To Where and Back Again S6Ep25 Review and Recap · 11:50am Oct 6th, 2016
Spoilers be damned, I want more pony and I want it now!
So it's canon now that Derpy/Muffins is a mailmare, delivering a letter to Starlight. It's from Starlight's old village, inviting her to the annual Sunset Festival. Starlight has a nightmare where she returns to her village and is rejected, the group surrounding her and laughing as their faces take on the familiar smiles, including the "But I Didn't Listen" face. Starlight even gets a visit from Luna, who advises Starlight confide in the six ponies that have helped Luna so much in the past. Luna even tells her she sees herself in Starlight and that things do get better. The next day Starlight tells the other six and Spike about her dream. They reassure her, and Twilight suggests it may help her to bring a friend along, "somepony you trust and who would look out for you." Said with a grin.
Cut to Trixie. "When Twilight said I should bring a friend, you were the first person I thought of." Twilight's grin is much less sincere now. Trixie is Trixie and hugs Starlight pressing cheeks together, shipping intensifies. The two set off and arrive at Starlight's village, and Trixie promises to have her back. Double Diamond and Party Favor give her a warm welcome and Trixie snarks at Starlight being afraid to come here. They ask for Starlight's help with various events and Starlight grows increasingly nervous and backs out of any responsibility.
Surrounded as they talk to her, Starlight freaks out and blasts them away with a magic shield, revealing her huddled to the ground. Trixie quickly covers for her and they do her smoke escape. Walking away from town, Starlight talks about how awful she was running that town and how she feels she can't be trusted with leadership after what she did. Trixie advises her the way to get over mistakes is just move on with your life, and Starlight somewhat sarcastically accepts that.
Back in Ponyville Starlight calls out to Pinkie. Immediately it's hinted something is up when Pinkie pauses in her greeting before just saying "you," pointedly not using Starlight's name, and then seems ignorant of where she went. Starlight says that seemed strange, Trixie quips "isn't she always" but Starlight says not like that. Rarity and Applejack pass by and echo Trixie's comment, and Starlight admits she had a freak out and ran away. Rarity and Applejack laugh at her for running from a festival, and mock her being afraid of it. As Starlight and Trixie are both confused and annoyed, Fluttershy and Rainbow fly up and Fluttershy whispers in Rarity's ear, and Rainbow says they're needed and the four walk off, Rainbow flicking her tail at them. Trixie: "I have to say I'm not as impressed with your friends as the rest of Equestria is."
Starlight runs up to the castle and finds the door locked, and knocks. Spike refuses to let her in and Starlight's confusion grows. Twilight comes and dismisses Spike, grumbling about how he's in a bad mood. Starlight says everyone has been and Twilight's eyes dart aside before she awkwardly says it's just been "one of those days." Starlight explains what happened at the village and Twilight says she should never go back; however they treated her before that she ran away, it'll be worse now. Starlight is surprised by Twilight's advice but Twilight tells her that as the Princess of Friendship, she knows Starlight will find a way to make new friends. Rainbow waves her into a room and Twilight and Spike head inside.
Starlight goes to bed and has a nightmare where she returns to her village and nopony acknowledges her. The Mane Six step from the mist as Twilight snaps Starlight was ordered to never speak to them again. A mist disperses the group and Luna emerges from the moon, telling her to get help in the real world, "they've" already gotten Celestia and her. She appeared in Starlight's dream to reach out to her, and she tells Starlight to be careful who she trusts.
And then the Wham Line, in case you haven't figured it out yet.
"The changelings have returned!"
Starlight sneaks out of the castle to Trixie's cart, trying to wake her up. Trixie talks in her sleep, "Of course Princess Celestia, I'd love to perform for peanut butter crackers..." Starlight knocks harder, setting off several fireworks, and Trixie emerges from the window coughing wearing a sleeping-cap version of her hat. "I think I figured out what's wrong with my friends." "I have a list of things that's wrong with your friends, we can go over it in the morning." Starlight pulls Trixie out of the cart to talk to her, but pauses and asks Trixie what they talked about on the way to the village. Trixie repeats it and Starlight tells her about the changelings. Trixie freaks out and says they have to tell Twilight, but Starlight has realized what all of us have.
The two sneak into the castle and spy on the Mane Six knocking Spike around and each other, being definitively not-them; well save for the Spike abuse which is perfectly in-character. 
Applejack puts a bug-shaped stone on the table with three others, and magic connects them and forms an image of Queen Chrysalis. Chrysalis (sounded rather different, may not be the same VA) says she can't take them seriously looking like that, and the Mane Six and Spike turn into changelings. The changelings report at successfully taking over the castle, and Chrysalis tells them Celestia and Luna have been replaced as well. Chrysalis says they thought too small last time, "one princess" wasn't enough. With all of them gone, Equestria is theirs.
Trixie and Starlight go to leave but nudge the door. The changelings put back on their disguises and head out into the castle looking around; Starlight and Trixie are concealed with some sort of spell. When the coast is clear Starlight teleports them back to Trixie's cart. Trixie freaks out she's not cut out for this stuff, this is for the princesses. But they're sorta captured, crap. Starlight suggests they may not have gotten to Cadance yet and says they should go to the Crystal Empire, but a voice calls out that won't work. Thorax steps from the bushes and Trixie begins to freak out. Starlight surrounds her in a soundproof bubble and recognizes Thorax, who now has sparkly sturdy wings. Trixie continues to have her silent freakout in Starlight's bubble. Starlight is suspicious of Thorax but Thorax turns into Twilight and recites her speech from the end of the episode, convincing her. At least he tries too, Starlight cuts him off. "We don't need the whole speech."
Starlight explains who Thorax is to Trixie and lets her out of the bubble, but Trixie is still wary. Thorax explains the changelings got Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart, and Sunburst sent him to get help from Twilight but it's obviously too late. Starlight says they have to look for help from someone else, and Trixie says there's no one else with enough power out there to help.
"You know when ponies talk about powerful magic, they always leave me out. If I weren't so evolved I might decide to take it personally."
Discord is lounging on top of Trixie's cart knitting an Angel plushy. "Well, isn't this quite a combination of secondary characters?" Starlight questions how they can be sure it's Discord. He snaps his fingers and does his expected World of Chaos thing. "Shall I continue?" Starlight tells Discord about Chrysalis' return and begins to list off all the ponies they've captured as Discord looks bored and yawns. Then Starlight gets to "Twilight and her friends." Discord's eyes bulge, things turn back, and he leans into Starlight's face. "They took Fluttershy?" With an awesome moment, Discord's eyes turn to tiny flames and flash as he growls "where?" Starlight says they must be in the changeling kingdom.
Discord snaps his fingers and teleports them to the middle of the forest. He was intending to take them right to Fluttershy but she's not there. Trixie says she has an idea where she is, and points. Rising on the horizon is the insect-hive castle of the changelings.
TO BE CONTINUED
This is set to become the best finale yet, and some of the best episodes yet. It's everything you could ask for. The changelings are back, the threat is huge, Discord is taking an active role in heroics, Starlight is getting character development, Trixie and Thorax are here. If Princess Ember shows up I'm done, and there's still part 2 after all.
This episode really does a lot right. Trixie is here and she's funny and cute, but she really is Starlight's friend and helps her, then freaks out with the changelings. She's given more depth here and it's good. Thorax is back and he's obviously perfectly suited for this plot. Discord is here and is the natural inclusion with everypony else that might be able to help not able to.
Starlight is getting character growth again, the first time since No Second Prances - that's been the problem with her, either she's tacked onto episodes or you get Every Little Thing where she's an idiot. The premiere was great for her because she was a multi-faceted character, she could be nervous, helpful, sly, etc. And she's having those things here too.
Part 2 comes later today, will have to wait for tomorrow with my work schedule. Can't wait.
I agree, this has the potential to become one of the greatest finales yet. This is what I think is going to happen.
Starlight is the reluctant leader of the group. They sneak into the changeling hive, split up, find the captured ponies, get caught, then brought back together in Chrisy's throne room, Discord says his piece, Thorax says his piece, then a climatic fight that ends in either the reformation or banishment of Chrysy.
The thing that threw me for a loop though was that Changleings can sense emotion right? So when Starlight and Trixie were spying on the changling mane six wouldnt the changelings have sensed them?
Besides that, I really like the new episode.
This entire episode they keep saying Sunset and I'm sitting here like...GO THROUGH THE PORTAL AND GET SUNSET TO HELP! Also I called pretty much everything that happened in this episode...return of the changelings check....foalnapping of flurry heart check...Starlight forming an army of allies including Trixie thorax and Discord check...this just goes to show I am a prediction God xD
Trixie was an absolute gem. Seriously, there wasn't a single scene that she was in that I wasn't smiling and giggling like an idiot. I'm really excited to see how she'll contribute to the group next time.
Chrysalis is voiced by the same actress as Trixie, Kathleen Barr. I wasn't able to see if she was credited at the end since the screen scrunched down for adds. THE ONE TIME I WANT TO READ THE CREDITS.
Starlight continues to be everypony's favorite pony (even Luna). Meh.
Tomorrow morning is going to be awesome!
4242564 oh yes, Trixie was at her best in this episode.
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I should also say that Discord getting angry was kinda frightening to see. Now to see how much his powers will help.
Did you notice? She's got a second eye dot now! That confirms she's a good guy!
4242571 Indeed to both.
But how did they even kidnap everyone important in Equestria in the span of a few (if even that) days?
Did they not fight back, what happened? I hope the second part explains some of this...
4242693 but that's just it, this could have been happening for a while. How could we know?
As for overpowering, Chrysalis was able to take on Celestia in open battle when powered up on love. With the element of surprise she could probably pull it off somehow.
4242712 considering how terrible changelings seem to be at imitating personalities or even doing background checks on whoever they're emulating, it seems highly unlikely to me that this has been happening for a while and no one noticed. Especially if people are aware of their existence and especially in the crystal empire. That may be just me reading into things though.
My only thing with this episode is that part two is REALLY going to have to sell how the Changelings managed this coup d'etat in just a few days, and it's gonna have to be one HELL of a hard sell. Other than that, I'm liking this so far.
(I'd like it more with Sunset Shimmer, natch.)
(At least we got our first EG ref in the show proper!)
Discord, while limited, finally gave off that awesomeness he has always had perfectly.
yeah, i'd have much rather Starlight have to stop a changeling invasion where she was simply away from the Mane 6 rather than expect us to buy that they were able to capture them all and Celestia and Luna
edit: and I finally got an idea that could explain how changelings can swap out so many powerful ponies and they don't show it
they grab you when you fall asleep
A little bit of a clunky start, and mostly a set-up for an exciting second part. But Starlight getting some character growth after regressing in "Every Little Thing She Does" was nice. Sadly though, it seems poor Spike went back to being the butt monkey again, which is a shame since he's been on a role this season.