Episode review: S7E24: "Uncommon Bond"

I can well believe that Trixie's skull is full of those

It's been a bit of a while, I know, but that's what going to conventions does to you. Anyway, "Uncommon Bond", the final regular-style episode in S7, was co-written by Josh Haber and Kevin Lappin. I actually saw this some time ago, but I watched it again last night to refresh my memory. Past the cut, you'll find a fairly short waffle about what I thought of it.

It was okay. Episode 24 has historically not been particularly fertile soil when it comes to growing episodes I like – really only "Top Bolt" last year has risen above the "decent time-passer" level. "Uncommon Bond" brought back Sunburst, and he did well enough. It also made me feel outright sorry for Starlight in a way I don't think I really have before – and I'm saying that as someone who likes Starlight.

Let's face it, Starlight's friends were pretty jerkish at times. Somepony who knows Glimmy as well as both Sunburst and Twilight do really should have picked up that she was feeling left out – you need to work a little more at your Princess of Friendship status, Twi. The antiquing segment (which was a little too long) was the most obvious example of this, but things were generally a bit repetitive on this score.

An empty bookshelf! It's a good job Twi isn't here to see such a crime

There's actually a good and interesting point here, that friends don't stay the same, however much you think you want them to, but it wasn't explored especially deeply, even by FiM standards. Instead, we got Trixie being Trixie and Maud being Maud; of the two, I much preferred Maud's segment, which was probably the best thing in the entire episode – though having her cavern connected to the other cave was a little too convenient.

Back in "Magic Duel" we found that even Twilight (S3 model, at least) couldn't do age spells, so "Uncommon Bond" brought us yet another example of Starlight being immensely powerful; we need some backstory to explain this pretty soon. We also discovered that she'd drop her friend several feet through a hole and then laugh at him with the others. That left a slightly unpleasant taste, even though Sunburst joined in very quickly.

Ponies' attitude to nakedness continues to be confusing, with Sunburst embarrassed to change in front of Starlight, but not that Glimmy had barged unclad into his bedroom in the first place. I still don't find Sunburst himself all that interesting, and Starlight and, to a lesser extent, Maud are the stars of this episode for me. For an E24 it's perfectly decent fare, but it's clearly there as a lead-in to the finale... as that very last shot showed.

I fully expect to see Shining Armor playing this in S8

Best quote: Maud: "Well, at least it's not serious. [beat] That was a joke."

Yays

• Maud's supporting role
• A potentially interesting message
• The Mirror Pool callback

Neighs

• Starlight's close friends weren't very empathetic
• One or two scenes dragged

★★★