Yaks: "You have declared war on the yaks." Celestia: "This is not war, this is pest control" Yaks: "We have 5 million Yaks, how many princesses have you?" Celestia: "Four" Yaks: "You would destroy the yaks with four princesses?" Celestia: "We would destroy the yaks with one princess." This is what your little war thing reminded me of.
11:49 - 12:01 Silver Quill: "Let's just say that as a representative you were... *not* perfect." Rutherford: *[Runs toward ravine]* "YAKS DESTROY!!!" *[Jumps off edge of cliff]* OMG that would've been hilarious!
Please, like you'd need Celestia to deal with the yaks. Just send Maud in with the promise that she'd get first pick of rocks from the mountain after she levels it... Great video as usual, Silver Quill.
FlutterShy: "But she's afraid of Casideas." Silver: "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just writing this down for future reference." Amending Fences video Silver: "I bought her.......... a casidea."
1:37 Yes, no "pony" has been there but I bet other species have and written about it. Maybe she just bought a book about them. The pinkie cave was my favorite part in the episode. Pinkie Pie's performance throughout this season so far has been top notch. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash helped Griffonstone repair it's community and patched things up with Gilda, build a friendship with Yak Yakistan, and joined her family and the Apples in a hearths warming celebration. She's the element of kindness, laughter and generosity all in one.
Consider that the ponies might not fear war out of fear of losing, which obviously isn't a threat, but out of fear for collateral damage on both sides. Despite Equestria's obvious superiority, some innocent lives lost and collateral damage is unavoidable, and defeating the Yaks would mean wiping out or subjugating an entire kingdom by force
It would have been nice for Pinkie to go to Yak Yakistan, dislike something, and all the yaks assume she was going to trash everything because of this.
+The Doctor Friendship has many aspects though, and laughter can only go so far. It's best to have all of the elements at one's disposal to signify friendship.
+The Doctor This is one of the reasons why I dislike the notion of Twilight being princess of friendship. In Equestrian lore, being princess of something means you are the best representative for it there is. this a given for Celestia and Luna, and I can totally dig Cadence being a representative of love. I cannot in all honesty say the same for Twilight. Sure, she came far in one year, but for her it's still a learning experience, and I'm pretty sure that in all of Equestria you'd find ponies who are better experts on friendship and more devoted to it than she is. And yes, Pinkie Pie is a serious contender for this. I can totally see Twilight deserving her title as princess. As princess of friendship not so much.
I think one thing they could have done was have 2 guards sent with Pinkie Pie and they either run from that monster or fight it to let Pinkie get to Yakyakistan.
11:27 Actually, they do give something back. They're ruff, hardy and not afraid to get their hooves dirty. Who needs to fight when others can do it for you? Am I right? Huh? Am I right? xD *Cricket noise...* Sigh...
So, we have; - An Horde/Tribal Organization made of well-dressed assholes (Yak-yakistan - Mongols ?) - An Utopian Monarchy (Equestria) - A Fallen, Formerly Glorious Monarchy that is now in chaos and ruins (Griffonstone). I guess it's a republic if the King has fallen ? ... Is it me or that show has definitely a pro-monarchist tone ?
***** Yes, it's a diarchy with a regional monarch in Cadence, yet I would still mostly county it as a monarchy since it is the reign of two from the same blood on all the people of Equestria. And yes, strong mayors are a part of any centralized monarchy, you don't have to carry around too much local nobles around that way (just Cadence in Equestria).
+James Akrane Or it has nothing to do with that, and is just trying to force IRL issues into a place that they just don't have any bearing. Secondly, we don't know HOW the Yak's government functions, and Rutherford is specifically called a 'Prince".
7Seraphem7 Yeah I guess. It just feels very "mongol-y", if you catch my drift, and horde are different at least somewhat from classical monarchies (power from those they take from instead of from what their subjects create). And, yeah it has nothing to do with anything, really, they're just doing like most in a fantasy setting, where there are good and evil kings all over; it's just that their utopia is a royal one with seemingly no "bad side". I guess I'm just a grumpy guy that can't let an utopia go by, since "it's not realist" X)
James Akrane Except Equestria is about a close to a Utopia as you could get, and actually be realistic about it. Not everything is perfect, there are criminals, there are ponies in need, there are things wrong. But, on the whole, things work out, simply because the vast majority of it's citizens do their best to help each other out. It's the ponies own actions that makes Equestria as idealic as it is. Helped greatly by being a monarchy like it is. For all the failings of a monarchical ruling system, a truly benevolent monarchy is pretty much the best and most efficient ruling system possible. Able to take steps that are needed without the debate and politics that a more representative government falls into, while always doing what is best for all. The downside is finding anyone who is both benevolent enough and wise enough to hold the power responsibly and actually use it well without going to far. Which the Ponies do have in Princess Celestia. Who still isn't perfect, but is always trying to do the right thing, and more often then not is able to know what that is. And avoids the biggest failing of of a monarchy, that you are stuck with whatever inbred asshole is next in line. The Nero's tend to far outweigh the Justinian's.
Yay, my favorite reviewer is back! And yeah, who exactly could go to war with the Ponies with any real hope of success. They control the sun and moon, have the elements of harmony, one can walk in and control dreams, and all else fails they have discord in their back pocket.
3:12 abusive relationships can be platonic as well as romantic. One issue I have with MLP is that they make it seem like there's almost always a friendly solution. As someone who's been in an abusive friendship and was actually accused of emotionally manipulating my abuser by trying to get her out of what I thought was an abusive romantic relationship because I'm an actress and have been "trained to lie", this kind of thing hurts.
It's funny that a lot of the smashing could've been avoided had one of the Yaks simply said "PONIES TRYING TO BE LIKE YAKYAKISTAN INSULTING TO YAKS STOP NOW!!!!" Then again we're dealing with the Equestria equivalent of the Barbarian Hordes fighting the Roman Empire, when it was smash first ask questions later, however the difference was the Romans actually deserved the "Yaks Smash, Yaks Destroy" responses they got from many of the Germanic Tribes they fought because actually betraying someone who is suppose to be your ally is a lot worse then "This not Yak Snow"
Prince Rutherford had no concept of diplomacy and it displeases me. It made attempts to make friends with them seem like the Ponies were acting as doormats. And I can accept that Ponies by nature may be a more timid race (they're certainly among some of the smallest and weakest on average). But they also have many, _many_ powerful individuals that could turn you inside-out with a thought. Not to mention the exceptional members of the other Pony Races, like Maud, Applejack and Pinkie (remember, in the Sombra and Chrysalis timelines, Pinkie was a soldier/warrior with a fierce streak and an implied lack of mercy. And could punch through boulders with ease. Just remember that.)
Frankly, I'm getting tired of MLP showing new nations beyond ponies as those angry, immature jerks while ponies are an image of perfection in comparison to them. Like, that's just poor writing. And pretty nasty implications, if you see the similarities to real world
+Chari Mahariel Ponies are a picture of perfection? Please, have you seen princess spike. Everyone who wasn't a princess or spike was a moron.Well all the princesses but cadence. Since she could have stopped the problem before it spiraled out of control.
+Chari Mahariel Also the ponies from that town in the first two episodes of season 5 were far from perfection. They were creepy, I still see those smiles....in my nightmares.
+Chari Mahariel I would like to point out, possibly that's the biggest flaw of the ponies. The fact that since their world is so utopian that perhaps they are so used to everything going well. (And it usually does.) They tried to bring friendship to the yaks, but from what I noticed the yaks live a harsh life, they have to be harsh, strict and perfectionists with their culture and daily things to protect their young and themselves from the harshness of the mountain. I mean how many people heard of tribes and countries being so strict to their own way of life. Then again it doesn't excuse the facts that the yaks take things way too far even though as I said before their life is harsh. They haven't been in another culture in a hundred or a thousand moons. Which every moon is like a month, so that means it has been many many years. The ponies are trying to make yak stuff when the ponies are trying to do it from a book. I think it's more of a cultural misunderstanding to this episode rather than seeing something one sided. All nations have their flaws and since when has one culture been nice to another at first glance? We see time and time again that many species are not good at communicating sometimes and which would result in some problems. Ponies are pretty bad at communicating at times. Gryphons are harsh to one another and the yaks have to live in a very harsh environment which makes them strict and aggressive. I may be looking way too far into this, then again that makes more sense when you think about it...man I should make a video about this if it's this long. LOLAnyway I am just saying no culture is perfect even though ponies have a utopian life.Oh and hi silverquil :D
Well... to play devil's advocate here; could not the Yaks' violent responses to the attempts to emulate their home be seen as an admittedly hamfisted attempt to show the issue with trying to emulate other cultures? Cultures are complex and nuanced; the ponies' attempts to recreate them with whatever they had lying around is noble, but maybe it just turned legit insulting? I remember when a western museum asked China for some terracotta warriors to display and china sent over brand new, perfect copies of them. Offense was taken all around as the westerners found it insulting that they were sent "fakes" while China meant that the new warriors showed off the exact same kind of crafting skill and artisanship and that the western museum was being insulting and dismissive of the legacy that still existed in China today. Values were placed on different things. If you can't do it ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY, maybe don't do it, otherwise you're just bastardizing things they hold dear. The points made are very valid though and I agree it'd be nice if non-equestrian locales were shown as "not-shit" further on.
+MLP-Silver-Quill I honestly have no idea. This is a story I've heard from someone who heard it from someone so it is quite possible I've heard the wrong version and it was presented mainly as an example of when different cultures value different things.
+Johan Oskarsson That's the reason why I don't support the absolute hate towards the Yaks in this episode. It is, ironically, a generic, dull, black-and-white view of the reactions of the Yaks. This bothers me greatly, not because of the show, but because of what it connotes for the views people have regarding this subject. The following is copied from another comment I wrote, and I'm so salty about it I'm putting out again. 1. Yak Diplomats: Most would agree that the yaks are, for lack of a better word, total dicks. While this is evident, many deem it a negative quality in this episode rather than looking into what it can actually mean. Sure, they are in a foreign country, however, they are not there for their own desires, they were formally invited by Princess Twilight to form an agreement of friendship. The yaks were asked to be friends, not the ponies. One of the few opening proposals Twilight gave was that Equestria would feel like Yak Yakistan. They fail. The overreaction is where events should be scrutinized. True, there was destruction, but no consideration for Rutherford has been given in this video. He traveled through ice, snow, a border, and half of Equestria, to accept Twilight's offer. What he gets is a mockery of his own culture and a parody of all the things he loves and is missing at that very moment. It may not be the best behavior, but it does lend itself to the final lesson Pinkie Pie delivers. The yaks were furious their time taken to travel to another country was wasted, not because they were simple minded troglodytes, but because they had been painfully insulted. There's more, but war is for another time. Read my comment on the war.
Skylynxify Reborn "If your response to something like that is to retaliate, insult, or demean because it doesn't PERFECTLY represent your culture then whose fault is it? The ones who are doing their best to understand another culture or the ones just looking for something to get offended over." To answer your question, there is fault on both sides, and while I do not support the yaks' violence and the ponies' ignorance, I will not stand for a one-sided argument against the yaks. Prince Rutherford could understand that Twilight was trying, however Twilight being herself, she has trusted in her books and presented it as the authentic thing. In a diplomatic context, if she were to represent Equestria, then no fair treaty or deals could ever be made with a princess who can't even give what she promised. As always there is fine print in these things and the yaks are not happy when they get screwed over on fine print.
+Henry goh i can see the yaks being angered by these cheap immitation replicas of yak stuff, but they went overboard with the violence. that's probably why silver quill disapprove of their actions, to the point of refusing to take a beating from them.
+The Anti Ninja We few mighty minutemen must REBUILD EVERYTHING!!! Cut down every tree! Scrap every car! We must have shacks, chairs, and TVs which don't broadcast a god-damn thing, god dammit!
11:41 This is one of the biggest issues I have with MLP. I get what the show is about, but the ponies themselves are just too nice, too loving. Their society is perfect past the point of belief, oh, and the fact that they *_always_* win unconditionally. No compromises. In the end, the main cast gets everything they want, every time. This has gotten so bad now that I often times end up rooting for the villains, just because I want to see the ponies fail at least _once_, or at least have to compromise. And when they bring up other nations/species, all too often they are disgusting, immature brutes with no real sense of intelligence. First the diamond dogs, then the dragons, and now the yaks, and more specifically, Prince Rutherford. None of these characters have any real civility, and they seem specifically designed to be inferior to the ponies. Oh, and another similarity between these disgusting, immature, unintelligent, inferior characters? *They're all males.* So yeah...go outdated gender stereotypes!
I'm thinking what if the ponies are so perfect because they have the elements of harmony and four princesses that control the natural forces, making them basically in control of everything around them while the other species just sort of just have to fend for themselves in a land that can be quite hostile toward them without the magic every single pony posseses, much less an alicorn princess to protect them.
11:30 Or you could say that every other non pony race is pictured as antagonistic to the perfect pony uber menchen. Anybody remembers the diamond dogs? Are they all nothing but brutes? Will we ever get to see some good natured dragons?
+Guciom Would it be wrong of me to offer up their comic book appearances? Turns out the Diamond Dogs we saw were recently booted out of their home settlement for being crooks and that there's a peaceful, more mundane-sized dragon populace in Fillydelphia.
mayborneflower Comics ain't show cannon. Also they contradict the show on several occasions do to the comic writers and the show writers working independently from one another.
B-Canon is as canon as you allow it unless the show contradicts it, in which case the show interpretation wins out. I just take what I can get. Anyways, how's the current arc?
+Guciom I'd like to have Luna meet up with an elderly dragon that she knew as a friend when the dragon was young. From before that little time-out that Luna had. And, to be fair, the Yak kid wasn't a total, um, yakhole. They saw a pony, something they'd never seen before, and was friendly.
I really hope you follow up from this with the season 7 episode based on the yaks. It definitely improved on the yaks as a race and surprisingly Rutherford as well.
You know, part of me wants to write a Yak focused fanfiction to put them in a positive light. And to instill a headcanon that their fur gives them magic resistance.
Pinkie is my favorite of the ponies, so this episode was a real delight for me. The prince kind of brought it down somewhat, but seeing the Pinkster done right was more than enough to make up for it to me.
XD Oh thank you! I mean the Silver Quilted videos do have their own charm, but seeing the traditional animated you really highlights the effort going into your videos. Plus Silver Quilted cannot hug ponies, or smack yaks, both of which are equally entertaining. And this video gave me my first honest laugh in ages while at the same time introducing me to new perspectives on this episode that I can chew over for ages. Thanks for that Silver Quill! KEEP GOING STRONG!!!!!!!
The review was great but you really outdid yourself on the animation for yourself, Rutherford and Pinkie. I loved that little segment and am glad you found the time to sneak it into an already fun review. Keep improving!
With the Yaks... yeah they were portrayed far to one note and simplistic, can't argue with that. HOWEVER, there is one facet I did notice to add something beyond that, or at least to alter the "It not perfect we smash" thing. Every single time bar one the yaks flipped out, it was when the ponies told them they made something "Just like home" telling them outright "This is exactly like it is back home" only for it to not be. However, there is one exception to that. Spike. Their flipping out with him wasn't because it wasn't "Just like our music" it was on finding out he had been faking playing the music. That leads me to the conclusion that the Yaks real issue, isn't expecting everything to be perfect, but rather being at once both incredibly literal minded, and seeing any type of dishonesty as a personal insult. Also, as some have noted, the information could have come second had from non-ponies who have gone to YakYakistan, or maybe a few Yaks that left.
It looks like the only thing on you that hasn't been injured is your pride. :) Great review! This is the most I've liked Pinkie in a long time. The only thing I'd add is that the yak kid made it evident that not all the yaks are like the ambassador.
Hey Silver - may I ask what track you use starting from 11:18? I've heard this tune a number of times in your videos, and I'm guessing from the credits that it's a FirstCom library tune. Whatever it is, I like it! Really strikes my composer-sense. :D
Oh dear. This video coming right after Paris. You are a brave hippogriff, and I salute you for it. Also I like the way you handled the issue, without even once mentioning the recent real-life parallels, so I won't do any more of that either. This episode introduced some very serious topics to the show which I revile it for. I feel that war is a concept that should not be in this show. At all. Even if it's just pie-throwing or... destroying everything with brute force like the yaks do, it just isn't right. I've also never been a huge fan of Pinkie, and I did find her "journey in an afternoon" to be quite facepalm-worthy, but as a character, this is one of the few times I didn't feel downright disgusted with her and actually symphasized with her. A bit like how they showed more depth to her character in Too Many Pinkie Pies, an episode that showed Pinkie both at her best and her worst... often at the same time. And once again, this commentary on the episode gave me some new perspectives and food for thought about it, so I think that's another fluffy feather to your hat. Hope to hear more from you soon, Mr Funny Bird. :)
Dude, you speak the WHOLE truth about this episode! Out of the other breakdowns for this episode I've seen, your's hits right on the nose. In the words that Prince Rutherford would, or should, say, "It was PERFECT!!!!" 😝 Keep doing your thing, bro! 👍
During that home War montage you're assuming that the Yaks don't have powerful magic of Their Own they might even have a royal who's close to as powerful as Celestia there is also the possibility there far weaker than Equestria but neither is a certainty likely not even to the equestrians seeing as they've been out of touch for however many moons
Another great After The Fact, Silver Quill! Also, glad to see you've not forgotten about your little scheme to get the Mane Six to each face-hoof on you for something you said. First Twilight, then Rainbow Dash, now Pinkie Pie. Only Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy remain. Also, I posted a comment about this video over on the post for it on Equestria Daily, but messed up with which of the Mane Six you've gotten to face-hoof there. I remembered Twilight, but mistook Applejack as the second member of the Mane Six you've gotten to face-hoof instead of Rainbow Dash. Sorry about that. My bad.
I think your wrong about the yaks, I got the impression they got so angry about things because the ponies were trying to do something from the yaks culture and it not measuring up. I get the impression the yaks are like someone freaking out about a white person acting black or vice versa, it might be cringe inducing but it doesn't mean there was any hate meant by it.
The scerate cave next to Pinkie's bed says that she might actually torcher other ponies and turn them into cupcakes while keeping there cuttie marks, wings, and horns
I did have a really fun roleplay about Cadance dealing with the yaks. Where she has to learn that sometimes you need to assert yourself and use threats to get things done. Maybe it's not the most morally comfortable thing to do but it's sometimes needed.
5:59 That part with the ravine... I'm not 100% sure on this, but I like to assume that it's a very VERY subtle 'Back to the Future Part 3' reference... Again! VERY... subtle...
Personally i liked this episode :) Pinkie was golden in my book, making me laugh at every turn with her journey and antics. I wasn't too pissed at the yaks either. I got the joke and accepted it. I didn't really expect them to be the greatest characters. Amending Fences is up next and it's been hailed as a great episode, can't wait to see what Mr. Quill has in store. :) keep up the good work Silver
I don't know what it is, but that whole bit about Cadence is _gold_! From the humorous shift in tone, to your small, verbal break of sanity when saying "I am running out of ways to say this." I just really loved how much you emoted here and would love to see more of that. I also agree with your take on the episode, buuut I also agree with Firebrand's criticism. You don't go out of your way to bastardize another culture when they're visiting _your country._ The _idea_, is to expose them to what makes _your country great_ and hope they appreciate it as much as you do.
Hopefully, you can get the review of "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?" by early December, or at least Mid December. But, I think you're review here needs a little tuning up. You could've used clips from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street where Oscar falls down the stairs and crashes through walls to fit Pinkie Pie sliding all the way back to Ponyville. Wait, I don't believe you've ever watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, have you?
I don't see what Twilight and the others doing in the beginning as "hospitality" at all. They are trying to imitate as much of the Yakistanian culture as they can. That is very insulting, though I understand that Twilight means well. I do agree that the Price is too much of a caricature stereotype to be taken seriously, but the emotion is legit even if over-the-top. The poor imitations or the efforts to make Ponyville feel more like Yakistan is the wrong message. This lesson is somewhat explored in the Hearth episode. Applejack attempts to to replace one tradition with another. In the end she learns that she needed to respect the Pie's traditions, learn about them, and teach them the Apple tradition. Here, the proper method would have been to teach the Yaks the Ponyville culture (food, bedding, activities) and then ask them to teach them about their home life. Instead Twilight thought she knew enough about the Yaks to make them FEEL like they're home. But they've not had contact for generations, how could she know and why would she try to flaunt this to them. If Prince Rutherford put the ASS in Ambassador ... Twilight put the ASS in Assumption.
...I recall stating that pinkie pie would be a hard sell for the face hoof meme at some point. (though I was unable to find it again) I was right, but you pulled it off anyway. I'm impressed, Silver Quill.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Yaks: "You have declared war on the yaks."
Celestia: "This is not war, this is pest control"
Yaks: "We have 5 million Yaks, how many princesses have you?"
Celestia: "Four"
Yaks: "You would destroy the yaks with four princesses?"
Celestia: "We would destroy the yaks with one princess."
This is what your little war thing reminded me of.
Doctor who reference... :) Nice
Ah, yes. The Sassafrass Fight of Pony Wharf.
Let's add this reference: "Yaks have Army!" "We have Flutter-Hulk."
Celestia: You yaks are only superior in one respect.
Yaks: What that?
Celestia: (darkly) You are better at DYING.
Yaks: we have an amry!
Luna: we have 4 alicorns but would need only 1 to destroy you.
The Yaks were mad because the ponies kept misrepresenting their culture (as they knew it), notice they lightened up when the ponies stopped trying.
aww when Silver picked up Pinkie was adorable LOL.
I know! I squee'ed!
it was cute
Throgdar The Brute that's it I'm going to start shipping him and Pinky
10:20 the tone of fluttershys voice made the moment so hilarious
11:49 - 12:01
Silver Quill: "Let's just say that as a representative you were... *not* perfect."
Rutherford: *[Runs toward ravine]* "YAKS DESTROY!!!" *[Jumps off edge of cliff]*
OMG that would've been hilarious!
"...it's always Starswirl the Bearded." I feel like ponies are going to say that about the main six in the next few generations.
Please, like you'd need Celestia to deal with the yaks. Just send Maud in with the promise that she'd get first pick of rocks from the mountain after she levels it...
Great video as usual, Silver Quill.
FlutterShy: "But she's afraid of Casideas."
Silver: "Oh, don't mind me. I'm just writing this down for future reference."
Amending Fences video
Silver: "I bought her..........
a casidea."
"We Declare War!" Celestia: "Oh...how cute."
1:37 Yes, no "pony" has been there but I bet other species have and written about it. Maybe she just bought a book about them.
The pinkie cave was my favorite part in the episode. Pinkie Pie's performance throughout this season so far has been top notch. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash helped Griffonstone repair it's community and patched things up with Gilda, build a friendship with Yak Yakistan, and joined her family and the Apples in a hearths warming celebration. She's the element of kindness, laughter and generosity all in one.
Or maybe the yaks came to Equestria
+Redcord CHN Oh got a head canon about what other race?
+Redcord CHN My own headcanon is that since nopony ever climbed it successfully, so nopony ever tried in the first place.
+fractalgem If nopony ever climbed it, what if they flew up it? Like, say, an elder Princess?
I find it hilarious that Prince Rutherford, and the Yaks as a whole, got more character development than Princess Cadence. 😂
Consider that the ponies might not fear war out of fear of losing, which obviously isn't a threat, but out of fear for collateral damage on both sides. Despite Equestria's obvious superiority, some innocent lives lost and collateral damage is unavoidable, and defeating the Yaks would mean wiping out or subjugating an entire kingdom by force
12:44 Pinkie reaction is great! I wish I could get that little bit to repeat itself for a thousand moons!
It would have been nice for Pinkie to go to Yak Yakistan, dislike something, and all the yaks assume she was going to trash everything because of this.
the yaks are basically the sonic fanbase in a nut shell
Sgt. Pepper title slide. Respect.
It could have been done better though ^_^
+EmperorTigerstar This, criminally underrated
Why is Pinkie Starr so perfect?
Amen to that
I watch Sgt. Frog
Pinkie should seriously be the Princess of Friendship
Twilight can be her second-in-command, keeping everything organized
Hey.
The #1 Runaway Guys Fan HEY! - Trunks
+The Doctor Friendship has many aspects though, and laughter can only go so far. It's best to have all of the elements at one's disposal to signify friendship.
+The Doctor This is one of the reasons why I dislike the notion of Twilight being princess of friendship.
In Equestrian lore, being princess of something means you are the best representative for it there is. this a given for Celestia and Luna, and I can totally dig Cadence being a representative of love. I cannot in all honesty say the same for Twilight. Sure, she came far in one year, but for her it's still a learning experience, and I'm pretty sure that in all of Equestria you'd find ponies who are better experts on friendship and more devoted to it than she is.
And yes, Pinkie Pie is a serious contender for this.
I can totally see Twilight deserving her title as princess. As princess of friendship not so much.
+The Doctor Well, they are kinda Team Friendship while Twilight is the one organizing it all.
Pinkie is god of humor she commands cometic reality you heroic hippogriff
"The middle feather" thank you for that line :D
This further supports my theory that Satan Quill is canon and Silver Quill only PRETENDS to be weaker than he actually is.
I think one thing they could have done was have 2 guards sent with Pinkie Pie and they either run from that monster or fight it to let Pinkie get to Yakyakistan.
that thing that roared at pinkie on the way to yak yakistan was clearly a yeti
11:27 Actually, they do give something back. They're ruff, hardy and not afraid to get their hooves dirty. Who needs to fight when others can do it for you? Am I right? Huh? Am I right? xD
*Cricket noise...*
Sigh...
So, we have;
- An Horde/Tribal Organization made of well-dressed assholes (Yak-yakistan - Mongols ?)
- An Utopian Monarchy (Equestria)
- A Fallen, Formerly Glorious Monarchy that is now in chaos and ruins (Griffonstone). I guess it's a republic if the King has fallen ?
... Is it me or that show has definitely a pro-monarchist tone ?
+James Akrane Technically, equestria is a diarchy, or triarchy if you count Twilight as a ruling princess.
***** Yes, it's a diarchy with a regional monarch in Cadence, yet I would still mostly county it as a monarchy since it is the reign of two from the same blood on all the people of Equestria.
And yes, strong mayors are a part of any centralized monarchy, you don't have to carry around too much local nobles around that way (just Cadence in Equestria).
+James Akrane Or it has nothing to do with that, and is just trying to force IRL issues into a place that they just don't have any bearing.
Secondly, we don't know HOW the Yak's government functions, and Rutherford is specifically called a 'Prince".
7Seraphem7 Yeah I guess.
It just feels very "mongol-y", if you catch my drift, and horde are different at least somewhat from classical monarchies (power from those they take from instead of from what their subjects create).
And, yeah it has nothing to do with anything, really, they're just doing like most in a fantasy setting, where there are good and evil kings all over; it's just that their utopia is a royal one with seemingly no "bad side".
I guess I'm just a grumpy guy that can't let an utopia go by, since "it's not realist" X)
James Akrane Except Equestria is about a close to a Utopia as you could get, and actually be realistic about it. Not everything is perfect, there are criminals, there are ponies in need, there are things wrong. But, on the whole, things work out, simply because the vast majority of it's citizens do their best to help each other out. It's the ponies own actions that makes Equestria as idealic as it is.
Helped greatly by being a monarchy like it is. For all the failings of a monarchical ruling system, a truly benevolent monarchy is pretty much the best and most efficient ruling system possible. Able to take steps that are needed without the debate and politics that a more representative government falls into, while always doing what is best for all.
The downside is finding anyone who is both benevolent enough and wise enough to hold the power responsibly and actually use it well without going to far. Which the Ponies do have in Princess Celestia. Who still isn't perfect, but is always trying to do the right thing, and more often then not is able to know what that is. And avoids the biggest failing of of a monarchy, that you are stuck with whatever inbred asshole is next in line. The Nero's tend to far outweigh the Justinian's.
Yay, my favorite reviewer is back! And yeah, who exactly could go to war with the Ponies with any real hope of success. They control the sun and moon, have the elements of harmony, one can walk in and control dreams, and all else fails they have discord in their back pocket.
Thank God the Yaks have grown since this episode.
3:12 abusive relationships can be platonic as well as romantic. One issue I have with MLP is that they make it seem like there's almost always a friendly solution. As someone who's been in an abusive friendship and was actually accused of emotionally manipulating my abuser by trying to get her out of what I thought was an abusive romantic relationship because I'm an actress and have been "trained to lie", this kind of thing hurts.
It's funny that a lot of the smashing could've been avoided had one of the Yaks simply said "PONIES TRYING TO BE LIKE YAKYAKISTAN INSULTING TO YAKS STOP NOW!!!!" Then again we're dealing with the Equestria equivalent of the Barbarian Hordes fighting the Roman Empire, when it was smash first ask questions later, however the difference was the Romans actually deserved the "Yaks Smash, Yaks Destroy" responses they got from many of the Germanic Tribes they fought because actually betraying someone who is suppose to be your ally is a lot worse then "This not Yak Snow"
Princess Celestia is not invincible, but Equestria has a huge military of Royal Guards, four alicorns, and the Wonderbolts.
And all but one forth of one of those groups haven't succeeded in a single offensive, or defensive action throughout the run of the series.
In the words of Firebrand "It's Pinkie Pie don't question it".
Prince Rutherford had no concept of diplomacy and it displeases me.
It made attempts to make friends with them seem like the Ponies were acting as doormats. And I can accept that Ponies by nature may be a more timid race (they're certainly among some of the smallest and weakest on average).
But they also have many, _many_ powerful individuals that could turn you inside-out with a thought. Not to mention the exceptional members of the other Pony Races, like Maud, Applejack and Pinkie (remember, in the Sombra and Chrysalis timelines, Pinkie was a soldier/warrior with a fierce streak and an implied lack of mercy. And could punch through boulders with ease. Just remember that.)
Frankly, I'm getting tired of MLP showing new nations beyond ponies as those angry, immature jerks while ponies are an image of perfection in comparison to them. Like, that's just poor writing. And pretty nasty implications, if you see the similarities to real world
+Chari Mahariel Ponies are a picture of perfection? Please, have you seen princess spike. Everyone who wasn't a princess or spike was a moron.Well all the princesses but cadence. Since she could have stopped the problem before it spiraled out of control.
+Chari Mahariel Amen. I agree so much.
+Chari Mahariel Or the fact the griffins big noses kind have easily stood for a certain some place, traditionally generalized as greedy?
+Chari Mahariel Also the ponies from that town in the first two episodes of season 5 were far from perfection. They were creepy, I still see those smiles....in my nightmares.
+Chari Mahariel I would like to point out, possibly that's the biggest flaw of the ponies. The fact that since their world is so utopian that perhaps they are so used to everything going well. (And it usually does.) They tried to bring friendship to the yaks, but from what I noticed the yaks live a harsh life, they have to be harsh, strict and perfectionists with their culture and daily things to protect their young and themselves from the harshness of the mountain. I mean how many people heard of tribes and countries being so strict to their own way of life. Then again it doesn't excuse the facts that the yaks take things way too far even though as I said before their life is harsh. They haven't been in another culture in a hundred or a thousand moons. Which every moon is like a month, so that means it has been many many years. The ponies are trying to make yak stuff when the ponies are trying to do it from a book. I think it's more of a cultural misunderstanding to this episode rather than seeing something one sided. All nations have their flaws and since when has one culture been nice to another at first glance? We see time and time again that many species are not good at communicating sometimes and which would result in some problems. Ponies are pretty bad at communicating at times. Gryphons are harsh to one another and the yaks have to live in a very harsh environment which makes them strict and aggressive. I may be looking way too far into this, then again that makes more sense when you think about it...man I should make a video about this if it's this long. LOLAnyway I am just saying no culture is perfect even though ponies have a utopian life.Oh and hi silverquil :D
Pinkie Pie is truly the Phineas and Ferb of Equestria.
Well... to play devil's advocate here; could not the Yaks' violent responses to the attempts to emulate their home be seen as an admittedly hamfisted attempt to show the issue with trying to emulate other cultures? Cultures are complex and nuanced; the ponies' attempts to recreate them with whatever they had lying around is noble, but maybe it just turned legit insulting?
I remember when a western museum asked China for some terracotta warriors to display and china sent over brand new, perfect copies of them. Offense was taken all around as the westerners found it insulting that they were sent "fakes" while China meant that the new warriors showed off the exact same kind of crafting skill and artisanship and that the western museum was being insulting and dismissive of the legacy that still existed in China today. Values were placed on different things. If you can't do it ABSOLUTELY PERFECTLY, maybe don't do it, otherwise you're just bastardizing things they hold dear. The points made are very valid though and I agree it'd be nice if non-equestrian locales were shown as "not-shit" further on.
+Johan Oskarsson Regarding the Terracotta soldiers, was this at the the Hamburg Museum of Ethnology in Germany?
+MLP-Silver-Quill I honestly have no idea. This is a story I've heard from someone who heard it from someone so it is quite possible I've heard the wrong version and it was presented mainly as an example of when different cultures value different things.
+Johan Oskarsson That's the reason why I don't support the absolute hate towards the Yaks in this episode. It is, ironically, a generic, dull, black-and-white view of the reactions of the Yaks. This bothers me greatly, not because of the show, but because of what it connotes for the views people have regarding this subject.
The following is copied from another comment I wrote, and I'm so salty about it I'm putting out again.
1. Yak Diplomats: Most would agree that the yaks are, for lack of a better word, total dicks. While this is evident, many deem it a negative quality in this episode rather than looking into what it can actually mean. Sure, they are in a foreign country, however, they are not there for their own desires, they were formally invited by Princess Twilight to form an agreement of friendship. The yaks were asked to be friends, not the ponies.
One of the few opening proposals Twilight gave was that Equestria would feel like Yak Yakistan. They fail. The overreaction is where events should be scrutinized. True, there was destruction, but no consideration for Rutherford has been given in this video. He traveled through ice, snow, a border, and half of Equestria, to accept Twilight's offer. What he gets is a mockery of his own culture and a parody of all the things he loves and is missing at that very moment. It may not be the best behavior, but it does lend itself to the final lesson Pinkie Pie delivers. The yaks were furious their time taken to travel to another country was wasted, not because they were simple minded troglodytes, but because they had been painfully insulted.
There's more, but war is for another time. Read my comment on the war.
Skylynxify Reborn "If your response to something like that is to retaliate, insult, or demean because it doesn't PERFECTLY represent your culture then whose fault is it? The ones who are doing their best to understand another culture or the ones just looking for something to get offended over."
To answer your question, there is fault on both sides, and while I do not support the yaks' violence and the ponies' ignorance, I will not stand for a one-sided argument against the yaks. Prince Rutherford could understand that Twilight was trying, however Twilight being herself, she has trusted in her books and presented it as the authentic thing. In a diplomatic context, if she were to represent Equestria, then no fair treaty or deals could ever be made with a princess who can't even give what she promised. As always there is fine print in these things and the yaks are not happy when they get screwed over on fine print.
+Henry goh i can see the yaks being angered by these cheap immitation replicas of yak stuff, but they went overboard with the violence. that's probably why silver quill disapprove of their actions, to the point of refusing to take a beating from them.
Worth the wait, Silver. And now, I shall return to the dystopian future that is my life. And Fallout 4. And my life after 3 months of Fallout 4.
Is it as awesome as everyone is saying it is? I can't get it yet, but I plan to.
It is nothing like any Fallout you've played before, but still every bit as awesome. Go for it!
Awesome!
+The Anti Ninja We few mighty minutemen must REBUILD EVERYTHING!!! Cut down every tree! Scrap every car! We must have shacks, chairs, and TVs which don't broadcast a god-damn thing, god dammit!
Ad victoriam
Dammit, Silver Quill, I wanna hug Pinkie!
11:41 This is one of the biggest issues I have with MLP. I get what the show is about, but the ponies themselves are just too nice, too loving. Their society is perfect past the point of belief, oh, and the fact that they *_always_* win unconditionally. No compromises. In the end, the main cast gets everything they want, every time.
This has gotten so bad now that I often times end up rooting for the villains, just because I want to see the ponies fail at least _once_, or at least have to compromise.
And when they bring up other nations/species, all too often they are disgusting, immature brutes with no real sense of intelligence. First the diamond dogs, then the dragons, and now the yaks, and more specifically, Prince Rutherford. None of these characters have any real civility, and they seem specifically designed to be inferior to the ponies. Oh, and another similarity between these disgusting, immature, unintelligent, inferior characters? *They're all males.*
So yeah...go outdated gender stereotypes!
Nice? Perfect? have you watched the whole show? there are a whole lot of negative ponies and positive non ponies.
I'm thinking what if the ponies are so perfect because they have the elements of harmony and four princesses that control the natural forces, making them basically in control of everything around them while the other species just sort of just have to fend for themselves in a land that can be quite hostile toward them without the magic every single pony posseses, much less an alicorn princess to protect them.
this kind of a review is exactly why you are undoubtably my fav reviewer
11:30 Or you could say that every other non pony race is pictured as antagonistic to the perfect pony uber menchen.
Anybody remembers the diamond dogs? Are they all nothing but brutes? Will we ever get to see some good natured dragons?
+Guciom Would it be wrong of me to offer up their comic book appearances? Turns out the Diamond Dogs we saw were recently booted out of their home settlement for being crooks and that there's a peaceful, more mundane-sized dragon populace in Fillydelphia.
mayborneflower
Comics ain't show cannon. Also they contradict the show on several occasions do to the comic writers and the show writers working independently from one another.
B-Canon is as canon as you allow it unless the show contradicts it, in which case the show interpretation wins out.
I just take what I can get. Anyways, how's the current arc?
And most of the stories in the comics are already contradicted by the show (minus a few short stories.).
+Guciom I'd like to have Luna meet up with an elderly dragon that she knew as a friend when the dragon was young. From before that little time-out that Luna had.
And, to be fair, the Yak kid wasn't a total, um, yakhole. They saw a pony, something they'd never seen before, and was friendly.
I really hope you follow up from this with the season 7 episode based on the yaks. It definitely improved on the yaks as a race and surprisingly Rutherford as well.
awesome review, and congrats for not being harmed in a review :P
You know, part of me wants to write a Yak focused fanfiction to put them in a positive light.
And to instill a headcanon that their fur gives them magic resistance.
That scene with Pinkie and Silver at the end was adorable.
Love your videos! They're so funny and well animated! I can't wait to see more!
Pinkie is my favorite of the ponies, so this episode was a real delight for me. The prince kind of brought it down somewhat, but seeing the Pinkster done right was more than enough to make up for it to me.
This really cheered me up after I'm having a bad day. Thank you Silver Quill
That battle sequence was spot-on perfection.
I don't know why, but whenever SilverQuill holds up a pony, I find it adorably hilarious.
Yak: [prepares to throw Silver Quill out of the video] YAK DESTROY![Yak gets thrown out of the video instead]
Also, 11:55 Did the yak just try to commit suicide?
+SEGASister check out our videos
+SEGASister He tried to. Pinkie prevented it.
Heh yeah it was nice to see silver kick a lil ass this time around
Why are you so amazing Silver Quill?
Someone actually made a Gmod model of Silver Quill? The fun has been doubled!
XD Oh thank you! I mean the Silver Quilted videos do have their own charm, but seeing the traditional animated you really highlights the effort going into your videos. Plus Silver Quilted cannot hug ponies, or smack yaks, both of which are equally entertaining. And this video gave me my first honest laugh in ages while at the same time introducing me to new perspectives on this episode that I can chew over for ages. Thanks for that Silver Quill! KEEP GOING STRONG!!!!!!!
8:09 maybe it's just really nice there and they wanted to stay... Nope...there is no way.....oooh that's gotta hurt!
Pinkie joining the Beatles was freakin' awesome though!!!
"Proud to give the middle feather to darwinism"
Of what faith are you?
trampoline bases emergencies? what fun!
Oh, Pinkie. Her cartoonyness can either be a writer's blessing, or a writer's worst nightmare. I love my favourite pony and when people "gets" her.
The review was great but you really outdid yourself on the animation for yourself, Rutherford and Pinkie. I loved that little segment and am glad you found the time to sneak it into an already fun review. Keep improving!
With the Yaks... yeah they were portrayed far to one note and simplistic, can't argue with that. HOWEVER, there is one facet I did notice to add something beyond that, or at least to alter the "It not perfect we smash" thing. Every single time bar one the yaks flipped out, it was when the ponies told them they made something "Just like home" telling them outright "This is exactly like it is back home" only for it to not be. However, there is one exception to that. Spike. Their flipping out with him wasn't because it wasn't "Just like our music" it was on finding out he had been faking playing the music.
That leads me to the conclusion that the Yaks real issue, isn't expecting everything to be perfect, but rather being at once both incredibly literal minded, and seeing any type of dishonesty as a personal insult.
Also, as some have noted, the information could have come second had from non-ponies who have gone to YakYakistan, or maybe a few Yaks that left.
wow, that art at the beggining was amazing
I don't know if Princess Celestia can send anyone to the moon without using the elements of harmony
It looks like the only thing on you that hasn't been injured is your pride. :)
Great review! This is the most I've liked Pinkie in a long time. The only thing I'd add is that the yak kid made it evident that not all the yaks are like the ambassador.
Best episode yet! Laughed my ass off. Especially at the EaSPN part.
I still can't get over the fact they called the country Yakyakistan...how long has it been?
Hey Silver - may I ask what track you use starting from 11:18? I've heard this tune a number of times in your videos, and I'm guessing from the credits that it's a FirstCom library tune. Whatever it is, I like it! Really strikes my composer-sense. :D
12:43 So called it for this review. That just leaves Rarity, Fluttershy and Applejack, most likely in that order.
0:20
WTF?! XD Silver that explosion crashed my browser for some reason
Coincidence? I THINK NOT!
Oh dear. This video coming right after Paris. You are a brave hippogriff, and I salute you for it. Also I like the way you handled the issue, without even once mentioning the recent real-life parallels, so I won't do any more of that either. This episode introduced some very serious topics to the show which I revile it for. I feel that war is a concept that should not be in this show. At all. Even if it's just pie-throwing or... destroying everything with brute force like the yaks do, it just isn't right.
I've also never been a huge fan of Pinkie, and I did find her "journey in an afternoon" to be quite facepalm-worthy, but as a character, this is one of the few times I didn't feel downright disgusted with her and actually symphasized with her. A bit like how they showed more depth to her character in Too Many Pinkie Pies, an episode that showed Pinkie both at her best and her worst... often at the same time.
And once again, this commentary on the episode gave me some new perspectives and food for thought about it, so I think that's another fluffy feather to your hat. Hope to hear more from you soon, Mr Funny Bird. :)
Dude, you speak the WHOLE truth about this episode! Out of the other breakdowns for this episode I've seen, your's hits right on the nose. In the words that Prince Rutherford would, or should, say, "It was PERFECT!!!!" 😝 Keep doing your thing, bro! 👍
During that home War montage you're assuming that the Yaks don't have powerful magic of Their Own they might even have a royal who's close to as powerful as Celestia there is also the possibility there far weaker than Equestria but neither is a certainty likely not even to the equestrians seeing as they've been out of touch for however many moons
For those and other reasons, Pinkie is my favorite pony out of the Mane 6.
+Mike Dragon check out our videos
I agree with all of those opinions ;P
what do you get when you combine starswirl, merlin and dumbledore?... one bad as wizard!
I love your videos, can't wait for you to finish season five. Have a cake! 🎂
Another great After The Fact, Silver Quill! Also, glad to see you've not forgotten about your little scheme to get the Mane Six to each face-hoof on you for something you said.
First Twilight, then Rainbow Dash, now Pinkie Pie. Only Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy remain.
Also, I posted a comment about this video over on the post for it on Equestria Daily, but messed up with which of the Mane Six you've gotten to face-hoof there. I remembered Twilight, but mistook Applejack as the second member of the Mane Six you've gotten to face-hoof instead of Rainbow Dash. Sorry about that. My bad.
This is one of my top favourite episodes of season 5 :D
An enjoyable vid as always Silver.
Also, Yay Clutterstep fanart!
I think your wrong about the yaks, I got the impression they got so angry about things because the ponies were trying to do something from the yaks culture and it not measuring up. I get the impression the yaks are like someone freaking out about a white person acting black or vice versa, it might be cringe inducing but it doesn't mean there was any hate meant by it.
One of my favorite Reviews!
OK, I had to laugh during that war scene. XD
I love how if you actually think about it 1000 moon isn't even 3 years of peace
12:44 my guess for when the other main 6 have there face smack moment.
fluttershy scary master.
applejack heartbreakers
twilight amending fence's.
The scerate cave next to Pinkie's bed says that she might actually torcher other ponies and turn them into cupcakes while keeping there cuttie marks, wings, and horns
This is actually one of the two episodes I never finished. . .
I did have a really fun roleplay about Cadance dealing with the yaks. Where she has to learn that sometimes you need to assert yourself and use threats to get things done. Maybe it's not the most morally comfortable thing to do but it's sometimes needed.
5:59 That part with the ravine... I'm not 100% sure on this, but I like to assume that it's a very VERY subtle 'Back to the Future Part 3' reference...
Again! VERY... subtle...
His feathery features are adorable 💖
12:19 you, silver are now the luckiest hippogriff in existence.
My favorite part in this was Flutterdry. We NEED more of that!
the best part is you holding Pinkie 💜
Personally i liked this episode :) Pinkie was golden in my book, making me laugh at every turn with her journey and antics. I wasn't too pissed at the yaks either. I got the joke and accepted it. I didn't really expect them to be the greatest characters.
Amending Fences is up next and it's been hailed as a great episode, can't wait to see what Mr. Quill has in store. :) keep up the good work Silver
AWWW!!! I almost want you holding Pinkie in that last shot as my new Avatar!!! But someone did make the Minnie avatar especially for me...
if one of the villains knew about twilight's fear really could have changed the result.
I don't know what it is, but that whole bit about Cadence is _gold_! From the humorous shift in tone, to your small, verbal break of sanity when saying "I am running out of ways to say this." I just really loved how much you emoted here and would love to see more of that. I also agree with your take on the episode, buuut I also agree with Firebrand's criticism. You don't go out of your way to bastardize another culture when they're visiting _your country._ The _idea_, is to expose them to what makes _your country great_ and hope they appreciate it as much as you do.
Wow, he got Pinkie to facepalm. Silver is officially the King of Miracles.
Awesome music at the of the video.
Sweet.
Hopefully, you can get the review of "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?" by early December, or at least Mid December. But, I think you're review here needs a little tuning up. You could've used clips from Christmas Eve on Sesame Street where Oscar falls down the stairs and crashes through walls to fit Pinkie Pie sliding all the way back to Ponyville. Wait, I don't believe you've ever watched Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, have you?
I don't see what Twilight and the others doing in the beginning as "hospitality" at all. They are trying to imitate as much of the Yakistanian culture as they can.
That is very insulting, though I understand that Twilight means well.
I do agree that the Price is too much of a caricature stereotype to be taken seriously, but the emotion is legit even if over-the-top. The poor imitations or the efforts to make Ponyville feel more like Yakistan is the wrong message.
This lesson is somewhat explored in the Hearth episode. Applejack attempts to to replace one tradition with another. In the end she learns that she needed to respect the Pie's traditions, learn about them, and teach them the Apple tradition. Here, the proper method would have been to teach the Yaks the Ponyville culture (food, bedding, activities) and then ask them to teach them about their home life.
Instead Twilight thought she knew enough about the Yaks to make them FEEL like they're home. But they've not had contact for generations, how could she know and why would she try to flaunt this to them. If Prince Rutherford put the ASS in Ambassador ... Twilight put the ASS in Assumption.
I loved when the young Yak showed up. SO ADORABLE!
Good job, Silver. You mentioned the Party Cave without making a single Cupcakes reference.
...I recall stating that pinkie pie would be a hard sell for the face hoof meme at some point. (though I was unable to find it again) I was right, but you pulled it off anyway. I'm impressed, Silver Quill.