FimFiction Link - Short ID: 26961/mirrors-image
Published: May '12 — Sep '17
This story is a tragedy. Not in genre, but rather in execution.
I'm frankly almost at a loss of words, even though there is plenty to be said about this fic. If it wasn't over 220k words long I would frankly think someone is pulling an elaborate joke on us. It starts of so well, the drama slowly builds up and then peaks as it is revealed that the 'real' Twilight died the moment she was born and she was replaced by a Changeling queen, and the doppelganger then lives her life not even knowing what her real species is until the wedding uncovers her disguise. It's heart-wrenching, almost makes one tear up. I don't wish to waste words or your time, but I really want to hammer it in that there was a promise (and seemingly proof) that a masterfully tragic, yet bittersweet story may unfold in front of our eyes.
... and then the author drops a fucking joke about Pinkie Pie acting crazy. Then another. Then another. Then some stupid fucking reference to the early 2010s. Then an entire chapter where Twilight messes around with the CMC while being disguised as Babs while some of the other characters (to her knowledge) are willingly risking their lives for her. Not to mention things previously established were never really utilized in the story. The little Nymph felt like baby-baiting. As for the conflicts, everything turns out to be a dud. Twilight is immediately accepted even though she's now a bug monster, instead of the M6 organically bonding with her again. Later the villain invokes some ancient law and takes over the military, Celestia says she's powerless against it, but then just goes and talks to them and they just go "fair enough" and drop their fucking weapons. It's even turned into a joke! By the time Twilight's (unicorn) mother is killed, we're so desensitized to the story that it doesn't even feel impactful. The story has forfeited its dramatic force.
By Chapter 13 or so, I knew this wasn't a story I will step away from happily. Another few chapters in the only thing that motivated me was seeing how this slow-motion train crash will resolve. By the time the final contrivances were set in motion and the "big, epic battle happened" I just wanted it to be over. But everything this damned fanfiction has put me through did not prepare me for the final insult.
It's a cliffhanger. After 220k words, the author has the gall to not even properly finish the story, but do a half-assed sequel hook and then disappear. The villain got away, a big revelation left to our imaginations, threads left unresolved. How can someone fuck something like this up to such spectacular degree?
Overall: 2/10 I am still giving it two points for that initial spark, but everything else has just been a slowly accelerating descent into a madness of mood-swings, OOC acting, no real threats and an ending that spits in your face. Save yourself from this disappointment.