Something Sweet To Bite: A New Generation · 6:22pm Oct 14th, 2023
Just wanted to get some thoughts down and share some insight into the latest entry in the saga of the Candy Mare.
Firstly off, the theme this time is of the concept of the Hollywood requel. The idea was to take the story back to basics and ignore a lot of the admittedly wild directions some of the plots of prior stories in the series have taken. More or less it was written so that so long as you had read the first Something Sweet to Bite you could read this story and not really feel like you had missed a lot. Now having said that, of course, this is not really a direct sequel to the original Something Sweet to Bite as it takes place in a universe where those events never happened, that is the universe of G5 and the New Generation. Yes that gives rise to some plot-holes and that is actually intentional this time. I chose to do my story in the style of a requel mainly because G5 in a way a requel to G4, which also suffers from plot inconsistency as it relates to plot elements in FiM. I didn't want to belabor the point so I didn't really emphasize this in the text, but I hope a few savvy readers will look past the over the top gore and melodramatic monologues to the joke that underlies the entire plot. It being in the spirit of the modern Hollywood requel, you may have noticed that many of the kills are a lot more violent, gruesome, and protracted than those previously perpetrated by the Candy Mare. That too is intentional, not as a a natural escalation (cause Candy Mare has done some pretty sick and twisted stuff in the past that is on par or exceeds these kills) but rather to keep it in line with the modern 'torture porn' aesthetic of the requel, where they take a more traditional cold sociopath of a killer and instead makes them out to be an almost (and sometimes literal) demonic sadist. Candy Mare has always had a sadistic streak, but it's writ larger than usual here.
Secondly I will say that this story coming to be was not without its struggles. Those readers who think things feel a little rushed or short in the plot department aren't wrong and there are two reasons for this. The first reason is that in-line with bringing this story back to basics and keeping things simple I wanted the length to be closer to the original Something Sweet to Bite. The chapter count on many of the sequels and even prequels sort of got away from me as the series went on and I didn't want to type up another sprawling complicated plotline when that wasn't in the spirit of the short and sweet creepypasta-style story the original had been. The second reason would be that I ended up deleting about half of the chapters of this story at one point because they just were not working. Those familiar with my work know I usually do an A plot and a B plot, with half of the story following one character or set of characters and the other half following another and then the two meeting up at the climax. I could not do that this time, and I feel like that was partially because I had trouble making the Mane 5 distinct from one another in anything beyond superficial differences and preferences. There was originally a whole B plot involving them finding the ruins of Ponyville, it being implied the town had suffered some terrible fate involving the Candy Mare, and it turning out that this was the last thing that Argyle had been researching before he disappeared. It was going to come to a head with it being revealed that Sunny had accidentally brought back the Candy Mare while trying to discover her fathers fate, but that went against the initial idea of it being the return of magic to Equestria that had been the cause. It was just a mess and even I realized I was writing the Mane 5 out of character by giving them this super serious plot line. I feel like these Candy Mare stories work best when she is a corrupting element in a world that is otherwise all sweetness and light - having it turn out that the world of G5 was actually corrupt all along is a great idea for another grimdark story maybe, but it just undercut everything else that was happening in this story.
So, thirdly, that brings me to something that I already let slip in a comment earlier. This is likely going to be the last Candy Mare story that I write, and I know I've said that before (twice), but this time it's because this is likely going to be the last My Little Pony fanfic that I write at all. MLP:FiM was a show that superficially targeted a demographic of young girls but was written and produced by people that were aiming for a family audience as well, including the brothers, mothers, and fathers of those little girls. I can;t really say that I get the same vibe from MLP:ANG as the story line has been slow, meandering, and at times feels like it's really talking down to its audience - not in a mean way but in a way that doesn't respect their audiences intelligence. Plot inconsistencies aside (FiM had those too, especially in the later seasons) G5 just doesn't feel like a story that is aimed at a wider demographic beyond the core of young girls, and as a result it's just failed to capture my attention or imagination in the same way that FiM did. (For example, I had no idea we were in the 5th Chapter of Make Your Mark as I stopped watching that series after Chapter 2 - and as far as I can tell there still has not been any sort of payoff or 'season finale' so it doesn't seem like I've missed anything important.) The exception to this was the Tell Your Tale episodes 'Nightmare Night Party' and 'Haunted House' which I really enjoyed even though I had kind of dismissed TYT in general as just hyperactive fluff and filler in the same vein as Pony Life before it.
TL;DR - This story is based on and inspired by horror movie requels like Friday the 13th (2009) Halloween (2018), Scream (2022) - In fact the original title of this story was just Something Sweet to Bite (2023). It's shorter than normal by design and may feel slightly rushed because a huge chunk of the original plot got scrapped but you're not missing much because the B plot this time was kind of terrible thanks to my lack of interest in A New Generation. Due to my struggles with this final story and my inability to connect with the current show and fandom this is likely to be not only the final Candy Mare story but also my final My Little Pony fanfic, period.
Having said all that, I did really have a lot of fun writing this story once I realized what it was and what I wanted it to be. It's fun, funny, gory, and an over-the-top send up of modern horror cinema that still has those lovely seasonal Halloween touches and call backs. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this series, both for myself and all of you who have ardently followed it over the years. To those of you who might only be just discovering the series through this story, I hope you go back and read some of the other works in this series so you can see and maybe enjoy where it came from and how it has grown over the years.
If this is my last blog entry as well, know that I feel like I have gotten much more from the fandom than I ever put into it, and I am greatly thankful for that. I've mostly enjoyed being a brony and all the highs and lows that have come with it, and while I may step away from MLP in general I'll probably still be lurking around the fandom from time to time just to see what my old friends are up to.
Have a Happy Halloween, a Marevelous Nightmare Night, and a wonderful rest of your life.
If this is your last dance within the fandom, you left on a high note.
I'd still hope to see you hanging around, but at the end of the day it's your decision.
Thanks for all the gore and good times.
It was an interesting and enjoyable story. Just that really. A relatively good way to end things. I admit that it reminded me very much of Trick r Treat, what with the breaking of traditions.
A real shame we won't be seeing anymore Candy Mare ("Candy Mare Goes to Hell" kinda ended on a cliffhanger a little.) But it's your call. This fic series has been OUTSTANDING and the first SStB actually SCARED me a little, mainly because I was SO unused to MLP fics being THAT horrific and violent (I had JUST joined the fandom a while back).
Perhaps we will see one pop up once in a while if you get the urge to put an idea down. Or, with your permission, a new hand could take up the Candy Mare story and maybe finally bring an end to the psycho's reign of terror forever.
as much as i would hate to see the candy mare end, i understand. i myself am not really that into g5. your latest story regardless was amazing, and if you do write more, I of course will read it.
one day i would love to see all of these stories be put into film somehow, as ambitious as that would be.
I personally dont mind the longer stories and quite love them. <3
as i look at my candy mare plush i custom ordered for probably way too much, im reflecting on the joy all this has brought me. Thank you for everything knackerman, for creating my favorite character of all time.
Much like Jason, Freddy, and the plethora of other crazy 80s slashers, I love seeing how many creative and frankly, twisted ideas you come up with. I really enjoy seeing how in depth you understand the medium; playing with and paying homage to so many films and their sequels. Its why you and Jmj are my favorite writers.
Even if this the final tale, I think you made a rather well balanced and understandable villian. Thank you for the amazing ride Knackerman. At the very least, I respect her more than Xehanort.
Even if this is truly your last story or post am so happy that I found your work captivating even for a grimdark I only wished I found your work sooner best of luck to you Knackerman.