Problem with Starlight Glimmer’s redemption · 2:54pm Jan 14th, 2016
My issue with Starlight’s redemption is that it felt rushed and completely undeserved. I felt incredibly uncomfortable when all the characters are acting like she’s their best friend in the last minutes of the finale. Applejack ruffles her mane affectionetely; Rarity makes her a dress and Fluttershy shows Starlight animals. And it all rings false, because not long ago, she created multiple dystopian timelines for her petty revenge, and previously put these characters through mental torture! She is a fascist cult leader who virulently tried to stamp out individuality. And the others are acting like it never happened.
But the worst part for me is that we’ve seen redemption pulled off in this franchise before in a much more believable, and satisfying way. The best example of this is Sunset Shimmer. Sunset was an immature, power hungry bully who got in way over her head when she put on the crown and lost herself to its power. When Sunset’s brought back to normal, she’s deeply horrified and shaken by her actions. And it’s more understandable that Twilight gives her another chance. She can see that Sunset just had a severe wake-up call, and is genuinely sorry for her actions. Starlight was a cult leader, always fully aware of the impact her actions had on others, and showed delight in the harm she caused.
(Note: This was not created by me, I found it here.)
And even after Sunset apologised and was working hard to make amends for her actions, people still didn’t accept her. The students aren’t going to forget she made them to her own personal zombie army, or how she treated them even before becoming a raging she-demon. Even though the Rainbooms have accepted her as a friend, they still have some reservations about her. And you can’t totally blame them. She manipulated, bullied them and tore apart their friendship. That wa snot glossed over in Rainbow Rocks. By the end of the movie, they fully accept Sunset, and are more comfortable with her. But she had to earn their trust. They gave her a second chance, and she proved, without a doubt, she was deserving of that second chance. The S5 finale simply glossed over Starlight’s actions and didn’t have her truly earn anything. The ponies she oppressed back in her town forgave her right away.
When we see Sunset hanging out with the gang Friendship Through the Ages and Friendship Games, it’s genuinely sweet and satisfying. Because Sunset has worked hard, and is still working hard, to be a better person. And it feels right that the group would now accept and care for her just as strongly as they care for each other. It’s wonderful seeing the others being affectionate and supportive with her. They’ve all been through enough together at this point that their close relationship feels real. Starlight bonding with the girls in S5 finale just felt forced and unearned. There’s no reason for them to show her that kind of care.
If they were ever going to make Starlight’s redemption work, they needed to much, much more build-up than they had. And I’m not sure anything they could have done would make me completely buy it. But at the very least, they shouldn’t have glossed over her actions the way they did.
I agree. I actually wanted Starlight to be slowly be forgiven. I mean it took Discord all the way until season 4 for everyone to trust him and treat him like a friend, even the latest episode of Discord show the girls becoming even better friends with Discord (even if it was off screen, which I hate). Heck, I even wanted Princess Luna to develop more than just have her instantly forgive herself in Do Princess Dream of Magic Sheep.
3685633
Sunset appeared in the final episode? Where?
I completely agree. Starlight's resolved story was handled sloppily, lazily, and overall it was almost insulting, to us and to the writers.
3686394
Oh, I thought I might have missed something something in the season finale
I'm super late on this but whatever.
I didn't really find it too much of an issue for me. The ending song was supposed to be a cute and upbeat happy end to the season, and it probably will be retconned. Correction: will be retconned (just look at Alicorn Twilight and the Crystal Friendship Princess Twilight Sparkle Ponyville Castle Deluxe™). Maybe it's just because I'm a huge idealist and always see the good in people, I dunno.
Her backstory was a little weak, but honestly, who hasn't tried to rule the world because her brother was snatched away at a young age? C'mon, where is she?
de.hellocosplay.com/images/bleach/daughter-of-evil-kagamine-rin-kleid-von-vocaloid-1.jpg
There she is.