My Little Pony XCVIII: Still Haven't Caught Up on Season 7!

[Alabenson]

Spoiler: Friendship University

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Nah, I doubt it'll hurt him much. Despite the charges against the CEO of the company that owned the private college I worked for, he bought his way out of it and still retied with millions of dollars in his pocket. Neighsay probably will come up with some excuse that he was shammed just as much as the next pony and will probably get away with just a slap on the wrist to research his accredited schools better next time. He seems the weaselly type to get out of trouble from his petard.

Yeah, he wasn't so bad now. It made sense he'd go to this school cause it's right here and Twi's school was a long ways away. He's been out of the loop a thousand years, I can see him getting duped by the Flim-Flams.

Spoiler: Friendship University

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The key word in your example, unfortunately, is CEO. In theory a CEO is supposed to held accountable by the company's board and shareholders. However, it's rare to get a combination of a shareholder or group of shareholders that actually care about an issue and have sufficient stock to hold any clout, and corporate boards are sadly more incestuous than the Hapsburgs, so its fairly easy for an executive to buy their way out of an issue and have it swept under the rug, particularly if the issue isn't widely reported. The EEA, on the other hoof, seems to be either a govermental or publicly visible NGO, meaning that Neighsay has a better chance to be held accountable for his actions, particularly if those actions show the EEA to be outright incompetent.

As for Starswirl, I'm fine with him being portrayed as being a poor judge of character, since that would actually fit in fairly well with his prior portrayals.

And, since Australia continues to get the episodes one week ahead of schedule;

Spoiler: The End in Friend

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I actually liked this episode a lot, to the extent that I'd say it would be in my top five season 8 episodes so far. The conflict felt like a natural result of having the two characters clash and given how rarely we see Rarity and Rainbow Dash paired off I can believe that this is an issue that hasn't really been dealt with before. At the same time, during the second half of the episode we see each character at their best, which is always a welcome sight. In many ways, this episode feels like an episode from one of the earlier seasons, but in the best way.
The closest thing that I have as far as an issue with this episode would be that some of the negative behavior we see early on, especially from Rarity, does seem slightly forced. Not to the point that it feels out of character, mind you, but it really does feel like we're seeing these characters at their most disagreeable at points.
Overall, though, I'd have to give this episode an A.

[t209]

So anyone getting bugged at "every creatures" despite the show calling out the word "creature" as a bad word?
Also does anyone remember that "one" still exists?

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: Friendship University

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The EEA, on the other hoof, seems to be either a govermental. . .

Spoiler

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No it bloody doesn't, but if people aren't going to pay attention when I explain why, I'm not going to bother.

[meto30]

Spoiler: Meto's entry for ATG prompt 19. OC-dependent, so it will probably not make sense.

Show

[Rater202]

A thought occurs to me.

In the movie, in the lead-up to Dash's song, "Time to be Awesome," she refers to the Storm King as "some cloven hooved storm king" with an inflection that implies that cloven hooved is a negative ter,

and then I realized that most creatures we've seen with cloven hooves have had an antagonistic relationship with Equestria or individual groups of ponies at somepoint or other.

[Adderbane]

Unrelated: What, exactly, is Sunset Shimmer's pony magic/cutie mark for? Her human-geode ability is about memory/telepathy, but we've been told that the human-world magic is not the same as equestrian, so I'm not trying to make assumptions here.

I agree that it's some more or less generic "magic" mark, but my headcannon is that it's for her ability to mess around with powerful/dangerous magic (essentially balancing things). This is the pony who hijacked an Element of Harmony after all.

[DigoDragon]

Spoiler: Friendship University

Show

The key word in your example, unfortunately, is CEO. In theory a CEO is supposed to held accountable by the company's board and shareholders. However, it's rare to get a combination of a shareholder or group of shareholders that actually care about an issue and have sufficient stock to hold any clout, and corporate boards are sadly more incestuous than the Hapsburgs, so its fairly easy for an executive to buy their way out of an issue and have it swept under the rug, particularly if the issue isn't widely reported. The EEA, on the other hoof, seems to be either a govermental or publicly visible NGO, meaning that Neighsay has a better chance to be held accountable for his actions, particularly if those actions show the EEA to be outright incompetent.

And, since Australia continues to get the episodes one week ahead of schedule;

Spoiler: The End in Friend

Show

I actually liked this episode a lot, to the extent that I'd say it would be in my top five season 8 episodes so far. The conflict felt like a natural result of having the two characters clash and given how rarely we see Rarity and Rainbow Dash paired off I can believe that this is an issue that hasn't really been dealt with before. At the same time, during the second half of the episode we see each character at their best, which is always a welcome sight. In many ways, this episode feels like an episode from one of the earlier seasons, but in the best way.
The closest thing that I have as far as an issue with this episode would be that some of the negative behavior we see early on, especially from Rarity, does seem slightly forced. Not to the point that it feels out of character, mind you, but it really does feel like we're seeing these characters at their most disagreeable at points.
Overall, though, I'd have to give this episode an A.

Spoiler: Friendship University

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I dunno, I still don't see Neighsayer getting muck flack from the EEA. He can still argue he was duped like everyone else (and probably was).

Spoiler: The End in Friend

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This would be a much stronger episode if it were back in season 1 or 2. Here in season 8 it feels... like this kind of argument should have already been handled. It was otherwise alright. I could go without the petty arguments. It has some adventuring going down and a few pokes at the weirdness of pony fashion to make up for it though. Dash certainly says what we're all thinking about ponies and high heels.

So anyone getting bugged at "every creatures" despite the show calling out the word "creature" as a bad word?
Also does anyone remember that "one" still exists?

Yeah, I'm still not used to it.

and then I realized that most creatures we've seen with cloven hooves have had an antagonistic relationship with Equestria or individual groups of ponies at somepoint or other.

Those cows nearly trampled down Ponyville! They drink they're own milk too. Definitely evil.

[otakuryoga]

Where in that Deadpool video was the "power ponies" that he was considering as a team? I saw a hand-drawing of Xmen, but nothing closer than that.

if you mean the deadpool the musical 2 video just go to 4:08 of the video..shows the entire board..look top center

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: Friendship University

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I dunno, I still don't see Neighsayer getting muck flack from the EEA. He can still argue he was duped like everyone else (and probably was).

Spoiler: FU

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I don't see how, coming from an "experienced educator" whose review process, as seen in School Daze, involves a background check, a curriculum review, and a personal inspection, the line "I didn't know" is supposed to be exonerating. If anything, it would be a reason to sack him for incompetence or corruption. A background check would have revealed the brothers' scam in Leap of Faith, as well as their currently-running other business (which really should take as much or more of their time as Twilight and co.'s friendship missions, and certainly takes a lot more money). A curriculum review would have involved comparing FU's curriculum to the only other comparable school's - and what's more, Twilight gave the EEA a number of copies of her curriculum, so they should spot the plagiarism right away. And Rarity's personal inspection revealed the exploitation of students within the day; Twilight's revealed the brothers' commingling of funds with their other business about as quickly.

Neighsay is savvy enough to know all that, which is why he still has his job in the finale.

[Aotrs Commander]

Spoiler: s8416

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Aha.

Plot (vaguley) episode.

Clearly whatshername is working for Neighsayer (I mean, wow) and why in the name of the Lichemaster is Celestia allowing someone like him to be in charge of anything except mopping his own bigoted entails up with a spoon?

Eh. Flim and Flam are among my least favourite antagonists, and their song (as usual) did nothing for me except want it to be over.

Starswirl clearly used Wisdom as his dump stat.

Rarity was the high-point of the episode, which was otherwise (as far as I'm concerned) middle of the road.



Also, this is why you should have called your school "university" Twilight, as it CLEARLY is one and would have left you less open for anymoron trying to one-up you.

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: s8416

Show

Clearly whatshername is working for Neighsayer (I mean, wow) and why in the name of the Lichemaster is Celestia allowing someone like him to be in charge of anything except mopping his own bigoted entails up with a spoon?

Spoiler: FU

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See previous annoyed rants about how the EEA isn't a government body, about how Celestia couldn't fire Neighsay because she's not actually his boss (his board is), and about how vexing it is that nobody pays attention whenever I repeat myself on these points.

[Aotrs Commander]

Spoiler: FU

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See previous annoyed rants about how the EEA isn't a government body, about how Celestia couldn't fire Neighsay because she's not actually his boss (his board is), and about how vexing it is that nobody pays attention whenever I repeat myself on these points.

Spoiler: s8e16

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Pretty sure being Princess makes her EVERYONE's boss. Naysayer, his board, everyone. So whether the EEA is a govenrment body or not, whether Naysayer has a council of morons supporting him doesn't really even MATTER.

Equestria isn't a democracy, it's a diarchy (possible a triarchy at this point). If Celestia says he's out of a job, then he's out of a job, along with the rest of the EEA if necessary and if they have too much of a problem with it - they might be out of Equestria.

The fact that Celestia (or Luna) aren't making sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen i the first place kind of reflects badly on them as Neighsayer couldn't be more obviously Evil if he TIRED. He's less subtle about it than I am.

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: s8e16

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Pretty sure being Princess makes her EVERYONE's boss.

Spoiler: FU

Show

And you would be wrong. "Princess" as used in FiM means something like "high priest and judge, and occasionally military commander." There is a police power that provides for banishment and imprisonment in Tartarus, but that has never been deployed against anything less than an existential threat, and sometimes not even then.

Also, "diarchy" is a stupid fan-term that needs to die, and not just because it must change as new princesses are added. The word is "autocracy," if a mostly hands-off one.

[DigoDragon]

Spoiler: FU

Show

I don't see how, coming from an "experienced educator" whose review process, as seen in School Daze, involves a background check, a curriculum review, and a personal inspection, the line "I didn't know" is supposed to be exonerating. If anything, it would be a reason to sack him for incompetence or corruption. A background check would have revealed the brothers' scam in Leap of Faith, as well as their currently-running other business (which really should take as much or more of their time as Twilight and co.'s friendship missions, and certainly takes a lot more money). A curriculum review would have involved comparing FU's curriculum to the only other comparable school's - and what's more, Twilight gave the EEA a number of copies of her curriculum, so they should spot the plagiarism right away. And Rarity's personal inspection revealed the exploitation of students within the day; Twilight's revealed the brothers' commingling of funds with their other business about as quickly.

Neighsay is savvy enough to know all that, which is why he still has his job in the finale.

Spoiler: Friendship University

Show

But in order for the EEA to sack Neighsayer, they'd need to know that he was backing a bad school. I don't remember seeing any other EEA members there, and I don't see Twilight as the kind of pony to go sue the board about backing a scam, so I think Neighsayer gets away with it because the board is only going to know whatever he turns in as a report. All he has to do is paint himself a victim as much as the students were and that the problem school has been shut down permanently.

In addition, I have a feeling other ponies in the EEA aren't going to audit his report. He seems to have clout enough to be taken at face value without a second thought.

[Alabenson]

Spoiler: The End in Friend

Show

This would be a much stronger episode if it were back in season 1 or 2. Here in season 8 it feels... like this kind of argument should have already been handled. It was otherwise alright. I could go without the petty arguments. It has some adventuring going down and a few pokes at the weirdness of pony fashion to make up for it though. Dash certainly says what we're all thinking about ponies and high heels.

Spoiler: The End in Friend

Show

I might have agreed with you about this episode not working this late in the series, but Rainbow Dash and Rarity really haven't interacted one on one over the course of the series all that much (they even lampshade that early on when Rarity and Rainbow Dash can only refer back to two prior episodes). With that in mind, I can honestly believe that this is an issue that they really haven't run into the issue before.
I can't really argue with you about ponies and high heels, though.

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: Friendship University

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In addition, I have a feeling other ponies in the EEA aren't going to audit his report. He seems to have clout enough to be taken at face value without a second thought.

Spoiler: FU

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Yeah, that's probably true.

[zimmerwald1915]

Spoiler: The End in Friend

Show

I can't really argue with you about ponies and high heels, though.

Spoiler: The End in Friend

Show

Funny thing is, all ponies walk on their tip toes (the thing the high heels force the wearer to do) all the time. That said, putting the heel where it is (towards the back of the hoof) is impractical. It should really go somewhere in the middle of the leg.

Also, was anyone else impressed by the "deviousness" shown by Twilight in this episode? True, she was the one who put the pressure on the duo to begin with, but she also arranged the investigation, got Starlight and whoever hid the Amulet of Aurora (presumably Spike, by the footprints) to play along, and sold the crisis of it being missing as legitimate by her performance. At this point in the series, I didn't think the ingénue had it in her. (And don't tell me it was all Starlight's plan. Unlike most of the times when she has the only brain in an episode, the possibility of Twilight being to any degree valuable was not excluded. Let me have this.)

[Forum Explorer]

Spoiler: FU

Show

And you would be wrong. "Princess" as used in FiM means something like "high priest and judge, and occasionally military commander." There is a police power that provides for banishment and imprisonment in Tartarus, but that has never been deployed against anything less than an existential threat, and sometimes not even then.

Also, "diarchy" is a stupid fan-term that needs to die, and not just because it must change as new princesses are added. The word is "autocracy," if a mostly hands-off one.

Spoiler: FU I guess

Show

Just because they've never used their power doesn't mean they don't have it. And really, from what we've seen way back in Princess Spike, the Princesses are pretty much at the top of the government, with their word being treated as law by pretty much everyone Spike talked to.

Though why they don't is kinda obvious. Once they start banishing stupid, short sighted ponies, they'll lose a good 75% of their population.

Also it's mean to do so, and I really don't think any of the Princesses can handle hurting pony feelings.

[meto30]

Spoiler: Submission for the 20th prompt of the ATG

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Of course, Gustave could cut the pony cooks some slack as they have little to no experience cooking meat. As the guests of honour were both omnivores and one guest had a particular love for meat, the menu for this dinner includes a number of meat dishes. This was troublesome news for the pony staff in the royal kitchens... but that does not excuse them in the eyes of the chef. They are supposed to be the finest cooks in Canterlot - they should act like it.

[DigoDragon]

I saw this and LOL'd.

It's based on the most recent Steven Universe episode, Legs from Here to Homeworld:

Spoiler

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[Adderbane]

Spoiler: Hearthswarming Club

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[t209]

Spoiler: Hearthswarming Club

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I think I almost forgot about Starlight and her dad.

Anyone here plays World of Warcraft now that Battle For Azeroth is out.

Spoiler: Pony version, including the infamous act

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"Why is she staring at Twilight's library?"

"They will come for us now... ALL OF THEM!"
"WITH FRIENDSHIP!"

[meto30]

Anyone here plays World of Warcraft now that Battle For Azeroth is out.

Spoiler: Pony version, including the infamous act

Show

"Why is she staring at Twilight's library?"

"They will come for us now... ALL OF THEM!"
"WITH FRIENDSHIP!"

I used to from the original days up to the midpoint of the Wrath of the Lich King. That's a long time ago, I admit... but I've been following the story progression on and off throughout this time. I think the Battle for Azeroth is rather promising.

Spoiler: Twilight Sparkle Studies, version 2

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This is the second "Twilight Sparkle Studies" series I'm doing; the first one was way back when I first began drawing ponies. Story-wise, it covers the period between prompts 13 and 14 of the ATG 2018 series, where Twilight Sparkle goes to her study to retrieve Meto (my self-character), who was told to wait for Twilight at the end of the Sunset Shimmer studies. Art-wise this covers the use of shading to add volumetric detail to ponies, ponies interacting with humans, comparative scale study of ponies and humans in my style, and last but not least, practising of the drawing of wings.

[t209]

I used to from the original days up to the midpoint of the Wrath of the Lich King. That's a long time ago, I admit... but I've been following the story progression on and off throughout this time. I think the Battle for Azeroth is rather promising.

Spoiler: Twilight Sparkle Studies, version 2

Show

This is the second "Twilight Sparkle Studies" series I'm doing; the first one was way back when I first began drawing ponies. Story-wise, it covers the period between prompts 13 and 14 of the ATG 2018 series, where Twilight Sparkle goes to her study to retrieve Meto (my self-character), who was told to wait for Twilight at the end of the Sunset Shimmer studies. Art-wise this covers the use of shading to add volumetric detail to ponies, ponies interacting with humans, comparative scale study of ponies and humans in my style, and last but not least, practising of the drawing of wings.

Well, I wonder what will happen to that undead Elf if she managed to mess with the Mane Six (a demi-goddess, a pegasus with stare to scare even the dragons, a reality warping pink horse, a rainbow flyer with the ability to break the sound barrier, a stylist, and an apple farmer).

[DigoDragon]

[Twilight Sparkle Studies, version 2]

So... Pinkie Pie, known for breaking the fourth walls like a prized demo company, put up walls in the last panel to straighten out your avatar? That's genuinely original to me! I like it.

[meto30]

So... Pinkie Pie, known for breaking the fourth walls like a prized demo company, put up walls in the last panel to straighten out your avatar? That's genuinely original to me! I like it.

Being the master of the 4th wall goes way beyond just breaking it. She's the master of policing it, as well.

On another hoof, I just watched Shadow Play. Short summary of my reception of it: These comprise my newest most favourite episode(s) of the series up to this point. I could not add much to it even if I tried, except trying to establish Rockhoof, Mistmane, and Flash Magnus each with their separate episodes, and that's just blind, mechanical balance-mongering on my part. Oh I'll be doing a lot of fan art drawings of the heroes. I also LOOOOOVE Star Swirl's voice.

[digiman619]

Being the master of the 4th wall goes way beyond just breaking it. She's the master of policing it, as well.

But she's clearly not atop it.

[Aotrs Commander]

But she's clearly not atop it.

You realise I'm never going to be able to watch either Applejack nor Linkara again without unseeing that don't you?

[digiman619]

You realise I'm never going to be able to watch either Applejack nor Linkara again without unseeing that don't you?

Then my work here is done.

[b_jonas]

Being the master of the 4th wall goes way beyond just breaking it. She's the master of policing it, as well.

I agree. Pinkie has reality-warping powers, but only uses them for fun and never for breaking the plot, which is why he always gets away with it and it is very rare for anypony to call her on it. When Discord abuses his reality-warping powers to hurt the ponies, she fights against him, but she does not mind as long as Discord only uses them to make chocolate rain.

On another hoof, I just watched Shadow Play. Short summary of my reception of it: These comprise my newest most favourite episode(s) of the series up to this point. I could not add much to it even if I tried, except trying to establish Rockhoof, Mistmane, and Flash Magnus each with their separate episodes, and that's just blind, mechanical balance-mongering on my part. Oh I'll be doing a lot of fan art drawings of the heroes. I also LOOOOOVE Star Swirl's voice.

Yes, it's a good episode.

For reference, have you watched the first three Equestria Games 5 episodes (Dance Magic, Movie Magic, Mirror Magic) before that? Those EG5 episodes were released before the finale, and I think they go together well, but I'm not sure what the Right order to watch them is. If you have watched them, what do you think of their relation to the final? If you haven't, then later when you watch them, I'll be interested what you think about them.