Most Tragic MLP Character?

[Lunar Glow 676]

Yes, she is happy and giggly now, but if you think about it Pinkie Pie. She had a very tough fillyhood:

 

Growing up on a rock farm, a family that has no life, no color, nopony to talk to when she is sad, and all pinkie wanted to do was make ponies smile! I would say Pinkie. 

[Stellafera 3,836]

Discord's character arc up until his re-redemption in Season 4 was actually pretty tragic in a classical sense. Didn't really fully understand friendship, got the cold shoulder from most of the Mane 6, and because of that, he fell to the temptation of using his powers for evil again. Then he gets betrayed by Tirek precisely because he's not much of a villain anymore.

 

It still is a little tragic (less literally?) that he has to throw away his nature and calling in order to be a moral character. Sure, he might now value friendship above his freedom, but, you know, making that choice is no fun for the spirit of disharmony. 

[heavens-champion 1,905]

Luna. Overshadowed by her sister, ponies sleep through her night, and enjoy her sisters day, gets locked away after turning evil. She thought she was unloved.

 

[Guest]

Diamond Tiara turned out to have quite a sad background. I always find bad parenting tragic so Diamond's case isn't any different. 

[Megas 27,610]

Rainbow Dash had to deal with Newbie Dash, 28 Pranks Later, Cart Before the Ponies, and Zephyr Breeze in the same season, so probably her

[Nyactis Mewcis Catlum 672]

I'm surprised with this thread being revived that no one has mentioned Grand Pear yet. The last time that he saw his daughter, he'd disowned her from the family - and now there is no way he'll ever get to apologize years later after it's been placed into perspective what's important to family. There are certainly problems that other characters have had, but they can undo those problems and make up for it, or had the pony they had problems with come back in their lives - not so much in Grand Pear's case. His situation doesn't really have a nice, neat solution. The only thing he can do is forgive himself for shortsightedness and see to it that it doesn't happen in their family ever again... And that if it does, he's not too late to catch it this time.

[Thrond 3,263]

Starlight seems pretty tragic in her own way. All that went wrong in her life was due to flaws in her perspective; due to a peculiar inability to understand others' viewpoints. 

[Princess_Bellalatanya 1,053]

going to go with applejack or cadence or the royal sisters,all having dead parents is heartbreaking,especially cadnce,probably biased though 

[Twilight Luna 31,355]

Luna being banished for 1,000 years away from everyone. If the writers had decided that Princess Twilight was going to live as long as a regular Alicorn, then I would say her as well because she would outlive all her friends.

Edited April 29, 2018 by Twilight Luna

[Toastypk 923]

Especially after having seen some of the comic, I would have to say Stygian.

Here's a scrawny, powerless dude who finds and befriends who would become the Pillars of Equestria, but when they meet Starswirl, he naturally takes the leadership role, leaving Stygian feeling without a purpose,

And it's clear that he got along well with them.

Like this, this is cute. And then it all goes south one day, without even asking what he's doing.

Feelings of inferiority and rejection can breed really contempuous and dark feelings. I've felt similarly.

He parallels Luna super close, too.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

It's hard to argue against Grand Pear, Stygian, and Starlight; considering their circumstances and everything. However, I would also bring up the case of King Sombra, and this is borrowing from comic lore:

1. Was born an umbrum, or shadow pony, and was used as a plot to take revenge against the Crystal Empire. As such was forcefully and painfully turned into a unicorn.

2. Was found half-dead in the frozen north by the crystal guards, brought to and raised in an orphanage. The fillies, excluding Radiant Hope, shunned and mocked him.

3. According to FIENDship is Magic #1 when you look into the Crystal Heart it shows your true destiny. Radiant Hope saw visions of becoming a princess, while Sombra only saw a monster of shadows. This upset him greatly.

4. Sombra could never attend the crystal fair as the hope & light emitted from the crystal heart caused him so much pain he was bedridden.

5. Once Radiant Hope attained her cutie mark, Sombra interpreted it as a sign that the visions of the crystal heart were set in stone and they could not be changed. Frightful of this he runs off from Radiant Hope; believing that she will eventually abandon him once he fully becomes a monster.

6. After running into the frozen wastelands he comes across a red crystal from which he hears a voice. This is wear Sombra's manipulation truly begins where he is told he is to be a hero of the umbrum, and that he should embrace his destiny as a monster.

7. Upon being convinced after his power is unleashed by his 'mother' Rabia, he goes to steal the crystal heart. He is confronted by Princess Amore whom he crystallizes then shatters all over the lands; supposedly never to be returned to her original form. He is then confronted by Radiant Hope who at first believes Sombra can be saved, but in the end is turned away.

8. Sombra, fully embracing his destiny takes over the Crystal Empire and shackles the crystal ponies, making them his slaves to free the umbrum army before the royal sisters eventually banish him. Of course, as well all know, he banishes the empire right in front of their very eyes.

Whether or not it's canon, Sombra's origin story is quite tragic.

[SushiSub 37]

possibly luna. luna went from being all powerful to being banished and thats an awful way to go.

but people are like that sometimes, and you can only hope they see the light eventually.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Spike: an alien baby used as a lab rat and trusted into the hooves of a random little girl. He is the only one who had not been given a choice. The rest of them created their own misery. And the most tragic thing is that we're supposed to believe this is the best thing ever cause ponies n' shit.

[heavens-champion 1,905]

I find it funny that we have this thread, once I think about it. I thought the fanbase hated tragic characters.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

11 minutes ago, heavens-champion said:

I find it funny that we have this thread, once I think about it. I thought the fanbase hated tragic characters.

You thought wrong. The most tragic character in FIM is still not a tragic character. Tragic past in FIM is a meme. By our glorious writers, me talking to your right now would have made you eligible to have a tragic past if you had ever managed to jump through the magic mirror.

[SkyDive 269]

I'd have to say Chrysalis, mostly because of the fan theories. She was once the princess of the great Changeling kingdom, however when a (rather evil) prince (it varies on whom it is)  came to court her, she refused him and so he created the first version of the love poison. Giving her the love poison caused her to turn into Queen Chrysalis. She absorbed all the princes and the rest of the changelings love, turning them all into her insect army. And while her former army has been changed back to their normal state, her thirst for taking the love from others has yet to be sated.

Most theories of this go eve deeper into detail, but this is just a summery.

[DonMaguz 1,023]

Svengallop had everything any manager could ever wanted. Discovered the best diva in all of Equestria and signed her under his firm, he had all the perks of a star and a way to get even more with the help of blackmail.

The next paragraph is about 80% headcanon.

Spoiler

After The Mane Attraction he became an alcoholic and traveled to Las Pegasus to have another chance, but no one needs his help anymore, this is the era of Youtube, Spotify and Instagram, a music label means nothing now and he's just drinking 'til the day of his demise without a single friend.

I'm glad he's the most tragic pony in Equestria.

[EpicEnergy 23,216]

I think Stygian has a very tragic past. I think that he's the most tragic character.

[Theautisticrebel 304]

Diamond Tiara, she was psychologically abused by her mother for years.

[Jesse Terrence 2,968]

Most likely Styx.

Betrayed by his friends, erased fron history, stuck with a cosmic monster and sealed away. All for a dumb little misunderstanding