- Jossed. This Equestria already had problems underneath the surface, it's just that Vulcan's actions have managed to make them apparent. The fic is also intentionally deconstructing Princess Celestia's mother figure tendencies and the monarchy style of rule over all by showing how bad things can go even if the ruler on the throne is a righteous, well intended person, and how trying to be as a doting mother to her subjects blinds her to their faults until the consequences blow up in her face.
The author is known for putting people like Ted through the ringer, and while his actions are SUPPOSED to be seen as wrong by the audience (no matter what the audience has said, the author is outright disturbed by their perception), he's yet to make a really big mistake assuming the state of things he's trying to manipulate. Eventually, he'll make such a mistake, resulting in his actions being shown for what they really are and blowing up big time in his face.
It's been clear that the Amulet is much too intelligent to not have something of its own planned, and Ted will be likely left holding the bag of whatever it is that the Amulet truly wants.
Leo is a larper, and thus actually skilled in combat with weaponry. Vulcan is not, and admits as much when fighting Sombra. In addition, Leo is wearing magically enhanced armor, intended to grant him a chance in fighting a magic user. All this means that if things DID turn into a melee battle, it's most likely to end in Vulcan being outmatched and handed a loss due to being Unskilled, but Strong vs. someone who's actually Strong and Skilled. Leo also seems intelligent enough to figure this out on his own and exploit it.
If realism is also played up (which seems likely, as Leo explicitly points out his choice of a mace instead of a sword is how many years of training it takes to actually learn how to use one effectively), a sword is not exactly the most ideal of weapons to use against a fully armored opponent if you have little idea what you're doing (which is Vulcan's situation) as unless you know where to aim and more uncommon in media techniques like murder strokes and halfswording (which if done wrong is a good way to cut up your hands) you're very unlikely to actually penetrate it, while Leo's chosen weapon is a mace, which historically is an anti-armor weapon. While yes, Vulcan has guns, they're not exceptionally advanced ones, and armor that isn't magically reinforced and upgraded can withstand firearms of the type he possesses, and that's not taking Leo's shield into account.
With all things taken into consideration, the only advantage Vulcan has over Leo in an actual fight is the Alicorn Amulet, and the magic countering enchantments Leo's equipment possesses (namely, intended to absorb magical attacks and turn them into a power up for his mace) could turn even that against him if he's not careful.
Given Reality Check's enjoyment of giving characters like Ted Humiliation Congas, it may be Leo who begins it.
- Jossed, but just barely. Leo did indeed fight Vulcan, but lost.
