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.

Morality of a Fox: Cyras and Values

Back on the ranch at Deviantart, I put down that out of all colors in MTG, Cyras would probably be Green and Blue, mixing curiousity with nature. 

Cyras performs a very contradictory action in "Where We Lie". She tries to stop lie detectors from scamming all of Wysdom. However, at the same time, she scams Empress Owlis to save Ahmond's behind, literally. 

The reason for this is Cyras is a protector of her pack. For Wysdom, that means she protects them from scam artists such as the Engineer Daybreak. Comparatively, this also means protecting Ahmond. In order, she protects Friends, then Kingdom, then Empire. 

However, Owlis says Cyras is amoral, and Rosod calls her a near psychopath. Beyond being slanderous, the meanings of these terms imply they see her as someone who doesn't think with morality. 

Being an atheist, Cyras is not bound towards a higher goal or reasoning. She's not about higher levels of connectivity with all things. Her goal is eating. She likes food. She likes putting food in her mouth and chewing on food. She likes her friends, and putting her friends in her mouth and chewing on them

Cyras isn't seeking herocism and doesn't care if she's in complete moral wrong objectively - if there even is such a thing as objective morality. Even if her friend did something clearly wrong like Ahmond, she's not standing by, waiting for their punishment. 

If something strikes her as offensive, she will strike back and that's the morality of a fox.

N:Era: Off the Tracks Intro

 I struggled finding a theme for Off the Tracks. Where We Lie was originally about economics versus environment. The idea of good simple morals versus the business world, however the story evolved and became about the idea of lies versus truths. Call of the Wild was originally about Nature versus civilization, but became Nature with Civilization. 

 So the current theme in Off the Tracks is subterfuge. The idea of people playing with hidden cards. The plot is: 

 "Team N:Era boards a train on a trip for Rosaberg. On their diplomatic vacation however, several problems arise, as Ahmond's cousin Baynana rants about comics meanwhile a bunch of jewelry and other belongings go missing. A plot is veiled as Cyras attempts stopping the trip from going off the tracks. 

However, Owlis herself is also struggling as she finds out her Advisor accidentally booked everyone's vacation at the same time. For once in 500 years she's finally all alone.

Or so she thinks."

The goal of this story is tackling a mystery as why everything is missing from this train and who's behind the plot. There is the sinister uncle and aunt of the Ice Cream Pack. The mysterious and dogmatic Ahmond. Or perhaps the suspicious actor herself, Rosod, an almost ally.

#Ramble

The Origins of SaviorFoxOwlis

 Hello, JAC here, also under the username of SaviorFoxOwlis. I created this blog as a way of better cataloging reviews and stories. 

I've been writing about sixteen or seventeen years now. While I've written many projects, my current pieces are known as N:Era. The story of N:Era focuses on a fantasy world known as Voto, specifically the Empire of Wysdom. 

The story centers on a Dire fox named Cyras who is also an ascended/nature goddess. She ends up exploring civilization for the first time, having only lived in the wilds before, and soon she has to protect her new home as part of Team N:Era. Other major players are Owlis, the Empress and creator of Wysdom and Team N:Era, and also Cyras' first cousin once removed, and also an elegant jerk. Cyras' best friends are the other members of Team N:Era, a hyena girl named Lilu who is sarcastic and crass but also troubled by an abusive mother who is queen of Sandrun. Ahmond is a coywolf who works at her family business of selling ice cream, however she's also shy and has no friends. 

Several other reoccuring characters include Rosod, a Crimson who allies with N:Era at points. Karv, a hyena guard for the kingdom of Sandrun. Queen Jazmyn, ruler of Sandrun. And the Ice Cream Pack, three half wolves who serve ice cream in Sunnyvilla. 

Rating: G. 

The story has cartoon violence, however there's very little blood and no gore. Some situations are tense and based on real life situations. Darker themes include child abuse, manipulation of crowds, and mob violence.