The Quickening: Is MLP decaying? And what will happen next? · 5:15pm Feb 28th, 2017
The large amount of MLP-related news this month has given to us made me think of this topic. I don't know why people get so annoyed when talking about this theme, this is a very important issue that we have to keep constantly in discussion, to think about what we can do for the series, so that it does not continue to be exploided and destroyed, and I think that you also have to ask yourself these questions: Is MLP decaying? And what will happen when the series ends?
Author's note: Originally, I wanted to post this on a forum, but knowing my experiences and my luck, everyone will disagree with me and days later my work will be disliked for no reason. The next analysis comes from a guy who wanted to be part of this community, but when you receive comments like this for just saying your opinion (taken from my season 6 review/retrospective posted on The Writer's Group forum):
Too bad it didn't teach you to stop being a faggot.
Can you really blame me of not feeling part of the fandom? Also, I tried to be as impartial as possible, looking into both positives and negatives.
First of all, the fact that the original creator leaves the series doesn't necessarily mean the series will decay. The writers can continue to give life to the series, as long as they follow what the original creator proposed, even if it's no longer in the series anymore, and continue with the characteristic style of the series (Adventure Time). The problem comes when the series has nothing more to tell. A series that remains standing after its expiration date begins to show signs of creative exhaustion, characters end up being flanderized, stories are recycled and concepts that contribute very little and are rarely re-used are added (as much as people miss Regular Show, many have forgotten that the series was already declining since its sixth season for these same reasons).
And in the case of MLP... It has tried to maintain itself, but it can't go any further. The series itself has nothing more to tell, the characters have already reached their maximum potential and evolved as much as they could and now we have to talk about how much the characters have grown, repeating and adding concepts to lengthen this series.
The fact is that there's not much need for it, the series could've finish in the third or fourth season. And, as I said before, the added concepts haven't contributed much we say, the one that promised to be a refreshing and interesting change (Twilight's ascension into alicorn) has barely been used. And giving her a castle and a student has not solved things. Starlight taking the role Twilight had in the first two seasons, has caused more problems than solutions since many of her episodes (as well as others) had been recycled from previous seasons. And I can expect more of this in the future.
My face when thinking about this.
And speaking of episodes, these are a sample of how perspectives can change. I revisited the episodes from seasons 4 and 6 (my least favorite in my opinion) that I considered bad and... the results surprised me. It turned out that the fourth season had more bad episodes than the sixth, but the average score of bad episodes from said season was 2/5, and many of them were rewatchable, for some of them I even changed the rating to better. In contrast, the average score of bad episodes from season 6 was 1/5 (with Every Little Thing She Does and Dungeons and Discords as the higher ones) and almost none worth seeing again. A darker or more serious tone will not change things.
I know many people don't like comparisons between series because one thing has nothing to do with the other, but listen to me. In Super Smash Bros., one of my favorite series of all time, Sakurai designs each entry as if it was the last one, putting everything and even working to death (sometimes literally) to delivered a product as perfect as it can get. And considering the problems he has had in recent years (his health and the death of Iwata primarily), everything indicates that the latest entry will effectively be his last one. And this is something everyone should learn: letting go things when they are at their best. That is love and respect to your own work (unless you're Ganondorf and 90% of your moveset is not based on your series... or you're Jigglypuff and you didn't received a single buff in 16 patches... or you're Wolf and they haven't given a valid explanation of why they cut you off... You know what? Forget everything I just said).
If Sakurai returns for another entry, I'll feel sorry for him. He wants to be free but he can't.
And yes, maybe some of you don't agree with me (and I respect that), but if you want to ignore this fact and continue to believe that the series will last forever, that will end up destroying it. If you love something, you have to let it go. This series is already in its last ones and it's better this way as season 6 only serves as proof of the creativity tiredness of the veterans and the mediocrity of the newcomers (with its exceptions, of course).
This makes me feel sorry, because I don't want MLP to end like many series that went through the same thing and were destroyed in the process, when in fact none of them deserved that deal (The Simpsons, Spongebob).
By the time I'm writing this, season 7 is not looking too good right now: Not many writers confirmed (half of the season 6 writer staff is already gone), too much emphasis on the upcoming movie, not many notices revolving the release date or the synopsis for some episodes, John DeLancie doubting his return (which is a shame because almost everyone guaranteed we would have an epic encounter between Captain James T. Kirk and Q) and season 8 being confirmed despite season 7 hasn't been aired yet (both producers and executives are counting their chicks before they hatch. This will never be a good sign). And judging by how seasons 4, 5 and 6 worked, I already know how their formula is going to be.
But at the same time, animation is about risk. And the last two seasons have done that: ending the CMC's journey, expanding its world, showing what follows after fulfilling a dream (as this has happened with Rarity and Rainbow Dash), clearing certain issues that needed to be done (Fluttershy's family and soon Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's [please, don't fuck it up]), the best Spike in the whole series. Not all risks may have been right but when it's done right, it's done right.
Sometimes a series goes on because it continues to make noise, sometimes because it sells and sometimes because it still has much to give. Nothing is written when it comes to success, the variables are endless. And nothing guarantees you, as content creator, that your series will become an instant classic (Batman: The Animated Series), a cult classic (Samurai Jack, Dan Vs.) or a guilty pleasure (Yin Yang Yo!), that it will get worse over time (The Legend of Korra) or vice versa (Star vs The Forces of Evil), that it will have a reboot (Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated), that you will be fired from the series (Clarence) or that you will be the owner of the most popular series of the moment and hate it for it (Adventure Time). No, wait! Even better! Your series can be one of the best of all time and be on top of the world today and, despite all of this, get cancelled tomorrow (Invader Zim)! Everything can happen and you have to be prepared (Don't tell me I have to explain each and every one of these cases).
Now, what will happen when this series ends?
I'll be sincere with you: during the first days, months or even the first year there will be a crisis similar to this:
A fandom is a delicate and unstable place. But at the same time I have hope, because this fandom has already shown that, unlike other fandoms, it can overcome the most serious circumstances and survive, which I can't say the same of others (Remember when Pokemon Go was everywhere? Remember when Amiibos were everywhere? Remember when Five Night's at Freddy's was everywhere?!). The series finale doesn't mean that the fandom will end as well, and once that happens the fandom can start to fend for itself and create a community that can maintain itself with the creativity and effort of its members.
But what do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Did you told them everything?
Yes, they think this fandom will last forever. What they don't know is that, once the series finishes, their world will become ashes.
And we'll be over those ashes.
Correct.
So, why did you told them to have hope?
I want to know how long their hopes last before they crumble. Believe me, when everything ends, we'll be the beneficiaries.
I follow you.
I honestly don't know the answer to that. To me season 1 was the worst season of MLP and I enjoyed season 6. I do agree it does seem to be running out of steam but well have to see what it can do.
I honestly think season 6 was a great season my only complaint was that Starlight Glimmer wasn't in more episodes and they only remembered her in the finale and yes I prefer Starlight over Sunset fight me IRL
This fandom will last for a looong time. I am pretty sure that bronies are there because of other bronies, not for the show itself.
I'm never giving up the show!