Meghan McCarthy officially strikes down Sparity

[FlareGun45 2,221]

Given they apparently age only when exhibiting greed (Secret of My Excess), dragons would seem to remain babies indefinitely unless their mothers regulate their greed.

 

So... how did Spike get from an infant to a pre-teen? Zecora said on Secret of my Excess that his greed is making his growth speed up. She never said it was the only thing making up grow, my friend!

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

So that means Rarity is still free to chase after Flash Sentry like Pepe Le Pew to Penelope Pussycat, right?

[Sunny Fox 5,951]

So... how did Spike get from an infant to a pre-teen? Zecora said on Secret of my Excess that his greed is making his growth speed up. She never said it was the only thing making up grow, my friend!

Except she pretty much does:

 

Zecora: Ooh, he is starting to mature. Of this fact I am quite sure.

Twilight Sparkle: Mature? So he's just... growing up? But that doesn't explain why he keeps grabbing things.

Zecora: A dragon's heart is prone to greed, a steady diet to make growth speed. Then, the resulting bigger size only makes their hunger rise. If this trait should go unchecked, if Spike continues to collect, more growth will certainly occur – he is going to turn into a monster.

Twilight Sparkle: [gasps] You mean the more things a dragon collects, the bigger and greedier he gets? But how do we stop him before he's completely out of control?

Zecora: If his monstrous ways you wish to impede, you must prevent him from practicing greed.

 

There's quite a large implication that this is a natural trait of dragons - collecting stuff makes them mature and grow. She doesn't mention that this is in addition to any natural growth, so the natural conclusion is that this process is the way all dragons mature.

 

As for why Spike aged from infant to where we see him now, the answer's pretty simple, and actually comes from the same episode: Twilight gives him a book for his birthday every year. It's quite possible she has been unknowingly regulating his growth this way.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

 

Except she pretty much does:

 

Zecora: Ooh, he is starting to mature. Of this fact I am quite sure.

Twilight Sparkle: Mature? So he's just... growing up? But that doesn't explain why he keeps grabbing things.

Zecora: A dragon's heart is prone to greed, a steady diet to make growth speed. Then, the resulting bigger size only makes their hunger rise. If this trait should go unchecked, if Spike continues to collect, more growth will certainly occur – he is going to turn into a monster.

Twilight Sparkle: [gasps] You mean the more things a dragon collects, the bigger and greedier he gets? But how do we stop him before he's completely out of control?

Zecora: If his monstrous ways you wish to impede, you must prevent him from practicing greed.

 

There's quite a large implication that this is a natural trait of dragons - collecting stuff makes them mature and grow. She doesn't mention that this is in addition to any natural growth, so the natural conclusion is that this process is the way all dragons mature.

 

As for why Spike aged from infant to where we see him now, the answer's pretty simple, and actually comes from the same episode: Twilight gives him a book for his birthday every year. It's quite possible she has been unknowingly regulating his growth this way.

 

 

Hmm, nice theory! Maybe to keep Spike in control, he'll receive a little bit at a time, and grow a little bit at a time. He's already older than the CMCs, and acts just a wee-bit more mature than them; not too much though. So it's only a matter of time until he receives enough stuff to grow.

 

That doesn't explain why he turned back into his usual size in the end of Secret of my Excess though.

[Sunny Fox 5,951]

Hmm, nice theory! Maybe to keep Spike in control, he'll receive a little bit at a time, and grow a little bit at a time. He's already older than the CMCs, and acts just a wee-bit more mature than them; not too much though. So it's only a matter of time until he receives enough stuff to grow.

 

That doesn't explain why he turned back into his usual size in the end of Secret of my Excess though.

Well, the Fire Ruby reminded Spike of his own generosity in giving it to Rarity, which reset his greed level to where it was at the time of said gift, thus reverting him to the same age he was at the beginning of the episode.

[Conred 274]

I think Sparity never had a chance due to child/adult pairing. You will have a much better chance to canonise FlutterCord as it appears to have great support from writers and Hasbro.

[Cwanky 17,590]

I would like to believe that the whole premise behind the argument that Spike can't have a meaningful romantic relationship lies within the argument of not age, but maturity.

 

We presume its age that holds Spike back, but really the show already established that the standards of age and maturity vary significantly among dragons and ponies, among other races. 12 years old for a dragon may be already considered a teenager or perhaps vice versa a baby. A dog is already considered emotionally, as well as sexually, mature within a year as an adolescent.

 

Regardless of the standards the show sets for Spike though, his actions more than indicate that he's acting with the mind of a mature teen or even adult on many occasions. He willingly risked his life to save a kingdom, protect his friends and made difficult decisions, decisions comparable to any of those made by the Mane 6. I would judge the maturity of Spike by his actions, not by his supposed age or biological maturity. Rarity, some forget, is no older than a young adult or teenager.

 

I would like to think that with time, Sparity could become foreseeable. 

[Truffles 2,033]

 

 

Regardless of the standards the show sets for Spike though, his actions more than indicate that he's acting with the mind of a mature teen or even adult on many occasions.

 

See now, this here explains perfectly why Sparity never bothered me in the least.

 

Spike hangs out with adults, his closest friends are all adults, and he's even written like an adult (with a few rare exceptions like "Winter Wrap Up") and he has adult responsibilities and interests. (His love of comics doesn't count - I love comics and I'm an adult. XD )

 

When I got into the show, I binge watched the first two seasons. By the time the Hub got around to showing the pilot and Sparity episodes like "Secret of My Excess," I shrugged my shoulders at the notion of them being a couple because he had already shown himself to be an equal among all the other adult ponies on the show.

 

This is also the reason why I found it creepy when it was suggested Spike should date Sweetie Belle instead. The CMC - compared to Spike - WERE written like little kids, and the thought of this "adult" dragon dating a little filly back then seemed wrong.

 

As it stands now, I don't have any problems with Spike dating the CMC because the CMC have caught up to him in terms of maturity and they are in fact now all teenagers. As a matter of fact, I feel like Spike has a pretty wide open field of shipping opportunities because he's an equal among adults and a lot of the secondary foal characters have matured as well.

 

Also, can we stop calling it a crush? He's had his eye on the same pony for three years now (suggested shipping with Starlight aside XD). It's been so long, if it isn't love by now then he should probably get an intervention since it's probably become an unhealthy stalking obsession. XD

 

As for the species thing, I was raised on Disney and Warner where interspecies dating is the norm. XD (And now we've even got one of the most popular interespecies ships around: Nick and Judy.) The talking species of Equestria are all pretty much at the same cultural, economic, and evolutionary levels and it would be a different situation if, for example, Spike were getting shipped with one of AJ's goats or cows, who seem to be in some kind of slave-master relationship with the ponies around them. Is there really a problem with a pony and dragon (or griffon or yak) dating because they might not be able to have kids? If that were the case, then all the same-sex shipping should be banned, too. =/

 

Also I never could figure out why everyone assumed Rarity returning some of Spike's feelings meant a quick and lurid roll in the hay for the both of them. Call me old-fashioned, but can't they be a couple for several years without the sex? Spike's obsession with Rarity seems to be purely romantic, though I don't know what to make of his plush of her - admittedly, that's a little odd. Okay, maybe a lot odd. XD

 

Finally, I do have a big caveat to everything I've said above: Sparity used to be my way of allowing Spike to be happy. Back then, he was treated like such a buttmunch that getting the girl he loved seemed like the fairest thing to do for his character. Now that he's been shown a lot of respect, it doesn't matter as much anymore. It's fine if he continues on his little quest, but he should really get her to let him know one way or another so he can move on if she's never going to love him back the way he wants her to.

[PacificGreen 1,163]

Pfff, because everyone knows that it's gotta be Emberspike or no ship at all! XD

 

...

 

Joking aside, this post was a long time ago, and things may have changed, but yeah, I highly doubt Sparity will ever be confirmed. May be denied, but that would disappoint a lot of shippers.

 

The show was never really meant to deal with romance anyway, save for canonically married couples like Shining Armor and Cadence, Cranky and Matilda, and the Cakes. So it doesn't bother me. That's what fanfics are for.

[Xeltor23 704]

There is a small small chance of Sparity happening, I mean come on, it's an adult/child relationship , I even wonder how people could of thought it can happen...

[Truffles 2,033]

 

 

Pfff, because everyone knows that it's gotta be Emberspike or no ship at all! XD

 

 

EmberSpike/Spember is a good ship, too, though it does hit on one of my pet peeves (Fluttershy gasps XD) and that is I do not care for the introduction of a new character whose sole purpose for existing is, to put it bluntly, to provide a place for another character to park their privates.

 

Right now we don't know anything about Ember other than she's a tsundere dragon who now happens to be dragon lord and will likely keep the peace between her species and ponykind. Before loves blossoms between Spike and Ember I'd like the showrunners to show us her likes, dislikes, dreams and desires. Basically make her a fully realized character, like Rarity is now.

 

Maybe we'll get to know her some more during the finale, if she does appear, that is. I'll be pretty disappointed if she doesn't figure into the story in some way, along with Thorax. =(

[PacificGreen 1,163]

 

 

EmberSpike/Spember is a good ship, too, though it does hit on one of my pet peeves (Fluttershy gasps XD) and that is I do not care for the introduction of a new character whose sole purpose for existing is, to put it bluntly, to provide a place for another character to park their privates.

 

Right now we don't know anything about Ember other than she's a tsundere dragon who now happens to be dragon lord and will likely keep the peace between her species and ponykind. Before loves blossoms between Spike and Ember I'd like the showrunners to show us her likes, dislikes, dreams and desires. Basically make her a fully realized character, like Rarity is now.

 

Maybe we'll get to know her some more during the finale, if she does appear, that is. I'll be pretty disappointed if she doesn't figure into the story in some way, along with Thorax. =(

 

 

Yeah I agree with you there. I'm not a big fan of characters whose sole raison d'être is to give another character a love interest. There are times when it works but only because the romance plays a very minuscule role, but generally we like to see the love interest fleshed out as well. 

 

That said, as with Sparity, I don't honestly believe Ember/Spike shipping is actually going to be canon. Well, the show runners could surprise us, I suppose, but I'm not really betting on it.

[HectorCabz 4]

 

 

EmberSpike/Spember is a good ship, too, though it does hit on one of my pet peeves (Fluttershy gasps XD) and that is I do not care for the introduction of a new character whose sole purpose for existing is, to put it bluntly, to provide a place for another character to park their privates.

 

Right now we don't know anything about Ember other than she's a tsundere dragon who now happens to be dragon lord and will likely keep the peace between her species and ponykind. Before loves blossoms between Spike and Ember I'd like the showrunners to show us her likes, dislikes, dreams and desires. Basically make her a fully realized character, like Rarity is now.

 

Maybe we'll get to know her some more during the finale, if she does appear, that is. I'll be pretty disappointed if she doesn't figure into the story in some way, along with Thorax. =(

 

Shipping Princess Ember and Spike is way better than Rarity and Spike.

Shipping those two is close enough. They're both dragons, same actions, and a little bit the age gap.

Unlike Spike and Rarity are too inconsistent to ship them.

 

It's a BIG YES for Spike x Ember and

 

a BIG NO for Spike x Rarity

Edited September 19, 2016 by HectorCabz

[HectorCabz 4]

 

 

EmberSpike/Spember is a good ship, too, though it does hit on one of my pet peeves (Fluttershy gasps XD) and that is I do not care for the introduction of a new character whose sole purpose for existing is, to put it bluntly, to provide a place for another character to park their privates.

 

Right now we don't know anything about Ember other than she's a tsundere dragon who now happens to be dragon lord and will likely keep the peace between her species and ponykind. Before loves blossoms between Spike and Ember I'd like the showrunners to show us her likes, dislikes, dreams and desires. Basically make her a fully realized character, like Rarity is now.

 

Maybe we'll get to know her some more during the finale, if she does appear, that is. I'll be pretty disappointed if she doesn't figure into the story in some way, along with Thorax. =(

 

I'll ship this. Better than Sparity

[HectorCabz 4]

According to the plots of the remaining episodes of Season 6, there's no relevance of any Sparity moments, I think.

[IcyT 0]

. They effectively nixed Sparity toward the end of "Secret of My Excess". 

I don't see how this is true. She kisses him, calls him a hero, says she's proud of him, etc.

 

I remember in one episode she shushes him when he's trying to confess but that may just be because she's waiting for him to mature a bit more (which makes sense if he's mentally 8 as Faust says) not that she never ever wants to be with him.

 

It's kind of a Padme/Anakin situation, give it a decade.

The reception after "A Canterlot Wedding" did seem to plant those seeds, if subtle, though none of the writers have picked up on the possibility. Might make for a cute episode wherein one of them develops a crush on the other.

I'm not sure if showing them ogling each other while dressed as bride and groom qualifies as subtle

..

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/9/9c/Spike_and_Sweetie_Belle_partying_S2E26.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/320?cb=20120423060055

 

[Black Sabbath 2,486]

So Hasbro doesn't want to have a relationship between a kid and an adult in the show? In other news, water is wet. 

[IcyT 0]

 

...I just hope they don't give Spike a girl dragon to like or something stupid like that.

less than 2 years later... http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/File:Ember_blushing_and_patting_Spike%27s_head_S6E5.png

 

A possible fix for the species barrier but I get the impression that Ember's still older, though she might just be a larger breed or something.

[Merrypaws 71]

I sailed this ship from the beginning, and I never even in my wildest dreams expected it to become canon.

Yarrr! This be a pirate ship! It be following no law but its own!

Edited October 27, 2016 by Merrypaws

[EmeraldStar04 250]

I think Sparity is cute.

 

Not as cute as Twidash, though.

[Yellow Diamond 7,569]

I don't see how this is true. She kisses him, calls him a hero, says she's proud of him, etc.

 

I remember in one episode she shushes him when he's trying to confess but that may just be because she's waiting for him to mature a bit more (which makes sense if he's mentally 8 as Faust says) not that she never ever wants to be with him.

 

It's kind of a Padme/Anakin situation, give it a decade.

 

Two years later, it doesn't seem as though the writers have taken interest in revisiting Spike's crush on Rarity. I'm confident that subplot is effectively dead and buried.

[Midnight Seashell 206]

By the time Spike is an adult and old enough to get married Rarity would either be married to someone else or she would be old.Besides Spike has a better chance of getting together with a crystal pony or another dragon.

[greenflare 154]

I ship Spike and Ember anyway.  They're cuter imo.

[HectorCabz 4]

On 4/21/2014 at 5:42 AM, Burny said:

This shipping will never end! As long we have artist on Deviantart, it will exist.

Duhh, whatever the shippers do, they won't expect more Sparity scenes in the next episodes of Season 7, specially in MLP The Movie.

[SugarCoatxMarblePie 701]

On ‎9‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 3:31 AM, Cwanky said:

I would like to believe that the whole premise behind the argument that Spike can't have a meaningful romantic relationship lies within the argument of not age, but maturity.

 

We presume its age that holds Spike back, but really the show already established that the standards of age and maturity vary significantly among dragons and ponies, among other races. 12 years old for a dragon may be already considered a teenager or perhaps vice versa a baby. A dog is already considered emotionally, as well as sexually, mature within a year as an adolescent.

 

Regardless of the standards the show sets for Spike though, his actions more than indicate that he's acting with the mind of a mature teen or even adult on many occasions. He willingly risked his life to save a kingdom, protect his friends and made difficult decisions, decisions comparable to any of those made by the Mane 6. I would judge the maturity of Spike by his actions, not by his supposed age or biological maturity. Rarity, some forget, is no older than a young adult or teenager.

 

I would like to think that with time, Sparity could become foreseeable. 

If a writer said it ain't gonna happen it prolly won't happen. Its like someone from Nascar saying they prolly will keep burning gas for hours driving in circles. Why believe they will do any differently?

 

On ‎9‎/‎7‎/‎2016 at 10:31 AM, Truffles said:

 

 

 

See now, this here explains perfectly why Sparity never bothered me in the least.

 

Spike hangs out with adults, his closest friends are all adults, and he's even written like an adult (with a few rare exceptions like "Winter Wrap Up") and he has adult responsibilities and interests. (His love of comics doesn't count - I love comics and I'm an adult. XD )

 

When I got into the show, I binge watched the first two seasons. By the time the Hub got around to showing the pilot and Sparity episodes like "Secret of My Excess," I shrugged my shoulders at the notion of them being a couple because he had already shown himself to be an equal among all the other adult ponies on the show.

 

This is also the reason why I found it creepy when it was suggested Spike should date Sweetie Belle instead. The CMC - compared to Spike - WERE written like little kids, and the thought of this "adult" dragon dating a little filly back then seemed wrong.

 

As it stands now, I don't have any problems with Spike dating the CMC because the CMC have caught up to him in terms of maturity and they are in fact now all teenagers. As a matter of fact, I feel like Spike has a pretty wide open field of shipping opportunities because he's an equal among adults and a lot of the secondary foal characters have matured as well.

 

Also, can we stop calling it a crush? He's had his eye on the same pony for three years now (suggested shipping with Starlight aside XD). It's been so long, if it isn't love by now then he should probably get an intervention since it's probably become an unhealthy stalking obsession. XD

 

As for the species thing, I was raised on Disney and Warner where interspecies dating is the norm. XD (And now we've even got one of the most popular interespecies ships around: Nick and Judy.) The talking species of Equestria are all pretty much at the same cultural, economic, and evolutionary levels and it would be a different situation if, for example, Spike were getting shipped with one of AJ's goats or cows, who seem to be in some kind of slave-master relationship with the ponies around them. Is there really a problem with a pony and dragon (or griffon or yak) dating because they might not be able to have kids? If that were the case, then all the same-sex shipping should be banned, too. =/

 

Also I never could figure out why everyone assumed Rarity returning some of Spike's feelings meant a quick and lurid roll in the hay for the both of them. Call me old-fashioned, but can't they be a couple for several years without the sex? Spike's obsession with Rarity seems to be purely romantic, though I don't know what to make of his plush of her - admittedly, that's a little odd. Okay, maybe a lot odd. XD

 

Finally, I do have a big caveat to everything I've said above: Sparity used to be my way of allowing Spike to be happy. Back then, he was treated like such a buttmunch that getting the girl he loved seemed like the fairest thing to do for his character. Now that he's been shown a lot of respect, it doesn't matter as much anymore. It's fine if he continues on his little quest, but he should really get her to let him know one way or another so he can move on if she's never going to love him back the way he wants her to.

Spike is a slave, slaves aren't allowed to have happiness lol, jk. He has all dem crystal ponies vying for him tho since he is a hero. Also, he is going to live a long time, why would he get shipped with a pony for short term, when in reality he will face depression way down the road. So it makes sense that someone mentioned Ember was made to be his ship really. Then again, we don't see them interacting, so, doubtful tbh. He is going to keep being Twi's slave (lol).