As revealed a while ago, soapboxes will now happen once we get enough submissions for it. Send them whenever, but also expect them whenever!
If you'd like to submit one, hit this post up.
This time around, your headlines include:
- Potion Nova is Not Evil, and Here's Why
- Flash Sentry v Timber Spruce: Dawn of Waifu Stealers
- How did the Remane 5 meet each other?
- Spike's the Hero of Season 10!
Get the articles below!
Potion Nova is Not Evil, and Here's Why
By IronYoshi
Every iteration of MLP introduces a new character or more to the franchise, and Pony Life certainly has done so. However, one of it's new characters, the adorable Potion Nova, has fallen into a trap she can't seem to escape. Some members of the fandom (and by that I mean only one, take a wild guess who) have accused her of being "evil" or "untrustworthy" with no factual reason. So I felt it was time to crush these claims and prove that Potion Nova is, in fact, not an antagonist.
The first and most obvious reason is that Potion Nova hasn't done anything to indicate she has malicious intent. She just seems like a friendly potion maker who wants to see how her potions fare, and nothing more. Almost kind of reminds me a bit like Zecora. Of course the most ridiculous claim is that "she's promoting drug use!", which to me just sounds like a failed edgy joke that even a middle schooler would find unfunny.
Also, if it were revealed that she was a villain, it would be a bit more on the nose and it would have been revealed at this point in time. I mean, even FIM had its major villains revealed at least halfway through the season or in the finale. And Pony Life seems like a show that wouldn't have a major or threatening antagonist. And again, even if so, wouldn't she be reformed? I find it funny that people keep calling the kettle black on this when they enjoy characters like Sunset or Starlight, who actually were revealed to be villains at the start who later got reformed. Pony Life is pretty much done with its first season, and Potion Nova hasn't done anything to warrant the villain card.
It does seem rather ridiculous that some are refusing to give one of the new characters to the MLP franchise a chance (then again, knowing this fandom, that's really not saying much), because I think Potion Nova is a cute and quirky character, and I hope to see more of her when Pony Life Season 2 drops. Maybe we'll get a bit more background on her too. But until then, don't go around spamming the same droll comments on every single Potion Nova image on DeviantArt or Derpibooru claiming she's evil and untrustworthy. Because that's annoying, and it gets really old really quick.
Flash Sentry v Timber Spruce: Dawn of Waifu Stealers
by Hononoken the Samurai
Yes, that's the title I went with. I apologize for nothing.
Flash Sentry and Timber Spruce, two characters created as love interests for Equestria Twilight and human Twilight, and two characters who've caused controversy among fans in one form or another. Some may debate on which is better, though to be perfectly honest, I'm not a fan of either character.
Starting with Flash, he and Princess Twilight virtually have no chemistry. All it is in the first EQG film is an attraction, and the film never develops it beyond that. With most of the film focusing on the Humane 6 trying to stop Sunset and take back the Element of Magic, there just didn't feel like there was any room for romance at all. Outside of that, Flash doesn't have any character flaws or development until "Legend of Everfree", where he learns to move on from his crush and rekindles his friendship with Sunset. While that (and his appearances in later shorts) did make me like him a little bit better, his character as a whole seems like a wasted opportunity.
By comparison, Timber is an improvement, although that really isn't saying much. After all, once you hit (or start out with in this case) rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up. But with that said, he came on way too strong for my tastes.
Right from the start, Sci-Twi and Timber's romance comes off as forced, as if the writers are trying to create the perfect Twilight boyfriend, to the point where they have the exact same initials. We spend time building up their romance, but there's no conflict between the two to test their romance. Like FlashLight before it, TimberLight doesn't really play any role in the story and could easily be dropped without changing much. The only reason Timber ends up being important to the story is more because of his connection to his sister, Gloriosa, not with Sci-Twi.
So, we have one love interest who can't even be called that because of how nonexistent it was, followed by another love interest that's too strongly written and boring. Clearly, between these two, there's a perfect Twilight love interest trying to get out, but the EQG staff could never quite get it to work. Outside of official work, I do like seeing fanart of the two, and some fanfic writers are able to make something interesting out of them. Perhaps it's better than nothing at all, but to this day, I stand by the opinion that Flash and Timber could've been handled better than how they ended up being.
Spike's the Hero of Season 10!
By: FlareGun45
If you hang around the discussion pages, you see me say this phrase alot, mostly to be silly, and then of course I get some people who say "LOL funny joke", or "Spike's the big diaper wearing baby of season 10"! XD But I actually have something that leads me to this.
As yunno, the first few "episodes" of the season take place in other countries that haven't been explored yet, which means Equestria hasn't been able to get an alliance with them yet - so we got some groups led by one or two members of the Mane 6 and some supporting characters! So where is this all gonna lead? Is it gonna lead into alliances? We know it does, as it's confirmed that the Diamond Dogs and the cat people eventually become one with Equestria, but they can't seem to get along with eachother. And we do see in that same scene? Spike is actually the ambassador!
So quite frankly, this likely means that Spike's gonna end up being ambassador at some point in the season. Will it tie in with the big baddie? Well, I certainly hope so. The intro comic of the season pretty much starred Spike too, so I'm honestly hoping we get something really big outta him, bigger than anything he got in any other season! I'm ok with it being in comic book form, gotta make compromises to get whatchu want. Can't wait to see his window on the other side of the throne room that wasn't seen in the finale!
So how many comments are gonna agree with this, and how many are gonna say, "he's a comic-relief punching bag, this'll never happen"? :P
How did the Remane 5 meet each other?
By Alexrioponylover95
Hello everycreature!
So I was suddenly thinking about this… But well during Celestial Advice, when Celestia is telling Twilight the story of how she let her student go, we saw the rest of the Mane 6 members all hanging out with each other, while Celestia was talking to Mayor Mare. And that made me wonder… How did they all meet each other and well seeming like they were their own group of friends before Twilight came to Ponyville?
Correct me if I’m wrong, but well only Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash knew each other when they were little, both attending flight school together. Maybe Applejack and Rarity would know each other, in the fact that they both lived in Ponyville at the start… And well Pinkie of course lived with her family, outside of Ponyville, on the rock farm before moving to Ponyville herself, which I don’t think we know when she did that, most likely when she was out of her filly years and into her young adult years.
Now the question would be how did they all meet each other and get to know each other? Well I think they most likely all met each other as they were starting their young adult years, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Pinkie all deciding to move to Ponyville by some fate, or well I guess in Rainbow’s case, above Ponyville. Now of course Applejack and Rarity would already be there, working in their respective places. Fluttershy most likely decided to move to Ponyville because it’s more quiet and has more wildlife around it compared to the bigger cities. Pinkie most likely decided to work at Sugarcube Corner with the Cakes, seeing a help wanted sign or something like that. Rainbow I have no idea… Maybe a similar reason to Fluttershy? The skies aren’t as busy like above the bigger cities?
And well they all most likely met each other and became friends at a town festival, maybe even during the Summer Sun Celebration, something that would bring the whole town together and they bumped into each other and well of course don’t recognize each other. In fact it would have been interesting if we could have had an episode before Twilight came to Ponyville and focusing on the Remane 5 meeting each other for the first time, maybe their first time in fact didn’t go all too well and they didn’t like each other at first, but then something helps that forces them to work together and they decide to give each other a chance.
Either way, there are probably more ways in which they could have met, which sadly we never got to see in the show, shame we never did have that episode… But how do you think they all met each other before Twilight came in and started the show we all know and love.
