MLP:FiM S3E12 - "Magical Mystery Cure" Grading & Discussion

[Amaris]

Episode Title: "Magical Mystery Cure"
Episode Air Date: Saturday, February 16th, 2013 / 10:30 AM EST, the HUB

SUMMARY: "When Twilight casts a spell that switches the Cutie Marks and destinies, the only way to reverse the spell is by writing her own magic."

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Ha-chi Ma-chi! The big finale for Season 3. There's a lot that could happen, a lot that might happen, a lot that will happen, and we'll get to see it all crammed into one 22 minute episode. Chills! Spills! Thrills! Um... Gills! This episode will be the one Bronies talk about through the pony drought, and into the next season!

So, once again, you all know the rules! No spoilers until after 5 PM EST. I know, you're going to burst, but everypony has to have a chance to see the episode before everything comes busting out. So here we go, onward to the season finale!

 

[Gepard]

The Twipocalypse approaches! T-minus 16 hours!

For some light pre-episode reading, let's have the wikipedia article on Magical Mystery Tour, the 1960s Beatles' film that leant this a title. What intriguing hints may we find inside?

During the course of the tour, "strange things begin to happen" at the whim of "four or five magicians", four of whom are played by the Beatles themselves and the fifth by long-time road manager Mal Evans.
......
The film is punctuated by musical interludes, which include the Beatles performing "I Am the Walrus" wearing animal masks, George Harrison singing "Blue Jay Way" while waiting on Blue Jay Way Road and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band performing Vivian Stanshall and Neil Innes's "Death Cab For Cutie" sung by Stanshall.

Hmm. Magicians mixing it up for ordinary citizens? Lots of singing and dancing? Eeeeeeeeneresting. *steeples fingers*

 

[Amaris]

I, for one, welcome our geeky, OCD, lavender coated savior!

 

[Gepard]

Would you believe that I cannot find a single meet-up group in LA that's screening the finale? Normally bronies are crawling out of the woodwork with events and house parties, but it's like everyone is hunkered down in bunkers or something.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I can't believe it's going to be over already.

A finale in the middle of February has the potential to destroy the universe, especially if it's ponies!

 

[Gepard]

Well, we still have season 4 to look forward to. A full 26-episode order, no less.

 

[DarkHorizon]

WHAT?!

Also,

Spoiler: WHAT?!

they should have done an "In a Mirror, Darkly"/"The One That Could Have Been"-style title sequence (although I suppose they want the other characters to be a surprise.)

EDIT: Wow, this is really great. I was dreading this based on what had leaked out (i.e.

Spoiler: spoiler images

Alicorn Twi

). Loving the songs.

 

[Gepard]

Spoiler: Celestia

Celestia: "Let's send this super-dangerous unfinished spell to Twilight and ask her to finish it without ever explaining what it is. TROLOLOLOLOLO."

 

[DarkHorizon]

Yeah, this bit I'm not so keen on...

EDIT: Up until that last few minutes, that was one of the best episodes ever. Then it started making the kind of sense that's not. Still, if, as M.A. Larson says, this is really the first part of a three-part story, I'm prepared to reserve judgement... a little.

It really should have been longer too, exploring more of

Spoiler: central plot

the Mane Six being not themselves a bit more.

 

[Gepard]

Well. That happened.

After weeks of drama, all I'm feeling is weary relief that it's over with. Can't say I enjoyed it much otherwise. It was super-rushed and the end was nauseating. Swapped cutie marks were fun, but as you say, we didn't spend nearly enough time on them.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

I'll go out on a limb here and say I enjoyed it very much. We got...

Spoiler: The Episode

A MUSICAL EPISODE which makes up for not having as much the rest of the season. I have to say I really enjoyed it and we heard Celestia sing, darn it! And... it wasn't Twily that screwed up so much. It was Celestia's fault. And Starswirl's.
If this is indeed a three-parter, I'll find it interesting to see what's added in the next few months. But whatever, I thought it was pretty good, though I would have enjoyed a two-part season finale, myself.

 

[Kemaiku]

Absolutely loved it, pretty much exactly what I've been expecting and imaginging from the pilot to now.

A+

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Well, that was not good.

It's not even the whole Alicorn thing. The episode was just so rushed. It felt like the smashed the plots from two different stories together and didn't give either one a chance to develop.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

*dances with Chem*

 

[Kemaiku]

*dances with Chem*

yup

And Derpy not one but 4 appearances.

Alicorn properly canonised and even remarked about how it was never known for them be made, only born, so there.

 

[Gepard]

Derpy Hooves all up in this bidniss:

Can I get an "amen?" Hallelujah!

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

Amen to that, at least! I'm happy that she's not gone for good, and makes her return with a vengeance!

 

[Gepard]

The wink above all excites me. Suggests that not all is lost.

"Miss me?"

 

[Kemaiku]

It all pales, of course, in comparison to the sight of Luna in her little dress smiling right at the screen.

 

[T.Geiger]

This episode is kind of a microcosm of the season as a whole. Not great, very rushed, and much more a "young girls" show. (I will stop short of calling the songs unnecessary and unremarkable, unlike the rest of the season.) If they can't do better next season, I think they should just leave it at three, as this episode still works well enough to be a capstone.