Moviefan12: Hello & welcome back to Trotting Through Life. Joining me again as we enter this dark and spooky castle is The Second Opinion. Did someone say dark and spooky? Zoinks! Jinkies, I found a clue. I'll do this review for a Scooby Snack. You may be asking, what's with the Scooby Doo references? Well, it's quite simple, new writer for the show, Josh Harber was inspired by the Great Dane for the idea and story of this episode. And in that regard, it's a love letter to Scooby fans. Much more then this piece of dreck!
This episode is set up like a classic, Scooby Doo, Where Are You? episode with the ponies split up in a dark and spooky location. And a mysterious figure haunting the castle. Ooh! And as someone that grew up watching every version of Scooby Doo (Mystery Inc. being the best), I was in love with this episode. If you recall, My Top 20 Favorite Characters List, Scooby and Shaggy were on the list at # 20, because they're childhood heroes/icons. And this episode as previously stated was a love letter to Mystery Incorporated. Besides that though, it was just a really fun episode.
For now though, I'll let the reason why remain a mystery for the rest of you to ponder. Ready to split up and search for plot points ?
Moviefan12: R'okay,... okay, I'll set up the trap to capture Old Man Jinkins. Let's gets this review started.
The Plot
Moviefan12: We begin the episode back at Golden Oaks Library, where Twilight is trying to find information on the locked chest but to no avail. She later gets a letter from Celestia suggesting that she head to the Everfree to look for a book in the Royal Sisters' old castle to look for a book that might help her. Wait a minute, didn't Celestia say at the end of Princess Twilight Sparkle that she didn't know anything about the chest. Okay, either Tia is lying or this is a continuity flub. I'm going for the latter as I refuse to use the Trollestia meme.
To be fair, I suppose Celestia could have meant that there's an offhand chance one of her old books has something helpful in it, some information none of Twilight's books have. But either way, the mention of an old library is all it takes for Twilight to book through the Everfree forest. Upon arrival, Spike eyes the creepy statues and spiders and wants to go home, but Twilight has every intention of spending the night studying.
Cut to Rainbow Dash and Applejack rehashing Fall Weather Friends, now competing to see who is the "most daring" pony, and, woah...
 |
| I guess they're auditioning for Fear Factor |
Unfortunately, the bee keeper ends up asking for his bees back, all of which follow him at the sound of his whistle. Pinkie Pie, who's keeping score, has them exactly tied, and now has to go fulfill the job that nobody else volunteered to do, for some reason, ringing the school bell all week. But Applejack gets an idea to break the tie, leading Rainbow into the Everfree Forest towards the castle.
Meanwhile, Rarity is leading Fluttershy and Angel through the forest towards guess where, having decided to stop waiting after three seasons and go restore the old royal tapestries in the name of fashion. She needs Fluttershy's help to carry them back, which she does admit isn't the most important cause Fluttershy's ever braved the Everfree Forest for, but still...
They all just miss each other upon entering the castle, and Applejack, kicking off the competition with Rainbow, reveals the old legend of how, when Nightmare Moon was banished, not all of her dark magic went with her. Late at night, it emerges in the form of The Pony of Shadows.
So far so good.
Moviefan12: Reah, I ron't see see anything to complain about Recond Opinion. Hmm, the idea of not all of Nightmare Moon's magic being banished reminds me of one of my favorite fanfics, Past Sins, in which a cult of ponies try to create a new Nightmare Moon but they just end making this adorable filly, Nyx that becomes Twilight's daughter.
Still, have plans for Nyx-vember, back to the episode at hand. In the spooky castle, hold it, with the Scooby tribute, something is just missing.
There, that's better. At the castle, while AJ and Dashie continue to practice for their Fear Factor audition and failing miserably, Fluttershy and Miss Rarity, find and old tapestry that belonged to Princess Luna that Miss Rarity wants to take back to the boutique to fix up. So, she has my girly fly up and get the tapestry. I just love Best Pony's face here.
When my girly flies up to go and get the tapestry, she accidentally activates the wall move and on the other side of this, Dashie and AJ see this and get scared and run as they mistake Flutters for The Pony of Shadows. The wall turns back around and Flutters has a sprained wing. Deciding that the tapestry is just too big, Miss Rarity decides they'll look for a smaller one.
The Second Opinion: You don't? Well, I suppose I should continue...
Angel accidentally activates a trap door that drops Fluttershy and Rarity into a dark pit, separating them from the rabbit. Meanwhile, Applejack and Rainbow Dash make their way through the castle while the eyes of a painting follow them, challenging each other not to be scared. Climbing down a spiral staircase, they come across a hall filled with disembodied pony legs. So now we have creepy settings trapping and separating the friends, a mysterious figure who could intend to do absolutely anything, and an old legend at the front of all the strange things in this castle. Sounds like some full-force buildup right?
Rarity reaches through a whole in the wall, which it turns out reaches the hall Rainbow and Applejack are in. Rainbow feels her hoof, thinks it's one of the disembodied hooves come to life, and runs away screaming about it with Applejack. Rarity jumps back, claiming she felt something, but Fluttershy thinks its Angel and tries herself, accidentally pull a lever that flips the wall and frees them.
 | ||||
| You spin me, right round |
Twilight, meanwhile, leads Celestia's old diary, explaining everything the others just witnessed as the castle's old gimmicks that Celestia and Luna used to play with. She then gets to the part about the latest funhouse gimmick called the "organ to the outside," which the mysterious cloaked figure begins playing, causing more walls to flip on the bewildered ponies. Starting to see the problem yet?
Moviefan12: Yeah, I gotta be honest, other then Twilight reading the Royal Sisters' journal, which was very inconsiderate of her, especially considering that she'll be able to buy a copy at her local bookstore in a few months, I have nothing to complain about.
This episode is just a lot of fun. I know some people don't like episodes where character barely miss each other but I thought this episode handled it pretty well. Ah, yes the organ to the outside and this is where Angel Bunny meets up with Twi and Spike. And we get one of the best shots from the entire series featuring Dash and Applejack.
That staircase sequence is just stunning. While Dash and AJ head down the stairs, Flutters and Rarity have ended up trapped in dark and tiny space, while my girly worries about her bunny. He's fine. No, really!
Our cloaked figure keeps on playing the organ causing the girls to continue to freak out until they all meet up in the castle's foyer, where Twilight gets to calm down and leads them to our organ player. And it turns out, it was Pinkie Pie. Yeah, saw that coming!
It pretty much had to be Pinkie as she was the only mane character not in the episode and that brings me to something I've been noticing throughout the season, a problem, a Pinkie Problem as it were. There have been little moments all throughout the season, where Pinkie has been coming off less like the lovable Pink Party Pony from the first three seasons and more like well, an idiot. The Pinkie Problem first showed during Princess Twilight Sparkle, when the girls were looking through the books for information and Pinkie said "Ooh, I found something". and she was just coloring.
Look, while I do believe that Pinkie is the youngest of the Mane Six and the most childlike, that was pushing it too far. Pinkie Pie knows when to be serious and when to be silly, and this was not the time to be silly. And alas our Pinkie Problem reared it's ugly head in this episode as well. Just look...
Okay, seriously. Yeah, this deserves something. A lot of something's....
Thank you. That one scene is one of the STUPIDEST THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN IN MLP AND I WATCHED DOUBLE RAINBOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You know what this calls for, Royal Canterlot voice. Ah, there's the button.
DOESTH THIS WRITER THINK THAT MAKING THE PINK MANED ONE RING A BELL WITH HER HEAD IS SOMETHING THAT'LL AMUSE THE MASSES. THIS CHARLATAN IS INCORRECT IN THINKING THAT. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKING CHARACTERS SUCH AS THE ONE NAMED PINKIE UP ABOVE HUMOROUS AND ENDEARING TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE AND MAKING HER SEEM LIKE THE VILLAGE IDIOT. WE SIMPLY ARE NOT AMUSED BY THIS LITTLE THING THAT BARELY PASSES FOR A JOKE, AND IF WE ENCOUNTER ANY MORE ISSUES LIKE THIS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON, WE MAY JUST CONSIDER A PUNISHMENT WORSE THAN BANISHMENT TO THE MOON. WE WILL MAKE THE WRITERS SIT THROUGH THAT VAPID AND SHALLOW AND INSULTING PIECE OF GARBAGE THAT IS DOUBLE RAINBOOM! OKAY, WE SHALLTH TURN OFF THE VOICE NOW!
Sorry but that "joke" just pissed me off as a long-time Pinkie fan. There is a difference between Pinkie being Pinkie and treating her like an idiot. Heck, Equestira Girls remembered who Pinkie was better then season 4 has (save for Pinkie Pride)
This human character has more in common with my now third favorite pony, then the way season 4 has been mistreating her. The way, Pinkie has been acting, I almost expect her to be in a preschool.
The Second Opinion: Come to think of it, I don't know if this show has ever offered any evidence that Pinkie Pie is smart. If she's supposed to be, then, yeah, they might want to get on that. At best, you could argue that her mental capacities are at least average, and it's just that her attention span is all over the board. To be fair though, we've seen her go to these extremes before, like taking one last dip in the chocolate rain when the others were lined up to defeat Discord and accusing her rival cooks senselessly in MMMystery on the Friendship Express. To her credit, one of Pinkie's most welcoming qualities is that she's never worried about seeming stupid, doing whatever brings her joy.
But going back to the plot, well, I'm surprised Moviefan. That's all you have to say about the rest outside of Pinkie Pie (though I appreciate the hate from you there), and you still don't see it? Let's go through it again:
Everyone heads to the castle, which has lots of creepy rooms and an old legend surrounding it? Good setup.
Then the castle starts trapping them, and a mysterious figure follows them around? Good buildup.
And then, directly after that... Twilight reads the journal explaining that everything we see before and after is harmless fun house stuff. The pony playing the organ is doing nothing except changing the rooms around, and the others are spending all their time wondering what we already know.
So, if we already know the answer to the conflict, nobody's in any danger, and nobody's trying to accomplish anything we're supposed to be invested in, then...
WHY
SHOULD
I
CARE
?!?!?!
Because the five look cute screaming? Because I've never seen a creepy castle before? I guess Rarity has some funny moments in her struggle to get her hooves on royal tapestry, but otherwise, we've flown at full speed to land three feet to the left. It's the story of the gang chasing their tails in circles for 15 minutes. It's boring.
Let's wrap this story up. The gang unwinds back upstairs with Twilight, who tells them she was glad to be there to help, even if she didn't learn anything about the mysterious box (just to make sure that nothing was accomplished here). They give us the moral about not letting your imagination run away with you, and Twilight, drawing inspiration from Celestia and Luna's journal, suggests they keep their own journal on what they learn, replacing the letters to Celestia. Everyone agrees, starting with how glad they were that the legend of the shadow pony wasn't true. But then the focus shifts out into the hall, where a mysterious shadow creeps up the wall.
Hmm... well, since this is what you've been building up the entire episode, it'd be shame to let it end here. After all, then it'd be just another creepy lead that didn't amount to anything, and unlike the others, this one is clearly something real. Why don't I tell everyone what happened after this little cliff hanger? >D
The ponies were chatting excitedly about their journal and didn't think to glance outside the room. They didn't see the shadow creeping up the wall to the door. They didn't see it's glowing eyes narrow. They didn't see it raise a mangled hoof from under its cloak.
At that moment, the moon went behind the clouds, and everything was dark. The gang fell silent, unable to see each other. And when the light returned, the chair where Twilight Sparkle had sat a moment ago was empty.
The ponies screamed and jumped up, glancing around the room.
"Twilight? Where'd you go?" Cried Applejack. A malicious voice croaked somewhere in the room.
"You should've kept a better eye on me." It cackled.
"Tw.. Twilight?" Whispered Fluttershy.
"No."
The gang caught sight of the gnarled, toothy grin just before the lightning bursted through the window. The screams died the second they started, and the room went dark again. This time, when the lights returned, the heroes of Equestria were gone. In their place, some very different figures rose from the floor...
Moviefan12: Oh good lord, Second Opinion, reel yourself in, man. This is taking it a step too far. I get you don't like the episode but I swear to Celestia, that is CREEPY!!!!!!!!! What is your motive behind this? You do realize that we don't insert our own fanficition here. Try to dial it down a bit.
The Second Opinion: Don't you get it Moviefan? It's not far enough! By ending with the figure on the wall, the episode left the six at its mercy! It so foolishly thought we'd assume that nothing happens, just because the rest of the episode was nothing happening, but that's not how storytelling works! When you set something in motion, it doesn't just fade away! This is what they left us to interpret, and now it's time they paid! My interpretation is now the only one in writing, so it's the only one that could have officially happened! Your precious ponies are gone, and there's nothing you can do to...
The Second Opinion: Hey Moviefan? I'm ready for the Castle Mane-ia review! ...Who's this guy?
The Second Opinion(?): Who am I? Who are you? What are you doing here in my review?
The Second Opinion(?): That's cute. Like I was saying, what's going on here?
Moviefan12: I uh.. there are two of you, and he was helping me to review this parading as you but I have an idea of who this really is.
The Second Opinion(?): Well, let's see. Give Applejack some new eyes and she's fine, Fluttershy actually still looks kinda cute, Pinkie Pie, let's face it, has been a lot scarier than this, and, hold on... Rainbow Dash isn't nearly as awesome now! No way, my complicated relationship with this show is hard enough with the combination of cool and complex that she provides! Come here, you sonuva...
The Second Opinion(?): Stay back! If I'm not The Second Opinion, then explain how I have the shiny blue Second Opinion handgun!
The Second Opinion(?): You mean the one I used to do a throwaway Linkara gag in my self-introduction video?
The Second Opinion(?): You mean to say it doesn't work, do you? Well then, let's just see what happens when I do thiseeeyAAAAAAH!!!
The Second Opinion: You get the bejeezus shocked out of you because you didn't unlock the safety switch, that's what. Let's see who this guy really is.
Moviefan12: Yep, just as I assumed. Darkfan21. You learned nothing, and why are you here? This isn't A Look at Disney.
Darkfan21: I just messed with you because I wanted your copy of Songs From Enchanica. And I thought it be more fun, this way. and oh yeah, obligatory Scooby Doo villain reference. And I would have gotten away with it, if it weren't for you meddling Bronies!
Moviefan12: You could've just asked!!!!!!!!!!!! And I'm the only Brony here.
The Second Opinion: We all knew that was coming. And please, I prefer "pony sympathizer."
Well Moviefan, looks like I'm just in time to help you wrap this up. Mind taking the lead? Oh right, the creepy fanfic... uh, Rarity woke up from her nightmare and said "That's it! That is the last time I go hunting for royal tapestry in old castles! I suppose I should put this in the journal while I'm up."
The Characters
Moviefan12: I don't see the need to break the characters down any further then this and also, we be looking at them in the pairs that they were in, in the show respectively.
Twilight Sparkle & Spike voiced by Tara Strong & Cathy Weseluck
Moviefan12: If I do have other complaint besides my issue with Pinkie, I feel like Twilight was being a little rude ignoring Spike's fears. Were they over nothing? Yes, but the little guy was genuinely frightened. I understand shrugging it off and how Twi gets invested in a book, (one she shouldn't have been reading) but she could've handled this better.
The Second Opinion: I guess these two are always fine doing what they do, sidelined from the action or not, and there is some fun to be had watching Twilight squeal with delight at reading books in the middle of an old, damaged, spider-infested castle. I also liked seeing her again as the level-headed perspective bringing her friends back to reality, which is always a nice demonstration of what she brings to the group. Truth be told, I barely noticed Spike, but I think I’m actually glad they didn’t make more of a point out of him being scared. The show is often a little quick to make him meek or incompetent, so I do sort of like that while he was nervous, it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle.
Fluttershy & Rarity voiced by Andrea Libman & Tabitha St. Germain
Moviefan12: Easily, my favorite part of the episode. An entire subplot involving Flutters and Miss Rarity. Excuse me but...
How could I not be excited about this? Besides the fact that these are my two favorite characters, I feel as though, they had the most fun subplot to follow with the tapestries storyline but I do wonder why Miss Rarity didn't ask Rainbow Dash to help, knowing that Dash is the stronger flyer. Then again the show has confirmed on multiple occasions that these two are best friends. So, I guess Rarity just wanted to spend time with her best friend.
The Second Opinion: Truth be told, these two were probably came the closest to getting me invested in anything in the castle portion. Granted, they weren’t trying to do anything important, but at least they were doing things that involved getting from point A to point B. Rarity with her fashion spiels was never exactly my favorite, but she has a certain eccentricity that can provide just the entertainment an episode needs at the most unexpected of times. (In fact, get her wound up enough and she approaches the burlesque.) She made me laugh a few times while fighting her way through the castle, and there was actually a sense that we were getting closer to whatever the payoff was going to be. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was passable support, fighting a losing battle to find a bunny that wasn’t lost and failing to see that she and Rarity really weren’t on the same page. I never thought I’d end up siding with these two over Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but…
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both voiced by Ashleigh Ball
Moviefan12: In many respects, this subplot felt like a follow up to Fall Weather Friends from season 1, and that was nice to see. This was fun another pairing because as the show has shown in the past, Applejack and Rainbow Dash work extremely well off each other.
The Second Opinion: The beginning with these two competing as
Pinkie Pie also voiced by Andrea Libman
Moviefan12: I don't want to spend too much time on Pinkie as I've exhausted most of my energy talking about her already but I feel like the show is walking a fine line between Pinkie being funny and being stupid.
The Second Opinion: Pinkie Pie has annoyed me before, but not because she was being stupid while I prefer to think of her as smart. What drives me crazy is when her comedy becomes less about naive antics than simply how over the top they can make her for any reason. That comes across like she’s forcing herself on the others, and it’s grating. But otherwise, dense or not, Pinkie Pie has been a key player in winning me over to this show. She belongs in a class with Spongebob, the Animaniacs, Eric Cartman, and all the other great modern day Looney Tunes, and as long as she continues to be her sweetly perplexing, hyperactive self, I’ll be happy. Sure kid, stick your head in a school bell, throw creepy organ parties, keep score in doodles, whatever makes you happy. Just as long as you’re not too dense to notice when it’s not funny, I’m good.
Our Final Thoughts
Moviefan12: Other then my complaint with Pinkie Pie and my minor Twilight complaint, I really like this episode. It's not one of the season's or series' best but I like this episode because it is just a lot of fun. And MLP is good with fun episodes and this was a really fun episode. Did the story go anywhere? No, not really but I enjoyed the episode for what it was. A fun haunted house story. That's the key thing, I took away from this episode, it was fun.
The Second Opinion: I’m guessing Darkfan read through my notes, because that was actually a pretty good impression of my first reaction to this episode. (Although I probably would have caught such a typo as “Twilight, meanwhile, lead Celestia's old diary,” genius.) It’s not even so much that the episode didn’t “go” anywhere. The king of that feat is still It’s About Time, which literally ended right back where it started. But I liked that episode, because it at least acted like we didn’t know where it was going, and since we really didn’t know how Twilight would get there, they were able to make it a fun, crazy, hysterical journey. After building us up with hints at the mystery it could have lead us on, this episode tosses it aside, tells us everything it’s going to do, does it, and then starts repeating it. It seems to think the five getting more lost and scared is rising action, but we already know that there’s nothing to gain or lose or discover on the line, so no, it’s not.
However, when you watch it knowing what you’re getting ahead of time, there are things to enjoy here. Truth be told, the first five minutes were exactly what you’d want, with Twilight moving the box subplot along, Rainbow and Applejack’s bee stare, and Pinkie Pie “winning” the joy of ringing the school bell. And like I said, Rarity and Fluttershy also provide some amusement once we get there. Plus, though the story doesn’t do much to hold your attention, it’s at least a visually interesting episode, in a setting that even gives King Sombra a run for his money. I don’t know there’s enough for me to recommend it, but it did just get Moviefan to use the word “fun” five times in the same paragraph, so there must be something there. It’s only the second episode to make me consider a thumbs down out of sheer boredom, but the last one was all stuff we’d seen before, while this one isn’t, so I think my vote falls “neutral.” It is what it is, and if what it is is something you like, go check it out. Not very encouraging, but at least I’m not so angry as to mutate the main six in revenge… by the way, he forgot Spike:
Moviefan12: Honestly, Darkfan forgetting Spike is no better then the way, the show has been treating the poor guy, lately. And also, that will be the last mutation to appear. Let's gas up the Mystery Machine as we drive off to our next adventure as we look at...
Daring Don't
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