_:n3dbf4969910b45f9bcadc817afb0f593xb26
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"From what others have said, from @DrWolf001 and others, this may be one of the more serious and darker episodes they have done. And if that's the case, it shows how much this Show has changed and evolved from what it was originally meant to be 6 1/2 seasons ago.  But you know, this doesn't surprise me.  A lot of media (TV Shows, Comics, Movies, Etc...) have gone through similar changes throughout their histories.  \n\n\n\n\tEspecially when it's decided to go in a direction to what MLP : FIM has been going in recently with this \"Legends Of Magic\" Arc, (That ironically ties in with the IDW Comic).  Because when you toss something like \"Legends of Magic\" into the picture, then you know for a fact, that some of what it is shown, will go over the heads of the original target age audiences, but not the adult audience/fanbase.\n\n\n\n\tExample of that is when @DrWolf001 and @TericDragon mentioned in their review, that even through the episode and thus the writing staff didn't outright say it or have the characters , like say Mage (in the flashback) or even Twilight say it, pretty much the ponies turning into trees as a result of the Swamp Fever and being those that produced the glowing flowers that came off them was a metaphor for death.  In other words, when the ponies (in the flashback), as well as Zecora and Fluttershy were affected by the swamp fever, it was slowly killing them, thus they were slowly dying.\n\n\n\n\tAnd for them to do that, despite already going TV-Y7 for the season 4 finale, and doing what they've done in the season 3 finale, and so on, shows how far MLP : FIM has come.\n\n\n\n\tI also believe this arc and episodes like this, are just to get folks ready for the film and show that like this arc and episodes, the movie is not for little kids, but for all ages, (adults and kids) and that it will have stuff in it that will go over the younger kids heads, but not the adult fans that go and see it. (Heck why do you think it got a PG rating?)\n\n\n\n\tIn closing, I will say this, if this episode has shown us anything or at least hinted at anything, it's that \"Shadow Play Part 1 and 2\" will be more than we expect it to be, and as I said before, possibly have a story twist in it, that we may see or won't see coming.\n\n\n\n\tThat's all I have to say for now. God Bless and Take Care.\n"
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