Review: Hard Reset, by:Eakin

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The story in which Twilight Sparkle dies...a lot. Canterlot is being invaded, the Changeling Swarm is descending in numbers to big to fight back and catching everypony by surprise. Luckily... or unluckily depending on your point of view, Twilight is in town and just had a spell blow up in her face. A spell that anchors or to one point in time, so every time she dies in the invasion, she comes back to try it again. Can she find a way to save everypony? Can she resist the lure of being able to do anything she wants without any lasting consequences for herself at all? Can she survive loop after loop of failure without going insane? Just how many changelings can one pony kill in less then three hours? And by the time she is done, will she ever be able to look at a weather vane the same way again?

Story: So yes, a story that could also be titled The Many Deaths of Twilight Sparkle. Needless to say it can be pretty dark. Yet, the darkness never seems overdone, is never emphasized. The story is not dark just for the sake of dark. (Yes yes, I’ll get to that exception to it.) The focus on the story isn’t the horrible things happening, isn’t the brutal murder and death, but on Twilight working to find a way to prevent it. While through it all keeping up an endless, not quite sense of levity, but rather pulling off a ton of really well done Black Comedy. Never enough to make the work as a whole a comedy, or to detract from just how grim the situation is, but enough to keep the overall tone far lighter then it has any right to be on the surface. Mostly simply due to Twilight’s dry, sarcastic, First Person Smartass dialog. As well as the story taking full advantage of all the standard fun you can have with the Groundhog Day Loop type story.

Helping that is that while we do see Twilight dying, as well as many many other ponies, the story isn’t all that graphic about it. It gives just enough to be clear what is going on, but doesn’t go into explicit, gory detail. The worst I can recall is Twilight mentioning about how she could feel the veins and muscles in her neck tearing as she had her neck broken during one loop. In addition, little of the dark and violence is exactly gratuitous. Yes it is wholly out of place for the show, but at the same time, almsot seems to be a case of Reality Ensues. Of this simply being a more realistic case of just how a city invasion would take place. Quick, brutal, efficient. Swarming in without warning and crushing any resistance as fast as they could. Chrysalis even outright making this case regarding her learning her lesson from last time and simply killing off potential threats rather then keep them around to gloat. About the only bits that felt at all ‘dark’ beyond simply being more realistic were just how over the top sadistic Chyssi was (which is perfectly in character for her and worked.) And the one time loop where Luna had to personally kill Twilight after she fell under Bug Queen’s mind whammy. I know why it happens, but seems odd Luna wouldn’t have some way of containing or incapacitating Twilight without killing her. But minor quibble.

So yes, this is a ‘dark’ story, but one where the darkness is not the point, and that is still able to have far far to much fun with the concept. It takes skill to make the image of Twilight abandoning her friends to imminent death, just so she and Luna can hump each others brains out work. But what brings it all together and makes it work best is having a rather touching and hopeful, without being a perfectly ‘happy’ ending. Twi saved everyone (well all the ponies she knows, as well as likely thousands of others, but still almost impossible that some didn’t die in the fighting before that.) Has broken her loop, but is suffering rather severe PTSD from everything she’d been through now that it’s over and she’s had time to process it. But ending hopefully with her finally opening up to the other Mane 6 about her issues, starting on the road to recovering from them with their help.

Granted, while the story does manage to do ‘dark’ well, still a few issues with the overall narrative, mostly in the set up. It really does feel rather contrived. Just the shear amount of dumb luck needed to get things just right. Twi finding just the right spell, casting it just when she did, it having just that effect. All timed to give her just barely enough time to do something, without being so far back she could stop the whole thing easily. It’s not impossible, but it does, again, come off as a bit contrived. Though I did like how the story kind of lampshades this in the alt ending, with Twilight realizing just how perfectly timed her doing that was, but having mentally deteriorated to the point she thinks it was all intentional, and part of somepony’s plan to get her to do it, just to torture her. Add to that the whole “Elements of Harmony” bomb issue that comes right out of nowhere and is just set up as one more thing to make Twi’s entire job that much more challenging and higher stakes, while not being set up by anything outside the story to make it seem like it would ever be possible. (but will get into the Element’s later). Both combined, do make the set up needed come off as a bit to pat and perfect. To clearly there just for the sake of the story to be ignored. Yet are not major enough issues to really detract from the overall fun and action of the story itself.

My final bit about the overall story, is of course the pacing. It is incredibly fast paced, almost to much at times for my taste, but that’s just my YMMV issues with preferring slower pacing as a whole. The story does manage to be fast paced, without feeling rushed. There are just some aspects I do wish the story would have allowed to develop a bit more, or took a bit more time with.

Oh and as to the above bits wit it not being overly dark, or dark for the sake of dark... yeah those go right out the window with the Alt-Ending. Damn that was just chillingly dark morbid. Still well done but... holy balls is it DARK!

Characters: Being a first person story, and the nature of her looping, the only major character of note is Twilight herself. Fortunately not only is she well handled overall, she is the source of the majority of the stories charm. Her snarky remarks, or odd take on certain situations, or just the shear “I am through giving a buck” mentality during her multiple loops of just doing whatever the hell she wants.

That said, while by the end she was a certified, snark laden, first person badass the likes of which Harry Dresden would approve of, the start for her is a bit rocky. Just how utterly easily she goes down during the first few loops, barely even trying to defend herself. We know how powerful she is, even without weeks of extra practice and study as well as knowing ahead of time everything they will do. Still felt like she should have been able to put up a better fight then she did her first few loops. Not to mention a bit of internal logical error on her part, as she outright comments that she should not be make decisions based on hunches... yet keeps doing just that. First being certain that there is no way they could warn Celestia about the attack, that she’d already been replaced. Something we later see was not true, so yes was her just making a guess. Second with the whole “This will destroy the whole world” bit about the White Wall of Death. Dramatic yes, but hardly provable. Given how good a job the story does in showing Twi’s analytical side, and outright saying she should not be doing this, it goes and does it. But once again minor issues that are more about just getting things set up for the later fun.

The final part is the ending, which really helps make the whole story worth it and pushes it a but further then just ‘fun’. It actually addresses the stress this put on her, showed her much she still has to go to recover. While showing a good sign that yes, in time she will. Addressing just how traumatic something like this can be, which is in keeping with the more overall ‘realistic rather then needlessly dark’ take on the invasion nicely, without making it out to be some downer ending. Showing that it’s something she will eventually work through with the help of her friends. As to the alternate ending... one of the most terrifying things about it is, after all that time, going through the same day over and over and over, always failing always dying....After subjective years of this. I could very well see Twilight just so utterly and totally snapping, ready to do anything she had to at least delay the next reset as long as possible.

Outside of Twilight, the rest of the characters were well done. Spike was at his best, helpful, just as snarky as Twi herself, and providing a voice of reason when Twi got a bit too out of it. Seeing Celestia portrayed so regally and being the ‘better pony’ when dealing with Chrysalis was a treat, and really showed her at her best. being able to remain that controlled and refrain from lashing out after all that goading.

Speaking of Chryssi.... maybe a bit to overly sadistic and cruel for the sake of being cruel for my tastes as the ‘ideal’ Cheese Legs, but still perfectly fine in that respect. Simply turned up one of two notches higher then I really enjoy. but still the same menacing, evil, vicious, manipulative, egotistical, magnificent bitch we love.

Oh and Twilight’s mom was pure win! We can see where Twi got her sarcastic side from. Definitely my favorite character in the story aside from Twi herself.

Engagement: Given it’s a relatively short, and very fast paced story that is loaded with a nonstop barrage of either over the top awesome, or just fun snarky dialog from Twi, this is a very easy read, and very fun story to go through. It can have you laughing in one scene, and then cringing in the next without ever going through mood whiplash. The humor and the irrelevant snark from Twilight keep things from ever getting to dark to feel like you need a break, while the story does have a steady advancing story, despite all of it being Twi redoing the same thing over and over. A steady progression of figuring things out, realizing the advantages of the looping and simply having fun, before finally deciding she’s been avoiding the issue and starting to work on getting everypony she cares about through this in one piece.

The one “engagement” issue I did have with the story is having a bit of a trouble getting emotionally engaged with it. While everything was well done and fun, it wasn’t till the very end that I actually started to feel anything beyond entertainment, and a slight ‘ehhhhh’ of comfortableness at some of the things that happened. It’s not that nothing was going on that was worth feeling about, or that the story didn’t make clear emotions. More, a combination of separate factors that kind of dulled how large an emotional impact the story as a whole could have for most of it. First the pacing, it moved a bit to fast to really linger and build up tension. Even beyond the whole loop aspect resetting everything. Then there is the way the story is told, the first person, present tense POV leading to most of Twi’s emotions being told more then shown. Not that it can’t work very very well for that, but for most of it.... I just did not really feel much emotion beyond the most basic, understanding how she was feeling intellectually. The one exception is the ending, where the story was able to build up, show numerous events, simply go through Twi’s reactions, get some real emotional torque going because it actually stuck to one thing and kept at it. As well as what really made the scene work for me, seeing the other Mane 6′s reactions to Twilight. Just how much this was hurting them, knowing their friend was in pain, but that she wouldn’t let them help her.

Ponyness: Okay let’s get the nitpicks out of the way before we delve into the core details. Twilight claims it’s been three years since she’s spent any real time in Canterlot, yet this is after the wedding, plus we know it’s been less then that between the premier and her Ascension, which yes was detailed revealed later, but still felt odd saying it had been so long. Speaking of the wedding, why didn’t Twi’s parents get a chance to meet her friends during that? They were all there. Given this is after the wedding why did it take Twilight so long to realize a swarm of black, insectile looking shapes swarming in he sky were changelings? How would Equestria have issues so bad Twilight could make a lot of money selling a kidney? And finally, more showing ponies as being potentially homophobic given Twi’s fears of outing herself. That said, it seems that may have been one isolated bigot who’s over reaction simply made Twi think others would feel the same. I know nothing says ponies can’t hold those views, and it’s pure YMMV, I just always dislike seeing it pop up in Pony.

As I said pure nitpicks, but little things that kind of bugged me while reading. Most of those were just used for a quick joke so, can’t really be TOO upset. Anyway, onto the bigger potential issues. First off, would I say a fic this dark and at times brutal in what goes down “Pony” given how it’s the brighter, more idealistic aspect of the show I focus mostly on and enjoy? Yes, yes it is. While I could not see this happening in the show by any means, I can’t say I couldn’t see this happening in a ‘real’ Equestria. The only thing that really makes it ‘dark’ the only aspect the leads to the death and destruction and all the bad stuff is all due to the Changelings having a “take no prisoners” approach to their invasion this time. At least no prisoners that might prove a threat to them. As I said above, it’s simply a more realistic take, without being cynical and claiming that equals ‘realism’. Now some of the stuff might be pushing things a bit in how absurd they could get, the overall lighter tone of the story, and Twi’s style of narrating keeps things from getting grim and depressing, focusing more on the dark humor in what is going on most of the time. But what makes me have no issues at all with this fic in terms of the darkness in it, besides the above, is how it ends. Giving a hopeful end where the only causality is a bit of Twilight’s mental health, which she appears to be on the way to getting help to recover from.

The bigger issue as far as “that doesn't feel right for this setting...” is the whole White Wall of Death and the Elements suddenly doing something that apocalyptic. Though, while in just the context of this story it felt like a contrived bit of Diabolus ex Machina to give Twilight one more thing to deal with on top of the invasion, and still didn’t make much sense. I do understand it’s something that gets expanded on in the sequels, so holding off full judgement till then. But looking at this story alone, it’s the one real iffy spot for me as far as fitting into the setting goes. (Also, vaporizing a foe they are used against seems out of wack with all other things they’ve done when used. Might be able to chalk that up to just an overload due to what was going on, but still felt weird.)

Oh and one final note. I can’t help feel an odd sense of amusement that the story which doesn’t go out of it’s way to portray Changelings as just like normal ponies and able to easily live peacefully with them if they want. But rather does make them clear to be parasitical swarms of locusts, with no free will of their own and who must follow the orders of their Queen, so actually has a good justification for why they’d be better off being turned into regular ponies... is the one that actually addresses how forcing a being into a wholly different body and fundamentally altering who and what they are, is a little morally dubious at best. Even with a good reason for it. (Still love ya iisaw, but you know I couldn’t resist a jab at that.) But that said, because of the above, I do not have the issues with it I do in those stories, since the execution and basic ideas are much different and do rather work.

Overall: Great: This was a very fun, fast paced, rather witty story that manages to make a rather dark premise like Twilight dying over and over, and make it work. Turn it into a snarky, amusing romp that takes full advantage of the time loop to just go nuts. It allows the story to do things that would sink another story, would turn it into a dark, joyless slog. We can have the mane 6 die, have the Princesses defeated, see so many possibilities that would be extremely hard to accept happening normally, but because it is all just wiped away with no consequences, rather then being horrified at the loss, we instead can just sit back and giggle at the fact Twilight has the rare opportunity to leave Pinkie Pie speechless. But still having a rather good bit of emotion to it. Yes over time the whole “Mane 6 dying” becomes easy to just accept, that first time, hearing what happened, why... it was one of the few times besides the epilogue I really felt for the characters. The story manages to make clear just how horrible this is, just how high the stakes are, how serious this is, while still allowing Twilight to indulge in such absurdities as trying to test the LD50 on doughnut frosting and sprinkles. Or competing with herself to see just how many changeling she can kill in a single loop, often in over the top ways. The story is funny, but not out right ‘comedic’, the levity simply serving to keep the mood from growing to dour, without ever detracting from the true seriousness at play.

But, for all that the lack of real consequences allowed the story to be far darker then a story could normally go and do things that would seriously compromise any other story, a story with no real consequences.. while it can b a fun read and entertaining, is very limited in just how grand it can be. With no real consequences, no growth, no anything like that things can hardly raise above “Fun, but just average”. That is why it’s the final part that really helps make the whole story worth it and pushes it a but further then just ‘fun’. It actually addresses the stress this put on Twilight, showed her much she still has to go to recover. While showing a good sign that yes, in time she will. Addressing just how traumatic something like this can be, which is in keeping with the more overall ‘realistic rather then needlessly dark’ take on the invasion nicely, without making it out to be some downer ending. Showing that it’s something she will eventually work through with the help of her friends. Adding that extra bit of emotion and meaning to the story, that there was some lingering issues, that something did change because of it.

If you can get past the idea of watching Twilight die over and over and over through knowing everything works out in the end, this is a very easy, fun little read that has a good amount of meaning and emotion at times, even if the way the story is told could blunt your ability to really feel those emotions versus simply knowing they are there.

And while we know Twilight was at times kicking major Changeling flank, she can’t be the only pony in Canterlot that was messing them up, now can she?