Flight to the Finish · 7:19pm Dec 14th, 2013
We've got hearts, as strong as horses...sorry, that's my new ear worm for the next fortnight.
Last week I didn't blog my thoughts on the episode because...it didn't do much for me. This one though, was a perfect blend of the early, faust-influenced style of season 1 with the more knowing aspects of the later seasons.
Five episodes is a bit too long to wait for the first song, but I'm glad that it was worth the wait. We've got hearts, as strong as...aargh, stop that!
It occurs to me as I'm writing this that this is episode, like the even more adult-less Hearts and Hooves day, is almost completely carried by Michelle Creber, Claire Corlett and of course Madeleine Peters. I really hope that these three keep acting as they get older, because on the strength of what they bring here their really gonna be something when they grow up.
Speaking of voice acting, did anyone else notice that Chantal Strand's (Diamond Tiara) voice was a little deeper in this episode than previously?
One thing that Season 3 lacked compared to the first two seasons was a coherent theme running through its episodes. Season 1 was all about accepting others, as Twilight bumped up against the quirks and eccentricities of her new friends and had to move past the fact that their characters, strengths and attitudes to life were quite different from her own. Season 2 was more about external acceptance, as each of the ponies confront their own flaws and must accept that they fall short of their idealised self-image. Season 3...was lacking in that respect. I could try to argue for self-sacrifice, but it only holds water for a few of the episodes and it's quite a stretch in some cases. On the basis of all of five episodes, season 4's theme seems to be self respect and not letting other people put you in a box (Twilight refuses to let 'Princess' dictate her behaviour in the premier, episode introduces the means of delivering the lesson without actually giving one, in Daring Don't Dash learns not to let the presence of greatness diminish her appreciation of her own worth and tonight Scootaloo learned the same lesson). If the season follows through on this it will be an interesting counterpoint to season 2, and I look forward to seeing whether the theme plays out.
EDIT: I just read this on the TV Tropes YMMV Page for this episode
Unfortunate Implications: Scootaloo's actions towards the end (throwing away her possessions and telling her friends they're better off without her) makes it seem she was planning to commit suicide.
The fuck?! Seriously, what the hell?! Who, watching this episode, honestly thought that! Seriously, there's reaching and then there's...this, beyond ridiculousness
Suicide? What? I don't even...
Whatever. This episode was great. I freaking teared up! Do you know how hard that is for me? These three have become ridiculously adorable over the years, I can't stand it!
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I know, right? Sometimes that people on that site seem to go out of their way to take the worst possible interpretation.
But yeah, the episode was awesome. While it seems like a lot of people are really stoked for the Power Ponies next week, this is the episode that I was looking forward to and I'm glad it met my expectations and more.
The CMC have really grown on me ever since Family appreciation Day. I love episodes that show the three of them as having a friendship that transcends the shared goal.
Also: there may already be a CMC 'theme song' but this song is the one that really describes them.