On Past Divergence · 6:22am Oct 13th, 2020
So, yeah, this is the comic that was not bent, but rather kept in the state in which it was sent. My mailbox note felt immature, but it seems to have gotten results for sure.
Here's hoping that will return to being the norm, an end to the bad delivery swarm.
But let's talk about issue #90 before I get too wrapped up in things behind me.
I see two notable morals here (and this shan't all be in rhyme, I fear):
First of all, personal history is written by the rememberer. In other words, the way you remember things happening is often not how others involved remember it, and that's most true when what happened was antagonistic. Everyone is the hero of their own story, even when they're the villain of yours.
But we also see the moral that there is a certain level of respect that you owe to the goals and concerns of your friends. (That's a lesson taught to many a hero; you might even call it lesson zero.) You might think it's stupid or unrealistic, and you might even be right, but if your friend cares intensely about something then you should at least care that your friend cares. You shouldn't treat it like a joke, and you shouldn't cross the line between "I'm afraid this is going to end badly" and "I know better than you because I said so." (And if across that line you've slid, at least don't seal it by calling them "kid.") Remember that even if they really have pointed themself at something impossible they'll still accomplish something in the process of trying if they've got the determination to not give up quickly.
If Medley Brook and Crystal are kelpies, do you think Cassie's in their families?
I'll point out that Whitley wrote that issue too, though he may not remember it as well as I do. It's six years past, and why would such memories last?
Tempest shouldn't get cocky about her ability to conquer this place. Not all kelpies are as naive as Medley, and I for one would not be eager to test whether a sufficiently motivated kelpie could freeze me. Beyond that, I don't think she asked about kelpies' strategic strength to watch out for, which would probably be their apparent ability to reform from being split into pieces; beyond the fact that exploding is only temporary, that probably implies it's tricky to keep them captive without them simply flowing away. And then there's the issue of the eclectic abilities of the abada . . .
If the mission turns into one of conquest, Tempest still needs more recon to be the best.
I wouldn't call it a third moral, but I do see a bit of advice for all (look, this is the quality of rhymes you're getting, and you'll have to deal with it): Even if one is compelled to fly, one does not leave a good friend with no goodbye; if your best friend abandons you, then they long since saw the relationship as being through.
Okay, I could swear that there's been a prior mention of a grootslang in connection with ponies somewhere, but I've got no idea where. Is my memory failing me, or am I just crazy? With ten years of ponies in my head, I fear it's been a while since I could remember everything I read.
So do you think kelpies are more or less susceptible than zebras and ponies to dangerous dehydration in the desert's dire daylight? We know they're prone to evaporate, and presumably would ultimately fully discorporate, but would they first just grow small as those of flesh began to fall?
To my knowledge, this storyline is the first mention of grootslangs in FiM.
I wonder if and how closely the sirens are related to the kelpies. I wonder if a siren is just a kelpie with a magic necklace.
And another factor Fizzlepop overlooked while scouting the area for conquest: it seems like dangerous wild monsters are even more of a threat here than in Equestria. I could see a foreign military showing up and Prince Abraxas immediately surrendering and saying "oh good, you're in charge now, the Grootslang will be attacking tomorrow, the Nundu usually attacks on Thursdays, and the flying Kongamato is probably going to start trying to knock your airships out of the sky any minute now. I wish you the best of luck!"
5376921 I just realized Medley Brook (Mel Brook to her friends) is apparently the prankster and comedian of the group.