Season 9 Discussion Thread [NO SPOILERS, DF airings only]

Background Pony #07AC
@AC97  
Agreed, a villainous Twilight would never be anything like a Chrysalis or Tirek. If Twilight were to go any kind of “Evil” it’d far more be the situation of “Good intentions gone wrong” type of deal.
Poison Trail
Pixel Perfection - I still call her Lightning Bolt
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Elements of Harmony - Had an OC in the 2022 Community Collab
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Wallet After Summer Sale -

@AC97
 
I’d say it’s not that much of a stretch to come up with a scenario in which she’d resort to mass mind-control and other magical means to force friendship on others.
 
If the leaks are any indication, this had at least been considered by the staff with “Midnight Sparkle”.
kleptomage
Pixel Perfection - I still call her Lightning Bolt
Lunar Guardian - Earned a place among the ranks of the most loyal New Lunar Republic soldiers (April Fools 2023).
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Perfect Pony Plot Provider - 10+ uploads with over 350 upvotes or more (Questionable/Explicit)
The End wasn't The End - Found a new home after the great exodus of 2012
Fine Arts - Two hundred uploads with a score of over a hundred (Safe/Suggestive)

@gingerninja666  
She weighed following Celestia’s orders exactly against saving the Crystal Empire and decided after some hesitation that failing an arbitrary requirement in Celestia’s stupid test was preferable to them all dying.
 
“Far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice than one who only looks out for her own best interests.”
AC97
Lunar Supporter - Helped forge New Lunar Republic's freedom in the face of the Solar Empire's oppressive tyrannical regime (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition

i got some weirdo on discord ranting at me that hasbro lied and there’s two more seasons confirmed.
oy
 
…Hot damn. They’re in the denial stage of grief.
AC97
Lunar Supporter - Helped forge New Lunar Republic's freedom in the face of the Solar Empire's oppressive tyrannical regime (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition

Queen Chrysalis: The harsh weather is the final blow to break the ponies’ spirits. Once Equestria is a frozen wasteland, we’ll use our magic to destroy those windy beasts. Ponies will be so grateful, they’ll do whatever I want!
 
I kind of want this quote to be a WEBM, with sound. I think the background music helps make it mesmerizing to me.
 
(I should learn how to do that kind of thing myself at some point, huh?)
Background Pony #5203
@gingerninja666
Second, the scene where they cry together before rushing to the train was one of the saddest the show has ever done and I thought it made clear that Twi moving to Canterlot was something none of them wanted.
Sure, their friendships survived the distance put between them but it was a permanent and detrimental change. I feel like the mane six were wronged by the rulers and country they saved so many times.
@Background Pony #B837
The long time skip in the epilogue does limit possibilities for what happened after Twilight’s coronation. I emphasize with the creatives frustrated by it.
 
That’s really some of the core issues of the time skip. Instead of “happily ever after” it feels like “we somehow made it work but it will never be the same”. I would have prefered an all happy everything is open end to the series.
 
@kleptomage  
@Spinny
Indeed. It just makes me sad to think about, sadder than I am that the series is over. The show and characters deserved a better ending.
 
I have since developed the idea in my mind that it didn’t actually all happen yet. Some IS reading that book at the end there, right?  
Seriously considering creating an alternative ending to that very last shot:
 
Before the book closes, the picture of the older manes gradually changes to a crayon drawing and it’s revealed that it was Pinkie drawing the scenes of how she envisions the future of our main heroes going forward.
Then we see how she shows the others her idea of the future with her art book while they are actually at the celebration of Twilight’s coronation and there are varying reactions to that.
That would suggest that some of these ideas Pinkie had MIGHT actually really happen down the line, but keeping it vague so anyone can decide for themselves.
For example:
Maybe Twilight is somewhat shocked, implying she does NOT like how they all somewhat drifted apart there and is therefore going to make sure it doesn’t happen like that.
Heck, maybe even have Celestia and Luna be there too and look at each other with uncertain looks, not happy with how things might play out, implying they they might reconsider fully retiring? <- That seems like too much though, when it happens AFTER the coronation.
Fluttershy and Discord blush and look away from each other.
Rainbow Dash and Applejack laugh about it but then one of them gets a serious look on their face and actually considers it for a moment, before scooting ever so slightly closer to the other.
Pinkie then gets up from the table and walks over to Cheese Sandwich, much like Sam in LotR when he went to get his girl. Or maybe that’s already too much and she would just look in his general direction and then it cuts off…
Little things like that, to suggest “hey that might happen, but maybe it won’t”.
 
That would not change the fact that Twilight WILL rule, but maybe it would keep it more open to how things ACTUALLY evolve after episode 25.  
Best thing is: This is not actually contradicting canon, we do NOT know who read that book at the end there.  
Granted, it’s unlikely but it could just as well really be like this for all we know.
rdibp
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Friendship, Art, and Magic (2018) - Celebrated Derpibooru's six year anniversary with friends.
Birthday Cake - Celebrated MLP's 7th birthday
Not a Llama - Happy April Fools Day!
Friendship, Art, and Magic (2017) - Celebrated Derpibooru's five year anniversary with friends.

Kerfuffle lover
Having an ending where the Mane Six were all still together would’ve been nice, but I thought the one we got was pretty good too and ties up the core message of the show very well.
 
No matter how much time passes or whether if you all go your separate ways, friendship is something that will always last forever.
Ogen
Pixel Perfection - I still call her Lightning Bolt
Lunar Supporter - Helped forge New Lunar Republic's freedom in the face of the Solar Empire's oppressive tyrannical regime (April Fools 2023).
Artist -
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Preenhub - We all know what you were up to this evening~
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Wallet After Summer Sale -

Undesirable
I thought the epilogue was pretty meh, but I never really like these “where are they now” endings. Good song though. If the donut shop scene from the previous episode had rolled right into the song that would have been a really solid ending.
kleptomage
Pixel Perfection - I still call her Lightning Bolt
Lunar Guardian - Earned a place among the ranks of the most loyal New Lunar Republic soldiers (April Fools 2023).
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Perfect Pony Plot Provider - 10+ uploads with over 350 upvotes or more (Questionable/Explicit)
The End wasn't The End - Found a new home after the great exodus of 2012
Fine Arts - Two hundred uploads with a score of over a hundred (Safe/Suggestive)

If it had been a three part finale without the lengthy epilogue and scenes of everyone failing at their part in the coronation, there could have been time both for better pacing and to give Discord a better reason for what he did.
gingerninja666
The End wasn't The End - Found a new home after the great exodus of 2012

Kaze ni Nare
@kleptomage
 
His reason is essentially the same as his reasoning any time he’s done the kind of dickish Trickster Mentor stuff he does.
 
I think there should’ve been a third part to expand on the “Turning ponies against each other” plot point and build it up better.
Applepie2010
Lunar Supporter - Helped forge New Lunar Republic's freedom in the face of the Solar Empire's oppressive tyrannical regime (April Fools 2023).

Nostalgia Nerd
If it had been a three part finale without the lengthy epilogue and scenes of everyone failing at their part in the coronation, there could have been time both for better pacing and to give Discord a better reason for what he did.
 
That’s right
Background Pony #5203
I don’t know if this still needs to go in a spoiler thread, but anyway:
 
This worked so much better than I thought it would, lmao
 
Video link  
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