SPOILERS? Mariusioannesp Reviews: My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games · 4:27am Oct 1st, 2015
Just so you know, there are spoilers here for My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games. Probably doesn’t matter much because that was a couple of days ago.
Now, without further ado, here is my review of the third installment of the Equestria Girls film series My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games.
Canterlot High is preparing to take on their arch-rivals Crystal Prep in the upcoming Friendship Games. However, Sunset Shimmer and the Humane 5 are shocked to discover that one of the Crystal Prep students they’re competing against is none other than Twilight Sparkle! Well actually, it’s the human world’s bespectacled scientist Twilight Sparkle. You know, the one teased after the credits of Rainbow Rocks. Let’s call her Sci-Twi for her fondness for science. This Sci-Twi has come to Canterlot High in part to study the strange energy she’s detected emanating from the school. Speaking of that, Sunset Shimmer is tasked with trying understand how magic works in this world so that it doesn’t flare up at the wrong time and Canterlot is accused of cheating in the Games. Sunset Shimmer is not sure if she’s up to the task though. However, things start to go haywire when Sci-Twi’s scientific device goes out of control and siphons the magic from the Humane 5. She eventually gives in to the ultimate temptation to use this magic to win the Games for Crystal Prep, which does not go very well. Will Sci-Twi learn the true meaning of magic? Will Sunset Shimmer learn what she is capable of when it comes to magic?
So, what’s the verdict?
The third installment of any trilogy is oftentimes the weakest link and the one that is most likely to go off the rails. Just look at The Matrix or The Neverending Story. On second thought, don’t look at The Neverending Story. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever watch The Neverending Story 3! Thus saith the Nostalgia Critic!
Anyway, I honestly can’t say this is my favorite of the three Equestria Girls films. But it does take Equestria Girls in a whole different direction that it needs to if it intends on going on in the future.
So yeah, I liked it.
We begin the telefilm with Sunset Shimmer rushing to Canterlot High after being alerted to an emergency by Rainbow Dash. The rest of the Humane 5 assemble, and it turns out Rainbow’s emergency was that she broke her guitar string. She wants to show off her musically induced magical pony up to the Crusaders. Sunset Shimmer happens to have an extra guitar string because she plays the guitar, which you all never bothered to ask her about in Rainbow Rocks! Yes, I am still miffed about that.
Sunset Shimmer stays behind while the others go to watch Rainbow Dash do her thing so she can write a magical journal letter to Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle. She tells her how she’s been trying to understand how their magic works in this world. You know like in that “Science of Magic” short. While she’s writing this, a mysterious girl in a hoody disembarks a bus and starts poking around with some gadget at the portal to Equestria. When Sunset spots the girl, she runs off, but Sunset gives chase. The girl gets on another bus and pulls off her hood revealing she’s Twilight Sparkle! Not our Twilight Sparkle, but the one teased at the end of Rainbow Rocks also known as Sci-Twi. This Sci-Twi returns to Crystal Prep Academy where she has all the research we’ve seen before that she’s gathered. She fiddles with her gadget and uses it to create some kind of arc reactor. This leads into the opening sequence with the titular song “Friendship Games.” In the run-up to the film, I recall some were already lamenting that the songs here don’t seem like they were going to be as good as those in Rainbow Rocks. The songs of Rainbow Rocks have to be better because it was a musical. But the songs here were almost just as good. “Friendship Games” has managed to worm its way into my head and refuses to leave.
Back at Canterlot High, Sunset discusses her run in with this mysterious girl with the Humane 5, wondering if the girl another magical threat from Equestria or not. Sunset is pretty sure she was actually from this world. There’s a ever so slight reference to Sunset Shimmer’s past of trying to take over this world, but it’s not dwelled on and there’s no recurring “No offense” this time. Anyway, Rainbow figures that since the mystery girl came on a bus from the city and ran off on a bus to the city, then she’s probably a student from Crystal Prep trying to prank them in the run up to the Friendship Games. We then get the history of Canterlot’s rivalry with Crystal Prep, how they have beaten Canterlot at everything and insist on gloating about it. Rainbow insists though that this time will be different because they have all changed Canterlot High for the better. Later on, there’s a pep rally, where Principal Celestia explains that the Friendship Games are held every four years to promote excellence, sportsmanship, and fidelity. The student body is not so enthused, and Flash Sentry cries out a comment about how they always lose. Yeah, apparently speaking out of turn at assemblies is an established character trait for him now. Rainbow Dash takes the stage and assures them in a rousing speech how this time they’re going to win because they’re Wondercolts. This leads into the “CHS Rally Song” all about how they’ve defeated magic and how they’ve changed for the better as a school. I liked this song; it was very peppy. At the end, Rainbow ends up ponying up and flies into the air. This leaves Sunset with the question of how Rainbow was able to pony up now without playing guitar. On top of that Vice Principal Luna gives Sunset the task of keeping the magic at Canterlot High under control lest they be accused of cheating in the Friendship Games. Sunset then jots down a quick message to Sci-Twi about what happened to Rainbow and her own suspicion that their magic is changing somehow.
Back at Crystal Prep, the other Sci-Twi Sparkle makes her way to her lab where we see she doesn’t really interact or get along with her fellow students. She makes it back to her lab where she has a discussion with her dog Spike. She tends to do that a bit. With her arc reactor thing, Sci-Twi will now be able to track and contain the strange energy she’s detected around Canterlot High. The Friendship Games will give her ample opportunity to do so. She hopes this research will guarantee that she makes it into the Everton Independent Study program. That’s when none other than Dean Cadance shows up...
WHAT IS WRONG WITH HER FACE?!
Moving on, the Cadance of this world is the dean of Crystal Prep Academy. She’s there to tell Sci-Twi that the academy’s principal wishes to see her. Sci-Twi hopes she has news about her application to this Everton. Cadance though tries to advise her that maybe an independent study program may not be the best thing for her because she’ll by herself a lot. Sci-Twi though doesn’t think there’s anything else she needs to learn here at Crystal Prep and wants to move on to pursue her own studies into math and science. This leads into the song “What More Is Out There.” This one reminded me a lot of Sci-Twi’s first song from the first Equestria Girls “This Strange World.” So, Sci-Twi arrives at the rather shadowy principal’s office and we are introduced to Principal Abacus Cinch. 
Principal Cinch is the closest thing this film has to an actual villain. She is portrayed by Iris Quinn. I don’t know who that is. Anyway, Principal Cinch is very concerned with reputation, both of Crystal Prep and herself, and the influence it brings. She also considers herself the reason Crystal Prep has excelled in the Friendship Games. It’s for this reason that Principal Cinch wishes to speak with Sci-Twi. She even brought in her own brother Shining Armor to talk to her about it because he’s an alumnus.
Oh my. Matt Smith called. He wants his chin back.
Moving on, Principal Cinch is concerned since Canterlot High has undergone a bit of a renaissance. They’ve improved so much that they may stand a chance at beating Crystal Prep at the Friendship Games. That would not be good for their reputation. In light of that, Principal Cinch thinks it would further tarnish their reputation if their star pupil Sci-Twi didn’t participated in the Friendship Games. Sci-Twi is not interested in participating in the Friendship Games. Principal Cinch, however, brings up the fact that she has the influence to get Sci-Twi accepted into the Everton Independent Study program or to get her denied. If Sci-Twi participates, Cinch will make sure she’s accepted. Given this turn of events, Sci-Twi is concerned she won’t have as much of a chance to research the strange energy she’s detected.
Sci-Twi boards the bus to to Canterlot High and meets her fellow Crystal Prep Shadowbolts, Indigo Zap, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, and Sour Sweet. I see what they were doing with the Shadowbolts. They’re clearly meant to parallel the Humane 5, their shadows if you will. However, they didn’t really do that too well. For most of them, it’s hard to figure out who they’re supposed to parallel. Plus, they’re not really that well developed. My favorite among them though was Sour Sweet because of how utterly schizophrenic she was. Her compliments and good gestures are often accompanied by insults. My second favorite was Sugarcoat due to how blunt she could be. 
What is with that thing on Sunny Flare’s wrist? It looks like that thing Leela has on her wrist on Futurama.
So, Sci-Twi and her fellow Shadowbolts arrive at Canterlot where Sci-Twi comes to a rather shocking discovery. All the students at this school she’s never been seem to know her name. I think I’ve read Equestria Girls fanfictions like that. She even bumps into every Brony’s favorite character.
Yep, she bumped into Flash Sentry. They don’t do that whole “We got to stop meeting each other like this” schtick again. Oh, thank you, merciful God!
I’m still feeling a little Popish. Can you tell?
Anyway, Sci-Twi is just confused but kind of blushy by her encounter with Flash Sentry, and he is left dejected by her sudden running off. But every Brony’s actual favorite character is there to console him. 
Meanwhile, the Humane 6 are at band practice, still ponying-up whilst playing their music. And Sunset’s playing the guitar! Rainbow hopes that one of the Friendship Games events is a music competition. Of course not; that would be too repetitive. Since the events are a closely guarded secret, Rarity has made uniforms for every possible occasion. While her friends question all the energy Rarity has put into all this stuff, Rarity assures them that being this generous with her friends fills her with energy. Then she ponies-up! Just outside, Sci-Twi’s arc reactor detects Rarity’s magic, and then to Sci-Twi’s surprise siphons the magic into itself! Rarity suddenly becomes exhausted but no one else thinks much of it. Sci-Twi walks in and everyone assumes she’s the Twilight we all know and love. They’re quite confused by her statement that she’s a Crystal Prep student. Then, Principal Celestia is giving Principal Cinch a tour when she also spots Sci-Twi, also mistaking her for the pony one. Principal Cinch clears it whilst guiding Sci-Twi away back to the other Crystal Prep students. Principal Celestia is confused by this until Pinkie explains that this Twilight must be the human Twilight because regular Twilight doesn’t wear glasses or go to Crystal Prep. Yeah! Another of those moments! That just leaves Principal Celestia even more confused.
Anyway, the Humane 6 are surprised and shocked this Sci-Twi is a Crystal Prep student and that they’re going to have to compete against her. Sunset is frustrated because their Twilight could have figured out the whole magic problem that she as of yet has been unable to. She also feels some guilt for basically being the reason magic was introduced in this world when she stole Twilight’s crown. Her friends though remind her that she was the one who figured out what was going on with the sirens in the last movie, and they’re sure now she’ll be able to figure this out. Sunset still hasn’t received an answer back from Princess Twilight, and she figures maybe she could reach out to Princess Twilight through the portal. However, Sci-Twi’s arc reactor sucks the magic portal out of the statue, making it disappear! Sunset apprises her friends of the situation, and she confronts Sci-Twi at a party for the Friendship Games as she suspects she’s responsible. The other Shadowbolts get involved, and while everyone’s distracted, Sci-Twi slips away where her arc reactor opens a portal under some bleachers to what appears to be that forest in Apple Bloom’s nightmares in “Bloom and Gloom” oddly enough. Pinkie Pie tries befriending this Sci-Twi, and they note that this party needs a pick me up with Canterlot and Crystal Prep students generally shying away from each other and all. Meanwhile, Principal Celestia announces Canterlot’s twelve competitors for the Friendship Games, which of course includes the Humane 6 and a bunch of other people like Flash Sentry. Pinkie Pie gets the party started in earnest and breaks out the party canons with Sci-Twi. Human Pinkie has party canons now. She will be unstoppable. With her spreading of joy and laughter Pinkie Pie suddenly ponies-up, but then just as quickly Sci-Twi’s arc reactor sucks the magic out of her! Principal Cinch also puts the damper on the party, criticizing Canterlot’s choice of competitors as being based on their popularity. While priding her for her momentary improvement of the party, the rest of the Humane 6 asks Pinkie what happened. She explains that she ponied-up and that the magic just drained out of her when Sci-Twi was around.
The Friendship Games officially begin with an academic decathalon. What follows is a sequence set to the song “ACADECA.” It is rather similar to the sequence that accompanied “Under Our Spell” in Rainbow Rocks. Either way, I liked this song. It even features a couple of stanzas from their Shadowbolt competitors. In this sequence, we see the “Mane 6” competitors while the extra members of their respective teams fail in amusing ways. Flash Sentry is out after baking a loaf of white bread in the Home-Ec competition that’s the only thing blander than he is in this movie. 
Pinkie, on the other hand, bakes a cake with an image of the Mona Lisa in it.
The final event comes down to Sunset and Sci-Twi having to solve some kind of complex high-order math equation. Sci-Twi wins, and Crystal Prep is declared the winner of the first round of events. Still, Sunset's friends are overjoyed by what she's accomplished because she's gotten them closer to actually winning than they've ever been before. Sci-Twi's Shadowbolt associates not do much. She did get congratulated by Flash Sentry though only for him to be shrugged off again. This is the last time he shows in the film. Either way, the Humane 6 and Sci-Twi and the "Shadow 5" are declared the winners of the first round who will move on to the second.
Later on, Fluttershy tries her hand at befriending Sci-Twi. She wants to cheer her up because it seems teammates weren’t that enthused about her victory so she has her hold Angel Bunny. This act of kindness though causes Fluttershy to pony up, but this activates Sci-Twi’s arc reactor, causing it open a bunch of little portals. A jackalope hops out of a portal and Sci-Twi’s dog Spike gives chase through the various portals. As the arc reactor drains Fluttershy’s magic, Spike gets caught up in the magic stream and is suddenly imbued with the gift of speech! Sci-Twi runs off in horror, but the now talking dog Spike gives chase. Soon enough, Sci-Twi comes to terms with this rather odd course of events. What’s worse though is that Principal Cinch subtly orders Sci-Twi to spy on their competition or else her application is caput.
Fluttershy explains what happened to her, citing Sci-Twi’s arc reactor as the possible culprit. So, Sunset figures Sci-Twi is stealing magic, but they’re not too sure if she’s the magic stealing type. Sunset has no idea what’s going on, and the only pony who could help is unreachable. Rainbow thinks they should focus on beating the Shadowbolts for now, and they find out the second round consists of archery, speed roller skating, and motocross.
They compete in pairs in each event. It’s Rainbow Dash and Sunset Shimmer vs Indigo Zap and Sugarcoat in motocross, Rarity and Pinkie Pie vs Sunny Flare and Lemon Zest in speed skating, and Applejack and Fluttershy vs Sci-Twi and Sour Sweet in archery. The rules are that each team cannot start their event until their partner team completes their event. The games are on again, and Applejack and Sour Sweet have no difficulty hitting their targets. Fluttershy and Sci-Twi have a bit a trouble, but Fluttershy eventually gets it, allowing Rarity and Pinkie to start on the skate track. Sci-Twi continues to have trouble hitting her targets until Applejack helps her out. This act of honesty causes Applejack to pony up, and Sci-Twi’s arc reactor sucks her magic away! Arc reactor goes haywire, causing portals to open up all over the place! Killer carnivorous plants come through the portals and start attacking the competitors. The skating competitors complete their course, and the motocross is on! The killer plants attack the Shadowbolts as well as Sunset. Rainbow Dash turns back and allows Sunset to take her bike to win. This act of loyalty causes Rainbow to pony up, and she stays behind to help the Shadowbolts and fight off the killer plants. Sunset manages to win, and so Canterlot takes the second round. Right after, Sci-Twi apologizes to the Humane 6 because she had no idea any of that would happen. Her arc reactor takes Rainbow’s magic while she tries to explain that she doesn’t know why it does that or opens portals. Sunset really beats Sci-Twi up over meddling with powers beyond her puny human ken and risking everyone’s lives in the process, causing Sci-Twi to run off.
Principal Cinch happens to hear all this, and she tries to insist to Principal Celestia that these goings on gave Canterlot an unfair advantage. Principal Celestia suggests given the extenuating circumstances they declare a tie, but Principal Cinch won’t accept that. No siree. Sunset apologizes to Principal Celestia for not being able to stop this from happening. She really beats herself up for not figuring out how to control the magic that wouldn’t even be there if it wasn’t for her. Even if they beat the Shadowbolts, it won’t matter because Principal Cinch thought they cheated because of the magic. Sunset could end up letting the whole school down.
The final tie-breaking round will be basically a game of capture the flag, but we don’t get the chance to actually see this. While Sunset discusses with her friends the need to apologize to Sci-Twi, Principal Cinch suggests to Sci-Twi that they could regain Crystal Prep’s edge if she releases the magic her arc reactor has collected. Canterlot has already used it to their advantage she says. Sci-Twi has her misgivings since she doesn’t understand how it works. Then the unexpected happens. Principal Cinch starts singing. Principal Cinch and the Shadow 5 get the song “Unleash the Magic.” MLP proper has tended to skimp on the villain songs. The only ones so far are Queen Chrysalis’ “This Day Aria” from “A Canterlot Wedding” and Starlight Glimmer’s “Our Town” in “The Cutie Map.” Equestria Girls has been more generous though with the Dazzlings’ many songs in Rainbow Rocks. And now this. Anyway, Sci-Twi is convinced to unleash the magic, and she becomes consumed by, transforming into a horror to behold. 
Behold! Midnight Sparkle! Some of us have wondered what an evil Twilight Sparkle would be like. This is it! I like how she has glowing flames around her eyes, like her eyeglasses!
Principal Cinch tries to run off from the monster Sci-Twi has become, insisting everyone else should too. Yeah, a monster you created, harlot! Midnight Sparkle, consumed with the understanding of magic, starts opening dimensional rifts to various locales in Equestria because she wants to understand all magic. Sunset tries to talk Sci-Twi out of it because she’s been where Sci-Twi is before. She picks up the arc reactor and tells Sci-Twi about what true magic is all about. True magic is about honesty, loyalty, laughter, kindness, generosity, and most of all friendship. The arc reactor absorbs the Humane 5’s residual elements. She tosses the arc reactor on the ground and is assumed by the Rainbow Power, causing her to transform as well. 
Introducing Daydream Shimmer!
Oh, I get it! Sci-Twi’s “arc reactor” is shaped like a locket because it’s like the locket that contained the Rainbow of Light in G1 MLP. At least, that’s how Sunset used it.
It’s also interesting how they both have horns now. From what I understand, the novelization of the first Equestria Girls describes them as having horns when they ponied up because it was probably based on an earlier draft of the script. I imagine they went without the horns because having girl dolls with horns on their head would be weird.
In spite of this though, the Midnight Sparkle doll still doesn’t have a horn.
Moving on, Sunset seals all the rifts and engages in a climactic magical laser battle with Midnight Sparkle. It was so EPIC!!! Sunset engulfs them both in a ball of light. There, Sunset offers to show Sci-Twi another way, just like someone did for her. 
The magic dissipates, and Sci-Twi and Sunset are back to normal. Sci-Twi apologizes to everyone, and Sunset assures her she’ll be forgiven. She knows that from experience. Principal Cinch happens to show up again demanding Canterlot forfeit the Friendship Games because Canterlot has been using magic for their own personal gain. The Shadow 5 point out though that Cinch manipulated Sci-Twi into using the magic for herself, whiling accepting their own part in that. But all they did was sing one song about it. Principal Cinch threatens to take this to the school board, but Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna, and Dean Cadance point out that they doubt anyone will believe anything Cinch has to say about what happened. In the end, Principal Celestia declares everyone a winner! Later on, Sci-Twi tells Dean Cadance that she no longer wants to do the Everton Independent Study program. She’s realized that she has to learn about friendship and wants to transfer to Canterlot High to learn all about it. (Wait, how will that work? One would presume she lives with her family in this city. She’s going to commute everyday just to learn about friendship.) Anyway, Sunset tells her friends that she’s figured out how magic works in this world. It manifests when they’re showing the truest part of themselves. All this time, Sunset had been hoping someone else would give her the answer. She just had to look for it herself. That’s a lesson I can stand behind if that is indeed the lesson. They won’t always be able to rely on Princess Twilight the next time magical events occur. Sci-Twi offers her services in that regard now that she’ll be attending Canterlot High. In the end, the sunset turns into a purple and a golden star hanging in the sky.
While there’s isn’t exactly a post-credits scene like the last time, we do have a “pre-credits” scene. (You know, to accommodate the bump to the next thing while the credits roll in the corner.) Princess Twilight comes through the portal when Sunset, Sci-Twi, and the rest are having a picnic by the statue. She apologizes for not coming sooner because of some kind of time-travel loop that she says was the strangest thing she’s ever been through. And then she spots the Sci-Twi, and says it’s actually the second strangest!
Like I said in the beginning, Friendship Games was certainly different and needfully so. Firstly, there’s the scale of it. This is the only Equestria Girls film to premiere directly on television rather than get a limited theatrical release. This is certainly reflective in the scale of the film. Rather than be up against a magical foe from Equestria, the antagonists are a rival school, in particular its principal, inhabited by mundane humans. At least as mundane as pastel-colored humans can be. Outside the climactic battle, this film was much less epic than the last two and more in a slice of life vein. It’s even reflected in the writing staff behind it. The previous two Equestria Girls films were written by Meghan McCarthy. She’s always had a flair for the epic as can be seen in episodes like “A Canterlot Wedding” and “Twilight’s Kingdom.” Friendship Games, though, was written by Josh Haber, whose episodes are pretty much slice of life ones.
That isn’t to say that there’s a problem with Friendship Games being more slice of life. Less of an emphasis on the epic fantasy element that comes from MLP proper is actually a critical step in Equestria Girls’ further development. I see Friendship Games as a bold experiment to see if they could make an Equestria Girls film that is as divorced as possible from MLP proper. In that, they succeeded. Equestria and its ponies figure very little in this film. The only time you see a pony is very briefly when Midnight Sparkle opens all those rifts at the end of the film. And of course, Princess Twilight has that brief cameo at the end of the film. This is a critical step if Equestria Girls wants to stand on its own in the future. And we already know there is a future. But more on that later.
One of the most fatal flaws of Friendship Games, though, is how repetitive it could be. The film often recycles elements from previous Equestria Girls films and puts them into this new context, but it fails to make them unique. One example is how Sunset Shimmer is under pressure to solve this magic problem just like Twilight is under pressure to solve the magic problem in Rainbow Rocks. Also, Sci-Twi’s song is also very similar to Twilight’s first song in the first Equestria Girls. The middle segment featuring several characters competing while set to a song is something we also saw in Rainbow Rocks. The climactic battle between Sunset Shimmer and a Twilight Sparkle was also in the first Equestria Girls. Though in that case, it was appropriate in that it brought this whole arc of development in this trilogy full circle.
Speaking of Sunset shimmer, this was most certainly Sunset Shimmer’s movie. It’s not surprising given the central role she played in Rainbow Rocks. Really, the Equestria Girls series is the story of Sunset Shimmer. She begins as a villain who couldn’t understand the magic of friendship and becomes a hero in her own right embodying that magic of friendship. The focus on Sunset Shimmer in Equestria Girls is certainly what makes it unique and stand on its own apart from MLP proper.
Also, Sunset is now dressed in the flowing blouse and jeans get up that she first wore in the musical shorts “Friendship Through the Ages” and “My Past Is Not Today.” 
I wonder if the wardrobe change is supposed to be significant. 
I find it interesting that Sunset Shimmer now regularly wears pants. I remember in Tommy Oliver’s initial review of Equestria Girls, he found it odd that all but two of the female characters, those being Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, wore skirts most of the time. After Adagio and Aria Blaze in Rainbow Rocks, now there’s Sunset Shimmer who has forsaken the hallowed skirt. There was also Lyra who instead of a skirt wore one of those crocheted knit shorts that seem to be oddly popular these days. 
Look, midriff!
No, that was not me excitedly gawking at a possibly underaged teen girl’s midriff. That would be weird! 
Help me, Jesus!
But what of our favorite waifu stealer Brad. I mean, Flash Sentry. Does he finally get the development we Flash Sentry apologists think he deserves? Nope. Was that to be expected? Eyup. Flash Sentry plays less of a role here than in the previous two Equestria Girls films. He barely figures in it beyond two moments where he tries to be friendly to Sci-Twi. Now, Season 5 of MLP so far seems like a love letter to the Brony fandom, and that’s great. Though there are Party Poopers and Debbie Downers among us who have warned of the dangers of such pandering. I think this is an example of that. Now there have been instances where I wasn’t very happy with something MLP has done. Twilicorn and making “Slice of Life” the 100th Episode for example. But rather than kvetch and moan about it, I trusted in the writing staff that they knew what they were doing. I can respect someone for doing something I don’t understand is a good idea as long as they can eventually convince me that it is. And I was rewarded for it with “Twilight’s Kingdom” and the fact that “Slice of Life” was an awesome episode. I trusted in them when they introduced Flash Sentry that they were going to do something worthwhile with him. It seems that for Friendship Games they decided in response to the backlash against Flash Sentry from part of the fandom to abandon that and reduce his role. That I cannot respect; it’s a monument to compromise! Remember that many fans weren’t fond of Sunset Shimmer after the first Equestria Girls, but we grew to love her in Rainbow Rocks. They could have done that with Flash Sentry had they made the effort.
On a final note, let’s talk about what the future holds for Equestria Girls, and we already know it has a future. Equestria Daily has already reported that Hasbro included something called Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree in its 2016 entertainment plan. What could Legend of Everfree be? There’s already some rumors floating about.
Could this Legend of Everfree really introduce a Human Sunset Shimmer? It’s true that the powers that be behind MLP suggested the possibility of a Human Sunset Shimmer at their SDCC panel. In spite of that, I don’t see that as a possibility. It’s true that I’ve spoken of my headcanon that there is no Human Sunset Shimmer, but hear me out on this. As I mentioned before, Equestria Girls is the story of Sunset Shimmer. And that’s Sunset Shimmer the pony. She had to travel to a strange new world to learn that friendship is magic. To introduce a human Sunset Shimmer is an indication that Equestria Girls after that point would focus on that Sunset Shimmer while the Pony Sunset Shimmer, the one we’ve grown to love these past few years, returns to Equestria. The powers that be behind MLP also admitted at their SDCC panel the possibility that Sunset Shimmer could return to Equestria. It would be fun to see her visit Equestria once and awhile, but I think that the Human World has become her home. If it wasn’t, she would have returned to Equestria a long time ago. So, I find that possibility unlikely.
Could Legend of Everfree be a fourth movie? It’s possible. I kind of hope it isn’t because I like the idea of a trilogy. I’m old-fashioned like that. Some franchises go for a fourth, a fifth film, or even a sixth thereby doing a second trilogy. I’d be okay with a second trilogy. Could it be a TV series? I’ve spoken at times of the rumored Equestria Academy, a spin-off series based on Equestria Girls, but that apparently never came into fruition. I imagine it could still be a possibility in the future. More than likely, I feel Legend of Everfree is a web series. Why do I think that? Let’s take a look at where Equestria Girls came from. It is believed Equestria Girls was created to compete with Mattel’s Monster High series of dolls. Monster High also has a sort of a spin-off called Ever After High, which is about the children of classic fairy tale characters. Disney’s Descendants, telefilm with an accompanying line of dolls, is also believed to have been made to compete with Ever After High. What do all these have in common? Like Equestria Girls, Monster High has a series of animated specials and a web series. Ever After High has also made an animated web series as well as an Alice in Wonderland-themed series on Netflix not too long ago. Descendants has also been airing animated shorts called Wicked World every Friday that are subsequently uploaded on their Youtube. So, it’s basically a web series. As you can see, all these toy lines with connected media are doing web series. Equestria Girls has already had a series of shorts in the run up to their second and third movies. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Equestria Girls get a web series as well.
Overall, Equestria Girls: Friendship Games was a different take on Equestria Girls but still thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to what the future holds for Equestria Girls.
What did you all think of Equestria Girls: Friendship Games?
God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.
Of course, you already know that I had a much more positive reaction to this film. I just found it to have a lot of great character moments that led to a thoroughly satisfying climax IMO. But you've already heard me gush about it enough in my own review.
I personally do hope that Legends of Everfree is a fourth film. I want to see the EG story continue as there's a lot of potential. I've personally found each EG film to be better than the last and I think that streak could continue. I'd also be fine with an introduction of the human world's Sunset Shimmer as long as she didn't come in and shove the Sunset Shimmer we've come to know aside. And, as I stated in my review, I REALLY want to see EG have at least one full crossover with the main MLP world. We were so close to that with this film with the rifts to Equestria and pony Twilight's cameo at the end. I'm just asking for one crossover. Would that be too hard to pull off? The dialogue practically writes itself!
3433742 You know, it never occurred to me the idea of a full on crossover between Equestria Girls and MLP and that is what Legend of Everfree could be. I could go for that too.
I'm honestly not sure what Legends Of Everfree may be, but I look forward to it all the same. While Friendship Games I think isn't as good as Rainbow Rocks, (particularly in terms of how well it holds up or doesn't when you think about it too hard; Rainbow Rocks' biggest flaw was that some things happened for the sake of convenience, while Friendship Games had a lot of outright plot holes and people reacting in unrealistic ways.) I still enjoyed it.
In case you didn't know, this movie has four deleted/alternate scenes involving a subplot of Sunset feeling homesick and expressing a desire of returning to Equestria:
* The song "What More is Out There?" was originally going to be duet between Sci-Twi and Sunset, with the latter singing about her homesickness.
* Sunset was originally going to meet Princess Twilight in the middle of the film at the Sweet Shoppe where she tells her about her predicament.
* The hallway scene originally had Sunset tell the rest of the Humane 6 about her considering going back to Equestria due to her frustration of not being able to understand how magic works in the human world.
* Sci-Twi was originally going to return back to Crystal Prep on friendlier terms with the Shadowbolts, while Sunset decides to stay in the human world but still express a desire to visit Equestria and tell Princess Twilight about her human counterpart.
3804294 I did hear before about how "What More Is Out There?" was supposed to be a duet where Sunset brings up being homesick and stuff. I recall this homesickness plotline being mentioned in the first released synopsis of Friendship Games. Of course, deleted scenes are not canon, but there's always a possibility they could reuse this idea in a later installment of Equestria Girls. All it proves is just that the powers-that-be behind MLP and Equestria Girls have thought about the possibility of Sunset Shimmer returning to Equestria.
Well according to many sources the plot of the 4th Equestria Girls movie will be that the girls find out that their beloved Camp Everfree is on the verge of being shut down. In response, the girls set up a "Crystal Gala fundraiser" to try to raise enough money and awareness to save it.
Personally I think the rumored plot would have been much more interesting and original.
3945232 Well yeah, we know that now. But we didn't know that back in October of last year when this was written.
3945359 My bad.