Friendship is Card Games: Better Together, Part 1 · 12:34pm Nov 19th, 2017
Well, that’s what the Discovery Family site’s calling it. Though to my surprise, they've manage to contain themselves enough to stop posting the videos there after putting up a quarter of them over the course of a week. That means I only have enough material for one of these before returning to the comics next week with a long-overdue look at the 2013 annual now that I actually have a copy. (Thanks again, princeps!)
In any case, we’ll be looking at the first seven shorts of the series. Thanks go to G S tol Kriaal for suggesting the seven-part sixes-and-sevens pattern for handling these. Now, let’s begin.
NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: I don't know what happened to Discovery Go, but the links are currently at "Applejack's parents" vital status: Most likely dead, but there's a slim chance we'll see them again. As such, I'll be replacing them with appropriate YouTube links as they come up.
Interesting to see new outfits for the humans. I find myself really liking Dash’s pants. I do miss the intro with the spinning cutie marks and Dash punting half of the logo into place, though. And Sunset’s spikes of villainy friendship cones still strike me as silly.
I like the scrapbook concept for the title cards. Sort of like the human analogue of the friendship journal. Now let’s see if the girls publish this in college and get swarmed by angry, nitpicking fans.
Interesting how Rarity has incorporated her geode into her outfit rather than simply wearing the necklace. Very her, but it may be tricky to keep it on her person when wearing something else. Maybe it’s a modular design?
Also interesting that the Apples’ farm has pigs, or at least a helpful datum. It’s unclear just how big an operation it is.
“Sweeties, darlings, lovies.” Oh, Rarity. You are ever a delight.
Hmm. Big Mac still being in high school raises some questions about just how much older than Applejack he is, but I can’t deny that the O&O club is a delight, from Mac’s armor to Trixie the Bearded to Snips and Snails swapping expected races. (And by expected races, I of course mean the ones from this fandom classic. After all, given their respective proportions, I'd assume Snails was the elf and Snips the dwarf.)
… Wow. I was not expecting Dash to pull that off. Also, interesting connection to the comics with Fluttershy in the knitting club.
Also also, Bulk finally got his mom those new pot holders.
It’s an easy joke, but Applejack’s attempt at fencing is still hilarious.
Also, I do like the idea of Sunset in a club that focuses on manipulating long, thin, sharp objects. Probably helps on days she misses her horn.
So… which club involves what looks to be night-vision goggles and a grappling hook?
As I stated in my quick rundown blog, the fact that Best Human is in both the chemistry and baking clubs is pretty fantastic. And the fact that Flash is also in both of them is intriguing.
Most high school bands don’t include a bass, so Applejack had to go with plan B.
Super strength would allow for some very interesting cheerleading routines…
Sandalwood holding a pan of brownies, with one eyebrow raised. Well played, DHX. Well played.
(That said, I’m surprised Applejack isn’t already in the baking club.)
I’m not too surprised that CHS has a Neighponese culture club, but I am surprised that Fluttershy isn’t in it.
Also, Tuxedo Jack is a thing of wonder and beauty.
Ah, the computer club, or possibly the applied science club. We’ve got everything from repurposed colanders to Revenge of the Nerds instruments to AI. (Also, Twilight’s literal pet project exists outside of music video reality. How has this girl not made headlines, again?)
… I have no idea what the story is with the wig club.
And wow, Rarity. Jerk move.
Amazing way to start this series off. I could probably make an entire blog out of this short alone.
As stated previously, the Young Designers’ Gala raises the question of just how many successful underage fashionistas there are out there.
I adore how poor Lilypad has absolutely no idea what to make of this strange pink thing that’s poorly imitating a human.
Also, I’m not sure what I like more about Pinkie’s outfit, the cupcake shades or the party cannon hairband. Do you think that thing works?
Pinkie, you do know you’re cleaning all the frosting off the floor, right?
As I’ve said in the past, Pinkie has far, far more magic to her than just what’s trickled through the portal.
Not nearly as much to say about this one, but it was quite enjoyably adorable. And that does sound like a fun story.
Tirek’s Revenge raises a number of questions, from whether there’s any mythological basis for the demon centaur to the genre of the game (similar to Diablo, perhaps?) to whether this is foreshadowing for Season 8. Also, either Sunset never heard about the actual Tirek, whether from Celestia or from Twilight; or she’s confident that the one in the game won’t ever get infused by Equestrian magic, become self-aware, and attempt to escape into the real world.
I’ll be honest, I only just came up with that idea.
Derpy juggling on a unicycle. Your argument is invalid. (And given how she then breaks out a folding chair, I’m pretty sure she has access to hammerspace.)
There’s a joke to be made about Lyra winning a thumb war. Pick your favorite.
Sandalwood, how high are you right now? Can you taste colors?
Never before has the invisible amp problem been quite so prominent. Dash’s guitar is electric, after all.
Oh, Pinkie. So wise. So foolish.
Fluttershy’s love of revenge is amazing.
A most enjoyable slice of life… though seriously, Sandalwood, tone it down.
Hmm. So, is this a field trip? If so, the Crusaders being part of what appears to be a class of older students raises some questions.
“Magmanificent.” Amazing. Clearly, Pinkie’s comedic capacity is genetic.
And then there’s the very clear alicorn skeleton. A lot of questions there. I wonder if Sunset or Princess Twilight have ever seen that.
That the Maud Squad is a thing is fantastic to begin with. That they have Daria-esque badges only adds to that. Also, Kimberlite is adorable in general.
Friendly reminder that the girls’ magic and Maud are still things that exist in this universe. And the combination of the two leads to some incredible things.
Hmm. That photo with the two… friends and what appears to be a trophy raises some interesting questions. Ones I don’t plan on looking into, but objectively interesting ones.
Look, I’m going to try to be nice, but I make no guarantees.
This is how I imagine any instance of Twilight trying to be romantic. “I’ve scheduled precisely twenty minutes for mutual contemplation of the ineffable vastness of the universe. No more, no less.”
“I got something special for your big night, just in case.” You know, given her experience at the animal shelter, Fluttershy is probably the one who’d think to give one of her friends decidedly non-TV-Y accessories before a date. Her or Applejack.
What? Was I the only one thinking that?
The awkardness is painful… yet perfect.
Human Star Swirl apparently still dressed like a wizard, though he was likely this world’s Copernicus, Galileo, or similarly influential astronomer. Though given the atom model, he might have been Niels Bohr… which makes the jingly bathrobe raise even more questions.
Well, if Twilight grabbing his hand is enough to make Timber make that face, their relationship can’t have progressed too far…
So… that’s clearly Earth, but it appears to be orbiting a blue giant. That brings up quite a few distressing questions.
The hot chocolate is hot! No one could have predicted this!
Credit to Tara Strong for her performance as burnt-tongue Twilight.
Equuleus, Pegasus, and Cassiopeia, eh? So a little horse, a winged horse, and a queen. Nope, don’t see a theme there.
And so Fluttershy defies the will of the gods, who wished to strike down this pairing. Her hubris would be punished if Artemis did not favor her so. Meanwhile, I’m just making notes about the provided data while trying to keep my gorge from rising.
Hmm. Two weeks to finals. Well, that helps give some semblance of a timeline to this timeline… You know what I mean.
Also, I do love how Sunset is completely unimpressed and unintimidated. “I have held the power of a god. Your Scantron forms do not frighten me.”
And then we learned that there would be music videos among these shorts.
That was an insanely accurate multithrow. Especially for Twilight, who I expect to have all the hand-eye coordination of an earthworm.
Hmm. Let’s take a look at this study schedule. Most of the time blocks are fairly straightforward, but Sunset’s non-study sections involve wrenches, a screw, and a nut. Curious.
Again, Sunset has this and she knows this. She is a clever pony.
Heh. This isn’t just a music video. This is a music video narrative reflection of “Testing Testing 1-2-3.”
Ooh, hadn’t noticed the golden spiral in the corner of Rarity’s dress sketch until now. Very nice touch.
Rainbow Dash’s intelligence is a direct function of her current velocity.
Pinkie’s personalized study session is too perfect for words.
That’s not just any molecule Applejack’s put together. It’s methyl butanoate, the molecule that gives apples their scent and thus most of their flavor.
Catchy tune, Twilight at her best, what’s not to like? Even if I can’t see Europe performing this song.
Even Sunset’s earmuffs have friendship cones.
Hmm. A telepath who struggles with both controlling those powers and moral decisions. I’ve drawn comparisons between Sunset and Jace Beleren before, but she’s making it awfully easy right now.
Really, Twilight, you were asking for it when you put wings or your bike basket. And those Reese’s Pieces you ate earlier probably didn’t help either.
(Lovely auditory homage to John Williams in there, too.)
Strange to see Pinkie eating lunch with people other than the rest of the Humane Seven. To say nothing of her apparently having a pile of hay fries as part of her lunch. Also, it looks like less calorie-dense food results in less impressive explosions. Makes sense. Celery probably behaves like a sparkler.
Dare I ask what the double helix is for in Twilight’s demonstration? Is the magic causing genetic mutations? Phenotypic ones, certainly, but those didn't seem to have a lasting effect until now.
And so we have both a control mechanism and a story hook for the girls’ magic: If any of them abuse it, they all lose control over it. This is definitely consistent with magic’s behavior in the human world: Use with caution, or else. Now imagine what happens if they ignore that warning, or if they have no choice but to overuse their powers. The consequences could be… memorable.
Wow. That is an exquisitely punchable Zephyr Breeze design, especially the three-hair goatee. Major credit to the character designers.
As for him being taller than his older sister, that’s not that odd. I outgrew my sister long before I was in high school.
Poor Fluttershy. That mortified facepalm.
Yes, I noticed the theme of magic growing out of the main cast’s control, to potentially dangerous levels. In something where the title begins with “Over.” It did make me smile, though I very much doubt it will end in apotheosis.
In all, a great start to these shorts. And we’ve gotten the Timber Spruce one out of the way early, so that’s a plus. (It’s not that I hate the character, I just dislike his interactions with Twilight.) Now, on to the cards:
McBiggen’s Squire 1W
Creature — Human Soldier
As long as you control a Knight, McBiggen’s Squire gets +1/+0 and has first strike.
With the king in the Squizzard’s thrall, she follows Sir McBiggen as her only liege.
2/2
Autolevitator 2W
Creature — Human Pilot
Flying
Whenever Autolevitator crews a Vehicle, that Vehicle gains flying until end of turn.
”Spike? Phone home. Tell them we may be a bit late.”
2/1
Living Constellation 2W
Creature — Insect
Flying
Living Constellation has lifelink as long as you control an enchantment.
”The training wasn’t easy. They can’t see star charts very well.”
—Fluttershy
2/2
Canterlot Fencing Team 3W
Creature — Human Soldier
First strike
Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
“It’s a bit different when you actually have to hold the sword, but it’s still fun.”
—Sunset Shimmer
2/3
Gorgonborn Pegasus 3W
Enchantment Creature — Pegasus
Bestow 5W (If you cast this spell for its bestow cost, it’s an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it’s not attached to a creature.)
Flying, protection from black
Enchanted creature gets +2/+2 and has flying and protection from black.
2/2
Mysterious Stranger 3W
Creature — Human Rogue
Flash
When Mysterious Stranger enters the battlefield, if G was spent to cast it, prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.
A single rose can turn the tide of battle.
2/3
Juggling Unicyclist 4W
Creature — Human Citizen
Vigilance
Juggling Unicyclist can’t be tapped.
”Why? Because I can.”
3/3
Maud’s Admirer U
Creature — Human Child
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control six or more lands, target player puts the top ten cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
”Maybe someday I’ll know the names of every mineral!”
1/1
Cracker-Fed Macaw 1U
Creature — Bird
Flying
Piratecycling 3 (3, Discard this card: Search your library for a Pirate card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Some welcomed the Brazen Coalition with open wings.
1/1
“Rise Up!” 1U
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Rise Up!”
UU, Sacrifice “Rise Up!”: Up to X target creatures can’t be blocked this turn and gain “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card” until end of turn, where X is the number of verse counters on “Rise Up!”
Struggle of the Telepath 2UU
Sorcery
Each opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals an instant or sorcery card. You may cast any number of instant and/or sorcery cards revealed this way without paying their mana costs. Then those players put the rest into their graveyards.
Too much information is only the beginning.
Academic Coach 3U
Creature — Human Advisor
At the beginning of your end step, if you didn’t attack with a creature this turn, draw a card.
”Focus. You can go have fun after the test.”
1/4
Maud’s Lecture 4U
Sorcery
Target player puts the top X cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard, where X is the number of lands on the battlefield.
Her droning monotone seems to bleed the color out of the world, leaving only rocks.
Narrative Echo 6U
Enchantment
Whenever you cast in instant or sorcery spell, you may have it become a copy of target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard. If you do, you may choose new targets for that spell.
Stories were made to be retold.
Minute Singularity 1BB
Instant
Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn. If that creature would die this turn, exile it instead.
To explore the fullest potential of magic, one must understand how the universe behaves without it.
Preorder 3BB
Sorcery
Search your library for a nonland card and exile it with three time counters on it. If it doesn’t have suspend, it gains suspend. Then shuffle your library. (At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost. If it’s a creature, it has haste.)
Skeletal Alicorn 3BB
Creature — Skeleton
Alicorn (This card is a Pony Pegasus Unicorn at all times.)
Flying
2B; Sacrifice a Pony, Pegasus, or Unicorn: Return Skeletal Alicorn from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped.
The stewards of equinity cannot rest until there are none left to protect.
4/2
Captain Pinkbeard 4B
Legendary Creature — Human Pirate
Attacking Pirates you control have lifelink.
At the beginning of your end step, if you gained 4 or more life this turn, create a 2/2 black Pirate creature token with menace.
”For plunder and pastry!”
3/4
Compulsive Sprinter 1R
Creature — Human Warrior
Haste
Compulsive Sprinter attacks each combat if able.
R: Compulsive Sprinter gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
The real trick is going from sixty back to zero.
2/1
Jump In 3R
Sorcery
Untap target creature in a silver-bordered game you can see from your seat. Gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn. (A creature is on the battlefield of only the game its controller is playing.)
Glittering Eruption 3RR
Sorcery
Glittering Eruption deals 3 damage to each creature. Proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Young Farmer G
Creature — Human Druid
Level up 1G (1G: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.) 1/1
Level 1-4: T: Untap target land. 1/3
Level 5+: T: Untap all lands you control. 2/5
Elbow to Elbow 1G
Instant
You and target opponent have a thumb war. If you win, that player sacrifices an artifact and an enchantment.
Bonbon wasn’t surprised. Her father had taught her a dozen ways to kill with just her thumbs, but there was no beating Lyra’s fingers.
Elvish Bladedancer 2G
Creature — Elf Warrior Ally
Rally — Whenever Elvish Bladedancer or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, creatures you control can’t be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less this turn.
His blades once cleared overgrowth in Oran-Rief. Now they clear swarming scions.
3/2
Animated Fossil 6
Artifact Creature — Dinosaur Skeleton
Enrage — Whenever Animated Fossil is dealt damage, it gains indestructible until end of turn (if it survives that damage).
”As long as no one adds any frog bones, we should be fine.”
—Twilight Sparkle
5/4
Young Designers’ Gala 2WU
Sorcery
Each player may search his or her library for an artifact or enchantment card and put it onto the battlefield. Each player who searched his or her library this way shuffles it.
”Seeing the sheer amount of talent in my generation shows me how far I still have to go.”
—Rarity
Tirek’s Revenge 4BBRR
Sorcery
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature deals damage equal to its power to each creature you don’t control.
”Your immortality only meant you would still be here to witness my triumph.”
—Lord Tirek
Clifftop Observatory
Land
T, Pay 1 life: Add U or R to your mana pool.
1, T, Sacrifice Clifftop Observatory: Draw a card.
”The tickets may be expensive, but who can put a price on the wonders of the universe?”
—Twilight Sparkle
Dessert Island
Land
T: Add C to your mana pool.
T: Add G or U to your mana pool. Each opponent gains 1 life.
Equestria’s seas hold countless undiscovered stretches of chaos terrain, some more hospitable than others.
Maybe the one selling the tickets?
When you say "leaks", do you mean what they published on their website https://www.discoverygo.com/my-little-pony-equestria-girls/ ?
Or does that mean there's even more floating out there already?
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No, just the ones released ahead of the YouTube schedule. I've rephrased the intro for the sake of clarity.
The chemistry scene is the Science Club: this is the Mad Science Club. No-one will ever convince me otherwise.
Going by the skull, I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be Drama Club, and I think Applejack is doing Phantom of the Opera. Which is clearly much too hoity-toity, high-falutin' and melodramatic for her taste.
Between this and "it's a deep down inside freak-out", I'm starting to think human Fluttershy has a rather different emotional profile than pony Fluttershy. One day she will destroy them all.
But an earthworm doesn't ohhhhhhhh
Had I been consuming a beverage when watching this one, my keyboard and monitor would never have survived the resulting deluge.
Also having a sleezy brother like Zephyr probably contributes to Fluttershy's thinking along such lines. Whether he actually would ever have need of such accessories is debatable, tho there do seem to be women who go for such an approach. Not RD obviously.
I love how Equestria Girls canon is cooperating with my theory that Flash and Ditzy are childhood best friends.
It's things like this and Twilight's Athena costume from "Scare Master" that have me and Zef convinced I've got a secret fan among the animators.
Just off the top of my head: Rarity, Blythe Baxter, Marinette Dupain-Cheng...
It's Pinkie Pie.
Human Fluttershy is best Fluttershy.
Ancient alicorns probably discovered the parallel world long before Starswirl discovered it and made his changes-your-species portal.
The biggest downside to dating Twilight Sparkle: she would micromanage the schedule for sex.
Well they have to work on rebuilding KITT somewhere in there. (Or building Dawn.)
She's the Fullmetal Appleist!
I think it's probably more basic than that: Pinkie Pie makes sugar explode.
Like, say..."Oversharing"?
Or...the other thing where the title begins with "Over", which ends in...something else I won't mention because spoilers.
Sunset's new earmuffs are pretty... Dazzling.
Preorder is a great design. It's so black to not only tutor up a card, but then also eventually play it for free as your opponent can only look upon that Emrakul you grabbed in despair.
4729742
Headcanon accepted. And if I had to guess, Twilight founded CHS's Mad Science Club. Naturally, Mr. Swirl is the faculty supervisor. (No relation to the father of modern astronomy, of course. That would be ridiculous.)
No, Watermelody's had that skull since the first movie. I can only assume that, drama kid that she is, she's a huge fan of Hamlet. Between the poses and the manga the club members are holding, it's pretty clear what the allusion's meant to be.
Let's face it, the Humane Seven are a supervillain team waiting to happen. Everyone but AJ and Dash could qualify as evil masterminds on their own. Put together, they could conquer the world. Especially if the Overpowered scenario ever comes to full fruition.
4729811
Warm-colored girl with spikes who's the unofficial leader of her group. The parallels are certainly there.
4729817
Ironically enough, one of the answers to an opponent preordering Emrakul is having one of Ulamog's processors intercept the shipment.
4729782
It does make for a great dynamic between the two of them.
And now I want the Gala to actually be a multiversal affair.
Point made. Girl probably has an entire outfit made of the things.
If so, they apparently died there. Magic exhaustion? No way back? Hostile natives?
"I want you to start oscillating at ninety thrusts per minute. When the first alarm goes off, increase to one twenty. After that— Actually, if you'll refer to page 5 of the brochure, you'll see a graph of what I have in mind. Please hold any questions until after the presentation."
Makes sense to me. Though any scientific lesbian spawn have to get study schedules of their own, even if they consist of "wait for everything to finish downloading."
Possibly, but I do have fun overthinking things.
As for the last bit, Oversharing certainly is a good example of the potential dangers of the girls abusing their powers until the feedback cycle grows to an uncontrollable degree, though not what I had in mind. Granted, neither is Oversaturation; that's a bit less "legion of Nightmares" and more "cosmological catapstrophe." (I appreciate your efforts at spoiler avoidance, but it's been more than two years—holy crap, it's been more than two years—since I finished the story. I'd say we're good.)
4729877
At long last, the fact that I never actually watched Sailor Moon has come back to haunt me...
And here I was hoping the card’s flavor text would go something like “At least it’s not deserted.”
How did I miss that fencing team pun??