I could totally see the bottom image be used for her Ultimate move in a MLP fighting game a la Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm.

@Background Pony #DA25  
No problem. :)
 
As for the last part, that’s mostly because not many people bought Twilight’s line in that episode anymore then Applejack’s priority 180 in the S4 premier and finale; afterall, a castle erupted for her use and Celestia gave Twilight a lead-on question, so choice was never really a factor. And true to form, her hesitancy was back in full force and completely questioned in the far better written Rainbow Rocks and in parts after the S5 premier. They even wrote Spike to make a big spectacle of how meaningless the title was and how she became an princess in Rainbow Rocks, and showed how those issues still living up to Celestia’s expectations, compared to reformed Sunset, were still paralyzing Twilight.
 
After that, questioning Twilight’s ‘choice’, or lack their of, just became second nature for a lot of fans. This event where Celestia outright ignores Pinkie’s efforts and praises Twilight was a new development where all subtlety about Celestia’s bias is dropped so that even kids see something is odd.
 
 
Back on point, where the show is right now with post-Amending Fences Twilight is basically picking up from Reflections Twilight. She’s starting to grow, she’s starting to doubt herself and what she knows, and she’s finally being allowed to grow less as a princess and more as a person again, of which Celestia has pushed too much on the former and too little on the latter.

@CronoM  
Interesting. You’ve read a lot more into the Reflection arc than I did, so I appreciate seeing from your perspective. That being said, there is still a gulf between the comics and the show when it comes to canon, and either mediums are very consistent with characterizations. One thing that does stand out in my memory is when Twilight stated in S4 that being a princess was something she chose to be, regardless of it being well after the fact. I don’t remember her ever going back on that, so maybe that’s why I didn’t take her ambivalence in the comics that seriously.

@Background Pony #DA25  
I can understand how you would come to that conclusion if you were really sold Celestia’s salespitch of Twilight, but the problem with that theory is that they already addressed it in the same arc, then moved away from it.
 
In comic #17, after Twilight finally has a long deserved panic attack from becoming a princess, her friends offer up the idea that maybe she can be both a normal pony and a princess, but Twilight is uncertain about that.
 
In comic #19, after Good King Sombra says he considers himself both a normal pony and a leader, Twilight is still convinced its split on the choice between the two role-models, and finds the thought of Starswirled being an alicorn absolutely silly. In the end, she identified more with Star Swirled then Celestia.
 
And in comic #20, Twilight admits to Celestia that, while she finds being a leader a little less scary then before, she’d rather be a normal pony instead for the time being. If the message of the comic was supposed to be she could be both like you said, it would of 1) demonstrated that inclination somewhere within the comic from herself, not JUST from her older mentors who don’t know her as well as they think, and 2) They would of left the conclusion to the end, when it actually they sprung that idea at the beginning, and it became more of a split decision as it went on. I can’t think of any story where the final solution is the easy and simple one stated at the beginning.
 
Being a leader was never his skill and most certainly not her choice, so Twilight asserting that she’s not the leader when she has no real inclinations to be one at this time was an incredibly positive step for Twilight, far more positive then anything Celestia has ever arranged artificially. S5 has been strongly hinting that Celestia is more biased then previously thought, like when she ignored Pinkie Pie to praise only Twilight.

@CronoM  
That line of thinking from her has always seemed like a token meme from her. We’ve been hearing it ever since Equestria Girls. As for the exchange from the comics, I never got the same conclusion. They go from talking about the difference between being a leader and a princess, to talking about Star Swirl, and then finally the difference between being a normal pony and a leader. The conclusion reached there was that they’re not mutually exclusive, and that Star Swirl could’ve been a king if he’d wanted. Maybe you’re extrapolating from this that maybe Twilight will consider being normal instead of a princess, rather than just remain secure in the idea that she’s still a normal pony, even as a princess.

@Background Pony #DA25  
MLP #19.
 
Since Good King Sombra is already sold by Celestia on how much she glorifies Twilight and puts her on a pedastal, Sombra talks to Twilight directly about this. When Sombra talks to her about her being a leader of her friends, it takes this for Twilight to realize that its completely false about being a leader in any respect. She relies on her friends equally, and not as a leader at all.
 
She even realizes that she may not want to be like Celestia, but might want to be like Star-swirled and master magic to aid her friends. As a complete alternative for Celestia’s plan.

@Tumblr Feminism Is A joke  
Go away, Tumblr.

Last post was 11 months ago, let it go

@Background Pony #109D  

 
This attitude’s ironic coming from someone claiming to be above the ones saying that the show is doomed because Twilicorn.
 
 
@Background Pony #109D  

 
Where have you been since 2012? It’s been worse than the Sonic fandom for a while now, and you’re not making it any better.
 
 
@CronoM  

 
I remember the part about Celestia reconsidering the flexibility of people’s roles in FF #13, but when does Twilight actually make this argument?

that’s not gonna happen all the bronies are hearin’ reports about the mane 6 becomin’ alicorns and they’re packed with loads of guns with help from the army and the police to take down evil empire hasbro

@Background Pony #15A5  
When friendship gives me lasers, I’ll consider it.

GUYS! Stop arguing! This show preaches about the magic of friendship, yet you are all arguing. Can we just go and watch some cute pictures of ponies?

@Background Pony #93B4  
@CronoM  
Exactly.

@Background Pony #93B4  
Its more like “I should be the best I personally can be in case they ever need me, (like Zecora said in Magic Dual) but since everyone else on the team is just as capable and constantly improving themselves, I don’t need to become some special snowflake to outshine the others just because Celestia says so. I rely on their power and wisdom no less.”
 
Twilight Sparkle actually comes to this conclusion herself in the DHX approved comics. She actually argues against Celestia’s claim of her being their leader or teacher of friendship being true.

@Background Pony #E5EB  
@Background Pony #B880  
So, you’re saying she should take the attitude of, “I shouldn’t worry about trying to be the best I can be in case they ever did need me, since my friends are capable and won’t ever need me.”

@Background Pony #0A53  
Oh, okay yeah it does work if you’re using that as a theory for why she wouldn’t deny her alicornhood and princess status. Because after all, if she was evolved and promoted in such a way it would be pretty obvious someone or something was basically saying “hooray, you’re a special snowflake” and if that happened, she’d probably be left thinking that if she was special enough to earn something like that and her friends weren’t than she was in a position to protect them or something.
 
The original image though makes it sound like Twilight wanted to achieve princesshood as a means to protect her friends. And that does imply that she thinks them incapable of doing so themselves. There’s really no way to spin that positively unfortunately.

@Background Pony #E5EB  
I like the idea that some traces of her own fear bleed into her not just ditching the burdens of the crown.
 
And you’ve never worried about what would happen if you weren’t there for someone? You believe in them, but belied means jack if they died and you could have done something but didn’t. That kind of thing.

@Background Pony #0A53  
I guess, except Twilight’s alicornification was never presented in a way that suggested anything like that (her fearing for her friends by her own failure or whatever) in the show. It just sort of came out of nowhere.
 
And even still, if true said previous comments like the one you posted before mine still imply that Twilight would apparently think her friends can’t take care of themselves and each other just fine without her. It’s implying they’re inferior however you look at it.

@Background Pony #E5EB  
I defer you to previous statements of Twilight’s fear of her own failure and the dangers of pride vs practicality.

Implying they can’t take care of themselves, each other, AND probably Twilight just fine.

@Background Pony #B880  
Well, it’s less that and more Twilight being terrified of what could happen if she fails them. In her mind, it’s better they be alive and hate her then dead and having their pride satisfied.

@Background Pony #E9D5  
No. He DOESN’T.

Clearly spike doesn’t matter.

Oh, and you’re the only one who can do that? You’re just so damn special that your friends are just helpless without you? You have no idea how conceited and condescending that attitude is?

@Tumblr Feminism Is A joke