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Capt-Nemo — A Life Well Lived
by-nc-sa
Published: 2011-08-29 01:21:15 +0000 UTC; Views: 2137; Favourites: 39; Downloads: 39
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This panel upload was requested by . The end of the comic was originally going to be this face, but with no tears in her eyes, then she closes her eyes and a tear falls out. I decided this had more impact.Related content
Comments: 20
Content Old Horse Dash is content. 👍: 0 ⏩: 0
"The moment ponies devoured the fruit of magic they sealed their fate. Trusting their future to the Elements they cling to a dim hope. Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end. It matter not who you are, death awaits you."
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my heart just feel with love and saddness in this picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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The title of this puts my mind at ease. Originally I was concerned that Rainbow Dash was merely daydreaming after seeing the suit in a museum or something, and that she had never achieved her greatest ambition.
Like many before me (and probably many more to come) allow me to fail at properly describing just how powerful the comic was. Perhaps I'll let Fluttershy speak for me:
"Way to go!"
(p.s. I hope Jayson Thiessen gets to see it someday 
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I've said it before and I'll say it again; when I first saw this, I was left speechless. It hit so metaphorically hard that, for the first time in many years, I was sent reeling. For that, I have nothing for you but bottomless praise.
I think that the reason this drove home so easily is because it was completely unexpected. With most stories with this kind of moral, not only is it usually presented in a cheesy, insincere way, but you can see it coming a mile away, and know what to expect.
But this, though... this is different. When we think of Rainbow Dash, we think of her as young, athletic, and full of dreams and ambition. We never consider the fact that she's mortal, and is subject to aging, and, in our minds, may even subconsciously consider her to be immortal. This comic, and this panel in particular, raised the issue of age and death, something that, while people are constantly faced by in society, is never thought about in such an inspirational, emotional way. We're so used to death being meaningless, so used to people just dying, naturally... it doesn't faze us anymore, and we never think of what it means for people in regards for what they've been hoping for since they were young. People always talk about reaching for your dreams... but no one ever talks about what happens after you have.
It takes something like this; a narrative that addresses the issue of having finally achieved your goals, and having nothing left but memories, no more hopes for the future, no more accomplishments to achieve, no more glory to be had; nothing left for you but to die; to make us realize that we're not immortal. It rouses the philosopher deep within all of us, and forces us to really think about life, about what we've done with ours, and, for some of us, may even revive long-abandoned dreams of our own, from a simpler, easier, happier, time... and remind us that we've reneged on our ambitions, and haven't followed through with what we've said.
The effect that can have on someone is severe.
This accomplishes that more successfully, more profoundly than anything else I can remember seeing in a long, long time.
Most people can't function properly in modern society and think of things like that. This, and things like this, serve as a steady reminder of our own mortality, and that things in this life are fleeting; your life here won't last forever, and so, neither can anything else you have.
It makes us realize that, eventually, all of us will suffer a similar fate to Rainbow Dash. We may not have accomplished our goals as she has, but, eventually, all of us will grow old, and die, and be confined to live in the world of our memories, of the good times we've had. There's no escaping it. Ultimately, there will be a time when we can dream no more, and all we'll be able to do is reflect on what we've done.
A life with no more dreams... that's a chilling thought.
The only thing we can do, then, is to ensure that those memories are ones that we can look back on with a smile. That we can be glad we enjoyed life, youth, and our dreams when we still could. Because, until we die, and pass on to whatever The Good Lord has in store for us next, that's all we're going to have.
Even after, I don't think that anything will ever quite feel the same as the joy and triumph that we can feel here. The knowledge that, from nothing, you've accomplished everything you've ever dreamed of... that triumph is without compare, and will stay with you forever.
And, as much as the idea of a world where the memories of reaching your dreams are all you'll have left, is dark, depressing and bleak, I couldn't bear to imagine a life where you don't even have that. Where you haven't lived your dreams, and all you'll have left is that constant, nagging reminder that you've failed, a demon to torment and haunt you for the rest of your days, so that you die a suffering, bitter old man/woman, and have those memories and visions of what could have been follow you to the grave, with the knowledge that you've failed.
Everybody should do what they can, now, to avert that fate. Life is short and youth doesn't last forever, so if you don't do everything you can, now, to reach for the stars you've been set, you'll never be able to forgive yourself.
But if you do, though... then, at least, you'll be able to die happy, knowing that you've succeeded, that you've left behind no loose ends, no empty promises, to others or yourselves, and that you were the best you could be.
That, is the greatest victory of all.
Thank you for reminding us of that.
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There is always more to do. To accomplish a mile, grow weary with a good mile run, and take one more step is still a step. No good work is truly wasted. The last dreams may be smaller than the ones in the middle, but that doesn't mean they are less worth striving for.
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When I talk about dreams, I'm referring to the grand, overall, life-long goals; the things you strive for, that you ultimately wish to be, since the days when you were a kid.
For example, let's take the case of Rainbow Dash. Since she was a filly, she's had, basically, one major, life long goal, one major dream; to become a Wonderbolt. This has been the fuel for her training, the drive behind her success, the thing she's worked her whole life to achieve, since she was young.
Once she's finally reached that end, she can enjoy it, and bask in the glory her success has brought her.
Once she's reached that status, though, she's reached it. And, once it's over, it's over. Could there be smaller things, lesser goals which she could want? Yes. But she can never relive her childhood, never again experience the youth and ignorance which make those dreams so great, never again feel the magical sensation of an impression being left on her young, fresh mind (not in this life, at least); none of those lesser goals she could work for in adulthood could compare to the thing you've, basically, lived you whole life for, that central goal which was the most important thing of your whole existence, since you were a child.
That's what I mean by a world with no more dreams; a world where, whether because you've accomplished your goals, and your time is up, or because you've failed, and now it's too late, you have nothing else of that magnitude to strive for, where you want nothing else of that significance.
The things that childhood dreams are made of. You can't exactly have those in seniority, can you?
I hope this cleared things up.
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Wow... This is really beautiful. I really wish I could say more, but I'm not sure what to say to this. Thank you so much for posting this. I love it. And all these people that tell me that this comic inspired them to follow their dreams again really warms my heart. Thank you again.
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Thank you, Nemo; that means a lot coming from you. I meant every word, too.
...Confound these ponies. They drive us to be the best we can be.
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Argh! You're killin' us man!
Too much cute/sad!
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I-I'm N-not g-g-going to CRY *sos*, very cute
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