Friendship.  
Is.  
METAL.

The expression on Hopes face really really reminds me of all those realistic uncanny valley pony artists work. Most notably AssasinMonkey and that one guy with ‘trees’ in his username.

@Background Pony #680C  
this power medical corps sanke

@SkunkStripe  
Maybe if they sell it as a print one day, but they haven’t done that with pony covers in a long time.

Wow this cover art is intense, can I get it a poster

@Starswirl  
@dynamicv  
@Darth Sonic
 
There’s also now this:  
 
Taken from an IDW solication publication

@Darth Sonic  

@dynamicv  
Link to Whitely’s responce?

@Starswirl
 
He also confirmed Chrysalis (some solicits mentioning FIENDship #5 were already out by then, so I guess that clears him to spoil that) and that there were other villains besides Sombra, Chrysalis and Radiant. But he didn’t say which.

@dynamicv  
That… almost feels like cheating. XD

@Starswirl  
@Darth Sonic
 
I say she the main villain because: she is the only character who would have the both means and a possible motive to bring Sombra back from being a bunch of scattered pieces.
 
That and I asked Jeremy Whitley if she was one of the villains and he said yes. That’s pretty cut and dry.

@Darth Sonic  
Typical “good guy corrupted by evil” pose?
 
Now I’m not saying I agree, but I can’t fault anyone for coming to this conclusion.

Everyone seems convinced that Radiant Hope is the villain for some reason. Can I ask why?

@Background Pony #9CEF  
Eh, Snake Power!

Sanke Power!

@Align
 
I suppose if they are bringing back characters from Sombra’s past, we might get more from Triek’s past eventually. Would love to see more Scorpan.

@dynamicv  
I was thinking more like a separate series from this but continuing directly where Tirek’s Fiendship comic left off, since that one felt like it ended just as it got started on his story.

@Align  
This is supposed to be a “big villain team” arc, so it is possible Tirek may play a role.
 
They would have to bust him outta jail first though.

Wait, if Sombra’s Fiendship piece gets a continuation, is there hope for Tirek’s?

My prediction is that Radiant Hope has used her powerful healing magic to stay young for 1000 years. She will also be the one to reassemble Sombra’s pieces and heal him back to live. I also predict that she will convince the Changelings to join her cause by offering to heal the holes that Celestia made in their bodies.
 
Still too soon to determine her motive. I thought maybe she would spend 1000 years looking for the pieces of Amore and that this may have something to do with that. Perhaps she does decide to “join the dark side” after all and help Sombra to get the Empire back. Wonder what other villains we will see?

@Jarkes  
Hopefully Celly’s left out of that love triangle…  
And Rarity is spared of her overly-flirtatious comic form.

@Background Pony #F612
 
On the other hand, Whitley seemed to be implying in Fiendship #1 that there may have been some romantic feelings between Sombra and Radiant Hope, so that may be touched upon.

King Sombra is the Wolverine of IDW…and I couldn’t be happier because of it.