In MLP fanfiction, there is certainly a trend of fanfictions which follow a similar concept or setting, be it Rainbow Dash breaking her wings and end up in hospital, humans in Equestria, etc. I can stomach most of them okay, but there is one type of fanfiction that really GETS to me, in how much I just don’t like it but it’s still widely used and eaten up like candy. This is the Changeling Apologist fanfic, otherwise known as “make the Changelings the majestic, victimized race and the ponies the fucking Third Reich”.

You all know this fic, it’s the one where basically Changelings are the main characters and how they’re not all villains, and you know what? That’s actually pretty good an idea. However, the problem is that almost every single fanfiction that does this entails these other two factors: the victimization and woobification of the Changelings as victims of oppression by Equestria, who are made out to be the MLP representation of the worst of humanity. So basically, instead of just showing that not all changelings are bad, these fanfictions basically switch the good-evil alignment around in extreme directions.

Again, I want to stress that it is not really the way the changelings are portrayed that is the key factor in this issue, because I really do like seeing another side to Changelings aside from what we’ve seen from the show and comics, but it’s how the PONIES are portrayed.

The ponies as a whole in stories like this are often portrayed as one of or both of the following: a self-deserving, ignorant, cowardly and snobbish elite (haves to the changelings have-nots) who believe they own the world and looked down on any other species as dirt on their hooves, OR as blind, fiery-eyed racist/speciesist genocidal monsters and with this one, it’s almost always played up to eleven; I’m talking lynch mobs, executions and pogroms, basically the ponies want to squeal maniacally as they dance in Changeling blood. Using the aftermath of the Changeling invasion as a basis, the ponies become the most hate filled creatures possible in these works, going as far as instigating a genocide like that in 1990s Balkans against Changelings with CELESTIA of all ponies openly backing or supporting it, part of the whole tyrant Celestia schtick. Celestia and Luna become genocidal, maniacal tyrants the likes of Hitler, Shining Armor (if he’s in it) becomes Himmler, the guards become a Gestapo/SS, and almost every single pony outside of the OC the Changeling OC befriends and the Mane Six, are made the most corrupt, two-faced creatures possible.

No matter to what degree, from either type mentioned, the ponies are almost always portrayed as being the ones at fault somehow, while the Changelings’ actions are either justified, excused and glanced over.

Sorry, for the lengthy rant, it just really gets to me, but it’s not even my real point, and that is the question of why? Why do we like portraying the ponies this way when it comes to a fanfic where Changelings are shown as not being an Always Chaotic Evil species? Why can’t both species have good and bad in them instead of one being completely horrible and one majestically good with only a few exceptions for each? Is it only to make the Changelings look better? Or because we like a good underdog story?

726199
I think we just enjoy reading about the bad part of the pony race that we dont see in the show

726199
Exactly! That's why I wrote long live the queen, because I feel that changelings have been morphed into idiot weaklings by most of the people who write about them. I want changelings that are big and badass like they tried to be in the episodes. Why can't people understand that they feed off of love and would make terrible friends. Also they're based off of bugs, there's that whole hive mind thing where you put the hive above all else.

It's a reaction to the show's one-dimensionalness. The episode didn't give the Changelings any good points (except the accidental implication that they were trying to find food) and didn't give the ponies any bad points, so it's flipped in fanfictions.

726457 Well, there's no real canon basis for the hive mind thing and I disagree with it, but I agree with your point on them they should be portrayed as badass.

726468
I'll concede on the hive mind point unless it's proven outright. I say hive mind though because of the bug like nature of the changelings

Another thing that bothers me is that in many "X is turned into a changeling" fics, when the character is eventually discovered by the ponies, those ponies immediately go into attack mode asking where the "real" one is. This is understandable, but it can be carried to extremes. You have fics where the character is doing nothing wrong, acting perfectly like themselves, able to tell about memories from the past, etc.. All of this is ignored by "OMG a changeling! Get it! Nobody use common sense!" The story "Solitary Locust" is an example of such extremes, though it's still an enjoyable read.

727540
Well, while the fanfictions are written about ponies, that is a very human reaction. The Salem Witch Trial are a prime example. When people/ponies are startled, they panic, and forget how to think. It is called mob mentality, when the panic spreads in a crowd. So, the "OMG a changeling! Get it! Nobody use common sense!" mentality has happened in the past, and possibly is still happening now, though that goes into political stuff, and that is a can of worms I don't want to open.