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Finally able to put this one up.

Seriously, though? I might not have...but I wanted the chance to gush.
Today was, to me, definitely the best episode of Season Seven so far and...I'd put it in the top 10 episodes of the entire series. It's refreshing to see episodes like this even after seven seasons when most USA animated programs are in their death throes.
It's kind of ironic, because on one level I found the episode was kind of bad. Technically it was a Starlight Glimmer episode with the same moral as "To Where and Back Again": "Starlight's biggest character flaw is that she doesn't realize she's already perfect and can do everything herself, so she needs to learn how to do that without being modest or humble." :/ Ok, I overdid it a bit, and...in spite of my earlier memes, I DO actually like Starlight as a member of the cast. I just don't like episodes with her in them like this one.

And just like in the Season Six finale, it had the ram that home by making Twilight Sparkle look bad because she's the one who always worries and questions Starlight's decisions...and at this point they're starting to make it look like Starlight is annoyed at her "holding her back". It's a pity because the other Starlight Glimmer-centered episodes this season have been good and have been causing her to grow more on me. It's a pity they didn't pair her with a non-Twilight member of the Mane Six because, as Silver Quill has said before, it would have made for better relationship building and character development (like in "Rock Solid Friendship").
But I really don't care about that, because, similar to episodes like "Top Bolt", the real interest of this episode was from the side characters "stealing the show".
In a lot of ways, this episode was nothing more than a remake of the IDW Comic's Micro-Series that highlighted Luna, in which Luna decided to take over Celestia's duties for one day when they got in a mild argument over who had the harder job. Only this one was played up for more drama over humor and had them both switch jobs; letting us get into their characters. In doing so, it finally cleared up some misconceptions of the entire series.
The first is that the exact nature of the series' original villain, Nightmare Moon, has never been accurately "pegged down". There's disagreement to this day among the fan community, the IDW comic writers, and even the show writers about how much Nightmare Moon is just an alter-ego of Princess Luna and how much of her it its own malevolent individual. Finally, this episode put out something more conclusive, which it kind of started alluding to in "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?". Basically, Luna being the "god of dreams" in Equestria gives her a unique ability that makes her able to help individuals in unique ways...yet simultaneously makes her one of the most dangerous individuals in the world. If she herself has a "nightmare" and loses control of it, likely due to emotional instability, it can act through her own magical ability to manifest itself in the physical world. That's what happened to her. She lost control of Nightmare Moon (originally a genuine nightmare) and it used her body to become flesh and bone. They even further alluded to the fact that while Nightmare Moon represented Luna's jealousy of Celestia...the reason she was pure black was because, deep down inside, she represented her sadness.
It also showed how "ruling the night" is honestly what's best for Luna, because, well...her personality is a bit like mine. Every mistake she makes she sees as a reflection on her identity as an individual rather than just something she did. On one hand, she dislikes ruling night because no one is awake to appreciate the work she does, but deep down inside she prefers being more solitary and quiet so she can compose her thoughts, and, more importantly, not be forced to maintain a good appearance at all times or deal with the fear of letting others down. She's so fearful of inadvertently causing misfortune to others through her actions that she's almost obsessive...and it led to one of the more genuinely disturbing scenes in a Y-rated show I've seen. (I'm a little surprised it got past the censors...)
Best of all, however...it finally, finally, finally did something that's needed to happen ever since the pilot episode and was only briefly touched in in "Celestial Advice": it got into Princess Celestia's character.
Not surprisingly, it revealed that she's not as independent and emotionally strong as Luna. She has to deal with others all day long, but that's fine with her because she likes being around others. On the surface it seems like it's a bit of ego and pride on her part that she always draws a crowd and greets a lot of ponies, but in truth she's nervous and insecure when no one is around because she doesn't fully have faith in her own strength.
Yet there's a twist on that.
Most individuals who don't have faith in their own strength do it because they fear they're not strong enough and they won't be able to come through. One would assume Celestia would be the same way, because, as the fan community has noted by calling her "Trollestia" from time to time, she's come off the bulk of the series as being wimpy and useless; only able to tell others to do her job for her. That at best she's washed-up and past her prime. Yet it turns out, by introducing her own dark side of Day Breaker, the opposite is true. Celestia is actually more like Superman: afraid that she'll use her power inappropriately and that she's not entitled to the full measure of her own ability, and so she's always continuously, both consciously and subconsciously, holding herself back. Yet that, ironically, has led to her own dark side manifesting itself: the fact that she hates that she's always "too weak to do anything", because she's too scared to try using her full power. Day Breaker said Celestia could be the most powerful individual in existence if she would eliminate any affection or concern for anyone else, as that makes her rein herself in. She actually said she didn't need to bother with sealing Nightmare Moon away in the moon for a thousand years...she could have outright destroyed her without the Elements of Harmony. Until now, it's looked as if Celestia just got smacked down by Nightmare Moon and showed off her weakness but the truth was revealed that the only reason she won was because Celestia wouldn't let herself hurt Luna. Otherwise she would have had her outclassed in every way.
Best of all, this episode finally gave the fandom what they wanted to see at the end of the pilot episode...a proper "reconciliation" between Celestia and Luna at long last, with the two finally admitting that, just like days need the sun and the moon, they need each other.
...On top of all that, "Solar Flare" is canon now. I actually like the name "Day Breaker" a bit better, plus I'm sure there would have been some legal issues like there was with Button Mash if they used that name.

Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" is property of DHX Media and Hasbro.

Description
Finally able to put this one up.

Seriously, though? I might not have...but I wanted the chance to gush.
Today was, to me, definitely the best episode of Season Seven so far and...I'd put it in the top 10 episodes of the entire series. It's refreshing to see episodes like this even after seven seasons when most USA animated programs are in their death throes.
It's kind of ironic, because on one level I found the episode was kind of bad. Technically it was a Starlight Glimmer episode with the same moral as "To Where and Back Again": "Starlight's biggest character flaw is that she doesn't realize she's already perfect and can do everything herself, so she needs to learn how to do that without being modest or humble." :/ Ok, I overdid it a bit, and...in spite of my earlier memes, I DO actually like Starlight as a member of the cast. I just don't like episodes with her in them like this one.

And just like in the Season Six finale, it had the ram that home by making Twilight Sparkle look bad because she's the one who always worries and questions Starlight's decisions...and at this point they're starting to make it look like Starlight is annoyed at her "holding her back". It's a pity because the other Starlight Glimmer-centered episodes this season have been good and have been causing her to grow more on me. It's a pity they didn't pair her with a non-Twilight member of the Mane Six because, as Silver Quill has said before, it would have made for better relationship building and character development (like in "Rock Solid Friendship").
But I really don't care about that, because, similar to episodes like "Top Bolt", the real interest of this episode was from the side characters "stealing the show".
In a lot of ways, this episode was nothing more than a remake of the IDW Comic's Micro-Series that highlighted Luna, in which Luna decided to take over Celestia's duties for one day when they got in a mild argument over who had the harder job. Only this one was played up for more drama over humor and had them both switch jobs; letting us get into their characters. In doing so, it finally cleared up some misconceptions of the entire series.
The first is that the exact nature of the series' original villain, Nightmare Moon, has never been accurately "pegged down". There's disagreement to this day among the fan community, the IDW comic writers, and even the show writers about how much Nightmare Moon is just an alter-ego of Princess Luna and how much of her it its own malevolent individual. Finally, this episode put out something more conclusive, which it kind of started alluding to in "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?". Basically, Luna being the "god of dreams" in Equestria gives her a unique ability that makes her able to help individuals in unique ways...yet simultaneously makes her one of the most dangerous individuals in the world. If she herself has a "nightmare" and loses control of it, likely due to emotional instability, it can act through her own magical ability to manifest itself in the physical world. That's what happened to her. She lost control of Nightmare Moon (originally a genuine nightmare) and it used her body to become flesh and bone. They even further alluded to the fact that while Nightmare Moon represented Luna's jealousy of Celestia...the reason she was pure black was because, deep down inside, she represented her sadness.
It also showed how "ruling the night" is honestly what's best for Luna, because, well...her personality is a bit like mine. Every mistake she makes she sees as a reflection on her identity as an individual rather than just something she did. On one hand, she dislikes ruling night because no one is awake to appreciate the work she does, but deep down inside she prefers being more solitary and quiet so she can compose her thoughts, and, more importantly, not be forced to maintain a good appearance at all times or deal with the fear of letting others down. She's so fearful of inadvertently causing misfortune to others through her actions that she's almost obsessive...and it led to one of the more genuinely disturbing scenes in a Y-rated show I've seen. (I'm a little surprised it got past the censors...)
Best of all, however...it finally, finally, finally did something that's needed to happen ever since the pilot episode and was only briefly touched in in "Celestial Advice": it got into Princess Celestia's character.
Not surprisingly, it revealed that she's not as independent and emotionally strong as Luna. She has to deal with others all day long, but that's fine with her because she likes being around others. On the surface it seems like it's a bit of ego and pride on her part that she always draws a crowd and greets a lot of ponies, but in truth she's nervous and insecure when no one is around because she doesn't fully have faith in her own strength.
Yet there's a twist on that.
Most individuals who don't have faith in their own strength do it because they fear they're not strong enough and they won't be able to come through. One would assume Celestia would be the same way, because, as the fan community has noted by calling her "Trollestia" from time to time, she's come off the bulk of the series as being wimpy and useless; only able to tell others to do her job for her. That at best she's washed-up and past her prime. Yet it turns out, by introducing her own dark side of Day Breaker, the opposite is true. Celestia is actually more like Superman: afraid that she'll use her power inappropriately and that she's not entitled to the full measure of her own ability, and so she's always continuously, both consciously and subconsciously, holding herself back. Yet that, ironically, has led to her own dark side manifesting itself: the fact that she hates that she's always "too weak to do anything", because she's too scared to try using her full power. Day Breaker said Celestia could be the most powerful individual in existence if she would eliminate any affection or concern for anyone else, as that makes her rein herself in. She actually said she didn't need to bother with sealing Nightmare Moon away in the moon for a thousand years...she could have outright destroyed her without the Elements of Harmony. Until now, it's looked as if Celestia just got smacked down by Nightmare Moon and showed off her weakness but the truth was revealed that the only reason she won was because Celestia wouldn't let herself hurt Luna. Otherwise she would have had her outclassed in every way.
Best of all, this episode finally gave the fandom what they wanted to see at the end of the pilot episode...a proper "reconciliation" between Celestia and Luna at long last, with the two finally admitting that, just like days need the sun and the moon, they need each other.
...On top of all that, "Solar Flare" is canon now. I actually like the name "Day Breaker" a bit better, plus I'm sure there would have been some legal issues like there was with Button Mash if they used that name.

Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" is property of DHX Media and Hasbro.