How Kids Shows Discuss Trauma, As Shown in MLP

Kids shows like MLP discuss trauma more often than you'd think, and in very inriguing and well written ways. Join me as I talk about a few of my favourite examples of this.

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Maverick
Windy Berry

[TS_Tiziano]

Another just as good episode of traumas (or even better) is Amending Fences, where it teaches us how to amend our mistakes of the past. (Which is like overcoming a trauma, but acting to solve it)

[sergioandrescontreras]

Wow I never thought MLP could be so traumatic. But I think that’s the point, children, teenagers and adults must learn how to deal with trauma and MLP is a perfect example of that. It’s not the only show that deals with trauma though. There’s also the Lion guard as you mentioned, Ducktales 2017, Gravity falls, Amphibia, The owl house, centaur world, The Cuphead show, the ghost and Molly Mcgee, Big city greens and Star Wars the clone wars. If you haven’t seen any of these shows, I highly recommend them. They are just as great as My little pony friendship is magic.

[farfetchedreality]

Starlight glimmer as well! A lot of people (in reactions i have watched at least) kept saying how weird her motives were but really, the way they explain her backstory really hit me. Of course I didn't become a cult leader, but I had a single friend that I was leaning on for support and when that friend suddenly left i spiraled and refused to make any true friends until someone else reached out to me, exactly like Starlight. And I only had to go through that for a year or so, imagine living you're whole life like that, I can see how her trauma built up and manifested like that. And the panic attack she has during To Where and Back Again, was super real!

[thaddeusr.]

MLP handles these kinds of situations so well. Some of the best episodes came from these kinds of discussions.

[MSF]

Sci Twi's arc in Legend of Everfree made me fall in love with MLP. The fact they were willing to even address such mature topics like trauma at all in both FiM and EQG is something I respect the staff at DHX immensely for. They might not have been been able to explore them in depth, on the count of not being ALLOWED too, but the fact they even talked about them at all is commendable. In fact Sci Twi's arc made Legend of Everfree my favorite EQG film and I personally think Legend of Everfree is worth watching just for her arc alone. I don't think Legend of Everfree is a flawless film, there are some parts to that really get under my skin, but Sci Twi's arc more than makes up for the problems I have with the film, it pretty much carries the film. Just goes to show MLP may be just a show for kids on the surface, but if you look a little deeper, you just my be impressed with what you find.

[TheEternalSamurai]

Those are all really good examples. Definitely something I loved from MLP was how they tackled common issues that everyday people, especially neurodivergent people, struggle with day to day.
I've had many a times where I'd blame myself for mistakes I've made like Luna did. Or even dealt with how to let out my anger and not let it consume me, kinda like what Twilight feared with Midnight Sparkle. And yes, I've had identity issues too, like Ocellus.
Seeing examples like these in a show helps us feel like we're not alone in our struggles, and that our struggles feel valid, and that there is a way to resolve them.
Love this video Doc! You've earned yourself another sub.

[windyberry]

Now we almost need a full video on the lion guard after you mention it in the video

[AwkwardSegway]

Tanks for the Memories came out shortly before one of my dogs was put down (he had been diagnosed with cancer a little over six months before that), so that episode was really relatable for me.

[Rainbow_Sish_Kabob]

I've always been surprised and disappointed that stuff like this isn't discussed more. FiM had several characters (including the protagonist) who explicitly had trauma and/or neurodivergence just as it was beginning to become okay to talk about those things in media, particularly animation. And yet despite being an aspect of the series that has aged really well almost no one seems to care.

[BottlenoseTheSeaWing]

I really think that The Owl House did a great job with trauma.

So much so that I actually won’t watch it because I know I won’t be able to handle it.

But I didn’t see this as trauma either!

[TS_Tiziano]

I hope the truth Twilight shows up in G5, there may be a strong plot moment, being the leader who saw Equestria fall...

And if he is the culprit, it would be like Oppenheimer, but instead of creating the atomic bomb, by giving trees of harmony to each species...

And a plot that I hope they develop in Chapter 5, is that of Misty and Opaline, I don't want to imagine how painful it will be, when I face her face to face...

[trifosu]

you know what concerns me the most....when Luna explained how the Tantapus works she basically said that the thing gives her constant nightmares and that she can never have a happy ending in her dreams, and in her dream she became again nightmare moon. and when she battled the mane six she was winning until the thing escaped...and the mane six cured her and made her Luna again. I wonder...if that was a good ending to her dream...what was the bad...ending? that she in her nightmare moon form could have possibly destroyed the mane six and take over Equestria? that really shows just how dangerous nightmare moon was, but sadly we never saw her true capabilities outside her battle with Celestia. I for one wanted more nightmare moon action...but noo...they made a villain a foal with anger issues. sorry that I am salty towards Cozy Glow, but come on...she is but a young foal while nightmare moon was an evil alicorn princess.

[TS_Tiziano]

The big problem with Legends of Everfree is that it's a movie and not a special.

Probably as a special, it would be better than Sunset Shimmer, but as a movie...

It is the worst of the 4, having a lot of unnecessary padding and slow moments

Because the plot is not bad, only that it was to be done in 44 and not in 72 minutes...

[SmokeChoked]

It appears to me that some writers understand trauma and depression better thab others, and that includes the writers of My Little Pony.

I wish I had watched some of these examples, or at least gave them the chance they deserved, and make my own judgement rather than just taking your word for it. It's generally what I prefer to do, if I can. But it's painful that these great examples exist in the same show as my most hated episode, which ALSO covers depression, but not in a respectful or tasteful manner.

[DragonGirlKatie]

I am always fascinated when a show that would be considered 'for kids' tackle what are considered heavy topics. Its good for kids to see and learn about these things and for those who are sensitive to some of those topics, seeing them addressed in an otherwise comforting format can also be a tad helpful.

I remember watching the Lion Guard a while back too, vaguely I remember one or two scenes where the characters actually got cuts and bled a little, which is something so many cartoons (especially Disney) seem to shy away from and it stuck with me for that reason, surprising but welcomed level of maturity that isn't over done but feels natural in the show.

Mlp is similarly so, I particularly remember the episode when Rockhoof was asking to turn to stone... that was unexpected in the type of show that mlp is.
It does remind me also of Centaurworld, particularly episode s1 ep8. If you have not watched it before, I'd highly recommend it. Like if you put adventure time and mlp in a blender, would love to hear your thoughts on it.
Its one of those shows that will leave the brain twisted and a couple watches in you'll still be noticing the little details.

[renamon]

Please review mlp g5 endless summer comic. The comic is about sunny missing her dad and her friends help her.

[trexadvent]

What do you think the MLP FIM show would be like if it didn't have moments like these? How many times did it tackle real world issues?

[izzymoonbow]

what's your thoughts on rockhoof wanting to be stoned and do you think it's bad episode because it's tackle suicide.

[yondaime]

This is not MLP's strong suit though. They are too limited by the TV-Y rating, and have to resort to allegories and euphemisms, and it often feels forced. Even Jim Miller said in an interview that he would like to actually make an episode about death, instead of "hibernation". Media made for slightly older children has a lot more freedom to talk about that. Things like some Pixar and DreamWorks films, newer streaming shows like Centaurworld and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, or older shows like Avatar and Teen Titans. Being able to talk more openly about these topics goes a long way in representing them properly.

[Shadow_Glider]

Not mentioning Rookhoof is such a shame, the video doesn't feel complete without them.