The Bronymoon

   Never comment on some current event until you've gained perspective on it. Time passes, and then you can reflect. In fact, this holds true of most things; you never know when your batch of cat food is going to get recalled. I guess this serves as a justification on how late this is. But I didn't originally plan on sharing this. It just needed to come out.

   The entire thing has weighed heavily on my mind for the past week or so. First off, I'm no brony. I'm just an adult male fan of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Which is... oh, shoot, I guess that's what that means. It's the same thing. But I say this for an important reason. I'm not trying to distance myself from the fandom or anything. In fact, it's the opposite. I love those guys. But I'm not hardcore. I can't connect. My observations here are from a perspective outside of the main (mane!) fandom. I don't do the things they do. The wallpaper and the fanart and the Adventure Ponies video game, sure, but I've only been on Equestria Daily three or four times, I don't meme, I haven't even seen Derpy in any of the episodes-- except, of course, for the infamous now discanonized appearance.

   I mean, I'm just in it for the show. A lot of people are. I guess that for a franchise that exists to be based solely around the toy line, that speaks about the quality of the series and the care put into it. The creators are more or less given free rein to do what they love, and thus create a product that many people would proudly and boldly face the scourge of internet hatedom to get behind. Is it the bronies that are hated, or is it the show itself? Obviously not the show itself; nobod-- nopon-- nobody would argue that the show isn't perfectly acceptable for young girls (outside of those people who argue about anything being acceptable for young girls or not.) But to attack the audience is in a way to attack the show, as being what someone would like, as being something that would draw such an audience. Can that really be derided? Does it need defending? This... show... isn't really all that bad. High production value, a strong ensemble cast, genuinely funny humor. Or is your critique against it solely because it's My Little Pony? Any work of art can be dismissed simply on that. Form instead of content.

   For example, right now, I could say that baseball is unamerican. Baseball is mass entertainment, the american drean revolves around self-actualization and self-worth; thus any mass media especially sports especially baseball is unamerican. I could actually make an argument for that. I love baseball, though. I'm just pinko that way.

   Pun... intended? Or... not? I think not intended. Pinko, Pinkie Pie? Yeah, it's kind of weak, but it's there. Anyway, the point is that any criticism, or even criticism of criticism, would be missing the point. The point is the thing itself. In itself, and of itself.

   I'm afraid, though. Some of the magic's gone.

   I haven't seen that episode in anything but its original form. Season 2, episode 14. They say it's a different character now; that they replaced her. Because this needs to be Google-able, let's use the word "Derpygate." I only saw that episode when it first came out, that one and only time. I haven't seen it since then. Does that make me unqualified to speak on the matter? Like I said above, I am speaking my own opinions here. Besides, my lack of rerunning here is sort of deliberate.

   You see, as of now I can still see the scene clearly. The actions, the voices. The annoyed way in which Rainbow says "Derpy" in the original cut still rings perfectly in my ears. I'm actually afraid of watching the altered version. Would that memory fade? I saw her once. Would I lose her? I've never seen her in the background or in crowd shots. But when she was right there, front and center. Is that what that is? Could that be... Derpy Hooves?

   Alright, the silliness of the name kind of undermines the bittersweetness of the moment. But I saw her, on the show. She was there. But, no longer.

   I could go into some length as to exactly why they changed it and why her appearance caused so much offense in the first place, but if you really want to know you can go elsewhere. The entire thing came as a colliding of tectonic plates of sorts. That which was intended as a shout-out or joke or outright praise of the older demographic misstepped and backfired and created an attitude that some found ableist and inappropriate to depict to little girls. Earthquake. The fact that something like this could happen at all in a place so wonderful is just such a soul-crushing thought. They tried pandering to the bronies, and it didn't work. The bronymoon is over.

   When did it really start? The moment the show premiered? When they began slipping in the little things in the first season? "Equestria Girls" and/or the extended cut thereof? "Bridlemaids," "Mad Ponies," et al? Season two, when the creators not only knew of the demographic but actually had time to pander to it fully? It's variable, depending on your definition of "bronymoon," which I just invented, so it could be whatever. So, whenever. It clearly did exist. It's there on the show. Preserved in celluloid. We can go back and watch it unfold before our very eyes. So, not entirely gone. And, who knows, maybe some better take on the character will come along. You know they're going to try. It's still going to be good. I'm just not sure if they'll be willing to pull stunts like that again. That's really it, then? The definition. Stunts like that. It fits. Even when Lauren left, nothing was lost, so it had to be independent of that. The "stunts." The winks and the nods and the references. But it crashed and burned.

   It doesn't have to be over, though. Maybe I'm calling it too soon. In any case, we'll see. Either way it'll continue to be a fantastic show. Now, I guess, we just have to sit it out till season three.