S01 E17: "Stare Master"

S01 E17: "Stare Master"

Sorry for the long delay! Holiday season and all'a that means I had to take a break. I had written this and 4 other blogs over the last few weeks, one of which...*shudder*

But we'll get to that in time. 

Alrighty! So, "Stare Master". Based on the title alone I have no idea what to expect, other than probably some insane facial expressions. Since the 13th episode, this series has taken a jarring turn towards higher quality, though not without some missteps along the way...can it continue to improve? I dunno, but I'm about to find out! Maybe it's an ensemble piece...

A Chronological Commentary On Stuff That Happened In The Episode

00:11 Okay lots of Rarity...and Sweetie Bell? Huh. Uh...

00:58 After some Rube Goldberg-ian shenannigans, Sweetie Bell has completely fucked up Rarity's studio after being told to sit her ass down. I would be annoyed by Sweetie Bell because of this, but Rainbow Dash pulls this shit every other episode and NOTHING HAPPENS TO HER. So you know what? Until Dash gets some much needed retribution, I'm letting this slide.

01:47 SWEETIE BELL AND RARITY ARE SISTERS AND THEY SHOULD HAVE ESTABLISHED THAT IN "CALL OF THE CUTIE". This would have surprised me, but I got spoiled about it. >_>

Wait, haven't Applejack and Rarity lived in Ponyville for YEARS? There's only one school in town, how could Applebloom and Sweetie Bell NOT have known each other already? You know what? Never mind. I'm going to stress myself out thinking about this and I still want to like Call of the Cutie. <_<

01:57 So Sweetie Bell is pulling Applebloom's schtick from Call of the Cutie and trying to assist Rarity with her projects in order to find her special gift and get her Cutie Mark. I hope they don't do this with What's-her-name too, this is already getting obnoxious. :|

02:11 Now that I think about it, what the fuck do sparkly jewels have to do with fashion design? I mean it's part of it when it comes to accessorizing, but shouldn't Rarity have a dress or some sewing needles or some shit on her ass instead of diamonds? *sigh*...great, I'm over-analyzing. Wonderful.

02:37 Opal is back, fresh from the groomers, and being a claw-wielding bitch. Love it.

02:47 So Fluttershy can do something called "The Stare"? Interesting...and ominous-sounding.

02:59 Sweetie Bell hears that dealing with animals is Fluttershy's special gift, walks up to Opal thinking maybe that could be hers...she'll be limping back, with scars, watch.

03:03 Okay, not scars, but Sweetie Bell got her 'do fucked up, which is probably just as bad as far as she or Rarity are concerned. And look at that sinister grin...Just go home Spike, Opal's got this shit.

03:56 Rarity expalins that she has a huge project due tonight that involves special silk...the CMC will fuck it up trying to help Sweetie Bell find her gift is my guess.

Speaking of, the other two members of the CMC show up as if on cue, Applebloom and, uh...her. You can tell who made an impression out of the three of them, huh?

04:00 SCOOTALOO! That's her name. I'll probably forget it again. Is she anyone's sister? The other two are, it'd be nice if she wasn't so that the three CMC members aren't virtually identical in backstory.

04:26 DAMN Y'ALL BITCHES IS LOUD, also Sweetie Bell made them all little capes with a CMC logo patched sewn to them, that's cute.

04:40 Sweetie Bell lined those capes with the special silk mentioned earlier, and Rarity looks heated. Oooh, you gon' get it now, Sweetie!

...Bell.

 

05:09 CMC SLEEPOVER IS CANCELLED. I'd feel bad for them, but Sweetie Bell went and fucked up the gold silk that she was present for when it was explained that it was hard to make and for a different, time-sensetive project, so you know what? NO SYMPATHY FOR SWEETIE BELL. Sorry you got dragged into her bullshit Applebloom and Scootaloo, now you get to help her work all night trying to replace the gold silk instead of doing whatever is officially fun at a sleepover.

Sorry 'bout it! (not sorry)

05:29 So Fluttershy has volunteered to step in and take care of the CMC for the night! How generous...and given the formula of this show, incredibly foolish, I'm assuming. On the other hand, it was nice to see my first presumption of the plot actually be entirely wrong.

05:38 "These sweet little angels?" is said and then the CMC get literal halos over their heads...this is going to end in tears.

05:46 Naw, for real tho', y'all is some LOUD ASS PONIES.

06:29 Fluttershy runs into Twilight Sparkle on her way back home with the CMC, and Twilight mentions that she's going to see Zecora to get some of her favorite tea. Glad Zecora got a mention at least, UNLIKE THE FRIGGIN' MAYOR OF PONYVILLE, WHO ISN'T EVEN NAMED AND DISAPPEARS FOR SEVERAL EPISODES AT A GODDAMN TIME.

*ahem*

Anyway.

06:48 In case you forgot how badly Fluttershy has possibly screwed herself, the CMC's halos come out one more time.

06:58 The CMC have been in Fluttershy's house for less than a minute and they are already putting their presumptuously sticky hooves all over everything and generally FUCKING SHIT UP. And look at Fluttershy-- nothing delicous, savory REGRET.

07:34 Fluttershy is trying to talk the CMC into doing something else other than stay up all night and break shit, and you can see on her face that she's watching her world collapse all around her. SUCH IS THE FOLLY OF THOSE DRIVEN BY HUBRIS

08:07 LOUD. ASS. PONIES. Also? They're kind of getting on my nerves...please stop that! I liked you before! I want to keep liking you! Please stop being annoying?

Please?

08:32 So Scootaloo and Applebloom have donned a blanket and basket helmet, and this has somehow caused them to get shrouded in shadows and GLOWING EYES. Is Fluttershy seeing this shit? No, seriously.

09:02 CMC finally broke some shit! Knew it. And Fluttershy, don't enable them, what the fuck?

09:12 Okay, the CMC decide to be carpenters and come back with doctor-type shit on...admittedly that got a chuckle out of me, but this shit is getting old real fast.

09:28 "Hammer! Hammer."

Okay, I chuckled again. Be amusing! it makes you less ANNOYING, CMC.

09:50 The little shits FINALLY calmed down, here's hoping it lasts a while. For Fluttershy's sake, if not mine. 

10:58 The CMC are in bed, tucked in, and Fluttershy is trying to sing them to sleep. Guessing they're going to fake sleeping and sneak out once she's gone, here goes...

Oh, and that is THE BRIGHTEST FUCKING CANDLE EVER, doesn't Ponyville have electricity somehow STOP STOP THINKING

11:19 HERE WE GO, MORE SINGING, but it has in-universe justification, so fine, whatever.

11:45 Alright, it's not the entire CMC, it's mostly just Sweetie Bell that gets on my nerves, and this musical number isn't helping her case. And it's not the song being in the show itse lf (for once), it's because she's singing this song all loud as FUCK, and giving Fluttershy a hard time.


11:57 THE LIGHTS CAME ON WITH AN AUDIBLE CLICK OF A LIGHTSWITCH and the CMC are on the loose trying to round up chickens. If ponies have uteruses in this world, then Fluttershy's probably has armed guards and boobie traps after this shit.

12:36 AND FLUTTERSHY HAS USED THE EPYONIMOUS STARE! Apparently she can give stink-eye so hard that it causes all who see it to submit to her will without hesitation. Nice.

I wonder how many of her animal friends really just live in fear of her. Except for that bunny, he doesn't seem to put up with her shit at all, lol

12:57 The CMC has learned of THE STARE, and dare not question Fluttershy when she puts them to bed this time, lest she be angered and invoke it's power with a furious wrath. I mean, after a dragon, who else is going to resist her?

14:06 I like that Fluttershy knows that it's "too quiet" and checks on the CMC. If she wasn't being so self-congratulatory about her child-rearing skills a little while ago, she may have caught them sneaking out, lol

14:30 Okay, seriously, they should have a way of contacting Zecora in case any of this stupid shit happens. Or make a locator spell, or SOMETHING. They really, really need to define how magic works, because I can instantly come up with ways to resolve the plot if they actually used it creatively.

15:10 Desention in the ranks of the CMC! I was wondering when the in-fighting would start.

15:37 Or...OR your special talent is being loud and obnoxious, and Rainbow Dash could probably get pointers from you three, which is saying something. And Sweetie Bell has become the most level-headed, which is weird, I always figured Applebloom for that role.

16:32 TWILIGHT GOT TURNED TO FUCKING STONE AND THE CMC ARE OUT THERE WITH A BASILISK OR A MEDUSA OR SOME SHIT HOLY FUCK

16:36 "Don't move, I'll be back for you!"

...lol

 

17:05 OR A COCKATRICE, I THOUGHT OF THAT BUT GODDAMN ARE THEY GETTING OBSCURE WITH THEIR MONSTERS AND I LOVE IT

17:31 You're all going to get turned to stone, and that's what you get for not listening to Fluttershy when she is in the middle of describing a living horror that can turn you to stone.

18:26 For the love of GAWD Fluttershy, break out THE STARE and calm these annoying brats down!


19:13 HOLY SHIT FLUTTERSHY STARED DOWN A FUCKING COCKATRICE (saw it coming) SHE IS SO BAD ASS AND NOW TIED WITH RARITY FOR BEST PONY.

19:25 TITLE DROP

  

19:42 "Dear Princess Celestia, today I learned that when a child gets out of line, I should threaten them with THE PAIN OF DEATH to make them behave."

20:25 Oh right, Rarity was doing stuff. Meh.

21:07 Way to rub your psychologically scarring child taming technique in Rarity's face, lol

Also, Rarity looked super pissed when the CMC wouldn't listen to her, haha

21:31 Oh, Opal, you are a bitch. ^_^

Final Thoughts

Good episode...mostly. I was afraid the CMC might get annoying, and boy did they ever push that limit. I hope they get their cutie marks in the next appearance they have, they're wearing out their welcome faster than I thought they would. The animation was decent, pretty backgrounds, and another monster! All good stuff. Keep it up, show! I am not backsliding into total indifference, and that can only be a good thing.

See you next time for The Show Stoppers? Uh...

- Apathy Pony