Its about Time vs School Raze

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Spoilers, because reasons.

 

So thanks to the early air dates (not leaks) from other networks, I got to see School Raze, parts 1 and 2 of the season finale.  One thing I found rather interesting is Tartarus, and always desired for it to be explored further. However, now that it has, it just brings up more questions. A lot of the creatures (aside from Tirek) that are locked up in Tartarus are common animals of the Everfree forest, flame geyser swamp, etc. The chimera is there, the manticore, cockatrices', bugbears, what have you. But their presence there, when taking the context and transcript of "It's About Time", doesn't really seem to add up. In that episode is where we get our first mention of Tartarus, and in it, Twilight says " That's Cerberus! He's supposed to be guarding the gates of Tartarus. But if he's here, then all the ancient evil creatures that have been imprisoned there could escape and destroy Equestria!"

I have to wonder if small fry creatures like the manticore, chimera, Bugbear, cockatrice's etc are truly "evil" in the way that Tirek and other villains are. Can such small fry's really "destroy Equestria"? And are truly deserving of being locked up in tartarus, if they're not so much "evil" as it is their inherent abilities as chimera animals that can't be focused on accomplishing good or evil, just following basic instinct?

[Ganondox 899]

This episode made me realize Tartarus is kinda messed up. They just throw stuff in tiny little cages there, it's arguably a face worse than death. That being said, I don't think that animals are actually in Tartarus proper. Their cages are all in the entrance, while Tirek's is on an isolated platform, and in Twilight's Kingdom we saw that there was several such platforms. I think those are reserved for the actual prisoners, such Tirek as Cozy Glow. The impression I'm getting is that while the animals are imprisoned because they proved to be a nuisance in Equestria, they are actually be used as a secondary line of defense in case a prisoner gets out of there cage, and then gets past Cerberus. Even in cages those creatures are still deadly.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

3 hours ago, Ganondox said:

This episode made me realize Tartarus is kinda messed up. They just throw stuff in tiny little cages there, it's arguably a face worse than death. That being said, I don't think that animals are actually in Tartarus proper. Their cages are all in the entrance, while Tirek's is on an isolated platform, and in Twilight's Kingdom we saw that there was several such platforms. I think those are reserved for the actual prisoners, such Tirek as Cozy Glow. The impression I'm getting is that while the animals are imprisoned because they proved to be a nuisance in Equestria, they are actually be used as a secondary line of defense in case a prisoner gets out of there cage, and then gets past Cerberus. Even in cages those creatures are still deadly.

I agree. I mean, they weren't exactly bothering anypony where they were, I'm sure. All of what? 10 ponies go into the Everfree?  Why couldn't they stay there? And if they were powerful enough to end all life on Equestria as we know it- the forest and flame geyser swamp have been there, I'm assuming, for a pretty long time- they could've done so already.