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My Little Pony FiM Community |OT2| I just don't know what went wrong!
- Thread starter Myke Greywolf
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Well, they had the things that they wanted to get done in S3 (like the Trixie episode was an S2 idea that got pushed, and DeLancie told them he wanted to come back for another Discord episode, etc), and they had the things that Hasbro wanted them to do (the Crystal Empire), and they only had 13 episodes, so adding in "now find a way to finish everyone's personal journeys" didn't leave them with very much room.
For Transformers S3 (I haven't seen it yet), they probably just started killing off all the main characters. Then Hasbro walked in and said "Well this is ambitious. So what are you going to do for Season 4?" and they responded "What do you mean season 4? You want a season 4!? We thought you were cancelling us! We just went and killed off everyone! We can't come back from this!"
Hasbro gonna... Hasbr? Point being, they're gonna use the show to sell toys. Sooner we all come to terms with it, the better. They're a toy company first, and I don't see that ever changing.
To be fair, only three episodes really featured the Crystal Empire heavily, likewise Cadance if memory serves. As much as some fans might continue to harbour a grudge against Cadance and the Empire, they're really being used much like any other semi-regular character/location in the show.
OUCH!
And well, talking about Cadance, it really was another missed opportunity. If they had explained how or why she is a princess, the show would have a really nice preparation and world building for the season finale. But again, Cheerilee is probably right about the compromised and time constrained work that was S3. Once again, S4 has a lot to prove.
Cadance's backstory is fleshed out in this book:
Haven't read it myself, but from what I hear, she was originally a pegasus until Celestia "uplifted" her.
It's fair to make that comment, but I believe the question $200 was getting at was that why should we accept what comes across as inorganic or forced creative elements in the show for the sake of marketing? If a fair case can be made for calling out stuff that seems shoehorned into the show, why can't that be taken as such? There's nothing essential or necessary about us as fans coming to terms with Hasbro wanting to profit. It's probably not lost on most of us that profitability is likely Hasbro's (Hasbro, as a company) primary objective at the end of the day.
Anyway, I got a chance to check out some pony recently. Consider this a two-fer.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Episode 9 - Spike at your Service
Game. Fucking. On. I love these really intense episodes. This was a massive values clash between Applejack and Spike, though there was no animosity. It reminds me of The Last Roundup and Over a Barrel, and it's no accident that both of them involved Applejack. Applejack is a highly values-oriented pony. Rarity is full-on aesthete, and had no problem with having a perpetual servant (boo!) Then again, Twilight doesn't seem to have a problem with Spike as a servant, though he is also a genuine friend. In any case, it's clear that at least from the point of view of the writers, it isn't their intention to portray Spike's relationship with Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack as abusive, and I think that's basically the case.
Anyway - Applejack has moved on from the beginning of Season 1 where she was all up on the stubborn and excessive independence. Spike lives by codes of his own, though we don't always see it because it's so easy to see him as Robin to Twilight's Batman, or otherwise just secondary to other ponies. Having these two conflict was great. Applejack has her values and one of them is something like "live-and-let-live" and so she couldn't understand how to reconcile her values, her need to get Spike to stop helping, and Spike's need to continue helping. And so, the episode relies solely on the power of this conflict. Which was enough for me personally, but I understand people who find this episode lacking. Predictably, once the conflict is clear we have some hare-brained schemes and a general inability to communicate. To be fair to Applejack, she didn't know how she could tell him to stop because he was causing more harm-- but he was clearly not listening to anything Applejack was saying about how uncomfortable his sense of obligation was making her.
That's what made this episode so interesting to me. Communication basically failed, and I'm a believer in communication in problems. Don't get me wrong, I get needing space and getting mad, and I get like that too. But communication failing, you have an impasse. Spike didn't listen to Applejack until the Timberwolf was slain and had realized that the ponies were trying to "exploit" his Dragon Code so that Applejack could be relieved of it. It almost feels like an accident that everything was resolved...which is, pretty brutally realistic. At its most fundamental level, "morals" are a means of relating to other people, a sort of language.
Other ponies were all used well. A little glimpse of genuine personality in each one, even with Fluttershy "I would've just pretended I had nothing to do." Pinkie Pie's terrible acting with the fake Timberwolf was awesome, and Rarity's over-the-top acting was similarly awesome. I called the scheme Dash came up with hare-brained, but I don't have a major issue with it or anything and it was kinda funny. Twilight was too caught up in her reading to notice Spike's leaving, which was awesome.
Episode 10 - Keep Calm and Flutter On
What a disaster.
Interesting analysis of the 9 episode, never saw it in that way. (The applejack - Spike values clash)
On the other hand, I liked episode 10 the first time I watched it, mostly because Discord and Fluttershy were amazing. Naturally, I noticed some serious issues but I thought it was ok. Then I watched it again, a disaster is too kind to describe what happened there.
As depressing as it may be, the answer to that question is "because there's nothing we can do about it". Best case scenario for MLP is to enjoy the bits that work and ignore the bits that don't. Hasbro are never going to change, especially not for us.
Regarding "Spike at Your Service" - Nice thoughts. I liked parts of this one, but the way Spike was written (i.e. as utterly naive and incompetent) really got up my nose.
Regarding "Keep Calm and Flutter On" - Couldn't agree more.
Spike at Your Service has the best scene in the season.
Also, for what it's worth, I liked Keep Calm and Flutter On.
Also, for what it's worth, I liked Keep Calm and Flutter On.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Spike being a bit of an idiot in Spike at your Service makes a lot more sense knowing the original script had Spike working for Rarity.
I loved Keep Calm and Flutter On. It progressed just as it should have. Discord was not someone you could change and have him change his ways. Having it happen at the end makes sense. Discord would not know friendship until he got a taste of it, then lost it. He learned what friendship was without knowing it, and it wasn't until he knew he would lose Fluttershy that he realized it was something he liked.
And it's a perfect step on Fluttershy's development throughout the series. Here she is, doing something difficult, and she's doing it on her own, not only without her friends, but with her friends actively working against her efforts. She did it with nothing but kindness, and no support from her friends, and only some kind words from Celestia.
And now we get stuff like this.
I loved Keep Calm and Flutter On. It progressed just as it should have. Discord was not someone you could change and have him change his ways. Having it happen at the end makes sense. Discord would not know friendship until he got a taste of it, then lost it. He learned what friendship was without knowing it, and it wasn't until he knew he would lose Fluttershy that he realized it was something he liked.
And it's a perfect step on Fluttershy's development throughout the series. Here she is, doing something difficult, and she's doing it on her own, not only without her friends, but with her friends actively working against her efforts. She did it with nothing but kindness, and no support from her friends, and only some kind words from Celestia.
And now we get stuff like this.
kunonabi
Member
Spike at Your Service has the best scene in the season.
Also, for what it's worth, I liked Keep Calm and Flutter On.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsoL_US6lH0
I wish we had been able to see her entire lesson though.
wookieofdoom
Member
So I went to Phoenix Comicon yesterday where I got to meet none other than Katie Cook, my favorite writer of the MLP comic book. She was a complete delight to talk to, and she was actually doing $5 custom water color paintings of any character you liked. So, I got a Princess Luna (best pony) and a Usagi Yojimbo (best rabbit). I had her sign my Rarity micro series comic and my trade of the first story arc. We actually spent about 20 minutes talking about the Rarity issue, and she told me how it was based on the town where she grew up that was heavily populated by hippies. The characters of Wheat Grass and Flax Seed were pretty much representative of the folks she knew. We also talked about the complexities of writing Rarity, and how it's easy to write her as either too prissy or too stuck up, which she really isn't (at least not too much so). Ultimately I really wished I brought more cash to the event so I could have bought some of the prints she brought, which included adorable cat versions of the mane six and of the Studio Ghibli characters.
The thing though that struck me the most about talking with Katie Cook, was that it was actually the first time I had said these characters name out loud. Despite having been borderline obsessed with this show for the past six months, I have never discussed them with anyone (I am a closet fan), since my friends completely look down on it and it's fans. It was really nice to able to talk about the characters and not feel embarrassed or shy about it.
That said: hi! I am new to all this, and while I have posted here a few times before I have never formally introduced myself. I got into this show midway through season three because i simply got curious to see what all the fuss was about. I went back and watched it from the start and, while it took a few episodes to really get it, I fell in love with it and haven't looked back since.
The thing though that struck me the most about talking with Katie Cook, was that it was actually the first time I had said these characters name out loud. Despite having been borderline obsessed with this show for the past six months, I have never discussed them with anyone (I am a closet fan), since my friends completely look down on it and it's fans. It was really nice to able to talk about the characters and not feel embarrassed or shy about it.
That said: hi! I am new to all this, and while I have posted here a few times before I have never formally introduced myself. I got into this show midway through season three because i simply got curious to see what all the fuss was about. I went back and watched it from the start and, while it took a few episodes to really get it, I fell in love with it and haven't looked back since.
It seems the season 2 DVD box set has been taken off Amazon due to some problem. Already got mine and I haven't found anything wrong with it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C0YUY4Q/?tag=neogaf0e-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C0YUY4Q/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Rhomega Beta
Member
Do you actually live in Phoenix, wookie? I live in Anthem.
Choppasmith
Member
Who is it? I listen to a lot of Pony music too.
Also, welcome wookieofdoom! Yeah I'm still around, I'm just not big on debates and arguments.
Does it still have Derpy in The Last Roundup? Because that's serious business.
http://blog.petriform.com/post/5126...-of-my-works-that-have-been-renamed-and#notes
A shame, the rest of his works are quite competent, but I can't thrust this kind of people.
Choppasmith
Member
I believe there was an early review/unboxing video that confirmed that it was edited.
Morgadeth
Member
It has the altered version.
edit
Beaten to it. Either way I hope someone releases an unaltered version.
Choppasmith
Member
Ah okay, not familiar with this guy, but then I focus more on remixes than original songs.
Nice writeup Wookie, and welcome! I can certainly vouch for the weirdness of hearing yourself talking out-loud about the show after months of silence. Still can't get used to the sound of the word "ponies" coming out of my mouth.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Cook is going to be at the Denver comicon next weekend... Maybe I'll have to go. Both Cook and Price will be there.
They brought us Scootaloo sleeping on Celestia's back.
And this...
And of course...
They brought us Scootaloo sleeping on Celestia's back.
And this...
And of course...
Rhomega Beta
Member
HOLD IT! Who is that in the background on the left side?
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Have fun.
How'd you like the comic by the way?
Worth noting that the show tends to be more slice of life than big adventure like that first comic arc. Though there are adventure stories in the show sometimes.
Fringe Pony. He's in all the mainline comics I believe.
And at least one of the micro comics.
Welcome! You've got plenty to look forward to, so take your time and have fun!
While the main plot itself is admittedly cliched at times (and a retread of certain ideas that the show itself has already done, apparently), the dialogue, the character moments and all of the cute little shout-outs, not to mention Andy Price's lovely art, really made things fun, even as a newcomer having this as my first exposure. I'd say that bodes well for whether or not I'll enjoy the show?
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
While the main plot itself is admittedly cliched at times (and a retread of certain ideas that the show itself has already done, apparently), the dialogue, the character moments and all of the cute little shout-outs, not to mention Andy Price's lovely art, really made things fun, even as a newcomer having this as my first exposure. I'd say that bodes well for whether or not I'll enjoy the show?
If you liked the characters, you're probably in for a good time. Like I said, just know it's usually not the big adventure like the comic, and tends to be more slice of life. But like the comics, it can take cliche ideas and do something new with it.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
wookieofdoom
Member
Thanks everybody for the warm welcome! As far as this place getting rowdy goes, I have actually been lurking here for some time, and while there is a rare meltdown I feel that everyone here usually articulates their arguments very well. Even though I don't always agree with what everyone here has to say, I at least see where they are coming from, which is important. This board has the best pony community that I have found, so much better than /mlp/ (duh), or anywhere else I have looked.
I actually wanted to thank you guys for directing me to the comic series. I was going to ignore it, but everyone was praising it so much I decided to give it a try. Luckily everyone at my local comic shop wears pony shirts so I didn't feel too ashamed bringing them to the counter. The Rarity issue was fantastic, Cook really nailed her. She emphasized Rarity's most important feature: her generosity (something other writers tend to forget). It was one of the few comics that, as soon as I was done, immediately read through again. I am really excited for #9 which puts a focus on the background ponies. I was kind of hoping the show itself would do this kind of story first, but with Cook writing it I will take it.
So last week I heard about a store in Seattle selling Pinkie Pie mugs and decided to check out today. They have a lot of cool stuffs - pony comics and figs included. It was presumably packed with fans too as I heard at least two pony related conversations.
If you find yourself in Seattle (not sure who else is around other than Cad and Xzeon), go check out the store for some pony (and non-pony) goods.
http://www.goldenagecollectables.com
If you find yourself in Seattle (not sure who else is around other than Cad and Xzeon), go check out the store for some pony (and non-pony) goods.
http://www.goldenagecollectables.com
That's interesting. Golden Age Collectables is also one of the top comic book shops in Vancouver (located in the heart of downtown). I never knew they had a store on each side of the border.
Owlowiscious
Member
I go there every PAX. Hmmm... guess it will be interesting this year. I just hope they still have Honey Badgers.
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