More season six finale thoughts, and season seven speculations · 2:37am Dec 20th, 2016
So, I mentioned in a comment somewhere that I was working on an seven or so part series of blogs about the season six finale. I actually got most of it done, somewhere around 11.5k words. But, I'm not going to post it. I looked at it a few weeks ago, and it just sounds too much like whining.
There are massive, massive problems with the finale, not just in what happened but the lessons and implications of what they showed, and the ramifications it all might have for the future. But too much of what I wrote sounded like 'wah, my headcanon got destroyed', so I've decided to scrap the whole thing.
[MULTIPLE PARAGRAPHS OF ME COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FINALE DELETED HERE]
Because after some thought over the past few weeks I've decided there is one thing I really like about the episode, which means I am now semi-reserving my judgment on it for later. That one thing I like is how open ended it is.
Every season's finale before this one, from season three onwards, was written in a way that it could have been a satisfying end to the show (which was actually the intention of the season three finale). I think that was because, as far as the show creators knew, it was the end each time. In fact, if I remember right, we didn't even get the word on season five until well after the end of season four, which means even if they didn't get it at the exact same time, it still would have been late enough that everything had already been planned out for season four.
This time, though, is different. If the rumors are to be believed, they were working on season seven as early as this summer. Which makes sense; we don't actually know when the team gets word that there'll be a new season, so they could have known the entire time. And given that we have a full length film coming out next year, it'd be stupid to cancel the show now. In fact, I'd say season eight, at the least, is guaranteed as well.
So, when they were writing season six, they were most likely doing so knowing they had a season coming after. Meaning they could leave loose ends in the finale. Which they did—Chrysalis escaped, and we have no idea what the deal is with the new changelings. We don't know what they're like, we don't know what they eat now... hell, we haven't even heard them speak yet!
There are a lot of directions things could go from here. And so, just for fun and to get it out there, here's my favorite idea.
So, the changelings, who feed on love, gave all of it away. And then they changed forms, and became 'happy' and 'nice'. Did you know that there are actual real-world insects that, when forced into close contact with each other due to scarcity of food, will go into what's called a 'gregarious' state? They become friendly and secrete more serotonin. They even go through a physical change, as well!
Those insects are called locusts.
My original idea is kind of defunct now, but here it is anyway.
Basically, now instead of eating love, they get sustenance from spreading love. And they head out into Equestria to do so. But, oh, there are so many ponies in Equestria who don't love, who fight and argue and disagree. That won't do at all. So they forcibly spread love, making everyone in Equestria love one another, turning them into some sort of love-zombies.
The main point here, obviously, is that this is what Starlight did to her village, just on a far grander scale. And the changelings leave her alone, since, hey, this was what you wanted in the first place, right? This was your idea. And you helped us accomplish it by removing Chrysalis from power.
Now, no one wants another Starlight-only finale, so she quickly frees the mane six from the spell, and they all team up with Chrysalis, of all people, to stop the new changelings (and also get her empire back in the process).
Also, fun little thing: everyone always complains that the Princesses never do anything other than get captured by the bad guys, right? And this would be no different. Except that now they're love-zombies. Making them actually the bad guys. So they still get knocked out in one hit like normal by the villain of the episode, it's just that now they actually get to do something interesting. And who hasn't wanted to see Twilight and Celestia go at it, especially since she became a Princess? (Although Luna and Twilight might make more sense, and Chrysalis can get round two with Celestia)
These new changelings would, of course, be called lovecusts. I would also accept butterdies.
Now, obviously this is a bit fan-fictiony. I mean, look where you're reading it at. But the real problem is that the main theme of it—Starlight dealing with someone doing exactly what she was, but on a grander scale—is the exact story of the current MLP comic arc, just using an order-focused Discord as the bringer of 'harmony'.
So this specific story, or at least the elements of it that relate to Starlight's past, can't be used. Well, I mean, they can; elements from the comics have appeared in the show, and the comics are obviously not canon to the show. It's just that the idea I came up with ended up being almost point-for-point the plot of the comic, and I don't think they can ignore the comic to the point where they literally duplicate one of the storylines.
But I'm still really on board with the idea of "oops, reforming these 'evil' villains actually made things worse". Part of that is, yes, I hate everything about these new changelings, and seeing them as villains would make me happy.
But there are a few other angles as well. Like I said, 'oops, stopping those villains was a mistake' would be awesome to see. It would be nice to actually see our heroes fail for once, and having to deal with the fallout of that. It's not something that could have really been done like this before, due to the aforementioned reasons of never knowing if there would be more seasons, but they have the perfect opportunity for it now. It would also fit in with Starlight still learning about friendship—she messed up her first big test, and now they have to fix it. Also, she tends to have a habit of really screwing up friendship lessons, and then having to redo them (see her first attempt at reconnecting with Starburst, her first attempt at befriending Trixie, and her attempt at doing all of her friendship lessons at once).
[YET ANOTHER SECTION OF ME COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FINALE DELETED HERE]
One final reason why I want the new changelings to be villains: it's a great twist, and there haven't really been any twists on the show yet. This is the perfect opportunity for it, and the fact that it involves some of the most popular villains is just gravy. Moreover, look at the lesson you can give here: the new changelings are pretty, but being pretty doesn't mean you're a good person. It would be an amazingly genre-defying thing to do, in a show that's famous for defy genres (or at least demographics), not to mention being the kind of practical moral the show is known for.
Now, there is a specific reason I decided to write this little essay, and it has to do with some things that were announced recently.
First off, my ideas on the season premiere to kick off my 'the new changelings are evil' theory. I had no real thoughts for this, except for one thing. Part of the episode would involve a history book, possibly found in the Crystal Empire, that depicts events from Equestria's past—particularly things involving the changelings. For some reason, Thorax seems extremely eager to get his hooves on this book. They give it to him without looking at it themselves first, and he takes it back to the hive to read it. And after he does, he laughs, then throws it on the floor and burns it. We see a few of the pages as they burn away one by one, and they depict changelings like him in the past, conquering/enslaving ponies, just before the episode ends.
How did this make me decide to write all this?
Well, number one, they got a guy from Marvel to write some of the comics.
Number two, comic issues 51 to 53 are going to lead directly into season seven.
And number three, the synopsis of issue 51 is "Books on Equestria's history are going missing".
Probably a coincidence, yes. But having a Marvel writer makes me think of Captain America saying "Hail Hydra". Which is perfect for this kind of thing, with good guys turning out to be bad and all.
Imagine they find who's stealing all the history books, and it's Chrysalis. They try to stop her, but she manages to get away with the books. Then we cut to her in a dark room, all the books piled in front of her, and a mysterious voice asks her if she accomplished her goal. "Yes my lord, all the books, just as you asked," she responds. "Good," says the voice. "And like she said herself... take off that ridiculous disguise, I can't take you seriously when you look like that." And Chrysalis changes back into one of the new changelings. Because the the mysterious voice is, of course, Thorax, gathering the books so no one in Equestria would know the sinister past of these new changelings. The whole point of making it seem that Chrysalis was the one stealing the books is that she was the one who stopped them before and took control of them, and she's the only one who can stop them now. So they frame Chrysalis to make absolutely sure the ponies won't try to go to her for help, by destroying any shred of trust they might have in her (not that there's much anyway).
Now, that last part is kind of a bit much, even for someone who likes Chrysalis as much as I do. It makes her a little too much into a martyr, which is... not really something that fits with her. Nor something that I think the show would do.
That being said, something like that would do a good job of dealing with Starlight's terrible attempt at a friendship speech. 'A leader listens to her subjects when they find a better way' is all well and good, but at the same time a leader needs to actually tell the people she leads what to do, even if they don't want to or if they think they've found a better way that actually isn't. So imagine if the changelings new form is actually worse than the original. Before they just wanted to conqueror Equestria to feed on its love. What if now they want something even worse? What if Chrysalis's brand of leading was actually the 'lesser' of two evils? She does say that Starlight has no idea what it takes to lead the changelings. Maybe this is what she was referring to?
What I really want here are some shades of gray. Not "just share your love and everything will be great!" Not "Everyone has to do what I say or else!" Something in between, the way it works in the real world. Starlight and Chrysalis were both wrong; there needs to be a balance between the leadership methods they were talking about.
I have no real proof that the new changelings are evil, of course. It's just conjecture based on a few things I noticed, which are obviously influenced by the fact that I think the new changelings are utterly ridiculous and terrible.
But, let's look at a few things.
Number one, as I said before, we don't know anything about these new changelings. Starlight just kind of assumed they were good because they looked pretty (kind of a screwed up moral there). And we didn't even hear them talk, which I personally find the most bizarre/suspicious thing of all. I guess you can just explain that way with how rushed the end of the episode is—I think there's maybe sixty seconds between the throne exploding and Discord teleporting everyone away from the hive? Maybe they just ran out of time and wanted to wrap up things with Starlight's village really quick. But still, why didn't Thorax talk after the transformation? He seemed to communicate entirely through smiles and nods. I mean, the voice actor was already paid. He couldn't have thrown out a simple "Yes, Princess" when Celestia said she was looking forward to closer relationships with the changelings? Again, sloppy/rushed writing, maybe, and maybe I'm focusing on it too much. But it just seemed really out of place that none of the changelings said a thing.
Second, the argument between Starlight and Chrysalis in the throne room just seemed off to me. They almost seem to be having two separate conversations. Chrysalis explains that everything she's done is so the changelings can feed, and now they have enough food to feed for generations. Starlight then retorts by saying... she understands what it's like to want everyone to do what you say? And that a real leader listens to her people? Where does anything that Starlight says come up? Chrysalis does say that all the ponies will do what she says, but she seems to be saying it within the context of 'this will get us the food we need'. It seems like they're looking at the situation through their own lenses: Chrysalis just cares about feeding the hive no matter what the cost, and Starlight is still hung up on the fact that she was a megalomaniac herself and is projecting it onto Chrysalis. It almost feels like it could be a setup to a realization that both ways are wrong, and they need to find a middle ground—hence trying to do things Starlight's way leads to the exact same problem they had with Chrysalis's way. (Also, to sneak of bit of complaining in here: Chrysalis has just ensured her people will be fed basically forever, there are multiple references to her doing things to keep the hive safe, and she's even identified her duty as being finding food for the changelings. Where in any of that are we supposed to believe she's a bad leader for the changelings? They, in fact, seem perfectly fine with her as a leader, at least until Thorax explodes. At which point they all spontaneously explode as well.)
And third, there's a definite hint at the end of some sympathetic feelings towards Chrysalis. Obviously we saw that Starlight still wanted to give her a chance to lead the changelings (would Chrysalis be forced to transform like the rest of them if she'd taken Starlight's offer? Even if she didn't, isn't Starlight basically only offering Chrysalis the chance to be a puppet leader controlled by Equestria, leading only as the ponies tell her to?). Even as Chrysalis escapes, though, there's sad music playing, and Twilight comes up to comfort Starlight as they watch her fly away. Now, obviously the sadness there can be "Oh crap, someone who's conquered Equestria twice now just swore revenge on a single pony", or, "Starlight just failed at an attempt to turn an enemy into a friend, which also happens to echo how Starlight herself acted when her own plans were foiled". But one other thing is that, apparently, the original plan was for Chrysalis to escape using an evil-looking teleport of some kind. There are a couple reasons they could have changed that—I know Hasbro likes to interfere and make them tone things down on occasion—but compared to a lot of things we've seen, a teleport spell seems like a pretty bland thing for them to want to change. On top of that, they could have made it less evil, just a normal teleport. So it's likely that the change was made specifically to get that flying away shot in the scene. There could be a number of reasons for that, but it seems plausible that the reason was to make Chrysalis look a little less full-on evil, a little more, well, redeemable—which you'd need if the new changelings are evil and she has to come back to help fight them.
All this, of course, is just speculation. And I am well aware that any kind of evidence I've presented here has most likely come to my attention due to confirmation bias; I'm looking for it, so I see it.
Nevertheless, I think this would be a really interesting way to go. For one thing, it would be new. This is something that hasn't happened on the show before, plain and simple. They beat the bad guys and turned them into friends, but they actually aren't friends and they're even worse now? That's interesting, that's fresh, and that's a way to keep things exciting on a show that's been going on for six years. When every season's been roughly the same, you need a twist thrown in every once in a while, and this is one that I don't think anyone would see coming.
More than that, though...
Taken at face value, this finale was terrible. It was complete crap, the kind of thing you'd expect to see written not for a five year old, but by one: the black creatures are evil and icky, but then they learn how to love and poof! They turn into good guys who look just like the main good guys and are brightly colored and happy all the time.
That's not what this show should be like. That isn't how it used to be like. The popularity, all the critical praise it got, was because it didn't do things like this finale. Characters actually learned lessons, real lessons that can be applied to the real world. What is the lesson in this episode? If you look bad you are bad? You can only be friends with people who are 'pretty'?
Maybe I was expecting too much. I wanted the changelings to become good, but as changelings. I wanted to see episodes that dealt with them fitting in, with them dealing with the preconceptions and consequences their previous actions had created. And we got that a bit with The Times They are a Changeling... and then this finale came along and undid everything good that had come with that episode. They literally retconned the lesson of an episode away in the same season. Instead of 'look, changelings don't need to steal love, they can get all they need by just being friends', we now have 'changelings can only be good and be friends if they change everything about themselves'.
To put all this another way, the finale was so bad that I think it's a trick.
Now, what are the odds of this actually being true? To be honest, I don't actually know.
The pessimistic (and probably realistic) part of me says that it's not going to happen. As much as I like the show... I feel like the people in charge are too much, well, kids' show writers and producers. Which means we're going to get the lamest, weakest, most infantile and predictable outcome of all of this: the new changelings are good and perfect in every way, and Chrysalis will be reduced to a recurring villain who comes back every season or two for revenge. And if that really is what happens... well, I don't know. Like I said in my original post on this finale, maybe I've finally hit that point where I'm expecting more from the show than they can give.
But if they are doing something like what I've suggested here, if this is all just misdirection to create a larger story for the next season... I think that would be the most amazing thing they've done on the show so far. I know a lot of people have been complaining that recent episodes haven't been as good as they used to be—a lot of which is just nostalgia, but there have been some pretty meh episodes. But if they do do something like this, if they're setting up for a season-long arc of intrigue and suspense based on the new changelings being secretly evil, or even something vaguely along those lines... even if the individual episodes aren't always good, the over all narrative would make up for that. And while I still like the show, something like that would cure a lot of the issues it's had with feeling kind of stale lately.
So, there you go. My speculation on season seven and a slightly updated view on the finale of season six. Partly here as a rant, partly here so I can say "I told you so" if my wild speculations turn out to be correct.
Also, if you've read this far, thank you. Really, this is all just stuff I've been thinking about for a while now and I wanted to get it off my chest. I don't expect anything from this post, no big discussions or anything (not that I'm discouraging you), I just wanted to vent. So if you're actually did read my ranting disguised as speculation, thank you.
***EDIT***
And I'm already wrong, because the synopsis of issue #52 was released. Spoilers: The new villain being introduced is named Shadowlock. I, uh... I won't say anything about what I think of that name.
Hmm, you know, as much as I like Thorax, I cam actually see this working as a good season plotline, or Hell, they could make the whole upcoming movie about this!
Y'know, that's not how I interpreted the episode at all. The black forms were probably never there true forms. More than likely, the "new" form are there actual form and they were cursed somehow in the distant past.
Don't let your past mistakes get in the way of future greatness. That's the lesson Starlight learns. Because Starlight is the hero of the story, the finale is built as the turning point of her character arc, and a handful of minutes of the changelings turning rainbow-colored should not be enough to undermine a half-hour of hilarious character dynamics, some genuinely interesting ideas about changelings in the form of their architecture and technology, and the glorious return of a character that nearly everyone had given up hope of ever seeing again. Certainly not enough for you to claim the finale was terrible at face value.
...
This. Completely, utterly this. Just, seriously, stop trying to watch the show. Just write your own Season 7.
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i.e. write fanfiction! I mean, that’s the main reason we’re on this site, right?
Honestly I think you're just really hung up on the changlings appearances, yeah the newlings are pretty ugly and their original forms were much MUCH better. But beyond that like you said the lesson was taught earlier in the season when they accepted Thorax as he was. I'm sure at the end of the finale the ponies didn't give a shit what they looked like. It is regrettable that the staff decided to change their appearances but I personally saw it more as a cop out, they could have had some interesting plot lines dealing with the changelings trying to fit in but the staff took the easy way out. The way you are wording makes it seem like if they hadn't changed they would have never been accepted, and I just really don't see that happening seeing how the two ponies that were arguably hurt the most by the changlings accepted one.
Your proposed s7 plot is pretty badass but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it, I really think they changed the changlings appearance more to write them off than as setup for the future.
Hm... I do agree that it seemed weird how silent the changelings including thorax became after the transformation....
First off... so beyond the headcanon ruining with the changelings, what was actually wrong? Everything about the story was very well done... bar the yes, rushed climax, even by this shows standards. That's really all the ep needed, better set up for the big climax. The actual change itself was fine... yeah the new forms look kind of bad.. but still way better then rainbow Power at least.
As to the conversation between Chryssi and Starlight, it's because for all her talk about taking care of her Hive, all she REALLY wants is power and control. She wants to be the head bitch in charge, keeping her changelings fed is something important to her, yes, but only because they are HERS and loyal, obedient slaves to her will, so they will be taken care of. Combined with a few lines and look, I'd say it's entirely possible Chryssi knew about what could happen with Thorax and was actively trying to keep that knowledge hidden, simply because it gave her more leverage to control the Changelings.
As to a 'lesson' first off, do you need to be spoon fed what something means? the meaning is not intrinsic to the story, it is merely that which you impart on it based on the facts. But the in universe lesson, wasn't anything about the Changelings but rather on Starlight learning to not be afraid of taking charge, that just because she royal fucked it up once, does not mean she shouldn't try it again, but the right way this time.
Oh boy, this finale... You too, huh? I really did not like it do to crap writing. I didn't get as hung up as you about the changelings, although I did have a few issues. So, lets start there and run through it...
Changelings, why did they all join Thorax? He proved that changelings can be individuals, so why did they all change? Why didn't Celestia address Thorax as King Thorax? This was after all basically his coronation, so its standard to use titles. And why is the fandom hung up on the change, not all of them changed. Really, a handful (at least 10) were on assignment, so there's no reason they changed.
Sunburst really got shafted this time, no? Sure, everyone has characters they want included, and I would've loved to see Zecora get some screen time, but this one really sticks in my craw. He's Starlight's childhood friend, and a damn talented unicorn, so why wouldn't he be included in the team? Plus it'd be easy to write him out in two or so lines.
The throne is ridiculous, after all, its been established that Discord is more powerful than the princesses, so how the heck can a throne be powerful enough to cancel his magic? Maybe if they'd established that it was specifically made to do that because of a history between him and the changelings, but...
And that brings us to Discord, the worst thing of the episode. Setting aside the writing quality, (see ST:TNG - Déja Q for how to write Discord without powers) there are serious issues with using him here. Lets see, its believable that he lost touch with reality on his trip (see what I did there...), but don't you think his first stop would be to check on his Fluttershy (FlutterCord is now canon)? Or are we saying changelings are so talented that Discord can't tell the difference? Why didn't he just reveal the changelings and banish them to the moon? Sure, they'd still have to rescue the hostages, but what's Chrysalis going to do, send more changelings? Why couldn't he snap his fingers and pull in every powerful unicorn in Equestria to help them? Where'd did he get the microphone he's using when he's distracting the changelings?
Seriously, the writing was bad, bad and even badder.
I'm so glad you wrote this, and desperately hope it, or something very like it, turns out to be true. Interesting spread of responses in the comments below, too.
The episode, on paper, had quite a lot going for it. The opening scene with Derpy, the former villains teaming up which should have been great, and personally I really liked the cave of Fluttershies. Plus, moar changelings! Moar Chrysalis! And probably her best plan to date.
And yet...
All let down by a few poor writing decisions.
Setting Thorax, one of MLP's biggest wet blankets, against Chrysalis, the most charismatic Equestrian villain? Not to mention putting him in a team alongside the actually-interesting characters of Trixie, Starlight and Discord? He was never going to win the day in a way that would feel satisfying, and sure enough, he doesn't.
And Chrysalis herself, who spent her last appearance at the centre of events, deceiving all of Equestria when all eyes were on her, was relegated to fifteen minutes of maniacal laughter and exposition in the heart of the villain's secret lair. I get that they wanted to do something different this time, and let the normal changelings take centre-stage when they only appeared half way through the second half of A Canterlot Wedding, but they reduced a character the fandom loved to a one-note cliche, and then took away her children and her home. The one saving grace was her escape.
The sharing love thing just doesn't work. Headcanons being violated I can live with, but I'm less forgiving with the laws of physics. It looks like they were thinking along the lines of abusive relationships, but the metaphor doesn't really fit the facts.
Quite how Rarity managed to hold her tongue when seeing the new changeling designs I'll never know, their gaudiness was a crime against decency. I hadn't even thought of the unfortunate implied morals, but they fit completely.
Thing is, I think season 5 was the strongest season so far, by a considerable margin. I don't think it's just nostalgia to think that last year was better than this one, because I think last year was better than the four before it too. But we do know that they've changed over quite a lot of their writing staff, and while season 6 has had its strong moments (first really good Spike episode, woo! And I adored A Hearth's Warming Tail, and The Fault In Our Cutie Marks), I think overall it's been the weakest, and has had a couple of episodes (this one and 28 Pranks Later) which made me think the writers really didn't understand the show they were working on. Not to mention the first weak Maud episode.
My own theory was that the new changelings will soon all die. I prefer yours, though!