Retrospect

So with having had some time to digest the ending of season 9 and the series overall, as I might have pointed out: It wasn't all that great to be honest. To my perspective at least. If you absolutely loved season 9 and the ending, more power to you. I just think it has problems that just rubbed me the wrong way.

As such, in carrying on indulging in MLP/EG related fandom, I actually came up with the idea of using an alternate mode of continuity, sort of how other franchises like G1 Transformers and Ghost Busters have done since the end of their respective shows. You know how in G1 Transformers the majority of the original G1 cast were either phased out, if not outright massacred during the Transformers movie? And yet we still had stuff like comics focusing on the original G1 cast of characters in contemporary times, and Transformers Devastation (complete with voice actors from the original series reprising their roles) which is also clearly meant to continue the story of Optimus and his crew. All despite how events like Optimus having died, Megatron being converted into Galvatron, along with Skywarp, Thundercracker and the Insecticons having been made into Scourge, Cyclonus and the Sweeps, not to mention Cybertron having been reclaimed by the Autobots and the Decepticons being reduced to living on a dirt heap of a planet whose name eludes me.

Plus, and this could just be my own sentiments talking, but isn't it kind of soul-shattering to place Twilight Sparkle in charge of all of Equestria, when Celestia has over a thousand years of experience ruling the nation? Plus there's the notion that Twilight and Cadence, as stated by Meghan McCarthy herself, are not immortal alicorns like the celestial sisters. Also won't being a mortal who was made immortal with earthly bonds to those around her end up being soul-shattering to Twilight? If anything, I can't help thinking of her ending up like Albedo from Xenosaga; driven to madness as everypony around her (barring very few exceptions) are still susceptible to the ravages of time before she becomes a shut-in, or might even do unthinkable acts just to try and ease her own suffering to no avail. As such why I just think Celestia and Luna quitting their jobs as rulers seems rather hasty and ill-thought.

I mean I was never too fond of Twilight's ascension into alicornhood, a sentiment shared with Lauren Faust who had her own visions for the character, along with Cadence who was not originally meant to be an alicorn either, but hey; toy sales. Still, being a lesser form of alicorn to symbolize achievements, I can get that. But in my own perspective; I actually prefer the every-man/woman or Average Joe type characters, since it shows everyone is just as valuable as any other, in their own way, to a story or world.

As such I decided that, on my end, I'm operating under a different continuity, which I'm affectionately titling the "Whitley Timeline", named after Jeremy Whitley, who wrote one of the best stories of the IDW comics; Siege of the Crystal Empire (as illustrated by the amazing Andy Price), where King Sombra was given a much more intricate backstory, and was ultimately redeemed by the love of his childhood friend Radiant Hope.

How can this work? Why, that's the beauty of quantum mechanics. Like in BioShock Infinite or... Ugh, Spider-Man: One More Day (excuse me, I need to scour my fingers...) where it's revealed that every choice or occurrence leads into branching sets of timelines where things happen differently from a certain occurrence, that exist as alternate/parallel universes. Some end up having a change so inconsequential that they just meld back into the main branch, while some split off into completely new timelines.

How does the Whitley Timeline differ from the main canon?

Well the comics occurred in it for one.

The main story of season nine doesn't take place; i.e. Discord doesn't come up with this moronic gambit of getting four of the most dangerous villains together as a test of confidence.

Sombra, being redeemed, doesn't destroy the Tree of Harmony, only followed by the Young Six first wanting to commemorate its memory (of which Yoona had the best notion admittedly), only for the point being negated and for a last-minute castle playset (actually, did that even happen?).

One-shot episodes still do take place, as such still leave the world open for continued story possibilities. I mean let's face it; a world where all evil is ultimately defeated? That kind of defeats the entire point of a world of adventure.

Please, share your thoughts and feelings on this concept.