We Are Borg here with my first follow-up for Season 'The ride never ends' 7 with Episode number 'It's complicated'. Canadian premiered "Forever Filly" isn't full of dangerous adventures, Discordian chaos, or Spike disappointing someone, it's a slice of life about friends, family, and growing up. The moral here is real and so are the feels.
Please join me below for crying, existential crises, losses and gains, responsibilities, and sibling love.
Edit: Sorry some of my html went derp!
Before we begin, I thought I'd explain the moral of this episode up front, so that as we go through it, you can see how it's laid out in the end. I know some were having some trouble relating. No worries, we'll get there. We've seen episodes about the difficulties and challenges of growing up, not only with the CMC, but with Twilight Sparkle and others as well. "Forever Filly" turns the camera to the other side of the window and shows us how its hard to watch
"Yeah, yeah Borg get on with it"
Right. Let's begin.
So this is the first episode of the season by our 'Fox & Friends' pair, Michael P. Fox & Wil Fox, edited by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco. Just to drive home the fact you are in Canterlot we have the reappearance Fleur and Fancy Pants (totally a ship there), Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and the incredibly displeased and goth, Moonlight Raven. Let's go inside Rarity's Canterlot boutique... Also, Unicorn master race.
What's really fun about this slice of life episode is the continuity and not just from one or two episodes. I love seeing Sassy Saddles just freak out. Though I might freak too if I was in charge of a room that looked like this...
Sweet Celestia, someone get the Elements of Harmony to fix this cause Derpy bumped her butt into everything. Meanwhile...
Rarity is super chill. She's got this. At first, you think she's daydreaming, but she'll reveal later she's not. Also, did that red fabric on her desk look familiar? It looks just like...
Heh, heh. Great episode there, and great Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas reference. Rarity has clearly been selling the Discord Collection. Anyway, we can't stop here, it's batpony country...
Like I said Rarity is chill. This scene right here actually reveals why we have conflict in the episode at all. Rarity has three shops that she perfectly manages, from the personnel, to the inventory. She's cool, confident, and knows just what to do. Later we'll watch this confidence and planning applied to something else with less success...hint hint, wink wink.
Oh snap, right in the feels. She misses her "baby" sister. She's been forgotten. Set up the plot and turn on the water works...
Enough Marshmellow tears to kill Cereal Velocity. Let's check out that scrapbook...
"So many wonderful memories" Tabitha St. Germain is awesome always. Sweetie Belle's armor in the top left is super badass. Seriously, I wish I had a cosplay that awesome. Also, that villainous little mustache she has int he bottom right would make Steven Magnet jealous. What does Sassy think of all these emotions?
Yep, some ponies just need to stop feeling sorry for themselves and do something about it. Luckily Sassy is there to say that and off Rarity goes to see Sweetie. Speaking of whom...
...is clearly trying to kill somepony...
Like this guy. That would have been a much darker episode...
So close to being that colt's tombstone. The Cutie Mark Crushers are on a mission.
Looks like Scoots is growing up too cause that's a bit high for just a jump. Her landing was rather soft too. Guess she's been getting some practice by jumping off that bridge she lives under...
Everyone had a weird kid in their school who would play with their food before eating it. Just like these two I'm shocked as well that Apple Bloom isn't playing CMC leader but rather Sweetie Belle is. While the change isn't unwelcome, it feels a bit odd. At least AB helps. Regardless, it's awesome seeing the CMC continuing to do what they are suppose to be doing: getting Cutie Marks. Anyway, whatcha gonna do with that big fat rock?...
...Chisel, chisel, chisel. Do do do dooo. Hmmmm. Didn't Apple Bloom only give him a hammer and chisel? Where did the apron and goggles come from? I want to imagine someone like my wifey Cynder with her doctorate in Occupational Health and Safety is there, consulting, and telling these animators that colts and fillies need helmets and eye protection. Sounds like a fun job. Also, I want to imagine the animators going "WTF" when told they need to animate a pegasus colt to use a hammer and chisel at the same time. How do they deal with that?
Gotcha. Why gloss over something when you can rainbow streak across it. Scootaloo is off camera, jaw dropped over this younger colt who can fly circles like that. She needs help saving up to cut off her wings and get a pair of those awesome metal ones Rainbow Dash had in that alternate timeline. I'm sure that fanfic exists. Link it in the comments. Anywho, how'd you do kid?
Dope. The CMC immortalized in rock. Immortalized as alicorns is a later episode. Also, for just the tiniest hint of more Scootabuse, do you see the size of the wings he gave Scoots? Cold blooded. Here, earn a cutie mark for it...
So the Cutie Mark magic has been getting some tweaks the last few seasons. Added was this hover, glow, and shine effect in addition to the flank flash. We saw it with the CMC as well, but not previously. Congrats kid, you now have more legit Cutie Marks than Gabby. Stop playing with your food.
CMC, job well done. Their wall is full of the ponies they have helped to get their Marks and help to understand their Mark better. Bulk Biceps, Little Pip, Gabby, Diamond Tiara, Tender Taps. Continuity. We also have some family photos with the Apples and the CMC's 2.5 sisters. What really sticks out to me is the Big Mac and Cheerilee photo. The shipping is real...
Enter Zipporwhill, first shown in "Filli Vanilli", here to complain about the wall someone wants to build her puppy not being fun and "wanting nothing to do with her" and thus her disconnect with her three paw print Cutie Mark. Hold on dear, I'm sorry for you and Imma let you finish, but...
...Rarity is the best sister of all time. Here to spend the day with Sweetie, this scene is chock full of awkward filler words, awkward eye expressions, and awkward side hugs, like this one...
Yeah, it's gonna be one of those episodes where we spend the whole time grimacing at one pony who just doesn't get it, though we, the audience, don't know quite how it should be resolved.
"So sorry dear, you're tiny..." Tabitha kills me. Beyond the joke though, this one line further stresses the point that Rarity is missing the not so obvious. Eventually, Sweetie is convinced by her friends that it only takes 2 extra ponies to get a Cutie Mark, and she should spend the day with her sister. Before we get to that misadventure, let me point out something that a number of you noticed as well...
Sweetie here, as do the other CMC, appear to be a bit different, physically, in that they are taller. Not just taller, but older. A fact Rarity has conveniently forgotten since "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" when she sang about it. Taller I say? What are those red lines you say? Let's compare...
Here we have the CMC in their second ever episode "The Show Stoppers". Look how cute they are. I think we can all agree that Rarity and Twilight are the exact same size. Thanks animators. So if we line up Sweetie's feet, and draw a few more lines, we can see that Sweetie's belly used to line up below the knee, where now (scroll up) it lines up with the knee, and the tip of the ear, even accounting for head tilt, lines up below the eye, where now (scroll up) it lines up mid-eye. There you have it. The CMC are physically growing and appear to now be 70% the height of an average mare. Hard to use that as an age basis though since 70% of a 64 in. human 20-year-old female is only 45 in. which in human height scales is only 6 years old. Yeah the CMC's are more like 13-year-olds to me now. Anyway, back to the episode!
#Proffesionalism
Puppet shows. I share Sweetie's cringe. The full set of blank flanks really drives home the younger age of the crowd. Poor Dinky needs her cutie mark too. Notice our puppeteer butt, his puppets, and stage? That's Claude and his puppet stage that Rarity created in "Inspiration Manifestation". I'm surprised Rarity can look at that stage and not hide her face. Interesting to note that despite being created by Rarity while under that dark spell's influence, the stage survived the Dark Magic cleanse by Twilight, Luna, and Cadance. I'm sure it has some otherworldy powers that may bring those puppets to life. I'm sure that's a fanfic. Link it in the comments. Let's check in on the other CMC...
That pupperino grew. Also, I know what it's like dragging a dog 80% the size of you. Remind me to show you pictures of my Siberian Husky. Another reminder that this episode is about growing up. Let's get back to Sweetie
The audience's face when Rarity doesn't get it. Remember when I said, "we'll watch this confidence and planning applied to something else with less success"? Well, here it is. Rarity is so confident she knows what needs to be done with her sister that it's her undoing this entire episode. Poor Sweetie.
Did anypony else think Sweetie Bot with this shot? The mask's folds make her look extra pissed.
Did we take a trip to Canterlot? Minuette says yes as does Sweetie's 'where are we' attitude. The ice cream lamp is awesome. The detail put into this new locale is great.
I kid you not this ice cream is so inadequate I got up to get some ice cream. This "filly clown surprise" is outrageous.
Protip: When you want a "practical" salad, commit to it. Actually wasn't that the lesson Inspiration Manifestation? To speak up? Back to the CMC...
We learn later that Ripley here is uninterested in his puppy toys but come on that ball and rope are huge.
This is me trying to wake up early on Saturday to watch ponies, then on early on Sunday because I haven't written the Followup yet.
Only Filly like balloons. Also. screw this scene for the fake out of Rarity getting it. Poor us, poor Sweetie. Maybe the CMC are doing better...
It's Blue Steel right? Props to the animators for this bit. The MLP Wiki page for Zipporwhill states she has a "slight Latin American accent." This is my reaction to the descriptor of "slight"...
By the way, did you know Zipporwhill was voiced by Tabitha too? Ripley here isnt having any of it. Scootaloo, show him how it's done...
That's right Scootaloo, you're best puppy. Might try to stick with it if the pegasus thing doesn't work out. Also, this swapping saliva with a dog via his toys is going to bother me the whole episode. Anyway, let's skip ahead to more or Rarity's idea of fun...
Ahahahahaha. That costume is both adorable and hilarious. Also, we've seen sheep talk and be kept pens by ponies before. Now think about that costume. Next...
Who wore it better? Rarity or Pinkie? I think Pinkie myself. +1 to the animators for brown egg instead of white egg. It's more authentic country. I would know. Next...
Here's another moment that shows Rarity has no shame. I wouldn't be caught dead in a costume like that if I did what Rarity did at the Best Young Flyers Competition. Actually, those wings are the ones she had in that episode. If Rainbow saw her like that she'd kick her in the face I'm sure.
The camera hates you back. Notice the theme with all these pictures, excluding the first one? Sweetie Belle is the young form of whatever Rarity is. This Frog/Tadpole combo is wild. The final one...
Finally, Sweetie gets fed up and spills the beans, or in this case seeds, but not before we switch back to the CMC and Scooby Doo...
It bothers me so much. Ponies must have the most incredible immune systems and the cure for the common cold.
Here, our two stories start to parallel closer, with Sweetie Belle telling off Rarity cause that's "not who she is anymore" and how she "doesn't know her anymore" and Zipporwhill having an identity crisis cause puppies aren't as fun as dogs.
Sad Rarity quickly experiences anger and denial. Also this guy...
It's mid-scene transition but damn this dude gets shut down. I lol'ed. I bet he makes a balloon mare for hearts and hooves day and eats a bunch of spaghetti. Sounds like a lot of Derpibooru photos I've seen. Protip kids: Don't make balloons your profession if you want the ladies to like you.
"Woof! Woof!" I guess Scootaloo can't be good at anything because Apple Bloom just beat her at being a dog. Hate mail can be sent to weareborg at equestriadaily.com. Where is Rarity?
Out of the corner of your eye, you spot her, Shia Labeouf Rarity.
Yeah Rarity, you done goofed. Scooby Ripley, there is a full-grown dog and doesn't like puppy things. Guess that means your Sweetie is full-grown, young adult, awkwardly adolescent pony who should be treated as such.
This pan angle here helps bring it home. Right in the feels. Growing up means losing those times and opportunities with those you care about but the future can always be spent together.
Gah. The mouth. Dog. Saliva. It's like these fillies are making out with this dog for Celestia sake. Gross. Let's wrap this up...
Looks like Rarity has learned some things from Spike about tongue use. So lady like.
A Kodak moment right there. Hope you enjoyed the episode and can agree on the moral. I know those with siblings and children really connected with this episode so good on ya.
