Legends of Magic #11 Review · 4:04pm Aug 24th, 2018
As the leaks and speculation continued and the IDW main series continued to putter along, word had come out about the next "replacement" for the secondary comics line, after an annual in April Legends of Magic would wrap up for good and be replaced by a five part series based on the Ponyville Mysteries books, a move that fans were not entirely delighted by. With the Legends of Magic series winding down, was this penultimate issue able to keep the narrative going or just throw everything off track? Well, let's find out.
Like with the last several issues we pick up right where the previous one left off, Stygian and the group stumble upon Mistmane's greenhouse and find it locked from the inside. Stygian quickly instructs the group to split up and look for a way inside, Rockhoof tries to buck down the door and Flash Magnus attempts to locate a way inside from the roof. Silverquill mentioned in his review of this issue though, that it sort of stretches the suspension of disbelief that the plants are able to keep the ponies from breaking glass and even a sentence or two about the glass being enchanted or reinforced would've gone a long way to making it more believable. Somnambula doesn't really do much other than encourage (and occasional laugh at) Rockhoof, so Mage Meadowbrook finds a way inside by pretending to deliver a special plant growth potion.
Inside the greenhouse it is quite dark, Somnambula lights the way with her glowpaz necklace and Stygian asks her to stay close to him (again this is really making me want to ship them). But Flash Magnus (mistakeningly called Flash Sentry in one panel) lets slip that they're there to find Mistmane and the plants start to attack. They quickly subdue Flash Magnus and Meadowbrook, even stealing Meadowbrook's growth potion. They also cause Somnambula to sneeze (though nothing comes of this development). Stygian, meanwhile, discovers a glowing giant flytrap and deduces that must be where Mistmane is. He calls Rockhoof over and tells him to pry open the plant's mouth with his shovel. With a little bit of magical expertise from Stygian, Mistmane is freed.
Mistmane calls off the plants and tells them to return everypony to normal. She explains that she sensed that change was coming and convinces the plants that she will not be gone for long and will find new places to plant them. With the group assembled, Stygian is prepared to trek to the Castle of the Two Sisters to find Starswirl the Bearded, but Mistmane (drawing on her focus issue) tells Stygian he will not be found there. He will actually be found in Canterlot, and the new castle impresses just about everyone except Flash Magnus.
Stygian finds Starswirl working on the spell that Twilight will ultimately go on to complete and gain her wings from, and interrupts him. Starswirl at first is quite unhappy about being disturbed while he's trying to concentrate, but then he apologizes and says he's so frustrated having to deal with two moody teenagers who will one day run the country. It's not unlike what we saw of him in "Friendship University" where he's more mellow and less grouchy and debatedly arrogant. He and Stygian get into a conversation about sirens and Stygian corrects Starswirl on his potrayals of the pillars, before he finally lets slip the reason for his visit, he introduces Starswirl to the legends and the legends to Starswirl.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the issue? Well, aside from the bit at the greenhouse with the glass that is once again resolved by Mage Meadowbrook (she's a great legend but I'm a little bit tired of her always being the one who knows what to do in a situation and having the solution ready) and Flash Magnus actually making things worse (which coupled with him not solving his own problem makes his inclusion in the group seem pointless) it's pretty good and in fact I'd say it's an improvement over the previous issue. Some even mentioned that Starswirl's potrayal here is kind of like Master Splinter from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise (more like the 2003 and 2012 series where he considers the turtles not just his students but also his sons) and I can definitely see the similarities. Just like the previous issues this one is a definite recommendation, and tomorrow we will cover the finale and the last of the comics I got for my birthday.
