Did the Main Six fail their first Friendship Mission?

[ShootingStar159 2,155]

So, starting with the obvious first question, yes, I do believe it’s possible to fail a map mission, if for no other reason than narrative tension is lost if it’s impossible for the main characters to fail. For the sake of this question, let’s just assume it is possible.

 

This is something I’ve been considering since Shadow Play first aired. Looking back at The Cutie Map, especially after Shadow Play, it’s very clear to me that Starlight wasn’t just causing the Friendship problem, she was the Friendship problem. She needed the Main Six’s help more than anyone in the village, but instead of trying to understand her, they tried to beat her. Starlight acted like a villain, so the main six treated her like one. But... is that really what the map called them there to do? The result of how they treated Starlight, and the best argument that the mission was a failure, is that there were consequences for what they did. 

Starlight almost destroyed the world, and the only reason she stopped is because Twilight stopped trying to beat her, and started trying to understand her. Just like there would have been consequences if they had banished Stygian instead of rescuing him. The map didn’t send the main six to beat Stygian, it sent them to help him. Did it really send them to beat Starlight, or did they fail the mission by never even trying to help her?

[Megas 27,060]

No their first friendship mission ended when they saved and brought the "My Town" back together and drove away Starlight. It wasn't about Starlight, it was about the town itself

[DonMaguz 1,023]

Season 5's friendship missions were not about individuals, but places and entire societies where friendship was not blossoming.

Under current conditions of the map, when it reacts to very specific individuals, we could agree that Starlight was the focus of that mission, but at the time it happened the mission was definitely about the Town.

 

[Goat-kun 2,497]

Yes. They are the worst ponies. We need to replace them

[Misty Shadow 7,080]

There's also a big difference between Starlight and Stygian. Starlight was genuinely being a villain at that time of her own volition while Stygian was lost in the Pony of Shadows wanting to be set free.

[ShootingStar159 2,155]

38 minutes ago, Whomps said:

No their first friendship mission ended when they saved and brought the "My Town" back together and drove away Starlight. It wasn't about Starlight, it was about the town itself

The problem wasn’t the town, the problem was Starlight. As soon as she was gone, the villagers figured things out for themselves. The real question I’m asking isn’t about that, it’s about whether the main six dealt with Starlight the way the map wanted them to. Because the way they dealt with Starlight was the same way they were going to deal with Stygian, and in both instances there were consequences for the actions. Starlight almost destroyed the world. The Elements would have been lost, and possibly more importantly, Starswirl wouldn’t have learned the magic of friendship. Do you think the map sent them there to beat Starlight, or to help her, and by helping her help the entire town?

 

20 minutes ago, DonMaguz said:

Season 5's friendship missions were not about individuals, but places and entire societies where friendship was not blossoming.

Under current conditions of the map, when it reacts to very specific individuals, we could agree that Starlight was the focus of that mission, but at the time it happened the mission was definitely about the Town.

 

This is true from a writing perspective, but my question is from a narrative perspective, which would include all that we know now. And with what we know now, did they fail the mission?

[CypherHoof 26,479]

26 minutes ago, ShootingStar159 said:

The problem wasn’t the town, the problem was Starlight. As soon as she was gone, the villagers figured things out for themselves. The real question I’m asking isn’t about that, it’s about whether the main six dealt with Starlight the way the map wanted them to. Because the way they dealt with Starlight was the same way they were going to deal with Stygian, and in both instances there were consequences for the actions. Starlight almost destroyed the world. The Elements would have been lost, and possibly more importantly, Starswirl wouldn’t have learned the magic of friendship. Do you think the map sent them there to beat Starlight, or to help her, and by helping her help the entire town?

 

This is true from a writing perspective, but my question is from a narrative perspective, which would include all that we know now. And with what we know now, did they fail the mission?

I would say they completed the mission, but left the TASK incomplete - the steps they took placed Starlight on the path that would eventually lead to her becoming Twilight's pupil, but as Starlight herself later says to chrysalis - she /chose/ to run, when it was not the only choice she had.  But right then, she wasn't ready to face the consequences of her actions, and it took her near-destruction of Equestria for her to realise how far she had fallen, and for punishment at Twilight's hooves to seem the better option.

[Thrond 3,257]

Showing Starlight's village that she's a hypocrite is a little less personal and clear of a friendship lesson than any of the others even in season 5, so one could reasonably suggest that it doesn't quite fit, but the villagers did come around to the "correct" form of friendship, and the map never called them back there again, so I think they succeeded.

I think you could fail a friendship mission, but it would probably not come in the form of doing the wrong thing. If Starlight were the problem, the map would have kept bothering the mane six until they solved it, so to fail that mission they would have needed to stop trying or die.

[Jeric 46,834]

1 hour ago, ShootingStar159 said:

The problem wasn’t the town, the problem was Starlight. As soon as she was gone, the villagers figured things out for themselves. 

Not on their own they didn't. A few started to remember why they missed their talents, but some still sided with Starlight out of faith and fear. Later it wasn't until the ruse was uncovered that they realized they were manipulated. 

It was the Town that was in jeopardy and its citizens that needed intervention and inspiration. The Mane Six provided that and they rose up to reclaim their uniqueness.

However, the Map obviously had a long term plan with respect to Starlight. Her role in bringing about harmony and unity became crucial later. 

[Goat-kun 2,497]

25 minutes ago, Jeric said:

Not on their own they didn't. A few started to remember why they missed their talents, but some still sided with Starlight out of faith and fear. Later it wasn't until the ruse was uncovered that they realized they were manipulated. 

It was the Town that was in jeopardy and its citizens that needed intervention and inspiration. The Mane Six provided that and they rose up to reclaim their uniqueness.

However, the Map obviously had a long term plan with respect to Starlight. Her role in bringing about harmony and unity became crucial later. 

Not saying it is an all-consuming deity born out of the infinite malignancy that is the elder light, but it is an all-consuming deity born out of the infinite malignancy that is the elder light. All that knowledge, and for what? A thousand timelines of bloodshed and suffering? If that's not an old god then this ain't My Little Pony

[Brainstorm 4,092]

No, they didn't fail, they might've had a tough start, but no, they didn't fail.