MY LITTLE PONY 7

Episode 726 / 403-726

“Shadow Play – Part 2”

Story by
Josh Haber

Written by
Josh Haber & Nicole Dubuc

As Broadcast Script: August 24th, 2017

Chris Britton as STARSWIRL THE BEARDED 
Tara Strong as TWILIGHT SPARKLE
Kelly Sheridan as STARLIGHT GLIMMER
Bill Newton as PONY OF SHADOWS
Andrea Libman as FLUTTERSHY, PINKIE PIE
Mariee Devereux as MEADOWBROOK
Tabitha St Germain as RARITY, PRINCESS LUNA
Murry Peeters as SOMNAMBULA
Ashleigh Ball as RAINBOW DASH, APPLEJACK
Giles Panton as FLASH MAGNUS
                    Ian Hanlin as SUNBURST
Ellen-Ray Hennessy as MISTMANE
Matt Cowlrick as ROCKHOOF                                     
         Cathy Weseluck as SPIKE
Nicole Oliver as PRINCESS CELESTIA

TEASER
Sc 1 - montages
SUNBURST
That’s the last entry… Starswirl’s final words before he vanished!
Applejack
All those legendary ponies were real too? And then NONE of them were ever heard from again?
  					       twilight sparkle
They used their magic to open a portal to limbo and pulled the Pony of Shadows inside. We need to find items that are connected to the pillars in some way.
	       				  twilight sparkle
We brought you back!
Starswirl
You cannot bring ONLY the pillars back!

END TEASER
MAIN TITLES
ACT ONE
Sc 2 - ext. PonHENGE - resumE
PONY OF SHADOWS
Your pitiful attempt to imprison me has FAILED, Starswirl!
StARSWIRL
You must return us to limbo. It's the only way to stop him.
TwILIGHT
I only figured out how to bring you back.
SUNBURST
Working on it...No table of contents...
PoNY OF SHADOWS
Allow me to assist.
PoNY OF SHADOWS (CONT'D)
There. Without the power of Ponhenge, your banishing spell is useless.
StARSWIRL
You have studied my writings. Surely you have some other plan. 
TwILIGHT
No.  I just wanted to save you, I didn't think--
PoNY OF SHADOWS
Don't fret.  When I extinguish the light and hope of this miserable world... You won't remember any of this.
TwILIGHT
No!
PONY OF SHADOWS
This one is almost as strong as you, Starswirl. But even in my weakened state, she cannot stop the might of shadows!
Starlight
Lucky for her, she's not alone.
PONY OF SHADOWS
ARRGGGHHH! 
StaRSWIRL
Know this, fiend. We will not rest until we find a way to return you to limbo.
PONY OF SHADOWS
Never. Your days of glory are through, Starswirl. Now my dark power will reign, and you six will bow to me!
raiNBOW DASH
Um... Where'd he go?  
soMNAMBULA
That is a riddle we must unravel. And quickly.
meadowbrook
How long have we been gone?
FlUTTERSHY
Over a thousand years.
StARSWIRL
Then my spell worked--before it was meddled with-- 
StARSWIRL (CONT'D)
--and the realm has been at peace for a millennia!
PinKIE PIE
Weeeeell... we did have to save everypony from Nightmare Moon, and Discord, and Chrysalis, and King Sombra, and Lord Tirek, and there was that one time when Starlight traveled through time and almost destroyed life as we know it! But that's all in the past.
flash MAGNUS 
If you are truly this accomplished, we will stop the Pony of Shadows twice as fast together.
STARSWIRL
We shall see. It is an easy thing to say you have saved the world. It is quite another to do it.
RaiNBOW DASH
Oh, we've saved the world, beardo. And we can do it again.
STARSWIRL
Be that as it may, the problem of locating the Pony of Shadows remains, and this land is vast.
RarITY
It sounds like you need a map. Luckily, we have just the thing.
Sc 3 - INT. TWILIGHT'S CASTLE – throne room – DAY 
StaRSWIRL
Something about this magic seems familiar...
raRITY
Did you know he could do that?
TwiLIGHT
He's Starswirl! He can do anything! 
StaRSWIRL
This map and, indeed, this very castle are grown from the seed we planted over a thousand years ago.
RockHOOF
Then it did work!
sunBURST
What worked?
SomNAMBULa
Each of us infused a crystal seed with our magic in hopes that it would grow into a force for good.
MisTMANE
We wanted to leave something to protect the realm in our absence, but we never dreamed our gift would become so powerful.
apPLEJACK
Y'all mean the elements came from you?
PINKIE PIE
You know, the sparkly crystal things that grow from the Tree of Harmony and represent each of us?
PinKIE PIE
Laughter. Honesty. Generosity. Loyalty. Kindness. And magic!
SomNAMBULA
They are reflections of our own elements of hope, strength, beauty, bravery, healing, and sorcery.
meaDOWBROOK
We had no idea our small seed would bloom into the living spirit of the land. I am glad our mantles have passed to such capable ponies.
StARSWIRL
More importantly, we no longer need Ponhenge to send our foe back to limbo.  We can use the stored magic in this "Tree of Harmony." 
TwILIGHT
But... Doesn't a banishing spell take a lot of power? We'd have to sacrifice the elements for that. 
FluTTERSHY
They’d be gone... Forever?
twILIGHT
Starswirl...I don't think the Tree can survive without the elements. If it dies, Equestria will suffer.
StARSWIRL
If the Pony of Shadows has his way, your land will not exist. So unless you have a better idea...?
StarSWIRL (CONT'D)
Our foe will seek dark places from which to draw power. I will prepare my spell, so that we may strike as soon as you find him.
RaiNBOW DASH
What are we waiting for?
FlasH MAGNUS
I like your spirit!
Sc 4 - Int. TwiLIGHT'S CASTLE – liBRARY -  soon
SpIKE
What about this one?
TwILIGHT
Sea Pony etiquette isn't going to help right now, Spike.
starlIGHT
Twilight? Are you okay?
TwILIGHT
I just unleashed ultimate evil and doomed Equestria because I was obsessed with meeting my idol. Why wouldn't I be okay?
StarligHT
You didn't know that was gonna happen.
TWILIGHT
But I should have listened to you and left things alone. Now the elements of harmony will be lost to fix my mistake! 
StARLIGHT
Maybe there's another way...
SpiKE
If there is, Twilight will find it.
TwILIGHT
Portal gate... Portal keys... Portal spells -- YES! If the Pillars can hold open the gateway to limbo, a powerful pony can do the banishing spell herself! Do you know what this means?
SpIKE
I can stop carrying books?
TwILIGHT
The Pillars don't have to leave Equestria!  Even though we'll lose the elements, we'll have the ponies that created them.  And the Pony of shadows will be banished for good!
starlIGHT
That's great... But I was thinking of another way that maybe doesn't involve "banishing" at all?
TWILIGHT
Starswirl knew what he was doing when he cast that spell. 
TWILIGHT 
If I can make it even better...Maybe he'll see I take magic as seriously as he does. 
Transition to:
SC 5 - ext. street (MANEHATTAN)– night
RocKHOOF
It seems the dark places Starswirl indicated on the map have changed.
ApPLEJACK
I bet the Pony of Shadows woulda loved the Ghastly Caverns--before 1000 years of erosion turned it into the Ghastly Gorge...
FluTTERSHY
The "Appeloosian Wastes" sure sounded dark and desolate.
RarITY
Who knew they would become such a popular square dancing destination?
PinKIE PIE (o.S.)
And I get how this part of Equestria used to be cast in eternal night where the Pony of Shadows could draw power and wreak havoc while ponies were powerless to stop him, but...
Pinkie's giant light face
...it's kinda made a comeback.
Pinkie's giant light face (CONT'D)
Did I mention it's really bright?!
Transition to:
SC 6 - INT. TWILIGHT'S CASTLE – MAP ROOM - DAY 
StaRSWIRL
It seems there are fewer dark corners in the realm these days.
RaiNBOW DASH
Isn't that a good thing?
FLASH MAGNUS
True. The Pony of Shadows will have a hard time regaining power. When he rears his head, we'll be ready!
FlUTTERSHY
Isn't there some way to banish him without losing all of you?
MeADOWBROOK
I wish there were. But to save our home, we are willing to leave it.
TwiLIGHT
I don't think you'll have to!
TwILIGHT (CONT'D)
My spell isn't finished yet, but I think we can send The Pony of Shadows to limbo without all of you having to go as well!
STARSWIRL
While I appreciate your enthusiasm, Twilight, this is hardly the time to take risks on half-baked spells.
AppLEJACK
Begging your pardon, Mr. The Bearded.  But Twilight doesn't do anything half-way.
piNKIE PIE
Especially not magic!
raiNBOW DASH
Seriously! She got her wings by finishing one of your spells.
RarITY
I think you’ll find her work is worth reading before you dismiss it out of hoof!
MeADOWBROOK
While it is an unconventional approach, I believe it could work.
StarSWIRL
Hm. I suppose there is a chance...
SunBURST
...but we still have no idea where to find the villain.
SpIKE
Maybe we should try there.
END ACT ONE
ACT TWO
SC 7 - INT. TWILIGHT'S CASTLE – MAP ROOM - RESUME
ApPLEJACK
The Hollow Shades. I think a branch of the Apple family lives there.
SuNBURST
They'd have to be pretty distant. The Hollow Shades was abandoned eons ago.
RarITY
Hm, that's odd. The only time the map's called all of us to one place was Starlight's village.
RainBOW DASH
So it's like a super-villain tracker! No offence.
TwILIGHT
Do you think the map could be trying to tell us where the Pony of Shadows is?
StaRSWIRL
Tree of Harmony acting to protect the light of the realm...Yes, a good thought, Twilight.
StARSWIRL (CONT'D)
I will make my notes on this spell. Ready yourselves for battle.
StarliGHT
I know I'm not as experienced as all of you, but is banishment really the only option? I mean, it's been a long time. Maybe the Pony of Shadows is ready to talk.
stARSWIRL
I doubt we can save our homeland with a conversation.
STARLIGHT
But we could try.
TwILIGHT
Starlight, I'm sure Starswirl and the others did try.
StarSWIRL
The Pony of Shadows was not interested in reconciliation. Once a villain, always a villain.
StaRSWIRL
Twilight, Sunburst, would you accompany me?  I wish to refine this spell for our use.
RocKHOOF
Come. We must prepare for the struggle ahead.
STARLIGHT
I know Starswirl is a great wizard, but this whole plan seems wrong. The map's only ever sent us to solve friendship problems.
SPike
Maybe so, but the Pony of Shadows doesn't really seem like the friendship type.
STARLIGHT
Honestly? We don't know anything about him.
SpIKE
Nopony does.
STARLIGHT
That's not entirely true.
Sc 8 - Ext. twILIGHT'S CASTLE – DAY
StarlIGHT
You all knew the Pony of Shadows before he became what he is now. You must've been friends. So what happened?
RockHOOF
The tale of our rift is a sad one. 
Transition to:
Sc 9 - ext. Village - flashback
ROCKHOOF (V.O.)
Stygian was a pony like the rest of us-- though more scholar than hero. He recognized our emerging world would need champions to defend it.
FLASH MAGNUS (v.O.)
He may have gathered us together, but he, himself, was just an ordinary unicorn who soon grew jealous of our abilities.
Sc 10 - ext. ponhenge - flashback
MiSTMANE (V.O.)
He stole objects from each of us - artifacts to use in a spell. 
MeaDOWBROOK (v.O.)
And we cast him out for it.
SoMNAMBULA
We always thought he'd return and seek forgiveness...
SomNAMBULA (CONT'D)
But when we saw him again, his heart was bent on revenge. He dashed even my hope of saving him.
end flashback
Sc 11 - EXT. twILIGHT'S CASTLE – resume
StarlIGHT
But why did he steal the artifacts from you?
MeADOWBROOK
No doubt it was an enchantment to take our powers for himself.    
Sc 12 - Int. TwILIGHT'S CASTLE – liBRARY - day 
StarlIGHT
That looks like a lot of work.
StaRSWIRL
It is what must be done, and it would be best if we were not disturbed.
TwILIGHT
I'm sorry, Starlight, but we can't stop to talk, the stakes are too high and we have to--
STARLIGHT
Banish Stygian to limbo. I get it.
sunbuRST
Who?
StaRSWIRL
Stygian was the name the Pony of Shadows gave up when he turned to darkness.
StaRlIGHT
And I'm just trying to figure out why.
STARSWIRL
Envy. He wanted more power than he had, and that desire led him down a path from which there is no return.
STARLIGHT
I know from experience that's not always true. When the map called you six to my village, it was for a friendship problem. Are you sure this is different?
TWILIGHT
I...
STARSWIRL
Stygian wants to destroy all that is good in this world. There's no way to befriend a pony like that.
StarlIGHT
I guess I'm lucky your idol wasn't around when you decided to be my friend. I might've been banished to limbo too.
END ACT TWO
ACT THREE
SC 13 - INT. cave of harmony – DAY
SomNAMBULA
I am glad we have the chance to see what has grown from our efforts so long ago.
MisTMANE
It seems a shame to harm it.
staRSWIRL
A necessary sacrifice.  With the elements' power, we will bind the Pony of Shadows in limbo.  And thanks to Twilight, we will remain to watch over the realm ourselves.
RoCKHOOF
Um... How do we use them?
RaRITY
Well, you!... Oh. I'm not sure. They simply work for us.
StARSWIRL
The elements are attuned to you.  We must use their magic in pairs.
RaiNBOW DASH
No problem.  We're used to banishing evil before breakfast.
APPLEJACK
And it'll be an honor to save Equestria with y'all.
StarlIGHT
I really hope Twilight knows what she's doing...
Dissolve to:
SC 14 - EXT. THE HOLLOW SHADES - perpetual NIGHT 
SuNBURST
I don't remember reading anything that said the Hollow Shades was like this.
misTMANE
The Pony of Shadows must have twisted it to his purposes.

StARSWIRL (CONT'D)
Prepare yourselves. He is here.

STARSWIRL (CONT'D)
Stygian! Show yourself and face us!
Sc 15 - Int. Well of shade - continuOUS
SunBURST
I definitely would have remembered reading about this.
PONY OF SHADOWS (o.S.)
Welcome to the Well of Shade!
PonY OF SHADOWS (CONT'D)
When you turned your backs on me, I discovered this place. The darkness spoke to me of a power beyond any I could imagine-- and I listened.
PONY OF SHADOWS (CONT'D)
The shadow and I became one. Soon all of the realm will be the same. Then all ponies will feel the despair I did when you cast me out!
StaRSWIRL
We did what we had to do. You tried to steal our powers for yourself.
PONY OF SHADOWS
No. It was you who were selfish. And now you will pay!
StarlIGHT
Are you still sure this isn't a friendship problem?
StARSWIRL
Ready?  Open the portal... NOW!
PonY OF SHADOWS
No!  You will not trap me again!
StARSWIRL
Twilight!  Push him in!
TwILIGHT
Huh?
TwILIGHT
There's...A pony in there.
Sc 16 - Int. Magical light bubble - coNTINUOUS
TwILIGHT
Are you... Stygian?
StyGIAN
I was, once. Until my friends betrayed me.
TWILIGHT
But Starswirl says you betrayed them.  You wanted their magic...
StyGIAN
No!  I wanted their respect.
StyGIAN (CONT'D)
I brought them together. I planned strategy, and I read all I could about the beasts we faced... But I didn't have magic or strength. So nopony every noticed me.
StyGIAN (CONT'D)
I went to Ponhenge to make my own copies of the artifacts. With them, I thought I could be a Pillar too! And stand by their side in battle.
StyGIAN (CONT'D)
I never wanted to steal their power.
StyGIAN (CONT'D)
But instead of sharing and letting me help... My friends threw me out.
StyGIAN (CONT'D)
So I became stronger than any of them!
styGIAN (CONT'D)
The darkness welcomed me when no pony would and I will do what I must to protect it!
TwILIGHT
This is all a misunderstanding!  If the Pillars knew how you felt, I'm sure they wouldn't have turned their backs on you. The shadow isn't who you really are. Let me help you be Stygian again.
styGIAN
Even if my friends did still care, what makes you think you have the power to help me?
StarlIGHT
Because it's what she does. I wasn't so different from you and Twilight helped me change. If there's one pony in Equestria that can save a friendship, it's her.
styGIAN
I-- I want to believe you...
PoNY OF SHADOWS
But the darkness will not be stopped! 
Sc 17 - int. Well of shade - coNTINUOUS
TwiLIGHT 
Fight the darkness, Stygian! You don't need it anymore. Revenge isn't what you want, friendship is!
starlIGHT
Twilight!
TWILIGHT
The shadow won't let go of him. He wants to stop, but he can't do it alone.
STARSWIRL
Then we must help him.
Sc 18 - Ext. Hollow shades - day 
RaiNBOW DASH
YEAH! It felt sooooo good to do that again!
PiNKIE PIE
Friendship power rush!  WOO!
RaRITY
The elements! They didn't disappear.
fluTTERSHY
Maybe because we used them for healing magic instead of banishing? 
ApPLEJACK
Look!
StARSWIRL
Long ago you needed our help, Stygian, but instead of listening, we turned our backs on you. Pride clouded my judgment... And I owe you an apology. 
StARSWIRL (CONT'D)
Thank you for helping us see the errors of our ways, Twilight. It seems I never accounted for the magic of friendship.
TwILIGHT
Thank you, Swirlstar.  Starswirl!  
StARliGHT
AHEM. So apparently a conversation can save Equestria?
StARSWIRL
Something tells me I will be making a lot of apologies today.
Sc 19 - Int. canterlot castle - day 
StaRSWIRL
I simply cannot believe how tall you've gotten!
CelESTIA
Well, it has been over a thousand years. 
Will you stay here and teach magic once again?  My sister and I have such fond memories of your lessons.
lunA
As long as you don't ask for those essays we owed you before you disappeared.
StaRSWIRL
I am not certain Canterlot is where I belong. The realm has grown and I believe I'll have a look around before I settle in any one place.
MeaDOWBROOK
And I long to see what has become of my home.
MistMANE
I believe we all do.
CELESTIA
Then I hope you will return to Canterlot on occasion and share the wisdom of your great experience with the next generation of ponies.
StaRSWIRL
We would be honored, but if it is wisdom you seek, look no further than your own pupil. She showed me that the power of friendship is a magical force indeed.
StARSWIRL (CONT'D)
And that in turning away from others, you hurt yourself as well.
TwILIGHT
It's funny...I thought meeting my idol would give me all the answers I ever wanted. But instead, I forgot what I already knew.
TwILIGHT (CONT'D)
Good thing I had a student of my own to remind me.
ENd