How I would have written Equestria Girls. · 12:11am Apr 21st, 2022
Hello, my fellow bronies,
One of the themes of my blog posts, and in some of my fanfics, is my feeling that Equestria Girls was a show that never lived up to its potential. It turned out much better than I expected, but this made me so much more disappointed when Equestria Girls was functionally canceled in 2019 without even a finale.
In this blog post, I explore my take on Equestria Girls, what it could've been, and how it should've ended.
I write this in the hopes that the franchise could be revived someday or independent creators might be given the freedom to create their own EG stories in the future.
1. More worldbuilding for the EG world.
One of the things that made MLP so good was its rich worldbuilding. Ponyville, the home base of the Mane 6 felt like, well, a hometown. It had a snack shop, it had an apple farm, it had a sofa and quills store, it had a bowling alley, it had a school, and it had a library that was replaced with a castle. And it even had something of a history to boot.
Equestria was a colorful, diverse, and fantastical land full of all kinds of creatures, magic, legends, and lores.
The world of Equestria Girls, meanwhile, didn't seem to have much beyond "generic high school land with pony colored people". We don't know anything about the culture, the society, or even the systems of government that exist in Equestria Girls world. We don't even know the name of the planet it was set on.
More importantly, it is never explained why this world has some connection to Equestria and even the occasional portal to a magical realm.
I think world-building would not only add depths to the Equestria Girls world, but it would allow EG to distinguish itself from MLP by helping it develop its own identity besides being a land of horse-humans. I do this to a certain extent in my fanfics that are set directly in the Equestria Girls world, because I think it is fun to imagine a world like our own but different in its own way.
2. Developing Its Unique Secondary Characters.
One of the most depressing things to watch was Flash becoming a more well-rounded character...only for the series to be canceled.
But Flash wasn't the only EG-exclusive character who never got developed. There was Micro Chips the nerd, Sandalwood the hippie-lite character, and the Shadowbolts. Again, not developing these characters was a mistake, because it could've helped the EG series develop an identity distinct from its parent series, by giving us characters with their unique set of challenges that teenagers could relate to.
3. Further exploring Sunset's backstory and character development.
Sunset's transformation in the fandom is a testament to the potential of the MLP writers, turning her from one of the most detested characters of MLP into one of the most beloved protagonists. Her reformation, bonding with Starlight, and reunion with Princess Celestia are cherished moments in the franchise.
It worked so well, I am disappointed we didn't see more coming-of-age stories about Sunset. Here are the things I wished they would've explored.
* Sunset's backstory in Equestria and her family history and how this could've played a role in her descent into villainy.
* Why Sunset decided to turn her life around, how she came to befriend the soon-to-be Rainbooms, and her tough first few months after the Fall Formal, which I explore in Sunset's Steps.
* The deleted scenes from Friendship Games. Those scenes showcased Sunset's own homesickness and desire to return to her homeland.
* What happened to her human self? Which was the planned Season 2 EG finale.
4. Sci-Twi's own backstory, and why she became an outcast.
In one of my blogpost, I proclaimed Sci-Twi as not only my favorite character, but I considered her to be the more relatable Twilight. Unlike Pony Twilight, she was a mistreated outcast who was resented by her peers.
But why did Sci-Twi grow up to be so miserable? What about her life was different from pony Twilight's life that meant she ended up stuck in a school full of people who resented her?
5. Making the show a half-hour series.
One of the things that annoyed people was that EG was never a full-length series. What especially frustrated me was when one DeviantArt member actually proposed a series of EG episodes in a few of his posts.
6. Exploring more teenage and young adult issues.
One of the writers, in a Twitter post, says if they had been a Netflix series, they would explore issues that teenager face like sex and drugs. While Hasbro's primary demographic was little girl's shows, the adult fanbase might actually have appreciated more mature themes from a Hasbro property.
Doing more mature stuff would've been respectful to the adults who enjoyed G4.
7. My take on an EG finale.
A lot of people have their own ideas on what an EG finale would be. One is Sunset graduating from CHS, the other is Sunset being forced to return to the human world and the Humane 7 forced to relinquish their pony powers and go back to being teenagers.
But my finale idea is simple: Sunset winning a Fall Formal crown legitimately, and the ending is Sunset giving one last speech about hope and perseverance to the applause of everyone.
I think it is a simple, minimalist ending that serves as the crowning ending to Sunset's personal story of redemption: winning the prize she coveted in a legitimate manner instead of through fear and bullying shows her growth as a person who would deserve to be princess. And it is an open ending that leaves one free to imagine what Sunset's future will be, which is the moral of "My Past Is Not Today": we have our regrets, the future is uncertain, but we can always make the present better.
So what do you all think? How would you make EG better?
Let me know your ideas.
Sincerely,
Redandready45.
I wish it did get a series finale
I agree wholeheartedly on the first four, especially with Sunset's backstory. She's probably the most prominent character in G4 that we don't know anything about regarding their family, fandom speculation aside.
5652203
The issue was this: Rainbow Rocks was intended to be just a repeat of the previous movie, but the writers realized at the last minute Sunset's story was quite compelling. Sunset's popularity was something they more or less stumbled into.
I like what you did here, and speaking of eqg and finales I'm currently in the works of my own version of one that will be a collaboration with 2 friends of mine on fimfiction being Faded Echoes & 13 Shades of Sunset. I'm hoping to have my first chapter out in 2 weeks from now. Thought I'd share it because of this current topic.
5652214
Can't wait to read it!
Agreed.
My original idea for the finale was for Sci-Twi and Sunset discover the Equestria Magic leak was endangering the world. A side effect is the Equestrian natives are naturally generating some of this magic and it starts adversely affecting their environment. Which means that Sunset and the DAZZLINGS have to return to Equestria...FOREVER!
And of course as this is the finale there must be some other force to deal with and that would be...the REAL Grogar! The father of all monsters would seek to harness all the magic for himslef to conquer all worlds. During the battle with Grogar, Sunset is wounded and the Rainbooms, along with the Dazzlings, pour their remaining magic into Sunset...transforming her into a TRUE human alicorn princess. Sunset strips Grogar of his power and banishes him to the eternal abyss with he with remain for all time. Afterwords, all of CHS gathers to send off Sunset (with a small Principal Mom-lestia/Sunset scene hugging goodbye) and the Dazzlings and the four enter Equestria. We then see Sunset is indeed an Alicorn Princess and is presented as such to Equestria. Cut to the future with Princess Twilight speaking with her student Luster Dawn and Princess Sunset arrives, now being the ruler/guardian of another area of Equestria: DREAM VALLEY.
(One more G1 element brought back everypony!)
5652230
Sounds like an epic finale to the series.
5652204
Well, they definitely should've capitalized on it more.
5652257
A total shame.
Hasbro has already broken the censorship and age-restricted content when they decided to give some artistic and writing liberties in the transformer movies.
Would love to expand the EQG series, the Dazzlings and the ShadowBolts would have been great characters.
Even if they are more cautious with the content they could at least focus on Redemption and searching for a new start sort of story.
A whole cast of former antagonists become the main characters. And shows that heroic and villainous actions are not white and black.
As you can see from my name and avatar it was inspired by Sunset shimmer... It shows how we are mortal beings and very flawed and selfish but never truly evil.
I loved the main 6 but they always feel off for me and The introduction of Sunset and her redemption as well as the other EQG villains shows a more relatable selfishness that we all have.
5652545
Yes, flawed people with selfish instincts can be more interesting protagonists, because their struggles can feel relatable.
This is why I felt Sci-Twi was a far more interesting character than Pony Twi: while Pony Twi got party invitations, Sci-Twi was the poor kid eating by herself while being scorned by her classmates.
One trope I'm not fond of is this whole "Sunset must return to Equestria." I see the girls as more than just the people she hangs out with; they changed her life for the better, they made her what she is: They are her family. All of us have people who stay with us in some way for life. Your home is not always where you were born; home can be wherever you make it.
5653410
I agree with you completely.
Home is less "where you were born" and more "where you build a life."
But this raises an interesting dilemma: if Sunset''s friends are her family, then what does she do when they all graduate, and her friends go their separate ways?
5653449
Given that they clearly have social media like us, but also seem to retain more of a modicum of healthy social interaction, unlike us, it'd be pretty easy to keep in touch.
5653464
Yes, I know they could still keep in touch...
But would we see Sunset settling in the human world and starting a family?
5653488
There is a fanfic that has a lot of the thing that you listed It’s called across the rubicon choices
5707094
Really. What’s it like?
5707102
Here just check it out for yourself https://www.fimfiction.net/story/449586/cross-the-rubicon-choices
5707146
Thank you!
Would you also say even Fluttershy got the short end of the stick in screentime among the main seven?
Looking at the main focus distribution in the movies with
Equestria Girls: Princess Twilight and Sunset
Rainbow Rocks: Princess Twilight and Sunset
Friendship Games: Sunset and Sci Twi
Legend of Everfree: Sunset and Sci Twi
Magical Movie Night: Rarity in Dance Magic, Rainbow Dash in Movie Magic, Sunset in Mirror Magic
Forgotten Friendship: Sunset
Rollercoaster of Friendship: Rarity and Applejack
Spring Breakdown: Rainbow Dash and Sci-Twi
Sunset's Backstage Pass: Sunset and Pinkie Pie
Holidays Unwrapped: Rainbow Dash in Blizzard or Bust and Dashing Through the Mall, Pinkie Pie in Saving Pinkie's Pie, Sci-Twi and Applejack in Cider Louse Fools, Sunset in Winter Break In, and Applejack in O' Come All Ye Squashful
So the order of focus distribution for the girls with the movies are:
Sunset Shimmer: 8 > Sci-Twi: 4 > Rainbow Dash: 3 > Rarity/Pinkie Pie/Applejack/Princess Twilight: 2
Seems Fluttershy just never got to be the major focus of a EQ film like the others.
Could argue even with the supporting players who are human counterparts kinda feel not as relevant as their Equestria counterparts, Dog Spike kinda lost relevancy after Friendship Games, Cadance is never shown after Friendship Games (sad given she seemed to be the one of the few loved ones Sci Twi had before she met the Rainbooms) with only a passing mention she's the new Crystal Prep principal in Dance Magic, Shining Armor only got a brief role in Friendship Games , and human CMC only play a major role in two shorts with Canterlot Movie Club and the Choose Your Own Ending short Happily Ever Afterparty and are more or less in the background other wise (aside from Apple Bloom kinda being relevant in the Cider Louse Fools segment of Holidays Unwrapped).
5734154
You are absolutely right. Fluttershy never got a movie or special centered around her.
But in general, as you point out, many supporting characters never got the development they deserved. The only way that could've happened is if they gave EG a full-length series.
They managed to breathe life into the franchise with Sunset Shimmer but then didn't build on that momentum. :(
Out of curiosity, have you seen the Adventure Time spin off Fionna and Cake that began last year? Considering it is kinda similar to Equestria Girls in the sense of revolving around alternate versions of the main series characters (albeit genderswapped in Fionna and Cake's case rather than turning ponies into humans) and being a spin off of a super impactful 2010 cartoon, do you think it was a good spin off and did good fleshing out the setting and the cast well?