Continuity · 12:54pm Jan 15th, 2012
After a new episode has aired, I like to scroll through the comments on EqD and see what the community has to say about it. Inevitably, regardless of the quality of the episode, the discussion begins to focus on how the new episode fits into the canon that the show has presented to us so far. I always get a kick at how the commenters try to justify new concepts being introduced. The level of detail that's brought up makes even a Trekkie's mind swim.
Not that I blame the community for doing this. Many have fanficiton that teeters on the edge of canon and fanon and it only takes one concept to knock the whole thing down. Justification is needed when an entire story is on the line.
To me, it seems as though the show creators are rather loose with their continuity. If it suites the tone of the episode, then a little shuffling of the facts is okay. Personally, I do the same thing. I have enough to stress about than to get worked up over Granny Smith's version of events for Ponyville's founding VS a comment that Twilight Sparkle made during "Winter Wrap-Up." Either one is valid and, depending on what I'm in the mood for, I can use either one.
I'm curious what others think. Does the canon VS fanon argument drive you crazy? Or do you just take is as it comes and adapt as best you can?
I use what suits me. Because why not? It's not like I can't write everything under the AU if canon contradicts me.
Want my honest opinion? Canon is like law to me. Consequently, I see fanon as illegal activity that's legal in other countries. I will never prefer fanon over canon; as an example, I get extremely hot-headed when I read people saying that that random YouTube person has a better Derpy voice than Tabitha St. Germaine).
I find this view funny considering I contribute to fandom, in a sense. What this leaves me doing, though, is trying to stick to canon while avoiding things that may be clarified but may be covered in future episodes (history of Equestria, etc.). Should something canon ever contradict what I write, I very well may alter my story to fit into the canon material; it's that important to me.