Season 9: The Return (And Fall) of King Sombra · 12:45am Apr 9th, 2019
King Sombra. When I first saw "The Crystal Empire Part 1", I was pumped to see our heroes take on such a baddie! From his design to his abilities, King Sombra was instantly memorable and made out to be a serious threat, a kind of dark boogeyman. The showrunners conceived him as being a force of evil like Sauron from The Lord of the Rings, who is himself one of the biggest baddies of English literature. And then he was killed off so easily! A few words of dialogue, no backstory and no real personality to speak of. Who was this mysterious foe?
I was thrilled when I discovered that they were bringing him back! He was an underutilized villain and despite how much he was built up, he died and was not brought back until six seasons later. I've written about him and tried to piece together how such a monster would act and sound like, either a misunderstood loner with a tragic backstory or a dark sorcerer that believes he is on a crusade against his mortal enemies the alicorns (depending on the continuity of my stories' universes). And then...the first two episodes of Season 9 premiered.
I have nothing against Alvin Sanders but his voice just didn't match. Remember how deep and creepy Jim Miller's voice was? It matched the design and I would've liked someone more like that. And then there was what they did to King Sombra's character. There wasn't much to him in "The Crystal Empire" two-parter but based on both Princess Celestia's description and his actions, couples with his apparent cleverness and dark magic traps, you'd think he was a cold, calculating and ruthless warlock. In Season 9? He's overly-talkative, smug and arrogant. He comes off more like a cheap Bond villain rather than a Sauron-level threat. Okay, okay, he did end up destroying the Elements of Harmony and conquers the Crystal Empire, Ponyville and Canterlot. But then he gets killed...AGAIN. And this is two episodes into the new season. Just like Season 3. Weird.
The Main Six then somehow overcome him (yeah, yeah, I know "friendship is magic") and then he starts whining like a teenager whose parents won't let him take the car out for a date. And then poof! He's dust and dead once again. I think they used him way too early and with a little tweaking, he could've possibly have been the show's greatest villain! Such a shame. The comics gave him more love than this and despite not fitting in with the continuity of the show, it would've been nice to see some elements of the Return of King Sombra story arc in the new season. A good character concept wasted yet again.
You are right in so many levels
5041265
Thank you. What do you think overall?
I couldn't agree more. While I did enjoy his appearance in the show and that he was back. It was bittersweet. They took a character who had the potential to be THE bad guy for the end and they transformed him into a cliche villain. It was a completely different character.
To tell the honest truth, I believe that the people on the show created an awesome character and didn't know what to do with him and this is the result. I am actually making a youtube video about it (Which will be up tomorrow) about this whole thing.
He felt like Evil Blueblood honestly. I didn’t he was bad exactly, though I do enjoy his comic version more.
Honestly my favorite parts was Chrysalis’ crazy moment at the beginning, the insane little giggle was great; and Cozy Glow’s comments in general.
5041317
Great! I'll be sure to check it out!
5041348
I'm disappointed that they didn't give Queen Chrysalis back that weird echo in her voice. Although Cozy Glow is amusing, I'm not a fan of her a villain or as a character. And then there's the fact that they made Grogar the big bad. King Sombra could've easily filled that role. Instead, they gave the role to a big blue goat.
5041586
Here is the video I promised: King Sombra - The Mismanaged Character of MLP. Hope you Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOCvw-qu7iQ
5041806
I loved it! (I'm SpectreKing2105)
5041830
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed it. It was a video I believed that needed to be told. It was an idea I have been sitting on for a long time. It was only when I saw the premiere that I felt it was time.
5041835
I'm glad that you did. I've written a few stories about him just to help fill in the blanks just because I love him. In my head canon story "When Darkness Falls" (which I just completed), Sombra is a more of an anti-villain, one with a personal connection to Princess Celestia and believes that she's the real villain and that he's Equestria's savior.
5041836
Now that would have made an excellent twist. I will make sure to read that story.
5041839
Thanks! I also did an alternate universe one where instead of dying in Season 3, he wins and has Twilight become his wife.
5041840
Oh yes, I am reading the sequel on that right now. It is an excellent story.
5041848
Thank you! There's still more to come!
5041849
Awesome! I can't wait to see it!
I can see your angle but the thing that strikes me is when you say he starts acting like a spoils brat that didn't get what he wanted well he kinda is one because no one could say no to him until the elements of harmony anyway.
5050216
True but I would've expected someone like him to be a bit more dignified. He seemed a bit headstrong and impatient, which goes against what we saw in "The Crystal Empire" two-parter, which heavily indicated that he was a patient, calculating strategist. If anything, given Queen Chrysalis' past, I would've expected her to be the one to rebuff Grogar's idea of an alliance and go off on her own. The real King Sombra would've seized the opportunity to get an edge on the Main Six and then later stab the others in their backs when their services were no longer needed.
5050221
when you say the "real" king Sombra you are implying that the one we saw was fake. while yes he may have worked with the others if he knew the outcome of him going on his own but I think he may have let his pride get in the way of his judgment some but still even without their help he very nearly succeeded if not for discord reminding the main six how the elements truly work, and maybe his pride played a part in him losing the crystal empire the first time against the royal sisters 1000 plus years ago.
5050224
Well, fake in the sense that he seems completely the opposite of what we were promised. The Royal Sisters beat him when he was by himself and he appears to be an adaptable pragmatist. King Sombra seems like he could've been able to swallow his pride for the moment and strike when he was sure that victory was in his grasp. After all, he set up a series of traps without knowing that he'd need them and nearly won when Spike and Cadence's interfered, which was a 1/10 chance of a fluke.
Fluttercheer actually made some good points on his blog post that perhaps Sombra's defeat in S9 was a bit too easy.
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/852899/the-beginning-of-the-end-review-analysis-prediction-why-season-9-will-have-the-greatest-ruse-in-equestrian-history#comment/5050144
I think the creators purposefully changed Sombra's character in order to make Grogar more of a threat, since he's the new baddie.
5050226
That is very much possible as well
MY EXACT WORDS!!!!!!!!!
5051151
Finally! I'm surprisingly hearing that a lot of people are okay with what they did to Sombra!
Rip King Sombra
2012-2019
And when I say rip I mean rest in PIECES
5097441
Ha, good one. And well put! I don't know who the guy in Season 9 was but that wasn't King Sombra
Yea if I could tell how heartbroken I was when he was defeated i probably wouldn’t be here and just be locked in my room for three days lol.
I just really hope he comes back at the finale of season 9 cause he might like that guy said In the video
5097824
I'm liking Alternate by the way
5097825
Yeeeeeeah not likely
I’m glad you like it
Btw I looked up King Sombra on villains wiki and it said they got a new voice actor because that ghostly voice was his regal voice and the one we heard in season 9 was his real voice
5097859
I read that too and all I could think was, "Is that how they imagined this badass villain to sound like?" I like Alvin Sanders but no.
Call me weird but I like King Sombra’s season 9 voice better. But yeah if he had that Jim Miller voice he would easily surpass Grogar. But in my opinion I think he’s better still.
5097891
Really? It sounds a tad too goofy. Perhaps something a little deeper and more refined.
Ironically - he also voiced Cybron (Skysurfer Strike Force), who acted and sounded more like S3 Sombra:
Yeah.
So, DHX... you'll have Horse Play use part of Celestia and Luna's backstory from The Journal Of The Two Sisters, and have Discord mention Tirek's father (FIENDship Is Magic #2) in The Ending Of The End... but won't give us anything (Princess Amore, Radiant Hope, the Umbrum, etc.) from the most-popular FIENDship book (#1)?
Please forgive me for calling bullshit.
5209577
Well put. Also, that's Alvin Sanders too? Huh. Not bad I'd prefer someone like Crispin Freeman to give Sombra a little more range. Make him sound deadly and calculating. Also, I love your profile pic!
5209586
I know, right?
If nothing else, The Beginning Of The End did get me interested in his resume.
5209597
Very nice! Still, I think another actor could've worked to flesh him out. Sanders makes him sound like a two-dimensional villain while someone else could've made him more sympathetic