Villain's backstory I don't buy

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

Just now, Sepul-Coloratura said:

I think the problem with Tempest's backstory and Starlight's backstory is that it was too short and not heavily handled enough.

Some great movies like UP, for example, can build up so much weight behind a character in just ten minutes. (of course it is a different situation) Maybe they should have done something more than short flashbacks of their childhood and explanations over it. It felt like just explanations. Maybe few simple jump cuts towards their adulthood could have helped I think.

I felt Tempest's backstory was handled pretty well, honestly. The flashback in the song got the point across pretty well, and it definitely made me more sympathetic to her. As for Starlight, I feel like her backstory could have been presented a bit better, definitely, but I don't dislike it in concept. As @DonMaguz mentioned, Starlight's backstory is supposed to be an example of the "Butterfly effect" where a small event has a huge impact, that's pretty much what the entirety of "The Cutie Re-Mark" was about after all.

 Basically, I think both back-stories work, though Starlight's could have been presented a bit better. They might not be the best villain backstories of all time, but they do their jobs, I feel.

8 minutes ago, Sepul-Coloratura said:

I think if Starlight's moral perceptivity isn't broken, she might have knew already that she is being evil. When the villagers start to argue, she looked like being aware of it's wrong. Not about doing something about making friends, but about being evil, I can say she was completely crazy. And I think it was illogically too much.

Well, Starlight brainwashed her friends with a spell to do her friendship lessons, and didn't seem to even think that might be wrong until Twilight talked to her about it. Her moral perceptivity is, or at least was, definitely a little bit broken. Not that I'm trying to say her intentions with her town were totally innocent, as I said, Starlight is a pony who seems to crave control. She wanted friends, but she wanted them on her terms, and she wanted to make sure they weren't going to leave her this time. She was definitely kind of crazy, not denying that.

4 minutes ago, Sepul-Coloratura said:

I get what you're saying. And I kind of tried to come up with a similar conclusion after when I watched it.

But it still felt disappointing back then while watching the show and the movie. It is logical when put in text and words, but for me, it didn't went through simultaneously while just watching it.

I can kind of get that, at least with Starlight anyway. I was really sympathetic to Moondancer on my first watch, not so much to Starlight. Her backstory definitely gave me a bit of "Wait, that's it?" feeling on first watch. I appreciated it more later on when I realized the whole "Butterfly effect" thing and thought about it some more, but I still do feel like it could have been presented a bit better.

[Toastypk 923]

1 hour ago, Sepul-Coloratura said:

I read the comics. It was quite a good one.

But as a perspective of critiquing the show, I would judge it only by the show.

Though I'll say that I felt for him in the show too, before I saw the comics.

Some things about him really stuck to me, I've had spiteful moods come from situations too.

Edited September 25, 2018 by Toastypk

[Sepul-Coloratura 762]

14 minutes ago, BasementSparkle said:

Well, Starlight brainwashed her friends with a spell to do her friendship lessons, and didn't seem to even think that might be wrong until Twilight talked to her about it. Her moral perceptivity is, or at least was, definitely a little bit broken. Not that I'm trying to say her intentions with her town were totally innocent, as I said, Starlight is a pony who seems to crave control. She wanted friends, but she wanted them on her terms, and she wanted to make sure they weren't going to leave her this time. She was definitely kind of crazy, not denying that.

That's actually bit scary. I always thought Starlight was clumsy and cute by doing so, now I'm starting to think she's a sociopath.

13 minutes ago, Toastypk said:

Though I'll say that I felt for him in the show too, before I saw the comics.

Some things about him really stuck to me, I've had spiteful moods come from situations too.

Stygian is an interesting concept. A normal pony without abilities but only knowledge and strategy who combines the best heroes of Equestria.

[BastementSparkle 20,326]

13 minutes ago, Sepul-Coloratura said:

That's actually bit scary. I always thought Starlight was clumsy and cute by doing so, now I'm starting to think she's a sociopath.

I'm not sure about that. Starlight's shown guilt and remorse, she panicked when the ponies of her town tried to put her in charge of things, and felt she shouldn't be allowed to be in charge of anything,she panicked after switching the Princesses cutie marks and felt like she had doomed Equestria by doing so, even having a nightmare about it. I'd definitely say she's had a bit of trouble telling right from wrong in the past, but she does seem to genuinely feel bad once she realizes what she's doing is wrong. I'm not sure what her exact problem is, and I'll admit I'm not the most knowledgeable on sociopath's, but I'm not sure she's one.

Edited September 25, 2018 by BasementSparkle

[ShootingStar159 2,156]

36 minutes ago, Sepul-Coloratura said:

That's actually bit scary. I always thought Starlight was clumsy and cute by doing so, now I'm starting to think she's a sociopath.

Starlight risked her life to save Twilight and the others from Chrysalis. She went back to make amends with Trixie when she realized she was wrong to trade the wagon. A sociopath wouldn’t be able to form the kinds of close bonds with others to take those kinds of risks, they can act kind and caring to seem normal, but they wouldn’t be willing to go that far. Just because someone acts in a way that a sociopath would, doesn’t make them a sociopath.

Starlight seems to suffer from an anxiety disorder (especially in season six), most likely rooted in abandonment issues, that mixed with her lack of social skills and impulsive behavior cause her to act without considering either all the consequences, or the thoughts of others. But just because she acts impulsively doesn’t mean she can’t care for other the same way normal people do. In fact, I’d say her affection for Twilight is very genuine, especially her clear desire for Twilight’s approval.

[RDDash 19,173]

When Trixie came back to the Ponyvile the second time she wanted the revenge against the whole town that humiliated her. Twilight was simply part of that, everything would have been fine if they would just let her be the first time.

There is something I must be missing to a story because even I think that Luna turned evil because of jealousy is a bit weak.

Even in the comics Sunset Shimmer was a bit off, and everything did started going of the rails when Celestia showed her the Mirror of Erised, and then told her in the most rude way possible to just forget about what she saw inside.

If Gilda was a viliain she was a really weak one. It was simply that type of situation where she was forced to go by circumstances.

Principal Cinch behavior was really strange to me, but she lost any sympathy the moment she tried to blackmail a student. That simply wouldn't been able to fly with me.

Babs was ridiculous in a way that they made her into a bully for no other reason than she was bullied herself. That's really doesn't make sense to me.

Diamond Dogs they are nothing but slavers. If the show had a slightly different rating then that episode where Rarity was forced into the servitude could have easily gone dark. Why the tribe of slavers are allowed to leave right next to the Ponyvile again?

King Sombra once again slavery plus an ilegal take over over the Crystal Empire. He could have worked as the viliain if he weren't just one dimensional character in the show. So much for his rich backstory that's been shown in the comics.

Edited September 25, 2018 by R.D.Dash