Summer of Pony ~ Session VII [S1E16-18]

[Rosewind]

If any of you want to do more than one, by all means go for it!

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

Alright, time to take a look at the episode known as Stare Master.

Before I get into the heart of it though, I'd like to mention something that I noticed with several episodes starting with Stare Master. The latter part of Season 1 and parts of Season 2 have pacing that is quite a bit different from the first half of Season 1. I would almost dare to say that the earlier episodes had a more casual pacing to them.

I'm not saying that I dislike Staremaster, but I always got the impression that they were trying to squeeze more into the episode than 22 minutes would allow. There were a few threads that didn't get developed as much as perhaps they should have, like Twilight going into the Everfree Forest. There's a lot of suspense in the Everfree Forest scene, but they don't keep it up consistently. They mention that Twilight is going there at the start, but the audience is allowed to forget about it until the episode is almost over.

I don't know exactly what it is, and I'm not trying to criticize too harshly, but for whatever reason I feel like the episode could have used another 2-3 minutes of runtime and it would have been better. I suppose feeling like an episode was cut short is better than feeling like it dragged on too long.

Anyway, back to the episode. I suspect that Rarity gets her tailoring supplies from Cloudsdale. Surely that would make them soft and fluffy, but it also means that they can fly!

Does anyone else think the Cutie Mark Crusaders have awesome voice actors? Sweetie Belle's accent just has this intensity that makes me think that she's in a constant state of trying really hard at everything she does.

Rarity weaves her own fabric? That is pretty amazing, especially amazing since she can make it in so many different colors and styles. Do you think she used actual gold in the gold silk? I wouldn't put it past unicorns to be able to do something like that.

"You've seen how well I handle small creatures." Congratulations girls, you've been upgraded to creature status.

Girls girls girls! Has anyone counted just how many times that word is spoken in this episode? I bet its a lot.

Cutie Mark Crusaders Creature Catchers, yay! Its pretty impressive how they managed to go through an entire range of emotions just using Scootaloo's eyes in that little bit.

(Also, does anyone else think that the *yay* at the end of every exclamation is usually the shortest, least exclamatory part? I always though that was kind of funny.)

"Hammer, Hammer!" After seeing Applebloom fix up the old clubhouse in a later episode, I wonder if carpentry will be her special talent? It was kind of a neat sculpture at least. (Also, I remember seeing a funny little comic about the CMCs accidentally making a masterwork of art, lets see if I can find it. CMCs vs ikea)

"How about I sing you a lullaby?" I remember the first time I was watching this episode... I heard that line and my reaction was pretty close to "omygoshomygoshomygosh!" It may not be one of the best songs in the series ever, but it always has a special place in my heart.

Speaking of which, I should pause the video now and do my 1 minute sketch.

Much easier with just one color

My favorite "Cutie Mark Crusaders are Go!" line is the one about being chicken rescuers. The way they whisper it but still take the time to pose is hilarious. I do that on occasion myself from time to time now, saying what I'm about to do in a hushed voice and striking a silly pose, like "Dropping off sister at dorms is a go!" ...My sister thinks I'm a little crazy.

"Good with animals, good with kids." And if they were goats, maybe that would have applied?

On the whole, I think the everfree forest bit is really intense. I don't know if there's any single part that I can say stands out above the rest. Some of the little parts like the tree branch that vaguely looks like a clawed hand is every bit as scary as the actual monster at the end.

However, one thing does stand out as being particularly funny in my book. After Fluttershy finds Twilight Sparkle, its a good time for chills and fright, but they throw in a bit of comedy relief.

• First off: Look at Twilight's face in the part where she is falling over on her side. Its a face forward shot and it looks really goofy. Seriously, pause the video right as she's about to fall down.

• Second: "Don't move, I'll be back for you!"

"Two chickens, I thought only one escaped!" Well you didn't fix the hole in the fence so... oh, I see...

So I have to wonder, did Scootaloo get hit by a stare at the end there? Oh well, I guess we'll never know.

Before I go, time for the remix of the episode. Or more precisely, the remixes of the episode, because I couldn't pick just one.

•

• Hush Now (Native American Flute Mix)

•

[hinata2000100]

Much easier with just one color

That symbol. I know it from somewhere else.

I had no idea that was actually in the show!

[Boss_Hoss1]

Ok, finally got around to trying the challenge in photoshop. I didnt' have anyone timing me so I stopped when I thought a minute had passed. I hope my time sense was accurate.

Check it out! Stare Master!

I cant really pick a fave out of the three episodes because they were all so awesome, but the STARE was the most concrete image I could think of I could do in a minute.

[Rosewind]

Ok, finally got around to trying the challenge in photoshop. I didnt' have anyone timing me so I stopped when I thought a minute had passed. I hope my time sense was accurate.

Check it out! Stare Master!

I cant really pick a fave out of the three episodes because they were all so awesome, but the STARE was the most concrete image I could think of I could do in a minute.

Lol!~ I love it! Nice job!

[Stonetribe]

If you don't mind me asking Rosewind, what exactly is this summer of pony thing? I remember you mentioning about getting one of my bug highlights in it and that sparked my curiosity.

[Rosewind]

It's like an extended mareathon where we feature a few episodes every week, and introduce something fun to do or talk about. The idea is to pony it up until Season 3 starts.

[Ginger Mint]

hi hi

Now for a quick "The Show Stoppers" commentary.

The opening scene makes me chuckle for a few different reasons. First off, Applejack keeps talking up the club house, even as its falling apart around her. Second of all, when I was a wee young'n myself, we often didn't have much more than a couple of two-by-fours nailed to the fork in the trunk for a tree house. We'd have been ecstatic to have something like that, even in its original form. Assuming it wasn't chock full of spiders anyway.

Also, starting with Stare Master, it was hard for me distinguish the personalities of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and I admit I didn't really notice the differences until Cutie Mark Chronicles, but Scootaloo's "Tender Loving Care or Totally Lost Cause?" line I think is starting to show her personality.

Awesome Scootaloo is awesome, but remember kids: Always wear a helmet when you're doing death defying stunts. (Such as biking down a residential street or something.) And is it just me or does Scootaloo break the 4th wall there for just a moment when she takes her helmet off? She looks right at the camera until Applebloom starts talking, then her eyes move off to the side.

So, who's willing to take bets on whether or not the implied special talents are going to end up being their for real special talents or if its all a big ruse by the writers?

I see the cutie mark crusaders have a map of ponyville right there, I wonder why that hasn't been implemented into the board RP yet.

The cutie mark adventures montage is, for me, the highlight of the episode. I love that tune, and the goofy things they do just make me smile like I'm in a song and dance routine with Pinkie Pie. Speaking of Pinkie Pie, do you suppose the bit where they're testing Applebloom with Zener Cards is them checking to see if she has some kind of Pinkie Sense? (They're both earth ponies, so maybe its possible)

The bit on the tiny mountain top was pretty epic, though it always struck me as funny that Scootaloo's mane was so much more animated than anypony elses. Usually its the gal with the short haircut who's hair ends up being frozen in place during cartoons while long hair is always billowing in the wind.

"No way I'm singing in front of a large crowd!" Stage fright strikes again. Just goes to show that it can strike anyone, even people who shouldn't have anything to fear.

"Coming up with words is like... really hard." I don't know why. I didn't laugh the first time I watched this episode, but this time around when I heard that line I couldn't stop laughing and had to pause and rewind.

After watching the part where they're practicing... not sure if lesson is about doing what you're good at or about helping others improve...

I find it kind of funny that in Equestria, even though they have for real magic, they still have the kind of magic tricks that people would use. Also: Poetry on rollerskates? What will these crazy ponies think of next?

"Uh, good luck!" Nice job Twilight, you just gave them bad luck!

I would pay real money to hear the version of this song where Madeleine Peters isn't purposefully singing badly. Its such a neat tune, but Scootaloo's voice just... ouch.

And now for the remixes of the episode.

Last but not least, a 1min sketch of Applebloom the blank flank. I got lazy this time and didn't bother with color, but what can you do? Perhaps in one of the upcoming episodes, I'll have to try drawing with my eyes closed.

[BaconofChaos]

Girls girls girls! Has anyone counted just how many times that word is spoken in this episode? I bet its a lot.

44.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OjxQGSgJtA

Also, that's a great 1 minute sketch! I wish I'd thought to try a silhouette XD

That symbol. I know it from somewhere else.

I had no idea that was actually in the show!

One of our users (I think it was Kudalyn) had it as her avatar for a while. Maybe that's where you saw it?