The chronicles of Project Horizons : chapter 45

A middle of the road chapter, nothing much to say about it since it does seem to be more of a filler chapter. It does have moments of utter stupidity of course but I don't think that it's a bad chapter. Just not something I'll remember that much in the long run and so I'll try to focus on the things that are important.

Let's go !

We start with a fight scene against Steel Rain and half a dozen Steel Rangers. Long story short, BJ wrecks her shit until her friends come to save her. Few things of note : Psychoshy has an instant crush on Stygius (because apparently, everyone wants his dick within seconds of meeting him) and BJ cannot die from an EMP. She is 99% a robot, but if she takes an EMP, her system will shut down and reboot on their own. It could have been interesting to have a moment of intensity has we discover another weakness but even that doesn't seem to be a huge one. Unless of course, her enemies get smart and carry EMP grenade with them to kill her. Something that will never happen I'm sure. It's quite literally a surefire way to win but at the same time, the fact that her body reboot on its own is weird... Power armors are less advanced than synthetic organs ? Really ?

During the fight, we also meet a terminal to start Project Horizons. It is almost certainly a Moon Canon with a Moon Crystal called Tom. I'm just calling it. If my theory is confirmed, Somber... You're saddening me. You'll sadden me twice more if you make a "Here comes Tom" reference.

Next scene we learn that Project Partypooper is less a project than Order 66 where Psalm, the religious nut sniper of the Marauder, have to kill all people on EC-1101 list aside from the Princesses. So the Mane 6, The Generals, etc. We have a scene where Psalm almost kill Pinkie Pie but the bomb fall before she can shoot, letting her burn alive. What I find amusing is that after a quick research, I learned that the original version of the story had Pinkie being killed by Psalm. It's an interesting discussion to have so let's have it :

What are the ramification behind those two alternate scenes : Psalm killing Pinkie and Psalm trying to kill her ?

In the first case, it's unfortunately another surge of ego from Somber that wanted to make all things important related to his story and his story alone but it also would be an utterly useless kill. Psalm know for a fact that a bomb is going to strike Manehattan and it is extremely likely that she's going to die. Besides... who send a hitman killing its target on the vicinity of an explosion ? In any case, the first case is pointless and since we essentially know how all the Mane 6 died (RD excepted but it's extremely likely that Gilda offed her), it's something strange... which means that she has killed other people in the past and honestly... I have my doubt on the fact that she killed Big Mac in trying to kill Celestia... It's only a nagging feeling for now, let's hope I'm wrong.

In the second case... Somber is facing an utterly useless scene now. This scene should have been rewritten, perhaps with Psalm just receiving the list and having her realise what she has to do. Here, this scene serves no purpose and I won't say it's "better" that Psalm didn't kill Pinkie since honestly, I don't know enough to say for sure that Psalm won't be among the stupidity of the fiction. In any case, the scene should have been completely rewritten.

Then we have a scene where Rampage is pissed at BJ for very legitimate reason : cheating on Glory and killing another innocent kid. However, she's not too mad because she accepts in the same scene to put herself through anguish by summoning one of her many personalities. It's useless because we don't learn anything except that Twist and Psalm were a thing and that Psalm an impressive markspony. However before moving on... I have to point out something :

“What else can I say, Rampage? It was an accident, just like you and Thorn. I know that doesn’t make it okay... but it happened because I was out of it. The fatigue... everything that’s going on... I killed her.”

We all know that she was influenced by ESG but she doesn't know that. Why is she calling it an accident and comparing herself to Rampage ? Rampage has a serial foal killer in her mind whose apparition she cannot control. How is that similar to your excuse of "I killed a kid because I was stressed and tired" ? Somber, are you insane ? What are you making your fucking characte say ? She has killed a kid and for all she know, she did it consciously so why isn't she saying that ? Why not say "I don't know what took over me... I wasn't myself and I killed her... I'll have to atone." ? Beating a filly into a pulp even when in a rage isn't an accident, it's just that you're fucking mad and murderous. However, all is forgiven since we know she was controled/influenced by ESG. No big deal.

We also have a scene with the Goddess where she literally does nothing but watch BJ's antics while waiting for Pip to finish her adventure in Canterlot (happy to see that the Goddess is still that useless.) We also have a scene with Psychoshy... but who the fuck cares about Psychoshy ? Certainly not me.

Then they go to Hightower Jail but seeing it's highly concentrated in radiation and Enervation they go to the ghoul city of Meatlocker. There we essentially go into the lives of ponies that once lived. We see a club, we have a scene where a ghoul makes the tail and mane of BJ all pretty and another scene with Lacunae in a wedding dress meant for Luna. The whole sequence is nice and relaxing but I have nothing to add about it.

After a bit more discussion about how the ghouls have to remain busy to avoid going feral, we meet two ponies. Nurse Graves that once was a nurse in Hightower and another pony named Shears who knows about a secret entrance and EC 1101. He accepts to lead BJ to the secret entrance and... CLIFFHANGER !

BJ found the dead body of Tulip, the armorsmith with a speech impediment and Willow the bitchy guard is menacing her with her gun !

Closing thoughts : Nothing much to say and nothing much to add.