tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post2373948693157548272..comments2024-03-04T02:09:30.979-06:00Comments on One Man's Pony Ramblings: Fandom Classics Part 123: The Price of GraceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-47619670120232881722015-09-09T19:32:56.527-05:002015-09-09T19:32:56.527-05:00Boy, I just ctrl-f'd "story" and got...Boy, I just ctrl-f'd "story" and got 37 results. Granted, half of those are in the comments, but it's still a big ol' wall of highlights on my scroll bar.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-46839141020575296322015-09-06T17:13:03.927-05:002015-09-06T17:13:03.927-05:00Oh, please, use it. I really have not seen enough ...Oh, please, use it. I really have not seen enough fics make use of Meadowlark.DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-77716840024890159572015-09-06T12:57:26.055-05:002015-09-06T12:57:26.055-05:00Is is bad that I want to use that, now?
The hypoc...Is is bad that I want to use that, now?<br /><br />The hypocrisy is staggering :PInquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-38769145189652243792015-09-06T11:04:20.884-05:002015-09-06T11:04:20.884-05:00New historical figure mentioned in the season five...New historical figure mentioned in the season five premier, sharing a name with a pony from previous generations. Meadowlark was an "eastern unicorn" from long ago who apparently either discovered or invented a number of magical artefacts which have different effects.<br /><br />Starlight Glimmer in the episode falsely claimed that her staff was one of these artefacts, and that it was what gave her the power to equalise ponies. It wasn't, of course (the equalisation was actually a spell of her own invention), but Twilight's dialogue implies that Meadowlark himself and his artefacts were real.<br /><br />So there we go. A historically notable non-Star Swirl unicorn wizard.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-39761229529335544152015-09-06T09:33:34.966-05:002015-09-06T09:33:34.966-05:00Meadowlark?Meadowlark?InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-58558147881722615012015-09-06T09:11:36.389-05:002015-09-06T09:11:36.389-05:00At least we have Meadowlark now.At least we have Meadowlark now.DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-30915528189849606042015-09-06T06:07:37.614-05:002015-09-06T06:07:37.614-05:00"but every time he's referred to it makes..."but every time he's referred to it makes the joke about Twilight having studied excessively enough to know about him weaker, and instead makes Spike seem more like a fool for not at least knowing the name."<br /><br />This. I hate it when all they do is recycle that one name over and over again as it is, but I hadn't even considered thus point. Don't screw your own work through poor continuity and laziness.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-24962279972452444642015-09-06T02:55:34.758-05:002015-09-06T02:55:34.758-05:00Wow.
This -->here<-- is the absence of a lin...Wow.<br />This -->here<-- is the absence of a link to one of those snazzy head cannon accepted images.<br /><br />@InquisitorM<br /><br />Thank you.<br /><br />not-strictly-@InquisitorM<br /><br />Can I also take a moment to lament what Starswirl seems to be used as? When he was first mentioned in the show I thought he was a piece of "obscure unicorn history," but every time he's mentioned he seems to become more and more the most central, important unicorn to have existed. I don't mind that, and we often seem to need a historical spellcaster-unicorn, but every time he's referred to it makes the joke about Twilight having studied excessively enough to know about him weaker, and instead makes Spike seem more like a fool for not at least knowing the name.Unremarkable Ponyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12490181982921850794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-84699352961422425452015-09-05T16:51:18.168-05:002015-09-05T16:51:18.168-05:00Never change, Scott.Never change, Scott.DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-24761697754045535792015-09-05T12:48:49.902-05:002015-09-05T12:48:49.902-05:00Nope. That's possibly the most poorly-contrive...Nope. That's possibly the most poorly-contrived bollocks I've ever heard.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-91556697079808957612015-09-05T10:22:19.282-05:002015-09-05T10:22:19.282-05:00Not joking. Alicorns can be born, they had their o...Not joking. Alicorns can be born, they had their own community at one point which the tribes had at least heard of, they're naturally harmonious (and so presumably were never involved in that windigo business), and they have some kind of supernatural connection to cosmic bodies like the sun or moon. Unicorns burn magic in large quantities to move the sun, but alicorns somehow <i>gain</i> magic from it, which is part of the reason why the sisters are so powerful.<br /><br />Aging also works pretty weirdly for them. Longevity does appear to be a racial trait rather than something unique to the sisters, but I'm not sure if it's something that all alicorns have or if just born alicorns live that long. What I do know is that born alicorns take a long time to fully mature. At the time Celestia took the throne, she was older than Princess Platinum, and just about had the body of a normal adult pony, but she was still a blank-flank and spoke in a distinctively childlike fashion, despite assuring herself that she was mature.<br /><br />Makes you wonder why anybody thought it'd be a good idea to put them in charge of their new nation, but for however childish they both acted, they <i>were</i> surprisingly competent at their new jobs. I guess Star Swirl had prophetic powers or something. I mean, he <i>had</i> already invented time travel by then.<br /><br />Honestly, though, as stupid as I make it sound, I actually have no problem with the concept of alicorns being a rarely-seen fourth race. If nothing else, it explains why the Manehattanites, Daring Do, and loads of other ponies through season four didn't see Twilight the alicorn and immediately think "princess".<br /><br />I'll admit, I preferred my old headcanon about alicorns to this origin, and I'd wager that you two prefer yours as well, but it doesn't deeply offend me or anything. It's even inspired a fanfic idea or two.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-34943659224755237652015-09-05T03:53:31.255-05:002015-09-05T03:53:31.255-05:00"But seriously, I think a story about the roy..."But seriously, I think a story about the royal sisters' deadbeat parent/parents gallivanting around in space while they have to watch over the kingdom would actually be pretty entertaining."<br /><br />Sure, that could be interesting, and I'm not opposed to the idea of stories about their parents. Hell, I've read and enjoyed fics like that<br /><br />"No word on why they're princesses instead of queens, though."<br /><br />This is my problem. So many people assume Celestia and Luna must be heir apparents (no clue why feudatories are never considered). Sovereign princes are a thing, dammit! Hell, that's what the word originally meant<br /><br />They don't need to be queens, and their mom didn't have to be one either (nor did their dad need to be a king)<br /><br />"Apparently alicorns aren't unique beings, but an entire fourth race of ponies..."<br /><br />Please tell me you're joking and AKR didn't seriously open the doors to all those bad OCs (as if they even needed an invitation). <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiZNSzWIaLo" rel="nofollow">What the Hell, Amy?</a>Holly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-10037880358479157912015-09-05T03:41:15.726-05:002015-09-05T03:41:15.726-05:00@DannyJ
Oh yeah, inventing a whole race that appe...@DannyJ<br /><br />Oh yeah, inventing a whole race that appears to contradict canon so that they can choose two of them is so much better. You're right.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-71303889199173978682015-09-04T19:52:18.848-05:002015-09-04T19:52:18.848-05:00@InquisitorM
Oh, they didn't magic up two ran...@InquisitorM<br /><br />Oh, they didn't magic up two random alicorns. Apparently alicorns aren't unique beings, but an entire fourth race of ponies, or at least they were when the sisters were young. The book seems to imply that Canterlot was originally an alicorn community. So they didn't magically create two random alicorns. They chose two random alicorns from Alicornsville <i>Much</i> better explanation, isn't it?<br /><br />"These two will do. I like their colour schemes."<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-53702453543174567382015-09-04T17:39:09.939-05:002015-09-04T17:39:09.939-05:00Also Core Enforcement Leadership Enacting Senior T...Also Core Enforcement Leadership Enacting Senior Total Intelligence Agent and Legislative Unified Network Agent. I thought of those after I posted.<br /><br />It's <b>OPERATION: PRINCESS</b><br />Code name: CELESTIA<br />Code name: LUNA<br /><br />They're two cyborgs that were built in the future, but accidentally got sent <i>to the beginning of time!</i> AND ALSO GOT AMNESIA. They'll have to work together if they want to get back home, or else take the long way by <i>waiting it out.</i><br /><br />That's another fanfic I would read.SVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-81310137869727241212015-09-04T17:13:51.494-05:002015-09-04T17:13:51.494-05:00@DannyJ
No! No write fanfic! Only read.
Also mayb...@DannyJ<br />No! No write fanfic! <a href="http://myfunnymemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/No-Take-Only-Throw-Dog-Logic-In-Comic-Strip.jpg" rel="nofollow">Only read.</a><br /><br />Also maybe their title is actually an acronym, like... Personal... Religious Integration... Neon Collecting Eternal Surveillance Sibling. Or... Pre-Recorded Insurgent Neutralizing Combat Effective Survival System. Or maybe Pony Rides Is Now Cool Erryday Soul Sister. That makes more sense, right?SVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-89671160466946041162015-09-04T15:33:35.656-05:002015-09-04T15:33:35.656-05:00Only the official writing crew could decide that m...Only the official writing crew could decide that magicking up two random Alicorns out of thin air made for a good explanation.<br /><br />It's amazing what they can get away with that we couldn't :PInquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-24853548782753173832015-09-04T14:43:54.088-05:002015-09-04T14:43:54.088-05:00They may not have ever done it in the show, but ca...They may not have ever done it in the show, but canon has given a princess origin story of its own (<i>Journal of the Two Sisters</i>, by Amy Keating Rogers). And sure enough, the canonical origin of the sisters was that they were chosen for the job by Star Swirl, Clover, Pansy, and Smart Cookie, because the tribes figured that a pair of alicorns would probably make for good impartial rulers.<br /><br />No word on why they're princesses instead of queens, though. I guess they just didn't want to be mistaken for a couple or something.<br /><br />And you should totally write that story. I'd read the hell out of that.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-4747241271555451772015-09-04T13:11:15.091-05:002015-09-04T13:11:15.091-05:00DannyJ: Official Translator of Professor Oats.
I ...DannyJ: Official Translator of Professor Oats.<br /><br />I guess that's a good point. Contrived reasoning trying to explain the decisions of Hasbro's toy company seems like something that would be grating in most stories. That's probably why they never did it in the show! But seriously, I think a story about the royal sisters' deadbeat parent/parents gallivanting around in space while they have to watch over the kingdom would actually be pretty entertaining.<br /><br /><i>"And sign here, and here, and... here."<br /><br />"Mhmm."<br /><br />"And also here. And here."<br /><br />Celestia scribbled her signature on the final line of the final page of the drab diplomat's dossier. "Will that be all?" she asked in a strained tone. This had been going on for nearly an hour.<br /><br />"Actually, no. I'll be needing these in triplicate, so if you could schedule me in for the same time tomorrow that would be—"<br /><br />Suddenly a fireball came crashing through the stained glass skylight of the sisters' royal signing room, scattering the diplomat's papers everywhere in a veritable parchmentsplosion. Anything that wasn't thrown out of range when it landed immediately burst into flame.<br /><br />At first Celestia was startled, but it only took a moment for her to recognize the familiar sizzle of the fire; the ever so subtle muskiness of the smoke. As a form rose from the crater and stared down at her, she stared back flatly.<br /><br />"Princess," it said.<br /><br />Celestia grabbed a large pillow with her magic and used it to snuff out the panicked diplomat. "Dad."<br /><br />Looking around, the majestic alicorn in front of her took a moment to take in the scene. "Well," he said, "it seems like you're in the middle of something, so I'll try not to take up too much of your time." Leaning forward, he gave Celestia an intolerably shameless grin. "I need some money."</i><br /><br />Hahah. Yeah. That's got potential.SVnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-71904473716787294182015-09-04T11:57:13.170-05:002015-09-04T11:57:13.170-05:00Ah, I was right on the money, I see!Ah, I was right on the money, I see!DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-50189034586484536732015-09-04T11:56:24.687-05:002015-09-04T11:56:24.687-05:00Maybe I'm being unfair, since I can't exac...Maybe I'm being unfair, since I can't exactly read the author's mind, but it sounds like one of those fics that attempts to explain how Celestia's "only a princess"Holly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-12054890692753473792015-09-04T11:53:50.176-05:002015-09-04T11:53:50.176-05:00Not to presume to speak for Oats, but I think he&#...Not to presume to speak for Oats, but I think he's talking about stories in which Equestria has/had a King or Queen and the sisters inherited their power. In a story that assumes this scenario, there are one of two ways it can go:<br /><br />Scenario A: Celestia and Luna are still princesses in the present day because at least one of their parents are still alive. This is problematic because it clashes horribly with canon and suggests that Celestia and Luna aren't the proper rulers of their nation despite all evidence to the contrary. The fic will instead purport that either Equestria is actually ruled from the shadows by some unseen OC, and Celestia's peaceful rule was all their work; or else the sisters are prevented from taking the proper titles because of some deadbeat who's probably off having adventures in space with Star Swirl or something.<br /><br />Scenario B: The King/Queen eventually dies, probably in the course of the story, and the author will then be forced to contrive a reason why the situation is as it is in the show. In a line of royal succession that she was born into, Celestia should be the absolute monarch with the title of Queen. So why share power with her sister when they both know that it should be Celestia's throne, and if they're assuming power anyway, why refuse their proper titles?<br /><br />Any King/Queen origin story will have these issues. This origin creates problems that weren't there before that it then needs to solve. If the sisters were the first rulers of Equestria or took power after something broke the original line of succession, they get to set all their own rules, and can just choose to both be princesses for whatever reason. But if there was already a line of succession in place, then the author needs to dedicate pagetime to explaining why Celestia chose to screw with it, or else why the actual monarch isn't around.<br /><br />I guess the short answer is that a royal family origin tries to fix what isn't broke, and ironically, in the process, it breaks the story for some people.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-705977303116822642015-09-04T11:47:07.943-05:002015-09-04T11:47:07.943-05:00For fanfics, I prefer something I can finish in on...For fanfics, I prefer something I can finish in one sitting. I've probably got more four-digit fics in my "Favourites" than fives, and the longest story on that list is under 150,000. With traditional books, I guess under 1,000 pages and probably no more than seven books in a seriesHolly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-69491713407181486822015-09-04T11:14:40.981-05:002015-09-04T11:14:40.981-05:0012k is ideal for oneshots, as that's exactly l...12k is ideal for oneshots, as that's exactly long enough to have a full story while developing the central concept, giving decent exposure to all characters involved, and wraping up the main plot and subplots in a way that does not feel rushed.<br /><br />Longer stories, I'm the same as you. 20-50K is enough to accomplish all the same things with an ongoing, multi-chapter story and a more complex plot. Unless it's an adventure story or the like with lots of characters involved and/or a lot going on, in which case, I look for stories of 200K words or more.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-87379966610867638822015-09-04T10:03:15.252-05:002015-09-04T10:03:15.252-05:00I'm not following what "those" stori...I'm not following what "those" stories are in this situation. Ones where Celestia has a mom? Do mom stories have a bad reputation? Or are you referring to stores that have... grace in them? Queen grace? Queen mom grace? None of these words are throwing up any red flags for me.SVnoreply@blogger.com