Today (or rather yesterday since I'm typing this at 2AM) the final season of Friendship is Magic premiered and marked the countdown to the official end of G4 and transition into G5.

You know what, though? I'm at peace with it.

Friendship is Magic is a show everyone expected to be just another kid's to die after it reached the episode count for syndication with no fanfare and nothing but a footnote in the long history of western animation. Instead it ran for nearly a decade and accomplished more than a humble kid's could ever dream off.

The brought us 221 episodes over 9 seasons and spawned a theatrical movie. Outside of that it spawned Equestria Girls, which ran for four full length movies as well as several shorts and TV Specials. It spawned the comic book from IDW.

That IDW comic has so far ran for 74 issues and spawned several side books and mini-seiries:

• Friends Forever (10 issues)
• Friends Forever (38 Issues)
• Legends of Magic (12 Issues)
• Ponyville Mysteries (5 Issues)
• Knightmare Knights (5 Issues)

Speaking of books, we've gotten tons of high-quality books.

• TWO high-end art books (one for the first three seasons of the show and one for the movie)
• Elements of Harmony Guidebook (guide to seasons 1-3)
• Elements of Harmony Vol 2 (guide to seasons 3-6)
• The Princesses Journal (real life version of the journal from the show with the mane six's journal entries from Season 4 as a bonus)
• Wondbolts Handbook
• Hardbook novels with stories centered around each of the three princesses. 
• Several chapter books (I've lost count after the first six Mane Six stories)
• A trilogy of real-life Daring Do books that were made with insanely high-quality bindings and sold in a collector's edition set. They even were even marked with the pen name JK Yearling on the cover instead of the real-world author (G.M Berrow from Little Brown Books) for authenticity.

We even got three entire series of collectible trading cards and a separate trading card game. 

As for the show itself? We got to see all the characters grow up, change, and and fulfill their own character arcs over nearly 9 wonderful years.

Twilight went from Celesta's faithful student to being the princess of friendship and running her own school of friendship and passing those lessons onto others. This shy and sheltered young mare we met in season 1 has grown so much and gone from borderline anti-social and insensitive to being the best friend you could ever hopeful and helping others that are like she used to be to grow.

Rainbow Dash fulfilled her dreams to become a Wonderbolt. She grew from a lazy and reckless weatherpony to someone that took a young filly under her wing unprompted and and found a place in one of the most disciplined and respected flight teams in Equestria. 

Fluttershy went from being so meek and shy she let people walk on her to knowing when to stand up for herself and speak louder to be heard. She learned Kindness doesn't have to weak or easily taken advantage of.

Applejack helped make piece in her splintered and troubled family by ending a feud that had lasted since before she was even born. In doing so she also learned who her parents were and about roots she never knew she had.

Rarity achieved her dreams to become a respected fashion designer and even opened up a store in Canterlot. I think this is an important one because it means if your dreams are relatively simple and straightforward instead of grandiose they're still important.

Pinkie Pie went from being irresponsible and immature to being the weird, but responsible third parent to the Cake Twins and being the ambassador to an entire country.    

The CMC got their Cutie Marks and started helping others find their place in the world after they struggled so long to do so.

Most importantly they did all this without compromising who they truly were or living lies. It all happened through personal growth that just made them better versions of who they already were instead of completely changing them and betraying who they were. I think this is an important lesson in being true to yourself.

In the real world the show started a cultural revolution. It spawned mountains of amazing fanworks spawning the spectrum. Music, games, art, stories, animations. If you can think of there's a brony version of it within are massive collection of fanwork. It also fostered unity and togetherness and countless conventions and meet-ups where fans met to share the enjoyment of something they love despite the hate they faced from some people that didn't understand. On a broader levels it started an entire discussion that made us re-examine gender roles and stereotypes as the world asked itself why the hell grown men liking a cartoon about ponies was so bad.    

So I'm ready.

We've had an amazing run with an amazing show and community and I think I'm finally ready to watch the story we've followed so long come to it's ultimate conclusion. Nothing lasts for forever and the time to say Goodbye.