In the mind of: Magpiepony · 3:48pm May 31st, 2017
This analysis is just my personal opinion on the work of Magpiepony, not a review. Is not intended to be an exhaustive or definitive analysis of her work. This analysis may contain spoilers from her works.
Signing on January 14, 2014 on (although she created her Youtube account just a month before), Magpiepony was a fan who only wanted to share her passion with everyone else. Although she had success in Fanfiction, it was time to expand her horizons. But, like every new experience, you're nervous about your own material and how people are going to accept it. Naturally her first story wasn't well received and it still remains incomplete to this day, so after months and months of waiting, she posted one of her first stories of Fanfiction to secure at least some experience, as well as to guarantee some subscribers.
Princess Trixie Sparkle: Based on a cliché premise and settled after season 3, it tells the story of Trixie and Twilight switching bodies, as well as the rest of the Mane 6 with each other. This adventure to recover Twilight's body has more hidden meanings than originally was and, like all modern cartoons, it starts cheesy and kid-friendly to become darker and complex as the story progresses. Easily her most recognizable project. The story has a sequel that remains incomplete to this day.
Due to this success, she immediately began the production of this story adaptation on Youtube, the first episode begin released on March 2014 and other six episodes released during that year. Unfortunately, they didn't have the results expected since few people barely knew or watched them (I was one of those who knew about this series before it became viral). And the series was going to be doomed to oblivion until 2015 and many reactors started to watch her episodes, giving her more recognition. Thanks to this, she continued writing, with one of her first romantic comedies and the first of her many shippings.
An Unexpected Love Story: Breaking the fourth wall using a magical parchment and shipping Rarity and Applejack due to a spell, this story feels so unique. And for the most part it feels bizarre, but comfortable for the pacing and the characterization of the main duo. The ending resolves every questions.
During this period, the production of Princess Trixie Sparkle had problems: delays, copyright infringements and episodes began to release slower and with months of difference. Magpie knew how upset her fans should be, so she created an alternative for preventing this, I can say this was like a snack while the main course was being prepared. It was a good idea with creativity and effort done correctly... and this is where everything went down.
Pinkie Tales Series: She takes classic fairy tales, giving them her own twist, using Pinkie Pie as a character who constantly argues with the narrator, mocks about plot holes and uses the rest of characters as the main cast. This had perfection written all over it. And, for the first three entries (Applejack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Bloom, The Three Little Pigs), no problems. But the inconveniences began with the fourth entry. Cindershy proved that repeating many of the previous mentioned tropes can be tiring after a while and, if in previous entries she casted characters in roles different to the expected (which was refreshing by the way), here she put characters into more obvious roles (for every surprise like Applejack playing the Fairy Godmother there's a Rarity playing the stepmother). Besides, the pacing was fasten (like she had to do a story under an hour, and thus affecting the last third) and she began to parody the Disney versions of these fairy tales instead of creating her own material with them. This was reflected in future installments (Shaladdin, The Little Mermare, Egghead and the Beast) that, although good, didn't live up to the high.
During this period she declared to the world she was (and still is) in a relationship with TheLostNarrator, who helped her to expand her horizons by doing a reading of any of her works. This probably inspired her to do another romantic story.
I Will Go Down With This Ship: What can you do on Hearts and Hooves Day if you’re a single immortal alicorn? Spy on Equestria and discuss relationships of course! Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have invited Princess Cadence into their annual event where they plead the case for their ideal pairings of the ponies we know and love; hoping the Princess of Love will have some refreshing insight on the matter.
It has been a long way for Magpiepony, and waiting for the finale of her audio adaptation after three years, I hope to see more original material from her. This is the only thing I can expect from a person whom I know before she became popular among the fanbase.
Some recurring images:
-Sweet stories that then go dark.
-Criticism towards clichés and plot holes.
-Pinkie Pie as the main character, with Trixie as a close second.
-TheLostNarrator is mentioned in some stories and sometimes she helps in production.
-Constant help towards friends who need help.
-Shipping, pairing, romance and more shipping!
Fasinating. These are really good.
This was... interesting. xD I have to say, though, that I never did give up on PTS, it was just the complexity and the magnitude of the episodes that slowed the debut of the episodes, but I never put them on a hiatus, I just put more time (and more people) into it :P
The criticisms on Pinkie Tales are fair, though I personally disagree. I do like to use Disney character parodies but I make a conscious effort to stray away from the Disney plot as much as possible (with the biggest exception being Shaladdin, (and possibly Cindershy?), where you are 100% justified in this critique). A lot of times (like in Cindershy) the Disney incarnation and the actual fairytale are similar enough, that because I use Disney character parodies it's easy to make that assumption. Either way, it's just an opinion and that's totally fine :)
All in all, though, an interesting read and I hope the finale will live up to your expectations! (expect quite a stray away from the written conclusion ;) )
4571687
I do admit I was a little harsh with some of your works, especially Pinkie Tales (and even that, I do comprehend your situation. After all, my first attempts took inspiration from Simpsons' Treehouse of Horror, with varying results that went from horrible [Nightmare Lunch] to reasonable good [Three Chubby Inglorious Bastards]). However, creativity always gets into conflict with what it's already established.
A couple of examples: your next entry in Pinkie Tales is Rapunzel. Does this mean is going to be a more original story or it's more based on Tangled (don't tell, I don't want spoilers)? If Gigantic (the Disney version of Jack and the Beanstalk with a 2018 release date) would've been released before Applejack and the Beanstalk, does that means it was going to be more original or more based on the movie? Don't get me wrong, I still liked them a lot and they made me laugh every once in a while. Just remember, this is not intended to be an exhaustive or definitive analysis of your work. Anybody can have its own interpretation and that's what matters.
As a final note, thanks for your comment and the time you take to read this analysis. From one of your most veteran fans, thanks for everything.
4571843
Oh definitely a more original story, it doesn't follow the Tangled plot at all, and the characters are not re-imaginings of Tangled characters either. This story is most definitely more about the original fairytale. I'm sure you'll find a nod or two to Tangled (outfit designs, character cameos, etc.) but that's about it. :)