Season 2 Episode 3 "Lesson Zero" Discussion, ***SPOILER****SPOILER***PONIES PWN*** Options

[mariomarc]

I dare Hasbro to make Smartypants.

as an accesory to Big Mac

[Shutterbug]

Not too much that hasn't been said. The episode was a fantastic start to S2 in my opinion. The animation seems a lot more smooth to me. Rainbomb Dash was a really cool though I wasn't expecting the rainboom at all. I too thought RD's voice was off just a bit when Twi first talked to her. The intro music was far superior to S1. Twi porting into the ball was the single most hilarious thing in the entire ep IMO. I simply cannot wait to get started giffing this ep and would like to thank everyone involved for raising so many bars for the start of S2.

[Creature SH]

The episode definitely felt a bit cartoonier and zanier than usual. But seeing as the theme was a kind of panic, it works. As long as it doesn't turn into an escalating trend, it's fine by me. I do think that there is a degree of reaching out to the previously-unintentional fanbase happening here. I doubt that it is a coincidence that a fan-favorite minor character like Big Mac gets a somewhat more extensive role than usual at the same time that cupcakes are met with great enthusiasm and Derpy pops up not only as regular cameo, but also in the intro.
On the other hand, some of the more exaggerated portrayals of the main cast might also have to do with the fact that this was the first regular episode of Season 2. We are re-establishing the characters here!

I like to think that Twilight Sparkle still doesn't quite grasp her full magical potential. So it manifests a lot more readily when she actually stops thinking rationally and loses control. This would fit with how it first manifested in "Cutie Mark Chronicles". There certainly is a little bit of Phoenix going on here... And I don't mean Filomena!

This post has been edited by Creature SH: Oct 16 2011, 08:50 AM

[Masked Toaster]

Twilight's rump has a hump after Spike wakes her from her second delusion and she makes the declaration that she'll write that letter before sundown and trots off.

I like to think that Twilight Sparkle still doesn't quite grasp her full magical potential. So it manifests a lot more readily when she actually stops thinking rationally and loses control. This would fit with how it first manifested in "Cutie Mark Chronicles". There certainly is a little bit of Phoenix going on here... And I don't mean Filomena!

I was just going to mention the change of her color feels like it's foreshadowing her descending into evil.

Last season, she had a softer purple that blended with her and the scene, but now she has a vibrant redish-purple that's contrasting from everything, not counting her growing madness yesterday.

This post has been edited by Masked Toaster: Oct 16 2011, 09:27 AM

[Rezo]

I do think that there is a degree of reaching out to the previously-unintentional fanbase happening here. I doubt that it is a coincidence that a fan-favorite minor character like Big Mac gets a somewhat more extensive role than usual at the same time that cupcakes are met with great enthusiasm and Derpy pops up not only as regular cameo, but also in the intro.

Eh.

Big Mac had already been established as pretty major as far as minor characters go. Not really anything extraordinary there.

Cupcakes had a song dedicated to them in S1. As with Big Mac, there's precedent. No significant change.

Derpy/ Ditzy, well, yeah. That's been established as a shout-out for a fair while now.

[DrSpengler]

But this was just supposed to be "another typical adventure", which is why stuff like Spike pushing backgrounds out of the way or flipping them up like window shades just seems all the crazier.

I noticed that every time he did that, he was trying to snap Twilight out of her panic attack, it was a neat little visual cue.

Oh yeah, I didn't mean it as a complaint; it was a cute visual gag. Just seemed kinda weird for the characters to be doing that like it was natural (usually that's Pinkie's shtick).

[TM2 Dinobot]

I like to think that Twilight Sparkle still doesn't quite grasp her full magical potential. So it manifests a lot more readily when she actually stops thinking rationally and loses control. This would fit with how it first manifested in "Cutie Mark Chronicles". There certainly is a little bit of Phoenix going on here... And I don't mean Filomena!

I was just going to mention the change of her color feels like it's foreshadowing her descending into evil.

Last season, she had a softer purple that blended with her and the scene, but now she has a vibrant redish-purple that's contrasting from everything, not counting her growing madness yesterday.

I, personally, would like to see a Dark Twilight Saga as the season finale. It would need to be very, very carefully done, but what could culminate more of Lauren's message that girl's TV doesn't have to be pink than seeing a beloved character descend into evil and then be redeemed through the power of friendship?

Probably won't happen, but it would be great.

[Scavgraphics]

Oh yeah, I didn't mean it as a complaint; it was a cute visual gag. Just seemed kinda weird for the characters to be doing that like it was natural (usually that's Pinkie's shtick).

If self cleaning after the frosting incident shows he's been in training with Pinkie.


***********************

There certainly is a little bit of Phoenix going on here... And I don't mean Filomena!

I was just going to mention the change of her color feels like it's foreshadowing her descending into evil.

I, personally, would like to see a Dark Twilight Saga as the season finale. It would need to be very, very carefully done, but what could culminate more of Lauren's message that girl's TV doesn't have to be pink than seeing a beloved character descend into evil and then be redeemed through the power of friendship?

I just want to point out that while every one was going "Rapidash pokemon!" during Feeling Pinkie Keen, I was shouting out Dark Phoenix.

This post has been edited by Scavgraphics: Oct 16 2011, 02:22 PM

[Waspinator]

And the true moral of the story is, don't upset Twilight Sparkle or she may destroy society and kill us all.

[mariomarc]

I like to think that Twilight Sparkle still doesn't quite grasp her full magical potential. So it manifests a lot more readily when she actually stops thinking rationally and loses control. This would fit with how it first manifested in "Cutie Mark Chronicles". There certainly is a little bit of Phoenix going on here... And I don't mean Filomena!

I was just going to mention the change of her color feels like it's foreshadowing her descending into evil.

Last season, she had a softer purple that blended with her and the scene, but now she has a vibrant redish-purple that's contrasting from everything, not counting her growing madness yesterday.

I, personally, would like to see a Dark Twilight Saga as the season finale. It would need to be very, very carefully done, but what could culminate more of Lauren's message that girl's TV doesn't have to be pink than seeing a beloved character descend into evil and then be redeemed through the power of friendship?

Probably won't happen, but it would be great.

i think that Dark Twilight could also work for a movie

[Database]

Some said that Fluttershy wrestling the bear was out of character for her, but I was totally expecting it. We have a seemingly threatening animal staring her down, and she's show in the past that she WILL fight back, or talk back and after her anger explosion at the Gala it seems very in character that she would as when it comes down to it she don't take jive from anyone.

[Scavgraphics]

And the true moral of the story is, don't upset Twilight Sparkle or she may destroy society and kill us all.

Or eat a bunch of broccoli heads.

[Sobana]

I too thought RD's voice was off just a bit when Twi first talked to her.

It did sound off like she had a stand-in or a cold or sound equipment was off or some thing.

but it's like they're purposely shooting for a wider target audience than season 1, which had unintentionally caught a wider audience. Fluttershy brutally snapping a grizzly bear's neck would NOT have been in, say, episode 5 of season 1.

The show's definately trying to capitalize on its recent reputation as an all ages/genders program; not just a girl's show, anymore.

It did feel very different. Return of Harmony felt right in line with Season 1. But this one felt.... I dunno, darker? More mature? Less innocent?

I'm not sure I like that direction. I mean, I laughed my ass off at the show, but I'm not sure it sits well with me.

This is where fanservice starts and it will get worse eventually. Well.. "better" for someone.
Oh well, it was unavoidable anyway when "bronies" happened.

At the end of last season I said they might give an additional second of attention to the plot. I noticed it a lot during the first half of the episode, but I didn't want to be the first to point that out, might of made me look wierd. But, yeah, called it.

I think some might be reading a bit to far into certain aspects of the episode. Plot shots... really? I think you're letting your viewing of the episode be more influenced by certain elements of the fandom rather than looking at it objectively. I find it highly unlikely... nay, I find it rather impossible that the production staff are including more shots of ponies butts just to satisfy a small group of fans who seem to find that amusing. Those kind of angles are simply the nature of any animated series involving intelligent animal species that don't wear clothes; but there are no more of them now than there has been before, and there's never been anything sexual about it. Geez.

I just call it as I see it. I don't see other shows doing these kinds of angles with their characters.

I think there's intentional 'plot shot' scenes in the show.

I think it is just because your more of the background layout person, I think the plots are more decided in the story board creation departments.

I for one, hope the doom-saying stops pretty quickly. The show runners have said they aren't changing anything to benefit the bronies, so there's no need to read into things needlessly.

I doubt that. They say they ain't changing it for the bronies but then they purposely add in more Derpy for the bronies.

I have a feeling the doom-saying will happen after every episode from now on.

Yeah, I can totally see that happening. People always have to sow seeds of doubt. It is like someponies just have to see conspiracies in everything. A shame really, but I won't let them get me down, I'll still enjoy the show.

[Nayuki]

I think there's intentional 'plot shot' scenes in the show.

I think it is just because your more of the background layout person, I think the plots are more decided in the story board creation departments.

Wow, you edited a quote of me to suit your purposes there. If you're going to quote me in the future, I'd prefer you don't edit the quote, possibly changing its context. So once again here's what I said:

"I think there's only ever been 2 intentional 'plot shot' scenes in the show, and both were merely for comedic purposes"

Any other so called 'plot shots' are all in your head. Ponies generally don't wear clothes in the show, and just because they happen to be standing from a rear 3/4 angle doesn't mean they're flashing their plot at the screen. Some bronies with a 'plot fixation' may need to get their minds out of the gutter.

This post has been edited by Nayuki: Oct 16 2011, 05:47 PM

[Matenshi]

I have a feeling the doom-saying will happen after every episode from now on.

Yeah, I can totally see that happening. People always have to sow seeds of doubt. It is like someponies just have to see conspiracies in everything. A shame really, but I won't let them get me down, I'll still enjoy the show.

Irony... over...whelming... me...

[Copper Bezel]

Nayuki, might I suggest that you're actually encouraging them simply by using that phrase? It's almost as if you're accepting as real some tiny aspect of the perversely malformed alternate reality they're apparently posting from.

[Creature SH]

I think that I don't like Sobana.

[Scavgraphics]

I think there's intentional 'plot shot' scenes in the show.

I think it is just because your more of the background layout person, I think the plots are more decided in the story board creation departments.

Wow, you edited a quote of me to suit your purposes there. If you're going to quote me in the future, I'd prefer you don't edit the quote, possibly changing its context. So once again here's what I said:

"I think there's only ever been 2 intentional 'plot shot' scenes in the show, and both were merely for comedic purposes"

Any other so called 'plot shots' are all in your head. Ponies generally don't wear clothes in the show, and just because they happen to be standing from a rear 3/4 angle doesn't mean they're flashing their plot at the screen. Some bronies with a 'plot fixation' may need to get their minds out of the gutter.

(IMG:http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/1581/lyrapwnied.png)

[Masked Toaster]

Nayuki, might I suggest that you're actually encouraging them simply by using that phrase? It's almost as if you're accepting as real some tiny aspect of the perversely malformed alternate reality they're apparently posting from.

Given the context of his comment, it's relatively unavoidable.

As been said before: It's the internet. You can't change it, you can't change anyone on it.
There will always be someone looking for them, just as there will always be someone who thinks they found a hidden meaning in the fact Twilight has a calendar in a drawer.
It's just something that happens to us, but to them, it's like finding Waldo on the globe, even if it is just something that happened.

[Rezo]

There will always be someone looking for them, just as there will always be someone who thinks they found a hidden meaning in the fact Twilight has a calendar in a drawer.

Masonic Imagery.

Masonic Imagery everywhere.