Is Rarity milking Spike's crush?

[ShadowPirateX 600]

Well Spike doesn't seem to mind. He appears to really like helping others. After all, there was an entire episode dedicated to Spike wanting to help somebody.

Besides, Rarity asks nicely.

[Wander 125]

I wouldn't blame her for "taking advantage" of him. I probably would too.

[Jeric 46,851]

Awareness of Dual and Individual Character Development

 

Does everyone remember that horrible episode "Spike At Your Service"?

 

"I think that they came very close to ruining the character of Rarity in that one. Sure she saved Spike's life and I get that he had a sense of debt that he felt he needed to repay, but come on. The fact that his devotion instantly changed from admiration vs. crush to a slave mode of sorts  makes Rarity come across as an opportunist who only changes her mind when Spike becomes a nuisance. Worst ... episode ... ever. They should have chosen a different character to save Spike's life ... like Rainbow or Applejack. It would have preserved the integrity of Rarity since the other characters could easily be more convincing as being put off by Spike's help. Ugh this episode pisses me off to no end."

 

 

 

... is a post I never had to write or read. Why? Because the writers understood that they do not want Rarity to come across as selfishly using Spike. The fact that they canned Rarity's ONLY planned Season 3 episode in order to preserve her character and the relationship she has with Spike shows that the writers may disagree with the notion that Rarity is a manipulative Pony. They sacrificed Rarity to the disdain of many fans ... in order to protect her.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Jeric

[GreyScholar 1,584]

But as said, the relationship wouldn't work out anyways, because Spike is a dragon (a BABY dragon) and Rarity is a pony (an ADULT pony, assumedly).

Whenever someone tries arguing this I just point to Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala. Padme first met Anakin when he was just a boy and she was a adult/young adult.

 

If it can work for them it can work for Spike and Rarity... putting aside the fact their romance helped create the breaking point that led to the demise of the Jedi Order and countless deaths as that has nothing do with age differences.

 

The point being, just because Spike is 'too young' now does not mean a relationship cannot be pursued on a later date.

Edited August 2, 2014 by EquestrianScholar

[Jeric 46,851]

snip

 

As a die hard Star Wars fan I should have considered that whenever someone brings up Sparity. I honestly never have thought of that angle until I read your post. Huh? I don't ship the characters, but now I can better understand the appeal.

 

Also, if Spike causes the death of Rarity ... NO REDEMPTION ALLOWED!

 

Edited August 2, 2014 by Jeric

[GreyScholar 1,584]

 

As a die hard Star Wars fan I should have considered that whenever someone brings up Sparity. I honestly never have thought of that angle until I read your post. Huh? I don't ship the characters, but now I can better understand the appeal.

 

Also, if Spike causes the death of Rarity ... NO REDEMPTION ALLOWED!

 

Dang it, you quoted me before I could fix my post.

 

Well I always felt it was a reasonable comparison.

 

If Spike caused the death of Rarity I would call foul and bring an angry mob to burn down Hasbro HQ.

Edited August 2, 2014 by EquestrianScholar

[Banul 3,831]

Whenever someone tries arguing this I just point to Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala. Padme first met Anakin when he was just a boy and she was a adult/young adult.

 

If it can work for them it can work for Spike and Rarity... putting aside the fact their romance helped create the breaking point that led to the demise of the Jedi Order and countless deaths as that has nothing do with age differences.

 

The point being, just because Spike is 'too young' now does not mean a relationship cannot be pursued on a later date.

I realize that there are likely a lot of different opinions about this, but I think I speak for many people when I say that I don't think the Star Wars prequals are a good example of anything

 

 

Anyway, some people have said that Rarity is leading him on. I don't think that Rarity has ever given Spike an impression that she was actually into him romantically. I think she just sort of lets him live the fantasy a bit, which I think is harmless. He also seems to genuinly enjoy lending a help hand, so theirs that. Maybe Rarity lays the charm on a bit thick at times, but I've never seen her as being manipulative. To her friends, anyway.

[Old Fluttershy 349]

 

I've never seen her as being manipulative. To her friends, anyway.

How about in Rarity Takes Manehattan? I felt that she used the whole "friendship" angle to make her friends feel bad so that they would keep working.

[Obsidian Sky 14,004]

How about in Rarity Takes Manehattan? I felt that she used the whole "friendship" angle to make her friends feel bad so that they would keep working.

You have to understand Raritys situation in that. Suri betrayed her in the most insidious way, and because of that Rarity reacted how she did, she felt that her generosity meant nothing, that everypony would exploit her. Something the other mane6 already did in the past.

Thats the reason she reacted like she did. She reacted like she never would have done in any other situation there. She was disappointed and hurt. She thought that everything she believed in was a lie all along.

 

What she did was wrong, but i think everybody can understand why she did it.

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

How about in Rarity Takes Manehattan? I felt that she used the whole "friendship" angle to make her friends feel bad so that they would keep working.

Or, you know, she was upset and did the wrong thing Thank god none of the other ponies have done that before.

 

Oh, wait, they did. In every key episode (and even episodes before the key episodes )

 

• Fluttershy wouldn't let the Breezies go back home, which left them in serious danger, because she liked them.
• Rainbow Dash lied and tried cheating her firends and abandoning them for the Wonderbolts in Rainbow Falls.
• Applejack lied to the whole city and allowed Flim and Flam to push off a bogus product in order to let her family have fun.
• Pinkie Pie was ruining other ponies good time and being greedy because she was jealous that Cheese Sandwich was stealing her limelight as the party pony.

   

Now, why are you targeting Rarity and ignoring all of the other ponies wrongdoings? None of them are perfect, whether it be Rarity or any of the mane 6, but they try their best. Remember the end of Rarity Takes Manehattan? When she ran out of the tournament that would've brought her fame and fortune and helped her accomplish her lifelong dream had she won, only to run out and try and fix her friendships with the rest of the mane 6? Or how was able to get them their own private screening to that musical because she felt bad and was trying to make it up to them?

 

I'm sorry, but I'm honestly confused as to why you're trying so hard to point out the bad she's done and how you're ignoring all of the good she's done I think you need to go rewatch some of her episodes, man. You seem to be lacking a lot of understanding as to the type of pony she really is

Edited August 2, 2014 by ghostfacekiller39

[Jeric 46,851]

Plot contrivances. What can you do?

 

Poor Spike, even in his own threads he gets forgotten. Here Spike have a hot dog, courtesy of the Mare people think abuse you.

 

[Obsidian Sky 14,004]

Plot contrivances. What can you do?

 

Poor Spike, even in his own threads he gets forgotten. Here Spike have a hot dog, courtesy of the Mare people think abuse you.

 

 

Make that two carrot dogs.

 

We actually saw him holding the carrot dog later in the generosity song after it was stolen by avians, so either he hunted and killed that bird that stole his lunch, or Rarity bought him another one offsceen.

[Jeric 46,851]

 

Ok, I could talk all day about RTM and what it says and doesn't say about Rares, but Ghostie and OS hit some fine points to mull over. Hoping the photo above hopefully gets the topic back to Spike and Rarity because their friendship and his crush is worthy of discussion.

 

In RTM Spike is again doing manual labor and it's Rarity, his crush, who responds to thank him. You have to give her credit where credit is due

Make that two carrot dogs.

 

We actually saw him holding the carrot dog later in the generosity song after it was stolen by avians, so either he hunted and killed that bird that stole his lunch, or Rarity bought him another one offsceen.

Holy crap, you're right. O-0

 

Need to rewatch some eps again

[Old Fluttershy 349]

 

I'm sorry, but I'm honestly confused as  to why you're  trying so hard to point  out the bad she's done and how your ignoring all the good she's done.

I keep picking on Rarity because it is her flaws that make her an interesting character.

All the other ponies have flaws I haven't forgotten that. But they're personalities are more interesting than Rarity's.

It's not that I hate Rarity or anything it's just her flaws that make her character. Otherwise she would be like Diamond Tiara, a snooty, upbeat pony. If it makes you feel better Applejack has too much pride in herself and should ask for help when she needs it. Twilight Sparkle needs to lighten up and stop worrying over every little detail. Pinkie Pie......hm...can't think of anything, maybe she tries to hard? Anyway, Fluttershy needs to overcome her fears of everything! And Rainbow Dash needs to stop being so cool and actually become a little nerdy. Now all these flaws have been addressed in the show I know.

 

You have to give her credit where credit is due.

True, she may be the most demanding of Spike, but she does make up for it with the gems and other "gifts"

[Jeric 46,851]

The depth that ALL the Mane Six have is staggering, be it intentional or otherwise. I usually approach characters through a a filter of literature (some may have noticed that in the Rarity Fan Club). As far as flaws, yes Rares has them, but my opinion is that her flaws are related to an internal struggle of an artist seeking acceptance and recognition ... a sense of pride. Her art is how she defines herself and when that is challenged she feels it deeply almost like physical pain.

 

Spike plays an important role in Rarity's life. He constantly encourages her, and builds her confidence. Should she falter, it's Spike who is the first one to give her a kind word about her skills. They made a whole episode about that for Pete's sake. Spike is an artist's best friend.

 

No. Pride, not selfishness or manipulation. Her kind of 'approach' is not a flaw as I have already touched on.

[Whatevs 377]

Nah. I could see it in S1 maybe, but she cares about reciprocating with him based on episodes like Dragon Quest where she is protective of him, CE where she is worried he may die, SoME where she would rather be harmed than give up his gift to a monster, and IM where she cares about what he thinks etc etc.

 

It's not the best depicted crush ever, but a large part of that is Faust didn't want it to go anywhere

[ggg-2 3,553]

That is not being a slave. Now, the Diamond Dogs using Rarity as a packhorse and literal beast of burden, THAT, in my opinion, can be called slavery.

[Jeric 46,851]

That is not being a slave. Now, the Diamond Dogs using Rarity as a packhorse and literal beast of burden, THAT, in my opinion, can be called slavery.

Well, if Pony make Diamond Dogs a sandwich ... Pony would not be in the situation!

 

 

That was a valid point, and another good episode example highlighting Spike's continued dedication to Rarity

[ARagY 1,152]

Maybe a little, but not much. She obviously knows about his infatuation and slightly abuses it, but not to a point that's harmful to him. He's more than happy to do the sorts of things she asks. Plus, she gave him gems

[Whatevs 377]

I keep picking on Rarity because it is her flaws that make her an interesting character.

All the other ponies have flaws I haven't forgotten that. But they're personalities are more interesting than Rarity's.

It's not that I hate Rarity or anything it's just her flaws that make her character. Otherwise she would be like Diamond Tiara, a snooty, upbeat pony. If it makes you feel better Applejack has too much pride in herself and should ask for help when she needs it. Twilight Sparkle needs to lighten up and stop worrying over every little detail. Pinkie Pie......hm...can't think of anything, maybe she tries to hard? Anyway, Fluttershy needs to overcome her fears of everything! And Rainbow Dash needs to stop being so cool and actually become a little nerdy. Now all these flaws have been addressed in the show I know.

True, she may be the most demanding of Spike, but she does make up for it with the gems and other "gifts"

Their personalities are not remotely more interesting.

That is a joke.

 

She has a much more defined personality.

Read this thread. More discussion on this one aspect that most of the others have at all.

[11th Doctor Whooves 794]

She totally does, but I don't think she really realises she's doing it.  Spike offers his assistance to her so readily that she just knows he'll be there to do pretty much whatever she needs of him.

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Communicating Desire

 

Now to address the idea that using any form of emotional communication to obtain something you want being inherently distasteful. Yeah, no. To say that is akin to saying that you don't value a relationship with a spouse, a parent, or a good friend. Hell even strangers. To simplify this:

 

"Hey dad, give me $20.00 now, I need it."

"Daaaaaddy. You think I can maybe have some money to go see a movie with Jaime?"

 

"You think you might be able to get your lazy ass off the phone and maybe fix the ceiling fan?"

Standing behind arms wrapped around in soft hug with chin resting on shoulder, "Hey honey, when you get a moment the ceiling fan is still making that God awful squeak." Kisses cheek. 

 

Both my wife and my daughters know how to approach a request to get a response that they desire. This does NOT make them a lesser person. I do admit that on occasion this sort of characteristic flirting from the wife does make me go, "Damn it!" But we all do the same thing. Subconsciously or consciously. We alter how we communicate to achieve our objectives. And I kinda like it with my wife flirts with me.

 

 

Even in the form of obvious obligation. My boss doesn't say ... "Hey get your Code Monkeys in gear, I need this shit deployed tomorrow!"

I learned this in acting class. People change their tone to get what they want. It is not always a bad thing. Sometimes you even need to do stuff like this to not come across like an A**hole. 

[AlbaTross 1,586]

It's possible Rarity milks Spike's crush, and it's clear that she has no problem charming stallions into doing stuff for her, but she cares about Spike, even if it's not in the way he'd like, and I think it would be even worse if she broke his heart by telling him the truth, so it's possible that she wants to spare his feelings. Maybe it's a little bit of both though.

[Conred 274]

I think at this point writers should just end his crush on her. They said that this romance will never go anywhere so Rarity look like a pony who take advantage of him. It bothers me that they still playing with his feelings as a visual gag. If whole Ponyville know about his crush then Rarity is super ignorant to still not realising it. She should just straighten up things between them so he would not get hurt when another Trenderhoof appear.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Conred

[Obsidian Sky 14,004]

I think at this point writers should just end his crush on her. They said that this romance will never go anywhere so Rarity look like a pony who take advantage of him. It bothers me that they still playing with his feelings as a visual gag. If whole Ponyville know about his crush then Rarity is super ignorant to still not realising it. She should just straighten up things between them so he would not get hurt when another Trenderhoof appear.

Season four killed any chance of romance between the two anyway, not that there every really was any...

 

After Simple Ways and Inspiration Manifestation, how many more hints does Spike need?