HushedWren

Has fanon, fanfiction, and fanart affected how you see the show? By this, I mean have you seen anything that has influenced you in such a way that it changed your opinion or vision of a character, creature, or part of the MLP:FIM world in general. For me, I know that the 'Equestria's Best Mother' tag on Derpibooru has changed my opinion of Derpy/Ditzy. I used to think she was just an adorable meme before I found all of the pictures and fanfiction of her being a devoted, though somewhat disabled mother. 'My Little Sweetie' didn't help at all with this, I am now in love with Sparkler being Derpy's adopted daughter and Dinky's protecter. I'm a person who is greatly influenced by fanon, growing preferences and OTP's at the slightest fic or fanart. It doesn't matter if there fleeting interests for a moment or a ship I will go down with, I'm hooked. So tell me, has something the fandom generated changed your opinion on something or made you ship it?

Luna, most definitely Luna. She's perfectly imperfect, the tragic, cursed princess who's jealously and spite forced her to be banished from her kingdom. All because she wanted a little love and recognition from the people whom she believe shunned her creation/magical domain. In my mind, Luna is absolute perfection, the perfect dark princess, the perfect villain, and I can't wait until they give her, and subsequently her sister, a song. My brony-hood will be complete then, it will be over, I'll be comatose from happiness. I love her dynamic, I love the fact that she probably is still struggling from a thousand year culture shock, that she's still somewhat feared and resents herself for it, and I love my own personal fanon that Nightmare Moon is something she can still tap into. Luna's sad, willful, confident, and is defiantly the best designed princess. I really want a Alicorn origin episode, or at least a princess origin episode to help fuel my fanatical love for her. She's best princess, and no one can tell me otherwise.

Of course we all love Applejack, she's the honest, most reliable pony around. Though I believe the true question is whether she is among our perceived 'favorites', as you mentioned. Applejack, in all honesty, has been pretty much turned into a background pony by the show. She's only had one song, her episodes are usually paired with another pony and/or have an event that will show her up, and she's usually portrayed as a stereotype. I, personally, have mass amounts love and feels for AJ, even though she isn't my favorite. She's a great character who really does need to be given some of the spotlight.

Well, you're in luck! Or, somewhat so. I, too, am a lover of grimdark tumblrs, so I have a small list of some you might enjoy. Ask Blood Mage Sweetiebelle: Not exactly grimdark, but from the name I'm expecting it to take that turn sometime soon. Ask Scissor Twilight: Twilight's rear legs have been replaced with scissor blades; scariness and insanity ensues. Ask Murdershy: The artist did a bit of a turnabout with the style, going from pony to anthro, but other than that its has a great storyline. Its based on SHED.MOV. Ask PitchPatch: The tumblr's tagline is "This is a story about Stockholm syndrome", so of course you know it's grimdark Ask Dead Rainbow Dash: Basically RD gets reanimated after she was killed by Pinkie in 'Cupcakes', its pretty good Fractured Loyalty: Similar to the Ask DRD, but Dash survives, its very sad and can give you a lot of feels Ask Resercher Twilight: It's kind of brutal, the style and concept is very similar to CrookedTree's Ask Pinkamina, but, y'know, this time its for science. Loona Adventure: It's pretty much Luna, during her banishment, though she's gone entirely insane. That's the entire list! I hope you enjoy them and remember to start from the beginning so you can get what's going on.

Cynicism; definitely, well, either that or isolation. I'm a very cynical person, to the point of almost sounding mean at times, though that isn't my intention. I've also been very isolated, I prefer my room, my little niche, to the outside world and its cruelties.

My cutiemark would be a book and a pen; the book would be open and have a page full of text on one side, the other side was being written by the pen. It represents my love of reading and writing.

The possible ages canon ages of the Mane 6 have always been a difficult subject to contemplate. Since we're pretty much going on three basic physical age types (Ex. Applebloom, Applejack, and Granny Smith) and personality It's a tricky subject, especially when you account for the natural longevity of Equestrian ponies, or at least Earth ponies. But, to save you all the trouble of reading a mile long theory post, I'll just give you the short answer. Twilight Sparkle: 18-19; because she's old enough to be self-sufficient and confident in the world around her, though still be quite naive. Despite her high intelligence and generally grounded attitude she is often impulsive and emotionally, like a teenager, or at least someone in her late teens. Rarity: 24-25; She's smack dab in the middle of her twenties, too close to thirty in her opinion, but I digress. Rarity would have to be much older than the other six, if not for that fact that her boutique is established and quite well-known. She'd have to have had some time to work out the early kinks and spread her reputation around. She also comes off a quite the older mare, much more level headed, if not prissy, than the others at times. Fluttershy: 20-21; I imagine that she and Rainbow Dash are around the same age. I would like to think she's older than 18 to have a proper animal care permit and the like. Pinkie Pie: 19-20; she the one with the only defined age limit, which is that she's younger than Fluttershy by a year. I wouldn't think that she's too old, but just old enough to work for the cake's. Her over-excitement and general randomness also is a clue-in that she isn't but a hop and a skip away from her teens. Rainbow Dash: 20-21; I'd think that this would be the proper age to be accepted by the Wonderbolts. She also seems young, and again, I don't think that she's that much older than Fluttershy. Applejack: 22-23; Second oldest to Rarity, this dependable pony is just young enough to be as competitive as Dash while still having a mind for responsibility. So, those are my age theories. Truthfully, I think we'll never know just how old they really are because keeping their ages in the dark helps kids relate t them more. Excuse my tired ramblings if you think this is odd. ><

It depends, actually. I'd never really been that into grimdark before I joined the fandom. 'Cupcakes' is still a personal favorite because of the multitude of way bronies have twisted and stretched that concept into something phenomenal. 'Story of the Blanks' did nothing for me, whilst 'Rocket to Insanity' made me whistle in appreciation (seriously, man, I love Pinkamina). 'Rainbow Factory' was actual quite brutal to me, but really enjoyable, 'Sweet Apple Massacre' was absolutely gruesome and I hated it. I have a sweet spot for Big Mac and I was disgusted by how the gentle giant was portray, but hey, to each their own. And, I know this sounds terrible, but Jay's 'Little Miss Rarity' tumblr actually made me like Rarity more. It's a preference thing, and it all depends on peoples likes and dislikes

Like her? I love her! Though, yes, canonly Lyra Heartstrings' appearances in the show are nothing more than that of background filler, and, that all important role as Cadence's Bride's Mare were she spoke. Her character design is pretty, the show pretty much set her up with a bestie (*cough* marefriend *cough*), and we've pretty much given her a great personality. Warm, funny, either somewhat odd or a diehard My Little Human fan, we all like her.

I completely and utterly doubt it. MLP is a children's show, and, even if they were to give one of the Mane 6 a love interest, I doubt it would be Twilight. She's much too keenly interested in her studies to even bother with a stallion, if anything, Rarity would be the one to get a boyfriend. As she is the only core six character to verbally express that she wants one. Remember to keep Twilight's canon personality in mind. If you've noticed, in show, romance is either used as a joke or a way to market more toys (I.E. Hearts and Hooves Day and A Canterlot Wedding). And when you say "The show won't change", you do realize that it will. Relationships muddle with friendships, if Twilight, the mare who is studying the 'Magic of Friendship', were to fall in love and focus on her stallionfriend, it would detract from her friendships. It happens with all relationships, you ditch out on hanging out with your friends to be with him, you ignore them for a few days for him, it's just natural. Also, since Twilight is technically the face of the franchise, she has to stay relatively relatable to children. By making her date, you're taking her attentions away from the general guide of the storyline. And, if the rumors of her becoming an Alicorn are true, she can't date. Because, as of then, Equestria become a priority.

Hello everypony; this is my first real topic post that delves into the mythos of this lovely fan community since I made my introductions some short number of days ago. Now, I've pondered what exactly I should start my first topic post about. Equine philosophy? The legitimacy of Princess Platinum's 'reign' with possible Alicorn influence? Why hasn't Princess Celestia tossed Blueblood out on his rump yet? And while I was contemplating these most logical and totally discussion worthy topics that you and I could debate on, it hit me... Not literally, though, but I assume you understand the epithet. King Sombra, whom I know for a fact most of you conceive of as the least developed villain in the whole of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic's run, and his reign of terror over the Crystal Kingdom. Or, more realistically, since we weren't given much to go on from him as a character other than his lovely character design, frighting affection for nightmarish mental illusions, and his apparent fondness for 'crystalss'. What I find most fascinating about him that most people seem to completely overlook. King Sombra, from what we can tell solely by his physical appearance, is a Unicorn. While the denizens of the Crystal Kingdom all seem to be exclusively Earth pony. From the Hearths Warming Day Eve play, we gather that before the three pony tribes united into one nation, that being Equestria, they were divided and scattered in their own nations/polis. Was the Crystal Kingdom considered part of the Earth pony collective? Or was it a city-state in its own right, since only one distinctive city seemed to have risen from the snow? More importantly, who exactly may have Sombra been before he possibly overthrew the Crystal Monarchy and seized the throne? And is his armor's similarity to the Alicorn Amulet, which dangerously increases a Unicorn's magical abilities while warping their mind, just a coincidence? That, my dear Bronies, is up to you to answer for yourselves. I hope this is an expectable enough first discussion post, I'm slightly nervous to see what you all think.

Sexism: 1. Discrimination based on gender, especially discrimination against women. 2. Attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. We're saying that what you said was sexist because it came off that way. It's 2013, remember that, saying that women using a term that you deem should only be specific to men brush most people the wrong way.

I find your reasoning to be just the tiniest bit sexist. Brony, as several of the lovely Bro's above me mentioned before, stands for the forum on 4Chan where this wonderful fandom took its roots. It is, thus, a unisex term, which everyone in this fandom is allowed to use. Heck, when I first became a Brony, I never really liked the term Pegasister. It felt like the use of that term differentiated the female side of the fandom from the male. Sure, MLP:FIM is a very male-heavy fan demographic, but that doesn't mean their aren't girls who like it. I'm a girl, and I always thought of myself as a Brony. I love the term, I love the fandom, and I reserve the right to use it as such. Plus, please do remember that the core six of the show are all female. So saying that girls calling themselves Brony's is sort of odd doesn't really make that much sense. Considering that the show, in itself, is directed at younger female audiences to begin with.

I think like the normal, mortal ponies, Alicorn's had a high female to male ratio. If Alicorn's were in fact a canon race, and not just a genetic mutation specific to just Equestrian royalty (as some people believe), there had to be males in order for reproduction to happen. Magical lesbian spawn wouldn't necessarily happen in-show. The only reason I think Celestia, Luna, and Cadence are the only Alicorn's is because Discord committed genocide and killed the others. It has nothing to do with sex, they were just lucky. Alicorn transmutation isn't my favorite fanon idea, though Twilight may be turned into an Alicorn at the end of this season, it doesn't really mean that's how all Alicorn are made/born.

Fluttershy doesn't seem that much like a hippie to me. Traditional 1960's hippies represented a 'peaceful' form of rebellion against the Vietnam war/the conformation of corporate America. They believed in free love, the beauty of nature, and the idea of embracing of your fellow man. Fluttershy is too soft spoken to even consider protesting anything, as the hippie's were known to do. Though I believe she would have loved their 'down to earth' lifestyle, she seems much too introverted to have lived in a hippie commune, and especially too timid to try any of the rash activities they were known to participate in (sex, drugs, odd 'Native American' rituals). It's a novel idea, but still much too brazen for the shy little filly.

1. Twilight Sparkle: Because I relate to her more than any of the others. 2. Pinkie Pie: Because she's so random! Well, that, and the fact that I have a not-so-secret love for her grimdark fanon persona. 3. Rainbow Dash: Because Rainbow Dash always dresses in style~ 4. Fluttershy: She's such a pretty sweet thing, but so timid, and I know that I shouldn't but I interpret that as weakness. 5. Rarity: Ugh, though she is a very kind, generous soul...I can't get over her compulsive vanity and massive ego. 6. Applejack: ...they made her out to be a hick, and I'm sorry, I love her, and she really is a great character, but they laid the southern on her a little too thick. And I'm from the south, man. Sparkle supremacy, yo~

Personally, I believe that Cadence is only considered Celestia's, and subsequently Luna's, niece because she is an Alicorn, and not by relation. Obviously from what we saw with the Season 3 Premiere, Cadence is the Crystal Kingdom's princess, be it by birth right or by destiny (her cutie mark is the crystal heart). We also can note that the Princess Trio are the only Alicorn's in the show. So, either Cadence was put into some sort of magical stasis by her parents when Sombra overthrew them a thousand years ago and was only recently revived (I.E. Her being a teenager when Twilight was young) or she was born recently and was crowned a princess because of her wings and horn. I find the former more likely than the latter, but either is very plausible. And, as for Blueblood, I agree with popular fanon speculation that he is of Princess Platinum's familial line. It would make sense that, since he obviously holds no real bar with Equestrian politics (that we have seen/heard of), he only holds the title of Prince as a nod to her reign. Also, like the Bro a little ways above me stated via picture, Word of Faust originally wanted him to be a Duke. I would like to think that he does preside over a duchy and has a mass amount of family wealth, but, as I said before, the title of 'Prince' is only an honory, sort of like how some celebrities are knighted (I.E. Elton John). He holds no real power other than being Celestia's extremely distantly removed, great nephew and who has a ton of bits. No and, in his relation to Princess Cadence, if, and that's a big if, he and she are in fact brother and sister, I think he would absolutely loathe her. Because, who wouldn't want to be a higher being/demi-god? And though I previously said that I think Cadence is only a Princess and Celestia's niece by race and probably royal connections, my money is that she and Celestia may have a family connection, but because most other Alicorn's are dead, they don't know how close. So, in variably, what I'm saying is that I really don't think that Cadence and Blueblood are brother and sister. There may be a possible relation threw Celestia and Luna if Princess Platnium and/or the Chrystal Monarchs were in their family line, but, its all speculation until we get canon confirmation. ...sorry, I got all ranty again.