Well Season 6 has come to an end. And it’s time I share my thoughts on the Finale. I was among those who saw it early through the UK Leaks so I’ve had at least 3 Weeks to ponder my thoughts. For those who want to know the short version of my opinion more I get into the nitty gritty details. I overall enjoyed the Finale, but the ending still leaves me with many a mixed feeling. So if you absolutely loved the ending I’ll just give you that warning now.

Just a few small things on opening scene. We see that mailmare Derpy got canonized officially here which is cool. And a little funny that the festival that Starlight is invited to is called the Sunset Festival given a certain other former villain unicorn that she’s often compared to…

While it does unfortunately give off some of the bad vibes I got from No Second Prances, I am happy to see Trixie get a good role in this episode. Despite what happened in No Second Prances, Trixie has been a character I’ve wanted to see more of since Magic Duel. I just wish they’d have it more like how it was at the ending of that episode between her and Twilight. Cause based on how Twilight reacts you’d think she didn’t forgive Trixie much at all.

At first when Starlight came back to town and was meeting with the Mane 6 I thought that something happened that Trixie’s words of pretending nothing happened somehow caused some weird thing where a magical thing has effected the memory of ponies in Ponyville about Starlight where Starlight’s actions in all of Season 5 never happened. Almost like a It’s A Wonderful Life sort of thing. Now of course that wasn’t the case as it turns out, but still was a nice mystery for a little bit.

Gotta say it’s nice seeing Queen Chrysalis again, and with an overall bigger plan then the Canterlot Wedding was. Though with how widespread this plan was it does kinda present a problem with the ending later on which I’ll get to later.

BTW the scene where Thorax comes to meet Starlight and Trixie is probably one of my favorite scenes of the episode. Because of Trixie’s quieted screaming from Starlight’s bubble. Her flailing just makes me laugh everytime.

Also great to see a good use of Discord. And still so close with Fluttershy that he gets real serious and angry when he gets the notion that she was taken. Even when Discord was evil I don’t think we see him get that threatening. Geez.

Having no magic aside from Changeling magic be useful in the Changeling kingdom is probably good cause otherwise this episode is over quickly with what Discord’s capable of. Plus it really sets up for our characters to really use their wits, which really makes for a great start up for the 2nd half of the episode.

Poor Discord and that room full of (changeling) Fluttershies, it’s funny but also I’m sure a cruel thing for everyone who likes Fluttershy the best heh.

Now before I get to the ending I just want to say something about what’s obviously the best part about the finale: The interaction of the team of Starlight, Trixie, Thorax, and Discord. They really play off eachother very well. And it’s amusing that one way or another they’re a reformed villain and/or antagonist (Even if Thorax was kinda always different from the other Changelings). And they make a really good team especially when again this is all without the use of magic. It certainly makes for a great positive for the episode that even with what I’m about to say regarding how this all ends certainly tips this finale over more positively overall. I can’t say enough just how good they had this team-up.

And oh boy, as much as I have enjoyed the Finale thus far. It’s the ending that’s left me quite unsure ever since I first watched it. The changelings really change sides way too quickly for my liking. And while at the very least they didn’t go full scale with Chrysalis also going good like they easily could have. It doesn’t feel much better that her entire army turned on her that fast. I feel that with a little more time, they could of at least had some Changelings still loyal to Chrysalis. While there were other changelings that felt similar to Thorax. Thus when Thorax changes only some of those changelings change as well. And thus there is a changeling civil war where King Thorax and his newlyfound forces battle with Queen Chrysalis and her loyal forces. This would then provide the distraction needed to not only destroy the anti-magic rock but also free everyone trapped in the cocoons. That way the ending has  relatively the same point without making it look like Chrysalis is literally the only one left.

Now of course there is the chance that perhaps Chrysalis grabs the changelings that were outside the kingdom or even outright just births a new army herself somewhere. But the finale gives no strong indication, and in fact about said changelings outside of the kingdom we don’t exactly know what happened to them. Will they remain loyal to Chrysalis or will they change sides even just hearing what happened when so far away?

It just kinda bums me out that with this finale getting quite strong. But then perhaps one of the weakest endings in the entire series takes place immediately kinda plunges some aspects for me. Oh and about the design of the new changelings, I do prefer the older design but that’s never been what my biggest problem was. But either way, this is pretty much yet another really divisive finale. Granted, you could argue that in some aspects every single finale has been divisive since Season 2 (Or maybe even always, back in the early days of the fandom I’ve seen people complain about Flutterage). And considering we’re still kinda reeling from how divisive Season 5’s finale was, it just feels like too much in so soon. That said though I would say this Finale was overall better then S5’s. However it might be 2nd to last in how I’d order them (This would be Twilight’s Kingdom > Magical Mystery Cure > Canterlot Wedding > Best Night Ever > To Where And Back Again >  The Cutie Re-Mark).

So all-in-all it’s an episode I respect for many things especially the team-up of Starlight, Trixie, Discord, and Thorax. But I remain with mixed feelings about what the ending brings to the table. And I’m not sure it will be easy to ease those. They could make it at least a little bitter by providing Chrysalis with a much more loyal army in Season 7. But it would still be bogged down with no hints toward that.

Though at the very least I could say it could of gone a lot worse. Imagine if they had made it that Flurry Heart was significant in this episode, perhaps to the point she reforms Chrysalis herself. Considering Flurry Heart played a part in two significant episodes of this season it was a possibility that certainly wouldn’t have gone over well at all.

But that’s all I’ve got to say about the finale hope you understand my criticisms about the ending, but I hope you appreciate what I did take positively from the episode

Now that I’m finished with my Finale thoughts. It’s time to share my overall feelings on Season 6 as a whole.

Now I just want to say real quick that there’s no season of the show I entirely hate. Even the most divisive and short season 3 I would neglect to say was that bad overall. As heck, some of the episodes of that Season rank amongst my all-time favorites. But I have always conceded that it is at a huge disadvantage compared to the other seasons for it’s shortness. Even with about 4 of my Top 20 episodes of the show the sheer fact that the other seasons had more to show and often a good amount of great and good episodes throughout.

HOWEVER,

Season 6 at least halfway through was the first time I ever felt that wasn’t exactly the case. I want to make it clear one more time that again I don’t hate any Season. I must however say that at the very least Season 6 is probably my least favorite 26-episode for sure. And for a time, I have considered that Season 3 even with how short it was felt better then Season 6. That kinda changed in the 2nd half. Still I’d have to say Season 6 and 3 are about tied in my rankings. I still can’t say Season 6 is better, but I suppose you could take it as a detriment to the season that it can’t beat out a half-season.

The first half of the season is probably my least favorite 13-episode stretch of the show. There was highlights of course. Gauntlet of Fire, Saddle Row Review were great. And On Your Marks as well as Stranger Than Fan Fiction were good too. But other episodes were either a bit controversial, kinda average, or even downright bothersome IMO. The most controversial was certainly the opener, as well as Newbie Dash. Neither I really disliked that much. But you have Flurry Heart which even I’m kinda eh about still, and with Newbie Dash there is this huge argument on whether the Wonderbolts’ treatment of Rainbow was bullying or military-style drilling.

Though regardless how you feel about Newbie Dash, I think there’s one thing we can all agree on: it didn’t treat Rainbow’s achieving her dream with the same sort of fanfare that might of been necessary. Not that it needs a musical episode like Twilight’s ascension or the CMC’s cutie marks did. But given this is the oldest character goal, you would of thought there’d be more of a celebration then simply telling Rainbow she’s a full Wonderbolt now at the beginning.

But beyond Newbie Dash’s controversies and lack of a proper celebration my main concerns with the first half of Season 6 come from 3 episodes: No Second Prances, Applejack’s Day Off, and Flutter Brutter. The first of which bothers me mainly because I don’t think they got Twilight right, especially remembering how Magic Duel went in respects to Trixie’s involvement as she treats Trixie worse then Starlight despite the latter having done far worse even if somehow all of Trixie’s actions in Magic Duel counted as something she did in free will (Which she wasn’t because corrupting amulet). Applejack’s Day Off while not really as bad at the core, is one of the most boring episodes since Apple Family Reunion. And as for Flutter Brutter, it featured one of the most unlikable characters in the entire series and expects us to root for him by the end. That’s 3 episodes I looked at pretty unfavorably. As good as Gauntlet of Fire and Saddle Row Review were they couldn’t save the first half.

However, the 2nd half went much better. Great episodes from the 2nd half include The Times They Are A Changeling and Every Little Thing She Does. Other honorable mentions include The Fault In Our Cutie Marks, Top Bolt, and a majority of the Finale. And aside from maybe 28 Pranks Later there wasn’t a really weak episode. Enough it to save Season 6 from being my de facto least favorite Season. But still only just enough to tie it with Season 3 in my rankings. In case you need a reminder this is my ranking of the seasons:

Season 4 > Season 2 > Season 5 > Season 1 > Season 3 = Season 6

Last thing of course I want to mention is my feelings on Starlight. As a major job of Season 6 was warming her to the fandom, especially after her controversial quick redemption in the finale of Season 5. Unfortunately, I still stand a bit lukewarm to her. Cause I don’t think Season 6 did enough, that said though she’s had her highlights. Despite my feelings about Starlight I don’t regret seeing things like the entirety of Every Little Thing She Does and most of the Finale, it’s just otherwise she wasn’t appearing enough or in the case of No Second Prances just left me scratching my head with what she’s able to do. She still has some of the baggage from the redemption in the Season 5 Finale I feel. There’s nothing in Season 6 that seems convincing enough for those who had mixed feelings or worse about said redemption.

One of the main complaints you hear about Starlight is she’s like a Diet Sunset Shimmer. Which in some ways is pretty much true, even if they do have their respective differences. But perhaps one of those differences is exactly what’s become a problem for Starlight. I am of course referring to fandom reception. Once Sunset Shimmer was just like Starlight, perhaps arguably worse since Sunset wasn’t even considered that good of a villain in the first EQG movie before her own quick redemption. But once Rainbow Rocks came out, suddenly she’s everybody’s “waifu”. It took only one movie for Sunset to turn around her reception. While even after a full Season after her redemption, still finds it hard to find a consensus. Starlight is certainly one of the most polarizing characters in the show, and unless there’s something coming in Season 7 that could at least ease it a little the love Sunset gets as the EQG series goes into a direction that seems to be getting better with each subsequent film is only going to make it all the more damning.

But while there are certainly some gripes I’ve had with this season, perhaps more then any previous season. I still give credit where it’s due where we’ve had plenty of interesting and great moments. And coming into next year with Season 7, 3 EQG Specials, and the upcoming movie it’s going to be a big year for us all. There are obviously going to be some things in Season 6 that get followed up upon in some way. Until Spring of next year, we’re done though. So seeya then.