Do Twilight's short-sighted magical solutions worry anyone else?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

 

I mean, especially now that she's a princess, with more responsibility and accountability? I can't be the only one really worried that a pony with as much power as her hasn't yet learned her lesson of being aware of the consequences before using her magic as a quick "fix all" solution. Like she hasn't learned anything from her many spells going awry, when she did just that. It honestly scares me just how many times that has happened.

 

(In "Winter Wrap Up", Twi used a "come to life" spell, seeking a quick solution to her problem, didn't consider the consequences, (as well as pissing on earth pony tradition) and the spell caused disaster. In "Bats!", she pissed on nature, and used a spell to alter the vampire fruit bats diet, with no thought to the consequences, and her spell backfired. She did the same in "Swarm of the Century", with disastrous results, "Lesson Zero", with disastrous results, "The Crystal Empire" with majiking right into Sombra's trap, with disastrous results, and I could go on.)

 

And in spite of her not learning to cut that sh*t out, Sunbutt just decides that Twilight's ready to see her potential in full, and crowns her a Princess, after Twi turns into an alicorn.

 

No.

 

Irrisponsible mentor is irresponsible. If she was watching Twi as closely as she claimed she was, NSA illumineighty horse would've KNOWN, better than to give Purple Smart any kind of promotion, if such a vital lesson hadn't yet been learned by her precious pupil.

 

And honestly, Cadance, also being Twilight's role model, is also to blame; with that instant love spell fix that she did, to stop two ponies from bickering, in one episode flashback. (I forget the name of the episode. If anyone knows, please post it)

 

I would be scared to have somepony who hasn't yet leaned to consider the consequences of their actions, especially with such powerful magic, and a piss poor track record of quck spell solutions, ruling as a leader over anything- Be it simply Ponyville or the entirety of Equestria.

 

But what do you guys think?

[cider float 2,538]

Even though she does mess things up with magic she does go right ahead to try and fix the mistakes instead of blaming on someone else or leaving it as it is. Twilight is the only unicorn so far to exhibit the diverse use of spells and risk it so she does appear troublesome. But doing so she quickly begins to know that all the magic in Equestria is useless when the only magic she needed was friendship.

 

Also I do tend to believe all the alicorn princesses were troublemakers and sometimes used their magic for selfish purposes. If they have that kind of power they would act that way. Remember Cadence was also a teenager when she was pulling that love spell, that is the rebellious stage of development.

Edited September 14, 2015 by cider float

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

I am kind of sick of how when ever there is a villain or problem they just blast it with rainbows (but the Season 5 premiere bucked that trend, which I really enjoyed).

[Memory Lane 131]

Indeed. I feel like using magic on another living creature or their property should be illegal in Equestria.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Indeed. I feel like using magic on another living creature or their property should be illegal in Equestria.

couldn't agree more. I mean, she's already turned Frogs into fruit, Fluttershy into a bat, Pinkie into an Apple (IDW comic), mice into horses, all her friends into Breezies, and vampires (comic), altered the diets of bats and parasprites, and I'm sure there's more she's gotten away with, all without permission, mind you. Playing God, much?

[Goat-kun 2,527]

Most Bronies have it turned around: MLP is not a magical world with slice of life; it’s a slice of life show where myth and magic are just afterthoughts that spice things up.

 

If they wanted all that magic stuff, they’d have to build its laws from the start. Instead, the majority of magical opsies have had very short-term material consequences and moderate social consequences that have mostly been related to the lesson of the day. Thus Twilight could shoot her horn 24/7 and it would never result in anything too severe. A frogrange at best, a few bruised friendships at worst.

 

As for all the predicaments she and her friends have faced, those are pretty much on the same level as those in Snickers commercials, the delicious candy bar being the equivalent of divine friendship rainbow that turns you from John de Lancie to Chuck Norris.

 

It’s not that they couldn’t make it more about proper use of magic and real consequences that follow, they just don’t have to. There is no benefit. They don’t’ even leave you with much other choice. If you look at it too seriously, it just becomes some Rule of Cutie clusterbuck of sparkles and rainbows with some well-designed characters thrown in the mix. Some things are better left unchallenged.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Goat-kun

[Singe 2,111]

Twilight is this way because Equestria doesn't have a strong structure of laws to govern magic. If a Unicorn/Alicorn goes Maverick then Celestia/Mane 6 steps in to stop them.

 

This is what happens when the society of Unicorns/Alicorns formed the main government into a monarchy.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Singe

[ManaMinori 4,145]

Even though she does mess things up with magic she does go right ahead to try and fix the mistakes instead of blaming on someone else or leaving it as it is. Twilight is the only unicorn so far to exhibit the diverse use of spells and risk it so she does appear troublesome. But doing so she quickly begins to know that all the magic in Equestria is useless when the only magic she needed was friendship.

 

Also I do tend to believe all the alicorn princesses were troublemakers and sometimes used their magic for selfish purposes. If they have that kind of power they would act that way. Remember Cadence was also a teenager when she was pulling that love spell, that is the rebellious stage of development.

*sigh*

The point is, she shouldn't have to be correcting her magical mistakes in the first place, if she exercised basic foresight and considered if the spell she'd be using would go awry. Like most incidents that occurred before, because of her going againt tradition or the laws of nature. (The spells that didn't end badly - her doing her research beforehand on the Ursa Minor, and knowing how to gently soothe it and just levitate it back to its cave, and working with nature, in getting the Breezies back to their home)- went smoothly because either proper research and preparedness with the right solution, or working within the laws of nature and due to her doing so, her spells don't comeback to bite her in the butt)

 

But the fact remains that she simply hasn't learned by now, and that's even more dangerous than before.

[Justin_Case001 4,897]

You know, as much as I hate to admit it, when you look at, I guess she has been rather irresponsible with magic.  I definitely can't say I approve of the times she's altered life somehow, like the fruit bat thing.  Such spells have been ethically questionable at best.  Oh well.  Not like I'm gonna stop watching the show or liking the character because of that.  I do wish that after a screw up, like the back-firing fruit bat spell, she would have more accountability, feel bad about what she's done, and say, "Damn, I f*cked up.  Guess I should should be more careful in the future and think harder before using these kinds of spells."

 

I still say one of the best things this show could do right now is have Twi screw up and be formally reprimanded by Celestia.  And not something where it turns around again when Celestia realizes that Twi was right all along, like Canterlot Wedding.  No, something where the screw up doesn't resolve quickly, and Twi learns a hard lesson about the consequences of her actions.  Of course everything would be happy again eventually, but not by the end of the episode.  It would take maybe a few episodes.  Oh well, never gonna happen.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Justin_Case001

[ManaMinori 4,145]

I am kind of sick of how when ever there is a villain or problem they just blast it with rainbows (but the Season 5 premiere bucked that trend, which I really enjoyed).

what about Chrysalis and Sombra?

[Xeltor23 704]

I agree that she only uses magic to fix all situations :/ We don't feel all her intelligence when she does that, and like what Nightmare Muffin said, it often (if not always, don't remember) backfire in a bad way :/ That's one of the reasons why I don't think she should have become a princess

[GuyNamedEarl 1,332]

what about Chrysalis and Sombra?

Chrysalis got destroyed by the power of love, and sombra was blasted by deus ex Crystal Heart. My point is is that whenever there is an enemy, they just blast it with magic, except of starlight glimmer.

[sweetolebob18 728]

In Cutie Mark Chronicles, Twilight was just applying for school.  She was probably 5 (kindergarten) or 6 (1st grade) at that time.  IMO, the 1st rainboom was about 10 years before the pilot.  Twilight was about 15 or 16 at that time (Same age Joan of Arc was when she got started) & is no more than 18 now (Season 5)

 

In short, Twilight sometimes seems immature & short sighted because she is still a teen ager

[GeekySonic 1,150]

It sounds bad when you think about it like that. But look at it this way: Twilight's special talent is magic. You can't determine the full extent of your abilities without testing yourself. I'm not saying that she hasn't been careless with her magic, but it's usually not drastic.

 

And when Twilight's spells go wrong, she hardly goes around blasting it over and over again to see if she can get it right. Yeah, when young and in their prime, people tend to do thoughtless things. But I don't think it's such a big deal.

 

In the end, it's just a story. People like seeing other people (in this case, ponies) screw up. It's just something comical, and I try not to overthink things like this.

Edited September 17, 2015 by GeekySonic

[EMT Brony 65]

oddly enough a very nice video was recently done by Silver Quill.  

 Here the issue is somewhat addressed.  I for one agree with when she rushes in and doesn't think about the outcome of her spells it can be a bad outcome.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

oddly enough a very nice video was recently done by Silver Quill.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH-5KM-X1SI Here the issue is somewhat addressed.  I for one agree with when she rushes in and doesn't think about the outcome of her spells it can be a bad outcome.

that's what inspired the topic. Though, ever since "lesson zero", I've been thinking aboht it. Twi is dangerous. Her magic needs serious nerfing, she needs to learn the lesson of thinking of consequences to what action she takes, AND to properly research and practice a spell before using it to remedy certain situations

[EMT Brony 65]

that's what inspired the topic. Though, ever since "lesson zero", I've been thinking aboht it. Twi is dangerous. Her magic needs serious nerfing, she needs to learn the lesson of thinking of consequences to what action she takes, AND to properly research and practice a spell before using it to remedy certain situations

yeah, but you know hasbro tends to put profit before many things.  In this case profit before power limitations.  After all it's magic and probably shouldn't be looked into passed that.  However, I would like to see her in an episode or two becoming corrupted like Discord insinuated could happen.  

[ManaMinori 4,145]

yeah, but you know hasbro tends to put profit before many things.  In this case profit before power limitations.  After all it's magic and probably shouldn't be looked into passed that.  However, I would like to see her in an episode or two becoming corrupted like Discord insinuated could happen.

 

in all honesty, I can see that happening, with the way she's been mishandling magic. She's already been using other creatures, the townsponies, and her friends as guinea pigs. Only a matter of town before the rest of Equestria gets played with, thanks to her being trigger happy with spells. Oh, and let's not forget that Sunbutt has already taught her dark magic, and Twilight could easily fall prey to research and studying more about it, to try and master the new magic, which ends up mastering her, instead

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

I think you should focus on yourself a little bit more. Taking things more lightly, especially when talking about a tv show.

Still, if you want an answer regarding twilight. I think it's deliberately made for comedic effect.

[EMT Brony 65]

I think you should focus on yourself a little bit more. Taking things more lightly, especially when talking about a tv show.

 

Still, if you want an answer regarding twilight. I think it's deliberately made for comedic effect.

The whole purpose of this is to hypothesize and get a bit ludicrous.  But by doing so and we flesh out the characters in our head cannons they become a bit more relatable.  

[Princess Lona 382]

I always figured when Twilight tries to fix something with magic and screws it up, the point from a writing standpoint is to eliminate magic as a solution so that the plot can move on to a more interesting solution/friendship lesson. It's more interesting to show magic not working than to have a scene where Twilight explains how she has considered using magic and decided against it, listing the reasons why. I remember in Magical Mystery Cure when Spike suggested a bunch of spells that might fix the problem and Twilight kept on dismissing them because the episode didn't have time to actually show her trying them. That was a really boring bit of dialogue but if it had been left out, we would have asked "why didn't she just use one of those spells from an earlier episode?" So Twilight has to be shown using magic and failing sometimes or there would be no point in even having magic in the show.

She can be pretty unethical with it though now that I think of it, specifically with the frog. I don't think it's unethical for her to test things on her friends or other creatures who can communicate with her. If they didn't want her to use magic on them, she wouldn't. But the frog, yeah, that was kind of evil.