The end of the fandom

[brianblackberry]

People come and go in a fandom all the time, even while the show is in its stride. It could very well be for the OP's friend, FiM was just a fad and he has simply moved on. It happens, it happened to a couple friends of mine, they just went and got hooked on the next big thing. For many of us, the fandom and FiM mean a great deal more and we are here for the long haul, plus there are always new fans coming in.

In short, there will always be that dedicated fanbase.

[Rosewind]

It's a very strong property that's been "around" for well over two decades. I think the real question is, what will we do when G5 rolls around? While the fanbase may dwindle, the property may yet still evolve -- though I'm betting with its rebooted popularity, we won't have to worry about that for a while.

I think the most important thing is to take the series for what it is, and support it however we can to keep it going as long as possible.

I also think that Hasbro really should look over its business philosophy and, perhaps, update some of its policies regarding the recent YouTube takedowns. A lot of that seems to be souring the fanbase -- especially the international community that has limited access to new episodes. They should also try to produce products that honor the canon and continuity of the cartoon. How many of us would jump at a high-quality canon-accurate plush of one of the Mane 6? I should as heck would.

[Imagination]

Everything's pretty much been said that can be said, in my opinion. True fans of something wonderful, like MLP, will hold onto it for a surprisingly long time.

I don't think you have anything to worry about in terms of the fandom's longevity, even if the show's end comes too soon.

[flutterscotch]

This situation has similar parallels to McDonald's "Mac Tonight" crisis of the 80's. In America long ago, McDonalds started a TV advertising campaign featuring a crescent moon headed crooner character called Mac Tonight. The message of the commercials was fairly simple: Eat dinner at McD's! The problem the company found was the 'character' Mac Tonight became far more popular than his 'message'. So, in spite of Mac Tonight's rising fame, the advertising campaign was shut down months after it began.

Ah, the stuff of nightmares. It was more than a few months, though. It lasted for at least a year and a half, if I recall correctly. And there were Halloween costumes.

What will happen is what happens with every single show that becomes a cult favorite. You'll have people that hold on to it forever, you'll have the people who were just into it when it was popular who will just jump to the next thing, and you'll have people who were much younger than you are right now who were into it as kids who will bring it back 10+ years ago, a faint glimmer or the original fervor, but it's still there. Even if it doesn't go into 3 seasons, that shouldn't matter.

Look at the Twin Peaks fandom. Look at the Firefly Fandom. Fandom is what you make it.

[DonBozzieri]

Well, it's still got a massive fanbase, so I wouldn't worry about it dying out anytime soon. Give it a year or two at the least. The only thing that could happen that would actually make a vast number of people leave the fandom would be if they cancelled the show. I don't really see how your friend has anything to back-up his claims of it being a "fad" - I'd say it's bigger then ever.

[PulseWave]

This is difficult to predict, for I don't think there has ever been anything remotely similar to the MLP:FiM fandom.

On the one hoof, yes, the fandom will eventually shrink. It is a hype of sorts. A long-lived hype, but a hype nevertheless, as is just about everything that's declared a meme. Memes grow old, and those who have used them will move on to new memes. Also, those who were bronies just because it was cool will follow the other hipster bronies to new franchises.

On the other hoof, there are really really dedicated fans of the show itself, of the stories, of the characters, of the music, of everything. And they will not drop out that quickly. I'd even say that they eventually take over the show's legacy with their fan creativity, especially since the end of the show itself means that fanon will never be Jossed again, that there'll never be another Luna Eclipsed or Sisterhooves Social. This kind of dedicated fandom is something that can continue for many years. I know fandoms of shows which were aired in the USA the last time before many of you were born (granted, that was also before there was a Web 2.0), and they're still active and dedicated. Also have a look at the sheer amount and quality of creativity this fandom comes up with. This wouldn't be the first fandom to at least partly turn into a fandom of its own fan creativity.

So I wouldn't be too afraid of the MLP:FiM fandom vanishing entirely, especially not shortly after the last episode.