• Member Since 2nd Aug, 2011
  • offline last seen Sep 1st, 2023

SaintAbsol


I take bad ideas way too seriously.

E

Just because something looks similar to something does not make it similar. Just because something is a different does not make it wrong. And just because something is sympathetic, does not make it misunderstood.

Chapters (1)
Comments ( 26 )

Excellent!

This I can see how the Changling is. Good story.

Very interesting, this is favorite worthy!:raritywink:

Checked it out, and it was good!

perfect! now i don't have to use the magically-altered/hybrid abomination excuse!

512491

I didn't even know that WAS an excuse. I must not be up on the fanon for changelings.

512522 i think in fanfic format. i rationalize my uber-changeling with it.

Pretty good one, atleast somebody write about "common" view of changeling

I liked it, but I feel it's too short as is. I'd like to see more.

Not a single tag? Really?

Very well thought out.

A brilliant work on an alien mentality that isn't a cliche black and white baddie but at the same time is a genuine threat.

I wonder how this changeling would feel about fanon changelings who live a symbiotic relationship with ponies, like Bonbon and Lyra.

3235931 He'd lump them into the ones that feel affection for those they feed upon, likely with a line about how he doesn't believe that such an arrangement could last long term.

Kinda nice, but in the end, it's just a headcanon infodump, and not a real story. Even just making it into a kind of interview or whatever could've given this more substance.

Also, I thoroughly dislike the use of the word "foals" instead of "fools". It changes the meaning to saying they're "little kids", really :applejackunsure:

3236094 wow,think all premist that wish change system but never do.


Well you can't change thing without trying

3236094

I hope you, as an author, do not think lesser of those who do enjoy such stories, writing and reading them.

3362997 I'm going to leave a reply that you likely don't want to hear and, for that, I am legitimately sorry. However, I feel I should make my position as clear as I possibly can.

Yes, I do hold a certain amount of disdain for stories that involve changeling couplings.

Now, let me clarify this before I incite too much hate and ire. I do like to pride myself on sticking as close to canon as I can with my stories, even if I don't always agree with what the show canon leaves us to work with. Changelings, in both show and comics canon, are very deplorable creatures without anything to suggest even a token amount of empathy for the other races. When I see fanfics that deal with changelings in a sympathetic light, these characteristics are either poorly justified, or flat-out ignored in favor of attempting to engender sympathy with some story of over the top racism against them. These are all various things that grate on my nerves: Ignoring canon just because you don't like it, poor attempts at explaining why the character in question is somehow different than is shown and use of the 'race card', as it were, to milk sympathy from readers who don't want to come across as racists themselves.

Now, on the flip-side, there are examples of what you're referring to that I think are done well. Alex Warlorn, the person my comment was originally in reply to, frequently mentions a changeling named Moth who is in such a situation; she struggles with the inherent biological and psychological differences between herself and ponies but also tries desperately to fit in among them. This is an example of a sympathetic changeling done right. One of my favorite fics on here, 'The Irony of Applejack', has a very large deviation from canon as its central plot device, but the writer makes every effort to justify it and explore the potential issues it could present, as well as doing a fairly good job of explaining away why the changelings in that fic act differently than the ones we saw in A Canterlot Wedding.

The reason I take so much issue with changeling romances is because, FAR more often than not, they are poorly written wish-fulfillment without any real attempt at building upon what could be a potentially interesting and engaging story. While I am as guilty as the next writer of creating personal wish-fulfillment, I also don't consider my ideas in any way better than the show canon and don't expect anyone else to share my ideas; conversely, I don't seek out stories and concepts that I don't like solely to downvote them as leave a hurtful remark regarding it.

Bottom line: As a writer: No, I don't think less of you for enjoying or writing these types of stories, you are entitled to have your own opinion. I just simply don't agree with it.

In the cover art, I think I see the General...:rainbowhuh:

A Parallel to Not Alike

So, I just finished reading and enjoying your story Not Alike, and found your "rant" (for lack of a better word) in the comments about how you do not like it when people paint changelings as cute and cuddly misunderstood love bugs. I would be very interested in seeing your opinion on my own short changeling story White Spaces. I found it cool how similar our stories are, right down to both having a monologuing changelins discuss the predator-prey relationship in an unaffected unemotional fashion.

Congrats on getting on EQD, and have a great day!

3364722
I feel that some people need to pay a little more attention to the comics before they start writing about changelings. I did a small article on sympathy for them on a thread. Yes, they are hated by pretty much everybody and that makes you feel sorry for them. But they've spent their entire existence acting hostile towards other races, even if it was indirect. So it's not surprising.

I believe that changelings are the victims of a cruel evolutionary process that pushed them to isolate themselves. Because they believed that if they were found out and their location was revealed, then they would be destroyed, causing them to be hostile and secretive.

But Chrysalis is their main problem. She pretty much defeats the entire point of having to be secretive and screwed up the lives of her own subjects. I don't feel sorry for them because they're hated, they brought that upon themselves. However I do feel sorry for them because they were born into a dangerous position and there is nothing they can do about it. And also because they have a leader who is willing to compromise her people's lives for her own benefit. She's a dictator who has used the undying trust of her people to bring her power. And I hope that one day the changelings rebel and show her what it feels like to be used, mistreated and bullied.

5404185
I just wish people would stop trying to play racism and prejudice card with them. It's very, very, rarely well done and often portrays characters from the show as intolerant bigots in ways that are cartoonishly overblown ways. Shining Armor is often the victim here, and Princess Celestia isn't very far behind, with a bit of Cadance-bashing thrown in for 'good' measure.

Hell, I'm not even totally against the idea of portraying changelings in a sympathetic light. I've dabbled in it myself and have plans to actually write about a changeling/pony coupling at some point. I just wish that people would stop for a moment and consider all the implications of their actions in the show and possibly the comics before they start writing. Even aside from my love of maintaining canon, there is incredible potential for storytelling in doing so, and there's just enough information that one can work with just about any interpretation of their species and abilities without breaking anything established.

I'm rambling again, sorry.

5404271 Here are some things our example writers often don't consider.

1) Equestrian guard is going to think the pony in the relationship is either a changeling themselves, being manipulated or a traitor. This could get nasty.
2) I don't know about some, but if I was in a relationship with a creature that could feed on my emotions to an extent that could cause me physical damage, I would be a little paranoid. Just saying.
3)Chrysalis has a grudge against all ponies, she wouldn't be happy about the relationship if she found out. Being as secretive as they are, she could think the changeling would reveal important information about her. Things she doesn't want anyone to know...
4)With both sides hunting them it could get really bad, really fast.

5404301 This is where the lack of established information mixes well with canon in my opinion. If I may, allow me to address each of those points with a few justifications. Admittedly, these are all off the top of my head, so they may not hold up to close scrutiny. They may make decent starting points, though.

1.) Yes, the royal guard would undoubtedly be suspicious of both parties, they may even make snap decisions and panic when the information comes to light. However, there is very little evidence that ponies -- as a whole -- are inherently violent or fanatically paranoid, meaning that serious harm is unlikely to come to them. Capture, sure, and likely imprisonment if they are, but I doubt things would be lethal unless someone purposefully escalated the situation. Plus, the brainwashing of even Chrysalis (who it can be reasonably assumed would be the most powerful changeling) is shown to be breakable, so they could easily rule out that, and a lack of evidence for treason would mitigate the second possibility.

2.) The only times we've seen changelings consume emotions were when they were simply looking to get a meal, or actively trying to physically effect the one in question. Chrysalis drained Shining Armor so as to weaken his shield spell and allow the changeling swarm access to the city. And the Luvcats (as I think they're referred to) were consumed to make a new kingdom for the changelings and to replenish their depleted energy from the attack. It's difficult to say where the cut-off would be here, but it's entirely possible that a single changeling of average power, who isn't actively trying to weaken their love source, may be able to feed without causing any serious physical harm.

3&4.) I put these together because they both touch on a similar idea in my mind. Given what we've seen of Chrysalis, I concede the first point to you entirely. She is shown to be a genuinely deplorable individual with very little in the way of redeeming qualities. Hell, I'd argue she'd kill any changeling in a legitimate relationship out of pure spite for succeeding where she failed. This, however, leads me to the next point. Yes, it would absolutely get interesting with both sides after the couple. And 'interesting' is exactly what a story should strive to be; I not only concede this point to you, I fully embrace it!

Again, these are merely ideas that I came up in about five minutes, so they're still very flawed and unpolished. Take them as you will.

5404356

Again, these are merely ideas that I came up in about five minutes, so they're still very flawed and unpolished. Take them as you will.

Your points are perfectly fine, and your reasoning too.

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