Strange things you notice

[starswirlthebearded]

I've always compared flying to swimming. You can swim as an infant, but can't as an older child and the skill has to be relearned... Either that, or as others have suggested, Scoot's body developed faster than her wings, meaning that her wings aren't big enough or strong enough to allow her to fly.

As for magic, I can't really answer, there is no real world parallel. However, it seems that in most literature magic is an instinctual natural gift that can manifest itself without the forethought of the creature casting it. The control of the magic seems to depend on the will or desire of the caster. So for a single minded infant, I see no reason why it cannot perform magic with control. The only, and I mean only, questionable thing was the portal through the basket. That seemed to be done using active thought, which shouldn't be possible. However, everything else can be explained through singleminded will.

[DrMaxwell]

In griffon the brush-off, at about 6:50 or so, when pinkie and dashie are contemplating who to prank next, pinkie says "someone" instead of "somepony".

Dunno if its slipped in later in the series, its just the episode im watching right now.

[Ashton]

In griffon the brush-off, at about 6:50 or so, when pinkie and dashie are contemplating who to prank next, pinkie says "someone" instead of "somepony".

Dunno if its slipped in later in the series, its just the episode im watching right now.

it happens now and then, I think the popular opinion is that "somepony" is the PC version that is * supposed* to be used, but everyone slips up and says "somone" now and then (realistically, I think it's the VAs flubbing the line and the studio doesn't want to waste the time/money to have them redo it)

[Motion Paradox]

I agree that Pumpkin's magic being partially due to magic surges and partially due to hyperfocusing, perhaps Sweetie Belle could do something similar at that age but now that she's older she dosen't have surges and has to learn to do magic over again

Pound flying is similar, he's probably flying on instinct, Scootaloo on the other hand is older, perhaps her wings haven't caught up with her body, perhaps she's the only Pegasus in her imediate family so she's had to figure out how to fly on her own, though if you look closely her flying has improved since episode 17

A couple of other things I've noticed are if you listen closely when the Cutie Mark Crusaders are mixing the potion from Hearts And Hooves Day the music sounds a bit like the music from The Sorceror's Apprentice (I find it starts to sound clearer when they're getting the Rainbow)

Take a good look at the group buying muffins in Applebuck Season and compare it to the group in the emergency ward, I noticed two Ponies in particular are different: Derpy was at Sugar Cube Corner but wasn't in the hospital (so they didn't have any effect on her), Berry Punch wasn't at Sugar Cube Corner but was in the hospital (bad hangover perhaps?)

[tacobob]

Derby is strong. STRONG LIKE BULL!

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Take a good look at the group buying muffins in Applebuck Season and compare it to the group in the emergency ward, I noticed two Ponies in particular are different: Derpy was at Sugar Cube Corner but wasn't in the hospital (so they didn't have any effect on her), Berry Punch wasn't at Sugar Cube Corner but was in the hospital (bad hangover perhaps?)

It's possible some were sick at home, or hadn't been able to get to the hospital yet. Or maybe they didn't show the whole hospital. Lots of possibilities.

[Volt]

Just decided to listen to Flim&Flam again, and noticed one oddity.

At 1:52 when Rarity looses it for a bit, Twilight seems to be worried and the one of not so many to realize what danger those two may bring. (I assume)

But at 2:34, she's already good to go with the idea.

What a little two-faced traitor she is, isn't she ?

[elsporko]

Maybe Twilight was just confused by the random breaking into song but got into the groove of it?

Besides Flim and Flam didn't bring any danger aside from competition to the Apple's cider business, which given the Apple's inability to properly serve the town and unwillingness to make changes was sorely needed.

[Volt]

Let me quote AJ after Twilight cheered her that they'll win:

"We'd better, 'cause if we won't, we're gonna lose our farm."

If you wouldn't call loosing your home a danger, then what would it be ?

[Volt]

Oh, here's a riddle for you.

During the Best Night Ever, at the gala.

Pony Pokey song.

Observe Rarity's tiara at 0:44 and tell me, what's wrong? Cookie for first one to come up with it.

[tacobob]

Ha! Not at the right time, but on the 54 second mark, it POOFED away for a bit.

[Volt]

Yes, but I wanted you to watch it whole to make thing harder. Though it's not that hard anyway Cookie goes to you I guess.

Seems that Pinkie's with her 6 hooves and check mark is not the only one to bend dimensions and reality.

[elsporko]

Let me quote AJ after Twilight cheered her that they'll win:

"We'd better, 'cause if we won't, we're gonna lose our farm."

If you wouldn't call loosing your home a danger, then what would it be ?

The Apples' home was only in danger because they made a very foolish wager. Flim and Flam were not doing anything that would bring danger to any other pony and where in fact providing a service freeing the town of the Apple's monopoly on cider. The Apple family clearly were not willing to make the changes needed to increase production creating a demand that was not being met. Nothing wrong with a business taking advantage of that demand

[Volt]

Oh no no no, you're misunderstanding me.

I wasn't talking about direct danger to PV, nor other ponies, but only towards RJ. After all, wouldn't you expect Twilight to understand how this can end for her family (and well, she did understand it) and try to prevent it? Sure, the outcome was positive, as thanks to the threat they produced enough for everypony, but, that was the outcome already. It's different topic.

Although, to be honest, that different topic also seems a bit weird. She wasn't keen on helping with cider production until AJ's family got in troubles. That's quite... well... unfair towards, if not Ponyville, then... Rainbow Dash? Heh.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

The Flim Flam brothers were classic con artists. They were all smiles and big talk, but the revealing moment came when the Apple Family refused their deal to work together. They were happy that the Apple Family refused their deal. That leads me to believe that they knew it was a bad deal when they proposed it. They get to look like they are being the reasonable ones, but under their breath, they stated that their goal was to run the Apple Family out of business and establish their own monopoly instead.

Also, one might ask, if the situation in Ponyville was "the same in every town," why were they on the road? Perhaps they were not as successful in other places as they would have led everypony to believe.

[Volt]

But I'd like to notice that next line of the song mentions that ponies were thirsty and the cider was nowhere to be found. I doubt that if you came with that machine in place with shortage of cider, you'd be unsuccessful.

And as for why they were on the road... advertising, or even typical tour (like the stars do nowadays, after all they're popular no matter where they are), as they're "World wide famous Flim Flam brothers". And well, you said yourself. Con artists. Artists usually travel around. Moreover, as for businessponies, they went for capturing greater shares of the market, as simple as it is.

[elsporko]

hi hi

The Flim Flam brothers were classic con artists. They were all smiles and big talk, but the revealing moment came when the Apple Family refused their deal to work together. They were happy that the Apple Family refused their deal. That leads me to believe that they knew it was a bad deal when they proposed it. They get to look like they are being the reasonable ones, but under their breath, they stated that their goal was to run the Apple Family out of business and establish their own monopoly instead.

Also, one might ask, if the situation in Ponyville was "the same in every town," why were they on the road? Perhaps they were not as successful in other places as they would have led everypony to believe.

The deal was bad but they aren't con artists. Everything was right out in the open. It could be argued that the deal was fair considering they invented the machine and provided the magic. The Apples only would have to grow the apples and sell the cider. Its also common in business to throw out an offer that is unfair with the expectation for it to be negotiated down. Applejack just never bothered negotiating for some reason.

As for why the brothers are on the road, the obvious answer is the machine needs a steady supply of apples so they could have been traveling to areas with orchards. Personally I think its because the episode wasn't well written. They obviously are suppose to be shucksters, the writer however failed to show them actually doing something shucksterish. At most they just sort of acted like jerks

[MyLittlePonyTales]

Oh, here's a riddle for you.

During the Best Night Ever, at the gala.

Pony Pokey song.

Observe Rarity's tiara at 0:44 and tell me, what's wrong? Cookie for first one to come up with it.

Meh, old blooper is old.

[MyLittlePonyTales]

But I'd like to notice that next line of the song mentions that ponies were thirsty and the cider was nowhere to be found. I doubt that if you came with that machine in place with shortage of cider, you'd be unsuccessful.

Ponyville had a cider shortage... you see how that turned out.

[starswirlthebearded]

The deal was bad but they aren't con artists. Everything was right out in the open. It could be argued that the deal was fair considering they invented the machine and provided the magic. The Apples only would have to grow the apples and sell the cider. Its also common in business to throw out an offer that is unfair with the expectation for it to be negotiated down. Applejack just never bothered negotiating for some reason.

As for why the brothers are on the road, the obvious answer is the machine needs a steady supply of apples so they could have been traveling to areas with orchards. Personally I think its because the episode wasn't well written. They obviously are suppose to be shucksters, the writer however failed to show them actually doing something shucksterish. At most they just sort of acted like jerks

They are con artists. Their name says it all... Flimflam... Look it up. They rallied the town into supporting them leaving the apples little choice but to enter into a disadvantageous contest. That is a form of a con, but perhaps one you are not familiar with.

If they tried to negotiate down, they likely would have tried leaving which would have created unrest among the ponies. That was their intent. That didn't happen because Apple bloom stepped in and caused negotiations to turn south anyway. They took that opportunity to rile up the apples, which allowed them to get them into the competition that would lose them their farm.

They are the classic con men and we're intended to be that way. Just because there was an actual need, does not mean that there is no possibility for a con. If that were the case than mortgage cons wouldn't be cons, but they are.

[elsporko]

I understand the intent was for them to be con men, but there was a disconnect with what actually happened in the episode. The most connish thing they did was goad Granny Smith into agreeing with the contest Apple Bloom agreed to. There is no con in having an effective advertising campaign with alot of showmanship. Part of a con is that there has to be some sort of deception. Flim and Flam were pretty straightforward. The machine worked as they said it would and there were no hidden conditions to their offer.

A better direction for the episode if they wanted to show off the con would be Flim and Flam offering to sell the machine for cheap, only to not mention that their magic is needed to run it, and they charge alot to run the machine. Even claiming to have cider that is just as good when it is actually very poor quality would be more of a con. Instead it started out with them acting like con artists, went a weird John Henry direction, and then Flim and Flam left town so everything could wrap up happily.

My theory is this episode went through a few rewrites and not everything meshed out right. Flim and Flam conning the Apples and then the man vs machine contest don't line up real naturally. I'm guessing originally there were two ideas of how this episode would go, they started with the con, switched to the contest, and lacked the time to rewrite the beginning. If you also notice originally the contest was for who would be allowed to sell cider but afterwards they act like the farm was the prize even though losing one revenue of money would not mean the farm would immediately be lost nor would it mean Flim and Flam would own it. It again feels like there was more then one draft with different things at stake and they got mixed together

[SirShadowdeath]

To clear it up, Flim and Flam were basically representations of The Music Man. Watch the movie and come back. It'll all make sense.

Oh yeah, and monorails.

(If you know what I mean )

[Rosewind]

I saw this and thought it was pretty strange!

[starswirlthebearded]

I understand the intent was for them to be con men, but there was a disconnect with what actually happened in the episode. The most connish thing they did was goad Granny Smith into agreeing with the contest Apple Bloom agreed to. There is no con in having an effective advertising campaign with alot of showmanship. Part of a con is that there has to be some sort of deception. Flim and Flam were pretty straightforward. The machine worked as they said it would and there were no hidden conditions to their offer.

A better direction for the episode if they wanted to show off the con would be Flim and Flam offering to sell the machine for cheap, only to not mention that their magic is needed to run it, and they charge alot to run the machine. Even claiming to have cider that is just as good when it is actually very poor quality would be more of a con. Instead it started out with them acting like con artists, went a weird John Henry direction, and then Flim and Flam left town so everything could wrap up happily.

My theory is this episode went through a few rewrites and not everything meshed out right. Flim and Flam conning the Apples and then the man vs machine contest don't line up real naturally. I'm guessing originally there were two ideas of how this episode would go, they started with the con, switched to the contest, and lacked the time to rewrite the beginning. If you also notice originally the contest was for who would be allowed to sell cider but afterwards they act like the farm was the prize even though losing one revenue of money would not mean the farm would immediately be lost nor would it mean Flim and Flam would own it. It again feels like there was more then one draft with different things at stake and they got mixed together

http://en.wikipedia....onfidence_trick

From the above article

Vulnerability to confidence tricks

Confidence tricks exploit typical human characteristics such as greed, dishonesty, vanity, honesty, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility, desperation and naïveté. As such, there is no consistent profile of a confidence trick victim, the common factor is simply that the victim relies on the good faith of the con artist. Victims of investment scams tend to show an incautious level of greed and gullibility, and many con artists target the elderly, but even alert and educated people may be taken in by other forms of confidence trick.^[2]

Shills, also known as accomplices, help manipulate the mark into accepting the con man's plan. In a traditional confidence trick, the mark is led to believe that he will be able to win money or some other prize by doing some task. The accomplices may pretend to be strangers who have benefited from performing the task in the past.

A greedy or dishonest mark may attempt to out-cheat the con artist, only to discover that he or she has been manipulated into losing from the very beginning.

Yup, tricked into accepting the con man's plan. Seems like what happened here. Though there wasn't anything to gain, except more cider and the town's confidence. Which honestly, to the Apples is worth its weight in gold, as they were hell bent on demonstrating their ability as cider makers as well as INTEGRITY. They had more to lose though, but that is the point of a con, to bring the mark into a disadvantageous deal.

[Motion Paradox]

At 0:44? Her tiara is positioned so the base of her horn should be visable from the front, but it isn't