I may have inadvertently created a 5-man band. · 9:39pm Nov 14th, 2021
So, when Red at Overly Sarcastic Productions posted a new video on "The Smart Guy" trope from the "five man band" trope, it got me thinking about Phoenix-born Rising (Which isn't dead! I'm outlining things! PhDs are hard! Don't judge me!), and how the five phoenix-born kinda fall into the trope. Not perfectly, but there are parallels.
The Leader - Royal Seneschal Raven Inkwell - Oldest, wisest, most powerful and the one in charge.
The Lancer - General Steel Sentry - Raven's ideological foil who, while antagonistic, is still firmly on Raven's side.
The Heart - Archduchess Roseluck - The kindest and most compassionate of the phoenix-born, who's role usually falls into that of peacekeeper and diplomat.
The Powerhouse - Commander Spitfire - Front line scrapper who loves a good fight.
The Smart Guy - Sunset Shimmer - With her specialization in magitech, engineering, metallurgy and spell-crafting, Sunset feels like she slots into the role of "the smart guy" most easily.
Mind, these aren't entirely accurate, since Steel can slot into both the role of The Lancer and The Powerhouse, but it's remarkable how they just sorta organically fell into these roles. What's also kinda neat is that our perspective character, Sunset, isn't The Leader like is usually the norm. Even if she becomes the leader to her own ensemble cast of miscreants some day, I don't think she's ever going to be The Leader for the Phoenix-born's five man band.
Anyhow, back to science, job applications and stressing out. Whee…
This may well be how Celestia sees them, with the deep political rifts seeming like nothing more than minor quibbles among her team of trusted lieutenants. Though now I'm imagining them piloting a team of giant robot centaurs, and that's just ridiculous.
...
Sunset? Sunset, that wasn't a suggestion. Stop taking notes.
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5 of them...Giant Robot Centaurs....GO! GO! PHOENIX RRAAAAAAANGERS!~
PhD. Damn. *glances at the bachelors degree on the wall* Kudos to you at not being a complete wreck and can still write for fun. How characters play off one another is important to any social dynamic. Obviously a group of 5 wise guys would get old and realistically annoy one another just as 5 OCD Twilights would be entertaining but ultimately end up killing one another for constantly rearranging things to their liking. Good luck with school, stay sane(ish)
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Great, now I'm thinking that too. Then again, considering that my design for Steel's amp Iron Sides came out looking like Toku armor (though the idea was for Spartan armor), in another world, it could've happened.
Now you got me thinking about Sunset designing mecha for the phoenix-born while being kinda cheeky about what each team member got.
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It's a trying experience. No doubt about it. But, I'm doing what I can to not go nuts. Writing helps, because its a fun distraction.
Lol, funny how often this happens accidentally.
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*later on that same day, roselucks manor*
roseluck: oh come now dear you simply have to be a bit more creative, do it in a way he cant openly argue against it without seeming like hes nit picking, while his words were true he is still subject to committee on this and if they think hes pulling rank unnecessarily they will overrule him.
sunset: and how persay am i supposed to make him look like the ass he is, but still make it impossible for him to complain about it?
raven: by makeing him the peacocks ass..." she said with a smirk making sunset blink then grin wickedly
sunset: oh i like it" *she says starting to draw up plans again this time making the robot far more flamboyant and making steels the most austentatious and gaudy of them all without compromising power or ability, naturally...when she presents the new plans for review the nobles on the committee absolutely adore it, naturally especially the heavy use of heliopolin heraldry and noble house crests all over it...steel naturally can't veto any part of it now without offending the bulk of the nobility and while he 'could'...it would make his life miserable for the next ten to fifteen years as a result...
(maybe not something likely to happen but eh...what can i say, i like to think up these scenarios)
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Tropes exist for a reason, I suppose.
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(chuckles) that's pretty funny. And of course, the mech's head folds up to sit under the train (long display feathers) so that its still where the butt would be, because Steel's a butt-head.
That said, chances of something like this actually happening in story are pretty low. Since, y'know, the two of them know that they have to live with each other until one of them is killed, so best not to openly antagonize each other like children.
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*archs an eyebrow and glances at roseluck and raven*....have you told those two that, i mean sure there alot more subtle about it but you can still tell the two of them take every opertunity to razz him...granted its ususaly in retaliation for something he did likewise...god they really are like grown children...i wonder if poor celestia feels like a den mother sometimes...
edit: and now im imagning a mupet babbies like universe where the pheonix born are all actualy little kids and celestia is there nanny....
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Re: Phoenix-born Babies - well now I am too.
Re: Maturity / childishness - What I was getting at was that while they may take pot-shots at each other, I'm trying to keep it at the "political rivals that have to work together" level of immaturity without degenerating to open, childish antagonism.