Recap My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic S 7 E 26 Shadow Play Part 2 Discussion

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Skylite Since: Dec, 2012

Oct 28th 2017 at 7:29:52 PM •••

Idiot Ball removed. Twilight wasn't written that way for no reason.

She and Sunburst had both worked themselves up into a lather about saving Star Swirl and the pillars, only to have the Pillars react with amazement, except for Star Swirl who responds with not gratitude but anger, derision and dismissiveness, all pointed at Twilight specifically. So her happiness was shattered. Replaced with shock and shame that what she saw as a kind gesture that would help heroic legendary ponies regarded as "you thoughtless child, you have put everyone in danger" And she got no chance to bond with her idol like her other friends did with their corresponding Pillars.
So she was advised she'd made a terrible mistake, then repeatedly berated for recklessness, and every attempt to make amends nastily rebuffed and sneered at.
the combination of the above from the pony she's idolized for literally her whole life slams her hard enough in her personal weak spot (studying and magic as her point of pride) that she took the hit right in her self esteem.
We've seen in the very episode that she earned her wings that nothing hits her harder than being a bad study, messing up magic, or hurting her friends, and Star Swirl gives her a hard time for doing all 3.
we have also seen Twilight pull down whole libraries in research of a problem before. In Ponyville, Canterlot, the Castle of 2 Sisters, and the Crystal Empire, before her own castle library. A seemingly unsolvable problem motivates her like nothing else. But guilt and shame on top of that have her stressed almost to Lesson Zero levels.

Twilight is not acting an idiot. She has been driven into a depression and is unable to see the way out until her friends stand up to Star Swirl on her behalf. And even then she feels compelled to make right what she did wrong. This is all completely in character for Twilight.

Edited by Skylite Hide / Show Replies

Ferot_Dreadnaught Since: Mar, 2015

Aug 12th 2020 at 11:05:47 AM •••

And her looking up to Star Swirl, which is why she's acting this way, is how we first heard about the character in "Luna Eclipsed". This is as well established in-character idiocy as narratively possible.

pvsage Since: Mar, 2013

Oct 27th 2017 at 11:29:56 PM •••

Regarding the Deus Exit Machina entry, while it's true (within this fictional universe) that the Pillars were the most powerful ponies of their time, this is not their time; technology, magic, and society have changed a lot over the thousand years they were in limbo. If there was a chance they would have helped in the movie, wouldn't Celestia have told Luna to find them rather than the Hippogriffs? This looks more like the Offstage Waiting Room to me.

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Ferot_Dreadnaught Since: Mar, 2015

Oct 28th 2017 at 12:10:48 AM •••

Maybe because the move was written before the episode?

In all seriousness, why she want want the Hippogriffs over any of their other allies, especially given that they (save one individual) ultimately play no role and prove unnecessary in the end, is an ongoing debate.

The Pillars, I can buy that their relevance in the modern world would be diminished, but Star Swirl, the magical equal to Twilight and Starlight (save character flaws) with greater magical knowledge, I see no excuse. Deus Exit Machina still applies because it's likely the reason they were sent to the Offstage Waiting Room in the first place. If they are around to try and deal with whatever will crop up in Season 8, then we can say Deus Exit Machina is not in effect.

Edited by Ferot_Dreadnaught

pvsage Since: Mar, 2013

Oct 31st 2017 at 1:45:13 PM •••

So you think they're Writing by the Seat of Your Pants? With the episodes and movie coming out so closely, I'd think that The Producer Thinks of Everything on such a short term but, as you say, time will tell.

Edited by pvsage


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Discussion Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E26ShadowPlayPart2