My Little Pony XIX: I Emptied Your Thread

[Kindablue]

Kind of off topic, but I would have never heard of this show if it hadn't been for Bridle Gossip. I first watched it after The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast played a clip of Twilight decrying supernaturalism and curses back in January.

Aside from lying about defeating an Ursa Major, Trixie did not understand good showmanship, Twilight highlighted this fairly well by not challenging her and yet Trixie continued to press her.

Also:

Trixie: I'm the best!
Challenger: No you're not!
Trixie: I am assaulting you!
Audience: Clearly Trixie is the best!

Yeah, I think you're right. I'm probably coming at this with too much baggage; I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a situation like that objectively ever again. She also doesn't pass around a hat or anything either, does she?

Whether or not it was a bad moral pretty much hinged on whether or not Twilight had concluded she shouldn't give up on figuring out how Pinkie Sense worked. Something that was left rather vague. But lots people people seemed ot assume she had given up.

I thought it was pretty explicitly stated that she was just going to accept the Pinkie Sense on faith without trying to learn anything more about.

Eat this, Skull-boy! Showin' off your skull armada? Well face off against my fully functional space vessel!

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The Alicorn Class Starship PNY-1401, designation Aurora!

And I can state that it is officially 20% cooler than any vessel you can throw at me! -(Grins wickedly)-

Way, way more than 20%.

[Thanqol]

Hang on, I'm missing a trick here. If you're gonna be chased my a crazy goddess, you may as well make use of it...

Lix, you're a shipping goddess; can you make Spike/Rarity happen?

C'mon, there's absurd and then there's just plain crazy. You might as well ship BraeburnXOwlowlisious; that's about how canon that romance is. You kids and your crack pairings, honestly.

[Aotrs Commander]

C'mon, there's absurd and then there's just plain crazy. You might as well ship BraeburnXOwlowlisious; that's about how canon that romance is. You kids and your crack pairings, honestly.

Somebody's just asking to be Raritanked!

[Shadowy]

Somebody's just asking to be Raritanked!

I return, if only to mourn for a language burned. Seriously though, you ponies are CRAZY. So many threads.

[Thanqol]

Somebody's just asking to be Raritanked!

The Raritank will get dive-bombed by the RBD-17 and it will be romantic.

[Aotrs Commander]

When I have enough free time, I am so converting a Radical Recon Tank into a Grav-Trike-Spike.

And then we shall see!

We. Shall. SEE!!!!

If'n yer want summat done, yer have ' do it yerself...

[Brazen Shield]

It was always my belief that dragons could changed their form, what with half dragons being so prevalent in fictions (I know that's not how a D&D half-dragon works).

That being said, for a half dragon to born to a human mother, I'm gonna say that to make things less freaky and more kosher that the father dragon became a human for conception. Maybe even stayed a human for a time, because he was in love.

Andddd Spike is a dragon: in my world this means one day when he grows up and learns more grown-up dragon magic, it's possible he could transform into a pony. (Not just for sex, I'm just saying a Rarity/Spike romance shouldn't be taken out just because they're not both "pony".)

The world us FULL of magic! Anything can happen~

[Kris Strife]

It was always my belief that dragons could changed their form, what with half dragons being so prevalent in fictions (I know that's not how a D&D half-dragon works).

That being said, for a half dragon to born to a human mother, I'm gonna say that to make things less freaky and more kosher that the father dragon became a human for conception. Maybe even stayed a human for a time, because he was in love.

Andddd Spike is a dragon: in my world this means one day when he grows up and learns more grown-up dragon magic, it's possible he could transform into a pony. (Not just for sex, I'm just saying a Rarity/Spike romance shouldn't be taken out just because they're not both "pony".)

The world us FULL of magic! Anything can happen~

Actually, that shape shifting is exactly how most half dragons are conceived.

[Nomar]

I note everyone seems to dislike the only completely Spike-centric episode¹, you heartless lot. This has been noted...

I think the dislike of that episode has less to do with spike and more with it being soap opera, and not the good barely tolerable kind (see also). At least Feeling Pinkie Keen had good gags, but Owl's Well That Ends Well has no redeeming virtues that I can think of.

[Jahkaivah]

I thought it was pretty explicitly stated that she was just going to accept the Pinkie Sense on faith without trying to learn anything more about.

It's stated that she now believes that Pinkie can predict the future despite not understanding how. Her refusal to listen to Pinkie's predictions being something that was getting her injured throughout the episode.

But one can believe something and still desire to figure out how and why it is so. When a fan mentioned how they felt that Twilight had concluded that she shouldn't try to understand how Pinkie Sense worked Lauren said that was not the intention at all.

Personally I'm inclined to think that Spike finding Pinkie Pie and Twilight in the libary together suggests that they were researching ways in which Pinkie Sense could work.

[Kris Strife]

It's stated that she now believes that Pinkie can predict the future despite not understanding how. Her refusal to listen to Pinkie's predictions being something that was getting her injured throughout the episode.

But one can believe something and still desire to figure out how and why it is so. When a fan mentioned how they felt that Twilight had concluded that she shouldn't try to understand how Pinkie sense worked Lauren said that was not the intention at all.

Personally I'm inclined to think that Spike finding Pinkie Pie and Twilight in the libary together suggests that they were researching ways in Pinkie Sense could work.

Pinkie is a Sidereal, but they've decided not to tell her.

Would you want to have Pinkie working in your office?

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[MCerberus]

In defense of Pinkie Keen:

I like the old-school slapstick, and there were some pretty awesome bits.
The story was almost all my two favorite ponies
It still fits the 'hey, just don't be a jerk for no reason' overall theme of the show
Pinkie and Twilight both trotting out of the library was pretty d'aww.

Would you want to have Pinkie working in your office?

Pinkie would be really nice to have around while debugging.

"BLARG, what's wrong with this PHP script!?"
"Ooh, there's a syntax error in that echo statement"
"How'd you find that."
"I just looked there, silly."

[Kindablue]

It's stated that she now believes that Pinkie can predict the future despite not understanding how. Her refusal to listen to Pinkie's predictions being something that was getting her injured throughout the episode.

But one can believe something and still desire to figure out how and why it is so. When a fan mentioned how they felt that Twilight had concluded that she shouldn't try to understand how Pinkie Sense worked Lauren said that was not the intention at all.

Personally I'm inclined to think that Spike finding Pinkie Pie and Twilight in the libary together suggests that they were researching ways in which Pinkie Sense could work.

Dear Princess Celestia, I am happy to report that I now realize there are wonderful things in this world you just can't explain, but that doesn't neccesarilly make them any less true. It just means you have to choose to believe in them, and sometimes it takes a friend to show you the way.

Emphasis not mine.

I took her saying that she "just can't explain" it as meaning that she had given up on trying to figure it out--that it was impossible to know--, but I don't think that's what they meant. I think they meant that she "just can't explain it yet." Maybe they'll revisit this in season two.

[erikun]

It's stated that she now believes that Pinkie can predict the future despite not understanding how. Her refusal to listen to Pinkie's predictions being something that was getting her injured throughout the episode.

But one can believe something and still desire to figure out how and why it is so. When a fan mentioned how they felt that Twilight had concluded that she shouldn't try to understand how Pinkie Sense worked Lauren said that was not the intention at all.

Personally I'm inclined to think that Spike finding Pinkie Pie and Twilight in the libary together suggests that they were researching ways in which Pinkie Sense could work.

I actually just finished watching Feeling Pinkie Keen, and it is still one of my favorite episodes - for pretty much this reason. Twilight doesn't say she can't understand it, just that she doesn't understand it, and that not understanding doesn't mean you should assume it is false. I mean, she did get a lot of circumstantial evidence throughout the episode.

My least favorite episode would probably be A Bird in the Hoof, perhaps mostly because it starred my favorites of the mane cast but ended up as little more than a Looney Tunes sketch.

It was always my belief that dragons could changed their form, what with half dragons being so prevalent in fictions (I know that's not how a D&D half-dragon works).

How often to half-dragons appear in non-D&D fiction anyways? The closest I can think of is a "dragon-blooded" common theme for spellcasters, which doesn't seem to be the same thing (although I guess it would involve polymorphing dragons sometime back).

[Castel]

I know I said I didn't like it the first time I saw it, but Pinkie Keen is OK because:

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Honk.

[Jahkaivah]

Maybe they'll revisit this in season two.

Yeah I think that would be a good idea.

[Gamerlord]

Yeah I think that would be a good idea.

I second this. Well more like third but still.
....Why do I have the feeling that if S2 gets Cerebus Syndrome the explanation will be either incredibly disturbing or technobabble filled?

[Vent Reynolt]

So, I noticed that there is an elemental theme for avatars next week. Does anypony think that we could scrounge together some avatars for the elements of ponythread, or is this just a bad idea?

[Grif]

So, I noticed that there is an elemental theme for avatars next week. Does anypony think that we could scrounge together some avatars for the elements of ponythread, or is this just a bad idea?

Don't think we have enough active ponytar artist(s) left to do so. Dirtytabs is already up to her arms in ponytar requests.

Unless of course you mean we modify existing vectors or the sort.

[erikun]

So, I noticed that there is an elemental theme for avatars next week.

Pardon?

Wait, next week? How do you know what the avatars will be next week? Are you from the future? Is this some kind of attempt to change the past or something?!

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what you are referring to. Also, I'm silly today.

[Vent Reynolt]

Don't think we have enough active ponytar artist(s) left to do so. Dirtytabs is already up to her arms in ponytar requests.

Unless of course you mean we modify existing vectors or the sort.

True, there aren't many ponytar artists. I was kinda hoping that somepony might be able to come up with a cool idea, and we could STEAL THE HELL OUT OF IT run with it.

Pardon?

Wait, next week? How do you know what the avatars will be next week? Are you from the future? Is this some kind of attempt to change the past or something?!

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what you are referring to. Also, I'm silly today.

Well, yesterday I saw the newspaper for today, which means that by today it must be Thursday, and by next week, it'll be the end of the universe as we know it.

Seriously, it's here. It's in the Friendly Banter part of the forum.

[erikun]

Well, yesterday I saw the newspaper for today, which means that by today it must be Thursday, and by next week, it'll be the end of the universe as we know it.

Seriously, it's here. It's in the Friendly Banter part of the forum.

Ah, thanks. Didn't know about that.

Hmm... should I take off my avatar to be properly insignificant for the week? I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm embodying the element of anything significant enough to embody while embodying an element.

More seriously, I'm not an artist and am poor as describing details on a character, so I doubt I'm getting a new avatar anytime soon.

[Grif]

Ah, thanks. Didn't know about that.

Hmm... should I take off my avatar to be properly insignificant for the week? I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm embodying the element of anything significant enough to embody while embodying an element.

More seriously, I'm not an artist and am poor as describing details on a character, so I doubt I'm getting a new avatar anytime soon.

Probably could swap to that Lyra is a bipedal pic. She looks appropriately insane there.

[EsperDerek]

A Midnight Nightmare, Excerpt #7:

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Love isn't mindless adoration.

The protective spells woven around the library were potent in power, but half-hearted in design. Momma and Mom didn't want to fight, didn't want to hurt her, and so it was a simple matter to snap the weave of the spells, destroying the protection...

Friendship isn't absolute obedience.

The doors to the library were now undefended, the last shelter of those unchanged open to her.

What you are doing to protect me from loss and loneliness will only insure it. Love and friendship can only come from ponies being ponies, to clash and mingle, and to remember that we are never, truly, alone, unless we give up on them.

She knew that.
She knew that.

She knew she had failed her. She knew that she had misunderstood, had allowed her own worry, pain and doubt to misguide her, and now...and now...

Only because she wanted to protect her...

Only because she loved her...

It's not too late. I understand the spell now. It can be so easily broken. We can stop this.

It was too late. They would never forgive her now. Nopony would ever look at her in the same way, they would hate her, they would never love her again.

The best...the best she could offer her was this.

The doors to the library shattered open.

You're wrong.

There they were. The remaining ponies. Her remaining Aunts.

There they were. Front and center, her Momma and her Mom, slowly stepping towards her.

It's not too late for forgiveness.

There was fear in their eyes...but not for themselves. Fear for her. Desperation, but not for their plight, but hers.

They forgave Momma Luna.

They were here. The Princesses, Princess Mommy and Gammy, in all their glory. If she were to defeat them, she would need to capture her Momma now. But, they were not full of wrath, but love, and the words they were speaking, all four of them, not just them, all of them...

They forgave Mom.

Come back to us.
Let us help you.
Don't give up on us.

We love you.

They will forgive you.

Please....
Please...

I forgive you.

Knees buckled. Tears spilled. They collapsed to the floor.

They spoke, for the first time, as one.

"Please help me!"

EDIT: Fixed some grammar and formatting issues.

[WJMill]

In defense of Pinkie Keen:

I like the old-school slapstick, and there were some pretty awesome bits.
The story was almost all my two favorite ponies
It still fits the 'hey, just don't be a jerk for no reason' overall theme of the show
Pinkie and Twilight both trotting out of the library was pretty d'aww.



Pinkie would be really nice to have around while debugging.

"BLARG, what's wrong with this PHP script!?"
"Ooh, there's a syntax error in that echo statement"
"How'd you find that."
"I just looked there, silly."

I actually really enjoyed Feeling Pinkie Keen. Yeah, the ending was kind of lame compared to some of them, but I understand it. Twitchatwitcha cracks me up every time I watch it.

[erikun]

Probably could swap to that Lyra is a bipedal pic. She looks appropriately insane there.

You just want more Lyra, Lyra. Trying to start a Cult to the Turquoise One?

[Welf]

C'mon, there's absurd and then there's just plain crazy. You might as well ship BraeburnXOwlowlisious; that's about how canon that romance is. You kids and your crack pairings, honestly.

BraeburnXOwlowlisious is a bad example since it's canon. Braeburn had one scene where he said 3 words to Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash is the heroine of Scootaloo, and Owlowsious is a bird. So Braeburn and Owlowsious have a relationship and are an official couple. At least by ponysanity standards.

[darthbobcat]

Strangely never bothered me much. I think I just assumed it was because of the great stress of having a (supposedly) useless horn. I mean, that must be traumatic for a unicorn, almost as bad as losing it entirely. No wonder she grew desperate eventually.

Y'know, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I fail to see the practical difference between a cursed plant and a plant that somehow knows exactly how to magically prank you. For that matter, as much as she was trying to distinguish her magic from curses, once magic is in the picture, it's a meaningless distinction. If Twilight had to mix chemicals to make alchemical effects, and that's how her magic worked, fine. But as long as her magic works by "horn glows, stuff happens," to my mind Twilight was just insisting on her terminology.

There's no such thing as curses. Magic has predictable, distinct effects.

But we just got cursed by a nonsentient entity in personalized ways.

LALALALALALA NO SUCH THINGS AS CURSES THE BOOKS TOLD ME SO.

I think the dislike of that episode has less to do with spike and more with it being soap opera, and not the good barely tolerable kind (see also). At least Feeling Pinkie Keen had good gags, but Owl's Well That Ends Well has no redeeming virtues that I can think of.

It gave us two good things. 1) Quills and Sofas. 2) Scootaloo being adorably obsessive about sucking up to Dash.

[Lix Lorn]

*laughs* Oh I know~ I was just kidding ^^ and teasing you~

Ohgood. xD

Also, Lix, with my romantic luck, you're not going to have anyone to steal in the foreseeable future.

Awww. I could steal myself? (nuzzles)

At the risk of negativity, what's everyone's least favorite episode? Mine is Owl's Well That Ends Well.

Hmm. Bearing in mind that I enjoy every episode enough to rewatch them, Show Stoppers. When I rewatched the series, it was the only one I almost skipped.

Actually, I was referring to Twilight's father:

Hey... has anyone theorised that Twilight and Trixie are sist-?!

So, judging by cutie mark and colors, Trixie is Twi's half-sister...

...er.

Hang on, I'm missing a trick here. If you're gonna be chased my a crazy goddess, you may as well make use of it...

Lix, you're a shipping goddess; can you make Spike/Rarity happen?

(Ahem)
Let it be known throughout Equestria that the Great and Powerful Lixie...

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Supports Spike/Rarity.

Pinkie is a Sidereal, but they've decided not to tell her.

I've had my own personal canon about this for a LONG time. I've always thought that Pinkie is an alicorn to be. She's bouyed up by friendship, even more than the others-without her friends she /breaks/. And she has some form of magic that no other earth pony has.
Plus, and this is a nice touch I only just noticed, it means that while Pegasi and Unicorns are wonderful, it's the Earth Ponies who have the potential for everything within them.

I second this. Well more like third but still.
....Why do I have the feeling that if S2 gets Cerebus Syndrome the explanation will be either incredibly disturbing or technobabble filled?

Don't joke. They said they were putting a little stuff in for the older fans... let's hope they don't ruin it.
(Of course, with my track record, they woudn't be able to ruin it for me if they tried.)

You just want more Lyra, Lyra. Trying to start a Cult to the Turquoise One?

He knows.
Launch the Musical Missile Massacre.

[Kindablue]

Y'know, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I fail to see the practical difference between a cursed plant and a plant that somehow knows exactly how to magically prank you. For that matter, as much as she was trying to distinguish her magic from curses, once magic is in the picture, it's a meaningless distinction. If Twilight had to mix chemicals to make alchemical effects, and that's how her magic worked, fine. But as long as her magic works by "horn glows, stuff happens," to my mind Twilight was just insisting on her terminology.

There's no such thing as curses. Magic has predictable, distinct effects.

But we just got cursed by a nonsentient entity in personalized ways.

LALALALALALA NO SUCH THINGS AS CURSES THE BOOKS TOLD ME SO.

That came off as arbitrary to me, too. Both of those episodes would have been better had they done more world building early on and explained how unicorn magic is supposed to work.

Don't joke. They said they were putting a little stuff in for the older fans... let's hope they don't ruin it.
(Of course, with my track record, they woudn't be able to ruin it for me if they tried.)

What would Elan say about tempting fate?