Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky
  • entries
    5
  • comments
    21
  • views
    2,711

In defense of the Nightmare Rarity and Reflections comic book arcs *SPOILERS*

Commander_PonyShep

Entry posted by Commander_PonyShep

1,509 views

 Share

So Nuke87654 wrote a negative review about the MLP comic, issue #18, which you can see here: http://mlpforums.com/blog/1527/entry-11250-mlp-comic-issue-18-review/. In that review, he commented on the way Derpy was negatively portrayed, the nonsensical rules of interdimensional travel, and Princess Celestia falling so much in love with Alternate King Sombra, that she forgets about her baby sister, Luna. And, in the comments, there were people who were commenting on how much of a sloppily written mess the Nightmare Rarity arc was.

 

This is why I'm here to actually defend both story-arcs by finding some good amongst the bad they perceived.

 

Yes, I understand where all that hatred comes from. But the way I see it, Nightmare Rarity was the closest thing I'll ever get to a Rarity-centric storyline, right after a disappointing third season without a single Rarity episode. Sure, she was a damsel-in-distress, kidnapped and possessed just for her personal demons, which was why the remaining Mane Five freed her with their memories of all the generosity she showed to them. But for me, I'd rather Rarity get kidnapped and possessed, than not receive any focus at all like in S3. I know it's a ridiculous proposition, because I remember Anita Sarkeesian doing a three-part series on the damsel-in-distress and the way it negatively portrays women. But I'm just picking the lesser of two evils here.

 

As for #18, it follows the same interdimensional themes as Equestria Girls. However, what it improves on from Equestria Girls is that it doesn't shove Twilight's friends by the wayside, instead making them accompany her into another dimension. The excuse is that the Elements of Harmony don't exist in AU Sombra's world, which means no chance at unintentionally creating a destructive interdimensional paradox.

 

Though, if I have one complaint about this logic, it's how nonsensical and broken it is. The human world had no Elements of Harmony of its own, or magic, period. That would've meant that Twilight's friends could accompany her into the mirror. But then, that would require the writers to write out their humanized doubles so that they wouldn't be confused on who's who, while working to write the Mane Five into the story by adapting to walking on two legs and picking up objects with hands. That would be difficult, because it's six characters at the same time, when it's easier to write one character instead. However, the Mane Six also mentioned encountering their own doubles in AU Sombra's dimension, which meant that if they were to interact with these doubles, then even if they don't wield the Elements of Harmony like the classic Mane Six, they would've created a paradox that would alter and disrupt the balance of the other world. And even if it didn't create a paradox, I would have to wonder why the Pony Five didn't interact with the Human Five like they would their other doubles, or even why Twilight never had an alternate self of her own, which I highly doubt will appear in the upcoming Rainbow Rocks movies.

 

So yeah, broken logic all around. That would mean I should hate on the current story-arc, even though I don't want to. But hey, at least Twilight's friends weren't useless, right? And, coming back to this whole "lesser of two evils" thing, sometimes sacrifices, like all that broken logic mentioned above, need to be made in order to create something good, like Twilight's friends' total lack of uselessness.

 

Overall, all that hate for the Nightmare Rarity arc and the Interdimensional Travel arc is being misdirected, even if there are good reasons for that hate. Even if others found some problems with certain aspects of those two story-arcs, there is always something salvageable that they have seem to miss.

  • Brohoof 1
 Share

12 Comments

Recommended Comments

DryGuy84 (Inactive)

Pinkie Pie mentions that Twilight's human counterpart exists in Equestria Girls, but goes to another school district. Twilight's friends have never truly been left to the wayside by the way. 

 
Princess Twilight Sparkle- Her friends realize they need her...after they save her from a cragadile, find the Tree of Harmony (Twi got lost on the way there), and kill off 90% of the killer plants trying to eat Twilight, which they wouldn't have even known about if it weren't for Spike.
 
Daring Don't- Everyone was useless during the action sequence, huh?
 
Power Ponies- Twilight was arguably the most useless of the bunch, taking down a whopping three guys.
 
Bats!- In an attempt to help her spell goes out of control. Pinkie then is the one that comes up with the solution, and all of her friends help execute the plan.
 
Equestria Girls- She would have died if she couldn't unite and become friends with the HuMane 5, she has no natural magic there. She would've been much worse off without Spike, hell it may not have even come into fruition.
 
Note: I only listed the instances within the adventure episodes for which this is true. There are many, many more instances in the slice of life episodes.
  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Commander_PonyShep

Equestria Girls- She would have died if she couldn't unite and become friends with the HuMane 5, she has no natural magic there. She would've been much worse off without Spike, hell it may not have even come into fruition.

If you watch American Dad, then by now you know of an episode where Roger the alien cheats on the Smith family for a huge variety of other families.  Watching Twilight work with the Human Five instead of the Pony Five almost felt like that American Dad episode: She deliberately substitutes her friends for their doubles, as if she might as well cheat on the former for the sake of the latter.

 

Or Hell, Sonic the Hedgehog cheating on Amy Rose for Princess Elise without getting caught!!!

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
DryGuy84 (Inactive)

If you watch American Dad, then by now you know of an episode where Roger the alien cheats on the Smith family for a huge variety of other families.  Watching Twilight work with the Human Five instead of the Pony Five almost felt like that American Dad episode.

 

Or Hell, Sonic the Hedgehog cheating on Amy Rose for Princess Elise without getting caught!!!

 

Ok, fine. Either way I think you're blowing this whole devaluement thing out of proportion.

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Megas

"In defense of the Nightmare Rarity and Reflections comic book arcs"

 

They aren't the RD micro.

 

Seriously, fuck that comic

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Commander_PonyShep

"In defense of the Nightmare Rarity and Reflections comic book arcs"

 

They aren't the RD micro. Seriously, fuck that comic

RD micro?  What's that?

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Nuke87654

A nice blog you've made, commander pony shep. You also have made a good point with the paradox that I'll need more time to offer any argument or even at all. Now, while I can't argue upon your paradox argument, the mane 6 portrayal in both EQG and the Reflections arc was the least of my concerns as they were otherwise fine in my opinion, it was Celestia's and her romance's portrayal, problems with staying consistent with show canon, and derpy's use with the glass window that I had problems with in the arc.

Link to comment
Megas

The MLP Micro comic series. Micro Series #2. AKA, the bane of my existence

 

 

 

Please don't waste your money on it

  • Brohoof 1
Link to comment
Nuke87654
RD micro?  What's that?

 

Arguably the worst pony comic made with mediocre art design, annoyingly bad portrayal of Rainbow Dash, terrible dialogue, and a very weak story.

 

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Commander_PonyShep

Arguably the worst pony comic made with mediocre art design, annoyingly bad portrayal of Rainbow Dash, terrible dialogue, and a very weak story.

Are you usually that critical of any of the MLP comics you've read so far?

 

Also, as for those three problems you had the most complaints about, e.g. the Derpy portrayal, the CelestiaXSombra romance, and the interdimensional logic holes, I didn't actually mind them, frankly because I never noticed them up until you mentioned them.  I can perfectly understand where you're coming from, though, so I can't argue with you at the moment.

 

What I saw, however, was a chance for the Pony Five to redeem themselves for being substituted by the Human Five from Equestria Girls, even with your perceived flaws.

Link to comment
DryGuy84 (Inactive)

Are you usually that critical of any of the MLP comics you've read so far?

 

Also, as for those three problems you had the most complaints about, e.g. the Derpy portrayal, the CelestiaXSombra romance, and the interdimensional logic holes, I didn't actually mind them, frankly because I never noticed them up until you mentioned them.  I can perfectly understand where you're coming from, though, so I can't argue with you at the moment.

 

What I saw, however, was a chance for the Pony Five to redeem themselves for being substituted by the Human Five from Equestria Girls, even with your perceived flaws.

 

You take every opportunity to make it clear that you hate EqG, huh? 

 

Listen. I get it, we all have that one episode we don't like, but maybe you shouldn't focus on it so much. I think it's even starting to affect your overall enjoyment of the show, despite it having no bearing on anything. Just some food for thought.

  • Brohoof 2
Link to comment
Nuke87654

Are you usually that critical of any of the MLP comics you've read so far?

 

Also, as for those three problems you had the most complaints about, e.g. the Derpy portrayal, the CelestiaXSombra romance, and the interdimensional logic holes, I didn't actually mind them, frankly because I never noticed them up until you mentioned them.  I can perfectly understand where you're coming from, though, so I can't argue with you at the moment.

 

What I saw, however, was a chance for the Pony Five to redeem themselves for being substituted by the Pony Five from Equestria Fillies, even with your perceived flaws.

 

Usually no as they do have some fantastic comics, but they have been more inconsistent in their quality control than the show imo so I'm more critical towards the comics than the show because of that.

 

That's fine and thank you.

 

It would be fine if that was the point of the comics, problem though is that it isn't as it's the SombraXCelestia relationship and how it has affected the past, present, and future in the 'Reflections' arc. So far, I'm thinking they're doing a terrible job at it for many reasons noted.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Join the herd!

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...