Hasbro's portrayal of Changelings

[Shine 166]

So far the changelings have only appeared in one episode, and the only one who has even been known to speak within the show is the queen...  yet, they have still managed to become loved by a large group of bronies.  Changeling characters have been made, and some have even been used as fans' "ponysonas."

 

What makes changelings so popular?

Do you agree or disagree with Hasbro's portrayal of them as an "evil" race?

Do you hope to see more of them in season 4, and if so, what do you hope will happen?

 

[note:  I have not had the opportunity to read any of the My Little Pony comics, but from what I've heard, it seems that the changelings in them are still evil; is this correct?]

 

=============================================================================

 

My personal opinion:

 

Personally, I don't like how they're portrayed as mindless, evil drones.  I understand that their queen is evil and that some kind of "monster" was needed to provide a large-scale conflict for "A Canterlot Wedding," but that doesn't mean the entire changeling race needs to be evil.  I don't believe an entire race even can be evil.  It's all up to the individual to decide which path to follow.  This may seem a bit extreme, but I feel that, by making an entire race the bad guys, Hasbro is sending a racist message to the children watching the show.  They should have applied the same message to changelings as they did to zebras in the first season: just because they look scary doesn't mean we can't be friends.

 

Additionally, I think Chrysalis was totally bucking insane for thinking she needed to defeat the princesses and take over the country just to provide love for her subjects.  If she were smart, she would realize that the best way to gain access to love is to be kind and make friends.  I'm pretty sure that if she had met with the princesses and asked them for entrance into their domain, they would have explained the situation to the ponies, and the ponies, being a generally kind and gentle race, would have  most likely been willing to befriend  the changelings and feed them their love.  The invasion on Canterlot was both unnecessary and just plain stupid.

 

I love changelings for a few reasons.  The first is obviously because I like how they look (I personally think they're totally bucking adorable).  The second is because of their unique design.  I mean, come on... how many people could think to combine insect and pony traits for a shapeshifting race?  It's deserving of a brohoof.  xP

The third reason is because they are the underdogs.  The poor little changeling minions get blamed for all the destruction caused by their leader, and I want to give them all hugs to make up for it.  <3

 

 

 

Here is an image of a changeling that I made. c:

Edited September 14, 2013 by Rainshine

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, as you made some very good points. I'd actually like to see some more changelings in future episodes, to show that they're not all evil mindless drones. I think it would be a nice eye opener for the mane 6 to meet some friendly changelings. Just because they have a crazy leader doesn't mean they're all like that. I have to say that ponies are pretty judgemental. Most of ponyville avoided Zecora initially since she is different, and it seems that all of the ponies think of the Changeling race as an evil one. Anyways, back on the topic of changelings, I have to say that they are pretty cute. Their design is also pretty unique, and I'd love to see them again as stated earlier. I'd like to learn more about them too, and maybe get some backstory on Chrysalis, or their race as a whole. This probably won't happen, but if it does it'd make me one happy guy.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

One, most likely Hasbro has zero involvement in creating the Changelings. The writers of the show are the ones who made them. If I'm wrong tell me how.

 

As for me, I think the Changelings are evil creators. For one when they eat love from any other creators, the creator dies. So I don't think anyone would be up for that. Not to mention they bombarded a city, captured guards and the 6. So I can see no pony or any race liking them. Now because we don't know much about them, some maybe good. I'm not placing a huge bet on that happening.  

[Shine 166]

One, most likely Hasbro has zero involvement in creating the Changelings. The writers of the show are the ones who made them. If I'm wrong tell me how.

 

As for me, I think the Changelings are evil creators. For one when they eat love from any other creators, the creator dies. So I don't think anyone would be up for that. Not to mention they bombarded a city, captured guards and the 6. So I can see no pony or any race liking them. Now because we don't know much about them, some maybe good. I'm not placing a huge bet on that happening.  

 

I guess I was mistaken in believing that the show was created by the Hasbro company. sorry for that.

 

As for changelings being evil creatures (yeah, you misspelled that big time.  No offense.) nowhere in the show does it mention that ponies die after having their love eaten.  In fact...  Chrysalis was feeding off of Shining Armor's love the entire time, and it didn't hurt him.  The only thing that hurt him was when she put him under her mind-control spell, but that was totally unrelated to her eating his love.

 

The way I see it (as do most other people who write changeling fanfiction) is that when a changeling finds a pony who is emitting love, he simply intercepts the love and redirects it to himself, and the love makes him grow stronger.  If the love were being sent to the changeling in the first place, then there wouldn't even be any need to intercept and redirect it.

 

Eating love doesn't make a creature evil; the changelings are considered bad because they steal the love instead of letting it go to the pony who's supposed to be receiving it.

 

[by the way...  buck yeah, I'm a cupcake now!   ]

Edited September 14, 2013 by Rainshine

[Scootalove 10,689]

I really do want to see the Changelings in Season 4 if they are done blasting off again. They are labeled evil because, they take the love by force instead of asking. They might not even be a evil race after they learn from their mistakes.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

I guess I was mistaken in believing that the show was created by the Hasbro company. sorry for that.

 

As for changelings being evil creatures (yeah, you misspelled that big time.  No offense.) nowhere in the show does it mention that ponies die after having their love eaten.  In fact...  Chrysalis was feeding off of Shining Armor's love the entire time, and it didn't hurt him.  The only thing that hurt him was when she put him under her mind-control spell, but that was totally unrelated to her eating his love.

 

The way I see it (as do most other people who write changeling fanfiction) is that when a changeling finds a pony who is emitting love, he simply intercepts the love and redirects it to himself, and the love makes him grow stronger.  If the love were being sent to the changeling in the first place, then there wouldn't even be any need to intercept and redirect it.

 

Eating love doesn't make a creature evil; the changelings are considered bad because they steal the love instead of letting it go to the pony who's supposed to be receiving it.

 

[by the way...  buck yeah, I'm a cupcake now!   ]

 

Well lets looks at a line Queen Chrysalis said.

 

[ Right you are, Princess. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!]

 

Now, this line is telling us that Chrysalis, goes from one area to another finding love to eat. If they already found 1 area with love, why leave that area to find more?

 

Most likely the creatures they were eating, died out and they have to find more. Why else would they even need to do that?

 

Also your a little wrong about Chrysalis eating his love did not hurt him. When the spell was broken he felt weaken and did not even have the power to make another barrier. Meaning there is some negative affect when they eat love.

 

Now I know you have not read the comics, but in volume 3 they are shown darning love from other creatures and it does look like they die. 

 

The changeling may also be evil because they are stealing more than just love. They are also stealing land from other creators and destroying it.

[Shine 166]

Well lets looks at a line Queen Chrysalis said.

 

[ Right you are, Princess. And as queen of the changelings, it is up to me to find food for my subjects. Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!]

 

Now, this line is telling us that Chrysalis, goes from one area to another finding love to eat. If they already found 1 area with love, why leave that area to find more?

 

Most likely the creatures they were eating, died out and they have to find more. Why else would they even need to do that?

 

Also your a little wrong about Chrysalis eating his love did not hurt him. When the spell was broken he felt weaken and did not even have the power to make another barrier. Meaning there is some negative affect when they eat love.

 

Now I know you have not read the comics, but in volume 3 they are shown darning love from other creatures and it does look like they die. 

 

The changeling may also be evil because they are stealing more than just love. They are also stealing land from other creators and destroying it.

 

Niaeruzu, the author of a great fanfiction series, commonly known as the "My Little Changeling" series, has a good explanation for how the stealing of love would harm a creature (sorry, but you're still majorly misspelling that word).  In Niaeruzu's story, whenever a changeling steals love, the pony who was meant to receive it doesn't get to feel the love, so over time, ponies become bitter and stop giving love themselves, thus draining the land of love.  Personally, I still feel like the changelings are more misguided than straight up evil.

[Planty 1,053]

I think people just like a good villain every now and then It makes the show more interesting and the best episodes are normally those which have villains in !

 

Look at Discord and Trixie, they both have big fan clubs after one episode ! 

 

I think we will see them in the future ! I can't wait to learn more about them, but I do think they all tend to be love sucking creatures that are always trying to find more prey (although I guess that this could be down to struggling to feed themselves) but if Discord can be reformed who knows?!

[FoxyCryptid 4,330]

The way they are in the show is kind of a cross between a traditional changeling and a succubus. The later because while the changelings in the myth feed on love, they do so by taking the place of children and feeding on the parents love. The taking the place of a lover makes the queen closer to a succubus(yes, whether or not it was intentional they snuck a big one past the radar with her. In hindsight I'm floored that they got away with it)  

 

I think the writers did a good job at using existing mythology to mold a unique race of creatures. I personally have a interesting back-story for them I concocted for my fic.

 

Another personal fact(abet, a irreverent one) is that it makes me think of Highlander because Connor and Duncan were accused of being changelings by their clan when they become immortal. 

Edited September 15, 2013 by Shoboni

[pinkiefan1287 610]

Niaeruzu, the author of a great fanfiction series, commonly known as the "My Little Changeling" series, has a good explanation for how the stealing of love would harm a creature (sorry, but you're still majorly misspelling that word).  In Niaeruzu's story, whenever a changeling steals love, the pony who was meant to receive it doesn't get to feel the love, so over time, ponies become bitter and stop giving love themselves, thus draining the land of love.  Personally, I still feel like the changelings are more misguided than straight up evil.

 

And that's where we really see things differently. I don't believe anything a fan-fic writer makes. Fan-fic are created by people to expand the world of a show in their own view. But their views have nothing to do with the show and are never put into episodes. Writers on the show, comics, and books have more of a say because they work on the show. than a fan-fic writer.

 

So to what I've seen in the show and comics when a changelings eats love, they are killing their prey. Till it is shown differently, I believe that.

[Gigapony 650]

The show itself was a bit vague on Changelings' culture and intelligence, and at first I thought that they were all drones under a hive mind controlled by Chrysalis, not unlike the Zerg of Starcraft or the Borg of Star Trek.

 

The comics however, (which are canon) portrayed them as capable of speech and some degree of independent thought, though still with slavish devotion to Chrysalis. In that sense they came off more like the Tolkien's Orcs to me.

 

I take the comics as the "true" source for Changeling info as they are considered more or less canon. And given that, they do seem to be pretty much irredeemably evil (much like Orcs, again) because their feeding off of love is portrayed as a parasitic action that destroys the people they're draining the love from. They're like a mix of vampires and locusts, going from place to place, draining love until there's nothing left to take, and moving on.

[The Swedish Brony 153]

I pretty much agree with everything that you say.

 

I too want believe that the changelings are not a "evil race" and is just being controlled by a evil queen at the moment.

 

In fact, I think that it would very much benefit the show if there was a anti-racist episode.

Something like that the mane six get to know a friendly changeling or they get lost in changeling land, etc. etc.

 

But then again there are those comics...

 

*sigh* I really do hope they'll do something with them in season 4 

[Freewave 1,145]

And that's where we really see things differently. I don't believe anything a fan-fic writer makes. Fan-fic are created by people to expand the world of a show in their own view. But their views have nothing to do with the show and are never put into episodes. Writers on the show, comics, and books have more of a say because they work on the show. than a fan-fic writer.

 

So to what I've seen in the show and comics when a changelings eats love, they are killing their prey. Till it is shown differently, I believe that.

 

Except they haven't shown in the show or the comic that anyone dies from this, so that's not the case. But the comic did seem to indicate that (simialr to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") Changelings grab the host when they can and coccon them as they try to assume their place. Qucikly assimilating and taking over a community.  That's still not benevolent yet and no drones have shown any type of independent thought but they aren't killers or friendly..

 

Now Chrysaslis came in with brute force on the television eps vs in the comic (by surprise) and fanfiction has been more kind to the changelings. I particularly like "the way" which is written that changelings (non connected to Chrysalis's "rogue" hive) often find dead or dieing ponies and "replace" them thus taking the love not by force but because its freely given. As the changelings spend time in that form they often become stuck in that form, stray from the hive, and eventually develop mutual love where they didn't understand pony emotions before. Really fascinating stuff i might add.  

 

You can read about that here.

http://mlpforums.com/topic/62397-thoughts-on-changelings-who-peacefully-live-among-ponies-in-fanfiction/

 

The fanfic group for such stories is here. http://www.fimfiction.net/group/636/queen-chrysaliss-feeding-grounds

 

One of the stories i made a song around and there happened to be plenty of Bon Bon is a changeling art.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Freewave

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

I don't see the Changlings as some "enslaved" race that is being controlled by an evil queen. They are Predators and as such they are "villains" as they naturally prey on other critters. They are sentient and intelligent as it was shown when one of them listened to Pinkie Pie and was even able to show disdain and exasperation at Pinkie's antics in begging to be shown.

 

The Changlings are basically the ALIENS of the MLP world. I am sure they may have a basic intelligence and maybe even personalities, but I am sure they are more or less a hive-mind.

 

While I do want to see them more, I don't want to see them protrayed as "good" or "enslaved" by an evil queen.

 

What I DO want to see are the civilizations they have destroyed.

[Anneal 2,197]

 

Personally, I don't like how they're portrayed as mindless, evil drones.  I understand that their queen is evil and that some kind of "monster" was needed to provide a large-scale conflict for "A Canterlot Wedding," but that doesn't mean the entire changeling race needs to be evil.  I don't believe an entire race even can be evil.  It's all up to the individual to decide which path to follow.  This may seem a bit extreme, but I feel that, by making an entire race the bad guys, Hasbro is sending a racist message to the children watching the show.  They should have applied the same message to changelings as they did to zebras in the first season: just because they look scary doesn't mean we can't be friends.

 

 

I already believed that ponies are "racist"; the previous seasons kind of proves it. But it's not because they don't like them; they most likely never or barely SEEN the outside world, let alone other sentient species. Which would explain why some ponies were uneasy when they saw Gilda and why they completely hid in their homes when Zecora came to town. 

 

Then again, what the Mane Six is always seeing is the Big Bad, since it'll suit the show the most. More complex "black and white" things would have changed the genre completely.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Cartophile

[DiscordAnarchy 770]

I already believed that ponies are "racist"; the previous seasons kind of proves it. But it's not because they don't like them; they most likely never or barely SEEN the outside world, let alone other sentient species. Which would explain why some ponies were uneasy when they saw Gilda and why they completely hid in their homes when Zecora came to town. 

 

Then again, what the Mane Six is always seeing is the Big Bad, since it'll suit the show the most. More complex "black and white" things would have changed the genre completely.

 

 

Racist is not the word you are looking for to describe how they act towards other species. The proper term is Xenophobia which is the fear of other species/different creatures.

 

And I don't see any pony who acted all strange to Gilda except for Pinkie who has never seen a Griffin before. Everypony else didn't seem to care unless you saw something I didn't. Notice nopony cared when the Griffin chef arrived on the train.

 

The only other species I can think of is the Buffalo's but that was about listening to one another's problems against 2 stubborn groups. No Xenophobia there, just a huge misunderstanding.

 

Cows seem alright and get along with ponies as do Donkeys. Zebras are now more accepted once ponies got used to Zecura.

 

The only species they are 100% afraid of are those that have tried to hurt them: Windigos, Timber Wolves, and Changlings.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

 

 

Except they haven't shown in the show or the comic that anyone dies from this, so that's not the case. But the comic did seem to indicate that (simialr to "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") Changelings grab the host when they can and coccon them as they try to assume their place. Qucikly assimilating and taking over a community.  That's still not benevolent yet and no drones have shown any type of independent thought but they aren't killers or friendly..

 

Actually we did see something. If you look at the third volume MLP comic, we can see the Changelings sucking the love energy out of the cat like things. And to what it looks like, they are dying. Also Chrysalis killed one in the same volume. She didn't even eat it. Just killed it in her hoofs. So if she can kill, so can the other changelings. Also they destroyed their homes and land faster then Pinkie Pie working on a day at the apple farm.

 

 

 

Now Chrysaslis came in with brute force on the television eps vs in the comic (by surprise) and fanfiction has been more kind to the changelings. I particularly like "the way" which is written that changelings (non connected to Chrysalis's "rogue" hive) often find dead or dieing ponies and "replace" them thus taking the love not by force but because its freely given. As the changelings spend time in that form they often become stuck in that form, stray from the hive, and eventually develop mutual love where they didn't understand pony emotions before. Really fascinating stuff i might add.    

  

 

Like I said before, that is fan-fic speculation. If it does not happen in show, comics, or books, it not true. Also what you described does not make any seines and it sounds much more curl and evil.

 

For one how would this changeling know who this dead pony is and who their true love is? They aren't mind readers. If that were the case, Chrysalis would have not had any problems fooling Twilight.

 

Also it sounds more cruel to take on the life of someone who had died. They aren't the real one and they should just tell them that their loved one is gone. To replace them is just as worse. And like I said before, those cat things didn't look to good after the changelings got there. So the pony or whatever they are with, well die much faster.

 

So if this is how the changelings act, then they are the most evil things in this world. Still it's still only fan-fic speculation. 

[FNGRpony 658]

Of course their evil and this from a guy who thinks discord isn't nor ever has been evil.

The changeling army are parsites that create nothing in their wake.

 

I mean besides a bad guy in a show that really needs one. 

You know what would be fun?  a changeling disguesses himself as  a pony (him or her) loses his memory

and has to make the choice after living as a pony for a month to return to the hive or not.

It would be more fun to see how the pony population would react once they found it.

[SkyStorm 334]

I completely agree with your point, I never thought of it that way but I've always loved them changelings (so so awesome!)

I sure do hope season 4 will bring us more changelings

[FNGRpony 658]

I think it would be a crying shame to not give us more of an entirely new race.  we got a glimpse than nothing ever again.

I mean of course they could still eb around (heh obviously)

[Freewave 1,145]

Actually we did see something. If you look at the third volume MLP comic, we can see the Changelings sucking the love energy out of the cat like things. And to what it looks like, they are dying. Also Chrysalis killed one in the same volume. She didn't even eat it. Just killed it in her hoofs. So if she can kill, so can the other changelings. Also they destroyed their homes and land faster then Pinkie Pie working on a day at the apple farm.

 

 

 

  

 

Like I said before, that is fan-fic speculation. If it does not happen in show, comics, or books, it not true. Also what you described does not make any seines and it sounds much more curl and evil.

 

For one how would this changeling know who this dead pony is and who their true love is? They aren't mind readers. If that were the case, Chrysalis would have not had any problems fooling Twilight.

 

Also it sounds more cruel to take on the life of someone who had died. They aren't the real one and they should just tell them that their loved one is gone. To replace them is just as worse. And like I said before, those cat things didn't look to good after the changelings got there. So the pony or whatever they are with, well die much faster.

 

So if this is how the changelings act, then they are the most evil things in this world. Still it's still only fan-fic speculation. 

 

Again cannon so far shows them as evil or at least a race that's threatening to take over weaker creatures. You are right baout the cat bit but I think its a given that Chrysalis is definitely evil. Thats not to say that some individual changelings aren't or break away from the hive.

 

Regarding "the old way" it's actually an agreement between a dying pony and a changeling for one to take over for the one who dies. Bascially they can die and those who love that pony will have to mourn the loss or the changeling can try their best to fill in and survive off that love and fill that role. They might not discover until years later of the switch. Duplicitious of course but love can be a bit blind.

[Shine 166]

I think the writers did a good job at using existing mythology to mold a unique race of creatures. I personally have a interesting back-story for them I concocted for my fic.

 

If you're willing to share, I would love to hear it.  c:

 

And that's where we really see things differently. I don't believe anything a fan-fic writer makes. Fan-fic are created by people to expand the world of a show in their own view. But their views have nothing to do with the show and are never put into episodes. Writers on the show, comics, and books have more of a say because they work on the show. than a fan-fic writer.

 

So to what I've seen in the show and comics when a changelings eats love, they are killing their prey. Till it is shown differently, I believe that.

 

You say that you will only believe what's in the show, but what you're saying was not in the show.  The creators of My Little Pony did not, and probably never will, create monsters of 100% pure evil to crush and kill and destroy.  That's too disturbing for a little kids' show.

 

Since we have no solid evidence from the show (from what I've heard of the comics, they make the changelings seem a bit more evil but are still kind of vague), I will go on believing whatever fan-canon I find that makes sense.  Your view doesn't make sense to me.

 

Again cannon so far shows them as evil or at least a race that's threatening to take over weaker creatures. You are right baout the cat bit but I think its a given that Chrysalis is definitely evil. Thats not to say that some individual changelings aren't or break away from the hive.

 

Regarding "the old way" it's actually an agreement between a dying pony and a changeling for one to take over for the one who dies. Bascially they can die and those who love that pony will have to mourn the loss or the changeling can try their best to fill in and survive off that love and fill that role. They might not discover until years later of the switch. Duplicitious of course but love can be a bit blind.

 

I totally agree.

 

What is "The Old Way"?  Is it a story?  I'm interested.  o3o

[pinkiefan1287 610]

 

 

You say that you will only believe what's in the show, but what you're saying was not in the show.  The creators of My Little Pony did not, and probably never will, create monsters of 100% pure evil to crush and kill and destroy.  That's too disturbing for a little kids' show.   Since we have no solid evidence from the show (from what I've heard of the comics, they make the changelings seem a bit more evil but are still kind of vague), I will go on believing whatever fan-canon I find that makes sense.  Your view doesn't make sense to me.

 

I don't see what so hard to understand? I just don't believe anything a fan-fic writers as being cannon because a writer of the show, comics, and books, could easily disprove that idea. What happens in these 3 formats are the things I believe happen in the MLP world.

 

 

 

Regarding "the old way" it's actually an agreement between a dying pony and a changeling for one to take over for the one who dies. Bascially they can die and those who love that pony will have to mourn the loss or the changeling can try their best to fill in and survive off that love and fill that role. They might not discover until years later of the switch. Duplicitious of course but love can be a bit blind.

 

True, love maybe blind, but love is not dumb. Changelings maybe able to change into anyone, but they can't really become them. They would do things differently and act differently. It would not take them long to find out and most likely when they find out, they would become more enraged and try and kill the changeling for trying to do something, that some would consider sick.    

[Freewave 1,145]

Well again the fanfics speak for themselves. It's hard for you to criticize them w/o reading them. I don't mind that Hasbro has created an awesome race that they've also portrayed as one dimensional but it's the fannon that really makes them interesting and breathes life and brings up a lot more interesting storylines.

If you're willing to share, I would love to hear it.  c:

 

 

You say that you will only believe what's in the show, but what you're saying was not in the show.  The creators of My Little Pony did not, and probably never will, create monsters of 100% pure evil to crush and kill and destroy.  That's too disturbing for a little kids' show.

 

Since we have no solid evidence from the show (from what I've heard of the comics, they make the changelings seem a bit more evil but are still kind of vague), I will go on believing whatever fan-canon I find that makes sense.  Your view doesn't make sense to me.

 

 

I totally agree.

 

What is "The Old Way"?  Is it a story?  I'm interested.  o3o

 Take a look at the thread i linked to earlier.

http://mlpforums.com/topic/62397-thoughts-on-changelings-who-peacefully-live-among-ponies-in-fanfiction/

The fanfic Flitter i think has done the best job at creating fannon that makes the changeling a lot more interesting and not immediate conflicting with ponies but still fitting in with cannon.

[Shine 166]

Take a look at the thread i linked to earlier.

http://mlpforums.com/topic/62397-thoughts-on-changelings-who-peacefully-live-among-ponies-in-fanfiction/

The fanfic Flitter i think has done the best job at creating fannon that makes the changeling a lot more interesting and not immediate conflicting with ponies but still fitting in with cannon.

Alright. I'll take a look at it. c:

Gracias for sharing that link.

 

I also agree with what you said about the majority of the changelings' "life" comes from fanfiction. It's because Hasbro doesn't really give us much to go on, so fans try to come up with reasonable explanations to fill in the holes.

Edited September 15, 2013 by Rainshine