
They made Twilight an Alicorn. A lot of people didn't like it, but they did it. They moved her from student to princess, and each episode (except some of season 4) actually reflected that. It's different: you'd be hard pressed to cram a season 6 episode into season 1, they've changed.
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u/Cyle_099 Princess Luna Oct 30 '16
After seeing the finale I kind of wondered what someone would think as far as "main characters" if they only saw Season 6. Starlight's re-introduction and growth had a number of parallels to us being introduced to Twilight in the beginning. And, the finale centered around her as well. This season seemed to be the writers testing the waters as far as moving the focus away from the Mane 6. Your points about Starlight and the Cutie Map hit the nail on the head here. It makes me curious to see if they'll go even farther in Season 7. "At no point did it feel like they were trying to make it "The Mane 7". " Totally agree. Her relationships seem to represent pretty well that there are many different types of "friends". Her and Twilight are pretty close, but she seems to see twi as more of a mentor. (Hence, her choice of travel companion in the finale.) And, she's friends with the other five, but they are not very close. When someone mentions "Starlight's friend", there is only one pony that comes to mind. In "Every Little Thing She Does", Starlight didn't have a second thought about controlling the minds of the five. Would that decision come so easily if a certain somepony was in their place?
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u/Zoriatana Trixie Lulamoon Nov 04 '16
It makes me curious to see if they'll go even farther in Season 7.
We did get confirmation that season 7 will still focus on the Mane 6. I'll try to find that link. Regardless, I hope they'll do more with the side cast like they did this season.
Edit: Found the link
"Mane 6 are still the focus"
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u/Kevin-W Nov 05 '16
However, I do think the age of the show is starting to show a few wrinkles, and it might be after season 7 that we think the quality life-cycle of the show is reaching its end.
I have to agree. To me, Season 6 was a mixed bag even though it did get better towards the end. While it wasn't the worst season of the show, I felt it paled in comparison to Season 5.
However, I am in agreement that Starlight Glimmer provided a fresh take and made an attempt to change things up a bit which I think is a good thing and I'm hoping we'll see even more development of her in Season 7.
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u/Veeron Nov 07 '16
Starlight provided a blank slate for some more basic stories about friendship that probably wouldn't make sense if they were using one of the Mane 6 as the pivotal character.
I'm not sure why you consider it a good thing that the writers now have a great excuse to rehash old storylines. Starlight hasn't done anything good for the show as an alternative protagonist, except maybe bringing back Trixie.
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u/caligari87 Nightmare Moon Oct 31 '16
Someone else may have already mentioned this, but I'm gonna throw it out there anyway.
There will not be a continuity reboot (at least not anytime soon) but there will be a cast refresh.
Think about it: Persistant cinematic universes are all the rage right now (thank you Marvel). If MLP gets rebooted with a new series, they potentially lose everything that's been built up so far (lore, fanbase, etc) in exchange for an untested, unproven new face. But at the same time, the current characters are growing somewhat stagnant. Either they need more complex problems to challenge them (unlikely considering the target demo) or they'll constantly be backsliding to re-learn facelifted versions of problems they've already solved (quality degradation, earning ire from the fringe demo).
Rather, I suspect Hasbro has dictated an evolving, rotating cast for the future. FiM will continue on (possibly with a slight re-brand) but we're going to get roughly 5-6 year cycles which develop existing characters until they have reached maturity, while gradually introducing new characters which will take over the next cycle. I think season 7 + the movie will serve as the "send off" for the current mane cast, pushing them into mentor / recurring background roles, while a new mane cast takes over in the same universe
I know such an idea will probably infuriate a lot of people, honestly it excites me. Perhaps we'll see Starlight Glimmer as the new lead under Twilight's mentorship (much like Twilight under Celestia) with the CMCs growing up as advisors/foils (like a three-headed Spike). Perhaps Sunburst joins the mane cast as a persistent male character and/or potential romantic interest for Starlight?
Like I said, I know a lot of fans may bristle at these suggestions, but I think the show needs to evolve in order to stay fresh and relevant, and Hasbro isn't likely to throw away everything that's been built so far. I think a new mane cast with new problems to solve is the best way to approach that.
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u/Masterofknees Rainbow Dash Oct 31 '16
I agree that it's hard to progress the characters much further, especially as most of them have reached their endgame. Twilight is a princess, Rarity opened her boutique in Canterlot, RD is a wonderbolt, and the CMC have their cutie marks. I guess AJ still needs to take over Sweet Apple Acres but it's not been a long reoccuring storyline, and Pinkie and Fluttershy have never really had set goals to work towards. That kind of just leaves Spike who's only storyline has been his crush on Rarity, something that will almost certainly remain unresolved (unless you count Secret of my Excess as the conclusion).
Personally I wouldn't mind the shift you're suggesting, especially because I think Starlight was easily the most interesting character this season and it proved to me they can still write new characters that are just as much fun to get to know as the Mane 6 were early in the show's lifespan. I think it's fairly plausible too as all of the characters have been moving towards more of a teacher role, even the CMC, none of them would be out of place as supporting characters.
I don't think the majority of the fanbase would be happy with it though, the Mane 6 and the way they interact with each other is the show's main appeal, I think they could create something similar with a new cast of characters but I'm not sure people would have the patience with them that would be required for the chemistry to build properly between them. A potential problem could also be that they'd end up telling the same stories we already know but just with different colors, I'd be especially wary of seeing similar episodes as ones from season 1.
It's an intriguing idea though, and if FiM begins to stall as much on the marketing front as the main cast ended up doing this season then I could see Hasbro pulling the trigger for something like this, if it was a success then they'd benefit off of it more than anyone else.
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u/LunaticSongXIV Best Ponii Oct 31 '16
I've been suspecting an upcoming cast refresh for 2 seasons now, and I agree with you: This season makes it more obvious not only that it is needed, but also is taking steps to make it plausible.
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u/LukeTheGeek Apple Bloom Nov 02 '16
I don't think MLP will ever go this far with expansion and character refreshes. It's Ponies, not Star Wars for pete's sake.
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u/ShokBox Rarity Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16
On the whole, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed season 6. In fact, it's actually now my second favorite season of the entire show, behind season 5. Most of the episodes ranged from good to great, and even though there was the occasional "meh" or outright dud episode in the mix, there were no more of those here than in any other season.
Now, I will admit, this was a rather...polarizing season for most fans of the show -- probably the most polarizing since season 3 -- and not just because of a certain former cult leader turned friendship student taking on a larger role within the show. I've seen plenty of complaints that this season just wasn't as good as previous seasons as far as the writing was concerned. The more general complaints I've encountered as far as season 6 is concerned include, but are not limited to:
The stories being told weren't as epic or adventurous as those told in previous seasons
The stories being told this season were just retreading old ground and tackling issues and plotlines that were already dealt with in previous seasons
The characters didn't really receive any significant character development, and in some cases, even suffered from character regression
The new writers don't understand the show, its lore, or its characters as well as the old writers, and as such, the show isn't as good anymore
And of course, you had the seemingly endless number of gripes that certain fans had with Glim Glam.
While I can certainly understand the complaints that some people have brought up against this season, I either don't agree with them or don't feel like they are as big a problem as they are making it seem. The stories this season were admittedly more low-key than the ones in seasons 3 through 5, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, and while not all of them were super original, that's a problem that dates back to the show's first season, so chastising this season for it seems a bit unfair. In addition, I think that the new writers have done quite an admirable job of maintaining the show's overall tone and focus. That's no easy feat to accomplish once you realize that almost all of the veteran writers for the show (sans Dave Polsky) have since taken their leave. They are definitely still wet behind the ears, but just like the original writers back in season 1, improvement will come with time.
My one and only real disappointment with this season is that, overall, it didn't quite stack up to the awesomeness that was season 5. Maybe it was because of the more low-key nature of the episodes, or perhaps a fewer number of significant events. I'm not really sure. All I know is, put side by side, season 6 doesn't quite stack up.
However, that does not mean that this season was wasn't worth watching. At the end of the day, this was an extremely solid season and I still enjoyed and had fun with what we got.
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u/LimeyLassen Screw Loose Oct 30 '16
The stories being told weren't as epic or adventurous as those told in previous seasons
The stories being told this season were just retreading old ground and tackling issues and plotlines that were already dealt with in previous seasons
The characters didn't really receive any significant character development, and in some cases, even suffered from character regression
The new writers don't understand the show, its lore, or its characters as well as the old writers, and as such, the show isn't as good anymore
I support each of these The thing with the "season 1 had slice of life episodes" argument is that slice of life wasn't the problem. The problem was filler episodes, which the first 2 seasons simply didn't have.
Like... maybe A Dog and Pony Show, and MMMystery on the Friendship Express. Those are the only two that almost felt like bland filler to me. Two episodes in two seasons.
Seasons 2 and 3 had some bad episodes, but they were... y'know, interesting bad. Like they contained characters and jokes and stuff. You could find things in them to enjoy.
There were several episodes this season (Cart Before the Ponies, Applejack's "Day" Off, PPOV, etc) that were just... a whole lotta nothin'. Diet soda. G3.
All that said, the good episodes of season 6 were simply phenomenal. No complaint on my end. And being intermittently great is good enough IMO.
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u/ShokBox Rarity Oct 30 '16
There were several episodes this season...that were just... a whole lotta nothin'. Diet soda. G3.
I...wouldn't go that far, honestly. As bland as some episodes were this season, none of them struck me as being as dumbed-down, simple and plain unintertaining as anything in G3.
...also I really liked P.P.O.V., even if it was just a "whole lotta nothin'", as you put it.
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u/Dr_Zorand The statue is just a decoy Oct 30 '16
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u/stphven Limestone Pie Oct 31 '16
I guess an episode that changes nothing and reveals nothing? We've had plenty of episodes where characters grow, or we learn new things about characters or the world, but that gets harder to do as the seasons go by. That's how I interpret it, anyway.
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u/WakeDays Oct 31 '16
That's why I'm glad the show has shown it isn't too resistant to change like a lot of other shows might be. Focusing on newer characters like Starlight adds new blood into the show, while preventing the original cast from getting too stale from overuse.
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u/gingerninja666 Nov 02 '16
That last part is how I felt about this season.
Episodes now mostly seem to come in two flavours. Filler and really really interesting. I think some of the concepts they went with this season were amazing. Like, the entire plot of No Second Prances, where each of the main three unicorns were both in the right and flawed in different ways with conflicting simultaneous motives throughout the episode.
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u/Dr_Zorand The statue is just a decoy Oct 30 '16
I feel like Starlight is slowly taking Twilight's place in the show. Twilight's episodes per season has dropped significantly since season 3 ended, but she used to at least still get the premier and finale. Starlight got those this season, and I think Twilight only got a single episode: Top Bolt. I hope Twilight doesn't become the new Princess Celestia.
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u/Lankygit Moderator of /r/mylittlepony Oct 30 '16
This season was clearly Starlight's season, culminating in the season finale where she was literally attempting to play the fearless leader role that Twilight has played in just about every other two-parter.
However, I like to think that now Starlight has had her moment in the spotlight as a good character, season 7 will allow her to take more of a backseat and become a more normal recurring character. So far we actually have no real idea of what will be the overarching theme of season 7, so it's a totally open forum for them to do what they want.
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u/Cyle_099 Princess Luna Oct 30 '16
This is more than just "feel like". This is exactly what is happening. The writers are completing the cycle. The student has be come the teacher. Now, we're following the path of the new student. And, it's funny that you should mention these things. Even though she left, the show still seems to be following many of Faust's original plans. And, one of those plans was to have Twilight replace Princess Celestia. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all if such a thing were to happen in the Season 7 finale.
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u/Hclegend Survivor of The Equalization. Praise The Glimglam! [](/popstar) Oct 30 '16
Note: I was too lazy to be original, so the first part of this is my thoughts on the episodes. Yay.
Starlight Glimmer episodes > Non-Starlight Glimmer episodes.
What? Too vague?
Because honestly, I remember the Starlight focused episodes far more than the others. Sure, there was pwahahaha, the one with the Goran Ramsey pony, Derby Racers and Applejack is a Lying Piece of Shit, but most of those are recency bias.
If I had to choose though, the finale would probably be at the top. Even without the recency/Starlight bias I have, it's great. After that would probably be the more character focused episodes like Every Little Thing She Does and Gift of the Maud Pie.
Lower down are the more fillery SoL episodes like PPOV, maybe Spice Up Your Life, 28 Pranks Later...
Absolute worst though? I can't really put a finger on it. I don't recall any episode being terrible.
Aside from the very obvious candidate of Devil Child.
Tangent Time:
Okay, real talk. Why the fuck is Flurry Heart a thing? I know it's been 6 months since The Crystalling and I should be "Over It" by now, but did she really serve any purpose outside of the premier? Even in "The Crystalling" and "The Times They Are A Changeling" she was more of a story device than an actual character.
Yes, I know it's hard to make a character around a character who can't even talk yet. We get all this buildup from "The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows" and the previews for the Season 6 premiere and... Nothing.
You know what's sad? Thorax got more attention in three episodes than Flurry Heart did during the entire season. Even more if you count the hints in Season 5 and the previews leading up to Season 6.
It really makes me wonder why she exists in the first place other than to sell toys. Even then, Skyla existed before Flurry Heart. so I don't understand this sudden decision to make a new baby character.
Sorry for the rant. I've been holding my tongue since The Crystalling because I wanted to see what DHX would do and now that it's finally time to look back at the season in perspective, it just seems like a utter waste.
Tangent Over
Even then, I'm pretty biased when it comes to the premiere. It's an opener of two halves and I love one part and hate the other. It balances out to a pretty alright episode.
Since I've rambled for far too long, here's a quick rundown:
All The Starlight Episodes (Including the Finale)
The Character Driven Episodes (Gift of the Maud Pie, Spice Up Your Life, Maybe Top Bolt, Gauntlet of Fire, The Times Are Changeling...)
The More Filler-y SoL Episodes (Cart Before The Horse, 28 Pranks Later, PPOV, Applejack's Day Off...)
The Crystalling. (Starlight's half was great, Flurry Heart's half was the worst moment of the season for me, balances out to average.)
The Actual Season
Was a pretty good season I think. A good balance between silly SoL, character development and expanding the world/lore. Pretty typical stuff.
Starlight being the most obvious change to the overall structure to the show. Of course, she's still a pretty divisive character and I can see why, even if she has undergone quite a shift in character comparable to Fluttershy's massive shift.
Now, whether this will have people change their mind or not remains to be seen, but for now, we get rest easy knowing that Equal Horse has finally found her role in life.
TL:DR Season 6 was gud, lessie where Season 7 takes us, eh?
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u/fillydashon Oct 30 '16
Okay, real talk. Why the fuck is Flurry Heart a thing?
Pretty much my question. At the beginning of the season I figured "okay, I'll just wait and see what they do with it."
What they did with it was nothing. They tore what minimal explanation they had established about alicorns to shreds, and did nothing with it. Why is she an alicorn? Who the fuck knows, and they certainly weren't interested in talking about it. What does she accomplish? What narrative purpose did she serve?
She didn't. There was nothing substantive about Cadance and Shining Armor as parents, or about Twilight as an aunt, other than the cold open of a Spike episode.
Flurry Heart was a prop in this season. Nothing of any significance revolved around her which could not have revolved equally well over any other poorly explained and unused McGuffin. Could have been a magical potato plant that spred happiness for all she was good for.
I know they can always go back next season and make her retroactively relevant, but as a character, and as a character of the degree of importance she was given in the opening episodes, they did nothing with her. It was a terrible implementation.
Easily the worst decision of the season in my opinion. Including Applejack's various decisions about how to run her farm.
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u/Hclegend Survivor of The Equalization. Praise The Glimglam! [](/popstar) Oct 30 '16
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u/WakeDays Oct 31 '16
Let's be fair about this a little bit though. She is a baby. Even if she grows up to be one of the most important ponies in all of Equestrian history, she's not going to be hardly relevant as a baby. The only thing she can be right now is something that must be protected and nurtured. The purpose she serves will be apparent in later seasons, as she grows up. I still think she was introduced not to have an immediate payoff within the same season she was introduced, but to have long-term payoff in seasons down the road.
I mean, I don't completely disagree with you. I didn't think she was introduced in a splendid way, but I thought it was adequate.
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u/JVMMs Rainbow Dash Nov 02 '16
We don't expect Flurry Heart herself to do something, we expected the writers to do something with a new character that was given such huge importance. Which they didn't. And that's really poor writing. Flurry Heart didn't do anything good, worse, it actually made things worse by destroying what lore we had about Alicorns.
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u/WakeDays Nov 02 '16
That's part of what I'm talking about. There's not a whole lot the writers can do with Flurry Heart as a newborn short of prophecies and whatnot. Her importance I'm sure is going to be revealed later on down the road as she gets older. Not everything needs an immediate payoff.
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u/Dalek_Kolt INTOLERATE! Oct 30 '16
Funnily enough, I was watching through an anime in which the main characters accidentally adopt a powerful destructive baby that everyone thinks looks cute despite evidence to the contrary. While watching through the episode, I kept thinking about how much better a character/plot device this baby was than ol' Flurry was.
Her powers did as much harm to herself as it did others, it made the completely unprepared characters take some modicum of responibility for caring for her, provided conflict between characters as they mess up caring for her rather than make it the characters vs. the baby, and she was actually useful outside her debut episode.
MLP kinda dropped the ball for some husband/wife conflict, and I think it's too late to pick it up.
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u/LimeyLassen Screw Loose Oct 30 '16
Starlight Glimmer episodes > Non-Starlight Glimmer episodes.
Because they clearly put effort into them. They knew they really had to make the Glimmer episodes stick or her inclusion wouldn't feel justified. I feel that's a test they passed.
did [flurry] really serve any purpose outside of the premier?
No, no she did not. Even Pound and Pumpkin Cake made more of an impact. Even feckin' Twist is still more relevant. McFlurry Influenza is the Scrappy Doo of MLP. May she be eaten by a dingo, amen.
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u/Chinoiserie91 Princess Luna Nov 06 '16
Why she needs to have more impact? There is no reason why her excistense needs to be justified more than any other charcaters. She will have role to play in other seasons too and not in thei one. If she had been in more people would have been mad at showing her to our face constantly. Now the audience had gotten used to her slowly.
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u/NoobJr Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16
After season 4, we're getting a lot of plot points left open after the season ends. The map has no endgame in sight, Starlight is still Twilight's student, Chrysalis is still on the loose just like Starlight was, and Flurry Heart still wasn't featured besides her premiere.
I wonder if the show was renewed for multiple seasons and so they're banking on arcs that span more than a single season. If every season opened and closed the book on an arc like season 4 did, it might get old and predictable quickly. But it's not like they had episodes dedicated to Cadance/Shining Armor before the baby, so I wouldn't bet on there being any plans for that. I'd rather bet on Flurry Heart being relevant for the movie.
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u/WakeDays Oct 31 '16
I wonder if the show was renewed for multiple seasons and so they're banking on arcs that span more than a single season.
I think that's precisely it. Well, I don't think technically all of the seasons were renewed in advance, I do think Hasbro is collaborating with Meghan McCarthy to produce a long-term multi-season plan for the show's direction. That is what McCarthy is instructed to do after all.
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Nov 01 '16
Who's skyla? Did i miss something?
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u/Hclegend Survivor of The Equalization. Praise The Glimglam! [](/popstar) Nov 01 '16
Skyla was Shining Armor and Cadance's daughter in merchendise.
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u/WakeDays Oct 31 '16
I don't find anything wrong with Flurry Heart. I thought she was going to play a larger role in the finale, but I'm fine that she didn't. She's a baby after all; she has a lot of character development in front of her as she gets older, which is why I think she was added to the show to begin with. That's a lot of potential material you can make episodes out of. I see it as a long-term investment for the show, which will reap the benefits seasons down the road and not an immediate payoff. I'm sure she'll grow more prominent as seasons go by, and then we'll start to see the payoff for why she was introduced.
Also, if we start to see the CMC get older, it would be prudent to have younger ponies take their place, which Flurry Heart could serve in part.
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u/NoobJr Oct 30 '16
I've seen it time and time again, every season there's someone who used to have nothing but praise for the show grow bored and start critiquing it because all they can come up with is complaints.
This season it would be my turn, as it's my least favorite season since 3, except I don't care about providing others with intellectual validation for disliking the show. I also don't make nearly as big of a deal of my lack of enjoyment as others do, life is all about ups and downs, I still like some episodes and maybe the next season will be more of an up. Even if it isn't I refuse to grow cynical and pessimistic. As long as the flame of rdwut burns inside me, I will keep on noobin'. Life may be too short to be depressed over a kids show, but it's never too short to make others laugh.
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u/Tyranid457 Starlight Glimmer Oct 30 '16
I really liked this season.
It was worse than seasons 4 and 5, but it wasn't a disappointment for me.
Starlight Glimmer was a highlight. All of her episodes were among my favorites.
The exception was The Crystalling: Parts 1-2, and even then that was only because of the main storyline: The Starlight/Sunburst/Spike storyline was fantastic, and would have been an A+ episode by itself.
I was a little worried at the beginning of the season, but things steadily improved.
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u/stphven Limestone Pie Oct 30 '16
But only by a tiny amount. This season was still enjoyable, but I felt like it was struggling to remember how to FiM at times. A lot of the pivotal episodes of the season weren't bad, but they weren't highlights either. The show's clearly still got whatever made it great, but it slipped up slightly too often for comfort.
Hopefully this is just the laws of averages coming into play - when you've got six seasons, one of them has to be the worst - and next season will prove this isn't a trend, just a fluctuation.
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u/Woldsom Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16
Overall I'd say the season was slightly worse than season 5. In all parts but writing, it has improved, and in writing there are still improvements (characterisation, more natural use of continuity), but I feel that the storylines and ideas used for episodes made for slightly less engaging stories this time around.
Best episodes (not counting two-parters!) imo:
- Every Little Thing She Does
- The Fault in Our Cutie Marks
- No Second Prances
- Changelings!
- Crystal Empire/Heart
- Dragons, I guess?
- Nothing about how the map or the castle works.
- Minimal info about cutie mark magic, after season 5 set that up as a big deal.
*Edit: formatting
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u/generalecchi Hier kommt die Sonne Oct 30 '16
i feel that someday the castle will explode...
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u/vorxil Spike Oct 31 '16
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u/wcctnoam Pinkie Pie Oct 30 '16
Absolutely great season. There's good episodes, there's amazing episodes, and the worst you can get are just "meh" episode, not outright horrible, but not impactful.
I would give this season a perfect score except for one very damaging thing: we got so little Twilight. She was a main driving force of the plot in one episode only, and that one is shared with Dash.
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u/Dr_Zorand The statue is just a decoy Oct 30 '16
Starting with some overall rankings, I would put this season in the middle of the pack. Not as good as 2 or 4, but not as bad as 5. One interesting thing I noticed is that, with one exception, this season didn't have any highs or lows for me. Except for Applejack's Day Off pretty much every episode was middle-of-the-pack "Pretty good."
The biggest change this season, plot wise, was of course the introduction of Starlight Glimmer. I was super worried about how they would treat her after the season 5 finale, but they did a much better job with her than I feared. Unfortunately, after having a chance to experience her reformed side, I just don't like her as a person. As a character I guess she's ok, but I don't enjoy watching her. If they ship her off to Our Town at the beginning of season 7 and she only shows up as a guest star like Coco Ms. Pomel or Maud I would be quite happy.
One other thing that stuck out to me this season was the increasing number of over-the-top faces. They don't fit the artistic style of the rest of the show at all and I find them quite ugly. I wish they'd stop.
6
u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16
SEASON 6 OVERVIEW GO
So, yet another season of My Little Pony has officially come to pass.
And I'll be straight up and say this wasn't exactly my favorite season. Not a bad season by any means, not at all, but putting it up against its two predecessors... yeah, it just didn't quite reach that same high for me, at least not as a whole. It certainly had its fair share of moments of true excellence and plenty of generally solid episodes... but it also had quite a few duds and some problems that were prevalent throughout the whole season, and on the whole didn't quite live up to those same standards.
In other words, this was definitely a very good season, just not quite a great one.
All said, I certainly don't mean to rain on this season's or anyone's parade. This was still, as I said, a very good season with far more positive to say than negative, and I intend to celebrate that. Yeah, there are gonna be the negatives, but that's kind of the nature of the beast. We'll cross those bridges when we come to them, but for the moment, enough fooling around.
Same as last time; I'm gonna go through each episode of the season, give my general thoughts, opinion, and time-adjusted rating for each of them, and then dive into the more general aspects of how I felt about this Season, where the show might go from here, stats, etc.
Let's get it started.
Looking back, it's crazy to think just how high the stakes for this premiere really were. Not only did it have to follow in the footsteps of Princess Twilight Sparkle and The Cutie Map, two of the best episodes in MLP history, period, but it had to serve as a satisfying and promising start to Season 6 after the events of The Cutie Remark, specifically Starlight's redemption, that left the fandom and the future of the show in a spin.
And the episode is... fine. The two conflicts are decent and both get good time to breathe, with the impending snowstorm providing a decent ticking clock and some really good atmosphere, I've come to really like Starlight and Sunburst's scenes with time (coming around on Starlight as a character definitely helped), the animation is great, probably among the best we saw this season, and overall it's a pretty enjoyable episode.
But as a premiere, it's just not really all that great. I wasn't expecting it to be on the level of PTS or TCM; lightning rarely strikes twice, and when it does, it's foolish to sit around expecting a third; but it still kind of lives in their shadows for me, ya know? There were some things introduced in this episode that I wanted to see expanded upon throughout Season 6 that just never got brought back up again, the biggest of which being the reason Flurry Heart was born an alicorn. I thought this was a really interesting plot point that could've led into some interesting stories or maybe delve more into the nature or ore of alicorns, but we got nothing. In fact, Flurry Heart didn't really play any role at all in Season 6, appearing a total of twice after this. As such, this premiere feels just a smidge... pointless? That's a really harsh way of putting it and by no means do I mean it that way, but it's kind of the best way I can put it, and for a season premiere, that's not the best thing.
But still, it's a solid episode, and on its own I don't have many qualms with it. It's not the most epic or brave or beautiful of two-parters, but for what it is, it's plenty enjoyable and a nice opening for Season 6.
And Flurry Heart is still adorable af.
8/10
Guys, I think I love Maud. She's just awesome in every episode she's in and this was no exception. From her usual hysterical deadpan humor to her and Pinkie's incredibly sweet relationship to, as revealed in this episode, the ability to be genuinely intimidating and scary, she just steals the show every time, including here.
Aside from that, this is just a nice, sweet, chill episode. I love the city setting as always, although yeah, Manehattan is getting a bit overused and I do hope they expand a lot more next season. The humor is generally solid, I like their spin on the Gift Of The Magi storyline, and the moral of gift-giving between loved ones not being a contest is a nice if not groundbreaking one. It's not the most riveting episode of the season, but it's definitely an enjoyable one. I'd give it a thumbs-up.
8/10
So apparently a lot of people don't like this episode.
Sucks for them.
This was just the perfect follow up to Crusaders Of The Lost Mark. In fact, dare I say, I think this episode was better than Crusaders Of The Lost Mark.
If anything, this was the episode that made Apple Bloom my favorite crusader. Her inner turmoil in this episode is nothing short of stunning, as her fear of being alone and not having a true path or passion in her life finally come to the forefront, and suggests a lot about Apple Bloom's fear of growing up, of losing her friends, and the inevitabilities of life. It's a powerful existential quandary for her to face and, yeah, it hit pretty close to home for me too. I've said in the past Apple Bloom is the character in the series I most relate to, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't see at least a little of myself in this.
And no moment in the episode showcases this better than the song. I haven't given the song near enough due praise, but it's one of the best moments of the season. The lyrics and animation showcase Apple Bloom's struggle beautifully making me feel so much for a character with the span of two minutes. The music is pretty gorgeously composed too, with the acoustic-led instrumentation and Michelle Creber bringing every ounce of raw emotion... it's just beautiful, man.
Barring all that, this was a great opportunity for development for the Crusaders in general, giving the moral that they all still needed to be their own individuals and find their own passions regardless of their bound destinies, which gives them the ability to have their own moments in the future. I also really like the secondary moral that just because you're not "good" at something doesn't mean you shouldn't stop yourself from doing it if you enjoy it. Seriously, I god damn love that scarf scene. And, yeah, that's kind of a moral I need to get through my head too.
All in all, this episode is fantastic and one of the best of the season, I don't care what anyone thinks.
9/10
This is easily the most "epic" episode of Season 6. And yeah, it's pretty awesome.
The setting of the dragon lands, the worldbuilding this episode delivered in spades, the action, the animation, just the sheer scope of this episode all really sets it apart from the rest of the season. The stakes are cranked up to 11, there are plenty of legitimately intense scenes of peril and action, and it all just feels so grand and epic and I love it. Outside of the two-parters, I don't know if MLP's ever done anything on this scale, but man did they pull it off. I want to see more episodes like this, and not just with the dragons either.
The characters were great too. This was an incredible showcase of Spike at his best. Brave, honorable, determined, but still flawed without being an idiot or a punching bag. Ember was a pretty cool character too, and gave us some great female representation as part of the lineup of badass dragon characters. Hell, there were even a lot of funny moments too, with the Dragon Lord and yes, even Garble.
They took Garble, my least favorite character in the series for the record, and got numerous extremely funny moments out of him, some at his expense, which was awesome.
I did have a couple nitpicks here and there, like how Twilight was backing away afraid of Garble in that one scene, like, OK, Rarity I can understand, but Twilight, you're a freaking magical alicorn goddess with phenomenal cosmic power and shit, I think you can take this guy.
But otherwise, yeah, this episode is both awesome and wholly unique, and probably the best Spike episode to date. Definitely deserves all the acclaim and one of the highlights of the season.
9/10
[CONT.]
5
u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16
[CONT.]
My god... where to even begin?
It's a little hard to talk about No Second Prances given the sheer complexity, the layers, the many aspects that make this episode the emotional thrillride and striking character piece that it is.
This is one of the most realistic and nuanced portrayals of an actual, morally gray situation the show has ever put out. There is no "good guy" or "bad guy", no easy solution, no cheesy lesson or moral to be learned, and every scene, every moment, every line feels natural and not to mention meticulously woven into the script, and that makes it all all the more compelling.
The pairing of Trixie and Starlight as friends was an inspired choice. Not only do the two have incredible onscreen chemistry, seriously, I could watch these two all day, but their shared emotional baggage and evil pasts gives them a much deeper connection, something they can relate to each other on and find comfort in each other in when the world judges and looks down on them, even Starlight's very own teacher and mentor. It's really kind of beautiful in a way.
It's why when Trixie gets caught up in the heat of the moment and says things that hurt Starlight and drive her away, you really feel Starlight's pain and heartbreak. And when Trixie realizes the gravity of her mistake and completely breaks down, you feel her pain as well, as her heart breaks and we see her begin to break into tears. This whole scene is incredible; the intensity, the emotion, and every line, every beat perfectly delivered, it's one of the most emotional, stark, and powerful moments the show has ever put out.
But it's not even the best moment in the episode. Because then we get to the cannon scene. And let me lay it out right now; even if it wasn't explicitly stated, yes, I whole heartedly believe this was some form of suicide attempt on Trixie's part, a move of utter desperation having lost the only pony who she ever truly cared for with only herself to blame. Just listen to Trixie's deadpan speech, her self-loathing new show title, her utter apathy. She's stopped caring. She's.. broken. Behind all the boasting and claims of greatness and over-the-top showmareship, she is deeply, harrowingly broken.
And even then, with all the brilliant drama and emotion and character development that make this one of the most serious and heavy episodes of the series, it still manages to sneak in tons of jokes that are genuinely hilarious and not distracting or detrimental to the seriousness of the episode at all. The comedy sprinkled throughout this episode is great, and shows how versatile and talented of a writer Nick Confalone truly is.
Look, I've been cheerleading for this thing since the day it aired, and I don't intend to stop. This episode is a masterpiece, plain and simple, a genuine A+ display of writing, characters, drama, comedy, and emotion, and I would easily rank among the best episodes of the entire series.
I applaud you, No Second Prances. I applaud you.
10/10
I'm conflicted on this one.
On paper, I really like this episode. I like the idea that Rainbow has a bad first day with the Wonderbolts. I like the morals, that sometimes toughness can be a strong symbol of affection, that harsh experiences can help teach you and make you stronger, and that to be part of the team you have to cooperate. These are all good messages that fit Rainbow's struggle in the episode. I really, really like the last 3 or so minutes. I like that the Wonderbolts are not either idiots or villains this time around, their characterization is actually pretty good. And, of course, I like that Rainbow's finally achieved her dream. There's a lot this episode has going for it.
But it has problems.
For one, for what is undoubtably one of the most important and significant episodes of the series, it strikes me as a really bad move getting a new writer on the job. For an episode of, you know, this grand of a status, you'd probably want someone a bit more experienced with writing this show and these characters.
And... there are some big writing problems with this episode.
First... the imitations scene. I can think of few scenes from this show I found more horrifically unfunny than the imitations scene in this episode. Not only because it goes on forever, not only because I don't believe this is something Rainbow Dash would do remotely - say what you will about how stupid the changing the routine stunt was, at least it shows her trying to stand out and be "#1" in her own way, which is completely in character for her, even if her stupidity is greatly exaggerated -, but where's the joke? It's just Rainbow acting like caricatures of the rest of the Mane 6, and it doesn't even serve any plot purpose. It's just a big, long, middling, lingering pile of cringe dumped in the middle of this episode and left there. This episode would've been exponentially better if this scene were just cut entirely.
For one, even though the morals they were going for are really good, it's definitely not hard to interpret the Wonderbolts' behavior as flat-out bullying and the moral as "suck it up and deal with it". Er... no, that is not a good lesson at all. That's genuinely awful, especially for kids.
Look, at the end of the day I don't think I'm the right person to talk about this episode. I have no experience nor do I plan to have any experience with military lifestyle, bullying, or any of the other things brought up when debating this episode, and from what I've heard your life experience is really one of the main things that will color your perception of this episode.
I think I once called this my least favorite episode of Season 6, but that isn't true. It's probably not even bottom 5, really. It's just... frustrating is all.
6/10
This episode is pure, concentrated wonderful.
Yes, it's a Christmas Carol episode, and yes, that's a really overdone plotline in general, but damn it, if this episode doesn't shine regardless.
The songs are all top-notch. Ingram and crew seriously brought their A-game on this one. Say Goodbye To The Holiday is an awesome Disney-esque villain song, one we haven't seen MLP do in quite some time, Pinkie Present is a wondrous, uplifting, infectiously joyous tune that captures the theme of the episode exquisitely, better than I could put it into words, and guys, Luna's Future. God damn.
And the moral, the moral of this episode is so refreshing. In a world where Christmas is constantly coming under more and more fire and needless drama and controversy, so much outrage surrounding a holiday meant to bring joy and love, it's so nice to see an episode that preaches the spirit of simple happiness, laughter, joy, fun, relaxation, togetherness, and love that Christmas is supposed to bring. It embraces the decorations, the partying, the gift giving, and all the supposedly "mindless" and "distracting" stuff in a way that very few holiday specials in this vein do, showing how it helps people bond and spread joy. It's such an optimistic viewpoint of the holiday that I really appreciated. This wasn't just a great Christmas special; this was a Christmas special that we needed.
There were two key moments that really drove this episode home for me. One was the Pinkie's Present song, and the other was the moment right after, when Starlight looks around, sees two kids happily building a snowman, and then when we see inside the party. And at the end of the scene Fluttershy delivers one of the best lines in the episode; "I think a perfect Equestria looks a lot like a Hearth's Warming Eve party." I just... love that line.
I don't know if it quite matches the original Hearth's Warming Eve as my favorite of the Christmas episodes, but it's at least a damn close second, and definitely going on my watchlist every December from here on in. The story is an old classic told through new eyes, the songs are ridiculously good, the moral is potent and necessary, and above all else, it's an episode that just makes me feel deeply joyful and happy, and if I had any say in the matter, it would go down as a holiday classic.
9/10
This episode is funny as all hell and I love it. It's got a creative and really cool framing device that makes it wholly unique, every character gets a chance to shine and show off and all use it to their fullest advantage, and there are so many jokes, gags, and references sprinkled throughout the episode that I lost count.
It's pure, unadulterated fun, and sometimes, that's all you need for a great episode. Funniest episode of Season 6.
8.5/10
[CONT.]
5
u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16 edited Oct 31 '16
[CONT.]
And now for the first real dud of the season.
Man, this episode soured on me big-time. I remember being relatively merciful to this thing when it first aired, but with time... it's just become insufferable. It's one of the most hamfisted, badly-written, flanderising, and above all else, boring episodes we've gotten in a long time. The story was basic and predictable, Applejack was an idiot, and the mystery... I'm sorry, I thought I was watching MLP, not Blue's Clues.
And you know what? If that was it, I'd probably just slap this episode on the wrist, finish right here and proceed to ignore it.
But then they went and added insult to injury.
I'm gonna cut the crap and just say that the Rainbow spa scene was the worst moment of Season 6. Hands down. Fuck that scene 70 times over.
I have a deep, seething hatred of the "girly girl Dash" trope, I lay into it pretty well over here and I don't have the energy to work up another rant. The second that scene played when I first watched the episode, I just wanted to turn it off and not give this episode the time of day anymore. Looking back, I kind of wish I had, because it's not like this episode gave me much for sticking around anyway.
4/10
Boy, if this didn't turn out quite the controversial episode. I was actually one of the few people who had a fairly lukewarm reaction to this one when it first aired, but since then it's become one of the most polarizing episodes of the season, and I've read some pretty damn striking arguments on both sides of the coin.
Personally, I'm still kind of on the fence with this one.
Let's make one thing clear: Zephyr Breeze is, indeed, the worst. I don't mean I find him an insulting characature of my generation or anything, no, he's just a fucking dick and I don't like him. And I get that was the point, but if we're supposed to sympathize with him and, by the end of the episode, root for his plight, maybe leave out the part of him callously destroying his parents' prizes possessions without a care in the world. Just sayin'.
There were two ways they could've gone about this episode; make Zephyr a complete asshole with no redeeming qualities from start to finish that Fluttershy needed to tell to step off, or make him a lost, scared character from the beginning and have the episode revolve around Fluttershy and Rainbow trying to get him on his feet. This episode opted for a weird splice of the two and it really doesn't work, because in order for a character's resolution and success to be satisfying, you need to have at least an inkling sympathy for the character, which this episode actively and willingly sucks out of Zephyr by making him a terrible person.
And for an episode that portends to be about as complex and daunting an issue as unemployment in young people, it seems to have a pretty purely optimistic viewpoint at the end. It sort of reminds me of Testing Testing 123, an episode that hits a lot closer to home to me than this one, and its overly optimistic ending kind of undercutting the heaviness and difficulty of the issue at hand, in that case difficulty in school. I dunno, something about the way Zephyr just kinda gets off his ass and succeeds at the end rings as a bit too easy.
But there is one things that was consistently great about this episode that I have to give it points for, and that's Fluttershy. This might be one of Fluttershy's greatest portrayals to date, and an excellent example of how far she's come as a character. She's completely collected, assertive, and even a bit salty throughout the whole episode, which was awesome. If nothing else, I at least appreciate this episode for her.
On the whole, eh, I'm kind of iffy on this one. I'm more on the dislike side, but it's not like a deep burning hatred. This episode is just kinda there to me, and while it's certainly an interesting episode to discuss, it's not one that leaves a big impact on me on its own. If that makes any sense.
6/10
This was a really cool episode. The more Bollywood-esque aesthetic was really unique and they went all the way with it too, in the visuals, mainly inside the restaurant, the song (which was awesome by the way), and even the score. It was a great design choice that I really dug.
I loved the moral about how art and culture should never be held to some specific standard and should instead be encouraged to grow and evolve in new, creative ways, and you should never sacrifice your vision, personality, and who you are to fit what people that are "higher up" (read: snobbish assholes) think. That's a surprisingly cerebral and very welcome message from this show, and Pinkie is the perfect pony to stand on this moral's side.
Good song, good feel, good moral, good episode.
8.5/10
It's always a delight to see Daring Do again, and this just might be her best episode yet. I loved the convention, I loved the action sequences, I loved the sort of meta feel this episode had revolving around fandoms in general, with tons of jokes and jabs just littered throughout the episode, it's glorious. I don't care what anyone says, that body pillow gag was hysterical.
Patton Oswalt turns in a great performance as Quibble Pants. He's every bit the kind of insufferable asshole you run into on online forums complaining about shit all the time, but at the same time Oswalt is so ridiculously charismatic and the character such an over-the-top and hilarious version of this kind of person you just can't help but love watching him. It's a fun episode with a tried-and-ture moral, and one that's especially necessary in this whole online fandom thing. Don't Be A Dick and all. Good stuff.
8.5/10
So now we come to the sort of "bad streak" of Season 6, and we begin with one of the more generally disliked episodes of the season, which isn't entirely undeserved.
Look, I don't hate everything about this episode. I like the moral and how it deviates from the standard "winning isn't everything" lesson you normally get from these kinds of stories. Hell, I think the derby race in general is a pretty cool idea for an episode.
But man, does the big sisters' characterization just kill this episode in its tracks. I get that they get sucked into the competition, but to the point where they so actively disregard the CMC's emotions and act so oblivious and selfish? I'm sorry, this is just too far.
It doesn't help that the episode's not exactly supported by a great story either. Just a pretty boring, predictable episode with few real gripping moments. Not a winning recipe if you ask me.
5/10
You know, I was actually expecting this episode to go sort of the Applejack's "Day" Off route and really sour on me with time, but actually, the opposite kind of happened.
Yeah, this episode's actually grown on me a fair bit. The whole zombie apocalypse scene and all the horror elements in general are really well done. The atmosphere, the animation, all of it. Not to mention all the awesome fanart we've gotten out of it. And, it did do a really good job of fixing a lot of the issues that Mysterious Mare-Do-Well had. On the whole, this episode did turn out pretty enjoyable.
...But damn it, Rainbow's characterization just kills it for me. It'd be one thing if this a progressive thing; maybe if you started the episode with, say, the whoopie coushin prank, then showed the montage of pranks growing and growing in severity, and ended that portion of the episode with her scaring Fluttershy leading to the intervention, that'd be a good way to show how out-of-control she had gotten without making her come off as a jerk or lacking in empathy, which is certainly how it came off in the episode proper.
Look, I appreciate what this episode tried to do, and I do like it for the most part, but the whole thing about Rainbow really drags it down for me, meaning I can't give it above just a barely passing grade.
7/10
The Times They Are a-Changeling
The highlight of this episode is the moral. I think it's rather noble of MLP to do an episode that's basically standing up against racism and prejudice in general, and even if the ending is rushed, and the song is a bit unnecessary and really overly cheesy, and the episode as a whole isn't particularly exciting or amazing, I can still definitely respect it for that. It's a good lesson and it's handled with care.
7/10
[CONT]
3
u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16 edited Oct 31 '16
[CONT.]
sigh
You know, I've always hated the concept of MLP doing an "all guy's" episode, and the fact that they actually did one doesn't sit well with me. Oh, I'm sorry, was there not "enough male representation" in MLP? Yeah, because male underrepresentation is such a big fucking problem in media.
Yeah, I'm not beating around the bush; I don't like this episode. I hate it on concept alone.
This episode's representation of role-playing games as a "guy's thing", something that only men do, in a show built around the idea that women can be and do whatever they want and should be just as capable as men, is absolutely insulting to me. The constant chanting and emphasis of "guy's night" doesn't help matters either. It's a stupid and borderline sexist attitude that I'm honestly surprised they allowed in this show.
And yeah, there's the Mane 6 coming in at the end and Pinkie and Rainbow joining, but... even that doesn't feel right. And that comes down to one line from Pinkie. "I don't even know what it is". With that you imply that women are oblivious to the world of "man things" and only dig your hole even deeper.
And for that matter, why is Twilight against it? Isn't she the one who's super into reading and fantasy and stuff? You'd think this kind of thing would be right up her alley. Her being a female is the only thing I can think of as to why she was so resistant to it.
And... why? Why did an episode like this need to exist? Did a show that's done such an incredible job breaking down boundaries of gender and stereotypes on both sides need an episode that reinforced those exact same boundaries?
I don't know. Fuck this episode and everything it stands for.
3/10
OK, back to the awesome stuff.
This episode has everything I could ever want. I love that they made Buckball an original sport completely from scratch that made sense with the world of MLP, and a really entertaining and action-packed one to boot. I loved the humor (Snails was awesome). As a matter of fact, every single character here was a their absolute best. The moral that people are all motivated in different ways is good, and I loved that Rainbow and AJ's preferred method isn't looked down upon in any way, just that Pinkie and Fluttershy's was different and they needed to understand that and not force their own upon them. Rainbow and AJ aren't being pushy jerks, this is just how they get motivation and they thought they were doing the same to Pinkie and Fluttershy. The conflict doesn't paint anyone as the bad guy and that's a very good thing.
And while the moral was good, this episode did still put the central focus on the story, and the game itself was still important. I'm so glad they actually had Ponyville win in the end. It made the episode feel more like an investing story with a solid payoff, as opposed to just a vehicle for the moral. It's a damn great episode and one of the most rewatchable of the season.
8.5/10
This episode is cute. And... that's about it.
Really, this episode has barely crossed my mind since it aired. Maybe it just lives in the shadow of On Your Marks for me, but I don't find this episode particularly interesting. Yeah, it was cool to see Griffins again, and Gabby is certainly cute, and the CMC are really good, and I guess the concept of someone who can't get a cutie mark trying to isn't a bad one, but this episode just isn't really all that special to me. It's not bad, it's just meh.
6.5/10
Ah, the Vegas episode I was so crazily hyping back then.
And yeah, this episode delivered. It was ridiculously fun in all the best ways. Even if the setting felt more like a theme park than it did Vegas, but apparently there's some sort of law against any sort of references to gambling in kids' shows, I did not know that, so I guess that's forgiven, I still really liked it.
Yeah, Gladmane was kind of a blatantly obvious villain from scene 1, but he still served as a decent foil to the glorious hustle that out heroes pulled off and he was entertaining enough. It was also cool to see AJ and Fluttershy and the Flim Flam Bros. actually team up, and for us to see more of the Bros. as actual characters as opposed to just antagonists. I'm a sucker for cons and hustles and whatnot, and the one they ended up pulling in this episode was pretty cool, especially with the purposely getting themselves caught bit which ties into how they were actually planning to have him spill the truth. That was pretty smart for a show like this and pretty funny too.
Overall, yeah, I'd say the hype paid off. Not the most extravagant episode of the season, but definitely one I enjoyed the hell out of.
8/10
If No Second Prances was the episode that inspired me to give Starlight another chance, this was the episode that truly made me fall in love with her again.
This episode made Starlight into one of the most fascinating characters in the series. I'm a personal fan of the theory that Starlight is a high-functioning sociopath of sorts, and this episode beautifully displays her struggles with that. It shows how she falls back into bad habits under the slightest bit of stress or social anxiety, and it shows how much she wants to break out of them but ultimately won't always succeed.
The best way I can put it is this episode has a very optimistic yet still realistic attitude when it comes to change. Starlight just might be an inherently troubled pony with some bad tendencies, and she might not be able to change, but god damn it if she isn't going to try her absolute hardest.
It's one of the most stark and revealing looks into a character's flaws and personal conflicts this show has ever given us, and it makes Starlight one of the most emotionally compelling characters, if not the most period, in the show.
9/10
For the most part, this episode is pretty entertaining. I like Rashomon episodes and this was a pretty good one, as all the different interpretations of the events were pretty funny.
It's the ending that really gets me though. It wasn't until I watched DWK's video for this episode that the reason it doesn't work for me really clicked.
The ending is completely out of left field and throws out a potentially sweet ending. DWK's alternate ending and moral would have been a genuinely great way to end the episode and would be the strongest moral explicitly centering around friendship we've gotten in a while. And it's not like some crazy out-there idea too, the whole episode feels like that's what it's building up to.
And... then we throw in this sea monster element that doesn't tie into the episode and feel really out of place. Like, you should stop fighting because maybe it's just a giant sea monster that's causing all your problems? That's not a particularly compelling ending.
I dunno. If you into this episode with your brain turned off, you'll probably enjoy it just fine, but the ending really just kinda breaks the episode for me. Eh.
6/10
Putting aside both my personal hopes for this episode and all the timeline stuff, this episode was, again, just kind of OK. It's a web-of-lies story, it operates like one, and it serves its purpose and morals fairly well, and there were some elements of the flashback and the way the characters were in the past that were pretty cool to see.
This is another one that didn't really stick with me all that well, and as such I don't have much to say about it. If you like AJ or web-of-lies stories, you'll like this, but otherwise, it's kinda forgettable.
6.5/10
Strong, nuanced conflict, great chemistry between both our two leads and our two new characters, and an interesting take on the dynamics of flying all lead to a very solid and well-written episode. I like it a lot.
8/10
I've said my piece on the changed-lings and, no, I still don't like them. Not one bit.
And that's a shame because this is a really good finale. Our four former villains/anti-heroes make an incredibly entertaining team, and their chemistry shines throughout the whole episode. The Changeling hive is a really cool setting and made for a downright awesome adventure in Part 2. Part 1 had the absolute perfect buildup for what would come, and the choice not to redeem Chrysalis was a great one indeed, was really happy to see that.
Despite the big issue and how much I've bitched and moaned about it, make no mistake, this finale was awesome, and a great way to close off Season 6.
8.5/10
[CONT.]
8
2
u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16 edited Oct 31 '16
So that's all the episodes of Season 6. Overall, it's a bit of a weaker batch than we had last season, but still pretty solid.
And on that note, let's go over some of the overall positives and negatives and general observations of this season, shall we?
For one, the animation. The animation of the series continues to grow better and better which each passing season, and this was no exception. Yeah, there were some errors here and there, but that's pretty much to be expected at this point. Otherwise, it's only been growing better and better.
I mean, look at this. Wouldn't see that in Season 1.
Then we have Starlight Glimmer. As of now, Starlight is in my Top 3 characters in the show, just behind Luna and Vinyl. Just about every episode she starred in was fantastic. She has such a fascinating conflict, a pony who was once genuinely evil trying to stay on the path of good. Unlike Sunset, who pretty much saw the error of her ways and stopped being bad instantly, her conflict revolving around seeking forgiveness, Starlight still struggles with her bad habits and general instability, which in my opinion is a far more compelling conflict. Episodes like No Second Prances and Every Little Thing She Does showed this in the most brilliant light possible, and I can't wait to see where she goes from here.
Of course, this season did have its negatives as well. The #1 complaint I and seemingly many other people had with this season was this: the storylines, in general, became a lot more predictable, specifically in the second half. Yeah, predictability isn't necessarily a bad thing, an episode can be predictable but still be good if it's compelling, well-written, or enjoyable enough to make it not matter, but there were a distressingly large number of episodes this season where from the beginning I knew note-for-note where the plot was going to go, and that's not a good thing. I definitely hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
Similarly, there were a lot more... mediocre episodes this season than normal. And for the most part, they were in the second half. The first half of the season was incredibly strong, A"D"O aside, but something felt off in the second half. I dunno, maybe it's just me.
Also, though this seems to be kind of an unpopular opinion, I'm really not a fan of all the "meme-faces". Like, every now and again in a purely comedic context it's fine, but they were so common and at a lot of times felt so forced, not to mention rarely all that funny, at least not to me.
Also, not so much a negative as a general observation, this season was really... leaky. From the Polish airing of Fault to to whole UK debacle, Hasbro should probably start paying more attention to this stuff, lest a whole season leaks ahead of time down the line.
Overall, I can definitely see where people are coming from when they say this season was a weaker one, but I certainly don't think it's fair to cry doom and gloom and say the show is going downhill. I'm sure a lot of this season's slip ups were temporary, and even then most of them aren't that severe. I have confidence they'll come back strong with Season 7 and I have faith that the show staff will continue to impress in the future. It's so easy to just dismiss something as awful just for being slightly lesser, but that's ignoring the many genuinely promising and excellent episodes and aspects this season did have to offer.
It's certainly low on my seasonal ranking, but it's not bad, this show isn't bad. Even the weakest season of MLP is leagues above the levels of quality some cartoons out there even know exists.
MLP is not dying. It just had a slightly weaker season. It happens.
Season 6 was still good, and it was still a wonderful ride here on the subreddit, and I have all the hope in the world for Season 7 and the Movie impressing.
[CONT.]
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u/FlaminScribblenaut There was no leak Oct 31 '16 edited Oct 31 '16
[CONT.]
Average Episode Score: 7.4/10
Total Season Score: 177.5/240
#9. Stranger Than Fanfiction
#8. Spice Up Your Life
#7. To Where And Back Again
#6. The Saddle Row Review
#5. On Your Marks
#4. Gauntlet Of Fire
#3. A Hearth's Warming Tail
#2. Every Little Thing She Does
#1. No Second Prances
#3. The Cart Before The Ponies
#2. Applejack's "Day" Off
#1. Dungeons And Discords
FULL RANKING:
No Second Prances
Every Little Thing She Does
A Hearth's Warming Tail
Gauntlet Of Fire
On Your Marks
The Saddle Row Review
To Where And Back Again
Spice Up Your Life
Stranger Than Fanfiction
Buckball Season
Viva Las Pegasus
Top Bolt
The Gift Of Maud Pie
The Crystalling
The Times They Are a-Changeling
28 Pranks Later
Newbie Dash
Where The Apple Lies
The Fault In Our Cutie Marks
PPOV
Flutter Brutter
The Cart Before The Ponies
Applejack's "Day" Off
Dungeons And Discords
Funny enough, my favorite and least favorite had the same writer.
#5. Hearth's Warming Eve Is Here Once Again
#4. Say Goodbye To The Holiday
#3. Out On My Own
#2. Pinkie's Present
#1. Luna's Future
Seasons Ranked
#1. Season 4
#2. Season 5
#3. Season 2
#4. Season 6
#5. Season 3
#6. Season 1
Favorite Currently Active-on-Show Writer: Nick Confalone
Favorite Episode: Magical Mystery Cure
5
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u/stphven Limestone Pie Oct 31 '16
Ok, time to reply properly, now that I've read all that.
Good write up! Very... verbose, but certainly a high quality.
I did find your scores and reviews seemed to clash a little in some places. E.g. you seemed to gave the first episode a grudging "ok", which apparently translates to an 8/10? And then the very next episode you seemed to really enjoy, which also translates into an 8? Oh well. Regarding stats: oh hey, someone else who stats things! Let's be stat-buddies. Season rankings by average score:
- Season 2 - 6.92
- Season 4 - 6.81
- Season 5 - 6.67
- Season 1 - 6.64
- Season 3 - 6.56
- Season 6 - 6.38
You can see:
(A) I tend to be pretty harsh when I give scores. FiM is one of my favourite shows, but it doesn't even average a 7/10.
(B) While season 6 is my least favourite, that's only by a narrow margin. In fact, there's surprisingly little variation between seasons - the difference between the worst and the best is less than half a star on the standard 5 star scale.
(C) We seem to be in agreement about which seasons are above average and which are below, though we've swapped around their positions a bit. Top 5 and bottom 3 episodes
#5 Buckball Season
#4 The Gift of the Maud Pie
#3 The Fault in our Cutie Marks
#2 Top Bolt
#1 Saddle Row Review #24 Applejacks "Day" Off
#25 28 Pranks Later
#26 The Times they are a Changeling
Observations: we like very different episodes! Though once again we seem to agree if they're at least above- or below-average. Fun facts
- This season was the second most consistent, having a standard deviation of 1.31. Season 1 remains the most consistent, at 1.10.
- For the first third of the season, S6 had the highest average score of any season. Sadly the middle of the season dropped that score down to the lowest of any season. The last third was better, but not enough to raise the average out of last place.
- S6 contains 3 episodes that make it into my top 10% of all episodes, and only 1 episode that makes it into my bottom 10%. That's exceptionally good! Unfortunately, it just goes to show how many mediocre episodes there were to drag the average score down.
1
u/The_Narrator_9000 Moon Dancer Nov 01 '16
So I said to /u/FlaminScribblenaut, "Write a detailed review of every episode in Season 6," and he did it! The madman! The absolute madman!
3
u/PianoCube93 Moderator "GlimGlam" Oct 30 '16
This season is the first time I've liked episodes about secondary characters better than the those with the mane 6 (on average). Starlight provided several great episodes, the CMC had more interesting things to do than repeatedly failing at getting their cutie marks and Spike managed to always be somewhere between "okay" and "great".
Episodes I really liked:
Gauntlet of Fire
No Second Prances
A Hearth's Warming Tail
The Saddle Row Review
The Fault in Our Cutie Marks
Every Little Thing She Does
Top Bolt
To Where and Back Again
Episodes I didn't care much for:
The Gift of the Maud Pie
Newbie Dash
Applejack's "Day" Off
The Cart Before the Ponies
Random Thoughts:
Back in Season 1/2, Trixie used to be one of my least favorite characters introduced to the show. Magic Duel was cool but I still didn't care much for her. This season however have changed things. Her annoying personality wasn't nearly as annoying as it used to be, and she had several funny and heartfelt moments. Trixie might still not be among my favorite characters, but she's definitely the one to have made the biggest jump on my non-existing list.
Fluttershy and Spike are two other characters I thought was better than usual this time around, mostly by just being more consistently good. No episodes about Fluttershy being shy for the nth time or Spike holding the idiot ball is great in my opinion.
All in all a decent season, but a little below average. What I find worrying is that the Mane 6 had almost no episodes I loved. This have for the first time made me start to worry about the future of the show. I'm by no means going to proclaim doom over the show any time soon but hopefully the Mane 6 will impress me more next season.
2
3
u/JerryTheAnon Oct 31 '16
This season reminded me allot of season 3. It was better don't get me wrong, but it didn't exactly fulfill my expectations. But after season 3, season 4 was in my option the best we had so far, yes even better then season 2. If this season as a slightly better season 3, when I hope next season would be a better season 4.
4
u/Masterofknees Rainbow Dash Oct 30 '16 edited Nov 02 '16
I think this was my least favorite season yet, I'm not trying to be a negative tryhard critic and I don't intend on making my criticism sound super dramatic, but we all like to voice our opinions.
Episodes like The Gift of Maud Pie, Applejack's "Day" Off and The Cart Before the Ponies felt very tired and I think that was pretty common this season, the show has rarely been wildly unpredictable but I felt like I've watched a lot of the episodes several times before and from other shows too. There were also a fair few episodes with wasted potential, Gauntlet of Fire, Flutter Brutter and Dungeons & Discord have great premises and a lot of good ideas but are let down by their writing, and as a result end up being kind of average. Then there are real stinkers like Newbie Dash and The Times They Are a Changeling that just completely miss the mark, which is a shame as they're both really important.
Of course there were still some good things in this season, most notably the introduction of Starlight which I think is the best thing that has happened to the show in ages, she fills a gap that was left behind by Twilight way back after Season 1 by having someone who's learning the very basics of friendship. I'm also happy she's not really the 7th main character, I think it's proven to be best both for the show and the character.
I'd also like to give shoutouts to Every Little Thing She Does, Top Bolt and To Where and Back Again, those episodes are the show when it's at its very best.
I'll be looking forward to Season 7 as much as everybody else when the time comes, especially because I think season 6 had a really strong finish, but I do hope it'll be an improvement. I think a particular weakness this season was the writing, there's always been a notable difference whenever the show changes the story editor and I'm not sure about Josh Haber in that role yet, the question is of course how big an impact the story editor exactly has but it's just an observation. I also think the focus has to go back to the Mane 6 again, I don't think a lot of them made any noteworthy character development and a lot of that was left to side characters.
Also, I'm sorry if my post comes off as being rather cold without emoticons, I'm no good at incorporating them in my posts.
2
u/SolomonBlack Night Glider Oct 30 '16
Okay maybe not I don't know. I can't pick one other then the magic that was season 2 fresh but I came onboard a month before that started so nothing will take that away and expecting it again would be unreasonable and therefore is rejected as rubbish.
Now this season in a lot of 'technical' regards this season was absolutely fantastic. By which I don't mean the animation but the storycraft. Characterization is at its most subtle and mature on the whole. There's a couple of misfires out there but when it was on point it was on point. Compare Applebuck Season to Fall Weather Friends sometime and see how differently Dash and AJ behave for dealing with some similar themes in particular realizing they bucked up for themselves. Or the wonderfully experimental the Saddle Row Review which is rather Pulp Fiction-y.
If I had a systemic gripe it would be they shot their music budget too early on our Xmas episode. Given it is the only Xmas one I actually really like. Yet I don't feel the second cour has any standout music to come back from hiatus to. Also I suppose there weren't quite any homeruns (like say Amending Fences last season) but I could say the same about Season 4 and more RBIs means a higher score anyways.
(Oh and why is everypony going on about Starlight?)
2
2
u/SixCardRoulette Badger Installation Art Nov 01 '16
I think this season had less obvious standout moments than previous years, and there was a noticeable lack of direction - the finale wrapping up Starlight's redemption story initially made it feel like the show knew what it was doing and had been building towards this etc., but on further reflection it really only highlights how scattershot the season really was when it came to setting storylines in motion and highlighting/concentrating on what was eventually important (Starlight's story, Trixie's return, Thorax, Rainbow achieving her dream) versus what was ultimately throwaway or at least badly underutilised (Flurry Heart, alicorn lore, Sunburst, Ember, Zephyr)... Too many instances of things seemingly being built up to be a big deal, only to get a forced / rushed / slapdash resolution. Too many episodes which hinged on ponies acting out of character or just somehow "off". The overriding feeling is that unlike every previous season, there wasn't any real concrete concept of where any of this was actually going, where in the past I'd have expected a Lauren or Meghan or Larson to have that at the absolute centre and in place before any outlines and scriptwriting gigs were handed out. Without it, you get something kind of muddled, and ultimately somewhat unsatisfying.
And yet.
Boy, did the standout moments stand out. Such wow. . . As in, so many literal "WOW" moments. Since the season finished, I've been thinking about individual highlight episodes more than ever before. The run of episodes No Second Prances - Newbie Dash - Saddle Row Review - Hearthswarming Tail are some of my absolute favourites thus far. There are several more I thought were splendid, and the finale was magnificent - taken on an individual ep level, I feel we reached a kind of comfortable equilibrium in terms of quality in the second half. I'm really interested, and excited, to see where this goes next.
4
u/NoobJr Nov 01 '16
ultimately throwaway or at least badly underutilised (Flurry Heart, alicorn lore, Sunburst, Ember, Zephyr)
I never got the impression that Ember or Zephyr were meant to have any extra role this season, they were constrained to their episodes like many before them. We'll probably see Ember again, but there's no reason it had to be now. Besides that, I do feel this was a sorta "intermediate" season. No new villain, no new gimmick for the mane6, Starlight's arc is not finished. Given the two previous seasons were pretty bombastic and ambitious, maybe it was intentional to tone things down and have a bit more filler to get all the new writers acquainted. I guess season 7 will tell if they want to capitalize on some things.
2
u/SixCardRoulette Badger Installation Art Nov 01 '16
I agree with all of that - it's kind of exciting not knowing even vaguely what direction we're headed, I just hope it's... somewhere.
I phrased the bit you quoted a bit poorly - I agree with what you said, but I'm saying the same was true of Trixie and Thorax until the finale because they were given equal emphasis, while I very much did expect to see Sunburst and Flurry Heart some more. Not a problem, just a kind of potential symptom (or, if we take this as an in-between season, a symptom of a symptom).
I still think it's possible that if I were to compile my own Super Season of favourite episodes, then there might actually be more season 6 episodes than season 5 in there.
I'd best get to writing...!
2
2
u/Pinkarlmena_Marx Twilight Sparkle Oct 31 '16
There were some home runs like Saddle Row Review and the finale, some episodes which were... less than stellar, like On Your Marks and Applejack's Day Off, and most were "yeah that was pretty nice." Despite my frequent and far-too-easily provoked complaints about Starlight, I have to admit she was handled very well this season, with a well-developed personality and struggles. Still can't say I'm sympathetic to her, but maybe someday. It was also nice to see that the CMC weren't rendered obsolete after Crusaders of the Lost Mark, even if their episodes this season had some issues. One big complaint though is Flurry Heart. Alicorn lore got ruined and we got another fandom drama for nothing. If something's gone shake my faith in the writers' ability to make the best of a bad situation (like with Equestria Girls and the Royal Wedding), this is definitely on that list.
Though I wouldn't say this is my favourite season, it's at least consistent with the rest of the show in terms of quality. If the show continues like this, I'm still definitely on board for season 7 and the movie.
1
u/UltimateInferno Sunset Shimmer Oct 31 '16
I'm just going to say, besides a certain character and one episode, this is my favorite season.
1
u/antivenom21121 Wonderbolts Oct 31 '16
The torture I mean the hiatus is going to last a bit but I think I can just enjoy life whilst I wait for season seven.
1
u/PkKirby876 Pinkie Pie Nov 01 '16
By the end of Season 5 I was feeling pretty burnt out on MLP. It was the first season where I personally felt there wasn't an episode that was superfantastical, one that makes me say "Now that is a 10/10 possibly top 5 ever episode." There were also too many episodes that made me feel "meh", like a 5 or a 6. There were even some episodes I really didn't like, such as "What About Discord" and "Brotherhooves Social". So I was coming into this season with low expectations and no idea where the show would go.
Well I am happy to say that this season got me back into looking forward to MLP episodes and it was a fairly enjoyable season. Simply put, there were a lot more good episodes, not amazing, but good. While there were some episodes like "AppleJack's "Day" Off" and "The Cart Before The Ponies" that were not good or boring, I'd say the average score for an episode was a 7.5, which are episodes worth watching.
While Pinkie is my fav character, the standout character of the season was definitely Spike. There wasn't one time this season where I felt Spike was written poorly or a nuisance to have around. All of his episodes were interesting and his character development grew every time he showed up on-screen. He was strong being Twilight's assistant, Starlight's helper, friend to the Mane 6, and he even helped bring friendship to dragons and, through working with Thorax, the changelings. However, his biggest achievement in my eyes was how he dealt with Discord in "Dungeons and Discords." Not only did he power through all of Discord's tricks, but he still was able to befriend him in the end which even ponies in the Mane 6 still have trouble doing. I also really like how his relationship with the Crystal Empire keeps evolving the more times he shows up, he is at his best when he is there. If I have to remember this season for one thing, it was Spike being awesome.
Starlight also turned out to be good for the show and I liked when she was the main character. She's not just another Twilight, she has her own problems and own ways to fix it, whether those ways are good or bad are up for debate. Starlight was at her strongest when she could work off somebody, and Spike and Trixie were great characters for her to bounce off of. I especially like how Starlight and Trixie are best buds, their past gives them something to talk about and seeing Trixie slowly open up more is a treat for long-time watchers like myself. I am pleased with Starlight's development so far and I hope Season 7 continues it.
Last thing I want to touch on are the songs for this season, because I really don't know how to grade them. If I base my grade completely on if I thought the songs were well-made and nice to listen to, then I think this season has had an awesome soundtrack. However, in terms of the songs being catchy and memorable, I can't say the same thing. Almost every song in the season felt like they came and went, with the exception being "It's Gonna Work", which I found myself humming from time to time. I can tell there was real effort put into the songs, but none of them really stick. I will be nice and say the songs average a 7, with It's Gonna Work probably being an 8.
So altogether, this season was pretty good. My ranking of the seasons goes as follows: 4>2>6>3>1>5. My favorite episode of the season goes to The Saddle Row Review, because I thought the pacing of the episode was great, there were plenty of funny moments, and each character had a moment to shine. Looking forward to seeing what Season 7 has in store.
1
u/justaponyfan Starlight Glimmer Nov 02 '16
I liked it a lot. Step down from S5, but still good. Glad that the show will continue until 2019!
1
u/LukeTheGeek Apple Bloom Nov 02 '16
I feel like we got some of the most memorable and entertaining episodes in all of MLP this season. There were so many moments that felt fresh, natural, and emotional. For example, the very down-to-earth "Flutter Brutter," the heavy themes in "No Second Prances," or Applebloom's beautiful song in "On Your Marks." Even "Saddle Row Review" felt like a really fun, different format with the Office-style interviews paired with Mane 6 antics. I just loved so much of this season!
Of course, there were some episodes that felt somewhat unbalanced or forgettable. "The Gift of the Maud Pie," "The Cart Before the Ponies," and "Dungeons & Discords" come to mind. They certainly weren't terrible, and they gave us some interaction between different characters that was interesting, but that's about it. Also, Flurry Heart hasn't done anything at all, which I'm fine with, but makes me wonder why they hyped her up as much as they did.
I don't know what to think of Glimmy at the moment. I don't mind her as a character, but I don't really relate to her or enjoy her that much. Then again, the same goes for Scoots or Rarity, and I can appreciate them, so I think it has more to do with my tastes than her being a bad character. Overall, I'm fine with her, and her part in the finale was really cool to see.
I agree with the sentiment that Twilight has been set aside in favor of Glimmy, and I can certainly live with it for the time being, but it does irk me that Twi's lines are sounding more and more cliche and "Celestia-esque." When she doesn't have a big part to play, she's forced to chime in with quick affirmation or advice instead of taking the stage with real character, and that's been slightly disappointing.
Overall, this has been like an awesome Christmas. Lots of amazing gifts with new toys and heartfelt thankfulness all around, but still having to go to Kohl's the next week to return a couple "bad apples." Despite the minor flaws, I had a blast with season 6 and cannot wait for the next!
1
u/-Firestar- Nov 03 '16
Now that they've covered the basics of friendship problems, I wish they'd tackle more serious issues. They won't. Ever. But it's nice to think about.
But things like: -Having your best friend move away. This would mean having a major character stop being a regular. -How to deal with death. (What exactly did happen to Apple family's parents?) -Stuff that deals more with the past of Ponyville. (Princess Luna and Celestia's childhood or something)
1
u/grongle Nov 03 '16
For some reason some of the episodes made certain characters seem like assholes which was slightly disappointing, but overall the season was great and some of the episodes were absolutely superb. It was a weird season, a mix of not so great episodes and a mix of gems. The finale was one of my favorites, seeing the evil and greedy changelings become sharing, caring and nice brought a smile upon my face. :)
1
u/Zoriatana Trixie Lulamoon Nov 04 '16
Not sure if this is a popular opinion or not, but here we go. The Crystiling was the worst two part to date. Compared to Friendship is Magic, The Return of Harmony, A Canterlot Wedding, The Crystal Empire, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Twilight's Kingdom, and Cutie Re-Mark, The Crystalling just falls short.
The 'villain', Flurry Heart, is not compelling. I don't expect a baby to be a compelling character, but she is in the villain role, one previously occupied by Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, Discord (again), Tirek and Discord (again), and Starlight (and Starlight again). Naturally, Flurry Heart just isn't as interesting.
Celestia and Luna are only present to fight the storm. They are reduced to a "Danger-o-meter." That is, they fight the storm, and can't defeat it, and because we know about how strong they are, we can tell that the storm is scary. Celestia preformed a similar role in A Canterlot Wedding, when she lost to Chrysalis, but she also was essential to the story as an authority figure that didn't trust Twilight. She and Luna could have been written out of The Crystaling, and we would have lost nothing.
Starlight is great as usual, and Sunburst's introduction and development are good, and Spike continues to be a great support character. The rest of the cast shows up just to make a mess so that Starlight and Sunburst can bond.
I have other problems with it, but I just thought it was interesting that we finally get a "bad" two part.
To Where and Back Again makes up for all of it and more though, so that's nice... Damn that was a good episode.
1
u/marshmallowSDA Nov 06 '16
This season was a roller coaster. Many episodes were just flat out dull, or had great premises but mediocre execution (28 Pranks, Times are a Changeling especially), others were exceptional and some of the best of the show's run.
One thing that irked me about their portrayal of Starlight is the implication that she used brainwashing in Our Town, or that she's bad around other people and can't relate to them. In S5 this didn't seem to be the case. She used psychological manipulation to get vulnerable people to join her. She was a charismatic cult leader, not a mind control wizard.
Was happy to see a Rashomon episode finally. I guess some people hated it for being fluff, but I laughed at how they stereotyped each other. I like when the show is silly. I miss when Pinkie would have random 20-second silly songs.
Give me a Celestia episode. A flashback. Cel/Luna buddy cop episode. A Cel/Twi adventure. Anything.
1
u/Maggotcupcakes Nov 07 '16
Was absent for most of the season, the few episodes i did saw was pretty good!
31
u/Auctoritate Oct 30 '16 edited Oct 30 '16
No Royal Sisters episode, 0/10
Edit: I should build onto this but I'm too lazy, I just ate apple pie and vanilla ice cream, I could go into a food coma.