In spite of telling a dark story, this fic features a fair amount of soft and downright touching moments.
- Even though Jewelius exiles Cadance along with her aunts, fiancé and Twilight's friends, he's unable to make Twilight and the inhabitants of Canterlot hate her. When he announces in fake sadness that she's likely to die from her injuries, the crowd finds it terrible.
- Though it's mainly a Tear Jerker, the main reason Twilight lashes out at her former loved ones in the tenth chapter is because she believes Cadance just got injured because they brought her to Canterlot before Jewelius could reinstate hernote . Twilight wasn't happy about seeing the fugitives Jewelius has denigrated in her eyes and responded with annoyance to the rumors they heard about the Changelings coming after her, but she didn't call for guards to arrest them and instead told them to leave before they got themselves in trouble. Finding her beloved foalsitter injured is what gets her to snap and give her brother, friends and mentor a piece of her mind about how their impulsiveness brought Cadance even more unnecessary harm, letting them know on the side how much she herself has been hurting since the wedding rehearsal.
- While Cadance is saddened to learn what happened at the wedding rehearsal, she never gets angry with Shining Armor or the others for not listening to Twilight. She just asks Shining Armor to make amends with his sister.
- When the Mane Five, Spike, the Princesses, and Shining Armor learn that the Changelings are plotting revenge against Twilight, they all return to Canterlot to help her without hesitation. Even though they know will be met with contempt by Canterlot's citizens and might be walking into a trap, they go through with it to ensure the safety of their friend/sister/student.
- When Shining Armor is being flogged, Twilight doesn't enjoy watching the brother she disowned the previous night suffering so. She asks Jewelius if the punishment is too harsh, acknowledging that it was never Shining Armor's intention to let anypony suffer from the invasion. Jewelius quickly convinces her that her brother must learn his lesson, but it's still nice to see Twilight hasn't stopped entirely caring about him.
- The revelation that most of the Royal Guards who were injured in the invasion continued swearing loyalty to the dismantled princesses and Shining Armor. Sadly, Jewelius had them all murdered for their loyalty.
- When Jewelius brags to the imprisoned heroes that he shall wed Twilight, but might arrange for her death if he finds a more powerful unicorn mare, Shining Armor furiously tells him to stay away from her. Shining was disowned by his little sister in the previous chapter, yet he refuses to let this creep lay a hoof on her. This is much like she was ready to get at Chrysalis for taking advantage of the brother who disowned her. Like brother, like sister.
- Upon facing the gallows, Celestia uses her chance to speak to make a highly remorseful apology to Twilight and everypony else in Canterlot for failing them and for the casualties of the invasion without making excuses for herself. Before raising the sun, she tells Twilight that she's better than she may think and asks her to take care of everypony for her. The previously angry crowd and glum Twilight are so touched by Celestia's apology that they no longer want the former princess to be executed and try to tell Jewelius to stop the process.
- While Hildread fights with Shining Armor in the 13th chapter, some of her sharp feathers end up flying toward a pony couple. Twilight saves them with a force field. Even though she's having trust issues with her friends and family, she still cares about the well-being of other ponies.
- When Fancy Pants leaves the throne room after his unsuccessful attempt to convince Jewelius to get his priorities in line, he briefly stops to tell Twilight that she can trust Canterlot's citizens just as they trust her.
- When Jewelius orders Twilight to get Canterlot's population off his back by falsely telling them that he has the situation with the escaped Changelings under his control, she decides not to misuse a large amount of trust they hold toward her and speaks truthfully to them, even though she knows she'll likely be in trouble with Jewelius.
- After Twilight has turned on Jewelius, he tries to label her as a traitor for joining the disgraced heroes. Much to his chagrin, however, Canterlot's citizens don't believe for one minute that she'd do such a thing without good reason, with her old Canterlot associates vouching for her. The crowd also gladly accepts Fancy Pants' suggestion to pardon her and all the other heroes.
- While most of Canterlot's citizens are tricked by Jewelius into revering him, Fancy Pants is never shown to view the dishonored heroes with contempt and hatred. In addition to the above-mentioned examples, he's the first to protest against the Public Execution of Princess Celestia who delivers a heartwrenching apology to the citizens of Canterlot for failing them.
- When the fugitives go to seek sanctuary from Ponyville, they're instantly welcomed by the townsfolk who have suffered for a week because of the harsh laws Jewelius has instilled upon them due to their association with the "traitorous" Mane Five. Mayor Mare hides in the town hall ponies who have resorted to thievery in order to provide for the needy, and the Apples have harvested about all their apples to feed the starving ponies. After all the contempt the fugitives have suffered, it's sweet for the Mane Five's neighbors and family to welcome them back.
- Right before Jewelius reveals to Twilight that the fugitives were right about his evil nature, Twilight has already decided to forgive her loved ones as well as apologize to them for her recent behavior toward them; she even asks Jewelius to pardon all the fugitives and cease tormenting the inhabitants of Ponyville. She also suggests that he should take an example from the way the princesses ruled Equestria if he wants to be a great ruler. Her refusal to lie to Canterlot's citizens really invigorated her.
- The 17th chapter wherein Twilight reconciles with her friends, Princess Celestia, and Shining Armor is essentially a series of heartwarming moments. Everypony fully owns up to their respective mistakes while offering words of comfort to each other.
- The minute the Mane Five and Spike recover from their shock of seeing Twilight, they give her a big group hug. Twilight expected their reunion to be more strained, but the others are just glad to have her back and are grateful that they've been given a second chance with her.
- When Princess Luna appears, Twilight is about to offer apologies, but Luna interrupts her, assuring her that she doesn't hold a grudge toward Twilight. She then takes the unicorn to reconcile with Celestia, assuring her that Celestia will be overjoyed to see Twilight again and promising to be nearby if Twilight needs her.
- When Twilight goes to reconcile with her mentor, she starts tearfully apologizing for everything that has happened. Celestia interrupts Twilight by enveloping her in a big hug, so happy and proud that her student has shed off Jewelius' poisonous influence.
- When Shining Armor attempts to shoulder the blame for everything that's happened after she did the same thing, Twilight responds by giving him a warm and loving hug. He hugs back.
- While Twilight, Shining Armor and Cadance are embracing each other, Shining apologizes to Cadance and says he wishes he "could've been the stallion she deserves". She answers that he's that stallion more than he ever was.
- After regaining their lives and earning back the public's trust in the epilogue, the heroes apologize to the citizens of Canterlot for their mistakes that contributed to the invasion. The citizens likewise apologize for spurning them under Jewelius' reign.
- In the epilogue, the Mane Five apologize to Lyra, Minuette, and Twinkleshine for replacing them as bridesmaids and offer them those positions back. Touched by the gesture, the three mares forgive the Mane Five, and along with Twilight and Cadance, convince them to be the bridesmaids instead.
- Princess Cadance feels grief about losing her cousin Jewelius, despite everything he did, and wishes that he could've been redeemed , but she takes comfort in knowing that she's gained a husband, a sister-in-law, and some new friends out of the whole mess.
