Episode Re-Review: Shadow Play Parts 1 and 2 · 6:57pm Jun 21st, 2021
And so we come to the finale of Season 7, the salvaged plans for the pillars after Hasbro insisted on ending the show at nine seasons and just over 220 episodes. By now, Josh Haber had taken back the reigns of story editor completely from Lewis and Songco, beginning with "Secrets and Pies". The IDW comics had been promoting the plans for quite a while now via their Legends of Magic comics, and Nicole Dubac was being brought on to help write this two parter with Josh Haber (Haber retained solo credit for the story). When this two parter aired, the big 2017 movie had come and gone and many were saying this is what the movie should've been. However, nowadays many people seem to be harsher on this entire two parter? Is it really as good as it seemed originally, or did it really just benefit from the lowered standards of what had come before for finales and two parters over the past few seasons? Well, let's find out.
Part 1 begins with narration from Starswirl the Bearded about how he and these pillars of varying "elements" were brought together by a pony who tried to take their power for himself. Upon being thwarted, this pony transformed into a Pony of Shadows to get revenge and thus prompted the six pillars to consider a sacrifice, though not without leaving behind a seed. It's then revealed that Sunburst has been narrating this whole thing from Starswirl's journal in front of an audience at Canterlot Castle that includes all the mane six, Spike, Starlight and the royal sisters. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna reveal that they know only that Starswirl taught them magic before his disappearance, and Twilight takes it upon herself to work with Sunburst (and all of her friends as well) to solve the mystery.
However, we then abruptly cut to a considerable time later with burnt out candles and discarded stubs of paper as Applejack mentions they've been at it for "three days". Some assume this is the time period during which Starlight Glimmer was involved with the events of "Mirror Magic", but I don't buy it since it's never made clear when that special could've taken place. Speaking of Starlight, she comes trotting in and is able to make out the horn writing despite it being sloppy. But she needs Sunburst to translate it from Old Ponish, which directs the group to a place called Ponhenge, an overgrown ruin filled with vines and crumbling rocks. However, when Twilight puts Starswirl's journal down on one of the stone pedestals, it triggers a holographic display detailing the pillars using their unique objects to sacrifice themselves against the Pony of Shadows.
The next day (apparently, it's not made clear when), after a brief mention of Sunburst picking up the journal at the end of the previous episode ("Uncommon Bond") Twilight announces that she figured out what happened to the pillars. They sent themselves along with The Pony of Shadows to a place called limbo, a place where time stands still.
Twilight says that she believes she can free them, though she apparently isn't concerned about freeing the Pony of Shadows in the process. Starlight is the only one who objects, mentioning altering one of Starswirl's spells for time travel as a means of revenge. But no one else comes to her defense, they're all onboard with helping Twilight. And fortunately, the map can pinpoint each mane six member to the location of the item they need to retrieve. Applejack sets off for Rockhoof's old village, now turned into an archeological dig site as Petunia Petelil is either on a field trip or assisting the only named in credits Professor Fossil (who shares Petunia's VA).
Shortly after the professor dismisses the idea of Rockhoof's existence, Applejack saves her from a runaway boulder using her incredibly strong back legs.
Then we see an apparent exact ponyfication of Indiana Jones who directs Applejack to what looks like a tomb, but it can't be since there's no body to bury. Applejack retrieves the shovel as it glows, though it must be asked what Daring Do is supposed to be if there's already a ponyfied Indiana Jones, unless this is her father that always annoys her.
Rarity, meanwhile, finds a flower that was apparently quite valuable to Mistmane in her work. But it's guarded by a crusty old groundskeeper.
Fortunately, when Rarity puts her magic to good use for hasty gardening, the groundskeeper is ready to part with the flower. Then we see Spike aiding Rainbow Dash since Flash Magnus' shield ended up in the dragonlands (somehow) and Garble is using it as a board for lava surfing. He challenges Spike to a race down a mountain for it, and Spike manages to pull a Luigi more or less.
Garble, being the sore loser that he is, tries to bully Spike. But Rainbow Dash tricks him into giving up the shield before a race back up the mountain, though it's not quite on the level of a Jedi Mind Trick.
As for Pinkie Pie, she's tasked with retrieving Somnambula's blindfold even though the glowpez necklace seemed to have more significance (could they not think of how to make it stand out?), and with Daring Do's help she finds said blindfold stuck in a drain at the bottom of that bubbling green pit. It doesn't seem to be toxic or cororessive though, especially since Pinkie just puts it in her mouth no problem. And Fluttershy is having Cat Tail use Mage Meadowbrook's mask to distract some flash bees while she moves the hive.
Fluttershy does this so the other animals in the swamp can reach the bayou, and the flashbees apparently find nothing out of the ordinary when their hive is much higher up than it was before. Cat Tail then gives the mask as he tells Fluttershy she didn't have to do it, but she insisted on helping anyway. And with all the items gathered, Starlight is helping Twilight and Sunburst prep Ponhenge, though she is still ignored when she suggests leaving well enough alone. I can buy Twilight having tunnel vision here, but considering the previous episode had Sunburst learning to pay more attention to Starlight and take her concerns seriously, it feels jarring for even him to be ignoring her here. But the items are gathered and Twilight, Sunburst and Starlight manage to unleash a spell to free the pillars. Upon coming to his senses and realizing what's happened, Starswirl the Bearded pleads with Twilight to "undo what you've done" before The Pony of Shadows returns and part 1 ends with him laughing manically.
After the obligatory recap in Part 2, we see Sunburst being tasked with finding a counter spell before The Pony of Shadows destroys Ponhenge so as to ensure he can't be banished again. He then tells Twilight that she won't remember anything when he takes over the world, though Twilight is able to hold him off in his weakened state and repel him with the help of Starlight. The Pony of Shadows displays obvious signs of resentment towards the pillars before leaving, and the pillars realize they need a map (and Somnambula's voice is quite distracting. I get they were probably going for something to match her theme, but it makes her sound older than she looks). Fortunately, Twilight has one in her castle.
It's here that Starswirl reveals the Tree of Harmony was grown from the seed he and the pillars planted long ago, and thus the Elements of Harmony came from them as well in the form of: Hope (Laughter), Strength (Honesty), Bravery (Loyalty), Beauty (Generosity), Healing (Kindness) and Sorcery (Magic), thus filling in one of the few remaining gaps in the show's lore.
It also means that there's no need for Ponhenge, as soon as The Pony of Shadows is found he can be banished on the spot. The map then indicates many dark corners where The Pony of Shadows will try to hide, so the groups split up to look for him only to find that many of these places have changed over the years and aren't as suitable a hiding place. Meanwhile, Twilight is determined to find a way to impress her idol and fix her mistake, ultimately settling on the idea of using a spell to keep the pillars around by sacrificing the Tree of Harmony and the Elements of Harmony. But Starlight was thinking that maybe a method without banishing would work, even though there's been no indication that The Pony of Shadows can be reasoned with. Starswirl, however, dismisses Twilight's spell as "half baked" and the rest of the mane six call him out for it since she got her wings by finishing one of his spells.
Starswirl is convince to give Twilight's new spell a chance, right before the map calls the mane six (but not Spike or Starlight despite having established a method for calling them) to a place called Hollow Shade that's apparently been abandoned for years. They also realize that this is just like when they were called to Starlight's old village, causing Rainbow to think it's "a super villain tracker" within earshot of a very offended Starlight.
Undeterred, Starlight tries again in a talk with Twilight and Starswirl as she's apparently found out about Stygian (somehow). But Starswirl dismisses such talks by claiming "Once a villain, always a villain." and Starlight immediately assumes Twilight is onboard with this logic because she doesn't immediately speak up to say that's not true. They're really overplaying Starlight's role here, especially when she's the only one to go and ask the other pillars for more information about Stygian, learning that he was a scholar that brought them all together to fight against a trio of familiar looking sirens: The Dazzlings.
What led to them casting Stygian out was him going back their backs to Ponhenge with items important to each of them (and in Rockhoof and Meadowbrook's cases actually necessary for them to do their jobs), though they didn't give him a chance to explain himself (although in their defense what were they supposed to think when he left behind no note or other statement of intention?). Somnambula claims that they thought Stygian would "Return and seek forgiveness" before they encountered him as The Pony of Shadows now bent on revenge. Starswirl uses this in the present as proof of his claim, which is yet another instance of him being "Jerkass has a point" even though Starlight is the only one suggesting banishment might not be necessary. We don't see much hesitation as the mane six are bestowed the Elements of Harmony again, which does beg the question of why they weren't used before and what the point of leaving them on the tree was if they could be taken off again at any point? My best guess is that they elements had to stay on the tree for a while to heal it, and once it was fully healed they could use them again if necessary. Still, they could at least work in an explanation as to why "Rainbow Power" can't be used here.
The two groups then head off to Hollow Shade (somehow, we don't know how) to confront The Pony of Shadows, and end up in a place called "The Well of Shade" as The Pony of Shadows mentions coming here as Stygian and "The Darkness" speaking to him. It's really giving me a huge Venom vibe (the character, not the movie).
The pillars team up with their respective element bearers to open a portal to limbo, and Twilight is tasked with pushing him in fully. But she hesitates as a result of what Starlight has said and what she's heard, and in doing so she sees a pony trapped inside The Pony of Shadows and dives in. She encounters Stygian who reveals that all he wanted was to make copies of the artifacts so that he could fight alongside the pillars (who can hear the entire confession via magic), and he turned to the darkness because his "friends" cast him out over the misunderstanding. People complain about this, saying that it's like they couldn't decide if they wanted another sympathetic villain or an unredeemable one and settled for "Why not both?" and yeah, it does sort of become a problem since Stygian never explained himself.
However, I still think The Pony of Shadows has an interesting duel nature as a result, combining Stygian's resentments with a desire to rule the world and erase all knowledge of what came before him. And here, I don't mind Starlight Glimmer's presence since she is able to use her experience to persuade Stygian to accept Twilight's offer. Stygian seems tempted, but the darkness refuses to let him leave and he has to be pulled out with help from the pillars while The Pony of Shadows is still defeated and sent to limbo (the portal supposedly blowing up after he's been pushed through).
So the day is saved, the pillars (Starswirl especially) apologize, the Elements of Harmony get to stay because they were used for healing instead of banishing and the map mission is complete. Starswirl is then reunited with Celestia and Luna who mention these "essays" they apparently still owe him. But Starswirl says he's going to "have a look around" before settling down anywhere. Twilight then turns to Starlight and refers her as "my student" even though Starlight graduated at the beginning of the season.
And that's the story, so what do I think of the two parter? Well, it's easy to see the cracks in it now: Starlight Glimmer is being heavily pushed here even when her role is way overplayed. Princess Luna really should've been used to counter Starswirl's logic, especially since Starswirl is now clearly just there to be a strawman who will be proven wrong. But he ends up feeling like a case of "Jerkass has a point" considering he has to worry about the safety of all of Equestria and is upset that his spell was meddled with by someone who had no plan for The Pony of Shadows coming back. It makes sense for Twilight to get tunnel vision here, though I do have to question the rest of the mane six and even Spike just going along with this all willy nilly and never questioning it. Sunburst's inclusion is nice, he kind of feels like an extra ranger for the group here and really helps to progress his character from just being a male Moondancer. I think the biggest thing that boosts this two parter though is that it's a team up, and it understands the golden rule of team-ups: Don't weaken one side to make the other side look good by comparison. The pillars and the mane six/seven/eight contribute equally to the victory, which really helps to elevate this over previous finales and subsequent ones that tried to utilize an alternative mane six to varying degrees of success. Yes, lowered standards do kind of explain how this two parter can be held up despite its obvious flaws, but I still think that with some epicifying it could've been a good made for t.v. movie or special (think of as "The Best Gift Ever" or "Rainbow Roadtrip" before either of those was a thing). And hey, who doesn't love a good crossover/team-up?
So ultimately, I'm willing to give both Parts 1 and 2 an A+ albeit very narrowly. I still do believe that ultimately Season 7 was where the show's writing peaked, there were times where it seemed like the writing couldn't possibly be better even though there were still lots of missteps. I can see why others may not like it though, and executive meddling definitely hindered this season at the beginning and the end, a warning sign of what was to come in Seasons 8 and 9.
Well, seeing as the show considers it canon between Seasons 7 and 8, it's time to take another look at the big 2017 movie seeing as the G5 movie is going straight to Netflix (though Hasbro had originally hoped to air it in theaters).
This is a pretty good low-key kinda finale, though I do prefer what came after
The only possible explanation is that this two-parter was written before Uncommon Bond.
No doubt the writers had Starlight be the only character questioning any of this because, as stated many times before, they really want to sell you on the idea of her being the main series counterpart to Sunset Shimmer.
I really don't think just the utilization of the Mane 6 makes the finale better than all others. Especially since the pony of shadows is such a flawed villain. Why'd Stygian not talk to the pillars before taking the artifacts to make copies of them? Why did them rightfully being upset at him make him turn into a bad guy? Most of all, why did the episode treat Stygian as the one in the right? I wouldn't have had too much of a problem with it if Stygian leaping to conclusions was the point, but it's not. And the map pointing out the right direction is quite a contrivance. But the main problem is Stygian. Not only is his redemption weak, but he didn't have nearly enough screentime like most of the villains or hype like Sombra to feel like a truly legitimate threat. I do find this finale to be epic on a subjective level, but critically I don't think it deserves an A+.
5538992
Also, why make the blindfold Somnambula's artifact instead of the Glowpez necklace her intro episode spent so much time focusing on?
5539512
I guess because there's more than one?
I can see where they are going and I did enjoy most of it but it not the best