*MLP Fan Commentary* S9E11: Student Counsel

Today, we watch as Starlight Glimmer grapples with a heavy workload as guidance counselor, and what it leads to.
MLP:FiM is property of Lauren Faust and Hasbro

[@EmpathNaga]

(puts on his best Mudbriar voice: ) Technically, basilisks and cockatrices are extremely closely related in myths, to the point that some even believe that they're different terms for the same creature. Serpents that will kill you or petrify you with their gaze or touch. From what I can tell, the main difference is how they look - cockatrices have wings and feathers, basilisks are purely serpentine. They're also hatched differently. A cockatrice is from a cockerel incubating a snake egg, while a basilisk is the exact opposite.

[@masteroftheassassins]

Sad thing is, I heard that in his voice. Well done

[@joshblackwell8632]

If this is the last Starlight & Trixie episode of the season they made their last focused episode together a very great one.

[@crovax1375]

So Starlight was worried that Silverstream was going out to the forest and getting stoned? Seems like pretty accurate concern for a student counselor! Also seeing Terramar again was nice

[@SuperSwordman1]

There are two major thoughts I have for this episode. First of all, this episode pushed me into shiping Starlight Glimmer and Trixie. I was always on the fence about if it should be Starlight Trixie or Starlight Starburst. But, much like slice of life for Lyra and Bon Bon, no way you can just call these two friends. Second, I am SO glad that Mudbriar is being treated as the annoying ass he can be. I mean, even Maud clearly has a limit on this 'technically' thing. It's a lot easier not to want to buck him in the face when the other characters in the show are allowed to be in the right in hating him (unlike a certain party pony in his debut episode). And as this is the only Starlight episode in memory that doesn't make me want to rage to the heavens and call her 'Sunset Lite' or 'Sunset Shimmer Diet', there are a few thoughts on specific moments I want to share. 8:49 She knows what she did. She isn't even sorry about it. 16:47 eye widen = Maud gasp 23:55 Creepiness maxing out here Maud 26:00 Best. Maud moment. EVER 27:19 "I wasn't kidding" Hey, she probably could still eat that thing. We've seen rock soup. And while I"m sure the number of people saying this are reaching the triple digits, but you MUST remain as BLIND AS POSSIBLE for the next episode.

[@SpacialRend7]

Similar to Starlight, I kinda get into certain situations concerning my time in school and spending quality time with family/friends and it’s not always easy at times. But, I do my best to keep these things well balanced between the two and to draw the lines when absolutely necessary. As for this episode, it was good. It was nice to have a large group of characters in this story and I liked seeing how they played off each other too. Also, it was great to see that Silverstream was able to befriend a Cockatrice, I’m sure that Fluttershy would be proud of this latest development; I know I am.

[@djpyroteknikz135]

"...I think the remaining episodes you absolutely want to see blind are episodes (9,) 12, and 13. Trust me, it will be worth it." - SuperSonicHeroes (( 05 / 24 / 2019 ) // Frenemies) I stand by SSH's statement. The last two episodes for this first half of Season 9 needs the blind experience.

[@mikistenbeck6517]

YAS! *_THEY DO! :D_*

[@autumbreeze1129]

Episode 14, though... hmm. Maybe he should stay blind for that one, though I don't see it being needed as much as those you listed

[@supersonicheroes]

DJ Pyro Teknikz I know I am late since I didn’t find this comment until now, but thanks for agreeing with me.

[@yoshifan3077]

5:44 poor pony He looked like he was in a verge into tears And come on trixie Hes asking for help

[@bencemajor4905]

Starlight was going back and forth like Terramar, and that was annoying for Trixie. When Trixie arrived to Starlight's office the first time, she should have declared: - The counsellor's office is closed. BEAT IT! And at 8:46 I'm sure Garble and his friends would do the same with their textbooks and threaten Twilight to burn down the schools library. Why? Because they are not interested in learning. A lot of children feel that way.

[@funcoolfunfun]

This is among my favorite episodes of the series.

[@Savannah_Simpson]

It’s definitely really good. However, it’s a bit overshadowed by episode 12.

[@funcoolfunfun]

@@Savannah_Simpson Yeah, I have to agree there.

[@masteroftheassassins]

Love that you mentioned Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too

[@jackfrost7819]

Starlight is busier then a super hear in a crime spree

[@Narrator007]

Alright, time to watch TPrower laugh hysterically at Maud's puns and freak out over the sudden dangerous turn of the episode when Starlight and company head into the Everfree-- Wait, _fan_ commentary? I can't believe this wasn't a blind commentary! This totally deserved to be one!

[@Narrator007]

1. 2:12 Starlight: "Being able to use the experiences of my checkered past to help young students feels pretty great." And being able to say that while standing on this checkered cloth feels pretty clever. ;-) 2. 3:17 "There's nothing wrong with taking pride in the work you do, Glimmy, but you can't neglect your friends." Or lovers. Not that they are, of course... 3. 4:13 "Why not use a thesaurus?" Because grilling Glimmy is a lot more fun than reading a reference book. :) 4. 4:44 "Being too generous with her time has gotten her utterly swamped!" When you put it that way, this sounds like Suited for Success 2.0! 5. 7:49 As many times as Twilight has teleported around Ponyville over the years, I'm surprised nothing like this ever happened to _her._ 6. 8:20 Where is Rarity when you need her? That mare knows how to get out of a sticky situation. :D 7. 11:14 "Sorry, Silvy." Saying no to Silverstream would be almost as hard as saying no to Fluttershy for me, personally. 8. 11:53 "Down, Trixie!" I hope she's had her shots, for Mudbriar's sake! :) 9. 17:45 "She's just doing that to look impressive." And it's kinda working! 10. 19:25 "You two are perfect for each other..." Nice freeze frame. You made it look like Starlight was gushing over the cute couple. :) 11. 21:40 Maud: "I didn't think I could love him any more..." TPrower: "That's... kinda dark, coming from you Maud, not gonna lie." Even when Fluttershy was talking about wanting to be a tree, she was only wishing it for _herself._ 12. 22:37 "Well, it's lucky those cockatrices are too stupid to realize they can just fly over the wall. Not the brightest of beasts, are they?" There's a reason that "birdbrain" is used as an insult. 13. 22:52 Sunburst: "If this really is a migration, it'll take a full lunar cycle to complete!" Congregating in one place for several weeks? That sounds less like a migration and more like a mating season! 14. 26:00 "Oh Maud, never change." May your character be permanent and unyielding. Like a rock.

[@TPrower]

Sorry, bud. I hadn’t been hearing a lot of requests for this one to be blind, unless I missed them. Hope you’re not too disappointed. I have been hearing that Episode 12 is pure blind material, tho. 1. Pfft. Coincidence? 2. Oh, of course. =P 3. Until she finally loses her temper, of course 4. Kinda does, actually. I wonder what Rarity would think. 5. I guess she’s just a lot more careful and precise about where she teleports 6. Pfft. Never thought I’d see Rose being so adorably silly, in a way that doesn’t involve fainting. 7. I agree.

[@Narrator007]

4. Everyone always looks to Applejack when matters of honesty are the topic of concern, so why shouldn't Rarity be consulted when ponies are having generosity-related issues?

[@michaelespinoza432]

I’m sure others have said this already, but this episode makes me wish there had been room for more of this group: Starlight Glimmer, Sunburst, Trixie, Maud, and Mudbriar. I’m less certain about Terramar, since he doesn’t live in Ponyville; plus ideally you’d want him to have opportunities to be a seapony and go underwater. But if there were, say, a pegasus pony to add, that could sort of make a second “Mane Six” group. Anyway, I like this group because it includes ponies who weren’t specifically created to become friends, and who we might not have guessed would become friends, but they did, and once you see them together it makes sense. I like that because you didn’t get that from the actual Mane Six; this was a more realistic, organic friendship. (Granted, what I said in the above paragraph only applies to Starlight, Trixie, and Maud, but that’s half of six right there. And anyway I like Sunburst and Mudbriar.) While these aren’t all reformed former villains, I would kind of like to see this group go on an epic quest, similarly to what Starlight, Trixie, Thorax, and Discord did in “To Where and Back Again.” On a more personal note: it literally just occurred to me as I was writing, but I can get so caught up in one thing that I lose track of time and everything else. That actually happened to me last night: I fell asleep before I was ready, and woke up at 4 am with my light on, wearing my glasses, and with my phone and charger on my bed. (I did get ready for bed properly and then fall back asleep again.) But this wasn’t for a job, just for personal pleasure. On that note, I do like how we see Trixie getting annoyed with Starlight here, as with “Road to Friendship”, rather than just Starlight getting annoyed with Trixie. I prefer it when friendships aren’t one-sided like that.

[@cincoutmagus5508]

7:06 Hold on... begging? The Grrreat and Powerful Trixie was _begging_ Mrs Cake to give her the recipe for the cake, just so she could share the experience of baking one with Starlight? She really does care for her, doesn't she? 18:21 What's that trope called, again? It's not the Shaggy Search Technique, but it's definitely been used by Shaggy to great effect countless times.

[@supersonicheroes]

This episode was fun for showing Starlight’s friends all together again, and their little adventure in the Everfree forest. Like Discord said, an interesting cast of secondary characters. Maud was in top form in this episode, especially when she was even more attracted to her boyfriend when he was a statue! I think Mudbriar has actually become kinder now. In his first appearance he refused to apologize to Pinkie for the way he spoke even when he knew it annoyed her, but now he corrects himself when he realizes others are in no mood for his over-corrections. 18:05 True, two idiots aren’t endangering a group of students this time. Just one idiot leading her friends in circles. I kid of course!

[@Narrator007]

_Maud was in top form in this episode, especially when she was even more attracted to her boyfriend when he was a statue!_ Remember Pinkie's behavior toward King Grover's statue in Griffonstone? I guess it runs in the family.

[@jacobb4795]

Probably my favorite episode of the season so far

[@EssexAggiegrad2011]

Oh Trixie, you're amazing

[@FarthingFury]

It feels like forever since we've had a Starlight episode (or appearance, she's been sadly absent most of the time) and this felt like a classic. Maybe Silverstream was more dependant than usual and Trixie was being a bit *too* Trixie*, but there were a lot of high points. All the TrixStar shipping, Mudbriar developing really nicely (though no doubt the fandom, and certain people in this comments section, still hate him unjustly), Maud stealing the show as always and some fun little worldbuilding moments. It says a lot about this season that an episode this good is only middle-of-the-pack grade this year. Also, Yona having trouble with her braids? She should be going to Sandbar about that nowadays, heheh. *He says, having declared himself the Trixie of his friend group when first watching this episode with them.

[@yourlocalnoob4938]

Do Starlight and Trixie just..come across as a couple..more and more..every episode they have together? Like?

[@POLE7645]

Alright. I've put it off long enough (mostly celebrating Canada Day). Why are so many of my evenings so busy? (1:46) Think about this. If that series was made 20 years ago, this would've been a beeper. And I'm now having Hey Arnold flashbacks. (3:22) Just give her a smartphone for her birthday. Just saying. (5:19) Trizie, you're getting dangerously close to being a toxic friend on the level of Tommy Wiseau. (8:03) Neither am I, even after seing this episode. And I've done my share of gardening. Are the flowering sticks going to be the "three seashells" of MLP? (8:18) Should I be disturbed that this kind of glue exists in a world inhabited by sentient ponies? (8:34) I'll give you a description. It's the very reason she ought to leave you out to dry. (8:48) Probably an anti-dragon tract that Twilight forgot to burn herself. (9:16) I'll give you two: TERSE and BRIEF!!! (10:17) "I'm warning you, Starlight. This is the last time I'm doing this dramatic reveal thing outside of a stage performance. You realize how boring it is to stand here in the dark without anything to read or light to read it?" (10:50) To quote Jocelyne Letendre, the (usually incompetant and clearely insane) psychologist from Radio-Enfer (my high-school sticom growing up): "It's 4:45. The psychologist office closes at 4:30. So GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!!!" Though to be fair to Jocelyne, she had just recieved a gift from the science club which blew up in her face right before saying that line. Soooo...she is allowed to be peeved. (11:24) Looks like Sombra's cake minus the licorice. (12:38) Sorry. Dr. Wily's castle is further over the hill. (12:50) "Yeah. That's fascinating. Can we have cake, now?" (14:40) Now, TOBEEEEE FAAAAIRR.... (15:42) But why would she put her notes in a book with "Monster Manual' printed on the cover? (17:29) Less talking more running. Before the birds find a new perch. (17:56) At least Mudbriar is good for something. He's checking the moss. (18:15) And this time, there isn't any thick fog to confuse you. What's your excuse? (18:53) So basically, they should've covered Trixie with honey to use her as bait. (19:41) Still surprised Chick-Fil-A hasn't made a comic out of them, considering they want people to eat them. (19:50) He's going to have egg on his face when he realizes that it's actually election day and that's the reason why they're so cranky (and why they're normally solitary). (20:16) Oh. I know Piglet had to go through a similar situation. (*gets a pillowcase over his head*) "Ha! Now I can't hear it and I can't see it. But...the monster can hearmeandseeme...HAAA!!!!" (*runs all over completely blind*) (20:47) Considering Sunburst is usually completely inept at magic...that's a significant power boost. (21:44) Must...resist...telling...that...joke...too...easy... (23:55) She loves that her special somepony is rock hard, right now...dammit! (24:47) So you mean that I didn't need to equip that Silver Mirror to protect myself? I knew that shopkeeper from New Phlam couldn't be trusted. (27:03) You mean there wasn't? How many classes did Silverstream skipped during all those visits? How many students were in lines just to skip some classes? A fun little episode with some characters we didn't expect to see again. I'll wait for tomorrow to react to the special.

[@TPrower]

It's all right. Happy Canada Day, btw (even though I don't live in Canada) 1. Oh, don't remind me of Big Bob. That guy's an asshole. 2. That way, she can text or FaceTime anytime, lol 3. I feel so bad for that poor stallion 4. Ok, I had to look that one up, and I'm still all 'wut' from what I read. 5. Best not to think too deeply about it 6. When Silverstream kept coming with inane questions like this, it's small wonder Starlight didn't even bother the final time 7. Either way, Smolder clearly regrets nothing, the little stinker 8. Concise, in essence. =P 9. This whole episode really makes the two seem like a married couple, and Trixie's about to tell Starlight she's sleeping on the couch. XD 10. Understandable, I'd say 11. That thing wouldn't make it very far on the Great British Bake Off, that's for sure. 12. Can't miss it. Usually has a very obvious skull motif going for it 13. Your apathy astounds me, Trixie 14. At least he's learning to be more aware of when he's being insensitive. Progress =) 15. At least it's not the Monster Book of Monsters 16. One to, as Rockhoof so delicately put it, 'decorate'. 17. So, depending on where Equestria is on the planet, which mossy side of a tree would tell you where civilization is? 18. Blind luck can only get you so far 19. Just make sure Rabbit isn't talking, or else Pooh won't be able to hear, lol 20. If they can make comics about cows turning into superheroes, they can make comics about cockatrices, lol 21. I hate politics in general, so I wouldn't blame them 22. There's always a drawback, lol 23. No kidding. We saw shades of that when he lent his magic in Shadow Play. Trixie's not the only one who's been improving. 24. Good idea, lol 25. And you were doing so well. =P 26. I don't think I know that one 27. Who knows? Time is always so wonky in these episodes, lol I quite agree. =)

[@POLE7645]

@@TPrower 26. It's from a video game, but one that's over 30 years old. More specifically, it's Pool of Radiance. One of the first computer adaptation of AD&D. I'm doing kind of a let's play/blog on my FimFiction blog (www.fimfiction.net/blog/850539/mlp-gaming-pool-of-radiance-1). And I really REALLY need to make a new entry. If you want more details, you can fight cockatrices and basilisks in this game and yes, they can petrify you. Which can be avoided by equipping a mirror (instead of a shield). I'm playing right now and I'm at Mendor's Library and yes, Twilight is twilighting hard here (and recopying passages of a lot of books in her journal since she's on journal duty).

[@mikistenbeck6517]

*_TPROWER!_* do not get spoiled about EP 12, pppppppppplease?

[@autumbreeze1129]

3:07 😑 braids are NOT a big enough problem to be bothering your School Counselor over. 4:13 😑 then ask literally ANYONE ELSE in the school. You should NOT be holding up the School Counselor when there are clearly those in genuine need of her assistance for something literally anyone could help you with. Honestly, I don't see Trixie or Starlight being the ones at fault here. Silver Stream had plenty of time to literally ask ANYONE at the school or in Ponyville for the answers she wanted, bit chose to go to only Starlight the whole time. Mud Briar and Maud were perfect in this episode

[@Lily-jm9vk]

i love nailed it!!!

[@mysticfighter1929]

You should definitely do episode 12 blind

[@hunterhq295]

Next 2 episodes you should watch blind, also not sure how I should take Maud loving Mudbriar more as a statue than a pony.

[@hunterhq295]

Will you react to EG Spring Breakdown blind?

[@bobflame5679]

Can you some of your season 4 redirect mostly you're MLP season 4 episode 18 mud pie reaction

[@Pineapply_Queen]

11:26 What show?

[@yourlocalnoob4938]

Do Starlight and Trixie just..come across as a couple..more and more..every episode they have together? Like?