[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by Kagayaki

Rather than Madoka drawing power from her past selves, I think it's more likely that she was ridiculously powerful in that one timeline because that's specifically what she wished for (the power to defeat Walpurgisnacht and save Homura).

The first three loops shown in this episode happened when Madoka had already become a MG before Walpurgis. In the first one, she dies, and in the second and third ones, she uses up too much power and becomes a witch. So she's not really getting stronger over the course of those three loops.

It's more likely that the power difference comes because Madoka is making a different wish in the fourth timeline.

edit: for reference,

Spoiler for keeping all the timelines straight:

TIMELINE 1 (ORIGINAL TIMELINE)
Mami and Madoka are Puella Magi, they save Homura at first.
No sign of Kyoko or Sayaka appearing as Puella Magi
Mami dies fighting Walpurgis, Madoka sacrifices herself to defeat it. → Madoka doesn’t turn in to a Witch after death.
Homura contracts with Kyubey in the aftermath → Homura’s Wish: Redo her meeting with Madoka until she is able to protect her.

TIMELINE 2
Homura wakes up right before she leaves hospital (Start Point) → Homura has congenital heart disease
Mami and Madoka are Puella Magi.
Homura helps with Witch hunting with Mami and Madoka. → Still very dojikko at this stage :P → learns the basics of her time stop skill.
No sign of Kyoko or Sayaka Puella Magi
Madoka turns in to Giant Witch after defeating Walpurgis. → Homura discovers the real truth of the Soul Gem system.

TIMELINE 3
START POINT → Homura discovers Kyubey’s lies.
Sayaka and Kyoko appear as Puella Magi this time. → Sayaka doesn’t believe Homura’s revelations of the Soul Gem system. → Doesn’t like Homura.
Homura upgrades her arsenal.
Sayaka turns in to a Witch. → Homura kills Witch Sayaka → Proves Puella Magi turn in to Witches.
Mami goes berserk, kills Kyoko → Madoka kills Mami to defend Homura.
Madoka and Homura face Walpurgisnacht together
Both of them win together, but Madoka saves Homura from turning in to a Witch with a secret Grief Seed stash. → Homura shoots Madoka (at her request) before she becomes the Giant Witch.
Homura returns again.

TIMELINE 4
START POINT → Homura hunts Kyubey down before it approaches Madoka
Homura hunts all the Witches alone, no sign of Mami. → Fuck yeah machine gun Homura!
Walpurgisnacht(WN) appears → Episode 1′s prologue part happens → Homura can’t handle it alone.
Madoka accepts Kyubey’s Contract → Destroys WN in one shot → becomes Giant Witch
Kyubey – energy collection is finished after Madoka changes to Giant Witch, leaves it to Humanity to deal with it. Implies Madoka will destroy Earth any how.
Homura returns again.

TIMELINE 5
CURRENT TIMELINE

(from http://kurogane.animeblogger.net/201...oka-magica-10/)

She's ridiculously powerful in all timelines except the first. Madoka only loses in the first time, then in all the following timelines, Madoka gets past Walpurgis Night consistently. A little random variation between timeloops is expected, but when Madoka is consistently victorious every time except the first, something must be happening to her.