Cadence is the most vapid character imaginable

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Ok hear me out, it's actually kind of interesting how she can somehow become more vacuous in personality the more she's shown and the more she does. But I've worked out a theory in canon that explains exactly how this is possible.

 

Cadence has no character on her own, but only leeches off the likes and preferences of those around her. For instance, if you want to play kiddy dance music at her wedding celebration, she's totally into that. If you want to take her to a weird convention about an obscure historical figure, she's that guy's biggest fan. If you want to waste her one day off making her wait on you and fight for her life for your amusement, she's not just fine with it but thanks you for the opportunity. And if you think she should offer all of her magic power to Twilight, well of course that's the best idea.

 

Starting to see how it works? She doesn't have preferences or opinions. She can't disagree with anyone, she can't have a different idea or opinion about the right thing to do, and so she can't actually be part of any conflict. She's the most empty character written, and I think it's canon.

[Moonlight 7,279]

Most of what you described are known as "similar preferences," and just because another character likes something that doesn't mean Cadence is automatically not supposed to.

 

Also she mentioned the time in the empire was kind of dull, so literally anything would have been exciting to her, and the other princesses agreed to it so don't just call Cadence out. 

 

She has opinions, she disagreed with Queen Chrysalis and even Shining Armor at times, and she isn't an empty character lol, stop simplifying things. 

[Koukatsu 5,898]

I feel like those examples are generalized, and I know they are based only on what she's shown in the series.

 

Working through it backwards;

1. ALL the Princesses gave Twilight their power, because it WAS the best idea that they could come up with. Hide all the magic in the Princess the villain doesn't know about.
2. All she wanted on her day in Ponyville was to spend it with Twilight, so thanking Discord was more of a "haha, screw you buddy" to the one who thought he was ruining their day.
3. Based on her backstory in the IDW comics, which IIRC are accepted as cannon by Hasbro, she's nerdy enough that her love for Starswirl is legit.
4. I don't recall the music off the top of my head, but if it was a Pinkie plan... NOPONY can stop Pinkie from partying, it's best to just go with the flow... ._.

 

Rather than not having preferences or opinions, she has the mindset that she won't let somepone else ruin her day, and she has friends with similar interests.

[Dulset Tarn 441]

When has she disagreed with Shining Armor?

[Tilt 286]

I can see what you mean, we know very little of cadence apart from her relationships with other characters. She's a gigantic mary sue when it comes right down to it but then again so is Shining Armour really, he doesn't have much development but what do you expect from Characters who were rushed out to make a deadline for the canterlot wedding toysets Hasbro wanted to sell?

 

Edit: Also Shining is captain of the royal guard yet we've yet to see him successfully defend against an attack which makes me chuckle.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Tilt

[VitalSpark 1,830]

I don't think she was especially agreeable when she saw this hair style...

 

 

But other than that, I can see your point.

 

At least she's pretty though. (OK, maybe not so much in the picture above.)

Edited January 8, 2015 by Vital Spark

[Dulset Tarn 441]

I don't think she was especially agreeable when she saw this hair style...

But if Rarity had said "That's perfect, you look great!" then who knows?

I feel like those examples are generalized, and I know they are based only on what she's shown in the series.

 

Working through it backwards;

1. ALL the Princesses gave Twilight their power, because it WAS the best idea that they could come up with. Hide all the magic in the Princess the villain doesn't know about.
2. All she wanted on her day in Ponyville was to spend it with Twilight, so thanking Discord was more of a "haha, screw you buddy" to the one who thought he was ruining their day.
3. Based on her backstory in the IDW comics, which IIRC are accepted as cannon by Hasbro, she's nerdy enough that her love for Starswirl is legit.
4. I don't recall the music off the top of my head, but if it was a Pinkie plan... NOPONY can stop Pinkie from partying, it's best to just go with the flow... ._.

 

Rather than not having preferences or opinions, she has the mindset that she won't let somepone else ruin her day, and she has friends with similar interests.

Yes, they can all be explained, some rather strainedly, but when you think about how with all the chances she's had to display a preference or an opinion, all the opportunities there have been for her to disagree with anyone, and the fact that she never once has been in a conflict of any kind, I think it's part of a pattern that needs an explanation beyond "Oh it just hasn't happened onscreen yet."

[Koukatsu 5,898]

Yes, they can all be explained, some rather strainedly, but when you think about how with all the chances she's had to display a preference or an opinion, all the opportunities there have been for her to disagree with anyone, and the fact that she never once has been in a conflict of any kind, I think it's part of a pattern that needs an explanation beyond "Oh it just hasn't happened onscreen yet."

So, because she's basically only around like-minded ponies, mainly her now-husband, and other Princesses, including her sister in law, and best friend, she's empty?

That's arguable. A bit BLAND? Sure, but empty? I disagree.

[Conred 274]

She is just nice like Disney Princess suppose to be. But it's true that she's boring and lack depth. I would be fine if she was shown to be at least very angry at something like maybe scold Discord in Three's a Crowd. Yet it was only Twilight that show some character.

[Dulset Tarn 441]

So, because she's basically only around like-minded ponies, mainly her now-husband, and other Princesses, including her sister in law, and best friend, she's empty?

That's arguable. A bit BLAND? Sure, but empty? I disagree.

How many of those characters agree with each other all the time?

Heck, the mane six are the closest friends in Equestria and they argue and disagree literally all the time. I really don't think you can call this normal.

[Misty Shadow 7,085]

Okay, I see where you're coming from with her not having much personality. But to be blunt...you're oversimplifying things while overanalyzing things. Not to mention that there are plenty of REAL people who are like what you make Cadence out to be. Being opinionless would not make her an "empty" character...

[Koukatsu 5,898]

How many of those characters agree with each other all the time?

Heck, the mane six are the closest friends in Equestria and they argue and disagree literally all the time. I really don't think you can call this normal.

By that same logic, then, I'm empty, because most of my opinions are in line with my brother T.

That dynamic changes when I'm around my brother J, who I've literally been in fist fights with.

Rather than saying she hasn't had an opinion on screen, I think they've made her bland by not giving her anypony TO disagree with.

You can't exactly meet a lot of new people when you spend all your time ruling, and your free time with only your family.

[Cleverclover 1,525]

 

 

ALL the Princesses gave Twilight their power, because it WAS the best idea that they could come up with. Hide all the magic in the Princess the villain doesn't know about.

 

 

Except that was a terrible plan since they clearly didn't take into consideration that Discord had already told Tirek about Twilight, and it was simply through dumb luck that he had decided to withhold that information from him. Not that they could have known that...

[Dulset Tarn 441]

 

 

Except that was a terrible plan since they clearly didn't take into consideration that Discord had already told Tirek about Twilight, and it was simply through dumb luck that he had decided to withhold that information from him. Not that they could have known that...

 

Not just that but I find it kind of hilarious that they give Twilight the power specifically for her to keep it hidden, and she winds up hurling it at him at full force. Great job with that plan, princesses.

[Countess Noodle 607]

She did just show up out of nowhere. Her and Shining Armor are as bland as poi. They were shoe-horned in cause Hasbro wanted more money and now look. Useless princess and useless prince. Both do nothing for the story, although the season 2 finale was pretty damn good they could have done that with another pair of characters. 

 

Now that she is in, I would like to see more episodes in season 5 about her daily struggles in the Crystal Empire. Her and Shining Armor. I want to see some chemistry too. Cadence has not yet earned her place. Hopefully she starts soon though.

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Anyway guys, I do want this to be clear and I think I did a bad job of making it so. I'm not trying to say here that she's a crappy character. I just noticed during all her episodes that no matter what she does and what is shown about her, she still ends up having even less depth than she did before. And I realized that the reason for this is that every time she's put into a disagreeable situation, she just disarms it by being totally into it. She's had numerous episodes now and has still never been in a conflict. So this headcanon I'm offering is simply my theory as to why that could be the case from an in-universe perspective. That's all.

[Cleverclover 1,525]

 

 

Not just that but I find it kind of hilarious that they give Twilight the power specifically for her to keep it hidden, and she winds up hurling it at him at full force. Great job with that plan, princesses.

 

 

Well, to be fair, that was the idea from the writer's standpoint: to get Twilight into a solo battle with Tirek, and forsake any and all sense of logic to get there. Why couldn't all of the alicorns just face down Tirek together? Well, that would have meant that Twilight would have had to share the spotlight, so we certainly couldn't have that, could we?  

 

Honestly, Twilight's Kingdom may as well have been someone's fanfiction that they just decided to make an episode out of. 

[Dulset Tarn 441]

 

 

Well, to be fair, that was the idea from the writer's standpoint: to get Twilight into a solo battle with Tirek, and forsake any and all sense of logic to get there. Why couldn't all of the alicorns just face down Tirek together? Well, that would have meant that Twilight would have had to share the spotlight, so we certainly couldn't have that, could we?  

 

Honestly, Twilight's Kingdom may as well have been someone's fanfiction that they just decided to make an episode out of. 

 

I'd say much the same about most of season 4 but I don't want to make this thread about that.

Hmm, I am new here though, where would a good place to critique season 4 be?

[Koukatsu 5,898]

 

 

Except that was a terrible plan since they clearly didn't take into consideration that Discord had already told Tirek about Twilight, and it was simply through dumb luck that he had decided to withhold that information from him. Not that they could have known that...

 

Ye, but that was all about having faith in somepony they REALLY shouldn't have. xD

[Tameless 979]

Princess Cadence reminds me of my cousins. They never argue or get into any rash discussions. There are very very very few people like Cadence. I don't dislike her, I envy her a little for always being positive a lot.

[TenorSounds 831]

I just consider it an aspect of her character, that she doesn't like being disagreeable. It's not inherently bad, but I hope next season they have an episode where she's put in a situation where her non-combative nature is put to more strenuous tests.

As for the in-universe explanation...eh, I'm probably not the best to weigh-in on something like that. I'm a fan of Occam's razor, and tend to just go with the simpler explanation of "the writers just didn't think about it that much" or something along those lines.

 

If I were to theorize, though, to me a more plausible in-universe explanation would be that since her talent is love, she's just a generally agreeable pony who doesn't want to upset others and the writers wrote her along those lines.

[inactive user 79]

Cadance DOES have a personality.

 

That of Sandpaper.

 

 << Cadance

[VitalSpark 1,830]

 

 

Not just that but I find it kind of hilarious that they give Twilight the power specifically for her to keep it hidden, and she winds up hurling it at him at full force. Great job with that plan, princesses.

 

She only used the power against him after it was clear that there was no point hiding it any more.

[RainbowTashie 378]

Ok hear me out, it's actually kind of interesting how she can somehow become more vacuous in personality the more she's shown and the more she does. But I've worked out a theory in canon that explains exactly how this is possible.

 

Cadence has no character on her own, but only leeches off the likes and preferences of those around her. For instance, if you want to play kiddy dance music at her wedding celebration, she's totally into that. If you want to take her to a weird convention about an obscure historical figure, she's that guy's biggest fan. If you want to waste her one day off making her wait on you and fight for her life for your amusement, she's not just fine with it but thanks you for the opportunity. And if you think she should offer all of her magic power to Twilight, well of course that's the best idea.

 

Starting to see how it works? She doesn't have preferences or opinions. She can't disagree with anyone, she can't have a different idea or opinion about the right thing to do, and so she can't actually be part of any conflict. She's the most empty character written, and I think it's canon.

maybe she's just open minded and selfless enough to embrace your interests. But i get what you're saying. But it terms of the Twilight cadance relationship they have known each other for a while so they will possibly have similar interests. And she has no right to defy celestia in terms of giving the magic to twilight(plus she trusts her) royal duties must also be pretty boring so an adventure must've been fun for her

[Dulset Tarn 441]

she has no right to defy celestia in terms of giving the magic to twilight

Hahahahaha what?? No seriously, what?