Things MLP Got Wrong

[Altastrofae 933]

I could go on and on but I'll keep it brief

MLP bases much of itself on mythology, mostly Greek with someone additional bits of European mythology thrown in. However, some tidbits of the mythology they borrowed was in fact incorrect. I will give some examples.

1. There is only 1 Pegasus - In Greek mythology, there exists a single winged-horse messager of Olympus who was named Pegasus. The actual word they used for the creature itself was an "allequin" literally "winged equine" so calling all winged horses "Pegasi" is inaccurate

2. The Cockatrice - It seems MLP got the Cockatrice confused with the Gorgon. A cockatrice doesn't turn you to stone, it paralyzes you.

3. The Changlings - Biggest mistake imo, the Changelings of Celtic Mythology did NOT feed off of love. No idea where they came up with that creative liberty. The changelings actually replaced human babies with their own disguised young, the human mother would feed their larvae, and the changelings would make a meal out of the human children. Dark, yes, but far from what MLP did with them.

Any thoughts? Do you think some of these creative liberties were for the better? do you have other examples of factual errors in MLP?

[Rixton 1,105]

Your points have their rights, but the MLP world does not have to follow the rules here. In a magic world, what is dedicated for young girls, there should be some nicer, and not cruel things, like MLP changelings; and you do not have copy the world you are living in.

[Nsxile 27,204]

The only problem with this criticism is that MLP:FIM is it's own thing, set in its own universe, with its own rules that may or may not be different from the original mythology it's based off.

[Once In A Blue Moon 895]

15 minutes ago, Altastrofae said:

1. There is only 1 Pegasus - In Greek mythology, there exists a single winged-horse messager of Olympus who was named Pegasus. The actual word they used for the creature itself was an "allequin" literally "winged equine" so calling all winged horses "Pegasi" is inaccurate

I've always preferred 'pegasus ponies' as the plural for that reason.

[PiratePony 8,475]

Eh, although borrowed from myths, the world they created is fine without having to be 100% accurate to the source. Although I also agree with the below:

4 hours ago, Once In A Blue Moon said:

I've always preferred 'pegasus ponies' as the plural for that reason.

 

[Will Guide 21,362]

4 hours ago, Nsxile said:

The only problem with this criticism is that MLP:FIM is it's own thing, set in its own universe, with its own rules that may or may not be different from the original mythology it's based off.

 

13 minutes ago, PiratePony said:

Eh, although borrowed from myths, the world they created is fine without having to be 100% accurate to the source. Although I also agree with the below:

 

These two people hit the nail on the head. Equestria should be its own world that are more INSPIRED by mythology and trying new rules and ways of working with them rather than being accurate to the original myths.  And I believe the show is all the better for doing so.

Also, the Original Changelings mythology was alluded to in Times They are a Changling, when they suspected Thorax of being after Flurry Heart.

@Altastrofae

Plus, the original Greek Mythology is full of so much stuff that wouldn't be allowed in a kids show, such as rape, which lead to the birth of half gods in the stories. This is the biggest reason they took liberties with the mythology it's based on.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Will Guide

[Fhaolan 4,484]

Like many D&D creatures (also owned by Hasbro) MLP bases a lot of it's terminology from medieval bestiaries rather than directly from Greek Myth. That's where the basilisk/cockatrice confusion comes from, as well as plural 'pegasi', the MLP version of the hydra, manticore. The MLP version of the gryphon is borrowing more from the persian mythological version than the greek version, and so on.

The chimera was interesting, as it was a blending of the bestiary version and the mythological version, becoming something fairly unique unto itself.

[Lucky Bolt 35,065]

Umm....Equestria is it's own universe. Rules don't apply. 

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Things FIM got wrong? Worldbuilding itself It is the sacred duty of every worldbuilder to modify their chosen creatures so that they fit into the grand design. Our glorious writers have not done nearly enough with their mythology material for it to be considered as anything but an unfitting attachment chosen only for instant awe value.

 

Also friendship and harmony. It got those wrong too.

[NillaTheKaiju 2]

Don't know how old this thread is so I hope I'm not necrobumping. But Pegasi also isn't a word. The plural for Pegasus as an umbrella term is the same as the singular term, which is Pegasus. Pegasi was made up. When I type it, I get that red zigzag underneath it.

Also, a flank isn't an animal's butt, it's their side. I can't use it properly anymore without some pervert giggling, even when addressing to the hip or kidney spot of a human's body (humans also being animals and all.)

Edited August 16, 2019 by NillaTheKaiju
Forgot something

[DonMaguz 1,023]

Dragons, or rather changing the mighty scary dragons from earlier seasons into a tribe of chibi brutes.

[Them's Seeing Ponies 282]

The pacing and execution of the Student Six's character arcs stands out the most prominently - courtesy of being introduced into a show dominated prior by an increasingly expansive ensemble cast and with only two 26-episode seasons remaining on its clock, the show was essentially forced by circumstance to rush their arcs despite allocating them a relatively meager episode count per season, with in turn forced the majority of them to act as ensemble focus plots which come off as incredibly forceful in establishing the personalities and progress of the six. If FiM had continued for another season or so, their arcs would have (most likely) benefited considerably, although I'm generally satisfied otherwise to close the book on the show's nine-year duration, particularly considering the show's crew seem to be struggling to progress the mane six beyond the obvious modifications (job changes) recently.

Edited August 16, 2019 by Them's Seeing Ponies

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I always just interpret it as the show taking words we'd be familiar with, and then putting them into a related, but still different context depending on their needs. Calling a winged horse a Pegasus is definitely something kids would do, and understand. Similarly, I doubt many children know the legends of the actual Changelings, or the Windigos, or Ahuizotl, or that 'alicorn' was originally the name for the material a unicorn's horn is made of, not a winged unicorn. As for the cockatrice, it makes sense that they wouldn't go for paralysis or death in the show, because death would be far too grim for the target audience, while paralysis would probably look extremely unnerving even to adults, while petrifaction, being something unheard of IRL, would have much less of a scary impact, while still allowing for lots of tension.

Ultimately I think the creative liberties the show takes are all for the better, and allow it to create its own mythology by using existing concepts.

[Xe__or 4,377]

Well it's called "Creative liberty" after all; you take a source material and you change it to better fit your story. Saying that what they borrowed is incorrect is a weird way to look at it. They changed stuff to better fit the world they created - imagine having a single winged pony in the whole series. It could have been good, but they would have to explain a lot of things from where that character came from, etc.... and the changelings? Well they obviously weren't going to adapt the "eating babies " part, so they had to find something else.

And seriously who cares about the cockatrice

Edited September 14, 2019 by Xeltor

[EpicEnergy 23,222]

I don't pay attention to that stuff, I just enjoy the show for what it is.