The virtue of Fallout Equestria

Virtue, a good moral quality in a person. That's how the dictionary defines the concept, a concept that is deeply rooted within the original Fallout Equestria. It is a tale of virtues, of small ponies becoming great heroes, facing adversity and changing the world they live in. A tale of epic proportions, but with enough depth to be touching and intimate. There are many great fics out there, but what makes Fallout Equestria stand out? What's the virtue of Kkat's story?

This is just a personal analysis, don't expect deep philosophical reasons or literature-based argumentation. I want to focus it from my point of view, so I guess I should make a couple of things clear before I start. I have never been a true 'brony'. I have just watched a couple of episodes, and I used to take a peek or two on the fandom every now and then. However, one day I came across the words "Fallout: Equestria". I had enjoyed FO3 some time before, and was starting to play FO:NV at the time; so I jumped onto the fic, even if the PDF version I picked spanned for more than 2000 pages. I read it avidly, and while I was at it, the idea for Viva Las Pegasus sparked in my mind.

You see, that's the great virtue of FoE. On one hand, you have the gritty, dark, soulless world of Fallout. On the other, you have a TV show about colorful ponies that praise the values of friendship and harmony. How can that even blend together? Well, Kkat figured it out by creating a world that combined both assets: the darkness of Fallout and the characters and stories of MLP. Suddenly, we had the mane six turned into Ministers, with their own private affairs and dark secrets. I personally loved to see Pinkie turned into some sort of Gestapo chief, as well as AJ's twists and turns. You have a deep and enthralling lore that simply gives the universe enough depth to make it capable of absorbing any kind of story. You have all kinds of sidefics, such as Heroes, New Roam or Treasure Hunting, and none of them feels out of place in the Equestrian Wasteland.

Then, there's the story itself. A massive epos that has room for deep thoughts about the things that are really important in life, and that develops a series of characters that connect with the audience. Littlepip is immensely 'human', with her own flaws and her strong points. Velvet is soft and tender, Calamity is noble and Xenith is profound and wise. Their entwined fates drive the reader forth and turn the Wasteland adventure into a one-of-a-kind experience. That would be the second great virtue of FoE.

I have finished writing my own sidefic to FoE, Viva Las Pegasus, and after 340K words and 26 chapters, I have realized how hard it is to put down a story on paper, to develop characters and to tell a tale that is worth being shared. Where FoE was the tale of a world and the heroes that changed it, VLP is the story of a pony, of his ups and downs. I've worked hard to get it written, and I have strived to touch any of the virtues of Fallout Equestria, as well as to add some of my own. Only time will tell if I have managed to do it.