Alright so for my calm and collected thoughts so far. I’m liking it, it’s a neat show so far. 1st episode was average but otherwise enjoyable. Can’t get enough of Izzy’s antics. Now comes Growing Pains and… Why is Hitch trying to undo everything he just did in ANG? To be fair, Earth Pony is super new and otherwise not in G4 but still I feel like Sprout would be the more paranoid one. Which reminds me, hey, Sprout’s back! Good to see momma’s boy return after running away and hiding for so long after getting fired. The new voice feels really off compared to the other replacements but oh well. I am a little disappointed that even when being questioned by his friends Sunny and Hitch, they don’t react more personally since they are foalhood friends right? Adding on to the fact, he nearly started a war and almost killed Sunny. Nope, just an average way too normal conversation. He did the time, he is fine. Also, Sprout’s the strongest earth pony magic user it seems. Not sure if that’ll go anywhere. Also I don’t how long has it been since ANG but Sprout’s even cooler with magic than Hitch was, alright. So cut to Hitch planning to remove the Crystal, did anyone notice the resonance when he touched it? Immediately after that he changes his mind. I think that’s why anyway, it doesn’t look voluntarily. Also hey, Twilight’s back, but how back? She said she’ll be with them but in what way does she meant and if she can mean it.
Now on to Portrait of a Princess, looks like your standard FIM quarrel episode but for the minute details… Opaline can conjure a flower even though Earth Pony magic is just unlocked, I think it’s just her standard sorcery since she implied she doesn’t have it. Queen Haven is surprisingly a good singer. Must be in the blood for the family to be excellent singers. I’m no expert in the music industry but their dad should sound as mesmerising. Don’t have a specific singer in mind. Also, is there a screencap of the middle painting where Zipp looks taller and grumpier?
And finally Ali-conned, as usual the townsponies are being ungrateful just like the ancient times. I mean in fairness, Twilight despite being an alicorn isn’t considered an official princess yet so Mr. Stripes have every entitlement to disrespect Twilight or her friends and she can’t do anything because that’s against the rules. Meanwhile Sunny gets worshipped like a goddess and only because of that. Polar opposites I say. Also, French fries? Dining must have evolved over time if they no longer eat hay fries. And yeah, I do ironically feel the population more than Sunny but hey, nice to see her try something like the activist she is. I mean has she ever thought of unbanning mayonnaise as an alicorn? To answer my least favourite pony, I’ll say Pipp, I am from gen z myself but am otherwise not a zoomer and Pipp regardless of episode but most prominently in that one, is nothing but annoying. Her stature and height fits her level of immaturity at least. Though the cringe compilation itself amused me when Sparky made it so yay to him. Also I know Sugar Moonlight is a background pony, but I sure as heck wasn’t expecting they were classmates. So Sunny’s friends with her but are not close friends anymore. If anything Sugar found her own group of besties that look like her and found a career as a influencer too. Good on her and good on them!
Now for Opaline, so according to her she acted like she really was an alicorn and that there are more of her? If that’s true, this could mean the Discord comic arc took place after chapter 2 since Twilight didn’t spill too much other than “EPM unlocked, Opaline steals magic, too powerful, you’re the chosen one”. But Discord gave a slightly more detailed story to the cataclysm. Only being Mr unreliable, he either has skewed or genuinely got some details wrong. Maybe Opaline disguised herself as a unicorn but otherwise didn’t actually care for them? That would explain why even Fluttershy didn’t noticed, she would know since it’s outright impossible according to even Celestia and Luna. Maybe there are others out there. Too bad the olden g4 heroes will never get to see that. But yeah, kind of interesting. It also ties in Sunny’s knowledge on other characters and old locations assuming she knows as much as we did but simply didn’t mention enough and the fact Hitch was going to do a similar thing to Discord but remembered that its definitely a bad idea. Only continuity error is the Lighthouse not being renovated but yeah. Those are my thoughts on the first half of the chapter.