Dark Qiviut

The inspiration from Ponyville Confidential is so obvious in the Holiday Special, but there's a very key difference between the two that the HS fucks up.

In Ponyville Confidential, the CMCs went to do tabloid gossiping because they were interested in getting their cutie marks. They believed they could succeed in the field, which did happen. But very early on, they realized what they did was hurtful, but succumbed to peer pressure as a result of Ponyville lapping it up and celebrating it. Later on, they had enough, but were forced to publish more, or else Diamond Tiara will shame them with embarrassing photos. Additionally, the whole episode was in their point of view.

In the comic, the CMCs (who were secondary characters as a whole) were so jealous of Sunset that they decide to frame her, embarrass her friends, and cause what they wanted: infighting among CHS. It was only when Sunset crumbled in tears did AB realize what they did was wrong. They invaded on their family's and friends' privacy just to make Sunset feel alone. If it didn't work, then they'd continue until it got to the breaking point. The CMCs were bitter and evil.

…and why the fuck did SCOOTALOO get involved in Anon-a-Miss, anyway?! Why would she even want to humiliate Dash in the first place?

And what did they get from the RM5? Quick forgiveness. No anger or disappointment. It's all forgive and forget to retain the show's status quo.

WHAT THE FUCK, COMIC?!!

The CMCs cyberbullied/cyberterrorized the ReMane Five, Sunset, and the rest of the school body! People in real life attempted or committed suicide to get away from bullying. And online, this record's permanent. Cyberbullying is very real, and this comic deals with the matter so poorly.

This comic wastes one of the best morals this series has ever published ("Family is beyond bloodlines. Even friends can be considered family.").

Back when I wrote my review in 2014 (probably my favorite review since becoming a brony), I called this comic a bottom-five episode at least if DHX wrote and published it on the airwaves. Over time, it quickly became the worst professionally published piece I ever read or saw in FIM. Worse than One Bad Apple; the Rainbow Dash Micro; Newbie Dash; Fame & Misfortune; The Good, The Bad, and The Ponies; EQG1; or Siege of the Crystal Empire. Honestly, after re-reading it, I believe it can compete with the Newborn Cuties specials in atrociousness. While the NC specials are poorly-animated, lazy, hideous, sexist idiocy, at least you might laugh at and get temporarily lobotomized from the experience. The EQGHS wants you to take the story seriously and care what happens to the characters, but the story's a colossal mess, and the artificially cynical, mean-spirited atmosphere makes it difficult to read.

The RM5 and CMCs have their worst appearance of the series by far — the former for quickly turning their backs on a supposedly homeless friend from a baseless rumor (while easily forgiving the CMCs and never apologizing to Sunset), the latter for willingly bullying friends they were close with just to quench their petty jealousy. This comic made me legitimately angry the first time around, and more than three years later, I still get angry after reading it. That's how much it offends me. That's how much I hate the Holiday Special.

May FIM NEVER stoop to such an atrocity again!