The Round Stable

Luna and Celestia take a 'bucket-list' sister vacation while Twilight and her friends struggle to cover the princesses' many royal duties alone.

This thread is for discussion of the episode. This episode airs at 11:30 Eastern / 8:30 Pacific on Saturday, June 22!

Official preview clips and images are okay to post, as is speculation about the episode. Spoilers from non-US releases are NOT OK to post.

Early spoiler thread: http://www.roundstable.com/forums/viewt ... =16&t=1928

I hope it's as good of a Luna/Celestia bickering episode as A Royal Problem.

Thankfully it's not nearly as bad as that episode.

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I love it when they bicker and fight because it makes them like real people.

Instead of Mom + Jesus or whatever.

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Aramek wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 21, 2019 6:37 pm

I love it when they bicker and fight because it makes them like real people.

Instead of Mom + Jesus or whatever.

This is heresy.

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Fun episode overall, the song was great. Certainly was a little off-putting to hear Celestia's voice be much wider in range than usual but the expressions were pretty funny.

Plus, Celestia in sunglasses. It finally happpened.

Applepie2017 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:21 am

The song was fitting in Italian.

I need a link to this.

"Of ALL the times we actually needed their help, and NOW they show up?"

Definitely saw Dipper's hat for sale. Gravity Falls reference? In MY ponies?

This was an OK episode. Some really, really good stuff, and some not-so good stuff.

It took a while to get going, due to Celestia and Luna doing their best "Mare Do Well" impression. I think it would have worked better to have them just show up and say they're going out of town for a week, and letting Twilight and the girls dip their toes in leading the country. It would have shown them as competent, and taking in active role in preparing the girls for their new responsibilities.

Their vacation antics were great, and the song was fantastic.

But once again we get them bickering. No, siblings don't always have to get along, but just about every major pairing of these two is them arguing. They were both deciding things to do, but rather than enjoy each other's company about it, they're both resentful, even though they are both doing things they like. They don't have to always be bickering.

Once again it feels like even after all they've been through, they've learned nothing. It would have been nice to see them really solve a problem, rather than once again be the problem.

On the plus side, they were able to solve their personal issues themselves, rather than needing to be handheld through it like in Royal Problem, and that alone puts this episode miles above that one.

Lots of great faces this episode, and once again, the song was great. The good certainly outweighed the bad. Even with my dislike of the bickering, it was a small part of the episode.

Octavia wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 11:50 am

Definitely saw Dipper's hat for sale. Gravity Falls reference? In MY ponies?

I'm almost positive there's been a Mabel and Dipper pony before. Might have been in the comics though.

I really liked this one. It's fun to see these two immortal, demigod princesses taking a road trip and kicking back like anyone else. It's really something to see Celestia cutting loose on the zipline, for example. I especially liked the shot of them chilling on the peach wagon. The song was very good.

Captain Celestia and Super Luna were fun to watch.

I did sympatize with Luna...she had a point about Celly always wanting to do her thing and disregarding what Luna wanted to do or if she just wanted to take a break and rest. But it's true that Celestia may have acted that way because she's used to having to consult others for things, as compared to being able to do what she wants. It's unfortunate that it led to thier argument, but they worked it out in the end.

Celestia's "I do know." remark was touching. Maybe she was reminded of what can happen if you don't pay enough attention to your sibling's opinions and needs.

I liked how the episode ended, maybe saying that even when Twilight and Co. are in charge, Celly and Luna will be there for them if they really need them.

10/10 episode.

The Doctor wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:02 pm

I'm almost positive there's been a Mabel and Dipper pony before. Might have been in the comics though.

Mabel appeared in the comics at the beginning of the 'Nightmare Rarity' arc.

PonyHag714 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:04 pm

I did sympatize with Luna...she had a point about Celly always wanting to do her thing and disregarding what Luna wanted to do or if she just wanted to take a break and rest. But it's true that Celestia may have acted that way because she's used to having to consult others for things, as compared to being able to do what she wants. It's unfortunate that it led to thier argument, but they worked it out in the end.

That's my problems with their conflict. It doesn't match up to what we've seen. They're both doing what they want to do. Celestia isn't taking over the vacation anymore than Luna was.

For me this ended up being yet another episode that was a bit hard to relate to due to being an only child. The lesson was clear (don't feel obligated to be joined at the hip to your siblings just because you're family), but when you never had any such family members in the first place, it mainly feels to me like something to remember when giving advice to those who are dealing with their brothers or sisters.

Aside from the moral, I enjoyed this one. Celestia and Luna getting to be themselves is a topic that's barely been explored, understandably so given their importance in the world, but until these last couple of seasons it's barely come through other than in scattered moments. I'm glad to have this before the end.

The Doctor wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:10 pm

That's my problems with their conflict. It doesn't match up to what we've seen. They're both doing what they want to do. Celestia isn't taking over the vacation anymore than Luna was.

When you're the younger sibling, maybe that's the natural order of how things work out, or at least feel like they're working out?

I liked that the whole “you trapped me in the moon for a thousand years” issue bubbled up to the surface at the end of their argument. It makes sense that even though Luna repented and was forgiven that there’d still be some resentment there.

It's almost like Nightmare Moon and the anger and jealousy that brought her into existence is still there, maybe not just below the surface, but still inside Luna.

That owned.

Was a good bit of fun. I side with Luna though.

Pretty fun episode! Twilight is learning the true responsibilities of leadership: DELEGATING! (seriously, delegating is important)

Anyone noticed Capper during the song early on? Is that the first time a character from the movie appeared in the show, even in silent cameos?

I believe it is. I'd like to see Tempest make an appearance, maybe in the finale.

Captain Rufus wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 5:03 pm

Was a good bit of fun. I side with Luna though.

ALWAYS

Dear Princess Cadance, today I learned a very valuable lesson about ruling a kingdom: The overwrought ceremonies are meant as a distraction for the nobility, not as a task befitting a princess. However, I am proud to report that I have made significant headway revising Equestrian employment law, which seems not to have been reviewed for almost 400 years. We expect the mountain of garbage to be cleared up by next month.

The princesses' voices sounded a little odd in this episode.

Clearly, Twilight and friends should have dressed up as a mysterious alicorn and showed up whenever the Princesses were saving the day, to teach them a lesson.

Instead, Twilight fell for their "too hard to sneak any farther away" ruse. She'll be running Canterlot in no time.

Mr. Big wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 22, 2019 8:27 pm

Pretty fun episode! Twilight is learning the true responsibilities of leadership: DELEGATING! (seriously, delegating is important)

Anyone noticed Capper during the song early on? Is that the first time a character from the movie appeared in the show, even in silent cameos?

Yup, first Movie character appearance.

Technically, Queen Novo has already made an appearance.

SlateSlabrock wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:25 am

This needs to be an official emote yesterday

SlateSlabrock wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 25, 2019 5:25 am

Technically

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Holy smokes you guys, it’s a landmark! I’m finally at the midpoint of S9!

Let’s see what our frieeeeeeeends are up to:

• And we open with Applejack’s livelihood being eaten by a turtle. This is definitely the show I remember.
• “All the times we actually needed their help, and they show up for this?” Ha ha, perfect.
• Oh god, the princesses are having their 3000-year midlife crisis.
• It’s goofy watching the princesses pull these big hammy faces, but I guess that’s part of the point.
• Wait, Gail Simone????!????
• shampoo anteaters
• Hey cool, are we actually gonna see the sun/moon raising process?
• I’m thinking the Royal Swannifying is the equivalent of green M&Ms in the rock band hotel room: the real purpose is to see if your requests are being followed.
• Also at first I thought it was “Royal Swattifying” or perhaps “Royal SWATifying”, either of which would have been rad.
• “jolly good”
• PRINCESS SONG
• Ha ha ha, of course there’s pony Wicked.
• I assume the cover of Luna’s book is a reference to something but I don’t recognize it.
• I am totally Luna on vacations. Girlfriend, I get you.
• Oh shit, the Swannifying is a huge deal to the elite. Probably some massive grift opportunities for the 1%ers. It’s Game of Swans up in here.
• “Ponies ask me ‘So what’s your nightmare?’ And I say ‘Two non-refundable bungee reservations.’”
• Swans, geese’s only rival for terribleness.
• “But Doctor, I am Ponigliacci.” Good joke. Everypony laugh. Curtains.
• Ha, they’re Canterlot-voicing at each other.
• Nothing would make me happier than a musical number about the magic of delegating. (EDIT: but we did not get one)
• That princess parachute logo is wonderful! Well, there’s another sentence I never expected to write.
• That’s a thing?
• For some reason, I think “I’m not copying you! I just wanted to watch the sunrise” was delivered super well. Tabitha’s doing just an ordinary voice in this scene and it’s really neat to hear it from Luna’s mouth.
• Aww, really nice reconciliation scene, followed by really funny ending gag. A strong finish!

MINI-REVIEW:

Mechanical Ape wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:51 pm

• “But Doctor, I am Ponigliacci.” Good joke. Everypony laugh. Curtains.

Fun fact: That joke is in fact used as the basis for an entire issue of the IDW pony comics. Funny how iconic bits of the darkest things can inspire warmth in the right hands.