Friendship is Card Games: On the Road to Friendship · 11:42am Sep 2nd, 2018
May as well pay homage to the originals. Note that you may need to click through to YouTube to actually see it. (And if you missed it, do give my new contest a look.)
Going by Granny Smith’s reaction to the transposition, I don’t think she was a volunteer in the strictest sense of the word.
Hoo’Far—yes, that’s his name according to the credits, including the capitalized F—really sticks out like a sore thumb in the crowd. The moment I saw him, my reaction was basically “Who’s the OC?” Also, fascinating to see that Saddle Arabia does have unicorns. Logically, they’ll have pegasi as well.
(Also, the strap on those goggles must be incredibly elastic if it can stretch over a horn that long. Or maybe he takes the things off completely and thread his horn through them first.)
It’s really hard to hear Cadence praise a pair of friends and not think that she ships it, especially when she mentions chemistry. And let’s face it, she almost certainly does.
(Also, a line I’d have love to have heard: “Thank you, Princess Cadence. Just think, Starlight! Maybe some day soon I’ll get praise from a real princess!”
“I’m still here.”
“Trixie is aware.”)
Starlight and Trixie backing away for the Sunshine, Sunshine chant is delightful.
Trixie continues to be a bad influence on Starlight, at least in terms of time management.
Heh. Lulamoonwalker. That Trixie’s a smooth criminal.
Very impressive to see Trixie arrest a fall from her wagon with her magic. Feather fall may not be autolevitation, but it’s still a lot more raw telekinetic force than we’ve seen from Bluesmug before now.
Interesting to note that one can apparently walk from Ponyville to Saddle Arabia. The place still isn’t on the latest version of the map. Maybe there’s a port along the San Palomino peninsula.
Interesting to see that Starlight is apparently providing counseling services for Trixie. Pretty sure she’s not one of the students, Star.
Speaking of, Starlight’s workload sure has spiked since “Marks for Effort.” One has to wonder what caused the change…
Trixie really needs better storage for her smoke bombs if they’re that fragile.
You know, I was going to open the blog with a parody of the song I posted above, but the episode went and beat me to it.
I am impressed by some of the casual magic on display during the song. Where they’re going, they only need half a road. (Also, anyone else get Oregon Trail flashbacks when they hit the river?)
“♪ For untold seasons yet to come, our friendship will be here. ♪”
“For nine, at least.”
Oh wow, they actually went there. Bittersweet, but still hilarious.
Neat to see Somnamubla again. I’m a bit surprised the pony Somnambula wasn’t somewhere in the area. I wonder what she’s up to…
So how expensive was that street falafel, anyway? Is it the cherry of southern Equestria? I’d expect Starlight to know how to haggle if she’s ever dealt with Ponyville’s marketplace, though I suppose that may be a bigger if than it may seem at first blush.
Around halfway through the episode, I was starting to get real sick of the phrase “great and powerful.”
You know, Starlight, you didn’t have to stand in line with Trixie. You always could’ve gotten the reservation then.
Given all the times we’ve seen pony structures that are bigger on the inside, I’m surprised Starlight didn’t know a spell to expand the inner dimensions of the caravan.
The string of handkerchiefs tied to frying pans was a great background gag.
Trixie has the hoarding habits of the average RPG player. “I can’t throw out those 99 potions! I might need them later!”
“You never use them.”
“Because I might need them later!”
I was going to make a joke about how Starlight’s snoring might have helped discourage rebellion in Our Town, but the show beat me to that one too.
Also, a point against Startrix: This is apparently the first time these two have slept together… though that raises the question of their trip to and from Our Town in “To Where and Back Again.” Though in that case, they might have taken the train partway there, including separate rooms in the sleeper cars.
I do appreciate how Starlight and Trixie are as put off by Hoo’Far stalking them as I am.
I have to love the sullen accordion theme returning from “No Second Prances” for Trixie’s less impressive performance.
That is a disturbingly quick-burning carrot. Is there naturally occurring thermite in this soil or what?
Can’t say I’m surprised Starlight traded the wagon. She’s never been one to appreciate other people’s sentimental value, much less bother to ask permission when begging forgiveness is so much easier.
Poor Trixie. Wheels abandoned her in her hour of need.
Holy crap, that freaking meteor dive. Trixie’s serious.
How much tea does Hoo’Far carry?
Musical numbers make everything easier, Starlight. Basic principle of Harmony. (Also, I’m amazed the chimera didn’t show up. I suppose this one’s too old, tough, and pie-deficient.)
The show’s cringe comedy is always hit or miss for me. The improvised friendship chant was definitely a hit.
In all, Bing Trixie and Glam Hope’s buddy comedy was quite entertaining, though it could’ve been paced a bit better. Honestly, starting the climax five minutes before the episode ends? What is this, one of my stories? 
And Hoo’Far seemed bizarrely insistent on trading his caravan. Is it a cultural thing? Is he just such an obsessive Trixie fan that he had to have her wagon? What’s the deal there?
Still, a lot of fun to be had here. Let’s take a look at the souvenirs I picked up along the way.
Friendship Chant 1W
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
Retrace (You may cast this spell from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)
Practice makes perfect. Eventually.
Protesting Roadblock 2W
Creature — Unicorn Rebel
You may choose not to untap Protesting Roadblock during your untap step.
T: Target creature can’t attack or block for as long as Protesting Roadblock remains tapped.
An enemy won’t help you move. An archenemy will make you move their body.
1/3
Curse of Clutter 4W
Enchantment — Aura Curse
Enchant player
Spells enchanted player casts cost X more to cast, where X is the number of artifacts and enchantments that player controls.
”May your eyes be bigger than your apartment.”
Caravan’s Companion 2U
Creature — Unicorn Artificer
Ensoul 4 (You may pair this creature with an unpaired artifact when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them and that artifact becomes a 4/4 artifact creature while they remain paired.)
Caravan’s Companion has hexproof as long as it’s paired with a permanent.
1/2
Somnaturgist 2U
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
1U, Q: Copy target instant or sorcery spell. You may choose new targets for the copy. (Q is the untap symbol.)
She can outdo any other mage in her sleep. It’s when she’s awake that she has problems.
2/2
Quarreling Couriers 3U
Creature — Pegasus Scout
Flying
Whenever Quarreling Couriers attacks or blocks, any opponent may have you draw a card. If a player does, Quarreling Couriers assigns no combat damage this turn.
”I told you to take that left at Altaiquerque!”
4/2
Saddle Arabian Trader 4U
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
When Saddle Arabian Trader enters the battlefield, you may exchange control of target artifact you control and target artifact you don’t control.
”I have to negotiate with every nation in the world, but the Saddle Arabians treat it as a form of entertainment.”
—Princess Celestia
3/3
San Palomino Scorpion 2B
Creature — Scorpion
San Palomino Scorpion has deathtouch as long as you control a Desert or there is a Desert card in your graveyard.
Three fates await unwary travelers in Equestra: Becoming wary, staying home, or dying horribly.
2/3
Cynical Duo 3B
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
1: Exile target card from a graveyard. If a white card was exiled this way, its owner loses 1 life.
”Ah, so sweet. So innocent.”
“I know, wasn’t it sickening?”
3/3
Booming Trade 2R
Enchantment
1R, Discard a card: Draw a card.
”Look hard enough and you’ll find anything for sale.”
—Trixie Lulamoon, traveling performer
Burning Calories 2R
Enchantment
Whenever an opponent gains life, Burning Calories deals twice that much damage to that player.
Trace amounts of glowpaz in the soil give all Somnambulan crops a unique tang.
Flame Geyser 3R
Sorcery
Flame Geyser deals 6 damage divided evenly, rounded down, among all creatures target player controls.
”If you have to go through that place, do it with a friend.”
—Apple Bloom
“We’re Friendship Bound” G
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “We’re Friendship Bound”.
1G, Sacrifice “We’re Friendship Bound”: Choose target creature, then reveal the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of verse counters on “We’re Friendship Bound”. Put all land cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest into your graveyard. For each card put into your graveyard this way, put a +1/+1 counter on the chosen creature.
Glowpaz Festival 2G
Sorcery
Assist (Another player can pay up to 2 of this spell’s cost.)
Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature.
Somnambula’s greatest holiday has something for everyone.
Ursine Convergence 3G
Enchantment
Creatures you control can’t be blocked by creatures with power 1 or less.
At the beginning of your end step, create a 2/2 green Bear creature token.
Even Starlight’s snores became a way to control Our Town.
Stampeding Boars 3GG
Creature — Boar
Stampeding Boars can’t be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less.
Scavenge 5G (5G, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card’s power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)
4/4
Campfire Spices 2
Artifact
X, T: Add X mana of any one color.
”Wait, did you want the seasonings or the stuff that changes the flame’s color? I’m not the best guy for telling the difference.”
—Spike
Luxurious Caravan 3
Artifact — Vehicle
2, T: Draw a card, then discard a card.
Crew 3 (Tap any number of creatures you control with total power 3 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
A home away from anything.
5/5
Smoke Bomb Stockpile 3
Artifact
Whenever one or more creatures you control become the targets of a spell or ability an opponent controls, flip a coin. If you win the flip, those creatures gains hexproof until end of turn.
”Trixie really needs a better place to put those.”
—Trixie Lulamoon, traveling performer
Box of Wands 4
Artifact
3, T: Shuffle your library, then reveal cards from the top of it until you reveal an instant or sorcery card. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then put the revealed cards that weren’t cast this way on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Escape Trunk 4
Artifact
2, T, Return a creature you control to its owner’s hand: You may put a creature card with a different name than the returned creature from your hand onto the battlefield.
”If nopony sees you, you could be anypony.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Leering Star 3BR
Creature — Elemental
Flying
When Leering Star enters the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to target player. That player discards a card.
”The night holds horrors beyond those conjured by dream.”
—Princess Luna
3/2
Booo, saddle arabian unicorns! boo!
Oh well.
I've never seen Road to Morocco, but I instantly recognized Bing Crosby.
I thought the Saddle Arabian looked like an OC too. I have no idea what his motivation was. Is he a super Trixie fan? Does he just go around helping ponies learn friendship lessons?
It must be a special service she provides for her friends. Surely Starlight wouldn't have enough time to counsel any Ponyville citizen who walks into her office.
All in all I think of this as a less funny version of “Pinkie Apple Pie.” It's still a good episode, but the comedic timing didn't work as well. Maybe I'm biased because of my character preferences, though. And, y'know, because "Pinkie Apple Pie" came first.
These are a delight. Well, except for:
As a man who just unloaded a storage unit this past week, all I can say is hashtag too soon.
I haven't laughed that hard at the show in I don't know how long. :D
Trixie did learn to transmog to teacups and teleport-object in Bottled Up, she also thought she could teleport them both in To Change a Changeling. She's also the one to protected Starlight with a shield during the fireland part of their song in this episode. Maybe she just needs the right amount of encouragement from her
lovermagic-show assistant.Starlight showed she's a practical pony with pragmatic solutions.
Love this flavor text :)
hmm, my first thought when they started the song was actually this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMR5JVo21wQ
Moving Right Along from the Muppets Movie
Relevant.
After a couple reappearances I spent the whole time thinking he must be angling something. Like he'd turn out to be like Flim and Flam and was trying to swindle Trixie out of her wagon because it was secretly valuable somehow.
But nope. Guy just genuinely wanted a fair trade (although his wagon was bigger and looked more luxurious, so he was probably getting the short end). I guess he just wanted a smaller wagon to tug in his travels?
They found out about the empathy cocoa.
Something I haven't seen mentioned yet: Trixie apparently has fans in Saddle Arabia. When was the last time Saddle Arabia was mentioned? Magic Duel, where Trixie performs for the Saddle Arabian delegates. Though it was a neat detail.
4930147
Starlight certainly ended up appreciating the smaller wagon when she had to pull the bigger one.
This was a delightfully entertaining episode. Though, it left me wondering why Trixie was so dead set against trading up, given that she otherwise seems like a pony who would shoot teacups first and ask questions later. Before the final act I was expecting it to become a story about Trixie learning to accept change. But still, most entertaining.
4930212
Taking into account other nations/ species during the movie other than ponies and hippogriffs creates so many problems that it's one of the few times I'd call it an outright plot hole, especially since 90% of the plot is "Get help". And since we now know it took place in between S7 and 8, we can rattle off the issues from there.
For starters is the Crystal Empire. Either an ally or vassal-state of Equestria, and had its rulers petrified in the Canterlot siege. So they will be willing to help.
Then the yaks. A quick jaunt from the Crystal Empire and you can enlist the aid of one of Equestria's declared friends.
And the dragons. Maybe they don't have an actual alliance with ponies, but Ember owes Spike a favor on top of their friendship so the subject is worth being broached.
And one that doesn't have any excuse, Changelings. All the above you could attribute to an inability to contact, but the Changeling hive is halfway south between Equestria and Mt Aris. A slight detour east and you'd have an entire species that owes Equestria a favor, led by a close friend of the Mane 6 and Spike, all ready on top of your travel to get the hippogriffs.
Finally there's Discord. Does this even need to be explained?
You really have to use the MST3K mantra in regards to the movie.
4930238
She explained her rational quite well when Hoo'Far first offered: her wagon just holds too much sentimentality to her.
HAH! I totally missed that one!
I agree with Trixie. You never know what you'll need later. Just buy a second harddrive, and... oh wait, wrong plane of abstraction.
Although yeah, buy a "bigger on the inside" extension to the room, that should do it.
Yeah... he started out as an fan... who just so happens to be an exotic-looking stallion from a far-away land captivated by her show and calling her "Miss Powerful"... Hmm.
...Has Trixie ever had to deal with overly obsessive fans who weren't
Snips and Snailscolts and fillies before, I wonder? Especially stallion ones?Except that then he did creep into stalker-territory. Why did he want Trixie's wagon so badly he was willing to trade away what was clearly a more expensive model, then seemingly lost his interest in Trixie after obtaining her wagon, only to trade it back on the flimsiest of pretenses.....?
4930069
...Indeed! At the end, it pretty much seemed like his motive was to teach them a friendship lesson. ....Celestia, did you paint your coat, hide your wings, and turn into a stallion again?
(Actually, I imagine Princess Celestia could, with some effort, easily pretend to be a regular Saddle Arabian horse. Hay, how do we know she doesn't have Saddle Arabian ancestory?
)
But why Trixie's wagon, though? It can't be fan obsession... or not that alone. That's like meeting Lauren Faust --- and then stealing her car, going "OMG I have her car now! I am, like, totally her biggest fan! Notice me senpai!!1"
4930247
I am aware. But she didn't sell it. I want more
4930253
This is the first headcanon I've heard that comes even halfway close to making sense out of the movie. So thank you.
"Unusually flammable carrots" makes me think of the Discworld MUD, of all things. There's a wizard spell named "Kamikaze Oryctolagus Flammula", the casting of which involves lighting a carrot on fire. The spell works just fine with pickled carrots.
I saw this coming (even though I thought Hoo'Far had nefarious intentions). There's a saying in Germany: "The fastest way to drestroy a friendship is to go travelling together."