Friendship is Card Games: Election · 11:49am Mar 4th, 2018
(deep breath)
All right, let’s get this out of the way: Yes, this storyline, especially the first issue, revolves around an election between a female career politician and a male entrepreneur entering the political arena for the first time. Please leave any other real life references in the comments to a civil minimum.
With that out of the way, let’s actually look at this thing.
The funny thing about giant novelty ribbon-cutting scissors is that they’re the only kind that most ponies can reasonably use.
Also, I assume this playground is in Ponyville’s park, since to all appearances, it’s been placed at a random point in the middle of the woods.
Oh, hello Starlight. Didn’t realize this would be the first time we’d be seeing you in the comics.
Ah. The playground’s on donated Apple property… which means I have to ask why anyone thought it was a good idea to build a random playground there.
I do like how the comic acknowledges both the insanity Mayor Mare has faced on a regular basis since Twilight’s arrival and how well she’s handled it… up until now.
What do she mean “there were no earthquakes”? The ground audibly rumbled. I’ve been in an earthquake, somewhere around 4 on the Richter scale (Noticeable, but harmless.) If that minor tremor showed up on seismographs, then something strong enough to collapse the top of a hill certainly would, no matter where its epicenter was.
Oh, so they were planning on making the donated land into a new park. They just… started with the playground, apparently.
Wherein the constituents hold Mayor Mare responsible for something she had zero control over. Seriously, shoddy building materials are one thing, but explain to me how she might be responsible for the ground collapsing.
I do appreciate both Spoiled’s pride and Diamond Tiara’s exasperation during Filthy’s reveal.
Also, either this is the human world’s Filthy who found his way through the portal or Spoiled has been channeling Lady Macbeth, since I can’t see him ever getting his people to tear off a curtain and turn it into a slide for him. Or… really anything he does here. At all.
Also, good thing there’s an election coming up, huh? Or are we supposed to believe that Equestrian elections only happen when somepony challenges the current incumbent?
… Okay, I was concerned for a bit there, but Mayor Mare just runs unopposed every time. Though the nebulous term length means we can’t pin down how long Twilight’s been in Ponyville.
Mind you, that doesn’t make this one the first, Twilight. There were mayors before this one, and this one had to be elected at some point. And there is that campaign poster from the very first issue of the comics. (Always has to be awkward when one of Andy Price’s background details derails the entire storyline.) Suffice to say, cool your jets, Bookhorse.
I do like the idea of municipally planned migration routes, though there needs to be some tight intercity communication there. No flock of geese wants to hear “Okay, you’re going to need to make a sharp left and go east for about two miles because Fillydelphia and Troton didn’t compare notes.”
Voters supporting one candidate based on experience or the other on supposition and impossible promises…
Damn it, this was intentional, wasn’t it? Honestly, I feel the worst for Filthy Rich here. They should’ve gone the Estee route and introduced his very distant cousin Dubiously.
At least Applejack isn’t letting this split the town in half. Unlike other civic occasions in the comics I could mention…
I have to say, it is a bit surreal to see the comic cover getting used as a campaign poster in the comic.
I see this works in the Applejack/Mayor Mare Friends Forever issue in its continuity. Barely controlled chaos and bureaucracy spinning its wheels for no apparent purpose while Mayor Mare smiles at the madness.. Yet it works somehow… at least when it comes to keeping Ponyville running. I love Twilight’s expressions as she watches the sausage getting made. This definitely isn’t how Celestia runs things.
Also, I can only imagine how that one pony with the frowny face cutie mark got it.
So there’s both a pegasus union (which raises a lot of questions; it’s a subspecies, not a job) and a pegasus voters’ group? The credits say this was written by only person, but I’m skeptical.
Seriously, this is such a hatchet job on Filthy Rich’s character. After his speech to the pegasi, the only reason I’m still reading is because I’m committed to covering all of the comics.
As for the crowds swallowing campaign promises whole… that I can actually accept. With only token efforts over who knows how many election cycles, no apparent governmental structure between mayor and princess, and the general atmosphere of Equestria, there’s no chance for most Ponyvillians to develop healthy skepticism towards politicans. And remember, this is the town who believed the Flimflam brothers the second time they came to town.
“Friendship enthusiast.” Well. That’s certainly one way of putting it, Lyra.
Also, kudos to Cheerilee for being the only candidate to come to the debate in a full suit. She’s even wearing pants! Commendable professionalism.
Tripling the education budget would only triple taxes if the entire budget was already going to education. You’d think a teacher could do that math.
Time Turner raises a valid point: In order to improve lives, one must understand how those lives might best be improved. Honestly, I’d vote for him, provided he could ever stop pontificating and actually do something.
You’d think Filthy would appreciate fiscal responsibility and working within a budget, to say nothing of the fact that customers expect you to follow through on your promises. Also, shame on Wonk Politico for not following up that question with “How would you do all that?”
Huh. Mayor Mare’s comment on the time-consuming campaign trail actually highlights a flaw in the system: The best administrators aren’t necessarily the best campaigners.
Hmm. Is using a reigning princess’s castle as a democratic polling place ironic, or just weird?
Also, I can’t tell if ponies had a Lincoln equivalent or if Pinkie’s just making a reference only the reader will get.
Seriously, Diamond Tiara’s grumpy faces may be the best part of this comic.
Oh. Look at that. Changing the mayor of the settlement has absolutely no bearing on natural disasters. Whoever would’ve guessed?
Starlight’s asking the real questions here: What is that mare’s actual name? (I like Marion, personally, but I’m the sort of person who’s amused by Major Major Major Major.)
Converting idyllic nature into a building no one really needs? Yeah, this is definitely human Filthy Rich. I’m going to assume that the pony is bound and gagged in one of his mansion’s less-used closets. Possibly left there by his wife, who prefers the more ambitious option. Diamond Tiara knows something’s wrong, but can’t quite put her hoof on it.
Look, I’m doing what I can to make this tolerable for me.
Given how close Fluttershy’s house is to the Everfree, those construction ponies could be looking at some serious delays…
Hmm. More Friends Forever continuity with the mention of boffyball.
Kudos to Rarity for the stupendous entrance. Nothing expresses a taxpayer’s concern quite like kicking the door in.
I do wish we could get positive moments between the Crusaders and Diamond Tiara on the show. Or, you know, any acknowledgement that she and Silver Spoon still exist. Maybe they went off to an expensive boarding school or something.
That said, Apple Bloom’s smiling expression as Diamond tells her about Filthy’s unreliability feels a bit dissonant… though I think I can understand why. “Gee, sure must stink to have a father who don’t always keep his word.”
Given how fragile the playground equipment is, I’m amazed none of it collapsed while the playground was being built.
Also, see? Now you can blame the mayor for shoddy building materials!
Why does a construction crew have a marching band? And how has it not been eaten by a sleep-deprived manticore yet?
“Back in Ponyville?” Where exactly has former mayor Mare gone to in her retirement?
It took me a moment, but I can see why Pinkie’s complaining. Aside from the Cake’s getting hit by that massive tax hike, almost all of her friends are unhappy. It makes sense that she would be as well.
The dark and brooding apology panel really doesn’t work when Twilight’s offered you a way to help the town on the same page.
I can certainly get behind more screentime for background characters. Also, nice twofold Simpsons reference in the complaint panel… though how exactly does a dirt road develop potholes?
Hello, Marion. A noble attempt at building tension, but it didn’t quite work out.
I have to laugh at how a mare right next to Twilight explicitly says they need a leader capable of organization… and it’s Mayor Mare who springs into action.
Ah, tremorsense. Apparently tatzlwurms are Graboids… and make Godzilla noises.
Nice use of earth ponies. Not sure if it’s higher mass, higher force, magic, or some combination thereof that makes their hooffalls louder, but I still like to see them used constructively.
Feel free to tell the construction marching band to stop, folks.
Huh. The tatzlwurm went from Godzilla to the Ultimate Warrior. Well, it certainly has the face paint for it.
I can’t tell if that reason for why Mayor Mare knows how to wire TNT is silly or amazing. Possibly both.
Very nice touch with Fluttershy hugging her cottage at the end.
In the end… Look, I don’t know far in advance the script for this was written, but it still feels like it’s trying to crowbar then-current events into Equestria, which works about as well as you might expect. The Legend of Everfree-grade damage to Filthy Rich’s characterization really doesn’t help, and you’d think Ponyville of all places would be the last town that needed to learn that you can’t prevent anything bad from ever happening. There are some nice moments, especially in the climax and resolution, but overall this had me gritting my teeth for much of it.
As such, motion to proceed to the next item on the agenda.
…
Motion passes. On to the cards:
Experienced Politician W
Creature — Pony Advisor
Whenever players finish voting, put a +1/+1 counter on Experienced Politician.
”You have to have faith that the electorate will choose the best candidate. The alternative is tyranny.”
1/1
Kindred Union 1W
Enchantment
As Kindred Union enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Each creature you control of the chosen type enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
Some band together through shared blood or common philosophy. Some just want a decent dental plan.
Swing Voter 1W
Creature — Pony Citizen
T: The next time you vote this turn, you get an additional vote. (The votes can be for different choices or for the same choices.)
More than a few Ponyvillians tried to vote for multiple candidates, unable to choose between them.
2/2
Band of Builders 2W
Creature — Pony Band Rigger
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, Band of Builders assembles a Contraption. (Put the top card of your Contraption deck face up onto one of your sprockets.)
One night, to Fluttershy’s horror, they started working the dynamite into the concert.
2/2
Ponyville Politico 2U
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
Players vote secretly. (When players vote, each makes his or her choice secretly, then those choices are revealed simultaneously.)
He’s still working on a new forecast model after the last one picked Angel Bunny for mayor.
1/3
Spin the Wheels 2U
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3. Scry 1.
Form requisition forms outnumber all others in Ponyville’s town hall.
Town Meeting 2U
Sorcery
Draw a card for each Citizen you control.
Somehow, through the shouting, accusations, and stepped-on tails, wisdom emerges.
Worthless Promise 4U
Instant
You may put a permanent card from your hand onto the battlefield. Return that permanent to your hand at the beginning of the next end step. (Return it only if it’s still on the battlefield.)
There are some debts money can’t pay.
Vote of No Confidence BB
Sorcery
Will of the council — Starting with you, each player votes for a creature you don’t control. Destroy each creature with the most votes or tied for most votes.
Once the campaign ended, Filthy Rich’s troubles began.
Plutocratic Candidate 3B
Creature — Pony Citizen
Whenever players finish voting, for each opponent who voted for a choice you didn’t vote for, create a colorless Treasure artifact token with “T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.”
2B: The next time you vote this turn, you get an additional vote.
3/3
Lowest Bid 1R
Enchantment
Artifact spells you cast cost 2 less to cast.
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice an artifact.
”Nine out of ten consumers can’t tell the difference!”
—Flimflam Manufacturing Co. brochure
Devil of the Details 2RR
Creature — Devil
Noncreature spells cost 1 less to cast.
Whenever a player casts a noncreature spell, Devil of the Details deals 3 damage to that player.
If it seems too good to be true, it’s probably on fire.
3/2
Ponyville Geologist 3R
Creature — Pony Advisor
When Ponyville Geologist enters the battlefield, discard any number of land cards, then draw that many cards.
”Yup, that’s a sinkhole, alright.”
2/2
Seismic Tatzlwurm 3RR
Creature — Wurm
Seismic Tatzlwurm can’t be blocked by creatures with flying.
Whenever Seismic Tatzlwurm attacks, it deals 1 damage to each other creature without flying.
Few see the wurm itself, but everypony knows when it goes by.
4/3
Break New Ground 5R
Sorcery
Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for 1.)
Destroy target land.
The march of progress leaves deep hoofprints.
Ceremonial Demolition 5R
Sorcery
Destroy target artifact or land.
Draw a card.
”With enough ear protection, they’re much more fun than ribbon cutting.”
—Marion Mare, mayor of Ponyville
Friendship Enthusiast 2G
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
Creature spells you cast with soulbond cost 1 less to cast.
”It sounds a lot better than ‘mare who lives on my couch.’”
—Bonbon, anti-monster operative
2/2
Civic Improvement 2GG
Sorcery
Council’s dilemma — Starting with you, each player votes for health or housing. Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control for each health vote. For each housing vote, search your library for a land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Then if you searched your library this way, shuffle it.
Heavy-Hoofed Herd 4G
Creature — Pony Warrior
Provoke (Whenever this creature attacks, you may have target creature defending player controls untap and block it if able.)
Earth ponies only go unnoticed when they want to.
4/4
Stovepipe Hat 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
As long as Stovepipe Hat is attached to a creature, you play with your hand revealed.
Equip 2
Some symbols of Honesty resonate throughout the Multiverse.
Go Fish UB
Instant
Destroy target creature. That creature’s controller draws a card.
”Got any skates?”
Doomed Meadow
Land
Doomed Meadow enters the battlefield tapped.
T: Add W to your mana pool.
T, Sacrifice Doomed Meadow: Add BR to your mana pool.
Honestly, I'd read a short satire of EG Filthy Rich going through the portal to try to take over Equestria, one city at a time. But I'll skip this comic if this is supposed to Pony Filthy Rich. I don't like stories that assassinate a character just to shoehorn in a reference to real-world events.
“I wish my father were still around to disappoint me.”
Yeah, Dubiously Rich would have been a much better fit. Pretty much the whole point of Filthy Rich's character is that he's actually an upstanding, decent pony who appreciates things like mutual loyalty and thinks in the long term.
Or, hey. What if it had been Spoiled Rich who was running?
Now, be fair. It doesn't derail the entire storyline. It just flies in the face of Twilight's line about never having seen an election in Ponyville before. This was an easily fixable problem. If, you know, the editor had done his job.
Still not as bad as how Legend of Everfree handled him IMO.
I actually consider this the biggest problem with the comic, allegories aside.
Perhaps a better moral for this comic might've been that politics are controversial and divisive, even amongst friends, and that people shouldn't talk politics with each other if they can't be civil about it.
Honestly, I didn't hate the political allegory as much as I thought I would. I was expecting it to be a lot more heavy-handed, but the parallels were surprisingly superficial, and the story never dove into any of the issues that made the real life election so tumultuous.
I read the first issue of this two-parter, but didn't read the second. Not because of any character assassinations, but mostly because I found the whole thing dull. Just no interest in reading what happened next. And I was pretty sure the whole "earthquake" thing was being caused by a monster. Not surprised I was right.
4809657
Give this guy a medal.
Doomed Meadow just begs to be made a cycle. Now, where did I left my inspiration...
I never understood the issue with Filthy, how does "he's shown to be a decent guy at times" translate to "this character can never be a jerk" he's a businessman, he's allowed to be ruthless when the situation requires it but still be decent person at other times.
4809733
It's not that Filthy can never be a jerk per se. It's just that when a character is introduced as a decent person and then suddenly he's a jerk, there should be a reason for that. The writer could have at least shown that Spoiled was influencing him to amass more power. Hey, it worked for DT.
...Which reminds me that this series has already done an election plot, making this comic redundant.
4809657
I tell myself it's human Filthy to make it more palatable, but it seems unlikely. And yeah, the shoehorning is pretty awful.
4809681
See, Spoiled running on a blend of empty promises, thinly veiled contempt, and flagrant bribery would've been perfect, especially if she disregarded Filthy's advice about integrity the whole time.
4809685
Fair point; I'm just not inclined to give this storyline any slack.
Hence why I want to lump the two together. It's either that, Spoiled and Filthy switching minds and not telling anypony, or a plot by King Aspen to tear apart the seething hive of chaos that is Ponyville.
Of course, that last one only works in the Borderworld.
And yeah, they did manage a light touch with the real-world parallels, but even that much required dropping a monumental idiot ball on the townsfolk and warping Filthy's character beyond recognition.
4809729
It seems that way because it's based on such a cycle, one from Invasion. See also Rustic Spring. Heck, I missed an opportunity with Forgotten Friendship; the grove where the Memory Stone was buried would've been perfect for the "tap for G, sac for UB" land.
4809733
Ruthlessness is one thing, but he's shown time and again to honor his deals, pursue quality merchandise, support the community, and generally be a decent equine being. We do hear about him undercutting the competition to expand the market share of Barnyard Bargains, but there's a difference between that and making empty promises, endangering children through penny-pinching, and not even remembering the name of a fellow Ponyville merchant (and fellow member of its business council, as per another comic this one wants to share continuity with.) Anyone can be a jerk at times, but the Filthy we see on the show just doesn't sync up with the incompetent bag of hot air shown in this comic.
That creates the interesting mental image of Curnow telling Price to stop working so hard only for Price to draw M.C. Escher's Relativity or something.
I think you're overselling his generosity from the show and underselling his depiction in this issue.
His second show appearance (or third? The second one where he played a role in an episode instead of just fighting the Tantabus) also had him threatening to sever all business ties with the Apples because Applejack was backing out on an agreement. Even though she didn't have the authority to make deals on behalf of the family business and the ideal was pretty experimental at the time.
As for his depiction here, his problem here wasn't that he was making empty promises. He actually intended and attempted to fulfill all of his obligations but reality meant that Ponyville didn't have the budget to do so without pissing off taxpayers and cutting corners. At worst he's a guy that tried to honest and generous but got in over his head.
At least it wasn't Beyond the Farthest Precinct.
I'm onboard with FoME's theory about the two Filthy's switching places; Mr. Rich isn't a jerk at all. His wife, on the other hand....
"coughcough" Anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing that be turned into a sort of fix fic for this entire comic
4809745
Democracy is just a touch too chaotic for someone like the Borderworld's Aspen. If he were to attempt to destroy Ponyville he'd probably do it with something like... well... like malevolent plantlife.
Hey, Order is nothing if not predictable, right?
All true, which is why I still don't think this story was very good, and would rather we had gotten something else entirely. I'm just saying, as bad as this was, it could've been a lot worse, especially given that this was an Anderson story.
Maybe their mothers shipped them off - fairly plausible, actually.
4809685 Uh, maybe she was out of town at the time? (In which case the editor should've said so!)
Hear hear hear!
I think we've been over the link between pants and professionalism before.