My Little Pony: Season 7 (2017) · 9:03pm Jan 8th, 2018
Yesterday I saw someone get plowed into by a semi-truck. Now in this case I mean it was only a partial truck I'm not quite sure what the rest of it was. I'm going to say a vw bug. Anyway I think the guy's soul entered my body and I think he had jock itch and a penchant for curry.
Some of my friends thought I should see a shrink after I told them that but I told them if that's what I'm looking for I'll just get in the pool right now and get all the shrinkage I could hope for. Probably scare the ghost off too. They don't like cold water and shrunken genitalia. It's settled science they just have to get around to proving it.
Speaking of getting around to things it's the second half of the season seven reviews. How did the rest of the season fare? Guess we'll find out!
Episode 12: Discordant Harmony
Synopsis: Discord invites Fluttershy to his house for some hot tea... awwww yeah! To make her feel comfortable he decides to become a Mr. Blanderson from suburbia. Results follow.
Opinion: Discord centric episodes are strange creatures. Most of the time they're just kind of okay with a few good bits. This one follows in that vein and has a couple good bits but mostly is just an okay affair. I liked the sneezing pinata and singing ginseng. However, the rest of it was really pedestrian. On the technical side it's well enough paced that I didn't spend time counting the seconds.
It's probably too much to hope that they actually give the character a real challenge or something to truly overcome. I don't know, Discord will probably always be the character that could have been something special with a truly involving arc but instead is relegated to one offs that are deemed "wacky" by a suit.
Episode 13: The Perfect Pear
Synopsis: The story of how Applejack's parents hooked up.
Opinion: It's a good episode that is cute, well paced and all that jazz. The leads are likable enough without being overbearing. That said it's not perfect and does raise some questions (admittedly some of them are nitpicks). The main question being what happened to them? Did they get trapped in a giant crystal/portal, get sacrificed by natives to their cannibal god, just leave cause they were sick of their kids' crap? That's the question. How they hooked up is really kind of irrelevant. I could go on and inquire as to why it was these supposed close friends weren't seen until now but I won't. Instead I'm going to focus on the trees.
Yes, those trees that made the shape of a heart that nobody had ever seen before. It was a half good idea that sort of fizzled. It actually would have made more sense if the trees had grown together and created a new fruit, in this case it would be the apple pear (more commonly known as the asian pear, nashi pear or sand pear). On one side of this tree you'd have some pears on the other some apples and for most of it you'd have this new fruit. The reason for this is because in a way it's what a marriage is, members from two different families come together to create something new and hopefully good. It's not just an apple and it's not just a pear, it's a combination of both unique and wonderful to itself.
Anyway, like I said it's a good episode even if it doesn't answer the main question about the couple.
Episode 13: Fame and Misfortune
Synopsis: The writers of the show went into the forums read your comments and responded or Twilight and company decide to publish a book about the stuff they've learned along the way and it backfires ... you make the call!
Opinion: Honestly, it was my favorite episode of the season by far. Once again it was well paced but the reactions here were gold. The Rarity stress sewing bit was fantastic and the fact that things don't all work out perfectly in the end was a breath of fresh air. Listening to the mobs comments was great as well. Not much more I can say about it.
Episode 14: Triple Threat
Synopsis: Who put the sitcom script from the late 80's early 90's here? Spike tries to keep Thorax and Ember apart because he doesn't think they'll get along.
Opinion: Very uneven. On one hand it follows the basic formula of the show and everything works out in the end. On the other hand this episode is so much recycled material from said sitcom that it's sort of tedious and by this point wouldn't this group know better than to have these sorts of issues? It's not like they haven't been dealing with folks for awhile now.
The lone bright spot in this episode is Ember who frankly is amazing and almost redeems the mundane plot with her take on things. The less said about Thorax the better.
Episode 15: Campfire Tales
Synopsis: When the inevitable bug swarm shows up to a camping trip Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity tell stories around the campfire about their favorite legends. The Cutie Mark Crusaders listen, more or less until it's time to leave the cave.
Opinion: Mediocre. The only notable thing about this episode is that it finally shows that... yes ladies and gentlemen the males of Equestria did and are capable of handling dangerous situations too. It also introduces us to characters that will pop up later in the season finale. That said I didn't care one way or another as to the stories or the characters. Still really don't even after the finale.
Episode 16: To Change a Changeling
Synopsis: Thorax is a wuss, his changelings are wusses and only his brother Pharynx understands this. Trixie and Starlight Glimmer decide to make Pharynx a wuss or get him kicked out of the hive.
Opinion: This episode sucks. Seriously it sucks. The once great changeling race is now a bunch of touchy feely crybabies who sit around doing arts and crafts and having group therapy. They're cucks. Only Pharynx seems to recall that you have to be ready and willing to prepare for war in times of peace so that when a threat pops up you can deal with it. It's such an issue for the new changelings that they want to kick him out.
But those aren't the only issues with the episode. The threat that eventually does show up is deemed to have entirely too tough of a hide for the changelings to penetrate and that the only thing that can truly harm it is itself (it has to hit itself). This leads to a tactic but... funny question... if you guys can turn into ... you know... anything why not just turn into that and beat the shit out of it? Don't give me this it's too big garbage they've done big before.
I truly hope that Chrysalis shows up and straightens them out again and smashes Thorax like a bug. But that won't happen. Chances are they'll make her lame as well. Sad times indeed and one of the worst episodes in the show.
Episode 17: Daring Done?
Synopsis: A.K Yearling/Daring Do is giving up writing. Rainbow "I don't brain good" Dash and Pinkie Pie try to figure out why and change Yearling's mind.
Opinion: Pretty typical Daring Do adventure. Caballeron shows up and does his thing and the protagonists do theirs. We're also introduced to another legendary character who we'll see later on. It's an okay episode that is a nice bounce back from the previous one. In golf terms it stays on the fairway but doesn't hit the green.
Episode 18: It Isn't the Mane Thing About You
Synopsis: The old switch-a-roo plot. Rarity needs a special soap to clean her mane, Pinkie Pie needs soap to clean the bakery. Disaster soon follows.
Opinion: I enjoyed it, admittedly mostly because I kept saying, "Go punk rock," to the screen and when she did I was way happier than I had any right to be. It was actually a good look for her. That said most of the episode is just standard fare. Nothing too amazing nothing too terrible. Just fun with a new look for the fashionista.
Episode 19: A Health of Information
Synopsis: Zecora gets sick and begins to live out Fluttershy's fantasy of turning into a tree. Fluttershy and Twilight head out the bayou to find a cure.
Opinion: It was nice to see yipes stripes for a second time in a season. We're introduced to ... yet another legendary character. There was some okay peril, bubble coughing, lightning sneezing, and branch growing. It was a good time just not something that was super memorable overall.
Episode 20: Marks and Recreation
Synopsis: The Cutie Mark Crusaders start a camp to help kids get their cutie marks. Rumble stands up to the mares and says he doesn't want one.;
Opinion: It's a good episode and honestly Rumble makes some good points. Heck he even has an okay song. His problem is that he doesn't have a great follow through and to be honest, not getting your mark is essentially like saying, "I don't want to grow up." Sorry kiddo it's going to happen one day unless you magic it away or off yourself. Probably not such a great idea in either case.
Episode 21: Once Upon a Zeppelin
Synopsis: Twilight Sparkle goes on a cruise with her family. It turns out to be a trick by Iron Will to get the princesses to do personal appearances and make a tidy profit.
Opinion: I wanted to like this episode more than I did. Iron Will and his plan are fine. For me though, I kind of wished that their interests were a bit different. Night light being into Bingo? What is he 70? Shining Armor wanting to puke the entire trip? Why didn't he pack Dramamine? Hell if I even think I could get sick I pack something to counter it. Twilight Velvet is the daredevil? Eh....
None of that was really endearing and I kept waiting for Twilight to burst which she did and rightly so. Honestly the only thing that keeps this episode above water for me is Iron Will. The guy's shrewd and knows how and when to make his exit and keep all his money. I appreciate you Iron Will. This episode though was just a thing that happened and not a whole lot more.
Episode 22: Secrets and Pies
Synopsis: Pinkie Pie loves giving her pie to Rainbow Dash. Yet, somehow she gets the feeling that Rainbow Dash isn't into pie and starts an investigation. It's a don't lie to your friends episode.
Opinion: I liked this one. I was down with the antics. The moral was what it was and nothing more. I get the feeling that either you were down for the antics or you weren't. Maybe the most important thing to come from the episode though is that Rainbow Dash doesn't like pie. She likes cider and presumably cake. Can't fault her for that.
Episode 23: Uncommon Bond
Synopsis: Starlight Glimmer is excited to see Sunburst again and play those games they used to when... they were... kids. Sunburst likes looking at old junk in a trunk. Twilight tags along.
Opinion: It was okay. It serves more to set up the season finale than it did anything else. It was nice to see Sunburst again since he has a unique character design. Truthfully the most positive thing I could say about the episode is that at some point some kids will go through that, "Your friends aren't into what you are" phase and will have to sort it out. Like I said it wasn't a bad episode but, it's pretty obvious why it's there too and it's not for the moral.
Episodes 24 & 25: Shadow Play
Synopsis: Twilight Sparkle and Sunburst discover that they can bring back Gandalf the Gray along with the other legendary heroes of Equestria: Shovel Viking, Biggus Dickus, The Mummy, Wilted Orchid, and Voodoo Mama Juju. Of course when they do that they release the pony of shadows... no not Sombra.... someone far less effective.
Opinion: This was probably the worst conclusion to a season that I can remember. The villain, in spite of his design is lame. How big of a threat is he? Well, let me put it this way... other than our heroes nobody else knows or cares that he's out and about. In fact he can't even find a place to take root until the very end where he gets his ass kicked with... wait for it... RAINBOW ZAPPING!
People liked to comment on Sombra saying that he didn't do anything in his brief time on screen but oddly enough he did. He at least terrified the crystal ponies. He at least posed a real threat on screen. Sure, he wasn't Tirek but damn it they knew he was there.
The thing is this should have been an all season deal. Have each of the heroes come back at a different point and have it sort of cause a problem. Have the villain do villainous stuff that Twilight and co. have to deal with. We could have sacrificed a lot of likable (and some bad ones) but forgettable episodes for the narrative.
But the two things that really made this conclusion not work for me was that first off they pseudo reformed the pony of shadows... sorta by pulling out the nerd within and getting him to stop nerd raging cause the cool kids didn't want him to get hurt because he sort of sucked at magic. Secondly, part of the way though I realized I just didn't care. There wasn't any reason to care about any of these new characters or their plight. They didn't have enough time to grow and become something worth caring about. If they REALLY wanted to do some portal story... have the sirens come back and have the main group deal with them.
I'm not an Equestria Girls fan but... that would have been easy and you wouldn't have had to shoehorn in a bunch of characters who do diddly squat but shoot RAINBOW BEAMS at a black fart monster. The way it stands this is literally a conclusion that you could have gotten up, taken a ten or twenty minute bathroom break, read your email in the other room and come back and not have missed anything because nothing of value really happens in these two episodes.
In conclusion this season was okay. Most of the episodes are fine with a couple of good ones and a couple that I didn't care for. I guess that makes it like most TV shows.
Great overview.
Look, if anyone questions your sanity, the only thing I saw when I first saw the post was:
And I was like. “Oh, Mr. Nick, you scoundrel.”
4769520
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed! Also, yes... Totally legit recap is always good.
4770339
Yes I am a scoundrel and yes they do question my sanity. Of course I don't listen. Well... as a scoundrel looks like it's time for me to go herd the nerfs!
4770614
Who’s scruffy-lookin?