My Letter of Thanks to the staff of MLP: FiM

Recently, Equestria Daily invited its readers to submit to them letters for the intent of being forwarded to the show's staff (read them here, here, and here), as a big thank you for everything they have done for us all these years, in celebration of the show shortly entering its 9th and final season. I don't normally participate in such things, but I figured this was worth making an exception for, even if my story with the show certainly isn't as remarkable as many others' stories.
Good idea too to do this now too; a fair chunk of the staff are already done with the show, most notably the writers and voice actors, with scripts written almost exactly a year before episodes air and dialogue typically recorded 10 months (if I recall correctly?) before final air. I'd bet even the final episodes of the show are already well into the storyboarding phase, if animation of them hasn't already commenced. Were this done when the show actually ended, it'd feel far less fresh for the staff then it would for us.
No, I don't harbour any pretences that these will actually be read by the staff, being as busy as they are, but if nothing else, getting to see what other people wrote was beautiful. I know I'll be coming back to the posts periodically to absorb them all for sure.

Anyway, my entry. I'm posting this here as much for my benefit as for others enjoyment, so I always have it available as reference. Though I do hope you enjoy it. Everyone's experience with Friendship Is Magic is unique, no matter how many common threads frequently appear.

---

To the staff, current and former, of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic,

I was vaguely aware of Friendship Is Magic throughout the years, mostly through its dominating online presence. I never scolded it, being a big Powerpuff Girls fan (among other things considered "girly" for boys and young men), but didn't quite know what to make of it. I remained vaguely aware of its popularity, but remained basically unaware of the show's actual content itself.

Then, in 2017, I saw the Movie. Then I watched the first two episodes. Then more. And more. Before I knew it, it was Christmas and I'd watched the whole show.
So if you were intending to bring new viewers in the show with the Movie alongside delighting existing fans, mission accomplished.

My story with the show isn't as remarkable as many others you've probably heard. It didn't cure me from a depression, or prevent a suicide, or lead me onto a career path, or anything like that. At best, it got me through a rough year of final college.
And yet, it's a part of me now. Down to my core. It happened gradually as I was working my way through episodes, but by the time I realised it was a part of me, I knew I was here to stay. I never doubted I would like the show, now with the glowing reputation it had. But never could I have guessed that it would leap to the top as my Most Personally Important Animation.

Now, not a day goes by where I don't do something Pony related. Sometimes something small, sometimes something big. But always something. These six magical cartoon equines and one baby dragon, along with countless others, they're a part of me. It doesn't take much within anything FiM-related to get me to tear up now, and that is not something I can say about anything else.

Would I be any different today if I hadn't gotten into the show? Maybe not. But it's made my life better. The characters, the stories, the songs, the gags, the visual style, everything. The complete lack of cynicism combined with the above specifics has made it something truly special. Magical, even. It actually delved into all sides of friendship, transcending well beyond simply being a moral-centric show. Friendship isn't always easy, but it's always worthwhile, is my main takeaway from the show. And it taught me that that is something worth reinforcing. Always.
It's all combined in a way that makes it not only a show for everyone, but a show that basically has its own niche. There is no other show quite like it, which might go some way to explaining its everlasting popularity and impact. It certainly goes a long way towards explaining why it's remained so close to me when many "better" shows and movies came and go in my mind.

I... I'm sad that it's ending. I'm sad it's ending only 2 years after I came in. But it's the best kind of sadness. The only reason I'm so sad is... well, because this cartoon and everything surrounding it have become such a big part of me. Feeling sad like this... it's what makes life worth living. I'm only sad about this because it's made me so happy. Even if I were the only one for which this were true, that would still be a thing of beauty.

Yet, I'm not the only one. Far from it. You're probably heard similar stories, and many better ones, from hundreds of thousands of fans over the years, if not millions. For so many to be touched so much by a cartoon that, according to societal norms, is only for little girls... that's the real miracle. A timeless miracle. Even now, when it's popularity is theoretically in decline, the support for it and the fandom is still so much bigger then one could fathom. It legit rivals, maybe even surpasses, pop culture icons that have remained omnipresent for decades at this point. And it's all thanks to you.

You are the reason for this timeless miracle. You are the reason millions upon millions of peoples' lives have improved so much. You are the reason we all unconditionally love Twilight, Spike, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and many more. You are the reason your work has become an irreplaceable part of our lives. You are the reason that this show persisted as strong as ever while many others came and went.
It's thanks to you that many of us have made our closest friends. It's thanks to you that many of us have had the best years of our lives. And it's thanks to you that we can attribute this timeless miracle all the way back to a show set in the magical land of Equestria. A show that taught and reminded us all that, yes, Friendship is indeed magic.

Never would I have thought that the show would actually earn that subtitle, but there can be no doubt that it has.

It's not ending, not really. All the episodes and movies will always be here, as well as the comics and the wealth of content the fandom have created. The effect your work has left will always be here. These ponies will always be here. Whatever the future for My Little Pony past Friendship Is Magic, what you all have done will never fade.

There are no words that can truly encompass how grateful I am for what each and every single one of you has done, no matter the supposed "significance" of your individual contribution. So these seven will have to do. One for each of the seven main characters.
Thank you. Thank you so, so much.

Mike "Cartoon Karma"

P.S. Applejack is my favourite. Out of all of them, she's the one I wished the most were real, available to be a friend of mine, and me of hers.

Comments

[Loganberry]

Really nice reading. Thank you for posting it here.

[Ghost Mike]

5021877
Aw, thanks, buddy. I almost broke the word count limit of 1,000 too. Not by intent, I just wanted to be sure I said everything that needed to be said, you know.

I saw your letter too. A very nice and sweet thing. It rocked. Woo-hoo.
...that Fluttershy enough?

[Loganberry]

5022031

...that Fluttershy enough?

I'll take it!