The Ticket Master

SPOILER ALERT! Those of you who have not seen the show, be warned. This review is going to contain spoilers about the episode. If you have not seen it yet, watch it right now and read my review in 20 minutes, or prepare to have some of the critical plot mentioned before you view it. I am assuming many of you are bronies, or fans of the show, and you are reading this review for an interesting insight on an episode you have seen countless times already (as have I), in which case, continue reading, and enjoy!

As the title insinuates, the episode I am reviewing today has something to do with tickets. While Twilight and Spike are helping Applejack in the opening scene, Spike receives a letter from Princess Celestia, inviting Twilight and a plus one to the grand galloping gala (GGG). She sends two tickets. Twilight asks Spike if he has ever been to the gala, although Twilight should know this, as Spike has been by her side ever since he hatched from that cute little purple-and-green egg. This was probably to just let tie the conversation together and let the audience know that Spike has never gone (and never intends to go) to the GGG. Anyway, Princess Celestia did allow Twilight to remain with her 5 best ponyfriends in the last episode becase well, friendship is magic. I am a little surprised that from the time one episode ended until the next one began, Celestia had totally forgotten that Twilight had five really close friends.

Applejack, being in the immediate vicinity, is the first one to ask about the extra ticket. Her reason to go to the gala is this: selling apple products and raising money to help the farm and improve Granny Smith’s hip. Although she could probably do this without needing a ticket to attend (Just set up a booth outside the gala, AJ!) Still, if a ticket was required, this is a valid reason to want one.

Then, Rainbow Dash comes crashing in. Although she was too busy napping to help Applejack, she conveniently was able to overhear that Twilight had an extra ticket, which she wants. The reason she needs the ticket: to interrupt the Wonderbolts’ performance with her own moves, so they will be in awe of her skills and have her join them. Clearly RD is all brawn and no brain. That is the most poorly thought-out idea I’ve ever heard of. That’s saying something, as I have had many poorly-thought out ideas myself. If Rainbow pulled that crud, she’d be arrested and have a restraining order placed on her, never letting her be near the Wonderbolts again. That would make it pretty darn hard for her dream to come true.

Rainbow Dash dreaming up a ridiculous idea, but imagining it will work anyway

Applejack and Rainbow Dash argue over who will get the ticket, but Twilight tells them that she will decide, since the extra ticket is hers to give away. She heads off, but gets glomped by Pinkie Pie. Obnoxious Pink Party Pony is obnoxious, and has to go to the GGG as well. She needs Twilight’s extra ticket so she can PARTY! Although this is a valid reason, she sings a short song, that is not that catchy or enjoyable, and only occurs because Pinkie Pie is too eccentric for her own good. Although I like to link songs into my reviews, I will save you the agony with this one. If you want to listen to an annoying song, just Google “Pinkie’s Gala Fantasy Song.” If I were Twilight, I would not give her the ticket, simply because her song was bothersome.

Rarity comes along, and, no surprise here, wants the ticket to the gala. She wants to be surrounded by all of the glamour and culture, but also to meet him. Him refers to Princess Celestia’s nephew, Prince Blueblood. I am curious as to how this princess has a nephew, as Luna does not seem to have any kids, and no other siblings have been mentioned. However, I suppose it could be an adoptive nephew, or even an honorary title. Still, if she is going to meet the love of her life, she does have a really good reason to get the ticket. Besides, she is elegant and sophisticated, and a gala seems like the perfect thing for her to go to.

There is still one more of Twilight’s friends who has not made an appearance yet. Fluttershy finds out about the tickets through her bunny, Angel, and ever-so-politely asks if she can have the extra. Like Applejack, Fluttershy is not interested in the gala itself, but rather the private gardens surrounding the gala. There are many animals and flowers that only bloom the night of the gala. This seems like a good reason to go, yes, but I am sure that if Fluttershy only wanted to visit the gardens, then she would not need a ticket to the GGG itself.

The mane six are all gathered together, and everyone argues over who deserves the ticket. Twilight shouts at them to be quiet, so they all stop talking, except for Pinkie Pie, who continues with “And then I said ‘Oatmeal? Are you craz-?'” before catching on. I wonder what the heck Pinkie had been talking about and am still very curious. I really loved and found this quite funny.

Twilight, who had been complaining about being hungry ever since the episode began, needed to get some food so she could think clearly and decide to make a decision. I already ranked the ponies in order of who deserves the ticket the most in terms of their reason for wanting it. Rainbow Dash’s reason was so dumb that she is not even included in the ranking.

1. Applejack* (Raising money for her family)
2. Rarity (Elegant atmosphere, and meeting the man she is going to marry)
3. Pinkie Pie (Enjoying a great party)
4. Fluttershy* (Visiting the garden outside of the gala)

Twilight goes to a restaurant for food, and is so excited to finally have lunch. However, the waiter asks if she is going to eat in the rain. It is not raining on Twilight, since her good ol’ buddy Rainbow Dash cleared a hole in the clouds above Twilight’s table. However, Twilight refused this special treatment because she knew Rainbow was just being a brown-noser. If it were me, I would have taken the favor anyway, but the fact that she still considered RD to be in the running for the ticket showed that Twilight’s thinking was slightly off.

The other ponies tried to bribe Twilight into giving them the ticket as well. Rarity gave her a makeover and Applejack offered a variety of apple goodies (Twilight’s lunch got rained on after she told RD to close the clouds). Twilight goes home to see Fluttershy cleaning everything, and when she tried to leave, she encounters Pinkie, who threw a party for Twilight in hopes of winning her favor and getting the ticket. Pinkie sings another obnoxious song, “The Ticket Song” for any of you who want to look it up. Because of this party, roughly everypony in Ponyville wants the extra ticket, and a really wonderful montage occurs. As cliché as it was, I really enjoyed this scene.

When she gets back to her house, Twilight’s friends are all there. Starting with Applejack, they all apologize for how they acted. Except for Rainbow Dash, who celebrates being able to have the last ticket. She honestly should not have even been in the running, but okay. Ten jerk points to her, though. After much, gloating, she changes her mind and says she does not need it either.

Twilight realizes that she can’t decide who to bring, and has Spike write to Celestia. She claims that if her friends so not want to go, then she does not want to, and decides to return both tickets to the GGG. She claims it is hard to have more than her friends when there are not enough blessings to go around and share. This reminded me a little bit of the Arthur episode “More!” In that episode, one character realizes she and her friend should just keep their own allowances, and it is okay to have something your friend does not have, because not everyone can have the same things. “The Ticket Master” went against that, and I thought the lesson it taught was pretty weak. Celestia remembers the magic of friendship at last. She must not have forgotten the events of the previous episode after all, and sends six tickets. That way Twilight and her pony friends can all enjoy the gala together.

Spike gave all the tickets away, and then grew sad that he did not get one as well. I believe that the reason he feels sad he can’t go, when in the beginning he did not want to, is because when everyone else had a ticket, he felt left out. Celestia didn’t forget Spike, though, and sends another one for him. Spike is happy, Twilight is happy, all of her friends are happy. This is another happy ending for a great show.

• Posted in: Episode Review ♦ Season One
• Tagged: Brony, MLP, MLP blog, MLP:FIM, My Little Pony, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, TV