"Sounds of Silence" Review

[@jessicaharmond5743]

Kirins are mythical creates form Asian mythology. Their legend varies form country to country but , are most commonly depicted as half Deer and half Dragon. They are very elegant mysterious creatures known for walking on water. They are also depicted as half Ox and half Dragon. Fun fact: Nirik is Kirin backwards.

[@equinoxomega3600]

Last week I happened to be in Japan and found this Kirin beer in the supermarket: de.tinypic.com/r/am7610/9 , which of course I had to buy (and taste) with this episode in mind.

[@sunshinecrystal2001]

"Nirik is Kirin backwards" I was going to say that

[@dinosaysrawr]

I noticed that the music in the episode sounded Asian-inspired!

[@aoyukinana]

@Mary De Young they are also known as unicorn dragon and also Giraffes

[@ambermargheim5726]

Every time he says world building. I think of generating world. In minecraft. Also I miss them already. The talking one is just like me. Also good eye! Didn't see the backwards things

[@greenstarlover1]

Possible character choices for equestrian phantom of the opera: Christine- fluttershy Raoul- rainbow dash Phantom- pinkie pie (because it will be funny)/ discord Carlotta- rarity Managers of the opera house- flim and flam/ filthy and spoiled rich Little meg- twilight? Madam giry- saphire shores/ twilight's mom/ Candace idk Now that I'm thinking about it, this will make a pretty good pinkie tales.

[@nathanhiggs2996]

Loved your review Dr. Wolf. It is worth noting the Kirin are based off a Chinese creature called a Qilin, also sometimes refereed to as a Chinese Unicorn. I love the show writers are staring to take leads from other cultures myth instead of just just Greek.

[@kuro_neko5863]

The very first thing that jumped to my mind is how when Twilight lost her temper in Feeling Pinkie Keen she ignited similar to how the Kirin do, except light instead of dark. The fanfiction authors are going to have a field day with that. Autumn Blaze was a fun character, and her actress really had a set of pipes. That song was great. I'll pick it up on iTunes if Hasbro ever decides to release more songs there (still waiting for season 7 songs).

[@BPJD2004]

I've read a fanfiction where Twilight is told that she has Kirin blood somewhere in her ancestry, and then she meets Autumn Blaze. That's about as far as I had gotten, but it was an interesting concept.

[@Constantine_Cvl8]

​@@BPJD2004Seeking Power. Haven't finished reading that one, but I do enjoy seeing archmage Twilight in action.

[@justinriley]

BTW, Am I the only one who thought that the way the Nirik got angry in this episode was similar to Tom Lucitor from Star VS. The Forces of Evil?

[@noneabove9583]

Nope,but your right👍

[@theberrby6836]

Nope. 👍

[@kittyfoxcat]

Yep

[@masteroflag]

And the doc forgot the Queen forced everyone into the stream of silence and banished the only pony who undid it

[@KeeKage37]

masteroflag The queen gave her the choice wether to stay and remain silent or keep her voice but not stay in the village. Also they all agreed to go in the stream, they weren’t forced. Shame they seemed to forget that choice aspect with apple jack and flutter shy.

[@masteroflag]

Keegan Kopcik it was an order she gave them as their queen, not a choice. She did give Blaze a choice, but only knowing that Blaze loved to talk which is why it was banishment if she didn’t pick. Basically while they all agreed it was the right thing to do at the time it was the Queen who commanded and made sure everyone got into the stream. Heck she didn’t even say anything. The song explained she screamed “no more fighting” and then they all walked into the stream with her watching like a hawk in the clip

[@Secret_Moon]

She is the leader. At the time of crisis she need to give strong and quick decision to resolve the issue. And like Autumnblaze, they are allowed to reverse it if they want. AB was actually allowed to roam and express herself after getting her voice back. She was only required to choose after she became disruptive to other kirins and it was probably the other kirins themselves who brought her in front of the queen.

[@masteroflag]

Secret Moon that’s an assumed case. One caused by the fact that the reason they even went into the stream in the first place Autumnblaze didn’t show in her song: she didn’t get angry at all. But similarly it was shown she could not get through charades easy and only learned out to calmly blow her stack after being banished otherwise AJ and Fluttershy wouldn’t need to show up. Combo that with her joke about the play and being Charles Kane and it wasn’t just her being annoying, she was getting angry, especially since she was making slanderous reviews of other Kirrin’s work according to the song. While we are on the song the other Kirin were in fact visibly emotional and angry right until they went into the stream. Meaning they didn’t make a proper choice of their own and were either still pissed about what they were fighting about earlier or that they had to be silenced. So yeah I’m blaming this all on the leader who is actually the only other Kirin to talk in the entire episode.

[@Secret_Moon]

Sorry I don't get it, which part do you say is "assumed"? First, it was shown during the song that after burning down their village, the Kirins were still arguing. It was a dangerous situation and they could have burn down the whole forest, so the queen had to issue the silence treatment. It's the same as when the authority has to use tear gas and water cannon to dismiss a riot. It's not a violation of people's right to have demonstration but rather a temporary solution to maintain order when the situation gets out of hand. And it was a temporary one. The Kirins were not forced to stay silenced, as we see AB wasn't forced to retake the silence vow immediately but was allowed to speak freely. And if she was allowed to, then any other Kirin would be allow to retake their voice if they so chose, they just need to ask AB for the cure. But they didn't. Every Kirins besides AB wanted to stay silenced because they saw that it was effective and they were afraid they would lose to anger again. And as shown during the song when AB tried too hard to convince them it annoyed them, so she was required to choose whether to stay or leave. It was a request from the whole village, not a judgement by the queen alone.

[@DminorWolfy]

Not to mention it is super hard to hunt a kirin. I usually depend on a really big hammer and bombs. But seriously though, Rarity= Primma donna Princess Celestia= Madame Geri Twilight = Geri's daughter Shining Armor = Raul Princess Cadence= Christine Pinkie pie and Applejack= the showrunners Rainbow dash= the persian from the book. Also athletic. Turok or someone else to play phantom. That one and the rest of them will need more thought. Oh, Chrysilis as the phantom. Oops just rewrote the plot for Royal Wedding.

[@BlueDragonknight375]

I like using a sword with magic oils.

[@DminorWolfy]

@@BlueDragonknight375 that's cool. what video game is that from?

[@spdclan72]

@@DminorWolfy Monster Hunter.

[@DminorWolfy]

@@spdclan72 eyyy 👉👉

[@justinriley]

A lot of people see this episode's moral as a lesson about Free Speech, and while they're not wrong per say, I think that there's more to it than that: The moral isn't really advocating for absolute freedom of speech over self censorship so much as it is arguing for compromise. You should be able to express your opinions/views, even if it might anger/alienate others. However, you should never Express your opinions/views in a negative and abusive manner.

[@ShamankingXYZ]

Not quite. The idea you're proposing as a compromise is to remain civilized regardless of circumstances. That's not reasonable or enforceable. People will always disagree over something, and that disagreement can be something both parties feel very strongly about. Sometimes your views on a topic are negative, you'll say something that pisses people off. Who gets to decide what constitutes an opinion expressed in a "negative/abusive" way? What you end up with is essentially legislation against people being mean to one another. Also minor point: freedom of speech is the law. Free speech is a principle of non-censorship. At that point you've violated the spirit of the law and the principle of free speech.

[@justinriley]

@@ShamankingXYZ You bring up a very valid point. I also don't think that you should always be civil/nice. There are time where Anger is logical response. I do however think that Anger should be used in a proactive and positive manner though.

[@Kartoffelkamm]

Personally, I see the episode as a way to teach about anger management, something I myself struggled with for years when I was younger. The Kirin turn into Nirik when they got angry, and because they couldn´t control their anger, it destroyed everything around them. So they gave up all their emotions, and their voice, in order to keep their anger in check. But, as we saw with Autumn Blaze, it is possible for them to turn into Nirik and not become violent arsonists. To me, this episode did something so many other shows/movie/etc. failed to do: Show that it´s ok to be angry, and that it is possible to control your anger. So far, all I´ve seen is episodes where characters had to learn not to get angry, when in actuality, that´s nigh-impossible. Trust me, I´ve spent almost a decade trying to not get angry. I got angrier the more I tried to suppress my anger. The real solution to anger issues isn´t anger suppression, but anger management. Sadly, many creators mistake the former for the latter.

[@justinriley]

@@Kartoffelkamm That too. Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences. However, it's important to channel that anger in a positive and proactive manner rather than letting it control you.

[@ShamankingXYZ]

@@justinriley I think you get it though, without an objective standard or unanimous opinion there is no compromising on something like free speech, we either have it for everyone or we don't have it at all. Anger has its place but it shouldn't consume you or cloud your judgement. Something that Autumn Blaze demonstrates but I wish that this episode did more with than just a short gag.

[@justinriley]

Yet another very good episode. It's easily the second funniest episode of Season 8, right behind "On The Road To Friendship". The Kirin are a very welcome addition to the lore of MLP, Rachel Bloom is a delight as Autumn Breeze, the song "A Kirin Tale" is the highlight of the episode, and the moral about being honest about expressing your feelings/views while also being careful about how you express them is a very timely one.

[@justinriley]

@Timber Humphrey It really is. The first half of Season 8 had a few gems: "Surf and/or Turf", "Molt Down", "Horse Play", and "The Break-Up Breakdown". But there were also several okay/mediocre episodes and one just pain awful episode: "Non-Compete Clause". However, Season 8 has gone from okay to very solid thanks to episodes like "The Hearth's Warming Club", "On The Road to Friendship", "The Washouts", "A Rockhoof and A Hard Place", "What Lies Beneath", and this.

[@Gabyy631-f2k]

Timber Humphrey Love your picture 😍. So cute lel.

[@Gabyy631-f2k]

Justin Riley I got a important question to ask you so please be honest here. Is the brony fandom the most hated? You know because it cute and aim for little girls. Hopefully gen 5 change all that.

[@justinriley]

@@Gabyy631-f2k Most hated? Well, that's debatable. I'd say maybe the Sonic fandom is the most hated.

[@Gabyy631-f2k]

Justin Riley Idk everywhere you go you get hate. 4chan, different comments section, outside. I’m talking about those died heart bronies btw. I guess peoples don’t really like ponies or something.

[@connorthompson8376]

Now that I think of it, Autumn Blaze was basically forced into another kind of silence when she was banished. I wonder if the leader had a plan there. Like she'd decide to come back eventually.

[@justincarawan-carawanco.pu1639]

This episode kinda reminded me of All Bottled Up. Hard to believe there was absolutely no communication. The big argument that burned the town, wasn't even triggered by insults, it was triggered by two of them wanting the same thing, and accidentally breaking it when they fought over it. Why not, simply, have *written* language? They put on plays and sang songs, right? I'm assuming they knew how to write. And they could levitate objects. Was the Quill, Ink, and Parchment store out of stock, or something? And, a stream that magically erases speech? Two questions: 1) Where does it come from, and 2) Where does it go? And how did she know that plant was the cure? Lastly, bit of a plot hole, introducing new creatures when the MLP movie was an Equestria-wide event. Not to mention this is, supposedly, the last season. :(

[@hylianboi7977]

In Autumn Blaze's song, she sings about theatre, and potentially a Hamilton reference? America's founding fathers fought for their freedom of speech, sort of similar to how Kirins also how to get back their freedom of speech. So if this was intentional or not, I thought it was really clever. 🙂

[@schroedingerscat5405]

Soo... Is Lightning Bliss part Kirin?

[@kylestubbs8867]

Schroedingers Cat No. Her origin video mentions the paintbrush tail to be more of a birth defect.

[@fireline4765]

don't say it (don't say what?) DON'T SAY IT!(IS THAT WHY LIGHTING BLISS IS SO CUTE!!!) LUNA DAMN IT ME!!!!!!

[@Mistfall254]

@@fireline4765 lol

[@RunawayTrain2502]

@@kylestubbs8867 RIP dude XD

[@someothername2585]

I absolutely loved this episode, it's probably my favorite episode of the season so far. Kirins are the best... well Atumn Blaze is because the others didn't get much exposition. The song is wonderful I'd say it's in my top 10 songs ever, especially the "Rainbows won't light up the sky unless you let it rain" part, such a great metaphor. Them turning into those flame thingies is very interesting and I'm sure that it's somehow related to Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker... it's pretty cool you can see that Kirins and Ponies are related Atumn Blaze is along with Crazy Glue best character introduced this season and her VA did such a wonderful job, with every word she speaks you can here her entire backstory I'm cool with the moral it's pretty creative and original... I think it wasn't in an episode before but I'm not sure I'm sure you mentioned some of this stuff in the video but I can't watch it right now and I just wanted to leave my opinions

[@someothername2585]

After watching your review I'd say that you made a valid point but to be honest I like what they did with it better because it's not just a simple moral like you can control your emotions but it's so much deeper than that and please don't ask me to explain it because I'm not sure how to put it into words... well I guess none reads my comments under your videos anyway because they're so long but I just enjoy writing them

[@FanGirlStephie]

I would like to add, that the lesson wasnt about "Freedom of Speech" per say. Yes there was that element. But it was more about getting rid of being able to feel anything in order to not do damage at all. That's the entire reason Applejack was upset over them silencing themselves to begin with. When someone decides they wont bother with something anymore, one way or the other way, what do they do? They become quiet and isolated. Just feeling numb. Its a serious thing that happens and it shouldnt happen. That situation is never good. So it is kind of black and white here. There is never a moment where forcing yourself not to feel is a good thing. If you took notice, the Kirin, after taking the silence, never did anything fun again. No more painters, or anything. You cant have rainbows without rain, but the Kirin made it so they only had clear blue skies forever. No rainbows OR rain. Not even clouds. Just so that rain wouldnt happen. Sure it seems good, but it will damage in the long run. And they did mention at least twice the real solution to anger. Walking away from it and going somewhere where they cant vent it out safely. It wasnt just that one little moment with Autumn, but it was spoken before that moment. I think Applejack said it. Or maybe Autumn did. I cant remember. So theres my two cents. I dont know, something about the review feels off. You're not usually so vague with everything Dr. Wolf. At least thats what it feels like. Something feels missing, or off. Maybe you should watch the episode again? Paying close attention to it just to make sure it is how you see it.

[@CrystallizedCoyote]

I looked at some of the episode again and saw that Fluttershy did say this: "And if you're really angry, then take some time away to be a Nirik where it won't hurt anypony." ....Usually I don't comment or reply on these videos at all, but I felt like letting you know since you mentioned that they said the solution to anger twice... It seems like they used both telling and showing in this episode.

[@FanGirlStephie]

@@CrystallizedCoyote yeah! That was it ^^ i couldnt remember who said it exactly

[@ambermargheim5726]

@@CrystallizedCoyote thanks for telling us I totally missed it

[@connorthompson8376]

Freedom of speech. Good point. In addition to that, their 'emotions' were forcefully purged, so that might factor into how the Qirin acted against AJ and Fluttershy. They'd gone nearly robotic and utilitarian. I guess they could have explored the grey better if it had been longer. I think they also used faster passing for this one. Despite the emotion purge though, I notice that their culture hasn't slipped into decline yet, like Starlight's village had. I wonder about that. Was it any bigger? How long was it there? Could be the writers just dropped the ball on that. But Autumn Blaze clearly had more depth and philosophy to her.

[@platypusfox73]

I personally think you hit the nail on the head doc. I'm not sure if the abrupt ending was due to them running out of time or if they wrote themselves into a corner but it felt like we we're introduce to an interesting new part of this world then quickly shoved out the door. On the positive side both the song and the Kirn seemed to explode in popularity as not only have I've seen a couple of pieces of fan art on Lost Narrator's twitter account but it seems youtube is recommending to me a new cover of a Kirn's tale almost everyday since the episode leaked out into the world.

[@wattsink2009]

If you’ve seen DisneyFanatic’s Bride of Discord, I think you will agree that an Equestrian Phantom of the Opera would have to have Discord and Fluttershy as the Phantom and Christine, respectively!

[@ennali8344]

True that

[@Tall_Order]

The episode had a very important moral that i think is very relevant to today. Too many people just want to shut a large group of people up these days, and that is never a good thing. If we want good ideas to flourish, we can't censor everyone to avoid the bad ones. To add to that with my own logic, challenge those bad ideas. Don't push them into dark corners where they can grow and fester in private unchecked. You may not see them now, but you'll regret seeing them come out later much more extreme.

[@anacleos345]

Kirin OC's are now cannon

[@someothername2585]

Fun fact: Kirins were likely inspired by Qilins, creatures in Chinese Mitology, so called Chinese Unicorns en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin

[@greenstarlover1]

Yay cultural appreciation! :D

[@deathclawstudios1132]

The fact that the show is told from the ponies' point of view kind of makes it black and white. I mean they live in such sheltered lives. If the story was told from another creature's point of view then maybe there will be more paths instead of just 2.

[@RubberyCat]

Also, the "cure" is an absolute effect, so that makes that side black and white, but the non-cure, without the enforced silence, are far from black-and-white, as there is the fire to deal with, but if they handle it properly, the fire is an asset, and not a problem.

[@cameronjsmith7382]

Awesome review Dr Wolf, I like the Kirin's design so awesome and amazing keep it up

[@danthompson9966]

Kirin Aka Chinese Unicorns aka griaffes (no seriously the Chinese name for giraffe is kirin). Next we need Chinese dragons

[@cameronjsmith7382]

@@danthompson9966 thanks for the info about the kirin

[@No1ofgreatimportance]

Maybe the writers should have had Pinkie Pie along instead of Apple Jack... The Introvert vs the Extrovert Scenario.. Or Maybe it could have been a Three Pony team, Honesty, Laughter, and Kindness. The Only problem with that idea is, Fluttershy might get double-teamed, Unless Pinkie Pie for some reason or other ends up being so disruptive to the Kirin, that the Kirin put Pinkie into the water and both AJ and Flutters see the negative affects of said magic water...

[@TheRavenir]

I loved this episode, but for the reasons you mentioned, it's still only my 4th favorite episode of the season, behind What Lies Beneath, The Parent Map and Road To Friendship. The Kirins had a great design and Autumn Blaze in particular was very entertaining. Her song was very catchy. And the morals they tackled were pretty great as well, raising questions about anger management, senseless arguing and freedom of speech. But I do agree that they could have done more with it and make the ending seem a bit less abrupt. But as it is, I still liked the episode. It's a 9/10 for me, no doubt.

[@allenpaluszewski596]

"Pony of the Opera" sounds more like a Discord/Fluttershy musical.

[@kingfirestorm4047]

I love the quilins or kirins of asiatic mithology and they respect there history of the rage of the asiatic hunicorn i think they are frome the china or japan mithology and they are verry powerfull creatures more that a normal unicorn wen they get disturbed in the mithology they defend there self with there fire powers use the word kirins or quilins in youtube i found a couple of videos of there mithology 😊

[@weldonwin]

I also recall something about Kirin being so gentle and loving of all living things that they don't actually touch the ground, levitating themselves a few inches off the ground, so they don't trample the grass

[@kingfirestorm4047]

@@weldonwin yea i love there legend 😊

[@heathersky333]

King Fire storm qilin (Chinese) or Kirin (Japanese) are certainly one of the most revered creatures in Chinese, Japanese and Korean mythology, and considering they’re also defenders of the weak and protectors of flora and fauna with their mysterious ways I’m glad they decided to put a mythical creature from my own culture as a part of mlp and did it justice

[@PirateForHire314]

I wonder if they'll do an episode where Fluttershy is accused of not caring about her fellow ponies as she puts the feelings of woodland creatures and even the Storm King Yeti's feelings first over ponies' freedoms. It could be similar to how Pinkie Pie is viewed to be indifferent to the misery and suffering of others in her personal pursuit of having a good time.

[@BellaPinkSavage]

DISCORD AS THE PHANTOM FLUTTERSHY AS CHRISTEAN :D

[@ThePogonling]

DISCORD AND FLUTTERSHY SHIPPED lol

[@Songal18]

While the story and lesson may not have been completely filled out I loved it! I especially love the Kirin design and I even headcanon that the Kirins are actually a source of 'luck' because in Chinese culture I think, Red is seen as a color of good fortune, which is why all the Kirin horns are red. But yeah that song was so perfect and if they had played off it, like having a storm happen while the Kirins were taking Applejack and Fluttershy to the Stream of Silence, and then Autumn Blaze coming to their rescue and saving them, then having her confront her village about giving up being able to talk. Then a rainbow could appear, allowing the Kirin to see that even if it rains and storms something good always comes afterwards. Maybe they could have had some Kirin stay silent and others regain their voices and it would all be a matter of choice rather than 'this way is right that way is wrong'. Because, sadly, I think Fluttershy was only concerned about her own fears of the Niriks, being that they're 'scary creatures' and the animals rather than how all this silence might have been affecting the Kirins. Though luckily she does see the error in her thinking. All in all a great species episode to add to the series and I do hope next season they come back and maybe the Mane 6 will meet them because Autumn Blaze comes over and screams that all the Kirins need help because now they turn into Niriks without being angry. That would be a great season opener or at least a two parter. Sorry for taking up so much space but I loved you review Dr. Wolf and I look forward to your next video.

[@someothername2585]

AND THE ART, there's so much art, on EQD they made 2 parts of art of Kirins 70 pictures each

[@matthewtwinklewishstarligh3128]

I love the Arts so much it's incredible and extraordinary!.♥️

[@someothername2585]

@@matthewtwinklewishstarligh3128 I know right!! in one month I've added 300 pictures to my MLP album! And people say that the fandom is dying XD

[@TheCommenterDragon]

Terrific review DRWolf i love this episode,it shows another part of Equestria that hasn't been shown before,a new race a creatures,everything i especially like how the Kirin's leader was modeled after Princess Celestia she was absolutely beautiful and i also love the song in fact in my opinion the song is the best part of the episode.

[@kingfirestorm4047]

Yea they respect the mithology of the Chinese unicorn mithology because in the mithology the quilins or kirins explode in rage if they were disturbed ingulf there bodys in fire and defend their self by using flame atacks mlp respect the mithology of they creature and give theme a interesting story 😊

[@MelonTartVA]

The song is the best of season 8. Which is saying something since I think we've only gotten 4 songs

[@catluvr2]

Yeah, I got a definite "Oh hey, here's another princess from Hasbro" vibe from the leader. That being said, I thought that the Kirin's tail design was very much lion-like, although now that I think about it, the tail's also a lot like certain types of leaves. I loved the manes on the Kirins, and FETLOCKS ARE CANON ON CREATURES NOW! I really wanna see a Kirin attend Twilight's school of friendship, too. It would be awesome, what with the dragons who ALSO can cause fires, and I'm sure Ocellus would be amazed to see a creature that was previously only thought to be a myth.

[@star-stonelegend]

I really liked the episode because they explored something new and I have to admit there were a few moments where I scratched my head thinking that they could’ve done a little more, but it’s nice. And I really like otom’s song(pardon The typos) it may have just suddenly popped out of nowhere but it was nice. I have to admit the episode reminds me of a few times how much I hate arguments. It’s because sometimes words can be used as weapons that could hurt someone emotionally. I even hate when the argument that don’t involve me. The best thing we can do is try our best to control our emotions ourselves then deciding to remove both emotions and our ability to speak

[@wattsink2009]

If I ever got the chance to reboot MLP after my animation career gets off the ground, I have been playing around with the idea of introducing Autumn Blaze and the Kirin much earlier in the show (probably around season 2), and having Autumn coming to Fluttershy and Applejack (and Twilight) looking for a cure for the stream of silence (so she’s still mute when they first meet).

[@Fairyslash]

my obliviousness striked when I watched this episode because I didn't realize until Applejack and Fluttershy were threatened to be thrown into the water that it was a curse. Even though she specifically used the word antidote in the song... I guess "cleared my pipes", just made me think she meant she just needed to actually clear/clean them or something.

[@DazedMemories]

The introduction of the Kirin allowed me to finally make up my mind about what my OC should be. I love the designs and was inspired to create my own. I can't wait to see more creatures brought into the show.

[@Blyndir]

Okay, I'm taking this as official permission to ask this question: Anyone else think Lightning Bliss looks a bit like a Kirin? I feel this deserves investigation. PS: It took me three watches of the episode before I realized "Nirik" was just "Kirin" spelled backwards.

[@djlamar2]

I loved the episode. Also if you think about it "Kiren" and "Nirek" are anagrams. (I don't honestly know how the name is spelled so yeah) So it makes sense that Nirek is their alter ego selves

[@ForsakenFenix]

djlamar2 kirin = nirik

[@BradShadowDog]

I watched the episode with subtitles so I noticed the first time they mentioned those names. I was like "there gonna be the same species aren't they?".

[@djlamar2]

@@ForsakenFenix thanks :)

[@danielthroop2305]

More like Indio is the backwards form of Kirin as they are opposites

[@CalliopePony]

It's spelled "Kirin" and "Nirik". They are emordnilaps. (One word is the other spelled backwards.)

[@garudaiv689]

I'll admit, when I heard that there were gonna be kirins in the show, I was expecting the dragon/equine hybrid kind, so seeing these type of kirin was a neat surprise.

[@luvsonic1000]

This episode taught me such a great lesson. A long time ago I stopped being angry/rage because in the past I exploded at my friends by mistake. I thought that having no anger I wouldn't be upset at my friends by mistake anymore. But I learned that from this episode I should understand that anger is much importance and I could find ways to express my anger than to shun it. It's the same situation how the Kirin shunned their voices. It's why, I relate to this episode

[@bullinmd]

Notice that Nirik is Kirin spelled backwards.

[@Ryodraco]

What I found interesting was that it wasn't just the general idealistic argument about how not giving up your positive emotions to avoid negative ones that actually convinced the kirin to want the cure (Autumn Blaze had argued that many times after all), but rather Autumn Blaze demonstrating that it was possible to control the nirik form enough to not cause damage. That I thought added some extra depth to what was otherwise a very quick resolution.

[@wattsink2009]

Excellent points all around Dr Wolf. I agree, there is a great deal of interesting commentary that could be brought out of the setup for the lesson of this episode, and it is unfortunate that the episode only touches upon before the situation becomes very black-and-white. I have thought of one thing that wasn’t mentioned here. There is also something to said about whether the other Kirin have become comfortable with this new silent and unfeeling life style, or they are accepting it as an apparently better alternative to the damage their emotions caused before, or perhaps they are just as uncomfortable with it as Autumn is but they literally have no say in the matter. I also think that there could have been more emphasis on the Kirin not realizing what they had until it was taken from them, or not realizing what they lost until they had it back, both of which being a result of only being able to remember how much they misused their speech when they had it. I have seen many other stories like this and I have noticed that the common theme seems to be that someone in power uses a broad, extreme solution as a quick fix for a social issue. I appears to work on the surface, and seems to be generally accepted at first, but it also has a considerable amount of ethical and practical issues which become apparent over the course of time. Ultimately, it proves that there is no quick fix to a broad social issue, and it all comes down to the responsibility of the individual (something that sadly a lot of people never seem to learn). I’m also a little surprised that Dr Wolf didn’t have anything to say about the goofy creepy old pony that greets Fluttershy and Applejack at the train station, as though they were about to wander into the territory of a slasher villain. He was hilarious!

[@raptorred6338]

i loved this episoide. fluttershy was awesome in this. especiually at the beginning with her raging at apple jack about her not listening to fluttershy. give her these moments more often. the kirin were amazing. if you notice the way she was hopping on the water it's just like in the lore of kirin that they hovered above the ground to not damage the earth. so clever on them putting that in there.

[@GrimWolf001]

I'm afraid I have to disagree with you in one thing. This isn't te type of moral where there nuances. Emotions have a flow and supressing that flow is bad for the individuals. Actually this episode reminds me a bit of the movie "Inside Out" from Pixar, Just that instead of supressing sadness they are trying to supress anger.

[@CalliopePony]

I agree. It is very clearly shown in the episode that suppressing their emotions was causing the Kirin to be dulled to everything around them and not show any joy. Autumn Blaze showed that it is healthy to have negative emotions so long as you can control them and not hurt people.

[@barsni4779]

I dunno, the perspective to burn everything around them seems like would be the thing that would dull them more. To put it realistically, most functional adults suppress their feelings to not screw things up and be responsible.

[@GrimWolf001]

And thats the reason we have adults with stress and health problems. Control your emotions is not the same as supress them. Control them and let the go in a controlled enviroment is good. Ignore them is Bad. I'm afraid it is one of those rare instances where things have to be Black or White.

[@CalliopePony]

They burned everything around them when they couldn't control their anger. Autumn Blaze showed that the anger and even the transformation can be experienced in a healthy way. When she got frustrated with the other Kirin's miming she excused herself, went off where she wouldn't burn anyone, had her flare-up, and was able to return and be calm. She also channeled her anger toward a constructive purpose when she used her Nirik fire to save AJ and Fluttershy from being put into the stream. As Grimm Wolf said, there is a difference between controlling your emotions and suppressing them. Suppressing means you don't let yourself feel it, which usually leads to unhealthy ends. Controlling your emotions means you experience them, manage how you express them, and then let them go.

[@barsni4779]

Would YOU risk all you know and love for couple of giggles? And hey, they don't pent up their emorions, they just get rid of them with magic stream. It's not the matter of venting your anger, it's a matter of being RESPONCIBLE adult.

[@darkpone3731]

I have been collecting the Pina Dragons for years and of learned of the Kirin as part of the collection and was fascinated by it as a kid, they are like the Asian equivalent of the unicorn, and of have been in love with the whole design of it ever since I was eight, so when I saw the Kirin I was like (insert Pinkie Pie squeal of excitement) this was one of the best episodes of Season Eight hands down!

[@chaosflame9526]

Hey fun fact, the Kirin are based off of the Chinese dragon-unicorn Kirin, which were used in trials because they could see directly into your soul. You would be chained to a pole, and the Kirin would stare into your soul, and if it saw innocence, it would refuse to harm you, but if it saw guilt it would charge directly at you and impale you on its curved horn.

[@oakenshadow6763]

Yet another race to add to the 20 we already have: SHOW: 1. Pony (could count as 4-5) -earth -pegasus -unicorn (normal and Mistmain-type) -alicorn 2. Dragon 3. Griffin 4. Hypogriff 5. Yak 6. Changling 7. Buffalo 8. Centor 9. Goat 10. Cow 11. Donkey 12. Sea Sepent (Steven Magnet) MOVIES: 13. Sirins 14. Abyssinian (anthro-cat) 15. Anthro-Parot 16. Yetti? (the Storm King) 17. Gobber 18. Storm Troopers (Storm King's soldiers) COMMICS: 19. Deer 20. Bulls I'm betting I still missed one.

[@lazlow8788]

I loved this episode. Especially the song. But everyone gets angry and argue sometimes, but emotions can be controlled. Great lesson to learn.

[@Mirvra]

So.... No mention of how the Kirin appear to be extremely agile for being ground dwelling creatures based on Autumn Blaze's mobility and the fact that they live in the tree tops? Or how they appear to either have very long lives or be somewhat immortal considering the fact that even Autumn Blaze seems to have been stuck with the vow of silence for quite some time o.o And most of all... No mention about how EVERY SINGLE KIRIN APPEARS TO BE FEMALE? Or at least they all have the same body frame XD I mean seriously.. even the ''dudes'' in the play seemed to be played by female Kirin XD And when they all get their voices back I don't think I heard a single male vocal cord being tested o.o As for the topic of the Kirin's dilemma though... I honestly agree fully with Autumn Blaze... Locking away the ability to feel HAPPY isen't worth it

[@seanfulldark]

Okay, I think this is a lesson that more grafted to teaching the parents, then the kids in some strange ways. But here is how I interpret the lesson! Kirin have decided to avoid the problem. Pay attention closely to the song they start to realize that they start giving up things that they enjoy, but also things that would bring on thinking emotions. It is star track. There are the race known as the Vulcan Who have suppress their motions, and ruled by their logic, but yet they still have music the have artwork symbols that do not makes sense. If you are focused purely on logic that because they understand logically you have to accept and deal with pain. And dealing with pain means dealing with your emotions of that pain and that is the true warm of dealing with your emotions. Yes, they surpassed its because they know how violent they can be, but they also deal with by channeling their emotions different aspects of their culture. The Kirin were avoiding all parts of channeling all parts of their motion and and into the day they were going to eventually stagnate! As the song goes, you can't have fire out the burn! That's the key part need to pay attention to the song that and also to those on the tangent about the play. Because the Phantom of the Opera is a very important detail in this! Because when you avoid speaking your mind actions will continue around you.

[@kelticjoshkeltichunter4426]

I would like to see Dr. Wolf as the phantom.

[@VictoryFire88]

Love that you chose that scene for the thumbnail. I love Phantom of the Opera and every tribute to it.

[@mythrilldragon549]

Don't forget Doc, that the Kirin also have earth pony magic along with unicorn. We saw a kirin growing a plant before Applejack interrupted them. I wouldn't believe surprised if they had pegasus magic and could fly and walk on clouds.

[@AndrewHager02]

The lesson I got out of this (from my perspective, anyway) was that actions speak louder than words. You could be right, though, Dr. Wolf, freedom of speech could have been what message they were trying to teach with this episode. And since we’re on the subject of the kirin species, I love how they explored a creature of Asian origin, that was something I honestly had not expected from the staff at all. Bravo to the writers and animators for bringing these majestic beings into the world of Equestria!

[@brongaar1732]

Pony of the Opera cast: Erik/Phantom- Discord Christine- Fluttershy Raul- Big Mac Madame Giry- AppleJack Little Giry- Apple Bloom Carlotta- Starlight Glimmer The Managers- Flim& Flam.

[@NessaTheBat1]

I also like the design of the Kirin's and the music was awesome too. As characters for the phantom of the opera I really like the chosen one's from Ink Potts fanarts. But sometimes I think that Twilight would fit in the role for the phantom. This episode was great and I liked that they made an episode about anger. I feel related to the Kirin's, because when I was little, I had problems with my anger, because I couldn't let it out. I was just like the Kirin's. I was a playful child, but if I got angry, I blasted aout my anger and one day, I just stopped to smile and be happy. I talked much less and became lonely. I also think, that the writers could've done more with this episode, because they could've shown more ways to deal with your anger. But it was still a great episode and I feel really related to the Kirin's and the problems (like many others in MLP). C:

[@gilbertobenites4215]

There are other musical parodies this show can do: Pirates Of Penzance Singing In The Rain Mamma Mia South Pacific The list goes on.

[@mase5995]

There was a Hamilton reference in the episode in the form of Autumn Breeze wearing a blue revolution outfit that looks similar to Hamilton's revolution outfit

[@gilbertobenites4215]

Thanks for bringing up Hamilton Maria Jose Hernandez Gonzalez . What's next: Dirty Dancing? Oh wait, even better. Why can't we have the Dirty Dancing episode of MLP? It may be because Patrick Swayze is long gone (Rest In Peace Swayze). Then again, do you honestly think Patrick Swayze would be with Autumn Breeze?

[@hariman7727]

Pirates of Penzance. Singin' in the Rain. South Pacific. Fixed that for you.

[@gilbertobenites4215]

@@hariman7727 And other bunch of ideas Dirty Dancing. Rocky Horror Picture Show. Cats. Annie Get Your Gun. and better yet: Kiss Me Kate.

[@UTubeSponge5601]

Maybe I’ll make an episode where my OC would go on a cutie mark map quest to see the Kirin, only to discover that one Kirin is STILL holding onto the Vow of Silence despite everyone going back to talking again. Perhaps this is an example of how so much time can affect a person that it’s hard to go back and trying again. The silent Kirin is still living a happy life although they never speak. Or did they?

[@DragonxFlutter]

I really liked this episode. It felt, to me, that it was less about the world building this time, and more about the moral; because I really feel like it was well thought out this time. During Autumn Blaze’s song describing what lead the Kirin to their silence, I felt that it was some really good commentary on the real world. The Kirin’s leader made a snap decision and essentially _ordered_ her people to take a dip in the stream. All because the Kirin started fighting over something that, with Autumn Blaze’s hindsight, was pointless in the grand scheme of things. That, to me at least, was good commentary on our real world and how people will frequently get in pointless arguments on the internet. Like the Kirin leader saw, freedom of speech _does_ lead to a chaotic society; as no two individuals will completely agree on everything. But unlike them, where it was essentially a royal decree to silence themselves, we have the chance to learn from our mistakes and grow as people; especially before it’s too late to apologize. It’s like the staff were saying “Be glad you are allowed to speak _at all,_ much less with any control over what you say. Because there are people in this world who _don’t_ have that basic human right.” Another lesson (which is coincidentally crossing over with modern Star Wars) is that it’s not healthy to suppress your emotions for fear of being angry. Anger is a part of life and tempers will flare sometimes; even if it’s over something stupid. What matters is how you deal with that anger, be it anything from listening to music to hitting a punching bag. You need to let it rain in order to see a rainbow. You need to burn a candle for it to make light. You need to take the good feeling emotions with the ones that feel bad and find that harmonious balance between them that will bring you to a lifestyle happiest and healthiest for you. It’s a lesson I constantly forget, and this episode is a great reminder. That’s why I think this episode is one of the best this season.

[@SuperVideowatcher01]

I personally like that we get a race that has to deal with anger management problems, and besides for their looks, is another reason why I love the Kirin. I just like knowing that in the MLP world that not everyone can solve their anger in easy ways like, and for someone that works with the public it can be hard to keep that anger in check

[@eaglehood224]

Heh heh, yeah. I had to differentiate my type of Kirin from canon

[@jaybeearzuaga298]

Monster hunter kirin? Yeah me to

[@QuilledQilin]

I bet there will still be fanfics on how different tribes of Kirin will have different elements when they turn into Niriks like thunder and ice. Would at least let people keep the MH versions in line with the new Kirin.

[@eaglehood224]

@@jaybeearzuaga298 No, similar to the show cannon but with major differences

[@eaglehood224]

@@QuilledQilin Yeah, my kirin has another classification from canon

[@matthewtwinklewishstarligh3128]

Oh and people as a reminder season 6 2016 was Applejack and Fluttershy first map episode called via Las Pegasus that was good as well

[@hariman7727]

If you look at the expression on the face of the Kirin as they carry Fluttershy and AppleJack to the Stream of Silence, they aren't happy. They only silenced themselves because they thought it was the only option. When they we're faced with the fact that they're was an option other than silence, namely learning to control their tempers and release anger in less destructive ways, they jumped at the chance. Or actually they charades at the chance. Which was an adorably hilarious scene.

[@ASHERUISE]

I loved this episode, loved the song and the canon design for the kirins, I do think it had more potential than it was able to deliver on, like you said. It would have worked better as a 2-parter, but I realize that would probably be asking for too much. And I would pay $$$ to see a full rendition of -Pony- Kirin of the Opera.

[@StellaMagic100]

Discord-Erik Fluttershy-Christine Thorne the Bat(Oc)- Raoul

[@kukuandkookie]

I was really excited about this episode because the kirin are based on the qilin from China (with the legend spreading to Japan as well, hence the MLP staff using the name "kirin", which is arguably more popular, even though the creatures itself seem based on China's (since the Chinese and Japanese versions look slightly different). They are often called "Chinese unicorns", if only because they are horse-like and have the horns, which is probably why MLP also gave them standard unicorn powers. I liked the exploration of the theme, but didn't really see it completely as freedom of speech (although that of course plays a role). As someone who comes from a family of temperamental people, I appreciated the message that seemed to suggest "embrace your anger but don't unleash it in hurtful, harmful ways". I suppose that does tie back to freedom of speech though haha. The niriks are, interestingly (creatively or uncreatively?) enough, "kirin" spelled backwards. Perhaps that's why qilin wasn't used lol, or else it'd be "niliq" which could be harder to pronounce? Idk. Although if we go back to freedom of speech, this does kinda remind me of Starlight's village-everyone is forced to be the same and be happy with the middle-ground. Perhaps that's why they didn't delve as much into it? An exploration would be really nice, but I guess time's always an issue haha. I'm sure the staff will bring them back (they seem to enjoy bringing in creatures from cultures they've hinted before, such as Saddle Arabia and the species that came to the school), especially because they seem to be popular. I agree the show perhaps didn't go into it as far as they could (MLP is made up of a lot of potential that isn't always used to top-notch), but this one has been a surprisingly well-received episode. Despite not focusing as much on the implications of restricting someone's speech, I think its main focus was still on levelling your emotions and the dangers that come with simply bottling those emotions up. The Stream of Silence seemed to turn the kirin into impassive creatures who are put-off by any sign of emotional outburst. I think Sunset could probably be a good example of this (I genuinely enjoy how she has a temper that flares up sometimes-in contrast to Starlight sometimes slipping into her old, more...psychotic (unempathetic, reckless, disregarding others, manipulative) behaviour). Overall, the message of exploring ways to not bottle up your rage, and instead to display anger without being hurtful is a solid message, even if it wasn't explored to its full potential. Maybe they'd go back to it like they did with Pharynx and the changelings? MLP seems to be a series of hindsight; often going back to explore good ideas and the consequences of rushed actions haha. Okay, this got long again, so I'll stop here. xP

[@PiokoMew]

Kirin are mythical creatures from Asia and I love them! Also a tasty brand of beer. I would love to see them again, but i felt a little bit like the Queen seems too much like Celestia cut and paste. But that might just be me

[@danielsprouse9549]

I finally found a race in MLP that I can relate to, the Kirin! My personality is Kirin. I don't get mad often; but when I do, I go ballistic. However, I learned to curb my anger quite a bit since my dark days. I'm going to make my OC a Kirin for sure. I'm so happy. :D

[@TyquilEllis]

the kirins design is close to lighting bliss oc

[@wolfdreamer8113]

The Kirin are literally Vulcans.

[@bendewalt5560]

So aeon of dreams as the phantom (could it be anyone else) doctor wolf and silverquill as the theatre owners. Sweetie bloom as the lady who knows phantoms background. Jasper and thespio as stage hands. Keyframe as the lead. Cosmo logic(Anthony c) as suiter...or AnY...bliss could be spoiled diva. I bet she'd have fun with that role.

[@Twinkletail]

Hey there! Loved your review, but I have a little opinion on the whole thing about the kirin trying to force their silent ideals on Applejack and Fluttershy. The way I see it, it was less "we think you should do things our way" and more "we think we're doing this to save you and your people." If you look at the faces of the kirin trying to dip the two into the Stream of Silence, a lot of them look very regretful of what they're about to do. The one on the far left on particular is wincing. I think that they're looking at two ponies fighting and thinking, "when we argued, we ended up destroying our village. Even if it has its consequences, they're outweighed by the benefits." It's flawed thinking regardless, for the obvious reasons and also because there's a pretty good chance Applejack and Fluttershy weren't going to get so angry that they burst into flames (even though Twilight did that one time...is she part kirin? I think I have a story I may need to write...), but I think their reasoning was less malevolent and more benevolent (and I only just understood the connection between those two words). Anyway, that's just my theory. Great video as always!

[@kellingc]

This reminded me of "Valley of the Damned". Where everyone had grown blind, and didn't have eyes anymore. A man stumbles on the valley, and tries to describe what he sees. The inhabitants think he is crazy, discover he has eyes, and figure they are the source of his delusions. To cure hum of his insanity, they try to cut his eyes out. There are two endings I've experienced - in the radio play, he escapes. In the television show, he does not. Both endings were good in their own rights.

[@jonahtexhex2835]

Society is a balance, a group following set of groundwork, however it's like a reverse game of jenga instead taking out the pieces, pieces are added in however some pieces just will not fit, forced in, grinding upon the groundwork till the whole falls to pieces..

[@Jacen32272]

I did enjoy the way they took traits of the mythical Kirin and applied them to a pony base (going so far as to describe Kirin as a type of Pony.) I do have to wonder, however, how a another reviewer, one Lightning Bliss, will react to an entire race of Ponies with Lion-like traits (specifically their Manes and Tails.) I forget which video it was, but I recall her once hoping teh show would never include a pony with a Lion's Tail....

[@gracekim1998]

As soon as I saw this episode I loved the design and now I want to redesign my OCs

[@kenisu-of-dragons5766]

I didn't think there was completely nothing to take away from how Autumn's tribe was living. They did respect what Autumn was doing and told her to go away and be vocal and rant to her heart's content, and she respected their wishes. The tribe taught Autumn how to be considerate about her emotions around others, while Autumn taught the tribe you can't live in fear of what could happen amongst each other. Sometimes you need to be alone to understand how others are feeling, like after some alone she started trying to be patient in understanding their sign language.

[@shutupsprinkles]

I really liked some of this episode. The conflict between AJ and Fluttershy was kinda weird, much like in the episode where Rarity and Rainbow Dash decided not to be friends anymore. Maybe a Kirin will attend the School of Friendship. But idk, I’m really bored with most of the School-centric episodes and I hope Season 9 moves on from them or makes them more interesting.

[@NexAngelus405]

Personally I saw parallels between the episode and the premise of the movie Equilibrium. In that movie, after World War III happened the surviving humans created a nation-state called Libria. In order to prevent another world war the government of Libria outlawed all emotion as well as cultural expressions-both historical and contemporary-that might induce emotional responses when viewed (ie art and literature) and all citizens of Libria are required to regularly inject themselves with an emotion inhibiting drug called Prozium. However, most people remember the movie for its action scenes, in which the main character utilizes a fictional martial art called "Gun-Kata", which is basically a martial art utilizing guns that allows a practitioner to mow down dozens of armed opponents while avoiding enemy fire just by assuming various stances as they shoot. Also, fun fact: the voice of Capper, Taye Diggs played the secondary antagonist in that film.

[@Arkus]

I have a friend who years ago designed a race of characters based on the Myth of the Kirin, though she went with Qilin (same myth, different region). She wrote up and designed some lore about them and even gave them different variants similar to the Pegasi, Earth and Unicorn variants as well as an Alicorn equivalent. Check them out in her gallery: www.deviantart.com/saturngrl/art/MLP-FIM-Rulers-of-Neigh-Beyul-385767906

[@WrathNebula321]

Strangely enough, before I even saw this episode, I created my own Kirin based off of the Monster Hunter Kirin, however; he was actually a child of both a dragon and a unicorn. The horn was more towards the unicorn while having scales at different parts of his body and he didn't transform like the Kirin here. Unlike the Monster Hunter Kirin, my OC Kirin had the power to use any elemental magic (such as Fire, Water, Ice, Lightning, Earth, and even Light and Darkness), and unlike the Kirin here, he doesn't transform into a Nirik, mostly due to the fact that he was born differently, rather than being similar to the Kirin here. I'll be completely honest though, I really like this new development for the Kirin Race, though after seeing this, I will still have to stick with my original Kirin, but I might do some modifying of his design.

[@1tiptip187]

I kind of felt the trauma of the burning and stream made them have a 'wall' so to speak that had to be passed to get past black and white. One thing I would have liked to see was a bit more than a argument over a vase causing the issue. I mean, if other issues were already fraying problems a lot of little things could cause a problem. But did they have a life time of relative peace and then this sudden uproar over small things? Maybe the queen was new after a issue. Or anything else major.

[@J4ckj4ck_Sp34ks_Archive]

Starlight had bottled up anger, Starlight with the aquainted help with Applejack and FLuttershy, it could've been better tbh for the episode. Starlight learned about how not to bottle up her anger. Starlights help about temper/anger issues could've been issued or if not then what about Twilights Anxiety, or Cadence teaches Twi about calming down. Those two would portay well tbh in the episode.

[@icethebatpony6371]

With a new kirin race (if that is the right term) that might mean a new student at the friendship school, it’s a possibility but if you think about it could lead up to some dramatic episodes

[@williamsorrells6058]

I watched this with my sisters kids and they want the figures for the characters her daughters want the calm version her son the fireball version :D

[@iloveowls90]

William Sorrells that would be so Awesome!

[@connorthompson8376]

Qirin were mentioned in 'Acorna the Unicorn Girl' by Anne McCaffery and Margaret Ball in reference to Chinese mythology. But there they were called 'Qilin.' I like that they're incorporating eastern mythology. And I wonder if a kerin will come to the friendship school. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qilin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorna:_The_Unicorn_Girl

[@siraran2077]

I’ve always believed that people that don’t express their emotions are nothing but cold-hearted jerks. Especially if there are people that think emotions make them feel weak and pathetic. Edit: Yes, you should not give up your emotions just because you’re afraid to hurt someone. I should know that.

[@RubberyCat]

Mind you, women were allowed to show all emotions ... except anger. Anger was the males' property. All of that has started to change though, and it has changed before as well.

[@princess-kitsune-tsu4381]

Here’s what I think would be perfect for the phantom of the opera Christine Daaé: princess cadence (just because it fits her so much) The phantom: king sombra (the word phantom reminds me of him XD) Viscount Raoul de Chagny: shinning armor (married couple) Meg Giry: Pinkie pie (supports cadence and her best friend) Carlotta: rarity (wants to steal cadence spot light) Madame Giry: Princess Luna (she perfect and the actual characters wears black dresses so it’s perfect XD) And Piangi: discord (don’t know a villain XD) That’s what I think

[@LouVega203]

I hope they show more of the Kirin in future episodes and its not a one and done thing like what they did with the diamond dogs. (I can’t remember if there were in any other episode during the seasons of mlp but I think it was just one episode and that was it.) I love there design and everything about them, it will be a waste to just forget about them. They can show what you discuss in this video in future episodes of how to manage and deal with anger. Sorry if grammar sucks.

[@RedShirtRemyStarship]

I’ve seen this two weeks ago, these forest mares have a lot of hair and did not see one stallion or colt among them.

[@frankbrislin4378]

6:40 That's what bothered me; they had no right to force this on outsiders. And seeing they had no fiery magic, they clearly overreacted. 8:40 D'OH, I totally missed the 'Citizen Kane' reference. 9:15 OOH OOHOOHOOHOOH, I wonder if there will be a spinoff.

[@miguelocampo9512]

I am sure hundreds more will tell you tgis doc, but kirin are dragon-horses. So the big question will be is whether is a species of its own ir are a cross between ponies and dragons. Oh the Spirare will evolve

[@entertainment4kids1]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gaDQkmeodtxji8U At 1:36 Autumn Blaze is in the Stream of Silence! Applejack breaking the 4th wall saying this was easier to hear in song that was fun it ties in with Magpie’s PInkieTales and “Pinkie Apple Pie” I like their design and how when they are angry the have a changeling effect but in a different color. I was surprised how they ended this episode because it’s unique as most episodes end with laughter or AJ and Fluttershy going home or something! (I would like to see OCs as these creatures!)

[@ghouldusk6992]

i think if they make an episode where a great darkness comes and all the leaders of the race come together to figure out how to stop it, the kirins would be in it. they could put a kirin in the school of friendship but the young seven don't have a good ring to it, but who knows.

[@cecirogers298]

As a musical person, I love the fact that there was a reference to Phantom of the Opera! You're so great Dr. Wolf!! 😁

[@Sweet.Lollypop]

nice review Dr wolf! Always excited to see what you have to say about the episode!

[@willow8783]

I would love to see Ramin Karimloo & Sierra Boggess voice Broadway pony star versions of themselves for a Pony of the Opera!

[@radiorebel8223]

Rarity as Carlotta; Discord as the phantom; Twilight as Richard Firmin; Flutter shy as Christine Daaé; Apple Jack as Madame Giry; Pinkie pie as Andre; Rainbow dash as Raoul; and Spike as Piangi.

[@amandaslough125]

About half way through, I felt that the ending was going to be rushed for a 22 min format. I _knew_ it was going to happen, even more so than normal for the show. However, I was at least pleasantly surprised because I knew the basic ending but felt they were going to get there differently and enjoyed them finding a solution that fit the time. Though they could easily shave off a few seconds here and there by stopping all the "Oh gee I'm sorry, we have to go through so much time to explain our emotions because we no longer have the 'Dear Celestia' sections." I'm so sick of the mandatory "If not for your X cause we would _never_ have had this needed Y effect". More show than tell is needed. I've noticed some anime I've seen recently will have just 'character staring' moments and yes there's no dialogue but you're showing emotion there and it really is needed sometimes. Even then, they could've had the AJ/Fluttershy apology when getting the flowers from the squirrels and make it so more natural. Acknowledge the emotion but flow into the next part. That 5-10 seconds less could've let them have AJ and Fluttershy at the end give each other knowing looks about their job well done, then hoof bump, and then a zoom out with double smiles and it would still be the same abrupt ending but feel more natural. Even another 2 secs zoomed in on just the hoof bump ending would've been enough. Also, Autumn Blaze is my spirit animal. I am one that is long winded and easily distracted. And it feels so great knowing there's a character that wants to hear all my conversation tangents (although I don't like them when trying to get something done, but I always try to steer back into my point once I get through my tangent that's usually just bonus side story with background material) so she is a new personal favorite.