- For the Mario recolor, see Derpy the Mailman.
Derpy, also known as Muffins and Ditzy Doo, is a female Pegasus pony who was given the name Derpy Hooves by the show's internet following due to her cross-eyed "derpy" expression in the first episode.
Appearance[]
TBA
Personality[]
Derpy's level of intelligence often varies greatly depending on the work. Quite often, however, works featuring Derpy place her somewhere on the following four-point scale, one attempt at categorizing the different interpretations the character enjoys in fan labor:
- 1: The diligent mail pony: She is a sweet and hard-working mare who everyone likes and depends on. She delivers the mail for Ponyville and is the very ideal of the reliable postal worker. Neither rain, nor Dragons nor Griffons will stop her from getting your mail to you. Her vision is impaired, but that's all that's unusual about her. Respected by all of Ponyville. This version was named by fans as "Bright Eyes."
- 2: The day-dreamer: She is quite often out of it, lost in her own little world. Being easily distractable and blessed with a childlike attitude, her mind and attention are constantly shifting from place to place, but this often means she can notice things other ponies easily miss. Despite her aloof state of mind, she delivers the mail with utmost speed and efficiency. Other ponies see her as scatterbrained but dependable. Based on her scene in The Last Round-up, this is most likely where Derpy's canon personality sits.
- 3: The Space Cadet: Her words and actions are totally nonsensical, and she seems to be completely insane. However, sometimes her statements make sense in retrospect or have an kind of odd logic behind them. This leads some ponies to believe that she is actually extremely intelligent, but she acts so strange that it is difficult to know for sure. Still delivers the mail flawlessly, to the surprise of many, though some ponies say this proves her hidden brilliance.
- 4: The drooling idiot: Incapable of saying anything but "derp", "Muffins," and the like. Mentally challenged. Practically every concept more complex than “fire bad, tree pretty” is light years beyond her. She is genuinely happy, though, and capable of affection and kindness. Delivers the mail by accident. Walks into walls, often repeatedly, like a wind-up toy. Other ponies just try to make sure she's taken care of.
In the early days of the fandom, most portrayals of Derpy tended toward the two extremes of the spectrum. More recently, Derpy is more commonly portrayed around 2 or 3, with 4 becoming quite rare. This has become especially true since the introduction of Dinky Hooves.
According to an interview with former supervising director Jayson Thiessen (who had left the show to work on the 2017 film full time at the time it took place), the show-runners always viewed her as a "lovable klutz just trying to do her best".
Relationships[]
Dinky[]
A unicorn filly who appeared in the background of several episodes bears an uncanny resemblence to Derpy, and was soon adopted by parts of the fandom as her daughter, Dinky Hooves (or Dinky Doo when Derpy is named Ditzy). Dinky is usually written as a fun-loving filly who loves her mother very deeply, though in some works she is embarrassed by her.
Derpy's portrayal as a mother is almost universally the same, however: she is portrayed as being extremely devoted, kind, and caring (sometimes to a fault) towards Dinky. She calls Dinky "my little muffin" and is very protective. Derpy is often shown to be willing to sacrifice anything if she feels it will help her daughter.
Because Derpy is often portrayed as being childlike and cheerful, the mother and daughter are sometimes shown happily playing together at children's games. Dinky usually accepts her mother's stranger traits without question or judgement, though some portrayals show her being bothered by them.
The identity of Dinky's father is a matter of controversy among fans. Common culprits include Doctor Whooves and Pokey Pierce, though many portrayals intentionally leave the question open. Dinky Doo's Father Revealed, like the title suggests, answers the question directly.
Doctor Whooves[]
In keeping with the fictional character he is likened to, Doctor Whooves is frequently depicted as having a "normal" (i.e., non-alien) companion, usually Derpy Hooves. One of the first fanfics to pair the two up was My Little Timelord, started in February 2011. "Doctor Whooves and Assistant" is a popular audio play featuring BaldDumboRat in the role of Derpy Hooves. In some fan labor, such as BaldDumboRat's tumblr Lovestruck Derpy, Derpy is depicted as being in love with the Doctor.
In Slice of Life, Derpy is shown to have a close and friendly relationship with him.
Carrot Top[]
Carrot Top is typically associated with Derpy in fan works and commonly portrayed as Derpy's best friend. Depending on the work, they may even be roommates. Carrot almost always plays "straight man" to Derpy's antics. A common running gag is that Derpy keeps emptying Carrot Top's fridge without her permission, despite many attempts by Carrot to secure the fridge or prevent Derpy from raiding it.
Sparkler[]
A pale purple pony often called Sparkler (her official name given in merchandise is Amethyst Star) is seen with Dinky Doo in the episode Sisterhooves Social, suggesting she is her elder sister. This conflicts with the frequent depiction of Derpy as a single mother; some fans have attempted to explain the discrepancy by making Sparkler a family friend, while others have added her to the Derpy Hooves family in one way or another, such as being adopted by Derpy.
Other ponies[]
Many works show other Ponyville residents treating Derpy as a valued friend and neighbor, and not judging her due to her eyes. However, other stories may portray Derpy as being a victim of teasing or bullying due to her strange eyes, which may lead to Derpy being portrayed as isolated from other ponies or very lonely, such as in Isn't it Great to be Different?
Ponies often respond to Derpy in a similar way that they respond to Pinkie Pie: they consider her behavior strange, but accept it as part of her nature.
In some fanart, Derpy is either classmates with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy during flight school, or colleagues with them. She can sometimes be Rainbow Dash's frenemy.
On some occasions, fans ship Derpy with Rainbow Dash in a ship called DerpyDash. She has also been shipped with Twilight Sparkle, and with Prince Blueblood.
Role in series[]
"FanDOOM! A Legend of Korra Fandom Story"[]
TBA
"A Sweet Birthday at Freddy's"[]
She is seen at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Was given name by the Fandom, not the show
- Became an early fan-favorite, despite not saying a word