How You Can Flash Sentry · 5:53am Feb 14th, 2014
Prompted by reading Obselescence's blogpost Why You Shouldn't Flash Sentry, I have decided to post what is in part a rebuttal. Please be aware that the following post refers primarily to Equestria Pony Flash, not humanised-through-the-Mirror Flash.
While I agree that writing Flash as central character in a story *can* be an easy characterisation trap to fall into, it doesn't mean that it *has* to be.
I consider Obselescence's viewpoint of Flash Sentry as a 'cardboard character' to be an extremely appropriate analogy and a positive trait. Now I can't speak for everyone here, but think back to your childhood: ever play with an empty cardboard box? I certainly did. At various times that cardboard box was a car, a truck, a tank, a boat, a submarine, an aeroplane, and a spaceship. It was my superhero secret base, a castle, a portal to another world, a time machine. It was a dangerous monster that needed slaying, a doomsday device that needed disarming, and a fantastic treasure that needed protecting.
Cardboard doesn't imply blandness; to the right imagination cardboard implies potential.
Sereg has already posted many great ideas and considerations for Flash Sentry as a character here: http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/284313/the-curious-case-of-flash-sentry. Here's a handful of ideas that I came up with just a couple of minutes of consideration; feel free to appropriate any of them for stories, with attribution to yours truly, of course.
Flash Sentry wears what appears to be Canterlot Royal Guard armour rather than Crystal Empire Royal Guard armour, and he is obviously not a Crystal Pony - did Celestia assign him to guard Cadance? Does that mean Celestia doesn't fully trust the Crystal Ponies to protect Cadance and Shining Armour? Is he some sort of military ambassador and there is a Crystal Pony Guard counterpart in Canterlot? Could he be at the center of some kind of political tension between the two empires? Is he Celestia's spy? Luna's spy? A Changeling?
Did Shining Armor, as Captain of the Royal Guard, assign him to guard Cadance? If so, why him? What kind of past do he and Shining have? Did he volunteer to protect Cadance and Shining Armor? Does he harbour secret romantic desires for Princess Cadance? For Crown Prince Shining Armor? If human!Flash dated Sunset Shimmer, did pony!Flash as well? Does he know about her going through the Mirror portal, and is in the Crystal Empire to try and bring her back?
That's about two minutes of effort there, and we have the launching point for at least a dozen stories, each of which could go in a variety of different directions.
In summary, I feel that he real trap with Flash Sentry, or any character for that matter, is starting with the assumption they are a "blank-space" character. Don't let that kind of thinking taint your story considerations. This fandom is full of imagination - let it run wild.
Respectfully,
The Ponytrician.
Excellent work. I approve of this message.
Have to agree with you on this.
Totally agree with you and I´m already wrote about his unrequited feelings for Crown Prince Shining Armor. I should write more about it,