Addressing What's Been Going On In Aftermath · 1:22pm Nov 19th, 2015
This is going to be the last time I address this, so any comments in the future about how Aftermath's direction as well as the series direction over all will most likely not be addressed again. It's not that I don't mind people talking about what they don't like from the story (far from it actually it tells me what I should try avoiding next time I do a story like this), but there are some things people need to understand.
Also there are spoilers for those who have not read far enough as well as the latest chapter regarding Amadeus chapter.
First, let's get this out of the way. I'm not rewriting it or changing what I have. So if you were hoping to hear that from me, I'm sorry it's not happening. I like what I have written. And so do a lot of other people. I'm not going to change it because of a vocal minority. Not that you don't have a right to complain, but If I have 1053 likes, with 1403 favs and comments, and people I greatly respect, saying the chapters are good to great to fine to excellent while I only have 49 dislikes with only a handful saying it's not good or I screwed up or I ruined the story, who am I going to think is more popular and what am I going to think?
Have I made mistakes, sure I have no question. But I'm not changing what I wrote. I'm the writer, not you guys.
Second thing, about this whole Celestia and Luna being stupid or holding the idiot ball? I don't think I've done that as badly as you guys think. See what I like to do is make Celestia and Luna, shall we say, more human. I don't see them as gods. They are not all powerful, all wise, and all celestial beings in my mind. They are powerful, but not godlike, they are wise, but not infinite in wisdom, and they make mistakes. We have seen them make mistakes. Celestia? Let's see, she didn't even bother helping her sister during whatever emotional phase she was going through with Nightmare Moon. Got beaten twice, once by Chrysalis, and another by plants. She doesn't reinforce Twilight with herself, Luna, or the army against threats like Discord, Tirek, or Sombra, and she didn't trust her own student and daughter like raised friend when she said something was wrong with Cadance and it turned out she was right. Oh, and let's not forget sending Discord, a creature somewhat still not reformed, into capturing Tirek.
Celestia ain't that powerful or great in the show folks. Twilight pretty much handles it all.
Luna is just as bad. She has never been around to do anything except deal with a creature she herself created and help dreams. Woobee do. Luna should have gotten counseling and learned more about the new world she was in before getting into politics again. It's very much assumed that the tantabus has her destroyed each time in her dreams. That's as close to suicidal as we have gotten in MLP. That's the mind set of somebody suffering from PTSD or other mental problems, especially after being stuck in a FUCKING MOON FOR 1000 years!
As for "Luna didn't tell Celestia about the plot and could have prevented it". I do intend to go into more explanation of that in Luna's chapter in Aftermath, but I also turn into this little explanation in RisingDarkness's recent chapter of Vengeance of The Star.
"Twilight-"
"No. No I want a straight answer. What... what made you POSSIBLY think it was a good idea to keep this away you... MORON!" Twilight shouted as she punched Luna.
Luna wiped the blood from her lips before giving Twilight a cold stare. "I was doing it to protect you, you so much to deal with and didn't want to pull you into the middle of this conspiracy." Luna explained, I had already sent one of my own to infiltrate their little organization and stop them from within, I just didn't realize how quickly they intended to act... or the their leader was aware of my attempts and by the time I was made aware it was too late..." As she finished she looked down at the floor, ashamed that despite all of her spies and connections, she failed to realize her contacts had been found out until it was too late… and an innocent child paid the price for that.
"You.... you are nothing more..... than a selfish... arrogant princess who thinks that she should hold the whole world on her bucking back. You're so... so HARD HEADED I can't believe you even agree to thing that your sister says!" Twilight shouted at her throwing another punch that hit Luna. "You didn't want her to know because you wanted to be first at something! This was pure selfishness! You let my son die because you did nothing! YOU! ARE! NOTHING!"
"ENOUGH!!" Luna shouted as a shield appeared around her, her glowing fiercely as her mane flowed like it had become a hurricane. "I TAKE NO PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT MY SPIES COULDN'T PREVENT SPIKES DEATH, BUT DON'T DARE INSULT ME BY SAYING I KEPT THIS A SECRET FOR MY OWN SELFISH DESIRES!!"
The Princess of the Night calmed herself before continuing. "I kept things hidden because I couldn't risk letting the organization know that I had discovered their intent or even their existence. Otherwise they would have covered their tracks and we be back to square one, had I known they had found out about Gallant I would have warned you myself!"
She paused, taking a deep breath. "Twilight... you must understand, even I couldn't have foreseen this outcome. And with everything you were going through before the assassination, do you honestly think you could've handled the knowledge of the fact that someone was planning to kill you? Worse, the fact that they had many spies in the Royal Guard, the very guards that you trusted with your life?"
"I-I... I could've...." Twilight stammered as she tried to find a response. There.... there has to be one. Luna HAD to be in the wrong somehow. It just HAD to be her fault!
It was at the point where turn away, directing her attention to Canterlot. "I understand that you are upset with me, I truly am. I know that I should have been more careful while keeping tabs on the organization... but these ponies are nothing like what you base before. They are not only very crafty, but they have been around for longer than you could possibly imagine, even before I had returned from my banishment."
She then turned to face the Princess again. "I'm not going to stand here and say that this is in no way my fault, far from it. But I will not be accused of simply letting a child die for my own purposes. If your spy heard everything then you should know what's coming... and your current actions are only adding more fuel to the fire."
"I.... I understand." Twilight said as she felt tears come to her eyes. "I-I'm so sorry."
That's a part of the reason why Luna never told Twilight. She was dealing with so much already that she was afraid that if there were groups plotting to kill her, even Spike, she would flip. Plus there was the risk of exposing those who were behind the assassination and having them flee and maybe inspiring others to do the same. Their were just as many royal guards who hated Twilight as those who did love her. You didn't know who to trust. There are other reasons too, personal ones why Luna did this, but that will be addressed later.
As for the Bluebloods? House of Borgia, Lannisters, Triad, various Mafia Families, etc etc. There have always been groups or families in history that have spread influence and wealth be it in public or secret who have the power to change nations. They've been slowly spreading power for over 800 years or so to get to the point where they can be in control and direct Equestria in a way they believe to be right. The only thing they were lacking was an Alicorn who can replace Celestia and Luna and control the sun and moon once powerful enough. And that alicorn is Majesty Blueblood.
How did Celestia not see them doing this? How did Caesar not see his best friend and the Senate assassinating him? How did the Emperor of Han not see the Eunuchs slowly taking over his land? Just because you are a leader, doesn't make you perfect. Celestia is not perfect. She never will be in my eyes.
Another thing is that Celestia I see is very much like the sun. She is bright, warm, and sees all that is in her light, but she always ignores her shadow. The shadow is where Princess Celestia fails at, but Luna succeeds. Celestia is the light of politics, Luna is the dark, but with Luna gone for 1000 years and Celestia giving power to the nobles (which became corrupt over time) to help run her nation without her sister, she didn't know of the backstabbing that was happening even among her own kin. Luna coming back for a 1000 years made the nobles afraid of losing that power, but their advantage was that times have changed. Politics have changed. What was the method of the shadows 1000 years ago is not the method used today. Thus Luna was at a disadvantage.
This is what has been going through my head and how I see things develop in my story. If you don't like my logic or the way I've handled it that's fine. I accept that. Nobody like severything of a story or even like a story when it goes into a different direction. I did the same thing with Anthropology due to the whole "humans are evil" and when I told JasonTheHuman this he said that was the moment when people split in his fanfic and some left.
It's no different then what's happening now with all the political stuff I've brought.
And finally, this is a fanfic. A fanfic. I can create whatever story I want in a fanfic. I can go where ever I want and do what I want with it. I am free to choose and decide what I want the story to be and where I want it to go. I'm not asking it to be perfect, I'm just asking it to be the best it can be.
And besides, I have still to make one more story after this: Ragnarok of Equestria. Which is completly different from the other two stories. How so? We're going to have war, battles, politics, ideology clashes, blood, death, destruction, inner character development, guilt, suffering, and more.
The entire premise of Assassination of Twilight Sparkle and its following stories is how one event can cause a domino effect of utter devastation and emotional aftermath.
If you don't like what I'm doing with the story or where the story will be going next? Feel free to walk away. Feel free to dislike, comment, whatever. And feel free to make your own stories that you think would be better, I encourage it.
But as for what I've written. It's here to stay folks. It's here to stay.
I agree with you. Also from what I read, It looks like Ragnarok of Equestria will be a good fic when it is written. from what I can tell, it will focus on Spike, PeeWee, Mystic Sparkle and Majesty Bluebood along with the other characters.
Any discussion should be taken to the Assassinverse group, Star should not have to make this long blog just to explain to you whiners.
3552919 The comment section of a fic isn't just for blind praise.
Honestly, I'd have to say that the story is obviously not as well-loved as you portray it to be if you are so upset that you have to make a blog about it. You're either taking people way too seriously, or perhaps you should listen to them. This blog is unnecessary and disappointing.
3552919 I... Did the purpose of the comments on a story change sometime in the past three years? The last time I checked, the comments section of a story is there to discuss the story. You know, because it's where you comment about the story, regardless of any positivity or negativity.
3552948
Actually, I made this just to address why I did what I did in the story. People were asking for an explanation and this is it. I actually think the story is going pretty well.
Don't you mean Majesty Blueblood instead of Mystic Sparkle?
3552982
Yeah I fixed that, lol
I don't know why anybody would be complaining. Your story is fun and awesome! The twists are great and add to the tension, not ruin it all. I look forward to the remaining chapters and to Ragnarok of Equestria when everything comes to ahead. Like you said this is your story , do it the way you want to do and whoever doesn't like shouldn't even be there.
I like your reasoning there. Not that a story has to adhere to real-world notions of capability, but it's certainly a nice change from how most stories do it. It's always either the borderline-infallible pseudogods or the utter incompetent. Something more grounded and in the middle is refreshing.
I dislike these points, they are actually very, very weak points for Celestia being actually weak when you think about them. One the only reason that Celestia lost to Chrysalis is because she was taken by surprise with how much power Chrysalis actually had, therefore thinking she could easily take her out, this is evidenced by the looks on both their faces when she lost and the fact that Chrysalis even stated she was surprised she won. Two beyond that I think it's self evident that she would have held back further because you know there were other Ponies in the room at the time.
As for the Plunder vines, they were made by Discord a being who at bare minimum is equal to Celestia and Luna. The fact that he can create something that can take them out and contain them really should not be that shocking. These are basically the same kind of arguments that people made to show that Celestia is some kind of evil tyrant/manipulator because she only gave Twilight two tickets to the GGG in Ticket Master. Seriously it's called a form letter people everyone who was invited only got two tickets.
3553119
Yeah I don't see the Tyrant arguments that much unless you add them in various ways or are really good in detail with them. Still I just like Tyrant Fics because they're fun too.
Don't worry man, there's always gonna be someone who dislikes what you do. But when you have much more people telling you your story is good, you know you're doing great
Ah, man. I wish you could hear the excitement in my voice right now. I know it sounds weird, but I have been waiting for an author to make a blog like this.
What you say is 100% true. You're not writing this story for us; you're doing it for you. We get free entertainment and I recall an old saying: 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.' No pun intended.
Now there are things in your story I don't agree with, but that's my opinion and for me to bitch and moan about it isn't going to help you improve (which is the point of critique). Helping with spelling, grammar and writing style; yeah, sure, if I see something I'll mention it.
So, in conclusion, write what you want to write. We should either accept it or leave.
Keep writing Aftermath, I'll be sure to keep following.
3553119 They're not points for Celestia being weak, they're points for her not being perfect and all-powerful.
One of the things that I think a lot of the detractors of this story make the mistake of applying their own head cannon of Celestia and Luna, rather than attempting to understand the author's. They seem so dead set of that view that they openly attack a story/author who has a different view. And again, as I've seen him do a lot recently, has been asking why people who do nothing but complain to justify it. He's flat out said he likes/wants criticism, but it needs to have a purpose. I like it or i don't doesn't serve much of a purpose. I see them as either trolls or little whiny kids who don't like it when things don't go there way.
To the author: keep on writing! I like seeing your view of the sisters; not perfect or all powerful.
Just keep writing what ya have, I love seeing where this is going n seeing it from many POVs of the characters
Ah, well. People like Majesty are themselves necessary. They eradicate a decaying old structure so that the hardy bands of survivors can have clean earth to till.
3553257
Nobody but the biggest idiots think that they are all knowing or all powerful. The issue I have with how Rated depicts them isn't that they aren't all powerful it's that his depiction, is that they are just slightly better than normal Unicorns and happen to have Wings. Having lived for over 1000 year and ruled a country for that long has no effect on how they think or plan or what they know. Infact there really should be absolutely no way any form of open rebellion/civil war should last more than a few days before being crushed into oblivion. Given the power they have in the show (they are at least a fourth as power as Tirek with just about all the magic in equestria and Discords magic) any army that could be mustered would be crushed fairly easily. And given Equestria level of tech and the average unicorn we've seen they wouldn't have to be gods to do that at all.
Why can't those few who complain just accept that this fic is a product of YOUR imagination, and for you to go making changes based off their demands would make it so the story looses so much, to the point where it would be no different than all those books that have come out of those big publishing corporations.
I want YOUR story, as it comes from YOUR imagination, and not what others seem to think it should be.
I am just one of the many who appreciate, respect, and love the work you put into your stories. Please do not change things just to please a few vocal complainers.
Thank you.
Hear, Hear Rated Ponystar, you keep writing them, I'll keep reading, don't change a thing
If you don't like, don't read. I've just given up on the fourth 'Long Earth' book (Terry Pratchett and Steven Baxter) Just nowhere near as good as the first three.