History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2

* CoolChair: Chrysalis's throne is a large big stone with holes in it similar to a Changeling's body. It is also a PowerNullifier for non-Changelings. Even Discord is BroughtDownToNormal because of it.

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

* JustEatGilligan: Chrysalis doesn't bother knocking out Starlight, which would literally end the series.

** It was eventually revealed in season 7 that there was a rogue group of Changelings that preferred doing things the old way under Chrysalis's rule, possibly explaining the Changelings that impersonated everyone. But by "To Change A Changeling" Thorax has convinced them all to follow the new way under his leadership.

* DemotedToExtra: Due to Starlight getting ADayInTheLimelight, the Mane 6 don't have much attention and only Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy speak, though with very little dialogue.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Very much justified here as after Chrysalis bad 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.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Starlight, Thorax, Trixie and Discord, especially the first two in the last part of the episode, end up undoing Chrysalis's whole plan. Off the four, only Thorax was on her radar. Starlight was considered too minor to be a threat, Discord couldn't use his magic in her domain, and she wasn't aware of Trixie at all.

* TheLeader: Thorax is made the new leader of the changelings for showing them how to give love.

* ArtifactOfDoom: Chrysalis's Throne fully qualifies. Thorax describes it as "carved from an ancient dark stone that soaks up outside magic the same way changelings soak up love." It generates an AntiMagic field capable of depowering even Equestria's {{Physical God}}s or Goddesses. Its influence also seems to make plant life whither, turning the area around the Changeling Hive into {{Mordor}}. Fittingly, its destruction is the go-to solution for all the problems faced by the protagonists.

* CoolChair: Chrysalis's AntiMagic throne. Even Discord is BroughtDownToNormal because of it.

* {{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 a real, legitimate necessity for them, and they were ''desperately'' hungry. Most evident when they quickly jump on Thorax's example once he shows the hive how to share love.

* DogPileOfDoom: The shot of Trixie being captured invokes the imagery of this trope.
* 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. Conveniently, not even his Chaos magic works around the AntiMagic field of the hive, forcing the RagtagBunchOfMisfits to use unconventional tactics.

* DrawAggro: Trixie deliberately walks into a changeling trap to buy more time for the others.
* DroolHello: When Starlight (actually Thorax in disguise) enters the main throne room of the Changeling Hive, she doesn't see anyone here until a drop of goo falls on her head. Looking up, she sees all her friends (including Discord and Trixie) imprisoned in cocoons. And then, Chrysalis's laugh echoes before she emerges from hiding among the cocoons carrying the Princesses.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Very much justified here as after Chrysalis had all but won, as she still had to launch her invasion of Equestria and conquer it, 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. And 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.

* EmotionEater: {{Deconstructed}}. We're shown that being one isn't actually all that it's cracked up to be; in the changelings' way of feeding, they are perpetually starved and the feeding makes only Chrysalis stronger. When Starlight convinces Thorax to ''share'' his love, it actually ''heals'' them and grants them their true form.

* EvilLaugh: Chrysalis lets out a few when she has Starlight and Thorax at her mercy, since she has [[NearVillainVictory pretty much won]] with anypony that could threaten her plan now her captives, and Equestria completely unaware of her return (save for them and Sunburst back in the Crystal Empire).

* TheGlomp: Discord does this to Fluttershy after they're rescued.

* TheGoodKing: Thorax overthrows Chrysalis and becomes the new king of the changelings.

* HeroicBSOD: Discord goes through one when he's faced with a horde of crying Fluttershy impostors, unable to tell which is the real one.

* IndyPloy: Trixie and Starlight make repeated efforts to form some sort of rescue plan. They never actually make one and wing the whole thing except for Thorax and Starlight's gambit at the end.

* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: Chrysalis manages to escape, but only after receiving another love-powered beating, having her AntiMagic throne destroyed, losing her hostages in the royals and the Mane Six, and finally being overthrown by the now Changeling King Thorax, leaving her completely alone and destroying much of the threat she formally had. Worse, with the Royal Family and Friendship Council now knowing she's still out there and will be back, they will be ready for her when she returns. Even ''more'' worse, that army she used to have? They're now under the command of King Thorax and are allied with the ponies, and they're none too pleased with Chrysalis either.

* LastSecondChance: Starlight offers Chrysalis the chance to share the love and get redemption. [[AvertedTrope Somewhat surprisingly for this series]], she refuses.

* ReluctantHero: More precisely, a Reluctant Rescue Team; none of them is exactly happy to play hero, especially Starlight, as the others look at her for leadership, a role she doesn't like at all. But considering Equestria is on the line, their friends are in danger, and they're the only ones who can stop it. They have to get over their fears to do so.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Starlight, Thorax, Trixie and Discord, especially the first two in the last part of the episode, end up undoing Chrysalis's whole plan.

** Later, after Discord fails the TrustPassword, the others immediately know it's a changeling in disguise.

* TimeToStepUpCommander: Invoked by Starlight as she eventually realizes that sometimes you have to take a stand, even if you'd rather not.

* VillainBall: Just like the wedding, Chrysalis's plans go up in flames due to her own errors and arrogance. After [[NoNonsenseNemesis wasting no time]] disposing of the Royal Family and the Mane Six to pave the way for a future invasion of Equestria, she inexplicably [[NotWorthKilling ignores]] Starlight Glimmer and falls back into her [[EvilGloating old hubris]]. Also just like last time, it leads to her defeat, only on a much ''bigger'' cost, this time costing Chrysalis her throne, her power, the very ponies she had kidnapped out of revenge, her swarm, and even her ''title''.
* VillainExitStageLeft: Chrysalis is defeated and Starlight offers her a second chance. Chrysalis rejects it and swears revenge once more, and runs away.

* WeWillMeetAgain: Chrysalis swears revenge on Starlight right before she escapes, pretty much giving up on her original revenge on the Mane Six and Royal Family for the Royal Wedding defeat.

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

* FacePlant: Being unused to walking so much, Discord ends up tripping on a rock and falling flat on his face while the rescuers are discussing a TrustPassword. This inspires them to pick "Klutzy... Draconequus!" as their codeword of choice, to Discord's dismay.

* TheGlomp: [[spoiler: Discord does this to Fluttershy after they're rescued.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:ThePowerOfLove gives the Changelings a magical makeover.]]

* AntiMagic: The Changeling Hive, as well as a large perimeter around it, is within a powerful AntiMagic field that suppress any magic except for those of changelings, even Discord's Chaos magic. This would explain how once they were captured, the Royal Family and Mane Six could not simply bust out of their cocoons on their own. It even prevents Celestia and Luna's manes and tails from naturally flowing as well. The field seems also to have a bad effect on plant life, since there is vegetation just at the edge, but beyond that it's a wasteland.

* BeingEvilSucks: It's implied that the changelings' insatiable hunger would never be cured under Chrysalis's rule and thus would continue to ''starve''. Once Thorax shows the rest of them a better way, the changelings waste no time whatsoever following him and making up for their earlier kidnapping of the Royal Family and the Friendship Council for Chrysalis's personal revenge against them. Heck, several of them help Shining Armor and Cadance out of what's left of their shattered cocoons, and another one returns Flurry Heart to them.

* {{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 a real, legitimate necessity for them, and they were ''desperately'' hungry. Most evident when they quickly jump on Thorax's example once he shows the hive how to share love.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: Very much justified here as after Chrysalis had all but won, as she still had to launch her invasion of Equestria and conquer it, 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. And 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.

* EmotionEater: {{Deconstructed}}. We're shown that being one isn't actually all that it's cracked up to be; in the Changelings' way of feeding, they are perpetually starved and the feeding makes only Chrysalis stronger. When Starlight convinces Thorax to ''share'' his love, it actually ''heals'' them and grants them their true form.

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Obvious captives aside, Queen Chrysalis was actually misleading and using the Changelings, leaving the entire hive to suffer in constant HorrorHunger and in weakened, withered bodies. Not only do the Mane Characters need rescuing from the queen, but ''her own subjects'' need rescuing too.

* 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.

* TheMarvelousDeer: The Changelings turn from black Insect-Horse hybrids into their ''true'' form: Beetle-Like fairies that resemble deer. King Thorax in particular has beetle horns that resemble large antlers.

* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: The Changelings strike back at Chrysalis once they learn they were just being used, and suffered constant hunger because of her own selfishness.

* RealityEnsues: The Changelings only acted the way they have been because they where growing increasingly desperate to end their HorrorHunger. Desperation is a dangerous thing, and any means to end it or provide relief to suffering will make anyone do anything, even listening to a despotic, evil queen.

* TalkingTheMonsterToDeath: Starlight Glimmer [[CurbStompBattle is easily beaten up]] by Queen Chrysalis and is cornered, so she tries to convince Chrysalis that there is a better way for Changelings to feed on love, but the Queen is having none of it. Fortunately for Starlight, the other Changelings are much more receptive, and [[HeelRealization start to reconsider]] their actions and methods.

* WhatNowEnding: Chrysalis has escaped and will regroup with any remaining Changelings that are loyal to her which includes the 12 changelings that had successfully infiltrated the Friendship Castle, Canterlot, and the Crystal Castle. Equestria and the Changeling Kingdom will be forced to deal with Chrysalis' subversions should she decide to act again. It also remains to be seen if the Changeling Kingdom will change from an unsettling labyrinth in a lifeless land to a beautiful and lively place that welcomes all visitors.

-->--'''Queen Chrysalis''' (to Starlight)

-->'''Changeling!Fluttershy:''' "We're probably ''all'' changelings. You shouldn't rescue any of us...unless you think one of us might be the ''real'' Fluttershy. That certainly would be a mean changeling trick, wouldn't it?"

* TheGlomp: [[spoiler: Discord does this to Fluttershy after they're rescued.]]

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 can allow all kinds of magic, Starlight ask Discord for one favor.

** You know, Trixie, saying "When pigs fly!" to a [[TheTrickster Trickster]] and RealityWarper like Discord isn't very wise. CueTheFlyingPigs, including one underneath Trixie herself.

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.

At the Sunset Festival back in her old village, Starlight apologizes for running off so quickly, then admits she understands that she really has changed for the better. She's learned that a good leader doesn't rule by fear or by forcing others to listen, but by using their strengths and abilities. The others allow all of Starlight's friends, including the Royal Family and Discord, to join the Sunset Festival, though Rainbow Dash admits that they'll all need to be caught up to speed on all that's happened between when they saw Starlight off and when they were freed from the cocoons.

** The previous episode (past the intro sequence) begins in Our Town (albeit in Starlight's dream), and the two-parts ends in the same place for a victory celebration.

* BrokenStreak: "To Where and Back Again" is the only season finale to not include a musical number. According to [[WordOfGod Jim Miller]], this is because [[https://twitter.com/TheBiggestJim/status/789898005163810816 "there was no room due to the scope of the story."]]

* BookEnds: The episode begins and ends with Discord summoning [[CueTheFlyingPigs flying pigs]].

* FullNameUltimatum: When Starlight offers Chrysalis a chance in redemption, she instead gets this:
-->'''Queen Chrysalis:''' There is no revenge you could ever conceive of that will come close to what I will exact upon you one day, Starlight Glimmer!

* OnlyTheAuthorCanSaveThemNow

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Chrysalis mentions in the final encounter that she didn't think Starlight was worth impersonating, seeing her not much of threat. Apparently she forgot that she thought the same thing of Twilight and that ultimately cost her when Twilight [[SpannerInTheWorks exposed her plans]]. Needless to say, HistoryRepeats.

* NotBad:

* HowTheMightyHaveFallen: Chrysalis started the episode as queen of her entire species, coming within a hair's breath of conquering Equestria since she had already taken the Royal Family and Mane Six captive, and living in her personal castle. She ends it having lost ''literally everything'' right down to her crown, and being forced to go on the lamb.