Official Discussion Thread - S04E23 Inspiration Manifestation

[brianblackberry]

It is that time of the week again when we all huddle around our computers and televisions and watch adorable ponies do adorable pony things. In this week's episode, we get another Rarity episode, or maybe it is a Spike episode? Let's just say RariSpike and let the shippers prepare their pens. Rarity is suffering what all us creative types do from time to time; the lost of the muse. Will Spike help her get it back, or will his plan backfire? Well, find out more in just a few hours! Please discuss the episode, but remember to keep the spoilers in the spoilers bracket. Episode airs Saturday 10:30 AM EST on April 26th.

It was this or post RariSpike and start a Canterlot shipping war!

[SunlightHeart]

Sigh. I dislike this episode. It's less the episode or the writing... it's just this constant theme in MLP. In a world of magic and artifacts, how is it that anything that gives a pony more power is either horribly flawed or flat out evil? It's like if using an enchanted weapon in an RPG constantly lowered your morality score... So annoying, such a forced, heavy handed theme... all it seems to be teaching is that you shouldn't use things that give you an advantage. Which is pretty terrible. Not a realistic lesson at all...

Oh oh oh and lo and behold

the book

let Rarity

use dark magic

. Because they just had to hammer in that the point. Why can't we have some artifacts that aren't the EoH or the Crystal Heart that provide a boost, yet aren't evil?

[Rosewind]

I thought this episode had a lot of good moments. Rarity's artistic insanity was great, but I thought it was brought down by the tired shtick of Spike's insecurity. When he blamed Owlowicious it was met with no real consequence, then he eventually figured everything out and everything was all good.

The dark magic and the spell book were just a means to an end to relay a story. I don't think the message was don't use things to give you an advantage, but being a good friend also means letting your friends know what you're really thinking. Being truthful with yourself is as important as being truthful to them. As with using anything with power, there are contingencies and consequences, which I think is the underlying theme here.

I think this episode is a 7.5/10. Lots of funny moments, Rarity in full tweak-out mode, and lots of action/consequence events that kept it interesting enough.

[RarityDash]

Loved this episode. Seriously fun.

Just the premise was great. Crazy dark magic Rarity seeks to make all of Equestria fabulous! It's a big and cool idea; it reminds me of the kind of episodes MA Larson would write. I really just love when they remember Rarity's a unicorn too. They rarely have her do magic, but here that's all of the focus. It was just really fun to see. And evil crazy Rarity was delightful (and kind of hot...). We hadn't spent much time in the old castle since the first few episodes of the season, so it was a good thing to revisit it again as well. I like the idea of it as a source of infinite powerful secrets. I think the writers could get a lot our of that. Overall, this is a kind of really cool magical premise I like to see. The ponies should discover evil artifacts more often.

Also, the Rainbow Dash moment put the biggest smile on my face. I love how forcing Rainbow into a cute dress was practically Rarity's first idea once she decided to consciously find applications for her magic in Ponyville. Just proves that Rainbow Dash is on her mind.

There were so many great Rarity moments though. The ice cream, and the crazy. I've always wanted to see her just lose it like this. Spike's use was less fun, though I think is a different enough lesson for him to keep it interesting. Spike is only ever so interesting though.... He is certainly the weak link of the episode, but at the same time I don't think you could really replace him with anyone in it.

So yeah, I think Meghan McCarthy and Corey Powell came up with something pretty cool here. The Rarity episodes have all been different this season. This one wasn't as complete as Rarity Takes Manehattan or as hilarious as Simple Ways, but it stands right up there as prime Rarity for the sheer extent of crazy Rarity. It was just a lot of fun.

[FrankT]

My God, that magic turned Rarity into George Lucas!

[Mojo]

This episode was amazing, funny and entertaining, until the ending. Rarity going 'mad' with power was both amusing and so in character for her! We've seen 'insane' Rarity before in "The Return of Harmony" and this went one better! This was a character building episode for Spike and one I believe showed that he could make a sound logical decision. Good for him! All this being said, if I were judging this episode based on the first seventeen minutes, a clear 10 out of 10! However, the ending was both sudden and very weak. I mean c'mon! Spike eating an entire big magic book? Really? Just speaking the truth chases evil magic away? Just doesn't seem right to me. I was figuring that Spike would have to bring in Twilight Sparkle for the 'save' but that didn't happen this time. Disappointing ending. Because of it, for the average, I have to say this episode falls into the 'good but not great' category. I'll give it a 7 out of 10. Too bad, this ep had SO much potential to be better than it was.

[Bellosh]

Why was Rarity entrusted to make a puppet theater anyway? Fashion is not the same thing as crafting a cart from wood and all that..... <_<

[SteelEagle]

Also, the Rainbow Dash moment put the biggest smile on my face. I love how forcing Rainbow into a cute dress was practically Rarity's first idea once she decided to consciously find applications for her magic in Ponyville. Just proves that Rainbow Dash is on her mind.

This is very true. The order of change was in the order of her best ships and where her heart lies. No wonder Applejack was her first target!

[MetalBronyATL]

Rarity was adorable, Spike wasn't so annoying and OCTAVIA WAS IN THIS EPISODE! Not a masterpiece episode, but it was enjoyable.

[RarityDash]

This is very true. The order of change was in the order of her best ships and where her heart lies. No wonder Applejack was her first target!

Pfft. She just happened across Applejack. She actually set out to find Rainbow.

Also, she just changed AJ's cart. Rainbow Dash was the only one who she had an interest in making fashionable herself.

[kunio18]

this episode made me want moar ice cream !

[SteelEagle]

Pfft. She just happened across Applejack. She actually set out to find Rainbow.

Also, she just changed AJ's cart. Rainbow Dash was the only one who she had an interest in making fashionable herself.

She knew that Applejack could do with a better cart, even in her addled mind. She just wanted to help out in her own evil, dark magic way. RD never wants a dress. Totally selfish desire, even for an addled mind!

[QuickLime]

Honestly I think what they are hammering in with the constant "Magical item backfire" thing is that using a shortcut or a cheat to do something is going to end up badly..Trixie's magic was enhanced but she started to change. Rarity's magic was also enhanced but she was changed too..

In Equestria relying on magic too much is DANGEROUS because it CAN change how you act and think, The Crystal Heart isn't to enhance any magic for a selfish reason, it's to protect the city and is tied to all citizens, not there to serve just one pony.

[rjrgmc28]

"*standing ovation* Give this dragon a huge round of applause. This episode is a gold plated masterpiece. Well done Spike."

It seems it was only a few days ago that I wrote a entry on my blog (link) and going into bat for Spike, even though he isn't my favourite character, but all he wanted was a fair go for the little dragon who has been through so much this season, yet he was given so little in return.

This episode delivered on that and much more, even if you block out the things that he went through this season including being kicked to the curb, being the victim of a joke where he makes plenty of food for a large crowd and then it goes to waste and being the primary blame point for the breezies being knocked off course without any evidence to prove the crime.

Enough about that, as always, my thoughts on the episode are spoilered below, but it isn't much to write home about this week:

The Rarity and Spike combination worked well as always, especially when it came to the opening scenes of the episode where she ran away from Spike after the idea of her puppeteers box being knocked back and a being in tears with a flood of negative thoughts clouding her mind.

Rarity's ice cream binge session was another bit of the episode that I couldn't resist feeling sorry and sympathetic towards her. All of that good, sold hard work gone to waste and even though she could have contributed something else to the fair, she instead started to binge on 13 tubs ice cream as an escape point.

I couldn't resist making this tweet during that scene:

"Streets Blue Ribbon ice cream, the choice of pony fashionista's across Equestria."

The rest of the episode was a wall to wall fest of hijinks, action and emotion fueled scenes, especially when Rarity went on a trip around town and decided to put the spell to good use before things started to go wrong.

Even though my initial thoughts on the episode that I wrote above isn't much to read up on, the usual episode writeup on my blog if anyone is interested provides a little more detail and also goes in depth on a few more topics that I couldn't fit here:

http://www.fromtheex...asterpiece.html

[arrowghost]

Yeap, from the looks of it, Spike isn't himself when his attachment to Rarity is strong and supportive, even though it tends to be a big price to pay which the Owl knew it all along, should have consulted with Twilight for help on inspiration or better yet Pinkie & AJ for fun design & simplicity respectively.

And no, Rarity, the kids will begin to cry when the party is ruined and those who are matured enough, finds it boring. Lol, gladly Pinkie was hosting the party, but now it'll make her do some extra work to fix the problem, time to move back to Sugarcube to continue the party? *squee*

Overall, if Rarity doesn't have a clue what happened, it reminded me one of the Aladdin episodes which the Sultan's soul is trapped inside a cursed armor and not being himself but possess by its evil owner. Rarity too suffers the same but under the one who created that spell. She doesn't seem to remember a clue what happened to Ponyville, but in the end, all that precious metal they made could worth a large fortune. Or maybe not according to Twilight.

PS : Watching the credit scene with Sabrina there, not interested. I like the old 2D animated version including she has a prettier face than the 3D counterpart. Even the live action is better than that 3D series. No way!

[Cadabra]

Maybe this is the fan fic writer in me, but Rarity made a lot of Crystal there. Think this has something to do with inspiring the Crystal Empire?

[Noedig]

Follow the yelow brick road to find Rarity!