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Reviews Fanfic / The Little Pony Legend

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FarseerLolotea Since: Jan, 2001
03/15/2017 17:59:17 •••

A few good ideas do not a good story make.

First, what I actually like about this series: It's a crossover between two of my fandoms; and an antagonist I like, who met an ignominious end in canon, instead survives and undergoes a Heel–Face Turn (which later sets an associated character—of whom I'm admittedly not as fond, but even so—on the same path).

Now, onto what I don't like. And even if I let such Deus ex Machina-fueled events as Korra becoming part-alicorn slide: laundry list.

The series is riddled with typos and peppered with awkward filks based on Disney and MLP:FiM songs. Chunks of narrative are lifted whole-cloth from AvatarWiki. The prose seesaws between purple and beige. And Korra's posttraumatic stress after the Book 3 finale is replaced with another bout of amnesia...because the author—hereafter Maggie—couldn't, by her own admission, understand how someone as strong and spiritual as Korra could develop PTSD. (For someone who claims to adore Korra, she doesn't seem to respect her much as a character.)

And now, for the elephant-rhino in the room: romances. Hoo, boy. In canon, Korra and Mako begin what at first looks like a very conventional love story...only to break up when it turns out that they aren't really romantically compatible, ultimately becoming better friends as a result. Here, their dynamic—incompatibility and all—is essentially preserved (with little attempt to resolve it, unless one counts the occasional clunky Disney filk) right up to the point at which they officially call it quits in canon...at which point, they instead get back together and eventually marry, for no apparent reason except that Maggie wanted them to be soulmates. To say nothing of their daughter being a second Avatar. Meanwhile, Asami and Bolin (who were fairly close but entirely platonic in canon) are subjected to Pair the Spares...including Asami randomly getting jealous of Opal Beifong on the grounds that she's "too perfect."

Korra's and Asami's bisexuality and eventual romance are entirely erased, complete with a vaguely biphobic Take That! at canon projected onto Asami. (Yes, I'm aware that Maggie uses her faith as an excuse. I simply don't consider it a valid one, seeing as some Christians are queer.) In fact—for all that Maggie insists that their relationship is meant to instead be sisterly—even the close friendship which in canon leads to them falling in love is scarcely in evidence: Asami is all but replaced as Korra's confidante by Twilight Sparkle.

All-in-all: it's an object-lesson in how good ideas still need proper handling in order to make for good stories.


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