S08E23: Sounds of Silence

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S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Wayoshi (?) » Fri Aug 31, 2018 6:13 pm

Fluttershy and Applejack journey to the edge of the map on a Friendship Quest to help a group of ponies named Kirin -- who are so afraid of hurting each other's feelings, they've taken a potion of silence.
This thread is for discussion of the episode. This episode airs at 8:25am AEST on Saturday, September 1 / 6:25pm US EDT on Friday, August 31 on Boomerang in Australia!

Speculation about the episode is OK to post. Spoilers from the Swedish release are NOT OK to post.

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Highbrow Dash (?) » Fri Aug 31, 2018 6:58 pm

This was really good. Top tier song, too :allears:

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Wayoshi (?) » Fri Aug 31, 2018 7:16 pm

The good news about this ep is that it felt like a good early-season episode. It was cute, good new lore, and no joke really missed besides that dumb ticket attendant at the start.

The bad news about this ep is that it felt like a good early-season episode. The main conflict was finally established and Act II is over. Just not quite enough time. But we've seen worse rushed endings than this to its credit.

For those curious, the mythological reference here is the following: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by The Doctor (?) » Fri Aug 31, 2018 9:11 pm

Might be my favorite episode of the season right there. The Kirin were super-cute and that's one of the best songs the show has done in a long time.

Apparently this isn't Autumn Blaze VA, Rachel Bloom's first time on a Hugo Award nominated project.

:gotcha: She did this in 2010.


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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by PonyHag714 (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 12:06 am

I liked this one a lot. The Kirin have some very interesting qualities, AJ and Fluttershy made a good pairing, and Autumn Blaze was terrific. The song was a lot of fun as well.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Dal (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 3:29 am

The Kirins are so damn :3

Wish we got these new races earlier.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Adiwan (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 4:27 am

The episode was fine. I'm not a huge fan of the Kirin's designs, especially the reuse of Celestia's body and head on the leader, and the singing.
Otherwise there is not much to complain about.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Captain Rufus (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 5:48 am

Was a good bit of fun. Fluttershy seems to be more like her first season self though which is a bit of a shame.

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Kronos (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 10:16 am

Ah, there's the shot of :ponydrugs: I've been missing. All the visual clues were there to easily figure out what was going to happen but the cold open having that refreshing shot of self-awareness (it's just a name...in a land where names are pretty descriptive) and Autumn Blaze giving Pinkie a run for her money in being a chatter box was fantastic.

It's just really disappointing that the Kirin are introduced this late into the series since we've only got one season left and a bunch of tempermental fire lion-pony things have a lot of potential that could be tapped into. I also would love a toy of Autumn Blaze since the show's Kirin design is really cool.

The pacing also was off, something the show always has to deal with being only 22 minutes long, but it felt like we'd only just met Blaze, she did her song and dance, and then suddenly it rushes right into resolving the conflict. Honestly I think the gag with the old train pony at the end of the line was drawn out and relatively not necessary given Fluttershy already freaking out over the very name of the place, that could have been cut and possibly used for a little more time of Blaze and AJ reasoning with the Kirin that they should get their voices back.

Also, Fluttershy saying 'I can't imagine not being able to talk to my animal friends' caught me off guard since by my recollection, that's happened twice already in the show - the first time being at the Gala ("YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE ME!" anybody) and the second being 'Assertiveshy' from Putting your Hoof Down where she was just a bitch to everything that interacted with her.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Applepie2017 (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 12:59 pm

Wayoshi wrote:
Fri Aug 31, 2018 7:16 pm
The bad news about this ep is that it felt like a good early-season episode. The main conflict was finally established and Act II is over. Just not quite enough time. But we've seen worse rushed endings than this to its credit.
I agree.
But...
This one's too young

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Wayoshi (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 1:37 pm

Captain Rufus wrote:
Sat Sep 01, 2018 5:48 am
Was a good bit of fun. Fluttershy seems to be more like her first season self though which is a bit of a shame.
with yet another new writer that wasn't much of a surprise. we've also seen far worse

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by SlateSlabrock (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 3:45 pm

  • "Kirin" and "Nirik"? What conveniently-named creatures!
  • :fear: Like how Cloudsdale's in clouds, and the Crystal Empire is made of crystal?
  • :wingsright: Flanks don't lie.
  • Kirin are known for their truth-telling? That's... not a good sign, is it?
  • :applejargh: This is no time to be visiting varmints!
    There's going to be a reason for this, isn't there?
  • NARRATOR: There was.
  • The map should've sent Big Mac and Maud on this one.
  • Plant-growing magic? Now there's something AJ should be able to have a conversation about!
  • :twonk: It's the ciiiIIIIIIIIIrcle of liiiiiiife!
  • She can talk! She can talk! She can talk! She can talk!
  • Angry kirin remind me of Pony Fights 2
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  • "I forgot how much I loved rhyming."
  • Aw, don't worry, Autumn Blaze. Things didn't work out so well for Charles Foster Kane, either.
  • But... she got other actors for her plays? :bwuh:
  • Swiss Family Robinson tropical hut in the middle of a forest on a mountaintop?
  • I hope we see Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands again.
  • Is that a kirin singing, "Yatta!"? :-I
Yeah, that was really good. Kudos to Gregory Bonsignore. This season has been pretty rocky, but this episode had a great blend of humor and lesson -- and singing! The kirins are pretty, and Autumn Blaze is fun. Nice work from Rachel Bloom as well.

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Aramek (?) » Sat Sep 01, 2018 7:14 pm

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND PONISH?"
Last edited by Aramek on Wed Sep 05, 2018 7:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by PhoolCat (?) » Tue Sep 04, 2018 7:03 pm

PONISH, DO YOU SPEAK IT, MOTHERSPECIALSOMEPONY?
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by The Doctor (?) » Sun Sep 16, 2018 11:12 am

I've had the song stuck in my head all weekend. I haven't had a show song do that in a long time. :saycheese:

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Highbrow Dash (?) » Sun Sep 16, 2018 11:46 am

The Doctor wrote:
Sun Sep 16, 2018 11:12 am
I've had the song stuck in my head all weekend. I haven't had a show song do that in a long time. :saycheese:
IT'S SO GOOD :twonk:

Though I have trouble figuring out whether I'm listening to a version with PAL speedup or not!

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Fizzbuzz (?) » Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:19 pm

Wayoshi wrote:
Fri Aug 31, 2018 7:16 pm
The bad news about this ep is that it felt like a good early-season episode. The main conflict was finally established and Act II is over. Just not quite enough time. But we've seen worse rushed endings than this to its credit.
I thought the pacing was good, really. Rather than a lot of episodes that grind the climax out to the very last minute, this left time for a resolution and some joy at the end, something I think the kirin deserve after just having been introduced. A truly rushed ending would've been something more like The Cutie Re-Mark, with its quick montage of Starlight Glimmer making friends, as I see it. (And on the flip side, there's always It Ain't Easy Being Breezies, which shows that it is possible to drag the denouement out for far too long.)
Kronos wrote:
Sat Sep 01, 2018 10:16 am
It's just really disappointing that the Kirin are introduced this late into the series since we've only got one season left and a bunch of tempermental fire lion-pony things have a lot of potential that could be tapped into. I also would love a toy of Autumn Blaze since the show's Kirin design is really cool.
At least it's providing fresh stuff that can still be used in S9. It's a bit of a pity, yeah, but I'd rather have this now and let S9 do the wrapping up once that time comes. (And the kirin can be made into new toys, instead of Hasbro asking for weird stuff to be done to the Mane Six, to speak of It Ain't Easy Being Breezies again...) If the show stops doing anything new too soon, then I get the feeling that as we approach the ending it'd get kind of depressing.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by PonyHag714 (?) » Sat Sep 29, 2018 1:05 pm

The song was great. For me, it's neck and neck between it and "On The Road To Friendship" for best song this season.

Assuming the school theme is continuing next year, it would be nice to see a Kirin student.
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Kronos (?) » Sat Sep 29, 2018 5:12 pm

Fizzbuzz wrote:
Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:19 pm
At least it's providing fresh stuff that can still be used in S9. It's a bit of a pity, yeah, but I'd rather have this now and let S9 do the wrapping up once that time comes. (And the kirin can be made into new toys, instead of Hasbro asking for weird stuff to be done to the Mane Six, to speak of It Ain't Easy Being Breezies again...) If the show stops doing anything new too soon, then I get the feeling that as we approach the ending it'd get kind of depressing.
True. I would do unspeakkably unspeakable things for an Autumn Blaze toy. :-D
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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Wayoshi (?) » Sun Sep 30, 2018 12:31 am

Fizzbuzz wrote:
Sat Sep 29, 2018 12:19 pm
I thought the pacing was good, really. Rather than a lot of episodes that grind the climax out to the very last minute, this left time for a resolution and some joy at the end, something I think the kirin deserve after just having been introduced.
I just think the conflict was introduced way too late. Usually the bad pacing is towards the end, that was not the case here, but it's still bad pacing.

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by SigmasonicX (?) » Sun Sep 30, 2018 3:14 am

Reposting thoughts.

This episode was a mixed bag for me. It's good overall, but I felt it took way too long to get to the actual kirin village and things were resolved easily. Plus Applejack was pretty annoying. However, I liked Fluttershy's portrayal here a lot, and the kirin designs are fantastic.

The beginning segment had some cute lines, particularly Twilight saying, "Flanks don't lie." It's kind of weird that the kirins are apparently way off on the edge of the known world, yet they're shown on the map pretty close to the center, as I recall.

The bit with the creepy train station caretaker was fun, but didn't connect to the rest of the episode at all thematically. Maybe if there were more horror elements. The first creatures they encounter being normal squirrels was especially underwhelming after all that.

I adored the bit where Fluttershy raises her voice to get Applejack's attention after she kept talking over her. It's a great bit of development for Fluttershy, and shows how Applejack still finds herself treating Fluttershy like this was back in "Dragonshy"--remember that she was the one who had to lead Fluttershy on a longer path up the mountain.

Like I said, the kirin designs are great. And the head tilts are super cute. I had of course seen Autumn Blaze art before--plus I saw the song video from that one convention--so the fact that the village had somehow who looked like her tripped me up.

Applejack trying to get the kirins to talk was really obnoxious. I was reminded of Rush Hour ("Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?"), but Carter yelling at Lee was supposed to be him being obnoxious.

Honestly, I think Autumn Blaze herself is kind of an eh character. For the record, I haven't seen anything Rachel Bloom has acted in. My opinion on the song is the same as before. The talking songs aren't great, but I liked the chorus.

The part with Applejack and Fluttershy fighting and the others getting concerned reminded me of "The Cutie Map", especially with the kirins then carting them away to erase their voices. That said, I love that Fluttershy is capable of acting like this now. You know, Applejack kept saying their emotions would be erased by the river, but the kirins were pretty clearly concerned there.

I like the lesson about learning to release your anger, but it's very similar to "All Bottled Up" just last season. It probably doesn't actually mean much, but the fact that they had to repeat a lesson this soon really rubbed in that this show is ending soon more than anything else recently for me.

It was kind of strange how Autumn already knew the solution from the start, so there wasn't a real learning process. That, and the fact that the kirins immediately went along with it, made the resolution feel pretty rushed. Plus, Applejack and Fluttershy ended up really just being there to get in trouble so Autumn could rescue them. And so Fluttershy could get the flowers.

Still, the designs and presentation of Fluttershy bring this episode up for me.

About kirins, aside from the face being that of a pony, the depiction of kirins here is pretty spot on with the Wikipedia depiction, from the fish scales to the desire not to harm anyone. Even the fact that they use magic but don't fly appears to be a reference to how kirin is sometimes translated as unicorn. They're supposed to be top class magical beasts, though, above even dragons in some cases, so they come off as oddly weak here.

~~~

I agree that it felt like Autumn was just being introduced and then the episode was ending.

Personally, I don't see what people are seeing in the song. It was alright, but not really catchy. EDIT: Nah, that isn't fair. I'm only making my position more extreme in response to the positive responses to the song.

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Re: S08E23: Sounds of Silence

Post by Mechanical Ape (?) » Mon Dec 03, 2018 12:20 am

Hello :ponydrugs: my old friend

:excite: “I can’t believe we’re starting yet another episode with somepony saying ‘I can’t believe [exposition]’!”
• Even the friendship map is Team Flutterjack!
• Fluttershy knows what’s up, this is Equestria and everything’s named dead literally.
• Flanks don’t lie, chica!
• Man, how’d you like to be the train station agent working a tiny booth at the ass end of Nowheresville? I guess you’d get a lot of reading done, at least.
• And then as soon as I typed that, we actually meet the train guy, and he’s AMAZING.
• Aw, Fluts is so happy to have fluttered across that little hop. :flutterunsmith: (With only a little help from AJ.)
:applejargh: PONISH, MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT??!!
• Poor Applejack, she just wants an adventure and nobody’s giving her any quests.
• Autumn Blaze is great. You can tell they wanted “motormouth, but not Pinkie motormouth” and they succeeded.
• Ha ha, SIIIIIIIIIIIIING!
• They shoulda made this the movie.
• Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands.
• Aw, both Fluts and AJ got a lot to do this episode.
• And sweet final shot. :hishovel:
• Rachel Bloom’s got quite a resume, but I’d never heard of her. One more reason to start watching Crazy Ex Girlfriend, I guess.

I didn’t have a lot to say this time because the episode was so damn good. I was too busy watching it! :good: Also it seemed to just fly by. Well paced.
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