//------------------------------// // Wild Horses (Season 7+The Movie) // Story: Behind the Laughter: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic // by Smashology //------------------------------// Reunion. Ratings. Movie. Forgiveness. Behind the Laughter The seventh season started out on a wing and a prayer. But now the wing was on fire, and the prayer had been answered by Satan. After the fiasco of season six, the show was in trouble: the ratings were the lowest in the history of the TV program and everything around it changed, from the general tone to the spoken topics, even the main cast was different. Some of them were nervous because they thought they couldn’t reach the gloriousness of the previous performers. However, like humans with the bison crisis, the executives, producers and writers realized in time the tragedy they had caused and decided to remedy. We did a purge after the results of the previous seasons. We limited to only retain certain writers and hire some newcomers with the best curriculum. With this in mind, we only wanted to accomplish one goal: surpass ourselves. To create the best season of the show, better than all previous attempts. Some of the most veterans, like myself here, attempted to take the next step into production and began to write our own scripts. I assume you were chosen among many writers. Yes, around three thousand ponies and other creatures got in just to see their stories coming to life on TV. After what happened to my character in the last season, I guessed that my role in the show was over and it was time to move into another direction. After all, going from player to trainer is not easy. With all this in mind, the team started to check all topics that they’ve never done in the show, such as finally giving Celestia her own episodes. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Expand the Equestrian Lore, use past characters in more prominent roles and fortify the dynamics between the characters, both main and support. After many years, my character came back to the spotlight. You have a pretty good guess to my reaction for such an event. Part of our duty was to show the rest of the family for the Mane 6 and to show more of Equestria after two seasons of promises. Switching from places and maintaining now three different identities was getting too complicated for my sister and me. So, during the middle year hiatus, we spoke out to everyone involved and finally revealed our secret. How did they take the news? Strangely normal. I mean, they were astonished at first. However, you never forget your first reaction. The good news was that, now that we had our own lives, we could do whatever we wanted. Until we remembered that, since we shared one life, we didn’t have much uniqueness compared to the rest. It was hard to start speaking to someone we loved. I had to be brave just to talk with Sunburst. Both of you started a relationship? Only her. I… haven’t found someone I can call my true love. We’re planning our wedding next year. The ratings came near the end of the year, with surprising results. The team surpassed the expectations, to the point that they wouldn’t believe it. Season seven became the most watched season of the entire series, the best results we had since seasons two and four. All of us were caught by surprise. We wanted to replicate this success in other stuff, such as Equestria Girls. It was so nice to finally have a mini-series exclusively focused on the adventures of our main characters in another dimension. The most watched episode not only from the season, but from the entire series, was a concept by story fans, whom were desperate to watch. Thankfully the writers listened to their petitions. I was a longtime fan of the show since the second season. I only watched it for Prism Wing. She was the love of my life since the first time I saw her. I know it may sound cliché, but there’s no other way I can describe it. What does that have to do with the most watched episode ever? I wrote it... all romantic issues and moments were more of a personal perspective and, with a little help from Romeo and Juliet, I answered years and years of requests about Applejack’s parents. However... I only got in because I thought she would see me. Season seven was a huge step up from the previous one. The writing was great, the characters were at one of their bests, the story arcs were engaging and did not disappoint, and the finale was very spot on. The ratings were the best of the show in its entire lifespan, popularity came back, the fans were happy as well as the executives. Everything was going according to plan. But something strange and unusual happened during this season. Most of us were conscious about our impact in the show and the reception the fans had around us. The majority of them liked us, however, even we knew we couldn’t replace them. Some of the staff members missed their presence in the set. I think most of the staff who worked on the show before loved to work on what they did. Without restrictions, without canned ideas, with desire to do things well. More than a team, we were all a very close family, so it was a shock to have a different team working on it overnight. As time passed and with the changes in the staff, along with the departure of our main stars, the culture changed and we started to feel more like any other show. We got in to change things, to have a different method of process and work. We didn’t expected the show to be surrounded in a melancholic tone. Like a birthday surprise shouting, a miracle happened during the hiatus between the sixth and seventh season. While I was searching for some document that could inform me about Prism Wing’s whereabouts, I found something interesting for eyes. It was a file with hundreds of papers and they had written a notice that took us by surprise. These papers talked about plans for a project simply titled as ‘The Movie.’ I dreamed for many nights that they would meet and form a new team, come back here and tell Hasbro and DHX that they fixed their differences and were willing to go back to work together as before. Suddenly, this little pegasus, close to my dear love, gave me the motivation I needed to pursue this dream. However, having the courage to start the quest wasn’t going to be easy. ALL the team had to agree, including the executives. Since our former main cast was gone, both companies put more pressure on us. They gave us more creative freedom, but at the cost of less time. So, for us to convince them to use the original team, they put us on a fiery condition. And which condition was it? The movie had to be a box office success, to triple the tight budget they gave us to create it from zero and we only had a year for production before the release date in October. I can’t tell you how much they gave us exactly, but it was a very limited budget. There were reports of this film being conceived since 2014. Hasbro and DHX were doing this step without consulting us. It felt like a knife in the back. Considering the situation the show was back then, the success of the film could meant continuing the show or cancelling it. The setting was dangerously precarious. With this in mind, Soarin and Plum alongside Futas and Lunare embarked on their journey to find the former Mane 6 and reunite them for the big screen. While they were outside, both Evening Blaze and Nightfall Shine took the roles Futas and Lunare left and supervised the seventh season in its whole. After weeks and weeks of search by Internet, phone calling with the yellow pages and talking to ponies and persons who may have seen them, they finally found them in different locations and enjoying their own separate lives. Leaving the show was really a blessing. It gave us a chance to pursue solo projects. I returned to my first love: the musical theater. I literally kicked the scenery, but I was still resentful towards the show wherever my dear Q came back home when he had a call. The rest of the former Mane 6 were also spreading their creative wings. Sparkling Cider and Ivory created a new cologne with a blend between apples and diamonds... I know, it’s kind of weird. We’re conscious it was a bizarre concept to begin with, but we needed a new form of making money. It didn’t go well as we expected, so we started to makin’ inversions around the world and finally we were able to buy a piece of land when we could raise our children. Spyke started a career in advocacy. I wanted to be like my lovely lady. The first months were hard and Amber had difficulties to support both of us, but it was worth it. When they found me, I was just a step away from finishing the career. Stardust Nova had a new job as a psychologist. After I decided to be like my character, I chose a life where I could guide other people to be happier with themselves and to be happier with others. I was a princess in certain way, the princess of psyche. However, during nighttime, I had sleeping problems, yearning the old times with my friends. Prism Wing was the most isolated of them. Alone in an apartment, with simple possessions and little to no contact with anybody else. She found a new passion: dusting and polishing mixing boards. I was no longer interested in acting or the Wonderbolts. I played the organ and I went fishing. I had a pacific life, dedicated to God. Ink Blot was like before: guarded by her sisters and husband and dealing with her addictions. She wrote a book about her experience in the show. I wanted to find them because I wanted to be with them, but I was locked in my house with no permission to go outside, not even for a drink. I tried so hard to convince them just to open the door for unexpected visits. It was somewhat romantic when Soarin expressed his feelings towards me. But wanting to marry me? That’s a whole different story. Anyway, when they told us about why they wanted to bring us back, it was like going back to smoking. You know it’s going to be bad, but you miss the sensations and you do it anyway because ‘it’s just one last time. What could possibly go wrong?’ Perhaps the most affected by the constant mistrustfulness were their long time collaborators and their relatives. Spyke and Madam Applecrest told us about it. It was amazing that they had a plan for all of us, committed to an ambitious project. However, disagreement and resentment, paranoia and doubt were present in the air. I was with Sparkling Cider and Ivory during the production of the movie, everyone did their best effort to get along. They rolled the film like before, like if it was an episode in their glory days. But once they turned off the camera, everybody began to argue for no reason. They didn’t behave like friends anymore, the rest of us had to constantly get into their discussions to stop them. It was as if you were trying to survive just to see the light of the next day. Yes, the worst part was that in that family, nobody trusted nobody. They even brought their lawyers to Christmas dinner. Recreation Christmas dinner. Stardust Nova, Prism Wing, Sparkling Cider, Ivory, Cottontail, Ink Blot and Spyke are sitting around the main table at the center of the dining room, each one with their respective lawyers and couples. The table has plenty types of food. Meanwhile Madam Applecrest, Apple Spritz, Marble, Plum, Mulled Cider, Chirpy Tune, Screwball, Futas and Lunare are sitting down on a smaller table next to the big one. Everyone stays silent. So, uh, how’s everybody doing? You don’t have to answer that. Shut up, all of you, or I’ll sue! No, you shut up you shoutin’ party clown! That’s the mare I married! Sparkling Cider and Ivory fist pump. We couldn’t expect any less from the magical lesbian spawn. Spyke accidentally touches Cottontail’s hoof. Don’t touch me motherfucker and get out! What does that mean?! You know what it means you little snitch! Amber stands up, follow by Prism Wing who points out Stardust Nova. That’s assault! That is assault! You’re so wrong! Assault is being here, dining with the ones who betrayed me, especially the one right there! You had a mischievous plan so the rest could fire me from the show! Liar! Besides, I already changed. I’m a different pony, why can’t you accept that?! Why can’t you forgive me?! Because I know you! You’re an egotistical bitch who doesn’t care about anyone else but herself! That’s true! You’d probably sleep a lot better if you just admit it to yourself that you’re a selfish slut who takes whatever she wants and doesn’t bother about who she hurts! Don’t raise your voices, please! Who told you could be leader?! That aggressive punk rocker ya shall call ‘sister’?! Decibelle starts to pump up, trying to contain her rage. Cashmere tries to keep her calm. Sister, calm down. Too late! A physical fight starts. There’s punches, kicks, head-butts, food throwing and wrestling over the table. Soarin tries desperately to set Prism Wing apart from the fight while Izzy Rock and UHF comfort Ink Blot, who is the only pony that continues eating. It’s so nice to have the family together for dinner. Suddenly, many infant cries sound and interrupt the fight. Everyone stays in their place and keep silence. Just perfect. You woke up all the children. The Apple family and Ink Blot’s sisters stand up and go upstairs to make the babies fall asleep again. Everybody shuts up and the environment is like it was before: quiet. So, uh, how’s everybody doing? It was the best Christmas ever. I mean, emotionally it was terrible, but the turkey was sooooo moist. The carcass of the pony empire had been picked clean. But then came help from an unexpected source. I borrowed the rights of my books so the audiences could know more about Daring Do. I’m conscious that it was advertising for them, but parts of my earning were donated to the show. They did so much for me, so it was time to pay the favor. What did you do, Ms. Yearling? When I got the notices about a movie and the problems the team was having, I went into production and contributed with my own money. However, when it came to the cast, I knew there was only one pony who could reunite this troubled clan: my old fraternity sister and friendly rival, Lilacia Pony Head. I’d do anything for mademoiselle Yearling. So, with her help, I went to the main set for the movie and– What’s that alarm? This stupid hair machine. Oh, not again. Come here and fix this gadget, Earth Turd! Things were tense and delicate when they arrived. That night, fate wore a cummerbund of suspense. The production was messed up and covered in constant squalls between the main cast. I’ve heard rumors that Prism Wing broke one of Stardust Nova’s legs. They spent much of their budget in a new animation style that was unknown at the time. It was call Harmony and it was relatively unknown for most of us. I checked and talked with Futas and Lunare about the screenplay and how they’re were doing it. They wanted to expand and explore Equestria, something they never did before. Nine months of production are stressing and exhausting after a while. I had to do a balance between stopping their conflicts and programming my appearances in my own show. Part of our construction was to integrate new races into the world, so we opened casting for those interested in being part of the show. Even better, we invited many of the former cast members to do cameos in the movie! Sometimes, it looked like the real Mane 6 took their own personalities to the big screen, since there were moments you wouldn’t expect to happen in the series. I began to ask them about how these sudden changes and this movie were affecting their personal lives. It wasn’t worth it... They only said what they thought would keep me happy. Everything from my time, energy, resources... was spent working on my project. I appreciate what Soarin tried to do, but those ponies were NOT my friends anymore. No matter how good the product is, obsession can help it in the end. For a project like this, you only need a good merchandising team and some people that spread the idea. Ya have to devote every time ya can spend. And when things aren’t lookin’ good, ya have to spend yer break hours that are supposed to be used in relaxin’ and/or restin’ in order to work more on the project. There were times where I felt useless, that all of my struggles were all for naught. Mistakes that made me want to run away. There were times where I just stayed up for days thinking on what to do. Am I the only one who had fun while recording? Yes, I had the most screen time, but I was genuinely happy for being together like before. I know what others were thinking. But, you know, that really isn’t important. Just sharing my experience. These ponies... are very dear to me. We promised to look forward and call each other often, at least once a month. But I always thought that this would never have happened. They only remember you when you’re gone. I concluded that they will reunite and befriend one another again only, and just only, after something similar to a tragedy happened to their lives. After completing the movie, the team was nervous. They never did anything like this before and everyone was conscious about what would happened if the film failed. The only thing we could do was pretend to cross fingers and wait. And in the end, what were the consequences of the movie? It officially surpassed fifty million in total worldwide box office revenue. While not as high as expected, this showing still beats out other feature films released that same year and for a movie that was, as Hasbro put it in their recent investor call, a “modest” budget, that’s a pretty impressive number. However, it disappears quickly in some regions, receives no awards or nominations from critical circles, critics and reviewers are divided in opinions, the Mane 6 dissolved. The only ones who remained happy were the fans. I don’t know. A lot of people said I was out of character, but what can I do? That’s how the writers wrote me in this movie. I think there was a bunch of new characters in the movie? I don’t know, I was AWESOME in it. I loved our seapony costumes! So gorgeous! Magnificent! Spectacular! Exquisite! And yes, I designed them. I took most of the screen time! I was useful in this movie. PERIOD. Nobody said anything about me. Don’t feel bad, darlin’. Mah girl is in the same league as ya. After almost ten years in this show and help many people to redefine a concept as simple as ponies who learn about friendship, we thought it was time to leave it. After all, both Evening Blaze and Nightfall Shine were great substitutes for our positions. Right now, we put our own journey with this show behind us and look forward to our next adventure, we will always look back and feel proud that for some people, this little show about colorful ponies and their lessons in friendship was a life-changing experience. It certainly has been for us. While the show recovered its status, the Mane 6 returned to their previous lives. It could’ve been the easiest, non-difficult thing in the world that everyone could take the simple route and solve this problem, like they would normally do, through words, affection and love. It would’ve been like in the show. ...But real life is not that easy. Drama... Draaamaaa... Dramadramadramadramadrama– No drama this year. We know two types of drama: The one that makes us laugh on TV and on the Internet, which brings us fun and entertainment. Then the other, which saddens us. Because in real life the drama is bitter, depressing and sad. And in this case, also unexpected. Actual Footage “We have breaking news about this. This is something that nobody expected. The cartoonist and actress Ink Blot, better known for playing Pinkie Pie in the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, has been found unconscious in her house near Seaward Shoals.” “We’re being informed that she might have committed suicide, but detectives, medics and traumatologists are investigating the case thoroughly.” “The medics have declared she’s not dead, but into a coma. The causes are unknown. Her family didn’t want to comment on it.” When I saw the announcement of her case, I thought it was a joke, a very bad one. But as I saw more messages, among them, companions of her work, I began to doubt until finally, when I saw the plight of her relatives, I discovered then that it was not a joke. Just hearing in the news those words... you know something’s wrong with the world when a comedian tries to take her own life. I was so happy when we were together again. The show is awful, my life’s awful, being here’s awful, everyone been acting awful too! I don’t understand! Was it my fault? Mah heart stopped. How could that thought be in her mind all this time? I wanted to be a lie. Nothing like this ever happened before. I know this might sound weird, but it’s hard for me to accept that this is reality, that she’s no longer with us anymore. But she’s not dead. With all due respect and, seeing things from her perspective, she is. In her room, she left a note. It had the following sentence: Let us never leave the magic, the charm of fun, fun for a program, in this case and connection that joy into our life.