- Written by Jeremy Whitley, Art by Tony Fleecs, Coloring by Heather Breckel
The legendary ponies meet up with the last member of their hoped-for team—the magnificent Starswirl the Bearded! Before the team is complete, Starswirl must overcome suspicions about one of the group.
Tropes:
- Call-Forward: When Stygian meets Star Swirl, the latter is in the castle gardens trying to work on a new spell he can't seem to get right. This is the very same spell that he will leave unfinished and whose completion will spark Twilight's ascension to alicornhood more than a thousand years in the setting's future.
- Continuity Nod: Starswirl mentions having banished a centaur to Tartarus, matching exposition that showed his friendship with Scorpan played a decisive role in it.
- Green Thumb: Mistmane is able to both cultivate and talk to magical plants.
- Running Gag: While the legendary ponies are attempting to get into Mistmane's greenhouse, Meadowbrook keeps getting interrupted by the others.Meadowbrook: I'm really annoyed that every time I start a sentence it gets inter-
Somnambula: Yes! Strike true, Rockhoof!
Mage Meadowbrook: Grrrr. - Series Continuity Error: Star Swirl mentions banishing a centaur to Tartarus presumably referring to Tirek. This contradicts "Twilight's Kingdom" where Celestia and Luna narrate the backstory that Scorpan went to them to warn them abort Tirek implying they were the ones whom defeated Tirek, as they were still in training at this point. It also contradicts Tirek's FIENDship Is Magic issue stating Celestia was in power before Tirek attacked Equestria.
- Tempting Fate: When the group arrive at the Royal Sisters' new castle, Rockhoof remarks that the place will one day bring all of Equestria together. Flash Magnus scoffs at this, claiming that he and the rest of the pegasi are "always gonna be on our own".
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: The plants only trapped Mistmane in her greenhouse and prevented anyone from entering because they could feel the "winds of change", and were afraid Mistmane could get hurt if she joined the other legendary ponies.
