How to Deal with Starlight Glimmer?

[Fractured 2,684]

Starlight Glimmer is a breath of fresh air. After fighting monster after monster(after monster), quite a lot of people were clamoring for the Mane Six to go head to head with something more mundane as a major villain. Well, we got it. Starlight Glimmer is just as evil and insane as the rest of the Big Bads, but she's just a simple unicorn. 

 

The new villain being essentially "human" in the pony world comes with its own set of problems, though. Assuming she comes back, and she's planning something, she would be the first major villain who the Mane Six won't be able to simply just EOH or Rainbow Magic away. She's not some monster drunk on dark magic, and she's not possessed; she's just a highly unstable unicorn with an extreme difference of opinion. At this point, there's no real "evil" to cleanse, even if we assume the Mane Six would risk firing that kind of magic at a normal pony anyway.

 

It's also very unlikely she can be reasoned with, given she had no problems with attempting to harm or even potentially kill some of her followers if it meant she could escape. The Mane Six could fight her, but they could end up seriously injured if they're not trying their hardest, at which point, she could be the one that ends up seriously injured. I doubt any of them are going to risk that.

 

Which leaves me out of foreseeable options. So I ask you guys: is there any possible way the Mane Six are going to be able to deal with Starlight Glimmer as she is now? I say "now" because the most obvious, unsatisfying answer would be to turn her into some form of monster before dealing with her, and i'm hoping we go anywhere except that route.

[Oblivion 20,270]

Made a few good points,and I really don't see all to much how they are going to deal with her. I guess that the MOST likely option would be either for her to turn good and help fight the "main evil" if you will or be a Trixie and just kind of be a thorn in the ponies side for the continuation of the series.

[Kay Dreamer 884]

I'm extremely curious about Starlight Glimmer, actually. For a few reasons.

• She's one of a few unicorns we've seen whose special talent is magic. This can be assumed by looking at her cutie mark, as well as the fact that she mentioned having studied the shield spell she used, and the sheer amount of various magics she was throwing around as she fled. The only other unicorns we've seen like this are Twilight and Sunset. (Not counting Trixie... she's an illusionist.)
• Her cutie mark has a star on it which bears similarities to Twilight's.
• Her name shares the same pattern as Twilight Sparkle and another former student of Celestia, Sunset Shimmer. (A feature of a time of day + a word which describes sparkling light.)
• Finally, her mane has similar features to that of Twilight and Sunset. (A dominant colour offset by a streak of a brighter colour.)

There's no way the writers and designers made all the above decisions by coincidence. Starlight is being deliberately set up as another foil for Twilight. There's something deeper going on here, and if she doesn't become a recurring villain, or at least return once, I'll eat my foot.

[HunterTSN 1,444]

On one hand it makes complete since for the writers to bring her back; like Kay said there are clear similarities drawn between her and Twilight and lots of potential for a grand return, however there is something that makes her stand out from previous villains that makes me wonder if bringing her back is a good idea.

 

To make a successful return, Starlight needs to outdo everything she did in the premier; this means she has to be more powerful, more determined, and more threatening. The problem here is that all the other baddies have some level of power on their own, even Queen Chrysalis would be a challenge if separated from her hive. Starlight Glimmer without her followers is basically a unicorn mage who, while powerful, was easily brushed off by Twilight despite all of her magical training. I can only see two scenarios for her return; either she gathers an even larger army of followers and futilely attempts to successfully recreate her plans from the premier, or she manages to boost her power and hunts down the Mane 6, in the process losing what made her a creative and original villain in the first place.

 

Let me be clear that I do like Starlight Glimmer as a villain and I would love to see her make a comeback if it can be pulled off without rehashing old episodes or taking away from the characteristics that make her such an interesting and unique villain.

[A Black Circle 1,586]

Maybe she shouldn't get defeated. Maybe she'll stand as a monument to the Six, showing them that they can't magic this and friendship that everything. People will be different, and these characters need to learn that not everything can be instantly fixed and mended, that people have scars that last lifetimes, and that evil always lurks in the dark. And the light.

 

If they do this, FIM is best show no backsies.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

Starlight Glimmer's next episode should focus on the Mane 6 or somepony trying to track her down while learning about her past and retracing her steps, possibly incorporating themes of detective fiction to build upon the dystopian theme of "The Cutie Map". Even though it's nice to have a little mystery, it would be even more interesting to find out where she went wrong and why she did what she did in order to bring closure to this arc.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Wind Chaser

[GrifCannon 102]

Whip out a mirror when she tries her cutie mark removal spell so she removes her own cutie mark. Then put her in jail. Then she has no magic and no talents to help her escape.

[Dark Qiviut 22,447]

@@Kay Dreamer and @@Wind Chaser illustrated some strong suggestions, but I'll leave in one about exploring Glimmer's past. Starlight Glimmer isn't some baddy who wants to conquer Equestria simply because that's in their blood like the rest of the monsters they faced. Starlight Glimmer is a literal cerebral assassin. She has ambitions and doesn't honestly believe she's evil. When her little empire crashed, you can see and feel pain in her voice. This sociopath has a very warped viewpoint of Equestrian society; with her security blanket gone, she becomes very unpredictable.

 

I think it would be a great idea for the Mane Six to research Glimmer. What caused her to think that friendship translates to the idea of same logic and same everything? Is there anything that happened long ago? What does she think about the concept of harmony? Why did she pursue the path she went? While other episodes left things unsaid and unfortunately hurt the writing, the mystery works and adds to the unpredictability and terror Glimmer ebbs.

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

Starlight Glimmer is a breath of fresh air. After fighting monster after monster(after monster), quite a lot of people were clamoring for the Mane Six to go head to head with something more mundane as a major villain. Well, we got it. Starlight Glimmer is just as evil and insane as the rest of the Big Bads, but she's just a simple unicorn. 

 

The new villain being essentially "human" in the pony world comes with its own set of problems, though. Assuming she comes back, and she's planning something, she would be the first major villain who the Mane Six won't be able to simply just EOH or Rainbow Magic away. She's not some monster drunk on dark magic, and she's not possessed; she's just a highly unstable unicorn with an extreme difference of opinion. At this point, there's no real "evil" to cleanse, even if we assume the Mane Six would risk firing that kind of magic at a normal pony anyway.

 

It's also very unlikely she can be reasoned with, given she had no problems with attempting to harm or even potentially kill some of her followers if it meant she could escape. The Mane Six could fight her, but they could end up seriously injured if they're not trying their hardest, at which point, she could be the one that ends up seriously injured. I doubt any of them are going to risk that.

 

Which leaves me out of foreseeable options. So I ask you guys: is there any possible way the Mane Six are going to be able to deal with Starlight Glimmer as she is now? I say "now" because the most obvious, unsatisfying answer would be to turn her into some form of monster before dealing with her, and i'm hoping we go anywhere except that route.

Great questions here. Before the Mane Six can hope to deal with her again, they need to know why she is who she is as Dark Qiviut says.

 

As for the methods they might use, I have a few ideas. Sociopathy is marked by reckless, ruthless intent to get what you want at all costs, superficial charm or false displays of emotion intended to manipulate others, disregard for any rights and freedoms not their own, and an inability to learn from one's mistakes.

 

Starlight so far has displayed three out of four; can she learn from her mistakes? If so, there is hope for her. If not, she IS something of a monster, committed to her vision and unable to accept that any part of it is wrong, because that makes her wrong. If you're sociopathic, that doesn't compute. The only thing that stops you from doing things society considers "wrong" (also does not compute) is the consequences of getting caught at it.

 

If Starlight is indeed this kind of pony, then consequences are the only thing that will make her change her views and her approach. What kind of consequences? Since this is MLP, I think being forced to occupy the body and emotions of one of her former followers, experiencing all the negative aspects of the lifestyle she mandated and not just the positive ones she preached, is a possibility and something that could work.

 

If Starlight is not this kind of pony, and only borderline-sociopathic, then things will be easier and she can learn how wrong her methods were via personal journey. She must be shown that while cutie marks and differences led to unacceptable conflict in her experience, it is not so everywhere, and most of Equestria is getting along just fine without her idea of equality.

[Nature's Spell 526]

The problem with her returning is that it will be almost impossible for her to get the jump on Twilight again. She took Twilight by surprise the first time, but her return would require a huge power boost (unlikely) or a more powerful accomplice (unfortune for her), so I'll be intrigued to see how the writers bring her back.

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Starlight Glimmer hates her cutie mark being revealed to everypony when she's doing her tricks. Anything water related (such as water balloons and seltzer bottles) would totally give her a run for her money.

[AmberDust 1,118]

How to stop Starlight Glimmer?

 

Maybe...spread cult awareness across Equestria? That's basically the only way to deal with maniacal charismatic manipulators, but I really doubt the show will take that sort of turn.

 

Maybe they'll pull some BS like what they did with Sunset Shimmer and just turn her into a suddenly apologetic good guy after beating her up a bit with the magic of friendship. :/

Edited April 7, 2015 by AmberDust

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

I had two ideas on what Starlight should do for the Season Finale.

 

One would be she would learn a spell that allows her to place Twilight under a trance and have her turn against everyone in Equestria.  And to add insult to injury, she pulls off the spell in front of Princess Celestia just out of spite.

 

Another would have her taking the elements of harmony from the tree of harmony and corrupting them, thus turning them against Equestria and even going as far as hurting Twilight to the point where she's in a coma.

[AmberDust 1,118]

Do you all think Starlight started this cult because she was disappointed by her own cutie mark? I mean, we still don't know exactly what it means. Is it magic? Is it that specific spell?

Or maybe she was something of an outcast to society, so she went and formed her own. She's like a more successful and mad version of Trixie.

 

Anyway, another theory is that the mane 6 will have to "purify" her with their friendship-magic. Starlight Glimmer probably has an incurable personality, so they'd need to resort to using magic to fix her mind, whether it be the Elements of Harmony, or some new form of magic that they unlocked after becoming united in their sort of magical-royal-council-of-friendship.

 

I could see this being the theme of season five. Find bad guy, save day, fix bad guy, repeat. Or perhaps, Find bad guy, save day, bad guy escapes, bad guys unite somehow, "purify" the lesser evils, then take down the BBEG with the old enemies as allies.

 

As for HOW Starlight will make a comeback, I'm still unsure. She'll probably do something like what Trixie did, and take her problems to ponyville...and hey, if that means we can get another "zecora saves the day" episode, I'm all for it.

[King Sejong 859]

   To defeat an idea, have an idea of your own, it takes an number of strong wills to resist, Starlight Glimmer's subterfuge and delusion. It takes both brain and brawn with spirit to challenge Starlight's equality, similar to Korra during the final episodes of book one, she exposed Amon and defeated him with airbending, in view of the public, so I think this would do well for MLP, the Legend of Korra did this with fashion, for this could do with the ponies too. There must also be a awareness announcement too, to warn the pony public to her potentially hazardous behaviour, she may seem like a localised, harmless looking unicorn, but if Fluttershy were as susceptible to Starlight as the villagers were, a tiny problem becomes to big to ignore, history's tyrants started out as a small group, before they gain political power, so if takes free will to stand up Starlight Glimmer, both voice and muscle, to have the strength to stand up and show who you really are. People and ponies are alike, they can surrender their thoughts, and spirits to a person, object or idea, so it takes backbone to remind us all, that any group that does not respect you as you, stand up, speak out and if that fails, fight.     

[Not_active 732]

I'm extremely curious about Starlight Glimmer, actually. For a few reasons.

• She's one of a few unicorns we've seen whose special talent is magic. This can be assumed by looking at her cutie mark, as well as the fact that she mentioned having studied the shield spell she used, and the sheer amount of various magics she was throwing around as she fled. The only other unicorns we've seen like this are Twilight and Sunset. (Not counting Trixie... she's an illusionist.)
• Her cutie mark has a star on it which bears similarities to Twilight's.
• Her name shares the same pattern as Twilight Sparkle and another former student of Celestia, Sunset Shimmer. (A feature of a time of day + a word which describes sparkling light.)
• Finally, her mane has similar features to that of Twilight and Sunset. (A dominant colour offset by a streak of a brighter colour.)

There's no way the writers and designers made all the above decisions by coincidence. Starlight is being deliberately set up as another foil for Twilight. There's something deeper going on here, and if she doesn't become a recurring villain, or at least return once, I'll eat my foot.

You're so goddamn right bro, I can't even describe it.

[Fractured 2,684]

Maybe she shouldn't get defeated. Maybe she'll stand as a monument to the Six, showing them that they can't magic this and friendship that everything. People will be different, and these characters need to learn that not everything can be instantly fixed and mended, that people have scars that last lifetimes, and that evil always lurks in the dark. And the light.

 

If they do this, FIM is best show no backsies.

I feel this would be one of the best options. Moral grayness is something that's never really brought up in media, especially kids related media, so this would make for a pretty awesome addition for MLP. Honestly, with the simple black vs white mentality of MLP, i'd say we need this.

 

Starlight Glimmer's next episode should focus on the Mane 6 or somepony trying to track her down while learning about her past and retracing her steps, possibly incorporating themes of detective fiction to build upon the dystopian theme of "The Cutie Map". Even though it's nice to have a little mystery, it would be even more interesting to find out where she went wrong and why she did what she did in order to bring closure to this arc.

This would be just as good, although it doesn't seem to include her. Maybe the Mane Six re-trace her steps and learn that, while she may be evil, that doesn't mean they can't learn from her. I think, at the very least, it would help them avoid becoming like her, which is a real possibility, considering how similar her and Twilight's ideas really are.

 

Whip out a mirror when she tries her cutie mark removal spell so she removes her own cutie mark. Then put her in jail. Then she has no magic and no talents to help her escape.

I feel this is where we're headed, though. The last case study for a major antagonist pony tuned bad was Sunset Shimmer, and I will always be disappointed by how they ended EQG1.

 

Do you all think Starlight started this cult because she was disappointed by her own cutie mark? I mean, we still don't know exactly what it means. Is it magic? Is it that specific spell?

Or maybe she was something of an outcast to society, so she went and formed her own. She's like a more successful and mad version of Trixie.

 

Anyway, another theory is that the mane 6 will have to "purify" her with their friendship-magic. Starlight Glimmer probably has an incurable personality, so they'd need to resort to using magic to fix her mind, whether it be the Elements of Harmony, or some new form of magic that they unlocked after becoming united in their sort of magical-royal-council-of-friendship.

 

I could see this being the theme of season five. Find bad guy, save day, fix bad guy, repeat. Or perhaps, Find bad guy, save day, bad guy escapes, bad guys unite somehow, "purify" the lesser evils, then take down the BBEG with the old enemies as allies.

 

As for HOW Starlight will make a comeback, I'm still unsure. She'll probably do something like what Trixie did, and take her problems to ponyville...and hey, if that means we can get another "zecora saves the day" episode, I'm all for it.

Personally, I believe the second, since most people don't have episodes like unless they were pushed really hard. If I had to guess, i'd say she was mentally pressed by someone or something until she broke emotionally, sorta like Pinkie Pie in Party of One.

 

There's a big problem with rummaging through SG's mind, though, and that's that she's not possessed, she just has a different mentality, and a wrong way of going about it. Altering her mind would not only be morally wrong from the Mane Six's side, it would send the message that her opinions were never valid in the first place, which, outside of the execution, they very much are.

[Twilight Frost 271]

I think Starlight will be the very first resident of twilights dungeon! Just think about it dawgs! Every castle, even the most beloved disgney castles in the happiest lands EVER had a dungeon to put people in! Twilights castle also has a dungeon in its depths no doubt too!

 

She goes in the friendship dungeon!

[UnknownFry 169]

Give her a chance to reform if possible, but if she tries to do something ambitious that threatens Equestria than let Twilight execute appropriate judgement on her as circumstances dictate.

 

For now however I say wait until if and when she comes back to decide on what to so with her, and if they do hopefully they will flesh her character a little bit more.

Edited April 8, 2015 by UnknownFry

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

Well, this early in the season it is best to treat her with caution, but also respect. She is apparently a pony that cunning and intelligent; so treating her any less would be a mistake.

 

Not to mention we do not know the full extent of her powers. She could potentially be VERY dangerous.

[The Awesome One 1,315]

What if she uses some really dark and powerful magic to change her physical form to make herself more powerful or we have a Season 5 finale where she and other major villains team up against the Mane 6.

[Fractured 2,684]

I thought of a really interesting idea for SG, working into the season finale.

 

As it turns out, Starlight Glimmer is still alive, and she ends up collecting all of MeadowBrook's weapons. Fully prepped, she manages to amplify her spell to allow her to single-handedly steal every cutie mark in Equestria. The Mane Six get the call out, go to defeat, and after an epic battle, lose handily.

 

No really, they get completely defeated. She wins, and manages to steal everyone's cutie marks. Only, she looks around and sees all the suffering she had to cause in order to get here, and realizes that the "Harmony" she set out to create is a mockery of what she thought it would be. Realizing at last that Twilight and her friends were right, she destroys the items, gives everyone back their cutie marks, and gives up.

 

In essence, it shows that, while ideals are great, they're not something that can be forced on anyone, even if you think you're right. Listen to others, and you may just learn something.

[GXPBlast 597]

This way if anything is on the table, so she can never harm equestria or other ponies again.

 

Headshot option.

 

 

Of just go all out and bomb her position.

 

Edited October 25, 2015 by GXPBlast

[Scrubbed user 3,417]

@GXPBlast, they live in Equestria, not 'Merica. 

[GXPBlast 597]

@GXPBlast, they live in Equestria, not 'Merica. 

 

 

I know, just would like to see a villain be gone for good instead of getting a slap on the hoof. I mean Tirek almost killed tons of ponies and destroyed Equestria, and what does he get, imprisonment in some crappy cage to only escape again lol. I know its a kids show but you know its sometimes fun to imagine really taking care of villains.