Spike, Character or Plot Device

[Not Yellow Diamond 925]

So, after today's episode my case has grown stronger and stronger.

 

Is Spike a Character or a plot device? Technically he is a character but how much character development does he get? Typically, he acts and behaves however the plot needs to him to be. If they need him there, he is; if they don't, he isn't. Often times he'll appear and disappear without explanation and many, many, many times he is used for comedic relief.

 

So. before I pose my argument, I want to hear from you, is Spike a character or Plot device?

 

(Plot device: Something that is need to move a plot forward, it often times has no other purpose but to advance the plot and it can annoy or confuse the reader; for it also takes away from suspense of disbelief.

 

In simpler terms; Something that serves no purpose outside of moving the plot forward. Can be easily be removed or discarded once there purpose is served.)

[Shanks 10,816]

Spike has become a classic case of Flanderization, in other words when a character is dumbed down to where they become a one dimensional character. It is something I really hate to say because Spike deserves much better than that but in nearly every recent Spike episode he serves little more purpose than as a joke character. It is not that I mind this being used occasionally but it is being overused and is superseding any sort of real character growth and development that can and should be happening with Spike. The writers have been beyond lazy with Spike and don't seem to try all that hard with him.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

@ nailed it. Previously, Fluttershy was the main victim of flanderization, but season five has finally fixed it for the most part. Now Spike is the victim of flanderization. Rather than intelligent, witty, and competent, the writers do quite a few things:

1. Make him suffer by inserting too much physical abuse (most of it undeserved).
2. Force him to learn an unneeded lesson.
3. Devolve him into an idiot. Spike at Your Service, Equestria Games, I'm looking at you!
4. Make him incompetent at what he does.
5. Make him the bad guy, like in Owl's Well.
6. The same, tired cliches that we see in other series or other episodes. If you can put in enough effort in CMC episodes, why can't Spike get the same treatment?

Spike has plenty of character, but the writers either don't know what to do with him or don't give a damn. I'm at the point where even the meta jokes about Spike being the sidekick character (i.e., the image of Spike photobombing the image in Castle Sweet Castle) feel more self-absorbed than funny.

 

Nowadays, I have absolutely no confidence in Spike episodes being high-quality. When they're poor, they're like beef scum: unappealing and often some of the show's worst. Spike deserves a really great, unique episode that subverts the cliches and doesn't have him screwing up at every turn. I despise EQG, and I'm looking forward to Friendship Games in minute capacity: Spike has some respect there!

[LittleMac 3,085]

Personally, I think that Spike doesn't really have as good a personality as all the other characters. He seems to just be a stereotypical lackey for Twilight to me :/

[Smurfenstein 94]

You raise an interesting point. I hadn't given it much thought until now but you're right.

 

Even his role as assistant to Twilight has diminished to the point of virtually non-existent. I don't think he's taken a letter in Season 5 (I haven't seen episode 101 yet) and although he was prominent in 5.3, it was to serve the plot and keep Twilight out of the castle while the rest of the Mane 6 decorate.

 

I really hope they do more with him in the future, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

[碇 シンジン 27,431]

i agree todays episode struck me bad because of this totally unneeded abuse of spike and it makes me feel bad.

[CastletonSnob 3,073]

Think he'll get another episode? Maybe Brother hooves Social. Maybe he'll co-star in one of the 3 Rarity episodes

[J.R. 3,183]

I believe that he is both.

 

His actions in my opinion were justified due to his unessesary flanderization and being treated like a football. I mean he hasn't been teated all that well.

 

And I agree that he's a plot device, mainly due to the fact that ANY CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT HE GETS, ALWAYS GETS REVERTED!

 

Developed in Boast Busters, diminished in Just for Sidekicks and Owl's Well.

 

Developed in Inspiration Manifestation, diminshed in today's episode.

 

They're literally taking jumps with his character. And with each writer that controls him, they're constantly MAKING Spike think that he's worthless, but HE'S BEEN TOLD THAT OVER 9000 TIMES! 

 

There is really no excuse for this to happen, especially to Spike (supposedly) a mane character. I'm done, so done. I need a drink.

[Kira Dogeikage 229]

Whenever I saw the first episodes, I thought Spike would be one of the main characters, boy was I wrong. With the whole King Sombra event (I don't understand why everyone hates him), I thought the writers had kind of realized that Spike was a character that people wanted more of, and I really thought that he was going to be treated the way he should have been from then on out. Man was I wrong. I think I could agree that he has become a plot device.

[Blue Moon 6,341]

Hi!

 

This thread appears to be directly discussing My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, so I went ahead and moved it to Show Discussion.

[JonasDarkmane 19,784]

I find Spike to be a bit of both. Sometimes he is just a plot device, sometimes he is a character. I actually could relate with Spike in the beginning of the new episode, Princess Spike, however, I then began distancing myself as he started to abuse his power. 

 

I am kinda in between, but I am leaning towards plot device

[The Taxman 274]

I was actually really fond of Spike in the first two seasons. Despite being the youngest main character (not counting the CMC) he did a good job being the Only Sane Man (Dragon?) of the cast, and he was a perfect example of how most kids act in between the stage of being a child and being a teenager-take it from me, I started watching the show when I was eleven. He wasn't the best character, but I generally liked the guy.

 

Starting the fourth season, however, I think the writers just forgot about any possible character development Spike could have gotten. I can't remember the last time his relationship with Twilight was focused on. He's still the Only Sane Man, but that's all he his, and he's actually getting worse at it. Inspiration Manifestation was the last episode where I could call him an actual character. I wouldn't say he's been reduced to a mere plot device just yet, but it looks like that's the way things are going.

 

We need an episode like Secret of my Excess if we want to save Spike. He might have been a crazy oversized dragon for half of that episode, but he actually was a character in it, and it did a good job establishing his relationships with Twlight and Rarity. I'd prefer that over him being used for gags all the frickin time. 

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

In watching today's episode, I was extremely disheartened to see Spike left out of this show's overall return to consistency. I was hopeful in seeing how they reduced the abuse in other episodes that they would finally give him a good one, but the premise of this episode led me and many others to expect a typical Spike episode. We were not surprised, and that's precisely why it feels so wrong.

 

Spike's recent treatment from the writers has led me to question the overall integrity of the show and its morals. Being a non-pony character in a pony-dominated world, as well as a male in a world where females are more likely to have power, offers opportunity to explore a different perspective and develop a different kind of character. By instead turning one of its most prominent characters, one who could potentially relate to people who have dealt with being different by birth and not by choice, into a plot device, a comedic punching bag, and an immature fool, MLP:FIM has perpetuated a storm of unfortunate implications.

 

To show a prominent character sidelined and regressed in development while other characters improve, live successfully, and play admirable role models to the audience, solely on the fault of being different, is shockingly hypocritical to MLP's core individualist message. This kind of grossly negligent writing on a show where the message and the moral means everything deserves nothing short of absolute scorn.

 

I would absolutely hate to say that the show is ruined for me, and I won't. However, it absolutely breaks my heart to call a show that has made a considerable impact in my life hypocritical. It definitely earned it by turning what I believed to be honest oversight into a glaring blemish on an otherwise fantastic, if flawed, piece of entertainment.

 

After delivering so many great morals on the subjects of self-esteem, self-identity, and self-improvement, I'm going to start taking these things with a grain of salt until I see the writing staff has a full grasp of what they're implying here.

[Happyandrenewed999 106]

Plot device unfortunately.

[Conred 274]

He is not a character, that's for sure. Background ponies like Derpy and Dr Whooves now have more depth than he have after 5 seasons.

[J.R. 3,183]

He is not a character, that's for sure. Background ponies like Derpy and Dr Whooves now have more depth than he have after 5 seasons.

Shit, even Gummy has more character than Spike. At least Gummy thinks.

[CastletonSnob 3,073]

He is not a character, that's for sure. Background ponies like Derpy and Dr Whooves now have more depth than he have after 5 seasons.

 

Do they?

 

He might not have the most depth, but he has more than Derpy or Dr Whooves.

[Conred 274]

Do they?

 

He might not have the most depth, but he has more than Derpy or Dr Whooves.

Doctor Whooves had mre development with his conversation with Derpy than Spike ever had. He believe that science can explain magic and is determined to create magic with science and as an Earth Pony. That's a material for many fanfics, while Spike is just a dragon who doesn't want to be a dragon but instead he is Twilight's assistant and have a crush on Rarity. Pretty much no development since S1

[CastletonSnob 3,073]

Doctor Whooves had mre development with his conversation with Derpy than Spike ever had. He believe that science can explain magic and is determined to create magic with science and as an Earth Pony. That's a material for many fanfics, while Spike is just a dragon who doesn't want to be a dragon but instead he is Twilight's assistant and have a crush on Rarity. Pretty much no development since S1

 

No development since S1? What about his feelings of insecurity in Power Ponies and Equestria Games? What about his worst fear being that Twilight will no longer need him? 

 

Material for many fanfics? What about the fact that Spike is a dragon that LIVES AMONG PONIES? That's a gold mine of material for fanfics. 

Edited June 20, 2015 by VG_Addict

[Not Yellow Diamond 925]

 

 

Doctor Whooves had mre development with his conversation with Derpy than Spike ever had. He believe that science can explain magic and is determined to create magic with science and as an Earth Pony. That's a material for many fanfics, while Spike is just a dragon who doesn't want to be a dragon but instead he is Twilight's assistant and have a crush on Rarity. Pretty much no development since S1

 

Time for me to get into my own topic.

 

I'm not sure i agree with this but I want to pose a question, Can anyone name one way Spike has developed since  the premiere, one way he has developed and not devolved. Just one way? 

 

 

No development since S1? What about his feelings of insecurity in Power Ponies and Equestria Games? What about his worst fear being that Twilight will no longer need him?    Material for many fanfics? What about the fact that Spike is a dragon that LIVES AMONG PONIES? That's a gold mine of material for fanfics. 

 

Question, wasn't Spike always insecure? That's not really development since it is a trait he has always had on screen, hasn't it? 

[CastletonSnob 3,073]

Time for me to get into my own topic.

 

I'm not sure i agree with this but I want to pose a question, Can anyone name one way Spike has developed since  the premiere, one way he has developed and not devolved. Just one way? 

As I said, his feelings of insecurity in Power Ponies and Equestria Games. 

 

What about going to find his roots in Dragon Quest?

 

 

Edited June 20, 2015 by VG_Addict

[Not Yellow Diamond 925]

 

 

As I said, his feelings of insecurity in Power Ponies and Equestria Games. 

 

Yes, but as I said is that development or is that something he has always had.

 

It's only development if it has changed from the beginning, who's to say he hasn't always been insecure? There has never been any growth on screen has there? 

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,301]

Neither.  Spike is a tortoise pony dragon.

[CastletonSnob 3,073]

Yes, but as I said is that development or is that something he has always had.

 

It's only development if it has changed from the beginning, who's to say he hasn't always been insecure? There has never been any growth on screen has there? 

 

How about his natural greed, shown in SoME and JFS?

[Not Yellow Diamond 925]

 

 

How about his natural greed, shown in SoME and JFS?

 

I suppose but then he gives his time constantly to Twilight and he gives to Rarity his time. And more within those. So it's inconsistent. It's not really development since other aspects contradict it but I suppose you could make the argument of physical vs non physical traits.

 

But even then, if Greed is natural then is it a developed trait or is it something he has already had? It isn't development if it hasn't changed then it is Static.