Warning: this post might be absolutely deranged, as this topic has driven me to insanity, and it has me rambling like a conspiracy theorist, but enjoy it anyway.
Not quite sure how to prelude this, but as a feral Fringe fan, I really wanted to highlight one of the most meaningful references to Fringe I have ever seen. I haven't heard anyone in the fandom talk about this, so I am not sure if it is common knowledge (seeing as I am quite new to the fanbase). I did want to compile every element of this tribute, seeing how extensive it is, and while people may know it exists, I haven't seen any people give visual examples.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Fringe
This is a really funny thing to visualize. Of all fandoms, why is MLP the one that keeps Fringe's memory alive the most? It's kid-oriented media, which contrasts pretty greatly with everything Fringe is.
*Quick Disclaimer* I do not know much about MLP! Most of what I learned came from digging into this topic, which is. Okay, maybe a lot. So I may be confused but that's just the general consensus with me on all topics. Feel free to correct me!
While nothing appears in the MLP show itself, there are hundreds of comic issues by a variety of artists, and while not all of them are canon, many of them are. One of these artists is a legend named Andy Price. He has beautiful, expressive, and recognizable art, and had worked on likely over a hundred of these issues.
I have looked through every single one of these issues, and what has stood out to me is the addition of this guy into whatever situation in every. Single. Issue.
Look at him. Sitting all cute. This monochrome bald naked horse. Who wouldn't want to draw him over a hundred times. Many I'm sure, but few have accomplished this (aside from Andy Price and uhh, me).
His name is September. He isn't just a reference to Fringe's September, but Andy Price (a self proclaimed maniacal superfan of Fringe) has made comments about him that imply that he is actually just the exact same character in horse form (source: this sacred snippet), lost in this colorful equine universe, surely shivering like a chihuahua, naked and alone.
does he like, have hair or...? is he a hairless horseman? what *does* a hairless horse look like?? i got to find out for the sake of science, and it feels like i possess forbidden knowledge.
Anyway, he appears in every single MLP issue Andy Price illustrated, which is, again. Hundreds. This horse has been drawn hundreds of times by Price, including in canonical content. Price also snuck him into pivotal moments in the MLP series, which is pretty true to his character. He never cracks a smile. He never kicks the horse behind him directly in the face. He just observes. Price understands his character so well, even if he has been ponified.
It's also worth mentioning, even though Fringe is one of the most prominently referenced pieces of media by him, Price is known for packing every single one of his issues with pop culture references, ranging from popular to obscure, and he does this so expertly, where it isn't overbearing, but it also just obvious enough to where fans will be able to notice his nods to their favorite media.
Here are some of my favorite appearances from this little equine freak:
In Fringe, September is my favorite character, and I can talk about his appearances for hours, so I'll segway into the next part for the sake of ALL of our sanities:
Reflections is the name of one of the most well known storylines in the MLP comics, and I do believe this one is canon because it is alluded to by the MLP:FiM show. The whole thing is based on Fringe. Horseptember shows up in the first page of the first issue. Talks to Twilight Sparkle. Refuses to elaborate. Disappears. Parallel horse universes diverge.
Guess what the issue's called? Ehehehehe
You can actually see the silhouette of Horseptember in the backdrop on the left side, probably wondering how the fuck he's gonna fix this.
OH, and if you thought the Fringe references were just limited to Horseptember, think again!
In a scene where the universes merge, we see some familiar faces :) all of which are saying "oh shit oh fuck" in their own delightful ways. Also, the red and blue indicating the primary and alternate horse universes is an intentional detail. Unfortunately, this is the only time we see any Fringe character aside from Horseptember in the MLP comics, but I am still so happy to see them.
I love that Fringe inspired such a major plot in the MLP universe, transcending the comics as a whole. People always make references on such a scale to well-known media, but it's very refreshing to see it done to a media that has become so obscure.
Also to note, Reflections was released in 2014, over a year after Fringe itself concluded, and most of the references made actually long outlived the series itself. I think the most recent Fringe reference by Price was made in 2021? (He only occasionally makes MLP content now, and it is for the new generation, and unfortunately it doesn't appear that he has made any reference, possibly because his usual references, like Horseptember, would be confusing given that the next generation is so far into the future).
Here are some more miscellaneous references Price has made:
Also, Fauxlestia was a reference to Fauxlivia, but the MLP folks loved it so much that it became the canonical name of an alternate form of Celestia, which is pretty cool seeing as it became a major part of the main series.
If there is a way all of this can possibly be summed up,
Yes, this drove me to insanity so I will not make any effort to claim that it has done otherwise.
I appreciate Andy Price so much for keeping his love for this show alive, and giving fans something to adore even so long after Fringe concluded. His efforts are seen and endlessly cherished by me.
This situation taught me a lot about MLP, as someone who has never watched the show. The comics are actually so good.
There are Fringe Worms in my Brain
Thank you for coming to my (TEDtalk/unhinged rambling). I HOPE this isn't common knowledge because I DID waste several hours on this topic.
