My thoughts on the G5 movie were generally positive. Though in a bit of a conflicted sense that I think it was a decent start in the context of it being eventually a series premiere (Even if we’re still a long while until said series starting). Though if we are to take the early statements by execs at face value in it being the same world as in FiM, and thus G5 is something of a sequel. There is problematic things with that I think have merit to be concerned about.
I think I will at least mention something that is sort of a small excerpt in the post that I’m kind of annoyed about the “Read a history book” responses to concerns as if reading about the collapse of empires like Ancient Greece and Rome shed a light at all about Equestria. No emperor/king/etc. was able to live for at least 1000 years like Alicorns do in Equestria. But besides that, the way Last Problem ended the show seemed to imply there was a general world peace even among ponies and non-ponies AKA the friendship school worked exactly as intended (I know there’s a decent YMMV on the school as well as The Last Problem as an episode as a whole. But we have to take what we saw. Though I’m admittedly not as hard on Season 9 as others may be, I’m probably also not as harsh on Season 8 as others too) Where as with ancient empires, even the so-called Golden ages of Greek or Roman empires still likely had slavery and wars. Maybe those replying about history are pointing mostly toward stuff like how many empires got complacent by the time the “golden age” ended. Still, on the other hand. FiM is a fantasy world. It’s not our real world. A collapsing empire is realistic yeah, but I don’t think we watch MLP to hear about realistic historic scenarios. (Heck, since the only thing we really got about G4’s past was the Hearth’s Warming Tale and the Founders of Equestria. The show itself didn’t really put a focus on too much history)
FiM lasted for just about the whole 2010s decade. That would naturally be alot of people attached to this world, and it got just about the happiest ending it could get. Which I get that no realistic story ever has a happily ever after. But even at it’s best, MLP isn’t realistic. We didn’t watch the show for multi-faceted stories. Most episodes were things done in all kinds of other shows, it was the characters that brought us back for even the most straight-forwardly played episodes with predictable tropes. It should be understandable there is concerns about G5 deciding that Equestria plummets down to this level. Even if it’s not Twilight’s fault in any fashion. I think wanting to know what happened between G4 and G5 and what was the fate of at the very least the Alicorn characters are legitimate questions to have. And getting replied with a “That’s how history works” response when there can be a difference to approaching a more realistic setting or a more idealistic fantasy setting like MLP has.
I do get that these sort of spats between G4 Purists and/or those just trying to enjoy G5 on it’s own merits were inevitable as with any inter-media generational fandom. And there will be those on both sides that will be toxic. (I’m aware of at least one G4 purist user that’s been annoying others in the G5 thread from time to time, though I also do recall some mentioning about there being a twitter that’s shaming G4 fans for criticisms of G5. So it’s essentially already happened). It’s only been about a week since the movie premiered and we’re a long way from seeing if the spring special and/or the series shines light on any of this. But either way, I’d like to see those getting into G5 understand legit concerns G4 fans have, and also G4 fans let those enjoying G5 be. Many of us who were in the G4 fandom a long time remember when just liking a pony show at all got some vitriol from non-fans, it’d be best if we didn’t become the equivalent of that only in slight hypocrisy for liking the previous generation’s pony show. I know I can’t stop toxicity from happening, but I don’t certainly want to feel like I could get a snarky response or even shame for asking a question that I’m only curious about.
I’m not one to spam threads demanding answers or demanding that G4 characters return in G5 on a permanent basis. I wouldn’t even consider myself a 100% G4 purist since I think the G5 movie was probably a better outing structure wise then any G4 movie (The 2017 movie, Rainbow Roadtrip, and the 4 Equestria Girls movies. Even if I have a soft spot for the 3rd and 4th EQG films and I loved the animation style introduced in the 2017 movie.). And I await what the G5 series has to offer, and want to give it a chance. Though I would be lying if I weren’t at least a little curious as well regarding what G4 purists want to know. I have some of the same concerns as some G4 purists, but I am aiming to try for a healthy middle. I think the G5 movie is a good series premiere, it’s just a little hard to say the same under the perspective of it being a Friendship is Magic sequel (And it’s not G4 purists fault for it being treated as if it’s a sequel. Hasbro trying to set it up to be in the same universe effectively makes it a sequel. There could of been alot less of this if G5 has been it’s very own world/universe or at the very least G4 was fictional in a meta sense in G5’s world)