Page 1237 – Lower Education

Jumping to the end of this season in the comic has been an exercise in how much story establishment had been done in the season’s opening. And there’s something to appreciate in how the show says, “Teaching these lessons like a normal school is the fastest way to kill any value in the material,” rather than just, say, going straight for some highschool AU humor.

Show Transcript

DM: The Arcane Locks are gone, but the exits are still locked conventionally, so Gallus gets his time to shine after all.

Gallus (RD): Sweet.

DM: Dawn has risen. You don’t pass by anypony in the halls… because there’s another assembly at the entrance, led by Cozy Glow and Neighsay.

Smolder (RT): Is there a place we can hide within earshot?

DM: A nearby supply closet. You get into position just in time to hear:

Chancellor Neighsay: The reign of Headmare Starlight is OVER!! From now on, this school will be run according to EEA doctrine! AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE START!!

DM: It goes over about as well as you’d expect.

Sandbar (AJ): What does “EEA doctrine” even look like?

DM: Okay, so take all these lessons about questing, making friends, and self-defense… And run them through the filter of a private boarding school run by the patron saint of standardized testing. No field trips, no practical activities… No fun.

Ocellus (TS): I mean, I did pretty well on my SATs…

Gallus (RD): Good for you.