The world of My Little Pony is set in a fantasy kingdom named Equestria and is cute and fun, filled with magic and friendship. However, what if a brain killing, flesh decaying infectious virus broke out in the Kingdom of Equestria? This is the question many people in the fandom of MLP are trying to answer. From single pieces of art to full animations of an alternate universe story, every person joining in on this trend has a unique spin on the idea and adds their own twist.
Firstly, where did it come from? While the person who originally started the trend is difficult to discern, the most recent uptick in its popularity seems to have been started by @bunnyizcute on TikTok. Their “Smile Virus” videos showed an eerie virus taking over the pony population. From there, many other creators have made their own version of a virus throughout Equestria. One of the most popular videos is of a distorted pony, his mouth is unnaturally agape and his limbs are deformed. This video was made by @etc.etcetera and they have many more videos explaining their version of the infection.
While many of these different alternate universes differ when it comes to the specifics of this virus, its core is generally the same. Possibly inspired from an illness called “swamp fever” shown in one of the episodes of MLP, a common symptom is slowly turning into a plant or tree. Whether through the spreading of spores or bites, the means of infection differ through each of the individual interpretations as well. Many also touch on the idea that this illness slowly drives the infected pony insane; as their symptoms get worse, the pony they were before slowly ‘dies’ in a metaphorical sense.
As well as the illness having an impressive amount of detail in these stories, the state of the world is well thought out as well. One of the characters from the show, Twilight Sparkle, is intelligent and hardworking. Tthus many people will write her as a researcher, painstakingly trying to find a cure for the illness. Another character, Fluttershy, is a shy pony who loves animals and plants and commonly will be written as either caring for sick ponies or helping Twilight Sparkle find a cure. The other main characters, Apple Jack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Rarity, have more varied stories but each one is extremely interesting!
Overall, the fans of My Little Pony are a terrifically creative group. Taking a cute and fun show and adding a darker twist, all the while still managing to keep the characters true to themselves. This trend only makes me more excited to see what new ideas these fans have for their favorite ponies!
Citations
@bunnyizcute on TikTok
@etc.etcetera on TikTok
The My Little Pony Wiki, https://mlp.fandom.com/wiki/My_Little_Pony_Friendship_is_Magic_Wiki
