@Starswirl  
I have a real feeling like he felt it even if it wasn’t said.

@Toastypk  
That would’ve honestly saved the episode for me.

@Starswirl  
Yeah it seemed they were ready to talk to him, but he fell into darkness by that point.  
I think Starswirl was apologizing because he basically started the whole mess by not listening and giving a damn.  
Though now I’m picturing Stygian saying “I’m sorry too.”  
Ahh that would be so nice

What really gets me about this is that Somnambula said they always expected him to come back and say he’s sorry. But he didn’t, when he came he attacked them. Meaning they were ready to talk to him… but after getting thrown out of the group, he didn’t want to. And by the end, they had to beg for his forgiveness, while he showed zero remorse for anything but what happened to him because of his own actions.

he looks like snails

HEY LOOK  
FLAME BAIT

@Background Pony #A613  

 
Because it was already the central theme of the episode that everyone looking up to Star Swirl too much, causing them to make bad decisions and not speak out against him when he was doing something wrong like jumping to conclusions about Stygian. Telling us that would have been redundant and violate show, don’t tell, at least that’s the theory.
 
But I agree with you it fell short in that department. When Stygian explained himself he should have told why he didn’t do so sooner as there was no time to show it (hence the comics). And it should have explained what happened between that and them becoming the Pony of Shadows to keep him sympathetic (perhaps it corrupted him from sad to wanting to destroy the world).

@Toastypk  
Fans theories don’t mean jackshit unless the show actually confirms them.

@Background Pony #A613  
Well my personal theory for why he took without asking is because he just felt so far removed from them that he wasn’t comfortable confiding something that personal and important with them, and decided somehow his borrowing thing was something he had to do in secret. Wrong move, obviously.  
Though this is just my own conjecture.  
As for becoming the Pony of Shadows… well after what happened, I don’t think it’s a stretch to think one could be easily lose oneself in being stewed in scornful feelings. I’ve gotten into big fights with family before; the resulting miserable and spiteful thoughts, being ostracized… it’s real. Though in Equestria, said darkness can turn literal if you find the wrong thing…

@Background Pony #A613  
It’s moreso I feel with the envious aspect he displayed, because he felt inadequate, and wanted to be something more like his friends. And then things going wrong and the resulting being spurned by those who are close to you and being filled with dark thoughts and spite. Obviously he should have said something, and I have ideas why he didn’t, but regardless, I really did feel for him.  
But honestly both he and Starswirl made some big mistakes, Starswirl with his once-a-villain-always-a-villain mindset wouldn’t even listen to the guy and just discarded him without question.  
I feel like he became the Pony of Shadows as a desperate action pushed on by being at his lowest point.
 
Say what you will, but me, I legitimately had a thing for him, and have since become incredibly attached to him. And I’m glad it all got solved.

@Toastypk  
You do know saying you relate to a guy who assumed his friends would be fine with him taking their stuff without permission and then threw a tantrum when they rightfully accused him of theft isn’t the flawless argument you think it is, don’t you?
 
The reasoning behind Stygian’s decision is almost, if not just as dumb as the decision itself. If you’re a grown-ass adult and you’re having feelings of inferiority or insecurity among your friends, talk to them about how you feel. Simple as.

 
I really did feel for him this episode, and he’s since become my favorite of the redeemed antagonists. He shouldn’t have kept it secret, obviously, but his feeling inadequate and his being spurned by those he thought were his friends really resonated with me.
 
And in the third panel (and in the episode) he is clearly trying to say something, but the Pillars would have none of it.

@Background Pony #A482  
Then why didn’t they explain that in the actual episode? Why do we have to rely on a comic to fill in the blanks? That’s just bad writing.

He had reasons they just weren’t heard until there was a battle for survival. If anything that just emphasizes why he did it. In the comic it says Starswirl basically called him useless and took over the group and in the Actual episode he was so arrogant I have no trouble believing it.

Considering it’s a flashback told by the pillars themselves, it stands to reason that they would remember if a certain way.  
Not to mention most flashbacks in MLP tent to have no dialogue anyway, so saying he didn’t say doesn’t really hold up