Two Applejack episodes in a row, and they both turned out okay!
Excluding Derpy's surprise appearance in the first one, these were two pretty solid episodes, even if this one was a bit more contained in terms of locale and consequences. I'm tempted to call it a slice-of-life episode, so I think that's what I'll stick with as far as a label is concerned. We got some new background ponies out of the deal, at least one not-so-overt pop culture reference, and probably the best letter to Celestia I've heard in the entire series.
Let's make some cider!
With the exception of the very beginning sequence with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, the entire episode was contained to that few square meters in front of the cider stand and the field behind it. Not a good or a bad thing, but interesting to note.
This episode was a goldmine of amusing faces from Dash. She just gets shafted throughout the entire episode! It was really funny to watch. Have a few more.
 |
| Is this some kind of cruel joke? |
I love you again, Rainbow Dash.
The two characters that drove the plot today were Flim and Flam. I'm not sure which is which, if we're honest. I don't think it matters much. All I can say is that their manes remind me of either toothpaste or cartoon bacon. Either way, it's probably delicious.
Okay, sorry, one more Dash. I love her faces so much.
I know we've been told the technology level of Equestria is just whatever the writers need it to be at the time, so I won't pick at this machine too much. I just wanted to point out one thing that was interesting- if it's comparing apples one by one, how is it any quicker than Granny Smith, who was pretty much doing the exact same thing at the exact same speed, if not quicker? Are there more internals we can't see? Is that part just for show?
I'm being picky, sorry. It's cause I love this show.
If this isn't a reference, I'll eat my horseshoes.
Another thing I noted is that we heard the words 'cent' and 'bit' used in the same scene. Was that intentional, or did someone derp? Again, yes, picky, but it was interesting.
I know I said it already, but this was the best letter to Celestia I've heard, simply because it played with the formula that we're familiar with so well, and it showed actual character development for Applejack, which is something she's sorely needed for a long time.
That's all Cereal has to say- let's look at some community-submitted stuff!
 |
| Excited Lyra spotted! |
 |
| Derpy spotted! |
 |
| New background ponies! Anyone want to name them? |
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| Next episode: Applejack on the moon. |
Later, ponies!
357 comments:
I loved comedic aspect of this episode, but hated the conflict resolution through "idiot ball" shitnanigans. Writers stop doing that, it's insulting to viewers' intelligence.
ReplyDeleteKudos to whoever pointed out that next week Dash ends up in hospital with liver failure. How do you like'em apples?
I also like the fact that Apple family didn't do squat to improve their cider-making process (y'know, hire some workforce) for MANY YEARS straight. How the hell did they manage to stay in business? Magic *snort*snort*
I beileve over at tumblr we are calling them Mjolna and Quick Fix.
ReplyDeleteOverall I enjoyed this episode, the apple family got some love, new background ponies and the doctor... Now I am sure the MLP staff is messing with the Doctor who fans.
You whippersnappers... 2 bits equals 25 cents, hence a bit is 1/8 of a dollar or 12.5 cents. You all need to spend more time with your Granny Smiths. Old people can teach you these things.
ReplyDelete@AJBUB
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. Someone needs to make it official.
@L9OBL
ReplyDeleteActually, there's like, five or six background ponies with that mark. Been that way since season one ;) Quite a few background ponies share cutie marks, only a handful are really unique.
Now, I KNOW that I wasn't the only one who caught that the song was a BLATANT Music Man reference!
ReplyDeleteIt was excellent!
(Insert Thor pun for middle background pony)
ReplyDeleteWho else thinks Pinkie is now officially the richest pony not living in Canterlot? Maybe she gets extra money from her folks back home.
ReplyDeleteBEST FRIENDSHIP LETTER EVER
ReplyDeleteHm. Also, y'know, I'm surprised the followup didn't mention Bonbon's "man voice" is back :P
ReplyDeleteThis episode was AWESOME. I loved the song.
ReplyDeleteI have something to note here. I believe the reason cent and bit were used in the same scene there is this: A bit is probably a unit similar to a dollar, and a cent is probably a much smaller unit than a bit. I just get the impression that's how it works based on them saying "Two cups for one cent" and then "2 bits for a barrel".
...
"EUGH I CAN'T GET THE TASTE OFF MY TONGUE!"
http://missimaginarywings.deviantart.com/art/Welcoming-the-Silver-Sisters-282198914
ReplyDeleteI love the new background ponies ~
Man voice Bon Bon. Valley girl Bon Bon. Who else we got for BB?
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't anyone notice female Dr. Whooves?
ReplyDeletewe should have an intervention for RD's cider problems
ReplyDeletePony names, from the left: Flora, Thora, and Fixit! (Please?)
ReplyDeleteI don't care what anypony else says. THIS EPISODE WAS ONE OF THE BEST!
ReplyDeleteNot many people know this, but a bit is actually US currency, or was back in the days of the old West. It's equal to half a quarter, or 1/8 of a dollar.
ReplyDeleteFilly Engi?
ReplyDeleteI think the brown BG is ponyfied Thor just because of her cutie mark-mjöllnir and lightning (god of thunder DUH)
ReplyDeleteAnd did rainbow & fluttershy fly sideways?
I don't always get my own episode
ReplyDeleteBut when I do, I learn nothing.
Man, so many bronies don't read the comments. We keep getting 'Monorail' over and over again.
ReplyDeleteFrom left to right, I'd go 'Pretty Lucky', 'Thordis' (alluding to a What If comic where Jane Foster found Thor's hammer instead of Donald Blake), and Wrench Wench.
I mentioned before, I used to work for a company that was run by an Apple but got taken over by a Flimflam. It was a nightmare. Nuff said.
Addressing the misgivings some have had about the underlying message of the episode; I realize that kids can easily take the wrong message. But it's up to parents to make sure their kids don't get confused about what really happened. I'd start by pointing out that the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 was a good thing, and that the competition itself brought about both a high quality AND a high quantity of cider.
And really, Applejack and her friends truly, honestly won. It's absolutely not cheating if the other side gives their express permission. And that was an apple cider making contest. Mash does not count as cider, so Sweet Apple Acres had more barrels of actual cider on their side.
I think the new brown BG is ponyfied thor just because of her cutie mark-mjöllnir and lightning (god of thunder DUH)
ReplyDeleteAnd did rainbow & fluttershy fly sideways?
@Author-Man
ReplyDeleteThor actually has a daughter. Unfortunately her name is Thrud.
@Chris Hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and nutmeg and/or allspice pieces in a bag soaking in it. It's called 'mulled cider' and it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteHave I ever mentioned that I love Lyra? Because I love Lyra. Also, for the wrench pony, I'm gonna throw out Ratcheta. ...I like Ratchet and Clank a lot.
ReplyDeleteI'd call it an "ooga booga nopony in NA has the slightest idea how economy works" episode but otherwise it was a good one :P
ReplyDeletePS.
More pony songs, less pony musicals. Seriously.
@AJBUB Yes, in Equestria, Thor is an Earth Pony mare. Trollin' the Norse gods!
ReplyDeleteMy vote for the new bg pony on the right is Quickfix
ReplyDeleteA fun episode. Not my favorite I guess, but there were lots of things I enjoyed. Rainbow's faces are an obvious one. I love this show for all the amusing faces.
ReplyDeleteObligatory Derpy was, as usual, amazing.
Fluttershy being embarrassed when Rainbow pulls the sheets off her, for no particular reason.
"Whaaaat did you call me, sonny?" Oh Granny Smith. You so awesome.
And not just because you're named after my favorite apple.
And let's not forget Big Mac's goggles. And the fact that he spoke a staggering two words in the same sentence. "No deal."
I'm amazed that no-one has said that this entire episode is just a big allegory for our food system as it's developed here in the United States; it's all about speed and competition and raking in the most money and not about really providing for the community.
ReplyDeleteI won't go on a big diatribe about GMOs or whatever but think about it, everypony; there are a lot of parallels.
Mjolnir Pony! Sweet.
ReplyDelete@statoose
ReplyDeleteInteresting, except Lyra bouncing occurred as early as Season 1 episode 1, and again in Winter Wrap-Up. Lyra is just a very excitable pony! :)
I swear i saw a pony with a 4chan cutie mark... or am i just going crazy?
ReplyDeleteFor those background ponies, I thinkthe one on the left should be called 'Shamrock', or 'Clover', or maybe even 'Shamrock Clover'. And no matter what, or unless I hear a better name, that middle one will be 'Valkyrie'. As for the third one, I think I'll call her 'Chrome Spanner', for the material used in many wrenches and the British name for wrenches.
ReplyDelete@MasterProcrastinator
ReplyDeleteGah! You stole my profile pic!
On a more related nite, I thought there would be something about that too, I mean seriously, that's proof enough that she's probably an alcoholic!
One of those background ponies has a lightning bolt and what looks like a hammer too...Thor?
ReplyDeleteAlso, i know it's offtopic, but have we heard any summary for episode 19?
@statoose
ReplyDeleteLyra has been hopping excitedly since s01e01 and Winter Wrap-Up! That gif was made based on those two episodes.
Lyra is just a really bouncy pony! :D
the one with the mustache is flim.
ReplyDeleteThere's your mechanic ponies everyone.
ReplyDeleteThere's your mechanic ponies everyone.
ReplyDeleteNo mention of the Jetsons reference at 17:42?
ReplyDelete@Weim_Time: You're not going crazy, but neither was that the 4chan logo. It's four green gemstones.
As someone finally stated earlier, the song and the Flim Flam Bros. themselves, were CLEARLY a direct nod to The Music Man and Harold Hill himself - specific mesaures from the musical's songs were extracted and even the "Trouble In River City's" "trouble" sequence was exactly replicated here and replaced with "Cider.Cider.Cider" This has been done once before that I've recognized, with Raity's "New Dress" song being a little nod to Sondheim's "Putting It Together."
ReplyDeleteThe new character on the right should be Torque Wrench, from the Wrench family, she's standing next to her sister, Mjölnir Wrench, Horse god of thunder.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I heard from reddit at least.
Oh, Lyra. Always trying to see over the 4th wall.
ReplyDeleteFlim and flam's song took about half the friggin' episode! I was really enjoying it, until i realized it just kept going, and going, and going.... o-O
ReplyDeleteNo mention of the song at all? uggggg got to step it up people.
ReplyDeleteAlso, did anyone else notice Bonbon talking? It sounded like the same voice from lesson zero! maybe an official one now?
ReplyDeleteDoes the new pony in the middle have a hammer and a lightning bolt? Something Nordic..e
ReplyDeleteor maybe Hammer Bolt?
The background pony with the hammer and lightning bolt cutie mark should be named Thor.
ReplyDeleteThe Hammer and Lightning pony is a nice touch. I can already see her in pics fighting ice giant ponies...giant ice ponies
ReplyDeleteI knew there was something I felt in common about the Flim Flam brothers.
ReplyDeleteNow I know it's MONORAAAAIIIIILLLLL.
Also, best letter.
It seems to me that if they hadn't gotten suckered into the competition, the Apples could have just sold apples to Flim and Flam, while continuing to make cider. It seems, as long as they adjusted the price of their apples to reflect increased demand, they would have been able to increase their profits. What other apples were Flim and Flam going to use? They said there were other apples in Equestria, but then the amount of cider they could sell would be limited to the amount they could transport. The only thing I can think of that the Apples really had to worry about was a decrease in the price of cider, but since they aren't even close to meeting demand and could expect an increase in the price of apples, it doesn't seem like that was really an issue.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the chicken part a reference to some old wild west movie?
ReplyDelete@Rockpath
ReplyDeleteThe Apple family were willing to sell to The Flim Flam brothers at first. The losing 75% of their profits was the deciding factor for not doing so.
As Yellow pointed out earlier, they may have been in "The Show Stoppers", there were also multiples of them in the crowd. So the old and new names could both work. They both might just have more common colorations. Which now has me wondering how long till someone goes more in-depth on the genetics for pony coloration.
ReplyDeleteAgain, the fandom never ceases to amaze me with how quick it works. John Joseco had multiple pieces of fan art up shortly after the episode, and now these new ponies are already getting tumblers and fan art.
For the Mjölnir cutie mark, something norse and related to Thor, Mjölnir, or Valkyries should work for a name.
For the Clover cutie mark, could that be the reincarnation of Clover the Clever from Hearth Warming Eve?
No clue for the wrench one, but I did like the suggestion of Chrome Spanner so far. Though, just have to imagine what a Unicorn mechanic/engineer actually works on.
@possiblespammer
You mean like the Wendigos?
I reccomend we name the hammer pony Asgard Cappuccino.
ReplyDeleteFun enjoyable episode overall. The song reminded me of old style musical numbers and i did like the (admittedly weird) knee bending of the ponies, it was like how in old black and white cartoons the characters would bounce around like that. And like Cereal Said what made the letter to Celestia so great was that it twisted the usual formula. Oh and the scene of AJ happily bouncing along with a mug of cider on her head was endlessly cute.
ReplyDelete@Blaze3713
ReplyDeleteThey didn't have to agree to the 25:75 split. They could have said, "Riiiight, we'll sell you our apples at whatever price we want." Then Flim and Flam would have been like "Okay :(",or they would have left to find a town with some suckers to agree to their deal.
@Acriaos
ReplyDeletePretty much 80% of her fanart is either her with Bon Bon or her wanting to be human (or both), but I really wish more people took advantage of her in-show hyper-enthusiasm.
@Arlax
This is the best guess I've seen so far at how Celestia would react. (Even though it's actually written by Luna...)
@statoose
And the gif came out about a year after this scene (check starting at 2:30 if the link doesn't get the clip to start at the correct time).
Also, what's the big deal about Dr. Whooves turning over an hourglass? I mean, since his cute mark is an hourglass, it's appropriate, but other than that?
That machine looked like it came straight from Willy Wonka...
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletethese are the name I suggest for the three new BG ponies: Amethyst Clover/Clovinia, Bolt Smash, Fixit / Light Wrench
ReplyDeleteMIDDLE PONY SHOULD BE NAMED THOR!!! After the Norse god of thunder who wields a hammer. COME ON SHE IS TOTALLY THOR PONY!!!!
ReplyDeleteI REALLY like "Gadget" for the pony with the wrench cutie mark.
ReplyDelete@eaglehooves
ReplyDeleteCent certainly sounded like the smallest coin, and worth a fraction of a bit (probably 1/100). Is our cider worth your most worthless coin? NO. What about two for that worthless coin, NO. What about a bulk buy of an ENTIRE BARREL for a mere dollar? NO!
If you look at the picture that Lyra is photo bombing in, the grey pony with an orange mane looks like it is going to take a bite out of the fence
ReplyDelete"Thor"? "Wrench"? "Mjolner"? "Torque"? Seriously? Has everyone forgotten this is a girly show filled with cuteness where character are named Twilight Sparkle, Apple Strudel, Fancy Pants and Princess Celestia? Those would be macho names for stallions, much less mares.
ReplyDeleteI would name the thunder-hammer pony Mjolnir.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNopony calls Granny Smith chicken...
ReplyDeleteI spotted that surprise Lyra reference.
YAY, I saw 2 of my side pony names in the comments :D Hammer Time and Thorla! (Trademark)
ReplyDeleteHere are my other ideas
For the Thor one: Lightning Strike, and Shinning Bolt
For the Engie one: Problem Solver (TF2 reference), and Passion Builder
Also they have the same exact body shape and share similar palette colors, therefore they must be sisters! Or the animator just wanted to save time, either way
Personally, I'd rather have the pony with the "lightning and hammer" cutie mark be named Thorla or Thursday. Mjölna is meh.
ReplyDeleteAnd for the pony with the wrench cutie mark, I'm not sure. I kinda like the names: Gadget, Fixit, Quickfix, Toolbox and I don't know of/can't think of any others...
Derpy was extra derpy this time:P
ReplyDeleteHammer Down... Sounds like a trucker pony to me :)
Their manes reminded me of candy canes.
ReplyDeleteI dub the new BG pony's names Lucky, Lightning and Fix-it. Its now official xD.
ReplyDelete@eaglehooves
ReplyDeleteThere are 12.5 cents to a bit. At least in the US. I'm thinking in Equestria a Bit is what we'd call a Dollar.
I vote for "mjolnir" as a name Thunderous hammer pony.
ReplyDelete@David Johnston
ReplyDeleteAnd then there are also names like Derpy, Spitfire, Filthy and Stinking Rich, and Upper Crust.
So while it may be a girly show, does not mean all the names need to be as well. Sometimes it can be harder to work with what we are given.
So if you don't like what has been suggested, try throwing some out yourself.
Fun fact: Excited Lyra appeared 3 times during the episode. Really awesome to see them do that :D
ReplyDeleteWas i the only one who spotted the duplicate Bonbons in the background in this episode ?
ReplyDeleteNot trying to antagonize harsh critics of this episode, but these folluwups seem more supportive of each episode than the episode discussions themselves. Might be because the critical fans are kind if gunhappy with critique than waiting a bit and taking in the fun parts.
ReplyDeleteMorality wise, I have no issues with it because Applejack is known to be all about hard work, integrity and honesty in her lifestyle and work ethic. The gripe is legitimate in that non fans of MLP might not derive that from this episode alone, but that is how the ball rolls considering the episode format and it would seem like AJ is bragging if she made a letter about her own virtues.
Monorail! Monorail!!
ReplyDeleteSomething I just realized about this and the last episode, they give a little more insight into who is in charge of Sweet Apple Acres, and also makes it more confusing at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing Granny Smith owns the farm currently, but AJ actually runs it. Granny likely owns it due to being the one to actually make the bet that took place in this episode. Though AJ is more likely the one that runs it due to the Mayor asking AJ if it was ok for the rest of the Mane 6 to help out. Now knowing that, it makes AJ's decision in "The Last Roundup" to not come back even more unusual, and also hints at Granny being the current owner.
Just some food for thought.
I sent you guys a message the other day mentioning that one background pony with the cutie mark that looks like Thor's hammer. You said you'd mention it in the follow-up, and you did!
ReplyDeleteExcept now there already seems to be an official name, thanks to ponibooru: Mjolna. Hell, she even has her own Ask Tumblr!
http://ask-mjolna.tumblr.com/post/16649115547
Fans work fast...
I think I see a Thor background pony... (Her cutie mark is literally a small mallet with lightning behind it)
ReplyDelete@ScootaChicken
ReplyDeleteYeah, that's Mjolna, at least that's what she's called on ponibooru, and on her Ask Tumblr, which I mentioned in the post right above yours.
I say the pony with the spanner cutie-mark be called...
ReplyDeleteNuts'n'Bolts!
The pony on the right reminds me of ice cream. I vote Vanilla Chocolate/Chocolate Vanilla. Or maybe Chocolate Swirl. Or Sundae. Now that I look at her more she looks a little like a mocha. I also vote Mocha.
ReplyDeleteAnd the purple one.....Brittany XD
The hammer pony is Mjolnar.
ReplyDeletethat jumping lyra is a fanmade .gif isn't it?
ReplyDeletehttp://sirponylancelot.deviantart.com/art/Lyra-Surprise-272163728
"Dear Princess Celestia,
ReplyDeleteI LEARNED ABSOLTUTLEY NOTHING!
Your loyal subjec,
Applejack Apple"
HA! classic!
I'd like to submit Lavender Luck, or maybe Lucky Lavender for the name of the one with the 4 leaf clover cutie mark.
ReplyDeleteI know there were several points in this where there were two Bon Bons in the crowd within two ponies of each other.
ReplyDelete@Sgt Byrd
ReplyDeleteIf you define the narrative as stretching across the entire series, then sure. But that doesn't mean that AJ didn't have character development this week but did last week.
If you want to count this episode as her "final character," so to speak, you have to accept every episode where she learns something as steps along the path to this point. So things like Applebuck Season and Last Roundup, episodes that some call "filler," are necessary to make this episode demonstrate a finalized AJ character and not just a sudden re-imagining (which would be an OOC turn of character that everyone claimed was in Last Roundup).
So, my point is, either you have to accept Last Roundup as character development, or you have to accept that this episode had no character development. You haven't have it both ways.
@autobotgodzilla
ReplyDeleteIt didn't escape me. This is only character development in the sense of the finalization of a series-long arc, and for that to be the case, then you have to accept episodes like Applebuck Season and Last Roundup as stepping stones in that path.
@Kaigen
ReplyDeleteHow was AJ trying to do everything herself in the next episode? Or was that just an example?
Anyway, I'll accept that this episode could be seen as character development if you consider a series-long arc, but for that to be so, then every AJ episode where she learns something is part of that arc and also includes character development. It really can't be both ways.
People seem to want to say that this episode had great character development, but Last Roundup had no character development and was just a retread. Not only do I think that calling the previous episode a retread shows that even fans can't comprehend subtlety in a kid's show, but it undermines the idea of this episode showing a culmination of Applejack's character. How can she demonstrate how much she has grown if people reject the episodes where she grows?
@Harwick LOL Harwick, don't spit yer bit!
ReplyDeleteAnd Huzzah! A month after Blogger borks OpenID so that it doesn't work for either Livejournal or Dreamwidth (cracktastic since LiveJournal invented OpenID) I found out that you can paste in the url for your Flickr photostream instead and hey, presto! Post!
But beware! Beeewaaare ponies! Silly Flickr doesn't put in your screen name. Oh no! Flickr inserts the contact name you gave them when you created your account. Not sure I can change that. So, if you told Flickr your name is Big Huge McLarge, but your screen name is Darth Vader, well rats, your post her will be from Big Huge, For-everrrrr!!
So 8^p~~~. Hello everypony.
OK, Important point about this episode: it demonstrates that property belongs to whoever operates or exploits it. The Apple family lost the farm the instant they lost the right to sell their make or break product: sweet apple cider. Corroborative evidence: Twilight Sparkle lives in and runs the Ponyville library. She just moved in and it's hers, no sign that there was ever anyone else there before her.
As many people have said before, the song was a direct reference to "Ya Got Trouble" from The Music Man.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Simpsons monorail song is also a reference to that. Those who seriously think MLP is just referencing the Simpsons, please look up the original Music Man song. It's a good song that deserves recognition.
@smokeydops2
ReplyDeleteI think that Applejack shows quite a bit of character development in every episode that focuses on her.
1. In Applebuck, AJ learns to depend on her friends and not be too proud to accept help.
2. In Look Before You Sleep, AJ learns to accept other ways of doing things. She never rejected Rarity's help, she just didn't see the value of the help that Rarity was offering. She learns that other ways of doing things are valid, too.
3. In Fall Weather Friends, AJ learns not to let her wish to win undermine her morals. She succumbs to cheating in order to win because she gets too wrapped up in the competitive spirit, and in the end she realizes that it was wrong of her.
4. In Last Roundup, Applejack already demonstrates some very admirable qualities; she is unwilling to let down those who she feels depend on her (the Mayor) and she is willing to go above and beyond and work very hard to do what she needs to do (take on an extra job to earn the money she felt she owed everyone). Her only true failing is that she was afraid that everyone would be as disappointed with her failure as she was with herself. In the end, she learns that being less than best will not diminish her in the eyes of those who love her, and that's actually a very important lesson that a lot of people could stand to learn. It's also a lesson far different than what she learned in Applebuck Season or any other episode--most fans just are apparently unable to think it through and grasp the subtle difference, and so they label it as "filler" where AJ learns nothing.
Sheesh, as much as fans over-analyze Friendship is Magic, they don't put too much thought into this kind of thing, apparently.
@AJBUB Seems to be a filly right? Ergo, she's Thora! At least that was my first idea. =)
ReplyDeleteWith how much I see the phrase thrown in various games. Lightning Strike just came to mind as soon as I saw that tan pony.
ReplyDeleteI saw at least 2 pop culture refrences not counting the obious Simpsons did it first.
ReplyDelete1. Granny smith is a chicken= Back to the Future of course.
2. All the ponies chanting Suck, suck , suck.
Spaceballs
My thoughts on this episode:
ReplyDelete1. Obviously, Fluttershy sleeps in the nude. Then again, the mane 6 don't usually wear clothes. ;)
2. Pinkie Pie absorbs her falls with her face. That might explain a thing or two about her randomness.
3. Was it just me that LOL'd a little at Cheerilees expression when she got her cup of cider? Almost as if getting a little tipsy, or at least enjoying the drink very much. And we all know what role she often plays in most fics.
4. For the record, Fluttershy does not mind the Apples running out of cider, when she was the last one to get a cup getting in line just before Rainbow Dash!! Way to go Element of Kindness!
5. Bon bons voice...come on??
6. I know many has pointed this out but Lyra is the new Derpy! I'd love to hear her getting a speaking role! Energetic like pinkie pie, just a bit more...manic I think. ;)
7. I'd LOVE to see behind the scenes footage of the song recording! Just to sing that...really long name of their machine!
8. As someone pointed out before me, why is Twilight exhausted after the competition? I blame her nerves. We do know they use to get the best of her. But seriously, why put Fluttershy on apple-shaking-detail when we know she has experience of keeping score since the Ironpony contest, and why didn't Twi pick the apples as she cleared half the orchard with her magic in applebuck season? OH well... Captain hindsight has spoken. ;)
9. I'm not even gonna comment the letter since a billion people before me have already made the point quite clear! It was the greatest most hilarious letter so far! Oh darn.. I went and commented it anyway.
Flim and Flam had, to me, the same flair as Harold Hill from The Music Man. They certainly weren't frauds like Hill but their song reminded me of both Rock Island and Ya Got Trouble from The Music Man.
ReplyDeleteI got the Dr. Who reference (despite never seeing the show) but the whole thing with Flim and Flam definitely spoke Music Man to me.
lol the letter was the best part of the episode!!!
ReplyDeleteFor the new ponies( left to right)
ReplyDeleteClover Heart
Mjorna Thursday
Yami Gadget (not so sure about this one)
Plz make a separate post when names are chosen for these three!
And Nothing of Value was Learned.
ReplyDeleteFluttershy is so cute.
ReplyDeleteThis episode was amazing xP
ReplyDeleteAs for the two background ponies, they look like sisters since they share similar cutie marks, which means they obviously work in trades that compliment each other. The one on the right kind of reminds me kind of Winry from Fullmetal Alchemist. Perhaps a similar personality should be given?
Hammer cutie mark: Thora? Thoradora?
ReplyDelete@Frith Hey! You're back! (But then, you probably already knew that.) I was wondering why I was seeing so little of you recently.
ReplyDeleteMy money was on fallout from an epic eggnog bender over the holidays as the cause. But technical issues is an okay excuse too.
It's an interesting bit about Equestrian law you bring up. As I understand it, US law had some precedence for that kind of thing too, especially when the country was still expanding. The government wanted the resources of the nation utilized, and if a property owner wasn't doing so, someone else who worked the land could lay claim to it.
I Got It!
ReplyDelete1 - Clover
2 - Thora
3 - Ranch (It sounds like wrench. Why not?) The engineer
>If you define the narrative as stretching across the entire series, then sure. But that doesn't mean that AJ didn't have character development this week but did last week.
ReplyDeleteI respectfully disagree. Nowhere previous did AJ fully accept help from all the ponies all at once so readily like she did. It's a very small sign of character building, but it's something since in every episode before, she put up a mighty struggle before accepting help from anyone. Even though she learns her lesson previously, her nature is still to be stubborn about accepting help. And it is a recurring thing with her since her personality itself is headstrong and stubborn. It's not something one just overcomes 100%. Just learning to accept and deal with the stubbornness and balance it out with accepting help, it's a bit of a sign that AJ could be more accepting in the future about these things. Even though this episode, she was on her last ropes and in fact 'lost' the race.
Hmmm, the background ponies. One of them has a cutie mark made up of a lightning bolt and a hammer. Maybe her name is Lightning Strike?
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe the one with the wrench on her flank could be called Toolbox, or (heheh) maybe just Tool? Hee hee. Ah well.
This episode was all the wait worth.
ReplyDeleteNice to see Applejack develope and steal the show.
One of my fics from last month started with ponies in rows waiting for an Apple family event.
@Cybearg Let's not forget Sisterhooves Social.
ReplyDelete@DoctorWho! Epic way to end the episode.
ReplyDeleteBest. Letter to Celestia. Ever.
ReplyDeleteAlso, for the new BG ponies: the one with the wrench is Nuts and the one with the "Thor" vibe is Bolts.
Rainbow Dash does her /)^3^(\ face again, this time forced by Flim.
ReplyDeleteYou know... With the Flim Flam brother's Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 sucking up not only the apples from the trees, but actually sucking ENTIRE trees up, and the fact that they stupidly killed their quality control detection system...
ReplyDeleteIt's a damn good thing Dashie was busy either being in line waiting, or helping Big Mac on the press, cause otherwise, there's a one in three chance she would have been either:
A: Practicing her stunts.
B: Sleeping on a cloud.
C: Being pressed into NASTY cider, cause the tree she was napping on just got sucked into the magic powered apple press from pony hell!
/)O_O(\
Actually the Flim Flam machine makes perfect sense even if it was comparing the apples at the same speed as Granny Smith.
ReplyDeleteAt first when it was only the four apple family members making the cider, the machine was winning because the collecting and processing of the apples was faster than AJ, Applebloom, and Big Mac. But when the rest of the mane six helped, the machine was losing because the limiting factor must have been it's Quality Control. Even when they increased the apple collection/processing they were still losing. It wasn't until they turned off the Quality Control, the machine started winning again.
I wonder if the first bunch of barrels of cider the machine made before the QC was turned off was just as good as the apple family cider. If it was, then Flim Flam really had a good argument of how their machine could help....and it wasn't what their name would suggest, a scam. The way I see it, the machine being ran by two ponies were outperforming four ponies 3 to 1. It wasn't until the odds were nine ponies to two before the machine started losing. The old fashion way seem not very efficient number of pony wise, and also the amount of work the ponies had to put into it. Sure maybe the Apple Family learned nothing this episode, but perhaps there should be a future episode teaching sometimes it's better to break with tradition.
The only bad point of this episode is that we've all lost our favourite Timelord-pony. Apparently now he's just a timekeeping-pony. I don't think this will change anything, however.
ReplyDeleteAnd woo, more Lyra!
I don't know if this has been shown as well before but at the end of the episode you do get a pretty nice view of where the carrot farm is in relation to the apple family's farm.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it wasn't quite so personally Applejack centered I really appreciate and enjoyed this episode! Loved the ending. Also seems like Karma caught up on Rainbow for the previous episode. Maybe Rarity had a hand in all the ciders Pinky was able to purchase. :p
@Cybearg
ReplyDeleteLast Roundup definitely has character development for AJ too XD.
It takes her already established dedication to Ponyville from previous episodes and solidifies it, she desperately didn't want to fail Ponyville by not bringing money to fix the derpage.
It also has her begin to accept that she can't do everything for Ponyville, and realise that they won't send her to the moon if she lets them down.
@EquineNoxX Beware of the schoals, Captain Hindsight! ^_^ As in chemistry, in a multipart process there is the rate-determining step. In this case, it's the quality control step. If you put Twilight in charge of emptying the orchard, and move Applejack to barrel duty, and Fluttershy and Apple Bloom to quality control, then the rate determining step, or bottleneck, moves to the capacity and speed of the cider press, which only has room for two ponies. Thus, production would stay the same.
ReplyDelete@Harwick LOL @ Eggnog bender! The frustration at Blogger's broken script was nigh enough to turn me to drink!
ReplyDeleteEquestria does have a frontier flair to it sometimes. 8^) Now just watch as some writer in a future episode has a pony trot out a deed to their property. 8^0 X^D
I like the name Thyra for the hammer/lightning pony, its actually a feminine variant of Thor.
ReplyDelete@AJBUB
ReplyDeleteIt oh so certainly is a cutie mark perfect for him.
For the Thor pony I'll go with "Hammer Time" because it's just THAT awesome.
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing the ending was missing was the Apples presenting the Flim Flam brothers with a bill for the apples they used in the competition. Well, that, or offering to buy the brothers' machine after getting beaten.
ReplyDeleteLooks I wasn't the only one who thought the background ponies cutie mark containing a hammer and lightning bolt reminded them of Thor. Obviously it wouldn't be an actual name in the show for several reasons. But that's what came to my mind too.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, also, I love the dance all the ponies in the background were doing. Very cute and fitting. <3
ReplyDelete@Legion2190
ReplyDeleteBut you've gotta know the territory!!!
I vote Mjölnir :D
ReplyDeleteNaming that middle background pony: Thorette (Lightning and hammer?)
ReplyDeleteI propose Fixit for the unicorn with the wrench. Also, I love her.
ReplyDelete@aa145c7e-304e-11e1-aa42-000bcdcb471e
>Should we call her Thursday? It was derived from "Thor's Day"...
That is brilliant, and I'm all for it!
@crazyredemu
>The filly with the wrench - Fixit
Ah, you had it first. Hats off to you! Two votes for --
@Masquerade
>and the other is 'Fix It' or 'Monkey Wrench'.
-- three votes for Fixit/Fix It!
At first I felt less special because my idea wasn't new, but then I felt more special for just the same reason: we had the same idea, and that's pretty cool!
Anyway, Fixit and Thursday are going into my headcanon for sure.
@Epesi
ReplyDeleteI derped and didn't see that there was a second page of comments. So...
@Celebi155
@Monster Hunter Brony
@Sawdust1912
@Faith
...Seven votes for Fixit, then.
Aaand there's already an ask blog for her, too, only under the name Quickfix. This fandom is crazy fast.
That'll teach me to think I can keep up.
@thePatioheater
ReplyDelete...Ohhhh, I do see what you did there.
Took me much too long, but I see it.
...but no mention of the newest, most ridiculous voice of Lyra's favorite mare, Bonbon
ReplyDeleteThe.....The middle backround pony.....
ReplyDelete...ಠ_à²
IS THAT A THOR CUTIEMARK?!?!?!?!?!
@WhirlSquirrel
ReplyDeleteI agree completely, She is THOR PONY!!
@Benjamin Nothstein
ReplyDeleteYep. She's called Mjolna, at least by ponibooru, and her own "Ask" Tumblr.
Oooh, ooh, my turn to be picky! At a point or two, Flim and Flam's cutiemarks get swapped. Once I noticed that I stopped rewinding to figure out which was which. TVTropes's "Those Two Guys" FTW. Also, In one scene during or shortly after the song, Bon Bon and a clone appear AT THE SAME TIME. WTHoof? Sorry if somepony already pointed these out, but they were botherin' me. XD And I have to say, the center bg pony's cutiemark made me think "Thor." But since she's a mare how about... Rusty Forge? LOL, what a terrible name, especially if she works in a forge. XD Or Striker...
ReplyDeleteHey Seth you didn't show that Colt with the coat tone of Octavia with the off-white mane and cutie mark almost like Octi's! xD (colts get no love in this show :P)
ReplyDeleteThor pony is best pony.
ReplyDelete@Rockpath
ReplyDeleteBut didn't the Brothers want SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT?
I imagine that the apples they couldn't make into cider could just be wintered-over as usual. That wouldn't create profits immediately but they'd still sell them over time during the winter, and before the next season could start. Anybody's guess as to whether a single apple sells for more than the juice you can squeeze out of it.
@Jason Shadow
ReplyDeleteI'm told the Asgard can not really fit much into their mouths other than the lip of a cappuccino cup, so it almost goes without saying 'cappuccino...' then again, maybe since it's about all they eat/drink, that they make the best in the universe and therefore it's noteworthy!
@David Johnston
ReplyDeleteWrenches(s) Prower, then. That seems neutral enough.
@EquineNoxX
ReplyDeleteNaked fluttershy is best pony.
Another solid episode indeed, assuming one can look past the somewhat rushed ending. If anyone could've used a lesson on integrity, it should have been the Flim Flam brothers. But in retrospect, the previous travelling entertainer (I'm looking at you, Trixie) didn't exactly learn anything either, did she?
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I suppose the only minor gripe I have is that AJ didn't have a part in what's possibly one of the longest musical sequences in s2, let alone in her very own episode. C'mon, AJ's voice actress, Ashleigh Ball is a singer after all! Nevertheless, AJ's unexpectedly epic letter at the end more than made up for it.
On a side note, that catchy song is still stuck in my head.
@the-matthew
ReplyDeleteNext time the people with the gizmo might see fit to offer them a fair deal. This wasn't a battle between progress and traditional ways. It was a contest between honest people and people who wanted to take advantage of them.
“[W]e heard the words 'cent' and 'bit' used in the same scene. Was that intentional, or did someone derp?”
ReplyDeleteJust like one hundred cents make up a dollar, I’d bet one hundred cents make up a bit.
@Masterge77Took a second time watching the episode to notice the ecstatic Lyra and the Mjolnir pony. Mindblasting.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's been said a million times before, but the one with a lightning bolt and a hammer on her flank is totally Thor
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's been said a million times before, but the one with a lightning bolt and a hammer on her flank is totally Thor
ReplyDeleteExcited Lyra is second best Lyra. Next to side Lyra of course.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, anyone notice that she is breaking the fourth wall? SHE CAN SEE US