Theory Was "Equestria Girls being non-canon" done to appease bronies?

[HorsesandMOARGaloar 300]

With the exception of Flash Sentry in a few episodes, anything specific to Equestria Girls (such as any background stories for Sunset Shimmer and the Sirens) is never shown or given out in the show.

If I could recall, some users sent death threats against the show's staff over at Twitter, roughly around the same time as when the first EqG movie was announced (or the Alicorn Twilight episode).

 

I wonder if these two situations are related, in which EqG not appearing in the show was to avoid further attacks from some fans? Or is it just Hasbro's own decision?

Edited August 4, 2016 by HorsesandMOARGaloar

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,237]

I doubt those threats had anything to do with. Internet trolls are just that, trolls. "If you do this, I am gonna kill you! With...my..uhhh....backspace key! Ooooooooh!" I am thinking this was a decision of the writers and it is one that I am happy for. Having humans be canon in some way in FiM would open up too many cans of worms and I am very happy they are keeping them separate. A boring high school setting being mingled with the fantastical world of Equestria is a bad mixture.

[HorsesandMOARGaloar 300]

I doubt those threats had anything to do with. Internet trolls are just that, trolls. "If you do this, I am gonna kill you! With...my..uhhh....backspace key! Ooooooooh!" I am thinking this was a decision of the writers and it is one that I am happy for. Having humans be canon in some way in FiM would open up too many cans of worms and I am very happy they are keeping them separate. A boring high school setting being mingled with the fantastical world of Equestria is a bad mixture.

 

But at least they could have made episodes about Sunset Shimmer's early days as a pony. With FiM and EqG separated, it would seem as though she and Flash Sentry never existed.

[The Coffee Pony 1,390]

Equestria Girls is Canon. Meghan McCarthy confirmed that herself. There has been no suggestion that it is and in a panel at SDCC the staff said that they MIGHT have Sunset return to Equestria.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,237]

But at least they could have made episodes about Sunset Shimmer's early days as a pony. With FiM and EqG separated, it would seem as though she and Flash Sentry never existed.

That technically is the case. SS and Sentry technically do not exist canonically in FiM, though Sentry has had those background appearances. The characters still do exist within their own canon though, so it doesn't completely disregard them. I still entirely prefer it that way too. I really like Sunset Shimmer now, but I still would prefer having her out of FiM proper if it means keeping EqG separate.

Equestria Girls is Canon. Meghan McCarthy confirmed that herself. There has been no suggestion that it is and in a panel at SDCC the staff said that they MIGHT have Sunset return to Equestria.

Meghan says that, yet we haven't had a single reference to it, besides Sentry's background appearances. Seems a tad odd to me. I see absolutely no reason to have them as canon.

[HorsesandMOARGaloar 300]

Equestria Girls is Canon. Meghan McCarthy confirmed that herself. There has been no suggestion that it is and in a panel at SDCC the staff said that they MIGHT have Sunset return to Equestria.

 

Can you provide the link for this, for those interested? Thanks.

Edited August 4, 2016 by HorsesandMOARGaloar

[The Coffee Pony 1,390]

That technically is the case. SS and Sentry technically do not exist canonically in FiM, though Sentry has had those background appearances. The characters still do exist within their own canon though, so it doesn't completely disregard them. I still entirely prefer it that way too. I really like Sunset Shimmer now, but I still would prefer having her out of FiM proper if it means keeping EqG separate.

Meghan says that, yet we haven't had a single reference to it, besides Sentry's background appearances. Seems a tad odd to me. I see absolutely no reason to have them as canon.

A lack reference within the show does nothing to disprove it's canon. The staff's word is enough.

Can you provide the link for this, for those interested? Thanks.

Sure thing!

 

http://www.equestriadaily.com/2016/07/what-we-learned-from-my-little-pony.html

 

It's a maybe but it's something.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,237]

A lack reference within the show does nothing to disprove it's canon. The staff's word is enough.

Does for me. The events of EqG were supposed to be a fairly big deal yet we get no mention of it, nothing on the portal, not a single word has been spoken of the films in FiM proper. Meghan says it is canon, but if it is, it must be veeeeeeeeeeeery distant then. The expanded Star Wars universe has infinitely more connections with its source material and apparently that stuff isn't even canon at this point.

 

So if EqG is canon, I still have a personal preference of keeping it separate. With how much the films are referenced in FiM (I.E. not at all) that is pretty easy to do.

[Jeric 46,834]

With the referneces to FiM specific episodes in Rainbow Rocks, and connecting Season Five's finale to Friendship Games, the non-canon position was really weakened. I mean it's fine if you view them as completely separate properties, but at this point I think those that consider EqG canon are on solid footing.

 

No, I do not believe that DHX changed anything based on fan uproar.

[Guest]

They are canon and I am glad they are. Instead of caving in when people scream, they accept what they made even if fans don't like it. Good for them, shows a lot of integrity.

[cmarston1 5,951]

As someone who has been a fan of the franchise sense the first movie, I am glad that the movies are considered to be canon.

[Jeric 46,834]

They are canon and I am glad they are. Instead of caving in when people scream, they accept what they made even if fans don't like it. Good for them, shows a lot of integrity.

I'm hoping McCarthy's playful SDCC answer when asked about an appearance of pony Sunset and FiM actually was a hint at something significant. That would put this to bed even more.

[Cleverclover 1,525]

 

 

and in a panel at SDCC the staff said that they MIGHT have Sunset return to Equestria.

 

Yeah, I really wouldn't count on that. Or at least, I wouldn't count on it happening in the show. It might happen in one of the Equestria Girls films, but that's about it.

 

There are a lot of factors working against Sunset returning to Equestria on a long-term basis. For starters, there's simply nothing for her there. With the exception of reconciliation with Celestia, Sunset has no reason whatsoever to return. She's not going to join the mane six, most of whom do not know her as anything other than the thief who stole Twilight's crown in the first film. It's just not going to happen, especially with Starlight still around. 

 

Additionally, Sunset is the crux of the entire Equestria Girls franchise now. If the franchise is going to continue, it needs Sunset. Hell, in my opinion, Sunset is the only thing that the entire franchise has even remotely going for it. Without her, it's worthless. 

 

There's simply no place for her in FiM. 

 

 

 

Meghan says that, yet we haven't had a single reference to it, besides Sentry's background appearances. Seems a tad odd to me. I see absolutely no reason to have them as canon.

 

This. Even if we have confirmation from the staff that it's canon, it simply doesn't do much for me when the show seems to go out of its way to imply that any of the Equestria Girls films never happened. 

[El Duderino 878]

Is it really non-canon? I haven't heard anything about that before.

I think the only reason they would bother saying what is or is non-canon is to appeal to older viewers. From my experience, little kids don't normally care about what's canon or non-canon.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,151]

I'm hoping McCarthy's playful SDCC answer when asked about an appearance of pony Sunset and FiM actually was a hint at something significant. That would put this to bed even more.

 

I would have to agree with this fully. Honestly, I wouldn't expect Sunset to stay in Equestria fully, at least make it a visit to make up with Celestia & meet with Twilight's friends. Of course, Sunset could visit and the mirror suddenly breaks...

 

[Thrond 3,257]

Not really sure, but since not everyone who watches the show necessarily watches the Equestria Girls movies, it might just be less confusing this way. I doubt we'll see many references to EqG in the show proper for that very reason. As much as I'd like to see Sunset Shimmer in the series, as well as some more interaction between the worlds, I will concede that excluding the somewhat shaky EqG chronology does make the continuity of FiM a little clearer. 

 

Does for me. The events of EqG were supposed to be a fairly big deal yet we get no mention of it, nothing on the portal, not a single word has been spoken of the films in FiM proper. Meghan says it is canon, but if it is, it must be veeeeeeeeeeeery distant then. The expanded Star Wars universe has infinitely more connections with its source material and apparently that stuff isn't even canon at this point.

Not that your point is entirely invalid, but this really isn't all that different from the vast majority of two-parters. The show rarely even has continuity with itself. It's ever-so-slightly more extreme with Equestria Girls, especially given that the films are external to the show, but at the same time, it's not like the show has a tight continuity to begin with. 

 

 

There are a lot of factors working against Sunset returning to Equestria on a long-term basis. For starters, there's simply nothing for her there. With the exception of reconciliation with Celestia, Sunset has no reason whatsoever to return. She's not going to join the mane six, most of whom do not know her as anything other than the thief who stole Twilight's crown in the first film. It's just not going to happen, especially with Starlight still around. 

While this is true, I feel it holds a little less water in a world which ostensibly has very different rules from Equestria. A lot of what Sunset grew up with - what she got used to and came to enjoy - doesn't exist at all in the human world, and while on a more personal level there isn't a lot for her back in Equestria, I don't think it would be inconceivable that she begins to seriously miss, say, magic, especially if her friends scatter after high school or her possible lack of documentation catches up to her. Not that I think there's much chance that we'll see that happening, of course; might be confusing for watchers of the show who don't watch Equestria Girls. 

 

Related thought: Would Sunset technically be an illegal immigrant? 

[Evil_Emperor 176]

It's canon, though, as stated by writers and Hasbro. It just doesn't effect the main series. The season 5 finale even happened in EqG.

 

Writers shouldn't listen to modern fans anyway, and shouldn't "appease" them. They don't know what they want or are just irrational, greedy and self-absorbed. It's because of this toxicity Bubbline pandering happened in Adventure Time. Adults just need to let the kids have their cartoons and learn to live with the fact the universe doesn't revolve around them.

[Rosetta Spring 21]

It can be cobsitrd canon or not until its brought up in FiM I'll stand behind it not being canon as all the plot holes in the First movie make it hard to consider canon. Since its been stated that it dosent effect the series at all its not really canon.

[AlbaTross 1,581]

EQG isn't non-canon. It's B canon. There's a difference. B canon means that it's considered canon unless it's contradicted by the main source material which is considered A canon, which for FiM is the show. The show can't directly reference B canon material even though EQG is probably the closest to an A canon spinoff we'll ever get. Well, that's not entirely true as Pinkie Pie and the Rockin Ponypalooza Party was directly referenced in an episode, but it's a reference that no one who doesn't know about that book would get and it's very brief. Anyways, while spinoff media allows for a canon like FiM to be as complex as fans want it to be, the show itself can't incorporate all of that directly as it still needs to be a series that most people can easily follow. All that anyone really needs to follow to get the most out of FiM is the show itself. Adding in EQG doesn't make it that much more complicated but it's still classified as additional material.