History YMMV / GettingBackOnYourHooves

** Checker Monarch is a villainous pony and a BitchInSheepsClothing with a [[TheChessmaster chess piece]] for a cutie mark, something she shares with [[spoiler:Season 9's Cozy Glow]].

* LoveToHate: Checker Monarch is basically the ''My Little Pony'' equivalent to [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Frollo]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Umbridge]], or [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Ozai]]: A villain so loathsomely ''[[CompleteMonster evil]]'' and so subtly terrifying that it's honestly amazing. Bonus points for the writer STILL managing to maintain OriginalFlavour despite her inclusion.

* LoveToHate: Checker Monarch is basically the ''My Little Pony'' equivalent to [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Frollo]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Umbridge]], or [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Ozai]]: A villain so loathsomely ''[[CompleteMonster evil]]'' and so subtly terrifying that it's honestly amazing. Bonus points for the writer STILL managing to maintain OriginalFlavour despite her inclusion.

* TearJerker: Paraderpy's cover art for [[http://paraderpy.deviantart.com/art/Nightmare-318673567 chapter 9]]. Also counts as NightmareFuel.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheChessmaster Checkmate "Checker" Monarch]] is Trixie's [[BigSisterBully sociopathic sister]] and a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow surprisingly dark villain]] for an otherwise lighthearted fanfic. Finding out that Trixie's getting back on her hooves, she dedicates herself to ruining Trixie's life like she did before, starting with using an illegal [[DreamWeaver dream infiltration spell]] to [[MindRape give Rainbow Dash frightening nightmares about Trixie bullying her]], and later invading Trixie's dreams when her plan to turn Trixie and Dash against one another fails. When Checker's attempts at breaking Trixie's confidence fail, she tries to murder Dash with a lightning bolt as a response to her not doing what Checker wanted, and has the Diamond Dogs kidnap Trixie so she can [[SadisticChoice force her to choose between leaving Ponyville forever or watch as she destroys the homes and livelihoods of her friends]], dumping her in the desert when she chose to leave, [[ILied still intending on following through her threat anyway]]. When her plans were publicly exposed, she traps Trixie, the Mane Six, and herself in their dreams, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then exploits the inner doubts of the Mane Six, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self-doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

** Checker Monarch herself is a massive source of FridgeHorror. To the uninformed, she may seem like a stereotypical Cartoonish Super Villain, committing acts of cruelty simply ForTheEvulz. But then you do a little research and realise that since she's based on real-life sociopaths, ''there are really people like her out there''.
* GeniusBonus: [[BatOutOfHell The Ropen]] is an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropen actual cryptid from New Guinea]], but so obscure many readers will likely never have heard of it. The author included it mainly to invoke this trope for fans of Cryptozoology who'd recognize it.

** And if you didn't hate her after that, you'll ''definitely'' hate her after she [[spoiler: forces Trixie to make a SadisticChoice that results in Trixie abandoning her new, happy life and being dumped in the desert -- and then decides to carry out the other part of the SadisticChoice anyway, purely out of spite]].

** The character of [[CompleteMonster Checker]] [[TheChessmaster Monarch]] is downright ''terrifying''. She's a powerful, cold, calculating and heartless [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who enjoys [[spoiler: [[MindRape Mind Raping]] ponies in their dreams]], and is utterly merciless in her attempts to ruin Trixie's life (made even worse by the fact that [[spoiler: Trixie is her sister]]). Just about everyone Checker runs into is terrified of her, including her own henchmen. Especially horrifying is when [[spoiler: she completely snaps at the end of chapter 9 and she plots revenge against Ponyville and Canterlot, as the red in the heart of her Cutie Mark runs off in the rain - revealing the heart to be black]]. What makes Checker so terrifying is that her behavior is based off of real-life sociopaths, so unlike characters like Discord and Chrysalis, ''there are really people like her out there''.

* TheWoobie: Trixie's life from the end of the Ursa Minor incident onwards ''suuuuuucks''.

** So basically the plot of Getting Back on Your Hooves is about a former SmugSnake antagonist being humbled after her previous defeat and having to restore her faith in herself and prove to everyone that she's not the villain she used to be as the Mane Six help her learn valuable lessons about friendship. Meanwhile, a subtly creepy unicron villainess uses her sinister mind-control magic and manipulative talents to turn the populace against her and manipulate the growing tensions to her own designs. '''''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE ELSE??]]'''''

* CompleteMonster: [[TheChessmaster Checkmate "Checker" Monarch]] is Trixie's [[BigSisterBully sociopathic sister]] and a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow surprisingly dark villain]] for an otherwise lighthearted fanfic. Finding out that Trixie's getting back on her hooves, she dedicates herself to ruining Trixie's life like she did before, starting with using an illegal [[DreamWeaver dream infiltration spell]] to [[MindRape give Rainbow Dash frightening nightmares about Trixie bullying her]], and later invading Trixie's dreams when her plan to turn Trixie and Dash against one another fails. When Checker's attempts at breaking Trixie's confidence fail, she tries to murder Dash with a lightning bolt as a response to her not doing what Checker wanted, and has the Diamond Dogs kidnap Trixie so she can [[SadisticChoice force her to choose between leaving Ponyville forever or watch as she destroys the homes and livelihoods of her friends]], dumping her in the desert when she chose to leave, [[ILied still intending on following through her threat anyway]]. When her plans were publicly exposed, she traps Trixie, the Mane Six, and herself in their dreams, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then exploits the inner doubts of the Mane, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self-doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheChessmaster Checkmate "Checker" Monarch]] is Trixie's [[BigSisterBully sociopathic sister]] and a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow surprisingly dark villain]] for an otherwise lighthearted fanfic. Finding out that Trixie's getting back on her hooves, she dedicates herself to ruining Trixie's life like she did before, starting with using an illegal [[DreamWeaver dream infiltration spell]] to [[MindRape give Rainbow Dash frightening nightmares about Trixie bullying her]], and later invading Trixie's dreams when her plan to turn Trixie and Dash against one another fails. When Checker's attempts at breaking Trixie's confidence fail, she tries to murder Dash with a lightning bolt as a response to her not doing what Checker wanted, and has the Diamond Dogs kidnap Trixie so she can [[SadisticChoice force her to choose between leaving Ponyville forever or watch as she destroys the homes and livelihoods of her friends]], dumping her in the desert when she chose to leave, [[ILied still intending on following through her threat anyway]]. When her plans were publicly exposed, she traps Trixie, the Mane Six, and herself in their dreams, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then exploits the inner self doubts of the Mane, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheChessmaster Checkmate "Checker" Monarch]] is Trixie's [[BigSisterBully sociopathic sister]] and a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow surprisingly dark villain]] for an otherwise lighthearted fanfic. Finding out that Trixie's getting back on her hooves, she dedicates herself to ruining Trixie's life like she did before, starting with using an illegal dream infiltration spell to [[MindRape give Rainbow Dash frightening nightmares about Trixie bullying her]], and later invading Trixie's dreams when her plan to turn Trixie and Dash against one another fails. When Checker's attempts at breaking Trixie's confidence fail, she tries to murder Dash with a lightning bolt as a response to her not doing what Checker wanted, and has the Diamond Dogs kidnap Trixie so she can [[SadisticChoice force her to choose between leaving Ponyville forever or watch as she destroys the homes and livelihoods of her friends]], dumping her in the desert when she chose to leave, [[ILied still intending on following through her threat anyway]]. When her plans were publicly exposed, she traps Trixie, the Mane Six, and herself in their dreams, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then exploits the inner self doubts of the Mane, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

* CompleteMonster: [[TheChessmaster Checkmate "Checker" Monarch]] is Trixie's sociopthic sister and a [[VileVillainSaccharineShow surprisingly dark villain]] for an other wise lighthearted fanfic. Finding out that Trixie's getting back on her hooves, she dedicates herself to ruining Trixie's life like she did before, starting with using an illegal dream infiltration spell to [[MindRape give Rainbow Dash frightening nightmares about Trixie bullying her]] and later invading Trixie's dreams when her plan to turn Trixie and Dash against one another fails. When Checker's attempts at breaking Trixie's confidence fails, she tries to murder Dash with a lightning bolt as a response to her not doing what Checker wanted her to do and has the Diamond Dogs kidnap Trixie so she can [[SadisticChoice force her to choose between leaving Ponyville forever or watch as she destroys the homes and livelihoods of her friends]], dumping her in the desert when she chose to leave, [[ILied still intending on following through her threat anyway]]. When her plans have been publicly exposed, she traps Trixie, the Mane 6, and herself in their dreams, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then exploits the inner self doubts of the Mane, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

* NightmareFuel: The character of [[CompleteMonster Checker]] [[TheChessmaster Monarch]] is downright ''terrifying''. She's a powerful, cold, calculating and heartless [[TheSociopath sociopath]] who enjoys [[spoiler: [[MindRape Mind Raping]] ponies in their dreams]], and is utterly merciless in her attempts to ruin Trixie's life (made even worse by the fact that [[spoiler: Trixie is her sister]]). Just about everyone Checker runs into is terrified of her, including her own henchmen. Especially horrifying is when [[spoiler: she completely snaps at the end of chapter 9 and she plots revenge against Ponyville and Canterlot, as the red in the heart of her Cutie Mark runs off in the rain - revealing the heart to be black]]. What makes Checker so terrifying is that her behavior is based off of real-life sociopaths, so unlike characters like Discord and Chrysalis, ''there are really people like her out there''.
** The Ropen in the Everfree Forest. Most works depict the Ropen as a [[RuleOfCool glowing pterodactyl]]. Not this one. In this one it's a gigantic, blind bat that glows a bright white light to lure prey in like an anglerfish. Worse still, since it can't see, Fluttershy can't use the stare on it.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Checker uses a bees nest to attack Trixie at Cheerilee's school, allowing the foals to get stung. [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E4OnYourMarks Turns out Applebloom is allergic.]]
* FridgeHorror: As pointed in the ''AudioPlay/KPNYRadio'' episode about the fic, Checker uses a bees nest to attack Trixie at Cheerilee's school, meaning she ''knowingly'' allowed a class [[WouldHurtAChild full of foals]] to be stung by a swarm of bees, not caring if any were allergic or not.

** HilariousInHindsight: In the same chapter, while Rainbow Dash is dismissing the idea of Trixie being nice, she makes a comment about [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E11KeepCalmAndFlutterOn Discord becoming a good guy]].

* LoveToHate: Checker Monarch is basically the ''My Little Pony'' equivalent to [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Frollo]], [[Literature/HarryPotter Umbridge]], or [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Azula]]: A villain so loathsomely ''[[CompleteMonster evil]]'' and so subtly terrifying that it's honestly amazing. Bonus points for the writer STILL managing to maintain OriginalFlavour despite her inclusion.

* CompleteMonster: The BigBad is [[TheChessmaster Checker]] [[ManipulativeBastard Monarch]], [[spoiler: Trixie's [[CainAndAbel sister]]]], who has been ruining her life out of [[EvilIsPetty pettiness]] and [[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]] since they were fillies. She gets the Diamond Dogs to [[PsychoForHire work for her]] primarily through [[OnlyInItForTheMoney bribery]], but also threatens to demolish their mine and build a parking lot on top of it with them still in it if they try to double cross her. And then she crosses the MoralEventHorizon when she {{Mind Rape}}s Rainbow Dash with an illegal [[DreamWeaver dream infiltration]] spell in order to turn her on Trixie, something [[EvenEvilHasStandards even the Dogs find disturbing]]. After her VillainousBreakdown, she first tries to outright murder Rainbow Dash with lightning just for not responding to her earlier manipulations the way she should have, and then performing a particularly cruel SadisticChoice on Trixie that ends with her dumped in the desert, with Checker planning to carry out her threat against her friends anyway. After she is exposed as the monster she is, she, for no reason other than pure pettiness and spite, traps Trixie, the Mane Cast, and herself in the dream verse, knowing that others won't be able to do anything because forcefully waking up a pony affected by a dream invasion spell would kill the target. She then {{Mind Rape}}s the Mane Six by exploiting their inner self doubts, in the forms of their friends and families turning against them because of said self doubt. As for Trixie, she drops the manipulation and actively tries to murder her, taking the form of a mutated Ursa Major specifically so Trixie would die terrified.

* MagnificentBitch: Checker Monarch hovers somewhere between this and SmugSnake. Despite her narcissism, she is ''still'' an effective [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] and despite being a normal unicorn, she is arguably a bigger threat to the cast than even ''[[RealityWarper Discord]]'' was.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[IAmBecomingSong "Through New Eyes"]]
** [[http://youtu.be/MMsYpm67zY4 "Live Again"]], used as the ending theme with permission by the composers.
** ''All'' of Checker's {{Villain Song}}s.

** Checker Monarch herself is a massive source of FridgeHorror. To the uninformed, she may seem like a stereotypical CartoonishSuperVillain, committing acts of cruelty simply ForTheEvulz. But then you do a little research and realise that since she's based on real-life sociopaths, ''there are really people like her out there''.

* MagnificentBitch: Checker Monarch hovers somewhere between this and SmugSnake. Despite her narcissism, she is ''still'' a DangerouslyGenreSavvy and effective [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] and despite being a normal unicorn, she is arguably a bigger threat to the cast than even ''[[RealityWarper Discord]]'' was.

** ''All'' of Checker's {{Villain Song}}s

* CompleteMonster: Checker Monarch has NO redeeming qualities whatsoever, and there's the fact that her entire motivation for ruining Trixie's life is pure [[EvilIsPetty pettiness]] and [[spoiler:[[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]]]].
** She actually gets ''worse'' after her VillainousBreakdown. First she tries to outright ''murder'' Rainbow Dash with lightning just because she didn't do as predicted in Checker's earlier plan, and then she carries out the second MoralEventHorizon listed below.
* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[IAmBecomingSong "Through New Eyes"]]

** Checker Monarch herself is a massive source of FridgeHorror. To the uninformed, she may seem like a stereotypical CartoonishSuperVillain, committing acts of cruelty simply ForTheEvulz. But then you do a little research and realise that since she's based on real-life sociopaths,''there are really people like her out there''.

* CompleteMonster: Checker Monarch has ''no'' redeeming qualities whatsoever, and there's the fact that her entire motivation for ruining Trixie's life is pure [[EvilIsPetty pettiness]] and [[spoiler:[[GreenEyedMonster jealousy]]]].

** So basically the plot of Getting Back on Your Hooves is about a former SmugSnake antagonist being humbled after her previous defeat and having to restore her faith in herself and prove to everyone that she's not the villain she used to be as the Mane Six help her learn valuable lessons about friendship. Meanwhile, a subtly creepy [[WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender Azula]] {{Expy}} uses her sinister mind-control magic and manipulative talents to turn the populace against her and manipulate the growing tensions to her own designs. '''''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO ANYONE ELSE??]]'''''
* LoveToHate: Checker Monarch is basically the ''My Little Pony'' equivalent to [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Frollo]] or [[Literature/HarryPotter Umbridge]]: A villain so loathsomely ''[[CompleteMonster evil]]'' and so subtly terrifying that it's honestly amazing. Bonus points for the writer STILL managing to maintain OriginalFlavour despite her inclusion.

* LoveToHate: Checker Monarch is basically the ''My Little Pony'' equivalent to [[Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Frollo]] or [[Literature/HarryPotter Umbridged]]: A villain so loathsomely ''[[CompleteMonster evil]]'' and so subtly terrifying that it's honestly amazing. Bonus points for the writer STILL managing to maintain OriginalFlavour despite her inclusion.