• Community Soapbox #28 - Glims Represents the Fandom, Unicorn Magic, Brony Epsidoes, and More!


    Another week, another soapbox! This is where the fandom speaks!

    Expect these posts every Tuesday at 2:00 PM PST (3:00 EQD Time). To submit your own, see this post.

    This week we dive into the following:

    • Why Starlight Glimmer Represents the Fandom
    • How does Unicorn Magic Work?
    • Rainbow Dash Will And Should Stop Being A Tomboy
    • Bronies Writing Episodes

    And get your soapboxes below!


    How does Unicorn Magic Work?
    By: Nikolai

    This has been on my mind since I became a brony. How in the world of Equestria does unicorn magic even work? After giving it some thought, I came up with a solution to try and answer this.

    Magic for unicorns requires two things: they gain the ability to read or understand how the spell works, or they obtain enough magical power to perform the spell. Let’s take Twilight and Trixie for example in the magic duel episode. Trixie had the knowledge of how to do an aging spell, and with a power boost from the alicorn amulet, the spell worked. When Twilight tried it, she had the knowledge of how the spell works; however, she lacked the magical power needed to perform the spell, so the spell failed. Though this example supports this theory, it doesn’t explain everything. Take the episode where Twilight performs Starswirl the Bearded time travel spell. It took Starswirl years to perfect the spell, while it took Twilight a single attempt and it worked successfully. And don’t get me started on how magic works with a pegasus and an earth pony. That will be for a later time. How do you think Unicorn magic works?


    Rainbow Dash Will And Should Stop Being A Tomboy
    By: Heavy Henry

    I did not like how in season 2 the token-tomboy Rainbow Dash tried to be masculine and reject girly things and token-boy Spike tried to be feminine and reject Dragons who represent masculinity in mlp, as the seasons have gone on however this has changed and Spike has been becoming more manly while Rainbow has been becoming more feminine,emotional and submissive, As someone with very traditional beliefs that doesn't like seeing women fight, I think this is great and hope this continues until Dashie is a prim and proper lady that puts her silly tomboy ways behind her. In season 2 Rainbow rejected the spa and refused to use it, season 4 had the only time she outright rejects femininity(Inspiration Manifestation), in season 5 she has emotional breakdowns and in season 6 she uses the spa, speaks in a pristine womanly voice and opens up to male characters in a way that almost kills the delusion she’s a lesbian and in the season 7 opener isn’t even secret about the spa anymore and uses it with everyone else. Overall her character development shows that she is growing up and will eventually learn to act her gender, realize she is not “Awesome”or a warrior and will become an actual role model for girls like she was in G3.

    Spike on the other hand has ditched his heart apron and baking for guy's night,comic books and hoofball games while learning to accept his dragon heritage, stop joining the mane 6 on their girly endeavors and hang around with male characters.


    Bronies Writing Episodes
    By: MegaSean45


    Before I continue, I know the odds of this happening are VERY, VERY SLIM(Jim)! But I still wanna talk about it.

    What do you think would happen if certain selected members of the fandom were able to write for the show? Would the show be much better, or would the show have too much fan-pandering content? It could go either way, but sometimes the writers haven't watched the show, and therefore, things don't necessarily make sense all the time. Some writers might make characters seem too OOC, or might repeat stories or friendship morals. But certain members of the fandom would do well to make sure it doesn't happen; either that or they'll just make a whole FiM episode all about Sunset and Twilight being shipped or something! XD

    There is still so much the show can do, and sometimes the writers keep blowing great story potential aside, like meeting the Manehattan CMCs, which hasn't happened yet for some weird reason!

    If you were ever given the chance to work on the show, would you do it, and what kind of episodes would you do? I'll put my answer in the comments below with yours! :D


    Why Starlight Glimmer Represents the Fandom
    By: Sponeoupartan


    Ever since Starlight Glimmer’s appearance in the series, she has been a point of high debate in the fandom on whether she is a good or bad character. Even the show’s writers themselves seem to flop between thinking of her as a kind and mistaken character to an angry and devious character, which can be shown through her “redemption”. Whether Starlight is actually a good or bad character may never be resolved between people within the fandom, but that doesn’t stop her from being the best representation of the fandom that we can get.

    Regardless of what you think of Starlight, she is undeniably the easiest character to relate to the fandom. Her ability to be both seen in a good and bad light, her anger issues she shows over silly things, her natural ability to perform amazing tasks, all of these are ways that she can relate with the fandom. Think about how the fandom has been seen in both good ways and bad, depending on who is looking where. Think about the rage the fandom shows whenever some large event happens, and the amazing pieces of fan works that come from the fandom.

    Starlight is an amazing character to relate to the fandom, and for some that may be too shockingly similar and cause some dislike for her. But all of us have our good sides and our bad ones, and we all have the ability to do amazing things. Every one of us has a little bit of Starlight within ourselves.