Offseason General Show Chat

here a forum about pony (General Pony Talk)

Moderators: Perrydotto, Dexanth, Venusy, Wayoshi

Re: Offseason General Show Chat

Postby Doctor Zoidberg, Homeowner (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 10:29 am

Spike has good chemistry with the cast, so even if his role is kinda nebulous these days, he'll still be around. They could always have him do more with the CMCs, or in Ponyville, or something.
Doctor Zoidberg, Homeowner
User avatar
I got these robes on sale
Joined: Oct 27, 2014

Postby Marioland1 (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:42 am

I suspect that something will be "growing up". Honestly, that's why he works so well with the CMC: they're all immature to a degree and struggling to learn what growing up means, whether it's through cutie marks, dragon wings, or trying whatever it takes to get attention.
ImageImage
Marioland1
User avatar
Trouble in Horse Town
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Behind Minecraft_B5's TTT Control Panel (and autoslay system)
Gender: Male

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 12:04 pm

That would be an interesting take on it...have the CMC and Spike grow up a little at the same time and have the Main Six deal with it...it could work. :ponder:
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:36 pm

Sobana wrote:He hates girly mushy stuff

I have to disagree with this somewhat. I mean, remember Dragon Quest and how, in the end, he was disgusted by the behavior of the other dragons? Or how he's such a hopeless romantic and how he obsessed over Rarity? The only time I think he's come off as thinking that girly sorts of things are gross was way back in The Ticket Master, and even then he was only just pretending to not be interested in a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala.

If there is anyone who does think that sort of thing is gross, I think it's Scootaloo. Remember how she was gagging over the heartwarming sentiments in The Cutie Mark Chronicles or at Big Mac and Cheerilee in H&HD?
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Perrydotto (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:39 pm

Yeah, Spike got more interest in "girly things" than one would expect. He's a really good balance between the little brother archetype and a fitting character for a feminine setting. If he was outright dismissive of girl stuff, it just wouldn't fit with a positively feminine show like Friendship is Magic.
Image /// Image /// Image
Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Location: The final frontier
Gender: Female

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 2:41 pm

Plus, don't forget the apron he wore in Dragon Quest. I think that episode served as a nice little look into his character.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Illuminations (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:08 pm

Perrydotto wrote:Yeah, Spike got more interest in "girly things" than one would expect. He's a really good balance between the little brother archetype and a fitting character for a feminine setting. If he was outright dismissive of girl stuff, it just wouldn't fit with a positively feminine show like Friendship is Magic.


Wait, are you saying that the show wants to portray a partial feminine side of Spike because doing so is portraying a positive light on male characters in girl-dominated television shows? That's funny because I could've sworn that the modern trope was the 'boys are icky, throw rocks at them' archetype.
Illuminations
User avatar
Eternal Night Advocate
Joined: Jun 25, 2014
Location: New Jersey
Gender: Male

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:16 pm

...Spike's always been a positive character and relatively equal to the rest of the main characters throughout the show. I like his feminine side because it makes him a more interesting and well rounded character. The show says that there's nothing wrong with how he acts and that is a good message in my book. :pinkieshrug:
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:48 pm

Illuminations wrote:That's funny because I could've sworn that the modern trope was the 'boys are icky, throw rocks at them' archetype.

You're right, that is the modern trope, and it's a good thing that FiM has largely avoided such tropes for its main characters. Making boys out to be inherently dumber and worse than girls solely on the basis of their gender, while definitely less common and less bad than the reverse, is still a bad and uninteresting thing to do.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Sat Nov 29, 2014 6:51 pm

It's part and parcel with the show's approach to femininity as being remarkable in its unremarkability. Equestria is female-dominated, but nobody stomps around going all GRRRL POWER or anything; it's just "the way it is".

Spike is a boy who's growing up more or less well-adjusted in a default-female world, sort of the male equivalent of a tomboy. By which I mean we humans take for granted—for better or worse—that male is the "standard" and female things are a variant on that standard; so a girl has the choice to embrace girly things (and never be taken seriously), or be a tomboy and be seen to have an appreciation for "normal" male things, which stands to earn you more respect in certain quarters, though it is an implicit acknowledgment of that fallacious "standard". But in Equestria, if you're growing up male, you can either be all :yeah: and be seen as a weirdo, or embrace feminine interests and become part of the "in" crowd. Spike speaks Twilight's language; in one of their first scenes together he tells her her hair is kinda pretty all messed up like that—something a boy would never say in our world, but something he's completely comfortable expressing in Equestria.

FiM doesn't just present a world where female is the standard, for once; it also presents ideals of masculinity that are not destructive to that notion and don't chafe under it. It shows how feminism is not about dominance or censorship or eradicating humor. It's presenting the idea that gender politics isn't a zero-sum game, and it's doing it silently, without once explicitly pointing out the ways in which its lessons are applicable to our own world.
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:15 am

The only time I recall Spike ever going "that's girl stuff" is with the Gala, and even then he was just saying that as a cover-up to hide he wanted to go.
ShieldedDiamond
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Dec 13, 2013

Postby Strangest Letter (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:19 am

That was also near the start of the series where they were still trying to nail down what they wanted their characters to be.
Strangest Letter
User avatar
The Most Enchanting Of All Tangos.
Joined: Nov 10, 2012
Location: Pennsylvania
Gender: Male

Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:55 am

Yeah, that's also true, so perhaps even later on they wouldn't have done it.
ShieldedDiamond
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Dec 13, 2013

Postby The Doctor (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:25 am

I never got the impression that Spike is all that into girly things. He's not super-macho or anything. But even with the Gala, he didn't want to get dressed up and go to the Gala, he wanted to show the others his favorite hangouts.

As for the Apron, all Aprons in Equestria look like that. :gotcha:
The Doctor
User avatar
Turner of all things timey wimey
Celestia's Champions
Joined: May 05, 2011
Location: Time & Space
Gender: Male

Postby Marioland1 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:29 am

To be fair, Spike has about as much to do at a Gala as I do, that is to say, nothing. He might talk around a little bit, but given Spike, he wouldn't find himself successful and eventually just sit around the punch bowl and snack on whatever is nearby. Not really what I'd call the most successful of nights, and yet still attractive to the point of wanting desperately to go just because it's a change from the norm and it means you can put off cleaning the bookshelves for another few days.
ImageImage
Marioland1
User avatar
Trouble in Horse Town
Joined: Jun 30, 2014
Location: Behind Minecraft_B5's TTT Control Panel (and autoslay system)
Gender: Male

Postby Just Scuds (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 3:03 am

The Doctor wrote:
As for the Apron, all Aprons in Equestria look like that. :gotcha:


:whyme: :"Funny thing - I hopped down to the cooking supply store and tried to buy a size 00 apron for a two legged baby dragon. Store clerk told me they just sold out!"
:yikes: :"Where else am I going to find an apron?"
:wink: :"I believe I can remedy this situation."

~magic~
:vogue: "et voila!"

(Later)

:here: :"Pink frills and a giant heart in the center of it..."
:-/ :"Spike, you know it's rude to look a gift horse in the mouth!"
:yikes: :"What does that even mean? What mouth? And this was a horse's gift, not a gift horse..."
:facehoof: :"Just wear it when she's around okay?"
Just Scuds
User avatar
Baby there ain't nobody better
So u should - never, ever go by the letter
U're so cool - Everything u do is success
Make the rules
Then break them all cuz u are the best


(Or just be making the best of this sloppy dog's breakfast of a situation. Damn Pinkie.)
Fashion Queens
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:44 am

Marioland1 wrote:To be fair, Spike has about as much to do at a Gala as I do, that is to say, nothing. He might talk around a little bit, but given Spike, he wouldn't find himself successful and eventually just sit around the punch bowl and snack on whatever is nearby. Not really what I'd call the most successful of nights, and yet still attractive to the point of wanting desperately to go just because it's a change from the norm and it means you can put off cleaning the bookshelves for another few days.


He did have the goal of hanging out with everyone, but gave up almost immediately as everyone went their separate ways.
ShieldedDiamond
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Dec 13, 2013

Postby SlateSlabrock (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:53 am

Although the Gala probably isn't Spike's kind of party, he does seem to be waaay more in tune with the Canterlot social scene than Twilight (see: Hoity Toity).
SlateSlabrock
User avatar
The information's unavailable to the mortal man.
Celestia's Champions
Joined: Feb 14, 2011

Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 6:23 am

SlateSlabrock wrote:Although the Gala probably isn't Spike's kind of party, he does seem to be waaay more in tune with the Canterlot social scene than Twilight (see: Hoity Toity).


He seemed really excited about the gala until everyone broke up. He was really excited to talk about it to everyone.
ShieldedDiamond
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Dec 13, 2013

Postby Sobana (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 6:25 am

Headless Horse wrote:It's part and parcel with the show's approach to femininity as being remarkable in its unremarkability. Equestria is female-dominated, but nobody stomps around going all GRRRL POWER or anything; it's just "the way it is".

Spike is a boy who's growing up more or less well-adjusted in a default-female world, sort of the male equivalent of a tomboy. By which I mean we humans take for granted—for better or worse—that male is the "standard" and female things are a variant on that standard; so a girl has the choice to embrace girly things (and never be taken seriously), or be a tomboy and be seen to have an appreciation for "normal" male things, which stands to earn you more respect in certain quarters, though it is an implicit acknowledgment of that fallacious "standard". But in Equestria, if you're growing up male, you can either be all :yeah: and be seen as a weirdo, or embrace feminine interests and become part of the "in" crowd. Spike speaks Twilight's language; in one of their first scenes together he tells her her hair is kinda pretty all messed up like that—something a boy would never say in our world, but something he's completely comfortable expressing in Equestria.

FiM doesn't just present a world where female is the standard, for once; it also presents ideals of masculinity that are not destructive to that notion and don't chafe under it. It shows how feminism is not about dominance or censorship or eradicating humor. It's presenting the idea that gender politics isn't a zero-sum game, and it's doing it silently, without once explicitly pointing out the ways in which its lessons are applicable to our own world.

That is an interesting thought if reversed. That Spike isn't acting how he normally would because he lives in a female dominated culture and the norms of society put pressure on his behavior. Dragons are normally greedy, selfish and rough. But he can't act the way he is naturally suppose to because that society tells him it isn't right. It's like a matriarchal society. :starity:
Image
Sobana
User avatar
Destroyer of Love
Joined: Feb 23, 2012
Location: Next Tuesday

Postby ShieldedDiamond (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 6:35 am

I don't think him not being greedy has to deal with a more female dominant society. It's more or less just because he grew up in the environment from birth, and society told him it was wrong, but not because it was a female dominated society.

On a side note, I'm surprised there still hasn't been an explanation as to where Spike exactly came from, or at least coming into the hands of the school. "Oh hey dragons are so mysterious we know nothing about them, but we have this egg that is clearly a dragon egg, we'll give it to a child."
ShieldedDiamond
User avatar
Rarity's Roughnecks
Joined: Dec 13, 2013

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:01 am

ShieldedDiamond wrote:
He seemed really excited about the gala until everyone broke up. He was really excited to talk about it to everyone.


And then he drowned his sorrows in donuts... :v:
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby The Doctor (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 8:09 am

Because Spike is the best friend in the show. He didn't really want to go to the Gala until everyone else was going. His motivation for going was for nothing but to hang out with his friends. He likes these ponies and enjoys their company..

:prettywings: Spike is the real Princess of Friendship.
The Doctor
User avatar
Turner of all things timey wimey
Celestia's Champions
Joined: May 05, 2011
Location: Time & Space
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 11:37 am

So I made a thread about "What Happened to Shared Universes in Cartoons" and I mentioned the Hub/Discovery Family and how despite Transformers, Littlest Pet Shop, and MLP appearing together in commercials, I'm surprised there hasn't been an actual crossover episode or special.

It'd seem like the easiest get-rich-quick scheme in the history of toyetic shows :scheming:

I mean, MLP already admitted that there was no self contained universe, since EqG exists. So what's stopping the next TF or LPS crossover? :v:
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 11:52 am

LPS might be possible (though, judging from the show's reception, IDK how likely it is) but I really can't see Transformers getting into the mix, at least in an episode of the show. The two worlds are too...different to really work and that by combining them, it might just make a mishmash of the two cartoons.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Bumble-B (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 11:58 am

ROBOT B9 wrote:LPS might be possible (though, judging from the show's reception, IDK how likely it is) but I really can't see Transformers getting into the mix, at least in an episode of the show. The two worlds are too...different to really work and that by combining them, it might just make a mishmash of the two cartoons.


I haven't watched Transformers: Rescue Bots but isn't that a more child-friendly, innocent show?

Regarding LPS, yeah, it's getting about 200,000 average views compared to *MLP's* 300-400,000 average (correct me if im wrong). I don't know what that exactly means in terms of ratings success for LPS but it's strange how Hasbro initially advertised LPS by using MLP iconography and cameos during the commercials. But it's been rather quiet. I haven't seen much cross-show promotion. I didn't own the Hub nor Discovery Family so I'm not sure what's the current state of the marketing.
:pinkieshrug:

Like I said, having an actual crossover for these two shows would probably do the two shows, especially LPS, a good deal of favor and attention, I suppose.
Last edited by Bumble-B on Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bumble-B
User avatar
Buzz Buzz...
Applejack Aces
Joined: Jul 14, 2012
Gender: Male

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:12 pm

Oh yeah, I forgot all about Rescue Bots. Oops. :v:

Yeah, in that case, I think a crossover would definitely work, it seems like the best fit for MLP.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:16 pm

SlateSlabrock wrote:Although the Gala probably isn't Spike's kind of party, he does seem to be waaay more in tune with the Canterlot social scene than Twilight (see: Hoity Toity).

Spike has always been more outgoing than Twilight. I mean, consider the first episode. He was already popular enough to where he'd gotten that present from Moondancer, whereas Twilight was still a huge shut-in.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Bremen (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 12:59 pm

Fizzbuzz wrote:Spike has always been more outgoing than Twilight. I mean, consider the first episode. He was already popular enough to where he'd gotten that present from Moondancer, whereas Twilight was still a huge shut-in.


He was also pretty sociable with everyone in Ponyville while Twilight was still twitching anytime someone said the word "friend" IIRC. When he's not being the comic relief he can be a surprisingly mature and well balanced individual :allears:
Bremen
User avatar
Joined: Oct 09, 2011
Gender: Male

Postby Sobana (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 1:40 pm

Spike is like Twilight's wing mare. I think one of the reasons Twilight was able to get away with being such a shut in for most her life while still getting invited to social events was because she was able to through Spike. Like how my mom is able to stay socially active through my sister's associates. If Spike wasn't around Twilight might not have been as good at magic because she would have taken time away from studying to socialize.
Image
Sobana
User avatar
Destroyer of Love
Joined: Feb 23, 2012
Location: Next Tuesday

Postby Headless Horse (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:16 pm

AppleCobbler44 wrote:So I made a thread about "What Happened to Shared Universes in Cartoons" and I mentioned the Hub/Discovery Family and how despite Transformers, Littlest Pet Shop, and MLP appearing together in commercials, I'm surprised there hasn't been an actual crossover episode or special.

It'd seem like the easiest get-rich-quick scheme in the history of toyetic shows :scheming:

I mean, MLP already admitted that there was no self contained universe, since EqG exists. So what's stopping the next TF or LPS crossover? :v:


Maybe they think it would be stupid?

Crossover stunts are ususally just cynical attempts to shore up flagging ratings (or plug some other show, like when The Critic showed up on the Simpsons). These recent Simpsons/Family Guy and Simpsons/Futurama crossovers have been amusing chiefly for the opening gags and stuff, but otherwise pretty awful, from what I understand. It's not worth the breach in the show's integrity.

("The Brother From Another Series" was done very subtly, though, and is a good example of how you might do it right)

And I'm not sure how it would be any better an idea for a toyetic show; it's not like they've been proactive about creating toys to tie in with specific episodes to begin with. If Hasbro commissioned a MLP/LPS crossover episode, it would be two years before they acknowledged it with merchandise, and then it would be by making "Pinkie Pie Dazzle's Pet Shop Playset" or some shit.
Headless Horse
User avatar
The yoke is strictly ornamental
Faithful Students
Joined: May 23, 2011

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:24 pm

Oh right, I never thought of that either. Yeah, 99% of TV crossovers don't really work anyway unless they have a shared universe, like the Avengers.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 2:39 pm

A crossover might be appropriate for a silly one-shot issue of the comics, but I can't see the show or even either of the ongoing comics series doing it. They're a goofy stunt and not much else.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Seven Seas (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 3:21 pm

Fizzbuzz wrote:Spike has always been more outgoing than Twilight. I mean, consider the first episode. He was already popular enough to where he'd gotten that present from Moondancer, whereas Twilight was still a huge shut-in.

Stirring up trouble, are we? :squintyjack:
:scootawoo:
Seven Seas
User avatar
Fulfilling Jordan's MLP quota
Scootaloo's Pro Scooters
Joined: Jan 25, 2013
Location: Amman, Jordan
Gender: Genderless
Pronoun: They

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 3:28 pm

...Oh, Fizzbuzz, you clever little poster. I didn't even catch that. :squintyjack:
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Illuminations (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 4:41 pm

SlateSlabrock wrote:Although the Gala probably isn't Spike's kind of party, he does seem to be waaay more in tune with the Canterlot social scene than Twilight (see: Hoity Toity).

Do any of us really think or believe that a social gathering like the Grand Galloping Gala is our kind of party? That might have been true back in the 18th century but today? Hahahahahaha! Not much for anyone to do there except talk, eat and dance. I'd rather read a book or take a quiet walk at night or something.
Illuminations
User avatar
Eternal Night Advocate
Joined: Jun 25, 2014
Location: New Jersey
Gender: Male

Postby Fizzbuzz (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:02 pm

I think there's still plenty of high society formal parties and gatherings like that which are still happening today. They might not be taking place inside of big fancy castles, but there are plenty of fancy gardens and luxury hotel ballrooms out there. It's not the sort of party for the hoi polloi like us, but that's just a sign of how well-connected and well-off Twilight and Spike were when they lived in Canterlot.
Image
Fizzbuzz
User avatar
Stare Masters
Joined: Mar 02, 2013
Location: TN
Gender: Male

Postby Perrydotto (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:04 pm

I've been at fancy parties a few times, always courtesy of people much better off than me, and I had a good time. Even when you're dressed up all nice, you're still among people, and not everyone is going to be a stuckup idiot. Besides, nothing wrong with eating nice food. :pinkieshrug:
Image /// Image /// Image
Perrydotto
User avatar
Agents of Chaos
Joined: Jun 14, 2012
Location: The final frontier
Gender: Female

Postby ROBOT B9 (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:06 pm

Yeah, I don't get what you mean by that...parties like that are still being held and probably will continue to be in the future.
:plonk: Image :)
ROBOT B9
User avatar
Round and round and round she goes, where she'll stop, nobody knows :pinkietoot:
Semper Pie
Joined: Mar 27, 2012
Location: Albir, Spain
Gender: Male

Postby Illuminations (?) » Sun Nov 30, 2014 5:23 pm

All I'm saying is that unless someone develops an acquired appetite, taste or liking for upscale parties and events, it doesn't become one of their particular favorites very easily. Usually you have to come from a high-class family in order to appreciate that sort of lifestyle, but there are always exceptions. I don't know, I suppose that I don't see the Gala as anything spectacular or amazing while still understanding some of its appeal.
Illuminations
User avatar
Eternal Night Advocate
Joined: Jun 25, 2014
Location: New Jersey
Gender: Male

Previous Next

Return to Ponies

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 1 guest