Even without our wall-eyed goddess, this was a very strong episode. Lots of action, references, and the good old slapstick humor the majority of us crave from the series.
So lets get to rounding it up! Find it after the break.
Applejack makes slow-mo look good right off the bat. From the start, it had an cowpony feel, but surprisingly enough, the rest of the mane cast sort of took over after the intro. Maybe we will see a bit more of her in Super Speedy Cider Squeezy, but for now, Applejack is still stubbornjack!
Lets just get this out of the way right now. Derpy Hooves seriously came out of nowhere. We actually had someone tell us that this episode was all her fault a few weeks ago, but tossed it to the moon with the rest of the random rumors we receive. Who would have thought something like THAT would be true? I can't wait to see what else they do with her in the future.
Someone re-created the entire Derpy scene in Garys mod, and it was remixed a few hours later. You guys work so fast...
It looks like Lyra and Bonbon have been hangin' out a lot more now. I doubt we will ever see anything past that, and they would never admit it, but I think these two may just share a folder in the RANDOM_BACKGROUND_PONY directory now.
Mayor Mare sure does love money. I am seeing that a lot in this show! Equestria definitely has an economy, and if Applejack winning first place is the only way to repair their town hall roof, it sounds like Ponyville isn't doing so hot!
I bet some of you recognize this one. I'll give you a hint.
I'm seeing this one a bunch over at Ponibooru... Seriously guys, she's just standing next to him. Please don't flood my poor drawfriend box with Twilghtxbgstallion shipping.
One thing to note, that crowd had a bunch of new male ponies in it. I guess they are trying to balance it out a bit more? I'll stick with mares personally!
We have outhouses and toilets confirmed for Equestria. They may track mud everywhere, but at least these ponies know to keep their unmentionables in places where they belong.
Now for some new side characters. This poor guy just wanted to celebrate his birthday. What a hard worker. At least Pinkie gave him some cake.
And here we have Cherry Jubilee. She might want to get that mole checked out, that's a pretty scary color. Skin cancer isn't something to mess around with!
We already saw this one prior to the episode, but for those that missed it, this is an I love Lucy reference. I remember watching that at midnight on Nickelodeon I think it was... Good times.
And this is why you NEVER break a Pinkie Promise. Good job with the whole "Element of Honesty" thing Applejack... Yeesh.
Of course, we can't forget the Chimicherrychangas.
And I'll leave you guys with ten minutes of Pinkie Pie driving Rarity insane. Tune in next week for Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000!
273 comments:
It was probably the best of the season by far. Also, nice video.
ReplyDeleteAre you trolling me or something?
ReplyDeleteDERP!
ReplyDeleteDERPY! that is all.
ReplyDeleteI rather enjoyed how Pinkie Pie lost her shit when AJ broke her Pinkie Pie promise. That was classic!
ReplyDeleteSeth, do not underestimate shippers.
ReplyDeletehell, we ship Trixie and Big Mac for fucks sake.
never underestimate us.
Great episode all the way around :D
ReplyDeleteThat Applejack pic was based on an old sketch? I thought it looked familliar... but I thought it was from the show somewhere o.o
ReplyDeleteSO AWESOME
ReplyDeletePickle barrel kumquat!
ReplyDeleteI liked how Pinkie gave the birthday guy some cake. How considerate of her, maybe she really DID deserve to win that "Naughty or Nice" competition.
ReplyDeleteAJ and Derpy were very cute in this episode
ReplyDeleteXD Twilight Sparkle + background pony shipping. WTF?
ReplyDeleteHow am I NOT reading this under Harvey Levin's voice?
ReplyDelete@Kurraga
ReplyDeletePinkie wouldn't let anypony leave any kind of party without at least a slice of cake.
That red mare in the background definitely knows that the Twilghtxbgstallion is real.
ReplyDeleteMight be my new favorite episode.
ReplyDeleteThis was the best episode by far and that is a tall order to outdo!
ReplyDeleteSrsly, I fell in love with Pinkie when she gave that cake to the mail pony. :3
ReplyDeleteGod, Seth, do we REALLY need a calendar widget on this site, at the bottom???
ReplyDeleteTHERE WAS SO MUCH WIN.
ReplyDeleteThat is all.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood episode it was.
ReplyDeleteDerpy's big APPERANCE could mean more roles for her the future or even her own episode.
If they need Applejack to send money, I'm guessing the harvest is over an they need more to sustain themselves.
Well if Twilight ships with that stallion I wouldn't give a buck, it would at least drop some popularity of TwiDash shipping, I'll call that a small victory
I feel as though that Mail guy was like another character but I can't remember who...
It would be funnier if the mole had a hair
And I hope Rarity doesn't torture Rainbow by making her wear frilly clothes or trying to "Civlize" her.
Can we call the mailcolt Post Pony Al?
ReplyDeleteHe does look like Weird Al Yankovic...
That was my favorite episode so far!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great episode. I wrote a review of it in my blog. I'd like to share it with all of you in good faith, the same way I've been sharing them since the season started :) Have a looksee down here, and let me know what you think of it in the comments!
ReplyDeletehttp://awthredestim.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-last.html
Thank you guys!
I was a bit disappointed the lesson AJ learned was pretty much the same as Applebuck season.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Seth. Twilight is just standing there, he's just a background pony. Nothing is going to happen.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Lunar Cabinet meetings are now held at night at 8.
Picklebarrel Kumquat Picklebarrel Kumquat Picklebarrel Kumquat Chimicherrychanga!
ReplyDeletederpy'ness aside pinkies still my #1 pony! (i do have 1 background charater i realy like its got to be octavia!) whats your favortie background charater?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't look like there's much room in that toilet. Do ponies use the facilities sitting Lyra-fashion?
ReplyDeleteNice review of the episode
ReplyDeleteIs it normal that this pic with Twilight and that dumb, ugly unicorn makes me jealous?
ReplyDeleteI personally loved RARITYCATCHME.
ReplyDeleteI still squee with joy when I hear Derpy talk.
ReplyDelete@Sgt Byrd YES. That part made me laugh so hard!
ReplyDeleteMy god Derpy is so cute.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else notice how often Carrot Top and Dinky showed up?
ReplyDeleteKumquat! Kumquat! KUMQUAT!
ReplyDeleteTHE BEST EPISODE OF SEASON 2 SO FAR!!!!!!!! ^_^
ReplyDeleteGiven the number of times they've had to rebuild all or parts of ponyville I'm guessing that the town coffers have to be about empty at this point.
ReplyDeleteThat big skyscraper was going to bring in business and tourists and provide needed tax revenue, but the "Mare do well" incident collapsed that dream, and the lawsuits against the construction company are promising to drag on for years, to say nothing of the tourists who are suing the town for emotional distress over the whole "road to a cliff" debacle.
It's not a good time to be mayor of Ponyville.
That pic of Twilight next to the bgstallion is quite interesting. The mare behind them has a creepy 'SOON' face, and the way Dinky is obscured by the Hub Logo makes it look like she has a leaf moustache.
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else see all Fluttershy's relatives there: the cherry trees?
ReplyDeleteI mentioned it elsewhere, but my favorite bit of random background ponyness to note was that BonBon showed up at the train station to see AJ off, was at her party, and also at the train station when she finally returned, and she was the only non-apple relative background pony to be there. Seriously... It was the Mane five, the mayor, the apple family (plus a couple of cousins) and BonBon each time.
ReplyDeleteShe's apparently a big Applejack fan.
@Sgt Byrd
ReplyDeletelol yes!
Trust falls!
@Travis Smith
ReplyDeleteshut your face. >=[
@Harwick
ReplyDeletemaybe she's hoping to cheat on Lyra with Applejack?
Pink background pony between Twilight and yellow background stallion.
ReplyDeleteDAT FACE
At least someone is shipping already...
@Travis Smith Rainbow Dash always dresses in style!
ReplyDeletei think i saw more Rainbow dash in this episode than AJ
ReplyDeleteI loved everything about this episode.
ReplyDeleteDerpy is cannon. (I'm not even a huge Derpy fan, but the bit with her was funny and I appreciate the product staff letting the fan base take part in the show. That's just awesome.
Pinkie Pie had so many great moments. Pinkie rage!? Who knew she had it in her?
The obvious Lucy reference.
Rainbow Dash was awesome. (I don't ship AppleDash at all but I love them as friends and I really saw development in Rainbow's character when she stated that she wouldn't' care if AJ came in 50th place. Apparently she's matured in her "winning is everything" attitude.
And finally an AJ episode. She's not my favorite character but she definitely deserves to be the mane character after a long time of supporting role time in the other episodes. I also love the general interaction between the entire mane six.
This is favorite episode of the season.
@The Grey Potter
ReplyDeleteThat's not just any "old sketch"....it's an old sketch by Lauren Faust. I want to say there was a big charity auction for it, but i can't quite remember
Just copying this from elsewhere because I think it's an important idea to spread:
ReplyDelete"I hope they do more with Derpy. The way I see it, they could go two directions with her character, just as the fanon has: lovable oaf, or misunderstood genius with terrible hoof-eye coordination.
Given those choices I hope they go for genius. It's less predictable, puts more common stereotypes on the chopping-block, and makes Doctor Whooves + Derpy as time travelling companions all the more likely.
Besides, The 'lovable oaf' concept is nice, but it’s a tricky direction to go for a budding TV show. Worst case, it would trip over stereotypes like 'Blonde' and 'Mentally handicapped' instead of destroying them. Not sure if want."
Derpy 'Iron Plot' Whooves.
ReplyDeleteJust purchased this episode off iTunes! Best episode I have seen in the series so far!
ReplyDeleteApplejack element of honesty, doesn't tell truth to her friends until the end
ReplyDeleteRainbow Dash, Element of loyality, Abandons Pinkie and Rarity while chasing after AJ
Twilight, Element of Magic, hardly uses a spell in the entire episode.
I would like to point out that this isn't the first time Rarity and Pinkie were seen together.
ReplyDeleteRemember back in Dragonshy when Twilight was suggesting they work together? What was she thinking then?
But now Rarity and Pinkie Pie working together seems to be okay. Only Rarity got hit by the full weight of a Pie this episode, I wouldn't mind being hit with a Pie.
In my opinion they tried way to hard to make Derpy sound, well, Derpy. She sounded.... special.
ReplyDeleteApplejack, why you so stubborn? She really does set herself apart from the other ponies with that southern pride. But an AJ episode is an AJ episode. I'll take what I can get. Love that pony.
ReplyDeleteI loved this episode, it's become one of my favorites from the entire series. It really had everything I love to see in a TV show, adventure, action, comedy and a good good lesson to teach. Plus moments of d'awwwwwwwwwww because I literally tear up every time I see Big Mac crying.
ReplyDeleteApplejack was appletastic as always, loved how she flawed of pride, something a lot of us do. When we fail and we don't want to face the ones we believe we've disappointed. AJ you'll never disappoint me.
It's a build up for her character that I love, we always see her as the most "stable" of the characters, some even say bland, but it's just her personality. She's such a down to earth pony that we forget that she has her emotions as well. And this episode reminded us that AJ is also "human" or pony if you will.
I honestly was scared because throughout the whole episode I had no idea of what went wrong, at first I thought AJ lost the Rodeo, but when Jubilee said that she won a lot of badges I had no idea anymore. And the thought, even if remote, of losing AJ forever makes you realize that we may take her for granted sometimes. At least as viewers.
Applejack, you are my favorite pony, and the rest of the mares are all best pony c:
Pinkie Pie in this episode was simply brilliant, I loved her comedy relief so much! After seeing her in Baby Cakes trying to be more mature it was only nice to see her in her crazy but lovable state again. And now that you know that she is also quite mature, it only ads to the character. Well done Pinkie! I'll make sure never to break a Pinkie promise though.
Another character I loved throughout the whole episode is RD, she was very in character, so to speak. Always inquiring and as RD is, impatient. I love it because she's always been like that, and continuity in character's personality is pretty great! Plus, at the end, when RD tells AJ that they are their friends, I reminded of Mare-Do-Well's episode. For some reason, I saw what RD learned that episode very well reflected in this one. Not always number one? Who cares, we love you anyways. Keep on learning RD =)
To finish, Fluttershy, I find simply marvelous how she is evolving. I know many people don't like it, but I do. From the extremely shy Fluttershy of the first episode, to someone that thanks to her friends is becoming more open and less shy. To be TOO shy is pretty much a flaw, and the fact that her friends are slowly fixing that is something I find very endearing. I think Fluttershy is the character that has had more evolution throughout the series. From not being able to jump a simple odd, to keep up with Rainbow Dash pulling a stagecoach. She's still shy, but not overly shy, she's still delicate and demure but not totally defenseless anymore. As she told Discord, she's awfully lucky to have friends that want her to be the best she can be. You go get 'em Fluttershy! Well... If you want to...
And those are my thoughts on the new episode. I skipped talking about Derpy because I already did yesterday, it was awesome, it was splendid, and It was real fun getting to experience this with all my brony friends and all of you guys. Trully a memorable day, and a memorable episode.
Cheers~!
i might be going a little far on this but i thought there was a star wars ref when they were chasing applejack and pinkie said "we have you now!" i don't know its almost the same as the death star chase scene
ReplyDelete@CaptainDash
ReplyDeletesometimes you have to abandon people in order to stay loyal to the cause. lrn2loyalty.
Toilets were already confirmed in Sweet and Elite when Rarity says she needs to use the 'little filly's room'
ReplyDeleteDid anyone else get an "Old west Madam" vibe off of Cherry Jubilee? Obviously I knew she was NOT going to be in charge of a house of ill repute, but it was my first thought on seeing her.
ReplyDelete@Mike
ReplyDeleteI agree. I always preferred the idea of Derpy as a smart pony with an eye condition who was perpetually suffering from being misjudged.
On one hand, AJ had that NBA ref assist going on. She was definitely traveling with the idiot ball and I didn't hear a single whistle.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the episode as a whole was just about everything I love about the show, it was good clean fun with a healthy dose of slapstick. One of my favorite episodes this season so far.
So now we have Rainbow/Derpy and Applejack/Cherry Jubilee ships to add to the list.
ReplyDeleteAlso, did anyone else notice Bonbon with the rest of the group for Applejack's send off, at her welcome back surprise party and when she returned to Ponyville? At the station she was the only background pony with the main group and it seemed at the party and the return that the other background ponies were already established as relatives of the Apple Family. Perhaps this means Bonbon's also a relative of the Apples?
you missed the part of dinky and her parents, did anyone other than me noticed that
ReplyDelete@wackypony
ReplyDeletetruedat
This was such a fantastic episode, definantly one of my favourites. Had so many laughs throughout, especially the "Rarity catch me!" bit had me in stitches. This was a strong AJ episode and I hope to see a bit more development with her in next weeks episode. (Also would like to see Big Mac talk some more)
ReplyDelete@Cola
ReplyDeletebut we already have Derpy/Dash shipping going on.
I noticed a nice touch in the opening, in AJ's slow-mo jump over the bar; she clips it slightly. Add to that the two hay bales that hadn't made it across the line, and it was a good way to hit at how she isn't a flawless athlete. Sure, we all knew she was going to lose, and thus not come back to Ponyville, but it showed that her loss wasn't some weird fluke just for the sake of the plot. By Celestia I love the effort the crew puts into the characterization in this show.
ReplyDeleteLyra and Bon Bon: our romantically involved (debatably) stealth Derpys.
People are shipping that random colt and Twilight? Yeesh.
Will everypony stop harping on AJ for the whole "Honesty" thing? We've all seen that the girls don't show their Element 100% of the time (I'm looking at you, Rarity). I've always looked at it this way: Deep down they embody their Element no matter what, but part of that is also potential. As normal ponies there's still room for them learn what they need to truly master their Element. Being corrupted by Discord didn't cause them to actually lose their Elements, only lose their use.
Also, DERPY DERPY DERPY DERPY DERPY
So... nobody's going to mention the scene with Carrot Top + random male pony looking lovingly at Dinky as if they're all a family? Alright then.
ReplyDeleteneeds more SCOOTALOO.
ReplyDelete@wackypony
ReplyDeleteI think you're right... BonBon is a total rodeo groupie.
@D. Shadows
This isn't even the first time the two have fallen out of the chase vehicle together while trying to catch a runaway friend. I laughed hard at the bit with the balloon chase in the Discord 2-parter, and I laughed harder at Pinkie's sudden random trust fall here.
@Armetron
ReplyDeleteSay what? I must of blacked out that part from my mind with the train scene.
@Sgt Byrd
ReplyDeleteMe too!
"RARITYCATCHME!"
"Wha? PinkieAAAHH"
Best moment in the whole episode, for me. Which is saying a LOT, because this whole episode was *AWESOME*!
Here's the lesson I learned from this: It's easy to be proud of yourself when you're a winner, but it's not so easy to lose like a winner.
ReplyDeleteThat's why Applejack will always be best pony to me. It doesn't seem like it, but this episode really developed her character.
We're used to everypony in Ponyville viewing her as the best, and she believes it, too. Look how awesome she is in the intro. But then it turns out she isn't always the best. She decides she isn't good enough for Ponyville or her family, and tries to find a hole to crawl into and hide? My heart right then, guys, seriously. She's just so afraid of disappointing her friends. I've been there; I think we all have.
I think the reason Applejack doesn't get all the praise that she should from our community is that there's not enough of her being awesome in the show. Maybe if they'd shown some actual rodeo...ing, other than what was in the open, it would've been different.
Hopefully the next few episodes can fix that, being Apple Family episodes and all. I'm looking forward to it.
@wackypony
ReplyDeleteSorry. I've never actually seen any myself.
Ponibooru is too busy trying to give the guy a name.
ReplyDeleteThe captions failed to name him.
One of the popular choices was Lord Beard.
This fandom is insane, but the good kind of insane.
Pfft, all you people complaining about Twi x BGStallion, you could say the same thing about your precious Lyra x Bonbon and all the other pairings that are just "standing next to each other". :/
ReplyDeleteRegardless of Derpy's surprise appearance, I'd still consider this my absolute favorite episode.
ReplyDelete@chiusa
ReplyDeleteBut Lyra and Bonbon have stood AND sat next to each other on more than one occasion.
@Harwick
ReplyDeleteYes I'm aware of the dragged by Rainbow Dash through the air moment. Though they don't really interact very often do they?
Yeah that jumping scene in the beginning, I'm like, who else was thinking "The Matrix" LOL
ReplyDeleteEpic stagecoach chase! :D Pinkie being a Weapon of Mass Annoyance! :D
great episode :). BTW who's that pony beside Twilight?? :/
ReplyDeleteAWESOME EPISODE... now for SCOOTALOO episode =D
ReplyDeleteTwi + Big Mac is the only Twi shipping I want to hear about.
ReplyDelete@Cola
ReplyDeleteRegardless, they're just BG ponies and they are probably just friends.
@Midgard Dragon
ReplyDeletehttp://mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/lrtdx.gif
Yes it was a really good episode.
ReplyDeleteRarity is finally being punished for all her lying and swindling. I look forward to a fic about her adventures with Pinkie.
ReplyDeleteTrollestia: "Don't look at me. I didn't do nothin."
It seemed to me AJ's decision not to return had less to do with stubborn pride and more to do with keeping a promise and the fear of disappointing the people who were counting on her, both of which are easy to relate to. It was a nice touch that they showed the girls struggling with the same emotions that AJ was dealing with on the train ride to Dodge Junction - they wouldn't know how to break it to their friends and family that they had failed after promising to bring her back.
ReplyDeleteKinda weird having a flushing toilet in an outhouse...
ReplyDeleteAnyway, one of the better episodes of season two. Hopefully AJ gets a lot more screen-time in next week's episode.
@Harwick
ReplyDelete@Cola
And I thought I was the only one to notice that Bonbon was in all three:O it's unlikely to me that she is part of the family, I guess she is a good friend of AJ, from child(filli?)hood in Ponyville.
Also seth, how could you not include this.
Couple other notes while I'm still thinking about it:
ReplyDeleteThat intro scene, really making me take a shine to hatless Applejack. She really does have a beautiful mane, and should be showing it off more.
And if your town hall is falling apart because somepony sat on the floor, chances are the money from first prize in a rodeo isn't going to be enough for repairs. I can imagine Mayor in her office going, "Well, time for another tax hike."
And funny as it was, I consider it the lowest of blows that Pinkie's Pinkieness was employed to gang up on poor Applejack, not to mention it being foisted on Rarity at the end as well. That poor pony deserves to get all the revenge she can muster after that fiasco.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Although Derpy was definitely the highlight, the whole episode was awesome. One of the best this season, by far. I'm not sure if I like it better than "Find a Pet" or "Luna Eclipsed" yet, but it's definitely at the level of those two. Great episode from the FiM team, can't wait for next week.
ReplyDelete@chiusa
ReplyDeleteI know but fanon stuff like that adds more fun to the show and the fan base. Shipping has always been a favorite part of a fan base to me.
@D. Shadows
ReplyDeletePinkie and Rarity really don't go together at all, personality wise, so those sudden instances where they're literally thrust together come off as so unexpected and funny to me.
I was impressed that there was so much Pinkie\AJ in the episode as well, as that's another pair that hardly ever interacts. All I can really think of was their stare down when AJ tried to cover the surprise party preparations from her with bad lies.
I'm most looking forward to the suspected Dash/Twilight interactions in Read Em and Weep because that's another one that we haven't seen explored too much, aside from random egghead jibes.
Oh, and here's to the announcement of a Fluttershy episode soon.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great episode for multiple reasons. Definitely one of the strongest of the entire series so far.
ReplyDeleteI'm somewhat surprised that Derpy's name fully passed the scrutiny of Hasbro legal, given that the fandom invented it. Not that I'm complaining, but I had assumed that she'd never be identified by name for that reason. Glad I was proven wrong here.
@Harwick
ReplyDeleteShe's so dedicated, she even helped clean up the rodeo in Canterlot.
Just a great episode. Derpy, AJ, and a wild, wild Pinkie Pie. Very gud!
ReplyDelete@wackypony
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out I stand corrected. I do have a single Rainbow/Derpy pic in my archive.
"Seriously, guys, they're just standing next to each other..."
ReplyDeleteHi, Seth, I'd like you to meet bronies. "Just standing next to each other" gave birth to our most consistently shipped couple, and about a quarter of our ships are between ponies who have never shared an episode.
..There are people who ship randombgpony/Twilight? Well okay then! I do love how they used one of Lauren Faust's sketches for that photo.
ReplyDelete@The Invincible
ReplyDeleteRarity insulted Applejacks nice mane. She deserved the Pie to the face, not only that Rarity still lied to her friend in Canterlot while she was hob knobbing with nobles.
Also the town hall wasn't meeting OSHA complience anyway.
Applejack is the best pony ever.
ReplyDeleteAnd Derpy was not interesting.
But I wanted to see rodeo scenes with Appleajack.
At least this was the greatest FiM of all.
@FreezingShock I see some ApplejackxThe Mayor too.
ReplyDeleteThis episode wasn't so much about AJ's stubbornness as it was about her fear of failure. I think that's a very relatable feeling. Poor AJ has been built up as a pony who is always able to help others, and her not being able to probably causes a bit of an identity crisis.
ReplyDeleteAm i the only one who thought the mailcarrier looks like dr.muffintop(i guess that's what we're calling him?) from secret of my excess?
ReplyDeleteThis episode easily made my top 5. Derpy! Omgsh, DERPY! And Applejack is best pony; it was good to finally have an episode about her this season. The slapstick humor was priceless and I got excited about some of the new bg/side ponies. That poor mailman! XD
ReplyDeleteHub? We love you so very much. <3
That confirms it! The My Little Pony universe is now more well thought out than Star Trek's!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, Derpy's voice is almost EXACTLY how I imagined it to sound like, some people don't like it because they were so used to BaldDumboRat's Derpy voice that they couldn't imagine any other way she would sound...
ReplyDelete@Mike
ReplyDeleteImagined scene for episode #16.
Derpy: "Here, Rainbow Dash! I brought you this to read!"
Dash: "Uhh... Derpy, this is a calculus book."
Derpy: "I know! Whenever I have trouble going to sleep, I just solve the problems until I get tired!"
Dash: "But I hate math!"
Derpy: "What? That's silly! Who hates math?"
(beat)
Derpy: "Anyway, enjoy!"
@Voodoo-Tiki
ReplyDeleteI would have to disagree with you here. While both episodes do hinge on AJ's one major character flaw: her overwhelming pride in her own abilities, the lessons she learned in the two episodes ARE different. In AppleBuck Season, AJ learned that it's alright to ask for help, that one pony does not have to carry the world on her shoulders. In Last Roundup, AJ learns that just because you may fall short of your goals at times does not mean you're letting everypony down who believes in you.
@Mike
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the adventures of the lovably eccentric Dr. Penelope Hooves, nicknamed "Derpy" after a small foal incorrectly read the nameplate outside her office [DR. P. HOOVES].
Parent: What's the doctor's name, sweetie? Can you read the sign?
Foal: Der...Pee..Hooves.
Assistant: Bahaha! 'Derpy Hooves!' Hey doc, I think you've got a new nickname.
Derpy: Goddammit.
She wears corrective goggles in the office but they're too thick to use in public, so she's terribly clumsy. Her obliviousness to local customs and her eccentric brilliance impede her attempts to join in social gatherings ("Nightmare Night costumes are supposed to be ugly and scary, eh? A cursory examination of local culture tells me that the ultimate sign of ugliness is wearing a bag over one's head - and more bags must equal more ugly! Hooves, you've done it again.")
Somebody write this. Hell, I might do it myself if I get bored enough.
@wackypony
ReplyDeleteCan't tell if joking or half-joking. Or three-quarter-joking.
I must say, Derpy totally stole the episode. Yes, it was an Applejack episode (where every other pony in the Mane Six got important roles, to boot), but we were all expecting to see Derpy appear again.
ReplyDeleteAside from Derpy, the episode was quite amazing. It had a little of everything in a marvelous balance. Every one of the Mane Six got their own scenes, there was some good writing and the chase was particularily amazing. The ending was hilarious, too.
NOW... we've stablished Derpy as canon. Who's next? Octavia? She already had a second appearance and the animators certainly focused the scene on her, a deliberate "Hey, look WHO's here!!". Vynil Scratch? I would like to see her return, too.
Well, time will tell. All I'm saying is, gosh, this series keeps bringing up new stuff. Just when you thought you'd be in for a boring or regular episode, there's something wonderful and unexpected.
It's like getting a pair os socks for Christmas...
... and then discovering they have candy inside.
It's that kind of pleasent surprise.
@Armetron
ReplyDeleteDinky is seen with a new "parent" every time she appears in an episode. Heck, even multiple times in the same episode. There's no rhyme or reason to it.
Alright episode, I'm not entirely sure if it can be counted as character development for Applejack as others have pointed out, almost same lesson in Applebucking. There was plenty of development of the other characters that was very nice to see. The nods to other TV shows was very well done and liked the humor in the episode.
ReplyDeleteOn Derpy, I can honestly say this episode was a boat anchor to her. I don't hate any of the ponies in this show, but this episode dragged her down to the bottom of the list of which ones I like.
Didn't like the characterization of her, cheap comic relief and, "Stupid Derpy Tricks" Most I've heard making hay of the fact, "It's a nod from the creators to the fandom." issue is the creators have already given multiple nods to the fandom in the show and beyond the show.
I preferred the, "Spot the Derpy" they had been doing to an actual scene with her talking in.
Will see in the future, right now I feel if they ever have a Derpy centered episode it would rank as, "Worse episode ever" in my book.
The whole thing with Derpy having a scene and actual lines didn't hold nearly as much significance to me as it did with others, but that notwithstanding, this episode still is going into my top favorites, it was just all around fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI do find it amusing though that some people are being so quick to ship Twilight with some new random background pony who was just standing next to her. Would not have suspected that unless told.
@Altherix
ReplyDeleteEvery party needs a pooper, that's why we invited you. Party pooper, party pooper.
As one of the people who was initially less-than-100% sold on this episode the first time through, I have to say I've definitely come around on it a lot better after having some time to really chew it over. The biggest problem I had, a feeling of been-there-done-that about Applejack's ultimate motives, is mitigated at this point by the fact that it actually DOES show us new sides of the character's personality when you really stop and think about it. The vulnerability we see in her when the truth finally comes out is the key, IMO, and I think it speaks volumes about what about Applejack makes her one of my favorite characters in the show.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, Derpy showing up actually was pretty awesome. Helps that her voice sounds more or less exactly like I'd want it to, albeit somewhat lower-pitched. Still, Tabith St. Germaine has demonstrated her voice-acting chops commendably this Season, so it's no surprise her Derpy is so successful.
that oink pony with the yellow mane wants bgstallion... badly 0.o and lol at dinky
ReplyDeleteApplejack didn't lie, she just utilized a over-sight in the promise made ;D. Next time you ask a pony that cannot lie to tell the truth at breakfast, demand they promise to go to breakfast.
ReplyDelete;D
Hmmmm... consisdering Derpy is now canon, and how much damage she caused, it makes one think that maybe she's the one who will put rainbow dash in the hospital
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm sorry, but this was a TERRIBLE episode. The only good things about it were Derpy and everything with Pinkie Pie.
ReplyDeleteThe plot was paper thin. Applejack broke character for the ENTIRE episode. And the pacing was off - am I the only one who felt that they stretched out a bunch of the scenes just to pad the episode to 20 minutes?
What's that, Applejack would never lie and would never abandon her friends and family? WELL NOW SHE DOES JUST THAT. FOR AN ENTIRE EPISODE. No Discord necessary.
What's more, nobody even seems to care that AJ was lying the whole time. The episode's lesson completely glossed over the fact that she betrayed her friends and family, instead going for the "even if you lose you're still a winner" angle, which sickens me. That's a terrible lesson.
They needed to come right out with it and say "Applejack, lying by omission is still lying!" because what they did instead just doesn't cut it. Friends don't let friends lie and hurt them, then pretend it never happened. There needed to be a reckoning. I would not show this episode to my little cousins, just because of that. And so far, this is the ONLY episode I've had a serious problem with.
But because Derpy finally spoke, this is going to go down as everyone's favorite episode... and that's just not right. This episode trashed an important character. The Applejack I know from past episodes would have come right out and told her friends the truth as soon as they asked. But this... this was just irreconcilable.
The Pinkie scenes were great, though. Top notch, and hilarious to boot. As was the Derpy scene. But for the love of all that is pony... don't let those scenes color your perceptions of the rest of the episode. Because the rest was BAD.
@Spikely Whiplash You're welcome. ;P
ReplyDelete@JR
ReplyDeleteI definitely did. Her appearance, especially the hair and the mole, suggests that she is based on Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke who did run an old west brothel in the town of Dodge City, Kansas. The town in the show where she lives is Dodge Junction. Coincidence? I think not.
Here's a link to a book about the actress who played Miss Kitty. It's got a pretty good picture of her on the cover.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/perfectly-amanda-beckey-burgoyne/1100822376
@Spikely Whiplash
ReplyDeleteWhat is more loyal. to abandon someone for a short time to ensure a lengthier stay together afterwards, or to abandon your current objective, which completing will lead to the above, and go after someone else that is irrelevant to the task at hand?
if they had gone after Rarity and Pinkie Pie, they WOULD have lost Applejack. They were there for Applejack, so Dash was obviously staying loyal to the reason they were there, Applejack. sometimes you have to make sacrifices.
Somebody should ship cherichanga and chimicherry!! And then Kumquat comes in and steals one of them away!!! Omg epic idea
ReplyDelete@BronyCal Given what we've seen rainbow dash do and survive unscathed already, I'm beginning to wonder what *could* put her in hospital. She got hit by lightning and smashed through a wooden floor by a falling beam, and then *another* 20-odd foot drop by the looks of it at the start of this episode alone, and didn't get a scratch.
ReplyDeleteMaybe not accident or injury, maybe infectious disease or something.
I'm not the only one who noticed the young mail pony has Spike's voice, am I?
ReplyDeleteI made it to 7:35 of the "ten minutes of Pinkie Pie" before I had to turn it off. I feel really sorry for Rarity, having to go the whole way home listening to that. Rainbow Dash is my favorite, but even I would have to plot some kind of revenge scheme.
ReplyDeleteAlso... DERPY IS CANON!!!
Derpy showing up like that would overshadow any episode. I never expected Derpy to be anything more then just a "Where's Waldo" BG character, and I guess the rest of us did too considering the reaction. But everything about the episode was absolutely FANTASTIC and it's easily one of the best of the series.
ReplyDelete"Seriously guys, she's just standing next to him. Please don't flood my poor drawfriend box with Twilghtxbgstallion shipping."
ReplyDeleteY'know, that's most of the time with Lyra and Bon Bon too but you're perfectly fine with people crowding your inbox with that.
@wackypony
ReplyDeleteWe shipped TOM with Rarity, don´t forget that one. XDDD
Anyway, great episode and with Derpy getting her name and speaking it was even better. :D
I didn't even notice the scene with Twilight and the random background stallion. This episode, as others have said, would have been great even without our favorite ditzy mare's big debut. Again, I just hope AJ really gets her chance to shine next week.
ReplyDeleteCherry Changa: http://www.drinksmixer.com/drinkg19h489.html
ReplyDeleteHeh. Another one past the censors.
@StrangeNoise you have a point there. Rainbow Dash is seemingly indestructible... quite the curious case and we still have two weeks until we find out
ReplyDeleteMeh, I didn't like the episode that much. I mean, I appreciated the derpy scene, and the fact that it was an AJ episode, but there's just so many short scenes taking the ponies so many very different locations doing very different things it feels a bit random and spastic. The writers just tried to squeeze too much stuff into it too inelegantly, and it just comes out a mess. Many of the elements in isolation were ok enough, but with too much going on and the changes in tone/goals it just comes together all wrong.
ReplyDeleteApart from those issues, my only real problem was Pinkie Pie. A little Pinkie-crazy is nice. But using Pinkie as like, a weapon? It could work, but the way it was handled gave the impression that Pinkie knew that by just acting like herself she would be annoying to Applejack. Pinkie never struck me as being consciously aware of how annoying she was to her friends, and I always thought that there would be an episode where she sort of finds out how annoying she can be and gets all sad about it because she just wants people to laugh and be happy. This episode though, she seems aware that, just by being her normal self, she would drive Applejack crazy. Which was weird and I didn't really like it.
It is made worse when Rainbow dash is wielding her like a weapon (did anyone else get Rainbow Pie vibes?).
This colored the way Pinkie acted the rest of the episode to me--it went from "Pinkie pie is just having fun, and consequently annoying her friends!" to "Pinkie Pie is annoying her friends, and consequently having fun!" Which didn't sit well.
This one goes to my Mare-do-well/Best Pet/Owls Well tier.
If they continue allowing derpy to be shown like this she might as welll be upgraded from a background pony to a side character pony perhaps?
ReplyDeleteI think that mailcolt looks a lot like the Dr. Muffintop. Maybe he's the doctor's son, or something.
ReplyDelete@Vurtax
ReplyDeleteWell, since one of his waifus is currently abroad, he has to hang on to the one he has left. You'd expect him to get a little jealous.
I like how Derpy's scene wasn't just throwaway slapstick. Her accidental destruction of a seemingly poorly constructed town hall is what drove the rest of the story. After all, if Derpy hadn't smashed up town hall, Mayor Mare wouldn't have put so much pressure on Applejack to win the rodeo and donate the prize money.
ReplyDeleteDerpy was nice to have in an episode, yes, but for me, this was still Applejack's episode. And I didn't see her so much lying to everypony so much as she was trying to conceal the truth, yet still not let everypony down by finding a way to get the repair money some other way. When confronted, obviously she didn't want to have let down or disappoint her friends or her town.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason Applejack was kind of downplayed in her own episode was because, well, she's been in more episodes than any other pony. The producers were probably worried about overexposure. Maybe that's why next week's episode is an Applejack one too. Perhaps a TRUE Applejack episode.
...and I'd better get an Applejack song out of the deal! =P
So let me ask you guys. Now that we got Derpy, who do you hope to get next? My hope is Doctor Whoofs, but that one may be problematic for copyright reasons. Then again, parody...
Now that's a rage face :3
ReplyDeleteShe may or may not speak again. If she does, it can't have the same sense of occasion as this time, but that's ok.
ReplyDeleteTotally should be a three-way sequence with her, luna and rarity of course.
Might have my movies mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that ending Pinkie Rarity scene is a reference to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
ReplyDeletegasp--- they're standing AND sitting next to each other?? That clinches it--- they're DEFINITELY lesbian lovers!
ReplyDeleteI would pay cold hard cash to see them reveal that they're 1)both married to colts 2)SISTERS, just to see the lezshippers' heads explode.
Before season two started, I thought about how Derpy could be integrated into the show. One of the ways I thought of was the exact way she was used in this episode.
ReplyDeleteSince she is clumsy and accident prone, she could inadvertently create some conflict that the Mane 6 have to resolve. I for one, would be fine with Derpy fulfilling that role, at least occasionally. However, I would also like to see Derpy in other roles. Since the makers of the show made her name, THE big fan aspect, canon, there's no reason they can't also make her a mailmare.
If you type just "rar" in the youtube search, the second auto-complete option is "Rarity Catch Me"
ReplyDeleteWhoa.
AJ was able to get away with it, though.
ReplyDeleteShe Pinkie Promised she would tell them at breakfast. But she never showed up.
So Derpy's voice, name and klutziness are all canon now. (kerpow goes a LOT of fanon...) I'm crossing my fingers and hoping like heck that they make Dinky her canon daughter as well...
ReplyDeleteAnd now I'm wondering which background pony is Ditzy Doo.....
This episode was AWESOME, even without Derpy ^^
ReplyDeleteGreat humour, great story, great lesson.
@RHJunior
ReplyDeletewouldn't stop us.
why?
cause fuck canon.
@Wisdom Thumbs
ReplyDeleteI don't feel that this is the case. A problem with Applejack has always been that she didn't seem flawed enough. This made her at times less interesting than say, Rarity.
This episode shows that even though Applejack represents the element of honesty, she does not represent it perfectly. (Just like the others aren't perfect.) She too can have her moments of weakness and shame. Up until this point her biggest flaw was that she was stubborn. This episode displayed that, but I think it also displayed more insight into what drives her.
Applejack prides herself on being dependable and meeting the expectations of others.
Applejack clearly felt she let her friends, family, and all of Ponyville down. Obviously, she was ashamed of facing them down because she had failed to meet the expectations. Applejack wasn't just competing for her own pride, she was competing for Ponyville's sake as well.
Though misguided, I don't think she was planning on abandoning Ponyville permanently. Her end goal was to earn the money that she felt was expected of her. She likely believed that Big Macintosh could handle Sweet Apple Acres while she was gone, and was trying to fulfill what she felt was an obligation, which is not exactly disloyal.
You may also notice that Applejack is a very BAD at lying the few times she does try.
I don't think that her friends exactly let her off the hook for trying to mislead them either, Pinkie seemed legitimately upset that Applejack broke a promise.
While the kids' show friendly letter to Celestia might have glossed over things, it does not invalidate everything we can learn about AJ, her motivations, and faults from the events in the episode.
Who is best pony?
ReplyDeleteCelestial empire or New lunar republic?
What do we ship rainbow dash with next?
these questions can all mooooove over the new question that will plague us is... chimie cherry? or cherry chongas?
@Stormy Brave
ReplyDeleteAs long as she doesn't eat breakfast 'tomorrow' she didn't break the promise. She in fact completed the promise perfectly as she didn't say she was going to show up for breakfast.
@Wisdom Thumbs
ReplyDeleteThat's your view of things, but a read through the comments should tell you that a lot of people thought this was a good character episode for Applejack for various reasons. Different people can watch the same thing and come away with completely different impressions. You may not agree, but don't just write it off as them being too blinded by Derpy and the Pinkie scenes to see the truth.
No Dinky's Dad background pony?
ReplyDelete@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteI think that boat sailed when Derpy dropped a piano on Twilight.
It was one song away from being a perfect episode.
ReplyDeletePinkie was hilarious, AJ was awesome, DERPY WAS FREAKING DERPY... Just... so awesome!
@Vurtax
ReplyDeleteYeah, but those two are both BG ponies. All we know about either of them is... they spend time together. But we know a heck of a lot more about Twilight.
Yo guys, what upset me more was Carrot Top strongly being implied as being DINKY'S MOTHER. You bronies get the satisfaction of Derpy being canon... but not Dinky as her daughter! HA!
ReplyDeleteI see this birthday message pony as a reference to the Sound of Music. Rolf/Leisl anyone?
ReplyDeleteDid anyone catch the "Gunsmoke" reference when AJ said, "We better get the heck out of Dodge!"
ReplyDeleteI saw Carrot top turned into Caramel Apples...
ReplyDeleteAlso when dinky doo looked up at that one purple-maned colt, I thought that might explain why sparkler is her sister and why she's slightly purple.
@ActionScripter9109
ReplyDeletenot to mention we then saw Carrot Top traveling on the train with Dinky
hmmmmm
I loved the episode! I'm sure a lot of people were paying too much attention to Derpy and hoping she would swoop in for more disaster, but I was in for the Applejack.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is getting after Applejack for lying when her Element of Harmony is Honesty. Sure, she lied pretty bad, but I find that the Elements of Harmony are things that the ponies should learn FROM.
I still don't blame her for lying. She just didn't want to come home empty handed when she basically promised everyone the money. Either way she would be lying. It's just it probably would have been better for her to just return home and tell the truth. But at least she learned her lesson!
Derpy pissed me off. I never really liked Derpy Hooves that much. She just seemed like an overrated background pony to me. I even TRIED to like her, but after she stole the highlight of the episode, I have a feeling that my appreciation for Derpy will never come... Maybe things will just wear off and I'll be able to like her more some time... As long as she never becomes a mane role.
inb4 party pooper.
@Vurtax
ReplyDeleteLyra and Bon Bon are both background ponies; Twilight is a main character, so it would be pretty much impossible to believe she has a romantic interest without it being mentioned somewhere in the show.
Lyra and Bon Bon have appeared together multiple times, and not just in crowd scenes; the only time this (so far nameless) stallion and Twilight have appeared together has been in this one crowd scene.
Granted, I think in canon that Lyra and Bon Bon are good friends, nothing more, and I also don't find Twilight+unnamedbackgroundstallion shipping more annoying than most other shipping, but yeah, there's considerable difference between the two potential pairings.
Someone tell me I'm not the only one who thought the picture of AJ looked like an actor reference photo.
ReplyDelete@TheScraft
ReplyDeleteParty po-- oh wait, never mind.
Seriously, though, I understand why you are upset with the way Derpy's speaking debut has taken over the appreciation of what was an excellent episode; hopefully things will settle down in a day or two, we'll get some proper Applejack fanart, and you can look at Derpy in a more favorable light, even if you never warm to her.
I've already been flamed around the internet for having this opinion many times, but I guess I'll say it here again... I did not like this episode. At all.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that we got Derpy made canon, a great performance by Pinkie, a tribute to I love Lucy, a great scene with Rarity and Pinkie at the end, and all of that stuff...
But... well can you say "Element of DIShonesty" anybody?
I think it's trying to emulate 'Applebuck Season,' and show how stubborn and proud AJ is. This is all well and good but there's a real undertone of weakness, cowardice, and treachery to this episode. While Applebuck season was Applejack trying to prove she was stronger than she really is in an attempt to help her friends and family and failing at it, causing some problems in the process but all in the name of helping... This episode is not. This episode is Applejack embarrassed about not getting a blue ribbon and going out to the garden to eat worms, refusing to tell her friends and family about it, even when things start to end up getting dangerous, all in the name of hiding away from her shortcomings.
I'm sorry... I thought Applejack was better than that.
I find that the episode highlighted a great deal of distrust in Applejack for the ponies that are supposed to be her best friends, which feels out of place given what we know about her. I find that it also shows Applejack as a cowardly, selfish pony who is too caught in her own sense of pride and fear that she actively hurts her friends and family and puts ponies in danger, all to preserve her own bloated ego. That's what the episode got across for me.
She wouldn't go home because she won second place. Oh she says that she wanted to make money to send it back home and that it was all for a good responsible cause, but if that was her main motive THEN SHE WOULD HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT SHE HAD LOST AND WAS TRYING TO MAKE SOME MONEY ANOTHER WAY IN HER TELEGRAM. Instead, she purposefully hides what happened because she's just too cowardly to admit to her friends she's not perfect and she doesn't trust them enough to accept her as anything less than perfect. As a result, she numerous times ends up lying to people, hiding away, not telling anypony what's going on, putting people in danger, and breaking Pinkie Pie Promises to do it.
If she had ponied up and told them what was going on then I would be perfectly okay because at least then she wouldn't be hiding away from embarrassment and misplaced shame. She would be like in Applebuck season: Trying to help her friends at a hurtful cost that she can't even see due to her stubbornness. As it is, with the lying and the running away and the secrecy, she just comes across as a coward hiding away from her failings who places no trust in her friends. She's hurting people due to her stubbornness and she KNOWS it... and she CONTINUES DOING IT. That's not the Applejack we know.
Element of Honesty my flank...
Worst of all, she's so intent on preserving her ego and hiding away the truth that she goes out of her way to hide from her friends, lies all over the place, breaks a Pinkie Pie Promise, and outright puts her friends and others in danger, nearly crashing into a train, just because she's too much of a weakling to come to terms with the fact that she's not the best rodeo star. This episode butchered Applejack more than Mare-Do-Well butchered Rainbow Dash in my mind.
I find that the only thing people are focusing on when reviewing this episode is Derpy. Clever trick, writers. Very clever. Get people so busy spazzing out about Derpy being canon that they won't notice the ginormous problem with the episode. It's the trick to get people to watch one hand tempting you with a lollipop so that you don't notice they're picking your pocket with the other. And yes, while it does have some nice moments, the whole thing with Applejack... it's just too much.
Am I the only one that noticed that the background music for the opening scene was pretty much the Bonanza theme?
ReplyDeleteIt seems I am beginning to enjoy this show less and less with each new episode. I'm just not smiling, laughing, or getting a good "d'aw" out of it like I used to.
ReplyDeleteThe charm just seems to have been declining. A good example is what they've done with Rarity, they've made her over dramatic, which wasn't in her personality in season one. Large, sudden changes in a character annoys the hell out of me. Then there are the plot lines, being uncreative and being filled with constant predictable tropes. I've enjoyed season two up to Hearth's Warming Eve, because they were sometimes unpredictable and the dialogue actually interested me, to an extent. That's really the reason I, once a week, sit down and watch a television program intended for little girls. It seems, to me, that there is a decline in writing effort.
I'm hoping future episodes improve this issues.
Oh and just a side note, don't have 3 episodes about the Apple family, or any secluded group of characters, over a course of 4 weeks. We need a bit of weekly variety.
@UltimaShadow7
ReplyDeleteOh so that's where that line is from, I thought it sounded familiar!
Sooo... I take it i'm the only one that didn't like when Derpy spoke?
ReplyDelete@Gaucelm
ReplyDeleteNah. Fanon can still safely assume Dinky is Derpy's daughter, and there isn't even need to go into denial.
Fluttershy watched over the Three Crusaders for an episode. Dinky Hooves fans can just as easily assume that Derpy just shoved her precious filly into Carrot Top's care while she was busy helping with town hall repairs.
That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. All the past Derpy & Dinky fanart is too cute to be denied without solid evidence.
For the record, if a later episode confirms someone else as Dinky's mother, I will do my personal best to ignore such revelation.
"RARITYCATCHME" Loved that, really made me laugh. I really liked the Ep, specially since AJ is my favourite character. Looking foward the next one!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if anybody else noticed. But I spotted Doctor Whooves. While the gang was searching for AJ at the rodeo (showing her picture around), I spotted a colt in the background cleaning. He had the Sand Dial cutie mark.
ReplyDeletei wonder if we will ever see a doctor who reference... maybe a blue box in the background with the stallion trotting quickly by it.
ReplyDeleteHow is AJ keeping balance in that photo?
ReplyDeleteboth pairs of legs are crossed...
Got to admit, even beside the whole Derpy part, it was a unexpectedly good episode.
ReplyDeleteIm not a huge fan of Applejack (and I personally think she has had a too much of screen time compare to other characters.) but this was a good episode that had the right balance.
my only thing I would say is the "lesson" feels a bit phoned in on this one. I really didnt quite feel like anyone fully learned anything out of it.
@BruteForceFTW I know right?
ReplyDeleteSurprised so many people are upset about Applejack supposedly being selfish/egomaniacal this episode.
ReplyDeleteGuys, she promised the Mayor that she would bring back money to fix the town hall. Not coming back wasn't an act of treachery at all; in fact, it fits directly with her element. She made a promise, and she's not coming back until she's fulfilled it. I would have been a lot more shocked and appalled if she had just hopped on the next train to Ponyville and said, "Hey, sorry, but I lost! Guess we'll have to make the money another way!"
@Dusty the Royal Janitor
ReplyDeleteYou probably weren't flamed because you thought the episode was bad; maybe it happened because you saw AJ only by "a dark point of view".
Well, you think she didn't go home because "she didn't want to admit to her friends she's not perfect", but try viewing it by another angle: first of all, AJ's primary goal in the competitions isn't "be the best"; her goal is "be the best you can be" (in this case, BETTER than her best). However, this time, another goal was there: *earn money for Ponyville*, as she promised.
Sadly, with not even one first place in the rodeo, AJ found herself with nothing to give to her city. Without wanting to disappoint her neighbors, she gets a job on the cherry farm so she could earn all the money the mayor was expecting to repair Ponyville. She didn't return WITHOUT it because she wanted to live up for the other ponies' expectations. (did you see how happy they were when the mayor mentioned AJ would be giving to the town her prize money of the rodeo? They were expecting a prize, hence, a VICTORY to win that prize.)
She promised she would return with money, and that's what she was going to do if her friends didn't find her. Of course, it would take a good time to get all the money by that way, and lots and lots of ponies back in Ponyville would miss her but, in her mind, she was thinking like: "I went to that rodeo to give them the money. I'll earn it anyways, it'll just take some more time. They're expecting the money to return, not me. I cannot fail them."
But yeah, her stubborness took the best of her at the moment and yes, she "broke" a Pinkie Promise. That was something like RD not wanting to stop to get Rarity and Pinkie in order to continue her pursue to Applejack. "Greater good" and stuff.
About the letter: man, this is a cartoon show, after all. Just imagine how plain BORING the episode would be if AJ said she would return to home soon. No worried friends, to "searching in all over Equestria to find her" and most importantly, no real story to the Ep. Think of it like "Ticket Master", where Twilight could've written to the princess she wanted 4 more tickets to the Gala instead of writing the letter only in the end of the episode.
If the show staff followed this logic, a quarter (or even more!) of the show's episodes would have absolutely no plot. (you know which kind I'm talking about)
Oh for Celestia's sake, Sethisto, we all saw Pinkie Pie's bathroom in "Feeling Pinkie Keen", and it had a toilet in it. Weird thing was, it looked exactly like a HUMAN toilet, whereas ponies are usually seen sitting on the ground (with major exceptions for Ponyville Elementary and sitting Lyra, of course).
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete@Rafasde
ReplyDeleteI think you missed the point of my argument entirely. It's not that she wanted to get money for the city, it's that she hid away the fact that she lost the tournament. That casts a very definitive motive on why she ran away in the first place.
Yes I'm sure she did want to get money for the city, but she could have said in the letter "I lost the tournament but I'll get you your money somehow. Don't know when I'll be back but it could be a while," and the ponies could go out looking for her anyway to assure her that she didn't need to shoulder that responsibility and that they'd figure something all out together.
Instead, the fact that she spent the whole episode covering up what happened in Canterlot, giving her friends the runaround at what happened in the rodeo, and the whole embarrassed speech when the others finally see the not-blue ribbons reveals quite plainly what the whole debacle was REALLY about for AJ: She was embarrassed. She was upset and whiny about not winning first place and she didn't trust her friends enough not to reject her.
If her ONLY MOTIVE was to make money for the farm, then she would have told the others right away what the situation was in the letter. It still could have resulted in a good episode, with the ponies bopping about Equestria to look for her and tell her that she didn't need to shoulder all that responsibility herself. As it is though, her immense secrecy suggests that there is another, indeed, more primary motive at work: That she just doesn't want it to slip that she lost.
@jodyjm13
ReplyDeleteFunny thing is I actually just started appreciating Derpy a bit more after spending time with my derp of a dog. I swear he even has the same eyes as her, only blue.
@Dusty the Royal Janitor
DO realize that the show is about learning from your mistakes. While it was mighty dishonest of her to not tell anypony what she was up to, she was afraid that she would be completely hated for coming back empty handed. Have you ever been in one of those situations? It's hard.
Like I said earlier, the Elements of Harmony may be things to moreover learn from.
Though I can really agree that the train part is just full on crossing the line. Applejack would never ever do anything like that just because she lost a competition. But we must remember that this is a TV show, and the thrill added to that moment was pretty hefty, and audiences love thrill. And remember that if Applejack had just come back and tell the truth, the episode would have been reduced to a short with no build up to the moral.
@UnknownSociopath
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone.
Did anyone else catch the animation error when Rarity and Pinkie Pie were on the rail car? For a split second, Rarity had a tidy mane. She was annoyed straight!
ReplyDelete@TheScraft
ReplyDeleteActually, yes, I have been in a similar situation. When I was eight I won second place in a children's horseback riding competition and I was very proud of myself. I got to go to a larger competition as a result where I only won sixth place. I hid in the bathroom and cried for an hour because I was so embarrassed.
Maybe it's just me comparing Applejack to that one personal experience, but the way I see it, Applejack acts like an immature eight year old boy in this episode.
That said, I'm glad someone else realizes the thing with the train. I think they could have found something different to do to give the audience a thrill myself. Something more accidental, like accidentally stirring up a nest of giant scorpions or something and having the ponies work together to get away from them. I dunno...
Pinkie might end up giving some people nightmares after that scene...and I still can't believe we had a actual Derpy moment.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best episodes this season for sure.
Lyra and Bonbon are definitively Cannon shipped, there are very few continuity errors and at 3:00 Lyra has her little unique jumping animation.
ReplyDeleteBonbon is seen at the train-station whit the mane6 and whit the apple family afterwards until they were going to surprise Applejack.
Either implying Lyra was whit Applejack for the rodeo and possibly Bonbon helped whit the party(being a party-planner(but they do have pinkie...? so yeah)
@Wisdom Thumbs
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm not as pissed off as you were, but that sums it up. If it weren't for the flagrant character-breaking, this episode wouldn't have several key scenes, a plot, or even a premise. The interpersonal dynamics pretty much broke my suspension of disbelief.
The ending felt completely last-minute, down to the closing scene, which just felt like a rushed attempt to tie up a loose end.
@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteLets just hope some of the writers and animators of the show stop by and see it and it makes them think.
@ Wisdom Thumbs
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you, I said this on the episode stream thread too, except I don't think this episode is terrible.
AJ's motive on why she didn't go back to Ponyville was horrible. Ya we get she was ashamed she did not win the prize money, so she then screws over her family and friends to go to a cherry factory to earn money to fix town hall. But no it does not end there, when her friends find her they try to help her and were asking why she left but AJ does not tell them and lies to them. Now her friends are trying to chace her her down and she still won't tell them.
AJ in this episode goes way to far with her stubborness to tell her friends the truth were it was unrealistic. It was like Rainbow Dash in the MDW episode, ya she is arrogant but she pushes it to a point were it is unrealistic and annoying.
If it wasn't for Derpy talking, this episode probably would not have gotten as much attention.