Okay. I don't know where to start. I couldn't believe all they managed to put in there. Feels like I'd have to watch it several times to get all the callbacks gags and jokes. The plot though was very good to Spike. I loved the plot twist with Luna and Spike as it actually caught me off guard . Heck, the whole Spike moral caught me off guard. It was very nice and elevated the episode above raw fan service. I think this episode maybe of a higher quality than episode 100, but I'm not 100% sure on that till I check out 100 again. Probably draw down to how I judge raw quality vs pure fun and gratuitous fan service. Only minor complaint I ca muster at this time is Spike ripping the balloon, but than again they have endangered themselves far worse and ponies in canon are pretty durable. Also wonder if some of the concepts presented will never get brought up, but hey that's hardly counts as criticism of the episode.
Lightning round:
I liked the Castle Sweet Castle callback.
Applecord I guess is no longer the name of a certain obscure ship.
Royal Guard really sucks. Don't they?
Use of Queen Chrysalis old thrown pleases me greatly, even as a minor element. (And I sort of did that in my Revolution Fic!)
I honestly wonder the specifics of Shining Armour's relationship with the royal guard now. They described him as the former Captain but he sure is often there still isn't he?
I don't know how Celestia mobilized the Royal Guard in the Sombera timeline from the season 5 title to oppose him that well with the royal guards still being incompetent this season and Sombera being show to be able to destroy the freaking elements.
Spike and Luna working together may add a fair bit of fuel for some final season shipping or freindshipping. Sometimes moments like this go nowhere though with the later seasons as oppose to the first 4 do to there being so much going on and other elements having been hammered in so much that single episodes and lines have less impact at times, but it could still be something the fandom runs with.
This is one of those episodes that maybe in a year I could either love even more or perhaps be slightly critical toward but still like. Though right now?
9.7.5/10!
