Maud Pie

Maud Pie
Story: Pinkie Pie introduces her friends to her older sister, Maud Pie, who's staying in Ponyville for the week; and the episode focuses on Pinkie trying to make the main 6 and her sister friends. As far as the story goes, the setup is good, there's a lot of good humor, and the ending is very heartwarming, with a moral that serves as the shining part of the episode, which I'll get into later. Even though it doesn't go beyond expectations, the story is rock-solid as it is, and it deserves a 5.

Characters: First and foremost, let's talk about Maud. Before watching this episode, I noticed that Maud was kind of a favorite among fans. And after watching this, I can understand why: despite her dull, dismal, and subtle personality, she provides a lot of the episode's humor. I also like her design and her voice, both of which kind of remind me of Raven from Teen Titans. But, what really surprised me about her was her strength. She's able to throw a rock for miles until it makes a mushroom cloud when it lands, she's incredibly fast, and she can destroy a boulder with only two hooves. Then there's Pinkie Pie. Despite trying to make her friends be friends with Maud when it's clear that she's not easy to crack, and despite almost getting herself killed by a boulder, it's clear that she has good intentions and has regret for her actions. The rest of the main 6 are pretty good too, and they have really funny reactions to Maud. Bottom line, the characters are written well, and they deserve a 5.

Ending Morals: The main 6, excluding Pinkie, learn that the bonds between friends have less to do with what you have in common, and more to do with how much you care about each other. Like I said before, the moral is the shining point of the episode because it's really good, really relate-able, and adds to the heartwarming feeling that the ending provides. Because of that, I'm willing to give the moral a 5.5.

Final thoughts: Even though Maud Pie isn't as good as Pinkie Pride, it's still a very strong episode. The story and characters are written well, and the moral serves as a satisfying cherry on top. I hope we get to see more of Maud in the next season because I liked her a lot. Final score - 15.5/15