^Well, the Flimflams are threatening to drive them out of business with mass-produced shitty cider. They could have come to a mutual arrangement, yes, but the brothers lack any sort of professional ethics when it comes to competition in the market, not to mention quality control.

Although their cider was apparently at least decent before they switched the QC off, if Granny's reaction was any indication. It probably wasn't as good as the Apples', but before they flipped the switch the cider was decent at least.

Also, I finally got done sorting all the season 1 episodes into tiers. Should I post?

edited 11th Aug '12 7:47:54 PM by JapaneseTeeth

No it's pretty much agreed that there could have been a benefical arrangement, but the reason there wasn't was becuase F&F were greedy SOB's and wouldn't accept a fair split, wanting to get as much money as they could out of the deal no matter what.

The Apple's were open to the idea until they heard the split F&F wanted.

In another note, the whole episode was just bouncing with Idiot Balls, particularly on the Flims part:

1. They didn't even make an attempt at bargaining.

2. Was the bet even necessary?

3. They shouldn't have let Twilight and co help Applejack.

4. Whether they did even need to double the power...okay, that's just up to speculation so I will let it pass.

5. After the bet, they should have sold the first batches of cider.

Not only they were greedy, they were also stupid.

edited 11th Aug '12 7:51:01 PM by dRoy

That's my main beef with the episode; the heroes' victory should not be totally dependent on the bad guy being a bonehead.

So basivly what your saying is

Flim and Flam were idiots. yeah that's kind of not in doubt.

It's not Idiot Ball if the character is just plain stupid.

Also, up until the end, Pinkie was being pretty insensitive. Fluttershy didn't help either.

@Seraphem: Thing is, they're played as Con men, who by definition have to have a degree of cleverness to actually cause tension. Flim and Flam were relatively clever in the first half of the episodes where they goaded the Apples into taking the bet by turning public opinion against them. Up until they let Twilight and friends join in, Flim and Flam were more or less getting what they wanted. In the first half of the episode they were relatively intelligent and then they suddenly turned into idiots because the Apples would have lost otherwise.

Pinkie I understand, but what did Fluttershy do?

edited 11th Aug '12 7:54:58 PM by JapaneseTeeth

@JT -

That had to be one of the most tactless things she ever said.

What was the context for that again?

Oh yeah, right. Hang on...

What was even the point of her saying that?

edited 11th Aug '12 8:00:13 PM by dRoy

I guess it was supposed to play in them being smug and overconfident, that no amount of ponies could better their technology. Granted by the time of them downgrading their machine to speed things up, they started to seem kind of dumb (not that quality control isn't sometimes like that in real life industries).

Either she was trying to soothe the angry mob by saying it isn't that big a deal, or she was starting to offer someone her own cider.

edited 11th Aug '12 8:01:53 PM by Psi001

She didn't mind not getting any cider.

I think that she said that to try to make AJ feel better about running out. Sort of a "They might be mad about it, but I want you to know that I'm not". I certainly don't think it's insensitive; she's just letting AJ know that she won't be angry if she doesn't get any.

edited 11th Aug '12 8:03:43 PM by JapaneseTeeth

Yeah, Fluttershy was totally ready to share her cider with Dashie :3

@Cheerilee: I suppose you learn to get unflappable quickly with a class of energetic children :D

I will say that while Flim and Flam and the Apples could have come to a mutually beneficial agreement, I don't think it would have been good in the long run. I kind of imagine the increased cider production eventually leading to a franchise, and the brothers gradually turning down the quality to increase production.

I got the impression that the Flim Flam brothers had pulled the same con multiple times, running the locals out of business and milking them for as much money as possible before moving on. "It's the same in every town." They were probably so sure of their previously successful plan that they got cocky. They had probably never even had to resort to the lengths that they did to win that competition before, and were unaware of how bad the results would be.

edited 11th Aug '12 8:04:09 PM by PerpetualLurker

@Lurker: it might be worse for them than is shown. AJ could have written all her relatives to warn them, and since the Apple Family is all over Equestria, the Flim-Flams might quickly find their travelling scam become very unhealthy. Even moreso if we extrapolate that AJ's Orange relatives are in finance or legal and she has family in Applewood. All it takes are some nasty Audits or lawsuits or even a mockumentary from Applewood and the Flim-Flams are ruined for life.

Pretty much, yeah they got cocky.

Also, I finally got done sorting all the season 1 episodes into tiers. Should I post?

Yes, please.

@Ace Do you really think that AJ would be so vengeful to ruin two ponies regardless of their future actions? Also, they never did anything illegal. Amoral and soulless, perhaps, but entirely facilitated by the hubris of their targets.

edited 11th Aug '12 8:09:40 PM by PerpetualLurker

Hmm, Flims being multiple time scammers...makes enough sense.

@Syd Tiers of what?

@Roy: They are multiple-time scammers. Remember? "Next town?" "Next town!"

@Lurker: Not necessarily, but she might write her relatives to warn them against being scammed the same way, and they might take the matter more proactively.

Flim-Flams getting chased by a lynch mob out of Appleloosa for S3.