S08E12: Marks for Effort

[Wayoshi]

The CMCs try to convince Twilight to let them into her School of Friendship, even though it's clear they've already mastered the curriculum.

This thread is for discussion of the episode. This episode airs at 11:30 Eastern / 8:30 Pacific on Saturday, June 2!

Official preview clips and images are okay to post, as is speculation about the episode.

[Adiwan]

Will they start a fight among each other to prove to Twilight that they are not friendshippy enough to go to Friendship School instead of the regular school?
Do they teach normal stuff at Twilight's school too?
Is Cheerilee such a bad teacher?

Questions, questions, questions.

[The Doctor]

I hope we get some Cheerilee in this episode.

[Applepie2017]

deleted

[Aramek]

Straight up legit sobbing is hard to listen to. This is gonna be a good ep.

[Octavia]

CMC eps are usually pretty good. Looking forward to it!

[Fizzbuzz]

When the three of them are such close friends that their own cutie marks bear witness to it, that their bond is inscribed upon their souls made visible, then yeah, I doubt they need much of a formal education in friendship.

[The Doctor]

That pony looks like that evil Shirley Temple villain from Batman...

[Aramek]

Sneaking suspicion Aramek is gonna be relating to the new girl pony.

"What's in this for you?"

[The Doctor]

I can't beleive you three would try to create a friendship problem. Where did you learn such terrible behavior?

You, alright! We learned it from watching you!

[Adiwan]

Will they start a fight among each other to prove to Twilight that they are not friendshippy enough to go to Friendship School instead of the regular school?

It was just a joke question and I didn't expect it to happen but I'm glad that it was over fast. I'd have been disastrous.

[The Doctor]

I think there's something up with that filly.

She regards Twilight as "power" and had Twilight's cutie mark reflecting in her eye when she was going through the Elements.
She has a chess rook for a cutie mark, which makes me think she's playing a game.
She reminds me WAY too much of Gideon from Gravity Falls.

[PonyHag714]

This was a pretty good episode. The CMC were less than subtle in trying to get into the school, but that's just them.

Cozy Glow is interesting. There's definitely more to her than meets the eye, and while I have my suspicions, time will tell.

I thought Starlight was pretty good, considering she didn't have that big a role. Her "That's devious" line was good - it reminded me that she isn't totally in lock step with the rest of the Mane 6, and still has that spark of craftiness and independence.

[Fizzbuzz]

Great episode today. It had way more content than I was expecting; like, when Cozy Glow got done with the test, I hardly realized that was only the end of act 2. Stuff like her fake answers and her first thought of the Element of Magic representing "control" gave me a good laugh, as did Starlight's talk with her.

Some of the #ponyday crew were wondering if Cozy Glow was actually Chrysalis in disguise or somehow some other villain. I really don't think that's the case here, on account of how that'd be a really horrible lesson. Sure, maybe there's room for FiM to teach that, though they are exceptionally rare, some people in this world are irredeemably evil. But it's so uncommon that I would not want the show to teach that you shouldn't help strangers in need of a friend just because they might actually be the evil alien bug queen who wants to rule the world. Today's lesson was a good and heartwarming one and I will be sad if a later episode retroactively ruins it on that basis.

[SlateSlabrock]

[The Doctor]

Great episode today. It had way more content than I was expecting; like, when Cozy Glow got done with the test, I hardly realized that was only the end of act 2. Stuff like her fake answers and her first thought of the Element of Magic representing "control" gave me a good laugh, as did Starlight's talk with her.

Some of the #ponyday crew were wondering if Cozy Glow was actually Chrysalis in disguise or somehow some other villain. I really don't think that's the case here, on account of how that'd be a really horrible lesson. Sure, maybe there's room for FiM to teach that, though they are exceptionally rare, some people in this world are irredeemably evil. But it's so uncommon that I would not want the show to teach that you shouldn't help strangers in need of a friend just because they might actually be the evil alien bug queen who wants to rule the world. Today's lesson was a good and heartwarming one and I will be sad if a later episode retroactively ruins it on that basis.

I think there's something up with her, but I don't think it's Chrysalis. I don't think this show would be that subtle about it. There would be a green eye flash at some point or something. Another changeling? Maybe, but I think it's something else.

[PonyHag714]

Excellent.

[Niels Olof]

A fine CMC episode, and I am certainly in the camp that believes something Eevil is up with Cozy Glow. Her cutesiness came across as mocking to me, something I easily could see Queen Chrysalis do.

[Wayoshi]

I agree her "twouble" was maybe laying it on a bit thick... what would be the point though of tanking the exam? Solidify her facade?

Also her eyes flashed all the elements in that scene I think, not just magic.

[SlateSlabrock]

Also her eyes flashed all the elements in that scene I think, not just magic.

Only at the end of that sequence, but enough to show that it's more of a "leaning in close" thing, and not just, "Mwahaha, your magic will be mine!"



also check out that villain-green magical aura



Here's the credits, by the way.

[Adiwan]

Equestria's schools are out of whack!
Cheerilee teaches the history of radishes?!? And the value of cleaning!??!?

Twilight's school isn't better!
The question "Who is the princess of friendship" in the test is soooo inappropriate. Easy points but it seems like she wants to hammer down her position on her students since she has no country to rule over.

[Applepie2017]

One of my favorite CMC episodes

[Aramek]

[Niels Olof]

Even more worrisome than Princess Twilight Sparkle inserting herself into the exam is Rainbow Dash' approach to teaching. Her curriculum would seem to be mainly boasting, bragging, and general grandstanding.

Indeed, the students seem to be ripe for ego-driven teachers:

Starlight had some great faces in this episode:
(fixed image)

[Adiwan]

Chancellor Neighsay was right! The school should be closed and needs supervision!

[The Doctor]

Even more worrisome than Princess Twilight Sparkle inserting herself into the exam is Rainbow Dash' approach to teaching. Her curriculum would seem to be mainly boasting, bragging, and general grandstanding.

Twilight's taking the Gilderoy Lockheart approach to teaching.

[RudeCyrus]

Great episode.

[Captain Rufus]

It was fun.

[Octavia]

mods please implement this post-haste

[Aramek]

I'm still laughing about "Empathy Cocoa".

[Pawz]

Still laughing about Cozy's test answers

[Mechanical Ape]

In this episode the CMC, who are schoolchildren, wish to attend a second school.

NEEEEEEEEEEERDS

• The CMC are planning a panty raid! Wait, ponies and dragons and yaks and changelings and hippogriffs don’t wear panties.
• Oh, they want to SWITCH schools. I don’t know whether Cheerliee will feel insulted or deeply relieved by this.
• Spike still wingless in the credits. They’ll probably update it over mideseason.
• Starlight: still the best.
• Spike training a youth brigade! It’s never too soon to raise an army.
• Oh man, is the plan for the CMC to act horribly to prove they belong in friendship school? And then they overdo it and get banished to MILITARY friendship school? Because that’s how I’d write it.
• But of course Sweetie Belle’s plan consists mainly of squeaking.
• “Repeatie Belle”. Only Tabitha could sell that.
• It would be great if Scootaloo’s segment was: “Hey Rainbow Dash, I’m joining your school.” “Okay.” And scene.
• Slow motion crash + scripted argument got a laugh out of me.
• Ha, then they fuck it up with a hug.
• “It always works for Rarity!”
• Shirley Temple filly is so adorable, it must be a scam. That’s what my cold, black heart is telling me.
• Lesson #1: stalking is magic!
• You know, I never thought to wonder how sprinkles are made. I should look that up on the internet some day.
• I would watch a Crash Course video on the history of radishes.
• Oh yeah, Cutey McCuteface is totally working a scam. She’s probably a hardened criminal or Chrysalis in disguise or something.
• Control isn’t an element of harmony but it IS one of the alternative principles of the Gargoyle race as revealed in Ultima VI: The False Prophet. So that’s another theory: “secretly a gargoyle”.
• Okay, so the CMC fucked up, but it remains to be seen how. That is the story of their life.
• Empathy cocoa. Goddamn Starlight is the best.
• She has a geode on her desk. That’s totally a Maud gift.
• Starlight knows you gotta respect the devious.
• The CMCs are TAs.

I liked this one, except I was distracted in the second half by the “Cozy Glow is evil” twist I was honestly sure was coming. So I’ll probably need a second viewing to just soak it all in without overthinking the cartoon pony children’s show.

Starlight is the MVP of this episode, but Cozy Glow’s ridiculous cuteness was entertaining too.

Also I hope Scootaloo didn’t eat her heart out when she learned even Spike can fly now.