My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a children’s cartoon based on the popular horse toys from the
1980s. While the cartoon has had several incarnations, the most recent generation is the first to have
a substantial adult following.The show focuses heavily on the lessons it teaches, and educating a
young audiences.
1980s. While the cartoon has had several incarnations, the most recent generation is the first to have
a substantial adult following.The show focuses heavily on the lessons it teaches, and educating a
young audiences.
In 2018 a “Brony Analyst”, ToonKriticy2k, was accused of grooming underaged girls for sex. The
allegations were evidenced by years of screenshots and incriminating skype calls. Once all of the
evidence was available to the public, While this is horrific, the surge of content creators gaslighting the
victims, calling for forgiveness, and steadfastly refusing to eliminate his presence is nothing short of
repugnant. By this logic why wouldn’t the MLP community forgive Neo-Nazis? Why bother to eliminate
violently transphobic, racist (See Figure 1), bullies when forgiveness is the only answer?
allegations were evidenced by years of screenshots and incriminating skype calls. Once all of the
evidence was available to the public, While this is horrific, the surge of content creators gaslighting the
victims, calling for forgiveness, and steadfastly refusing to eliminate his presence is nothing short of
repugnant. By this logic why wouldn’t the MLP community forgive Neo-Nazis? Why bother to eliminate
violently transphobic, racist (See Figure 1), bullies when forgiveness is the only answer?
Figure 1
[ID: The Third Reich symbol with a unicorn pegasus instead of an eagle. End ID]
The series has a rather large cast of world conquering villains, 7 of which have been redeemed. While
The series has a rather large cast of world conquering villains, 7 of which have been redeemed. While
redemption isn’t uncommon in children’s media, it’s rare such despicable characters are given no
punishment for unthinkable actions. Because the target audience is comprised of mainly children, it is
especially important to not impart damaging lessons, and in today’s world full of evil and unforgivable
people the worst lesson a writer could possibly teach is misplaced forgiveness.
Two of the redeemed villains, Starlight Glimmer and Chancellor Neighsay, did objectively evil things,
punishment for unthinkable actions. Because the target audience is comprised of mainly children, it is
especially important to not impart damaging lessons, and in today’s world full of evil and unforgivable
people the worst lesson a writer could possibly teach is misplaced forgiveness.
Two of the redeemed villains, Starlight Glimmer and Chancellor Neighsay, did objectively evil things,
but while their successful counterparts have properly framed redemption arcs, they have their horrific
acts swept under the rug in favor of a hasty atonement.
Starlight Glimmer becomes a cult leader determined to magically strip away any sense of individuality.
acts swept under the rug in favor of a hasty atonement.
Starlight Glimmer becomes a cult leader determined to magically strip away any sense of individuality.
She rules over her town with threat of solitary confinement, and torture. Once she is defeated and the
freedom of the town is restored, she spends the next season of the show stalking the main character,
then creating a catastrophic time loop that destroys the world 12 times over. Starlight is redeemed and
allowed to assimilate into the main cast without so much as a slap on the wrist.
Neighsay uses xenophobic rhetoric indistinguishable from a right wing pundit. He spends an entire
freedom of the town is restored, she spends the next season of the show stalking the main character,
then creating a catastrophic time loop that destroys the world 12 times over. Starlight is redeemed and
allowed to assimilate into the main cast without so much as a slap on the wrist.
Neighsay uses xenophobic rhetoric indistinguishable from a right wing pundit. He spends an entire
season of the show protesting the education of children from other cultures, citing that the “Pony
Friendship” will give the neighboring kingdoms too much power. When faced with world ending crisis,
he changes his mind over the course of an hour and shrugs off all his racism in under an hour.
Characters that work as redemption stories face consequences for their actions, are framed with more
Friendship” will give the neighboring kingdoms too much power. When faced with world ending crisis,
he changes his mind over the course of an hour and shrugs off all his racism in under an hour.
Characters that work as redemption stories face consequences for their actions, are framed with more
fantastical elements, and show a logical progression in their moral philosophy. Starlight and Neighsay
are hyper realistic depictions of real world problems, and show next to no remorse or growth. They fail
not only as characters, but also as vehicles to deliver messages. Both are given reprieve on the basis
of their empty promises rather than their actions, and frequently relapse into harmful behavior, but
receive no criticism. Starlight continues to use magic to hurt people. Neighsay is still xenophobic, with
only a tinge of remorse. Without proper setup, motivation, and execution, these villains go against the
primary objective of the show, educating children.
These lessons in lazy redemption are awful. They teach children to forgive without evidence for
are hyper realistic depictions of real world problems, and show next to no remorse or growth. They fail
not only as characters, but also as vehicles to deliver messages. Both are given reprieve on the basis
of their empty promises rather than their actions, and frequently relapse into harmful behavior, but
receive no criticism. Starlight continues to use magic to hurt people. Neighsay is still xenophobic, with
only a tinge of remorse. Without proper setup, motivation, and execution, these villains go against the
primary objective of the show, educating children.
These lessons in lazy redemption are awful. They teach children to forgive without evidence for
improvement, and allow for toxic ideology to run rampant in response to pathetic moralizing. Due to the
large adult fanbase, and by extension a large group of online content creators, we can see the
damaging ideas the show imparts.
large adult fanbase, and by extension a large group of online content creators, we can see the
damaging ideas the show imparts.
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