Help! My Heart is Full of Pony! - Imposter · 9:26pm Apr 30th, 2019
Twilight's Seven was a perfect episode. It managed to pack a lot of exciting ideas into a short period of time, and yet still tell a tight story, wrap it all up with a satisfying, unpredictable ending, (with some serious emotional punch), and to top it all off, you get to see Luna pet a goose, all sinister-like.
Upon my first viewing, I remarked to a friend that its only flaw - if it could be said to have one at all - was that the moment when Twilight and Shining Armor accepted Spike (as a sibling worthy of the crown) was very very brief. Part of me craved for that moment to last a little bit longer.
Just to focus on the feels.
However upon second viewing, I realized that it could not have gone down any other way. This may have been a big moment for Spike, but Shining Armor and Twilight took no hesitation in awarding him the Sibling Supreme crown. There was no call for a change of heart.
Spike had simply and unequivocally ALWAYS been a sibling to them.
SPIKE'S TORTURED PSYCHE AND STUFF
I think one of the interesting things about Spike as a character is his constant self doubt. He has, on more than one occasion, struggled to find himself as a dragon, and every time, come away learning that his true family is his pony friends. His true home is Ponyville. Yet when he's among those dearest to him, he's always aiming to please - proving his worth.
Spike has what's called Imposter Syndrome - a prevailing feeling of not-belonging, coupled with a fear of rejection. In school and in the workplace, these are the people who constantly go the extra mile, yet always worry that their minor shortcomings will be exposed and they'll be fired. In relationships, these are the "givers," often used up and spit out by "takers."
Even if they're fortunate enough to recognize that their feelings of inadequacy are irrational, they still need to contend with those feelings.
Spike is loved. Spike is supported, but on some level, he still views himself as "other." This feeling permeates every aspect of his being, from his noblest virtues to his darkest vices. That's what makes the brevity - the matter-of-fact-ishness of the conclusion to Twilight's Seven so great. The crown had always been a symbol of the rivalry between Twilight and Shining. Nothing more.
Spike was always treated like a true sibling, unflinchingly. His exclusion from that particular ritual simply meant that he had a different kind of sibling dynamic, (probably because of the massive age difference).
As is often the case, sibling issues that we carry into adulthood are often associated with baggage that is difficult to put into words - bizarre little emotional scars that built around tiny events that went unnoticed.
As for Imposter Syndrome, if you feel like an imposter sometimes, remind yourself that everybody's faking it - trying to get through the day. Just like you
-Sprocket
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A nice way to look at it; thanks. :)
Yup, agree. And yeah, felt watching the flashbacks that the issue was never Twi and Shiny not seeing him as a brother, but just him being so much younger then them, he never managed to naturally fit into what they were doing.
That may be the most helpful and inspirational thing I've ever seen regarding Impostor Syndrome. Thank you for it.
Also, fantastic analysis as always.