Season Finale · 6:23pm Feb 16th, 2013
So, there are spoilers below. Beware.
Let's go over the good points first. Pinkie Pie was great. The "Alicorn Party!" scream and--above all else--the spit-take moment were wonderful. It was also nice that Celestia got a song. (I'm a big Celestia fan if you haven't noticed.)
So, about the rest of it...
Son, I am disappoint. Don't get me wrong, I think there is a good story there, but they seemed to rush through it. As a two-part episode, this might have worked. End the first part with the scorched cutie mark on the ground, and then go into the myth of the alicorn, leading to Twilight's eventual transformation. But this was awkward. It never grabbed me and pulled me in, and the transformation was...confusing. So, Twilight is an alicorn because Celestia cast a spell on her in her own special realm to make her one? If she pisses off Celestia at this point does the Princess threaten to turn her into a tree? (With Luna and Discord in the background shaking their heads and trying to get Twilight to not make Tia mad, of course.)
Now, I know that Meghan McCarthy said on Twitter that she considers the season finale the first of a three-parter, with us having to wait until next season for the second and third parts, but as a single episode today's was the worst of the series for me. I understand that the show is a vehicle to sell toys, but up until today I never felt that I was watching it on screen.
I still have faith in the show and the writers. I am already anxiously awaiting the next season. I know that these folks are going to be able to tell some wonderful stories, but I hate that this episode is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. One that, granted, might be cleared when I see parts two and three. (Which smacks a little of the writers feeling the need to clean up the mess that this one created. And I'm grateful, I think.)
So, how will this affect my stories? Simple. It won't. I'm still going to continue with things the way they are going, and tell the stories that I want to tell. And Twilight will not be an alicorn in my stuff. At least not at this point. That could change at some point, but I doubt it. At least in the Who Rules? universe I have established a background for the alicorns, and I'm sticking to it.
Ultimately what is my response? Disappointed, but not devastated. I still love the show. I still have faith that there will be great episodes next season. I'm still a brony.
Oh, but one more thing... SEVEN SONGS?! IN A HALF-HOUR EPISODE? REALLY?!!
Sorry, had to get that off my chest.
Love and Tolerate...now more than ever.
~Nom
I cant believe its already over.
Why couldn't they make season 3 25/26 episodes long like the last seasons??? 
It was okay i would say, at least Celestia was given some power, even if its stalking Twilights every move. (Thats something you can use for your stories hehe)
The Transformation happened only after Twilight returned from the realm, so i would say it is Celestia just taking Twilights consciousness to congratulate her (and to sing! yay for that
)
Good to hear this won't be affecting your stories. This was just a 'really? really?!' episode for me.
The real tragedy is the huge rush of crappy sad fics that will come out in a day about Twi being immortal and her friends dying. Least I can count on you not to sink that low (probably :))
Well, they had to make up for the songs that we're missing for that season, being that it was half the amount of episodes as the other two. They had to make it up for us somehow.