My Little Pony VII: The Grand Galloping Thread

[Trixie]

Um...

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Why do everyone so likes Rainbow Dash's part in the big song?

Everyone seems to like it best, which is strange to me - while I wouldn't mind to hear RD in her long song, like Art of the Skies, it looked to me like here... she stumbled. Twice. AJ's part was almost just as good, while both were easily topped by Twilight's part.

So... What I'm missing?

Strangely, while Art of the Dress is still #1, Rarity felt... flat here.

Overall, it wasn't great song - while it had parts topping every other song in quality, it also had worse - AotD was good while being more level, even WWU, to be honest... was about the same quality, just shorter. I feel it might improve to me and advance to #2, but a pity it wasn't clear #1.

Eh, why Rainbow Dash is the only pony that didn't get a song, others got multiple ones

[Gadora]

Um...

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Why do everyone so likes Rainbow Dash's part in the big song?

Everyone seems to like it best, which is strange to me - while I wouldn't mind to hear RD in her long song, like Art of the Skies, it looked to me like here... she stumbled. Twice. AJ's part was almost just as good, while both were easily topped by Twilight's part.

So... What I'm missing?

Strangely, while Art of the Dress is still #1, Rarity felt... flat here.

Overall, it wasn't great song - while it had parts topping every other song in quality, it also had worse - AotD was good while being more level, even WWU, to be honest... was about the same quality, just shorter. I feel it might improve to me and advance to #2, but a pity it wasn't clear #1.

Eh, why Rainbow Dash is the only pony that didn't get a song, others got multiple ones

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I think part of the reason people have been making a big deal about it is that, outside of one line in Art of the Dress, I don't think we'd heard her singing voice before. It probably doesn't hurt that Rainbow is one of the more popular ponies.

[Mystic Muse]

More pyscho Pinkie. Nothing like it to start a day.

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This picture disturbs me much more than it has any right to.

[Thanqol]

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I think part of the reason people have been making a big deal about it is that, outside of one line in Art of the Dress, I don't think we'd heard her singing voice before. It probably doesn't hurt that Rainbow is one of the more popular ponies.

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How could you forget the Junior Speedsters song? How couuuuuuld youuuuuuuu?

[Castel]

So, is anyone looking into the achievement list for the summer?

[darthbobcat]

Eh, did I said I didn't liked him? :P

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Spitfire is just, like, 63.7% cooler. Roughly speaking.

Yes, it must be hard, but he goes an extra step to make everyone around pause :( Which is why I appreciate efforts of ponies who do try to eat cleanly.

Before you say that, yes, unicorns do cheat

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Mostly the statement (paraphrase) he made being a pegasus 20% less cool.

[Gadora]

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How could you forget the Junior Speedsters song? How couuuuuuld youuuuuuuu?

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Quite easily, as it turns out.

[darthbobcat]

So, is anyone looking into the achievement list for the summer?

Nope. I don't even care about achievements in my video games, where it's tracked for me.

Also, Trixie

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The fact that her part of the song was rock and roll makes it stand out more.

Addendum: Kyuubi, your avatar is made of cute.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

This picture disturbs me much more than it has any right to.

Nope, I'm pretty sure that picture has very right to be as disturbing as it wants. *shudder*

[Thanqol]

Also.

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Fortunately there is a adorable new OP pic to counter all those terrible, terrible ideas.

/r/ an Avatar sized version of that Rainbow Dash panel, pretty please.

[Mystic Muse]

Addendum: Kyuubi, your avatar is made of cute.

Thank you. Credit goes to Savannah.

Also, my avatar thanks you. By throwing a pie in your face. Yes, that's her way of saying thank you at this point in her life. She does it for other things too. It doesn't help that she has access to an infinite number of pies and little to no self control at this stage in her life.

she then proceeds to pie herself. Why? Because she can. Plus she finds it fun. Then she hugs you if you aren't mad at her.

[SiuiS]

Eh, did I said I didn't liked him? :P

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Spitfire is just, like, 63.7% cooler. Roughly speaking.

Yes, it must be hard, but he goes an extra step to make everyone around pause :( Which is why I appreciate efforts of ponies who do try to eat cleanly.

Before you say that, yes, unicorns do cheat

that animation of Sorrin is revolting in new and profound ways. Thanks, Irbis.
And let's all be fair here. Spitfire is a redhead who's not a jerk. That tends to take the cake, as it were.

More pyscho Pinkie. Nothing like it to start a day.

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This picture is more attractive than it has any right to be. Dammit.

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I think part of the reason people have been making a big deal about it is that, outside of one line in Art of the Dress, I don't think we'd heard her singing voice before. It probably doesn't hurt that Rainbow is one of the more popular ponies.

She also has a really nice set of lines in Winter Wrap Up.
Her voice is surprisingly good for a non-'girly' highly athletic pegasus. It hints at depths we haven't seen. Rainbow Dash would be an awesome friend to have, just sort of hangin' out. The rest don't give that vibe.

The rock music helped too.

So, is anyone looking into the achievement list for the summer?

Yep. It will give me some pony incentive. No one else even really noticed last thread though, so I suppose that puts me in a minority.

[Gadora]

She also has a really nice set of lines in Winter Wrap Up.
Her voice is surprisingly good for a non-'girly' highly athletic pegasus. It hints at depths we haven't seen. Rainbow Dash would be an awesome friend to have, just sort of hangin' out. The rest don't give that vibe.

The rock music helped too.

*Throws up hands in frustration*

Clearly I know nothing of ponies and need to rewatch the entire series or I shall never live down my shame.

[Kairaven]

It helps that Dash/AJ's voice actress sings in her own band

I also just realized that Fluttershy's desire to be a tree stems from her desire to care for and be with animals/critters. As a tree she can provide shelter for them (nests) and if she is a fruit tree she can also provide sustenence.

[AlterForm]

Also.



/r/ an Avatar sized version of that Rainbow Dash panel, pretty please.

How's that look?

[Thanqol]

How's that look?

You tell me

(The answer is 'amazing'. Thank you.

Do we have a source for the image so I can sigcredit?)

[Grif]

You tell me

(The answer is 'amazing'. Thank you.

Do we have a source for the image so I can sigcredit?)

Original on DA.

Yes, I also fav-ed it there. Squeeee.

EDIT: And annoucing, the ponification of your video game characters. You will never look at them the same way again.

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[PhantomFox]

Crossposting madness, oh crossposting madness...

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[Aiani]

I finally got to see the finale. Thoughts.

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I loved it. I enjoyed the song although not quite as much as WWU. I thought all the ponies had adorable moments. I somehow found Twilight's adoration of her mentor really endearing. It reminds me of being a little girl when there was a woman (maybe in her early 20's) in my church who I just adored. I followed her around and thought she was the best thing ever. Kids do stuff like that. Rarity and Fluttershy probably made me laugh the most. All in all I thought this was a very fitting ending for the season.

Man do the pony threads move fast. I almost feel intimidated about posting because it's hard for me to keep up.

[SiuiS]

Oh mane. I know I'm like, Two threads late, but I've got a trashy adult pony magazine name.

HRustler.

[Thanqol]

I finally got to see the finale. Thoughts.

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I loved it. I enjoyed the song although not quite as much as WWU. I thought all the ponies had adorable moments. I somehow found Twilight's adoration of her mentor really endearing. It reminds me of being a little girl when there was a woman (maybe in her early 20's) in my church who I just adored. I followed her around and thought she was the best thing ever. Kids do stuff like that. Rarity and Fluttershy probably made me laugh the most. All in all I thought this was a very fitting ending for the season.

Man do the pony threads move fast. I almost feel intimidated about posting because it's hard for me to keep up.

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As a friend of mine put it, "Twilight is Scootaloo for Celestia."

HRustler.

HurRustler

[Magnor Criol]

Okay, so I finally got to watch the Grand Galloping Gala episode. A few thoughts:

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• Psycho Mode Fluttershy is one of the most hilarious things to come out of the show yet. "Why won't you LOVE ME!?!?"
• Does anyone else feel like this episode wanted to be a two-parter? They built up to it throughout the whole season, and there's a lot of buildup in the episode itself, then...all of a sudden, BAM everything comes crashing down and resolution in the space of, like, two minutes. It feels rushed at the end, and frankly the resolution feels...incomplete.
  Also, I was really hoping to see some more of the city, and of Twilight interacting with her old acquaintances and maybe even her old house. Seems like they missed an opportunity there.
• Of all the ponies, Twilight's hope was the least realistic of all. "And now the princess is going to be able to make time just for me...on this special night where it seems half of Equestria is converging in the city." Yeah, that's a good plan, Twi.
• Like some other people, I liked RD's part in the opening song best. The rock music helped, but I think it was the slight variation in the notes and music she got that made it cool.

And a few other random things to throw out (I don't know anyone in real life to discuss MLP with, so y'all get the random bits I notice):

• In the very first episode, right at about 4:50, when Twilight's pacing around dictating the situation to Spike, did anyone else notice the Nightmare Moon in the background?
  
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  Show

  She appears in the reflection of the hourglass - there's a pony statue in the background, and as Twi walks in front of it so the hourglass is between it and her, there's a ghostly image of Nightmare Moon over the statue. Quite clear - eyes, helmet, horn, everything - if you know to look for it. And a little creepy.
• #22, right at 1:05. Fluttershy is freaking out because she's late, and she pokes her head in her closet to decide if she needs to wear anything. The weird part is...all the clothes in her closet that she pushes aside? If you look closely, they're all the girls' Gala dresses that Rarity made. Why is Fluttershy hoarding all their dresses?
• Okay, this is nitpicky of sorts and I know it was just done for ease of writing, for anyone who hadn't seen the other episode yet, etc. But in the Boast Busters episode, when the Snips and Snails are bragging to Spike about "The great and powerful Trixie vanquished an Ursa Major! Can your Twilight claim that?" Why did Spike not respond with, oh I don't know, "She defeated the Mare in the Moon, rescued Princess Celestia, and saved all Equestria from eternal night?" Seems like a pretty good argument.

[Thanqol]

Okay, so I finally got to watch the Grand Galloping Gala episode. A few thoughts:

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• Does anyone else feel like this episode wanted to be a two-parter? They built up to it throughout the whole season, and there's a lot of buildup in the episode itself, then...all of a sudden, BAM everything comes crashing down and resolution in the space of, like, two minutes. It feels rushed at the end, and frankly the resolution feels...incomplete.
  Also, I was really hoping to see some more of the city, and of Twilight interacting with her old acquaintances and maybe even her old house. Seems like they missed an opportunity there.

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I'm seeing this kind of comment a fair bit and I don't agree with it at all. The last episode was excellent. It's storytelling was completely sound. It had a beat, every scene transition was handled perfectly, and the pacing was excellent. The entire episode rose flawlessly to a cresendo with everypony's scenes tying together. I thought it was a masterpiece of pacing.

I think that when people talk about their concerns with this episode their opinions are heavily coloured by the fact it was the last episode and their expectations were insanely high. But really, this almost delivered on every one of those expectations. We got awesome dresses, multiple songs(!) including an orchestral song where everypony sang, we got Ragershy, we got awesome dresses and great animation and we got to see the results of a season's worth of character development. And awesome dresses.

Not saying your opinion is wrong, of course, but I believe that if you disconnect this episode from it's position as 'last episode in the series' it becomes one of the strongest and best episodes in the entire series.

[Volenti]

And a few other random things to throw out (I don't know anyone in real life to discuss MLP with, so y'all get the random bits I notice):

• In the very first episode, right at about 4:50, when Twilight's pacing around dictating the situation to Spike, did anyone else notice the Nightmare Moon in the background?
  
  Spoiler

  Show

  She appears in the reflection of the hourglass - there's a pony statue in the background, and as Twi walks in front of it so the hourglass is between it and her, there's a ghostly image of Nightmare Moon over the statue. Quite clear - eyes, helmet, horn, everything - if you know to look for it. And a little creepy.
• #22, right at 1:05. Fluttershy is freaking out because she's late, and she pokes her head in her closet to decide if she needs to wear anything. The weird part is...all the clothes in her closet that she pushes aside? If you look closely, they're all the girls' Gala dresses that Rarity made. Why is Fluttershy hoarding all their dresses?
• Okay, this is nitpicky of sorts and I know it was just done for ease of writing, for anyone who hadn't seen the other episode yet, etc. But in the Boast Busters episode, when the Snips and Snails are bragging to Spike about "The great and powerful Trixie vanquished an Ursa Major! Can your Twilight claim that?" Why did Spike not respond with, oh I don't know, "She defeated the Mare in the Moon, rescued Princess Celestia, and saved all Equestria from eternal night?" Seems like a pretty good argument.

1. I unfortunately had that bit spoiled for me before I watched the first episode, but it's a nice bit of foreshadowing (just like "All the ponies in this town are CRAZY!" heh)

2. the gala dresses (as art/flash assets) are used and re-used a lot, even in one episode before the episode that they are even made...

3. This is mostly "fanon" but the theory that Celestia wanted the exact circumstances behind Luna's return/redemption to be kept a secret is pretty common (not wanting the very powerfull elements of harmony to become public knowledge), hence why Spike couldn't use it to defend Twilights honor. Or it's simply a matter of Spike not thinking very quickly on his feet (only a baby dragon after all)

[the_druid_droid]

In other news, because I hang out with a lot of philosophy majors:

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When I heard one of the Thunderbolts was called Soaren, I thought of this man. I'm still trying to figure out if it was a philosophy reference in MLP, but if so it may just rival my love of the Mach cone.

More pyscho Pinkie. Nothing like it to start a day.

I love this.

[Magnor Criol]

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I'm seeing this kind of comment a fair bit and I don't agree with it at all. The last episode was excellent. It's storytelling was completely sound. It had a beat, every scene transition was handled perfectly, and the pacing was excellent. The entire episode rose flawlessly to a cresendo with everypony's scenes tying together. I thought it was a masterpiece of pacing.

I think that when people talk about their concerns with this episode their opinions are heavily coloured by the fact it was the last episode and their expectations were insanely high. But really, this almost delivered on every one of those expectations. We got awesome dresses, multiple songs(!) including an orchestral song where everypony sang, we got Ragershy, we got awesome dresses and great animation and we got to see the results of a season's worth of character development. And awesome dresses.

Not saying your opinion is wrong, of course, but I believe that if you disconnect this episode from it's position as 'last episode in the series' it becomes one of the strongest and best episodes in the entire series.

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I definitely recognize that expectations are high for it, based on the context. But I disagree that taken out of the "last of the season" situation, it'd be the best episode.

The girls' stories built well, and tied together well - I really appreciated all that; in fact I think that's why the end stands out more as feeling rushed.

The climax and denouement all happen in the span of just a couple minutes, after all the rest of the episode has their wishes being drawn out. From Pinkie's crowd-surf into Apple's cake to the end of the episode where they're somewhat awkwardly sitting around in a donut shop only takes...well, it feels like it only takes one or two minutes at most, but I don't have any recording to corroborate that. That could definitely be a warped perspective thing.

The other thing is, as I mentioned, I really wanted to see more of Canterlot and Twi's interaction with it. The fact that that wasn't explored is also probably a source of disappointment for me.

Canterlot is one of the ways Twilight is different from the other ponies, so I was hoping that was going to be brought out here - honestly, if someone hadn't seen the opening episode (and manages to miss Spike's little rant about it) you'd think Twilight had never been to Canterlot before.

I will say, though, that my expectations really weren't too high coming in to it. While I'm enjoying the series, and they're actually doing a magnificent job creating a more-or-less solid world considering it's still actually primarily a half-hour kid's show...it's still actually primarily a half-hour kid's show, and I can't expect much from it plot-wise. They can't get too complicated and risk confusing the kids, or the viewers who just came in and haven't seen the rest of the episodes. So I didn't expect a whole lot from it because I know they have to cap it for that.

Again, I think the surprising quality of the rest of the threads is precisely what made the ending feel disappointing.

2. the gala dresses (as art/flash assets) are used and re-used a lot, even in one episode before the episode that they are even made...

I'll have to look that up. It's not too surprising, really, except for the fact that the dresses are so identifiable that it's a little odd. If it had been...i dunno, almost anything less unique I wouldn't have noticed.

3. [snip]..."fanon" explanation...[/snip]

Seems reasonable, though I don't know if I'd trust Spike's temper to keep him cool enough to not spill the beans in that situation. He's got a pride streak. This also reminds me that we never saw Luna in the Gala episode either, did we? That's pretty surprising, too.

[Thanqol]

DEMOGRAPHICS:

Applejack Fanart Folder: 72 items
- Applebloom, Big Mac, screencaps and duplications: ~46 items
Number of those which are shipping pics: 18
Number of those which are Appledash: 16

=
40% of Applejack fanart is shipping.
88.8% of Applejack shipping is Appledash shipping.

Goddamn it, Pony fandom.

I'm afraid to do this for Rainbow Dash.

(Note: I only scanned my Applejack folder for these pics; there are a few other Appleships in my other folders so this is not necessarily representitive of shipping as a whole)

[Kairaven]

Does Spike even know? He fell asleep right after Nightmare Moon showed up and by the time he woke up, the town was celebrating the return of Luna. For all he knows, Twilight and friends went into the woods and Celestia rescued them from nightmare moon and found her missing sister Luna.

For all we know that could be the story that most ponies were told. Talk about Equestrian conspiracy theories.

"Did you hear? Our Godess/Princess/Empress rescued her protege and friends that were lost in Everfree forest, and defeated that wierd pony calling herself Nighmare Moon, and found her long lost sister. Isn't she amazing?"

[Grif]

Okay, so I finally got to watch the Grand Galloping Gala episode. A few thoughts:

Spoiler

Show

• Psycho Mode Fluttershy is one of the most hilarious things to come out of the show yet. "Why won't you LOVE ME!?!?"
• Does anyone else feel like this episode wanted to be a two-parter? They built up to it throughout the whole season, and there's a lot of buildup in the episode itself, then...all of a sudden, BAM everything comes crashing down and resolution in the space of, like, two minutes. It feels rushed at the end, and frankly the resolution feels...incomplete.
  Also, I was really hoping to see some more of the city, and of Twilight interacting with her old acquaintances and maybe even her old house. Seems like they missed an opportunity there.
• Of all the ponies, Twilight's hope was the least realistic of all. "And now the princess is going to be able to make time just for me...on this special night where it seems half of Equestria is converging in the city." Yeah, that's a good plan, Twi.
• Like some other people, I liked RD's part in the opening song best. The rock music helped, but I think it was the slight variation in the notes and music she got that made it cool.

And a few other random things to throw out (I don't know anyone in real life to discuss MLP with, so y'all get the random bits I notice):

• In the very first episode, right at about 4:50, when Twilight's pacing around dictating the situation to Spike, did anyone else notice the Nightmare Moon in the background?
  
  Spoiler

  Show

  She appears in the reflection of the hourglass - there's a pony statue in the background, and as Twi walks in front of it so the hourglass is between it and her, there's a ghostly image of Nightmare Moon over the statue. Quite clear - eyes, helmet, horn, everything - if you know to look for it. And a little creepy.
• #22, right at 1:05. Fluttershy is freaking out because she's late, and she pokes her head in her closet to decide if she needs to wear anything. The weird part is...all the clothes in her closet that she pushes aside? If you look closely, they're all the girls' Gala dresses that Rarity made. Why is Fluttershy hoarding all their dresses?
• Okay, this is nitpicky of sorts and I know it was just done for ease of writing, for anyone who hadn't seen the other episode yet, etc. But in the Boast Busters episode, when the Snips and Snails are bragging to Spike about "The great and powerful Trixie vanquished an Ursa Major! Can your Twilight claim that?" Why did Spike not respond with, oh I don't know, "She defeated the Mare in the Moon, rescued Princess Celestia, and saved all Equestria from eternal night?" Seems like a pretty good argument.

1) I admit I didn't notice it in the first run. After I read about it in the Youtube comments, I went back and it's clear as day. Nice bit of foreshadowing if anything.

2) No idea about this. Reusing art to save some money seems to be the best explaination though.

3) Good catch. I never thought about that either. I'm leaning towards Spike not knowing what exactly happened in the 2nd episode.

DEMOGRAPHICS:

Applejack Fanart Folder: 72 items
- Applebloom, Big Mac, screencaps and duplications: ~46 items
Number of those which are shipping pics: 18
Number of those which are Appledash: 16

=
40% of Applejack fanart is shipping.
88.8% of Applejack shipping is Appledash shipping.

Wut? 88.8% is APPLEDASH? Sacrilege!

[Thanqol]

Wut? 88.8% is APPLEDASH? Sacrilege!

I did it anyway!

RAINBOW DASH: 70 Shipping pics out of 238. - screencaps and duplicates ~200, giving 35% of all Rainbow Dash pictures as shipping.
Appledash 27: 38%
Flutterdash AND Pinkiedash: 15: 21% each
All others 13: 18%

QED we need more Raritydash.

EDIT: MATH