Being Othered [ School Raze ]

Rewatching the Season 8 finale, rather a lot comes to mind. The underrated genius of Cozy Glow as a villain. Chancellor Neighsay's surprising integrity - the fact that all of his villainy came from an earnest impulse to "protect Equestria," and that he was willing, in light of new evidence, to pull a 180, and change his entire world view - no easy feat.

I'll be writing a more in-depth analysis of these two episodes in general, but first, I would like to focus on something a little bit more personal.

Since MLP: FiM ended, I, (Sprocket here), have come out as trans/non-binary. Since last I viewed this finale ("School Raze, Pts. 1&2"), my perspective has changed a great deal, and there are themes explored here that hit way harder than before.

For those who don't remember, "School Raze" opens with one of Starlight's spells failing. Then Twilight's. Then Rarity's. Then comes a summons from Celestia. And a letter from Starswirl the Bearded.

The upshot? Equestria is losing its magic.

Cozy Glow puts the idea in Twilight's head that it might be Tirek, and packs Twilight's bag to aid in their journey to - you guessed it - Tartarus.

To make a long story short, the Mane Six get stuck in Tartarus (but eventually bust out). Cozy Glow imprisons Starlight Glimmer in a magic-glyph-sphere-thing; Chancellor Neighsay locks up the Young Six (minus Sandbar) for being eeeeeevil non-ponies; and when they eventually get busted out by the CMCs, the Young Six makes their way down to the catacombs under the Friendship School, where they discover Cozy Glow's evil plot - Starlight Glimmer imprisoned - and Equestria's magic, draining (via a glyph-a-majig that Tirek had taught her).

[Caught up on the convoluted turn of events? Good.]

Anyway, as the Young Six are trying to figure out how the buck they are supposed to free Starlight, and restore magic to Equestria (without causing a massive magic explosion that would destroy the whole school), in comes Cozy Glow with an army of students.

She points an accusatory hoof at obvious racial minorities. She riles up all the kids around her, and proclaims that [paraphrasing here] "it all makes sense; you're trying to steal Equestrian magic because you have none of your own and you're jealous."

The WHOLE SCHOOL surrounds the Young Six. It turns into a mob that won't even listen to the CMCs.

While this had always been a powerful moment, for me, it now hits even harder than before, and strikes a nerve that is a bit more personal.

Here on Earth, and particularly in America, violence, (and violent rhetoric) against LGBTQ+ people is on the rise.

I have grown accustomed to assessing danger levels in every scenario. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time - being completely surrounded by those willing to believe the worst about you - it's a terrifying thing.

The social commentary behind the very existence of the Young Six - and the obvious mission of the show to foster respect and tolerance for diversity - had always been intentional.

To be 100% clear, those themes had always been noble ones worth exploring.

However, I felt a little essay was necessary just to highlight the difference between respecting themes, and living them - that this episode, while rough around the edges in many ways, does a great job of demonstrating the horror of prejudiced panic responses to tragedy - of putting you, the viewer, in the shoes of folks that the angry mob might turn against.

In Equestrian fashion, the episode ends with a bit of a Deus ex Tree of Harmony, and a realization on the part of the students (i.e. angry mob) that the Young Six were actually exemplifying the lessons of friendship way more than Cozy Glow was.

The Mane Six and the princesses ultimately return. Cozy Glow is apprehended and imprisoned, but the real glory here goes to the Young Six, who embody what friendship really means, and more importantly, act as a lens for the show to tackle themes of social injustice on a level that children can understand.

The nightmare scenario that the Young Six experience here - of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - of being accused, but neither listened to nor believed - of ending up in a powderkeg situation, simply for being different - it's a very real possibility that millions of people face, (and we factor into decisions in our daily lives).

Kudos to "School Raze, Pts 1&2" form dramatizing that.

Discuss.
-Sprocket

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Comments

[Reese]

Thank you for again sharing your thoughts; I don't recall having thought about that aspect of those episodes in such depth, when I saw them years ago.

(And, of course, good luck to you.)

[Trick Question]

I don't have much to say here that you didn't already say. Good post.