Rainbow Rocks (S4EX2)

Watch a reformed Sunset Shimmer realize that evil magic is threatening CHS and work to save the day.

We wondered why there was a mirror gateway into the EqG world, and now we learn that where all Earth’s mythical creatures came from.  In this case, a trio of exiles Equestrian sirens notice that Twilight brought with her Equestrian magic, and since that’s what they feed upon, when they’re not eating tacos, they scheme to acquire enough to become powerful enough to enthrall the world.  The human-form Mane 6 minus one, together with Sunset Shimmer who doesn’t quite fit in, have formed a girl band to compete in a music showplace fundraiser at school.  The sirens show up as transfer students  and immediately stir up trouble.  In a single visit to the cafeteria, they wipe out the feeling of community and friendship Twilight Sparkle fostered in the very same room.  Before our heroes know what hit them, they learn that the sirens have convinced the principals to have a battle of the bands.  The sirens feed on the magical aura generated by bad emotions.  Sunset Shimmer senses something is amiss and communicates to Equestria for Twilight’s help.  Though the Princess of Friendship arrives, she doesn’t have her crown with the Element of Harmony.  Twilight must write a lyric counterspell for the band to play in the competition, but with feelings of disharmony building around her, she does not realize that a new friend holds the key to saving the world.

This sequel to Equestria Girls is better animated than the original movie, and chocked full of songs, some of them purposely bad.  The best can be found on the Rainbow Rocks Soundtrack album.  The movie is quite a bit darker in tone, since the sirens are obviously evil from the very first scene.

The story speaks to the audience about second chances.  In the case of Sunset Shimmer, it’s about being lost but now finding her way in a world that distrusts her.  It also speaks to relying on your friends.  In the case of Twilight Sparkle, it’s about leadership not being about going it alone.  Unfortunately, Twilight can’t believe that she doesn’t have the right stuff until it is too late.  She must write a song that’s a counterspell to the Sirens’ magic, but the lyric just won’t gel.  The sirens’ magic encourages negativity, and that breeds conflict in the Mane 6, magnifying their differences until everybody looses their temper and nobody can cooperate though the world is ending around them. The resolution harks back to what Princess Celestia spoke about Sunset Shimmer, that she kept the mirror because she expected her errant student would one day return to her.

Sunset Shimmer plays the outsider who witnesses the friendships falling apart.  It’s not hard to image that Celestia’s former protege might actually be as competent as Twilight.  The obvious need for to the two to form a team comes to a head in the scene in the kitchen at Pinkie Pie’s house, where the two look about ready to join forces, but Twilight just can’t ask and neither can Sunset.  Both proteges are stuck, Twilight in that it’s her duty to write the counterspell, and Sunset in that she hasn’t yet earned enough friendship experience to insist she can help.  In the end, Sunset first shows everyone the influence of the sirens on their friendship.  But it’s not enough, and in a moment of desperation with the Sirens winning the day, Twilight realizes they need another friend and that friend must be Sunset Shimmer who’s supported them all along.  It is in this instant that both are redeemed, as the appearance of Sunset’s pony ears and ponytail demonstrate.  Sunset’s red mane color adds a seventh beam to the rush of rainbow friendship power that definitively sunders the sirens. (See the images below.)

I would not be surprised if Sunset Shimmer eventually returns to Equestria as 7th element of harmony, perhaps forgiveness.

What to watch for (and comment upon):

• The movie is filled with background and secondary characters from all seasons of the show.  Trixie and the Diamond Dogs are obvious.  Can you find and name them all?

Sunset Shimmer ascends:

Perhaps this wasn’t an animation error in Magical Mystery Cure, but a foreshadowing of future events.