Daring Do Retires?? | My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Season 7 Episode 18 REACTION + Discussion
Added 2024-09-23 00:57:02 +0000 UTC
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Without further ado... - Some notes/thoughts/facts: - I absolutely understand that you dislike Daring Do episodes - It's just a shame, because I like them very much... These newspaper-article headlines are wild: "New Shrubbery In Castle Garden"- Yeah that is boring... "Noodles Named Official Food Of Whinnyapolis" - even more boring... "Cloudsdale Election Heating Up For Candidate In Favor Of Cooling It Down" - mildly interesting... "Parasprite Infestation In Fillydelphia Eradicated" - Well, look what we have here... So, after the episode "Swarm of the Century" (S1E10), where the Parasprites infested Fillydelphia thanks to the Mane Six's first thoughtless attempt to lead them away - especially with that variant that devours not just food but literally everything - it ended up taking Celestia and her subordinates almost 4 years since Season 1 to finally eradicate them. No wonder she never had time to help the Mane Six out! 🤣😏 "Author A. K. Yearling Announces Retirement" - this should be right up your forte Ed, no more episodes about her, your remark before the intro came true. 😏 Just kidding 😅 Ed, you can't do that... You've made me sad, especially now that you mentioned a deeper connection to your reactions... knowing they might be over in just a few months. 😣 But you're right... 😭 Still, this could also mark a new beginning, right? Who knows? 😃 Pinkie Pie: "Okay! Heeeey... You're not just trying to make sure she writes more Daring Do books, are you?" - quite observant Pinkie... Rainbow Dash: "Of course not! But that wouldn't hurt either. Now, come on!" - Yeah yes ofc, at least she didn't deny it 😋 Pinkie Pie's lines are the best in the episode: "Because she's right there looking all sad and alone." "Now she's sighing with the weight of the world. Now she's hanging her head in utter despair." "Now she's shaking her hoof and cursing the heavens like nothing could ever possibly be the same again. Why, oh, why did this happen to her?!" - "Whoops. Never mind. That time, she was just stretching. [chuckles]" 🤣🤣🤣 Who would've thought Pinkie Pie would be the one reining in Rainbow Dash this time? That's pretty funny, considering she's usually the ridiculous one! 😅 Daring do is quite destructive... "Wake Of Destruction: Daring Do Ruins Entire Village Marketplace!" "Daring Do Leads Bull Into China Shop During High-Speed Chase" - this is something I would have liked to see 😅 That's not Daring Do either, its Rainbow Dash! https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/b/b1/Pinkie_holds_Daring_Do_photo_in_front_of_A._K._Yearling_S7E18.png A. K. Yearling: "But that's just the thing – it is true." 😱 Pinkie Pie: "But why is all this happening now?" - Dang it, Pinkie... you're asking the right questions! Looks like that little detective lesson you had with Twilight back in Season 2's "MMMystery on the Friendship Express" is really paying off, huh? Worldbuilding! - And we are in Southern Equestria, its very egyptian themed, i love that! https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/6/60/Pinkie%2C_Rainbow%2C_and_A.K._enter_Somnambula_Village_S7E18.png "My cabbages! My Cabbages!" - Na? Do you know this reference? https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/c/c0/Elder_Stallion_%22priceless%2C_sacred_statues%21%22_S7E18.png - His voice is quite obvious 🤔 - it's funny how you didn't recognize him here 😅 https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/4/45/Dr._Caballeron_appears_in_a_cloak_disguise_S7E18.png That's a nice picture: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/5/57/Rainbow_and_Pinkie_reach_the_Get_On_Inn_S7E18.png More lore: Mrs. Trotsworth: "Every year, ponies come to offer precious glowpaz to the Somnambula statue in the village in hopes for a good future." I dunno why, but I like her design 😀 https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/a/af/Mrs._Trotsworth_presents_her_glowpaz_necklace_S7E18.png Still no recognition? Hm... 😅 https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/0/0d/Rainbow%2C_Pinkie%2C_and_A._K._listen_to_Caballeron_S7E18.png Finally, you recognized him 🤣 https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/e/e3/Dr._Caballeron_continues_to_badmouth_Daring_Do_S7E18.png And the lore begins... with flashbacks! Somnambula shares her name with a villain from My Little Pony Generation 1, a human witch who appeared in the two-part episode My Little Pony n' Friends. In the episode, she attempts to steal the energy and youth of the young ponies by deceiving them into participating in fun activities. The Sphinx is in the greek mythology depicted as a treacherous and merciless being and known for its riddles - its a reference to the greek-saga of Oedipus where he had to solve a riddle to not get eaten by it: "Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?" - the answer that Oedipus delivered was as follows: "A Man - who crawls on all fours as a baby, then walks on two feet as an adult, and then uses a walking stick in old age". There is also another riddle: "There are two sisters: one gives birth to the other and she, in turn, gives birth to the first. Who are the two sisters?" The answer is "day and night" - which is interesting in regards of MLP wouldn't you say? However in contrast, in the Egyptian mythology a sphinx is seen as a benevolent representation of strength and ferocity, usually of a pharaoh. But this episodes riddle was also a great one that I absolutely loved: "I shine brightest in the dark. I am there but cannot be seen. To have me costs you nothing. To be without me costs you everything." - and "Hope" is the right answer, this episodes key-word sp to speak. - It would have been nice if you could have stopped there to guess it for yourself 😁 Yes the voice sounds off, because its not the real voice of the Sphinx, but the narrator ones - or did you mean something else? I love all these designs: https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/7/79/The_sphinx_sitting_atop_her_pyramid_S7E18.png https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/b/b3/Somnambula_flies_to_the_pyramid_S7E18.png https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/f/ff/The_sphinx_menaces_Somnambula_S7E18.png https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/8/8f/Prince_Hisan_tied_up_across_a_bridged_chasm_S7E18.png https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/9/93/Villagers_pleased_by_Elder_Stallion%27s_story_S7E18.png And yes Dr. Caballeron was definitely behind most of the exaggerations and framings... Pinkie Pie: "Ah! I knew you'd come!" Daring Do: "You did? I sure didn't. What if I cause more trouble?" Pinkie Pie: "You won't." Daring Do: "How do you know?" Pinkie Pie: "I just do! You wouldn't let anything happen to Rainbow Dash. You care too much." Daring Do: "You're right." - dawwwww 🥰 And here we are again - and the curse of no-flying is still active... https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/2/2f/Pinkie_and_Daring_Do_across_from_Rainbow_Dash_S7E18.png Yes the vapor-things were a little bit disappointing... https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/2/24/Daring_Do_bouncing_on_spurts_of_steam_S7E18.png - but they might be metallic and it was mirroring the green goo from the top (could be acid btw... I wouldn't want to find that out) 😅 Daring Do: "I should have known you were just trying to sully my name so that you'd be free to steal whatever you wanted." Dr. Caballeron: "Of course that was the plan, Daring Do! At first I just wanted the glowpaz, but then I saw an opportunity to write you out of the story for good!" - I think Dr. Caballeron must have lost his mind somewhere in his attempt to hurt Daring Do - revealing his plan like that in front of everypony... talk about plot convenience. 😐 And the lesson of the day: Daring Do: "But I'm glad I realized that even if you're fighting for something good, you're still responsible for your actions." Rainbow Dash: "And if something bad happens that you didn't intend, you shouldn't give up hope or lose faith in yourself." Pinkie Pie: "Yeah! All you gotta do is make it right." --- In this episode, we dive deeper into the world of Daring Do, also known as A.K. Yearling, who faces a major challenge - dealing with negative press that blames her for the damage caused during her adventures. As a result, she announces her retirement, shaken by the accusations. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, refusing to accept this, decide to investigate. Their journey takes them to the village of Somnambula, where Daring Do is accused of destroying a sacred statue, which is the plot-device for a tale to the legend of Somnambula. A brave and hopeful Pegasus who saved the village that would later bear her name. The village was being terrorized by an evil sphinx, which demanded most of the villagers' crops as tribute. After solving the sphinx's riddle about hope, Somnambula was challenged to cross a bridge blindfolded to rescue Prince Hisan. Again guided by her faith in hope, she succeeded, causing the sphinx to leave the village forever. In gratitude, Hisan gifted her a string of Glowpaz, which became a lasting symbol of hope for the village. And this overarching theme of "hope" follows the principles of strength, selflessness, and bravery as highlighted in the "Campfire Tales" episode. However, it turns out that Dr. Caballeron is behind the smear campaign against Daring Do. His ultimate goal was to ruin her reputation and steal the valuable Glowpaz. But Pinkie Pie's unwavering optimism helps Daring Do regain her confidence and both rescue Rainbow Dash from imminent danger in the same manner Somnambula did with Hisan. In the end they expose Caballeron's plot and Daring Do not only clears her name but also decides to remain an adventurer, vowing to be more mindful of the consequences of her actions. This added layer to her character, where she takes responsibility for the damage she causes, mirrors the kind of self-reflection we often see in superhero narratives - where heroes realize that even their well-intentioned actions can have unintended negative impacts. In the end, she even commits to helping rebuild the village, showing true growth. This episode provided us with several meaningful lessons: One of the most powerful is the message that even when unintended consequences arise, it's important not to lose hope. Daring Do's journey teaches us that taking responsibility for one's actions and making amends for past mistakes is essential for moving forward. This idea of "actions having consequences" is presented thoughtfully here and adds depth to her character arc. That said, there are a few aspects of the episode that felt inconsistent or out of place. Dr. Caballeron's confession of his entire plan in front of everyone, for example, felt rushed and unrealistic. It comes across as a typical villain trope, but still, it didn't quite fit with the rest of the story's flow. Another issue that most fans pointed out, was Rainbow Dash's capture. Given her abilities, she could have easily flown away before being tied up, which made the scene feel too plot-convenient. And as much as I agree to that, I would also argue that her emotions were in turmoil: She experienced a rapid succession of emotions: At first, she was happy to declare that Daring Do was a hero. Then, her mood shifted to sadness and distress, frustrated by her failure to convince anypony that was attending and by Daring Do's growing sense of hopelessness. This quickly turned into anger, leading her to snap at the stranger, who was none other than Dr. Caballeron, before ending up completely dumbfounded by his unexpected gratitude and his smug gloating over how she had unknowingly helped him shatter Daring Do's confidence even further. Now, on your remark about Rainbow Dash: You mentioned that she might be motivated purely by her desire to read more books from A.K. Yearling, but I don't quite agree with that. While she's undoubtedly a big fan of Daring Do's books, her distress at seeing Daring so hopeless, especially just before Dr. Caballeron reveals himself, felt genuine. She seemed truly concerned for Daring Do's well-being, and not just because she wants more stories to read. Despite these minor issues, this was a fantastic worldbuilding episode. I absolutely loved the incorporation of Egyptian-style aesthetics, the cultural backdrop, and the legend of Somnambula, which drew clear parallels to ancient myths. The way the episode tied Somnambula's story to Daring Do's narrative, especially after the lore-heavy "Campfire Tales" episode, was handled really well. The mythological elements, such as the pyramids, temple designs, and the sphinx with its riddle, added so much richness to the episode's setting. The scene where Somnambula and Pinkie Pie must cross the gooey (acidic?) pit by trusting in faith and hope was particularly reminiscent of Indiana Jones, which I very much enjoyed. Moreover, Dr. Caballeron's plan to deceive the villagers and frame Daring Do for stealing the Glowpaz is possibly the most serious scheme he has ever attempted against her. This made the stakes feel higher and added a layer of tension I didn't expect. Overall, the blend of mythology, character growth, and cultural depth made it a standout episode for me. The way it wove together the themes of hope, responsibility, and perseverance left a lasting impression, and I'll certainly remember it as one of my highlights of the season. --- You weren't as talkative as usual, but I figure it's because of your diet and your dislike for Daring Do episodes, which is totally understandable, so I won't nitpick on that. Still, it was really nice of you to watch it - thank you 💙
DeViruZz.eXe
2024-10-05 22:29:09 +0000 UTCRoger that. Let me say only then, that all the remaining episodes are great, except for the ones that suck, and no more forward-looking statements from me hehe
sjones17515
2024-09-23 22:47:28 +0000 UTCI’m really strict when it comes to what I deem a spoiler or not. Sometimes even someone saying “oh this season/episode you’re gonna watch is amazing” since it sets an expectation. I know 90% of people don’t but if I didn’t ask then usually I would consider it one since I like to be blind as possible. And I know you have good intentions so I know you and everyone doesn’t mean to do it. You’re just excited and informing me. Its more I think it can suddenly make me think “Is this going to be a plot? Should I expect a plot?” When maybe I had a theory or saw a pattern. All that to say, it’s all good and no worries. I’ll decide about this at the end of the season since I don’t want to jump to conclusions 😂
Ed
2024-09-23 22:01:18 +0000 UTCI wouldn't dream of spoiling anything for you. I didn't think telling you something is going to be relevant is spoiling. I'm happy to stop doing that as well though if you prefer
sjones17515
2024-09-23 19:08:56 +0000 UTC🤫🤫
Ed
2024-09-23 18:26:57 +0000 UTCYou'll want to remember Somnambula as well
sjones17515
2024-09-23 13:12:01 +0000 UTC
