Friendship is Card Games: The Beginning of the End · 11:12am Apr 7th, 2019
Yeesh. They aren’t pulling any punches, are they? This is indeed the final premiere of Friendship is Magic. Let’s see how we start the endgame.
A shame the ads have already spoiled that opening. My jaw probably would’ve dropped. Still, as has been noted, this was Faust’s original vision: Twilight finishing her journey from The Little Unicorn Who Had No Friends to ruler of Equestria. Just not quite yet.
The longest stretch of harmony in Equestria’s history, huh? So, is this counting all of the incidents that the Bearers have had to resolve, or does this imply some kind of interseasonal time skip? Furthermore, what else happened in its history to make Twilight’s tenure as world savior look good by comparison? Clearly Equestrian history is a lot more eventful than I thought.
Wait, the diarchs haven’t had much to do? So… are they figureheads or what? Just because the country’s at peace doesn’t mean it runs itself. And if it does, then maybe they should’ve told Twilight that.
You know, they never did answer Dash’s question about getting all of their powers… though I really don’t trust Dash with dreamwalking.
Heh. Callback to one of the interseason shorts. Rarity’s still trying to crack the secrets of alicorn manes.
When you manage to surprise Discord, you’ve either made a very good or very bad decision.
Confidence in herself? Celestia, have you even met Twilight Sparkle?
Ah, I see Discord uses a dinglehopper to maintain his goatee.
I do appreciate Discord acting as an audience surrogate, both recognizing the tropes of Twilighting and reminding the Mane Six what it is about them that we love them so much.
Oh. Oh wow. They actually went there with noting Celestia and Luna’s relative uselessness. Though at least there’s some degree of Watsonian explanation for that. Presumably they were on standby if the Bearers ever failed… you know, when they weren’t captured, disempowered, or both.
You can tell we’re at the last season when the characters start rattling off all of their major achievements. That or a clip show.
Nice touch with Chrysalis on the verge of absolute insanity prior to getting whisked away to the Legion of Doom headquarters. (Seriously, all it’s missing is the option to retract back into the swamp. Especially appropriate a week after the Mane Six get called superheroes.)
I’m going to need to look back at those tally marks. Assuming they started when Tirek got a new roommate, it’s been months at least since “School Raze.” And that’s assuming the cage doesn’t erase the marks after a while.
Also, Grogar’s powerful enough to pull inmates out of Tartarus. Most impressive.
Welp, dark resurrection magic’s canon. Also, Sombra was literally banished to the Shadow Realm. And they didn’t even play a children’s card game first!
Oh, and fun fact: The Elder Futhark rune ᛖ means “horse,” which may explain why Grogar drew that particular shape.
Interesting to see that while Chrysalis knows Tirek by name, he merely recognizes her as a changeling, and even seems surprised to see that one exists. I have to wonder where he gets his news; he knew about Cadence but not Queen Bugbutt?
At first, I wondered why the villains’ meeting hall had a giant goat’s eye in the center. Then Grogar announced himself, and all became clear.
Also, holy crap, Grogar finally shows himself in G4! As the biggest of bads, no less! And they never spoiled him! Sombra was, appropriately enough, a smokescreen of hype for the true final boss of Friendship is Magic. If you have to go out, go out big.
Also interesting to see Grogar’s role in Equestrian history. He is Typhon, father of monsters. He is a Primordial, tormenting mortals for sport in an epoch of darkness. He is the evil of antiquity, so old that other bygone monsters consider him a legend. He is the first. He is the eldest. He lays plots that span centuries and returns long after a mortal waylaid him. He has impressive horns.
Hmm. Can’t imagine why I find him so familiar. 
While we’re on the topic, it’s really neat to see an old, abandoned bit of my headcanon kind of confirmed: Back when we knew nothing about Tartarus save its existence, I posited an entire race of demons called the grogarim.
Once he’s solid, Sombra’s surprisingly eloquent. Though I miss the voice that sounds like he uses gravel as a mouthwash.
“Excuuuuse me.”
—Princess
I’m with Spike. A valiant effort indeed, but there are no brakes on the Twilighting train. Also, right about now is when Spike should’ve sent a letter to Celestia akin to “Lesson Zero.” You done goofed, Sunbutt.
A rather pathetic showing from the Empire. Yes, Sombra had zombie math on his side, but one good surge from the Heart should’ve at least waylaid him. To say nothing of assigning someone to watch Flurry Heart. Seriously, you two, this is not the time to emulate the McCalllisters. It would’ve been a great time to dispel Fledgling’s Forbearance, though. Just imagine the look on Sombra’s face if the infant defeated him.
All that being said, I do appreciate Sombra channeling Zod.
I will treasure Discord’s image of Tyrant Sparkle. And I appreciate the little smiley face next to his signature on the novelty check.
Not sure why Starlight needs to handle the school since it’s explicitly summer vacation, but I suppose that was just Twilight delegating in a panic.
I understand they needed to cram a lot into this premiere, but the way Sombra gets taken out with such efficiency once the Bearers arrive is a bit much. Still, I do like Spike once again being his downfall and Cadence being ready to tear his throat out when she gets back up to the throne room. Mama bear alicorns for the win. That said, I kind of wish we got to see the others’ worst fears.
And then there’s the Tree’s fate. Knew that was coming, but still hurts to see. Also, I guess shattering the Elements works when the Tree goes with them. I’m going to have to make a few adjustments in some unpublished stories… though I may want to wait to see what else comes of this.
On a side note, both reforming the Elements as per the series premiere and Rainbow Power might be dependent on the Tree not getting coldcocked. It’d certainly explain why neither came up.
Good to see the girls at least try to take out Sombra… though their overall motivation levels swing all over the place. First Twilight has to be dragged into action by the others, then she’s the one who starts digging her way out of Sombra’s Moderately Inescapable Forcecage, then it’s mutual despair, then mutual desperation to deal with the Everfree, then…
Yes, I understand they’re going through a lot, but it just makes this feel less like a desperate strait and more like the characters are exactly as driven as the plot needs them to be.
I don’t mind Sombra trumping Twilight when it comes to mind control. It’s not exactly an area she’s worked with a lot, and one of his specialties. (Really, it’s a shame he already got to Starlight; she might be able to at least change who the thralls take orders from.) Indeed, this did a lot to redeem Sombra as a legitimate threat, even more so than “The Cutie Re-Mark.”
For crying out loud, guys, the Cake twins were born in Season 2. I know new assets are a lot of work, but let them age. (The evil cake was funny, though.)
Uh, girls? Not sure about your priorities. Sombra’s kind of conquering Canterlot while you’re out gardening, especially since nothing’s keeping the Everfree from spreading in every other direction.
Good to see the diarchs prove more effective against the Everfree than northern storms. Also, this actually does an excellent job of explaining the location of the Castle of the Two Sisters, especially why it existed far enough in the past for Stygian to storm in and become the Pony of Shadows: Star Swirl needed a base while he kept the Everfree under control.
Also, nice moment with Obi-Wan the Bearded feeling a sudden silence where his essence once lay. It also further explains the Bearers’ disquiet after losing the Tree. It’s not just a matter of emotional trauma; a part of them just died.
Girls. Girls. Just teleport to the castle. You can save everypony by teleporting to the castle and kicking shadowy hindquarters rather than try to subdue the population of two cities nonlethally.
Finally. Thank you.
Sombra has very specific tastes in terms of interior decoration.
At the time,. I wondered why Discord took the bullet for Fluttershy. Of course, it makes sense in hindisght, but it also works even if one discounts his motivational tactics. One of Sombra’s key weapons is fear; hearing how much Discord values Fluttershy meant he couldn’t resist going for the demoralizing blow. It’s a good thing for him that Discord was so determined to make sure Twilight took care of him. There are far worse fates than dissolution.
Sombra clearly believes in a monologue for a monologue. They let him gloat back in the Cavern of Harmony, so he let Discord give his speech in the throne room.
Twilight dispelling Sombra’s attacks with increasing ease was supremely satisfying.
Equestria Girls formation plus astral mane for Twilight. Very nice.
Also, kind of funny how the Siege of the Crystal Empire comic storyline, which is soundly contradicted by these episodes, foreshadowed the mechanism of Sombra’s defeat. (Granted, so did the Nightmare Rarity arc, but that’s not nearly as appropriate.)
Oh goodness. Based on how everypony celebrates immediately after being freed from Sombra’s control, they were aware of what was going on the whole time. Enjoy that particular nightmare.
A little unfair? No, do you think!? Honestly, Celestia, if you’re going to hand over the keys to the kingdom, maybe make sure the one who’s getting them a. is ready for the position and b. won’t resent you the moment she gets them.
Yeah, I figured Discord was faking it even when he fell. Honestly, he’s been more active in building Twilight’s experience than the princesses. They just stand back and let her flail; he actually gives her the occasional push back onto the right path. He does make a very good trickster mentor when he can be bothered.
And we return to Grogar’s motley crew to close. After all, this is merely the beginning of the end. I’m not sure if he’ll go for full-on Saturday morning cartoon villainy, sending out monstrosities of the week, or if he’ll keep biding his time until the finale. I suppose we’ll find out in time, though the latter seems more likely. He’s been patient for millennia. He can wait another few months.
In all, this has a few pacing and consistency issues, but overall, it’s a great start to the finish. It’s going to hurt to say goodbye, but if this is any indicator, it’s going to be one heck of a last lap on Ms. Faust’s Wild Ride.
Now, let’s see what I can call up from the depths:
Royal Intervention 3WW
Instant
Creatures you control get +2/+2 and gain indestructible until end of turn.
Miracle W (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it’s the first card you drew this turn.)
The diarchs only involve themselves when they are truly needed.
To the Basement 4W
Instant
Put target attacking or blocking creature on the bottom of its owner’s library.
Chaotic WW (You may cast this spell for its chaotic cost. If you do, choose its targets at random.)
“We’re playing a card game, after all.”
—Discord
Twilit Dissolution 6W
Sorcery
This spell costs 1 less to cast for each color among permanents you control.
Exile target nonland permanent.
Wielding the Elements was but one step on the path to righteous power.
Fictional Author 1U
Creature — Illusion Advisor
Whenever an Illusion you control becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, draw a card.
“I don’t try to understand it. I’m just happy to have the ghostwriter.”
—Daring Do
1/2
Suppress Resistance 1U
Instant
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn. Amass Drones 1. (Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It's also a Drone. If you don’t control one, create a 0/0 black Drone Army creature token first.)
“How quaint.”
—King Sombra
Everfree Containment 2U
Enchantment
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under an opponent’s control, if that player had another land enter the battlefield under their control this turn, they return a land they control to its owner’s hand.
With the Tree of Harmony gone, Star Swirl once more brought the forest to heel.
Twilit Meltdown 3UU
Instant
Counter target spell. That spell’s controller puts the top ten cards of their library into their graveyard.
Even in her worst moments, Twilight Sparkle can inspire incredible spells.
Chrysalis’s Blockheads 1B
Creature — Minion
Defender, lifelink
As long as you control no other creatures, Chrysalis’s Blockheads gets +3/+0 and can attack as though it didn’t have defender.
Changelings don’t handle isolation any better than ponies.
1/3
Tower of Tastelessness 1B
Enchantment — Cake
B, Sacrifice Tower of Tastelessness: Target player draws two cards and loses 2 life.
“I wish it was tasteless.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Clawing Shadows 2B
Creature — Shade
Menace
1B: Clawing Shadows gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
“That foul stallion delights in crafting new nightmares for me to quell.”
—Princess Luna
1/1
Kneel Before Sombra 2B
Sorcery
Target player sacrifices a creature. Amass Drones 2.
“All I ask for is your total submission, obedience, and adoration.”
—King Sombra
Spawn of Grogar 2BB
Creature — Demon
Menace
5B: Monstrosity 2. (If this creature isn’t mosntrous, put two +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Spawn of Grogar becomes monstrous, each opponent sacrifices a creature.
3/3
Grip of Fear 3B
Sorcery
Each opponent discards two cards.
“In every so-called hero beats the heart of a coward.”
—King Sombra
Conquest of Ponyville 3BB
Sorcery
All creatures get -3/-3 until end of turn. Whenever a creature dies this turn, amass Drones 1.
Those who oppose Sombra see all they love twisted to his will.
Enslaved Legion 4B
Creature — Pony Drone
When Enslaved Legion dies, each opponent creates a 2/2 green Pony creature token.
Their minds are aware but trapped, forced to watch their bodies carry out horrible orders and waiting for the day they’re freed.
6/5
Sombra’s Domination 5B
Sorcery
Each player sacrifices a creature. Then you put a creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control.
“Serve. Die. The two are not mutually exclusive.”
—King Sombra
Unthinkable Loss 5B
Sorcery
Exile target creature. That creature’s controller loses life equal to its toughness.
As the Bearers watched the Tree shatter, they felt their hearts and hopes break along with it.
Discord’s Guidance 2R
Instant
Creatures you control get +3/-1 until end of turn.
“Honestly, speaking that sincerely hurt worse than Shadow the Edgehorse’s spell ever could.”
—Discord
Dream Sprinter 2R
Enchantment Creature — Pegasus Warrior
Flying
Constellation — Whenever Dream Sprinter or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, target creature gains haste until end of turn.
There’s a reason flying dreams are so common.
2/1
Press Draconequus 2R
Creature — Chimera Scout
When Press Draconequus enters the battlefield or dies, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
“All the news that’s unfit to print.”
—Discord Gazette motto
2/1
Quick Succession 3R
Instant
If another player is the monarch, Quick Succession deals 3 damage to that player. You become the monarch.
“What do you mean ‘What’s my throne size?’”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Urgent Summons 2G
Instant
Search your library for a creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
Fateful hour — If you have 5 or less life, you may put that card onto the battlefield.
Everfree Outgrowth 4GG
Creature — Plant Elemental
Everfree Outgrowth’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of lands you control.
Play with the top card of your library revealed.
1G: If the top card of your library is a land card, put it onto the battlefield.
*/*
Eye of Tambelon 3
Artifact
T: Scry 1.
5, T: Set a scheme in motion. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
It longs to witness a world once more consumed by darkness.
Friend Sculpture 4
Artifact
2, Tap two untapped creatures you control: Friends Sculpture becomes an X/Y Golem artifact creature until end of turn, where X is the total power of the tapped creatures and Y is their total toughness.
Novelty Check 4
Artifact
Spells your team casts have assist. (A player other than the spell’s controller can pay any amount of its generic mana cost.)
Discord’s creations have layers of meaning that only a millennia-old planeswalker can appreciate.
Motion Blur RG
Instant
You and attacking creatures you control gain hexproof until end of turn. Those creatures get +1/+0 until end of turn.
“It’s like a whole world’s a damp watercolor!”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
Nightmarish Contempt 2BR
Sorcery
Target player discards any number of cards. Then Nightmarish Contempt deals 2 damage to that player for each card in their hand.
As Twilight stood before the corrupted diarchs, she wished she had something to pray to.
Sombra’s Gatebreaker 3BR
Creature — Pony Drone
Trample
When Sombra’s Gatebreaker enters the battlefield, amass Drones 1.
1, Remove a +1/+1 counter from a creature you control: Sombra’s Gatebreaker gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
3/3
Sombra, Slaver King 3UBR
Legendary Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Sombra, Slaver King has hexproof as long as you control an Army.
Whenever you set a scheme in motion, amass Drones 1.
At the beginning of your postcombat main phase, if Armies you controlled dealt 4 or more combat damage to a player this turn, set a scheme in motion.
4/6
Arise Once More
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, put target creature or planeswalker card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control.
”You fought well the first time. Let’s see what else you can do.”
My Power Grows
Ongoing Scheme
(An ongoing scheme remains face up until it’s abandoned.)
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, put a charge counter on My Power Grows.
Abandon My Power Grows: Add C for each charge counter on My Power Grows.
Nothing is Beyond Me
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, choose a card you own from outside the game and put it into your hand.
“From the furthest depths, I call you to serve.”
They Stand at Your Doorstep
Scheme
When you set this scheme in motion, you may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. That creature gains haste. Sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
“Your doom will arrive shortly.”
There is so much to say about this episode, for good or ill, that I may have to blog about it myself just to fit it all in.
Well, that was... okay. Not great, but a lot better than I was expecting. I didn't like most of what they did with the League of Doom, but Grogar himself interests me, and Discord did a lot to save the episode as well. And it being the final season and all, I can't help but get at least a little emotionally invested. Hopefully the finale will be up to at least the same standard.
Isn't this supposed to be Sunburst's job? Where the hell was he?
Sombra was always a legitimate threat. That's never been his problem. Sombra's weakness as a villain was always a lack of solid characterisation, and Jeremy Whitley already fixed that years ago. This version of Sombra is just a generic bad guy again, now with added silly voice. And his power level is inconsistent with previous appearances, too. That's why I subscribe to Oliver's theory that this Sombra was a simulacrum made by Grogar. It does a lot to explain these discrepancies.
Honestly, as much as I don't like the idea of big egos like Chrysalis and Tirek being subservient to another villain, I hope we get at least one mid-season episode with the League of Doom. Imagine a whole episode of them just hanging out, hatching evil plans, and comically bouncing off each other in amusing ways. It'd be like that one episode of Avatar where the villains all went out to the beach together.
Yeah, this is my biggest issue with the story, it seems to treat "Beat up bad guys" as the one and only criteria needed for running Equestria.
That said, given the lack of addressing you know, the sun and moon, Luna's role as protector of dreams, how this is supposed to work replacing an immortal pair of demigoddesses with five mortals and one we're not sure if immortal or not yet is meant to work long term, how fast this was and how hard they tried to push Twilight into it..... I'm totally going with the Sisters just wanted a nice long vacation together.
On the verge? She has done a half-gainer off that cliff and is twirling in the air on the way down.
1. Yeah that is freaking awesome. 2. Yes they did, guess you missed that one. The synopsis of the episode outright says he's involved... I think...
This does beg the question of just when this took place. He claims he was the first to rule over Equestria, does that mean he's in between the tribes moving here and fully forming? That's not a lot of time given the Pillars were around right after that. Though could be time. Or, is he just summarizing things and really meant he took over before they moved to Equestria in the first place?
Agreed
Flurry is a badass. Twi just needs to give it a few years, once she's older, she deal with all those villain issues. Though I'm betting with a far lower 'reformed into friends' ratio and a much higher 'pulverized into subatomic particles' one.
Yea, the Elements shattering really doesn't have much impact when that's how the series started. As to the Tree, given some later synopsis, I'm wondering if it's really gone, or if it had already moved a good chunk of it's power (and consciousness) into the Castle and School.
That would have been epic.
Well..... they are out of diapers at least? Also yes it was.
I'm just disappointed he didn't get to the "Stairs everywhere" portion yet.
"Oh, that's right, I'm a badass uber-mage, why am I scared of this scrub edgelord?"
Oh very much, I love it!
Buckle up! And yeah.. plus, holy horseapples was this episode self aware! Also, I freaking LOVED Cozy Glow's interactions with the other villains.
No, it's literally just been about 3 days since the last magical accident, monster escape or attack by megalomaniac. :B
Fic required.
I assumed it was "M" for "Manarchy" :V
Yeah, if there's anything they did with Groggles that really got me on board with him, it was this. Also, pretty sure he was spoiled alongside Sombra. <.< At least, I wasn't surprised when he showed up.
I find it rather disturbing, considering S8's big reveal was that the tree was sapient. c.c We've had Sombra and the Storm King before; this is the first time a villain's ever killed someone in the show.
Intense gardening action was the definite lowpoint of this premiere. Shades of S4.
Still need to finish Season 8. And two Season 1's of other equine-related shows.
I dunno, mixed feelings about it all-round, hearing all this, and not sure which parts are from external sources and which ones internal.
5040254
Oh come now, that hasn't been true for years.
5040262
It has, she just keeps forgetting it.
Welp, this is the sort of nerdgasm I happen to enjoy!
Nice thoughts, FoAE!
5040263
Confidence is key
Chrysalis going bonkers in her loneliness is... oddly adorable.
Thanks for the post, FoME. I got some thoughts to add to your thoughts if you don't mind:
It's downplayed because it would be unnatural, I feel, to talk about this high concept fantasy nonsense in detail, but people tend to forget that Harmony wasn't in Equestria until Twilight and her friends united. That's why the season 2 premiere, I think, is called the Return of Harmony. There wasn't any true Harmony without Luna because, as Starlight said, Equestria needs both.
So here, I believe Luna was mentioning that it's been a long time without any hardships. That, or she was referring to the presence of Harmony coinciding with the girls, and their retrospectively easy topplings of world-ending threats.
There's a difference between not having much to do and nothing at all - I believe they mean they've not done anything but run the country, which, given it's Equestria - a fictional cartoon fantasy world with a more socially developed people than ours - seems fairly easy.
Just wanna say I enjoyed that little moment with how quick it is, and the animation of Dash getting in the camera then is pulled away magically so Twilight can look at her in the eye.
I don't think Sombra was ever dead, and he still isn't. He was banished into "the Aether," which is where all magic exists and comes from - something I've discerned from the name alone. With this, I've concluded that Sombra studied dark magic and embraced it to the point of becoming ethereal, owing to his unique ability to become smoky and get into ponies' heads. I think it's appropriate that he's so far fallen that he's barely a pony anymore, socially or physically. He only looks like one, barely
He wasn't surprised that one existed, just to see her. I bet he only heard of them by name and recognized her by her distinct appearance.
I'm scared of Grogar in a great way. Can't wait to see what he has in store. It's also implied he's responsible for the Darkness which tainted Stygian, Luna, and perhaps Sombra, too (if he's a pony who heard of Grogar, his stories were probably what led him down his path)
I'll admit, I cringed when I heard it in the previews because of this. His old voice was so intimidating, especially when he goes, "THAT is MINE!"
But now? Oh boy, do I love his ham. He's a villain and he knows it and enjoys it. I loved the meta humor where now it's like he won't shut up.
It needed the entire Empire to light it up - everyone.
I thought it was fitting, actually, and the ending made it even more so. Grogar demonstrated that no matter what happens, with the girls together they will always win just as they have every time before. This was no different, and that really put this premiere's events into perspective for me, Sombra, and Grogar. I found it interesting how methodical it was and its awareness in that.
It's almost like it's fate or something.
I feel like it was the characters being in-character. You have to remember that none of them are of a military mind to just tackle a hopeless situation without hesitation. And that isn't a mark of cowardice, it's a mark of them just being normal "people" and giving in to despair. At first I felt the same in a particular scene where Twilight tries to hopelessly piece the tree back together, but then I remembered she was already lacking confidence in herself and this essentially broke her.
Sombra was always a legitimate threat. They came so close to biting it in season 3's premiere and Sombra hardly did anything outright. I always knew he was one of the most powerful characters in the show.
There's no immediate town in every other direction, I figured, and beating Sombra is so hopeless they might as well do something they could possibly succeed at. Throughout they voice frequently how impossible it is to best Sombra in a fight.
It wasn't a matter of lethality, they just didn't want to hurt anyone nor could they allow these minions to come in while they fought Sombra.
That was definitely one of my favorite Twilight moments in the show. Her "And again!" just speaks of the power of the human spirit, how we don't give up if we have the ability not to, with the people in our lives supporting us and giving us inner strength. It was powerful and said a lot about her growth since season 1 - more so than her flashy albeit semi-hollow fight against Tirek.
It's not-canon period, and honestly I'm kinda glad. The comics have some muddy characterizations.
Definitely. Grogar demonstrated with Sombra's failure what they need to do to beat the girls: they need to disassemble them. It makes me excited and scared for what they'll be put through in the series finale, because honestly before seeing this I thought the events of the premiere would be the finale (i.e. Grogar destroyed the elements, but they were inside the girls all along)
Twilight: “Peace?! We had an attack by the Storm King last Summer!”
Celestia: “Yes and it was a war that lasted a day with only one casualty. That’s better than all the other wars I’ve done."
Oliver counted 355 in his followup. I think if it’s days it’s much too short, but if it is ‘weeks’ then it’s roughly 6 years. Which might be closer if these are from Season 4?
I have a pet theory that changelings do have a low-key telepathy, a bit like the Geth from mass-effect where the more of them are the smarter they are. Being disconnected from her hive is like getting higher brain functions cut out.
Either Loony Queenbug is very very very old. Or perhaps she just saw the rampaging centaur the first time. He was kinda hard to miss when he was in supersize mode. Wouldn’t they have been able to see him and the Twilight light show from Canterlot?
Yes but is your Elder Dragon actually Cranky in disguise? As much as I love Grogar I couldn’t help hear that voice and go “He sounds so much like Cranky...wow does Cranky moonlight as an evil villain mastermind? Then going home to hang up his horns and bed his loving wife on his off-shift? I might write that fic”
I hope Sparkle Twilight is okay. Maybe she just lives underneath the school now
The eternal complaint that I always have of premires and finales in MLP is pacing. Even the good ones suffer from it. I kinda wish they did 3 parters or even 4 parters when they are serving up huge thanksgiving dinners of plot devices.
Starswirl must have had a busy schedule. Every day he had to march in the five unicorn sacrifice to raise the sun. Then go out in adventures with his pillar friends. Then come home to teach a unicorn filly Celestia and then also go out to do some Everfree mowing and hedge trimming.
Hey. A monologue is a villain’s Heart Song. What is This Day Aria if not a monologue with lyrics?
Stompy hoof Twilight is best Twilight.
Oooh that one brought a chill. Great line! Use it in a story Before I do maybe.
For someone who taught Twilight for as long as she has, Celestia really didn't seem to know Twilight all that well in that sequence. You'd think that anyone who's spent more than a few days in her company would know how she reacts to vaguely worded urgent summons, sudden bombshells and major upheavals on short deadlines.
To be frank, I don't think that Celestia could've broken the news in a worse way if she tried.
A giant goat’s eye palantír.
I... see... you...
That's... a pretty good explanation. If the Elements and accompanying powers and regalia are essentially "emanations" or extensions of the Tree, then they could be formed and reformed as often as one pleases when their source is still intact. But if the Tree goes...
That might explain why they shattered so easily, too. They were "dead" as soon as the Tree was -- the physical shattering was just the proverbial nail in the coffin.
Not gonna lie, I was hoping Twilight would keep the mane. Maybe in the finale, who knows.
I thought for sure that Eye of Tambelon was going to be an Eye creature.
5040263
It hasn't. She draws power from her friends, but contributes little to nothing herself.
5040300
No offense but....
i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/017/636/907.jpg
5040281
In the latest EqG special, they're compared to superheroes, not normal people. And in any event, a person who can be so easily broken is not a person you want to put in charge. You can argue that Twilight will have the rest of the season to develop into that person, to which I would respond 1) she was closer to that point in previous seasons than she was in this premiere, and 2) if eight seasons of grooming hasn't prepared her, what good is one more going to do?
5040298
Thinking about it.... maybe she did everything she possibly could to trigger Twilight intentionally? She knew no matter what Twilight would freak out over this, so just went for the 'ripping off a band-aid' route and dropped it all on her as directly and quickly as possible to trigger Twi's freakout right away so she could get over it that much quicker.
5040307
Still testifies to how little she knows Twilight. She pulled this same stunt in The Crystal Empire.
Come to think of it, most of the Twilight beats here are the same as in The Crystal Empire. Only instead of rewarding her for her failures at the end, Celestia finally decides to not do that.
5040304
She is prepared, it's about confide-why am I even arguing with you? You don't understand or empathize with people on the most basic of levels, you just don't understand.
5040312
Yeah, at this point I'm at the
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gyropedia/images/b/ba/Dontfeed.png/revision/latest?cb=20110713235039
Stage about him.
5040312
Confidence gets the same arguments as preparation. She was a more confident sort of person in earlier seasons (to be fair, Season 8's self-sequestration in a pillow fort was a low point not reached in this episode), and if eight seasons so far have not [re]built her confidence, what is one more going to do?
I may have misheard that, but I thought it was "the longest stretch of Harmony in recent years", which makes a lot more sense.
On Sombra being defeated with ease at Crystal Empire, I got the feeling that was deliberate. That is, he was drawing out Twilight & co.'s "source of power", then he followed them to the Tree and destroyed it, believing that he had taken them out.
Anyway! Overall, I think this was a solid opening for S9, but it did suffer a bit from being rushed.
5040281
Yeah, I think Sombra is about as close to a lich or a ringwraith as we're going to see in the show -- a shadow of evil that once was a pony.
5040328
I don't think him getting destroyed was deliberate. I do think that he took advantage of the opportunity getting destroyed presented, to learn about the new weapon he had observed (he had never seen the Elements of Harmony before; Celestia and Luna did not use them to turn him to shadow, and the Mane Six did not use them in The Crystal Empire) and to neutralize it.
5040322
Confidence is not a nebulous state of being. You're confident about different things at different levels. I shouldn't even have to explain this to you, it's a motherfucking cartoon
On top of that it also lifted Discord's reason for not just lolnope-ing Sombra, complete with bathing, Grogar being the "Father of Monsters" compared to Sombra calling himself "King of Monsters", a league of villains, Sombra godmoding his way through Equestria forces, Sombra subordinate to an more ancient evil who he rebels against, etc.
The Beginning of the End was basically DHX's take on Siege of the Crystal Empire. Except worse.
Realistically on the whole, it has been relatively peaceful. Aside from a couple major villain incidents that were resolved in a couple hours (and in the Storm King / Tempest's case three days) it has been pretty quiet. And the beginning of S8e1 was a few months to build the school, and then to Non Compete Clause is nine months- a full year in just the beginning of a season! With the rest of the season seeming to take up another...
Also, I knew Grogar would come up eventually. He was mentioned in the episode where Twilight foalsits Flurry Heart. The story of Gusty the Great mentions "the treacherous Grogar".
Discord seemed strangely unconcerned with the Tree's death. Maybe he knows something we don't?
Or he's completely unsympathetic towards it being dead. 
Also, did Sombra just... come back from being blasted by the Elements of Harmony? Were they ineffective?
He clearly didn't get re-resurrected by Grogar, presumably he wouldn't have let him leave.
It'd explain why Celestia and Luna didn't give the Elements of Harmony to Twilight when first facing him. (Though they should have explained the details back then!
) And how he could just, you know, destroy the Tree of Harmony in about 10 seconds. Dark crystal beats Harmony crystal, apparently.
Also, what about those crystal caves under the school of friendship, where the Student 6 encountered the Tree's "Sparkly-Sparkle" projection? Could this be an auxiliary extension of the Tree? Well. Starswirl pretty much declared it dead. But Starswirl seems to have underestimated the Tree before - the pillars didn't expect it to become this important. Plus, kinda messed up for them to show the tree can talk - and then kill it in the next season. Maybe one can headcanoe this somehow to say it's "spirit" is not yet lost, but powerless for now?
The image of a glitching "Sparkly Sparkle" projection either in Friendship Castle, the Caverns below the Friendship School, or its old cave comes to mind as a possible symbol here.
Also, Celestia made a 180° there at the end. "You will be a great ruler... when you're ready." Didn't even put her on the throne yet and the Tree of Harmony is destroyed! Geez!
Hmm, no mention of Bic Mac jsut casually smashing down Canterlot Castle's gate while under Sombra's control? Reminder that he also pulled the entire house while under the effects of the love poison. Mac is p much confirmed for super strength that he mentally suppresses but when something mind controls him, watch out!
5040396
Just be glad Sombra didn't get Maud, she could have tossed the whole city down off the mountain without even trying.
Holy crabcakes, Grogar
This guy gave me nightmares when I first saw him o.O;;;;
And so, now it starts....
5040350
oi66.tinypic.com/2cmn9j7.jpg
People are downvoting you for saying it, but the point you raise is completely accurate. The show mines the comics for ideas all the time, and it's pretty obvious that this episode took a lot of cues from Siege. I'm not sure I'd agree that the episode was worse than Siege, per se, because Siege was pretty bad at points (especially the ending), but it's not like this episode was flawless either.
I managed to watch this episode the day it aired, and I'm glad I did. After a lackluster season, this was a breath of fresh air. There's so much I could write about it, but I'll try to stick to points that I don't think anyone else has made.
I'm interested in seeing if the Cutie Map will still work without the Tree of Harmony. Maybe the Tree transferred its consciousness into the Map before its original form was destroyed. Then again, I don't know if the characters strictly need the Map any more than they need the physical Elements. The Map was always just a plot device to get the characters to go to new locations, and now I think the Mane Six and Spike have bigger problems to worry about.
It's funny - he had me fooled, but after he revealed that it was an act I thought, 'Oh, yeah, it was pretty weird that he snap-blocked Sombra so easily and then took a critical hit all of a sudden.' And even knowing he was faking getting hurt, the scene still warms my heart. I'll have to watch the episode again to see how I feel about it the second time. But yeah, this is the best characterization of Discord I've ever seen. I want more of this Discord and less of the "Matter of Principals" Discord.
I noticed that too, and I believe this is also the first time the other girls besides Twilight had glowing eyes, although I could be misremembering. It's as if they're all leveling up. Eventually I expect Twilight to be the size of Luna and the other five to look like Twilight does now (wings and horns and all). I'd like to think they are the living embodiment of the Elements instead of just the Bearers, although the ending to "School Raze" sort of calls my headcanon into question with the Tree choosing the Student Six.
5040534
Or the Crystal Caverns below the School of Friendship.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2018/10/12/1854539.png
Also, I'm totally behind your headcanon of the Tree's spirit surviving, and to fuel it, here's some hastily slapped together vector edits. (Well, I say "hastily", but it took the entire evening.)
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/359fa84c-4492-4ffc-a3fe-cca85d9f8cd3/dd425d3-9e96947d-a837-4a26-8d46-93cfd6d5535d.png/v1/fill/w_894,h_894,q_70,strp/tree_of_harmony_one_a_by_ultrathehedgetoaster_dd425d3-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTI4MCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzM1OWZhODRjLTQ0OTItNGZmYy1hM2ZlLWNjYTg1ZDlmOGNkM1wvZGQ0MjVkMy05ZTk2OTQ3ZC1hODM3LTRhMjYtOGQ0Ni05M2NmZDZkNTUzNWQucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.1jNltgIPpi_64jQU1o-wMKObOibdSZw0n6hCQUUeMkU
[link 1]
images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/359fa84c-4492-4ffc-a3fe-cca85d9f8cd3/dd425eg-509d3312-6c59-4e27-b39b-62330b21e19c.png/v1/fill/w_1034,h_772,q_70,strp/spirit_of_harmony_2_by_ultrathehedgetoaster_dd425eg-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9OTU2IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvMzU5ZmE4NGMtNDQ5Mi00ZmZjLWEzZmUtY2NhODVkOWY4Y2QzXC9kZDQyNWVnLTUwOWQzMzEyLTZjNTktNGUyNy1iMzliLTYyMzMwYjIxZTE5Yy5wbmciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTI4MCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.MKwy_OMyI4UHgkG7HYwRFX_-GpCUGwsCytLoR7OvbAU
[link 2]
(Vector source links: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5])
Glitch-aesthetic based on that one moment when they reactivated the cutie map.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/6/11/1175825.gif
Talking headcanons, I imagine the Tree's spirit would be, ahem, "weakened" to a significant degree - but, perhaps, would be able to recover at some point. It'd certainly be reassuring if the Spirit of Harmony was still around, even if it couldn't do much for the time being.
I'd hope someone would write a story which has the Tree's spirit survive this. Get that possible headcanon out there, give people that outcome as an option. Or just share the pictures. They get the idea across, right?
(I'd still need to come up with some snazzy "fake story description" to go with that to give people the right inspiration, though...
)
By the way, one of those forms he showed in his crystal ball/bell/eye
of Sauronlooked more than a bit like a dragon.That would go a looong way towards explaining some things.
5040510
Well there was that uncalled-for dig at the end. People tend to chafe when shitstarters start shit apropos to nothing.
5040708
Yeah, but honestly, you might well be right about that part too.
I just want Chrysalis reformed. It's all I ask.
Delightful analysis as always, FOME. I also had been hoping to see Starlight defy the mind control, even if that was unlikely from a Mane Six-focused premiere.
I strongly suspect we'll be seeing a couple of episodes popping in on Grogar's Legion of Doom - probably not actually VillainsOutShopping, but one or two glimpses of their plan - but mostly more slice-of-life stuff (probably seeing Flim and Flam and Iron Will again when we need antagonists) until the finale.
Onto the cards: Also excellent as usual. Just a couple of comments:
Yeek, Conquest of Ponyville has disturbing flavour. (Calling Sombrafied ponies "Zombies" is a little bit of a stretch, but I guess reasonable given the flavour of "destroy" effects in FICG.)
Unthinkable Loss's flavour doesn't quite work - I wouldn't think of the Tree of Harmony as having type creature?
Sombra, Slaver King: Deliberate divergence from Wizards' style on their Amass cards of referring to "Zombie tokens" rather than "Armies"?
5040534
Yes, so much. He's a Chaotic Good trickster with far stronger magic than anyone else in the show; this is exactly the way to have him coexist with other powerful magical creatures and still let the stakes be meaningful. Definitely hoping this take on Discord continues.
5041865
If I had to make a bet on the ending of S9, I'd guess that Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy all reform and open the way for Twilight + co destroy Grogar.
5043028
BRILLIANT!
Although I would just leave Tirek out for that though ^^;
I'm going to leave this here.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/4/12/2009720__safe_artist-colon-acidemerald_cozy+glow_king+sombra_lord+tirek_princess+cadance_princess+flurry+heart_shining+armor_sunburst_the+beginning+of+.png
I am so sorry.
For the record, I'd go with "Sombart" and "Tiglow".