The soapboxes continue! As always, these are the opinions of fandom members, not us here at EQD. If you'd like to submit your own soapbox, hit up this post for infos.
Have some headlines:
- Why Starlight Should Have Been in the MLP Movie!
- Luna’s full moon forms- part 2
- Concerning talks about “Censorship”
- Does Balance Even Matter?
By Alexrioponylover95
Hello everycreature!
So having rewatched the MLP movie, I realized that the movie really missed out on a great opportunity for a certain character to have a major role or any role at all and that character is Starlight!
Now I know what you’re saying… “But Alex, Starlight was in the movie.” Yes, she was. But it was only a couple of cameos with not a word spoken out of her. What I’m saying is that Starlight could and should have had a major role in the movie and should have gone along with the Mane 6 and Spike on their journey out of Equestria.
And the reason why I say this is that Starlight and Tempest share something in common and why they turned bad. Both of them have lost their best friends, with Starlight having lost Sunburst and Tempest having lost Glitter Drops and Spring Rain, in fact it’s because their friends have lost touch while attending Princess Celestia’s school. And well with Starlight and Tempest, instead of seeking help or finding new friends, simply became resentful and angry and used that to dominate others.
Now with this in mind, the MLP movie could in fact have gone much differently and maybe even a little better in my opinion. Not only could Starlight have helped to change Tempest for the better, telling Tempest of her own experience, but Starlight could have been a great balancing factor for Twilight.
Remember when Twilight resorted to tricks to steal the Hippogriffs’ magic pearl? Well Starlight could have easily seen through Twilight’s real plan and told Twilight “No, this isn’t what the Princess of Friendship taught me.” And then Starlight could have helped Twilight figure out a different way and who knows… Maybe Queen Novo might then be willing to come out and fight the Storm King and save Equestria.
And another idea could be that instead of Twilight being captured by Tempest, it’s Starlight, where than Starlight could try to reach out to Tempest and tell her she’s making a mistake and can do better. Maybe than once the airship reaches Canterlot, Tempest could more easily be moved to the light.
And going further… Remember when I mentioned how Tempest’s friends Glitter Drops and Spring Rain attended Celestia’s school? Yes, there was actually two issues (Issues 67 and 68 of the main FIM line) in which Tempest was reunited with Glitter Drops and made up with her. However maybe a better comic story (Not that I have any problems with the two issues I mentioned) is Starlight, again, helping Tempest reconnect with her friends, or maybe even Starlight and Tempest bonding due to their shared experiences.
Now it might seem like I’m complaining about the movie, but I’m really not! I like the movie as it is, but I think it really missed out on some great character development for Starlight and to an extent Tempest, it just seems such a waste when these two share some obvious major similarities that they can share together. But what do you think about Starlight’s role in the movie? (Also… I can already tell I started a new ship… If it wasn’t clicking already…)
Luna’s full moon forms- part 2
Last week, I covered a bit on the subject of the possibilities of allowing Luna a few new forms- primarily through artist depiction, since I know the toyline, series, and comics have all but wrapped up for g4. Today, I present a few new options for artists in the full moons that the months of May through August might bring.
May’s full moon is called a Hare Moon, and rightfully so. This moon represents the birth of animals and giving life- fitting for the moon itself being seen as the more feminine solar body, as opposed to the sun. Along with this moon, Luna’s form could be changed in it to reflect the possible ties she has to the Cirrostratan Pegasi (see the book “Daring Do and the Forbidden City of clouds”) which reflect a more rabbit-like breed of Pegasi (and her possibly creating them and their city?). This version of her, like the Pegasi, could sport longer lop-rabbit ears, and fluffier fur throughout her body. Perhaps too, she would take on more watery and fluid traits to symbolize how water is connected to life, as represented by the Hare Moon, and also how the moon controls the oceanic tidies.
June’s full moon is known as the Strawberry moon, due to it taking on a pinkish hue. It is less commonly known as a hot moon, mead moon, and Rose moon. There are many options that Luna’s form could take under this named moon- but let me just highlight the possibilities of the strawberry moon with her. While artists may or may not simply just choose to slap a pinker hue on Luna for this full moon transformation and call it a day, perhaps researching what this full moon really means is the wider course of action. For instance, the strawberry is said to be an aphrodisiac, but closely linked to the goddess of love, Venus, as well. So perhaps this strawberry moon transformation might place a light pink tuft of fur floof on Luna’s chest, conveniently in the shape of a heart, or add small freckles to her cheeks or other parts of her, like the seeds on the outside of the strawberry.
July’s full moon is called a Buck Moon (or Hay Moon). With this month, comes the time where healing remedies are beginning to be prepared for the winter months. This is also the time where young male deer grow their antlers. I can see Luna’s form under this moon adopting a more deer-like physique. Perhaps instead of her trademark black spots, white spots adorn her flank, like that of a younger deer. And perhaps, rather than the male deer antlers that don’t really compliment the more feminine aspect of Luna’s moon, she would instead gain a glorious antler “halo” of sorts- either around her head like an actual halo, or around her middle, like the Pokémon, Arceus.
Last but not least, comes August’s full moon, which is a Corn Moon. Other names is goes by is the Sturgeon moon, blueberry moon, blackberry moon, or barley moon. Now this is an interesting one that can be taken advantage of by artists who depict Luna under this moon’s form and name. Traditionally, this moon’s name corresponds with the time of harvesting corn (and other crops) in what is now the northeastern United States. And there are a wide variety of corn colors that’s can be used for Luna’s form tied to this moon (perhaps most interestingly- for me, at least- being Maize corn). Perhaps she would have designs along her legs that’s resemble husks along the “corn” being peeled back, or a puffier mane resembling that of popped corn. Additionally, her form could take inspiration from that of Masaw, the god whose spiritual way is embodied in corn, for the Hopi people.
Concerning talks about “Censorship”
An open response to EnergeticRider
Far too many people in today’s society, and the fandom, love to characterize criticism and freedom of association with “censorship”. Free Speech means that you are completely free to express your opinions, without fear of being silenced by the government; however, just as you have that freedom, other parties have the freedom to choose to criticize your or stop associating with you entirely. This also applies to websites like EqD, whom dictate their own rules for posting.
As far as “unsubstantiated accusations of Nazism” go, I’ve seen a significant number of bad faith actors contest that such claims are without merit or even go as far as to claim that Nazism ended in 1944 with the fall of the Third Reich. Nevertheless, Nazism is an ideology that promotes the supremacy of Aryan people over others, as well as the genocide of Jews, Gender and Sexual Minorities, People of Color, the disabled, etc. An ideology that still remains alive and well for a significant number of people who identify themselves as "Aryans".
Nazism was built on the conspiracy theory that Jews were behind progressive movements, such as feminism, the fight against racism, the LGBT movement and similar; as a way to destroy Western culture. This conspiracy theory that continues to spread today under the denomination of “Cultural Marxism” (a lazy rebranding of Hitler’s theory of “Cultural Bolchevism”), and is espoused by many Alt Right and Right wing pundits, included but not limited to people like: Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Laura Ingraham, and many other influential media figures.
From calls to genocide, disenfranchisement of the fundamental rights of minorities, to an unending string of terrorist attacks against vulnerable groups, Nazism is a problem in today’s society, and it is a problem in the fandom, that far exceeds so-called “censorship”: otherwise known as "people-not-wanting-to-platform-abhorrent-opinions-and-beliefs"
Nazis do not have the right to a debate, much less a debate on whether or not historically vulnerable groups should be considered human, or if they are deserving of fundamental rights. Humanity already had that “debate” 80 years ago. A debate which the Nazis lost. As for claims that “censorship” only breeds more hatred: appeasement didn’t work with the Nazis for the same reason it never works with bullies and abusers: it only emboldens and empowers them. The only rational and peaceful way to deal with Nazis is deplatforming.
The right to historically vulnerable groups to feel safe from persecution of people who want to out-right exterminate them supersedes the right of Nazis to openly call for their disenfranchisement and extermination.
Seth note: We've had both sides now, so I'm going to close this line of soapboxing. Feel free to battle it out in he comments, but we won't be posting any more of these on the topic.
Does Balance Even Matter?
By Comet
Back in the first Equestria Girls movie Celestia mentioned that none of Twilight’s could go with her because it would upset the balance and would also create havoc. As the EG series went on, the human world was making differences from the pony world. And not just the difference, but also the fact that magic isn’t supposed to be in the world in the first place.
What are these differences? Two Sunsets living in the same world (if the scrap part counts), two Twilights having different crushes, Rainbow scared of roller coasters, Applejack seasick, Discord as a plush toy, and when talking about ships, even the ones that are interpretations, VinylTavia, Derpybulk, Rarijack, and Flutterdash in the human world. In the pony world, Bulktavia (said in the Big Mac question), Appledash, and Fluttercord.
Plus, in Spring Breakdown, Sunset had to take everyone to Equestria if they didn’t want to live on a stranded island. If Twilight’s friends couldn’t go because it would upset the balance, shouldn’t it have upset the balance with that many people Sunset brought with her? Even if they were only in Equestria just for a bit? Not to mention the mane seven are students at high school while the mane six are teachers and Twilight being the headmare at the time.
I mean, sure, we have the Reflections arc that talks about two worlds. The royal sisters are good in their world while the mirror world’s sisters were evil. And with Celestia going to the world often to see her love, the two worlds were merging. With the situation of the evil versions of Celestia and Luna, Celestia decided to have the mane six plus spike and the elements of harmony to the mirror world in order to defeat the two (so wait, she couldn’t allow Twilight’s friends to go to the human world but let them all go to the mirror world? My head is hurting from thinking about it). However, it only got worse as the group got closer to the castle, and with the evil Celestia hurting her own sister just for Celestia to appear and have the world merge together. For balance to be restored, Mirror World Sombra had to used the elements of harmony to take all the evil out of the mirror world royal sisters and transfer it to him.
When it comes to EG, the only time we see two worlds merging was when Midnight Sparkle was opening up portals all over CHS that goes throughout Equestria just so she can know more about magic. Is the balance not upset because there isn’t a person/pony occasionally going through the portal like Starswirl and Celestia did? Sunset does live in the world and isn’t going through it everyday. Could that be why Twilight isn’t going through the portal a lot because she’s not only busy with royal duties, but also doesn’t want to make the same mistake like Celestia made?
I can understand why there are some differences in EG. Such as why they are late teenagers, and why Sci-Twi is different from Twilight. Horses live for 25-30 years in our world, and time does look slow in EG while time over at Equestria is faster. Mane six as adults in Equestria, mane seven as late teens in the human world. I mean, look at Sunset’s backstory. She left and betrayed Celestia when Twilight was still a blank flank. Sunset first came to the world as a Freshman student judging by the three portraits she has from the Fall Formal. Three years later in the human world and Sunset is a senior, while in Equestria, Twilight is a young adult in her early 20’s. Twilight Sparkle and Sci-Twi were raised differently. One with magic and the other without magic.
How much can balance still hold up as I had already explained earlier from the second and third paragraph? What’s causing it that isn’t making the world to merge or break? Does balance even matter between the human world and Equestria?
Sorry if my soapbox happens to be all over the place. It was getting difficult to write this as I went on and rethinking about this topic.
