Two outsiders who nopony likes, Twist because of her lisping and because nopony understands what she says, Lily because everypony finds her super-strength creepy and is afraid of her, having become friends because nopony else wants to be their friend?
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I was thinking about making a group similar to what you said on FIMFiction.net a few times already:
A group that lists background/side ponies, with profile, notable appearances in the show and some suggestions for fic ideas to show what could be done with those ponies in fics.
That would at least help authors who have it hard to get inspired.
But I’m already admin of a group and try to get it become big, which is a whole lot of work, so I don’t have time to take care of another group unfortunately. :(
I’m aware of this, that’s why I point all of that out.
But for that to be possible, artists and authors would have to finally overcome whatever prevents them and do it. From nothing comes nothing.
Like most problems, this one can be easily solved by getting into action and is only not solved because no one gets into action. To apply a quote from a currently famous meme:
JUST DO IT!
The fandom way back when was smaller and less fragmented. Consensus was easier to build and there were no well-established artists or authors (or even animators) to compete with and very few websites to host fan creations and discussion. This made concepts form, mutate, and spread quickly.
And here’s why it’s not so simple. Now there are established high-quality artists, fan VA’s, animators, and popular writers and the accumulated memetics of five seasons. And the fan audience is a much different creature now that there’s a veritable glut of content in fanfiction, fan music, fan art, and amateur reviewers/analysts that has presented so many ideas that the audience has started to become jaded. In short, it’s much more difficult to “break out” without a strong showing.
Perhaps there’s too many would-be content creators who look at what’s come before and feel inadequate; discouraged by having to follow in their large footsteps or unwilling to challenge the existing fanon.
It can be done though. Background Pony challenged the existing fanon of Lyra and you can see some lingering influence every time you see Lyra in a hoodie. JanAnimations catapulted an otherwise totally ignored gamer colt to fandom prominence.
It’s not necessarily the effort involved (though quality and persistence help!), but it’s just like any artistic endeavor, it’s about creating something interesting and connecting with (or finding) the right audience.
I needed a word to go with underrated. It sounded mean I was aware but I couldn’t be bothered looking for another name.
Does that make me a troll? Maybe.
Do I hate her? No. In fact she’s my favourite from season 5.
You should really try playing devil’s advocate with yourself. You don’t have to hate a character to see negatives. If anything it only proves you like a character more.
Take my personal favourite OC, Nyx.
She may be an OC, she may be a mary sue, she may EVEN be a bad character. Does that mean I hate her? Of course not. I like her because of the experience I had with her story and how much of a nice filly she was, even if that story was bad. Even if she was written bad.
If you ever want to be creative you have to see your own flaws or others.
I’m not saying that there can’t be art and stories for older background ponies anymore. It’s still possible to get unique ideas about them and the fandom proofs that quite often.
But artists and authors should be more open for new ponies too and use the opportunities they get offered by them, otherwise, pony fanwork will soon be completely stale and boring for most bronies.
That is also true. I guess the best is a mix of old and new BG-Ponies (and other Ponyies with bigger roles).
The problem with those opinions is that, in the worst case, it makes the art and stories of fandom members over time more unattractive, because it’s always kinda the same, so that many bronies could stop to look at their art, which would make those artists unmotivated to draw/write for ponies and perhaps even stop with pony art because of not enough success anymore.
It’s not said that they are able to overcome their aversion against opening themselves up for new background ponies just because the popularity of their art/fics takes a dive.
That’s a serious issue of the fandom nowadays.
I also love the old BG-Ponys, but yes, they are mainstream and the designs are not so good as the new one in my opinion (because a lot of them are recolors). I am an artist and when I want to create pictures and I have to choose between the 6 old BG-Unicorns (Lyra, Minuette (ok, I already made a picture of her, but this is a old picture), Amethyst Star, Twinkleshine and Lemon heart) and the new unicorns from canterlot Boutique (Cayenne, Moonlight Raven, Sunshine Smiles, Citrus Blush, Sweet Biscuit, etc.), I would choose the new ones. Same when I have to choose between old bg-foals like Dinky, Noi or Tornado Bolt and the new ones like Lily Longsocks, Bubblegum Brushes, Boyenberry or Peach fuzz, I would also choose the new one, because I like the designs more. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t like the old one. Amethyst Star and Minuette for example are one of my favorite ponies. But this is my personal opinion and I understand when others have other opinions.
You called Lily Longsocks the most overrated filly of Season 5. Explain yourself if you aren’t a troll.
@Pepsi Twist
Peach Fuzz? That’s how the fandom named the orange-maned filly with the sentient mane (to understand that inside joke, you must look very closely during “Crusaders of the Lost Mark” :D)?
I wasn’t sure if the fandom has really given her a name. Good to hear it did! :)
And isn’t there already a gif of them eating pie? After more than 24 hours, I’m quite sure there should be one already.
In the early seasons, when the show had just started, bronies didn’t have issues with catching on ponies and creating lots of art for them.
It’s more that for some reason, most artists and authors can’t let go of the older background ponies, not even partially, so they mostly ignore new background ponies, no matter how interesting they are.
I noticed that already during Season 4 with Chirpy Hooves. Expected that she would get a lot of art because of her obvious similarity with Derpy and some quite intriguing details in her appearance that allow to draw conclusions about her life, but it was for her already the same like it’s now for Lily Longsocks and artist/authors barely cared about her.
I hate it to say it, cause I still like them, but the older background ponies have become mainstream.
If the fandom wants to keep up its creative level, it has to be more daring and tackle art and stories for new background ponies.
Edited
Funny how a character that existed since the beginning has more art than most new characters amma right?
That is true, she is definitelly not overrated. But the most of the new BG-Ponies from S5 are really underrated. I mean, the three pegasi from Tanks for the memories or the new female unicorns from Canterlot Boutique have also not really a lot of fan art (and the most pictures are screenshots). And others haven’t even a fandom name. I found it sad because I really like the fact that they have such unique designs. Maybe it is because they don’t have enough appearence in the show. I also remember that I met bronies who doesn’t know who they are when you tell the name or don’t remember the character. But I love them and I love the animators for all the new unique designs. This is one of my highlights from the newer seasons.
Well I said of season 5 not season 1
True that. I mean Twist has a least nearly 2000 pieces of art and quite a few FFs.
You are kidding, right?! Despite her intriguing appearance in “Crusaders of the Lost Mark”, Lily Longsocks barely caught on in the fandom.
There are only two fics for her, from the same author, a very short snippet about her in a shipfic collection, a hoof-ful of fanarts for her and a bunch of screenshots and gifs.
Just check the tag “Lily Longsocks” here, it’s only used 89 times so far.
She’s as underrated in the fandom as a background pony can get in it!
@WanderingPony
Life gave them lemons, so they made lemonade.
She did not say she would want some Lemons!