The 'Shroom:Issue 207/Palette Swap
Director's Notes
It's June, y'all! Time for another issue of The 'Shroom!
Hope everyone has been enjoying the TTYD remaster! I'm getting ready to start Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance tonight, as my copy came in the mail today. I had a lot of fun with the original game back in 2021, so I'm really excited to jump back into the world of Da'at and see what kind of changes Atlus had made for us. I'll have more for you next month about the game, and hopefully about a new Nintendo Direct as well!
This month, we have a few guest submissions! We've got something a little different for you: Sparks (talk) wants to tell you about a video in Random Video Analysis! Our faithful director has crafted a new Random Image of the Month for you, and one of our returning fanfic authors, MightyMario (talk), has written a short story for Pride month featuring his OC characters as well! I won't keep you up here while we have guests below, so see you next time!
Happy reading!
~FunkyK38
Section of the Month
Drumroll for the Section of the Month results! Once again, winstein (talk)'s The ? Panel takes the top spot in our polls! close behind is Waluigi Time (talk) with both Shmaluigi, Private Investigator and Waluigi Time Comic. A big thank you to everyone who voted, and keep it up for this month as well!
| PALETTE SWAP SECTION OF THE MONTH | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Section | Votes | % | Writer |
| 1st | The ? Panel | 23 | 57.50% | winstein (talk) |
| 2nd | Shmaluigi, Private Investigator | 10 | 25.00% | Waluigi Time (talk) |
| 3rd | Waluigi Time Comic | 6 | 15.00% | Waluigi Time (talk) |
Random Image of the Month
Hello, and welcome back to Random Image of the Month, The 'Shroom's most infrequently-voluntary art critique. Last month, we took a look at an obscure piece of merchandise from the 90s that just so happened to feature one of my favorite Mario characters, Tatanga. If you thought we were done looking at obscure 90s merch, well, I've got bad news for you! As it turns out, the 90s is just chock full of nonsensical merchandise!
This month, we take a look at a very special flash card from the educational Mario Quiz Card sets released from 1995 to 1997. It was actually pretty difficult to pick which card to feature because there were just so many great options. There was one that implied Princess Peach was going to get into bootlegging whiskey. There was another that cast Mario as Lawrence of Arabia, ready to do some colonization. There was even one with Mario dressed up like Elvis! But I picked the one most dear to my heart. It combines my two great loves, those being Mario and American politics between 1850 and 1890.
First off, I love the fact that it's some random enemy that's asking the question in these cards. I think that's funny. I mean, imagine if you were just going through some cave, minding your own business, when a bat suddenly swooped down and was, like, "WHO IS THE 14TH PRESIDENT?". You'd be absolutely shaken! I don't think you'd be able to answer because you'd be so confused as to what is happening. Oh, by the way, the answer is Franklin Pierce. Now if a bat ever swoops down and demands answers, you have one!
I want to move on to the meat of the card itself. Now, if you think about it, this card really does highlight the tragedy of war. Two brothers who have fought against various foes as a team so many times now stand as enemies, their bond torn apart by war and ideological beliefs. Mario, with his strong desire to preserve the Union and free the slaves, states down his brother. Luigi with his commitment to states' rights, which totally aren't a euphemism for slavery, he swears, guys, stares back. I, uh, don't really like the implication of Confederate Luigi. Has the Luigi we've known and loved, the guy we use to fight ghosts and jump high, always held these beliefs? What made Luigi decide to join the Confederacy, and how do those beliefs translate to the Mushroom Kingdom…?
Also, just from a practical standpoint, Mario and Luigi are born and raised in Brooklyn. That's canon; we all saw the movie. Now, I know New York had a somewhat strong movement of Copperhead Democrats that supported ending the war either by peaceful reconciliation with the south or just outright surrendering to them. That movement would lead to events such as the Draft Riots of 1863, where, protesting against new conscription laws, many riots broke out in New York City. That situation wasn't helped by Democratic governor Horatio Seymour attempting to calm the rioters by claiming that the conscription acts were unconstitutional (don't worry! he gets his when he, along with all statewide Democrats, are swept out of office in the elections that year). The riots were only put down when the New York State Militia, along with federal troops, forcibly put them down. That's all kind of a fun historical aside, but to get back on track, it's just hard to see how Luigi would join the Confederacy. While there were people in New York who were against the war, there's little record of any of them joining the Confederacy, so I find it hard to believe that a laborer from Brooklyn would end up fighting on the frontlines for the Confederacy!
Based on the unlikelihood of a citizen of New York joining the Confederacy combined with the fact that Luigi has appeared in probably hundreds of games and has never shown any sign of prejudice, maybe Luigi is doing a historical reenactment. I mean, he hasn't ever shown prejudice… outside of prejudice directed towards ghosts, of course. But that doesn't count, because ghosts keep throwing his loved ones into paintings and they're also already dead. I don't think you can be prejudice against the dead. Sorry, it's just the way my family raised me!
Now, as I say that, I suppose that positing it's a reenactment could be wrong and it's possible that Luigi changed after the war. After all, it's not unheard of. James Longstreet became a Republican committed to protecting the rights of African-Americans after the war. So, yes, I acknowledge that, perhaps at one point Luigi held such beliefs and simply grew as a person after the war.
Buuuuuut… I think there's an even likelier explanation. Given the inconsistencies I pointed out, plus Luigi's complete lack of Confederate pride in the games, plus the fact that Mario games clearly take place in a more modern time we can probably conclude that Luigi never fought for the Confederacy. Instead, this is just an odd example of licensed merchandise from a time when Nintendo had way less rigorous standards for Mario-branded merchandise. I mean, for crying out loud, this was only two years after the release of Mario's Time Machine! It's a tragedy that they allowed a game like that, but not as great a tragedy as Mario and Luigi being torn about by war. But, hey, at least from all this tragedy we get a funny card to look at!
Waluigi Time Comic
Drawn by: Waluigi Time (talk)
"Countershill" - Waluigi Time Comic
Panel 1
[Waluigi Time peeks out from an alleyway, lowering a telescope]
WALUIGI TIME: Aha, a prime opportunity for shilling!
Panel 2
[A Luigi-like character in a dapper suit and holding a spoon while standing on the sidewalk is observed from behind]
WALUIGI TIME (offscreen): Look at that guy, he's got a spoon and nothing to use it for
Panel 3
[Waluigi Time approaches the man who turns to look at him]
WALUIGI TIME: Hello, sir! I noticed you have a spoon there. Could I interest you in some CERE-
Panel 4
[The man excitedly shows Waluigi Time the spoon, catching him off guard]
L. POWER: That's right the L. Power NANO SPOON
Panel 5
[L. Power demonstrates the spoon transforming into a fork and knife]
L. POWER: No need for any other utensils, this revolutionary new product does it all!
Panel 6
[L. Power begins writing on a clipboard, Waluigi Time looks dejected and confused]
L. POWER: What do you say, can I put you down for a case? How about two?
Panel 7
[Waluigi Time angrily returns to his office, carrying several boxes marked "L. Power" on his back]
MR. SHBEEG: So, how did the shilling go today?
WALUIGI TIME: I don't wanna talk about it.
The ? Panel
Luigi: Hello, ladies, lookin' fab!
{Daisy puts her hand on her chest, while Peach waves}
{Luigi knocks on the door to Mario's room}
SFX: *Knock knock knock*
Luigi: Oh, bro! They're both here already!
{Mario points at something with uncertainty and shakes his head}
Mario: Hm...
{Luigi opens the door}
Luigi: Mario, you th-?
{Luigi was going to say "there" but was interrupted by what he is seeing}
{He sees Mario indecisively looking through his huge wardrobe of clothing.}
Luigi: Oh.
Mario: (mumbling) That looks good, but nah...
{Luigi closes the door to Mario's room}
Luigi: Um, sorry. Mario's still not ready.
Transcript
{Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy are walking through the night. Mario is shown wearing his classic red overalls, Luigi is frustrated, Daisy has an annoyed expression but still smiling, while Peach is calmly smiling through it}
Luigi: Come on! We waited so long only for you to wear the same old thing!
Mario: Nothing beats the classics! Besides, these are actually freshly made. See?
Shmaluigi, Private Investigator
Written by: Waluigi Time (talk)
Lock and Key: Part 3
Well, this was a pickle. I had Dooglas Cain dead to rights in the matter of the key theft, or key conspiracy, rather. The problem? There wasn't actually any crime committed, or so he claimed. Normally I don't take the chief suspect's word for this, mind you, so many of them will say anything they can to avoid getting hauled off. That being said, his argument that the Keyzer has full rights to do what they wish with anything they unlock at least seemed plausible enough for this to be an actually legally gray area. Maybe it was a bluff, but it stopped me in my tracks regardless. I'm a mafia-busting detective, not an ace attorney, and this sort of thing wasn't in my wheelhouse at all. Luckily, I just happened to know someone more knowledgeable on that subject...
So, I went to prison to visit a past acquaintance - it's a long story, and I've already gone through all that once before. It was a strange feeling to be going to see a friendly face behind bars, though. Most of the people I know who are locked up are there because of my own investigations, so we're not exactly on good terms, as you could imagine.
This wasn't exactly the place for hardened criminals, though, just a low-security facility. Considering the nature of what she did and that she ended up accepting responsibility and willingly turning herself in, it's not surprising that this is where she ended up.
I entered the prison, and finding a Toad receptionist inside, walked towards them to get down to business.
"Shmaluigi, NWPD." I had to admit, I always got a little enjoyment out of flashing the old badge. It usually speeds things up. "You have a Ms. Lana Skye as an inmate here. Would it be possible for Shmaluigi to have a brief chat with her?"
"Certainly, officer. Let me show you to the visitation room."
The Toad led me through the halls into the visitation area, a small room with a table partitioned by glass to separate the visitors from the inmates. I sat down in the chair as they turned to leave. "I'll let them know you're here."
"Thank you very much."
As I waited, I began to get lost in thought as I dwelt on the circumstances of my current investigation, to the point that I was ever so slightly startled when the silence of the visitation room was broken by the door opening on the other side of the glass. Lana entered the room, followed by a Koopa Troopa guard for standard security protocol. The orange prison clothing she now wore was a far cry from the overly fancy attire I was used to seeing her in.
"Detective Shmaluigi," she greeted me after settling into her seat. She placed her hands on the table, palms down, one stacked atop the other. Even in prison attire, she carries herself in a manner that makes clear she's all business.
"It's a pleasure to see you again." Well, perhaps there's some room for matters other than business. Having made her greeting, she let the corners of her lips turn up in an easily-missed smile. "I take it from the consternation in your expression that you aren't here for a friendly chat. What can I do for you?"
"Still observant as ever, eh?" I replied. "Shmaluigi ran into a snag on his latest case, and it's much more in your area of expertise. Care to help?"
"It would be my pleasure. As a start, what's the heart of the matter?"
"A dispute of ownership, of sorts. To make a long story short, if a Keyzer is being used to keep something locked, do they have full rights to do whatever they want with what's inside?"
"Any Keyzer responsible for keeping a chest, safe, or other locked container in which goods are stored possesses full rights to the use and transfer of the goods within." Her reply came without hesitation. It was almost like she was rattling it off directly out of a handbook. "Historically, ownership disputes with Keyzers resulted in numerous cases. Many of those cases were civil disputes, but a subset of cases led to the discovery of criminal offenses. The controversies which resulted contributed to a decline in contracting with Keyzers among the wealthy and among businesses."
Not a bluff after all, then? It looked like the best verdict I could get in this case would be that it was highly unethical, but nothing more. That wasn't what I wanted to hear. "Well, that's bad news. Should've figured as much, though..."
"Detective," she prodded, an uncharacteristic hint of sympathy in her voice. "I should warn you, we may discover only that your hands are tied. However, if you're willing to risk that disappointment, we have time to probe this matter further. It's not as though you'll have a consultation fee to pay. If you could, describe the goods involved in this case."
Couldn't hurt to try, I suppose. "Well, the lock is for a secret compartment with a safe combination inside, and the safe has the deed to the house of Shmaluigi's client. A greedy real estate developer has been unsuccessfully trying to get his hands on the house for some time, so he struck a deal with the Keyzer to get at it."
She didn't respond so quickly this time around. She tilted her head down and tapped a finger against the table, pausing to think. Whatever was on her mind, she seemed to find a flash of inspiration.
"I see," she said, drawing herself out of her thoughts and rejoining the conversation with a subtle grin. "If a Keyzer has transferred ownership of real estate, that's another matter entirely. Detective. It's a well-known legal maxim that a Keyzer has equal rights to the contents of any locked container which it keeps locked. As I mentioned, for such a niche topic, there's a considerable body of law behind that maxim. It sounds as though your suspect has researched the matter."
"Though I might suspect that research was only surface-level," she continued. "There do exist a few obscure exceptions to that maxim. I take it you aren't familiar with the case of Kingfisher v. Poshley Revitalization Inc.?"
"Not in the slightest," I replied.
"A similar situation to occurred in Poshley Heights decades ago. A novelist by the name of Steph N. Kingfisher filed suit against Poshley Revitalization Incorporated, alleging that the real estate development company had struck a deal with a Keyzer in his home in order to obtain the deed to his property. Of course, following precedent, the court was expected to side with the company. Mr. Kingfisher, however, was a wealthy individual, and used that wealth to his advantage in this case. To keep the developers from acquiring his property, he hired a team willing to consider the legal battle from every possible angle. Fearing that they may not convince the court that the transfer of ownership of the property itself violated the law, they made additional allegations. Allegations including that the transfer of improvements made upon the property had violated the law and that transfer of mineral rights attached to the property had violated the law. Among these cases, some were dismissed outright. Others proceeded but were lost. It became, at times, more a media spectacle than a legal battle. There were public pressures as well as legalistic considerations, for better or for worse."
"However," she continued, "what's relevant to your purposes is the end result of all of these cases, not the particulars. In the end, the court decided that special considerations must be given to the rights of a Keyzer when the goods being handled involve deeds and other instruments of ownership over property. Due to the complexities involved and the potential for any transfer of real estate made by a Keyzer to result in further protracted conflicts, the court carved out an exception to the maxim. When real estate is involved, a Keyzer does not have the unilateral right to sell, gift, or otherwise transfer the contents of the container which it keeps locked. All other parties with claims to ownership over the real estate must provide their explicit consent, or the transfer is null and void."
I couldn't help but perk up at the revelation. Obscure legal precedent to the rescue, perhaps! "So following that notion, attempting to collaborate with the Keyzer to get ownership behind the rightful owner's back would be conspiracy then..."
"Well, I'm not exactly in possession of a license to practice, so don't take this as legal advice." Her expression betrayed her intentions. She chose her words with care, but went on all the same. "If I were in such a position that I could offer you that advice, I would tell you that assessment is correct. Clear evidence of a transaction between the Keyzer and the perpetrator would be enough to charge the perpetrator with conspiracy - hypothetically, of course."
"Ah, yes. Hypothetical," I said with a grin. "Thanks for the chat, this has been very helpful."
"Good luck," she saw me off with as I rose from my chair. "I trust the remainder of the case will be no trouble for you."
Her words were reassuring, but I've been in this line of work too long to not be paranoid about the last minute wrench. "Let's hope so. You take care of yourself, Lana."
And back to Mr. Cain's office once more, hopefully for the last time. For all the driving around I'd been doing, this entire investigation only involved about four actual destinations. That's the sort of backtracking that gives video games a bad rap online.
Just like my last visit, I had no time for pleasantries and barged in. The Goombrat secretary's protests once again fell on deaf ears.
"Mr. Shmaluigi, you can't-"
Either he was out of earshot or just gave up on trying to stop me by the time the door to Mr. Cain's office swung closed.
"Oh, it's you again," Mr. Cain said, glancing up from the papers on his desk just long enough to make eye contact before returning to his work. "If you came to apologize for your earlier accusation, you could have at least waited with my secretary."
"Not exactly," I replied.
"So you're still on this, then? I told you everything I did was within the limits of the law." He continued to work as he talked without sparing me even a passing glance, tucking some papers into a folder and getting up to store it in one of his filing cabinets. His earlier aura of smugness was gone, leaving only irritation behind in its place. "If you have nothing else to add, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"Just one thing. Are you familiar with the Kingfisher case?"
"What? No."
"Your assumption was correct, up to a point. Keyzers do have full rights to the contents of their containers... but it's not lawful for them to transfer real estate." That statement was enough for him to finally turn to face me for the first time since I had arrived. "So no, your little deal with Mr. Keyton was not in the limits of the law."
The room fell silent for a moment as the Doogan pondered what to say next. I could see the fire in his eyes as they shifted around toward nothing in particular - he knew he was cornered, and he wasn't at all happy about being in this situation. Who would be?
Finally, he spoke. "I'm going to be fighting this in court with the best legal team money can buy, you know."
"Good for you. Now, are you going to come peacefully to Shmaluigi's car, or do we have to do this the hard way?"
"You're getting far too much satisfaction out of this, PI."
"You're not really in a position to be passing judgment, all things considered."
With the case solved and Mr. Cain more or less in custody things were pretty much done here. I returned to Mushroom Hills one last time to wrap things up with Mr. Bubba. I imagined that seeing me pull up with Mr. Cain stewing angrily in the back seat of my car would have been cathartic for him.
"I see you finally got the troublemaker, Mr. Shmaluigi!" Mr. Bubba said, gawking at Mr. Cain through the window like he was some sort of zoo animal.
"Yep, everything's all wrapped up here. Did you two work things out?" I asked.
"Yeah. It was a little awkward, but I think we're good now," he replied.
"And I'm not gonna be part of any more schemes to steal the house! Promise!" Mr. Keyton chimed in.
"Shmaluigi assumes you won't be pressing any charges then."
"Definitely not!" the Clubba replied. "Just get that schemer out of here and we're all good."
As if Mr. Cain wasn't feeling enough like a caged animal already, Mr. Plante came over, apparently on a coffee break.
"'Ey, it's the boss! Ya went and got yourself a free trip to the big house?" the Eggplant Man asked, tapping on the car window. "Do we still got a job here or what?"
"Yes, yes, continue the work. If all goes well, I won't be out of the picture for too long." Even in this position, Mr. Cain's smug overconfidence persisted. I doubted he'd be getting off too easy myself, but what do I know. All I knew was that now I had to go over the whole investigation in court, so that would be fun...
"Sure, sure. Long as we're still gettin' paid!"
"Anyway, Mr. Bubba, Shmaluigi will be sending you a bill for this soon. Going to have to calculate how much gas went into this whole trip first..."
"Okay, I'll be keeping an eye out for it," he said, then tapped on the glass again. "Have fun, you two!"
"Come on Mr. Cain, we have a little roadtrip ahead of us," I said.
"Just get me out of here."
The End
That's a wrap, and thank you very much for reading! I'd also like to give special thanks to Hooded Pitohui for returning to write Lana Skye's dialogue. Originally I was planning on a little hiatus here to focus on Awards work, but now that the Thousand-Year Door special has been pushed back to July, I think it's only appropriate that Shmaluigi returns to his roots in Rogueport for a one-off story! See you then!
Sport Report: The Movie
Written by: ClawgripFan9001
World 2: Frolicking Through The Forests - Part 3
A little bit later, the group proceeded to find another Warp Pipe. "Yar, 'nother Warp Pipe! I reckon this one leads us back ta dry land! Let's find out!" ClawgripFan9001 spoke as him and the group proceeded to head through the Warp Pipe, after which they did end up back on dry land, so the group proceeded to take off their Air Helmets, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Whew, I'm glad to be out of those murky waters." Funky Kong remarked as he was happy to get some fresh air again. At least, as fresh as the air could get in the Dark Lands.
"Tell me 'bout it, laddie. Now let's continue on with our journey, I'm sure that if we keep walkin' this direction, we'll reach the Zellon Family's next castle in no time." ClawgripFan9001 agreed with Funky Kong as the group continued marching forward into Shriek Forest.
Further into Shriek Forest, the heroes came across a tree bridge that was being guarded by the Zellon Army's equivalent to Magikoopas, the Zellon Wizards. Two of them appeared to be guarding this tree bridge.
"Look, it's a pair of wizards! And they don't look happy to see us!" Diddy Kong pointed out, as the Zellon Wizards indeed didn't appear to look happy to see the heroes, as they looked rather dismayed.
"Oh no, the heroes that Commander Wilhelm warned us about have come? What do we do, Egbert?" One of the Zellon Wizards asked his colleague, who happened to be named Egbert.
"We'll deal with them, Stinky. After all, Commander Wilhelm did order us to dispatch the heroes if they were to come here." Egbert replied to his colleague, who happened to be named Stinky. Both Zellon Wizards then turned their attention to the heroes.
"I don't think ye fine laddies be in the mood ta let us pass, yar?" ClawgripFan9001 sarcastically asked the Zellon Wizards, scratching his head as he did so.
"Correct, sir. If you wish to pass, you must beat us in a round of BMX. If you or one of your allies manages to place first in this event, you'll gain access to this tree bridge. Does that sound like a fair deal to you?" Egbert asked ClawgripFan9001 with a nervous look on his face.
"Aye, that do sound like a fair deal ta me, laddie. Now, mateys…Which one o' ya be willin' ta take these scallywags on in a round o' BMX?" ClawgripFan9001 asked his allies as he turned towards them.
"I'll take care of these fools, ClawgripFan9001. I should be able to pedal these guys into a decent defeat." Winston offered, raising his hand as he did so.
Funky Kong also raised his hand. "I'll also take on these suckers! I like a good round of BMX riding!" He chimed in with an eager grin.
ClawgripFan9001 nodded and turned back to the Zellon Wizards. "Aye, then that be decided. Let's 'ead o'er ta the racin' track, yar?" He told the Zellon Wizards, after which the heroes and the villains were teleported towards the stadium where the event would be taking place.
Winston, Funky Kong, Egbert and Stinky were all seated on their BMX bikes, waving to the crowd before preparing to start pedaling. As soon as the starting shot sounded, the four competitors went speeding forward on their BMX bikes, trying their very best to complete the track in the shortest amount of time, which eventually resulted in Winston ending up in first place, Funky Kong in second, and Egbert in third. Egbert and Stinky then proceeded to disappear into puffs of smoke upon being defeated, with the heroes returning to the tree bridge in Shriek Forest afterward.
"We did it! We defeated those wizards and have gained access to the tree bridge!" Winston beamed happily, with Funky Kong grinning and giving him a pat on the back.
"We sure did, buddy! Now let's continue onward, 'cause I'm pretty sure this Commander Wilhelm's got more where that came from!" Funky Kong suggested as the group began to cross the tree bridge and venture further into the Dark Lands.
Having ventured further into Shriek Forest, the heroes began to get a bit tired out from all the sports that they had to undertake. "Yar, I don't know 'ow ye mateys be doin', but I be startin' ta get tired out a wee bit from all the sports we've been takin' part in t'day." ClawgripFan9001 admitted to his allies.
"I have to agree on that, ClawgripFan9001. I'm starting to get exhausted as well." Winston voiced his agreement, feeling a bit tired out as well.
"I think all of us are. I wish we had something to eat and something to drink to pep ourselves up again for a bit…" Donkey Kong chimed in.
"Fruits! Water Bottles! Today's special: Red Apples and Sparkling Water! Beat us in an event to gain access!" A Zellon Trooper shouted as the group proceeded to walk over to a fruit and water stall that this Zellon Trooper was running alongside one of his colleagues, another Zellon Trooper.
"Aye, this be just what we needed! We just need ta beat ya in an event in order ta gain access ta this fruit an' water, yar?" ClawgripFan9001 asked the Zellon Troopers to make sure he understood where they were going with this.
"Yes, sir. If you can beat us at 1500m Sprint, these Red Apples and Sparkling Water bottles are all yours." One of the Zellon Troopers replied to ClawgripFan9001 with a smile.
"Yar, well, what are we waitin' fer, then? Let's go ta the stadium!" ClawgripFan9001 grinned before the heroes and Zellon Troopers were beamed away to the stadium where the 1500m Sprint was going to be taking place.
"In Line Number One, ClawgripFan9001!" The announcer spoke as ClawgripFan9001 waved to the crowd with a grin. "In Line Number Two, Donkey Kong!" The announcer added as Donkey Kong also waved to the crowd. "In Line Number Three, Kevin the Zellon Trooper!" One of the Zellon Troopers waved to the crowd as well. "And in Line Number Four, Doug the Zellon Trooper!" The other Zellon Trooper finally waved to the crowd as well before the competitors prepared themselves for take-off.
"On your marks, get set, GO!" The announcer exclaimed as all competitors went dashing forward, running as fast as they possibly could to get to the finish line first. ClawgripFan9001 was very determined to finish in first place, which he eventually did, with Kevin the Zellon Trooper placing second and Doug the Zellon Trooper placing third. The two Zellon Troopers disappeared into puffs of smoke while the heroes were sent back to the fruit and water stall.
"Aye, looks like this entire stall's ours fer the takin', mateys! Let's go take a quick break an' 'ave ourselves a nibble and a drink, yar?" ClawgripFan9001 grinned as the group began to sit around and have a snack and a drink.
After having rested up a bit, the heroes continued on their way towards Commander Wilhelm's stronghold, after which the group proceeded to come across a river with a motorboat being docked inside.
"Hey, a motorboat! I'm sure we could use this thing to cross this river!" Donkey Kong suggested with a grin as the group proceeded to get inside said motorboat as ClawgripFan9001 proceeded to start the motorboat up.
"Ahoy, mateys! Let's set sail fer Commander Wilhelm's stronghold in this 'ere motorboat!" ClawgripFan9001 exclaimed as he began to steer the motorboat out onto the river, before they were ambushed by five Scope Sisters that were driving a motorboat of their own.
"Oh, shoot! It's more of General Zellon's underlings!" Winston exclaimed in dismay as he saw the Scope Sisters show up.
"Hold it right there, heroes! If you wish to reach Commander Wilhelm's stronghold, you'll have to get through us!" The Scope Sister driving the enemy motorboat told the heroes.
"We won't let you pass unless you beat us in a match of Association Football!" The Scope Sister in the passenger seat of the enemy motorboat chimed in.
"Hey, ClawgripFan9001! Let me, Donkey Kong, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong and Winston handle this! I'm sure we'll be able to make short work of these goons!" Diddy Kong offered ClawgripFan9001, who nodded in approval of the idea.
"Alright, laddie. I wish ye an' yer mateys luck in beatin' these lassies." ClawgripFan9001 replied to Diddy Kong before the heroes and the villains were beamed away towards the stadium for a match of Association Football that the Scope Sisters had challenged them to.
"On the left side of the field, Team Diddy Kong!" The announcer spoke as Diddy Kong and his team waved towards the audience in spite of the boos they received. "And on the right side of the field, Team Scope Sisters!" The announcer added as the Scope Sisters waved to the audience while receiving cheers from the audience.
For Team Diddy Kong, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong, Funky Kong and Winston acted as the team's attackers/defenders while Donkey Kong acted as the team's goalie. For the next ten minutes, they then proceeded to fight it out against the Scope Sisters in Association Football, eventually managing to beat the Scope Sisters with a final score of 5-2. The Scope Sisters then disappeared into nothingness while Team Diddy Kong was beamed back towards ClawgripFan9001's boat in Shriek Forest.
"Aye, well done on defeatin' General Zellon's underlings, mateys! Now we should 'ave a clear path fer Commander Wilhelm's stronghold!" ClawgripFan9001 grinned as the team of heroes continued to sail towards Commander Wilhelm's stronghold, eventually managing to arrive there as they proceeded to park their motorboat inside a parking garage for boats before hopping out.
"Alright, this is it. We're getting close to facing another one of General Zellon's commanders and freeing another set of heroes. Let's get going towards the room wherever this Commander Wilhelm is holding the heroes." Winston suggested, with the rest of the heroes nodding their agreement as they began to make their way across the stronghold, which was filled with water, harpoon guns and other water-related hazards.
"Ugh, this stronghold gives me the creeps…I hope we'll be able to free the heroes that are being held captive here quickly so that we won't have to hang around here for long…" Dixie Kong shivered in fear as she looked around the stronghold that the heroes found themselves in.
"I have to agree with Dixie on this one, man. This place is giving off a murderous vibe. Just being here makes my fur crawl." Funky Kong agreed with Dixie's statement, looking a little unnerved from being in Commander Wilhelm's stronghold.
"Yar, be brave, mateys. It shouldn't be much longer b'fore we find Commander Wilhelm an' we're outta 'ere." ClawgripFan9001 assured the other heroes as they continued to traverse the stronghold before eventually managing to find a door underwater and going through it. The heroes then swam through the underwater passageways before arriving at surface level. Letting out a gasp as they surfaced, the heroes climbed out of the water and proceeded to walk through the eerily quiet hallway.
"Man, it's really quiet in here…Too quiet…" Donkey Kong remarked as he looked around at the various statues of General Zellon that stood on the sides of the hallway.
"I agree with you, Donkey Kong…This hallway is really creepy and unsettling…" Diddy Kong agreed as he looked around with an unsettled look on his face.
"Wherever that Commander Wilhelm is, I hope he'll show himself soon, because I'm this close to freaking out…" Dixie Kong spoke up, looking rather upset about being in this hallway.
"I agree, I hope it won't take much longer for us to find Commander Wilhelm…" Funky Kong nodded before the heroes proceeded to reach the end of the hallway as the door closed behind them. The heroes looked at the closed door before looking back at what was in front of them.
"Ah, you finally arrived. I was wondering when you would show up." Wilhelm spoke as he stood in front of a cage that held all of the Koopalings inside; Larry, Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy and Ludwig.
"'Ow did ye know it was us, lad?" ClawgripFan9001 asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I always knew my troops would not be enough to dispatch heroes such as yourself." Wilhelm spoke with a smug smile as he folded his arms in front of his chest, his tail flicking behind him.
The heroes looked at each other before looking back at Wilhelm. "We're here to take care of your evil butt, and then we're gonna free those heroes." Funky Kong spoke firmly as he pointed at Wilhelm with his right index finger.
Wilhelm chuckled as he unfolded his arms from his chest. "Very well, have it your way. We shall settle this in a match of Boxing. If you win, you may free the heroes, but if I win, you will leave the Dark Lands at once, and you will never come back. How about it?" Wilhelm asked the heroes, who looked at each other before nodding, agreeing to the deal.
"Sounds like a fair trade to us, pal. Let's go for it!" Funky Kong exclaimed as the heroes, along with Wilhelm were beamed away to a boxing ring where the Boxing match would take place.
A boxing ring sounded as the announcer finally physically revealed themselves, being a large overgrown Zellon Trooper wearing a white dress shirt, black dress pants and black dress shoes. "In this corner, we have, weighing in at a solid 800 lbs, Funky Kong!" The announcer spoke as Funky Kong waved to the audience with a grin, not being phased by the boos he received from them.
"And this corner, we have, weighing in at a monstrous 1500 lbs, Commander Wilhelm Richard Zellon!" The announcer continued as Wilhelm waved to the audience, receiving thunderous cheers and applause from them.
The boxing ring bell then sounded once more. "Fight!" The announcer exclaimed as Funky Kong and Wilhelm began to engage in a fierce boxing match, with Funky Kong delivering strong punches to Wilhelm's face.
"Ow! That hurt!" Wilhelm exclaimed before retaliating with a flurry of punches of his own, which similarly hurt Funky Kong as he proceeded to groan in pain.
"Yeah, that smarts…" Funky Kong agreed before unleashing a series of uppercuts on Wilhelm, causing the Zellon Armed Forces Commander to howl in pain as each of the uppercuts struck him. As both men prepared to club each other in the face once more, the bell sounded, signaling that the first round of the match was already over.
While they waited for the next round to start, Wilhelm took some time to get interviewed by some of the reporters loyal to the Zellon Armed Forces. "Be sure to get my good sides, since they are the only sides I have to me." Wilhelm told the reporters with a smug smile before the reporters pulled away from the ring to allow Wilhelm to continue preparing for the next round.
Meanwhile, Funky Kong was similarly preparing for the next round, and ClawgripFan9001 scuttled up to him. "Aye, Funky. Let's give this goose a gander, ye be 'earin' me? Show these Zellon Armed Forces folks why they oughta cheer fer the Mushroom Kingdom, yar?" ClawgripFan9001 told Funky Kong, who nodded at the Sidestepper's instructions.
"I hear ya, ClawgripFan. I'll be sure to do just that in the next round." Funky Kong assured ClawgripFan9001 before the bell sounded as the next round was about to start, with Funky Kong quickly getting up from where he was sitting as he walked up to the middle of the ring. Meanwhile, Wilhelm similarly got up from where he was sitting, shoving the announcer aside as he did so. "Make yourselves scarce! It is the time for me to dispatch these heroes!" He told the announcer as he proceeded to strike a few poses for the audience as they cheered for him.
The next round then started, and Funky Kong and Wilhelm began trading blows once more, both men beginning to get worn out from the fighting, yet they still pushed on regardless. Eventually though, Funky Kong managed to land enough blows on Wilhelm to send him down for the count. The announcer then walked up to Wilhelm and started counting down.
"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten! Knockout!" The announcer exclaimed as Funky Kong grinned and pumped his fist in euphoria upon having defeated Wilhelm. The audience began booing Funky Kong, but Funky Kong didn't seem to care.
"Argh! You ruined me, you pests! My father is going to throttle me for this!" Wilhelm cursed the heroes before his body began to get engulfed in flames as he exploded into flames as well. Afterward, he dropped the key to the Koopalings' cage, which Funky Kong quickly snatched up as the heroes cheered him on. They were then beamed back to Wilhelm's stronghold, standing in front of the Koopalings' cage.
"Yar, har, har, har! Ye did it, Funky, me boy! Ye defeated that terrible tyrant an' brought us one step closer ta freein' all o' the captured heroes!" ClawgripFan9001 told Funky Kong, beaming with pride.
Funky Kong laughed at this. "Yes, sirree! I sure did! Now let's get those Koopalings outta that cage and into our party!" He beamed too as he unlocked the Koopalings' cage, allowing all of them to walk out.
"Thanks for saving our butts from the Zellon Armed Forces! We really appreciate it!" Larry told the heroes with a grin.
"Yeah, we really didn't think anyone would be coming to save us when everyone else was locked up!" Morton added with a grin of his own.
"We really owe you guys for getting us out of here!" Wendy added with a grateful smile.
"If there's anything we can do to repay you for getting us out of here, just say it and we'll try to help however we can!" Iggy laughed happily at his newfound freedom.
"And if it involves crushing those darn Zellon Armed Forces' heads like a rock, we'll gladly join you guys!" Roy grinned as he pounded his fists together.
"Yeah, so is there anything we can do to help you guys for the remainder of your journey?" Lemmy asked with a kind smile.
"Like Iggy said, just say it, and we'll try to help however we can." Ludwig finished with a smile of his own.
"Aye, there do be somethin' ye laddies and lassies can do ta 'elp us! Join us fer the remainder o' our journey as we defeat the rest o' General Zellon's forces an' free the rest o' the heroes!" ClawgripFan9001 told the Koopalings with a grin.
"Well, what are we waiting for then? Let's send the audience members that were locked up in this stronghold back to Toad Town and head to the next of General Zellon's Dark Lands!" Larry cheered as he pulled out a tennis racket.
"Oh yeah! Can't wait stuff my fist in those Zellon suckers' noses!" Morton grinned as he pounded his fists together.
"Let's show those uncivilized brutes what for!" Wendy smiled as she gracefully spun around before pulling out a rapier.
"We'll deal with those Zellon Armed Forces alright!" Iggy beamed as he pulled out a pair of wooden clubs and banged them together.
"This is gonna be fun!" Roy grinned as he pounded his fists together.
"Woohoo! It's gonna be fun poking fun at General Zellon's troops!" Lemmy beamed as he spawned a circus ball and jumped on top of it.
"Lead the way, ClawgripFan9001. We'll be right behind you." Ludwig smiled as he pulled out a portable Bullet Bill Blaster.
ClawgripFan9001 and Company then proceeded to release all the audience members that Commander Wilhelm was holding captive at his stronghold before sending them back to Toad Town in Commander Wilhelm's Airship. That was two of General Zellon's Dark Lands conquered. They then proceeded to make their way to the next of the Dark Lands to free more of the heroes being held captive there.
And that's a wrap on the second chapter of Sport Report: The Movie! My reporter persona and his friends have managed to bring down the second of General Zellon's commanding officers and free the Koopalings in the process! The Koopalings are among some of my favorite characters in the Mario franchise, and with the Koopa Troop taking on more of a protagonist role in this story, it only makes sense for the Koopalings to be filling in a protagonist role as well! I don't want to spoil too much about the third chapter, but I can tell you that it's going to feature a lot of Koopaling action, so if you're a Koopalings fan like me, then the third chapter of this story is going to be right up your alley! But that's it for this month! Join me next month as we'll be taking on the third of General Zellon's Dark Lands!
Coming Out
Written by: MightyMario (talk)
Zerris knocked on the doorframe, catching Cayde's attention from her game of Smash Bros. She paused and looked toward her boyfriend with a smile on her face.
"Hey, wanna go a few rounds on Smash Bros.?" Cayde said, pointing to the TV.
"Uh, actually, can we talk for a bit? I kind of… have something important to tell you." Zerris scratched the back of his head and sat down next to Cayde on the couch.
Cayde placed the controller down on the coffee table. "Sure. Is everything okay?"
"Cayde, I don't know how to put this…" Zerris began.
"I don't know how you'll react, or what you'll think, but I really, really have to get something off my chest."
Cayde gave a little quizzical tilt of her head, but kept listening to what Zerris had to say.
Zerris sighed and took in a deep breath.
"I'm non-binary."
"Oh…" she responded with a bit of joyful surprise.
"I still want to be referred with male pronouns, though. I really hope you understand and accept me for who I am. I love you very much, Cayde. I will always love you."
Cayde threw her arms around Zerris without any second thought, wrapping him in a big hug with an equally big smile. "Of course, I understand! This is great! I'm very proud of you for coming out and sharing this with me, Zer."
She then gave Zerris a kiss on the cheek while still wrapped around him. No matter who or what he was, Cayde would always love him.
Random Video Analysis
| Video by: | doubleWbrothers |
|---|---|
| Publish date: | October 19, 2016 |
| Views: | 2,780,870 (as of June 1, 2024) |
| Likes: | 40k (as of June 1, 2024) |
| Type: | Comedy |
| Description: |
Derpy being Derpy, when suddenly confronted with a nigh impossible challenge. Our second animation, and more will come soon. Check out the Voice actor behind all featured voices. Songheart: / @songheartsupervachannel And please consider supporting us on Patreon: / doublewbrothers This is a parody of the TV-show My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. #mylittlepony #derpy #doublewbrothers |
Hi everyone, and welcome to Random Video Analysis, where I choose a random YouTube video and casually talk about it! This is just something I did for fun; it's also a one-time submission but if I ever get interested in the future I might make more of these.
With the introduction out of the way, let's get started! The video I chose is Creative Solution by doubleWbrothers. This video supports English closed captions, which can be turned on or off by the viewers.
What's it about?
This is a short fanmade animation of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. In this video, the goofy Muffins (commonly known as "Derpy") faces an extremely difficult challenge from redeemed bully Fillies Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon - if Muffins can clap her hooves, they'll give her a muffin. Muffins initially has trouble due to her lack of focus, but she accomplishes the task by taking advantage of a stump. This causes the fillies to sobbingly run off while Muffins enjoys her reward.
In the credits sequence, well-known filly and Cutie Mark Crusader Apple Bloom rebukes Diamond Tiara for being rude to Muffins, even though she's reformed. Tiara responds saying that she's taking baby steps towards becoming fully redeemed. Apple Bloom then asks for the viewers to subscribe, and offers them an apple for doing so. Diamond Tiara then informs the viewers that they won't actually receive an apple for subscribing, much to the anger of Apple Bloom, who then calls Tiara a snitch before realizing she made a mistake, based on her final facial expression.
Interesting observations
This video feels like one of those animations you'd see on websites like Newgrounds in the late 2000's. Comments have brought up similar claims, with some even comparing this to 90's MTV animated shorts. As such, several users have mentioned receiving nostalgia. I haven't actually seen any MTV shorts but I trust these comments.
Something I (and many others for that matter) love are the hilarious facial expressions from all the characters. Every time somepony talks, you'll see some of the funniest faces ever. Try slowing down the video to .25 speed to see them more clearly! This further builds upon the nostalgia I've mentioned before too, giving off 90's/early 2000's cartoon vibes as well, in addition to the aforementioned shorts.
Being made in late 2016, this was published while season six of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic was going on (just right before the season finale too), which makes sense why Apple Bloom questions if Diamond Tiara is truly good after "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" of season 5.
According to the credits, all ponies are voiced by the same voice actress (Songheart Super Va Channel), which is impressive because she does spot-on impressions of everypony! Very talented.
This is doubleWbrothers' third video, after Burp Master and Pinkielovania.
My Mario Boards avatar used to be a screenshot of Muffins from this video.
Transcript
{the doubleWbrothers intro plays, which has the colors of the Mane 6 forming the channel's logo. Each color has a silhouette of a Mane 6 pony that corresponds to their color. Rapid piano notes accompany each color, followed by two additional notes that have "double" and "brothers" appear separately to the left and right of the logo respectively. The text "pony parodies" fades in below the logo. Everything then fades away.}
{Cut to a meadow that has three stumps and a forest of trees surrounding it. Mountains can be seen in the background, and the sky is blue and slightly cloudy with the sun visible. Muffins is seen happily skipping to the right while calm, peaceful music plays.}
Muffins: Derp, derp, derp, derp…
{Cut to zoom in on Muffins, who is now walking to the right.}
Muffins: Call me Derpy! Call me Ditzy! But never… …EVER… …call me…
{Diamond Tiara suddenly arrive and grabs on to Muffins, who is now surprised. The peaceful music stops as well.}
Diamond Tiara: HEY DURPI!
{Diamond Tiara's face changes into a maniacal expression, and the background becomes red. four Heavy Metal guitar chords accompany these changes. Cut to show Diamond Tiara, still with her exaggerated, menacing smile. Silver Spoon is seen to the left of her, where she has a sly expression. Diamond Tiara then shakes her head, reverting both her and the background back to normal.}
Diamond Tiara: Do you want a muffin?
{Cut to only show Muffins' head in front of a bright yellow background, where she is overjoyed.}
Muffins: MUFFIN!!!
{Cut to show all three ponies. Muffins is quickly performing various poses while the two fillies watch her in confusion.}
Muffins: Muffin, muffin, muffin, muffin, muffin, muffin…
{Cut to show only Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, who both appear to be annoyed. Muffins continues to repeat "muffin" over and over offscreen.}
Diamond Tiara: SHUT UP!
{While speaking this line, Diamond Tiara becomes super serious. Afterwards, Muffins ceases to repeat "muffin". Diamond Tiara then makes a "don't you dare" expression. Nothing happens for a few seconds.}
Muffins: Muff…
{Diamond Tiara interrupts Muffins.}
Diamond Tiara: HMPF!
{Diamond Tiara reverts to her serious expression for a second.}
Diamond Tiara: Well… …we'll give you…
{Diamond Tiara has a muffin in her hoof.}
Diamond Tiara: …a muffin…
{Cut to a close-up of Diamond Tiara's face.}
Diamond Tiara: …if you CLAP YOUR HOOVES!
{Cut to show Muffins' upper body, where she stretches out her front hoofs and eagerly accepts the fillies' challenge.}
Muffins: ALRIGHTY!
{Muffins tries to clap her front hooves, but misses completely and grunts. She tries again with a determined "mmmmmmm", but misses again with another grunt, although her hooves swap positions. Muffins looks grumpy from missing. Cut to show Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in front of a black/green background, both trying to hold in their laughter. Cut back to Muffins, who looks at her hooves.}
Muffins: (Sadly) Hm…
{Cut to Muffins' point of view, where her hooves seem to be constantly moving due to being cross-eyed.}
Muffins: This is hard!
{Cut to the two fillies, where they burst out laughing. As soon as they start laughing, the background darkens. Cut to show Muffins, who looks upset. Cut back to Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in front of a now purple background, still laughing, although their expressions are now wilder. Cut back to Muffins, although the camera is closer to her face and she now has an angry expression. Cut to show the fillies laughing once again, where they now have overly exaggerated expressions in front of a marbled purple, pink and red background. Cut to show Muffins at an even closer view, her face darker. She then gets an idea, symbolized by a "ding" sound effect, her now happy expression, the bright yellow background and the lightbulb above her head. The lightbulb flickers for a split second.}
Muffins: AHA!
{Muffins then puts her front hooves on a tree stump, still keeping her happy expression. Cut to show Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in front of a very dark blue background, who immediately stop laughing and look in worry. Cut to show Muffins, who uses the stump to clap both of her front hooves. Cut to show the two fillies, now horrified. When they change their expression, the background becomes red and a harsh piano chord is heard. Cut to show Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sobbing and running offscreen to the left. After they leave, the camera pans over to Muffins, who now happily holds a muffin in her hoof.}
Muffins: Ahhhh…
{Muffins opens her mouth wide. She quickly brings her hoof to her, but she misses her mouth and hits her eyes instead, signaled with a splat sound effect. Cut to show a black background with the white text "Fin" in the center in a fancy font. Cut to show the screen divided horizontally; the top half shows Apple Bloom, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, while the bottom half shows the credits. Silver Spoon has a wide-eyed goofy expression for the rest of the video. The peaceful music from the beginning of the video plays throughout this entire segment. Applebloom walks into the foreground to talk to Diamond Tiara, who looks annoyed.}
Apple Bloom: Diamond Tiara! Why are you so mean to Der- BLUEH!
{Apple Bloom stops, closes her eyes and pats her face with her front hooves three times.}
Apple Bloom: Diamond Tiara! Why are you so mean to Ms Derpy!? Aren't you GOOD now!?
{Diamond looks at Apple Bloom in disgust.}
Diamond Tiara: Urgh!
{Diamond Tiara points her hoof at Apple Bloom as she talks.}
Diamond Tiara: Baby steps!
{She gets closer to Apple Bloom.}
Diamond Tiara: BABY STEPS!
{Apple Bloom closes her eyes and punches Diamond Tiara, accompanied by a "psh" sound effect. She gets knocked out of view.}
Apple Bloom: Fine! Then the first step should be…
{Apple Bloom opens her eyes and looks at the camera happily.}
Apple Bloom: …to SUBSCRIBE! C'mon! Don't be shy! If you subscribe…
{Apple Bloom holds an apple in her hoof.}
Apple Bloom: I'll give you an APPLE!
{Diamond Tiara pops up to the right of Apple Bloom, surprising the latter.}
Diamond Tiara: No… …she won't!
{Apple Bloom angrily turns to face Diamond Tiara.}
Apple Bloom: TIARA, YOU SNITCH!
{After saying this, Apple Bloom looks at the camera wide-eyed in a worried expression, like she just got in trouble. The video then ends.}
{Throughout this entire scene, the credits are displayed at the bottom screen in segments. They read as follows: script, animation, music - doubleWbrothers Derpy, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Applebloom - Songheart Super Va Channel Afterwards, a "Subscribe" buttons appears on the left side while two video thumbnails are shown on the right, also created by doubleWbrothers - Pinkielovania and Burp Master. There is text above the thumbnails that reads "Other DWB videos:". In addition, the bottom half's background changes to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic comic strips, which may have also been created by doubleWbrothers.}
| The 'Shroom: Issue 207 | |
|---|---|
| Staff sections | Staff Notes • The 'Shroom Spotlight • Poochy's Picks • Credits |
| Features | Fake News • Fun Stuff • Palette Swap • Pipe Plaza • Critic Corner • Strategy Wing |
| Specials | Community Awards Dossier |
