Taking "Equestria Games" Too Seriously

[@DRWolf001]

Very well done. Adding in some personal experiences made for a nice touch, and I sincerely hope that more people will see how much good there is this episode.

[@MrDzoni955]

You are completely right, Dr.

[@blancfan1]

Yeah sorry but this review flawed. The thing is doing a band performance or giving a speech are complicated. When performing you're afraid of messing up, when giving a speech you're afraid of slurring your words or saying something stupid. All Spike had to do WAS BREATHE FREAKING FIRE!!! Heck he's sneazed fire before! So the whole stage frieght thing is invalid! In fact it would of been funnier of Spike sneazed the torch lit, and then we could focus on the actual freaking games, like the freaking suggested what this ep was going to be about. I'm sorry but if there's one thing I noticed its that reviews tend to use past experiences to excuse a lot of bull butter without thinking about how their experiences are not the same.

[@Chipymage]

Hey dr I wondering if I could ever come in for a appointment?

[@sourwitch2340]

@@blancfan1 I won't disagree on this review being flawed but. Please just try sneezing in front of a large crowd that you think will expect some majestic snot from that nose of yours. Stage fright is pretty irrational and definitely valid. Not to add to the personal experience but I had stage fright in a scene where I had to just walk over the stage, saying and doing nothing else.

[@NERRP2017]

DRWolf001 couldn’t agree more

[@femoman]

You wanna know one trick they used to make Spike's Anthem recital extra cringeworthy? Cathy Weseluck, the voice actor for Spike, pretty much made the entire song up as she was recording her lines. She basically ad-libbed the entire thing!!!

[@matt0044]

+Michael Welsh (Femoman) Personally, I would've had him about to sing before bolting off in a "NOPE" fashion.

[@PPOshipper101]

+matt0044 Who's "him?" Sorry, I don't think I understood your comment..

[@RedDragonForce2]

I think Matt means Spike.

[@leirawhitehart1236]

Oh my gosh, if that's the case, then that is actually pretty brilliant! 👏 👏 Still cringy, but brilliantly so.

[@TheAnimationAnalyst]

**claps** Thank you. Just... thank you. This perfectly sums up why this episode is so good. This is already becoming the most overhated episode of the series in my opinion over It Ain't Easy Being Breezies. People like Tommy Oliver are judging this episode on what it could have been, not for what it actually is. And that honestly kinda makes me angry.

[@HubPie3]

Many people do that. It's nothing new, but it still really irritates me. This really shows why Spike is a great character, and shouldn't be ignored. :)

[@philippemaurice8782]

That's nothing. You should watch the awkward reviewer's commentary.

[@AarnaAmbardar-n5d]

people did judge it by what they were given, and what they were given was a complete and total letdown. If the premise was going to focus solely on Spike, then maybe they had no business building up to the damn games in previous episodes,

[@parkourfreak114]

You're now my favorite analyzer. You knew the episode was about the moral, and that's what fucking mattered so good on you Josh. You took the words right out of my mouth and made them sound intellectual lol

[@Keymoriah]

I'm honestly just happy that Spike was given not one, but two good episodes this season.

[@RedfurredPikachu]

He had three in my opinon but they all draw on things like Spike's insecurites or feelings of abandonment hence the writers actually have a conflict they can have him fix on his own. This was a thing in Secret of My Excess too and it's why I think that episode is really good. For the second half of the show after season 5 the new writers shown they were much better at drawing out the best in Spike.

[@lowercasedelta]

Being a major fan of Spike, I have a five things to say: 1. THEY ACTUALLY PAID ATTENTION TO SPIKE!! (fangirl squeal) 2. I never thought of Spike's stage fright like that... you just further explained why I like your videos so much. 3. When watching the episode on KZbin, I skipped through the anthem for the same reason. No, really, the *exact same reason*. 4. "Crowning moment of awesome" indeed. 5. This was an awesome video. Keep it up!

[@songofthesouthfan2]

This is the reason why I love Josh's reviews. He has the right attitude and optimism to analyze this show. I consider him, DR Wolf, and Silver Quill to be the best reviewers in the fandom. MUCH better than Bronycurious or Digi. I can't stand them.

[@PikminandOatchi]

NEVER stop taking things to seriously Josh. We would lose one of the best peronalitys on the internet.

[@The13thSeahawk]

I really loved the episode (and will say it's my favorite Spike episode), and as a Spike fan, I really appreciate the character even more. He's easily the most "human" of all the main characters on FIM. I also relate to him the most, as well. I did hear and watch him perform the anthem the first time, and as someone that wanted him to sing more, I cringed (first time, second time was actually amusing, though I still feel for him) -- not because Spike can't sing (The Crystal Empire, and the short songs from Spike at Your Service and Just for Sidekicks demonstrated that he can), but he ended up having to perform an anthem he didn't know the lyrics to. Honestly, I'm okay with not having the episode not having a lot to do with the actual games itself. I was just as surprised that this would be a Spike-centered episode as anyone else. With the way he was represented in a fair amount of the season, he really deserved a lot more focus near the end of the season, and I hope the writers in the future don't waste his potential. By the way, I started watching your videos. I'm going to continue to watch them. Thank you for your reviews. Keep them up!

[@Neo-Najarin]

I think the reason fans can relate to spike the most is, because he represents all six of the elements of harmony. As we have seen in past ep he has show signs of all six and on top of that he is learning to be him self as well. After i saw dragon fire i prayed that the writers would ether make spike's character equal to the mane 6 or he will get a spin of series with him as the main character. Over all i like spike as a caracter and hope that his character will keep developing and ultimately he will develop into some thing awesome.

[@tristanchan4949]

This episode is definitely my favourite from the show (well up to season 7 and the movie) just because I like how Spike was praised by the ponies and how he was supported by Cadance in this one. Also I was thinking of a fan-made spin off crossover series with Spike crossing over with the kids shows, Max & Ruby (seasons 1 to 5), the Backyardigans, and Veggietales too which I have made stories on my laptop too, also the different companies will be merged together. It’s called the Max Morris Spike & Backyardigans show which will be a mix between canon and non-canon to all seasons, the movie and two specials (due to events being mentioned in my series), but will be back in the present time with Twilight back to her normal Alicorn form and being the princess of friendship and princess Celestia and Luna back to being the rulers. It will have Spike (from my little pony friendship is magic), Max and Morris (from Max & Ruby) and Austin, Uniqua, Pablo, and Tyrone (from Backyardigans) to be the main characters while also having Max’s toys, Tasha and a lot of the other animals in Backyardigans and twenty or twenty-three Veggietales characters to be the secondary characters. The main six along with Starlight and Sunburst, the crusaders with their cutie marks, princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, shining armour and flurry heart, along with Ruby and the other bunny characters (from seasons 1 to 5 of Max & Ruby), and the other siblings, parents, boyfriend and wife of the main six, starlight and sunburst and also the cake family too are all going to be minor characters too. The reason why is because in episodes about him in seasons 6 and 7, most of the main six ponies (except for twilight and rarity in one) didn’t appear when it was about him even though they did appear for ones about him in seasons 8 and 9. Also I feel that they should’ve had princess Cadance to appear in another Spike episode after times they are a changeling since that one and Equestria games (which is mainly my favourite episode from the show) were the only two good ones with them together since I agree princess Spike was definitely whatever for Spike in that episode. And I just feel like next to Twilight, since she and Cadance get along, they should’ve had Spike to get along with her more often too after that season 6 episode.

[@TheAdamant94]

You know, when I first watched this episode I completely ignored the fact that it was the 'fabled equestria games episode' we've been waiting for for over a year, and instead just watched it as I do any other episode. I loved it. I think it was probably the best episode focussing on spike, has a great lesson, makes spike totally relatable, and there are so many things in the background that just make you want to pause at every even just to see what little tidbits are happening. It shows all the great character development from all the series, which is what us fans have been dying for. It gives us so many more unique character models in the 'royal box' along with the princesses, a return of prince blueblood and the Saddle Arabians. All in all, its a great episode, and everyone (Tommy Oliver/Bronycurious, Digibrony etc.) is being way too judgemental about it because all they see is what could have been.

[@pupperpalace9889]

The Spike singing the Wonderbolts anthem think was SO painful and I'm sure the other pony's agreed.

[@Camgoespony]

Great video! It seems that you, more than anyone else I've seen so far really understands what the episode is about and is trying to convey.

[@CharizardVonAwesome]

As a guy who struggles with self-esteem issues, I approve of every word said in this review. Stay awesome, Firebrand.

[@oakenshadow6763]

Thank you. Even if you are not on active duty, you put yourself in what was a stressful situation for some veterans. As someone who shares a birthday with Veterans Day, I am all the more proud to say thank you.

[@Dragonpit]

If anything, I think making this a Spike episode actually did the spirit of the games good. Spike actually took pride in his roles here. Yes, he screwed up and eventually got depressed, but he did care. And that's usually what these games are about: pride. I WOULD have liked to see more events myself, but truly, that would've made this entire episode world-building. As far as Spike' recognition goes...yeah, it's odd that the Mane Six isn't getting more recognition for the things they've done. Then again, maybe the reason why they don't is because this is what's expected of them? ...Who knows? I'm just throwing stuff at the wall here. As for Spike's stage fright goes...I'm with Firebrand here. I've been on stage myself a number of times as well, but I still have difficulty moving into KZbin videos. It's not an uncommon thing. That said, I couldn't watch Spike's singing performance, either. It just HURT to see it. I heard it all the way through, though, and for all his earnesty, misguided as it was, he tried. But it was all worth it. The ice cloud scene was the best pay-off ever, and Spike got his time in the sun and then some!

[@olpert]

I agree completely, and you're the first reviewer to bring this point up. What, exactly, could they have shown in the Equestria Games? All the events where no pony we care about takes part in and thus we don't really care about? We saw the relay, we saw the CMC flagbearing, we even saw Twilight presiding in her role as princess, something people have been complaining about, and anything else would have been a stretch for the audience to get invested in. There needed to be some plot not directly related to the games, and we got it in the form of an awesome Spike episode.

[@CybeargPlays]

I'm glad I'm subscribed to you. Despite this series' name, I get the impression that you're one of the very few FiM reviewers who doesn't take the show more seriously than it's designed to be taken. Thanks for that. :)

[@shadowacadamy]

This is one of the best analysis videos I have seen ever. I don't know why, but this is THE perfect review!

[@Soufriere84]

Josh, I think you're the only reviewer who actually _gets_ this episode and _why_ it was good, at least on balance. You even perfectly encapsulated my feelings about Spike's "song". It was horrible; it was supposed to be horrible; I had to mute the TV because I just couldn't bear to see Spike fail like that. I see so much of myself and my own neuroses in him. You also asked the perfect question of this episode's haters: _What were you expecting?_ I can say I wouldn't have liked it had the sports been prominent, and bringing back Lightning Dust or Gilda would have been awful.

[@thelooneyturtle]

you know what? this series is a great place for me to go to when I keep hearing negative feedback on the recent episodes. You are rarely negative on the episodes that I appreciate and it gives me a balance in the communities opinions. Keep it up, I look forward to your next video :D

[@HidekiNishi7]

This is pretty much my favorite out of all the "Taking Too Seriously" videos. Great work Firebrand. *salutes*

[@diamondwarrior2003]

my headcannon is that the crystal empire is an entirely seperate nation from equestria. which would explain how spike is hailed as a hero but the mane 6 are ignored.

[@ShadowRaptor1O1]

Well MY head-canon is that Crystal Ponies are born as Rock Ponies and don't get their crystalline shimmer until later. Therefore, the Pie Family's farm is actually a Crystal Empire abortion clinic. :D

[@diamondwarrior2003]

ShadowRaptor1O1 that made my day.

[@ShadowRaptor1O1]

***** YES OMFG YOU ARE GENIUS

[@KidSnivy69]

ShadowRaptor1O1 I like your headcanon :-D

[@Revkor]

Diamond Warrior I say they are like Canada and the UK.

[@zanzaklaus2496]

Completely agree. Many other analysists think it's bad for "not paying off", but as someone who became a brony around the start of season 4, I found this episode to be great!

[@EditDeath]

Excellent points, but I'd like to make one more. Throughout this season, Spike has had times when he's gotten down on himself, the ones that stand out the most for me being "Power Ponies" and the leaf incident in "It Ain't Easy Being Breezies." In this episode, Twilight and the rest of them finally realized just how badly Spike takes his own screw ups. Once they figured that out, they immediately looked for a way to help him get past it. I especially like how all the princesses were there at the time. It stands to reason that Spike would have a close relationship with Celestia, considering Twilight's relationship with her. When you get down to it, that's Spike's family.

[@dimentdash]

Thank you Josh, you perfectly summed up why this episode is so good. You and Dr Wolf put a smile on my face thanks to you and his video of this episode

[@ceedeeplayer118]

wait wait wait, I didn't knew he was in the military band... instrument?

[@FOBEquestria]

CeeDee Player Well, I believe he plays the trombone, but I'm not 100% certain (though fairly certain) and couldn't get a hold of him at this particular moment as he's not online. If I find out otherwise, I'll correct the statement here, but if you don't here differently then it's trombone. Haha.

[@ceedeeplayer118]

***** so a brassmate, that's really great! (trumpet)

[@bradyfields1641]

Wow. I play the same exact instrument as him. I don't know many people who play trombone, so when I hear about someone who is fairly well known (I don't know if someone who is horse-famous is considered very well known) playing trombone.

[@thehowlinggamer5784]

CeeDee Player Brohoof dude! I played the trumpet in band class in High school! Would have totally gone alumni in college if I actually had the drive to go. I'm just comfortable being me and doing my own thing in a kitchen in a home. Love the small town feels...

[@JeniPrism]

Ryan Wesemann Ah, I wish I had the chance to learn trumpet. Currently I'm doing the clarinet and piano, my tutors say it's too late to try a new instrument. I'm freaking 12, so I don't get how it's too late, but fair enough. How was learning the trumpet?

[@corastadtmueller3435]

5:32 Hey, Josh, to answer your question, it's said in the episode that whichever athlete covers their entire target in ice first is the winner, which I guess if you do that you get first place and the gold, be the next pony to do that and you get second place and the silver, and so on and so forth.

[@StealthDoctor]

I think the scene where spike botches the national anthem could have been better if someone like fluttershy jumped in half way and sang the correct lyrics for him

[@Doughboy123x]

Hmm. Maybe. Actually, yeah. It could work. It would make Spike's pride feel more hurt and also it could be used as a throwback to Filli Vanilli.

[@DrSmart20]

Doughboy123x and just imagine the charachter development for fluttershy herself, some fans were upset that she didn't reach much progress in that episode but out of kindness and friendship she redeems herself and does it without giving it a second thought, just to finish the song and slightly panic flying back to her seat to hide plus we would know what the real Cloudsdale anthem was XD

[@irishhuskie2585]

But the scene as it is is freaking hilarious!

[@Doughboy123x]

rushfan2596 I can agree. :)

[@Toongeek45]

I love this review! you took the words right out of my mouth! I took my headphones out doing that anthem for the exact same reason you did. There is such a thing as something being way too relatable. Also, stage fright with me is entirely temperamental regardless of crowd size. While I generally get more nervous with smaller crowds, the nervous tension comes and goes at a random basis for me. I say spike's stage fright here is just on-call anxiety.

[@elenavoellmecke9930]

When I saw spike trying to sing the Cloudsdale Anthem, I was swearing, and cursing, because I found it so embarrassing. (I get embarrassed from other peoples mistakes, I have no idea why....) But When he Used his fire to save the day, I Was Screaming "FIREPOWER!" as loud as I could! XD

[@The_Omega_Dragon]

I remember when I was in first grade doing a Christmas play. I was a Xmas tree cookie, and I would be the last in line of cookies to go up and say my lines. The only problem was my fellow cookies were shorter than me, and the microphone stand was set to their height and not mine. So when I went up, I had to spread my legs out to the sides just to get the microphone mouth level with me. At first I thought it was awkward, now I look back and laugh at what I did.

[@andrewscolak7922]

Well, you successfully refuted many critiques on this episode, and stopped me from trying to rewrite it completely and put in on FIMFiction. Thanks man.

[@Emptybee]

Bless you Josh, your example of stage fright under differing circumstances has been sorely needed.

[@SnarkyPhilo]

great review! i loved this episode! it was a great character build for spike, relatable on a personal level for the spectator. Spike is actually one of my top five favorite characters from the show, simply because when the writers aren't abusing him, he actually displays that potential to be something more, something pretty amazing. he also helps to break down the gender barriers a bit. in a show that goes out of its way to define itself as being for girls (despite the bronyhood) it sometimes falls into the trap of making characters one way or another simply because they are either a boy or a girl. whilei have no problem in that the society appears to be matriarchal, there are no strong male leads and those that do, outside of Discord, tend ot not be portrayed quite as well, with more faults, less strong and so on.But in this episode, and in Equestria girls (despite the rather insulting form of a dog he took) he displayed action, strength, and growth that are reserved usually for the mane 6. another example are the breezies. yes, i know, their existence makes no sense and that is one of my problems with them myself, but one of the complaints i heard was that it was hard ot tell the boys from the girls except with the eyes, and possibly voice. that they were all to cute. personally, i liked that about them, the fact that they broke the tropes of what is an adult male or female on the show. i think that is a positive messege for children. Spike does it in character, and the breezies do it in aesthetics.

[@justincarawan-carawanco.pu1639]

I muted the TV during Spike's song. I guess I was trying to pretend it didn't happen.

[@ToskiHeroAndEHAN]

You are now my favorite MLP analysis/review guy. Congrats.

[@ShaDHP23]

Excellent work as always, Josh. Looks like Spike has had a pretty good track record this season (no pun intended)... let's just see how he reacts in the upcoming finale...

[@Shearper2]

i seriously didn't mind that this was a Spike episode and it was a fairly good one at that. I completely believed that Spike would choke at the torch lighting thing, because though he has done stage performances in the past he has had time to prepare himself. This was probably a few hours to a day to ready his nerves and it just wasn't enough time for him to ready himself properly and you also made a good point when you referenced stuff that you did yourself about stage fright. also I did a sustained facepalm for the singing scene and the fact that it just went on and on, made me feel like I was in Spike's position just wanting it to stop. Plus the ending part with the crying baby and pinkie yelling Nailed it was to me the perfect end to a perfectly horrible experience for Spike. Poor Spike. in the end I think the story was well written and though I would have liked to have seen more of the games, we saw the events that contained the members of the Mane Six which is what I think we really needed to see since we know those characters and root for them.

[@GoldEagleX]

I have the same thoughts as well. Even though I never had to face such a big crowd, I still had moments where my performance on stage in front of hundreds had to be perfect (and I messed up on one occasion). It is tough being your own critic even when no body else cares. But overall, I'm happy with this episode.

[@Zircaa]

You turned the TV off? Huh i paused that part of the video. i really didn't watch a character Embarrass them. I HATE it when characters Embarrass themselves. i just can't bear it.

[@ericksolis4208]

Honestly I found myself chuckling a lot to your commentary. In hughschool while I was still developing and my mind was still wrapping around life I was in the JROTC program. As a freshmen I did not have to many friends and so I found that I valued my superiors and highly respected them leading me to be a cadet captain. I ran the armed drill team was a platoon commander (senior class leader) and the 3rd highest ranking among my classmates. So i had a lot on my plate performances and weekly inspections. So whenever my platoon staff riflemen or even team and other cadets failed I needed to make myself better. Seeing this episode makes me think of ways I could have delt with failure while I was still in school.

[@themaskedfacade9939]

It felt good to see Spike being respected by the Crystal Empire, especially when he was often shown as the comic relief in this season.

[@erowid17]

Me and my friend were hanging out when she played this episode. When I watch a show and a character is about to get Embarrassed, I get embarrassed. I ran to the other room so I wouldn't see spike sing.

[@Dragonecro0987]

As a resident of Louisiana where the Mercades-Benz Superdome is, did you enjoy Louisiana when you visited to perform?

[@gabbypalin503]

YES!!! This episode spoke to me on a spiritual level. I have always blown my failures out of proportion, and had mental breakdowns because I felt I was letting everyone down. I feel we all have the right to take this episode too seriously.

[@-kenik9629]

4:29 Maybe Equestria is in actuality a coalition of various city states? I mean it was originally three separate countries all vying for the same land.

[@photon--caliber4482]

I LOVE this moral. I relate to this so well, I am so hard on myself that every mistake I make is the worst thing, no matter how small. but when I actually do something "good" I pass it off as a casual thing. 5:23... Which is why i don't make content, No fanfics, art or YT videos because I will cringe at my own creation before i will even post it.

[@punkinheadcharlie]

I'm so glad you gave this episode a good review! Remember how almost everyone said that Rainbow Falls was the best episode ever after it first aired, but now that they're used to seeing Derpy again it's not at the top of anyone's list? I hope that this episode will be the opposite: that in a few weeks everyone will get over the games and just remember it as a great Spike episode.

[@thumsripa2228]

YES. Awesome review, Josh! Thank you for actually talking about the plot and not the lack of games :D

[@Doughboy123x]

Two good Spike episodes in a row. Now THAT is an incredible feat! Also....am I seriously the only person who actually found Spike's flubbed anthem funny? It's weird for me to say that because usually I am against the whole Spike abuse thing. And true, it was a bit hard to see him suffer like that. But that scene still cracked me up. Probably because of how he worded it. X3

[@DartDerg]

Probably not. However, both Joshscorcher and myself both turned off the TV during the Anthem because of how painful it was to see Spike like that. I can also relate to this episode's lesson as well, as I tend to take things out on myself more than I should. This review was great and I hope to see more from Josh in the future.

[@bigmacintosh8303]

Hey don't worry man, I was literally laughing through the whole thing. Haven't laughed that hard at mlp since the live-action in Pinkie Pride

[@ThunderGust12JD]

4:47 Yep I did the same. well I just paused and tried to get myself to watch the whole thing but I had my eyes closed

[@theironicmonster]

and now finishing the review, i'm so so glad you mentioned the moral. the other reviewers i watched shrugged it off like it was nothing because of the title of the episode and it made me feel a little bad that i related with it. but aah this review was quite refreshing. whether an episode was bad or not, having good things to say about an each one always makes it better.

[@jackmythicc1863]

in this episode, i like to think spike went through a little process i call, "the leap of a hero". he went through all the steps. 1. realizing how big the number of people who admire, really is. 2. wanting to do something that SOUNDS easy at first, but once your out there you can't believe what you've gotten yourself into. 3. wanting to hide away so you never have to make people expect less of you ever again. 4. taking care of something you don't see all that big, when really it make's people admire you more. so i like to think that spike learned, that being a hero, just means being yourself.

[@KittyBGaming]

Why does twilight’s wings change to Pegasus then back to alicorn wings sometimes?

[@TheAdam1995]

When I first saw this episode, I was hugely disappointing. I wanted an episode featuring the Equestria Games as all that build-up showed otherwise. Unfortunately, Spike was the only thing the episode focused on the most. Look, I'm not saying it's a terrible episode but there are things about it that bothered me. First off, I refuse to believe Spike would have trouble lighting the torch. If it was Fluttershy, I would buy it. Yes, it's a big event with a huge ass crowd but Spike's better than this!. Next, I did not find the part where Spike thinks he has pyrokenesis funny. Spike may not be the brightest person but he's not that stupid. The climax was also rushed. None of the unicorns including THE PRINCESSES bothered to use their magic to melt the ice cloud. Finally, I can appreciate the moral and what they're doing with it. My main problem is that we never see Twilight admitting that she lit the torch when Spike was having trouble!. Are you frickin' kidding me?!. Now okay. I can imagine alot of you reading the comment and typing: *Well you're just taking it too seriously. Expecting too much will get the better of you and you should be happy with what we got*. Well you might as well take those thoughts and shove up where the sun don't shine because that's no excuse. I maybe expecting too much but after what Dave Polsky did for the rest of Season 4, I at least expected better. *Okay, moron. If you're so smart, how would you do this episode?*. "sigh". Here's how I would do it. Have it focused on Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy competing. Make the gryphons the antagonists who are trying to cheat to win. Maybe have a subplot with Twilight and Spike, maybe also Cadence. Have the gryphons redeem themselves and stop the ice cloud and at the end, have the gryphons learn the moral of don't expect to win everything and gain the courage to accept defeat and also learn to do your best and learn to respect your fellow competitors. HOW IS THAT NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR AN EQUESTRIA GAMES EPISODE?!?!. Okay, with all that said, there are redeeming qualities. First off, Twilight and Spike do share some decent chemistry together. Second, the only few bits of the Games we do get to see were enjoyable. I just wished the episode could've been focused more on that. Third and finally, I did like the moral even though I don't relate to it due to not having been on stage in my life. So yeah, I don't hate this episode, it's passable at best but in my opinion was a disappointing one. Dave, you've really let me down here.

[@alextg123]

Okay. I'm just gonna touch on the four "points" you made as to why the episode was bad. First, did you not pay attention to the first thing he said, when you're considered a hero there is a lot more stress involved than a different performance. There was a ton more ponies there than he's used to. He couldn't take the pressure. Second, I didn't find pyrokenesis funny either, however when something you can't explain happens your mind can tend to create an unrealistic explanation. Third, did you miss the part about the security? All unicorn and alicorn magic was disabled to prevent cheating. Fourth, Twilight did admit to lighting the torch, right after spike tried to light the piece of paper on fire with his mind. It's almost as if you didn't watch the episode or at least didn't pay any attention.

[@TheAdam1995]

alextg123 Let me get this out of my system. First, I understand if Spike was under pressure but honestly I couldn't care less. Second, .... point taken. Third, If security was supposed to disable magic... HOW DID TWILIGHT USE HER MAGIC TO LIGHT THE TORCH?!. Also, I'm pretty sure security would allow the Alicorn Rulers of Equestria to keep their magic in case an emergency happens. Celestia, you're a princess and you know the rules!. Yet you can't even oversee the Games without getting by security first?!. WHAT THE HELL?!. Fourth, what I was mean to say is that at the end after Spike saves the stadium, Twilight didn't even tell the Princesses and the crowd the truth. This story could've been better if we saw that. Of course I payed attention!. Of course I watched the entire episode!. I'm not fucking stupid!. If I were, I would've skipped The Lego Movie to see Fake-O Cop instead!. But I didn't and you wanna know why?, BECAUSE I HAVE A BRAIN AND I WOULD LIKE TO USE IT!!!. Again, I don't think it's a bad episode, it just wasn't what I wanted.

[@KidSnivy69]

***** hey who cares?

[@alextg123]

***** I figure that in the initial event since there was no competition there was no magic revoked.

[@lillyanaray6344]

dude, THIS IS A SERIES ABOUT FRIENDSHIP AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO SOLVE THING THAT U HAVE TROUBLE WITH NOT TO WATCH PPL PLAY GAMES, okay carry on :)

[@SonicResearcher]

The games wouldn't have been interesting to see in the slightest. Only three of the competing characters were ones from Ponyville and they could only compete in one event... an event that we already saw them competing in before. It would have been incredibly awful had they forced in another moral about teamwork or cheating never being the answer over a character being written well and treated with dignity for a moral that was really good and stood as one I could relate to.

[@Soufriere84]

Exactly. I honestly cannot understand why everyone thinks more focus on the Games would have helped. They obviously don't understand _why_ sports-themed series work: It's because sports series focus on the _characters_ first and foremost. Showing more Games would have done the opposite of that at best.

[@moonman375]

Well, this is THE BEST spike's episode. I really, really loved it and i actually didn't mind that the games weren't the focus. It would have been a rushed episode with too many characters to handle. And here spike is totally believable. I hate when he's treated like a stupid (spike at your service), but here you can see why he acts like that, he's justified. And the moral... well, i wasn't affected that much, but one of my friend actually cried.

[@BlazikenYoshi]

Oh God yes. Yes yes yes! You hit every chord right! This is why I love your reviews! Sir, I salute you! (On more than one level!) And on a side, personal note, I too had to avoid Spike's song in a similar manner. I just eagerly await someone dubbing him with Leslie Nelson's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner from Naked Gun. :D

[@Orthus100]

Well done at being in the few who understood what Polsky was trying to say here. As a perfectionist who is much more likely to remember my failures than my victories, I can relate perfectly to Spike here, even more so with his reaction at the end. Being praised for doing, what is in my mind, a poor to adequate job (which with my own high standards is most of the things I do) drives me up the wall. I don't deserve the praise and it just makes me feel like crap.

[@CatMage1014]

As you mentioned in the beginning about the stage fright, I understood what you meant. I, personally, do not have stage fright in most situations. I was in theatre and choral concerts since I was a little girl and never felt a smidgen of stage fright for those growing up. Also, lately I have been in panels at conventions ranging from audiences of anywhere between 30 to 100 people. Well, I haven't felt stage fright in a while but the only times I do are when the amount of people is large, when I have studied a scene well enough to perform it yet, or if it is my first time performing something of that nature. So, though your example was much better, I understood your point. At the singing part, I personally did not find the topic of each city having a different anthem odd since I looked at it more as how schools have alma maters. Living in a city with multiple universities and thus multiple alma maters is all that it made me think of. But, also for what you said about the singing, I had so much second hand embarrassment for Spike that I had to pause the video and just sit back for a moment (Because I missed it on Saturday and had to watch it online). But, all in all, I think this episode was very good and that you presented a wonderful analysis. Spike doesn't get enough episodes and this one was, in my opinion, a very good one for him!

[@RedDragonForce2]

ONE MORE THING!! This episode was taken with the right amount of seriousness. KUDOS TO YOU!!

[@reaverred9729]

So much agreement, It was a great episode and the build-up we could see can be compared to a coming spotlight on spike via fourth wall for the episode too.

[@Jason_Singe]

Comment before watching video: Best video description I've read in a long time. Comment after watching video: I wasn't really sure whether I liked this episode or not, as like you, I found it difficult to sit through Spike's cringeworthy moments. It's not that I felt the episode was bad, or that the whole build up to this episode didn't take the direction we expected. More that I knew there were points of this episode I enjoyed, but I just couldn't pinpoint them. You did that for me.

[@animefan63USAF]

I'm so glad that for once there was a Spike centered episode that allowed him to get an even break! I'll admit that I cringed while watching the scene where Spike had to adlib the Cloudsdale anthem. But that was pretty much my only issue with this episode. Hopefully we get to see many more episodes where Spike doesn't get reduced to doormat status. Also, the lesson learned in this episode was one that I have lived a million times over too. So I can totally relate! Good job ***** and keep up the quality analysis!

[@Dairo512]

Regarding 'city' anthems... I think that given this show's tendency to borrow *strongly* from Hellenistic culture, it's a safe bet to say that each city is actually a city-state, all ruled collectively by the Princesses, but for the most part independently governed. This would also explain their representation in the Games.

[@vinnysuperg123]

Well, I dont know what to say. I know it is my own personal opinion but this video changed my mind on it. When I first watched this episode I was angry at it being a spike episode and not that much of the games which led me to not focus on the episode. That was a huge mistake as I can clearly see how you have made me look at an episode in a whole new way. It is surprisingly relatable to myself and how I act. Although, I still wont call this episode perfect, i actually enjoy this episode a lot more know.

[@ObsidiusFan]

Great Review, Josh! I also agree with you! I really liked this episode! Truth be told, when you see the title for this episode, you probably would expect an entire episode about the Equestria Games themselves, but, I honestly never liked Sports Episodes on Shows, they are just soooo boring for me! (And it would have made this episode way too similar to "Rainbow Falls") But, at the end, I was really happy when I saw the direction the episode took! I love Spike, and he got some relatable and great development on this episode. That scene when he melts the Ice Cloud: *SO EPIC! :D*

[@TheColonelKaijuVT]

As one pony/kaiju lover who is bored by sports episodes to another, I 100% agree with you! These past two episodes have been wonderful to Spike. And hope this remains consistent throughout the remainder of the series, though it probably won't.

[@CrystalArtest]

This has been a good season for Spike, don't you agree?

[@ObsidiusFan]

I agree. I'm starting to like him even more!

[@bluestar8253]

What

[@inactive2909]

At the exact second that the vid ended I turned my phone off and I had to turn it on to make sure that it wasn't the vid

[@melissa8110]

Did anyone notice that at 5:01 the pony to the left of Bon Bon looks like Firebrand in a suit? That's amazing

[@nonsensicaldreamer]

I can't even perform in front of my orchestra class, which was 10-20 last year. I almost ran out crying.

[@possessedpicklejar4762]

In the episode where owlishis first appeared, spike actually set a feather on fire with his mind with anger.

[@rollingthunder1043]

*Owlowiscious n_n

[@possessedpicklejar4762]

Well, the name was never shown written out, so you can't blame me for that.

[@PlanetZoidstar]

Sooo...Why is Spike's fire normally green, but not when he melts the ice cloud? Maybe it becomes orange at higher temperatures?

[@Noveler00]

Man, your always good for different perspective that other analysts are unable to see.

[@lucarianscout]

Though it isn't much constellation, I can agree with the fact that you, and Spike, felt pressure over having to hold up a standard.I currently have that standard as an Eagle Scout. People expect stuff of me all the time, whether it be knowing a skill, or able to teach younger scouts, etc. When I mess up or do something wrong though, it's like you just want someone to shoot you and never be caught for it. I hate the feeling and do what I can to avoid it, but it exists...

[@manuelrodriguez5830]

Something I just realized while watching this, if the Equestrian Games are taking place in the Crystal Empire, does that mean the Empire belongs to Equestria? I mean they were saved by Equestians and their ruler is an Equestiran, I wonder if they are any Crystal Ponies who are against the ocuppation?

[@LegionOfBlues901]

I'm glad we're looking at this episode at the same viewpoint. I think the huge majority of people who hated this episode was caught up in the hype and build up that DHX put out the past two seasons. Well if they went into that episode in mind, this was gonna be a disappointment from the get go. At the same time, it's a mindset that you can understand. If you go into it with no expectations and a free mind like I did, I think most people can at least enjoy Spike's protrayal in this episode and the part of the Equestria Games we DID get. I'm one of those people who bitched at the writers for treating Spike like garbage throughout most of the season. The last two episodes more than made up for ALL of that. Especially this one since Spike is very believable and identifiable. I myself am my own self critic. I often get praise for things I do and don't really see a big deal about it. Like Spike, I feel that those are the things I'm meant to do and that I do all the time. So in a way, my love for Spike pretty much doubled after this episode. Plus him melting that ice cloud. Like a BOSS.

[@VaanG0v]

Can someone explain to me, how Ponyville won the medal count when the count was 37 to 36, and Cloudsdale had 2/4 of finalists in the ice-archery? Was the last event called off? Did Ponyville only win because another town almost caused a catastrophe ?

[@BlythePennyBicycle21]

Perhaps another team won the event, or Ponyville won because of Spike melting the ice.

[@NoNameChannel789]

Firebrand i can agree with you on the whole performance stage fright thing. i did plays, sports and also band in high school. i never thought once about going out and preforming when i needed. but my sophmore year our band got invited to go play the national anthem at a NBA game i remember walking out on to the court and i froze it literally took someone to push me out on the court cause i just froze from the sheer number of people there (the most i have played for was about 200 people and there where over 10,000 people there) but yeah i went out and played and surprisingly i did very well i only messed up 2 notes. so i can fully agree with your analysis. and i also had all my friends telling me i did well when i kept beating my self up over that performance and then the next time i had a solo part i played it perfect and i was all i just did what i had to do. so yeah i can relate to spike here in this episode. well that's just my 2 cents worth at least

[@sasamichan]

Great job. After Tony, I needed an upbeat review before bed. Man your so happy.

[@dag1984]

I sorta... kinda did want to see LD or Gilda come back. That was back when I thought it might be a Rainbow Dash episode though. Once it was said to be a Spike episode I dropped that idea. In all honesty I wanted them to return because Trixie had already returned and been redeemed... but not those two? They both had potential for a decent redemption episode.

[@linksoni213]

The description of the video is so funny

[@MoonQueen1414]

Dude, i seriously admire you and your analysis. The relations between the characters and you really resonate with me. And then you go pretty much on my wave length and say all my thoughts like you read my mind. Even down to the fact that you also shut off the tv for Spike's embarrassing song. I find it amazing you were right on with what i thought. Keep it up. I really look forward to your next video.

[@nukefox13]

I just noticed this but the centerpiece of the flame looks like a Marker from Dead Space

[@BeatleScorpion1]

You should really get on your soapbox more often, Josh. The obvious passion you put into this particular review really shows, and it's one of your best yet! Keep it up! :)))

[@PkKirby]

Sums up my thoughts perfectly, everyone going nuts because they didn't put focus on the Games baffles me. We got to see everything that the previous episodes were alluding to, CMC representing Ponyville, Flight Relay, the games taking place at the Empire. Did people want to see just the games, cause that would have just been Fall Weather Friends 2.0 which would have gotten boring after a while.Best Spike episode and one of the best episodes this season.

[@RJill89]

You know what, because i am never in this scenario (i am a antisocial and just avoid these thing naturally) i couldn't relate to the ep so like everyone else i hated this ep. But after your review i re-watch the ep with you story in mind and i can see the importance of this lesson and at least grasp the situation . I love your veiw on things and thank you for helping see a different veiw on the ep. Your doing a great job! :D

[@batmenace15]

Its official, Polsky is the second best writer for me (after Rogers)

[@SharazJek]

With the absence of M.A. Larson I agree.

[@lordsjaak]

oke nice review but when are you go to make review episode on "trade ya" ? i think you was busy with your marine duty's i understand but i just wanna remind you with the episode?

[@terkoizfan123]

He said he is not going to do it because he couldn't find anything to talk about.

[@lordsjaak]

weird...it is lot talk about seriously on that subject.. weird...

[@heroofskywardandmlp1257]

Is like me and Josh are twins.

[@justinmurray1015]

I know how spike felt at the torch scene. I used to do plays at a military base when I was 6 for a couple hundred people. When I started band and basicly CARRIED the band as I was 1st tuba, when thousands of people are watching you, it is hard.

[@MuffinHunterX]

I'm pretty much always in Spike's mindset from the end of this episode. Getting praised for something that's expected of me or just by the definition of my job I'm supposed to be doing makes the praise fall flat. As such I rarely ever feel appreciated for what I do and as a result it negatively effects my self-esteem.

[@BlythePennyBicycle21]

This is going to be a copy and paste of my defense for this episode. Hello everyone. I am Silver Eagle 91. Today, I am going to do something special. For this, I am going to talk about the controversy that surrounds the episode "Equestria Games", and why a lot of people were really ticked off about it. I for one loved the episode. I think it's Dave Polsky's best episode as well as the best Spike episode. I am not trying to be mean or sadistic or sarcastic when I say that. I am dead serious. However, I want to get into more detail on why this kind of episode is the ONLY episode they could do for the arc. So, let's get started. The main criticism for this episode is that it doesn't focus on the games at all. It focuses on Spike. First, let me talk about the previous episode in the arc, "Rainbow Falls". A lot of people were so frustrated with that episode because of how contrived it is, that they forgot this certain line in the beginning of the episode, that the competitors can only compete in one event, which was the relay race. We already saw it in "Rainbow Falls", and we didn't need to see it again in full. Since Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were the only main characters competing in an event, which we already saw in that episode, we didn't need to see it again, unless it was some kind of rehash. Plus, they already spoiled who won the relay race in a commercial in April, so the episode wouldn't focus on the race anyway. Another criticism is about the character development that could have happened for Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts, and Scootaloo. They already got their character development in "Games Ponies Play", "Rainbow Falls", and "Flight to the Finish". Rainbow Dash and Spitfire learned that winning isn't everything in "Rainbow Falls". Rainbow Dash also learned how it's nice to do good to others when your dreams couldn't come true in "Games Ponies Play". Scootaloo learned in "Flight to the Finish" that she is still awesome, whether or not she has a disability, and that her friends will always understand. They all got some significant character development in those episodes, so we didn't need to bring it up again. If they brought it up again, then this episode would have just been a rehash of "Rainbow Falls" with characters flanderized beyond all belief. A minor criticism is why Twilight was able to use her magic to light the torch when it was stated that unicorns and alicorns can't use magic, to prevent cheating. Well, at the security gate, the guard "Unicorns will NO LONGER be admitted inside.". The fact that they said "no longer" means they found out and put the gate up to prevent something like this from happening again. Even the princesses would have to respect that. Even they have to follow traditions. There's another criticism on why the other Mane 6 weren't involved in the games. Twilight couldn't because she's a princess, and royalty can't compete. If she could, then Celestia and Luna could just win the games all at once. Rarity couldn't because she's not into sports. And before you say anything, she only did the Sisterhooves Social to get back onto Sweetie Belle's good side. Pinkie Pie couldn't because she's the cheerleader, which we already saw in "Rainbow Falls". If she tried a cheer routine from the stands, in a stadium, she would've gotten kicked out. The only other choice is Applejack, but even she wouldn't compete. She is good with sports and athletics, but they don't define her character. She's all about family and friends, honesty, her own moral values, apples, and farm life. Besides, none of the other Mane 6 expressed any sort of desire to contribute to the games, so it wouldn't have turned out well anyway. Another criticism is that Spike is facing self doubt again. Well, self doubt is a complex issue. It can take on many different forms. Besides, not every Spike episode focused on self doubt. Let's go down the list. "Owl's Well That Ends Well" is about how he shouldn't take jealousy too far. "Secret of My Excess" is about how it's better to give to his friends than to take from them, and what happens if he only takes from them. "Dragon Quest" is about how what he is not the same as who he is. "Spike at Your Service" is about how he should never be indebted to a friend when they do something for him. "Just For Sidekicks" is about how he should put his responsibilities before his own selfish desires. "Power Ponies" is about how he is useful to his friends even if they don't always need him. "Inspiration Manifestation" is about how he needs to stand up to his friends and tell them what's wrong with them, to show that he cares. This episode is how while there are others who praise him, he couldn't be pleased until he pleased himself. There's the other complaint on why he has stage fright in the beginning when he was able to do well in episodes like "Hearth's Warming Eve" and "Suited For Success". Well, he was in front of a few dozen or few hundred ponies, not 30,000 to 40,000 ponies. With such a large audience, it's no surprise he choked. Plus, he's the only character to not have any involvement with the arc. So, making him the focus of the episode was necessary. Another criticism for this episode is why there couldn't have been some kind of antagonist, like the Griffons. Well, the only two times a griffon played a major role in an episode was Gilda back in the season 1 episode, "Griffon the Brush Off" and Gustav the Baker in the season 2 episode "Mystery on the Friendship Express". They only served their role for those stories. After that, people didn't really care for the griffons. Sure, they made appearances here and there, but they did next to nothing in those episodes. Besides, there wasn't enough time to give the griffons some character in the series. As for other kinds of antagonists, who would they use? Background ponies? Well, barely anyone knows or cares about them. Before this season, I never heard of Doctor Hooves, Lyra, Derpy, etc until this season . So, it wouldn't be good to develop a background character we don't care about. And before you say anything, what kind of antagonist could play off Dash or the CMC? No one. They already had their antagonists in their respective episodes, so we didn't need to create a totally new character . The same goes for Spike. There's the other criticism on why it couldn't have been a two part episode. The answer is simple. Twilight is the focus of two part episodes. Since she wouldn't be the focus of those episodes, then they wouldn't have happened. They could have done the simultaneous story gimmick they did with "Just For Sidekicks" and "Games Ponies Play", but they should have done the episodes the other way around. Even if the staff learned the lesson and went ahead with it, we would still be seeing an event we already saw in one episode. If this episode focused on the games, the lesson learned would have been the same as the one in " Rainbow Falls". Some people saw this as a letdown since the arc ended on a low note, but to be honest, the show hasn't done well with arcs at all. They developed the characters well for the Grand Galloping Gala arc in season 1 , but it was only three episodes, and they were spread out, shown in the beginning, the middle, and the end of the season. Even though I loved the episode and the lesson presented, there is something that bugs me. They may have learned a valuable lesson, but there was no real payoff for going to the gala. It could have had something good for the protagonists, like if Rainbow Dash got an autograph from the Wonderbolts, or if Rarity got a kiss from the prince. I know it seems a bit much, but I wish the protagonists got something a little more. But like I said, I love the episode and the lesson. Season 2 had no arc, and focused on character development, and then gave us "A Canterlot Wedding" out of nowhere. Season 4 had the mystery box arc, but that was put into the background, and only the audience knew that the Mane 6's items were keys. Season 3 only hinted the Princess Twilight Sparkle arc in the premiere, and didn't expand on it until the finale. As for the Equestria Games arc, it wasn't good. In "Games Ponies Play", the Crystal Empire just got the games out of nowhere. Ms. Harshwhinny based her approval on someone else's word even though she wanted the full experience. "Flight to the Finish", which was amazing, only used the games as a backdrop for the episode. And, I already talked about "Rainbow Falls". Plus, this is a slice of life show. It's not about overarching narratives or stuff like that. It's about character development for the main and supporting characters. The games were just a contrived plot convenience for the episodes. I may be biased since this is the first full season of the show I watched, but the point still stands. I am not saying you shouldn't go into something with no expectations. I am saying you should go into something with an open mind. Thank you for reading. Have a good day.

[@TheLazyMadman]

Sidenote: Spike's improv is actually Cathy Wesluck's improv!

[@therealestmerg7182]

"No matter how many times others tell you you're great, all the praise in the world means nothing if you don't feel it inside. Sometimes to feel good about yourself, you gotta let go of the past. That way, when the time comes to let your greatness fly, you'll be able to light up the whole sky."--The episode ends with this quote. Its the most memorable and meaningful thing to me out of all the episodes. I'm in the military and I've screwed up a lot, probably more than most. I've had great leaders give me more than one chance. I've finally settled in and cleaned up my act. Now its just a matter of balancing 'duty' and feeling like you make a difference and matter. Very easy to get bogged down in this lifestyle. This quote and all of MLP has really helped keep my chin up and chase away the darkness. /)

[@icejustice6122]

I just wanted to say, in the episode it says 'the first pony to completely cover their target in a sheet of ice wins'.

[@cloudstrife532220]

Jokes on you Gilda was there. Check the background when Spike is lighting the torch.

[@alexispower5461]

Did no one notice the Firebrand look-a-like in the back next to Bon Bon at 5:01 or was that just me?

[@phoenixrose3577]

Did you know that Spike’s actor actually improved the song on the spot.

[@john_o]

Yeah it's official, Season 4 is now the best season. Also, Spike lighting fire with his mind. Am I the only one who thought of Combustion Man from the third book of Avatar when he said that?

[@BlythePennyBicycle21]

But, we still have the finale on May 10. And boy, does it look awesome.

[@Axelope]

I believe you mean sparky sparky boom man :D

[@john_o]

BlythePennyBicycle21 Oh you mean the one where they fight what looks like the freaking DEVIL??? Even though Twilight is getting a new kingdom, I'm so curious as to how this will affect later season and her relationship with her friends.

[@inactive2909]

AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER YASSSS I FOUND ITHER FANS HAVE U GUYS SEEN KORRA

[@haslover100]

THANK GOD I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO MUTED THE TV AT SPIKE SINGING CLOUDSDALE