Talk:A Rockhoof and a Hard Place/@comment-4531340-20180917092342

Yeah, if Brian Hohlfeld and Kaita Mpambara don't return for season 9, I will definitely be disappointed. Each of their two episodes were some of the brightest spots of this excellent season, and both have some noticeable patterns. While both of Hohlfeld's episodes dealt with mature topics in a kid-friendly way without being cloying or dumbing things down to the point of being insulting (in the first case, parental separation, or thinking one has to decide between two different ways of life when they aren't mutually exclusive, and in the second, being an orphan/alone, abandonment, feeling you don't fit in on a fundamental level), both of Mpambara's episodes have a great concept, executed with some great comedy (particularly in the middle), and some nice feels in the end to tie up the whole package.

Anyway, I loved this episode, in case it wasn't clear enough already. From some nice development for Yona (it made a lot of sense why she would like Rockhoof so much - both for the reasons that she points out early and that Gallus snarks about), to seeing the other Pillars and how they've settled into life in modern Equestria (all their roles really fit them - my personal favorite was probably Somnambula being a motivational speaker/meditation instructor), to seeing Rockhoof's rapport with the Young Six and the other students, as well as the comedy, this was a very strong episode, and continues the excellent second half of the season (unlike last season, where the first half was definitely the stronger one, it seems to be the opposite this time).

Specifically, as far as the comedy, I enjoyed Rockhoof taking the students and launching them into the courtyard with his shovel, then breaking the fountain to douse the flames (also, why the heck would Smolder and Spike be holding a fire-breathing contest inside a flammable building? Why not do it in one of the empty rooms of Twilight's practically fireproof castle?). I think the highlight of the comedy, though, was the montage of Rockhoof's work attempts (especially the post office one).

Finally, I fully (and shamefully) admit to missing not just the symbolism of Yona bringing that trowel with her when she goes to read her essay to Rockhoof, but I believe I missed the trowel entirely (I was pretty much exhausted when I first watched the episode).