#honestly though mlp fim was an EXPERIENCE

[chaoticace2005]

Would like to follow my trend of Alastor-betray the hotel bullshit with this scene recast from MLPFiM:

The main cast -Lucifer: *all in a cage*

Whoever owns Alastor’s soul: You gathered up all of them?

Alastor, poking Razzle: And his little dragon too.

Razzle: *tries to bite*

Charlie, crying in Vaggie’s arms: Why are you doing this?! I thought we were friends?!

Alastor: Oh we were. But she (?) offered me so much more than just friendship circles. Surely you saw this coming?

Charlie, still crying: I didn’t. I really didn’t. (Buries head into Vaggie)

-After, Alastor’s boss betrays him-

Vaggie: Surely you saw this coming?

Alastor, weak and powerless on the ground: I didn’t. I truly didn’t.

(And yeah, I know Charlie might not trust him to not betray the hotel right away. But if the relationship between everyone in the hotel developed? If she were to kinda forget the reason Alastor is there? Think they’re breaking through to him and he accepts he’s part of the family?)

[bixels]

If it's not too much trouble would you mind sharing more on your thoughts about AJ? Esp the line she shouted at Rarity and her "struggle with sexual identity" I'm kind of new so I would like to hear more! Does Rarity also struggle with sexual identity and fearing AJ would leave? I love the family oriented person A and the business inclined and impressed by shiny new things person B trope

Ok, this is gonna get into head canons and personal opinions.

The writing in Rollercoaster of Friendship (and EQG as a whole) is much simpler and more stripped down in comparison to FiM (most likely to appeal to a younger audience; don't want to seem like I'm dissing the writers), but that one confrontation made me sit up in my seat because it carries the entire special.

More under the cut cuz I don't want MLP analyses clogging up my blog.

For one, we've seen AJ get frustrated and angry about the same exact conflict over a girl in FiM (Rara), establishing a pattern. And even though she's right (her friend really is being manipulated), I read both cases as her acting out in jealousy too. Here's this girl who she's felt a unique attachment to being "taken away" and changed by someone new. This is most apparent in RoF; the moment Vignette introduces herself, kisses Rarity on both cheeks, and establishes herself as Rarity's "new best friend," AJ immediately reacts with shock, betrayal, and boldfaced jealousy (made even worse when Rarity forgets her during introductions). Although AJ acts independent, she's actually very emotionally dependent on certain people in her life.

If we come into this with the assumption that AJ has romantic feelings for Rarity –– which is a normal assumption given the director/writer confirmed the special was written as a romantic drama between the two –– AJ's line is all the more heartbreaking. If I may slip into fictional speculation: your crush is no longer listening or paying attention to you, even though you know something is wrong and that she's getting hurt. Your frustration at her lack of awareness is really your anger at her lack of care –– she doesn't care about you anymore. So in a fit of rage, in your big, dramatic confrontation, just to make her look at you, react at you, feel how she's been making you feel all day –– unwanted and unspecial –– you hurt her back. AJ yells, "You're not special!" and Rarity cries.

And what really gets me is that AJ lies. In this moment, she lies that Rarity's not special when (again, assumption of romance) she's the most special person in the world to her. So special that she's placed all her feelings of self-assurance and security on their relationship. So special that the moment their relationship is shaken and she doesn't know to recover it –– recover herself –– she lashes out, acts against her character, and says something dishonest just to hurt the girl she loves.

(Honestly, rewatching this special, AJ is so insecure and attention-needy. The way she pouts and slouches and lags behind the group and says, "Never mind. It's nothing," when asked what's wrong is textbook "please pay attention to me and ask me what's wrong because i need a reason to be honest about feelings i know i should be ashamed of" behavior.)

I think AJ's insecurities (which could be tied to her lack of experience with romantic relationships) reveal how she has a tendency to misattribute and redirect anger onto the person she cares most about (see Simple Ways as well, where she's caught on the opposite end of a jealousy spat). This could easily become a very toxic trait, but AJ grows past it. Near the end of RoF, the two come together and apologize. AJ recognizes her entitlement and confesses her insecurities about their relationship. She felt hurt and attacked when her status as Rarity's best friend/girlfriend was threatened because it's a role she uses to self-identify –– if Rarity isn't hers, she loses part of her identity. And she admits that she thought her motivation was to protect Rarity, but really she was just being selfish and protecting herself. Rarity was busy and stressed and needed someone to lean on just as much AJ needed her. She isn't AJ's emotional support girlfriend, and it wasn't right to expect her to be one.

(Which is why Rarijack is peak because throughout both series, they repeatedly show just how important honesty, open communication, and trust is in maintaining, supporting, and growing a romantic relationship.)

[obsessed-fanatic]

Studies are showing indications of a societal collapse looming.

Im seeing things get worse and worse.

Are we almost there? Cause im getting terrified. I don't want to die unnaturally of a riot, virus, disease, or something else knowing

I will never meet and have a wholesome reassuring time with the favorite people I've talked to and befriended on the internet let alone anyone else i've met in real life.

They made us who we are.

We're all a fan of something.

But i wouldn't want to abuse such a position.

We wouldn't want to attack our own.

It's just too terrible to think of.

I listen to Gorillaz, guns and roses, nirvana, TeddyLoid, DayManOurSavior, Post Malone, Twenty One Pilots, Halsey(Congrats on IICHLIWP), Juice WRLD, Hp lovecraft, Evil dead franchise, XXXtentacion, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Sonic The Hedgehog( SATAM Sonic and scourge)SlipKnot(Duality is fucking cool btw)Watch a shit ton of youtube that markiplier, JackSepticeye andPewDiePie are in my head all the time, Dj Fortify, Dj EAR(or huepoww)

Biogodz1(Al the wolf), Pink stylist, Makemebad35, Scott Cawthon, DAGames, CG5, CrankGameplays, Yamimash, BryceGames, Rick And Morty, Anything Seth Macfarland and Matt Groening, AnimatedJames(still have the 2015 con vid on my flashdrive. You're still cared about), Bryan Adams(Thank you MindlessGonzo), Elton John(fantastic job with The Pink phantom with Gorillaz and 6lack and collab song with Dua Lipa), Dua lipa( I. love. Hallucinate.), Rob Gavagan, Wes Craven, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Sean S. cunningham, Brian De Palma, HuniCast(Cause why the fuck not? Got up at 6pm in 2019 everyday for it i loved it! Like saturday morning again) Rio Franchise From Blue Sky, Surf's Up From Sony pictures animation (the ultimate fan image archetype movie), Robots from blue sky(another great fan archetype film)Mel Brooks( Put on the ritz and the Schwartz) SpindleHorse or Vivziepop(very big chunk of my teenhood. Got me dancing till i almost died), Hell EVEN The Rocky and Bullwinkle movie from 2000 cause it had an Absolutely amazing and frankly inspiring song from SuperTramp. Oh and Rocky with Sylvester cause why not? Me and my mom LOVE the Rocky franchise. Even Creed and creed 2 are amazing films. Dbz, Black butler, Steins Gate, Devilman or Lady(loved that one. So we can!)

Gunnm(Alita Battle Angel)

Sonic movie from 1999 (Shut up tails)

Doctor Mike ( Peewoop)

James Lee ( NOX)

Dazed and Confused( ultimate teen a put smoking weed)

Everybody wants Some!!! (Spiritual successor to dazed, same director as well)

The Big Bang Theory ( Me and my brother worship that show.)

Poltergeist 1982 ( music scares me too knackerman. No really.)

Everything Blumhouse studios

The Exorcist Franchise

One part i loved in the show My Name is Earl is when earl gave that one manager dude on a ladder his wallet back. He and his brother randy got a job as a thank you. I loved that moment ever since cause it was a nice, let alone life-saving gesture.

I always anticipated the next update of lil miss rarity back in 2013-present day.

Yeah.

I also like Apples.

I have a FUCKING FLASHDRIVE containing SO many offline mp4s of old youtube vids i can watch if internet cuts out just in case, but NEVER TO REPOST. I cannot say that enough. (<Yes the reposting part)

I probably even have some files that are probably golden nuggets of the internet cause some of these files are not even on youtube or their website origin anymore.

Now i downloaded these files cause they were my childhood and teenhood. What made me and maybe even some of you.

Mostly to playback for entertainment on a computer or PS3 for a number of long periods of my life.

One internet gem i listen to sometimes is Addictia's(or Princess Addictia) remix of Love is in Bloom from Daniel ingrams song from MLP FIM.

I haven't seen Addictia for a long time. Hope he's okay. Though i think one video reupload of that song is on youtube but i'm not the one who reposted it. Different Channel.

I even have ONE video of Unus Annus left but OBVIOUSLY im not gonna repost that one. Or anything for that matter.

I've had this flashdrive since 2013.

Like a fandom's treasure chest. Or a small gold bar made of plastic nostalgia.

I have even have original movie trailers and fanarts.

And again no reposting has never been done. Even after all this time. Its very much wrong.

All for free offline view. No reposting.

Lets just say i even have a video that On Youtube the sound is off cause of copyrighted content. It has musical samples in it.

Even a folder that has a fandom in it that is made fun of but not scrutinized. Lets just say they would gobble it up or remind someone of a taco bell drive thru experience with their friends.(they're beloved in a way)

So yeah. All this stuff thats bad and hectic happening( honestly im crushed when i learned about recently with norm macdonald and chadwick boseman) im sort've like that one dude in the picture that is sadly walking away from terrible things on the news while walking towards pop culture stuff like disney my little pony marvel DC Dark Horse Comics(holy shit The Mask) IDW publishing Image comics Even Stephen King. Honestly how would i like all this out of selfish intent? Thats just confusing. And lets not forget the fan creations of all this content. In 2015 i listened to so much Toby Fox. Two words.

Such Determination. ❤💚💜💙💛💗

Let alone Bill and Ted. Excellent... And Breathtaking. ( Saw The Matrix 4 trailer. Deathly Excited)

Here it is.

V

V

V

And of course ive learned from the Mare do well episode from MLP Gen 4. Also Griffin the brush off. Wouldnt want to hang out with someone disrespectful like that. Though she improved later in season 4 or 5 i think.

First ones i watched on TheHub were look before you sleep and bridle gossip. Very important episodes.

I also first saw Awoken by H8_seed on here, Tumblr. 2012.

Amazing song.

You all are great.

I just hope we don't tear ourselves apart.

[theliterarywolf]

... You may have made me want to get into Monster High a little. I was never a doll kinda person, but some of the MH designs are really appealing. Which are your favourites?

*shoves the reboot off of a cliff* 

Oh, anon! Oh anon! You have given me a gift! Oh, I could talk about -- G1 -- Monster High and the character designs for hours! 

And I personally didn’t even actively collect the dolls. The only ‘High’ (Monster High and the ill-fated fantasy spin-off Ever After High) dolls that I own are an ‘Art Class’ Abbey Bominable and the ComicCon Collector’s Edition Cerise Wolf. 

But my overall favorite designs from Monster High are as follows:

Abbey Bominable, the daughter of the Abominable Snowman

Clawdia Wolf, a werewolf writer (doesn’t take two guesses to figure out why I loved this character despite the movie she appeared in being AWFUL...)

I also loved what they did with her since, being a writer, she moved to the series’ equivalent of England (Londoom) to study. So she was literally an American Werewolf in London.

Avea Trotter, one of the ‘Hybrid Monsters’ introduced during the Freaky Fusion movie/campaign. She’s the daughter of a centaur and a harpy.

Honey Swamp. God, her hair is to DIE for. She’s the daughter of a swamp monster from Boo Orleans. 

... Yeah, when it comes to the locations in the Monster High franchise, they’re all puns.

Casta Fierce. This design, that name! 

Kiyomi Haunterly, the daughter of the Noppera-Bo, or ‘faceless ghosts’, of Japanese mythology.

Isi Dawndancer, an exchange student introduced during the Monster Exchange program. She’s a deer-spirit from... *sigh* Boo Hexico...

Operetta! G1 Operetta was a fucking QUEEN in regards to her design and I will not hear otherwise! She’s the daughter of the Phantom of the Opera who’s going through a bit of a Rockabilly counterculture phase.

Marisol Coxi, another Monster Exchange foreign-exchange student. She’s the daughter of the Maricoxi, a sort of South American (’South Scaremerica’ in MH canon) version of Bigfoot from Monster Picchu (PUNS!!). There was a bit of a kerfluffle with this character’s design when her doll launched because, I shit you not, people didn’t like how big her feet were. 

Despite the fact that her whole character motif is being proud of her extravagant height, hair, and feet as well as the fact that SHE’S LITERALLY A SOUTH AMERICAN BIGFOOT!

Neightan Rot, another hybrid monster. He’s the son of a zombie and a unicorn and he is gay, Mattel, you are not going to lie to me and tell me this boy wasn’t gay, MATTEL!!!

Vandalla Doubloons, who I believe was the daughter of the Flying Dutchman.

River Styxx (GET IT?!), the daughter of the Grim Reaper who was one of the Monster High franchise’s 3 or so answers to characters like MLP: FiM’s Pinkie Pie in regards to her personality. 

In the movie she appeared in, Haunted, she had even fitted her father’s spectral boat with party cannons.

Gooliope Jellington, a 15-foot slimegirl created in a lab to be a circus performer. Introduced during the circus-themed Freak du Chic campaign. Interesting tidbit about her (dollwise): her doll, to keep the theming of her character, was 2-3 times as tall as any of the other Monster High ghoul characters.

Honestly, though, if you have Netflix the best way to experience Monster High is through the movies. I would say through the G1 webisodes as well, but the official Monster High YouTube channel is so chock-full of spam reuploads of crappy stuff from the remake that I wouldn’t send anyone to sift through that mess. 

If anyone is interested, I can post a guide of what movies are worth watching in response to another ask. This post got pretty long -- Oh GOD, I JUST REMEMBERED THAT ALL OF THESE EPIC DESIGNS GOT RETCONNED INTO THE ABYSS THANKS TO THE SHITTY FUCKING REBOOT..!!!

[theanimeview]

Reboots: They’re for who?

When I was interning a handful of summers ago, I remember talking with a handful of editors and peers about our favorite comic to television adaptations. I said honestly that I am not a fan of Teen Titans Go because I don’t think it has a lot of substance when compared to Teen Titans or Young Justice. It’s a problem I have with a lot of reboots, and I remember distinctly one of the editors saying that reboots “aren’t for you.” That’s a fair statement, they’re not for me specifically, they’re for... who exactly?

What the editor meant, I believe, is that a reboot isn’t really for the original fans of a series. It’s for a new generation to experience the characters and become fans. The characters we see from one show to another are kind of like reincarnated versions--they may have similar names and art styles but, the characters are kind of new because their stories are new. I think that this is often correct. However, I want to disagree a little with the idea that reboots aren’t aimed for older fans. Good reboots should have something that the older fans can enjoy too. I say this because clearly reboots in some ways market to the audience that watched the previous iteration(s), sort of like a big sign saying, “Hey, remember this show you loved as a kid? The one that we sold a lot of for a long time? Yeah? Great! Why don’t you check out our new version and show it to your kids/younger siblings/others?!” Their’s nothing really wrong with that, its an effective sales/marketing strategy, but for it to work the new iteration needs to have something old fans will appreciate.

A great example is My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - the series takes the older characters, characters that fans of the previous iterations have loved for a long time, and translates them to the current climate of television, allowing for a new generation of fans to fall in love with the characters. The new show still holds some elements of the underlying message that the original show or stories held. What I mean is that My Little Pony has always focused on friendships and what it means to be a good friend; this message has carried on over the years to what we see today. The old fans can appreciate that the morals or backbone of the show are still there and the new fans can fall in love with these reborn-characters on their own.  

I remember watching the vintage version of MLP on youtube in middle school and loving it. When the new version came out around my junior year of high school, I never quite got into the show again, but when my nieces started watching it, I had no problem enjoying episodes in passing. The same thing happened in college when many of my friends liked binge-watching seasons of it on Netflix. While I still wasn’t a die-hard fan again, I enjoyed that the friendship elements were still there and felt comforted that my nieces not only enjoyed a collection of characters I had loved previously but also by the fact that the show was still teaching aspects of how to be a good friend and responsible individual. MLP FIM is a perfect example, to me, of what a reboot should be. It’s easy to merchandise to new and old fans (which the company producing it will like), it’s still got the elements needed for the nostalgic appreciation and a revival of the fandom in older viewers, and it provides something a new generation can enjoy. If I’m babysitting and my nieces and they say let’s watch it, I’m 100% down for the reasons stated above.

Now let’s look at shows like Teen Titans Go from 2013, or The Powerpuff Girls 2016. Are the shows merchandisable, of course--but do they hold true to the same values that we saw in the originals? I would say, No.

Teen Titans was a beloved show. We saw a mix of comedy and adventure expected of a story with teen superheroes, but we also saw some serious elements befitting characters who are transitioning between childhood and adulthood-for all intents and purposes-alone. They’re, in many ways, outcasts who are bound together by their friendship and a mission to protect the planet from harm. Their episodes are memorable and often have a deeper underlying message. In many ways, the show begins with an examination of crime, and the adult world at large, as being one of black-and-white. It’s how children often see the world, but as the series progress or even single episodes, characters learn that there is a lot more grey area and nuances than we previously thought or understood.

Like, I remember the episode “Sum of His Parts” where Cyborg confronts, not for the last time, challenges with his disability as a half-man, half-machine individual. While the robotic parts give him great abilities most of the time, there are situations where they become more of a hindrance than helpful. It was a meaningful episode that allows us to see that despite having a cool robotic exterior, and the name “Cyborg,” the character himself is a human being with complex emotions that will not always show on his face or in his interactions with others. When I first saw the episode, I remember Cyborg’s last line, “I am just like you, but it’s not your arm that makes us the same, its the stuff that’s connected to it.” It reflects a lot about the character and the emotions he has, as well as stating something about image and what’s inside. While I don’t have a robotic arm, I felt like a part of me was reflected in his character in that episode because I have insecurities (everyone does), and while I sometimes hide them well it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I also remember the episode “Troq,” in which Starfire faces racism. She and her team (once they are informed of how she is being treated) must set aside their anger for the greater good. It’s a difficult episode for many reasons, the most important of which is that 1. Racism still exists and is something people must fight against 2. Sometimes you have to work with your enemy to prevent a greater evil from taking place. Both are difficult to accept, especially as children, but they’re realities of our world. As I get older, both seem to become more prevalent in my life, particularly the later as sometimes you have to work with awful people to get a job done. Even the former though is something I’ve had to see and face in life.

The original Powerpuff Girls, likewise to TT, had memorable episodes not so much for their imagery but for their stories. For example, “Equal Fights” is an episode I may never forget. In it, a female thief behaving like a radical who hates men points out to the PPGs that women have suffered a lot in history and uses this as an excuse for her behavior. It seems almost justified as retribution against the patriarchy for how women have suffered, at least, until the PPGs’ primary female role-models step to remind the girls and the audience that two wrongs don’t make a right. The common theme with these memorable episodes in these memorable shows is that we, the audience, should learn something from the presented morals and ideas. They encourage us to think more about our situations and our autonomy in society.

Overall, these shows attempted to help children navigate the difficult world around them--that is what made them beloved by their audience. Perhaps the greatest proof of this is that new shows that have gained popularity today seem to continue this message of helping youth transition into thoughtful adults - like, Steven Universe.

However, some of the reboots seemed to have missed this point entirely. Rather than aiming to create an encouraging message for kids, they instead aim to briefly entertain--like a meme. The episodes aren’t memorable, not really. I think the most memorable thing I’ve seen from Teen Titans Go is "Let's Get Serious!" where Young Justice characters make a unique appearance. Aqualad critiques the Teen Titan Team about their ridiculousness and, in all, a very meta-episode in which the end leads us to believe that Teen Titans Go is just supposed to be a joke and we shouldn’t be so serious all the time about a children’s show. Ha Ha. (Let that sarcastic laugh sink in.)

I don’t have kids (yet), but I have nieces and nephews that I care about--and I know how easily kids can be led astray or tricked. Hell--I remember being a kid and how easily adults could manipulate me and my peers simply because they hold the authority. Adults can be manipulated too, I mean look at the Milgram Experiment. So when I look at these poorer reboots and see nothing of substance, when I look and see things that seem to encourage stupidity and lack of thought, I don’t feel like letting them watch the show because some of them aren’t old enough to understand that Beast Boy’s inability to open a textbook is supposed to be a joke. Particularly when he “saves the day” at the end. Sure, I can laugh at it, because I can see it as a joke, but one of my nephews might see a cool and funny superhero shoving a banana into his ear and think “that’s funny, I’ll do it too to make someone laugh” and end up with an ear infection (which is something a friend of mine’s little brother actually did).

In the case of Teen Titans Go, perhaps the creators really do intend for it all to be a joke, like a subversion of the original’s message(s). But then that, to me, is evidence that these are not truly marketed to a new generation of viewers--it’s marketed to the adults that watched the show previously. The joke is that the series is meant to be a form of high comedy with low comedy dialogue (if you don’t know what high comedy and low comedy are, please see here: https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/tell-me-about-origins-comedy-whats-difference-276012). If it is, in fact, not for the older audience, but to a growing generation, then I don’t think the joke is a good one because in some cases it insults the audience’s intelligence and in others overestimates the still-developing cognitive abilities of some viewers.

If TTG is for the former audience, I can appreciate it as a joke. I mean that sincerely, as I’ve found a handful of episodes to be funny and enjoyable. However, I would not recommend the show to kids.

As for I’ve seen some of PPG 2016, I can’t remember anything story-wise, only a collection of meme-like images, like the girls twerking. It’s, again, a show I wouldn’t want kids watching simply because it doesn’t seem to have any value--even from a comedic standpoint.

Of the reboots I’m mentioning, there are many more.

In conclusion, I think that good reboots are intended to be primarily for a new generation of viewers but also hold something that a majority of the previous iteration(s)’s audience(s) can appreciate or even love. Bad reboots focus on the “instant gratification” of entertainment and seem to ignore part of what made the originals so great. They seem to be created for meme-like instant laughs, not memorable content. That seems like a flaw to me but clearly works as a selling point for some shows. Of the two reboot examples I gave, TTG continues. Why? Probably because it holds comedic value to an older audience while providing content that’s not entirely unstable for kids to see. PPG, though, struggled with its release because it didn’t really have value to the older audience that formerly loved the show and relied to much on instant comedy to create a storyline that would keep a younger audience interested. 

Essentially, TTG assumes that the new audience is smart enough to understand that the Teen Titan team is acting stupid. It likewise creates comedy that the older audience can laugh at. TTG will never have the same level of appreciation for storytelling that it’s original once provided, but it’s not intending to. PPG’s creators may have had similar intentions, but didn’t fulfill. 

[themurphyzone]

All Time Travelers Go to Heaven Ch 8

Thanks for being patient everyone. I was playing catch up on MLP: FIM. 

Ch 8- A New Name

The child was still asleep. The serum must have been more taxing on his body than Balthazar and Vinnie realized. Vinnie had prepared an extra plate of breakfast, but now it would need to be warmed up. For someone who had been a science experiment his entire life, the kid was unusually trusting. 

Balthazar made a mental note to call Brick and Savannah and ask them for an update on their investigation. And if they knew a safe place for a young boy away from the prying eyes of the Bureau. 

“Dakota, do you think it’s all right to wake him up now?” Balthazar asked, his hand hovering uncertainly over the child’s shoulder. “I’d prefer that he doesn’t sleep all morning.” He moved the backpack aside so he wouldn’t trip over it, then his curiosity got the better of him. Opening the flap, he found all sorts of objects in the Jinx’s backpack. Some weren’t out of the ordinary, a plastic bag containing a few nuts, or a small paperback book. Then he found an anchor and three hedge trimmers. 

Hedge trimmers could fit in some backpacks, but most people didn’t keep one on hand. The anchor, however, couldn’t be explained. Balthazar concluded that the backpack was invented at the Bureau. There was no other explanation for how it could hold an anchor and the child had no issue carrying it around. He closed the backpack and moved it aside. 

Vinnie peeked in from the kitchen. “Okay, go ahead and wake him up. And ask him if he wants milk or OJ. It’s the cooler way to say orange juice.”

Balthazar nodded, shaking the Jinx’s shoulder gently. “It’s ten in the morning,” he said softly. “It’s imperative that you eat to keep your strength up.” 

The Jinx yawned, pushing himself up. “Morning. Do I get to pet a horse now? Wait...” Rubbing his eyes, he glanced around in confusion. “But the barn! And, and the hay! I thought I was gonna have to pick hay off my clothes for sure this morning!” 

“Yes, well,” Balthazar cleared his throat. “Bales of hay are rather ill-suited for an apartment. What you experienced last night was a hallucination brought about by fear serum. We shall be keeping you here for the day to make sure the serum has run its course. However, I expect you to be ready for a trip to the store tomorrow so that we can buy you some clothes.”

“Oh, wow,” the child murmured, bringing his knees to his chest and resting his head. “I can’t believe I thought that was real. I still think it’s real.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. 

Balthazar patted his back. “Let’s get some food into you now. Do you prefer milk or orange juice? I think you’ll quite enjoy Dakota’s cooking.”

“Orange juice is fine, thanks,” he replied.

“He wants orange juice!” Balthazar shouted. 

“One glass of OJ coming right up!” 

He helped the child off the couch, realizing that he was still in the same clothes from yesterday. A couch leg snapped off, and a loose spring caused one of the cushions fly out and smack Balthazar in the face. He coughed indignantly, throwing the cushion back in its proper place. 

“Sorry!” the child yelped. “I didn’t mean for Murphy’s Law to cause you any trouble.” He hesitantly sat down at the table, taking a sip of his juice. The microwave beeped, and Vinnie pulled out a plate of eggs and bacon, taking a piece of toast out from the toaster and setting it all in front of their guest. 

“This is the second time I’ve heard about this Murphy’s Law. What exactly makes it so dangerous?” Balthazar asked, sitting down on the seat next to him. 

Vinnie lightly smacked him in the shoulder. “Any questions you have can wait until after he’s finished. Look at the kid, he’s practically a skeleton!”

His shirt did look rather large on him. And those bruises would probably be stinging too. But it was nothing a little ointment couldn’t fix. 

“No a skeleum,” the child said through a mouthful of bacon. 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Balthazar chided. “Wonderful. He’s got your eating habits.” 

Were they denying him food at the Bureau? That would explain why he was so thin....

But some children were naturally thin. Maybe it wasn’t anything to worry about. 

He polished everything, his mouth surrounded by crumbs. “That was the best breakfast ever!” he exclaimed. 

“Wipe your face and brush your teeth,” Balthazar said. “The bathroom is the first door on the right. And after this, we’re giving you an proper name. It would be quite rude of us to call you ‘child’ or ‘the Jinx’ all the time.”

“That’s really nice, but I wouldn’t even know what to call myself!” He headed to the bathroom, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. 

Vinnie began washing the dishes, humming thoughtfully. “There’s gotta be something we can work off,” he said. “I know! Let’s name him Elvis!”

“Elvis,” Balthazar scoffed. 

“What?” Vinnie asked innocently. “Okay, well, Frank or Ringo work too. Though he doesn’t really look like a Frank now that I think about it.”

“You are not naming him after musicians from decades long ago!” Balthazar complained. 

Vinnie shrugged. “It wasn’t that long ago. So what would you name the kid, since you kindly shot down my suggestions?” 

“Something respectable. Such as Bartholomew or Sebastian,” Balthazar replied. Vinnie snickered. “What? They’re perfectly good names!” 

“We already have one long name in this room that begins with ‘ba’ and nobody wants to name their kid Sebastian unless they want him to grow up to be a butler,” Vinnie said. “Besides, they’re completely outdated.” 

Before Balthazar could make a comeback, there was a loud crash from the bathroom. He rushed to the bathroom, knocking on the door. “Are you all right?” he called. 

“I’m fine! The bar holding up the shower curtain broke and I fell trying to fix it! I think I got it now!” There was a clang of metal against the tile. “Never mind.” 

“Would it be all right to come in so I can look at it myself?” Balthazar asked. “You’re going to hurt yourself if you try putting up the bar on your own.”

“Sure, one sec!” There was another crash. “Whoops....”

He opened the door, and Balthazar was relieved to find the sink and toilet in one piece. However, the shelf that held their shampoo bottles had toppled over, scattering the supplies around the toilet. It split down the middle when he picked it up. 

The child was staring at a spot on the wall, refusing to look at Balthazar. Vinnie leaned against the door, placing a comforting hand on the child’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. This place is falling apart on us anyway. Besides, Balthazar was always saying something about replacing that shelf. Guess you helped remind him.”

“Fine. I think we have some spare wood in storage,” Balthazar said, heaving the bar over his head and putting it in its proper place. “Ah, there we are. Easily fixable. Meet us at the table when you’re done. Since Dakota and I can’t agree on a name, it would only be right to let you decide what to call yourself.”

The Jinx nodded. Balthazar and Vinnie left him to his own devices, closing the bathroom door behind them.

“I can’t believe you actually finished a mission,” a feminine voice said. They turned around to find Savannah smirking at them. “Congratulations on your adoption, by the way.” 

“Thanks!” Vinnie exclaimed. “Sorry about the apartment. We weren’t expecting company.”

Balthazar crossed his arms. “How did you get in here? And where’s Brick?” 

“Whoa,” Savannah studied her nails. “Direct. Didn’t expect that either. To answer your first question, your front door is broken. Brick is...incapacitated at the moment.”

“Oh. Did he get injured when you were investigating the Bureau?” Vinnie asked. “Because that guy is built like...well, a brick.”

She shook her head. “No. Our first investigation went smoothly. We went to a bar afterwards and Brick had a little too much to drink. Don’t ever be around him when he’s on a hangover. He gets...needy. But I digress. I’ve come to warn you that agents of all ranks will be hunting you down. Your stunt at the asylum has propelled you to the top of the Bureau’s Most Wanted. They’ll be wanting to cash in on the hefty reward.” 

“But how do they know we took him?” Balthazar growled. 

“Henry and Lawson blabbed,” Savannah said. “Honestly. You never bothered to conceal your identity. You were easily recognized. The camera feed from the broken robot confirmed their story.” 

He had overlooked the important details. 

Again. 

When they went shopping tomorrow, they would need a lot of clothes. While Balthazar could overlook how his green formal suit was outdated in the 21st century, it was clear that he would need to change his style. They would all need to change their style to avoid capture. 

He didn’t wish interrogation on his worst enemy, much less a child. 

“I suggest you start searching for other places you can stay,” Savannah said. “They’re eventually going to find you here. But I should get going now. I promised Brick I would pick up some medicine. We’ll keep you updated. Goodbye.”

And she was gone. 

Balthazar glanced at the broken front door. “I hate to agree, but she has a point. It would be disastrous if an agent could just walk through there. We wouldn’t be able to hop through a portal in time. Perhaps we can add scouting out alternate places to stay to our to-do list tomorrow.”

“I know some great restaurants that have posh lobbies we could sleep in. Or heck, even in the main dining area after hours,” Vinnie said. “And we wouldn’t have to worry about food either.” 

Balthazar nodded. “While I would normally be cursing your appetite, a restaurant wouldn’t come to mind for any of our potential captors as a place of rest. Staying at a motel would be too obvious, and we wouldn’t have enough money for the long term. Perhaps schools would be a good option too. Of course, we’d have to be careful staying at all these public establishments so we don’t get caught by the police or employees.”

“I’m done!” the Jinx yelled. His cowlick was flopped over his face, still sopping wet. “And your showerhead only fell twice! Don’t worry, I didn’t break it.” 

He was still wearing those dull clothes from the Bureau. “Hey, kid. How about for the rest of the day you take one of my undershirts?” Vinnie asked. “You were sleeping in that last night.” 

“You sure about this? I don’t want to be any trouble....” 

Balthazar nodded. “Your current shirt is better suited for dusting a mantle. As long as you’re living under this roof, you will follow certain rules. Dakota’s shirts are kept in the bottom drawer of the bedroom. I would greatly prefer that you don’t touch anything else.”

Vinnie coughed. 

“Please,” Balthazar hastily added. “And after this, we shall no longer put off matters of your name.”

To his relief, the Jinx managed to change his shirt without incident. After that, they sat down at the table with a baby name book that Vinnie had in his possession. 

For some reason. Maybe he had been born into a large family. 

He flipped through the pages uncertainly. “There are so many names to choose from. And that’s not even counting languages besides English!”

“Take your time,” Balthazar said. “Maybe we could find something that goes with your surname, if you know it.”

The Jinx shook his head. “The only names I know are the scientists and Murphy’s Law.” 

“Wait! I’ve got it! We’ll name you Vinnie Junior!” Vinnie exclaimed. He held up his hand expectantly, frowning when Balthazar folded his arms and the Jinx stared at his hand. “Aw, c’mon! It’s rude to leave a guy hanging, you know!” 

“What are you trying to do?” the Jinx asked curiously. 

Vinnie gasped. “You don’t know what a high-five is? They really don’t teach you important social cues at the Bureau, do they? Just slap your palm against mine.” 

“I don’t want to hurt you though,” the Jinx rubbed his neck, shrinking in his seat. 

Vinnie winked at him. “Trained agent here. Look, Balthy and I will show you.” 

This time, Balthazar high-fived him without a fuss. When Vinnie gave him a puzzled look, Balthazar frowned. “I didn’t high five you the first time because I refuse to encourage your lackluster naming skills.”

The Jinx grinned. “Well in that case, high five!” His palm brushed by Vinnie’s, only hitting his knuckle. 

Vinnie shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Eh, first time for everything.” 

Balthazar watched in amusement as the Jinx flipped through the book, murmuring softly to himself. He slammed his finger down on ‘Henry’, only to shake his head and continue searching for a different name. For five minutes, he was stuck on ‘Aaron’ and ‘Leo’, then decided he didn’t like either of them. 

Vinnie opened a pretzel bag, offering some to the Jinx, who distractedly put the pretzel stick in his mouth and sucked on the end while skimming through the ‘R’ section. 

An hour later, the Jinx had four names written on a post-it that he wanted to use process of elimination on. Curiously, they all started with ‘M’: Mikey, Mason, Micah, and Milo. 

“I grew up hearing Murphy’s Law thrown around all the time,” he explained sheepishly. “So I definitely want Murphy for my surname. Maybe I can turn the tables, make something good out of misfortune. The alliteration’s just a bonus. I guess out of these, Micah sounds a little old-fashioned for me.” He looked at Balthazar. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” 

Balthazar was glad that the child hadn’t heard his original suggestions for names. He would have been just as mortified as Vinnie, if not more. “Old fashioned isn’t for everybody,” he said. “Three choices now.”

Vinnie snorted. “Definitely not for me. Otherwise I’d be trapped in a boring stuffy suit all the time.”

Balthazar rolled his eyes. The Jinx crossed off Mason as well, though he didn’t voice his reason for doing so.

“Mikey Murphy...Milo Murphy...Mikey Murphy...Milo Murphy,” he murmured. 

“Down to these two! Then maybe we can pick a middle name!” Vinnie said. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we went with a ridiculously long name?” 

Balthazar put his hand over Vinnie’s mouth so the Jinx could concentrate. “He’s not a royal. From the looks of it anyway. There’s no need for a long name unless the person in question has a ridiculously overblown ego.”

It took ten more minutes of silent debate, but the Jinx looked up from the post-it, smiling. “Okay, I’ve decided. From this day forward, I will be known as Milo Murphy!”

He stood up in his chair, pounding his fist in the air. Balthazar gestured for him to sit down before he could fall. 

“Welcome to the team, Milo Murphy,” Balthazar said, patting Milo’s back. Milo glanced up at him, his eyes sparkling with glee at not being referred to as a Jinx. “This will not be all sunshine and fun. Danger will be our middle names on this road we have chosen. But follow our instructions, and you shall be safe.”

“Whoa, that’s cool!” Milo exclaimed. “And I choose Danger to be my middle name! Except, maybe pronounce it like Don-zhay, to differentiate from the actual word.” 

“Milo Danger Murphy has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” Vinnie asked, smiling as Milo danced around the apartment with a newfound spring in his step. If Balthazar hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he would’ve refused to believe that this was the same child cowering under an umbrella less than 24 hours ago.

Balthazar nodded. “An incredibly nice ring. And our mission is to protect the boy behind the name.” 

[tigerlover16-uk]

when did FiM start to get bad for you?

around season 7, I guess?

Honestly, I don’t think I thought it had got straight up bad at the time. I’d been having problems with the show starting in season 6 (Or maybe season 5′s finale, truthfully), but I still thought that was good outside of some really bad episodes. 

Around the start of season 7 though I just started to get bored with the show, and more things I didn’t really like were starting to pop up. I didn’t watch a lot of episodes in the second half, though I think that was me mostly being distracted because around the time the season started was when I was really into Dragon Ball Super, and that’s been my main interest for since early 2016 but by that time especially it was feeling like my only interest almost

I did watch the first half of Shadow Play, but I couldn’t be bothered to watch part 2 really. The whole thing felt a bit too… fanfictiony?

I kept putting off watching the rest of the season for a while, just feeling kind of apathetic and mostly caught up with other shows, comics and films I wanted to keep up with at the time. I kept meaning to catch up, but I just… haven’t, yet. I did watch the movie when that came out on DVD, but honestly that thing was REALLY mediocre and didn’t do much to recapture my interests as I thought it would.

I haven’t watched season 8, but much of what I’ve heard of it makes it sound like it was mostly a trainwreck, so I really haven’t been enthusiastic to catch up. I think I’ll try when season 9′s debut is announced, just for the sake of catching up for the finale for closure’s sake, but… honestly, at some point it feels like I just started to get apathetic towards the show.

I was planning to start a marathon watching the whole show from start to finish, plus the EG specials, to get fully caught up for the series finale, but I haven’t really started yet and I haven’t felt motivated to do so at all.

I feel really bummed out about it, to be honest. Like, it’s not like I ever rage quit the show or thought it had gotten insufferably bad or anything. I just… I got bored and fell out of watching it regularly. 

It kind of reminds me of what happened when I started to lose interest in the Pokémon anime towards the end of Diamond and Pearl/the start of Best Wishes, where I went from having been enthusiastic about the show and religiously following every episode and having it be one of my main interests to… just not bothering to keep up the way I used to.

I haven’t reached the point of trying to get back into it and then essentially rage quitting and becoming disillusioned with the show like I did with Pokémon (Over that and back into the series as of Sun and Moon), but that’s mostly because I haven’t really tried much to start watching the most recent seasons again and honestly… I’m starting to think I’m scared to for fear my reaction will be the same as back then. And I really don’t want MLP FIM to be my next Pokeani/Naruto part II experience.

I feel bothered about this. I remember when I got into the show a few months before season 5 started. I basically binge watched the entire series plus the two Equestria Girls movies that were out at the time, and I got super into it after a while. I had caught up on the series as a whole by about the 5th or 6th episode of season 5′s airing and watched every episode of that and season 6 as soon as I could when they came out.

It was my main show for a while. I watched analysis videos, I read fanfiction, I bought trades of the comics and the novellas. I really had a lot of fun with the show and was ready to call it one of my favourite cartoons ever.

And then somewhere along the line, I just lost interest and I haven’t been able to force myself to catch up.

I really hope season 9 somehow turns out amazingly well so I can say it went out on a good note, and then maybe start liking it again. Right now, I just really don’t like how apathetic and detached I feel I’ve gotten from it.

[friendshipismax]

Just some thought’s on recent MLP FIM

Remember this is just my personal thoughts on the what I feel about the show and where it’s going. 

I guess it’s hard to say this. But in a way. I kind of do hope that the next season of MLP will be the last season or that it ends soon.

I just cannot see this show going for much longer. I love the show. I love the Characters. MLP was honestly a great experience for me. Show wise and even at the time Fandom wise. yeah yeah say what you will about MLP fans or the like. I still enjoyed the stuff the fandom did and had a lot of fun being in it for the time that I was.

But back on the show. I hope MLP fim ends soon because I don’t want to see the show get to a point where everything it built up and made us love about it eventually just like, get ruined due to poor writing and or not letting the series end.

Example. Everyone loves Spongebob. But what about the later seasons? Not so much, right? And the reason because of that is because the show got ran into the ground. They wont end it. and the writing and comedy got poor. From what I hear even the Simpson’s has gotten to that point as well.

It is never a good idea to make a show run longer than it should. And for things like MLP especially because unlike Spongebob or things like the Simpsons where it’s just a comedy show.

MLP has a direction that it’s going towards. The show HAS a story. and as a show with a story it has got to end soon. ESPECIALLY if said story was not built to be a long lasting one.

Twilight’s not on a journey to be the King of Pirates man! There is a basic direction the show is going towards and it should get to it already. The more it doesn’t the more the show will lose that direction.

And the more it does the more things the show will unfortunately ruin about itself.

Like the world and lore it has built up. and the characters it has created.

Hey this is the thousands time I’m going to bring this up. But look at what could have happened to Queen Chrysalis? They could have ruined that character really badly. And I hate to say it I would have been extremely put off the show due to it. As that’d be a big sign on where this show is going which is sad to say a “Buy more toys” type direction. Or at least a Direction in which the writers are just forced to have to keep coming up with new ideas constantly. And thus we get to a point Where the writing just gets sloppy and they just shoe horn in ideas And sadly not all of them will be that good compared to older entries into the series. Some being point blank bad. 

In any case to wrap things up.

Tl;dr The show really does need a conclusion soon as I feel the quality of the show will decline to a terrible degree. I’ll be sad to see it go but I want it to end on a high note instead of a really bad one.

I do not hate this show. It’s a good show and I do love the characters, But I just do hope the show doesn’t reach a point in which the writing and or show’s quality declines to a really bad point. 

Anyway that’s enough of some dude ranting about a kids show for children! 

There is a upcoming MLP movie that I’m honestly really excited for. Like not Equestria Girls (though I like EQ) but an actual horse movie! Really hope that it’s good! 

[derpynews]

Derpy's Mailbag: MLP Movie Poster, Brand Highlights & A Sculpture

(http://mlp.derpynews.com/derpys-mailbag-mlp-movie-poster-brand-highlights-a-sculpture/)

Three new letters in the mailbag from our third party media relations firm group thing that has been passing on the press releases of Hasbro to us lately.  A movie poster, info on what Hasbro is doing at the San Diego Comic Con, and some sculpture.

MLP Movie Poster

Just as the busy San Diego Comic-Con show floors are about to open, Hasbro and Lionsgate have revealed a colorful and vibrant new movie poster for ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ which will be galloping into theaters on October 6th! See below. The poster will be debuting exclusively at SDCC 2017 at Hasbro’s Booth, #3213.

#MyLittlePonyMovie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyLittlePonyMovie/photos/a.432915333723994

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MLPMovie/status/887733852491227136

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWvMmh_ATyt/?taken-by=mylittleponymovie

Be sure to check out the ‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ social channels for more updates!

‘My Little Pony: The Movie’ features an all-star cast with Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Liev Schreiber, Michael Peña, Sia, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba and Zoe Saldana, including an original song performed by Sia.

A new dark force threatens Ponyville, and the Mane 6 (Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity) embark on an unforgettable journey beyond Equestria where they meet new friends and exciting challenges on a quest to use the magic of friendship and save their home.

Things and stuff going on at the San Diego Comic Con.  Some of it might be a little old, as these letters got dropped off early in the week.

Hasbro to Showcase Its Top Entertainment & Fan-Favorite Brands at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con International

Providing Captivating Experiences for Fans of All Ages Across Hasbro’s Iconic Brand Portfolio & Premier Partner Brands with Autograph Signings, Giveaways, Exclusives and Photo Opportunities

PAWTUCKET, R.I.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is making its return to Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, highlighting an exceptional portfolio of blockbuster brands and experiences spanning comics, movies, digital, action figures, and animation. Hasbro’s TRANSFORMERS, MY LITTLE PONY, HANAZUKI, G.I. JOE, DROPMIX and WIZARDS OF THE COAST, its premier partner brands including Disney’s Tangled The Series, Descendant 2, STAR WARS, MARVEL, as well as DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S TROLLS, BEYBLADE and more, will be showcased throughout the convention delivering unforgettable product exclusives, panels, signings, cosplay, and sneak peeks at upcoming entertainment. From sharing in the magic of friendship with MY LITTLE PONY to meeting some of the designers behind the iconic TRANSFORMERS brand, San Diego Comic Con attendees will have a chance to interact with their favorite Hasbro brands in new and engaging ways.

Drawn from Hasbro’s impressive brand portfolio, fans can expect products from TRANSFORMERS, G.I. JOE, HASBRO UNIVERSE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, as well as premier partners, STAR WARS and MARVEL. These collector’s items will be available for purchase while supplies last at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth (#3329). Following San Diego Comic Con, a limited number of each item will be available on HasbroToyShop.com.

The following highlights some of the activities for Hasbro’s brands and licensed properties happening within the Hasbro booth (#3213) and around the convention. San Diego Comic Con attendees are encouraged to check the schedule posted in Hasbro’s information booth each day for updates and follow @HasbroNews on Twitter and @Hasbro on Instagram for the latest happenings within the booth.

MY LITTLE PONY The MY LITTLE PONY brand is returning to Comic-Con this year with extra special activities for everypony as Hasbro anticipates the exciting premiere of MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE, which will be released by Lionsgate on October 6th. Making her premiere at the Hasbro booth will be a dazzling eight-foot tall statue of Songbird Serenade; fans can get up close to the new character, voiced by singer-songwriter Sia in MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE. Fans can also dive into Seaquestria with a one-of-a-kind photo opportunity or get “Ponified” at the Hasbro booth at special “Ponification Stations” where make-up artists will apply Cutie Marks and “ponified” hair and nails for fans of all ages.

The MY LITTLE PONY panel on Friday at 10:30 a.m. will feature the cast and creatives behind MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE and will include a sneak peek at the upcoming film followed by a Q&A. Word around Equestria is that there may be a surprise guest! After the panel, fans can meet the MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC voice talent for an autograph signing in the Hasbro booth.

Other exciting MY LITTLE PONY brand booth activities include giveaways each day, nail art demos featuring China Glaze’s new MY LITTLE PONY nail polish collection, autograph signings with voice talent, Little Brown authors and Enjoi Skateboarding artists, a live drawing session with IDW artists, and more.

  Songbird Serenade Sculpture

And here is Sia’s character, Songbird Serenade.  I have to be honest and say I have no clue what I’m looking at, beyond someone’s OC and obviously a character from the movie.  Maybe she’s been in the show, but I literally stopped watching at the 100th episode so I really do not have a clue what is going on anymore.  Good thing I’m the “Editor in Chief” of the oldest FiM media sites, the rest will follow by example.  Honestly though the movie looks at least fun, and we probably would have had some fun reporting about it around here at ye old Derpy News, back when there was actual people here, and not a virtual representation of Flint, Michigan (don’t drink the water).

That’s pretty much it for now, I’m sure with the SDCC and upcoming movie, that PR firm will toss some more kindling into the mailbag.  Oh yeah, there is also HASCON, which we were told you can use the promo code FANMILY to get $20 off adult tickets and $10 off children tickets until July 23rd.  They also invited us to be a part of the press, or at least attempt to register.  To the Derpymobile!