Official Discussion Thread - S05E8 The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone

[brianblackberry]

I Always Imagined the Griffon Kingdom as all Games of Thrones like.

 

Saturday is upon us again and with it another new episode of the show we love, so sit back and watch adorable ponies do adorable things! Or perhaps less than adorable griffons do, well, whatever they do! This episode, much like the Friends Forever comic series, focuses on two ponies, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash.     As the title suggests, this will be the first episode where we visit the realm of the griffins themselves. Will we get intrigue?  Mystery? Mayhem?  Party Canon? Tune in to find out! The episode airs Saturday 11:30 AM EST on May 23rd.
 
This thread is dedicated to discussing the episode before, during, and afterwards. As the thread is now open it may indeed contain spoilers. I ask that potential spoilers talked about or shown before the episode airs stay within the spoiler tags please, after the episode you no longer have to use the spoiler tags, but warning, if you haven't seen the episode yet after it airs, this thread no doubt will have all sorts of spoilers in reviews, images, etc. So tread at your own risk.

[Corsair]

The resounding resopnse to today's episode?  Meh.

[Rosewind]

I loved it. It featured my favorite ship, another redeemed antagonist, and plenty of fun moments to round it out. It was ambitious and I think it delivered exactly how it was intended. The very best part? I could feel our lore team squirming while watching it. 9/10.

[brianblackberry]

I loved it. It featured my favorite ship, another redeemed antagonist, and plenty of fun moments to round it out. It was ambitious and I think it delivered exactly how it was intended. The very best part? I could feel our lore team squirming while watching it. 9/10.

 

When I see this episode, I am so ready for some retconning, and I am totally fine with that too.

[Lux]

Good episode. 

 

Nice to see Gilda redeemed, some Griffon Lore thrown in, and more Pinkie Pie antics.

[Corsair]

When I see this episode, I am so ready for some retconning, and I am totally fine with that too.

No worries, BBB.  If anything, this would be a addition to our griffon lore / maps, not a replacement.

[FrankT]

It's about time Gilda made a comeback! Also liked how they managed to solve the five-year feud between her and Dash. Although I was disappointed that they couldn't save the Holy Grail and restore Griffonstone to its former glory. It would've made spreading the message of friendship much easier.

[RarityFan1992]

It was a very good episode, I'm actually starting to hate Gilda a little less now.

[Bellosh]

Although I was disappointed that they couldn't save the Holy Grail and restore Griffonstone to its former glory. It would've made spreading the message of friendship much easier.

 

I had the sneaky suspicion that the Idol was nothing more than a placebo used by the first King. Now then, we must go to Detroit and tell its citizens to embrace friendship, and then all their problems will be solved!

[RarityDash]

Excellent episode, though as a noted Gilda fan you all likely expected I'd say that.

 

• Amy Keating Rogers writes the best Pinkie Pie. This was another shining moment for her character.
• Rainbow was pretty fun too.
• Lots of new griffon designs, new locale, fun things.
• Gilda's redemption was delivered in a way that made sense and worked as an extension of her character.
• The flashback scene was adorable.
• Gummy.

[kunio18]

It's about time Gilda made a comeback! Also liked how they managed to solve the five-year feud between her and Dash. Although I was disappointed that they couldn't save the Holy Grail and restore Griffonstone to its former glory. It would've made spreading the message of friendship much easier.

that Indiana Jones reference at the end

[ShadowWalking18]

Soooo much lore!!!! Its beautiful

 

I might need to change a few things in my character apps, though will see how the site lore changes due to this episode.

 

Fledgling Gilda was sooo cute! :3

[rjrgmc28]

Whew! Despite some technical difficulties during the first screening of the episode where my primary live stream failed, my backup stream lagged out and my router crashed and had to start the episdode again on a replay stream, it's time to give my thoughts.

To quote from my tweet this morning:

"Awwww...now that was an episode that was good! I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy inside!"

This was my first initial reaction after the second screening. However, it all changed when something came to me when I was writing my blog post:

"Hang on a moment. This just came to me. Is Griffonstone, Equestria's version of Struggle Street?"

Ok, it may not be the best reaction or it has any relevancy to the episode itself, but for me this episode originally for me was a 50-50. I didn't hate it nor did I like it enough to warrant a definite decision. But on the second screening, my overall thoughts changed somewhat.

Overall this episode told a different tale for me. Not of one with mythology, not of one with history, but one that reflected a real world experience for not just myself, but for many others as well.

Now bare with me for a moment. When I first saw Griffonstone for the first time I thought the place had been trashed and left in a destitute state over time. On the second screening, I saw it differently in the form of the country going through a rough patch when they mentioned that it was once ruled by it's treasures to keep balance and all hope was lost after they were taken.

This for me relfected life on the bottom line. Living on low income and struggling to make ends meet.

Instead of seeing griffons being who they are, I saw them living life on just the bare essentials and on the skids.

Where every bit of money means more than a scrap of food and decisions on whether to buy the essentals or pay off the essental services.

Decisions that cannot be put off have to be made and often result in being short changed.

Stuck in dead end jobs and every bit matters towards their daily income.

A place where anger rules and being happy is being frowned upon and depression is through the roof and poverty is at an all time high.

I don't know why I felt like this or why I immediately had those thoughts, but this is what I genuninely had in mind when I saw the episode.

Still on the subject, Gilda for me also brought a change in heart. I originally invisioned Gilda as a griffon who didn't change after season one on the first viewing before it become abandoned, but after the second viewing where I was calmed down enough to understand the situation, you can easily see that she has been though a lot.

I won't go into more detail as there is a lot to cover and these forum posts can only hold so much, but my full thoughts on the episode can be found on my blog here.

[TheColtofPersonality]

this was a very well executed episode and while it doesn't entirely redeem Gilda for me it comes very close, if anything it does make me more welcome to seeing another episode featuring Gilda.

[DulsetTarn]

What a pile of junk.

>City doesn't have friendship

>"You should have friendship!"
>Problem solved

 

And the stupid legend was totally worthless, managing to muddle a message that couldn't be simpler. I haven't seen this level of phoning it in since Leap of Faith.

Aside from a few fun parts, there's nothing interesting, nothing worthwhile, and lots and lots of stupid. Amy Keating Rodgers has been losing it since season 3, and I think they might have to let her go.

4/10

[Noedig]

What a pile of junk.

>City doesn't have friendship

>"You should have friendship!"

>Problem solved

 

And the stupid legend was totally worthless, managing to muddle a message that couldn't be simpler. I haven't seen this level of phoning it in since Leap of Faith.

Aside from a few fun parts, there's nothing interesting, nothing worthwhile, and lots and lots of stupid. Amy Keating Rodgers has been losing it since season 3, and I think they might have to let her go.

4/10

I know everyone has their own opinion on things and people.

But what the heck, man? Amy Keating Rogers? She's a a very consistent writer and was the backbone for the first season. Without her, it may not have gone well in the beginning. Give her some credit that she at least did this episode's writing. Because she has only done 10 percent of the total series! And it is possibly her last episode to write for this series.

Not to mention, she made what Pinkie Pie should be, especially as shown in "A Friend in Deed" and this.

 

 

 

Anyway, back to the subject.

I really liked it, because I never could imagine the griffons' turf at all.

And honestly, I never thought about them at all until the episode came up. It never crossed my mind.

This episode didn't make me interested in the griffon's too much, though. Apparently, I'm not fond of griffons... weird.

Pinkie Pie shown brightly here. Being silly at best. I don't recall a better moment of Pinkie from previous episodes. ... Well, for me anyway.

This is now my favorite Pinkie Pie episode.

Thank you, Amy! Best of luck to you with Disney family.

[DulsetTarn]

I know everyone has their own opinion on things and people.

But what the heck, man? Amy Keating Rogers? She's a consistent writer and was the backbone for the first season. Without her, it may not have gone well in the beginning. Give her some credit that she at least did this episode's writing.

Not to mention, she made what Pinkie Pie should be, especially as shown in "A Friend in Deed" and this.

I absolutely agree! But that's why in her consistently... degrading state (really, have you read the Journal of the Two Sisters?), it's important for her not to help drive the series into the ground.

 

I'm not saying she deserves to get fired or anything. I just think she's pretty much out of anything to offer and will probably continue to be a hindrance to the show.

[QuickLime]

I didn't like that they sorta forced prejudice on Dash, basically making her a griffon racist but other than that I loved the episode.

[QuickLime]

I absolutely agree! But that's why in her consistently... degrading state (really, have you read the Journal of the Two Sisters?), it's important for her not to help drive the series into the ground.

 

I'm not saying she deserves to get fired or anything. I just think she's pretty much out of anything to offer and will probably continue to be a hindrance to the show.

Oyie, Merryweather Williams goes first before Rodgers, I like her!

[SteelEagle]

It was meh from me. I enjoyed the start. Overall nothing too much beyond fluff. Emily enjoyed it.

[RarityDash]

Anyone else get curious about the legend and look up what Arimaspi, that cyclops goat thing, was supposed to be?

 

I did, and I was quite pleased to see what Amy Keating Rogers had done on the incorporating mythology front. Not only introducing a new something from myth, but tying MLP griffons into the mythology as well.

 

Just makes me appreciate an already brilliant episode more.

[LostSanity]

First of all, let me start out by saying that I liked this episode A WHOLE LOT MORE than the last episode.

Now, unfortunately, I'm one of those people that didn't like Gilda and to be completely honest, I didn't like seeing her again. My frustration continues when she continued to prove how much of a jerk she is.

However, I did like the character development they did with her in the flashback. Now if only she could be like that now I wouldn't dislike her and be more willing to accept her. Plus, this episode made it abundantly clear that griffons are unbelievably greedy.

Issues with griffons aside... I really liked this episode. Makes me forgive what happened with the previous episode.

Yay for another GREAT episode!!

 

P.S.: No I still don't like Gilda. 

[ShadowWalking18]

First of all, let me start out by saying that I liked this episode A WHOLE LOT MORE than the last episode.

Now, unfortunately, I'm one of those people that didn't like Gilda and to be completely honest, I didn't like seeing her again. My frustration continues when she continued to prove how much of a jerk she is.

However, I did like the character development they did with her in the flashback. Now if only she could be like that now I wouldn't dislike her and be more willing to accept her. Plus, this episode made it abundantly clear that griffons are unbelievably greedy.

Issues with griffons aside... I really liked this episode. Makes me forgive what happened with the previous episode.

Yay for another GREAT episode!!

 

P.S.: No I still don't like Gilda. 

 

I wonder if a griffons greed is more to do with the bird part of their brain liking shiny things

[Hawkeye12]

Alright, finally caught up with the episodes now!

So like the last one, I'm totally biased. I have a griffon main oc, and I've always wanted to know more about them ever since my brain came up with Hawkeye. So I knew I was going to like this one from the start.

But let's just say Griffonstone was NOT what I expected.

The place I mean, not the whole episode. Like in the OP, I really thought it would be Game of Thrones like. But a dump? Nope. (But then again, why would I think Game of thrones in something like MLP?) Anyways, I do like all of the history behind the place, it adds some nice lore.

But onto the main reason I liked the episode: Gilda. She got redeemed! Finally! I knew there was some good in that catbird!

(On a side note, am I the only one that thought she sounded different? Did she have a different voice actress? I'm not crazy right?) Not to mention RD. I especially liked the flashback scene. Character development!

There were so the little moments that made me laugh- classic Pinkie, Gummy's baking skillz, Rainbow's Twilight impression...

Yeah, that's all I have to say. Not as much thought into this one- unfortunately, I thought I would absolutely love it, but I just liked it. The only thing that I thought was bad was it seemed rushed, but I guess you can only pack so much new lore into 22 minutes, right? A good but not great action-packed episode overall.

[DulsetTarn]

Oh also, am I crazy or were Gilda and the other griffons a lot shorter than before? I could have sworn she was a lot taller before.