My Little Pony XXXIII: Happy Birthday Pony[thread]!

[Jahkaivah]

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c226/saxcsa/PINKIE-1.gif

[Eakin]

Well "A" is the scarlet letter but that's almost completely lost too. I'm sure any sufficiently old symbol can have some negative connotations but the Fleur De Lis isn't a biggie.

Now I wanna see a home wrecking pony with a scarlet A cutie mark...

[Athaniar]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

[Kindablue]

Actually, Rarity's new song is quite awesome. It kept reminding me of a song but I couldn't place which one.

At home, at the opera, on a fancy yacht... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUjx4_X1qA)

...

No? Okay, never mind.

[Newman]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111106005634/mlp/images/thumb/1/14/Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png/830px-Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png (http://mlp.wikia.com/index.php?title=Twilight_Sparkle/Gallery/Season_1&image=Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Epis ode_1-png)

Er, am I doing this right?

[Zevox]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.
Oh dear, I think I'm going into a cute-induced coma. If you guys don't see me for a few days, this is probably why.

Zevox

[Athaniar]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.


Er, am I doing this right?
Welcome! We are pretty friendly, don't worry, and the moderators are nice too as long as you stick to the rules. We can never have too many bronies!

[Newman]

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110821123430/mlp/images/thumb/4/41/Proud_Fluttershy_smile_S1E17.png/830px-Proud_Fluttershy_smile_S1E17.png (http://mlp.wikia.com/index.php?title=Fluttershy/Gallery/Season_1&image=Proud_Fluttershy_smile_S1E17-png)

My goodness, you guys should totally have a look at the galleries in the mlp wikia, they've got this feature that gives you the code for embedding pictures from the show into forum posts among other things.

It will be very hard not to abuse this feature. I fear I may be doing so already.

But the ponies are so expressive and vivid and CUTE. Just looking at them makes me smile, in ways "moe moe" characters never have.

By the way:

http://chzbronies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-oh-my-god.jpg

This is such fanfic fodder...

[Athaniar]

But the ponies are so expressive and vivid and CUTE. Just looking at them makes me smile, in ways "moe moe" characters never have.
They really are! The animation in this show is just amazing (especially compared to, say, G1). It's part of what makes it so awesome (among many other things, of course).

[Bayonet Priest]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

Er, am I doing this right?

Once again, a new guy? Scootaloo, both barrels!
http://img.ponibooru.org/images/0d/0da1a106ff7923e0fb2630d06310c636

http://img.ponibooru.org/images/06/06c7d0d2105a1314ea928cadd5a55a09

[Newman]

The power of the hug compels you...

Hm...

Have any of you guys ever watched Paranoia Agent? These ponies are just so adorable it's vaguely suspicious... but then they are know to actually have made things better, for many people. They're not just vapid, empty escapism into a world of cotton candy...

[Eakin]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111106005634/mlp/images/thumb/1/14/Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png/830px-Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png (http://mlp.wikia.com/index.php?title=Twilight_Sparkle/Gallery/Season_1&image=Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Epis ode_1-png)

Er, am I doing this right?

Hello, Newman (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98dai6CC5BA)

Welcome! We are, indeed, an awesome and very friendly forum.

The only thing I would point out is that we like to keep big images inside spoiler boxes to prevent screen stretchage. You've already got the code for posting images down, so when you've finished typing it out just highlight it and click the button that says "spoil" in a text bubble. It's above the text field at the far right of the formatting bar.

oh, and if anyone somehow ISN'T getting enough pony just from these threads, http://www.ponymindbleach.com/ will give you a new adorable pony picture whenever you hit F5!

[Soras Teva Gee]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

*snipped*

Er, am I doing this right?

Welcome



WE ARE THE HERD.
LOWER YOUR SHIELDS AND SURRENDER YOUR MEDIA DEVICES.
WE WILL ADD YOUR BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN
YOUR SOCIAL LIFE WILL ADAPT TO SERVICE US.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8457/mlpassimilated.jpg


But you knew that already. And yeah this forum is a good place. Moderation is pretty simple, don't talk politics, don't direct link dubiously legal material (meaning episodes really) but we all know we pirate this stuff anyways. Also for this thread we have a rule to use the Spoiler tag on for 72 hours or rather Tuesday after airtime. Also linking images is of course cool but don't if it stretches the page throw a it in Spoiler box so it doesn't except when you are looking at it.

Ohhh and we have an IRC channel where a bunch of us will pop into: info in this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12118655&postcount=1441).


But the ponies are so expressive and vivid and CUTE. Just looking at them makes me smile, in ways "moe moe" characters never have.

Heh heh, its rather like an infection isn't it?


By the way:

*snipped

This is such fanfic fodder...


Not that Twilestia isn't one half of my OT3 relationship. As much as I ship which I don't but....

Try not to remind us how Twi single hoofedly saved the word Twilight and Sparkle from oblivion.

[Strife Warzeal]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

Er, am I doing this right?
Quoted to add to list when I get back to my computer.

[Pokonic]

By the way:

http://chzbronies.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic-brony-oh-my-god.jpg

This is such fanfic fodder...

" It"s the hair of a killer, Twilight!" "shimmers"

[TheAmishPirate]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

Um.

Well.

Excuse me, I need to go...water my garden. With my eyes.

[Eakin]

Try not to remind us how Twi single hoofedly saved the word Twilight and Sparkle from oblivion.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSH77LOjZfQf7wZZg3Y9fdPXApYlKN14 df9yVId3jmHSIXCQ7LbZrqIcimLgw

[Newman]

^^^Ohgod that was funny...

She might be a killer too... anyone ever read Frigid Winds Burning Souls?

How about Dangerous Business? Or Fallout Equestria? (I tend to think of that last one as Hobo With A Shotgun, With Ponies).

^According to Mrs. Faust, Peace Be With Her, "it passed legal".

[Gamerlord]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.
*Thunk*
We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of Gamerlord, who passed away 12/9/2011 due to a sudden burst of adorableness. Please refrain from harvesting his organs until after the ceremony.
Also, hello new people!

[otakuryoga]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

sigh....i JUST had a checkup this morning and was told my diabetes was under control

then you post this and work my pancreas to death..........

[Eakin]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

I'm not going to argue that the animation/pictures weren't a critical mass of D'AWWWWW but I did realize something.

Order of events:
1) Fluttershy puts out gift
2) Seeing gift makes Pinkie realize she needs to find a gift for FS
3) Pinkie learns why you shouldn't wait until December 23rd to do your shopping. She spends 2 days exclusively looking for the perfect gift.
4) Unable to find one, she feels terrible and opens Flutter's gift on Christmas to find...
5) The only gift Flutter really wanted was time with Pinkie.

Adorable and heartwarming, right? BUT!

Fluttershy put out the gift BEFORE Pinkie ditched her for two days to go gift hunting. Which wouldn't have happened if she hadn't put the gift out in the first place!

Conclusion: Fluttershy was cynically manipulating Pinkie the entire time, and made her feel terrible unnecessarily.

This is clearly the author's intended interpretation.

[Lix Lorn]

oh god nothing is allowed to be that cute

[Beacon of Chaos]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

Yeah, it was cute... but...
I refuse to believe that Pinkie Pie of all ponies wouldn't know what present to get her best friend. Seriously, she must plan so many birthday parties every year. I imagine Pinkie as the kind of pony who would go Xmas shopping in September because she's too excited to wait.

[Pokonic]

*Thunk*
We are gathered here today to mourn the loss of Gamerlord, who passed away 12/9/2011 due to a sudden burst of adorableness. Please refrain from harvesting his organs until after the ceremony.
Also, hello new people!

"pushes ice bucket into corner"


oh god nothing is allowed to be that cute exept for ponys

I think you messed up while typing that, Lix.

[Mando Knight]

Yeah, it was cute... but...
I refuse to believe that Pinkie Pie of all ponies wouldn't know what present to get her best friend. Seriously, she must plan so many birthday parties every year. I imagine Pinkie as the kind of pony who would go Xmas shopping in September because she's too excited to wait.
I know, right? A real Pinkie approach would have been planning a huge Christmas party for the whole town. Why? Because she is Pinkie Pie, The Best At Parties.

Now, Twilight, her I could see freaking out about not getting her friends the perfect present. Because if she doesn't get them done by Dec. 25, she'll be... tardy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvh1XmLdd1c).

[Newman]

... So you guys don't read pony fanfics, huh?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1NnR6kZVLdg/TdbsaRLPcHI/AAAAAAAAEu8/pgIXJfDOgIA/s1600/15163+-+artist+john_joseco+Calamity+Fallout+Littlepip+ori ginal_character+Velvet_Remedy.jpg

[Soras Teva Gee]

Yeah, it was cute... but...
I refuse to believe that Pinkie Pie of all ponies wouldn't know what present to get her best friend. Seriously, she must plan so many birthday parties every year. I imagine Pinkie as the kind of pony who would go Xmas shopping in September because she's too excited to wait.

I had the same thought but while watching I mentally role reversed it... and the whole thing works so beatifully that manly unicorn wizard tears were stoically held in because THAT option is perfectly fitting.

[Pokonic]

Newman@

Are you kidding me? F:ED is one of the main reasons I have ED on my favorite list! Along with Project Horizans and everything by Spitfire, of course, but nothing on that website is as epic (and long, for that matter.) as that fanfic, and boy do I like it!:smallbiggrin:

[Soras Teva Gee]

... So you guys don't read pony fanfics, huh?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1NnR6kZVLdg/TdbsaRLPcHI/AAAAAAAAEu8/pgIXJfDOgIA/s1600/15163+-+artist+john_joseco+Calamity+Fallout+Littlepip+ori ginal_character+Velvet_Remedy.jpg

I don't but plenty of people do its just not that big an item of discussion here.

I think because people are too nice to want to get into criticizing another fans work. I know I don't even read fanfics for that reason at least, because very very very few of them meet standards for me and I'm not content to leave a comment like "it was okay" all the time.

That's me I'm something of a jerk

[Lix Lorn]

I think you messed up while typing that, Lix.
See, if that was me I would have spelt it right. :smalltongue:

[Reejis]

The power of the hug compels you...

Hm...

Have any of you guys ever watched Paranoia Agent? These ponies are just so adorable it's vaguely suspicious... but then they are know to actually have made things better, for people. They're not just vapid, empty escapism into a world of cotton candy...

No! Get out of my headcanon! Newman, what did you do to my braaaaaaain!

jk, Paranoia Agent is incredible though.:smallbiggrin:

[Zevox]

... So you guys don't read pony fanfics, huh?
Most posters here seem to actually - hell, half of them seem to write them as well. Those of us who don't, myself included, are a minority.

Zevox

[Soras Teva Gee]

So every pony since I've established by stubborn immunity to Fluttershy I need a second opinion:

http://www.welovefine.com/img/p/1401-4075-large.jpg (http://www.welovefine.com/product.php?id_product=1401)


Would you be afraid of getting into a traffic accident if you drove by some pony wearing this shirt?

[Newman]

Minoooorities... in my foooooraaa....

[Eakin]

I don't but plenty of people do its just not that big an item of discussion here.

I think because people are too nice to want to get into criticizing another fans work. I know I don't even read fanfics for that reason at least, because very very very few of them meet standards for me and I'm not content to leave a comment like "it was okay" all the time.

That's me I'm something of a jerk

I can't be bothered to sift through every fan fic to find the gems. I just go off of EQD's best of (http://www.equestriadaily.com/search/label/Star-6) list.

I've enjoyed Progress and The Best Night Ever particularly. Also the Pinkie Pie/Dresden crossover 1 shot was great. I'm reading through the portal crossover one right now.

Fallout Equestria is rather intimidating in it's current form. I hear good things but I'm not sure I'll ever get into it

[Zevox]

So every pony since I've established by stubborn immunity to Fluttershy I need a second opinion:

http://www.welovefine.com/img/p/1401-4075-large.jpg (http://www.welovefine.com/product.php?id_product=1401)


Would you be afraid of getting into a traffic accident if you drove by some pony wearing this shirt?
:smallconfused: Uh, no. It's not like I'd be able to see the shirt. I don't look at other drivers while on the road anyway, and even if I did, I'm pretty sure it's unlikely that the car window would provide a good view of the shirt.

Zevox

[Gaelbert]

Hello everyone.

I found this thread by accident, as I was googling MLP images. I noticed it was GiantitP, as I am a huge OOtS fan as well. I am a moderator on MMO-Champion.com, where we have a huge brony base and thread. Thought I'd say hi and see how the community here is :)

Welcome to our herd! We're the most loving-est and tolerating-est I've had the pleasure of participating in. And I have to say, it's quite cool that we were found through a search for pony images.


Well, you should learn now so you can hate me forever: I really really don't like Rarity. She's an interesting character only because she has so many faults. But it's hard to like her when she basically turns her back on her friends so easily. She's so self-conceited it hurts.

Surely you're not speaking of best pony Rarity, are you? You must of course be speaking of some alternate universe Rarity with a completely opposite set of characteristics, correct? Because best pony Rarity bears no resemblance to any of those complaints!

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/94618-angrycaptionhaters_gonna_get_hated_nowrarityuncout h.jpg


Ah, it's time for some Rarity philosophy. I think I've figured out what makes Rarity unique:

Rarity has no depth.

She's coat deep. She wears everything she has, everything she is, on her sleeve. When she loves, she means it. When she hates, she means it. When she forgives, she means it. When she's being dramatic and over-the-top, she means it. She doesn't veil her thoughts or keep secrets from herself; she is exactly as she appears to be.

And this isn't a bad thing. It makes her exceedingly genuine. Honest. She does lie and misdirect, certainly, but generally only when she's extremely tense. This shallowness can make her seem like she turns her back on the ones who care about her too easily, but to Rarity, it's not a permanent thing. In her mind, there's nothing wrong with a sudden reversal. She was annoyed at Sweetie Belle in the Sisterhood Social, and parted from her in genuine anger. And she was just as genuine about the revelation and reconciliation. And she was completely lost when Sweetie Belle held a grudge.

Rarity doesn't think in terms of permanent consequences; she thinks in terms of potential. What's in the now? What can I do now? Every moment is total. Every emotion is total. The past and the future are flawed states; wealth is transitory; what matters is that your friends are smiling right now. Be generous! Be true! Live the moment!

That's Rarity.

I think I'll respond to these two above quotes at once, for simplicity's sake.


YOU SHALL DIE NOW

...

Er, I mean, it's nice to meet you, just as nice as Rarity, right? Because Rarity is the nicest pony. I'm Raz_Fox, which starts with an R, just like the best pony, and I wrote Misted Stage and am currently working on a Phoefic entitled Heroics, which I'm just getting back into after a break in November. Also, did I mention that RARITY IS THE BEST PONY YOU HERETIC

LET ME GO THANQOL I MUST AVENGE HER HONOR


Don't worry bruddha, I got yo' back!
I wasn't a fan of Rarity at first. I thought she was the mandatory fashion obsessed pony every toy commercial show required to pimp out the new merchandise from the parent corporation. And perhaps she is. But the thing is, somewhere around the middle of the first season, probably around Suited for Success, I realized Rarity was so much more. So while I agree with some of your statements, Thanqol, I'm afraid I must disagree with you on the root cause.
Heresy!
I know, I know. I don't look forward to facing off against Thanqol, especially for a character analysis. But Lady Rarity's honour must be defended! To the battlements! I will die with a sword in my hand!
Let's run through a few of her scenes, shall we?

First, the metrosexual water dragon Steven Magnet. What got me about that scene, upon rewatching, was that Rarity was the only pony to consider the dragon as an actor in himself. The others just looked at him as an obstacle to get past. But Rarity? She saw a dragon in pain, then made an immense sacrifice to help him out, expecting nothing in return. In fact, that scene seems almost exactly like Fluttershy's scene. The amazing part of it wasn't her generosity, it was her kindness. She behaved as a Kantian would, not looking at the dragon as a means to an end, but as an end as he was. None of the other ponies, Fluttershy included, could see that. So that's why Rarity is the element of kindness.

Okay, okay, Rarity's element is supposed to be the element of generosity. But on further inspection, there's quite a lot of overlap. Take Pinkie Pie. She's the element of laughter. She throw's parties for everypony at the drop of a hat. Sounds quite generous, right? Well, not really. Pinkie Pie needs those parties for herself. She herself needs to laugh, she herself needs to entertain other people. It's quite a crippling problem, actually, as we've seen. Essays could be written on that type of behaviour. But Rarity? She knows a good party as much as anypony. After all, she is a class act. But the parties she throws, the people she entertains? It's not for her. While Pinkie may use other ponies as a way to keep herself mentally healthy, Rarity does it simply because she wants other ponies to be happy themselves, not for her own benefit. As I said above, Rarity is quite the Kantian. Let's take a look at Sweet and Elite, shall we? When she's in Fancy Pants' box, we see that, even after Fancy Pants mentions she has a suite in the castle, the upper class ponies don't pay her much attention. They don't look down at her, sure, but they don't say anything to her either. But during the montage, when Rarity herself is speaking, that's when they start to pay attention and enjoy themselves. Particularly at the dinner party, we see the entire group is absorbed and entertained by Rarity's simply divine stories. She doesn't have to rely on party cannons, balloons, or pranks to entertain other ponies and make them laugh. She merely has to speak. So that's why Rarity represents the element of laughter.

In Suited for Success, Rarity decides to make her friends brand new dresses. All of her friends. In about 2 days. She makes them simply gorgeous dresses, perfect dresses, and what do they do? They tear the dresses apart. So what does Rarity do? Say "Oh well, I guess you don't like my style, at least I tried"? No. She abandons her artistic principles, for her friends. She forces her friends to tell their inner thoughts, just so she can make them happy. She abandons her artistic principles without a second though, just to cater to the whims of her friends. She knows full well that this could sabotage her career (remember, the fashion show was already planned by this point), but she wants to make sure her friends have exactly what they want. So she does everything they say, ignoring her own scruples and experience, just so they'd be happy. When the entire thing backfires and her career is ruined in front of Hoity Toity, does she simply say "Oh, these were specifically demanded. My friends wanted these"? It would get her out of trouble, restore her career. There's really no reason not to, it's the truth. But she refused to turn on her friends, even in such a minor way, despite the fact that her store would essentially be destroyed by all the bad publicity. Now let's take a look at what the element of loyalty, Rainbow Dash, does in this episode (completely ignoring Dash's appearances in other episodes, like when she urges the group to abandon Fluttershy in Dragonshy or any number of situations). She essentially tells Rarity "That dress sucks, just make it better." She tells Rarity "Yes, everypony is laughing at you." Dash has absolutely no reason to say these things (particularly the latter), except to make Rarity feel bad. That's Dash's only possible motivation. How does Rarity respond? She doesn't. She doesn't acknowledge the incredibly malicious slight her "friend" is throwing at her. She refuses to accept that her friend would say something like that, and so doesn't. She continues to act as if there was no problem, because to her? There really was no problem in Dash saying that. It's like it never happened. Rarity's loyalty was enough for her to completely overlook (and implicitly forgive) Dash for saying those comments. For further support, look no further than "Green Isn't Your Colour." Despite the fact that Rarity's best friend achieves all Rarity's ever wanted to be, Rarity doesn't let that get in the way of their friendship and continues to push Fluttershy to go further. Yes, it pains Rarity, but that just shows the extent of her loyalty. If a friend of mine, someone who has never shown any musical talent or interest, was suddenly signed by a national record label and went on tour while I was completely ignored, I don't know if I'd react as gracefully as Rarity. And that's why Rarity is the element of loyalty.

Really, the only element Rarity doesn't represent is honesty. I'd even go so far as to say, for all the reasons explained above and her ability to hold the freakishly heavy Tom, she could easily represent the element of magic/friendship as well.

With all that being said, let's take a look at her internal mind. Here's where you and I leave paths, Thanqol. She doesn't wear everything on her sleeve. Green Isn't Your Colour is a perfect example of that. When Rarity's worried her personal desires and ambitions may hurt one of her friends, she stifles her own ambitions to help Fluttershy to achieve Rarity's own dreams. She's not living vicariously through Fluttershy, which suggests one other motive: Rarity cares deeply about her friends. Rarity cares deeply about making other ponies happy. The underlying motivation for Rarity in Sweet and Elite? Letting other ponies down. She only decides to go to the dinner party, the auction, etc., after Rarity feels that she would let the upper class ponies down personally, make each of the events a disaster, and make them feel bad. She just genuinely wants to make as many ponies happy as possible. So while for the most part, she might be genuine about everything, if she thinks it will hurt another pony, make them feel bad? She will do everything in her power, down to stifling her own dreams and resorting to emotional terrorism on herself, to hide thoughts or feelings that would hurt some other pony. She's not worried about the costs on herself, although she does feel them acutely. She's just worried about hurting other ponies.
And I think this is why I love Rarity. She's a pony with ambitions and drive, clearly. She owns her own store at a fairly young age, and hopes to become one of the "establishment" fashion designers. But the moment she thinks that her ambitions will trample over some other pony, she drops them. She doesn't always realize she's hurting other ponies right away. That's where the tension is with her character, that's part of her depth. That's why she can cause the problem without knowing it in Sonic Rainboom. That's what the Sisterhooves Social was about. But the moment she realized she did hurt Sweetie Belle? She felt terrible. I mean, we're talking a Pinkamena Diane Pie meltdown here. And in order to make it up to her sister, Rarity did the things she hated most in the world, getting dirty, manual physical labour. (I'm not going to defend her dislike of physical labour, that's where Rarity and I part). And then, at the end, when the two sisters made up? Well, we both know how Rarity looked. She was incredibly happy, the most honest joy that I've seen in the show. Incidentally, that, I imagine, was the reason for Rarity in the rain. The wet mane was amazing in itself, but Rarity cleaning herself in the rain was highly symbolic. The rain showed how incredibly clean and goodhearted she was. It washed away the muddy exterior to show a dazzlingly beautiful coat of perfection and just all around goodness.
This is what Rarity looks like. More than her physical appearance, this is what Rarity is. Giving her sister the umbrella, letting the rain hit her. That beautiful joy on her face, merely from seeing her sister happy:
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/81072-Sweetie_Belleartistpashapupraritysistersumbrellawe t.png
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/soaked_beauty_by_aleximusprime-d4hznif.png

The other aspect of Rarity I couldn't really find a good spot to fit in is her artistry. She is an artiste. Out of all the main cast, she knows beauty when she sees it, she has the technique to make beautiful designs, and she has the creativity to make beauty. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I'm drawn to her. I don't have a quarter of the talent in her left hoof, but I do love art of all kinds. I think that's why Suited for Success affected me so deeply. It's one thing to make dresses for all her friends. It's entirely another to make dresses that go against all your principles, against everything you hold dear. An artist puts a part of her soul in everything she does. You can't make a piece of art that's not deeply intimate or personal. It just can't happen. Rarity puts her heart and soul into her work. So when her friends wanted her to put her heart and soul into something she hated? She didn't even hesitate. She was willing to alienate herself from herself, one of the worst possible things you can do to yourself (especially if you hold to certain theories of work and alienation), just to make her friends a little happier. As an artist, as an employee, I know that takes a truly great level of effort. I don't know if I could do that, and I care deeply for everyone in my life.


Can't let you do that, star-penguin. That much cute would be fatal for anypony. :smalleek:


The mood whiplash of that would be immense. I get the chills thinking of the final scene from The Three Musketeers, it's incredibly dark. With ponies? I don't even know.


I come bearing more gifs, this time with 50% less chance of seizures:

http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/13876368617/3/tumblr_lvudz32RIH1r6q11h


D'aawwww!



Lisabet does sound nice, and has the bonus of referencing two fanon names at once.

I like it too, I think I'm going to run with that.
As for things to do in San Francisco:
Union Square is beautiful in the winter. They have real ice skating on real ice, and the entire place is gorgeous.
Fisherman's Wharf and the region along the Embarcadero has a lot of fun touristy stuff. Stores, trinkets, restaurants, a wax museum, an aquarium, a submarine that's been turned into a museum.
Golden Gate Park is beautiful, it has a conservatory of flowers, a botanical garden, lots of greenery and such.
I'd also recommend the Legion of Honour. It's pricy, so probably not the best thing to do with a group, but they have some amazing paintings there. I went a few months ago to their Picasso exhibit, could not recommend it enough. They have an exhibit by Pissarro there now, I hope to see it when I get the chance.
Chinatown is always fun, and there are always a bunch of great places to shop if that's your type of thing.


You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

If I was the crying type, I would have cried. Thank you.


Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

Er, am I doing this right?

Welcome to the herd! We're glad to have you!


At home, at the opera, on a fancy yacht... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iUjx4_X1qA)

...

No? Okay, never mind.

I'll be honest, I've never heard the clean version before. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

[Newman]

Fallout Equestria is rather intimidating in it's current form. I hear good things but I'm not sure I'll ever get into it

Hm. Have you ever watched Hobo With A Shotgun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmpTG1CZzI&feature=related)? It's pretty much the same feel, it's rich, it's colourful, it's uplifting and idealistic in many ways, and the protagonist is adorable, as his her party...

But it's violent and exploitative as hell, with blood and guts and murder, the villains are extremely twisted, the normal people and even the protagonist are downright forced by the setting to compromise their moralities and principles, the Equestrian Wasteland is extremely inhospitable, and GOD is freaking literally DEAD.

It's also very addictive. You just can't take your eyes off, or your mind for that matter.

It's also cute as hell. The nice moments are very nice. The funny moments are very funny. The whole of it feels morally regenerating despite everything.

[Gaelbert]

I'm not going to argue that the animation/pictures weren't a critical mass of D'AWWWWW but I did realize something.

Order of events:
1) Fluttershy puts out gift
2) Seeing gift makes Pinkie realize she needs to find a gift for FS
3) Pinkie learns why you shouldn't wait until December 23rd to do your shopping. She spends 2 days exclusively looking for the perfect gift.
4) Unable to find one, she feels terrible and opens Flutter's gift on Christmas to find...
5) The only gift Flutter really wanted was time with Pinkie.

Adorable and heartwarming, right? BUT!

Fluttershy put out the gift BEFORE Pinkie ditched her for two days to go gift hunting. Which wouldn't have happened if she hadn't put the gift out in the first place!

Conclusion: Fluttershy was cynically manipulating Pinkie the entire time, and made her feel terrible unnecessarily.

This is clearly the author's intended interpretation.

This was posted as I was typing up my defense of Rarity's honour, otherwise I would have responded earlier. I got the feeling that Pinkie seeing Fluttershy's gift made her think back to trying to find the gift for Fluttershy. A frame narrative, if you will.

[Bayonet Priest]

Hm. Have you ever watched Hobo With A Shotgun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmpTG1CZzI&feature=related)? It's pretty much the same feel, it's rich, it's colourful, it's uplifting and idealistic in many ways, and the protagonist is adorable, as his her party...

But it's violent and exploitative as hell, with blood and guts and murder, the villains are extremely twisted, the normal people and even the protagonist are downright forced by the setting to compromise their moralities and principles, the Equestrian Wasteland is extremely inhospitable, and GOD is freaking literally DEAD.

It's also very addictive. You just can't take your eyes off, or your mind for that matter.

It's also cute as hell. The nice moments are very nice. The funny moments are very funny. The whole of it feels morally regenerating despite everything.

While I'm not sure Hobo with a Shotgun is the first thing I'd want to compare it to, you're pretty much on the money with that description. I've never been as torn on a fic in my life. It would easily be my favorite story ever but it's just so damn brutal. I love it and it hurts me for it. It really lives for its characters though, they're all flawed and make mistakes but they are still definitely the good guys. Calamity is best companion, there is no contest there.


But yeah, lots of people here read fanfic. Plenty of people here write fanfic too, some of my favorite stories came from people here.

Edit: And as for Fallout: Equestria, It looks like its wrapping up now. I don't expect more than another two full sized chapters at most before it's finished.

[Thanqol]

[COLOR="DarkOliveGreen"]
I thought that was Thanquol?

Thangol is my evil opposite. I am Thanquol's evil opposite.


YOU SHALL DIE NOW

...

Er, I mean, it's nice to meet you, just as nice as Rarity, right? Because Rarity is the nicest pony. I'm Raz_Fox, which starts with an R, just like the best pony, and I wrote Misted Stage and am currently working on a Phoefic entitled Heroics, which I'm just getting back into after a break in November. Also, did I mention that RARITY IS THE BEST PONY YOU HERETIC

LET ME GO THANQOL I MUST AVENGE HER HONOR

1) Best pony
2) Starts with an R
3) Rainbow Dash!


Wait, why am I the first person in that list...?

I'm always thinking about you tax reasons


I know, I know. I don't look forward to facing off against Thanqol, especially for a character analysis. But Lady Rarity's honour must be defended! To the battlements! I will die with a sword in my hand!
Let's run through a few of her scenes, shall we?

And die you shall. I cannot tolerate such hubris so your destruction shall be total.


First, the metrosexual water dragon Steven Magnet. What got me about that scene, upon rewatching, was that Rarity was the only pony to consider the dragon as an actor in himself. The others just looked at him as an obstacle to get past. But Rarity? She saw a dragon in pain, then made an immense sacrifice to help him out, expecting nothing in return. In fact, that scene seems almost exactly like Fluttershy's scene. The amazing part of it wasn't her generosity, it was her kindness. She behaved as a Kantian would, not looking at the dragon as a means to an end, but as an end as he was. None of the other ponies, Fluttershy included, could see that. So that's why Rarity is the element of kindness.

Entirely consistent with my analysis; also, going through and finding scenes that support an element cycle is no more informative than going through and finding scenes that prove Rarity's Earth/Fire/Water affinities with regards to this discussion. I'm challenging her depth of emotion, not her nature as a good pony.


Really, the only element Rarity doesn't represent is honesty. I'd even go so far as to say, for all the reasons explained above and her ability to hold the freakishly heavy Tom, she could easily represent the element of magic/friendship as well.

Lying doesn't mean she's purely dishonest. As I asserted earlier, she doesn't hide her emotions anywhere. She's the only pony who seems utterly honest with herself, and above all, to thine own self, be true.

She's mercurial, but in her head, she's being honest.


With all that being said, let's take a look at her internal mind. Here's where you and I leave paths, Thanqol. She doesn't wear everything on her sleeve. Green Isn't Your Colour is a perfect example of that. When Rarity's worried her personal desires and ambitions may hurt one of her friends, she stifles her own ambitions to help Fluttershy to achieve Rarity's own dreams. She's not living vicariously through Fluttershy, which suggests one other motive: Rarity cares deeply about her friends.

Irrelevant to my point. When Rarity decides that Fluttershy "must" she means it, in that moment, she utterly means it. She wasn't thinking, at the time, about anything more than Fluttershy being happy, about this chance to make her friends happy. She did not have ulterior motives. In that moment she was not jealous.


Rarity cares deeply about making other ponies happy. The underlying motivation for Rarity in Sweet and Elite? Letting other ponies down. She only decides to go to the dinner party, the auction, etc., after Rarity feels that she would let the upper class ponies down personally, make each of the events a disaster, and make them feel bad. She just genuinely wants to make as many ponies happy as possible. So while for the most part, she might be genuine about everything, if she thinks it will hurt another pony, make them feel bad? She will do everything in her power, down to stifling her own dreams and resorting to emotional terrorism on herself, to hide thoughts or feelings that would hurt some other pony. She's not worried about the costs on herself, although she does feel them acutely. She's just worried about hurting other ponies.

If you're trying to counter my assertion, this statement, too, has nothing to do with it. What Rarity's not is a master planner, working out how to make everypony happy in advance and then executing it. Planning is an alien concept to Rarity. In each moment, she makes the decision that she thinks is the best; her own future gain or loss is rarely a factor.

I'm not arguing that she's mean, or unkind, or selfish which is what you seem to be countering. I'm arguing that she's shallow. Wonderfully, honestly shallow. When she loses her ribbon it is THE WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!! She means that. When she finds that ribbon it's not the worst possible thing any more and she gets back to work. Both of those emotions were true; she wasn't trolling Twilight; she doesn't have the subtlety to troll Twilight.


The other aspect of Rarity I couldn't really find a good spot to fit in is her artistry. She is an artiste. Out of all the main cast, she knows beauty when she sees it, she has the technique to make beautiful designs, and she has the creativity to make beauty. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I'm drawn to her. I don't have a quarter of the talent in her left hoof, but I do love art of all kinds. I think that's why Suited for Success affected me so deeply. It's one thing to make dresses for all her friends. It's entirely another to make dresses that go against all your principles, against everything you hold dear. An artist puts a part of her soul in everything she does. You can't make a piece of art that's not deeply intimate or personal. It just can't happen. Rarity puts her heart and soul into her work. So when her friends wanted her to put her heart and soul into something she hated? She didn't even hesitate. She was willing to alienate herself from herself, one of the worst possible things you can do to yourself (especially if you hold to certain theories of work and alienation), just to make her friends a little happier. As an artist, as an employee, I know that takes a truly great level of effort. I don't know if I could do that, and I care deeply for everyone in my life.

I agree and I'm still completely uncertain how this is meant to do anything other than prove my point. All these things are true they are just simply not at odds with my theory.

[Pokonic]

Hm. Have you ever watched Hobo With A Shotgun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmpTG1CZzI&feature=related)? It's pretty much the same feel, it's rich, it's colourful, it's uplifting and idealistic in many ways, and the protagonist is adorable, as his her party...

But it's violent and exploitative as hell, with blood and guts and murder, the villains are extremely twisted, the normal people and even the protagonist are downright forced by the setting to compromise their moralities and principles, the Equestrian Wasteland is extremely inhospitable, and GOD is freaking literally DEAD.

It's also very addictive. You just can't take your eyes off, or your mind for that matter.

It's also cute as hell. The nice moments are very nice. The funny moments are very funny. The whole of it feels morally regenerating despite everything.

Proof: " In Gawd we trust."

Also, its Goddess.:smallbiggrin:

[Kindablue]

I'll be honest, I've never heard the clean version before. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Yeah, but I would've had to kill the joke with a warning otherwise.

[Newman]

I don't mind the brutality (I have a bit of a sensationalist streak, and I enjoy extreme emotions in all forms... otherwise I wouldn't tolerate Glee's AWFUL writing) but I find the extreme getting-beat-up-mutilated-and-near-death-experiences-only-to-be-healed-later to really bog down the writing, the same way I feel all those enemies in a Fallout game just get in the way of me finding out about the plot (I'm more of a Visual Novel gamer, if that counts as gaming at all): they're HARD to beat, but I don't derive any enjoyment from killing them, only relief at the annoyance.

Well, back to the story: I grow tired of the constant fighting, and I also grow tired of Pip questioning herself all the time. If I were her I wouldn't even give a second thought to what she did on Arefu.

I mostly enjoy the exploration of the setting, the interaction with the amazing plot, the investigation of how exactly Equestria ended up like this...

As for comparing it to Hobo With A Shotgun, honestly, it's just that feeling, you know, when I was watching it the first thing I thought was "Wow, this feels exactly like Fallout Equestria".

My favourite character would be Three Dog, I mean Homage. Watcher would be number one if he didn't make himself so SCARCE. I especially was awed and appalled by his cooking skills.

Also, Frigid Wings, Burning Hearts was another fic I really loved. It explored Luna and Celestia's backstory and how it all happened, the banning and everything. Is it finished yet? I WONDER HOW CANON LUNA HAS AFFECTED THE STORY, BECAUSE I FEEL A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR BOTH DRAMA AND COMEDY GOLD HAS BEEN LOST. THE AUTHOR STILL GOT HER FAIRLY CLOSE.

"THY BACK LAYS WHOLE AND UNGOBBLED, YOU UNGRATEFUL WHELP!"


Rarity may not be the best pony when it comes to being stuffy and obsessive and polishing the brass on the Titanic, but she's definitely got her heart in the right place. But she just never lived down that moment where she tried to steal from the Dragon. From then on, I had her pegged as something of an idiot. As a character, rather than a person, I adore her: she is simply hilarious with her accents and mannerisms and sense of drama. I also love when she's working the charming angle. She could beat the whole WWF with just her honey words.

Rainbow Dash isn't nasty or cruel, she's just BLUNT and RUDE and IMPOLITE. When she said RRY was a laughingstock, it was because it was true, and RD won't lie to you to comfort you.

[Kurgan]

You want adorable, thread? You want weapons-grade d'awww? I'll give it to you. Behold the Ask Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie Christmas Special! (http://speccysy.deviantart.com/art/Ask-FS-and-PP-Christmas-273089988) It made me cry tears of joy.

HNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng! Gah, so much daw in that clip! Where are the overly high cuteness level signs when we need them?


Hello everyone.

I found this thread by accident, as I was googling MLP images. I noticed it was GiantitP, as I am a huge OOtS fan as well. I am a moderator on MMO-Champion.com, where we have a huge brony base and thread. Thought I'd say hi and see how the community here is :)


Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

Er, am I doing this right?

Welcome to both of you from your friendly representative of the Galactic Empire! True, we don't have goddesses or space liches (so glad we are in an alternate universe from AOTRS, for having all of my organs intact reasons), but we do have lots of starships and we always have openings in the chain of command!

One note: when you put up images, please put them in spoiler tags, for screen stretchy reasons.

Anyways: Welcome!


http://ponibooru.413chan.net/_images/0da1a106ff7923e0fb2630d06310c636/12549%20-%20macro%20scootaloo.jpg
http://ponibooru.413chan.net/_images/06c7d0d2105a1314ea928cadd5a55a09/7961%20-%20animated%20jumping%20scootaloo.gif
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/27ab818b4f80203226dc816bba269b2c/33299%20-%20afterbirth_day%20animated%20basket%20clapping%2 0clopplauding%20gif%20invitation%20party_invitatio n%20pinkie_pie.gif
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/3520087ca048338d3b40b0b2cd04fb41/42940%20-%20animated%20gif%20pinkie_pie%20strawberry_milksh ake.gif
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/d46d23d53d927ca2160edcb6cea0604e/53449%20-%20animated%20cursor%20gif%20pinkie_pie%20twilight _sparkle.gif
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b5c57a57b220323e6498818f0b4f1405/84939%20-%20Trixie%20artist%3Alovemimi%20cart%20great_and_p owerful_trixie.jpg
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b23f634fcbbfd2eb4b6d607a8e20afb3/81775%20-%20The_Great_And_Powerful_Trixie%20Trixie%20artist %3Atheparagon%20fluttershy.png


I honestly don't remember which of those is welcome images and which are just images I saved the location of, so we shall see how well it meshes.

[Newman]

Trixie always makes me sad. I used to be just like her, except with SCIENCE. before I went to college and met my Twilights. A whole bunch of them.

[Dirtbag]

Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.[/url]

Er, am I doing this right?

Hi Thar! ^^

*Hugs* for new poni. :D

And I just wanted to say you are always welcome to join our IRC (http://cbe005.chat.mibbit.com/?channel=%23ponythread&server=irc.sorcery.net) if you so please. We are at #ponythread or just clicky dem linky. :3

So with that, Welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay. X3

[Eakin]

Gael, I get what you are going for, but I don't think you can turn Rarity's actions in S&E around quite that neatly. She lies to her friends and everyone around her to avoid feeling embarrassed. If her actions were supposed to be commendable at all she wouldn't have had to learn her lesson at the end and choose to admit that her friends were from Ponyville. Saying that she only attended those social functions to avoid letting others down is awfully self serving as she wanted to attend them anyway and in the process of being all high society she blew off a commitment to Twilight. Twice. Lying to your friend about being able to attend their party because you have a sick pet represents which of the elements, exactly?

She's the LEAST honest of the Mane 6. She's got a carefully constructed facade and she tries her damnedest to maintain it no matter what. So does every pony in Canterlot. When they think she's important they laugh at her jokes. When has she made any pony in Ponyville laugh? Look at how she swallows her anger at Sweety Belle and tells her that her actions are fine when she's clearly not OK with the damage she's causing.

As for loyalty I don't think SfS shows that at all. She made the dresses her friends wanted her to make, yes. But she neglected to point out that wearing them would make them a laughing stock. She put generosity over honesty and loyalty and all six of them ended up being humiliated at the fashion show.

She's clearly one of the more complex and interesting ponies, but trying to turn all of her flaws into strengths isn't the way to show that she's the best pony

[Gaelbert]

Yeah, I should have been more clear. Most of that wasn't pointed at you, wasn't pointed at anypony in this thread. As I mentioned, I don't entirely disagree with you. It was more like an extended reflection on the theme "Why is Rarity so great?" Actually, I was likely trying to answer questions I have myself. Why do I care so much about Rarity, how has she been able to grab me in a way most characters can't? At this point, I'm not really a person to put great importance on most things beyond life and death, so why Rarity? How is she different?


And die you shall. I cannot tolerate such hubris so your destruction shall be total.

My life for the Fabulous Rarity Republic! Glory to you, oh Rarity!


Entirely consistent with my analysis; also, going through and finding scenes that support an element cycle is no more informative than going through and finding scenes that prove Rarity's Earth/Fire/Water affinities with regards to this discussion. I'm challenging her depth of emotion, not her nature as a good pony.

Lying doesn't mean she's purely dishonest. As I asserted earlier, she doesn't hide her emotions anywhere. She's the only pony who seems utterly honest with herself, and above all, to thine own self, be true.

She's mercurial, but in her head, she's being honest.

Irrelevant to my point. When Rarity decides that Fluttershy "must" she means it, in that moment, she utterly means it. She wasn't thinking, at the time, about anything more than Fluttershy being happy, about this chance to make her friends happy. She did not have ulterior motives. In that moment she was not jealous.

If you're trying to counter my assertion, this statement, too, has nothing to do with it. What Rarity's not is a master planner, working out how to make everypony happy in advance and then executing it. Planning is an alien concept to Rarity. In each moment, she makes the decision that she thinks is the best; her own future gain or loss is rarely a factor.

Yeah, I'm not disagreeing with you on any of this.


I'm not arguing that she's mean, or unkind, or selfish which is what you seem to be countering. I'm arguing that she's shallow. Wonderfully, honestly shallow. When she loses her ribbon it is THE WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!! She means that. When she finds that ribbon it's not the worst possible thing any more and she gets back to work. Both of those emotions were true; she wasn't trolling Twilight; she doesn't have the subtlety to troll Twilight.

I agree and I'm still completely uncertain how this is meant to do anything other than prove my point. All these things are true they are just simply not at odds with my theory.

It took me a little while to wrap my head around "shallow" in a non-pejorative light. I get that, I just still don't entirely agree.
If we're arguing "shallow" based on "master planner," then Twilight Sparkle is likely the only pony with depth. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie? Planning? Although in Sisterhooves Special we did see how well organized Rarity was, how everything in her house had a purpose for being exactly how it was, and so on.
But I don't think that's what you were saying either.
And here lies the point of the second part of my response: Rarity has codes she lives by. She has longterm objectives she wants to fulfill. She's not entirely in the moment. She's quite conscious of how incredibly hammy she can be. Dog and Pony Show showed us that. She's conscious of her melodrama, she doesn't use it to troll ponies, she does it because she enjoys it* (which I suppose doesn't go against your theory either). But once again, that's neither here nor there.

*I have a theory, not fully formulated, but a theory nonetheless. Rarity seems to enjoy the "spectacle," and I use that term in the technical sense of the Situationists, of the upper class. She's so enamoured by the glamour of Canterlot, she tries to reenact what she sees of them. And what she sees is massive ham. In this sense, instead of authentically feeling the ham, she tries to reenact the ham. Equestria may largely be a pre-capitalist society, but it seems to have the mechanisms to commodify culture, and Rarity is falling victim to the selling of "culture" as a discrete package, advertised and wrapped up in a bow. I haven't been able to work this into the rest of my thoughts, so that's why it's not fully formulated. It's a generally negative depiction of Rarity, and I honestly don't know if I can accept that.
The other option is that Rarity does live authentically. She does feel hammy, she knows she's hammy, but she doesn't really care about the cultural implications of the ham, and so chews on the scenery anyways. She won't hurt anypony, of course, that's one of her codes, but she simply doesn't put thought into the larger impact of her decisions...
That's what your point is. Oh.

Well. That's what I get for letting a post get away from me. Touche, Thanqol. Touche. I would flesh out the points I was going to get into above, but you've gotten inside my mind Thanqol. It appears you know what I'm going to think before I think it.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/1323417488669.jpg

[MCerberus]

A best pony argument? WITH IMAGES
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s168/murderouseagle/ponymote/warnsilly.png

your move

[Newman]

How do I posted youtube vids?

Well, males singing pony songs always brings tears to my eyes. Maybe I just like male voices more... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBRdMNjEFB0)

[Soras Teva Gee]

Speaking of best ponies:

Next Round of Naughty or Nice is up (http://www.hubworld.com/hubworld/content/show-special-content/naughty-or-nice/indexround1.html?adFree=true)

Everyone needs to do their part to ensure Pinkie and DisQord absolutely crush the competition.

[Gamerlord]

Speaking of best ponies:

Next Round of Naughty or Nice is up (http://www.hubworld.com/hubworld/content/show-special-content/naughty-or-nice/indexround1.html?adFree=true)

Everyone needs to do their part to ensure Pinkie and DisQord absolutely crush the competition.
I'll vote for Discord, but I'm choosing Optimus for the Nice section. :smalltongue:

[Beacon of Chaos]

I know, right? A real Pinkie approach would have been planning a huge Christmas party for the whole town. Why? Because she is Pinkie Pie, The Best At Parties.

Now, Twilight, her I could see freaking out about not getting her friends the perfect present. Because if she doesn't get them done by Dec. 25, she'll be... tardy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvh1XmLdd1c).
Oh yeah, it would've worked with Twilight. She'd spend so much time making flowcharts of how best to navigate the shops that she'd forget to actually go, and then feel terrible about it.

I had the same thought but while watching I mentally role reversed it... and the whole thing works so beatifully that manly unicorn wizard tears were stoically held in because THAT option is perfectly fitting.
Yeah, that would work too. Perfectly in fact.


Rarity analysis
I'll be honest, I almost TL;DR'd that, but I made the effort. Very well put. Rarity as five elements. I like it XD. Bravo, sir, bravo. :smallbiggrin:


Question: Bad puns + Fluttershy = ?

Answer:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/5c86e52751367ff414d94f87acc09258/95641%20-%20CSI%20CSI_Miami%20fluttershy%20meme.jpg

And lastly, one of the most entertaining comics I've seen recently. Warning: Heavy innuendo:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d5805fc8d2a3e123232eed1eb28ab1d/86264%20-%20and_then_rarity_clopped%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Tr aining%20barbell%20big_macintosh%20comic%20rainbow _dash%20rarity%20weights.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b0010ee381bdb26f9b0fd5c6c37b9abf/87135%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20c omic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/6f4bef9240f5e84f013c6794016a226d/88811%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_mac%20big_mac intosh%20comic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/102f0916deabad2c51a6a030ef141830/95738%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20r ainbow_dash%20rarity.png

[Strife Warzeal]

Okay, now that I am back at my computer I have updated my list of all Playground Bronies (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApgaWduo83XldFhETWUtWm96b1BFS1dHOF84dTBGM lE&hl=en_US#gid=0) to have any and all new arrivals as far as I'm aware that is. It is to my surprise that we are up to nearly two hundred bronies which I just find amazing how many of us hang out in our little corner of the internet. Any lurkers out there that haven't been added, really should speak up at this point. Now if only I had an idea on a way to celebrate this many people being listed.



Clearly best pony is Trixie, though I do not have a picture at this time to back it up. So get that straight all you arguers, the Great and Powerful Trixie is best pony.

[Newman]

I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PINKIE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOVDu7etQlc) AND OPTIMUS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi5ku0YXh8o&feature=related)?

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tvtropes-otoboku-orz.jpg

Edit: Rarity misunderstanding comic is HILARIOUS.

[Soras Teva Gee]

I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PINKIE AND OPTIMUS?


No that's not the worst really the worst was the first round Discord... and the Joker. That's just not fair

Just imagine if it was Batman and the Pinkie. Seriously says something about the Hub demographics that Bats got beat.

[Mando Knight]

I HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PINKIE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOVDu7etQlc) AND OPTIMUS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi5ku0YXh8o&feature=related)?
Sorry, Pinkie. I had to vote for Optimus Prime. He's... Prime.

No that's not the worst really the worst was the first round Discord... and the Joker. That's just not fair
It's like two sides of the same nutty coin.

[Eakin]

The pony characters are both winning 87% to 13%. Makes me wonder how many times more viewers MLP has compared to other Hub shows. Anyone have the Nielsen ratings handy?

[Pokonic]

And lastly, one of the most entertaining comics I've seen recently. Warning: Heavy innuendo:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d5805fc8d2a3e123232eed1eb28ab1d/86264%20-%20and_then_rarity_clopped%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Tr aining%20barbell%20big_macintosh%20comic%20rainbow _dash%20rarity%20weights.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b0010ee381bdb26f9b0fd5c6c37b9abf/87135%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20c omic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/6f4bef9240f5e84f013c6794016a226d/88811%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_mac%20big_mac intosh%20comic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/102f0916deabad2c51a6a030ef141830/95738%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20r ainbow_dash%20rarity.png

Dat comic, it drove me to spitting my 6 o'clock coffie.

All it needs is a sequel: " Study Buddies." :smalltongue:

[Zevox]

1) Best pony
2) Starts with an R
3) Rainbow Dash!
Quoted for Truth my friend, quoted for truth.

Zevox

[Thanqol]

Yeah, I should have been more clear. Most of that wasn't pointed at you, wasn't pointed at anypony in this thread. As I mentioned, I don't entirely disagree with you. It was more like an extended reflection on the theme "Why is Rarity so great?" Actually, I was likely trying to answer questions I have myself. Why do I care so much about Rarity, how has she been able to grab me in a way most characters can't? At this point, I'm not really a person to put great importance on most things beyond life and death, so why Rarity? How is she different?

When you open your post with a direct challenge, I shall respond in kind :smallwink: And those are good questions to be asking.


It took me a little while to wrap my head around "shallow" in a non-pejorative light. I get that, I just still don't entirely agree.
If we're arguing "shallow" based on "master planner," then Twilight Sparkle is likely the only pony with depth. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie? Planning? Although in Sisterhooves Special we did see how well organized Rarity was, how everything in her house had a purpose for being exactly how it was, and so on.
But I don't think that's what you were saying either.
And here lies the point of the second part of my response: Rarity has codes she lives by. She has longterm objectives she wants to fulfill. She's not entirely in the moment. She's quite conscious of how incredibly hammy she can be. Dog and Pony Show showed us that. She's conscious of her melodrama, she doesn't use it to troll ponies, she does it because she enjoys it* (which I suppose doesn't go against your theory either). But once again, that's neither here nor there.

Okay, here's an example of the contrast I'm using here.

Rainbow Dash is deep. This is fact. She's motivated by a complex cocktail of false pride, deep insecurity, emotional conditioning, emulation of icons, fear of being uncool, her own intrinsic better nature and worst side of the pony she thinks she should be. Understanding Rainbow's actions, objectives, reasoning and thought processes is a complex process. There's a lot happening below the surface, all the time. Her mind is a boiling thunderstorm of conflicting objectives. Imagine an ocean, filled with monsters, currents, tides, and barriers both natural and artificial. That's Rainbow.

Rarity is a crystal-clear lake. She's motivated by exactly what she seems to be motivated by. Her objectives are direct, open, clear. She doesn't have hidden traumas or conflicting objectives like Rainbow, on the contrary, she knows exactly who she is and what she wants to achieve. She doesn't go deeper because she's never had to go deeper. The emotions and currents in her are just as powerful as in anypony else, but they're closer to the surface, so they get shown a lot more easily and readily. She's never had reason to hide them.

Whenever Rarity is on screen, the emotion she is currently displaying is the emotion she is currently feeling on every level of her personality. With Rainbow the emotion you're seeing is often not genuine at all.


The other option is that Rarity does live authentically. She does feel hammy, she knows she's hammy, but she doesn't really care about the cultural implications of the ham, and so chews on the scenery anyways. She won't hurt anypony, of course, that's one of her codes, but she simply doesn't put thought into the larger impact of her decisions...
That's what your point is. Oh.

Well. That's what I get for letting a post get away from me. Touche, Thanqol. Touche. I would flesh out the points I was going to get into above, but you've gotten inside my mind Thanqol. It appears you know what I'm going to think before I think it.
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/1323417488669.jpg

ONCE AGAIN, THANQOL IS VICTORIOUS. HUZZA FOR THANQOL

And now I'm off to high five Blastech, be back Monday.

[Tiki Snakes]

Once, again (or rather twice again with the Rainbow dash comparison there), Thanqol impresses with his pony psychology.

I agree entirely on both points, though to a large degree I hadn't entirely realised about Rarity till you pointed it out, it seems so right and endearing now you have.

It reminds me a little of the canon explanation for why Tinkerbell was so flighty.
I think the explanation went, she (and fairies in general), was so small she could only really fit one idea or emotion in her head at a time, and so entirely lived that one idea or emotion with her entire being whilst she had it.
I kind of like the concept of ideas having a size, as mad as it is.

[BlasTech]

W
And now I'm off to high five Blastech, be back Monday.

Yay!

Pack an umbrella though, the weather is a bit weird up thisaways.

[Gamerlord]

The pony characters are both winning 87% to 13%. Makes me wonder how many times more viewers MLP has compared to other Hub shows. Anyone have the Nielsen ratings handy?
It is possible few none-bronies are participating in the polls.

[MCerberus]

Quoted for Truth my friend, quoted for truth.

Zevox

You two have a really odd spelling of Pinkie Pie

[Newman]

Rainbow Dash in Redline. Discuss.

Also Fluttershy is totally sweet GP (http://intrusion2.com/files/flutterline_swfed_720_1.swf)

[SaintRidley]

Ponythread, I have officially graduated with my English degrees.

If anypony knows of any pony graduation art, would they be so kind as to post it in the thread for celebratory purposes? Preferred if it is launched from the party cannon, of course.

[otakuryoga]

And lastly, one of the most entertaining comics I've seen recently. Warning: Heavy innuendo:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d5805fc8d2a3e123232eed1eb28ab1d/86264%20-%20and_then_rarity_clopped%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Tr aining%20barbell%20big_macintosh%20comic%20rainbow _dash%20rarity%20weights.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b0010ee381bdb26f9b0fd5c6c37b9abf/87135%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20c omic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/6f4bef9240f5e84f013c6794016a226d/88811%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_mac%20big_mac intosh%20comic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/102f0916deabad2c51a6a030ef141830/95738%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20r ainbow_dash%20rarity.png

that was frikkin hilarious

[Newman]

http://www.citizensproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/graduation-hats1.jpg

I throw my hat up in the air tonight, sayin ayo, ah graduate up!

[Kurgan]

[

Question: Bad puns + Fluttershy = ?

Answer:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/5c86e52751367ff414d94f87acc09258/95641%20-%20CSI%20CSI_Miami%20fluttershy%20meme.jpg

And lastly, one of the most entertaining comics I've seen recently. Warning: Heavy innuendo:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d5805fc8d2a3e123232eed1eb28ab1d/86264%20-%20and_then_rarity_clopped%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Tr aining%20barbell%20big_macintosh%20comic%20rainbow _dash%20rarity%20weights.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b0010ee381bdb26f9b0fd5c6c37b9abf/87135%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20c omic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/6f4bef9240f5e84f013c6794016a226d/88811%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_mac%20big_mac intosh%20comic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/102f0916deabad2c51a6a030ef141830/95738%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20r ainbow_dash%20rarity.png

Bravo good sir, bravo.

[Mando Knight]

It is possible few none-bronies are participating in the polls.

Which, personally, I think is unfortunate, as they've gone all-out "PONY!" and forgot about... Prime (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IndMIX0iFG0). Who else has The Touch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZKpByV5764)?

[Soras Teva Gee]

It is possible few none-bronies are participating in the polls.

Non-bronies, on an internet poll? I say sir are you mad?


Ponythread, I have officially graduated with my English degrees.

If anypony knows of any pony graduation art, would they be so kind as to post it in the thread for celebratory purposes? Preferred if it is launched from the party cannon, of course.

Congrats on the hard work. Maybe the stars will align just right and you will get a job that uses it.

[Newman]

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/TransformAndRockOut_small.jpg

Rainbow Dash has the touch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POlRUxMpd64)

[Gaelbert]

Yeah, but I would've had to kill the joke with a warning otherwise.

Sometimes, we all must make sacrifices for our art.
(Srsly tho, I agree with you. Smart move.)


Gael, I get what you are going for, but I don't think you can turn Rarity's actions in S&E around quite that neatly. She lies to her friends and everyone around her to avoid feeling embarrassed. If her actions were supposed to be commendable at all she wouldn't have had to learn her lesson at the end and choose to admit that her friends were from Ponyville. Saying that she only attended those social functions to avoid letting others down is awfully self serving as she wanted to attend them anyway and in the process of being all high society she blew off a commitment to Twilight. Twice.

As for loyalty I don't think SfS shows that at all. She made the dresses her friends wanted her to make, yes. But she neglected to point out that wearing them would make them a laughing stock. She put generosity over honesty and loyalty and all six of them ended up being humiliated at the fashion show.

She's clearly one of the more complex and interesting ponies, but trying to turn all of her flaws into strengths isn't the way to show that she's the best pony

You'll note that honesty was the one element I didn't try to defend her on. Thanqol has a good point on honesty vs. telling lies, but that wasn't my point.
My point in Sweet and Elite was that Rarity was internally contested. She was going to turn down the other ponies' invitations and work on Twilight's dress until the ponies tried to guild trip her. When the rich ponies guilt tripped her and made it personal, that's when Rarity agreed. I'm not saying Rarity didn't want to, nor that she didn't enjoy herself. That's clearly not the case. But just wanting to go and enjoy herself wasn't enough to convince Rarity to give up on Twilight's dress. Her concern and care for Twilight was stronger than the selfish motivation.

And Suited for Success? Her friends weren't made the laughingstock. Rarity was. Her friends didn't even notice that the dresses were bad, and everypony automatically blamed Rarity for it. Rarity knew she was going to be made the laughingstock, but did what her friends wanted anyways.

And I'm not trying to erase all her flaws. I could do a similar analysis of Pinkie Pie, pointing out she could easily represent generosity and kindness, Fluttershy could represent generosity, Applejack could should represent loyalty. This doesn't mean that any of them aren't flawed, Applejack is rather... simpleminded, we've seen Pinkie Pie's problems, and Fluttershy has her crippling insecurity. Representing other elements wouldn't change that.
Rarity has her own flaws, definitely. There's one major one I can think of that hasn't been mentioned yet in here. It's something of a personal headcanon of mine, but occasionally there are subtle clues to back it up in show. I'll spoil it, as it may ruin some ponies' interpretations of her.
Really though. It isn't Cupcakes level, but it can be somewhat disturbing.If you insist:Spike has a crush on Rarity.


A best pony argument? WITH IMAGES
Image

your move

I, uh, wasn't doing that, I was trying to use words...
But since you insist:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d6bd5c42866446be8672e551ad5ad21/95815%20-%20dat_mustache%20fancypants%20Fancy_Pants%20shoul d_not_want_but_want%20wet_mane%20wet_mane_all_the_ ponies.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/e87b8e248ce8efd06b9e8022c7310b71/92751%20-%20gummy%20vector%20wet_mane.png


LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
I'm sorry, I just saw those and absolutely had to use them somewhere.


[SPOILER]Yeah, that would work too. Perfectly in fact.

I'll be honest, I almost TL;DR'd that, but I made the effort. Very well put. Rarity as five elements. I like it XD. Bravo, sir, bravo. :smallbiggrin:


Thanks! I was thinking about how the characters don't just act simple and one-dimensional, and then it just flowed from there. It makes sense, though, I think. Each of the ponies represent their element, to be sure, but also have a greater depth. The element is just one aspect of that, and you don't see that too much in many children's shows.
Praise Celestia for Lauren Faust!


When you open your post with a direct challenge, I shall respond in kind :smallwink: And those are good questions to be asking.

That is a problem of mine I've been trying to combat. I love to make grand, sweeping absolute statements, and most of my essays often turn out quite combative, as if I was fighting somepony with my words.


Okay, here's an example of the contrast I'm using here.

Rainbow Dash is deep. This is fact. She's motivated by a complex cocktail of false pride, deep insecurity, emotional conditioning, emulation of icons, fear of being uncool, her own intrinsic better nature and worst side of the pony she thinks she should be. Understanding Rainbow's actions, objectives, reasoning and thought processes is a complex process. There's a lot happening below the surface, all the time. Her mind is a boiling thunderstorm of conflicting objectives. Imagine an ocean, filled with monsters, currents, tides, and barriers both natural and artificial. That's Rainbow.

Rarity is a crystal-clear lake. She's motivated by exactly what she seems to be motivated by. Her objectives are direct, open, clear. She doesn't have hidden traumas or conflicting objectives like Rainbow, on the contrary, she knows exactly who she is and what she wants to achieve. She doesn't go deeper because she's never had to go deeper. The emotions and currents in her are just as powerful as in anypony else, but they're closer to the surface, so they get shown a lot more easily and readily. She's never had reason to hide them.

Whenever Rarity is on screen, the emotion she is currently displaying is the emotion she is currently feeling on every level of her personality. With Rainbow the emotion you're seeing is often not genuine at all.


ONCE AGAIN, THANQOL IS VICTORIOUS. HUZZA FOR THANQOL


Hey there now, you have a point, but I'm not saying you're altogether fully right. I'm going to go back and watch through the Rarity episodes from season 1, then I'll ponder it some more, then I'll get back here.
But as it stands, my mane quibble with that theory is how simple-minded that makes Rarity seem. The simple-mindedness doesn't match up with my view of her as an artist (although the passion certainly does), and I've always thought of her as having above average intelligence, second only to Twilight Sparkle really. But at this point the already fuzzy lines between Rarity in the show, Rarity in the fandom, Rarity in my headcanon, my ideas about the archetype Rarity is based on, and perhaps even some thoughts I have about myself and my own actions all get crossed and turned into one "character" that resembles both all and nothing at the same time. This, I suppose, is the problem with emotional investment in characters.

Congratulations SaintRidley! That's awesome!

[Newman]

Spike as The Savage Dragon (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSavageDragon). Discuss.

Gosh I loved that cartoon...

http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d6bd5c42866446be8672e551ad5ad21/95815%20-%20dat_mustache%20fancypants%20Fancy_Pants%20shoul d_not_want_but_want%20wet_mane%20wet_mane_all_the_ ponies.png

RARITY IS DESIRE OF THE ENDLESS. THIS IS NOW MY HEADCANON. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ComicBook/TheSandman?from=Main.TheSandman)

[Capt. Ido Nos]

New ponies in the thread! As your Captain this evening, let me be a few pages late in giving you all a warm and proper welcome!

To every: I am sorry that I haven't been around during the day so much. THIS time my reason is a more practical one: I have a new boss that has started, and so now while he learns the ropes I have two bosses roaming around, AND the new guy, while cool, has mulled over the idea of doing some traffic tracking for a day or two for the purpose of pinning down some torrenters, but I'm pretty sure he isn't cool enough to let me live down being a brony after only knowing me for a week. So! Playing it safe during the day. :smallsigh:

That said, I get these incredibly concentrated doses of poni now, since I consume most of it at once in one sitting a day. That can't have any lasting damage, right?

[Lix Lorn]

Hey there now, you have a point, but I'm not saying you're altogether fully right. I'm going to go back and watch through the Rarity episodes from season 1, then I'll ponder it some more, then I'll get back here.
But as it stands, my mane quibble with that theory is how simple-minded that makes Rarity seem. The simple-mindedness doesn't match up with my view of her as an artist (although the passion certainly does), and I've always thought of her as having above average intelligence, second only to Twilight Sparkle really. But at this point the already fuzzy lines between Rarity in the show, Rarity in the fandom, Rarity in my headcanon, my ideas about the archetype Rarity is based on, and perhaps even some thoughts I have about myself and my own actions all get crossed and turned into one "character" that resembles both all and nothing at the same time. This, I suppose, is the problem with emotional investment in characters.
I'd just like to say that Intelligence and single mindedness are not mutually exclusive features. In fact, single-mindedness is useful for a creative type-it means that while you may be easily distracted, while you ARE working, you work WELL and FAST.

[SaintRidley]

Congrats on the hard work. Maybe the stars will align just right and you will get a job that uses it.


Grad school application process so I can get a PhD. and teach it are already underway.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Art of the Dress/Becoming Popular mashup (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T180CNHhI_Q)? Yes PLEASE!

[Soras Teva Gee]

Grad school application process so I can get a PhD. and teach it are already underway.

Ahh the best use of a degree... teach others to get said degree!

[Gaelbert]

I'd just like to say that Intelligence and single mindedness are not mutually exclusive features. In fact, single-mindedness is useful for a creative type-it means that while you may be easily distracted, while you ARE working, you work WELL and FAST.

Yes, single-mindedness is good, especially for a artist. Simple-mindedness, on the other hand, isn't good. I definitely see Rarity as having single-mindedness and focus. I don't see her as simpleminded.
Any of you ever seen Blow Up? I see the same focus and devotion to her art in Rarity as I do when watching David Hemming get absorbed by his photography. It's beautiful.


Gosh I loved that cartoon...

http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d6bd5c42866446be8672e551ad5ad21/95815%20-%20dat_mustache%20fancypants%20Fancy_Pants%20shoul d_not_want_but_want%20wet_mane%20wet_mane_all_the_ ponies.png


Did I just ninja you by posting that image? What are the chances of that? Great minds think alike.

[Lord Raziere]

I'd just like to say that Intelligence and single mindedness are not mutually exclusive features. In fact, single-mindedness is useful for a creative type-it means that while you may be easily distracted, while you ARE working, you work WELL and FAST.

I think I actually have that. I get easily distracted all the time, but when I focus on something? I do it well and get it done.

[Grif]

So, yesterday night I went on a pony music hunting spree.

Have at ye!

Palladio - Octavia [ft. Vinyl Scratch] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDok9h5oK9s)

Time Is Running Out (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iongb85ijI)

Octavia's Prelude (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuYixP1IzEU)

Octavia's Dream (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b44KGOIqzRg)

A Tale of Two Sisters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJJIjZy83p4)

Scoots Day With RainbowDash (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN9N9H1OasA)

Beyond Her Garden - Orchestral (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsI1lgTwdMw)

Fluttershy - Butterfly Wings (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvmcmn_HhKw)

[Kindablue]

This guy's the hottest thing since cold beer, I tell you what:
Pony Piano - Twilight Sparkle's Mind is a Curious Place (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SwrR1rLnzA&feature=channel_video_title) (Original song based on a single phrase of background music that was apparently taken by Anderson from the soundtrack to The King's Speech.)
Pony Piano (and Orchestra!) - The Grand Galloping Overture (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DpQ9l9RdzQ&feature=relmfu) (Exactly what it sounds like it is.)
Pony Piano - My Little Nocturne (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwUl9eZPkdk&feature=channel_video_title) (This is my second favorite song that he's done so far.)
Pony Piano - A Young Flier's Stage Fright (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf49fB5RIP8&feature=relmfu) (This one gets really cool near the end.)
Pony Piano Trio - Octavia's Triptych (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtUn6LCx3ME&feature=channel_video_title) (And this is my favorite.)
Pony Piano Trio - For My Sister (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=OslTss2f4ac)
Pony Symphonic Poem - A Doctor in Ponyville (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVqHoOGg01s&feature=channel_video_title) (He used one of your pictures in the video, Inkwell.)

[SiuiS]

Ach. I did that think that I try not to do, where I try not to hit copy when I already have something in my copyspace but I do anyway and lose all that effort. This makes me sad, but I guess the new ponies will have to wait until I'm no lover frustrated for their welcomes :(



*DAH NAH NAH NAAAAAAH!*

"You got Heartstrings!

This little pony looks suspiciously like a cross between Lyra and Twilight sparkle, and she loves to sing! But what was she doing inside SiuiS' heart?"

*stuffs gold into pocket, hugs pony*

Huh.

Y'know, that sort of thing didn't occur to me. Maybe... Maybe that's why my heartbeat was so erratic?



I think this may be a genderswap rather than crossdressing, according to the tags at least.

Maybe. I also heard it was a different character (from Of a Cross And Arrow which burns me up because anypony who had ven an inkling of interest in Astronomy would know it's a spear and I don't care I the name isn't as good! *nerdrage*) but really, my eyes are seeing a sultry Spike taking off a top it doesn't need and giving me a creepy yet captivating look.


I'd be interesting in seeing the better and worse pics :P

Sorry citizen. That's classified.



I don't really feel like starting this stuff up again. Sorry.


sad face



*blank look*


According to an early thread-goer, iron hoof was a slang term in the... 1800s I believe, for a closet homosexual. Yes, this is relevant. Don't give me that look.


Er hello.

I'm, like, completely new here. Haven't read much of the Order comics either.

I've been told you guys had a smashing forum, although the moderation was pretty strict. And I'm a huge brony. So I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to join this branch of the herd.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111106005634/mlp/images/thumb/1/14/Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png/830px-Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Episode_1. png (http://mlp.wikia.com/index.php?title=Twilight_Sparkle/Gallery/Season_1&image=Twilight_Sparkle_Awkward_Smile_Season_1_Epis ode_1-png)

Er, am I doing this right?

Oh, looks like I was wrong and didn't lose ad much as I'd thought.

*ahem*

http://ponibooru.413chan.net/_images/06c7d0d2105a1314ea928cadd5a55a09/7961%20-%20animated%20jumping%20scootaloo.gif
http://arch.413chan.net/1288640640381.png
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb426/AwesomeHolzy/Welcome-to-the-Herd.gif
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/LordRyu/bronies/index.php.jpg
http://ponibooru.413chan.net/_images/0da1a106ff7923e0fb2630d06310c636/12549%20-%20macro%20scootaloo.jpg



The power of the hug compels you...

Hm...

Have any of you guys ever watched Paranoia Agent? These ponies are just so adorable it's vaguely suspicious... but then they are know to actually have made things better, for many people. They're not just vapid, empty escapism into a world of cotton candy...

Escapism confuses me.
On the one end, I'm told that theoretically, that's what I do when I RP. On the other, I RP in order to buil and explore a psyche. Is that escapism?

And it goes beyond that, mate. Ponies have convinced people, to convince other people, to make other people's lives better. That's at least three degrees!
That's friendship. And it's magic.


Quoted to add to list when I get back to my computer.

Ah, my nemesis I think. It is you who is challenging me (and good heavens am I losing!) to the welcome-off I believe!

I think this was supposed to be a question but. I can't remember.


oh god nothing is allowed to be that cute

And it's about at this point that I realize I'll never see it because it's flash and my equipment doesn't play flash. :smallfrown:

I'm kidding I'm totally gonna try and bring it up on the computer when I get home.


... So you guys don't read pony fanfics, huh?


My giggling is uncontainable in it's intensity.

Oh, man. You have no idea. With the exceptions of like, 5 o us (two of which are the same person) I think everyone here has written or read at least one fanfic, especially counting that deliciously done Rarity's Night from a couple (half dozen?) threads back.

It's like, our collective thread super power.


Hm. Have you ever watched Hobo With A Shotgun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmpTG1CZzI&feature=related)? It's pretty much the same feel, it's rich, it's colourful, it's uplifting and idealistic in many ways, and the protagonist is adorable, as his her party...

But it's violent and exploitative as hell, with blood and guts and murder, the villains are extremely twisted, the normal people and even the protagonist are downright forced by the setting to compromise their moralities and principles, the Equestrian Wasteland is extremely inhospitable, and GOD is freaking literally DEAD.

This intrigues me, because it presupposes that when faced with the question o being either morally upright, or alive, that alive is always ping to be the correct answer.

Though I suppose all the folks who wouldn't bend their morality have already died off.


No that's not the worst really the worst was the first round Discord... and the Joker. That's just not fair

Just imagine if it was Batman and the Pinkie. Seriously says something about the Hub demographics that Bats got beat.

Yes. It says that theHub demographics are smarter than the average Internet.

Seriously, Batman? Nice? Unless we are talking specifically Adam West or TBATB, here... Batman is anything but nice. Half the time he's not even demonstrably good. Pinkie pie has a much higher Nice quotient. The dragon in dragonshy has a higher nice quotient.


Ponythread, I have officially graduated with my English degrees.

If anypony knows of any pony graduation art, would they be so kind as to post it in the thread for celebratory purposes? Preferred if it is launched from the party cannon, of course.

I shot these pictures at you with the cannon but they fired too hard and I made a hole in the thread. I filled this hole with a Derpy hooves I hope you don't mind


http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2011/10/9/b02d4885-eaf3-4dad-aa9c-83b1e6e128c0.jpg



That is a problem of mine I've been trying to combat. I love to make grand, sweeping absolute statements, and most of my essays often turn out quite combative, as if I was fighting somepony with my words.

Nothin wrong with that. It's just a more dynamic way of going about the debate process. Two conflicting sides meet and attempt to exert themselves over each other. The truth prevails.

So long as you're willing to laud victory and support that which is correct, rather than just continually assert your side, it's a grand method of debate. I use it myself, often. Not so much in this thread - I am far too concerned with the emotional end to use such a technique in this thread - but pretty much everywhere else in life.



Hey there now, you have a point, but I'm not saying you're altogether fully right. I'm going to go back and watch through the Rarity episodes from season 1, then I'll ponder it some more, then I'll get back here.
But as it stands, my mane quibble with that theory is how simple-minded that makes Rarity seem. The simple-mindedness doesn't match up with my view of her as an artist (although the passion certainly does), and I've always thought of her as having above average intelligence, second only to Twilight Sparkle really. But at this point the already fuzzy lines between Rarity in the show, Rarity in the fandom, Rarity in my headcanon, my ideas about the archetype Rarity is based on, and perhaps even some thoughts I have about myself and my own actions all get crossed and turned into one "character" that resembles both all and nothing at the same time. This, I suppose, is the problem with emotional investment in characters.

You're making a connection between simple and simple-minded that just isn't there. Rarity is less of a Rube Goldberg machine, and more of ... Let's say she's a pulley, I dunno.

But Rarity really shines when interacting, not just on her own. And I'm sure you've seen folks who assume other ponies are as shady as they are? The guy who doesn't trust anypony because he wouldn't trust himself? Everypony else's machinations, interacting with Rarity's both surprising and refreshing directness, is what causes most of the good stuff we enjoy. As Thanqol said, Sweetie WelfBelle held a grudge, and Rarity could not brain it. She had the Derp.

Also, Thanqol. I think you're confusing, shallow with guileless. Rarity is less a liar and more the kind of pony to say "well, you never asked" when confronted on a seeming lie.

More when brain no go splode.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Seriously, Batman? Nice? Unless we are talking specifically Adam West or TBATB, here... Batman is anything but nice. Half the time he's not even demonstrably good. Pinkie pie has a much higher Nice quotient. The dragon in dragonshy has a higher nice quotient.


Do you know many billionaires that go around adopting kids and supplying the Justice League? I dare you to watch the episode "Epilogue" of JLU and tell me how un-nice DCAU Bats is.

Batman is not pleasant, a different thing.

[Kindablue]

Nothin wrong with that. It's just a more dynamic way of going about the debate process. Two conflicting sides meet and attempt to exert themselves over each other. The truth prevails.

So long as you're willing to laud victory and support that which is correct, rather than just continually assert your side, it's a grand method of debate. I use it myself, often. Not so much in this thread - I am far too concerned with the emotional end to use such a technique in this thread - but pretty much everywhere else in life.


14: Claim Victory Despite Defeat

This, which is an impudent trick, is played as follows: When your opponent has answered several of your questions without the answers turning out favourable to the conclusion at which you are aiming, advance the desired conclusion, - although it does not in the least follow, - as though it had been proved, and proclaim it in a tone of triumph. If your opponent is shy or stupid, and you yourself possess a great deal of impudence and a good voice, the trick may easily succeed. It is akin to the fallacy non causae ut causae.

Sarcasm, obviously, though he's right; that tactic does work with horrible ease. Anyway, this is secretly just an excuse to post more things that SiuiS said!

[MCerberus]

I mean who's a nicer anything than Pinkie Pie?! I mean, other that the whole xenophobia manifesting in ways that can cause the entire community to shun the outsider due to her influence?

[legomaster00156]

I mean who's a nicer anything than Pinkie Pie?! I mean, other that the whole xenophobia manifesting in ways that can cause the entire community to shun the outsider due to her influence?
Are you talking about Gilda? Gilda was basically terrorizing the ponies, and in exchange Pinkie Pie threw a party for her. It was RD who set up all the pranks, not knowing who they'd go off on.

[Grif]

Are you talking about Gilda? Gilda was basically terrorizing the ponies, and in exchange Pinkie Pie threw a party for her. It was RD who set up all the pranks, not knowing who they'd go off on.

Don't let Dash fool you. I bet Pinkie is the mastermind behind all the pranks Dash set. :smallbiggrin:

http://mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/130556759436.jpg

[Tiki Snakes]

I mean who's a nicer anything than Pinkie Pie?! I mean, other that the whole xenophobia manifesting in ways that can cause the entire community to shun the outsider due to her influence?

Pinkie just isn't quite smart enough to realise the general Ponyville Ponyfolk are dumb enough not to realise she's just playing around, that's all.
The Horror, the horror!

[legomaster00156]

Don't let Dash fool you. I bet Pinkie is the mastermind behind all the pranks Dash set. :smallbiggrin:
Even if Pinkie was responsible for the pranks, she does them for laughs, not vengeance. Gilda would've been fully deserving of the pranks even if they had been revenge-oriented, though.

[Zevox]

Are you talking about Gilda? Gilda was basically terrorizing the ponies, and in exchange Pinkie Pie threw a party for her. It was RD who set up all the pranks, not knowing who they'd go off on.
I'm pretty sure he was talking about Zecora, actually. Though I'm not so sure Pinkie was the main reason there, since the others seemed just as scared of her as Pinkie was.

Zevox

[legomaster00156]

I'm pretty sure he was talking about Zecora, actually. Though I'm not so sure Pinkie was the main reason there, since the others seemed just as scared of her as Pinkie was.

Zevox
Yeah, I can't see Pinkie being responsible for that one. And, you've gotta admit, with her hood up, Zecora IS pretty creepy. I think it was the whole town shunning her of their own will, not because Pinkie told them to.

[Grif]

Even if Pinkie was responsible for the pranks, she does them for laughs, not vengeance. Gilda would've been fully deserving of the pranks even if they had been revenge-oriented, though.


I'm pretty sure he was talking about Zecora, actually. Though I'm not so sure Pinkie was the main reason there, since the others seemed just as scared of her as Pinkie was.

Zevox


Yeah, I can't see Pinkie being responsible for that one. And, you've gotta admit, with her hood up, Zecora IS pretty creepy. I think it was the whole town shunning her of their own will, not because Pinkie told them to.

Pfftt. You're giving Pinkie too little credit. Evil Mastermind Pinkie is best Pinkie. :smallbiggrin: YOUR LOGIC FAILS IN THE FACE OF MY STRENOUSLY ILLOGICAL ASSERTIONS!

[MCerberus]

Or Luna really...
Pinkie has all the schemes. All of them.

[Gaelbert]

[color="darkgreen"]
Nothin wrong with that. It's just a more dynamic way of going about the debate process. Two conflicting sides meet and attempt to exert themselves over each other. The truth prevails.

So long as you're willing to laud victory and support that which is correct, rather than just continually assert your side, it's a grand method of debate. I use it myself, often. Not so much in this thread - I am far too concerned with the emotional end to use such a technique in this thread - but pretty much everywhere else in life.

Yeah, but it doesn't work so well in academic papers. Saying "this always means this," especially in the soft sciences, is a big no.

Running slightly off on a tangent, there are really only a few things that I argue about. And those topics, I am absolutely convinced I am right in. I've done the research, pondered it for several years, so anytime I get engaged on one of those topics, I feel pretty comfortable annihilating the opposition. I'm pretty good at arguing, actually. On those topics anyways. So whenever something less serious comes up (say, interpretations of Rarity's character), and I don't have my data and lines of attack and defense prepared, I don't fare quite as well. I like my data, and with things like this? You don't really have it.


You're making a connection between simple and simple-minded that just isn't there. Rarity is less of a Rube Goldberg machine, and more of ... Let's say she's a pulley, I dunno.

But Rarity really shines when interacting, not just on her own. And I'm sure you've seen folks who assume other ponies are as shady as they are? The guy who doesn't trust anypony because he wouldn't trust himself? Everypony else's machinations, interacting with Rarity's both surprising and refreshing directness, is what causes most of the good stuff we enjoy. As Thanqol said, Sweetie WelfBelle held a grudge, and Rarity could not brain it. She had the Derp.

Also, Thanqol. I think you're confusing, shallow with guileless. Rarity is less a liar and more the kind of pony to say "well, you never asked" when confronted on a seeming lie.

I was reacting to the implication (I'm not sure if it was intentional) that Rarity was like Tinkerbelle, i.e. could only hold one thought at once. That comes across as an accusation of simple-mindedness, and one I don't really agree with.
I do tend to lean towards your interpretation, except for the statement that she doesn't shine when she's on her own. As I posted earlier, I see massive similarities between Rarity and David Hemming's character from Blow Up. Where have we seen Rarity experiencing a more honest and intense joy than here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSbXGsysAAk)? Specifically at the 1:40 mark. Up until, of course, the other ponies come in and muck up her amazing designs.
Other than that, really, I agree. I particularly like the characterization as guile-less. I can see that.

Now, back to Rarity episode marathon!

[Thanqol]

Yay!

Pack an umbrella though, the weather is a bit weird up thisaways.

I am arrived, umbrella in hoof, huzza! See you tomorrow!


That is a problem of mine I've been trying to combat. I love to make grand, sweeping absolute statements, and most of my essays often turn out quite combative, as if I was fighting somepony with my words.

I seem to have communicated the wrong impression. I am an internet ham and hammy internet debates where both sides swear blood curses on the heads of their opponents' firstborns are far more entertaining than any mere factual discussion.


Hey there now, you have a point, but I'm not saying you're altogether fully right.

BUT I'M ALWAYS RIGHT!


But as it stands, my mane quibble with that theory is how simple-minded that makes Rarity seem. The simple-mindedness doesn't match up with my view of her as an artist (although the passion certainly does), and I've always thought of her as having above average intelligence, second only to Twilight Sparkle really. But at this point the already fuzzy lines between Rarity in the show, Rarity in the fandom, Rarity in my headcanon, my ideas about the archetype Rarity is based on, and perhaps even some thoughts I have about myself and my own actions all get crossed and turned into one "character" that resembles both all and nothing at the same time. This, I suppose, is the problem with emotional investment in characters.

Emotionally healthy does not mean simple minded. I agree that Rarity is a genius. She's even socially adroit and empathetic, capable of recognizing insecurity and stage fright in her friends. If you think you can't have someone who's intellectually super smart and emotionally a drama queen you've obviously never worked with academics.


[color="darkgreen"]Nothin wrong with that. It's just a more dynamic way of going about the debate process. Two conflicting sides meet and attempt to exert themselves over each other. The truth prevails.

AND THE LIAR IS DESTROYED UTTERLY, HIS BROKEN BODY SMOTE UPON THE MOUNTAINSIDE


So long as you're willing to laud victory and support that which is correct, rather than just continually assert your side, it's a grand method of debate. I use it myself, often. Not so much in this thread - I am far too concerned with the emotional end to use such a technique in this thread - but pretty much everywhere else in life.

Through conflict we find the Truth


But Rarity really shines when interacting, not just on her own. And I'm sure you've seen folks who assume other ponies are as shady as they are? The guy who doesn't trust anypony because he wouldn't trust himself? Everypony else's machinations, interacting with Rarity's both surprising and refreshing directness, is what causes most of the good stuff we enjoy. As Thanqol said, Sweetie WelfBelle held a grudge, and Rarity could not brain it. She had the Derp.

Yeah, this is kind of what I'm after.


Also, Thanqol. I think you're confusing, shallow with guileless. Rarity is less a liar and more the kind of pony to say "well, you never asked" when confronted on a seeming lie.

I dunno, I can't support this. She lies an awful lot. She has plenty of guile. On the other hand, it's a good sounding word and I want to use something similar.


Yeah, but it doesn't work so well in academic papers. Saying "this always means this," especially in the soft sciences, is a big no.

That's why we argue via application of ham, absolute statements backed by a few dot points of evidence, and then the elaboration and application of the absolute statement. That's how I do my papers. I'm really argumentative academically.


Running slightly off on a tangent, there are really only a few things that I argue about. And those topics, I am absolutely convinced I am right in. I've done the research, pondered it for several years, so anytime I get engaged on one of those topics, I feel pretty comfortable annihilating the opposition. I'm pretty good at arguing, actually. On those topics anyways. So whenever something less serious comes up (say, interpretations of Rarity's character), and I don't have my data and lines of attack and defense prepared, I don't fare quite as well. I like my data, and with things like this? You don't really have it.

My approach is the opposite. I develop an Opinion, fight tooth and nail in favour of that opinion and, when proven wrong, just shrug and accept it and drop the entire thing without another comment. I find that weirds people out.


I was reacting to the implication (I'm not sure if it was intentional) that Rarity was like Tinkerbelle, i.e. could only hold one thought at once. That comes across as an accusation of simple-mindedness, and one I don't really agree with.

Other than that, really, I agree. I particularly like the characterization as guile-less. I can see that.

I don't think she can hold only one thought at once. I think she just lets whatever thought she's holding show to it's utmost extent. Screaming about a lost ribbon and then instantly changing gears back into calm and relaxed once she spots it. There's no part of her when she's screaming which is saying, "Rarity, you're being silly". There's no part in her when she's calm which holds leftover sadness from the crying.

See, you don't have to be complex if you're beautiful all the way down.

[Gaelbert]

I seem to have communicated the wrong impression. I am an internet ham and hammy internet debates where both sides swear blood curses on the heads of their opponents' firstborns are far more entertaining than any mere factual discussion.

BUT I'M ALWAYS RIGHT!

You see, I don't understand that sort of position. I'm never hammy, and I can never be hamm-

But Lady Rarity's honour must be defended! To the battlements! I will die with a sword in my hand!
...
I was dead serious. I literally ran up to my rooftop holding a katana.


Emotionally healthy does not mean simple minded. I agree that Rarity is a genius. She's even socially adroit and empathetic, capable of recognizing insecurity and stage fright in her friends. If you think you can't have someone who's intellectually super smart and emotionally a drama queen you've obviously never worked with academics.

Yes, this is exactly what I was trying to say. You can be hammy while being an intelligent, well-functioning small business owner.


That's why we argue via application of ham, absolute statements backed by a few dot points of evidence, and then the elaboration and application of the absolute statement. That's how I do my papers. I'm really argumentative academically.

You see, Rarity's performance in Sweet and Elite demonstrates a marked difference from her earlier effort in Suited for Success. SfS only had a ham rating of .0013 Bruce Campbells/ml, meaning it is considered halal, whereas S&E measured a remarkable 9.3 BC/ml, definitely including it in the haraam category.


My approach is the opposite. I develop an Opinion, fight tooth and nail in favour of that opinion and, when proven wrong, just shrug and accept it and drop the entire thing without another comment. I find that weirds people out.

Yeah, that is strange to me. I can only argue if I have a purpose. Otherwise, I just let it slide on by. I'm pretty relaxed about many things I guess.


I don't think she can hold only one thought at once. I think she just lets whatever thought she's holding show to it's utmost extent. Screaming about a lost ribbon and then instantly changing gears back into calm and relaxed once she spots it. There's no part of her when she's screaming which is saying, "Rarity, you're being silly". There's no part in her when she's calm which holds leftover sadness from the crying.

See, you don't have to be complex if you're beautiful all the way down.

See, I can dig those funky grooves. I can dig it, I really can.

[grimbold]

so as a newb bronie i hafta ask

when do the new episodes come out? :smallredface:

[Eakin]

Saturday mornings, at 9 or 10 AM. I always watch em on youtube late night Saturday or Sunday mornings

Equestria Daily will probably have a You tube link up tomorrow afternoon.

Oh, and welcome to pony thread!

[Kindablue]

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/343/1/e/yeehaw_aj_by_mickeymonster-d4imc7b.png (http://my.deviantart.com/messages/#/d4imc7b)

[grimbold]

thank you very much Eakin :smallsmile:

[Mando Knight]

You see, I don't understand that sort of position. I'm never hammy, and I can never be hamm-

...
I was dead serious. I literally ran up to my rooftop holding a katana.
You can be serious while hammy. It's all about...

PRESENTATION! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQJJjcrwXQE)

[Pendulous]

You can be serious while hammy. It's all about...

PRESENTATION! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQJJjcrwXQE)


Well played, I saw presentation and was expecting Art of the Dress link.

[SiuiS]

*Debate Technique*Sarcasm, obviously, though he's right; that tactic does work with horrible ease. Anyway, this is secretly just an excuse to post more things that SiuiS said!


Pfftt. You're giving Pinkie too little credit. Evil Mastermind Pinkie is best Pinkie. :smallbiggrin: YOUR LOGIC FAILS IN THE FACE OF MY STRENOUSLY ILLOGICAL ASSERTIONS!

I dunno, I suppose y-

!!!

I see what you did there! How sly...


Yeah, but it doesn't work so well in academic papers. Saying "this always means this," especially in the soft sciences, is a big no.

It's like Odin using Seiðr. If you're really good at it, a couple people may series you but at the end of the day you're still unchallenged.

Of course my opinion is worthless in this regard. I thought the entire point of the soft sciences was stating 'facts' which aren't by the standard scientific definition. I honestly know nothing of the process but rumor.



I was reacting to the implication (I'm not sure if it was intentional) that Rarity was like Tinkerbelle, i.e. could only hold one thought at once. That comes across as an accusation of simple-mindedness, and one I don't really agree with.
I do tend to lean towards your interpretation, except for the statement that she doesn't shine when she's on her own. As I posted earlier, I see massive similarities between Rarity and David Hemming's character from Blow Up. Where have we seen Rarity experiencing a more honest and intense joy than here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSbXGsysAAk)? Specifically at the 1:40 mark. Up until, of course, the other ponies come in and muck up her amazing designs.
Other than that, really, I agree. I particularly like the characterization as guile-less. I can see that.

Well here I'm tangling myself up in accidental implications I nonetheless want to defend.

The tinkerbelle thing is a nice parallel, but it's inexact. The point was that when Raroty is happy, she doesn't pussyfoot around about being happy. When she's upset, likewise. She didn't hide anything from her friends, and made the obvious decision when actually challenged. She wasn't very guileful when her dress designs were challenged. She wasn't lying at all when the whole Green isn't your Color thing happened; she was very up front (if polite-ish) about definitely not wanting to talk about what was bugging her.

I think that when Rarity seemed to be lying, she was just expressing complex emotion. When she experiences multiple emotions, the majority are negative. In Sweet and Elite, she's going through joy, fear, anxiety, and worry. They all show but the mix is predominantly negative and that stress bleeds through. She's not lying to anypony- she is genuinely sad at screwin up he birthday party, and genuinely glad for the business opportunity, and that dichotomy will tear a pony up even if they are otherwise well adjusted.



AND THE LIAR IS DESTROYED UTTERLY, HIS BROKEN BODY SMOTE UPON THE MOUNTAINSIDE

And every year As the pilgrims pass they shall drop a stone. When three feet have accumulated over what remains after the valkyrie's steeds have done their work, we shall consecrate the mound that a new mountain may be born.



Through conflict we find the Truth


Hm. Mastigos?



I dunno, I can't support this. She lies an awful lot. She has plenty of guile. On the other hand, it's a good sounding word and I want to use something similar.

I am working on a different form of guile. I need to preface this though. Over the last 5 years, I have not lied at all until things fell apart in a crazy dramatic way over he last nine months. I'm actually pretty crushed about it, considering it was a big self-descriptor. It required a lot of thought on what was and was not allowable. Bluffing and combat feints were ok... Why? Etc.

Keeping secrets isn't lying. And by guileless I mean she is utterly honest abut who and what she is. A better word would be to say that Rarity is utterly unashamed. But that deviates more from my point than I'd like. We slowly mutate and flow into different points.


You can be serious while hammy. It's all about...

PRESENTATION! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQJJjcrwXQE)

You have just earned all of my hugs for the next 45 minutes.

[SiuiS]

Oh, look. I was inattentive...

[SiuiS]

I seem to have quinjupitle posted. My faux pas.

[Kurgan]

Hey guys, we have finally learned what Dr. Adorable's Goggles are used for!

*A touch squicky, just a heads up there*


http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/13958778335/4/tumblr_lvx9psCjgJ1r5i8k8

[Trixie]

E-khem.

Before this thread becomes filled by spoilers, I'd like to point to neighbouring thread, this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12353199&postcount=120) in particular. 'Tabs deserves it.

Yes, this was one of the reasons why this thread is named so ^^"

[Athaniar]

Oh, look, Episode 12 synopsis.
"Apple Bloom doesn't want Granny Smith to embarrass her by speaking in her class." (http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/12/season-2-episode-12-family-appreciation.html)

I knew I was onto something when I noticed Granny has been getting a lot of screen time this season. Good thing she's a fun character. Alas, it does not appear that it will air until January 7, but Christmas/New Year break was something I counted on anyway.


And lastly, one of the most entertaining comics I've seen recently. Warning: Heavy innuendo:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/0d5805fc8d2a3e123232eed1eb28ab1d/86264%20-%20and_then_rarity_clopped%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Tr aining%20barbell%20big_macintosh%20comic%20rainbow _dash%20rarity%20weights.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/b0010ee381bdb26f9b0fd5c6c37b9abf/87135%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20c omic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/6f4bef9240f5e84f013c6794016a226d/88811%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_mac%20big_mac intosh%20comic%20rainbow_dash%20rarity.png
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/102f0916deabad2c51a6a030ef141830/95738%20-%20A_Long_Hard_Day_of_Training%20big_macintosh%20r ainbow_dash%20rarity.png
Oh, this is just epic.

EDIT: Happy birthday, Dirtytabs!

[Trixie]

EDIT: Happy birthday, Dirtytabs!

Erm, I gave a link instead of posting it here, because it's far more likely it will reach the recipient there, not here, especially just before a big wave of spoilered posts ^^"

[Kurgan]

E-khem.

Before this thread becomes filled by spoilers, I'd like to point to neighbouring thread, this post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=12353199&postcount=120) in particular. 'Tabs deserves it.

Yes, this was one of the reasons why this thread is named so ^^"

Since I know some of us don't look through every last link and so on (or at least I know I don't at times), I figure I'll spell out that it is Dirtytabs' birthday. Perhaps some well wishes for the one who made so many of our avvies?


Erm, I gave a link instead of posting it here, because it's far more likely it will reach the recipient there, not here, especially just before a big wave of spoilered posts ^^"

Aaaand, beaten to the punch. :smallbiggrin:
Perhaps amble on over there, give a wave?

[BlasTech]

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2011/343/1/e/yeehaw_aj_by_mickeymonster-d4imc7b.png (http://my.deviantart.com/messages/#/d4imc7b)

Wait ... did you draw these or are they stolen images from an official storyboard? (Because I'm finding it hard to tell! :smallconfused:)

[Aotrs Commander]

There is a distressing total lack of pony merchandice in the UK - a few toys and that's about yer lot chaps, and even then only in one or two toy stores... Clearly the storm have sadly not even come close to hitting British shores (you know, I'm not even sure Boomerang has even showed the second half of season one yet...) *sigh* Maybe next year...

[ScionoftheVoid]

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/1769/19e0a717d79269ec2165d9e.jpg

I feel like I've changed a lot since my last pony personality test. This feels appropriate.

Also, so much excellent television recently @_@ Also, pony meetup with Blastech this weekend. It's a good time to be me.


Thanqol wins prize for oddest shaped chart.


I normally don't post results from tests like this even if I'm bored enough to take them, but if nothing else I think this is an interesting shape.
Though not as weird as Thanqol.


http://i42.tinypic.com/hs1i5h.jpg

No kidding, I thought I had a weird shaped chart but Thanqol's actually left me speechless for a moment or two.

My chart:http://i43.tinypic.com/2vkj9lz.jpg

Just popping in for a moment, should really be doing some work (this is a running theme in my posts, huh?). See ya.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Don't let Dash fool you. I bet Pinkie is the mastermind behind all the pranks Dash set. :smallbiggrin:

http://mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/130556759436.jpg

The Pony Who's Name Is Written In This Note Will Party?

[otakuryoga]

Trixie!!

Zevox is trying to kill you in the heal/hurt

come help save yourself!!

vote for reverse scootaloo to Trixie

[Threeshades]

I already started worrying that the MLP advent calendar I got was a mistake because only behind the first door there was an actual pony and the following 8 were basically just accessories.

Today I opened door number ten and
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2011/072/b/3/pinkie_pie_by_johnjoseco-d3bjat9.jpg

Now I know it was worth every single one of the 18 euros :smallsmile:

[Kairaven]

http://arch.413chan.net/HaHaTimeForPonies-(n1313262740367).jpg

[Tectonic Robot]

best Episode Best Episode Best Episode

[Deadly]

New episode
Well, that certainly was a lot of treats for the RarityxSpike shippers :)

Rainbow Dash grabbing Fluttershy... that's all I really care about. It needs to be drawn, right now.

[Tectonic Robot]

I mean, seriously. This episode was pretty grand.

I loved lanky adolescent Spike!

[otakuryoga]

i think its safe to say our resident Lich has a new favorite episode after today

will post thoughts on episode after rerun

[Pendulous]

Yay for the Wonderbolts trying to be superheroes when they aren't worth a damn.

[Tiki Snakes]

Yeah, just to confirm, I wasn't really drawing a direct parallel between Tinkerbells adorably tiny brain and Rarity. The explanation of Rarity's clear, simple and singular attitude just reminded me of J M Barrie's own explanation of Tinkerbell, that's all.

[Orzel]

Favorite episode of the season.

Dragons are greedy monsters.
Dragons grow and shrink based on their greed.
RarityXSpike shippers rejoice
Why is Fluttershy always teaching animals stuff.



The City of Ponyville charge Pinkamina Diane Pie with Assault With A Tasty Weapon. How do you plead?

[otakuryoga]

Yay for the Wonderbolts trying to be superheroes when they aren't worth a damn.

thats only because Spitfire wasnt with em 8p

[Newman]

I was dead serious. I literally ran up to my rooftop holding a katana.


Are you perchance a troper?

[otakuryoga]

ok..episode thoughts

1) "Art of the To Do List" wow Twi...you are a party animal

2) ship fuel for the Commodore....it is Canon!

3) wtf?! why is spike setting up his own party? is Pinkie on strike?
----and Pinkie replaces Spike in the teleport(damnit Pinkie, stop breaking the laws of pony physics)

4) More fuel for the Commodore

5) PIMP HAT!! This WILL be art by the end of the day(and since i have a gutter mind i can already picture one..the mane 6 on a street corner in their new capes and spike in his Pimp Hat(and maybe full length fur coat) askin "see anything you like?")

5b) Cheerilee ROCKS

6) Yes! Lyra/Bonbon...and Derpy interrupts 8(

7) new colt-----Lickety Split

8) Junebug...not bad

9) hullo growth spurt

10) a doctor(so much for all the fics where Ponyville is too small to have a Dr and only gets Nurse Redheart)

10a) Twilight Smackie?

10b) a vet(i like her) (repeatnote above about doctor)

11) Spike smackin Twi at Zecora's...totally revenge..NOT reflex
---and DAMN spike worked fast

12) King Kong reference!

13) The Wonderbolts are a fast response military unit---this is now CANON!

14) Wonderbolts posing like Bawss's after getting out of the trap....rofl

15) MORE fuel for the Commodore

[Newman]

This intrigues me, because it presupposes that when faced with the question o being either morally upright, or alive, that alive is always ping to be the correct answer.

Though I suppose all the folks who wouldn't bend their morality have already died off.



Actually the protagonists won't hesitate to risk their lives (or outright try to get themselves in mortal peril) in order to save other ponies or do the right thing.

No, the trouble is, stuff like, if you meet a bunch of bandits and kill them, and their children are left orphans, what do you do? Or, suppose you meet a town of cannibals who not only eat people (usually people who were trying to kill them in the first place) but sell their flesh to tourists. Or suppose you can bring light and fertily and stuff back to an entire continent, but in order to do that you must destroy a cover of clouds that serves to feed a race living over them, which would starve otherwise? Stuff where you don't have a whole lot of options and they're all the wrong ones.

That said...

http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/newsfeed/000/206/010/the_voice_by_veggie55-d4gsddu.png?1322080523

[Kairaven]

episode reaction and theory

- reshelving day is so adorkable.
- pinkie breaks 4th wall to disrupt Twilight's teleport spell.
- lyra chating with bon bon, interupted by Ditzy
- new pony names!!!
- so dragons grow with greed, interesting...
- Pony bondage!!!
- Cake assault!!!
- HE STOLE THE CAKES, and that is terrible!
- king kong reference, through where is the skycraper in ponyville?
- ah, the mountain, that works.
- aerial pony combat explained, they must be able to create such sharp air pressure that they wing slice through the enemy.
- CRIME AGAINST FASHION!
- generousity reverse dragon growth....
- SpikexRarity cannon

dragon growth theory (aka how to raise your dragon)
I wonder if the quality and type of a dragon horde influences growth. i.e. tradition dragon horde (gem and gold and treasure) causes winged dragon growth. water treasure (pearls and such) makes water dragon, and random junk makes land dragon type.

or perhaps it takes years after growth spurt for dragon to develope wings, purhaps that's why they need 100 year naps?

also, generousity reverse growth, does that mean given a generously enough sacrefice, a dragon may revert all he way back to egg? does that mean a dragon essentially are imortal and just goes througha cycle of growth and reversal,provided that they can overcome their own greed?

so dragon growth stages:

egg - need a burst of magic to hatch, or purhaps simply high amount of energy, i.e. lava (perhaps, different hatching method causes different type of dragons?)

baby - knowledge acquiring phase, can be indefinitely kept in the state by keeping them away from greedy situations, abuse your baby dragon with servitude, don't give extravagant gifts. keep them busy with chores.

adolcent - horde aquiring phase, start to become anti-social, horde qulity may influent type.

adult - horde guarding phase, start to grow combat related features, claw and spike become sharper, breath becomes hotter, maybe even grow wings for travel

reverting phase (theoretical) - either through personal sacrefice or perhaps old old age, back to egg?

[Bayonet Priest]

Actually the protagonists won't hesitate to risk their lives (or outright try to get themselves in mortal peril) in order to save other ponies or do the right thing.

No, the trouble is, stuff like, if you meet a bunch of bandits and kill them, and their children are left orphans, what do you do? Or, suppose you meet a town of cannibals who not only eat people (usually people who were trying to kill them in the first place) but sell their flesh to tourists. Or suppose you can bring light and fertily and stuff back to an entire continent, but in order to do that you must destroy a cover of clouds that serves to feed a race living over them, which would starve otherwise? Stuff where you don't have a whole lot of options and they're all the wrong ones.

Yeah this is pretty much correct. They're all willing to die doing the right thing. The problem is that the right thing isn't always clear and a common theme in the story is that everypony has done something that they regret. And it's not like there's a Diabolus ex Machina waiting at the end of everything they do, they do a whole hell of a lot of good while tramping through the wasteland and that good usually sticks. The largest cost seems to be the toll taken on Littlepip herself though.

At Newman,
Arbu was interesting. I knew what was happening from the beginning because I recognized the friendliest town in the wasteland from Fallout 3. I don't think they just murdered folks that were trying to kill them though. The old man kept a log of everypony they killed and he was absolutely convinced of their evil. What got to Pip was less that she killed them all and more that she killed them in a fit of rage before she was certain as to their crimes. She was vindicated by the old man's list in the end but she didn't know how far they had gone until then. That is why it sticks with her, in the end those ponies deserved to die but that isn't why she killed them and she knows it. Stupid murdering cannibals, I purged that town myself in my Fallout playthrough.

Also on Pip's plan with the clouds. She wouldn't ever choose starving out the Pegasi just to bring light to the wasteland if she didn't have the ace in the hole that is Gardens of Equestria to feed everyone. It's a gamble though and she's gambling many lives but if it pays off she will have saved the entire wasteland.

[vegetalss4]

Episode thoughts

I really liked the sequence of spike not wanting to wash his cheek.

Spikes growth through greed, has sad sad implications, at least if it is the only way for him to grow up, through the dragonshy dragon seemed more reasonable so perhaps it isn't necessary.

"It was you who saved the town from ... yourself" - best line




No, the trouble is, stuff like,

if you meet a bunch of bandits and kill them, and their children are left orphans, what do you do? Or, suppose you meet a town of cannibals who not only eat people (usually people who were trying to kill them in the first place) but sell their flesh to tourists. Or suppose you can bring light and fertily and stuff back to an entire continent, but in order to do that you must destroy a cover of clouds that serves to feed a race living over them, which would starve otherwise? Stuff where you don't have a whole lot of options and they're all the wrong ones.


all of those have good options if you look closely enough and are skilled enough to pull it off.
You a) find a/several good orphanage to place them in, and take care to ensure they get a chance for a better life, prefersably you also work to solve whatever issue resulted in the bandits becoming bandits in the first place.
b) work to change said places customs enough that either they stop being canibals or at the very least they get some acceptable rules for which people they make meat of (say people who died of other causes and which agreed beforehand).
c)work to implement an alternative food source for the cloud people, then destroy the clouds.

[Tectonic Robot]

Also, June Bug is my new favorite pony.

[Newman]

^^ I like your attitude. But...
Orphanages? In the Wasteland? The best you can hope for is for some town to take them in...
What if they don't want to, and try to kill you for finding out? Well, at least you're killing them in self-defense.
Yeah, that one relies on a gamble. These hands... they're playing with the lives of millions...
The reason for raiders. I want to understand. What the **** is wrong with those people?

[Kairaven]

extra comment

also wanted to say that the theory that gems are grown in Equestria seem to be accurate. Seeing as Spike was aging a fire ruby.

[Bayonet Priest]

Episode thoughts

I really liked the sequence of spike not wanting to wash his cheek.

Spikes growth through greed, has sad sad implications, at least if it is the only way for him to grow up, through the dragonshy dragon seemed more reasonable so perhaps it isn't necessary.

"It was you who saved the town from ... yourself" - best line





all of those have good options if you look closely enough and are skilled enough to pull it off.
You a) find a/several good orphanage to place them in, and take care to ensure they get a chance for a better life, prefersably you also work to solve whatever issue resulted in the bandits becoming bandits in the first place.
b) work to change said places customs enough that either they stop being canibals or at the very least they get some acceptable rules for which people they make meat of (say people who died of other causes and which agreed beforehand).
c)work to implement an alternative food source for the cloud people, then destroy the clouds.

Yeah, most of these get solved too
a) The orphan thing, yeah she took them to another town that took them in. It was actually a very nice place, nicest place in the wasteland.
Extra spoiler:Sadly said nice place got bombed to rubble by the Enclave some time later. I think about half the population was able to escape so those kids have at least a 50/50 chance.
As for the thing about the bandits... regular bandits can be understood. They raid people and steal their stuff. I don't know if you've ever played Fallout 3 or not though but this story includes Fallout 3 style raiders. Completely screwed up in the head bandits who are in it for no reason other than to make cultists of Khorne look pleasant.

b) Yeah, the cannibals didn't survive. Pip wasn't in any condition to think about her actions at that point (concussion, fatigue, learning that these folks kill and eat ponies, fed one to her, and she had just come back from raiding a Ranger base to get source of fresh water for the town to repay their kindness to find all this out) she killed everyone but the children and the old man who tried to warn her away. In the end she learned from the old man that this cannibalism thing had been going on for a long time. I think it was implied to have started with an act of desperation but had since evolved into a sick culture based on hunting other ponies. Even though she was vindicated in the end by the old man's diary this event left Pip terribly shaken as the worst thing she had ever done. She still hasn't gotten over it and probably never will.

c) This is exactly her plan. She basically has an Elements of Harmony powered Deus ex Machina device that will clean the wasteland of radiation and taint which will allow enough crops to be grown for all. The downside is that in order to stop the Enclave from wiping out the ground dwellers she needs to clear the cloud curtain so the Pegasi above can actually see what their government is doing to the ponies on the ground. Basically if her plan works the wasteland is saved and everyone gets enough food. If she clears the clouds but the rest of the plan fails then the pegasi will run out of food after about a year and have to raid the ground for supplies.

The wasteland has taken its toll on Pip. She's the closest thing to a lawful good paladin there is out there but even she slips up and does questionable things. What is most interesting is that she really doesn't compromise her own sense of right and wrong all that much and when she does it is physically painful for her.

[Orzel]

extra comment

also wanted to say that the theory that gems are grown in Equestria seem to be accurate. Seeing as Spike was aging a fire ruby.

So are gems aged like cheese and wine? Or on farms?

Anyway. My Brony group has a special gift directly from Hasbro. I wonder what it is.

I also need to find Cheerilee stuff for Bronycon... sight.

[Anarion]

Just watched the new episode.
Pinkie Pie joyriding onto Twilight's teleport was the best moment. It was spectacularly funny and I really didn't see it coming even though we all know Pinkie Pie breaks the 4th wall. Just great.

Extended King Kong reference was amusing, particularly the wonderbolts as the assorted fighter planes. I bet a lot of parents that aren't bronies enjoyed that one.

Apparently unicorn teleport has either a weight or size limit. Twilight could teleport regular Spike repeatedly with minimal strain, but she needed Applejack to lasso adolescent Spike. I guess this applies to telekinesis, although my pet theory there is that a unicorn can lift really large stuff, but only if it's standing still (which is why Twilight had to play the music on the Ursa Minor first).

I also laughed at the implied pony bondage joke. Now where is Phoe to be squeeing over this?

"Spike you saved the town from...yourself." Maybe prevented the worst of the damage, but I guess they're getting good at rebuilding Ponyville at this point. There was already the parasprites, and they apparently live just below a fragile dam, so hopefully there are ample construction supplies on hand.

[Kindablue]

I dunno, I suppose y-

!!!

I see what you did there! How sly...

Convinced me. :smalltongue:

ETA:

Wait ... did you draw these or are they stolen images from an official storyboard? (Because I'm finding it hard to tell! :smallconfused:)

Clickitclickitclickitclickitclickit!

...

Clickitclickit!

[Beacon of Chaos]

New Episode:
I liked it. I'm kinda too tired to realy articulate my thoughts on it (maybe I'm coming down with something..) so here's some random points:

Lyra and Bon Bon and Derpy is just the best thing ever.

Why did Cheerilee have that hat with her anyway? It's really more of a man's hat.

Lickety Split is a colt now. Huh.

Dragon size growth thing: Was kind of freaky at first but I saw the funny side of it. Dragon's clearly have a magic of their own going on (besides the whole teleport breath thing of course).

I had stuff to write about Rarity and that gem but... Eh, I need to rewatch fully before commenting.

Overall a very good episode. Not Sweet and Elite good, but still very good.

[Athaniar]

RANDOM EPISODE THOUGHTS YAY
A nice episode. Not Top 5, but good. Spikezilla looked awesome. Adowable shipping! Pinkie keeps stealing every scene she's in. That globe! Official world map! Capes. Capes are awesome. Derpy interrupting Lyra and Bon Bon was funny. Dragon growth is rather interesting. Spike in Pimp Hat is cool. Spike hissing is CREEPY.


Are you perchance a troper?
I think you'll find that most of us are.

[Beacon of Chaos]

More epsiode 10
The return of Spike's crazy long tongue! :D

Not episode 10: INTERNET DANCE PARTY ON PONIBOORU! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CizKGh2Dh_4)

[Bayonet Priest]

Anyway, off the subject of Fallout:Equestria and on the subject of the new episode,

I loved this one. I totally called the King Kong reference weeks ago so seeing that had me grinning like an idiot. Lyra and BonBon and Derpy sighting was nice and had me squeeing like a smaller idiot. Rarity was cute and adorable as always, even when she was guilting Spike into giving her that gem. The girl just can't help herself sometimes. Twilight teleport spam got an upgrade too, that's always nice to see.

[Deadly]

Episode 10, a few quick random thoughts
Spike was actually rather disturbing in a few of those scenes :smalleek:

Also, am I the only one who kept thinking of the Hulk at Spike's "Spike want!"? I'm not exactly a comic nerd, don't really know anything about the Hulk TBH, but that voice just made me think of that for some reason.

[Bayonet Priest]

Episode 10, a few quick random thoughts
Spike was actually rather disturbing in a few of those scenes :smalleek:

Also, am I the only one who kept thinking of the Hulk at Spike's "Spike want!"? I'm not exactly a comic nerd, don't really know anything about the Hulk TBH, but that voice just made me think of that for some reason.

Yeah, I was definitely thinking Hulk.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Not episode 10: INTERNET DANCE PARTY ON PONIBOORU! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CizKGh2Dh_4)

OMGwatisthatIdonteven...butcantstopwatchingthat

You get a thousand internets and my favorite gif out of following that to ponibooru:

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff475/fort3hw1n/derpygonnasweet.gif

[Gamerlord]

New episode:
That was a really good episode. Thoughts below:
*"Spike want!" Spike slipped a bit into Hulk Mode there. :smalltongue:
*....Was that a joke about bondage when RD found Twi and Jack tied to the tree?
*I wonder how what Spike looked like in his dream sequence from Dog And Pony Show fits into what we saw. Perhaps that was what a grown-up dragon who has not given into their greed looks like?
*The Spike/Rarity shippers are very,very, happy today. Flutterdashers get a bit of food too.
*Loved the Derpy/Lyra/Bon-Bon bit.
*This was Spike's first birthday in Ponyville, which means either the events of s1 happened in only a few months or this takes place during the events of s1.

[RobD]

New episode:
Liked Spike's pimp hat; he was pretty good all throughout the episode, really. Always enjoy seeing more dragons in this show, and it's neat to see another version of 'grownup' Spike.
Also always like to see Twilight spamming the teleport; Spike's run cycle and Pinkie's interruption thereof got a chuckle out of me.
"I'm assaulting him with cake!"->:biggrin:
Laid the Rarity/Spike bait on a little thick, but I liked it. It was cute.
Those capes please me. Might have to make certain additions to my humanized D&D versions of the characters...

[RobD]

Not episode 10: INTERNET DANCE PARTY ON PONIBOORU! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CizKGh2Dh_4)

This is the greatest thing the internet has ever produced.

[Mando Knight]

Episode thoughts
Spikes growth through greed, has sad sad implications, at least if it is the only way for him to grow up, through the dragonshy dragon seemed more reasonable so perhaps it isn't necessary.
I think it's differential growth that messed Spike up. He's really like an unruly teenager throughout his entire growth sequence. Even the sweetest kid can pass through an unbearable teen stage before he becomes an actual adult, and the onset of rapid growth doesn't help Spike cope at all.
This is the greatest thing the internet has ever produced.EVERYBODY DANCE NOW! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y59qVbx-yRA)

[AlterForm]

New Episode
http://dl.dropbox.com/s/q5kkha2uxrupan3/HoodieShy.jpg

HNNNNNNNGGGGGG

[Mando Knight]

New Episode
http://dl.dropbox.com/s/q5kkha2uxrupan3/HoodieShy.jpg

HNNNNNNNGGGGGG
Rarity is right. Capes are going to make a comeback. Everyone from Appleoosa to Canterlot will want three. Just show them that picture.

[Beacon of Chaos]

OMGwatisthatIdonteven...butcantstopwatchingthat

You get a thousand internets and my favorite gif out of following that to ponibooru:

http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff475/fort3hw1n/derpygonnasweet.gif
A- A thousand internets AND a gif!? Oh thank you Soras! I will treasure them always! I'd kiss you, but that might be weird so Heartstrings here will do it:

*chu!*


New episode:
*....Was that a joke about bondage when RD found Twi and Jack tied to the tree?
Somepony get Phoe here on the double! I suspect she's behind this!

Episode 10 images:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/eac0ee662a455766c7e8a5bcdde73924/96348%20-%20artist%3Ajohn_joseco%20cane%20hat%20spike%20swa g.png

Double spoilered for "Cupcakes" reference:
http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/50e3862f3ce3e166287b1f7eac711212/96335%20-%20Cupcakes%20pinkamena_diane_pie%20Sapphire_Shore s.png

EDIT:

New Episode
http://dl.dropbox.com/s/q5kkha2uxrupan3/HoodieShy.jpg

HNNNNNNNGGGGGG
Okay, yeah, normally I'm fine with cute but this time I think I squee'd until one of my organs burst. I hope it wasn't one of the vital ones. :smalleek:

[Mando Knight]

More episode thoughts...
The hoard-grow-hoard loop is also an interesting twist that felt both novel and familiar at the same time.

[legomaster00156]

I was just reminded that Spike's a dragon. :smallmad:

[BlasTech]

*eyeglow expansion*

I'm going to assume that you are not implying that I am, in fact, not all round incredible...



Of couuursseee not ... I ... simply meant that you were sufficiently incredible to require singular mention.

I think I covered that well?


Convinced me. :smalltongue:

Clickitclickitclickitclickitclickit!

...

Clickitclickit!

Very well! *clicks*

Oh my Celestia, its full of awesome.

Episode thoughts:

Loved it. Will probably come back to post more later on, but I'm out of time. Got to head to the city for a brony meetup with Thanqol ... eeeeeee! *panics*

Best moment: Pinkie randomly appearing in Twi's teleport.
Best line: Twahlight ... git mah rope.

Mare-do-well comic (Warning, semi-censored bad language):

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/342/6/c/flyby_by_braindps-d4ii2pc.jpg

[Alabenson]

Insane Theory Time (Ep 10 related)
What if the ability to grow via greed/hoarding wasn't a natural dragon ability, but the result of Discord playing with their physiology some time in the distant past? It just seems like something he'd do for his own amusement.

[Athaniar]

New Episode
http://dl.dropbox.com/s/q5kkha2uxrupan3/HoodieShy.jpg

HNNNNNNNGGGGGG
D'AWWW http://i.imgur.com/aRDpW.png

...Well excuse me if I don't have anything better to say.

[Lord Raziere]

On episode 10, Season 2:

I just like to say, dragons are one my favorite creatures. Furthermore, Spike is one of my favorite dragons. So now to me, this a very great episode because it tied the big dragon with a big hoard and kidnapping damsels with its growth, explaining exactly why dragons are that way: the more they take, the more they grow.

and it shows the gradual taking over of greed as Spike just wanted more and more until it made him a monster

It also raps up with a good lesson about how greed is bad, which is a good lesson in todays modern world of consumerism, so it relates back to real life issues pretty well. and none of it seemed forced, it was all natural, it flowed well and Rarity at the end not even recognizing Spike was just the cherry on top of this well-crafted episode that made him realize how far he has fallen and brought him back down to earth.

about dragons, good lesson, good story, good everything, one of my favorites. :smallcool:

[Deadly]

Episode 10
So... this screenshot

http://i.imgur.com/NmeSv.jpg

Seems like those five gifts they gave Spike contained everything, including the kitchen sink... and Scootaloo's scooter? :smallconfused:

[Lix Lorn]

And it's about at this point that I realize I'll never see it because it's flash and my equipment doesn't play flash. :smallfrown:
Aww, but you have a Braz, who is at least twice as cute as that, so you'll be fine.

She'd better read this post. xD


The Pony Who's Name Is Written In This Note Will Party?
My avatar has a better one. :smalltongue:

[Gamerlord]

New HUB ad has some scenes from Hearth's Warming Eve. *SPOILERS* (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NN4sZcUMuss)

[legomaster00156]

Episode thoughts!
Well, this was an interesting episode, even though I personally didn't enjoy it much. My thoughts throughout the episode are as follows.

The prologue: Oh, yes, very generous of you, Rarity. Since Spike has this gem that he's been waiting ages to ripen, you decide to ask him for it. How very fitting of your Element. :smallannoyed:
Beginning of the greed: This is both annoyingly out of character, and yt it brings to your mind a very startling reminder that dragons are greedy, and Spike is a dragon. He is just as prone to fits of greedy madness as any other of his kind.
Ending of the greed: Ok, the Wonderbolts' appearance was awesome. I like that they draw yet another parallel to the Blue Angels by being a branch of the Equestrian military. Also, the bad cap/good cop with RD and Flutershy was a bit humorous. But that was put off by the return of Rarity x Spike, which I think makes no sense and is actually about my least favorite shipping in the show.

[Newman]

IF ONLY THEY KNEW HOW TO SAY "FUS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j-EyBNZozE&feature=player_embedded) RO (http://failblog.org/2011/11/16/epic-fail-photos-fail-blog-psa-fus-ro-dah/)DAH (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnNcyY6zQYw&feature=player_embedded)"

http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/original/000/200/317/ponyborn_by_he4rtofcourage-d4g57hl%5B1%5D.png?1321394739

Also, the Wonderbolts really did a shameful showing out there.

As for Rarity shutting Spike up...

...

Why did she do it and why was it so cute?

[mikeejimbo]

Episode 10

This seemed like a Spike/Rarity shipper-service episode, which is weird because I thought I was the only one who liked that ship. Still, if they're going to write episodes specifically for me I ain't gonna complain.

Loved the kitchen sink.

[Anarion]

Episode 10
So... this screenshot

http://i.imgur.com/NmeSv.jpg

Seems like those five gifts they gave Spike contained everything, including the kitchen sink... and Scootaloo's scooter? :smallconfused:

Nice catch with the kitchen sink. That's one of those intentional jokes that nobody is going to find without a freeze-frame, but it's awesome when you find it.

Pretty sure the scooter is just built on the same design as Scootaloo's though, since Spike trying to take it from her later was a notable scene. I'm not surprised that Equestria has standardized designs for most common products. Only the very wealthy or specialists (like Rarity with dress-making) would want everything they have to be hoof-made.

[Mando Knight]

Episode 10

This seemed like a Spike/Rarity shipper-service episode, which is weird because I thought I was the only one who liked that ship. Still, if they're going to write episodes specifically for me I ain't gonna complain.

Loved the kitchen sink.
It's the Official Ship of FiM. Been there since Episode 1.

[Newman]

To be honest I don't like that ship, I just can't see any way for it to work, and it seems based on fairly shallow and base motives. Rarity excites Spike's greed and lust, and she enjoys the attention and the adoration and takes all the help he will give. This episode surprised me in that I never expected her to show actual gratefulness, not to mention freaking affection. St. Germain's voice just kills it for me (in a good way).

Not to confuse with the other St. Germain (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-4ImxSOvpo), although the music does fit RRY a lot and I wonder why there ain't a PMV of that...

[Deadly]

Episode 10
Pony anatomy lesson:

http://i.imgur.com/SWM2s.png

Ponies have very small brains? And the food they eat goes straight into their heart? And doesn't come out anywhere?


Nice catch with the kitchen sink. That's one of those intentional jokes that nobody is going to find without a freeze-frame, but it's awesome when you find it.

Pretty sure the scooter is just built on the same design as Scootaloo's though, since Spike trying to take it from her later was a notable scene. I'm not surprised that Equestria has standardized designs for most common products. Only the very wealthy or specialists (like Rarity with dress-making) would want everything they have to be hoof-made.

Yeah, I suppose Scoots' scooter isn't all that special. Except to her, of course.

[otakuryoga]

I was just reminded that Spike's a dragon. :smallmad:

hmmm, then you may want to avoid what follows Spike has a crush on Rarity

[Kalinda]

Good new episode, can't spend the time to dissect, but I liked it.

[Mando Knight]

Episode 10
Pony anatomy lesson:

http://i.imgur.com/SWM2s.png

Ponies have very small brains? And the food they eat goes straight into their heart? And doesn't come out anywhere?
Perhaps it's the mapping of some other random system? A meatbag's body has quite a few intersecting and overlapping systems...

hmmm, then you may want to avoid what follows Spike has a crush on Rarity
And that was stealthily played with (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/StealthPun) toward the end.

[Eakin]

*Not looking at anypony's posts, haven't seen the episode yet, must fix that tonight*

I don't know if any of you guys saw the post on EqD, but there's going to be a major Bronies For Good charity fund drive (http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/12/25-musicians-collaborating-for-massive.html) starting Christmas day. I know funds are tight for a lot of people, but I'm definitely planning to give what I can and it would be awesome if we could get a "Team Playground" drive going.

[otakuryoga]

Episode 10

This seemed like a Spike/Rarity shipper-service episode, which is weird because I thought I was the only one who liked that ship. Still, if they're going to write episodes specifically for me I ain't gonna complain.

Loved the kitchen sink.

o no...our resident space Lich is a big Fan of Spike/Rarity

in fact i wrote a short Fic JUST for him..guess you were not around at the time...heres a link
http://fluttershyworshipper.deviantart.com/art/The-Lady-of-Carousel-Boutique-266125827

[Deadly]

Perhaps it's the mapping of some other random system? A meatbag's body has quite a few intersecting and overlapping systems...

What possible tube could go from the mouth to the heart, though?

I'm obviously being silly here, but come on, let's concoct some crazy theories!

[Alabenson]

What possible tube could go from the mouth to the heart, though?

I'm obviously being silly here, but come on, let's concoct some crazy theories!

Perhaps when ponies speak from the heart, they do so more literally than most.

[SaintRidley]

I like it.

That is all.

[BlasTech]

What possible tube could go from the mouth to the heart, though?

I'm obviously being silly here, but come on, let's concoct some crazy theories!

It's the thermal friendship exhaust port! :smallbiggrin:

[mikeejimbo]

It's the Official Ship of FiM. Been there since Episode 1.

I know, but I didn't think they'd play it up THAT much.

[Deadly]

Perhaps when ponies speak from the heart, they do so more literally than most.


It's the thermal friendship exhaust port! :smallbiggrin:

Now we're talkin' :smallbiggrin:


I know, but I didn't think they'd play it up THAT much.

Episode 10
I'm not a big fan of serious RarityxSpike shipping either, though it doesn't particularly bother me either.

I can't see it as anything but a childish crush on Spike's part, one he'll likely outgrow eventually, and simply a deep friendship on Rarity's part. I don't see there being anything but mutual friendship, rather than romance, in the future for them.

It's kinda cute, in an innocent childish fashion, but I just don't see it getting serious.

[Anarion]

Now we're talkin' :smallbiggrin:



Episode 10
I'm not a big fan of serious RarityxSpike shipping either, though it doesn't particularly bother me either.

I can't see it as anything but a childish crush on Spike's part, one he'll likely outgrow eventually, and simply a deep friendship on Rarity's part. I don't see there being anything but mutual friendship, rather than romance, in the future for them.

It's kinda cute, in an innocent childish fashion, but I just don't see it getting serious.

I actually feel like Rarity is being a bit of a tease, even though it worked out for her in this episode. She likes Spike as a friend, but she's savvy enough to know that Spike has romantic feelings and she's willing to give him a bit of immediate gratification from time to time even though she would never do more than that. Also ironic that gem greed plus love was the perfect mixture for stopping regular greed.

[Bayonet Priest]

Now we're talkin' :smallbiggrin:



Episode 10
I'm not a big fan of serious RarityxSpike shipping either, though it doesn't particularly bother me either.

I can't see it as anything but a childish crush on Spike's part, one he'll likely outgrow eventually, and simply a deep friendship on Rarity's part. I don't see there being anything but mutual friendship, rather than romance, in the future for them.

It's kinda cute, in an innocent childish fashion, but I just don't see it getting serious.

Yeah, I don't see serious Spike/Rarity either. Rarity obviously enjoys the attention but Spike is just a kid, somewhere between the CMCs and the Mane cast maturity-wise. He's a kid with a crush that he'll either outgrow or he'll be disappointed when Rarity finds someone her own age. That said this episode was very cute and I certainly expect that Spike and Rarity are and will remain very good friends.

[Deadly]

Yeah, I don't see serious Spike/Rarity either. Rarity obviously enjoys the attention but Spike is just a kid, somewhere between the CMCs and the Mane cast maturity-wise. He's a kid with a crush that he'll either outgrow or he'll be disappointed when Rarity finds someone her own age. That said this episode was very cute and I certainly expect that Spike and Rarity are and will remain very good friends.

Exactly my thoughts. Rarity likes Spike, he's a great friend as he has shown before. And of course she would have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not notice his crush on her, and she probably finds it cute just like we do, but that's it. I just don't see Rarity taking it further.

I'm also sure that's why she stopped him from admitting it, because she didn't want it to become anything but cute. If Spike admitted his crush it'd get rather awkward, and he'd have to deal with her dismissal too soon. I doubt he's ready for that.

I'm sure they'll stay very good friends, and that Spike will eventually outgrow his childish crush. And until then, it's just cute and innocent.

Yeah, the episode was definitely nice.

[Topaz]

S2 Episode 10:
I enjoyed it, more than I expected to.
The "Season Two ruined my fanon" was strong with this one, dragon-wise. Does this mean that Spike's fated to remain a child forever?
I suspect that Twilight's globe is going to be over-analyzed mercilessly (and there goes the theory that Equestria is flat).
The limits on Twilight's teleportation continue to be very plot driven. :smallbiggrin:
Just who had Cherilee originally bought that hat for?
New pony names! Are Junebug and Golden Harvest Carrot Top related?
Poor Wonderbolts, having to play biplanes in a King Kong riff.

[Soras Teva Gee]

Odd this didn't get reported on EqD but knowyourmeme (http://knowyourmeme.com/videos/24320-memes) did a Top Ten Memes of 2011. While they don't precisely state rankings these generally do a countdown and guess what doesn't wrap up the list?

Everything Not Ponies of course.

[Pokonic]

I just realised something, and it relates with other dragons we have seen.

Ep 10 spoilers.
Dragons do not actualty have to be child-killing savages. Its just that most who can actualy fight off any threat have gone into there inherent greed and probably did not spend much time in there adolecent forms (which seems to be the main "learning period" for them).

Take the Green dragon from the everfree: Its entirly fesible that that dragon was relitivly young, and never actualy spent much time attempting to learn anything about, say, sharing. That, and such a young creature living in such a hosile place would probably be guarded about its main was of staying alive. In a way, only the greedy, jerkass dragons ever realy spend much time as a adult, and the end result is a bunch of young, powerful creatures with a mean streak and a dislike of other creatures. Other creatures reaction? Take them out while there tiny. And so a circle of rampaging and fighting continues.


On one note, the episode would have been a whole lot worse if it happend in Canterlot, or celestia forbid the Dogs mines! :smalleek:


On one note, have we had and Hydra/Godzilla! Spike fanart yet?

[Zevox]

New episode:
This was a pretty good one. I was worried for a moment at the start there that it was going to be yet another Rarity episode, but thankfully she had only a secondary part in it. Though I did facepalm a bit at her "crime against fashion" line. I mean, really, at that moment, that's the highest concern she has? Ugh.

Anyway though, a very entertaining episode on the whole, with lots of nice references ("Spike want!" = "Hulk smash!", good cop/bad cop Fluttershy/Dash, King Kong, etc), a couple of great funny moments from Pinkie Pie, the Wonderbolts actually doing something, and a plot and lesson that didn't feel forced at all. Though it was kind of predictable, particularly once you see Spike putting all the stuff he was gathering in a pile like a Dragon's hoard always is, but hey, most of the episodes of this show are pretty predictable once you have the basic premise figured out.

Not quite a fan of the ending though. Felt a little deus-ex-machina-y that Spike just reverted to normal because he remembered what it was like to be generous. Yeah, you could argue that if you can accept greed making him grow the reverse should be fine, but for some reason I just can't quite accept that, especially it happening so suddenly and completely. I was kind of figuring there would be a more concrete explanation for him reverting, like that Fire Ruby he gave Rarity containing the nutrients a Dragon needs to combat early growth spurts or something.

Still, overall quite good. Not quite one of my favorites from the season so far (I'd still put Return of Harmony, May the Best Pet Win, Luna Eclipsed, and perhaps also Lesson Zero over this one, though I'm more hesitant about that last), but better than the last couple for sure.
Zevox

[Pendulous]

Odd this didn't get reported on EqD but knowyourmeme (http://knowyourmeme.com/videos/24320-memes) did a Top Ten Memes of 2011. While they don't precisely state rankings these generally do a countdown and guess what doesn't wrap up the list?

Everything Not Ponies of course.

Edit: derp, never mind. Anyway, surprised we didn't see the stupid "arrow to the knee" BS

On the topic of ep. 10

Rarity adores Spike like one would adore their friend's 9-year-old sibling who might have a crush on you. Nothing more

[mikeejimbo]

S2 Episode 10:
I enjoyed it, more than I expected to.
The "Season Two ruined my fanon" was strong with this one, dragon-wise. Does this mean that Spike's fated to remain a child forever?

I think that he will grow slower and more naturally if he restrains his greed and hoarding instinct.

Anyway, I think what I meant by "didn't think they'd play up the crush" was that I didn't think there'd be, essentially, an episode where it was the crux of the issue. (Although I knew it would be as soon as Spike gave the gem to Rarity.) I thought they'd keep it as a running gag.

I do know they could never work out but eh... none of my 'ships could. <_<

[Soras Teva Gee]

Edit: derp, never mind. Anyway, surprised we didn't see the stupid "arrow to the knee" BS

Well gee Skyrim only came out when? Most of them have cooked for awhile.

(Besides Skyward Sword is the game to play)

[Zevox]

(Besides Skyward Sword is the game to play)
Eeyup. I didn't expect anything to really challenge Dragon Age 2 for my personal favorite game of the year after ME3 and Tales of Graces F were both delayed until next year, but Skyward Sword's giving it quite the run for its money. Best Zelda game in a long time, if not ever, and both of those are saying quite a lot.

Zevox

[SiuiS]

Actually the protagonists won't hesitate to risk their lives (or outright try to get themselves in mortal peril) in order to save other ponies or do the right thing.

No, the trouble is, stuff like, if you meet a bunch of bandits and kill them, and their children are left orphans, what do you do? Or, suppose you meet a town of cannibals who not only eat people (usually people who were trying to kill them in the first place) but sell their flesh to tourists. Or suppose you can bring light and fertily and stuff back to an entire continent, but in order to do that you must destroy a cover of clouds that serves to feed a race living over them, which would starve otherwise? Stuff where you don't have a whole lot of options and they're all the wrong ones.

These are actually kind of simple. Barring further variables (and there are always further variables, so deciding when you know enough is an art);

[fanfic] [squick] [talking out my flank]
Either don't kill the bandits (seriously, murder them before they murder me is already a flawed stance to take) and once they're down for the count, haul em all somewhere. I'm sure a nearby town would be willing to raise new prospective laborers and citizens in exchange for free prison labor from the bandits.

Or orphanage. There isn't one? Build it. You took responsibility for ending the lives of these parents but won't take responsibility for prolonging the lives of these kids? That says something.

Cannibalism? How far are we taking this?
Because let's be honest. Aside from particular belief systems, there's nothing immoral about cannibalism. Killing someone? Yes. But there is no sanctity to meat. Hunting for prey that is sentient is taboo, and wrong (generally). The possible permanent diseases that drive you crazy are bad. Eating your fallen isn't.

I cannot say that I wouldn't have done the same thing though. Literal blind rages are something else.

As for the clouds, well. Clouds are mobile, right? "hey, if we coordinate, could you move your entire city (which is moveable!) so you can stop starving out everypony else please? We think we can grow crops in the ground now, but we need sunlight." seriously, as Thanqol has pointed out, formulating your question as an either/or is the first part of the trap. Why choose whether or not to kill one man to save ten men, when you can save them all.

Myself? I don't Know. I seem to have two sets of morality. I find it entirely moral for both the earth ponies to overthrow the Pegasi for the right to eat, and for the Pegasi to defend and even counterattack the insurgent earth ponies. The Aesir were in the right to kill the jotun for destroying human establishments. The jotun were in the right for being jotun and trampling whatever came under their stormy feet.

This doesn. Jive with Areta's morals at all either. Weird.


... [S]he really doesn't compromise her own sense of right and wrong all that much and when she does it is physically painful for her.

I find this consistent with how morality should work.



I think you'll find that most of us are.

I understand tropes and their use, but I wouldn't self identify as a Troper. Too many negative connotations for my liking.


Anyway, off the subject of Fallout:Equestria and on the subject of the new episode,

[SPOILER]Rarity was cute and adorable as always, even when she was guilting Spike into giving her that gem. The girl just can't help herself sometimes.

Hm.

I honesty don't Think Rarity was building Spike into doing anything. She was just genuinely expressing interest.


New episode:
[SPOILER]
*I wonder how what Spike looked like in his dream sequence from Dog And Pony Show fits into what we saw. Perhaps that was what a grown-up dragon who has not given into their greed looks like?

Dog and Pony show?

I still think that Manly!Spike had nothing to do with how an adult dragon of any species functions, let alone how Spike expects his lineage to go.

When you were a wee lad and imagined yourself as a hero, Savin damsels and slaying monsters, did you imagine yourself as anything like you are now? I didn't.



*The Spike/Rarity shippers are very,very, happy today. Flutterdashers get a bit of food too.

Yes. We are well pleased with this bounty.



[spoiler]
*This was Spike's first birthday in Ponyville, which means either the events of s1 happened in only a few months or this takes place during the events of s1.

I would rather think that Spike goes to Canterlot for his birthday, but... Hm. You're probably right. So confused...


Aww, but you have a Braz, who is at least twice as cute as that, so you'll be fine.

^///////^
yeah~


My avatar has a better one. :smalltongue:

*DRAAAAAMAAAAATICGAAAAASP* Faithful Song, what are you doing here?
Silly Pinkie, these ponies don't wanna party! They want to "Paaaar~taaaay"!

SSS


Episode thoughts!
[SPOILER]Well, this was an interesting episode, even though I personally didn't enjoy it much. My thoughts throughout the episode are as follows.

The prologue: Oh, yes, very generous of you, Rarity. Since Spike has this gem that he's been waiting ages to ripen, you decide to ask him for it. How very fitting of your Element. :smallannoyed:

Metagaming, mate.

Rarity wasn't there for that. She sees Spike with a fat jewel, and waxes poetic about how gorgeous it is. She didn't know he had anythin invested in it more that as a crunchy trinket, and she looks on that with the same playful disdain as folks who buy a bulk shipment of candy and gobble it in a whole night. It's Spike's willingness to sacrifice t that gives the trinke meaning to us the viewers, but it's the willingness to indulge Rarity in something she knows is kind of silly that gives it value to her- that, and that it was given by her widdle Spikey-Wikey :smallsmile:


[spoiler]
Beginning of the greed: This is both annoyingly out of character, and yt it brings to your mind a very startling reminder that dragons are greedy, and Spike is a dragon. He is just as prone to fits of greedy madness as any other of his kind.
Ending of the greed: Ok, the Wonderbolts' appearance was awesome. I like that they draw yet another parallel to the Blue Angels by being a branch of the Equestrian military. Also, the bad cap/good cop with RD and Flutershy was a bit humorous. But that was put off by the return of Rarity x Spike, which I think makes no sense and is actually about my least favorite shipping in the show.

wasn't out o character at all. Spike has shown a greedy streak before; devouring the best apple and tossing the rest? BRely restraining himself from devouring a harvest of jewels even though he was 'hired' to help harvest for someone else...

Real people aren't that consistent, usually. Everyone gives in to temptation at some point. This just happened to be when his greed overcame his niceness.


[SPOILER]Nice catch with the kitchen sink. That's one of those intentional jokes that nobody is going to find without a freeze-frame, but it's awesome when you find it..

I totally caught the sink the first time, actually ^^


[spoiler]What possible tube could go from the mouth to the heart, though?

I'm obviously being silly here, but come on, let's concoct some crazy theories!

PUDDIN PONIES CANON!

[Geno9999]

Related to new episode:
Wouldn't the fact that there's so little information about dragons (or their growth) be semi-proof that Twilight's entrance exam to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns was supposed to be a Unwinnable Test (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnwinnableTrainingSimulation)?

[Pendulous]

Well gee Skyrim only came out when? Most of them have cooked for awhile.

(Besides Skyward Sword is the game to play)

Agree on Skyward Sword, but this stupid meme has gone pretty fast. You get votes for Oscars from stuff that came out around this time, why not? :)


Related to new episode:
Wouldn't the fact that there's so little information about dragons (or their growth) be semi-proof that Twilight's entrance exam to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns was supposed to be a Unwinnable Test (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnwinnableTrainingSimulation)?

Yes. I always felt that Twilight's Entrance Exam was a set-up.

[Aotrs Commander]

Bleakbane's measured and understated reaction to watching this episode:

HUZZAH!


Other comments to follow shortly, as soon as he calms down and our ears finish ringing...

[Lix Lorn]

*DRAAAAAMAAAAATICGAAAAASP* Faithful Song, what are you doing here?
Silly Pinkie, these ponies don't wanna party! They want to "Paaaar~taaaay"!
And now I can't hear that line without it being innuendo. xD

[Soras Teva Gee]

Agree on Skyward Sword, but this stupid meme has gone pretty fast. You get votes for Oscars from stuff that came out around this time, why not? :)

That's because Hollywood is silly, you can have a premiere now-ish not release a film nationally until 2012 and still be considered for 2011. Oscar's aren't decided with anything like national reception, just who can push the most screener copy's down voting members throats most effectively. Its about as bad as a national election. *rimshot*

However others recognize this insanity for what it is and consider the whole year a time.

[Mando Knight]

That's because Hollywood is silly, you can have a premiere now-ish not release a film nationally until 2012 and still be considered for 2011. Oscar's aren't decided with anything like national reception, just who can push the most screener copy's down voting members throats most effectively. Its about as bad as a national election. *rimshot*
It's worse. At least in national elections, the electoral votes are influenced by the populace. Academy Awards are awarded for being the Academy-Award-iest. Except when actually good stuff blows them away, like Return of the King. Then they change the rules to limit how many really good things actually make it.

[Pendulous]

That's because Hollywood is silly, you can have a premiere now-ish not release a film nationally until 2012 and still be considered for 2011. Oscar's aren't decided with anything like national reception, just who can push the most screener copy's down voting members throats most effectively. Its about as bad as a national election. *rimshot*

However others recognize this insanity for what it is and consider the whole year a time.

I guess, I just want this stupid meme to go away.....FOREVER!

[Eakin]

I guess, I just want this stupid meme to go away.....FOREVER!

Don't worry, it's been less than a month since the game was released and the internet is already showing signs of being sick of this particular meme. The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long, after all. Plus it's the same joke every time, there's not much room to twist it and cross pollinate with other memes.

The internet is a fickle place, it acquires and discards new ideas faster than most communities (except ponies obviously. I like it so clearly it will last forever and be magically exempt from the typical pattern.)

Oh, and game of the year is Portal 2 hands down.

[Gamerlord]

Oh, and game of the year is Portal 2 hands down.
I second this.

[Aotrs Commander]

i think its safe to say our resident Lich has a new favorite episode after today

will post thoughts on episode after rerun

You are sooo not wrong.

BEST.

EPISODE.

EVER!!!!

Spike/Rarity is more canon than the armament of an entire starfleet! She KNOWS! She totally KNOWS! And her reaction to that half-confession...! DAMN! That is totally as close as we're going to get for actually shipping in this show, and WOW, seriously, that is SOOO much more than I ever could have expected! I mean, really, I'm totally blown away by that; totally!

That was brilliant. Not only funny on the top level, but with some real depth to it.

Really quite dark as well, again, much darker than I would have expected from pony. The thought occurred to me when I heard the episode synopsis that it might be that dragon's size is caused by their greed, and it was a take I'd never considered before. It appears I was right, too! But that is so sobering. This episode is amazing. It combines the very best hope Spike has for the future with the very darkest one. That as dragons become greedy, they become less and less people and more monster, their personalites being overwritten by base instincts - something I said, for those of you with long memories, was about the worst fate I could imagine. Spike becomes less Spike and something less, something, heck, arguably less sentient. It explains why the other dragons in the show are so much less communicative - that one in Dragonshy must have actually been quite strong willed, to resist it's intincts long enough to actaully make intelligent statements... (I forget, did the one in Owl's Well speak much or just skip to dracocidal violence?)

And ponies seem to view dragons as more akin to jumped-up pets...that's a bit grim itself!



And there's a brewing love-story for the ages, eh? Spike and Rarity, the former kept sane and with his sense of self, grounded and centred by the love for his mare... I admit, I'm not one for the whole "power of love" spiel, but on the other hand, if you're gonna do something (especially something cliched and campy), you may as well not do the half measures!



Also, me and Bobcat can give ourselves a really solid pat on the back for calling the Wonderbolts as what amounts to Equestria's air force - or at least paramilitary troubleshooters. (Maybe not very good ones, but then again, it is a largely peaceful country...!)

Oh, and the King Kong references! And the hilarious fact that Ponyville now has emergancy sirens, presumably because of all the crazy crap that goes down. And Lickety Split, who has apparently changed genders between generations (I remember a female Lickety Split from G1 - nice call back!) And Bon-Bon and Lyra together again...! (I must have blinked and missed Ditzy, dammit!) Hulk parody, pony bondage (while not a fan, I chuckled, because I could almost hear Phoe squeeing).

This episode was just amazing!

It was just totally, utterly AWESOME!



Here's to a new wave of Spike/Rarity shipping!

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
...Huzzah?

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
Statement of Exuberant Acquiescence.

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
*facepalm*

...

You realise, guys, he's going to be totally unlivable with now, and I do mean that in both senses of "unlive"...

Just be thankful you were spared the sight of the "Bleakbane Freaking Awesome Dance." I shudder, and I am - er was, er am sorta - a freaking Lich.

Actually, I think I better field the rest of this, since I don't think he's gonna calm down anytime soon...


Of couuursseee not ... I ... simply meant that you were sufficiently incredible to require singular mention.

I think I covered that well?

I think you're okay, he's to busy doing...actually I not entirely sure; it's some sort of celebratory...something.

It's really quite disturbing.

He's been absent from ponythread most of the day, by the by. since it his Christmas party at home (until a little after midnight, when he cleared the remaining guests from out of the computer room with a cry of "NEW PONY!!!" and judicious application of his Snake Launcher, and that new Stravian Missile Launcher I gave him - actually watching someone duel-wield rocket launchers as giant clubs is both awesome and slightly terrifying), and before he was muttering something about having to have to clear his hard-drive enough to be able to defrag it and having to get a new mouse, because one thing going wrong at once just wouldn't be right...


Episode 10

This seemed like a Spike/Rarity shipper-service episode, which is weird because I thought I was the only one who liked that ship. Still, if they're going to write episodes specifically for me I ain't gonna complain.

Loved the kitchen sink.

Clearly you don't post enough in ponythread... Bleakbane's been harping on (and on and on and ON) about Spike/Rarity since he starting posting months ago... You may even have noticed everyone else commenting on it...!


o no...our resident space Lich is a big Fan of Spike/Rarity

in fact i wrote a short Fic JUST for him..guess you were not around at the time...heres a link
http://fluttershyworshipper.deviantart.com/art/The-Lady-of-Carousel-Boutique-266125827

I'll...just make sure you don't remind him of that... Juuuust to be safe.

[Gaelbert]

Are you perchance a troper?

Not so much. I've been on the website, read some of the pages, but I don't really like that style of "analysis." I mean, yeah, naming patterns is good and all, but unless you look at how those patterns or elements interact within the text, you've accomplished nothing. From what I've seen, TV Tropes seems a place where people just harp on and on about "Crowning Moments of Awesome" in their favourite shows, and do very little actual analysis of anything. Which is fine and all, it's just not up my alley.
I chose "katana" because I thought that would be the most ridiculous thing possible. A skinny white boy with a katana? It's a joke, right?
Then later I realized that if a skinny white boy has a sword, the most likely type of sword he would have would be a katana, for some strange reason.



hmmm, then you may want to avoid what follows Spike has a crush on Rarity

Woh woh woh! You can't just drop something like that in one spoiler! You need a couple extra. We can't have people dropping in and ruining the entire show for themselves, can we?
Or has that meme run it's course?


Episode 10
I'm not a big fan of serious RarityxSpike shipping either, though it doesn't particularly bother me either.

I can't see it as anything but a childish crush on Spike's part, one he'll likely outgrow eventually, and simply a deep friendship on Rarity's part. I don't see there being anything but mutual friendship, rather than romance, in the future for them.

It's kinda cute, in an innocent childish fashion, but I just don't see it getting serious.

I can accept this. This is the best "spin" or interpretation of that I've seen. The other ones just don't work for me.


Episode thoughts!
Well, this was an interesting episode, even though I personally didn't enjoy it much. My thoughts throughout the episode are as follows.

The prologue: Oh, yes, very generous of you, Rarity. Since Spike has this gem that he's been waiting ages to ripen, you decide to ask him for it. How very fitting of your Element. :smallannoyed:



[Spoilers]I honesty don't Think Rarity was building Spike into doing anything. She was just genuinely expressing interest.

Metagaming, mate.
[Spoilers]
Rarity wasn't there for that. She sees Spike with a fat jewel, and waxes poetic about how gorgeous it is. She didn't know he had anythin invested in it more that as a crunchy trinket, and she looks on that with the same playful disdain as folks who buy a bulk shipment of candy and gobble it in a whole night. It's Spike's willingness to sacrifice t that gives the trinke meaning to us the viewers, but it's the willingness to indulge Rarity in something she knows is kind of silly that gives it value to her- that, and that it was given by her widdle Spikey-Wikey :smallsmile:


I really agree with SiuS here. She didn't realize that it was so special to him, and I don't think she was trying to guilt him into anything. When you go back and see the later parts of the episode, when Rarity is talking about how much the gem means to her because it was given to her by a close friend, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for the first scene to be a manipulation on her part. It just wouldn't mesh together. And the thing is, that does match Rarity's element perfectly. She herself would have no problem giving away a shiny diamond to someone who wanted it, and she probably assumes everypony runs on the same level too.

General Episode Thoughts
Why on Equestria would Cheerilee be carrying around that hat? I'm not complaining, but was that her own or something?
...
I want to see that drawn.
Big fan of the veterinarian. She will never return, I'm sure, but I did like her.
Zecora! We can never get enough of Zecora!
Why exactly does Dash want to get into the Wonderbolts? They don't seem terribly... intelligent.
I was pleased that Rarity featured somewhat prominently within the show. Always makes a good episode.
Thought it was a little ironic Rarity didn't make a cape for Spike at the end though.
"Here, I made capes for all of my closest friends! Oh? What's that Spike? No, of course you didn't get one."

[Mando Knight]

Just realized what I could have posted after I watched the episode.

Hey, hey everypony! This episode gives us some great insight!Spike has a crush on Rarity!http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/7/70/079Slowpoke.png

:smalltongue:

Why on Equestria would Cheerilee be carrying around that hat? I'm not complaining, but was that her own or something?
I assumed she had just bought it.

[Kindablue]

General Episode Thoughts
Why exactly does Dash want to get into the Wonderbolts? They don't seem terribly... intelligent.

Neither does Dash. Ba-dum-tish!

[Istari]

Was I the only one who noticed the Fantasia backround music during the cleaning, and a couple other scenes?

[Geno9999]

Episode thoughts:
So i find this image, and the theory was jsut too hilarious:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/newsfeed/000/215/413/hats_make_spike_evil_by_babileilei-d4ipv3i.jpg?1323553786
Hopefully, Equestria does not have a TF2 equalivant.

[Eakin]

E10 reactions, in real time as I watched:


Oh Spike, you're so adorably whipped

Ah, so Twilight's already mastered the infinite portal loop then.

Twilight! Bad adoptive parent figure! I bet she threw horrible birthday parties, too

Spike! Stop humping the counter! Bad dragon!

"Everypony should get fun gifts on their birthday!" Uh... Cheerilee... I don't know how to break this to you... but Spike's not a pony. (I guess he's an honorary pony or something)

Derpy, Lyra Heartstrings, and Bob-bon in a 5 foot radius? BACKGROUND PONY CRITICAL MASS REACHED!

NO SPIKE! YOU MUST USE YOUR BIRTHDAY ONLY FOR GOOD!

Spike growing made me flash back to this comic... (http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/09/comic-twilight-sparkle-and-spike.html) MAN that would make for a depressing episode.

Dragon puberty is clearly a very awkward time for all involved

Wow, the school should probably mention this whole "hey, you know your familiar? Don't give him presents or he'll grow into a HORRIFYING MONSTER!" thing to new students when they hatch the egg during their entrance exams.

So... Twilight CAN'T teleport when she's tied up? Is she secretly Wonder Women?

Fluttershy has dancing squirrels? There had better be fan art of this by the time I finish watching the episode.

King Kong shout out! Nice!

Friends plummeting to their possible death: bad. Ripped clothing: THE. WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!

Wonderbolts cameo? Unexpected! And awesome!

"I suppose you'll be eating ME or something!" Must... not... allow... mind... to go directly... to gutter...

You guys... I know this is kinda out there, but I think Spike might have a crush or Rarity

HOLY CRAP THOSE CAPES ARE SWEET! WANT!

Sweet episode!

[Gaelbert]

Just realized what I could have posted after I watched the episode.

Hey, hey everypony! This episode gives us some great insight!Spike has a crush on Rarity!http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/7/70/079Slowpoke.png

:smalltongue:

I assumed she had just bought it.

That still doesn't explain anything.


Neither does Dash. Ba-dum-tish!

Touche!

[Soras Teva Gee]

Don't worry, it's been less than a month since the game was released and the internet is already showing signs of being sick of this particular meme. The candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long, after all. Plus it's the same joke every time, there's not much room to twist it and cross pollinate with other memes.

The internet is a fickle place, it acquires and discards new ideas faster than most communities (except ponies obviously. I like it so clearly it will last forever and be magically exempt from the typical pattern.)

Oh, and game of the year is Portal 2 hands down.

Hell I think Skyrim is showing signs of wear. I've never much liked the series, I tried and failed to get through Morrowind and Fallout 3... concluded I don't like FPRPGs of anything like that and moved on.

And yeah I guess Portal 2 was this year... but as AWESOME as it was I don't know that it adds that much to its basic concept. Puzzle game to abuse physics for profit the same but more with the same high class writing. Awesome characters yes, extremely funny yes... game of the year... eh I'm not convinced.

(Skward Sword made some daring changes of formula. Since when in Zelda are normal baddies still a threat halfway through? Why can't I kill anything with all this equipment I'm gathering!)

[Athaniar]

Was I the only one who noticed the Fantasia backround music during the cleaning, and a couple other scenes?
I noticed that too. Has to be intentional.

[Soras Teva Gee]

I noticed that too. Has to be intentional.

Of course it was, the show has a habit of doing that.

[Kindablue]

Episode thoughts:
So i find this image, and the theory was jsut too hilarious:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/newsfeed/000/215/413/hats_make_spike_evil_by_babileilei-d4ipv3i.jpg?1323553786
Hopefully, Equestria does not have a TF2 equalivant.

Oh, come on. Is this for real? That's the most ridiculous example of post hat ergo propter hat that I've ever seen. Whoever made this should be ashamed of themselves. :smallannoyed:

[legomaster00156]

So, if anyone cares to help me with a fanfiction, I need songs. No, not pony-themed ones. I need 1 harp-only song and 2 party-themed songs (in other words, what Lyra and DJ P0n-3 will be playing, respectively). Show me your favorites! :smallbiggrin:

[Newman]

[spoiler]Though I did facepalm a bit at her "crime against fashion" line. I mean, really, at that moment, that's the highest concern she has? Ugh.
Zevox

Rarity is know for "Polishing The Brass On The Titanic". This is completely in-character for her. Some say it's a coping mechanism.

[TheAmishPirate]

Episode 10 thoughts:

They added depth to Spike.

I could say something about how the references were nice, and the humor was top-notch, or even that everypony got a good scene in this episode, but that would all pale in comparison to the fact that they added depth to Spike.

That was the number one reason I was hesitant about this episode. Spike, as we've seen him before, hasn't been quite that strong a character to stand on his own, much less get his own episode. We saw this in full effect in Owl's Well that Ends Well; he just doesn't have anything truly interesting to explore without breaking the tone of the show. He helps Twilight, has a crush on Rarity is good chums with that fashion pony whats-her-name, and likes gems. That's about it. Kind of suffers from the same problem of Applejack, only with less interesting conflicts. But now he has one; his own, natural greedy streak (which I'm kicking myself for not spotting earlier) vs. his desire to be, well, Spike. It took a previously flat, boring character and breathed new life into him. I don't think I could ask much more of an episode than that.

Additionally, some great meme fodder. I paused accidentally and got this gem:

http://bases.roflbot.wigflip.com//7/z/4SI5sx8CB7.jpg
hurr hurr hurr

[Anarion]

Eeyup. I didn't expect anything to really challenge Dragon Age 2 for my personal favorite game of the year after ME3 and Tales of Graces F were both delayed until next year, but Skyward Sword's giving it quite the run for its money. Best Zelda game in a long time, if not ever, and both of those are saying quite a lot.

Zevox


Hell I think Skyrim is showing signs of wear. I've never much liked the series, I tried and failed to get through Morrowind and Fallout 3... concluded I don't like FPRPGs of anything like that and moved on.

And yeah I guess Portal 2 was this year... but as AWESOME as it was I don't know that it adds that much to its basic concept. Puzzle game to abuse physics for profit the same but more with the same high class writing. Awesome characters yes, extremely funny yes... game of the year... eh I'm not convinced.

(Skward Sword made some daring changes of formula. Since when in Zelda are normal baddies still a threat halfway through? Why can't I kill anything with all this equipment I'm gathering!)

I won't be able to play this for another 12 days. I'm really curious to get some feedback on the controls though. I have not been pleased with how Wii games handle for the most part, as my controller preference tends to be Wiimote<controller<<<keyboard+mouse. So, how does the game actually play?


Related to new episode:
Wouldn't the fact that there's so little information about dragons (or their growth) be semi-proof that Twilight's entrance exam to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns was supposed to be a Unwinnable Test (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/UnwinnableTrainingSimulation)?

Unwinnable depends entirely on the goals. Perhaps the egg was intended to never hatch. However, that could make it the perfect item to absorb all the various magic that a young filly could throw out there, allowing them to demonstrate their skills to the judges. Twilight just giving up after an initial shot might still have been the wrong action.


Neither does Dash. Ba-dum-tish!

Dash wants to show off and perform. She's pretty strong, but I don't think she's ever expressed military aspirations. And, although I'm sure smarts would help with making a good performance, most of what Dash does is training and intuitive movement.

[Tiki Snakes]

Episode Ten thoughts;

So, Spike definately won't be growing wings. Interesting. There definately seem to be a good variety of entirely distinct types of dragon, all told.
The greed growing angle was a bit of a weird one, but as long as we don't assume that it's the only reason they grow, It's not bad at all.

My personal headcanon is that they will generally grow very slowly over a very long time and though they will get big, they won't get that humungous ever if they aren't greedy. I also figure that as long as he grows naturally, Spike probably won't become a growling idiot. Neither of the two winged dragons (or steven magnet) really seemed to be, only the Hydra.

I do agree that the Spike Rarity crush has every hallmark of the whole, crush-on-older-sister's-friend thing. It's one of those nice, but slightly bittersweet crushes that both sides know isn't really going to go anywhere and might not even really want to, but value all the same. After all, spike himself refers to it as a crush.
I figure Rarity will basically form the archetype of his desired partner, long after he's grown out of the crush itself per-say.

[edit]
Re: Twilights Test

OH, and I personally assume it was kind of a Kobayashi Maru situation. Deliberately impossible, with the test being how you deal with the situation, ie, perseverance or novel approach. Twilight became Celestia's personal apprentice when she managed to hatch the egg anyway, which shouldn't have been possible.
Dragons are pretty rare and Spike's type of dragon apparently even more-so, so I guess they'll have had to find a new impossible test afterwards. :smallbiggrin:

[TheAmishPirate]

Some non-spoiler images for the lot of you:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vnQ2q17_2kw/TuPnKh7nHuI/AAAAAAAAXbE/Ovjsce0YhUI/s1600/96095+-+Alicorn+artist+misskatto+artist+the_kat+celestia+ color_me+cuddles+cute+lineart+pet+Philomena+phoeni x+princess+sketch.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UPU4Ixin0dM/TuPnBQKOFrI/AAAAAAAAXY0/9spqa1DhkNY/s1600/a_moment_in_the_life_of____by_aeronjvl-d4ino2f.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hur2p3ahZLI/TuPm_37sWoI/AAAAAAAAXYc/T-RWjJKdSgM/s1600/96245+-+Amalthea+artist+shockowaffel+ponified+the_last_un icorn+Unicorn.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FpIUL8QkJoM/TuPm1YRH9WI/AAAAAAAAXWQ/m-08vWYhiuQ/s1600/96388+-+Artist+SilentButBeardly+crossover+fluttershy+skyr im+sword.png

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HNBwZ04P-Co/TuPnEaqpZtI/AAAAAAAAXZk/1qSo_spvkGo/s1600/derpy_claus_by_giuliabeck-d4ip3j4.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KBIezWAdyzE/TuPm0bR0GDI/AAAAAAAAXWA/0h08gu8SW5o/s1600/mlp___dreamscape_by_huussii-d4ios09.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amsWHNKVC3E/TuPmysAcDfI/AAAAAAAAXVw/i5PS7sMMAqo/s1600/mlp__the_gifts_from_the_moon_by_bakki-d4ioho5.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XYcchXzq7jo/TuPnEz6QvGI/AAAAAAAAXZs/WerrlggAX3U/s1600/pony_cake_collab_by_kiyoshiii-d4ip6jb.png.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1eyFRCmFmU/TuPnH-pY7xI/AAAAAAAAXak/Gaw1gmyYPyA/s1600/galloping_gala_2012__twilight_sparkle_by_spiritto-d4ipf8v.png.jpg

[Eakin]

Are we still doing pony personality test results?

http://www.bronyland.com/pony-personality-test/?q=NTQ5OHw3NzIzOA!!

I maxed out Twi AND Applejack with a healthy smattering of Dash and Fluttershy too. The only pony I got less than average for was Pinkie. No wonder I like all these characters!

[Rebelhero]

Was I the only one who noticed the Fantasia backround music during the cleaning, and a couple other scenes?

That made me smile happily to myself

[legomaster00156]

Quick! I need ponified versions of the names Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach! :smalleek:

[Mando Knight]

I won't be able to play this for another 12 days. I'm really curious to get some feedback on the controls though. I have not been pleased with how Wii games handle for the most part, as my controller preference tends to be Wiimote<controller<<<keyboard+mouse. So, how does the game actually play?

It's a Nintendo-produced Wii game. Like with the DS and they're proving again also with the 3DS, they know how to make their tech work. Also, it uses the MotionPlus, which gives the Wiimote a good boost to its accuracy.

Quick! I need ponified versions of the names Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach! :smalleek:
Beethooven. Nothing comes immediately to mind for JS Bach.

[Zevox]

(Skward Sword made some daring changes of formula. Since when in Zelda are normal baddies still a threat halfway through? Why can't I kill anything with all this equipment I'm gathering!)
Heh, just wait. After you beat the game once you unlock what I think is the first hard mode in any Zelda game, called Hero Mode. In that you take double damage from everything, plus get no random heart drops or heart flowers. On the plus side you keep all of your treasure and bugs, so you can upgrade stuff right away, and your skyward strike starts fully powered as if you had all of the upgrades to your sword already, but being stuck healing mostly from potions plus taking double damage increases the difficulty significantly.


I won't be able to play this for another 12 days. I'm really curious to get some feedback on the controls though. I have not been pleased with how Wii games handle for the most part, as my controller preference tends to be Wiimote<controller<<<keyboard+mouse. So, how does the game actually play?
Hm, not sure how much my opinion helps since I'm pretty close to the opposite in controller preferences, but it's pretty darn good I'd say. It's not quite what you'd imagine when they say that it gives you 1:1 control of the sword, but I think playing it makes it self-explanatory why they had to do it this way rather than the way you'd assume. Most enemies require you to strike pretty precisely from different angles, since they'll guard themselves from some angles and counter-attack if they block your strikes, so you'll be getting a lot of use out of the motion controls, and that's honestly a big part of what makes the game so fun. There are some moments where you'll want to change your angle of attack quickly but the motion controls won't be able to keep up with you and you'll get an attack from an angle you didn't intend, but they're pretty few and far between as long as you don't frantically try to slash as fast as you can all the time.

Probably the hardest part to get used to is the shield. Mostly because it's entirely counter-intuitive to how Zelda games have done shields in the past - rather than blocking with it*, you counter-attack with it, shield bashing when an enemy attacks by thrusting the nunchuk forward, which deflects their attack and leaves them vulnerable. How odd this feels, combined with a slight but noticeable delay between your motion and the actual shield bash, can make this hard to get used to.

*Technically you can block with your shield still, but it's usually not a good idea. Each shield has a limited health of its own, and once it takes too many hits, it shatters and needs to be replaced. And there are definitely times when you do not want to be without a shield.

Oh, and while it doesn't relate to the controls, something I feel obligated to say about the game anyway: except for the second and third dungeons, the bosses are all awesome. Some of the best in the series, easily.

Zevox

[mikeejimbo]

Was I the only one who noticed the Fantasia backround music during the cleaning, and a couple other scenes?

Yeah, I noticed that. I loved that short when I was little - I called it "Mickey gets too much water." I was adorable. What happened?

[legomaster00156]

Wow. I never before thought of how easy it is to make Moonlight Sonata work in a place like Equestria, where flesh-and-blood creatures raise the sun and moon every day. I decided it was reasonable that Beethooven would dedicate the song to Celestia (the raiser of the sun and moon), until Celestia herself rededicates it to Luna after the thousand-year exile.

[Anarion]

Heh, just wait. After you beat the game once you unlock what I think is the first hard mode in any Zelda game, called Hero Mode. In that you take double damage from everything, plus get no random heart drops or heart flowers. On the plus side you keep all of your treasure and bugs, so you can upgrade stuff right away, and your skyward strike starts fully powered as if you had all of the upgrades to your sword already, but being stuck healing mostly from potions plus taking double damage increases the difficulty significantly.


Hm, not sure how much my opinion helps since I'm pretty close to the opposite in controller preferences, but it's pretty darn good I'd say. It's not quite what you'd imagine when they say that it gives you 1:1 control of the sword, but I think playing it makes it self-explanatory why they had to do it this way rather than the way you'd assume. Most enemies require you to strike pretty precisely from different angles, since they'll guard themselves from some angles and counter-attack if they block your strikes, so you'll be getting a lot of use out of the motion controls, and that's honestly a big part of what makes the game so fun. There are some moments where you'll want to change your angle of attack quickly but the motion controls won't be able to keep up with you and you'll get an attack from an angle you didn't intend, but they're pretty few and far between as long as you don't frantically try to slash as fast as you can all the time.

Probably the hardest part to get used to is the shield. Mostly because it's entirely counter-intuitive to how Zelda games have done shields in the past - rather than blocking with it*, you counter-attack with it, shield bashing when an enemy attacks by thrusting the nunchuk forward, which deflects their attack and leaves them vulnerable. How odd this feels, combined with a slight but noticeable delay between your motion and the actual shield bash, can make this hard to get used to.

*Technically you can block with your shield still, but it's usually not a good idea. Each shield has a limited health of its own, and once it takes too many hits, it shatters and needs to be replaced. And there are definitely times when you do not want to be without a shield.

Oh, and while it doesn't relate to the controls, something I feel obligated to say about the game anyway: except for the second and third dungeons, the bosses are all awesome. Some of the best in the series, easily.

Zevox

Thanks, all good stuff to know.

In particular, that use of the shield sounds almost exactly like guard impacts from the Soul Caliber series of games, which I always found quite intuitive, so that actually makes me very hopeful.

Ironically, I'm hoping that being left-handed won't be a problem, since I know Link is now a righty in his Wii games.


Edit: At the people doing composer names. I suggest J.S. Buck.

[legomaster00156]

Beethooven. Nothing comes immediately to mind for JS Bach.

At the people doing composer names. I suggest J.S. Buck.
You will both be mentioned in my story's description. Thank you!

[Newman]

Spoiled because unrelated to the show:

TV Tropes seems a place where people just harp on and on about "Crowning Moments of Awesome" in their favourite shows, and do very little actual analysis of anything. Which is fine and all, it's just not up my alley.
I chose "katana" because I thought that would be the most ridiculous thing possible. A skinny white boy with a katana? It's a joke, right?

It's a running gag in Something Awful (one of the more benign ones, you don't want to know what the nasty ones are) that tropers own katanas, because they are fiction geeks. You'll find out there's more analysis the smarter the show is, and that they mostly do it in the fora, because the subjectiveness of it doesn't lend itself well to a wiki format. And of course gushing is much more tolerable than criticizing (you'll find that occurs in Wikipedia as well, where mindless fact-listing and shameless promoting is a much safer bet than anything more analytical). I'm pretty sure if this site started a wiki we'd beign running into the same dilemmas, they're sort of inherent in the system.

Anyway, it's there that I first found out about this show, so I'm kinda fond of them for that, but they're not my thing either.

About Skyrim... I haven't played it, but I sort of find it fun. Especially the idea of Fluttershy as a dragonborn, it's very cute. And there were no arrow-in-the-knee jokes because ponies don't use arrows in canon.

[Bayonet Priest]

These are actually kind of simple. Barring further variables (and there are always further variables, so deciding when you know enough is an art);

[spoilers] [fanfic] [squick] [talking out my flank]
Either don't kill the bandits (seriously, murder them before they murder me is already a flawed stance to take) and once they're down for the count, haul em all somewhere. I'm sure a nearby town would be willing to raise new prospective laborers and citizens in exchange for free prison labor from the bandits.

Or orphanage. There isn't one? Build it. You took responsibility for ending the lives of these parents but won't take responsibility for prolonging the lives of these kids? That says something.

Cannibalism? How far are we taking this?
Because let's be honest. Aside from particular belief systems, there's nothing immoral about cannibalism. Killing someone? Yes. But there is no sanctity to meat. Hunting for prey that is sentient is taboo, and wrong (generally). The possible permanent diseases that drive you crazy are bad. Eating your fallen isn't.

I cannot say that I wouldn't have done the same thing though. Literal blind rages are something else.

As for the clouds, well. Clouds are mobile, right? "hey, if we coordinate, could you move your entire city (which is moveable!) so you can stop starving out everypony else please? We think we can grow crops in the ground now, but we need sunlight." seriously, as Thanqol has pointed out, formulating your question as an either/or is the first part of the trap. Why choose whether or not to kill one man to save ten men, when you can save them all.

Myself? I don't Know. I seem to have two sets of morality. I find it entirely moral for both the earth ponies to overthrow the Pegasi for the right to eat, and for the Pegasi to defend and even counterattack the insurgent earth ponies. The Aesir were in the right to kill the jotun for destroying human establishments. The jotun were in the right for being jotun and trampling whatever came under their stormy feet.

This doesn. Jive with Areta's morals at all either. Weird.



More morality and Fallout: Equestria
I think Newman has overstated the compromising of morals in the story. It's more like it is very hard to avoid compromising them but the protagonist usually manages to anyway. Mostly. When morals are compromised it is often in hindsight that this is seen, when it is too late to change what happened. Kill them before they kill you is definitely part and parcel of the setting though. Not much you can do when you're getting shot at but shoot back and try to not die.

The cannibal thing was definitely a blind rage that seriously messed Pip up in the head afterwards. Now I get what you're saying about the cannibalism not necessarily being an evil thing. (it turned out to be but she really didn't know that at the time) What is interesting in the story is that that was clearly brought up afterwards. Pip's best friend and first companion Calamity had serious issues with what she did. The way he saw it they weren't sure the cannibals had done anything near deserving of what she gave them. It was an interesting reversal for him as he is usually a shoot first, frontier justice type of person. A strong personal sense of right and wrong that doesn't necessarily line up with everyone else's. In the end they did turn out to be the "hunting for prey that is sentient" type of cannibal. The old senile grandpa in the town who was only coherent half the time kept a log of every single pony they killed over the years in the hopes that justice might be done to them. There are certainly arguments to be made as to whether or not she was justified but honestly she's just lucky that when she had her breakdown and went on a rampage nobody who wasn't already a murderer was killed.

The orphans as I said were taken to pretty much the safest and nicest place in the wasteland. No orphanage that I know of but they were cared for. She did take responsibility for their lives and did everything she could for them. (the town actually shot at her when she approached because they heard incomplete reports about the massacre, she stuck around long enough to get them to take the children in before she left) The senile old man too.

The cloud thing is definitely a case of Pip taking a third option. The ground needs the sunlight but the main reason for clearing the clouds is to show the Pegasi who live up there what is really going on on the ground. The Pegasi Enclave is a pretty douchy, fascist, genocidal type government but if the pegasus population really new what was going on they would stop the war. (The Enclave percieved a threat to the security of their weather control system so they basically started wiping out anybody who could endanger it, this means lots of towns go up in flames) So she has to clear the cloud curtain. The downside is that the pegasi use those clouds to grow food (cloudseeding :smalltongue:). Her third option is to use the Deus ex Machina in a box device to restore the wasteland to the point where there is enough food for all. The gamble is that it needs the Elements of Harmony (the pony ones, not the rocks) and she only has 4-5 of them right now. The current plan is that food stockpiles will last about a year or so before the pegasi need to begin raiding the surface for sustenance.


If it was really down to a choice between end the war but starve the pegasi and let the war continue she wouldn't be able to choose the first one. One of the long running villains of the story was planning to do that and she already took him down to stop him (and to stop other things but that was a big part of it).

Ugh, so much walls of text. I am sorry about that, it's just this story is so absurdly long and complex and everything that happens has so many different variables going into it that whenever I try to explain something I have to explain other things for context and it just grows out of control. I'm not even entirely sure if this whole thing is coherent.

[MCerberus]

So I'm trying to figure out which Pinkie is most frightening.

Original Pinkie:
She's not a genius, she's a chicken

Friendship is Witchcraft Pinkie:
At first she was actually the sane one who uses non-stupid things and logic. However, I watched episode 4 last night.

She baked a portal through time and tricked AB into being her minion

Mentally Advanced Series Pinkie:
Kills a dragon with poisoned lobsters. It only gets weirder from there.


As per the episode I have a block of time scheduled to watch tomorrow.

[SiuiS]

New episode:
Not quite a fan of the ending though. Felt a little deus-ex-machina-y that Spike just reverted to normal because he remembered what it was like to be generous. Yeah, you could argue that if you can accept greed making him grow the reverse should be fine, but for some reason I just can't quite accept that, especially it happening so suddenly and completely. I was kind of figuring there would be a more concrete explanation for him reverting, like that Fire Ruby he gave Rarity containing the nutrients a Dragon needs to combat early growth spurts or something.
Zevox

[conjecture][spoiler]
actually, given what we know of Nightmare Moon, and sort of Celesia, extremely magical beings may be more physically influenced by their emotions than we would expect. Celestia is a very loving, motherly and mature pony and her form reflects this. Nightmare Moon looks consistent with a mare who is jealous of prestige. Dragon Spike is consistent with how one would expect a dragon overcome by greed to look and act.



And now I can't hear that line without it being innuendo. xD

Eeeexcelent.


Not so much. I've been on the website, read some of the pages, but I don't really like that style of "analysis." I mean, yeah, naming patterns is good and all, but unless you look at how those patterns or elements interact within the text, you've accomplished nothing. From what I've seen, TV Tropes seems a place where people just harp on and on about "Crowning Moments of Awesome" in their favourite shows, and do very little actual analysis of anything. Which is fine and all, it's just not up my alley.
I chose "katana" because I thought that would be the most ridiculous thing possible. A skinny white boy with a katana? It's a joke, right?
Then later I realized that if a skinny white boy has a sword, the most likely type of sword he would have would be a katana, for some strange reason.

This is the single politest expression of this I have ever seen. Thank you Gaelbert.



Woh woh woh! You can't just drop something like that in one spoiler! You need a couple extra. We can't have people dropping in and ruining the entire show for themselves, can we?
Or has that meme run it's course?

Ok. Laying down the law, here. It's not been brought up, but we have a gentlecolt's agreement from days gone by; no more than 8 spoilertags nested at Once, please. sure, I'm bein cantankerous, but this?

http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee468/WizardPony/5e5f3e4d.jpg

This destroys my browser functionality for hours. I have to wait approximately ten minutes between clicking a button, and having the ability to click another button without my phone crashing. And it onl happens at nine spoiler boxes or more.

Totally not ragging on you, Gaelbert. Just wanted to say it for the new ponythread generation before I was mumbling incoherently due to anneurism.

And to be fair,

Spike is on record as against frou-frou girly stuff like dress-up or going to the Gala. Rarity no making him an outfit jibes, especially since last time, in the little boy blue outfit, he looked positively heated.


[SPOILER]Was I the only one who noticed the Fantasia backround music during the cleaning, and a couple other scenes?

I totally noticed. I just wasn't sure it was fantasia. I double checked with Braz though. *books align, begin spinning* "is... Is that from Fantasia?"



Oh, come on. Is this for real? That's the most ridiculous example of post hat ergo propter hat that I've ever seen. Whoever made this should be ashamed of themselves. :smallannoyed:

I know!

[SPOILERS] [conjecture]It's obvious, Spike is a reverse Kirby, taking on the mannerisms of his hat.

Spikely whiplash doing nefarious plots, check.
Pimphat!Spike wondering where his money at, yo? Check.



I won't be able to play this for another 12 days. I'm really curious to get some feedback on the controls though. I have not been pleased with how Wii games handle for the most part, as my controller preference tends to be Wiimote<controller<<<keyboard+mouse. So, how does the game actually play?

The wii mote is really good at games that don't just have it tacked on. The first Red Steel was really fun, if kind of buggy. But I honestly haven't used my wii for anything other than virtual console in forever.



Dash wants to show off and perform. She's pretty strong, but I don't think she's ever expressed military aspirations. And, although I'm sure smarts would help with making a good performance, most of what Dash does is training and intuitive movement.

[SPOILERS]pardon, but...

Isn't ingraining training and intuitive movement the whole point of basic training as it it portrayed in poular media?



Heh, just wait. After you beat the game once you unlock what I think is the first hard mode in any Zelda game, called Hero Mode.

Zelda 1 had a new game mode that could be unlocked immediately by naming yourself ZELDA on the new game screen. In it the dungeons were shuffled, used entirely different maps, and had enemies in patterns that would swarm and destroy you.

I have never actually beaten this game mode. Kinda wanna bust out the virtual console, now...

[Mando Knight]

Ok. Laying down the law, here. It's not been brought up, but we have a gentlecolt's agreement from days gone by; no more than 8 spoilertags nested at Once, please. sure, I'm bein cantankerous, but this?

http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee468/WizardPony/5e5f3e4d.jpg

This destroys my browser functionality for hours. I have to wait approximately ten minutes between clicking a button, and having the ability to click another button without my phone crashing. And it onl happens at nine spoiler boxes or more.
Even eight is pushing it, methinks. There is a rule (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/announcement.php?a=1) against excessive formatting, and I'm pretty sure excessive nested spoilers falls under that.

[otakuryoga]

E10 reactions, in real time as I watched:




"I suppose you'll be eating ME or something!" Must... not... allow... mind... to go directly... to gutter...





well...i did mention back after Lesson Zero that he should show the tongue trick to Rarity......

oh, wait, my bad...you wanted to keep your mind OUT of the gutter






i think its safe to say our resident Lich has a new favorite episode after today

will post thoughts on episode after rerun

You are sooo not wrong.

BEST.

EPISODE.

EVER!!!!

Spike/Rarity is more canon than the armament of an entire starfleet! She KNOWS! She totally KNOWS! And her reaction to that half-confession...! DAMN! That is totally as close as we're going to get for actually shipping in this show, and WOW, seriously, that is SOOO much more than I ever could have expected! I mean, really, I'm totally blown away by that; totally!

That was brilliant. Not only funny on the top level, but with some real depth to it.

Really quite dark as well, again, much darker than I would have expected from pony. The thought occurred to me when I heard the episode synopsis that it might be that dragon's size is caused by their greed, and it was a take I'd never considered before. It appears I was right, too! But that is so sobering. This episode is amazing. It combines the very best hope Spike has for the future with the very darkest one. That as dragons become greedy, they become less and less people and more monster, their personalites being overwritten by base instincts - something I said, for those of you with long memories, was about the worst fate I could imagine. Spike becomes less Spike and something less, something, heck, arguably less sentient. It explains why the other dragons in the show are so much less communicative - that one in Dragonshy must have actually been quite strong willed, to resist it's intincts long enough to actaully make intelligent statements... (I forget, did the one in Owl's Well speak much or just skip to dracocidal violence?)

And ponies seem to view dragons as more akin to jumped-up pets...that's a bit grim itself!



And there's a brewing love-story for the ages, eh? Spike and Rarity, the former kept sane and with his sense of self, grounded and centred by the love for his mare... I admit, I'm not one for the whole "power of love" spiel, but on the other hand, if you're gonna do something (especially something cliched and campy), you may as well not do the half measures!



Also, me and Bobcat can give ourselves a really solid pat on the back for calling the Wonderbolts as what amounts to Equestria's air force - or at least paramilitary troubleshooters. (Maybe not very good ones, but then again, it is a largely peaceful country...!)

Oh, and the King Kong references! And the hilarious fact that Ponyville now has emergancy sirens, presumably because of all the crazy crap that goes down. And Lickety Split, who has apparently changed genders between generations (I remember a female Lickety Split from G1 - nice call back!) And Bon-Bon and Lyra together again...! (I must have blinked and missed Ditzy, dammit!) Hulk parody, pony bondage (while not a fan, I chuckled, because I could almost hear Phoe squeeing).

This episode was just amazing!

It was just totally, utterly AWESOME!



Here's to a new wave of Spike/Rarity shipping!

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
...Huzzah?

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
Statement of Exuberant Acquiescence.

Hiphip!

HUZZAH!
*facepalm*

...

You realise, guys, he's going to be totally unlivable with now, and I do mean that in both senses of "unlive"...

Just be thankful you were spared the sight of the "Bleakbane Freaking Awesome Dance." I shudder, and I am - er was, er am sorta - a freaking Lich.








o no...our resident space Lich is a big Fan of Spike/Rarity

in fact i wrote a short Fic JUST for him..guess you were not around at the time...heres a link
http://fluttershyworshipper.deviantart.com/art/The-Lady-of-Carousel-Boutique-266125827


I'll...just make sure you don't remind him of that... Juuuust to be safe.
but...i gave him a happy ending Also an implied happy ending 8p

[Eakin]

About Skyrim... I haven't played it, but I sort of find it fun. Especially the idea of Fluttershy as a dragonborn, it's very cute. And there were no arrow-in-the-knee jokes because ponies don't use arrows in canon.

You underestimate the internet

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x272/csfield/arrow.jpg


So I'm trying to figure out which Pinkie is most frightening.

Original Pinkie:
She's not a genius, she's a chicken

Friendship is Witchcraft Pinkie:
At first she was actually the sane one who uses non-stupid things and logic. However, I watched episode 4 last night.

She baked a portal through time and tricked AB into being her minion

Mentally Advanced Series Pinkie:
Kills a dragon with poisoned lobsters. It only gets weirder from there.


As per the episode I have a block of time scheduled to watch tomorrow.

Don't forget Camaraderie is Supernatural (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nv8gZ8jGAA) Pinkie, who's a big fan of My Little Pony, has seen all the episodes in season 1 and posts about them online. You thought canon Pinkie had no disregard for the 4th wall?

And now she's apparently going to be instrumental in helping Doctor Whooves keep the season 1 timeline straight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIscVvhcPzo&feature=related)

[Kindablue]

I know!

[SPOILERS] [conjecture]It's obvious, Spike is a reverse Kirby, taking on the mannerisms of his hat.

Spikely whiplash doing nefarious plots, check.
Pimphat!Spike wondering where his money at, yo? Check.

I'm so much more proud of that pun than I should be. Also, "Spikely whiplash doing nefarious plots." Yeah.

[Jahkaivah]

Oh cool, someone modded Portal 2 so you can have Fluttershy as a co-op partner. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hihCVMYABBg)

[MCerberus]

Hmmm of the 4 I'd rate from least to most frightening to the continuing stability of the universe:

Friendship is Camaraderie Pinkie
Mentally Advanced Pinkie
Friendship is Witchcraft Gypsy Baker Pinkie
Pinkie Prime


For all the horror, the Mentally Advanced Pinkie doesn't potentially destroy the world constantly. Pinkie Prime knows all and sees all.

[AlterForm]

Oh cool, someone modded Portal 2 so you can have Fluttershy as a co-op partner. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hihCVMYABBg)

http://img.ponibooru.org/_images/f56cacc96ade6e4db349c18cb58e0bf6/46304%20-%20Futurama%20Philip_j_fry%20crossover%20humanized %20i_see_what_you_did_there%20meme%20pinkie_pie%20 reference.jpg

[Forum Explorer]

Wonderful new episode and then back to studying and sleeping.

But quick post on what I think
This was a great episode and raises a lot of interesting questions about dragons. Mostly do they only grow due to greed and does it always make them more monstrous?

Judging by Dragonshy perhaps. That big red was pretty talkative without being incredibly greedy. However messing with his hoard certainly got him angry and his hoard was massive. In Owl's Well that green dragon was also pretty angry at Spike and also had a big hoard. Still he was capable of speech and at least asked why the **** Spike was eating his hoard and sleeping in his house.

My hypothesis? Dragons grow in proportion to their hoard. They prefer gems and gold because they are both edible and incredibly long lasting. The greed sort of acts as a puberty thing. The initial surge of greed sends them on a rampage but with time it dies down. But its always still there just not overpowering to the point of steal everything. I'm guessing it goes away when your first hoard starts to rot.

The dragon grabs things that are valuable to itself and to others that are close to it. That's why Spike went after books, leaves and chicken coops when he really doesn't value them. It also explains why he grabbed Rarity who he values the most.

Finally a dragon's strength is directly proportional to their hoard. This explains why they are incredibly protective of it even beyond their massive greed. By attacking their hoard you reduce their size and make them easier to defeat.

Anyways on the episode quality:

Very very well done. I have to admit that only Lesson Zero and Mare do Well have bothered me this season. So this season has been pretty good so far. Spike has just destroyed a lot of fanon but has likely spawned about 200% more then he just destroyed. Also it looks like Rarity hasn't just been abusing Spike's feelings. Good for you Rarity, have a gemstone. Oh wait. :smallamused:

Anyways this does make me wonder how dragons are raised normally. Got some inital thoughts and will expand on them later.


Really exams suck so I'll likely won't be back for a bit less then a week. Just wanted to get my thoughts in on this episode.

[Callos_DeTerran]

My own thoughts!

On Dragon Sizes: I don't think we saw another KIND of dragon Spike could grow up to be this time, but rather what he will actually look like as an adult. In Cutie Mark Chronicle, he essentially just gets enlarged by Twilight's rampant magic, like how her parents got turned into potted plants. That said, I got the implication from Zecora that dragons grow up naturally on their own, but their greed can speed that up at the cost of their minds.

The dragon from Dragonshy? One that grew up the right way. Sure, it had a hoard and was grumpy upon awakening, but it wasn't incapable of being reasoned with (as Fluttershy proved) just cranky and protective of it's hoard (which Rarity really should have known better then to try and swindle it away).

Spike? Was growing up normal, then he got the pimp-hat which tainted his young mind and...well...we saw the results.

On the Wonderbolts, I'm actually impressed with their showing. I mean..they cut dragon spines with their wings. I don't care if they got trapped in a water-tower jug or not, that is bad-ass. Plus they were fighting a dragon! They're lucky Spike didn't test out his flame breath honestly...

On RarityxSpike:
Okay, I'm in the camp who thinks it's never going to move beyond the 'friend' stage because of the age group the show is aimed at and the awkwardness of a dragon/pony relationship. My Little Pony, for as seriously as it treats it's audience, isn't at the point of explaining an inter-species romance or even the concept of a romantic relationship that doesn't cover anything physical beyond kisses. Nothing against MLP, OBVIOUSLY, but it's not the type of subject it can handle. Besides, some of the best romance stories are tragedies and/or unrequited!

That said, I don't get the 'RarityxSpike will NEVER get beyond this because of Spike's age'. Twilight was just a filly herself when she hatched Spike, so she can't be THAT much older then him. I'd give her five years, older then Spike. Ten, max, but I think that's rather unlikely considering in Lesson Zero Twilight is worried Celestia will send her back to magic kindergarten (which may or may not exist...), which could only likely happen if Celestia took Twilight on her student at that time (Or rather, I don't think Celestia could/would send Twilight back to a grade Twilight had before she had Celestia as a teacher, out of respect to any previous teachers Twilight may/may not have had). So, assuming five years, that doesn't put Spike that far behind Rarity in age because all of the Mane Six are generally in the same age group, and hell when it comes to emotional maturity I'd argue Spike is ahead of half the Mane Cast.

Anyway, my point is mostly that Spike isn't that much younger then the Mane Cast by my impression, it's just that a dragon's childhood lasts longer then a pony's childhood (unless Greed-accelerated obviously). Is it likely that Spike would be able to date Rarity, if there weren't other issues at play obviously? Well...relationships between people with a five year age-gap aren't common but they aren't unheard of either. On a different show where they were people, I'd give Spike somewhat decent odds actually but the relationship would have unique issues that wouldn't show up in more traditional ones (again, the age-gape). Again, likely? No. But possible! Spike would basically be living out the dream of dating his older 'sister's' hot friend, which is an admirable goal to aspire towards for most teenage-boys which is where I put Spike because he's obviously gotten to the point where he has crushes in the first place.

I still don't think it's likely and I'm amazed (and touched! The scenes at the end of the episode were heart-warming, even for me!) we got this much of canon-shipping on MLP, but the 'Spike is way younger then Rarity, it'd be creepy/weird if they dated' reason rings a bit hollow to me. If they could overcome the other issues that would come up in their relationship, then the age gape between them would be nothing for them to handle.

And, for the record, I would totally endorse MLP exploring a romantic relationship that offers only emotional boons to the two partners, if it was treated respectfully and done right, which I doubt it could be. But if MLP COULD do it (and who knows? Maybe they could! They got me watching a show about adorable cartoon ponies after all!), then I think Lauren Faust would have accomplished her goal of creating intelligent entertainment for young girls (even if she already has!) many times over if such a complex relationship was done right. In other words, I'll carry a torch with the space-lich for RarityxSpike to the ends of the earth, if only because I'm a sucker for tragic love/crushes that have happy endings...besides, they could adopt! :smallsmile:

[Mando Knight]

Oh cool, someone modded Portal 2 so you can have Fluttershy as a co-op partner. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hihCVMYABBg)

Uh, Jahkaivah, you do know that Fluttershy isn't a tree, right?

-I'd like to be a tree... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyhs-Lu7y50)

Not. Helping.

[Gaelbert]

This is the single politest expression of this I have ever seen. Thank you Gaelbert.

I thought I was the only pony to feel that way. Glad to see I'm not.


[color="darkgreen"]
Ok. Laying down the law, here. It's not been brought up, but we have a gentlecolt's agreement from days gone by; no more than 8 spoilertags nested at Once, please. sure, I'm bein cantankerous, but this?

http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee468/WizardPony/5e5f3e4d.jpg

This destroys my browser functionality for hours. I have to wait approximately ten minutes between clicking a button, and having the ability to click another button without my phone crashing. And it onl happens at nine spoiler boxes or more.

Totally not ragging on you, Gaelbert. Just wanted to say it for the new ponythread generation before I was mumbling incoherently due to anneurism.

Oh man. That pic brings back memories of a fresh young ponythread, bursting with vitality as we crossed over the brave new horizons! I remember those days, so young, so naive. We thought we could take on the world, and very nearly did!

Yeah, I have no clue what I was thinking. I'd use inebriation as an excuse, but that's not true. The most likely guess is that I wasn't thinking. Those were the days...

I do have to ask though. Your phone had to wait ten minutes or so before clicking another button, right? What did you think was going to be in the spoiler after clicking the third or fourth of those? Or did you not realize it would break your phone?
(I'm sorry :smallfrown:)

[Dexam]

Thoughts on Secrets of My Excess:

I really liked this one.

In my opinion M. A. Larson has to be up there as one of the better writers, with Swarm of the Century, Sonic Rainboom, The Cutie Mark Chronicals, The Return of the Elements of Harmony, and now this episode to their credit.

So much good stuff in this episode.

The Fantasia "Sorcerers Apprentice" background music in the opening.

Spike is helping decorate for own birthday? Twilight, you've still got a lot to learn about parties... go spend a week or two hanging around with Pinkie.

Aging gemstones like wine or cheese? Rock farming is now more canon that ever.

Rarity, you look so fabulous. Why must you use your powers of fabulousity in ways that make me cringe occassionally? Still, I can understand that she wouldn't want to see the fire ruby eaten.

"Never washing this cheek again." Eeyup, I saw that gag coming. Twilight's expressions while getting Spike cleaned up is priceless. And she's really getting good at that teleport spell now.

Pinkie hijacks the teleport? She now ignores both the physics and the magic of Equestria? Be afraid, ponies - be very afraid. :smallbiggrin:

Pony foal doctor is amusing. "Your little foal appears to be a dragon." "He's always been a dragon!" "Well, there's your problem." :smallbiggrin: Vet pony is cute, too.

"Twilight? Get mah rope." XD

Teaching squirrels dance steps? Fluttershy, why you so adorable?!

Quick! Somepony arrest that pink pony for assault with a tasty cake! Also, Spike takes the cake.

Pinkie's expression when Sugarcube Corner gets destroyed... poor Pinkie Pie!

The Hulk, and numerous King Kong references... with Wonderbolts as the bi-planes. Nice!

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash as giant Spike's "Naughty and Nice" shoulder angel/devil?

Crimes against fashion... Rarity, you are so delightfully hammy!

Fluttershy's expression when rescuing falling Spike and Rarity - stop scene stealing! :smallwink:

Nicely wrapped up - definitely a favourite episode.




Episode 10
So... this screenshot

http://i.imgur.com/NmeSv.jpg

Seems like those five gifts they gave Spike contained everything, including the kitchen sink... and Scootaloo's scooter? :smallconfused:

The kitchen sink is from Suited for Success... and what has to be Pinkie's gift - the rubber chicken from Dragonshy. :smallbiggrin:

We also have two of RD's rainbow footballs from Fall Weather Friends, and what might be Applejack's Best Pony of Ponyville trophy from Applebuck Season.

[grimbold]

episode 10 thoughts
i thought it was good that we got a bit of a spotlight on spike as he has had almost no role lately in the show. also... how do dragons mature so fast? that seems kind of ridiculous

[Thanqol]

Okay everypony. I want you to close your eyes. And imagine.

Imagine twenty six Australian bronies. Imagine them outside the famous Sydney Opera House. Imagine two neighbouring meetups, one of which is decked out in WW2 kit and gear. Imagine another of maybe 40 people cosplaying a vast variety of video game characters. And imagine us 26 bronies, Rainbow Dash flag raised high, marching through this scene, shouting - shouting, not singing - "Winter Wrap Up" at the very top of our lungs, sounding like a bunch of angry drunks.

It was magical.

Also, Blastech is a gentleman, scholar and crack shot, turns out that all card games are better with pony cards, and Luna in Socks is universally determined to be the maximum diabetes inducer. Was good fun, entirely worth making the trip, even if I wasn't anywhere near the biggest ham in the room.

Tired and philosophical now, so I'm going to get some writing in. I enjoyed the new episode, by the way, but most of my thoughts have been covered already :smallsmile:

[Gaelbert]

(Not a spoiler, just an image)
http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z270/coolcalbert/RarityWhut.png
Wut.