Which of the Main 7/8 is the hardest to write?

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

Based on how good/bad their solo episodes are, which of the Main 6 + Spike and Starlight Glimmer are the hardest to write good  focal episodes about?

I think Pinkie Pie is the hardest, since you have to balance her eccentricities without making her too bearable to the audience.

[Jeric 46,836]

For gags, Pinkie Pie. Writing good comedy is hard. For interesting story elements that just focus on her, easily Applejack. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

12 minutes ago, Jeric said:

For gags, Pinkie Pie. Writing good comedy is hard. For interesting story elements that just focus on her, easily Applejack. 

That I'll give you. A number of her centric episodes (even some of the good ones) involve her being stubborn to the point of it bordering on stupidity.

Edited October 7, 2018 by Theanimationfanatic

[FirePuppy 640]

11 minutes ago, Jeric said:

For gags, Pinkie Pie. Writing good comedy is hard. For interesting story elements that just focus on her, easily Applejack. 

Both, however, have had significant time throughout the show.

Applejack has appeared in as many episodes as Twilight, and Pinkie Pie, we did kind of see the second-most in a few seasons and in The Movie.

[Jeric 46,836]

Just now, FirePuppy said:

Both, however, have had significant time throughout the show.

Applejack has appeared in as many episodes as Twilight, and Pinkie Pie, we did kind of see the second-most in a few seasons and in The Movie.

Well, a case can be made that quantity of appearances has little to do with the degree of difficulty or success in meeting the challenge of creating an good moment, scene, or episode. There are certainly some who would say that character x's appearances, though plentiful, tend to fall flat for them. 

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

Just now, Jeric said:

Well, a case can be made that quantity of appearances has little to do with the degree of difficulty or success in meeting the challenge of creating an good moment, scene, or episode. There are certainly some who would say that character x's appearances, though plentiful, tend to fall flat for them. 

Quality vs Quantity.

[Megas 27,095]

Probably the earth ponies, with one seemingly being difficult to make interesting stories about, and the other trying avoid relying on gags and try to make her a complete spaz

 

The others have traps that some writers can often fall for, some easier than others, but the issues the writers can have with the Earth Ponies are a bit more complex than the others

[cmarston1 5,952]

Definitely Applejack.  She just isn't a flexible character to write stories about.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

5 minutes ago, cmarston1 said:

Definitely Applejack.  She just isn't a flexible character to write stories about.

This isn't to say that she doesn't have good focal episodes, "Applebuck Season", "The Mane Attraction" are proof of this.

She does, however, work a lot better as a supporting character, as the "team mom" of the group.

[Once In A Blue Moon 894]

1 hour ago, Jeric said:

For interesting story elements that just focus on her, easily Applejack. 

I'd disagree there. I won't say it's easy, as engaging writing isn't easy, but there are vast amounts of literature that cover the interactions of family commitments vs other commitments, along with keeping integrity, so there's a lot of material to learn from. Parents in particular will have first-hand experience of that balancing act. 

I guess it's a bit disingenuous of me to say that, given that I'm not especially engaged by Applejack as a character, but that's mostly because I don't find the family aspect very interesting - I guess if that's your point, that not many people find it interesting, then I will concede the point.

 

I'd put forwards Spike, as there doesn't appear to be any clarity about who he actually is. And by that I mean that I'm not sure whether he's effectively Twilight's foster child, junior colleague or younger brother, and that appears to be intentional. I think that interesting things could be done with that (and were, in a sort-of / tangential way with that dragon migration episode) but I don't think the writers are allowed to explore that, which hinders them. There was  book I read when I was quite young, which sadly I have forgotten the title of, which followed a child whose parents were going through a messy divorce; these things can be done well in a children's book / show (to the extent that I remember it to this day), which I guess undermines my point (again) but it would be very difficult to do well and without clearing that up I think that he's limited as a character.

 

All of the above carry the caveat that I'm not a writer, so I wouldn't attribute huge weight to it. They, none the less, cover my perspective on the matter.

Edited October 7, 2018 by Once In A Blue Moon

[Hierok 11,829]

I'm thinking between AJ and SG. 

AJ because her character is just done. There isn't much left for her to go.

SG because she intends to be OP and solve problems a bit to easy. 

[DonMaguz 1,023]

Pinkie Pie as a supporting comic relief is a challenge because her randomness and silliness lures the writers to overuse those traits, making her obnoxious to the viewer.

Applejack is a hard one because the format and the lightness of the show limits to explore her in a deeper way. Episodes like 'Somepony to Watch Over Me' and 'Honest Apple' show us a glance of AJ's issues, but to go deeper into her troubles and keep the tone light and silly seems to be an issue for the writers/editors.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,543]

34 minutes ago, DonMaguz said:

Pinkie Pie as a supporting comic relief is a challenge because her randomness and silliness lures the writers to overuse those traits, making her obnoxious to the viewer.

Applejack is a hard one because the format and the lightness of the show limits to explore her in a deeper way. Episodes like 'Somepony to Watch Over Me' and 'Honest Apple' show us a glance of AJ's issues, but to go deeper into her troubles and keep the tone light and silly seems to be an issue for the writers/editors.

Pinkie Pie works best when she is portrayed as a character. Not as a gag and joke machine, but when they strip that away and delve into her more emotional vulnerable side. 

[DonMaguz 1,023]

1 minute ago, Theanimationfanatic said:

Pinkie Pie works best when she is portrayed as a character. Not as a gag and joke machine, but when they strip that away and delve into her more emotional vulnerable side. 

And yet, it can be done right! In 'Discordant Harmony' she's used as a gag in a terrific way, back in 'The Last Roundup' her gags are also funny, the main thing is... they were not overused or done just for the sake of the gags, like they portrayed her in 'Honest Apple'.

[Sepul-Coloratura 756]

I'll say Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Starlight Glimmer.

It might be easy to just write them, but it would be hard to do it good. For me, Rainbow Dash has a very strong personality and she is very predictable, but it is hard to write something more interesting and original about her without just putting 'awesome' every sentence she speaks or make her an athlete. Fluttershy has the same issue. It's easy to make her shy and kind, sometimes making her act the complete opposite, but hard to write something not cliched about her.

Starlight Glimmer is hard because she doesn't have a distinctive established characteristics. It's hard to write something about her without bringing out her past. She is convenient when you need a powerful magician who acts boldly or someone who sympathizes with the villain. Everyone has their own thoughts about what Starlight glimmer might act in a certain situation. That means we can't write something based on her character.

[Van123 29]

Well, the main 7/8 all know how to write I don't know anyone who does not know how to write

[Thrond 3,257]

I enjoy Pinkie Pie often enough that I don't agree she's so hard, even though this season the writers have had some not very good ideas for her. I do agree about Applejack, though.

I feel like Rainbow Dash has a very specific dichotomy going on which isn't necessarily easy to understand: she boasts partially because she likes attention, but also to compensate for her insecurity. I think it can be hard to pull that off without making her seem immature, and a lot of writers don't seem to perceive that part of her anyway. Episode that does it well: "Read It or Weep"; episode that does it poorly: "Tanks for the Memories." 

Starlight Glimmer's big deal is that she has a looser handle on morality than the other characters, so it can be really hard to present that while keeping her relatable and sympathetic. Episode that does it well: "Marks for Effort"; episode that does it poorly: "All Bottled Up."