Ch. 40 Change- Explanation · 6:10am Jun 7th, 2016
Okay. I can say that I'm surprised by the backlash here. I suppose I should explain WHY I did this in the first place. Simple: this was just a gut feeling on my part. There really was no backlash to begin with. In terms of reception, Luna being part of a herd was widely accepted by the readers. Really. No one complained. That actually caught me off-guard, especially since it was a last-minute decision to begin with. Azu suggested it, and we rolled with it before he departed.
However, it just didn't... feel right to me as time passed. I went back and read through all three major parts of the series. I realized that Luna has been OBSESSED with Peter since the start. There's love and obsession, and Luna drifted towards the latter over the course of the series. Peter is married with two children, and there's no sign of that romance slowing down. From a personal perspective, one's first love is always the hardest to let go. This is very much the case for Luna. It's not her fault. She spent a thousand years on the moon and just lost touch with society. So of course she doesn't handle her first love with grace.
Then there's Twilight and Peter. Over the course of the series, Twilight has proven to be steadfastly protective and borderline territorial with her husband. She knows many eyes are on him, and she goes out of her way to make sure that everyone knows who the guy is married, too.
Plus, we have Peter. In canon, can we really see this guy wanting to do something like start a herd? He's still a human at heart, and in our culture, you pick ONE woman as your spouse. Any more is taboo. Let's not forget that the pony characters themselves are essentially humanized. While herds exist, can we see our Twily being open to such an idea?
It's not the most popular decision I've ever made, but I'm sticking with my gut on this one. Luna needs to mature and let go of her feelings. If she continues to obsess, she'll never grow. The whole reason I started this series in the first was to write a Spider-Man story where everyone grows and matures. Peter isn't the angsty teen that we started off anymore. Now he's a husband and a father while juggling parental duties and superhero stuff. That applies to the others. Twilight. Trixie. And especially Luna. Twilight has matured considerably. Trixie has become highly likable. But Luna, while popular, hasn't grown as much as the others (by design).
Her letting go is a sign that she is ready to move forward. That's my intention. I apologize for getting many hopes up. I will still write the what-if story centering on Luna and Peter. For now, we have this to focus on.
I've grown as well. This isn't a knee-jerk, defensive response to criticism. This is just an writer's choice to give his story a proper feel. To me, this just feels more... natural.
I wonder if a what-if story of peter having a herd is out of the question...
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While I'm a little sad to see it go, I think it was logical. And I think my respect for you just doubled. That's a very mature thing to do.
I understand, man. ChangelingNumber32 explained some of the details on the group forum. So you go ahead and do whatever you feel is best for the story regardless of whether everyone likes the change or not.
Well, if this is the way that you feel will make it more proper and natural, then it's perfectly understandable.
It's a little sad on Luna's part of having to have to move on when Peter was her first love. But like you said, this story was made to help the characters mature in way that they would not do so in their respective universes. And this applies to all of us too in the real world. Maturity is a difficult thing to process, but it is also an integral system that we must obtain in order to survive and overcome the difficulties in life. When one embraces their lessons and applies them to their lives, they become true successors. It is difficult to grow up, but with a little faith, determination, adaptation, and maintaining one's beliefs and integrity, any difficulty can be surpassed, and there will always be a compensation for things that one had to let go of, one way or another.
On another note, I'm really glad to hear that you're deciding to work on the what-if story eventually, after this current Spiders and Magic series is finished. I'll be joining the ride on the what-if story too, just as much as I am with the current story. You can count on it.
Very sound as far as justifications go.
I'll accept it and will happily await more chapters
Also looking forward to the what-if, even if it won't be canon.
I'll be honest, I didn't like the whole herd thing at first, but I just thought it needed some getting used to since I became interested in the idea after a while. I can understand your reasoning though, I myself found Luna's love for Peter to be a bit shameful on occasion, I really wanted her to get over her affection and I thought she did in Story One (looks like I was incorrect). Seeing him start a herd like that, while great for Luna, just didn't seem right. Though even I myself have to admit I wanted to see where it was gonna go, it was weird to see, yet interesting at the same time.
Despite how I felt, I'm glad it was your choice to make the change, it's YOUR story after all, you gotta do what you think is the best. I dislike the idea of you being bugged to change something in your story, it's your decision only. I've learned not to question what you do too much, because in the end it always works out and I end up liking it that much more. I think I could have liked the herd (kinda wish Luna could still get to have at least one kiss with Peter, just so she can have her moment in some way), but it's great to see Luna mature.
Plus it might have been awkward knowing that Peter and Twilight had kids, like I said how would Mayday have reacted seeing her father showing that type of love and affection to another woman besides her mom. I know they're close but still, might be weird for her to see (I still wanted to see a reaction regardless).
Plus at least should you do that 'What If' story, it seems more special to see what if Peter chose Luna. Not to mention that if the herd idea happened, fans would have wanted to see more in the herd like Trixie, Gwen, Spitfire, Future Sweetie Belle etc. Speaking of spin-offs, maybe make a few of those involving a herd?
Deep down, I am gonna miss the idea but I gotta trust your decision. But remember, have fun with your story, keep doing a great job.
To be fair, I didn't pretty much care about Luna x Peter anymore.
So Parker x Sparkle forever?
4006056 The hard part now is finding another character for her to love. Peter's been kind of built-up to be the best guy out there. So how do you replace someone like that with little to no options? She could just resolve to be alone, but not only would that not really show maturity by letting go of her crush on him in favor of someone else but it would be sad to see her on her own like that.
So the question still remains: who else can she love?
4006543
Before all that happened, I myself was figuring out who Luna (and the other mares) could probably be with, either in Equestria or in Peter's world. I remember at one point I liked the idea of her being with Wolverine, in my spin-off story I was actually gonna use it somehow. I didn't go through with it because I honestly didn't know what I wanted as far as romance, (I only knew I wanted Johnny Storm x Rainbow Dash).
But yeah, it would be hard for her to find romance after Peter, probably why I started to become accepting of the herd idea (so she could be with a guy finally). Though that might be up to the fans, I don't think we'll be seeing another pairing besides Peter x Twilight. I know Azu had a pairing in mind but I guess it couldn't be worked into the story.
Who would you (and everyone else) put with Luna? While these ponies don't need romance to be happy, it would still be nice for all of them to find somepony anyway.
Well, except for the fact that Peter, at this point, has been living in Equestria for the past ten years now. That's more than enough time for him to accept the idea of a herd, especially because of the chemistry between him and Luna, as well as between him and Twilight. While I get where you are coming from, the fact that you've decided to drastically change another chapter...kinda feels like a slap in the face. And this isn't the first time. To be honest, it's been changes like this that have been slowing making me lose my interest in this story, which is a shame. I've greatly enjoyed all of them. But this last one has felt really dragged out.
I agree with your decision. The herd idea never felt right from the point-of-view of both Peter's personality and Lunas character progression. I just didn't felt like criticizing it, since so many people seemed to like it.
4006056 it doesn't have to be luna x peter it could be his clone ben or kane could work out some how
4006455 Indeed.
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4008140 right back at ya. pre00.deviantart.net/2a38/th/pre/f/2016/115/5/a/make_by_alvaxerox-da09g30.jpg
4006625 I was actually against the idea of a herd because of the results of what happened to Peter after he cheated on Twilight with adult Sweetie Belle. It was an accident, but he was kind of traumatized and wracked with guilt from it. Adding another lover would have not only threatened to bring that guilt up again, but it would have also undermined the conclusion he came to and cheapened the character of Spider-Mane, making him more immature. Had that never happened, it would have been MARGINALLY been more acceptable, but at the same time Luna would not have the chance to grow and realize that some loves are better kept as friendship. It would have also made her out to be weak.
This is the problem with severing ties with the Marvel characters. Most of them are more identifiable with Luna Than anyone in Equestria.
Well. That was quick.
Can we get a sweetie bell alternative universe where she got pregnant and dealing with the rebuilding of equestria?
Well...
Guys, that means the story might be coming!
MIGHT
4012073 It is coming. No question. If I had added Luna to a herd, that means the what-if story wouldn't have come at all.
4012365 Thank you!
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And I finally caught up to chapter 41!!
More days to wait... ;-;