It's that time of the week once again! What madness will the brony fandom conjure this time? We got some good ones for you all this week.
Expect these posts every Tuesday at 2:00 PM PST (3:00 EQD Time). To submit your own, see this post.
This week we dive into the following:
- Is Starlight's Reason for being Evil Supposed to be Terrible?
- Might Nightmare Moon and Sunset Shimmer have been 'Demons' of the Same Variety?
- Putting Your Hoof Down is Not the Worst Episode of MLP!
- Knowledge is Magic
- Lovestruck: cupid, student, or softhearted soldier?
Is Starlight's Reason for being Evil Supposed to be Terrible?
By: Sylvee
Perhaps the one thing that everyone can agree on about Starlight is that her reasoning for being evil is pretty weak. However, after season 6 and also reading Batman's The Killing Joke, I feel that might have been intentional. For those unfamiliar with the comic it tells the story of the Joker kidnapping and tormenting commissioner Gordon to try to prove that the only difference between him and normal people is "one bad day." However rather then go crazy like the Joker claims Gordon sticks to his morals and orders Batman to take Joker "by the book."
Perhaps, like the Joker, Starlight in "The Cutie Re-mark" is seeking to validate her actions by trying to prove that her horrid actions are a product of a series of unfortunate events and not because she is just naturally a bad person. I would argue that might have been Josh Haber's original intention but he didn't effectively flesh it out. I feel like it's safe to say that Starlight's descent into evil was inevitable given how she reacted to nearly failing a friendship lesson. Maybe, like the Joker, in that scene we are supposed to sympathize with Starlight but not empathize.
Might Nightmare Moon and Sunset Shimmer have been 'Demons' of the Same Variety?
By: Revanche
Using the magic of the Element of Magic, Sunset Shimmer transformed herself into a powerful demon and ultimately this same magic transformed SciTwi into a similar creature. Might this magic have also birthed Nightmare Moon?
Friendship is Magic: this we know without question. But it seems that all manner of relationships are a source of power in Equestria. Among many others examples: Windigos, Sirens and the Tantabus are empowered by hate, or what the Sirens refer to as 'negative energy', while the Fire of Friendship, Crystal Heart and Changelings draw strength from what could ostensibly be called love, or, given the negative exists: positive energy.
The 'secondary' Elements of Harmony seem tied to a particular aspect of friendship, and presumably, draw power from this. They appear to channel this power into the Element of Magic, to be redirected or to fuel its user's spells. When used by itself, however, I propose that the Element, looking for relationship-based fuel, attempts to draw on whatever is within its user's heart. Given Nightmare Moon's clouded origins and the Element's availability to Luna, it's not implausible that Luna brought forth her negativity, and its power, through a misguided attempt at using the Element.
Putting Your Hoof Down is Not the Worst Episode of MLP!
By: Pinky102368
It's safe to say that the most hated episode of MLP is "Putting Your Hoof Down." And I don't think it deserves the hate it gets.
People have criticized it for being too 'mean-spirited' and 'ruining Fluttershy.' But here's the thing, the episode needed to be mean-spirited for it to get the point across. At the time the episode first aired, I was around eight years old, and I was a horrible pushover. The townponies being jerks towards Fluttershy was supposed to make us angry. When I realized that this was how some people treated me, I realized how bad of a doormat I really was, and then I went to try and help myself.
And then Fluttershy being a jerk. This was relatable. When I tried standing up for myself as an eight year old, I turned into an ass. Not quite as bad as Fluttershy, but it was up there. This episode taught eight-year-old me that I can stand up for myself without being mean.
And this is why this episode doesn't deserve the hate it gets. It gets the point across, it uses mean-spiritness to its advantage, and it has a good message for kids. I believe people should look past the jerk Fluttershy and jerk townsponies and realize that it is, at the very least, a decent episode.
Knowledge is Magic
By: Dan
I was wondering. Could it be that Twilight has the wrong element of harmony? The rest of the mane 6 have elements that actually exist in our world too. So why is Twilight different? Well i think she is not different but actually her element of harmony got the wrong name. Her actual element should be Knowledge. I mean think about it. How do unicorns increase their magic? By learning and practicing what they learned. Twilight did that, Starlight did that, Sunburst did that....probably. So the magic of Equestria has actually 3 main sources of power: Talent, Knowledge and Friendship. Twilight had all 3 so it's no surprise she got the Alicorn reward. On that matter i believe and hope that Starlight is next. If that happens i will be so happy. And Starlight haters, deal with it.
But back on topic. I believe that this is the reason why Twilight is so adorkable for science oriented ppl. My best traits are the love for knowledge, honesty, kindness and justice. Twilight displays a good amount of all the elements but her best trait is the love for knowledge and also her element in my opinion.
Lovestruck: cupid, student, or softhearted soldier?
By: Nightmare Muffin
Though Lovestruck is a pony who only has an appearance in the MLP Gameloft app, her description actually gives her a lot of potential for appearances in the animated series. It reads as follows: "Lovestruck is a pony filled with the spirit of love! On Hearts and Hooves Day, she tries to fill everypony with love in their hearts"
With her cutie mark being a bow and arrow with hearts, and a color scheme that screams Hearts and Hooves Day, she could easily be pining for a position as Cadence's personal student, possibly using Twilight as a mediator. Or could have good intentions and try to get Rarity to return Spike's feelings. Or status quo can be flipped on its head, and Lovestruck instead tries to enroll in the Crystal Guard to achieve her dream to promote peaceful, loving tactics in the ranks of the Empire's military.
How can Lovestruck be of use, if given some screen time? Would she just be a pony for HaHD, a student for Cadance, or something more?
