My Little Pony's Justice 2 - Official MLP Thread v2

[Kevin]

 

^{Now that was a great episode! If there's only one complaint I can make it's that Pinkie was too overbearing in trying to get Maud to make friends. Hasn't she learned her lesson from "A Friend Indeed"?}

^{Maud's humor and personality is why I love her character so much. She's the polar opposite of Pinkie, yet they work wonderfully off one another, and their interaction is one of my favorite duo character interactions in the series because it always makes for some great laughs.}

^{One thing I find odd is Starlight's sudden interest in kites. It felt like it was forced in just to get an interest going. Speaking of Starlight, given her interaction with Trixie, would I love to see Maud meet her just to see how they'd interact together! It'd make for a good laugh!}

^{On a minor note, it's great to see the entire Pie family make an appearance. Even some of the backgrounds ponies got a bit of a showing with a Lyra name drop which was a nice surprise.}

^{One last thing, I found that cave area with the waterfall fascinating and I hope they explore that location more in the future.}

[Dark Qiviut]

Starlight and Maud were the highlights here, without question.

After really bad performances in Every Little Thing and To Where, this is Starlight's third consecutive good appearance, and her growth continues. Trixie's and Starlight's friendship's very energetic, but Starlight's and Maud's friendship is very casual. You can tell she's grown a lot since she first arrived in Ponyville one-plus season ago. More self-assuring than before.

Maud was really good, too. One of her better performances of the show. Her anti-humor was dry when it needed to be, but sincere and serious when it needed to be, too. Maud isn't nor should be merely a vessel for dry humor. She should be more than that to round out her character and not make her one-note.

Their bond was fantastic. Something about Maud Pie the episode that clicks poorly is how much the RM5 tried to get acquainted to Maud, but never do, and try to force a resolution out of it. There was never any genuine growth nor understanding between Maud and the others. When Maud is with a ReMane character, there's some sort of friction. There was a little bit of friction to start here, too, but what this episode does right in comparison to the S4 episode is how the between Maud and Starlight evolves over the course. They have something in common, and, no, it's not the kite. It's how Starlight and Maud not only listen to each other, but understand each other, too. They can imagine the other's point of view — see in each other's shoes. Maud's reasoning for being so close with rocks is very personal, which the show didn't do until today. I'm not sure why it's the case. For a show writer's point of view, could be because Maud's passion for rocks is mostly gag-centric. But for a canonical point of view, it implies that Maud will only do it to those who can relate to her, which Starlight shows.

That said, this episode could've done more to help Maud get better acquainted. Remember, she only became friends with one Ponyville resident. Ponyville's a pretty big village with all sorts of personalities. There are a lot of characters that she can acquaint and have something in common if you can arrange the time. Unfortunately, RSF doesn't delve into that, and it leaves Maud's transition into Ponyville only half-full.

Pinkie's obnoxiousness is understandable. In the beginning, she's super-excited because her sister officially became a doctor, which is very difficult to do. And it's understandable why she butted into Maud's business when trying to explore Ponyville and bonding with others in Ponyville. Nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact how nosy and obnoxious she is. Sure, she may not be completely observant, she's still very sensitive and should understand how Maud needs time to adjust to Ponyville. She should remember how butting into other people's business caused a great deal of problems: Look no further than A Friend in Deed. Rather than try to force a friendship, let it build. Yes, the lessons are different, but the secondary theme remains. Furthermore, her actions suggest that Pinkie doesn't completely trust Maud, even though they're supposedly very close. It's like the episode doesn't completely understand Pinkie. This semi-break of continuity hurts Pinkie's character and bogs down the episode.

The moral itself — "There's no one true way into making friends — is fine. However, this episode feels like there could be an entirely different moral with maybe a more direct theme. Remember the theme of this episode: Maud is trying to decide which place to move to, the Ghastly Gorge or Ponyville. But there's also a side-theme of Pinkie trying to convince her to move to Ponyville over the Ghastly Gorge. Perhaps the theme of the episode could be only trying to convince Maud to move. But rather than Pinkie getting in the way, she just watches from afar and hopes everything moves swimmingly. Use Pinkie's growth over the seasons, her instinct, and trust of Maud to help forge friendships and influence her decision to relocate to Ponyville.

Is it good? No. But is it bad? No. It's above-average.

[Your Vest Friend]

Just a couple of points/responses to episode remarks;

1. I'm not surprised they name-dropped Lyra at all, given how there's a book coming out featuring her soon. Dat marketing yo. 

2. I'm positive Starlight making friends with Maud is the beginning of a seasonal arc theme. This is the third episode with her in that calls attention to her friendship progress (although this time it's not the episode's main focus), and I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more further along. 

[AdventChild]

This week’s episode features Maud Pie and one for fans of this character which I’m very not or just indifferent. And it didn’t help they had to bring Starlight into this.

I guess the things I like is some of the locations like Ghastly Gorge and the underground waterfall. Yet with an episode featuring Pinkie Pie she would be a positive, but in this case, not so much sadly.

To get his out of the way and as said, I’m not much of a Maud fan nor the dry humor that comes with and this episode didn’t change much of that. Would rather an episode with the other Pie sisters than her.

And this episode didn’t help change my thoughts on Starlight either esp. the whole kite hobby thing felt rather forced. Hay, Starlight felt rather shoehorned for being the go-to-pony to make friends with whenever the friendship lesson/plot needs it, which I hope doesn’t become a trend this season but something tells me it will. There are other ponies that could fill in for her or at least, have some other background or secondary characters to interact with her before going to Starlight.

 But ironically, the big issue I have this episode is Pinkie who felt overbearing and annoying when trying to force Maud into getting a friend. As others stated, this and the lesson feels very done before and copied from the episode A Friend in Deed about forcing friendship onto others. And the fact that it is the same pony learning that same lesson is rather inexcusable and bogs down the episode quite heavily with Pinkie regressive characterization.

Overall, a Maud episode featuring Starlight that personally I don’t much care for and of personal taste. But with a repeated lesson and Pinkie’s obnoxious character moments knocks it down some pegs.

[Strickerx5]

I don't know why I'm always so surprised to see Maud show up still. She's been a part of the series for a while now. Anyways, I have to say that her character continued to impress me here. Her ability to be so dead pan in her lines but not emotionally detached from life is a rare trait in shows and I love every part of it.

As for Starlight, I have to say that I was also surprised with her here as well. The short exchange she and Maud had before she enslaved the village actually had a chuckle and their other interactions were pure gold. I think they found a sweet spot with how non-crazy Starlight is compared to the rest of the main cast here. They showed her being able to relate with Maud in such a regular way because of it. Have to say I'm liking this pair a lot better than what Trixie brought honestly.

Though, that's not to say that I enjoyed every part of this episode. Pinkie was just flat out annoying for the most part. I get that she was written to show how much she wanted her sister to succeed and live with her did they have to make her shout every line? I think this is, amazingly, the first time I've every been legit annoyed with her in the series. By the end of the episode I wanted her gone as much as Maud and Star. If that was what the writer was going for than congrats to them but it didn't make that part of the episode any less worse in my opinion.

So yeah, overall I really liked the episode with its new dynamic between Maud and Star. Though, Pinkie does take it down a couple of levels for me. Also, love the callback to Ghastly Gorge, It's the kind of small world building that really adds to the show.

[pastelspectre]

i quite liked this episode! it was very cute, and pinkie pie did get a bit..annoying at times with her overbearingness and whatnot, but other than that i found it good. starlight isnt my favorite character, in fact shes one of my least favorites, but this episode (and the other two episodes she was shown in), were good for me. i think shes undergoing a lot of growth and progress, and i appreciate the show for trying to show us that. meanwhile, on to maud. ah what to say about maud. maud is one of my favorites. shes like.. my 3rd favorite, after fluttershy and discord. i love her sense of humor and the way that her and starlight found a way to bond, despite maud not being very good at making friends. what i thought about this episode a bit though was.. "oh boy, how will trixie react to this when she sees starlight has a new friend?" so maybe we'll see trixie react to their blossoming friendship in another episode, who knows.

overall, good and cute episode. i liked it. im especially looking forward to next weekends since its a fluttershy centered episode and shes my absolute favorite character in the series since i can relate to her personality at some points.

[Kevin]

Thoughts on Fluttershy Leans In:

If there's one thing I love about Fluttershy, it's her assertiveness and knowing when to take a stand.

With that being said, this episode felt....bland, like there wasn't a whole lot to it with a flat story and all. Again, the only positive thing about it was showing off Fluttershy's character development, but it's going to be a rather forgettable episode.

Oh a side note, thanks, Canada for not showing any ads, Having watched various media around the world, if there's one thing that stands out about American TV is the insane amount of ads that get played.

[Strickerx5]

... My friends, it's happening:

Spoiler

Royal Problems
S07, E10
Air Date: June 10, 2017

Starlight Glimmer is sent to solve a friendship problem between Princess Celestia and Princess Luna; when it's clear that the problem is that the royal sisters don't appreciate one another, Starlight impulsively switches their cutie marks!

[Source]

Fucking finally. It took them 7 seasons but we're finally getting a Celestia and Luna episode!

Though, I do have a few preemptive thoughts about it...

Spoiler

Did Starlight really need to be in this one? I mean, I don't hate her at all (in fact she's grown on me lately) but damn, it would've been cool to see an episode consisting purely of the two sisters without any of the main cast. Something tells me that Starlight is going to take up more than just a bit of screen time here. Also, Star has the ability to switch their cutie marks... is it just me or does that seem a bit OP?

Secondly, another bickering "don't respect the work I do" plotline? I know this is a series about friendship but I still think it's a bit of a old trope to use for an episode like this. Especially when you consider that we just got a comic covering such a thing (with Celestia and Luna no less) not too long ago.

Anyways, still excited as hell to see this.

[Celestia]

42 minutes ago, Strickerx5 said:

 

  Hide contents

 Also, Star has the ability to switch their cutie marks... is it just me or does that seem a bit OP?

 

Spoiler

I mean, her introduction did have her magically removing cutie marks, so it's not like this is out of nowhere.

I've fallen REALLY far behind with this show. I stopped watching over halfway through Season 5...recently I've been tempted to try and catch up. Especially when I found out that, from Fluttershy Leans In and onwards, it seems like Season 7 episodes are airing earlier in Canada. Can't believe it took almost 7 years for this (partially) Canadian-made cartoon to show some favoritism towards us. XP

[Kevin]

Thoughts on Forever Filly:

Does this episode hit home for me. I've had people come in and out of my life and it suddenly hits you after you've grown up with them for so long how much they can change as they get older. It's a sad feeling when they drift away due to that change.

I want to give the writers credit for one thing, I think they did a good job intertwining the interaction between Rarity and Sweetie Belle and the subplot with the dog and how the lesson connected with both of them.

Also, that photo of Rarity and Sweetie Belle together was very sweet.

[AdventChild]

Eh, I'm probably going to post my thoughts along the US schedule, but might try to be one step ahead in advance and watching the next ep by Canadian times to get a response done early.

Anyways, if there is any word to describe this week’s episode it is boring.

Probably the only thing to like is Fluttershy’s assertiveness taking stage, but everything else doesn’t feel much memorable esp. compared to other Fluttershy episodes in previous seasons. Hay, even as annoying as Zephyr was he left more of an impact and more memorable than anything in this.

The plot and overall writing feel barebones with nothing much sticking out, being mostly Too Many Cooks with when you need things done, you need to do it yourself. The dialogue and jokes suffer as barely much stands out. Even the characters they introduced didn’t feel that memorable and only provided the conflict, a very weak one I might add, for the plot with nothing much added to the table either.

Also, another issue comes to mind as well. Rarity’s franchising and spreading of her boutique along with RD’s dream of the Wonderbolts crosses over the span of multiple seasons with multiple episodes. Fluttershy’s dream of an animal sanctuary? Stated and accomplished within ONE EPISODE. It just feels very off with this one and one would expect that her cottage is somewhat of a sanctuary itself with her constant animal care taking.

All in all, a bland and unmemorable Fluttershy episode.

[Strickerx5]

I think I'm going to keep to the US airing schedule as well. Though, when that princess episode lands in the the land of maple you can bet I'll be there day one. XD

So... Fluttershy Leans In... welp, it wasn't bad but it definitely wasn't anything else.

The entire episode just felt like a slog to get through. It's probably one of the most predictable episodes the show has put out to date. You know from the very beginning that Shy's going to be assertive in what she wants, the pony's aren't going to get what she's saying and screw up, tension, and Shy just ends up getting her friends to help her pull off what she really wanted in the end. There is nothing to this episode beyond that.

Don't get me wrong, seeing Flutter continuing to master her assertive lessons thus far is great continuity but it got to the point where even that was beaten over my head with the whole "3 strikes system" these episodes always have. What was even more confusing is that there were multiple moments throughout the episode where they could've deviated from the norm but they never took the chance. It's like no life went into this one at all.

So yeah, overall a completely forgettable episode. Not bad by any means (keeps everyone in character and is even a nice concept/ lesson), but completely dull in its execution.

[Kevin]

Parental Guidance thoughts:

Boy did this episode blow my expectations out of the water! Going in, I had a fear of the portrayal of Rainbow Dash's parents, and yes, to a degree they were cringy, but at the same time, it's relatable, but I do know people who grew up with parents who are like that.

I have to say, this had some of the best dialogue I've heard so far in the series as it had me laughing throughout the episode.

Despite it not being mentioned directly, it's pretty much implied that Scootaloo is an orphan and I'm really hoping that we get a character background focused episode featuring her since there's so much we still don't know.

[pastelspectre]

i feel like the only one that quite liked the fluttershy episode! sure i did think it was a bit predictable but.. i dunno. maybe im just saying this bc fluttershy is my favorite mlp character. but i did v much enjoy it. i enjoy seeing fluttershy stand up for herself and be assertive. it reminds me that i can do that too, if necessary, because in some ways i am a lot like her. good episode though. sticking to the us' airings of episodes, so i'll post my thoughts on the next episode when it comes on this weekend.

[AdventChild]

This week’s episode features a sisterly bonding with Rarity and Sweetie Belle.

Honestly, this episode didn’t do much for me.

I guess I do like Chip and his sculpting and the moral of people outgrowing things is fine.

Compared to episodes like Sisterhooves Social and For Whom the Sweetie Belle Tolls and others similar had stronger sister moments/writing than this one IMO.

The glaring problem I had with this one had to be Rarity as she felt obnoxious and overbearing in this one. Maybe not as bad as Pinkie in Rock Solid Friendship but still kind of up there and annoying nonetheless. Ugh, I hope this doesn’t become a pattern esp. seeing the premise for next episode.

 And speaking of annoying, I don’t know why but that filly’s accent felt rather fake and forced even by kids’ standards. As a matter of fact, I didn’t care much her and her dog’s storyline at all. I get what it is trying to do for converging both storylines to hammer in the same point but it felt the episode can be able to do well without it.

It’s a weak Rarity and Sweetie Belle ep brought down by an overbearing Rarity and personally, an uninteresting side B plot.

[Strickerx5]

I actually don't have too much to say about this Rarity episode. I did enjoy the overall moral though as I can relate to not always being by your younger sibling (being in college and all) and then not really knowing how much they've actually grown in your absence. It was a great thing to see play out and it's worth noting how this show can continue to bring in such decent ones this far along in its life. I also enjoyed Rarity's antics here. I found them to be extremely goofy yet completely in character. She's genuinely just trying to have a good time with her sister but just goes about it in the more bombastic way the show is known for.

Though, while not as formulaic as the previous episode, everything surrounding the moral did seem pretty by the books here as well. Nothing that interesting or exciting ever happened and there were definitely points where the episode felt like it was just trying to stretch itself out to hit that 21 minute mark. Kind of weird seeing as a lot of episodes from previous seasons seemed to have the exact opposite problem.

So yeah, overall a pretty standard episode with a nice moral to it. Not exactly something I'd re-watch anytime soon but I did enjoy it for what it was.

[Eevee of the Everstone]

Alright Stop!

[AdventChild]

Parental Glideance kicks off RD’s main episode and introduces her parents. But even reading the synopsis, I could tell that I wasn’t going to be a fan of this for the whole “Embarrassing/”Uncool” Parents” story trope. And speaking of fan…*sigh…I’ll get to that later.

I guess the things to like is the door gag and getting hints about Scootaloo being an orphan and a bit more of RD’s past.

The plot was standard with the trope plotline of introducing the oddball parents that act more like over exaggerations, parents embarrass their kid in many ways, kid snaps at parents, kid then realizes their fault and makes up for them in the end. It is predictable as it can get.

RD’s parents pose a problem as I’ve said that they feel like over exaggeration/hyperbole of this type of parents than real ones which feels much detached and can be a testament to poor and forced writing for plot’s sakes even for cartoon standards. And it was heavy on the cringe side of things too. Not to say such supportive and overbearing parents exist but I’ve haven’t witness ones to the degree of RD’s (or even in other shows) and this coming from a military child that had been to a few states. Hay, I was even sympathizing with RD with this.

Admittedly, I don’t care much for Scootaloo’s RD worship, but it was amped up to eleven in this one along with the parents which made it annoying for the most part. That shrieking fangirling in the beginning was definite eardrum wrecking. Also, was it just me or does she sound…kinda off in this?

It’s a tired trope driven episode that I don’t care for and brought down by annoying fanboyism and over-the-top parents.

 

[Strickerx5]

Well, this week posed a double header for me. Along with the RD episode that aired here in the US, I also took the opportunity to watch the princesses episode that aired in Canada. Why? because I've waited 7 seasons for this episode, I wasn't going to hold off any longer! :V

As such, I'll be doing two thoughts here. Of course, the second episode will be put in the spoiler section for those who wish to wait. Anyways, on to this RD episode.

In a word... cute. I have to say that there were quite a few daw moments in this episode for me. Both in how the narrative presented them and the way the animation was done oddly enough. I mean, you'd think 7 seasons of a show staring ponies with anime eyes would have jaded me to this by now but nope. RD's parents were fun to watch (for the most part) as I've seen these sort of parents in real life. The ones that document everything about their child and gush about them in public whenever they can. I mean you can always tell they're properly raising them on the side lines with actual parenting (usually) but when they want to flaunt, they do. XD They're proud parents.

Though, this whole fanboy attitude wasn't that enduring for the entire episode. There were quite a few times where even I found it a bit forced. I think one thing that may have caused this was the way the voice audio was mixed or something because it all sounded hella loud out of nowhere sometimes. Not to mention Scoots screech at the beginning there. Like damn, I know they were going for annoying but that didn't make it any less aggravating.

So yeah, overall a sweet little episode that did get a bit too sweet at times. Though, not enough to ruin the overall episode in my book. Scoot's sister like obsession with RD continues to shine and we even got a nod to the long running fan-cannon of her parental situation... as sad is it is. :/

 

Alright, now on to the main event.

Spoiler

Now, I'm not really one to linger in fan discussions outside of here but even I knew that this episode had been a source of a lot of tension recently in the fandom. Most of it actually based on my previous thoughts on it funnily enough. The first episode with the main royals at the forefront only for it to be about them fighting each other (again) and now requiring Starlight's help? The newbie? Yeah, I can see how a lot of people could find that frustrating. Especially if you're not a fan of Starlight to being with. Welp, I went in with a clear mind and while I don't know how the rest of the fandom is currently taking it, here are my thoughts.

Simply put, I loved it. It was honestly a sight for sore eyes after waiting this long. In all honesty, it might even be in a top spot on my favorite episode list. Let me break this down a bit.

The episode starts out simply enough. The map has strangely called Starlight of all people to Canterlot castle (of all places) for a friendship mission of sorts. Within this first scene the episode is already going places I honestly was expecting and was pleasantly surprised to see. We see the return of nervous Twilight and rightfully so. It's not brought up until a bit later in the episode but she has every reason to be in a bit of a panic. Here's her mentor about friendship having a friendship issue herself. The wisest ponies in all of Equestria. Add in the fact that the last time this did happen one was banished for 1000 years and yeah, the stakes could seem pretty high. But the thing is that this episode also does an excellent job in using Starlight's neutrality in the situation to calm that worry for the first half.

The episode, for a while, is told through her eyes. She has no bias on who's right or wrong in the situation. Neither does she really hold the two princesses in as high of a regard as any other pony probably does. I mean, she knows not to fully mess with them but she's definitely no Twilight in the situation. As such, for most of the episode things remain pretty level-headed. Even when the cutie marks are switched things don't escalate like they usually would. Plus, another level is added to Starlight's point-of-view when Twilight's role in the episode is started.

Skipping past the great comedic value the way she communicates with Starlight brings, it does actually help to take the focus away from Starlight towards the end. Twilight's paranoid talks with Starlight rubs off on here and suddenly she's becoming paranoid at what could happen if the situation did go critical... though, this happens when everything is already on its way to recovery. The episode then makes, in my opinion, a genius move in then giving the princesses themselves more screen time compared to Starlight. We get to see them develop their characters and work through their situation. All in a combination for the end event where they're now put into a situation in having to pull Starlight back to her neutral and level headed ways. They come out as the heroes of their own situation and it completely nulls the fear I had that Starlight's character would be the only one benefiting from the episode. The entire plot is told in such a way that it perfectly transitions the viewing of events to the characters that have the most meaningful outlook of the entire situation at any given time.

And that's all not even going into how well every character was written here. Especially the two royals that freaking stole the show with their stark, more everyday, mannerisms from how we're use to seeing them. Hell, after 7 seasons I feel like I can finally say that Celestia actually has a decent canon characterization behind her now! Add in Luna's continuation of being awesome (this is fact I will come at anyone that says otherwise sorry not sorry luna luna luna omg) and it just made for, both, a bunch of comedic and memorable/ meaningful moments from the two that we never really had the chance to see before now.

Add in Daybreaker and her fighting Nightmare Moon in that final climax and hot damn (literally)... how can I not say I loved this episode. It's easily up there with some of my favorites from the show thus far.

Makes me eager for more episodes with just them! ...though, something tells me this is the only one we're getting... But hey, I'ma end this on a positive note. The episode I've waited 7 seasons for? I found it to be fucking fantastic!

So yeah, that about does it for me this week. Now the only thing that's left is to figure out what the hell I'm going to do when this princess episode comes to the US. Do I jump ahead again to another episode? Take a week off? Though, if I go with the former I'm going to have to take a week off at some point anyway... eh, time will tell I guess.

[AdventChild]

Hard To Say Anything is this week’s episode that features Big Mac, but after reading the synopsis about it involving the CMC and romance (again!), I wasn’t looking forward it. And after watching it, yeah, I didn’t like it much at all.

The only things of interest are the return to Ex-Equal town, Sugar Belle despite basically reduced to being romantic interest, and Big Mac talking a bit more but the dialogue leave something to be desired.

Again, the fact that the premise sounds like Hearts and Hooves Day in terms of characters and subject matter of romance was off putting for me. I wished that we had something involving Big Mac interacting more with the other of the Mane cast (sans AJ) or even with cousin Braeburn and out on an adventure/important task than get involved with a cliché love triangle which happens here and that I cared so little of it.

The writing felt weak and even cringeworthy at times. Also, obvious Justin Bieber joke (Feather Bangs) is obvious. And albeit an annoying unfunny one at that, IMO, and the songs weren’t that great even if it was the point. Not a fan of the CMC shenanigans in this one either.

An episode dragged down with a bland love triangle plot I wasn’t fond of and it mostly being one big bad Bieber joke.

 

[Sean]

Celestial Advice - Nice, harmless episode, but I gotta say that this is probably the single most disorienting episode to watch without having watched seasons 4 to 6 first
All Bottled Up - Good episode except for the mane six subplot and that song, which don't have any impact on Starlight/Trixie's thing or even parallel it in a meaningful way
A Flurry of Emotions - Burn the child
Rock Solid Friendship - Has a lot of cute moments, I pretty much almost always like Maud-focused stories and I think she and Starlight make a nice pair
Fluttershy Leans In - Another fucking "Fluttershy is always right" episode. Hated it
Forever Filly - Not amazing but I liked this one, mainly for feeling a lot more slice-of-life-ish like the early days of MLP
Parental Glidance - Actually thought this was a really good episode (a good Rainbow Dash episode!??!! what is this nonsense witchcraft), and I loved how adorable Scoots was as well as her bonding moments with RD after the scene with the big fight. I'm also happy that Scootaloo finally gets parents at the end

[Strickerx5]

Got a chance to view Hard to Say Anything and... I'm a bit mixed here.

On one hand, I had a good time actually watching it and found my self laughing at points. There were a lot of off the wall actions coming from every character that helped carry it along. I also didn't hate the song in general either but more on that later.

Though, the flat out highlight of this episode had to be Big Mac himself. I feel like this episode was a combination of every little bit of character development he's gotten over the series and it was great to see him more vocal at points and not just the e'yup or nope guy the series had him on for a while there. I love this new approach where he only says full lines when it's absolutely necessary instead of having to write around him with other characters like was commonly done in past episodes.

The rest of the episode's substance is where I get lost a bit. For one, bringing back that town and Sugar Belle for this? This is one of those few instances where I honestly can't imagine where the writers were coming from. I mean, what is this? The third supposed relationship for Big Mac? I mean, I sort of get it when you take into account that Cheerilee and him didn't want to get together in the first place (even though every little side chance the show gets to stick the two together they took but hey) and Marble is technically his cousin (I think that's how that whole Pie and Apple family thing worked out to right?) so that would have been weird here too, but it's still a jarring move.

Also, the whole love-triangle trope was hit or miss with me. I loved the confrontation song it led to (even though the song only stands well with the plot because those lyrics... hot damn no), but everything else was so by-the-books it was difficult to care. Especially with Feather being your generic pretty boy that they try to do something with in the end but just feels out of place. But hey, apparently he's voiced by Vincent (Flash Sentry) so I guess there's a bit of humor in that.

So yeah, overall I can't write off this episode as bad because I did enjoy quite a few bits and pieces of it. Though, the whole plot has been done well before it which doesn't leave a lot for the episode itself to stand up on. Honestly, the title itself kind of sums up my thoughts. It is hard to say anything concrete about it. XD

[Sean]

Christ. As bad as season 6 was, at least it didn't do a fucking Justin Bieber parody

[AdventChild]

So this week features Rarity and Applejack and fashion….goody…

Yeah, I didn’t care for this one at all.

The only things to like are seeing Hoity Toity and Photo Finish again, Rarity’s guitar, and some designs of the new ponies.

 Still doesn’t make up with how boring this episode was that I found myself skipping the vid to make end sooner. I didn’t find the humor that funny in this nor the fashion talk that I felt like I was zoning out, just didn’t grab my attention that well like with the plot. Oddly enough even the constant setting at the boutique didn’t help with how monotonous it felt too. Also, not enough Pinkie Pie.

The moral feels rather self-defeating to the plot too with Rarity getting somepony who is honest to be judge for a fashion show, a form of competition, only for everypony to win at the end. I understand the whole being too honest can hurt but still.

A fashion faux pas boring episode.

[Dark Qiviut]

I only watched this episode after Canada released it, and I haven't budged. Honest Apple is an effin' mess.

The characterization is really poor, starting with Rarity:

1. Rarity is a strong and intelligent businesswoman. Remember, she runs and owns three fashion boutiques: Canterlot, Manehattan, and Ponyville. An in-character Rarity would not only understand what she's doing, but also preplan everything before setting it forward. So, why would Rarity plan the fashion show before all three judges signed on to this contest? This type of act comes across as someone who doesn't know what she'd doing?
   
   Speaking of not know what she's doing, it's still contrived to choose Applejack out of thin air. She claims it's because she understands practicality/functionality better than the others. But Applejack doesn't have any fashion sense; her only vision of fashion is if it's good enough to wear. Kinda ironic considering Faust's original pony design of her had her wear plenty of clothes. (Speaking of which, Apple Bloom's tied-down hat is so stupid. Given her history of watching Applejack buck those apples, she oughta know that it wouldn't work. Wait, if that didn't happen, the plot would probably fall apart, and DHX would have to come up with a cleverer way to approach it.)
   
   On top of that, she didn't give AJ any chance to study practicality or warn her to study the clothing's quality. She agreed to take part, and the contest begins the next day. This lack of advanced planning and studying makes Rarity look really incompetent. As if she has no idea what she's doing. That's not her.
   
   Also, it makes no sense for Rarity to understand how crucial functionality works. (She wouldn't be okay with the disco ball dress; the costume looks really uncomfortable to wear and walk in.) Yes, fashion is treated more as an ancillary possession rather than a mandate, but functionality. Episodes like Suited for Success, ACW, Suite & Elite, Boutique, and Rarity Investigates! show how much she gets it. For her to not comprehend it degrades her character.
2. Two of the three fashion designers sound like complete caricatures. Inky Rose was fine. Starstreak is over the top with his obsession with futuristic trends.
   
   But Lily Lace… *plugs my ears* Stereotypes are a complete bane in this show; Lily Lace is the valley girl stereotype. Her literally obnoxious drawl and voice don't work as a joke, because her valley girl accent IS the joke. You need some context behind it. If not, your joke is shallow and, thus, becomes cringeworthy. Her voice is faker than Shadow the Hedgehog.
3. Even though Coco Pommel wasn't seen in the episode, she, too, is out of character. That disco ball costume makes no sense in any way, including practicality/functionality. Rarity put her in charge of the Manehattan boutique because of her strong creativity and fashion sense. The disco ball doesn't feel like work she'd do with a straight muzzle.
4. Applejack…what the hell happened to her?!
   
   Despite Rarity not providing much sense with Applejack being a judge, one thing she understands about her friend is how she can be honest while simultaneously caring about other pony's work and feelings. Her initial comment sharply criticizing Coco Pommel's disco ball dress makes sense, because it's absolutely absurd.
   
   Afterwards, her characterization goes completely down the toilet.
   1. She bashed Inky Rose's dress for being too black, because it's completely depressing. If she criticized her choice of color because the pony within it would get really sweaty, then it'd make sense.
      
      Then he bashes Inky Rose's dress because she intentionally put holes in her fabric as she's making them. Lots of clothing intentionally has holes. Her manufacturer wouldn't be able to make her favorite cowcolt hat without one.
   2. Then she bashed Lily Lace's original draft of her dress because it could get dirty.
      
      As for her worst moment, where she destroys Lace's feather stitching on her hat, let me initial comments describe it:
       

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      Lily: I attached each feather individually. Ha! It took me literally forever. *puts hat on mannequin*

      Hoity: Ohhhh, you used hoof-crossed, double-over stitches! *chuckle* They're perfect.

      AJ: Who cares if it's stitched perfectly! You don't need feathers on your head! *grabs it and shakes it off to everyone's horror, revealing the bland hat*

      WHAT THE FUCK?!!!!!!

      Lily worked OVERNIGHT to stylize that damn hat from a bland, white piece of fabric to an interesting, complex piece of design. And in a few seconds, all that hard work gone! That's not being Honestyjack anymore. That's being an asshole! Applejack may not have the best manners or most polite language, but why the hell would she want to DESTROY someone's hard work?! I don't care what reason she has. This isn't Applejack. It's a complete bastardization of her!

      Excuse me while I go get Advil…

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      AJ: NO! There is no choice! *slams hoof down* They're the exact same belt! This is so silly! Fashion. Is. Ridiculous!

      On second thought, give me some fried Applejack to go on a bagel.

      
      An in-character and likeable Applejack would understand how important their hard work is and respond accordingly. She understands tact. She's NOT abusive! Her decision to destroy Lily's hat and be proud of it is by far her worst moment of the entire series.

      
      And on top of that, she stereotypes the art of fashion as pointless and useless. HELLOOOOOO!!! Applejack understands how important fashion is to Rarity, Coco, and many others. Even though she can't critically study fashion and color theory to save her life, she knows others can and listens to them. If she truly respected Rarity (on top of that damn hat), she'd give fashion a long, critical introspective why it's so important to Rarity, Coco, and many others. Look at episodes prior, and look at how much the Mane Eight (then Mane Six) grew. Both AJ and Rarity understand each other and respect each other.

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      Rarity: But you said "fashion is ridiculous"!

      AJ: But it's my opinion, and I'm not gonna lie!

      AJ, fuck your opinion!

Back when it first aired, this is my comment regarding Sunrise's insults to AJ and her hard work.

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Well, finished watching the Argument Off the Internet between AJ and Sunrise.

AJ's characterization's still trash. She wouldn't thrash someone over different tastes. If she would, then why would she be friends with Rarity in the first place? We're not in fanon territory here. She'd be fine with folks not liking apples.

Simultaneously, Sunrise's mocking of AJ worked as a joke. Why? Because AJ got what was coming to her! After the way she treated everyone else, she deserved a verbal plot-kicking.

I still stand by that. Applejackass needed to be shown and told directly to her face that she was being abusive, because she was too stupid to figure out the lesson ahead of time.

On the other hand, is the way it's handled really necessary, particularly for a show that's supposed to teach valuable lessons (of friendship) to impressionable kids? Absolutely not.

1. When Friendship Is Magic gets really good, it creates a welcoming, uplifting atmosphere. Each of the Mane Eight are welcoming characters who are supposed to be role models to children. Episodes like Lost Mark are really, really amazing, because they shoot up. The audience is treated as intelligent beings. They could've done a "Turnabout Is Fair Play" scenario, but they don't. The Cutie Mark Crusaders care about Diamond Tiara's well being and want to help her. Their actions mark a complete sense of maturity beyond nearly everyone's years. Their ability to be selfless and care about their nemesis, especially when she's at her lowest point, is crucial for this show.
2. The way this scene is completely written shows Rarity at her worst. Rather than show her how her words affected her and tell her through her pain how hurtful AJ's words are, she thought it was a good idea to play "eye for an eye," as if she wanted to get back at her. FIM is well above teaching lessons through pure spite. When they try this shit, the episode's quality hurts.
   
   It also really hurts when Strawberry Sunrise is an unlikeable bitch herself. Ganondox on the MLPF pinpointed the problem — Sunrise accused apple farmers like Applejack of selling apples to either intentionally poison her or rip her off. That's really cruel, and by how coolly Rarity reacts to the argument and Sunrise's vile stereotypes of apples, she knows this. That puts Rarity as part of the problem, even though the episode completely portrays her here (and the rest of the episode) as completely in the right. Rather than playing their best off each other, Rarity and AJ act like they can't stand each other. Their terrible approach to friendship here further accredits Rarity's and AJ's backstabbing each other in PPOV.

The only way for this plot to work is by disregarding blatant continuity. This episode as presented only works if you disregard episodes such as Suited for Success, ACW, and their sense of maturity leading up to this point. Season seven is not the time for Applejackass to finally learn a lesson about tact. If she didn't know at the time, then why the hell did she become the Bearer of Honesty in the first place? It wouldn't have chosen her if she wasn't a good pony.

There were some good moments here. Rarity randomly jamming to the guitar (and Pinkie's hair straightening in response) is randomness done correctly. Pinkie Pie is completely in character and likeable here. When AJ learns her lesson, she's contrite and works to make things right. Unfortunately, those things can't save Honest Apple from being a terrible episode.

Now, is it worse than Hard to Say Anything? Very hard to tell. Originally, I said Honest Apple's worse, but Hard to Say Anything is pure trash all the way to the end. Right now, it's a coin toss.