This looks good. Can't wait to read it.

It's so hard to be a CheeriMac shipper right now...

I do like Flash, but I think he could really use some development. I'm hoping his pony self shows up in season six. Since they've done some major status quo shaking up in season five, maybe they could continue on and give Flash an actual presence in the next season.

Sometimes it helps to have some more adult situations, but the lightheartedness at the show's core shouldn't be forgotten either.

It was always going to be a close one, even without those fake votes. But Moon Dancer was an excellent choice in the end. Let's hope we see a little more of her in season six.

There were so many great episodes: Tanks For The Memories, Amending Fences, Crusaders Of The Lost Mark, The Mane Attraction...

This was an epic way to close out the season. I'm a sucker for time travel stories, and this one hit all the right buttons. Seeing all the different presents where the villains won was pretty interesting (though that last one, where Equestria was just a wasteland, was plain disturbing).

I know a lot of viewers think Starlight's backstory is weak, but childhood trauma is one of the hardest things to get past. And since Starlight didn't even try to work through the loss of her best friend, and just shut herself off from making any new friends, it's no wonder she ended up so tweaked, having nothing but her pain for company all those years. And it's perfectly fitting for the theme of the show to have Twilight reach out to Starlight, and convince her to give friendship another try. Deep down, Starlight was still a hurt little filly. She just needed somepony to help her find the right way.

Ultimately, having Starlight join the Mane Six as Twilight's "student" raises some decent possibilities for season six. For example, it has been mentioned that she is unusually powerful. Maybe there's a reason for that, set to be revealed later on. And maybe we'll see an episode where she meets Sunburst again. He too seemed to have a lot of magic in him. Maybe there's a future plot point there. We'll just have to wait and see.

All in all, I really enjoyed this. I think I speak for all of us when I say "Bring on season six!"

At least Starlight actually had a decent motive. Look at Sunset Shimmer. She never really had much of a motive for her villainous actions, outside of wanting power, glory and conquest. Even if her comics origin is canon, it still isn't much in comparison. She just wanted to be a Princess, with no real reason for it other than pure hubris. And don't forget that Sunset was forcefully purified by the Elements of Harmony. If anything, Starlight's reformation is more "real" in that she came to it herself, rather than it being forced on her.

Technically, he walked out on his client. But it's still his loss. It's not like he can find another mare with incredible musical talents just standing around that he can make a star out of and then leech off of. He'll have to go without massages for a while...

The simple answer is that this may have been intended to be the final season before season six was given the green light. That last shot was probably meant as a final hurrah.