Help! My Heart is Full of Pony! - Equestria Games

Equestria Games is one of those episodes that sparked a lot of love and a lot of hate. When it aired, there were quite a few people who felt cheated out of an episode focusing on the sporting events themselves - especially after the two season build up. My Little Pony, however, is really about intimate stories, and while an Animalympics-style episode would certainly have been fun, this episode did something far grander. It took the massive Equestria Games arc and turned it on its head - made it the backdrop for a far more beautiful and touching story.

In retrospect, it's actually the beginning of a rather huge chapter of Spike's life. The "Spike the Brave and Glorious" episodes aren't just a motif, or a running gag. They're an arc.

It starts right here in a story about Spike's imposter syndrome, performance anxiety, and overall feelings of inadequacy. As a musician who knows what it's like to bomb on stage, I related to this story hard.

I think there's no better way to share my feelings on this episode than with song itself. Below is a song I wrote for a Bronies for Good charity album after the episode aired.

"My Little Flame"

You'll find me in the background
It's not my place to shine
You'll find me with the great ones
But the glory ain't never mine

It's the fate of an assistant
It's a part I play with pride
But there's a flame
Still burning deep inside

Well I found a little spotlight
I stumbled into fame
I found myself a kingdom
Where everybody knows my name
They said, "Would you do the honors?
Won't you give us a light?
And let your little flame
Rock this stadium tonight?"

I stood before the thousands
A sad little joke
And failed where everyone could see
I summoned my fire
But tasted only smoke
And made a fool of everyone who put their faith in me

Don't matter if you praise me
Or pity me my shame
Call me crazy
But it all just feels the same

There's a fire
That's a burnin'
It's in each of us inside
Thanks to friends and second chances
Gonna learn to let it shine.

-Sprocket

If you enjoy essays like these, please consider supporting my work on Patreon. You can also follow Heart Full of Pony on Tumblr

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

I admit, I was a little disappointed at the time that we didn't get more focus on the events, especially after that build-up. And the Cloudsdale anthem scene was a truly painful bit of cringe comedy. But when going into it knowing what to expect, this was a great Spike episode.

[Reese]

Thank you for the analysis. And I enjoyed the song. :)