Now would be the perfect time for a Soarin sockpuppet to show up, but I don't think I've seen one of those.

The way I see it, AJ's inner conflict in The Last Roundup wasn't directly connected to Parental Abandonment. It had nothing to do with her parents, it was all about making a promise and then finding out you're not quite good enough to get it done.

However, I do think it may be tangentially connected. By which I mean not having parents around meant that she and Big Mac had to fend for themselves, and then care for two other people on top of that. From this comes a strong sense of self-reliance, which I believe results in AJ's "stubborn pride". But I don't think that label is quite accurate. I think it's more that because of her experiences, Applejack's sense of self-worth is rooted in being able to accomplish things by her own hand (er, hoof), and being able to support other people. If she has to rely on someone else, especially for something she really believes she should be able to do herself, then she's failed, big time.

And part of her character development is learning that sometimes, you can't do everything by yourself. Sometimes the job is too big for any one person to handle on their own. Sometimes things go wrong, your plans fall to pieces, and your efforts are all for naught. Sometimes, you need to be strong enough to ask for help. As the saying goes, that's what friends are for.

@Soarin pic: Oh sure, but Spitifire can get away with it...

This is so great.

@Kyler: That's a good way of putting it. That's pretty much how I see it.

edited 19th Dec '12 1:39:13 PM by JapaneseTeeth

I know a Soarin' sock account at one point.

Either a lawsuit or angry, sloppy makeouts

Word of warning, Derpibooru is under siege by someone posting Mordecai/Twilight artwork of dubious quality or worse, so you might want to filter, or wear eye protection.

@Purps: Oh God, yes, that is so great.

Been gone for 60 pages, so no way am I reading through it.

We've had several titled exactly that. Of the two most notable, one is a mess of hideously poor balance, and the other is a poorly-optimized mess of overambition that results in clicking through pages and pages of laggy text to pick up basic supplies. Both are incredibly tedious and make me seriously wonder if the programmer bothered playing through them beginning to end with the debug settings off.

Yeah, the grounding of FIM isn't the ambitious story, it's when the ambitious story springs from the character. Even among the more epic fics, the ones that stick with me are the ones that just use it as a vehicle to tap into the ponies' heads.

edited 19th Dec '12 1:55:49 PM by Pykrete

Something tells me that RD wouldn't mind that attention tbh.

I can never understand why stuff like those is a big deal. Just because it looks like a toddler drew it doesn't make it repulsive.

Actually we do have one, but he hasn't shown up in ages.

The uploader's probable intentions are what make it bad, in my eyes. Usually it's just a misguided soul or a completitionist.

edited 19th Dec '12 1:59:55 PM by Lopiny

"Probable intentions" don't carry much weight on the internet, you know.

I've been around the internet a few times.

Believe you me, I've seen much worse.

Here's a question:

Which of the mane six would like 'attention', and which wouldn't?

For me, RD, Rarity and Pinkie would like it (so long as they don't cross lines)...AJ and Fluttershy wouldn't...and twilight could go either way.

Twilight would probably be flattered at first, but get creeped out if she thought about it too closely.

Well it looks like I underestimated you, then. I just saw a bit of a freakout over there, and I thought I'd warn you. Sorry about that.

Also, I think AJ would tend to ignore the attention unless it got excessive, instead of actively avoiding it.

I don't like idea Parental Abandonment just like dead parents. And it's also dont explain why there is no AJ parents in CMC flashback even if them missing should after AB was born. And there is nothing suggesting Apple Bloom was on this world at time AJ got her CM.

I'm with Dalek on this one, they travel on Equestia doing important Apple Clan stuff.

With Rarity, I think she would largely ignore the 'whistling construction workers', would not without being secretly flattered. Like she'd confidently trot past with her head held high and a smug smile in her face. I base this on what we saw in SRB.

Speaking of main charectors who may or may not be orphans, I just found this comic last night.

http://couch-crusader.deviantart.com/art/Forward-Progress-343438659

edited 19th Dec '12 2:11:05 PM by marston

...are we using the same definition? Whether they're dead, or they left to chase their selfish desires, or they're on important family business*

(Though, long enough that their children have grown up without them? I don't think so...)

, they're all examples of Parental Abandonment.

That must have taken awhile. Just how big around is it, anyway?

@Kyler: Not necessarily; if they're just traveling it's possible that they still write on a regular basis and drop in on occasion. Although that just makes their constant absence even more inexplicable.