Our followup schedule got a tad messed up, so I return once again for this one. Hopefully Starlight Glimmer was up to your exceedingly difficult to please standards last time fandom. I try! I really do! We all do!
Since this was another one of those episodes light on references but great on character interaction, I'll probably get opiniony again. I have a lot of those. Six years in the pony trenches will do that to a man. I've seen some things.
(In other news, It's really hard to keep language SFW in these followups after binge watching standup on Netflix. It corrupted my short term memory beyond repair)
Anyway, go get your followup below!
I keep complaining about Twilight, and she has changed a lot since growing wings and maturing over the seasons, but she still has plenty of old Twilight moments. That and her neck keeps getting longer. Does this mean her final form is a ...giraffe? Would you still love Twilight if you had to put up a ladder to boop her nose?
[Reverse Scrunchy]
This expression lasts like 10 seconds.
In ponyland, not cleaning up after a spill and trashing public transport in defiance is a sign of STRENGTH.
For some throwback, It looks like the uniform on the right is her ruined one from that detective collection I forgot the name of (For anyone obsessing over stuff like this)
This cat rubbing around on everything is making my allergies flare up just looking at it. Why do cats do that? Just more proof that dogs are better~ I went there.
Just in case you ever worried about how pony lips worked. I know a lot of you have thought about it based on those polls, don't lie.
I don't want to offend anyon...oh
More throwback, it looks like all that money from Rarity's new dress business expansion upgraded her fainting couch. The old one was much less extravagant.
Let's all take a moment to appreciate how incredible sea-battered Applejack the Pirate is.
Temporary Opiniony Serious mode
Since everyone seemed to enjoy the last time I dropped some serious, I'll do it again! I've been told a lot over the years that I give off an air of dislike for Apples here. I think it really all just stems from where I was raised. Here in Arizona, you can't go 5 feet without running into cowboy junk. We have entire stores dedicated to boots and hats. The trope is draining after years of being bombarded with it. The amount of times I've heard horrible things spouted out of people that embrace said lifestyle is kinda terrifying. The insane amount of times I've seen completely logical and amazing plans collapse for the sake of tradition makes me die a little inside.
Early Applejack was really just stuck in that cookie cutter build. Thankfully she has become much less one-dimensional as the episodes go on. It kind of reminds me of people's hate for Glimmer after yesterday's editorial. Yeah, she might not be your cup of tea right now, but back in the day an Applejack episode was largely met with groans in the exact same way. The writing style portrayed in the show has a very slow growth curve, with many a repeated character storyline until they strike gold and expand them a bit. If you open your mind and try to put some of that blind dislike for a specific character behind you, all the ponies in the mane cast eventually grow on you. Apples here is the perfect example for me. Even if her initial offering was everything I'd grown up through life hating, the rest of her character shown from season three onward has made her a pony I love seeing.
Sure she has her frustrating moments (including a couple this season), but everypony does. They do still have somewhat templated personalities that the newer writers fall back on every once in a while to an extreme degree (again, this season especially for Apples). I appreciate her for all the other amazing moments she had though even during those low points.
I've said a few times over the years that she needs more episodes not focused on apples and family, but I forget that her entire livelihood is apples and family. Would I be able to go a day without anything at all involving pony? Probably not. We've got common ground in that we both love what we do, but also can't really do many other things because it's so time consuming. I wouldn't call it trapped, just too busy.
That being said, the Applejack of this episode is the Applejack I love, not just because she makes an amazing pirate, but because she showed a side we rarely get to see; the adventurer! The type of job that would require getting dirty, tackling difficult situations, and the courageousness she has in spades. I feel like she is always at her best when she isn't on the farm. Even fixing up the Ponyville spa was a neat characterization touch (though the rest of that episode was... something).
In other words, give me an Applejack adventure arc! This entire episode got me excited for some ship traveling, danger facing, treasure finding goodness. Sure I can get it elsewhere plenty, but not with these amazing ponies heading it. They really do make everything better.
Just look at how well these guys at DHX animate a stormy ocean. The art style with it's wispy clouds and heavy line usage works so well in an environment like that, and the cute pony models add a contrast that makes the entire thing unique. Hasbro why do we only have one pony series?! Doesn't transformers get a million spinoffs? Take my bits!
[Serious Mode Over]
Possible Captain Phillips "Look at me! I'm the captain now." reference in Pinkie's line here?
In normal cartoons, this would just be cartoon physics. In pony, this could be a legit Bag of Holding. That's one thing I've always loved about the show. The Dungeons and Dragons geek in me is CONSTANTLY ready for more. If you have no idea what that is, consider yourself an uncultured swine.
How does this pony not have a massive case of diabetes by now? I googled it. They may not be able to regurgitate like us, but they can definitely have too much sugar.
MFW out to eat with someone who is on a "Eliminate everything tasty" diet
MFW it's their 20th Hollywood diet this year and nothing has changed.
MFW they follow up their weekly torture with a 5000 calorie weekend cheat day.
MFW they bitch about my cheeseburger and how unhealthy and fattening it is.
I'm sorry. Bad recent experiences. Real life is a scary place. Stick to pony kids.
Or just be a cartoon pony. Apparently candy and ice cream is the equivalent to salad over there.
Small Reference: Rarity's outfit is parodying someone named Charles Nelson, a famous treasure hunter. Albeit with a few more gemstones.
And much better looking~
One thing I love about this episode is the strange, exaggerated way each of the ponies seems to mentally represent one another. Even if their stories were supposed to be "fishermen's tales" where everything is blown out of proportion, they still kinda show what, internally, they believe their friends are. Pinkie Pie's army of stallions and piles of materialistic items is kinda telling on what she truly believes of Rarity. You only get this kind of truth when you are angry about someone! After their differences in Spice Up Your Life, It's not that big a stretch at all to think Pinkie sees Rarity this way.
Applejack's retelling is probably the most interesting here though when looking at it from that angle. Does she really see Pinkie Pie like this? I actually dove into a few old scenes to get a view on how she usually reacts to party horse in other episodes. Surprisingly, out of all the mane 6, she really does seem to be the least enthusiastic about Pinkie's randomness.
This type of reaction happens almost every time the two of them are in the same scene together, even when other ponies are laughing at her antics. Try digging around some time. It really is fascinating.
That being said, these two are goddamn adorable.
I have no doubt that Applejack's version of Rarity who constantly spouts "darling" and complex words is her normal way of seeing her. Even I would probably use that if I ever had to describe her to someone.
I'd also say she looks really good in proper oldschool New York gangster garb.
Apparently its supposed to be a titanic reference.
In other news, I think this vector artist forgot a hoof.
"How do I make it look like an accident?"
I was going to say something about explosive... something based on that volcano on it's butt, but I didn't want to be a dick to the poor guy.
("Say without saying" brought to you by Trump2016! The most ridiculous debate in the history of US politics!)
Either these ponies are incredibly well off (and I'm assuming Twilight and Rarity are), or this giant box of ancient sunken treasure isn't worth anything at all in Equestria, as they didn't even seem the slightest bit excited after opening it.
I have to admit, the ending was a bit odd. There were a lot of consistencies between their stories outside of the sandwich, including a seemingly long distance traveled from shore and humongous storm. Were they really just a few feet off the docks the entire time? Do pony memories just work on a completely different space/time scale than ours?
Despite that, I actually really liked this one. The "ponies on a ship/in the ocean" trope is LONG overdue and something I've been craving for ages. We got it briefly in the comics, but I'd kill for some more high-seas adventure in the actual show. The team over at DHX absolutely nailed the seafaring vibe, with everything from the background music to the outfits and environment. I really hope it's something we can do more of in the future.
And with that I'm out! Sorry about the lack of jokeyness. Hopefully the other followupers will be around for the bombardment we are getting later this week if those UK schedules don't change.
"Butts!"
[Obligatory followup thing]
