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:
@Dusty the Royal Janitor
ReplyDeleteRead the last two paragraphs of my comment again.
But yes, I agree that she was sorta embarassed with her losses at the rodeo. However, I still think that the money subject was the best explanation for her behavion in the episode.
"That confirms it! The My Little Pony universe is now more well thought out than Star Trek's!"
ReplyDeleteWell, we're the next Trekkies in my book.
@Spikely Whiplash
ReplyDeleteI was thinking more along the lines of she has a secret celestia-funded lab in her basement where she creates bubble-shaped portals to every corner of equestria, and has a spare that links to Carrot Top's fridge.
...or maybe she could be like Gary in that episode of Spongebob when Spongebob invades Gary's dreams...
@Rafasde
ReplyDeleteThe letter? Okay.
First of all, "The Ticket Master" isn't a very good argument, because in my opinion anyway, that was the absolute WORST episode in the series. Worse than Mare-Do-Well, this episode, Best Pet, and Look Before You Sleep combined. It was predictable down to every single beat and had an almost G3 level of stupidity with which the characters handled everything. Ticket Master almost made me quit MLP:FiM in one go.
Now as for your actual argument, lemme just say that it didn't necessarily have to completely stop events. If her ONLY MOTIVE was to make money for the farm, then she could 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 on some montage journey to the tune of an 80's power ballad to look for her and tell her that she didn't need to shoulder all that responsibility herself. Applejack could have still vanished without a trace to take a new job and the ponies could go on an ADVENTURE looking for her to bring her home and assure her that they would all work things out together back in Ponyville.
As it is though, her immense secrecy and constant lying-by-omission suggests that there is another, indeed, more primary motive at work: That she just doesn't want it to slip that she lost.
yeah I definitely think this is gonna be my second favorite ep of the season (sorry but Lesson Zero is just too relatable and funny). Again, I think Pinkie and Derpy stole the show from AJ but she still had some good moments.
ReplyDeleteWell here's hoping next week's ep is just as fun (though I expect cliched cheating to be involved)
"Lots of action, references, and the good old slapstick humor the majority of us crave from the series."
ReplyDeleteSpeak for yourself!
This is my favorite episode of the entire series, but for absolutely none of those reasons. Humor was decent but weak (as usual for this show), references are a step below puns as far as jokes go, and the action was not much of a draw.
I loved this episode because of Applejack being goddamn awesome. Yes her big flaw is on display, not a strength, but boy did I sympathize. That IS Applejack. We see her strong side all the time, like in Sisterhooves. That niggling fear of being weak and useless though... when it comes out, it comes out awesomely.
Best pony.
Derpy or no Derpy, one of the best episodes of the series, and that's some pretty stiff competition.
ReplyDeleteBut we DID get Derpy, and that's an official WOOT right there. :-)
@Mike
ReplyDeleteDarn links that don't work between pages!
anyway here's a hack link that works:
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/01/episode-followup-last-roundup.html?commentPage=1#c6191951070615754152
Red dead redemption. Did anyone else catch that reference.
ReplyDelete@Mike
ReplyDeleteI hope someone sees what I did there.
I used to be all "What's the deal with the Derpy following? A cross-eyed pony, big deal. NO, more than big deal...WTF???"
ReplyDeleteAnd then I saw her in action, and heard that lovable voice.
And as a result...
BIG Derpy fan here. Still love all the ponies pretty much equally (except Pinkie at times, please MLP writers, DON'T turn her into the spastic idiot character we see destroying so many other cartoon shows, PLEASE), but wow, Derpy...love at first sight. Yep. I'd have no trouble with seeing her again. She's just awesome. So can we, MLP writers? See her again? Please?
This episode was Pinkie Pie at her finest, i.e. at her most random. Constant non-sequiturs? Check. Goofy rubberface expressions? Check. Pinkierage? Check. Random recipe discussions? Check. Being used as a psychological torture weapon? Check. Raritycatchme? Double check.
ReplyDeleteGlorious. And this is to say nothing of the other well-timed references to other shows or movies that popped up throughout the episode. Props to Keating Rogers for her best script so far as a MLP:FiM writer, easily a top tier comedy episode.
It was a pretty fun episode. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't rolling my eyes at people honestly trying to say Twilight and that random background character are an item. I think many people in this community just like to see couples in the show, for various reasons and ship them together. I won't say some if the biggest reasons why I think they like to. It's not my thing I guess. But aside from the community acting silly, I liked the episode. It had a lot of fun stuff in it. Derpy, the I Love Lucy reference, Pinkie simply cracked me up with her chimcherrychangas. Aside from the whole Derpy thing, I think that was my other favorite part of this episode.
ReplyDeleteNext season, Lyra and Bon Bon make out.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great episode, even without Derpy. It tipifies everything that is great about the show. Stong writing, funny gags, great slap stick, and references semlessly blended in so that the work even if you don't reconize the reference.
ReplyDeleteTHat being Said... Wooo Derpy!
Forget being in the same back ground pony folder, Lyra Heartstrings and Bon-Bon are in the same sub folder so animators always know to put them together.
With the number of times that Ponyville gets destroyed, the Mayor has defiantly spent the rebuilding funds by now.
Wow I never noticed that. Good eye.
I don't mind them evening out the gender ratios. It makes for a more realistic society and more opportunity for shipping. Speaking of which, Seth when has anything stops this fandom from shipping characters?
I like that they did not just forget that Pinkie had to go after she found AJ.
I call him Letter Box.
Its a beauty mark.
Hay, AJ din't lie. But ya, don't break a Pinkie Promise or Pinkie will find you no matter where, when or what dimension your are in.
So I guess this means that only the Cakes are able to take Pinkie in large doses. I would like to see someone do a crossover/remix/parody of that scene from Fosters where Cheese was first introduced and kept saying coa-coa and everyone freaked out passing him off to others thinking he was like another Coa-Coa.
The "Super Squeeze" should provide us with AJ's true "Moment of Awesome" hopefully.
I want to know who that unicorn colt is in the audience during the mayor's speech that looks lovingly at Dinky. That could be her father!
ReplyDeleteThis may just be my favorite episode but no doubt it was a very good one. Lots of cool scenery, new characters, extremely funny, and of course Derpy Derpy Derpy and did I mention Derpy is now canon?
ReplyDeleteNo mention that Cherry Jubilee is a possible shout-out to the G1 pony, Cherries Jubilee?
ReplyDeleteI am disappoint. :(
I quite enjoyed seeing more colts, Mares are nice but some balance would be great
ReplyDelete@Seth Rule #34a of the Internet: Every pair can be shipped.
ReplyDeleteTBH, I was a little dissapointed with this canonisation of Derpy. But what the hell, no one cares!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I now have even more newfound respect for Applejack.
@Stallord969409 But she's done this before. She tends to run from her problems if she cannot handle them herself. Remember her words to Twilight when Twilight breaks Discord's spell? And she didn't learn her lesson in that one Applebucking Season episode - she still has trouble relying on others. StubbornJack. Gotta wonder if there is some "mule" in her lineage.
ReplyDelete@Kaijyuu Yes, but I wanted to see the pony that beat her ... "Rodeo" cutiemark, certainly.
ReplyDeleteOut of all the episode this season this probably has be be the best one, even know derpy stole the spot light off AJ with her OMG CUTE voice
ReplyDeletestill had a good story line, and picky was brilliant all the way though :P
dont know hwere i am going with is.......MEOW
Was it just me or did Dash seem more energetic in this episode?
ReplyDelete@Dusty the Royal Janitor
ReplyDeleteWell, I think she wrote the "so catastrophic" letter that way for two reasons:
1) An actual plot for the episode. (writers' motive)
2) Pride.
Yes, I can see your point. She didn't mention her lost at the rodeo in the letter, neither any reasons for her absence. However, you made it appear that it happened just because "she wasnt't able to face the fact that she lost."
In my not-so-humble opinion, she behaved like that not because she wasn't willing to face her loss. Instead, I think it was because she was unable to admit that, by losing the rodeo, she didn't fulfill her promise to the mayor and to her town neighbors.
I think the "mole" is actually something called a beauty mark. It's just makeup. It was popular during the Victorian era, I think, or long ago anyways.
ReplyDeleteI still think this episode was co-produced with Trollestia! who saw that Applejack was FINALLY getting a some what character building episode and this called on Derpy, for which she gave a few lines to read out in the episode.
ReplyDeleteShe says to Derpy "Just be yourself deary and you'll do fine! *wink*" and Derpy being overly excited by this took it with great pleasure. Derpy even adding in her own line at the end with extra vigor "GO APPLEJACK! WOO~HOO! *falls back in*" surely she would make the Princess Happy with her grand performance, even if she did accidentally destroyed most of the set.
Trollestia had the biggest grin that threatened to freeze forever in place after reading all the Brony comments yesterday. I have it from good word from Luna that her sister is still unable to eat her cake due to her jaw and facial joints locking in place.
And yes Derpy won all the blue ribbons.
I loved this episode. It was great to have one with lots of humor and lots of action, really showing off the animation.
ReplyDeleteFor everyone who thinks Applejack is being a whiner or just irrational - maybe, but that was point of the episode. Forget outright failure, fear of failing others - your family, your friends, people relying on you for support - is one of the most crippling emotions you can have. Applejack was under an incredible amount of pressure not only to provide the money for the town hall, but to not disappoint herself. When you're the best at someone and accustomed to winning, failure can literally freeze you in your tracks. Applejack's actions in this episode were completely believable to me, and I empathize with her.
@YaBoySuperDoo
I thought exactly the same thing, and when I rewatched the episode with a friend she did too.
@Lord Elliott
ReplyDeletePainted on or felt beauty marks - called "mouches" - came about as a way to hide scars from smallpox. Fun fact of the day.
@SeanoftheBread
ReplyDeleteFunny, I smiled and laughed quite a bit in this ep. I think some people tend to view the first season through rose colored glasses, it wasn't all great. For me at least season 2 has had more enjoyable episodes on average, at least so far. And I still don't get why some people say that Rarity's character has been massively changed between the two seasons, she's always had a very dramatic streak.
@Stallord969409
Derpy certainly helped, but I'm sure it would have been a well received episode even without her.
Yup, can't say much about this episode since I really just simply... Love it.
ReplyDeleteThough as a side note, I really love the way Hasbro and the crew are introducing more colts.
Those of you arguing about the whole toilet issue...we actually didn't see a toilet in Pinkie's house in Feeling Pinkie Keen, unlike what someone else said.
ReplyDeleteI just watched that entire scene looking for the toilet, and what we see is a sink, not a toilet. It's a little large and shaped just enough that if you weren't looking at it closely you might THINK it's a toilet, but it wasn't a toilet.
We didn't see a toilet in Baby Cakes either. Granted, that episode arguably made it clear that the ponies do have normal biological functions, but it didn't say what adults did with the stuff. Now we know.
If I had any comment about the toilet, it's that it sounded like a modern flushing toilet even though it was an outhouse.
- I was really impressed by the chase scene. This show does action so well.
ReplyDelete- Between the health risks of rodeos, beating the train, and breaking a Pinkie Promise, this ep showed that AJ has some serious Thanatos (Freudian Death Drive) going on under that Stetson. Crazy AJ fanon stuff like her leading every underground resistance group ever and dating a killing machine named Steelhooves makes that much more sense now.
- The Mayor should fix Ponyville's budget problems by gutting all the town's public services while slashing Filthy Rich's taxes. Duh!
@Wisdom Thumbs
Ah, I was wondering where the mandatory Two Minutes Hate was. Everyone else loved this ep so hard I was beginning to wonder. lol @ the plot being "paper thin", considering that FIM easily has better writing this season than say, S2 of The Walking Dead. If you want to nitpick the show's morals, you can prolly find Fridge Horror in every Friendship Report. And Shiranai's right, AJ's lack of flaws is what's been her biggest issue as a character.
@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteGood eye! Miss Kitty has the mole and everything. Clever, clever Studio B.
@HMorris73
ReplyDeleteI understand your point in saying that season one is often looked at through rose glasses. In fact, I hated AJ through the entire season, and still do, and hated the episode Feeling Pinkie Keen. It had it's issues of course.
The thing with Rarity is though, they have changed the way she acts from a confident yet slightly melodramatic character, to a lying, cowardly overly melodramatic character. This kind of change is like changing John McClain from a total badass to a man who can't hold a gun without screaming and crying. It REALLY shows Lauren's decline in work on this series, and is beginning to make me hate it.
I'd say that the pink pony in the background's the one who's got the hots for that guy, not Twilight.
ReplyDelete@SeanoftheBread
ReplyDeleteWell sorry you feel that way, but I still don't agree that Rarity has changed negatively or that the show is in decline. For me Rarity's dramatic moments have been a lot of fun, and Sweet and Elite is one of my favorite episodes partially because I thought it was a great character story for her.
Thus far the general consensus over at Ponibooru is that his name be Blue Star (since, in a different scene you see his flank with a blue star cutie mark), Tagme (as per the original name idea), or Lord Beard / Galloping Tyrant (YouTube captions).
ReplyDeleteEven if the ship isn't approved of by all, he's going to need a name like all the other ponies.
Absolutely my favorite episode of the series so far and the first one to get my money via iTunes. I would've loved it even if my favorite pony hadn't been the center of the plot, but putting AJ there launched it beyond "love" into "must have."
ReplyDeleteAfter some consideration I've decided that I'm glad they didn't tell us WHY Applejack did so (comparatively) poorly at the rodeo; it means fans can insert whatever explanation they like best. Personally, I think that the rodeo competition is divided into age groups and this was AJ's first year in a new one. The combination of older, more experienced opponents with all the pressure placed on her at home caused something of a meltdown. Don't worry, AJ, you'll do better next year! And even if you don't, we still love you!!
I love how this was supposed to be an Applejack episode, but in the end, it was all about Derpy to us.
ReplyDeleteGod that was a good episode ^_^ I've been looking forward to it for a while now and, I gotta say, they didn't disappoint.
ReplyDeleteI would have honestly liked to have seen AJ competing at the rodeo a bit though. They all went to watch RD compete at the Best Young Fliers Competition; it would have been nice to have seen them do the same here. Still, I guess that would have dominated an episode by itself so it's cool. Awesome episode all the same ^_^
@Dusty the Royal Janitor
ReplyDeleteJust put a pistol in your mouth and blow your brains out, kid. Seriously. You're retarded, you're wrong,, you're not worth keeping around... you're a complete, overly-serious idiot who can't find joy out of anything, over-analyze it to hell and back... commit suicide and get out of our hair. We don't need you dragging everyone else down.
FANTASTIC
ReplyDeletewho would have thought that the creators are so loyal to their fan base that they would name Derpy after US!! they originally were gunna name her something else as Ive read, I am really excited to see such a loyalty to us fans as to bring a character like her out of the background and into the spotlight and with our lovingly crafted "FANNAME" in place :)
@MyBoyJ
ReplyDeleteMy wife totally got the Cherry Jubilee <--> Miss Kitty similarities and was surprised that I didn't. Now, Applejack working for her to make some extra money just takes on so many bad connotations. *douses brain in bleach*
you do know now that you told them not to ship twi and back ground pony there is going to be so many of them.
ReplyDeleteand I think the next episode should start with pinkie and rarity on the hand cart. Chimicherrycherrychanga.
Yesterday's episode was amazing! Definitely one of the best so far.
ReplyDeleteApplejack got some love (even if it was overshadowed a bit :P), there was a hilarious I Love Lucy reference, Pinkie was crazy as ever, and our fandom's "mascot" got her own official place and voice in the show!! :D
That may have been the single greatest moment in fandom history right there :)
@JR
ReplyDeleteI did get that same vibe off Cherry Jubilee. But then, since she is a redhead with a beauty mark who owns one of the most important businesses in a town named Dodge, I doubt it's an accident. The only think that could have made it more obvious would be if she were dating the town's main lawstallion.
@sheryl
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you're aware of this, but the fans already gave the name "Cherries Jubliee" to a certain background pony based on the G1...
So now that we have Cherry Jubilee, what's going to happen to the background character that people call Cherries Jubilee?
ReplyDelete@Ulrik Good to see I'm not the only one who doesn't like that stupid pegasus.
ReplyDeleteOverused meme is overused.
@UnknownSociopath It wasn't her speaking which makes me hate her. It's having to scroll through hundreds of comments consisting of her name over and Over and OVER that killed off any future chance of me liking her. I hope her next appearance is at the Ponyville Cemetery being buried.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that picture of Applejack is an offcial vector.
ReplyDeleteAlso Cherry Jubilee has a similar name to a G1 pony, but none of you care about that. And Derpy's voice sounds similar to Ed from Ed, Edd and Eddy.
It's funny seeing them reuse the same background ponies in Dodge Junction. Also silly people and their shipper goggles.
And Pinkie was great in this episode.
@sheryl
ReplyDeleteSeth hates and doesn't care for G1. (And probably knows nothing about it)
"Seriously guys, she's just standing next to him." I get it, but these two might make a GREAT couple one day. You never know.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or does the birthday guy have an Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube as a cutie mark?
ReplyDeleteWhat? Are we even HAVING this conversation?! You are all seriously overthinking this. Don't assume you absolutely know what a fictional character would do in a certain situation, when you don't even always know what a human being would do in a given situation.
ReplyDeleteSeriously folks, if you go down this route, you are wrecking your own enjoyment of the show. Fandom shout-outs aside, this was the most first-season like episode since the Gala.
Am I the only one who thinks the mayor conned Derpy into helping her commit insurance fraud?
ReplyDelete>.>
@Something To Quack About
ReplyDeleteNot cool. I don't agree with much of his argument, but he's being polite and decent about it, and he's brought up some good points. If your only response to that is to tell him to kill himself (which I hope is a sick joke), you really don't have anything to bring to the argument. (And you make his argument look better by comparison, by the way.)
I don't know if anyone's mentioned this yet, but that train thing is bugging me. I gather that the early design for MLP:FiM had Applejack headbutting trees to get the apples down but Hasbro rejected the idea because it might tempt kids to do the same. So how did having several ponies dashing across a railway line directly in front of a train make it on to the screen?
ReplyDeleteThis episode explains why RD will be in the hospital. Because Rarity will put her there when she gets back.
ReplyDelete@the-matthew
ReplyDelete(Replying to myself0
Oh yes, I see they have. Apologies for the waste of bandwidth; I've just finished 13 hours of work and I can't read any more.
I liked Derpy's voice. I don't think she sounded masculine so much as a bit tomboyish perhaps?...not all females have high pitched voices (Just like not all males have deep voices) That didn't bother me.
ReplyDeleteSomething occurred to me though, while MOST people seem beyond happy with Derpy's appearance/lines in this episode, I find it ironic that some people claim they want more BG pony centric plots etc, yet when we get anything of the like, the fandom seems to spazz out about threatening the fanon. Can't win 'em all I guess.
I could not believe it when Derpy was named, let alone when she spoke. I actually had to question myself whether this was a real episode I was watching or if I've forgotten I was watching a fan dub. It's so awesome they kept her fan name and promoted her to a side-character. Yes I hope it continues and she gets her own episode.
ReplyDeleteHowever I do have to say I'm a little distressed that it may appear they've gone with the "retarded" Derpy. I'd much prefer the misunderstood genius Derpy, and hope they'll go with that in the future. I'm also not really liking the voice they chose....sounds a little too "retarded" and not feminine enough. I didn't really like that Fan Dub voice of Derpy, but even that sounded better IMHO.
But anyhow, I shouldn't complain....it's so totally awesome Derpy is now canon!
@sockeye101
ReplyDeleteDS9 mentioned a waste extraction system, and Enterprise went so far as to actually talk about toilets in one episode when they were having to temporarily live in the warp coils (because giantspacestormwaveythingy).
I can see MLP ending up with a more believable universe than Trek when the number of homosexuals in Equestria is larger than the number of giant space monsters that nearly kill everyone.
This episode was so great I started running My Little Pony articles on Anime Vice (would love to see you guys in the comments/discussion!)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.animevice.com/news/weekly-ponies-friendship-is-magic-2-14/5747/
Derpy becoming canon is possibly the best kind of fanservice I've ever seen in... anything. Ever.
In the photo of Twilight mentioning the shipping, did anypony notice the creepy stare of the pink pony in the back ground?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGiven the sheer volume of conflicting opinions on this episode, it's not far-fetched to presume it has accumulated enough hate worthy of contending against Mare-Do-Well. Regardless of that, I stand firmly by my original impression of the episode — it is terrific, and that's without even taking the fan service into account.
ReplyDeleteIn my view, the most defining aspect of MLP:FiM is the dynamics between the characters. Speaking of which, this episode captures it remarkably well. Unlike other character-centric episodes in season 2 (thus far), this episode features genuine interaction between members of the mane 6, with most of them being actively involved in the story. Whether it's an action-packed sequence, a comedic scene, or even a dramatic moment, every character had a part to play, and their unique personalities shone through in their every word and action. With regard to that, Pinkie's antics were absolutely hilarious.
This episode's plot is also noteworthy for its relative depth and maturity. To my knowledge, engaging stories are typically the ones that tread the line between hyperbole and reality. While it's mostly a hit and miss affair, I think this episode managed to pull it off just right. Applejack's behaviour may seem exaggerated, but it certainly wasn't over-the-top, for reasons which I will touch upon in due course. Suffice it to say for now that her stubbornness was used to good dramatic effect, and it served well in driving the story forward. More importantly, looking past the exaggerated aspects, this episode is fundamentally rooted in reality. It highlights something virtually every one of us can relate to — our potentially misplaced fear of having let down others when we fail to meet their expectations. Quite frankly, this is a major factor which contributed to the episode's overall appeal for me.
As far as I'm concerned, this episode not only recaptures the magic of season 1, in certain ways it has set new standards for the series.
I'll admit that I don't have an in-depth comprehension of the psychology behind Applejack's actions. Nevertheless, it is strikingly apparent that Applejack was facing a dilemma in this episode. During the send-off, she DID promise to "make Ponyville proud", in addition to offering the prize money to fix the town hall. The consensus is that Applejack's love for her family and friends would have prompted her to return home immediately regardless of the outcome of the rodeo. On the contrary, I believe it was her love for her family and friends which further aggravated her plight. She took their hopes and expectations too seriously, which consequentially made her that much more fearful of breaking the news of her "failure" to them.
ReplyDeleteWhen forcefully confronted by her friends, it was probably this fear, in conjunction with her stubborn and impulsive nature which prompted her to escape from them. All the while, I've never perceived AJ to be the type who's good with expressing herself or managing her emotions, despite her typically levelheaded behaviour. Her extreme course of action at this point probably resulted from her inability to think rationally under the pressure.
With that said, I think it's inconceivably harsh to consider her actions trecherous, especially when she ultimately had her family and friends at heart the entire time. She was afraid to face them should she return home empty-handed (or rather, empty-hoofed). The poor mare acted the way she did because underneath that tough exterior, she was scared and distressed. While her reluctance to face consequences can be attributed to cowardice, I think it is certainly an interesting facet of the typically headstrong cow pony.
I must acknowledge that Applejack's equivalent of the 'Sonic Rainboom' or 'Boast Busters' is long overdue. However, I've never considered it a necessity for a character to be portrayed in a positive manner in order to be loved. It is imperative to remember that none of the mane 6 are meant to be perfect, and more often than not, their flaws contribute to their individuality. It makes them believable, it makes them relatable, and as paradoxical as it may seem, is an integral aspect of what makes the candy-colored ponies so endearing.
Damn, I can't believe I actually wrote this much in defense of an episode of a show about cartoon ponies.
My biggest issue with this episode is it's the second (or arguably third) one that gives the message that if your friends aren't behaving the way you want to then just FORCE them. There are never any negative consequences to this behavior either.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely hated how the other ponies relentlessly hounded Applejack. Sure, AJ may be stubborn, but that's no excuse for disrespecting her privacy and pressuring her until she caved. What friend does that to another?
That aside, the fact that there was such a big hullabaloo over what seemed to be a fairly important event for AJ and NO ONE went?! These are the same ponies who traveled all the way to Canterlot just so Rarity wouldn't miss Twilight's birthday and came up with magical means to attend RD's event in Cloudsdale when none of them except Fluttershy could fly. However, not a single one of them could manage to attend the rodeo to cheer on AJ? Sorry, but for me that was completely out of character and unbelievable.
By far my favorite episode so far. So much to love. Little to hate.
ReplyDelete@RHJunior
ReplyDeleteWhere can I chip in?