Firstly, sory for answering so late, but... when I saw You start mentioning the movie "Legend of Everfree" I decided to wait with this answer till I'll see it(I don't get to the part " I won't spoil it to you" that time). And today(well actually yesterday - on Saturday, now in Poland is Sunday, for about three hours) was its premiere in my country(Poland) so I finally can read your reply and answer You, without fear of reading some spoilers.And before I start answearing You I want do one more think. Thank You for sharing You're thoughts I think them quite clever and deep. And helpful in working on my story. You pointed some important things which can help me improve my story(which I can assure You I give You link as soon as it will be translated into English... or even to the orginal if You speak(actually read) Polish - well kinda possible because as I read on Your deviantart profile you are slavic like me)... but now its high time to the actual answer.Yeah, You probably right with this who is and who isn't main character. So "focus" isn't good word. Rather "attention". I mean being introduced in 5 season and being in 13 episodes(so half of whole season) in comparison to 4 movies(with being introduced after 3rd season) is rather much more attention, screen time, appearance or whatever You like to call it. But i think You get the picture.Actually You're quite right that with such plot like we have it would be quite reasonable if she appear even more in 6th season... but my point is why she get this and Sunset not.And well in final she didn't leave and didn't become a regular mane 6 member. This how Hasbro does it even excuse this that they didn't make Sunset return in this episode(well actually it would be hard to do). But they missed perfect opportunity. If they just lead the plot a little different return of Sunset would be very likely.About becoming alicorn... I consider Sunset not having wings in movie even as a mistake. Because... well Sci-Twi hasn't done anything really princess worthy, ok possibly this scene in her mind could be moment of her transformation but in this case Sunset must become alicorn even more. I mean scene of her transformation in Friendship Games was definitely more worth of being moment of becoming alicorn. Plus "My past is not today" kinda announced it, and of course all other deeds from previous movies. And well "Legend of Everfree" focus on Twilight but it wasn’t so bad as I was afraid of. Sunset still has important role, and – at least for now – wasn’t put to position of secondary character. And well this Pony Movie is also great opportunity for Sunsets return. Now there are three good moments – the movie, seasons 7th opener and final. First is best I think.I even consider her fall and then redemption as something what was "predicted" by her cutie mark. Which is also connected with her as Seventh Element(well this seven crystal seems to support theory). Element of Forgiveness and Redemption/Conversion. I think i even tell something about this particular theory in one of my comments to Your arts. But if not or if You just want hear more I can tell You more.And forced Starlight’s roles... well not all was so forced. Events from "Crystalling", "No second prances"(funny thing in Polish the title is kinda opposite: "Zawsze jest druga szansa"(There always is second chance)) or even "Heartswarming Tale" (You know with all You write about her past it’s quite possible that this holiday can seem for her worthless and fake) were quite logical and reasonable, there we have good development of this character. Well "Times they were changelings" too. Only with "Every little thing she do" I have problems, this was forced and portrayed Starlight as even to powerfull, this break the path of quite good character development. Well now when I think about it even "Every little thing she does" wasn’t such bad(but still this was not good direction).And about her philosophy... You said You understand and support her because of this You came through... well let me firstly refer to You and after that to Starlight.I don’t hate You or think the worst about You. I’m catholic. I doesn’t really hate anyone(quite opposite I rather try to love everyone... but that’s something very difficult. Well usually this what is right isn’t easy). Well the only "person" I really hate is devil itself.Even if You were the worst, the most impenitent sinner I wouldn’t hate You. Perhabs You know this gold catholic rule: "Hate the sin but, love the sinner". Well I think it’s one of the reasons I like so much such redempted character like Sunset.And well this what You write about You’re situation… well I think I know what You fell. At least I little bit. I also often misunderstood, outcasted, mocked and hated even by my family. Well not all, mainly father(well sometimes he could be very nice but... You can never know when he go to his worse side...), my mother is quite lenient and placable... other family members also aren’t so bad for me and I have great support in my younger brother... and some really good friends, but actually there isn’t so much of them. Rather much more people in my life was harsh for me. But despite of it I still keep going my way and fight for this what’s right. Even if I’m often ridiculed because of it. You know what gives me strange to keep going? My faith. Some time ago, when I was much younger, it wasn’t so important thing for me, but now my faith is much stronger than it was at the beginning. And it gives me strength. I got it for Jesus Christ, which is fully present in catholic Church(and in this Church I found some of my very good friends too). His words: "You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." and words of saint Paul from secong letter to Philipians: "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.". They really give me motivation to keep going. Even if they could seem to being just empty platitude I know they are just truth. Maybe they can help You to. I would pray for that.And - as You - I haven’t joking.And returning to Starlight... I know that all this wasn’t fully her fault, he has very traumatic childhood was abandoned, and propably had nobody to show her the way… this how she react is quite understandable right.Her intentions wasn’t evil, but still she was wrong. Not only in her methods, she does and aimed to really horrible and evil thing(even if it seemed good but evil like to hide in disguise of goodness… like Chrysalis in "Canterlot wedding"). As Twilight said – the unique talents are something very important and make friendship stronger. This whole equality couldn’t give anypony true friendship. Here philosophy was wrong from the very beginning, which this episode shows perfectly. And was very dangerous… if it will spread for all Equestria… I think it could be the end of ponies word.This what she does was… totalitarian regime when the citizen itself put themselves in chains, give up their freedom and even support this whole tyranny, including getting new "friends" by force and brain-washing(like Starlight try with Twilight and her friends - and other ponies seen all this and doesn’t concern it as wrong!), but all in guise on utopia and perfect harmony. But the least sign of free thinking and asking about the system was considered as the worst possible crime, someone who doesn’t support system was seen as soulless monster... as I said like realised NWO from most pessimistic conspiracy theories. All builded on lie and deception, and ruined by revealing the truth(this is the reason I was very proud of Hasbro for doing this episode). As it was said in Bible: good tree will give good fruits, bad tree bad fruits. You won’t harvest good fruits from bad tree.She really seem like some kind of pony-mason… it turned out that rather not-aware mason but still this what she does was evil. Even if her intention was right. But still she was hypocrite. Even if she thought she did it all for good of this ponies this doesn’t change the fact, that she lied them whole the time. And when it was revealed she didn’t apologize them, she was rather like "of course I did so, how stupid You are, that You think that I give up my cutie mark too!". She used other words but such was the message.She tell about everyone should be equal but she was still unique(in her appearance, home and secretly keeped cutie mark)… and still think about herself as someone better than others – "I give you equality. I give you friendship. I create harmony!" and then when she is so proud of herself for improving Starswirl’s spell.She said about being equal and all but she still considered herself as unique and better from others. That was equality for all but me, because I’m better. She get so full of anger that then it started to be just about vengeance on Twilight… she was wrong whole time. The CutieMarks and diversity wasn’t the case here. Equality isn’t the way to true friendship and respect. It’s delusional, you should be aware of it. It can seem very tempting, but it’s a trap. It doesn’t really lead to anything good. Diversity and contrivance was something what always make people go forward of course sometimes there were some dead ends, but generally all goes to better. And Equestrian isn’t so different in this(well even better, because well it’s created for child series so by definition is very idealistic). I hope You get why this philosopshy is wrong too.But she finally find out what’s right after seeing for what leads her deeds… not immediately but still. And he get forgiveness. Because all evil deeds can be forgiven.But now get to Sunburst. I think I must go in his defence. Of course he partially contribute to her fall but… I think that it wasn’t so much his fault(but still I agree that Starlights fall was fully her fault of course! I think they both weren’t so much responsible for that). They both were just kids. Firstly he could not be fully aware how lonely Starlight is, and that he is her only friend, not knowing how important he is for her. Secondly in first days he could be so much intent of his cutie mark, new magic school that he just couldn’t think of contacting to anypony. I think we couldn’t blame him for that it’s quite natural, he need time to adapt to new situation. And then he could not exactly know how contact her(Starlight could already move out, he also could earlier not certainly knowing how to contact with him)… what more he has very big problems in magic school as he said… he was in very difficult situation. I think he even could be bullied because of being so "untalented"… so we have also explanation why he didn’t contact her.So, summarizing I thin they both were not so much at fault… and of course we don’t know all about Starlight’s backstory… the only think we know is that events from her life has much worse impact on her than those which happened to Suburst(although he doesn’t have a very happy life too).I personally think it’s to less to dislike this character.Then to Sunburst and Sunset theory… firstly I must say, that I just mentioned being bullied by Sunset as possibility. And of course I didn’t see sunset as born egoistical monstrum! Absolutely not. Nobody(and nopony) is borned evil. Being good is true nature of everyone… but it’s just sometimes is deeply hidden.We can see that also before her redemption, for example when she release Spike(threatening of hurting him could have better effects than threating of destroying the portal). Even when elements starts to have bad influence on her he seems to start realising that she have behave wrong(she cried in moment of her transformation)… then the Element help here to move her conscience, unused from long time.I unfortunately didn’t read "The Fall of Sunset Shimmer", but I her about how she is portrayed there. And this is the reason I think she become such person even before joining Celestia’s school or quickly after that. Why? I don’t know why and I also think it should be explained… returning to Equestria and appearance in show is potentially good opportunity for that.But I think that her situation was rather opposite. I mean firstly I thing she was the only child and was probably very good treated, perhaps even mollycoddled by her parents. And since very beginning very talented. So they were very proud for their daughter, maybe even to proud(so she was "overappreciated") and put her to try harder and harder in order to being better and better. And probably she hasn’t very good social skills. They send her to Celestia’s school, saying how talented she is, then she was noticed by princess… and well she was talented and accustomed to get whatever she wanted… so she started to think, that she can demand literally everything and can do everything in order to get it. I think it’s more like that.To be honest it’s a little bit similar to Diamond Tiara case(she wasn’t bullied but become bully)… or maybe a little bit to Tai-Lung(from Kung-Fu Panda) story.(and well again I have so long comment… even longer than Your and my previous… but well I have a lot to answer for and some think I just think I have to write... and well actually i like writing long posts/comments(at least about interesting topics)... even if so long ago i get a lot of hate for that...).