How would Hasbro handle Queens?

[Leave a Whisper]

The thing is, as much as Disney has a reputation for evil queens, there are only two in the canon, both based on their source material.  One of them wasn't so much evil as insane.  However, because the other was the first Disney cinematic villain ever, it's what everyone thinks of.  There are have been at least as many pirates with prosthetic limbs that have served as canon Disney villains.

And it does not that good queens don't seem to do much.  Elsa is our first ruling queen who is a main character.

I chalk it up to the same thing that has colored William Shatner's career.  Yes, he can be a ham, but he's not half the ham pop culture would have you believe.  Likewise, Disney has a couple evil queens, but it's not crawling with them like pop culture would have you believe.

Good point.

Post Merge: July 04, 2018, 11:41:49 AM

I meeeeean, yeah there've been a couple good Disney queens, but the ones who are actual 'characters' (like, not bit parts like "Princess Aurora's mom") are mostly evil.  Even Elsa was originally intended to "turn evil", until they reworked the script.

And I think that's part of it:  "princess" is also just more marketable.  "Queen" still means "political ruler" most of the time (unless we are talking about drama queens or drag queens, LOL), but "princess" has become shorthand for "pure-hearted, kind, beautiful, generous girl."  That's why there are shirts for little girls that read "I'm a PRINCESS!" or "Daddy's little princess."  There are no shirts that say "Daddy's little queen."

I think part of the appeal of "princess" to little girls is it sort of suggests you get all the leisure of royal life, all the positive attention, you can help your subjects by being good and gracious . . . but you don't have a lot of the responsibilities.  (Although in MLP, both past and present, being a princess DOES carry responsibility . . . It's definitely is a political position, which I like.  Ain't nothing wrong with responsibility!)

In G3 "Every pony becomes a princess" with the Crystal Princess line . . . They didn't try for "Every pony becomes a queen." And even though G1 had Majesty, her toy was only sold for about three years.  After which Hasbro sold at least 20 princess ponies.

But like I said, I totally support more "queen" ponies.  To be honest the whole "princess equals good-hearted girl <3" thing kind of annoys me.

It would be cool if a future generation had multiple pony-run countries, each with its own king or queen.

True. But pop culture does also portray Daddy's Little Princess as the stereotypical spoiled rich brat.

[Ponyfan]

In the US Dream Castle commercial there's a scene at around 13 seconds where the Year 2 unicorns are standing in front of Majesty's throne and the little girl places Majesty on the throne.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qioH5svhcg 

I'm sure it's more to sell the throne (since the line at that point in the commerical is "A lovely throne..." but it is interesting that the other unicorns are waiting for Majesty to stand on the throne.


Ponyfan

[LadyMoondancer]

It's strange that they decided to leave her out of all the G1 animation, even RaMC and EfC when the castle was being sold.  Unless they thought Spike plus the Castle being in the cartoon was enough advertising for that set?

[Taffeta]

It's strange that they decided to leave her out of all the G1 animation, even RaMC and EfC when the castle was being sold.  Unless they thought Spike plus the Castle being in the cartoon was enough advertising for that set?

I just assumed that she (ie the idea of a queen) wasn't culturally relevant enough for a predominately US target audience.

I'm thinking about the appearance of royalty in Jem, and there's Morvania, where you have the rightful heiress Adriana being confined by her wicked cousin who is trying to kill her and such...so again the princess struggling against adversity. Misfits there associate with the idea of 'Queen', albeit in terms of music...

And although it isn't royalty, there's the very weird rules of inheritance on the (apparently British) Hawthorne estate, where Mason is supposed to inherit at 6pm on his 21st birthday (but it is being held/controlled by his uncle in his name and his uncle is trying to kill him). So although that's a male scenario, it's still the idea of the dispossessed heir(ess) trying to reclaim their rightful property/power/land.

There's also Renaissance Woman but that is so culturally offensive on all levels I'm just going to not count it.

I really think that's the core of princess stories in Hasbro's 1980s canon. And Majesty the Queen already doesn't fit that. Queens only exist in the US in fairy stories, so she just doesn't make sense in the bigger plot. Better to include a little girl with whom the audience can connect.

[Mana Minori]

Guys, the type of Queen I'm referring to is the LGBT+ term, not the actual mother of a Princess......(although I would question whether Hasbro would have the cajones to make a Queen a Queen)

[LadyMoondancer]

Ohhh, like drag queens?

I know they aren't 'officially', but my headcanon is that the G1 Dance 'n Prance ponies are drag queens.

[Leave a Whisper]

Guys, the type of Queen I'm referring to is the LGBT+ term, not the actual mother of a Princess......(although I would question whether Hasbro would have the cajones to make a Queen a Queen)

You didn't make yourself very clear.

[Loa]

Queens, as in the place?

[Mana Minori]

Ohhh, like drag queens?

I know they aren't 'officially', but my headcanon is that the G1 Dance 'n Prance ponies are drag queens.

'xactly

Post Merge: July 04, 2018, 06:35:17 PM

Queens, as in the place?

my sincerest apologies. I thought I padded the op out with very clear connotations.

[Loa]

Queens, as in the place?

my sincerest apologies. I thought I padded the op out with very clear connotations.

My apologies that you don't get Kiwi!

[Khoufu]

In that case, give me gay, cross-dressing, and transgender ponies.

[Al-1701]

Orchard Blossom is the closest we've gotten, though it was only a disguise.

[BlackCurtains]

Wasn't Big Mac a princess at some point? I don't watch the show anymore but I remember that was talked about a lot.

[Khoufu]

Yes, Big Mac was a princess in dream world, and Fluttershy sounded like a guy thanks to poison joke.

[Zapper]

This thread clearly shows that Hasbro can't even make a female pony a queen so why would they make a male pony a Queen

Btw I think Rarity with butterfly wings looked pretty much like one, haha.