"It was all for nothing!"

If you've been taking in all the recently released G5 news, you'll probably have come across at least one person espousing a stance like this: that due to the apparent separation of the pony tribes and the collapse of harmony, that everything Twilight Spark and her friends have gone through has been utterly pointless because it didn't last.

It is indeed a bleak notion. And yeah, it's disappointing to see Equestria fall like this*, and I sure hope they explain what happened in a way that makes sense.

But all for nothing? Well, with all due respect, to that I say this: horse hockey.

See, here's the thing; somepony is obviously sticking up for what Equestria used to stand for. Somepony is trying to help it get back to a better way of living. Somepony remembers.

So I ask this: if the ideals of friendship and harmony that the Mane Six stood for are still alive, even if not widely accepted but still being supported by someone out there, then was it really all for nothing?

My answer is no.

Life is a series of ups and downs. There is peace and prosperity, and war and strife. Nations rise, and nations fall. Culturally-accepted moral standards shift and change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst.

But no matter what happens, there will always be someone–or somepony–who will stand up to fight for what is right. Even in the darkest times, there's always hope somewhere.

So as long as there's that remnant somewhere, then I think Equestria is going to be alright.

And forgive me for assuming the opinions of fictional characters, but I like to think Twilight and her friends would agree.

*No, I don't think this is in an alternate timeline like some people think. Occam's Razor and all that.

7449022
Everypony can make a difference. And that's exactly what the moral behind G5 is going to be. All of us can stand up for what's right, we just have to embrace that side of ourselves.

7449022

From what I understand G5 will have modern technology and a lack of magic, that is the answer right there. Although if they were going off of G4 lore, no magic would result in Equestria literally dying. Remember how the food couldn't even stay good in the season 8 finale? The food went bad quickly and that was only with some of the magic gone. If it all was to truly be gone, you'd get the desolation timeline from the season five finale. G5 may be in the same world but the lore isn't the same, not even close.

7449025
I always thought that to be some kind of preservation enchantment on the backpacks or something.

If it's the same world, then it stands to reason that the same–or very similar–lore will be used. Unless that was the case and they decided to retcon that.

7449028

I've heard rumors about the magic of Equestria being gone and that they're trying to restore it. That is why I brought up the season 8 finale.

In addition, even if there was nobody to keep her ideals alive in the future, Twilight's effort would still not be in vain, as she did keep the peace and harmony for years, if not centuries. That time of prosperity and happiness for all creatures is nothing to scoff at. ;)

7449025

From what I understand G5 will have modern technology and a lack of magic[...]

Wait, what? Did I miss something? When did they mention they will have modern tech in G5 ?

7449043
That at least seems to be a part of it.

Unless the magic is actually the magic of friendship or something like that, which, let's face it, given this franchise is an equally likely possibility.

7449022
I think it's complicated. The message you give there is a good one, and it's worked for a lot of stories - including FIM fanworks. In life, social progress really isn't just a one-way street, and sometimes there are setbacks. But stories are only so related to real life - there's a reason that so many end in "and they lived happily ever after". And I think that once a story is given such an ending, you should think very carefully how much of that you're willing to throw away just to set up your sequel.

7449061
Fair enough.

What I personally hope is that whatever happened to Equestria happened long after Twilight and her friends' lifetimes–so they got their own happily ever after, but it was only a time after that did things start going south.

7449063
Well, that's possible - but it's not just about personal blame, you know? For those of us invested in the setting, it suffering such a massive backslide is disturbing in it's own right. But I suppose we'll have to wait and see how - or if - they explain it.

7449065
Equally fair. But given that the show's premise seems to be returning to that state where we left it, I'm hoping that that ends up outweighing people's grief over what happened.

7449067
Yeah - but if they're just going to recover the same ground, why not a new setting? What's the point of showing the future of Equestria if not to build on Twilight and co's legacy?

7449070

At any rate, best we can do right now is still to wait and see. Even with what info we have, we're still pretty in the dark.

7449067

Hmm, they said it would be the same world, but I don't think they ever stated the timeline? Not to mention, the way they said it, they mentioned Pony Life as being part of the same universe, where it clearly is taking place in some alternate Equestria, so...

I think as of now, everything is possible, but I agree with you that If that's the same Equestria, I hope it will be distant future OR that they will come up with some plausible explanation as to why things went south (Twilight getting defeated or imprisoned in limbo, for example? Or someone messed up with timeline again or... something, I don't know). I hope this won't be simple, 'Twilight ruled for a few hundred years, but then she died and everything went to hell in the handbasket because... plot demanded it!'

7449131
Knowing them, it would be a thousand years instead, because everything that was ever important happened a thousand years ago.
Or in the rare case, "thousands"

7449025
It's possible that the loss of magic in the S8 finale was only so devastating to the world because it was forcefully stripped out in just three days. It could be that if it slowly vanished over the course of centuries, the impact could be less severe as everything has more time to properly adapt.

7449201

Chances are you are right. My guess would be that when Twilight is deposed or she dies or whatever happens, not having an Alicorn to rule over the land caused it to slowly fade, much in the same way the solar wind is slowly but surely tearing the atmosphere of Mars away due to it not having a magnetic field. What I'm curious about is who rules G5 Equestria and what style of government do they have.

I have written one G4/G5 crossover but her still ruling Equestria was just a product of a nightmare she had the night before she skipped Moondancer's party. What will really happen I'm not sure but I have a feeling that Twilight may not even be alive anymore, much less be ruling the country.