Most developed of the mane six?

[Mez 244]

Who do you guys think has had the most development in the seasons so far?

Edited October 15, 2015 by Mezcass

[cuteycindyhoney 13,316]

Princess Twilight Sparkle. We saw her grow in ability, and become an Alicorn Princess. That's a whole lot of development!

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Throwing a vote in for Rarity, we've seen her learn lots of lessons which have stuck, and seen her relationships with characters like Sweetie Belle and Applejack change in real meaningful ways as the show has progressed. You also have more subtle stuff like at the start of the show she said she wanted to live in Canterlot one day but by Canterlot Boutique when she has a real oppertunity to move there, she says she doesn't want to. Which isn't surprising considering how often the elites have disappointed her and failed to live up to her dreams of them.

After her Rainbow Dash and then Twilight (yes becoming a Princess means less than actual change in character and relationships, where she has some but not as much)

 

Applejack and Fluttershy are the least, but in Applejacks case it's cause she was basically a complete character from the very beginning. Fluttershy instead is just totally inconsistent on wether her lessons or development stick. 

Edited October 15, 2015 by M'gann M'orzz

[cmarston1 5,959]

I would have to go with Twilight on being the most developed of the mane 6.

After her I would go with Rarity and Rainbow Dash

then I would say Fluttershy

 

and then Pinkie

and last would be Applejack.

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Another reason why Twilight is less developed than Rarity and Dash, considering progression in life and not just character/personality/relationships.

We've seen Rarity and Rainbow Dash work a lot to get to the point where they are now, with Rarity finally having her Canterlot Boutique and Rainbow being in the Wonderbolts Reserve and just steps from becoming a full fledged Wonderbolt. Those things have recieved multiple episodes of build up to.

Twilight becoming a Princess was basically a thing dumped on her by Celestia, not something she had spent her life knowingly working toward.

[Silver Stream. 708]

Flutterhsy hands down. 

 

Twilight becoming an Alicorn really isn't development in my opinion. She's still the same and she's always known how important and powerful the magic of friendship can be since Season 1. She became an Alicorn by finishing  spell and helping her friends get their cutie marks back...as far as her personality goes. She pretty much the same. Sure she still manages to learn things but she learns them through others and their experiences. While she has had moments in which she's grown as a princess, she hasn't grown THAT much as a character. 

 

Fluttershy has definitely been growing more than the mane 6 simply because she had the toughest struggle to deal with. She was further behind than any of them since Season 1, and now it seems she's starting to get ahead. From a pony who struggles with bad anxiety and perhaps even more serious illnesses to a pony who's starting to take a handle of herself and actually grow from the lessons and obstacles she's faced. 

 

Rainbowdash comes as a close second and then I'd say Rarity 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,316]

I'm still surprised by all the negativity in the fandom for Princess Twilight. In my opinion she has shown a lot of growth and improvement over five seasons. Rarity's "Growth" consists of opening a second store. Applejack's growth...I got nothin'. She's exactly the same. Fluttershy shows a lot of growth though. While still shy, she's no longer crippled by it. She has opened up and made new friends outside of the mane six. Rainbow Dash still has a way to go. Her gigantic ego, while amusing, tends to hold her back. Pinkie Pie also seems to be a bit stagnant. Being a party pony is great, but that shouldn't be her whole world.   

[Megas 27,786]

I'd say Twilight, followed closely by Rainbow and Rarity(both tied for second), with Pinkie in the middle, and AJ and Fluttershy as the least

Applejack and Fluttershy are the least, but in Applejacks case it's cause she was basically a complete character from the very beginning. Fluttershy instead is just totally inconsistent on wether her lessons or development stick. 

This sums up my feelings on those two pretty well. With AJ it feels like a case of her feeling like she's already, as you said, a complete character, so for her it's not an issue, but with Fluttershy she's still in a pretty cripplingly shy and fearful state after 5 seasons and only now are they trying to break away from it(and even then there's still some lingering moments of that shyness and fearfulness)

Edited October 15, 2015 by Megas75

[Ziltoid the Omniscient 286]

Either Fluttershy, or Rarity.

[DJW 142]

Are we talking about progression or development? (bearing in mind that there is plenty of overlap)

 

Rarity has progressed the most to her dream/goal, but how much has she changed as character?

Same with Rainbow, in many respects she's still the insufferable egotistical self-centred a$$ person she was before.

 

Pinkie..... Pinkie is... she's forever a rift in the very fabric of... anything.

 

AJ, there wasn't a whole lot of room with AJ. Not that she is under-developed, but you might argue that she was too grounded and developed as a character to begin with.

 

Flutters hasn't really gone anywhere regarding goals, and most of her episodes revolved around her learning a different flavour of the same thing. In Season 5 however, she's a noticably different character than at the start of the show.

Finally we have Twilight, who at the beginning is a reclusive, anti-social nerd who saw other people as an intrusion into her endeavors, now she's the sodding princess of friendship (though still a total geek).

 

 

So I'll probably say one of the last two.

Edited October 15, 2015 by DJW

[Flutterstep 47,109]

Honestly, I'd say only Twilight. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash has great character development in Season 3, but now its going back to how it was to begin with. Rainbow has became a Wounderbolt, but she still hasn't changed. The rest of the characters all seem the same to me when it comes to their personality. The episodes in which a character changes their personality, just for the purpose of a plot device, just makes the whole development cycle somewhat flawed and pointless (in my opinion anyway.)

[Silver Stream. 708]

I do agree that Applejack was complete from the beginning. If anything, she's the most stable out of the mane 6 even with her flaw of being very stubborn at times. I also agree that the writers were very inconsistent with her development at first, but if you think about it.....inconsistency in recovering from what Fluttershy struggles from isn't too far off from REALITY. This isn't me speaking on experience from myself (since I am pretty social person who doesn't struggle with anxiety as bad as hers) this is from the experience of others. It's actually common for people to be consistent in recovery. You can't do that within one episode or even a few....she had to take it one step at a time. If you look at the end of Season 4 and Season 5, you'll see that she's starting to actually get it. She's had the most development when it comes to character 

Edited October 15, 2015 by Princess Sunset

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

 In Season 5 however, she's a noticably different character than at the start of the show.

 

Wait.... Are you trying to tell me that Fluttershy is IN Season 5???

 

[Silver Stream. 708]

Wait.... Are you trying to tell me that Fluttershy is IN Season 5???

 

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not lol but yeah she is. While so far, she hasn't been the main focus, you can still tell of her development. I first noticed it in "Tank for the memories" but her episode is coming up soon in "The Scare Master" which was leaked awhile ago but it hasn't aired yet. In that one, you will definitely notice a change

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Not sure if you're being sarcastic or not lol but yeah she is. While so far, she hasn't been the main focus, you can still tell of her development. I first noticed it in "Tank for the memories" but her episode is coming up soon in "The Scare Master" which was leaked awhile ago but it hasn't aired yet. In that one, you will definitely notice a change

It's just a joke. I have barely taken notice of much with her this season cause she's really barely been present, she had her part in the opener, got to play side character in the Discord episode and that's about it. She hasn't even gotten a line since the end of the Hiatus (well she might of gotten a token line in Canterlot Boutique but I can't really remember).

And I watched Scare-master. It was a standard Fluttershy episode to me, and while the moral they took in it was good and realistic to me it really just reinforced that Fluttershy is never gonna change. 

[Silver Stream. 708]

It actually did reinforce that she was changing. It shows you don't really have to change the habits you enjoy for the sake of changing. She pushed through and actually found a way to spend Nightmare night with her friends but in the end, she decided it wasn't something she'd enjoy. Many times people do things they don't like for the sake of their friends or to prove that they can do different. Fluttershy was an adult and in the end...decided to do what she always did. But this time it wasn't because she was afraid or wanted to avoid social interaction on that holiday...but because she WANTED to. Nothing wrong with wanting to be alone even if others only see it as her not progressing. 

 

In Tank for the Memories, she was the one who actually cracked down on Rainbow's thick skull that Tank wasn't going to be around. Not sure if you're aware, but giving bad news to a friend of family member that doesn't want to hear bad news isn't exactly anyone's favorite thing to do. Not even Applejack or Twilight could give it to her straight so Fluttershy stepped up. 

 

And if you don't think Season 5, so far at least, isn't enough to determine whether or not she's getting better, then look towards the end of Season 4 in Filli Vanilli and "It ain't easy being breezy". Her accomplishments may not be small, but anyone who fully understands how hard it is to overcome your social anxiety disorder and specific phobias or are at least aware that isn't an easy process can see that she's doing well. You can even look at Hurriane Fluttershy. True...she was consistent after these episodes, but that doesn't mean she forgets about them. Scare Master is a prime example of that since (do not open this spoiler if you haven't seen the leaked episode yet)

she mentioned a past issue she had in filli vanilli and used that to help motivate her to at least try

 

 

 

I'm a little bummed about Pinkie Pie though....I feel like I SHOULD point out her growth but then again...I can't seem to recall anything she's done or experience to actually allow her to grow as a character? If anyone notices something on that subject, I'd appreciate it. I don't always notice everything in every character but I'm trying to.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Princess Sunset

[AmberDust 1,118]

I voted Rarity, but I honestly can't say I know why.

 

You know what? Rec-casting my vote. Fluttershy. She's finally learning tough love.  Although she can be kind of clueless at times...

Edited October 15, 2015 by AmberDust

[sweetolebob18 728]

I would say Pinkie.  Griffon the Brush Off (S1) shows she had a conscience, but over all she was

"When I was young my heart was young then, too

& Anything that it would tell me, that's the thing that I would do"

She couldn't define "consequences" if you spottted her a dictionary.

 

But, Baby Cakes (S2), Too Many Pinkies (S3) & above all Pinkie's Pride (S4), she learned that her actions could harm others & she has matured into Pinkie Lite.  She still can be a total troll, but over all she has a sense of responsibility & some restraint

[Silver Stream. 708]

I would say Pinkie.  Griffon the Brush Off (S1) shows she had a conscience, but over all she was

"When I was young my heart was young then, too

& Anything that it would tell me, that's the thing that I would do"

She couldn't define "consequences" if you spottted her a dictionary.

 

But, Baby Cakes (S2), Too Many Pinkies (S3) & above all Pinkie's Pride (S4), she learned that her actions could harm others & she has matured into Pinkie Lite.  She still can be a total troll, but over all she has a sense of responsibility & some restraint

Ah okay thanks! Appreciate the enlightenment. I was seriously trying to think of something for Pinkie Pie, but since you've mentioned these details, I can see where she's grown since Season 1. I'll be sure to rewatch them just so I can notice for myself. Sometimes I need people to point out a few things in order for me to see and fully understand it. 

[CookieK 74]

Fluttershy....just kidding lol, I would say all the main six have developed a lot except for Fluttershy. She's still just the obligatory  shy cute one of the bunch. She has grown somewhat but not at level of the rest of the mane six. Rarity isn't the self adsorbed pony she was in season 1,she has a lot more empathy for other ponies than she did in season 1 and she's not as obsessed with being a socialite as she was in the first two seasons. Apple Jack has taken on a much more maternal role for Apple Bloom now that its canon that their parents are dead and it has been shown that she tends to overprotect AB sometimes. Rainbow dash is way way less egotistical than she was, Rainbow was a total jerk in season 1. 

[AmberDust 1,118]

I think the only reason AJ doesn't have any votes is because she never really had many faults that needed to be fixed recently.

[UnknownFry 169]

Probably Twilight Sparkle at this point all things considered where she began at the start of the show and where she is now.

 

That is not to say the others have not developed as well, as they all have developed in their own ways at their own time.

Edited October 16, 2015 by UnknownFry

[sweetolebob18 728]

Well, as to AJ having the least development you have to consider "How old are The Mane 6?" (another thread, I'd put in a link but either my computer or myself lacks the ability)

 

IMO, AJ is the oldest, perhaps by as much as 4 or 5 years.  + Her parents have (almost certainly) been dead for years & she has been running the farm for at least a few years & acting as a mother to Apple Bloom.  These things have matured her.

 

In short, she has grown the least because she was pretty much grown already.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

I can't choose between Rainbow Dash and Rarity. 

 

Both of them changed a lot from the start of the show. Rainbow Dash is much more modest, and Rarity is less self centered. They achieved their goals, We learned more about them as the show progressed. 

 

I don't see much growth for Applejack. 

 

Twilight grew as she learned more about friendship, but I don't see her that different from the beginning. She seems like her normal self except now she's a princess. 

 

Pinkie Pie developed, but I don't think it was as much as Rarity or Rainbow Dash. 

 

I think Fluttershy is still very under developed. I want more Fluttershy episodes that develop her character. 

[Mez 244]

 

 

Are we talking about progression or development? (bearing in mind that there is plenty of overlap)

Both of them, DJW. They're both part of it.