History YMMV / TheAssassinationOfTwilightSparkle

* TheWoobie:
** Celestia. Big time. Twilight's friends and family as well, [[spoiler:especially Twilight Velvet and Spike]].
** Twilight herself, prior to her assassination. She was well aware of the backlash she was receiving from the public.
** Flash Sentry, it's simply impossible not to feel sorry for him once his chapter ends.
** Alura Blueblood, Amadeus's wife. Despite everything, she's simply broken over the death of Prince Blueblood, having been in mourning for five months after his execution. [[spoiler:It also doesn't help that Amadeus poisons her in order to cover his tracks.]]

'''Result:''' Luna is able to detect Amadeus' dreamscape and enter it, which she otherwise would have been unable to do. Which leads right into the next display of common-sense deficiency;
** '''The Premise:''' Although Luna has the power to kill people in their dreams, her moral code won't let her do it.\\
'''You Would Think:''' Even if Luna's HonorBeforeReason prevents from killing Amadeus, she could still teleport to his location and intercept him. While the story does state that his ship is a week's travel from Equestria, too far for even pegasi to play catch-up, it's never said that an alicorn like Luna couldn't simply teleport there. Which, if it's within her dream-range, sounds like it should logically follow. In response to the above, WordOfGod stated that [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/140415/31/aftermath-of-a-fallen-star/runaway-part-1-spike#comment/7726345 Luna's dreamscape range is much larger than her teleportation range.]] Not to mention, being in the middle of an ocean meant that it is not a stationary location that can be pinned down on a map.\\
'''Instead:''' She sics the [[YourWorstNightmare Tantabus]] on him, with the intent that he'll spend the rest of his life suffering from nightmares, an act that gains her precisely nothing except a moment's self-gratification.\\
'''Even Worse:''' While leaving Amadeus to scream his head off, Luna then checks on Majesty before departing. She recognises that the newborn alicorn is an innocent soul, and resists the temptation to kill her. This is alright for what it is... except the very last line of the chapter states that Luna will come to regret her decision. The fact that, by driving Majesty's father insane, Luna has given her an additional reason to hate Equestria, is never brought up.\\
'''Worst of All:''' The final chapter of ''Aftermath'' confirms that not only is Amadeus going mad, the physical strain will eventually kill him, in the space of about a decade. So either Luna was using ExactWords when she said she wouldn't kill him, she [[DidntThinkThisThrough she didn't quite think through the effects years of mental torture would have on him]], or she's a self-righteous hypocrite.

* {{Sequelitis}}: Due to how [[DarknessInducedAudienceApathy bleak and hopeless the overall setting is]] as of the epilogue of ''Aftermath of a Fallen Star'' and the show itself being not as popular as before, subsequent sequels were not as well received as the previous works. [[https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/835299/low-numbers-for-path-of-dragon-and-tyrant This has not gone unnoticed by the author, who is asking for reasons why.]]

'''Worst of All:''' The final chapter of ''Aftermath'' confirms that not only is Amadeus going mad, the physical strain will eventually kill him, in the space of about a decade. So either Luna was using ExactWords when she said she wouldn't kill him, or she's a self-righteous hypocrite.

** The GenreShift upon the {{Wham Episode}}s of ''Aftermath of a Fallen Star''. There are two camps for this: 1)It's a natural progression of events due to DisasterDominos. or 2)A shoehorned in epic adventure plotline that takes the reader away from the character reactions for the sake of an EndOfTheWorld scenario.

* BrokenBase: TheReveal that [[spoiler:Gallant Heart was a mole]] and [[spoiler:Luna]] knowing about the assassination and not telling. Some fans think that it works, saying it adds a layer of complexity to [[spoiler:Gallant Heart's]] character. Others think it adds ''too much'' complexity and that it opens up too many {{Plot Hole}}s.

** The ponies' FantasticRacism, whether it was towards other pony tribes or other races have always been toned downed due to being a kids show while being played straight in dark fics like this. Come Season 8 where it's revealed that [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E1SchoolDazePart1 Equestria's education system]] is canonically employing segregated education for the three tribes, barring other races from learning in their approved schools and their isolationist policies is also the reason why there is lack of knowledge of the outside world regarding other races resulting in xenophobia. Suddenly, these kind of scenarios went from "bad fantasies" to "pretty much what would canonically happen" should the censors ever come off.

* MoralEventHorizon: Blueblood and the rest of the conspirators assassinating Twilight.
** [[spoiler:Amadeus Blueblood, the mastermind behind said act, if not sooner, crossed it by convincing Blueblood (whom was having second thoughts) to go though with it, ''and'' blackmailing Gallant Heart, who was supposed to be The Mole, into doing it for real.]]
*** [[spoiler: Amadeus seals his fate as a completely irredeemable monster during his own chapter when he fatally poisons his wife Alura (who had spent the last five months grieving over the loss of her son) just to cover his tracks when he and the rest of the Blueblood clan move to Unicornia to plan their next move to take over Equestria, and then the rest of the world after that.]]
** Silver Spoon saying she's glad that Twilight died since it (ostensibly) means that her plans for Equestria will never come to fruition. This is [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Applebloom who states that there is nothing wholesome or redeemable about Silver Spoon at this point, and would have knocked her lights out [[spoiler:if Diamond Tiara hadn't done so already]].

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Twilight's parents are definitely jerks for keeping Mystic grounded but they are right in the fact that [[SinsOfOurFathers Mystic will be targeted by Twilight's haters]] the moment she enters Celestia's school (See:Regal) and risk being among the dead during the terrorist attack while making her Celestia's personal student would just be begging for a case of HistoryRepeats.
* TheWoobie: Celestia. Big time. Twilight's friends and family as well, [[spoiler:especially Twilight Velvet and Spike]].

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Amadeus]] [[AbusiveParents Blueblood]] is the OverarchingVillain of the verse and one of it's most vile. [[AristocratsAreEvil A powerful Canterlot noble]], he was at first glance just some {{Jerkass}} who treated ponies of lesser status, especially the guards and servants, like trash. [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk Beneath that however]] he's a heartless {{Chessmaster}} who's involved in all sorts of shady dealings, including bribes, blackmail and outright Assessinations. [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulating his own son]] who he's heavily implied [[TheCorrupter to have corrupted into becoming what he is at the time of the story]], he has him assassinate [[BigGood Twilight]] [[PosthumousCharacter Sparkle]], [[IHaveYourWife blackmails]] [[ReverseMole Gallant]] [[TragicVillain Heart]] [[IHaveYourWife with his beloved brother's life]], and has the entire conspirancy, [[AbusiveParents including his son]], brutally killed [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness to cover his tracks]]. After the princess punishes his clan for his assossiation with his son, he poisons his own wife, possibly the only person he respects, not loves, [[ExactWords respects]] so he can escape to [[TheEmpire Unicornia]] with his daughter, [[TheAntichrist Majesty]], [[TheCorrupter who he drives down the path of evil, just like he did with her brother]], [[DrivenToSuicide until he succumbs to Tantabus induced madness]]. All this done remorselessly in the name of a [[{{Hypocrite}}highly hypocritical]] [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist concept of "Unity" and Greater Good for Equestria]]. [[YouMonster Loathed by everyone who knows his true nature, in and out of universe]], his POV chapter is defined best by comenter Sinigamisparda "Ladies and gentlemen, the mind of a [[TheSociopath sociopath]]."

* CompleteMonster: [[BigBad Amadeus]] [[AbusiveParents Blueblood]] is the OverarchingVillain of the verse and one of it's most vile. [[AristocratsAreEvil A powerful Canterlot noble]], he was at first glance just some {{Jerkass}} who treated ponies of lesser status, especially the guards and servants, like trash. [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk Beneath that however]] he's a heartless {{Chessmaster}} who's involved in all sorts of shady dealings, including bribes, blackmail and outright Assessinations. [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulating his own son]] who he's heavily implied [[TheCorrupter to have corrupted into becoming what he is at the time of the story]], he has him assassinate [[BigGood Twilight]] [[PosthumousCharacter Sparkle]], [[IHaveYourWife blackmails]] [[ReverseMole Gallant]] [[TragicVillain Heart]] [[IHaveYourWife with his beloved brother's life]], and has the entire conspirancy, [[AbusiveParents including his son]], brutally killed [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness to cover his tracks]]. After the princess punishes his clan for his assossiation with his son, he poisons his own wife, possibly the only person he respects, not loves, [[ExactWords respects]] so he can escape to [[TheEmpire Unicornia]] with his daughter, [[TheAntichrist Majesty]], [[TheCorrupter who he drives down the path of evil, just like he did with her brother]], [[DrivenToSuicide until he succumbs to Tantabus induced madness]]. All this done remorselessly in the name of a [[{{Hypocrite}}highly hypocritical]] [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist concept of "Unity" and Greater Good for Equestria]]. [[YouMonster Loathed by everyone who knows his true nature, in and out of universe]], his POV chapter is defined best by comenter Sinigamisparda "Ladies and gentlemen, the mind of a [[TheSociopath sociopath]].

* [[BigBad Amadeus]] [[AbusiveParents Blueblood]] is the OverarchingVillain of the verse and one of it's most vile. [[AristocratsAreEvil A powerful Canterlot noble]], he was at first glance just some {{Jerkass}} who treated ponies of lesser status, especially the guards and servants, like trash. [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk Beneath that however]] he's a heartless {{Chessmaster}} who's involved in all sorts of shady dealings, including bribes, blackmail and outright Assessinations. [[ManipulativeBastard Manipulating his own son]] who he's heavily implied [[TheCorrupter to have corrupted into becoming what he is at the time of the story]], he has him assassinate [[BigGood Twilight]] [[PosthumousCharacter Sparkle]], [[IHaveYourWife blackmails]] [[ReverseMole Gallant]] [[TragicVillain Heart]] [[IHaveYourWife with his beloved brother's life]], and has the entire conspirancy, [[AbusiveParents including his son]], brutally killed [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness to cover his tracks]]. After the princess punishes his clan for his assossiation with his son, he poisons his own wife, possibly the only person he respects, not loves, [[ExactWords respects]] so he can escape to [[TheEmpire Unicornia]] with his daughter, [[TheAntichrist Majesty]], [[TheCorrupter who he drives down the path of evil, just like he did with her brother]], [[DrivenToSuicide until he succumbs to Tantabus induced madness]]. All this done remorselessly in the name of a [[{{Hypocrite}}highly hypocritical]] [[NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist concept of "Unity" and Greater Good for Equestria]]. [[YouMonster Loathed by everyone who knows his true nature, in and out of universe]], his POV chapter is defined best by comenter Sinigamisparda "Ladies and gentlemen, the mind of a [[TheSociopath sociopath]].

* HarsherInHindsight: What Blueblood did to [[spoiler:Marble Pie]] was bad enough, factor in [[ShrinkingViolet her canon personality]] shown in ''[[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E21Hearthbreakers Hearthbreakers]]'', it takes a new dimension of [[FridgeHorror despicability and plausibility]] in exploiting her feelings such.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Twilight's parents are definitely jerks for keeping Mystic grounded but they are right in the fact that Mystic will be targeted by Twilight's haters the moment she enters Celestia's school (See:Regal) and risk being among the dead during the terrorist attack while making her Celestia's personal student would just be begging for a case of HistoryRepeats.

* BaseBreaker: TheReveal that [[spoiler:Gallant Heart was a mole]] and [[spoiler:Luna]] knowing about the assassination and not telling. Some fans think that it works, saying it adds a layer of complexity to [[spoiler:Gallant Heart's]] character. Others think it adds ''too much'' complexity and that it opens up too many {{Plot Hole}}s.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Twilight's parents are definitely jerks for keeping Mystic grounded but they are right in the fact that Mystic will be targeted by Twilight's haters the moment she enters Celestia's school (See:Regal) and risk being among the dead during the terrorist attack while making her Celestia's personal student would just be begging for a case of HistoryRepeats. Their big mistake was making Mystic TheUnfavourite and Twilight's ReplacementGoldfish instead of giving her a normal childhood while making her not even being able to attend [[spoiler: her friend's funeral.]]

'''You Would Think:''' Okay, fine. Even if Luna's HonorBeforeReason prevents from killing Amadeus, she could still teleport to his location and intercept him. While the story does state that his ship is a week's travel from Equestria, too far for even pegasi to play catch-up, it's never said that an alicorn like Luna couldn't simply teleport there. Which, if it's within her dream-range, sounds like it should logically follow. In response to the above, WordOfGod stated that [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/140415/31/aftermath-of-a-fallen-star/runaway-part-1-spike#comment/7726345 Luna's dreamscape range is much larger than her teleportation range.]] Not to mention, being in the middle of an ocean meant that it is not a stationary location that can be pinned down on a map.\\

* WhatAnIdiot: In ''Aftermath of a Fallen Star'', the chapter 'Sinful Dreams' displays this in abundance.\\
'''The Premise:''' [[BigBad Amadeus Blueblood]], the true mastermind of Twilight's assassination, having long been able to keep [[DreamWalker Princess Luna]] from uncovering his connection to the conspiracy thanks to the Dreamless Sleep Potion, is now on the run for the Kingdom of Unicornia, fleeing on a ship together with his newborn [[spoiler: alicorn]] daughter, Majesty.\\

'''Result:''' Luna is able to detect Amadeus' dreamscape and enter it, which she otherwise would have been unable to do. Which leads right into the next display of common-sense deficiency;\\
'''The Premise:''' Although Luna has the power to kill people in their dreams, her moral code won't let her do it.\\

*** '''Worst of All:''' The final chapter of ''Aftermath'' confirms that not only is Amadeus going mad, the physical strain will eventually kill him, in the space of about a decade. So either Luna was using ExactWords when she said she wouldn't kill him, or she's a self-righteous hypocrite.

** '''The Premise:''' [[BigBad Amadeus Blueblood]], the true mastermind of Twilight's assassination, having long been able to keep [[DreamWalker Princess Luna]] from uncovering his connection to the conspiracy thanks to the Dreamless Sleep Potion, is now on the run for the Kingdom of Unicornia, fleeing on a ship together with his newborn [[spoiler: alicorn]] daughter, Majesty.\\
*** '''You Would Think:''' That Amadeus, now more than ever, would shield his mind from Luna's intrusion, at the very least until he reaches Unicornia, which is presumably outside of her range.\\
*** '''Instead:''' Already thinking that he was out of range, Amadeus doesn't take the Potion. The story tries to justify this in that Luna has a self-imposed limitation which forbids her from probing people's minds for evidence, but it's very hard to swallow that a supposedly Macchiavellic figure would trust their opponent to always play by the rules. This alone is why the chapter can happen at all.\\
*** '''Result:''' Luna is able to detect Amadeus' dreamscape and enter it, which she otherwise would have been unable to do. Which leads right into the next display of common-sense deficiency;\\
** '''The Premise:''' Although Luna has the power to kill people in their dreams, her moral code won't let her do it.\\
*** '''You Would Think:''' Okay, fine. Even if Luna's HonorBeforeReason prevents from killing Amadeus, she could still teleport to his location and intercept him. While the story does state that his ship is a week's travel from Equestria, too far for even pegasi to play catch-up, it's never said that an alicorn like Luna couldn't simply teleport there. Which, if it's within her dream-range, sounds like it should logically follow. In response to the above, WordOfGod stated that [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/140415/31/aftermath-of-a-fallen-star/runaway-part-1-spike#comment/7726345 Luna's dreamscape range is much larger than her teleportation range.]] Not to mention, being in the middle of an ocean meant that it is not a stationary location that can be pinned down on a map.\\
*** '''Instead:''' She sics the [[YourWorstNightmare Tantabus]] on him, with the intent that he'll spend the rest of his life suffering from nightmares, an act that gains her precisely nothing except a moment's self-gratification.\\
*** '''Even Worse:''' While leaving Amadeus to scream his head off, Luna then checks on Majesty before departing. She recognises that the newborn alicorn is an innocent soul, and resists the temptation to kill her. This is alright for what it is... except the very last line of the chapter states that Luna will come to regret her decision. The fact that, by driving Majesty's father insane, Luna has given her an additional reason to hate Equestria, is never brought up.\\

'''The Premise:''' [[BigBad Amadeus Blueblood]], the true mastermind of Twilight's assassination, having long been able to keep [[DreamWalker Princess Luna]] from uncovering his connection to the conspiracy thanks to the Dreamless Sleep Potion, is now on the run for the Kingdom of Unicornia, fleeing on a ship together with his newborn [[spoiler: alicorn]] daughter, Majesty.\\
'''You Would Think:''' That Amadeus, now more than ever, would shield his mind from Luna's intrusion, at the very least until he reaches Unicornia, which is presumably outside of her range.\\
'''Instead:''' Already thinking that he was out of range, Amadeus doesn't take the Potion. The story tries to justify this in that Luna has a self-imposed limitation which forbids her from probing people's minds for evidence, but it's very hard to swallow that a supposedly Macchiavellic figure would trust their opponent to always play by the rules. This alone is why the chapter can happen at all.\\
'''Result:''' Luna is able to detect Amadeus' dreamscape and enter it, which she otherwise would have been unable to do. Which leads right into the next display of common-sense deficiency;\\
'''The Premise:''' Although Luna has the power to kill people in their dreams, her moral code won't let her do it.\\
'''You Would Think:''' Okay, fine. Even if Luna's HonorBeforeReason prevents from killing Amadeus, she could still teleport to his location and intercept him. While the story does state that his ship is a week's travel from Equestria, too far for even pegasi to play catch-up, it's never said that an alicorn like Luna couldn't simply teleport there. Which, if it's within her dream-range, sounds like it should logically follow. In response to the above, WordOfGod stated that [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/140415/31/aftermath-of-a-fallen-star/runaway-part-1-spike#comment/7726345 Luna's dreamscape range is much larger than her teleportation range.]] Not to mention, being in the middle of an ocean meant that it is not a stationary location that can be pinned down on a map.\\
'''Instead:''' She sics the [[YourWorstNightmare Tantabus]] on him, with the intent that he'll spend the rest of his life suffering from nightmares, an act that gains her precisely nothing except a moment's self-gratification.\\
'''Even Worse:''' While leaving Amadeus to scream his head off, Luna then checks on Majesty before departing. She recognises that the newborn alicorn is an innocent soul, and resists the temptation to kill her. This is alright for what it is... except the very last line of the chapter states that Luna will come to regret her decision. The fact that, by driving Majesty's father insane, Luna has given her an additional reason to hate Equestria, is never brought up.\\
'''Worst of All:''' The final chapter of ''Aftermath'' confirms that not only is Amadeus going mad, the physical strain will eventually kill him, in the space of about a decade. So either Luna was using ExactWords when she said she wouldn't kill him, or she's a self-righteous hypocrite.

'''Instead:''' For no given reason, Amadeus doesn't take the Potion. The story tries to justify this in that Luna has a self-imposed limitation which forbids her from probing people's minds for evidence, but it's very hard to swallow that a supposedly Macchiavellic figure would trust their opponent to always play by the rules. This alone is why the chapter can happen at all.\\

'''You Would Think:''' Okay, fine. Even if Luna's HonorBeforeReason prevents from killing Amadeus, she could still teleport to his location and intercept him. While the story does state that his ship is a week's travel from Equestria, too far for even pegasi to play catch-up, it's never said that an alicorn like Luna couldn't simply teleport there. Which, if it's within her dream-range, sounds like it should logically follow.\\

** In fact, it would've been interesting to see how ''anyone'' who hates Twilight reacts to her death.
** In regards to the latter, the author has promised chapters about Tirek, Amadeus Blueblood, and an OC who hates Twilight.

** A NotSoSafeHarbor which dabbles in all forms for crimes outside Equestria that has a diverse population of various races and species living together? Are talking about Erebus Isles or [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 Klugetown]]?

* HilariousInHindsight: "The Gift of the Maud Pie" reveals that, yes, Pinkie's abilities do run in the family.

* {{Narm}}: In ''Aftermath of a Fallen Star,'' each character's point-of-view chapter ends with a short epilogue describing what they went on to do with their lives, with almost every character being given a RedBaron-esque title. It works for some characters such as Rainbow Dash, the "Loyal Flyer", or Fluttershy, the "Gentle Butterfly". Not so much for Pinkie, the "Pink Balloon" or Donut Joe, the "Empty Donut". Possibly

* BaseBreaker: [[spoiler:Gallant Heart's]] reveal to be [[TheMole a mole]] And [[spoiler:Luna]] knowing about the assassination and not telling. Some fans think that it works, saying it adds a layer of complexity to [[spoiler:Gallant Heart's]] character. Others think it adds ''too much'' complexity and that it opens up too many {{Plot Hole}}s.
* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: With the fact that this version of Equestira was incredibly racist, intolerant and backwards to the extent that any attempt to modernize the country was met with [[spoiler:civil war]], and the Princesses having done NOTHING at all to address this until Twilight came along, it's a little hard to get invested in the story.
* EnsembleDarkHorse: Stag, a changeling OC has quickly become this [[PsychoForHire due to his profession]].

* HilariousInHindsight: "The Gift of the Maud Pie" reveals that yes, Pinkie's abilities do run in the family.

** Equestrian's First, an anti-Twilight terrorist cell, bombing Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns on the 15th anniversary of her death. With that in mind, [[spoiler:you won't feel the least bit of sympathy for them when Stag infiltrates their base with the help of an unwitting scout and has them all executed]].