Blurgh. Ideas for Celestia XVII-3? · 11:35pm Nov 24th, 2019
Hey everypony,
I feel like I'm hitting something of a slump, and would appreciate any ideas you have to help me get out of it. Details below the break,
I've had an idea in my head for Celestia XVII-3 for some time now: a rip-roaring adventure tale in which Celestia & Co. help spearhead a revolution against cruel King Sombra, with the help of a tribe of dragons.
However, it's been rather taxing just to type out the outline. As I've been writing it all out, it feels rather contrived, repetitive, etc.--and, though I love all the little plot twists, the worldbuilding, and so on, the outline as it stands is missing a lot of the interpersonal drama that I love. I'd love to get some time with ponies like Rarity's foal(s?) and the budding romance between Soarin' and Celestia, not to mention between Twilight and Arc. The high-adventure plot doesn't really allow for this sort of intimacy with the characters.
I'm still brainstorming, but at this point, I'm tempted to just throw it all out and start over.
Any suggestions for what you'd like to see in the final product?
All I can think to suggest is there's nothing like a rip-roaring, life-threatening adventure to make people think about what's really important to them and bring them closer together.
I'd really focus on developing Sombra and giving him his own schemes. Utilizing Sombra is a great way to further world build history, the empire, and the ponies there in a way that will make readers really care about what's happening for both the ponies and the adventure. Building a unique Sombra for your tale also is a feat in itself. Plus, a story that gives the villain drive and makes them share the spotlight with the protagonist (and the other way around) is always an engaging read.
Also, I really like Sombra McGrumpymagic.
Hiding in the revolution headquarters, planning out the insurgency, and so forth does give plenty of time for ponies to talk to one another. Possibly derailing planning sessions with character development.
That said, it does lead to the question of whether anyone would let Rarity be there. Who's looking after the foals?
Oh, right, royalty. They have people for that... assuming she'd want to have people for that. A shame Sweetie isn't old enough to babysit... I think. If we're talking multiple foals, she might be in her teens by this point.
Of course, that still leaves the question of how they're interacting with significant others. You could always dust off the "letters from the front" trope.
Actually, I'd say split the difference. Focus more on the interpersonal relationships, but use the "Sombra adventure" in flashbacks to, as PresentPerfect pointed out, a means to make everybody involved think about what's really important and bring them closer together.
Heck, maybe the story could START OUT with a victory party at the Crystal Empire with all of the major involved parties reflecting on the just-successfully completed adventure and those that are most important to the aforementioned major involved parties.
And, for a bit of added foreshadowing, the victory party could be when Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich first meet and work together to make the party twice as good.
I was going to just randomly blurt out "PENGUINS" because I'm weird like that, but it turns out that your query is too specific for that to make any kind of sense. Sorry, I got nothin'.
Celestia's main Arc seeks to be done... does it need to be her story?
Wouldn't a Doctor Who style mystery plot make more sense than an adventure plot?
Talk about relationship straining with a new Crystal Empire and one of Cecee's friends left there. Rip 'em up.
5160040 I'd recommend doing it in parallel instead of flashbacks?
I know I am very late for this, how it slipped my mind to respond boggles my mind, but how about a story from Twilight’s point of view? She can be navigating the whole idea that she is going to succeed Luna her relationship and dealing with Sombra. Plus you can show how she could feel having her brother being forced into a political marriage and how she must on occasion make the difficult choices.