@subject of Derpy and background ponies: I remember noticing Derpy when her scenes were pointed out, but she didn't become my favorite background pony until The Last Round-Up, where I ended up liking the canon personality she had in that episode. I just thought she was cute and funny and reminded me of a female pony version of Goofy or Usagi from
Sailor Moon, plus I also liked that the writers gave a gift to the fans by giving her a scene (and then the whole controversy happened). While I don't mind her name being Derpy as it is, I do wonder what would have happened if they had called her Ditzy Doo in "The Last Round Up" from the start. There would have been some fans who would have been upset (either because they prefer the name Derpy and/or they might think the staff was being "wimpy" for not daring to use the more potentially offensive name), but at the very least, the name Ditzy Doo was used for her in many fanarts and fanfictions already so it would still have been a name that at least some of the fans called her, even if it originally came from a canon episode and wasn't directly created by the fans. It also has made it rather awkward and obvious that they can't call her Derpy anymore but can't simply use a different name so she unfortunately has gone unnamed on merchandise, even things like the 2nd Favorites Collection that has her name replaced with a muffin.
I don't personally see Dinky as being her daughter, nor would I write them as being related in my own stories. But I don't mind reading other people's stories where they ARE related, because that's those other fans' ideas and I can see some ways how they COULD be related. However, there would be some things one would have to explain if one is following the show canon, like Amethyst Star (who is often explained as being adopted, Derpy being older than she looks, or simply having taken a "big sister" role for Dinky so that they could be in the Sisterhooves Social together).
Doctor Whooves is one I like noticing when he appears on the show but I've never seen
Doctor Who so I'm not as interested in him. I more like imagining him as being the time keeper Time Turner (like on his card).
edited 8th Sep '13 6:27:34 AM by Rainbow