Comic Review - Main Series #34 · 6:56am Sep 17th, 2015
Here we go. The Siege of the Crystal Empire. The first major multi-part story since Reflections, which promises the return of King Sombra and plot elements from Fiendship is Magic #1. With Jeremy Whitley riding high after Friends Forever #20 and the mentioned Fiendship is Magic #1, I have high expectations as I'm sure many do. So, let's not waste any more time and dig in.
We open on a cloaked figure wandering the icy wastelands north of the Crystal Empire, narration informing us that this is where the worst of the worst were banished, even beings too bad for Tartarus to hold. The information of what lies here is long forgotten to most, but it isn't gone entirely. We then get a sequence of the cloaked figure recruiting the Flim Flam Brothers, Iron Will, and Lightning Dust for a scheme, promising them vengeance against the Mane Six and to restore their reputation and glory.
Time out for the obvious tangent - odd picks for this story. Lightning Dust is fine, the Flim Flam Brothers, okay, I think the comics had an issue where they reformed as Granny Smith helped them, but they work. But Iron Will? Dood was never an antagonist in the first place, and this issue shoehorns in an excuse that the reason his seminars worked was because ponies were afraid of minotaurs, but since the Mane Six stood up to him that's gone. Nonsense, that was never part of his gimmick at all. And why just these four, or three, whatever. Isn't it tradition to go for a team of five, or six to contrast the Mane Six? Okay, Gilda and Trixie aren't evil anymore, but you could bring in Suri Polomare or the bully dragons. Hell, Suri fits in perfectly with this lot, and if you put her in place of Iron Will, you've got your three pony types represented good. But, let's see what comes of these picks before I condemn the decision behind them.
We now join Twilight and Spike helping set up the Crystal Faire, which is tomorrow. The Flim Flam brothers have set up a stall, using their cider machine to make lemonade now. They have a permit and Twilight allows it, but makes a note to have Applejack keep an eye on them. We also have Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy confronting Iron Will, but he says he's been taking meditation classes to learn to be kinder. Fluttershy tells Rainbow to let them into the faire, but Rainbow intends to keep an eye on him. Rarity and Pinkie are checking up the stalls that fall under their duties, when Lightning Dust chucks a water balloon at a clown, then at Rarity. Naturally, Rainbow comes to chase her off and Lightning Dust flees.
Applejack is checking on the Flim Flam brothers as the Crystal ponies behold the Crystal Heart, and Iron Will whispers to wait for the signal. Rainbow continues to chase Lightning Dust, and Applejack notices some odd eyes in the Flim Flam brothers' cart. And then...
...
...
...
CHANGELINGS.
A horde of Changelings erupt from the cart, and Iron Will takes the distraction to snatch the Crystal Heart. A guard runs to tell Cadance and Shining Armor the empire is under attack, and in the faire, Twilight says she has to get to the palace to help them. However, Queen Chrysalis emerges from a tent; she isn't behind this attack, but she agreed to help if only to get another shot at Twilight. The two of course begin fighting.
If I may go on a tangent - this is a brilliant and deceptive twist, and well done to the staff for doing a good job of it. Everyone was so busy looking forward to King Sombra's story elements returning and the four villains coming back, I don't think any of us expected Chrysalis to return, despite the fact Fiendship is Magic set up her escape for an obvious future story. This was very surprising and very cool, and considerably ups the danger posed by this villainous alliance from "oh, some jerks are allied against the Mane Six" to "oh no, Chrysalis is back and she's just a pawn in a larger game."
Shining Armor sees Iron Will about to take the Crystal Heart as Cadance prepares the barrier spell to defend the empire; outside the barrier, Lightning Dust laughs at Rainbow Dash, having lured her and Fluttershy away to get them trapped outside. Iron Will runs off with the Crystal Heart, but Shining Armor, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash come to their senses and begin the counter-attack. As she is wont to do, Pinkie steals the show with a Dirty Harry reference as she questions if Iron Will feels lucky to test if she loaded her party cannon with an actual cannonball this time. Rarity then fires it; it was just some heavy-duty velvet she pounded in there, and Pinkie complains about her ruining the joke.
With Chrysalis and Twilight, Chrysalis taunts Twilight has almost gotten strong enough to beat her, but of course Twilight reminds her she beat her before already, and she wasn't even an alicorn then. Chrysalis gets angry and is flattened by Iron Will shooting by. As he does we see the others have subdued the Flim Flam brothers and Lightning Dust. They're all caged while they wait for Celestia and Luna to arrive and dish out punishment, and the group looks to clean up the Faire for tomorrow. The group looks at Iron Will's satchel, but to their horror, the Crystal Heart is gone, and it's a different satchel with a mysterious emblem on it.
The cloaked figure, the Crystal Heart in her own satchel, enters the palace and uses shadow magic to reveal the hidden staircase in the throne room; Cadance seems to hear and goes to investigate. Chrysalis taunts Shining Armor their attack was a distraction to get them from the palace, and he goes running off to see Cadance. The cloaked figure enters Sombra's study and calls to him, and takes off her hood - it's Radiant Hope, Sombra's friend and would-be lover from 1000 years ago.
Shadows curl from Sombra's horn and his head forms from them, snarling that she's come to finish him off. Hope protests, but Sombra says she abandoned him the day his life was torn from him, and then got the Royal Sisters to come destroy him. Hope insists she had no idea what Princess Amore had done to him, or what Sombra really was, but she wants to make it right now. Sombra says it's already taken years for him to regain enough power just to manifest in this limited form; what can she do? Radiant blasts Sombra with a ray of magic, and in an abstract transformation sequence, Sombra reforms into his pony body. "The king has returned. Long live the king!"
This is a pretty good start to the saga, and wastes no time delivering what was promised; King Sombra is back. I always appreciate continuity and love that they set up story elements in the Fiendship mini-series to bring them into play now. Radiant Hope as a villain is a bit head-tilting, but I'll wager that after 1000 years of isolation and guilt over what happened, she probably isn't thinking straight and just wants her boyfriend back, or perhaps believes she can bring out the good in Sombra now that he's alive again. We have three more issues to get into that, though, and I'm sure we will. The action is cool, the reveal of the Changelings is good, the reveal of Hope is predictable but good, and overall everything is working very well for this story.
The only criticism I have is, once again, the choice of villains to bring in. Now it's not even a matter of who counts as a villain or not, but a matter of "why?" Why would Hope bring in Lightning Dust, Iron Will, and the Flim Flam brothers, when she has a frickin' changeling horde on her side? The changelings steal the show here and are much more of a threat than the rest. Their inclusion actually weakens the reveal; we know the villains are up to something, and it makes me impatient as we build up to the inevitable pay-off of that. The changelings themselves is an awesome twist; the attack itself is not. Heck, why even include the villains, why not just have the changelings disguise themselves that way? I get Lightning Dust being bait to lure Rainbow Dash away, but the rest were tacked-on, especially Iron Will. The Flim Flam brothers at least provided a cart to smuggle the changelings into the empire. Well, again, three more issues to explain it, maybe Hope is gonna use them as sacrifices or something.
Overall, a strong start to the story arc that justifies my high expectations. Let's just hope it can keep this epicness going.
Exactly my point. How does she even convince them? Didn't their moms tell them not to trust strangers?
Jokes aside Iron Will had good relations with Fluttershy in previous comics! Continuity dammit!
And while I get Chrysalis coming for revenge does she really just come at a stranger's call and moves a big part of her army just like that? Why does she even need them. Why does she cooperate with non changelings anyway?
Not to mention that it was clear that it was Hope from the preview.
Vavacung tried to do this in his comics with Celestia and an OC. The general consensus was that it was creepy, immature, depicted a shallow female character. I doubt if this happens it will receive different views.
Last question... HOW did Hope find Chrysalis? If she was hiding then how did she have a better time finding what Equestria could not?
3398727
Um what the hell are you talking about? I've been following that series for a long time and that OC is not shallow. The relationship is not creepy and certainly NOT immature.
Edit: Also about those other three along with the Changelings? They all had roles to fill. Lightning gets the Pegasi away from the Crystal Empire so they don't spot Radiant, you already said the Flim Flam Brother's purpose, Iron Will steals the Heart and switches it out and Chrysalis is meant to be a distraction from the main event.
3398745 The OC isn't shallow. But he kinda is when he doesn't stop Celestia from abandoning a VERY IMPORTANT diplomatic meeting with the changelings. For what? To follow her crush?
Jesus Christ Celestia priorities much?
3398758 Considering the last time she saw him was when he almost became a new Sombra in order to try and reach immortality.
3398761 War dude! Extinction! Death! THOUSANDS OF TIMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOVE!
As for what the other 3 did... The changelings transformed could do the same.
3398774 You also seem to have forgotten how insane Paper got when she turned into a Shadow pony.... and made razor sharp paper constructs and nearly ended Equestria itself. Plus... I think Cadence has everything under control. She and Chrysalis are having a nice civil conversation.
*Cut to Cadence trying to strangle Chrysalis with her bare hooves*
Oh sweet salty Christ no.
3398781 Oh I remember. But what does this have anything to do with how immature it is to leave a diplomatic meeting midway to catch up on love issues. I mean really wtf!
3398790 Yeah because if you knew about reincarnation and saw your lover again you definitely WOULDN'T be hopping up and down because you SO don't have emotions that have been pinned up inside you for the past few centuries.
3398795 Oh I am sorry the next time global extinction is about to occur I will abandon the chance to save humanity's future because my heart beats for a girl.
Yea.
Reeeeeeeeeeal mature.
Just... Dont. Dont. You clearly have no idea what's important in life.
3398836 I understand emotions and how sometimes you can't control them.
Edit: Also what's important in life is to CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND HEAR THE LAMENTATIONS OF THEIR WOMEN. Can't believe I almost a opportunity for that.
3398840 I understand that too. Which is why Celestia is being immature because she can't handle them. She flails around like a teenager on the whim of her heart while nations waste away. Who cares if the world burn right?
You can say anything you want but its stupid to claim Celestia is mature and deep when she abandoned everything for her heart.
Fuck Ghenkins Khan.
3399140 Wait..... OH! Oh no yeah immature yeah. Okay I thought you were talking about something else... oh shit I'm sorry.
3399143 it's ok.