I didn't post this thread before, because I thought it was one of those questions that would be asked by everyone else. But I've looked over all the threads on this forum, and I'm not seeing anyone else asking this question.

So I'll go ahead and ask the question.

What is it about King Sombra that makes you like him?

I just want to know what everyone else thinks of him, that's all.

He looks cool and I enjoy the fact that I can make up his back story (since he doesn't have one that's canon).

4041170 Besides being a powerful foe, I became infatuated with his character immediately after reading the Reflections comic arc, because it opens the likelihood that the underexplored Sombra we saw in the show had quite a dark, potentially tragic, and complex history behind him.

4041170 The reason I like him is mostly because he was so much of a terror that the Crystal Ponies would rather remember nothing than remember him

4041170

Taking strictly from the canon Sombra (I liked him before the comic arc) I think I can sum it up in that Sombra was kind of a badass. He didn't get very many lines and not much of a storyline, but the fact that Celestia sent Cadence, Shining Armor, and the Element Bearers (didn't send them with their elements, strange enough) to go spoke volumes about what kind of foe Sombra was. While not Discord levels of unbeatable, the stallion was incredibly cunning in hiding the crystal heart. Had it not been for Celestia sending Twilight (who had a brief lesson on dark magic before going) the Heart would have never been found.

And without the Heart, it is heavily implied that it would have been a losing fight. Luna of course wanting to go and her concern that she wasn't going of course added to the fervor.

By the time I read Reflections comic, it only added more story to Sombra. The fact that, in the alternate universe he was still alive (recall in the original he was banished 1000 years ago, so if he never went evil and never got banished, that meant that he had to have lived for an extraordinarily long time) suggested that maybe he could have been a male alicorn, or at least a very high up on the food chain stallion among royalty. The best we got otherwise has been Shining Armor, who hasn't gotten the chance to do much of anything remotely epic (aside throwing his wife) and Blueblood (who neither, to our knowledge for the canon, runs shit nor really appears in any capacity after the Gala other than cameos).

I mean, there is Starswirl, but other than the comics, there is really nothing going for him as a character other than that he was super smart and presumably quite powerful. At least in the comics we get an idea of him as a mentor to Celestia and Luna, but still not really a click with me personally.

So yeah, that is a late-night response to this question. I hope it helps.

I like Sombra because he had the potential to be a most awesome character and instead it was wasted!

What did we really know about him, besides his tyranny over the Crystal Empire? His dark magic? How afraid the crystal ponies were of him?

That doesn't even begin to give us a glimpse of what makes (and made) Sombra who and what he is. The Reflections arc of the comics showed such a shining and bright possibility of what Sombra could have been, even if it was in an alternate dimension, and it even provided a backstory on the alternate King Sombra.

The prime Sombra has virtually no canon backstory besides his being the tyrant ruler of the empire. What about before he was king? How did he start off? What was he like before his dark reign? Was he a tragic villain? A hero who lost his way? A politician seeking power? Nopony knows! Because the showmakers (with their poor excuses of imaginations) said all Sombra was supposed to be was a menacing presence and threat inspired by Sauron from LOTR!!!

I've read plenty of fics on this site that showed awesome ideas of what Sombra could have been, and continue to amaze at the imaginations of my fellow bronies of the MLP: FIM franchise and how creatively superior we are to the showmakers, even Lauren Faust was better than those lack-wits, and it sucks that she left although if they ruined her vision I'd understand.

...Sorry, kinda went on a rant there.

Anyway, I rest my case.

Wow! Only one hour after posting and I already have five comments, as opposed to my other threads which I think took a few days to get comments.

Don't get me wrong. I'm just surprised at how quick the reaction is.

4041170

I actually like the mystery of him. I also love that he seemed to be prepared for anything that could get by his security systems. I've seen him as this really cool evil mastermind.

4041170

I have to say that I enjoy Sombra's character for a variety of reasons, but mostly for the mystery surrounding him. Especially his magic. Dark, ominous, corrupting. And the unanswered question around it.

When in "Princess Twilight Sparkle" episode Zecora tells Twilight that her potion responds only to alicorn magic, the power Twilight uses to transform it is the same as Sombra's. How should we understand this? And the "Alicorn Amulet" - it is said that it corrupts the one who wears it.

So, what should we believe in? That alicorn magic is evil in its core? That it can corrupt those without strength of character? Or maybe it twists those that tap into it breaking the rules of the Universe? Why Sombra would possess it? Did he seek control, or strength, was he curious or fell victim to it?

Whatever the reason might be, he is a character that definitely needs more attention, as I think there are facts about him we surely don't know and that would certainly give us a proper motivation for his actions.

Then again, perhaps some ponies need no reason to be evil? That makes them unique too...

4041170 Sombra is that one character that when I first saw the season 3 opening, I didn't care much for. It wasn't until around my third time rewatching the series that I begin to notice small things about him.

By this time I had dug myself deep into the Brony fandom and was more informed on theories and other things of the like surrounding the old king, but what really stuck out to me was the realization that he was a unicorn that fought against two alicorns and didn't lose. When he fought against Celestia and Luna, there is probably no doubt in anyone's mind that they intended to kill him to release the Crystal Empire from his Tyranny, yet they succeeded in doing neither.

Sombra was instead banish into a frozen prison instead of killed and even then, he cast a curse on his Empire to keep it in his rule. The princesses returned to their home in shame, having traveled to save and empire and being ultimately unable to accomplish the task.

What's more is Sombra's strange magic. Dark magic seems to be directly in line with black crystals that grow with even the slightest sliver of fear or hatred. Apart from this ability to create crystal structures, he can also peek into the mind of others to reveal their fears and use them against them. Lastly, (and this is something more resent) when Twilight was told to use alicorn magic to activate Zecora's potion during the season 4 opener, she unknowingly used dark magic instead. It still worked fine, meaning that Sombra had in his grasp magic that can substitute that of an alicorn.

These are all strange details that make Sombra a mysterious character to deal with. No one can truly know what or who he is, but what's more, no one can truly say he died at the end of the season 3 opener. After all, if he could survive being turned to shadow and trapped in ice for a thousand years, who says he can't put himself back together from being blown apart?

4041579 I have to agree with you. He has so much potential and that is thrown out the window. I watched the first three seasons and stopped for almost a year. As soon as I came back to MLP, I took a liking to Sombra. He became my favorite pony along Pinkie Pie. (I totally ship them!) I soon began writing (not going very well) and learning as much as I could about him.

I like to believe he forced to become a tyrant and not being evil for the sake of being evil. Look at the other main villains, Chrysalis had a kindom to feed and just went about it the wrong way. Discord, well, not much is known about him despite seeing more of his past than others. I think was just lonly and went mad or something. Luna grew jealous and the nightmare forces corrupted her, thus creating Nightmare Moon. Sombra, all we get about his past "heart black as night" and "he was banished the frozen north for a thousand years" and that's not very helpful. Tirek, well, the less said about him, the better(he is my least favorite charater in the show).

It's magic we're talking about. Celestia and Luna raise and lower the freaking sun and moon! If magic is that strong, then something like that corrupted can easily pull itself back together. Tirek managed to get enough strength, Discord broke free from stone (I kinda doupt the CMMC had anything to with it), Luna/Nightmare Moon lived ON the moon for a thousand years, and Chrysalis basicly eats an emotion. I'm pretty sure Sombra's horn can somehow regenerate himself.

4041170 I like King Sombra because he was very cunning for one that was given no personality. He also had a lot of backup plans for when things didn't go his way, like the trap he set at the bottom of the stairs for example.

But what I enjoy more about Sombra is the fact he barely any personality, makes it so that we - the fans - can determine what his personality is. Is he a crystal obsessed maniac? Or a grand chess player? Or a Sadistic Tyrant? Or a corrupted soul? Or a host of a dark entity? Who knows. The possibilities are virtually endless.