Season 3 Finale: Thoughts. · 6:19pm Feb 16th, 2013
A long time ago, before time itself (about three weeks ago to be precise), the fandom blew up over Hasbro leaking a certain fact about today's episode. The fandom split into three camps; Ruined Forever, Cautious Optimism, and "who the fuck cares?"
I myself was in the Cautious Optimism group. Let me tell you, after seeing the episode, I was not disappointed. A few thoughts:
1) I believe that this episode marks the first time that the word "Alicorn" was used in canon. If I am wrong, please let me know.
2) This episode really needed to be a two parter. The whole thing about the mane 6 having the wrong cutie marks should've been one whole episode, and should've ended when Twilight blew up The second part could deal with the coronation, with maybe Discord showing up to play a few harmless pranks to haze the new Princess.
3) Discord should've shown up period. I'm still waiting for the damn mariachi band.
The word Alicorn was used in the Trixie redemmption episode. Remember the ALICORN AMULENT she used?
It's the second. First was in Magic Duel, when Trixie returns, wielding the Alicorn Amulet.
Twilight has officially become a mary sue however, and they have finally managed to completely trivialize the only male character who hasn't been just window dressing for the show, or a villain (who later went through SEVERE villain decay) or is just there because of his wife.
It wasn't the first time the term was used in canon, but it was the first time it was used to specifically refer to a living winged unicorn.
Megan McCarthy did say that this is a 3-parter. So we'll have to wait on how things go from the coronation. But yeah, Discord should've been there.
it was a rushed toy ad that tried to be part of a show.It had to many sub-par songs and not enough plot development. also the scene in which Twilight "dies" and goes to magical limbo then comes back little to no time after seems a lot like a scene from another bad Hasbro trademark aka the robot heaven bit from Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.
833650 The alicorn amulet wasn't necessarily a reference to the Princesses' race (though it probably was). It could have been referencing alicorn as the material a unicorn's horn is made from.
Well, it was definitly a beautiful episode, not the best but definitly a good one.
I agree that it was way too short for the potential content, however I guess a full 40 min episode would have become overly philosophical. While this would have been pleasing for the us older ones, the target audience, all pre-teens, would have been confused/bored out of their wits.
In three words: I liked it.
Other thoughts:
-About Twilight now becoming a potential Merry Sue? Well, time will show. We still have to see her to become accustomed to her new role as a Princess. Also, what did Twilight learned once a while? "Never judge a book by its cover". I guess this should be our own motive for now.
-It was nice hearing Princess Celestia singing. I'm still hoping to see her dressed up like an Eldar Farseer in some future "Nightmare Night"-style episode. (Nicole Oliver voiced the Eldar Farseer in the first "Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War" RTS on PC, samples for comparison).
833661
Call me stupid, but WHICH male character are you talking about?
833876
Starswirl the Bearded.
833853 me too and Luna bearing the armor from Halo4
833661
I dont see how Twilight is a mary sue now.
Found this from Wikipedia:
Twilight becoming an an alicorn does not make her uninteresting or a poorly developed character because, becoming an alicorn does not erase Twilights flaws or make her perfect at everything she does.
833972
Wikipedia isn't extensive on what a mary sue is, Kromoli. My main issue with her ascension (aside from the fact that there was no explanation for it) is that the only way they could think of to do it was to marginalize the only male character who HADN'T been ruined by them thus far?
After season 3's first episode I was in the camp of cautious pessimist. After watching season 3 including this last episode, I was not proven wrong. If seasons 1+2 were like season 3, I would not be a fan of MLP today. Sure season 3 added some things to the canon, but more than a few I suspect were taken directly from the brony community. When I got curious enough to watch MLP about a year ago, season 3 is about what I suspected it would be like. The plots were thin, the character interactions were mediocre, and the characters themselves were more 1-D than ever before. Seriously, the episode started with a song. Less than six minutes in we were on the 3rd song. There was no plot development or foreshadowing. There was practically no dialogue. And no, having everything sung out does not make it like the most recent rendition of Les Miserables. This was a toy advertisement. I suspect Hasbro has been throwing their weight around with the creators in season 3. I wouldn't be surprised if that is part of the reason Lauren Faust left before season 3. But you know what? I don't care that much. So long as the fandom produces amazing fan-fictions and Hasbro doesn't start throwing copyright cease & desist letters around like a madpony, then I'm happy. Especially your fictions Gyvon. Seriously, I'm in dire need of my Halo-MLP crossover fics.
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So really you're angry that they directly stated that Star Swirl the Bearded was a super shut in.
What one could assume from his description of ultra heavy scholar that Twilight has fangirl crush on.
Star Swirl was the mentor of Clover the Clever point and case mentor not friend.
Whatever headcanon description of his you could have.
Writers don't care. It's their word that matters.
All in all, sorry but that's just another thing you either have to accept or just keep yourself in denial that this episode never existed.
Also making Twilight an Alicorn doesn't make her a Mary Sue.
She is well developed believable character which just finished her "Hero's Journey".
From what we've seen at the end she is no different than she was not counting wings and title.
And Alicorns are not overpowered as Celestia shown us last finale.
834174
That's just it. They never said Starswirl was a 'super shut in'. We know he had to have had connections with other ponies and was open to friendships with them because otherwise he would never have taken in an apprentice.
And when I say mary sue, it's not because she became an alicorn. It's because she became an alicorn for doing THE EXACT SAME THING Starswirl did, yet never got the same upgrade for.
I was struck by a sense of deja vu when an unfinished Starswirl spell went awry and caused identity crises, and I knew it was already done in a fanfic somewhere. GaPJaxie's I Forgot I Was There deals with something very much like this, though the spell only directly affects one (two?) ponies.
As for the rest of the episode, there were nice moments everywhere but man, the pace felt rushed.
834208
Ok I overdone it with "Super shut-in".
But He never did what Twilight did. He didn't finish the spell. To quote the show "He was never able to get it right, and thus abandoned it."
Connections to others are not friendships. Celestia is Twilights mentor but did she cause the change in Twilight that lead here there?
No, she started it and pushed Twilight onto the journey. It's possible that she knew Star Swirl and made sure that Twilight doesn't follow his mistakes.
I think everyone would agree that 2-parter would explain it better. Hopefully Season 4 will do this.
My current representation of Star Swirl in my head is Twilight Sparkle that never left for Ponyville or left after first adventure.
I guess it sucks for Star Swirl fans but canon happened.
P.S.: Look at This It's short video about Hero's Journey. Can you argue that Twilight didn't come through it?
834325
The problem however, is that if simply creating (or in Twilight's case, finishing someone the work of someone long dead) new spells was the pre-requisite for alicornhood, then Starswirl more than earned it several dozen times over. The fact that she just suddenly happens to know how to finish his work also annoys me. He got halfway there and then just stopped? I don't buy it. There had to be a reason he never finished it.
833958 or a Dead Space rig
834388
Yep but then again there is only so much story you can fit into 22 minutes between one of 7 songs.
I would also enjoy more info but I guess Larson decided that only a few people will be bothered by Star Swirls part and he was right.
You're first person I noticed that talked about it. Sucks to be those people but if solution works for 99% it works for 99%. Choose and cut.
834419
It's not so much a solution as it is a slap in the face. he was the only male character who wasn't made to look stupid or in general of little point by the show just for being a guy, and they went and ruined that.
833853
You know, I really don't agree. If anything the pacing was too slow.
Think about it. This was pretty much an episode where nothing happened. Oh, sure, the gang went a bit crazy and twi freaked for a while there. But when she reminded herself to trust in friendship, the problem pretty much fixed itself. Which then led to the insight needed to complete the spell.
There was no lesson learned. If MLP was a book, this would have the epilogue. A point at the end of the story where nothing really happens, but nevertheless offers a satisfying conclusion, as everything that happened before flows into place.
In the beginning of the show, Twi set out to learn about friendship. This was just the end result.
I dont think it was good... yet... If it were later, like maybe after a big movie, or ANYTHING of significance that could be a gateway to a new chapter of the glorious saga of ponies, yes. The idea, while being perfectly fine, was too rushed, Maybe if it was some big epic 2-3 parter, it would be more likely to have that thing where celestia goes "ITS YOUR DESTINY", because she truely earned it. Of course, you can say she did earn the right to rule. But Celestia (and Luna) did the same. Celly beat nighmare moon, and they both beat discord. I dunno... I just think it needed more waiting time, or maybe at the very end of this gen altogether (Cringes at the thought of this ending). Honestly, I wont mind much. I wont shun the show. But the one thing You, the fandom, all of you, must take warning to. You will see alot of "alternate universe" tags where Twi didnt become an alicorn. Dont shun plz...
I agree that a two-parter would have been preferable. The end of this episode feels abrupt and unresolved. Also more Discord, actually doing something with the reformed character, would have been nice.
My biggest problem is that season 4 is going to be fundamentally different. So, Twilight's a Princess now. Where does that leave the main plot of the show? What about discovering friendship? Does this mean that she knows all there is to know?
We're all afraid of change, but sometimes it can be a good thing. I think it would be wise to hold off judgement until next season.
I dislike the episode personaly, however I cant say much agenst it besides it offering no challange to Twilight BUT that mightive been the point I think that she's gains enough strangh (and mentle stability) to do anything. Personaly I think it would've been better if all that happend and Twiligth tries to run form the whole becoming a princess deal, becuse to jsut change like that to allow it, change every thing makes me wonder. That and your right I kinda expected discord to pop up saying "This needs something alittle more, FUN!" '*summed band*' but honestly i didnt expect anythign earth shttering. Disapointed but not mad or sad this happend just could done more, but again I cant blam'em.
(heh maybe they might make a movie about when I no doubt Celestia takes a vacation! 
)
Alicorn was used in season 2 at some point if i recall. Alicorn was referanced in season 3 with Trixi when she has the Alicorn amulet.
the episode was alright i still dont like that fact that she's an alicorn but i'm more on the dont give a fuck team. in my stories Twilight will still be a unicorn. and if there is a 4th season then i have a feeling about the whole thing. like Twilight will lose her ability to be an alicorn. it's just a feeling but hey we all have are thoughts. but i agree on the two part thing.
p.s. episode Magic Dual. the alicorn amulet
i used to stradle the edge of the 2 and 3rd camps, after watching it this episode put me in the first camp however after sleeping on it i may have over reacted, i agree with what you said the episode was underwhelming and anticlimatic but it doesn't ruin the show for me
if im not mistaken somebody on the show tweeted that today's episode will be a three part episode, just with a long wait for parts two and three
835076 I must say, this is indeed a pretty interesting train of thought.
835852
imageshack.us/a/img703/397/twittertweets4.png
Guess who I found in the finale? Derpy.i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/7069455360/hEE4DA90B/
my opinion of the episode in a nutshell.
[youtube=a5R_pS0h5Qk]
834397 just to see how it would looks like (i tried to find Celestia as Eldar Farseer But but i couldn't find it)
25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md3gebiC3Y1r3xauuo1_1280.png
th01.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2013/036/1/f/pony_space_3_by_zantyarz-d5tzr3z.png
fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/035/d/e/luna_and_derpy_are_ready_for_dead_space_3_by_johnjoseco-d5tvyk3.jpg
837851 Ah yes, I know number 1 and 3!
About Farseer Celestia, I think I found a few.
daniel-the-great.deviantart.com/art/Farseer-Celestia-Colour-312400484
Eldarised:
browse.deviantart.com/art/Farseer-Celestia-298747502
Problem is probably that there arent many Bronies out ther who also know about Dawn of War and catch the drift.
837976 i wanted to draw it myself but i'm too lazy
I thought the episode was okay. I was cautiously optimistic too, and I was just a bit let down. I mean, I felt like a lot of the episode was filler, not much happened.
Hopefully the shitstorm raised will convince the devs to change her back.