Should the series end with the mane 6 growing old

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

I was watching what was meant to be the series finale of Ed Edd n Eddy where Eddy fears getting old. The at the end we find out that all the episodes was Eddy dreaming about the past. Thankfully they continued making more episodes. But I think it would be a fitting end for MLP what ever season they decide to end on. I think most of us wouldn't like to see an old and decrepit mane 6. Let's think about it. Twilight wouldn't be as powerful anymore(assuming she isn't immortal) Apple Jack can't buck apples anymore. Pinkie Pie is too tired to throw any more parties. Even Rainbow Dash can no longer fly fast. I think it would be a morbid end, but the final lesson of the show is that we all get old and eventually we have to face death at one point in our lives. Granny Smith is old, so why not have the mane 6 get old?

 

http://derpicdn.net/media/W1siZiIsIjIwMTIvMDcvMDgvMTlfMDdfMTFfODg3XzM3MzI3X19zYWZlX21hbmVfc2l4X29sZGVyX2FydGlzdF9uaWFuYXJhIl1d/37327__safe_twilight-sparkle_rainbow-dash_pinkie-pie_fluttershy_rarity_applejack_mane-six_older_old_artist-nianara.png.png

Edited May 1, 2013 by TheMarkz0ne

[Betez 1,734]

I feel like that would kinda be a depressing end to the series, but I honestly can't think of a better ending at the moment.

 

It's one of those things that's happy, but at the same time it's sad.

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

It would be depressing. But it be a powerful and meaningful ending. They can just pull an EENE where let's say Rainbow Dash has a fear of growing old. Let's say it's RD's birthday and she has noticed she is losing her speed gradually and begins to worry. I think out of all the mane 6 she would fear old age the most, because she is always wanting to be the fastest and best pegasus out there. The episode ends with her pulling off the fastest sonic rainboom she has ever done. The she wakes up at a table with her friends only to find out every single episode of MLP was a dream inside RD's head. 

 

EDIT: I think making all of the alicorns would be detrimental to the series. Because it shows that everyone can be an alicorn and it doesn't make it special anymore. Also many people still aren't over alicorn Twilight

Edited April 30, 2013 by TheMarkz0ne

[DR Leper Lupinstein 410]

the series needs to end with all the ponies becoming alicorn princesses and become guardians of the elements of harmony. every season, one pony would become an alicorn after overcoming their fatal flaws and learning a great truth about friendship and about life.

Edited April 30, 2013 by punxundead

[Aberyst 18]

I agree it would be sad and depressing to see our favourite ponies not as they once were, but it would have a good sense of finality to it, like "They've had their adventures, they've learned their many lessons, now they grow old together and live out the rest of their days". There could be some sense of their earning or building a stronger attachment to their respective Elements too, as they've proven themselves over time.

 

Sad, but all good things must come to an end :c

[Love*Potion 575]

I'm sorry, but my true and honest opinion would be NO NO NO NO NO!

 

I want to remember the ponies for who they are, not the older version. Anyone remember "Rugrats" and "All Grown Up"? I personally just thought that was weird to see the babys as teens and wasn't a fan. 

 

I mean, imagine Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, RD, Pinkie, and even the rest of the characters growing old while Alicorn Twilight, Celestia, and Luna all stay relatively the same age? When I think of the ponies, I want to think of them as the adorable G4 ponies that we all know and love.

 

My opinion holds true with the CMC as well. Although I am excited to see what their cutie marks end up looking like, I don't particularly want to see the design of the mare form rather than seeing them as fillies. I would seem... out of place.

 

I like the idea that all the Mane 6 become Alicorns. That way, no one pony is better than another and they can help rule over Equestria together. This would be a convenient ending for the show, and an excuse for Hasbro to produce another toy product- a win win for the bronys and the company. 

 

(At least that's what I'm thinking) 

[Orablanco Account 3,707]

You know what I'd think would be cool.

 

I'd structure it like the ending to Final Fantasy VI, which had a twenty minute epilogue tying up all the loose ends and showing what happened to all the characters. So after the ponies have overcome the final conflict, we jump twenty years into the future and see the Mane Six in their forties, with their families and ultimate destinies having come into light. We also see what happened to all the major supporting characters, like Spike, the CMC, and the Royals.

 

The final image of the epilogue would be the Mane Six and their families, Spike (who'd I assume is now at least six feet taller than the ponies), the CMC, and the supporting cast members who survived getting together for a photo similar to the one seen in the show's current intro. The photo zooms out to reveal that it is the last page of the book we see in the prologue in the very first episode. We see a purple-ish unicorn filly (Twilight's daughter) finishing the book and setting it down when five other fillies call her over to play with them, and we watch them walk off together to have adventures and to travel the same path traveled by their mothers.

 

And in the final moments of the show, the camera tilts down from the fillies leaving the orchard to the cover of the book, and across the cover we see the title.

 

Friendship is Magic: A Memoir by Twilight Sparkle.

 

Fade to black. Credits roll, as does the tears.

 

Edited April 30, 2013 by CITRUS KING46

[Mutemutt 773]

I'd prefer the series end while the mane 6 are still young and vibrant. I think they'll go with a stock, "happily ever after", open-ended ending.

 

An ending with them growing old, at least to elderly status, just doesn't have the right feel to it for this kind of show. It has too much finality to it, for my tastes. I just feel that an open-ended ending would fit the series better and that's easier to accomplish when the mane 6 still have plenty life left to live. 

[WingMcCallister 368]

I don't think they should grow too old at the end, but a nice little memoir as @@CITRUS KING46, suggested would be an acceptable route. It would fit in quite nicely with Twilight's role as the princess of friendship as well as her book wormy attitude.

[DR Leper Lupinstein 410]

 

 

I like the idea that all the Mane 6 become Alicorns. That way, no one pony is better than another and they can help rule over Equestria together. This would be a convenient ending for the show, and an excuse for Hasbro to produce another toy product- a win win for the bronys and the company. 

 

(At least that's what I'm thinking) 

 

 

 

thank you. it's good to see there are those who love alicorns. cuz it seems like everyone has this kind of prejudice against alicorns. 

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

No, that'd be way too depressing. And little kids would have nightmares seeing their favorite ponies as old and wrinkled up as Granny Smith currently is.

 

The ideal way is to go out with an all-out bang of awesomeness and happiness. Every pony's dreams come true, and all destinies are fulfilled. And I would imagine the Crusaders would get their Cutie Marks.

[Valormos 262]

I thing that it should continue as it left off in season 3 but The rest off of the mane six should become half princess And show what happens in there lives as a prince ss thats how it should end

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

I like that you mentioned Ed Edd n Eddy. . I think they should do an episode like that with Dash when she hits her head so hard after a accident crash. Then she starts hallucinating she and her friends are old. I don't know about it being a real and last episode though.

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

I like that you mentioned Ed Edd n Eddy. . I think they should do an episode like that with Dash when she hits her head so hard after a accident crash. Then she starts hallucinating she and her friends are old. I don't know about it being a real and last episode though.

I just miss it when cartoons were quasi morbid. I know MLP is meant t be fun and innocent. I just think a good final moral for the show is that we all get old and have to die eventually. I would applaud hasbro for having the balls to do something like that. It's also a reasonable fear RD, not really the other ponies. I imagine the scenario playing like this

 

Twilight: Even as an alicorn has aged. Lets say 95 years have passed and the ponies are like 121. Twilight no longer has the magical power she once had. She decided to step down as princess at one point in her life so she would be closer to her friends. She still lives in her tree house. She was told by Celestia that she would live forever. Twilight told the princess she wanted to age with her friends

 

Apple Jack: Can no longer buck apples because her hip is broken and she has brittle bone disease. Her, Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom are both elderly and still live at the farm. But they have 3 grandchildren and 2 children who run the farm. Obviously Granny Smith is well umm... dead, but they don't need top explain that

 

Pinkie: To tired to throw parties, she has developed short term memory loss and has false teeth, after all she eats a ton of candy. Her grandchildren are as hyper as she was when she was young

 

Rarity: During her prime she became the richest fashion designer in Equestria. She made bank when everyone in Canterlot loved her style. She retired from making dresses and her and Sweetie Bell have a pretty large family.

 

Fluttershy: Still tends to the needs of animals. She grew to tired to do it all by herself as she aged, so her family helps her out. She purchased acres of land and created a mange for all the animals to reside in which is attached to her house. Thanks to help of Rarity she was able to afford it

 

Rainbow Dash: Lived her dream as the best wonderbolt ever. Her biggest challenge was a race around the globe(500 laps) with Lightning Dust who wanted revenge for what happened at the academy. Of course Rainbow won. When she hit her 30s her sonic rainboom was much faster, but with age comes slow reflexes and she eventually had to stop flying. She still flies, but at a snail's pace. She runs into Lightning Dust at the market and Lightning Dust still complains that she was the real winner of their race. Her granddaughter looks up to her grandmother's victories and aspires to be just like her. Rainbow Dash is however depressed that she isn't young anymore. She has become quite cynical when away from her friends. She still believes she can perform a sonic rainboom, but is in denial that it will never happen

 

Spike: Has reached full dragon size and is still young and kicking. He is no longer Twilight's assistant. But he still visits the mane 6

[Phoenix237 353]

You know what I'd think would be cool.

 

I'd structure it like the ending to Final Fantasy VI, which had a twenty minute epilogue tying up all the loose ends and showing what happened to all the characters. So after the ponies have overcome the final conflict, we jump twenty years into the future and see the Mane Six in their forties, with their families and ultimate destinies having come into light. We also see what happened to all the major supporting characters, like Spike, the CMC, and the Royals.

 

The final image of the epilogue would be the Mane Six and their families, Spike (who'd I assume is now at least six feet taller than the ponies), the CMC, and the supporting cast members who survived getting together for a photo similar to the one seen in the show's current intro. The photo zooms out to reveal that it is the last page of the book we see in the prologue in the very first episode. We see a purple-ish unicorn filly (Twilight's daughter) finishing the book and setting it down when five other fillies call her over to play with them, and we watch them walk off together to have adventures and to travel the same path traveled by their mothers.

 

And in the final moments of the show, the camera tilts down from the fillies leaving the orchard to the cover of the book, and across the cover we see the title.

 

Friendship is Magic: A Memoir by Twilight Sparkle.

 

Fade to black. Credits roll, as does the tears.

 

You have just made the best ending I could think of for the series.

I mean it, this would be the ultimate ending and I would love to see them do this. And the thing with the book at the end would be perfect.

Good job on creating a great ending for a series that still has a lot going for it.

[Mint_Melody 91]

I disagree that this is a good moral. Maybe for adults, but not for children. I wouldn't mind see and old mane six where they have all lived out happy lives and are now sharing their golden years and passing on their legacy... but the moral of we all get old and die isn't good for this age group mostly because they will not understand it.

 

Children are told when they're young and someone dies that they're asleep, or on a trip, or in heaven. Kids can't really understand death, not even many adults can. If you tell them someone they loved has gone into the ground and is gone forever, soon to be worm food you will horrify a child. In theory we can just tell children the truth and they can learn to accept it, but in reality they aren't mature enough to fully grasp death as a concept without being very disturbed by it. Also children wouldn't appreciate this ending, they see no beauty in things that are bittersweet. Their minds are still developing and even concepts like morality are difficult to understand. What they do know is death is sad and if it makes them feel negatively they're going to associate it with something bad. A five year old will never understand the beauty of seeing a character go through a completely life cycle. They'll see it as bad, and as a result they won't buy any more products from the show. It's possible that leaving a negative taste in their mouth could compromise the future of MLP and make it so no one wants to remake it in the future. I remember when I was young I had a MLP video game, in the game you got a pony and you trained it until it was good at many things, and then that pony went over the rainbow... and the game was done. I sobbed the first time this happened because I thought the pony went to heaven, which meant it was dead, which I couldn't truly understand because I was 7. 

 

An old mane six is very appealing to us as adults because it signals completion. When adults are faced with the end of the series where characters are young, the prospect of happily ever after just isn't plausible because we as adults know it isn't true. Having an old cast happy and in their golden years is appealing because it SHOWS they've had their happily ever after, they've faced it all, and now they will pass on, leaving their legacy behind and knowing they've done good things. I just think this concept is way over the head of a child.

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

I disagree that this is a good moral. Maybe for adults, but not for children. I wouldn't mind see and old mane six where they have all lived out happy lives and are now sharing their golden years and passing on their legacy... but the moral of we all get old and die isn't good for this age group mostly because they will not understand it.

 

Children are told when they're young and someone dies that they're asleep, or on a trip, or in heaven. Kids can't really understand death, not even many adults can. If you tell them someone they loved has gone into the ground and is gone forever, soon to be worm food you will horrify a child. In theory we can just tell children the truth and they can learn to accept it, but in reality they aren't mature enough to fully grasp death as a concept without being very disturbed by it. Also children wouldn't appreciate this ending, they see no beauty in things that are bittersweet. Their minds are still developing and even concepts like morality are difficult to understand. What they do know is death is sad and if it makes them feel negatively they're going to associate it with something bad. A five year old will never understand the beauty of seeing a character go through a completely life cycle. They'll see it as bad, and as a result they won't buy any more products from the show. It's possible that leaving a negative taste in their mouth could compromise the future of MLP and make it so no one wants to remake it in the future. I remember when I was young I had a MLP video game, in the game you got a pony and you trained it until it was good at many things, and then that pony went over the rainbow... and the game was done. I sobbed the first time this happened because I thought the pony went to heaven, which meant it was dead, which I couldn't truly understand because I was 7. 

 

An old mane six is very appealing to us as adults because it signals completion. When adults are faced with the end of the series where characters are young, the prospect of happily ever after just isn't plausible because we as adults know it isn't true. Having an old cast happy and in their golden years is appealing because it SHOWS they've had their happily ever after, they've faced it all, and now they will pass on, leaving their legacy behind and knowing they've done good things. I just think this concept is way over the head of a child.

I guess this is all a matter of perspective then. I was 9 years old when I seen the episode of Ed Edd Eddy called "Take this Ed and Shove it" It was the darkest episode and was originally meant to be the series finale. But Danny Atonucci knew the show was popular on cartoon network so he gave the show 6 seasons, 3 specials and a movie. When I saw that episode at a young age it changed me, I was exposed to the biggest fear of being a kid...that is growing old. You aren't going to get away with a message like that in current cartoons nowadays 

[Mint_Melody 91]

I guess this is all a matter of perspective then. I was 9 years old when I seen the episode of Ed Edd Eddy called "Take this Ed and Shove it" It was the darkest episode and was originally meant to be the series finale. But Danny Atonucci knew the show was popular on cartoon network so he gave the show 6 seasons, 3 specials and a movie. When I saw that episode at a young age it changed me, I was exposed to the biggest fear of being a kid...that is growing old. You aren't going to get away with a message like that in current cartoons nowadays 

 

Ed, Edd, and Eddy was not geared for the same age group as MLP. I know kids as young as 2 who are entranced by FiM and when they see it on my DVR they watch it for hours. When you're distributing to a wide age group, you have to be careful you do not damage your audience. I watched Ed, Edd, and Eddy when I was around the same age as you and technically 9 and 10 is a stage in your development when you start to understand death as a concept. The five and six year olds watching this show are not equipped to deal with a logically sort through this concept. At nine you are able to say, I'm a person, this is a cartoon, this is not real. At five, they WANT you to believe this is as real as possible. To the extent where we have to teach our kids things like "animals don't talk" and there are no such things as dragons. My niece of four once asked me where Equestria was. The thought of more than one world is too big for a child of that age, because they have not yet fully grasped the concepts of this one. They learn new things about the world every day and they haven't yet learned to think things through logically. They relate to the world through emotion, which helps very young children stay safe in the real world and establish empathy. It's the whole reason the show can effectively shape behavior through the lessons it teaches. Kids don't listen to Twilight's letter at the end and say "That is a very good lesson for me to employ in my life". No, they empathize with the main character that is going through the dilemma. When I watched Hurricane Fluttershy with my niece, my sister kept asking her child, "Does she make a difference? Does everyone make a difference?" To the point where I told her to stop. Don't spoil the lesson! A child must go on the emotional ride and feel their pain in order to also feel their triumph. 

 

Unfortunately, applying this concept to old age and death is too distressing and confusing. If the mane six are happy, and yet they're dying kids wouldn't have the slightest clue what to think because how they have related to death so far is the general conception that death is 'bad'. If they are sad and dying this could really distress a child, and lead to feelings of despair. You'd be amazed the changes a child goes through from age 7 to age nine and how drastically their ability to rationalize changes. 

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

I think this thread is coming to a close. But imagine if Lauren Faust wanted to return to the show and decided to have an episode like this. if this were to happen, many fans would not consider it canon. I can accept little kids being upset over it. But adults shouldn't. Because we are already growing old and truly getting a taste of what life is like

[EndtheRaven 161]

Noooo! Or else you shall never see and end to my tears.. 

And I agree, I think the mane 6 should all become alicorns representing their respective element. 

Either way there will be tears though

[TheMarkz0ne 962]

I think people are using the excuse "it's a show for little girls" way to much. Let's look at the power puff girls. A how made for "little girls" There is one episode where the girls time travel into the future only to find out HIM has taken over the world. We see undead decrepit townsville citizens and red skies. Courage the Cowardly Dog was rated TV-Y7 and got away with a TON of things, In one episode Courage is playing with corpses because Eustace and Muriel have been turned into puppets thus killing them. Also the Ed Edd Eddy episode I mentioned where they were all old and it was meant to be the series finale, but Cartoon Network wouldn't let Danny Antonucci end the show so he made more

[Scootalove 10,689]

Well, if the creators/writers want to cross the boundaries of ending the series with the main characters dying that is their decision. But, it could be done if done the right way. But, I don't know if it will end with them dying.

[Dashabel 381]

Noo... Far too sad for our little show. <3 I already cried at season three finale, so this... This will just send me into depression! That's the reason I don't believe Alicorn Twilight to be immortal.. It's a happy, cute, smiley show... It's just too sad.

I read a fanfic a while ago about Dashie fearing old age - all her friends had moved on, but Dashie still hadn't settled, and thought she could just fly forever... But, AJ had died from old age, and Fluttershy, Rarity were getting in a bit, whilst Twilight stayed young as a princess. :'( I cried at that fanfic. I didn't particularly like that storyline.

However, I won't deny this IS a good storyline for an actual episode; nopony has to get old or die, but Dashie, out of all of them, could fear it, and her loss of speed and awesomeness. But, like I said.. It's kinda tragic. I'm actually not sure whether I like the idea or not. I suppose as long as there's a happy ending, I'm fine with it. It would be a very interesting episode.