Shadow Play - Part 1

Shadow Play - Part 1
Season №:	7
Season episode №:	25
Overall episode №:	168
Original airdate:	October 21, 2017[aired early in Canada] October 28, 2017 (Discovery Family)
Story by:	Josh Haber
Written by:	Josh Haber and Nicole Dubuc
Storyboard:	Kaylea Chard and Jae Harm
Featured characters:	Pillars of Old Equestria:       Star Swirl the Bearded Rockhoof Mistmane Flash Magnus Somnambula Mage Meadowbrook Pony of Shadows
See also
credits • transcript • gallery • allusions animation errors • statistics • speculation
Episode guide
Previous Uncommon Bond	Next Shadow Play - Part 2

Shadow Play - Part 1 is the twenty-fifth episode of season seven of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the one hundred and sixty-eighth overall. It is the first part of a two-part season finale.

In this first part, Sunburst discovers Star Swirl the Bearded's lost journal, and Twilight Sparkle becomes obsessed with saving him from a thousand-year-old prison.

Production

This episode premiered on Canada's Treehouse TV channel on October 21, 2017, seven days prior to its scheduled airing on Discovery Family with Josh Haber credited as the only writer. The writing credit was edited to include Nicole Dubuc when the episode aired on Discovery Family. It was originally scheduled to premiere on Polish television channel MiniMini+ on October 20, 2017, eight days prior to its scheduled airing on Discovery Family.^[1]

The episode was leaked online on October 7, 2017.​​^{​[​specify​]​}

Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco came up with the idea of bringing back the Pony of Shadows.^[2]

According to episode co-writer Josh Haber, the show staff originally planned for the finale to premiere before the release of My Little Pony The Movie.^[3]

Summary

Star Swirl's lost journal

The episode begins with narration by Star Swirl the Bearded explaining how he and five other ponies were brought together to maintain and spread the virtues of strength, bravery, healing, beauty, hope, and sorcery—to serve as Equestria's "pillars". But when the pony who brought them together was believed to be covetous of the Pillars' power, they cast him out. The pony thus turned to darkness for power and revenge, and transformed into the Pony of Shadows. In order to stop the beast, the Pillars sacrificed themselves and left behind a seed that would eventually grow into the Tree of Harmony and protect Equestria in their absence.

The story then cuts to the throne room at Canterlot Castle, where Sunburst finishes reading Star Swirl's last known journal entry in the book he acquired in the previous episode. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are surprised to learn what became of their old teacher after he vanished, and Twilight Sparkle and her friends are shocked to learn that not only their favorite ponies of legend but also the Pony of Shadows are real. Curious about where the Pillars went after they defeated the Pony of Shadows, Twilight and Sunburst decide to apply their knowledge of ancient Equestrian history to decipher the rest of Star Swirl's writings.

The Pillars' sacrifice

After three days of research and cross-referencing, Twilight and her friends have made little progress in deciphering Star Swirl's writings, largely due to their illegibility. Fortunately, Starlight Glimmer is able to make out the hard-to-read journal scrawlings, and the ponies learn that the Pillars of Old Equestria's final stand against the Pony of Shadows took place at the Temple of Ponhenge.

The ponies travel to the ancient temple of Ponhenge and find several rock formations with magical runes carved into them. When Twilight places Star Swirl's journal on one of the rock platforms, it activates an old holographic recording of Star Swirl, Rockhoof, Mistmane, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, and Mage Meadowbrook. In the recording, the Pillars of Old Equestria use talismans of the elements they each represent to seal away the Pony of Shadows, sacrificing themselves in the process.

Trapped in limbo

After deciphering more of Star Swirl's writings, Twilight learns that the Pillars of Old Equestria used a spell to trap the Pony of Shadows in limbo—a space between worlds where time stands still. However, in order to imprison him for good, the Pillars had to trap themselves with him. With her knowledge of how Star Swirl's banishment spell works, Twilight believes she can set him and the other Pillars free.

In order to accomplish this, the Mane Six need to retrieve the magical artifacts and talismans that the Pillars used to imprison the Pony of Shadows: Rockhoof's shovel, Mistmane's everlasting flower, Flash Magnus' shield, Mage Meadowbrook's mask, and the blindfold Somnambula wore during the trial of the sphinx. The Cutie Map suddenly activates and shows the Mane Six where to find these items.

Applejack retrieves Rockhoof's shovel from an archaeological dig at his old island home. Rarity retrieves Mistmane's flower from her old village and helps an elderly descendant of the village's residents restore her family garden. Rainbow Dash and Spike retrieve Flash Magnus' shield from the Dragon Lands when Garble is revealed to be using it as a surfboard. Fluttershy retrieves Meadowbrook's mask from Cattail in the Hayseed Swamp. Finally, Pinkie Pie retrieves Somnambula's blindfold from the pyramid outside the desert village with the help of Daring Do.

Shadows rising

Back at Ponhenge, Twilight, Starlight, and Sunburst make the last necessary preparations to cast Star Swirl's spell. Starlight expresses her misgivings about going through with the ritual, saying Star Swirl and the Pillars knew what they were doing and things should be left alone. Twilight and Sunburst argue, however, that saving the greatest ponies of legend from a thousand-year-old prison is too important to ignore.

When the rest of the Mane Six return with the talismans, Twilight arranges them and Star Swirl's journal in a hexagonal pattern on the rock formations of Ponhenge. Twilight, Starlight, and Sunburst then use their magic to cast Star Swirl's spell, and the magic between the six talismans successfully releases the Pillars of Old Equestria from limbo. When Star Swirl the Bearded regains consciousness and Twilight—starstruck at meeting her magical idol—tells him what she and her friends have done, Star Swirl becomes instantly distressed. He demands they undo what they've done and put them back, but Twilight says they can't.

"You cannot bring only the Pillars back!"

— Star Swirl the Bearded

As dark clouds gather in the sky, a black, amorphous creature comes into being, taking the form of a large horned pony with wings of smoke. Twilight's spell has brought back not only the Pillars of Old Equestria but also the evil Pony of Shadows.

Quotes

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.

Rainbow Dash: Uh... So, the Pony of Shadows was really real?

Applejack: All those legendary ponies were real, too? And they went off with Star Swirl to face the Pony of Shadows, and then none of them were ever heard from again?

Pinkie Pie: Uh, yeah. Weren't you listening?

Sunburst: Solving a thousands-year-old mystery could take forever! Think of the research! The re-reading! The re-re-reading!

Starlight Glimmer: [reading] "Hearg sylfum se Ponhenge". What's that?

Twilight Sparkle: The Temple of Ponhenge?! You can read that?!

Starlight Glimmer: The hornwriting's pretty sloppy, but it's nowhere near as bad as mine. [reading] "Toward dol grimlic of Fola Firgenbeorg"?

Sunburst: "At the base of Foal Mountain"...

Starlight Glimmer: [reading] "User endemest scield".

Twilight Sparkle: [gasps] "Our last stand".

Twilight Sparkle: Star Swirl!? I... I've wanted to meet you my whole life! I can't believe you're here!

Pinkie Pie: [to Twilight] Well, you did ask for a magical explanation.

Twilight Sparkle: Star Swirl and the rest of the Pillars sacrificed themselves to save Equestria.

Starlight Glimmer: It's amazing to think one of the greatest mysteries of Equestria was solved with a musty old book from an antique shop.

Sunburst: But I wouldn't say the mystery's solved. Star Swirl's spell was one of the most powerful feats of magic in all of history. It'll take years of study before we fully understand it.

Twilight Sparkle: I think I understand Star Swirl's spell!

Rarity: Darling, your diorama!

Twilight Sparkle: I made more!

Applejack: You'd be savin' all the Pillars, right? A-And they disappeared ages ago.

Twilight Sparkle: That's the thing about limbo. It isn't one place or another. It's in between, so time stands still. If we can pull them out, it'll be like they never left.

Professor Fossil: I love old legends as much as anypony. But a pony strong enough to save a village from rushing lava with a shovel is... preposterous.

Professor Fossil: I can't believe you just did that. Y-You saved us!

Applejack: I bet if you told somepony else the story, it might sound... [gasps] "preposterous".

Rarity: Perhaps it just seemed like your gardens were worthless. But a little pruning can work wonders. Of course you will have to look after more than just one flower now.

Garble: Lord Ember only commanded us to be nice to ponies. She never said anything about pony-loving dragons.

Garble: Hey! That's mine!

Spike: Finders keepers, remember?

"Billy": See, because that's what you said to them when they first showed up—

Cattail: You know, you didn't have to help with this. I would've lent you the mask anyway.

Fluttershy: I know. [giggles] But I couldn't leave without helping.

Pinkie Pie: This old blindfold was stuck in the drain.

Daring Do: Weren't you looking for a blindfold?

Pinkie Pie: Oh, yeah!

Twilight Sparkle: I can't believe I'm gonna meet Star Swirl the Bearded! You know, outside of my dreams.

Starlight Glimmer: I'm all for pushing the envelope, obviously, but this is pretty out there for you, Twilight.

Sunburst: What's "out there" about saving the most legendary ponies of all time from a thousands-year-old prison?

Starlight Glimmer: Well... nothing when you say it like that. Unless "the most legendary ponies of all time" knew what they were doing, and we shouldn't mess with it.

Twilight Sparkle: You and the others have been trapped in limbo for over a thousand years, but I figured out how to get you ho—

Star Swirl the Bearded: What?! No, no, no, no! You must undo what you've done!

Pony of Shadows: [laughing evilly]

Gallery

Shadow Play - Part 1 image gallery

References

1. ↑ TV Schedule for MiniMini+ (Polish). Teleman. Retrieved on 2017 October 9.
2. ↑ Josh Haber (2017-10-28). Big thanks to @lady_writers for thinking to bring the Pony of Shadows back for the #MLPSeason7 finale.. Twitter. Retrieved on 2017 October 28.
3. ↑ Josh Haber (2017-10-29). @EpicMuttonChops Plan was for S7 finale to air before movie, but schedule didn't work. Not sure how much time has passed, but you'll def see where S8 falls.. Twitter. Retrieved on 2017 October 29.

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Season one
Episode 1 Friendship is Magic, part 1	Episode 2 Friendship is Magic, part 2	Episode 3 The Ticket Master	Episode 4 Applebuck Season
Episode 5 Griffon the Brush Off	Episode 6 Boast Busters	Episode 7 Dragonshy	Episode 8 Look Before You Sleep
Episode 9 Bridle Gossip	Episode 10 Swarm of the Century	Episode 11 Winter Wrap Up	Episode 12 Call of the Cutie
Episode 13 Fall Weather Friends	Episode 14 Suited For Success	Episode 15 Feeling Pinkie Keen	Episode 16 Sonic Rainboom
Episode 17 Stare Master	Episode 18 The Show Stoppers	Episode 19 A Dog and Pony Show	Episode 20 Green Isn't Your Color
Episode 21 Over a Barrel	Episode 22 A Bird in the Hoof	Episode 23 The Cutie Mark Chronicles	Episode 24 Owl's Well That Ends Well
	Episode 25 Party of One	Episode 26 The Best Night Ever

Season two
Episode 1 The Return of Harmony Part 1	Episode 2 The Return of Harmony Part 2	Episode 3 Lesson Zero	Episode 4 Luna Eclipsed
Episode 5 Sisterhooves Social	Episode 6 The Cutie Pox	Episode 7 May the Best Pet Win!	Episode 8 The Mysterious Mare Do Well
Episode 9 Sweet and Elite	Episode 10 Secret of My Excess	Episode 11 Hearth's Warming Eve	Episode 12 Family Appreciation Day
Episode 13 Baby Cakes	Episode 14 The Last Roundup	Episode 15 The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000	Episode 16 Read It and Weep
Episode 17 Hearts and Hooves Day	Episode 18 A Friend in Deed	Episode 19 Putting Your Hoof Down	Episode 20 It's About Time
Episode 21 Dragon Quest	Episode 22 Hurricane Fluttershy	Episode 23 Ponyville Confidential	Episode 24 MMMystery on the Friendship Express
	Episode 25 A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1	Episode 26 A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2

Season three
Episode 1 The Crystal Empire - Part 1	Episode 2 The Crystal Empire - Part 2	Episode 3 Too Many Pinkie Pies	Episode 4 One Bad Apple
Episode 5 Magic Duel	Episode 6 Sleepless in Ponyville	Episode 7 Wonderbolts Academy	Episode 8 Apple Family Reunion
Episode 9 Spike at Your Service	Episode 10 Keep Calm and Flutter On	Episode 11 Just for Sidekicks	Episode 12 Games Ponies Play
Episode 13 Magical Mystery Cure

Season four
Episode 1 Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1	Episode 2 Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2	Episode 3 Castle Mane-ia	Episode 4 Daring Don't
Episode 5 Flight to the Finish	Episode 6 Power Ponies	Episode 7 Bats!	Episode 8 Rarity Takes Manehattan
Episode 9 Pinkie Apple Pie	Episode 10 Rainbow Falls	Episode 11 Three's A Crowd	Episode 12 Pinkie Pride
Episode 13 Simple Ways	Episode 14 Filli Vanilli	Episode 15 Twilight Time	Episode 16 It Ain't Easy Being Breezies
Episode 17 Somepony to Watch Over Me	Episode 18 Maud Pie	Episode 19 For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils	Episode 20 Leap of Faith
Episode 21 Testing Testing 1, 2, 3	Episode 22 Trade Ya!	Episode 23 Inspiration Manifestation	Episode 24 Equestria Games
	Episode 25 Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1	Episode 26 Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2

Season five
Episode 1 The Cutie Map - Part 1	Episode 2 The Cutie Map - Part 2	Episode 3 Castle Sweet Castle	Episode 4 Bloom & Gloom
Episode 5 Tanks for the Memories	Episode 6 Appleoosa's Most Wanted	Episode 7 Make New Friends but Keep Discord	Episode 8 The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Episode 9 Slice of Life	Episode 10 Princess Spike	Episode 11 Party Pooped	Episode 12 Amending Fences
Episode 13 Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?	Episode 14 Canterlot Boutique	Episode 15 Rarity Investigates!	Episode 16 Made in Manehattan
Episode 17 Brotherhooves Social	Episode 18 Crusaders of the Lost Mark	Episode 19 The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows	Episode 20 Hearthbreakers
Episode 21 Scare Master	Episode 22 What About Discord?	Episode 23 The Hooffields and McColts	Episode 24 The Mane Attraction
	Episode 25 The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 1	Episode 26 The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2

Season six
Episode 1 The Crystalling - Part 1	Episode 2 The Crystalling - Part 2	Episode 3 The Gift of the Maud Pie	Episode 4 On Your Marks
Episode 5 Gauntlet of Fire	Episode 6 No Second Prances	Episode 7 Newbie Dash	Episode 8 A Hearth's Warming Tail
Episode 9 The Saddle Row Review	Episode 10 Applejack's "Day" Off	Episode 11 Flutter Brutter	Episode 12 Spice Up Your Life
Episode 13 Stranger Than Fan Fiction	Episode 14 The Cart Before the Ponies	Episode 15 28 Pranks Later	Episode 16 The Times They Are A Changeling
Episode 17 Dungeons & Discords	Episode 18 Buckball Season	Episode 19 The Fault in Our Cutie Marks	Episode 20 Viva Las Pegasus
Episode 21 Every Little Thing She Does	Episode 22 P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)	Episode 23 Where the Apple Lies	Episode 24 Top Bolt
	Episode 25 To Where and Back Again - Part 1	Episode 26 To Where and Back Again - Part 2

Season seven
Episode 1 Celestial Advice	Episode 2 All Bottled Up	Episode 3 A Flurry of Emotions	Episode 4 Rock Solid Friendship
Episode 5 Fluttershy Leans In	Episode 6 Forever Filly	Episode 7 Parental Glideance	Episode 8 Hard to Say Anything
Episode 9 Honest Apple	Episode 10 A Royal Problem	Episode 11 Not Asking for Trouble	Episode 12 Discordant Harmony
Episode 13 The Perfect Pear	Episode 14 Fame and Misfortune	Episode 15 Triple Threat	Episode 16 Campfire Tales
Episode 17 To Change a Changeling	Episode 18 Daring Done?	Episode 19 It Isn't the Mane Thing About You	Episode 20 A Health of Information
Episode 21 Marks and Recreation	Episode 22 Once Upon a Zeppelin	Episode 23 Secrets and Pies	Episode 24 Uncommon Bond
	Episode 25 Shadow Play - Part 1	Episode 26 Shadow Play - Part 2

Season eight
Episode 1 School Daze - Part 1	Episode 2 School Daze - Part 2	Episode 3 The Maud Couple	Episode 4 Fake It 'Til You Make It
Episode 5 Grannies Gone Wild	Episode 6 Surf and/or Turf	Episode 7 Horse Play	Episode 8 The Parent Map
Episode 9 Non-Compete Clause	Episode 10 The Break Up Break Down	Episode 11 Molt Down	Episode 12 Marks for Effort
Episode 13 The Mean 6	Episode 14 A Matter of Principals	Episode 15 The Hearth's Warming Club	Episode 16 Friendship University
Episode 17 The End in Friend	Episode 18 Yakity-Sax	Episode 19 On the Road to Friendship	Episode 20 The Washouts
Episode 21 A Rockhoof and a Hard Place	Episode 22 What Lies Beneath	Episode 23 Sounds of Silence	Episode 24
	Episode 25	Episode 26

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Equestria Girls	Rainbow Rocks	Friendship Games	Legend of Everfree
My Little Pony The Movie

Equestria Girls specials
Dance Magic	Movie Magic	Mirror Magic	Forgotten Friendship
Rollercoaster of Friendship

Animated shorts
Rainbow Rocks shorts	Friendship Games shorts	Summertime Shorts	Equestria Girls: Better Together
Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending	Equestria Girls Minis	Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook	Rarity's Peek Behind the Boutique
	Fundamentals of Magic	My Little Pony Established 1983