Season 5 Ending: Good or Bad? · 12:47am Nov 29th, 2015
Spoilers ahead, obviously, and just know that this is obviously my opinions. Not everyone is going to agree. Also, it's really long, and I did not plan this--I wasted a half hour with oh my god, Missy, why????
Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of the episode. I loved the time travel aspect, and all the different alternate universe were incredible. The desperation and depressing vibe hit hard, and I loved watching it. Although some were cut short, much to my dismay (seriously, not enough of that one where Discord takes over!), but given the time of the other ones, I'm not complaining too much. I know some people won't like the fact that Twilight is basically the sole hero, I don't mind in this case because a) there's no brute force in the resolution--I will be getting to that, though--and b) there's a heavy reminder that all six are significant to the show and their friendship. Which I really enjoyed.
Now onto the end, which, from what I can tell, has been incredibly split in terms of everyone's opinions on it. Some people are fine with it, some people found it too rushed and don't buy the redemption one bit. Me?
I'm on the fence about it.
The biggest thing is the backstory. I feel that there's a lot more to talk about. As for feeling abandoned by her friend after he got his Cutie Mark, that sort of starts the train up a bit. But then it just skyrockets into space and IT'S REALLY HARD TO BREATH. There's clearly more to work with. More questions. How long before Starlight got her Cutie Mark? Did she isolate herself and work on magic since then? What happened when she got her own Cutie Mark? Did she try to make friends then, or did she set off to make a town where everyone, even she, didn't have a unique one?
I think if you took out at least one Alternate Timeline from the story and expanded more on her backstory, it would be a lot more acceptable of a backstory to this woman. Overall, I can see where it's starting. After all, she never knew what the consequences would be of her actions. And I love that she just can't understand how those six friends could literally be so special and significant to the world. I think the barren wasteland scene was really strong and brought everything into perspective to her. Like she realized what was happening, but her stubborn ways kept getting in the way. She truly thought she was doing good by having everyone stay the same, and not risk heartbreak of losing a friend over something like a Cutie Mark. She got lost in the heartbreak to see reality (though again, I wish we saw more of that heartbreak yes more tears pls). My favorite villains are the kind where they do believe they are doing what's best for the world.
Kuvira freaking RULED! FIGHT MEEEEE
So quick redemptions: how do I feel about them? Well, overall, I think it's easy to say ponies are fairly forgiving people. Friendship is a main concept of this world, one that basically functions on everyone getting along. I'm not too upset that they accepted her because that's how they are. Yes, they're often dubious of other creatures, but even then, it just requires time. They hardly ever hold grudges, and if they do, they simply need to be given a right push in the right direction to realize it's ridiculous. Plus, we've seen this before, only... not entirely with ponies.
I give you Exhibit A:
Little Miss Sunset Shimmer. One of the few things I enjoy in the Equestria Girls movies. Yet let's all be real here: if someone went up to a new fan of the show and movies and told them Sunset was an well developed character with great depth and story, that new fan would see the first movie and not buy it one bit. Why? Her story was incredibly stale, as was her character. "I'm a bitch, and now that I rule the school, bow down to my metaphorical dick because I literally have no other plans aside from power because yay, I'm smart!" Her plan was pretty damn lame, gotta say. And we could all hear the groans around when the first movie came around when Sunset was given redemption not even a minute after trying to take over Equestria with her teen army. And that she'd be part of the human girls' group.
However, her character did take a complete 180 (to a point where it's hard to recognize her as the bitch in the first movie, but boy, she was annoying, so I'm not complaining) and turned into a character with motivation, skills, flaws, and good personality traits. It just took time to show the best of this character. And people have absolutely fallen for her since.
So yes, this is somewhat a rehash of the first movie, which to be honest, was the weakest of the trio. However, it is pretty clear this is only the start. After all, redemptions aren't that easy to work with. Because boy, do they take time.
For example 2, what if you're a draconequus who tried to plunge the world into chaotic hell on multiple occasions and clearly has a history among ponies as a bad guy? Even then, there's hope for you. I would've hated if they turned him to stone in "Twilight's Kingdom" or gave him some sort of harsh punishment, because that's not how ponies are. These cases were given in drastic points of history, where evil or chaos had corrupted the pony/draconequus/what have you, so all they could do was stop them and hope that, if they come back, they can find a way into their hearts. Fluttershy and eventually Twilight have grown to forgive him. It just took time.
So yeah, I do wish more was put into her backstory and that it took time to accept Starlight after what she had done, but this is a show all about friendship. Forgiveness. Love. I can't hate it when they give a character a chance to start over a new life, especially when the character wants it, too. I do want to see how it turns out into the next season, though.
I have heard rumors about Starlight becoming a member of the Mane Six and making it the Mane Seven, and uhhhhh.... I'd rather wait to see if that's true or not to really respond. Overall, I'd prefer if she was just a side character. Because while she does open up new situations and lessons for the characters to face, I'm not quite open enough to her yet to accept her as a new overall character. If they had her as a side character to show her a few episodes and let her shine then, and then work her into the next season (seventh season? Is that gonna be a thing? Hopefully!!), then that's fine. I'm extremely on the fence about that as well, but I'm tipping over to the "what the flippity-frack?" side
TL;DR (aww, but I put so much work into that ;-; lol): For Starlight's redemption, my overall thoughts are "ehh" but also "I'd rather see what's in store for season 6 before jumping to any conclusions."
I WROTE WAY TOO FUCKING LONG ABOUT THIS OH MY GOD WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY oh wait one more thing:
Stop doing this to me, DHX, goddamnit!!
EDIT: Omg, I wrote more after seeing it a second time. Kinda the same but: linky link
I agree with the backstory. I thought it was extremely weak due to time limits, but I feel like there's more to it as well. And I have only watched the first movie, but I've heard good things about Sunset. And being a huge unabashed Discord fan, I'm definitely not going to say "DON'T give her a second chance." After all, Discord's done things that were just as bad, if not worse, and he actually KNEW he was screwing things up. As you said, Shimmer wasn't as aware that she was doing such bad things. She was just being selfish and trying to protect herself in her own screwed up way.
But I DON'T feel any sympathy for her. Not at all. But then again, I used to not feel any sympathy for Diamond Tiara, and those two strike me as very similar. So I think that there may be a lot more to Starlight's history than we got here.
And I'll admit, I was one of those fans that saw the preview and was angry that only Twilight seemed to get the stage here. HOWEVER...
BINGO. And Twilight had yet another moment where she realized she needed her friends' help, and it couldn't be done, and she couldn't stop it on her own. Only the one who started it could...And in a way, that kinda makes her like Celestia, who is also a successful Princess who hasn't been able to fight on her own, and knew that somepony else was the one that needed to fix things, not her. And yes; there was a very heavy reminder that not just Twilight is important...All six of them are.
Not only that, but even Twilight said that she didn't know WHY the six of them were important, but they were.
THIS is the Twilight I love, THIS is the Twilight that I see as the Princess of Friendship who can fix things just by reaching out to others rather than relying on books. Which is why I had such a problem with the Hooffields and the McColts episode, because that was NOT the Twilight I was used to. I didn't hate the episode, but it wasn't my favorite, and I think it was that episode that gave me such a bad attitude towards the finale. I was afraid we'd have more of "I'm the Princess of Friendship, I can fix this, I'm an alicorn, let me try this method, I can do this by myself!"
Good job, Twilight, good job. You did well in the finale. You really did.
And a bunch of people are having problems with the fact that Twilight struggled in fighting Shimmer. A Princess struggling against a regular pony? But that doesn't really bother me. Twilight is still learning and she's not nearly as experienced; she's still a new Princess. And the thing with Tirek was when she was overpowered with the magic of several Alicorns...AND she'd had a long, confusing day right after a trip to Canterlot. Information and sensory overload, anyone? Heck, I'd be freaking tired too.
And Spikey...Oh my dear Spike. He loves Rarity so much, I swear. Did anyone else's heart break when Rarity told him she didn't associate herself with dragons? I don't ship Sparity, but I love Spike, and his face freaking broke me. And he was so upset when he saw the botique in the first one.
But I thought the first half of the finale was excellent and exciting. WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE DISCORD THOUGH, YES. THIS DISPLEASED ME. GAHHHHHHHHHH. I hoped when I tried telling myself not to. I hoped and I failed. But ooh, that Sombra world was something, eh? AND RAINBOW'S HAIR! AND THE WAY SHE FOUGHT THE CRYSTAL ARMY WITH MAUD AND PINKIE! OHHHH MAN, THAT WAS GREAT!
Can we make Rainbow's hair in that timeline canon? I thought she looked fantastic.
And we got to see filly Flutters again. OOOOOOOH SO KAWAIIIII.
And I too enjoyed the darker tone. Especially since they managed to do so with a children's show.
Overall, this was a pretty good finale, and I'm not surprised. This show always seems to do well with finales, in my opinion. Of course, my favorite finale is still season 4. Because DISCORD BETRAYAL FEELS!!!!
But here is the one thing that did irk me, and that's what you said right here...
Like I said, I'm totally with you on the idea of Shimmer being forgiven. It goes with everything else that happens and while I don't feel any sympathy for her, well, I might feel that later for her, as I have with so many others. But I do not want her as another main, especially if it changes the Mane Six to the Mane Seven. The Mane Six have had five seasons together, and that can't be taken back. And it will just feel like a random addition, if she's brought in as one of them. She doesn't have an Element or a throne, either. I'm hoping becomes a side character. And it's not like EQG, where Twilight isn't always in the world, while Sunset is. The six are always together.
And in another way I feel kinda bad about this, because it's a show about friendship, and in real life, I would be miserable if there was a group of friends I wanted to be a part of, but I couldn't because they were already a tight-knit group from past experiences I wasn't a part of. I don't want to portray the Mane Six as some club that's hard to get into. BUT this IS a show, and shows are not like real life. This show has already highlighted the Mane Six as the characters, and there are just certain things that fans won't want to change. I feel like this is one of them. Yes, in real life, it's great for a group to accept new friends. I had a group of three friends that shrunk to two, only for it to go back to three and then four, with five of us in all.
But with a show, you need to have certain consistencies, and I just...don't want her there. Give her some episodes, like Discord and the CMC do, and we're good. But don't change everything...please. I like my Six just the way they are.
Though I don't want TOO many side character episodes either. Unless it's Discord. Because bias. Yes, I'm so selfish, I know.
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I wasn't particularly bugged by that, but I did realize this was such a backward track in her character. She had solved lots of friendship lessons without resorting to books. I do enjoy her adorkable side, but I am super glad when she doesn't turn to books for the solution like she did once upon a time. It shows her growth as Princess of Magic.
Well, her Nightmare Moon hair certainly wasn't, well, great. But yes, them bangs!
Lil' Fluttershy reminds me of my little sister, who was way too tall for her age group when she was younger. I couldn't take the cute! Also, Fluttershy in the changeling line looking cute in braids despite, you know, war and stuff. And earrings? I almost cried from laughing. And dropped my jaw when she was savage as hell.
Thinking about it, the speculation that she'll be a new main is slowly becoming ridiculous. For Starlight to become a main character, she has to deserve it. She has to show her showing her true colors, like Sunset did. Sunset and Discord's reformations didn't come to them easily; they earned it (though Discord... errr, he certainly had his ups and downs, huh?
Still learning, that silly. I mean, why would they bring in this character we only met this season only if they suddenly went "Oh, meet the new main character, guys! Have fun, hey put down those pitchforks"? Doesn't add up.
But of course. Discord > everyone else (except Fluttershy, she best!).
Speaking of him, I had a strange idea before actually watching the episode that he would just appear in one time line and basically be that omnipotent character who knows about all the time lines--sort of like Zecora did, but not as vaguely. Totally wasn't likely, but I've just been playing a game where a character, normally known to be a lazy bones, can see into multiple time lines. And it got stuck in my head. Either way, only a few seconds of Discord. DISAPPOINT 0/10 WORST SEASON EVA