What kind of "end game" villain would you want to see at the end of the series?
A pre-existing antagonist with a new edge, multiple baddies in league with each other, or some fresh new idea the show hasn't done yet? Pitch your ideas ITT.
The Mane 6 turn against each other.
Alien invasion
>>26420337
Corrupt Twilight, the other 5 have to beat/save her.
>>26420337
Time. They all slowly die of old age one by one.
>>26420337
Something that can't be beaten with friendship/magic and is far too physically powerful to take head on. This would feel like a major threat because friendship is really the only string to their bow, when it comes to major villains.
It would be a quest for some mcguffin that would defeat it, like the very first 2 episodes, where friendship helps along the road to fixing the problem, and isn't the end solution for the problem.
You could still have a hearty friendship moral to it, as the characters themselves are forced to overcome obstacles and interact with eachother rather than have a magic deus ex machina moment, or at least save that for the end.
>>26420852
I'd really love to see an episode that subverts the 'friendship/love itself is the deus ex machina' bullshit and have the girls out maneuver the big bad themselves with their best strengths through teamwork, presumably where they'd be underestimated the most.
The pilot episode kinda/sorta of touched upon the idea, and made the Elements of Harmony feel more like the payoff for their efforts rather than the easy fix to the supernaturally powerful villain. After that, it just became too formulaic. Maybe if the writers bothered to give the antagonists proper shortcomings to their strengths, if not blatant 'Kryptonite-esque' weaknesses, then it'd be a little more easier to do something a little more creative with how they're defeated..
>>26420337
I kind of want to see the chaotic version of harmony. The show makes it out to be that harmony is good and chaos is evil, but in reality neither one falls on either side of the axis. I'd like to see the idea of chaos explored more as an acceptable ideal.
>>26420337
>implying this ride will ever end
>>26420337
I can't be the only one who wants the series to end with a normal episode?
it doesn't have to go out with a bang, I just want a heartfelt and slightly melancholy episode to wrap the show up and not any bs villain nonsense it'll likely be
>>26420337
To be honest, Tirek kind of felt like an end game villain to me. Everything about him was just ultimate bad, he didn't fuck around. Taking literally everyone's magic was a feat beyond measure. The fact that he tied into G1 also made him stand out. So many people dislike the S4 finale, but I loved it, and he was one of the main reasons why.
As for an ultimate antagonist? Like a movie-tier antagonist? I've thought on it, but it's hard to come up with something wholly original. Ideas:
>Someone who isn't morally wrong, but who simply isn't compatible with the Mane 6 and their ideology
Some might argue this was Glimmer and her lil' town of paradise, but she wasn't morally justified in taking others' cutie marks, not giving them back if they missed them, and making herself the double standards leader. She especially wasn't justified when the reason she did it all was revealed. Another possible example is Queen Chrysalis and her Changelings, who were simply doing what was in their nature. But survival isn't an easily demonstrable lesson for children, and the whole concept becomes a gray area.
>The Mane 6 turn against each other (>>26420349)
It's been done since Return of Harmony, and several times since. I really wish they had saved this one for the end, whether show or movie, but it's such an obvious plot for a show based around friendship and unity. I liked how they fell out with one another without being magically influenced to do so in Rainbow Rocks, and the sirens benefited from it, but that was largely due to RD being extra cunty.
>Put the Mane 6 through such rigorous trials that test their friendship that they naturally begin resenting each other
This would be cool...if it could be pulled off right. It'd be hard to genuinely portray them getting fed up with one another over personal differences. They're such good friends by now that I think they could overcome any personal flaws.
>>26420337
>show ends like seinfeld
>>26420337
Sombra.
>>26420337
>Ancient Dragon Sorcerer
>Reality Warping Beholder
>Lich
Any of those would be great.
>>26420337
It's getting a bit ridiculous with making the villains more powerful each season. Discord was really powerful, and then they had to up it to Tirek, who could suck up everyone's power, and then Starlight Glimmer who controls fucking time. Where do you go from fucking time warping? What's more powerful than that, beyond reality bending?
>>26421175
The guy who invented time travel among other things >>26421148
>>26421148
>>26421187
I don't think Starswirl would be a villain. He didn't understand friendship, but he definitely acted in the interest of it.
>>26421148
Silly anon, that's justDiscord.
>>26420337Anon
>>26421240
I totally uploaded this picture with that post
>>26420365
That would actually be quite cool, to be honest.
>Ponies against advanced technology
>>26420337
Spike.
I want big evil dragon spike.
>>26421272
>not wanting him to become the next guardian of Equestria
>>26420337
Discord.
>>26420337
Every time someone posts this kind of thread, I posting this. A Giygas-tier villain, who's defeated in a very similar way to how he was in EarthBound.
>>26420337
I want to see an antihero.
The whole villain meme in this show has been so far stretched that the villains become villains because their buddy got a cutie mark and moved. Villains in MLP turn evil because of slice of life problems? Not even kids believe that.
This show needs someone who does not act in the interest of Equestria's fascism nor the Element's of Harmony. Someone who isn't necessarily evil, but isn't ready to buddy-up with the Mane 6.
Someone who can teach the Mane 6 valuable lessons in unconventional ways. The antihero we need, but not the one we deserve.
>>26421750
You mean discord?
>>26421768
Discord got shilled into being their friend, if he was still off doing his own thing he'd be perfect.
>>26420337
this dynamic duo
>>26421790
Lurker pls.
>>26421434
Actually, fuck it, that does sound better. Nvm, I take back my answer.
>>26420337
I want it to be a villain who flat out defeats the M6 and imprisons them, leaving Celestia and Luna to take him/her down. They can make it another alicorn who spec'd in tech (hence magic/friendship shit not being very effective) or something that toe sisters have to use some advanced magic (beyond the usual laser spam most magic fights go into) to dismantle their weaponry or something
Why not some allfather villain that been in league with the other villains, but is also manipulating Equestria itself (a la pic related). This villain might, but does not necessarily need to, predate Celestia and Luna, though a link between them would be nice. For further complexity, an element of friends-turned-enemies should be thrown in and the villain would have grown in power over time, mastering exotic forms of magic that are initially wholly incomprehensible to the cast. This villain is, of course, defeated, but not before defeating Celestia and Luna in the process. The series ends with the Mane 6 defeating said villain and assuming control after the villain's defeat.
>>26421453
I'll second that (from the poster of >>26422219)
>>26421073
>Equestria encounters Orwellian societies...
>>26421453
Elaborate.
>>26421175Midnight Sparkle almost destroyed the universe.
>>26420337
A misguided, but not evil, Princess Celestia.
Similar to the Canterlot Wedding episode, Twilight knows something that she can't convince her friends and mentor of, and after exhausting all other options she/they must fight.
I want to see Celestia become the villain
>>26422355
You either die a hero...
>>26422276
I can't unless you want me to go full autism.
>>26422365
Or live long enough to see yourself be replaced by a table.
The only thing that really bothers me is that for all the advanced magic that exists (Time, Gravity, environment/weather manipulation, transmutation, ect), all magic fights are reduced to beamspam, shields, or insta-win rainbows. Like, we never see any of those spells even slightly used to tip the scales in somepony's favor
>>26420337
Twilight Sparkle.
Hell, why not have them get their shit kicked in by someone who does not use, but cleverly circumvents magic?
Human
Actual human , not EG abomination
Maybe something babylonian,fags will call it symbolic.Maybe Megan.
>>26420337
A pony 'Dr Wiley" who successfully conquers Equestria for a time, only to have Twilight build a pony capable of defeating him once she finds the scattered EoH team to gain their powers
>>26422276
He can't because earthbound is shit.
>>26422543
>>26422355
>I want to see Celestia become the villain
>Implying she hasn't always been
>>26420337
The plot:
The 4th wall is finally broken for good.
Another world watches on and perhaps even pulls the strings of their own.
Real humans from the show staff aren't necessary but it would be the natural choice. Perhaps revisions happen in media res. They never need appear or speak, reference or evidence alone will be sufficient.
Ponies can't get to the Crystal Empire, communications are going dark all over Equestria, the trains leave but never return, none of the Pegasai can coordinate the weather, nopony's seen a Griffon or a Dragon in a month, Discord is missing, etc.
The crisis:
Does this voyeuristic puppeteering devalue their accomplishments?
Are their friendships more hollow for this realization?
Are the various ponies and races of Equestria okay with their lives being perfectly scrutinized and controlled?
What will they do with the certain knowledge that after the next few hours their world will effectively end, nothing more than a dream.
The resolution:
No pony, no one, is ever alone.
Even if they must stop, or die, or whatever may come, they will always have who and what they were and each other.
All things end. That which lives on is that power to better the lives of others; their friends.
Because they are, and they were, what they were, they >know they had friends out there, even though they never knew it before.
Remember us friends, in our last moments we will think of you our legacy, with joy.
For additional feels, break open link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZDhMKk4tfg
>>26422610
>"Who do you think freed Tirek, my faithful student? Who do you think left that book of dark magic laying where my dear sister would find it? Who do you think brought the Crystal Empire out of the void, or allowed Chrysalis into the castle to begin with?"
>"It was all to make you stronger. You were always meant for a singular purpose."
>"Now you have one last test to pass."
>"Defeat me or perish."
Along the lines of the other "rogue alicorn" scenarios, how about this:
The hints about a hidden city of alicorns are true! Canterlot has a hidden twin city that appears, Brigadoon-style, every few thousand moons.
The inhabitants are refugees. They fled the Mother of All Alicorns. Much like the Titan Kronos, she devours her children because of a prophecy that one day one of her progeny will slay her. The few minor alicorns that could escape her wrath tried smuggling out the gem-like eggs she used to trap her daughters.
Back in the day, Starswirl explored the alicorn city and managed to hatch two of these eggs. Filly Luna and Celestia couldn't stay in the alicorn city, as Mother would find them, so Starswirl took them in and the ponies of Equestria adopted them as their leaders.
Mother's still out there, though. She found Celestia and Luna back in the days of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Celestia and Luna managed to trick her into entering a one-way mirror, but neither of them believed that this minor magical trap would ever hold her terrible power.
And what's she like? I was thinking a kind of living galaxy in pony form, with the personality and modus operandi of, say, Grant Morrison's conception of Darkseid. She is the original inspiration for Nightmare Moon, a terrible luminous darkness that hurts to look at slowly undoes the observers' minds. She represents the most brutal aspects of the herd mentality, a hard choice between oppression and unconditional obedience or ostracism and a lonely and inevitable death after an eternity of suffering.She never left her prison. She has transformed it, by sheer force of divine will, into the capitol of a terrible, universe-spanning empire that tramples all under-hoof. One day, she will find her way back to Equestria and punish her wayward daughters.
>>26422616
>SFM
Jesus... I usually can't stand most SFM pony videos
This though. This hit me hard.
Fuck.
>>26422722
Ya, argo is god tier with sfm.
>>26422665
That's some Kessler shit.
>>26422616
This would be heartbreaking in 2d without the needlessly complex design on the floor, and without Twilight vocalizing.
>>26422792
You could close your eyes and watch it on mute.
>>26420337
An earth pony using slander and rhetoric to take Twilight's crown from her. All six have to save the day not with the EoH, but using their talents to out the antagonist's true desire in front of the public.
Provided that the execution of the conflict remains simplified so a 5 year old can get it, I don't see an issue with using a mature concept.
Of course, this idea is probably gay and I should an hero immediately.
>>26421062
Why not have it both ways? Maybe they could show how and why the Tree of Harmony was created. I always found it very strange there is only one of its kind.
Maybe the Tree of Harmony's creation was to deal with a super powerful foe in the past. Probably at that time, ponies relied more on their magic or special talent.
After all, a lot of the villains that were introduced were dealt with once before. It took Twilight or someone in the cast to save the day by doing something different.
Being she's the Princess of Friendship, Twilight will most likely deal with another problem that was dealt with before. But instead of relying on magic as the solution, it's very probable the friends she's made throughout the series will be the answer in some form.Basically pull a ponified Hopes and Dreams.
>>26422355
dude she's weak and incompetent as fuck there is no way she's going to threatening anything anytime soon if ever at all
>>26420337
A rematch with Starlight Glimmer. Have it revealed that her redemption was just one big ruse on her part and that she was really just waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Starlight Glimmer is the opposite side of the same coin with regards to Twilight: she's been shown to have upgraded versions of all of Twilight's abilities, she held a position of power (leader of Our Town), and she's shown to be highly intelligent due to natural magic talent and through the creativity of her plans.
Starlight is essentially meant to mirror Twilight and show what would the latter would become if she used her power for evil- That's why Glimmer would be the best possible endgame villain.
>>26422492
>Megan Williams
>all gens are interrelated
>Celestia must be freed from the dark castle.
Megan Williams returns with a vengeance.
>>26420337
A creature beyond them
>>26422972
She'll be no longer a princess in S6.
Grogar
>>26423632
>She already patched up shit with Our Town and montaged her way into the M6's friendship
>Seemed legit concerned about the end of Equestria hinging on the M6's friendships
I dunno. As much as I hate that motivation of hers, I really dont think she'd backstab at this point without looking like a HUGE retcon.I also honestly hate that Equestria depended THAT much on the M6 that it would literally worsening without them. Even that shit pile Reflections had alternate users of the EoH (though why they werent used on the evil princesses there was retarded plot armor/device)
>>26420337
A villain whose defeat isn't as neat and easy as the ones we've had before. One where before the main six win, they lose- or very nearly lose- something important, and their happiness afterward has more of an "it's finally over" feeling than the usual "yay, we won!" I wouldn't want the show to go too far and have a sad ending, it's not that kind of series, but I'd like to see an enemy that can really take a toll on the characters.
>>26420337
>As predicted in ancient prophecy, a dark aura looms over Equestira, enhancing the power and influence of any form of dark magic much like a blue moon effect
>Every villain ever encountered breaks out of their prison/returns from banishment at the same time, both stronger and wiser, causing havoc across cities
>Believing this is a divide-and-conquer strategy, the mane 6 stick together and go out to beam them with friendship magic one-by-one
>Find villain #1, mane 6 charges beam
>Mid-charge, Princess Twilight unlinks her magic and incapacitates the rest of mane 6
>Remember pic related?
>Apparently sometime in between that sequence and becoming a princess, Twilight creates an exact copy of her who eventually replaces her as she is sent to a "mission" by "Celestia" with her "friends"
>Dark Twi, along with the villain cast, capture the main characters and throw them into the depths of Tartarus
>Meanwhile, in a faraway land, a wingless Twilight Sparkle gets attacked by her friends, all of which were actually changelings tasked into getting her as far away from her real friends
>Twilight manages to save herself from the attack and hears word of the chaos happening in Equestria
>Travel back to Equestria, see chaos everywhere
>Shining Armor, along with adult Spike lead the resistance against Nightmare Celeste, NMM and Dark Twi
>Twilight tries to offer help, but is immediately chased off by the resistance
>Alone, Twilight heads to corrupt Canterlot
>Oddly enough, the mobs aren't attacking her, so she heads straight to the castle to confront the three alicorns
>Insert exposition about how everyone she hold dear now despise her as much as she loves them
>Twilight shouts "YOU'RE NOT ME"
>1v1 occurs, cue battle music
>Battle is 50-50, until Sunbutt and Moonbutt intervene
>The three cross their beams, aiming straight to Twilight's heart
>A bright light flashes, and Twi finds herself teleported to a different area
>Turns around, sees the pony who saves her life
(1/?)
>>26424258
>Wingless Twilight Sparkle in the S6 finale?
>>26420337
M6 turning on themsleves.
>>26424258
>Starswirl the Bearded
>TS asks how he is still alive
>Turns out he's been busy learning a lot about alicorn magic and managed to create exact copies of himself before his previous body expires, making him almost immortal
>Note on "almost", as he loses more and more magical power as he creates more copies
>Says he can't help fight against the alicorns, but can at least free the rest of mane 6 from Tartarus instead
>Head into Tartarus, Starswirl destroys corrupted Cerberus, unbinds the wards that hold the girls
>Each ward takes a single life in exchange
>Creates multiple copies to counter the spell, but can only manage a total of 5
>All the Starswirls die, releasing the girls from their magic shackles
>Mane 6 reunite, and head up to battle the evil alicorns
>With the rest of the gang, manage to convince resistance to lend their aid
>They breach the castle walls, leaving Spike and Shining along with the resistance to stop the other villains from intervening
>Mane 6 reaches the throne room
>See the three alicorns casting a fusion spell
>Too late
>Pic related is born
>"This isn't even my final form!"
>Mane 6 assume battle stance
>Scene cuts to creditswithout the music
>>26420337
Something that resembles the end of final fantasy 14 (the first one).
>>26424258
>>26424363
>And before the credits roll, black screen, title pops up
>It says"The Way it was Supposed to Be"
>>26421796
But it was the windigos the whole time!
>>26424142
Tirek kind of did that with the Golden Oaks Library, but they didn't really touch upon that during the finale episodes themselves, only in the aftermath.
>>26423921
>no longer a princess in S6.
I would greatly appreciate proof to back this up.
How about villains teaming up?
Anti mane 6, each of them representing a 'corrupted' viewpoint of the elements.
>>26420337
A mirror opposite to the 6 elements of harmony used to erase and traverse through all layers of reality and fiction. How about "the 7 Artifacts of Sin"?
>>26425207
i like this
An attempt to overthrow the princesses.
>>26425207
>>26426277
Anyone else still want a proper Mirror Universe episode that'd ignore/retcon the one from "Reflections"? After those three "High School AU" movies and those alternate timelines from the finale, I feel a good 'Evil Equestria' story is long overdue.
>>26422328
>>26422355
RED SUN OVER PARADISE
I'd love to see Steven Armstrong in Equestria
>>26427622
But who would lead it?
I would say it would have to be someone with the powers of Discord, the resourcefulness of Bill Cypher and the shared comedy of both guys.
>>26428115
Oh almost forgot the sarcasm and cynicism of the Grinch
The show hasn't had a villain league yet so that technically qualifies as a new idea the show hasn't done yet.
They can even get an OG to unite the previous bads. Make it Grogar cause he was in the top 3 next to Tirek and Smooze. He can even be an ancient rival of Star Swirl's (cuz both have bells; it'll be poetry).
And since we established I like poetry, let's have Grogar's league composed of 4 prior big bads that represent the the 4 horseman of the apocalypse; the subtle, TVY-7 versions of course.
For line-up I'm thinking Sombra as Death or Nothingness/Void in the show's case, which may even tie in better since he doesn't have a cutie mark and can say his special talent is 'nothing' for that added edginess.
Chrysalis as Famine since she leaves her victims starved of love.
Tirek as Conquest since he wants UNLIMITED POWAH!
I'm undecided as to who would play War. It can't be NNM because she's reformed.Cosmomight make a good candidate after we see him in action.
>>26428182
>G1 pilot
>Tirac kidnaps four ponies, and transforms them into monsters against their will to herald in a night that never ends
>G4 finale
>Grogar rounds up four 'horsemen' villains to herald in a cataclysm that'd doom Equestria to a similarly horrible fate
I like your style. But weren't the horsemen Death, Famine, Plague, and War? Not like it really matters though, it shouldn't have to match up perfectly as long as each villain brings something unique to the table.
Most vilains were based off basic emotions gone extreme. Overprotectionism led Chrysalis to hunt for more than her minions needed, blind desire for power and domination led nightmare moon to happen, as well as tirek is anger and discord, the egoistic one. What I'd love to see would be the contrary of a negative-emotion oriented "vilain". Like an important character deciding to make a drastic act in order to protect his people at the detriment of others, or one of the mane 6 sacrificing herself for her friends, something like that. The show would end as a tragedy opening up new, better horizons.
The ultimate lesson here would be that sometimes no matter our hopes, willpower and kindness, disaster can still happen. And then the only thing we can do is weep, mend our wounds and get back up so that we may move forward again.
>>26428454
Either Conquest or Pestilence/Plague depending on the interpretation. Conquest is usually portrayed as the anti-christ so an opposite of Celestia could also work like pic related.
>>26420438
This, the inevitable, inescapable foe
>>26428529
>inescapable
Star Swirl says "fuck you".
>>26420337
Perfect Cell-estia would be cool.
>>26420438
>That turtle
>>26422665
>or allowed Chrysalis into the castle to begin with?"
Shit idea. The bug was willing to kill her, so she would have had no way of controlling her.
>>26422492
Anunnaki
The strange being would then be named Anun
