| My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #96 | |
|---|---|
| |
| Issue №: | 96 |
| Published: | April 14, 2021 |
| Writer: | Jeremy Whitley |
| Artist: | Tony Fleecs |
| Colorist: | Heather Breckel |
| Letterer: | Neil Uyetake |
| Editor: | Megan Brown |
| See also | |
| Credits • Gallery • Allusions | |
| Issue guide | |
| Previous Friendship is Magic #95 |
Next Friendship is Magic #97 |
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #96, also titled Season 10 Episode 8 and Abyssinians - Part 1,[1] is the ninety-sixth issue of IDW Publishing's Friendship is Magic comic series. It is the eighth installment of the comics' "Season 10", taking place after the series' season nine, and the first part of a two-part story arc. In the issue, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Trixie, Discord, and Capper visit Abyssinia, and their trip quickly turns sour when they end up in jail.
An adaptation of the issue and its sequel, entitled "Abyssinian Adventure", was included in Gameloft's mobile game.
Summary[]
The issue begins on Captain Celaeno's airship, where Celaeno and her pirate crew, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Lyra Heartstrings, Sweetie Drops, Spitfire, Discord, Trixie, and Capper enjoy a waffle breakfast prepared by Pinkie Pie. The group is en route to the Abyssinian capital of Panthera; Fluttershy warns Discord not to use his chaos magic in the city, and Capper is visibly uneasy about returning to his old home. Fluttershy, Pinkie, Discord, Trixie, and Capper are dropped off at the Panthera airship docks while the rest of the group departs for Parrot Peaks.
Capper explains to Trixie that, while living in Panthera, he was part of a group of street cats with his best friend Chummer, infiltration expert/escape artist Shadow, getaway expert Admiral Fluffington, muscular Max, and explosives expert Molly, whom Capper treated like family. When the Storm King attacked and the six got separated, Capper and Chummer wound up in Klugetown, where they became indebted to mob boss Verko and Chummer eventually betrayed Capper, causing him to abandon friendship until meeting Twilight Sparkle and her friends. After hearing Capper's story, Trixie decides to help him reunite with his old friends.
Upon reaching Panthera, the group discovers that, as a result of the Storm King's attack, the city has become a police state; outsiders are unwelcome, and all magic is outlawed. They are quickly confronted by Pantheran law enforcement, and while Fluttershy is eager to comply, Trixie resists by displaying magic. The group is placed under arrest—with Trixie and Discord outfitted with magic-disabling collars—and brought before King Meowmeow, the ruler of Panthera and son of the king and queen of Abyssinia. He explains that he banned all magic and turned Panthera to its current state out of fear of another magical creature attacking the city.
Capper gives an impassioned speech about the hardships he faced and the lessons he learned about friendship, saying the cats of Panthera live in constant fear under the oppressive watchful eyes of the police. He asks King Meowmeow to de-outlaw magic and embrace friendship, but this only results in him and his friends being imprisoned. Without his magic to get them out of this situation, Discord feels lost and helpless.
All of a sudden, one of the prison walls is blown in by an explosion, and a masked cat enters to greet Capper with a hug. It is revealed to be his old friend Shadow, who has come to break him and his friends out of jail. With the help of Admiral Fluffington, Max, and Molly, the group escapes into the sewers under Panthera. When Capper asks who planned this prison break, Chummer appears before him with patchy fur, an eyepatch, and a cane.
Quotes[]
- Pinkie Pie: Who wants chocolate waffles?!
- Captain Celaeno: As the captain of this ship, I demand waffles!
- Pinkie Pie: Aye-aye, cap'n!
- Discord: Oh, look, everypony, Rainbow Dash has made a dramatic and comical entrance. You know who generally makes dramatic, comical entrances?
- Trixie: This is an excellent setup. If we had brought popcorn, Trixie would be chomping it.
- Trixie: Attention, my entourage!
- Discord: Her entourage?
- Fluttershy: I always comply with regional laws. See, we're new in town, and--
- Police Cat 1: New in town? So you lot are outsiders! We don't like outsiders!
- Trixie: The Great and Powerful Trixie does nothing quietly! The Great and Powerful Trixie will not bow to tyrants!
- King Meowmeow: Centuries of glorious cat rule! Kibble in every pot and catnip as far as the eye could see. We had all of these things. Then magic came and destroyed it all!
- Capper: They showed me that there was nothing greater than friendship. They showed me that the connection between creatures, cat or pony or... whatever Discord is... could be unbreakable. They showed me that friendship was magic. And, your Majesty, if you are outlawing magic here, then you are outlawing friendship!
- Capper: Huh. Those speeches always work when Twilight does them.
- Discord: I did something stupid because I cared about somepony, and not just because I wanted to. That's a new one for me.
- Fluttershy: You know, Discord, sometimes you're sweet.
- Shadow: They said it was you, but I didn't believe it.
- Capper: Shadow? Shadow, is that you?
- Shadow: Of course it is, you old stray!
- Capper: Molly! I can't believe it! Look how you've grown!
- Molly: Hey, Cap! Good to see you!
- Chummer: It's good to see you again.
- Capper: Chummer?
