Fiendship is Magic #5 · 12:23pm Apr 29th, 2015
Oh my God.
Just oh my GOD!
BEST. ISSUE. EVAH!
You know, I had my doubts and worries when I first heard of this story, but lemme tell ya, this issue knocked it out of the freaking Park!
Does it fit 100% with my own headcanon or anyone's. No, of course not, but I think were all prepared for that. But even so, what we got here was some hilarious and twistedly dark world-building: hell, the changelings originated from their own Primordial soup! How many more changelings emerged from it, and how they continued to breed and multiply to become the force they are. I can work with that and I'm sure others can too.
THIS is the Chrysalis I love and just wish we could see more of in fanfiction. This isn't woobie "Boo-hoo, I just wanted to feed my people" Chrysalis, this is the evil, maniacal warlord we all fell in love with in 'A Canterlot Wedding'. She doesn't spend the issue moping and doping, she is blatantly proud of her evil accomplishments, and here, OWNS the ponies in this issue and makes Twilight her B*TCH!
Queen Chrysalis is a complete monster and both Katie Cook and Andy Price know it and embrace it without question, hence why I know she's in good hands with them and why the first arc ROCKED. They don't pull a sob story out of thin air to force us to feel sorry for her like so many villains nowadays. No, they expand on just a complete menace she is to this world and just WHY you have to incapacitate her so she doesn't threaten innocent lives!
Though of course, who wants to bet the events of this comic are just gonna be either flatout ignored or twisted by other changeling fans who are adamant that their "Chwyssie" would never do such horrible things and is just "misunderstood".
Oh, and I see that a minion took her place throughout the majority as part of her escape. Well, I sure do hope someone picks up that phone... BECAUSE I BUCKING CALLED IT! ... well, sorta, I presumed a minion took her place so she already escaped, but hey, I got it down mostly right.
Well, well done, Ms Cook and Mr Price, I look forward to seeing more of Chrysalis in the future, be it show or comic! Woo-hoo!
Also, since there's definitely an Aku reference in Chrysalis' birth:
Edit 1:
I always liked that the official origins of Chrysalis and the changelings do still leave just enough ambiguity. How many changelings emerged from the ooze? If Chrysalis had to kind of EARN her Queenhood through conquering Timbucktu (suggesting a Hun/barbarian-esque society where 'might makes right') had they already splintered and formed multiple kingdoms/colonies by then? How many changelings are there out there? All bad, good, neutral? Who knows?
All I can say is, next Chrysalis story? Changelings: Secret of the Ooze!
(ducks from the garbage, shoes, and even refrigerator being thrown at me)
H-Hey! Now c'mon, why would you guys bring a fridge to DA?
Edit 2:
So I guess the best thing you can compare the changelings to are an insectoid/Orc-like version of a barbaric horde, pretty much the Equestrian version of the Huns.
And those upset that they're headcanons may have been NUKED by this story, look... headcanons have been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times in this fandom and fandoms in general. I think we'll live. Besides, at least now with changelings we have actual material and fodder to work WITH and around. For example, my story with changeling families moving to Equestria could still work, though I'd probably have to work with what I've got from this comic; hell, the whole primordial ooze thing can actually CONTRIBUTE material to it.
We've had to form concepts almost out of thin air with this species for THREE YEARS now. At least now, we've got SOMETHING.
Hahaha, god yes. Did I tell you, or did I tell you?
*Doesn't consider it canon.*
*Adds the part about Timbucktu to his own headcanon anyway, though altering the timeline so that it fits with "Chrysalis is 200-something"*
3029576
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheWoobie
A character whose only purpose to exist is for the readers to feel sorry for them. Basically: 'poor misunderstood Chrysalis, hurt by the mean old ponies.'
3029576
That is true, though it is my sincerest hope that many will find ways to work with or around this new material.
I suppose that's fair enough. After all, we have come up with some pretty imaginative ideas for changelings.
(sweatdrops, rubbing the back of my head) Eh heh... yeah, I think I might overuse that word a bit, but it's just that happens to be the most fitting word I can come up with in terms of the way this fandom likes to portray Chrysalis. But yeah, I do overuse it. I'll try to avoid to you in the future.
Also, regarding that PM you sent me, my sincerest apologies for not yet replying. I will try to get to it ASAP.
3029757 3029767
Probably influenced by my conversations with him. We bitch and moan about woobie villains all the time.
But honestly, it has been a massive trope here on FimFic, any time a villain comes along, well, actually, a female villain, we get some tragic story or tragic figure who is redeemed by the power of blah blah blah. We had this with Sonata recently, but before that it was mostly Chrysalis, and Luna to an extent, who writers all but justified her descent into NMM (even going so far as to blame Celestia for Luna's fall) just so somepony can come along and say "I understand…"
Then they usually fuck.
It's kind of a tired cliche here, and I know both MagicMan and myself share the sentiment, it is lazy and completely disregards everything we know (even when it is only a tiny amount) about a character, just to fit her into some kind of comfort fantasy, or cheap redemption story.
I'll admit, when I first came to this site, I enjoyed a lot of those style stories, cause, you know, I loved Chrysalis. But then it seemed that every story about Chrysalis was slowly becoming this type of story. It gets tired and grating, and you just wonder why they even use the name Chrysalis at all.
Same way a few of us have come to feel about Sonata these days.
3029908
For me, as someone that's currently writing a story where Chrysalis is one of the main characters, I'm not going with the traditional redemption route for her. I'm not even sure if I could call it "redemption". She's really just trying to move on, and I don't ham it up whenever her past is (rarely) brought up. She's more focused on the present rather than the past.
I think this is highly subjective. It was a good issue but I was bothered by the complete lack of evolution of her character in 1000 or more years. Other than that there was a complete lack of conflict and interaction with the heroes. We go in and exit with the entire cast being entirely the same. That's what it fails to do while all other issues had their own merti ((except the Sirens. that was bad))
Canterlot Wedding, Return of Queen Chrysalis both had conflict and challenged the characters who learned something or re-affirmed themselves through them. This is lacking in that regard.
Now this isn't a debate on whether the issue was good. It's observations.
I will admit that it subverts some expectations of the fans but that's... a wrong reason to enjoy it. The comics and the show never built some expectations of her being better than what she is, but I guess we all like this issue for different reasons and that's fine. But this issue for itself... doesn't have a lot that surprises me. Chrysalis so far is a predictable character. I wouldn't be so annoyed by this if people hadn't said what you said. It's like... you're doing what you hate those who make her woobies for... but in the reverse sense.
All in all mediocre issue, second to Sombra's and on par or a little lower than Nightmare Moon.
All it remains for me to see is... what is her dream? Now THAT is something that's going to spice up her character. Once we know her dream we're gonna know her motivation, what makes her tick, her quirks. That is character development which her stories need a bit more.
3029576 It all depends on the story you want to say. Just so long as it fits the theme I am fine. Doesn't mean I won't tackle unoriginality or something that doesn't make sense.
3029678 Yes but hear me out.
https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stanton_the_clues_to_a_great_story
In this video you will see that the key point to making a good story is "making someone care". Whether that is putting your characters through the suffering of the world, hurting them physically or mentally, or putting obstacles that seem insurmountable a good story makes me care.
Admittedly among the many bronies not all are mature, not all are super advanced writers. There will be failures, and I'm okay with that. Knowing that I exercize at times far more leniency than for example what Magic Man would do. At the same time I don't appreciate whining because it makes angsty characters that are weak and pathetic.
The key here is balance. Balance between suffering and struggle. all the while keeping respect to the character itself. The problem is that Chrysalis is already a strong character and having her wallow too much in her own pity and failure is something that weakens her character.
That results in a woobie which I agree we should never see from Chrysalis. Humility? Yes... Struggle? YES! Suffering? HELL YES! Whining? NOPE!
3029908
I'd like here to say I agree and that through said convos I've been able to make a better portrayal of a Chrysalis that I wish to write about.
I think it has something to do with character struggle and change translated as character progression. Other people just are suckers for redemption stories and in that regard it's just taste.
In any case I support not going against this classical road not because I hate woobie villains or I am afraid of them failing to be convincing or good. No I hate not being creative, original, and mature. Which is why while I hate woobies, hiveminds, e.t.c. I don't judge them entirely on that and try to give every writer a chance to convince me that their story is good. I try not to allow my tastes hamper me from enjoying a story.
It's even more tiring when Chrysalis's evil is used as a tool for woobie changelings to escape her rule.
I mean have you seen it? The staple changeling integration story?
Changeling knows/finds out Chrysalis is evil
Changeling sees Equestria/ponies as Paradise eternal
Said changeling is the only changeling that finds salvation.
Much unique, So original, Very creative.