TDownfall

• Equestria Girls
• Romance
• Sad
• Slice of Life

Sunset Shimmer is used to solving problems. So, when she can't do that for the person she loves the most, it's... difficult.

• Suicide / Self Harm
• Sunset Shimmer
• Wallflower Blush

Gay For Gadot · 8.4k words  ·  77  7 · 1.5k views

Sunset Shimmer's faced a lot on the other side of the mirror. Redeeming herself, uniting her friends, taking down monsters. For better or worse, it's in her nature to solve problems. To make things better.

So, when she can't do that for the person she loves the most, it's... difficult.

Opening remarks

A sad romance written by Gay for Gadot and a SunFlower (Sunset x Wallflower) ship fic to boot. Gadot has a knack for writing powerful emotional depth into their work and I truly look forward to seeing what they’ve done this time.

Note: this story contains themes of self harm which do rub up against my “not read” list, however, there is nothing explicit. Additionally, though I am usually uncomfortable with those themes, my personal bias against it will not be factored into the main review. That will only bear weight in my personal score. Any discrepancy between the two is all in due part to this noted bias.  

Technical

No technical errors with the writing or grammar. Full Marks. 

10/10

Character

The two main characters of Downfall are Sunset and Wallflower as one would hope in a sunflower ship fic. 

Sunset Shimmer is the rock in the story. Our primary point of view in this endearing romance. She keeps steady through the low points and revels in the high points. Her patient and loving presence is woven into her character in the story. Instead of being stated, they are shown in the small gestures she does: staying on the phone until the motorcycle revs so Wallflower knows she's on the way, the way she embraces Wallflower so caringly, and how she puts in so much effort to ensure Wallflower has her to lean on. The Sunset in this story is so likeable, I had no issue believing in her loving nature and it carries through all the way to the end. 

Another very important thing I wish to touch upon is how Gadot made a point of showing Sunset put in the effort to learn and understand what Wallflower was going through. She read books, watched videos, and put in the actual research to know what to do. Too many stories think a bunch of magic words can solve anything when in reality that is never the case. Gadot portrayed a very believable execution of what it is actually like to help someone with Wallflower’s problems and the patience needed to be there for someone. I have nothing but respect for portraying this so realistically.

Wallflower herself is also brilliantly portrayed. She is a cute endearing cinnamon roll that I cannot help but believe was meant to be with Sunset. The portrayal of her self harm was done exactly as it should be. It is handled tastefully: not overdramatized or framed as this “martyrdom” or “precious angel” type framing that cheapens those that actually suffer from this. She’s a balancing act, difficult to handle due to her specific intricacies, but Gadot has done a solid portrayal of the character that I cannot help but be endeared to. 

As an aside, the portrayal of Fluttershy and both Twilights (Royal and Nerd versions) are both well done as well. Gadot captured Fluttershy’s quiet caring, and both Twilight’s empathy well, adding to the story without taking focus away from the main story.

The characters are so well done, and the delicate issues faced by said characters are handled with the proper care they deserve. Full Marks.   

10/10

Concept

The story had me by the time the first line appeared to break up the scene. The opening remarks about the cellphone just oozed personality and made me want to read more about Sunset. As the story continued, and I grew to know these two lovebirds, I stayed invested in the story, begging to see this play out. I needed just one more paragraph of their relationship and comfortable accepting love from each other.  

The execution was fantastic. The themes of love, patience and support rang true. They felt earned, genuine, and I fully bought into the lessons the story imparted. At no point did I feel the story was too sappy or misguided.

All that being said, for this ship in particular, “Sunset helping Wallflower to accept herself” is a very common concept that is executed by many an author that writes this ship. There is nothing inherently wrong with that, but it is a very common story theme and one that I’ve seen played out before.

Despite this gripe, the emotions handled in this fic are conveyed beautifully and the execution more than makes up for a commonly tread upon idea.     

9/10

Vibe

Gadot is really good at prose. The way they write the emotions of the characters into the mannerisms and actions in the work is an absolute treat for the eyes. I could read a passage a dozen times and still find little ways in which they show the character’s state of being. Big emotions in tiny gestures. Absolutely poetic in its execution.  

The story is well done. Each passage is meaningful and ties into the work. Though meandering in telling, all of it ties together into a woven tapestry of this just beautiful love that I can’t get enough of. 

All that being said, we need to talk about the flow of the story. I understand the basic structure of the story: there is the modern timeline and there are the windows into important moments in the past that built up to this moment.

Within the passages, the flow is perfect. Everything moves at a perfect pace and I’m never left wanting. The text reads effortlessly and I enjoyed every sentence. 

The transitions between scenes, specifically at the break lines, were a bit rough. They weren’t abrupt, but they felt disjointed. I always found myself kicked from the story each time I changed scenes and required to reorient myself back into the words. The transition into these key moments, which were key and important to the overall story, I think just needed one or two connecting lines from the action of the previous scene into the next. 

Just some indicator from Sunset along the lines of “She saw this plant and was reminded of...” or “She thought back to a time...”. Obviously, more integrated into the actual story, but just the general idea of a connector between scene transitions.

Also, It would be a crime not to talk about your use of repetition in the second scene of the story. The typed words flying through the passage as it goes closer and closer to the root of what Sunset was researching without directly stating the target is just a master class example of how to use that technique. Perfection.  

Overall, despite the rough transitions, this story was a delight to go through. Gadot’s execution continues to impress.      

9/10

Closing Thoughts

Gadot continues to impress with their excellent execution of highly emotional, wonderful stories. I cannot recommend anyone enough to take a dive into their back catalogue and sink their teeth into their magnificent works. 

To anyone that can handle the themes discussed, I fully recommend this beautiful story about love and hope you fall in love with these two cinnamon rolls just as I have. 

9.5/10

Personal Score

I enjoyed this story. It was excellent and well written. However, as with all self harm fics, it did set off that part of my brain that gets super uncomfortable with the topic, which hampered my ability to truly enjoy it. 

It was an amazing read, it gave affirmations of love and acceptance, but that uncomfortableness with the subject matter lurked in the back of my brain all the way through. 

I fully standby the review score I gave as with my bias removed this is a phenomenal story that is worth every word read, so take my personal score only knowing that it was held back by my own comfort levels not the quality of the writing and execution of the story.  

7.5/10

<For archive purposes: 9.5/10>

I could not disagree more with this review. As a fan of Der Untergang, and especially the late Bruno Ganz, I feel that this story utterly failed to capture the nuance and melancholy of the last days in the Fuhrerbunker. Gay for Gadot completely glosses over the interpersonal conflicts that defined that film. In fact, as a pony-themed adaptation of Der Untergang, I’d say that this story is an abject failure.

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