Welcome once again fillies and gentlecolts to another edition of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic recap/review. Last week, our episode focused on Rainbow Dash as she searched for the most awesome pet. So, the natural decision when it comes to episode choice would of course be another Rainbow Dash episode. I mean hey, gotta capitalize on the whole “double rainbow” thing somehow huh? So, after a solid episode last week, does Dash go 2 for 2? Let’s find out in “The Mysterious Mare Do Well!”
We open the episode at the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, where the Rainbow Dash fan club is being held (Yes, she actually has a fan club) where the members debate on a new term for how awesome Dash truly is. Dash, unbeknownst to the rest of the club suggests that she should be considered “Superultraextremeawesomazing”, which they all instantly agree on.
After spying on her adoring fans, Dash takes a swim in the clouds. But that is cut short to the screams of a filly that has fallen into a well. Dash immediately heads to the rescue of the young filly, and saves her in time. The ponies of Ponyville gives her praise before she leaves. Later a foal carriage is headed towards a badly placed cliff. But Dash manages to save the carriage and the young one in the nick of time. Later still, she manages to save some elder ponies from a collapsing balcony.
For each of her heroic actions, Rainbow Dash gets more and more praise from the everypony in town. This starts to put her ego in overdrive, and she begins to brag more and more about her accomplishments. She even hires Spike to be the ghostwriter of her autobiography. However, the only ones not happy about her actions are her friends, who feel she’s over doing it with her lack of modesty.
Later, she signs autographs to her adoring fans, when suddenly a hot air balloon bursts, with the pony inside facing imminent death. Dash flies to the rescue , but not before signing autographs, and spouting her catchphrase. However, before she can make it in time, a mysterious masked pony arrives on the scene and manages to save the pony before Dash can make it. The mayor of Ponyville dubs the masked hero as the Mysterious Mare Do Well. But Dash would rather call her the pony that stole her glory.
We immediately open act two with a carriage plummeting down that same hill from earlier (who in the hell thought putting a road on a steep hill would be a good idea?). Dash tries to save the day, but is thwarted again by Mare Do Well. Later, a construction site collapses, and Dash tries again to be the hero. But yet again, Mare Do Well beats her to the punch. Dash even tries to stop a dam from breaking, only to cause it to collapse. But Mare Do Well, being a unicorn, manages to fix the dam. Dash also discovers that not only is Mare Do Well a unicorn, but she can also fly as well.
Rainbow Dash begins to lose it, and tries to help other ponies who don’t need her help at all. From helping Granny Smith cross the street, to an incident with a stuck peanut butter jar. She even tries to thwart evil weeds by mowing the grass. However, this makes her look more lame to others, and she loses even more respect.
Dash gets depressed over the fact that nopony wants her help anymore. She’s greeted by Scootaloo, who invites her to the parade being held for Mare Do Well (Yes, even Scootaloo has turned on Dash). At the parade, Dash confronts Mare Do Well, who runs off. Dash gives chase, but Mare Do Well gives her a serious runaround. Dash eventually manages to pin down the heroic pony. She unmasks Mare Do Well, who is in actuality…
DON KNOTTS!
Oh wait, he’s dead.
Actually, it was all her friends. Each of them dressed up as Mare Do Well, in order to teach Rainbow Dash a lesson that a real hero doesn’t brag about their accomplishments. The episode ends with Rainbow Dash writing a letter to Princess Celestia.
Well, this episode sure had its share of heroics. But was it super? Well, let’s get into Pros and Cons to see just how things evened out.
PRO
First off, I loved the design of Mare Do Well. I got serious vibes on classic hero characters like the Shadow, Cybersix, and most importantly Darkwing Duck. If the mane six were ever looking for a sidekick, I could see the Cutie Mark Crusaders all vying for the honor of being The Launchpad to Mare Do Well’s Darkwing.
I loved the idea of using practically every hero cliche in the book. Everything from Timmy in the Well to the collapsing dam were all used excellently. It really helped make the hero gimmick of the episode work well.
I liked the twist of making Rainbow Dash’s friends all being Mare Do Well (Well, except for Rarity who made the outfits). It makes the moral work better, and in the end having it being one of her friends instead of a total stranger, or a nonsensical character made for a far better payoff.
One scene I loved was during Rainbow Dash’s low point, trying to help a pony with a peanut butter jar, despite that pony not wanting her help. The pony’s dry, irritated reaction made for a really great chuckle worthy moment.
CON
The episode was very slow at points, despite all of the action involved. And while the cliches were all well used, and needed for the plot, they weren’t perfect either. The pace could have been handed a bit better.
The lack of Tank was a bit saddening, especially after having the whole last episode devoted into making the character matter. I get that there was no need, still a cameo wouldn’t have hurt.
Rainbow Dash’s ego again became a sticking point in this episode. Yet again, it was important for the moral, but that’s the problem. Are the only story directions for Dash at this point just ones that involve her arrogance being her downfall? Because that’s already getting tiring quick. Especially when it’s being well established that she isn’t learning from her mistakes. Hell, she’s just getting more of an ego and a chip on her shoulder with every starring role. Now I’m not saying Dash should never have episodes, just that there needs to be a fresh plot idea for the character, and needed badly before the character suffers more for a lack of one.
But the biggest sticking point is that this is the second Rainbow Dash episode in a row. Just like my issues with Cutie Mark Crusaders episodes, I think a big issue with this show can be it’s poor decisions when placing episodes in order. When two or more episodes in a row focus on the same character, it hurts them in the long run. And I think this hurt Dash especially. It also didn’t help that it seemed like nothing from the last episode mattered or was even relevant. Therefore making it pointless to have two episodes focusing on the same character in a row really being a terrible idea.
The Mysterious Mare Do Well is an okay episode. And okay is being generous. It was a good idea on paper, but a lot of the things within weren’t handled as well as they should have been, leaving for what is to this point the weakest episode of the season. It’s still got some enjoyable parts, but in this situation, The Mysterious Mare Did Bad.
RATING: 5 out of 10
Next week, we get a reprieve from Rainbow Dash, and put the spotlight on Rarity. When major social connections in Canterlot beckon for her, will Rarity be forced to leave her friends? Or will Rarity do whatever it takes to be “Sweet and Elite”? We’ll see in 7.
Until next week Bronies and Pegasisters.