The Great Six
by *Bonaxor
Season 3, we all await its arrival, and though there hasn’t been a clear indication on when the season will start, we do know that season 3 won’t be starting this August, as Equestria Daily sent Hasbro an email asking this. Hasbro hopes to have it on their schedule by the end of 2012, and will announce it four weeks in advance. This statement is proven even more as the company Shout Factory is releasing a DVD titled: “Adventures in the Crystal Kingdom” on December 4, 2012.
Hasbro has also updated the Royal Wedding micro-site with new games and such. Hidden in all this mish-mash is a new season 3 character.
(More after the page break, some people may consider Lord Donut Steel a spoiler [DS])
This new, confirmed character for season three is being dubbed “Lord Donut Steel” by the bronies as of right now. Nothing else about this new character is known, though my guess is he will eventually fall into the new Crystal Empire. Crystal Empire? Yeah! Apparently, there’s a new area in Equestria named the Crystal Empire, er, or Crystal Kingdom if you will. Hasbro has already started marketing this new area shown by their new toy line series. Actually, in the back of one of these new toys is a little message indicating that Shining Armor and Princess Cadance will in fact be the new rulers of the Crystal Empire/Kingdom!
Throughout this year, EverFree Radio has interviewed a lot of great people, but two of those great people, Madeleine Peters and Michelle Creber, have revealed some secrets of season three. Michelle said, “Nowadays we’re making them all [the CMC] have good voices.” She also mentioned that we can look forward to hearing a new song in “basically” every episode of season three. As for the Madeleine Peters interview, she revealed that she recorded a new song with her singing well. Based off a since deleted tweet (Madeleine Peters closed her Twitter account), we can expect that song to be around or before Christmas 2012. She also recorded an episode that features her a lot and which felt a “little bit out of character” to her.
Another great announcement was the return of John de Lancie to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. A member by the name of Fluttersquid had attended the Toronto Comic Con, and after the panel had gone up to John de Lancie to get a picture of Discord signed by him, he laughed and started talking about the lack of females approaching him. She mentioned MLP to him and he gave out a little spoiler, namely about returning to the show. (Thread found here) This obviously wouldn’t be considered a definite source, but apparently someone actually recorded John de Lancie’s panel from Comic Con in which someone asks if he had thought about doing more voice over work, such as he did in MLP. His response is, “I’ve done actually another MLP, which is coming out.” None of these statements prove however that he’ll be voicing Discord, but it is the most likely.
Another question a lot of bronies have been asking is will season three have more than 13 episodes. Well, as written by the great Telofy on his own site Ponyleaks:
The continued voice recording, new or renewed writers, and the continued work of the storyboarders were already more or less clear indications that the production of season three may already extend beyond the thirteenth episode (or that something else is in production), but now Top Draw published their plans to finish the first thirteen episodes by August 10, 2012. Combined with William Anderson’s statement that “Everfree NW (August 17–19, 2012) is ‘right in the middle of season three,’ so he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to come, but he’d love to. (31:47)” it now seems very likely that season three has been extended to the usual twenty-six episodes.
More recently, however, he updated with new developments:
After William Anderson put the “finishing touches” to S03E01 a few days ago, he has now, 2012-07-13, received feedback. We know his grand work from the past seasons, so no surprise there. Most interesting is one remark: “One down 12 to go.” That doesn’t mean, of course, that nothing has happened since those emails leaked. Big conventions are already being planned for the 2013 convention season, and the organizers surely have enough at stake to convince the powers that be to grant them some solid intelligence that pony will stay for many more seasons. And most (or all?) the earlier generations had their own movies, so that’s another thing we should watch out for.
It seems that either the development of season 3 is progressing slower than that of the earlier seasons—which would probably be for the best, since composing BGM may well be the “hardest gig in the business” (William Anderson)—or whatever is keeping him from attending Everfree NW isn’t episodes at all as Telofy remarked, but that’s of course all speculation. The “continued work of the storyboarders,” for example, has ceased for the moment, as Sibsy mentioned on DeviantArt. In fact this tweet by Meghan McCarthy almost suggests that they may have already decided on the story editor or head writer, whoever it might be.
This year’s Comic Con was filled with even more secrets than that Toronto one. During the panels, a lot of stuff was hinted, some confirmed and overall it left everyone feeling ready for the new season. The bullet points below indicate some hints.
Trixie’s return was “confirmed” with a “I think we’re not allowed to say, but I will expect season three to maybe see some great and powerful stuff.”
Hasbro loves Derpy, but they only love her enough to give her more background roles rather than speaking roles.
Cathy Weseluck started voicing a possible voice for Octavia and hinted of a possible duet between Rarity and Octavia.
Fluttershy was mentioned that she would be turning into a dragon by Tabitha, but this was later confirmed false by Meghan McCarthy on her Twitter. However, Meghan said in that same Twitter post that Fluttershy is still doing an awesome thing.
Luna was talked about more, so possible season 3 Luna appearances
The craziness continues in season 3! More episodes like “Lesson Zero?!” It looks like there could be! :)
During this year’s Comic Con, Hasbro released a new video of a season 3 song called “The Failure Song” (i.e. “I Wasn’t Prepared for This”).
Watch this video on YouTube.
A few days later another video of a season 3 song popped up. This one was called “Ballad of the Crystal Ponies” and proves the existence of the Crystal Empire.
“Ballad of the Crystal Ponies”.
Watch this video on YouTube.
Finally, an extended version of the show’s main theme was also released at Comic Con. Though it is possible for this to be season 3′s opening, it probably won’t be as it is kind of lengthy, and they only referred to it as “Sizzle Reel.” Don’t get me wrong though, I would truly enjoy for this to be the new opening.
“Extended Main Theme”.
Watch this video on YouTube.
So, season three looks like it’s going to be a damn good one! Anyway, I’ll now leave you with a summarization of this post and some other secrets of season three.
Season 3 will not be starting in August, but hopefully before December 2012
“Lord Donut Steel” is now confirmed for season 3
New area in Equestria named the Crystal Empire or Kingdom
Shining Armor & Princess Cadance rule over the Crystal Empire or Kingdom
New songs in “basically” every episode of season 3
An episode featuring a lot of Scootaloo, as well as one with her singing well (along with the rest of the CMC)
John de Lancie is returning
Trixie is returning
Derpy probably won’t be speaking anymore, but will still have background roles
Octavia possibly might have a voice, and sing a duet with Rarity!
Fluttershy is doing something awesome this season
Luna will possibly make more appearances
More crazy ponies in season 3!
Germany will possibly see a dubbed 3rd season
M.A. Larson has wrote 2 episodes for season 3
Bigger role for Zecora (Tweet)
More arcing in season 3? (Tweet)
More than 13 episodes in season 3?
New writer for season three! Welcome Natasha Levinger!