Warm Woolen Mittens 'n Shit: A Few of My Favorite Things · 6:34am Dec 9th, 2019
Howdy, folks! First and foremost, as always, Adorable Applejack:
Lookit mah butt, sugar cube! It's a total circle, don't ya see?! Worship mah butt!!!
You're awesome if you get that reference... and also very old, like me.
Now then! We all know the show is over. For all the IDW Season 10's we've been promised, the animated 22-minute adventures with the characters we've grown to identify with, connect with, and love are over. However, many people much more eloquent than me have pointed out that, while the show may be in the past, the ride never ends. This fandom will continue to pump out quality material for years to come. I mean, for God's sake, fucking Firefly only ran for thirteen episodes, and it has over 7,000 stories on fanfiction.net fourteen years after Serenity, with the latest story having been posted four days ago!
However, as we look to the future with bright intent and open hearts, I feel we must pay tribute to the past, and what a past it has been. In the eight years since it went live, Derpibooru has 2,001,617 images, if you're brave enough to search with no filters, and it wasn't even the first pony image site! In the same time, FIMFiction has amassed 129,834 stories, and again, it wasn't the first place to host pony fiction. I'm sure at least some of y'all remember reading classic stories like Silent Ponyville on DeviantArt. Hell, Under A Luminous Sky was first posted to GoogleDocs, since that was where I read all my favorites up til that point!
So, as I sit here pretty drunk as I am most nights because fuck you, I figured I'd take the time to showcase a few of my favorite things the fandom has produced. I don't want to get all structured with it by saying, "We'll look at X many categories with Y items in each." This isn't a comprehensive list, because that would take too long. This is simply a love letter to this incredibly creative fandom that, to this day, I am proud to call myself a member of.
Since this is a fan fiction website, let's start with that. Now, it would be very easy to be incredibly lazy about this, since I could merely say, "Go look at my user page." The section Stories You Need To Read Or You Fail At Life are obviously my favorites. However, out of respect for those amazing stories, I figured I'd go into at least a bit of detail about them. So! Let's start with what, to this very day, I still maintain is the single greatest story the fandom has ever produced...
A brilliant mind discovers a problem in search of a solution, which leads to inspiration, which leads to invention, which leads to a technological/magical advance that will in time forever change Equestria.
I honestly can't say enough about this story. I am being 100% truthful when I say it is better than most published fiction I have read. I have read it three times, which is telling because I hardly ever read something twice, let alone three times! It has everything I could ever want out of a story: action, adventure, peril, magi-techno babble, and romance. Dear God, romance everywhere! Seriously, it has been a while since I've read it, but I'm pretty sure I remember that literally everypony gets shipped. If I recall correctly, the only character who doesn't end up in a relationship by the end is Rainbow Dash. But even then, there is a scene whee she basically tells Braeburn, "Hey! I am totally into you, and if there wasn't a huge thing happening right now, I would totally want to get to know you better! So when all is said and done, you should totally come find me... b-baka!"
The story is actually a sequel to a story called Windfall, a short little tale about Fluttershy giving birth to her and Big Mac's first child. The overarching story is a race between fat and out-of-shape Soarin and a new technological flying machine built by Flim and Flam. I won't spoil it any further, but the story is amazing from start to finish. In fact, literally the only thing this story doesn't have that I would have liked is MacDash! It is truly a fantastic read, and if you haven't read it, do so at once.
Next, we'll talk about story that, if you have read my work, you likely know I am a huge fan of...
It Takes A Village by determamfiddSpike only wants things to stay the same. Time, however, has other ideas. He's going to need a lot of help... An everypony story.
This is one of those stories from the very early days of the fandom. In fact, I read it when the chapters were being released over on FanFiction.net. I have said many times in response to comments on Finding Your Place that this story did "Spike grows up" absolutely perfectly. Seriously, nearly every single story since that has dealt with Spike growing into a huge dragon in a world made for ponies has aped something from this story.
It opens with Spike realizing he can no longer fit into the Golden Oaks Library. From there, he has to come to grips with him being a massive dragon accustomed to a world built for creatures much smaller than him. I'd go into further detail, but if you've read FYP... you've read most of the beats of this story. From Spike learning to control his strength, to using his size to his advantage, and even to his "rivalry" with the green dragon from the Everfree, this story started it all. In fact, in writing FYP, one of the biggest struggles was to differentiate my story from this one!
Now, if you read this story, you'll note that it and FYP end extremely differently. Now, I won't denigrate myself by saying that I ended my story in response to this one. I knew going in to FYP it would end the way it did, but it was a thought in the back of my head. "How do I make this different from ITAV?" The story is pitch perfect... except for the completely out-of-fucking-nowhere TrixieLight and AppleDash in the epilogue, but hey, whatever! The author did an amazing job of capturing what it would be like for a dragon raised by ponies growing up. She really was an amazing writer... until she went full SJW. I don't mean that as any sort of political stance, by the by. She literally went on Tumblr, talking about how much she hated bronies, and how toxic we are, and how we hate women. So... fuck her, I guess! Still, this is an incredible story, and you very much need to read it.
I was going to spotlight The Griffon War for the last one... but I realized that I likely only love that story so much because I am a veteran, and because Dusk Quill was a dear friend, may he rest in internet peace. Instead, I'll highlight a story by one of the true greats of the fandom...
You know that feeling? You know, the feeling that you get when you realize you've forgotten something that is very, very important? It is 10:32 p.m. on Hearth's Warming Eve, and Twilight Sparkle has just gotten that feeling...
God, I miss The Descendant. Seriously, he and Georg are like the Holy Duo of Wholesomeness of FIMFiction. Descy is the one author on this site that I have favorited every single story he ever wrote. When it became painfully apparent that he would not be returning, I legitimately got choked up. We truly lost a great writer and an amazing guy in general.
Y'all likely know by now that Spike is my favorite character in the show, AppulWaifu not withstanding. To be more specific, it's his relationship with Twilight that makes it work, a fact I will touch upon a bit later. Usually, when stories focus on their relationship, they take a side. They either cement them as Mother and Son, or they do what I did and claim they are Brother and Sister. But Descy? He took the high road when pressed, and once said something so profound and true that I truly wish the show had used it. When asked about their relationship, he would simply claim:
"She's his big one, and he's her little one."
This story, focusing on Hearths Warming Eve, exemplifies this perfectly. It's framed by the idea of gifts, but the focus and message of the story is one of family and love. It further does something I truly love, when Spike refers to Twilight Velvet and Night Light as "Mrs. Mom and Mr. Dad," like how a child adopted in their mid-preteens likely would. IN fact, the charcater Darwin does this in another favorite cartoon of mine, The Amazing World of Gumball. The story is heartwarming and tooth-achingly sweet, and one you should read or re-read as soon as possible.
Now, let's move on to artwork, shall we? There have been so many incredible pieces of art mad by the fandom that parsing it down is a Herculean task, but alcohol and bravado empower me! So I decided on three images that really speak to me for various reasons. We'll start with what I think might be my favorite:
This incredible work of art comes from SophieCabra, though she appears to go by SpainFischer now. This pic showcases why I love the "Twilight and Spike" relationship so much. The simple fact is that their relationship very much reminds me of my relationship with my big sister, Jennifer. As an aside, our brother's name is Joshua. I don't know, I think our parents had a "J" on their headboard or something.
Much like Twilight and Spike, the relationship between my sister and I is exemplified by a lot of snark, a lot of backtalking, but punctuated by a severe undercurrent of love. My sister is my best friend in the world (Sorry, Cap U). She is the person I can always talk to, and who I have spilled most of my deepest secrets with. She's always been there for me, and I for her. And this picture speaks to me in that regard. The look on Spike's face, that feeling of, "Oh, she did it again," as he dutifully drapes a blanket over her, knowing that he'll likely have to do it again, but not really caring because he loves her so much. I actually have a physical print of this picture, and had it signed by both Cathy Weseluck and Tara Strong. In fact, when I had Cathy sign it, I explained why I love it so much, and she gave me a little, "D'aww" look that melted my heart.
Next up, a pic that is much darker and heavier...
This pic, by the legendary John Joseco, touches on something one of the very few things I really wished the show had touched on. We had several episodes and comics dealing with Luna's feelings about the whole Nightmare Moon incident... but we never really got to see Celestia's feelings on it.
I mean, think about it. Yeah, Luna was banished to the moon and punished for a thousand years... but what about Celestia? I don't know about you, but if I so much as say something that merely upsets my sister, I feel the like biggest piece of shit in the world for like a week and a half. And that's with her there, assuring me that it's not a big deal, it's all okay, she's forgiven me. Imagine what Celestia had to go through! She had to banish her own sister for a thousand years, knowing that it was at the very least partially her fault. And then, she had to go out in public, smile and wave, facing the triumphant cheers of the ponies she likely paid more attention to than her own sister for so many years, talking about how it was a great victory against evil... and all the while, she had that voice in her head saying, "This is your fault! You did this. You failed the one pony in this world that you loved more than anything, and she is suffering for a thousand years, all because you were too selfish to see what was right before your eyes."
More than that, this picture just says so much with a simple picture. You can just hear it in your head. "What?! No! This... the Elements were supposed to save her, not... Sister... w-what... w-what have I done..." It's the kind of tragedy I truly enjoy: horrible things have happened, but there is the ever-so-slightest feeling of hope that one day... one day...
For the last pic, I was going to highlight a pic I truly love, but I think it retreads the same ground that the first picture touches on. Instead, I wanted to show a picture that will likely annoy some of you...
Eeyup. It's MacDash. Something something denial river in Egypt...
I have spoken ad nauseum about why, at least in my own mind, Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh are perfect for each other, so I won't spend too much time on this one. What I love about this pic is that it perfectly shows what I think the early stages of their relationship would look like. Mac would be open about it, eagerly doting over her and showering her with affection and love. And Rainbow would be totally into it and love it... but because she feels she has to maintain the public image of the tough girl, she's super embarrassed by him. That feeling of, "Dude... ponies are staring! Stop being such a dork... until we get home..." Basically, Dash would be the perfect tsundere, and I love it.
Now, let's move on to video, shall we? From PMV's to full-length episodes that sucked, the fandom has done a whole lot with the medium. In the spirit of brevity, I'll only showcase one from each "kind" of video. Hmm, separating things into vaguely defined "kinds" based on absolutely no scientific data? Heh, I should write for Answers in Genesis!
Let's start with Pony Music Videos, or PMV's. These are the most basic kind of videos. Just songs played over clips from the show. Now, full disclosure, I haven't seen many of these, simply because... well, I don't normally enjoy them. Not sure why, honestly. However, there is one absolute classic from the very early days that I am sure you are all very familiar with...
This one is rather well-known, because one of the big live streams—Brony State, I think it was—used to play this every Saturday before streaming the new episode. I love it because it just exemplifies what PMV's are. There are some vectors and original art, but for the most part, it's simply clip from the show played over a great song. It's a great example of killer editing, where each scene has something to do with what is happening in the song. Sure, some of the clips are huge stretches, but this was Season One we're talking about. The options were limited. Still, it's really funny, and a blast to watch.
Now, let's step up our game and move to a PMV... with original animation! There were a bunch of these, but the one that sticks out in my mind, for better or worse, is...
Fun times! I know, I know. Why would I ever want to watch anything associated with the infamous Cupcakes?! Well... that's part of it, honestly. I mean, first off, I love Andrew W.K.'s first album, and Ready To Die is one of my favorites. Also... I just absolutely love it when horrible things are reduced via comedy. Like, this is why I generally believe you should be able to make jokes about anything. By laughing at something, you take away its power. A thing can't scare or intimidate you if you're laughing uncontrollably at it. Seeing as Cupcakes is demonstrably terrible, giggling at it is a boon to me. The animation in this is simple, yet effective. Pinkie's meme faces really sell the silliness of the situation. I just love it.
Taking things to yet another level, there is an animation series that uses totally original animation in combination with audio from another source...
I never watched Two Best Friends Play, or really anything by the Game Grumps. It just... never appealed to me. However, if the past ten years have proved anything, its that the judicial application of ponies makes anything better. TwoSnacks has done an amazing job with this series. For some reason, the personalities assigned to Celestia and Luna fit perfectly. And the animation is great. It really peaked with the Fallout 4 video, which featured insane amounts of original animation, both hand-drawn and using the Creation engine. But the Pokemon Snap episode is my favorite.
Finally, we move on to full-on animation with original audio. I first want to highlight another fandom classic...
Now we're getting deep! This is a video from a defunct channel parodying videos form another defunct channel. Now, some of you may be wondering why I'm not showcasing the much more popular video from this channel, Epic Wub Time. The reason is simply I don’t really like that one. I watch it, and I just feel bad for Octavia. The trope of the "person who's life is miserable because of her roommate but doesn't leave because reasons" is just annoying. Plus... I just never really liked Nowacking's Vinyl Scratch. It just always felt like she was trying too hard. "Awwwwwww, yeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!!!” Dude, shut up, mmm'kay? But this animation is a lot of fun. A nice little slice of YouTube nostalgia form a simpler time before the website became totally hostile to content creators and silenced dissenting voices in service to political correctness. Ah, good times.
There is one more original animation I want to show off. It's from a creator who has not only moved on from the fandom, but also deleted most of his videos because he's a bitch reasons, I guess...
Mr. Poniator always had a bunch of great videos, but these three videos of recaps of the first five seasons were his best. This particular one has so many hilarious lines:
"Stalk your Idols!"
"Too much of a good thing ends with lots of murder!"
"BUY OUR TOYS REVELATIONS!!!!!
It was quick, simple, and utterly enjoyable. His other videos were similarly funny, but as I said, he deleted them. Oh, well...
Now, I want to somewhat briefly touch on a branch of the fandom: the "Brony Analysis Community." I used to be totally into these videos. Way back in the day, I used to love watching DigiBrony, BronyCurious, ILoveKimPossibleALot, and the others wax poetic about the show I loved so much. However, it didn't last very long. Very early on, I caught on to the fact that these guys... were full of shit. It was actually DigiBrony who tipped me off. He made a video, which has since been deleted, which I believe was simply called, "Depth." It was a like five minute video... analyzing a ten second clip of Applebuck Season. That means that for every one second of the clip being discussed... he spoke for about thirty.
Now, don't get me wrong. I think MLP is relatively nuanced for a kid's show, and that there is some stuff just beneath the surface worth discussing. But these guys who tried to make a YouTube career out of over-analyzing the show were just reaching so deep into their assholes for content to justify their existence that they could feel their teeth. It speaks to a phenomenon that has plagued the fandom since the beginning, something that I myself and guilty of: claiming that the show was so super serial and deep that it was SO much more than "jut a show for little girls!" Now, being honest, it is! Really! The creative team put a lot of time and effort into making the show more than just a simple vehicle to sell toys. However, at the end of the day... that's exactly what it is. This isn't Shakespeare or Kant, some grand creation worthy and deserving of endless debate and discussion over "what it really means!" SO, to my mind, the whole "brony analysis community" is kinda bullshit. This is none more apparent than with LittleShyFIM and his CineMare Sins videos.
Much like the actual Cinema Sins, I used to really enjoy LittleSHy's content! However, again much like the real channel... he's changed, and it feels like it's become less about comedy, and more about straight-up bitching. Like, with LittleSHy's videos about Seasons 1 and 2, it was all, "Hey, look at this animation error! Here's a slight continuity error, too! How about a running gag?! Man, this is cute and fun!" However, since his episodes about Season 3 and onward, I just feel it's more about, "This sucks, and here's why." I may be way off base, but I just can't shake the feeling that he's become just another one of those, "The show sucks now" assholes that I can't stand. This was none more apparent than with his videos about Equestris Girls.
When the first EqG came out, the analysis community fucking savaged it, and I kind of understand it. I mean, I personally enjoyed the movie, but being purely objective, it... wasn't very good. There were massive plot holes, contrivances, and characters doing things that just didn't make any sense. But then came Rainbow Rocks, which I still maintain is a really solid kids film with fun colorful visuals, threatening villains with understandable motivations, and a kick-ass soundtrack. But... it’s Equestria Girls, so the analysis community hated it, and LittleShy was the worst of them. Hell, he literally went to a fucking firing range and shot up an Equestria Girls doll!
However, even among this Everest of pretentious shit, there is a single, shining beacon of quality that still makes me laugh. One dedicated man who still finds ways to interpret the show in unique and hilarious ways...
Ah, DWK. To this day, he the only "analysist" that still makes me laugh. Huge quotes are used because he really doesn't actually "analyze" the show. It’s more just cracking jokes. He takes the piss out of the show, but with him, I can tell it comes from a place of love. He genuinely enjoys the show, and he' just having fun with it. Now, I linked his Equestria Girls review, both to highlight the difference in opinion between him and more "serious" analyzers, but also because this video has my all time favorite exchange/jokes in his series:
"How can you risk all of that just to stop some stupid teenagers stop fighting?!"
"Because friendship's my thing, alright? And if I don’t stick with that, then I:m just another superfluous alicorn, and I'd rather destroy this world, Equestria, and the entire fucking multiverse than be a shorter, less hot version of Cadance who doesn’t even get to ride my brother's dick!"
"Okay, fair enough. Now, I’m going to take advantage of being a dog and finally lick my own balls and then I'm going to sleep."
"Spike, that's gross, not to mention completely unsanitary."
"Someone is licking my balls tonight, Twilight. If you don’t want to do it yourself, get off my back."
I have loved every video DWK has made... however, even he is starting to show signs of losing my interest. Like, I still find his jokes funny, but his "rhythm," if you will, has become very apparent, and he doesn’t deviate from it. "Waifus! Autism! Alcoholism! Yay!" Like, dude, we get it. Please grow! Still, he’s hilarious, and I wanted to give him a mention.
Now, let's move on to the final segment, which is both the easiest for me... and the most important: Music!
Now, this fandom has many talented musicians. People have worked tirelessly to make both remixes and original music based on the show. However, full disclosure... I don;t like most of it, and for a very simple reason. To explain something about me that you might not know, that is if you've missed the last couple of blogs... or missed the chapter titles for Under A Luminous Sky... or have never fucking talked to me for longer than five seconds. And that is...
I like metal. A lot. Like... a lot a lot.
For all the varied types of bands I listen to—everything from Cannibal Corpse to Dream Theater—my actual music tastes are... pretty limited. If it's not hard rock or heavy metal, or doesnt feature amazing guitar work, I generally don't like it. Hell, I'm not even a big fan of punk rock, which I classify as, "A thrash metal band that didn't want to learn how to play their instruments."
SO, it's not all that surprising that I'm not a big fan of most fandom music, since most fandom music is electronic in nature, either being trap, house, rap, or some mixture of those, or else soft pop rock. I don;t know. I just... don't like music that doesn't have complex guitar work in it.
Now, that's not to say that there haven't been show song remixes I haven't liked. It's just that most of them are more... comedic in nature. The best example is a series of "literal songs" done severla years ago. That is, someone will record new lyrics for a song form the show that is literally what is happening on screen. The best of these was done by a YouTuber by the name of LizzieBiz, my favorite of which is her rendition of Babs Seed:
It's just goofy and silly and I love it. Plus, it features Best Filly, which is a plus.
However, among a sea of lame music and posers, there was one shining light. A beacon of metal goodness upon the hill. AN amazingly talented musician who blessed us with some of the best music the fandom has ever produced: The L-Train.
Hailing from Australia, I believe, L-Train is, in my humble and objectively correct opinion, the mos talented musician in the fandom. From original songs about the show, to covers of fandom classics, to parodies I am linking because I helped record them and I'm a vain prick, he has graced us with some amazing music.
However, the one that trumps them all is the big one. Even in the face of all the fan fiction, the artwork, the animations, and everything else, this is what I belive is, hands down, without hesitation, the single greatest thing this fandom has ever produced. And that is... The Moonrise Symphony.
Y'all, I... I just... I can't say enough about this one. Like, right before I finished this blog—it was written over several days because every night I would get too drunk to continue so I had to save it and work on it the next night—I listened to this one for the first time in like three years. And... I literally got choked up. My breathing hitched, and I had tears in my eyes. It embodies every thing I love about metal: the abilty to convey emotion and tell a story sucinctly.
If you've never heard it or heard of it, it tells the story of the fall of Nightmare Moon, and it does it with such emotion and panache that I can't even describe it. But that's not going to keep me from trying! It's a story told in seven acts. The beginning tells us of the time when the Celestial Sisters ruled Equestria with benevolence and grace. We have never been told how long the Sisters reigned before Nightmare Moon. COuld have been a hundred years, could have been a thousand. But Part II of this epic, Harmony, shows us the near-perfect land of Equestria under their reign. It all starts with a line that I realLy love:
Gather 'round, my childern, because now the time has come
To tell you of the angels of the dusk and of the dawn
This touches on something that not only feeds my personal headcanon—that the Sisters are actual celestial beings that rule over the mortal world, but more importantly, it shows how the average pony would see them. Indeed, how we saw them in Seasons One and Two. They were these near-holy beings, paragons of virtue and power, whose example was followed as what a pony should be. What hits me the hardest is the second chorus, sung by Celestia and Luna in unison:
Heavenly waltz of the sky, inspire the ones who see
All the hearts beat as one in Harmony
Faithfully, side by side, the blood that bonds us deep
May we rule and love in Unity!
See that? It shows us that this period of Equestria was hallmakred by the rule of both the Sisters. Their friendship and love is deep and true. They are there for each other, and all the land prospers. However, nothing lasts forever, as we now know.
Part III, Nightfall, shows us the seeds of doubt and resentment planted in Luna's mind, as well as her slow descent into madness and rage. The most powerful part:
No more will the moon be eclipsed
By selfish, blinding, scorching sunlight
Gaze upon the dusk of a new age
the Lunar Throne will take its rightful place!
I think that portion is extremely telling of the whole situation. See, in my eyes, the whole Nightmare Moon thing was never truly about LUna feeling like she didn't get enough attention and love, not directly. It was more that Celestia got more attention and love than she did. Again, having two older siblings myself, I can tell you that there were a lot of times I was super jeaouls, not necessarily because I didn't get what I wanted, but more because my sister and bother did get it. This makes the entire debacle more personal and relatable.
The problem only gets worse with Part IV, Lunar March, wherein Luna has completed her transformation into Nightmare Moon and refuses to lower the moon. This is also where Celestia confronts her, and begs her to stop. She doesn't, and war ensues. In the show, the battle bewteen Nightmare Moon and Celestia is brief, and indeed it is in this song, too. Part V, Battle of Sun and Moon, evokes a harrowing battle, ariel dodging and magical blasts, a ferocious fight. This is showcased perfectly by dueling guiatr solos, two different players lobbing volleys back and forth. In my head, I always liked to imagine it truly did happen on one night... however, that was because the moon never set. So, several weeks of brutal fighting was, indeed, "One Night." This is why, in my stories, there are several mentions of "The War of the Night," a several weeks-long battle between the Royal Guard and traitors, now transformed into thestrals by Nightmare Moon, and all the while, Celestia and Nightmare Moon are constantly deuling in the skies.
However, we all know how this story ends, and the aftermath is shown in my personal favorite part of the symphony, Part IV, Daybreak. It's just so... descriptive. It says so much simple lyrics and a piano accompaniment. It's slow, moody, and depressing. But what truly gets me, and sends shivers donw my spine and goosebumps up my arms, is Celestia's verse:
Sister, my dear, I'm all on my own
If I could have saved you, if I could have known
Though much time will pass, I'll love you evermore...
Again, this touches on what the John Joseco pic above does, but it does so much more explicitly. With the moving music and painfully emotional vocals, I can just see it: Celestia, sank to her belly, in the ruined and destroyed remains of the Castle of the Two Sisters. SHe's dirty and battle-scarred, her mane barely flowing in the invivible breeze. Tears are streaming down her face in the wake of her failure. She wants to scream, to run, to escape everything and never bee seen again, so deep is her shame and regret. And yet... her horn glows, a paltry and enemic light. Still, as she looks out at the horizon that has been dark for so long... the sun rises. And as the first rays of light break the sky...
But the sunrise lifts them up from the dark
the dawn bringing light, bringing hope
We will rebuild, for our spirit is strong
and Harmony will be restored
To me, this is where Celestia learns to be a leader. She wants to run, to escape, to lock herself away for the next thousand years and mourn her failure, as both a ruler and a sister. But... she doesn't. She lights her horn, raises the sun, and goes out to face her scared subject who just witness the Princess they all loved and respected try to completely destroy their way of life. And she has to tell them that a great evil has been defeated, and that everything is fine now. She has to be the leader Equestria needs.
And the song ends with a triumphant note that echoes the beginning. Life in Equestria will go on, their beloved hero princess showing them the way. However, late at night, when court has closed, the poneis sleep, and the petryal and shoes come off, Celestia—not the princess, but the pony—looks up in the night sky at the darkened face of the moon, and hopes. "I will save you, sister..."
L-Train went on to make two more epics, one about the Fall of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire, and one about the Pillars of Equestria. However, while the Pillars song was only five months ago, he seems to have largely left the fandom behind. Wherever he goes, I know he will be awesome.
Now, I could go on. I could talk about my favorite fandom memes, my favorite bad fics, my favorite everything. However, it's late, I'm drunk, and I have a final tomorrow. Don't worry, I spent most of today studying, so I should be fine. I even cancelled my weekly D&D game to do so (forgive me, Cap U!). Besides, this blog is entirely too fucking long as it is. Also, probably riddled with spelling errors. I've noticed that in Firefox, after too long in the blog page, spellcheck stops working. So, it's not only the alcohol that makes me a shitty typist. Only mostly! So, I'll leave it at that. The point of this blog was...
Well... it didn't really have a point. I just wanted to highlight some of the best things this incredibly diverse, talented, and creative fandom has produced. Objectively speaking, we truly are awesome. We have done some amazing stuff in the decade or so we have been around, and I have no doubt that we shall continue to do so for years to come.
Never forget that, especially in light of all the things I have shown in this blog, that I fucking love you all. Til next we meet stay safe, stay free, and stay metal! Jake The Army Guy out!
I still watch the videos by Silver Quill and Josh‘s FOB channel, for the same reason I like to read the episode blogs by Fan of Most Everything. They don’t look at these episodes like they’re taking a decoder ring to solve a mystery. That “deeper hitting meeting” you talk about. I think they recognize the message each episode is a vehicle for, even if it is a simple message we’re all taught as kids. It’s like working out the recipe for a dish after taking a bite out of it, even if it is something as simple as cupcakes. Then they can observe if a particular step didn’t contribute to the final product, and what could have replaced it. It’s made thoughtful not by just going on about devices in storytelling like in a college class (although there are some such segments). It’s about human emotion, sometimes mixed in with their own stories.
Sometimes even DWK does this (whether he’s conscious of it or not). His newest episode on Going to Seed really captures the dynamic of a sibling that had to grow up almost immediately to provide a childhood for the youngest. Which is a lot of reason why Going to Seed was probably my favorite standalone of Season 9.
Although it is true that I don’t watch that kind of content nearly as much anymore. When I want opinions on the show, I usually just take it in quickly by reading what people have to say, and it’s usually on THIS website. Discussions with FOME, milesprower06, Saturdaymorningproject and the Lunaverse forum are what inspired me to start writing my own episode blogs. Because I ended up leaving such a lengthy responses to them, and wanted to collect all my thoughts somewhere.
Agreed on Earth & Sky. One of the great epics of the site.
Less agreed on Cinemare Sins. It still comes across as in good fun to me... but yeah, Littleshy's vitriolic antipathy towards EqG is a bit much. And DWK is basically the Rick & Morty of brony analysis. Sometimes he bites deep enough to break bone. Sometimes he belches nigh-incoherently for ten minutes.
But suffice to say, a metric crapton of quality stuff in all manners of media came out of this fandom, and there's definitely more to come.
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Well, that's incredibly flattering. Glad you like my stuff enough to mention it along with the big names.
Loved (still love) It Takes a Village. Bummed to hear about what happened with the author, I didn't know about that.
I don't know. I think they're both more or less past the blame game. Also, whats with the fandom turning Luna into a fucking woobie all the time.
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I mean, yeah, they are now. But right after it happened?
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Again... I don't know. They both swore to protect pony kind from all threats, and I think that included themselves.
We also have to remember that Celestia held back in her fight. She really didn't want to hurt Luna, but she would have if it came down to it. The Elements were her last option.
And we have to remember that one cannot control others, only their reaction to them, and Luna does have a habit of overreaction. I don't think Celestia blames herself, per say, but she probably wishes their had been a non mind rape way of doing it.
Now keep in mind the Elements are ultimately tools for good. They restore to how they were and how they should be. But I'd imagine having ones mind and body magically flayed apart and an identity ones been harboring for nigh a millenia is hardly a pleasant experience. That Celestia probably feels sad for.
Interest lost.
I mean... it's true. Misogyny and trans/homophobia is fucking rampant. Not to mention highly beloved works many people write for that are centered in rape, violence, and subjugation of women. You even quoted someone here with the ride comment that is one of the most toxic and misogynistic people I've ever met, and has threatened me with physical violence for not liking someone and calling out their getting 30-40 people to upvote their own stories and downvote people they don't like.
Kinda heavily disagree on every other point made here as well, sorry.
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Pretty much only FOME out of those mentioned is worth speaking to.
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That’s a pretty strong reaction. A lot of the time I disagree with milesprower06, but as long as certain movies don’t get involved he’s perfectly respectable. Talking to him is nice to get my thoughts in order. Lunaverse is a group with a lot of talented writers. Silver Quill is a really nice guy who’s really active in the Brony community. Josh is also really mild mannered dude, and while he’s less active, his FOB Equestria group is how I got introduced to Jake years ago.
A lot of goodness here.
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...
Okay. Ooooooo-kay. The whole "The ride never ends" comment is generic as fuck. You can literally find it all across the internet being used for countless things and memes. I wasn't quoting anyone... and I have no idea who the fuck you are even talking about here.
Are... are you talking about Fall of Equestria? That's hardly fucking "beloved." BY my reckoning, every single story written in that shitty AU gets down voted into oblivion, most having at best a half-and-half rating. Or are you perhaps speaking of Fallout: Equestria... a story written by a woman, with, if I recall correctly, one scene of attempted rape, which ended with the female main character threatening to rip the dude's balls off?
What? Literally... what? I've been pretty active in this fandom almost since the beginning, and I don't see that. Sure, it happens, but it's hardly fucking "rampant." I mean, sure, if you're actively looking for that shit, I'm sure you'll see it everywhere. Also, the over-fucking-whelming majority of romance stories and pictures in this fandom are lesbian in nature. Perhaps you speak of "downvote bombs" on stories dealing with trans issues? Okay yeah, that happens... but it also happens on stories that deal with all sorts of issues, like religion or politics. The reality is that no fandom is perfect, this is true, but if you only try to see the problems, well... that's what you're gonna see.
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Not even remotely, in any case. But sure, go off then and try to make yourself look right through outrage. You're so correct because you're a man and I'm not.
Protip; don't try to tell someone affected by something that the thing doesn't exist. I've observed and experienced what I'm talking about over the last nine years. Bronies are scum.
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I’m surprised you’re on website with so much of what you experience being so bad. Do you get to enjoy yourself?
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Don't bother mate. This malcontent been starting shinola all across the board for some time now.
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And do you really want to get into words with an ex drill sergeant? I mean, the guys a sweetheart from what I've seen, but still....
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Rarely! There's a few things that are cute or good reads, the majority of it is dreck. All of the smut is incredibly awful, I have no idea why people actually donate money to have writers dump shit onto their face. It's all either directly male-gaze, incredibly boring stock vanilla/maledom, or rape.
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Nope, try again. I'm not "angry." Merely... hmm, annoyed might be the right word, since you're claiming that most of my friends are misogynistic, trans/homophobic assholes.
*bzzt!* I never once claimed you never experienced those things., or that they didn't exist at all. I merely disputed your claim that such things were "fucking rampant" in the fandom.
Ooh, tough luck this round! Would you like to buy a vowel?
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Oooh. Patronizing.
Exactly what I was talking about btw. Nobody on this site or in this damn fandom as a whole can ever not be a cunt for three seconds.
Unfollowed (not sure why I had ever had you followed in the first place) and blocked.
May your life be as pleasant as you are.
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Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya!
Have you looked at Osoch's stuff on youtube? He's got some decent stuff. Really impressive considering his age.
This is one of my favourites.
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Well this got ugly
I can only agree with everything written. I'd say more, but I'm supposed to be working.
Additional: you write better drunk than most people do sober.
I'd just like to say, I really appreciate the almost total lack of misogyny I've experienced from the people in this fandom. As a woman and all.
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OMG, I remember this one! Legitimately crazy. They change their name like, every other month because of all the shit they stir up. They caused a dumpster fire in the comment section of my friend's story last year. Luckily I quoted everything in my replies because I knew they would try to destroy the evidence. They went on a whole crusade deleting any negative comments on their own stories.
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CHICKEN IN THE ROOSTER HOUSE
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But we are Jake! We held a meeting, and it was decided along with making Kanye West our spokesman and our unanimous decision to vote for Trump.
But its hard Jake. It makes bisexuality uneccesarily difficult. OH CURSE THIS HOMOPHOBIA OF MINE!
Know my pain
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The beauty of Bronydom my good Shakes. No one actually cares. Oh, they care about Fluttering as a person, certainly, but their opinion... Well, they're still here, so no ones reported them. So I can suppose fairly that people are content with watching the attempts at a shit show they put on.
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And? Now, I agree with you, a lot of it is dreck. I go to it for a laugh and to troll around, which is in general all its good for, and by and large the writers are good sports about. But I differentiate between stories with sex in them and sex stories. Shakespearicles, for example, does try to write plot stories and the struggle that characters go through maintaining their relationships. Not just wanting to bang, their relationships. They're people with flaws, goals, hopes and ambitions.
But you know what I think this is? You aren't objecting because you hate the content. Or even for the sake of literacy. No my dear, there is one reason for it:
You're miserable. That's why you're here at all. That's why most people are here. Its an escape from the day to day, an oasis from our doldrums and hardships, whatever they are. But here's the difference.
You like being miserable. You love it because then you can justify your horrendous behavior. You're unhappy so you try to make everyone else unhappy, but that would make you a bitter intolerant bitch wouldn't? So you aim for the low hanging fruit, people you feel shouldn't have the right to defend themselves, and of course when you receive your justly deserved recompense for your malfeasance you flee crying back to your hugbox for ass pats and that'a girl from your echo chamber.
I wish you well sweety, and I hope you find some solace in this life
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But that belching is still really funny!
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Pretty cool, thanks for pointing us to it. One of my first ever dips into the fandom's works were these two classics: