One thing I’ve noticed is that the Princesses appear to be actively fighting in this picture (looks like Luna on the right? Could be Celestia though, hard to tell with how little detail said pony has), so maybe they actually do something during the climax?

So… Hippogriffs were going to be the new Flutter Ponies?

I think that Cosmos was going to unleash Storm King (who was originally more like a powerful beast) and while battling Twilight, Cosmos realizes he isn’t able to control him which leads him working together with everyone else to stop him.

@IceKitsune
 
In the Junior Novel, Caper lives in a water mill (matching some concept sketches in the art book BTW). The water wheel detaches and rolls through the town with the ponies on it as they escape Tempest.
 
But in the trailer, it’s clearly a wind mill. They still have the same basic concept for the escape scene, but it’s obvious the novel is not based on the final version of the movie. So it isn’t a reliable preview of the final product.

@Background Pony #46AF  
That thing is an even weaker piece of evidence than the Junior Novelization. It’s hardly even a plot summary of the movie. Who knows how much is cut from that thing.
 
Edit: I have a feeling that something they have rough concept art of and is in the script in some form even if it is changed is more a representation of the movie than something for like 5-year-olds.

@IceKitsune
 
Nope, I mean the one named “My little ponie the movie:friends and foes”
 
http://boards.4chan.org/mlp/thread/30837204#p30841827

@Background Pony #46AF  
You mean the junior novelization? Those things cut content all the time and shorten things. I haven’t read it but from what I’ve heard Celestia Luna and Cadance aren’t even mentioned in the book at all after getting turned to stone.

@Background Pony #5150  
I’m guessing that means the ending scene will be cut short. Like with the Rain scene in Toy Story.

Notice how nowhere in this text does it say the battle scene was “removed”, “deleted”, “cut” or “replaced”.

@IceKitsune
 
We already get another book confirming that they keep petrified until the end of the conflict. This is quite old because they’re using the old concept of storm king and cosmos instead of tempest

@Silverwisp19  
This is exactly what the Background Pony meant by you making wild assumptions about changes in content.

So it looks like Celestia and Luna and likely Cadance as well, will get to fight in the final battle. Depending on how much was changed to get the Mane 6 in there it looks like people thinking they will do nothing in the movie are wrong.

@Background Pony #5150  
Well, In my opinion, Every cut from the movie that I’ve seen is just more wasted potential to try and make the film more “Your average cartoon movie”, And i understand why, But still.  
This is and probably will be the only ACTUAL pony movie we’re going to get. So it feels like a big waste to me.

@Silverwisp19  
The scene wasn’t cut. The battle against the Storm King army is in all the books.
 
What’s different is instead of the battle beginning with the arrival of hippogriffs, it begins with the arrival of the Mane 5, Spike, Caper, Skystar, and the Pirates. They fight along side the citizens of Canterlot in a massive brawl while the Storm King rains down lighting from a balcony.
 
People need to stop making wild assumptions about changes in content, or at the very least apply some basic reading comprehension.

@Silverwisp19
 
Because Celestia is actually being useful instead of jobbing in that scene, that’s dumb.

@Joshua  
How does it not make them the focus? The hippogriffs help them BECAUSE of the friendship they gained from the Mane 6. How does that not make sense?

@Silverwisp19  
Not dumb. It’s a reasonable choice if they want the Mane Six to be the focus.

Another scene that could’ve made the movie way more awesome and interesting, Cut for REALLY dumb reasons.

I’m all for the Mane 6 being heroes, but I’d love to see everyone joining in the battle. I don’t think would take away from the Mane 6 if they got focus at the same time.

@soundtea  
Huh. That’s a valid point; Why would we get this cut ending if the Mane Six are the heroes?

@Dustcan  
On the plus side, it’s the Mane Six saving the day, and not Starlight Glimmer.

@Joshua  
Because the stars of the film get put to the wayside. It literally says that.

Oh hey this sounds like a good idea.
 
Good thing it was cut.

Whoa! WHOA! This looks epic! :D
 
Why was THIS cut?!