Did you noticed that this episode follows the 5 stages of griefing? 1. Denial. RD denies the fact about hibernation. 2. Anger. RD responds angry towards her friends. 3. Bargaining. The song, trying to stop Winter. 4. Depressing. Being depressed by it all letting it all out. 5. Acceptance. Coming with terms with it and accepts it. This might be the closest thing we've ever had with the term of "Death" being involved.

Weirdly enough this episode deals with death without actually dealing with it. Look at it like this rainbow dash goes through the five stages of grief Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally Acceptance. Obviously they are not going to have someone actually die on this show but in this way hibernation was used as a substitute.

It would have been so easy to make them all cry. But they didn't.. Because they are different.

"Applejack cries on the inside!" "It's true" I'm now searching my memory, trying to think of an episode where AJ has cried.

I liked this episode. Not only did we get the FIRST RD solo in the entire series, we got to see RD be really emotional. Especially at the end. I won't say that this is my favorite episode in the season so far(that goes to Castle sweet Castle), but I can say that I like it.

When life gives you lemons, Don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back! Get Mad!!! I DON'T WANT YOUR DANG LEMONS!! WHAT THE BUCK ARE THESE!?!? Demand to see life's manager Make life rue the day that it thought it could give rainbow dash lemons!!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I'M THE MARE THAT'S GOING TO BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN, WITH THE LEMONS!! I'm gonna get twilight to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!!! - Rainbow Dash, (what ever year it is in equestria)

When I first saw the title of the episode my initial thought was that it sounded like Tank was going to die. And in a way that's pretty much what the episode was about. Of course, this being MLP no one is actually going to die, but it would have taken little effort to change it from "Tank is hibernating" to "Tank is dying". Rainbow even goes through the five stages of grief. I thought it was a rather well done episode about loss even if it wasn't about dealing with death specifically.

I thought this episode was pretty good. It was great to see a more tender and sweet side to RD's character. Although, I can kinda see people finding RD a bit irritating in this episode at times, particularly when she's being rude to her friends. However, I think if you put yourself in RD's position you can understand her frustration and motive for what she does, and, personally, I think the fact that she would go as far as to stop winter just to be with Tank is incredibly sweet. It's kinda like with Pinkie in Pinkie Pride, where you want to see RD succeed, even though she's in the wrong. Also, if you look more deeply into it, this episode could be seen as a metaphor for dealing with the death of a loved one. RD even goes through the five stages of grief: 1) Denial - Telling everyone and herself that Tank cannot and will not hibernate. 2) Anger - Redirecting her frustrations at her friends. 3) Bargaining - Trying to stop winter from coming. (Insert Grinch reference here.) 4) Depression - Realizing she can't stop winter, RD closes herself out and becomes depressed. 5) Acceptance - After RD finally lets out all her sadness, she accepts the fact that Tank has to hibernate and lets him go. Also, Fluttershy showing she still remembers her lesson from the Breezies episode (being firm is sometimes the best way to show kindness to someone) was awesome. I'm also kinda glad they sorta subverted the "everybody starts crying" cliche. I *LOVED* the song. The musical style fits RD perfectly, and hearing her sing solo for once is great. The animation and choreography in it were nothing short of amazing. Also, RD's facial expressions were either really great, or really funny. The humor in general was pretty decent, especially for a Cindy Morrow episode, where usually her comedy is hit or miss. The "Who's on First" parody was hilarious, but as mentioned previously, I think some of the facial expressions, particularly from Rainbow Dash, were the most entertaining part of the episode for me. Overall, a really sweet and fairly entertaining Rainbow Dash episode. Though, I can kinda understand why some may not enjoy it that much, especially if you're not a fan of RD in general.

(18:01) This crying fit Ashleigh did for Rainbow was also used in previous Hasbro show Littlest Pet Shop for Blythe Baxter.

Strictly speaking, reptiles and amphibians DON'T hibernate. What they do is called brumation, which is basically the same thing as hibernation but involves different metabolic processes.

We recently had to say goodbye to our oldest dog, so this Ep really has the feels...when will Tank return outside of a cameo? I swore S6 had a pet Ep but, nope, darn my memory...really enjoyed watching this again, one of the best of the season.

Softy Dash is big softy.

I basically went through the same thing with my dog. I have known my dog since the day she was BORN and when she ran away, in front of my family, I couldn't shed a tear... I could just... Sit there... But when I got some alone time in my room, OH GOD, Niagra Falls basically came out of my eyes over the period of an hour or more, and then I couldn't sleep AT ALL that night. I couldn't stop crying... Until 4 AM the next morning when she came back THANK GOD! I know how Rainbow, my favorite pony, felt losing her pet and I was my current age, 17, when I bawled my eyes out like a baby and cried a little during this episode... What made this more emotional for me is that me and Rainbow share a LOT of personality traits. We always like to be cocky and arrogant at times, we both LOVE winning, and we RARELY show our emotional sides like that. Knowing ALL that INSTANTLY made my heart split in two... MLP IS NOT FOR LITTLE GIRLS PEOPLE! I hope I NEVER have to go through THAT feeling again. Heck, the VOICES of the ponies were probably LEGIT ready to bawl their eyes out while READING the lines and then watching it themselves for the first time because that scenario had probably happened to at LEAST ONE OF THEM...

it's the 5 stages of grief! Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

Tank is fast becoming one of my favourite pet characters. I adore the relationship between him and Dashie. Currently, there's a three way tie for favourite pet in my eyes, between Tank (for the aforementioned reason), Opalescence (who shows a wonderful empathy towards Rarity and has even acted as a kind of conscious for her at times) and Angel (who, like Tank is for Rainbow, acts as an empathic foil for Fluttershy).

6:55 Did anyone catch that South Park reference? Look closely at all the hats.

I'm glad they went to extremes. Dash is showing and doing what we all want to do when our life is changing, or someone dying

Is Rainbow Dash being an analogy to the Bronies during the long season hiatus?

RIP Tank (1998-2015)

Grinch, Abbott and Costello, Willy Wonka, and Game of Thrones references in like 5 minutes time. I could say Cindy Morrow put those in, but I have a feeling new story editor, Mr. Larson had something to do with those.

I've seen "bye bye butterfree" it was one of the saddest episodes of pokemon I have ever seen.

8:56 also a good reference to "who's on first"

This is a fantastic episode. Rainbow Dash shows a lot of great dynamic to her character. The humor blends well with the emotion. Applejack crying on the inside is both funny and tragic.

Not sure if anybody has mentioned it, but 8:28 is a reference to the Abott and Costello "Who's on First" routine.

Just watched the intro, and I am utterly disappointed that you did not do Your a Mean One, Mr. Grinch... I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN THAT, LUFFY!!!

18:24 That is some good crying. Very realistic. I love the false starts and stops. Nice touch!

I can only think of the "SPRING IS NOT OVER YET, DONT FAIL ON ME NOW" vine whenever I see the part with her putting the leaves back on the trees x3

I can indeed confirm that was an intentional Game of Thrones reference. MA Larson even stepped forward and accepted responsibility for it, stating that it just had to be done.

I've heard the Japanese version explains that butterfree die after they mate. Butterfree was never going to come back.

Me most of the time, "do I look angry!!!!!!??????😤😤😤😤😠😠"

This was a hard one to watch near the end. As someone who's owned- and lost- treasured pets before, I can personally testify how hard it is. Thankfully Tank isn't gone forever, but this was still rough.

Butterfree, no! My childhood! So tears! Much sadness!

I am a man of few words...... I love this episode. That is all.....

Exactly. She's one pony working against an entire nation. Even if she somehow coerced Fluttershy into helping her (because I think she would be the only Pegasus that Rainbow COULD possibly get to help her), this is an uphill battle... on a hill made of treadmills.

AWWWWW! That Butterfree episode was wonderful.

This episode was very interesting for me both because it reminds me of when my own tortoise friend wandered off one fall and I thought he had abandoned me all winter and only after he showed up in the spring did I realize he must had been hibernating. And because it showed the writer knew something about psychology when it showed Rainbow distinctly going through the five stages of Grief Denial, anger than depression, bargaining and finally acceptance. II is so complete and comprehensive on the process of grief it should probably be watched by students of psychology who are learning grief doesn't just apply to death.

I cried with this episode :( so many feels

When you said he looks like he's gonna die, I laughed! My boyfriend even said that when Dashie was singing "I'll Fly."

12:40 you are voicing all the reasons I didn't like the episode at first. Upon an immediate re-watch however, I legit cried. And after watching someone elses reaction back then and reading a comment about the 5 stages of grief, I realized how awesome this episode is! And why it made me cry.

I had to LOL at your comment about Cobalt since him, you and Ladix are the three commentators that I watch for every episode.

This episode reminded me of the time I lost my dog, who I'd had since I was 2.

And at 15: 17 rainbow does the most adorable scream you could ever hear

I REALLY want cobaltsky's reaction to this episode! We finally have a true Rainbow Dash solo song!

Ohhhh hell yeah, Air Gear intro music! Ffffff-- Anyway, I personally loved this episode. I was also worried that this one was going to be Tank, er, *leaving* for good. But this was a great "dealing with death" type of episode. It was still emotional and cute, but it didn't ever get too dark, it was still funny as heck and I loved the song. Glad you liked it; I'd consider this a top-rated episode as well. :)

Cobalt is gonna start crying as well isn't he... lol

I really love this episode! It perfectly reflects the 5 stages of grief. Which is something I went through when I lost my pet dog. I won't get into specifics on that, but I first watched this episode soon after that event happened in my life. I'm just saying this episode hit me hard! And after I realized that RD wasn't acting out of character here, I loved it even more! She is acting out of love for her special friend in Tank. It's actually really powerful. I've heard criticism that if they wanted to tackle this subject matter, they should've just had a pet actually pass. But that is WAAAAY too intense for a kid show. I think those people were reaching for a reason to exact hate on yet another RD episode! But this episode is one of my favorite RD episodes. RD is my favorite of the Mane Six.

Goodbye Tank rest in peace.

16.23 fallout 5 leaked footage

And the more Rainbow thought of this hibernation thing, The more Rainbow thought "I must stop this whole thing!" "I just got Tank this year, I can't part with him now!" "I must stop Winter from coming.......But HOW?"

If you listen to the background music when Rainbow is breaking in Cloudstale, you can hear that the music is similar to the one of Rainbow Factory

Also for some reason, I seemed to go just a little wee but nuts about the animation in it and the storyboard driven character direction. I don't know if I just noticed things that weren't necessarily there or anything, but I actually felt like this episode was pretty full of intense cartoon acting, and a LOT of awesomely exaggerated, extreme and unique expressions and there just seemed to be something very real about the broad range of movement and direction in this one, especially. Rainbow is a veritable tour de force in this one. If cartoon characters could win an Emmy for acting, I think she deserved it here.

I've wondered this since I first saw this episode why not just move enough dirt up to her house so that he can hibernate up there.

Still a pretty good Ep. ^^

17:59 tactful fluttershy tactful **sarcastic clapping** bravo fluttershy bravo

FINALLY just got done recording my reaction to this episode (havn't edited or put it up just yet), and while I don't want to ruin all of what I thought about it (and my reaction was a bit hard for me to process fully until the episode was over), I will say that I came to the same conclusion you did. I ended up talking about the episode nearly as long as the episode itself took to watch. but took the initiative to defend Dash's meltdown and the reasons behind it assuming that everyone probably hated this episode. :P

I watched bye bye butterfree when I was just a kid; ironically I just randomly watched that same episode like week. Good comparison by the way Luffy, great reaction:) Pokémon!!

You know they probably have hemispheres in this world if it's winter in ponyville why can't rainbow dash just leave and go somewhere it isn't? Come back before winter wrap up starts. That way she doesn't have to say goodbye at all. Beats the moral the episode was trying to teach here but I'm surprised she didn't think of that.

I watched the episode in 2016. It aired on Christmas Eve, and my reaction to Rainbow Dash crying is expressed by this emoji - 😮

15:17 I love that scream so much, I don't why.

Bye Bye Butterfree was sad, but the one that always enraged me as a kid was Pidgeotto/Pidgeot. It only left at all because Ash promised he'd come back for it, and he never did. Saddest pokemon moment ever for me.

3:47 Careful Fluttershy, your Pinkie Pie voice is breaking through.

18:35 aw her ear drop is adorable

18: 14 Omfg rainbow is crying

"Can somebody give Cobalt a Phoenix Down?" Possibly my favorite reactor quote so far this season. :D

I’ve been there, and suffering through relapses. Trust me, it will take a while.

11:00 I know this song is really upbeat, but it gets me emotional every time!

Luffyiscool This is perfect Shenanigans material.

Awesome reaction! :)

Look at Rainbow Dash's slippers and Tank's slippers

Season 5 is on a Streak! This Episode was Awsome! I Loved Applejacks Part

I think this episode was meant to be an analogy to having a loved one (specifically a pet) pass away. before I watched this episode I only saw screenshots and heard the title and I was half convinced that tank was old and dying. by making him hibernate the writers were able to teach that lesson without making the episode itself devastating to the younger viewers. p.s. the baccano theme at the end^^

I know that episode...byebye buterfree made me tear up as a kid. also I really felt RD's pain i've lost many pets and even had to turn loose afew wild animals ((2 squirrels and ironically enough a turtle...yes i know they aren't the same )) that my mother and I nursed back to health. so i get her feelings big time

"Racist Rainbow."You should see The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone.

GAME GRUMPS SHIRT OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGOMGOMGOMG

Isn't that the baccano theme at the end? Thats awesome!

RIP HEADPHONE WEARERS: 2:04

ok from 12:39 -13:34 is the tone of Rainbow Factory Now a rainbow's tale isn't quite as nice As the story we knew of sugar and spice But a rainbow's easy once you get to know it With the help of the magic of a pegasus device Let's delve deeper into rainbow philosophy Far beyond that of Cloudsdale's mythology It's easy to misjudge that floating city With it's alluring decor and social psychology But with all great things comes a great responsibility That of Cloudsdale's being weather stability How, you ask, are they up to the task To which the answer is in a simple facility In the Rainbow Factory, where your fears and horrors come true In the Rainbow Factory, where not a single soul gets through In the Rainbow Factory, where your fears and horrors come true In the Rainbow Factory, where not a single soul gets through In the Rainbow Factory, where your fears and horrors come true In the Rainbow Factory, where not a single soul gets through...

11:37 Rainbow Dash and Tank make the perfect couple.

I feel so bad, all I could was laugh seeing Rainbow Dash cry...Oh God...

I get where they were going with the grief metaphor... But I still hate this episode because to get there, they had to hit Dashie with the idiot stick until she was crosseyed.

OH YES, MY BODY IS READY.

For a big castle Spikes room seems small.

rainbow probably just killed many flocks of birds

Fucking Butterfree! Damnit! I haven't thought about that episode in, almost a decade now. The original season of Pokemon had so many tear jerker moments,

You now that world that shall no be named. 6:46

6:34 "Hibernuuuu..." :DD 6:57 She Broke the 4th wall!!! 7:23 ME: *moved away from screen* oh fuuuck xDDDDDDDD 18:41 Poor Tank :DDDD But it makes me feel not good when I see Fluttershy's poker face(((((((((((( 19:03 Ya THINK??? After sobbing I always feel myself really exhausted((((( 19:08 Flutt's face :D Not helping.... 19:38 - 19:50 LOLOL)))))

Does anyone notice that from 12:55-13:00, it sounds like the first notes to Rainbow Factory? Coincidence, I think NOT Also, I think that Open Sky, Cloudy Sky bit is a parody of Abbott & Costello's Who's On First.

INCOMING TACTICAL SNOW NUKE!

A wonderful reaction to an extra wonderful episode! It's an episode that filled me with ... uh .. "pride." Yes, pride. That's it! (Why is pride so liquid-y?)

This episode was good but not as good as the first 4. I like how it shows how much Rainbow loves Tank. And also that she doesn't like to be alone at least for long. Also yet again more things to show Fluttershy haters that they're wrong about her having no character development. I love that they showed more of the weather factory, Rainbow's house and the castle. Now we know more about how seasons are created although it seems like the only thing controlled in Equestria besides winter and the weather is cleaning up winter. The song and humor is great. Also I like how they found a way to show a pet's death even with no death that the station would allow. Also 5 for 5 on songs. And Wilhelm scream 17:01.

I think the intro is great.

Did anybody noticed the Rainbow Dash and Tank slippers Tank and Rainbow Dash were wearing at 19:09

Love that episode 💖

Castle Sweet Castle: "There's going to be _cider?_" Tanks for the Memories: "Sipping hot cider by the fire..." It's official: Rainbow Dash is an alcoholic.

Surprised you didn't go with a Grinch opener.

Teaching kids to deal with death!

12:40 i swear that's ''Rainbow Factory'' i hear

20:40 Scoot's Dad?

I know I've seen applejack cry before. What about equestria girls? I'm pretty sure she was the only pony crying in that.

Bruh, what about the other pony villages that didn’t get winter yet? The cloudstale winter section was completely screwed wtf.