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ALERT: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN’T SEEN THE REST OF SEASON 6 OF “MLP”!!!! IF YOU’RE NOT INTO THE BRONY FANDOM LIKE I AM OR HAVE NOT SEEN THE REST OF THE SERIES YET, THEN IT’S BEST IF YOU CLICK THE BACK BUTTON OR CHECK OUT ANOTHER REVIEW ON MY BLOG!!!!!!
-We Now Join Our Regularly Scheduled Review, Already in Progress-
-THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN’S NEW OFFICE, PRESENT DAY-
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Hello, everyone, this is your “Inspector of the Entertainment”, The Detective Librarian speaking and after a lot of crazy crap over the past months. We’re back to reviewing more on my blog and Season 6 of “MLP: FIM”. Prepare yourselves because we’re going to go through a ton of episodes that I didn’t review when they first aired and they do contain spoilers!!!!!:
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Anyways, let’s take a look at the rest of “MLP: FIM” Season 6!!!
EPISODE #9: “THE SADDLE ROW REVIEW”: In this episode, the Mane Six tell the story of how they helped Rarity open up her new boutique in Manehattan, while being interviewed for the newspaper. For me, this episode was pretty decent, not great, with a clever setup that feels like something from both “Modern Family” and “The Office” and some fun humor/meme moments.:
All in all, this episode was average, but it did have its moments. I would rate it a 7.5/10.
EPISODE #10: “APPLEJACK’S ‘DAY’ OFF”: While Twilight Sparkle and Spike take care of Sweet Apple Acres, AJ and Rarity spend the rest of the day at the Ponyville Spa. I know that many people disliked this episode and I’m one of those people that would give it a thumbs down. I really wish that this episode focused more on the subplot involving Twilight and Spike, rather than AJ and Rarity. If that were the case, then it wouldn’t be a usual cliched “Day in the Life of Our Main Protagonist That Goes And Helps Out” story line. Despite a few positive moments, I would not recommend this episode with the score of a 4/10.
EPISODE #11: “FLUTTER BRUTTER”: When Fluttershy’s snobby, younger brother named Zephyr Breeze moves into her cottage, Flutter has to force Zephyr to conquer his fear of failing. The first time I saw this episode, I didn’t like it. But, I have to admit, this episode improved Fluttershy for not only the fans, but also me too because instead of being her usual timid and fearful-self, she’s becoming more assertive. That’s what’s making Flutters such as a good character nowadays because of her maturity in the series. Of course, the episode does share a few funny moments, such as this.:
All in all, this episode was a pretty good episode with a lot of impressive development on Flutters that she’s no longer such a timid wuss with an actual personality, even if I enjoy her as a character. I would rate this episode a 7/10.
EPISODE #12: “SPICE UP YOUR LIFE”: After the Friendship Map at Twiley’s castle gets repaired after the events of “The Cutie Re-Mark”, Rarity and Pinkie Pie are called to Canterlot to help a father and daughter struggling to keep their restaurant open. However, things go awry when Pinkie and Rarity conceive with separate ideas on how to run the business and increase its popularity. For me, this episode had slow pacing which was an issue. Another problem I have with this episode that it would be one of the new characters/villains in the episode named Zesty Gourmand. She did have a mediocre personality that had a rushed acceptance of defeat over the new restaurant in the end. Despite this, the episode is pretty good, not great, with interesting new characters, great animation as usual, and a really enjoyable song called “It’s Gonna Work”.:
Overall, this episode was pretty good, but not as good as the previous episode. A 7.5/10.
EPISODE #13: “STRANGER THAN FAN-FICTION”: When RD attends a “Daring Do” convention, she encounters another fan named Quibble Pants (played by comedian who plays nerdy roles, Patton Oswalt) and the two of them have a great time there. However, their relationship immediately falls apart when the two of them realize that they have different opinions about “Daring Do”. Later on, this leads them to having a “Daring Do” adventure of their lives when one of Daring Do’s enemies, Dr. Caballeron, returns. Now, THIS was a really enjoyable episode. It provided really great references to all sorts of Brony conventions, made Quibble Pants a very likable character with quirky sides to his personality and unique designs, fun comic-relief, and a solid message about having opinions of something you tolerate. It’s one moral that LOTS of fans need to take seriously, due to the fact that many fandoms involve fighting over an opinion about anything in something they enjoy. Even this scene proves it.:
All in all, I don’t think I have anything negative to say about it, making this not only one of the best episodes this season. But, also one of my favorite episodes in the entire series with a really unique one-off character to introduce, great references to Brony conventions, comedy, and a great moral about learning to accept each other’s opinions. I would rate this episode an 8.5/10.:
EPISODE #14: “THE CART BEFORE THE PONIES”: The CMC partake in a cart race across Ponyville called the Applewood Derby and ask their older sisters (Rarity, AJ, and RD) from the Mane Six to build carts for them to race. Before you ask, no: It’s not “Mario Kart”, “Wacky Races”, or even “Speed Racer”. Before and during the race, the Mane Three allow their pride to winning the Derby get them and things go awry, as you’d expect. I know a lot of fans (including ToonKriticY2K and Keyframe) didn’t enjoy this episode, calling it “The Show Stoppers” 2.0. Yes, I agree; it’s even the same premise, but with the Mane Three deciding to try again, instead of being disqualified for accidentally causing their and everypony’s carts to crash near the finish line. Except that in “The Show Stoppers” back in Season 1 of “MLP”, the CMC decide to get their Cutie Marks by joining the Schoolhouse Talent Show without having their sisters help them with the preparations. Like in “The Cart Before the Ponies”, the Talent Show goes awry, but with the CMC winning the award of the “Funniest Ponies on Stage”.
But I digress, this episode is not very good with a cliched rehash of “The Show Stoppers” and a rushed ending to make the Mane Three and CMC win the Derby in an overused way. Although, it did have a few positive highlights, such as the visuals, animation, and one funny moment involving Rarity first racing for the Derby when she was a filly. What were the results? Well, you’ll find out with this clip.:
Aside from that, this episode is probably one of my least favorite episodes in the season. It was of how it had a recycled premise, a cliched ending, and how the CMC should’ve reminded their sisters of how they weren’t allowed to drive or give them ideas on their carts to win in the first place. Despite one funny moment and you’d get the rest, this episode is a 4/10, it wasn’t that good.
EPISODE #15: “28 PRANKS LATER” AKA “THE MYSTERIOUS MARE-DO-WELL”, “TESTING, TESTING 1 2 3”, AND “GRIFFON THE BRUSH-OFF” 2.0: From looking at the title, this episode is reusing the exact same story as “TMMDW”, “Testing, Testing 1 2 3”, and “Griffon the Brush-Off” did, except that it’s done correctly. When RD’s pranks go way too far over the edge, the Mane Six and everyone in Ponyville decide the only way to prevent her pranks from causing more trouble is by becoming zomponies.
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON (ZOMPONY): Detective……Cookieeeeeesssss……
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Shut up, Ted. I know it’s you pretending to be a zompony with some of the rainbow-flavored cookies on your mouth RD delivered as a prank.
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON (ZOMPONY): Cookiiieeeeessssss………………..
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Let me use my magic from my OC to determine if you’re really pulling a prank. *Uses Magic* *Accidentally Gets Turned Into a Zompony*
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: *Returns Back to Normal* Ah! Thanks, Detective for turning me back to normal. We were running out of cookies. So, I just want to make sure that we could go shopping later…..Detective?
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN (ZOMPONY): Ted…..Coookieeessss!!!!!! Need Oreoooosss…..Even thoouuuugh…..They doooooon’t….Exiiiiiist….Iiiiinnnn….Equeeessssstriaaaaaaaaaa………..
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: Uh oh. Where’s Twiley, Starlight, Sunset, Luna, Celestia, and Shining where you need them?:
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Aw, man. That was a doozy. Thanks, Ted. Thanks, Shining. But, Ted, where did you get those rainbow-flavored cookies from anyway? Wasn’t the whole entire thing on RD supposed to be a prank?
RD (RAINBOW DASH) (ZOMPONY): From meeeeeee……..Cooookiieeeeesssss……:
Anyways, this episode was basically a repeat of “TMMDW” and “Griffon the Brush-Off”, but only a lot better. However, I do agree that RD was being a bit mean-spirited towards Flutters, seeing how she knows how Fluttershy is too sensitive. This scene from “Griffon the Brush-Off” where Pinkie actually said that it was the case is what I mean.:
As I said before, despite this episode being a bit cliched towards “The Mysterious Mare-Do Well”, “Testing, Testing 1 2 3”, and “Griffon the Brush-Off”, it’s actually done correctly, creating a decent episode. It does provide some funny comic relief, including a second fart joke in the series and a joke similar to a scroll joke in “GTBO”. It’s a 6.5/10 for me.
EPISODE #16: “THE TIMES, THEY ARE A CHANGELING”: When Twiley, Glim-Glam, and Spike return to the Crystal Empire to visit Flurry Heart and Sunburst, they get alarming news that a changeling has been spotted. To answer your question, it’s not Sketchy the Changeling from the Bronyanalysis community or Kevin from “Slice of Life”. It’s actually a friendly changeling named Thorax, much to Spike’s surprise that is.:
I honestly thought that it was episode was really good with a unique new character to me, an interesting sequel to “A Canterlot Wedding”, and a good moral about prejudice. I know that some of you guys out there said it was a bad or cliched episode. For me, I disagree because I couldn’t help be feel empathy for Thorax on how Spike was struggling to help everypony realize that not all Changelings are evil. It did provide some pretty good foreshadowing towards a future episode in this season.
SHINING ARMOR: At least I learned not to be so racist towards Changelings, Detective.
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN:
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Please note that THIS I DID NOT CREATE THIS MEME!!! IT’S FOUND ON KNOWYOURMEME.COM. I AVE A FUNNY FEELING THAT I MIGHT GET SUED OR COPYRIGHT ISSUES OVER THIS.
SHINING ARMOR:
Anyways, this episode was a good one with great visuals, an enjoyable song called “The Times, They Are a Changeling”, an interesting moral about judging others similar to “Bridle Gossip”, and an interesting sequel to “A Canterlot Wedding”. I’d give it a 7.5/10.
EPISODE #17: “DUNGEONS AND DISCORD”: Our favorite Spirit of Chaos and Draconequese, Discord, is back in Equestria when the Mane Six leave Ponyville to go to spend the day at Yakyakistan, forcing Discord to spend “Guy’s Night Out” with Big Mac and Spike.:
Actually, not THAT kind of “Guy’s Night Out”. Just them playing “Ogres and Oubliettes” AKA the Equestrian version of “Dungeons and Dragons”, like in the IDW comics story arc, “Neigh Anything”. However, Discord’s chaotic deeds arise when he brings the game to life. As you would usually know in a episode focused on our favorite Draconequese, Discord provides great comedy and development on his character, as well as really good references to pop culture, as usual. However, the episode does have a few issues, such as the pacing and the ending. But, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying this episode with it’s major plot point.:
Overall, not a bad, but also a good episode with some fun-spirited moments which makes this a pleasant experience. A 7.5/10.
EPISODE #18: “BUCKBALL SEASON”: When AJ and RD practice Buckball, they discover that Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Snails are actually really good at Buckball. YES, Snails does make an appearance in this episode, but is a character that’s actually developed correctly.:
As they train to compete in a Buckball game against Braeburn at Appleloosa, Flutters and Pinkie get put under so much pressure by AJ and RD that they decide to quit, as a result. For an episode that had Snails as a minor character, it actually surprised me that Snails is no longer a generic, cliched character with a dimwitted personality. Instead, he actually a more intriguing character. He cares for the rest of the Mane Six and is smart, instead of him and Snips idolizing Trixie like they did in “Boast Busters” from Season 1 and “Magic Duel” from Season 3. Instead of going with the usual cliche in sports stories where the characters compete to win like they did in “Fall Weather Friends”, but decide to have a really good message about how putting pressure onto your teammates would not only make them upset, but also cause them to quit playing sports.:
With that said, this episode was very good with (as usual) great animation, character development, really good facial expressions, and a great moral about how putting pressure on your teammates would prevent them from playing a specific sport. Seeing how there’s nothing wrong with “Buckball Season” for me, I would rate this an 8.5/10.
EPISODE #19: “THE FAULT IN OUR CUTIE MARKS”:
The CMC (Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle) are placed on a challenge of their own when they try to help a griffon from Griffonstone (that ISN’T Gilda, Silver-Quill, MangaKamen, or Greta) named Gabby get her Cutie Mark.:
As you can tell, Gabby is pretty much like Pinkie Pie as a Griffon or Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh”. Despite this episode not being the best episode, I thought that “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks” was definitely a CMC episode done correctly. For me, it was MORE developed than this Season’s other CMC episode. Yeah, I’m looking at you: “On Your Marks”!!! It did a very interesting job of making a sequel towards “On Your Marks” with characters such as Bulk Biceps and Tender Taps.
Overall, this was a pretty good, but more superior CMC episode than “On Your Marks” with somewhat of a 2.0 of “The Cutie Pox”. I would rate it a 7/10.
20.) “VIVA LAS PEGASUS”:
“Eeyup”, you guessed it. “MLP: FIM” is FINALLY taking us to one of Equestria’s MANY locations that the writers have overlooked for all these years/moons/seasons: “Las Pegasus”. This time, AJ and Fluttershy have been called by the Friendship Map to solve a Friendship Problem in Las Pegasus. Much to AJ’s bitterness, however, a part of the Friendship Problem involves the Flim-Flam Brothers being at each others’ throats and all of the other performers at Las Pegasus’ entertainment acts are at the same dilemma. This is all because of this guy:
As you can tell, seeing how Las Pegasus is based off of Las Vegas, Gladmane’s pretty much Equestria’s own manipulative, selfish version of the Great and Powerful Trixie– I mean, Elvis. <:D This episode has some issues, including the pacing. But, the animation, new character designs, and environment really stood for me in Las Pegasus’ first debut into the series. It could’ve been better, but it was a pretty decent episode. A 6.5/10.
21.) “EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES”:
As Starlight Glimmer neglects her Friendship Studies, she attempts to impress Twiley by casting a hypnotic/brainwashing spell on the Mane Five (Feduca Compellus) and tackling ALL FIVE Friendship Lessons at once.
#HypnoticAJisBestAJ
Anyways, I’d that this episode was probably a fun episode for the most part. The comedy was spot-on, the animation was great as usual, and it developed Starlight Glimmer/Glim-Glam as a character. It really shows how much the series has a unique way of using brainwashing/hypnotism, especially in Seasons 2, 5, and this!!!!! 😀 I would rate this an 8/10 for a very fun and hypnotic episode.
22.) “P.P.O.V” (“PONY POINT OF VIEW”):
As the title clearly states, this episode takes the usual cliche of most TV shows of how a certain event goes awry and two or three characters fabricate on how the event happened. Especially in both this episode from “MLP: FIM” and the “Batman: The Animated Series” episode, “P.O.V.”. So, the premise is that after AJ, Rarity, and Pinkie return from a boat trip that, unfortunately, goes wrong, Twiley and Spike try to find out what really happened and restore their friendship. What makes this episode more original compared to most cliched “Point Of View” episodes is that instead of having three/two of the characters being responsible for allowing the event to occur, it has something else being responsible for causing the event to occur. That is another species in Equestria that hasn’t been explored yet and it’s called a tri-horned bunyip.
While making a usual P.O.V. story be more original, it shows very unique out of the ordinary perspectives on how AJ, Rarity, and Pinkie viewed on the events of the boat trip. Including AJ being a Pirate, Rarity referencing James Cameron’s “Titanic” movie from 1997, and Pinkie being way too insane, compared to how much of a maniac she is for the Element of Laughter and one of the Biggest Party Planners in Equestria out of the Mane Six/Elements of Harmony. All in all, I’d say this episode was a good watch and a Point of View episode done correctly with originality, great references, spectacular animation, more world-building, and comic-relief. At least we’ll “Sea” the Mane Six again in the ocean in the upcoming “MLP: Movie” this October. ;D
But, I digress, this episode deserves another 8/10.
23.) “WHERE THE APPLE LIES”:
In AJ’s second episode focused on her, when Apple Bloom gets caught red-hoofed for lying about making a mistake with Zap Apple Jam, this leaves the Apple Family to tell her about how AJ’s lies nearly led to her family being hospitalized. To answer your question, NO: They do NOT include AJ’s dead parents, which we’ll be seeing next season. Also, NO: They don’t get severely injured in an accident or near-death experience or illness like Apple Blight, that really isn’t capable of infecting anypony. Coincidentally, I thought that this episode would FINALLY focus on AJ’s deceased parents that the series hasn’t fully focused on, until Season 7, “The Perfect Pear”. But, no, we get a really bland 2.0 of “The Cutie Pox” that COULD’VE been good, if the episode wasn’t dragged on too much and stated the obvious moral that we’ve heard before and dozens of times outside of the series. However, the visuals do shine again as usual and the reference towards the creepy twins from “The Shining” (no pun intended) are probably some of the best parts about the episode. One thing about it really makes you realize that there’s more to Derpy than meets the eye when we see her in the background in the Ponyville Hospital, right there.
Overall, this episode was meh, for me. It could’ve been AJ’s strongest episode in the series. But, AJ FINALLY getting a good episode after a long time has to be postponed for Season 7 of the series. It leaves to give this a 4/10, it just could’ve been better than “Applejack’s Day Off”.
24.) “TOP BOLT”:
Now, for the final Friendship Map episode of the season, we that the Wonderbolts are back when Twiley and RD are summoned by the Map to solve a Friendship Problem in the Wonderbolts Headquarters/Academy to help two pegasi named Vapor Trail and Sky Stinger make their way into the Academy. However, things go awry as Twiley and RD struggle to find out on how to help Sky and Vapor get accepted, while revealing one secret that could effect Vapor and Sky’s relationship. For a Wonderbolts episode that is the successor of “Newbie Dash”, it’s probably MUCH better than “Newbie Dash”. Why: Because of how the moral about how secrets can create harm towards others, even after revealing them to your closest friend was very well done, the animation again is beautiful, and the new characters were spectacular. Even the humor, as usual, was very memorable, for me. Out of all of the anti-personalities/reflections of the Mane Six I’ve seen over the years, I would say that RD and Fluttershy’s REAL reflections would definitely be Vapor and Sky.:
#BESTSNEEZEMEANSADORKABLEMOMENTSENSESARETINGLING
This episode was really a big success, to me, with the morality being very good, new characters having great designs and personalities, and comic-relief that’s definitely superior towards “Newbie Dash”. An 8.5/10 for this one.
25 & 26.) (TWO-PART SEASON FINALE) “TO WHERE AND BACK AGAIN” (PARTS 1 & 2)
In the final act of Season 6, after Starlight and the Great and Powerful Trixie return from Starlight’s old village, they find that the Mane Six and Spike are somehow acting out of character. Before you ask, the writers aren’t responsible for making them this way. As it turns out, the Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings are back and have captured then impersonated the Mane Six and Spike. To make matters worse, Shining Armor, Cadence, Flurry Heart, Celestia, and Luna have ALL been ponynapped/kidnapped as well and replaced by Changelings. As a result, Starlight forms an alliance to break into the Changeling Hive and save everypony and Equestria, including Thorax from “The Times, They Are a Changeling”, Trixie, and Discord. This leaves us to calling them the “Reformed Four”.
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: Are you sure that you came up with it, Detective?
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: (ADORKABLE NERVOUS VOICE) Nooooooooooo………….
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: You definitely plagiarized it, didn’t you?
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN:………..Have you been seeing Clop art again?
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: OH, CELESTIA!!! NO, WHY WOULD I DO THAT?!?!?!?!
THE DETECTIVE LIBRARIAN: Because I see you constantly going on DeviantArt, 24 hours a day, checking the most disgusting, sexual, and pornographic Clop art you can find!!!!!
TED THE SCRIPT-PERSON: Okay, okay, I did it just once. Just ONCE!!!!!!
Anyways, this episode definitely focused more on Starlight’s personal struggles of overcoming her past. Even if it has been used in the series constantly, including Luna/Nightmare Moon, Sunset Shimmer, and Sci-Twi. Honestly, for a 2.0 of Sunset, I’d say that Starlight was more developed in this finale in this season compared to other episodes focused on her, as well as maturing character like Trixie, for instance.:
Before you ask, I’m not one of those fans that is against the new Changeling designs after they were reformed and went against Chrysalis. Even if I’m used to the older designs, it’ll take some more episodes from Season 7 to get more used to them.
Like Sketchy the Changeling, I enjoy the Changeling designs. However, it IS going to take time to get used to seeing the Changeling learn more about Pony Society after Chrysalis was dethroned by Thorax and Starlight during the episode’s climax. All in all, this finale was a very solid finale, to me, with fantastic character development, world building, climax, and animation that was perfect for being a conclusion to the foreshadowing about the Changelings returning in this this seasons. A 9/10 for me.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS FOR SEASON 6:
TOP TEN BEST EPISODES OF “MLP: FIM” SEASON 6:
10.) “THE GIFT OF THE MAUD PIE”
9.) “NO SECOND PRANCES”
8.) “GAUNTLET OF FIRE”
7.) “THE SADDLE ROW REVIEW”
6.) “THE TIMES, THEY ARE A CHANGELING”
5.) “BUCKBALL SEASON”
4.) “TO WHERE AND BACK AGAIN”
3.) “NO SECOND PRANCES”
2.) “FLUTTER BRUTTER”
1.) “STRANGER THAN FAN FICTION”
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
1.) “DUNGEONS AND DISCORD”
2.) “A HEARTH’S WARMING TAIL”
3.) “THE CRYSTALLING”
4.) “TOP BOLT”
5.) “EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES”
I’d say that this season was a good, not great season. It had episodes that were mixed feelings for me, some that were spectacular, but some weren’t as spectacular as past episodes or seasons. Does it make it that bad? The answer is obviously, no because it had (as usual) very good characters, amazing world-building, songs that were fantastic, unique animation, and voice-acting. It’s not the best season, but not nearly as good as Seasons 2, 4, 5, and the next Season. This leaves me to rate this season an 8/10. Trust me, Season 7 is so far more successful than you think than this one. But, that’s another story. I’m The Detective Librarian, Your Inspector of the Entertainment signing off. Toodles!!!!
-THE END!!!!-
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