Odd how a certain pony princess doesn't have royal staff and guards

[ManaMinori 4,143]

Been wondering for a while- ever since a few episodes after Twilight got her plastic pony playset....I mean, castle, from Hasbro....I mean, the Tree of Harmony. Where are her royal foot servants? Should her castle be that empty, without royal guard and ponies to wait hoof and hoof on the Princess? Should poor Spike REALY be the one to be doing the dishes, as seen in "Amending Fences"? Should Twilight's friends be the ones tasked with trying to repair the castle's damages, as seen in "Party pooped"?

 

Sunbutt, Luna, and Cadance each have their own staff to tend to them and their castles. Heck, even the Yak Prince Rutherford, Duke and Duchess of Maretonia, nd Prince Blueblood do, I'm sure. So why do you think Twilight doesn't, and makes her friends- who have their own lives, work, and responsibilities, do the work that could be left to royal staff....if she had any.

 

Why doesn't she have any, like the other royals?

[Banul 3,831]

She could probably hire some if she wanted. I suppose she doesn't want a royal staff.

 

Her castle is still relatively new. Staffing a building of that size takes time, it it likely isn't high on Twilight's priority list. I bet she'll get some servants the more she she gets used to the castle, but it might take a while.

[Buck Testa 5,503]

My guess is by next season she'll have the castle staffed. Her arc this season appears to be about getting her used to her role as a princess and the responsibilities it has. She's having diplomatic meetings, planning summits, all kinds of things she wasn't doing a season earlier. I also think that the other five will be gaining a more official title at the end of this season, and that they may end up taking leadership positions within Twilight's burgeoning kingdom 

[Lexamena 391]

Twilight's princess-ship is very confusing to me at this point in time. They want her to be, and have already made her to be, the princess of Friendship, yet she evidently has ALOT to learn and is still relying on other ponies to help solve her problems. I dont see her as much of a princess at all, so i dont think she needs a castle or guards. She is still a normal resident of Ponyville for the most part, so i am curious how the writers will elevate and transition her character in future episodes.

[ManaMinori 4,143]

My guess is by next season she'll have the castle staffed. Her arc this season appears to be about getting her used to her role as a princess and the responsibilities it has. She's having diplomatic meetings, planning summits, all kinds of things she wasn't doing a season earlier. I also think that the other five will be gaining a more official title at the end of this season, and that they may end up taking leadership positions within Twilight's burgeoning kingdom

 

but having a royal staff could also be part of the princess learning experience. We saw her doing well enough ordering Sunbutt and Luna's guards in their absence, back when Discord's plunder vines took them. I kind of want to see Sunbutt or Luna or Cadance send some staff to Twilight (Especially ones who can live with her in her castle, so it won't seem so empty with just her and Spike there), and the staff being at her beck and call, and Twi having to adjust to that, rather than relying so heavily on Spike as her assistant.

 

This could also open up more opportunity for Spike to become more than Twilight's assistant, with her having othr staff to go to to get things done. How much time has Spike spent with Twilight's friends? Or the CMC? With him not being attached at the hip to Twilight, he can be allowed to do just that.

[Buck Testa 5,503]

but having a royal staff could also be part of the princess learning experience. We saw her doing well enough ordering Sunbutt and Luna's guards in their absence, back when Discord's plunder vines took them. I kind of want to see Sunbutt or Luna or Cadance send some staff to Twilight (Especially ones who can live with her in her castle, so it won't seem so empty with just her and Spike there), and the staff being at her beck and call, and Twi having to adjust to that, rather than relying so heavily on Spike as her assistant.

 

This could also open up more opportunity for Spike to become more than Twilight's assistant, with her having othr staff to go to to get things done. How much time has Spike spent with Twilight's friends? Or the CMC? With him not being attached at the hip to Twilight, he can be allowed to do just that.

I'm not saying none of that is going to happen, I just don't see it happening this season. They have been pacing her development as a princess really slowly, in season 4 she was really nervous about the idea and wondering how she could play her part. Now she's more open to the idea and slowly stepping into the role with helping the princesses and hosting her own meetings. Next season more time would of passed in the show and she'll probably be ready for the responsibility of having guards and ponies working for her in her castle. 

I Personally like the fact they are pacing out her development, it would feel forced if she just got a bunch of pony servants and was okay with it over night. 

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

I'm not really convinced she wants any staff at this point. She's usually seemed to be a hands-on type of pony, and Spike seems more than happy to do stuff anyway. It makes wonder IF she did get royal staff how Spike would feel about it.

[ManaMinori 4,143]

I'm not really convinced she wants any staff at this point. She's usually seemed to be a hands-on type of pony, and Spike seems more than happy to do stuff anyway. It makes wonder IF she did get royal staff how Spike would feel about it.

I don't think it SHOULD be an issue of whether she wants staff or not. It is more of an issue of her NEEDING them, and that additional help. Just look at "Princess Spike", where Twilight pushed herself to stay up for 3 days, wihout sleep, to get things done. Twilight didn't delegate her work to make her load lighter, but took it all on by herself. And not only did she end up paying the price, but burdoned Spike with her actions, with him having to ensure that she got all the sleep she needed, after wearing herself out to that point, and thoughlessness, as well as the delegates who needed to rely on her for their isues.

 

Would Sunbutt and Luna's advisor/ schedule manager, Kibitz, allow for that situation to happen with THEM?

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

I don't think it SHOULD be an issue of whether she wants staff or not. It is more of an issue of her NEEDING them, and that additional help. Just look at "Princess Spike", where Twilight pushed herself to stay up for 3 days, wihout sleep, to get things done. Twilight didn't delegate her work to make her load lighter, but took it all on by herself. And not only did she end up paying the price, but burdoned Spike with her actions, with him having to ensure that she got all the sleep she needed, after wearing herself out to that point, and thoughlessness, as well as the delegates who needed to rely on her for their isues.

 

Would Sunbutt and Luna's advisor/ schedule manager, Kibitz, allow for that situation to happen with THEM?

 

Possibly not, but that's beside the point.

 

In any case you bring up a good point relating to Princess Spike. If anything it would be a good lesson for her to not overburden herself or Spike sometime in the future.

[Prince Firemane 309]

I wonder if the writers are gearing up to an episode that deals with that. Twilight's been shown to be exhausted to the point of blacking out several times this season. Maybe she'll have trouble letting go of her control-freak tendencies to get help in things she really does need help with.

[Nature's Spell 526]

I agree with Buck Testa. It appears that the writers have a plan and are slowly progressing Twilight as a princess. It's always important to differentiate between a gag, tired Twilight, and real character development and continuity. The writers have their own agenda and many times the gag-the individual story-is more important than continuity.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Nature's Spell

[colt .45 259]

I'm having a hard time grasping the size of her castle. Sometimes it dose'nt seem like it's much bigger than Golden Oaks library. So maybe it isn't large enough to have staff quarters. It was a gift from the tree of harmony, so it could be just large enough for Twi and her friends. As far as Twilight, she seems like she might prefer to be seen as a "peoples princess". She never wears her crown, or any of the other princess costume stuff, like fancy hoof shoes, or the necklace things that all the other princesses wear, she never uses the "royal Canterlot voice", and she's never played the princess card for any privlages, she didn't even remind the liberain that she was a princess when she was shushing her. You make a valid point that she does seem to need help. And maybe even guards. I could see her reluctantly having a light day staff, and with a potential stalker having two guards assigned outside the front doors.

Another possibility is that she is not a "full"princess yet, and her status is sort of like a "junior" princess. When she advances to "full" princess, she will get the necklace, the hoof shoes, staff, guards, and be expected to wear her crown, it may even be a weird, small crown like the other princesses wear.

I could see Twilight and Spike at the Canterlot castle, and Spike asking Twi why they don't have staff and guards at their castle.

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

Twilight doesn't need guards. She ain't Seth Rollins or some chickenshit heel, she can fight for herself! Plus, she's got her friends who are better at helping her out than any jobbing guards would be.

[MAIKUN 262]

In a matter of the fact, Yes, Twilight will need royal staff and guards. And FYI, Twilight should hire Flash Sentry as a royal guard for her Castle-Home.

[Ridley Wolf 291]

While a staff would certainly be realistic, I highly doubt that she needs guards.

 

Her and her friends probably have more power and combat experience than the entire Equestrian military by this point.

[ManaMinori 4,143]

Twilight doesn't need guards. She ain't Seth Rollins or some chickenshit heel, she can fight for herself! Plus, she's got her friends who are better at helping her out than any jobbing guards would be.

yes, Twi has her friends, but those friends have their own lives, jobs, and circle of friends of their own, outside of Twilight. Yes, they're good friends, but they cant be expected to drop everything to help Twi, if she has a problem. Yes, friends have to make time for each other, but they're not at beck and call, like servants. Which Twi needs, to help her out when her friends are busy with their own lives.

While a staff would certainly be realistic, I highly doubt that she needs guards.

 

Her and her friends probably have more power and combat experience than the entire Equestrian military by this point.

the same could be said for Sunbutt, Luna, and Cadance, but yet they all have guards and wait staff.

[MAIKUN 262]

Yeah well, she DOES deserve to have royal guards, staff and servants by now! I think.

[paradoxical 1,735]

Staff and guards can be off putting.  If you have a cleaning staff, it is often hard to feel on an even friendship footing with them.  (though she does technically have a staff of 1.1 [spike and owlicious]) 

But aside from the staff to princess interactions, having a staff prevents a certain level of one on one interactions.

 

Want to meet with the princess, spike will schedule it.  two people will serve you tea and fluff your pillows, and now when Twily comes, she's not Twily, but PRINCESS Twilight Sparkle, and you feel like you've got to bow or something rather than greet her with a handshake and a howdy pal.

 

 

There's a story of the president (Carter, I think) when he won his friends wanted to celebrate with him, but when they closed in on him to hug and celebrate, they all stopped.  Who would have so much hubris as to hug the President!? 

That could happen with Twily, and having a staff would only fuel that tendency.  But without a staff, her friends, even ones she's not seen for years feel free to give a great big hug and have her mug for the camera.

[SolyWack 482]

I even addressed this in my Fanfic!

 

Through my eye lens, I think that Twilight accepts she is a princess, but doesn't want to feel like she's on a higher horse (get it?) than everyone else.

 

-She refuses to wear her crown or Princess Regalia, even through her friends supporting it.

 

-She vilifiys being called "Princess", she doesn't want her friends looking at her as anything more than a peer.

 

-I doubt shed even accept her castle if the library wasn't a piece of smoldering rubble filled with her fondest memories that she can never truly replace broken.

 

Twilight has proven herself to be an unconventional princess, so is it too far fetched to believe she simply asked not to have any assistants beyond Spike and Owlicious?

[Dark Horse 12,799]

I think we've seen that Twilight is far too modest about her promotion to princess to want to remind herself of it, and I'm guessing having royal staff on hand all the time would do just that.

 

That reminds me though, what ever happened to Owlowiscious? I remember he flew away after seeing Golden Oaks destroyed, but I thought he might've come back by now... Just means even one less assistant for Twilight to rely on.

 

Either way, when it comes down to it, Twilight is a very "hands-on" princess in comparison to the others. She probably feels more comfortable sticking to her own schedules rather then delegate them to somepony else.

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

Twilight broke herself down to exhaustion before she was a princess. Remember It's about time? She was losing countless nights of sleep BECAUSE OF FREAKING SCHEDULING.

 

She dosen't need servants or something like that, since she rather wants to be the princess of the people.

[BlackWater627 700]

Twilight broke herself down to exhaustion before she was a princess. Remember It's about time? She was losing countless nights of sleep BECAUSE OF FREAKING SCHEDULING.

 

She dosen't need servants or something like that, since she rather wants to be the princess of the people.

 

That's an interesting viewpoint. However, I think it would make for a very good episode if she did get some servants and then had to address her position on it. I think it'd make for some great discussion. (Though we're kind of already having one without an episode.  )

 

Personally, I think having staff would make things better for Twilight rather than worse. Her control-complex could be less burdened by not having to deal with the mundane things like cleaning the castle. At the very least it would help Spike, since he seems to be the one doing it.

[ManaMinori 4,143]

I think we've seen that Twilight is far too modest about her promotion to princess to want to remind herself of it, and I'm guessing having royal staff on hand all the time would do just that.

 

That reminds me though, what ever happened to Owlowiscious? I remember he flew away after seeing Golden Oaks destroyed, but I thought he might've come back by now... Just means even one less assistant for Twilight to rely on.

 

Either way, when it comes down to it, Twilight is a very "hands-on" princess in comparison to the others. She probably feels more comfortable sticking to her own schedules rather then delegate them to somepony else.

and just look how her being hands on has backfired many times, in just season 5 alone. She's so hands on, its causing her to be seriously sleep deprived

[Dark Horse 12,799]

and just look how her being hands on has backfired many times, in just season 5 alone. She's so hands on, its causing her to be seriously sleep deprived

 

True, but then that's not something that's ever seemed to have bothered her too much. She probably considers it part of the job. She'll only stop when she's physically incapable of continuing.

Edited July 7, 2015 by DarkHorseBrony

[ManaMinori 4,143]

True, but then that's not something that's ever seemed to have bothered her too much. She probably considers it part of the job. She'll only stop when she's physically incapable of continuing.

but it SHOULD bother het. Especially now that she's a princess and ith more responsibility, and ponies looking up to and relying on her. Need I remind you of all the disaster when Applejack did the same, refusing help and wearing herself out to exhaustion, in "Applebuck season"?

 

Wasn't it Twi who insisted that AJ ask for and ACCEPT help? Now that Twilight is being put in the position that AJ was, back then, she needs to put into practice what she preached, for her own benefit, this time, before we have an Applebuck Season 2.0, featuring Twilight.