Soapbox time, where the fandom expresses its opinions! As always, we are open for submissions on these. If you'd like to submit your own soapbox, hit up this post for infos.
As always, these are the opinions of fandom members, not us here at EQD.
Have some headlines:
- Tell Your Tale’s Unexpected Success
- MLP What If. . . Sombra Was Not Destroyed and Was Reformed
- The Non-Pony Lands in the Season 10 Comics
- MLP What If. . . Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon Joined the CMC
And go read them below!
Tell Your Tale’s Unexpected Success
By Daimando
If you’ve been with Generation 5 since 2021, then you understand one thing: The Make Your Mark series on Netflix has ended, while the Tell your Tale series has earned its second season. But the explanation to why Tell your Tale has done well, unfortunately, is far more common than you would expect.
According to the Wall Street Journal ( https://www.wsj.com/business/media/your-kid-prefers-youtube-to-netflix-thats-a-problem-for-streamers-86b132f8 free account required to view the article), shares of viewers between 2-11 has declined from Netflix in September from 25% back in 2021 to 21% today. Youtube, on the other hand, gained those younger viewers from 29.4% to 33%. Furthermore, they prefer shorter segments rather than 22 minute episodes, much like the Equestria Girls Youtube series.
In this day and age, more and more kids are going to be drawn by Youtube, along with more short-formed factor cartoons. That explains why Tell Your Tale was a success compared to Make Your Mark. Considering that episodes of Tell Your Tale are released on a weekly or bi-weekly basis compared to Make Your Mark having an entire chapter dumped onto Netflix every once in a while, you can tell where the audience turned to.
But it would also mean that, should there ever be a G4 revival, or a G4 reboot of some sort(Or even a Pony Life revival), Hasbro may consider releasing it on Youtube to gain a new generation of audience members. It is something to consider should G5 come to an end, and Hasbro wants to revisit the G4 Mane Six. The major advantage of this compared to the G4 days? One doesn’t need a premium cable subscription to watch a new episode of My Little Pony.
The Non-Pony Lands in the Season 10 Comics
by Otaku-sempai
I've been wondering about the new lands from IDW's Season 10 comics and reached out to writer Jeremy Whitley. And Mr. Whitley replied via email! His response follows:
Hey Andrew,
Apologies if I'm a bit hazy on this. It has been a few years. Farasi ws definitely supposed to be further east than we ever went in the show, on past the dragons. Abyssinia was meant to be relatively close to Klugetown from the movie. The parrot peaks were meant to be on past Gryphonstone [sic]. We left the diamond dogs home pretty vague but that was meant to be the closest, just hidden in the mountains. And the home of the Knights was off in that unexplored west, though on an island further south. It's impossible to find, so wouldn't be on the map anyway.
Hope those are satisfactory answers!
MLP What If. . . Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon Joined the CMC
By Double C
Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon started as spoiled rich kids who used their status to bully those who they think were below them. In Crusaders of the Lost Mark, it was revealed that Tiara only acted snobby is because her mother Spoiled Rich, who is verbally abusive, was making her into her but Tiara stood up to her. But after that she and Spoon made only few non speaking cameos until the final episode. While it would be good to see them in a spinoff that I mention before but what if they joined the CMC.
Both Diamond and Silver would join the CMC in On Your Marks since the episode is among the CMC best. It showed how Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo can help ponies understand what their cutie marks really mean while still helping young ones getting theirs. Instead of Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, Diamond and Silver would help Applebloom of would notice how sad she was and helped her understand that she can discover more about herself when her friends have their own things. Diamond would this as thanks for helping standing up to her mother, understand her true nature, and most importantly rekindle with Silver. As thanks, Applebloom could convince the others to have both joined the group to help with their cause.
Seeing Diamond and Silver being members of the CMC would both change some episodes while adding new ideas. One episode that would be interesting with adding Diamond and Silver is the return of Babs Seed. Another character that had promises but got left out for whatever reason. It be fun to know her thoughts of the two of joining since her last encounter with them. But she would change her opinion after knowing about Diamonds mother. One thing they be impressed is Babs talent in hair styling since her cutie mark is scissors with apple handles.
An interesting fan idea that could happen is Starlight being Diamonds sister figure and Trixie being Silvers. Since each member has a sister or sister figure to look up except for Gabby, it would make sense that Diamond and Silver have a sister figure to help guide them. Twilight would approve this epically this will help both Starlight and Trixie improve themselves by helping 2 fillies who started since season 1 as bullies. It would be quit fun to see Starlight and Trixie competing in the Sister Social against Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow.
What would make the sister bond strong is involving Diamond’s mother Spoiled Rich. It was seeing Diamond stand up to her mom but the two of them would give Spoiled a change in her personality.
MLP What If. . . Sombra Was Not Destroyed and Was Reformed
By Double C
If you all remembered what I said about a second possible candidate to be reform than Discord, it is King Sombra. King Sombra was a villain that had fans either love or hate him because the writers of the show never fully developed him as the others instead as a boring classic villain that Lightning Bliss would agree. He was supposed to be the MLP version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Sauron but Tolkien gave him character development than the MLP writers did. However the writers of comics did gave him some but made him have no connection to the show. That is why I felt like the writers of both the show and comics don’t cooperate with each other.
If you all remember that when the Crystal Heart was activated that it not only restored the empire but it destroyed Sombra in the process. Its surprising that Sombra was destroyed twice while other major villains either were reformed or imprisoned. But what if Sombra wasn’t destroyed instead was shed of his evil and reverts to his normal self like Luna. After being freed he would have went into hiding since many including Princess Cadance, Shining, Mane 6, and all the crystal ponies would have thrown him in prison. He would stay low until Celestia found him and seeing he needs help to reform more. That is where she asks the Mane 6 to help him fit in modern society. At first they would feel the way with Discord but less since Sombra is less scary but cautious of not getting on his bad side but would succeed.
One thing that could have also happen with Discord is royal guards to both keep the Mane 6 safe and watch Sombra. In either version, it would have been fun to see how over protective Shining would be to his sister. If you all know me this would be another opportunity for Flash Sentry to appear. Things would have been stressed in the beginning with Flash and the guards but then calms down when they got to know Sombra more. One thing Sombra would notice is Twilight and Flash hints of affection towards each other and would help each other get closer.
When it comes to shipping, Sombra has been paired with each of the Mane 6, Celestia, and Luna but seems Fluttershy is the clear winner. Sombrashy is a mirror images of Fluttercord where Fluttershy is willing to give someone who was bad a second chance. Unlike Discord, Sombra would see Fluttershy as a friend than progressively fall in love. If you all remember Discord was both overprotective for Fluttershy and jealous when she was with someone else. Seeing Sombra act in this manned would play in his long road of redemption.
I have read comments about how would Tirek fit in with Blueblood and there is a solution. If you all recall, Tirek from Gen 4 was a toned down from his Gen 1 counterpart who was more ruthless and scary. Also he possessed the rainbow of shadow that had the power to change ponies into dark dragons. If rewritten, it could also turn others into dark versions of themselves. This would somewhat make more sense than Sombra being an umbra in pony form.
