Thoughts on MLP Make Your Mark Chapter 4, Episode 1: Bridlewoodstock
(with spoilers)
So this special really reminded me of the G3 specials, which generally low-stakes (except A Very Minty Christmas when Minty almost fell to her death out of a hot air balloon). Like if you think about it, life would go on if Kimono wasn't surprised on her birthday or if there weren't any rainbows for one year. The mix-up with the three musical acts thinking they would be the headliner, and then an ADDITIONAL mixup where none of them wanted to be the headliner, was especially G3-ish. Mostly this special was about a pleasant vibe and fun songs and ponies dancing around.
However there was some conflict, in the form of Pipp ignoring Izzy's (and the other unicorns') warning about the Troggles.
The Troggles were originally from the G1 episode "The Return of Tambelon". They were the enslaved minions of Grogar until they rebelled against him and befriended the ponies.
In this special they are more like forest spirits, and are only a danger during the nights of the Lumi-Bloom. The unicorns have a poem about them: "Eyes of the monster, form of the pig! Sing, laugh, or yell, set hoof on a twig! Troggles appear, steal what's to be, no cure to be found past the red ruby!" The Troggles steal ponies' voices, but will give them back (and disappear) if presented with a ruby. Which is exactly what happens, and then the ponies go back to their concert and dance party.
Random thoughts and observations:
Izzy says the Lumi-Bloom occurs "every moon season". Also, Minty says the Dreamlands broke up "moons and moons ago." Both of which make me believe that in this world "a moon" is a year, not a month.
We also see several shots of the full moon. Which I think is interesting because they have to add depth (craters) to make it look like a moon, but can't use the same pattern of craters as Earths' moon has.
When Pipp initially sings in the forest these little blueberry guys fly around here--maybe Parasprites or their descendants?
The Lumi-Bloom glow is a natural phenomenon, not magic. (Or at least not pony-magic.)
When Zipp goes to recruit the band Elecric Blue, we see Shutter Snap (who had a toy in the Amazon exclusive pegasus set) as part of the paparrazzi.
The Electric Blue ponies are very Aesthetic; their names are Arpeggio, Fretlock, and Jam Donut.
a Wonderbolts poster is visible in Zephyr Heights
The cover of the Dreamlands' CD
After forty years, Blue Belle, Minty (G1), and Snuzzle get their first ever appearance in a cartoon <3
This couple appears in the background of multiple scenes, two male ponies and their kid. :)
These twins have shown up before and I just think they're cute
