Reasons why I shouldn't write for MLP:FiM - Episode 8, Dragon Usefulness

- EXT. SWEET APPLE ACRES.

Spike and Applebloom have been cleaning the Apple Family´s pig, named Piggington, and they are now presenting their finished work to Applejack. Piggington looks pristine and shiny, sparkles floating around her, a bow on the back of her head.

SPIKE.

Ta-Da!

APPLEJACK.

Good job, you two.

APPLEBLOOM.

Applejack, is it okay if I get going? I don’t wanna be late for my Crusaders meeting. We’re getting’ fit for water skis.

APPLEJACK.

Heh, you definitely don’t wanna be late for that.

APPLEBLOOM.

Water skiin’ cutie mark, here I come!

APPLEJACK.

Spike, you can head on out too. I reckon you have repaid me in full so we’re officially even Steven.

SPIKE.

What? Ohhh no. We aren’t even close to be even Steven! Please Applejack, you must allow me to assist you further!

APPLEJACK.

I dunno, Spike. Just don’t feel right to have you, uh, doin’ things for me.

Spike falls to his knees and starts begging.

SPIKE.

Please?

APPLEJACK.

Really, you don’t-

Spike crawls even closer, claws together, his eyes are dilated and almost teary.

SPIKE.

Pretty please?

APPLEJACK.

It’s just not necessary.

Applejack starts walking away but then she’s stopped by something. We look down and see that Spike has latched onto one of her legs. His begging has reached critical mass, and when he speaks he does so in a really pathetic voice tone.

SPIKE.

Pretty, pretty, pretty please?

APPLEJACK.

Just, why are you so obsessed with helpin’ out, Spike?

SPIKE

I’m glad you ask!

Spike burps a flame of green fire and a visit card appears on his claw. He holds it up.

SPIKE

According to my Dragon Code I owe you a life debt. You saved my life, so in return I must serve you for the rest of my life.

Applejack looks surprised at first, but then she snaps out of it and decides to roll with the idea.

APPLEJACK.

Oh, alright. You can help out here in the farm, doin’ some chores, I’ll brin’ you a list.

As Applejack turns around to go to her barn, she mutters to herself.

APPLEJACK.

This, is not a good idea.

What follows is a montage showing Spike doing all sorts of different tasks at Sweet Apple Acres. It has a very similar style to a training montage, only instead of training is chore making, and Spike is acing every single one of them. We see Spike on top of the barn’s roof, he’s hammering some nails, and when the camera pulls back we see the holes in the roof have been fixed.

SPIKE.

Fixing the roof, done!

We see him pulling out a list and ticking a square with a “V” mark before moving onto his next task. Spike is now pulling mud out of the well, and eventually water comes out.

SPIKE.

Unclogging the well, done!

Once again, he ticks the list and moves onto the next task. He is now baking at the farm. He has piles and piles of apple pies behind him. The pies all look delicious and yummy.

SPIKE.

Baking pies, done!

He ticks the list a third time. Applejack and Granny Smith are standing behind Spike by the door, and look at each other worried. In the next scene we see Spike charging against a tree like he was a bull. When he hits the tree his head gets stuck in the bark, but all the apples fall down. He finally pulls himself free. When the camera pulls back we see he has bucked the entire orchard. He pulls out the list.

SPIKE.

Bucking the entire east field, done!

We then cut to Spike working in Applejack’s cider cellar, as Applejack looks at him from the door. Her initial expression of concern is then switched with an expression of annoyance. She grits her teeth and walks out in direction to Ponyville.

GRANNY SMITH.

Applejack, where in the pickle jar taps do you think you’re goin’!?

APPLEJACK.

I have to go talk with Twilight. I can’t take this anymore.

- INT. PONYVILLE LIBRARY.

Applejack enters in the room, calling for Twilight.

APPLEJACK.

Twilight are you there? Twilight?

Twilight is in the room, but she appears to be lost in her reading. Applejack looks around and notices an ink pot standing on the table. With a devious smile she pokes at the ink pot, which prompts Twilight to snap from her reading.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

Ah!

APPLEJACK.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

No, it’s okay. I need to take a break anyways. What’s going on?

Twilight approaches the ink pot that’s being poked out of its original position and puts it back in its place.

APPLEJACK.

Twilight, I got Spike at my farm, doin’ all my chores, and not lettin’ me do any of the work.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

What!?

APPLEJACK.

We were at the Everfree Forest, and some Timberwolves attacked us. I saved Spìke’s life, and now he thinks he has to serve me forever. He mentioned he does it because of his Dragon Code.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

Oh…Oh dear, is it really that bad?

APPLEJACK.

Bad? No Twilight, no, it’s not bad, he’s amazin’! He has done all the chores I had planned for the rest of the week in one mornin’! He did them better than me! I have nothin’ left to do! You have to come down to my farm and tell him that I don’t need no help!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

Oh Applejack, I wish I could talk sense into him, but this is Dragon Code we are talking about. I’m pretty sure you know how important Dragon Code is to a dragon.

APPLEJACK.

I sure I’m startin’ to.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE.

Mmm, there is only one way Spike is going to fulfill the debt he thinks he owes you.

From here on the episode continues as normal, only it’s around seven minutes shorter so the rest of the episode once the conflict is over is just Spike holding a candle light for Twilight as they stay in silence in the library. As a result of this episode the grown up fans of this show praise how Spike was kept in character and thus save themselves three thousand million hours of bitching and moaning. Meanwhile, the target demographic deems this episode one of the most boring ones because Spike wasn’t funny. The ratings of the show drop like crazy and even before Season 4 gets an air date Hasbro announces they are cancelling the show half way through Season 4.

Moral of the story: Sometimes it’s good to have some “out of character” situations and episodes for the sake of a more entertaining and fun narrative.