Spike At Your Service

Dear Princess Luna...

With the passing of Wonderbolts Academy, I believe I've run out of episodes I was super looking forwards to. This episode (airing tomorrow) is the 9th, and from what I've seen it will feature Spike and Applejack, leaving us with 4 more episodes. One of these is rumored to have something to do with the 'history' of Equestria, so I am looking forward to that one, and that seemingly will be the finale. (So it will probably bring up a villain Celestia and Luna fought in the past that has returned) Another one is confirmed to be Fluttershy and a certain somepony focused, which should be interesting. A third one is another Spike episode, involving the pets as well and probably the Crusaders.

I believe that means we have one mystery episode, Rarity doesn't appear to have a showcase episode like the others (really, two Spike episodes?) so we can presume that it should be Rarity-based. One of the things I believe I put down on the 'crystal ball' page was Con Mane, the Ponyverse's James Bond, being legit and Rarity doing a mission with him. (She is supposed to be the beautiful one, after all, aka a Mane Girl) I've got my fingers crossed, and the fact that Rarity just happened to be thinking up a 'dangerous mission outfit' that she made for Fluttershy in Magic Duel (with no wing holes, aka made for a unicorn perhaps), might just be a slip of the hoof towards a spy spoof in Rarity's future. =] Why, Pinkie even had the Splinter Cell thing going on the The Crystal Empire, so throw her in too as the goofy sidekick?

Alright, the episode begins with a shot of the Ponyville Library. Inside, Spike counts out 12 books in a large stack, and it turns out Princess Celestia has tasked Twilight Sparkle with reading them all over the weekend. Spike is flabbergasted that Twilight would be able to read them all. The same Twilight that we have seen flip through books rapidly and seemingly comprehend what she is reading. Twilight says since the Princess assigned the task, Celestia must believe Twilight can do it, and thus Twilight isn't planning on letting her down. Spike makes a comment about Twilight not planning to sleep, either, and Twilight tells him to take the day off since she will be busy with the books and won't be needing his services.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle, I'm pretty sure I can read 12 books in two days, Spike. Now get the hell out of here."

Spike has a long list of things he's been dying to do and eagerly grabs his list and heads outside. We see Fluttershy walking Applejack's dog, Winona, for whatever reason.

The first item on his list, and bear in mind he is doing all of this out in public, is to 'touch nose with tongue.' I repeat, this is out in public, and are things he's been 'dying' to do.

 The next is to 'play bongos' on his belly.

The third is to smell his 'dirty feet.' Disturbing. And that ends the list, those three items were all that was on it, the rest of that huge thing of paper is blank.

Having exhausted his list, Spike begins to wander around town looking for things to do. He kicks a mushroom, apparently hitting somepony's cat (better hope it wasn't Rarity's Opalescence, that thing will wreck his **** up), and he then spies a hot air balloon. Hey, that's the same pony in aviator goggles that was in Mysterious Mare Do Well! Guess almost falling to her death wasn't too traumatic for her as she's back in the air.

Spike is so eager he just runs straight into the post tethering the balloon, causing the rope to come undone. He chases the balloon down the street, jumping off crates onto an awning, then lands in Big Mac's cart, which proceeds to start rolling away. Granny Smith apparently has some kind of vehicular hex on her, as the cart heads straight for her and she's been almost run over by Scootaloo twice, I believe.

Spike digs his claws into the wheels, stopping the cart before it hits Granny Smith, but the abrupt stop sends him airborne, where he is able to catch the balloon's rope. The balloon sets down in the middle of the Everfree Forest, which we know is not a place to mess around in. Timber wolves, manticores, poison joke, cockatrice, the Mirror Pool, possibly some more stuff I am forgetting, but suffice it to say, something bad is probably coming for Spike.

Eyes look out at Spike from the darkness, and he tells himself that just because the forest is full of 'wild, dangerous creatures' doesn't mean he will encounter one. He smells something bad, trips, and finds himself looking at a trio of timber wolves.

The timber wolves chase him and he gets cornered against a cliff. Apparently the timber wolves have some kind of stench, I'm not sure where it's emanating from, possibly their breath. As all hope seems to be lost for Spike, a rock strikes the lead wolf and Applejack yells at them from atop the cliff.  She draws their attention and tells Spike to run, then takes off running herself as they come after her.

Applejack should seemingly know a lot about the timber wolves, as they are connected to zap apples, which are the key to her family's success as well as Ponyville itself. The howling of the timber wolves signifies that the zap apples have started to grow.

Applejack dispatches one of the timber wolves by bending back a branch, which snaps back and smashes the timber wolf into bits, along with more 'stink clouds.' Maybe they are just made of rotting vegetation?

A barrage of rocks takes out the front legs of another wolf, sending it crashing to the ground in pieces.

Aww, Applejack may have actually put her life on the line here for Spike as timber wolves probably aren't BS, look at the look of fear on her face here despite dispatching two of them with relative ease.

She spies a hole in the trunk of a tree up ahead and leaps through, the wolf tries to follow but is too big, and it clatters to the ground in pieces.

Applejack breaths a sigh of relief and wipes the sweat from her brow and Spike comes running up. Spike says Applejack saved his life and as he says those words, he has an epiphany of some sort. Perhaps he realized he could have died because his life's ambitions he was 'dying' to do were only to: lick his nose, slap his belly, and smell his own dirty feet. He tries to hug Applejack and she pushes him away, telling him not to mention it, and that they should get out of there.

Spike asks why Applejack was out there, anyway, and she says she was investigating the hot air balloon with no pony in it and asks if Spike was out doing the same thing. The look on Applejack's face seems to imply she knows he was involved, but she lets Spike get away with saying he was just investigating too. Applejack ties the balloon's tether around herself and the pair begin to walk out of the forest. As they leave, we see magic reanimating the timber wolves. so timber wolves are like trolls I guess, probably need their bodies destroyed or else they can just keep coming back.

Aviatrix Pony has reclaimed her balloon, and she looks pissed about it. Spike is apparently getting clingy over Applejack since she saved his life, walking her home and he wants to help her do her chores. He dumps a bushel of apples before Applejack tells him to go help her sister, who is washing a pig.

Spike starts to help Apple Bloom by knocking over her bucket of soapy water. Surpisingly, they still manage to clean the pig, and we see Applejack by the 'apple cellar' that Twilight fell into in Feeling Pinkie Keen. This season seems to have a lot of little throwbacks to past episodes like that.

Apple Bloom asks if she can get going because she doesn't want to be late for her Crusaders meeting - the Crusaders are getting fitted for water skis. Applejack lets her go and she runs off, eager to get her water skiing cutie mark.

Applejack already pawned Spike off on somepony else, so of course she tells him he can get going as well, and that he has repaid the 'debt' he owes her in full, 'even Steven.' (I can't remember how Applejack feels about Spike, the only instances I can recall of the two of them interacting were her looking disgusted as he played with the cake toppers in ACW and her laughing at him at the end of TTM, so she may not like him) Spike says they aren't even close to being 'even Steven' and that she must allow him to assist her further. Applejack says it just doesn't feel right having him 'uh, doin' things' for her. You know, Spike probably doesn't even know his own parents, since he was given as an egg by Celestia to Twilight, so there's probably a bunch of psychological issues going on here. He really doesn't want to leave Applejack and clings to her leg, pleading with her to allow him to please her. She finally consents and tells him he can help Granny Smith and her make pies.

 Spike proceeds to trash their kitchen as he excitedly declares "Pies! Pies! I'm helping Applejack make some pies!" A bowl of eggs has been placed on a really high shelf and Granny Smith tells him to get them. Applejack and Granny share a look then get back to work in peace as Spike struggles to reach, then they hear a loud crash as he somehow managed to knock the bowl down.

He goes to clean up this giant mess he has made, immediately knocking over the mop's bucket of water. He then loses his balance and smacks a bag of flour, the flour combines with the egg and the mop gets stuck in this mixture, Spike tries to dislodge it and the mop flies up and sticks to the support beam. Applejack tells him, politely, to get the hell out. If Spike is this clumsy and accident prone, how the heck does Twilight put up with him? We've seen his ineptitude in action before, but if this is what he is like, no wonder he gets slammed around by Twilight so much, and that Applejack doesn't want him around.

Spike tells Applejack that today was just the beginning, according to his Spike the Dragon Code, he owes her a life debt and must serve her. If you recall the episode A Dog and Pony Show,  Spike fantasized about himself being some kind of knight, so this would seem to be something he has dreamt up for himself. Spike's 'scroll belching' ability can apparently be used to summon up specific pieces of paper, too, as he belches out his Code card and then breathes fire to put it away.

Applejack is not pleased and neither is Granny Smith, who tries to come to her granddaughter's aid by asking Spike about Twilight. Spike apparently forgot that he's the servant/slave/property of Marse Sparkle, and runs off, hoping she doesn't take the news too hard, leaving the Apples to deal with the mess he made in their kitchen.

Back at the library, Spike is having doubts and has to give himself a pep talk, telling himself that it's his 'personal, moral, and ethical dragon code' he's talking about. He goes in and finds Twilight engrossed in a book. Spike tells her that because he adheres to his dragon code, he must serve Applejack for the rest of his days and that it has been an honor being her assistant. Twilight, who has been responding with 'mm-hmm's' says, 'Sounds good' and Spike leaves in tears. Spike might have known Twilight for all of his life, and most certainly since she was an adult, so he has to know how into books she gets, especially when on assignment.

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Granny Smith have got their kitchen sparkling clean. Spike breaks the 'good' news and Granny Smith and Applejack are shocked. Spike walks into the kitchen, trips, and trashes it again. Applejack and Granny Smith look at each other in horror, wishing they have been the Dragonslayer family instead.

Spike sets an awful looking pie on a window sill to cool and knocks it off, which is caught by Applejack. She tells him she just can't be comfortable with him serving her. Spike is upset, saying if she won't let him server her, then he can't follow his code, which is a part of him, thus can't be true to himself, which means he won't be a 'noble dragon' anymore. Perhaps this 'dragon code' is a real thing, since we've seen Spike fantasize about being a knight (aka if he stays true to his code) and when he went greedy he became a big wingless dragon. He also has a pet phoenix he is supposed to be raising, so a dragon knight riding a phoenix? Hell yeah. Applejack consents to him serving her, grudgingly, and looks around the farm for something for him to do. She sees a field that needs to be plowed, nope. A fence that needs painting, nope. Wood that needs chopping, nope. She spies that horrid pie Spike made and starts to make up a BS task for him, saying to help her take the pies to... Spike's eyes light up and he suggests Rarity and Applejack agrees because it's not like she cares.

At Rarity's, Spike proudly proclaims that he helped make the pie. Rarity forces herself to take a little bite and Spike starts hitting on her, saying she even looks good while she's chewing, then comments to Applejack, "W-Who even looks good while they're chewing?"

Rarity spits out the horrid pie when Spike is talking to Applejack. Spike asks if she will have some more, Rarity says she had a big lunch. Spike says it is 10 in the morning, and Rarity says it was a big breakfast instead and Spike buys it. Applejack sends him away to clean Rarity's plate and fills Rarity in on what is happening. Rarity is really excited about the idea of having somepony forever in her debt, she would make him organize her closet, give her pedicures, help with her sewing...

Applejack interrupts her reverie, explaining that sometimes Spike's 'help' isn't that helpful. A loud crash resonates from the kitchen and Spike is seen in a huge thing of bubbles, asking for a broom. Rarity points and he retreats to try and clean the mess he made.

 Rainbow Dash arrives and asks what's happening. Rarity explains, and Rainbow also thinks a 'forever slave' is a good idea, asking if Spike is helping do her laundry, cleaning her room, or helping with her unfinished novel. Rainbow explains that her novel is about an awesome pegasus who's the best flyer ever and becomes captain of the Wonderbolts.

Rarity sardonically asks where Rainbow got that idea, and oblivious-to-sardonic Rainbow says it just came to her. So, not only is Rainbow still reading Daring Do books, she is also starting to write her own. Not bad for somepony who used to dismiss reading as only for 'eggheads.'

Applejack says she doesn't want him to serve her, and Rainbow says all she has to do is make him do something really, really hard. Applejack says she doesn't want him to get hurt, and Rainbow thinks Spike would just give up and quit before he got hurt. After another loud crash, Spike enters the room with a piece of Rarity's sink, so he has really fouled up her kitchen. Rainbow tells Applejack to leave it to her and starts telling Spike that Applejack was going to help her stack some hay so she could practice flying through it, but since Rainbow is feeling extra powerful, she wants to smash through a huge tower of rocks instead.

Spike is a little nervous about it, but agrees because it is to help Applejack.

They leave Rarity looking distraughtly at the piece of pipe sitting on her floor and Fluttershy joins them in a field, where Spike has built the huge tower. Rainbow says she thought he would quit after like 3 rocks, but Spike has soldiered on, forming a massive tower. Fluttershy says if it had been her, she would have just told Spike she had nothing for him to do and Applejack kicks herself for not thinking of that.

As Spike climbs down, Rainbow says the bad news is he actually built it, and the good news is she gets to knock it down, but she is not happy about it and looks pretty worried.

Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike retreat to a tent/gazebo looking structure and Rainbow kicks down the tower. Rocks rain down and Spike is almost annihilated by a huge rock, and complements Rainbow's feat, saying it was awesome. He says Applejack, aka himself, will rebuild it if she wants. Rainbow is lying dazed on top of the rocks and says sure, why not.

Applejack goes to check on her friend and leads her on, getting her to say she doesn't need any of Applejack's/Spike's help at the moment.

Applejack says she doesn't have anything for Spike to help with and he gets upset, falling to the ground. He explains that if he doesn't help Applejack, then he won't know if he's being a noble dragon. He says that maybe he can help with things she doesn't even know she needs help with, like itching her back, which she likes, or remembering her favorite song, and he starts singing a song about dragons being the 'finest creature ever' with more to them than 'just guarding treasure,' then maybe she needs help breathing, so he sticks a bellows into her mouth and she inflates and sends him flying into a bush as she exhales.

Back to the library. Twilight is still enthralled in her books and Applejack uses a secret technique, nudging an object out of position. Seemingly it can't be the noise it made, since Applejack had called out to her, so Twilight must be really obsessive and can sense if things are out of whack, as she immediately knows something is wrong and goes to investigate.

Applejack starts to recount the situation and as she mentions that Twilight said she was okay with Spike serving Applejack, Twilight freaks out a little. Yeah, she was really into that book when he was talking to her earlier. Applejack has known Twilight for around '100 moons,' Spike has known her longer than that, yet Applejack knew that if Twilight was deep in her books to mess with her stuff to snap her out of it and he did not? If it wasn't for his tears, I'd think he wanted to get away from Twilight. (She does hit him into walls and other objects, afterall)

Applejack wants Twilight to do something about it, she says "Oh, Applejack, I wish I could, but this is dragon code we're talking about. Surely you know how important the dragon code is to a dragon!" So the dragon code is definitely real, and not just a Spike thing. Twilight says there's only one other way Spike can fulfill the debt he feels he owes Applejack, which is presumably going to be saving her life, probably in a staged event.

Spike is busy counting the blades of grass on Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack and all her friends are gathered to discuss the plan. Pinkie interrupts with her own plan, which is to launch Applejack out of a cannon towards a hornet's nest, where Spike will save her with a butterfly net. Pinkie will also be wearing a mustache, for some reason.

Applejack says no, the plan is for her to get attacked by a timber wolf. Everypony is shocked, so timber wolves are definitely badasses. Pinkie asks if she can still wear the mustache and Applejack is not amused. Near the remnants of the rock tower, Applejack goes into the plan. She'll give the signal, Rarity and Pinkie Pie will run out of woods from the timber wolf, Applejack will start to run and pretend to get her hoof stuck and ask Spike for help, he'll help her then they'll be even.

The ponies confirm they understand the plan and Twilight teleports herself up into a tree and appears to have a timber wolf puppet. Now, remember we saw the timber wolves reform with some kind of magic earlier? I bet there will be a real timber wolf involved shortly and not just Twilight's puppet. =] Pinkie says she has just one question, and puts on her mustache. Applejack says no.

Rarity asks Applejack how well she can act out the 'damsel in distress' role she is to play. Fluttershy is wearing casks on her feet, I guess to sound like timber wolves. Applejack demonstrates her acting and Rarity is appalled and starts to give some pointers. Before Rarity's acting coaching can continue, Spike arrives and the ponies scatter.

Spike has counted every blade of grass on the farm, 24,567,837. Applejack tells him she wants him to sweep up some leaves for a compost pile, and signals her plan by winking at Rainbow. Rainbow takes a deep breath and lets out a terrifying howl, which Fluttershy, who was hiding next to her, says was very convincing. In the Forest, we see the eyes of the wolves. Rarity and Pinkie Pie run out of the woods and go near Spike, putting on a rather unconvincing display. Twilight's puppet makes it's appearance.

They must really think poorly of Spike. Rainbow's howl at least sounded legit I suppose, but Rarity/Pinkie and this thing? Spike stared down three of the real deals, I hope he isn't fooled by this... He is fooled by it. Fluttershy uses her cask-boots to simulate the timber wolf moving, Rainbow starts laughing at it all. As Applejack puts on a horrible show of being a 'damsel in distress' Spike realizes something is awry.

 Spike at least redeems himself, because as I mentioned, he has in fact been face to face with real ones. He complements the 'clomping of his claws' and a spot on roar, to which Rainbow and Fluttershy high-hoof each other, but they forgot one thing - a timber wolf's breath is horrid. As he says this, the stench cloud begins to waft in and he says it's too late. Twilight teleports in between Applejack and Spike, knocking Spike to the ground, and screams.

See, Applejack, that's how you take care of dragons, knock them around a bit.

Three timber wolves come charging out of the forest and they take off running. They retreat to their forward operating base, aka the remnants of the rock tower, where Applejack kicks a large one down, smashing all three. The rock she is on then gives way and as she lands more rocks fall, trapping her hoof. Hmm....

Now, where have we seen this scenario...

The timber wolves begin to reform, but not into timber wolves, into a giant timber terror, with parts being drawn from the Everfree Forest as well. Spike tells Applejack to come on, but she is of course really stuck. Pinkie's cannon-mustache-net-hornet plan not looking so bad now, eh?

The Timber Terror, complete with bad breath, roars at them and Applejack tells Spike to forget his dragon code and get out of there. It's kind of odd, and touching, that she cares about him, despite not seeming to really care about him earlier.

Spike is lying prone and a little rock falls into his hand. He stands and defiantly says he's not running, he needs to save Applejack, then throws the rock into the Timber Terror's mouth. The Terror starts coughing, hacking up some bits of wood, including a branch Spike uses as a lever to free Applejack. As the two flee, the Terror falls apart as it continues coughing and hacking. Spike just 'kill confirmed' a gargantuan wolf, pretty cool.

Applejack and Spike catch up to the others who ask what happened. Applejack says her hoof was stuck, Rarity can't believe it, and Spike says 'Uh huh!' Applejack apparently has learned from Twilight as she pushes him, knocking him to the ground for interrupting.

Spike says it was nothing, and Applejack says it was something alright, but she wouldn't have needed saving if she hadn't tried to stage a fake attack. She also actually helps Spike to his feet, an un-Twilight thing to do. (Don't remember her helping him up after she knocks him around, anyway) Applejack explains that she knows his dragon code is important to him, but if something happens like this again they should just follow her code, which is 'that's what friends do.'

Spike agrees, but says it would probably be better if they both tried to avoid situations where they need to save each others life, and Applejack says they have a deal. Spike awkwardly goes to shake her 'hand,' doesn't know what to do, and gives her a fist bump.

 Back at the library, it's night time and Twilight is still reading.

Spike brings her a lamp to help her see and Twilight says she doesn't know what she would do without him. Uh, Twilight, you're a unicorn, you have a light spell, you're inside your home, you have candles etc. Spike says he's really, really, really glad to help Twilight and clings to her leg. Twilight says, "Oh..." and laughs and the episode ends with a shot of the library at night.

What I learned from this episode:

• That 'dragon-knight Spike' as I dubbed it may indeed be a real thing for him. We've seen him get transformed into a giant dragon if he, presumably, strays from the 'dragon code' by embracing greed. We also know the code is a legit thing via Twilight's commentary. We also have 'noble dragon' be brought up, would dragons that follow this Code, perhaps from a knighthood, be these 'noble dragons?
• Timber Wolves are pretty badass, but they get taken out pretty easy. They also have bad breath as one of their hallmark traits for some reason.
• I liked how Rainbow Dash is apparently writing a novel, that was cute, especially since it's essentially a fantasy about herself. I wonder if she'll have her character adventuring with Daring Do. Kicking down a giant rock tower, roaring like a wolf, she was pretty cool in this episode.
• At the beginning of the season, Twilight was said to have graduated to higher level of studies or some such. We've seen some random hints at it throughout the season, makes you wonder what all those books Twilight had to read are about.
• It's a good thing Rarity or Rainbow Dash have never had the fortune of getting saved by Spike, they'd probably be worse masters than Twilight. On the other hand, at least Spike would enjoy being so close to Rarity, especially getting to give her pedicures.
• Applejack is a right honorable lil' lass. She put her life on the line to save Spike, then was willing to sacrifice herself sorta with more concern for his safety than her own.