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Published: 2014-05-21 20:13:05 +0000 UTC; Views: 11336; Favourites: 163; Downloads: 54
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Can you believe that nearly a year later I still get people coming to me saying 'BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT'S SUPPSOED TOBY!!!!1!!!1!!2Truth be told, it doesn't really bother me; people have their opinions, I love arguing, it works out for everyone. Still, I often find myself repeating myself repeating myself. SO! I figured I'd give people what they wanted; but at the cost of illustrating a point:
Why I don't care for these matchups.
As an overview, my big problem with most of these crossovers was that for each bit of sense they make, there is a gaping scar in the ration used to defend them that people often seem to think should be ignored. These matchups pick and choose which character traits to ignore and to expand upon unevenly; taking one trait and ignoring it in one character, then focusing on that same trait in another, even when said trait is no more or less present in either.
For the record, I don't have a problem with the popular setup; I just don't like it is all.
TWILIGHT SNOIPAH:
Be polite. Be efficient. Have a plan to friendship everypony you meet.
While I won't argue a sniper needs to know his stuff, I will say that when the Soldier can build a bazooka from garbage, we can safely assume every class is an expert in their particular field of interest; for this reason, I disregarded Sniper's 'weaponized math' nature, and when trying to find a class for Twilight, looked for a class that broke the mold by having an expanse of knowledge beyond their particular purpose; hence, Engineer and Medic (the latter of which expressed interest in learning magic). In essence, Sniper actually undermines Twilight's intelligence to focus on said intelligence; it's self-contradictory.
The idea of taking a princess/scientist/magician who turns animals into oranges, teleports, and lives in a magical library (now a crystal castle), has studied magic and friendship for years and making her into a class whose job is to hide and shoot seemed underwhelming; especially given Twilight's always one to lead a charge.
Aesthetically, I could simply not negotiate Twilight's nature with Sniper's Crocodile Dundee setup; the only items that I could see her using of his are the Outback Intellectual and Sir Hootsalot.
For me, Twilight had to be either Engineer or Medic. They're the only two classes that feel right, even if only a third of Engi's items fit her.
Twilight Sparkle is wearing the Snaggletooth, Koala Compact, and for added effect, her Princess Regalia.
ENGINEER-JACK:
Not problems like what is beauty; because that would fall under your pur-whatsit of your philundroms of colonoscopy! Wait... I think I said that wrong...
Southern accents basically condemned Applejack to a role as Engineer in the hearts and minds of many stubborn (and more than a little butthurt) bronies. Ever since I drew Twilight-Engi, this group labeled me their Arch-Nemesis (and nobody's written an evil theme song for me yet!)
With his accent and an assortment of Texas-styled items, it seems impossible to challenge Apple-Engi; indeed, some might wonder why I bothered. The answer, of course, being that the other half of his set is very sciency; and Applejack is not a sciency pony. Additionally, Applejack just strikes me more as a physical pony than a gadgeteer; Engi can realistically lose a one-on-one fight with a Medic (often portrayed as Fluttershy) without his sentries.
The biggest fall for me on this matchup comes from the aesthetics, admittedly. How is it that stubborn gentleman who blocked me for throwing his own game in his face used to do it...? Oh yes!
'Dominated, Booksmarts!'
'Dominated, you cactus eating egghead!'
I won't say Applejack is dumb, but she's hardly the genius of the bunch.
Applejack is wearing the Brainiac Hairpiece, the Googly Gazer, and the Special Eyes, and is wielding the Eureka Effect.
FLUTTERMEDIC:
Oops, that was not kindness!
I blame Meet the Medic for ruining this matchup for me; until then I thought he was your typical war doctor. Now, I picture him as a guy who... well... conducts ethically questionable experiments on his friends for curiosity's sake.
I find the argument for Fluttershy's kind, harmless nature as Medic funny, because despite it, most people depict Fluttershy as more like the Medic when she's drawn, gleefully cutting her friends open and whatnot, rather than as herself (shy, cowardly, reserved). It also assumes you just play pocket Medic and don't defend yourself even when your pocket is dead and it's shoot or die. Plus, kill assists; the Medic is just as responsible for killing his patient's enemies as his patients are for using guns to kill them (or so I reason). Medic is often target number one for a reason; as long as he's alive, he's trouble. His mere presence is a threat.
Plus, of the support classes, he's the most dangerous without relying on assassination; his CQC skills are greater than Spy's or Sniper's (who rely on either snappy headshots or face-stabs to win a fight against an enemy who has gotten close and/or spotted them).
Aesthetically, the scientifically inclined morbid doktor could not be more different from nature-loving, tree hugging Fluttershy. No matter what role she fills, Fluttershy will have to be negotiated with death and character; same as everypony else.
Plus, Fluttershy running around in the thick of battle while Applejack hides in a base with a sentry nest and Twilight hides behind barrels and corners just seems off.
Fluttershy is wearing the Das Maddendoktor (sans funky hair) and the Quadwrangler.
DEMOZECORA
One wayward pinch of Potassium Chlorate would be enough to seal my fate!
I'm going to be perfectly honest; I originally thought Twilight made a better Demomare than Zecora. Then it changed to Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and at one point Derpy (if only because her Monoculus would be hilarious). The argument of Zecora as Demo is that she knows how to mix things.... what that argument ignores is what she mixes. Zecora specializes in herbs and plants; she's a medicine mare. While it's not too far fetched to mix her herbalism into the bomb making business (magical ponies, wouldn't be surprised if they had an exploding plant somewhere in there) what seemed off for me is the bomb thing, once more, because she's a medicine mare and likely fits more as Medic.
Aesthetically, I think my biggest problem here is that the Demoman has a family history of bomb-makers, a legacy, and holds his family dear to his heart (as evidenced by the fact that, despite living in a mansion, he still lives with his mum). Zecora has none of those that we are made aware of (tho I'd love to learn more about her; she seems like she must have some interesting past as a potion maker). The only thing I can relate these two with is that, considering her balancing act on the bamboo pole, I imagine she's a capable melee combatant.
PINKIE PYRO
Mmmf mmmpf mm mmrfmmmrmrrf!
I will be perfectly honest; I cannot really argue against Pinkie Pyro. It fits. Both are nutty, both have fun, etc.
The reason I didn't choose it, however, is because it was boring.
Pinkie Pie is loud, abnoxious, and hides toys and stuff all over town. Pyro just runs around corners, sets things on fire, and blows things off cliffs; fun and all, but fairly limited, in my mind, for the pink party pony. I feel that the Pyro restricts what one can do with Pinkie, and that's why I'd choose just about any class (because Pinkie can basically fit all of them) before Pyro.
Sorry that that was a lot; you won't believe how many people actually argue with me about this. If I didn't find thrill in argument (for a short while anyway) I dare say I might ignore some of them! XD
Art (C)
TF2 (C) Valve
MLP:FiM (C) Hasbro/Lauren Faust
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Comments: 73
Yin-YangGuardian In reply to ??? [2014-08-08 05:44:37 +0000 UTC]
It was hinted at before in comics and the game itself that there was an intelligence gap between her and AJ. Heck, Engi's background mentions he acquired several PHDs in his craft!
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uncommentator In reply to Yin-YangGuardian [2014-08-09 03:02:45 +0000 UTC]
Most I've done is read the Soldier vs Demo comics, watched SFMs, and play the game.
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Yin-YangGuardian In reply to uncommentator [2014-08-13 08:14:59 +0000 UTC]
(Sorry for the delay on the response.) That's okay, it's just that there has been plenty of canon evidence is all.
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ArtisticNeutrino In reply to ??? [2014-05-22 09:30:10 +0000 UTC]
Not much of an argument since they're all foreign from some perspective. Spy is French, Heavy is Russian, the Medic is German, Sniper is Australian, Pyro is... something.
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uncommentator In reply to ArtisticNeutrino [2014-05-23 03:53:12 +0000 UTC]
Zecora not the demo. Zecora is different and Demo is too.
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Team-Friction In reply to ??? [2014-05-22 00:25:24 +0000 UTC]
Pyro also, going by character playstyle, wears ridiculous items of clothing, flarejumps to reach higher places and plays guitar with anything he or she can also bash people to death with.
Another way Pinkie Pyro could be interpreted is that in her happy land her hair is poofy and she skips around, but in the 'real world' her hair is down, and her real demeanor is menacing and creepy. We saw this contrast in Meet The Pyro itself. He skipped around in Pyroland, and stalked through the town in the real world.
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Metal-Kitty In reply to Team-Friction [2014-05-22 01:52:56 +0000 UTC]
I don't include that stuff, mainly for the fact that Spike would do all of that too. Thing is, Pinkie would fit any class; she does so much and wears so many types of clothes that there's really no class role I can't see her being able to fill.
And I don't much care for Pinkamena Pyro. Whoever fills the Pyro role, if they must have Pyroland, I envision them as being delusional like the Pyro; truly joyful, just unaware of the destruction they are truly causing. It was why I was originally going to pick Fluttershy for that role; because its the only class where she could escape the entire concept of causing death (while the Pyro kills, he is not aware of it).
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Team-Friction In reply to Metal-Kitty [2014-05-22 05:39:15 +0000 UTC]
Makes sense.
Though there was one moment when Pyro intentionally killed a (safety) bear that tried to tell him that fire is nobody's friend.
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Metal-Kitty In reply to Team-Friction [2014-05-22 07:27:47 +0000 UTC]
True that, but if people are going to portray Fluttershy as a bonesaw wielding maniac while claiming she wouldn't hurt a fly, I think I'm entitled to ignore something considerably smaller, no? x3
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Team-Friction In reply to Metal-Kitty [2014-05-22 08:35:38 +0000 UTC]
Aye. There's always alternate character interpretation and idle fantasy.
'You do not! Hurt! My! Friends!'
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ThatRandomNerd In reply to ??? [2014-05-21 23:35:47 +0000 UTC]
Ever since I read your points for the characters to begin with, I'd always agreed with you.
Still, these are interesting counterarguments.
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Blackfire2Q In reply to RechaDis [2014-05-23 18:59:35 +0000 UTC]
Best comment ever!
Next to "you look like a thumb"
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Metal-Kitty In reply to RechaDis [2014-05-21 23:31:18 +0000 UTC]
That's because she's wearing the Brainiac Hairpiece
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Zebrati In reply to ??? [2014-05-21 22:52:43 +0000 UTC]
Id still ague that Pinkie makes a better demo. What with her cannon, old family style which she respects but also has moved away from, the drinking of lots of cider on screen, the eye patch hoards she keeps everywhere in case of emergency. But as I've mentioned in the past, you've won me over with most of your arguments otherwise.
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Metal-Kitty In reply to Zebrati [2014-05-21 23:02:41 +0000 UTC]
Actually, I agree to that. If it wasn't such a hassle, I considered potentially rewriting a few classes; Pinkie-Demo, Apple-Soldier, and Trixie-Engi (stage magician).
Wonder if I could stand to do a few 'take twos'.... hmm...
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Zebrati In reply to Metal-Kitty [2014-05-22 04:33:02 +0000 UTC]
If you've the time and the energy, and really want to, then go for it. Myself? I'd be too lazy. That and derpy just fits soldier so well in my opinion. A.J. for me fit engie less out of being a perfect fit and more because one wants the mane six to be there. My excuse is that she knows how to build things. Even if they are not full technological one can make wonders through clockwork and wood alone so I figure she would be able to work out basic turret creations and such. Its a stretch but shes a hard fit unlike the others. Yknow unless you go with the simple. "Well shes country and so is engie" that most go with.
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Metal-Kitty In reply to Zebrati [2014-05-22 07:28:19 +0000 UTC]
I also considered Derpy as the Pyro.
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Zebrati In reply to Metal-Kitty [2014-05-23 02:00:41 +0000 UTC]
Heh. Along the lines of her always trying to help but somehow always doing harm?
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TrevorRain [2014-05-21 21:23:08 +0000 UTC]
I never looked that hard into it, but I can see your argument, and completely agree with it. They're working off personality traits alone, and that's not what makes the skill.
When it comes to going contrary to 'fannon', I don't understand it. There seems to be 'established' fannon that people take as set in stone. People don't realize that it's still apt to be changed and added to. That's just the creative nature of the mind.
You know Littlepip from Fallout Equestria? The pictures people draw of her? That's not all that accurate of a depiction. Khat made her description vague so people can add their own idea to what she looks like. That's the one that blew my mind the most, considering I enjoy the set upon style that the fan base has set for her. (I can't seem to find the example right now.)
Even I made a small rant recently that counters the mostly believed trait that Luna can control the stars. It's made up. It's fine to make that up, but to believe it's a set in stone idea that everyone should follow isn't right. I made the point that if she moved the stars, people who rely on them would get lost at night. Sailors would be lost at sea, and we wouldn't even be able to see the changes in the stars for hundreds of years. Not to mention that it would make Twilight half insane trying to keep accurate star charts.
It makes good romance, though.
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Metal-Kitty In reply to TrevorRain [2014-05-21 21:49:35 +0000 UTC]
That's the thing; they aren't just working off personality traits. Some of them claim to, and then abandon them. It's my biggest problem with Fluttermedic; I get the argument she wouldn't hurt anypony (which I don't believe any of them are any more likely to than she is) and that she is kind; and yet almost every time I see Fluttermedic, if she isn't in a neutral pose, she's taking on the Medic's butcher persona.
People just don't like an idea being challenged; especially one that they're so used to. As an artist, however, I feel it my job to challenge these notions if I can - not that I went out of my way to, rather I didn't bend over backwards to please people (even this picture was a means to illustrate a point I was trying to make).
I get that about Littlepip; really, all we know is she's a she and has a cutie mark and is short. That's all we knew. Loved that fic (one of the few fan fictions I actually enjoyed).
I never understood the thing about Luna controlling the stars; she moves the moon, yes, but the stars seem to appear on their own. I think that comes from bronies trying to depict Luna and Celestia as primal forces rather than merely talented magicians. Sometimes, the Brony fandom seems to act similar to a tribe of savages; if it's strong it must be a force of nature, and if it's different it's to be hated and shunned.
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