S3E01&02 - "The Crystal Empire"

[NeoFur]

Sweet! It's already on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpCcAXyWTH8

[aspect]

All right, how is this going to work? Last season we kept all the episode discussion in one giant thread. Seeing as that made it inconvenient to discuss any but the most recent episode, I do think individual episode threads would be nice.

Anyway, Crystal Ponies! I loved how Twilight used her powers more in this episode, like when she fell from the stairs and then realized she could just levitate and teleport; and of course the gravity magic. Also the animation seemed really good. And using the song as a closing was a great way to keep an already-expected ending dramatic.

I was initially excited about getting more examination of Twilight and Celestia's relationship, but to me that aspect seemed a little flat. Why the use of the quest as a test? And why the instructions, 'in the end it must be you alone, who assists Shining Armor and Cadance...' You're not going it alone when you're helping someone else. And then the whole time, Twilight's interpreting things as if Celestia already foresaw everything and knows the precise nature of the test. Which to me seems to go against the carefully-worded but incorrect instructions.

As for the crystal ponies themselves I was glad to find they weren't an additional type of pony; I mean they're just earth ponies who sparkle due to the protecting effects of the crystal heart.

[Narei Mooncatt]

I finally got to watch it today. As usual, it was cool, but also nice to see all the nods to the fandom in how they showed or mentioned fan favorite items. Pinkie's party canon was back, and several other references I can't remember off hand.

[Shim]

I thought it was really convoluted, and they they need to stop being Meghan McCarthy the important episodes !

Positives
-Animation was stepped up
-Introduction of new setting
-New magic
-Conclusion of episodes continue to prove Alsek's theory that I firmly believe in (I'll let him explain that one)

Negatives
-Characters, despite 2 seasons of development, revert to old habits
-The voice acting..could have been better? Which is weird for MLP
-MLP Villains have the worst weaknesses.
-They tried to introduce too many things at once. Crystal ponies, new spells, new characters, villains? It's a lot all at once!

But hey, we have 11 more episodes !

[Foxxhoria]

The one main thing I found about the premier episodes is, that all the characters except Applejack and Twilight and Spike were reduced to just 2-dimensional gag-devices. Dash was arrogant and insensitive (down to guilttripping Fluttershy that she wasn't doing her part if she didn't joust against her against her will), Fluttershy had aggressive-then-shy moments (which annoy me), and Pinkie was nothing more than a whiny immature child.

It made the whole episode's tone abrasive and hard for me to feel much like watching again. On top of the horrid character moments, particularly from Dash and Pinkie.

And it pretty much being a Twilight Sparkle Power Hour. Can't the other characters get some love? :/

[Ryffnah]

And it pretty much being a Twilight Sparkle Power Hour. Can't the other characters get some love? :/

They seem to be dividing the episodes up in terms of who they focus on more and more.  So, sure, that may have been the Twilight Sparkle hour, but the following episode is very much about Pinkie Pie.  And a lot of episodes from last season would pick out one character and specifically focus on her largely to the exclusion of the others.

[Foxxhoria]

They seem to be dividing the episodes up in terms of who they focus on more and more.  So, sure, that may have been the Twilight Sparkle hour, but the following episode is very much about Pinkie Pie.  And a lot of episodes from last season would pick out one character and specifically focus on her largely to the exclusion of the others.

But in the two-parters? We have six ponies to deal with, and only one of them gets the two-parter?

[Ryffnah]

They seem to be dividing the episodes up in terms of who they focus on more and more.  So, sure, that may have been the Twilight Sparkle hour, but the following episode is very much about Pinkie Pie.  And a lot of episodes from last season would pick out one character and specifically focus on her largely to the exclusion of the others.

But in the two-parters? We have six ponies to deal with, and only one of them gets the two-parter?

*shrug*  She is the main character.  The show started with her.  It comes back to her for season finales and openers.  Seems about right, as long as the others get their fair share of episodes during the rest of the season.