Something random I just nocitced

[Ponyboy]

I just got finished watching 'Swarm of the Century' for a second time. Anyone else notice a few similarities the episode had with the movie 'Gremlins'?

1. A cute (seemingly harmless) creature is brought home as a pet.

2. Only one person is aware of the creature's true nature and the possible chaos its presence may cause.

3. The creature manages to rapidly reproduce asexually

4. Giving it food only makes matters worse.

5. By the end, the entire town is completely overrun by a insanely huge number of the creatures.

Actually now that I think about it....... this episode also reminds me of the Tribbles episode from Star Trek.

What do you guys think?

[SirShadowdeath]

I was thinking Tribbles as well.

It's a common story used in cartoons and shows. Many shows have done it, like Foster's Home for Imaginery Friends and Spongebob.

[elsporko]

I see the similarities, but the story is generic enough I wouldn't call it a rip off or homage.

Fun fact: According to the novelization of Gremlins Mogwai are aliens created to spread the message of love through the universe but turn evil because they were released before adequate testing could prove they turned into monsters. Intergalactic quality control could have prevented that entire disaster

[Rosewind]

I was thinking Tribbles as well.

It's a common story used in cartoons and shows. Many shows have done it, like Foster's Home for Imaginery Friends and Spongebob.

Ahhh, get out of my head!

Sadly this sort of thing happens in real life all the time. Entire ecosystems have been decimated because an invasive species moves in, with no counter-predation to deal with it.

[OccupyEquestria]

Ahhh, get out of my head!

Sadly this sort of thing happens in real life all the time. Entire ecosystems have been decimated because an invasive species moves in, with no counter-predation to deal with it.

I know! All those pesky humans with their lack of counter-predation.

[Starfox64x]

Yeah, the premise is fairly generic, although each time it appears they seem to give the creature a unique feel to it, giving it enough of its own identity so people won't relate them to one another right away... like if the parasprites were to turn ugly and menacing after eating, then people would call it a copy, but it's got enough of it's own feel to it to make it it's own thing...

[Ponyboy]

Hmmmmm..... You guys raise some pretty good points. I guess I just haven't seen this particular plot used that often.

[Ashton]

My first thought was of the Tribbles because Parasprites were just balls of fluff, but I also saw the Gremlin's plot too. (Though I did find it a very amusing twist that they solved it by-way of the Pied Piper..., if anything I Was expecting pinkie's music would scare them off instead of lead them... nice twist I think)

[Rosewind]

The ending was also a nod to the Pied Piper of Hamelin too...but we all knew that already.

I know! All those pesky humans with their lack of counter-predation.

I'd love to get into a debate/discussion about the ramifications of humanity's domination of the Earth (and its parallels to Swarm of the Century), but this isn't really the place. There are so many different aspects of it buried in myth, religion, history, and so on, it gives me a headache just thinking about it.