My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic - News & Discussion

[ILDC]

I hear Discord will be in the season premiere. I'm sure he won't be responsible for what happens and is just there to watch the fun. Something Q usually does. I wonder if he'll get more character development. I know that the reason he was reformed was so that he could come back more often

And he couldn't as a villan how...?

 

[Edward15]

And he couldn't as a villan how...?

Do you know how repetitive it would be for Discord to continuously break free from his stone prison only to be turned back to stone at the end of each of his appearances?

 

[ILDC]

Do you know how repetitive it would be for Discord to continuously break free from his stone prison only to be turned back to stone at the end of each of his appearances?

So an awkward mishmash of pandering to both bronies and little girls was the only other opinion. Right.

 

[Edward15]

So an awkward mishmash of pandering to both bronies and little girls was the only other opinion. Right.

Granted, "Keep Calm and Flutter On" could've been better, but they couldn't reform Discord completely. They need room to give him more character development. Besides, what Discord fan would want him to completely give up his mischievous ways? As an anti-hero, he's even more like Q from Stark Trek.

 

[ILDC]

Granted, "Keep Calm and Flutter On" could've been better, but they couldn't reform Discord completely. They need room to give him more character development. Besides, what Discord fan would want him to completely give up his mischievous ways? As an anti-hero, he's even more like Q from Stark Trek.

Personally, I would have been fine with Discord staying a memorable one-off. If you have to keep him around, do it in a way that doesn't make John de Lancie look desperate for work.

 

[Edward15]

Personally, I would have been fine with Discord staying a memorable one-off. If you have to keep him around, do it in a way that doesn't make John de Lancie look desperate for work.

Well, I guess the writers had so much fun with his character that they decided to bring him back.

 

[brickrrb2]

Wouldn't a good episode be where they had to work with ones who AREN'T They Friends?

Spike with Garble
Dash with lightning dust
Twilight with Trixie or Sunset

Because that's what the bad guy be counting on

 

[Kazuya Prower]

Episode 6's title is revealed:

Spoiler

"Power Ponies". Many people assume it's a Power Rangers parody just because it has the word "Power" in it. It's not. As seen in the ComicCon animatic, they each have individual-looking costumes.

 

[Jave]

If the Cutie Mark Crusaders were to ever get their Cutie Marks, then their 'quest', and consequently their primary character shtick, would be over, and they'd have no reason to be the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore, so that can't happen, except maybe in the show's final season.

I want to comment on this a bit. Sometimes I get the impression that a lot of the fandom seem to lack the imagination the creators and writers of the show have, shooting down any potential plots and ideas without ever considering the possibilities. I want to see the CMC get their cutie marks because it could expand on their characters and have them try new things. There's no need for their shtick to end if that's a problem, maybe they could start an agency where they help younger fillies find their talents and thus get their cutie marks. It's a new shtick that doesn't deviate much from their original one, and could even remain for the rest of the show. Try new stuff, don't be afraid to consider new ideas instead of being to quick on dismissing them.

Also, we've gotten plenty of CMC episodes that don't involve them getting their cutie marks. So even then, there would be no need to write them off the show.

 

[Silverstar]

I want to comment on this a bit. Sometimes I get the impression that a lot of the fandom seem to lack the imagination the creators and writers of the show have, shooting down any potential plots and ideas without ever considering the possibilities. I want to see the CMC get their cutie marks because it could expand on their characters and have them try new things. There's no need for their shtick to end if that's a problem, maybe they could start an agency where they help younger fillies find their talents and thus get their cutie marks. It's a new shtick that doesn't deviate much from their original one, and could even remain for the rest of the show. Try new stuff, don't be afraid to consider new ideas instead of being to quick on dismissing them.

Also, we've gotten plenty of CMC episodes that don't involve them getting their cutie marks. So even then, there would be no need to write them off the show.

I never said nor implied that the CMCs could, would or should be written out of the show if they were to ever receive their Cutie Marks, just that without their quest, one of their prime motivating factors for doing things would be done away with, and as such it doesn't seem like something the writers or the network would want to do, at least not right away. That's not meant to be a knock against the show's writers and creators, just general knowledge of TV writers. Writers often tend to stick to established formulas, and networks tend to want to milk those formulas for all their worth (IIRC, Hasbro was for a time considering a CMC spinoff series for preschoolers at one point, but it didn't happen).

I'm aware that the CMCs have had numerous stories which didn't involve them trying to get their Cutie Marks, and if the writers ever wanted to move away from that or change the variables of that, I'd be all for it, as long as the stories were entertaining.

 

[Vegard Aune]

I want to comment on this a bit. Sometimes I get the impression that a lot of the fandom seem to lack the imagination the creators and writers of the show have, shooting down any potential plots and ideas without ever considering the possibilities.

True that... Heck, in a way I almost feel embarrassed at how against the whole Alicorn Twilight idea I was at first, because what ultimately warmed me up to it was the realization that, y'know, it does open up possibilities for new stories they otherwise might not have been able to do. The very first episode of this season seems to be getting straight on that too, going by the descriptions. (Which is why, when I heard that Twilight struggling to cope with her newfound responsibility was going to be part of the plot of the opening, my reaction was basically "Yes! That's exactly what I wanted them to do here!")

 

[Kazuya Prower]

Do not fret, Rarity fans. Meghan McCarthy confirmed on Twitter that Rarity will have more than one spotlight episode.

 

[SigmasonicX]

AV Club did a review of the series, including spending two paragraphs on the season 4 premiere, with some major spoilers, including potentially who the villain is.

Spoiler

Unfortunately, it is relatively negative. According to the review, Discord is the villain, but I find that a bit hard to believe when we know Discord is still considered safe enough that the Cutie Mark Crusaders would hang out with him in an upcoming comic story, and we know the editor of the comics reads episode scripts to make sure there aren't any major contradictions. The claim that Twilight does most of the work in this story is sure to upset people, though the reviewer presents this as a positive because she was tired of how girls shows tend always present the group over the individual.

EDIT: However, as pointed out by others, given the way the article is written and especially the reviewer's apparent unfamiliarity with Zecora, it seems likely that she only watched the two-parters and a few select episodes. If she didn't watch "Keep Calm and Flutter On", it's possible that she just assumed Discord was the villain when he is actually just a nuisance; that would line up with her claim that the villain didn't feel threatening at all.

EDIT: As a warning, Everfree Network put up and then took down a full review and summary of the premiere story, so keep a watch out for spoilers.

 

[TnAdct1]

Checked out the AV Club review (as well as the Everfree Network review).

Spoiler

Based on what I read, unless I get up in time to watch it, I'm most likely going to skip the season premiere, as it definitely feels like it's going to treading murky waters and continue what I consider to be the "Dark Age of Friendship is Magic" (in which Princess Twilight is force fed to the audience while the rest of the Mane Six pretty much take a back seat). Hopefully, Castle Mania will be a decent transition out of this "Dark Age" and back to "canon" Friendship is Magic being enjoyable again.

 

[barcncpt44]

I am sharing my link to my Geek Alabama review of the first two episodes of season 4. I am on the Hub Network press e-mail list and I got to screen the first two episodes. The post does not have much spoilers but if you don't want to not know anything until Saturday, don't click on the link. Animation Monday: My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic Season 4 Premiere | Geek Alabama

 

[Edward15]

AV Club did a review of the series, including spending two paragraphs on the season 4 premiere, with some major spoilers, including potentially who the villain is.

Spoiler

Unfortunately, it is relatively negative. According to the review, Discord is the villain, but I find that a bit hard to believe when we know Discord is still considered safe enough that the Cutie Mark Crusaders would hang out with him in an upcoming comic story, and we know the editor of the comics reads episode scripts to make sure there aren't any major contradictions. The claim that Twilight does most of the work in this story is sure to upset people, though the reviewer presents this as a positive because she was tired of how girls shows tend always present the group over the individual.

EDIT: However, as pointed out by others, given the way the article is written and especially the reviewer's apparent unfamiliarity with Zecora, it seems likely that she only watched the two-parters and a few select episodes. If she didn't watch "Keep Calm and Flutter On", it's possible that she just assumed Discord was the villain when he is actually just a nuisance; that would line up with her claim that the villain didn't feel threatening at all.

Spoiler

That can't be right about Discord. Aside from what you said about Discord appearing with the CMC in that comic, why would the writers do something that would break Fluttershy's heart like that, especially when Megan McCarthy made it clear that Discord's reform would stick? Besides, I've seen the promo, and the problem doesn't seem like Discord's handiwork. Furthermore, according to the summary I read, the foe is the Everfree Forest itself. While Discord will appear in the episode, I'm sure he'll just be there to see the fun. At least I hope so.

 

[TnAdct1]

Spoiler

That can't be right about Discord. Aside from what you said about Discord appearing with the CMC in that comic, why would the writers do something that would break Fluttershy's heart like that, especially when Megan McCarthy made it clear that Discord's reform would stick?

Spoiler

First, keep in mind that the person who reviewed the episode isn't someone who watches MLP on a regular basis (as she doesn't know who Zecora is). Second, the AV Club review has a clue to how Discord could be the "villain" without ruining his "reform".

 

[Edward15]

Spoiler

First, keep in mind that the person who reviewed the episode isn't someone who watches MLP on a regular basis (as she doesn't know who Zecora is). Second, the AV Club review has a clue to how Discord could be the "villain" without ruining his "reform".

Spoiler

How can someone be a villain and be reformed at the same time? I know the reviewer said that the villain was more of a nuisance than a threat, but according to my information, Equestria is in danger of being taken over by the Everfree Forest and I doubt that Discord is responsible for that.

 

[Neo Yi]

This thread was getting way too long, so I locked it and made a second one. Discuss all your pony news here.