Creelby is the key to Byler Endgame... just not in the way you're thinking (what I'm calling #BobGate)
Part 22: Rescue at Midnight Castle 🌈
PART 1 HERE | PART 2 HERE | PART 3 HERE | PART 4 HERE
PART 5 HERE | PART 6 HERE | PART 7 HERE | PART 8 HERE
PART 9 HERE | PART 10 HERE | PART 11 HERE | PART 12 HERE
PART 13 HERE | PART 14 HERE | PART 15 HERE | PART 16 HERE
PART 17 HERE | PART 18 HERE | PART 19 HERE | PART 20 HERE
PART 21 HERE | PART 23 HERE | PART 24 HERE | PART 25 HERE
PART 26 HERE | PART 27 HERE | PART 28 HERE | PART 29 HERE
PART 30 HERE | PART 31 HERE
As I vaguely mentioned at the end of my last post, as I was doing research on Erica Sinclair and her DND alter ego Lady Applejack, I made several interesting discoveries on the My Little Pony Wiki that took me back to Season 3.
While I personally enjoyed S3 for its humor and embracing of 80s maximalism while simultaneously depicting the emotional turmoil and awkwardness of growing up, it's considered by many to be the least popular season (second now to S5, probably).
But in light of everything else I've learned about the show (and where it might be going) through the prism of #Bobgate, something told me to dive deeper into Applejack, the *orange* My Little Pony character Erica's DND name came from. Specifically, her G1 iteration (right side) from the 80s, when Erica was watching.
Except, this version of Applejack only ever appeared once in the first generation of MLP... In the TV special Rescue at Midnight Castle.
I know nothing about My Little Pony, so thank goodness Erica and Dustin had time to specifically talk about that episode while crawling through a secret Russian bunker.
Here's what Reddit user @stropol had to say about the scene circa 2019:
At the time, OP's comment would've made sense. But, in light of my new reading of Lucas' New Coke moment (and how the fandom has interpreted the NES re: ConformityGate and Byler), could Dustin's My Little Pony tangent actually be more relevant than we thought?
I'll let you watch for yourselves... [start at 1:30]
"The evil centaur demon Tirac turns Applejack into a dragon at Midnight Castle, and then Megan and the other Ponies have to use Moochick's magic to defeat his Rainbow of Darkness, saving them from a lifetime of enslavement."
This plot sounds rather familiar, but I don't think Applejack is Erica in this situation.
Let's see if some substitutions do the trick:
"The Mindflayer and/or Mother Goose turns Will into another head of the Thessalhydra in the Abyss, and then Mike and the rest of the Party have to use El's magic to defeat the MF's Rainbow of Darkness."
Just like in Mike's Thessalhydra campaign as imagined in Part 17.
Did the writers once again foreshadow the endgame via pop culture reference?
(FYI, @jabberwockymoreau also hypothesized this back in 2023.)
But let's fill in more of the puzzle:
Tirac, like any good villain, has a minion to help him --
Scorpan sounds familiar, as does the plan...
What is Scorpan's role in Rescue at Midnight Castle?
While Scorpan starts off as Tirac's dedicated servant, his story takes a turn when his "friend", Spike the dragon, is threatened by Tirac --
Hmm... I wonder who this "Spike" could be?
Yes, I'm aware I just compared Bob Newby to a baby dragon and that I sound completely insane.
Could Ember's story be what lies in store for Holly? (maybe Max?)
Might the other children be transformed into heads for the Thessalhydra too?
Has Henry been doing what he's been doing to *protect* Bob?
This next bit also had me thinking #LoversLakeGate ~ #LoversLakeGate ~ #LoversLakeGate --
HMMM. If Megan is Mike and Applejack's Will....
2/11 UPDATE: I watched the episode, and Megan doesn't "drop" in with Applejack, she jumps in to save her.
The two end up stuck, huddled together in a clam shell, in need of rescuing...
That ends Part One of the special. Onto Part Two --
Beginning with a ray of light opening the clam shell, throwing Applejack and Megan into --
Peep the BYR color scheme. Also, something-something Snow Ball...?
It's giving "Kiss the Girl" from Little Mermaid.
Megan and Applejack are serenaded by the Sea Ponies, water horses that end up being their saving grace.
Some feelings communicated between Byler maybe??
Try and spot the difference between these shared looks™️.
Back on land and reunited with their friends, the Ponies continue on to meet the Moochik.
Who is the Moochick, you ask?
Although green-clad Moochick and El look nothing alike, what rhymes with "sage"?
And who is El? Rainbow Brite. A Love Supreme. The representation of not one, but two queer loves.
2/11 UPDATE: Having watched the episode, and comparing some of the images/story beats to the Thessalhydra campaign -- the Moochik could also be our Proud Princess Henry.
The Moochik's symbol is a mushroom (fungus that can spread/grow like the UD spores/vines/hive @lilialunaa, @byler-post-shitshow, @dawnschild) + his familiar/companion is a white rabbit.
And the Moochik, like the Proud Princess, tells the Ponies what they need to stop Tirac...
Wait a damn minute -- Scorpan frees Ember with Spike and joins forces with the Ponies???
Could this confirm that Henry (ala Proud Princess) will eventually help the Party as well? With his memories restored, and Holly and Bob in tow?
BEFORE the final battle even?
Supports the new Moochik theory and it fits the Thessalhydra campaign, is all I'm saying...
Yes, the bouncing lil' guy cheering on Scorpan is Bob, I mean Spike.
It looks like Vecna being out of commission might be the reason the MG and MF need a new Thessalhydra head....
Like Applejack gets turned into a dragon, Will will be sucked into the many-headed beast that is the Thessalhydra.
How do the Ponies defeat Tirac and save Applejack?
2/11 UPDATE: I just watched the full episode and it gets better.
First, Scorpan Henry fights head-to-head with Tirac MG/MF and gets seriously hurt in his efforts to take away Tirac's tool of destruction (oh no, Henry what's gonna happen to you?!) --
Want to know what the Rainbow of Darkness looks like???
Forgive me, I feel like someone pointed this out, but now I can't find the post/comment, so if anyone knows who did, please shout it out in the comments!!!
BUT WHAT?! The "Rainbow of Darkness" is the exotic matter above Hawkins Lab. Meaning "Midnight Castle" is Hawkins Lab?
Exotic matter, per Dustin and Dr. Brenner, is the negative energy holding the wall surrounding the UD together. The wormhole bridging Dimension X and the Real World.
But what is the Wall really? It's conformity, lies, the prisons that have been created for us, to keep us in line -- and those we've created for ourselves. That keep us from being our most authentic.
How will the Party fight this Rainbow of Darkness and bring down the Wall?
By fighting back with a Rainbow of *Light*.
And what is the Rainbow of Light???
Who needs to finally say everything he's been holding back? Who finally needs to speak his truth? Declare his love?
Who needs to bring their emotional walls down more than anyone in this damn series?
Be SO fucking serious right now, Duffer Brothers...
Megan Mike's heart-shaped locket* with a rainbow streaming out of it is what will defeat the Rainbow of Darkness.
Of course, with the help of with El's magic too, as this is the Moochik's gift we're talking about.
What more needs to be said here, guys?
This ending is going to be SO. ASTRONOMICALLY. GAY.
It will be physically *impossible* for the GA to ignore how gay it's going to be.
Mother Goose is going to see those rainbows from Dimension X.
We are going to be tuned in, tears streaming down our faces because of how overwhelming the love is gonna be. How sweet the truth feels.
A love that will not only save the world and likely bring Will back to Mike, but also --
Turn Henry back into a beautiful *Proud Prince*, while Spike Bob comes out with the truth that he's always been a dragon gay.
A dual transformation that will allow them to finally, finally be together -- in the light of eternity -- after a long night apart.
I can't wait to post the *actual screenshots* of Byler and Creelby from the finale instead of this admittedly cute, but moment from MLP, but until then --
Disclaimer: I'm going to break my evidence for this theory into different posts under #BobGate (also #PuzzleGate), but if possible, let's keep this contained to Tumblr because I think there are folks who might care about being spoiled for what I think is going to be an amazing twist (if #conformitygate is in fact real)