Reflections

Reflections is the seventh story arc of IDW Comics' comic series, spanning issues #17-20. In the story, Twilight Sparkle and her friends travel to a mirror version of Equestria and encounter parallel versions of themselves.

Issue #17
In Canterlot Castle at nighttime, Princess Luna strolls happily through the castle hallways. In the throne room, she sees Princess Celestia disappear into a magical mirror. Unable to follow, Luna calls out for her sister to return. At the same time in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle and Spike are approached by a gray-coated stallion in a black suit and fedora, who simply tells them "there is more than one of everything" before disappearing.

One week later, Princess Luna summons Twilight and her friends to the castle to inform them of Celestia's disappearance. She leads them to the entrance to Star Swirl the Bearded's personal library, which she believes holds information about the mirror Celestia had gone through. Believing Twilight and her friends capable of navigating the mountain cave systems of Canterlot, Luna entrusts them with finding the library and figuring out where Celestia went. Twilight tells Spike to stay with Luna and to come get them if something happens.

Twilight can barely contain her excitement about walking the very same passageways that Star Swirl the Bearded walked through hundreds of years ago. In a flashback, a slightly younger Celestia speaks with Star Swirl about his discovery of other universes. She mentions a growing worry about her sister Luna and how distant she's becoming, but Star Swirl assures her that they'll help her.

In present day, Twilight and company finally find Star Swirl's athenaeum. Inside, they find several of Star Swirl's original belongings and books, as well as a statue of him and a painting of a young Celestia. As she regards the artwork, Twilight says to her friends that she always thought she'd follow in Star Swirl's footsteps instead of Celestia's and starts to worry about her responsibilities as a princess. Luckily, her friends are near to calm and reassure her.

In Star Swirl's study, Twilight and company find an extensive record of every alternate world he and Celestia visited. In another flashback, Star Swirl shows Celestia his completed mirror. The two spend decades visiting various worlds, the very first of which was inhabited by dinosaurs with cutie marks. One day, Star Swirl discovers that Celestia had been visiting one particular world numerous times. He scolds her for visiting that world too often, and before Celestia's actions put two kingdoms at risk, he closes the mirror permanently.

After this "incident", the research Twilight and the others have found ends. Having found what they were looking for, the ponies make their way back to Princess Luna through a secret passage Pinkie Pie discovers. As Twilight gives the results of their research to the princess, the mirror shines brightly and Celestia—covered in bruises—steps through. As Celestia collapses onto the floor, Twilight and her friends see a silhouetted figure inside the mirror: the figure of King Sombra.

Quotes

 * Rarity: One of these adventures, I'd love to go to a tropical island paradise instead of into a mountain.
 * Applejack: Oh, come on, Rarity. Where's your sense of adventure?
 * Rarity: It's in the comfort of a day spa and a hooficure, thank you very much.


 * Spike: Sigh... Missing out on the adventure... again...
 * Princess Luna: Nonsense, dragon youngling... You may be my adoring companion as we await their return! Come, you may start by fetching me a refreshment of hot cocoa with marshmallow bits.


 * Star Swirl the Bearded: If the secrets of cross-dimensional travel are to be kept down here, do you think I should put up some protections? Maybe a trained supernatural beast?
 * Princess Celestia: Maybe a hydra?
 * Star Swirl the Bearded: Oooooooh! I like that idea!


 * Twilight Sparkle: Well, I always knew I wanted to study magic. I want to do something with all that knowledge I've spent my life learning... Just like Star Swirl did. Just look at all the stuff he accomplished in his life! Now I guess I'm second guessing if that's going to be something I can continue doing... What if I'm supposed to be more like her. The weight of that many responsibilities... The things she's had to do. She had to banish her own sister to the moon for a thousand years for ponies' sake! Who needs that kind of pressure?!