brianblackberry

I felt she was too bland.  She was not the same Glimmer as last season.  they played the audience for sympathy, and it really made the character feel flat and bland, because it was just so generic and she didn't at all act like the pony she was.

I, on the other hand, adored her. I honestly wouldn't say that she was 'flat'. Yes they played for sympathy, because this was an episode FOR sympathy. While yes I do think her reasoning for going evil was kinda eh, she was still hurt, so of course she's going to not be the exact same as she was before. And really, this is the first episode of 'real' Starlight we've seen. All we really saw before was 'I want revenge on cutie marks' Starlight. So nah, she wasn't generic. She's got room to grow and I'm excited to see where the season takes her.

I don't see why the Glimmer we've seen in S5's premiere and finale isn't the 'real' Starlight Glimmer.  Someone is just as much the person they are on their worst day as on their best day.  Regardless of motivation, Glimmer was somepony who was confident, magically well-researched, clever, straightforward, an excellent liar, and focused on gaining friends at any means.  'Timid shy' Glimmer doesn't make sense.  By the entire narrative up to this point, she should have been trying various tricks and such to get Sunburst to be her friend again, noticing all his evasions, and trying to manipulate him - all while Spike is sitting on her back smacking her on the back of the head every time she tries another lie.  Watching this episode is like if Rainbow Dash suddenly started acting like Fluttershy.