*SPOILERS AHEAD*
...
..
.
We finally got a sisters episode with Celestia and Luna! When the episode first started, the pair zoomed in to "save the day" when a giant turtle had been contained by Twilight and company, only for the princesses to interfere (much to Twilight's chagrin).
The two sisters talk about how it has been so exhilirating to get out of the throne room every so often and handle what they see as actual dangers. They continue that behavior for every single minor incident, like trying to bake for Pinkie Pie when they're running out of pastries, or helping Rainbow Dash find the camp when the fillies get slightly lost. All minor annoyances rather than dangers, and the princesses start getting on Twilight and company's nerves.
So Twilight suggests something: the princesses go off and have fun for a while, while Twilight and crew take over for their royal duties, in order to get the hang of ruling Equestria anyway. The princesses finally agree, with Celestia giving Twilight a special amulet that will help her raise and lower the sun while they're away. So they set off, while Twilight, list in hoof (or Spike's claw, really) lays out the royal duties for the week.
This is where the real fun begins. So Twilight and company realize they have to prepare a swan party, for all of the swans in the city of Canterlot. Yep. A swan party. Of course, things are going to go poorly because swans are temperamental jackasses, but that's the fun of it. The downside is that Twilight immediately sends away the castle help because she thinks she's supposed to handle this with the Mane Six. Things immediately turn to (yay).
Meanwhile, on the other side of the schoo-, I mean, with Celestia and Luna, they are filling out their itinerary, and it's so cute to see them giggling like fillies as they decide what they want to do, where they want to go, what they're going to wear (Luna's hawaiian shirts are perfect, IMO).
Then we get a song. Oh, a song from the royal sisters. Can it get more awesome? Yes. It's a really good song, and even partway through the song as they visit art museums, go on ziplines, fall down Rainbow Falls in barrels, and engage in truly terrifying stunts, it becomes clear that Celestia wants to enjoy the thrill of living, while Luna is more an introvert and wants to read, sleep, and just recuperate from where she has to take care of her sleeping ponies every night.
So Celestia the extrovert, and Luna the introvert (and NERD!) eventually start clashing. Finally, the manes come out, and they start yelling, and say some hurtful things to one another, and separate, going off in opposite directions to do their own thing.
Meanwhile, back in Canterlot, everything has gone to (yay), as the decorations aren't done, the food isn't ready, nothing has been arranged, and the swans are honking at them from outside. Also, the trash workers are on strike, and it's a mess all around.
Fancy Pants (whom Rarity calls rude, which is a surprise since he's usually so polite and formal) finally lets Twilight know that the Princesses never plan the party alone, that no pony could do that much work on their own.
Finally Twilight figures out her true power: delegating. Getting everypony into the swing of things, the Mane Six and company finally get everything on a roll, and it all starts coming together with the power of bureaucracy.
Back in the world of vacation exploits, Luna goes to the beach and reads, falling asleep only to wake up with a terrible sunburn (I winced), and she tells herself Celestia would have reminded her to wear it in the first place. Celestia goes skydiving, and is reminded that only Luna can really hear her, and connects with her, which makes her feel alone.
They finally meet up on a forest path, and decide that since they're both going to see the sunrise/moonset, they might as well go together. This, of course, leads to them sitting together in one of the sweetest moments I've seen in a while, and realizing how much they love and need one another. They make up, and both watch the sunrise, and the moonset, only to realize that both are happening at the same time, and that the sun and moon seem a little out of control, and that clearly Twilight has encountered some kind of trouble.
They fly off towards Canterlot, and we can hear Twilight in the castle up ahead shouting for tape so she can fix the amulet.
This was a great episode, and we finally got to see our royal sisters day in the life/vacation episode many of us have been begging for since the first season. Easily one of my favorite episodes of season 9, and an easy A+.
Now, on to the mid-season hiatus.
