Ninjaed

Hurray, got unicorn! Just like I thought I would! With that, I just got one step closer to my favourite ponies...

Good thing she's not perfect I'd say. If the Mane 6 had done or not done a lot things, many problems could have been avoided. I'd say Chrysalis is skilled enough already. She likely didn't accept that apology because she was fearing having her cover blown. A slip-up. But it's only thanks to her few slip-ups that the day was saved - by a hair's breadth both times, might I add. And the 2nd time, in spite of the ponies being wary of the changelings. Certainly takes some skill there.

She certainly regretted saying that the moment Discord started talking, realising he could actually make it happen. You can just see her face saying it all, like "oh wait..." As for Chrysalis, she's so far the one taking the most time to reform - if she does end up reforming. They can handle it in a way that keeps her "arrogance" like you said, as well as shifting toward a friendlier self. In fact, she may transform as she helps the Mane 6 as an unlikely ally and afterwards, she's at a loss with herself and runs away because it's altering her sense (no hunger for one) and perhaps her personality. I'm just throwing an idea here. Regardless you're right that saying "she was nice all along" wouldn't exactly cut it. I concur she's trying to do what she thinks is best - perhaps dismissing any other way in the process - but just like Discord, she has actually done some evil deeds against great numbers. Starlight was lucky that it was limited to a village that chose to forgive her after she voluntarily stopped herself. Discord was forced into reformation and it's possible that Chrysalis is headed toward a mix of the two. Accepting Twilight's apology? Have I missed something in the show?? Don't you mean slapping Starlight's hoof away? For the Mane 6 impersonation, I'd say it's to dumb it down for the younger audience, to make it glaring. The one posing as Twilight was quite convincing. The one point hard to argue against is ignoring Starlight... Though I suppose she didn't think of her as that powerful (the time-travelling having basically never happened) and even if she were, the throne would null her magic so no threat. And she was right to think so, since her defeat came about due to some completely unexpected phenomenon. She can't kidnap everypony but yeah, this oversight cost her all she'd built. Err... Sorry if my thoughts are a bit jumbled up or something, I'm getting a tad sleepy so it all comes out...it all comes out as it did, don't know how to qualify that.

@@idunnomaybe, Huh... Can't say I enjoy the way Chrysalis is depicted in the comics then, and can't say she sounds like the same Chrysalis either. Feeding off dead ponies is something the show will never endorse to begin with. She also made the Mane 6 mad at each other in the first comic books but it's completely against her own interests. She feeds off love after all and her plan didn't appear to be anything like her usual modus operandi, sitting back enjoying herself in a couch and...not doing anything aside from watching Twilight and her friends proceed on to the location she gave to them instead of you know...capturing them when they were separated and plotting Celestia's capture when she was at her weakest because of the astrological event that forced her to defend parts of Equestria? Chrysalis was depicted as base and a bit stupid and completely self-confident when in the show she's none of that. Getting her hooves dirty and plotting are her fortes (with her plots being successful both times, only foiled by a Deus Ex Machina) and she knows she has limits, being afraid during her confrontation against Celestia and shocked at her victory, and in this finale too, when they start evolving and konws things are spiraling out of her control. I'd heard she was great in the comics and was looking forward to reading the other chapters she appears in, but from what you told me I'd probably not like them. Not to mention that the show just contradicted the comics here - had she truly been loved by that pegasus, she'd have stopped starving the same way Thorax did. At any rate, you've only cited comics Chrysalis for the evil depiction, nothing from the show. Comichryssy appears to be painted as an embodiment of evil, but it just doesn't seem to fit with Chrysalis from the show. So...I'd like to know, do you think show Chrysalis is also meant to be an embodiment of evil? If so, why?

Eh, Chrysalis isn't evil I find. I guess YMMV here, but I view her as a ruler who values her subjects and does what she believes she has to do for her people, even if that means trampling others beneath her hooves. But not evil. Tirek is painted as the embodiment of evil, not Chrysalis. She has been shown to have some morals at least, was genuinely angry at Thorax for betraying her and the hive and genuinely angry at Starlight when she talked about that solution against their constant hunger (what does she know?!). To me, it's obvious she too would prefer to be rid of it once and for all from her reactions. Mixed feelings fighting inside of her, and anger+revenge got the upper hoof in the end.

Either the comics are canon until said otherwise, or the comics are not canon until said otherwise. In both cases, the show takes precedence and the canonicity of the comics is shaky. At any rate, Chrysalis does have her subjects' well-being at heart in the show. However, they've (all?) turned their back on her...she's lost a lot in that finale. She's not abandoning them, it's them who are opposing her, rioting against her, ready to fight. Of course she'd just up and leave, there's nothing she can do right now and there's a lot of thinking waiting for her. Imo (that's just my opinion) she won't be able to digest it all like that and will reappear as an antagonist, but eventually will be reformed and lead the changed-lings once more, with Thorax at her side. Either because Thorax will not be that capable of a king, or because they simply don't care how many rulers there are, just like they did with Celestia and Luna. Nothing states there should only be one, that's an assumption people tend to subconsciously make.

I actually enjoyed her short relapse. It was meant to make people angry at her. It's not as easy as one might think to reform. The end though didn't quite manage to do what it was supposed to do, especially the 5-10 seconds per Mane 5 character to "bond". Without dialogue. Yeah, that wasn't too well handled. That said, give her some time and I'm pretty sure she'll prove her goodwill is the real deal, like in the finale.

Remember that Sunset used to be as well. She went from hated to polarising to loved by most. So far, Starlight has been hated on, then polarising now. Who is to say she will not be loved by most next? Also, Sunset is further ahead redemption-wise. It's like comparing the first attempts after the design phase to a finished product. Not exactly fair.

That's precisely what I meant when I said that this belittles the villain. They're a foil and nothing more. Freeza had a bit more going for him than Tirek - the Saiyan were a menace to him. He actually had a reason to act like he did. Sure, he was a a cold-blooded murderer and all tht, but he had a minimum of depth. Not that much is needed to have a compelling villain, in fact. Now this is where it becomes a matter of opinion: to me, MLP shouldn't follow that "villain (with ot without depth) is evil, defeat is the only option". However, I can't deny a (very) few people on earth cannot actually be redeemed, whether because they love what they're doing or because they're suffering from some mental illness. Tirek alone doesn't cut it, there needs to be a repeat of this lesson. Yet, I can't find the movie being appropriate to do that. Its job is to reel in newcomers. Either it stays in their comfort zone by offering an average villain, or it shows them a specificity of MLP. Both could go, but my opinion is that they should give them a taste of reformation, MLP-style.

Thing is, this belittles so many aspects of the characters. It is hardly ever so clear-cut, with on the one side the "good guys" and on the other side the "evil guys", and the "good guys" are always good except when they make honest mistakes and the evil guys are always evil and will always kick the puppy whenever they can, just because they can. I'm sorry, but this kind of villain is quite plain and boring. They can have a personality to go with it, great for them. It doesn't change their plainness. I mean, is Tirek really that interesting a villain? Don't you find Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis or Discord much better already? Or heck, even minor antagonists like the Flim Flam brothers are more interesting than Tirek! The only advantage such plain villains have is to allow the viewers to endulge in enjoying seeing a villain suffer and lose. That's not really a good message, and since shows/books/etc shape people's minds and values, it's dangerous to have that. Want proof? Look at how many here want to see villains get banished to Tartarus or killed, sometimes in what comes close to torture. Pray tell how is that a "good" thing? PS: might as well throw in an example of a non-MLP former villain that got redeemed and that is widely loved and acclaimed - Prince Zuco from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Now that is a character with a real personality. Compare with Tirek now.

Twilight in particular is of great help...even though she kinda fails at times. It's hard both for Twilight who had to guide them, as well as for them to accept their own mistakes try and change themselves - and oh boy is that last part difficult! Reforming someone is probably easier than that someone reforming - having to face their mistakes, the others, keeping this heavy burden that they'll forever be unable to erase... You can only admire Sunset and Starlight both for holding up despite the pressure, and their friends are to thank too. Still, we're lucky Twilight has never been the one needing redemption, who knows what would have happened.

@@PiratePony, Thanks! I can't believe I didn't notice that "Full Editor" button... I guess that's what happens when you post right before going to sleep.

"The past is in the paaaaast! Let it gooo!" Sorry, you were saying? And last one because there's no need for any silly Sunset vs Starlight feud! Friendship is magic, remember!