History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2

-->'''Chrysalis:''' Even with your rather embarrassing little rescue attempt, everything is going according to ''my'' plan.

* DispelMagic: Chrysalis can use her own magic to force a changeling to regain its true form, as demonstrated with Thorax.

* TemptingFate: When Discord appears, Starlight has the [[SarcasmMode "great idea"]] to call him out and openly question his identity. While, there was a massive non-lethal ReplicantSnatching invasion of equestria by the changelings going on, it's still a bad idea to challenge a MadGod to prove himself given Discord's [[RealityWarper level of power]], after all, if he's an imposter, Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax would be able to handle one changeling, but if it actually is discord, you've just invited him to mess you up in many weird and impossible ways.
-->'''Starlight''': How do we know you are who you say you are?\\
(Cue Discord turning the entire landscape into something from Willy Wonka's nightmares.)

* NeverLiveItDown: InUniverse, Discord's FacePlant becomes the inspiration for their code phrase, which Discord isn't happy about.

* NotEvilJustMisunderstood: The deconstruction of the changelings in this two-parter proves this. Turns out the changelings weren't deliberately evil just for kicks, and their EmotionEater tendencies isn't all that fantastic. They really were starving for love and sought nourishment, but Chrysalis deliberately misled them to steal love instead of sharing it. Once they learn from Thorax, they quickly turn on Chrysalis and help their former captives with destroying Chrysalis's throne and helping them out of what's left of their cocoons after they've fallen and burst open.

%% PhlebotinumOverload isn't the correct trope in this situation; it's covered by GoingToGiveItMoreEnergy.

* BroughtDownToBadass: The group isn't the force they could be without their magic, but they still do pretty well.

* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: Even before all their magic is neutralized by the AntiMagic field around the hive, Trixie has no qualms about insulting Discord, the lord of chaos himself.

* DramaPreservingHandicap: Discord could have ended the plot in a snap of his fingers if he'd been allowed to use his RealityWarper powers, easily transporting the Royal Family and Mane Six safely out of the hive and out of their cocoons. He lampshades this by saying "you have ''me''. What more could you need?". Conveniently, not even his Chaos magic works around the AntiMagic field of the hive, forcing the RagtagBunchOfMisfits to use unconventional tactics.

* HeartBeatdown: A love-powered beating? Yeah, that qualifies.

* IgnoredExpert: At the beginning of the episode, Discord initially ignores Thorax when he tries to explain why Discord's magic doesn't work near the hive. Nobody in the group lets Thorax get a word in edgewise until the flying pig that Discord summoned disappear right in front of them.

* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: The Mane Six wondering what happened to them over the course of the two parter echoes fan sentiments of how them being captured by the changelings [[OffscreenMomentofAwesome was never shown]] or even explained.

* SmartBall: The four heroes ''really'' show foreward thinking and intelligence in their trek.

** When Starlight and Thorax finds Chrysalis' throne room, she has Thorax pose as her to distract Chrysalis while she sneaks around to try and disable her throne. Unfortunately her SmartBall ends there because all Starlight can really do to that end is chip at it with another rock, which just tips Chrysalis off with the noise it makes.

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: Much of the rescue mission is fraught with Trixie and Discord being at each other's throats, Thorax being a perpetually nervous wreck, and Starlight barely able to keep herself together as well as the others.

* HomefieldAdvantage: Big Time! Chrysalis's throne is carved from a dark stone that serves as a PowerNullifier, canceling out any non-changeling magic within her castle, which gives her a huge advantage despite the power level of her opponents. Not even an alicorn can beat her while her throne is intact, especially considering she has all the Alicorn Princesses (even little Flurry Heart) already kidnapped and cocooned on the ceiling above it.

* HomefieldAdvantage: Chrysalis's throne cancels out any non-changeling magic within her castle, which gives her a huge advantage despite the power level of her opponents. Not even an alicorn can beat her while her throne is intact, especially considering she has all the Alicorn Princesses (even little Flurry Heart) already kidnapped and cocooned on the ceiling above it.

* RedemptionRejection: Starlight offers Chrysalis a chance to lead by example, mirroring the choice she was offered at the end of the previous season. Chrysalis is tempted, but refuses, vowing revenge on Starlight for taking away her revenge on the Friendship Council and Royal Family. Provides the trope's page image.

* RedemptionRejection: Starlight offers Chrysalis a chance to lead by example, mirroring the choice she was offered at the end of the previous season. Chrysalis is tempted, but refuses, vowing revenge on Starlight for taking away her revenge on the Friendship Council and Royal Family.

* SmartBall: The four heroes ''really'' show foreward thinking and intelligence in their trek. They come up with a TrustPassword that they use every time one of them has to separate from the group and returns, they stick together as a group and only split up one at a time for good reasons, and use their own innate talents and skills well to make up for their lack of actual magic. When Starlight and Thorax finds Chrysalis' throne room, she has Thorax pose as her to distract Chrysalis while she sneaks around to try and disable her throne.

* WoundedGazelleGambit: A changeling inflicts this on Discord by pretending to be Fluttershy trapped under a rock. Discord instantly recognizes that it's a trap, but a patrol of changelings taunts him with the possibility that one of them might be the real Fluttershy, causing Discord to suffer a HeroicBSOD and leaving him to attack.

'''Thorax:''' Actually, I haven't been since I've met Spike. [[{{Foreshadowing And changelings are always hungry]].

At the Changeling Hive, Discord wonders why he and his companions couldn't enter the castle when he tried warping them in. Discord tries several more attempts at magical intrusion, all of which fail. Thorax explains that only changeling magic will work in the hive, since the throne of Queen Chrysalis is carved from a dark stone that blocks all magic except changeling transformation. Starlight says that their only hope is to get to the throne and destroy it. Though nervous, the unlikely heroes head for the hive to try and rescue their friends.

Starlight comes across the cocoon pods containing the Royal Family, the Mane Six, Discord and Trixie in the throne room, but Queen Chrysalis is there to intercept her, along with the rest of the Changeling Hive. Chrysalis sticks Starlight to the ground, bragging about how she'll replace all of Equestria's most powerful ponies with drones to feed her love, until she has Equestria completely under her control and obedient to only her. While talking, she notices a gleam in Starlight's eyes, recognizing him as Thorax. Starlight's attempt to break the throne on her own fails, and Chrysalis mocks them all for their failed rescue. Chrysalis lifts Thorax from the ground and begins to drain his love as punishment for betraying her, with Starlight calling out for him to share his love rather than hold onto it. As he does, a blast of the love he's gathered sends Chrysalis flying into her throne and cracks it, with Thorax's body changing to a bright, colorful form. The rest of the changelings follow suit, all of their combined sharing of love destroying the throne room, along with Chrysalis's throne, and causing the cocoons holding everyone prisoner to fall and burst open, freeing them and letting them use their magic again. Chrysalis gets back up ready to fight, but quickly realizes she's outnumbered as everyone glares furiously at her. Starlight offers Chrysalis the chance for redemption she was given: to be a real leader instead of ruling by fear. Chrysalis rejects the chance, vowing revenge on Starlight for ruining her vengeance on the Royal Family and Mane Six, before flying away, alone. The others don't even bother chasing after her since, without an army or power, Chrysalis is no longer a threat to them or Equestria. Celestia approaches Thorax and announces him the new ruler of the hive. Since the hive no longer blocks non-changeling magic, Starlight ask Discord for one favor.

* BrokenAesop: By turning against Chrysalis and becoming beautiful, the Changelings invoked the BeautyEqualsGoodness trope which unfortunately flies in the face of Thorax's own reformation during the events of "The Times They Are A Changeling" as he was proof that changelings can be good without having to become beautiful, resulting in some form of this.

* DeconstrutedCharacterArchetype: Of the AlwaysChaoticEvil trope. Love is a primary part of the Changelings' diet and it sustains them much like how food sustains a pony. The reason why they acted so predatory was because they were deliberately starved and misled by Chrysalis into believing that in order to survive, they must steal love from others. Once Starlight reveals a benevolent alternative way to love-feeding through Thorax, the other Changelings quickly turn on Chrysalis and disown her as their leader, while also making it pretty clear that they're willing to fight back if she ever shows her face again.

** The way Starlight offers Chrysalis her hoof mirrors Twilight doing the same for her in "The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2".

* DarkestHour: Even more so than the previous episode, as the heroes are without their magic and wind up getting captured one by one, joining the already captured Royal Family and Friendship Council in cocoons.

* {{Deconstruction}}: Continuing from "The Times They Are a Changeling", this two-parter deconstructs the changelings as a whole. Their love feeding really isn't some thing they do ForTheEvulz or for kicks. Love feeding is a real, legitimate necessity for them, and they were ''desperately'' hungry. It is most evident when they quickly jump on Thorax's example once he shows the hive how to share love. He is basically showing them a way of life where ''they don't have to be starving all the time''.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Thorax mentions that he hasn't felt his usual HorrorHunger since he started making pony friends, about the same time his new wings appeared.

* WhamLine: When Trixie gets suspicious that Thorax might feed on the group's love anytime soon:
-->'''Trixie:''' How often do [changelings] get hungry?\\
'''Thorax:''' Actually, I haven't been since I've met Spike. And changelings are always hungry.

* WhenAllYouHaveIsAHammer: Discord, even more so than Starlight, relies on his magic exclusively.

* WithCatlikeTread: While they are sneaking in the Changeling Hive, trying to avoid attention, Discord finds nothing better to do than yell "I HAVE A FLUTTERSHY TO SAVE!" at the top of his lungs. Naturally, the changelings are instantly alerted.

* WoundedGazelleGambit: A changeling inflicts this on Discord by pretending to be Fluttershy trapped under a rock. Discord instantly recognizes that it's a trap, but a patrol of changelings taunts him with the possibility that one of them might be the real Fluttershy, causing Discord to suffer a HeroicBSOD.

* BrokenAesop: By turning against Chrysalis and becoming beautiful, the Changelings invoked the BeautyEqualsGoodness trope which unfortunately in a way flies in the face of Thorax's own reformation during the events of "The Times They Are A Changeling" as he was proof that changelings can be good without having to become beautiful, resulting in some form of this.

Starlight comes across the cocoon pods containing the Royal Family, the Mane Six, Discord and Trixie in the throne room, but Queen Chrysalis is there to intercept her, along with the rest of the Changeling Hive. Chrysalis sticks Starlight to the ground, bragging about how she'll replace all of Equestria's most powerful ponies with drones to feed her love, until she has Equestria completely under her control and obedient to only her. While talking, she notices a gleam in Starlight's eyes, recognizing him as Thorax. Starlight's attempt to break the throne on her own fails, and Chrysalis mocks them all for their failed rescue. Chrysalis lifts Thorax from the ground and begins to drain his love as punishment for betraying her, with Starlight calling out for him to share his love rather than hold onto it. As he does, a blast of the love he's gathered sends Chrysalis flying into her throne and cracks it, with Thorax's body changing to a bright, colorful form. The rest of the changelings follow suit, all of their combine sharing of love destroying the throne room, along with Chrysalis's throne, and causing the cocoons holding everyone prisoner to fall and burst open, freeing them and letting them use their magic again. Chrysalis gets back up ready to fight, but quickly realizes she's outnumbered as everyone glares furiously at her. Starlight offers Chrysalis the chance for redemption she was given: to be a real leader instead of ruling by fear. Chrysalis rejects the chance, vowing revenge on Starlight for ruining her vengeance on the Royal Family and Mane Six, before flying away, alone. The others don't even bother chasing after her since, without an army or power, Chrysalis is no longer a threat to them or Equestria. Celestia approaches Thorax and announces him the new ruler of the hive. Since the hive no longer blocks non-changeling magic, Starlight ask Discord for one favor.

!!Continued from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E25ToWhereAndBackAgainPart1 To Where and Back Again – Part 1]]".

* FantasticLightSource: The inside of the changelings' hive is lit by seemingly organic, bioluminescent green pods hanging like fruit from vine-like structures growing on its ceilings. These vines and lamp-like pods are only scattered and occasional in some areas and cover almost every inch of the ceilings in others, in which occasions they're also found growing on the walls and floors. Of course, some of those pods are actually cocoons that Chrysalis' prisoners are contained in, such as the ones in her throne room that held the Royal Family and Mane Six within them. NightmareFuel indeed.

* FantasticLightSource: The inside of the changelings' hive is lit by seemingly organic, bioluminescent green pods hanging like fruit from vine-like structures growing on its ceilings. These vines and lamp-like pods are only scattered and occasional in some areas and cover almost every inch of the ceilings in others, in which occasions they're also found growing on the walls and floors. Of course, some of those pods are actually cocoons that Chrysalis' prisoners are contained in, such as the ones in her throne room that held the Royal Family and Mane Six within them. [[NightmareFuel]] indeed.

* FantasticLightSource: The inside of the changelings' hive is lit by seemingly organic, bioluminescent green pods hanging like fruit from vine-like structures growing on its ceilings. These vines and lamp-like pods are only scattered and occasional in some areas and cover almost every inch of the ceilings in others, in which occasions they're also found growing on the walls and floors.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Very much justified here as after Chrysalis had basically won, since she had replaced all four princesses with her minions. The last minute HeelRaceTurn of her Swarm destroyed her entire plan, her throne, and freed the Royal Family and the Friendship Council from their cocoon captivity. Needless to say, once everything is set and done, they enjoy being able to go back home and get some rest and relaxation enjoying the Sunset Festival in Our Town with Starlight, Discord, and Trixie. Not to mention for the changelings; they are finally cured of their HorrorHunger and gain beautiful new forms. Also, Thorax not only accomplishes his goal of bringing friendship to his kind, but also becomes their new benevolent ruler in the process. The Royal Family, Mane Six, and the changelings ''definitely'' earned it this time.

** The changelings also go into a chrysalis and emerge with a wider array of brighter colors and a lack of holes. Chrysalis was holding the changelings back from what they could become.
*** Adding to the above, before their transformation, and with few exceptions, the changelings looked nearly identical to each other, but now they are all unique, Chrysalis was holding back their individuality, now said individuality is clear for all to see.