@CronoM
I would add to this only that Digibrony had an interesting point about Sunset way back in the day that I think is fair. She wasn’t completely one-dimensional, because that would imply to me a villain like Megatron or Skeletor or whoever, the ones that know they’re evil and are all for it. Sunset never really classified herself that way. When she first appeared, she had that, “Sorry it had to be this way… Princess,” comment, but even more importantly, the scene where Snips and Snails abducted Spike resulted in this exchange:
>Twilight: Don’t hurt him!
>Sunset: Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it. I’m not a monster, Twilight.
Sunset apparently thought her ambitions warranted all manner of mistreatment, but they didn’t justify outright murder. She didn’t think she was so bad, all things considered, just a well-qualified unicorn looking out for her own best interests like everyone else. When she transformed however, and her personality went full tilt to the dark side, her better nature took a back seat. She became the very embodiment of what she had denied being only moments before. When she got her normal self back, it’s no wonder she was so deeply affected. I think there was a certain dynamism to Sunset that’s somewhat easy to miss in the first movie, so I at least found that rather interesting about her.
@TheUltimateAvenger
“That’s only because almost none of the drama actually took place at the High School, and it was very stylized and satirical of the high school formula”
True, the exact opposite of Equestria Girls.
“Take Bonnie for example, she was a bitch yes, but there were valid and even realistic reasons for being so mean”
“Sunset Shimmer was completely and utterly a stuck up evil bitch, who broke apart people’s relationships for her own gain, and never had a good reason to be a jerk, even having people wanting to be her friends way before she even left Equestria”
To say Bonnie’s no pressure life had valid reasons for being mean when compared to Sunset Shimmer is a little of a stretch. They even pointed out in show in her final character episode that she was unrealistically shallow: she got so much attention already yet she was mean cause she wanted more attention.
Yes, Sunset was 1-dimensional in the first movie, no one denies that, but we only got to know her as a young teen and an older teen. Fate of Celestia’s apprentices: Cultist or Megalomaniac. Take your pick :/
But to be completely serious, imagine Sunset’s earlier life. She is not only chosen to be Celestia’s apprentice, she SHARES Celestia’s cutie mark, the Sun. (The only difference being her’s is a ying-yang style yellow and red, representing the balance between good and evil)
She’s super smart and super talented in magic, even has control over her magic, and she has the 1000-year ruler to live up to. I wouldn’t be surprised if Celestia treated her even more like her daughter.
Even though Celestia technically doesn’t have daughters, lets face it, even compared to Filthy Rich, Celestia is the character most guilty of nepotism in the entire show.
Sunset’s ambition could of simply started from a tiny little unicorn’s wish to be as amazing and powerful as her mentor.
So many goals can be twisted by time, especially something as pure but dangerously ambitious as that. As Millennial Dan pointed out, the first two panels in the last link were NOT proven false by the comic. Put all those things I listed previously together, add some teenage hormones and lack of balanced parenting and WHAM, you’ll sometimes get a wild child. Like Luna, she was able to be freed from the chains they built in their own mind and finally reflect on who they are. Now that we see Sunset with the same second chance Luna was given, consider her backstory, Sunset is a WAY more believable and 3-dimensional character now.
@CronoM
That’s only because almost none of the drama actually took place at the High School, and it was very stylized and satirical of the high school formula… because it was made for both older boy’s and girl’s.
While EqG isn’t a horrible movie, far from it it’s a pretty decent movie for what it’s supposed to be, but it’s very formulaic and not very self aware. In Kim Possible if they tried singing to make everyone’s problems better the entire cafeteria would laugh their butt’s off or/and throw food at them in disgust.
Take Bonnie for example, she was a bitch yes, but there were valid and even realistic reasons for being so mean (though that’s no excuse) and by the end of the series, you could tell she was a better person after a period of growth.
Sunset Shimmer was completely and utterly a stuck up evil bitch, who broke apart people’s relationships for her own gain, and never had a good reason to be a jerk, even having people wanting to be her friends way before she even left Equestria and there where no redeeming qualities about her… now she’s apparently just misunderstood and completely nice and friendly to her friends, and we should feel bad for her, despite it coming out of nowhere and not in anyway being realistic.
It’s not bad, but it lacks the substance the show is known for, and it feels more like your average run of the mill Disney Channel Original Movie with a little bit of Magic thrown in for good measure. Not horrible, but not on the same caliber as the show or comic’s.
@CoyoteCrow4
Do you know what show wasn’t ruined or weakened by the high school setting, one of the biggest reasons some people are turned off by EG?
Kim Possible.
Equestria Girls Series premise I would totally be okay with(In Epic Trailer Voice):
After high school hours ends, Sunset Shimmer, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy use their wits, skill and Equestrian magic to battle magical foes across the world!
Cause when you’ve got a superpowered group of friends, its time to pose like a team, cause shit just got real!
@Katastrof
There has been getting some pretty stiff competition, in the ‘Cuter Than Fluttershy’ department. First, we got Baby Applejack, in season three! Then, along came Coco Pommel, in all of her hug-gable glory! Now, EqG2 has given us the double-whammy of Sonata Dusk and the reformed Sunset Shimmer!
