@Background Pony #049F
Yeah, I don’t buy it, that’s why I threw all this out. Sombra isn’t even 1/1000th as powerful as he would’ve needed to be to do that. It’s ridiculous and was written by people who didn’t understand the characters, the tree, or even the world. I could find a way to still use that scene, and have it still be in character, by making it an illusion (something Sombra IS capable of)…but that would’ve taken creativity that the remaining people (almost all the talent left after S8 was completed, about the same time the movie came out) just didn’t have.

While this isn’t THE most ridiculous thing I’ve seen on-screen in a show (completely contradicting everything), it’s definitely in the top 5.

@Wayneponeth
Well, it turns out there were just orbs. And Nightmare Moon was too close to destroy the Elements of Harmony completely. Because by request from Twilight, “You think you could destroy the Elements of Harmony like that?”, Twilight did find the spark when after Nightmare Moon shattered the orbs. But Unlike Nightmare Moon, King Sombra here was successful and destroying the Elements of Harmony along with the Tree of Harmony completely.

Damn those things are really easy to freakin’ break, aren’t they?

And then discord shows them that they don’t need to elements and the student six have a tree house that works like the tree of harmony but better making sombra’s effects completely and utterly meaningless

This is complete total nonsense. Sombra is nowhere near the level of power necessary to do that. We’re talking, orders of magnitude power difference…the tree can manhandle (treehandle) all the magic in the world at once. Discord’s vine attack took 1000 years to even begin to threaten the tree while it was unpowered. When the elements were returned? Big power boost, vaporized them. Elements were powered up at the end of S4. Another massive power boost. This was written by someone that didn’t understand the tree, the elements, or the world at all. They forgot that it has roots under half of the freaking continent at least. Discord couldn’t destroy it, when it was unpowered, and he is depicted as being far more powerful than Sombra.

There IS a way this plotline could’ve worked, and been in character for Sombra: make it one of his illusions (something he is known to be skilled at). Have Twilight say “this doesn’t seem right, the tree can’t just be destroyed like that” and figure out the illusion and defeat him. But alas, that would’ve required some creativity, something the remaining staff that hadn’t left before S9 started work just didn’t have. Instead they set out to Torch the Franchise and Run.

I tossed this episode out and filed it under “that didn’t happen”, along with most of S9 (especially the last episode). The only decent episodes in S9 (that don’t need any changes) are: Point of No Return, Common Ground, and Going to Seed. The rest are all in different levels of bad, some could be decent with some changes, a lot need to be scrapped entirely. Especially the last episode, which is the single worst episode of any show I have ever seen in my entire life. It makes the Star Trek Enterprise finale look Oscar worthy.

imagining a laugh track

When you pull a UNO Reverse Card on the Deus ex Machina.

@Nadiye
Well, technically, Nightmare Moon was the one responsible trying to destroy the Elements of Harmony. Because Twilight said, “You think you could the Elements of Harmony just like that?!” This means that Nightmare Moon was too close to destroy the Elements of Harmony. But King Sombra here was successful of destroying the Elements of Harmony along with the Tree that grows the Elements. Which lead the Everfree Forest to grow out of control. Twilight’s prediction from the season four premiere “Princess Twilight Sparkle” did came true for the worst.

@PhantomShadow051
Luna did it first.

@PhantomShadow051
Looking back, it’s pretty funny how easy it was.

Tell me I’m not the only one who chuckled at this. It’s hilarious that these ancient artifacts that helped them time after time just effortlessly shatter!

End of an era.