Imagine, you became a student at Canterlot High at the time that Sunset Shimmer ruled the school.

Like many other students you were one of her victims, until after the Fall formal. You see Sunset trying her best to redeem herself and apologize to you and the other students. Slowly you're starting to think maybe she has changed. When The Rainbooms defeated The Dazzlings at the battle of the bands you were now 100% certain that she has changed. Until Anon-A-Miss came....

Anon-A-Miss posted many embarrassing secrets from the students at Canterlot High, including you.
So, would you believe that Sunset Shimmer is Anon-A-Miss when her friends confronted her and abandoned her?

No! Why would i? After all she try to redeem herself? At least, I don't jump the gun and do something without thinking.

5703925
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Kudos.

5703947 Thanks.

Why the hell would I? After all she's done to redeem herself? I'd stand up for her and make all those that accuse her have some appropriate evidence before making any decisions.

I would believe here. I would even try to find the truth and maybe even call pinkie and promise breaker.

I think it would be super funny to see what pinkie would do if she ever breaks one of her pinkie promises.

I would use a pinkie promise to get payback. Knowing pinkie I bet she pinkie promise herself to punish herself when she breaks a promise I would make her promise not to punish herself or the girls and record it and show it to sunset and then slam proof right in front of them say pinkie promise breakers.

To be fair, the only students she targeted were the mane 5 and anyone who stood in her way. I also never followed school drama, so I wouldn't know or care. I would probably listen to her side, but I wouldn't really be involved unless it got really bad (I was really good at reading people though, so I may have offered support), even if one of my secrets was leaked. In real life, entire schools don't turn on people like that, though if they did with them sending secrets, then I'd get pissed. I'd probably send the account either virus filled emails or dangerous links. The other trick is that I would've probably given her a chance before the Battle of the Bands (funny how there wasn't any students who weren't musical just plain not being effected by the Siren's spell), as I always gave people I didn't like multiple chances, especially if she was in one of my classes (or at least question her about magic). The issue is that the comic and movies had such ridiculous circumstances that if I was in them, the world itself would be very different from what I'm used to and I can't be certain how I'd act (for example, apparently not being interested in the friendship games is some kind of huge faux pas). I think I would've probably gotten to know Sunset out of curiosity a little after the Fall Formal (an event I wouldn't have gone to) if I had any contact with her, maybe even becoming friends. If I didn't, I'd ask for proof and probably would've been neutral, but so would most of my friends in high school.

5703925
Well, this is me we're talking about so.

I'm an asshole, plain and simple, I'm not one for High School Drama and I doubt Shimmer could make my life any worse then it already is. Sure she could tell people about my situation, bully me, but honestly I'm taller then she is, and violent so I could probably fight her if need be. Say I tripped.

But onto the Anon-A-Miss thing.

Well, I'm a forgiving person, and I'm not as idiotic as some might think. I know Sunset, she was smart, very smart during the first movie and covered her tracks well, it was only because of Twilight that her scheme was unfolded in front of the Mane 5. Now this Anon-A-Miss thing, it was a sloppy job, something amateurish at best, this isn't Sunset's style first of all, I know because she's far more intelligent then most give her credit for.

So I would listen to her, and I would help her get information and expose the real frauds. I would poor through MyStable, look at all who was had their secrets exposed, cause let's be honest... the CMC had left clues.

First of all, they were sloppy in pointing the blame to Shimmer. I know they're kids, but still.

Secondly, they didn't post any information about themselves on the sight, even though everyone else's secrets were exposed. So why were they left out?

Thirdly, their internet search history. Look through that shit, maybe hire a hacker to hack into their devices and find the evidence.

Conclusion, they were Anon-A-Miss, and they got sloppy in covering their tracks.

Boom!
CSI'd bitches.

of course I would to me it would make no sense why would she want to be hated again after all the hard work she did trying to redeem herself?

I would go up to her and talk with her and if Anon-a-Miss posted anything in that time that would be proof she's not responsible and of course I would ask her questions so I could figure out the real culprits

I would also have a few words to say to her so-called friends

I would believe she wouldn't do a think the detective in me would narrow down how many times the user is logged in and try to get ahold of the account and changer the password

5704139 This right here.

But for me I won;t jut start accusing anyone of fraud until I get all the facts first. To do this I look up the posts and pick out the relevent ones first then talk to each one of the Human 5 and Sunset last, all privately of course and away from school to avoid any prying eyes. Hear each side of the story then compare and contrast with which is what then track down the culprats. Just pointing fingers is just making the real criminal win and Not hearing or letting them speak in their defense is equilant to letting evil wing and I'll be damned if I let an innocent get wrongly accuse of something so oblivous.

I refuse to stoop down to Bad Sunset's level and show the world, I'm a better person then that to let my anger and weakness guide me through these times.

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Legit, you gotta look at the facts, search for evidence, and come to the appropriate conclusion before pointing fingers.
i would get all CSI up in this bitch, channel my inner Sherlock Holmes an' shit and deduce who the real culprit was in this situation.
Win, and go home with the smuggest of expressions on my face.

5704302 or act like Phoenix Wright.

Not a chance. She's worked so hard to redeem herself. Heck, I'd go and confront EVERY SINGLE student in CHS that thought she was Anon-A-Miss. I'd care that much. I'd especially confront the 5

I would believe her. I would confront the 5 girls that hurt her the most. I would simply show no kindness crusing at them for them breaking their Friendship with Sunset not only that but the Promise after that I tell them that Twilight and myself are the only two that believe Sunset. I would offer Sunset to spend Christmas at my place. I would go after each Student that said that Sunset is Anon-A-Miss and tell each and every single one of them that Sunset is NOT Anon-A-Miss I will personal call out Anon-A-Miss to show themselves. II the acaccount is deleted then it prove that Anon-A-Miss is a coward. I would ask Sunset who she thinks the person is. Once she tells me then we will get the truth. I would tell her that three certain Students have not been posted on the Anon-A-Miss account. We will confront them and get the truth out of them. I would record myself and Sunset asking them if they are Anon-A-Miss. Once I record it I will upload it on my account showing everyone the real culprits.

5704305
ERMERGERD!
Someone write this! That was be an awesome story!

5703925
Sunset was innocent, she would never do something like that.

5703925 Not without any evidence to prove it, which The Rainbooms didn't have. They just accused her on a whim from a suggestion from Apple Bloom, without anything that could even imply Sunset was responsible.

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so I actually don't care about what happens at school, I keep to myself (seriously in my year 10 class all but 4 people were bogans, I can ignore almost anything)

sunset shimmer harasses me "yeah ok, I don't give a damn" and walks off (something similar has happened)

to the Anon-A-Miss. I could see she's trying to be a better person, yet I wouldn't know about Anon-A-Miss because the only social media I have is youtube and fimfic (if they even count). if they wrote something about me it would already be common-ish Knolage (i like transformers, MLP, lego, Minecraft, Thomas, NCIS and bones, a lot of people know that and I don't care)

McGee's Rule #70 Keep digging till you hit bottom. find the culprits and give them some head slaps

I'm not saying I would take her word for it, but for her to throw away all the progress she's made on an ill-conceived, sloppy, and painfully obvious scheme would be just a little too much to swallow. The girl had the whole student body practically wrapped around her finger for at least three years, if she was going to get revenge against everyone it would have been less obvious and better planned.

Heck no I wouldn't! It wouldn't make sense after the hell she went through just to gain the trust from the student body. It just makes no sense! Plus what would she have to gain from that? I would try to find out who anon a miss is myself. I would call the Rainbooms out on this to

Haven't fully read the special, though I've got a copy thanks to a Humble Bundle. With regards to Sunset though, honestly, the whole Anon-a-Miss thing has so many holes in it.

1) If Sunset's faking, why would she go after the people seen as her friends first? Okay they were involved in things, but that'd just drop a target on her
2) To my knowledge that nickname of Applejack's would be in family, it sounds the type to come from someone living with her. How did Sunset get it and why post it that day?
3) Rarity's old costumes, check the post time, if it's after a certain point it's likely to be while people are sleeping. Also, those pictures could just as easily be a 'hey, look at my friends having fun with some old costumes/outfits' thing
4) Dash's test? Who else was around? It's not as if it'd be hard to query about time tables for the gym/changing rooms.
5) Sunset managed to split these girls up for 3 years and it took an outsider to actually bring them together and point out it was her, she isn't this damned sloppy
6) If Sunset was behind it, she'd use something more sensible than a corruption of the word anonamous and certainly wouldn't use anything linking to her, from what I've picked up the blog uses her colours, so the only way she'd be more obvious is sticking a picture there and she wouldn't be that stupid
7) The first three post dates match sleep overs, why? (presuming talked about things with someone and found out)
8) Who was the first to point fingers? Applebloom? How would she know to point fingers? Just the actions towards her sister or something else?
9) Sunset ruled the school for years, why would she need people to send information in? Shouldn't she already have most of this stored somewhere? More to the point, why would she use completely new things just for embarrassment? It's not her style
10) From what I understand, the pony magic requires friendship to trigger, how'd she manage to do it at the Battle of the Bands if that's the case?

In all likelihood, I'd be one of few that stand up for her, and probably be giving her a shoulder to cry on in that hall scene where she breaks down.

Uhh.... yeah i would believe her!
Come on. This shit ain't her rhythm
She is subtle like a sliw violin not rash like an electric violin!

I would hit Rainbow Dash

In other words yes

5703925 I'd believe Sunset too, Anon a Miss tries so much to frame Sunset that it's obvious it's not her.

I don't really remember what i was like in high school other than i didn't have a ton of friends, and i kept off of social media. So i might not believe the person who saved my high school from demons was guilty, but i probably wouldn't have done anything to help her.

It's easy to fall into the observer effect and cry "No! I would see through the lies!"

But if I were a student with only a ground level view? I don't know. I guess it'd depend on how much Sunset would have targetted me during her queen bee stage, through what methods and how big or small the resulting grudge would be.

Realistically I think it would depend on what Sunset had done to me personally. No matter how much people believe they're going to react rationally, a lot of the time people believe what they want to believe.

If I couldn't let go of whatever anger I had from her treatment of me during her bully days, then I'd probably be ready to assume the worst of Sunset and slow to consider that she might be innocent this time.

If, on the other hand, I didn't have strong anger stopping me from really thinking about things, I think I would believe she was innocent.

It doesn't have to do with what she did to "redeem herself" it has to do with the fact that Sunset as Anon-a-Miss doesn't make sense.

The account screams "I'm Sunset Shimmer" so the only way it would be useful to Sunset is if she wanted credit for what the account did while maintaining deniability in the face of potential administrative or legal action.

From what we know of Sunset's bully days, that doesn't fit how she acts at all. She seemed to be a creature of extremes who never occupied middle ground. Either she was openly making other students fear her as a means of control, or she was exercising enough subtlety that her victims didn't know she was responsible for their troubles.

Making an "It's totally me, but you can't prove that in court" account doesn't go with either of those. That doesn't mean she couldn't do it, but it does mean that it would be a departure from, rather than a return to, her old ways.

Where it really falls apart, though, is in what the account does. Instead of instilling fear that gives her control, the account creates anger that makes her a target. Before if she let you know she was doing something it was to keep herself safe at the top, this instead puts her at risk at the bottom. And it does it without any apparent gain to offset it.

More generally, the account isn't really used for anything that you would use an "It's totally me, but you can't prove that in court" account for. Not a problem if the account is someone other than Sunset, huge problem if the account is Sunset.

It doesn't fit with her past behavior, it's making her a victim, and it being her doesn't make sense in general.

The only way to make sense of things if you think Sunset is behind it is if you assume she's intentionally setting off the school to make herself the victim of widespread bullying so that . . . and that's where it falls apart. So that what? What's the endgame that justifies putting herself through that?

But, again, all of that only matters if you actually take the time to think about it. If I were angry and wanted to hate Sunset and wanted that hate to be justified, I'd be just as likely as anyone else to uncritically accept Anon-a-Miss as evidence Sunset was still a jerk.

One of the reasons that I say the story* would work better before Rainbow Rocks instead of after is that before Rainbow Rocks Sunset only had the human five. (While that means that leaving her completely on her own only requires breaking her apart from that one group, that's not what I'm going with here.) The rest of the school was already against Sunset and any evidence (however poor) that Sunset hadn't reformed would validate their continued attitudes toward her.

To a certain extent much of the student body would want that evidence, and when it came the response would be, "Called it!" instead of a critical examination of whether or not the evidence really held up.

If you want a real world example of a similar process, look up "Mike Warnke". He conned millions of people for about twenty years straight in spite of being an objectively bad con man. He just happened to get really lucky by finding a group of people who wanted the lies he was selling so very badly that they never even considered checking to see if those lies might, possibly, be false. (His racket fell apart the moment people did check, but it took 20 years before anyone of note in the subculture bothered to check.)

A poorly executed con can see wide success provided the population being conned wants to believe whatever the con is selling. Thus, pre-Rainbow Rocks, when most of the student body is shunning Sunset Shimmer and would rather believe that they're treating a horrible person the way she deserves to be treated than believe that they're adding to the suffering of a truly penitent outcast, I have a much easier time believing CHS's student body would fall for Anon-a-Miss.

At the end of Rainbow Rocks Sunset is branching out and creating a network of friends other than the human five (there's a montage and everything), many people seem to have genuinely forgiven her, and such. From that starting point it's harder for me to believe things could be as clear cut as they are in the comic.

There ought to be people who are on her side enough to give her the benefit of the doubt outside of the Rainbooms. Those people wouldn't be burned by the closet of shame pictures from Sunset's phone.

There ought to be people who, while not on her side, are no longer primed to uncritically accept accusations against Sunset.

Also, this is very subjective, Sunset seems more emotionally . . . . durable, I guess, at the end of Rainbow Rocks than the beginning. I have a much easier time seeing pre-Rainbow Rocks Sunset so easily reduced to sobbing on the floor (twice) than post-Rainbow Rocks Sunset.

* In broad strokes. The details would need to change, especially the details of the ending.

Yes, because it wouldn't make sense for her to hurt herself after doing everything in her power to redeem herself. Besides, she had every to get back at them before Rainbow Rocks, so why do it after?

I tend to use a lot of words, and that's off-putting for a lot of people, so for anyone who wants something much shorter than my previous post and and without the detailed explanation, I offer this:

What keroko said:
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Someone looking at it rationally would have been able to see through the lies fairly easily, but there are lots of reasons for people not to be looking at things rationally.

All of the hurt and anger Sunset caused doesn't just go away because Sunset herself has become a better person. Feelings seldom work that way.

And now I'll do my lot of words thing again.

The CMC framed Sunset badly, and as an outside observer it's very easy for us to point out every single thing that should have made people stop and say, "Wait, it doesn't make any sense that Sunset would be behind this." But, and this is huge, the quality with which someone is framed only matters if that person has one or more advocates (or at least interested neutral parties) who will actually examine the evidence to see if it makes sense. (Something that, for the record, takes time and effort one might wish to use elsewhere.)

People do not, in fact, go through their lives critically examining every single thing they're told or otherwise come to believe. A huge amount of stuff is accepted uncritically at face value.

For someone who still thinks of Sunset as a horrible person who causes division and misery, the idea that Sunset Shimmer is Anon-a-Miss would make enough sense for them to accept it as is, especially since the accusation was made by the Rainbooms: Sunset's biggest supporters. (Basically, "If her own friends don't believe she's innocent, why should I?")

Yes, if they thought about it in depth they'd see that it doesn't add up, but they have no reason to think about in depth.

And, for all of the talk about what Sunset did to redeem herself, everything she did can all be rationalized away.

For example, if Sunset were still capitalized with an exclamation point EVIL!, she'd probably still want to stop the Sirens since they'd be her competition. (No would-be Evil Overlord wants someone else to succeed where they failed, unless they have a plan on how to take over the other person's empire once it's established.)

The primary problem with setting it post Rainbow Rocks (in my opinion) isn't what Sunset did in the movie, it's how the school reacted to what she did. We see them turning around and accepting her in a way that implies a lot of them should be thinking about whether or not "Sunset as Anon-a-Miss" makes sense and holds up to scrutiny. (And then don't see any evidence that so much as one person who accepted Sunset in Rainbow Rocks actually did that.)

Hire a professional hacker and have them hack into any device that logs into Anon-A-Miss