I had similar feelings after watching the last episode. I felt a sense of being underwhelmed when the episode ended. It might just be my personal tastes, but I usually don't like shows that use constant time jumps in the same episode. Especially, since you pointed out, how some of the time-jumps were done as montage scenes. I also rolled my eyes at Starlight's backstory and was ready for this scene to get backlash for being a sob story. I gave this episode a 3 out of 5.

Pretty much nailed it. It was entertaining and all but it couldn't hold up if you filter out the fan pandering and visuals. First time I saw the finale, it left a bad taste in my mouth. In the end, it's what got me thinking about the show at length again.

As for Starlight's backstory, reading between the lines, there's something really strange about her. Moondancer was already grown up when this turning point happened but Starlight was but a small filly. Are we really to believe that Starlight grew up lonely and bitter? That she had nobody to turn to at such a tender age? That is very unnatural. Children tend to turn to their parents or guardians when in distress. Did she really have no family to turn to? Or maybe she did have a family but they were neglectful of her, not giving her any outlet whatsoever? You'd think that a proper education and upbringing would help prevent someone from growing up with ideas as crazy and off the wall as Starlight's.

It would seem as though she grew up alone, pretty much without guidance... What could possibly go wrong?

I think it may have made more sense had they included a history of neglect and/or abuse but this is a children's show so let's omit all that psychological nonsense and hope the audience picks up on it from the get-go somehow.

You know, it really would have been interesting had Starlight and Twilight had to explore the rewritten history and get to understand the effects of her tampering first-hand. Not only would we have gotten a proper exploration of whatever alternate timeline but maybe learn something about Equestria that had been taken for granted. With the King Sombra timeline for example, whatever happened to Nightmare Moon, Discord and Queen Chrysalis? Of course, that would have made Starlight's change of heart that much more convincing.

And Starlight couldn't have just visited Sunburst in Canterlot because...? After all, she clearly got her own Cutie Mark in magical talent at some point.

Personally, I would've written her backstory like this: She was once a Blank Flank misfit just like how the CMC used to be, complete with bullies just like how DT and SS used to be. But unlike the CMC, she ultimately got her Mark when she finally snapped and swore revenge against all Marks, and her special talent happened to be enough magical talent to accomplish just that.

With the King Sombra timeline for example, whatever happened to Nightmare Moon, Discord and Queen Chrysalis?

When he reclaimed the Empire, he presumably absorbed enough fear from the Crystal Ponies to turn the other villains to stone (not unlike in the comics) or something.

I had similar feelings after watching the last episode. I felt a sense of being underwhelmed when the episode ended. It might just be my personal tastes, but I usually don't like shows that use constant time jumps in the same episode. Especially, since you pointed out, how some of the time-jumps were done as montage scenes. I also rolled my eyes at Starlight's backstory and was ready for this scene to get backlash for being a sob story. I gave this episode a 3 out of 5.

Yeah, it seems we pretty much agree across the board. I do think that both the time jump story and Starlight's backstory could have worked better (though they would've had to acknowledge that Starlight reacting like that to losing a childhood friend makes her a borderline sociopath), but it just seemed more concerned with making these apocalyptic futures seem cool. I'd probably would've scored it a little higher than that - though I'm starting to wonder if I was actually too easy on the ending - but like I said, it's still quite possibly the weakest 2 parter.

     Despite some flaws that in latter half of finale, i find The Cutie Re-mark is... better than Twilight's Kingdom (i hope no one try to kill me for saying this). In TK, Tirek is just a generic hungry-power villain and what he did in the end are just destroying some trees (even in this finale, he still destroy some trees... lame), Rainbow Power and The Castle hurted my eyes so bad even more than the song ending in ss5 finale. Starlight's motivation is not completely unbelievable, they should cut down Nightmare Moon timeline and spend more 4 min to elaborate her motives then this finale would be perfect (maybe ss6 will address this).

Starlight's face heel turn feels a little rush, but STILL MAKE SENSE THAN SUNSET SHIMMER.

Discord is the only villain who recieve the best redemption, he has 2-parters and finale in ss4, but what do you think about his development in his last episode??? disappointed, perhap.

Starlight's character was underplayed in this finale, but i believe her role in the future will be more meaningful than Discord. Discord the Fantastic villain after redemption turned into some comedy source, on the other hand, Sunset Shimmer is the worst villain ever with the worst face heel turn then become one of fantastic characters of the show. Starlight is no worse than Sunset as a villain, so may the staff will make us surprise again in season 6. I may be too positive about this...

This finale is the best Josh Haber's episode, in my personal taste. 9/10. Barbie will rule Equestria.

Pretty much nailed it. It was entertaining and all but it couldn't hold up if you filter out the fan pandering and visuals. First time I saw the finale, it left a bad taste in my mouth. In the end, it's what got me thinking about the show at length again.

 

As for Starlight's backstory, reading between the lines, there's something really strange about her. Moondancer was already grown up when this turning point happened but Starlight was but a small filly. Are we really to believe that Starlight grew up lonely and bitter? That she had nobody to turn to at such a tender age? That is very unnatural. Children tend to turn to their parents or guardians when in distress. Did she really have no family to turn to? Or maybe she did have a family but they were neglectful of her, not giving her any outlet whatsoever? You'd think that a proper education and upbringing would help prevent someone from growing up with ideas as crazy and off the wall as Starlight's.

 

It would seem as though she grew up alone, pretty much without guidance... What could possibly go wrong?

 

I think it may have made more sense had they included a history of neglect and/or abuse but this is a children's show so let's omit all that psychological nonsense and hope the audience picks up on it from the get-go somehow.

 

You know, it really would have been interesting had Starlight and Twilight had to explore the rewritten history and get to understand the effects of her tampering first-hand. Not only would we have gotten a proper exploration of whatever alternate timeline but maybe learn something about Equestria that had been taken for granted. With the King Sombra timeline for example, whatever happened to Nightmare Moon, Discord and Queen Chrysalis? Of course, that would have made Starlight's change of heart that much more convincing.

Glad you liked it. I had some of the same thoughts on Starlight Glimmer, hence the "and then...?" part. If that's really the only thing that went wrong in this scenario, there should've been parents encouraging her to get back out there, and life should've kept going until it didn't seem like that big a deal anymore. It wouldn't have been much trouble to show how something else wrong with Starlight's life prevented her from coping with that properly, which makes me especially cynical towards this.

You're not the first one I've heard wondering how some of the alternate futures were possible, actually. While I get that the point was to have fun with the butterfly effect, I do agree that exploring what led to what could have been interesting. And I definitely agree that doing it with Starlight would've added some much-needed time to convince us of her redemption.

And Starlight couldn't have just visited Sunburst in Canterlot because...?

 

After all, she clearly got her own Cutie Mark in magical talent at some point.

 

Personally, I would've written her backstory like this: She was once a Blank Flank misfit just like how the CMC used to be, complete with bullies just like how DT and SS used to be. But unlike the CMC, she ultimately got her Mark when she finally snapped and swore revenge against all Marks, and her special talent happened to be enough magical talent to accomplish just that.

 

 

When he reclaimed the Empire, he presumably absorbed enough fear from the Crystal Ponies to turn the other villains to stone (not unlike in the comics) or something.

Actually, that is kinda clever. I could've been happy with that.

As for reasons why each villain come out on top, one possibility I remember coming up with is that Celestia could've not lost control of the elements at the time she did in the show, with no main 6 to replace her, so she could've defeated some of the villains with them before it happened. (Discord never would've been freed without the posession change, for one.)

     Despite some flaws that in latter half of finale, i find The Cutie Re-mark is... better than Twilight's Kingdom (i hope no one try to kill me for saying this). In TK, Tirek is just a generic hungry-power villain and what he did in the end are just destroying some trees (even in this finale, he still destroy some trees... lame), Rainbow Power and The Castle hurted my eyes so bad even more than the song ending in ss5 finale. Starlight's motivation is not completely unbelievable, they should cut down Nightmare Moon timeline and spend more 4 min to elaborate her motives then this finale would be perfect (maybe ss6 will address this).

     

Starlight's face heel turn feels a little rush, but STILL MAKE SENSE THAN SUNSET SHIMMER.

     

Discord is the only villain who recieve the best redemption, he has 2-parters and finale in ss4, but what do you think about his development in his last episode??? disappointed, perhap.

 

Starlight's character was underplayed in this finale, but i believe her role in the future will be more meaningful than Discord. Discord the Fantastic villain after redemption turned into some comedy source, on the other hand, Sunset Shimmer is the worst villain ever with the worst face heel turn then become one of fantastic characters of the show. Starlight is no worse than Sunset as a villain, so may the staff will make us surprise again in season 6. I may be too positive about this...

 

This finale is the best Josh Haber's episode, in my personal taste. 9/10. Barbie will rule Equestria.

While power hungry villains are common, I found Tirek to be a clever, intimidating, and suitably venomous character, who more than held up his part of the story. And what he "did" was drain everyone's power, leaving them tired and crippled, strain/break friendships, and take total control of the ponies' world entirely. I don't see how testing his power on some trees is a point against him. Not that the designs of rainbow power and the castle weren't weak, but those are offhand sights, not significant plot points.

Starlight Glimmer's face turn also makes more sense than the baby in Son of the Mask. That's still doesn't make it any better. (Actually, the more I think about Starlight's redemption, the more I start to wonder if I was really way too easy on it.)

I'm not quite sure I understand your point with Discord (who I believe most fans agreed usually made some of the best episodes, even though his last one was botched by the newbie writer who wrote Princess Spike), but I think it's that he has less potential than Starlight Glimmer. I'd have to say Discord has proven himself to be a good character and however well he does is up to the writers now. As for Starlight, I actually thought she was a good villain in her first appearance. She had potential as a villain, and I agree with you that she has potential as a hero, but that won't make me more positive towards her very weak redemption story. 

Anyway, on my card, this would probably have to be the 2nd best Josh Haber episode. I'd say 8/10 or maybe 7.5

Discord is the only villain who recieve the best redemption, he has 2-parters and finale in ss4, but what do you think about his development in his last episode??? disappointed, perhap.

What About Discord? was funny at the beginning and touching at the end, but the rest of it was:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK_htmfZvtY

Glad you liked it. I had some of the same thoughts on Starlight Glimmer, hence the "and then...?" part. If that's really the only thing that went wrong in this scenario, there should've been parents encouraging her to get back out there, and life should've kept going until it didn't seem like that big a deal anymore. It wouldn't have been much trouble to show how something else wrong with Starlight's life prevented her from coping with that properly, which makes me especially cynical towards this.

Now that I think about it, ust adding in one sentence could have been all that was needed. Something like: "Without the only friend I ever made, there was no other pony for me to turn to. None!" Okay, that's technically two sentences but I thought the latter one would help hammer the point in. That and it would seem in-character for someone like Starlight.

Now that I think about it, ust adding in one sentence could have been all that was needed. Something like: "Without the only friend I ever made, there was no other pony for me to turn to. None!" Okay, that's technically two sentences but I thought the latter one would help hammer the point in. That and it would seem in-character for someone like Starlight.

It could've at least helped.