>>8890
My favorite scene was always in this episode is Pinkie Pie’s party for Twilight at the Golden Oaks Library. The place is just so comfy and I find Twilight alone in the bed looking up at the looming threat haunting.

But upon watching this again for my review here: my new favorite scene is the one back in Twilight Sparkle’s tower at Canterlot Castle. I still love Golden Oaks as a whole, but this place also feels comfy yet spacious and I really found myself lost in the background more than I expected. I liked little details like the hour glass being animated and Twilight’s and Spike’s antics as she dictated the letter.

Speaking of the hour glass, Duh duh duh, Nightmare Moon! That is another thing that elevates this scene. A nice ominous little Easter Egg. I imagine most here would know of it by now but I didn’t know about this for years and I still have seen people who have been newly introduced to this recently. Feels like it should be included in a fic somehow (and probably has).
Note: the gif is of relatively low quality. For some reason ffmpeg wouldn’t let me generate a custom color palette. I could’ve sliced off a video but I felt a gif was better here. Alas, short on time, so this big gif is what everyone gets.

Another bit of interesting trivia: they had originally decided for the CMC not to be in this shot here and would’ve put a couple of placeholder fillies. Now, I had always heard this was Sun Umbridge (a Sweetie Bell lookalike from Season 1) and Archer (A Scootaloo lookalike but a earth pony, also Season 1) but when I revisited the topic I did not find full confirmation of this...

Rainbow Dash’s introduction in this episode. Her initial interaction with Twilight feels... I don’t know. Very organic as a person bumping into another person with slight awkwardness. Almost feels uncharacteristically reversed and normal despite her brashness still shining through here. I say this in praise as I think this vocal delivery feels very believable in IRL person sense. Maybe I am overthinking it.

‘’‘The stars will aid in her escape.''’ I still wonder about this. Most discussion focuses on the idea of Twilight Sparkle’s cutie mark or the Mane 6 being the stars but on screen the stars themselves move to free her (or so it appears) and I wonder how you could fit the stars as some sort of entity or power unto themselves. Even in a very conservative view of canon I do feel it is a question worth asking of what that was. Link to a fic that tried play with the concept of stars that I wrote once (and with somewhat poor formatting at points I admit): >>5108