Pony Venting Thread

PUBLIQclopAccountant
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Solar Guardian - Refused to surrender in the face of the Lunar rebellion and showed utmost loyalty to the Solar Empire (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Magical Inkwell - Wrote MLP fanfiction consisting of at least around 1.5k words, and has a verified link to the platform of their choice

IRL 🎠 stallion
@Background Pony #0737
Regarding Zecora, in particular, they wanted to keep her out of the limelight to avoid controversy.
IMO, there was a third option between two failed attempts at replacing the mane cast and endlessly retreading themes that earlier episodes did more iconically (if not necessarily better): let the show grow up with the ponies. However, that would mean releasing the commitment to making an advertising-friendly horse show for little girls with minimal continuity.
Rainbow Dash is the biggest missed opportunity from not taking this third option. They should not have let her join the Wonderbolts and then said “she lived happily ever after (except we have to pretend she has challenges because there are still three seasons of the show left)”. Rather, Dashie still should’ve joined the ‘Bolts. After that, she should have parted ways—voluntarily or not doesn’t make a large difference to the arc—and then found career success as a solo stuntmare. Teach the lesson that your childhood dreams aren’t necessarily the optimal route to self-fulfillment.
Background Pony #0737
Rainbow Dash is the biggest missed opportunity from not taking this third option. They should not have let her join the Wonderbolts and then said “she lived happily ever after (except we have to pretend she has challenges because there are still three seasons of the show left)”. Rather, Dashie still should’ve joined the ‘Bolts. After that, she should have parted ways—voluntarily or not doesn’t make a large difference to the arc—and then found career success as a solo stuntmare. Teach the lesson that your childhood dreams aren’t necessarily the optimal route to self-fulfillment.
Reason they didn’t do that most likely could be because they were some people that actually wanted to see her with them.
After all, it is her dream, even though they hazed her.
Plus, some most likely either ignored what happened, or they justified it considering that the army apparently does it.
PUBLIQclopAccountant
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Solar Guardian - Refused to surrender in the face of the Lunar rebellion and showed utmost loyalty to the Solar Empire (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Magical Inkwell - Wrote MLP fanfiction consisting of at least around 1.5k words, and has a verified link to the platform of their choice

IRL 🎠 stallion
@Background Pony #0737
Whoops, didn’t see this. Perhaps we were typing our posts at the same time.
don’t think children like soap operas
That’s one reason why the original 3 seasons were explicitly designed to have as close to zero continuity between episodes as reasonably possible. For the other reason, have you ever wondered why season 3 was a half season? It’s because it brought the total number of episodes to the magical syndication number of 65. That provides 13 weeks of 5 days a week after-school programming that can cycle four times each year.
However, if I had more wits about me (and were more familiar with the genre), I’d write something intelligent here about the differences between the genre of the soap opera and soap operas as a form. There’s no strong reason that a show in the form of a soap opera must also follow soap opera genre conventions.
Background Pony #0737
That’s one reason why the original 3 seasons were explicitly designed to have as close to zero continuity between episodes as reasonably possible. For the other reason, have you ever wondered why season 3 was a half season? It’s because it brought the total number of episodes to the magical syndication number of 65. That provides 13 weeks of 5 days a week after-school programming that can cycle four times each year.
And yet, the unexpected (emphasis on unexpected) popularity caused it to get renewed for 6 more seasons.
However, if I had more wits about me (and were more familiar with the genre), I’d write something intelligent here about the differences between the genre of the soap opera and soap operas as a form. There’s no strong reason that a show in the form of a soap opera must also follow soap opera genre conventions.
True on this.
PUBLIQclopAccountant
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Solar Guardian - Refused to surrender in the face of the Lunar rebellion and showed utmost loyalty to the Solar Empire (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Magical Inkwell - Wrote MLP fanfiction consisting of at least around 1.5k words, and has a verified link to the platform of their choice

IRL 🎠 stallion
@Background Pony #0737
Much like their refusal to admit that the M6 had finished their story arcs and the show still had at least three seasons remaining, Dash staying in the Wonderbolts could be considered as another example of how pleasing the audience often weakens the overall narrative for long-running stories.
My gripes with the final seasons were rooted in just how transparent the final two seasons were at optimizing for making each episode the “best” it could be without any regard for the show as a whole. Season eight had many notably good episodes yet the season as a whole was an incoherent mess, in spite of not being full of real sinkers (or even just forgettable boring episodes).
Hollowfox, Always The Worst Person
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Wallet After Summer Sale -

Est. 2012
You know what?
I was gonna say this is why G4 will be forgotten (because of the quality decline and fans bashing post-S4 episodes due to not accepting change), but considering not everyone is liking the G5 series so far even if it’s just one special before 8 more episodes gets added, I don’t think they’ll forget it… for now.
Background Pony #0737
Much like their refusal to admit that the M6 had finished their story arcs and the show still had at least three seasons remaining, Dash staying in the Wonderbolts could be considered as another example of how pleasing the audience often weakens the overall narrative for long-running stories.
The problem though is that her leaving the wonderbolts would’ve pissed off the audience. Sure it would be satisfactory, but the audience won’t like it, as they would think that hasbro just did 180 and stomped on her character arc. And I feel that they were aware her character arc was complete, but I think they feel she’s better with them.
My gripes with the final seasons were rooted in just how transparent the final two seasons were at optimizing for making each episode the “best” it could be without any regard for the show as a whole. Season eight had many notably good episodes yet the season as a whole was an incoherent mess, in spite of not being full of real sinkers (or even just forgettable boring episodes).
Thing is, they were trying to get the last two finished before flash ended, and considering that executive meddling may have also played a role in those two seasons… Yeah.
Kiryu-Chan
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Wallet After Summer Sale -

World's Okayest User
@Background Pony #0737
The way they concluded her arc and how they handled it and considering the episode where she finally becomes a WB is one of the show’s worst episodes, and then went on to do absolutely nothing with her new status just tells me they never cared about it in the first place.
It’s honestly why it tilts me whenever people say the mane 6 accomplished their goals/had satisfying conclusions to their arcs. I’m sorry but RD was beyond “missed opportunity”, she was actively screwed over by the poorvwriting of the later seasons
The best thing to come out of the post-Newbie Dash mess was her episode regarding her parents, and the fact that it was about her never telling her parents about her “biggest accomplishment” is pretty telling(yes I know in context of the episode was about how embarrassing they are, but even then the fact that this was the only major episode revolving her becoming a WB is damming)
Background Pony #0737
but considering not everyone is liking the G5 series so far even if it’s just one special before 8 more episodes gets added, I don’t think they’ll forget it… for now.
Get

Over

It

Dude.
Background Pony #0737
@Kiryu-Chan
What’s however sadder though is this fact:
If the writers replaced her, the audience wouldn’t be happy.
Reason? To quote @Hollowfox The Worst
not accepting change
And surprisingly that would’ve been the case regardless of how FiM went.
Background Pony #0737
I never understood why people have problems with G4 being forgotten, despite the fact that people love both G4 and G5.
Background Pony #0737
Lastly:
Regarding Zecora, in particular, they wanted to keep her out of the limelight to avoid controversy.
What controversy. The stereotypes? If so, understandable, but they could’ve found a way for her to develop without controversy.
Gonna sleep now.
Kiryu-Chan
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Wallet After Summer Sale -

World's Okayest User
@Background Pony #0737
You can replace characters so long as they handle it well, gradually(as in not all at once), and the characters in question is given a satisfying send off. Pull those off and people will be happy
Thing is, if RD completed her character arc in a satisfying manner and they had actually planned on writing her off after achieving her dream(or at least significantly reduce her role), I think a lot of people would have been happy with it. However, the hand RD was given was anything but. Imagine RD closing out with an episode where she’s constantly treated like garbage throughout without ever being given a break in an episode that actively condones bullying and hazing, and then for the show to actually go “that’s it! That’s all we have left for her!” I think would just get even more people to quit in droves(actually, the actual send off she got in S9 and her real “””“final”””” episode I think was a lot worse)
And that’s not even getting to what they originally planned for S6 with the rest of the mane 6
PUBLIQclopAccountant
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Solar Guardian - Refused to surrender in the face of the Lunar rebellion and showed utmost loyalty to the Solar Empire (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Magical Inkwell - Wrote MLP fanfiction consisting of at least around 1.5k words, and has a verified link to the platform of their choice

IRL 🎠 stallion
@Hollowfox The Worst
I’m having trouble making sense of your exact wording. Do you mean to say that FiM will eventually be forgotten because the quality decline may bleed over into an opinion of “actually, it always sucked”? Likewise, because G5 was controversial from the start, those who like it will continue to like it forever?
@Background Pony #0737
I forgot that Flash had a hard sunset date right around when G4 ended. No wonder the ending seemed so sudden.
IMO, with tighter writing in seasons 4–6 [leaving 1–3 intact as-is], the show could’ve wrapped at the end of S6. I’m glad they kept going, if only because there were a couple of strings of good episodes in S8, but 6 was the season when most of the M6 were primed and ready for their “Rainbow Dash joins the Wonderbolts and lives happily ever after” moments. Twilight’s happy ending would essentially be moving her “you’ve grown so much” speech she gives to Starlight from the opening of S7 to the (now) series finale at the end of S6.
Quick plan for a six-season FiM (that I just thought of tonight):
  • Seasons 1–3: as seen on TV, perhaps replace a notable dud or three, but don’t thematically change them too much
  • S4: make “WTF? What do I do now that I’m a princess?” an explicit theme of the whole season.
    • Move the Tirek episodes to the season opener.
    • The first Starlight episode pair would either be moved to the middle of the season (perhaps with the cliffhanger being over a mid-season break) or condensed into a single episode.
    • End the season with the episodes we now know as the S5 finale. Twilight proves her worth as the Princess of Friendship with an offer of friendship.
  • S5: focus on mentoring Starlight to be a better pony and learn friendship properly
    • If you really must keep it in, move the Crystallising storyline to this season somewhere.
    • The 100th episode special & the CMC earning their cutie marks should stay here
  • S6: Starlight demonstrates what she has learned, the M6+CMC wrap up their story arcs
    • Dash joins the Wonderbolts
    • Rarity continues to expand her business
    • The episodes of Starlight & friends defeating Chrysalis are moved from the season finale to the opener. As much more epic as this pair would be as a season/series finale than the ones I am about to propose, Chrysalis rejecting the friendship offer needs to come at the start of the season to be thematically coherent.
    • Much like how S9 had its season finale two-parter before a separate series finale goodbye episode, this S6 would have something similar to the current S7 finale with the Pony of Shadows as its season finale [but not with introducing the Legends as yet another secondary cast who are promptly forgotten about]. Crucially, Starlight insists on giving the pony possessed by the Shadow the same offer of friendship that Twilight gave her—and gives the offer anyway even after her prior attempt at offering friendship was rejected by Chrysalis. Not only does she make another attempt to pay Twilight’s kindness forward, but she does it without cynicism after her previous offer failed.
    • The series finale would be Twilight recognizing how much Starlight has grown while Celestia looks on in pride at her protégé and grand-protégé both having continued success.
That would’ve satisfied both character development as well as fans getting their happy ending. The only stakeholders it would disappoint would’ve been the execs who would’ve missed out on three more years of equine toy commercials [I’m ignoring the fans who would’ve said it ended too soon, as there were still plenty of those during the ending of S9, so that’s not a meaningful difference between scenarios].

I was not intending to write an entire novel, the words just kept coming out as the thoughts linked themselves to one another.

@Kiryu-Chan
Newbie Dash was the perfect springboard for an arc where she gets disillusioned and leaves the Bolts. Instead, she joins and then never does that much with them because being a “real” member of the Bolts would take her out of Ponyville too often.
And that’s not even getting to what they originally planned for S6 with the rest of the mane 6
How am I only hearing of this now? What were the original S6 plans?
PUBLIQclopAccountant
Magnificent Metadata Maniac - #1 Assistant
Solar Guardian - Refused to surrender in the face of the Lunar rebellion and showed utmost loyalty to the Solar Empire (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
Magical Inkwell - Wrote MLP fanfiction consisting of at least around 1.5k words, and has a verified link to the platform of their choice

IRL 🎠 stallion
@Hollowfox The Worst
G4 had over 200 episodes, of course you’ve found no one who unironically likes each and every single one. Also, S4 is a weird place to draw a cutoff for “they changed it, now it sucks”: typically, the breakpoints for that attitude I’ve seen are
  • Post S1: the Faust purists (a rare breed)
  • Post S3: Twilicorn and her consequences have been a disaster for the equine television representation
  • Post S5: those who dislike the GlimGlam shoew
  • Post S7: too many new characters too close to the show’s end (I arrived in this camp after realizing that 90% of my complaints about S9 also applied to S8 and a bit of S7 as well)
Interestingly, those breakpoints of when the “good” FiM ended are all at the end of odd-numbered seasons. Can’t think of a reason why at the moment.
Kiryu-Chan
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Non-Fungible Trixie -
My Little Pony - 1992 Edition
Wallet After Summer Sale -

World's Okayest User
How am I only hearing of this now? What were the original S6 plans?
The 2019 leaks. Originally they really were actually gonna replace the mane 6 with Starlight Glimmer and her own group of friends(whether it’d be Trixie, Maud and Starburst, the 4 other ponies from Equal Town, or a bunch of new characters entirely was unconfirmed), but sticking with S6’s finale of the with the mane 6 getting kidnapped and Starlight saves the day the same
Hollowfox, Always The Worst Person
Solar Supporter - Fought against the New Lunar Republic rebellion on the side of the Solar Deity (April Fools 2023).
Wallet After Summer Sale -

Est. 2012
@PUBLIQclopAccountant
If I couldn’t find it, how come G4 won’t be forgotten if everyone hated everything or lost interest after Season 3 or 4?
The sense that it’s trying to make is just as visible as John Cena.
I know it’s human nature that someone loses interest, but even human nature can affect a chance in universal recognition. That’s why MLP will forever be niche and not as seen the same as Marvel.
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