Unpopular opinion time

@Just Wayne
Ah yeah I see! That’s sweet

@Mr.Myoozik
The worst Rarity should expect from AJ is harsh words, and even then, it’s still AJ’s choice to use them. And the hat thing is enexcusable under any circumstance. Rarity’s fault was assuming AJ says yes and throwing her into an unfamiliar territory, AJ’s fault was not having enough of a filter to frame her critiques in a way that doesn’t make the pony feel absolutely awful, and NOT backing out once she realizes this isn’t for her. Once she starts getting comfy as a judge and going all in on the designers, she keeps going and going until she insults what everyone in the room spent most of the lives doing. It rings a little similar (though NOT nearly as malicious) to Fluttershy bashing Pinkie’s and Rarity’s life pursuits back in Putting Your Hoof Down.

Neither AJ nor Rarity is a saint in that episode, but I feel bad for Rarity because the idea to help out new ponies in the fashion field is incredibly sweet. And it’s one of her best friends, someone she really wanted to be there, unraveling the whole thing. She should’ve expected an unorthodox approach from AJ, but not event-cancelling levels of rude.

@Just Wayne
Not every experiment is gonna work, Rarity tried to do something new by introducing a fashion outsider to represent “the common pony”, and it did not go according to plan. Also, I doubt Hoity knew what Photo Finish was specifically judging and vice versa, they were simply expressing opinions, which is what Applejack was also supposed to do. If I had to point out a flaw with the episode is that the other two never have even slightly negative comments to balance AJ out, they’re strictly positive. I’m not saying they need to be mean, but just maybe saying what, in their opinion, could be improved, rather than just loving it right away. The belt scene is the closest that comes to that, IIRC, with the implication that this particular outfit could benefit from having that element added on.

Also, them being offended at AJ’s disco ball comment is a bit silly when the outfit literally looks like a disco ball. Now I assume the joke was “they’re being silly for being offended at AJ calling it like it is” but it’s weird to do that while you ALSO try to make AJ come off as insensitive and dismissive. That might’ve been a case of miscommunication between script and prop designer, maybe the outfit was just meant to be shiny like a disco ball, but ended up accidentally turning into “pony in the picture literally wears a disco ball.” That’s just speculation on my part, however.

As for their general behavior, I do find the supportive fashionistas somewhat refreshing. Usually fashion-related people in media are narcissistic jerks who’d rather gatekeep new faces at the fear that their new ideas might upstage them, but HT and PF actually encourage the new generation of fashion-forward ponies. Photo Finish is more of a fashion photographer, but having support from someone who has been working in that particular area of expertise for years must be quite validating.

The ‘everyone wins’ solution might also leave a bit of a sour taste in one’s mouth. But I get AJ’s reasoning, with her seeing the hard work and appreciating it. And after the thorough roasting of all 3 newbie designers, I bet she’d feel extra bad to say gtfo to any of them.

Also, that RD cheerleading episode sure was…not great. I am not alone in that opinion from what I see, though lol

@Tiger beetle
Oh yeah, that endless praise thing is kind of funny as well, like are they judges or ass-kissers? And honestly, sure AJ did go overboard in her second attempt of judging, but she actually had some good points the first time, dress getting dirty easily for example. And even if AJ didn’t understand the meaing and symbolism like putting holes on pants, no one bothered to explain to her. Even Rarity just tries to brush it off and acts surprised of what AJ says as if she wasn’t the one that brought her there. No one actually listens to Applejack, one of their judges, and rather acts insulted to every criticism she gives with no willingness to change. What’s the point of judges if all they want is praise anyway? Rarity should have just asked AJ to back out instead of awkwardly trying to console the designers and letting it keep going. It’s actually pretty fitting for the theme of not listening to Applejack and acting dishonest in front of the element of honesty.

2 4 6 Great has RD act so ungodly douchey it’s a wonder why no one punched her in the face. It’s extremely out of characters even for RD and we actually have a better “Rainbow Dash being forced to do something she doesn’t want” episode in Grannies Gone Wild. She was reluctant but she still cared about the grannies, and she didn’t go “I didn’t know what I did wrong even though it’s clearly my fault” when everything went to shit.

@Just Wayne
That one aside. She’s actually okay with teaching Fluttershy how to cheer.

@Phoenixflambe
Well, cheer for herself. But yeah, just because RD doesn’t see something as important, doesn’t mean she is completely cold towards it.

@Just Wayne
I don’t think they were ass-kissing, just offering solely positive thoughts. It would’ve been nice to mix it up a bit.

As for the dress getting dirty, that applies to any long dress and probably isn’t a problem on streets of cities like Canterlot and Manehattan which are Equestria’s most fashionable locations. There is also the fact those kinds of dresses would probably be reserved for runways and galas. So, unless you’re planning on touring some dirt roads in that attire, it’s kind of a moot point.

I think they tried to explain what the holes in clothing mean, and AJ just brushed it off, IIRC.

Rarity is kind of stuck in an awkward limbo - she dragged AJ into this and AJ is doing exactly what she asked her to - Rarity just didn’t anticipate she would do it in an abrasive and dismissive way to the point of driving the contestants AND other judges away. Either way it’s kind of hard to tell AJ to leave and might leave a strain on their relationship. Rarity probably should tell AJ to go, but I get why she tried to mitigate the whole thing instead.

@Tiger beetle
I see you’re an enjoyer.

@Phoenixflambe
Yes, I’ve been known to consume content I occasionally find amusing, and dare I say, entertaining oOo

@Phoenixflambe
Honestly the fact that episode both referenced and ignored the same episode(Sonic Rainboom) is probably what infuriates me most about that episode

Speaking of, the fact that it only remembers the parts involving Rarity while ignoring the parts about RD in an episode focused on RD is peak Haber story editing

@Kiryu-Chan
I don’t remember it mentioning Sonic Rainboom. Now that’s ironic.

I don’t know if it’s a hot take - but honestly, Twilight in 2,4,6 - Great! really rubbed me the wrong way. Say what you want about RD in that episode, but Twilight thrusting her into that role, and then having that oddly smug aura about herself added that extra ‘ugh’ for me.
Celestia getting into sports was fun, though.

@Just Wayne
Episode directly references and uses the spell Twilight used to give Rarity her wings

@Tiger beetle
The episode should have ended with RD strangling Twilight, that ending was unbelievably douchey and bullshit

@Kiryu-Chan
Like teachers, like students

Ehhhh, wouldn’t go with that ending.
Wouldn’t go with that kind of attitude for Twilight, either.

@Tiger beetle
The whole episode had to make everyone pretty OOC to make itself work to begin with. Twilight had to be smug and douchey because Rainbow Dash was suddenly smug and douchey. Twilight had to force RD to learn to appreciate cheerleading because RD suddenly doesn’t care about cheerleading. It’s a cause and effect situation.

This episode also gave us Shimmy Shake and Lighthoof, and I like how Snips’ money loving personality is continued, giving him more personality than just being dumb like Snails.

@Kiryu-Chan
Oh yeah, those wings appear in this episode too.

@Just Wayne
I agree about Snips’ having more traits being nice, but to be fair Snails already has that ‘zen buckball master’ thing going on since season 6, which I’ve always enjoyed.

@Mr.Myoozik
For that matter, Rarity witnessed Applejack making condescending remarks when things got started, but didn’t bother to confront her until after she pissed off the judges and nearly scuttled the show.

@Phoenixflambe
Yeah, Twilight indicated that she assigned Rainbow Dash to the cheer squad specifically because she would have no interest in it, so as to teach her a lesson. Because that’s way more important than making sure one’s students have teachers who actually care about their job.

@Tiger beetle
That’s what I meant. Snails already had a new trait going for himself. It’s nice that Snips also gets the same thing.

@DoctorWTF
Twilight has always been a control freak. Sadly, when it comes to Rainbow Dash, that tendency veers towards being a tyrannical twat who feels the need to take her down a peg or twelve when her “friend” doesn’t act the way Twilight decided she should act.

Started as soon as season two… Though the characterization was also off in Mysterious Mare Do Well, including from Rainbow Dash herself. Maybe it’s better to treat these two episodes as anomalies. Although it showed up again in A Canterlot Wedding, Twilight really doesn’t like people acting against her expectations.

But its fitting that Twilight treats the Element of Loyalty like a dog, I guess. /s

@DoctorWTF
If it wasn’t one of her best friends, I think Rarity would be more prepared to boot them, but alas it was. I think she also felt guilty for dragging AJ into it, which influenced her approach. She should’ve said something sooner, but she didn’t. Rarity bears some of the blame in that episode, but I think the situation was all around awkward, and AJ’s choices were her own. Heck, the whole reason Rarity dragged AJ to Strawberry Sunrise is because Rarity knew Applejack would most likely not understand what was wrong with the things she has said and done (which were AJ’s stubborness really rears its head), and needed to butt heads with someone as opinionated as herself.

@Tiger beetle
I guess AJ is no longer surprised her own friend is too afraid to tell her the truth. She’s witnessed it way too many times.

@Just Wayne
Yeah, she has every reason to be frustrated in Summer Sun Setback, but I also get the ponies not being honest because of fear. Especially there, honestly, since they were afraid Twilight would unravel if she were to find out everything has gone to shit.

@Roseluck
Eh, I’m not sure “A Canterlot Wedding” is the best example - Chrysalis was making pretty much no effort to mimic anything about Cadance other than her appearance, giving anyone with a working brain probable cause to believe that something wasn’t right. Then again, she did smugly accuse Cadance of being “evil” rather than talk about her suspicions like a rational adult.

I kinda enjoyed Honest Apple either way. Regardless of who was at fault, Rarity or Applejack, I thought the jokes were funny and Strawberry Sunrise was a great character, wish she was used more ad some sort of Dinkleberg to AJ. Also, I was agreeing with Applejack throughout, all the dresses that the contestants were making looked so gawdy and impractical. Fashion is indeed ridiculous.

@Mr.Myoozik
I still mantain fault lies on both sides to some degree.

As for the fashion - I mean it’s clothing for the population that mostly frollicks butt-naked. It’s ridiculous to start with. But, some pones like to wear clothes and there is a market for it, so clearly it’s not without merit, and if it’s someone’s passion - yeah, calling it ridiculous is gonna be hurtful.

Lily Lace’s and Inky Rose’s stuff looked pretty neat, Starstreak’s was okay, clearly it was more runway fashion than everyday fashion. I liked the 3 designers as characters, they all had gimmicks, and sometimes those can annoy me, but these guys were fine. Honestly Lily Lace was funny, I just love the valley girl schtick.