History YMMV / PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
** Nagisa's character is considered by many fans to be a waste of potential, given her lack of screen-time and mostly just serving as a plot device,[[note]]These points be justified a little by the fact that this is only a two-hour movie, after all, with far less time to develop characters than the anime's twelve episodes[[/note]] and some consider her existence as mere fan pandering.[[note]]Especially given that she's the magical girl form of [[spoiler:Charlotte]], and that now--with Nagisa being added to the magical girl group, rounding it off to a nice, even six--Mami has a "go-to" magical girl to be shipped with, that won't interfere with the other "main" ships.[[/note]]
** ''Manga/PuellaMagiOrikoMagica'' fans don't often take kindly to Nagisa due to her being an {{Expy}} of Yuma Chitose who fills the [[TokenMiniMoe same]] [[SixthRanger role]] as Yuma did in ''Oriko Magica''. ''Oriko'' fans wish Yuma had been used for the role instead of a brand new character, especially since Yuma is a MoralityPet for Kyoko.
** Kyoko is also affected. She has the unfortunate combination of being [[spoiler:sucked into Homura's witch barrier unwillingly]],[[note]]as opposed to [[spoiler:going there willingly like Madoka, Sayaka and Nagisa]][[/note]] ''and'' being defined by her darker personality traits in the anime, and therefore loses most of her character depth as a result (one of the reasons why she was praised in the original series), due to [[spoiler:her mind being altered to fit into the happy, sparkly, fluffy atmosphere]]. Also unlike the comparably adapted [[Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion Asuka Langley Shikinami]], Kyoko doesn't undergo significant CharacterDevelopment to make up for her reduced role and downplayed backstory. Although Kyoko does [[spoiler:revert to her more sour, lone-wolf personality]] later on in the movie, she basically sits in the background during the major events of the movie and accomplishes nothing anyway, at least until the start of the [[spoiler:Homulilly]] battle-- and by the end of the film [[spoiler:it's unclear whether she stays that way, as she's a schoolgirl again but doesn't get any more dialogue]]. But like most things about the ending, [[spoiler:it's ambiguous in nature, especially with how long it will last]].

** The new relationship between [[spoiler:Akuma Homura]] and [[spoiler:Madoka/Ultimate Madoka]] is ''definitely'' this for [[EvilIsSexy certain people]].

** Homura is the big one here, thanks to her actions. In the original series, she had some sketchy methods but was ultimately a clearly heroic character. Here, [[spoiler:she undergoes SanitySlippage to the point that she usurps the Law of Cycles rather than allowing herself to be taken away in a traditionally HappilyEverAfter ending, rewriting the universe to her liking and making everything revolve around keeping Madoka safe]]. It boils down to "did Homura do the right thing or not?", "was she doing this for the right reasons or not?", and "does she truly feel remorse for how she affected others or not?". There's also the fact that [[spoiler:she finally makes the Incubators truly subservient to her]]. Because Kyubey is a major HateSink, some people are glad that [[spoiler:his race got the retribution that they deserved]], while others don't think that it makes up for Homura's morally dubious actions and/or even find it KarmicOverkill. Then there's the argument over whether Homura's actions are even in-line with her character from the original series, with some finding it to be a natural, if drastic, progression and others decrying it as Character Derailment that turns her into a different character altogether.

* KarmicOverkill: One aspect of the massive BrokenBase is whether [[spoiler:Kyubey]]'s ultimate fate, to [[spoiler:become a container for all the despair of Magical Girls throughout history]], was deserved. While [[spoiler:Kyubey]] is very much a HateSink who crosses over into NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist territory in the film and is responsible for all the suffering Magical Girls go through, [[spoiler:they are also an alien intelligence who [[BlueAndOrangeMorality cannot comprehend human morality]] and are trying to save the universe on some level]], and as such some fans feel such a fate is too cruel even for them.

* FanonDiscontinuity: A lot of fans feel this way about the film, unhappy with the way it undoes the anime's perfectly good ending and its story's lack of closure. The fact that the original ending was Ultimate Madoka taking Homura into the Law of Cycles before Urobuchi became unsure of it and it was the director Akiyuki Shinbo who said to go with [[spoiler:Homura betraying Madoka]] as the ending for the [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Rebellion_Material_Book#Message_from_Gen_Urobuchi_.28Screenplay.29 stated purpose of keeping the franchise going]] has only intensified this feeling, and the CliffhangerWall combined with most spinoffs released afterwards not referencing the film makes it even easier to ignore.

* EvilIsSexy: [[spoiler:Akuma Homura]], especially given her very revealing outfit. Just look at some of the [[http://images.puella-magi.net/a/ae/Rebellion_Week_5_Bonus_-_Thank_You_for_Coming_-_Back.jpg?20131123092511 official art]] of her! ('''Note: The link contains major spoilers!''') Shame she's only properly seen for such a small amount of time in the movie.

* AbandonShipping: About half of [[spoiler:Homura/Madoka]] fans have jumped ship, thanks to the ending of the movie. The other half isn't going down without a fight, though. And might even feel vindicated.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Bebe/[[spoiler: Nagisa's]] obsession with cheese is funny and adorable. Not so much after reading her backstory in Magia Record where it's revealed that [[spoiler:she actually doesn't like cheese and her obsession with it is a representation of her seeking but never obtaining her mother's approval. Of course, Magia Record is non-canon to the main series: it remains to be seen whether Nagisa of the canon continuity is the same.]]
** It seems that Madoka and natural disasters involving water have something in common. The last two episodes of the anime had to be delayed because of the 2011 tsunami. The first two movies had the East United States being hit by Hurricane Sandy. ''Rebellion'' comes out, and history repeats, with the Philippines being hit with a typhoon.
** [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-10-16/new-madoka-magica-show-considered-after-3rd-film Urobuchi has said that the story]] of ''Rebellion'' coincidentally matches the lyrics from [[http://canta-per-me.net/lyrics/magia/ "Magia"]]. What he didn't say is that makes their implications even more frightening than before, considering the ending.
* HilariousInHindsight:
** This [[http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/904865 picture]] compared Homura and [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/ElShaddaiAscensionOfTheMetatron Lucifel]] as two black winged angels who can stop time]]. Cue the movie.
** In August 2012, before the ''Beginnings'' and ''Eternal'' movies were released, there was a hoax where [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Translated_Official_Documents/Confirmed_Fakes#Asumi_Jinna pictures of a fan-made magical girl were posted on the internet]]. These pictures falsely reported that the magical girl would be a new character appearing in the ''Madoka Magica'' movies. The hoax was so widespread that even Gen Urobuchi commented on it. Fast forward to September 2013 and the introduction of Nagisa Momoe. [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38428217 A few fanartists]] [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38276887 even drew Nagisa]] [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38282665 meeting the fake character]]. The kicker? One way to pronounce the hoax magical girl's name is [[Creator/KanaAsumi Asumi Kana]], which just so happens to be the name of Nagisa's voice actor. And while we're on the subject, [[spoiler:Nagisa is revealed to be Charlotte]], which means that [[spoiler:[[Manga/HidamariSketch Yuno]] [[ActorAllusion ate]] [[Creator/KaoriMizuhashi Miyako's head,]]]]
** A year before the film was released, [[http://images.puella-magi.net/6/6c/Homura_is_Lucifer_%28aka_anti-madoka%29.png?20131026114938 somebody on 4chan]] wrote a theory [[spoiler:comparing Homura to Lucifer]], and claiming that the film would have [[spoiler:her rebel against Ultimate Madoka]]. [[IKnewIt The actual film more or less confirmed the core of the theory]]: [[spoiler:Homura becomes the devil and rebels against Ultimate Madoka.]]
** How about the fansubs that translated "majuu" as "demon", for the new enemies at the end of the anime series? [[spoiler:Now there's a reason the official translation is "wraith"]].
** As noted on the [[Trivia/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion Trivia page]], ''Rebellion'' premiered in Japan on the same date as ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'''s NonSerialMovie. A few months later, ''Doki Doki'' aired an episode revealing [[spoiler:the show's villain originally made a selfish decision to save their loved one.]] Sound familiar?
** Creator/CristinaValenzuela, Homura' English voice actress, previously voiced [[Franchise/LyricalNanoha Nanoha Takamachi]], who is [[FanNickname often monikered as]] "The White Devil". That nickname becomes strangely prophetic when, at the ending of ''Rebellion'', [[spoiler: Homura becomes a SatanicArchetype, literately becoming a demon]].

* BrokenBase:
** A ''huge'' one considering [[AudienceAlienatingEnding the film's ending]]. Some fans prefer [[spoiler:the new world Homura created to the one Madoka created in the anime]], and consider Homura's actions sensible and justified. Other fans denounce the film as completely [[spoiler:retconning the events of the TV series]], and Homura for [[spoiler:acting selfishly and betraying Madoka]], dismissing it as character assassination of one of anime's most popular {{Deuteragonist}}s. There's even more controversy with the ending [[spoiler:changing Homura and Madoka's relationship]], which some fans consider to be [[spoiler:sinking the most popular ship]].
*** There's also whether or not [[spoiler:Homura rejecting heaven and usurping Madoka]] was inconsistent with her anime character or out-of-character, or just a last-minute twist to add drama and pave the way for sequels. And then whether or not it was consistent with Homura's state of mind at the end of the anime -- had she accepted it and thus made the movie inconsistent, or had she simply rationalized it and so made the movie consistent?
** There's also a split on whether or not Homura did a good thing or a bad thing [[spoiler:with the ending]]. On one hand, she [[spoiler:saved everyone]] and [[spoiler:screwed over Kyubey big time]], but on the other hand, she's also [[spoiler:screwed over a system that was better than the original system]], and if FridgeHorror is to be believed, [[spoiler:doomed the universe to a much earlier heat death]].
*** It's implied [[spoiler:she's using Kyubey to surpass entropy in the new universe. Thus getting rid of the need for Magical girls altogether and putting it all on the Incubator race ironically. There's also an interesting theory about Nihilism and Nietzsche and how Homura may have made a better world than both previous systems and how Nietzsche would view Madoka as a failure but Homura as a success.]]
** Some fans accuse the ending as a blatant SequelHook and are angry that they didn't get more closure, and that it not being the ending Creator/GenUrobuchi originally planned- that being [[spoiler:Homura being taken by Madoka into Heaven]]- but one he essentially had to put in at the behest of his higher-ups who wanted more sequels is a perfect example of ExecutiveMeddling ruining a creative vision to turn it into nothing but a [[CashCowFranchise vector for endless profit]]. Others are perfectly fine with it, as they see it as a possibility to see more new content (this opinion soured a bit [[CliffhangerWall after so many years with no sequel on the horizon]], though ultimately their hopes were vindicated as stated below). [[TakeAThirdOption Others still]] believe that the movie was indeed made to continue the series as a CashCowFranchise, but that the creators did the best they could with that requirement. Then there's those who argue that it ''isn't'' meant to be a SequelHook at all, but just a morally ambiguous ending the viewer is meant to draw their own conclusion for. Not helping at all is how the ''[[FlipFlopOfGod creators themselves]]'' have given conflicting statements on the matter (Urobuchi saying that there will be more, Shinbo repeatedly claiming that he considers the story concluded). However, the latter interpretation was eventually sunk when a sequel was announced in 2021, confirming that the ending of the film was indeed a SequelHook.
** The Cake Song is either a hilarious and UsefulNotes/{{Dada}}-ish BigLippedAlligatorMoment, an adorable happy {{Moe}} moment between the girls, or a complete embarrassment that has no place in a dark movie, even if the purpose is to mislead the viewer.
** The entire opening of the movie is part SubvertedKidsShow, part {{Fanservice}}.[[note]]Not the sexy kind; the girls living a happy life together, along with many {{Ascended Meme}}s and {{Fanon}} elements.[[/note]] There are fans who are happy to see said fanservice (see the SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments page). And then there are fans who think the opening only has its intended effect upon the first viewing and see it as {{Padding}}, an excuse to [[PanderingToTheBase pander to the base]], and even an embarrassment for the typically darker characters such as Kyoko and Homura (though the latter gets away with it more since she ''is'' in her "Moemura" persona). And then there are those who think they're really [[TrollingCreator trolling the fanbase]] and anyone who thinks it's pandering is [[MisaimedFandom misaimed]], ''[[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Evangelion]]''-style.
** Some people are quick to blame ExecutiveMeddling for the ending and that they ruined Gen Urobuchi's vision on how it should have ended (despite the fact that the change happened early on in production, and Urobuchi has stated he was not completely satisfied with the original ending he had drafted anyway), while others insist that it was a collaborative effort and that Gen Urobuchi was having WritersBlock and was even unsatisfied with the ending he had in mind by the time the change was suggested.
** Whether or not the movie taking place in a setting harkening back to that of the original series pre-Ultimate Madoka was a good idea, or it should've taken place in the wraith world, and thus had wasted potential about what happened post-anime and wasted opportunities to expand on the mechanics of the wraith world and the characters post-anime. Similarily, whether the movie [[spoiler:using an illusionary world mechanic]] was a good idea, even if it did give good insight into [[spoiler:Homura's psyche]]. The mechanic used meant that a lot of character development took place off-screen, and meant that the characters [[spoiler:needed their memories initially taken away]] to gain more development, which a lot of writers will say is a bad and/or lazy move.

** Many fans support Homura's actions in the ending, [[spoiler:namely, usurping Madoka, [[GodOfEvil becoming a devil]], [[KickTheSonOfABitch and enslaving the entire Incubator species]]]], particularly among those who argued that [[EsotericHappyEnding the original series' ending wasn't all that happy upon closer inspection]], despite the fact that Homura herself calls those acts evil. Perhaps some good came of her decision, but it's a stretch to call it a good decision.

** Homura is the big one here, thanks to her actions. In the original series, she had some sketchy methods but was ultimately a clearly heroic character. Here, [[spoiler:she undergoes SanitySlippage to the point that she usurps the Law of Cycles rather than allowing herself to be taken away in a traditionally HappilyEverAfter ending, rewriting the universe to her liking and making everything revolve around keeping Madoka safe]]. It boils down to "did Homura do the right thing or not?", "was she doing this for the right reasons or not?", and "does she truly feel remorse for how she affected others or not?". There's also the fact that [[spoiler:she finally makes the Incubators truly subservient to her]]. Because Kyubey is a major HateSink, some people are glad that [[spoiler:his race got the retribution that they deserved]], while others don't think that it makes up for Homura's morally dubious actions.

* ItWasHisSled: A few of the twists. Nagisa is [[spoiler:Charlotte's original form]], Kyubey is [[spoiler:the BigBad of the story once again]], and Homura in the ending [[spoiler:usurps Madoka and becomes the Devil]].

* FanficFuel: [[spoiler:Akuma Homura's new world]] led to a lot of fics exploring the concept. In particular, the relationship between [[spoiler:Homura and Sayaka, who still has vague recollections of what she did, is often explored, wether they are deeply despise each other, relate to each other, or both]].

* FanonDiscontinuity: A lot of fans feel this way about the film, unhappy with the way it undoes the anime's perfectly good ending and its story's lack of closure. The fact that the original ending was Ultimate Madoka taking Homura into the Law of Cycles before Urobuchi became unsure of it and it was the director Akiyuki Shinbo who said to go with [[spoiler:Homura betraying Madoka]] as the ending for the [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Rebellion_Material_Book#Message_from_Gen_Urobuchi_.28Screenplay.29 stated purpose of keeping the franchise going]] has only intensified this feeling.

** And then there's the proceeding scene of Sayaka saving Homura--with a BridalCarry!--which can help to add fuel for the [=SayaHomu=] shippers.

* MoralEventHorizon: The suggestions from the end of the anime that Incubators and humans can somewhat coexist are completely annihilated by the end of the movie: Kyubey's actions, which are actively malicious toward the girls rather than apathetic as they were in the show and cruel even by his standards combined with his willingness to [[spoiler:screw over the Law of Cycles (which was giving him exactly what he wanted, just not quite as efficiently) and bring back the witch system drives it home that that he is ultimately humanity's enemy, and is fully willing to destroy the peaceful relationship the instant he benefits from doing so, simply for the sake of being able to acquire more energy more efficiently.]]
** [[spoiler: Homura crossed it for more than a couple of fans in her betrayal of Madoka and establishing herself as a devil figure, particularly the part where she erases everyone's memories. Counts in-universe, as Sayaka declares that [[ThisIsUnforgivable she'll always remember Homura is a demon for it.]]]]

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** Homura and Kyubey return as very ambiguous characters with ambiguous actions, but ''especially'' [[spoiler:Homura]], given their ''very'' highly-debated actions in the ending of the movie.
*** Specifically, for [[spoiler:Homura: Was she a WellIntentionedExtremist who [[IDidWhatIHadToDo did what she had to do]] to save Madoka from AFateWorseThanDeath? Did Homura initially respect Madoka's decision to become the Law of Cycles, believing it made her happy, with her usurpation and kidnapping of Madoka motivated by the MindRape she suffered at the hands of Kyubey as well as the misunderstood conversation in the field, which caused her to honestly believe that Madoka regretted her decision? Or was the conversation in the field manipulated by Homura's selective omissions to elicit the responses she desired to justify her abduction of Madoka? Or perhaps there was a pragmatic, unselfish motive for the usurpation and abduction of Madoka: to wit, the sincere belief that Kyubey would ultimately succeed in trapping Madoka, restoring the original witches system and subjecting Madoka to a far less pleasant captivity than Homura's GildedCage? Were her actions just rashly planned/a MomentOfWeakness that she realized/snapped out of only after she thought it too late to undo them or a premeditated plan in order to capture and "save" her best friend to keep her with her?]]
*** Something else to consider: Did Sayaka's words factor into [[spoiler:Homura usurping Madoka and recreating the world where everyone is alive]]? When Homura insisted on finding and killing the witch responsible for trapping everyone in the barrier, Sayaka said since everyone was alive, happy, and working together, that the heart who wished for a world like that couldn't really be all that bad and didn't deserve to be destroyed. Of course, [[spoiler:Sayaka knew that Homura herself was the witch and was trying to make her feel better]], but did [[spoiler:Homura use her words as a justification for usurping Madoka? Adding weight to this point is the fact that Akuma Homura points out that everyone is alive and happy in her new world before Sayaka calls her a devil]].
** The trailer for Madogatari in November 2015 heavily implies [[spoiler: Homura sincerely believed Madoka was suffering]]. In addition, WordOfSaintPaul from Creator/ChristineMarieCabanos at a convention in 2015 implies [[spoiler: the Incubators torturing Homura to insanity had a hand in her actions]]. All in all, the second option seems the most plausible.
** The movie presents one for Madoka's role in the anime proper, courtesy of the flower field scene: [[spoiler: Did Madoka act out of duty and obligation rather than her own desire to help all of those fallen magical girls? Is Ultimate Madoka truly happy to be able to watch over everyone? Or did Homura's words to a Madoka who did not have the same memories and experiences about how she “went to a place far far away from everyone she knew and loved” create a misunderstanding that lead Homura to believe Madoka regretted her wish?]] ''VideoGame/MagiaRecordPuellaMagiMadokaMagicaSideStory'' heavily suggests Madoka [[spoiler:was in fact unhappy and needs to give herself constant pep talks to keep herself together.]]
** One popular interpretation of Madoka and Sayaka at the end of the film is that [[spoiler:they're deliberately playing along with Homura and her perfect world, either out of pity or [[ItAmusedMe their own amusement]]. A third interpretation is that Sayaka is doing an elaborate BatmanGambit to keep scheming under Homura's nose and find a way to bring the Law of Cycles world back]].

** In August 2012, before the ''Beginnings'' and ''Eternal'' movies were released, there was a hoax where [[http://wiki.puella-magi.net/Translated_Official_Documents/Confirmed_Fakes#Asumi_Jinna pictures of a fan-made magical girl were posted on the internet]]. These pictures falsely reported that the magical girl would be a new character appearing in the ''Madoka Magica'' movies. The hoax was so widespread that even Gen Urobuchi commented on it. Fast forward to September 2013 and the introduction of Nagisa Momoe. [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38428217 A few fanartists]] [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38276887 even drew Nagisa]] [[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=38282665 meeting the fake character]]. The kicker? One way to pronounce the hoax magical girl's name is [[Creator/KanaAsumi Asumi Kana]], which just so happens to be the name of Nagisa's voice actor. And while we're on the subject, [[spoiler:Nagisa is revealed to be Charlotte]], which means that [[spoiler:[[Manga/HidamariSketch Yuno]] [[ActorAllusion ate]] [[Creator/KaoriMizuhashi Miyako's]] [[RelationshipVoiceActor head.]]]]

** A ''huge'' one considering the film's ending. Some fans prefer [[spoiler:the new world Homura created to the one Madoka created in the anime]], and consider Homura's actions sensible and justified. Other fans denounce the film as completely [[spoiler:retconning the events of the TV series]], and Homura for [[spoiler:acting selfishly and betraying Madoka]], dismissing it as character assassination of one of anime's most popular {{Deuteragonist}}s. There's even more controversy with the ending [[spoiler:changing Homura and Madoka's relationship]], which some fans consider to be [[spoiler:sinking the most popular ship]].

** Some fans accuse the ending as a blatant SequelHook and are angry that they didn't get more closure, afraid that ''Madoka Magica'' will be turned into a CashCowFranchise. Others are perfectly fine with it, as they see it as a possibility to see more new content (this opinion soured a bit after so many years with no sequel on the horizon, though ultimately their hopes were vindicated as stated below). [[TakeAThirdOption Others still]] believe that the movie was indeed made to continue the series as a CashCowFranchise, but that the creators did the best they could with that requirement. Then there's those who argue that it ''isn't'' meant to be a SequelHook at all, but just a morally ambiguous ending the viewer is meant to draw their own conclusion for. Not helping at all is how the ''[[FlipFlopOfGod creators themselves]]'' have given conflicting statements on the matter (Urobuchi saying that there will be more, Shinbo repeatedly claiming that he considers the story concluded). However, the latter interpretation was eventually sunk when a sequel was announced in 2021, confirming that the ending of the film was indeed a SequelHook.

* AudienceAlienatingEnding: There’s a section of fans who refuse to watch the movie because of what they’ve heard about the ending.