S02E23: Ponyville Confidential

[machchunk]

Man, Diamond Tiara has such a passion for power and wickedness. Everything else in this episode was boring but damn, we need to see more of that.

[JaceNVTo save one from a mistake is a gift of paradise]

I'd like to know who that pony is in the big framed picture on the wall when Apple Bloom is getting the baby photo treatment from Granny Smith. Could that be one of the mysteriously never-mentioned apple-parents? Or did we see anything like that pony in the flashbacks from Family Appreciation Day?

It's a half-obscured pony version of American Gothic.

[Wayoshi]

Oh god that Fighting is Magic shadow





William Shakespony!



: I should have known this was coming.





Just plain nasty.



She's pulling out the secret weapon...



Noooooooooooooo



<--- in this scene in Act I, the birds actually have laughing voices.






Sign me up in the Featherweight went to Cheerilee with evidence camp. I have a feeling such a quick scene may have been planned, but cut for time. Otherwise this shot has no purpose.



Gimme!



Lolno



R.D. chilling on a cloud! Been awhile.





She can give out her own punishment!



, and speaking of that smiley...



Crap...





God dammit



It's an unusual invisible obstacle!







Last set of images next, starting with this episode's best joke.

[Wayoshi]

I'd like to know who that pony is in the big framed picture on the wall when Apple Bloom is getting the baby photo treatment from Granny Smith. Could that be one of the mysteriously never-mentioned apple-parents? Or did we see anything like that pony in the flashbacks from Family Appreciation Day?

Gah! so many questions about pony background stories! I swear I'm normal!

Isn't that just the painting parody seen before in Cutie Pox?

[ScientificPonyIt's a beautiful day]

God dammit

That Angel face
I have never seen a face give that disapproving of a look before. If you just stare at it for a second...those pitch black eyes suck you into a pit of shame and sorrow

stupid hub logo...

[Highbrow DashAJ, Rarity! What's happening?]

That episode was so good

It had so many great moments: Scootaloo being unable to fly, Sweetie Belle punching Rarity's horn so she'll stop using her magic, the mayor's dyed hair, Big Mac talking, Pinkie's problem, all of Diamond Tiara, Rarity, Dash and Fluttershy's appearances...

This show

edit:

Pony typewriters only have two enormous hoof-sized keys which they mash alternately.

(and him pulling that cucumber slice out of Rainbow's mouth

And these. And there's more, I can't even remember them.

So good

[jerryleeAre you taunting me?Is this some weird game where you name all the things I can't do?]

This episode honestly underwhelmed me a little as I was watching it for the first time. It had a lot of good callbacks, visuals, and other gags, but all the same I felt like the dialogue and pacing were a bit more stilted than usual. It's hard for me to quantify what I mean by this now that I'm typing it, but all I can say is that it didn't feel up to the show's usual high standards.

Maybe it's just a symptom of having come right after Hurricane Fluttershy, or maybe I'll feel different on a rewatch, or I don't know.

[Frosthawkwhat is this. what is this SHIT]

Jeez, I just realized this is the fourth episode in a row with distressed Fluttershy.

[Daionus The 23rd:3]

I have to say that this is a pretty good episode. Very funny. I felt pretty sad when the CMC's find out all the ponies hate them.

[Wayoshi]

So this looks like what we'd expect...



Wait... AJ is only saying yup and nope??



...Big Mac's mouth is PHYSICALLY MOVING TO FORM SYLLABLES AND WORDS WHILE NOT UNDER A LOVE SPELL?









GO AWAY



It's like AB has the Cutie Pox all over again. Or they've become old Zecora...



D'awwwwww



Scoots looks bored out of context.



God damn DT, up at sunrise?



I'm here with my adorable voice crack to stop this madness!



These words are completely what you wanted!





Big mistake in terms of fandom popularity, DT.



Hey, any other foal but Dinky and it wouldn't have been so bad.



Bubblegum pink!





I'm a still holding my grudge!



: I can read through the rain!









Oh-ho what is this you are presenting me good fillies



TRUE DIABETES MOMENT



Knocking on the force field!



What do ya want ya crazy kids?





Oh, an apology! Come right on in!











Cheerilee needs to learn from this for next season.







It's a coup by Featherweight!



Don't want to go quietly, huh?





Sweetie's even doing that thing Fluttershy did in PYHD. Maybe Sweetie IS Fluttershy Jr. in diabetes-inducing rankings.



See you in S3, DT...

Full album.

This one didn't do any favors on a rewatch honestly - really straightforward plots will do that - and the beginning was worrying as the CMC regressed (last chance to get cutie marks? really?). But the ending took arguably the best route, they filled up some time with nice references for us, most of the gags were hits, and there was plenty of character interaction abound, as well as Big Mac having maybe the most important line in the episode (how much did Las Pegasus profit out of that one?). B+

[Super Karoru]

I'd like to request an avatar of Sweetie Belle with her coffee flask.

Still can't get over how funny this episode is.

[Orange Fluffy Sheep]

Is it too late to request the I'LL DESTROY HER! face Rarity makes as an avatar?

Because that is the icing on the cake on the winner of the 2012 "holy shit how did this episode end up so goooooooooooood" award.

[JaceNVTo save one from a mistake is a gift of paradise]

Ha, I love that little cloud kick move she does. That one would be cool to see as a GIF if anyone goes around making GIFs of this episode (not an avatar request).

[Lazy]

EXCLUSIƎI!

...kinda close to the actual word, but nooot quite...
It'd be mindblowing if somewhere down the line they started using a consistent language.
What if they already have

[MochaBean]

If no one has done so yet, I'm claiming this as my next AV:

[Rainbow Crash]

It was a fun episode, plenty of gags. Solid middle tier.

I like the CMC. I just wish Scoots would get an episode. Oh well, season 3 is just... six months away

[The DoctorTurner Of All Things Timey Wimey]

It was a fun episode, plenty of gags. Solid middle tier.

I like the CMC. I just wish Scoots would get an episode. Oh well, season 3 is just... six months away

Scoots doesn't need an episode. Episodes need Scoots.

[Highbrow DashAJ, Rarity! What's happening?]

Also if you don't think Diamond Tiara was amazing you're wrong

[Wayoshi]

^Amazing at being a bitch, yes. Each person can decide if that's good or bad.

[Mr. BigBrush is mightier than pen.]

So who would win the "Jerk Girl" contest? Diamond Tiara or Angelica Pickles?

[Opposing FarceDon't you smile at my faceSpit on my backDo you kiss your mother with a mouth like that?]

Diamond Tiara, but mostly just because there's nobody to reign her in. Silver Spoon does not make for a good Susy Crabgrass.

[Wonkadoo]

While handicapped fillies make handicapped faces...

I love the use they made of Diamond Tiara in this episode. She isn't being pointlessly bitchy. She's set a goal for herself -- not even a particularly bad goal -- and she rams right over anypony in her way. And she's not the slightest bit sorry at the end. As far as she's concerned, she was the best newspaper editor Ponyville ever had and she got yanked out of her position because of stupid political bullshit. Is a pony not entitled to the sweat of her brow?

[Headless Horse]

I was phoneposting all day, which includes phoneponywatching. Hell of a way to spend a pony day. But now HD is up! Soooo...

- The cold open is a really strange bit of writing at first, but once you see what's going on it's pretty hilarious. First time through, when they said "Maybe there's something to this newspaper business", I was like, "Uh, you didn't even discuss what it was supposed to be. Is this an editing error, or... what?" —But, of course, thatsthejoke.gif

- Speaking of which, I love how when they reveal to Apple Bloom what they've been doing, she just straight up laughs her ass off. Doesn't snicker and then correct them, she just laughs in their goddamn faces and keeps on laughing even when the camera cuts away. I find that unreasonably funny for some reason.

- "I'm only involved as an advisor." Another one of those lines that still just makes me giggle at the fact that it's in a My Little Pony cartoon. The level of respect this show has for its audience just keeps surprising me.

- DT's entrance is prefaced by seeing the silhouette of her tiara through the half-window. Awesome.

- "Well, I, the editor-in-chief-in-charge, am going to deliver us to newfound glory!" Hell of a line. By the way, I wonder whether DT owes more to "Princess" from PPG than other characters in roughly the same mold.

- It's awesome that the bird's nest that Scootles investigates is the same one they helped put together using the newspaper in the cold open. I love little bits of totally unnecessary continuity like that.

- God, that's the worst printing press ever. Just squirt ink all over the rollers with a ketchup bottle why don't you.

- This is an amazing face right here:

HOW DARE YOU FORCE ME TO DIRTY MY HOOVES KICKING THESE STORIES OFF MY DESK

- "And take your notepads and your hats from the 40s with little press cards stuck in the bands with you!"

- Aw man, Featherweight can kindasorta fly already (or at least hover). Poor Scoots had better be building up to an episode about flying. She can't not be, can she?

- Also Featherweight runs like a deer. What a weird design.

- Yeah, "LITERALLY" does make me cringe, but at least it's being used properly. Maybe it'll teach kids to use it appropriately or something. E/I baby!

- We've seen the swingsets and tetherball set as far back as (I think) Feeling Pinkie Keen, but it isn't until now that we see them being used.

- The high-hoof uses a more classic "whip-crack" sound effect rather than the "clop" sound they've usually used in the past.

- I did laugh out loud at S&S trying to get in the paper for doing the gum thing a second time and SB going "We're doomed". Though up to this point it's been a pretty bog-standard "cartoon" story, and not very uniquely Pony. My brain was just at this point adjusting to this being just "that kind" of episode, and okay then I'll laugh at that; it's a good joke and I'm game. Little did I know, that's right when it starts to take a turn for the

- "Was she raised in a barn or something?" Great, great line. This is where M.A. Larson starts to do what he seems to love doing best, which is to fuck with the universe's premise. Hang on tight from here on out!

- Rarity being less mature than Sweetie Belle in this scene. It's in-character and everything! Honestly, I think the Rarity/SB interaction in this episode shows an awful lot of Sisterhooves influence, and that is all to the good. (Also shows that Larson is keeping very close tabs on the others' scripts.)

- Tabitha's laughing at "gum on their bum" is among her best bits of delivery, right up there with her freakout squeal when Photo Finish leaves for the first time.

-

TWONG
I can't get enough of that gag. Get more , I dare you.

- Guys, Fatkid sounds so much like Milhouse I almost can't believe it's a coincidence. (I can't believe they gave him a speaking role and not a name—someone go talk to Nayuki on Allspark and get the scoop! *snap*)

-

TYPEWRITERS DO NOT WORK THAT WAY Kinda lazy bit of animation there.

- Rarity being completely fixated on hooficures in the spa scene. I must admit to finding Rarity to be a great comic foil when she's being insane.

- Especially when RD starts to waver, and appeals to Twilight for confirmation that hooficures are worth it. I love how she just gives this subtle little nod, and that's all RD needs. Rainbow trusts Twilight's judgment on fun things.

- Oooh, when RD's just about to get her hoof filed, that New Agey music slides so smoothly into OMG TENSION.

- "Forget it! I don't like ponies touching my hooves!" Another great out-of-the-blue line.

- "This column is a little softer than our usual gossip." You know, I can't help but read all kinds of meta stuff into this dialogue. This line right here is coming straight from the writer's heart; these are the thoughts that were likely running through his head regarding one episode or another. It says that the writers are geared to recognize subtle stylistic trends and changes in their own work, and to tell when they're pulling their punches. I wonder what had him all self-critical at this point. This episode itself? It's About Time?

- During Twilight's "Canterlot Snob" bit, listen to the music—very briefly, it plays a riff of that crazy "Twilight freakout" theme. Where's it from originally? Return of Harmony? Lesson Zero?

-
WHAT IS THIS FACE
Fury at the groundless insinuation, or shame because it's true?
TELL MEEEEEE

- RD with the pile of newspapers collected from Cloudsdale: great piece of offscreen storytelling. Larson has such a knack for hitting us with crazy shit out of left field like this. And then seeing her tail sticking out from under the pile, twitching. What a great visual.

- While Rarity is drama queening over her diary and all the others pop up to look all worried, Pinkie just sits there grinning and reading over her shoulder.

- Incredible sequence of expressions here:




- "MOST EVIL PONY IN EQUESTRIA"
Nah, we've found out who that is. Diamond Tiara.

- Rarity's scene berating Sweetie Belle is really interestingly textured. It starts out all drama-queeny and Sisterhoovesy, and yet still consistent with Rarity's immature behavior throughout the episode up to this point; but then there's that line: "Just like when I snooped through your saddlebag! You didn't like that much, did you?" —She cops to her hypocrisy and suddenly lands on the same maturity level as SB, and is able to get serious all of a sudden. The rapid change in tone during this ten or fifteen seconds of dialogue is really remarkable.

- I really do like how the CMCs have been legit feeling bad about being gossip columnists ever since about the halfway point in the episode, and it takes everyone else this long to catch up to them. They've already learned the lesson this week; they're way ahead of the adults here.

- "Do you really think that writing nasty things and making everypony feel horrible is your destiny?" Again, Larson tweaks with the universe's concepts here, and makes us go "Ohhhh yeah, cutie marks and predestination and all that. Hmmmh."

- "Goody-two-horseshoes" is great.

- I so want it to be true that Featherweight taking a picture of DT blackmailing the CMCs is instrumental to the story—he documented the CMCs in embarrassing situations to allow them to be blackmailed, and now he's got the dirt on DT, just in case anyone wants to use it. That right there could have been the resolution in a different show: "Extry extry read all about it! Editor-in-chief blackmails gossip columnists!" —But they didn't, possibly because it would have been too easy, and also possibly because now Featherweight gets to have traveled from benevolent force to evil and back to good, all without making any conscious decisions as a character on his own. Really strange and clever bit of story design, and I have to figure out how much to read into it.

- Dousing the CMCs with rainwater is such a Rainbow Dash thing to do. She doesn't give a fuck that they're kids. They reap what they sow, goddammit.

- Angel being a non-dick to Fluttershy again here. Nopony, BUT NOPONY, makes Fluttershy cry BUT ME

- Twilight's force field can only have come from Larson. Also I love how Spike's voice is a little bit muffled from behind it.

- When AJ said, "Yup" and "Nope", I swear my heart rate rose by thirty percent, because I knew, I knew what was coming next. And when I actually heard it I don't think I was even remotely prepared for it anyway. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard and so earnestly at anything since the Discorded library scene. I think we were all expecting that someday they would subvert the Big Mac trope along these lines, but we never knew when it would happen or under what circumstances. This was simply perfect. This whole sequence is just so damn funny, scene after scene, while at the same time being so damn melancholy, with mournful music and hurt feelings and everything—this is at their very best.

- Ponyville rolls up its sidewalks Bridle Gossip style. ...Coincidence?

- God damn, Scoots buzzes her wings when she's thinking about how bad tomorrow will be. On three. One two three HNNNNGGGG

- Weird cut between the clubhouse, the exterior orchard scene at sunset, and then straight to the schoolhouse for another establishing shot before going to DT in the basement. The sunset and sunrise are so visually subtle and so quickly handled that the timing almost doesn't make sense.

- "You're lucky I'm nice." And stupid!

- Ha, that kid in the schoolyard reading the paper, just flapping his tail up and down.

- I love how DT's voice actress just leans so hard on her enunciations, especially her P's.

- RD's angry raincloud-stomping is a wonderful bit of animation. Can't wait to see that as someone's av for the next n weeks.

- Neat how they press the paper up against the force field like a window.

- The instant DT is demoted from her job, she goes straight from Evil Adult Hearst mode to "spoiled little kid" mode. TTHHBBBT

- So the only thing that stopped the CMCs' embarrassing photos from being published was Cheerilee intervening.




So let's go through these gags, shall we? Each one is M.A. Larson playing with the show's premise and/or giving the fans a fun shoutout.

• "The Great and Powerful Trixie's Secrets Revealed!" Brilliant way to bring that back, and you know it's only because of the unexpected fan reaction.
• "Celestia Just Like Us!" God, her face! What a fucking face. Let's subvert the universe for a throwaway gag, shall we? And I also love how Twilight got offended on Celestia's behalf. Each one of these is carefully designed to be meaningful only to the pony who calls it out, and everyone else is all like LOL WHATEVER until her number comes up.
• "The Mayor dyes her mane gray!" Okay, I think we probably all were expecting a mane-dyeing joke to come up somewhere in here, but the Mayor? Dyeing it gray? God damn. Talk about keeping us on our toes.
• "Applejack Asleep on the Job". Boy, if that doesn't send her off on Applebuck Season Mk. II...
• "Big Macintosh: What's He Hiding?" Thank you, Larson. Thank you.
• "Twilight Sparkle: I Was a Canterlot Snob!" And here we dig back as far as Episode 1 for character-arc inspiration, not to mention some nice worldbuilding detail ("muddy roads and low-class rubes"). So much hidden character development to be dug out of this scene: Twilight now knows how far she's come and is pretty ashamed of the flaws she used to have (because let's face it, this would have been a pretty hard-hitting factual story, huh? Especially if told by Spike, her put-upon lackey back in Canterlot).
• "Fluttershy has tail extensions!" Another of the kind of thing that I was expecting; I sure wasn't expecting to care so much about whether it's true.
• "Pinkie Pie is an out-of-control party animal!" Well yeah. (Though I do love the lampshade-on-head/dancing-in-the-punchbowl 50s-style party antics.)
• "The Cakes are breaking up!" Yes, we have not only had an adultery joke in this show, we've now also done divorce. The Cakes have pulled an awful lot of comedic weight this season, a lot of it pretty tough stuff aimed at the put-upon parents in the audience.
• "Rainbow Dash: Speed Demon or Super Softie?" Pretty neat way to play on the idea that RD would probably be the pony with the biggest obsession with her public image (remember her very first introduction: "Ya heard of me?"), as well as being totally clueless at first about the damaging nature of gossip, even about her. (Naturally she thinks the only thing anyone could print about her would be positive. This revelation is legitimately rocking her entire world right here.)
• "The Drama Queen Diaries" That's gotta be some sordid stuff, knowing Rarity—being the one who holds out the longest and the one who's naturally the most into gossip, her diary must be some incredible reading. (Also "drama queen" has only ever appeared once before, in another Larson episode. Larson has kind of a unique take on Rarity, I think.)

Yikes. What a dense episode. I sure wasn't expecting much from this thing given the synopsis, but there's just so much.

[FightingDreamerBrony For Life]

I worry about you sometimes, HH. Can't say I'm not grateful, but *damn*, man.

[Scuderia FerrarityThe Corndogs Of Today are the Tacos of Tomorrow]

Nah, it's just spaced out alot, and doesn't contain blocks of text.

Tabitha's laughing at "gum on their bum" is among her best bits of delivery, right up there with her freakout squeal when Photo Finish leaves for the first time.

Gum on their bum? Rarity. Really? REALLY NOW



It's like they won't respect her if she has hot pink hair, glasses and a slight bag under her eyes.

I Bet the glasses are non functional and the baggy eyes are all make up! OOOOOH




a callback to -


I'd reversed it for the sake of a joke.




Sure make a joke that guys'll have to think about.
Oh God this is so surreal.


What with that Alicorn?

I love that bit where Twilight gestures that Rainbow get a hooficure. It's all eyes. Love the acting.

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard and so earnestly at anything since the Discorded library scene.

"YOUR FACE!" *CLANG* was one of those 'hit the pause button and catch your breath' scenes.
The only other one I'd ever had was "I'M SO PAHE-E-E-ETIC"

I think this whole episode was borne out of self mockery.



"Celestia Just Like Us"
What does it MEEEEEEEEEAN? Does she occasionally order up two XXL sized cakes and pig out on them? Does she binge? Does she get frosting on her face?
WHAT?
Missed opportunity for Luna. I'd have her eating a half gallon of ice cream.

[Wayoshi]

A couple responses to MEGAPOST:

- "Was she raised in a barn or something?" Great, great line. This is where M.A. Larson starts to do what he seems to love doing best, which is to fuck with the universe's premise.

[*]"Twilight Sparkle: I Was a Canterlot Snob!" And here we dig back as far as Episode 1 for character-arc inspiration, not to mention some nice worldbuilding detail ("muddy roads and low-class rubes"). So much hidden character development to be dug out of this scene: Twilight now knows how far she's come and is pretty ashamed of the flaws she used to have (because let's face it, this would have been a pretty hard-hitting factual story, huh? Especially if told by Spike, her put-upon lackey back in Canterlot).

You know, I wonder if that could refer back to Rarity's folks a bit as well.

I don't quite see how episode 1 Twilight would be one who would call Ponyville "low-class rubes" (and thanks for the clarification, CC had "rudes" and while that kinda made sense, I was lost, and FiM Wikia completely screwed it up with "rooves" ). An asocial bookworm is not necessarily synonymous with high-class snob. I was thinking live about how with all her experience with Ponyville that certainly had to be a false article, but I didn't connect it with anything canon like the rest.

[AramekYour MRI results have shown total infection to now be approximately one fifth of the full mass of the tissue."So you're saying..."Your brain is about 20% tumor.]

I liked this episode a lot.

*hugs you all*

[Wayoshi]

I was bored, so have some gifs:

[DurandalLiberate yourself from my viselike grip.]

I don't know about you but this portrait was giving me a Hugh Hefner vibe

e: And by that I mean the Simpsons version of him




I randomly noticed how the colt in the background is peeking out of the middle of his thatched roof, and then he just shuts it like a trapdoor. Just one of those tiny details that make this universe so awesome.







Oh, and to get this out of the way:



I will never not laugh at this face.

[Wayoshi]

Looking back at my first post:

[Mechanical Ape says moral will be not blabbing about other people's secrets, not "don't gossip"]

Not to spoil any particulars, but from the last few seconds from the long preview and looking at the short preview, that's roughly how it sounds to me, which will differentiate it from Bridle Gossip enough. Even if not, this certainly is not a judging book by its cover / accepting different culture premise.

I think this ends up being a fun romp in an ultimate ensemble episode - the CMC may be the main characters, but it may feel like the least CMC ep yet, potentially. If the Mane 6 fully get involved in ending Gabby Gums, this is a redeeming chance to do that type of resolution right, where MDW stumbled some in that aspect.

With a focus on privacy in particular, that was indeed the moral, although it simultaneously mixed both. What didn't quite happen was Mane 6 ending Gabby Gums - it was revealed quickly by the plot device of the diary and then Rarity / Spike wordspread took care of that offscreen. But seeing Gabby Gums basically be done since the CMC start doubting themselves paid off with Big Mac.

I dread the day when this show manages to stop suprising me on a weekly basis. I mean, we got that Rainbow Dash cucumber picture in the pony puzzle game a couple weeks back, but whoever thought that she'd be talking about of all ponies right there?

[Rainbow Crash]

New pony massaging AJ, but this is all we see of him/her.

I happened to watch Green Isn't Your Color tonight and it looks like the same pony from the cold opening.

[MochaBean]

"Greta's got a face that could shatter glass, but she's the best at what she does."

[W.T. FitsSpoilers, you say? Well, in that case, I suppose I should avert my eyes.]

You know, depending on the content of the article and some of the subtext we've read into Celestia's interactions with the common folk before, I can't help but wonder if she'd actually be thrilled at the idea that somepony wrote an editorial about how "she's just like us!"

[Killing Vector]

Everyone's focused on Applebloom's expression here (and not without reason), but I've gotta say that I love Sweetie Belle's face too. It just reminds me of her goofy face upon waking up after Filthy Rich's presentation in Family Appreciation Day.

[Whitenoise PosterI am going to eat this entire oak tree because I am a powerful wizard!]

When the CMC get their spin off Featherweight and Unnamed Fatkid need to be part of their group.

[Wayoshi]

I happened to watch Green Isn't Your Color tonight and it looks like the same pony from the cold opening.

Awesome, thanks for catching that

[MochaBean]

You know, depending on the content of the article and some of the subtext we've read into Celestia's interactions with the common folk before, I can't help but wonder if she'd actually be thrilled at the idea that somepony wrote an editorial about how "she's just like us!"

I was thinking that too. And while looking at the picture, Joan Osborne suddenly sprang to mind.

[Pocketis she just gonna go booty booty]

I just realized that those red "EXCLUSI∃I!" headlines are edited from an actual font, Badaboom. (You may recognize it from a buttload of webcomics that use it for sound effects.) I think this is the first time they've done that instead of just draw the letter forms entirely by hand.

This is also the first time in a while they've used the cold opening to set up a significant part of the story, isn't it? I know people were talking about them being used mainly as throwaway gags lately.

[W.T. FitsSpoilers, you say? Well, in that case, I suppose I should avert my eyes.]

I was thinking that too. And while looking at the picture, Joan Osborne suddenly sprang to mind.

... And now I have a mental image of Celestia playing that song on Rock Band. (Both guitar and vocals, using a headset mic so that her hooves are free to play the guitar.)

[KumquatPrincess Celestia... she's just like us!]

I just realized that those red "EXCLUSI∃I!" headlines are edited from an actual font, Badaboom. (You may recognize it from a buttload of webcomics that use it for sound effects.) I think this is the first time they've done that instead of just draw the letter forms entirely by hand.

Previous episode -- the digits on the wingpower gauge were in Arial.