brianblackberry

Due to recent events which occurred to me on the forums, I am withdrawing myself from all active threads I am currently participating in.

Sorry I cannot keep you company. Perhaps will be back some other day.

We are here, peeps and staff, to listen to any concerns you may have. Please let us know, otherwise we cannot fix anything that may be wrong.

Then they cast it again.

Although I'm pretty sure Twilight's friends getting old isn't even going to come up on the show and even if it does then she isn't suppose to embrace her future because her friends are eventually going to get old? I don't think the other ponies are that selfish that they would even let her consider that

I love the idea that the fact all her friends are far more mortal as a factor in her new life and how she would deal with that reality. Death is real and consequential, it is sad more stuff for kids don't tackle a subject that affect everyone including kids. Seeing characters deal with it is something that really should be considered. What has more impact and then the realization of our morality?

hi hi

I have seen an awful lot of vitriol, people mind reading and putting words in each other's mouths, name calling and unflattering insinuations about the quality of people's characters and emotional states coming from all sides of this argument, and in my opinion, that is what is really sad about this.

You talking about this thread or in general? If this thread, sorry but things have been pretty darn civil and calm, actually happy with the level of thought here.

Could be two tiers, the immortal alicorns (or very long lived) who represent the very foundational aspects of life and death (such as Celestia and Luna), and the other alicorns like Cadance (and Twilight) who will grow old at a regular rate.

That would be interesting in it's own right.

Don't forget..Top level unicorns know an age reversal spell, which a proper Winged Pegasus could do in her sleep. And probably better. So the moment one of her friends starts to get a wrinkle..POOF!

What if it was temporary?

How will Twilight's friends react to her being even more important than she already is godhood?

BLADOW.

All I see in that is more story potential (although fandom driven). Imagine staying the same youthful self while all your friends grow old and pass away.

It was pretty clear that Lauren Faust intended Luna and Celestia to be the only Alicorns. Princess Cadance was supposed to only be a unicorn, she was changed to an Alicorn behind her back.

Behind her back? She wasn't even part of the show's staff anymore officially in season two. What one intended in the beginning is great but that doesn't make it canon.

You know, I wanted to let the whole "jump the shark" part that you posted earlier go. After all you made your opinion known and we will see how the episode plays out, but with this latest post with the song, now you are just being annoying.

What is "Jumping the Shark"? Well it is defined as: 1) The moment in the evolution of a television show when it begins a decline in quality that is beyond recovery. 2) To the point in a television program's history when the program have outlived its freshness beyond the essential qualities that initially defined its success, beyond recovery.

So that begs the question, what about Twilight becoming an Alicorn causes the show to start to decline? Was it the story around her becoming an alicorn? Well we don't know the story yet so we cannot say that with any confidence. Is it the fact she is one (temporary or permanently)? If so, how so? We can't really say its a Mary Sue moment (another term people don't really understand but love to toss about in self-righteousness), because she already is the main character, established as special with incredible magical potential with a destiny. Would this move kill the freshness and essential qualities of the show?

I don't see it that way. How long can the show keep its freshness and quality without having the characters change in some significant way? Sure they have grown in their character development, but there is only so many routes you can go and still keep the essential characters without some major life altering event. Well now you have that.

Think of the potential new stories with Twilight having to handle suddenly being elevated to this level. Celestia and Luna have been like this for millennia, Cadance grew up always being this way, for Twilight it is a sudden radical change. How will she deal with her new responsibilities? Her new powers? How will her friends react and handle this? in what ways is their friendship threatened and how can they all work to overcome this? What will become of them all? Was this all for some greater purpose and will twilight be ready to handle whatever happens?

I see nothing but story potential.

What consistency? It was never stated in the series anywhere that Luna and Celestia were the only alicorns. In fact they never really established in the show's mythology what an alicorn really is or where they come from, or what makes one. The fandom just filled in the details themselves in headcanon.

So MLP:FiM, created by Lauren Faust, a feminist, is being hosted by Miss America 2013?

Actually, nope, not gonna touch that conversation with a D&D standard 10 ft pole.....

Also,moar comma's,,,,,,,

One has to remember that the people to animate and write MLP:FiM are completely different people then Hasbro's marketing department; the latter has always just viewed things in a stereotypical prism of "what little girls want". "Well all little girls want to be princesses right?" Says the Hasbro marketing department, none of which are fans of the show and depend solely on their marketing backgrounds and grounded stereotypes. What Marketing wants is what marketing gets because it is they who are supposed to figure out how to get all the money, so if Marketing wants the main character a princess and Miss America hosting, well the writers and animators have no choice, because guess who the executives listen to first. All the latter can do is work to make the next story possible with the constraints they have; it has always been this way.

Thank Celestia there is an entire creative fandom that is unrestricted.

The one way it will be great for me is if they leave it as a cliffhanger. Still we will see; I mean I am sure people thought "pfft royal wedding" at the end of season two and that became completely epic.

Time for more tear jerkers!

I had to think on it some time about what about this I didn't like, and I believe I have figured it out:

It isn't the idea that twilight is transformed (ascended) into a alicorn that bugs me; I figure at some point towards the end (or at the end), she would. What bugs me is that I feel that it is too soon; that her story as a dorky unicorn student of magic hasn't been fully told or realized yet and that this feels rushed. Perhaps it will be great,perhaps it will be a cliffhanger (oh how I hope so), but I felt that it should have been reserved for the final fourth season.

It isn't the fact Twilight becomes an alicorn that bugs me (although I think they should save that for the end of the sires as a whole), but how will they deal with all that is supposed to happen in the final in 22 minutes and still make it a good story and not horribly rushed? I could see it as a two parter though.

Carrot was smiling widely with a blush on his otherwise gray face as the dancing troop of mares stopped to pose for his camera, smiling as they gave their best show pose for the earth stallion. Not missing a beat, Carrot started to take some photos, aye this alone made the convention worth it, they were so stunning!

Before Carrot could get more pictures in, Dash suddenly flew up next to him, admonishing Carrot for supposedly leaving her behind. Carrot just looked shocked, she thought he was ditching her? She finally got to hobnob with the panelists, including the guests of honor, even the very actress who plays Daring Do in all the films, Silver Flash! Why would she want to keep hanging out with some dorky fancolt like himself?

Carrot was about to say those very words to Dash in a display of self-deprecation but before he spoke, that nagging at the back of his mind stopped him. [colour=#ff8c00]Whit ur ye daein' dumbtail! ay coorse she wants tae hang out wi' ye, wa else woods she be upsit she lost ye, noo dornt be a dumbtail an' be happy she foond ye![/colour] Why did Carrot's inner monologue always sound like his old man? Didn't matter though, it was right. [colour=#ff8c00]"Sorry abit 'at Dash, Ah guess Ah misunderstuid whit ye wanted, Ah shoods hae told ye whaur Ah was gonnae be insteid ay jist wanderin' aff."[/colour]

Before anything else could be said, one of the dancing mares suggested that they pose with his "marefriend", given her spot on Daring Do look. Carrot just nodded, not even bothering to correct them on their assumption but instead stood back as they quickly collected around "Daring Do" and posed for the picture. With "Daring Dash" in the group, suddenly the pictures were even that much more alluring.

One of the mare's eye lit up with an idea, she hoofed over her camera to Carrot before turning to Dash [colour=#dda0dd]"Can I get a closer picture with you?"[/colour] Carrot smiled as he took the camera, curious to what kind of pose the pretty lavender unicorn mare would take with Dash. He stepped positioned himself so they both clearly would be in the image, [colour=#ff8c00]"Ready when ye ur!"[/colour]

Braeburn watched in awe as the tree rapidly grew and darkened before them; it was the strangest sight he had ever seen, well the second strangest, haunted ghost lanterns still took the winning spot in that category. Braeburn rubbed the back of his mane with his forehoof as he sat back up close to Willow, [colour=#daa520]"maybe it's the spooky magic combined with your family's green hoof that's what's makin' the tree grow darn tootin' fast"[/colour]. Granted it was just an educated guess on Braeburn's part but as the eerily twisted dark branches grew, and the odd midnight blue, almost black leaves formed, he couldn't help but connect it directly back to the nature of the black unicorn's powers. He didn't find it frightening but instead oddly fascinating, even appealing in it's own curious way. [colour=#daa520]"Ah'm alright, thanks though! The apple tree just surprised me, ah wonder how long it'll grow this fast?"[/colour]

Although the midnight blue tree had momentarily caught the focus of the two ponies, Braeburn hadn't forgotten what he said in his daze. He wanted to confess his feelings to her, but for some reason, the words stuck in his throat. He made several little noises. This was ridiculous! He flirted with mares all the time! Why couldn't he do it now? [colour=#daa520]Open yer mouth and say something, Braeburn![/colour] [colour=#daa520] "I think a different sort of tree goes real great in this apple orchard. I'd love to have more different things here."[/colour] [colour=#daa520]No, something about her![/colour]

Braeburn got back up one all fours and stood close to Willow Wisp as he smiled awkwardly while his eyes focused on the bizarre flora before them. [colour=#daa520]"Ah mean umm.. Isn't it great that two so very different ponies can share something together?"[/colour] [colour=#daa520]That wasn't much better, what would yer cousins say now if they saw ya fumbling like this?[/colour] [colour=#daa520]"Ah mean, ah'm glad ah have somepony special to share this with."[/colour]

As if on cue, the tree shimmered in a bright but eerie blue for a second and suddenly jumped into height to some eight feet tall, with little budding black apple blossoms.

[colour=#800080]Cheerilee[/colour]

Cheerilee smiled as Ingrid placed her forehoof around the school teacher’s neck; they were comrades-in-arms, facing down the daily disasters that comes with the territory of teaching the next generation of ponies; she could help but giggle and smile at that thought. [colour=#800080]“Well I will say this was probably one of the most unusual circumstances I had to deal with when it came to a room full of foals, but it isn’t the most wild or wacky one! When this is all over, we should hang out the local inn, I can tell of the time we went on a field trip to your cousin Apple Bumpkin’s farm and the insanity that happened there, or the time we took a trip to the petting zoo, now there was a time where things really got strange with animals. Ever seen foals attempting to joust on the back of a pig or a goat? I have!”[/colour]

Cheerilee started to pick up some of the streamers and cups on the floor with her mouth,[colour=#800080] “I think we can get all of this, sure it’s a mess, but it isn't unusual for these rambunctious foals. We have to hurry though, if I know this bunch, they are too hyper to stay asleep for long, especially Applebloom, being her birthday and all.”[/colour] Cheerilee surveyed the barn, it was going to take a determied effort, but it was doable, it didn’t have to be spic and span, just not have the look of the inside of a pigsty.

At that moment Granny Smith commented on something Cheerilee up to this moment didn’t notice, much to her shame. One foal remained unfazed and fully alert, Haywire, and she wasn’t causing trouble, she was going out of her way to help! [colour=#800080] “Yes, she is Mrs. Smith. Umm, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble Mrs. Smith, could you convince your brother to step outside, while the three of us clean this place?”[/colour]

Cheerilee turned and gave Haywire and encouraging rub on her mane, [colour=#800080]“thank you so much for helping Haywire!"[/colour] Cheerilee gave a large, cheerful smile of encouragement, [colour=#800080]“between the three of us, I know we can do it! Let's get started!”[/colour]

[colour=#FF8C00]Carrot Fields[/colour]

Carrot Fields just smiled awkwardly, he didn’t want to embarrass Rainbow Dash, he just wanted to… Well truth was he wanted to be the courageous stallion to the rescue, but that was such a coltish way of looking at things. [colour=#ff8c00]“I’m sure ye coods hae worn them out, Ah jist uhh.. wanted tae make sure we got th' eggs as quick as possible, don’t want tae keep th' foals waitin!”[/colour] That sounded good right; he didn’t want Dash to feel inadequate at all.

Fortunately Dash appeared to accept that, or she just wanted to change the topic, either way she quickly, if a little messily, got the eggs and pranced back inside with Carrot in tow. Once inside he gave a broad if dorky smile as Dash introduced him, he had already met Applejack of course, and the white unicorn too, although briefly. She looked a bit of a mess but wow she was gorgeous none the less! Then there was the pink one, really incredibly cute but Carrot’s normal admiration was tempered by his recall of what the pink earth mare did to his sister’s setup. [colour=#ff8c00] “Ummm… hello there”.[/colour]

Before he could even think of anything more to say, Applejack put her foreleg around him and mentioned last night. He clearly remembered, it was his sister that had him deliver some supplies for the party tonight, and although she no doubt had her own motivations to have him visit the neighbors at Sweet Apple, Carrot didn’t mind visiting. He really needed to learn to get better at talking to mares anyway, and it seemed like a good excuse as any. He wasn’t even surprised that Applejack was working in her carrot patch, as no doubt Purple Haze knew that too, the cunning little filly! Carrot blushed, [colour=#ff8c00]"That’s reit, actually showed Applejack haur some ay uir auld family secrets tae makin' sure th' carrots woods graw thick an' juicy! "[/colour] He had even a larger awkward grin and blush as he suddenly realized that sounded rather like loaded innuendo, or at the very least a very dull subject to anypony who wasn't a farmer.

The Carrot suddenly remembered, [colour=#ff8c00]“Och we awreddy hae a cake! I mean uhh.. well can still hae two, but thaur is a foo sized birthday cake out in th' main hall ay th' barn! Mah sister, Purple Haze is watchin' it reit now; it’s 'er masterpiece!”[/colour] Carrot gave a flat look in the direction of the pink mare, [colour=#ff8c00]“sadly lae rest of 'er desserts got destroyed.”[/colour]

[colour=#9999cc]Flitter[/colour]

Flitter gave a small smile as she was served another round of the cider,[colour=#9999cc] “could you leave the jug please, I’ll pay for it all.” [/colour] Flitter sighed as she quickly drank the hard apple mixture, the yellow pegasus, who appeared to be the guard type, didn’t seem to interested in talking. This night was becoming as gloomy as the weather outside; why wouldn’t Cloudchaser just tell her what was wrong? Flitter sighed and clumsily poured herself another drink, at least it was making her feel more relaxed, much more relaxed, almost tired. Nahh, it wasn’t that late, was it?

[colour=#cc6699]Martini Paradise[/colour]

Martini Paradise listened closely as the distressed lavender pegasus told her lament. Martini loved to listen to her customers and she loved when she could offer real advice even more. It seemed the solution to Cloudchaser’s problem was an easy one, at least in theory, [colour=#cc6699]“well hun, as you say, she is very important to you, do you really want to have some lie divide the two of you? Wouldn't it be better in the long run to simply tell her the truth of the situation you are in?” [/colour] Martini smiled warmly, [colour=#cc6699]“the inn is open you all of you kind pegasai tonight; you two could use the back area where the bedrooms are to talk privately, that way you don’t have to be embarrassed in front of anypony; now go talk to her, you don’t want some guilty secret hanging over that pretty head of yours.”[/colour]

Hopefully having help set the dispirited Cloudchaser on the right path, Martini returned to listening about the intriguing dig Pocket Change spoke of, curious to what was found there that made everything so hush-hush. It wasn’t as if the barmare unicorn had any interest in magical artifacts because of personal desire, it was just the general fascination with hearing about the mysterious, thanks to Brazil Nut’s many fantastic tales. She wasn’t aware of the corrupting properties before now though. Martini poured another drink into Pocket Change’s mug and smiled [colour=#cc6699]“I suppose that is why you never see any unicorn using those magic enhancing knickknacks, because of what you said about making the user corrupt. I suppose that is why they have special unicorn agents go through digs like that. I wonder if such artifacts are illegal to use?” [/colour] It made sense if they were, of course that wouldn’t stop some ponies.

The conversation turned back towards the Wonderbolts, and flight, and Martini couldn’t help but chuckle at Pocket Change’s blushing in regards to the suits being the only thing a Wonderbolt wears while “in uniform”. [colour=#cc6699]“Hon, why would they wear anything under the suit, you are not wearing any clothes at all, neither am I, nor are most of us.”[/colour] His was an odd notion although Martini would have to admit Soarin’ suit over there did accentuate his handsome physical features; is that what Sunrise Beach saw in him? Martini hoped not, she wasn’t ready for her daughter to be interested in male ponies yet.

Martini shook that thought from her head and again focused on the Wonderbolt mare’s tales, especially about this odd unicorn that almost got some of the Wonderbolt’s killed. [colour=#cc6699] “So let me get this straight, she somehow had butterfly wings, lost them, panicked so much on the way down she knocked you all out and that rainbow maned pegasus over there saved you all from death?”[/colour] That was a pretty amazing tale, the blue pegasus with the rainbow mane sounded like she was some real big deal, yet there she was, blushing and flustering over Soarin’ like some school filly with a crush. Why wasn’t she a Wonderbolt? Maybe she could only fly well in emergencies? [colour=#cc6699]“Just a suggestion, perhaps you all could buy the rainbow maned pegasus another round of drinks, strike up a conversation, you'll seem pretty enamored with her"[/colour], Martini winked.

Cherrilee felt relieved that Apple Bumpkin reiterated she wasn’t going to require any payment for the damaged tree. It was a good thing the farmer pony’s cousin hadn’t returned; Carmel appeared to be far more concerned with any possible financial setback to Tiny Apple Valley and may have demanded payment. The last thing Cheerilee needed was another dock in her pay for damages caused during a class field trip; even one was too many. [colour=#800080]“Thank you for your kindness Miss Bumpkin, er, Apple Bumpkin.”[/colour] Given how the field trip had gone so far, being more informal towards the apple farmer felt appropriate.

Cheerilee turned back to the concerned sister of Haywire and smiled,[colour=#800080] “I assure you that Miss Haywire will have plenty of time to think about why we don’t allow either slingshots or firecrackers on field trips or school grounds when she stays after school all of next week and helps clean, and while she spends the next few weekend learning responsibility while she helps out at Sweet Apple.” [/colour]Hopefully that would calm Haywire’s fiery sister. [colour=#800080] “Oh, and If it wouldn’t be too much to ask Miss Haymaker, we can have another *sigh* conference about what we can do to find a more productive outlet for Haywire’s energy.”[/colour] Maybe this time the family-teacher conference will work in helping Haywire not be such a little mischievous foal, still this would be what, the fourth one this year?

Before she inquire further, Cheerilee’s attention was suddenly turned by a plea for help by one of her students in the juice making vat. She gave a quick awkward smile to Haymaker and turned to gallop to the vat, but before the school teacher could adequately respond, Bumpkin was already climbing in. Cheerilee was relieved, that is until the farmer mare suddenly came crashing back down right into her with Snips and Remington in tow!

Cheerilee was knocked back from the impact, her head swirling in a haze from colliding with the wooden floor. Twice now she had ended up in a pile of ponies, a record even for her field trips. She just laid there in a woozy daze for a few seconds, [colour=#800080]personal time off, when this is all over I am definitely going to request personal time off; perhaps the Gallopagous Islands, I could use a week, nay a couple weeks, on a beach. [/colour]That was certainly a pleasant though, but first thing first, the foals, were they alright?

Cheerilee shook and lifted her head as she rubbed the side of it, [colour=#800080]“uhh..students, what-“[/colour] . Before the schoolmare could finish her sentence, she found her muzzle pressed up against Bumpkin’s. Cheerilee just blushed fiercely, twice in one day she found herself inadvertently in inappropriate situations, in front of the class no less!

Fortunately Bumpkin sat up, even if she didn’t move from atop the now thoroughly embarrassed teacher, at least she, as well as Haywire, were thinking about making sure everypony was alright; an injured student was the last thing poor Cheerilee needed. [colour=#800080]“I’m alright Haywire, thank you though, and Miss Bumpkin, may I get up now please?”[/colour]

She really did need that vacation.

whos peewee? btw

oh edit: spikes phoenix wasn't it ?

PeeWee is the phoenix hatching Spike rescued in Dragon Quest. There is a series of pictures of the two of them in the start of the episode with the final image showing Peewee back with his parents.

Trixie frowned as all the other ponies kept chattering on. [colour=#6699cc]"It was not hidden by a princess,"[/colour] she informed Rain Leaf, [colour=#6699cc]“It was hidden by a Doctor, and I have been informed by The Doctor how to find it!”[/colour] If only The Doctor hadn’t been so ... frustratingly cryptic about it! A secret room that could only be reached from beneath, through the X that marks the spot? But the X was on the floor! You could only go down through it!

She stared at the floor while everyone else looked upwards for a few minutes, turning around the center as she considered it … then looked up to the four corners of the room, where the X stretched to. There were four pillars there, supporting long, graceful arches out across the ceiling, connecting each pillar to each other, forming the square of the room and … and an X along the ceiling, as well!

A ring of stones was set into the ceiling, right at the center of the arched X, with a wide round stone set within. Trixie grinned impishly. [colour=#6699cc] "Fear not, all of you! You don't need to flit about aimlessly nor worry about torches nor staircases! For the Great and Powerful Trixie shall reveal the location to you, at this very moment! Behold, the X that marks the spot! As my awesome power and magnificent brainiac brilliance reveals to you the location!"[/colour]

She reared up, dust lifting around her as her magic aura glowed brightly, and a blast of purple light shot up from her horn to strike the big round stone in the middle of the room, a shower of sparks and a rain of twinkling lights floating down over all the ponies.

For a moment there was nothing - no reaction, no revealed secret, no nothing. Blast that Doctor! He was embarrassing her! But just as she was about to open her mouth, there was a rumbling, and a shower of dust from around that circular stone, and suddenly it dropped from the ceiling in a rush, making the floor shake as a new pillar struck into the center of the room. Trixie jumped in surprise, as it barely missed crushing her, a mere inch from her nose. Her eyes were the size of saucer-plates, and her pupils tiny. Was that crazy Doctor trying to KILL her?!

She took a step back; looking up along the pillar... it wasn't stone, but instead a round, metal, spiral staircase, leading up the center of the room into the dark room above. [colour=#6699cc] "Ha-ha! Behold! The Wise and Scholarly Trixie has revealed the way forward!"[/colour]

Trixie looked directly at Rain Leaf with a proud smile as she again lit up her horn with a lavender glow. [colour=#6699cc] “Come now my little winged companion and no need for lanterns, producing such trivial magic as light is nothing to Trixie! I’ll lead the way!”[/colour]

Trixie trotted up the stairwell full of confidence; it looked as if Whooves was leading her on the right path after all! As she entered the dark room, she looked about cautiously, her horn only providing enough light to bath everything in a pale lavender glow. As she looked up she could just tell the wooden ceiling was rotting away but otherwise undisturbed. What did strike her odd though was the room was still pretty dark. It wasn’t that large! It was as if something was absorbing some of the light emanating from her horn, preventing her from seeing any details. [colour=#6699cc] “I don’t like this…”[/colour]

I figure the clue to Hoofington could be in here. Someone could figure out why the room stays dark, and of course someone could cause the building to come apart; have fun!

Braeburn laid there flat on his back, eyes closed, a swirl of stars orbiting about his wobbly and clouded mind. In this state of confusion and blurred vision, particular recent words swirled around in his head. He couldn’t exactly recall what. Something… special, with Willow Wisp, something they shared… [colour=#daa520]“Well that’s great cuz’ ah really like you”[/colour]. Wait? What did he just say?

Brabeurn quickly lifted his head, finally realizing where he was and what had happened only to suddenly find his muzzle pressed up against Willow’s, not expecting her to be so close. His eyes widened to saucers as he blushed fiercely and smiled, even as he resisted the instinct to quickly move away. Braeburn moved his head back slowly and looked downward for a moment as he felt both embarrassed and shy, [colour=#daa520]“heh, sorry about that”[/colour]. Well that wasn’t entirely true, he wasn’t really sorry. What he wanted to do is lean his head back forward and kiss her, but that would have been uncalled for. [colour=#daa520]“Ah’ll be alright ah think, thanks though.”[/colour]

The goldenrod stallion looked back towards the tree; the once light green sapling was now a dark green young tree with even darker leaves that stood as tall as a full grown buffalo. Before he could say anything more a burst of eerie blue light briefly emanated from the tree flowed outward and it suddenly grew again, this time to twice the height it was before, its form dimmed to an even darker shade of teal. Tiny midnight blue buds forming at the end of its branches. [colour=#daa520] “Whoa… Ya don’t suppose that is supposed to happen, do ya?”[/colour]

This is the official thread for information and chatting about the eleventh episode of season 3 - "Just For Sidekicks"! Looks like Spike is up for another episode, so that is now two for Spike and zero for Rarity this season? Looks like Spike will be in charge of all the pets when the gals Have to be away; what could possibly go wrong? The episode airs at (9:30am Central/10:30am Eastern on January 19th).

This thread will not be locked and thus commenting is open as soon as you see this; remember though, there are spoilers in the comments section so read at your own risk if you haven't seen the episode!

Man, now I want to app as his brother.