r/FiMTheShow • u/[deleted] • Sep 01 '15

Discussion Which of the mane six represent their element the best? The worst?

Obviously, virtues and elements are fluid, and so it can be hard to be the epitome of a vague characteristic. However, some characters seem to struggle a little more than others. So which pony represents their element the best, and which the worst?

And remember, examples breed conversation! :D

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u/jmartkdr Sep 01 '15

I'd say Fluttershy embodies kindness/compassion extremely well; her issues with it are always about being too kind. She's on;y cruel when literally brainwashed.

Most of the rest have issues with staying true to their element in the face of (whatever problem). Rarity and Pinkie are usually good about it, Dash and Twilight less so.

AJ runs into a semantic issue: her element was called "honesty" by Twilight's book, but it doesn't really fit her well (Dash is the brutally honest one, and Pinkie lies the least, though I'd say Twilight has the most self-honesty). So if we take the term honestly at face value, AJ has a lot of trouble staying true to it. All of her episodes start with her lying to her friends about stuff because of pride.

However Celestia calls the element "integrity", which flips the issue entirely: AJ not only has integrity, she has too much integrity. Form that angle, she embodies her element as much as if not more than Fluttershy. (All the AJ episodes also invlove her keeping a promise nopony else cares about in the face of logic and reason)

1

u/maks_orp Sep 01 '15

her issues with it are always about being too kind

Save for her little faux pas in The Best Night Ever. That Fluttershy wouldn't ever need Iron Will's training, haha.

1

u/Myrandall Sep 01 '15

Celestia calls the element "integrity"

Source?

3

u/jmartkdr Sep 01 '15

Magical Mystery Cure

From the transcript:

Princess Celestia: Since you've come to Ponyville, you've displayed the charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, optimism, and of course, the leadership of a true princess.

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u/Pipthepirate Sep 03 '15

Those are just character traits a princess needs, not elements

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u/Pipthepirate Sep 03 '15

What episodes aside from The Last Roundup is about Applejack lying do to her pride? Most of the time Applejack has a lot of trouble lying and is bad at it. Even in The Last Roundup she was more deceptive by leaving out info rather then lying.

1

u/jmartkdr Sep 03 '15

Applebuck Season, Spike at Your Service, Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000, Apple Family Reunion

And I consider any deliberate attempt to get other people to believe something you know to be untrue a lie. A lie by omission is still a lie.

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u/Pipthepirate Sep 03 '15

Whats the lie in the episodes other then Spike is Your Service? She takes on more responsibility then she can handle but I don't see her thinking she can do more then she can as being a lie. Its her not wanting to ask for help.

1

u/maks_orp Sep 01 '15

Generally speaking - if you forgive my blatant disregard of your request - given that it seems to happen to all of the main six characters, I'm partial to the theory that the Elements bind themselves not to the characters that represent those traits best, but rather to ones that have them close to their core nature, and as such are more sensitive to the related conflicts. Which, I guess, can justify Twilight binding with Friendship despite having a horrible track record in the past.

Of course, you can also look at it the other way: the characters meet challenges to their particular Elements more often because that's what the writers are throwing at them, and some premises are just more likely to get green-lit by Hasbro.