History YMMV / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E2TheCrystalEmpirePart2

* Narm Charm: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsmJ81SXE4M Throwing Your Wife Always Works]], right Shining Armor? [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments It was pretty awesome, though]].

* {{Narm}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsmJ81SXE4M Throwing Your Wife Always Works]], right Shining Armor? [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments It was pretty awesome, though]].

* WTHCastingAgency: Sombra's few lines are not provided by a traditional voice actor, but by storyboard artist Jim Miller. While the show's staff have sneaked in by voicing background ponies before, this is a major villain, regardless of [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter how many lines he had]].

** He [[EvilTastesGood licks his lips]] in anticipation of whatever it was he intended to do to Spike if he'd gotten his hooves on him while in the process of aiming a jagged crystal pillar moving at high speeds directly at the little guy.

** A lot of people write fanfics of Celestia being a JerkassGod. Guess what we get to see for Twilight's greatest fear? Ironically, this served to fuel the fanbase that portrays Celestia as that.
*** Twilight's breakdown in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero Lesson Zero]] was caused by her fear of failing Celestia as a student. This episode made her breakdown back then ''worse''.
*** And when you remembered what happened during the last two-parter and how Twilight's fear was really, ''really'' close to being realized.... Yeah.
** This also applies to Spike concerning his fear. It puts his behavior in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E24OwlsWellThatEndsWell "Owl's Well That Ends Well"]] in a very different light.

** Just how thorough he is. Even when Celestia and Luna defeated him in the past, his backup curse on the Empire nullified that and gave him the last laugh. And he gets a NearVillainVictory in the present, too, courtesy of his MortonsFork traps. Minor screentime or not, he's TheDreaded for a reason.

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's underwhelming reception at first, more and more fans would come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This would come to a head in the Season 9 premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it did see him come BackFromTheDead and finally get more dialogue and screentime - it also saw him undergo an abrupt overhaul in the form of a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as too [=cliched/stereotypical,=] and too inconsistent with his actions here. Many were also displeased with his new role as a BigBadWannabe (which certainly did no favors for his MemeticLoser reputation among some), arguing that at least this premiere treated him like a proper [[TheDreaded Dreaded]].

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's underwhelming reception at first, more and more fans would come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This would come to a head in the Season 9 premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it did see him come BackFromTheDead and finally get more dialogue and screentime -- it also saw him undergo an abrupt overhaul in the form of a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as too [=cliched/stereotypical,=] and too inconsistent with his actions here. Many were also displeased with his new role as a BigBadWannabe (which certainly did no favors for his MemeticLoser reputation among some), arguing that at least this premiere treated him like a proper [[TheDreaded Dreaded]].

* GeniusBonus: The idea of a divine spark/light within everypony responsible for maintaining love and unity in the world is a legitimate [[AncientGreece Hellenistic]] metaphysical concept, in keeping with the Crystal Empire's Greek flavor. Though it's pretty vague, it seems Hermetic[[note]]which had a lot of sun, moon, and stars symbolism and also introduced the idea of "As Above, So Below", i.e. that changes in one place, like the Crystal Empire, are reflected everywhere[[/note]], Stoic ([[TheStoic not that stoic]]), [[UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}} Valentinian]], or Neo-Platonic ([[http://www.overthinkingit.com/2012/11/08/my-little-pony-plato making this article]] HilariousInHindsight).

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's poor reception at first, more and more fans would come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This would come to a head in the Season 9 premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it did see him come BackFromTheDead and finally get more dialogue and screentime -- it also saw him undergo an abrupt overhaul in the form of a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as too [=cliched/stereotypical,=] and too inconsistent with his actions here. Many were also displeased with his new role as a BigBadWannabe (which certainly did no favors for his MemeticLoser reputation among some), arguing that at least this premiere treated him like a proper [[TheDreaded Dreaded]].

** As of ''ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFiendshipIsMagic'', it's also speculated that his AlmightyIdiot present self is due to HulkingOut during his imprisonment.

** Just how thorough he is. Even when Celestia and Luna defeated him in the past, his backup curse on the Empire made it meaningless and gave him the last laugh. And he gets a NearVillainVictory in the present, too -- courtesy of his MortonsFork traps. Minor screentime or not, he's TheDreaded for a reason.

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's initially poor reception, more and more fans have come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This eventually came to a head in Season 9's premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it did see him brought BackFromTheDead and finally give him more dialogue and screentime -- it also gave him a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as being too cliche, and too inconsistent with his actions here. They were also displeased that he was now demoted to BigBadWannabe status (which only worsened his MemeticLoser reputation among his detractors), arguing that at least this premiere treated him like a proper [[TheDreaded Dreaded]].

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's initially poor reception, more and more fans have come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This eventually came to a head in Season 9's premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it did see him brought BackFromTheDead and finally give him more dialogue and screentime -- it also gave him a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as being too cliche, and too inconsistent with his actions here. They were also displeased that he was now demoted to BigBadWannabe status (which only worsened his MemeticLoser reputation among his detractors), arguing that at least this premiere treated him with appropriate seriousness.

* VindicatedByHistory: Despite King Sombra's initially poor reception, more and more fans have come to appreciate him as a unique NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the other villains. This eventually came to a head in Season 9's premiere, "The Beginning of the End"... While it saw him brought BackFromTheDead and finally gave him more dialogue and screentime, it also gave him a LaughablyEvil new personality that many criticized as being too cliche and inconsistent with his actions here; they were also displeased that he was now a mere BigBadWannabe (which only made his MemeticLoser reputation worse than ever).

* VindicatedByHistory: While King Sombra was initially unpopular for being seen as a GenericDoomsdayVillain of few words, more and more fans have come to appreciate him as a distinct NoNonsenseNemesis compared to the usual arrogance and hamminess of the show's villains. To the point where [[spoiler:Season 9's premiere, "The Beginning of the End," saw his eventual return and CharacterizationMarchesOn in an attempted AuthorsSavingThrow for said unpopularity... and quite a few fans ironically complained that he was now little more than a cliched, stereotypical villain who contradicted everything that had made him unique before; it didn't help that his new personality also made him vulnerable to BigBadWannabe status, thus worsening his MemeticLoser reputation among his original critics.]]

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Object-wise... Sombra's door is easily his most-popular trap; it's rigged with multiple complex and interesting magics at once (thus proving Sombra's might as an evil [[TheArchmage Archmage]], PresentAbsence or not), and it causes the SignatureScene where Twilight and Spike are {{Mind Rape}}d to near-DespairEventHorizon. Some fans even see it as a MouthOfSauron to Sombra's, well, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]].

** His cunning and thoroughness. Even when Celestia and Luna defeated him in the past, his backup curse on the Empire made it meaningless and gave him the last laugh. And he gets a NearVillainVictory in the present, too -- courtesy of his MortonsFork traps. Minor screentime or not, he's TheDreaded for a reason.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Object-wise. Sombra's door is easily his most-popular trap; it's rigged with multiple complex and interesting magics at once (thus proving Sombra's might as an evil [[TheArchmage Archmage]], PresentAbsence or not), and it causes the SignatureScene where Twilight and Spike are {{Mind Rape}}d to near-DespairEventHorizon. Some fans even see it as a MouthOfSauron to Sombra's, well, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]].

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Object version: Sombra's door is easily his most-popular trap. It's rigged with several complex and interesting magics at once (thus proving Sombra's might as an evil [[TheArchmage Archmage]] -- PresentAbsence or not), and it's responsible for the SignatureScene where Twilight and Spike are nearly {{Mind Rape}}d over the DespairEventHorizon. Some fans even see it as a sort of MouthOfSauron to Sombra's, well, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]].

* HilariousInHindsight: An AncientEvil with CastingAShadow[=/=]RealityWarper powers, yet controversial for TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter reasons. Are we talking about King Sombra or [[Film/ThorTheDarkWorld Malekith the Accursed]]? [[note]]Granted, Sombra's CrazyPrepared and NoNonsenseNemesis moments still made him stand out enough to at least be a BaseBreakingCharacter; whereas Malekith lacked such distinguishability, thus indeed being a full-on {{Scrappy}}.[[/note]]

** Just how thoroughly he safeguarded his PlaceOfPower. Even Celestia and Luna could only delay him without the Crystal Heart, and they even did arguably more harm than good thanks to his backup curse on the Crystal Empire. That's right: Even in defeat, he still beat them in a way. And he still got a NearVillainVictory this time around, courtesy of his MortonsFork-style traps. Minor screentime or not, he was definitely TheDreaded for a reason.

* EnsembleDarkhorse: Object version: Sombra's door is easily his most-popular trap. It's rigged with several complex and interesting magics at once (thus proving Sombra's might as an evil [[TheArchmage Archmage]] -- PresentAbsence or not), and it's responsible for the SignatureScene where Twilight and Spike are nearly {{Mind Rape}}d over the DespairEventHorizon. Some fans even see it as a (non-sentient) MouthOfSauron to Sombra's, well, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Sauron]].

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter: King Sombra was an EvilOverlord and so powerful that Celestia and Luna had to team up just to banish him, not to mention the most CrazyPrepared villain in Equestrian history. We don't know much else about him and he dies at the end of the two-parter.

* LesYay:
** AJ states "All good things are better when they're... a Rarity." and winks at Rarity, [[CrowningMomentOfHeartWarming who awws]], and the ending song provides some for Rarity and Twilight

* {{Narm}}: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsmJ81SXE4M Throwing Your Wife Always Works]], right Shining Armor? [[CrowningMomentOfFunny It was pretty awesome, though]].

* AwesomeMusic:

* VisualEffectsOfAwesome:

* HypeBacklash: Considering Crystal Empire was following Canterlot Wedding and was the opener of Season 3 there was a lot of hype, high expectations & excitement during the run up to the premier of the episode. Since some people's expectations did not match what they where excited about so many Bronies felt the episode was kinda disappointing when it was brand new. Even some going as far as saying it was a lame opener.

* MagnificentBastard: Say what you will of King Sombra's screentime and/or lines, but no other BigBad on the show has invoked NearVillainVictory just via so many defenses.