Are Flim and Flam Villains?

[Firedog 321]

Hi, I thought I would start this discussing because it seems that these two seemed to quite often been given labels that don't fit them. To me, flim and flam in the first episode they were introduced in season 2 did nothing wrong. They seemed to be simple capitalist trying to make a profit. They were trying to compete with the apple families product and give them a run for their money with their new invention. They were simple capitalist. They weren't stealing anything from the apple family. They also first offered them a deal to split the earnings if they let them use their apples, after that was declined they made a new deal, which the apple family lost. Had the apple family accepted their first offer they would have still made more than they had been making as shown in the video below. They did in fact lose quality when they started making them ridiculously fast. However, the invention they made, no doubt had major potential. They were already making enough cider at the speed were it had good quality to never run out. Considering they don't sell a full barrel of cider in several minutes and the machine would make far more than they would sell, they would never run out of cider anyway. I don't think they should have been run out of town considering their invention could change the cider industry in ponyville. What are your thoughts on Flim and Flam??? NOTE: This discussion is mainly for the first episode they were in, not the more recent one.

 

 

This video says it well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFS5xXWsDwI 

[Overlord0909 479]

I see your point. It depends on how you want to look at it. The way they were splitting the deal seemed a little unfair. Sure they had the machine, but the Apple's grew the apples, owned the land, and started the business in the first place. If anything they should've expected less for a sudden rush in like that. But I don't see them as villains persay, but I do see them as greedy and self indulgent. Those are my current thoughts on the matter.

[Paladybug1 289]

But in the season 4 episode where they appeared, they scammed Ponyville into buying a "potion" that would relive their ales. I think that they are villians. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,164]

I see them as general antagonists; not exactly evil, but not entirely good either. Really, with some exceptions, they're presence can be good, bad, or neutral and I generally group them with the likes of Trixie and Lightning Dust.

 

In the first episode they had a legitimate product that was actually positive; they;re main sin was probably how blunt and harsh they were in their dealing. They were greedy ponies; that can't denied IMO, but that also doesn't excuse the fact that what they had in their first appearance was, as I said, legit.

 

It was sometime after their introduction when everything well apart and in their rush for profits forgot about the quality of the cider. That's when their true colors came out.

[Firedog 321]

I see your point. It depends on how you want to look at it. The way they were splitting the deal seemed a little unfair. Sure they had the machine, but the Apple's grew the apples, owned the land, and started the business in the first place. If anything they should've expected less for a sudden rush in like that. But I don't see them as villains persay, but I do see them as greedy and self indulgent. Those are my current thoughts on the matter.

yea I see what your saying, I defiantly agree they are quiet greedy. As for the deal being unfair, I think your right, it depends on how you look at it. One side they provide all the farm labor, the other they provide all the cider. I don't think they were wrong not to offer a better deal for them, because they have every right to move somewhere else if they think they have more potential to make money else where. It might be a little insulting to the apple family to hear their deal. They are out to make money however, so if they think they can do better competing with them, they will choose to do so.

 

 

But in the season 4 episode where they appeared, they scammed Ponyville into buying a "potion" that would relive their ales. I think that they are villians. 

This is mainly a discussion for the first episode they were in.

[Adorkable 2,737]

I think "villains" is a lose term in matters of MLP. Anymore, it seems as if someone does something wrong, they're just marked as a villain instead of just bad guys or bullies. Tirek, pre-reformed Discord, and King Sombra were all villains because they did something bad enough to leave an impact, and have the ability to do so. Characters like Flim and Flam, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and Gilda are just bullies that really don't have the ability to do any real damage, they're just jerks. However the biggest thing Flim and Flam have done (to my knowledge) is attempted to buy out the Apple Farm, leaving the Apple Family homeless or possibly having to relocate. Which if you look at it, is more of a business move rather than personal. To sum things up; no, I don't think Flim and Flam are villains, simply bullies or better yet just really mind-set business ponies.

[Pastel 7,630]

I wouldn't call them "villains", they didn't have evil intentions: for example they didn't want to harm anybody or conquer anything, unlike Tirek, Chrysalis or Nightmare Moon...

I'd rather say they're crooks.

[PROJECT: Simon 3,955]

In my perspective, they're not villains.. they just want attention and money. 

[The Awesome One 1,315]

They're not the same kind of villains that Chrysaliss or Tirek might be but they're not good either. They're just two businessponies not afraid to play dirty in order to make some money.

[Shikilicious 69]

They're made businessmen... or ponies.

[Honsou 399]

Nope. Just trying to earn a quick bit.

[Tao 8,906]

I'd call em more Con-Artist if anything

given what they did to Granny Smith

which sadly we see a lot in real life

which kinda makes me bad but also

they seem well kinda Lazy to me

in trying only the fast way to make

money which in all the eps came

back to bit em in their little

skinny flanks at least! :comeatus:

[Untitled Goose Q 5,138]

Antagonist =/= villain.

 

They are just trying to make money, sure they are not honest, but then, how many salespeople are 100% honest?