Grimdark isn't all bad · 3:37am Dec 22nd, 2013
Ok. It's 02:40 in the UK and I'm struggling to sleep. Now I know you are going to see the title and think I'm totally someone who is actually scared but "cupcakes". But that's wrong. I'm actually an insomniac. But since I have very little to do, I decided to share my honest thoughts on some of the more popular gory media. Most of these are that they are over rated as some plague that should be avoided. So here we go
cupcakes
Cupcakes is the premiere in fics that are supposedly disgusting. However, on reading it, I physically do not find it that bad at all. Everyone knows cupcakes and many simply avoid it. For the minority that don't know, Cupcakes is a story in which Pinkie Pie mutilated Rainbow Dash, the former saying that she is doing it because "Dash's number was picked" or "she had to do it" or "Dash was the special ingredient for cupcakes". 2 YouTube videos have also gone viral, one entitled "MLP cupcakes" which, I find more than anything is kind of a light hearted video, and a good piece of animation, the second is entitled "Cupcakes HD" I admit, I find the carnivalesque music kind of creepy. But then as far as the video goes, generally not that bad. However, cupcakes has been pretty successful, having fan videos and even fan fiction for cupcakes. One of which is the next I will be speaking about.
Rocket to insanity
Alternate ending to cupcakes, and i don't know why it's classed as a grimdark, but it is. Basically, the fiction says the events in "cupcakes" were a recurring nightmare of Rainbow Dash's. Anyway, one day she goes to Sugarcube Corner, and Pinkie Pie had made cupcakes. Dash, who was a psychotic wreck, got the wrong idea, and started hearing voices telling her to kill Pinkie before Pinkie killed her. So Rainbow Dash did indeed kill Pinkie. It ends with Rainbow Dash reciting "giggle at the ghosties" in a psychotic manner, which I really liked the idea of. I really did enjoy it, and it's alternate ending as a fic, however, the idea that Pinkie survived and forgave Rainbow Dash straight away annoyed me. The problem was, there wasn't enough gore for it to be classed as a grimdark. I'd say it's dark, but all we are told of is several "stabbings" and "blood" which I don't see as grimdark.
SHED.MOV
A grimdark video, so it's listed. I love it. It is downrighg the most hilarious, light hearted and silly thing I have ever seen on the Internet. I like the whole. .MOV series, but by far, SHED was the best. Let me lay it down. Basically, in earlier episodes of the. MOV series, Fluttershy says something along the lines of "stay out of my shed" on different occasions. Anyway, Spike, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash go into Fluttershy's shed and find mutilated animals all over the place. Fluttershy returns, Spike and Pinkie Pie bail. Fluttershy sings then cuts Rainbow Dash in half, then gets sent to the "looney bin". Sounds a bit dark, maybe, but I'm guilty of destroying my body by laughing at it. From the crude drawings of characters, the voice acting and the stupid events. It's something that can only be described by seeing the video.
Sweet Apple Massacre
Yes, to this day I'm still a bit disturbed by it, but the problem is a lot of posts say "I will never see Big Mac in the same way" and "Big Mac scares me now". Let's get right down to the two main problems with this. Firstly, I don't understand how fan fiction's perception on characters can affect views on characters. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit hypocrite here, since it was Fan fiction that made Rarity my favorite character (gmoneywalker-the next in line), but in that fic, Rarity was written in character, which justifiably altered my view. This leads me on to the second problem. Big Mackintosh is a laid back stallion. He rarely ever speaks outside "Eyup" and "Nope", which in turn means SAM throws Big Mac so little of character that it's just absurd. That been said, This fic is disturbing as, and has earned the medal for the most disturbing fan fiction I have read. I'm not going to post a synopsis for it on here.
Just some thoughts for the late night insomnia brain. I have read more Grimdark fics, but I thought I'd write on the more commonly known ones. I know, I missed Rainbow Factory and Cherilees Garden but hey. Anyhoo, if I'm not active before, I'd like to wish anyone who happens to see this happy festive holidays, whether it be Christmas or otherwise. And now I will attempt sleep again
I've read most of these stories (I haven't watched the video you mentioned), and I agree with your conclusions. I've never been very affected by gore, especially in written-word form, and most of these just try to disgust you. Cupcakes is the one that's most recent in my memory, and I was very disappointed in the lack of buildup and atmosphere in it. Anyway, we seem to be very similar in opinions about grim dark.
I'd actually like to ask you something. I'm not trying to self promote or anything; I'm only asking you, but I want to know your opinion about my own grimdark, Don't Go Down There. I'm curious to know how it holds up to an outsider's point of view that shares a similar opinion as my own. It's not gory at all, but I tried to remedy many fic's lack of buildup and atmosphere.
If you don't want to, that's fine. You don't owe me anything. I was just curious.
1637056 I will give it a try for you