~REVIEW POST~
We actually got a good Spike Episode here, everyone! This one was definitely worth watching. Time for the spoiler version below!
While Gem-hunting with Rarity, Spike starts glowing and itching. He is taken back to Twilight's Castle where Celestia and Luna are having tea with Twilight. Though little is known about Dragon Culture, the Princess Sisters do know what is happening to Spike. The Dragon Lord is calling him. He is to answer the call.
Spike goes there with Rarity and Twilight in disguise as a rock. (Probably for the best. It is shown throughout the episode that ponies don't have good relations with dragons -- for some reason.) Oh, and what do you know. Our old Dragon Bully, Garble, is there too. I had forgotten he even existed. Anyways, the current Dragon Lord is retiring, so it is time for all dragons to compete for the title. They must retrieve the dragon's scepter from a volcano.
One character we get to know about is the current Dragon Lord's Daughter, Ember. (I think I get the joke here.) The Dragon Lord doesn't want her to compete. He doesn't believe her to be strong enough to win the title. However, I think it's also because he doesn't want her to get hurt. You know, the usual "Father Problems" all daughters have.
Anyways, Spike tries to leave, but the current Dragon Lord stops him. (Screw it! I'm just calling him "Lord" from now on.) Spike tells Lord that he wishes not to compete. Ember backs him up by pointing out how puny he is, much to Spike's displeasure. Lord complies and let's Spike leave. However, on the way out, Spike overhears the plans the other dragons have for when they become Dragon Lord. All of which involve harm to ponies. Wanting to protect all of ponykind, Spike decides to compete to become Dragon Lord. Twilight and Rarity will be cheering him on along the way. In disguises, of course.
All of the dragons meet at the cliff nearest to the volcano that's across the sea the now houses the scepter. They take off and Spike is pushed into the water by Garble. (He's a bully throughout the episode. Get used to it.) Along the way, many sea like serpents fire water upon dragons, making them fall into the sea. One dragon gets hit and falls, their armor making it difficult to swim. Spike saves this one from drowning.
At the island, the armored-dragon wakes up and reveals themselves to be Ember. She is competing to prove her father wrong. She also discovers Twilight and Rarity, who were hiding as washed-up seaweed, but chooses to pay them little heed. This is especially important when Garble shows up. Twilight puts their disguise back on Garble starts to smell ponies. Ember, in disguise herself, says it's her because she raided some ponies on the way.
While they are conversing, they see that a creature of some sort is throwing giant boulders at the dragons. Garble goes on ahead and Ember and Spike choose to team-up to get past the rock-throwing creatures. This team up is actually effective. Ember flies them both to the volcano while Spike looks out for the rocks being thrown at them. It works and they make it to the entrance of the volcano. Seeing there's something breathing fire that's powerful enough to incapacitate dragons in there, they decide to continue teaming up to get past that.
After they get through that, they find some active rocks acting like teeth to trap dragons. Lovely! One who gets caught is Garble. Spike and Ember make it past the teeth like trap and Garble struggles out and is on their tail. Can't have a competition without competition.
One of the final obstacles is a bunch of crystallized spikes that retract out of the wall to try to impale them. During this obstacle, Spike saves Ember from being impaled. Garble was smart here by having his competition activate the trap so he could walk through it easily.
After that, it's on to the maze of caves. One of which houses the scepter. At the mouth of the maze, Ember tells Spike she is breaking up the team up. She said she only did this to get this far. The volcano shakes, causing Rarity, in disguise as a big rock, to nearly fall over. Spike saves her. Seeing this, Ember questions it, Spike saying that it's what friends do. However, knowing what Spike was going on with, Ember says that she's not Spike's friend and takes off.
In the maze, they get a bit lost until they find a cave that's somewhat different. This particular one houses the scepter. However, Garble arrives and decides to rid of Spike by dropping him into the lava below. However, Ember comes to save the day. She beats up Garble and admits to being Spike's friend.
Garble won't stay down though. Ember attacks him to give Spike the chance to get the scepter. However, as he is upon the scepter, he notices Ember struggling to hold off Garble. Spike takes this chance to save her. Together, they are able to knock away Garble, but Spike ends up hanging on to a cliff. After knocking Garble away, Ember saves Spike. Garble still won't stay down. Ember keeps him busy and Spike retrieves the scepter, earning the title of Dragon Lord.
Garble sees this and is upset. Spike's first command is to have Garble go home and have him hug every dragon along the way. He is also to tell no one why. Garble does so begrudgingly, with some funny results. However, Spike then gives Ember the scepter as he wants her to be the Dragon Lord. Spike points out that the rule is to return it to Ember's dad to fully earn the title and that he didn't want to be Dragon Lord in the first place. Spike also feels that Ember would make a better Dragon Lord.
They all return with Ember leading them all back. Seeing this, Ember's father is furious. Saying once again that he didn't want her to compete. However, Ember says that she is strong and proved she could do it. He reluctantly accepts her as the new Dragon Lord. Oh, and at this point, Garble hugs Ember's father. It's a pretty funny scene.
Twilight, Rarity and Spike return home. Spike has a new friend in Ember, who in turn is now pen pals with Twilight. Rarity also got some inspiration for new fashion based on camouflage.
All in all, a good episode and I wouldn't mind seeing it again.
Next episode is in two weeks. See ya for the Episode Post.
