Darker and more serious.

[MAIKUN 262]

Oh hell yes~ Like they did it with the 2010 live-action version of Kaibutsu-kun!

[Goat-kun 2,528]

Darker you say?

Whoa, too dark! Too dark! Though, it would still be nice if we could get a Disney show-grade villain and some "neutral" lore that wouldn't be about friendship and rainbows.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

One has to be careful when considering whether a certain show/movie/book/game needs to be more serious and/or more lighthearted. In FiM's case one of the attracting factors for many fans has been the largely positive atmosphere of the show, and I'm one of those. Don't get me wrong I do love serious content like Dark Souls, Game of Thrones, and Battlestar Galactica, but MLP:FiM is not them and it shouldn't be. FiM is unique in it's own way and I would prefer for it to grow as such. If FiM is to get dark; leave that to the comics and honestly; the results are mixed in that regard.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

I think FIM going "dark" would make it fundamentally a different show - just with the same characters.

Given the main aim of Hasbro is to sell more toys, why would they want to risk alienating the current toy-buyers, when they could start a different show with different characters and sell a whole new range of toys to that market?

[heavens-champion 1,905]

I don't think they should make it too dark. Remember the Chrysalis timeline from the Cutie Re-Mark? Where it was implied that Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack died or worse? And don't forget the Wasteland timeline.

Edited July 13, 2017 by heavens-champion

[gamecubeguy214 2,512]

Twilight's mane is pretty dark and she's the very main character, so I guess this show is already dark enough. And the first episode is about eternal nigh and night is also dark.

Edited July 13, 2017 by gamecubeguy214

[shadowwarp940 1,303]

 

well it could make the show more interesting but remember the show was made for selling toys to children (not to offend anyone)BUT what we could do is make a spin-off with darker themes! 

[Meson Bolt 2,648]

The darkest I'd ever want to see the show get is showing how to deal with a friendship that has ended. Because face it, friendships don't last forever, and I think that the audiences could handle a message like that. Sometimes you'll just have to grow up and move on.

But anything darker than that would alienate a lot of people from the show. I don't watch MLP for its cool visuals or awesome music, I watch MLP for its compelling characters and lighthearted theme that gives me a nice escape from reality. I certainly don't need anything more depressing in my life.

[Fading Echo 74]

MLP is a show for kids but so was the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. While I don't believe MLP should stray too far away from is core structure of pretty colourful ponies learning about friendship when away ready have some very hard concepts presented in some episodes. AJ's parents, the fear of failure, realising you have neglected old friends, the fear of being replaced, dreams not living up to their expectations, I could go on and on.

The fact is most children and even some bronies need to see these situations play out. It gives them a real base on how to deal with a situation. 

I'm not saying MLP should go Game of Thrones on us but a little shadow makes a character more real, which makes fans of the show relate and love them all the more.

[Redeye 399]

I wouldn't want it to become too dark. This show has already touched upon some dark things in the past, such as basically confirming the deaths of AJ's parents in our current season, almost killing off Celestia in her duel between her and NMM, Daybreaker attempting to kill NMM in our current season, Season 5 Finale, Season 4 Fight Scene, that sort of thing.

Now if I were a writer of the show, I'd still keep the show lighthearted, but perhaps have a dark undertone. In fact, if I were a writer of the show I'd flip the system entirely, completely dropping the seemingly timeless slice-of-life episodes and turning an entire season or two into an adventure with an overarching villain and end goal. I would love to write a villain for the show with realistic, lawful evil ideals, goals, and motivations, and in the end will make the main characters question if stopping him will truly solve the true problem at hand. I'd throw in serious, adult lessons such as "Negative Emotions are needed in order to be a real person with a real personality, or else you would be nothing but an empty shell. However, it is important to not allow such Negative Emotions to control and overwhelm you." or "Sometimes, heroes and villains don't exist. Sometimes, there are only people with conflicting ideals." Again, I would keep the lightheartedness of the show, throwing in humor and heartwarming moments, but ultimately I would be throwing the characters into a slightly dark and complex situation that would take more than dumb luck or deus ex machinae to overcome.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

On 7/11/2017 at 9:16 PM, Whompy Whomperson said:

Dark and serious =/= better 

I don't get how people still have this mentality, and 9 times out of 10, whenever people make lighthearted shows/franchises darker, it ends up falling flat in its face

Would love proof, when shows take themselves more seriously it usually leads to fan favorite episodes

Star season 2 finale

the Darker SU episodes

Twilights Kingdom/ The Cutie Remark

 

I don't want the show all together to be far more grimdark, but judging from what I have seen, you would rather all slice of life and lighthearted episodes, which I would want even less. 

The show as it is strikes a nice balance, but I think finales and premieres should stay 2 part epics.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Nah, I don't think it needs to be darker or more serious. There are oodles of shows that are already doing that. Too many, really.That trend has been chugging along since the 90s and it's kind of played out. If I want some darker MLP, there are excellent fanfics out there like 'Carousel' or 'A Night at Shadow Station'. If we're talking about ways they could develop the show and explore some new ideas, I think deeper and more character-driven plots are the way to go.

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

For the record my full thoughts

MLP should have a darker season wide story arc, but not every episode dedicated to it, premiere starts the serious arc off, maybe 5-7 arcs in the arc mid season, and then the finale finishes the dark/serious arc

 

[Hierok 11,832]

I think the comics are pretty dark and serious and I would like if the show itself would have some episodes with the same stories.

Edited July 18, 2017 by Hierok

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

3 hours ago, Hierok said:

I think the comics are pretty dark and serious and I would like if the show itself would have some episodes with the same stories.

Yes, Sombra basically killing Amore in friendship is very messed up and I wish it was canon (not the siege arc though because fukk sombra redemption) 

Hasbro is trying to market mlp as a gender neutral show now as well, with the guardians or harmony toy line, I would love to see some more action-adventure episodes, sadly, looking at the episode list up to 23 of season 7, seems like it is all slice of Life.

[Singe 2,111]

On 7/18/2017 at 10:51 AM, ryanmahaffe said:

Yes, Sombra basically killing Amore in friendship is very messed up and I wish it was canon (not the siege arc though because fukk sombra redemption) 

Hasbro is trying to market mlp as a gender neutral show now as well, with the guardians or harmony toy line, I would love to see some more action-adventure episodes, sadly, looking at the episode list up to 23 of season 7, seems like it is all slice of Life.

Sombra says Amore is still alive in the end and just needs to be put back together. Though she may be insane for having gone through that if she retains memory. 

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

I would love a new dark Edgelord villain though, I love dark edgelord villains

[Hierok 11,832]

14 minutes ago, ryanmahaffe said:

I would love a new dark Edgelord villain though, I love dark edgelord villains

Who wouldn't. 

[Singe 2,111]

The question to ask has FIM became lighter compared to the early seasons? 

FIM did acknowledge death. Just to remember some things they had a funeral, dragons that wanted to kill phoenix eggs, Fluttershy becoming a bully, first episode with Zecora, and a phoenix that literally died.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Singe