If one of the main VA's left the show, what would happen to their character(s)?

[Vocal Analyst 665]

Here's a thought. If Tara Strong, Tabitha St. Germain, Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Cathy Wesluck or Kelly Sheridan decided to leave the show during production, what would indeed happen to the character(s) they voiced?

While I'm sure they could be replaced by the imitators who have voiced them in shorts or other material, what if they weren't and their character(s) had to be written out of the show for good, how would Hasbro approach it? Would the characters be sent to somewhere far away from Ponyville, never to be seen or heard from again or would they be killed off fighting for Equestria and be immortalised forever (I know this is a Y-Rated show but a man can dream, right)? Knowing how important these characters are to the foundation of the show, losing any one of them would have seismic implications for its future, and thinking out what could happen is quite difficult to do. I have always believed that if one of The Simpsons lead VA's had left or passed away, that they'd probably written or recorded such material to utilise whenever time came to use it, although that didn't happen when Mrs. Krabappel's VA passed, so anything related to this possibility on a wider scale is up for debate.

[Megas 27,746]

At that point, unless they can get a really good impersonator, I'd rather they just end the show

[Jeric 46,855]

23 minutes ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

At that point, unless they can get a really good impersonator, I'd rather they just end the show

Yeah. I mean their voices are so familiar and iconic, it would never sound quite right. And some VA's seemingly do half the characters so imagine if Tabby left. (O.o)

 

[Bricks_Ahoy 860]

I have been watching this show for the past 4 years, the voices are way too iconic, for them to simply "change".

[DarkLion 56]

I'm pretty sure, if "only" one VA would leave, that specific character would get a big ending, like fighting and have to leave Equestria for good. However, it would become a huge problem if a VA went, who is speaking more than one main character.

 

Additionally, a little odd theory: If Twilight had to go, would Starlight become a replacement for her? If that's so than the leaving of "only" Twilight's VA wouldn't appear such a problem.

 

Anyway, I love every voice too much, I couldn't stand it, if they would just change the VA for one character. I would rather like a big ending for that specific character.

[KH7672 1,604]

18 minutes ago, DarkLion said:

Additionally, a little odd theory: If Twilight had to go, would Starlight become a replacement for her? If that's so than the leaving of "only" Twilight's VA wouldn't appear such a problem.

Listen I love Starlight but no, if you lose the main character the entire show was built upon, heck just the entire theme song was built upon, you cannot have the show. I'm all for secondary characters getting the spotlight occasionally, it makes the ensemble cast feel developed, but we cannot lose any of the main cast the show was founded from the first episode.

So yeah lose any of the VA, I say the show is done. Or we could travel through the mirror and find human Sunset Shimmer and bring her back for the Ultimate spin-off of Spin-offs (unless of course Rebecca leaves, then yeah shut the Generation down-onto Gen 5!)

[Firedog 320]

If it was just one VA they would likely just replace them with an impersonator.

 

And then the brony fandom would complain about it for the next 200+ years.....

[Techno Universal 2,575]

Yeah like the Simpsons they would probably have an imitator voice that character for the rest of the season that's in prediction. And then they would cancel the show early after the season finishes airing. Because all the voice acting work has likely been already completed for season 8 if something happened to a VA now season 8 would still go ahead but the show would be canceled once the season finishes airing.  

[Castle Bleck 19,376]

1 hour ago, Firedog said:

And then the brony fandom would complain about it for the next 200+ years.....

 

They'd go all Earl Of Lemongrab on the poor staff: "200+ YEARS DUNGEON!"

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

1 hour ago, DarkLion said:

Additionally, a little odd theory: If Twilight had to go, would Starlight become a replacement for her? If that's so than the leaving of "only" Twilight's VA wouldn't appear such a problem.

They'd likely just get Rebbeca Shoichet for that. She already does Twilight's singing voice, and from the interviews she's had, she sounds like a convincing Twilight in conversational speech.

[HereComesTom 2,268]

Most likely they'd get a new voice actor.  People's voices in real life sometimes change, after all, so it's not all that unrealistic for a pony's voice to change.

That said, one thing they might, just MIGHT do, if they wanted to write in a character death, is have an episode (or more likely a whole story arc) specifically dealing with death, and showing how the other characters react to it.

[Ganondorf8 11,340]

They'd probably hire someone else and have them replicate the original voice as closely as they can. Granted, Tara Strong is a unique case given that she records her lines in her studio down in the U.S. and has only recorded with the cast on rare occasions. During those sessions, they have someone voice Twilight so the other characters can bounce their lines off of her if she happened to be in that particular episode. At the end of the day, it's Hasbro's decision to make and they will do so if they deem it necessary.

[blackstarraven 142]

I'm just going to go out on a limb on this. Because I HAVE actually worked in the industry before. (Disney not Hasbro)

-

A few things would be possible. In least to Most likely....

#4: They would end the show....

-Simply put, as a company you don't end your cash cow show because a actor leaves unless its literally unavoidable. And in VA that's almost never. Now if the show was hovering around the level of "Just making some money" And Hasbro thought that they could do something more profitable with the IP. Then they would end it in the show part of the IP.

-FiM will however more or less never die at this point. There will be comics so on and so on until the sun explodes. That's how stuff works now in the internet age.

 

 

#3: They would 'end' the character.

-Depending on the character they may simply have the character "Go Away" now.. there is one huge problem with that however.

That would be hard to wright in and would only happen if the VA was simply 100% unavailable for... What ever reason.

Its much more likely...

 

#2: They would push the character to the back burner.

-Majorly important character in the show already are only seen a few times a season. Celesta, Luna, Cadence. So on and so on.

You really would not notice in the show all that much if say.. There was only one or two Rarity Episodes a season. And the VA is not going to turn down 'Guest' pay. For a Episode or two. This is most likely what they would do with some one from the Main 6. (Which I think is only 4 VA)

 

#1: They would get a replacement.

- There are VERY few VA in the industry that you can't replace without little to no one noticing. I can most likely only make a short list...

-I personally know people who can do dead on impersonations of some of the cast... and that's really all it takes.

-It also ignores something I think a lot of us forget.... The show is for kids. And kids don't think about stuff like that nearly as much as we do. Yes Bronies are a worth while market force for the show, but they are not THE cash cow.

 

 

 

Simply put... They would replace the VA or push the character into the background a bit more. Ether would be fine depending on how they did it.

Really Tabitha is the only main six VA that I would really really notice. (I lova Tara but Twilight is simply now a super distinct sounding character like say.. Raven from TT was)

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Since the Mane 6's voices (or any commonly recurring character for that matter, like Big Mac, Granny Smith, Flim Flam Bros, etc) are just so distinct, I can imagine they'd be hard to replicate by anyone without fans noticing too much. I feel like, if a VA had to leave the show for whatever reason, they'd either can the show and start a reboot (or a new show that's still set in the same continuity but is post-FiM), or they could do a time skip - say, to a point where the Mane Six all have kids- so that the new voice might be justified by the characters aging. 

Edited October 11, 2017 by PacificGreen

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

One VA left and you guys think the show should end... 

[King of Canterlot 9,603]

EVERYONE DIES, THE END.

[blackstarraven 142]

10 hours ago, PacificGreen said:

Since the Mane 6's voices (or any commonly recurring character for that matter, like Big Mac, Granny Smith, Flim Flam Bros, etc) are just so distinct, I can imagine they'd be hard to replicate by anyone without fans noticing too much. I feel like, if a VA had to leave the show for whatever reason, they'd either can the show and start a reboot (or a new show that's still set in the same continuity but is post-FiM), or they could do a time skip - say, to a point where the Mane Six all have kids- so that the new voice might be justified by the characters aging. 

Again while I respect your opinion.

I'm really just going to come out and say it.

 

With maybe one or two exceptions. The voices are not really all that distinct....

Talented? Yes... Distinct? now.

Tara is a very talented, but I actually know people who can do dead on Twilight voices.

Pinkie is super easy because its not a natural speaking voice.

Applejack is a Accent less then a voice not hard to do.

Fluttershy? Maybe a little harder but not by much....

 

Really Rainbow Dash and Rarity are the only one's that would be hard to replace. And Dash could be replaces to a point that kids would most likely not pick up.

Tabitha would be the only one that would be really all that hard.

 

And Supporting Casts? Big Mac? Not even close, the voice actor is not distinct at all. Flim Flam Bros are so hammy that that voice would be a dime a dozen. (I can do a pretty good Flim Flam actually)

-

Some of the supporting cast would be harder to replace. (Nicole Oliver for Instance)

 

And sorry, people who think you can your cash cow over one VA have no experience or ideal how media companies work...

 

And again this ignore the simple point again.... Kids would notice less then Adult... And kids are still the Major demographic.

 

It also ignores the point that VA leaving is only a issue if you can't get close enough with the voice and or... Find talented voice actors to replace them. Simply put, you might have a actress replace Applejack and Dash (Or two actresses) And they might sound different but be just as good at the job if not a little better.

 

And this is also just ignoring that you might.. you know... balance the voice acting around. I.E. We just get a lot less of one of the characters.

[PacificGreen 1,163]

12 hours ago, blackstarraven said:

And sorry, people who think you can your cash cow over one VA have no experience or ideal how media companies work...

 

And again this ignore the simple point again.... Kids would notice less then Adult... 

Hmm, you have a point. I guess I was thinking primarily about the brony backlash that would ensue.

I have a feeling a lot of fans (bronies) would unleash a stream of complaints if Twilight, AJ or Rarity suddenly had a different voice, then either deeming the show unwatchable or saying the new voice would be taking a reeeaally long time to get over, but still watching. XD. I know I had the same reaction when Arthur suddenly switched to Flash animation in 2012.

[VeroxVitrus 71]

I think the smartest way to deal with a VA death or departure would be make a episode where zecora alters that ponies voice through a magic potion or twilight altering her/his voice with magic, therefore transitioning from one voice to another with damage control

[Singe 2,111]

Something like how Southpark done with Chef's final episode. Recordings used from past episodes and the character was replaced with a changeling.

[n1029 229]

They'd get replaced; fans would get POd but they'd still keep watching. 

 

I thought at one point the CMCs would be the biggest candidates for recasting but it looks as if they're fine with the still convincingly youthful voices the VAs have even though they're all young adults now.  

[Prospekt 11,019]

At this point, Hasbro may just cancel the show. 7 years is a long time for any TV series. But there are good potential replacements within the team that is already present. I bet Tabitha could voice any of the Mane 6 apart from Pinkie Pie. Maybe even Princess Celestia. Sure, that would mean more work for her, but she could be up for the challenge.

[n1029 229]

Realistically I'd be shocked if any of the voice artists left under their own volition. The gig doesn't require that much of a time commitment.

[EpicEnergy 23,223]

For the main characters, Hasbro would likely get a replacement.

[Tom Gallagher 33,593]

They’d just replace them easy.