I liked the episode, singing and all, but I do cynically (but no doubt correctly) believe this was all done because someone at Hasbro went "Okay, we need a new toy to push on the kids, we're doing well selling you-know-who to the Bronies but we can't put her in the main line because we can't use her name, and everyone's getting tired of recolors... I'VE GOT IT! STICK WINGS ON TWILIGHT! AND MAKE SURE IT GETS INTO THE SHOW SOMEHOW! DON'T ASK QUESTIONS, DO AS I SAY!".

They should have waited at least another season for Alicon!Twilight as a plot development IMHO, but what's happened has happened.