Festal Obscura · 8:27pm Dec 31st, 2020
Glad tidings to you as we shimmy up to the exit of the holiday season, and of 2020 as a whole. 
Today I've nothing more or less than a spotlight to shine on two Hearth's Warming stories about which I'm biased, and a brief note about a character in my recent story. I can't call these "reviews" because of my personal stake in them; but in both cases I'd call these "criminally underrated" and in need of a signal boost.
First up is the story I received for Jinglemas this year: One Lucky Holiday by the redoubtable Flash Notion!
Yippie ki-yay, motherbucker!
Do you like Die Hard? Or at least the concept of a holiday tale that uses its setting to let creatures do battle, blow things up, and join together for a climactic final showdown? I sure do! This is a story that puts Flash Notion's strengths as an author on full display, melding action with emotion in a way that kicks flank while feeling true to MLP. And if that's not enough, consider the indie cred that's right there for the taking by liking it before it's cool. I.e., look at the view count on this thing. Look at it. Flash Notion is an accomplished author who deserves better. This story deserves better. Go give it some love, and tell 'em John McClane sent ya.
Next up is a story I know very well, because I helped edit it: Twilight Sparkle's Day Off, by my main man Moosetasm!
Shenanigans!
I'm happy that this at least got a little traction with viewers. Nevertheless, if you're not yet familiar with Moose's ability to juggle a large cast and go for ridiculous humor, this is a great place to jump in and experience it. As I've told him before: I have no idea how he does it, despite the fact that I've helped edit him doing it plenty of times. But then I also have a soft spot for the subgenre of Princesses Behaving Badly, and this very much scratches that itch. Check it out and see if you can make it through without laughing. I double dog dare you.
Last but not least, I wanted to address one question that no one has asked yet about a character in my new fic: is Stratus Skyranger an OC?
Many of you may be geeky enough, or have long enough memories, to know that he is not. As far as I am aware, however, his character was not in any way developed by Hasbro, nor did he even appear in the MLP movie. He did, however, feature in the MLP movie toy line. As such, he's always stood out to me as a question in need of an answer. Who is this guy? And why would he be a hippogriff at a time when all the hippogriffs are seaponies?
But then, who was Lyra before we started writing her story? Or Derpy? Even looking at comparatively recent characters, I don't think Cinder Glow was ever given an official name; that was just the consensus fanon name that emerged for her after a couple years. The things we write can matter, both as stories unto themselves, and as inspiration that they spark in others.
I don't imagine that my work with Stratus will have that level of influence. But there's a certain joy in taking a blank-slate character and writing something for them. MLP G4 has been around long enough that there aren't many characters left who we can still do that for, but it was fun turning over one of the last few stones and chronicling the griff I found underneath.
I think I bought that toy... I mean action figure.
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I sometimes wonder if I should snap up one of the copies still out there. We don't play with ponies as much as we used to these days, but all the Guardians of Harmony toys were excellently made.
I think my problem is that I need somewhere to display things. The office we were planning to have in our new house from a couple years ago has turned into a kid's room. If I had somewhere I could put up my collection, I'd feel less weird about adding to it.
All kinds of problems that haven't been top-of-mind in 2020.
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I believe they are called "collector items."
*Does not try to place one back into its hermetically sealed original packaging.*
I don't understand hasbros merchandising strategy the last few years. Put a hippo not in the movie (cut, probably), insist on twilight's school for a school playset, but don't make any toys of the student six?
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I think Sandbar and Silverstream actually did receive figures. I know what you mean, though. The Student Six felt like they could’ve been a marketing move on Hasbro’s part, but it’s not a complete move if you’re not selling toys. And I bet I’m not the only person who would’ve bought a full S6 pack, or at least bought Yona solo, if I’d have been able.
Stratus was probably a victim of the movie’s development process. I haven’t dug deep into its making, but my impression is that it changed quite a bit as it was being worked on.