My Little Pony - Friendship Is Magic: Episode 513 - Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep?

Rating:

M.A. Larson joked on Twitter that Scott Sonneborn was his pen name, but Do Princesses Dream Of Magic Sheep? suggests it is one for Meghan McCarthy instead.  Luna asks the mane six for help battling bad dreams, but this somehow includes a retconned villain and “that was easy” plot solutions.  Apparently figuring third time’s the charm, directors Jayson Thiessen and Jim Miller offer yet another story, but this time their premise is excellent.  Unfortunately, one can feel Sonneborn battling against his own script, as he just isn’t good enough to pull the episode off.  With My Little Pony visiting dreams once again, Sonneborn was given an opportunity to have fun and go crazy, which sort of happened.  There are isolated strong moments, but Sonneborn can’t find consistency or move away from mane six stereotypes.  However, Princesses feels enjoyable overall and Luna’s final development unquestionably elevates the episode over Sonneborn’s other works.  Considering what could have been though, it’s still disappointing.  Sonneborn never matches the joyful mood of Larson’s outings, with too many scenes feeling insincere.  Would Applejack really enjoy a dream about one big apple, or would Rarity find those creepy ugly dresses flying around “divine”?  These show Sonneborn doesn’t have adequate character knowledge or insight, and the animators adding a few background pony references can’t make up for this deficiency.  He never shakes a feeling of incompetence, which prevents Princesses from matching season five’s other top efforts.  This episode could have been great in someone else’s hands, since the freedom of dreams allows much potential for character development.  But it didn’t happen, and Sonneborn got caught up enough in what he explored that the ending feels extremely rushed.  Clearly having other writing partners kept Sonneborn out of the doghouse, since Luna’s development far exceeds his season four efforts.  But it was also probably part of Thiessen and Miller’s story, and seems tacked on in Confalone’s structure.  Princesses still provides plenty to like, but the premise couldn’t be screwed up and most My Little Pony writers would have produced a better script.  Oh, and Tank’s awake now and perfectly fine.  So much for that episode about “dying” then.

Luna greets something named Tantabus (later called a “blue smoke monster”) while the mane six rush toward her throne room location.  They are too late though, as the Tantabus again turns Luna into Nightmare Moon.  Using Tree of Harmony magic, they envelop Jument Séléniaque in a colored ball of goodness, but she resists this powerful charge.  Unfortunately, the Tantabus disappears through a window, which lets our ponies blast Luna back to normal.  She is hugged in celebration, but suddenly wakes up in her moon-shaped bed.  Perplexed at the dream’s happy ending, Luna looks rather distraught.

The mane six are having a pet grooming day together (including Rainbow Dash, who’s bathing Tank front and center), but they all look dead tired.  Everyone assembled (except Spike) somehow had the same “bad” dream, which they soon discover after some slapstick comedy and shouting in unison.  Figuring this couldn’t possibly be coincidental, Twilight writes Luna to ask if she might know anything.  Her arrival immediately after the letter’s sending answers their questions affirmatively.

Luna explains the Tantabus is a dream parasite that previously only existed in her nightmares.  Observing these may now not be enough, she figures the mane six have been “infected” from appearing in Luna’s dreams.  If it can leave Luna’s subconscious, the real world will probably be next.  Beds are subsequently set up in Twilight’s room so Luna can monitor their forthcoming dreams.  Celestia isn’t invited to help because they didn’t want to pay Nicole Oliver for another episode she has no power over dreams.

Rarity gets visited first, and those horrid dresses flying around apparently don’t count as a nightmare.  Things do get worse once the Tantabus inhabits a dress that turns monstrous, but Rarity and Luna fight it off.  Pinkie Pie’s dream consists of her jumping past various backgrounds from earlier shows.  After arriving at the bakery, a large cake comes to life à la Super Mario RPG.  Luna defends this attack also, but the Tantabus escapes when Pinkie changes settings again.

Fluttershy has her hair combed by a giant Angel, but this too somehow isn’t nightmarish.  The Tantabus shows why by making him an even bigger monster, but Luna swoops in and rescues Fluttershy (for now).  Applejack will soon be fucking a huge apple, which isn’t affected when trees start wilting.  In the only decent dream, Dash is kicking some Changeling ass as an action hero star, yet only this one makes Luna think she’s interrupted a nightmare.  Dash actually hates the sickly sweet landscape her dream soon changes into.

Of course Twilight studies in a huge library, because she’s so nerdy.  Some of her books become monsters, but Luna again saves the day by turning the Tantabus to crystal.  This prison doesn’t last long though, and everyone jolts awake as it breaks free.  Luna has failed, and frets about the further harm she has brought (the mane six appear completely traumatized, especially Rainbow Dash).  And that one part of Pinkie’s dream where she went to Ponyville after the Tantabus left has apparently now put them all in danger.

Since going into each dream would be too hard, Luna will hope to catch the Tantabus in one big communal reverie.  She already sort of did during Bloom And Gloom, so realizing this isn’t a retcon.  There’s no way everyone in Ponyville would be asleep at the same time, but close enough I guess, whatever, let’s go.  While a few residents enjoy their shared experience (would Lyra and Bon Bon really love being joined together though?), the Tantabus soon changes that.  Like before, it starts inhabiting buildings and nearly eats various ponies (including Filthy Rich, who gets a surprise second vocal appearance).  Gradually, the mane six realize everyone present has unlimited powers since they’re all dreaming, and Ponyville must help stop the Tantabus from escaping into reality, which seems quite imminent.

Despite many heroic efforts, the Tantabus doesn’t yield and only grows stronger.  Spike recognizes one such increase occurred after Luna expresses fear that she will soon cause Equestria’s demise, which prompts the princess’ admission that she created the Tantabus.  As self-flagellation, Luna desired the same nightmare every night to atone for her Nightmare Moon days, but it has now grown out of control from increasing guilt.  Going the convincing speech route, Twilight and friends believe Luna could stop the Tantabus if she just forgives herself and feels better.  After another protestation, she agrees and does so.  Suddenly, the now pony-shaped Tantabus is stopped and absorbs itself back into Luna.  That was easy.  Crisis averted, the end.  Everyone else wakes up happy and relieved, but Luna will still need a couple more hours to recover from being traumatized.

Princesses is ostensibly Luna’s episode, and the ending provides plenty of unexpected information about her.  But does it really make sense?  In a rather Christian reaction (not appropriate for this show), Luna punishes herself every night.  What exactly did she do to deserve this?  Only twice previously has Luna become Nightmare Moon.  She returns in the pilot, momentarily banishes Celestia somewhere, and mildly annoys the mane six before they change her back with the Elements.  Princess Twilight shows Luna’s original transformation, as she attacks and apparently almost kills Celestia before being sent to the moon for one thousand years.  Whatever charge she receives is debatable, but Luna did hard time for either assault, attempted murder, or possibly treason (and more than some convicted murderers get).  Most people would consider that enough for barely scratching Celestia.  The mane six only really came together as they “battled” Nightmare Moon, when her biggest offenses consist of sticking a thorn into an animal’s paw and chopping off part of Steven Magnet’s mustache.  No one was hurt or too traumatized from these events (Magnet snipped it again himself in Slice Of Life).  Frankly, Trixie did more by taking over Ponyville in Magic Duel than Luna, whose absurdly long prison sentence should cover any alleged crimes.

Not that Luna couldn’t still feel guilty for her actions, and she understandably might fear Nightmare Moon’s return someday.  But adding more punishment never feels right since Luna didn’t really do anything deserving.  Certainly other villains have been worse, and wanting to plunge the world into darkness isn’t the same as actually doing so.  This “revelation” for her doesn’t seem integral since it falls apart upon any close thinking.  Such a weighty admission also happens extremely late, which leaves no time for impact or exploration.  Then Sonneborn has Luna recover from years to millennia-long guilt in around one minute.  Everything about Princesses’ important subject was handled poorly.

Sonneborn fares little better with the mane six, whose reactions and lines are always off.  Fluttershy sees a horridly scary looking Angel, and only stammers rather than screaming (which in this case is completely justified).  Rainbow Dash returns to extreme bravado, making sure everyone knows she isn’t scared and is absolutely the fastest and most athletic pony in Equestria.  Dash’s dream taps into another masculine fantasy, which doesn’t help the show’s (or any supporter’s) case that she isn’t trans-something.  But this treatment is stereotypical rather than showing us anything new about her.  Along with the aforementioned Rarity and Applejack problems, and Twilight only caring about books, Sonneborn fails to offer any insight into our main characters’ private moments.

His dialogue and background characters are likewise substandard.  The mane six shout in unison too many times (even once qualifies), which didn’t work in Make New Friends and is still unrealistic.  After an enormous Derpy (why exactly?) and the Lyra-Bon Bon mash-up, Big Mac turns himself into a princess.  Is he a tranny now?  Because Sonneborn pretty much just canonized it.  Not that I care obviously, but this subject is hastily brushed under the rug while not really fitting Big Mac’s character.  I know, it was just supposed to be funny, but raising unwanted questions is never good.  With so many character failings (Filthy Rich throws money at his problem because he’s rich, get it?), Sonneborn’s lucky not to receive a worse rating.

Seeing Meghan McCarthy’s name as story editor isn’t surprising, since Princesses represents her view of the series.  She quickly spins characters and storylines, but her resolutions always feel rushed and poorly thought out.  Calling her a glorified fan fiction writer would be quite accurate.  Where Larson celebrates My Little Pony’s history as he develops already seen (or spoken of) characters, McCarthy shits on them by importing unwanted new ones who don’t offer anything interesting.  She seems so intent on rewriting the series into her own image that artistry and whatever messages end up being sent are completely irrelevant.  Sonneborn follows her blueprint exactly even given relatively few retcons.  This is McCarthy’s episode in all but name, and it represents a flawed and backward view of My Little Pony.

Even through an enjoyable and unique adventure, Sonneborn can’t mask his unsatisfactory writing.  Nothing exists beyond a surface story which better not be thought about much.  But who wants to think today anyways?  Not anyone believing Princesses stands among season five’s top episodes.  Too many other writers put thought and actual character knowledge into their scripts for this to be true.  Sonneborn can have his glory from leeching off a good story, but he’ll never point the way forward toward anything.  McCarthy is gone, and Sonneborn should follow her given what he’s produced.  If Princesses is his best effort, he won’t ever cut it.