This is pretty interesting, and the most interesting thing said there was that Lauren Faust actually did have a fleshed out plan for a Scootaloo episode... and it's actually rather depressing.

Essentially, in Faust's plans, Scootaloo actually is handicapped, and probably wouldn't ever be able to fly. The episode would deal with the difference between unreachable dreams and aspirations (being exactly like Rainbow Dash) and discovering what you can do with the talents you're given to realize your own destiny (her scooter skills).

Wow. Even in canon, Scootaloo couldn't escape the sad story concepts, which is probably why she hasn't gotten an episode yet.

Depressing pagetopper, ho!

edited 8th Aug '12 3:16:31 PM by PerpetualLurker

I can't believe I am saying this, but I am glad Lauren Faust left. Presumably the Scootaloo episode will be more cheerful and less heartbreaking than all that.

Good Grief, that's legitimately interesting, I want that episode pronto!

Nah, I think it'd be really cool for the show to tackle a more mature subject like that. The closest that the show has gotten to really striking a sad, emotional chord, IMO, was when Pinkie accidentally burned Cranky's scrapbook, and even then it wasn't really given enough time to sink in too deep.

edited 8th Aug '12 3:23:15 PM by PerpetualLurker

Wow, I didn't expect that. I doubt it'll happen now though, and honestly, I'm glad. I wanna see little Scoots flying some day.

Nah, Party of One, Lesson Zero, The Last Roundup, all struck very sad emotional chords but managed to resolve them on happy notes. Besides, we already have that kind of possibility with Spike's crush on Rarity. Heartbeaking unrequited love and all that.

edited 8th Aug '12 3:30:47 PM by ATC

Huh, this one◊ actually turned out well enough already that I don't really feel the need to edit it first.

Day 7 of the University of Manehatten's Department of Mythozoology's Everfree Forest Expedition did not end quite how Brownstone and Wild Shot had predicted.

Well, at least Wild Shot doesn't seem to mind.

I might actually do a second one today, an idea came to me just a bit ago that I'd like to draw now.

Hmm, I can't really think of any episodes that made me sad. Which is kind of the point I thought. Isn't MLP all about happiness and friendship and other nice sappy things?

That's one of the main reasons I watch it, I have plenty of other emotionally distressing, dark, or depressing thing to watch/read/play. MLP serves as a good counterpoint.

That's one of the main reasons I watch it, I have plenty of other emotionally distressing, dark, or depressing thing to watch/read/play. MLP serves as a good counterpoint.

Ditto, though that Scootaloo episode does still sound interesting.

Holy hell...what a revelation.

I would trust the show entitely to be capable of handling something like that, but my word that's a sad thought. Poor scots.

Poor Scoots indeed, but to show she has other talents she can aspire for is what I'd call a positive note. Furthermore, I WANT THIS EPISODE! I'm not even a Scootaloo fan but anything that develops the underdeveloped is good enough for me.

Actually yeah, it honestly sounds like a very good episode and...let's face it...it's got a powerful and important message that could strike a chord in many many viewers of all ages.

Yeah, I'm not sure how I'd feel about an episode like that. On one hand, I really think that the show could tackle subject matter like that and make it work, but on the other hand, I kinda agree with what Bluespade said. There's lots of stuff out there that tackles depressing themes, and it's kinda nice to have at least one show that's more or less happy the whole way through (which is also why I generally dislike Dark Fic about it). Basically, I think the show could do it, but I'm not sure if I'd want it to. That, and I don't think it's really necessary to give Scoots a disability to make that point, and it would be really easy for it to come off as a "token wheelchair kid" kinda thing. And dangit, Scootaloo deserves to have at least some part of her character be not depressing.

edited 8th Aug '12 3:48:20 PM by JapaneseTeeth

Well. . .that concept. . . honestly I would rather Scootaloo not be disabled, cause I don't think it would make sense to bring it up at this point, and because I just know how the fandom would react to that. -_-

Other then her lack of ability to fly what about Scootlaoo's life is explicitly depressing?

edited 8th Aug '12 3:55:28 PM by Mio

That's the other thing. If it were contained in the show it would be kinda okay, but I just know the fandom would exaggerate it, and Scootaloo gets enough crap in the fandom that making her disabled would be throwing fuel on the fire.

And there's nothing specifically depressing about her in the show per se, it's more the fandom interpretation. I.e. no family, no friends outside the CMC, can't fly, Scootabuse, Scootachicken, etc. Basically I'd rather not have the one new bit of information we get about Scootaloo's character be something negative because the fandom already basically spins everything we know into something nasty anyway.

edited 8th Aug '12 3:53:19 PM by JapaneseTeeth

Her wings work...well, she can flap them...so, does that mean then her Pegasi magic is the problem?

Or her wings are just too wimpy to do more than hover. Like her wing muscles didn't fully develop for some reason.

edited 8th Aug '12 3:53:55 PM by JapaneseTeeth

Would lack of flight for a pegasus that's never flown really be that big of a handicap? She's never had it so its not like she'd have to learn to cope with not being able to do it.

She's also shown to be able to get some lift. Like, enough to fly with her hooves dragging on the ground at least. So I'm guessing she's not handicapped in canon.

I do enjoy the general tone of the show, but one of the things that I really give it credit for is the sheer range that it has, and that it's not afraid to shift that tone to empower a scene. I'd actually consider a more mature episode to be a credit to the show as a whole, so long as it can maintain its cheerful tone elsewhere.

I do have to revise what I consider to actually be the actual Tear Jerker moment in the show so far, though, and it would have to be the BBBFF reprise in A Canterlot Wedding. That, combined with the Mood Whiplash to a legitimately scary moment made it really powerful, IMO.

Having enough propulsion to almost lift herself off the ground and propel her scooter, but not enough to actually take flight would still count as a handicap in my book. In the context of the setting, it's not one that would actively hinder her quality of life, but still a handicap all the same. Of course, none of it is canon until explicitly stated in the show, but there's no evidence against it at this point.

edited 8th Aug '12 4:02:37 PM by PerpetualLurker

Isn't it sad Scoots, even Lauren wants you to have to deal with it ;_;

I think if she was capable of proper flight she wouldn't need to climb hills and stand atop other ponies in order to gather Pegasi specific ingredients. Odds are her win muscles just aren't properly developed so she just hovers a bit. I mean we've seen other Pegasi her age and younger fly just fine.

Maybe Scootaloo is young for her age.

My personal fanon says she exercised the wrong wing muscles to help her boost her scooter, rather than actually fly. It's gonna take her some physio but she can work her way skywards. Eventually.

@Turtle: I think it's more along the lines feeling like a failure because you can't do something that just about everyone else of your race can do. Practically, I doubt it would be a problem; she still gets the passive magic that lets her interact with clouds and stuff, she just can't fly. And earth ponies manage just fine. It's more the psychological factor of not being to do something that you should be able to do. Not to mention that she utterly idolizes RD because RD is an awesome flier, and knowing for a fact you can't live up to that has to hurt.

That's basically how I see it. She's capable of flight if she'd take the time to learn, but she just never bothers because for the moment she doesn't really need to fly very often.

edited 8th Aug '12 4:07:19 PM by JapaneseTeeth