Thoughts on A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies · 4:34pm May 26th, 2015
I got response to my blog on my attempt to rewrite the ending to Demon Slayer suggesting now that Davidson has apparently called it quits I should finish it myself. Well, reading the story yet again, I find myself even less interested in the story.
When I reviewed Double Rainboom on Youtube, I said it was like a pimped out car with a broken transmission. It looks good, but doesn't go anywhere. A Mighty Demon Slayer Grooms Some Ponies has the opposite problem. I commend Davidson for his extensive research in the G1 mythos and horse grooming and attention to detail in an attempt to connect G1 and G4 through history. However, it is all to tell an ugly, dull, depressing, and frankly insulting story. You know my thoughts on Wind Whistler, but the G1 side as a whole is depressing and negative towards them as they're portrayed as inferior.
At the center of this seems to be Davidson's Megan worship. He sees her as this motherly figure taking the place of Majesty. Something about how females should embrace their nurturing nature. I personally hate Megan in the role of the ponies den mother. Why should a 13 year old girl from Somewhere, U.S.A know better about a universe than the ponies who live there? Davidson's answer was to make the G1 ponies invalid children who needed someone to tell them what to do. Thank you for playing right into the hands of the "G4 superior, <G4 inferior" bronies.
I originally got interested in this story because of the art by Starbat for it. I was impressed with the research and details, but even the Friendship is Magic canon is rendering those details invalid. That leaves the character assassination of the G1 ponies and unfortunate implications of G1 leading to G4 through the atrocious history Friendship is Magic has painted. I really don't want to pick this up and try to end it. As far as I'm concerned it needs a full overhaul and I would be better served writing my own work at that point.
Ah. I see. Honestly, I wasn't that thrilled with the story either. It felt, well, exactly what you mentioned. It felt ugly. It's probably right there with why I have problems reading The Immortal Game sometimes. In that it's interpreting the mythology in a way that feels almost too dark. Not to mention that philisophically loaded reveal that was in the original story.
Though, I suppose this goes into my next obvious question: Why don't you write your own? You said yourself that you like G1 more. Since you have such love for that generation, why don't you write your own G1/G4 interpretation. Maybe it'll turn out like The Elements of Harmony and The Savior of Worlds in being deep, interesting, fun and epic in a way you thought demon slayer didn't for you?
3100015 I've been developing ideas. However, I kind of feel outclassed here. Davidson has a TVTropes page devoted to his story. I feel like the only way you get noticed with a G1 series is if you're belittling it.
3100355 I can see how it would feel that way, and it's somewhat true. If you want really big noise about your story, you have to accept the much of the fandom didn't grow up with G1 and when they do experience it, will see it as rubbish.
There are a decent number of folks who like G1, warts and all, and will give it love and attention, but it's still frustrating to pour your heart into something and only get a handful of people noticing and feeling positive towards it. I believe at least one G1 positive fic made a decent splash on EQD, but I could be misremembering.
For whatever it may be worth, I'd enjoy seeing your take on the old stuff. It's different sure, but not all bad.
I'd want to reread Demon Slayer before I really wade in, but I felt less like Megan was forced to become the den mother and more she forced herself into the position. I sort of felt like the ponies could've managed on their own and she simply chose to take over things.
3100583 The ponies probably could have taken care of themselves. They frankly should have. I have to imagine they would have come up with something more sensible than segregating by type (anyone with any sense would make Gusty a soldier before Surprise).
But it is discouraging bronies don't care about G1 and would rather see it shown as being inferior and second class when it does appear.
It might be to attract audience for the series faster by just showing in the description that there will be a human who will be Very Surprised. For inhabitants of magical world, new monster could threaten them, but not really surprise them (-> many "surprise" moments in G4 use loud fake sound effects).
Lots of stories happen to involve "simple X finds magical Z", that's almost a rule of (easy) storytelling.
Additionally, G1 ponies don't have any background story to them (they just appeared), and that's why they can't make decisions in the beginning. Later, they did a lot of things on their own ("End of Flutter valley"). If Majesty does make decisions, that means that she has such story, and if she has, then the others should, too; as Majesty doesn't have inherent power difference from them, they may challenge her for power, so why is her name Majesty? Does she have a name when she doesn't rule, or she must rule? (also, Mayor Mare is odd "name" in G4 - it sounds like she changed her name to be nothing but a mayor to public)
3102035 Transformers did a better job of including humans with Spike and Sparkplug. The two were mechanics, so they could assist the Autobots in repairs and developing new technologies as well as provide a human perspective to the Cybertronian conflict. However, they never became overbearing to the story compared to the Autobots. Megan on the other hand seemed always call the shots with the ponies when dealing with the various threats that came there way.
As for why Majesty is called Majesty, that was Hasbro's idea. My personal headcanon is that it was a name she took on when named queen and her given name is actually Blueflower. So, I guess her full name is Majesty Blueflower in my continuity.
3101646 It's definitely discouraging. I think the best result is simply keep writing about our kickass little ponies and continue talking to folks when they ask. There are bronies who're starting to realize our little ponies were pretty awesome back in the day.