• Community Soapbox #11 - Ponies Should Stay HORSES, Brony Careers, And Flutterdash!


    Another week, another series of opinions! The fandom is OVERFLOWING with them as always! Expect these posts at 3:00 PM PST on Tuesdays. Submit yours by following the rules here

    This week's headlines:

    • Why Ponies Should Have Stayed Horses
    • The "Best" Song
    • The Lost Dream of Brony Careers
    • Fluttershy and Rainbow: Romantic But Not Lovers?
    • Fluttershy and Rainbow: Older, Younger, or Same Age?

    And get your soapboxes below!



    Why Ponies Should Have Stayed Horses
    By: Rainbowfox


    I've been a fan of MLP since 2011, and have seen some of my favorite characters of all time evolve as the seasons tick by. I wasn't angry when Twilight grew her wings, or when Rainbow Dash became a wonderbolt without much fanfair after all the build up. Sometimes things can suddenly happen you know? What I did dislike was how many resources have been wasted on turning them into teenagers for a terrible toyline.

    It's hard for me to understand why so many people love Equestria Girls. The plots are some of the most basic of highschool drama with hamhanded magic thrown on top. I'd be fine with that if they were still adorable little ponies, but they are ugly and deformed humans instead. I've watched every movie anyway since I'm desperate for anything regarding MLP, but I can't say I ever enjoyed any.

    I just think Hasbro would have been way better off releasing more actual pony content. If they needed more toy sales, maybe a team of unique races with a pony or two thrown in? The season finale was a great example of what a mix of ponies and other Equestrian races can do. Why not something with a griffon, changeling, pair of ponies [and they could even romance them for love merch!] and maybe a dragon or something?


    The "Best" Song 
    By: Yamiks


    This one day i was thinking and somehow ended up rating different songs in the show. While I recall at first cringing every time there was one in the show just when I started watching, the longer I watched the more some grew on me.

    Even though I'm not a musician, I can appreciate a good melodic and well thought through song. While we all can create lists of songs that we liked or disliked, some get stuck in our heads more than others. It's true that the show doesn't have complex music, beauty can be found in simplicity and, in part, that was the case with "winter wrap up" - the first song most of you can recall as being really catchy.

    As the time went on, I realized that with, maybe, few exceptions CMC has the best songs, but then came
    episode "The mane attraction". Fist song was obviously a shallow pop reference or parody - judge that for yourself, but then came the second song. Say what you will but the performance was simply divine, there's just no other word for it.

    So i wonder : what you think is the best song out there and why?


    The Lost Dream of Brony Careers
    By: Bobbatron808


    As most of us already know, a lot of brony content creators have gotten, and are still getting their YouTube videos claimed by Hasbro. Their ad revenue goes to Hasbro now, not the creators.

    Hasbro, I know, I know, you’ve stated years ago that you didn’t want people to make videos unless it directly profited Hasbro, hence the video takedowns of the earlier years, and hence the revenue claiming of more recent times. But I just wish there was a way people could make stuff for the brony community as a career. It’s so sad to see so many talented and spirited individuals struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams. Others have given up entirely.
    In addition to ad revenue woes, less people now days have been able to give to their favorite content creators’ Patreons, and the early access platform Vessel was recently bought out then promptly shut down by Verizon.
    “Do what you love and the money will come.” While I still believe this to be true, it's now harder than ever for video makers, musicians, and artists in the brony community to make their dreams of a brony career come true.


    Fluttershy and Rainbow: Romantic But Not Lovers?
    By: Loganberry


    Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are often shipped. Unsurprisingly: they're both Cloudsdale pegasi who've known each other since they were fillies. Some fans say they're lovers, others simply friends. But there's a third option. "Romantic friendship" is a very close. intense but platonic relationship which may involve sharing deep emotions, cuddling or kissing. It was common in Western society until the 19th century.

    Ponies are generally relaxed about close physical contact - look at all that hugging! But are Fluttershy and Rainbow unusually close even by Equestrian standards? "Hurricane Fluttershy" suggests so. Although Dash sometimes gets irritated with Flutters, when 'Shy does come through Rainbow is thrilled. Not merely happy for a good friend, but utterly elated. Look at her huge, joyous smile when Fluttershy joins the tornado. This special bond is seen in multiple episodes. Later in the series - eg in "Tanks for the Memories" - we also see that Fluttershy understands Dash emotionally in a way that even Rainbow's other close friends do not.

    I don't think Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are lovers - but I do think they have the closest friendship among the Mane Six. They're romantic friends.


    Fluttershy and Rainbow. Older, Younger, or Same Age?
    By: Auren Dawnstar

    Opinions on their ages vary. Usually with Fluttershy being older and Rainbow being younger. Personally, I've always thought that the two of them were the most likely to be the closest in age based mostly around their schooling.

    Unlike Ponyville, who's small population and single room schoolhouse require an all-ages classroom setting, the city of Cloudsdale would have a large enough population to require that students be grouped together by age. With Flight Camp being just an extension of normal school. The class reunion the two went to in PPOV reinforces that idea somewhat since such reunions are usually held for students in the same graduating classes.

    I have to wonder though:

    • Did Fluttershy possibly get held back because of her poor flying, or some other reason?
    • Did she just hit puberty earlier than the rest of the mane 6? Accounting for her larger frame as a filly.
    • Are they both two of the oldest with Rainbow just simply not acting her age?
    • Did Rainbow perhaps skip ahead a couple grades due to her unique memory? Learning things older students were studying without even realizing it?

    Personally I favor the second question since the rest don't seem as likely.