Yeah, I just looked at all of the examples on that page, and they're pretty full of it for the most part. For example, it talks about Swarm of the Century and how the fact that Pinkie could have communicated better somehow broke the Aesop. Then it ends with this wonderful line:

Learning lessons probably the best way to do character development in an episodic format, though. "Aesop" really is a misnomer, anyway. They're just general life lessons that would have been learned regardless of whether or not they sum them up at the end in a letter or not.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:36:03 PM by PerpetualLurker

Yeah There is a reason Lesson Zero was the first non-opener episode of Season 2. They had to get the change across that the rest of the mane six can write letters and don't have to do it EVERY WEEK.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:35:54 PM by stevebat

The first totally lesson-free episode can't be far off then.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:36:59 PM by edvedd

The timing of Lesson Zero seems to hint at Twi still having some stress over Discord's previous antics.

I remember a few other Season One eps where someone besides Twilight learned something. she's just the one who sends the reports.

I don't know about "BROKEN Aesops", but I find the morals are often times flawed not just for their delivery, but sometimes the message itself kinda sucks too.

@ed If nothing was learned, then there's no development. That kinda defeats the purpose of a character driven show.

Some episodes its better to ignore the Aesop at the end and just make up your own definition.

@L Mage: Glad to hear it, nice that you have some friends around. My last remaining old friend is leaving for Austin in about a month and I haven't even seen him for like 3 or 4 months, even though we live about 5 minutes away from each other.

@above: I'm pretty certain there's been at least one episode without a letter writing in season 2. Someone remind me.

@Bluespade Hearts and Hooves Day (although they still sum up a lesson)

@Steve I can only think of maybe one or two instances where that is the case, honestly, and even those suffer more from poor wording or delivery than anything else.

Family Appreciation Day as well.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:41:11 PM by PerpetualLurker

Pretty much agreed.

Well, it doesn't really matter that much how they do it. The show would still be great.

@Blue: Hearth's Warming Eve, Family Appreciation Day, Hearts and Hooves

I think the Aseop is less important then the storytelling.

It would be nice to see Granny meet another peer from her time in season three.

Of course the story is most important. I'm just saying that what the characters learn is the catalyst for their development. You can make a good case for removing the summation of the lesson from the end of each episode, yeah, but removing them completely? You'd be left with static characters simply reacting to the situations around them, like SpongeBob SquarePants.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:46:48 PM by PerpetualLurker

Even then, Rarity did it in Sonic Rainboom.

Dear Celestia, today I learned that enhanced interoggation techniques do not lead to accurate information. Your faithful student, Pinkie Pie.

Yeah, the summations are too integral to the show... so much so that when I write fics I have to include a letter to Celestia at the end.

I can see why some of the Aesops are kind of badly-handled, too. I mean, I have trouble coming up with a "what I learned from all this" thing for my shit, and I'm not under constraint to make it kid-friendly.

Hmmm... what would the lesson be if there was an episode where Twilight discovered Marijuana? Think the show would show balls and have it being even-handed, or be all PC and go "drugs are bad, all the time, no exceptions"?

And then you have all the entries in the page that shall not be named...

Wait, why do I give a fufufufuck about some anon's opinion?

Not a sock puppet

edited 10th Jul '12 9:52:54 PM by Pinkapie

Pinkapie, if you're supposed to be a sockpuppet*

that is, typing in-character as Pinkie Pie

you just messed up.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:52:01 PM by MoeDantes

@Moe I suspect the show will go the Fantastic Magical Steroids route as much as I would despise such an overdone cliche.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:52:05 PM by stevebat

@Moe Well, unless you're supposed to be taking said drugs for medical reasons, drugs kinda are bad, all the time, no exceptions.

They wouldn't do that sort of episode.

There are plenty of people who'd disagree with you. I don't have much of an opinion since I've never tried any and don't plan to.

edited 10th Jul '12 9:54:06 PM by Bluespade

Do you really need to ask that question?

edited 10th Jul '12 10:00:23 PM by Mio

Bluespade is probably right. I get the feeling MLP will never touch really controversial subjects.