Okay, here are my honest thoughts and notes about the episode:
Opening + Remixed Introduction:
- The opening shot with the sun rising over Ponyville looks fantastic. I can tell the animators really put their best hoof forward for this episode right from the very start.
- The checklist in a checklist for Twilight to check her previous checklist to make sure she didn't forget anything on her checklist's checklist. Dawg...
- I could really tell the intro has been remixed, and it sounds refreshing to hear something new. The vocals, the instrumentals, all that sounds great. I can't wait for the Brony community to get out those remixes and what not. I am especially awaiting for a possible new EuroPony Beat.
And then there is...that train...
(WARNING! BRONY NERD ALERT! - The balloon lands in the same spot as the old intro, and Twilight's and Spike's animations are pretty much unchanged, so I could tell that they recycled some of their animation.
- Cheerliee and Carrot Top are also in their recycled animation spots.
- In the old intro, the one hauling the cart was Big Macintosh in Caramel's colors. In the new Season 2 intro, they seemed to have fixed that and he is now back to his original colors, along with Granny Smith walking beside him.
- Apparently, there is a railroad line connected straight through Ponyville.
- The train is somehow
NOT pulled by a team of muscular Earth Ponies, but is instead being operated by Steam (I can tell by the smoke coming out of the smoke stack), yet there is no tender behind the engine. Fuel -> Fire + Water -> Steam = Power to the Engine. I dunno, maybe it's done by magic. That's how a lot of people explain the unexplained in this show. IT'S MAGIC.
- The engine has an engineer pony hanging out of the window.
- The cab's frontal window is in the shape of a heart
- The Engine is a 4-4-0
- Somehow the train is able to control the two main wheels even though there are no visible pistons controlling it, which is how a train moves
- The train is consisted of 6 cars (4 Passenger Cars, 1 Caboose, and the last car is a gondola, which is strange because the caboose is actually supposed to come in last, not another car. [This was because at the back end of a caboose was a red lamp telling trains behind them that there is one up ahead. If the inspectors find this out, they may be put out of business for a railroading violation])
- The first car behind the engine is shaped like a muffin. It even includes Derpy Hooves in a (I think) Derped eyes position. Great nod to the fans from the animators for those who spot it.
- The gondola is carrying the 3 CMC's. I find that irresistibly cute for some reason.
- When the letter is sent to Princess Celestia, it now has a magical glow around it and has a slight reflection in the picture. What a nice little animation touch they put there.
- We now know that when Celestia does magic, her horn glows green and a green magical fog envelops what she is...er...magicking. (Is that even a word?) I thind this strange, because I thought that the magical fog would match the color of their pony. Example? Twilight has a purple coat, a dark purple mane, and a pink streak running through it. Thus, her magical fog glow is purple. Rarity is white with a purple mane. Her magical fog glow is blue, which fits somewhere in between those two colors. Celestia is white with a rainbow mane and her magic is...green. I don't know about you, but when I think green magic, I think evil (A.K.A. Disney's Malificent) I thought her magic would range from a bright yellow or orange to a pure white, because, well...she controls the sun, and those colors seem fitting.
Act I: (I separate acts by commercial breaks)
- Cheerilee's chalkboard has been returned. I don't know why, but I put this in because I really do like Cheerilee
- This also marks the first time on-screen they have named her Cheerilee. Before that, she could of been named somepony else. Pretty interesting if you ask me.
- CUPCAKES!
- I wonder where Mr. Cake and Pinkie Pie are if Mrs. Cake is working in the shop. Maybe they're out back kneading some dough...and they're NOT doing what I know you're doing.
- Right off the bat, I noticed Twilight's magic changed color. From Season 1 and the Discord episodes, her magic was just a more opaque version of her coat. Now, it's like a lavenderish dark purpleish type of color.
- Neat and orderly Twilight is cutest Twilight ever.
- When Spike's tongue comes out to clean his body of icing, notice how the end of his tongue has a notch, like most other lizards. But back in other episodes (A Dog and Pony Show for example) He has a normal tongue. Maybe he got a piercing and didn't like it so removed it but also slit his tongue as well...
- Another nice nod to the old Looney Toons Cartoons. First Pinkie Pie hops and acts like Pepe Le Pew in Griffon the Brush Off, and now Spike does the classic Tasmanian Devil Spin, sound effects and all.
- Claw cramps look a lot like arthritis, and I suspect the pain to be on the same level as well.
- Suddenly, Spike has bandages surrounding his cramp. And it's not like he does it off screen. His scentence actually continues after the close up shot, so that means Spike got out some medical wrappings and wrapped it around his entire claw in less than 0.0000000001 seconds. You can't explain that!
- The cast thingy just flies off a few seconds later. Nice little animation, but entirely pointless. That makes these animators a whole lot cooler.
- We just learn that Twilight sends a Friendship Report every week. There were 24 Episodes in Season 1 (Not counting the first 2 pilots because she doesn't start sending letters on a daily basis), that's 26 weeks. Then in the Discord Episodes, we see Twilight receive, estimated, 100-200 Friendship reports. Can you imagine 200 instances where you learned about friendship within a 1 year period (According to timelines by fans by putting stuff in order, Season 1 roughly spans the time of 1 to 1 1/2 years. Now that's a LOT of friendship reports.
- When Twilight looks out of her window to check the time via sun, according to Episode 3 and the Dragonshy Episode, there SHOULD be a balcony there. Now, it is gone.
- I laughed out loud when I saw the sun and windmill move. I don't know why, but that still cracks me up.
- Spike's 4th Wall break was just INGENIOUS. Pure GENIUS. Add one more reason as to why 'MLP: FiM' is awesome to the book.
- Twilight rolling around on the bed while nagging about not sending letters is just the cutest thing ever!...again...
- Apparently, for Unicorns, at a young age, they go to Magic Kindergarten, where they obviously warm up their magical skills for later uses...
- But now wait a minute, I thought she was Celestia's SPECIAL student!? She doesn't get her own special training to help control all that magic, but is instead sent to public schooling!?
- During that scene, to the left, Dinky Hooves, Pinchy, Sunnydays, and that one in the farthest seat (I forgot her name, but I've seen her before) are there. They can time travel, I guess.
- 2nd time Spike breaks the 4th wall. GENIUS!
- The pony in the farthest seat to your left of that scene, there is an ALICORN!
- Twilight has to solve a problem before sundown...
DAWN OF THE FINAL DAY. 24 HOURS REMAINAct II:
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20 HOURS REMAIN - That zoom in shot into the street and camera following Twilight down the street is actually very well animated and looks fantastic.
- I especially like how the street curves near the edges, as if the FOV (Field of View) has been increased, as well as the buildings gradually shrinking and fading away on the horizon.
- Twilight kicking open a door = KICK ASS AWESOME
- After a closer inspection, when she kicks the doors, they actually open in two's (Notice the notch when the door stops) Nice little animation tibit they added.
- Special kudos to Rarity's voice actor. When she cries, it just comes out in pure, unleaded awesomeness. That basically describes the entire scene. Rarity really steals the spotlight for that one moment.
- The couch gag...classic
- The street scene again. Once again, wonderfully animated.
- Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's scene are also wonderfully animated
- Psychiatric Twilight is also adorably cute. Also...GLASSES!
- I love how Applejack doesn't stop Twilight from lecturing and questioning Rainbow Dash until she's called. She's liking the view she has.
- The way Rainbow Dash tears down the shack is impractical but AWESOME. I mean, she gives it a flying kick, bites off pieces of wood and...
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- Yeah, the pretty much sums it up for that scene also.
- Fluttershy was just...um...
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- Pretty much sums it all up too.
- Both scenes are wonderfully animated, once again.
- Twilight's descent into madness if both hilarious, creepy, and downright AWESOME once again. More kudos to her voice actor for providing such rich detail in her voice.
- The conversation with the muddle is an example of that.
- When Twilight has a nightmarish vision of those three fillies playing jump rope...eh...
Story of the Blanks much??? - Spike breaks the 4th wall again...
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(Yes, I am finally able to use this gif!)
- During the picnic scene, Rainbow Dash is 20% cooler with those shades and sunblock.
- Couch gag again. Seriously, I hope that becomes a running gag of the show.
- Twilight's moment of crazy just begins here, and let me tell you, hilarity will be all that happens from here on end.
- For friends, they aren't really concerned about her. I mean...sure, they learn their lesson later on, but she's going derranged! Eyes, mane, temper, everything!
- Is it just me, or when Twilight teleports out of the sceen, it looks like she just went back to the future, minus the trail of fire?
Act III:
- The "Clock is ticking Twilight...Clock...is...TICKING" scene is fantastic due to the fantastic facial reactions and voice acting.
- I mean, seriously, just TRY to watch the scene without cracking a smile or chuckling a bit.
- Bush Twilight is creepiest thing to have been seen by Pony eyes
- Also, during that scene, I think her horn pierced the bird and killed it...I mean, where else could the horn of gone?
- The CMC's at their cutest form. Not being obnoxious or anything, but just laughing, giggling, and being downright cute until...
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- You might of noticed I am using more pictures near the middle half/end portion. This is mainly due to the fact that words cannot describe the scene, but pictures really do.
- Twilight's little talk with the CMC's is the one of MANY highlights of the final quarter of the episode. It shows off her crazy derranged self in such a way that it
ACTUALLY MAKES SCOOTALOO CRINGE IN FEAR AND HAS HER FLANK GROW MINIATURE WINGS -
- And Smarty Pants, oh Smarty Pants, I hope you make a return in future episodes.
- Words and even pictures cannot describe the pure surge of hilarious emotions that erupted from the cavity of my mouth when the whole enchantment scene and onward happened.
- Nope.bmc
- The Mayor just HAPPENED to be taking a break and was sunbathing in a deserted field... politics are strange in Equestria.
- Also, a bunch of Ponyvillians just HAPPENED to be walking to the exact same spot
- I SWEAR I've heard Bonbon's voice actor before, but where? Some help here please?
- The sun during the end of the fight scene has just retained Minecraft Physics. It is now speeding towards the horizon. I mean seriously, it's as if Celestia is just Trolling Twilight and is making the day shorter on purpose.
- Celestia is now a police helicopter.
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DERPED SCRUNCHY FACED DERPY! <3 - The scene with Big Mac walking away with Smarty Pants is also adorable.
- The first time I've ever heard Celestia angry towards a character 9Discord doesn't count since he is an enemy), and truthfully, I was a little frightened when I heard her in that voice. Compare that voice with the Season 1 opener where she basically tells the tale of Nightmare Moon. Sweet ---> Angry.
- Pinkie Pie outta nowhere
- Rarity comic relief is best kind of comic relief
- The scene where Spike is hiding behind the bookshelf and the camera slowly pans to Twilight and Celestia is another awesome animation tibit. I mean, the camera movement + the fuzziness that shows the focus is just so awesome. You hardly see that much love put into a little girl's cartoon nowadays.
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- Hey look, for once Spike wrote a letter without being told to. Cool.
- And Celestia explodes into the moon...
- Spike is now best poni
- TVTropes: Everyone Laughs Ending
Final Thoughts:
- It was a fun episode. Although it doesn't really expand character development (We already knew beforehand in Season 1 that Twilight can get a bit carried away with her duties), many epicly awesome laughs, macros, gifs, and what not have come out of this one single episode (I mean seriously, a ATOMIC RAINBOOM and FLUTTERSHY SNAPPING A NECK on a GIRL'S SHOW...Thank you Lauren Faust and company for providing this for us! [Yes, I know she left the team in Season 2, but she is still consultant, so she still works with them])
- The animation has
DEFIANTLY improved since Season 1 and the Discord episodes. I mean, seriously, watch a couple of Season 1 Episodes and compare it with this episode. The camera angles are now in better places to catch the sceen, the camera has stopped moving in a very boring way and is actually starting to revolve around the scene. And the scenery also tends to wrap around the camera, creating a cool FOV shot (Ex. The street scenes with Twilight walking down them)
- Although the ending DOES feel like a cop-out and that Twilight should get punished for pretty much causing a riot among the townsfolk, it DOES provide a much broader range of friendship reports to come in. In season 1, all friendship reports were told by Twilight Sparkle; just one perspective of the situation, but now in Season 2, we can now get friendship reports from the other Mane Cast. Provides some much needed mixing up to keep us entertained
- I was expecting an okay episode, but what I got was a fantastic end result. Although it has it's flaws, I would rate this an
8.9/10. The animation has improves, the gags are still funny, the voice acting is still top notch, I mean what else could you ask for? This is really a great episode to start off the true Season 2 with! (No, the Discord episodes don't count since they were originally supposed to air in Season 1)
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Phew! After 2 1/2 days of rewatching and work, I finally got it done! I need to get some sleep now...
