Is Bringing Back Grogar A Good Idea?

[Arctofire 225]

So season 5 is on the way, and we're all super hyped I know. However there is something that I want to discuss with everyone, and that it the revamp of G1 villains.

 

After Smooze was confirmed for season 5, it was obvious that this G1 revamping scheme wasn't just a one off. DHX are going to be slowly weaving every major villain from that show into this show.

 

Now I for one didn't like how Tirek was revamped overall in Twilight's Kingdom. I liked him when he was an Emperor style figure (from Star Wars), who was really intelligent, creepy, and sinister, but I hated it when he took off the cape and became a mindless animal. 

 

Now Smooze is hard to mess up because I don't think there's any villain in G4 which is similar to Smooze, so therefore he can be copied and pasted from G1 to G4 without much difficulty, and that seems to be the way there going. But ever since Twilight's Kingdom, people have been praying for Grogar, and I want to give my thoughts on this.

 

If Grogar was revamped, I fear that he would receive the same treatment that Tirek did because there is a G4 villain similar to him: King Sombra. With Tirek, they took away the eternal night because of Nightmare Moon, and replaced it with a really boring power that turned him from an streetsmart mastermind into a mindless brute. I fear that they would do the same to Grogar, completely stripping him of who he is. Now I'm all for these revamps feeling fresh and new, it would be boring if they weren't, however Tirek was too far from his source material.

 

What do you think about revamping Grogar?

Edited March 7, 2015 by Arctofire

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

After watching "Return of Tambelon" sometime back, I do note that there are similarities between Sombra and Grogar (which goes hand-in-hand with my head canon), but I don't think they are 100% the same. Grogar already had his dark kingdom, while Sombra was trying to regain his. Along with that Grogar had a more established character than Sombra did.

 

In any case I think there is room to play with him in regards to having him as a villain in G4. Honestly, it's one thing I am REALLY wanting. I actually loved Tirek in G4, so I have faith in the writing staff. ^^

[Buck Testa 5,503]

I have a good feeling they would do Grogar Justice. They have seen what works and what doesn't and I think that is going to lend to much better story telling later down the road. Also they tend to go by trends in fanart (thus equestria girls existance) and Grogar has some fantastic stuff about him. 

 

 

I think season five is the season of the quiet methodological villains, especially if Starlight Glimmer is foreshadowing the way season five will go. Grogar will be the kind of baddie that will make the loud and boisterous ones seem tame in comparison. I would love to see him use other villains as pawns in his schemes and use his necromancy for some nefarious plans. He has tones of potential to be a creepy and memorable villain, one that may not be so easily defeated as the others. 

Edited March 7, 2015 by Buck Testa

[NavelColt 22,876]

Gonna be a wet blanket when I say, no, biased and personally not interested. x) Would rather see the staff continue creating new creatures and antagonists like they did with Discord, rather than continue to rehash old villains. It's a fun idea, but it gets old the more you do it. Between Tirek and the Smooze, that's enough call-back characters for me, personally. Any more and the staff's going to start looking lazy.

[Arctofire 225]

There are certain stuff which would have to be changed.

 

He cannot be the ruler of Tamberlon and get destroyed by a bell, because that's to similar to King Sombra getting destroyed by a crystal heart. They should make him from Tamberlon, but don't make him the ruler.

 

Grogar was very campy in the original, this version needs to be darker and more menacing. In G1, despite it being awful, Grogar didn't feel at all like a necromancer. 

 

Bray is really annoying, and should be exercised entirely.

 

He should sound like this:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1a4tvOo3oc

 

Also, I don't think DHX took inspiration from fan work to make Equestria Girls, I think that was just corporate slack. The fan made ones look more high quality, and take an anime style, while the EQG ones, well you saw them. However, Tirek's most popular fan made design before his revamp was surprisingly very similar to the one we got, so I would say it's plausible.   

Edited March 7, 2015 by Arctofire

[Pastel 7,627]

Ok but not in season 5, there're already too much G1 villains making a comeback...

[Buck Testa 5,503]

I think they are going to do it though. There has been so much fan outcry for Grogar and the shmooze that they are probably going to bring them in. I can see the others point about to many gen 1 villains, but it IS apart of MLP Lore and Grogar IS pretty cool, so I think it'll work. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

I think they are going to do it though. There has been so much fan outcry for Grogar and the shmooze that they are probably going to bring them in. I can see the others point about to many gen 1 villains, but it IS apart of MLP Lore and Grogar IS pretty cool, so I think it'll work. 

 

I think you have pretty much said it right there. To add to that, from my limited knowledge of G1 there are really only three villains who could in reality make the tradition thanks to a combination of basic concept, design, popularity, and how they could fit into G4 without seeming too out of place.

 

1. Tirek - He was the first villain, after all. Plus, having him and Scorpan added some nice lore to FiM.

 

2. Smooze - From my recollection, he/she is the most popular from G1, so it was inevitable. XD

 

3. Grogar - Shares some similarities to Sombra, but also has a little more substance and the idea of him ruling over a dark, banished kingdom has a nice ring to it.

 

Those are just my thoughts; anyway. 

[MysticShine 529]

I'm pretty sure DHX could pull if off, so more power to them.

[ArcheoPony 76]

I'd focus on the magical aspects of Grogar more so than Tambelon. Basically a fallen grand master wizard who could give even Starswirl the Bearded a run for his money.

 

Regardless, I'm not confident in the show staff doing a revamped Grogar justice. Smooze wasn't really a character to begin with, so almost anything could've been done with him, which is basically what they did.

Edited March 14, 2015 by ArcheoPony

[sweetolebob18 724]

It has been 20-25 years since I watched My Little Pony Tales.  IIRC, this was a 2 parter.  Grogar was kidnapping all the Unicorns when they winked (short range T-port).  So, to start with they've got the problem that most G4 Unicorns don't T-port.  Then, if they just make him suck down pony power, that is too similar to Tirek.  They might have a Grogar & Tambelon but it is going to have to have some major revamping.

 

Also, IIRC, Molly & some of the Earth Ponies were following Megan (ICR why). This might be a good plot idea -the CMCs follow the Mane 6 on one of their adventures 

[DarkSwap7701 16]

It depends on how they do it really. Although changing some things isn't always a bad thing as long as it's needed and stays true to the heart of the character.

 

Tirek was cool at the start when he was a creepy intellectual, but he got more boring as he got larger, and by the end he was a mindless brute.

 

I wouldn't want it this season though. Maybe a couple of seasons down the line.

Edited March 18, 2015 by DarkSwap7701

[Castle Bleck 19,167]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1a4tvOo3oc

 

Am I the only one who hears Billy Zane?

[JonasDarkmane 19,777]

Well, I would very much like to see how Grogar would be revamped. He looked really sinister during G1

[DarkSwap7701 16]

Well, I would very much like to see how Grogar would be revamped. He looked really sinister during G1

 

He looked and sounded absolutely ridiculous.

[JonasDarkmane 19,777]

He looked and sounded absolutely ridiculous.

I actually liked the way he sounded. 

[HunterTSN 1,444]

It could be cool, however I would much rather see a new and creative villain like Discord or Chrysalis than another rehashed oldie.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

He looked and sounded absolutely ridiculous.

 

That's pretty much subjective. Personally, he sounded quite sinister and calculating to my ears; sounding like an effective warlock/tyrant type of character.

[JonasDarkmane 19,777]

That's pretty much subjective. Personally, he sounded quite sinister and calculating to my ears; sounding like an effective warlock/tyrant type of character.

Exactly. Couldn't have worded it better myself. 

[The Crimson Cross 7,532]

Hm.. I don't even know these dudes, but I'm happy for anything they throw at us. From the sounds of it, this is going to be a pretty exciting season. If they've already started reviving previous G1 villains, then I don't see a problem with it personally. It's obviously gotten pretty good reception from the audience, so yeah, why not.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

Honestly, for me, it's not so much the rehashing of characters or the creation of new ones that matter. I can appreciate either method, but what matters to me is the execution of the idea.

 

What made G4 Tirek work was that he was made to fit within the lore of G4; he wasn't just added in to appease fans or to simply pay tribute (even though the latter does play SOME part, IMO). Adding Grogar will have to require the same amount of thought & effort. He can't be just thrown into the G4 mix; he has to fit into the world.

 

Personally, I'd love to see it happen.

[DarkSwap7701 16]

I loved Tirek when he was in his weakened state, that's when he really shone. However, as he got larger, he didn't leave any kind of impression on me anymore and got less scary. I WISH they hadn't had gone with that magic draining plot, because it killed his character.

 

Just make him weak, only make his skin red. Then he'll still look like the original.

[Dust and Memories 557]

Gogar would certainly be interesting to see, and necromancy versus unicorn/alicorn magic would be quite the fireworks show. However, I agree with Buck Testa here in saying that Season Five is likely the time for methodical, Moriarty-type villains like Old Sombra. However, considering that we're getting things like the Smooze (a blob of gelatinous green goo), then I think there may be room.

 

Also, for crissakes, Hasbro, get some better villain names.

*mutters* Starlight Glimmer, wonder where they took that from...

[UnknownFry 169]

Depends on how it is handled.

[SteamyPancakes 29]

Im afraid that they'll stop making the show we all loved and just focus way too much on defeating villains. There are already 3 villains confirmed for ONE season. Thats pretty crazy if you ask me.