Starlight's role in the show now seems clear (Hint: She's not a main character)

[Cleverclover 1,526]

Now that Starlight has failed to appear in two episodes that have featured all of the mane six, I do not believe there's any reason whatsoever to proclaim her as the "mane seventh," or even a main character at all. And with the nature of the appearances she's made thus far, I think it's finally clear just what her role is. 

 

I no longer believe that she's been included into the cast so that she could learn about friendship. Her friendship studies and her efforts to become a better, non-psychopathic person are only secondary to her true role. I think that she's been included primarily for the sake of developing Twilight further, now that she's taken on the role of a teacher. I believe that Starlight has only been made a recurring character purely for Twilight's sake rather than anyone else's, including her own.  

 

Little effort has been made to include Starlight among the mane six, something that would actually be important if she were intended to be a main character. I can't help but find it particularly striking that she wasn't present when Rainbow Dash was officially inducted into the Wonderbolts, an event so important that even the CMC were present for it. Each of them knew exactly how much fulfilling that dream matter to Rainbow Dash, and yet as we saw, Starlight apparently could not have been bothered to show her support. Nor, apparently, could she have been bothered to be present to assist opening Rarity's new boutique. These were clearly two ideal episodes that could have displayed her closeness with the mane five, and yet both were needlessly squandered. 

 

Overall, it just feels like Starlight is NOT the mane five's friend. She's only Twilight's friend. 

 

(And Spike's, too, I guess.)

 

This could be improved if we end up seeing more interaction between her in the mane five, but that would probably mean that she would have to have an episode in which she's independent of Twilight, and I'm really not sure whether or not that will happen. 

 

This could honestly end up going either way, but suddenly, I do not feel that it is beyond possibility that Starlight will no longer be a mainstay after this season (assuming that this season isn't the last, that is). It seems entirely possible that Starlight's absences from mane six ensemble episodes may be the staff's way of keeping our expectations in check by implying that Starlight will not be in this for the long haul. She might end up moving out of Twilight's castle and returning to her town, now with an entirely new outlook on friendship. That wouldn't particularly mean she'll be removed from the show entirely. Her secondary status might be similar to Discord's in which she would show up on occasion. 

 

Or, of course, this could end up going in the opposite direction in which Starlight receives her own Element and/or becomes an alicorn princess in the season finale. We'll just have to see....

Edited May 21, 2016 by Cleverclover

[TheAnimatorOfficial 567]

It seems like they saw FOP and learned what not to do.

[Jeric 46,860]

I agree. Until they have an episode or two pairing Starlight Glimmer with another member of the Mane Six ... I'll have a hard time looking at her as a main character. At preset she is about at Discord/Luna usage level.

 

I will say that I think her inclusion this season allows the writers to approach some story ideas that may have been harder to do before, but she is still a supporting character. I actually like the character as I see some intriguing potential there, even if she is just a supporting role. I think your idea of her moving back to The Town may be a logical end to her arc.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Or, of course, this could end up going in the opposite direction in which Starlight receives her own Element and/or becomes an alicorn princess in the season finale. We'll just have to see....

I hope not :/

But I will admit, that's what I'd expected from the season at first after the premier.

 

I'm starting to believe your view though, that she's just there for twilight, for the reasons you mentioned. She SERIOUSLY doesn't not seem like any of the others friend really.

There WAS that scene in no second prances where she interacted with the other 5, but it really felt forced.

 

here's to hoping she dissapears.

[Concerned Bystander 2,903]

It does indeed seem that she is destined not to become a main character.  Here's hoping that they stick to that idea and just have her as a recurring character.

 

I for one certainly won't complain if she is just nothing more than a device to advance Twilight's story arc.  I won't mind if she crops up here and there occasionally, if the story genuinely requires it, but there is no need for another main character to enter the ensemble, especially not someone that has been so painfully shoehorned into the role.

[AlbaTross 1,586]

I think it's way too early to say. She's been in at least every other episode, which also happens to feature her. I've seen series where a new cast member is kind of eased into the group gradually. I'm sure Hasbro is aware that fans also like to see just the original cast as it was, from time to time. Starlight only just became a major character so it's probably going to take some time before fans accept her as such, and I'm sure Hasbro is also aware of that not entirely unrelated fact.

 

I mean, yeah, we will have to wait and see what exactly her role will be when the dust settles. I would also like to see her have more than short sporadic moments where she's paired up with another member of the mane six. I'm sure that's in the plan somewhere. The writers couldn't have possibly had such a large oversight like that Starlight needs to interact with more than just Twilight in order to integrate into the mane cast.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

. The writers couldn't have possibly had such a large oversight like that Starlight needs to interact with more than just Twilight in order to integrate into the mane cast.

I'm thinking starlight is only being included for twilight, not for herself; Specifically, the staff needed to think up something else for Twilight to work towards as a goal now that she's got a castle and is a "true" princess.

 

So they figured, "hey, We'll make her a teacher like celestia was before her", and so they decided she needed a student: Hence starlight being included as somepony for twilight to teach.

Basically, she doesn't exist for HERSELF. Starlight is like flash sentry, she exists only to be a prop for another character to use for their own character. As such, Starlight's there for twilight to learn lessons about being a teacher (like her realization in no second prances) and doesn't have any purpose outside of Twilight episodes or to interact with the other six.

 

 

So they're not wanting to integrate her into the cast because she's not meant to integrate, more or less.

[M'gann M'orzz 745]

I agree. Until they have an episode or two pairing Starlight Glimmer with another member of the Mane Six ... I'll have a hard time looking at her as a main character. At preset she is about at Discord/Luna usage level.

 

 

Eh she's more CMC level than Discord/Luna, so far she's cropped up pretty damn regularly even if she hasn't in some of the more ensemble episodes. Discord and Luna only pop up like a few times  a season.

[cmarston1 5,959]

To be honest, I would be perfectly fine with this.  

It's not that I hate Starlight or anything (her redemption in the season 5 finale aside), I generally don't like her nearly as much as the mane 6.

At this point in the show, it feels really weird to add one more main character to a cast that we have spent years getting invested in their friendship and interactions with one another.  Starlight doesn't have any sort of the emotional connection that the Twilight and the others have with eachother.

Plus after Fluttershy who is my favorite character got majorly neglected in season 5, I was really hoping that Starlight Glimmer wasn't going to steal screentime away from someone who is in need of it.

[Megas 27,770]

Honestly this was the route I was hoping for. There's already enough problems between both S5 and S6 that I want to see fixed as well some topics I want addressed with the current cast, much so that I just don't want to see more episodes/screentime wasted on a character I still don't care much for

Edited May 21, 2016 by Megas

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

What they do with her now is preferable to shoehorning her into every episode and risking character regression, which has happened to virtually every member of the Mane 6 in one episode or another. They should at least check in on her in some episodes to acknowledge that she still exists, rather than just glancing over her like she doesn't, even if they do have to pull a "Cutie Map" and park her on the sidelines.

Edited May 21, 2016 by Wind Chaser

[CastletonSnob 3,079]

What they do with her now is preferable to shoehorning her into every episode and risking character regression, which has happened to virtually every member of the Mane 6 in one episode or another. They should at least check in on her in some episodes to acknowledge that she still exists, rather than just glancing over her like she doesn't, even if they do have to pull a "Cutie Map" and park her on the sidelines.

As good as the show is, it has had quite a few times where main characters went backwards in their development.

[NeonCobalt 256]

Yeah, and this is coming from someone who really likes her character, I don't really think you can call her the "Mane Seventh", at least not right now. In my opinion, I think that she is going to fill the same role that the CMC do, which is that she is going to have her own story arc going on alongside the main one with Mane 6. And I'm totally fine with that. I'm fully able to get invested in the CMC without them being considered part of the Mane 6, and I can do the same for Starlight.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

As good as the show is, it has had quite a few times where main characters went backwards in their development.

Exactly what I stated in my post.

[cider float 2,538]

Now that Starlight has failed to appear in two episodes that have featured all of the mane six, I do not believe there's any reason whatsoever to proclaim her as the "mane seventh," or even a main character at all. And with the nature of the appearances she's made thus far, I think it's finally clear just what her role is. 

 

I no longer believe that she's been included into the cast so that she could learn about friendship. Her friendship studies and her efforts to become a better, non-psychopathic person are only secondary to her true role. I think that she's been included primarily for the sake of developing Twilight further, now that she's taken on the role of a teacher. I believe that Starlight has only been made a recurring character purely for Twilight's sake rather than anyone else's, including her own.  

 

Little effort has been made to include Starlight among the mane six, something that would actually be important if she were intended to be a main character. I can't help but find it particularly striking that she wasn't present when Rainbow Dash was officially inducted into the Wonderbolts, an event so important that even the CMC were present for it. Each of them knew exactly how much fulfilling that dream matter to Rainbow Dash, and yet as we saw, Starlight apparently could not have been bothered to show her support. Nor, apparently, could she have been bothered to be present to assist opening Rarity's new boutique. These were clearly two ideal episodes that could have displayed her closeness with the mane five, and yet both were needlessly squandered. 

 

Overall, it just feels like Starlight is NOT the mane five's friend. She's only Twilight's friend. 

 

(And Spike's, too, I guess.)

 

This could be improved if we end up seeing more interaction between her in the mane five, but that would probably mean that she would have to have an episode in which she's independent of Twilight, and I'm really not sure whether or not that will happen. 

 

This could honestly end up going either way, but suddenly, I do not feel that it is beyond possibility that Starlight will no longer be a mainstay after this season (assuming that this season isn't the last, that is). It seems entirely possible that Starlight's absences from mane six ensemble episodes may be the staff's way of keeping our expectations in check by implying that Starlight will not be in this for the long haul. She might end up moving out of Twilight's castle and returning to her town, now with an entirely new outlook on friendship. That wouldn't particularly mean she'll be removed from the show entirely. Her secondary status might be similar to Discord's in which she would show up on occasion. 

 

Or, of course, this could end up going in the opposite direction in which Starlight receives her own Element and/or becomes an alicorn princess in the season finale. We'll just have to see....

I think she's still at least Spike level of appearance so far. Spike is left out of the mane six capers sometimes.

[snowflame 189]

I hope not :/

But I will admit, that's what I'd expected from the season at first after the premier.

 

I'm starting to believe your view though, that she's just there for twilight, for the reasons you mentioned. She SERIOUSLY doesn't not seem like any of the others friend really.

There WAS that scene in no second prances where she interacted with the other 5, but it really felt forced.

here's to hoping she dissapears.

 

 

Why people so often think there are more elements coming when that has never happened and the elements are not that important to the show anymore or new alicorn princesses when only Twilight was a character was added during the shows running time?

[twiia 1,843]

Starlight is thrown in episodes so people think she exists, but she isn't part of the mane 6, because she misses out on episodes featuring them... Not sure what they're going to do with her

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Why people so often think there are more elements coming when that has never happened and the elements are not that important to the show anymore or new alicorn princesses when only Twilight was a character was added during the shows running time?

>why do people think this will happen

>new alicorns

>new element

Friendship games and Sunset shimmer.

 

[snowflame 189]

>why do people think this will happen

>new alicorns

>new element

Friendship games and Sunset shimmer.

 

 

 

 

Meh, Equestria girls is completely different for me and I have not watched Friendship games. Sunset being a princess/element in that world would fit (if it is even possible with a world with no magic) since she is a lead and a Twilight counterpart. But for the show for it to happen again it would feel repetitive and out of place.

Edited May 22, 2016 by snowflame

[cider float 2,538]

Why do I get this sinking feeling that Starlight will claim a new Element of Harmony at the end of Season 6 and save the day?

[PiratePony 8,476]

Why do I get this sinking feeling that Starlight will claim a new Element of Harmony at the end of Season 6 and save the day?

 

NO! Say it isn't true....please...please no. Just....please no. I like Starlight Glimmer a lot, even outright love her in some episodes, but I don't like her as a Mane character and certainly not shoehorned as an element holder. 

[Concerned Bystander 2,903]

Why do I get this sinking feeling that Starlight will claim a new Element of Harmony at the end of Season 6 and save the day?

 

The elements have run their course, those particular toys have been put back into the box, hopefully for good.  And in the unlikely event that they dragged out again, I hope to God that there is still only six.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Why do I get this sinking feeling that Starlight will claim a new Element of Harmony at the end of Season 6 and save the day?

I had that feeling as soon as the S5 finale happened. Friendship games only cemented it more, due to Starlight being A Sunset imitation. Basically, fully expected the S6 finale to be a repeat of FG for its resolution (Starlight going super saiyan alicorn while everyone else besides twilight sits in the stands and cheers)

 

I'm starting to have alot more hope now that Starlight is seeming to be less of a character and more of a prop, though I still have a feeling of dread.

The elements have run their course, those particular toys have been put back into the box, hopefully for good.  And in the unlikely event that they dragged out again, I hope to God that there is still only six.

I don't know, they still reference the EOH in the EQG universe, and the upcoming toyline IS called "Guardians of harmony"

[SBaby 660]

I don't know.  See, there's one thing everyone forgets when it comes to Starlight.

 

She is the only pony that is not officially categorized as a mane character that's been in THREE 2-parters.  I highly doubt that they would do this without having a reason for it.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I don't know.  See, there's one thing everyone forgets when it comes to Starlight.

 

She is the only pony that is not officially categorized as a mane character that's been in THREE 2-parters.  I highly doubt that they would do this without having a reason for it.

Not true.

Cadence and shining armor are a good example here: They've been in and heavily featured in 3 two parters: Canterlot wedding, The crystal empire and now The crystaling.

They're not mane characters, they're just secondary characters, like luna, celestia and discord.

 

 

speaking of discord: He was in ROH, Princess twilight sparkle and Twilight's kingdom as a heavyily important character.