Clash of the Finales

VS

Like I said in my last entry, To Where and Back Again made it easily into the Top 2 of Season Openers/Finales for me. So immediately after watching the Season Six Finale, I was wondering, "Was that better than Twilight's Kingdom?" and frankly, I'm still debating it. So if by the end of this blog post I still haven't made up my mind, don't be surprised.

For the sake of convenience, I'll be referring to the finales in their entirety as episodes, and the individual episodes as parts. For the sake of typing this faster, I'll be referring to Twilight's Kingdom as "TK" and To Where and Back Again as "WnBA," because I just couldn't resist the acronym. CURSE YOU, LOS ANGELES SPARKS!

At a first glance, it sort of feels like comparing these two-parters is like apples and oranges. One is jam-packed with awesome, yet still manages to thoughtfully manage the character arcs it contains. The other is more patient and methodical, but still has some pretty awesome moments.

First of all, the pacing and format of the episodes. Like I said, TK feels quicker and more jam-packed. No scenes are wasted, everything keeps moving, and it's almost always satisfying while I'm watching it. WnBA doesn't WASTE any scenes, but it moves a bit slower. The very ordinary beginning is completely necessary to the plot, but the way it's presented, it doesn't always feel like it's part of a Season Finale. The shift when we get back to Ponyville is very abrupt, but the stressful situation is done well enough that I don't mind, in fact the abruptness of the shift almost makes the situation even more stressful. The feeling that the episode is slower is probably because where TK was following a hero and a villain, switching back and forth between them and making the episode feel compact, WnBA only follows the heroes, and we don't see the villains unless they are in the heroes' presence. So we see everything that Starlight does, and that makes the episode feel slower, even though the scenes the heroes are in all have purpose. Though TK moves must faster, and in that respect is more satisfying, I'd have to make at least one criticism by saying that Twilight really doesn't have a lot to do in between receiving the power-up and meeting Tirek.

Now for the characters. With the exception of Discord, none of the characters that receive focus in one episode receive focus in the other. It feels odd to have the Mane Six are missing in WnBA, even though they're supposed to be missing. Not one opener or finale has had the entire Mane Six out of focus for the majority, so this is definitely treading new ground. Starlight is simply great. Her arc involves her feeling guilt over her past actions, and coming to realize that she HAS changed, and using that realization to solve the problem of the Changelings. She's finally properly tested not only by this trial by fire, but also by resolving the unresolved questions surrounding how she dealt with her past actions. Her realization of how similar Chrysalis and her Kingdom and she and Her Village are and how they both change for the better in the same way is very well made. I say "MADE," because the connection isn't made until the climax, so I can't quite say well DONE, though is was by no means DONE poorly. Aside than that, Thorax, Trixie, and Discord all do their jobs. Considering the importance of Thorax to the episode's endgame, it might have been wise to add a little more character development for him. However, while this is a negative, it's certainly not a SIN, as Thorax received enough attention in his introduction to set this up, and the time the episode uses, as I said before, isn't wasted. I love Trixie in this episode. I love seeing her in over her head, but out of her friendship for Starlight, she manages to play her part in helping the team through. Discord doesn't get to do quite as much as he does in his other episodes, including TK, but what he delivers, I enjoy. Chrysalis is only seen in the first part when she gives her plan more explanation. In the second part, we have to wait until the climax until we see her, as we would a final boss in a video game, which is rightfully so. Any more scene she could have would be superfluous. Her exit is also very proper, as there is absolutely no reason to immediately accept a new path. Other than that, her plan is much more ambitious and serious, and she's just as regal and intimidating as I expected her to be.

TK has three main characters, as while the Mane Six, the other Princesses, Spike, and everyone else all participates and plays their part, the characters most important to the plot are Twilight, Discord, and Tirek. Twilight's friends and the Princesses are more important as a groups giving support to Twilight than as individuals. Twilight's arc involves her continued feelings of doubt mixed with her desire for responsibility. Those two characteristics can be considered very adolescent and adult at the same time. After saving her friends, the connection they share and Discord's gift finally help her realize her new purpose, which leads into Season 5. Twilight's arc feels like it's brought to a proper close after the setup, beginning, and build-up in Magical Mystery Cure, Princess Twilight, and Season Four respectively. Her crown finally fits after she discovers the reason for her ascension. The equivalent (if not the superior) of all of the adversity and tension of the infiltration in WnBA is compacted into the 3 minute fight between Twilight and Tirek. Discord gets more shenanigans than in WnBA, mostly because he gets more screentime in the first part, and the loss of power comes in the middle of the second part rather than the beginning. It didn't take away from his personality in WnBA, but it definitely took away from the appeal of his character. More importantly, his character arc as a fairweather friend turned traitor who is himself betrayed concludes with his true reformation when he realizes the value of his friendship with the Mane Six. Rather than the supporting role he has in WnBA, in TK he gets the conclusion to the character arc that began with his reintroduction in Keep Calm and Flutter On. It's very satisfying to get that, and by smartly intertwining it with Twilight's Arc, both receive more meaning from each other. Tirek doesn't offer any dilemmas to Twilight other than his own threat. While Chrysalis in WnBA also only directly offered a threat, she unintentionally provided a mirror to Starlight regarding her past. However, Tirek really only needs to provide a threat, because he is such a MASSIVE threat. He easily eclipses Nightmare Moon, Discord, Chrysalis (S2), Sombra, and Starlight through sheer intimidation and scale (both figuratively from his ambitions, and literally from his size). If he provides anything to Twilight's arc other than being the final trial she must face, its his relationship with Discord; how he reveals his lack of sympathy for ANYPONY by betraying Discord and how this leads to the solution for both Discord and Twilight's character arcs, as well as to beating him. He's very big, he's very bad, and the most bluntly impressive villain in MLPFIM.

The overall stories are very different. Like I said, WnBA FEELS slower than TK. I haven't yet mentioned that WnBA's dilemma, while well executed, and allowing for great character interaction, distracts a little bit from Starlight's character arc. Twilight's arc in TK is much more present throughout, while also allowing Discord's arc its proper attention. I can't help but feel the dilemma, while well-crafted, puts her arc on hold rather than continues it, for while she's facing great adversity by infiltrating Chrysalis's Castle, it's not as well connected to her arc. While Twilight's discovery of her purpose is being precipitated by her assuming the responsibility of being the last bulwark against Tirek. Starlight's solution for the Changelings and her resolution to her own worries isn't really being precipitated by any part of the infiltration. She's taking charge, yes, and one could argue that ties into her fears from earlier, of fearing the responsibilities the other ponies were offering here. I'd also have to watch again to see just how much charge she was taking, and whether she would be considered the leader, though the focus on her character would lead one to assume so. Either way, my point still stands. Twilight's arc in TK, like I said, is present throughout, but like I also said, she doesn't have a lot to do until the second part. TK feels very solid in its structure, from the buildup in the first part, to the payoff in the second part. WnBA isn't quite as solid. I mentioned the first half of the first part not giving quite the same vibe as the rest of it. That Starlight's arc bookends the episode rather than being present throughout doesn't quite help the structure either. The connections between Starlight's arc and Chrysalis's threat could have been made much deeper. However, let's remember that while TK does much perspective switching, WnBA remains with Starlight through the entire episode. They manage to make this work, and though the structure is a little shaky, the consistency remains impressive. It's very satisfying to stay at Starlight's and her companions' side this entire time as the story unfolds. Also, while TK has Twilight finally find her purpose as a Princess and this leads into Season 5, put off Season 4's story until Season 8, and one could wrap up the series very nicely. WnBA has so many unanswered questions at the end of it, mostly regarding the new Changeling Kingdom and the fate of Queen Chrysalis. If the writers care as much about the fans as I hope they do, then we haven't seen the last of the Changelings OR Queen Chrysalis. Though she's appeared in half the season finales up to this point, I definitely want to see her character brought a little further before the end of the series. They don't have to give her the same kind of redemption that they gave Starlight, and they don't have to write her (or Celestia forbid, KILL her) off from the show. Maybe a little personal episode with some substantial character development rather than a conclusion to her arc of epic proportions. On top of that, Starlight's character is ready to progress to other things, just as Twilight's was in TK.

Before we get to the conclusion, I'll list without comparing some great moments from the two episodes.

Twilight's Kingdom:

* Tirek: MLPFIM's best villain BY FAR. Even when he's weak, he manages to be intimidating. Once he's gained power, his threat is fully realized. The two voices that the actor gives him suit each of his forms: one weak but still cunning, and one strong and authoritative. For his abilities, there's his raw destructive power and the feat of incapacitating the entire population of Equestria. Overall, he's the perfect illustration of a being without sympathy, whose only goal is absolute power.

* The Fight: Some of the best animation the series has ever seen, used to portray one of the greatest struggles the series has ever seen. Everything; from the meeting, to the destruction of the library with Twilight saving her owl, to the epic DBZ exchange of raw fighting power, to Tirek's ultimatum; kept me on the edge of my seat.

* The Song: I guess I'll make one comparison in this list. TK has a song. WnBA doesn't. (EDIT: TK has two, but can you blame me when the second one's so forgettable?) Giving every Equestrian Princess a role in this song gives it a lot of meaning for its place in defining Twilight's feelings.

* Discord Distraught: In stark contrast to his normal shenanigans, Discord's somber realization of his mistake is the perfect end to his reformation arc. Everything he says while he's powerless has great emotional weight. As a bonus, Fluttershy's reactions to him before and during this period are also very nice.

To Where and Back Again:

* The Town Invaded: Things get immediately tense when Starlight returns to Ponyville, and things don't let up for the rest of the first part. Luna's warning and Thorax's declaration only make things more and more dire for our heroes. Though it's entirely possible that the Mane Six and Spike may have been the only ones replaced, they're the only ones besides Trixie that Starlight interacts with until Thorax and Discord arrive, and so it keeps my nerves right where they should be: ready to snap.

* The Village Connection: Even if it does take until the climax to make the connection, they still made it, and it adds a lot of meaning to Starlight's struggle, and to Chrysalis's defeat.

* Discord and Trixie Caught: Discord and Trixie's captures prove to be very intense. Discord's involves the surreal torment of over a dozen changelings, all crying and claiming to be Fluttershy. Trixie's is simpler, but seeing that many changelings swarm our primary secondary character is just as hard to watch.

* Discord and Trixie, After the Battle: Discord and Trixie have interacted throughout the episode out of necessity due to working together. It's nice just to see them have a simple exchange after everything has calmed down. Even though these are two BIG personalities, having such a casual exchange (albeit followed up by some literally hammy shenanigans) perfectly punctuates their newly minted camaraderie.

The Conclusion:

Halfway through writing this comparison, I started wondering whether setting WnBA against TK was like setting David against Goliath. In so many aspects, TK was a stronger and neater story. I stopped to think, "What did I see in WnBA that made me consider putting it over TK?" The answer was those elements that made it unique: Its focus and its patience. Deciding not only to take the focus off of the Mane Six, but also stick to Starlight for the entire episode, and keeping the pace all the way through to the final confrontation. Do those elements elevate it over TK? Not for me. To me, TK is just overall the better story containing the better elements. Part of me wants to go rogue, because I love everything that the Season 6 finale does different from the others. MLPFIM has tended to get better as it has progressed, and the difference can clearly be seen when comparing Season 1 with Season 6. I haven't even talked about some of my favorite recent episodes such as 28 Pranks Later, The Times They Are A Changeling, or The Fault in Our Cutie Marks. Of course, to TRULY identify a favorite episode of a show requires repeated viewings, but the show has shown a definite increase in quality as a response to fan enthusiasm. We may yet still get an episode I like better than TK, or an episode more different than WnBA. I have a positive feeling about the future of the show, and think better stories are almost certainly on the horizon.

Like maybe a Zebra episode, you racist hack-writers.

I kid, I kid... though I would like to see an episode, maybe a two-parter, with an international meeting where everypony gets together. Not just ponies and one other race, but everypony. Ponies, Horses, Yaks, Zebras, Griffons, Dragons, and now newly reformed Changlings!

Also Cows... and Minotaurs? How exactly do those races interact with each other?

Also, are we ever going to see Scorpan? I mean, I don't NEED to, but they kind of left that open after Twilight's Kingdom.

Hey, I stopped using the acronym. Now the Season 4 finale won't be mistaken for telekinesis. Or Takeru Whatshisface. You know, that annoying kid from Digimon. The original. And the first sequel. And that new "Tri" thing.

Wow, my thoughts are getting less organized as I try to end this blog entry. Probably due to sleep deprivation. Maybe I should've ended it at "on the horizon."

Yeah, definitely should've ended it there. To anyone reading this, the blog entry officially ended at "on the horizon." You don't need to read anything else, and you can ignore the last few paragraphs, especially the one where I call the MLPFIM writers "racist."

I think now I should probably go to bed write more fanfiction pass out in front of my computer post blog entry.

Oh right, I have to do that before I do anything else, right?

Ummm... good morning?