The 9.4 rating and 10 critic ratings are way too high. This was one of the worst MLP comic issues, period.

The Flim Flam Bros., Iron Will, and Lightning Dust were all OOC, Pinkie was pretty much stupid (and what's that "Attica!" thingy? Is it supposed to be funny? I don't get it...and now is not the time to talk about your mane, Rarity.....) and the way the ponies were defeated was stupid; AJ, Rainbow, and Fluttershy (who did nothing) just get hit like "dink" and they're captured? And Shining practically ran into Sombra without thinking. It also, based on my love for Return of Chrysalis, was kind of humiliating to see Twilight lose to Chrysalis (I know Sombra was there, but still!) Celestia and Luna,even they were useless by just being worfed and turned to stone!!!! Speaking of Chrysalis, she doesn't seem like she serves any purpose here along with the Changelings, in fact, I could run this arc without them. They're just....there.

And Radiant Hope, oh my God, she was practically RUINED here, she deliberately chose to endanger Equestria in a stupid way, backstabbed Celestia and Luna and let them turn to stone, and why? Because she's like "I can't let you hurt my friend." What the HELL? So, Miss Radiant Hope, you allowed yourself to go to the Shadow Umbrum ponies that Sombra grew an army of by enslaving the Crystal Ponies, revived Sombra, and evil Umbrum Pony who destroyed Princess Amore (I dunno if she'll even come back or not), attacked the Crystal Empire, gathered an alliance to attack and get rid of the Mane Six (and how the hell does she even KNOW about them, unless it's more contrivance crap), and allowed Sombra to turn the two Princesses into stone because he was your friend. What a freaking idiot you are, Hope.

So this is pretty much it for this issue; characters are worfed and are useless, Sombra comes back, and Hope is derailed into an idiot. What happens next? It gets worse... more