@picklebrain  
I think Starlight was being serious with this speech too.  
She really does know what it’s like to be an authoritarian dictator, she can certainly relate in that regard.
 
@Background Pony #0472  
She was experiencing a mild form of ‘Twilight’s Gotta-Appease-Teacher’ disease at the time (see Lesson Zero).

@Harmony Charmer  
You and me both, pal. I just knew she had it in her all along!

I AM SO PROUD OF GLIM GLAM

Considering what she did in “Every Little Thing She Does” this statement is complete BS

@thps48  
Sorry, I should have clarified: The One is different from the rest, unique, he desired to change the system and had the inert, inner ability to do so he would discover. Eventually, not initially. These two sorts of abilities were used to help free humanity and free changelingkind respectively.

Actually, Thorax’s unique disposition reminded me a lot of The One. Morpheus explained The One and his various reincarnations had the ability to rewrite The Matrix however he wished, and he eventually found the truth behind The Matrix and began the human resistance. Of course, The One then created a truce between the humans and the machines in the end of the trilogy. Thorax and Neo are similar is a couple of ways, yeah. :3

@Tragiclady  
Yeah, a terribly loaded and cliched speech wouldn’t even work on a proper villain like Chryssy. But if you don’t have any other option left, what else can you do, right?
 
@picklebrain  
I feel like that was her argument as well–which normally wouldn’t apply on a ‘hive mind’ because the hive mind doesn’t have individuality–only specific roles. But hey, turns out Changelings have individuality.
 
Unless, they normally don’t, but maybe the hive produces a special case once in a while to bring the hive into a new direction better suited for its survival. Maybe that’s how they’ve been surviving? Every matriarch / patriarch rules for a certain time, and once the hive decides that it needs to advance its society, it hatches a leader type?

@Background Pony #AB83  
I think Starlight is saying that if you try to suppress the initiative of your subjects in favor of total control you will inevitably introduce inefficiency into your efforts. Utilitarianism is self-defeating where it ignores the human element.  
(or something like that)

@Background Pony #AB83  
Starlight Glimmer was far more concerned with getting Queen Chrysalis to cease hostilities than to actually discuss philosophy or morality.
 
I would make up a bunch of BS too if it would get me out of a jam. A sappy speech like hers might work on some ponies, but it won’t work on Chrysalis.

What’s a real leader, anyway? As opposed to a false leader? Should there even be a truth value assigned to a leader? I thought the worth of a leader by is judged by their competency to lead their subjects to complete their objectives efficiently?
 
Assuming that there is such thing as a ‘real leader’ and such leader is exactly like what Starlight describes, would such leader be preferable to a leader who–though they may not be a ‘real leader’–does better job at reaching destinations, completes objectives, and maintains the loyalty of their subjects?
 
Or is Starlight arguing that, to effectively lead, a leader MUST celebrate uniqueness and such celebration is absolutely necessary for successful leadership?

Arc concluded. Game over. Mission accomplished. End of story. That’ll do, pig. Etc.