spoiler The IGN review is right about one thing

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

Before I say this, let me just say for the record, I loved the movie.

 

 

The quest was kinda pointless. They have a chaos god, armies of dragons, changelings and yaks, and even griffon mercenaries. There is no way The Storm King and Tempest could defeat that kind of power.

you could make the argument that Discord was sick. But Ember and Thorax are close allies, and Pinkie could have just got the Yaks to help obliterate the armies of the Storm King.

Twilight: "We're back and it's time to wipe you out."

The Storm King: "Ha! Oh yeah? You and what army?!"

Twilight: "These armies!"

(points to show batallions of dragons, changelings and griffon mercinaries in the sky and yaks on the ground)

The Storm King: ".....I surrender!!!"

 

 

Edited October 7, 2017 by Theknightofdraconia

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,525]

Even the worst of reviews can sometimes make some valid points and that actually is a valid point to some extent. Still, it was clear the film was trying to show things we have not seen before in the show itself and those kinds of allies that the review mentions, we have seen them in the show. While I felt they were underdeveloped, seeing airship pirates was really neat.

[Ganondox 899]

The simplest explanation is that Twilight didn't consider those possibilities because she was just blindly following what Celestia said. The rest may have been unavailable though. I place the movie's time as being contemporary to Season 6. In that case, the Changelings would definitely still be enemies, while the dragons could possibly be enemies. We've seen no griffon mercenaries, and I don't think their society is has enough of a functioning government to provide a military. Plus, it's seems doubtful they would be willing to give aid without a hefty reward, they aren't hostile, but they aren't exactly on friendly terms either. The yaks probably couldn't stand a chance against the Storm King's army, and definitely not after he got the power of the alicorns. Getting the Hippogriff's aid would definitely be the better option as they have powerful magic. That leaves just Discord, who has always proven to be unreliable with countless other two parters.  

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

21 minutes ago, Ganondox said:

The simplest explanation is that Twilight didn't consider those possibilities because she was just blindly following what Celestia said. The rest may have been unavailable though. I place the movie's time as being contemporary to Season 6. In that case, the Changelings would definitely still be enemies, while the dragons could possibly be enemies. We've seen no griffon mercenaries, and I don't think their society is has enough of a functioning government to provide a military. Plus, it's seems doubtful they would be willing to give aid without a hefty reward, they aren't hostile, but they aren't exactly on friendly terms either. The yaks probably couldn't stand a chance against the Storm King's army, and definitely not after he got the power of the alicorns. Getting the Hippogriff's aid would definitely be the better option as they have powerful magic. That leaves just Discord, who has always proven to be unreliable with countless other two parters.  

Taking place before season 6 or at least before Gauntlet of fire would have made sense.

[Applejack1989 35]

That is a legitimate fan complaint, but considering that the movie has been in development for years and needed to not be weighed down by references the general audience wouldn't get, not one that should register too harshly.

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

2 minutes ago, Applejack1989 said:

That is a legitimate fan complaint, but considering that the movie has been in development for years and needed to not be weighed down by references the general audience wouldn't get, not one that should register too harshly.

I do feel it could have easily been addressed. Twilight tells Tempest they have allies with large armies, Tempest mocks them by pretending to be scared along with Gruber, they then reveal the dragonlands have been conquered and enslaved as have the Griffons and Changelings. That would show how big a threat the Storm King really is, that he conquered the ponies allies before knocking on their door step.

[Ganondox 899]

7 minutes ago, Theknightofdraconia said:

Taking place before season 6 or at least before Gauntlet of fire would have made sense.

I don't think it takes place before season 6 just because Trixe and Starlight Glimmer are seen in close proximity in their cameo at the beginning and thus it probably takes place after No Second Prances, but I'd place the movie as early as possible due to the time the script was written. 

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

Just now, Ganondox said:

I don't think it takes place before season 6 just because Trixe and Starlight Glimmer are seen in close proximity in their cameo at the beginning and thus it probably takes place after No Second Prances, but I'd place the movie as early as possible due to the time the script was written. 

So before The Times they are a Changeling.

[Ganondox 899]

1 minute ago, Theknightofdraconia said:

So before The Times they are a Changeling.

It was written back in Season 4. The only reason Starlight appears is because the storyboarding was done after the script, which also explains why she only makes a cameo. 

Edited October 7, 2017 by Ganondox

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

1 minute ago, Ganondox said:

It was written back in Season 4. The only reason Starlight appears is because the storyboarding was done after the script, which also explains why she only makes a cameo. 

Makes sense. Had this movie come out last year or two years agoc no one would complain.

[Applejack1989 35]

Just now, Theknightofdraconia said:

I do feel it could have easily been addressed. Twilight tells Tempest they have allies with large armies, Tempest mocks them by pretending to be scared along with Gruber, they then reveal the dragonlands have been conquered and enslaved as have the Griffons and Changelings. That would show how big a threat the Storm King really is, that he conquered the ponies allies before knocking on their door step.

It would make the characters seem pretty stupid if their allies can be knocked out and they're totally oblivious to it. And critics would probably say something to the effect of, "Looks like this movie takes place after better, more exciting movies have ended". A throwaway line like that wouldn't have made the movie any better for anything other than nitpickers, and once you start down the answer hole, there is rarely a way around it.

As to the film: It was announced October 20th, 2014, in the gap between S4 and S5. Starlight and Trixie can exist as background elements and cameos but the reason they aren't in the film is because Starlight wasn't even in the show yet and was being written for the premiere around the time the movie began production. 

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

Just now, Applejack1989 said:

It would make the characters seem pretty stupid if their allies can be knocked out and they're totally oblivious to it. And critics would probably say something to the effect of, "Looks like this movie takes place after better, more exciting movies have ended". A throwaway line like that wouldn't have made the movie any better for anything other than nitpickers, and once you start down the answer hole, there is rarely a way around it.

As to the film: It was announced October 20th, 2014, in the gap between S4 and S5. Starlight and Trixie can exist as background elements and cameos but the reason they aren't in the film is because Starlight wasn't even in the show yet and was being written for the premiere around the time the movie began production. 

And why Rainbow Dash isn't a wonderbolt.

[Ganondox 899]

5 minutes ago, Theknightofdraconia said:

Makes sense. Had this movie come out last year or two years agoc no one would complain.

The thing is, the final stages of production for a movie of this scale take a long time. It wouldn't have been as good if they released it a year or two early. 

4 minutes ago, Theknightofdraconia said:

And why Rainbow Dash isn't a wonderbolt.

Forgot about that. Okay then, that settles it. The movie must be contemporary to Season 6, as we have two hard time boundaries within the season. 

[Applejack1989 35]

I wouldn't overthink when the movie takes place in the show's timeline. RD could very well be a Wonderbolt, just had a job to do- weather control for the festival. Princess asks, takes precedent. 

[Theknightofdraconia 31]

1 hour ago, Ganondox said:

The thing is, the final stages of production for a movie of this scale take a long time. It wouldn't have been as good if they released it a year or two early. 

Forgot about that. Okay then, that settles it. The movie must be contemporary to Season 6, as we have two hard time boundaries within the season. 

Agreed. Otherwise, Twilight and the others are dumber then a sack a peanuts.

one reviewer said if this was after season 6...

Grubber: We are dead! We are dead!! The ponies are gonna recruit their allies, and when they see what we did to Canterlot...

(Strom King, Grubber and Tempests heads are mounted on the wall, Ember, Thorax, Rutherford, Gilda, Celestia and the others are having a party)

Celestia: To the alliance!

All leaders: To the alliance!!!

Edited October 7, 2017 by Theknightofdraconia

[Ganondox 899]

56 minutes ago, Applejack1989 said:

I wouldn't overthink when the movie takes place in the show's timeline. RD could very well be a Wonderbolt, just had a job to do- weather control for the festival. Princess asks, takes precedent. 

There is plenty more problems with assuming it's contemporary with Season 7 than just Rainbow Dash being a wonderbolt. In addition to the ones previously mentioned, the fact they ponies leave Equestria would be less impressive after they would have already visited the changeling hive. 

[cmarston1 5,954]

I can at least see why no one bothered to ask for Discord's help seeing how he is generally not very trustworthy and is hard to work with.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

Fan complaints aren't something that should be in an objective review.

[Applejack1989 35]

6 hours ago, Ganondox said:

There is plenty more problems with assuming it's contemporary with Season 7 than just Rainbow Dash being a wonderbolt. In addition to the ones previously mentioned, the fact they ponies leave Equestria would be less impressive after they would have already visited the changeling hive. 

There are exactly zero problems with assuming it's contemporary with Season 7. There are also zero problems with assuming it takes place sixteen hours after Season 3 ends as well. Saying there are problems assumes that there are issues or flaws vis a vo placement that need to be corrected, when the fact of the matter it is it doesn't matter where in the show's timeline the movie takes place. It doesn't impact the movie. One can choose to overthink it, but that doesn't change the quality of the movie, at least in my honest opinion.

[BastementSparkle 20,312]

10 minutes ago, Applejack1989 said:

There are also zero problems with assuming it takes place sixteen hours after Season 3 ends as well.

Starlight appears with her new Manestyle hanging out with Trixie, and the CMC have their Cutie marks, so I'm pretty sure it can't take place hours after the end of Season 3. Those are background elements, but that to me places this movie as definitely having to take place during the Season 6-7 timeframe.

[Applejack1989 35]

Big Jim has this to say:
 

 

[takai 1,060]

The only legitimate group that would help would be the Changlings. The dragons are no where near close enough to the ponies to go to war for them, same with the Griffins. The Yaks aren't going to do anything. And the lack of Discord is still ok in my book. 

[Ganondox 899]

10 hours ago, Applejack1989 said:

Big Jim has this to say:
 

 

He says as far as he understands, so I'm going with him being wrong. 

[Applejack1989 35]

You can choose to do that, of course. I'll go with Big Jim.

[Tiny Hoofs 200]

(Bear in mind I haven't seen the film myself. It's not out in my country yet. But I've seen parts of it and have read a loose summary of the plot.)

Personally, as far as plot holes go, it doesn't sound that bad since it doesn't concern the core story told within the movie. Characters like Discord were probably omitted to cater towards a general audience. It's understadable given that they're trying to cater to the largest demographic imaginable, and expecting people to be familiar with all of these characters could risk alienating viewers not caught up with all the episodes. I'm personally glad they didn't feel too constrained by the events of the show and gave us new stuff. There's only so much you can do in 99 minutes.

I did think it was nit-picky of that IGN review to bash the film for not being 100% consistent with all of the episodes. Realistically, stuff like that is only going to bother huge nerds like us. Not that the complaints aren't valid. But as I said, it is understandable why the movie didn't take the time to introduce the dragons, yaks and Discord.

Perhaps we'll get an explanation for the absence of these characters if we pester question the crew enough.