Dealing with "The News" · 5:39pm Feb 23rd, 2019
So, recently I watched Dr. Wolf's video concerning the upcoming ending of the MLP:FiM cartoons. As usual, he made several positive points, mentioned the good that the series has done to bring people joy, how the fandom has brought him together with others, yadda, yadda, hearts and flowers, and everything that we all have, at some point, experienced since becoming bronies.
No one, especially myself, will dispute, or deny how special this series, and it's fandom are, and although it's taking me forever to write anymore, I'm still quite proud to consider myself a part of it.
Now here's the thing.
Dr Wolf talks about it all ending. How it was a wonderful ride, but how, in a way, he's glad it's coming to an end. Now I assume that he is mainly referring to the show itself, and not the fandom, but I still felt compelled, after watching his video, to dust off my banner, and plant it firmly in the sand.
Who said that anything is ending?!?
This is something that I feel needs to be addressed right now, before we go any farther.
Consider what the ending of the official episodes will really mean for the fandom.
Freedom!
No more 'ships' struck unexpectedly by 'canon' fire. Less pressure to try and write about the 'latest' plot point. Also, (and this is just a guess), an eventual slacking of the reins against user created content as the franchise becomes older.
"But Dave, the episodes are the core of the fandom!"
Are they really? At this point I would say rather that they were the 'seed' out of which our fandom grew. Everything that bronies have done, everything that we have accomplished hasn't been because once a week we are gifted by hasbro with a thirty minute sermon from the mount.
I mean, let's face it, not every episode has been gold. Some barely qualify as tin.
I consider the brony community akin to the peace movement of the sixties. We have built our house on a set of ideals. And these ideals, I feel, are ones that won't be tarnished with the passage of time.
"But Dave, without new episodes, people will lose interest in the fandom and leave it!"
Um, episodes or not, people fall in and out of the fandom all the time. The ones that I feel sorry for, are the ones that leave and never get to experience some the amazing stories that so many people have posted over the years. Stories that have made me cry, or actually laugh, or beg the writers for just... one... more... chapter. I have more stories in my library on this site, than there are of episodes of any cartoon series, (well, except one).
Here's the thing. MLP:FiM has been one long amazing journey. If you don't want to stay along for the rest of the ride, that's entirely up to you.
But don't think for a second that the ride is over.
Because as long as one person is inspired by 'pony', be it official, or brony created content, as long as new songs, artwork and stories find their way to the people that need them, as long as there are still any of us that consider true friendship to be magical, then the ride goes on.
Yeehaaw!
Awesome
Huh. You make a lot of good points. I can't really see this site going under just a year after the show stops.
And here I had no idea the show was coming to an end at all.
I didn't know either but could wr create our own version of the show?
I don't expect the fandom to die. Not after ten years. I do expect it to shrink and slow, though. Unless Gen 5 turns out to be similarly good.