Headcanon's for Bon Bon

[bobdude]

For those who have read my MLP Tales reviews, it comes to no surprise that Bon Bon, with her love of food and desire to be a fashion model, is one of my personal favorite ponies in terms of my own interests. So naturally I have some headcanon about what she'd be like as an adult/young adult. 

1. Plus sized model. Yes, shocking and totally out of left field I know, but it's true. After suffering from body image issues/diet struggles as a teen, Bon Bon finally decides to embrace her larger than average size, eventually becoming a more classy/less explicit  version of a Big Cutie mode. Eventually crafts a Big Fun/Big Beautiful Pony persona that masks the small bit of self conscious doubt that nags her mind from time to time.  Basically, think the Anthroquestria take of Mrs. Harshwinney but with a larger circle of friends.

2. Baker. Sharing Anthroequestria's Harshwinney's philosophy of "Letting my stomach have it's fair say", it's no surprise that Bon Bon bakes, although she does it more as a hobby/stress releaver than an effort to make a real earning at it (though with enough convincing from both Mane Seven friends and Fat Friends, who's to say?)

3. Sumo Wrestler.  Like with baking, does it more as a hobby and because it keeps her in shape (and because she secertly likes the tight feeling of her mawashi loin cloth wrapped around her waist.). Thinking a dark purple mawshi with a giant peice of candy in the center myself.

[Notes]

Ahh... exciting, another headcanon thread, and with my second favorite no less! I have a lot of speculative material for her.

Plus-sized model, with what you've made of it, isn't out of left field at all. It makes a lot of sense, in actuality! Of course the insecurity bit is interesting as well, because it is very fitting for Bon Bon. However much I hate FiM analogies with Tales, it sounds like a Rainbow Dash-esque case there: she thinks she's all big and awesome... but she has insecurities, though she is more aware of them than Rainbow Dash the pegasus.

It hurts me to even say that. But anyway, I see a little StarSwirl05 reference with "Big Beautiful Pony" there, so yay! Bon Bon, whatever route she takes in life , WOULD be a classier version thereof. The potential explicit side... well, Derpibooru explores that just fine. I don't think she's that type of pony, though.

Sumo wrestling and baking as hobbies are definitely good. Bon Bon becoming a baker or something is just so... obvious. I could imagine her as a caterer on the side, but being a freelance writer as well.

Alright, Bon Bon. She has some serious issues with her self-esteem, that I don't think comes from her "just being Bon Bon" the way that it seems to be handled. At least, there is no explanation in Tales literature. I think that she's moved from elsewhere, someplace where she wasn't treated well by her peers. This place, for me, is known as Mecklenburger, a city of bricks near Ponyland. She had her self-esteem destroyed by the tormenting of her friends, amongst which were her former-best friend, her cousin Pound Cake.

Insecurities were deep into her when she finally moved to Ponyland and proceeded to have a difficult time befriending the friendly Pony Friends. Part of what had Bon Bon so upset during the Masquerade episode was the fact that she'd finally felt not totally on edge all the time... and her friends seemed to treat her just like she was once treated. Following the Masquerade episode, Bon Bon actually grows closer to and more comfortable with the group, and a bit faster as well. Her confidence was still shot, though.

Bon Bon has been graced with the punny full name Bon Bon Jane Dough. Her family bakes, so the last name makes sense, and she is kind of expected to be "normal" in a sense, so she has the middle name in conjuction with the last name.

Alright, Bon Bon has a COOOOOOMPLICATED love life. They say that in order for others to love you, you have to love herself. This is totall bogus for Bon Bon. She has a very complex circle of admirers that quickly makes it evident that Bon Bon has a role in EVERYONE'S love life. Pick out a few random love songs, and you can probably apply them to her in some way. Everybody but she herself notices that she's the apple of so many ponies' eyes. Sweetheart has a ballpark with them, applying all of the situations to her stories.

Naturally, out of all of these suitors, Bon Bon chooses the misfit one. Of course my ship preference was going to come up here. Patch. Their dynamic is interesting without a romantic element, but with it, both experience gratuitous development. Bon Bon needs the distinction between who's a friend and who is a "special" friend, even if the friendship doesn't actually change that much. Bon Bon, over a lot of time, can get past her insecurities and low self-esteem thanks to Patch's unique outlook, her optimism, and a mix of determination, persistence, and stubbornness that is always a good mix. Of course, their dynamic has a lot more to it that I might as well save for later.

Surprisingly I didn't get off of the point rambling on about their great dynamic. But anyway, Bon Bon is pretty good with those. She and Clover are the cowards of the group, and the insecure ones, so they have their dynamic. Bon Bon is anything but naive, actually being quite cynical about the world, and Clover is an opposite. They bond over Bon Bon telling Clover about the world, and their various insecurities. They are the only ones who can really empathize.

Bon Bon has her complex with the most confident, outgoing girls of the group, as well: Starlight and Melody. She has a jealous admiration of them that she hardly even realizes.

Oh, Melody. One comic (number 49) gave me the idea that Bon Bon is a Rockin' Beats groupie. She follows the Rockin' Beats for sure, and I even hypothesize, acts as Melody's backup singer when she isn't feeling up to singing. Perhaps she joins the Beats later as well, perhaps with flutist Bright Eyes as well.

That's all for now, because I've been writing for well over an hour. But I'll add more, just because I have so many ideas.

[Kat]

Okay so don't have the time to do my full headcanon for BB at the moment, but I LOVE your idea of her being a Rockin' Beats groupie, Notes. It does tie in well with her jealous admiration for Melody - I can see her wanting to be on best friend terms with Mel (or at least feel like she's important to her) because she thinks it will make her feel better about herself, if someone super popular considers her important. She gets lost in trying to fix her issues and doesn't realize that she's totally over-complicating her friendship (at least in her mind) because Melody has no idea that BB is in any way jealous or insecure. All Mel sees in Bon Bon is a super trustworthy and fun friend who's always around and being supportive. She doesn't notice that BB goes out of her way to try and impress her all the time. Mel will find out eventually (I can totally see BB being the one having the nervous breakdown in high school!) and when she does she'll get rather protective of her and it'll be Mel going out of her way to be a close friend to Bon Bon.

I just really, really like Melody and Bon Bon being on best friend basis, okay? Which of course also stems from loving the idea of them constantly double dating with Ace and Teddy.

I'll go into romance with BB later, though I definitely see her being 100% panromantic.

[bobdude]

Liking the sound of some potential Bon-Mels drama Kat, keep up the good work. ;D

And if those two nurse ponies are anthing to go by in The Best Dream, I could easily see Bon Bon as Panromantic. 

[Notes]

Are you kidding? I couldn't list my whole headcanon because that would require details that this very real pony hasn't shared with me yet.

Yeah, Bon Bon the groupie. Given number 49, I cannot get the idea out of my head. She looked so excited with that ice cream!

Her jealousy of Melody is something we agree on, amazingly. It really makes sense, with the serious insecurity on Bon Bon's part and the lack of any at all on Melody's. Bon Bon would definitely have the jealous admiration - love the word choice by the way. I never thought of her really aspiring to be on best friend basis with Melody, though it really does fit. It would also go in with my headcanon of Bon Bon the Rockin' Beats groupie having to stand in for Melody at one show because she knows all the songs, and eventually becoming part of the band (even if not totally into it). If that was an arc, then her becoming part of the band, whether Mel's understudy or another lead singer, would tie it up really nicely.

Teddy and Bon Bon and Melody and Ace going on a double date. The fun that would ensue.

It's funny - I see Patch as being the asexual and panromantic one of the group. It just makes sense; she's more interested in adventures than romance, though I do imagine her developing feelings for her closest friends (of both genders) out of things that aren't just limited to romance. Bon Bon is more bisexual with a preference towards girls for me. I mean, those models definitely did exist. I pciture her having the crushes on lots of ponies (heartily denying it or beating herself up when it isn't "normal") but having a rough streak with relationships, or just not being able to get into it. Ace was just manipulating her, even if he liked her alright as a friend. I think she ended up becoming great friends with Teddy, too. It takes her forever to figure out that Cookie or Corny or anyone likes her at all. She considers another kid something of a joke, and a different kid betrays her, and she beats herself up heartily and denies endlessly when she develops her crush on Patch that made her realize that she was really abnormal.

I think she gets tangled up in a lot, but she can't find anyone who really makes her happy that way or gives her what she needs. She would not be overly romantic when she found that pony who was right there the whole time  but she would care about them and, after the prerequisite persistence and determination, finally be able to get past her insecurities and talk about how her day goes and comes to really trust the pony.

[bobdude]

Add in her weight issues and Bon Bon's teen years are going to be hellish, thank goodness she has the rest of her friends to have her back. ^^

And now I'm thinking that Plus sized model Bon Bon would be almost on par with Melody as a flirt (will go into more detail in my Melody headcanon when someone puts that thread up) with different ponies.

Patch has a lot of potential headcanon based fun to be had, being the eccentric weirdo of the group. Could see her trying out the data scene in highschool, only to eventually give it up (but not before going on a sympathy date with Clover for Homecoming, plus she gets the wear a suite, which is fine by her).

And yes, those models did exist (in Bon's brain if nothing else), though why Bon Bon is imaging Meadowlark as a nurse raises very odd and uncomfortable questions. ;D

[Notes]

They really are. That's in issue that really must impact her character in so many ways that we just haven't fully explored yet. I could imagine BB going through depression a lot, especially in those times.

Oh really think that could happen! I mean, she clearly knows at least some about it. That's at least what I think. She hangs out with Sweetheart and read all sorts of magazines.

Patch id a goldmine of fun. The idea of Patch taking Clover on a sympathy date is something that hasn't occurred to me, but BY GOSH it fits her caring, goofy character in an odd way. Perfect, Bobdude. Funny thing about Patch and suits - she actually has appeared in them before. Other than the incident wherein she was the prince in Play's the Thing, she had some formalwear in her room in Princess Problems, amongst which appeared to be a red top hat and at least one bowtie. She also actually did appear with them in the comics. One cover had her with it on in the background (with Amber, no less) and another time with another girl, I think Meadowlark.

It really does raise odd questions, if that was indeed Meadowlark like she was colored.

[Notes]

As far as Bon Bon's sexuality goes, though, I am pretty firmly in the pansexual/demiromantic form. Here's why.

Bon Bon, as we've seen in the show, has had various romantic relations with guys. She clearly had a pretty big thing for Ace in Great Lemonade Stand Wars, and even went on that date with him. The brown guy in Roll Around the Clocks was another; they had such groovy fun eating. There was the whole valentine incident with Teddy in the comics and the fact that Teddy had an implied crush on her. She subsequently offered to go to the dance with him, though he was grounded. In reference to Cheval in episode eighteen, she says "he's so hot and munchy."

What makes us believe that there's more to it in the first place is, mainly, the references in The Masquerade's Best Dream song. In her imaginespot, along with her ideas and visions about herself, we see a pair of nurses (who vaguely resemble Meadowlark and Patch) hugging each other and looking deeply into each other's eyes. She also has pictures of models all in "suggestive positions" as it were called in her room. Others believe that the end of Just for Kicks, wherein she and Patch share a twister-tail promise where both appear to be enjoying it immensely, was another implication.

I personally think that Bon Bon never got "off" with any of the guys. Teddy, I think, is her friend post-BBD. I mean, she seemed very sunny with him and offered to bake him cookies, but it would have been moderately more dramatic if they got together right then and there. The idea of them being closet friends also tickles me immensely.

But anyway, Bon Bon has had these sorts of situations with both genders. But there are more genders. She has at least some interest in at least two, as indicated by the above evidence. I think that she continues to, though she is in deep denial for a long period and beating herself up for it. She is pansexual as a result, perhaps with a certain preference. I could imagine said preference going either way!

As far as demiromanticism goes - I think that, at stark contrast with Sweetheart or Starlight, Bon Bon is a realist if not just cynical about romance. She is a moderately serious character who just doesn't strike me as the type who cares greatly about it. I don't think that Bon Bon's relationships go far unless she knows the pony she's trying to date very well before even dating. When they do go far, she actually does show a romantic side and feels actual, true feelings for them. It's never beyond an infatuation unless she knows them, basically.

Another note is that her parents are greatly disapproving of any non-straight sexuality. That creates interesting implications.

(I just happened to be browsing when something reminded me of this thread, so I typed this up.)