Q & A Followup (2024) · 6:20pm April 10th
You asked the questions, so now come the answers. Hope they're to your satisfaction.
First up is Comickook, a long time source of inspiration and indirect contribution, who asks only the following:
1. Are you going to be doing at least one "What If?" batch this year? And, if so, which episodes are going to be included?
The answer is yes, though it's going to be a little bit different this year. Prior to publishing "The Tale of Spike's Egg", I had planned to debut a "What If?" rewrite of the 2017 movie in April. It has now been pushed back to May, likely mid May. Then, sometime in either July or August, I'll be doing the next volume of rewrites for my "What If?" series. But it'll only be five episodes covered, at least for now. It could expand if I get more ideas. As for the episodes covered, they will be as follows: Stare Master, The Cutie Map/Cutie Markless Parts 1 and 2, Uprooted, and Going to Seed. Stare Master, Uprooted, and Going to Seed have long been on the backburner for episodes to rewrite.
Next up we have a series of questions from a PM by MLPandMiraculousFanatic. They are as follows:
1: What's your favorite part about TMPI? (Either the original one or the fanmade one)
2: When will you release Total Magic Pony Island 2 aka Total Magic Pony Action?
3: Will you also do the reboot when you'll do TMPI's extra seasons?
4: Have you managed to get an answer from the creator regarding the fan story and if so what did he say or request?
5: Does Pineapple fit on a Pizza?
6: Have you watched my series Total Equestrian Despair, if so what did you think so far?
7: Who are your top 10 favorite characters in all kinds of media?
8: Which has more, doors or wheels?
9: What do you think of Rick Rolls and if you've ever been rickrolled what did it feel like
10: Did you know Izzy Moonbow's voice actor will be voicing a character in the Among Us tv show?
1. I'd have to say the relationship between Spike and Silver Spoon. To my knowledge, it's the only time the two have ever been romantically paired up. It's something I would never have expected to see, and it was done so very well. It wasn't done just to parallel a ship from the original Total Drama Island.
2. Hopefully next year. I already have some idea in mind for how the elimination order will progress, who will be on what team, and what some of the developments will be. Of course, it's not set in stone, it could get pushed back depending on what happens to me in real life.
3. Maybe I will if I ever get that far, we'll have to see.
4. Do you mean Tailslover13, the creator of the original "Total Magic Pony Island"? Because if so I haven't heard a peep from him/her in years. Their account has been inactive since at least late 2015, and no one on the account page mentions anything about what happened to them. Supposedly, I heard that site changes surrounding character tags and format were to blame for the fic being abandoned, but it could just as easily be a case of the writer leaving the fandom.
5. I don't like it, but there are worse toppings and worse kinds of pizza. No joke, there exisits such a thing as pickle, bacon, ranch pizza. That just sounds disgusting.
6. I haven't seen it yet. Maybe I'll check it out in the near future and let you know what I think.
7. Tough to say. But some personal favorties include Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia, Izzy Moonbow, Tommy Oliver, Thomas the Tank Engine, and Bojack Horseman.
8. Wheels for sure. You can only have so many doors in a building, but there's no limit to how many wheels you can have on anything.
9. Rick Rolls are still kind of funny nowadays, simply because you'd never expect them. And yes, I have been rick rolled a few times, back when rick rolling was really popular. It was definitely an experience to remember.
10. Do you mean her movie voice actress, or her television voice actress? Either way, I suppose I'm intrigued.
Now we have questions from Bronycommander, who asks the following:
- When it comes to Dizzy Twister, what exactly sold yo the thought she could be Scoot's mother?
- Did you ever had any opinion on Scoots inability to fly, like she's just a late bloomer?
- When it comes to common fan mothers. like Berry Lyra/bonbon or Derpy, ever thought about making a version of yours how they got mother of Ruby/Tootsie/dinky?
- As some background points have different names, like for example, Minnuite is also known as Colgate, how do you decide which name to use?
1. It's been a while since I've had to explain that, especially given that I haven't really used Dizzy Twister for much since Scootaloo got her canonical family in 2019. It was another FiMFiction user, Matt11, who got me hooked on the headcanon, because he used it in a lot of his fanfics at that point.
2. I've honestly always been in the camp that believes she could fly at some point, even with assistance. When Bulk Biceps and Pound Cake were shown to be able to fly, the obvious explanation for Scootaloo's inability to fly could no longer work. It feels like the show originally did want to make her a late bloomer, hence why they decided to tiptoe around the issue in "Flight to the Finish". But then so many people started interpretting that as Scootaloo being disabled, so the show tried to lean more in that direction, until they more or less confirmed it in "The Washouts" out of the blue. However, given that we saw how Tank could fly via a magical propeller, it would be a stretch to assume that Scootaloo couldn't use artifical wings, gliders, or magic spells/amulets to be able to fly. It's not unlike how people who lose their legs or lose the ability to walk on their own power can regain the ability via artificial limbs, crutches, and canes. People with disabilities both physical and mental are not always restricted by what they can't do themselves. And the same holds true for Scootaloo. In a magically advanced world like Equestria, there's zero reason why they shouldn't be able to find a workaround for any potential disability she might have.
3. Not really. Maybe if I get inspired with a really good idea, I might do it.
4. I usually go by show canon names for those named on-screen. For those not on-screen, it depends on what I think suits the character better. For example, Dizzy Twister is actually officially called Orange Swirl according to the fan wiki, but Dizzy Twister sounds like a more fitting name.
Up next we a few questions from PonyPuffy 2012, and they are as follows:
1. What's your opinion on how Starlight Glimmer's redemption was handled in "Friendship is Magic"?
2. Do you have any more plans to write more stories about Sprout? I admit this is question is mostly because I've liked all your previous Sprout stories.
3. Have you thought about doing a "What If?" story based on episodes of "Make Your Mark"? And if so, what episodes would you include?
1. I think ultimately it was done good because of how Starlight Glimmer turned out as a character, largely because of Seasons 7-9 toning down her overpowered ways and letting her be in episodes where she wasn't the character of focus. But there's no denying that her initial redemption was done very sloppily. Leaks have now confirmed that while they did have plans for a backstory for her during "The Cutie Re-Mark", the time travel story was originally going to be a lot different, and Sunburst was not thought of yet. So that means Josh Haber did make considerable changes, and not necessarily all of them were for the better. I'm not sure how much input he had as story editor for the Season 6 episodes that did focus on Starlight, but particularly "Every Little Thing She Does" really made her redemption seem like a bad idea. I think my mentioning of her having a lot in commmon with Korra from The Legend of Korra fits the bill pretty well. That series had a lot of problems with its protagonist being overpowered and feeling borderline mary sueish, and she did ultimately get better over time when they started focusing on her inner demons and her trying to forge her own path.
2. Now that you mention it, I am thinking about a story where Sprout becomes a bodyguard to Pipp, based on an image I saw on Derpibooru. The two do actually have a fair bit in common. And I'm thinking that maybe late this year (like say mid November) I might do a sort of spiritual successor to "Potty Training Tales" with some of the G5 cast, and Sprout would have his own chapter exploring his foalhood problems more in depth. I only want to write stories for him if I can think of things to do with him, though.
3. I have given some thought to it, considering I'm starting to run out of episodes to rewrite for G4 (there are really only a handful or so of episodes left that I really want to rewrite), though I do also have the long on the backburner and long thought about "What If?" volumes for Equestria Girls and the comics. If I did do a Make Your Mark version, it'd probably include every episode/special from the first three chapters aside from "The Traditional Unicorn Sleepover", and "Bridlewoodstock" would be changed to be about the Maresquerade Ball seeing as that's when so many of the most important characters were present.
Now we have Saiyan Cartoon Creator, who asks the following:
1. Have you ever thought of compiling all your episode rewrites in chronological order and reposting them one season at a time? I think that would make things much easier for new comers like me.
2. I know in your What ifs?, you had that twist with Cozy Glow that she's really Queen Chrysalis in disguise and disappears after season eight, because Chrysalis has no further use for the Cozy Glow persona, but what if you had to use a real version of Cozy Glow in the What if? Universe? What do you think you might do with her?
3. Have you seen any of the MLP abridged series? If so, what's your opinion on them?
4. What shows/franchises outside of MLP are you a fan of?
5. Do you think Scootaloo should have been made an orphan?
6. Could the Mane Six (outside of Pinkie Pie) been given love interests in the show, in your opinion?
1. Much as that might sound tempting, it would involve a lot of combing through the volumes. And I'd have to decide what to include for episodes that I redid in later rewrite volumes.
2. Well, the obvious fix in that case would be make to her the niece of Chancellor Neighsay, and have her be corrupted by his teachings. Then her rebellion against Neighsay would be because she's tired of being told what to do, and decides to take his ideology to its logical extreme.
3. Yes, I've seen a few: The two big ones, Friendship is Witchcraft, and the Mentally Advanced Series. They were both pretty good for their time, though I think Mentally Advanced ended up becoming the better written product over time. Friendship is Witchcraft's creativity was certainly admirable, given that they gave us such things as Sweetiebot and Pinkie Pie the gyspy, but it feels like they peaked with their eighth episode, the controversial take on "A Canterlot Wedding". As for Mentally Advanced, I think its longest lasting contribution was in the Rainbow Dash Presents spin-off, which opted to deconstruct and poke fun at many of the most infamous grimdark or otherwise popular fanfics of the early fandom.
4. Too many to name here. But a few I can think of are Power Rangers, Bojack Horseman, any of the 1990's/early 2000's DC animated shows, Avatar the Last Airbender and the Legend of Korra, Pokemon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the James Bond franchise.
5. Nah. If anything, I wish they'd have elaborated on her family situation sooner, instead of leaving it completely unaddressed until Season 9. Even if they wanted to save the on-screen parents until then, just a little bit of earlier establishment that she had trusted ponies watching over her and kept in touch with her parents via letters would've been really nice.
6. As much as I'm a big fan of CheesePie and was happy to see it canonized in "The Last Problem", I can't really see any of the mane six other than Rarity ever having boyfriends. In fact, by having only one of the main cast express interest in romance, I think that helped the show to stand out more, because it's almost always cliche for the main character to have a crush or be in a relationship with someone at some point during the series. The only one who could've really been given a canonical boyfriend would've been Rarity, given her expressed interest in romance. That being said, the idea of a one off episode where Applejack of all ponies fell in love, even if it would just be through a spell, would've been really cool to see.
Sparkle91 is next, and asks only the following:
Have you ever thought of doing a story based on Baby Looney Tunes or a crossover with them?
Nope, never once. I've only seen one episode of the show, and have only a little bit of knowledge about it, outside of the fact that it used the same voice acting pool that would be reused for FiM.
It's now time for FanofWriting's questions, which are as follows:
1. If you had to do something Equestria Girls related that actually put Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity in major roles, what ideas would you have in mind for them? Since stuff like Dance Magic, Rollercoaster of Friendship, Spring Breakdown, Sunset's Backstage Pass, and Holidays Unwrapped didn't fare well when focusing on the other 5 Rainbooms, what story ideas do you have in mind for them for potential specials if you had to focus on them?
2. Thoughts on these big Mane 6/Rainbooms ships: AppleDash (pony), Rarijack (human and pony), FlutterDash, PinkieDash, TwiPie, RariShy, Sunset/Pony Twilight, Sci-Twi/Sunset, and Sunset/Pinkie?
3. MVP voice actors in MLP Gen 4?
4. Ever see the Equestria Girls Choose Your Own Ending shorts?
5. Since you're not as big a fan of Rainbow Rocks as others are, any idea on fixing that?
6. Which episode do you think each of the Mane Six, Spike, Starlight, the CMC, Celestia, Luna, Trixie, and Discord shined the best individually?
7. Hypothetically if Littlest Pet Shop 2012 ever had a crossover with either Friendship is Magic or Equestria Girls (up to you whether you'd have the pony Mane 6 or the human Rainbooms involved), what ideas would you have on it?
8. Do you think the writers may have had trouble coming up with Fluttershy plots without retreading old ground especially after season 3 where you did mention being annoyed with Fluttershy constantly regressing? Moreso with how she did have the least amount of episodes focusing on her than the rest of the Mane Six and even being the only Rainboom to not be a major focus of an Equestria Girls movie or special. Is it possible Fluttershy may have been a hard character to write for and having a balance for later seasons? Even her better focus episodes in later seasons like Flutter Brutter and The Hooffields and McColts have her in more of a straight man role rather than being the center of conflict.
9. Thoughts on each season of Total Drama (Island 2007, 2023 seasons 1 and 2, Action, World Tour, Revenge, All Stars, and Pahkitew)?
1. Well, I think the first big fix would be to have them actually develop personalities and interests that aren't directly based on their pony counterparts. Since they're clearly younger and less emotionally mature than the mane six, the goal would be to give them more emotionally complicated situations. Rather than rely on contrived stories and bland antagonists, there would be more focus on some of their hobbies and what kind of goals they might have when they graduate from high school.
2. AppleDash is honestly very overrated in my opinion, it may have been interesting in the early fandom when there weren't many ships to go on, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash don't strike me as being capable of supporting each other in a romantic relationship, their love of competition and confrontation would lead to too many avoidable conflicts. RariJack is a ship that really makes no sense, either human or pony, opposities attract only works if the opposities have an appreciation and respect for the differences, and I don't see that being the case with either human or pony Rarity and Applejack, the two would not get along well if they had to live together for a prolonged period of time. FlutterDash is kind of cliche, it's the case of childhood friends becoming lovers when they grow up, but I can see how it might blossom into something given how much time they spent together and how many places where their interests overlap. I know PinkieDash was fairly popular in the first few years of the fandom, again due to a lack of noticeable male figures to pair them up with, but while I could see this potentially becoming a romantic relationship given their mutual love of fun and pranking, I don't think they would ever really hook up, they might maybe try dating if there was a spark, but I think they would ultimately find other ponies that they would have better cheimstry with. There was one fanfic author many years back who wrote a ton of really good TwiPie fics that I really loved, but given their interactions in the show I can't see them working out due to Twilight being too orderly for Pinkie and Pinkie being too chaotic for Twilight, it would devolve quickly into an unhealthy relationship. RariShy strikes me as more of a master/apprentice kind of relationship than anything that could turn into romance, Rarity more so than anypony except for Rainbow Dash really helped Fluttershy come out of her shell, and I think the two would just be friends, there's nothing to suggest a romantic relationship or that it could really work. Sunset/Pony Twilight is a ship that I don't think could ever work given how little involvement pony Twilight had in Sunset's life after "Rainbow Rocks", as for Sunset and Sci-Twi, that's a relationship I can get behind given their shared pasts and strong bond. And Sunset/Pinkie is a pairing that I cannot see ever being anything other than a friendship, the two rarely interact and the most time they spent together was handled very poorly.
3. How funny you should ask that given that there's currently a poll on Equestria Daily asking which mane six member had the best voice acting. The obvious favorite is Tabitha St. Germain, especially given that she was apparently quite prone to improvising and ab-libbing, and if so I have to give props to her for making it sound convincing and natural. I do also have to give praise to Tara Strong for her performance as Twilight, given that she was originally going to voice Pinkie Pie and Andrea Libman was going to voice Twilight Sparkle. But I cannot see Twilight sounding anywhere near as memorable if Tara hadn't voiced her. I would also have to give a shoutout to Weird Al Yankovic for the best guest voice actor. All the other celebrity voiced characters in the show could've worked to varying degrees without the celebrity behind them, but it's impossible to see how Cheese Sandwich could've worked if Weird Al wasn't his voice, he didn't just play the character he became the character. And in the time since, Weird Al has started branching out, becoming a more reocurring voice actor with a surprisingly decent range.
4. No, but I have heard of them.
5. The biggest fix for "Rainbow Rocks" would've been cutting out Pony Twilight all together, and just having her communicate with Sunset through the journal, that way the franchise wouldn't have had to lean on its parent show for support and could've more easily stood on its own. Adagio Dazzle is mostly fine as she is, though I think you could easily play her up as a control freak, and that being what brings her into conflict with Aria Blaze, rather than just have a throwaway line about a power struggle. You could have Sonata be the one trying to be the peacemaker, rather than just make her the token comedic villain. And the conflict between the Rainbooms would need to focus more on real problems, instead of things such as them failing to notice obvious sabotage or just complaining about costume changes.
6. The best episode for each mane six member is as follows: Twilight Sparkle - Lesson Zero, it was the first time her OCD tendencies were really highlighted, and the first real attempt at making her something other than the socially awkward bookworm and designated main character, not to mention it has an unintentionally creepy tone watching what was the sanest and most rational minded member of the group slowly descend into madness. Pinkie Pie - Pinkie Pride, it showed her at her best and really put a lot of what she did into context, showing why it is that she dedicates herself to throwing parties when there could be other ways to spread joy, and even offering hints that Pinkie might be trying to force herself to be happy even when it might be unhealthy for her to do so. Rainbow Dash - Sonic Rainboom, it showed that her bravado and apparent superiority complex was really a mask, and it showed us what lay behind that mask, as well as how she can push herself past her limits for the sake of her friends. Rarity - Suited for Success, it was this episode that finally pinned down Rarity as a character, making her a trend setter rather than a trend follower, and showing that her love of fashion was more than just a desire to look good, it was a desire to create. Fluttershy - Hurricane Fluttershy, it had her overcome her most crippling flaw: Her performance anxiety, and it did so in a very heartfelt and believable way, while also showing that sometimes you can do your best and you still won't succeed as much as you'd hoped you would. Applejack - Applebuck Season, it basically solved the only real problem her character had in her stubborness and inability to accept help even if she might need it, the only other flaw that she had from then on was her tendency to get into confrontations and arguments, and she never really moved on from that. Spike - Gauntlet of Fire, this episode showed what it was that made Spike different from other dragons without cheapening dragons as a whole, and helped to prove that he's not useless and can contribute. Starlight - Student Counsel, it truly felt like a celebration of her character, showing how far she'd come and why she could be trusted to take the reigns from Twilight, while showing that she still struggled with self-dobut and from a desire to please everyone even if that might not be possible. For the CMC, their best group episode is definitely Crusaders of the Lost Mark, where they hit their peak and achieved their greatest victory, showing why they don't give up when faced with adversity and helping inspire their long time nemesis to change her ways. Individually, Apple Bloom's best episode is probably Call of the Cutie, seeing as it was the first time she was really on her own in the spotlight, and like with Applejack it solved the only problem she really had up to that point in her feeling like she was the only blank flank in her class. Sweetie Belle's best episode is probably For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils by a hair, showing that as much as she admires her big sister and wants to be like her, she also wants to be able to stand out on her own, and how that can be a problem. Scootaloo's best episode is ultimately Sleepless in Ponyville, the first time she truly felt like her own character instead of a miniature version of Rainbow Dash, and the first real look at her fears and insecurities. For Celestia - it's Horse Play hands down, really showing off the best of her character and showing what she's good at and what she's not. For Luna - it could be either Sleepless in Ponyville or For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils, as both showcase how different she is from her sister, favoring a more direct approach, and how she also can feel connections with those struggling with insecurity. Trixie's best episode would ultimately have to be Road to Friendship, just because it showed how she's gotten used to life on the road and how she's adapted to its adversities, plus it's the only time she ever sincerely apologizes for yelling at or otherwise being mean to Starlight. And for Discord, it's Discordant Harmony, the last time he truly felt like a well written character and the last time his chaotic ways weren't a detriment to the overall story or narrative, a sense that he could be good even if he might think he didn't have to be.
7. I think a crossover with Equestria Girls would be easier to handle, either by having the pets and Blythe come to Canterlot High, or have the Rainbooms come to Downtown City, and just have them meet and bond through there. As for a crossover with FiM, it would likely have to involve Blythe and the pets getting pulled into Equestria. The pets could probably become different creatures, while Blythe would end up a pony. It could be revealed to be the work of a sinister force, or just a sudden mishap.
8. To some extent, yes, as can be evidenced by "Bats!" and "Filli Vanilli", as well as "Scare Master" and "Fake It 'Til You Make It" all resetting Fluttershy's character for the sake of the plot. But the fact that they're the only episodes to do this proves that other writers in other seasons could find ways to write Fluttershy without scarificing her character growth. And in particular, "A Health of Information" showed how her assertiveness could become a problem unto itself.
9. I haven't seen either season of the reboot, so I can't vouch for the quality of those seasons, though given what I do know about the first season it seems like it could be trying too hard to be a case of "How do you do, fellow kids?" and appeal to today's generation. As for the other seasons, the original Island came out at the right time, when Survivor and shows like it were all the rage and were going strong. A Survivor parody focused on teenagers at a summer camp was just the sort of idea that could work, but it's clear that not all the characters were there to be fleshed out, some were written just to be cannon fodder to be eliminated early on. But the fact that they could do more seasons meant that they had a chance to flesh out the characters who didn't get a chance to shine originally. The challenges were really what defined the show, setting up outrageous and sometimes dangerous scenarios that were something other than your typical summer camp fodder. Action had a chance to work, given that it had a smaller cast and was going to be movie based. But the fact that all the old writers jumped ship to work on other projects, and the new writers didn't bother to do their research, on top of the fact that they still had twenty six episodes to fill despite a smaller cast, meant that there were a lot of episodes where nothing happened or nothing was at stake. In particular, throwing Courtney in midway through because of lawyers and having her become the antagonist really made the show go downhill fast, leaning more and more into meanspiritidness. World Tour was arguably Total Drama at its peak, and the first attempt to really shake things up: Traveling around the world, having songs from the cast, introducing new characters, and having three teams instead of two, as well as having it so that we wouldn't know in advance if episodes were elimination or non-elimination rounds. However, it seems clear to me that they wanted a finale between new villain Alejandro and anti-hero Heather, and everyone else was just there to be scarificed or manipulated by one or the other, and every time either Alejandro or Heather was even in danger of elimination, contrivce would rear its head to save them. Sierra was the bigger misstep though, she was apparently meant to be a parody of fans, particularly those who loved to ship Cody with all sorts of people. But they way overdid it, turning Sierra into a creepy stalker who wouldn't leave Cody alone and couldn't understand why he might be upset about that. They did eventually get the message and turn it down, but by that point the damage was done, to say nothing of the Gwuncany love triangle plot that necessitated bringing Duncan back, only for him to inexplicably fall in love with Gwen just so they could have some drama for the third and fourth legs of the show. Revenge of the Island deserves praise for going back to the island but introducing a new cast with an altered environment, but it seems like its success might have been of the wrong kind since it convinced the franchise it could survive with half seasons. Revenge also was probably meant to be a lot different, but had to change so much after the 2011 Fukshima nuclear disaster so as to avoid seeming offensive, and a lot of the episodes were very formuliac and prevented members of the second cast from being fleshed out more (and those who stayed were not necessarily well developed). All-Stars and Pahkitew are the franchise at its lowest point, wasted potential and writing disagreements that resulted in character derailment, and concepts that should've been better utilized than they actually were. All-Stars is slightly worse just because of how it all ended, sinking the island and presumably having most of the old cast float away, when the concept of an All-Stars season sounded promising, but the cast choice even for a "Heroes versus Villains" type of season didn't really work when staples like Owen, Harold, Izzy and Leshawna were not included. Pahiktew at least marked an attempt to try something new, it just didn't actually do anything with its concept until near the end, and made the mistake of thinking that mean spirited was automatically funny even if it wasn't.
We're nearing the end, folks, just keep holding on. We now have MLPFollower, who asks the following:
Q1) Related to another user’s question, would you compile your previous What If? entries into canon episode release order?
Q2) How many My Little Pony G4 comics and characters do you wish were canon to the show, and why?
Q3) If you were to extend the episode count of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic season 3 from 13 episodes to the standard 26, what ideas do you think would work as episodes and why?
Q4) Which Horseman of the Apocalypse (Conquest/Pestilence, War, Famine, Death) do you think Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Lord Tirek and Cozy Glow represent?
Q5) If you were in charge of My Little Pony G5 (A New Generation and Make Your Mark), what changes would you have made to it?
Q6) Which Element of Harmony (or similar variant of them) do you think would fit the Young Six?
Q7) Which Seven Virtues (could be Capital or Cardinal and Theological) do you think the Mane Six and Spike represent?
Q8) Which mythological creatures do you wish were shown in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and why?
Q9) Which famous celebrity would you have wanted to appear in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic before they passed away?
Q10) What are your overall thoughts and opinions about TV-Tropes?
1. Again, much as I might like to, that would be a very huge undertaking, especially since so far I've only fully rewritten two out of the the nine seasons.
2. Looking back on the comics, the only character they introduced that I really remember in a positive way was Kibitz the royal schedule advisor, and I wish he could've been added into the show as a reoccurring character. In terms of comics, some of "Reflections" and some of "The Return of Chrysalis" I would've liked to see be canon, but not necessarily all aspects or all arcs. I also would've loved to see the 2013 Equestria Girls annual and the 2014 Power Ponies annual be canon, the latter especially since it delved more into the Power Ponies world. The first two Fiendship is Magic comics also come to mind, given how they fleshed out the backstories of King Sombra and Lord Tirek.
3. Well, some of the rejected episode ideas mentioned in the leaks sound promising. There was going to be a one-off episode about the lost traditions and customs of the Crystal Empire, which I think could've fit in nicely between them getting the Equestria Games and the games being held, we never really got a chance to explore the lore gaps of the Crystal Empire after Cadence and Shining Armor took over, aside from the poorly handled IDW comics arc involving the return of King Sombra. The proposed beach episode also sounds really good, you could easily fit in right after Twilight's first coronation as a way for the mane six to unwind after all they'd just been through. And they could've also probably fit in episodes such as Rarity trying to teach Pinkie Pie about business, thus exploring Pinkie's connection to the Cakes and what her employment situation with them is, and the flashback episode about how Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy met.
4. King Sombra is a very obvious choice for War, given that he successfully invaded and toppled a soverign power and its ruler. And in another timeline, he used said soverign power as an army to use in a wider war against Equestria. Queen Chrysalis seems to fit Conquest/Pestilence pretty well, seeing as her plans both times involved subterfuge and trying to bring down a soverign power from within, and both involved using invasions. Tirek and Cozy Glow could easily fit into either Famine or Death, considering both drained the magic of Equestria to fit their own ends, which could've easily resulted in famine or death. If I had to pick which one gets which, Tirek would be Death considering that at full power his desire was to hoard all the magic for himself and burn everything to the ground, whereas Cozy Glow would be Famine since her taking away all the magic was a more gradual process, and presumably she would've thus condemend Equestria to a slower demise.
5. First and foremost, I would've either made sure we had the rights to use the G4 characters directly (and not just Twilight and Spike), or I would've made it less of a direct sequel to G4 and more of a spiritual successor. A New Generation would've opened up by having Sunny invite Sprout and Hitch over to play, and reveal through exposition and through glimpses into Sunny's house that G4 was basically a cartoon and only Argyle had found proof that it actually did use to exisit. There would be an answer as to how the magic disappeared, and not just through the unity crystals. The emergence of new technology would be revealed as a contributing factor, that ponies got used to living apart from each other and from other races, and that as direct memory of Twilight's reign faded ponies stopped believing it had ever been around in the first place. I would've used the planned scene where Pipp defeats Alphabittle at the dancing game, but have it so that she takes Sunny's place for the third and final round, giving her a chance to be useful, on top of focusing on how she was able to lead the others out of Zephyr Heights after Queen Haven's arrest. Make Your Mark would've opened with a focus on the creation of the Brighthouse, clarification of what happened to Sprout, Pipp's desire to open Mane Melody, and Izzy, Zipp, and Pipp deciding to move to Maretime Bay to be closer to their friends. Sparky would've remained an egg until at least the end of Chapter 2 before hatching, and Opaline would be intentionally setting Misty up for failure while working on regaining her power indirectly to steal the unity crystals. Opaline would continue to spy on our main characters through the locket, and there'd be more of an arc throughout the first three chapters of Sunny trying to gain control over her alicorn form and make use of her new alicorn status. Instead of Opaline being an alicorn from the same time as Celestia and Luna, she would be a sealed evil from before their time who was awakened when the magic disappeared from Equestria, hence why Opaline desires to take over and be ruler. The revelation of Alphabittle as Misty's father would happen sooner, and reveal that while she was taken in as a filly by Opaline, Opaline lied and brainwashed Misty to make her believe she didn't have a family before Opaline took her in. Sparky would spend the end of Chapter 4 until the end of Chapter 6 regaining the powers he lost to Opaline, and would undergo a metamorphsis before the final battle to become at least on par with Spike at the beginning of FiM.
6. I believe I've mentioned this before, but I see the elements for the student/young six as follows: Gallus is friendship because much like Twilight, he never had friends before and now that he's made them he's not willing to be without them, and would do anything to keep them safe. Ocellus is honesty, both because of the irony of her being a changeling (a race originally defined by deception) and because as the atoner for her race she's always been the most open about her doubts and concerns. Yona is kindness because she was always the heart of the team, the only one to believe in Sandbar during his defection, and because her being able to talk to spiders could be handwaved as a power bestowed on all kindness bearers given that Fluttershy can talk to animals. Silverstream is very obviously laughter, given her parallels to Pinkie Pie and her fun loving nature giving her a desire to spread the joy she feels to others, not wanting to live in fear. Smolder is generosity, mostly by default given what I give to Sandbar, but also because she's willing to help others even if it doesn't benefit her directly. And Sandbar is loyalty, given that both his defection and his test have much more to do with loyalty to his friends than they have anything to do with kindness.
7. I think the mane six and Spike represent: Prudence (given that they mostly make good judgements in a crisis, and are willing to consider all points of view before making a decision), Fortitude (they never betray their values or elements even when they feel tempted to do so), Charity (especially Rarity and Fluttershy, but also Pinkie Pie given what she does with her parties), and Faith (they're not ones to give up when faced with adversity).
8. Aside from maybe a hydra, a minotaur, or a cyclops, I can't think of any mythologcial creatures that FiM didn't show that should've appeared. They included a lot of the most popular or most significant Greek mythological creatures.
9. I'm assuming I could pick any celebrity who was still alive at the time FiM premiered, but died before it concluded. If I had to pick one from that list, it would have to be Robin Williams, given his incredible performance as the Genie from Disney's Aladdin and the fact that he more or less pioneered the trope of celebrity voice actors being a big deal in marketing. I feel like he would've been an incredible choice to have on FiM as a guest star.
10. I like them, there's a lot of interesting research that goes into their tropes and trope names.
And finally, last but not least is BronyRanger, who asks:
1. Do you plan on re-reviewing A New Generation and Make Your Mark next year like you did with Friendship is Magic back in 2021?
2. What kind of stories would you like to have seen be done with the character of Comet had Make Your Mark not been cancelled?
3. Do you have any theories about Allura's brother?
4. Are you the least bit curious what an Equestria Girls version of G5 looks like?
5. How would you have felt if Make Your Mark and Friendship is Magic had an official crossover?
6. What are your expectations for the upcoming Power Rangers reboot next year?
7. Favorite DC and Marvel heroes?
8. Thoughts on Ash Ketchum being retired as the Pokemon anime's protagonist as of last year?
9. Best and worst TV show revivals in your opinion?
10. Thoughts on the Harry Potter prequel series; Fantastic Beasts?
1. I do plan on re-reviewing A New Generation later this year as the final installment of my re-reviews this year, because otherwise I'd be ending them with Equestria Girls: Holiday Unwrapped, and I want the re-writes to conclude on a high note instead of a low note. As for Make Your Mark, I probably won't be revisiting it until G5 probably wraps up for good next year after the second season of Tell Your Tale ends.
2. Honestly, Comet is very much a blank slate that you could do just about anything with. His natural curiosity about the land of Equestria, and his clumsiness feel like they could've lent themselves to a whole bunch of stories. I personally think the best stories could've been those that allowed the other main characters a chance to be more fleshed out and to take on the role of teachers, helping Comet adjust to his new life.
3. No, not at the moment.
4. Maybe a little, but I doubt it'll ever come to fruition.
5. I'd have been cautiously optimistic, it would all depend on execution.
6. As of right now, not much is known about it or what they might do. Power Rangers has many times before said they're done for good, only to come back and keep going. If indeed the old continuity is at an end, and we're done adapting Sentai seasons, I would really like to see the franchise figure out what sort of audience it wants to appeal to. Once and Always and Cosmic Fury feel like they were in this weird middle ground of trying to appeal to adults who are long time fans of the show, and to kids who have little knowledge of or investment in the prior seasons. It can't really appeal to both. If Cosmic Fury is any indication, I think they would be better off trying to appeal more to adults and to long time fans through more mature story telling, while not losing the sense of wonder and charm that made the original so beloved.
7. For DC, my favorite heroes are: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, John Stewart, Hawkgirl, The Flash (both Billy Blurr and Wally West), Robin/Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Robin/Red Robbin (Tim Drake), Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, Green Arrow, and Black Canary. And for Marvel, my favorite heroes are: Spiderman, most of the X-men, Captain America, Black Panther, The Incredible Hulk, She Hulk, and the Fantastic Four.
8. I think it's good that they're retiring him after he achieved his dream and goal of being the very best like no one ever was. Considering how long it took for him to win a Pokemon League, I think he's more than earned his retirement so that a new protagonist can take the stage.
9. Can't really think of any good or bad ones off the top of my head.
10. I haven't read the books or seen the movies based on them. Honestly, given all the controversy surrounding J. K. Rowling right now, and considering what has happened to Star Wars since the sequel triology, I think it's for the best if Harry Potter remained untouched for right now. It's a franchise that's better left not being meddled with, least it subjected to unnecessary sequels/remakes/reboots, or other controversies that will detract from the wonder and excitement of the Wizarding World.
Well, there you have it. Hope the answers are to your satisfaction.
Thanks very much for the answers. Definitely appreciated.
sure did
Nice to see your responses to my questions. Appreciate it for sure.
Interesting how you aren't a fan of most of the Rainboom/Mane 6 ships aside from Fluttershy/Rainbow Dash and Sci-Twi/Sunset.
I assure you the reboot seasons of Total Drama definitely are better than you think they'll be. There isn't much of a "Howdy fellow kids" thing in either season. At most Julia, Chase, and Emma are social media people, but even then they aren't sprouting out outdated slang so not quite "trying painfully hard to be hip". Heck, we do get some diversity with LGBT and amputees.
I do wonder though, if Pony Twilight doesn't go to the human world in the improved Rainbow Rocks, how would the scene of Sunset talking about her doubts on proving that she has changed at Pinkie's house (this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1qacuU7gWM ) go without Pony Twilight there to bounce off of? Same for how the Rainbooms would free themselves from being trapped under the stage due to a lack of Spike to find Vinyl Scratch to unlock the door.
So when do you think Twilight making the 24/7 portal between worlds should've happened if she doesn't go to the human world in Rainbow Rocks? That portal is definitely need for when Sunset meets Starlight in Mirror Magic and reconciles with Celestia in Forgotten Friendship.
Congrats on twelve years and thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.
Ironically, Princess Luna was in all three episodes!
Thanks very much answering my questions and congrats on twelve years on FiM!!🎉🎉
5776215 No she wasn't. "Call of the Cutie" was in Season 1, before Luna made her redebut in canon.
5776251
Oh, never mind.