~Disclaimer, s9 MLP spoilers~
So I get that there’s a general debate with Discord being Grogar in s9, so strap in folks: this is gonna explain exactly why s9 portrayed everything flawlessly, and a look into the communication styles that MLP has to offer.
Discord being Grogar was not OOC. I don’t see this as a form of betrayal, this was an act of confusion. An act of someone who’s used a communication/personality style for so long, that they can’t quite yet discern when something goes too far. He wasn’t doing this to betray his friends, or to cause chaos (even for him being, y’know, a being of chaos). He did this because in his mind, what better way to help Twilight come to terms with ruling?
Discord reunites the four main villains of the franchise (excluding himself, as he’s the mastermind behind it, and excluding Starlight: a redeemed antagonist has no business in his plans anyway). He even, perhaps absentmindedly, starts teaching them the friendship lessons that he’s gathered over his time as a “reformed” lord of chaos.
See how he tries to get them to work together? Yeah, his subtext was “you can’t achieve destroying/conquering Equestia unless you work together”, but he was asking villains to work together. Again, this may have been absentmindedly, but it’s still a sign that he was learning something after all.
Some people might argue that this is stupid, and it ruins Discord’s character: I beg to differ. Discord never wanted them to rule Equestia. He never expected them to turn against Grogar either. He thought, if it all went his way, that the Mane 6 would destroy/imprison their enemies once again, and it would prove to Twilight that she could handle things. Anyone who thinks that he intended for anyone to get hurt, should turn their attention to the second episode of s9.
When King Sombra is in the castle, and the mane 6 think they can’t stop him without Discord, there’s the well known scene where he takes the blast to protect Fluttershy. Yes, that blast didn’t actually injure him all that badly, but he still took it. He never had any intention of actually letting them get hurt. That’s where he made mistakes in the end of s9, because clearly while well intentioned, he was sorely mistaken with how far the main three villains would go against his friends. (And for those who say he only did this for Fluttershy: 50/50 on that. Yes, they’re closer/implied to be romantic partners, but I think it’s safe to gather that at this point, he would’ve saved any of the ponies. Fluttershy was just a prime choice for the audience, as they have a deeper connection.)
Discords betrayal arc already happened at the end of s4. S9 isn’t an act of betrayal, as much as it is a misguided morally-gray type character, who’s intentions were in the right place, but who couldn’t quite realize he wasn’t going about this the right way.
How does this fit in with communication/personality types? I’m so glad you asked.
When you have a character, who’s intentions were perhaps not the best, when they actually try to do good, they’re in a bit of a learning curve. They’re genuinely trying, but they haven’t quite grasped it. Discord knows, especially from Fluttershy, that helping your friends is a super important element of friendship, and harmony. However, he also still maintains that chaotic part of himself, that can’t quite yet discern between which is a good helpful friendship tactic, and which is just.. too much.
Dare I also say, I find it interesting that almost all the main villains come from after Discord’s introduction? Chrysalis shows up in the S2 finale, Sombra (although defeated early in s9) shows up in s3, and Tirek is in s4. This is a fantastic foreshadowing of Discord being the “leader” of this band, as Grogar. Even though he didn’t want them to win, it’s a fantastic way of tying everything together, from a film stand point.
In conclusion, S9 is probably one of the richest, lore-centric seasons of any show, ever, and Discord only grows as a character. He does not become OOC or anything less by his actions, it’s just a whole, big, communications metaphor. This also isn’t saying that he wasn’t in the wrong: he absolutely was! But being wrong, doesn’t erase character development: sometimes, it just strengthens it.
EDIT: I came here to say, I think the fatal flaw in Discord’s plan was that he thought since he was a villain, he could still understand villains enough to have his plan go down without a hitch. If anything, his flaw was that he’s been separated enough from his villain-mindset, that he didn’t realize the lengths they would go to. I also want to say that his chaotic shenanigans don’t equal him being a villain. From his redemption onwards, nothing was outwardly harmful, further proving my point. It was only mischievous.
