Friendship is Card Games: The End of Ponies (Not the SS&E One) · 11:25am Oct 13th, 2019
And so we come to the conclusion. Since the network’s treating this as one monolithic event, so shall I. Let’s see what’s left to be seen.
The Ending of the End
I do wish they’d called this “The End of the Beginning.” It’d sound so much less final.
Chrysalis has some serious guts hovering just on the outskirts of Canterlot.
I’d question this guy blindly believing these rumors, but this isn’t exactly different from our own society, and we have vastly superior independent confirmation techniques. And his immediate belief does say something about underlying distrust between the two tribes… though I’d still expect someone to note the suspicious parallels to Hearth’s Warming.
Aaaand distance appears to have officially lost all meaning. Or Chrysalis teleported. Either or. 
Credit where it’s due, that’s a good hiding spot for the bell.
So… how exactly is the Bewitching Bell different from Tirek? Or Sci-Twi’s spectrocapacitor? Or Cozy Glow’s planewide thaumic siphon?
Huh. The writers really like magic theft, don’t they?
Take my hands if we be friends allies of convenience, and Tirek shall destroy amends.
There are few things more deeply concerning than alicorn Cozy Glow. (Though I can’t say I’m surprised by the ascension in and of itself. Same principle behind Midnight Sparkle: Steal magic, get extra body parts.) Chrysalis’s Mega Evolution comes as a bit more of a surprise, though not by much. Changelings gonna change.
Oh. He was Discord. Well, that was pretty heavily foreshadowed by “The Summer Sun Setback.” And the same overconfidence that got him blasted by the Elements twice came into play here. Though the existence of the Bell confirms that Grogar did exist at one point. And still may…
There is something deeply bittersweet about seeing Celestia’s throne get carted off. I hope it’s going to a museum or something.
Also, I kind of liked the idea of the former diarchs squatting in the palace for a few more generations. Now I find myself wondering just where they’re going to live.
Spike with a tape measure. Rarity would be proud.
Spike as Royal Advisor. I am proud. 
Watching Twilight make somepony else freak out is quite surreal. (Also, there are several potential joke to be made about Rarity panicking over a marshmallow eating contest. Hide Sweetie Belle!)
So… did no one involved in the coronation notice the increasing social unrest until now? I suppose Celestia’s retirement would be cause for unease, but…
Hmm. I really can’t tell how well this works given the dramatic irony. Could be a case of frog-boiling. Do it slow enough and they don’t notice. To say nothing of how much they’re all focusing on the coronation itself.
Oh yeah, Discord can canonically raise the dead. Or at least reassemble the exploded, or create a flamboyant simulacrum of the dispersed. It’s still not entirely clear what he did with Sombra. Make of it what you will.
Well, it may all be Discord’s fault, but at least he was able to give everypony a little advance warning.
I’m not saying that absolves him of anything, but losing the element of surprise counts for a lot.
Heh. From his perspective, Discord was just grinding his Ponymon team. Got to get in that EV training for the Purplesmart’s Sp. Atk. And honestly, if he’d kept a better eye on the random encounter tables, it would’ve worked. Not saying it was a good idea, but it would’ve worked. Really, this is a fantastic deconstruction of the trickster mentor trope. Turns out trying to build someone up by constantly lying to them doesn’t work well when the truth inevitably gets out.
I have a special kind of loathing for diegetic use of “the Mane Six.” Though it’s Cozy Glow saying it, so at least I have a good target for said scorn.
I am a bit miffed by Twilight’s crisis of confidence. Yes, the fight with Sombra was planned, but everything before that? Not so much. Still, this is the Princess of Neuroses we’re talking about, and it didn’t last long. This time.
Much as i like the idea of Star Swirl meditating, especially since he likely picked it up from Somnambula, horse hips should not work that way. They shouldn’t have worked that way in “A Rockhoof and a Hard Place” and they shouldn’t work that way now.
Strange to see Tirek argue against claiming Discord’s magic given that he’s stolen it before… but it actually does explain why he was too busy razing the Everfree to notice the Bearers rush back to the Tree of Harmony. He had very literally gone mad with power.
Brilliant plan, you two. Give Cozy Glow more power. You’re very lucky that she couldn’t control it.
Dang. Tirek can jump.
Oh hey, the blasted wasteland just outside of Canterlot. Haven’t seen that since the wedding.
I imagine the Pillars are a bit rusty. And going in without Stygian can’t help either. Star Swirl is many things, but a tactician isn’t one of them.
Interesting touch to have Rockhoof shrink when Tirek drained him. Raises the question of what would’ve happened if anyone ever pointed the Bell at Twilight…
Aaaand Starlight can apparently teleport halfway across the continent in one go. Was this an impromptu jump or did she set a waypoint early in her friendship studies, just in case it didn’t work out? (Or unicorn power levels are horseapples.)
I do appreciate Sasslight Glimmer, I won’t lie.
One time. You couldn’t let the sisters look good one time.
Oh hey, a party bazooka!
Major credit to Spike. Everyone else is just buffeting or bothering Cozy. He’s going straight to incineration.
Well. Nothing says “midpoint of the finale” quite like shoop-da-wooping Castle Canterlot. And I’m pretty sure this time doesn’t come with a reset button.
So. If Rarity hadn’t thrown that stone when she did, Twilight would be straight-up deceased, and everything would fall apart from there. One could argue that all the times the girls shared led to her chucking that hunk a masonry.
What I’m saying is that yes, Rarity. A rock really was your destiny.
Aaaand Celestia and Luna can fly after getting their magic drained by the Bell. Consistent thaumic behavior, that’s all I ask for… (or maybe it just drained their unicorn magic. Not impossible, but my point stands.)
Even in times of mortal peril, Discord still gets in one last reference.
Thank goodness for Chrysalis’s sadism. Who knows what might have become of Equestria if she didn’t love seeing her victims suffer.
Minotaur. Minotaur? Come on, people, Tirek’s explicitly been called a centaur on the show. There have been minotaurs in the past. For shame.
Ah. I figured the shards of Chrysalis’s throne would play a factor in the finale. And given that Star Swirl tampered with them and Chrysalis is full of goat magic, I suppose it makes sense that they’d affect even her.
And so, without anything to unite them, the three return to their bickering. After all, they’ve rejected any more meaningful relationship with one another.
Discord, the fact that something made sense should’ve been your first warning. (Still, it’s kind of hard not to picture him as an author’s self-insert finding his plans colliding with reality and the plans losing. It works all too well, especially with his still flawed understanding of friendship.)
And I do love Fluttershy tearing up at Discord’s apology. So noble of him. 
I’ll let the master handle the “cretin” issue.
Oh good, at least Discord knows what Tirek is.
Holy crap, they referenced Tirek’s FIENDship issue! And Discord was there, he’d know!
Credit to Discord. He’s willing to contribute, even if it means throwing rocks.
Brilliant touch with that snowflake as the girls leave Canterlot. We all know what happens when the tribes are in a state of strife.
Okay, now distance has lost all meaning. Unless the trains are still running in these trying times.
And obligatory Twilight crisis of confidence. I’m not saying it isn’t earned, but it’s a bit frustrating after we’ve already been through one this finale.
I’m with Spike. After all this time, you’d think Dash would know better than to tempt fate. That said, I’m surprised windigoes are in the Crystal Empire. It’s not exactly the center of the fear and strife. Though I suppose they were biding their time in this general area.
People. You know how to deal with windigoes. It’s literally part of one of the biggest holidays of the year. There’s being consumed by fear, and there’s being too stupid to live.
Et tu, Neighsay?
Applejack with the hard truth, Fluttershy with working through fear, everyone coming together to remind Twilight that they pretty much bumble through these situations every time…
Good stuff, you guys. Good stuff.
Wow, Twilight. Way to John Connor your niece. No pressure on the infant or anything.
“The same thing we do every time, Pinkie. Try to save the world!”
YOU DARE!? I honestly don’t know if I’m more angry or amused by that.
Well, the prisoners certainly gave a good showing.
Interesting to see the Bell used for a spacial gate. It clearly has more settings than just suck and blow.
And Twilight gets more points for cutting off a Dash meme. Good pony.
Pinkie and Dash are always good choices for a distraction. Twilight even more so. Every adversary wants to be the one to take her down.
Huh. Looks like Rarity’s been taking tips from her human analogue.
Rarity and Spike joining forces in the beam struggle was amazing.
Girls. They gave back the hostage. You don’t have to surrender any more. Wreak havoc.
Speaking of human analogues, here’s the return of the group hug shield. (Honestly, Twilight, you shouldn’t even be surprised at this point. 
)
Tempest!? … and a marked lack of Sunset. Shame. I suppose there wasn’t time to alert her, and it’s not clear how many creatures on this side of the mirror even know she’s there to alert. Still an epic group shot. Heck, even the Flimflam brothers are involved. There’s no profit in this apocalypse, after all.
Also, no zebras in sight other than Zecora. Technically speaking, there is nothing in the whole show that contradicts Lauren Faust’s headcanon that Zecora came to Equestria from our Earth and attained sapience there. Make of that what you will, even if I prefer a fleshed-out zebra nation. (I suppose after the buffalo debacle, tackling African cultures seemed like too much of a backfire risk.)
There’s a beautiful irony in friendly changelings all assuming the Bearers’ forms in a combat situation.
I do love how not only are the yaks stomping in time, they’re stomping in time to the battle music. Brilliant stuff.
I’m surprised the windigoes are still circling at this point.
More foreshadowing! Just as the Friendship Journal undercut Cozy Glow’s attempts at persuasion in “Frenemies,” so to do the students of the School of Friendship shine a light ini the darkness.
Basil! Good to see the dragon-sized dragons still exist.
Of course the hippogriffs retreated to Seaquestria again. It’s kind of their response to a lot of things.
Also, Novo and Skystar. Good to see them on the show.
I do have to appreciate how Neighsay is standing right there as the girls reiterate the defensive potential of the School of Friendship. Yes, he already saw the light, but it’s still satisfying.
What is this, the fourth speech of the two-parter? By this point, I fully expect Twilight to get shot down midsentence.
… Oh. Or she’s putting the deus ex machina into divine overdrive. 
Past, present, and future united. Love it.
Yes. YES. 
Aww… Still, another reference to an excellent IDW comic, if more of an oblique one.
Huh. I guess Discord does turn ponies into stone. People say they wouldn’t wish something on their worst enemies, but just how bad is “worst”? (And knowing him, he may be thinking along the lines of giving them all a millennial time-out before offering redemption. It worked for him, after all.)
“As ruler of Equestria, I’m going to delay being officially declared ruler of Equestria.” Um… Well, she’s the boss. Probably.
Lovely callback to after that first Gala. Though apparently Starlight doesn’t get donuts.
Thank you, Dash. The beginning of an even better era is definitely how I’d like to see this.
The Last Problem
Dang. Spike grew up nicely. (Also, first mention of Diamond Dogs on the show since their introduction. Good to see they weren’t completely forgotten.)
Seeing Twilight with a flowing mane brought tears to my eyes and an ache to my heart. I’ve said it before, but I am just so proud of this purple horse. And say what you will, this was the original plan: The story of the little unicorn who had no friends and who went on to become queen of the ponies.
As ever, Spike sits at Twilight’s right hoof.
Wasn’t expecting Twilight to take over Celestia’s school. Makes me wonder just what the formerly royal sisters are doing these days.
Gallus is a guard? Didn’t expect that, but I like it. He probably found another family there.
Ah, Luster Dawn. Continuing the fine tradition of Skylight Lightverbs, albeit in the other order.
As much as I appreciate the parallels, I’d think that Luster would know how Twilight achieved so much.
Ah, misinterpreting the end results.
Seriously, Spike, think. You know Twilight’s setting up for something.
I do wish they’d done a unique opening for this episode. I can understand why they didn’t, but still.
Huh. Those stained glass windows tell quite a few stories. The Student Six against some kind of fiery rhino creature, an older Flurry Heart doing something with the Crystal Heart, the events of “The Ending of the End…”
Hmm. I’m a bit peeved that Twilight didn’t use the destruction of Castle Canterlot as an excuse to move the capital to Ponyville, but I imagine there was significant political pressure against that from both towns.
So… is that an artist’s interpretation of the final battle, or did someone actually bring a camera? This is especially alarming given how it’s in an issue of the Foal Free Press.
(Other articles include something about Countess Coloratura, Lyra and Bonbon’s wedding, Best Pony’s baking column, and what I assume is either an interview with or an op-ed from Cranky.)
Ah, so you’re willing to uproot their lives to have them teach in the School of Friendship, but not to help rule the nation. Moving is apparently a bridge too far for Twiggles.
(I don’t mean to come off as hostile. And if I do, it’s more aimed at Season 8.)
Heh. Why use checkmarks when you can use apples?
Trixie never forgave Twilight for letting Gummy handle the coronation fireworks.
Spitfire, you and Soarin’ are literally the only Wonderbolts having issues with this routine. Suck it up.
So…did Fluttershy have to help with the star spiders, or did Rarity negotiate with them directly? And who got them those tiny sewing machines?
Well, at least Twilight didn’t let her fears fester until the third act.
Interesting. The girls’ concern went from validating my own post-pony concerns to feeling overblown fairly quickly. It’s not exactly easy to measure this kind of thing out.
Huh. Momentum isn’t conserved when teleporting. Or Twilight can compensate for it. Either or.
Rumble’s helping with some of the coronation cooking? Didn’t anticipate that.
Lovely touch with the deactivated defense propellors. There’s little need for them at the moment.
Seriously, how many times must these ponies tempt fate before they learn? Also, I wonder if this is a political protest on the part of these sheep.
Capper! And he’s on screen for more than a second this time.
One day they’ll all look back on this and laugh.
Apparently Rarity’s opening her next boutique in Yakyakistan. Well, there’s certainly a market there, if a much different one than many others.
Cheesepie is canon!
Appledash may be canon?
Fluttercord is… possibly canon. Hard to tell if he’s her husband or her Stand.
Also, Applejack’s wearing Granny Smith’s neckerchief. Ouch. Almost inevitable given the timeskip, but ouch nonetheless.
Hey, “one day” can be the same day as the disaster.
Huh. Equestria has Potterverse moving photo magic. Also, the book is much more portable than the Golden Oak’s roots. Imagine trying to convince the stuffier Canterlotters to let them attach that to the throne room’s ceiling!
Hmm. Enforcing friendships by royal decree seems like it could backfire pretty horribly. Though no one said it had to only be those mandatory moonly meetings.
Celestia and Luna just look wrong without crowns. Especially Celestia and especially head on. That much horn without anything to offset it is bizarre.
Silver Shoals? They’re literally moving to a retirement community? I can’t tell if that’s more hilarious or sad. I can only hope they got bored after a few years and started wandering the world. (Plus, I’m pretty sure Luna’s still looking after dreams.)
Disregard that, Silver Shoals is actually pony Nova Scotia from "P.P.O.V." Though the point about Luna dreamwalking still stands, and honestly, compared to the Silver Stables retirement home, it seems more likely that they'll get bored and start wandering the world in a few years.
Oh God. Last song of the series. I wasn’t prepared for this.
Diamond’s still wearing her foal-sized tiara. And Twist… is Twist. Sometimes the genetic lottery is unkind.
The derp is eternal!
The Cake twins finally got to age!
Gummy… is honestly perfect. (It’s kind of funny. One Last Job got a lot wrong, but it still predicted giant Gummy.)
Sunburst finally got a full beard!
Trixie actually looks professional.
Apple Bloom got Goldie Delicious’s brooch. Huh. I wonder if she also inherited the mantle of family historian.
("No, Apple Bloom, we're not adding the history of the Apple family to the school's curriculum."
"But Starlight—"
"I said no."
"I know a potion that'll make Phyllis immortal. Only earth ponies can make it."
"... It can be an elective.")
And yes, Scootaloo’s wings never came in. I may choose to ignore that in the future.
Yona and Sandbar are running the original Carousel Boutique!? Did not see that one coming.
Oh God, Angel bred.
Sunset! There she is! 
And speaking of sunsets…
I’d hoped it would end on closing the book. Aside from the wonderful symmetry with the beginning, it’s now our turn to write the next volume.
In conclusion, Equestria’s better off now than when we first encountered it; all creeds have been brought together in harmony; and a great deal of magic, exotic locales and friends from this universe and others were encountered along the way.
In other words, Twilight wins via Happily Ever After.
I am in literal tears as I type this. I’m sure that there a number of narrative flaws on display in this finale beyond my nitpicks. (Luster not knowing how the nation is governed doesn’t exactly paint the School of Magic’s curriculum in the best light.) But I. Don’t. Care. This delivered a shot directly to my heart and I am too consumed by too many emotions to name to be even remotely bothered by any of the issues. Give me time and I’ll no doubt be able to think of ways to improve the finale, but right now, I feel it was the perfect sendoff for the series. I know the show staff will never see this, but a tremendous thanks to everyone involved in making it happen. This show changed my life, generally for the better, and I am tremendously satisfied with how it turned out in the end.
Okay, one thought now that I’ve calmed down a little: Adhere to Princess Sparkle’s dogma or you get sent to the friendship gulag of Ponyville! And, of course, you (by which I mean the person reading this) are always free to spin off timelines that ignore one or more details of the time skip. Like the aforementioned Scootawings.
Now, let’s begin anew:
Rekindle Hope 2W
Instant
Choose one —
• Creatures your team controls get +1/+1 until end of turn. Untap them.
• Each player abandons an ongoing scheme.
Dark plots shrivel in the light of conviction.
Sharing Kindness 2W
Instant
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn.
Hoofcraft — If you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, you gain 1 life for each creature on the battlefield.
Cleansing Wave 3W
Sorcery
Destroy all enchantments.
Draw a card.
With her last spell, Starlight erased every drop of Chrysalis’s slime. The prison battle had only just begun.
Coronation Swan 3W
Creature — Bird
Flying
When Coronation Swan enters the battlefield, if you’re the monarch, create two 1/1 white Bird creature tokens with flying.
“The doves don’t like working without backup.”
—Fluttershy, Bearer of Kindness
2/2
Stony Vengeance 3WW
Instant
Exile all creatures that dealt damage to you or planeswalkers you controlled this turn.
“Give them a few centuries. I’m sure they’ll be more open to friendship by then.”
—Discord
A Beautiful Heart 1U
Instant
Counter target spell that targets you or a permanent you control.
Hoofcraft — If you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, you may instead choose new targets for that spell.
Skybound Seclusion 1UU
Enchantment
Creatures you control with flying have hexproof and can block only creatures with flying.
The pegasi gathered in Cloudsdale, far from anypony they suspected… and that much closer to the windigoes.
Boreal Current 2U
Snow Creature — Wall
Defender, flying
Whenever Boreal Current blocks a creature, tap that creature. That creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
Enchanted winds heralded the windigoes’ return.
0/4
Calamitous Coronation 2UU
Instant
Counter target spell. You become the monarch.
“As with many of the best moments of my life, literally nothing went as planned.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Chapter’s End 5UUU
Sorcery
Put all permanents, all cards from all graveyards, and all cards from all hands on top of their owners’ libraries. Each player shuffles their library and draws seven cards. Each player loses all unspent mana.
Every story’s end is another’s beginning.
Sow Distrust 1B
Sorcery
Join forces — Starting with you, each player may pay any amount of mana. All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the total amount of mana spent this way.
Throne Porter 2B
Creature — Pony Citizen
When Throne Porter enters the battlefield, target opponent becomes the monarch.
A smudged address label briefly made Moondancer the reigning princess of Equestria.
4/3
Tons of Fun 3B
Instant
Lifelink
Tons of Fun deals 1 damage to each creature.
Hoofcraft — If you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, Tons of Fun deals 2 damage to each of those creatures instead.
Tribal Tension 4BB
Sorcery
Creatures target player controls get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of creature types among those creatures.
A few whispered words brought paranoia to all of Equestria.
Circling Windigoes 5B
Snow Creature — Elemental Horse
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player sacrifices a nonsnow creature with power X or less, where X is the number of snow permanents you control.
They hover until the frozen dead outnumber the living.
4/4
Just Shoot It 1RR
Instant
Split second (As long as this spell is on the stack, players can't cast spells or activate abilities that aren't mana abilities.)
Just Shoot It deals 3 damage to any target.
Cozy favors simple solutions.
Irate Pineapple 2R
Creature — Plant Berserker
Trample
Most attempts to harness chaos magic yield effects that are frivolous at best and hostile at worst. A few unhinged minds can at least point the hostile ones at people they don’t like.
3/1
Rubble Rouser 2R
Creature — Chimera Warrior
Whenever Rubble Rouser or another Warrior enters the battlefield under your team's control, Rubble Rouser deals 1 damage to any target.
“We will rock you.”
2/1
Big Adventure 4R
Instant
Attacking creatures get +3/+0 until end of turn.
Hoofcraft — If you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, those creatures gain first strike until end of turn.
Chaotic Titan 4RR
Creature — Pony Giant
Menace
Whenever Chaotic Titan enters the battlefield or attacks, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn.
Whatever happens, it will be big.
6/6
Cupcake Crush 4RR
Sorcery
If you have two or more opponents, Cupcake Crush deals 3 damage to each creature target opponent controls.
Chaotic RRR (You may cast this spell for its chaotic cost. If you do, choose its targets at random.)
Chaos magic is nothing new to Pinkie.
Faithful and Strong G
Instant
Target creature you own gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Hoofcraft — If you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, gain control of that creature.
Star Weaver 1G
Creature — Spider Artificer
Reach
Enchanted and equipped creatures you control have reach.
“Aren’t they just the dearest little things?”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
1/3
Angel’s Kits 2G
Creature — Rabbit
Angel’s Kits can’t be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less.
Whenever Angel’s Kits deals combat damage to a player, create a token that’s a copy of it.
His devilish legacy lives on countless times over.
2/1
Giant Philosogator 3G
Creature — Crocodile
Giant Philosogator can’t attack unless you control a Pony.
Gummy’s mind grew with his body. He nearly has the meaning of life cracked, but it can take him minutes to remember how to move his legs.
5/5
Overpower 3G
Sorcery
Target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Then it fights target creature you don’t control.
“Scorpan won’t save you this time, old stallion.”
—Tirek, to Star Swirl
Shoulder-Mounted Funderbuss 2
Artifact — Equipment
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
Equip 2
Bearers’ Monument 5
Legendary Artifact
Creatures you control have lifelink as long as you control a white creature, hexproof as long as you control a blue creature, menace as long as you control a black creature, haste as long as you control a red creature, and trample as long as you control a green creature.
The Bewitching Bell 7
Legendary Artifact
Spells you cast cost 1 less to cast.
Spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to cast.
7, T: Destroy target nonland permanent.
Tyranny tolls eternal.
Grave Misjudgment UB
Instant
Counter target spell unless its controller puts the top ten cards of their library into their graveyard.
“Sanity never seemed like that big a sacrifice. Then I started assembling teams of villains for fun.”
—Discord
Prison Revolt BR
Instant
Prison Revolt deals damage equal to the power of target creature card in your graveyard to target creature or planeswalker.
“We may be down, but we’re not out.”
—Starlight Glimmer
Spike, Royal Advisor URW
Legendary Creature — Dragon Advisor
Flying
Spells and abilities your opponents control can’t cause you to discard cards.
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and to permanents you control by sources you control.
2/2
Song of Triumph RGW
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of each upkeep, put a verse counter on Song of Triumph.
RGW, Sacrifice Song of Triumph: Distribute X +1/+1 counters among creatures you control, where X is the number of verse counters on Song of Triumph. Then if creatures you control have total power 30 or greater, you win the game.
Equinox Tiara 1WB
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+2.
WB: Equipped creature gains lifelink and deathtouch until end of turn.
Equip 4
Equip Pony Pegasus Unicorn 2
Stylistic Evolution 1GU
Enchantment
Whenever you cast an Aura or Equipment spell, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
“We must all move with the times, even if that calls for a few extra appendages.”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Ruin the Harvest 2(ur)
Sorcery
Lands target opponent controls don’t untap during their next untap step.
“Nopony thinks of harmony on an empty stomach.”
—Lord Tirek
Tintinabulate 1WUB
Sorcery
Exile target nonland permanent. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast that spell.
The Bewitching Bell consumes everything for its master’s use.
Dark Pact 2WB
Enchantment
Creatures you control get +2/+2.
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature. If you can’t, sacrifice Dark Pact.
All three allies knew they had to conquer Equestria before the others inevitably betrayed them.
Tirek, the Ravager 3BR
Legendary Creature — Centaur Demon
Lifelink
Whenever another creature dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Tirek, the Ravager.
2BR, T: Tirek fights target creature you don’t control.
“Fight. Struggle. Try to hold my interest.”
3/3
Twilight Regnant 3GWU
Legendary Creature — Wizard Noble
Alicorn (This card is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
Flying, indestructible
When Twilight Regnant enters the battlefield, draw a card for each creature you control, then discard that many cards.
Whenever you draw a card, creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
4/4
Chrysalis, Strife Gorger 4UB
Legendary Creature — Shapeshifter
Flying
Whenever a player casts a spell, that player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.
1UB: Chrysalis, Strife Gorger becomes a copy of target creature card in a graveyard until end of turn.
4/4
Cozy Unbound 4BR
Legendary Creature — Demon
Alicorn
Flying, trample
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player exiles the top card of their library. If it’s a land card, they put it onto the battlefield. Otherwise, they cast it without paying its mana cost if able and select its targets at random.
6/6
Supreme Harmonization 3WUBRG
Sorcery
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
For each color among permanents you control, exile up to one target permanent. Exile Supreme Harmonization.
You Will Long for Death
Ongoing Scheme
(An ongoing scheme remains face up until it’s abandoned.)
If a creature an opponent controls would die, exile it instead. When you abandon this scheme, put that card onto the battlefield under its owner’s control.
5: Put a card exiled with this scheme onto the battlefield under your control.
When two or more creatures deal combat damage to you, abandon this scheme.
Image courtesy of Phil Srobeign.
I assume Chrysalis is either trying to annoy Tirek by getting his species wrong, or simply didn't care enough to remember it. What ever happened to Minotaurs anyway?
Who actually set the sun in the finale? Was it Twilight? I don't remember seeing her horn glowing. Maybe she automated it at some point.
Something that was bothering me as I watched these episode is how small the crowds were. There were only a handful of ponies in each crowd scene. But I realized why: At some point, they switched from using copy-pasted pallet swaps to make up crowds, and started making everypony (or at least most of the ponies) unique, which obviously would limit the number of ponies. This made Equestria's population seem smaller as a result.
I don't know if i'll type up my own thoughts later (though I suspect I may have to go on an 'in defense of Discord being Grogar rant' given the reactions I've seen already) but for now?
This was great. This was a great ending. I love this ending.
I'm not crying you're crying.
-GM, master of green.
I suppose i should get on with finishing season eight then?
There's a lot in this finale that I love. Some things that I wouldn't mind done differently, but a lot that I love.
They got me with the Discord twist. I'm not unhappy about how it worked, but I would also have liked to see what the actual Grogar could do.
And regardless of what Sombra's condition was, breaking ponies out of Tartarus is metaphorically or symbolically also raising the dead, or even a step up from that.
I loved the Starlight-Chryssy fight. But I would be remiss if I didn't point out that Star Swirl facing off against Tirek was also a rematch between old enemies, and it sure would have been nice (if only for me) if that had gotten a nod. But, time constraints.
I'm... not gonna try to cover all the ground or adequately express the built-up emotions, but yeah, I applaud the ending.
It was so great to see the movie characters again after I joked during watching that Tempest would show up and say "hi guys" with some placeholder voice actress. To see her in the actual battle was amazing.
The last song broke me. I was tearing up before then, and literally screaming at all of that fucking canon shipping and seeing grown up Spike and Celestia-sized Twilight in the first scene of the epilogue, but the song just brought it all tumbling down.
I think I'll be the same and see flaws later down the line, but for now I couldn't be happier.
Oh, fuck. I knew there was something off about that line in the moment, but for some reason I couldn't put my finger on it. I guess the writers couldn't either!
Having been extremely miffed, shall we say, about the finale ships, I will now forever accept "Discord is Fluttershy's stand" as the one and only explanation for their relationship. Thanks, FOME. :)
Winona did, too! :D And I missed both Capper and Sunset, I need screencaps. D:
Ohhh that is a good one.
This aspect could have been done better. I get the idea, but they shoved it in too fast and didn't have enough focus to really work right. Now, if this had been something going on for the entire last half of the show, little background events showing mistrust and fear spreading, that could have really helped it. Or show more of it, what about Big Mac and Sugar Belle? Lyra and Bon-Bon? Scootaloo's aunts? There are far too many cases of mixed tribe associations to buy this being as universal as it was made out to be. Idea works, but the execution was far to simplified to work.
Yeah, they kind of do.....
Super Chryssi looked so damn awesome.
Yup, so I'm happy about that. And yeah, Discord meant well, but he's not the brightest at thinking things through, and massively prone to getting blindsinded due to overconfidence.
What's worse is Luna's.... She just got the damn thing! Yeah not a huge fan of the whole, Sisters got shoved out the door for Twilight thing.
Still going with this is just an extended vacation for them and they'll be back.
Or when the 'trick' gets out of control.
Yes, but at this point, it's gotta toss in the worry that ALL of it since he was freed was Discord messing with them and setting things up so they would win without any real risk.
Yeeeah, really wish they'd had a better showing in that fight.
And he knows which of the ponies there would be the one to pull this thing out if freed, Go Starlight!
Yes a very good final pep talk..... there were feels.
"If all else fails, unleash the Flurry Heart! Better to have to rebuild from a scorched wasteland then allow them to rule!"
Oh come on, that was epic!
ikr?
Hmmm, possible. Or Zebra's are simply the furthest nation away from Equestria, clear on the other side of the planet.
YAK'S BEST!
I'm seeing them do a Demolition Man cryoprison kind of thing, where they thaw them out every few decades, have some therapy/evaluation sessions to see if they've learned their lesson, then re stone them if not.
That was a perfect line to have.
True, and likely why they did it, but still... not completly happy about it. But it's clear the fandom has always seen Celestia and Luna as better and more important then the show staff ever have.
Writers! To! Your! KEYBOARDS!
Yeeeaaahh, that was not handled very well....
Days of Wasp and Spider, read it! So damn awesome and deals with this issue. At one point, Luna turns an entire mountain into a shotgun by carving it up and teleporting it half a continent away, just using the change in relative momentum caused by that large a change in position along a rotating sphere to add the deadly acceleration to it.
Yak need tough but beautiful gown that allow for smashing without being damaged, yet accentuates Yak figure!
Yup, enough wiggle room if you really want it, but strongly implied, oh yeah.
Subtle but powerful addition.
Yeeeaaahh, they were not taking the Sisters as characters/ponies in their own right into account when doing this...
ohhhhhhhhhh.......
Yeah, I thought that was weird, too.
I loved “The Ending of the End,” but I thought “The Last Problem” was completely unnecessary. It irks me that Twilight's new student is another freaking light-name unicorn, and there were other things shown in the episode that I just felt were better left to the fans' imaginations. If you loved it, I don't want to take any enjoyment from you, but for me, the only reason I'd rewatch it is to look for Easter eggs (somehow I missed Sunset, for example).
The saga! Agh, muh heart! Although I'm curious what exactly step 3 is supposed to represent? The next generation or something?
They are the battle music. The land itself used as the drums of war.
You accidentally a word. Namely "controls". Your next line is "Derpy is my spirit animal". *crosses fingers and hopes FoME gets the reference*
Silver Shoals isn't a retirement community. It's another name for Seaward Shoals, seen in P.P.O.V., and in Point of No Return (latter of which it was called "Silver Shoals" in the episode).
Silver Stable is the retirement community.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/10/2/1263597__safe_screencap_spike_twilight+sparkle_ppov_alicorn_boat_harbor_lighthouse_marina_pier_pony_scenery_seaward+shoals_town_twilight+sparkle+%28ali.png
So yeah... huge difference. They're way too spry in their presumably eternal prime to decide being around there is a good use of time, unless they worked there maybe, which isn't the case probably.
5137694
well for me, I needed it, because the slice of life personal problem eps were always my favorite. To the point I don't even really like most of the season premiere's/finales.
Well, so long as you made a reference to a Stand... "You were expecting Grogar...KONO DISCORD DA!!!"
Overall, I really liked the finale, although if I still did the Sam and Carl bit I'd have some fun with it. A good part of it was retreading of old territory [insert Twilight's standard: "Woe-is-me/Everyone-but-us-has-been-defeated/I-don't-know-what-to-do/I-forgot-I'm-in-this-situation-almost-constantly-and-magic-friendship-is-always-the-solution", everyone but the Mane Six getting the traditional one-shot defeat]. I might have overlooked it if the rest of the Mane Six didn't constantly make meta-references to it and the entire season hadn't been about Twilight stopping her "Twilighting".
The part that really ground my gears, however, was that it took such an incredibly small amount of effort on the part of the villains to turn the three races against each other. That...kind of violates the whole principle of Equestria to me. The closest we've ever seen to there still being inter-pony species discord was way back in Season Two when there were hints that unicorns saw themselves as higher class. I've never gotten a sense until this season that any of the species still look with distrust at one another, but the fact that it was so easily broken would lead one to think they must have inter-race conflicts all the time. Of course, the writers may have relied on Chrysalis doing what she does best...all of her villainy "off screen" and just cutting to the point where things are already terrible...but it seemed not only like a stretch but a plot hole to me.
That being said, I'm actually surprised that the writers didn't end with another redemption. Oddly enough? That makes them feel a bit deeper to me at this point. I'll pick on Chrysalis again. She such a miserable creature that she'd rather live a life alone and in pain filled with vileness and hate than give up her pride. As a result, even though she's a horrible monster and needed to be stopped permanently, I can't help but pity her just a little. All three of them, to one degree or another. Right down to the end they refused to admit wrongdoing or ask for mercy; making it adamant they'd never change. I almost find it a little sad, but that only gives their defeat more punch to me.
And, of course, I started to feel a little more sad when everyone was crying in the last episode.
After nine years, it's finally over. And IDW Comic writers finally get to make up their own canon without having it get reverted (such as Sombra's redemption, having to do the Dazzlings' origins twice, and Discord ending up being a somewhat selfless, mostly-harmless clown who only was considered a villain because he took the fall for what's basically Cthulhu [although I don't know how the comic writers explain his mind-trolling in "The Return of Harmony"...]).
In the words of Captain Kirk: "It was fun."
5137595
I actually quite like that idea. "Ugh, how did Celestia do this every day for centuries? That does it, I'm putting you two on automatic. If it's good enough for the human world, it's good enough for us."
And of course the crowd shots have gotten smaller. The changelings aren't hiding among the pony populous anymore.
5137600
Season 8 is... a mixed bag. There are certainly some genuinely good episodes, and also some genuinely bad ones. "Non-Compete Clause" may be the single worst episode of Friendship is Magic, period. But there's definitely some good stuff to be found.
5137619
Yeah, neat as Discord's comic callback was, a bit more focus on relevant parts of Tirek's backstory would've been nice. Seriously, Star Swirl was right there; this would've the perfect opportunity to finally bring Scorpan into G4. (And if his brother's still alive, why wouldn't he be?)
And Discord being able to penetrate Tartarus really does say something about his pre-reformation unrule. He might have tormented the ponies, but he still kept them safe from everything else.
5137643
Any fan who can sit through that song and not tear up at least a little may not have a soul.
5137649
To be fair, Discord uses the correct term a minute later. This on Chrysalis and/or the story editor.
Glad I could help.
Stand User: Fluttershy
Stand Name: Crazy Train
Twilight kind of hogs the space during her part of the ending cameo cavalcade, but here's a clear shot of Sunset. Capper, meanwhile, attended the coronation. (Huh. There's an idea. Sunset failing to show up was yet another thing that went wrong that day.)
I cried too, tbh: all the feels, all of them
I dunno if I can handle this. I miss everypony already 
5137597
It's okay, GM. We're all crying.
5137696
Chapter III is the massive Big Damn Heroes group shot. Or just the post-timeskip Equestria, filled with plenty of every creature imaginable. (Presumably you've been making other tokens in the meantime.)
5137709
)
Derpy is my spiri— NANI!?
(I called Discord Fluttershy's Stand. I thinks it's safe to say I'll get a Jojoke. Also, thanks for the catch.
5137750
Corrected in the blog. Thanks for setting me straight there.
5137770
Oh, I will have words about Cosmos when the time comes...
But yeah, not a perfect finale, but a very good one.
5137650
Yeah, more upfront tension building would've been helpful. Honestly, all the concepts "The Ending of the End" was trying to fit in were never going to fit well in just two episodes.
"I am bringing my throne."
"Where are you even going to put it?"
"It matters not. I waited years after my cleansing to receive it. It is mine. I am bringing it."
Another moment I wish we could've seen: Cadence getting revenge on Chrysalis by way of a weaponized daughter.
It was, but like the "Winter is coming!" back in "Tanks for the Memories," it was so flagrant and out of left field that it disrupted the mood for me.
This is actually a fascinating idea for a time-lapse story, seeing Equestria's shifts in culture and technology each time one of the villains is let out.
Sad but true. To us, they're massive pools of world building potential. To episode writers, they're burdens that have to be worked around to maintain some semblance of conflict.
Trust me, I am well familiar with Days of Wasp and Spider... though I am quite behind in the third story of the series.
*cough*
https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/10/idw-my-little-pony-season-10-comic.html
I don't know which of these two possibilities I love more... No, wait, I know exactly which o- "ZAH DISCORDO" *Insert JoJo sound effects here*
*music stops, static*
*piano starts*
And they were feuding with Abyssinians. Cats vs dogs.
The good thing about a time skip is that people get to fill in the gaps however they like. As a for instance, someone at IDW can play "Author's Saving Throw" in defence mode (if you'll forgive me channelling Yugi Muto) and state that somepony found herself a Fountain Of Youth in order to avoid the stigma of 'executing' a ten year old.
5137770
They kinda already did. Yes, Discord's villainy was to cover up the existence of his ex, but he himself admitted that he still found it fun to troll ponies.
5137884
Hah, I'll be darned. That's not the first time Capper's shown up in the show though, as I recall?
It's been twenty minutes since I finished watching the finale and I'm still crying. I suppose reading this didn't entirely help (each Theme Song card bringing up more tears), but it's...
I'm sorry, I can't word right now. Too much sad.
<Celestia> It is done. </Celestia>
Boo to Discovery Family for cluttering up the screen during the first airing of the finale. I understand placing a channel logo bug in the lower corner, but there's no need for a giant block of text advertising that they're going to show the finale over again as soon as it ends. Also, I've had to avoid promos for the series finale for weeks now -- why were they still playing during these commercials, advertising the very episode I'm already watching?
I just had a thought: Did Twilight ever actually want to become ruler of all Equestria? When she became an alicorn (i.e., automatic princess), she didn't have any say in the matter. And I think (correct me if I'm wrong) that throughout season nine, her consent has always been more along the lines of, "Well, if you all think I should do this, then I guess I will." I'm not saying she didn't grow into the position, but that would explain her bipolar reactions to assuming power.
It was a little distracting to see a Lemon Drops as the nearly-concealed owner of the thread shop. The animators might have wanted to use a background pony who had less characterization (certainly one who doesn't canonically have a not-fashion-related job).
It's so rare to see actual violence in this show that when Cozy Glow shot Twilight with magic and left her crumpled at the base of her throne, it set the tone for the epicness of this finale.
I take issue with Lyra and Bon Bon being split up during the division of the races. If Big Mac and Sugar Belle were allowed to stay together, then Lyra and Bon Bon sure as sugar wouldn't have separated. I would have preferred just leaving the two out of those scenes so we could imagine that they were holed up at home together, keeping each other comforted in times of crisis.
The sudden reconciliation of the pony races (and all the other species) at the climactic moment of the Mane Six's battle seemed to come out of nowhere. Granted, it made more sense once the friendship school students explained how they rallied their "teams" to band together, but it still felt abrupt in the moment. And while part of that can be blamed on trying to cram a grand-scale series finale into a 90-minute time slot, given that that was the key moment where the battle turned around, making it less of a surprise would have undercut the meaningfulness.
Good use of the Student Six, though. I was worried that they'd get too much attention in this finale, but they showed up for just the right amount of time to acknowledge that whole story arc without making the finale about them in any way.
I interpreted that scene as Discord heavily paraphrasing what the villains actually said, meaning that he was one to drop in that term. I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.
By this point, I have to wonder if parents have begun naming their unicorn children following this pattern in the hopes of the offspring achieving great power.
The show certainly implied it, yes. My jaw literally fell open when I saw that.
I say that that was a good open-ended design choice. If you want to believe that she was never able to fly, you can; if you want to believe that she figured out how to do it à la Bulk Biceps, you can.
And the way the final song ended by echoing the beginning of the theme song while Luster Dawn walked off with her new friends was lovely.
I'm with the folks here: While it's possible to nitpick how the finale played out, it doesn't feel right to do so. They successfully evoked the emotions they wanted to evoke.
Loved the finale, it was a great way to close out the series. The Grogar twist was just stupid and I don't care what people say there was no way to make Discord's actions not seem stupid. As for Discord bringing back Sombra I'm just gonna assume that he was only mostly dead and not all dead.
Also, I loved Cozy Glow in this, its shame she didn't get more development but she ultimately made for a very entertaining and surprisingly ruthless villain. Also, Starlight was the absolute best part of the 2 parter and has truly cemented herself as best pony.
Also, I loved the Pinkie and the Brain reference. I've been waiting for the show to make that joke for years so I'm happy they go it in there in the end.
I'm really glad that I read this. Several people I know are either disappointed or enraged with the finale and the plot developments and twists there... sheesh. I'm glad to see some less extreme reactions to it.
They brought the show to a direct end. They didn't let it end hanging, they didn't let it go on and on like a franchise zombie, they pretty much bowed out. Maybe not in the exact best of ways, but still, I'm very happy that we got a legit finale. ^_^
You should be amused, it's a hilarious reference
Countering or milling 10 for 2, even if two different colours, it's helluva OP I'd say. Sure, it's no Force of Will, but damn
When I saw Chrysalis gloating, I immediately though of the Discworld quote from Men at Arms.
"If you have to look along the shaft of an arrow from the wrong end, if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat.
They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar.
So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word.”
"I do wish they’d done a unique opening for this episode. I can understand why they didn’t, but still."
I was wondering not if they'd do something unique but if they'd use the Season 1 opening, myself.
"Hard to tell if he’s her husband or her Stand."
Stand?
And teared up a bit when you reached the bit about the closing of the book. Emotions are still a wee bit unstable...
"Okay, one thought now that I’ve calmed down a little: Adhere to Princess Sparkle’s dogma or you get sent to the friendship gulag of Ponyville!
"
Heh. I'm remembering something Douglas Adams said about finding an old plaque on a bridge proclaiming that the penalty for defacing the bridge was transportation to Australia, and being surprised the bridge was still standing... :)
Thank you for writing. Ah, and here I am blinking again...
Aww, no mention of Fluttershy shouting “Fly, my pretties!” when she sic’d her geese on Cozy?
I was seriously expecting her to start cackling wildly
What is a 'Stand'?
5138672
Yes. Inquiring minds wish to know what Stand means. I understand the writers wanted to indicate their relationship in some more subtle way than a kiss. A Discord who packs a bagged lunch is...well, he’s fairly domesticated.
More later. Curiously, I am not doing a touchdown dance about my OTP going canon. (It is very, very hard to deny that CheesePie is canon). For one thing, I knew that for weeks, though nothing else, and for another, I didn’t know how I felt then, either. Stunned, mostly. Pinkie engorged with Chaos Magic, though: full approval there.
I think I need to re-watch this.
5137968
Oh, like even half of the people still on the site read the comics.
(In all seriousness, while I am glad to see a continuing trickle of canon content, IDW's track record with pony has me cautious at best there.)
5138031
For an economic power, the Abyssinians had surprisingly sour relationships with many creatures. The Diamond Dogs, the parrot-harpies, the fishmen...
5138035
Hmm. That actually does a lot to explain Cozy's marked absence of parents and incredibly cynical viewpoint. (Though I honestly have no compunctions about petrifying the child. She spent months in one of the most positive, nurturing environments possible and used that time to plot the destruction of magic itself. And it's not like Tirek sent the first letter. That girl is troubled on a level Equestria is not currently prepared to handle. They may need a century of psychiatric and pharmaceutical refinement before she can get the help she needs.)
5138182
You recall correctly. He was briefly seen during the musical number in "Between Dark and Dawn."
5138240
I'm reminded of the true ruler of the Galaxy in the Hitchhiker's Guide trilogy (which is five books long, because Douglas Adams.) Power is best invested in those who don't want it, for they will use it most wisely.
Plot twist: It was actually an earth pony-operated shop. She'd broken in, barricaded herself, and was drastically undercharging.
You make a good point about Lyra and Bonbon splitting up, though I disagree on the friendship students' abruptness. When the three "everypony for themselves" scenes each end on a foal deep in thought, one of whom is Sandbar... Well, I won't say I saw it coming, because I didn't, but I felt it was sufficiently well-established.
... You know what? Neither am I.
By the time Luster's generation was being born? Absolutely. Forget baby name books, those expecting mothers made a run on thesauruses.
5138245
Oh, I never said Discord's actions were smart. I just thought they were in-character. Important distinction.
5138250
As I've said several times before, you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the Simpsons. One could argue they beat the dead horse a bit, but they're letting it rest now (comics excepted.) And while the finale's not without its faults, it could've been so, so much worse.
5138260
Opponent's choice of Counterspell or Glimpse the Unthinkable seems... moderately reasonable to me. Heck, some decks might appreciate that kind of milling assistance.
5138337
Same. As I said, thank goodness for sadism. Though that might not be the right thing to thank.
5138430
The Wicked Witch of the Everfree was pretty great, but there were so many amazing moments that a few were bound to slip through the cracks.
5138348 5138672 5138809
A "Stand" is from the long-running, aptly named manga and anime JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. A Stand is a unique manifestation of a person's fighting spirit that takes the form of a reality-warping phantom entity visible only to Stand Users—one that stands at its user's side, hence the name—and has a wide variety of potential powers ranging from traveling between reflective surfaces at the speed of light to allowing people to wager their souls in a game of chance to nigh-omnipotence... as long as it's raining outside. And that's barely scratching the surface. Discord would fit right in.
5138260
That's how punisher effects normally work. You get a major discount, but your opponent gets to pick whichever hurts them the least. And as FoME pointed out, Dredge is going to laugh at you if you're dumb enough to cast it against them.
5138973
If it helps, "Cozy Glow is Baby Doll from B:TAS" is somewhere in the middle of the Wild Mass Guess page about villains. I wish I'd come up with it myself. It's a great idea they should have used.
If you want to use it, that's fine with me.
5138976
Ah, thanks!
I admit, I haven't watched either yet. Saw the leaks of what would happen to the villains, and... I don't know. It felt so... wrong. Especially, ESPECIALLY having it be Discord to decide the sentence, after he messed everything up, using them as canon fodder, forcing them to work towards revenge (granted, that probably didn't need much) and then getting to be the one who decides their fates upon their inevitable defeat. For the life of me, I can't imagine he'll get enough blowback or say an apology deep and sincere enough for me to not feel utterly disgusted, and because of that, I can't bring myself to watch the episodes.
It's even spilled to the other later episodes. Haven't yet watched anything from The Big Mac Question onwards, including that episode itself, because I know what things are going to lead to.
And I don't want to have everything ruined for me. I don't want to be that kind of person. But what else can I say? I'm not getting over myself. I've tried. It's not working. And knowing that just makes me sad and a little sick with myself.
5141461
I wish I knew what to say. "Don't let it get to you" is out; it clearly has. Give it time, I suppose? I do hope you can stomach the other episodes at some point; there's a lot of good to be found there.
5141463
Thank you for being understanding. You're probably right, just take some more time and then deal with what's in them individually, not with what they could've been. Be it good or bad. For the record, I'd also seen a scene of Pinkie, Cheese Sandwich, and their little cheese together and it legit made me tear up.
That makes her the only one out of them we know definitely had 'that' kind of party. I wonder how loud they were. As in, if anypony in Equestria didn't know afterwards.
5141461
And also that claim that he doesn't turn ponies to stone in his first appearance. >_>
You have the old wording for proliferate on Shoulder-Mounted Funderbuss. New rules (as of War of the Spark make it add one of every type of counter the player or permanent has.
New wording: Proliferate (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.)