Good Idea, Seth... · 10:20pm Jan 26th, 2013
So Seth wanted to know when and how we all got assimilated into the herd, eh?
As a "Child of the 80s," I was aware of the toy line (to a large degree) and the G1 show (to a much smaller degree), but naturally, being a young boy at the time, looked down my nose at such "girly" things. Because of that, the franchise flew under my radar until about a year ago. I was looking up Skyrim videos on YouTube, and happened to come across one of the many, many MLP/Skyrim crossover vids that used the clip from the cold open to "Sonic Rainboom" - you know the one I'm talking about. (Fluttershy is best Dovahkiin!)
Between that and the fact that one of my fleetmates on Star Trek Online is a fan of the show, I got curious, and started watching the show from the beginning, hoping to find the context of the clip that I'd seen. By the time I'd finally gotten to the episode in question, the show had already gotten its hooks into me, even if I didn't know it at the time. After watching the season 1 finale, I had to admit to myself that the show was good... damn good... I decided to keep watching until I was caught up, a milestone which took place about the time that "Ponyville Confidential" aired.
In spite of admitting to myself (and to my STO fleetmate) that I had been assimilated into the herd, I felt the need to remain a closeted brony because I didn't want to risk getting caught watching by my brother. (When I mentioned the above Dovahshy clip to him en route to a family dinner to celebrate my new job shortly after first viewing said clip, he had said something along the lines of "Damn bronies.")
Since then, I managed to attend one brony convention (Brony Fan Fair 2012 in Austin, TX) and get one of my meatspace friends interested in the show - he mostly likes it, but every now and then the theme of a particular episode will make him want to pull his hair out. Amazingly, even my brother wound up tolerating my affinity for the show once he finally caught me watching the show (a rebroadcast of "Dragonshy").
One other benefit of watching the show: I became a fan of the Ace Attorney series after seeing Phoenix's side of Part 3 of Turnabout Storm linked on EQD.
What can I say? Friendship really IS magic! (Oh, and Lyra is best pony... 
)
