Talk:Episodes, films, and shorts/@comment-10390252-20150924084456

I've been thinking about the finale. What happens if Starlight Glimmer is successful in preventing the first Rainboom and thus stopping the Mane Six from ever exsiting? I can think of two options.

The first is that she suddenly finds herself in a nightmare world where there was nothing to stop Discord, Tirek, Sombra and Nightmare Moon. The ponies are trapped in an increasingly, small safe enclave as the supervillains slug it out for title of 'God-King of Equestria'. She then has to find the Six and help them to find the Elements and restore the Time Line. This is made difficult by the fact that they are not the same ponies and are both embittered and hobbled by their having to make do with 'second best' lives.

The truth is that this is a little dark for me. That leads to the second option.

After the light of the spell fades... Starlight Glimmer finds herself confronted by a grinning Princess Sunset Shimmer, who notes that, whatever she was planning, it obviously has failed and then effortlessly defeats her.

The story then introduces us to the alternate Mane Six led by Sunset. I'd like Octavia to bear Generosity, Muffin to bear Kindness, Bonbon to bear Honesty and Lyra to bear Loyalty. The story then follows one of their adventures during which they encounter the previously mentioned embittered and sad alternate version of the Original Timeline Mane Six. it becomes increasingly clear that Starlight Glimmer is not insane and that she really did change time.

At the climax, Sunset realises that these six odd ponies have the right idea to solve the crisis but none of the power they need. Seemingly, only way to save the day is to reverse Starlight's tampering so that the OTL Mane Six can use the Rainbow Power to save them all.

So, Sunset and her friends have to confront the choice - to willingly end their own existences, knowing that their alternate lives may not be as rich and full (Sunset, especially - Starlight made a point gloating about her being a 'disgraced exile in a world without magic'). However, Harmony is not selfish. Ultimately, it is about doing the right thing, no matter how difficult that is personally. The Rainbow Power activates...

I'm sticking with my idea that, in the epilogue, Starlight Glimmer is a totally different pony. Due to the alterations in the time-line, the Starlight Glimmer who so selfishly sought power never existed. Instead, she's a completely non-descript administrative pony working in Princess Luna's cabinet office.

I'm undecided whether anypony will remember the alternate time-line. Maybe only Spike, whose draconic nature makes him somewhat magically-resistant, remembers the change. That would be a nice character use for him: He's the one who drives Sunset to find the OTL Mane Six and acting as her 'voice of conscience' when the final decision point arrives.