Back From Limbo! · 9:04pm Oct 3rd, 2017
Identity is a pretty common theme in my stories. Jay struggled with his during his time in Snowdrop's body; Starlight Glimmer reaffirmed hers when the Mane Six chased her out of Our Town. But no pony deals with her identity as dramatically as Twilight Sparkle did in my very first story.
Or she started to, until I pulled the plug.
Before '...And It's Freaking Cold Up Here' transformed into an overnight success, it was just a casual side project. My main project was 'Liberation', a more serious fic set after the Season 4 finale. Like 'Freaking Cold', it has my strange and sometimes volatile sense of humor. It also goes a little bit deeper into some issues we all deal with at some point in our lives.
Each and every one of us, to some degree, is shaped by external pressures; the expectations placed upon us by society, our family, and our peers. The forces that shape Twilight are greater still. She is accountable not only to herself and her friends, but also to Princess Celestia and all the other ponies across Equestria who need her help (even if they don't know it yet). And, as we learned after Season 3, she is accountable to her destiny.
Which was where my brain went: HTTP 404. Connection not found.
Destiny? Up to that point, FIM was a very simple and idealistic show about ponies who discovered the magic of friendship and learned valuable life lessons along the way; basically, a message from Lauren Faust to little girls everywhere that they could be anything they wanted to be. Where did ascension, princesshood, and destiny fit into that message?
I thought about it for two years; still wasn't sure. And because Twilight was the pony I always had the most in common with (bookish, nerdy, particular, not socially adept), I could see her having some doubts as well. That was the seed of 'Liberation'.
Two years later, I get a few PM's. One from an old friend, the other from someone who just read 'Liberation' and was wondering if it would ever continue. The memories came flooding back, and so did my motivation. The hiatus is over; it's time to start writing again, to nurture that seed and find out what it grows into.
Hello, hello