Finally Finished Call of the Wolves! . . . Now What?

So I finished Call of the Wolves! Now all that's left is my Halloween story "Murder, Cyras Wrote", and then I got Tunnels Under Wysdom and . . . and . . . 

Well, that's a lot of stuff to do. But what's going on? 

So writing this did teach me a few things. While I've been writing for over fifteen years now, there's always more to learn. For example, I think my fight scenes are getting more as well as my prose. I tried to make the flow better and the world more vivid. I wanted more of a breathing world. I will explain further in an article called "The Depressive Worldbuilding of Glacialane", but essentially, this was all a test of my worldbuilding and now emotion-writing. 

Personally, this actually isn't one of my favorites. I would actually put this right in the middle. I had a lot of fun writing Fangs of Liberty and Where We Lie, but I guess odd novellas always gotta leave me going "hm". 

Anyway, what's done is done. Thank you to everyone who is reading.

Previewing MLP Gen 5: Should We Watch This?

 My Little Pony Generation Five, a continuation of My Little Pony G4. Trying to capitalize off the success of a previous series seems inevitable, but usually this ends in complete disaster. However, can this be done well? Here's stuff I'm optimistic about . . . and pessimistic about. 

Optimistic Part 1: Scenery 

Honestly, I would watch this show just for the art, my pagan god is this good. 

That's just one of the main locations, and apparently is where Unicorns live. This is just covered in fruity colors, and has a generally red-purplish atmosphere kinda like Twilight Sparkle. Also I love the thought that Twilight's treehouses have just become unicorn aesthetic.

I mean there's so much character and charm already. The places looks beautiful, and inspires lots of interest. Especially with how advanced the lighting is. 

That's Maretime Bay where all of the Earth Ponies normally live. Instead of the mystical forest, or even elf-like vibes, this place has sorta a sunny and industrial aesthetic, with tall buildings, and more pastel colors versus the fruitier tones.  Everything here looks clean, and neat.

And that's Zephyr heights, and that seems more gold and blue. The buildings are higher up, and there's a lot of bridges. Here's the pegasi. Sorta similar to Maretime Bay, but still way different as well.This place offers depth and feeling.

Honestly, the only places in MLP that stood out were, well, the Everfree Forest. Even Manehattan wasn't quite this impressive visually. In fact, Kie and I kinda have a review making fun of the aesthetic of Griffonstone coming up...

(I always thought that place should be Griffony.) 

ABSOLUTELY ABOMINABLE #1: The Heroes Lost

Small spoiler, but basically, the whole world is a post-apocalypse where the world forgot Twilight and all her friendship lessons and now all the ponies are split up by three races. And from what I perused, apparently the reason why they've split is a unicorn harmed an earth pony and so everyone bailed, feeling safer amongst their own kind?

What happens when one of those earth ponies harms another earth pony? Will they split up based on warm versus cool colors?

That's not unreasonable for an EPISODE of Generation 4, but as a set-up for an entire Generation? I can't really buy this. I can understand if they all just sorta forgot or there were major wars. Maybe there's more explanation. But like, wow. 

Optimistic Part 2: Unique!

The show seems to be trying to be their own thing. From the summaries I read, instead of doing a rehash of learning about friendship, everybody is trying their damndest to have a plot. There's an overarcing storyline. Not that MLP has ever done storylines well, but perhaps if that's just ingrained, this can work. 

While Generation 4 is a backdrop, and there are some elements that don't make sense (No joke, Noah and I laughed aloud when we read that Queen Opaline is listed as "Queen (Somehow)" on the wiki), they seem to be going for their own vibe and energy. 

They're not trying to be G4, at least, not fully.

ABSOLUTELY ABOMINABLE PART 2: Too Many Good Characters In Last Series

The show has to get out of the rut of being Gen 4 part 2. They have five characters, and I don't really know how they'll create them. 

Here's the thing: They're gonna get compared to the mane six. If they're at all similar to any of the characters, then that's the end. Okay, so they can't be similar to the mane six, or the student six, or the CMC. Okay, that's only 15 characters- or Spike - okay that's 15.5 characters. 

And then, amongst all of that, they need to have their own characterizations that let them carry an episode, and enable them to share an episode with others. 

Gen 4 had a great chemistry between the characters, even between each character. Pinkie and Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. 

I told Noah, jokingly, I wonder if they only have five ponies in their main cast to avoid having an Applejack in their crew. 

Optimistic Part 3: Modern

The show features a more modern setting. About time. Not every series needs a vaguely past-centric theme, and we can talk about stuff like cellular phones. This really doesn't push me off as much as people think, as I figure this is the natural evolution of pony.

ABSOLUTELY ABOMINABLE PART 3: Modern

The show features a more modern setting with cellphones and booty-shaking. 

There's at least one character who seems like she's gonna get dated pretty quickly as she takes selfies and asks for likes on social media.

But honestly, I'm pretty neutral on this point because I'm interested in how this'll be handled. I think a lot of the best shows avoid modern technology like the plague. Spongebob Squarepants only had one computer shown over the course of three years. Selfies aren't plots. They're fads. 

And sure, one character might get quickly dated, but she might also end up being that joke character everyone loves after her initial transgression. And maybe she's not even that obnoxious. 

But you would imagine that, this far into the future, they'd be way more advanced. Then again, there was apocalypse after all. 

Optimistic Part 4: They Got Jobs Tho

The cast actually seems reasonably diverse. Sunny loves scooting around on rollerskates - I'm not gonna lie I was like "Scootaloo?" She also runs a smoothie shop. One character is a sheriff and a MALE. 

I didn't really care that none of the mane six were male. However, this is interesting because this shows they're more openly acknowledging they'll have a male fanbase at the start. Will this alter anything? Maybe.

Anyway, Hitch Trailblazer the sheriff, is apparently the guardian who is fierce but sometimes arrogant. I guess he'll be kinda like Squidward with the self-importance of a Spongebob or a Mr. Krabs. He might be the more Applejack like characters, as in responsible, but mix in traits of Sparkle. 

Sunny, well she's the main character, she doesn't need a personality. And that's good, because she doesn't. I think she makes smoothies.

Pipp Petals is apparently some kind of ditzy social media influencer and pop singer.

Izzy is a, uh, boring sack of lavander. She's like, stupid, naive, and likes to recycle materials. She looks like a hippie. 

And Zipp Storm is Pipp's sister - so we already have a relationship between the characters. Apparently she's athletic and arrogant (oh no, Rainbow Dash) but also intellectually curious (huh). So maybe she's got that Plato Greecian sorta "strong and wise". She's also got some stealth. So fighter-mage-thief. 

But what's really good is they do have jobs, and they do have lives. I see so many series where coincidentally, none of the main characters have lives and can go gallivanting. Here, they have actual struggles.

ABSOLUTELY ABOMINABLE #4 They Still Suck

A social, media, influencer tho. And a couple of them, like Sunny, or Izzy, literally have like a paragraph on the wiki. I'm guessing these characters aren't really that openly distinguished. Hitch seems like the only one to have a genuine personality. Zipp seems more like they wanted a Rainbow Dash but didn't want a Rainbow Dash at the same time, so they made her Twilight. 

There's also no innate chemistry in these characters. Seriously, lemme point this out: Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy naturally have oppositional traits, same as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie and same as Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

These characters were made to be interlinked with one another, and I would say the best episodes usually focus on that interlinking. 

Now what would Zipp and Hitchblazer, er, Hitchtrail, er, Hitch Trailblazer (yes I literally did question his name twice that wasn't a stupid joke really) do with Zipp Storm. They're just two people, who are both probably the most masculine ones. But what bounces off about them? Where's the friction? Where's the alliance? 

If I said, "I'm going to have a country girl who likes to get dirty be with a prissy fashionista", you can imagine several plots naturally. They could get in a dispute about cleanliness. They could talk about being spoiled. They could talk about beauty. 

If I said, "I'm going to have a shy flyer with an arrogant best-in-class flightmaster", you can go "oh what if one pushes the other", "what if one teaches the other kindness". 

With Zipp and Hitch, you really have to work harder to make a plot between them. 

"Okay, but, Fluttershy and Twilight don't really have many traits you can latch onto that are oppositional about them". I think that's fair, but there's so many natural links amongst the characters, you might not even notice that, meanwhile in this show, who really goes together? 

Zipp and Pipp at least seem sorta like opposites, you got one into social media, one more into outdoorsmanship. Except, wait, that's not really opposite traits. I guess one might be more serious? 

Also they have a baby dragon named Sparky.

Optimistic Part 5: The History is Mystery!

There's an already inbuilt sense of mystery throughout the show. What happened with Twilight Sparkle and why did the Friendship fail. 

ABSOLUTELY ABOMINABLE PART 5: You Ripped Off MLP

Some of these episodes are literal rip-offs. "The Cutie Mark Mix-Up" is listed as inspired by an episode of MLP, because they both deal with two ponies trading cutie marks and having to figure out who has the harder job. Also apparently, the plot is about Sunny and Hitch. 

Girl, you work at a smoothie shop, and he literally is a sheriff. Have you seen this universe? That goes from arresting ponies to fighting monsters. 

One episode is about a sleepover and already I was like "kinda curious this mimics something from season one". 

Here's another summary:

(So it's all hooves on deck to find Hitch's baby dragon buddy ASAPP — as soon as pony-possible.)

(Izzy invites newcomer Misty to a sleepover with sing-alongs, hoof readings, ponycorn and more!)

 They really want us to know these are ponies. 

There's at least a plot in this however.

Absolutely Optimistic Or Abominably Cynical?

Honestly, I'm interested. 

I'm kinda getting Skylanders vibes from this tbh, and I think this is a netflix series. And Skylanders was, not a good series. 

But on the other hand, there's a lot of traits that seem like they wanna be their own thing while still keeping to the show. There's a unique feel, a unique atmosphere that is rare amongst shows in general in my opinion. 

The fantasy, honestly, brings me back to Neopets. Everything has a flavor. I'm not too sure if the characters will be as interesting, and to be fair, maybe not even the plot. This might not even be well-written in general.

What wins out will only remain to be seen. I guess all I can say is, "Eh, why not."

Don't Knock Fox: MLP: S506: Most Wanted In Appaloosa

Radio Static

Hello mutants, this is JAC the flaunt and Kieral the taunt.


Now unfortunately, there are some episodes that aren't easy to talk about. There are some instances of an episode being one-note and predictable. This is one of those episodes. Appaloosa's Most Wanted is about Troubleshoes, who cause a lot of mayhem at the rodeos. The Cutie Mark Crusaders try to stop Troubleshoes, only to find out he's this awkward giant who just sucks at the rodeo. He tells them about his cutie mark and how that means bad luck, however the girls figure this just means he should be a rodeo clown. Anyway, for kidnapping three fillies, Troubleshoes is arrested and is gonna get hanged for being a horse thief, but the girls break him out, he goes out and rodeos. And he's a good rodeo clown. And also he falls a lot and that's most of that.

KIERAL

Truly the predictability is this episode's biggest flaw. The CMC is out looking for this "criminal", but then we see him as just an ordinary clumsy dude half way through the episode. As soon as you got that, you know the rest. If there's anything interesting in this episode, it's the fact that we get to visit a prettied up Appaloosa as well as a number of new locations (Like Troublehooves's home, and the nearby woods.) The scenery is detailed and there are a couple nice dramatic shots.

 

JAC

This is also one of the few episodes where the CMC get punished. Technically they usually just get shunned, however now they face hard labor.

KIERAL

I was a bit surprised to get another CMC episode after we just had one in the last two. To me this one almost feels related, because we actually meet someone who is troubled by their cutie mark. I think if you view them as being related then this episode takes on some more meaning. Being able to reframe problems actually is considered a good life skill (which Troubleshoes seemed to lack- everything's "bad luck" to him). Of course, the CMC mostly sort that out for him, though he did make the right choice to accept that.

I dig this one the most, some dramatic perspective and close foreground to frame things. All those slanted angles make it unsettling just the right way. I also like how we can see out into the windows, and although it's detailed, the colors are more close together. Nothing it overwhelming enough to take the focus off the characters.

A lil' bit more nice perspective and forest detail




Lastly I dig that wide opening shot, it establishes everything that's going on in one swing, got a real deep field of view, but it's easy to read. It brings across the pleasant mood the opening is supposed to have.

JAC

Star Ratings:

 

2/5

Generally, I walk in with the idea of 3/5. This score sometimes improves, sometimes not. While there's not much technically wrong, there is just a whole lot of predictability and one-frameness. This is certainly not a one star, one-star implies a whole lot worse.

KIERAL

3/5

I enjoyed watching the episode, even though I pretty much knew what was going to happen. In most episodes I don't, so it's a bit below average in that regard, but I enjoy the adventure and find some interest because of the previous episode I mentioned, and for me that makes up for it.

JAC

Recommendations

 If you're okay with stooge comedy, there's nothing wrong with this in particular, but fans with more sophisticated tastes, who need nuance, are likely to leave this alone.

KIERAL

It's an easy to watch, feel good story. In a way the predictability lowers the sense of anxiety a bit, and I could see this as being something in comfort episode territory. However if you're looking for what MLP has to offer at its best in terms of writing, it's simply a skip.

Don't Knock Fox: MLP: S504: Bloom and Gloom Review

 

134.  

     Season 5 Episode 4: Blooming and Glooming

     

     Radio Static
     

      

     JAC

     Hello, Mutants. This is the next oh-fish-ee-uhl broadcast of the MLP Review Series, Don't Knock Fox. This is JAC the Lipper, with my co-host, KIERAL the Cookie. 

      

     KIERAL

     Heya! The episode we're reviewing today- season 5 episode 4- is our first CMC episode this season. If you're wondering what type of cookie I am, then forget it, you weren't supposed to know about that.

      

     JAC

     Strawberry Shortbread.

      

     When we start with CMC episodes, they only get a couple each season. They're almost breaks from our main characters. Last season, we saw Sweetie Belle enter the Dream, now we have Apple Bloom. Next season will likely be Scootaloo. 

      

     The CMC episodes do feel unique. They feel more like a bunch of kids trying to figure out life than adults trying to figure out friendship. Now while adults figuring out friendship is certainly relatable because we have the social skills of hamsters, watching through the lens of the CMC has always been interesting, if not always great. 

      

     This episode is basically a giant allegory for what you're gonna be doing with the rest of your life and the anxiety behind that. The idea of, what if you hate your job, what if you lose your friends, what if you disappoint your family. The answers in real life are yes, nah, and hopefully. However, this episode portrays a more optimistic message, opting for the idea of keeping everything, and being unafraid of yourself.

      

     I'll let KIERAL do a summary since I hate doing summaries.

      

     Basic Summary:

      
     

     KIERAL

     Thank you for dumping that on me. So, we start off with a CMC clubhouse meeting where Apple Bloom announces that her cousin, Babs Seed, has finally gotten her cutie mark. Babs didn't really show up last season so, if you've forgotten like I did, she's the fourth member of the CMC. Or was, because now that she's got her cutie mark, the rest of the CMC agree she's not a member anymore. 

      

     This gets Apple Bloom a bit sad- and when Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo bring up the thoughts of getting a cutie mark you wouldn't want, downright anxious. Not Sweetie Belle, nor Applejack, can put Apple Bloom to ease. That night she goes to sleep.. and then wakes up.. to discover she's gotten a cutie mark! For managing.. infestations. 

      

     She meets an older pony with the same kind of mark and although uncertain about whether she likes it at first, Apple Bloom finds it's something she can get into. But when Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon show up to mock her, she gets upset and runs away. She runs into the woods, where a shadowy figure offers to take away Apple Bloom's cutie mark. She accepts. When Apple Bloom wakes up again, she has a new cutie mark. Potion Making! That's more like it. She comes to see the rest of the CMC, only to be booted from the clubhouse because she's not a crusader anymore. 

      

JAC

As soon as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle find out Apple Bloom's got a mark, the girls say, "Yeah, no." And they kick her out. Turns out, you can only be a crusader if you are a blank flank/hip. Okay that's that, I'm gonna ramble. I'm gonna go on this digression now!

 
Flanks are not hips. Flanks are actually more the side, particularly between your rib and hip. The mark is on the hips, which is where the bone is.
 





Anatomy of a common Cyras, areas highlighted.

 
Anyway, as the girls excommunicate Apple Bloom, she goes back to the Lady in the Lake, who steals her cutie mark again, however turns out the other girls actually have their own cutie marks, which we never see. But they're sure important. 
 
On the third day, she sees another set of pancakes, and turns out her cutie mark is of a dolphin. The apple family interrogates her for this egregious crime and have her shot for going against the family. 
 



Rough. (Edit: Babs Seed's cutie mark is a pair of scissors. That's not an apple.)
 
Apple Bloom wakes up again, while Pinkie Pie is outside her window in a chicken costume she had in Luna Eclipsed, being a subtle reference for Luna. 
 





Well, Apple Bloom meets the Lady in the Swamp again and tries to run away, but she sees an a princess coming from the moon. Luna says, "You can't run away from your shadow." Luna, with her power to enter others dreams, reveals that Apple Bloom's anxiety is shared by her friends. Sweetie Belle is afraid she's gonna be a janitor and will need three jobs to support her heroin addiction, meanwhile Scootaloo dreams she's gonna be the next Evil Knievel, until she finds out she's actually the next Gordon Ramsay. Therefore, she falls in a river of mashed potatoes. Worse, they're unsalted.
 


 
 
Luna takes them to the clubhouse. Thus showing the Cutie Mark Crusaders know how to make a hub but the Elements of Harmony do not.

 
Anyway, Luna has them all talk about their anxieties. Growing up is hard basically, but they figure out they're cutie marks will be something that relates to them on an emotional level.
 
They realize they can still be friends and give Babs Seed a care package. When they wake up. Applejack says in the morning, "Everything can be solved with a good night's rest." 
 
"Yeah I just wished that wasn't so exhausting."
 
Relatable, Apple Bloom. Soon as I wake up, "Woah, that was tiresome."
 

Review:




KIERAL

So, like some of our previous CMC episodes, this one was pretty unique, for largely taking place in a dream. And at first this was subtle- it was hard to tell if it really was a dream as it wasn't overly surreal save for a few unusual encounters. In truth this was rather confusing since other dreams tended to be pretty explicit about what they were. However, once the pattern is established things fall more into place and the episode becomes interesting. It is a more in depth look at a pony's anxieties then we have seen before.

 

JAC

Personally, I think they should have revealed this was a dream before the commercial break. Because this feels like a taunt at people who've been wanting this for a long time, and we do have two villains already who we know can steal cutie marks. At least one is active, Starlight Glimmer. And then you have the gross old dude last season, Lurch from the Addam's Family. So Apple Bloom losing her cutie mark feels less like foreshadowing at that point and more like something that could actually occur.

 
However, now we see the potential ramifications. They justified the fear of losing friends indirectly by saying at the start that Babs Seed is no longer a crusader.
 
They've justified the fear of losing family because all of the family has apples.
 
They justified fear of having a sucky cutie mark because, well, look at the janitors. Someone has to be a janitor.

 

KIERAL

Indeed. Despite the episode's awkward not-so-start, the anxieties definitely felt real. The dreams did get more surreal as they went on, later featuring teleporting and characters acting overly mean, which makes me think holding back the reveal was very intentional (and likewise not a choice I agree with).

 

JAC

I think I approve of the idea of delaying the reveal because the idea is to throw you into chaos. You're supposed to go like, "Holy Barnacles, what's going on." But they reveal right after they come back from commercial break.

 

KIERAL

Yeah, really was a bit long.

 

JAC

Like you get into the situation, you're right back, and suddenly, everything is a lie. Turns out you're adopted. Now can we talk about the lighting upgrade that's going on?





So we've gotten a burst of budget in the lighting department. You can see the blue light on Apple Bloom actually start to turn her green on the close side, meanwhile her far side is still yellow. All the meanwhile, the shadow is growing from hers with a gradient. And meanwhile meanwhile, we got some shading on her bow indicating that's turned away from the light, giving some depth.

Also we got a beam of light coming on, versus several darker shapes that help light up that tree trunk which the shadow is on. We've got a shadow, surrounded by a light area, surrounded by dark areas, surrounded by light areas.

 

KIERAL





Yeah! The forest scenes were really a treat. Something I was particularly happy to see was the presence of cel shading. Now in this still, we can see how much form it gives Apple Bloom. There are even cast shadows from her mane and bow, which further strengthen the effect since we can judge the distance between the bow and tail!


Cast shadows can be pretty tempting to avoid when they are cast from/upon organic forms so props to the animators here.

 

JAC

What's a cast shadow again

 

KIERAL

Ah! Yes, we're educational too! A cast shadow is a shadow not on an object (that can be the "attached shadow"), but rather the one that is created by it. I can identify that there's a shadow cast onto Apple Bloom's tail since its edge matches up with the shape of her bow.



It's not a perfect match, probably because it's a bit distorted by the tail's round form.

 

Star Ratings:

 

JAC

3/5 

 

This episode is a ride from beginning to end. Starts off weak and confusing, but ends off being strong. However, I can't find myself justifying many of the mistakes. A couple of key choices could make this episode stronger, such as referencing Babs Seed last season or even having her appear. And maybe talking about why Morpheus keeps invading their dreams. However, there is a lot of amusing background humor and art. Also this gives a deeper and more serious look at the CMC. While they're always wanting their cutie marks, their episodes are almost never really about that. They're more about ruthless desire and the understanding of patience. This was a wonderful little episode, but not necessarily good.
 
As a note, episode 4 is the true first real normal episode of a season. Episode 3 introduces new status quo, 4 is the new status quo.

 

KIERAL

4/5 

 

So, this was a quite unusual episode with a pretty realistic representation of anxiety, building up to a spiral rather then kicking it off right away. I'd say there are two lessons in this one actually, the first being that everyone gets anxieties (even if they don't act it outwardly), and the second being that your cutie mark won't change who you are. The latter I find especially valuable, because in a world so full of things to do you can get a lot of worry about whether your choices are really the best ones. If it weren't for the weak and confusing start I'd rank this episode higher, but as is, it gets a 4/5 from me.

 

JAC

Yeah besides, cutie marks obviously determine who you are.

 


Recommendations:


 

JAC

Bloom and Gloom is pretty much more of a surreal episode, more about teaching a moral with nightmares, because Luna is a good princess. I think this is great for anyone who likes build-up, and who may be lost in their life. There's plenty of visuals. If you already know the twists, I think a lot of problems will go away from this episode, and there's nothing terrible.

 

Just a solid little episode. Nothing much more or less.


 

KIERAL

Firstly I'd say, it's a well executed dream story and if you're looking for an example of that, this is it (especially if you're aware of its problems, which now you should be). There are a couple funny moments and the surrealism ranges from subtle to heavy towards the end which is pretty fun. I'd also recommend this to someone that prefers characters acting more realistically.

Don't Knock Fox Reviews: MLP: S503: Castle Sweet Castle Review

  

 

99. Season 5 Episode 3: Twilight's Content House 

    
    

    Radio Static 

     

    JAC
    

    Hello, Mutants. This is the first official broadcast of the MLP Review series that will get a name after I make one up. This is JAC and my co-host KIERAL, who is known as my co-host because I posted first in chat.

     

    KIERAL

    Hey guys! Yes it is me, KIERAL. So, we're picking up on MLP Season 5 Episode 3, pretty much the first non-2-parter.

    
    

    Basic Summary:

     

    JAC

    Anyway: So basic intro of this episode. This follows up after the mayhem caused by WWE wrestler Randy Orton burning down Twilight's home, known as Golden Oaks library, in a build-up to their match at Wrestlemania. 

     

    Twilight Sparkle is still recovering and now has a new castle in the middle of Ponyville. How this affects the economy is uncertain. So with an episode like this, there's a pretty clear structure. You know that the friends will try repairing the house, screw up, and try again.

     

    However, the importance of episodes like these is showing heart in how the characters behave. In a way, this is an adjustment not just for the characters, but also for the fans.

     

    

    
    

     Scrub that weasel butt.
    

     

    KIERAL

    I also wanna mention that the new place rose from the ground, never previously written about anywhere or known about by anyone. Its architect is unknown. (Quick note from JAC: Holy Barnacles, I just looked at the episode while going over the review, making sure this was accurate and Kiki didn't forget something, and yeah, the castle sprung from the ground). Maybe the tree from the last season designed it, which, if true, would have a lot of implications regarding plant intelligence. Frankly that's all pretty unsettling in and of itself, though the fact that it's all stone and crystal doesn't lend to coziness either. The episode starts with Twilight doing everything she can to avoid it.

     

    Review:
    

     

    JAC

     

    I think the Tree of Harmony made the castle, as most benevolent trees of life will if you give them enough water. Anyway, I'll start talking about the music here. The song is... quite interruptive. As soon as they transfer to the next scene you can hear the background music rev up, like a weird editing error. Quite literally they have one background song, then next, bam! The drums of war.
    

     

    "Let's all work together" is the first line and while cheesy... also makes Rainbow Dash sounds strained. However, everyone seems more on tune and melodious throughout the song, as they assemble stuff they like. Some of this makes sense - Pinkie Pie spreads cheerful balloons. However, Rainbow Dash brings in posters and trophies. Which seemed slightly oblivious, until I realized Noah has a Rainbow Dash poster as well.
    

     

     

    

    

    

    

    

    
    

    Good wrap-around animation.
    

    
    

    KIERAL

    Indeed. I think one of the things that bugged me about the start of the song was- while not unenthusiastic- just the last scene, Rainbow Dash seemed more occupied thinking about cider than really helping anyone. Not Rarity who suggested helping or Pinkie who could help kick the thing off with some cheer. That being said the song's definitely fun. Even though the decorations brought in tended to be kind of ridiculous- Fluttershy brought a bear and Applejack planted flowers on the floor. It's obviously gonna be a mess, though the shots throughout the song focus on each pony working with just one theme, so individually they don't look so bad-

     

    

    
       

    KIERAL

    - Until we get hit by the final result of their efforts.

     

     

    

    
    

    JAC

    So yeah, there's some interesting choices. Some I personally wouldn't want in my house. The girls tell each other they're doing great and fabulously while making passive-aggressive comments about how much their sense of design sucks.  "Wow Fluttershy, I love how you put a BEAR in the house." They realize they overdid everything and then decide they gotta bare everything once more. 

     

    Rarity is a bit less keen on taking her stuff out and they perform sub-ter-fuge to make sure Twilight stays away from the castle. Which is kinda weird. Why they can't just say "we're not done yet,"? My best guess might be that they edited the script midway through. I theorize the initial plan was that flipping the castle would be entirely secret, but the writers realized that wasn't necessary. Still, while editing out that plot line, they kept some lines in order. So that explains why no one just said, "Give us a minute Twilight."

    KIERAL

    Yeah. Twilight said, "I know you'll do a great job, because nopony knows me better then you" before she leaves. I think this makes them feel under pressure, but even so, I think Twilight would be able to understand that a grand redecorating might take more then one day to sort out. In either case, offering to cozy the place up was a really kind suggestion and one'd have to appreciate the effort, but instead they just use Spike to keep Twilight out and keep pushing themselves. 

     

    Anyways, since Rarity has such a hard time removing something, Rainbow Dash makes a choice for her, and they start fighting amongst themselves. Eventually they stop recognize their mistakes, and actually start considering what Twilight might want, which mostly involves books. And so, they start thinking of doing something more coordinated. 

     

    JAC

    
    

    We end up with a beautiful piece of architecture. A bunch of eldritch tentacles with gems that show Twilight Sparkle's memories.

    Twilight claims this is everything she wanted, however then she sees the dining room has some of Rarity's personal touches. Rainbow Dash says the library has daring do posters, and Applejack says she left rustic farm equipment in the kitchen which... is an interesting place for rustic farm equipment. Personally, I feel like this place would be better suited as like a hub zone in an MMORPG. I think Twilight could have kept the library.

    Honestly this may be weird but I don't really feel like I miss the library in general.

     

    KIERAL
    

    I can agree with that, it's shown and mentioned several times just how big the place is. There's even a room for the six ponies to sit in together. It feels as if letting others (or at least the main six) come through is a part of the design. Though, everyone treats it as just Twilight's place. It's a bit weird, but it's as the ponies choose to live I suppose.

     

    JAC

    Honestly, they have a content house.

    A house that a group of people buy simply for Youtube content.

     

    Tell me I'm wrong.

     

    KIERAL

    Indeed. As content creators, we can recognize a content house anywhere there is one.

     

    JAC

    Anyway, like I said, I don't really feel like I miss the library.

     

    While the library was nice, there's just something lacking, emotionally. Everybody moves and loses an old house at some point, this is a universal feeling. But I don't think they really tap into that. Not that they don't address the feeling, but they don't make this feel real. 

     

    Also I don't like how Rarity flutters her eyes at Spike and manipulates him with her raging sexuality. However, we do see Spike's feelings of the house acknowledged by Twilight, but a lot of this is more focused on the new house than the loss of the old house.

    
    

    The show could benefit from having two-parters in the middle of a season sometimes.

     

    KIERAL

    I always found the old library pretty cozy. It had all those warm colors and round and organic surfaces, the contrast from which was one of the things that made the new home seem particularly cold to me. I think missing it is very understandable, despite the sheer coolness of the new tree house. Though yes- ultimately the episode's mostly redecorating.

     

Star Ratings:

 

JAC

4/5 

 

This episode is meaningless in a way. After several months, most viewers had time for grieving, and even after only a couple weeks, I already accepted the loss of the treehouse. However, this is an episode really about community and togetherness. 

 

The new castle represents all of them, even if I think this is completely unnecessary. Everyone comes together for once, and even when they disagree, their disagreements aren't intense arguing like we get all the way back in the Ticket Master where they keep bribing Twilight. Nor in Lesson Zero where they ignore Twilight's feelings. Nor Castle Mane-ia where they enter a hall of cut off hooves... Wow, episode 3s of a season are really a traumatic experience. 

 

However, these are the first "normal" episodes of a season. An introducer of the new status quo. The colors are bright and enchanting, and there's plenty of new animation shown off, being a contrast with the duller two-parter. This was funny, and ultimately, the wacky hi-jinx and minor details are the only things truly taking away from this.

 

KIERAL


3/5 

The episode has some good moments- like the song and the accompanying montage- and a solid message: "The memories you make are what make someplace feel like home". It's very sprinkled with, the ponies acting straight up insane and tricking their friend and bringing bears in, which at times makes it frustrating since all those problems can be avoided by thinking straight.

Though ultimately it's a fun watch, at times heart warming, with nothing too egregious. Since this is the first review of season 5 I also want to add that the quality of the animation's has gone up a lot since the old days and is holding solid. It's really wonderful to see how much this show's evolved.

 

JAC

Yeah, you would have thought we'd have gotten the animation going down after all this time, lol.

 

Recommendations:


 

JAC

Castle Sweet Castle is more of a wistful episode, one that Sibling Noah themself liked as well. No high stakes, and instead focuses on the beginning of the new status quo of the season. This is more a gentle episode for easing one back into the minutia so common within the series. I, however, don't think this provides as much emotional closure as possible. The animation and art is great. Those who are fans of ensembles will also enjoy this.
 

KIERAL

Firstly it's one of the ones to hit if you're into the continuity/things-happening of the show. Secondly- it's overall a sweet-feeling episode. The way twilight's friends recognize her struggle and all come together to help is real kind of them and we get to remember all those good old times a bit. Nice if you wanna watch one that's fairly pleasant and also goofy.