Dark Qiviut

I never saw any negative reviews of this episode. By all means, point me in the direction of some of these critiques!

@Lambdadelta Only two episodes this season came closest to the emotional weight of AF.

1. She’s All Yak: Yona’s reprise inside the Palace of Solace. Earlier that night, she suffered the biggest humiliation of her life. To see her in despair on that balcony at her most vulnerable is heartbreaking and a little hard to watch.
2. The Last Crusade: Because Mane Allgood and Snap Shutter had to spend most of their lives dedicated to live-saving crusades, they never got to see how much Scootaloo and the CMCs as a whole impacted so many people, so they never understood it as much as they thought. Holiday, Lofty, and Ponyville’s quick planning helped them realize that as well as how separating them would destroy countless friendships and relationships. Allowing her to stay was the pinnacle of the emotional roller coaster she went through all episode long. I don’t care if it was expected. It got to me.

But neither of them carried all of the emotional weight of AF and especially MD’s psychological, post-rejection pain.

1. How Moondancer and Twilight share many similarities, including being introverted with more comfort reading books than being around anyone.
2. How Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and Minuette had to thoroughly persuade her to even think of attending a party, much less lead it.
3. How she trusted the three into extending her invitation to Twilight while she prepared her surprise party.
4. How she quickly realized that Twilight showed her up in favor of dusty and old books, left Canterlot without saying goodbye, and then forgot they ever existed.
5. How used and betrayed she felt once Twilight stood her up. Moondancer was at her most vulnerable in an environment she wasn’t used to, and the pony she dedicated her party to (one that Spike himself valued [and never fully forgot]) stood her up. No wonder why she felt humiliated and equated friendship with misery!
6. How over time, her quality of life deteriorated, using her studies and books to cope with the pain while not caring at all for anyone in Canterlot or herself. She devolved into a recluse.
7. How Twinkleshine, Minny, and Lemon accepted TS’s apology without second thought, subtly leading to how off guard they’ll become when MD rejects them at the door.
8. How thanks to Minny, Twi realized how terrible she treated her supposed friend. Yes, her own life improved, but at the cost of someone who rarely opened herself up to anyone (yet did so for once…for HER!).

MD’s lecture was crushing. TS was forced to listen to her pain, the harsh consequences of her massive mistake, and take it all in. Out of all the lessons anyone learned over the years, this one was the toughest…and she needed to learn it.

Ok...

What was Twilight's "massive mistake"?

How do you know Moondancer's party was set up for Twilight specifically?

How do you know Moondancer trusted the other three to make her invitation?

How did they "thoroughly" persuade her to set up a party?