@441TheSecond  
I like that reading of Aspen, a petulant child on a throne that throws tantrums.
 
I bet Blackthorn didn’t have any qualms returning power to Aspen because he knows that sooner or later Aspen is going to do something truly idiotic and everyone’s going to demand his abdication, and that’s when Blackthorn comes forth to accept the burden of ruling to become the savior of the Everfree. Much better PR than forcefully holding on to power.

@ichingdivine  
Or maybe he has no fucking idea how diplomacy works, and Celestia takes it easy on him because he’s dumb.

@441TheSecond  
“Because Y’now, that was no big deal, he just tried to forcefully annex half the country.”
 
I think the writers completely forgot the fact that the Everfree could have expanded into plenty of other areas that weren’t populated already. I really get the vibe that they were going for the “necessary evil” angle with Aspen, but he just ends up looking like a lying prick.

I’ll take Stockholm syndrome or idiot plot for 800 Alex.

@dynamicv  
Dude, this was pretty much an act of war. If this had any realism, Celestia would probably start amassing an army to defend herself from the Deer, since it takes very little to push them into an expansionist campaign.

@441TheSecond
 
Even better, they were the ones who took initiative to fix their own mistake.
 
That’s an apology better than mere words. Which did also happen if you are willing to not ignore the panels where they do apologize to the ponies :|

@PonyPon  
I could have made do with an apology, because hey, that’s how the show operates. But seriously? He wasn’t the one who apologized? What the fuck IDW.

@441TheSecond  
Yeah, not exactly something approaching punishment.
 
More like an apology I personally wouldn’t accept, but these are ponies, whose morals are legendarily myopic.

@dynamicv  
They choose to fix everything. I bet you that had they just withdrawn their vines and done nothing else, nobody would have said anything.
 
Because Y’now, that was no big deal, he just tried to forcefully annex half the country.

@soundtea
 
Scot free?
 
The had to go around and fix everything they broke.
 
That is not scot free by any definition.

@dynamicv  
Except a previous panel showed them uplifting and destroying buildings.
 
And for some freakish reason, Celestia is apologizing to Aspen. Not the other way around. Called it that the deer would get off scot free.

@PonyPon  
Seems to be a thing with her. (cough) GALA (cough).

@PonyPon
 
But the vines were not an apocalypse so any arguments based on that premise are un-sound.
 
I imagine Celestia (and the rest of Poniville for that matter) would be a lot more upset if it were the case.

Excitement is not an excuse, you cu-REDACTED