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SlyWit


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May
3rd
2012

FAQ? More like QNOABIAA (AKA, my thoughts on the Royal Wedding and it's impact on Paradise) · 8:01pm May 3rd, 2012

Questions No One Asked But I Answered Anyways (QNOABIAA)

So, what did you think of the finale?
Good, overall. They certainly went out of their way to make it big. I think the story suffered from the time constraints, forcing us to skip past or shorten a lot of development. The song, though, This Day Aria, was the best of the season.

So ...
Yes?

Celestia got owned and you know it! HA!
The fact she was defeated doesn't really bother me ... perhaps the way she was defeated did a little. In the past, Celestia was always portrayed as being very on top of things, very in control when all the horseapples hit the fan, and even down right amazing in her ability to manipulate events with only slight gestures of her hoof. The fact she was so out of it for the finale seemed to not match her character very well, provided we are given no explanation on why (when fans have to do it, leaves something to be desired). All her plans are haphazard and ultimately fail, and she looks down right anemic when Chrysalis defeated her. Celestia is the ideal mother figure, so all of that made some serious cognitive dissonance to witness for an English major who always reads why too much into the message.

Now, why this is all still okay: I've never thought of or depicted Celestia is invincible. In fact, she's often kicked around by yet greater powers in Paradise. In the show, she wins not through main strength, but in being ultimately more clever than those with greater power, like Discord or (possibly?) Nightmare Moon. Don't get me wrong, I see Celestia as the single most powerful pony, due to a combination of skill, experience, and raw power, but there are simply greater things than ponies out there.

As to why Chrysalis could overpower her, magic to magic, it makes sense to me. I feel like the show's always made a big deal of the power of ethereal qualities, like honesty, loyalty, etc, etc. Established in the very first episode that these qualities are not tied to physical objects, but rather physical objects and power are tied to qualities. The most powerful quality of all is Friendship (it's magic, yo), and friendship at it's most basic form is Love. So Chrysalis consuming vast amounts of pure love for extended periods of time could make her vastly powerful indeed.

Furthermore, I believe Chrysalis is powerful in her own right. All the powerful beings in Friendship is Magic seem to be a manifestation of a trait. Something they embody. Celestia is the embodiment of motherhood. Discord of chaos. Nightmare Moon of bitterness. Chrysalis also fits this as she seems to embody Deception.

So there is a neat little theme game you can play on Deception's power over love or motherhood, and perhaps in turn love and friendship's counter to Deception (after all, it was the objective view of a friend who saw through Chrysalis' disguise when she had deceived all else, and love motivating Cadance to rescue her knight).

Yeah, so she eats love. So why the hell did love defeat her? That's like defeating Pinkie Pie with cake.
Two ways I can play with. One, more abstractly, Chrysalis' love devouring was based on deception. She had to lie to a lover, string them along, to benefit from their devotion. Cadance and Shining Armor together had a pure, reciprocal love that defeated the seductress's attempts to manipulate it.

The other, more technical: Cadance and Shining merely cast the shield spell again, utilization the element of love and a certain synchronicity, causing a super-powered shield spell, not edible-love related at all.

Okay, about this Cadance. Paradise makes a HUGE deal of Celestia and Luna being alicorns. Doesn't Cadance like shoot your fanfic in the foot, err, hoof?
Yes and no. I started to map out my plans for Paradise before Season 1 even ended, so it's based largely off of season 1 and what bits I could gather from Lauren Faust's personal canon via DA messages (in Lauren's original script, Cadance was just a unicorn). That canon was that there are only two alicorns, and they are indeed special. Thus, that's reflected in the planning of Paradise

Still, my canon is not shot in the foot. Cadance and Chrysalis merely gave me mind fodder for sequels to Paradise. I mean, how would the resurgence of these less powerful alicorns impact their world? Why are they there?

I see that you've added Discord as a character to Paradise. Will Chrysalis make a show?
Discord suited the story perfectly. Originally, I had went nuts, because it mucked with my plans for the Elements of Harmony, but once I solved that, Discord was ideally suited to already planned out plot points.

Chrysalis though? No. Didn't have any plans for her, and I do not plan on utilizing her. Though, she'd make great sequel fodder, along with Cadance.

Anything to add?
You know, I was inspired to write Paradise because the pilot episodes seemed to hint at a very dramatic story between Celestia and Luna. Seeing what the finale didn't cover (Cadance and Shining's relationship, much of Shining or Cadance's character, the abduction of Cadance by Chrysalis, how the "threat" was received, Luna's haphazard addition, Twilight's past with Shining and why there were no letters or mention) is inspiring me to make a novelization where I go the places the finale didn't go.

So that's like another story floating in my head that I'll need to get on after Paradise. Sigh. I've got like 7.


If you haven't noticed by now, I LOVE to talk. Pinkie Pie is my patron pony. You, dear blog reader, possibly reader of Paradise, are encouraged to chat with me about the finale, Paradise, or the weather, cars, The Legend of Korra, Doctor Who, Squeak's work, toys, plush---

Perhaps mostly ponies though. But you know, give me a chance to be a blabber mouth! Or a blabber .. typist? I suppose it'd be a twiddle finger because of I'm typing, not really talking. Though, if I typed my mouth, it might work, like if I was a pony? I don't really want to taste my keyboard though.

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Comments ( 19 )

mmm... keyboard. Some mold is growing on mine...

Good to see you'll survive and adapt from this though, I hope other stories can do the same!

97348
Your replies continue to absolutely puzzle me!:pinkiesmile:

Yeah, so she eats love. So why the hell did love defeat her? That's like defeating Pinkie Pie with cake.
Two ways I can play with. One, more abstractly, Chrysalis' love devouring was based on deception. She had to lie to a lover, string them along, to benefit from their devotion. Cadance and Shining Armor together had a pure, reciprocal love that defeated the seductress's attempts to manipulate it.

The other, more technical: Cadance and Shining merely cast the shield spell again, utilization the element of love and a certain synchronicity, causing a super-powered shield spell, not edible-love related at all.

Just wanted to chime in on this:

1: I believe the changelings cannot consume ambient love. The love must be specifically "fed to" them by another. This is why they are shapeshifters, to become the object of affection of another.

2: I believe the spell that expelled the changelings from Canterlot was in essence the shield spell, but directed offensively rather than defensively. It was not made of love, rather simply fueled by it. This defines love as a tangible magic enhancer similar to friendship, rather than a power source only harnessable by the changelings. Of course it could also be related to Cadance's special talent.

I don't think Cadance affects Paradise's canon at all. Even without backstory or characterization, Cadance seemed very young. When she was shown as Twilight's foalsitter, she was about the size of a regular mare, while at the wedding she had grown to the size of a large stallion. If Celestia and Luna are anything to go by, she may very well still be growing.

Looking at the opposite direction of the time spectrum, it might make sense that Cadance isn't that much older than Twilight or even Shining Armor.

YAYYYYYYYY I enjoy Paradise, My Little Pony (can't wait for season 3) and Doctor Who (Can't wait for series seven, you sir are one awesome person:rainbowdetermined2:

I wonder, what do you think of Hephestus' Doctor Whooves stories, Timelords and Terror and Mines of Dragon Mountain. I think they're better than Squeak's. DOn't get me wrong, I LOVE Squeak's, but I think Heph nailed David Tennant's Doctor.

There is software that listens to you talk and turns it into text. No keyboard tasting necessary. :twilightsmile:

My only question about Paradise is this: when is the next update coming out? Need more Celestia and Luna being awesome! :yay:

At least you took the finale better than others (namely DH). I have nothing against the guy, but I think him calling the finale the worst thing ever is a bit unfair.

97339
I think it has to a lot with a mentality. What was that old adage about crisis being also opportunity? I don't exactly believe that, but perhaps in this case, it's true. Rather than throw a fit about Discord, Cadance, or the like, these are chances to ask "Well, why would this happen?"

I find the single most inspiring question to forming a new story is asking why.
Why did the sisters fall out?
Why was night so important to Luna?
What if they weren't born poweerrrfuuulll---Wait a second. "What if?" that maybe as important as why. So the two most important questions is why and what if?
Yeah, that makes sense.
97489
In so many words, I agree! :twilightsmile: I guess I tried to imply effectively what you said, though you stated in a much clearer way. And perhaps you included details that I omitted, like the reason why Changelings must change is that they must feed on love given to them. So they take the form of the loved one in order to steal and devour the love sent their way. Love is a potent fuel, more or less, for the show. Changelings eat it for strength, and/or it's fuel for super-powering a shield spell.

Though, I believe that Cadance's special talent is more related to shining a light on the positive emotions ponies have toward each other. Kind of a mental reminder of, "Hey, you like this person! Let me remind you why!" So, she specializes in spreading peace and diffusing conflict.

97628
Cadance is obviously a very young alicorn or winged unicorn, and seems to age similarly to Shining Armor (again, the original script was her as a unicorn). Though, Celestia and Luna also aged regularly at first ... however, there is something interesting I noticed ...

Doesn't Cadance's magic and talent remind you of your description of The First Unicorn Princess's talent, way back in chapter 2 of Paradise?
Yes, it does. Could be worth exploring if I find a good reason for the similarity, and help explain her origins and importance as a princess. Considering the import of the First Princess as a worlds-shaper back in her day, this could go also a long way in explaining how the powers at work in the finale were greater than Celestia's raw strength, and able to repel the juiced up Chrysalis and her minions once Cadance got involved. Cadance's story, in regards to Paradise, could reveal her as a very important.

Ehh, more replies later. Running out of time.

I love Paradise, and can't wait to see more! ^_^

97656
:pinkiesmile: Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you're enjoying Paradise. I can't wait for the next season of Doctor Who, either. They seem to have posed an interesting question at last finale. I want to see how they answer it.
Also, isn't John De Lancie known already for having lent his voice to season 3? I heard someone else mention reoccuring villians.
OHPLEASEOHPLEASELETITBEDISCORD!ILOVEDISCORD!
98146
I've only read 12 and Traveler thus far, as far as the Doctor Hoof Crossovers go. I think Squeaks nailed a Tennet style Doctor extremely well, but I hear that Squeak's Doctor is actually barrows bits from many of the older ones, too, since Squeaks is a big fan of the older series as well. I guess the Squeak's Doctor is sort of a best-of composite, plus a little something new. Either way, he's a riot.

[:trixieshiftleft: ... :trixieshiftright: I personally find his lines far funnier and more insightful than the Hooves and Assistant shorts, but I'm no apt on comparing a who's better {heh, heh. "Who's better"} because I'd rather just accept them all as fun than establish a 2nd place. :pinkiehappy: ]
98328
Oh, dear. :pinkiesad2: That question. My answer is always: The next chapter of Paradise will come out as soon as I possible can create it. I hate making everyone wait, so I try to work hard balancing writing, polishing, and life's other concerns.
98870
Certainly sounds like a hyperbole! There was a lot to like about the finale. For it's short comings, it had a lot going for it. What made him so upset? Was it his personal canon got disrupted?
99574
Thank you! Every single comment, even small ones like this, are like little hearts for me I find at random.

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99753

Understandable. My biggest problem with my own story is releasing too soon, before I've polished it. Take your time, the quality is worth it. :twilightsmile:

Yeah I believe I heard about Discord possibly making a return also and personally I think that it would be interesting if all three villains made a joint appearance against the ponies, Changeling army + Chaos + Nightmare Moons powers :rainbowdetermined2:

99761
To be honest, what is often holding me back was exhaustion ... I think I had another blog about it. It was day job, then an odd college semester, now, it's nutrition and balancing my sleep schedule. I think I got that balanced, but the pegasi arc is taking a lot of careful planning to nail down, so that delays the chapters. But I am being more productive than before! So, I am hoping to reduce the time between chapter releases.
99947
Nah, I think Nightmare Moon is done, because having her return would drastically change how to understand Luna's character.. Having Chrys come back, though, I'd be fine with that.

Still, they were nothing compared to the absolute blast Discord is. Charisma, jokes, menace, he is my favorite villain. Of course, the element of laughter being my favorite element, it's only natural that the funniest villain is my favorite.

Well I think that Nightmare Moon could still return not necessarily as Luna because I agree with your statement, but I find Nightmare Moon is potentially part of the mind and could take control of some other pony, she would likely have a different form because of how it was Luna that was able to take that "Nightmare Moon" form in the first place, (also you can't have all but the original villain return for an all villain episode that's just silly) personally I enjoyed Nightmare Moon because of how I think Luna is cool. But I certainly agree on Discord being hilarious (imagine a British accent used there) and potentially the villain of the greatest evil.but Chrys was quite diabolical as well and had an army. :rainbowdetermined2:

104108
Perhaps it's just personal opinion, but I like Nightmare Moon residing as a shadow over Luna's character, and not as some outer force that turned Luna into a victim. It makes her fall and redemption have much more meaning that way.

104358 Well not necessarily turning Luna into a victim but perhaps intensifying her feelings such as her feelings of jealousy towards her sister which she had on her own, so possibly have her work on the anger Trixie has towards the Mane 6 or some new pony possessed by Nightmare Moon (seeing as how it would be a schizo partnership with Nightmare Moon and Trixie because of their feelings towards the Mane 6).:rainbowdetermined2:

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