So as it turns out, this episode was not the elaborate reference to the movie I was expecting it to be, but I'm still going with this header because I'm an adult horse and you can't tell me what to do.
As we head into a rather unexpected mid-season break, I suppose it's worth postulating that the captains of this show have been making it a point this season to find whatever reasons they can to go hog wild on a particular idea and make a concept as fun and free-roaming as possible. Sometimes that reason is just to show that, yes, they do appreciate the community, and then sometimes like today it's to explore where this generation's roots have grown to. This is certainly an example of the latter, and I for one am happy to see it.
I might be a little biased, though. Dreams are one of my favorite story-telling elements.
After the break: the followup for Luna Apparently Needs Therapy.
Continuity! It's a thing—
Oh, I have been informed that we've revisited Nightmare Moon already.
On the plus side, here's to animators having a good excuse to reuse art assets.
Especially these, since I don't think we've seen them since the previous season finale.
Despite the one-letter change in this episode, Tantalus is a real figure- a fun fact that should surprise no one at this point since the writers love to delve into Greek mythology for inspiration. He was a son of Zeus (who isn't, though?) who was, "made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water always receding before he could take a drink."
As if this episode didn't have enough dark undertones.
It could also just be a misspelling of the Latin "tantibus", which means "nightmare'. Leave me to my headcanon, damn it.
 |
| "My dream ended... happily?" |
This show is rated Y. For young children.
On a more upbeat note, here's Owloysius not giving a hoot.
I tried.
Twilight has always been suspicious of towels. Spike knows that, though. He just likes to keep her on her toes. Hooves? They're always on their hooves. Horseshoes?
And yes, at the risk of angering the Spike fans, I do think this is how you write this dragon. He's much more suited to being a side character and it's easier to integrate him into things in that regard.
I generalize wildly, of course.
It was nice to see Twilight dictating a letter again, though.
Another reminder that Luna's mane is corporeal after all.
What I'd do to get my hands on her conditioner.
 |
| Apple Pie confirmed. |
Luna's only regret is that there aren't more ponies to see how cool she looks right now.
Look, I know I used up my quota of Inception references with Bloom and Gloom, but, seriously.
 |
| If this didn't frighten you, you're in denial. |
I love that unicorn lasers are a thing. Not common, but still an accepted part of the lore.
How does one earn one? Do you have to find an old man in a desert?
Can we take a moment to appreciate that this scene is entirely Tabitha talking to herself?
 |
| "They cut the hardline, it's a trap- get out!" |
 |
| Pinkie is incapable of giving a buck about this nonsense. |
"Didn't she do this last week?"
"Our sugar import taxes are through the roof. She's ruining this economy."
I refuse to touch this line.
 |
| It's almost like they want me to start making fun of Applejack again. |
"I want an excuse to do the slow-motion Changeling fight scenes again." - random animator
"Consider it done." - Meghan McCarthy, probably
This summer: Twilight slept on books one too many times, and now they're out for revenge.
Book Horse II: Electric Scootaloo
[voice style="Cinema Sins"] Pinkie and Applejack are suddenly in different beds. [/voice]
I know a lot of you are still in various levels of school, so I'll get this out of the way now. Those dreams you have where you show up for a very important test and realize that you haven't studied all semester? They never stop. I've been out of college for two years. They still happen.
I'm very sorry.
"What if we linked every pony's dreams into a single one?"
"Aren't a lot of them already asleep?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"There is no universe in which that is a good idea."
"Someone definitely switched my Bailey's creamer." - Berry Punch, probably
I know they said they were giving Derpy a bigger role, but this is ridiculous.
Oh my god, it was a pun, stop keying my car.
 |
| "Only 90's kids will get this." |
This complex metaphor for the housing bubble the United States experienced a few years ago might just go over the heads of the target audience. I'm not sure what it's doing here.
Did you hear that?
It was the entire internet cheering at once.
Did you hear that?
That was Pixelkitties exploding.
 |
| Rainbow Dash tried not being obnoxious once. It was awful. |
This is just as subtly depressing as it was in Bloom and Gloom.
On the other hand, is that a new wing design?
Speaking of depressing...
"I created the Tantabus to give myself the same nightmare every night, to punish myself for the evil I caused as Nightmare Moon! To make sure I never forgave myself for how much Equestria suffered because of me!"
This show is rated Y. For young children.
I don't even have a snappy comment for this one, this is just a really awesome shot. It goes well with how absurdly real this episode just got.
This and Amending Fences, the episode immediately preceding this one in airing date, both do an exceptional job of bringing themes that were first started in this generation's pilot full circle. We've explored Luna's guilt of being Nightmare Moon before, but the visual metaphor here is quite apt.
It does justice to a topic that was well worth exploring, even if the set pieces were pretty dark.
The lesson here is about learning to forgive yourself, and also apparently giant mushrooms.
We've got a bit of a mid-season break coming up now that this episode has aired, but we'll be right back on point when the season resumes. For now, though, I've been Cereal Velocity, and you've all been great.
All the vectors used in the header are credited here.
