@CallMeAl
The issue is that “learning” from this requires figuring out what caused this blunder to start with, and I’m virtually certain the cause was outsiders mandating plot elements regardless of coherence. If you just try to ignore that fact and focus on trying to fix it “in universe” you’ve done nothing to solve the problem. Because then what about the next dumb dictate, and the one after that? You’re not fixing anything by trying to ignore this, at most your frantically stuffing gauze into a sucking chest wound.
Trying to make the best of a crappy situation, but just ignoring caused it to start with just assures it’s probably going to happen again. I increasingly suspect that going forward the writers may not even be allowed to ATTEMPT to fix this properly, as their plots will be increasingly dictated less by good writing and development and more by short sighted publicity stunts and pandering ordered from above.
So to me the writing and plotting going forward really barely matter, I think the writers are competent enough that if given free hands they’d do fine. They aren’t what’s going to kill the show, but if they don’t have free hands and are forced to try and work with stupid mandates from outside they won’t be able to do that job, and THAT is what’s going to kill it.
So to me any talk about what might happen now, or how to fix it or work with it almost doesn’t matter. It’s not even really the Alicorn Twilight issue itself, I don’t like that either but as I said it might not be fatal in and of itself, but rather the factors that caused it and the attitude it seems to show that are the real problem.
Maybe Alicorn Twilight can be made to be “okay-ish”, although I still doubt there’s enough materiel to work with to make it worthwhile, but with none of the underlying cause looked at what about the next gaffe, and the next one, and so one?
I liked everything except the end, because the whole alicorn aspect was just suddenly sprung up and felt disconnected from the rest of it despite the events leading up to it. Once it started going down that path I just felt sour. Everything’s gonna be fine Twilight? I really truly hope so.
I liked it. It was 20 minute musical that made me smile. It’s too bad coming here to check out the ideas and fanart ended up wading though negative feedback, shitstorms/trolling, and weird rumoring mills.
@Tk3997
I don’t like weighing on whose fault it is that the episode turned out this way. You can argue whether it was corporate meddling or just time constraints, that this was mashed into that and suddenly Alicorn Twilight, but it’s all irrelevant. What’s happened has happened, that’s for them to learn from. What matters to us is what happens next.
I agree that Twilight’s coronation would have made a fine end to the entire series, if there was more build-up to it. If she had done more to deserve it. Ever since Sweet and Elite, I’ve had the idea that the Mane Six would gradually branch out, not splitting apart but each going their own way, and each earning new friends. They could have had several seasons to develop these new characters, which could have resulted in a climactic event to bring them all together. The many bonds forged, tested and ultimately unbroken over time and distance would have been a much, much greater display of the Magic of Friendship than…whatever this was, was.
As for what’s ahead, there is something to derive from princess life. We could see Twilight practice proper etiquette, exercise wise decision-making in critical situations, and once again prove her leadership when she’s needed most. But that could only last a few episodes, and then it’s back to being Twilight. But is she going to be Twilight? Is all the princessing going to strain her relationship with her friends? We’ve all seen the episode, a cast member becomes a celebrity and they end up driving their friends away, either by suddenly becoming arrogant and unruly or by simply being too busy being famous to do anything else.
Actually…that could be how they undo it. The royal agenda becomes too much for Twilight to bear, and her friendships suffer to the point that their links to the Elements of Harmony threaten to break. They decide that her princesshood is not worth sacrificing her friends and the elements, so Celestia returns her to normal. At this point I’d prefer that they stick by their work, but if the writers are intent on bringing old Twilight back, this is one way they could make it make sense.
@Firefanatic
Which is why I never once said that, but as I agree that to SOME extent the worries about god-mode are based on fanon that’s never been well founded, but the fact remains this is a huge change and that it DOES separate her and mark her out. You can try to downplay and weasel all you want, but you’re never going to truly escape that fact, or the myriad implications of it.
@Tk3997 “Alicorn” does not automatically mean “God” or “Goddess”. If Celestia herself can be whupped by the power of love, I’m pretty certain the only differences in Twilight are wings and a longer horn.
Agreed to a point. But you still have to remember that this show IS made with little kids in mind, so you have to be smarter in your approach to writing the show, and FiM does this extraordinarily well. THAT’S the show’s strong point. It’s for kids, but it ISN’T mindless stupidity.
@CallMeAl
Like I said before, I’m not that worried about specifics like you are. Could this episode have been handled better? Without a doubt! Personally, i would have preferred more of Celestia warning Twilight about the new challenges she faces from here. However, the main core of the show’s message, that “Friendship is Magic”, largely remains unaffected after the episode. That’s honestly enough for me.
