S04E17: Somepony to Watch Over Me

Episode, movie, and comic book discussion threads are kept here once they have been released.

Moderators: Perrydotto, Dexanth, Venusy, Wayoshi

Re: S04E17: Somepony to Watch Over Me

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 6:44 pm

That's exactly the kind of take I'd like to see on that plotline. It has the potential to be sweet and hilarious.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Pocket (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 10:08 pm

OK, so first and foremost: It's a real shame that the first episode we get in a long time that exhibits some aspect of Applejack's personality that (A) hasn't been the focus of an episode before and (B) is legitimately in-character for her, has to be one where everything is cranked up for the sake of comedy. It was good comedy, mind you; I actually laughed at the double helmet gag, which is more than I can say for anything that happened in "Lesson Zero" (another episode that I felt took things too far for the sake of comedy). It's possible to be funny and still have the characters feel believable — I refer you to all of Polsky's most memorable gags and all of Rarity's breakdowns.

Let's put this in perspective: Marlin from Finding Nemo would have looked at some of the stuff Applejack was doing and said "Isn't that a bit much?" And that's a guy whose wife and children were eaten, and more importantly we were there to see that happen. Pixar spent the first five minutes of that movie making sure the audience could sympathize with him, no matter how extreme he got. Here, though, we just see Applejack snap into overprotective mode over a silly misunderstanding and only get worse and worse from there. It didn't even need to get that extreme for the sake of the story. It could have just been about Apple Bloom not being trusted to stay home alone anymore, and being resentful for it and eager to prove that she can handle herself.

That said, I continue to be impressed by the little touches in the Crusaders' dialogue. Saying that Apple Bloom "does everything with sass" sounds like a line left over from "Twilight Time" for some reason. And the animation on the Chimera was impressive; I'm used to the one-off creatures either being animated rather stiffly or being drawn with basic fixed-width outlines to save time. The Chimera reminded me of Discord's frame-by-frame facial animation.

One plot hole I noticed: If Applejack was going to take the pie cart through that fire swamp, shouldn't all of those supplies she mentioned have been still packed up in the cart? And if they were, shouldn't Applejack have instead asked if Apple Bloom knew how and why to use them? :pinkieshrug:

Wylie wrote: :doomed: Also Brenda Crichlow isn't white.

I was gonna say. But then I realized, I genuinely didn't know; I'd just always sort of assumed because HA HA nobody would be that boneheaded OH WAIT these are the same people who approved "Over a Barrel" maybe I should go look it up actually... anyway thanks for saving me the trouble of doing that I guess.

(Incidentally, I still contend that her role in "Swarm of the Century" was an attempt to subvert our expectations — and Twilight's — that Zecora would be playing the role of the Magical Negro in the future, but clearly the other writers didn't get the hint.)
Orange Fluffy Sheep wrote:i am not ready for the transhumanist revolution to begin with my butt
Pocket
User avatar
I am shocked. Shocked. To find furry trash on my wholesome Pony forum.
Rainbow Racers
Joined: Sep 28, 2011
Location: In a bulding...

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 10:52 pm

Fwiw, that concept for Zecora was something Lauren came up with and kinda had to be talked out of, is the impression I got. :v:
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:05 pm

I suppose I'm willing to accept the extreme protectionism in this episode because it was from Applejack. Like, I tried imagining Rarity doing that to Sweetie Belle or Twilight Sparkle doing that to Spike, and in those cases it felt weird as hell.


One thing to consider is that I am an only child. When I was discussing For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils in the spoiler thread, I wondered why she and Rarity would be fighting again, and in response someone asked me if I had any siblings. Is the amount of love that Applejack shows for her family particularly unusual? Maybe my perspective is just way off here.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Wonkadoo (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:21 pm

Fizzbuzz wrote:I suppose I'm willing to accept the extreme protectionism in this episode because it was from Applejack. Like, I tried imagining Rarity doing that to Sweetie Belle or Twilight Sparkle doing that to Spike, and in those cases it felt weird as hell.


One thing to consider is that I am an only child. When I was discussing For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils in the spoiler thread, I wondered why she and Rarity would be fighting again, and in response someone asked me if I had any siblings. Is the amount of love that Applejack shows for her family particularly unusual? Maybe my perspective is just way off here.


Rarity and Sweetie Belle are a much more typical sibling dynamic. Rarity loves Sweetie Belle but considers having to look after her a hassle and an imposition. Applejack has had to take on a mother role towards her sister in a way that Rarity never has.
Wonkadoo
User avatar
There are these ponies.
And they do stuff ponies
don't normally do.
And they all make this face:
:thatsright: :dreamworks:
Joined: Mar 02, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:24 pm

Every family's different, but it's pretty common for siblings to be at each other's throats, especially with an older one in the teenage "I'm growing up and need my space" phase, and the younger one just wanting to be around their big brother/sister and play and be part of everything they're doing all the time! :ohboy:

But Applejack probably had to grow up a lot faster, so she straddles the "older sister" and "mom" roles. With her parents gone, she's bound to be a lot more protective of the family she still has. And on a farm, at least you can always send the young one off to paint a fence or buck some apples or something.
SlateSlabrock
User avatar
The information's unavailable to the mortal man.
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Postby ThunderBunny (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:25 pm

Wonkadoo wrote:
Rarity and Sweetie Belle are a much more typical sibling dynamic. Rarity loves Sweetie Belle but considers having to look after her a hassle and an imposition. Applejack has had to take on a mother role towards her sister in a way that Rarity never has.


I agree on both counts. I've known a couple of people who had to look after their younger siblings in the stead of parents, and it tends to completely transform the relationship. Obviously AJ's rendition was a pretty ridiculous charicature, since this is a cartoon after all, but I thought it got at the heart of something that is very real for some people in that same position.
ThunderBunny
User avatar
Joined: Jan 31, 2014

Postby Tears (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:30 pm

ThunderBunny wrote:

Also, the fact that people here can recognize AND point out that Zecorra, despite being really awesome in many ways, represents an extremely problematic trope--and NOT get shouted down by a stream of profanity-fueled tirades for saying it--makes me love you all so damn much. You win the internet.


Yeah I just wanted to say that one thing I really like about this forum is that I didn't feel like I was jumping into the belly of the beast by talking about issues around Zecora, it is a cool thing about TRS.

Also, yes to all of Wonkadoo and Slate's analyses of Rara/Sweets and AJ/Appablum
Image
Tears
User avatar
An appalling piece of pimpwork or a thoroughly botched token of sincerity
Joined: Apr 06, 2013
Gender: Male

Postby Star Platinum (?) » Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:52 pm

Headless Horse wrote:Fwiw, that concept for Zecora was something Lauren came up with and kinda had to be talked out of, is the impression I got. :v:


Veering a bit off topic, but I always liked Applejack's "Zebra sense" line in Cutie Pox. I at least like to think it was an intentional hint of casual racism they wrote for AJ, showing that despite the lesson in Bridle Gossip she's not completely flawless. Now let's argue whether it's offensive to perpetuate that particular stereotype... :gotcha:
Star Platinum
Joined: May 04, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 12:12 am

SlateSlabrock wrote:Every family's different, but it's pretty common for siblings to be at each other's throats, especially with an older one in the teenage "I'm growing up and need my space" phase, and the younger one just wanting to be around their big brother/sister and play and be part of everything they're doing all the time! :ohboy:

But Applejack probably had to grow up a lot faster, so she straddles the "older sister" and "mom" roles. With her parents gone, she's bound to be a lot more protective of the family she still has. And on a farm, at least you can always send the young one off to paint a fence or buck some apples or something.



Thats what ive been saying!!!

Someone who understands! Yay!! :hug:


Also the more I watch this ep the more I like it, may be ballzy enough to put it in my top 10 of the season !
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Passport Clean (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:02 am

Headless Horse wrote:Fwiw, that concept for Zecora was something Lauren came up with and kinda had to be talked out of, is the impression I got. :v:


*Gasp* Not St. Faust! :byodood: (I kid, I kid! :amazing:)

Tears wrote:Yeah I just wanted to say that one thing I really like about this forum is that I didn't feel like I was jumping into the belly of the beast by talking about issues around Zecora, it is a cool thing about TRS.


Eh, it's a double-edged sword. Sometimes it's good, like in this case, but sometimes we go overboard with the bleeding-heart routine and enable things we really shouldn't. I'm one of the resident moderate liberals on a more conservative tabletop game forum and sometimes I'm grateful for the splash of cold water they deliver to my more wild-eyed leftist fantasies.
Passport Clean
User avatar
#$@&%*!
Joined: Apr 10, 2013
Location: New York, NY

Postby Wylie (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:05 am

Tears wrote:
Yeah I just wanted to say that one thing I really like about this forum is that I didn't feel like I was jumping into the belly of the beast by talking about issues around Zecora, it is a cool thing about TRS.

Also, yes to all of Wonkadoo and Slate's analyses of Rara/Sweets and AJ/Appablum


In a "take a step back and look" sort of sense, the fact that we're discussing these family issues like this has to be an indicator that the episode was a success on at least one or two levels.
ImageImage :fancyhat:
Wylie
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Jun 08, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:45 am

Wylie wrote:
In a "take a step back and look" sort of sense, the fact that we're discussing these family issues like this has to be an indicator that the episode was a success on at least one or two levels.



Agreed! I truly believe after all is said & done when people are looking back at the season or on this ep, there will be more with A positive outlook on it l then A negative.


But maybe thats just wishful thinking on my part. :-P
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Dexanth (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:56 am

Tears wrote:


Zecora's an interesting character, and actually some of this is stuff I know from my notes from the Press Q&A I never wrote a write up on, but :

I prefaced this with 'she's not white', but someone beat me to it :-I

Zecora's character was originally more Cajun-focused. In the audition, Brenda ended up switching it up - she did a bit of West Indies, some patois, eventually moved to African.

Zecora's end voice is actually based on her hairdresser, who is from Uganda.

And yea, she originally was meant to be something of a Yoda for Twilight, like she is in Magic Duel - but so was Luna, for that matter. I'm pretty sure those were vetoed because of the S1 'We don't want things to be dark' fiat.
:milkshake: Image ImageImage Image
Dexanth
User avatar
Love conquers all
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Oct 23, 2011
Gender: Female

Postby Passport Clean (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:01 am

SoundMonkey44 wrote:Agreed! I truly believe after all is said & done when people are looking back at the season or on this ep, there will be more with A positive outlook on it l then A negative.


Sure, season 2 was more contested than many people remember, and now look at its reputation. Even season 3 has, for many people, gone from "ARGH SEASONAL ROT NEW SPONGEBOB :twonk:" to "Well if I'm honest with myself I did enjoy 5-7 of the episodes and some of the others were acceptably average rather than Johnny Test. :pinkieshrug: "
Passport Clean
User avatar
#$@&%*!
Joined: Apr 10, 2013
Location: New York, NY

Postby MochaBean (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:06 am

Dexanth wrote:And yea, she originally was meant to be something of a Yoda for Twilight, like she is in Magic Duel - but so was Luna, for that matter. I'm pretty sure those were vetoed because of the S1 'We don't want things to be dark' fiat.

:gonkity: :gonkity: :gonkity: :gonkity: :gonkity:

That would have been the best thing ever. :cry:
MochaBean
User avatar
Take it from me, little buddy
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 25, 2011

Postby Wayoshi (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:48 am

The more I think about it, the more I do think the chimera was mishandled.

Either have it not talk at all and be fully intimidating (seriously, not every new thing has to talk lately, what happened to great silent minor characters like Angel?), or go the AB can relate to it route. It was left in an awkward halfway state. I honestly thought at first too that maybe the chimera was going to be the one who ordered the pies, but no, then we had to throw in a Cajun joke out of nowhere to partially overshadow the moral. :-/

I don't know what to feel about this ep anymore. :v:
Wayoshi
User avatar
Paper Fluttershy
Stare Masters
Joined: Oct 26, 2011
Location: Boston, MA
Gender: Male

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:53 am

In the other hand, watching AJ fight A Chimera was pretty awesome. And I think the episodes subversions, both the song-block by Scootaloo & the whole very brief mislead thinking that AB & the Chimera might connect over having to deal with overbearing sisters was interesting IMO. Pony subverting its own tropes, not something you see every day.

I do agree though, the Caujin Ponies were pretty meh in retrospect. But I don't think they tarnish the moral. The moral of not being to over protective and accepting your sibling/daughter is growing up were still prominent through out the ep IMO.
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:39 am

You want to talk subversions, I was really caught off guard by the whole "That sure was an irresponsible and poorly-thought-out thing you did just to prove a point, but hey you managed to pull it off, so I guess kudos to you :twasnothin: " tone of the resolution.

What I was expecting was an ending like:

:ohgawd: Just because you got lucky is no justification for acting irresponsible. You could have been hurt! The pies could have been hurt! You gotta know when to listen to your elders. You're grounded for three weeks and I'm never letting you out of my sight again!

:gah: Aw mom!

* Iris out, sad trombone *


But that's very much an "other cartoons" kind of ending, isn't it?
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:55 am

Yeah, it got pretty twisty in that last act, between the chimera being kinda-sorta-sympathetic but also menacing and AJ pulling a hairpin turn on Applebloom's responsibility.
SlateSlabrock
User avatar
The information's unavailable to the mortal man.
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:01 am

Yeah. That was pretty neat as well. AJ just when we think we know how your gonna react you pull something new outta yur hat. XD


And you know what as silly as it may sound, I would love if this ep inspired someone to start an overprotective AJ tumblr where she's that way to Everypony. :gotcha: *i'm a horrible person, I know*



But yeah deff putting this up on my top 10 of the season so far.

Only real negative at this point for me other then pacing issues in spots *which is par for the course for pony at this point* would be as mentioned, the Cajun ponies wear thin easily, it was kinda funny the first time, but during re-watches it's just cringe worthy.


But yeah, AJ going into "overprotective mother" mode may not work all that well for everyone, but it works for me. Everyone present in the ep had some good moments, the subversions of expectations were fun. And making an episode arguably aimed just as much, if not more at the intended demo's parents then the lil kids themselves is an interesting thing to see,
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:15 am

It's also worth mentioning that back during the ponyless summer we ruminated at least a couple of times on the fact that we'd now seen every pony except for AJ go crazy in one way or another; we knew what each one's path toward mental breakdown would be.

Twilight: tardiness, or failing Celestia
Fluttershy: not being loved by critters
Pinkie: abandonment
Rainbow Dash: failure
Rarity: overwork and stress and Sweetie Belle

But what could Applejack's weakness be? Was she destined to be the forever-stolid one, the level-headed one, the one whose devotion to family and duty made her the rock upon which the waves of the other five eternally crashed, never wearing it down? Was "stubbornness" the only thing that could pierce her armor of unflappability?

Well, now we know, don't we? The writers found an exploitable angle in that long-buried overprotectiveness thing that had all but been forgotten about since early in S1. That's what drives Applejack to the kind of irrationality that earns exasperated eye-rolls from Big Macintosh: her guardian role to Apple Bloom and her need to provide the kind of care that (she thinks) a mother figure should.

It's even relatable to the target audience! And (^^ preview edit: ) their parents!
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby londonarbuckle (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:47 am

I finally watched this episode and it was pretty good, pretty much mid-tier. Except for the ending which was kind of really badly done (both the way things wrapped up and the weird Cajun ponies). Sweetie Belle owned the whole episode ("Why, that sounds delightful!") but what else is new?

By the way does Scootaloo really say AB does everything "with sass?" I couldn't understand it and that's what the fan transcript says but it seems weird to me. This has probably been addressed in the thread already but I'm way behind this week, whoops! :sweetielarm:
Image: The Return of Me Having a Signature
londonarbuckle
User avatar
see those OCs with their long curly manes
goodnight to the brony era
cause they don't need you anymore
little mare, colt, mare
cooooooooooooooooooooooollllllt
Princesses of Soul
Joined: Oct 17, 2011
Location: HTX
Gender: Male

Postby PonyHag714 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:19 pm

When I saw people talking about "sass" I thought AB had talked back to AJ and I missed it. :anticipation: It was only after rewatching the ep that I caught the actual line.
Image You can't deny the prize, it may never fulfill you.
PonyHag714
User avatar
Now let's go round again!
Joined: Mar 18, 2013
Location: Oromareocto, Canterda
Gender: Male

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:23 pm

That sass line might be the greatest joke in a CMC episode so far, second only to the song starting up.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby BackgroundPony (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:31 pm

Chalk me up in the camp that thinks this was a weird out of character episode. I know it's never been explicitly stated, but I always got the feeling AJ would treat AB with care, but not smothering overprotectiveness. Looking at previous episodes where they've interacted, there hasn't been an inkling of this. Totally out of left field.

If something would have happened to trigger the behavior, that would be fine, but as is I have to say it just felt like bad writing.
BackgroundPony
User avatar
; )
Faithful Students
Joined: Feb 28, 2013

Postby Perpetual Lurker (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:15 pm

If there's one thing I really like about the CMC episodes so far this season, it's the fact that they've been focusing on the maturation of the characters so much. Scootaloo has put a good chunk of her insecurities behind her, Apple Bloom is being recognized and responsible and old enough to handle things on her own, and all three of them showed great advancement and maturity in Twilight Time. It really feels like they're going somewhere, rather than being stuck in the repetitive Crusader Mode that they were in in the first two seasons.
Perpetual Lurker
User avatar
Just blending in.
Special Flowers
Joined: Oct 16, 2012
Gender: Genderless

Postby PonyHag714 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:30 pm

Unicorn-specific that it is, the emergence of Sweetie Belle's magic ability is the most tangible sign to me of the CMC maturing. :ohboy:
Image You can't deny the prize, it may never fulfill you.
PonyHag714
User avatar
Now let's go round again!
Joined: Mar 18, 2013
Location: Oromareocto, Canterda
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:45 pm

Compare this to Sisterhooves Social. Like SlateSlabrock was saying, there that was a case of the older sibling wanting to be left alone and the younger being incredibly attached to the older. We're sort of seeing the reverse now, with Apple Bloom (and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, judging by how much they celebrated in the cold open) growing into that desire for independence. To me, that's clear evidence of them growing up.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:54 pm

I just wanna say that I would really really really like to be part of the roundstable disscussion for this ep. So if that is at all possible, I would be forever greatful.



Also, you know looking around the net, I kinda feel increasinhly sorry for the writers of the show, and just writers in general. We say we want media with interesting, dynamic & well developed chsracters, yet when a show/comix/ etc does something with a character thats outside of their steryotype, niche or viewers "safty" or expectation zone, that character is OOC or bad writing. Personally I think thats just silly

Also I agree with Headless post, we kept complaining about AJ going over the edge, and now that its happened we complain because she's supposed to be an immovable straight mare, or it didn't happen the way we expected it to.


Man the pony writing staff just can't win, can they.


Again I do agree in retrospect the Steryotypical swamp ponies were bleh, but that short joke aside, I say we had a pretty solid AB/AJ ep. And I hope to see more of Scott Sonneborn work on the show in the future!
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Mr. Big (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:03 pm

SoundMonkey44 wrote:I just wanna say that I would really really really like to be part of the roundstable disscussion for this ep. So if that is at all possible, I would be forever greatful.

If possible, me too :allears:
Mr. Big
User avatar
A batty bat
Scootaloo's Pro Scooters
Joined: Mar 27, 2011
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby BackgroundPony (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:07 pm

AJ has gone around the bend at least once before, in the family reunion. That seemed more organic than this. Work pony trying to do all the work and getting overloaded.

I don't think it's completely ridiculous for AJ to go crazy trying to protect a family member, but the episode should have had something to trigger it. And not a completely contrived ridiculous scenario resulting in some broken dishes, either.
BackgroundPony
User avatar
; )
Faithful Students
Joined: Feb 28, 2013

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:17 pm

I dont think it was contrived. Remember, from the start AJ was setting herself up for this, she was the most uncertain about leaving AB home alone, this is shown in her disscussion with Big Mac. Again, IMO the story was just as much about AJ refusing to accept her sister was growing up, as much as it was about having AB prove she 's old enough to be left home alone for an extended amount of time & take care of the chores/ farm.
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby Bon Snow (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:44 pm

The first half of this episode was really awesome, the second half with the manticore wasn't quite as good, but I am happy that they have done something new with AJ. After the cold opening I thought that this episode could go two routes: Overprotective AJ or mess-up Apple Bloom and I am really happy that they took the first one. (I don't follow any spoilers and I didn't even think about the title for a second :v: )

It would be quite boring if the show would retreat those same lessons again and again. AJ's stubbornness isn't like Fluttershy shyness, where she has to fight it everyday anew. Especially since AJ has learned something from her episodes, for instance when she accepted the help of her friends in the Ciderepisode 9001. So doing an episode about an overloaded work pony or about her stubbornness would feel like the show has nothing new to tell about AJ.

AJ is stubborn and prideful, but that is also why she has to fail in all of her episodes. Her episodes start off with an overly confident AJ that works hard to achieve her goal, but never reaches it, because she has to fail for the moral. "Bite off more than you can chew" is AJ's catch phrase. Yeah she is a bit overprotective here, of course the writers bent her character for comedic reasons, but it doesn't bother me the slightest. It's much better than another AJ fails episode :twasnothin:

When one of us gets tired, the other can take over. Brilliant, huh? :scootawoo:

This might also be the funniest line in the whole show.
Bon Snow
User avatar
AJ energized
Joined: Mar 21, 2013
Location: Third class partner

Postby ThunderBunny (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 8:54 pm

BackgroundPony wrote:
I don't think it's completely ridiculous for AJ to go crazy trying to protect a family member, but the episode should have had something to trigger it. And not a completely contrived ridiculous scenario resulting in some broken dishes, either.


I agree that her overboard proactiveness felt more natural in Apple Family Reunion than in this episode, but I was still ok with how this episode was handled, despite the ridculous exaggeration (like putting Apple Bloom in a crib). To be fair, the scene did look really bad when AJ came in and everyhing was a shambles. And then that huge jar almost fell on AB's head which in real life could have actually killed her. I guess that helped me be willing to accept AJ's hyperactice confirmation bias.

(Confirmation bias explained, in case anyone needs it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias )
ThunderBunny
User avatar
Joined: Jan 31, 2014

Postby ZamuelNow (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:34 pm

I think the action scene was a real treat in how the staff knows how to work within the show's TV Y rating. It was a very intense sequence yet there was little physical contact made. I had been hoping for more creative fights while the macguffin is temporarily gone.

Also, Hasbro is confirming my "Applejack is pony Batman" headcanons. :flirt:

SoundMonkey44 wrote:But yeah, AJ going into "overprotective mother" mode may not work all that well for everyone, but it works for me. Everyone present in the ep had some good moments, the subversions of expectations were fun. And making an episode arguably aimed just as much, if not more at the intended demo's parents then the lil kids themselves is an interesting thing to see,


I think that's what's sorta needed for both this and Stare Master. The ability to see both sides allows an interesting level of empathy towards the episode despite, or perhaps because of, the exaggeration.

...

AJ's gear is another toy we're never gonna get, isn't it? :fluttersmith:
In Dream Valley, even the money wants to kill you.
ZamuelNow
User avatar
Joined: Sep 26, 2013
Location: Tuesday
Gender: Male

Postby londonarbuckle (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:41 pm

You know, it sure is weird that the Chimera spoke English. This is the first straight-up bloodthirsty monster we've gotten from this show with that level is sapience. I kept expecting it to actually NOT be a bloodthirsty monster after all because of how chatty it was getting. It made the whole sequence feel really weird. Don't know if it's good weird or bad weird though.

Also, I think I'm in the camp of thinking AJ was badly characterized. Her sudden over-protectiveness didn't bother me too much, in fact I almost expected it from a new writer. But then she realized AB can take of herself... when she almost got eaten by a monster? What? The whole resolution was so weird to me.
Image: The Return of Me Having a Signature
londonarbuckle
User avatar
see those OCs with their long curly manes
goodnight to the brony era
cause they don't need you anymore
little mare, colt, mare
cooooooooooooooooooooooollllllt
Princesses of Soul
Joined: Oct 17, 2011
Location: HTX
Gender: Male

Postby ZamuelNow (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:50 pm

londonarbuckle wrote:You know, it sure is weird that the Chimera spoke English.


Eh, Garble and the rest of the teen dragons were chatty but fully willing to be violent.
In Dream Valley, even the money wants to kill you.
ZamuelNow
User avatar
Joined: Sep 26, 2013
Location: Tuesday
Gender: Male

Postby SoundMonkey44 (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 9:54 pm

londonarbuckle wrote:You know, it sure is weird that the Chimera spoke English. This is the first straight-up bloodthirsty monster we've gotten from this show with that level is sapience. I kept expecting it to actually NOT be a bloodthirsty monster after all because of how chatty it was getting. It made the whole sequence feel really weird. Don't know if it's good weird or bad weird though.

Also, I think I'm in the camp of thinking AJ was badly characterized. Her sudden over-protectiveness didn't bother me too much, in fact I almost expected it from a new writer. But then she realized AB can take of herself... when she almost got eaten by a monster? What? The whole resolution was so weird to me.



Again, I don't think she felt AB couldn't take care of herself so much as she was having trouble accepting her "Baby Sister" isn't a baby anymore, AB stated multiple times that she didn't need AJ to watch over her, but AJ of course was too stubborn to look past her own view of her sister to accept that until the chimera incident.
Image
Sunset Shimmer is BEST Hu-Mane!!
SoundMonkey44
User avatar
Ain't Got No Sense, No Sense At All.
Joined: Feb 04, 2013
Location: The South West
Gender: Male

Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:10 pm

londonarbuckle wrote:Also, I think I'm in the camp of thinking AJ was badly characterized. Her sudden over-protectiveness didn't bother me too much, in fact I almost expected it from a new writer. But then she realized AB can take of herself... when she almost got eaten by a monster? What? The whole resolution was so weird to me.

Applebloom realizes an Apple always puts the merchandise first. :v:

Applebloom did nearly get through the whole delivery route without all the random doohickeys. She couldn't have known about the chimera, but she still almost pulled it off. However, I agree that AJ's whiplash-inducing mood reversal as a twist ending was a bit much. Perhaps playing it a little more straight and not trying to make everything a tension-building bait-and-switch would have felt more natural.
SlateSlabrock
User avatar
The information's unavailable to the mortal man.
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Previous Next

Return to Pony Media Release Threads

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 1 guest