spoiler Pegasi & alicorn wings as an extra set of hands

[Dark Qiviut 22,527]

Note: Parental Glideance spoilers! Read at your own risk.

---

Off and on, FIM used alicorn or pegasi wings for expressive purposes. The most traditional I've seen is to wrap them around another for comfort. Beginning in season 2, though, pegasi/alicorn wings were treated like a set of hands, the two examples from the back of my mind being Fluttershy opening her bag in the market and both Dash and 'Shy high-fiving following Hurricane Fluttershy's climax. However, these events are quite rare. The only other time I recall it is during Rainbow Falls when Dash and the Wonderbolts did wing pushups.

Last week, Parental Glideance takes the hand wing and amps it up. Examples include:

1. Windy and Bow plug their ears with a feather.
2. Bow's wings spread his collar to reveal his Rainbow Dash undershirt.
3. Windy and Spitfire wingshake.
4. Spitfire and Fleetfoot salute with their wings.
5. Bow hugs Dash with a wing (done before).
6. Dash facewings after the CMCs and parents create a pyramid nearby.
7. As Dash yells at her parents, she uses her left wing to count.
8. Windy covers her eyes with her wings as she weeps.

I'm shocked that DHX hasn't humanized their wings so much prior to this episode, and it's an excellent surprise. This use of animation really gives the medium and lore an extra sense of life. I don't know if Hamilton came up with the ideas himself or were recommended by them from other people (i.e., Big Jim or the Sister Writers), but given his past history from Avatar and Korra, it feels like a Hamilton thing. It'd be great to see it done more.

What do you think of pegasi or alicorn wings being treated as a set of human hands? And if you enjoy it, any ideas you'd like to see DHX use for them?

[Jeric 46,871]

After watching and rewatching that episode, how the animators used the wings to feel like a natural extension of Windy/Bow/Rainbows emotional state is something that I wish had been included more in the past. It makes the characters feel more dynamic for one, and adds significantly to each moment they do it right. 

It needs to be in their boarder/animation toolbox going forward. I do suspect that the writer had something to do with this, as Hamilton was used to writing detailed action notes in The Last Airbender and Korra. Both series were known for highly kinetic action scenes, but also in clear full body expressions. 

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,014]

I noticed this too in the episode and thought it was an excellent touch. It gives Pegasi and Alicorns more potential for expression, which once again makes me feel bad for Earth Ponies. XD I want to randomly see two pegasi fighting each other by just rapidly slapping each other with their wings, could make for some fun visual humor. :3

[Will Guide 21,365]

Actually, Pegasus wings were used as an extra set of hands before. Just look at when Fluttershy went shopping in Putting Your Hoof Down from Season 2.

Play it at 4:20 to see what I mean!

Not to mention Fluttershy's training montage in Hurricane Fluttershy, where she did Wing-ups

Edited May 12, 2017 by WiiGuy2014

[Dark Qiviut 22,527]

9 minutes ago, WiiGuy2014 said:

Play it at 4:20 to see what I mean!

I mentioned that early in the OP:

51 minutes ago, Dark Qiviut said:

the two examples from the back of my mind being Fluttershy opening her bag in the market

Good point regarding Fluttershy pushing up.

[Jeric 46,871]

33 minutes ago, WiiGuy2014 said:

Actually, Pegasus wings were used as an extra set of hands before. Just look at when Fluttershy went shopping in Putting Your Hoof Down from Season 2.

Play it at 4:20 to see what I mean!

Not to mention Fluttershy's training montage in Hurricane Fluttershy, where she did Wing-ups

Yep, as DQ mentioned it was done on rare occasions (not counting the 'wing hug' as an appendage movement due to it's limited expressiveness), but seeing this expressive 'wing as hands' technique used so many times in one episode tends to make you realize how effective it is. Basically, it worked well in the new  episode and would be a nice touch to have it happen more often now. 

[Meeps 298]

When I actually think of it, I like to see the wings used so widely and expressively. My knee-jerk reaction was that I'd only want to see them used anatomically/realistically, however, which is kind of ridiculous to expect for a show like this in the first place

[Unlikeable Pony 2,700]

I love it honestly. I greatly enjoy the ponies finding ways to emote better, and I honestly really have no issue with more "anthro" gestures.

[Landi 602]

To be completely honest, I have sorta mixed feelings on it. Don't get me wrong, I do think it's kinda cool. It's a special way for pegasi to use their wings and make them stand out. I do like the concept to a certain degree. This being said, I think they started to overdo it. I liked the idea that every once and a while a pegasus would use his or her wings as hand-like appendages, but not constantly. It kinda makes the wings feel less like...wings. And in some cases, it just looks weird. I still think it's a neat little concept; I would just prefer it to not be as common.