Episode idea for season 3: lost Changeling baby/larva.

[Magic Man 222]

There's no doubt this scenario has been used plenty of times in past cartoons, but I would personally like to see it incorporated into a future MLP episode.

 

Basically, here it is: the Mane Six and Spike come across a lost Changeling baby, or larva, and have to go on a journey to return it to its family. Whilst, like I said, this has been done before, MLP does have a way of doing different takes on these familiar plots. The reasons I like this kind of episode, for MLP specifically are:

• It allows for serious potential world-building, potentially a Changeling Kingdom. I keep imagining their kingdom and culture and society being based off that of similarities to Oriental cultures, like Japan and Korea. I guess this is mainly due to Chrysalis' designer, Rebecca Dart was inspired by the work of manga artists Junko Mizuno and Hideshi Hino. I for one champion this, for if we see the Changeling Kingdom in the show it can really enable the show writers and animators to explore some East Asian art, architecture and culture.
• The Mane Six and Spike are forced to confront their own perceptions/distrust of Changelings as their enemies, especially in what they're doing. The typical things would include, "the bitter truth is that this child is going to grow up one day and be our enemy", "Is it then worth all this trouble to bring this child back?", "It's not like we're going to get a "thanks" when we return it", "Are all Changelings really automatically our enemies?", etc.
• We get to see the Mane Six's potential maternal side. Imagine RD's heart eventually melting, despite her resistance, with the little baby.
• A baby Changeling. I mean, imagine how cute it'll look.

It could even lead up to mindblowing twist; It's Chrysalis baby! Imagine the look on their faces when they find out they've got the Prince or Princess of the Changelings. And how're they gonna get themselves out of that one, especially as Chryalis will most likely believe they kidnapped her baby? Not only that, one wonders if she'd be physically able to express gratitude for them returning her baby to her once the misunderstanding is cleared up.

 

 

What do you think? What are your views on this kind of episode?

Edited October 18, 2012 by Wormtail96

[Dusty Soul 2,611]

It might turn out well, I kinda suspected it would be Chrysalis' baby though... Yeah that was kinda predictable. a

[Gestalt 17]

We get to see the Mane Six's potential maternal side. Imagine RD's heart eventually melting, despite her resistance, with the little baby.

 

The lost baby idea is a great charactization building proposal for RD, however your kinda losing me with the changling bit. What your suggesting is recurring villains which has yet to be touched in mlp. Although, i'm all for a gilda/trixie return recurring villian wise.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

An excellent example of exploring xenospecies interrelation in a relatively young audience target would be the Bone series by Jeff Smith.

(Specifically, book 5 Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border, in relation to the common enemy species 'the Rat Creatures'.)

 

Prejudices in modern western society largely are not official stigmas of state. There really isn't anything against Jews or Black people or those of Asian descent like there used to be. It's more a case of using the names of certain things as terms of derision or insults, such as references to the mentally retarded, immigrants from Mexico or the Pacific Rim, or stereotypes of Indians and Chinese (&c.) and such prejudices are held only in a very risque informal sense between people of older audiences, such as people between 15 and 40.

Other parts of the world still have very strong racial (or other) prejudices- Segregation is still a huge deal in South Africa, and Christians and Jews are persecuted in numerous Middle-Eastern Countries. But My Little Pony is not aimed at, nor easily direct for those cultures. Therefore a lesson in lieu of those cultures is not a practical one.

 

Therefore, a story like that would only consist of world-building. But as I've said, other works have already done it (and likely better than Hasbro could do it), and it would likely demand needless complexity of story and characterization than what's the norm for current show production.

Potentially they could take a twist for the dramatic in the future, but I suspect such a turn would be closer to home than having Changelings recur in that way.

[Magic Man 222]

The lost baby idea is a great charactization building proposal for RD, however your kinda losing me with the changling bit. What your suggesting is recurring villains which has yet to be touched in mlp. Although, i'm all for a gilda/trixie return recurring villian wise.

 

Yeah, but in this scenario, the Changelings wouldn't be in the role of villains; they'd kind of be neutral.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

It would be pretty cool to see an episode where the 6 have to watch a baby and show how one would take care of if and show the other would do it. It would be like if the Cakes did find another pony to watch Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake.

 

The only problem is would they be able to mix an adventure episode, with an episode where they have to take care of a baby. Also would there be time for all 6 of them to watch it?

[Starshine 16,333]

Then the Great Changeling War started

 

This idea can be very beautiful if done correctly. I would like to see Pinkie's face when she found that the changeling baby had transformed into Pound Cake

[XUNUSEDXXX 3,459]

Then the Great Changeling War started

 

This idea can be very beautiful if done correctly. I would like to see Pinkie's face when she found that the changeling baby had transformed into Pound Cake

 

Haha this. Pinkie would go crazy if it turned into the cake baby... But on topic anyway it would be an interesting episode indeed.

[Magic Man 222]

Then the Great Changeling War started

 

This idea can be very beautiful if done correctly. I would like to see Pinkie's face when she found that the changeling baby had transformed into Pound Cake

 

LOL! I dunno, whilst I imagine Chrysalis being melodramatic enough to declare war on Equestria over such a situation, I'd imagine the situation being resolved by the end of the episode. Still, great picture you got there and I like the idea with Pinkie.

 

It would be pretty cool to see an episode where the 6 have to watch a baby and show how one would take care of if and show the other would do it. It would be like if the Cakes did find another pony to watch Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake.

 

The only problem is would they be able to mix an adventure episode, with an episode where they have to take care of a baby. Also would there be time for all 6 of them to watch it?

 

Well, I guess in a WAY it's like the Baby Cakes episode, but the emphasis would be more on their relationship with the Changelings, instead of just how to take care of a baby properly.

 

I'm pretty sure they'd collectively be able to watch it on the trip to bring it home. I mean, to have six on-hand 'baby sitters' I'd imagine is pretty convenient.

[The Razor Wing 879]

Then the Great Changeling War started

 

 

 

Nice pic. And it would give the changelings a reason to come back to canterlot. But this time looking for help and not a fight. But due to their rep every time they make it into town they get team rocketed out of town. Unit spike makes his way back to Canterlot from the changeling nest finding no one home, and stops another war between to two races.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

Well, I guess in a WAY it's like the Baby Cakes episode, but the emphasis would be more on their relationship with the Changelings, instead of just how to take care of a baby properly. I'm pretty sure they'd collectively be able to watch it on the trip to bring it home. I mean, to have six on-hand 'baby sitters' I'd imagine is pretty convenient.

Still each one would have different way of watching and taking care of it while they are on this adventure. Also it's something they aren't use to and they would have no idea how to properly take care.

 

The other problem with it being an adventure episodes is where would they go? At least with some of their adventures they had an idea where to go in. For this they would have no idea where to go or what to do.

 

Still it's just an idea.

[Magic Man 222]

Still each one would have different way of watching and taking care of it while they are on this adventure. Also it's something they aren't use to and they would have no idea how to properly take care.

 

The other problem with it being an adventure episodes is where would they go? At least with some of their adventures they had an idea where to go in. For this they would have no idea where to go or what to do.

 

Still it's just an idea.

 

I imagine Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, since they have the most experience, would be designated babysitters, whilst the others get dragged into actively taking care for it and would have to push their limited experience to the limit, especially as this is a very different kind of baby. They'd probably have to allow it to suck some of their love out of them to feed it, which wouldn't be a pleasant experience for anypony.

 

That is indeed a problem you present there. I suppose the natural place they'd think of taking it first is the Changeling's kingdom, providing that is, they know where it is. Even if they do know where it is, they might have to travel quite a bit, presumably through some harsh terrain, and even if they get there, where would they know to begin. I'm pretty sure there are bit a few cities in the Changeling's kingdom. So I guess the idea of this long, tiring and possibly hopeless journey is what backs up the argument of whether they should return the child of who are supposed to be their enemies to them.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

That is indeed a problem you present there. I suppose the natural place they'd think of taking it first is the Changeling's kingdom, providing that is, they know where it is. Even if they do know where it is, they might have to travel quite a bit, presumably through some harsh terrain, and even if they get there, where would they know to begin. I'm pretty sure there are bit a few cities in the Changeling's kingdom. So I guess the idea of this long, tiring and possibly hopeless journey is what backs up the argument of whether they should return the child of who are supposed to be their enemies to them.

I hate to poke more holes into your idea, it's just do the Changeling's even have a kingdom? To what Queen Chrysais said, they rome different areas and suck the love up. So that would mean they are a type of creator the goes to one places, eats the food tell it's bone dry, and then they move on to the next area.

 

Your episode idea could work, it would just need a different kind of story or different way to tell it.

[Mu Nova 66]

I really like the sound of this. I already hope to see Chrysalis/changelings shown not to be actually evil by nature, although I quite doubt Hasbro will characterize them like that, if they even show up again.

[Aerial~Shot 177]

Hmm... at the end of the episode, the Changelings were fired off all over Equestria, so I imagined they were mostly seperated.

 

I can picture a now weak, isolated, possibly hurt Chrysalis alone, desperately looking for her baby. The mane 6 come across her on their journey to find the Changeling Kingdom, and she, being the emotional/physical wreck she is at this point, begs them not to harm her, when one of the ponies (Twilight? Fluttershy?) comes to the front of the crowd carrying the baby, having not seen the queen from the back. Chrysalis sees her baby and immediatly breaks down in tears of joy, thanking the ponies.

 

They then help in gathering the lost Changelings and figure out some way for them to feed without being so... evil, I guess.

[Magic Man 222]

I hate to poke more holes into your idea, it's just do the Changeling's even have a kingdom? To what Queen Chrysais said, they rome different areas and suck the love up. So that would mean they are a type of creator the goes to one places, eats the food tell it's bone dry, and then they move on to the next area.

 

Your episode idea could work, it would just need a different kind of story or different way to tell it.

 

Well, I assumed they have a kingdom as they have a queen, though they could be me being presumptious.

 

Technically, she did not exactly say that, it is rather implied, so it can also be implied that they are imperialistic conquerers instead. The main problem is that we don't know enough about the Changelings at this point in time. We'll just have to wait and see until they appear again, that is, hoping they do.

[Rarietty 632]

I like this idea, but image this...

 

...what if Shining Armor was the father? Yuck.

 

Okay, just kidding, mostly because that would mean that Chrysalis would have to-um-do stuff with him while she was disguised as Cadance and he was under her full control. I should really stop reading fanfiction.

 

Anyway, I imagine that the Changelings live in a massive hive, and they work like bees. Chrysalis is the sole female and queen. The episode sounds awesome, but we have no idea how Changelings truly work yet. Yes, they feed off love, but do they even reproduce? How? Are they immortal? There's no point in immortal beings having to reproduce, unless Chrysalis really wants a baby, which I doubt. She doesn't seem like a very motherly type.

[Zygen 6,066]

I'm all for more MLP, It might cause a few problems tho. I don't really thing it could make sense that the queen of the changelings would ever be friendly with the ponys considering the way they are, they simply manipulate people to gain power off love. Doesn't seem like the friendly type.

Plus after what happended in the season finale of S2 I doubt that any of them would want to be around changlings, much less the changling queen. And again I doubt she'd accept peace.

[Magic Man 222]

I really like the sound of this. I already hope to see Chrysalis/changelings shown not to be actually evil by nature, although I quite doubt Hasbro will characterize them like that, if they even show up again.

 

Well, Chrysalis I think definitely fits the bill as 'Evil', but the other Changelings, well, that's what this episode would explore. I really think it would be much beneficial for kids; just because a group of people come across as terrifying and their leaders do bad things, it's not right to assume they are all bad without even knowing them.

[Blitz 127]

I think this would be an AWESOME episode! I think this would be cool if they found a baby alicorn somewhere. (possibly something along the lines of the parents being afraid of what would happen to the child if the princesses found out)I think that would be SERIOUSLY cool!

[Arcanel 3,041]

Well, I like this idea. A lot. But I think that if the baby was from a random Changeling and not from Chrysalis, it would be better, in my opinion. Not only because of originality, but because it could be a TRIPLE chase POV. The changeling's parents, Chrysalis AND the mane 6 if it actually got lost. Besides, suppose the parents found the baby in the hands of the mane 6. Awkwarness and tension would ensue. Suppose right at that moment Chrysalis entered...yeah, I'd find that a rather entertaining episode that could all you said, plus huimor and drama. Aye, this has lots of potential. Good job.