@Lurker: It's not they are quite on the decline (though as said before, AJ has been underplayed outside another "AJ being stubborn" story with The Last Roundup) it's just on that very difficult balance where it could tip to one side at any point since their traits are so extreme. If particular traits take on with other writers they may start to disregard other ones in favor of them.

For example, Daffy Duck didn't Flanderize into a greedy jerk overnight. First Chuck Jones gradually evolved the concept and then used it indefinitely Rabbit Fire onwards. Other directors took shades of it and applied it to their versions, but still kept traits of his earlier screwball persona, in the end though they eventually submitted and made him the same full on pompous loser character Jones used (if not more so).

Sorry, I didn't remember AB's death being that bad. I guess you probably won't like Scootaloo's either then.

And yeah, I didn't like the memes either. I think there were a handful that were worked into the dialogue pretty well, but most of them stuck out like a sore thumb.

@Orion actually my rasp did 2.5 k worth of draining but Ultima weapon has 5k worth of mana (And a reraise active that jerk). End result was that 3 rasps did him in.

Number of times I want to Punch Discord in the dick has been permanently shelved.

I will now start a new counter: Number of times I want to give trixie a hug.

edited 18th May '12 9:00:55 PM by stevebat

@Steve: Ah, I see.

I thought it went without saying. Anyway, ponies have lived through worse.

I heard talks of Persona 4 so here's a mega big spoiler sort of we kept talking about it.

edited 18th May '12 9:02:16 PM by Chadaman99

@Steve: You might not want to put your Discord hate count away just yet.

@Psi Just because a character isn't the focus of an episode, doesn't mean that their character doesn't get expanded on. Besides, TLR was not about her being stubborn. It was about her shame at the thought of having failed all of her friends and the town she had made a promise to. In any case, the sample size of her traits being played on is too small to make any sort of call for Flanderization.

I don't really think the characters are on the decline either. OK, Lesson Zero had Twilight acting a little extreme, but other than that, things have been pretty consistent for the most part in my opinion.

That pretty much sums up how I look at it. She was being stubborn about staying, but that was just a secondary effect of a larger issue.

I think I'm probably the only one who didn't find Lesson Zero on the extreme side. It's actually pretty consistent with how Twilight acts when she runs the risk of disappointing the Princess, IMO, with Swarm of the Century and A Bird in Hoof being the primary examples.

edited 18th May '12 9:06:47 PM by PerpetualLurker

@ Lurker

Well actually, when you put it like that, I guess even LZ isn't an exception to the rule.

She over reacts a lot yeah, which maybe why they kept trying to talk of her shenanigans in A Canterlot Wedding Part 1.

The sources of conflict in the episodes are because of the characters flaws you know?

edited 18th May '12 9:10:15 PM by Chadaman99

I dunno, AJ just seemed a bit out of the spotlight in season two. She seemed more the center focus in a lot of season one episodes or at least had more memorable scenes. In season two even in the two starring episodes she has, she seemed kinda Overshadowed by Awesome, with another one or two more abrasive characters having to keep the entertainment value.

Maybe I just over obsess with AJ's flawed moments since I find full on Straight Men kinda dull.

As such I actually like Twilight's heavier neurotics in season two, as said though I just fear they might lose balance with it and other traits like her Straight Man roles. That's usually how Flanderization starts. They make a very fun trait for a character but then utilize it to death.

edited 18th May '12 9:10:04 PM by Psi001

I don't think her reaction was that exaggerated either. The animation was exaggerated. If it had been more subdued, everything else would have still been in character. Also, I'm just going to leave this here again, because it contains my explanation for why I think Twilight's freakout really isn't that overblown. There really could be a lot riding on this.

I just checked the opera lyrics in PF 6 more closely and you're right, they're completely different! It's just that the new lyrics fit so well that I didn't even notice they were changed!

Oh shit. I don't know how to fish!

@Psi: That's why i hope they don't stick around with this show too long. 4 seasons is enough. Any longer, and they may start getting REAL lazy with writing.

@ Japanese Teeth: I agree if animators hadn't given her a perpetual Slasher Smile she likely wouldn't have came off as deranged. Her acting otherwise is creepy but without it could come off as more nervous and frantic.

I can't really say that anypony has been really out of character this season, but as I said this season has been more prone to using more extreme Character Exaggeration then season one did. While it has rubbed some people the wrong way it has also made for a lot of fan favorite episodes.

Anyone want to talk hopes for season three?

My first hope...is that it's longer than 13 episodes...and that it isn't the last season.

@Steve: Ah, you're past that scene. To fish, when the fish is next you, hit A.

Yeah, I think as a whole season 2 took more risks. Season 1 was largely safe; it didn't have spectacular "HOLY CRAP" moments like season 2 did, but I think that they were consistently higher quality. Season 2 is a lot more hit or miss because it took a couple of bigger risks that didn't always pan out. So basically, I think season 2 had some of the best and worst episodes of the show.

For example, Rainbow Dash has had more overblown pompous moments, but it was balanced by also developing more prominant softer moments such as her sisterly treatment of Fluttershy. It works to make her more complex since we have the use of both. If only one extreme had been used she would have either Took a Level in Jerkass or risked losing all her abrasive traits and become dull. It's that tricky balance of flaws and strengths. It doesn't help the show started off on such a high with these.

Failed. Times I want to hug Trixie: +3

edited 18th May '12 9:14:50 PM by stevebat