CJF's MLP Reviews: The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone

Remember that episode of Gravity Falls early this year that pretty much redeemed Pacifica Northwest? A similar thing applies here as well.

The episode starts with Pinkie Pie baking some cakes with her pet alligator, Gummy, when suddenly her Cutie Mark starts flashing, telling her to report to the Cutie Map. She leaves Gummy in charge of the baking, resulting in a brief, hilarious moment of Gummy plopping on the counter. The last shot in the episode also reveals that he hasn't moved at all, making it even funnier.

Pinkie arrives at Twilight's castle, finding Twilight and Rainbow Dash in there. They examine that the map is summoning both Pinkie and Rainbow to a kingdom called Griffonstone. An episode centered around Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, when was the last time that happened? Oh, yeah, "Griffon the Brush Off" in Season 1. Why do I get that feeling one element from that episode will return?

Twilight then provides a pretty interesting background story, revealing that Griffins were as greedy as dragons, hoarding whatever bits they can find. All that changed when the Griffin king finds a Golden Idol that pretty much united them. Top that off with a really great art style and you have a good sign that this is some pretty good world-building. Twilight then expresses her disappointment that she wasn't summoned to go.

Aboard the train comes the funniest moment in the episode: Rainbow Dash imitating Twilight:

As funny as that was, that line is also pretty significant. Rainbow and Pinkie then arrive to Griffonstone only to find out that it's a dump. But that's not all, a familiar face pops up: Gilda!

She is just as bitter as last time and Dash is still angry at her. Regardless, Pinkie asks Gilda where the Golden Idol of Boreas is, the latter not believing in it. Then Grandpa Gruff appears to tell the tale, but at a price. That's where Rainbow Dash's imitation comes back into play: griffins always ask for bits because they're greedy. I'd make a Spyro the Dragon joke, but some people have already beat me to it.

Turns out, a beast tried to steal the idol, but then he fell to his doom in the Abysmal Abyss alongside it. The kingdom of Griffonstone has collapsed ever since. This gives Rainbow Dash the idea to retrieve the Idol in order to restore Griffonstone, something Gilda cares less about.

Meanwhile, Pinkie decides to look for answers at the library, which also became a dump. Then we have this weird scene where she is talking to a statue of the last king, and even flirting with it. Um... okay? However, she finds Gilda again and decides to help her bake scones after trying out a sample.

On the other side, Rainbow Dash arrives at the Abysmal Abyss with a guide, who constantly asks for bits on the most mundane things. It's not really easy to fly down the Abyss because of strong winds, so Rainbow goes to rope herself down. Trouble ensues when the rope breaks and she lands on a small ledge with a broken hoof. She asks the guide for help, but the guide requests bits, which Rainbow Dash lacks. The guide does what any smart griffin would do: leave her for dead.

On another note, why doesn't Rainbow Dash just lie to that griffin that she has bits. She won't be able to grab them from down there. At least Applejack is not in this situation, otherwise she would be going against her Element of Harmony.

Back to Pinkie Pie, she prepares a tastier batch of scones for Gilda, when suddenly, they find a griffin named Greta being bumped off the air. Okay, have you noticed that all the griffin names start with the letter "G"? There are about as many "G" names as all the "L's" in anything Superman-related. Gilda eventually reveals her compassionate side by helping Greta up. She denies her compassion to Pinkie, seeing as how Griffins do not have friends. The exception is that she had Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie comes to the realization that Griffonstone can be saved by teaching them friendship, so she goes over the Rainbow Dash and finds her stuck in the abyss. Pinkie asks Gilda for help, which she refuses at first, but is finally convinced when she thinks about the first time she met Rainbow Dash in flight school.

STOP! This is too cute!

It turns out that when she was a child, she was bullied for being the only griffin in school. Rainbow Dash came in to defend her like she did with Fluttershy and they became good friends up until the events of "Griffon the Brush Off." May I just say that this moment was cute and young Gilda looks adorable, especially when she looks shy.

Gilda then proceeds to save Rainbow Dash. However, Rainbow falls, and a panicked Pinkie Pie accidentally unties the rope and jumps in. Okay, Pinkie Pie is many things, but stupid is not one of them. That brief moment was really idiotic of her.

This is made up for when the three find the Idol. Gilda tries to grab it, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are hanging on for dear life. Gilda then chooses to save the two, sacrificing the idol as it falls, believing that they are more important than "some dumb chunk of gold." A lot of people instantly thought of that moment from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but I'm one of those rare people who thought of Treasure Planet instead.

The episode ends with Rainbow and Pinkie making amends with Gilda and encouraging her to make friends with Greta. They leave Griffonstone knowing that Gilda will slowly rebuild the kingdom with friendship.

"The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone" is a good episode. It offers some nice world-building, providing a great backstory for the griffins. Not only that, Gilda, after her last appearance in Season 1, has greatly developed, though I still do not forgive her for making Fluttershy cry. She is written as a bitter but broken person which made a pretty interesting character, topped off with a really sympathetic backstory that made us understand where she is coming from. I don't have much else to complain besides a couple of Pinkie's off moments, so this episode gets a shiny...

5/5

Stay tuned as I review the show's hotly anticipated 100th episode next time.