We knew this day was coming. It was inevitable, but this year, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic approaches its final season, and a couple of years down the road, we will be heading towards Generation 5. Season nine's got a lot to live up to, especially with School Raze and Best Gift Ever failing to impress. Can the first episode of the final season start things off strong, or is it a sign the show should've ended earlier?
The Beginning of the End
Written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco
It's... better than I thought it was going to be, but at the same time...
Well, here's the thing - we saw hints of it during seasons six and seven, and season eight made it a bit more obvious. The writers haven't really addressed the issue that's been plaguing the show for the past three seasons; a fair number of stories have felt similar to ones we'd seen in the first five seasons, and heck, even within six through eight. And this one had elements that reminded me of Princess Twilight Sparkle, The Crystal Empire (it didn't really help much that I had recently re-reviewed said episode), The Crystalling and even The Movie.
At least, that's during the second half.
The first half is where the premiere really shines. Despite that it's yet another instance of Twilight freaking out, it was funny how her friends lampshade it. Being around her for nine years (or, if you go by real time in universe, at least five) must've made them used to her freakouts.
I do think it's also worth pointing out that Twilight taking over for Celestia and Luna is a concept that Lauren Faust had intended when she was on board, so it looks as though her vision is finally being realized. It's nine years in the making, and it's on the writers to not mess this up.
What's also on the writers is how the remaining villains are handled. Some fans want them to reform, even though we've seen quite enough already, and many since Sunset Shimmer have been half-baked at best and pointless at worst since they never appeared again after their reformation arcs.
However small Grogar's role was, he leaves enough impact to make you wonder what he's planning for Equestria. Heck, even Tirek and Chrysalis are intimidated by him! Side note, it's funny how not even they like Cozy Glow.
But the MVP for the bad guys was undoubtedly Sombra. He was extremely overconfident about conquering Equestria by himself and it eventually leads to his second downfall. He first tries ruling the Crystal Empire again but is quickly defeated within the first half of the premiere. You'd think that'd be it right there...
...except he's got another plan and ends up destroying the Tree of Harmony. I wonder how that is going to impact the remainder of the season.
But I don't think I can talk about this episode without mentioning Discord's presence. Yeah, much of his appearances are random, but what did you expect from him? It's the final battle against Sombra that he really shines; faking his death just to give the Mane Six the confidence boost they need. Though admitting it out loud does make the ending feel anti-climactic.
As does Twilight admitting she's not ready to take over for Celestia and Luna, come to think of it. It almost makes you feel a bit defeated like nothing was achieved in the long run. Except that the ending with the remaining villains hints at what may be to come for the series finale...
Well, here's the thing - we saw hints of it during seasons six and seven, and season eight made it a bit more obvious. The writers haven't really addressed the issue that's been plaguing the show for the past three seasons; a fair number of stories have felt similar to ones we'd seen in the first five seasons, and heck, even within six through eight. And this one had elements that reminded me of Princess Twilight Sparkle, The Crystal Empire (it didn't really help much that I had recently re-reviewed said episode), The Crystalling and even The Movie.
At least, that's during the second half.
The first half is where the premiere really shines. Despite that it's yet another instance of Twilight freaking out, it was funny how her friends lampshade it. Being around her for nine years (or, if you go by real time in universe, at least five) must've made them used to her freakouts.
I do think it's also worth pointing out that Twilight taking over for Celestia and Luna is a concept that Lauren Faust had intended when she was on board, so it looks as though her vision is finally being realized. It's nine years in the making, and it's on the writers to not mess this up.
What's also on the writers is how the remaining villains are handled. Some fans want them to reform, even though we've seen quite enough already, and many since Sunset Shimmer have been half-baked at best and pointless at worst since they never appeared again after their reformation arcs.
However small Grogar's role was, he leaves enough impact to make you wonder what he's planning for Equestria. Heck, even Tirek and Chrysalis are intimidated by him! Side note, it's funny how not even they like Cozy Glow.
But the MVP for the bad guys was undoubtedly Sombra. He was extremely overconfident about conquering Equestria by himself and it eventually leads to his second downfall. He first tries ruling the Crystal Empire again but is quickly defeated within the first half of the premiere. You'd think that'd be it right there...
...except he's got another plan and ends up destroying the Tree of Harmony. I wonder how that is going to impact the remainder of the season.
But I don't think I can talk about this episode without mentioning Discord's presence. Yeah, much of his appearances are random, but what did you expect from him? It's the final battle against Sombra that he really shines; faking his death just to give the Mane Six the confidence boost they need. Though admitting it out loud does make the ending feel anti-climactic.
As does Twilight admitting she's not ready to take over for Celestia and Luna, come to think of it. It almost makes you feel a bit defeated like nothing was achieved in the long run. Except that the ending with the remaining villains hints at what may be to come for the series finale...
Final Thoughts
Overall, there isn't much to take from this premiere. The plot as a whole is blatantly unoriginal, but I feel the character moments and the ending theme about admitting mistakes salvage it for the most part. It's just... there.
But where can season nine go from there? I honestly think it could go either way at this point; it could improve on its writing and give us some shining gems, or it may continue to rehash ideas and do nothing with them. I personally hope it's the former, especially if the show is to end out big.
Good luck with this last season, Hasbro; something tells me you'll need it.
Rating: Okay (6/10)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMXdQC8Sda0
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