@Dragonmage  
Eh. I wasn’t bugged so much since they at least took the time to “write Spike out of the episode”. It at least shows some effort if they didn’t have a use for him. Now, his complete absence in Fame and Misfortune without even a mention. THAT was the hight of laziness.

We were all wrong! She isn’t the new Twilight, she is the new spike!

@Background Pony #6746  
The show ALWAYS had dreadful ratings,the show only survive becasue of TOY SALES primarly purchased by THE PRIMARY DEMOGRAPHICS.Bronies come third and dead last in Hasbro list of priorities

@Background Pony #B183  
Maybe not but a bad Spike episode may reflect bad on the show overall and certainly doesn’t help ratings, which I imagine a business like Hasbro wouldn’t think was a favorable situation at all.

@Swashbucklist  
Not.Everything.Is.About.You.You.Self-Centered.Peripheric.Demographic

@ChuymaruZ  
IMO Starlight shouldn’t even be in this discussion, and the comic is not supposed to be a jab towards Starlight in particular, but towards Spike’s treatment by the FiM team. I see that the majority of the discussion have been about Spike vs FiM dev team, and less about Spike vs Starlight, that’s good.
 
BP#2A85 and Hebbocake (and others) have been presenting cases from past seasons when Starlight wasn’t even a thing yet. Starlight’s only been for TWO seasons out of seven–and in Season 6 she didn’t even have any ‘Spike roles’. So because of one episode. ONE. and some are already concluding that Starlight’s the new Rainbow Dash? Okay. Say that half of Starlight’s appearances Fame and Misfortune could have been Spike’s and it would have made more sense. Say that Starlight’s role in it probably could have ended after she cast the mass-printing spell.
 
But to imply that Starlight’s out to overthrow Spike? What?! Come on, man.

@Background Pony #2A85  
Yeah

@ChuymaruZ  
People offering legit criticism of the show and its handling of the character dynamics of the main cast.

spike justice warriors vs starlight justice warriors

@Background Pony #5E70  
Yayy :DDDDD

@Background Pony #EFAB  

 
And now that the Spike Justice Warriors are in full force here, I think I’ll be bowing out.

Yea but it’s not a reason to assume that glimmer is after his spot–first she was accused of going after Sunset’s spot as Twi’s student and Mane7. Then she’s after Twilight’s spot as main character and now Spike’s spot as Twi’s tag-along?
 
Goddamn, Starlight is going after everybody, it’s ridiculous.
 
If Spike is underappreciated then you can argue within that context. Implying Starlight to be the main cause of his situation is kinda stupid.

@Dragonmage
 
@Background Pony #BFD2  
This

The writers barely make an effort to involve Spike in the show outside his episode. Even on episodes where it made no sense that Spike wouldn’t be around or involved in some way, Spike wasn’t present. Not even being allowed to be in the Twilight’s family vacation episode is like the cherry on top of laziness.

@naganofan99999  
It took Twilight seven seasons to call Spike a member of her family, and when she did it was basically a throw-away line designed to show why he wouldn’t be in the rest of the episode. Hardly the exploration of their relationship Spike fans have been begging for over the last half a decade.

@cheezedoodle  
How?

@Hebbocake  
Maybe then I’d actually start watching the show again. I actually stopped because of Starlight a while back.

@Swashbucklist  
Honestly I think Spike being in that episode would have gone against the whole “middle finger” thing because he actually got a little bit of better treatment because of fan complaints. So yeah. But I get what you’re saying.

@naganofan99999  
And we’re happy with all of those things. But we want that to be Spike’s status quo, not an occasional treat. If somebody’s flicking you in the ear for an hour, you’re not going to suddenly be their best pal when they hand you a beer, then flick you in the ear a couple more times. A big middle finger (aimed more at Spike fans than bronies) called Fame and Misfortune still happened.

It’s ok, because Spike is the new Rainbow Dash anyway.

Honestly though, I think this comic would be funnier is Starlight was in a much smaller bed that she clearly couldn’t fit in.

Kill her Spike. It’s the only way. DO IT.

I’m a huge Spike fan and trust me I am sick of hearing about “Spike aboose” and “Starlight is replacing Spike!” Trust me alot of good stuff happened to Spike this season Twi and him had that cook off he had his own map episode Twi called him a member of her family for Celestia’s sake what more do you people want!!!

Well maybe he can be Rarity partner since they hangout alot.

@Josh103  
Uhuh