100 Episodes of Canon Getting in the Way of Fanon · 5:53pm Jun 14th, 2015
It's almost too bad I liked the 100th episode as much as I did. If I'd hated the canon they introduced (and/or implied), I could brush it off and go about my business. I didn't, though. I loved it. Granted, the only canon that really interferes with anything I do was Vinyltavia related, so I guess I'm fortunate in that respect. That said, there was one thing I saw that I really liked that MASSIVELY interferes with everything I've done so far. I'm going to discuss it here because it fascinates.
Vinyl has never spoken in this show. No commercials, no cameos, nothing. She's been taciturn the entire series, including the movies, which, considering every other major background pony got at least a handful (hoof-full?) of lines, is a pretty big omission. I have to imagine it must be intentional. And it actually brings up some really fascinating possibilities. Is she mute? If she is, is that why she's so musically inclined? Octavia seems completely unfazed by it, and seems to have a handle on the one-sided nature of their "friendship". They clearly just get along so well that conversation is largely unnecessary. Even wearing her headphones everywhere just suggests Vy likes to HEAR something when she's walking around, and can't talk to herself.
In any event, color me intrigued. I'm seriously contemplating rewriting all of Vy's scenes to imply in some fashion that she can't talk, and that her family has learned to cope, either by understanding her body language and facial expressions with a lot more depth and intuition, or by having Vy actually (as another writer on this site has already done) use her magic to paint words on walls when she needs to be understood.
Note this would only apply to TMUP. NLL has a bit too much dialogue to really tackle with that concept in mind (yet), but I think I could easily retool TMUP to make this fanon canon. Thoughts?
I'd argue against changing things just because they were Jossed slightly.
You have your story, it is what it is. And honestly, having Vinyl act like she can't talk as a followup to NLL would be jarring and confusing to people reading.
If you really like it that much, okay I guess. But really consider if changing your story is what's best for the story. You weren't writing it like that before. What benefit would changing it bring to the story?
I agree with 3149157 - I really wouldn't go to that effort if it were me.
I like the idea of a mute Vinyl, so go for it.
That also would means that the next chapter of TMUP would take longer to come up, so I'm a little sad about that.
Personally, I prefer to think it's more like the character "Sphinx" in Fone in 60 Seconds:
Vinyl can talk, but for whatever reason, normally chooses not to. Her music is generally devoid of lyrics, so maybe it's a case of around folks she's not intimately
Familiar with, or unless it's iportant or she really has a point to drive across, she's of the mind that actions/vibrations speak/sing louder than words/lyrics?
Food for thought.
The idea Vinyl as a mute may be interesting to do, but I feel it would work better for a stand-alone piece rather than TMUP for the same reason that JetstreamGW above mentioned.
"100 Episodes of Fanon Pushing Canon Out of the Way"
Something as small as "but that's what happened on the show!" isn't enough to stop fanthoughts.
I don't think you should retroactively change your story (especially since it has a prequel already). There are a lot of great reasons in form of fanfics why Vinyl shouldn't just be mute in every story (Everything ever written by Terrasora, for example).
That said, Voluntarily Mute Vinyl as show canon is awesome and cute and obviously the second greatest mute character ever.
(The first one being Amaya from the webcomic Bittersweet Candy Bowl. She's a cat, the only species that can beat ponies in terms of cuteness and awesomeness)
cdn2.bittersweetcandybowl.com//candybooru/_images/5589c29d357255bc080bc7d9b5031c05/4464%20-%20Amaya%20Hero_%28Artist%29.png
It's pretty much been said that she only doesn't talk because they don't want voice actor controversy with her. She originally did have lines according to Larson at MLP MSP
I really don't like the concept of, "That's how It is in the show so that's how it HAS to be."
She doesn't talk, but who's To say that must mean she's mute? I think that vinyl and octavia lose dynamic In stories that only focus on them. It would be very hard to write well.
I'd say, that for this episode, most of what happened sits in the category of ambiguously canon. "Slice of Life" seemed like more of a thank you card to us bronies, for all our support and such, than something that needs to be wedged into the canon.
Apart from Matilda and Cranky getting married, everything else was probably just a chance to have some fun for the 100th episode.
Maybe for future works, if you have any more planned with Vinyl, but that seems a bit much, going back and changing TMUP. Plus all continuity with Vinyl would go out the window for any new readers who happen to come off NLL and want to get into the sequel—even if you explain the shift, it would be very jarring.
Moreover, TMUP is less about Vinyl than NLL was, even. It would probably come off as superfluous, especially given that not everyone is going to be adopting a mute Vinyl.
I'm against this solely for the fact that it would mean pushing back any new chapter(s) in progress just to go back and rewrite Vinyl's lines.
I also anticipate it being a problem for future works.
Aside from that though I probably wouldn't mind. I'd have to see how well you roll with it first.
P.S. NEXT CHAPTER WHEN?
I like to believe that the only reason they haven't voiced Vinyl is because nobody can do it as good as Nowacking.
3150997 Honestly, my first thought when I saw this episode was "Even the writers don't want anyone but Nowacking for Vinyl's voice."
My next thought was "So why don't they just get her? Hasbro has buy people money."
And then Hasbro blackbagged Nowacking, chained her to a chair and mada her voice Vinyl until the show ran it's course.
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Good points all. I do like to have a little back and forth with readers when I can (even though I always get anxious when I do cuz I hate to disappoint my readers, and I often do
) Jetstream, you particularly make me feel like a pill for contemplating making shallow changes for selfish reasons...
Anyway, you guys are all correct, and for now the story will stay unedited. If I ever write standalone fics in the future that AREN'T part of the NLLverse (though I doubt that would happen) I'd probably write a mute Vinyl just because I like what it does to her character.
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It wouldn't, though. I don't delay updates for rewrites. I just rewrite when I can't motivate myself to write new stuff.
3151735 sorry. Wasn't trying to berate you. The question is earnest, really: will this make the story better? If yes, do it :P
Btw: if you really like mute vinyl that much, I read this the other day
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/271384/heartbeat
It's fun.
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Yeah, I read that too. It's actualy what prompted me to consider the idea in the first place. A rare story that genuinely conviced me to reevalute my own headcanon.
its an interesting idea, but i wouldn't re work your TMUP for it.
You've written arguably the best story on this site, and you want to retool fantastic characterization for a single episode? Don't get me wrong, Vinyl never talking /is/ a cool concept -but your vinyl is a joy to read, and I think you should stick with the character you've fleshed out in your way.
The reason why Vinyl might not have a voice in the show is because of Nowacking. She is a person that voices Vinyl on the community. Her voice is so popular that maybe they just worried of a community backlash and chose not to voice Vinyl just in case.
Also don't mute Vinyl. It would remove all the character and destroy the chemistry that she and Octavia have.
Also another interesting fact.
Vinyl isn't a mute in the comics, she does talk.
Personally I love the talking Vinyl bits you have. She has good dialog, and good interactions with ponies. But I do like the fact that Vinyl and Tavi are so close that they can do that couples thing where they can have entire conversations without saying anything or can find ways to just hear another ones idea and complete find ways to compliment each other.
But I love your conversation bits. I really hope you don't write them out.