This story follows Luna’s Gift, but it can also stand alone nicely.
You know his name.
You know when he lived.
You even know when he died.
Your parents warned you, when you were foals, that if you weren't good he would come for you.
They may have been right.
(Chronology note: this tale takes place before the series begins, and before the exile of Princess Luna.)
(This timeline continues in After Moonfall. )
Part of the Elsequestria Continuity and the Sunset Rising Continuity.
(Inspired in part by Fall of the Crystal Empire, most specifically by Zedrin’s performance as Sombra.)
Addendum: On February 07, 2019, this became my first story to be in the featured box! Thank you all so much, you are all beautiful!
Additional addendum: I am marking this tale as ‘completed’ for now, in honour of its ability to stand alone. However, I may add chapters in the future when inspiration strikes.
I like it. Personally, I think this is much better as a one-shot, as the pacing of it is perfect for a backstory one-shot. It being a one shot also lets readers fill in the gaps themselves, which can sometimes be better than filling in the gaps yourself. This story adds a lot to SOmbra without ruining the mystery, and I feel going too far in the story could ruin that mystery. However, the writing is actually very good and depending on how good you are at leaving mystery while adding context would be the factor that would make or break this story. If you do plan on continuing it, this is a story where larger timeskips actually work very well.
From here, I'd jump to him becoming a unicorn,
then to him taking the empire,
then to the first fight with the alicorn Sisters,
then to maybe a couple of chapters where he's waiting until the show happens, either he's in limbo with the rest of the empire that's frozen in time or he's just wandering around the icy wastes,
then the final part would be him resummoning the empire.
It probably shouldn't go into much more detail than this, but you could probably pad out the story with a few random slice of life like chapters, though I probably wouldn't go past 10 chapters.
I Said I liked it as a one shot, But if my outline or something similar to it was used I'd probably enjoy the story a lot more. The main gist is the story needs to only cover the really big parts of Sombra's rise to power without going into more detail, that's how the story succeeds.
I liked the story very much. It's probably way better than what I could ever do. Not much is known about Sombra, so the fact that this is about his past really intrigues me. Though I would prefer for it continue, not for it to be a One-shot. Anyways, it was really good!
I think that it could stand on its own, although I feel that more chapters covering the major points in the rise of Somba's tyranny, as Rosewell8 suggested, would also be effective. If anyone could do it justice, I'm quite sure it would be you. I thought it all worked rather well-- deep and rich and realistic.
PLEASE GO ON 👀
Question? Do people read the comics?
You certainly have me intrigued. Whether it's more chapters or other stories, I'd love to see you explore this thread further.
I like Sombra as a Villain (Definitely top 3). Certainly better than Nightmare Moon, a selfish brat that couldn't accept her place in society. Discord wasn't really a villain. Tirek should have gone for the head (Killed all the depowered princesses while he could). If you think about it, Sombra really is the rightful heir to the Crystal Empire. He defeated Princess Amore in honorful combat and claimed the title to the throne (comics). What did Princess Celestia and Luna do for their thrones? Pretty much absolutely nothing, besides brainwashing the ponies into believing that they're essential to all life (They're clearly not. How would life have existed before they were alive if the sun needs to be raised). Cadence is the unrightful ruler of the crystal empire (Has no ties to the Empire, unseated Sombra in an unfair fight) and Twilight does not have a Kingdom. Really, Equestria is running out of space for their royalty.
9445313
Not a lot.
9446364
I don't think the comics are cannon.
9446703
It actually is. I read it and there are things they talk about that was in the show too.
9446923
It's a separate canon, in its own universe. It shares elements with the show but is not in the same world.
9447671
Doubtful but I guess it's just what I believe in.
9447724
The comics talk about stuff from the show sure, But does the show talk about stuff from the comics? If so, then yeah, it'd probably be canon.
9446703
9446923
9447671
Does anyone know if the people at the show have said one way or the other? I’ve heard they said it the comic was considered canon, but that was hearsay, not from the source itself.
That being said, I know there are things in the comics that are just not in my head canon. The way they did the Anon-A-Miss debacle, for example.
No. Just no. Cool if you liked it, but that one was not for me.
9445313
A little here and there, online. I do intend to get hard copies eventually.
9451628
Is cool. It's what I believe in anyway. Different people have different perspectives about it. To me it's real.
9446364
That’s something I kind of address in my seminal story, Exiles. After all, if we accept that they are essential, then who was essential before them? And what was that world like?
If you feel inclined to read it at some point, i would be very interested in your opinion. If not, of course, no harm and no foul.
9451632
*nods* Cool enough.
9446364
I like to think that discord did something to make them essential. There was one story I read where Discord teleported Equestria (Equis?) to dead space and Celestia and Luna had to make the sun and moon in order to keep the planet alive.
9451769
In my head canon, there was an Age of Chaos before they defeated Discord, later bringing a reliable cycle through their magic to a world that had none of its own by nature.
9451864
I assume that “Chaos” includes a functional sun and moon, and normal weather?
9452140
Sometimes, kinda. Sometimes, not. It was a hard time to be alive.
9453214
Hard, but nothing our kind hasn’t lived through.
9453288
*shrug* Well, it was the Age of Chaos for a reason. Should you feel inclined to read it, let me know what you think when you’re done.
This was a pretty neat backstory. I do think it works best as a one-shot, though.
9497148
Yeah, it probably does. I could write more, but I ultimately think this stands on its own.
Mostly, I wanted to write Sombra the way I see him: not as a pony who made desperate dark pacts or who was corrupted from without, but as a person who made his choices, found a way to turn his weaknesses into strengths, and clawed his way up to stand on his own hard-won power... even as, in his coldness and hate, he gained new tragic flaws that would ultimately be his undoing.
Of course, there is always the chance I might find myself genuinely inspired. And if that happens, and I think the idea is good enough, then there will be more.
Super good character exploration. :D
To struggle. To writhe. To cry out...and then to see how one can stand on their own. To stand against the storm and the wind and the howling rain. To take whatever life may throw at you and still rise...an imposing symbol of strength, to be certain.
9501726
I'd love to see what else you have for Sombra, even if it was but a blog post exploring ideas. I want to reach in and smack his family silly, their attitude of you are different therefore you are garbage worthy of only base mockery and contempt
11539749
Yes, I agree: they are deserving of mass smackings. Ugh.