Hello & welcome back to Trotting Through Life and well, like I said last time, we'd be taking a look at one of the most controversial episodes of the series to feature the Pink Party Pony. Some took this episode to be a look at theism vs. atheism with the latter group being punished. Faust has attempted to clear up her intentions with this episode as in a post on DeviantArt, she talked about the different interpations.
I can't speak for others who worked on this episode, but from my perspective, it's kind of like you said: there are simply phenomenons that are difficult to explain. And I'm of the opinion that "faith" can apply to more things than just religion. For instance: are we alone in the universe or is there life on some other planet somewhere? We don't have convincing evidence that aliens exist, but it takes "faith" to say that's it's not possible at all. I've heard some pretty heated debates from smart people regarding certain cases of cryptozoology. In the end, if there is an idea we explore that leads us to inconclusive answers, we are left with a choice: believe it anyway, reject it, or wait for more answers.
Obviously rather deep for our audience, I know. And obviously up to lots and lots of interpretation. Maybe it was a mistake. Honestly, we started the process with the concept of Pinkie having that old fashioned cliche "knee's achey, it's gonna rain," Twilight not buying it and the humor we thought came out of that.
And I understand what Ms. Faust is attempting to say here but as someone that considers himself, agnostic, this episode does not sit well with me. I'm afraid, this is one case where the intent of the episode doesn't come through. Here's what I mean by this, Twilight Sparkle is presented as the character that doesn't believe in Pinkie Sense and the universe for no apparent reason decides to punish her for researching Pinkie Sense and instead in the end, just has her accept that there are things that can't be explained but it seems less willing on her part and more a sign of defeat as she has given up trying to understand. Which I just can't agree with and it's something that really irks me. I have no issue with people believing and I do believe miracles (as that is kinda what Pinkie Sense is) can happen but this episode seems to punish Twilight for not believing and researching and asking questions.
And that is my biggest issue, I like Twilight like to ask questions and research things before coming to a conclusive answer and on the subject of religion, I want to believe but I dunno, I find it hard at times with the more I look into it. Even beyond the atheism vs. theism aspect that can be seen in this episode, it punishes Twilight Sparkle for well being Twilight Sparkle. And that's another problem as Twilight did nothing in this whole episode to deserve the type of punishment that is thrown at her. But even bringing that back into the fold of the subtext that could be read into this episode, we are supposed to look at these Looney Tunes esque (Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner to be exact) scenarios that happen to Twilight as she observes Pinkie and attempts to understand Pinkie Sense and laugh at her pain.
That's not fair to Twilight Sparkle as there is a clear difference between Twilight in this episode and the classic Wile E. Coyote shorts. In the latter, the Coyote was always set up as an antagonistic main character that we followed and watched to get hurt because we didn't want him to get the Road Runner. Whereas Twilight in this episode is just trying to better understand something that she has never come across before. Yes, she might act a little snobby and uppity throughout the episode and that's not right either and the episode is attempting to present the argument that Twilight acting like a snob justifies her getting hurt. It would, if the episode had given a more equal portrayal of believing vs. not believing. But it doesn't do that.
I apologize for the rather long introduction here but there is a lot to unpack with this episode as I don't like it but it's a different kind of bad as compared to something Owl's Well That Ends Well or Simple Ways. As it doesn't elicit outright hatred and anger in me like those episodes do, I dislike it but more for the message that it's trying to send. Out of all the episodes that I've reviewed since Trotting's inception, this is easily, the most disappointing and most heartbreaking episode because of what it says. With this rather long-winded introduction out of the way, let's begin.
Episode Title
Feeling Pinkie Keen
Yeah, yeah the title refers to the saying, "Feeling Peachy Keen" and well, I felt anything but that throughout this episode.
The Plot
We open on Twilight practicing a new spell and this is when we get our first taste of Pinkie Sense. And we are informed by Applejack later on, that if Pinkie's tails, a twitching, it best to listen.
AJ attempts to explain Pinkie Sense but Twilight remains unconvinced that it's a real thing and throughout this sequence, we see other examples of Pinkie Sense in play and after Twi gets some mud on her, we see Pinkie explain the different types of twitches that she can get. Oh, and we are introduced to Gummy.
So, after this and getting a door slammed on her, Twilight attempts to research Pinkie Pie in the basement of Golden Oak Library.
But apparently, not even science can provide a conclusive answer to Pinkie Sense. Twilight gives up at this and then is slammed by a door again. Later on, we see Twilight continuing to observe Pinkie from afar and suffers more pain, each time during her research.
Pinkie seemed to know all along that Twilight was following her and it gets one big Twitch that lets her know that something is up at Froggy Bottom Bog, where Fluttershy had headed in a previous scene. With Spike worrying about something happening to her such as exploding twice but Flutters is fine.
And just then, they are attacked by a hydra and the ponies have to escape but the hydra was not the Twitch was referring to.
And well, Twilight's reaction is also what my reaction was.
The Twitch/doozy was Twilight accepting that some thing cannot be explained and accept that Pinkie Sense is one of those things.
I'm sorry but I cannot accept this. And I take a huge issue with how the episode presents this as the moral of the episode. I've already gone over the unfortunate religious aspect that could be read into this episode but with how this episode ends, it forces Twilight to accept the lesson rather than willingly accept it. She only accepted the lesson out of defeat.
Main Characters
Twilight Sparkle voiced by Tara Strong
I've gone over my issues with this how this episode mistreats Twilight Sparkle for trying to research into something that she doesn't believe in. She wants to better understand something that she hasn't seen before but the universe doesn't seem to want her to.
Pinkie Pie voiced by Andrea Libman
Let me make this clear, I have no issue with Pinkie Pie in this episode as she is in character but I take issue with the episode automatically assumes that she's right and doesn't present a balanced argument to both sides of believing vs. researching.
Supporting Characters
Spike voiced by Cathy Weseluck
Spike is presented as impressionable child that easily buys into the superstitious things that cannot be explained and doesn't need an answer but unlike the rest of the episode, he never questions Twilight doing research, even if he does think that she goes a bit far but he lets her go through with it.
Applejack voiced by Ashliegh Ball
Applejack is presented as the pony that has believed the longest and is willing to accept the Pinkie Sense as fact as she has seen it before. Which is fine and I do like that she never admonishes Twilight for it. That's the thing, the episode punishes Twilight for her actions but the characters never do.
My Final Thoughts
Again, I want to make it clear that I don't think anyone acts out of character but I think that makes it even more troubling in how the episode handles the messages as it practically beats Twilight Sparkle into accepting something that she can't explain. I've gone over how some could read into this episode and see the theism vs. atheism debate and it's not hard. And while Lauren Faust had stated that was not her intent with this episode, it still sends a poor message as it almost says that children shouldn't question and research things. Which I feel is an extremely poor message for young kids.
Why is ti wrong for children to research and explore things that they have never seen before? Shouldn't we want kids to question things that they see as to broaden their horizons beyond what they see in day to day life? I'm sorry but I cannot accept that. Ah well, we were bound to hit a bad episode sooner than later. Join me next time as we look at...
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