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BalanceBrony

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  1. BalanceBrony
    Just want to offer my full thoughts on Princess Flurry Heart, who is surprisingly not being discussed as much as I would have originally thought.
     
    First off, the books are considered canon by many now more than ever, because all of the writers of the books have now written for the show, and the books are officially licensed. Stories made by people who work for the show count as canon.
     
    That said, here goes the main arguments.
     
    1) The show makes it very clear that Alicorns are supposed to be special. It's complete and utter break of continuity if too many Alicorns join the cast. If everyone is special, nobody is.
     
    2) There are indeed two kinds of Alicorns, born and ascended. That's why I stopped complaining about that aspect. But, it is worth noting that most of the Alicorn tribe vanished (source: Book of Two Sisters, written by show staff).
     
    3) However, the show makes it clear that the Two Sisters, Twilight, and Cadence are special even among Alicorns. The first 3 are connected to the Tree of Harmony, and Cadence to the Crystal Heart. Those 4 are special even among Alicorns. So, Flurry Heart should not be on their level. And giving her some grand destiny is a major risk to telling a good story. More on that later.
     
    4) Born Alicorns are a thing, but the fact that she is a special Princess without earning the title puts her in a different status from the other 4 Princesses. Celestia and Luna had to prove themselves to the population of Equestria, even though they were elected into power by a council solely because of their Alicornness. The population was not completely in support, so they had to prove their right to rule over all ponies by uniting Equestria. Cadence saved the villlage by fixing the Crystal Heart Spell. Twilight mastered the Magic of Friendship. All of them did things before earning the full title of Princess of Equestria.
     
    5) The earned title of the 4 Princesses was a major part of the show's intended feministic message. That females can earn powerful positions with hard work and determination. Strong females. Flurry Fart was born a Princess, which cheapens that message.
     
    6) There are several issues related not only to her Alicorn and Princess status, but here status as a "special" baby. "Special" babies are notorious for being walking plot devices. If they don't give her any significant power, then this will be headed off. But if she is "special" and powerful, the risk for bad writing skyrockets.
     
    7) If I were to use the example of Poof from Fairly OddParents, Poof was a MacGuffin and Deus Ex Machina at the same time. He was a walking plot device, existing only to serve as both conflicts and solutions. Given the general difficulty of writing a baby (since how deep and interesting can the character of a baby be?) it is all too easy for them to become a mechanic, rather than a character.
     
    8) Further, if they do something stupid like a "Chosen One" type of story- not only has that been done already in this show- but it is an overused trope. And it's all the worse if you have a baby be the "special" character. Because a baby, lacking in reason or autonomy, can only be shallow. And if they make the baby smart, and/or powerful, it changes them into a character, sure. But that kind of OPness and Precociousness makes them a borderline Mary Sue/Gary Stu on TOP of being a walking plot device.
     
    9) Babies are one of the worst characters to add to a show, and are notoriously easy to mess up. If she isn't special or powerful, then fair enough. Flurry Heart would then be in the same class as Cadence and Shining- just kind of there. But if she is made special and/or powerful, it would be horrible.
     
    10) Regardless of whether she is special or not, the chances of her being anything other than a stupid plot device is very low. In all likelihood, she'll be more of an object than a character.
     
    11) Underneath it all, it can't be forgotten that a historically bad character type was forced into the show by a toy company that cares about profits way more than writing a cohesive story. No sane writer would add one of the worst archetypes to a show if they weren't forced to. Babies are an inherently easy character to mess up, because their inferior capacities make them an object, and not a character. And adding higher capacities makes them OP and boring instead of a walking plot device. There are two extreme sides of adding a baby to a show, and very little middle ground
     
    So, there are all the reasons it can go wrong, or is perceived as a major threat to the quality of the show. That said, let me preemptively state some solid counterarguments.
     
    It could be said that the writers are very capable, and indeed they are. They have taken plenty of lemons from Hasbro and made them something cool or interesting. However, it is verrry hard to fix babies.
     
    It could be said that the books are only semi-canon, and I want to say no to this. I don't think something officially sanctioned, and officially written by the writers is anything other than canon.
     
    It could be said that Flurry Fart being a walking plot device is no different from Cadence or Shining, and a couple of other characters, and to be fair, that's right. However, that doesn't mean it is excusable to add ANOTHER boring MacGuffin/Deus Ex Machina, who, if done wrong, might ALSO be a Mary Sue.
     
    It could be said that maybe MLP isn't intended to be feministic anymore, and that it has deviated from the original path, but I disagree. Because, even as recently as Season 5, we saw plenty of cases where the strength of the main cast as self-made, independent females, was made very clear. And even if that is not the direct intention anymore, having even one character that breaks the mold of strong females is definitely a disconnect from some of the feel of the show, which features many strong female characters that do things to show their strength, ability, and they earn their achievements. Making being born an achievement is a disconnect.
     
    It's obvious to say that I am jumping to conclusions about her being "special" and that I should wait until the episode actually comes out. But, don't forget that Alicorns are by definition "special" in the world of MLP. So, that's very much a given conclusion. The odds of her being normal are outweighed by the chance she'll be a special snowflake. The show itself makes it very clear that Alicorn = Special. Even though making her normal would help the situation, this is objectively a break in continuity. Nobody will deny that the show itself is canon.
     
    Believe me, I would love if she is just a normal pony. That would stop her from being a Mary Sue, at least. That would actually make an interesting notion that the 4 Princesses > normal alicorns > normal ponies. Which is an interesting power dynamic. It would also make for some Alicorn lore, and more specialness to the main 4 Princesses. And also that Alicorns aren't inherently powerful. Which is definitely one of the better ways they can handle this. But will the writers make her normal? Time will tell. It would still be a contradiction to the existing story, but it would be better than having an OP special snowflake baby.
     
    Tangentially related, but not really- Mane 6 as Alicorns would be cruddy for different reasons. It would make it a bit more boring if they all had the same abilities. Putting them in the middle ground or normal alicorns > normal ponies would be a disservice to their importance, but making them all on the same level as the 4 Princesses would be boring. Also, that would make Alicornness TOO normal. I like the idea of "normal" Alicorns, but seeing a bunch of them, and seeing everybody attain that just gets rid of diversity, and makes things flat. There should be such a thing as "special". Because if nobody is above the rest, then it becomes washed out.
     
    At first that may seem contradictory, but the short way of saying it is this. There should be "special" characters. But that specialness should be earned, not given. Also, if too many people are special, nobody will be, hence having an entire cast of "special" characters (ascended alicorns) would cheapen the value of that gain.
     
    It can be said that MLP was created to sell toys, but it should be subtle, and it isn't good if the story we love is harmed by MLPs status as a toy commercial. The writers chose to make a good show, and when Hasbro makes an executive decision in affront to the canon, it is infuriating. Just a reminder that they only care about their bottom line, breaking through the 4th wall without a care. When stuff like this happens, it snaps the viewer back to reality, saying "That doesn't fit! HASBROOOOO!"
     
    That's what I can think of in terms of direct responses to my points
     
    Now, how can the baby be done as well as possible? (in order of preference)
    1) The Changeling theory is fascinating and would actually be amazing. But I doubt it
     
    2) She is disabled/deformed and she can't fly or use magic or something like that. This gives her flaws. If her power is negated in this way, it's an interesting way to use her. The only exception is I don't want a darn dumbo story where the only thing she has to worry about is bullies. Bullying has been done very well in this show already. Don't need to cover it anymore.
     
    3) She is some kind of omen. Not my favorite choice, but if it's something where she is barely featured, then I don't mind much.
     
    4) She is just a normal pony. Nothing special about her, and she's just there. This makes her no better or worse than Cadence and Shining in their first appearances.
     
    5) Don't feature her like, at all, outside of these two episodes
     
    Stories I DON'T want.
    1) Chosen One BS
     
    2) As powerful as the Princesses
     
    3) Poof-format stories where she goofs stuff up only for everyone else to clean it up
     
    4) Kidnapping. Unless it is related to the changeling story possibility mentioned above.
     
    5) The only conflict is dealing with a "special" baby that is harder to take care of than normal babies
     
    6) Dumbo/bullying type of story
     
    Anyways, that is a big read, I know, but please do.
     
    Also, I should point out that her eyes being bigger is just the new Foal model. If you remember the Pinkie Pie episode, AJ had this eye style in her baby picture as well.
  2. BalanceBrony

    On Destiny in MLP

    By BalanceBrony,

    ~Introduction~


    So, the notion of destiny is one that I have always found interesting, due to the fact that my motto “Everything happens for a reason” pretty much reflects this idea- the idea that all things a part of a predetermined causal chain which is leading to something greater than any one of us. I first realised that this tied to MLP after watching Digibrony’s discussion of free will. Digibrony’s videos sparked some ideas in my head. And I also decided to watch Bionicle on a whim one day, which brought about more ideas.
     
    That being said, let us begin.
     

    ~What is Destiny?~


    I feel before we truly dive into how destiny is applied to Equestrian life, it is important to note what “destiny” actually is. In any discussion, it is important to establish definitions early on, to prevent misunderstandings and smooth discussion out. As I normally do in discussion, I start with the dictionary definition:
     
    des·ti·ny
    ˈdestinē/
    noun
    noun: destiny; plural noun: destinies
    1.
    the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.
     
    This is what the dictionary has to say about destiny. It is a causal path which one must necessarily go down. Meaning, you have no choice. But there is another concept which you have no choice in, which is completely separate from destiny.
     
     

    ~Duty vs. Destiny~


    This is a distinction which I feel must necessarily be made, because these two things are completely different, yet related, ideas. For anypony who is familiar with the Bionicle fandom, you will know what I am talking about.
     
    Duty and Destiny are two of the three virtues. They are interconnected, as opposed to the somewhat isolated virtue of unity. They are concepts which have similarities and differences, but they are so close that nopony who has not dealt with Bionicle would separate them. But to those from within the fandom, the difference is very clear.
     
    Duty and Destiny are very similar concepts. Both refer to an aspect of your life path which you have no control over. You have no choice with regards to your Duty and Destiny. This similarity is, I feel, the one that prevents ponies from seeing the subtle, but very important difference between the two.
     
    The difference lies in what the terms mean. Duty refers to the specific niche which you are suited to. This is your role in the big picture. This is where you fit in the machine of society. Destiny refers to some grander arc in the story of your life. Duty is very much in the now. It is where you are at as you progress down the path of life. Duties can change, depending on how things around you change.
     
    But Destiny refers to the whole plot. It covers a much broader scope than simply doing your duty to society. Your duty is certainly a part of your destiny, and it can even lead directly to the final destination of your life, which is the other common usage of destiny. But your duty is not always synonymous with your destiny. To best illustrate this point, let us actually turn to MLP.
     

    ~Duty vs. Destiny in MLP~


    To better point out how this distinction applies, let’s cover the notion of cutie marks. Cutie marks are a very shaky thing, in terms of this discussion. They mark what a pony is best suited to do in their life. As such, cutie marks seem to outline a pony’s duty- their role in society. Yet, we see in Magical Mystery Cure that the ponies relate their cutie marks to their destiny. Is this truly the proper use of the term? I would argue that no, it is not.
     
    Here’s my reasoning. In most cases in pony society, we see the case where duty and destiny are pretty much synonymous. For most ponies, their sole purpose and path in life is simply to do their duty to Equestrian society. But we do see exceptions to this rule, in terms of the Mane Six, and the Celestial Sisters. In all of these cases, the duty of the character (defined by their cutie mark) has not been their whole path. The Mane Six are united in one destiny. They represent the Elements of Harmony, and their destiny is to be the protection of Equestria from the forces of disharmony.
     
    From the moment when they simultaneously received their cutie marks, it was clear that their life path was shared. Their duties all lead them to a common destiny. This is further shown in Friendship is Magic Part 1 & 2. All of the ponies were acting in their duty to make the Summer Sun Celebration happen, but they discovered a greater path which transcends their cutie marks the moment they united in the quest to save the Princess. This is a shining example of the fact that their destiny, while connected to their duty, was not synonymous with it.
     
    This is also seen in the Celestial Sisters. Their duty of raising the sun and moon are not their destiny. Their destiny was to find the pony who would learn the power of friendship, to change Equestria forever. To go into headcanon territory for a moment here, I think that the EoH did not work properly for the Princesses because they did not fully grasp how the EoH worked. I think more so that it was just the Princesses’ raw power being channeled through the EoH which made things happen. This would also explain why the EoH did not work the same way for the Mane Six as they did for the Princesses.
     
    This is opposed to the use of the EoH being used by ponies who actually emulate the true power of the artifacts. The Princesses were acting outside of their niche when they used the EoH, so they did not function properly, like how a Bionicle wearing the wrong mask cannot use its full power. The Princesses had to find a pony who emulated pure magic, because only such a pony could be the 6th element, and truly understand the EoH.
     
    But their first attempts at this failed. Starswirl the bearded and Sunset Shimmer, while good at magic, were simply not destined to understand the EoH. If there weren’t something beyond cutie marks, why couldn’t these other star pupils figure out the EoH?
     
    The answer is destiny. Despite Starswirl and Sunset having the duty to serve as ponies who are good at magic, they could not utilise the most powerful magic of all. No amount of knowledge and study was enough. So cutie marks alone do not define a whole pony’s path. There is something more, and that something is destiny. So clearly, there is a distinction in Equestria between destiny and duty, despite the fact that it is unacknowledged. But where does that leave us?
     

    ~The Big Picture~


    So, we have established that there is a difference between duty and destiny in Equestria. So what? So, it adds a whole new layer to Equestrian society. When you make the distinction between a grander destiny versus a mundane duty, the story has a whole new element of “where will their cutie mark lead them?” or “what great things can we expect from this simple pony?”
     
    This distinction also adds to the idea that everypony has a purpose. Even if a pony doesn’t have some grand arc, or big involvement, they still have a purpose. If you simply stick with cutie marks, and that’s it, it kind of removes some depth from the characters. But if you accept that their is something beyond simply pulling a plough, or bucking apples, the whole thing acquires a new level of awe and detail.
     
    In summary, the distinction between duty vs. destiny takes us even deeper. It becomes even more clear that in Equestria, everypony has a reason for existing. One point Digibrony makes is that being bound to a cutie mark would, in a realistic situation, result in some ponies just being screwed. But if you accept that there is something beyond the cutie mark, that problem vanishes.
     
    It is a very liberating notion when we accept that everypony has a purpose. I don’t get the whole opposition to determinism in our society. Isn’t it good to believe that everypony has a reason for existing? That nothing is without purpose? That is why I love the notions of duty and destiny. It means that there is something more… something beyond us. And when you find that meaning, life just seems so much more awesome. You get a whole new eye for existence. If we accept that all things have purpose, it can breed notions of tolerance and understanding. If we accept something greater, we become a step closer to knowing that existence really is a stunning work of art… With everypony playing their part in the symphony of life, and accepting that everypony has a major role, we come that much closer to a transcendent Harmony, and greater Peace.
     
    What are your thoughts everypony? I know this was an enormous waffle, but I had a lot to say. I look forward to reading your ideas and reactions!
  3. BalanceBrony
    Ahhh, Power Ponies. The hype was strong for this one. Was it worth it? Personally, I don't think so. In fact, in my opinion, this episode was, well, not good. But it seems like everypony else liked it. Why not me? Well, there's a few reasons. For starters, we will discuss the humour, because that was pretty much the purpose of this episode. It was a fun romp, just like Castle Mane-ia. Or at least it was supposed to be.
     
    This episode was not very funny in my opinion. The laughs I emitted were mostly from the usual Pinkie antics, so I don't give much props for that. Because who can't laugh at Pinkie Pie? But other than that, and the silliness of Flutterhulk, there wasn't much going for humour here. There were some cheesy puns, probably to maintain the trope of the ridiculously un-punny catch phrases from comics, but like their inspiration, they failed to illicit more than a slight snicker at the cheesiness. The episode resolutely lacked good hearty belly-laughs. Humour failed here, meaning in its own right, the episode failed to serve its purpose.
     
    But humour is not the only area which falls short. The whole plot of the episode was predictable. It went beyond the predictability of Castle Mane-ia, where you figured it was Pinkie later on, because she wasn't in the group as they were walking together. No. I was able to call pretty much the whole episode from the beginning. Oh look, Spike is the useless one. Spike thinks he's useless. Something happens to put the ponies out of commission, and Spike saves the day, before being told for the millionth time that he does have value. I was so annoyed as each event unfolded, I forgot to pay attention to what happened specifically, because it was just too much that I knew the whole plot from the beginning.
     
    Even the moral was easy to guess, because we've seen it before. I don't know how many times we've seen Spike depicted as underappreciated. Honestly, unless you are going to go a little deeper and examine why he feels the way he does, repetition does neither the moral nor Spike's development any good.
     
    In fact, it is pretty much getting to the point of "Where is Spike's development?" Honestly, two episodes about greed and two about feeling underappreciated, all of which seem to have never happened once we see the next Spike episode? When can we see his development solidified? I am not saying they are bad episodes, just freaking repetitive. I want to see that Spike actually learned something, and if the same thing is taught multiple times, every successive depiction is just irritating.
     
    Spike's character isn't the only one that irritated me in this episode. For the most part, the other ponies were pretty much true to their character. Fluttershy was cutesy and quiet, with a bit of a tough streak if you mess with innocent animals (FLUTTERHULK SMASH!), Twilight was a good leader (I love how her character is peaked to allow others to grow), Dash was reckless (LEEEEEROY JENNNKKINS!), Pinkie was Pinkie (always a hoot), Rarity was fabulous but awesome (I loved how nonchalant Rarity was), and AJ was- I don't know. I saw no characterisation on AJ's part really. I thought we were trying to stop her from being a background pony? Their depictions in terms of personality were pretty good (ASIDE FROM AJ, GOD DANGIT). They weren't as deep as I would like, but they weren't the focus, so it's understandable that such was the case.
     
    But something that did displease me about the characterisation was in the abilities. Their powers suited them. (Wait, what?) But how would that displease me you may ask? Because their powers suited them, it doesn't make sense that they would not be able to use them right away (aside from Fluttershy). And yet, Dash fails to control her storm, Twi can't use her magic properly, and AJ the rodeo star doesn't know how to lasso. Given their natural abilities, they should have had no trouble. I have seen the argument that "It's a different universe, so there." But I would respond that such an argument is only a justification for the contrivance which was the Mane Six failing to use their powers, solely so that Spike could be useful. It shouldn't be necessary to argue on grounds of different physics.
     
    A character who completely bombed was the Mane-iac. Seriously? She wants to give everypony bad hair? Ridiculous. I understand that the intent was to go over-the-top to get some laughs, but she went too far, and overshot funny into the territory of just plain dumb.
     
    Geez BalanceBrony! Is their any saving this episode for you? There were actually a couple of saving graces, though they are precious- two. I loved the little dialogue between Spike and Twilight at the beginning. The "two minutes" thing is exactly the kind of banter I would expect between a mother and a child. I feel this brief seen really gives credence to the notion that Twilight and Spike have a deep familial relationship, and that Spike is not her slave or pet. So, now all I have to say is this: STAHP SPILIGHT PEOPLES! It's just wrong.
     
    The other thing which interested me in this episode was the return of the ruined castle. Why does it keep coming up? Will it have some kind of significance later? Potential continuity folks! *squee*
     
    So what is my final diagnosis of this episode? The plot was predictable, the humour was nothing special, the moral was redundant, the characterisation was lackluster, the villain was ridiculous, and the lack of development was infuriating. The only good things were the depiction of Twilight and Spike's relationship, the potential continuity, and some aspects of portrayal. But overall this episode failed pretty hardcore to entertain me. It didn't disgust me, but it was just boring and un-entertaining. My impression is meh, but my rating leans towards bad, at 3.5/10 stars. Impression is what I feel, rating is my point-by-point analysis.
     
    Let me know what you guys think. Do you want more reviews in the future? What did you think of Power Ponies?
     
    I hope to hear from you all!
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