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themarvelhorse · 3 months

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EftD Chapter 11 – The Devil in Canterlot High Part 1

I’d just like to say. What the fuck.

Also, this commentary in particular had me doublebacking a lot, so I’m doing it acknowledging that I know the Chapter's end. Also I’m remembering so many actual terms for the literary devices used but alas, I’ll leave the accuracy be for the time being. Also I decided to break this one up so it’s not the tumblr equivalent of 17 Word Doc pages in a row.

Sunset Shimmer shivered from head to toe and couldn’t hide it even if she tried. And she tried. If she could at all avoid her friends seeing her like this, she would. It came in spasmodic spurts, with only seconds of control in between, starting from her legs or arms and rocking up to her core. She took in shallow, longing-to-be-deep breaths to steady herself, but, as if to rebel against her, her body didn’t listen.

First off, great start really sets the mood for the rest of the time Sunset’s going to be here. Absolutely dead-on with how it goes. The start and end of this chapter is mirrored. It’s right there in the title card. The big twist, I just didn’t see it. Even more obvious since we haven’t been seeing Sunset without something filtering her true feelings and self! But now, right there with that paragraph and the end of that first sentence – her body is rebelling against her, it didn’t listen. It can’t listen because it’s under Sombra’s control. Or soon will be.

It made her love them for trying—seriously, on a level she’d only thought possible recently—

AH!

Time spent with her favourite boys - even in totally-not-really-therapy-wink-wink - is working!

“... and I guess, I dunno, I just want to help so bad…”

GOODEST OF BOYS

He’s good. I think we’ll finally have this solved.”

I initially read this as “He’s good at being a therapist”, but I also like seeing how it could be interpreted as “He’s just genuinely a good guy”, which he is!

Flash stared at her for a second, the reels rewinding in his head almost so viscerally she could hear the sputtered squeal, and then he smiled. “Oh. I got third. They stumped me on the word castling because I thought it had an e in there somewhere, but I was super proud I could be so brave. My dad took me out for ice cream afterwards.”

A cutie mark origin story if there was one for this Flash! And just another thing to note. Even though Sunset genuinely seems cold, it’s also symbolic of her fear.

Sometimes the Princess would even let her sit on the throne.

;~;

Flash took that as a permission slip to start monologuing aloud about tactical breathing: in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. Of course, the music nerd in him counted it out like a 2/4 time signature. He even performed a demonstration of what that might look like, breathing to a beat of his own making.

Ngl, a while back I started reading this chapter. Then some shit happened, and I had to drive alone for 2 hours. It was a very emotional drive, and my adrenaline had me much more awake than I needed, but my mind came back to this bit. Kept me calm and kept my driving safe. Thank you for this <3.

Sunset let him. She thought she’d managed this breathing thing pretty well on her own all these years, she didn’t need a How to Guide. While the shakes didn’t stop entirely, she managed to calm them down to a level she hoped wouldn’t be perceptible.

I’m glad Sunset did let him, instead of saying to his face that she didn’t need a how-to guide. They both sorta understand each other in this way. Flash literally just said he wants to help so bad, but Sunset also didn’t want to be perceived as not being okay. Much more didn’t want anyone to say it out loud. So, he’s helping by telling her how to breathe when you have nerves but not pointing out directly that she seems nervous. Saying things out loud just hits so much harder. Guess that’s part of the point of therapy!

The door hung open after her like the toothy maw of a basilisk salivating strands of venom and ready to devour a fresh victim whole.

Speaking of perception… she’s really not perceiving this as a good thing lol. Cold shaking, shaking in fear like a helpless little mouse. And an actual mouse. NOT a ‘Tiny Vermin’. There’s a reason that boss is up a level after the Bone Hydra.

And Sunset would have been happy to continue staring off into the middle-distance, unreachable, but then, Timber Spruce slapped his hands on his knees, got up from his chair, and said, “You know what? Why not? Let’s get magical. I’ve got a few things to say.”

Sunset looked up then to see Timber send her a tired smirk before disappearing.

Absolute shocker. And absolutely love the way Timber went about this. Sometimes you just gotta dive right into the deep end to get used to the water. And of course, seeing all your friends jump in and then come out fine and in a good mood and the like, and you’re all that more likely to cave to the pressure. Timber especially so since he likes to also feel part of the Rainbooms.

“Would you jump into the mouth of a basilisk if all your friends did?”

“Well, if they got out and the basilisk spit did wonders for their general complexion and confidence, then yeah I guess I would.”

What would he say about her in there? What were they talking about? Closing the portal won’t take long. Ray and Scruffles need me to bring them, I’d have to get them first. If I close the portal, is that it? Could anyone open it again? Would the connection be severed? Would the crack in the sky disappear? What happens here when it’s gone?

She’s still on that?! Not even her girlfriend could convince her otherwise?!

Sunset knew with a cold certainty from her lectures and studies on the Roots of Magic that there was always a source. An origin, a cause.

I do not like that this certainty in particular is cold. Especially not with all the other ‘cold’ things going on. Also, I bet the origin is that damn horse statue in front of City Hall!

…(similar to the human economy, Sunset Shimmer understood little to nothing of human geography—and now she likely never would) ...

As a human geographer who also happens to be human, I find this very humourous. I do NOT recommend searching what I mean, it’s a rabbit hole of confusion and questioning as to geography’s place in academia (but fuck almost all of those Ivy League Universities, you know what university DOES include Geography among one of its VERY FEW master’s and doctorate programs? THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY! Guess actually helping people across the world through an interdisciplinary approach towards natural disasters under a changing climate isn't top of mind for them. Yes I'm bitter.)

Also would be funny if Sunset pursued geography as a result of going to NR (which apparently was important to military officer training in WW2).

This also makes the idea of “significant places of sorcery and love” especially interesting to me as a human geographer. We look into the human relationship with space, which we end up calling “place’. We assign value to it when we have this relationship, including emotional value. But these places can have different identities and values depending on the who its relating to.

What goes into those places of sorcery and love? If we think back to the Perfect Pear in the pony episodes, that is an example of assigning emotional value to a place. A place of love, where sorcery emerged, where these powerful interactions of two lovers, forbidden to be with each other but still so committed to being there anyway that they develop a place that was unique to them. But is there any place we’ve seen that could be classified as such in the human realm? Nightfall Reach certainly seems old, perhaps old enough to be classified so. And with Friendship being a core tenet, maybe there’s something there.

There’s likely something around Canterlot High, and that statue. Clearly the statue itself is imbued with magic. But did anything with strong enough love or sorcery exist in that space before the school did? Did it have to? So many relationships made, broken, by so many students coming in and out of that place, connected to a mirror. What other value might have been assigned here, and by whom?

In a small, cold place, she almost found herself excited for them. You go, girls. You’re going to be amazing.

OOF

She didn’t so much as say a word to her girlfriend or Flash before Timber appeared in front of her, hand outstretched.

Damn, I can’t even imagine what Twilight must be thinking after all that. It’s even worse knowing the first conversation after this will be through Sombra.

Sunset flinched and looked to her girlfriend, who sat beside her and, at some point, had taken Sunset’s hand, maybe to steady it. The little circles she revolved with her thumb stopped short.

Awwwwww!

Well she didn’t really mention much of the shakes since around the time Twilight came out, save for when Timber went in.

Solstice emerged from the office and his eyes billowed a ghastly gas-like steam. The crackle of it startled Flash in particular who ripped out of his seat, but neither Twilight nor Timber reacted.

Okay so, a bit of a development! Totally not at all concerning. Also totally not concerning that Twi and Tim are not concerned. sweats

Solstice waited for her like the ferryman at the perilous banks of the River Styx, lantern and steady smile at the ready.

Mouth of Styx starts playing

Sunset walking into hell, to face Hades himself.

Heart walloping against the confines of her ribcage, Sunset had to admit comfortable sounded so nice. Trying to stabilize one of her clammy hands with its partner, she nodded, mumbling, “Yeah, okay. Sure.”

Wow, really missing Twi’s hand, huh?

That made him smile, teeth pale like a full-moon in the shadow of night. Combined with his still demonically slitted eyes, Sunset fought the thought that Solstice looked almost animalistic and focused instead on the gentleness of his voice. “You can zip up your jacket, my dear, I don’t want you to freeze.”

Aaaahhh! Very werewolf-like. Indeed. I can see it be an apt metaphor for Solstice and his condition. The style and grace of the Sombra persona feeling more like a vampire, but the challenge of having something deep inside of you changing and turning you into a monster is something all too familiar for Sunset. The human realm has its own myths and legends, but she likely experienced so many of those myths made real back in Equestria. And, having dressed up like one for Halloween partly being the reason for her perceiving him this way. Or maybe its more of a Jekyll and Hyde thing.

“Tcht. No, see, I’d be offended. It’s kind of my look, so...” She gestured down to her open leather jacket in open rebellion.

Sunset’s willing to freeze before changing her look? Rarity will be so proud. Or disappointed since she could probably make it still warm while being fashionable.

Still, it’s a nice touch – Sunset’s here in her first counselling appointment, where it’s supposed to be a safe space to let yourself be comfortable enough to be honest with yourself and your feelings and the like. Where you can take off that figurative armour, literal in the case of Sunset and her rebellious identity, also being rebellious to the idea of counselling.

“Oh! Yes, that has to be frightfully frigid.”

I don’t like the implied tone here. Yes, the weather inside is frightful, but the other side of Sombra is so very much ALSO frightful. Maybe though, the fire inside that Solstice sets for the students’ souls will be so delightful.

She drank him in in full. It helped her own nerves to see the big bad opponent she was up against wore loafers like he was late for church service, wore his button-down not quite tucked into his belted slacks, and smelled like a coffee shop if it also used a wood stove. “Huh. You actually can’t feel cold?”

The BIG BAD… Churchgoer? More like wolf in sheep’s clothing. With Solstice being like that, it must’ve done both Flash and Timber a lot of good. A safe haven in a cold cold blizzard who emanates the woodsy-ness the latter likes, but speaks so very kindly, as the former would appreciate.

“Heaven knows the central heating could use an upgrade with me around to challenge it, but well. Public school.”

Okay so they can afford the special sports stuff but not heating?! I well… yeah no, that tracks.

But Solstice caught that. “Really, are you sure about your jacket? I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold in my office, I’d never forgive myself.” Sunset’s eyes went for a spin. “Think I’ll find a way to survive your office.”

laughing nervously

Solstice paused long enough to stare at her jacket’s zipper, as if tempted to zip it up himself. If he had telepathy or the sheer force of will, all bets might have been off. With the steam still billowing off his demonic eyes, he looked much angrier about it than he probably actually was. Or maybe it really did vex him that much, Sunset couldn’t say.

Combining the concerned pseudo-parent and rebellious teenager is a recipe for a glorious disaster named Sombra as he feeds on the anger from feeling a lack of control (or what I thought was anger, but is actually fear for her well-being).

Either way, he moved toward the kettle and basket of cookies. “Alright, it’s your decision. But speaking of dire choices: Can I at least get you anything? A hot beverage to keep warm?

Nothing like a hot beverage! Although I think that there should be a better word to define hot beverages than just “hot beverage”. I’ve been trying to get “café drinks” going here and there, but in this day and age? That can mean anything.

Sunset doubted the school counsellor would readily give her access to the type of beverage she really wanted to get through this. Fire down the throat always kept her warm, in a manner of speaking (especially if it was Nectar of the Gods, Sunset’s favourite Equestrian liquor; she’d never forget sneaking her first taste from the pools of Mount Olympus while on diplomatic missions with the Princess. Good times). She shifted on the plump couch cushion. “Tea’s good, if you have any. Camelmile?”

Who wouldn't want some Nectar of the Gods? I'm sure there'll be some at the coronation.

Whenever Sunset had an upset stomach⁠—her codeword for nervousness or feeling upset, honestly⁠—as a filly, Princess Celestia brewed her excellent tea. Trottingham chai, Zebrafrican rooibos, even a nice Griffonstonian oolong after a long day. It got to the point the sound of the kettle boiling in the hearth was enough to ease any irritation.

Just like 'mom' used to make~

Nodding, Solstice smiled around his own shoulder, back at her, setting up the mugs, not unlike a bartender.

Ah yes, the bartender, discount therapist!

His little wooden stirring stick whisked the cup in an erratic fashion. “Warping the minds of the youth with their overpriced... cake coffee. Oh, it sounds delicious, but what you’ve really gone and done is ruined a perfectly good pot of coffee and convinced swarms of innocent teenagers they’ve bought themselves a luxury item!”

He grumbled more into his own mug as he sipped to avoid an overflow before realizing; he swallowed his mutterings down with his coffee. “I have… a lot of feelings about beverages. Wine especially. But I suppose the point was that it’s nice to know I’m not the only ex-career student here.”

Recently I’ve come to appreciate whisky. I enjoyed it before, sure, but now I understand that among the connoisseurs, the best whisky is the one you like, and that includes whiskey ;)

But that does bring me to another observation – Sunset mentioned alcohol in her head before Solstice said it out loud. Foreshadowing about getting in her head? Or is it another point about how much they actually have in common?

It’s wild seeing how much coffee has really taken off though. I see a lot of similarities between wine and coffee connoisseurs. The sheer difference in variety of tastes based on where it’s grown and the conditions that gave rise to it – it’s terroir - and how it’s processed or even what you add to it in each minuscule amount.

Each student technically is a product of their own terroir. Even though the students are all different, they’re also similar in so many ways – that’s why they can empathize with each other despite those different experiences. But of course, with a unique terroir, it’ll get harder and harder to have an accurate read on knowing how someone else is feeling. As a geographer once said, "everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things." People who grew up in one place have much more in common than someone from a different place depending on what's available to them: the culture there, foods available, cost of things in the community, etc. But the processing of the coffee bean or the wine changes that too! As it goes through its life cycle, it started out somewhere, like all its neighbours, but slowly changed along the way as new experiences shaped it, and shaped the person.

And that’s why its important for someone like Solstice to be there. He talks to them and gets into the finer notes and details of people, even with the added sugar. His comment about cake coffee makes me believe he dislikes it because he dislikes how the uniqueness of each cup getting drowned out and taken away by fads among teens, making it harder for them to be open and honest with each other if all they're concerned with is the fad. Cause if you're not open and honest, how can you have an open and honest relationship with one another? With Sunset’s “look”, she’s dressed up like a mocha and refuses to let him or anyone else really know the core of what’s there. All that sugar added drowns out what makes everyone unique and beautiful in their own way. Unless you're a coffee connoisseur among coffee connoisseurs.

That and he's worried about them being manipulated.

“That’s true. I apologize. I don’t know. Call it an educated guess, then,” he told her, carrying over her mug. “Maturity is usually hard-won, much like degrees and education. Or forgiveness.” Solstice offered a smile as he gave her the drink. “Your friends speak very highly of you, Sunset. Your story is something of a legend around here. You are.”

Well at least Sunset has the forgiveness thing under her belt. The former she could get no problem! Just gotta figure out what that will be.

“…I don’t do well with heights, not a fan.”

I anticipate foreshadowing here.

Would it be dramatic to say I’ve got a fear phobia? Sunset thought. “I’ve got a fear phobia. Only thing I fear is fear itself, you know? So if you’re wondering about your eyes, it’s cool, don’t worry about it. I’m not afraid of you.”

Sombra likes to be dramatic and uses fear as his primary weapon. If he’s not fear itself, then I don’t know what is for ya, Sunny.

“I’ll do my best to help you achieve that, then.” Solstice handed her a waiver of some sort, complete with clipboard and pen. “Everything you say here is completely confidential. The only exceptions to that are if I’m required to disclose case-relevant details in a court of law, or, and this is important, if you pose an immediate danger to yourself or others. At which point, I would contact the proper authorities for safety reasons.”

…

The authorities? Celestia, Flash’s dad would kill me if he knew I planned to leave Flash behind again. If Chief Magnus murders me, Flash might find out I’m leaving and try to stop me. “No.”

Including this part so specifically, leads me to believe the reason is twofold:

1. Our most glorious author, Marvel Prime, is presenting the reader with an accurate portrayal of the processes of going to therapy, based on her own knowledge and experience. This in turn, is also useful to anyone reading this in terms of knowing what to expect if they go in.

2. Foreshadowing. The callback back to good ol Detective Daddy-o, Flash Magnus, who probably has a case on her, and just needs a little bit more to bring it to court. The other element of “this is important”, is not just for her, but for the reader to remember. Because she gets body swapped again, she will ultimately pose said immediate danger to herself and others. Also, who knows if “proper authorities” can actually mean Princess Twilight and the crew bringing in some magic-ass kickin’. Seems like the proper authority to me.

Not that she had any plans on re-terrorizing the school or putting everyone’s lives in danger, but Sunset could almost hear the cell-doors clanking shut in front of her.

Wonderfully brought together with the art right in this section too! The shadow of the blinds making it look all too much like cell-doors. Signing her name? Signing her confession…. DUN DUN DUUUN.

“Oh-ho, no. Nope. We’re not doing this, no,” Sunset said, arms barred across her chest like a luxurious stay at the Tartarus Juvenile Detention Centre. “I’m not here to talk about me, I’m here to help my friends change back.”

And prison references continue! It all comes back together. All the Greek mythology references, combined with the justice system, coming together into that – the Tartarus Juvenile Detention Centre being the reason for the references and how this all feels, that she’s ultimately a bad friend and bad person, even if she’s not going to terrorize the school again not that she’ll have any say in that though. But also this whole thing could just be in of itself another way to foreshadow just that. Either way, she’s venturing through Hades to save her friends, but is willing to stay there if it means making things right.

Y’know it also kinda feels like Solstice is gonna pull out the ol’ Rorschach tests.

“Tell me what you see?”

Sunset proceeds to see either her kissing Twi, her strangling Timber, or Celestia disappointed in her.

Arms crossed. Sunset took in air just to sigh it back out like sand dragged back into the sea.

AND IT STILL MAKES YOUR FEET GRAINY. THERE’S ALWAYS A LIL BIT LEFT BEHIND IN YOUR SANDAL.

And a stop to say it’s lovely seeing this second picture right after. Solstice just across from the ‘imprisoned’ Sunset, showing the source of the cell-door imagery. Again, I’m no artist, but I feel like there’s a number of contrasts and comparisons to be seen here.

First, I’ll admit I don’t know what that thing is in the right side of the first pic and left side of the second pic. BUT It does connect the two – the way its coloured and the angle it’s on.

Second, the difference in line styling with each picture – the one feat. Sunset is softer, more rounded, wavy, especially when the shadow-prison-bars hit Sunset herself. Notably, the only parts of Solstice that are rounded are the two that are most influenced by Sombra.

Third, the way these two come together. It’s literally shadow prison bars. AND that’s what curves around Sunset. Her tea’s steam curves and is reminiscent of her hair, but curves towards Solstice. The parts of Solstice influenced by Sombra are his hair and his breath. They’re mimicking her – again a sort of foreshadowing, and also almost soul-like (yes I'm thinking Danny Phantom). Oh yeah also it’s like, half his face literally covered in shadow too. But not just any shadow, a shadow that reflects the Yin-Yang symbol – the darkness in the light, and the light in the darkness.

“Yes, precisely!” He leaned forward to the edge of his seat. “But the exact effect is dependent on you! Anyone can feel love for their friends, or joy, anger, fear—really, I believe you’re right, the intensity of your emotions correlates to the intensity of your magic. But if the power comes from you directly, it’s also my belief that exactly how it manifests is related to your individual psychology. Who you are, what those emotions mean to you personally.”

Okay, don’t like how he ended on fear there. Can’t take this fore-shadow-ing.

If Solstice’s individual personality affects how his magic manifests, does that mean his initial fear, perhaps fear of his father, helped make it what it is now? Would his guilt manifest differently, since that seems to be strong with him? Or maybe guilt is simply the aftermath of fear having been realized.

A stupid giggle bubbled to the surface. “I’ve had theories for years,” Solstice near-squealed, his eyes flickering back to their regular green, if only momentarily, and back again. “It wasn’t until I came here to help you students that I had any way of observing other samples besides myself! And the most marvelous part is I may have guided the students towards the answers, but they’re the ones to figure it out! And now they can learn to harness those powers for good! Emotional therapy meets magical theory!”

And here we see an example of it all playing out. Sunset mentioned acting as your true self as a form of creating strong emotions – and Solstice is no longer acting. He’s never had the chance to actually be his true self until an opportunity like this presented itself. He’s always had to act on stage, act a certain way in front of his dad, find this niche interest and be unable to share it, and he’s had to act like everything’s okay in order to not induce anxiety in anyone else, which would make him feel worse. He’s had to filter and mute himself. And thus, him acting as his true self allows him to regain control of his whole, true self back from Sombra. Allows him to be powered by magic through something stronger than fear. For now.

And that's the end of Part 1 of this chapter's commentary!

#Empathy for the Devil #EftD #EftD Chapter 11 Commentary #EftD Chapter 11 Commentary Part 1 #my stuff #commentary #marvelandponder #bevinbrand

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themarvelhorse · 3 months

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EftD Chapter 11 – The Devil in Canterlot High Part 2

Part 1 over here!

Sunset sat up straighter. “What the hell??? That’s so cool! That’s what you do in here all day? And you get paid?”

Woah! Sunset seeing the potential for a future career and place in life?! Gonna take psychology as a way to better understand magic but find herself enjoying it even without the sorcery?

“Huh.” A light smile started on her face like the flickering of kindling by a log.

Back to the comfy forest cabin imagery!

Rubbing her neck, Sunset could feel the sweat building back there. The metaphorical logs caught flame and caused a forest fire in her cheeks. She tittered. “We… we really don’t need to get into all that.”

OH NOT SO COMFY. IT WAS A TRAP!

I also like how everything really is so cold in the literal sense, but she feels the warmth in the nonphysical through this sort of language.

“Oh, good question: Empathy! I feel empathy for people when I empathize with them.” She sat back, raised her hands behind her head and the only thing that would have made her more comfortable is if she had a table or stool in front of her to kick her feet up onto. “Got all you need? Fantastic, let’s change my friends back.”

Omg, Sunset plz, you can’t explain a thing using the same word that’s in it. I swear every time I look up a word on the internet its like “Empathizing means to empathize with someone.” And then I have to search empathize and it’s like “To empathize means to feel empathy for someone”. Like, thanks you fuckin giant privacy invader ad bot for being the most sophisticated and simultaneously useless thing imaginable.

Also I like how Solstice is testing the waters. Still trying to get her to open up, but has to start where Sunset is comfortable. He needs to find what’s not the jet fuel that gets thrown into the fireplace and keeps it comfy.

He dropped his animal-eyes to the floor, then back up at her, chin lifted

And so, with the spotlight now back on Solstice’s other side, so are the fauna adjectives. Is this Tartarus cell meant to keep Sunset locked in? Or to keep her safe from a certain beast? Perhaps it’s both. Not wanting to reveal parts of themselves for fear of being locked way, or having that which they themselves locked away, be suddenly freed.

“But you do have a demon form,” she said, voice low and rumbling. “You black out. Do you black out often?” … “Would you?”

Damn, this conversation is intense. Hardly anything is being said out loud, but so much is being said that way. Never answering with the yes or no, because that wouldn’t give him a fair chance to prove himself. But it doesn’t matter. How long can you live with what you’re doing without someone calling you out on it? Even when you think you recognized the problem and took steps to mitigate it… only to find out it wasn’t enough, and you hurt someone because of it…

Clawing motions and goat-like eyes. Truly every sort of manifestation of terrible creature, straight out of both hell and Tartarus.

“Individual counselling works for the individual,” he told her. “I want you to feel comfortable here and if you’d be more comfortable asking me some questions first, I say let’s have at it!” He pumped an arm heartily.

Okay, I HATE how you’re making me like him more and more with this. Because it makes what comes next SO CRUEL.

(It’s a temporary, good kind of hate ;))

“My magic is strongest when it’s based in fear,” he said, thumbing his coffee mug. “I’m a coward. Always afraid of this, that, or the other. And whenever I’m most afraid, he appears. He feeds on it. Perhaps not just my own fear, either. I’m not conscious when he is, so I don’t know the full extent of what he can do; but if he feeds on my fear to manifest, I have to imagine he’ll want more. I think… I think that’s why he attacks people in showy, impractical fashions. Snowstorms are just his way of throwing a fit. He considers himself quite the lead. Climactic battlefronts are his stage. Never give him one.”

As a recovering coward myself, I’d say him seeing fear as cowardice is not the whole truth, whether he knows it or not. Yes, he was likely afraid of his father, but I’m sure he’s also afraid of people hurting, because of him or because of their own issues. Does that make him a coward? I wouldn’t say so. I’d say he simply cares. When you’re worried about someone, and their well-being makes you anxious and afraid for them, what is that? It’s just love. Nothing you can do about that. And the issues with his father, what would that fear be based on? Of not being accepted for being into theatre? Of being unloved? So much so that you don’t want anyone else to feel that way, but can’t help but be afraid that they do.

Sunset laughed, pointing at him. “But, see? You care about people! You believe in them! You even believe in me.”

Nice to know that Sunset sees that he’s genuinely good too.

Even despite his eyes billowing smoke, his warm smile made her feel like they were sitting across from each other around a campfire. “I know precisely how you feel. I bought Bridleway tickets for two for the first time in years. I come to this school, and it’s overflowing with people like me.” He laughed, “It’s almost enough to make me think I’m as good as you say, if I might belong in a place like this.

AH! Back to the woodsy feeling again?

Waiting for that campfire smoke to just block all visibility and choke out all the feelings ;;;;

Here he’s feeling loved at last. Someplace where he feels that maybe he can truly keep Sombra down because of those emotions that aren’t about fear. Until he has to grapple with another issue not considered – the fatigue. And then both Sunset and Solstice go on to say the other one is good and they themselves are the bad one. AN ETERNAL BATTLE OF "no u".

Solstice nodded as he took an off-white, sealed envelope from the side table by his chair. He smiled at it. “You’ve cultivated quite the community.” He placed the envelope aside on his L-shaped desk to deal with later and returned to his seat.

Maybe it’s a letter of recommendation for Sunset to pursue something in the future? Rainbow Dash was recently headhunted by NR, so maybe he thinks she’d do very well there. And its close to home! Or one for Sunset to pursue teacher’s college so she can come right back to Canterlot High and inherit the throne from this Celestia. “See a need, fill a need…”. If she stays it’d only end up making sense to have a school for magic related things. City Hall’s already on board!

“It’s hard to know where the line is, though. It’s not even just my past or my transformation into a she-demon anymore. Magic itself is getting dangerous. People get hurt. I can’t keep running away from that anymore, I have to face it head on because I’m not the only one it’s affecting. All the magic and every disaster it causes in this dimension comes from me.”

Solstice Shiver sat across from her, staring for a moment with his devil-eyes. “My… goodness do you ever sound like me. Er, it should also be noted that magical events did occur before you arrived at Canterlot High. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you didn’t create the portal between our worlds. I’ve also heard from other students about some rogue sirens that came to this world before you? And artefacts, like⁠—” He checked his notes. “—A Memorial Stone? Sorry, Memory Stone.” “Okay, maybe not all of it,” she allowed, rubbing her wrist. “But most of it started impacting people’s lives when I came through that mirror in the statue. You’re an exception, not the rule. Uh,” Sunset Shimmer found herself saying, “no offence.”

I... well... I GUESS? Solstice hasn't really had much chance to verify anything until everything started happening at this school. But hey, it was still always there. And now this minority group gets a chance to feel a little less alone, and more validated.

Also, not liking the way this “devil-eyes” adjective was not animal-like but now outright straight from hell.

I wonder if the preceding paragraph had anything to do with it… with mentions of her actually sounding like him, his fears manifested, her thinking of this as facing it head on while he remains cowardly… is this the feeling of fear that Sombra is currently using which prompts the comparison to a devil’s eyes?

…”There’s a strange chaos in what it does to human beings—but I didn’t need anyone here to tell me that.”

A very strange Chaos. What else could facilitate connection between worlds like this than the very Spirit of Chaos? What else would find such a ridiculous joy in a fucked up little statue like that one in front of City Hall? Yes I’m still on that. I know I’ll never know the truth but still!

A pink flooded to the surface of his cheeks. “... O-oh. Oh that makes sense,” Solstice mumbled and cleared his throat. His eyes returned to their standard green, magic evaporating. “Sorry, I... hadn’t heard exactly what the other Celestia was like. Good for her. Royalty,” he said, sounded winded.

More positive emotions dialing back the fear! Hell yeah Solstice! It’s like the peasant running into royalty dressed in common clothes and them simply falling for each other based on who they genuinely are. Good shit.

“Protégé to a princess, goodness. You somehow find ways to be more and more impressive the more I learn about you. What was that like?” he asked, his eyes reigniting. Just as unnerving as last time. She glared at his therapising, so he waved a hand. “Remember: this is purely in the interest of helping your friends. There are methods buried in my madness somewhere.”

Oh hell naw! Fuckin Sombra getting all opportunistic when he hears what potential Sunset has as a target now?

Solstice looked up from taking notes. “So the day you got your cutie mark, that made you who you are?”

“Exactly!” she said, like a teacher proud of their student. “I got mine early, too.” … “What I know is I was little. Maybe I didn’t have anyone there to tell me it was going to be okay. There must’ve been a director or a caretaker during the nights, right? But even if there was, I guess I had to be pretty frightened. One night, I don’t remember why, but that night I panicked. I wasn’t about to go gentle into that good night. My magic must’ve reacted to that, but that night it did it in a big way, and the only way I’ve ever been able to describe what I did was that I kept the sun up with me a little longer.” … …And for context, most ponies could never dream of raising or lowering the sun the way Princess Celestia does every day. That’s alicorn level magic. Regular old unicorns can’t do that.” … Sunset’s hands shook in her lap, itself quaking thanks to her legs, and there was nothing she could do to hide it. “I-I’ve never been able to explain that much power. I used to try to tell myself it was because I was special, but I could never do it again. Maybe I stole magic from Princess Celestia. Maybe I’m that awful. If I did, I didn’t mean to—I mean, it was my fault, I chose to do it, but not like that. I just wanted the sun to stay up longer! I didn’t think I’d almost kill myself! I should’ve known not to, but when the Princess came to visit Her Majesty’s Home for Foundling Fillies, I got the stupid idea in my head that she should stay longer so somehow I just… I made her!”

;~;

She just wanted a mom ;;; Or you know, any adult that could help her feel safe.

Really though, maybe she didn’t move the Sun, maybe she just moved Celestia’s heart enough, calling out to her with a connection that made Celestia stop moving the sun. Which would also be strong magic and shocking to all. Maybe Celestia realized Sunset had this loving connection with her that she hadn’t felt from anyone else before. Because magic is emotion-based, that’d be an extremely powerful magic, especially if, as this chapter goes on to talk about, they were supposed to Face NMM together.

There’s some other elements I want to tie together here: the way dream is italicized for emphasis. It’s done in a way that, yes, expresses that word about just how powerful it was, but it’s also being spoken about in the context of the caretaker there at night being around, but distant. Not doing their job. It feels vaguely connected to Princess Luna, who is currently on involuntary vacation at the Hotel Super Nightlight – ‘see a need, fill a need.’ Since there’s a need for someone to make the nights feel less scary, then who could fill that need? Not only that, but Sunset’s connection to Celestia and the subsequent getting of her cutie mark, happens in a way that emphasizes a need among youth for someone like Celestia to be there for them since Celestia can't. We even later see in the show, that Princess Luna is the one most often showing up for the kids. Celestia just wasn’t able to do that, not as much as she wanted to, and not in the way they deserved. So, when she felt that connection, need, and desire from Sunset for someone to be there for kids, especially those without parents or with shitty parents (like Solstice in this world), Celestia saw Sunset being able to fill that role, that need. That’s how they were intended to rule together.

And that’s why I think this text about Sunset saying ‘“Exactly!” like a teacher proud of their student’, is foreshadowing. Well not just foreshadowing, but it allows us to recognize what gives Sunset energy and passion. This is all from Sunset’s perspective, so how much can we trust as Marvel’s foreshadowing vs. how Sunset’s senses are interpreting things in that situation? How does narration even work when there's so many ways to do it?

We also see it in the way she’s mentoring Twilight to become the next leader of the Rainbooms after her. It’s grounded in this belief that she won’t be around to help them, which is essentially what a teacher and a parent are both supposed to do.

So, there’s this nexus of Sunset being an orphan, connecting to this student counselor with a bad parent, and connecting with Celestia. Celestia is a leader in both worlds, but why a leader of a high school in this one? Because she’s also a teacher. A teacher who knows how to also be the pseudo-parent that some kids and teens need.

Her eyes flashed, alert. She could feel her heart thrashing in her chest, warning her to run and run now. “What? How could any of that possibly be what we have in common?”

Oh gods. It’s the trap set out long ago. A lure set, the truth – the bait.

…he said, walking the length of the rug which meant dissecting the yin-yang design of it in half.

OH GODS! IT’S THE REFERENCE IN THE PIC FROM EARLIER TOO.

The realization hit like a grenade lodged under the couch cushions she sat on. She shot out of her seat, exploding forth.

That’s one way to get your enemy out from behind cover and out into the open, a helpless target.

“Oh my⁠—oh my Celestia! You’re right! Timber and I don’t deal with our feelings!” Somewhere deep in the depths of school, on the whiteboard with the circle of stylized heads meant to represent herself and her friends magical powers, Sunset could almost see the word labelling the line connecting her to Timber Spruce: Repression. Or maybe, better yet: Emotional Escape.

Love and hate it. Love it because it all makes sense! Hate it because, how didn’t I see it sooner?! I guess the same way Sunset didn't see it sooner.

Sunset’s legs felt unsteady underneath her. She grabbed her arms as the cold seeped through her jacket. The thermometer on the wall sunk to inverted heights. “I… I-I don’t know, I⁠—”

The prey, frozen in fear.

Her breath swirled visible in front of her.

The art! When they were sitting across from each other! The swap is continuing!

Solstice Shiver froze.

She grabbed the opening of her jacket, pulling it together. “They shouldn’t have to go through that. No one should have to—they deserve so much better. They all deserve better.”

The jailer now jailed, and the hunter to become the hunted. Both immobilized by the very same cold they defied at the start of the chapter.

She muffled herself. Eyes raised toward the stars that couldn’t aid in her escape. She blinked, eyes stinging and her skin with it in the cold. She roughly wiped her eyes before grabbing her arms and letting her eyes drop to the floor. “I’ll change everything back to normal and destroy the portal. And then I’m never coming back. I’m sorry if this is goodbye. It was nice knowing you, while it lasted.”

Sobs

The clock froze solid on the wall.

And the day time stood still.

“... Who do you think you’re talking to right now?”

Time stopped pretty much for me too when I read that.

“How do you know?” he asked. “How would anyone know? I’m everything you fear you are. Is there any difference between us? There’s hardly an us about it, it’s all me. It’s always been me.” He gripped the sides of the armchair. “You need to run. I don’t think he likes your plan to take all the magic with you.”

Oh no….

Mug in hand, she came over to him and offered a mug of piping hot coffee. He took it in his hands, and drank as if from the River Styx or the River Lethe. While he did, Sunset staggered back, taking a seat on the purple couch.

And after such a break from the feeling of being in Tartarus, it’s back again. The Greek mythology references are very real for Sunset, but Hell is something less so. Maybe it's something more human. She can fight every one of those 'mythical' monsters, but there's much more fear in what you aren't sure about. The unknown. The darkness, that darkness that Sunset feared as a filly. What lurked there? What lurks now? You know devils and demons exist, you were one. What does that mean about Hell, and everything else you don't know about in the human world? Along with human economics and geography...

Also, I didn’t know this! “The River Lethe - the souls of the dead had to drink from it, which made them forget all they had done and suffered when they were alive.” Or like the River Styx, to renew his oath to protect the students.

Pretty fitting!

So maybe the Greek references are something more within Sunset's control, but Hell isn't.

And of course, its at this moment that Solstice’s fears are realized and his own heart breaks. After connecting so well to someone and genuinely feeling like he helped them only to hear this? This realization that it wasn’t enough? He couldn’t stop her from leaving or save her from herself? He was so confident that it was working, all that progress, even making her happy by figuring it all out. He was confident he'd never put the students in harm’s way because he had faith in them, students like Sunset, to be able to get better. But how do you deal with someone who is just so determined to continue believing this one damaging thing, despite the progress? Despite the evidence to the contrary of what they thought about themselves? He of all people would have been best suited to stop that, and in the end it didn’t matter.

It didn’t matter in the end, but it still mattered that the love was there.

A panting started and Sunset didn’t realize it was her own. Tears streaked. Her vision dappled with darkness and sparks. Maybe she was dying already. Maybe she’d never make it to the mirror at all. Maybe she’d die here. No destiny, no reason she wouldn’t. An empty future. No guarantee. Sunset Shimmer knew she would die purposelessly at Canterlot High. I’m dying... I’m dying…

This part just kinda fucks me up too. She feels like death is here for her. She feels like all the magical catastrophes happen because she exists. And now she feels like she’s about to stop existing and for no reason, to no one’s benefit. And then she goes back to thinking about the portal, the one final purpose she does have, the one final thing she wants to live for before she would have to stop existing in her friends’ lives. She was so worried about becoming the villain again, that she forgot the other thing that happens to heroes.

“Hushhhh,” he told her. “You’re in no condition. You’ve failed. But it’s alright. I’m always here to listen and I’ve heard everything I need to know.” She could hear the smile rise in his voice. “I’ll make certain everyone sees who you really are.”

Gonna choke on the sulfur I taste on my lips / Seeing stars in the dark here beneath an eclipse / Hard to wait for an answer when my belief slips / There’s something else here LISTENING~

She heard her own voice cackle in delight. “Well, well. Theory proven. The doctor was right.” He laughed maniacally at his own joke. “Fear does attract fear. A shame it’s consuming you, otherwise, I might invite you to join.”

My mind is scouring secrets / Not any soul will tell / Sometimes to face the demons / You have to walk through hell~

Bringing it full circle, there’s been a lot of stories about people going to hell for their loved ones. Of course Orpheus, but also Dante. And now Sunset. Facing down the different versions of the lord of this place, be it Hades or Hell. The place where you go to face your demons, where demons reside. Where you find the King of demons. And then suddenly, it’s a Pandora's box you unleash. One where hope is also released into the world, along with all the horrors. In this case, it’s the hope that Sunset can finally change everyone back. But the horrors!

Sunset’s a lot like Luna, we saw that comparison in the comics. And that might have been another reason why Celestia took in her in. Leaving Sunset there in the orphanage to feel abandoned again? John Milton told us why that’s been a bad thing in Paradise Lost. Orpheus letting Eurydice feel abandoned in Hades. And Sunset was about to let her friends feel abandoned in the human realm. She wasn’t saved from becoming the villain though. And of course, its not like a certain fallen angel isn’t depicted as the same way either, jealous of the new kid who comes along.

And of course- course, it would help if any of those who did feel abandoned had someone else to fall back on, i.e. “another teacher who shared similar feelings of abandonment but was also turned good”.

All that to say, it feels like everything in this chapter fits so well together. And just to finish it off…

“Where Sunset Shimmer belongs, of course. Ruining everything for those she loves most, causing fear and mass panic wherever she goes.” King Sombra popped the collar of his leather jacket. “It seems I have a coronation to attend.”

Shadows swallowed her vision as a demonic Sunset Shimmer left into the halls of Canterlot High.

I can't climb jacob's ladder / Keep on landing on the ground / But hell has an elevator / So just send my body down Down, down, down

...Down the halls of Canterlot High.

Also some end notes!

I like all the little instances of irritation that Solstice encounters in this chapter – at least explicitly. I don’t think any of the others would have added onto this anger that ultimately allows Sombra to take over.

Sunset refuses to zip up her jacket.

Sunset prefers tea, which is not what most students preferred. This allows Solstice to feel comfortable venting about how coffee is getting ruined because he knows he wouldn’t bother Sunset with that.

Sunset’s comment about how therapy is for dumb babies.

Still, these aren’t problems for Solstice because he’s not some controlling snob. It’s because he’s afraid for the students’ well-being. And again, when he finds out its not enough to stop Sunset from blaming herself, it breaks him.

Upon review of all the Greek myth connections, I decided to do a little digging.

So first we have the idea that the psyche is separated from the corpse and transported to the Underworld. Literally have the separation of mind from body in this particular Chapter. And to not just anyone, but to someone who wants to escape Hades itself. Its own prison. It’s a place of darkness and lacks sunlight. This office is also where Twilight, Timber, and Flash all went before she did, and where Celestia, even if its not Sunset’s Celestia, went into first. So we have Orpheus style Sunset going in to get her loved ones back by making a deal and only sticking to that deal. Except that, when her attitude towards Solstice changes by the end, Sunset does a figurative 180, and Orpheus does the literal 180. And they both also end up paying for it. I also see a sort of Persephone/Celestia thing going on, where Solstice’s emotions are tied to the weather changes, and the winter is alleviated by Celestia’s presence.

This whole chapter also lets us see how Sunset shares so many traits with Solstice. She’s the perfect vessel for Sombra to have controlled.

And of course, it all very much vibes with Sympathy for the Devil. How he was always there, being a man of wealth and taste – coffee and wine; the puzzle of understanding Sombra – fear, but what are we afraid of, if not what we don’t understand? The yin-yang-ness of it all –

Just as every cop is a criminal / And all the sinners saints / As heads is tails

And of course, Solstice trying to keep control of Sombra, the restraint, the prison.

Just call me, Lucifer / 'Cause I'm in need of some restraint

Sunset walked into Hell to face its master, and all the things she fears along with it for her friends… and in so doing she left the door wide open for him to leave.

#Empathy for the Devil #EftD #EftD Chapter 11 Commentary #EftD Chapter 11 Commentary Part 2 #my stuff #marvelandponder #bevinbrand #commentary

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