While the other two followups are being worked on for the two-parter, I figured I'd dive on into this one. We had some absolutely incredible times with these ponies over the years, and unlike most cartoons that are suddenly cancelled without much warning, we got full-on closure for ours.
When I first heard we were getting an epilogue episode, I didn't expect at all that it would take place in the future. What a genius idea from the show staffers!
We've all had our favorite and least favorite concepts. Episodes that didn't quite hit the mark for us. There is no doubt in my mind though that without the care and love they poured into this series, we wouldn't be here 9 years later still watching it. I'm so glad we got a real ending, and I'm even more glad they kept the bar so high all this time.
Usually my followups are more jokey and filled with shipping horses for fun. This one is going to be a more serious. I'm feeling all nostalgic as I write it, and it's the perfect place to delve into some of the wonderful characters we have all become so close to.
Plus they kinda did all the shipping for me~
Go get it below!
Canterlot used to be this stuck-up unicorn city, and now we have dragons flying around giving mares flowers. Rainbow bugs riding Yaks.
Also Kirin. Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to live in a place where Kirin just lounge around on park statues all day? I'd never leave.
While this episode is going to decimate loads of old fanfics for reasons explored later, it's adding yet another layer to that ever-burning shipping pile. Griffon x pony is now canon.
That's also a pretty awesome statue ...And hopefully it wasn't a bunch of look-alikes permanently transformed like some of those other Equestrian statues. After they petrified a foal for all eternity, I'm thinking Equestrian justice is just a little bit intense.
First off, woah. Spike's lookin pretty badass grown up. We've had hints of adult spike in previous seasons. In Secret of My Excess he went full on giant Godzilla lizard mode. I'm glad they went this route. Dragon lore has been well explored over the last few seasons, and this seems a lot more fitting than all of those fanfics where he transforms into a 300 ft tall monstrosity that can't fit in Twilight's library anymore. ...The library that is gone. RIP TREE.
Though, who knows? With how slow he grows, maybe that really is the final stage in dragon evolution?
Woah X2!
She was getting taller. Or maybe the crown sparks some crazy horsification transformation? That would even help explain Luna's shift between the first and second season.
Personally, I'll always prefer the more pony model. She's growing on me though.
Gallus on the other hand looks pretty damn cool in his new royal guard armor. I wonder who he eventually hooked up with? Everyone else seems have paired up in this episode.
Introducing Luster Dawn! She continues the Shimmery, Sparkley, time of day naming theme all of these princess apprentice ponies end up with. Is that the secret to being noticed at whatever magic school keeps pumping out these royal potentials?
And in other news, Hasbro always wanted a pink main character for toy sales purposes. I wouldn't be surprised at all if Luster here is our main character for G5...
"So, just as a general warning about your upcoming 2021 reboot. You might attract some uhh... enthusiastic fans who may take it upon themselves to draw you in... interesting scenarios."
"Umm... like friendship?"
"Yeah... friendship. Lets go with that".
Right. Serious followup. I can do this.
I was hoping we'd see how Flurry Heart looked now that she's an adult in this timeline. At least we got a window for that. We also got one for some kind of battle the student six survived at some point in history with a giant red dinosaur. Maybe that will be explored in the comics?
Or maybe I'm just brainfarting and they already did that. I'm not stable right now ;_;
Obligatory cute Twi shot. That's the pone princess I know and love~
We might have some shorts coming up starring the mane cast, but this is officially the last bit of Spikelove we will get out of Twilight in the main line show. Their relationship has always been one of my favorite things. It's good to see our immortal alicorn goddess will apparently have a super-long lived companion.
Did they just add a chef Derpy side-canon for us to explore? I'd buy her cookbook. Even if it would probably burn my house down.
Of course we can't forget Lyra and Bonbon tying the knot, followed by that one time Equestria decided rehabilitation and psychiatric assistance for an 8 year old was too much work. I guess that's one way to keep society peaceful.
Something about Applejack talking about making major changes is just silly to me. Which is fitting for a silly pony.
I'll miss Flutters more than anyone on the mane 6. She was my favorite back in 2010, with Twilight slowly overtaking her for a while. In the end she won out though. I might have a bunch of OC bats and TOP TIER KIRIN distractions now days, but nothing will fill the void of Fluttershy disappearing.
Dash on the other hand...
She's... colorful?
I'd still hate spiders even if they did work in my personal money-generating spider sweatshop.
"Why did she have to bring the spiders!?"
"The brony fandom on October 12, 2019"
And probably today too.
But cheer up! We got this.
Our six favorite ponies are going to live on long into the future if our awesome creative community has any say in the matter!
The 7th one too! No matter how much that one guy that spams the comments on every single pony site after every single episode is convinced she's the next bubonic plague or something. I have a feeling this little scene was for you, angry dude.
You did it.
Now stop.
You'd think Applejack would be used to it by now.
This poor background pony. She just wanted a nice quiet train ride. Something to take her mind off of the upcoming job interview that will pretty much make or break her future career. She was up all night unable to sleep and thought for sure she'd catch some z's during the trip.
Little did she know that her bench-mate would be rockin' a box of spiders. "Why didn't I pay that extra 10 bits for first class"? she thinks as years of arachnophobia come bubbling to the surface.
Gordon Ramsay pony makes his grand return, and is apparently apprenticing Rumble? I thought for sure he'd go the Thunderlane route and aim for the Wonderbolts, but I'm glad he's not just following in his brothers footsteps in the end. Good on him.
One more background appreciation for the road. These artists have always been some of my absolute favorite in the show. They really know how to make an active setting while keeping it subtle enough to not be distracting.
Who wants to write the fanfic about Luna and Celestia's new life in Sandy Shoals? I wonder if they give up their immortality by passing the crown on to Twilight?
It still amazes me how much lore this show has built up over the years. We've met all the parents. We've explored almost every location from the map of Equestria. We've met hundreds of awesome characters, races, cultures, and so much more. Tempest and Capper even decided to make an appearance for this one.
That doesn't come anywhere near all the lore that we ourselves have built though.
Including the new one where Dr. Whooves hooks up with both Roseluck and Moondancer~
Not to mention the SEVERELY UNDERAPPRECIATED top Egyptian pony. Where's my epic 300 page comic series that spins off into an animated series for Somnambula? You've disappointed me fandom. Every day I wake up hoping to find new art for her, and every day is sadness.
The other 6 are neat too I guess.
She does look really good in that. Even with the spiders.
Which she apparently doesn't mind at all. Snakes? Terrfiying. Spiders? Not a big deal??? Moony gets it. This spiderbro propaganda has infected the internet, but Luna and I will never accept them. Never.
Good to see Treehugger brought the good stuff.
Seriously rewatch this scene. It's not even a random blinking frame. She's blazed out of her mind the entire time.
Also +1 for Cinder glow 🖤
And +1 for Autumn Blaze 🖤
And +1 for Cutest couple 🖤
They went ahead and answered that question everyone had about engagement rings and hooves. Which makes me wonder why they don't just use a necklace to start with.
These two may have murdered a bunch of Big Mac X [insert pony here] fans, but nothing can compare to the next scene!
A Moment of Silence for all the fanfics that are about to die horribly
Oh hey, Pinkie Pie got an absolutely ridiculous new hairdo....
WHAT
Well, they did have great chemistry right? Cheesypie was inevitable! I'd ship it. It got shipped! Good on her. She'll be a great mom!
Good old Rarity, married to her career! I suppose Pinkie was the big "HAHA SURPRISE BRONIES!". You got us good DHX!
"Maybe we could get to places on time if you let me do some of the chores!"
"Maybe I would if you did them the right way!"
I...
The Great Shipping Wars of 2010-2019 have officially come to a close.
Appledash fans : YOU WON
Fluttercord fans: YOU WON
Twilight fans: She's a horse now
Worry not though! The fanfics may be dead, but your overflowing brony hearts have plenty of other mares to latch on to!
Introducing a new EQD Feature!
Trixie's Greaat and Powerful Matchmaking Service!
After years of being reassured that your horsey waifus were the ultimate safe space, it's officially over. The house of cards has fallen. For all the heartbroken Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, and AJ enthusiasts out there, have some alternates now that your waifu is officially taken.
Seriously, someone check on her.
We are getting worried.
A successful dentist by day, terror on the dance floor at night. She's all the hyped up happiness of Pinkie, while also being completely forgotten by the show. They definitely aren't shipping her off with anyone anytime soon!
And Unlike Pinkie Pie, she'd clean your teeth rather than rotting them.
A cow-pony with a heart of gold! I think. Actually we don't know anything about her. She doesn't even really have a name. She's super cute though.
Stick it to all those people that called your old waifu a background pony by hooking up with one!
And finally....
"Wanna make somepony jealous?"
I'm sorry. I promised I'd stay serious. Have some Glim just chillin' here cause she got kinda shafted earlier. It's a good segway back to the present.
Nine seasons and we just found out that unicorns are capable of making Harry Potter printings.
Also this book is pain in nostalgic form so I don't want to talk about it. Doing this followup the night of the finale was a mistake.
This is the last we see of Celestia and Luna. Hopefully the upcoming season in the official comics does a bit of digging into their histories. Of all the unanswered questions we are leaving the show with, this is one I'm dying to see. Particularly between Celestia and Discord.
And thus, we arrive at the end of past-pony. The rest of the episode takes place in the future. Seems fitting that the last of the current timeline would be a group hug.
My cold, dead heart is feeling things and I don't like it.
Back to the future for good!
...And it's a song. Oh boy.
Our final shot of ponyville from above. This is pain
Stream of thought song mode activate
All of these wonderful characters we've gotten to know so well over the years. Silver Spoon, Twist, and Diamond Tiara all grown up. Lyra and Bonbon getting bags under their eyes in their 15th year of marriage.
Derpy still flapping around delivering mail.
Derpy still flapping around and keeping Ponyville's reputation for "most lost mail in any city 2010-2019" in tact.
I see Pumpkin Cake has kept the trend of giant bows being the absolute pinnacle of pony mane fashion.
A brand new set of Wonderbolts.
That school I still don't really understand the point of.
And Glimmy looking all professional in her headmare uniform.
(While Sunburst continues to wear the same cape for the last decade even though we keep telling him to replace it and it has more holes than stars at this point oh god )
Trixie continuing to represent the top of the best pony list.
And the Cutie Mark Crusaders actually grown up.
The friendship school's current #1 student.
No it's not because she's a kirin. It's because she has scales, cloven hooves, a lion mane, and curvy horn, which are all superior features. If any pony decides to present these mutations on themselves, he or she would be candidate for #1 student too.
And Ponyville's most adorable new family.
Yona's still cute. Sandbar still likes the hairy girls.
And one final twist of the dagger for all the Flutterwaifu people out there.
It'll be over soon.
Just a few more seconds...
And you are free.
Look how happy she is. You wouldn't want to get in the way of that would you?
I felt it too bros. It hurts. We'll survive though.Your Fluttershy is out there somewhere.
SUPER PAINFUL MONTAGE
One final hint for a possible future g5 cast and...
THE END
That's it. Friendship is Magic is officially over. What an awesome nine years it was. So many amazing characters. Such wonderful memories. I doubt any show will ever touch me as personally as this one did. Lauren Faust created a monster and DHX kept it tame for almost a full decade.
It's on the loose now, and it's our turn! Get out there and draw! Even if you suck at it, it's the perfect time to learn. Write that fanfic you've always brainstormed in your head! Remix that season two song you always thought would sound amazing with a Reggae twist! We've got the power to keep pony alive, and I know I'm not the only one that is going to.
Now excuse me while I dust off my drawing tablet.
!!!
