Season 9 Discussion Thread [NO SPOILERS, DF airings only]

Fwelin
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).

I mostly enjoyed the episode, but the B-plot was really weak. Throughout the series, Twilight has consistently shown that delegating is one of her best skills, given how good of an organizer she is. Winter Wrap-Up, every time she leads her friends and has them do individual tasks, etc. Heck, she organized for MUCH bigger Canterlot celebrations with the Grand Equestria Pony Summit and the Friendship Festival, with plenty of delegation there. Why is she suddenly having problems with this?
 
If they wanted to give her a ruling aesop, they should have had something else be the focus, like the worker strike.
rdibp
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Friendship, Art, and Magic (2018) - Celebrated Derpibooru's six year anniversary with friends.
Birthday Cake - Celebrated MLP's 7th birthday
Not a Llama - Happy April Fools Day!
Friendship, Art, and Magic (2017) - Celebrated Derpibooru's five year anniversary with friends.

Kerfuffle lover
@Fwelin  
The thing I dislike the most is how Twilight turned down help from Fancy Pants and his delegates when she learned in the season premiere that it’s okay for leaders to rely on extra assistance.
 
Outside of that, I didn’t mind the B plot. It’s not like the one in All Bottled Up where it actively insulted my patience.
Background Pony #8356
Be prepared to come back. The early airings will resume shortly after the hiatus ends.
Is it really necessary to make that comment? I mean yeah, you’re probably right, but I don’t think anyone here needs that reminder. And until it actually actually happens, at least let people pretend we might make it to the finale without any additional early airings or leaks of foreign stuff spoiling the minuscule amount of the show we have left.
 
And I’m sorry if I sound hostile over that but… darn it, it’s annoying that this keeps happening, and I don’t need yet another reminder that I might have to spend the last half of this entire series, like I spent the first… avoiding learning anything about a great episode other people impatiently rushed through a month or more prior.
Background Pony #5203
@Spinny  
@Background Pony #122F  
I REALLY don’t know how to go about this if the second half is as broken as the first
 
I absolutely do not want to have the show end sooner than it must but at the same time I want to engage in as much as possible discussion etc about the last content and waiting for the official releases will prevent that certainly.
 
Sucks big time. (Gotta love my 1st world problems.)
Fwelin
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).

I was kind of hoping that Twilight was going to be able to raise the sun and moon on her own after her “power up” in the opener (where she went from being helpless against Sombra’s passive spells to directly matching him), but no, she still needs an amulet to do it.
 
How are they going to handle the sun/moon thing when Twilight takes over? The only possibilities I can think of are:
 
1: Celestia and Luna continue to do it wherever they leave off to.  
2: Twilight continues to use an artifact like in this episode, and Celestia and Luna periodically refill it.  
3: Celestia and Luna give their powers to Twilight (and possibly her friends).  
4: Twilight (and possibly her friends) gets some kind of special permanent power up in the finale independent of Celestia and Luna.
 
None of the options really look appealing to me, though I guess I’d pick the last one if I had to.
AC97
Lunar Supporter - Helped forge New Lunar Republic's freedom in the face of the Solar Empire's oppressive tyrannical regime (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition

@Fwelin
 
With #4… I wonder what the overall reaction would be if it involved there being more alicorns.
 
“Twilight will not outlive her friends.”
 
(Though that certainly is not the only possibility regarding extended lifespan, assuming that tweet’s gonna be explicit canon, in the show)
 
The one I’m least likely to be fine with is #3, because I’d probably prefer Celestia and Luna keeping their powers, dunno why.
Poison Trail
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Elements of Harmony - Had an OC in the 2022 Community Collab
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Wallet After Summer Sale -

I don’t see why they’d change the design of the Mane 6, especially now that “Buy our Toys” is no longer a thing got G4, Hasbro’s marketing department has moved on, no reason to force that on them.
 
Given a choice, I assume the writing team knows better than to turn the characters we’ve known and loved for so long into.. those.
GenericArchangel
Alicorn Squadron - For supporting the site
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Princess of Love - Extra special version for those who participated in the Canterlot Wedding 10th anniversary event by contributing art.
Artist -
Elements of Harmony - Had an OC in the 2022 Community Collab
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Preenhub - We all know what you were up to this evening~
Twinkling Balloon - Took part in the 2021 community collab.
Bronze Supporter - Bronze Supporter
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition

Moderator
Free the Tantabus
@LeoNero  
I think they just heard the richest and most powerful ponies in Equestria were mingling with the peasantry, and decided to try conning them. It’d fit their characters.
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