Season 9 Discussion Thread [Warning: SPOILERS!!!!!]

Not a surprise them draining the lava was a reason that the eggs couldn’t hatch.

Ep is ok but those male dragons could have used an update. So ugly looking.

Spike just proudly telling Garble his own nickname Spikey-Wikey is absolute big dick energy.

@PonyPon  
Episode and quite possibly the show peaked when Ember started saying “Coochie Coochie Coo”
 
So I’m done.
 
See you fuckers next week.

@Vivace  
Or ignorance of dignity and tact.

I feel like we kind of got the reverse of what we got in “She’s all Yak”.
 
Instead of Ponies wanting to learn Yak Culture.  
It’s Dragons wanting to learn some Pony culture.

@Miss Shy  
See you then.

@Miss Shy  
I said coochie—!

Poor Garble.
 
Surrounded by assholes.

@Vivace  
And that won’t be taken out of context anytime soon.

He has a point, Shy.

Okay, that was a fair exchange.

BEATNIKS. DON’T. DAB!

@Vivace  
This one does.

Baby Drags.

Your typical “Retroactive Sibling” plot to try and pseudo-redeem a pseudo-villain by giving them a new interest that conflicts with who they are, combined with the bullshit “Even bullies have bullies” reasoning that is resolved in the most unsatisfying way possible. He’s totally gonna get thrown under the bus when Ember isn’t looking.
 
Strongly below average, not a bad episode per-say given how things were relatively decent in the first half and with well Fluttershy and Spike were handled, but the conflict and how it was resolved (BULLYING WORKS!) was just ass-backwards.

Why would you just have Ember say “Coochie Coo”.
 
You realize what I’m going to have to do with that? Being ME?
 
1. Sweet and Smoky  
2. Sparkle’s Seven  
3. The Beginning of the End  
4. Frenemies  
5. Common Ground  
6. The Point Of No Return  
7. Uprooted  
8. She’s All Yak
 
Next week is apple stuff I guess.

Shy, put those infants down.

Wait wasn’t the whole reason his plan succeed was because he knew they’d all laugh at him?

DARGONS!

Fire and Beat Poetry -The words of House Smolder
 
What I liked:  
Fluttershy: She is at her A-game here and it’s awesome, seriously the best thing in the episode. She’s able to be kind yet assertive when she needs to be. She’s also really overcome that fear of dragons off screen, though I attribute that to them now being at best two feet taller than a pony compared to a small high rise in difference. It’s also a nice switch up that her usual thing of “Is great with animals” is not true here as she has no idea what to do with the dragon eggs and doesn’t save the day with her animal skills. But because instead they play with her compassion and understanding, she’s able to help contribute and be a team player. Also they finally FINALLY gave some weight to that first meeting between Fluttershy and Spike.  
Spike: Guy is a freaking saint, let me tell you. He put up with all of Garble’s BS because of Smolder wanting to help out her brother. Guy’s definitely got loyalty down pat. Probably should have used some honestly and told Smolder her brother is a raging douche but he’s there to help and puts others before himself, which showcases his strengths. And he’s the one to actually figure out what the problem is.  
Smolder: And her we have her continuing to prove she’s the best student, mainly because she allowed to exist independent of the group. She has a brother who’s an actual character instead of the background props Sandbar, Ocellus and Yona’s family are. And because she’s also able to connect with Spike, she’s able to have friendships and character interactions outside of the Student 6. She is to an extent just there to set up the conflict but she still relatively engaging in this as she wants to help her brother, has more experience with this thing called “cooperation”, yet still has the metal to not be pushed around by the other dragons.  
Ember: Just her freaking trying to coddle the eggs and failing, I don’t need much more reasoning there.
 
What I didn’t like:  
The Ending: Not so much how the story was solved but rather it goes instantly to “Oh hey Garble saved the day, now everyone wants to learn poetry” Like that is a remarkable turnaround for something they were all literally laughing their faces off of just a few seconds ago. Like I get they want to rap things up, but going to “He’s now the next big tread setter” is just to rushed for me  
Garble: Kind of iffy here because really Garble has a lot of baggage to him. He’s arguably the oldest still villainous antagonist the show has had. The first time we met him, he wants to smash phoenix eggs, basically killing children or torturing small animals, either way still messed up, and then the next time we see him he want to burn and pillage all of Equestria once he’s in charge. Yet here we’re just suppose to buy that no that’s not the real him, he’s just a sensitive sweetheart that keeps a gruff exterior so he’s bleeding heart doesn’t show? Sorry but that’s a bit of a transition, especially given how he still acts like a douche in this episode. Now by no means the most jarring turnaround Cutieremark and I do like he’s still mostly his douche persona but just a really hard sell saying he’s a good guy now. But he is the impetuous for all the other positives in the episode so it’s definitely mixed.
 
So yeah overall this is a story where there is a lot about it I really like but one off tone note that gives it an odd dissonance to me. Still really enjoyed it but it’s not completely in tune, if that makes sense.

Shyabetes/10

A little odd but fun. Ok ep.

It was an okay episode.

So, it was decent.
 
My impression hinged entirely on Fluttershy’s involvement and despite my sizable disdain for her arc, this was a fair exchange between her and the formerly most remorseless character we have.
 
Didn’t even have to yell or force him. Just confront him. That takes a….commendable amount of strength.