I remember being confused by this episode because I thought it was just coming from her mom. Filthy Rich really seemed like a pretty decent dude (like when he returned the Zapapple jam he'd accidentally been given instead of selling it) and an okay father in the rare scenes of him and Diamond Tiara. FR's wife obviously is a shrew, but for DT to lunp them both together in this song speaks to how thoroughly FR was hiding how harsh he could be to his daughter. Just like real life. Yay?
@psychotophatcat agreed However I feel like it hits deeper; the mom is the main abuser and the only one 'acting out'. Filthy is guilty to by not doing anything at best and encouraging such act. And in a child's head the guilt and ill will is equal.
@@psychotophatcat The Equestria Girls version of Filthy Rich does not have this "dependency" with the Apple Family (because they lack any "magic" he could exploit for profit), so the human never had to learn to "look nice" to others [hence why his TRUE SELF is on the open when he "deals" with Gloriosa Daisy (both in private & openly in public)]. -> Diamond Tiara confronting her mother and demanding her to deliver "a message" to her father, suggest that HE is the one normally "in control" on their family [given that Spoiled immediately buckles down to Diamond´s sudden show of strength].
What I love is that the writers were not afraid to intentionally put in subtle details to get our minds to think much more darker about a situation. Like, the swamp fever spore blossom trees originating from the more bone chilling thought of several ponies or other creatures bodies getting taken over and slowly morphed into the trees we see in the episode. With the cycle continuing for over 1,000+ years with the cure unknowingly being lost to time in limbo. What's even more frightening is we never learn the origin of said sapling.
I'm just glad it aired when it did. A seemingly unstoppable pandemic, which is very contagious, and most systems ore respatpory... a few years later and it would have probably been taken down.
@@nameynamd9212 That would explain the "uniqueness" of the Everfree Forest´s ability of overriding the weather setup by pegasi (because some of the trees were once ponies, their "equestrian magic" still manifests chaotically); as well as giving an origin source for the Timber Wolves (magical creatures turned into swamp fever trees that later "come back" as plant_ghost_zombies, by channeling their remnant magic still present in the now dead wood to reform as a new body).
I’m so glad the series includes such a wide diversity of themes, it made it so enjoyable to watch. The lessons are so deep and portrayed in such a light hearted way. It’s so entertaining to watch our favorite characters go through different events and connecting with their feelings, Mlp is enjoyable to watch for all ages
Watching the show for the first time, I thought it was bold of them to do a cult episode. Not too many kid's shows tackle the subject of cults that often considering how controversial they can be at times.
I'm not sure whether this goes into Scare the Kids or Adult Fear, as a matter of fact it might be somewhere in between, but I'm surprised you didn't mention Lesson Zero. Not just for Twilight's sanity slippage and its associated set of uncanny faces, but the fact that her first targets for her Want-It-Need-It spell are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Needless to say, has some disturbing, albeit probably unintentional implications of stranger danger.
that scene perfectly portrays how kids can be wary but dismissive when an adult they know and trust is acting strange and then fall victim to wtv mess the adult puts them in (unfortunately)
The music does a lot of work in this show. I love the bgm that plays during her interaction with the kids. Strings that convey urgency, Random instruments being played for a single note at a time are like her thought processes: Hard to follow. Accordion playing almost broken chords driving home the creepiness All of this occasionally interrupted by a waterphone (an instrument typically used in horror movie soundtracks)
@@logansray That is definitely Adult Fear. Whether or not it was deliberately implied suicide, it's alongside that A Rockhoof and a Hard Place, where it's all the more implied.
The 'unintentional horror' category you mentioned could end up being quite vast. From the top of my head, in ascending order of unease they presented me with: Crystal Empire Part 2 -- Twilight could have been trapped forever if Spike weren't there. The evil door and anti-teleportation cage. and both she and Celestia were insistent on her doing the task alone. Spike's stubbornness saved the day. Inspiration Manifestation -- the book can be used as a weapon as long as the user doesn't have any good friends. a super-villain that has no regard for everypony's safety or whether or not they're improving the world around them could use it without restriction. Flutter Brutter -- Zephyr appears to be on the verge of suicide when living out in the woods and of course, the song lyrics: "there are times when you want to give up, when you think you can't go on..." The Last Crusade -- This entire episode.
Last crusade legit made me feel uncomfortable watching it, with scoot's parents not being there for 9 seasons and her having said she'd love having parents like RD's because they support her (even though they're also kinda fucked up) I legit felt like the writers didn't really know how to handle it and made it way harsher than intended by accident.
Personally i feel as thought the spookiest/scariest imagery from the series comes from the Siege on the crystal Empire comic line that was shown briefly in the video. The panel in which Cadence Goes against the umbrum's wishes and uses her horn as a light to reveal this pale misshapen creature with Little white dots for eyes and pulled back gums showing crooked teeth sitting in the corner of the room makes for a unnerving shot in a piece of family media. really that entire comic arch playing with the ideas of things like a Kangroo court and self hatred, seeing yourself as something you Aren't really makes for an inserting footnote in Mlp media. those Umbrum designs man they are something...
28 Pranks Later is not the best episode, but I have a soft spot for that one. The zombies were executed fairly well, and referencing one of my favorite movies of all times in the title is a plus, I'm glad creepy moments are sprinkled throughout the span of the show, it contrasts nicely with the colorful backdrop of ponies. I'm surprised Lesson Zero isn't on here. Twilight's desperation is palpable, like you can feel the dread as the day slips away from her, and no one takes her concerns seriously. She's alone, she's running around the town aimlessly, and getting nowhere, The Sun ticking like a clock is such a cool visual, too, and it probably doesn't help it's literally connected to the person she fears disappointing. As someone with obsessive-compulsive behaviors, something as small as a report sending her into a full-on panic, fully convincincing herself it's gonna completely derail her life, hits really close to home. Also, the Want-It-Need-It Spell and 'works everytime' gives us some dark implications with Twilight's magic use, pre-Ponyville, which I enjoy. I consider it my favorite Twilight episode and one of my favorites overall.
8:15 That is such a tiny detail, but such an interesting one. The original draft says 'what my family *will do* if I...', while the final draft changes it to 'what my family *would think* if I...', somewhat subtly steering around the possibility of literal child abuse, be it psychological or physical, to perhaps shunning.
I remember HATING “28 Pranks Later” when I was little and the only reason why was because of its zombie imagery. When I was younger and not really into horror, anything zombie related freaked me tf out and I don’t really know why. Anytime a cartoon episode slightly alluded to zombies it would give me nightmares. So you can only imagine how little me felt watching that episode, even if it was a prank in the context of the episode (from what I remember)
The 'turning into a tree' was an amazing episode to me. It's a fate worse than death depending on how you look at it. Zecora and Fluttershy were heading in that direction, but it was so offhandedly subtle that, if you don't pay attention, you won't even notice. For me it was great, because it kept the cheery pony show vibe as a facade, while underneath characters were fighting for their lives.
Party of One is scary as shit because I have BPD and have quite literally gone down her exact mental spiral from that episode hundreds of times in my life
As a kid I was completely terrified of Queen Chrysalis and every time my mom went out to get groceries I had an entire interview ready for her when she came home. But now she’s my favourite character!
She laughed the first 5 times, then she started pretending like she was Queen Chrysalis pretending to be my mom but in a very obvious way so I’d stop asking so often and when that didn’t work I lost my internet privileges for a week and had to follow her to the store so she’d get help with the groceries and I’d see there’s nothing dangerous.
I also liked at one of the Cons the VA for Starlight Glimmer mentioned the script laid out her character taking lots of personality from Jim Jones the cult leader. And some 60s cook show host. But the cult leader was a wild left turn.
A Canterlot wedding is my favourite episode in the series. When Shining Armour had to defend the fake Cadences actions, when watching it the first time, you actually think they make sense in a way. So then when Twilight gets comforted by the fake Cadence, we think everything is gonna work out but then they remind us “this is only part 1…”
As a kid who loved horror, it was nice being able to watch more mild horror like 28 pranks later, because most kids' horror is very cheesy, like the Halloween episodes, or their straight nightmare fuel like most courage the cowardly dog episodes. Mlp horror was able to bridge that gap, still be scary but not be the cause of nightmares.
I prefer if the show went a dark and ominous tone like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did. Like show is happy from season 1-4 but it gets dark and depressing from 5 to 9.
I am right there with you in theory, but there is a very strong reason they flat out could not. The maturity rating is quite different. Tvy7 which executives forced FIM to be is on a 'safety' level of Barney an Dora. Where PG is along the lines of Tarzan and Avitar the Last Airbender. Very different tones allowed. The fact that they got away with so much is fantastic.
As a kid though, I probably wouldn't have liked the show's tone as much if it were darker, and for many people who watch this show to be positive and comforting would probably have disliked that decision. But it's still interesting from a certain point of view
I unusually hate Halloween themed episodes in shows as they feel like 1 off gags. But mlp fim did it so well and actually made it part of the ongoing plot of luna as well as fluttershy later in rhe seasons. This is why i loved this show so much every episode mattered to the growth and storyline
I personally enjoy all aspects of MLP:FIM, including the scenes where they got a bit dark. I think that just adds to how detailed and diverse the themes of this show were! It's really interesting though because most people don't expect for My Little Pony to cover such dark or intense topics, and yet it does! I believe that this show is really deep and that's just another reason it appealed so much to me and so many more people!
So glad you brought up Sombra's ominous shadowy head in the clouds. I rewatched that episode today and the way he said "slaves" with that horrifying smile sent a chill down my spine. His rule over the Crystal Empire was incredibly fucked up and it really sunk in after the rewatched...
7:35 When I was watching this episode at first time, I wasn't really scared, but some time ago, a very complex and strong associative chain has formed in my head, completely converging on modern Russia, (where I used to live, and where my family (in a broad sense: grandparents, uncles, cousins etc.) does) which, in turn, awakens in me real fears from the real world, primary for my family's life and health. As a result, it moved to next category, and "in our town" is now the MOST scary moment of an entire show for me.
Honestly with The Cutie Pox, the mention of body horror immediately brought to mind Guardian Ape(the Nightmare as well given the way the victim seems to have some awareness, at least in Nightmare Rarity's case).
7:36 The Cutie Map is the only episode that creeps me out a bit. I love how they pulled that off, not to mention the introduction of Starlight Glimmer (best pony).
As someone who started watching it as a child, yeah a lot of moments scared me a bit but the cookies episode really got me and made me actually stop watching FIM for like two years. Edit: This was because it was so zombie-y. Zombie content is the worst, and it makes me super paranoid.
i remember watching cutie pox episode as a kid, and then i was thinking about it for the entire day, pretty scared. one other time when me and my sister were home alone, my sister was watching 28 pranks later while i was in my room, i only heard the audio and it sounded interesting so i peeked and watched a bit of it and then i was scared to even go out of my room. it now seem ridiculous to me how could i be scared, but i appreciate these episodes nevertheless. its what made me remember the show a bit more.
The majority of the dream scenes are truly terrifying - the changeling hive as well, especially with the elements of trypophobia! I’m guessing that Sonic Rainboom’s climax would count as “accidental horror” - I understand that the way it plays out is most likely intended to be comedic, but that (along with many of the other falling scenes, though the height in Sonic Rainboom is no doubt one of the highest) is truly one of the most horrific moments in G4 history…
"the changeling army descending on canterlot is 80% of why that finale is memorable" as someone who grew up on the show that was not what i remember lol, i was OBSESSED with this day aria and thats what i remember most tbh. also how extremely frustrating it was that everyone was being a huge jerk to twilight when she was being (rightfully) paranoid. that said the changelings taking over canterlot is still very memorable lol also at 7:05, im curious when they ever discussed/alluded to suicide? was it in that same episode of lunas where she admitted she was punishing herself for what she did?
In the Season 8 episode "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place", Rockhoof struggles to adapt to life outside limbo. At the end of Act 2, he asks Twilight to perform a spell on him that will turn him to stone. This is seen as a metaphor for suicide without using the word "suicide". Even I didn't catch it the first time.
starlights cult episode and how after the fact the townsfolk couldnt bring themselves to leave after the cult being all theyve ever known is oddly scary and really representative of how trapped you feel in situations where you need to run but theres too much fear to go on with a plan that could either save or ruin your life, throwing the train off the tracks either way
If you don't want to watch all of this, then here's an explanation for all the parts.. 1st: spooky, like Halloween. 2nd: Make the kids fear, slight body horror, and terrifying scenarios. 3rd: Make the adults fear, mentions of mental health issues, abuse, sh, s♡icide, and losing loved ones.
Your editing is awesome. You could've simply mentioned which episodes you were referring to at every point but you actually got clips from every single one of them. It makes for a video I can't look away from, and that's saying a lot since I usually prefer to listen to videos. Also, I swear I don't remember mlp being this scary haha, I definitely wiped the zombie episode from my memory. Scare Master has always been a favorite though, you're right that Halloween episodes are always good fun. Awesome video!
Lesson Zero thank goodness I have repressed the twilight faces! Honestly it scares me more than it used to! And I can’t forget about the chrysalis head thing. I cringe every time she does it! And honestly the bloom and gloom shadow has always made me feel a bit jumpy and uncomfortable
What really scared me back when I was a kid was the Slenderpony easter egg in Pinkie Apple Pie. Whenever I watched MLP, I always had this thought that he's out there.. somewhere.
The pranks episode fr terrified me as a kid. I had a intense irrational fear of zombies. Now it’s not so intense but it still hits a weak spot in me. I loved the scary parts of mlp. Even if they spooked me in my childhood. Terek was the scariest to me of all the villains because draining magic reminded me of zombies, while having the most tense villain scenes in my opinion. Like…Terek was so hyped up those episodes.
On the 28 pranks later episode, child me wasn't turned off from the series because I loved that show with my life but I would always skip the episode because I was scared of it.
I'm surprised you didn't include 'carrying around the skeleton (safe for kids version) of a familiar because you've been alone so long you need anything for sanity. Chrysalis in early season 9. Or in Rockhoof's suicide episode; Twilight said yes to the assisted suicide... one of if not the best therapist in equestria said yes, it might actually be logically/ emotionally sound to suicide... yeeeaaaa. But thank God the end result was a no. Great video by the way, and keep up the great work. 👍
I didn’t watch most of the last few seasons until last year when I found out that I could watch it all on TH-cam. The Rockhoof episode hit pretty close to home since I was just becoming an adult and most of my friends already had jobs and cars and romantic partners. It felt like I was behind on life, and that I could never keep up with anything that they could do. When Rockhoof told twilight to permanently turn him into a stone statue, it shocked me. I didn’t think that MLP would handle such a heavy topic like that. And of course, it ends with Rockhoof choosing to stay alive because there were people who still needed and cared about him. Thinking about it more, it’s interesting how they handled the subject. Rockhoof wanting to be turned into a stone statue reminds me of literal headstones. I also think it’s interesting how other characters react to his wish of becoming a statue. In the show, villains have been turned into stone statues and it’s shown with Discord that it’s something that can be undone. But because he WANTS to be turned to stone and obviously not come back, the situation has a lot more gravity. Also, this may be getting into some darker and slightly stereotypical territory, but older/stubborn men tend to neglect their mental health and would rather find ways to do busywork to distract themselves from it, so making this story about Rockhoof out of the 6 legendary characters makes the most sense to me in a realistic way.
AWESOME write-up! I'm so glad I made time to read this one. You're right, it's really interesting to see turning to stone being treated as something so serious. My father in law also did NOT take care of his mental health, and getting him to go see a doctor or a therapist was like pulling teeth. It must have been really hard to adjust when he was already 1000 years old and that set in his way. Thank you so much for writing this!
I think one of the scarier moments of mlp for me, was shadow play. Not only the fact that I had been through a similar situation, and knowing how hard it feels to let go of the shadow, but also thinking of how controlling it was, and what it would have done to not only Equestria, but also the rest of the world.
Oh I loved that teeth falling out moment, cos I still have those kind of nightmares… though as I child I was like “oh no! My teeth! I’m so embarrassed” and as an adult its more like “oh no, my teeth.. it’s gonna cost SO MUCH to fix this😫”
5:51 i headcannon that the potion that she made replicated an ancient prion. im rlly interested in prions in a way of "holy shit thats horrifying but cool as fuck"
I Didn't realize I was this early but as a MLP watcher from childhood Zombie related media always had me on the edge, even the stupidest shows as long as they potrayed a zombie apocalypse enough, the rainbow dash and cupcake zombies episode definitely scared me, specially the rainbow stuff on the mouth, maybe because the colors are unusual for the more soft colors the show has but it definitely didn't make it better. As a kid I could watch anything that would be "scary" and either love it, be like meh, or be scared a little but still watch the episode multiple times, but no jokes when it came to zombies, not the whole "undead" thing itself, but I absolutely hate the idea of being chased by one to an entire group of people and eventually running into a dead end. Unrealistic horror aside, I always loved fluttershy as the character I could identify as by her fear to being seen by people, then I loved rainbow dash as the character I wanted to be like.
Happy halloween and thanks for making! This type of commentary, the nitty gritty, obscure stuff that people wouldn't initially consider (like how there are different classes of horror in media) is commentary I love hearing about.
I was hoping to see Fizzlepop Berrytwist, aka Tempest Shadow, somewhere on this list. Having a character lose a limb is already a lot, and I very much consider unicorn horns to be a limb because they are the same color as the pony's coat, and we see bugbites on them in the episode with the campfire stories about the Pillars of Equestria. But the fact that unicorns are so defined by being able to use their horn, as shown by how Tempest got ostracized due to her injury, is tragic. The rest of the movie is about as scary - Kludgetown's horn vendor, the scene where they almost drown, and the fact that with the exception of Sombra, I think the Tempest King is the only character to actually die on-screen (I'm not counting other petrifications since multiple characters have survived it).
Tanks for the memories is the only episode that has actively made me cry. I think the reasoning is because it reminds me a lot of a stray cat I was trying to help who sadly had to be put down. Just the way that they slowly get worse and worse(In Tank's case, more and more tired as he starts to go into hibernation) and that you know you can't help them, but try to push away the people that tell you the truth, and try to do anything even when it doesn't make sense, is incredibly accurate.
Gen 1 video down the road would be stellar! Also, on your last, *OH MY HECK* FiM had a nasty habit of casually throwing out mind control like it's this not-big deal that gets some laughs. Starlight literally ENSLAVED her friends and the episode plays it like it's this funny little gag.
G1 was truly scary for a kids show when it wanted, Tirac is presented quite intensely, turns ponies into creepy dragons against their will and just threatens to behead Spike. One episode legit has seaponies on the verge of death from dehydration because of a drought, one episode has newborn ponies becoming slaves, Grogar's episode is also quite intense with it starting with this mystery about unicorns disappearing when they use their magic and having the main characters basically having their asses handed to them until the last minute.
MLP: Tirek blows up Twilights library Gravity falls: Dippers clone literally melts and dies on screen My nightmares: yeah, these are on the same level of scary, time to make this kid suffer (Yeah dippers clone melting on screen made me fear Family Channel with every fibre of my being. I never got to watch any of those shows because of that one gravity falls scene)
As someone who grew up with the engines of the island of sodor I can say that these moments were definitely something new when watching these scenes play out for the first time.
When i was younger i was like traumatized by 28 pranks later and that stuck with me untill i was like 9 or 10 or smth and got over it but now im fine lol it just freaked me out
I dont agree that the misty portrayal isnt explicit, its one of the most uncomfortable things to watch as someone with emotional trauma and one of the most realistic portrayals of emotional parental abuse
i vaguely remembered 28 pranks later until about a year ago. it left a scar. and since i was young, i misinterpreted it and remembered it as something far more creepy than it actually was
just chrysalis alone made me get nightmares as a kid, so the rest is definitely too much for a kids show. I think usually people forget that and say it isnt just a kids show and sometimes it ends up being anything other than a kids show.
I used to be really entomophobic but chrysalis never really bothered me that much she was my favorite villain back then and she is my favorite character in the show now
8:05 Let's not forget the demo of Invisible from Equestria Girls God damn And the actual end product, for that matter That special was not afraid to go places
If you haven't yet, you should check out the very first MLP cartoon, G1s Escape from/Rescue at Midnight Castle. Yes, it has its 1980s cheesy moments and is of its time, but look at the main villain in this, the original Tirec (aka Tirek in this), and see what he did to those cute retro G1 ponies...
I do think one area that G1 has G4 in the intense villain department, or at least the ones G4 reused. I guess because the og cartoon was comparitively low conflict, they channelled the threat into the villains. Or maybe it'd just an 80's thing with it's less sleak designs. Or maybe it's because I was like, 5.
I'd argue g1 was higher conflict than fim, it was basically an adventure show with ponies facing a new dangerous outside threat every episode meanwhile fim is at its core a slice of life show with some big conflicts sometimes.
@@jorgito93700 Oh yeah! I agree. I worded my first comment poorly. I think I meant that the pony society and the pony cast had less conflict between themselves in the OG cartoon than G4. Like there were episodes where Windwhistler was underappreciated or the baby ponies beefed with the newborns, but no regular bully ponies or family feuds between ponies etc. Therefore the conflict usually came from outside the pony community and was a lot darker by contrast.
@@gota7738 oh yeah I see, yeah you're right (although I feel like the wind Whistler episode is great enough to balance the lack of conflict in the rest of the series)
I gotta assume the puppy/kitten creature Chrysalis randomly summons up isn't actually there. She wouldn't just have it for no reason, right? Either she pulled some magic out of her hat in order to scar the CMC like when she made the Mane 6 clones or... that was one of her changelings disguised as a little furry friend...? Oh. Oh, dear.
8:12 Adding another layer of horror on this: She actually says "What my family WILL do," meaning the abuse is not just a possibility, but a guarantee.
If i could sing i would absolutely use that lyric difference
I remember being confused by this episode because I thought it was just coming from her mom. Filthy Rich really seemed like a pretty decent dude (like when he returned the Zapapple jam he'd accidentally been given instead of selling it) and an okay father in the rare scenes of him and Diamond Tiara. FR's wife obviously is a shrew, but for DT to lunp them both together in this song speaks to how thoroughly FR was hiding how harsh he could be to his daughter. Just like real life. Yay?
@psychotophatcat agreed However I feel like it hits deeper; the mom is the main abuser and the only one 'acting out'. Filthy is guilty to by not doing anything at best and encouraging such act. And in a child's head the guilt and ill will is equal.
@@psychotophatcat The Equestria Girls version of Filthy Rich does not have this "dependency" with the Apple Family (because they lack any "magic" he could exploit for profit), so the human never had to learn to "look nice" to others [hence why his TRUE SELF is on the open when he "deals" with Gloriosa Daisy (both in private & openly in public)].
-> Diamond Tiara confronting her mother and demanding her to deliver "a message" to her father, suggest that HE is the one normally "in control" on their family [given that Spoiled immediately buckles down to Diamond´s sudden show of strength].
In the original script of A Royal Problem, Luna's nightmare had her 'trying on' different smiles as if they were masks.
That makes so much more sense! -> When her "forced smile" failed at the worst moment, it was "her mask falling off".
What I love is that the writers were not afraid to intentionally put in subtle details to get our minds to think much more darker about a situation. Like, the swamp fever spore blossom trees originating from the more bone chilling thought of several ponies or other creatures bodies getting taken over and slowly morphed into the trees we see in the episode. With the cycle continuing for over 1,000+ years with the cure unknowingly being lost to time in limbo. What's even more frightening is we never learn the origin of said sapling.
There's a fanfic that took that further to say the Everfree forest itself was composed of victims(don't remember if it's the whole forest).
@@nameynamd9212OOO that sounds like a really interesting read! Do you remember the name and website it was on?
I'm just glad it aired when it did. A seemingly unstoppable pandemic, which is very contagious, and most systems ore respatpory... a few years later and it would have probably been taken down.
@@galaxythedragonshifterTitle is pretty simple, but it's called The Secret of the Everfree on Fimfiction.
@@nameynamd9212 That would explain the "uniqueness" of the Everfree Forest´s ability of overriding the weather setup by pegasi (because some of the trees were once ponies, their "equestrian magic" still manifests chaotically); as well as giving an origin source for the Timber Wolves (magical creatures turned into swamp fever trees that later "come back" as plant_ghost_zombies, by channeling their remnant magic still present in the now dead wood to reform as a new body).
"What are they gonna do cancel us? Make it scary!" Is such a great thing to hear
I’m so glad the series includes such a wide diversity of themes, it made it so enjoyable to watch. The lessons are so deep and portrayed in such a light hearted way. It’s so entertaining to watch our favorite characters go through different events and connecting with their feelings, Mlp is enjoyable to watch for all ages
I have been watching mlp since I was a kid 🤣
Because of this
I really like the sentence "Confront the possibility of the just barely kid friendly fate of forever tap dancing in French."
Watching the show for the first time, I thought it was bold of them to do a cult episode. Not too many kid's shows tackle the subject of cults that often considering how controversial they can be at times.
I'm not sure whether this goes into Scare the Kids or Adult Fear, as a matter of fact it might be somewhere in between, but I'm surprised you didn't mention Lesson Zero. Not just for Twilight's sanity slippage and its associated set of uncanny faces, but the fact that her first targets for her Want-It-Need-It spell are the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Needless to say, has some disturbing, albeit probably unintentional implications of stranger danger.
Wat
that scene perfectly portrays how kids can be wary but dismissive when an adult they know and trust is acting strange and then fall victim to wtv mess the adult puts them in (unfortunately)
The music does a lot of work in this show.
I love the bgm that plays during her interaction with the kids.
Strings that convey urgency,
Random instruments being played for a single note at a time are like her thought processes: Hard to follow.
Accordion playing almost broken chords driving home the creepiness
All of this occasionally interrupted by a waterphone (an instrument typically used in horror movie soundtracks)
What about Trixies attempt with the manticore and cannon?
@@logansray That is definitely Adult Fear. Whether or not it was deliberately implied suicide, it's alongside that A Rockhoof and a Hard Place, where it's all the more implied.
The 'unintentional horror' category you mentioned could end up being quite vast.
From the top of my head, in ascending order of unease they presented me with:
Crystal Empire Part 2 -- Twilight could have been trapped forever if Spike weren't there. The evil door and anti-teleportation cage.
and both she and Celestia were insistent on her doing the task alone. Spike's stubbornness saved the day.
Inspiration Manifestation -- the book can be used as a weapon as long as the user doesn't have any good friends.
a super-villain that has no regard for everypony's safety or whether or not they're improving the world around them could use it without restriction.
Flutter Brutter -- Zephyr appears to be on the verge of suicide when living out in the woods and of course, the song lyrics:
"there are times when you want to give up, when you think you can't go on..."
The Last Crusade -- This entire episode.
Last crusade legit made me feel uncomfortable watching it, with scoot's parents not being there for 9 seasons and her having said she'd love having parents like RD's because they support her (even though they're also kinda fucked up) I legit felt like the writers didn't really know how to handle it and made it way harsher than intended by accident.
Personally i feel as thought the spookiest/scariest imagery from the series comes from the Siege on the crystal Empire comic line that was shown briefly in the video. The panel in which Cadence Goes against the umbrum's wishes and uses her horn as a light to reveal this pale misshapen creature with Little white dots for eyes and pulled back gums showing crooked teeth sitting in the corner of the room makes for a unnerving shot in a piece of family media. really that entire comic arch playing with the ideas of things like a Kangroo court and self hatred, seeing yourself as something you Aren't really makes for an inserting footnote in Mlp media. those Umbrum designs man they are something...
28 Pranks Later is not the best episode, but I have a soft spot for that one. The zombies were executed fairly well, and referencing one of my favorite movies of all times in the title is a plus,
I'm glad creepy moments are sprinkled throughout the span of the show, it contrasts nicely with the colorful backdrop of ponies.
I'm surprised Lesson Zero isn't on here. Twilight's desperation is palpable, like you can feel the dread as the day slips away from her, and no one takes her concerns seriously. She's alone, she's running around the town aimlessly, and getting nowhere, The Sun ticking like a clock is such a cool visual, too, and it probably doesn't help it's literally connected to the person she fears disappointing. As someone with obsessive-compulsive behaviors, something as small as a report sending her into a full-on panic, fully convincincing herself it's gonna completely derail her life, hits really close to home. Also, the Want-It-Need-It Spell and 'works everytime' gives us some dark implications with Twilight's magic use, pre-Ponyville, which I enjoy. I consider it my favorite Twilight episode and one of my favorites overall.
I agree. The first half of 28 Pranks wasn't great or good, but the second half with the cookie zombies was definitely the highlight of the episode.
8:15
That is such a tiny detail, but such an interesting one. The original draft says 'what my family *will do* if I...', while the final draft changes it to 'what my family *would think* if I...', somewhat subtly steering around the possibility of literal child abuse, be it psychological or physical, to perhaps shunning.
I remember HATING “28 Pranks Later” when I was little and the only reason why was because of its zombie imagery. When I was younger and not really into horror, anything zombie related freaked me tf out and I don’t really know why. Anytime a cartoon episode slightly alluded to zombies it would give me nightmares. So you can only imagine how little me felt watching that episode, even if it was a prank in the context of the episode (from what I remember)
Much like how Scare Master ramped up the anxiety without overdoing it. Being a fun kind of scare.
The 'turning into a tree' was an amazing episode to me. It's a fate worse than death depending on how you look at it. Zecora and Fluttershy were heading in that direction, but it was so offhandedly subtle that, if you don't pay attention, you won't even notice.
For me it was great, because it kept the cheery pony show vibe as a facade, while underneath characters were fighting for their lives.
Party of One is scary as shit because I have BPD and have quite literally gone down her exact mental spiral from that episode hundreds of times in my life
Can never get through even thinking about the Tank and Pearbutter episodes without tearing up. God, what a show.
As a kid I was completely terrified of Queen Chrysalis and every time my mom went out to get groceries I had an entire interview ready for her when she came home.
But now she’s my favourite character!
How did your mom take it?
She laughed the first 5 times, then she started pretending like she was Queen Chrysalis pretending to be my mom but in a very obvious way so I’d stop asking so often and when that didn’t work I lost my internet privileges for a week and had to follow her to the store so she’d get help with the groceries and I’d see there’s nothing dangerous.
I like how she handled it. Though I missed my daily dose of mlp. 😂
@@melodystarlight7933 That was honestly adorable, how she acted.
People love to make fun of MLP, but sometimes it nailed scaringly well how it feels to be a a traumatized young adult
I also liked at one of the Cons the VA for Starlight Glimmer mentioned the script laid out her character taking lots of personality from Jim Jones the cult leader. And some 60s cook show host. But the cult leader was a wild left turn.
A Canterlot wedding is my favourite episode in the series. When Shining Armour had to defend the fake Cadences actions, when watching it the first time, you actually think they make sense in a way. So then when Twilight gets comforted by the fake Cadence, we think everything is gonna work out but then they remind us “this is only part 1…”
Dude Tirek scared the shit out of me as a kid
As a kid who loved horror, it was nice being able to watch more mild horror like 28 pranks later, because most kids' horror is very cheesy, like the Halloween episodes, or their straight nightmare fuel like most courage the cowardly dog episodes. Mlp horror was able to bridge that gap, still be scary but not be the cause of nightmares.
I really liked how the staff behind the show really enjoyed working together.
I prefer if the show went a dark and ominous tone like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did. Like show is happy from season 1-4 but it gets dark and depressing from 5 to 9.
I am right there with you in theory, but there is a very strong reason they flat out could not. The maturity rating is quite different. Tvy7 which executives forced FIM to be is on a 'safety' level of Barney an Dora. Where PG is along the lines of Tarzan and Avitar the Last Airbender. Very different tones allowed. The fact that they got away with so much is fantastic.
As a kid though, I probably wouldn't have liked the show's tone as much if it were darker, and for many people who watch this show to be positive and comforting would probably have disliked that decision. But it's still interesting from a certain point of view
I unusually hate Halloween themed episodes in shows as they feel like 1 off gags. But mlp fim did it so well and actually made it part of the ongoing plot of luna as well as fluttershy later in rhe seasons. This is why i loved this show so much every episode mattered to the growth and storyline
agreeed. I don't like it when they don't have any plot relevance.
I personally enjoy all aspects of MLP:FIM, including the scenes where they got a bit dark. I think that just adds to how detailed and diverse the themes of this show were! It's really interesting though because most people don't expect for My Little Pony to cover such dark or intense topics, and yet it does! I believe that this show is really deep and that's just another reason it appealed so much to me and so many more people!
So glad you brought up Sombra's ominous shadowy head in the clouds. I rewatched that episode today and the way he said "slaves" with that horrifying smile sent a chill down my spine. His rule over the Crystal Empire was incredibly fucked up and it really sunk in after the rewatched...
7:35 When I was watching this episode at first time, I wasn't really scared, but some time ago, a very complex and strong associative chain has formed in my head, completely converging on modern Russia, (where I used to live, and where my family (in a broad sense: grandparents, uncles, cousins etc.) does) which, in turn, awakens in me real fears from the real world, primary for my family's life and health. As a result, it moved to next category, and "in our town" is now the MOST scary moment of an entire show for me.
Honestly with The Cutie Pox, the mention of body horror immediately brought to mind Guardian Ape(the Nightmare as well given the way the victim seems to have some awareness, at least in Nightmare Rarity's case).
7:36 The Cutie Map is the only episode that creeps me out a bit. I love how they pulled that off, not to mention the introduction of Starlight Glimmer (best pony).
As someone who started watching it as a child, yeah a lot of moments scared me a bit but the cookies episode really got me and made me actually stop watching FIM for like two years.
Edit: This was because it was so zombie-y. Zombie content is the worst, and it makes me super paranoid.
28 Pranks Later scared the absolute heck out of me and now it’s one of my favourite episodes purely because it cemented itself in my head as a kid
i remember watching cutie pox episode as a kid, and then i was thinking about it for the entire day, pretty scared. one other time when me and my sister were home alone, my sister was watching 28 pranks later while i was in my room, i only heard the audio and it sounded interesting so i peeked and watched a bit of it and then i was scared to even go out of my room. it now seem ridiculous to me how could i be scared, but i appreciate these episodes nevertheless. its what made me remember the show a bit more.
The majority of the dream scenes are truly terrifying - the changeling hive as well, especially with the elements of trypophobia!
I’m guessing that Sonic Rainboom’s climax would count as “accidental horror” - I understand that the way it plays out is most likely intended to be comedic, but that (along with many of the other falling scenes, though the height in Sonic Rainboom is no doubt one of the highest) is truly one of the most horrific moments in G4 history…
9:45 I really forgot how many hearthbreaking moments where in FiM... And oh god, only seeing the breakout from Moondancer still hurts.
"the changeling army descending on canterlot is 80% of why that finale is memorable" as someone who grew up on the show that was not what i remember lol, i was OBSESSED with this day aria and thats what i remember most tbh. also how extremely frustrating it was that everyone was being a huge jerk to twilight when she was being (rightfully) paranoid. that said the changelings taking over canterlot is still very memorable lol
also at 7:05, im curious when they ever discussed/alluded to suicide? was it in that same episode of lunas where she admitted she was punishing herself for what she did?
In the Season 8 episode "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place", Rockhoof struggles to adapt to life outside limbo. At the end of Act 2, he asks Twilight to perform a spell on him that will turn him to stone. This is seen as a metaphor for suicide without using the word "suicide". Even I didn't catch it the first time.
starlights cult episode and how after the fact the townsfolk couldnt bring themselves to leave after the cult being all theyve ever known is oddly scary and really representative of how trapped you feel in situations where you need to run but theres too much fear to go on with a plan that could either save or ruin your life, throwing the train off the tracks either way
If you don't want to watch all of this, then here's an explanation for all the parts..
1st: spooky, like Halloween.
2nd: Make the kids fear, slight body horror, and terrifying scenarios.
3rd: Make the adults fear, mentions of mental health issues, abuse, sh, s♡icide, and losing loved ones.
"What are they gonna do? Cancel us?"
That man got it! It's already the finale!
Your editing is awesome. You could've simply mentioned which episodes you were referring to at every point but you actually got clips from every single one of them. It makes for a video I can't look away from, and that's saying a lot since I usually prefer to listen to videos. Also, I swear I don't remember mlp being this scary haha, I definitely wiped the zombie episode from my memory. Scare Master has always been a favorite though, you're right that Halloween episodes are always good fun. Awesome video!
Lesson Zero thank goodness I have repressed the twilight faces! Honestly it scares me more than it used to!
And I can’t forget about the chrysalis head thing. I cringe every time she does it! And honestly the bloom and gloom shadow has always made me feel a bit jumpy and uncomfortable
What really scared me back when I was a kid was the Slenderpony easter egg in Pinkie Apple Pie. Whenever I watched MLP, I always had this thought that he's out there.. somewhere.
The pranks episode fr terrified me as a kid. I had a intense irrational fear of zombies. Now it’s not so intense but it still hits a weak spot in me. I loved the scary parts of mlp. Even if they spooked me in my childhood. Terek was the scariest to me of all the villains because draining magic reminded me of zombies, while having the most tense villain scenes in my opinion. Like…Terek was so hyped up those episodes.
With the analysis you're able to do so thoroughly on this particular subject, I suppose it's no surprise that the show garnered fans of all kinds.
On the 28 pranks later episode, child me wasn't turned off from the series because I loved that show with my life but I would always skip the episode because I was scared of it.
I'm surprised you didn't include 'carrying around the skeleton (safe for kids version) of a familiar because you've been alone so long you need anything for sanity. Chrysalis in early season 9.
Or in Rockhoof's suicide episode; Twilight said yes to the assisted suicide... one of if not the best therapist in equestria said yes, it might actually be logically/ emotionally sound to suicide... yeeeaaaa. But thank God the end result was a no.
Great video by the way, and keep up the great work. 👍
I didn’t watch most of the last few seasons until last year when I found out that I could watch it all on TH-cam. The Rockhoof episode hit pretty close to home since I was just becoming an adult and most of my friends already had jobs and cars and romantic partners. It felt like I was behind on life, and that I could never keep up with anything that they could do. When Rockhoof told twilight to permanently turn him into a stone statue, it shocked me. I didn’t think that MLP would handle such a heavy topic like that. And of course, it ends with Rockhoof choosing to stay alive because there were people who still needed and cared about him.
Thinking about it more, it’s interesting how they handled the subject. Rockhoof wanting to be turned into a stone statue reminds me of literal headstones. I also think it’s interesting how other characters react to his wish of becoming a statue. In the show, villains have been turned into stone statues and it’s shown with Discord that it’s something that can be undone. But because he WANTS to be turned to stone and obviously not come back, the situation has a lot more gravity. Also, this may be getting into some darker and slightly stereotypical territory, but older/stubborn men tend to neglect their mental health and would rather find ways to do busywork to distract themselves from it, so making this story about Rockhoof out of the 6 legendary characters makes the most sense to me in a realistic way.
AWESOME write-up! I'm so glad I made time to read this one. You're right, it's really interesting to see turning to stone being treated as something so serious. My father in law also did NOT take care of his mental health, and getting him to go see a doctor or a therapist was like pulling teeth. It must have been really hard to adjust when he was already 1000 years old and that set in his way. Thank you so much for writing this!
I think one of the scarier moments of mlp for me, was shadow play. Not only the fact that I had been through a similar situation, and knowing how hard it feels to let go of the shadow, but also thinking of how controlling it was, and what it would have done to not only Equestria, but also the rest of the world.
goddamnit I love Queen Chrysalis, she's terrifying but awesome, also I love DayBreak's design-
Oh I loved that teeth falling out moment, cos I still have those kind of nightmares… though as I child I was like “oh no! My teeth! I’m so embarrassed” and as an adult its more like “oh no, my teeth.. it’s gonna cost SO MUCH to fix this😫”
5:51
i headcannon that the potion that she made replicated an ancient prion. im rlly interested in prions in a way of "holy shit thats horrifying but cool as fuck"
I Didn't realize I was this early but as a MLP watcher from childhood Zombie related media always had me on the edge, even the stupidest shows as long as they potrayed a zombie apocalypse enough, the rainbow dash and cupcake zombies episode definitely scared me, specially the rainbow stuff on the mouth, maybe because the colors are unusual for the more soft colors the show has but it definitely didn't make it better.
As a kid I could watch anything that would be "scary" and either love it, be like meh, or be scared a little but still watch the episode multiple times, but no jokes when it came to zombies, not the whole "undead" thing itself, but I absolutely hate the idea of being chased by one to an entire group of people and eventually running into a dead end.
Unrealistic horror aside, I always loved fluttershy as the character I could identify as by her fear to being seen by people, then I loved rainbow dash as the character I wanted to be like.
The zombie episode was the most terrifying as a kid.
Sorry I assumed that you didnt mention the comics on Twitter, but Im glad you did, you know my obsession with them by now
Happy halloween and thanks for making! This type of commentary, the nitty gritty, obscure stuff that people wouldn't initially consider (like how there are different classes of horror in media) is commentary I love hearing about.
I was hoping to see Fizzlepop Berrytwist, aka Tempest Shadow, somewhere on this list. Having a character lose a limb is already a lot, and I very much consider unicorn horns to be a limb because they are the same color as the pony's coat, and we see bugbites on them in the episode with the campfire stories about the Pillars of Equestria. But the fact that unicorns are so defined by being able to use their horn, as shown by how Tempest got ostracized due to her injury, is tragic.
The rest of the movie is about as scary - Kludgetown's horn vendor, the scene where they almost drown, and the fact that with the exception of Sombra, I think the Tempest King is the only character to actually die on-screen (I'm not counting other petrifications since multiple characters have survived it).
Tanks for the memories is the only episode that has actively made me cry. I think the reasoning is because it reminds me a lot of a stray cat I was trying to help who sadly had to be put down.
Just the way that they slowly get worse and worse(In Tank's case, more and more tired as he starts to go into hibernation) and that you know you can't help them, but try to push away the people that tell you the truth, and try to do anything even when it doesn't make sense, is incredibly accurate.
i used to have nightmares of queen chrysalis as a kid
Remember that episode in S1 where there was an boulder avalanche and Twilight nearly died but was saved by Applejack last second ? :D
lmao the comics gave me nightmares when I was a kid. I think it was the one with nightmare Rarity or whatever but I'm not sure cause I was so young
I think the scariest MLP got was in Equestria Girls, specifically in Legend of Everfree and Forgotten Friendship. Those girls are literally SCPs.
Watching this video with the resurgence of MLP horror AU's is fascinating to say the least
Gen 1 video down the road would be stellar!
Also, on your last, *OH MY HECK* FiM had a nasty habit of casually throwing out mind control like it's this not-big deal that gets some laughs. Starlight literally ENSLAVED her friends and the episode plays it like it's this funny little gag.
G1 was truly scary for a kids show when it wanted, Tirac is presented quite intensely, turns ponies into creepy dragons against their will and just threatens to behead Spike. One episode legit has seaponies on the verge of death from dehydration because of a drought, one episode has newborn ponies becoming slaves, Grogar's episode is also quite intense with it starting with this mystery about unicorns disappearing when they use their magic and having the main characters basically having their asses handed to them until the last minute.
Oh and the g1 comics have a story with ponies being forced into slavery and having to work in a mine for so long they went blind
MLP: Tirek blows up Twilights library
Gravity falls: Dippers clone literally melts and dies on screen
My nightmares: yeah, these are on the same level of scary, time to make this kid suffer
(Yeah dippers clone melting on screen made me fear Family Channel with every fibre of my being. I never got to watch any of those shows because of that one gravity falls scene)
As someone who grew up with the engines of the island of sodor I can say that these moments were definitely something new when watching these scenes play out for the first time.
When i was younger i was like traumatized by 28 pranks later and that stuck with me untill i was like 9 or 10 or smth and got over it but now im fine lol it just freaked me out
I dont agree that the misty portrayal isnt explicit, its one of the most uncomfortable things to watch as someone with emotional trauma and one of the most realistic portrayals of emotional parental abuse
TV shows need to frighten children more. It's what they deserve for being little abominations. Great video!
i vaguely remembered 28 pranks later until about a year ago. it left a scar. and since i was young, i misinterpreted it and remembered it as something far more creepy than it actually was
Episode where Pinkie Pie goes crazy at her alone party and the one where tree of harmony turns mean six into sticks fucks me up even when I'm adult
For me "72Pranks later" was the scaryest, even as a 19 year old(back when it came out).
just chrysalis alone made me get nightmares as a kid, so the rest is definitely too much for a kids show. I think usually people forget that and say it isnt just a kids show and sometimes it ends up being anything other than a kids show.
I disagree, children _need_ to experience fear. The only thing that bubble-wrapping a child's existence produces is a weak adult.
the fact that you watched a GUINEA PIG movie for a my little pony video is bananas. new subscriber unlocked :)
That was a weird weekend.
7:46 I f-cking love Starlight the commie pony.
Брони будут любить МЛП всегда, но остальному Миру ещё только предстоит осознать всю глубину, красоту и величие сериала о Дружбе!
"We're about to end this man's whole career!" - Scribbler and Lost Narrator.
I used to be really entomophobic but chrysalis never really bothered me that much she was my favorite villain back then and she is my favorite character in the show now
Queen Chrysalis scared the crap out of me as a kid, mainly due to the holes in her legs. I have mild trypophobia.
"What are they gonna do, cancel us?"
Ah, yes. Back when companies didn't have to worry about getting cancelled because of of the tiniest misstep.
He was being sarcastic, since it was literally the last episode of show.
This feels like a sumary of the best moments of the show
i'd love an episode about unintentional horror concepts!!! love this one too, thanks for putting it up!
8:05
Let's not forget the demo of Invisible from Equestria Girls
God damn
And the actual end product, for that matter
That special was not afraid to go places
I love all the mlp scares, I want it SCARIER
It’ll never be as scary as any horror movie anyways and that’s all that matters (I hate horror movies…)
If Lauren Faust based Trixie Lulamoon off of Bellatrix Lestrange, which “fear level” would she be on?
If you haven't yet, you should check out the very first MLP cartoon, G1s Escape from/Rescue at Midnight Castle. Yes, it has its 1980s cheesy moments and is of its time, but look at the main villain in this, the original Tirec (aka Tirek in this), and see what he did to those cute retro G1 ponies...
I have, actually, for my video "How Much Pony Is There?" It's a wild ride, but it's weird to think that 1984 wasn't that long ago.
That’s a weird looking puppy 11:38
And all was well in the world.
Chrysalis really freaked me out when i watched the show as a teenager.
Omg I just realized gran pear did see his daughter for the last time after a pety fight. How did I not pick up on that 😐 😳
Really like this analysis!
that zombie episode gave little me nightmares.
I do think one area that G1 has G4 in the intense villain department, or at least the ones G4 reused.
I guess because the og cartoon was comparitively low conflict, they channelled the threat into the villains. Or maybe it'd just an 80's thing with it's less sleak designs.
Or maybe it's because I was like,
5.
I'd argue g1 was higher conflict than fim, it was basically an adventure show with ponies facing a new dangerous outside threat every episode meanwhile fim is at its core a slice of life show with some big conflicts sometimes.
@@jorgito93700 Oh yeah! I agree. I worded my first comment poorly.
I think I meant that the pony society and the pony cast had less conflict between themselves in the OG cartoon than G4.
Like there were episodes where Windwhistler was underappreciated or the baby ponies beefed with the newborns, but no regular bully ponies or family feuds between ponies etc. Therefore the conflict usually came from outside the pony community and was a lot darker by contrast.
@@gota7738 oh yeah I see, yeah you're right (although I feel like the wind Whistler episode is great enough to balance the lack of conflict in the rest of the series)
Mlp fim did have another halloween episode in the idw comics. With the student six
I grew up with mlp and To Whom the Sweetie Bell Toils terrified me
I gotta assume the puppy/kitten creature Chrysalis randomly summons up isn't actually there. She wouldn't just have it for no reason, right? Either she pulled some magic out of her hat in order to scar the CMC like when she made the Mane 6 clones or... that was one of her changelings disguised as a little furry friend...? Oh. Oh, dear.
For me the scariest moment is Twilights Breakdown
28 pranks later scared me so much when i was 6
If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were possessed by DigiBrony.