404 - Followers not found · 8:32pm Mar 20th, 2013
I've just reached a fairly amusing milestone, so let's consider this a good place to catch up on some much needed blogging.
MOST IMPORTANT:
I need, need a good remix of the cutie mark song from the finale. I have some excellent remixes of Celestia's Ballad and the kinda meh sad Twilight song, and True True Friend, but I can't find good remixes of What My Cutie Mark is Telling Me. Please link if you know of any.
Some of my favorite things from season 3:
I loved Games Ponies Play for many reasons, but one in particular: Twilight took therapy! I think that's awesome that they subtly showed her working on her anxiety issues. It's also awesome that her family was involved as well, since Cadence knew enough about the program to coach Twilight in letting things go. It all adds a very human element for me that I absolutely love. Fie on those who say it's out of character. It's character growth, and much needed growth at that.
Actually, that whole episode was quite heavy on mental health. I also adore Ms. Peachbottom. I kind of want to do a little vignette series of her travels. Why did she need to get away? How did she deal with her difficulties in her day-to-day life, or did she? I'm letting that idea percolate for now while I get a better handle on In the Service of the Goddess.
Now that I have a few weeks of perspective, I'd like to briefly revisit Twilicorn. It was a very dangerous and bold move, but also important. If you fall too in-love with a particular status-quo, you lose the ability to stay fresh and interesting. For a tragic example, look at any Garfield strip from the last decade. It has been said that it's the most difficult thing in the world to let the ones we love change, and that extends to things we are fans of. However, stagnation is death, and if we really care we will let the things we care about grow.
Tribalism and the fandom:
So, in the show, there is a little racism, but not that much. All three races hold fairly equal places in society. In the fandom, however, there is a massive factionalism centered around the races. There's the Unicorn Supremacists, the Pegasus Boosters and the Earth Pony Hipsters. Most obnoxious to me are the Unicorn Supremacists. Most often they make rather exaggerated claims of the power of magic, but I'd like to debunk that a bit. Twilight and Rarity are capable of some rather fantastic feats of power and dexterity respectively, but based on other ponies in the show, they seem to be the exception, rather than the rule as far as unicorns go. BG unicorns are generally only seen carrying very light loads and few objects in their telekinesis. Also of note is the fact that most unicorns only know a small hoofful of spells related to their cutie mark. Spike mentioned that the mastery of just two dozen was a phenomenal accomplishment in boast busters.
Another argument made is the fact that pegasi and earth ponies would be at a massive disadvantage in the workforce due to a lack of dexterity. However, we've seen non-magical ponies using all manner of tools and performing very fine manipulation in the show. This also includes unicorns. Yes, unicorns with their telekinesis find it easier to use their hooves in many situations. Also of note is the fact that Zecora can practice magic with her hooves. I'm willing to at least partially subscribe to the contact telekinesis (plesiokinesis?) theory.
That's not to say unicorns aren't special, far from it. They simply have a different area where they excel.
Recharging:
So, over the past week, I took a total break from ponies. I needed to refresh myself creatively, and focusing on a single thing too much tends to smother anyone. Coming back to it, I churned out about a thousand words yesterday on SotG in a single sitting. I think this little break that I took will do wonders for my productivity.
Other shows I've come to like:
One of the things I did was watch an interesting pair of shows that I've been meaning to get into. First was Dan Vs... Holy cow. I have never found rage more amusing. I love how Dan is portrayed as both quite smart, and too apathetic to think things through. From the show, he seems like the ruins of a much better person. I kinda wonder what tipped the scales. The dynamic of Chris and Elise also amuses me to no end. While Chris's insecurities seem well-founded on the surface, you can also see why Elise loves him. He's gentle and moral enough to keep Elise grounded, but he also has a fantastic survival instinct that lets him keep up with his rather dangerous wife. Overall, I give the show four out of five stars.
The other show is one that I have been pestered to watch for a LONG time from every angle:
I cannot say enough how much I love this show, with its surrealist world, its Dadaist anti-music, its genuinely childlike* approach to complex moral issues, its sober and tragic backstory, its ability to laugh while crying, and so much more. I have many favorite works of fiction, but this has earned a place beyond five-star ratings. It holds a place in my personal mythology alongside MLP, Watership Down, Mossflower and just a tiny handful of others.
*This is not the same thing as the odd concept of 'appropriate for children'. It has been rightly said that children love justice while adults love mercy. If you want a practical example of what I'm talking about, go read Axe Cop. It's actually written by a child, but it is far far from 'child safe'. It is also bursting with awesome. Another of my favorite stories by a child is here:
I agree that the other races are both quite equal, but the fact remains that us unicorns are simply more equal than you dribble-mouthed foals could ever hope to be. After all, do you not need brilliant thinkers, scientists, rulers? The multiverse lies open for conquest, and only unicorns have the ability to control it! Ponies of clout and wit to lead Equestria into a golden age!
Salut! Hiel Hornhead!
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Twilight took therapy? Okay, I guess I have to watch Games Ponies Play now. I never have before. I couldn't get over the cringe factor on the mistaken identity. Foolish of me...
Break from pony?
One does not simply... break from ponies.
Good to hear you are back.
*cough cough*JakethedogandFinnthehuman *cough cough* Feather flu, what can you do? derpyshrug.jpg
934768 Well, technically Lady Rainicorn is a pony...
934514 It's not overtly mentioned, but it's heavily implied.
934510 You'll notice that Twilight's bust of Aristrotle lacks a certain cranial feature... Also, I really hope that second pic was real propaganda. It says something about German officers if they can ride unicorns... Maybe that's why Nazis were so grumpy...
I really should watch both of those shows. They keep getting praise from people whose opinions I respect, or at least, enough hype that I'm curious about them.
Also, I looked over the "Dan vs. Equestria" Tumblr the other day and many of the things made me laugh in a WTF sort of way. Made me wonder what the deal with the show is.
Adventure Time looks crazy and very childish, but when I heard that it's pretty much a post apocalyptic world that got me a bit more interested in it. I'll have to see about that one, too.
A break from ponies actually sounds good 'bout now. Could use that time to recharge a few things... But I've already set myself a deadline for a new chapter and I'd better not go on hiatus now after I promised my readers (all three of them).
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You should see the avatar of a guy I know in a game forum; he has Pinkie Pie dressed as an SS officer.
Yes, exactly this! I could almost hug you for summing up this point so well.
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True, however, I feel it diminishes the efforts of the others. This should have been the season 4 opener, not the season 3 finale. As an ending: horrible. It screams, "TWILIGHT IS PRINCESS, THE END." At least until the next season.
Also, my real reason for being here:
When is MOAR?!?!?!?!