Equestria Games
May. 5th, 2014 10:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spottoSo I've mentioned before how much I disliked every episode related to the Equestria Games subplot sidebar thing. The one exception is Flight to the Finish, but even that episode took a long time for me to warm up to. Games Ponies Play is one of the worst episodes in the entire series, and Rainbow Falls is a rehash of Rainbow Dash if she had forgotten all her character development up to that point. The idea that a buffed up pegasus on steroids is somehow in a racing competition (track and field runners are very thin) and not weightlifting is already absurd, but there is no need to include Fluttershy, a pony who doesn't seem all that interested or invested in sports in the first place to ALSO be participating in the equine equivalent of the Olympics! And then they somehow win second place in their event implying Rainbow Dash is literally the fastest pony in existence, and their own humble little town situated in the backdrop of Canterlot somehow wins the medal count.
What.
So THANK GOD the episode that all these terrible episodes were leading up to is a SPIKE episode. And a really good one to boot! I had not expected a Spike episode (and who did?) especially considering the last episode also starred the young dragon. Unfortunately both Inspiration Manifestation and Power Ponies seem more like fanfiction plots shoehorned in so Spike's episodes would be more interesting than just having a baby dragon in it. After all the only other good Spike episode is the one where he turns into a rampaging Godzilla-King Kong parody. They messed up world-building in Dragon Quest by focusing on stereotypical teenage archetypes and Owl's Well that Ends Well is just dull. Anyone who was looking forward to the Games themselves would probably be disappointed, but I had the complete opposite of hype thanks to the episodes leading up to this one, and also knowing who the writer was beforehand didn't help especially (I'm not a big fan of Polsky's episodes, any of them)
Equestria Games was a pleasant surprise. It's funny though. Many people found Spike's butchering of the Cloudsdale anthem too difficult to sit through, while it hardly affected me. Perhaps because I don't know the Cloudsdale anthem myself, or maybe Spike continuing to sing the song despite knowing nothing of it anyway seems so over-the-top embarrassing it encircled the cringe gamma entirely and so I felt nothing. If someone forgot the lyrics in a few places that would be one thing, but not knowing the anthem whatsoever and still singing it seems completely against one's common sense. If you don't know the anthem AT ALL wouldn't it be less embarrassing to just step out and not sing it? Sure you'll still face ridicule, but what sort of insane minuscule chance are you trying to garner by hoping the lyrics you made up match the song?!?
Also I'm going to play the race card! Because what fun is it to play the race card? PEGASUS BIAS.
Why are a majority of Ponyville's athletes pegasi? is it due to their culture? But their own flag-carrying ceremony was meant to emphasize the melting-pot culture of Ponyville itself! Or perhaps the pool of talent in this year's Equestria Games (and likely all the games, maybe it's a fairly new event?) is pretty damn shallow, so after the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash you have a serious drop-off in talent, thus the inclusion of white pony with near non-existent wings and Fluttershy. And because Ponyville's filled with so many workers in comparison to silly Canterlot and their entire population of snooty elites, this allows them to have more of the fit and competitive ponies of the entire nation? Even moreso than mysterious places like Saddle Arabia and wherever it is those Griffons came from? Why are there no zebras?? WHERE IS THE REPRESENTATION AND VARIETY WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING THE CHILDREN HASBRO
Well even if it's just a silly cartoon with a silly spoof on the Olympics, I am seeing a bit of a trend this season. Twilight's ascension to princesshood is marked by the sudden growth of wings. A sporting event obviously needs to include Rainbow Dash, but we're throwing Fluttershy in the mix too. Trade Ya seemed like an episode that was trying to focus on all of the Mane Six, but eventually decided the pegasi's subplot was the most interesting of them all and thus deserved all the screen time. (We also get more Rainbow Dash is loyal morals, can't have enough of those!) Fluttershy is apparently an amazing singer (who has sang many times before and anyone who says her voice is better than Rarity's or someone else is lying). If Rainbow Dash wants to be self-inserted into her hero's. who is suddenly nonfiction, next book, she TOTALLY CAN because Rainbow Dash is so amazing. Fluttershy is still a bat.
It may sound like I'm just rambling, but basically the pegasi episodes this season have been horrible, and their showings haven't been good enough for them to deserve all the hype and spotlight. Rainbow Dash's only good episode has been Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3 which focused on Rainbow Dash's plight and had a more-or-less equal involvement between the other five, but especially Twilight because it only makes sense for her to be more interested in the topic of studying. Fluttershy barely has one good episode, that being Bats but even that episode had a ton of flaws. Maybe that's why I am so glad Equestria Games is about Spike because honestly? If the quality of RD and Fluttershy episodes are like this I'd rather watch more Spike.
I'm serious.
Here is my wishlist for season five:
Good Fluttershy episodes.
If Rainbow Dash is involved in a sporting event, do not shoehorn Fluttershy in it. I prefer her extremely enthusiastic cheering ala Sonic Rainboom.
Episodes about the two of them that don't involve the other. Put them with ANYONE else I don't care, even a new character, I've had enough of the two of them together. Their interactions aren't that interesting. Fluttershy + Iron Will was interesting. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust? Fluttershy in another episode with her best friend, Rarity? Rainbow Dash arguing with Applejack again? Rainbow Dash in some bookish adventure with Twilight? Weren't Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash pranking buddies? ANYONE ELSE AT ALL.
GOOD FLUTTERSHY EPISODES, EVEN JUST ONE
More Pinkie songs (I miss her random and frequent ditties of season one. I'm not asking for a thousand musicals, just fun songs like Singing Telegram or Hop Skip and Jump from time-to-time again)
Twilight episodes that aren't two-parters. (I don't even like Twilight but this is getting rather absurd)
Good Fluttershy episodes.
A Sweetie Belle episode that has nothing to do with Rarity.
An Applejack episode where her family does not appear.
A good Fluttershy episode.
Something to do with Luna that doesn't involve her invading the dreams of fillies.
RD song? (She's very unlikely to do a solo, but maybe a duet with anyone other than Fluttershy?)
A GOOD FLUTTERSHY EPISODE
I tempered my expectations with season four and I'm still ranting. This has been Spotto.
What.
So THANK GOD the episode that all these terrible episodes were leading up to is a SPIKE episode. And a really good one to boot! I had not expected a Spike episode (and who did?) especially considering the last episode also starred the young dragon. Unfortunately both Inspiration Manifestation and Power Ponies seem more like fanfiction plots shoehorned in so Spike's episodes would be more interesting than just having a baby dragon in it. After all the only other good Spike episode is the one where he turns into a rampaging Godzilla-King Kong parody. They messed up world-building in Dragon Quest by focusing on stereotypical teenage archetypes and Owl's Well that Ends Well is just dull. Anyone who was looking forward to the Games themselves would probably be disappointed, but I had the complete opposite of hype thanks to the episodes leading up to this one, and also knowing who the writer was beforehand didn't help especially (I'm not a big fan of Polsky's episodes, any of them)
Equestria Games was a pleasant surprise. It's funny though. Many people found Spike's butchering of the Cloudsdale anthem too difficult to sit through, while it hardly affected me. Perhaps because I don't know the Cloudsdale anthem myself, or maybe Spike continuing to sing the song despite knowing nothing of it anyway seems so over-the-top embarrassing it encircled the cringe gamma entirely and so I felt nothing. If someone forgot the lyrics in a few places that would be one thing, but not knowing the anthem whatsoever and still singing it seems completely against one's common sense. If you don't know the anthem AT ALL wouldn't it be less embarrassing to just step out and not sing it? Sure you'll still face ridicule, but what sort of insane minuscule chance are you trying to garner by hoping the lyrics you made up match the song?!?
Also I'm going to play the race card! Because what fun is it to play the race card? PEGASUS BIAS.
Why are a majority of Ponyville's athletes pegasi? is it due to their culture? But their own flag-carrying ceremony was meant to emphasize the melting-pot culture of Ponyville itself! Or perhaps the pool of talent in this year's Equestria Games (and likely all the games, maybe it's a fairly new event?) is pretty damn shallow, so after the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash you have a serious drop-off in talent, thus the inclusion of white pony with near non-existent wings and Fluttershy. And because Ponyville's filled with so many workers in comparison to silly Canterlot and their entire population of snooty elites, this allows them to have more of the fit and competitive ponies of the entire nation? Even moreso than mysterious places like Saddle Arabia and wherever it is those Griffons came from? Why are there no zebras?? WHERE IS THE REPRESENTATION AND VARIETY WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING THE CHILDREN HASBRO
Well even if it's just a silly cartoon with a silly spoof on the Olympics, I am seeing a bit of a trend this season. Twilight's ascension to princesshood is marked by the sudden growth of wings. A sporting event obviously needs to include Rainbow Dash, but we're throwing Fluttershy in the mix too. Trade Ya seemed like an episode that was trying to focus on all of the Mane Six, but eventually decided the pegasi's subplot was the most interesting of them all and thus deserved all the screen time. (We also get more Rainbow Dash is loyal morals, can't have enough of those!) Fluttershy is apparently an amazing singer (who has sang many times before and anyone who says her voice is better than Rarity's or someone else is lying). If Rainbow Dash wants to be self-inserted into her hero's. who is suddenly nonfiction, next book, she TOTALLY CAN because Rainbow Dash is so amazing. Fluttershy is still a bat.
It may sound like I'm just rambling, but basically the pegasi episodes this season have been horrible, and their showings haven't been good enough for them to deserve all the hype and spotlight. Rainbow Dash's only good episode has been Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3 which focused on Rainbow Dash's plight and had a more-or-less equal involvement between the other five, but especially Twilight because it only makes sense for her to be more interested in the topic of studying. Fluttershy barely has one good episode, that being Bats but even that episode had a ton of flaws. Maybe that's why I am so glad Equestria Games is about Spike because honestly? If the quality of RD and Fluttershy episodes are like this I'd rather watch more Spike.
I'm serious.
Here is my wishlist for season five:
Good Fluttershy episodes.
If Rainbow Dash is involved in a sporting event, do not shoehorn Fluttershy in it. I prefer her extremely enthusiastic cheering ala Sonic Rainboom.
Episodes about the two of them that don't involve the other. Put them with ANYONE else I don't care, even a new character, I've had enough of the two of them together. Their interactions aren't that interesting. Fluttershy + Iron Will was interesting. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust? Fluttershy in another episode with her best friend, Rarity? Rainbow Dash arguing with Applejack again? Rainbow Dash in some bookish adventure with Twilight? Weren't Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash pranking buddies? ANYONE ELSE AT ALL.
GOOD FLUTTERSHY EPISODES, EVEN JUST ONE
More Pinkie songs (I miss her random and frequent ditties of season one. I'm not asking for a thousand musicals, just fun songs like Singing Telegram or Hop Skip and Jump from time-to-time again)
Twilight episodes that aren't two-parters. (I don't even like Twilight but this is getting rather absurd)
Good Fluttershy episodes.
A Sweetie Belle episode that has nothing to do with Rarity.
An Applejack episode where her family does not appear.
A good Fluttershy episode.
Something to do with Luna that doesn't involve her invading the dreams of fillies.
RD song? (She's very unlikely to do a solo, but maybe a duet with anyone other than Fluttershy?)
A GOOD FLUTTERSHY EPISODE
I tempered my expectations with season four and I'm still ranting. This has been Spotto.
