spoiler MLP:FiM #34 - Siege of the Crystal Empire, pt. 1

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Well, the first part of the four-parter "Siege of the Crystal Empire" arc has been released.

 

 

So to those who have read it; what are you thoughts?

 

Personally I enjoyed it! There were a couple of minor things that caught my attention, but overall it feels like a solid start.

[Megas 27,653]

Definitely one of the better comics in the main series in a long time. It's great to see Chrysalis and Lightning Dust again, and for some reason some of the poses Iron Will made was hilarious. And I loved the bit with Rarity and the Party Cannon, as well as seeing Rainbow bite Lightning Dust. And the ending makes me hoping the rest of the arc is as good

 

 

[Buzz 1,769]

Hope. Wat R U doin? Hope. STAHP!

 

Finally the resurrection of the main series has begun, and it's more powerful than we could have ever imagined! But now the questions begin. How is Hope still alive 1000 years late? If she was imprisoned in the artic north, why? Why is she helping Sombra? What did the empire do in the past? WTF IS GOING ON!

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

Welp, now Equestria's in deep s***.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVIRcnlRKF8

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

I just hope it doesn't end like the last major arc in the pony comics: the Reflection. It started with high expectations, but most of us didn't liked it at the end XD

[Jinxie Umbra 149]

I have a good feeling about this arc. Always wonderful to see Queen Chrysalis again, even if she didn't get to beat Twilight Sparkle senseless this time. Will be interesting to learn what Hope's been up to all this time.

[Nightmare_Shinigami 31]

I hate it so far... Iron Will seems to be good Friends with Fluttershy, based on their Friends Forever Issue, the Flimflam Bros. are just Conartist and have no reason to help Radiant Hope and there would be no Love for Chrysalis to Feed her Changelings if Sombra wins.

 

But the worst for me has to be Radiant Hope herself... Not only is she for some reason 1000 Years old, but she is suddenly a Villain even Obito Uchiha was a better Hero-turned-Villain

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I just hope it doesn't end like the last major arc in the pony comics: the Reflection. It started with high expectations, but most of us didn't liked it at the end XD

AGREED

 

 

I hate it so far... Iron Will seems to be good Friends with Fluttershy, based on their Friends Forever Issue, the Flimflam Bros. are just Conartist and have no reason to help Radiant Hope and there would be no Love for Chrysalis to Feed her Changelings if Sombra wins.

 

But the worst for me has to be Radiant Hope herself... Not only is she for some reason 1000 Years old, but she is suddenly a Villain even Obito Uchiha was a better Hero-turned-Villain

I'll agree on the villains seeming weird.

 

Iron will is a nice guy and he's not a criminal. He's not going to partake in what is essentially GENOCIDE just because someone says "hey, your seminar sucks, come with me for a hour!".

 

Plus, CHRYSALIS. This is a top tier villain here, not just a random stooge. The changelings are very bit the danger that Sombra is, and chrysalis just shows up to be a mook because, and gets taken out in 5 seconds.

That's like having doctor doom team up with C list Spiderman villains and taking orders from doc ock.

 

 

Now, Lightning dust and the flim flam brothers I think work, in that lightning dust is an idiot who's petty enough and self centered enough to not think past the part of "Make dash's life miserable", and her characterization was spot on. Flim and flam I can see doing that out of pettiness too, but I'd expect they've had tried to run after getting the changelings in, kind of like leaving a burning bag of crap on someone's doorstep.

But the rest? nah.

 

 

overall, I like where this is going and it promises alot, but I hope it doesn't crash and burn. And they'd BETTER try and justify iron will a little more, because DAFUQ

[Cadance of Love 1,118]

I'm interested in seeing what the Crystal empire did to make Hope turn against the Ponies and Help Sombra.. though I Liked her in her last appearance before the takeover of the Crystal Empire and I'm kinda sad that she has turned to the evil side. 

 

 

 

 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

To be fair though we don't really know if Hope is playing the evil card, and honestly I think this comic has been fairly clever in how it has built things up. Not perfect, but clever.

 

1. I can understand people's issue with Iron Wills' inclusion in the story, and while I can understand that, I would also like to stress he isn't necessarily out for revenge. He seems to be rather desperate and so might've been tempted by a desperate silver tongue.

 

2. Chrysalis may have been defeated easily, but that looks to have been on purpose. She knows there is a bigger game plan occurring.

 

3. I have no problem with the Flim Flam Brothers depiction; same with Lightning Dust.

 

4. I am so hyped for the next issue.

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

Well, looks like the Fiendship is Magic issues were leading up to something afterall. With how quick this issue went though, I'm worried that this will end up like the Reflections Arc in many ways, like having an entire issue of needless padding in order to stretch it to fit four issues. Both this arc and Reflections also have huge potential, but while Reflections was wasted and squandered, this one also has a few issues of build up to it's name. Crossing my fingers here they don't mess this up, especially since the last couple arcs have been getting progressively worse and worse. 

 

Though I couldn't have been the only one to notice this minor flub: "Sorry Pinkie, my hand slipped." ...What hand, Rarity? 

[S.F. 1,560]

I personally enjoyed it, but the biggest thing I want explaining (like @@Buzz,  mentioned), is how Hope is still around after all this time - and I wasn't expecting it to be her until her reveal (partially on account of the 1000 years thing), so that was a nice surprise (again, assuming it is explained how later on).

 

So yeah, am looking forward to the next part to see how this plays out

[Steve Piranha 29,424]

I personally enjoyed it, but the biggest thing I want explaining (like @@Buzz,  mentioned), is how Hope is still around after all this time - and I wasn't expecting it to be her until her reveal (partially on account of the 1000 years thing), so that was a nice surprise (again, assuming it is explained how later on).

 

So yeah, am looking forward to the next part to see how this plays out

Chill, there are still three issues remaining to finish this arc, I'm pretty sure that'll be revealed eventually 

[LunaKnight 3]

I love this issue. While I haven't really read many of the comics, and if I start buying them regularly I'll more than likely just stick with the main book, unless I see a team-up I'm really interested in like Discord and Luna (which I love and coincidentally was written by the same author as this) or IDW releases another FIENDship is Magic micro-series, I'll physically hurt myself if I don't buy every issue of this arc when they come out. Admittedly I'm a little disappointed that the tease at the end of FIENDship is Magic #1 wasn't followed up on in the show, but again, I'm fairly new to the comics. Still, I can't wait for the rest of the arc, which has been built up since actually before FIENDship is Magic, it's been built up since the Twilight and Shining Armor issue of Friends Forever.

 

I love that Sombra now has his own Anti-Mane 6. I always love the concept of villain team ups. Their like a Sinister Six, or the Injustice League. Also, I was really shocked that this was orchestrated by Radiant Hope, of all ponies. Hopefully (HA! Accidental pun) we'll see some of her backstory has to how she's survived those thousand years and why she's decided to resurrect the King of Monsters, even if he is her friend.

 

I really can't wait to see what Whitley has in store, but I wish that the comic had a different artist. It just feels weird reading FIENDship is Magic and then this issue where the art is really different. I mean, it just seems like a shame to split up the power team of Whitley and Hickey. But I guess I just like Hickey's art more than Price's, since I find myself thinking that I would be fine with the swap if it was Fleecs instead of Price.

 

And here's the final thing I have to say: I really hope that Sombra doesn't try to blame solely Twilight for his defeat. Because, it was Spike who, in the end, saved the day. The Crystal Ponies even erected a crystal statue for him in his honor. Hopefully through this arc, he blames both Twilight and Spike equally.

[HyperMechaSonic 1]

OMG!!!! THIS IS SOOO AWESOME!!! I had no idea who that purple pony was gonna be AND King Sombra is back! I got into these comics recently and have been binge reading (starting with fiendship is magic because I wanted some background knowledge on Sombra) and it's a lot better than I expected! I was very curious about the "special punishment Sombra gave Hope but it seems that he banished her for 1,000 years (or maybe... 1,001 years? She did get out a year later ) I don't think she's being evil though, maybe just trying to make things right with her boo X3 Can't wait for the next issue!

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

Iron's portrayal here is definitely questionable, but -- as Pathfinder said -- nothing he's done so far has been too glaring.

Edited October 24, 2015 by A.V.

[Roughshod 719]

This has so much potential. I'm glad the writers are once again using the lore of MLP and and it's character's depth and trying to do something ambitious. Like many bronies I too felt as though Sombra was left too quickly and had much more potential. Even if you want to explain his appearance in the show as being a 'force' it still left much to be desired. Even in Feindship is Magic and Reflections we were given alternates and backstories but not the figure we were first introduced to. Perhaps some real answers will be given this time.