Should Flash Sentry have a backstory?

[NonbinaryDuck 362]

Yeah, Flash Sentry seems like he has potential of becoming a likeable character, but we just gotta find a way to make him actually enjoyable. Maybe a story of how he got drafted into becoming a Royal Guard? Maybe he has a mental illness/disorder which conflicts his life as being a Royal Guard? Idk, obviously we can't be to "dark" about it, but still at least something which sparks some magic.

[Honsou 399]

one does not simply have a backstory, he is the royal gaurd after all (the royal guard is semi- useless)

Semi? You mean completely?

[Saylor Scout 66]

I doubt we'll get one, but it would be nice if we did.

No!

 

Absolutely no backstory or character development, ever!

 

Then, suddenly, he marries Twilight!

 

The butthurt will last forever!

 

Mwahahahahaha!

They would never do that to us.... Would they?

[colt_following 169]

For me at this point he doesn't mean anything yet.... they didn't put Twilight and Flash any more together than was enough to make a temporary love interest. I really sorta want it to become something more real... of course, then we'd get some exposition on Flash- what types of friends he has, his likes/dislikes, how he was brought up, and of course, how he is relevant to the main conflict.

Which he thus far hasn't been at ALL!

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,302]

Flash should have a backstory where it's revealed that he has an incurable condition where he'll suddenly die if he gets too close to a mare.  Then he can only be loved from afar.  It's tragic, but it makes him more sympathetic.

[Will Guide 21,360]

Yes to both Equestria and EG counterparts, especially the EG human! I honestly want to know what he was doing before Pre-reformed Sunset Shimmer used him to make herself more popular.

[yisetab28 89]

Brad is undeniably dead, but Flash "could" still be saved with a good backstory. If Faust comes in and gets him out of the marketing cliche zone, I could like him.

[Will Guide 21,360]

This post is a long one about Canterlot High Student Human Flash Sentry, who the majority of Brony viewers seem to hate. I had to split it into several parts using the spoiler box function.

 

I've said many times before that, YES, Human Flash Sentry really needs a back story. Well, I came up with this.

 

Introduction

 

 

To quote TV Tropes’ “They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character” bullet point on the first film’s YMMV page: The most common criticism is that the two new characters — Sunset Shimmer and Flash Sentry — come off as a little flat and could have benefited from more development or focus. Even those that did like them wish they were given more character and didn't adhere so much to their High School Cliché Storm roles.

I quite agree with that^

One thing I was hoping we would see in either Equestria Girls 1 or Rainbow Rocks that we didn’t get was a potential flashback to Flash Sentry breaking up with Sunset Shimmer a few weeks before the events of Equestria Girls 1. This flashback could have given Flash Sentry a chance to call the then-cruel-and-dishonest Sunset Shimmer off and would have shown more of his character and backstory that he really needs.

It could have shown that Flash was the better person for NOT wanting to be with a mean girlfriend and so he’d have broken up with Sunset at that point of the flashback scene.
(The Humane 5 DID mentioned to Twilight in the coffee shop in EQG1 that Flash broke up with Sunset a few weeks before Twilight’s first visit. Heck, they were actually concerned that Sunset might do something awful to Flash as revenge. By the end of the first film, that awful thing DID happen when Sunset turned into that raging she-demon, resulting in her turning Flash into a mindless teenage zombie among the rest of the student body).

 

 

 

Anyway, here’s how I picture the Hypothetical, Wasted FlashBack (or HWFB, for short) could have played out:

Flash could have realized his girlfriend for the past few Fall Formals, Sunset Shimmer, have been bullying his friends and decided to confront her.

Flash would first say something like, “When I first met you a long time ago, you were alone in the world. As any good person would do, I helped you out getting used to Canterlot High and even taught you all my guitar-playing skills.”

(Which would have brilliantly explained this scene at the end of Rainbow Rocks)


He would go on summarizing how when Sunset won her first Fall Formal Crown, her smile was genuinely happy.

But then next year, the smile was a sinister sneer.

And then finally, her smile when she had won last year’s crown was one of a maniacal laughter that nonverbally screams, “I’m the ruler of this world!”

Upset and mostly heartbroken at what a mean person the nice girl he used to know has become, he ends this back-story with the answer, “It’s over, Sunset Shimmer. I’m breaking up with you!”

Next, Bully Sunset could have said something like, “Fine, I don’t need you anymore! I was just using you to become more popular!” These words would have destroyed Flash’s opinion of Sunset Shimmer. He would silently wonder if he’ll ever meet a truly good-hearted girl who would return his acts of helping others with gratitude instead of treating him like nothing but a means to an end.

Flash could have then given Sunset the last words he would say directly to her (at least until perhaps sometime off screen either before OR after Rainbow Rocks, but NOT during): a warning that if she continues to be mean to others and using people, someday it’s going to bite her in the butt. Sunset would just walk away and push Flash’s warning into “Yeah, like that'll ever happen!” section of her mind. She's foolishly convinced herself that she didn't need anyone; Not Princess Celestia and her lessons that weren't getting Sunset her desires as fast as she wanted and not Flash Sentry who wouldn't stick with her. Bonus points for ending with her meeting Snips and Snails.

 

HWFB Placement: Where could it have been shown?

I was first thinking that this FB could have been shown to the viewers in the beginning of RR; right after Reformed Sunset said to the Humane 5 in the music room, “Flash Sentry’s a great guy, but I never really like him like him. I just using him to become more popular.”

Actually, my HWFB could have worked even better if it could have even been split into two and shown at two different places during the first film; both showing the same confrontation between the two, but each showing the inner thoughts of just one of them; Here’s where I would have put them:

Flash’s Flashback Placement:

In the scene where Sunset tricks Vice-Principal Luna into believing Twilight ruined the decorations in the gym, we could have followed an eavesdropping Flash a bit and have taken a look into his mind as his memories show us the flashback, from his perspective.

Sunset’s Flashback Placement:

After being defeated and turned back from a raging she-demon. Twilight would point out how “Tonight, you’ve shown everyone what was in your heart.” Perhaps right before Sunset’s “I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was another way” line, we would have been treated to the HWFB; this time, from Sunset’s perspective and inner thoughts.

 

One last point of interest:

By the way, after Sunset’s defeat, look closely at Flash standing outside the crater before we cut to a devastated, face-covered-in-tears Sunset.

Flash looks worried for Sunset as if he was thinking, “I warned her it would bite her in the butt, but I’d never guess it’d meant being turned into a monster and apparently defeated by Twilight and the other girls would be the thing that would make her finally realized how nasty she was to all of us.”

 

Conclusion:

There you go: my explanation on the wasted flashback that could have helped develop Flash’s character as more than just a good-looking guy. I wonder if anyone else since the first film’s release thought about this. Maybe they might have already written something like this HWFB. If you’ve seen something like this, I would definitely want to know.

 

[The Awesome One 1,315]

If the people behind the show are serious about Flash and Twilight then they better do some serious character development.

 

Seriously. A jock type character who is in a band and drives a Camaro. Hasbro what are you doing.

[Chara 1,565]

Im my opinion every character should have a backstory no matter how important they are.

[WriteCodes46 178]

The Awesome One, on 08 May 2015 - 9:33 PM, said:

Seriously. A jock type character who is in a band and drives a Camaro. Hasbro what are you doing.

That's what appeals to preteen girls, the target audience, a least according to Hasbro. And they're sponsored by Chevrolet, so it makes some sense that he would drive a Camaro (although something like an Aveo would make more sense for him).

[The Awesome One 1,315]

That's what appeals to preteen girls, the target audience, a least according to Hasbro. And they're sponsored by Chevrolet, so it makes some sense that he would drive a Camaro (although something like an Aveo would make more sense for him).

 

Well I guess I can not complain too much. This was aimed at preteen girls anyway and I guess they definitely do not mind the fact that this guy literally came out of nowhere and is now romantically involved with Twilight Sparkle.

[KatonRyu 1,033]

I hope they do. I sincerely want to like him as a character, especially since he'll probably be present in any future EQG movies. Maybe if they flesh him out a bit more he'll be an actual character rather than an executive-mandated cardboard cutout love interest.

[yisetab28 89]

I hope they do. I sincerely want to like him as a character, especially since he'll probably be present in any future EQG movies. Maybe if they flesh him out a bit more he'll be an actual character rather than an executive-mandated cardboard cutout love interest.

 

Well I don't think they have anything to do with Brad now, he's had his chance in 2 movies and just stayed the same, never changed a little bit. Flash on the other hand can still be saved, as he has been seen rarely in the episodes. He still didn't show how he really was, and I think it would be a big waste of potential to not give him a good backstory. Sure, there are problems like Twili getting an instant crush on him and him rising so fast through the ranks, going from recruit to princess's personal guard in not even a year, but he could be saved.

 

Bonus joke

 

Shining Armor and Flash are in a bar, drinking cider.

 

SA: Hey Flash, tell me, what's the smartest thing you've ever done?

 

FS: Your little sister.

 

And that's the story of why we have never seen Flash again.

[Singe 2,111]

There will never be an explanation of why Flash Sentry is the only human to be romantically attracted to pony girls or why Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are the only ones with a love interest while the other Mane 5 have been single for years.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Singe

[Roughshod 719]

no were talking about the pony Flash Sentry not Brad (human Flash)

 

 

The pony version of Flash Sentry only exists because it served as a introduction for his human counterpart in EG. While neither version has had much development(and likely never shall) the human Flash has clearly been given more screen time and dialogue while the pony version has never even spoken to Twilight since EG1.     

 

 

He's probably shining armour's body double. He almost looks the same and him and why have another guard captain when cadence is already married to one? XD

 

Really? Besides both having experience with the royal guards and knowing Twilight one is a unicorn while the other is a pegasi. Both of them have different coat colors, eye color, body sizes, hooves and have never been seen together in the same shot let alone interacting on any level. Despite this they probably should know each other given that Shining Armor is the Captain of the Royal Guard.