Kkat Talks About Fallout Equestria, Season 5, and the Brony Fandom in General, dislikes Spike episodes

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     With BronyCon right around the corner, it's time to talk about one of the fandom's most popular subfandoms, Fallout Equestria. Set in an alternate post apocalyptic universe where a great war between ponies and zebras  led to the dropping of nuclear-esque bombs, the fandom is a crossover between the video game series Fallout, and the TV series My Little Pony. The runaway success of the fandom can be attributed to its dedicated fans, who provide a steady stream of music, videos, stories, and art, as well as the excellent writing of KKat, the mysterious writer who started it all. First published in 2011, FoE quickly gained popularity on various Fallout forums before moving over to Equestria Daily where it remains one of the most viewed pieces of work on EQD today. I had the pleasure of interviewing KKat and have included the full interview below.

FoE mixes ideas and locations
 from Fallout and MLP

1) What is Fallout Equestria about, at its core?

Fallout: Equestria is an epic story (both in length and in scale) that infuses the world of Equestria with concepts and elements from the Fallout series of post-apocalyptic games.  This concept becomes a vehicle for a telling a tale about standing up against evil no matter the cost, and about lighting candles in the darkness.  Ultimately, Fallout: Equestria is a story about the both the value and vulnerability of virtue and the power and necessity of friendship -- themes which I believe are closely tied to the heart of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

2) What was your favorite moment in FoE, what scene was the most fun to write?

I couldn’t pick just one.  My favorite scenes to write were often the flashbacks to wartime Equestria.  These scenes usually involved the characters from the show, and challenged me to put the ponies we know and love into situations well outside the scope of the show while still keeping them true to themselves.  

Particular favorites amongst these include a battlefield scene involving Big Mac, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash from “Dances of Light and Shadow”, a memory concerning Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Zecora in “Distress Signals”, and a particularly enjoyable flashback involving Rarity and Prince Blueblood from “Racing Apotheosis”.  And, of course, all the memory orbs in “The Shadow of the Ministries”.

I also particularly loved writing scenes that involved subtle Chekhov’s Guns that I knew would come back in a big way later.  I planted numerous of glimpses and hints about upcoming events and revelations, and I had a tremendous fun watching fans’ reactions to these elements of the story.  At first, they treated these little details as throw-away things (“Oh, the medical box is painted like Fluttershy -- that’s cute.”), but they soon caught on to how the story was going to bring back or build on those things.  The fans began to hunt for clues, guess at their meanings, and try to piece things together before the protagonist could.

3) What part of FoE was the hardest to write emotionally and technically?

I find the hardest part about writing anything is actually sitting down and starting to write.  So many other things always call for attention or attempt to distract, and overcoming laziness and procrastination can be a challenge.  Even worse is the occasional struggle with writer’s block.  I find that once I’ve actually started writing, it becomes easier.  But that first sentence is the hardest part of each writing day.

I was the most nervous during my earliest attempts at writing the canon characters.  There was a huge pressure to make them feel right.  Each major character from the show had to be recognizable and in-character, but also give a sense that they had grown older and their actions were grounded partially in experiences from the decades between the show and the war's end.  It wasn’t until the thirteenth chapter of Fallout: Equestria that I felt confident enough in writing the Mane 6 to write the first memory orb.

There were several points where I found myself crying while writing, or had to take a pause.  The Apple Orb is a particularly strong example.

4) If you could go back and add one thing from the new seasons into the story, what would it be?

There are so many new things that the episodes from mid-season two through season five have given authors to play with.  But the one that I think, would have been the biggest boon, lore-wise, to the universe would have been the Super Speedy Cider Squeezie 6000.  After that episode came out, I wrote a small fragment called The Motorwagon Orb postulating that wartime Equestria could have seen the proliferation of motorized carriages based on that design, with "Flam and Sons" being the Equestrian equivalent of Fallout's Chryslus Motors.

5) Have you ever told anyone outside of the fandom about your writing? If you have, what was their reaction?

I absolutely have.  In fact, the story was originally being written for a Fallout modding group; I was advised to submit it to Equestria Daily so that I could get additional feedback while writing.  Reactions have varied but been largely positive, with those willing to give it a try almost universally enjoying it.  The story has drawn a number of readers into the My Little Pony fandom, and persuaded even more to give the Fallout games a try.

6) How do you feel about the success of FoE, and the subsequent creation of a new sub-fandom?

Two FoE fans cosplay as Velvet Remedy and Calamity 

I must admit, the runaway success of the story has left me in awe and a little bit terrified.  The success of the story has largely been a very positive thing in my life.  The community has been amazing.  And I wouldn’t trade all the friendship I’ve found in the fandom for anything.  Every day, I am blessed with the opportunity to spend time in a positive environment with a large and exceptional group of people full of kindness, generosity and creativity.

I certainly didn’t expect the story to blossom like it did under the overwhelmingly wonderful amount of support and response that I got from the Brony community.  The outpouring so vastly exceeded my expectations that I still feel stunned, humbled and unimaginably grateful.

7) With two of the “Big Five” of FoE already over and Heroes, Murky, and Horizons all wrapping up, what do you think is the future of the FoE fandom? Do you believe that there will be any more stories of the same scale by a new generation of writers?

I have no doubt that there are many more Fallout: Equestria side stories on the horizon, especially with the recent release of Fallout Shelter and the upcoming November release of Fallout 4.  I expect the future of Fallout: Equestria side stories will be largely shaped by Fallout 4.

8) Will you be attending any conventions this summer?

I will be attending Worldcon, a major science fiction convention, in a few weeks.  Unfortunately, I am unable to attend any My Little Pony conventions this year as my days off from work are already pre-arranged.

9) How do you feel about the Brony fandom, did you ever think that a large dedicated audience could form from a children’s TV show marketed to girls?  With the Brony fandom hitting five years of age, what direction do you think the fandom as a whole is moving towards? As the fandom becomes more and more mainstream, do you think that this will put the fandom in a positive light?

Like any fandom that has grown as massive as this one, it is impossible to accurately lump everyone together or paint them all with a single description.  We have our good and our bad, but it is my impression that we are still predominately a positive fandom.  I wouldn't trade the friendships and community that I have found thanks to this fandom for anything, so I'm completely biased.  

As for outside perception, I think that what really matters is that we hold to the virtues of the show: honesty, loyalty, kindness, generosity, inclusive joy and friendship.  I would like to think the outside world will see us in a positive light... but the truth is, if we do that, it makes no difference how anyone sees us.

10) Have you seen season 5 yet? What was your favorite episode.  

Absolutely.  (Although I must admit that I haven't watched "Princess Spike" yet.  I find the Spike episodes to often leave a bad taste, so I've been avoiding it.)  There have been numerous amazing episodes this season, but I have to say that my favorite was this latest one, "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep".  It is great character development for Luna, and a brilliant way to get a look inside the minds of our favorite characters.  I love that they expanded that look to encompass the entire town, giving us a glimpse into the dreams of many beloved background ponies.  And having the town pull together in a communal effort, rather than make this another save by the Mane Six, was great storytelling.