HOME | DD

Description
So you know what I like? TV shows that can make me laugh and cry. Know what the best one is for that? Scrubs. Yep. Ask me anything about the show. It's the one I know more than anything, and that show could make you laugh and cry in the same scene, sometimes in the same damn sentence. Know what makes Castle Sweet Castle so great to me? Yep. That's right, meowth. I do wonder if it was intentional to have this the third episode of the season, because Castlemane-ia was the third episode of the fourth season. Both about castles. Both featuring the entire cast. Oh, know what I've said plenty of times before, that applies here? Episodes featuring the entire cast are usually much better than single character episodes. At least to me. It provides a lot more interaction, a lot more humor, and lot more character, a lot more...everything. So, let's get down to business.

Twilight is helping Fluttershy clean off her animals. Twilight seems really happy to help, but it seems something else is on her mind. Every mention of going back home has her worried. This is a little weird, because the main plot of the episode isn't as blatantly described in the cold opening as much as it is here. Not to my memory, unless you count second parts of two-parters. Twilight is so reluctant to leave that she kicks Angel in some mud, so they have to take time to clean him. And you know, I'm waiting for Angel to get his revenge. You know what kind of vindictive little shit he is. He WILL get his. As Twilight finally leaves (to see Pinkie, not go home), Angel locks Fluttershy out of the house. While this would have made sense earlier in the series, lately Fluttershy and Angel seem to be more friendly with each other. I know this sounds weird, but it seems out of character, now, to have him slam the door on Fluttershy.

The next day, the group is eating pancakes at the castle, while Twilight sleeps sitting down. They figure out she's been spending a lot of time, well, not going home. Digging up too many holes for Applejack, sorting gems too long for Rarity, racing too many times with Rainbow Dash. Actually, that last one makes sense. She could probably use more flying lessons, and you can never go wrong with exercise. Twilight gets woken up in the middle of the dinner, and already I know what kind of episode it's going to be. Like Lesson Zero, but not as crazy. Twilight being..."off" usually makes for a good episode. Twilight reveals to the group that she's avoiding the castle because it doesn't feel like home. And this is where we see some character development. Before, I would expect the episode to be about her skirting around the issue, getting more and more annoying and sleepy. Kind of like Applejack in a certain season one episode. But now, we get here clearing it up pretty quickly, and the episode being about the rest of the group trying to make her house a home. So the group decides to send her away so they can decorate, because nobody knows Twilight like them. Foreshadowing! Enter Spike, who...ok. It would make sense for one of US to have a Rarity plush. But how did he manage to get something like that? I mean, the mane6 are famous at this point, or at least they should be. Maybe they're getting plushies made for the entire group. Somepony, somewhere, is making money off their image. I hope they're getting royalties off them. Also enter, song! It's ok. I like it enough, but as usual with songs like this, it's way too scene/episode specific to be something that could be sung outside the context of the show. We see what idea each pony has for decorating the castle. And some of it can make sense. Rarity with her fancy curtains, sure. Pinkie's party supplies. But even with her big ego, why would Rainbow think that images of HER idols would be fitting in Twilight's home? Why does Applejack quite literally want to turn it into a pig sty? How does any of this make any sense? Surely these ponies are smarter than this. I mean, ok, it's a little bit their castle too. But the entire point was to make Twilight feel better. It would only take one single thought to figure that out. Everything goes to hell, and they get Spike to stall Twilight at the spa so they can clean up and try again. I don't understand this. If this were a surprise, sure. But there's no need to "stall". Twilight knows they're decorating the castle, so all Spike really has to say is, "hey Twi, let's hang out here a little longer, the ponies aren't done decorating". Also, twilight doesn't want to go home anyway, which is the whole point of needing the decorations. She would be even more willing to not go home. And this is even weirder, because Spike is the brutal honest one of the group (not Applejack, because of course). He's gonna sit there and lie to Twilight when all he does in the episode is be the deadpan honest guy who doesn't care.

Anyway, at the spa, Twilight's got a new hairdo, which looks ok, but not "her". Spike decides to get massages, which of course. Spike gets the full package, which pretty much involves Bulk Biceps treating you like a ragdoll. Huh. Guess he's working at the spa now. Also, male on male massage treatment. Not something you see in the real world often. Oh hey, spa pony talked. I don't really know which one it is, but the one in season who said "simply luxurious" had a different voice than this one, so I'm gonna assume it was the other. Also, another Tabitha voice, if for only one scene.

Back at the castle, the group argues about what to remove, resulting in everything going away. Except Pinkie Pie's hidden confetti cannons. Because, you know, she can't find them.

More stalling from Spike, and, holy crap, did they just actually say the library's name? Pretty sure it's the first time it's been said. Spike decides to get a bed, to stall for more time.

The group finally figures out that they're decorating for themselves, not Twilight. The part about this I like is that they all come up with that thought together. After that, they reminisce about library-related experiences, like the sleepover with Rarity and AJ, or Dash crashing into it and wrecking the place. I think if you follow the show and truly connect with the characters, you can't help but feel sad for them about the exploded library. Especially when the group meets up at the remains of it. But hey, refrain of the song.

Twilight gets home to see...well, nothing. Enter Spike's honesty about having to stall her. But wait. The remains of the tree, hanging from the ceiling, with a mural of images of all the times they've shared. That's...a little creepy. A dead tree, on your ceiling. How do those gems contain images anyway? I'm guessing Rarity had something to do with it. We know cameras are canon, but getting the image into the gem must have taken some magic. the other ponies did some personal decorating anyway. But instead, they did in a more relevant way. Rarity designed the kitchen, Applejack added some kitchenware, Fluttershy gave away some stuffed animals. You know, things they should have thought of before. Though, I guess that would have made for a very boring episode. Now that I think about it, my first thought about Twilight holding back until the end might have been better anyway. At least more emotional. It's ok though. It worked out well.

I said last episode that Pinkie Pie worked well, and that she stayed funny without being TOO random. This episode, she kept going with that, by being silly, but keeping relevant to the plot. I hope this becomes a trend.

Like I said, this episode, at least to me, had some very emotional moments. When Twilight and Spike go see the library's remains, and when they see the new mobile hanging from her ceiling, I lost it. And they didn't feel like they were forced, like they designed an entire episode to pull the heartstrings. It all felt fluid, and made sense to include. Rest in peace, Golden Oaks.