Starlight Glimmer is something of a polarising character for the 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' fandom. Her appeal is understandable, as she was a fascinating character in her Season 5 appearances and Season 6 did make valiant efforts in developing her. But can definitely understand where people are coming from when they say there is too much of her at the expense of the rest of the characters and how it did take time to accept her reform and her Season 6 onward personality.
Personally spent much of Season 6 on the fence with Starlight. When she was the focus in episodes like "Hearth's Warming Tail" and "No Second Prances", there were valiant efforts made to develop her and largely successful ones too. It did take me time to get used to her personality when her redemption at the end of the previous season was so rushed and pat and when her new personality didn't have what made her so fascinating in Season 5. "Every Little Thing She Does" had a very intriguing premise and executes it mostly very well in one of the better Starlight-centric episodes, one that sees her character and her growth nailed for the first time (a great job was done with her in "Hearth's Warming Tail" too but unlike this episode it felt rushed towards the end). "Every Little Thing She Does" struck me as a quite great episode and one of the best, most entertaining and most interesting episodes of Season 6.
It's not perfect. It's not the best episode to see if one is not fond of logic lapses as it did get a little on the absurd side in spots with the mind control. That however is pretty nit-picky and a criticism that may be dismissable for some.
Absolutely loved Starlight's character writing and development here in "Every Little Thing She Does", as said the first episode to completely nail her new personality (thus making it easier to start accepting it). She is not easy to like at first, purposefully with shades of her Season 5 personality without over-emphasising it, but it was great to see a rare occurance for Season 6 for a character acknowledging their mistakes and learning from them and by the end of the episode she became relatable without being too perfect. Anybody who has a fear of failure or struggles in social situations may find a little of themselves in them, both apply to me so that's why she was easy to relate to despite her actions. Her relationships with the ponies have a good deal of heart.
Really appreciated that the episode didn't end too neatly while not being cruel at the same time. Starlight's dilemma is handled with tension, great entertainment value, imagination and honesty. The moral is one of my favourites of the season and it was delivered in the best possible way, thanks to the pitch-perfect character writing and because the reasoning for Starlight's actions is buyable and rootable. "Every Little Thing She Does" also succeeds on the humour, as it is one of the funniest episodes of Season 6. Especially when everything goes wrong, how the other ponies react to the brainwashing and the misadventures are very inventive and at their best hilarious. Pinkie Pie's and Fluttershy's especially.
The animation is vibrant and full of beautiful detail and atmosphere, especially in the reactions to the brainwashing. Got a real kick out of watching the eyes for example. The music is dynamic and fits more than appropriately. Humour, intrigue and emotion are perfectly balanced here, everybody is true to character, interesting and likeable and the story and its moral dilemmas are emotionally investable and absorbing. The voice acting is great, with Kelly Sheridan providing some of her best voice work of the show with a wide range encompassed and always genuine.
In conclusion, great. 9/10.
Personally spent much of Season 6 on the fence with Starlight. When she was the focus in episodes like "Hearth's Warming Tail" and "No Second Prances", there were valiant efforts made to develop her and largely successful ones too. It did take me time to get used to her personality when her redemption at the end of the previous season was so rushed and pat and when her new personality didn't have what made her so fascinating in Season 5. "Every Little Thing She Does" had a very intriguing premise and executes it mostly very well in one of the better Starlight-centric episodes, one that sees her character and her growth nailed for the first time (a great job was done with her in "Hearth's Warming Tail" too but unlike this episode it felt rushed towards the end). "Every Little Thing She Does" struck me as a quite great episode and one of the best, most entertaining and most interesting episodes of Season 6.
It's not perfect. It's not the best episode to see if one is not fond of logic lapses as it did get a little on the absurd side in spots with the mind control. That however is pretty nit-picky and a criticism that may be dismissable for some.
Absolutely loved Starlight's character writing and development here in "Every Little Thing She Does", as said the first episode to completely nail her new personality (thus making it easier to start accepting it). She is not easy to like at first, purposefully with shades of her Season 5 personality without over-emphasising it, but it was great to see a rare occurance for Season 6 for a character acknowledging their mistakes and learning from them and by the end of the episode she became relatable without being too perfect. Anybody who has a fear of failure or struggles in social situations may find a little of themselves in them, both apply to me so that's why she was easy to relate to despite her actions. Her relationships with the ponies have a good deal of heart.
Really appreciated that the episode didn't end too neatly while not being cruel at the same time. Starlight's dilemma is handled with tension, great entertainment value, imagination and honesty. The moral is one of my favourites of the season and it was delivered in the best possible way, thanks to the pitch-perfect character writing and because the reasoning for Starlight's actions is buyable and rootable. "Every Little Thing She Does" also succeeds on the humour, as it is one of the funniest episodes of Season 6. Especially when everything goes wrong, how the other ponies react to the brainwashing and the misadventures are very inventive and at their best hilarious. Pinkie Pie's and Fluttershy's especially.
The animation is vibrant and full of beautiful detail and atmosphere, especially in the reactions to the brainwashing. Got a real kick out of watching the eyes for example. The music is dynamic and fits more than appropriately. Humour, intrigue and emotion are perfectly balanced here, everybody is true to character, interesting and likeable and the story and its moral dilemmas are emotionally investable and absorbing. The voice acting is great, with Kelly Sheridan providing some of her best voice work of the show with a wide range encompassed and always genuine.
In conclusion, great. 9/10.
