> 9763

>  the audience naturally infers that the foreshadowed threat of Nightmare Moon will be overcome with the help of these new friends, which I think helps to get people rooting for them to get along. It's a bit of a 'wink-wink' that somewhat gives a clue to Twilight's later revelation in part 2 about the element of magic/friendship, which I think is more satisfying if one's anticipating it. 

Agreed. 


> The approach syncretises the goals in my view - gen 1 presents a dangerous threat so you root for the ponies, gen 2 and 3 focus on lessons, so gen 4's innovation is to make the solution to the dangerous threat into the lesson. And thus you get the core thesis statement of the show: much as Middle Earth is a world where morality has a real, tangible existence, in Equestria the values of friendship translate both literally and figuratively into magic. We also have here the beginning of redeeming the villains, which didn't always work fantastically as the show would go on but for the introduction to the show is another fantastic innovation.

> syncretises

< I'm sure people have said all of that before, but it's what came to mind while watching it.

Though it wouldn't surprise me if someone has made this observation before, I actually haven't seen this before. At least articulated quite like this. I imagine this is probably from the attitude the modern G4 fandom had to the previous generations; very dismissive and arrogant. From the cultural clash (the old adult fandom of collectors with nostalgia for the cartoons sometimes fought us, but I don't know many details) some attempts I do recall of merging and mixing elements but it was infrequent from my recollections. I think this is a interesting and potentially true. It certainly feels like it fits. 

 >>/9764/
> So something I find quite compelling is the comparison of Twilight and Nightmare Moon - I don't think it's deliberately present in the episode (if it is I'm impressed), but I was thinking about how loneliness essentially drove Luna to become Nightmare Moon.

> So Twilight's lack of friends in some ways parallels the environment that created Nightmare Moon I think, except Twilight hasn't realised it yet, given she's merely disinterested in friendship and not beyond the point of being able to make friends yet.

It is probably not intended but certainly works well it almost feels intentional. Heck, I think mmmmmrandering oranges PMV that so haunted me was working from a similar belief. 

I Took the stars in my eyes and then a made a map.
I knew that somehow I could find my way back.
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too.
So I stayed in the darkness with you.
 >>/8896/
> PMV - The Stars Will Aid In Her Escape (Cosmic Love).mp4) 

(This here is also a choice, albeit, between a world with where Twilight destoryed Nightmare Moon or one where she gave her life to save Nightmare Moon.)

I think that Twilight Sparkle being somewhere on that path fits very well. Like, her name, Twilight she is touched by the darkness of night somewhere in there. Feels like you could connect something with the popular theory on Twilight's friends (as symbolized on her cutie mark) being the stars that aided in her escape. Maybe it wasn't just Nightmare Moon. 

Hehehe, now I am bordering on good headcanon to fandic territory but I do like thinking out these things.   

Oh, BTW, the reason why that YT video is so small in resolution was because of it being one I downloaded over 10 years ago.  Now deleted. It has a certain special haunting connection that makes me feel peek Season 1 in a... how do I say it, mystical and magical way? Anyway, I think I could best summarize this ramble of mine as: I agree it does fit and that the notions and concepts around Twilight Sparkle and Nightmare Noon's confrontation always haunted me.

>  I'll get more wishy-washy from here on

In other words, I welcome wishy-washy!