The Beginning of the End p2 - Episode Reaction

Alright! Got all hyped up from part 1! Ya’ll know I’m a freaking Sombra fangirl, so that was a sweet arse warm up!

Now let’s DO THIIIIIIS!

S P O I L E R S

Recap *CinemaSins sin noise ding effect*

*Sigh* Even his evil laughter is such a shame with that voice choice… whyyyy?

Shame they gonna run the final season with that intro song that still doesn’t match the imagery with the song in matching pace… so off.

Okay, with this extra energy he’s putting into his evil laughter™ at this point is actually kinda good.

Oh gosh, that attempt to tap the pieces together in that way had me laughing out loud.

Just a thought, I wonder how all the Crystal Ponies are faring with their PTSD after last episode.

Okay, that’s a pretty neat creepy imagery with them shadow hands.

Not even one mention of the Tree’s big “inner Rainbow Super Magic Was Inside You All Along” thing from back when with the box and all. But I guess they happily erased that from their memory at this point. And probably needed the Tree for that. Hmm, does the Tree have anything of itself stored in the Map? Is that growing sentience it has shown saved there someway?

And hafta ask by now… how about the Pillars? They still out there and beat villain arses before too. They gotta be useful backup at least to help out, right?

How about the Tree’s roots under the School and its effects on the Student Six? And those artifacts?

Okay, back to watching the episode. Where was I.. ah yes, mandatory Twilight going “And it’s all my fault!”

Actually a pretty good scene of them battling despair after all that confidence. And it’s no longer JUST Twilight having issues.

Dirt at the dirt pone.

Return of Pinkie Drill!!

Oh Rarity. We need a remix of her “show me the MONEY!” misused in every way.

And… he really didn’t let the crystals reach each other UNDER the ground… I guess those crystal surfaces everywhere in the Empire usually makes digging out a less of an easy tactic.

Even the cake decor has been turned evil!!

Oh, I actually forgot the Tree’s job of holding back the Everfree’s growth!

… they seriously gonna try and tame the Everfree… with one gardening tool each? Okay, they truly are scrambling right now.

ONE earth pony is all it took to take down the front gate. The royal guards apparently unable to do anything with their signal horns destroyed.. Equestrian military never gonna be given a chance to look competent, is it?

Really, were ARE they? The princesses are usually gone due to Dumbass in Distress tropes, not from fleeing.

They already lost their gardening tools.

“Come on everypony!” she says… to the animals..

Short actually pretty intense scene of the vines capturing her as she protects the animals. Nice.

Oh, there they are. Actually came in to try and help. Neat.

Gasp! Starswirl DID show up?? Does this mean…? *Looking around* No..? No other Pillars? Aww..

Actually pretty sweet powermove there, Starswirl.

Ahahahah! Evil controlled Wonderbolts!

So many background pony cameos.

Yaaas, those control helmets~
I’m mostly all up about them because headcanons and Glimmershine’s background story. Let me have my fun.

Kinda love how only Fluttershy is seen smiling at Discord’s sudden appearance (and possibly his joke too). Aww. Besties.

Poodles.

Redecorating with Sombra: Black Crystal Everything.

As much as Discord’s petty speeches can get annoying, I’m highly amused by Sombra’s repeat attacks with no change in tactic just get twarted by turned into something different by Discord each time.

Callback to how Discord loves to try pass attention to Fluttershy to- AAAGH!! LOWERED GUARD, SELF SACRIFICE TO TWART OP DRACONEQUUS BACKUP!!

… hoow… does dark magic hurt a creature which barely holds proper physical anatomy?

Sombra back there in the background being all “Oookay, rude interrupting my monologueing, but I… guess I’ll let you have your moment? Is okay, guess I’ll just get back to gloating once you’re done.”

Okay, loving the visual of being able to see Sombra in the back making his way towards them despite not centered and kept blurred.

That Deflecting Magic Headspin looked hella badass right there.

“We shall never stop trying to defeat you! At some point you’ll just have to quit just out of annoyance!!”

Oh gosh, Sombra’s faces he’s pulling, he looks like he’s fighting to not get into a cryface and yell “it’s not fair, yer cheating!!”

Aah.. AAAH! AAAAAAAHHHHHH!! Twilight wavy Alicorn mane! She gonna evolve!!??

Woah… That visual of Sombra was surprisingly unsettling. Full on Thanos dusting yet with some distortion too. Neat.

Pretty sure that was the last thing the Sisters expected to walk in on.

Also, aww, no new evolution for Twilight. YET. I’m having a pretty good guess what might go down at least in the finale finale. They ain’t gonna tease us like that without finally giving Twilight the full alicornification at the end!

Well, that’s the smartest thing you have said YET, Princess Sunbutt. Also DUUUH!

Ah, that’s how Discord somehow got that badly hurt. At least that’s a pretty good excused compared to other cases of needing to put OP’s aside to let the Mane Six save the day. Heh, oh Discord. He try. His own way. Kinda counts.

Oh Discord. For some reason, that’s greatest exit I have ever seen him do XD

“I heard that!”

I have an odd fascination with following how Twilight’s bangs bounce whenever she spins her head from side to side.

Huh… I’ll admit I actually thought Sombra’s arc would purely be the first parter and then the Foul Five would get together for part two. Actually excited to see I’m wrong. We’ll get a full season worth of villain plotting ahead of us this way instead, and Sombra got a lot more screen time this way to make up for his past appearances didn’t even give him any proper lines. Heck, the ponies don’t even know yet Grogar is around or that Tirek and Cozy Glow are free from Tartarus, or that Sombra can be resurrected by Grogar at any time. Actually a neat setup, while we are usually used to seeing villains destroyed around same episodes they were revealed.

Ahahahahagah!! She actually got them herded into a (-n attempted) bonding exercise!!

Ahahaha, that suddenly letting go to hide they were holding hands/hooves!

Foul Four works better too anyway. But aww..? no more Sombra……??

Okay, wow, this season start was… something. Wow.

Didn’t meet ALL expectations, but also managed to throw the viewers in for a loop. Which is nice as that worked GREAT for last season finale. I like things ain’t 100% predictable. A lot felt rushed, missing a few steps in logic and a bit of a feeling of a mess, but not sure how much of that is my current migraine interfering. Still, I liked it! Really adored the appearance of Sombra, but saddened by it shown as his last return with Grogar’s comment.

Will admit, I’m a sucker for an over-villain who can keep the rest of the power houses in check. Grogar isn’t how I would imagined him, due to the popular fan depictions over the years. His loss in volume loses a bit of his intimidation factor. He used to be played up as the actual goat devil, but I understand down playing that a bit in modern kids entertainment, I guess.

Chrysalis was a great letdown in last season, I really hope she gets a chance to shine again. She’s a good villain in her own right when allowed the proper resources and to actually show her skills for intimidation. Which, again, makes her loss of that creepy voice a great loss indeed.

I look forward to see what plans Grogar has for all three of them.

For now, I applaud this start of the finale season. Looking forward to see where they’ll take it. My guesses are this season will feature Twilight’s lessons to prepare for her eventual rise to the throne. Which probably will happen at the last season finale, along with full alicornfication with floaty mane and everything.

We’ll see. For now, I’m pleased. My fangirl side for King Sombra has been quite happy with this double feature of him, both with the good and bad of it.