Friendship is Card Games: Between Dark and Dawn · 11:06am Jun 23rd, 2019
Rather appropriate to have a diarch-focused episode so close to a solstice. Let’s see what night and day get up to while Twilight’s trying to fill all eight hipposandals at once
Huh. That’s a big Torterra. Or a very small world turtle.
Very nice actions on Twilight’s part in subduing it, what with her assigning tasks to those around her in order to split the workload into something manageable. I feel like there’s a term for that. One that starts with “D”… 
I do appreciate how Dash keeps saying what we’ve all thought with regards to the royal sisters’ involvement during world crises. Seriously, this does not paint their past inaction in the most positive light. Yes, there were often extenuating circumstances, but this makes it sound like the only reason they didn’t help more often was because they didn’t feel like it.
Forget ruling the country, do those two even sleep? It’s like they’re on a 24/7 disaster watch. And just for Ponyville. The rest of the nation is a thing, ladies.
Indeed, Luna outright says she’s doing this instead of patrolling dreams. I can only imagine the unresolved issues that plagued ponykind while she was gallivanting about.
That said, there is a bit of metahumor in the sisters’ behavior: They’ve become obtrusive OCs, stealing all the glory in situations that the Mane Six could easily handle. Of course, since they’re not the writers’ self-inserts, nopony is okay with this.
At this point, I have to think that Twilight has officially hoofed off the School of Friendship to Starlight. It’d explain why no one’s concerned about the place and why Miss Steal-Yo-Mark is nowhere to be seen.
Does Celestia even need sunglasses? And why would she even offer dehydrated trail rations for Luna to sample?
Heh. I legitimately can’t tell how sarcastic Pinkie’s being when she talks about the terrifying responsibility.
Also, I can only assume the royal swannifying was an Equestrian concession made at the end of their equivalent of the Great Emu War.
So, why did Luna insist on no flying? Just to make the trip more memorable?
There’s a lot to take in from the musical number, but three things especially stood out to me: how much Celestia loves FAO Horse, the Equestrian version of Wicked (which no doubt spoke to Luna on a personal level,) and the easily missed appearance of Capper, who still exists and still has the accessories Rarity gave him.
Well, three visual things. The explicit mention of a bucket list in the lyrics is more than a bit bizarre. How immortal are the sisters going to be after they abdicate?
I want Celestia, Cadence, and Twilight Velvet to go on a grand adrenaline rush of a vacation together. Also, we have three clear classes of princesses: Bright, peppy, happy philosopher-queen who thirsts for adventure; contemplative, driven warrior-queen who just wants to relax; and equinoid weapon of mass destruction.
Twilight Sparkle, of course, is any or all of these categories depending on her mood.
So… no one told the rest of Canterlot about the royal vacation. Which makes me wonder how many other ponies are aware of the planned transition of power.
Also, apparently the Royal Swannifying Committee wasn’t mentioned on the list. That or Celestia and Luna thought involving the Royal Swannifying Committee was obvious. Girls, Spike, you’ll be ruling with Twilight specifically to call her out on moments like this. Heck, even Fancy Pants’s rudeness makes sense; of course he’d assume that he’s being deliberately snubbed rather than think that Twilight legitimately did not realize that the rulers of the land used the committee they organized.
Eight seasons after the Crusaders’ attempt, we finally get proper zip-lining.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who saw the resemblance in Luna’s midzip photo.
Luna’s love of the post office makes a lot of sense when you consider how she’s had to absorb a millennium of progress at once. This kind of orderly, predictable, swift messaging service must have seemed more magical than raising the moon when she first encountered it. (And it involves Best Pony, which is always a plus.)
Who else thought that unexplored cavern was a sarlacc?
And so we run into the central conflict: Celestia and Luna are in so many ways equals… and opposites. The equality runs against the sense of responsibility Celestia still feels after all these years, because you never stop being the older or younger sibling. The opposition? That’s quite easy to see. That the argument escalated to the point of the Royal Canterlot Voice is perfect; goodness knows we’ve seen it in fanfics before.
Also, the dynamic here lays bare a true tragedy for the the royal sisters; they may never truly understand one another. Don’t get me wrong, they clearly love each other, and they even usually like each other, which is far from guaranteed when dealing with family. But they don’t really interact with one another so much as they interact with millennium-old memories. Celestia still sees the moping, petulant child who needs as much supervision as Equestria. Luna still sees the domineering autocrat who cannot cede the initiative to anypony else because they’ll do it wrong. And to an extent, they still are those people. Speaking from experience, siblings are great at dragging who you were out from under who you are. But each has developed since in ways the other can’t see, partly because of their differing work shifts, partly because of the centuries they spent apart.
And you know the worst part? Even if Nightmare Moon had never happened and they had grown into adulthood together, this might still be the case. These two are very literally as different as night and day. They may love each other, like each other, and all the other warm fuzzies you can name, but each may well forever be an enigma to the other.
Right, back to goofy commentary:
So… why are the street sweepers on strike, anyway? Were the diarchs aware of the labor dispute before they left? Did their irresponsibility directly lead to the strike?
Important distinction: that was Ponyliacci, not Ponyacci. Distinct from Pinkie’s idol from the comics.
Fancy, you don’t get to criticize a design choice when you’re using the tablecloth to wipe your muzzle.
The anti-air castle defenses are still in place. I can’t imagine Canterlot pegasi are very happy about that.
Huh. Pretty sure that sunbathing marks the first time we’ve seen any non-Twilight princess not wearing anything.
The “happy sisters” parachute may seem contrived at first, but I’m willing to bet that that skydiver packed specifically because she was jumping with Celestia.
Celestia apparently got lost near Grogar’s lair, going by that map. Kind of makes me wish she’d she stumbled there and short-circuited the finale.
So… why is Celestia afraid of chickens? That story’s got to be at least as good as the reason behind Twilight’s fear of cheese.
Nice touch with each sister wanting to see the other’s celestial object in motion.
Twilight apparently managed sunset without any issue; I suppose the amulet broke after that. Also, did she bring down the lucky star, or is that a naturally occurring meteorite?
In all, this is a nice bit of royal character building interspersed with Twilight grasping the Idiot Ball with all six limbs and her mouth. As I noted earlier, it’s especially grating when we see her delegate at the start of the episode. The episode would’ve been improved if the swannifying had been left as a noodle incident, with Celestia and Luna returning to the aftermath of offscreen shenanigans. Still, the good parts were very good indeed… even if the royal senioritis is a bit distressing.
Now, time for me to fulfill my duties:
Rapid Replacement 1W
Instant
Exile target nontoken permanent, then return that card to the battlefield under its owner’s control.
“How did the princesses know where I keep my emergency bridges?”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
“Lotta Little Things” 2W
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Lotta Little Things”.
1W, Sacrifice “Lotta Little Things”: Return up to X target permanent cards in your graveyard with converted mana cost 2 or less to the battlefield, where X is the number of verse counters on “Lotta Little Things”.
Witch of the North 2W
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Hexproof from black (This creature can’t be the target of black spells or abilities your opponents control.)
When Witch of the North enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life for each black permanent on the battlefield.
“A good witch is just one with good publicity.”
2/3
Intrusive Aid 1U
Instant
Creatures target player controls get -2/+2 until end of turn.
Draw a card.
Rainbow Dash felt split. Sure, these were the mares she’d sworn to serve several times over, but they kept getting in her way.
Skytheft Slime 1U
Instant
Target creature gets -5/-0 and loses flying until end of turn.
Some creatures’ saliva can paralyze the mana channels in wings. Even if the prey escapes, it still has to fend off aerodynamics.
Moat Swan 2U
Creature — Bird
Defender
Moat Swan has flying and can attack as though it didn’t have defender as long as you’ve drawn two or more cards this turn.
They hate effort slightly more than they hate you. For now.
3/3
Planning Committee 3U
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
2U, T: Scry 2.
A nation as vast as Equestria can’t be governed by just two ponies, no matter how powerful.
2/4
Lucky Star 3UU
Sorcery
Each player shuffles their hand and graveyard into their library, then draws seven cards. Exile Lucky Star
Miracle 1U (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it’s the first you drew this turn.)
An omen of reflection and reinvention.
Fowl Presence B
Creature — Bird Horror
Menace
2B: Fowl Presence gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
“That is no chicken. That is evil manifest.”
—Princess Celestia
1/1
Malicious Will 1B
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn. If that creature would die this turn, exile it instead.
“Magic doesn’t care about your preconceived notions of good and evil, but I admit, I don’t see how you can use this one for fun.”
—Discord
Tragic Clown 1B
Creature — Pony Rogue
If an opponent would gain life, that player loses that much life instead.
4BB: All creatures gain lifelink until end of turn.
“Sometimes you don’t want to smile and the world doesn’t care.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
2/2
Garbage Pile 2B
Creature — Wall
Defender, deathtouch
Garbage Pile’s toughness is equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
If damage would be dealt to Garbage Pile while you have a card in your graveyard, prevent that damage and exile that many cards from your graveyard.
1/*
Mother Bat 2B
Creature — Bat
Flying
Whenever you pay life, create a 1/1 black Bat creature token with flying.
Her children maintain a liquid diet; it’s simply a question of when they transition from milk to blood.
2/1
Witch of the West 2B
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Hexproof from white
When Witch of the West enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life for each white permanent on the battlefield.
“A wicked witch is just one ponies disagree with.”
2/3
Terrorize the City 1R
Instant
Target attacking creature gets +X/+X and gains trample until end of turn, where X is the number of nonbasic lands defending player controls.
”What, you thought Ponyville was the only place with monsters?”
—Babs Seed, Manehattan stylist
Ascended Vagabond 2RR
Creature — Rogue
Alicorn (This card is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
As long as it’s your turn, Ascended Vagabond has flying.
Whenever Ascended Vagabond deals combat damage to a player, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
“The sky is my crown, the road my palace.”
3/2
Bugbear Migration 1G
Sorcery
Destroy target creature you don’t control with flying.
Overload 3GG (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of "target" with "each.”)
The swarm doesn’t avoid obstacles. It eats them.
Shampooed Anteater 2G
Creature — Beast
Shampooed Anteater has hexproof as long as it’s enchanted.
“Why shouldn’t every creature look and feel their best?”
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
3/2
Towering Groveshell 3GG
Creature —Turtle
Reach
2G, Discard Towering Groveshell: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle your library.
An ecosystem with an appetite.
3/6
Ice Boots 2
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature has vigilance and snow landwalk. (It can’t be blocked as long as defending creature controls a snow land.)
Equip 2
Bare hooves and slick surfaces don’t mix.
Diarch’s Sunglasses 3
Artifact
You may spend white mana as though it were black mana and black mana as though it were white mana.
“They symbolize our eternal devotion to one another. And they make me look cool.”
—Princess Celestia
Tribute to the Diarchs 3
Artifact
T: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a creature spell.
Hoofcraft — 3: Tribute to the Diarchs becomes a 4/4 Golem artifact creature with flying and alicorn until end of turn. Activate this ability only if you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns.
Celestial Amulet 6
Artifact
At the beginning of your end step, choose artifacts, creatures, or lands. Untap all permanents you control of the chosen type.
Even a tiny fraction of the princesses’ power can dramatically shift the cosmos.
Labor Strike 1WU
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
4WU, Sacrifice Labor Strike: Gain control of enchanted creature. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Wonderbolt Airlifter 1(wu)(wu)
Creature — Pegasus Soldier
Flying
Whenever Wonderbolt Airlifter attacks, another target attacking creature gains flying until end of turn.
“It’s a lot easier to coordinate with the ground pounders when they’re up here with us.”
2/2
Vanish into the Earth 1RG
Sorcery
Vanish into the Earth deals damage to target creature or planeswalker equal to the number of lands you control.
Awaken 3—4RG (If you cast this spell for 4RG, also put three +1/+1 counters on target land you control and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature with haste. It’s still a land.)
Black Sun Hierarch 3WB
Creature — Cleric
Alicorn
Flying, lifelink
At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 5 or more life this turn, you may exile target creature.
Twisted light can be far worse than pure darkness.
3/3
Wow! This got deeeep! Cool!
----
Typo?
You mean Twilight Sparkle, right? 'Cause Velvet's not a Princess...
5078551
Nope.
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Chickens are pure evil. Look one in the eye and tell me I'm wrong.
It's a tortoise based thing, not a turtle. So Torterra.
It's Ponyville, like 80% of the disasters in Equestria take place there.
The Princesses seem about as good at communicating things as the managers at my work.
Very, very well put.
She visited Hyrule at some point?
Ehhh, her issue wasn't not knowing how to delegate, it was knowing that delegation was even allowed. And that has been an issue with her. She's reached the point where she automaticly knows she can have her friends help her, and they are pretty much a single unit, but she's still a bit too set on following 'the rules'. Really, it reminds me of An Orderly Transfer of Power. She can do it well, but still needs to be told it's alright to do so till it sinks in.
Glad to see someone else notice this, because this is also what happened the last time Fancy was visibly rankled: in Princess Spike, when through a series of Spike's comedic errors, from his point of view it appears as if Twilight was either ignoring her duties, snubbing him, or just incompetent. He's also been working closely with Celestia for most of these big Canterlot events, and Celestia runs a smooth ship, whereas Twilight gets there eventually, but capsizes along the way.
I know a lot of people are unhappy with how rude and unforgiving Fancy Pants is in this episode, especially compared to his first appearance. But there's a real difference between an up-and-coming socialite and a princess. A princess is in charge, a princess should know better. He also may not know that Twilight, unlike the other Canterlot elite, is not used to this scene or how things are supposed to work. If a Canterlot elite did this, it would indeed be a HUGE middle finger to him and the rest of the committee. Thus, when Twilight doesn't display the wisdom and efficiency he's seen from Celestia for decades, he affords a lot less patience.
That or he's been hanging around Jet Set and Upper Crust too much.
Man, both your humor and card designs are on point today.
5078579
She was ignoring her duties in favor of sleep (however justified that may have been health-wise), in doing so she did snub him, and if she was brought to that point when none of the other princesses were, was incompetent.
The thing about capsizing ships is that it's terribly dangerous and gets people killed. A captain who capsizes their ship should not remain a captain.
In-freakin'-deed.
In Season 2, he was introduced to Twilight as Rarity's friend from Ponyville. He knows she's not his folk (ironically, she is, she just doesn't live the culture). But she's supposedly been prepared for this role by her training and experiences, when in fact she constantly demonstrates the opposite.
I will note that Pinkie's solution is not to negotiate with the strikers, but to break the strike by means of either automation or scab labor, depending on how you read the scene. "Pinkie" is short for "Pinkerton," it seems.
Cool Things We Don't Get To Do Anymore, Part #2,738. Boo hiss!
That cave is definitely some kind of sarlacc.
I fell behind on watching episodes this season, and I just got caught up today.
When I was very little I used to draw the sun with a smiley face and sunglasses. It's more of a symbol of sunlight than a necessity.
Ok, that was funny.
This episode was entertaining, and I always love when an episode focuses on the royal sisters. However, this episode felt kind of disjointed. This may have been because I watched it in a few chunks instead of one sitting, though. But the swanifying scenes were kind of annoying. Since Twilight and Spike practically lived at the castle in their youth, I have to assume this ceremony was started after they moved to Ponyville.
Overall, I feel like I would have enjoyed the episode more if it was just a low-key slice-of-life story about Celestia and Luna taking a vacation and learning more about their interests. But most of the sister interactions we got were still very fun to watch.
I bet it's something that happens before every Royal Swannifying, and they simply didn't think about it beyond that. If I had to clean up after a parade which included bird droppings and very vicious attack swans, I would want some hazard pay as well. Imagine trying to sweep up and having one of those hiss and nip at you.
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What Category does Cadence fit into? For a brief moment I thought she was the Equinoid WoMD before I remembered Flurry exists. I suspect you put her into the 'Bright, peppy, happy philosopher-queen' category but I am not entirely sure she fits the philosopher-queen part of that category.
I think there's a typo in Witch of the West: The text says "When Witch of the North enters the battlefield..." Just to be sure, I checked Witch of the North, and it also says "Witch of the North." (Wanted to be sure they weren't somehow set up to trigger each other.
Also, I see Luna's want for relaxation to be a reason that she would be a gamer if home consoles existed in Equestria, just think of how relaxing some games can be. And Celestia being super adventurous is amusing, too.
Oh, hey, just realized, they're seriously expressing heavy Yin and Yang tendencies there. Neat.
Also, I am just loving all the hilarious faces in this season.
I just wanna say I love how cute both princesses looked with their manes up.
Also we finally got official pony swimwear.
Pinkie now has a torterra and a sandile (gummy), what's next?
5078917
Don't be absurd - Gummy's a Totodile.
I was giggling all through the diarchs' parts of this episode. I think it was just the kind of absurd hilarity that I like (and therefore rather too absurd for my wife to find it funny). The Twilight parts were quite cringeworthy, but thankfully they were in the minority. The song was somewhat meh... as most of the songs this season have been, come to think of it. The episodes are mostly really great, but the songs haven't struck me apart from Better Way To Be Bad.
Yowowow. Tragic Clown is terrifying. Might be rather too good at single-hoofedly stalling games: Sure, I'll leave 6 mana up. Fancy alphastriking yourself as well as me?
Hahaha. Of course the sunglasses needed immortalising in a card, and it be a reference to Urza's Sunglasses is perfect. I like the idea of a more restricted-scope Celestial Dawn (...and huh, given that card's name, is it a subtle reference to that as well?)
Your Wonderbolt Airlifter made me realise that Trusted Pegasus is strictly better than Kinsbaile Balloonist. (I was trying to think if there was a blue analogue of Roc Charger / Pegasus Courser, and remembered the Lorwyn/Shadowmoor mirror with the Balloonist / Harpoonist.) Nice hybrid card, anyway. Interesting how Aerial Guide was in the previous Bolas set and Trusted Pegasus is in the latest one.
I always adore the princesses and getting a whole episode of them is great. The show creators packed this one with plenty of assets.
Also fun to see that they didn't take the typical 'Sunny Skies' method for the princesses to take a vacation that's such a trope (One that even I use in my stories). Princesses on vacation, and no disguises or shame about it! We get the fun reaction of crowds in their wake pointing and gasping at royals. That pony who took the Celestia selfie was adorable or that poor bloke trying to mail packages only to see Celestia ahead of him.
Compare that kind of 'oh wow, princesses!' to how other ponies treat Twilight in Friendship University where a pony spectator for Flim and Flam gives Twilight an annoyed glance when she gets bumped from behind.
Though it's also a little bittersweet in some ways. I can't help but think. "Imagine how it would be if this was a Season 4 episode just about princesses going on a brief vacation together." Season 9 gives us the benefit of tons of expressions and faces, but its also the last season and like it was mentioned multiple times our princesses are going to retire and with it the whole show. Our mom horses are going to go away.
Will they even be around in G5 I wonder.
The plot also had me a little miffed though. It was funny in Slice of Life to see the sisters have a little snippy "Oh-the-royals-are-just-like-us!" argument over wedding presents. But every appearance now of the two sisters has had them argue with each other. And in every case it's been Celestia to start it. Like when she disses Luna's dreamwalking in Royal Problem, to ignoring her advice in Twilight's Seven to Celestia's gut-punch here: "Why can't you just be bucking happy, Luna!" (After Celestia stole Luna's turn on their list).
Ooof. Family sure does bring out the worst of us! Though I think your description of sibling dynamics works. We did get a nice make up moment at the end. But still again I wish it was an earlier season episode. Them going on vacation only to end up solving a friendship problem / defeat a minor evil maybe would have been a better plot. To tie into the whole 'switching jobs with the mane 6' theme.
The cards you made were great!
Love this one and quote. That's a fic idea in of itself.
Big favorite of the bunch for the quote and the effect and how well they fit with one another
Why would a pony whose former castle was in the middle of what is now the Evergreen Forest be afraid of chickens? If only we knew about some beast which looks and sounds like a chicken until the exact moment it doesn't. Definitely not faulting Tia for that one.
Applejack states at the very beginning that the Torterra is tearing through her family's SUMMER crop, so that's actually covered. The episodes of Season 9 don't seem to be chronological, since we've already gotten school episodes, and the Apple Family got all it's harvesting done during the Confluence in Going to Seed.
A lot of Wicked's emotional resonance depends on the cultural touchstone of the Wizard of Oz. Seeing Elphaba be put together as the Wicked Witch of the West, how the Scarecrow and others came about, and the political/personal damage Glinda and Elphaba were suffering behind the scenes. This would mean the Wizard of Oz has a history in Equestria, too.
Not that hard to imagine. The story of a farm pony swept up and deposited in another world, filled with brainless, heartless and cowardly beings, only to fight her way through with magic and friendship to find a way home.
But oh, it would resonate with Luna even without knowing Oz. Her Nightmare Night is Madame Morrible's declaration of Elphaba's wickedness. For Good is her reconciliation with Celestia (as that's obviously the scene we're seeing there. Glinda has the Grimmerie, given to her by Elphaba before her last stand against Dorothy). And even without the need for a love story with Fiero, she would understand No Good Deed Goes Unpunished and the selfishness of As Long As You're Mine. It's not hard to imagine she wishes she could have done "Defying Gravity", still remaining in touch with her sister, rather than her outright rebellion and banishment.
Foreshadowing for the MLP movie style special "Rainbow Roadtrip"...? Oh wait, no, Capper does not appear in that. °shrug°
Ah, clever. Yeah, I imagine Luna and Celestia trying out new things after, say, a few decades or centuries into their retirement. They'll probably need a new hobby. Imagine Luna part-time mail-delivering... under Derpy as her instructor.
...So, all a villain trying to take over the country would have needed to do... was to get a chicken to defeat the mighty sun-goddess.
Chrysalis could've won, at any time, by turning into a giant chicken right out of Celestia's nightmares (and whatever dossiers her infiltrators had on her), but I imagine it was beneath her to stoop that low.
All in all, this would have been a very thoroughly enjoyable episode... if it wasn't for the fact it was an all-too painful reminder of the writers' ultimate plans for the alicorn-sisters.
Retirement.
Everything else in s9 so far has been a celebration of the character's accomplishments.
But...
This... this feels like a punch in the face.
It's been 4 months since the s9-premiere trailer announcement (which I was made all too aware of despite never watching any trailers from Hasbro
) - and I still haven't managed to make peace with that.
This feels wrong. This feels fundamentally wrong.
Like the entire foundation on which everything we've been building for the past 8.5 years is suddenly being swept out from under us.
...Seriously, what were they thinking at Hasbro: "IT'S THE FINAL SEASON! THE SHOW YOU KNOW AND LOVE IS COMING TO AN END! WE'RE GOING TO BOOT CELESTIA AND LUNA OFF THE THRONE (AND KILL THE TREE OF HARMONY)! ARE YOU EXCITED!?" ... No, now I'm just depressed and terrifiedly confused, what the hell is wrong with you.
Season 9 is great[Many of the episodes in s9 are great]... except that the premiere and finale cast this looming shadow of doom over everything.This is exactly the sort of thing that makes me horribly cringe. I'll... just take the mention of a bucket list as shorthand to express a concept for the purpose of the song and not read too much into it.
I had to go back and rewatch that part just to reassure myself it wasn't meant to foreshadow the princesses willingly "de-ascending" from alicornhood, but just a harmless segway into an "around the world" type the musical number.
This nonsense is making me paranoid. 
Not to mention, Luna going into retirement is even worse than Celestia doing so. Could you have predicted, back in season 2, for Luna's character arc to end with her going into retirement? It goes so completely against fanon it hurt my brain to even try to comprehend it after s9e01 aired.
Given what we've already seen (and with NO KNOWLEDGE of any leaks, spoilers, or other rumors), I can extrapolate Celestia and Luna are going to give away their powers over the sun and moon and the dream realm and who-knows-what-else, and go live at that retirement place that elderly librarian from s9e05 lives now.
...How aren't there more ponies undergoing existential crisis? Ponies whose entire world view is torn asunder after generations of Princess Celestia's rule coming to an end?! What about aspiring (batpony) colts and fillies who wanted to be in Luna's night guard?
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"P-Princess Luna... have- have we been... bad subjects?"
If they give up control over raising the sun and moon, what do their cutie marks even mean?!
I know it is meant as Twilight and her friends receiving this "great gift", but this doesn't feel like "The CMC get their cutie marks" to me, this feels like "The CMC get their cutie marks taken away" - worse, "The CMC giving away their cutie marks willingly and smile at the camera, roll credits".
It feels like Celestia and Luna are being trivialized, somehow made less special. Like watching Twilight give away her wings. Like watching Rainbow Dash give away her wings. It wouldn't take away everything the character "is", but it sure would take away a lot.
Not only that, but it feels like the lore of Equestria itself is being undermined, somehow.
Like saying "oh, Nightmare Moon? That was just a bad case of Luna having the nightmare flu. I'm surprised, Princess Celestia didn't recognize it. Most unicorns get it as fillies, there's an easy treatment that cures it after a week of bed rest. No need to be all dramatic about it."
Logically, I know this can't have been intentional. And yet I can't help but ask myself: Why? Why would you do this to us? In the last episode, no less?!
I can't believe how the writers could have misjudged the situation so completely and horribly.
I am genuinely dreading the finale and whatever "status quo" we're left with after. I already know I'm not going to like it. And that hurts.
This has been on my mind for 4 months, and thanks to that Chinese Leak, at their current rate, we've got until August ~16th or so to still talk about this freely before any discussion or speculation on the subject is inviting someone barging in to deal out rumors and spoilers.
...It'll be up to us fanfic writers to fix that mess.
(God knows I don't have that kind of time to do it fast enough for any headcanon I come up with to spread)
What we'll need to do is to come up with some way to make Celestia and Luna feel less "un-special" again. Retcon/mitigate the worst of whatever the finale throws at us through clever headcanoeing...
Maybe send the princesses themselves on a friendship mission to save the world to show they haven't lost their mojo?
Or what do you think?
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/359fa84c-4492-4ffc-a3fe-cca85d9f8cd3/ddbg9iu-1d095634-b78d-4ce1-9bf6-efccb9711438.png/v1/fill/w_1077,h_742,strp/s9_call_to_adventure_by_ultrathehedgetoaster_ddbg9iu-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9ODgyIiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMzU5ZmE4NGMtNDQ5Mi00ZmZjLWEzZmUtY2NhODVkOWY4Y2QzXC9kZGJnOWl1LTFkMDk1NjM0LWI3OGQtNGNlMS05YmY2LWVmY2NiOTcxMTQzOC5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.5i_gtB1qwcJAfr5kqCCpOqGonF_iFuKCZc73BScw69g
[NOT-A-REAL-SCREENCAP]
(which I suspect I'll have to say from now on -_-# )
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. . .
. . .
. . .
...Blegh, sorry for dumping all of this on you.
5087461
The true purpose of the royal guard revealed. They're usually useless because they're keeping up a 24/7 anti-chicken defense around the castle.
The cmc releasing discord is one of the greatest failures in their history.
5079752
I knooooooooooooooooooooow!
This just feels wrong.
I just can't get past this. It's like a punch in the face.
Why? WHY?! Why ruin everything in the final episode?!!?
I'm already dreading the finale. I've been dreading it for the past four months.
I know I'm not going to like it.
And I hate that I'm not going to like it.
It's casting a looming shadow of doom over the entire rest of the season and I just don't know how to make peace with this.
5087461
Sorry for taking so long to address this. I do think you're overreacting a little. Looking at the transcript of "Beginning of the End," the princesses make no indication that they're sacrificing everything that makes them them. The only implication that the Mane Six will inherit their powers comes from Rainbow Dash, who calls dibs on dreamwalking before either princess confirms her guess. Indeed, no one ever confirms that one way or the other.
Furthermore, in "Between Dark and Dawn," raising the sun and moon is explicitly considered separate from "palace duties," the things that Twilight explicitly says will be practice for the succession. It's entirely possible that Celestia and Luna will remain the local celestial mechanics even after they abdicate, especially after how Twilight handled it in this episode.
It does burn that Luna only got in a few years of ruling before deciding to hang up her hipposandals, but to be frank... Well, she's not exactly the best national ruler, is she? We've seen how she handles conventional governance in "A Royal Problem." Namely, not well. Luna is an excellent counselor, but not much of a politician, nor does she really want to be one. Ruling now is a lot different than it was a thousand years ago. I can hardly blame her for wanting to find a better place for herself in the modern era.
But yeah, suffice to say, don't count your fallen deities until their manes stop moving. It could be the worst case scenario... or it might not be. We'll find out soon enough, especially given the Chinese release schedule.
5092520
Thank you for replying to my long-winded mess at all! Just having someone to talk to about this makes me feel better already.
I hope I didn't impose too much on you with my awkward ramblings.
Yeah, rationally, I know I'm overreacting. That didn't stop it from being a recurring emotional reaction that kept cropping up whenever I'm reminded of it, and which, thanks to the Chinese leak, I am forced to confront now, with limited time, instead of having ~4 - 5 months to come to terms with it.
Funnily enough, I had an epiphany just yesterday.
The whole thing feels wrong. It being an emotional reaction rather than a logical one, I did some more soul searching what exactly makes it feel wrong.
I think I figured out a possible head canon workaround that would at least make it feel less wrong.
Let's assume, for the sake of preparing for the "worst possible case", Celestia and Luna do give away their powers. Or, more likely, specifically the parts of their powers over dreams, sun, and moon. Let's assume their manes go limp.
Well... when have we seen one of them with a limp mane before?
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And what state were they in a few months later?
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So... let's say, what if... the Princesses didn't give away their powers, but instead merely seeded them? That they will regain their former strength, given enough time.
Even if they say something contrary in the episode (I doubt the writers will go out their way to imply Celestia and Luna suddenly being mortal and going to die of old age), the princesses themselves might simply not know for sure if their powers would be gone forever or not.
The thought of Twilight controlling the sun and moon doesn't faze me quite as much, it's just the idea of Celestia and Luna not being able to. 'Cause... y'know, that would just be sad.
Then we'd just have three alicorns who could do it instead of two. And maybe sometimes they could help out on special occasions like the Summer Sun Celebration. Celestia raising the sun on the Summer Sun Celebration feels right.
And Luna and Rainbow Dash teaming up to kick nightmare flanks? (Instead of Luna being "replaced") Sounds great, and it means less work for Luna.
Perhaps they could still be "part-time rulers", or something like that. Give Twilight & Co. room to grow, get more free time for themselves - but not abandon all their duties completely.
And this brings me to my second point.
Finding that better place.
The "retirement thing" feels too much like the princesses becoming less "relevant", less "important". So it'd be nice to see fanon of them taking on a new role in Equestrian society further down the line.
Protecting Equestria, leading expeditions into the unknown larger world (Is the "world map" we know all there is? No, because the continent to the west isn't even fully on it; and where is Capper's homeland on that map?), going on world-saving adventures themselves for once. Going on friendship missions. (I already said that one, but it's a neat idea with versatile applications.)
Well, I did a few mock-ups for "story prompt art" in the month leading up to the s9 premiere. (And by "did" I mean: cobbled together from other people's vectors and I need to look up again whom to give credit)
This didn't quite seem to fit after s9e13, but... who knows, "peaceful retirement" might get boring after a while.
(Fake screenshot follows. Nobody panic, it's not a leak.)
...It could be a microcosm of all those "Luna gets to rule on her own" fics out there, updated for the post-s9 era.
Yeargh.
For once, I am not watching the leak - the discontinuity with the rest of the community would just be too great with such a ridiculously early airing.
I'll try to avoid spoilers and rumors (and rumors based on spoilers) as much as I can (since those can ruin an episode well in advance, especially given way too much time to think about it), but we'll see how well people can keep quiet.
I certainly hope we won't have a repeat of the season 9 premiere trailer reaction. Because I found out about Celestia's and Luna's retirement plans from fimfiction's featured box, one month before the episode even aired. Literally the last place I expected to get spoilers from.
It was that foreknowledge that completely wrecked the s9-premiere for me.
That tendency to over-analyze, which is great for story telling, can also work against you.
)
(Case in point, as seen with my prior ramblings.
...Maybe I should preemptively ask fimfic's staff if they could make a site post or something?
"Please don't post stories that give away spoilers already in their short-description or title. Or any stories based on leaked episodes until they actually air."