Character Analysis: The Harmony of Discord

[Cwanky 17,643]

Chaos plays a vital role in our lives whether we like it or not. We can either choose to love it, hate it, be neutral towards it, or ignore it altogether. It constantly thwarts and intermingles with destiny and fate and constantly finds itself tinkering with our fortunes. It is neither good nor evil; chaos picks no sides, it just does what it does.

Something similar could be said of chaos in the MLP:FiM world. But unlike in our world, chaos in FiM also manifests itself in the form of an entity – Discord. Much as the Elements of Harmony represent virtuous concepts, and Celestia and Luna represent day and night, as well as the light and darkness, Discord represents chaos, which we find just in this world as the characters in FiM do.

 

As a character, Discord is 1 of the most complex people we meet in the show. He’s played the roles of a villain, a hero, an anti-hero and a friend all before throughout the show.

 

Since his early character biography as the show details for us, Discord has always had a tumultuous relation with those around him. Since his start, Discord has been described as tormenting Equestria for ages. In his debut, and return chronologically in the show’s history, Discord is presented as antagonistic and a very formidable big bad, manipulating and dividing the Mane 6, while also resuming his “reign of terror” on Equestria. I know some folks will strongly disagree with me on my next remarks but hear me out.

 

This doesn’t make Discord necessarily evil. Or even a villain. In fact I would say Discord is wholly lacking in evil to be a true villain at all.

 

You see, Discord can’t be understood through a simple black and white lens. Like many characters, he’s much more complex than a simple good v. evil. Even if Discord doesn’t realize it himself he’s an idealist and lonely chaos god that deep down seeks understanding.

 

Compared to other major villains we see that Discord’s deeds and intentions don’t amount to a true villain. He lacks the malicious intent and will to harm as Chrysalis did. Discord may take joy in tormenting others, but as we’ve seen in the series, it never amounts to truly trying to harm them. Discord distorts the world around him and turns it upside down. But this is Discord we’re talking about.

 

On the scale of villains he’s a Mr. Mxyzptlk, not a Lex Luthor, Braniac or Darkseid. The world is his playground, not his torture chamber or victims to murder and plunder. I know a lot of you are shaking your heads and think I’m splitting hairs but you have to view Discord on the larger scale. Think of it this way, if he had truly wanted to he would have killed or banished the Mane 6 far away long ago.

 

In fact, we see this dichotomy further explored in Twilight’s Kingdom, contrasting Discord and Tirek.

 

 

You live dby the sword, you die by the sword. You live by the sandwich, you uh eat it?

 

If it isn’t obvious already, then it should be by now. Discord, even in all his villainous glory, is not truly evil. Sure he may seek to see people suffer for his own amusement and hurt others, but for Discord its all fun and games, not seeking to conquer and destroy. In a social setting, Discord would be the class prankster, not the bully. If he happens to be the bully, it would be secondary at best to the fact that he’s being a prankster. Consistently the series has shown that in spite of some of his actions, Discord at heart lacks the evil and malice that someone like King Sombra or Queen Chrysalis possesses.

 

Compare Discord now to Tirek and you begin to see the contrast significantly. The mural from Twilight’s Kingdom perfectly illustrates their key differences. Tirek is a ruthless conqueror and tyrant, mean, angry, and willing to use violence in excess to get his way as seen through his angry expression and sword.

 

Discord by contrast, at least as a villain, is the complete opposite of Tirek. He lacks the anger, rage, cruelty and malicious intent that you would expect from a villain. Whereas Tirek has his mind set on conquering and destroying, signified through his sword, angry demeanor and crown, Discord is content being a jovial prankster that is ultimately harmless – not only is he smiling, his weapon of choice is a sub sandwich. Compared to other pranksters like the Joker or Riddler, Discord may be maniacal but not in a truly harmful way lacking the killing intent.

 

This contrast is made more apparent throughout the episode while Tirek manipulates Discord, wreaks havoc upon Equestria, and ultimately betrays Discord.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2B9zfNZQS8

 

Tirek is motivated by a lust for power and vengeance and uses any means needed to do so. He callously and maliciously deceives Discord to join him.

 

Discord in turn through his actions and betrayal, does not act for the same reasons Tirek does, although he foolishly believes so. Though I agree with many of the commentators that Discord was driven in part to betray Equestria because he valued his freedom, this point underlies a much bigger motivation.

 

You need not look any further than Scorpan’s amulet itself. Tirek himself says of the amulet, which Discord later at his betrayal repeats that, “it was given to him by ‘someone close’ to him as a sign of his gratitude and loyalty.” Of course we know that person was Scorpan, and Tirek didn’t mean an ounce of what he said. But we also know Discord does sincerely value these virtues.

 

Let’s rewind a bit shall we?  Discord can clearly be shown to actually value friendship and loyalty over his mere freedom or vengeance. In both the instances that Discord is freed from his imprisonment he lacks any sign of true resentment or desire for vengeance. In the 1^st instance, he torments the Mane 6 and Equestria, but doesn’t actually hurt anyone, and even plainly throws out hints as to where the Elements are. He doesn’t even make an effort to stop the Mane 6 when they gather themselves.

 

In the 2^nd instance, despite expressing nuisance at the fact that he was imprisoned he’s quite cooperative and as we know, freely surrendered himself choosing friendship over power. The friendship that Discord made with Fluttershy, the 1 friend he ever had, was what he truly valued, not his “freedom.”

 

In Three’s Company, there is even more foreshadowing to how he values friendship and the role it plays in Twilight’s Kingdom and Discord’s betrayal. Although behaving like the typical annoying prankster he usually is, pestering Twilight and Cadance, we see Discord in his own unique way trying to strengthen or form a friendship with Twilight.

 

It’s a tense loose relationship at best, but we do see some roots of character development here between Twilight and Discord. Moreover there’s considerable foreshadowing. Remember this amulet?

Now compare that to Scorpan’s amulet and how Discord values friendship and the connection is made. He may not do it in the friendliest way, but Discord seems to enjoy testing the Mane 6, especially Twilight, even if inadvertently, to teach them important lessons and make them better. That was no exception in Three’s Company. Part of Discord, safe to say, wanted to see if Twilight was truly his friend, and willing to help him when he needed her, even if it was inconvenient.

 

So the big question to ask here now is: why did Discord

As the clip showed us and past episodes, friendship was what Discord truly valued, someone who could understand Discord and appreciate his power and ideas.  Tirek masterfully convinced Discord he could be that “someone close” to Discord, better than Fluttershy, who truly valued his greatness.

 

Discord betrayed the ponies not simply just because he wanted his freedom. No that was icing on the cake. As Tirek describes, the friendship was a form of imprisonment, but moreover to “abandon his true nature to stay in their good graces.” Tirek also talks of Discord reclaiming his greatness, and mocks him using the moniker “Pony Errand Boy.”

 

Discord did value friendship still, but he felt that what he had between him and Fluttershy was not meaningful enough. Moreover perhaps as Tirek suggests, it was a form of imprisonment. His relationship with the rest of the Mane 6 was hostile at best and loosely cooperative. Let me make this blunt for everyone to understand:

 

Discord did not view the rest of the mane 6 as friends, save maybe twilight, but that relationship was fragile and unstable at best. Let’s face it, as an ally and friend, the Mane 6 (minus Fluttershy), trusted Discord to be good about as much as a cop trusts a robber not to rob a bank. When Twilight said she “trusted Discord” what she really meant was that she trusted him to be a good obedient convenient ally for Trollestia, er Celestia and not cause trouble –OR ELSE! That’s not friendship at all I can tell you. There’s no trust, kindness, joy, or any virtue of friendship to speak of between the groups. So as long as the other Mane 6 chose to maintain their hostility towards Discord, he saw little reason to maintain his allegiance with them save under compulsion and threats.

Save Fluttershy, Discord had no other true friends, people that appreciated his talents and personality. He was only met with distrust, hatred and fear by all in Equestria, even after he “reformed.” Sound somewhat familiar? If not, look up Princess Luna. While we could argue that since Three’s  Company he was building something with Twilight, it was weak at best.

 

Discord himself concedes this to Tirek:  although he’s doing it for his friends, “it’s mostly for Fluttershy.” Discord later goes to say that “Tirek offered him more than tea parties.” Discord truly only saw his friendship as between him and Fluttershy mostly, hence the “tea parties.” The other Mane 6 weren’t shocked, at least as much when Discord betrayed them because they never truly regarded him as a friend, someone that could be trusted. Fluttershy, however did, hence why his betrayal was so much more shocking and emotional to her to see a friend betray her.

 

Thus, Discord’s betrayal and his subsequent betrayal by Tirek becomes clearer. He saw in Tirek someone who could understand and appreciate him as an equal and moreover, friend, causing chaos together. Being forced to reform under Celestia and act as an ally, Discord would see himself as a mere errand boy.  And its not surprising either, save Fluttershy, nearly everyone in Equestria regarded him with pure fear and contempt, expecting him to turn against them even though they expected hsdim to be their ally and friend.

He was a convenient tool for Celestia and Equestria and nothing more. Fluttershy may as well have been the good cop, even if it was unknowingly.

 

And honestly, the way the Equestrians treated Discord, much like they treated Luna :comeatus: , they did not deserve to have Discord as an ally, let alone as a friend. Celestia decided to reform Discord and make him an ally, yet like her own sister in the past, she did not make the effort to reach out to him, let alone befriend him. No let the good cop Fluttershy do the dirty work with the rest of the Mane 6 watch over your former enemy and hope for the best. Then take credit when you have been absent 99% of the time and conveniently summon Discord when you need him to do your dirty work.

 

I agree with Tirek. Pony errand boy was a fitting title for Discord. Some friend those equines turned out to be. Friends that expect you to help them, yet regard you with utter fear and contempt. Frankly, part of me would not have mined seeing Tirek raze Equestria to the ground with its inhabitants and their conceited behavior. Hell, I would not have minded either if Discord wallowed in his own misery as Equestria fell or prevailed.

 

In a darker story, Discord would have been the tragic hero. A lonely god who thought he had everything, but was empty inside, then discovered friendship, only to lose it because of his own foolishness and alienation from those he thought he loved. 

 

Of course, the Tree of Harmony did not let this happen. Or rather, Twilight hence redeeming both herself and Discord.  That Twilight showed both forgiveness and compassion towards Discord despite all he had done shows a strong mark of friendship. She could have chosen to abandon him to suffer or punish him later, but she did not. She acknowledged Discord as a friend, in spite of everything, and that simple gesture proved an invaluable lesson:

 

Friendship is magic. 

 

In spite of the horrible betrayal and the devastation to Equestria, Twilight managed to acknowledge and reach out to the 1 person she was so distant from.

 

In spite of all he is, and what he’s done, Discord is more good than we often credit him for. He’s incredibly complex and flawed, despite being a “god of chaos,” and although he often causes chaos, he has a knack for surprising viewers with the good he’s capable of.

 

Once upon a time, Discord may have been a villain  , but that’s not the case anymore  . As we’ve seen, Discord not only has served as an ally and friend, but also was crucial in saving Equestria and inspiring both himself and Twilight what it truly means to be a friend.

 

I can only say that we will see more good surprises from Discord in the future. 

[~ Dr. Ocsid ~ 690]

 

A wonderfull Analysis! I love it!

Especially this cheese-melon:

You live by the sword, you die by the sword. You live by the sandwich, you uh eat it?

 

I agree in each and every point!