“Sigh…here we go again.”
Hi! This episode starts off with the CMC discussing a letter from Babs Seed in which she reveals that she got her cutie mark. This discussion fills Applebloom with anxiety about her own cutie mark. When she goes to bed that night, she has three separate dream sequences, with each having Applebloom confront one of those anxieties, whether the mark is rejected from herself, rejected from her friends, or rejected from her family. In a final dream sequence, Princess Luna appears to Applebloom and helps her find peace and acceptance in her anxieties. Applebloom wakes up happy as a lark. Roll credits. That was a nice and simple story to go through!
Salutations!
It’s Apple Bloom’s turn for a Luna visit! It was only a matter of time.
Oh my gosh, Babs got her cutie mark! Wasn’t expecting scissors, but oh well, it’s still her cutie mark. Scootaloo, have you ever thought of the possibility that even though one has a cutie mark, they can still help other ponies earn cutie marks, much like what I’ve been saying all along? Sweetie Belle, I don’t know how it’s possible to get an unlikeable cutie mark, especially when it’s, you know, your own that you’ll have the rest of your life. But thanks for getting that into Apple Bloom’s head. Also…that Rainbow Dash balloon…scares me.
Aaaaaaaaaaw, AJ sang sweetly to Apple Bloom! I love it! I knew from the “morning” with the angles they showed of her–concealing her flank– that Apple Bloom got her “cutie mark.” Good thing those things like the bug..spray..thing…are not her true talent! But…you know…with that piece of equipment, I’d smack Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara with it. That definitely would be true that when they get their cutie marks, they are still prone to being teased by those punks.
That voice that offered to get rid of the cutie mark…was…was that…Starlight?! Is she haunting everypony’s dreams, even those she’s never met?! I mean, though Apple Bloom brought it all upon herself and it was her shadow, it still sounded very much like that cutie mark taker.
I laughed when Apple Bloom “woke up” a second time, because I realized this was going to be a recurring dream.
Aaah, yay, Big Mac spoke! That’s the most I’ve EVER heard him speak! Love it! Even though some of his voice was projected onto the other family members. That dolphin cutie mark has funky eyes.
Oh, Apple Bloom, what you did not understand throughout your anxiety and dreams (before Luna showed up) is that a butt symbol is not going to change your place in the family or your friendships.
About time Luna showed up…after all that’s happened. But you gotta love her wisdom and showing what’s behind those dreams. But oo, infinite doors to other dreams. Ha, I knew that clip of Sweetie Bloom on stage would be a dream. Ha to super-stunt baker Scootlaoo! And she can fly in her dreams..how sweet! Their dreams kind of closely resemble their talents, only other things were in the dreams…like with Scootlaoo and baking.
Because I love to interpret dreams, I will point out the chicken that was around. It is indeed a pun for being a “chicken,” and being cowardly. Obviously the chicken was a pun for that, but I wanted to point out the animal’s significance in the dream.
I give this episode an overall 8 out of 10. It was something that really addressed the cutie mark issue more deeply. And there were really great moments, like the nice AJ song and reprise in the end and Big Mac’s sorta huge speaking role that shocked me.
I really liked this episode! Sure, they were obviously dreams, and we were pretty much just waiting for Luna to show up, but the episode made the wait plenty entertaining.
“And the further apart they spread, the more powerful these jolts will get!”- Um… I’m no physics pony, but I’m fairly sure that’s backwards. They should be getting weaker when farther apart and stronger when closer together. Anyway…
One thing that this episode definitely deserves praise for is the background. There was the Rainbow Dash balloon animal that Cuddleheart mentioned earlier. Also, beginning the second dream was a cock that laid an egg (so you already know it’s a dream), and to close that same dream, the cock was huge. Cuddleheart also already mentioned the cock’s significance. In the third dream sequence, the one where Applebloom is rejected by her family, Applejack’s hat goes all over. On, off, on Big Mac. And in the final dream sequence, Pinkie Pie is flying by lifted by balloons and wearing her Nightmare Night chicken costume. And, though it’s really hard to tell, there seems to be an apple bone in Applebloom’s body when she gets shocked by the Twittermites in the first dream sequence.
And, while you have to be on the second watch to notice it, Applebloom’s Shadow does move in a shadow-like manner, staying attached to Applebloom’s movements.
Also, while praising small aesthetic things, Luna’s entrance was quite nice.
I really like the fact that this episode is composed of multiple dream sequences, as it gives a strong sense of structure to the story. It feels organized, and it flows.
It’s also great that we have a new fantasy creature now.
The episode isn’t much in the way of humor, but the moral makes up for that. I think Princess Luna’s teaching to Applebloom is significant, that one needs to accept who they are. And yes, this does totally make Applebloom’s Shadow into a valid Jungian Archetypal symbol, because Applebloom’s Shadow and fears needed to be accepted by Applebloom. (The Shadow is the part of you that you try to hide from public society, and is the opposite of the Persona. Applebloom’s Persona is eager to get her mark, while Applebloom’s Shadow fears getting her mark. Your Shadow is a part of you and needs to be accepted as such.) Also, as far as the humor is concerned, the best joke is at the end when Applebloom’s family members have that confused look on their faces about Applebloom’s sleep being exhausting.
The best part of the episode was, of course, everything with Luna.
The worst part was… well, there were no bad parts, per se. Just flaws. Namely that viewing this is basically just a waiting period for Luna.
Ledger’s score for this episode is a 9 out of 10. This was a great episode, and I find it hard to say anything bad about it. But I can’t give it a perfect score when its flaw was apparent from the first watch.
Oh, and oh my gosh, they (the network) totally trolled us with that Equestrian Idol preview! While I wasn’t convinced that said scene was when Sweetie Belle would get her mark, I was absolutely convinced that it was actually happening and never considered the possibility that it was a dream!
twoearthponies 