Equestria experiences a bit of a revolution in "My Little Pony: A New Generation."
The film takes fans of the beloved "My Little Pony" series into the future,
when the nation has become heavily divided. But there's still one lonely pony who believes
in unity amongst all with hooves, and that's Sunny, who was raised to cherish the historic
bond between all ponies, whether winged, horned, or otherwise. When a spritely Unicorn
named Izzy strolls into town in search of new friends, she and Sunny begin an epic journey to
restore magic and togetherness throughout the land "My Little Pony: A New Generation" is a delightful
watch for audiences of all ages. It's also packed with small details, so here's a deep look into
what you might not have noticed the first time around in "My Little Pony: A New Generation."
Sunny's father, Argyle, is a bit of a mystery in "A New Generation." The film never explains why
he's become such an avid believer in restoring relations between the three types of ponies
in Equestria -- nor what ultimately takes him out of his daughter's life when she grows up.
What we do know about Argyle, though, is that he's something of a soothsayer.
And it's certainly no accident that he quietly entrusts her with the key that will unlock the
return of magic in the land. "Pretty neat, huh?"
Perhaps the most poignant piece of future-telling on Argyle's part comes very early in the film,
when he and Sunny play dress-up. It's just child's play at this particular moment,
but later, she becomes exactly what Argyle made her that one magical day -- a Pegasus-winged,
Unicorn-horned Earth Pony who boasts the best features of all three species at
once. It's almost like Sunny's dad knew this would be her destiny right from the start.
Speaking of Argyle's impact on Sunny, the film also features a subtle tribute to how much Sunny
has adopted her father's spirit when she finally makes her first real-life Unicorn friend in Izzy.
Though Sunny is surprised to learn that the widespread rumors about Unicorns aren't true,
one power Izzy does apparently have is the ability to see other ponies' sparkles.
"You know, not to freak you out or anything, but you do know Pegasi can steal your luminescence, don't you?"
"My luma-what? Luminescence! You know, like, your sparkle. Yours is lavender. Huh? And
the happier you are, the brighter it shines." It's an interesting color choice. Sunny does
boast some flecks of purple in her fuchsia mane and tail, but otherwise, her hide is mostly tan.
Her father, however, had a lot more of that purple shade to show for himself, from his
hair to his eye color. So, even if Argyle has left her life by the time Sunny meets Izzy, perhaps he
continues to shine through in his daughter's sparkle -- even if she doesn't see it yet.
When it comes to parental foreshadowing in "My Little Pony: A New Generation,"
the film also gives an early indication about what's ahead for young Sprout.
In the opening scene, Sprout's mother, Phyllis, shows up at Sunny's to collect her child
and have a few harsh words with Argyle. As Sprout walks away with her, he mentions a particularly
interesting plan for his future. "That pony is trouble."
"Don't worry mommy. When I become sheriff, I'll keep every pony in line."
"Ahh, 'Sheriff Sprout.' It does have a certain ring to it."
It's a quick bit of foreshadowing, because little does she know that even she will
eventually come to hate that concept. ﻿Later on in the film, after Sprout seizes control,
builds his own little militaristic empire, and is eventually toppled,
Phyllis can't even spare a kind word for Sprout, the now-former "stallion-in-chief."
"Mommy, was I a good sheriff?" "Uh, uh, look! A flying dog!"
Another little treat that "My Little Pony: A New Generation" has to offer to fans is
a series of cinematic tributes scattered throughout the action.
In Maretime Bay, we see that the marquee feature of the moment is a film called "Judgement Neigh,"
with a muscle-bound pony named Brisk Bronco as its leading star -- a clear nod to "Terminator 2:
Judgment Day." Look closely and you'll also see posters for "Harry Trotter," "Dirty Prancing,"
and a "Jaws" parody called "Horns." Later, in Zephyr Heights, the folks
are watching more upbeat fare with the live musical "Filly Elliot," a cheery nod to the
beloved "Billy Elliot." Unfortunately, the folks in Bridlewood don't appear to have
much in the way of movie selections, but hey -- at least they have "Just Prance," right?
"A dancing game. Seriously?" As the title suggests,
this film introduces a new generation for "My Little Pony" fans, but there are multiple
references to the beloved generations that came before. The movie opens with a sequence containing
the "Mane 6" from "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic," and, of course, the stained glass window
depicts Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark. "Oh my stars. This was made a long,
long time ago, when we still had magic." But there are even more obscure references
to these ponies and their past adventures throughout the film, including several
posters in Sunny's bedroom and a few scattered images on the lighthouse observatory platform.
You might have also missed a quick shot of a poster in Zephyr Heights showing the Wonderbolts,
who appeared throughout "Friendship is Magic." Finally, the tune that plays
on Izzy's adorable homemade music box is none other than that series' theme song.
"Did you make all of this? Yup. Unicycling."
Thanks for watching. Click the links in our video to watch more from Netflix Film Club. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get the
latest exclusive videos. Plus hit the bell so you don’t miss a single one.