spoiler Does all of Equestria always have to be at stake?

[Zoraxe 546]

Starlight Glimmer mentioned that "all of Equestria will understand what we are trying to accomplish", and... yeah, it makes sense that she would like her ideology to spread, but it reminded me that Equestria's fate is always in the balance with these season villain focused openers and closers.

 

With this episode it didn't bother me, its the Sombra episode that bothered me, because they just shoehorn in a reason why all of Equestria is in the balance instead of having a story just about saving the citizens of the Crystal Empire.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Zoraxe

[NuclearBurg (Dawn) 622]

Starlight Glimmer mentioned that "all of Equestria will understand what we are trying to accomplish", and... yeah, it makes sense that she would like her ideology to spread, but it reminded me that Equestria fate is always in the balance with these season villain focused openers and closers.

 

With this episode it didn't bother me, its the Sombra episode that bothered me, because they just shoehorn in a reason why all of Equestria is in the balance instead of having a story just about saving the citizens of the Crystal Empire.

The characters are just over exaggerating for dramatic effect I guess. But the crystal empire could have just been a starting point for a full blown take over of equestria.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

Well, while I am sure that Starlight Glimmer has allusions to her grand scheme; ultimately the fate of all of Equestria wasn't at stake here, for the most part. If anything Starlight's plan would've taken a long time to implement...

 

...unless there's more to this than meets the eye.

 

The characters are just over exaggerating for dramatic effect I guess. But the crystal empire could have just been a starting point for a full blown take over of equestria.

 

Aye; it's even stated in the compendium "Elements of Harmony" that had Sombra succeeded he very well could've dealt some serious damage to Equestria by one of the show staff.

[NuclearBurg (Dawn) 622]

Well, while I am sure that Starlight Glimmer has allusions to her grand scheme; ultimately the fate of all of Equestria wasn't at stake here, for the most part. If anything Starlight's plan would've taken a long time to implement...

 

...unless there's more to this than meets the eye.

 

 

 

Aye; it's even stated in the compendium "Elements of Harmony" that had Sombra succeeded he very well could've dealt some serious damage to Equestria by one of the show staff.

Actually I don't remember any reference to all of equestria being at stake in the new episodes. It did seem like starlight would not have had the power to go into canterlot for example. She wouldn't have stood a chance against the royal guard.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

Actually I don't remember any reference to all of equestria being at stake in the new episodes. It did seem like starlight would not have had the power to go into canterlot for example. She wouldn't have stood a chance against the royal guard.

 

Well, in this case we're talking more about an invasion of ideas rather than the traditional notion that the Changelings did against Canterlot. Of course Starlight wouldn't stand much of a chance in a physical encounter, but if she let the seeds of her ideas grow and blossom in a gradual, but significant fashions she could very well inspire revolt if Twilight & co. hadn't got involved.

[NuclearBurg (Dawn) 622]

Well, in this case we're talking more about an invasion of ideas rather than the traditional notion that the Changelings did against Canterlot. Of course Starlight wouldn't stand much of a chance in a physical encounter, but if she let the seeds of her ideas grow and blossom in a gradual, but significant fashions she could very well inspire revolt if Twilight & co. hadn't got involved.

True. But somepony would get suspicious about it eventually and possibly alert the others as well. Also if there was to be some sort of revolt I'm sure it would get stopped pretty quickly. And as I remember as well (this is a tiny bit off point) starlight can only use her cutie mark stealing spell on one pony at a time and it takes at least 7 seconds for the spell to complete (based on viewing the spell being done).

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

True. But somepony would get suspicious about it eventually and possibly alert the others as well. Also if there was to be some sort of revolt I'm sure it would get stopped pretty quickly. And as I remember as well (this is a tiny bit off point) starlight can only use her cutie mark stealing spell on one pony at a time and it takes at least 7 seconds for the spell to complete (based on viewing the spell being done).

 

Well, it's hard to say if someone would get suspicious. Don't forget that it was only Twilight who noticed that "Cadence" wasn't acting herself when Chrysalis was doing her thing; no one, not even Celestia, gave even one thought to that. Because of this there is no reason to believe that the ponies wouldn't be gullible enough to fall for Starlight's words.

 

Let's not forget that the Flim Flam Brothers were able to Hoodwink Ponyville twice, so I think it's possible.

 

As for the spell, IIRC after draining Twilight she uses the spell on the remaining 5 at the same time, so it's possible she could do this to large numbers of ponies at once.

[Silver Letter 1,832]

I agree that the idea can get old. They should find another way to include drama without it.

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

It's usually the goal of the villain to try to spread their influence as far as they can.

 

Sometimes the world is all they can say because it would be awkward to say "oh well I just wanted to take over a quarter of Equestria"

[Shanks 10,817]

That trope is indeed used a lot of this show but this is one case where it makes a great deal of sense. Authoritarian personality types like Starlight Glimmer don't tend to be satisfied until they control everything and "all of Equestria" does sound close to that. Of course that dosen't mean that we can't have villains in the future that have goals that don't involve all of Equestria though.

[Castle Bleck 19,455]

Aye; it's even stated in the compendium "Elements of Harmony" that had Sombra succeeded he very well could've dealt some serious damage to Equestria by one of the show staff.

 

One background image even implied he would've eventually been able to turn the Crystal Heart from a weakness into a weapon: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/357/5/2/sombra_stained_glass_window_vector_by_phantombadger-d5m8i9j.png

 

Thank God for Spike.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

One background image even implied he would've eventually been able to turn the Crystal Heart from a weakness into a weapon: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/357/5/2/sombra_stained_glass_window_vector_by_phantombadger-d5m8i9j.png

 

Thank God for Spike.

 

Ah, good catch! Never noticed it like that.

[Castle Bleck 19,455]

Ah, good catch! Never noticed it like that.

 

Would also explain why he didn't just throw the Heart into some lava somewhere.