Why do you think some of the people in some of the groups on here hate how the show handles redemption? What makes the reformation of some of the villains on here so bad to them? I mean, it's not like people complained when it happens to non-My Little Pony villains, right? ...Right?

I mean, it's not like people complained when it happens to non-My Little Pony villains, right? ...Right?

Oh they do. It's just something you don't see as often, because our fandom is a bit more connected than most.

Which means that when we have complaints, they are a lot more obvious than in other fandoms.

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Why do you think some of the people in some of the groups on here hate how the show handles redemption? What makes the reformation of some of the villains on here so bad to them?

Personally, I think it has to do with the show's handling of morality and the speed with which characters are redeemed. The show has a very black-and-white, good-is-good-and-bad-is-bad view on morality, presenting it in a very simplistic and straight-forward way. Yet, in spite of this, certain characters do very terrible things and aren't punished for their actions but rewarded by being given a second chance. The second chance is presented to an antagonist far too easily, either after they've done one good thing or as a way to sway them to the other side.

Let's start with Starlight Glimmer: she imprisoned an entire town, turning it into a fascist-esque dictatorship, and later basically destroyed Equestria through time travel in order to get back at the Main Six for ruining her plans (I'm not even going to touch on her motivations ). Despite this, Twilight offers her the position of her student and all is forgiven. Honestly, Season 5 Starlight and Seasons 6-9 Starlight don't even feel like the same character, which is due to the fact that she doesn't go through any kind of an arc or journey to justify the personality change.

Sunset Shimmer stole Twilight's crown, victimized the whole of Canterlot High and turned the students into brainwashed zombies but is forgiven and joins the gang almost immediately. Now, I do have to give the writers credit as, like Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer shown to be guilt-ridden after this but unlike Starlight, Sunset is treated harshly by most of the other students for what she did. Sure, she gets to walk around freely and has a support group in the form of her new friends but it's better than nothing.

Tempest Shadow aided the Storm King in attacking Equestria's capitol, subjugating its inhabitants, assaulted and imprisoned three of its rulers, actively hunted Twilight and co., conquered other lands and peoples as well, and helped the Storm King to steal the alicorns' magic. After the Storm King (dumbly) betrays her and Twilight saves her, Tempest turns on the Storm King and is forgiven and allowed to walk away, even though her actions make her guilty of treason and terrorism. Discord, after already being reformed and forgiven for temporarily aiding Lord Tirek in season 3, decides to secretly pose as Grogar, spring Tirek and Cozy Glow out of Tartarus, bring a crazed and otherwise useless Queen Chrysalis out of the woods, resurrects King Sombra and brings them all together with the goal of faking some epic giant battle in order to...boost Twilight's confidence as Equestria's new sole ruler (again, ). When it's all over, not only does Discord get his powers returned to him, but he gets to keep his friends, doesn't face any punishment for the stunt he pulled and is even allowed to pick the villains' punishment and later attends Twilight's coronation.

These examples all highlight a huge issue with G4: actions and consequences. If a character does something wicked but feel really bad about it, then they're forgiven, as if saying "I'm sorry" is enough to make up for it. Redemption is more than just switching sides, it has to do with someone taking a look at themselves, realizing that they have to make a change, and do something to atone for their actions. Feeling bad and not being evil anymore isn't enough.

I mean, it's not like people complained when it happens to non-My Little Pony villains, right? ...Right?

Oh, I'm sure they have; I know I did. For example, I felt as though Kevin 11 from Ben 10 had a rushed redemption arc, as did the Diamonds from Steven Universe and Deucalion from Teen Wolf. Those are the ones that spring to mind for me.

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Funnily enough I was thinking of Kevin 11 as a example of a redemption arc that people hated. Nice to know I was on the money.

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Why do you think some of the people in some of the groups on here hate how the show handles redemption?

I mean it probably depends on the villian, how they are written before and after reformation, as well as how the person in question sees them.

They may have found the villian in question, more compelling when written as a villian.

Or the villian or their actions may have come across to some as being so vile, that the idea of them "reforming" is repugnant to viewers.

Shows like this also tend to let reformed villains off, with the punishment that they face being they have to live with themselves, and some people would prefer a more vindictive outcome.

Or it may be because some reformations relay on scenarios that seem too farfetched, or based on decisions otherwise not in the villian's nature, and it comes off as cheep or inconsistent.