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| FeralSocks018 #758384 7 months ago |
The second one. Rarity doesn't seem like a pedophile. I would assume she has feelings for Fancypants. |
| Anonymous #758395 7 months ago |
I agree with Feral Socks, and not only because he/she has an awesome name. |
| AdrianBrony #758397 7 months ago |
#758384
you do realize you can have feelings for a minor without being a peophile, right? Pedophilia is a sexual thing. not necessarily a romantic thing. just saying is all. Personally I think that it can go either way and I don't mind when a fic takes it either way. |
| imnotgivingmynametoamachine #758398 7 months ago |
yes |
| Shaky #758406 7 months ago |
Yeah, i'm pretty sure she just feels honored. |
| Anonymous #758411 7 months ago |
It is my opinion that she has reciprocated his feelings, however in order to know anything for sure we will have to see what (if anything) will be apparent between them in the remaining episodes of the show. |
| Anonymous #758414 7 months ago |
She started tearing up when he admitted his crush, I think that says alot. |
| AdrianBrony #758424 7 months ago |
#758414
well I mean she cans till be very touched without necessarily feeling the same way. she might just be happy that if it were her last moments, she would spend it with someone like him. |
| Anonymous #758426 7 months ago |
Uh, having romantic feelings for a minor is pedophilia, even if you don't go after them, so to speak.
Bronies baffle me sometimes. |
| Anonymous #758432 7 months ago |
"You do realize you can have feelings for a minor without being a pedophile, right?" - Adrian Brony
You might have a point, but in terms of phrasing that's the worst possible way to say it. I'd suggest saying it more like "Just because you're not *in love* with somebody doesn't mean you don't love them". Rarity is as close to Spike as can be appropriate for their ages. |
| AdrianBrony #758450 7 months ago |
#758432
I guess I should explain a bit better. if a 20 year old were to fall for say, a 15 year old, but wait for that 15 year old to reach age of consent before anything explicitly romantic were to happen, would that make the 20 year old a pedophile? would it be illegal if romantic acts took place but nothing sexual? that's all I'm trying to state. Rarity might have developed feelings, but is willing to put them on wait until spike is a more appropriate age. |
| Anonymous #758456 7 months ago |
Aren't they both underage? One just, technically, more so than the other? I could have swore the mane cast was pegged at being around a teenager age. And depending on how dragons age in Equestria... Wait, why are we talking about the legality of interspecies relationships between tiny sentient ponies and young mythological reptilians?
My headcannon: Adorable, adorable courtship begins now. |
| Anonymous #758457 7 months ago |
Well if it is romantic, I don't think it would be pedophilia. I mean, technically he's only a few years younger than Twilight and based on this episode's logic, it will be a long long time before he grows without his greed (if he grows any). Just siding for the romantic side. The honored side, on the other hand, is highly plausible. Guess we'll have to wait and find out which one is the most cannon. |
| CottonTales #758460 7 months ago |
the second one most likely
In my opinion it doesn't really matter and they'll hardly canonize anything more than what they have |
| PinkieDie #758463 7 months ago |
Well, considering Kermit/Miss Piggy and Jessica Rabbit/Roger Rabbit are cross species couples in famous cartoons, Rarity/Spike doesn't seem so odd.
Rarity Seeks Gems,Spike is a perfect digger Rarity Loves Fashion,Spike has connections in Canterlot |
| Dragoon #758470 7 months ago |
I am now documenting this (not really)
 |
| FeralSocks018 #758488 7 months ago |
@AdrianBrony
I suppose I did not consider that angle, but keep in mind that there would a significant difference between a situation for a 20 year old and a 15 year old and a situation for a grown pony and a baby dragon. I stand by my decision, however, that Rarity would prefer a sophisticated pony over Spike, regardless of his age. |
| AdrianBrony #758491 7 months ago |
I think they won't ever really confirm either way. so I don't really think either one is more canon than the other.
so that means I'll go with whatever one works with any given shipping image or fic. |
| AdrianBrony #758500 7 months ago |
#758488
I think "baby" is a very different use with Spike. he seems to act like a tween, but has more responsibilities. plus, we already saw infant spike and he looks older now than in the flashback. either way, to each their own. like I said before, either one works for me. |
| CottonTales #758504 7 months ago |
@758457
I'm guessing Spike is actually 5-10 years younger than Twilight meaning if Twilight is 20 (I believe Faust said they were either young adults or in their late teens) Spike would be 10-15 while Rarity seems slightly older than Twi so at the moment at least it would be considered pedophilia Also why do I need to use math for imaginary relationships: he's clearly called a baby dragon lets leave it at that |
| Anonymous #758507 7 months ago |
I doubt it will be can---OH MY GOD ADORABLE GIF OF SPIKE WITH A NOTEPAD |
| AcuteAngle #758520 7 months ago |
Considering two of the first changes that happened to Spike when he started maturing in the latest episode were that he became more gangly and awkward and his voice dropped in pitch, I think it'd be hard to argue that Spike isn't prepubescent. Given that, I'd say that Rarity really doesn't have any romantic feelings for him, but I think it's plausible that she genuinely loves him as a friend and is touched at the nature of his feelings for her.
Backing up just a bit, am I really the only brony who's always thought that Spike's crush on Rarity was just a childhood puppy-love crush that he'd grow out of? |
| Captain_Carnation #758524 7 months ago |
This discussion has brought to the forefront of my mind the glaring difference in life expectancy between dragons and ponies, which makes my favorite pairing (this) doomed from the start. Maybe... yeah, maybe it's different for unicorns. Celestia and Luna are over 1000 years old, and while they are not unicorns, maybe a bit of that longevity rubs off on subspecies? Hope? |
| PinkieDie #758529 7 months ago |
You also have to take in account that dragons don't age in the same manner as Ponies.
10 year old spike might be the mental equivalent of 20 year old Unicorn. |
| FeralSocks018 #758530 7 months ago |
@Adrian
Fair enough. I'm glad that we can agree to disagree. Also, if the anon who complimented my name is curious, I am, in fact, male. |
| CottonTales #758545 7 months ago |
@AcuteAngle
I think the puppy-love as well because it seems right no need to take every single crush a character has and equate it to true love |
| Anonymous #758556 7 months ago |
I agree Acute Angle. In fact, so far the crush isn't mentioned much in the second season. Maybe he's getting over it and moving on (to eating all of Rarity's gems when she's not looking) |
| Verbose #758564 7 months ago |
I think M.A. Larson and the team intentionally left that to be vague. I liked that. It makes for a sweet scene without the bitterness of saying "It's not going to work out...you're too young/you're dragon."
I also think that pony ages are weird. I feel as if the mane case are young adults, because they live on their own by themselves doing adult things for jobs (especially Rarity, as she runs her own boutique. Twilight runs an entire library.) But like adults, they have juvenile moments. As for what I actually think: Rarity is touched by Spike's feelings, really and truly. That's why she teared up when Spike actually admitted it, even though it was implied that she already knew. I think Rarity probably wouldn't seriously consider Spike as a viable object of romantic interest, only because he's a dragon, not due to age (relative dragon/pony ages make for a weird concept of pedophilia due to not being of the same species...it'd be closer to bestiality of between two different sentient species.) Spike's level of maturity actually rivals that of the mane cast most of the time (and most certainly that of Rainbow Dash.) So I think it's just a matter of him being a dragon. I believe she teased Spike throughout the episode, because she knew Spike would like it. I fee like this was a great way to show her honest gratitude. I know I would have liked that as a 10-year old boy if a 16-18 year old girl was simply flirting with me, even if I really knew there was no chance at it being serious. That will most certainly lead to the problems of leading on a person you aren't really serious about, but I think Rarity might feel that her way of expressing how she feels platonically about Spike is better than setting him straight and dashing his hopes at the moment. So...no. Rarity probably doesn't like Spike. But I'm not sure enough to take out that "probably." |
| FeralSocks018 #758589 7 months ago |
@Verbose:
That was quite... verbose. |
| Anonymous #758590 7 months ago |
She's totally into Spike but he can't actually say it cause if so they'll all know she's a pedarest. |
| Doctor_Whooves #758598 7 months ago |
I've seen stranger interspecies coupling in fiction (if not canon, then at least authorized) in Trek.
I'm looking at you, Riker. Sleeping with a fish? Geez. :P |
| Mattatatta #758605 7 months ago |
The scene in the latest episode was done in such a deliberate way that it is up to the viewer to decide.
It can be interpreted as Rarity shushing Spike because she knows, and that action alone is enough to say that she also feels the same way. In the same vein, a less shippy viewer could interpret it as Rarity feeling honoured (which is what the OP also suggested). It can even be interpreted as Rarity not returning the feelings, and doesn't want their possible last moment of life to be the moment where the poor dragon's heart is shattered. Then there's the even sappier "shh... don't muck this up with words, let's just spend this moment being happy that we're there for eachother". The numerous ways that scene can be viewed is great, it ensures that no viewer feels uncomfortable watching it. If a viewer really hates a RarityxSpike ship, then they can watch this scene and witness two friends sharing a very touching moment. Meanwhile a viewer who fully supports the ship can witness what is probably the first big step in canon for the relationship to bloom. Such flexibility is something that I want to give the writer a good handshake over. I also want to praise the writer for making that scene be so heartwarming amidst a comical setting. Usually when something heartwarming is attempted in such a setting it ends up being really cheesy and full of Narm (tvtropes). But I was genuinely touched by the scene. |
| Verbose #758612 7 months ago |
@FeralSocks018
Yeeahhhh... Think of the last line as the tl;dr. Everyone else hit most of my thoughts more concisely while I was typing it up, so there's no real need to read all of that. |
| Verbose #758624 7 months ago |
Mattatatta:
The numerous ways that scene can be viewed is great, it ensures that no viewer feels uncomfortable watching it. M.A. Larson is Best Pony Writer? I agree. I feel the ambiguity of the scene was written and portrayed (with sound and animation) in the best way possible. |
| ZeroJanitor #758626 7 months ago |
I don't wear shipping goggles, so no. |
| AcuteAngle #758628 7 months ago |
Well, Verbose, you live up to your name, though that's not necessarily a bad thing. :) I mostly agree with you, with a couple of quibbles:
I tend to think of the mane 6 as ranging from 16 (RD) to 19-20 (Rarity) in age, or the pony equivalents of those human ages anyway. I feel this way largely because of the setting, to be honest: if Equestria is vaguely similar to 19th-century European and North American society, I would think that ponies are considered mature enough to be supporting themselves and living on their own at somewhere between 15 to 17 years old. There's certainly nothing in the show to say they aren't young adults, though. Also, while I realize you aren't saying that a relationship between Rarity and Spike would be beastiality, I'm afraid even bringing it up as a point of comparison might end up dragging the discussion off-track. |
| bboifatz #758637 7 months ago |
Rarity is aware of Spike's feelings, and she probably thinks it's adorable that he has a crush on her, but she cannot reciprocate his feelings towards her. First of all, he's too young, and Rarity is a responsible and moral adult. Second, Spike will live for a thousand years, and Rarity will probably only live a hundred years at most (assuming ponies in Equestria live as long as humans, and that Rarity is taking good care of herself).
Rarity probably appreciates the innocence of Spike's crush, but does not feel that way about him. She probably loves him like she would a little brother, but that's about as far as she will ever go. And once Spike is mature, he will probably be happy with just that, even when Rarity finds a stallion who she can actually spend the rest of her life with. |
| FeralSocks018 #758645 7 months ago |
@Verbose:
I must respectfully disagree. I prefer Meghan McCarthy. |
| Anonymous #758773 7 months ago |
Wow, I guess this thread is the anti-shipper convention. I'm out. |
| Rostam #758775 7 months ago |
i don't think she reciprocates, if so maybe a last kiss, but regardless its the second one.
Think a female would find it cute a 12 year old admitting even if their not falling to their death... |
| Anonymous #758789 7 months ago |
please don't refer to women as "a female" |
| AdrianBrony #758812 7 months ago |
I guess I should actually give solid opinion.
I think there is a possibility something is there. it's just that romance really isn't the focal point of the show so they probably won't focus on it much anyway. They would rather the viewer handle the romance. I think that because of the extreme events taking place it is very possible some form of reciprocation has formed. extreme circumstances can result in unusual outcomes. Faust already did state that age is a much more flexible thing in Equestria, and maturity is counted more than physical age. in that regard spike can sometimes be more mature than some of the mane six. I see no reason why the lifespan thing would be a problem. you run the risk of your loved one's death every day anyway. wouldn't it be more comforting to Spike knowing that he is more likely to be shouldering the grief of the death of rarity than vice versa so he knows that Rarity will not know that grief? what I'm saying is, they made it perfectly balanced to be applicable either way, and to state that someone other interpretation is less correct than yours would also be incorrect. |
| Saufsoldat #758844 7 months ago |
She probably just thinks it's cute, like a teacher whose student has a crush on her. |
| Anonymous #758847 7 months ago |
^^ brohoof for Adrian |
| AdrianBrony #758928 7 months ago |
also, interspecies isn't really a problem for them. it's been shown that mules exist in the show and mules are the result of interspecies relations. |
| bboifatz #759423 7 months ago |
@AdrianBrony:
Mules are a biological reality, but mammals and reptiles do not mate in the real world. Not that having children is a prerequisite for a relationship to be possible, however the fact that some ponies mate with other types of equines does not mean that it's common for them to go mate with a species outside of their genus. I think that when Spike grows up a bit more, he'll decide he ultimately wants her to be happy, and that he'll be happier watching her find love and start a family than trying to make a logistically complicated interspecies romance with her work. He may have averted going down the path of greed, but that does not mean he'll never grow up. |
| bboifatz #759427 7 months ago |
^Sorry, I meant "having children is NOT a prerequisite to having a relationship." Sorry 'bout that. |
| fiddlewheel #759434 7 months ago |
^but this IS a fantasy setting, and with most fantasy settings, dragons can mate with pretty much whoever (or whatever) they want, if they have a spell or a power that let them transform into a member of the said species.
I'm thinking very DnD now of course, but it is something to bring up... |
| onipuck #759442 7 months ago |
Was I the only one mentally thinking at the scene where they were falling "Twas beauty that killed the beast"?
Seriously, the entire episode had me comparing it to King Kong after he grabbed Rarity. |
| Anonymous #759453 7 months ago |
Rarity manipulated Spike into giving her his precious HEART shaped gem, which she then blinged up and wore next to hers. In other words, Rarity forced a relationship upgrade and cunningly disguised it as her usual lust for gems. She kissed Spike TWICE on the cheek, because there wouldn't be any tongue in a kid's show. She also stops Spike's confession just so that he'd see her tearfully smiling at him and realize she felt the same way. And when all the other ponies are celebrating the successful rescue of Rarity and Spike, Rarity steps aside just to share a moment with Spike. She wasn't scolding a child who had just done something wrong. Rarity was lovingly comforting a man suffering from the guilt of having done horrible things to the woman he loved.
Rarity isn't the type to wear a shirt with Spike's head surrounded by a heart or shout her love for him to the heavens. She didn't come right out and say that her plan to escape from the dogs was to nag them to death either. Rarity's a smart pony who's well aware of the unfortunate implications a relationship with a baby dragon would entail. She also has trouble expressing her true feelings due to being extremely self conscious. That's why she lies to the Canterlot ponies, acts like a high class prude and talks with an obviously fake accent. She may be a bit overly guarded, but Rarity was dropping subtle hints throughout the entire episode that she did in fact have feelings for Spike. At the end, though, subtext and symbolism were thrown out the window when her tearful smile confirmed she'd not only known all along about Spike's crush, but also cared deeply for him as well. Since the status quo is god and this is a kid's show, Spike will probably be friendzoned by the next episode. But at least for a brief time, in this episode, Rarity and Spike shared something special. And that's all the proof shippers need. Naysayers declare that it'll never work because of both the age and species difference. Unfortunate implications be damned. This is a show for little girls whose fanbase consists of grown men and women. Relative concepts like wrong and right no longer apply. Spike's a cake eater (both literally, shown by his hording the cakes Pinkie threw at him, and the trope, as evidenced by his crush on Rarity) and damnit, power to him. It's always good for a show when a badass defrosts an ice queen with love, especially when that love saves him as well. Hopefully this development will become canon, like Rainbow Dash learning about humility in a previous episode and in this episode having Fluttershy (much to her surprise) share in the heroics. Character development is best pony. |
| HeinousActsZX #759463 7 months ago |
I just thought it was a beautiful scene, regardless of subtext. |
| Anonymous #759539 7 months ago |
Uh, Spike's not a man. She wasn't scolding a child, she was comforting a child. And there's nothing wrong with friendship because friendship is magic. Bronies should quit whining about friendzones or watch the Discord episode again but stop before Twilight fixes things if they hate friendship so much. |
| Anonymous #759542 7 months ago |
And she didn't manipulate him. Bronies, please stop watching this show and thinking the worst of women automatically. Rarity is not some shallow Mean Girl whore who cheats guys out of things, I thought you knew better by now. |
| Anonymous #759637 7 months ago |
As a fan of Rarity I originally didn't much like the idea of SpikexRarity. His crush at first came off as just infatuation, and his previous "gifts" of time and help to her were transparent ploys to spend more time around her. Only with this episode do we see him actually give up something with no expected return: a truly generous act. He's got my stamp of approval out of this. |
| Anonymous #759646 7 months ago |
Is Spike really a baby dragon or is he just small? In theory, if he was hatched and lived as a normal dragon (never met Twi or any pony), his true natural form would be the 50 ft tall clepto jerk we saw in the episode.
How did Rarity really feel about Spike when he tried to tell her about his feelings? No one knows but everyone agrees its sweet. In past episodes, Rarity never acknowledged Spike's crush but NOW he gets kisses and the occasional quick nuzzle from her. We also know that she thinks of him highly as selfless and kind. Personally, I like Spike and Rarity. Those funny moments where Spike fawns over her is cannon. Those sweet moments where Rarity shows affection towards him is cannon. That's enough for me to ship them. |
| Anonymous #759947 7 months ago |
I hope its the first one. The shipment is so adorable. |
| MintBerryCrunch #759984 7 months ago |
I pretty much agree entirely with AdrianBrony.
Also, Spike is only a little younger than Twilight. He was hatched by Twilight when she was a filly. So Spike's probably older than most people seem to think he is. |
| Anonymous #760454 7 months ago |
Honestly, we'll all just have to see how it plays out in future episodes.
(I will, however, throw in my own opinion and say that Rarity tearing up when Spike was about to confess says a lot. and that AdrianBrony makes several good points. and all of the affection that goes on between Spike/Rarity. yup.) |
| Anonymous #760491 7 months ago |
He's never acted like anything but a kid in the series. We saw him as a teenager, he was different with a different (and hilarious) voice.
I think Rarity was just relieved he was turning back. We will see how this will pan out, but I don't think parents would want their kids to think it's okay for a kid to have a romantic relationship with an adult. Besides, I think platonic relationships are underrated and kids should learn that not everything is romance. |
| Anonymous #760500 7 months ago |
And an adult woman shouldn't have a romantic relationship with a teenage boy. That's just gross. And wrong. And if it were my kid I'd want to beat the crap out of her for going after my kid. Before someone says woman abuse I'm a woman and this is an if situation and a want to but not would do. |
| ponyaddict #761455 7 months ago |
...this raises a weird idea in my head. Am I the only one who has fewer problems with younger guy/older girl than older guy/younger girl? I think if their genders were reversed we wouldn't even be having the "is it ok" discussion... |
| Anonymous #761502 7 months ago |
people are still complaining about their ages? PFFT |
| Anonymous #761507 7 months ago |
^ Spike didn't look that young to me while he was stealing Ponyville. |
| Anonymous #762118 7 months ago |
@ pony addict it's a common thought, and a harmful one because people don't think female pedophiles exist. |
| Anonymous #762406 7 months ago |
Solutions for shippers:
Age problem: No official age. Only speculations. Plus, there's a thing known as waiting. Think Crazy Stupid Love. Inter-species: Think Lady Rainicorn and Jake (Shrek has been overused) No romance in little kids shows: 90% of Disney. I guess people forgot all about that huh. She'll die before him: Lifespan of either is not fully made. I don't like the ship: Well GTFO. Not to be rude, but you could be doing something better than downing someone else's ship, like curing diabetes every time there's a cute moment in the show. If ship is disproved, than I'll live happily with it as long as it's a gentle letdown. If proven, I'll be even happier (it is a cute ship by the way). No one speculation at this point is right or wrong. We may never get the answer; but the fun thing about unsolved speculations, you get to make them whatever you want. |
| Anonymous #762499 7 months ago |
Spike's not that young. He doesn't go to school like CmC. He works at the library. |
| AkatsukiKaizoku #762701 7 months ago |
Well... Spike always specified as a crush, he probably knows that it miiiiiiiiight be temporal, not to mention he does stuff normally with Rarity, he only goes that way when Rarity comforts him or worries about her, not to mention he likes to impress her just cause...
I agree with Rarity acknowledging his crush in a friendly manner. |
| Anonymous #763945 7 months ago |
He's Twilight's student. He's a kid. Fuck bronies. |
| Anonymous #764479 7 months ago |
^ He's Twilight's assistant. Half the time, he's the only sane man; the other half, he's the plucky comic relief.
^^ I think the degree of presentation re: Spike's crush is dependent on who's writing the episode. He's gone out of his way to help Rarity (sometimes at pain to himself, a la serving as a literal pin cushion while she sews,) and in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene he's briefly heart-eyed at Twilight when she gets a hair-do that mirrors Rarity's. I'd be happy if they (Hasbro/the animators/whatever) commit one way or the other. I'd also be happy even if it isn't a focused-on thing - Just funny background events or the like that are a clear nod to the ship. |
| Anonymous #765123 7 months ago |
He is still very young. His childish crush is cute and funny, but I wouldn't want actual shipping. |
| Anonymous #765749 7 months ago |
They don't need to do shipping stuff. Spike and Rarity are cute the way they are on the show.
Spike's crush is funny and his selflessness towards her is admirable. The occasional kisses and nuzzling from Rarity now just makes it even better. |
| Anonymous #766494 7 months ago |
I do demand, though, that Rarity kisses everyone on the cheek when they give her something nice. That would be funny. |
| Anonymouz #767190 7 months ago |
Rarity's kisses are for Spikeywikey alone. |