spoiler Is Sombra a Hero?

[Phosphorous 136]

I've only read a bit of the comic, but based on what I read, I think that Sombra is a hero.

The crystal heart was a device of torture, and by removing the heart, Sombra made it so his people wouldn't be in pain or be killed because of it's magic.

[BastementSparkle 20,324]

I guess his people would view him as a hero, but the Umbra's weren't exactly a pleasant bunch...

 

 If you've only read a bit of a comic, I can see why you might think that, but if you read the "Siege of the Crystal Empire" You'll figure out there's a good reason for that heart to be there.

[TheRedHoodedWraith 52]

I think he's somewhat of a hero but not for the reason of freeing the Umbrum. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

The comics really makes no bones about the Umbrum being imprisoned/banished for a reason; they're shown to potentially be a bigger threat than even the changelings! In a sense Sombra is a hero in the Siege arc, but not for the reasons you state.

 

While the Crystal Heart does cause him pain, that's largely because of his heritage. He's an umbrum who was sent by his kin to eventually set them free; knowing full-well what the Heart would do to him.

[Phosphorous 136]

The comics really makes no bones about the Umbrum being imprisoned/banished for a reason; they're shown to potentially be a bigger threat than even the changelings!

 

Instead of making peace with them, Princess Amore exacerbates the conflict by using a crystal heart that tortures and kills Umbrum. Her methods are violent and targets a whole group of creatures, of not all of which are to blame for whatever problem there is. Since Sombra was initially innocent, I can presume that Umbrum are not inherently aggresive, but become that way because of pressures imposed by others, such as Princess Amore.

 

Imagine a politician really disliking a certain ethnicity of people and creating a contraption that will kill or torture them all if they enter certain places at certain times. You wouldn't call that politician a good person, would you? Princess Amore is that politician. Sombra's methods were harsh because he and his kind has been subject to harsh treatement. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

Instead of making peace with them, Princess Amore exacerbates the conflict by using a crystal heart that tortures and kills Umbrum. Her methods are violent and targets a whole group of creatures, of not all of which are to blame for whatever problem there is. Since Sombra was initially innocent, I can presume that Umbrum are not inherently aggresive, but become that way because of pressures imposed by others, such as Princess Amore.

 

Imagine a politician really disliking a certain ethnicity of people and creating a contraption that will kill or torture them all if they enter certain places at certain times. You wouldn't call that politician a good person, would you? Princess Amore is that politician. Sombra's methods were harsh because he and his kind has been subject to harsh treatement. 

 

Honestly, sympathy for the umbrum can really only go so far though. Going back to before they were banished, Chrysalis recalls that she and her changeling army had plans for invading the Crystal Empire only to find the Umbrum already there. Chrysalis wanted nothing to do with the umbrum, who were already causing having and stealing the light & love of the crystal ponies; leaving nothing for the changelings. As it stands Chrysalis' eyewitnessing of the events show that the Umbrum, as a whole, had to be banished.

 

Say what you will about Amore and the Crystal Heart, but the umbrum are personified as evil and manipulative thanks to FIENDship #1 and Siege of the Crystal Empire.

[Regent 77]

Nope... but it's okay to like him.

 

He had the capacity to be a hero, but made some bad choices (he wasn't the only one making mistakes either). His Fiendship and the Siege issues were great though. I highly recommend it.

 

But yeah, Chrysalis is my favorite villain now. Highly opportunistic and practical, evil, but also a good mother (check out her Fiendship issue as well), bundled up with just the right amount of sass and style.

 

But like the Umbrum, predators. You can't really fault them for it, but if you want to live (and you're say... a prey animal like a pony), it's in your best interests that they stay locked away.

[Castle Bleck 19,326]

At best, Sombra's an anti-hero or anti-villain.