The Fall of Sunset Shimmer

Dear Princess Luna...

Okay, I really enjoyed the Sunset Shimmer character from Equestria Girls. Issue #9 of the comics series was said to have an 8-page story for her called The Fall of Sunset Shimmer, detailing the events that led her into the alternate universe. The wiki had a write-up about it, but it wasn't very detailed and it didn't do it for me. I had to see this story with my own eyes! I was glad I did, because it had everything I enjoy: some magic, unicorns, Sunset Shimmer,  and Princess Celestia. :)

If you like Sunset Shimmer and/or Celestia, you should definitely pick up this issue. I thought it was pretty good and would definitely recommend getting it for the Sunset Shimmer portion alone.

The story begins at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Sunset is taking her mid-term exam. She passes with flying colors by using a Growth spell to create a giant plant. Later that day, a group of unicorns (including the ones that tried to be friendly with Twilight in the first FiM episode) approach her, impressed with her spell, and ask her to have lunch with them. In the background you can also see Cadence and Shining Armor with filly Twilight, playing with a ball. :) 

Sunset has better things to do than 'socialize,' such as practicing advanced spells for her exams. Sometime later, Sunset is back with Celestia, who is not pleased that Sunset isn't getting along with the other students and isn't heeding her lessons about friendship.

Celestia brings her to the magic mirror and asks what she sees. Sunset's first response is, "A beautiful pony that has nothing but power and potential." Celestia chastises her and reminds her about humility. Sunset looks again and says, "I see a pony who isn't powerful enough. Somepony who could be great, powerful..." An image of herself as an alicorn has appeared. "Somepony that could rule Equestria."

Something then appears in the mirror that seems to terrify Sunset and worries Celestia. It kind of looks like flames and a skull. Celestia says it must have just been a 'trick of the light' and ushers Sunset away.

 
After that incident, Sunset is completely obsessed with this mirror, badgering Celestia about it every day for weeks.

While on a picnic, Celestia reiterates they will get to it when Sunset is ready. A change seems to come over Sunset, she scowls at her master's retreating, voluptuous rear, "I *am* ready."

Tired of her master blowing her off, Sunset goes into the NO ENTRY Dark Magic wing of Canterlot Archives. She learns a few spells that will 'come in handy' and then finds the History of Canterlot Castle, Vol. II, which explains that the magic mirror is a portal to another world.

The slumbering librarian guarding this forbidden area had galloped off to get Celestia, who enters with a pair of pegasi guards and confronts Sunset. Sunset is enraged, "How dare you keep this kind of magic from me! You know I'm ready for this, that I can be great!"

Celestia replies, "I thought I sensed compassion and sincerity in you, but it was nothing but ambition. You're being selfish, you need to step back and reflect-"

Sunset is further angered and throws the book at Celestia, who deflects it with a shield spell. "I'm selfish? That book right there says I could become as powerful as an alicorn princess. I could rule here. It's selfish of you to keep me from my rightful place."

One of these books in the Dark Magic area apparently has the alicornication process detailed. Sunset defiantly stands before Celestia and says, "I deserve to stand beside you and be your equal... if not your better. Make me a princess."

 

Celestia glares back at her and says being a princess is something earned, that she tried to teach Sunset all she needed to know to become one, but Sunset turned from it. Celestia says that every time Sunset says she 'deserves' to get something without effort just proves to Celestia that Sunset is not ready. Celestia then informs Sunset that she is no longer her pupil. Celestia says if they can't get past this, Sunset's studies end here. She also says Sunset is welcome to stay in Canterlot, but is no longer welcome at the castle.

Sunset is less than pleased. She snarls at Celestia, "We'll never get past this because you aren't seeing how great I deserve to be." She then asks if that's all Celestia has to say to her, and Celestia says, "No. The guards will escort you out."

As she leaves, Sunset informs Celestia that "This is the biggest mistake you'll make in your entire life."

Celestia finds herself standing near a painting of her banishing Nightmare Moon (aka her own sister, Luna), and says, "One of many." while looking mournful. :(

Celestia is clearly deeply saddened by what has occurred, and she sighs and hangs her head as she walks alone through Canterlot Castle. She passes by the room the Crystal Mirror is in and sees the two guards lying prone on the ground in front of it. Celestia exclaims, "Oh, Sunset Shimmer... No..."

One of the dazed guards explains that Sunset took them by surprise and jumped into the mirror. Celestia comforts them and asks if they will move the mirror to a safer place if they are feeling up to it.

They move the mirror to the throne room, where one of the guards asks why they moved it to a more prominent place and asks if it wouldn't be wiser to hide it. Celestia, looking very sad, replies, "No... I want it here... To remind me. Also, maybe she'll come back... Someday."

The final scene is of Sunset emerging through the mirror's portal as a humanoid in the alternate universe seen in Equestria Girls. She smirks and says, "Well, well, this is an interesting development..."

 What I learned from this story:

• I can't help but think that the Crystal Mirror may have manipulated Sunset and caused her fall from grace. We know it's a portal to this other world, but clearly there's more to it since Celestia brought her there to see something, and it did show her things, one of which was the skull and flame looking vision. Sunset also became obsessed with this thing, which ultimately led her to the Dark Magic wing of the Canterlot Archives, where she had her fall out with Celestia. In Equestria Girls, we also learn that this mirror was sent to the Crystal Empire for Cadence to 'watch over.' Crystal Mirror/Crystal Empire. So it may be a relic from the Empire. What else is associated with the Empire? Dark magic, as seen in the Crystal Empire episodes of season 3 where using dark magic can reveal an alternate version of the Crystal Empire.
• It seems like Celestia really cared about Sunset Shimmer, and likely never gave up on the thought of her coming back to embrace her teachings on friendship, as she mentions years later in EG. Which does seem like there may be something to the Crystal Mirror - Crystal Empire connection since she shipped it off to Cadence when the Empire came back, or perhaps she thought if Sunset came back Cadence would have a love spell to use on her, in case her heart was still hardened.
• The comic is actually really good and you should get it if you can. I enjoyed the references like the same unicorns that tried to befriend Twilight wanted to befriend Sunset, or seeing Cadence, Shining, and Twily playing in the background. The artwork is also really good as well, I enjoyed the 'stormy weather, angry Sunset glaring back at Celestia's well-shaped rear as she walks away' scene and the 'Celestia looks sorrowful near a Nightmare Moon painting' scene. All of it was well done, but those two I found compelling.