Dark Qiviut

- A nitpick, but the adults are looking a little older than what they show. They're all at least in their mid-thirties if not closer to 40. The giant bags under their eyes make them look like they're in their fifties at least. A lighter, smaller, subtler bag under their eyes may work more.

- Twilight apparently had a little too much trouble relocating sheep away from the line, and her animation as Future Twi isn't as polished as it could've.

+/- Twilight looking like a Celestia recolor was a major surprise, but over time, I've become more and more used to her. Her hair's beautiful, but I'm not a fan of her crest.

+ The new interior of the Throne Room is absolutely breathtaking. Beautiful color palette pleasing to the eye, excellent callbacks via the stained-glass windows (including updates since the finale, like Flurry Heart officially becoming princess), and the lighter pastel making the bolder-colored characters pop out.

+ Spike really shows how much he's evolved since becoming the ambassador, and I don't mean physically or vocally. He's part-royalty, Twilight's equal, and has done a spectacular job maintaining harmony throughout the world. Also, he's more mature despite maintaining a kid-like attitude, too.

+ Luster Dawn has that same naivety as Twilight, but at a very different angle. Twilight thought making friends was a waste of time, period, though was apparently never really taught that. Here, Twilight teaches her best and most faithful student how friendship's the most powerful and most important magic, but due to their time separated over the years, Luster wonders if friendship is worth it if the friendships fade away.

+ As a result, Twilight tells and explains very intricately about how it can be easy to make friends, but it's much, much harder to maintain them. They may be separate more now, but they always retain contact and connection so they have each others' backs whenever something bad happens and just to catch up on things. Back in her days, Celestia mostly had Twilight to learn to make friends on her own. Here, she shows Luster that friends always matter in the most proactive, teaching way possible. Arranging a meeting with Luster on the day all gather.

+ The flashback itself is emotional.

1. Twilight was absolutely justified to feel super upset and scared what happens next. The big baddies are in stone sleep, but all of them have lives. Despite the promise of ruling together, we don't know how they're gonna rule together, budget their time to do so, and if they'll remain together at all. She's moving away to Canterlot, and the day of the wedding may be her goodbye.
2. It was also very subtle and impactful for the RM5 to use their preparation to admit they're grieving, too. They're so unnaturally happy and casual to see Twilight heading off to Canterlot, but their conversation at the Castle of Friendship shows how that happiness is truly everything but. They don't know if Twilight will be able to communicate with them ever again.
3. To be able to share their sadness, fright, and despair reminds he audience how close they are, no matter what trials they face. They were scared, and it's okay for them to be scared. Their cries felt very real, and it's heartbreaking to see them all slowly break down, especially ones like Pinkie (her words just got me crying, literally).
4. Everyone was so obsessed and focused on the "perfect" coronation that everything went terribly wrong so quickly when things got complicated. The hilarious screwups were a very refreshing break from the drama.
5. With the coronation over, they can laugh it off knowing it's over. They had their hardships today, and to have this break means they can relax. Because of this, Twilight has a clear head now and can use that knowledge over the years to come up with a great idea: every moon, they meet once under the Council of Friendship. It was a challenge they had to face, and they found a way to conquer it.

+ The moral is excellent in concept and done better in execution. I already talked about that extensively.

+ The episode took another bold, daring direction by giving everyone definitive lives, not only on what they're doing, but also sometimes their love lives. CheesePie, SugarMac, and LyraBon are more than confirmed, but ones like FlutterCord and AppleDash are hinted. It's DHX's story, but their lives also have a purpose: no matter how much your lives change, your friendships keep you connected.

+ Not everything ends happily. Granny Smith and Goldie Delicious are gone now, and AJ and AB are wearing their scarves,

+ The Magic of Friendship Grows. All of it. It's emotional, hopeful, and beautiful. This song got me crying at times. The background shots during the final chorus are extremely moving and very well-done. But there are two things to mention:

1. The final shot of all seven watching Luster walk away with new friends is absolutely fantastic. Even more beautiful is the sunset glow, a literal twilight sparkle as one YouTuber wrote.
2. The final shot: the book to open FIM closes, indicating the end of an era. (Pay attention to the "fin" on the left page, a great piece of detail in a show that doesn't always show the English alphabet so clearly.)

This is an EXCELLENT episode! A magnificent cap to a great, successful show!

+ Really, really sweet of Twilight to name Spike her Friendship Ambassador, and the reasons why make this exchange all the more heartwarming.

+ Twilight's completely justified to doubt her worth as princess, fighter, and defender.

+ The RM6 were really good, and despite their separation, all seven were competent.

+ The Young Six shine once more.

+ The stakes are at their highest. Tone got dark and light at appropriate times.

+ The Terrible Trio:

1. show their full power potential and use it to bully Equestria, even to the point of threatening to maim Spike and almost murdering all seven. Their stone sentence is absolutely justified.
2. are justified not to use any of the magic, even though they store it in Grogar's Bell. If Cozy Glow can't control Discord's magic, what would happen should they become one with Celestia's and Luna's? (Twilight had a boatload of trouble when she borrowed the AliTrio's to keep away from Tirek.) Becoming part of that magic's more different than eating it.
3. Are a very credible threat beyond just the physical presence. They fought for power and worked together to resolve their differences despite the bickering. It makes the most sense for them to be the final baddies of the show and really commit crimes far beyond anything anyone committed up to this point.

+ The Mane 7 have been instrumental in bringing peace and harmony throughout Equestria and beyond. It only makes sense for everyone else to return the favor. This battle brings their teachings full circle.

+ Starlight is the Element of Badass!

+/- Celestia and Luna were initially defeated easily, but in their second chance to hold them back, they put up another fight and held them off for quite a while.

- The Terrible Trio were also incompetent at the worst time. You already stole the magic of Celly, Luna, Discord, and the Pillars. Why didn't you steal Starlight's when you had the chance?

- Discord being Grogar is a poorly-written, overcomplicated twist that created a long host of massive implications over the season, and despite the massive stakes, the consequences of his stupidity were downplayed. No, he didn't need to be turned to stone, but he needed some level of punishment to make him fully understand how bad his actions were and how he almost contributed to the leads' demises.

- The disharmony between the Earth Ponies, Unicorns, and Pegasi gathered absolutely no momentum whatsoever. After Setback, this subplot was tucked away for the rest of the season until here. If we had seen some of this discord at points, it would make sense. But here, it went from no momentum at all to happening immediately. It's jolting and contrived. As easily as the Terrible Trio were in sowing disharmony and havoc, the Young Six and other students easily made them reunite, making the B-plot and Windigoes pointless. Remove it and instead just have the Young Six rally the troops as normal, you get the same story.

- Because of this, the Young Six's impact feels slight

- Twilight's realization that the Elements were just symbols was sudden and had no weight. One minute, she didn't know if they were tangible and only belonged to those special, and she realized they weren't the next.

- The leaks showed that Ending of the End had an extremely complicated story that bit off way more than it could chew. Even after cleaning some of the crap up, the same problems didn't go away. There was a main plot and several subplots with the big twist that was planned from the start, but because it was only done in two parts instead of three, DHX really rushed through all the points without putting so much proper weight on any of them aside from one: the RM6 consoling Twilight when she was at her most frightened and vulnerable (the moral this scene taught was great). The Windigo B-plot could've been really good had the seeds been planted throughout, not get dumped on at the last minute, and greatly impacted the story.

- Even after Twilight and company defeated the Terrible Trio, they almost let them escape! If Pinkie didn't tap into Discord's chaotic powers and let a house-sized cupcake land squarely over them, they would've escapes and possibly tow Grogar's Bell with them.

Overall, Ending of the End's okay. I like it, but like A Canterlot Wedding, it could've done much better. Other finales and premieres are better.