spoiler Over Reliance on the Princesses (Princess Spike Spoilers)

[Shanks 10,811]

After the latest episode Princess Spike it brought back something I have been thinking for a good while and it is that it seems that the ponies rely far too heavily on the princesses to solve their own problems for them. 2 delegates arguing over a room/scheduling mix up, a couple of maintenance ponies who apparently didn't even bother to try and ask for proof of Spikes claims of acting on Twiligth's behalf, Fancy Pants asking for special favors and more. Frankly nearly everypony acted like a bunch of idiotic children who were completely and utterly incapable of solving even the most basic of problems without having their hooves held by a "princess". 

 

It baffles me exactly how Spike is the only one being blamed when what happened is pretty much everyone's fault except for Twilight, Celestia and Luna. Cadence knew something was up yet didn't really do anything about it. Granted some of this comes with the territory of being in power but this episode makes me wonder how Equestria is even able to function at all. 

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

I think the reason so many ponies were asking the princesses for help was because they were running the event and it was a rare opportunity to communicate with them (when they normally may not be as accessible). As for the workers, I doubt they have any reason to assume any dubious intentions. This is pretty much a crime-less world, so an event where the workers would be tricked would be very rare. As for blame, I think it does rest on Spike, considering it was already established that the princess had a ton of power. He knowingly abused it.

[The Awesome One 1,314]

The summit was personally organized by Twilight so you'd expect all the delegates to come looking for her if they had any problems. While I would say that Cadence should have stepped in and stopped Spike who is known to get greedy, it still is Spike's fault in my opinion.

 

However, I completely agree with you that these ponies act like young children who need to be guided every step of the way by the princesses but I guess that's just how it is in Equestria.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

It's weird that the ponies in Equestria always ask the princesses for issues to be solved, yet here in the real world, we never ask the President to solve the issues. Imagine if the world was like it is in MLP lol.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

Over the noise of this being a Spike episode, I didn't really pay much mind to this until it came up in Dr Wolf's review. It's another past writing flaw rearing its ugly head again, one which really impeded the two-parters from "The Crystal Empire" to "Twilight's Kingdom" by relying on plot contrivances such as the "test" and Celestia's absolutely scattershot plan in "Kingdom" to take every other character out of the plot so that Twilight makes the decision in the end.

 

Here, being a more down-to-earth plot, it isn't as big an issue. It's only natural that all disputes go to the leadership, and with all three Princesses busy, it went down to Twilight. However, the fact that it went down to Spike in the first place reveals that Equestria seems to have no Plan B in place and little to no structure in between the Princesses and local community leaders. (If there was, there probably wouldn't be a plot to this episode and probably a couple of others.)

 

It does call into question how ready Equestria would be if it lost all of its princesses, and it doesn't look as if Equestria has effective enough organization and leadership below the Princesses save for the Royal Guard. It was the source of the conflict where Twilight gets sent home by Applejack in the Season 4 premiere. Equestria at large seems as if it would effectively Balkanize or descend into a Griffonstone-like anarchy under all the different interests at play.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Wind Chaser

[Sidral Mundet 1,666]

Yeah, Equestria seems to have a heavy dependence on the high rulers of the land. Which is why there needs to be a revolution in Equestria, my fellow bronies.  It is time to make a stand for free will and self-determination.  To throw off the shackles of dependency and oppression by the ruling alicorns and rise up. Ponies of the world, UNITE!! 

Edited June 23, 2015 by Sidral Mundet

[VengefulStrudel 1,486]

It does seem a little overly-dependent on princesses now that I think about it...I always assumed there was a chain of command, like citizens go to pony X for problems, X tells Y about it, Y tells Z about it, and so forth until the problem is solved by someone capable enough, rather than always going for the top. Surely there's more important problems that need royal attention other than "we're booked at the same time"?

 

Another thing Equestria is too dependent upon are the elements of harmony to take care of major threads, I mean, we already have at least 2 Tartarus escapees, 2 takeovers and 1 invasion, Equestria needs to step it up

[Nature's Spell 526]

Well in fairness the writers felt they needed to structure the episode in this way to cause the "conflict", but we know how OCD and controlling Twilight is, so it makes sense she was running the whole event herself.

 

As far was normal citizens asking the President, etc. for things that was very common in the 18th and 19th centuries. People could walk right into the Presidents house and ask for a job so long as they had the right introduction letters. A far different time, but Equestria is similar in their level of subject/ruler intimacy.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Nature's Spell

[Stardust Balance 7,716]

The irony over the over-reliance being the Princesses but Twilight don't do shit. 

[cider float 2,535]

It's being too dependent on Twilight Sparkle who organizes practically everything while the other three just go and powder their noses. Recall it was the mane six that had to take care of preparations for Harshwhinny's arrival to inspect on the Equestria games while all Cadence did was stand there while Rarity prepared her mane.

 

Anyway doesn't seem like the others want to take responsibilities for themselves.

 

 

[Cwanky 17,445]

I can hardly blame Spike for what happened at the  summit. Canterlot and Equestrian bureaucracy seem to be highly inefficient. The very idea of having 1 sole person managing EVERY single duty, especially at such a high level is absurd and irresponsible. Cartoon or not, if the show starts blaming Spike, I must insist that a realistic perspective is taken.

 

Heck the very idea of having Twilight, princess or not, trying to run Canterlot, especially given her lack of experience and her age is highly irresponsible. Even child kings in the days of yore had armies of advisors, generals, servants, scholars ETC to serve and aid them, including in decision making. A lot of the blame goes on Cadence for putting so much burden on Spike, but Twilight is equally to blame. 

 

You expect me to believe that someone whose as great as organizing, leading and delegating as Twilight did not have the foresight to realize that a young, inexperienced dragon, who at that point was only trained to be a personal servant, could handle the duties of hosting, delegating, negotiating, and coordinating a major summit all the while attending to the demands and needs of hundreds of guests? Bullshit.

 

And even if Twilight was tired, did Cadence who had some experience as leader of the Crystal Empire not have the foresight to assign a servant or helper to Spike like oh say, Fancy Pants, who was basically the host of Canterlot and could have AT LEAST briefed Spike on the details and what to do? I don't blame Cadence for being overwhelmed and unprepared, like Twilight, but at least have the empathy to understand the crap that Spike had to go through because of the sheer volume of work and poor organizing.

 

This was far from the 1st example that we've seen poor leadership and organization from Canterlot and the princesses. Its too bad that since it was Spike at the receiving end, no one give's a damn enough to care and say anything, because apparently the princesses are gods, except when they are clearly most definitely not.

I can hardly blame Spike for what happened at the  summit. Canterlot and Equestrian bureaucracy seem to be highly inefficient. The very idea of having 1 sole person managing EVERY single duty, especially at such a high level is absurd and irresponsible. Cartoon or not, if the show starts blaming Spike, I must insist that a realistic perspective is taken.

 

Heck the very idea of having Twilight, princess or not, trying to run Canterlot, especially given her lack of experience and her age is highly irresponsible. Even child kings in the days of yore had armies of advisors, generals, servants, scholars ETC to serve and aid them, including in decision making. A lot of the blame goes on Cadence for putting so much burden on Spike, but Twilight is equally to blame. 

 

You expect me to believe that someone whose as great as organizing, leading and delegating as Twilight did not have the foresight to realize that a young, inexperienced dragon, who at that point was only trained to be a personal servant, could handle the duties of hosting, delegating, negotiating, and coordinating a major summit all the while attending to the demands and needs of hundreds of guests? Bullshit.

 

And even if Twilight was tired, did Cadence who had some experience as leader of the Crystal Empire not have the foresight to assign a servant or helper to Spike like oh say, Fancy Pants, who was basically the host of Canterlot and could have AT LEAST briefed Spike on the details and what to do? I don't blame Cadence for being overwhelmed and unprepared, like Twilight, but at least have the empathy to understand the crap that Spike had to go through because of the sheer volume of work and poor organizing.

 

This was far from the 1st example that we've seen poor leadership and organization from Canterlot and the princesses. Its too bad that since it was Spike at the receiving end, no one give's a damn enough to care and say anything, because apparently the princesses are gods, except when they are clearly most definitely not.