To Where and Back again Parts One and Two

This is the Season Six Finale, and I have to admit this was really good as it did a fantastic job wrapping up the season's main plot points very well and gave us more world-building with the Changelings. I mainly liked how it was centered around Starlight Glimmer, as most of the episodes focused on her dealing with her past and making amends, and this was the ultimate challenge for her not to abuse her powers while being in charge. The main plot in the first half revolves around this issue as Starlight is worried that the ponies she controls in "Our Town" would still resent her despite inviting her to be in charge of a baking competition. She goes but is accompanied by Trixie and then leaves at the last minute, returning to Ponyville and discovering the mane six acting odd. She then learns they have all been kidnapped and replaced by Changelings! This is a great segue to the second half as it establishes Starlight's trauma from her past, which still lingers about what she did and how this new threat is forcing her to face it head-on. It reminds me of the Avatar the Last Airbender episode, where Toph teaches Aang to stop avoiding his problems and face them head-on.

So in the Finale's second half, Starlight has to lead the ultimate rescue mission to save all the main characters and Royalty with an odd group: Thorax, a reformed changeling; Discord, the brooding and whiny Lord of Chaos; and Trixie, who is somewhat annoyed and constantly butting heads with Discord. Keeping this ragtag group in line would have been impossible for most, but Starlight made it work, taking advice from her fellow rescuers as they infiltrated the Changeling Hive, where the ponies were foalnapped and keeping Discord and Trixie from being at each other's throats. Thanks to seeing Thorax changing, they discover that Changelings can embrace love like Thorax did and never go hungry seeing Chrysalis how she used to be. Seeing Thorax change and become the new leader of the Changelings leads to the transformation of the rest of the Changelings, which I like personally. They look so colorful, and it shows how they changed from the dark, hungry creatures they used to be to these powerful, beautiful forms. The Season Finale also bridges Starlight's episodes and Thorax's, melding their arcs together into a beautiful and engaging season finale. I think this season finale is one of my favorites as it wrapped up a somewhat directionless season, despite the season still being good overall. I'm also glad that Starlight had a full arc to ultimately let go of her past mistakes and open herself to new opportunities and friendships. I wish there were more episodes in this season to see her on this journey, but I am satisfied with what we have.