This story is a sequel to My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 16
Make Your Mark is slated to end soon and G5 seems to be continuing solely with Tell Your Tale, but there's still lots of unexplored areas of G4 to look into. It's that time again, time for that series which dares to ask and seeks to answer that fateful question "What if that episode had been written differently?"
There's only ten episodes to cover for this volume, and every season but Seasons 3, 7, and 8 will have at least one episode covered. Season 4, however, will get the lion's share, including two redos from earlier volumes.
By now I really don't need to say it, but I'm saying it anyway just to be safe: The episodes rewritten are based on my personal opinion so please respect it. Don't get offended if an episode you liked is on the list here, or an episode you didn't like isn't on this list. I'll gladly respect your opinions if you respect mine.
As always, no disrespect is intended to Hasbro, the DHX writing and editing staff, or anyone who likes the episodes that appear here. The intent of this fic, just like all of its predecessors, is purely for entertainment purposes only and nothing more.
With over fifteen volumes worth of episodes to consider, and some episodes being covered twice, providing a link to each previous volume would take forever. So check out the prequel tab, and the also liked and the similar pages for previous volumes to see whether an episode has already been tackled in an earlier installment.
Hey there. Thanks greatly for getting this series up and running again. Definitely appreciate the work you went into on the dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future episode set-up. Thanks again for liking one of my ideas enough to use something based on it. And, yeah, Celestia admitting that she messed up herself (i.e. forgetting to mention something important until it was too late) as well as Twilight actually talking to Spike before heading off to meet Celestia. And, addressing further issues mentioned in your author's notes was another great touch.
On to the next chapter.
Another great job on the dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future episode set-up here. And, yeah, really liked Spike actually making an appearance with the others AND the others finding out about, but not being upset about what Rarity was trying to do.
On to the next chapter.
Again, wonderfully done dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up. Appreciated the work going into providing explanations for certain things not mentioned in the actual episode as well as improving the episode's flow.
And, once more, on to the next chapter.
Again, you did a great job on the dialogue, characterizations, action, general wrap-up and future episode set-up. And, yeah, I could see Spike getting lost in that adventure and then wondering if it was real or a dream. Makes a great deal of sense.
Once more, I can definitely appreciate the effort you put into the dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future episode set-up. Very much appreciated you doing a better job addressing the points you made in the author's notes. In this case, Fluttershy doing a better job sticking to her instincts and Twilight warning her about the possible side effects of the spell before trying to cast it. And, yeah, making the solution a bit more of a compromise was appreciated.
And, on to the next chapter.
As usual, splendid job on the latest chapter. Again, the characterizations, exchanges, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up were pretty well done. And, yeah, the changes made to the third act (as mentioned in the author's notes) make more sense.
VERY much looking forward to the remaining four chapters.
Actually g5 is getting more make your mark episodes from what I've heard
Just saying
Since you are considering covering Gen 5 next year, will the Equestria Girls stuff (either the movies, specials, or shorts) get the rewrite treatment too?
I'd kinda be interested in how you'd end up fixing how Sunset's antagonistic actions were executed in the first movie and trying to improve how the human counterparts for Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy were handled (Since you have indicated you didn't like how they were written in the spin off and tend to see them as dragging it down with the stuff focusing on them making up the spin off's weakest material. Even Rainbow Rocks has those five being why you don't regard the movie as highly as others do, with Sunset being the one carrying it hard) in the movies and specials (or actually give human Fluttershy a chance to be a major lead as the only one of the seven to not be one in any movie or special).
I’m so glad you did “Flight To The Finish”. That’s the worst episode of the show imo, and it makes me sick whenever I think about it.
I love how you made Fleur out to be an x bodyguard, further driving home my theory that she is secretly a serious badass.
Hey there. Once again, you did a wonderful job on the dialogue, characterizations, general wrap-up and future episode set-up. Very certainly appreciated the points you made in the author's notes concerning the actual episode about actually asking Twilight if she preferred to be surprised and Spike actually being there for the big announcement. And, yeah, if Spike were Twilight's little brother, he would be an uncle. Of course, in this universe, he would actually be a cousin. Though, given he's in his early-to-mid-teens in pony years, it IS understandably easier to think of himself as an uncle.
VERY much looking forward to more of this.
And, if you DO decide to do a "What If?" series for G5 (and I know that IS an if), perhaps you could have it being set in a separate universe from Friendship is Magic. Basically, a hybrid of human-world technology (for example, television, personal computers, smart phones and extremely efficient motorized vehicles) and magic ponies where Twilight and her friends only exist as fictional characters in a popular series of toys and novels. At least that's what the world in general believes.
In truth, the author of the series had subconscious psychic images of the real adventures of Twilight and her friends and adapted those images into a book series. But that information isn't important for any reason other than acknowledging the existence of the multiverse since the G4 Mane Six do not factor into the main story at all, except perhaps as indirect inspirations to this universe's main six heroes.
Similarly, the Earth Ponies and Pegasi, while not friends per say (though a few Pegasi DO have Earth Pony friends and vice versa), do have enough of a working arrangement to be able to work together as needed. The Pegasi handle the weather and the Earth Ponies handle the agriculture, as with the G4 Equestria, and both the Pegasi AND the Earth Ponies have their own military. However, the sun and moon raise and lower on their own, like in our world, so the unicorns don't handle that.
In fact, the unicorns (who do have telekinesis and other simple, but general-purpose, spells) live isolated as their own city-nation, ruled with an iron hoof by the cruel and scheming Opaline Arcana. Queen Opaline keeps her subjects in line through fear (both of herself because of her power - about equal to that of 30 ordinary unicorns [especially with fire magic, her special talent] - AND of the other two tribes [due to spreading cruel and vicious lies that make her subjects too scared of going to the Pegasi and Earth ponies for help {i.e. "the devil you know is better than the one you don't" and other such stories}]). In addition to using her considerable power to deal with potential usurpers, Opaline's power ALSO keeps the Pegasus and Earth Pony militaries at bay.
Alphabittle Blossomforth works as Opaline's butler but is nowhere near as nasty as his boss (basically just an honest, hard-working guy and single parent [he has two daughters - one biological {Misty Brightdawn} and the other adopted {Izzy Moonbow}] trying to make a living while keeping his daughters safe).
The Earth Ponies, in general, have twice the combined physical strength, durability and stamina of individual Unicorns and Pegasi as well as the ability to grow plants at a super-fast rate and control said plant life (which is why they handle the agriculture).
In addition to being able to fly and control the weather (the latter with organized teamwork), the Pegasi are, in general, twice as quick and agile as individual Unicorns and Earth Ponies combined.
But I can completely understand if you don't like the idea.
Do you recall the idea for "The Mean Six (What if?)"?
11719955
Actually, there were already elements of "the Mean Six" worked into this universe's version of "School Daze".
Excellent work on the dialogue, characterizations, action, general wrap-up and future episode set-up here once again. And, yeah, the points made in the author's notes concerning addressing two minor issues in the actual episode were definitely great. And, yes, definitely liked the teamwork as well as the agreement to agree to disagree toward the end. And, yes, Quibble there ARE many things that seem fantastic, but turn out to be all too real (especially in THAT universe) and Rainbow's seen quite a few of those things - not just in those couple of adventures she's had with Daring Do, but also with the rest of the Mane Six.
Anyway, really looking forward to seeing your spin on the final two episodes in this volume tomorrow.
Another well done job on the dialogue, characterizations and future chapter set-up in all the right places. And, yes, I can definitely see your points concerning how some of the characterizations in the actual episodes definitely needed fixing up (particularly concerning Trixie, Silverstream and a few inappropriate jokes). And having this be a tie-in to "Between Dark and Dawn" also makes a lot more sense.
Well, on to the next/last chapter/episode for this volume.
Another rather well done effort concerning the exchanges, characterizations, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up. Indeed, definitely liked much of this being told in flashbacks AND the reason for and execution of the alterations to the episode [i.e. using somebody more notorious for snobbish arrogance so that Twilight and the others' refusing their help initially would make more sense]). And, yes, Celestia and Luna discussing the way their vacations went was also great. And, indeed, the nods to the previous episode and bits of foreshadowing for "the Summer Sun Setback" were also well done.
Certainly looking forward to more of your work in general.
I had always thought that "a healthy relationship doesn't mean you have to do EVERYTHING together" would have fit beautifully with the kinds of morals the show is known for.