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My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Live Reactions & Discussion)

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A thread to discuss My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and the tie-in media.

All of the usual forum rules apply. In addition, please remember that the thread is discussing a kids' show, and it's primarily focused on the work itself, not the fanfic — in particular, we don't want to see lewdness creeping in.

     Original OP text 
I don't know WHAT the Hell happened (I blame shenanigans) but we're going to start from scratch. Post your feels for this awesome show again! Naow!

Edited by Mrph1 on Aug 26th 2024 at 10:24:26 AM

edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#62627: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:47:18 AM

You could completely and utterly remove him from the story, and other then that one bit, which could have been done by ANYONE, or even had the whole dumbass plot point dropped for how little it matters. Nothing would be changed.

You know, if I had more time and video editing skills, I'd be tempted to make a version of the movie with him edited out entirely just to show how little it changes.

You can shoot fire over TCP/IP? TEACH ME YOUR WAYS, MASTER.

She uses Firewire

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
Darling.
#62628: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:49:09 AM

Man, I thought we could make it to the next page without dragging that conversation over. I am so tired.

Visit my Tumblr! I may say things. The Bureau Project
JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#62629: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:50:28 AM

[up]Never! tongue

@Sereg: I'm going to have to go with Mio on this one. Your blog post on flash basically boils down to "he has as much potential as any other character". Which is true, but doesn't change the fact that absolutely none of that is displayed in any of his appearances. You ask a lot of interesting questions, but none of them are actually answered in the movie at all. If they had decided to explore any of those things, he could've been an interesting character, but potential is useless unless it's actually realized. The reason I don't care for him is precisely because none of the questions he presents are ever addressed. Yes, there's probably some story as to why he's the only pegasus in the Crystal Guard. However, the show never tells us that story. Same with the music. It's there, but nothing's ever done with it.

Also, comparing him to the background ponies isn't a fair comparison, because they're deliberately written to fill different roles. The background ponies are just that: background characters who aren't supposed really have any sense of development. Flash, on the other hand, is supposedly one of the main characters of EQG, yet he receives almost no background, and has almost no influence on the plot. We roll with it for Lyra and Derpy because 95% of what they do is a Funny Background Event. If they were introduced as a potential love interest for an existing character, we'd expect them to actually get some more development than what we have.

And as for this:

Flash had more personality than some of the Mane Six had in the first five episodes!

I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. Every single mane character had some sort of Establishing Character Moment in the pilot that gave a good idea of what they were like:

  • Twilight: Socially awkward, has to be pressed into being social and has difficulty interacting with others.
  • Pinkie Pie: Obsessed with parties, deals with difficulty by trying to laugh it off, instantly gravitates towards new acquaintances to become friends
  • Applejack: Values both family and apples very highly
  • Rainbow Dash: has a major tendency to brag, but has the ability to back it up, aspires to be part of the wonderbolts
  • Rarity: obsessed with fashion, but also desires to make others look their best and takes time out of her own schedule to do so
  • Fluttershy: Extremely shy, but has an affinity for dealing with non-ponies

I can't think of any comparable moments that Flash had, other than bumping into Twilight and showing that he's a Nice Guy.

edited 2nd Apr '14 6:51:38 AM by JapaneseTeeth

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edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
darkabomination Since: Mar, 2012
#62631: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:54:56 AM

Yeah I really don't get that claim.

it's one of the reasons why I like to go back and rewatch the first pilot episode, it crams all you need to know about the characters broadly in under 22 minutes. The second episode is rather worse about pacing, but the first is great in how much it delivers.

Starscream759 Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: In denial
#62632: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:56:04 AM

@Ed Aw sooo cuuute!

"Transform and Roll out!" Optimus Prime
edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
Sereg Since: Jun, 2010
#62634: Apr 2nd 2014 at 6:59:15 AM

No, all the mane 6 had more personality in their introduction in the pilot then Flash got through the whole movie.

For Twilight, we needed to wait till Boast Busters

Fluttershy, Dragonshy

Rainbow Dash, Sonic Rainboom

Rarity, Suited for Success

Pinkie Pie, Party of One

Applejack, The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

What little he DOES have, is nothing but pure cliche. He's not a character, he's just a vague 'nice guy, teen chick story love interest' who did nothing of note. You could completely and utterly remove him from the story, and other then that one bit, which could have been done by ANYONE, or even had the whole dumbass plot point dropped for how little it matters. Nothing would be changed.

Just asserting this isn't providing evidence. I at least did.

And like Wryte said, most of the hate, is because he is exactly the type of horrible cliche most girl's shows fall back on, and something that we loved MLP for NOT having.

Except that those clichés tend to go very differently.

Twisadh makes way more sense, at least you know the two have actually talked to each other for more then, what a grand total of like 15 minutes? Most of that spend just blushing and acting awkward for no damn reason?

Most people I've talked to for more than 15 minutes would be terrible love interests for me.

[up][up]Okay. What do Flash and Twi share? Nothing.

A connection to royalty

A connection to the guard

An appreciation for music

Enjoying bad dancing

Nerdiness

A rejection of social norms

And the claim that he has more personality than Mane Six ever is even more ludicrous. In the very first two-parter episodes Mane Six got defining traits, showing what is the most notable about them and already shaping them into characters. What did Flash Sentry get in the entire movie? Nothing.

I've pointed out what Flash got on my blog. Claiming otherwise doesn't magically make it not true.

Name ONE thing about Flash Sentry we haven't seen in every "girl" show/movie/anything ever. Just one.

Orange skintongue

He explicitly likes her without any makeovers

His relationship with her has nothing to do with his friends

He doesn't try to impress her, he just acts nice

He's explicitly not a jock

There's no stupid bet involved

etc.

edited 2nd Apr '14 6:59:36 AM by Sereg

Luminosity Since: Jun, 2012 Relationship Status: Lovey-Dovey
#62635: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:01:22 AM

I have a feel the blog compares him to Nightmare Moon Luna more than a background ponies - someone important enough with supposed shadowy interesting bits about them to speculate over.

Only nope.

The difference between Luna and Flash is that Luna is a character.

Why is she a character? Because the mystery that's in her doesn't just sit there - she acts on it. The fascination with her is a combination of the things she did and the things implied about her. Just enough shown for the rest of it to be interesting. If you do take the mystery away - her character crashes within seconds, her actions become random, inexplainable, she loses her idendity. If you take her actions away - then it raises the questions of why was the mystery attached to her in the first place if it doesn't affect anything in any way.

If you can take away the implications and it changes nothing - then the implications aren't worth shit.

Nothing about Flash Sentry affects his actions in the story. He used to date Sunset Shimmer? On screen they don't even share words. He's the only pegasus in Royal Guard? No one brings it up in the story.

Luna acts on her mystery. Flash Sentry does nothing. You can safely take every single implication about him away and it won't change anything.

Flash Sentry sucks, the only good thing that came out of him is the "Waifu Thief" meme.

crimsonstorm15 shine on from A parallel universe Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
Darling.
#62637: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:06:02 AM

Mega Pony.

[up] Luna and AJ seem to be his favourites.

edited 2nd Apr '14 7:06:32 AM by edvedd

Visit my Tumblr! I may say things. The Bureau Project
storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#62638: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:08:11 AM

For comparison, Flash Sentry has 9 lines of dialog in a 72 minute movie. Fluttershy had 12 lines of dialog in the 22 minute pilot alone.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#62639: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:13:10 AM

@Sereg: I have no issue with the character concept. My problem is that he's never developed beyond that. We get several facts about him, but we rarely see how those facts reflect his motivations or personality. So he plays guitar. That's a good starting point, but why does he do that? Is he an aspiring musician? Does he play it to pick up chicks? Is he just into it because his friends are?

And he's nice to Twilight. Again, that's a good starting place, but why does he help her? The only reason the movie gives us is "he's a nice guy like that", with a small helping of "he has a crush on her", and it never gets touched on beyond that. The main question that the movie ultimately fails to answer about him is this:

What are his motives?

Why does he do what he does? When he's nice to Twilight, why does he do so? Is he attracted to her (and if so, why?)? Does he support her to get back at Sunset Shimmer for being a bitch? How does he feel about knowing that Twilight isn't human? Or that she can't stay in his world? What does he think about the rest of the mane 6? There's no conflicting elements in his personality. He just acts nice, for seemingly little reason.

I'm not disputing that there's potential for the character. There is. What I'm saying is that the movie doesn't explore that potential. It presents the character and then barely develops him.

Also, you think AJ didn't get characterization until SSCS 6 K?! Did you skip "Applebuck Season" or something? Even if you don't like that episode, it did give her a lot of characterization concerning her motivation and work ethic.

edited 2nd Apr '14 7:17:17 AM by JapaneseTeeth

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edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
Mio Since: Jan, 2001
#62641: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:14:29 AM

For Twilight, we needed to wait till Boast Busters

Fluttershy, Dragonshy

Rainbow Dash, Sonic Rainboom

Rarity, Suited for Success

Pinkie Pie, Party of One

Applejack, The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

Ok then. So what did Flash Sentry get in Eq G that the others had to wait till these episodes to get? And could you perhaps explain what about these episodes makes them more character establishing then anything that happened before (especially A Js choice)?

Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#62642: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:17:50 AM

Exactly what Luminosity is saying. He doesn't DO anything, nothing about his background, his character none of it is actually shown or acted on. none of it matters When you can just edit out every scene a character is in, or replace him with any other character and not in anyway affect the story.... yeah it's a poorly done character.

All you are seeing is potential, which given he is an utter blank slate, yeah plenty of that. But what did any of that have to do with him in the movie?

Again, yes the mane 6 were far better fleshed out, altogether in one episode, then he was in an entire movie. No you did not have 'wait' to get any character for the mane 6 they had that from the start, in everything. Yeah as they went we saw more and more aspects to their character, more facets, saw them as more complex, but from the start they were still better characterized then Flash.

What did he do, at all, that could not have been completely cut from the movie without changing anything, or that could have been done by literally any other character and still have made just as much if not more sense?

storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#62643: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:21:50 AM

You know how we made up fanon characters for the toy-only ponies? Maybe we should make up a character for Flash.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
JapaneseTeeth Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing from Meinong's jungle Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Mu
Existence Weighed Against Nonbeing
#62644: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:23:03 AM

[up]I'm sure someone has already.

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IrishZombie Since: Dec, 2009
#62645: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:24:59 AM

We have at least three: Flash Sentry, Savior of the Universe, Flash Sentry the Waifu Thief, and Flash Sentry the Idiot Guard.

edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
storyyeller More like giant cherries from Appleloosa Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
More like giant cherries
#62647: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:26:30 AM

Still waiting for Dark.

Anyway, I propose that he was actually a spy and kept bumping into Twilight on purpose.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play
NESgamer190 Since: Sep, 2012
#62648: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:26:33 AM

-slinks in- What all did ah miss, aside from a naval battle involving the mane six and a pegasus in orange?

Seraphem Since: Oct, 2009
#62649: Apr 2nd 2014 at 7:27:35 AM

Okay from the Nice Guy page

The Nice Guy can be engaging, likable or The Protagonist; all it takes is giving them a personality outside of "nice"

Sereg, what you are arguing is just this, that he could be more. But the issue, nothing in the movie actually DOES this, he never is actually given any personality beyond 'nice'. We are told things about him, but none of them matter, none of them actually ever affect what he does. All his actions, everything he does, everything we see him do, is simply him being a Nice Guy and nothing else.

edvedd Darling. from At the boutique, dear. Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches

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