@Hellticket  
No, dude, your image is not super-tumblry. Your image is nice and positive!  

 
(And I love the shit out of how you draw Spike).

My first thought on seeing this: Spike can dive into a pool of molten lava, eat gems, and breathe fire; he may not need as much protection as you think.

BY ANY MEANS NECCESSARY  
WE ARE THE NATION OF DOMINATION

@Hellticket  
I would absolutely welcome backstory for Spike that reveals him to be some kind of super important Dragon Prince (if for no other reason than wanting one of the roughly ten billion fandom musicians to filk Metallica and make the song “Lizard Messiah”) and all of the Dragons who come to exposit about it are just horrified to find wretchedly the Ponies treat this heir to the entire Dragon Empire.
 
…Also I seem to have left off the part where I mention how cool this picture is.

@Hellticket  
It’s not really “weird,” in fact I’d say it’s at least partially based on how he acts as well as things people like to think about him. But since a lot of people openly project on him I can see what you’re saying. I have my own opinions but know no one else cares. Well, unless I draw something too.

@TexasUberAlles
 
I mean yeh it’s definitely Super Tumblrey, but really I just 1) wanted to make a text variant on the original, which was really REALLY niche and just My Headcanon (the “original” of this reads “small queer dragon princen” haha) and I figured something more generic would be more palatable and 2) i’m just really defensive of Spike and project a lot of issues onto him!! he’s a little kid that gets both a lot of weird hate in the fandom and also a lot of weird characterization as a Suave Ladies’ Man. so yeah, this one is generic and memey, I was kind of going for that C:

@Itsthinking  
Repetition is a rather integral part of the overall tone of urgent hysteria and overreaction of most Tumblr memes.

@TexasUberAlles  
Ah, so it’s like “X is so important seriously.” At least other places don’t rely so much on literal repition. “Actually, it’s about fighting online misogyny,” is a response to that Tumblrish meme they don’t seem self-aware enough to be anything but TRIGGERED to.

@Background Pony #B6FF  
Familiarize yourself with the rules before you comment next. I’m getting tired of cleaning up after everyone.

@a6p  
@Itsthinking  
It’s an extremely baffling and highly annoying verbal tic unique to Tumblr, the way “ayy, lmao” or “actually it’s about ethics in video game journalism” come from 4/8chan; for some reason “protect ___ at all costs” (often paired with the equally irritating “it is everything”) is so common it has passed beyond the veil of the memetic and into the realm of ubiquity. Sometimes combined with a font cascade, as in:

Save the cheerleader, save the world.

The Prince of Dragons.
 
Know your duty. No questions.

I get the feeling that this is something the crystal guards chant everyday before leaving for work.

Also: interesting headcanon on the alternate version.

From what does he need protecting? His own self-esteem?

If “protect” also entails hour long cuddle sessions I’m in.

What does he need protecting from?

Why, is he Our True Scaled Savior?