Aw, crap. *CRITICAL UPDATE* (WARNING: SEASON THREE SPOILERS! But Read And Comment If You Can!) Edit: Confirmed? · 12:45am Oct 30th, 2012
This shaky-cam footage contains season three spoilers. Spoilers which STRONGLY, STRONGLY foreshadow...
Wait, this is too huge. I need to put in some spaces. Only follow if you can stand the potential spoilers.
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There. STRONGLY, STRONGLY foreshadow *canon* Alicorn!Twilight. I kid you not. "Next level of your studies", the shiny cutie marks, etc. I'm betting that this is happening, people.
If that happens, I won't lie, there's a strong possibility I'll wind up canceling Rites. I can stand being Jossed, for the most part. But that? That's a whole new level of Joss-ing. That's like, epic mega-ninja level of Joss-ing. I mean, DAMN. Talk about raining on my parade.
But, if there's enough of an outcry, I might just keep going. MAYBE. Rites was intended as a massive epic, and it's hard to keep going on such a huge project knowing I'm probably about to get just utterly creamed by canon. What do you all think?
EDIT:
Rites of Ascension has already outshined anything that canon can joss us with...
For the love of everything that is holy, keep this juggernaut going!
Keep going! Enough said.
Just call it a AU. It's been done before when canon killed creativity without a care.
I for one, would like to see Rites go all the way to completion no matter what.
I was gonna comment on your comment in Aegis Shield's post, but I'll do it here instead. KEEP WRITING IT!
keep Rites of Ascension going please
458715
Honestly, they did the opening way better than Rites. Far less exposition, and bam, right into the story.
I'm seriously on the verge of tears and depression here.
I'm always boggled by the statement of some folks like yourself who say things like that. What does it matter if canon shoots your carefully planned story out of the water? You're not writing an epic to submit for consideration as a movie or a multi-part episode, right? You're writing what you want to write, and we're reading it because we enjoy it.
Only stop if that first part changes. Otherwise, stay the course.
That's not to say you can't adopt things you like from newly developed canon though, most of the time I see things like that, and it puts a smile on my face.
/$0.02
458726
Far less exposition, yes.
Better, not so much.
I LOVE THE EXPOSITION!
I say keep going. Yours is a great story, and you shouldn't worry about canon/noncanon nonsense. Write what you wanna write.
And if you cancel this, so help me I'll break out my torch and pitchfork I keep saved for forum arguments, and find you.
either AU or say in the description that it's pre-season 3. DO NOT cancel! please!
edit: i didn't read anything, just glanced over it, don't want to be spoiled to much (in case i missed something you said)
Don't cancel it just because of canon. I can't tell you how many stories I've read which went completely against canon and I still loved them. If the story is told well, it should hold up on its own no matter what Hasbro does.
Keep writing man, just go AU and keep writing.
I don't want to see another Darkest Before Dawn.
//dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy.png //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy_invert.png YOU WILL CONTINUE!//dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy_invert.png //dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Twilight_crazy.png
Seriously, if worst comes to worst, as has been said many times over, just slap the AU tag on it and continue. Hell, you could easily slap it on now with the whole Fluttershy Apple thing. If you really want to get technical, EVERY story on this and/or any other website should be slapped with the AU tag on principle. So what ever you do FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, LUNA, AND ALL THAT IS PONY! DO NOT CANCEL THIS FIC!
No don't cancel rites it's a great story so what if alicorn twilight becomes canon I will still want to read your story.
Holy buck.
I saw the foreshadowing too, and... wow. 
I'd still like to see you keep going though. You can stick thing into your story that they can't for obvious reasons. TV rating. 
So I hope you decide to continue it anyway! Gonna watch that again.
First, please continue Rites, even if real world events force the eventual use of the AU tag. It's going along well, so just mark for yourself where its continuity diverges from canon and plot accordingly.
Second, anyone who doesn't see canon Alicorn Twilight coming at some point has clearly forgotten that the show is bankrolled by a toy company with the primary purpose of selling toys. A "Princess Twilight" figure is really just a matter of time when viewed from that perspective.
I still say it's not something they'll stick with permanently. I find it highly doubtful.
Don't you dare quit Rites
Don't get discoraged when canon comes and shits on your fanon.
458770
That's a good point actually...
Still, this is all mighty depressing, even if it is vindicating. (See, Twilight IS that awesome dangit!)
OUIFYGHBOUVhibg iobunbytgbvojl NO DON'T YOU DARE PULL A -... I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAme of that fanfic, that followed Filly-Twilight past her acceptance to Celestia's school as the Princess's protoge. I wanna' say 'The Longest Night', but I can't find it under that name for some reason. The author cancelled it after the Season 2 Finale introduced Shining Armor, which somehow 'jossed' the fanfic, when he should've just made it AU and kept going. He had some great ideas, too, which he detailed after he cancelled the story! I read fanfiction for the purpose of reading things that AREN'T in the cartoon. Even if Twilight ends up becoming an Alicorn in the canon show (which I still very much doubt), the show being made with small children in mind will keep it from portraying the level of maturity I expect out of fanfics. I don't just read fanfics for 100% new things either, I like reading fanfics for alternate takes on things, too - what would happen if Twilight had met Rarity while she was on a trip to Canterlot, years before moving to Ponyville? Potentially nothing would've changed from canon - but maybe it would've. What was going through Celestia's head when she found out about Twilight's misdemeanor in Lesson Zero? Was she more disappointed in Twilight, or in herself? I can only get that perspective, as unofficial as it would be, in the land of fanfiction. Even if what you're writing somehow gets unintentionally parroted by future canon, I guarantee it will still show completely different perspectives that will make it more than worth continuing to write this, and worth reading.
458784
You're thinking of the excellent "Darkest Before Dawn", and you're right, I was really sad when that got cancelled.
Utterly creamed by the canon? I say you creamed the canon!
If you cancel this I'm going to weep. Long. Very long. Longer than you possibly imagine. And I AM DEADLY SERIOUS!
This entire video did not give me more feelings than your comment on the entire situation. And that's telling something!
Don't stop!
Just! Don't!
458805
The cutie mark imagery in that vid seriously struck a chord with me. That chord sounded like "Oh, SHIT", and that phrase is meant in multiple ways. But that quote? That also gave me a ton of feels. Thank you, truly.
I didn't think they were foreshadowing Alicorn Twilight. I thought they were foreshadowing Luna taking over as Twilight's instructor.
458778
Yes, Twilight is awesome, with way too much stuff already in-canon to ignore, either. Start with imagining Spike as the "Sword in the Stone" and see where that line of reasoning takes you. Celestia makes for a mighty fine Merlin analogue, wouldn't you say?
458832
That would be by far more preferable for me. It's still Jossing me a bit, but it would be far, far less severe. I pray you are right.
Rights is an excellent story and I do not feel it will lose its merit simply because of what will happen in the third season.
458813
No need to thank me for your work being this great! If you cancel the story, then for me the show can go banish itself to the moon for art murder!
On a side note: I learned new word today: Jossed! Didn't even knew what it was. Thank you for this. Not thanking for the story though. You need to finish it before hearing that. Sorry. Not. That. Easy.
Now get yourself out of this little depression and continue onward!
Towards squealing and giggling fangirls!For you! I meant for you! And maybe us as well...Keep up the good work!
Oh, please don't let this ruin your fic! I really AM enjoying it very much. There have been plenty of fics that were disrupted by say, Season 2 because they were written after (or during) Season 1. Rarity's parents, Twilight's brother, etc. It doesn't detract from the quality of your fic at all. Keep going, anyway. You never know... your fic is set many years in the future post-series, after all, isn't it? I seriously doubt they'll introduce so much new canon that you can't keep going.
I don't see them going Alicorn!Twilight in Season 03. It seems a little early for it. What they've said in the spoiler clip/preview is just that she's moving on to her next level of studies... which (though I lack a citation to give you) sounds very much like it's going to be in-line with what you've already established, re: Fluttershy's comments: Twilight being sent around Equestira to solve problems, as though being trained for something special.
Don't give up! If anything, I got the feeling that what they're implying in what we've seen SUPPORTS your fic more than risks ruining it. Worst case is maybe you'd have to make a couple edits here or there (if you really, really felt the need to).
458841 - Also, consider this: if Hasbro did intend to go through with this Alicorn Twilight business, they would have no doubt already designed her appearance for a corresponding toy, and I'm almost certain that it would have already leaked. (And in all honesty, if the higher-ups approved Alicorn Twilight, they'd probably also demand that the rest of the Mane 6 get the same treatment, so as to guarantee that every little girl can purchase a "Princess" version of her favorite character.)
Who the hell cares what canon brings!?! You obviously have a well thought out and beautiful story just waiting to bloom! For that to never see the light of day is a terrible tragedy of the highest order!!! CONTINUE, I SAY!
458901
a.deviantart.net/avatars/s/c/scaredplz.gif
458901
...You've doomed us all!
458726
But exposition is what makes a story.
And when new episodes are similar to a fic, the writer of the fic is proven to be a visionary.
Also, check this out.
It's no derp, either. Whichever artist did it knew what they were doing, as her horn is slightly longer, and the wings/height are the same as Luna's in her first appearance.
458993
And depression is back. Damnit, I knew it.
Don't-choo dare, man. You cancel Rites of Ascension, I swear to you I will cry. A little.
Just add the Alternate Universe genre tag if that happens.
*Raises finger to say "don't quit"... notices that everypony and their mums already beat me to the punch* Well... darn. Still though, I don't think I need to really say anything at all here! You already get the gist
If that happens, just slap on a AU and continue...
No seriously, it would be good if you kept rhe story going.
I don't really understand what being blown to smithereens by canon means for the story!
By all means, keep continuing it, it would be a shame for this to die.
Look, don't worry if Twilight becomes an alicorn. In my experience with other fandoms, it's very easy to get readers to accept a story that deviates from canon if a) it's well-written and b) the author makes allusions to the canon timeline. You've already gotten a) taken care of, and for a good example of b), I'd suggest taking a look at Duties by Denim Blue.
Do not stop Rites, it is a good story keep it going. Screw canon and label AU and keep writing, I do not care if canon manages to have a canon Alicorn Twilight, your story is good and this should not stop you.
Oh my goodness, of course! keep Rites of ascension going!
Any epic-length (or anything which does any worldbuilding, really) story is by nature going to get jossed by canon at some point and to some extent. It's nothing to cancel over, although I can understand some demotivation in this case.
459007
Well, that might be for the season three finale. After all, this is suppose to be a season about Twilight's magical development last I heard.
459461
... not helping. Just confirms it more in my mind.
459471
Write faster then and finish before it happens.
459495
Okay, I said in the past that I don't want to estimate how long this story will be. I still refuse to commit to a firm estimate, but I can easily say we're looking around at least a few hundred thousand words, if not longer. Maybe several hundred thousand.
No way is that getting done before S3 premiere X) I'll be lucky if I finish this decade.
459503
Well, clearly you need to learn a time spell. You know where to find 'em.