Derpy Hooves

Derpy Hooves (officially called Muffins; also known as Bubbles and Ditzy Doo) is a fictional character who appears in the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony toyline and media franchise, beginning with My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic (2010–2019). She is voiced by Tabitha St. Germain.

Derpy Hooves is depicted as a clumsy but well-meaning anthropomorphic pegasus with crossed eyes. She works as Ponyville's mail carrier and occasionally assists the weather team. Unlike the main characters, Derpy began as a background character whose distinctive cross-eyed appearance was initially an animation error in the series premiere of Friendship Is Magic that fans on 4chan's comics and cartoons board, /co/, noticed and embraced. She was collectively named "Derpy Hooves" and become a favorite of fans, who developed her personality and backstory through fan works like fan fiction. She has been called the mascot of the brony fandom, and her appearance in easter eggs was understood to be a nod to the show's adult fandom.

The character gained official show recognition when she received her first speaking role in "The Last Roundup", where Rainbow Dash addresses her by name. However, this decision proved controversial as critics claimed that her portrayal perpetuated ableist stereotypes due to her name, voice, and mannerisms—a controversy colloquially called "Derpygate" by the brony fandom. In response to the backlash, Hasbro modified the episode by changing her voice, straightening her eyes, and removing her name from the dialogue. This decision itself generated further controversy within the brony fandom.

Despite the controversy, Derpy continued to appear throughout the series and received official merchandise recognition. Her evolution from background character to fan favorite has been critically analyzed by academics as a symbol of the brony fandom's influence on the show itself, and is cited as an important example of a work's participatory culture affecting the work itself, as well as a symbol of social acceptance among male fans of the show who may feel marginalized by mainstream masculine culture.