Regarding Foils: Ok, I'll check it out if I have time.

That document actually needs to be updated.

Anyway on topic. So any speculation on what the episode Hearts and Hooves might entail except Valentine's Day?

@ Mio: I'm just hoping Fluttershy is the mane focus. She's shaping up to be this season's Forgotten Character.

I think it all boils down to what exactly the conflict of the episode is. Valentine's Day episodes tends to have a few stock conflicts, but relatively few of them would work with this show unless they were willing to change relationship dynamics within the cast. This leaves said stock plots only really being capable of applying to Spike's crush on Rarity.

I'm actually confident that they'll make it fairly unique and surprise us, as they just did Spike/Rarity stuff fairly recently and aren't likely to revisit it as an episode's focus any time soon.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:00:48 PM by PerpetualLurker

Fluttershy has only had 5 episodes in the entire series centered around her and those were all in season 1.

Maybe they could pull something with the minor characters. Like maybe some Love Letter Lunacy shenanigans with Snails and Twist or somethin.

Yeah, Fluttershy seriously needs some more time in this season. She's nearly a side character as things are.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:12:09 PM by JapaneseTeeth

I liked the Oh Crap look on Rarity's face when the Cakes asked her to babysit (complete with profuse sweating.) At the same time, I'm surprised that she couldn't come up with an excuse at all. Like, "I have to finish a big order." Or, she could have just told them the truth: "I suck with kids. Sweetie Belle and I almost killed each other."

Problem Twilight?

Daw.

My Little Pokemon.

And Pinkie hasn't aged a day. Weird.

Daw, Nightmare Moon and Celestia.

Maybe it's because Fluttershy is the flattest character? (raises hands at the sight of a thousand sniper dots being trained on me) I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but I think she is.

She has moments, she has GREAT moments. I like her more than Rarity and I love Rarity. It's just... there doesn't seem like there's much you can do with her. She has a pretty predictable personality.

and yes, I know that giving her more episodes could remedy that, I agree that she desperately needs more attention, I'm just thinking from the POV of the writers

I'd disagree and say Pinkie is the flattest character. Her reaction is usually obvious and she's had even less focus episodes than Fluttershy IIRC.

Good luck to Applelight!

Re: "Hearts and Hooves" I'm guessing that it could be part of, if not the, rumored lead-up to Princess Cadence & Shining Armor's Royal Wedding Season Finale.

On an unrelated note, brace yourself for the new toy commercial

I don't know if I'd say flattest so much least repressed. Fluttershy basically wears her feelings on her sleeve. Pinkie is probably a simpler character, but the fact that she actively hides the insecure parts of her personality makes it easier to work her into conflicts. There's an element of uncertainty as to what's going on in Pinkie's mind (other than PARTYPARTYPARTY), whereas with Fluttershy what you see is what you get.

The other thing is that Pinkie is just a much more active personality; she can actively participate in the conflict. With Fluttershy, the conflicts are more limited to "Fluttershy gets stuck in a situation that she can't quite deal with" because she'd never deliberately get herself into a conflict with another pony, and if she did, she'd probably resolve it too fast to build an episode around it.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:36:10 PM by JapaneseTeeth

I love the wink. "I know I'm in a terrible commercial and Out of Character. Buy our toys anyway!".

Is it just me or does that sound sinister. "I'm Pinkie Pie and hop on my train." Then the camera pans to show two children and the meekest member of the cast on the carriages. Something there ain't right.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:38:58 PM by Badwolfwho

Is it weird that the only thing I could think of was "why on earth would you let Pinkie drive the train!?"

@ Whatshisgame

Thank you.

'night all!

Fluttershy can be active provided the life of an animal is endangered . "A Bird in the Hoof " proves that she will act if an animal is in danger.

Don't make the obvious joke, AJ...

Night.

Obviously she's stolen the train as her getaway vehicle after the kidnapping.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:42:42 PM by Badwolfwho

@Rhyme That's still rather more limited than the other characters

She's not an active protagonist unless pushed in a certain way. She's too meek

edited 15th Jan '12 3:44:37 PM by gingerninja666

Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy are there because they own those two train cars (no, really!)—how a filly ended up owning a train car, I have no idea.

That's what I was getting at. Fluttershy is mainly a reactionary character; if you want a plot centered around her, she probably isn't going to instigate it.

Commercial: Hsssssssssssssssss... It burns...It burns us...

Really? Sweetie Belle is the best business pony. She should be on the next Junior Apprentice.

Pinkie Pie still could have commandeered the train.

edited 15th Jan '12 3:49:46 PM by Badwolfwho

Which Cast members are Actionary and which members are Reactionary out of curiosity?