Thoughts on Spike · 4:16am Jan 3rd, 2014
Few things depress me as much as glancing at the feature box and noticing, of all things, a fanfic where Rarity wants to change for Spike to love her so she thinks looking like a gecko will help. Yeesh. However, while I can put that off to being my personal bias against Sparity, it also made me think about what it means to be Spike, and what Spike really is, in the grand scheme of things, especially because I have such a hard time taking him seriously.
First of all, I want to clear it out: I don't hate Spike. I know he's waaaay out of his league, and I get annoyed at people that simply throw him into a relationship with Rarity just because "Spikey-wikey has a crush on her and that justifies everything that logic would contradict." (He's not even an underdog for you people to try and get him to win, seriously. He's a kid.) It's not even him, really. I can see his good points: he's loyal, he's smart, fun, good at finding things and... uh... he knows how to write... for the most part? Oh, and he got a pet Phoenix at some point which is seldom mentioned. Anyway. He's not a bad dude, by any account. It's the Sparity fans.
Inevitably, this made me compare Spike's role with the rest of the characters. If I am to be brutally honest, Spike was to me little more than a glorified pet, in the cartoon mechanics (not the comic): He's ultimately unimportant; incapable of obtaining what he really wants (Rarity); he feels like he contributes when he really doesn't; he's greedy and if he doesn't watch himself, he becomes a brainless-monster; he's unable to understand that he has nothing to offer to his crush other than puppy eyes and things she can find by herself; and hell, he even gets into a fight with another of Twilight's pets when his place as main-pet was threatened. He also is sadly underdeveloped: he remains the same regardless of everyone else changing around him. So much so that his supposed dragon-code (aka attempt at character depth) resonated more with character assassination than any real evolution of the character.
But then I realized: Spike is no pet. In a world of comparisons, if the characters were to represent anyone in real life, Spike represents the fandom in general.
There, I said it. He's your regular MLP:FIM fan. Look at the list above and tell me you haven't seen the exact same Spike shenanigans done by a fan.
Let's say that Rarity and the others represent the staff of MLP, your choice as to who: Voice actors, writers, etc. They all perform a role that pretty much defines them. There is some development, some change... they all have passion for what they do, and Spike simply tags along for the ride.
As much as I hate Spike at Your Service (for reasons beyond Spike), I think that what happened when Spike was working for/attempting to help Applejack is exactly what would happen if Hasbro were to grab just about any fan and throw them into the staff and asked them to write for them. Why? Because of the biases we all have and because as much as we love this show, we have very specific ideas of what is or what isn't right in it. If you don't believe me just think back on all the drama that comes after each episode: "Oh, it wasn't right! Oh, the song hurt my eyes! Oh, that is SO OOC! etc."
Spike grasps after Rarity as the creative fanbase grasps after a chunk of control over what's happening on the show. The thing is, we'll never obtain it. All the creative fanbase can do is give Rarity (aka the staff) little gems to make their eyes glint and give them a smile. Mostly in the form of fan art and fan music since fan fiction is so maligned. They even might give us some recognition, and tell us how much we matter and how grateful they are... but the fact is, Spike, Rarity was making dresses before she met you. She was finding gems before you arrived and chances are, she will still be doing that when you even reach the age of consent. Bottom line is: you're not contributing anything to her, just like us fans contribute little but our adoration to the series and comics and voice actors and writers.
Which is not to say that Spike (or us for that matter) is completely useless. There is this underlying and silent support, this motivation that comes from the character that wants to be more but will always be Humdrum when compared to the Mane 6. Just like Rarity and Co. The creators of MLP love and like the fans of MLP... up to a point. It's when some of the fans start writing exceptionally stupid emails (i.e. Derpy vs Ditzy or getting on a writers case about fan fiction-based head-canon) that we become the 'greed'-monster that doesn't get a clue and has to be mollified.
The difference at least is, that some of us recognize that what we're doing is not for the sake of being/marrying/wanting the MLP staff, but for the sake of others that enjoy what we do and add to their work. Some of us Spikes understand that grasping at Rarity is not the same as growing up.
There are other Spikes that feel, for example, that grimdark shouldn't exist in our fics. Or that if the characters deviate from the show they shouldn't be written at all, or that if X and Y are not a pair, then whatever it was that the story/comic/fanart is about is not worthy at all because OTP is fail. Those Spikes will keep grasping at Rarity, never able to catch her... and whining about how reality doesn't adapt to them.
The rest of us Spikes might look at Rarity and sigh with longing, but realize that perhaps we're more like the Crusaders: trying to find a place and future where what we love to do is not only appreciated but also revealing our true selves and knowing that Rarity and Twilight and the other Mane 6 were sort of mentors in our way to become that which we want.
So it's up to you, reader, do you want to be Spikey-useless-wikey? Or are you already part of the Crusaders?
He may be a baby in pony years, but maybe in Dragon years he's twenty?
That Spike will get the crap beat out of him
1676785 It's the other way around really. Dragons are long-lived. Much more so than ponies.
Whoa... Deep, dude.
I'm kinda 50/50 on this.
I'll never be that piece of crap
, but I get what you're saying and definitely agree on both parts. I do hate Spike, though.
Interesting analysis. I mean, I think you're waaaaay off-base, and that Spike is far more important then you give him credit for, but interesting. How's that for a back-hooved compliment?
Spike is Twilight's family. Vastly moreso than Shining Armor, or her parents. Hell, I'd say he's even more important than Celestia to her, not that she acts like it.
Oh, and if we're sticking with your 'Spike=fandom' anaylsis... We saved the bucking Crystal Empire, and got our own stained-glass window. Go us
1676794 Oh right, plus, there are fics where, if they it together, Spike would outlive her, or, in one case, in Millenium Wake, She (apparently) outlived him.
It's all in the execution of the character, I think.
Though...
It'd be nice for him to have a spine every so often.
And I'm with the Crusaders for the most part.
~Skeeter The Lurker
I dunno man, Spike did save the Crystals Empire and stuff. Plus, he got a bitching window made for him. Heck, I'd like to be him just to bask in the light from that window. That would be sweeeeeeeet.
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You mean we managed to survive and accidentally the Crystal Empire.
1676794 That makes me wonder that is the right comparison. Do giant tortoises that live 150+ years spend extra time as adolescents as a result? I'd be really surprised if they do, but that's entirely a guess on my part.
Somewhere, the Descendant is turning slowly, narrowed eyes finding the horizon. In his ears, the distant sound of gunfire, and the smell of blood in the wind...
I'm happy to be a crusader! Anyone have a spare cape?
Enjoyable little rant, D.
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May blood spill like rivers on the battlefield! May the anguished screams of the dying fill the air like a storm! May the battle of the Gods finally commence, and all who partake have not a shred of mercy in their souls!
Being a Crusader seems awfully hazardous to my health, though.
Joking aside, it bears mentioning that most shows forbid their writers from reading fanfiction. Apparently the concern is that they might deliberately or subconsciously use an idea that's been done before, in a way that could get them sued or something. It doesn't entirely make sense to me, but copyright laws in general are a bit of a headache. That may also not be the actual reason, it's just what I heard.
Definitely an honorary member of the Crusaders! (Maybe not like Blackjack is, but still.)
BTW, Pee Wee the Phoenix disappears because Spike lets him go.
And I fucking hate this. I mean, I get that he isn't as important as the other six, but he still holds some importance in the series itself. Most of the time (unless it's a special situation) he's comic relief. They even mock this idea in Power Ponies
But yeah, I personally like Spike. He's one of my favorite, but I do see where you're coming from, and I definitely agree on some points. I won't speak too much on the idea of Sparity since I do like that too (yeah, sue me), but it's more than a wish fulfillment thing for me at least. It's really about developing a concept and giving Spike more depth than a weak, insignificant character that he's sadly portrayed as. And hey, it's not like you think all of us ar...
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1.
No. He's the comedy relief.
2.
Except one's biological and as she stated it, her "big brother best friend forever."
3.
Do you see Twilight running around trying to meet Spike's every need/Please her.
4.
No. Twilight, Cadence, and Shining saved the Crystal Empire. Spike was Buddy (from the movies).
1676832 Doesn't help much Spike's case.
Bah, I'll keep rolling with my dawgs
fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/175/7/8/mlp_diamond_dogs_by_fauxboy-d3jwq7k.png
Rarity, of course, gets cast in the role of Hasbro
I always kind of saw Spike as a slave...
Spike as an avatar of the fandom generally is extremely creative, but I just don't see it, unless you're referring to him as an avatar of the "Twilight Sparkle is my wife" variety of fan. It's far too much of a stretch to compare a young child, given to occasional bursts of temper tantrum, hopeless crushes, and petty jealousies to... our... um...
...never mind, point taken.
Huh. Makes sense. A fair point.
So... TL;DR the Crusaders are better than Spike?
Just joshin'
But really, nice anlalysis. Would be nice to see Spike in the show as something other than a glorified pet, but, alas, that's up to the show writers.
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that's because Twilight is afraid of Celestia. all warmth and fondness considered, Celestia is a complete enigma to a character who has spent her entire life striving to understand anything she can stick her nose into. She's a terrifying symbol of madness and chaos to a pony whose life is run by order-to-perfection.
Spike is her main backup, and the one person in her life that she can always always always turn to for advice and support.
Good ole BBBFF can't even bloody write to say he's getting married, the jerk.
Agreed with you 100%, Wanderer.
Spike is honestly a tragic character with tons of deep-seated psychological depth that could be examined, but most bronies just slap him with some random mare, not even thinking of the implications. Spike is a child—shipping him with a grown mare is foalcon, but no one will admit to it. Unless you age him up by some method, Spike shippings are just... odd. Even with foalshipping, the foals will grow up and develop normally. What of Spike? His only attempt at learning who he is and how to be a dragon ended up with him rejecting his own species. Truly tragic.
This was interesting, I hadn't thought of it that way before Wanderer so I thought it was a neat comparison.
Though personally I believe that the main problem is that the writers don’t know what to do with him compared to him being a glorified pet, but that’s just me.
Still, a nice read.
1676922 Oh, I agree. If Spike had an actual purpose, like an objective, it would be easier not to peg him as a pet. But, remember what happened when EqG? He's turned into a puppy, not Twilight's little brother.
seriously it surprises me how much people disregard how annoying it is when they send such letters. I think I'm fine just being a crusader. also, spike is just a cute little drake looking for love where there is none, but one day the cute little drake has got to grow up. he may be all cute and laughable now, but at some point the laughing has got to cease and be replaced by screams of fear of being attacked by a massive walking tank with fire. he is still a dragon, nothings going to change the inevitable. These same people who believe otherwise are the ones who would consider lions, tigers, or anacondas a good pet to have. Yeah, get a pat that takes about four to five grown men giving it everything they got to keep from killing you wants its got you.
I got about two thirds of the way through this before I had to stop, overwhelmed by the realization that this metaphor had deepened far beyond my ability to give a damn. I think Spike's a pretty cool guy. I would hang out with him. That's about as far as it goes for me.
The big metaphor about the Spike being like the fans sounds like the sort of thing an English teacher would spout at you when reading The Great Gatsby or something. "Don't you see how deep it is? How much meaning you can derive if you only look beneath the surface?"
I know you're not saying it was done that way on purpose, but all I can think is 'sometimes a dragon really is just a dragon.'
1676816 Reminds me of Vietnam.
Did it just get hot in here, or am I just having a hot flashback?
1677056 Heh, I guess there's that
I dunno. I think Spike is a veritable gold mine of character development. Going off the points you make, he is probably the most flawed character in the show. I think it's pretty sad that some people in the fandom see him as a punching bag, because he's not. Just like Twilight, or Fluttershy, or Celestia, or any other pony, he is a living creature with thoughts, feelings, and personality. He is capable of so much, but is just thrown under the bus time and time again. I don't disagree with you; you bring up valid points. I just think that he's got so much potential as a character.
WD, you should be a sensei. You can be Sidious, and I'll be Anakin. I'll protect you from any Jedi played by Samuel L. Jackson.
I AM TIRED OF THESE MOTHAF*CKIN SITH IN THIS MOTHAF*CKIN TEMPLE
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You know, every time Knighty or Wanderer D or Varanus etc. replies to a comment or some such of mine, I feel like some manner of god has just condescended to speak with me.
It's some sort of categorization error in my mind I guess, because it's happened literally dozens of times. I've been here for years, and it never gets any less weird, even if I go into IRC or something and speak with you guys in realtime. It's surreal.
I dunno, it's like I was sitting on my porch and Morgan Freeman walked up and sat with me for a bit. I don't think I have more than one level of 'star struck,' so anyone I think of as even a minor celebrity gets the same reaction.
1677056
That's just beautiful. I'm going to spend the next several weeks trying to find an opportunity to reuse that statement.
1677114
Is it? I'm glad then. I whipped that out in like five seconds, so it's cool that it resonated with someone like that.
Looking at it out of context though, my brain just keeps going "Is that from a book? I should read it."
I think you're digging a little deep for justification, here. Spike's pretty typical for the younger friend/sibling/whatever to a also fairly young main character and her friends role.
I will agree that Spike/Rarity is lame, though, even to someone who doesn't like romance at all. A childhood crush is an infatuation, and not really romantic; it just doesn't fit.
I wish there was a way to fav blogposts. I could built up a repetoire of thoughtful pieces from a variety of folks.
shining armor master race
I think you're reading too much into this. Also...
Are you trying to claim that the show writers are incapable of making mistakes in their writing and every time a fan has a criticism it's just useless whining? Because believe me, that's complete bunk.
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That is a good metaphor, but I too think it's a bit too deep. it is sad that the writers just use Spike as they see fit without really developing his character more, but that's just it. I don't really complain, I still like his personality, he is a cool guy.
Still, I really don't want to be Spike, nor the Crusaders, nor anypony actually.
Well, maybe Celestia because moving the sun. 
Spike X Twilight is my OTP
Just saying
hehehe....
But man, I can see the depth in what you wrote, and all the time and thought you put into this, and I gotta say it's really nice to see this. I do agree that spike is a very underdeveloped character, even with the few episodes he's had which are centered around him (Though a couple do legitimately suck...).
There needs to be more spike development, so there can be more spike love. After all, I'm sure he can turn out to be a really cool guy if they really give him a purpose in the show.
He's a small child who doesn't have enough friends his own age, forcing him to hang out with company that is a lot more mature than him. He doesn't have enough exposure to really growing up with others. Twilight treats him like a maid, and always expects him to be there for her. She's lucky he is. He contributes when he can, but he still needs to grow up. And look at who he hangs out with. Look at what he has to be compared to. It's the Elements of Harmony, and they never really NEED his help. Even when he gives it, it's just a quick "thanks Spike" and they're off again to save the world. He tries, but it's never enough to make an impact.
To me, Spike is the strongest character in the show. He has to deal with all this getting brushed off to the side, and I know how his love life feels, and boy is it painful to deal with. He's always there for the support, even if he can't contribute anything.
Spike is in a bad spot. However, we know the Mane 6 still cares a lot for him. Look at Dragon Quest. He decides to strike off on his own, and Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity go after him because they need to know he's safe.
This is why I can't write fanfiction. My thoughts get all muddled up as I write, so I'm not sure if I end up where I wanted to, or if I've said all I needed. I guess I'll say I like Spike, I know how he feels, it sucks, I think he's a strong character, he just needs to wait until he matures a bit more.
Considering I adore the Crusaders, I'd happily be the kid that joins their crew. But there's a surprising amount of depth to this thought on Spike. I like the guy, but admittedly, he is kind of this tag-alonger. Wonder what kind of character development could be done with him?
An episode circling around him was already tried and that flopped. Like you said, Wanderer, he doesn't really contribute, but... well, maybe there's a way he could? He is the one honestly friendly dragon in Equestria. Thinking on what dragons can do and what they're capable of, as well as their scales and fangs... mmmm... device for development of dragons themselves? Even if he doesn't know about their society, their biology is pretty amazing.
Maybe the Mane 6 have to stop a dragon from terrorizing Equestria, and the only way to understand it is to understand Spike. A dragon's tendencies and attractions. Though this would only ever be used in a fanfic, Spike could be critical o such a thing.
But developing him... he needs to strive on his own and achieve something like his other friends. Go out into the world and explore, learn things. Maybe even split off from Twilight and go out to another town. Hell, an episode circling around him adventuring across Equestria would be pretty interesting, I think. Visits to Manehatten, the coasts of Fillydelphia, the mountains of the Badlands.
Hell, an entire episode was devoted to exactly what you were talking about; learning about himself. A Dragon Quest-esque episode about just learning about the country would be pretty cool. It, again, wouldn't really see the light of day beyond a fanfic, but I think it'd work...
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That's the thing, though. Spike is important because of his relationship to Twilight, not on his own merits. He's an accessory for Twilight.
One thing I've noticed is, some posters seem to be extremely dedicated to Spike, and vehement about 'defending' him. I have a theory that some people subconsciously can't deal with being the minority demographic for a female-centered show, so they latch on to the most prominent male character and try to inflate his importance.
Implying those blank flanks actually listen to advice. If anything the fandom IS like the CMC. Quick to judge, selfish, never take their actions into consideration until the damage has been done, always striving for attention than just appreciating who they are and what they have.
Spike, on the other hand, has to deal with being the only living dragon tolerated among the ponies and it's likely due to Celestia letting ponies know that Twilight is her student and Spike, though a dragon, is to be treated with respect and kindness. His connections with Celestia has earned him a lot of sway in the upper crust of society. And he's always been the outgoing one who despite adversities and being treated like some pet who only gets attention when its sad or convenient for Twilight, Spike has spent his days not sulking, not wasting his potential sitting around waiting on Twi claw and foot, but he had /friends/ in Centerlot.
Sure, the CMC do strive to literally find their mark in the world. But at what cost? Love poisoning their teacher and AB's Brother, invading the private lives of ponies and publically shaming them and their families without a care or not enough to want to stop (and no, DT didn't force them into it at all or even trick them into it, they all agreed it was a great idea at the prospect of earning a mark), literally unleashed chaos onto the world and so forth.
But Spike? He doesn't care. He may have gotten the short end of the stick moving to Ponyville, but even then he's sociable and smart despite his childish antics, and if you were raised with Twilight cooped up most the times you'd find some pretty weird things to keep your sanity in check too I bet.
Spike serves as an anchor for the ponies. Ponies don't have a shred of common sense in them. Spike on the other claw has plenty. He just happens to find ponies attractive because they are the only females he's grown up to associate with. If YOU were raised around ponies you'd probably get a stuffy too when a fine specimen trotted by.
What Spike needs is to have Hasbro unleash him from his comic relief shackles. Seriously, who else thought Pinkie's gag at the end of Castle-mane-ia was just totally uncalled for? Give the poor dragon some sense of pride of being a dragon by letting him get some origin story going on as to HOW Celestia even got that egg. 10 bits says she killed his mother to attempt to fulfill the prophecy of finding the pony who could free her sister from her dark emotions. That or she actually knows dragons that aren't as irrational and mean, but in fact, those who are quite sensible and understanding.
Girl cartoon made to sell toys though. Let us not forget that. But yeah, people that whine about what name people use in a fanfic is just retarded. The adopted derp eyed pony is named Derpy, the one from the show Amy created and had ideas of her own for is Ditzy and she is in Winter Wrap Up, they just derped on her mane color when she finally returned with the southern birds. USE WHATEVER YOU DAMN WELL PLEASE! It's FANON =/= HEADCANON anyways.
And that's my pointless just for skittles and bucks reply to whatever this was. :p
/tired
goodnight.exe
1676842 oh sweet Celestia your avatar, every time I see that on Anthology III I can't stop laughing.