History YMMV / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E1TheBeginningOfTheEndPart1

** Luna explaining she's "looking forward to a little R&R", while seen as valid for Celestia, was disliked as she had only ruled for a fraction of the time and her whole character arc was defined by her desiring recognition and approval for it making it seem {{OOC}} she'd give it up on an apparent whim. Luna also had the job of DreamWalker and DreamWeaver it fails to explain how/who would take it over in her place, [[FridgeHorror seemingly leaving Twilight with a 24/7 responsibility that Luna barely managed part-time even with greater experience]].

** Luna explaining she's "looking forward to a little R&R", while seen as valid for Celestia, was disliked as she had only ruled for a fraction of the time and her whole character arc was defined by her desiring recognition and approval for it making it seem {{OOC}} she'd give it up on an apparent whim. Luna also had the job of DreamWalker and DreamWeaver it fails to explain how/who would take it over in her place, [[FridgeHorror seemingly leaving Twilight with a 24/7 respectability that Luna barely managed part-time even with greater experience]].

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=][[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]] .

** How and where did Grogar find King Sombra’s missing horn chunk anyway?

%% * HilariousInHindsight: This [[https://www.deviantart.com/animewave-neo/art/MLP-characters-color-study-260258431 picture]] from '''2011'''.
* IKnewIt: Many fans speculated over the years that the main reason Princess Celestia and Luna let the Mane Six handle most threats to Equestria[[note]]not to mention Princess Celestia making Twilight Sparkle her star pupil, arranging for her to make friends in Ponyville, letting her confront Nightmare Moon, arranging for her to defeat King Somba, giving the test that made Twilight an alicorn, crowned her the Princess of Friendship, and even put the Mane Six in charge of the Friendship School, etc[[/note]] was because Celestia was [[TricksterMentor secretly preparing]] Twilight to be her replacement. This episode more or less confirms it, with Celestia and Luna announcing their desire to retire and pass the torch on to Twilight and her friends, while pointing out how the Mane Six have been saving Equestria and running the School of Friendship without their help for so long as an argument for why they're perfect for the job.

* TaintedByThePreview: Given King Sombra's well-received portrayal as a DarthVaderClone in ''[[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFiendshipIsMagic FIENDship Is Magic]]'' and ''[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDWIssue34To37 Siege of the Crystal Empire]]'' (even despite the latter's controversy), some fans are disappointed by the staff's decision to invoke CanonDiscontinuity on it and revert him to a GenericDoomsdayVillain.

* WhatAnIdiot: Twilight and Rarity not bothering to catch the Elements with their magic when the Tree of Harmony is destroyed.

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=] [[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]] .

** Luna explaining she's "looking forward to a little R&R", while seen as valid for Celestia, was disliked as she had only ruled for a fraction of the time and her whole character arc was defined by her desiring recognition and approval for it making it seem {{OOC}} she'd give it up on an apparent whim. Luna also had the job of DreamWalker and DreamWeaver it fails to explain how/who would take it over in her place, implying that ''Twilight also has to do those aspects of her job as well''.

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=][[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]].

** Luna explaining she's "looking forward to a little R&R", while seen as valid for Celestia, was disliked as she had only ruled for a fraction of the time and her whole character arc was defined by her desiring recognition and approval for it making it seem {{OOC}} she'd give it up on an apparent whim. Luna also had the job of DreamWalker and DreamWeaver it fails to explain how/who would take it over in her place.

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=] [[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]].

*** 3) A good idea on paper marred by [[FanDislikedExplanation lackluster explanations]] ignoring better ones and poor execution (the haste at which they planned to do so, failing to explain how they were expected to handle all their new responsibilities or properly train them only giving them time to do so after delayed due to am unrelated crisis).

** The stated reason for Celestia and Luna retiring and PassingTheTorch to Twilight is that "Equestria is currently enjoying its longest period of harmony in recent years." Given [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed the frequency Equestria has been threatened throughout the series]], it's inconceivable Equestria would have survived this long if ''this'' was considered peaceful. Nor would it justify the haste to do so despite Twilight's lack of political experience compared to Celestia's millennia of it. Anything that could rationalize this[[labelnote:examples]]It being peaceful because Twilight and friends were so quick and effective in dealing with such, even befriending many while making the peace stick in the long term, which is why Twilight proved worthy of the throne. All the threats were due [[SecretTestOfCharacter their leaving them to Twilight to prepare her]] which the episode implies but [[InformedAttribute is suspect given unexpectedness of most of the threats and their poor performance when they did act]], and even that explanation implies that they’ve been willfully stringing Twilight along and endangering their subjects through inaction for the sake of thrusting their duties onto her.[[/labelnote]] would provided a better explanation than what was given. Even those who don't pull FanonDiscontinuity on their retiring ignore the stated reason as suspect bordering on factually incorrect.
** Speaking of the Royal Sisters, while Celestia retiring is understandable given that she ruled for over a millennia, Luna’s decision to do the same rubbed many viewers the wrong way due to her only ruling for the duration of the series. Her statement regarding having some R&R felt very unnatural as it makes her very willing to give up on a whim the very power that she spent all her life trying to earn and keep, making the whole thing feel very shoehorned in to remove her from the grand scheme of things.

*** 2) A train wreck in the making forcing [[{{Sucksessor}} Twilight and co. into a position they were completely unsuitable for]] given their lack of political experience compared to Celestia and Luna's centuries, Twilight's then-unresolved neuroticism meaning she couldn't handle sudden curveballs like the retirement announcement, and that they'd have to do both day and night shifts when each alone pushed Celestia and Luna to their limits.

** There’s also the matter of Celestia and Luna retiring and PassingTheTorch to Twilight and co. in the first place after Twilight has already established her own unique niche role as a princess in the series. There are two camps for this.
*** 1) [[SuperiorSuccessor A long overdue replacement of two millstones who are clearly past their prime with their poor onscreen track record]]. While this is a great idea on paper, the execution should have been handled better from the get-go instead of adding patches at the last moment. For example, Celestia and Luna could have discussed this issue with Twilight first instead of treating it like giving someone the car keys by dropping a bombshell on her with zero notice and then only delaying it after a crisis.
*** 2) [[{{Sucksessor}} A train wreck in the making]] which makes it FanonDiscontinuity. Equestria is losing two of their best politicians for one who suffers from neuroticism, couldn't handle sudden curveballs like the aforementioned retirement announcement, has practically zero political experience while having to do ''both day and night shifts'' if implemented. Not to mention, it is being delegated to her fellow civilians who ''also have no idea how to properly run a nation''.

* InformedWrongness: Twilight's worrying about being handed the mantle of being ruler of Equestria. While all her friends dismiss her complaints and were even ''excited'' about running a nation, chalking them up as her usual freakouts to the extent that [[IAmTheNoun her name is used as a term for that]], she actually raises legitimate concerns about their lack of experience and preparation to rule Equestria that were mostly dismissed by the end of the premiere.

** The stated reason for Celestia and Luna retiring and PassingTheTorch to Twilight is that "Equestria is currently enjoying its longest period of harmony in recent years." Given [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed the frequency Equestria has been threatened throughout the series]], it's inconceivable Equestria would have survived this long if ''this'' was considered peaceful. Nor would it justify the haste to do so despite Twilight's lack of political experience compared to Celestia's millennia of it. And that is not mentioning how Twilight ''didn't exactly have a say in the matter throughout the whole premiere''. Anything that could rationalize this[[labelnote:examples]]It being peaceful because Twilight and friends were so quick and effective in dealing with such, even befriending many while making the peace stick in the long term, which is why Twilight proved worthy of the throne. All the threats were due [[SecretTestOfCharacter their leaving them to Twilight to prepare her]] which the episode implies but [[InformedAttribute is suspect given unexpectedness of most of the threats and their poor performance when they did act]], and even that explanation implies that they’ve been willfully stringing Twilight along and endangering their subjects through inaction for the sake of thrusting their duties onto her.[[/labelnote]] would provided a better explanation than what was given. Even those who don't pull FanonDiscontinuity on their retiring ignore the stated reason as suspect bordering on factually incorrect.

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=][[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]].

** [=#NotMyKingSombra=] [[note]]A reference to [[Memes/TheLastJedi #NotMyLukeSkywalker]]. Sometimes used by fans who dislike Sombra's new characterization, prefer his old characterization and/or how the [[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW the comics]] portrayed him, etc.[[/note]].

* HilariousInHindsight: This [[https://www.deviantart.com/animewave-neo/art/MLP-characters-color-study-260258431 picture]] from '''2011'''.

*** 1) [[SuperiorSuccessor A long overdue replacement of two millstones who is clearly past their prime with their poor onscreen track record]]. While this is a great idea on paper, the execution should have been handled better from the get-go instead of adding patches at the last moment. For example, Celestia and Luna could have discussed this issue with Twilight first instead of treating it like giving someone the car keys by dropping a bombshell on her with zero notice and then only delaying it after a crisis.

* FanDislikedExplanation: The stated reason for Celestia and Luna retiring and PassingTheTorch to Twilight is that "Equestria is currently enjoying its longest period of harmony in recent years." Given [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed the frequency Equestria has been threatened throughout the series]], it's inconceivable Equestria would have survived this long if ''this'' was considered peaceful. Nor would it justify the haste to do so despite Twilight's lack of political experience compared to Celestia's millennia of it. And that is not mentioning how Twilight ''didn't exactly have a say in the matter throughout the whole premiere''. Anything that could rationalize this[[labelnote:examples]]It being peaceful because Twilight and friends were so quick and effective in dealing with such, even befriending many while making the peace stick in the long term, which is why Twilight proved worthy of the throne. All the threats were due [[SecretTestOfCharacter their leaving them to Twilight to prepare her]] which the episode implies but [[InformedAttribute is suspect given unexpectedness of most of the threats and their poor performance when they did act]], and even that explanation implies that they’ve been willfully stringing Twilight along and endangering their subjects through inaction for the sake of thrusting their duties onto her.[[/labelnote]] would provided a better explanation than what was given. Even those who don't pull FanonDiscontinuity on their retiring ignore the stated reason as suspect bordering on factually incorrect.