Do you consider the CMC main characters?

[ggg-2 3,550]

Sites such as TV Tropes count the CMC as main characters. Personally, I don't since the Crusaders don't have enough screen time comparable to the Mane 6.

[FlareGun45 2,221]

They do have starring episodes and their own arc, so I consider them main supporting characters along with Spike, Big Mac, Starlight, and Discord; but not MAIN characters like the Mane Six!

[GrimGrimoire 4,970]

 

They appear as much as the Mane 6 do these days. The Mane 6 rarely get episodes together anymore and usually have their episodes broken up into duos or singles across the season. The CMC usually get a couple of episodes as a group, as well as several solo episodes, plus all their supporting episodes, so yes by now I consider them main characters..

[Hierok 11,829]

No, I do not, but maybe I should consider them to be main characters. 

[Abstract 831]

Definitely supporting characters. They've definitely gotten more screen time as the years have gone on, but the series is still mostlyfocused on the Mane 6.

[FirePuppy 630]

They're probably only gonna make a cameo appearance in the movie, since we didn't see them in the trailer.

[Luminance 2,181]

Starlight for example has more screentime compared to the CMC but she's not a main character. 

[chaosprincess 1,064]

No I see them as more as main background characters due to their only purpose is to help those with cutie mark issues which could not save any of the ponies from danger unlike the mane 6 who have taken on threats and saved Equestria numerous times, but I don't even see the princesses as main characters I feel all characters are main background characters except the mane 6 since the show is focused on the mane 6 sure they may interact with some ponies/creatures here and there, but the main focus is on them and I know Starlight Glimmer has been getting a lot of screen time lately, but she is still not considered a main character since a lot of the time she or Trixie are usually the causes of the problems sure they fix it, but the episodes are usually they cause an issue and everything turns out good in the end.

[Thrond 3,257]

Because of the way that the show operates, especially in the latest seasons, I find it hard not to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders as main characters. This show has a tendency every since the second season to focus episodes on a specific character, and this has grown more and more prominent with each passing season, to the point where it's hard to argue that the CMC (as a unit, at least) get less attention than any individual main character. They frequently star in episodes which don't feature the mane six at all, and they've starred in stories since the start of the show. They're main characters, and they've always been main characters, even if their stories don't always have as much going on as those of the mane six. 

[CypherHoof 26,479]

I think it is the wrong question. The mane 6 are clearly the "stars" of the show, but we have a whole bunch of secondary characters that are being developed and have had or may get show focus - the CMC are good examples because they have had a bunch of episodes devoted to them, but you also have Starlight, Discord, Big Mac, Trixie, Diamond Tiara, Lightening Dust, Minuet... it is hard to draw a line and say "these are main characters, these aren't" when in fact there is a whole spectrum of importance/development out there.

Spoiler

Forever Filly is a good example of CMC independence from the mane 6 of course - Rarity, while the focus of the episode, was clearly getting in the way of the CMC's work, although her dismissive attitude towards that work probably didn't help either.

There are some odd examples. Minuet is given an "offscreen" backstory revealed in the course of Amending Fences - that Pinkie is familiar with her isn't too surprising, although that she was a bridesmaid to Cadence is (I don't recall seeing her in that eps, I must say) so I am assuming this is mostly to highlight Twi's own neglect rather than intentional development of the character.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 40,313]

I believe the CMC's to be right up there, considering their relation to the mane 6 and the journey they had together trying to get their Cutie Marks. That is one of the biggest highlights of the entire show for me, that journey and the moment they accomplished it was emotionally awesome. For me, they are definitely main characters. The fact that they have also had several episodes dedicated mainly to them is another factor.

[Hierok 11,829]

9 hours ago, Star Trail said:

Starlight for example has more screentime compared to the CMC but she's not a main character. 

Over the whole show or since the season 6 première? The CMC got way more screentime then Starlight as we include the time Starlight was not around. 

[cmarston1 5,952]

Not really.

However I do consider them to be major supporting characters.

[Pony Flutters 530]

Even if they starred in several episodes where only a few of the mane six star or even appear, I'd mostly consider them major secondary characters along with the princesses, Big Macintosh, Cheerilee, Discord and others. Just with slightly more focus compared to the other major characters and less focus than the mane six. They are the second most prominent group after the mane six though.

[Luminance 2,181]

20 hours ago, Hierok said:

Over the whole show or since the season 6 première? The CMC got way more screentime then Starlight as we include the time Starlight was not around. 

The Cmcs as a whole do have several episodes more than her since S6 but with that, Starlight has achieved more momentum in the very couple of episodes she already portrayed. The time span that allowed to develop Starlight is quicker and growing. 

[Hierok 11,829]

8 minutes ago, Star Trail said:

The Cmcs as a whole do have several episodes more than her since S6 but with that, Starlight has achieved more momentum in the very couple of episodes she already portrayed. The time span that allowed to develop Starlight is quicker and growing. 

But can't we consider her as a main character? My only problem with it is that we don't see her in episodes that aren't about her. That is something Fluttershy leans in did and I need more cameo's of Starlight. 

[Luminance 2,181]

4 minutes ago, Hierok said:

But can't we consider her as a main character? My only problem with it is that we don't see her in episodes that aren't about her. That is something Fluttershy leans in did and I need more cameo's of Starlight. 

Between Starlight being a contributor for a main character? Sure, I don't mind. I'm definitely fine if she does become a role akin to the mane 6. She already has achieved some large milestones and proven that her inclusion was indeed not wasted. More Starlight moments are always welcomed. 

Sorry if we went off-topic there.

[DonMaguz 1,023]

I think this is a matter of how do we choose to judge what a main character is for a show with a non-serial episode structure.

I see each season as a big story with separate chapters for each of the episodes, then for me the CMC are strong secondary characters with a subplot of their own that helps some of the main characters (mainly AJ, Rarity and RD) to grow themselves. They grow each other in the process too, but for the sake of the season as a whole, that growth is more of a byproduct since it doesn't have enough impact to the main plot.