Or maybe the reviewer should actually give ratings that are appropriate to what he thinks about the episode.

Yeah, I don't get what's up with that article. Someone out there has some explaining to do.

I really don't feel like the show has gotten significantly more random or filled with one-shot characters than before.

It wasn't exactly about the elephant nor the battle. You're looking at the plot where you should be looking at the underlying themes. The theme is adapting to change. It's present throughout the whole episode, from Darren's confusion and Colonel Candy Corn moving past the death of his wife, to the Ancient Psychic…

What part of the episode was even close to incoherent, aside from the sun's monologue? Even that makes perfect sense if you put some thought into it.

Um, we were never given the slightest indication that he would be able to take her out of her coma. Don't make things up.

In what way is this episode possibly a mess? The Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant's self-discovery tied into the theme of adapting yourself to the change taking place around you.

You don't think that helping someone whom you've hurt in the war is an answer? You're oversimplifying it and ignoring the context.