@Stotter  

Foreshadowing

I kind of want to see late stage swamp fever depicted in Junji Ito style emulation. I know there are pony artists who’ve done things like that before.

Personally, when I imagine an Equestrian equine with swamp fever to the point that he or she is sprouting tree limbs, I imagine it on the order of tree limbs sprouting out of the skin, something really grotesque and painful to look at. I think such an image would’ve been more likely to elicit the kind of response that Zecora got from Fluttershy in that episode.
 
From what I understand, there is a human disease called swamp fever. It can be deadly; but, from what I understand, it doesn’t turn humans into trees, or involve trees taking over humans.

@MrSeveryn  

 
most of the fandom was probably thinking it.

@laofuzi  
that just proves there’s no god

the fluttertree meme lives again.

@laofuzi  
That’s insane

Thank god I’m not the only one who thought of this

I’m sorry, but… all I can focus on is Twilight’s empty, corpse-like stare in the top picture.

This goddamn episode, I can no longer even glance at this joke anymore and not feel super uncomfortable.

This was the closest she came to being a tree. Careful what you wish for, huh?
 
But yeah, obviously she wanted to be the kind of tree that animals depended on.

@punzil504
 
Thought of that too.

I was actually reminded of Fluttershy’s fate in Fallout: Requestria…

like dante’s inferno with the suicide forest or over the garden wall with there edelwood trees, only less dark

@Background Pony #AD8B  
Cordyceps, but for kids.
 
Seriously, this show’s “never say die” attitude is making some of the most horrific “worse than death” situations.
 
I kinda like that.

@Shepherd  

 
But after a while, everybody would be a tree and it would be so peaceful!

All jokes aside, this is a very dark story element!

Probably not that tree since it’s dangerous.