I love how all the bats are sleeping on gems. Also, fun fact, the only way to get bats to fly into your hair is by throwing them into it. Maybe Equestrian bats are different?
Spike brought back a few habits from the EqG-verse.
Celly and Luna failing to remember not to tease Murphy.
Even the princesses are impressed by the high note Rarity managed to hit when she heard that M.A. Larson wasn't coming back.
Note the ponies enjoying that oft unappreciated dessert, chocolate spread with rice krispies on toast. Also called puffed rice or rice bubbles for non-North Americans. (I'm kidding, I don't believe this is actually a thing. Feel free to correct me in the comments.)
Attention: If burning or glowing exceeds 4 hours, please see your doctor or dragon lord immediately.
Oh Rarity, sometimes you're so classy and then that lower-class racism sneaks out.
Thank goodness for chin scritches being the universal fixer.
Here we see Academicus Nerdicus doing the joyful mating dance of its people, note the outstretched wings to indicate it's attractive plumage to a potential mate and it's repeated touching of its chin to indicate it is still youthful and lacks a long beard.
Sadly its potential mates are uninterested and rebuff her by showing no body movement and shrinking their eyes.
Golly the dragon lands are super dangerous, I wish we had super powered ponies around to help with that....Welp, Celly's got a lotta ruling to go do.
I'm a little bummed we're not seeing that awesome crackle costume (nice callback) but I can agree that tape and papier mache probably aren't the sturdiest of materials. Though enough gems to deflect small arms fire surely is. Rarity also seems to have a fixation on ponies standing on top each other, I was tempted to make a high horse joke but I'll be good and omit it.
I really like the look of the dragon lands, it does feel like it fits the dragons. It makes me think of a game grid, like Civilization. I'm also a fan of the different body types and colourations we see, I can tell the designers definitely had fun making them up. My fave has to be the pale lavender dragon, very bat-like, how about you guys?
I adore those animu eyes Garble's rocking. I half expected a "S-senpai!" to slip out.
I like how Garble constantly feels the need to tell Spike he didn't say something, it really helps show the character's insecurity in a very subtle way.
And now we meet the dragon lord and his daughter. They've both got a really intriguing style and it's neat how you can see small similarities between them. They have the same horns and same diamond scale pattern. For the Dragon Lord, I love how brash he is. You can really see how he's influenced the dragons in their behaviour.
I wonder if the princesses learned the Royal Canterlot Voice from dragons.
And now we meet the maguffin of this episode. I have to admit, I think it looks really cool. It almost looks like it came from the Crystal Empire.
I can't decide which is funnier, Tabitha's noises or the faces Rarity makes.
There's always one guy who doesn't get that it's a line.
Spike getting defended by his future shipping waifu.
Something witty and non-suggestive goes here. Maybe something about how big that fish he caught that got away was.
Spike striking out with his future shipping waifu.
I have these two pics because I found it interesting how the hand changes from shot to shot. How it goes from a really detailed background to a more simplistic animated background.
Ah, overprotective fathers and stubborn teens.
Spike, your baby face really doesn't help your announcements.
Man, those costumes are really easy to break.
Oh wow, Flamecano island looks amazing. This is what I was waiting for; some awesome background scenes.
I love how all the dragons get armoured up in such different styles.
Oh man those awesome sea serpents.
Did anyone else notice Ember had painted herself and it washed off?
All I can picture here is Ember yelling something about how he's not her real dad and she can get tattoos or go to bars if she wants.
Oh, hi Wilhelm.
An unwilling alliance has been formed!
There have been a couple of really cool new animals been shown in this episode, I hope we'll get to see more of them sometime.
I like my dragons extra crispy, but perhaps that's a little too burnt.
Ember feels she hasn't filled the tsundere quota sufficiently.
Hi Crackle, we missed you!
I love these scenes showing off how easy Ember and Spike have it compared to Garble, everything from the music to the animation shows how much of a struggle it is for him. But really, am I the only one who cracked up when he got mashed into the wall?
I love these landscape shots, they just bring the dragon lands so alive. The sound and music with them help a lot too.
Awkward question meet awkward distraction/I think the lampshade is a touch aggressive.
No witty comment here I'm afraid, just I thought this was really cute.
Ember used tsundere! It was super effective. Also note Rarity still rocking those craft skills.
Another amazing scenery shot, the idea of this island being warrened with tunnels and lava flows just fascinates me.
That path is channeling Nathan Drake/Indiana Jones so hard, and I love it.
The sudden and shocking reveal!
I adore this entire fight scene, everything from the music to the action scenes helps show the intensity of it.
Just another amazing little clip that might've been overlooked.
Spike has learned the true feeling of power, look at those pupils. He knows that the spice must flow.
Awkward hugging, go!
Oooh, look! Ember is part chameleon, she's turning purple! I do find it slightly confusing that the dragons just accept whoever gets the scepter first, even though it's whoever brings it back to the dragon lord. I would've expected more fighting.
There's gotta be a few dads watching this scene and tearing up at the idea of their little girls growing up.
The ponies will be safe....because having four alicorns who control the heavens wasn't enough.
I really wanted a good closeup shot of Twilight's dragon notebook, because I love the picture on it.
And off into the sunset.
Overall I'm really enjoying Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco episodes. The writers in general are really learning how to handle Spike and what to do with him too, which is really important. I think Spike can't handle an episode all on his own, but if you pair him with someone he can really shine. I'm looking forward to more Spike episodes. He's really become a great character.
How about your guys? Do you like Spike, dislike him? Why or why not?
