I want to start on these thoughts by saying: This was the best two-parter the show has had yet. It’s better paced then any of the previous ones, it has less flaws then the previous two-parters, and we have an excellent mix of comedy, heartwarming, and an excellent beginning to the new season. Plus excitement for the rest of the season (Namely the “Six keys, Six locks” box)

They handled Twilight’s new status pretty much with ease. They both addressed the concerns, and made it clear that the show can still continue as it has been. I think even for those who were unsure about it can say they managed to fit it in quite well.

Discord was definitely a highlight of the episode. I like this “no longer evil, but still a bit of an asshole” they portray Discord as. He even got to help save the day without using his powers while still being a jerk at the same time.

And Twilight’s friends were as supportive and comfortive as I hoped they’d be. Each of her friends are helping Twilight get through the awkward phases of being a newly crowned leader. I’m hoping we see much more of this within the season.

It was just an overall great episode that even managed to give us good bonuses like showing Nightmare Moon and Celestia’s battle and Discord being turned to stone the first time around.

Now however you may be curious on what I essentially have to retcon in Genie Twilight that makes it differ from canon. I think somewhere the episode noted that the episode seemed to have implied that the entire series from Season 1 to now was all in one year. Which unless Equestrian Years are quite different from the years we know. I find that hard to believe. Because for example just look at the winter episodes we got in Season 1 and Season 2. You had Winter Wrap-Up, an episode that very much fit Twilight adjusting to Ponyville to end winter and Hearth’s Warming Eve in the middle of Winter where the friends seem to be a bit more established. Now unless Hearth’s Warming Eve takes place before Winter Wrap-Up somehow, I just can’t say that the series up until now only happened within one year. I imagine it’s a bit nitpicky and probably not even something to dwell on too much.

But I need to talk about this because this isn’t going to be the timeframe that Genie Twilight goes with. Genie Twilight’s going with that the entire first 65 episode series happened around 2-2 ½ years. The first year being Season 1, the 2nd year being Season 2, and the half year is Season 3. If I tried to retcon it now just to fit the canon timeline. Where am I going to fit Twilight and Spike’s Saddle Arabia trip in all this? As that’s supposed to happen between Seasons 2 and 3. It’s better to just have it differ from canon then trying to figure how the events of the show plus the Saddle Arabian trip all happen in one year alone. I already sometimes mentioned “year(/s) ago” so to retcon that all now for the sake of canon would be just annoying.

This issue however does not ruin much about the episode at all for me and it only bugs me a little. This two-parter is still the best 44 minutes straight of pony we have. And considering Meghan says she considers this Parts 2 and 3 for Magical Mystery Cure as well. May as well also be much, much, MUCH better 66 minutes then Equestria Girls was.