Fiendship Is Magic #2 Tirek

Well, it’s here, the derailing of our fanon for Tirek’s origin. At least we got the fall of the centaur empire out of the way before this hit. And I thank Wolfram-and-hart for that VERY VERY much.

Okay. There are certainly some big ironies here.

First, I don’t know if mine was missing a page, but it didn’t end with an ‘end’ on the last panel.

Second, Tirek has a black pouch with him the entire time in story and is never opened. If that isn’t the rainbow of darkness in there then it’s just a cheat.

Third, the weather gremlins show up more than a few times in the background, IMHO this implies the gremlins are in charge of the weather of Tirek’s kingdom the way pegasi are of Equestria.

Forth, DISCORD shows up in a silent role the background of Tirek’s court in a few scenes, simply observing rather than his normal ‘LOOK AT ME!’ attitude.

Fifth, it’s official, Scorpan and Tirek are blood related, Scorpan gets his gargoyle species from his mother’s side.

Sixth, there’s an annoying section in story that has several silent panel that has the narrative boxes (the only real time in story) JUST HAS TO talk about how love and power are the two things that can truly drive someone to madness. I think IMHO they threw that in BECAUSE they think readers don’t like the idea of a comic page with no text letters. Ugh!

UGH! I saw the Sonic comics do the same thing. BLECH! It’s WEAKENS the story telling!

Seventh, unicorn magic is spoken of by Tirek’s mentor as the most potent in the world.

Eighth, the main inhabitants of the desert like kingdom Tirek’s family rules over seem to be centaurs (and are named so in story), gargoyles (supposedly called so by the comic artist), and and the weather gremlins.

Ninth, Tirek IS a prince! And his father describes him as being power hungry from day one, and fears the kind of man his son is growing into. (This is why awful children should get shown life has consequences BEFORE awful children grow into awful adults!).

Tenth, his fearsome appearance is actually natural for his species, except the types of horns they have vary from centaur to centaur (his father has far more antler like horns).

Eleventh, the family castle bears a striking resemblance to Midnight Castle.

Twelfth, Celestia is noted as already being the ruler of Equestria at this time. Now this is a BIG continuity error! If this is AFTER Celestia became ruler of Equestria, then Discord should be a stone statue (since everything implies Celestia and Luna became rulers of Equestria AFTER beating Discord!). This is perhaps my only BIG gripe with the book besides the lack of an ‘end’ dialogue box or personal bellyaching of my fanfic’s fanon being torpedoed. (Compared to say Crystal Heart and Two Princesses, which are just BADLY WRITTEN IMHO and I don’t consider canon at all, and yes, as one person put it, I DO consider the “shitty comics” more canon than those written by one of the show’s writers.)

Thirteenth, Tirek finds the idea that Scorpan would EVER betray him as incomprehensible, even if, LIKE ANY elder brother, he sees his little brother a nuisance (which is just normal sibling friction).

—
The sky in Tirek’s kingdom is green, and appears to be desert. The rocky mesas nearby are referred to as the ‘netherlands.’

Sendak is introduced as Tirek’s secret mentor in magic leaving in the ‘netherlands’ in sight of the castle. The elderly centaur recently visited Equestria and kidnapped a unicorn and brought them back. Sedak warns Tirek he’s not yet ready to handle the magic a unicorn contains.

We also see Scorpan cares for, and WORRIES about his brother, and cares for his parents as well.

King Vorak is introduced as Tirek’s father.
The gargoyle, Queen Haydon, is introduced his wife. She clearly cares for both her sons.

Tirek overhears his father talking about Tirek’s inborn love for power (and that Scorpan’s devotion to his brother might drag him along whatever path Tirek chooses), while his mother says how he’s never even tried to encourage Tirek to explore his gift with magic and is clearly the most talented in their kingdom.

Scorpan interrupts before the argument can get worse.

We learn King Vorak does NOT approve of Tirek seeing Sedak!

Scorpan says he doesn’t think they should listen in on their parents, while Tirek says without that they wouldn’t know how his father REALLY felt about him, and how his mother will never say it to his face for the sake of the family.

Also, Tirek at this point, while clearly a teenager (and Scorpan a lad) Tirek can use telekensis.

Tirek sneaks out at night, and decides to take the kidnapped Unicorn’s magic for himself. His master awakens just in time to warn him not to try it, the resulting explosion traps his father under the rubble, and the unicorn escapes and Tirek flees.

The next morning, Tirek’s elderly master is sentenced to life in the mines, to never see the sun again. (Considering he’s now crippled on top of his great age, his sentence won’t be for very long).

We also see King Vordak employs at least one ‘classic wigged’ centaur as an administrator. And two weather gremlins also serve in King Vordak’s court.

Tirek lies about not going out last night, but his father is not buying it (and Scorpan doesn’t understand why Tirek chose to lie to both their father AND HIM!), and the king is certain Tirek was privy to his master’s scheme somehow.

And Vorak declares he needs to do damage control with Celestia over one of her ponies being kidnapped, calling Tirek’s master a fool for risking war, and until he return, his wife is in command, and that Tirek is NOT to leave his room until his father returns and posts guards to make sure.

Tirek thinks to himself how his father is right, one day he’ll TAKE the throne, and rule over this kingdgom, and then Equestria would be next on his list.

It’s clear Vordak knew his son was dangerous, but didn’t know how to knock any sense into Tirek.

The comic shows that yes, Tirek was indeed a bad seed, but the centaurs and their subject races themselves are not evil.

Next month we have the sirens.

So far we’ve had the tragic monster, the bad seed (ironically the former having been CREATED to be evil, and the latter actually being born a creature with free will).

I HOPE that when we get to Nightmare Moon, we get some personality and goals and motives out of her other than ‘alien parasite that took over Luna’ why the hell IS she evil then? How the hell do her goals even make sense? For a madmare driven by jealousy and rage at least they’d made a twisted amount of SENSE! It REDUCES Nightmare Moon to a 1-D card carrying villain who exists JUST to be evil for no good reason.

Like I said, we’ve had the tragic monster, and the bad seed.

For Tirek, the bad seed WORKS HERE, because he has a mentor who fosters that trait, and his family trying futilely to root it out of him. And Tirek constantly being told ‘he’s not ready’ and like any teenager, he’s determined to prove them wrong even if it means making stupid and selfish choices.

I just hope they don’t go they ‘they want to conquer Equestria because they’re evil. Why are they evil? Uh, because they want to conquer Equestria?’

Tirek is ROYALTY, his kingdom is a wasteland, while it’s clear his motives are clearly based on power, its likely he wasn’t CONTENT with just his family’s lands. Again, with TIREK, the bad seed works!

But just using ‘bad seed’ for the Nightmare Force, the Sirens, and Chrysalis IMHO would be boring.

If you’re going to do stories based around your villains, you have to give them MORE than just 1-D motives (Tirek resented his father, thought lowly of his mother for being weak, and rarely returned Scorpan’s love for him, but STILL hated Scorpan for betraying him, implying he did care for him in his own way).

That’s why I hope with the sirens we learn WHY they’re the way they are, rather than just them being evil ‘just cause.’

That’s why I hope the remaining three stories aren’t just going to be MORE ‘bad seeds.’

Why am I possessing Luna and bring about endless night? Because I’m evil. Why am I evil? Uh, because I’m possessing Luna and bringing about endless night?”

We’ve seen a villain who was CREATED to be evil, but grew up NOT wanting to be the monster he’d become, but ultimately embraced the devil inside.

We’ve seen a bad seed from a seemingly decent enough but not flawless family born in a position of power.

Hopefully, the remaining three villain stories won’t just recycle ‘bad seed’ motif.

For instance, were the sirens born with no natural ability to sing, unlike other seaponies who naturally excel at it, and created the gems to feed their bruised egos, rather than WORKING to overcome their handicap, if their hearts were truly set on singing? (Some paths are easier than others, but unless it’s the path that makes you happy, then it doesn’t matter how easy it is).

And Chrysalis, if she WAS the hearts and hooves princess as is the common fanon theory, did the love poison and the loss of her original kingdom ‘poison’ her to the idea of love and seeing it only as something shallow?

I’m just saying that Sombra’s story has shown that they CAN write villain origins that make the villain a character WITHOUT having to make the good guys a bad guy.

While it IS seen as a cliche by some, I wonder if we’ll get at least one villain who could seen as part of the ‘cycle of hatred’.

P.S. Personally? If the Chrysalis comic does have to do with the ponies checking up on the imprisoned Chrysalis. I wonder if the writers WON’T sweep under the rug on how the changelings haven’t all STARVED TO DEATH with no love to feed on.