What character is a stereotype?

[cider float 2,537]

So we all saw something on the show that just plays out a stereotype. What would be what you saw?

[bluseymoe 258]

Applejack. Kinda hard to see anything more than the typical southern blonde chick. 

[Merion 783]

Rarity... Your typical fashion-obsessed female character. Cares too much about her looks and flirts with stallions to get them to do things for her.

[Riganthor 484]

sunset shimmer in EQG 1 was the steriotypical bad girl with an atitude

[BastementSparkle 20,323]

Honestly, of the main characters, I don't think any of them are really stereotypes. Anyone who wants to point out how one of the mane six is a stereotype is almost always pointing out a character they don't like or find boring, meanwhile almost anyone who actually likes that character can point out plenty of reasons why they aren't just a stereotype. Rarity isn't just the typical fashion girl, for instance. While it's true she can be self-centered and a bit manipulative with her looks, she's kind and generous, truly loves to create her art and to make others happy with it, and is actually rather intelligent. Doesn't fit with the usual "Fashion" girl I see on TV at all.

 

 It's similar to real life in that way. I don't think I'm a stereotype, and my friends likely don't think of me as one, but from past experiences I can tell that people who've disliked me have viewed me as a stereotype of some sort. I can also say I've occasionally viewed people I didn't like or didn't know well as "Stereotypical" when that's really only because I didn't know them that well. Everyone's a stereotype to someone.

 

 Some of the side characters might be actual stereotypes, but we usually only see them that way because they've either had very little screen time, or very little development, or both. Even though you might like some of them anyway.

Edited March 8, 2016 by BasementBloom

[Roughshod 719]

Fluttershy has to be the most stereotyped character on the show. The shy, sensitive girl who connects with nature is a familiar trope on television and other media.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

1. To echo @@Riganthor, Sunset Shimmer from EQG1 is your classic alpha bitch stereotype. Rather than coming up with a clever villain with clever plan-making, the world's youngest rocks are more intelligent and wiser than her despite the fact that we're supposed to treat her as a serious threat.
2. Flash Sentry. Enough said.
3. Snips & Snails. They fit the classic "stupid little boys" stereotype.
4. The dragon bullies from Dragon Quest. Each of them talk dumb, say dumb things, disregard anyone's lives but their their own, and force "weaker" characters to succumb to pressure. They fit the classic high-school bully trope, and the stereotype becomes worse because this episode paints every dragon here (especially male dragons) as greedy bastards and ponies as perfect, nobble beings even though his friends' sexism and xenophobia caused this conflict in the first place.
5. Tree Hugger. A major stereotype of hippies by making her appear and sound stoned or high, using stereotypical body language like the half-closed eyes, and the stereotypical dreadlocks. Hippies are beyond that, and we saw that in the forms of Wheat Grass and Flax Seed.
6. The yaks are stereotypes of both vikings and indigenous people. They speak really broken English; have a very primitive, war-first ideology; don't understand more modern technology; don't have manners; and are isolated from all walks of life.
7. Cloudy Quartz and Igneous Rock are Amish stereotypes. They're major sticklers with tradition, agreed to take part of an arranged marriage because of tradition, speak in a very stereotypical Amish accent, and speak in very old English.
8. Every student from Crystal Prep is the classic, one-dimensional asshole whose only intention is to bully, isolate Twilight even more, and hammer in the ideology that Crystal Prep is a school we should hate.

Applejack. Kinda hard to see anything more than the typical southern blonde chick. 

Rarity... Your typical fashion-obsessed female character. Cares too much about her looks and flirts with stallions to get them to do things for her.

Fluttershy has to be the most stereotyped character on the show. The shy, sensitive girl who connects with nature is a familiar trope on television and other media.

Each of you are objectively wrong here.

1. Applejack is far beyond that southern blonde or southern belle stereotype. She has so many layers in her character, one of which is her stubbornness. She's a character with a strong courage of conviction and will believe she's doing the right thing until proven wrong. Oftentimes that will put her central in the conflict, but sometimes her stubbornness becomes an advantage, such as how Svengallop manipulated and lied to Coloratura. She's very close to her family, very dedicated into helping them when needed, and takes the quality of life in her family and around the farm really seriously. Outside of Pinkie Pie, she's perhaps the most selfless mane character.
2. Without even a doubt, Rarity is the most complex character of the entire show. She's very fashion-centric for reasons beyond merely liking it. Fashion is an outlet for creativity and her ability to speak to everyone else around her. She speaks through all the clothes she designs. On top of that, she's incredibly meticulous, as evident in Suited for Success, FIM1, Rarity Takes Manehattan, and especially Rarity Investigates. Her standards of design and visual quality are extremely high-standard; if they're below, then she failed.

    

   To go more thorough with her negatives, Sonic Rainboom showed her at her worst: her vanity. But it makes so much sense given the episode's and character's context. She wants to succeed and loves attention, but one of her biggest goals is to be appreciated for what she does. This goes beyond the usual trope, where the fashionista would become self-absorbed just because. SR was the first time since FIM2 that we as an audience witnessed anyone outside of Ponyville praising her for anything, and Rarity ate it up.

    

   Counteracting her negative is her greatest strength: her generosity. She lives by treating others as equals no matter where she is or what she's doing. She gives a baggage handler gems for gratitude even when she doesn't have to, particularly during a midlife crisis when she believed her friends abandoned her. In Toils, she went beyond the call of duty to improve the costume designs in Sweetie Belle's play despite working for a client simultaneously. After a clever analogy of give and take by Applejack, Rarity disguised herself and participated in the social even though she was completely soaked in mud, and following episodes showed her to not be as picky about the rain and mud as she once was.

3. Fluttershy is beyond shy. She's a character with major social anxiety problems. Until Hurricane Fluttershy, Fluttershy's shyness was perceived to be shyness, but the reality is it's far deeper than that. Instead, she has to battle a very crippling phobia that affects her every single day. She was begged into doing a civic duty because the event and all the ponies laughing at her triggered her phobia. In Scare Master, she had to battle her social anxiety once again in order to get involved in Nightmare Night and succeed in pulling a massive scare prank. One of the biggest reasons for her connection to animals is she's able to understand them and, in many respects, be them.

For that matter, none of the Mane Eight (this includes Spike and Starlight) are stereotypes. Each have their strengths, flaws, likes, dislikes, and full-fledged personalities that bleed onto the screen.

 

Even though some of them might be likable stereotypes.

Disagree completely. Stereotypes are an oversimplified, false image or perception of a group. They bleed serious unfortunate implications on society and hurt us more than help. Alone, they're dumb. When stereotypes are used and promoted in family-friendly entertainment, they become dangerous: You imprint a false image of groups of people upon children, which in turn can create prejudices for the future and result in parents filing complaints to get either the episode censored or the show canceled. Likable stereotypes don't exist.

Edited March 8, 2016 by Dark Qiviut

[BastementSparkle 20,323]

Disagree completely. Stereotypes are an oversimplified, false image or perception of a group. They bleed serious unfortunate implications on society and hurt us more than help. Alone, they're dumb. When stereotypes are used and promoted in family-friendly entertainment, they become dangerous: You imprint a false image of groups of people upon children, which in turn can create prejudices for the future and result in parents filing complaints to get either the episode censored or the show canceled. Likable stereotypes don't exist.

 

Sorry, I guess I didn't word that clearly. I wasn't talking about liking the Stereotypes themselves, as much as liking the character that seems to be stereotypical. You might just like them cause they look cute, or cause they had a funny line, or cause somebody wrote a 75 chapter fanfic that's now your headcanon or whatever, even if there's not much to them, and they might just be a "Nerd" character that showed up for like 5 minutes in one episode.

 

 Obviously, just being the "Nerd" wouldn't work for a main or important character, but somebody who only shows up for a few scenes is fine not having much depth, if it's this fandom the fans will do all the work anyway. I'll edit the post to be a bit more clear on that.

 

 Edit: I'd consider things differently for some stereotypical character that clearly is harmful in some manner. A stereotype "Bully" existing for a scene or three is different than some severely harmful cultural stereotype being used as a joke.

Edited March 8, 2016 by BasementBloom

[Luminance 2,186]

Before Diamond Tiara was reformed, she was the most stereotypical school yard b!cth. Now after, I love her.

[cider float 2,537]

Trenderhoof is bit of a hipster stereotype. 

[Fawkes The Phoenix 737]

All of them, Rarity is the typical fashion diva who cares about her looks a lot, Twilight the typical egghead and bookworm, Fluttershy the typical unassertive girl who locks herself with animals, Pinkie Pie the typical ADHD kid with no attention span whatsoever, Rainbow Dash the typical tomboy who's so full of herself, and Applejack the typical humble farmer who's simply too perfect.....

 

All of them are based on a stereotype, but there's much more to them than that.

[That Guy with the CMB 5,873]

Starlight Glimmer is a stereotype of mentally ill people, and Flurry Heart is a stereotype of an annoying person. Or for a more serious answer, she seems to be a stereotype pf a helpless, innocent character who ends up being ultra powerful.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,298]

I actually don't think any of the mane 6 are stereotypes because their personalities actually seem quite normal and we have seen growth from all of them. Sure, sometimes they are over the top, like with FLutter's shyness, but as Qiviut pointed out, her personality is definitely deeper than just being super shy and nature connected. 

 

Snips and Snails have got to be two of the most stereotypes characters in the show though. In Equestria, they are the typical, cliche dumb boy characters, but then in Equestria Girls, they are still dumb, but now the stereotypical dumb lackeys of the villain as well! Woo. Did I mention I don't like Snips and Snails much? Those movies made me hate them wit ha passion. 

[Merion 783]

1. Without even a doubt, Rarity is the most complex character of the entire show. She's very fashion-centric for reasons beyond merely liking it. Fashion is an outlet for creativity and her ability to speak to everyone else around her. She speaks through all the clothes she designs. 

 

Sure, fashion is Rarity's way of expressing herself. She's a well-developed character and fashion is a huge part of what she is.

But why fashion? You have to admit that it's the kind of hobby/activity that's automatically associated with girls.

 

The creators of the show could have made Rarity express herself through pottery. But we all know that she doesn't like getting her hooves dirty. Or she could be a railroad diorama maker... but that piece doesn't quite fit the jigsaw puzzle, does it? 

 

(Come to think of it, the only thing that saves Rarity from being the absolute worst kind of a stereotypical feminine character is her colour scheme... Imagine her colours swapped with Pinkie's, OH THE HORROR.)

[Miles 2,512]

Disagree completely. Stereotypes are an oversimplified, false image or perception of a group. They bleed serious unfortunate implications on society and hurt us more than help. Alone, they're dumb. When stereotypes are used and promoted in family-friendly entertainment, they become dangerous: You imprint a false image of groups of people upon children, which in turn can create prejudices for the future and result in parents filing complaints to get either the episode censored or the show canceled. Likable stereotypes don't exist.

 

I mostly agree with your first 1-8 points, and without a doubt I agree with your second 1-3 points (as such I didn't include them in the quote)...

 

But I disagree that likable stereotypes don't exist.  I could be able to bite my tongue and nod in agreement if you had just said that "stereotypes are objectively bad" or something, but, to say that they can't be likable is inherently wrong.

 

I like, and I know plenty of other people who also like, bad things.  I honestly like a few stereotypes.  Sure, that probably makes me "too easy" or too easily entertained, and I don't disagree to that.  But I'm okay with that.

 

You said Tree Hugger is a stereotypical character.  And she is.  But I think she's great!  I don't care if she's a stereotype, she's still something different that the show hadn't had before.  And she is just one example.

 

~ Miles

[Roughshod 719]

@@Dark Qiviut, You seem to be bent on moralizing and projecting your own opinions on what qualifies as a stereotype. Add on the fact that you claim my view is 'objectively wrong'(as if you had the authority to determine that; you don't) and I think I should clarify something for you.

 

 

Yes a stereotype is oversimplified, but that doesn't automatically connote all the issues you're ascribing to it nor is it erased by other aspects in the item being stereotyped. You can fit a stereotype in some ways and not in others. It isn't all black and white, right and wrong. Ironically that is almost a stereotype you're trying to establish yourself.

 

Fluttershy is beyond shy. She's a character with major social anxiety problems. Until Hurricane Fluttershy, Fluttershy's shyness was perceived to be shyness, but the reality is it's far deeper than that. Instead, she has to battle a very crippling phobia that affects her every single day. She was begged into doing a civic duty because the event and all the ponies laughing at her triggered her phobia. In Scare Master, she had to battle her social anxiety once again in order to get involved in Nightmare Night and succeed in pulling a massive scare prank. One of the biggest reasons for her connection to animals is she's able to understand them and, in many respects, be them.

 

Yes it's all very sad.

 

But I would prefer if we could put aside your feelings and mawkish rhetoric and look at some substantive arguments. Here's a link to all the tropes and stereotypes that Fluttershy is considered to fulfill in all her dimensions. 

 http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/FriendshipIsMagicFluttershy

 

For that matter, none of the Mane Eight (this includes Spike and Starlight) are stereotypes. Each have their strengths, flaws, likes, dislikes, and full-fledged personalities that bleed onto the screen.

That doesn't mean they can't be a stereotype. All of those strengths, flaws, likes, dislikes and full-fledged personalities can still fit into various stereotypes.

 

Disagree completely. Stereotypes are an oversimplified, false image or perception of a group. They bleed serious unfortunate implications on society and hurt us more than help. Alone, they're dumb. When stereotypes are used and promoted in family-friendly entertainment, they become dangerous: You imprint a false image of groups of people upon children, which in turn can create prejudices for the future and result in parents filing complaints to get either the episode censored or the show canceled. Likable stereotypes don't exist.

Well you're certainly available to your preachy, judgmental and sanctimonious opinion. But here's a word of advice:

 

 

I mean seriously, is this some great moral crusade for you? Deconstructing other people's claims of characters being stereotypes? Stereotypes exist. Get over it

Edited March 8, 2016 by Roughshod

[cmarston1 5,959]

Steven Magnet is nothing more than a stereotypical flamboyant male character.

The fact that he was confirmed gay (and is the only character on the show that is confirmed gay) and that Lyra and Bon Bon were confirmed to be just friends by Big Jim on twitter despite the huge amount of shipteasing that the two have received only makes things worse.

Edited March 8, 2016 by cmarston1

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

I've seen a lot of posts like "AJ is a stereotype because she's a cowgirl, RD is a stereotype because she's a tomboy, Rarity is a stereotype because she likes to look good, etc."

 

If we're defining a stereotypical character that broadly, I struggle to think of a character (in MLP at least) who isn't one.

[Jammo 986]

Most are.   Well.  Is this a cliche stock character or does it have to be applicable to a real life group of people?

 

Cartoons have a habit of being made of stereotypes as the character traits are often exaggerated for humorous effect.  Snips and Snails are 1-dimensional morons, Applejack oozes every country gal stereotype.  The reality is, to leave an impression and make people remember a character, you have to exaggerate.  If they acted realistic (most being Joe Everypony with minor quirks) it would not be as endearing.  It would just be a bland stew of unremarkability.

[Dark Qiviut 22,378]

But why fashion? You have to admit that it's the kind of hobby/activity that's automatically associated with girls.

And that's the kind of stereotype that this show's done a fantastic job dispelling. Traditionally, fashion is an outlet to spill out stereotypes in media, particularly the snobby bitch stereotype. Rarity is beyond all of that. She's her very own being with very solid motives why she works in fashion and why she has such high standard for it. She uses fashion because it's an excellent outlet to express herself. She lends us her voice through her creativity. Then, like I wrote before, she has a very well-rounded personality to back it up. Everything here molds Rarity into not being a stereotype.

 

Applejack oozes every country gal stereotype.

Wrong. To say that is like saying Rainbow Dash is a stereotype for being a tomcolt. Factually, Applejack is beyond that. She's a three-dimensional character with very relatable challenges, goals, and a personality that many can admire and relate to. To echo above:

 

Applejack is far beyond that southern blonde or southern belle stereotype. She has so many layers in her character, one of which is her stubbornness. She's a character with a strong courage of conviction and will believe she's doing the right thing until proven wrong. Oftentimes that will put her central in the conflict, but sometimes her stubbornness becomes an advantage, such as how Svengallop manipulated and lied to Coloratura. She's very close to her family, very dedicated into helping them when needed, and takes the quality of life in her family and around the farm really seriously. Outside of Pinkie Pie, she's perhaps the most selfless mane character.

 

The reality is, to leave an impression and make people remember a character, you have to exaggerate. If they acted realistic (most being Joe Everypony with minor quirks) it would not be as endearing. It would just be a bland stew of unremarkability.

You can make a character do cartoonish or silly things without stereotyping. If you have to use stereotypes to make a character memorable, then the quality of the character and overall story suffers.

 

---

@Roughshod, You don't know what a stereotype is.

 

Fluttershy isn't a stereotype or a character who conforms to stereotypes. She's a character who legitimately struggles to be social with others. Her fears and the conflicts she struggles are very real. Some examples from season one include:

• Dragonshy: Couldn't muster up the energy to tell everyone out loud that there was a large cloud of black smoke up above. And on top of that was very scared of large, grown-up dragons.
• Stare Master: Went into the Everfree Forest to find the Cutie Mark Crusaders because their lives were in danger. Then during the height of the conflict, she confronted the Cockatrice who turned Twilight into stone and threatened the CMCs' lives, too.
• Green Isn't Your Color: Took part in Photo Finish's modeling and continued even though she didn't like it. Why? Because she feared doing it would disappoint Rarity. She had to fight both an external and internal conflict throughout.

And for a few examples from other seasons:

• The Crystal Empire: Was completely frightened that she had to take part of a jousting competition in front of a decently sized crowd. Yet, she stayed involved to distract the citizens while Twilight ran 'round the castle to find the real Heart.
• Filli Vanilli: Enjoys singing and dancing, but her stage fright prevents her from joining the Ponytones. When BM was sick, she sung while hidden as Big Mac lip-synced. Then when the secret came out, Fluttershy's phobia came into play.
• Breezies: She became very complacent towards the breezies and kept using excuses to keep them home. Kicking them out against their wishes was the best and kindest solution, and this moral was used as a backdrop in Tanks for the memories and Make New Friends.
• The Cutie Map: Agreed to act as Twilight's double-agent even though she didn't really want to do it. And she had every right to be frightened — Starlight was a very clever, charismatic dictator, and being caught spying could've been disaster.

What do these have in common? They're all really plausible, in-character conflicts that fit her character. Lots of people young and old alike can relate to her because several people have been in very similar conflicts. Sometimes these conflicts can be an enormous struggle.

 

Even without Hurricane Fluttershy in context, it's pretty clear that Fluttershy struggles socially, sometimes terribly. We just didn't know how rooted it truly was. Like flicking a light switch, Hurricane Fluttershy changed that perception of her shyness, and it's all spelled out for us in the story. Her conflict is the most realistic in season two, and they portray it really graphically to relay how serious it is. Her "shyness" is shown to be the consequences of childhood bullying, and the bullying scarred her. I have a good analysis of it here.

 

Reconsider Scare Master. Think about why she struggled to perform during Nightmare Night. No, shyness isn't why. Again, her major social anxiety is why. Why does she struggle here? Because she puts a lot of mental weight on herself. She wants to succeed, but doesn't know if she can do it and believes none of her pranks are capable enough to scare anyone. So, when she got some help from her animal friends, she was able to pull off a Nightmare Night fright a little too well.

 

But I would prefer if we could put aside your feelings and mawkish rhetoric and look at some substantive arguments. Here's a link to all the tropes and stereotypes that Fluttershy is considered to fulfill in all her dimensions.

The clichéd TV Tropes argument doesn't surprise me. TV Tropes is an Internet calculator: a tool to help us understand tropes. But not every example is right, and we're not supposed to rely on it as an infallible piece of media research. You're treating TV Tropes as a crutch to try to prove a point. It doesn't work; instead, your argument looks desperate. Once more, direct to what I wrote above and pick apart the little things within the episodes that help mold her character.

 

That doesn't mean they can't be a stereotype. All of those strengths, flaws, likes, dislikes and full-fledged personalities can still fit into various stereotypes.

• Full-fledged characters destroy stereotypes and transcend their archetypes. By making the character feel complete and whole, the character feels real rather than a classic cookie-cutter. Fluttershy feels like a real character because the reasons for her social anxiety and the conflicts she battles (even from the background) feel very real most of the time. She's not shy just because she's shy; she has to endure a ton of really disgusting shit aimed at her since childhood.
• Stereotypes — particularly characters who stay true to them — aren't characters at all nor feel real in any sort. They're caricatures. Fluttershy isn't a caricature.

as if you had the authority to determine that; you don't

Actually, I do. You claimed Fluttershy is a stereotype or holds onto stereotypes because she molds dozens of mini tropes within her central personality. You're objectively wrong, because it's false. To claim Fluttershy is a stereotype is like saying Twilight is one because she's a major nerd or Rainbow Dash for being a tomcolt. Twilight is far deeper than that. Rainbow Dash is far deeper than that. Each of the Mane Eight transcends their archetypes, not stereotypes. Because we can relate to who they are, they feel like legitimate characters and can be molded in a way that exists in reality. None of the Mane Eight is a stereotype or stereotypical in any way.

 

If the Mane Eight were really stereotypes or a patchwork embodiment of them, then why the heck are they fan favorites? Why do we tireless invest in them, along with the show so much? One of the top answers: they're anything but one-dimensional, stereotypical cookie-cutters.

 

The "what" isn't the only thing that matters. More importantly, the "why," too. Feeling socially intimidated is the what. Her social anxiety and crippling stage fright phobia are why she feels so scared. It's the "why" that makes neither her nor the rest of the Mane Eight stereotypes or stereotypical.

 

To echo DashForever, if you're going to use the word "stereotype" that broadly to a full-fledged and relatable character, then every single character in this show is, too, and we all know how big a lie that is.

 

Well you're certainly available to your preachy, judgmental and sanctimonious opinion.

Well, if you've followed my posts, I do take stereotypes seriously because in fiction, we shouldn't project them upon anyone, much less kids. It's an anti stance I'll always be proud of.

 

My attitude towards stereotypes won't go away. When will it go away? Hopefully three hundred lifetimes from now.

Edited March 10, 2016 by Dark Qiviut

[Roughshod 719]

@@Dark Qiviut, I was considering whether or not to reply to you again since I'd already stated all my points. But I figured I'd make some simple clarifications. You seem to think that by replacing the term shyness with the more charged one of social anxiety somehow gives your point more credence. Sorry, but I'm not convinced. You think using an emotional appeal makes a difference? There's a c;ear bias I am sensing here when it comes to the topic of anxiety, but it's not sufficient to change the hard facts or warp the events into your own narrative.  Every example you have used has demonstrated the same old patterns that occur with Fluttershy's character. i referenced TV Tropes with its lists of numerous examples and explanations to help elaborate. But apparently using a reference is not as favorable to you as simply repeating oneself with the same points worded differently. 

 

You use a lot of filler and manipulation of the subject at hand in order to convince yourself that you can escape the reality of what Fluttershy is. I believe you're making appeals to emotion, popularity and also viewing this as only black and white. Fluttershy is a stereotype in some ways, not in others.

 

 

 

My attitude towards stereotypes won't go away. When will it go away? Hopefully three hundred lifetimes from now.

This sums up everything. You don't want to discuss, you want to pontificate and condemn those who don't agree. Well I don't agree, mostly because I think you're wrong but also because of the shallowness of your intentions here.

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

I would say it's a tie between Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

This is very subjective as every character starts out as a general archetype, but like OP said there are a lot that play mostly to the stereotype they represent and don't change much about it. These include:

 

• Diamond Tiara & Silver Spoon:  :diamondtiara: Spoiled rich girl/social bully you've seen in pretty much every cartoon since the early 90s and her spineless sidekick. I dare you to rattle off a list of these from other shows.
• Everyone in Appleoosa: Pretty much exists only so episodes can have a kitschy Western theme.
• On a related note, the Buffalo, being a similarly kitsch analog to the Indians of those movies.
• Also Troubleshoes, a "bad luck" archetype.
• Snips and Snails: Two dumbbell lackeys, one short and fat and the other tall and skinny, that you've seen in pretty much every piece of kids' media ever. Also negative male stereotypes, the last thing needed in a show credited with taking swings at the gender wall.
• Gilda: Bully.
• Trixie: Egotistical showman, later rival and fan bait. Come at me.  :okiedokielokie:
• Suri Polomare: Unashamed violator of the Berne Convention.
• Prince Rutherford and the Yaks: Immature characters who deserve absolutely no respect.
• Svengallop: The only bad thing about "The Mane Attraction", his extremely nasal voice and childishly demanding dialogue made him a complete chore to watch and listen to, although the episode did justice to recognize the consequences of letting him go.
• The Hooffields and McColts: Were they even trying?
• Principal Cinch: Image-obsessed egotistical boss.
• Sunset Shimmer (First EqG): Obvious.
• Flash Sentry: Just a part of the scenery that a main character thinks she can fall in love with.
• Starlight Glimmer: :=: Devolved into one as a result of the S5 finale. A kids' show villain that lashes out over a petty inconvenience and is relatively easily reformed. Also may become a copy of reformed Sunset Shimmer in future episodes.
• Tirek: "Power grab" villain with no real motivation or unique methods.

Edited March 19, 2016 by Wind Chaser

[ggg-2 3,552]

I wouldn't call him a stereotype exactly, but have you LISTENED to Snails' voice? Thick Canadian accent.

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

Sure, fashion is Rarity's way of expressing herself. She's a well-developed character and fashion is a huge part of what she is.

But why fashion? You have to admit that it's the kind of hobby/activity that's automatically associated with girls.

 

The creators of the show could have made Rarity express herself through pottery. But we all know that she doesn't like getting her hooves dirty. Or she could be a railroad diorama maker... but that piece doesn't quite fit the jigsaw puzzle, does it? 

 

(Come to think of it, the only thing that saves Rarity from being the absolute worst kind of a stereotypical feminine character is her colour scheme... Imagine her colours swapped with Pinkie's, OH THE HORROR.)

See and here you miss the utter brilliance of Rarity as a character. You are correct, that generally speaking the Fashion focused character is a collection of the worst feminine sterotypes. But that's the POINT of Rarity, she's a fashion character who has loads of reason for being who she is, her personality extends far beyond fashion, she's smart, generous and kind. She dispels this idea present in too many shows that there's anything WRONG with being a girly girl. Rarity is an incredibly feminine character yes, and she's an amazing role model. 

 

Rarity is literally the LEAST Sterotypical character on the show, almost everything about her is a subversion of the usual barriers of her archetype.