Even though it's short and somewhat choppy, I like it. Think outside of the box here people. So what if it's short and doesn't have state-of-the-art graphics. It's the fact that he actually put some effort into this afterall. I know, first hand, how hard it is to do an explosion, ESPECIALLY when it comes to animating for the first time. But on with the critique:
B23, I like how you colored the obelisk, it looks like those pixelated animations that I've seen lying around various forums and image hosts. The various shades help make it pop up and look more 3D. Perhaps to add to your animation, slow down on the build up, it appears to almost "pop up" instantly. Maybe you can also show the obelisk charging as well as showing the lights moving up towards the spike. After the destruction of the obelisk, draw some bits and pieces of it on the floor rather than using sticks.
Nice attempt at animating and I expect to see more.