The Summer Sun Setback maybe the best episode in regards to the season arch. Maybe not in a fan service perspective (because Frenemies is hard to top) but from a storyline perspective? Yes. I'm almost at a loss of where to start on this so this could be a bit more rambling than normal. This episode did the transfer of power right in so many ways. The sisters announcing that this would be the last Summer Sun Celebration and that the time was nearing for the transfer of power was so much better than how the season opener handled it. Rather than being stupid and arbitrary to the point where makes even by the show's own lax internal logic it makes the princesses seem a bit idiotic and almost gives a thread to canon of some darker interpretations of Twilight princesshood (it being forced upon her, her being driven away from the life she should be living) this episode made it feel natural. She has grown a bit. It feels like a natural flow organically. Twilight Sparkle felt like Twilight Sparkle in this roll. Her move to surprise the princesses with the Festival of the Two Sisters was the most Twilight Sparkle way of her making a move outside following the cues of others while still being 100% who she is. It showed a bit of leadership and the roll of the princess while showing it was the Princess of Friendship taking power as opposed to Twilight merely replacing them in their wall.
The plot was done very well. It did everything I said above plus it was perfectly balanced between the mane6 and the villains. The latter of which also got development in their plot. I can I just say that towards montage felt so--how do I say? Air of finality to it. The music felt more to me than just the normal song and dance routine. It felt like a climax. Like... I'm having a hard time putting it to words. Everypony teaming up felt special, like we are giving it our all, once again for one of the last times. I also dig the night in city setting, even if that didn't really play into the plot and tbh this is more of a personal take away from it. It reminded me of A Canterlot Wedding when they Twilight and her friends were sitting at the table. Okay, perhaps that was a bit esoteric to point out. Basically, the A plot was /comfy/ for me. So many things in this episode just felt they were done so well. I only had two quips which are so minor they don't affect the rating (which I'll point out below).
