My Little Pony LVI:S Has Left the Playground!

[PhantomFox]

Oh dear...

Bronycon 2013 is in Baltimore. Which is like, 30 min from where I currently live.

I'm doomed, aren't I? Except I'm not a con person and have no idea what I would DO at it.

[Lix Lorn]

New episode:

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And nice to see them putting the honesty pony on lying duty. Again.

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An important part of learning to be honest is learning when you need to lie.

[Anarion]

S3

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Slightly related, it kinda seems like Celestia is still the one calling all the shots and Luna doesn't have much say. Any thoughts on this?

On Luna and Celestia

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I agree with you. This episode seems to put Luna in an advisory role. She consults with Celestia and knows her plans, but Celestia is the one calling the shots. I also get the sense from Luna flying in and out of Canterlot during the season 2 finale that Luna is more out in the field. Basically, if this were a James Bond film, Luna would be Bond and Celestia would be M.

And if I wrote fanfiction, that's pretty much the exact thing I would be writing now. Good thing I dodged that bullet.

S3

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That argument is starting to bother me. Sure, we can't do anything about it, but we can't do anything about earthquakes and hurricanes either, that doesn't mean we shouldn't worry about it.

The writers are not perfect either. They have done things that have not been all that great in the past. Nothing really bad, sure, but the longer the show goes on the greater the chance it'll take a bad turn. I love the show, I don't want to see it ruined, and the fact that I have no power at all to prevent it only makes it worse. It's like watching a car speeding towards a cliff and being unable to do anything. Sure, maybe the driver will notice in time, but you can't know, all you can do is hope like hell.

Deadly, I'm just trying to reassure you. If you want to worry, go right ahead. I just don't want you to make yourself unhappy.

My thoughts on the new episodes:

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I liked flutterguise and the reverse gravity spell.

Did Meghan McCarthy do something wrong?

Am I the only one who is PLEASED by the potential alicorning? I've been headcanoning that since S1.

I'm okay with it if it happens, as long as it's handled well.

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Yeah, all right. You win this round.

For me, the episode was all about the fact that Celestia knows horrifying shadow necromancy, and now Twilight does too. Those two facts alone can send the fanfiction engine pumping for months.

I liked it. It felt mythic. It felt grand, sweeping. I thought all the music was a total miss but it definitely worked for me as an episode. I also encountered a piece of fanon recently on the creation of Alicorns which got me to not hate Cadence, so that worked out too (though it's not the kind of thing I want to share here).

And nice to see them putting the honesty pony on lying duty. Again.

Episode in general

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I think the idea of Twilight being confirmed as a blue mage is also really rich. She showed here not only the dark magic copy effect (which Celestia must have intended when she demonstrated that), but also the ability to analyze the magic worst fear doorway really well. She also implies that she could have recognized the trap around the crystal heart if she had been paying attention instead of being in a rush.

I agree on the mythic feel of the episode and I think the inclusion of a villain that was basically just a cloud of evil with a face (i.e. a force of nature, not a person) gave it a grander overall feel, even though people seem to dislike Sombra.

On Applejack

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Once again, she didn't really lie, she just kept changing the subject. And she wasn't on lying duty, she took it upon herself after noticing that Rainbow Dash was upsetting all the crystal ponies.

Alternate theory. Apples are the fruit of knowledge and are related to lying serpent imagery. Therefore, Applejack's cutie mark indicates that her special talent is not merely cultivating apples, but also lying in order to tempt others.

Writing from the distant past! It burns us!

This is like kryptonite now?

[Thanqol]

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An important part of learning to be honest is learning when you need to lie.

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I'm more concerned that she's always volunteering/being volunteered to lie to everypony whenever the opportunity comes up.

[Forum Explorer]

New episode!

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Spike for best dragon!

Also a great lesson in placing other's lives over your own goals.

Lots of great little interactions between the Mane 6. Though those sheep things creeped me out.

Songs were only alright. None make the top percent of songs, but none were bad either.

Loved how Twilight used her magic and the Cadance missile. Looks like Cadance is staying behind though. Cadance also seems to be a lot more powerful then we first thought.

First villain actually killed too. Looks like somepony just didn't make the grade in villain school.

Finally it seems that the speculation about

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Twilight becoming an alicorn.

were correct.

Seriously though, Spike was gold the entire episode, right from the bring it on giant book, to worrying on Twilight's behalf.

Now to read some 6-7 pages and catch up.

[RdMarquis]

.EDIT - Oh, and Ponythread and the internet at large apparently can't recognise a fastball special when they see one. Cadence is the best there is at what she does. And what she does, is pretty. Or something.

If it helps, I did. More victories need to be secured that way, frankly.

I've wanted to say this,
"I used to be a brony like you, then I took a gak to the knee."

Never thought I'd hear that name again. I feel so old, now.

I'm taking this one step further and making it my new head-canon: One Thousand Years is literally the only interval of time Celestia understands.

C: My faithful student, your next lesson in magic will take place in ONE THOUSAND YEARS!
T: So, same time next Thursday?
C:...Yes

Is it really weird that I imagine it this also has the potential to be pretty tragic?

Personally, it's probably one of those "40 days", or "A year and a day" things.

[Lix Lorn]

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I'm more concerned that she's always volunteering/being volunteered to lie to everypony whenever the opportunity comes up.

Okay, good point.

[Forum Explorer]

Season 3 Premiere, first thoughts

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Yay, more FlutterDash fodder! Well, a little, at least

Oh God... that ad. "Discover her true destiny"? And who were those ponies with Celestia? Was too quick, I didn't get a good look.

And RariJack fodder too :D

Alright ... again, I really feel like it would have been better without Cadance and Shining, but that's probably just my dislike of Shining and to a lesser degree Cadance.

Anyway, it was alright, not spectacular, pretty standard for these two parters really. Only, it really bugs me that we don't know what the "next level of her studies" is. I had hoped I wouldn't have to worry about that after today.

Oh well. That's my first reaction. Probably has more to say later, once I've digested it a little more

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Not much, only a tiny tiny bit. I'm curious on why Rainbow Dash refused to let any other pony other then Fluttershy compete? Perhaps jousting is a pegasus thing? But I think the Crystal ponies are literally all Earth Ponies.

It could have been done without them, but not well. Candance needed the shield, Shining Armor well he needed to be there so we weren't wondering why he wasn't there.

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The ending was a bit weak, IMHO. What self-sacrifice? What did Twilight sacrifice? Prestige? What?

Had Celestia went with angle 'you did right thing, saving others comes before anything' I'd agree, but 'sacrifice' angle doesn't work without her really sacrificing anything.

Villain without borders in drawings look a bit creepy, but that's all. Sombra did very little, if only that was three parter with some flashback or his motives... He had some good traps, though.

Were all crystal ponies earth kind? Any unicorns/pegasi? Also, my crystal BB collection is now canon, deal with that haters

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She sacrificed her own glory to get the job done. It was poorly worded but that's a very important lesson to learn.

I think Sombra should have stayed a shadow the entire time. He was basically the time limit, but most of his threat came from his traps a thousand years ago. Also this was a test, if Twilight failed Celestia and Luna would have just repeated history and banished him again. Not a good ending but not an end of Equestria scenario.

Finally BB crystal ponies? I have no idea what you are talking about here, but it sounds interesting.

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Nah, I'd say ranking now is Chrysalis > Nightmare Moon > Sombra >>> Discord. The decision to drop his episodes as S2 opening abroad in favour for Canterlot Wedding is pretty telling, he is nothing to anyone who doesn't know who De Lancie is.

Also, this episode did as much to sink Fs/RD ship to me as Hurricane Fluttershy did. RD is once again inconsiderate jerk who doesn't care about Fs feelings, she treats Fs like some rough jock friend at best, hurting her every time

Only about a dozen times so far?

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I disagree on your villian rankings. Clearly it should be

NMM>Discord>Sombra>Chrysalis

what you don't judge them solely by the quality of their evil laughter?

More seriously Discord at least challenged the Mane 6. Sombra just kinda moved forward and didn't even need the Mane 6 to be there at all. Seriously Trixie and the Flim Flam bros could have done this.

On another note I only vaguely knew who Q was before Discord as I have basically no knowledge of Star Trek. Also didn't know who De Lancie was back then.

No, Celestia understands weeks and days of the week. We've seen this when she accidentally? (hint: no, this is Celestia) trolls Twilight after she breaks into the Starswirl wing.

Sure she gets the small stuff like weeks and days. But years? She just sorta labels as a long time ago.

Plus it does explain why the dates are so wonky. (spoils villain's name and nothing else.

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(What did Luna beat Sombra right before going into NMM mode?)

More serious explanation is that she doesn't bother to keep track of centuries while she's talking.


Okay I got through two pages and gave up. I'll just wait for the SiuS megapost to hear what everypony said.

[MCerberus]

Sure she gets the small stuff like weeks and days. But years? She just sorta labels as a long time ago.

Plus it does explain why the dates are so wonky. (What did Luna beat Sombra right before going into NMM mode?)

More serious explanation is that she doesn't bother to keep track of centuries while she's talking.

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How it happened:

THE NIGHT SHALL LAST
Luna, can we reschedule your descent into evil for next week? Somber's being a jerk again.
FINE

3 days later:
That took less time than I expected
THESE WILL BE AN AWKWARD FEW DAYS

[Balmas]

Oh dear...

Bronycon 2013 is in Baltimore. Which is like, 30 min from where I currently live.

I'm doomed, aren't I? Except I'm not a con person and have no idea what I would DO at it.

Come. Join us. Drop ridiculous amounts of cash on shirts and other merch. Search your feelings, Fox; you know it to be true... that you want to go.


On the topic of "Want to go:" I bought a ticket for Everfree Northwest sometime in September. Except that today, I checked the dates: July 5-7. All well and good, except that the spring term of BYU-Idaho ends on July 24.

So, now the question is: can I perhaps figure out a way to transfer it to my mom, so that she can take the twins there for free? Or can I maybe get a partial refund?

[Anarion]

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How it happened:

THE NIGHT SHALL LAST
Luna, can we reschedule your descent into evil for next week? Somber's being a jerk again.
FINE

3 days later:
That took less time than I expected
THESE WILL BE AN AWKWARD FEW DAYS

Good idea. Though I think it went more like this

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Luna, that was pretty good, but you should have channeled more purple and blue in the rainbow beam we used to defeat Sombra.

SISTER, I WEARY OF THY INCESSANT NAGGING

Nagging? Luna, you ungrateful brat, if I hadn't worked with you on juking properly right before we set up our shots, Discord would have turned you into three pales of water wearing a pink leotard!

OH, THAT IS IT. WE HAVE HAD IT! THE NIGHT SHALL LAST FOREVER!

[Balmas]

Monochromatic Dash is epicly awesome.

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[otakuryoga]

Actually think I got this on a second run through the episode. .

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Because we saw a column with a stair inside a larger cylinder of open space when she reached the "top" of the underside of the stairs she would have kept going right around making an "extra" turn around the floor/ceiling of the room at the top over the cylinder until coming out on the ceiling over the final part of the stairs.

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doesnt work ...when we see a view of the top where the heart is we see the stairs come through a tunnel and end flush with the top of the pillar

she is under the stairs so cant go straight up...there is solid pillar to left, right, and forward of stair...when they end how does she take another rotation to get above where they end?

only way that would work was if there were 2 sets of stairs..come through the door and see stairs, go "sigh more climbing" get all the way to top to find its a dead end..back down and find 2nd set on other side of tower
---her trick would have beaten that trap

BUT we know there were NOT 2 sets of stairs because at start of her slide we see her on one level and then on the next..if there were 2 stairs she would have skipped a level

[Forum Explorer]

New episode, new headcanon.

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So the area around the Crystal Empire was frozen and cold while the Empire itself remained balmy and warm. I think we can take this to mean that without ponies the weather goes 'wild'. However ponies have no problems effecting the climate. The Everfree forest is the exception to that rule and is why it was so feared.

Or

It was summer when the Crystal Empire went into stasis and it came out of it in summer. While the region was still in it's winter phase.

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You know what bothered me about this episode? Because I can't remember.

More seriously that one sentence saying that ponies being good flowed from the Crystal Empire. It's not like Celestia needs an excuse to help her fellow ponies, or to send Twilight. It didn't really raise the stakes because it was never mentioned again and there were plenty of other reasons to send the Mane 6 anyways.

Also the pointless mystery parts.

"IT has returned!"

"It is back?"

so silly and pointless considering some 30 seconds later they tell us and its not like it needs to be a secret. Why can't it just be

"The Crystal Empire has returned along with Sombra!"

"Send Shining Armor and Princess Cadance there immediately!"

[Silverraptor]

S3

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So, what is that book that Luna conjured at the end? I guess we will see.

[Pokonic]

Okay, silly crack idea:

Everyone keeps wondering why Sombra never gets a decent backround other than "he's a evil pony". Well, it's simple, realy.

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Celestia would hardly like to tell Twilight that Sombra was another student of her's, after all. I mean, that would become all sorts of weird.


Celestia's not worried, however, dispite Luna's doubts. I mean, surely Twilight will not be sucked into the darker sort of magics her former most favorite student was tempted by.

Right?

I mean, surely Twilight will never be tempted to use, say, mind-altering magics to make things easier for her, right? I mean, there is no way her most favorite student has been secretly using one of the most potent forbidden magics in the world on helpless ponies and quickly dispelling it when it suited her, correct? Candice has been a diligent babysitter, and never taught Twilight anything that might have set her on a wrong path from the start. Nope.

[Grif]

Just submitted a fic to Equestria Daily.

Here's to hoping it passes.

[HamHam]

Re: Rainbow Dash's relationship with Fluttershy

It seems to me that Rainbow Dash as the archetypal pegasus finds Fluttershy's inability to live up to pegasi social norms to be... disappointing. She's obviously not as... mean about it as we see other pegasi being in their childhood flashbacks, but it's pretty clear that Rainbow Dash does think that Fluttershy should be more "normal". That's why she keeps pushing her in these sorts of situations.

[Thanqol]

Best part of the new episode.

[Balmas]

Best part of the new episode.

I'll be honest; the thought has occured to me that you are the person in these videos, doing a little exercise in primal screaming.

[Maxtronaut]

Just watched The Crystal Empire

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THAT WAS JUST THE PREMIERE?! THIS SEASON IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!!!

[BlasTech]

Just watched The Crystal Empire

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THAT WAS JUST THE PREMIERE?! THIS SEASON IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!!!

S3E1-2

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This was a triumph, I'm making a note here: "Huge Success" (Guess the Hub was prepared for this!)

[Thanqol]

I'll be honest; the thought has occured to me that you are the person in these videos, doing a little exercise in primal screaming.

You flatter me!

[Maxtronaut]

S3E1-2

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This was a triumph, I'm making a note here: "Huge Success" (Guess the Hub was prepared for this!)

That song will now forever play in my mind when I pass a test.

[Dirtytabs]

On the origin of Gak:

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Thank you. I searched for a few minutes for the connection between the two and stopped because it's too weird, and it's been baffling me all day.

That song will now forever play in my mind when I pass a test.

And when you fail, "Still Alive". Because you don't give up, right?

[Nameless]

I believe that this is the shortest post I've ever heard from you.

On the origin of Gak:

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Why is everyone posting Gak now? Where did this Gak come from? Is this a new thing, or am I missing a reference here? What is Gak? EXPLAIN!

.__.

[Trixie]

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how long til someone makes a comic about Shining getting the black crystals on his horn and somepony telling him "that's why you always wear protection"

You're late to this but sadly, can't post link due to obvious reasons ^^

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Weak beginning but otherwise a good episode. I'd REALLY like to know what the next level of study is, but whatever, i can wait a week.

I'm afraid we'll wait longer, maybe till the end of season. Certainly not next week.

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Rune? What rune?

Seriously, would you mind pointing it out? I don't recall such a thing.

And that's why people should only watch episodes in HD. The blurring and details disappearing...

Also, Trixie thinks that one of the show's best episodes is one of the worst.

Which ones? Current one? If so, where I said that? Quote, please.

Trixie spends most of her time in ponythread criticising the show and/or main cast of the show. It could be argued that it's best just to leave her to it at this point. It's kind of hard to have a sensible debate

A) that is rather mean thing to say; B) Criticising art does not reduce its value, people can appreciate a work for both its strengths AND flaws; C) Debate, by definition, is two or more opposed arguments. If someone's definition of 'sensible debate' is yes-agree I guess there is no sensible debate at all.

[Jothki]

Why is everyone posting Gak now? Where did this Gak come from? Is this a new thing, or am I missing a reference here? What is Gak? EXPLAIN!

.__.

Gak is a Nickelodeon-branded goo-like substance that existed back when the network was in its golden age. And now it's back. And the person in Nickelodeon's advertising department responsible for making people aware of this apparently has a very poor memory.

[Deadly]

Only two pages while I slept? Ponythread, you disappoint me *shakes head sadly* (and yet, I still just skimmed over half of it )

upon rewatching...

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everyone mentions the gryphon statues...what about the winged cat statue on the building next door?

OMYGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH! You're right! My fanon has been ... confirmed?

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That winged cat creature ...

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That's totally Eden!

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Someone on the show reads my fic! That's gotta be it, right?

and.....theory time!

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i think "the next level of study" is going to be with Luna.. kinda fitting in with one of our more popular theories that Celly has the raw power but Luna has the greater knowledge of magic

also i sadly think they are going the "Alicornication" Alicornication. HeeHee that's almost as fun to say as Pickle Barrel Kumquat! route just due to the glowy rune showing up behind Twi like they did behind Celly and Luna

S3

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Oh, I like the possibility of Luna taking over the teaching and maybe taking a more direct role in her everyday studies than Celestia does. That would be awesome!

My opinions on alicornification are well known by now.

On Luna and Celestia

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I agree with you. This episode seems to put Luna in an advisory role. She consults with Celestia and knows her plans, but Celestia is the one calling the shots. I also get the sense from Luna flying in and out of Canterlot during the season 2 finale that Luna is more out in the field. Basically, if this were a James Bond film, Luna would be Bond and Celestia would be M.

And if I wrote fanfiction, that's pretty much the exact thing I would be writing now. Good thing I dodged that bullet.

This fits my own fanon too, actually, of Luna being busy elsewhere recovering lost territory and maybe restoring the old castle in the Everfree for herself. So Celestia rules in Canterlot and Luna elsewhere.

Deadly, I'm just trying to reassure you. If you want to worry, go right ahead. I just don't want you to make yourself unhappy.

It's not a matter of wanting, I can't help but worry, and I don't see why we shouldn't either. I try to seize on any possible positive alternative theories, like above, but there's always the nagging feeling that our suspicion might be right.

Re: Rainbow Dash's relationship with Fluttershy

It seems to me that Rainbow Dash as the archetypal pegasus finds Fluttershy's inability to live up to pegasi social norms to be... disappointing. She's obviously not as... mean about it as we see other pegasi being in their childhood flashbacks, but it's pretty clear that Rainbow Dash does think that Fluttershy should be more "normal". That's why she keeps pushing her in these sorts of situations.

As Fluttershy says to Discord, her friends understand and accept that she's weak and helpless. I think this is largely true. Her friends are understanding, and most of them are happy to let Fluttershy be Fluttershy most of the time.

The big exception is Rainbow Dash, who is understanding but not happy to simply accept that Fluttershy will always be Fluttershy. It seems plain to me that RD cares greatly for Fluttershy and tries to help her improve, help her overcome her fears and limitations. She goes a little tough on Fluttershy because she believes in her, but at the same time we also see that she is well aware that she can push too hard and that she's understanding of this. She does go soft on her whenever it becomes clear that she can't push any further for now.

She pushes Fluttershy, but only to a point, and what I think she's hoping for is to push that point further and further over time. She wouldn't bother doing this if she didn't care a lot for Fluttershy. We see that early in the show, specifically Dragonshy, she doesn't have this patience for Fluttershy. In that episode she doesn't push or try to help, but now she does because she's seen that hidden strength in Fluttershy and she hopes to nurture it.

[Kd7sov]

Re: Sombra/Somber (for the record I prefer the former)

And well you should; the former is canon, while the latter isn't.