I don't know if the ratings for FiM's episodes on IMDb represent the audience' opinion as a whole, but either way, I feel like this episode deserves a higher score than just 8.4.
The episode, as a whole, felt a bit wonky. The Mane 6 treating Twilight's home as THEIR home rubbed me the wrong way. These are characters that have grown for FIVE seasons, so I am hard-pressed to believe that they would treat a home that isn't theirs as just that - theirs.
The first act was very fitting. It had a lot of comedic moments, even if some of the jokes didn't quite work out. I love how they handled the conflict here, though. The conflict was introduced to the other characters in just a few minutes - thus, introducing a way to resolve the conflict. All of these in such a short amount of time sure did surprise me.
Best of all, though? It DIDN'T feel rushed. There are differences between 'rushed' scenes, scenes that are 'all over the place', and 'compact' scene.
At this scene in the episode, it very much falls on the latter. And that's always a good sign.
The second act is where the episode may put off some viewers. I didn't like the song since it had very... "childish" lyrics to put it bluntly. I pretty much skip it nowadays.
I liked this act, but this didn't feel as strong as the previous one. It felt very dragged out, and I didn't like how the Mane 6, as I've said before, treated a home that isn't theirs as just that - theirs.
However, I really like the relationship between Spike and Twilight here. Spike is written very well here, putting some Spike episodes to pale in comparison to how his character was written in this episode. He was helpful, he was funny, he was... well, well-written.
And while I did say that the second act had some decisions I didn't like, this is one of the moments where the episode shines. Twilight plays off with Spike very well, being a mother figure to him, and it's just really nice to see them together like this.
I really liked how they handled the scene where Twilight saw what was left of her old home. It was fittingly adequate - not too much DRAMA, yet not too little. A little trims here and there, but overall, I really like how they handled it.
I've been rambling for too long now so let me just get on to the good part.
The resolution.
That resolution was ABSOLUTELY beautiful.
It tied everything that has happened thus far in the episode really well.
Let's start from the beginning.
I didn't like the song, BUT I loved the reprise. The difference between the two is that the latter actually had better lyrics - lyrics that emphasize on the emotion and message of this episode. It was such a great reprise, and a fitting inclusion to the episode.
When Spike and Twilight entered the castle after their outdoor "stroll", we see that Twilight sees that... well, the castle is the same as before. Nothing changed.
Of course, as befitting Twilight's character, she tries to find something positive about the situation. And how she delivered was SO her, yet ABSOLUTELY hilarious.
After Spike brutally tells everyone the truth (which is fitting, actually), we go on to the main reason why I think this episode is underrated.
"What was the resolution?" one may ask.
The Mane 5 (excluding Twilight) dug up the ruins of the Golden Oak Library and hung it up on the castle's ceiling to serve as a 'memory tree'. This way, they remind Twilight of the memories of her home, which are what made her home special, not the home itself.. Not only that, it serves as a reminder to how far she has come, and how many more memories she will make with her friends in the future, just as she did the past.
Not only does it teach a very relate-able moral, it also honors the past but doesn't dwell on it; it reminds us how far Twilight has come and how far she has grown.
And we were there to watch them.
To say this episode was emotionally powerful is an understatement. This was the first episode in MLP:FiM to make me CRY. It was the first episode powerful enough to coax tears out of my usually dry eyes.
This episode had its faults, but the ending really ties it all together. This episode doesn't deserve 8.4; no, it deserves a score higher than that.
Speaking of endings...
The ending shows the Mane 5 (excluding Twilight) giving their own unique contributions to the castle, but not in an intrusive way, which is what I felt what the first act seemed to show (though that's a pretty mixed viewpoint for me). They did it in a way that it benefits and complements the castle. This does not only contrast my main issue with the episode, it actually emphasizes the episode's message more - Twilight is going to make more memories in a new home with her friends. What better way than have the things that remind you of your friends in your own home, right?
That was very heartwarming.
As I've said before in this very messy review, this episode was beautiful, and I can safely say that this episode is criminally underrated.
The episode, as a whole, felt a bit wonky. The Mane 6 treating Twilight's home as THEIR home rubbed me the wrong way. These are characters that have grown for FIVE seasons, so I am hard-pressed to believe that they would treat a home that isn't theirs as just that - theirs.
The first act was very fitting. It had a lot of comedic moments, even if some of the jokes didn't quite work out. I love how they handled the conflict here, though. The conflict was introduced to the other characters in just a few minutes - thus, introducing a way to resolve the conflict. All of these in such a short amount of time sure did surprise me.
Best of all, though? It DIDN'T feel rushed. There are differences between 'rushed' scenes, scenes that are 'all over the place', and 'compact' scene.
At this scene in the episode, it very much falls on the latter. And that's always a good sign.
The second act is where the episode may put off some viewers. I didn't like the song since it had very... "childish" lyrics to put it bluntly. I pretty much skip it nowadays.
I liked this act, but this didn't feel as strong as the previous one. It felt very dragged out, and I didn't like how the Mane 6, as I've said before, treated a home that isn't theirs as just that - theirs.
However, I really like the relationship between Spike and Twilight here. Spike is written very well here, putting some Spike episodes to pale in comparison to how his character was written in this episode. He was helpful, he was funny, he was... well, well-written.
And while I did say that the second act had some decisions I didn't like, this is one of the moments where the episode shines. Twilight plays off with Spike very well, being a mother figure to him, and it's just really nice to see them together like this.
I really liked how they handled the scene where Twilight saw what was left of her old home. It was fittingly adequate - not too much DRAMA, yet not too little. A little trims here and there, but overall, I really like how they handled it.
I've been rambling for too long now so let me just get on to the good part.
The resolution.
That resolution was ABSOLUTELY beautiful.
It tied everything that has happened thus far in the episode really well.
Let's start from the beginning.
I didn't like the song, BUT I loved the reprise. The difference between the two is that the latter actually had better lyrics - lyrics that emphasize on the emotion and message of this episode. It was such a great reprise, and a fitting inclusion to the episode.
When Spike and Twilight entered the castle after their outdoor "stroll", we see that Twilight sees that... well, the castle is the same as before. Nothing changed.
Of course, as befitting Twilight's character, she tries to find something positive about the situation. And how she delivered was SO her, yet ABSOLUTELY hilarious.
After Spike brutally tells everyone the truth (which is fitting, actually), we go on to the main reason why I think this episode is underrated.
"What was the resolution?" one may ask.
The Mane 5 (excluding Twilight) dug up the ruins of the Golden Oak Library and hung it up on the castle's ceiling to serve as a 'memory tree'. This way, they remind Twilight of the memories of her home, which are what made her home special, not the home itself.. Not only that, it serves as a reminder to how far she has come, and how many more memories she will make with her friends in the future, just as she did the past.
Not only does it teach a very relate-able moral, it also honors the past but doesn't dwell on it; it reminds us how far Twilight has come and how far she has grown.
And we were there to watch them.
To say this episode was emotionally powerful is an understatement. This was the first episode in MLP:FiM to make me CRY. It was the first episode powerful enough to coax tears out of my usually dry eyes.
This episode had its faults, but the ending really ties it all together. This episode doesn't deserve 8.4; no, it deserves a score higher than that.
Speaking of endings...
The ending shows the Mane 5 (excluding Twilight) giving their own unique contributions to the castle, but not in an intrusive way, which is what I felt what the first act seemed to show (though that's a pretty mixed viewpoint for me). They did it in a way that it benefits and complements the castle. This does not only contrast my main issue with the episode, it actually emphasizes the episode's message more - Twilight is going to make more memories in a new home with her friends. What better way than have the things that remind you of your friends in your own home, right?
That was very heartwarming.
As I've said before in this very messy review, this episode was beautiful, and I can safely say that this episode is criminally underrated.
