A Canterlot Wedding, Parts 1 and 2

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Twilight and her B.B.B.F.F. Awwww. By 90Sigma
What a finale.

I can't think of anything bad to say about it, except maybe it would've been nice if the rest of the Mane Six played larger roles. Of course the story wouldn't work if you downplay the significance of the two ponies marrying in the first place, but...

Nonetheless, it was spectacular. I had the privilege of watching with my BBFF, Akira (Best BIFF Friends Forever [yes I know that is ridiculously redundant, since spelled out it's Best Best Internet Friends Forever Friends Forever, but fah!]) and it was a pretty good time. A much better show than when we did that all-nighter watching the community-voted top nine episodes leading up to Hearts and Hooves Day. (We were both half-asleep and I, at least, wasn't that fond of the episode) But I digress, it is time for opinions of this magnificent end to a pretty awesome season!

Let me start by saying Twilight having a large role was refreshing. Season Two really limited her importance in the show and it was beginning to feel like Twilight wasn't the main character anymore, but having her as the lead protagonist for not only the season two opening but for the finale as well definitely reminds you that this purple unicorn is indeed the main character. It's interesting how that dynamic works. If this were a boy's show, someone like Rainbow Dash might be the lead. If the executives were much more pushy about keeping the show in its original target audience, I'd think Pinkie would be the lead just for her coat and mane colour. (If this was a pony version of TTGL, Fluttershy would be the main character and RD would die a tragic but necessary death! Wahhh!) But interestingly, it is the nerd of the group, not the cool one or the pink one or the girly ones like Rarity you'd think would lead a little girl's TV Show, but Twilight. (Sorry AJ, for some reason you're not main-character material) For some reason that reminds me a bit of Sailor Moon where a vast majority loved Sailor Mercury over everyone else because not only is Twilight the main character but she is also the most popular.


The beautiful bride and handsome groom. By Catnipfairy
And of course, since it's an episode revolving around her, she gets a solo! Her very first solo in fact. Now it is only poor Applejack (again) who lacks a proper song associated with her. I loved BBBFF. It's quite catchy but my favourite part in the song was when the others came in with the backup. I do have a bit of a problem with the lyrics. NEVER HAVING A FIGHT WITH YOUR SIBLING IS UNREALISTIC! I would know, having my own older brother who too is living very far away! In fact they did have a fight in these episodes themselves, so there you have it. I do like how the songs in these episodes were very fitting for how long they were and for the episode. A song like Smile Smile Smile, though very good, took up the episode with little importance to the plot at all. (Not that I'm complaining, t'was a great song for Pinkie's character!)

Of course like any in-law-to-be, Twilight is a bit annoyed she wasn't told of the wedding. Some explanation later and all the planning starts happening, with AJ catering, Rarity fashioning (that is totally a word there is no red line under it!), RD training, Fluttershy practising, and Pinkie planning. Cadence (is it Cadance or Cadence? Eh, I prefer the latter) is oddly enough, not being a cooperative you'd think she'd be on her own wedding. Shining Armor (gah, typing armor without the U is weird) sounds like a surfer dude, but otherwise all is not well in the plot! I was incredibly sad that when Twilight accused Cadence of being evil, everyone walked out on her, not believing a word she says. They all gave her the cold shoulder treatment...even Celestia, her teacher. That was pretty intense, I feel. Then Cadence comes out of nowhere and sends her to the depths of a fiery green hell!


I loved the new villain's eyes. What an astounding gradient of green... By vlazesvectors
Well, at least that's what you're meant to believed due to the TO BE CONTINUED part that came right after. I think it's good the two parts were put together; a whole week of unrealistic expectations might have lessened the impact of part two.

Turns out there's a dungeon under the castle and Twilight will be trapped in there forever! Her magic laser beam thing bounces around until it destroys a wall, revealing the real Cadence apparently. (I thought this was the most poorly-written part of the episode, if there were any poorly-written parts at all) Maybe it wasn't the writing that was bad but the direction, but initially I wasn't convinced that was the real Cadence. To me it felt more like Cadence actually didn't have that much power and was incredibly cocky, leading to this scene. Even when she did the whole Sunshine, Sunshine bit it still felt like she was tricking Twilight. The whole scene went by far too fast and when they were hugging the angle in which we saw her face was a huge flag for her to make an evil face like she outsmarted the unicorn. Ah well, I soon forgot about this oddity because

SONNNGGGGGG

This Day Aria is awesome. I would have questioned why the alicorn-character who just got introduced already got a solo for herself when AJ hasn't, but then it turned out it was also a villain song, a "deceptive cadence" (how clever) and that the song was simply incredible. It also wasn't too long and fit well into transitioning Twi and the princess to the wedding scene. Oh by the way I forgot to mention, LYRA SPOKE...I actually thought she'd be mute forever and I wouldn't complain at all actually. I loved imagining how her voice would sound (and I'm quite a fan of one of her fan voices) but it wasn't a bad voice at all...maybe a bit generic, but eh, what can you do. Then later on here, she ends up brainwashed with Colgate and other pony I don't care about. That was pretty awesome to see. (I all but squee'd when Lyra spoke. I didn't want to explode Akira's eardrums. We were on Skype)

Evil Imposter Cadence is confronted, reverts to her true form, the Changeling Queen with her Swiss Cheese legs! (That was a strange design choice!) I was very much reminded of Starcraft and the Zerg at this point. What was pretty awesome (again, lots of awesome things happened) was Celestia stepping up and actually doing something. I was hoping for a bit more than a beam war though, and the "explosion" that resulted from Celestia losing didn't look all that dramatic enough to me, so I was a bit surprised when I saw her crown flying in the air and her falling on the floor. It really changed my outlook on Celestia now because the way she lost like that made her seem a lot weaker than I thought her to be.


Fight scene extraordinaire!
Of course, the Elements of Harmony must be retrieved if they have any hope of defeating the evil Queen Chrysalis! So our heroes dash off towards those elements, with a little nudging on Rarity and run into an insane army of Changelings. They predictably turn into clones of the Mane Six (I actually think they'd have been more threatening if they didn't change, what with their fanged teeth and divebombing tactics and all) but the fact that MY LITTLE PONY actually had a FIGHT SCENE was incredible in itself. I loved Fluttershy tricking her clones into thinking she was one of them and the Applejack dogpile, but my absolute favourite was when Pinkie was asking the changeling to "do her". The expression on that Fluttershy clone (rolled eyes) and then the utter adorability (it was so cute I made up a new word!) of the Pinkie it became was just...so......cute. That expression!! THAT CHANGELING IS NOW MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER! Except it's probably dead by now, aww. (I would react more to gatling!Twilight but I was already spoiled by that in the only preview clip I watched)

The fight would unfortunately be useless and mostly fanservice because they end up failing in reaching the elements. They are brought back to the castle and we are treated with a bit of a reprise of the amazing song, then Shining Armor and Princess Cadence use THE POWER OF LOVE to blow the evil Queen and her minions away, leading into a legitimate wedding with an endscene song that is quite possibly one of the catchiest songs in the entire series. (However the song strongly reminded me of the music from PPGZ for some reason, in particular the Bubbles' theme)

And Season Two ends on quite the epic high note.


  
I would so ship Sweetie Belle and Spike....also, VIOLINJACK IS CANON YEEEEAH!! And no, it is not a fiddle...because "fiddlejack" sounds completely awkward.
What a ride it has been, hasn't it? I first got into the show around the time Lesson Zero came out, and my first treatment to the livestream was Luna Eclipsed. (That first time is one of the best times I've had in the livestream due to the brilliance of the episode and everyone going crazy about it in chat. I laughed so hard in that Fluttershy scene, a moment that hasn't been replicated until The Last Roundup. However, watching the finale with Akira has topped that moment, if only just by a bit! The finale was that good! Also watching with friends always helps) My Saturdays won't be the same from this day forth, at least until season three!

In terms of my overall opinion of season two? It was amazing, but my complaints from months ago still apply. There is indeed a difference between the first and second season, that I can see. What is it you ask? Well it's pretty simple: Friendship is Magic. Season One, due to being the first season would have to work all that much harder to get us to know and love the characters, but it also spent a lot of its time developing the friendships as well. Twilight learning that friends matter and the fact that the group hung out with each other with or without Twilight. (RD and AJ having competitions, Fluttershy and Rarity going to the spa together, etc.) The aesops had to do with friendship a lot more than this season, which was far more character-focused. We'd get episodes where only one of the Mane Six would ever appear! Some people do like this change and others do not, but the reason I tune in for ponies is ultimately for the friendship aspect. Everything else, the character development (that I do love indeed), the interesting plots, or the wacky humour is the bonus icing on top! I hope season three touches more upon the friendship that brought me into the show all the way back in season one, but ultimately season two did not disappoint. I had many more favourite episodes in season two over one, so in terms of standalone episodes there were a lot of good ones. My complaint is only on the overall feel of the season.

Obviously since the season is over, we can now finish that episode-tier list I had before!

Celestia Tier	Awesome Tier	High Tier	Mid Tier	Meh Tier
The Cutie Mark Chronicles Party of One Luna Eclipsed The Last Roundup A Friend In Deed Hurricane Fluttershy A Canterlot Wedding P.2	Dragonshy Bridle Gossip Swarm of the Century Suited for Success Feeling Pinkie Keen Sonic Rainboom Green Isn't Your Colour May the Best Pet Win Baby Cakes Sweet and Elite Secret of my Excess A Canterlot Wedding P.1	Applebuck Season Griffon the Brush Off Winter Wrap Up A Dog and Pony Show Over a Barrel The Best Night Ever The Return of Harmony P.1 The Return of Harmony P.2 Lesson Zero Sisterhooves Social The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 It's About Time MMMMystery on the Friendship Express	Friendship is Magic P.1 Friendship is Magic P.2 The Ticket Master Look Before You Sleep Fall Weather Friends Stare Master A Bird in the Hoof Hearth's Warming Eve Family Appreciation Day Read it and Weep Hearts and Hooves Day Dragon Quest Ponyville Confidential	Boast Busters Call of the Cutie The Show Stoppers Owl's Well That Ends Well The Cutie Pox The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well Putting Your Hoof Down

The pony drought begins! Let the fan-created content pour into our spoiled lives! I want to thank Studio B and the people at the Hub and Hasbro for an excellent season. Let us hope season three brings more of the best!