Firebrand and TF2 Analysis; The Greatest Collaboration of All Time

I’ll admit it right now; I wasn’t brought into the Brony Community by Lauren Faust’s show. I used to be one of the many people who took one look at the pastel-colored ponies, bright and artful environments and overall-cheery and positive demeanor, and dismissed the show as ‘just for little girls.’ But a select group managed to change my mind; a group of passionate reviewers, critics and artists who really loved My Little Pony. They are known as the Brony Analyst Community. And as it so happens, a lot of them take part in an incredible web series known as Team Fortress 2; Analysis Anarchy.
In this comedy web show, members of the Brony Analysis Community represent the nine classes of the video game Team Fortress 2. They started off as a series of parodies inspired by the “Meet the Team” trailers, with analysts representing the nine different classes. It culminated in TF2: Analysis Anarchy, produced on November 2014, and led to a continuation of videos with the various analysts/mercenaries getting into crazy hijinks.
I just want to say now that if any Brony fan hasn’t watched this series, they really should. Each of the analysts gives a wonderful performance, and many well-known critics of MLP make spectacular appearances here.
I personally enjoy TF2 Analysis because these critics and reviewers are the ones that brought me into the show. They are the guys and girls who convinced me that MLP was more than just a show for kids. Their personalities were spectacular, and their passion for the show contagious.
So, even though their series is ongoing (and likely will be getting a lot grander, now that they have found people to represent the nine classes on both teams), I intend to make a series of tribute blogs detailing the various MLP analysts that star in this series, how I got into watching their videos, and what makes them so endearing to watch.
Please note, this is just my opinion. Also, there are several other Analysts in the community, and not all of them take part in TF2 Analysis. I’ll only be going over the eighteen analysts who make up the main classes, and I’ll only be going over the ones who are there as of Tyandaga completing the roster in July of 2019. This also isn’t meant to be negative, and I don’t mean any offense to any of the analysts, even if I like some of them more than others. These guys brought me into the show, and I want to give them the attention and respect they deserve.
With that being said, I feel it best to start off with the very first analyst I found, and the one I feel most familiar with: Firebrand. Also, known as Josh Scorcher, and also known as the Fiery Joker.
I first saw Josh Scorcher’s videos with his “Top Ten Manliest Video Game Characters.” After that video, I subscribed to his channel, and enjoyed several of his videos – from his let’s play of Kingdom Hearts 2 to his other Top Ten lists. He had a likable personality, and I related to a lot of points he brought up, like regret towards past actions of a family member and even a dislike of alcohol. But one thing I avoided at first was his reviews of MLP, as I didn’t really care for the show.
However, after I saw his collaboration on the episode ‘Putting Your Hoof Down,’ with the Mysterious Mr. Enter– another Youtuber I enjoy watching - I realized that Josh Scorcher seemed to hold a similar view to the show; he didn’t really like it, but there was something about it that drew him in, allowing me to relate to him as he (and I) slowly grew more and more interested in the story and characters. Plus, his Nostalgia Critic style reviewing of the episodes gave his reviews the humor to keep me around, just to see what kind of joke he would crack next. From there, I got into his secondary channel, FOB Equestria, and his ‘Taking Things Too Seriously’videos, where I got to see more of his character Firebrand.
Sadly, the personality I got used to seeing in Josh Scorcher was toned down when the TF2 Analysis videos began, with him taking the role of the RED medic. While he doesn’t get to embrace the cackling madness of the original medic, it makes sense why he’s a lot more formal here; he’s one of the team leaders/organizers. Plus, he’s playing the straight man to a bunch of way wackier characters. So, even though his personality was toned down, it wasn’t completely altered; it just didn’t have that much time to shine. He still had personality, and especially limits. His fiery temper that was the source of many jokes in his Scorcher videos reared its head several times, and each time, it was hysterical and awe-inducing to watch. Special mention goes to his brow-beating of the other analysts during the spectacular four part ‘Seven Nation Army’story, and one occasion when resident Troll Silver Quill - who I will get too soon enough – teased him to the point that he threw the hippogriff out a window. However, despite not having as much screen time as the other characters, Firebrand was the character I gravitated towards. He was familiar to me, sort of like seeing an old friend in a crowd of strangers. He was the very first Brony Analyst I found out about, and I learned about many of the other analysts through their interactions or collabs with Firebrand/Josh Scorcher.
Needless to say, I owe Josh Scorcher the most thanks for getting me interested in the Brony fandom, and whether he appears in TF2 Analysis or in his own reviews and videos, I highly recommend him as an entertaining analyst who manages to make you laugh, and lets you walk away having something to genuinely think about. I also enclosed a link to his YouTube channel above and here, so be sure to check him out.
If you’re reading this, Josh Scorcher, I want to say thank you. Thank you for getting me into this fandom. Thank you for your service as a United States Marine. Thank you for your wonderful videos and personality. And whatever you come up with next, I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for, and will be grateful for what you give. Thank you for everything.