Catch us on Blorptube!

blorp.zapto.org/o/visual_cuisine

Yes, we really are splitting things like this, but I’m figuring that when we get to the middle of season 2 (two weeks from now) we’ll take an intermission for some fan content after “The Last Roundup” — that way we won’t end up watching the season 2 finale and season 3 premiere back to back during our normal schedule of six episodes per session. Sounds good? Good.

What’s the chef cookin’ for tonight’s feast?

“The Best Night Ever” wraps up the Grand Galloping Gala arc which was a recurring theme of several season 1 episodes, it’s a fun season finale where we see our Mane Six trying (and failing) to have a good time at the gala. It’s also really the chillest season finale, being one of only two single-part season finales, the other being the ever-controversial season 3 finale.

“The Return of Harmony” is where we meet John de Lancie’s character, Discord (♫ I’m howling at the moon ♫), who was in fact inspired by de Lancie’s character in Star Trek, Q. Discord will become a recurring character as MLP:FiM continues but this episode provides some crucial lore and background for who Discord will eventually become.

Like with many of MLP:FiM’s two-parters, “The Return of Harmony” is an episode where we get to see Cure Honesty, Cure Loyalty, Cure Kindness, Cure Generosity, Cure Laughter, and Cure Magic cast Magical Stage and use some Moon Tiara Action to zap the bad guy with the Power of Friendship. Which is to say that it’s one of the episodes where MLP:FiM’s magical girl inspirations are more readily apparent. And we’ll also get to see some other sides to the Mane Six that we don’t normally see.

There’s also a subtle Star Wars reference at the end, see if you can catch it, I bet you can’t cause it’s really subtle.

“Lesson Zero” is an episode about freaking out over missing a deadline. I don’t have much to say about it. I learned the word “tardy” from it and it’s got some meme faces. Justice for Smarty Pants!

“Luna Eclipsed” establishes Nightmare Night, a totally-not-Halloween holiday which we, unlike some other holidays in this show, actually will see again, at least once more in season 5. More specifically “Luna Eclipsed” concerns Princess Luna’s relationship to a tradition created at her expense during her thousand-year-long exile on the moon.

“Sisterhooves Social” is an episode about Rarity and Sweetie Belle’s relationship, as the two of them participate in the frickin Azumanga Daioh sports fest episode which we call the, well, Sisterhooves Social. This event does get featured again in a controversial season 5 episode focusing on Big Mac and Apple Bloom’s relationship.

Content warnings

“The Best Night Ever” — magical transformation of a living creature, classism

“The Return of Harmony” — magical transformation of a living creature, encasement in stone, hypnosis, getting lost, friends being dicks to each other

“Lesson Zero” — hypnotizing children, tricking children into fighting, a character catastrophizes

“Luna Eclipsed” — a character feels like an outsider, other characters are irrationally afraid of a character, features Zecora

“Sisterhooves Social” — conflict between an adult and a child

If there are any other things I should note, or even things that I shouldn’t note or maybe should rephrase, please tell me.

♫ Uniting nations at the speeeed of liiiiight ♫
[epic sax solo]
♫ Station of the '20s — TV☆3SIS! ♫