MLP:FIM S4E23 - "Inspiration Manifestation" - Grading & Discussion

[Amaris]

Episode Title: "Inspiration Manifestation"
Air Date: April 26th, 2014

Summary: "Rarity is less than pleased to realize that she's lost her creative touch and soon begins to wonder if she'll ever be able to recover it; in an effort to help Rarity, Spike happens across a spell that may be less helpful than it appears."

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Ruminations:
A Spike and Rarity episode! This one should be interesting. I've always felt we never get a really good chance to see Spike grow and develop, and I'm hoping this episode changes that. He needs a good boost! As you may also note, we're getting towards the end of the season, and my curiosity is filled to bursting with what may or may not happen, who knows!

 

[Kemaiku]

That's...it?

That ended far too easily and abruptly. Should the book not be killing him from the inside? is that Eldritch....thing still loose?

Seriously what the hell kind of ending was that?

 

[Amaris]

I enjoyed the episode. Tabitha is always just a pleasure to watch, and who doesn't love Spike? This time they focused on Spike being himself, which was a nice change of pace from the role of "plucky comic relief" that they usually have him playing, and this time they really gave him something to do, which was nice. It was also nice to Owlowiscious with a bit of a larger part.

The episode was a bit slow going in spots, that's true, and the ending was a bit abrupt, but still enjoyable, and full of great character moments from which we'll undoubtedly see memes spring forth.

This episode gets an "A" from me. Though part of that "A" is due to the appearances of Twilight during the episode.

 

[Taylirious]

A+

Rarity was pretty scary there for a bit. I loved it!

 

[Peach Wookiee]

A from me as well. Just finished up with it since I was up late and didn't wake up until midway through.

I think Spike evolved a bit here. He actually stood up to Rarity. When you have a strong crush on somepony, it's hard to tell that pony that she's doing something horrible. Spike did it.

And when he said, "I am so scared," I thought, "Spike, so is the audience!"

 

[SeerSGB]

I liked it. A bit weak, but evil Rarity was fun.

 

[Kemaiku]

And who doesn't love Spike?

Me, which is why slamming two Spike episodes right before the finale, wasting all the build up on the Equestria Games after well over a year on him is a massive let down for the pre-finale run up.

 

[Count Zero]

I suppose Spike's next visit to the loo will be somewhat painful...

Him just swallowing the book made me laugh, though. Evil Rarity was quite scary indeed. She'd make for a terrifying villain, actually.

Twilight's scene at the end was hilarious, too.

 

[Amaris]

And who doesn't love Spike?

Me, which is why slamming two Spike episodes right before the finale, wasting all the build up on the Equestria Games after well over a year on him is a massive let down for the pre-finale run up.

Eh, I like Spike. Sure, he gets dumped on, a lot, but he's a good character. I'm glad they're giving him a chance to expand his character a bit, even though it is right toward the end. Who knows? Maybe he has a significant role in the season finale?

I suppose Spike's next visit to the loo will be somewhat painful...

Him just swalloing the book made me laught, though. Evil Rarity was quite scary indeed. She'd make for a terrifying villain, actually.

Twilight's scene at the end was hilarious, too.

The book swallowing was hilarious, if only because it seems like the act of a very desperate dragon, and for good reason.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

And aren't dragons in this universe magical as well? He may have been raised the pony way, but he is a dragon. So swallowing the book shouldn't hurt him. Also, once he told Rarity the truth, the magic was negated.

 

[Taylirious]

If every pony had their own series I would die happy! Spike is always a pleasure.

ETA: And Rarity made Spike look like a Transformer!

 

[Saito S]

I liked it! Not one of the BEST episodes of the season, maybe, but lots of fun. "Evil" Rarity was a hoot. Brilliant performance by Tabitha! But that's nothing new, of course.

Considering that she didn't actually do anything directly harmful, and that it was just a spell, I don't see a big deal in the fact that it wasn't "dealt with" more than this. Sure, such things can be dangerous to mess with when you don't know what you're doing, but it seemed to me to be some kind of trick spell deal, not Sealed Evil In a Can or anything. When Rarity said "three of us" and Spike was like wut?, for a moment I thought Possessed!Rarity was going to backpedal and be like "Did I say 3?", trying to hide a slip-up that reveals the presence of an entity in her mind, because I suspected that that WAS indeed what was going on. But when she casually said Yeah, you me and the book, I thought, Ok, there's no entity, it's just a really strong spell that entraps the user. And as it turns out, it was that, until the conditions are met, which of course they were at the end.

And who doesn't love Spike?

Me, which is why slamming two Spike episodes right before the finale, wasting all the build up on the Equestria Games after well over a year on him is a massive let down for the pre-finale run up.

Eh? Two Spike episodes right before the end? What was the other one?

Anyway, he's not my favorite character - I generally don't like him as much as most of the mane 6 and a few other ponies, but I do still like him. I don't mind him sometimes being used mostly as comic relief, but it's nice to see him get some actual development time, too.

I'm not quite sure what you're getting at with the Equestria Games comment... do you mean that having them occur right at the end is a waste of an episode that should instead be used to support the main plot? If so, then ok, though I disagree.

On the other hand, if you mean that instead of a Spike episode here, we should have had another Games-promo episode here, then I'd question why, since we've already had two episodes this season that served as not-subtle reminders that the Games are a-comin'.

I suppose Spike's next visit to the loo will be somewhat painful...

Him just swalloing the book made me laught, though. Evil Rarity was quite scary indeed. She'd make for a terrifying villain, actually.

Twilight's scene at the end was hilarious, too.

She had a great evil/demented laugh going a couple times! This is like a little peek at what that whole Nightmare Rarity thing would be like, haha.

I loved that Twi scene. Tara Strong does the best frustrated/irritated groan-type sounds.

The book swallowing was hilarious, if only because it seems like the act of a very desperate dragon, and for good reason.

Yeah, I think he didn't know what else to do at that point! On the other hand, he can eat gems (and of course breathe fire), so maybe he can handle digesting a book just fine!

If every pony had their own series I would die happy! Spike is always a pleasure.

ETA: And Rarity made Spike look like a Transformer!

I thought he looked like a Mega Man boss!

 

[Taylirious]

^ Yes!

 

[Amaris]

Yeah, I think he didn't know what else to do at that point! On the other hand, he can eat gems (and of course breathe fire), so maybe he can handle digesting a book just fine!

Oh, I knew he could handle it, I just loved the sheer desperation one must have to just up and swallow an entire book. I bet Twilight would have been horrified.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

"Spike, where is the book now?"

"Um... Twilight, don't get mad..."

"Spike, where is it?"

"Well...."


"YOU WHAT?!!!"

 

[Amaris]

"Spike, where is the book now?"

"Um... Twilight, don't get mad..."

"Spike, where is it?"

"Well...."


"YOU WHAT?!!!"

Discord: "Oh, very clever, Spike. Eat any good books lately?"

 

[Saito S]

Yeah, I think he didn't know what else to do at that point! On the other hand, he can eat gems (and of course breathe fire), so maybe he can handle digesting a book just fine!

Oh, I knew he could handle it, I just loved the sheer desperation one must have to just up and swallow an entire book. I bet Twilight would have been horrified.

Indeed! I bet Spike never reveals to anypony what happened to the book, if only to avoid it getting back to Twilight!

"Spike, where is the book now?"

"Um... Twilight, don't get mad..."

"Spike, where is it?"

"Well...."


"YOU WHAT?!!!"

Discord: "Oh, very clever, Spike. Eat any good books lately?"

 

[Amaris]

It's the fact that it's John De Lancie that makes it so easy.