My Little Pony General 2: Resurrection

[Zajice]

 

[LordWilliam1234]

Waiting for Season 6, I'd imagine.

On that note, watching through Season 1 again really makes me realize just how much the animation has improved since the beginning.

 

[A10theHero]

Fluttershy explains hibernation S1E11.png

 

[Geoberos]

I have nothing much relevant to add. A few pony ideas, but a back log of other ideas and personal organizational and artistic agenda to do first.

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

Wait, hold on a second.

We know there's an animated MLP movie coming sometime in the next few years. But what happened the last time an animated series about a popular Hasbro franchise had an also-animated movie?

If lightning strikes twice here, I don't think a lot of bronies would be happy with seeing beloved characters getting brutally killed off on-screen in the service of merchandising. And if the Skyla rumors are true (and seeing that there's setup for it, it seems to be), they might decide they need to reduce some of the cast to avoid it getting too out of hand.

And Hasbro never really settles for phasing characters out quietly, it seems. Be prepared in case some of our ponies kick the bucket in that movie. Or I could be completely wrong, I mean they did learn how harshly people took death of their beloved characters then, no reason to think it'd change now...except for a new generation, and thus one that isn't jaded to the idea.

If Celestia or Luna kick the bucket, there's going to be riots in this fandom.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Wait, hold on a second.

We know there's an animated MLP movie coming sometime in the next few years. But what happened the last time an animated series about a popular Hasbro franchise had an also-animated movie?

If lightning strikes twice here, I don't think a lot of bronies would be happy with seeing beloved characters getting brutally killed off on-screen in the service of merchandising. And if the Skyla rumors are true (and seeing that there's setup for it, it seems to be), they might decide they need to reduce some of the cast to avoid it getting too out of hand.

And Hasbro never really settles for phasing characters out quietly, it seems. Be prepared in case some of our ponies kick the bucket in that movie. Or I could be completely wrong, I mean they did learn how harshly people took death of their beloved characters then, no reason to think it'd change now...except for a new generation, and thus one that isn't jaded to the idea.

If Celestia or Luna kick the bucket, there's going to be riots in this fandom.

Was it REALLY necessary to bring up the Transformers 1986 movie spoilers here, dude?

Besides, you can't even HAVE death in My Little Pony. Remember when Lauren Faust said she couldn't say what happened to Applejack's parents?

 

[Sinister Slush]

Was it REALLY necessary to bring up the Transformers 1986 movie spoilers here, dude?

Spoilers?

Death won't happen in MLP anyways, just sealed away or banished, silly to compare fighting robots to candy colored ponies doing friendship stuph and the occasional fight.
Tirek one was over the top but cool I guess.

 

[Espy Rose]

I'm still upset at what they did to the smooze. What a downgrade.

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

I'm still upset at what they did to the smooze. What a downgrade.

Eh, not really. We've got enough Eldritch Abominations in FiM as it is, no need for another one. Besides, I like that it's not the same as G1 Smooze; better to be radically different than consistently regurgitate old tropes because it's how they were before.

If anything, the new characterization of The Smooze makes him a great friend for Discord, which I find is a good thing since it lets Discord develop beyond simply being a squatter who pulls pranks whenever people's backs are turned. Making The Smooze his friend allows character development.

And besides, The G1 Smooze's effects were basically already used by Discord himself. So I think that making the Smooze the same as it was in G1 would only serve to confuse the audience who haven't watched G1 of MLP; they'd be confused about why this living pile of slime has the same powers as Discord.

EDIT:

Was it REALLY necessary to bring up the Transformers 1986 movie spoilers here, dude?

I think those spoilers have long since expired, man. It's like putting a spoiler warning on Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's father; everybody already knows about those plot points.

Besides, you can't even HAVE death in My Little Pony. Remember when Lauren Faust said she couldn't say what happened to Applejack's parents?

And then we get a pony funeral in Hearts and Hooves Day. I don't know, but a funeral seems like it would be pretty certain evidence of death existing in this universe. Sure, you probably can't have graphic death on the show (stuff like evisceration and bifurcation would obviously be out of the question), but death as a concept isn't untouchable. Explosions are pretty good at killing things, and I assume powerful magic could do a pony in, as well.

So as long as it's not overly graphic, death doesn't seem to be off-limits to the show.

 

[Geoberos]

But that's more of a throw-away scene that was part of a song. The idea of death will be there low key, but death being part an overlying plot would be a no-no in what Faust started. Generation and Directors are heavily different so doubt anything drastic as death would happen. Appreciate a satire comparison though.

As for phasing out characters quietly, they've done that for a while with the whole Derpy fiasco Season 2. I almost expected Flash Sentry to be more common, but they left him as a once/twice cameo.

They already have a big cast to work with and they don't really have to take someone out. Closest you'd get is not being in an episode. It was a sigh of relief to most not to see Twilight shoehorned into every single episode back then. If anything, whatever happens in the movie is either slightly referenced as prementioned Flash, have an episode or two like returning antagonists Trixie and Gilda, or an occasional appearance like Luna, Shining Armor, and Discord.

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

They already have a big cast to work with and they don't really have to take someone out. Closest you'd get is not being in an episode. It was a sigh of relief to most not to see Twilight shoehorned into every single episode back then. If anything, whatever happens in the movie is either slightly referenced as prementioned Flash, have an episode or two like returning antagonists Trixie and Gilda, or an occasional appearance like Luna, Shining Armor, and Discord.

What I'm more concerned about is that, if the rumors about them adding Skyla to the show are true, then they might decide to phase one of the other princesses out (most likely Luna, with how little she seems to be used and developed)...and with a big movie in the pipelines, there's the chance of them deciding to phase out that princess in the feature film, and phasing them out in a dramatic fashion. Hell, they've already been ballsy enough to have visibly shown Rainbow going through the stages of grief; an on-screen character death isn't too far from that.

Besides, Hasbro could easily dictate that they should shuffle out some of the core supporting cast in order to promote newer toys; because the best way to promote a character's toy to kids is to show how awesome they are; and if they want to make Skyla look really awesome, they'd need to have her do something the other princesses would fail at. Hasbro is good at that sort of thing.

And adding a death into the mix is an easy way to add dramatic tension and heighten the stakes to the plotline. If this is going to be a movie-length episode in the style of a season premier (and it is, from the plot bits we have so far), there's going to be a new Big Bad that needs to be stopped. For all we know, that could be the new character being voiced by Kristen Chenoweth.

And if they want to make that Big Bad a threat, having them kill off a powerful character is an easy way to do it.

 

[Geoberos]

I don't even recall Hasbro even removing characters for the sake of promoting the next toy line. Princesses being pushed aside sounds like what happened to Celestia when Cadance happened, and to Cadance when Princess Twi happened. If Skyla happens, then Princess Twi's course has ran dry.

We already had three EG movies to base on how they'll approach movie-length plots. With the baddies we had so far, I'm not worried anything of the sorts happening, otherwise something similar to Tirek's method of incapacitating ponies through draining magic.
Worst case is Hasbro keeping the movie catered to girls and Thessin having to work around it, and even then he'd probably wouldn't even touch death.

 

[Zajice]

Hell, they've already been ballsy enough to have visibly shown Rainbow going through the stages of grief; an on-screen character death isn't too far from that.

A TV-Y rating makes it highly unlikely though. If anything happens, it's not gonna be straight up death, but some BS like "give up all my magic to somepony and this also makes me go poof" or something. There's also a huge difference between ponies and transformers in that transformers is a far more action oriented series.

 

[Dastardly Ridleylash]

I don't even recall Hasbro even removing characters for the sake of promoting the next toy line. Princesses being pushed aside sounds like what happened to Celestia when Cadance happened, and to Cadance when Princess Twi happened. If Skyla happens, then Princess Twi's course has ran dry.

I'd hazard Luna's more at risk of being phased out than Twilight, honestly. Luna's not done very much at all for a while now, while Twilight's had much more to do overall. Plus Twilight has plot armor, since she's the main protagonist of the show and still has toys, while I don't think Luna's had toys for a while now.

A TV-Y rating makes it highly unlikely though. If anything happens, it's not gonna be straight up death, but some BS like "give up all my magic to somepony and this also makes me go poof" or something. There's also a huge difference between ponies and transformers in that transformers is a far more action oriented series.

This is a movie, though, not a TV special; plus it's got an action-oriented plotline already, just like a season premier. They don't even need to make it graphic death at all; hell, movies like The Lion King get away with implying that characters were trampled to death in a stampede or eaten alive by hyenas in a G-rated movie. There's a lot of wiggle room to be had with the movie as opposed to the TV show.

And again, execs might want to push Skyla in some manner of extragavant fashion. Culling the characters that aren't doing much plot-wise is an easy way to add newer characters without bloating the main cast too much.

 

[Geoberos]

Again, Hasbro hasn't done any sort with their girl-centered shows. And the director Jason Thiessen and writer Meghan McCarthy we all grew to love over the seasons wouldn't make for a probability of permanent character removal in the series. And if by surprise they did, and it would be in the case as Zaj mentioned-- giving up their magic and dissolving into the air. And it would probably be a movie-introduced character sacrificing themselves.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

If they push aside Princess Luna I'll riot

 

[Espy Rose]

Fim smooze is garbage and mediocrity has never stopped the show before. Just look at spike. Or dash's characterization drop after s2.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Progress Report 68. Season 4 Episode 3: Castle Mane-ia

Spoiler

Great episode. We didn't find any of those keys, but there were funny moments all through the episode. I enjoyed how Rainbow Dash and Applejack were competing to see who's the bravest of the two, and how Rarity and Fluttershy made it look like one of those haunted mansion movies. I cracked up the hardest when we learn it was Pinkie Pie out of all people playing the pipe organ.

Something still haunts me though. If the keys weren't in the old castle, where could they possibly be? If even Celestia doesn't know, finding them would probably be a long shot.

Final Score: 10/10

 

[Espy Rose]

The best part is that at the end of s4, a large majority had castlemaneia as one of the worst episodes of the season.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

I thought "It Ain't Easy Being Breezies" was the one that people thought was the worst.

My personal least favorite of Season 4 is episode 9, though granted that has more to do with the fact that I reaaaaalllly dislike Pinkie Pie, as I've mentioned before.

 

[Zajice]

S4 doesn't really have any episodes I dislike. Castle Mane-ia is probably one of the weaker ones and it's still good.

 

[Fluttershy]

The best part is that at the end of s4, a large majority had castlemaneia as one of the worst episodes of the season.

Collapsing this because Flyer hasn't gotten to E7 yet..

Spoiler

I'd actually thought it would have been Bats.. Castle mane-ia had a good amount of laughs while Bats made the mane 5 (Fluttershy not included) look bad. It's probably my least favorite S4 Episode at least..

 

[Espy Rose]

God i remember that episode. Flutter was dumb, and the other 5 were just as dumb for believing her. Ajay was completely in the right.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

The song was nice though.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Progress Report 69. Season 4 Episode 4: Daring Don't

Spoiler

I'll be honest, that was a good episode, but it was a little bit emotional. Rainbow Dash went a little too far in the start of it, but at least Daring Do did learn that she couldn't have stopped Ahuizotl by herself this time. I honestly was surprised that she made that turn around, and that hugging scene just before Rainbow Dash and Daring Do departed was kinda awkward. Rainbow Dash must've really gained Daring's appreciation after she sent gave her a copy of her next book a week before release date, kinda like how Chuggaaconroy got Xenoblade X before its actual American release date.

Final Score: 10/10

 

[Espy Rose]

Daring dont was another hated episode. The fandom sucks at rating its own show.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Daring dont was another hated episode. The fandom sucks at rating its own show.

The only thing I really hate about it is the propaganda you usually see going around that Daring Do is Rainbow Dash's mom.

Honestly, people legitimately think Daring Do is Rainbow's mother? What is this bull?

 

[LordWilliam1234]

The only thing I really hate about it is the propaganda you usually see going around that Daring Do is Rainbow Dash's mom.

Honestly, people legitimately think Daring Do is Rainbow's mother? What is this bull?

I don't get it either, aside from them looking alike. Granted, I used to think Scootaloo and Dash were related somehow when I was first getting into the show, so maybe I'm not the best one to judge.

 

[Phoenix Lord']

The bat song wasn't too great, it was kinda wonky.

 

[Zatchiel]

I'd like to think they're involved in Canterlot's largest ever game of peek-a-boo.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Progress Report 70. Season 4 Episode 5. Flight to the Finish

Spoiler

Eh, it could've been worse. All this about Scootaloo not being able to fly was something I honestly did not see coming. That means she's just Rainbow Dash's cool attitude with the same wing problem Fluttershy has. I totally laughed up when Rainbow Dash reminded Ms Harshwinny that this was a "professional" thing.

While this wasn't really my favorite S4 episode so far, I gotta admit the song sung by the crusaders was pretty impressive.

Final Score: 6.5/10

 

[Espy Rose]

Scoring a Harshwhinny episode lower than 10/10. You're garbs.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Progress Report 71. Season 4 Episode 6. Power Ponies

Spoiler

That was kinda boring tbh. Not because of the whole Hair Spray thing, but because I don't think you can spin-off the Marvel Comics in a little girls TV Show and expect it to make sense. I just don't think you can. I'm not saying you can't, I don't think you can.

It's not all bad though. Some of those costumes were pretty amazing, but the episode itself wasn't fun at all. I can't wait to vent out the disappointment by practicing my guitar playing skills. I can understand the lesson of the episode, but superhero comic spinoffs are REALLY not my style.

Final Score: 2/10

 

[Espy Rose]

Confirmed trash.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

Power Ponies is actually one of my favorite episodes. Granted I'm a sucker for comic book spin-off type things.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Confirmed trash.

Why do you take me for such a scrub, anyway? These are all just personal opinions, no harm meant or done.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

Why do you take me for such a scrub, anyway? These are all just personal opinions, no harm meant or done.

Pretty sure he's just messing around. Don't think he means any harm either.

 

[Geoberos]

Just remove Spike. Power Ponies would be even more amazing.

 

[Jason the Yoshi]

Progress Report 72. Season 4 Episode 7. Bats

Spoiler

Total Crap! This episode really freaked me out the whole way through. They really went to far making Fluttershy put on a Vampire Fruit Bat stereotype. I don't even think it would've hurt for me to skip it. We even saw that Fluttershy still had a bit of a fang in the end, and THAT creeps me out.

Final Score: 0/10. I'm sorry, but this really did seem awful to me.

 

[LordWilliam1234]

Geez. Your last two progress reports were...quite harsh. And those two were in my top 5 from that season (Daring Don't being a third one in that list).

Now I'm really curious how my remaining two favorite season 4 episodes will rank for you