Why do some fans think the Mane 6 can't have anymore character Development?

[heavens-champion 1,905]

A lot of fans seem to think the Mane 6 have reached the limit of their character development. What makes them think this?

Edited October 22, 2018 by heavens-champion

[FirePuppy 735]

IMO Only Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie should have just a little more development. The rest are done.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

I dont believe in the limit of character development of this show, i just believe in the limitations of the writers. They just need get the characters out of their comfort zone, give them more challenge to overcome. Why AJ keeping being a traditional farmer like she always do back to S1? Why after Perfect Pear, she didnt teach students anything but her apples in School Daze, especially after she learned that she is half-pear?! See, even Perfect Pear happened, one of the best episode of the show, i didnt see any change in AJ's character or Apple Bloom's. I want to see Rainbow to become a sergeant like Spitfire or something about flying.

Well the mane 6 has school now but you knew the school is only matter to Twilight's development as a princess, not other mane 6. The school is there for Twilight and new students, not for Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, AJ and Fluttershy. The school is cool, i like it but to be honest, it adds nothing to the mane 6 character development. 

[Goat-kun 2,527]

No further explanation required.

[Jeric 46,851]

Depends on how you approach the question. Obviously a character can have multiple arcs, and there are plenty of examples in media that do that. I used to think this complaint was focused around that and I agreed with the OP. One goal can lead to another, or a new goal or conflict can be organically introduced. Makes sense. However, the show’s focus seems to be on developing or introducing new characters and not spending as much time on the original characters and their continued personal growth. 

Goat mentioned Starlight, and others will mention the Pillars and the Student Six. They have taken screen time away from the Mane Six. You may like that direction, or you may not, but that seems to be a logical take on why the show can’t take established characters into new territory — they’re narratively married to a different approach now. 

The complaint that the Mane Six are done is just echoing the show in its present focus. 

[heavens-champion 1,905]

1 hour ago, Jeric said:

Depends on how you approach the question. Obviously a character can have multiple arcs, and there are plenty of examples in media that do that. I used to think this complaint was focused around that and I agreed with the OP. One goal can lead to another, or a new goal or conflict can be organically introduced. Makes sense. However, the show’s focus seems to be on developing or introducing new characters and not spending as much time on the original characters and their continued personal growth. 

Goat mentioned Starlight, and others will mention the Pillars and the Student Six. They have taken screen time away from the Mane Six. You may like that direction, or you may not, but that seems to be a logical take on why the show can’t take established characters into new territory — they’re narratively married to a different approach now. 

The complaint that the Mane Six are done is just echoing the show in its present focus. 

Ironic, because it didn't look like any screentime was hogged in Shadow Play. Twilight was still important in that.

Edited October 22, 2018 by heavens-champion

[Jeric 46,851]

3 minutes ago, heavens-champion said:

Ironic, because it didn't look like any screentime was hogged in Shadow Play.

Well, Shadow Play was a two-parter over a year old for one so it’s not the fairest comparison. Make it 22 minutes and then make the claim on balanced screen time. And this is a good thing because the only major character development came from one of the non-original characters, and possibly some tossed to Twilight. That example of Shadow Play adds credence to the point that the show can’t continue to explore  the Mane Six further, because it has doubled down on new characters. 

[heavens-champion 1,905]

Just now, Jeric said:

Well, Shadow Play was a two-parter over a year old for one so it’s not the fairest comparison. Make it 22 minutes and then make the claim on balanced screen time. And this is a good thing because the only major character development came from one of the non-original characters, and possibly some tossed to Twilight. That example of Shadow Play adds credence to the point that the show can’t continue to explore  the Mane Six further, because it has doubled down on new characters. 

Is there anything that proves that the Mane 6 can still be developed?

[Goat-kun 2,527]

1 hour ago, Jeric said:

Depends on how you approach the question. Obviously a character can have multiple arcs, and there are plenty of examples in media that do that. I used to think this complaint was focused around that and I agreed with the OP. One goal can lead to another, or a new goal or conflict can be organically introduced. Makes sense. However, the show’s focus seems to be on developing or introducing new characters and not spending as much time on the original characters and their continued personal growth. 

Goat mentioned Starlight, and others will mention the Pillars and the Student Six. They have taken screen time away from the Mane Six. You may like that direction, or you may not, but that seems to be a logical take on why the show can’t take established characters into new territory — they’re narratively married to a different approach now. 

The complaint that the Mane Six are done is just echoing the show in its present focus. 

Well, the emphasis was on the fan logic

 

And you have established a probable reason as to why our glorious writers don't develop them. I'll add to this with my far less generous explanation: path of least resistance married to the sorry excuse for business strategy H-Bro employs as a toy-oriented company. It's not so much the matter of can't but the matter of won't.

[Jeric 46,851]

1 minute ago, heavens-champion said:

Is there anything that proves that the Mane 6 can still be developed?

Playing devils advocate —The crew have a brain and creative capacity, so they certainly can. Anyone with an inclination to do so would likely have to change the mind of the Directors and Producers though. 

That said, this is an either it has or hasn’t happened question, at least with respects to Season 8. The scripts done, a chunk recorded, and some are being animated, some boarded, some revised. 

So the talk of proof is not quite the write angle to take the question. The original question is why do fans feel that the the Mane Six can’t have further development, to which there is a logical answer to that that is based on what was recently established in their minds. There is some fairer deduction in that argument than the one centered around the possibility due to one major question I can pose ...

Exactly where did Season 8 take the Mane Six characters? What new directions did it explore that sets a new trajectory for them? Remember we are talking about development, not A to B conflict that continues with the character in their own personal continuity. 

Nor much. Spike got some love. We really didn’t take the others into uncharted places this season, did we? So isn’t it even more reasonable to expect the recent precedent to continue 

[heavens-champion 1,905]

1 minute ago, Jeric said:

Playing devils advocate —The crew have a brain and creative capacity, so they certainly can. Anyone with an inclination to do so would likely have to change the mind of the Directors and Producers though. 

That said, this is an either it has or hasn’t happened question, at least with respects to Season 8. The scripts done, a chunk recorded, and some are being animated, some boarded, some revised. 

So the talk of proof is not quite the write angle to take the question. The original question is why do fans feel that the the Mane Six can’t have further development, to which there is a logical answer to that that is based on what was recently established in their minds. There is some fairer deduction in that argument than the one centered around the possibility due to one major question I can pose ...

Exactly where did Season 8 take the Mane Six characters? What new directions did it explore that sets a new trajectory for them? Remember we are talking about development, not A to B conflict that continues with the character in their own personal continuity. 

Nor much. Spike got some love. We really didn’t take the others into uncharted places this season, did we? So isn’t it even more reasonable to expect the recent precedent to continue 

I suppose.

[Jeric 46,851]

4 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

Well, the emphasis was on the fan logic

 

 

 

And you have established a probable reason as to why our glorious writers don't develop them. I'll add to this with my far less generous explanation: path of least resistance married to the sorry excuse for business strategy H-Bro employs as a toy-oriented company. It's not so much the matter of can't but the matter of won't.

 

If they were doing their jobs properly, yeah. I'm not sure Hasbo is even running the synergy between toy company and show correctly. The show introduces a smorgasbord of new recurring characters, yet there seems to be an noticeable lack of plastic curly haired loli pones and brusable yak and dragon figures. As a toy company, they certainly don't know how to properly leverage their main advertising. This has been the case for a few years now. Sure the film gets a toy of a background hippogriff soldier, but we still don't have Thorax, Ember, a Map playset, or any of that. You get gifted a few characters that would assumably appeal to both genders of the ages 5-8 and .... nothing?

 

Certainly isn't the Hasbro of my formative years that would make sure that almost every show character had a toy or visa versa. 

[Will Guide 21,360]

@Jeric

@heavens-champion

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

-Chinese proverb

While the further character development thing is a sticking point for most, I personally believe that much like people in real life, even though there appears to be "more room for improvement", life still goes on for our ponies friends. 

They may not have to be going through any major development anymore, but they can still lead exciting and interesting lives.

[Concerned Bystander 2,902]

It depends on the character, right from the start some of them had a developmental arc that was apparent more or less from the outset, Rainbow Dash with her ambition to become a Wonderbolt, Rarity having her chain of boutiques, and Twilight becoming an Alicorn, the other three rather less so.  Once that arc is completed it certainly doesn't mean there is nowhere left for that character to go, but it does mean that they need new goals to aspire to or they risk stagnating.

Another factor is that the whole series has always been predicated on six archetype characters, and that variety has to be maintained to some extent to provide a continuous entry point for new viewers.  There are plenty of fans that have been watching right from the start who have been disappointed with (most notably) Fluttershy having to repeatedly learn the same lesson to overcome her shyness, but the fact is that her development in that regard has to be rolled back occasionally as there always has to be the shy and quiet one because there are more young girls (and boys) who are continually just starting to watch the cartoon, and the variety of characters has to be maintained to ensure that those six distinct character types are there for the new viewers.

[Jeric 46,851]

2 minutes ago, Happy Yoshi said:

They may not have to be going through any major development anymore, but they can still lead exciting and interesting lives.

You talking off-screen or on-screen. Also .... 

3 minutes ago, Happy Yoshi said:

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

 

Or a curse if you learn the wrong things. Chinese proverbs have a tendency to be accurate only when they are contextualized with behavior and action, which is a primary purpose of many. Xuéyǐzhìyòng and all. 

 

Anyway, I wasn't speaking from a creative standpoint. I mean, of course characters can continue to grow, unless you don't have the skill to write grade school book reports. My argument is that the showrunners aren't doing that. When something is set ... it is set. These aren't living breathing entities. Writers also don't spec. They require a producer to say "Do this." 

[Mirage 24,766]

There is no such thing as a life that has arrived to its destination. Life is always arriving, and the same goes with characters that feel 'alive'. However, a writer must be permitted to go through chapters and reach and end, for the unsettling nature of a writer is to keep moving from story to story, to satisfy their own yearning for adventure.

The Mane 6 have enough personality for continuous development. There is no question about this. But as has been said previously, the direction of the show has spiraled into many directions outside of the 6 ring circus, and I believe the reasons are more complex to examine with reason alone (think, VA contracts and possible annual threats of moving on...).

I've enjoyed the ever expanding spotlight, for the most part. But once you introduce a character like Starlight Glimmer, and imply her strength and influence and leadership, you've added another ribbon to the golden circulate, and it's desperately hard to balance without it...

[SugarCoatxMarblePie 701]

Them being forced to give up their dreams goals ambitions desires responsibilities, to participate in a school which is a full time job. I feel like they broke character too much so even if they got development its going to contradict writer to writer and whenever Hasbro steps in, making it a moot sentiment and a wasted pursuit. Maybe they should've been episodic like the original PPG. That's why they liked S1 and S2 more than any other season. Well, and S3 killed it being random and a half a season etc.

Edited October 22, 2018 by SugarCoatxMarblePie

[heavens-champion 1,905]

6 minutes ago, Mirage said:

I've enjoyed the ever expanding spotlight, for the most part. But once you introduce a character like Starlight Glimmer, and imply her strength and influence and leadership, you've added another ribbon to the golden circulate, and it's desperately hard to balance without it...

I think you might have to be more specific. I'm literal-minded, so I have trouble understanding metaphors.

[Flutterstep 47,073]

I think they’ve barely started. The main reason I can see this is because having more basic stereotypically characters lets the younger audience identify them better; for business and marketing, this is a benefit.

[Mirage 24,766]

4 minutes ago, heavens-champion said:

I think you might have to be more specific. I'm literal-minded, so I have trouble understanding metaphors.

If the show turns back to the mane 6, they will not only disappoint a huge fan base, but they will sever the logical flow of many seasons of development to introduce these new characters. This was a significant problem with the movie...the movie had little integration with the show's storyline.

And I don't think the show has the liberty of George R.R. Martin to continuously compost and remake its cast.

[Will Guide 21,360]

27 minutes ago, Jeric said:

 Or a curse if you learn the wrong things. Chinese proverbs have a tendency to be accurate only when they are contextualized with behavior and action, which is a primary purpose of many. Xuéyǐzhìyòng and all. 

Sigh. I try to say something profound and still people have to respond to me like I'm wrong. What's the point of even posting if people keep missing the point I was trying to make?

Edited October 22, 2018 by Happy Yoshi
Focus the quote

[Misty Shadow 7,863]

I don't think there's such a thing as not being able to have any more character development. I believe that there's always potential for character progression, it's just that you can progress a character towards something good or something bad. I just feel that the focus is falling off the Mane 6 (SEVEN!) more now because of more characters being introduced to the cast that need development too. 

17 minutes ago, Mirage said:

There is no such thing as a life that has arrived to its destination. Life is always arriving, and the same goes with characters that feel 'alive'. However, a writer must be permitted to go through chapters and reach and end, for the unsettling nature of a writer is to keep moving from story to story, to satisfy their own yearning for adventure.

The Mane 6 have enough personality for continuous development. There is no question about this. But as has been said previously, the direction of the show has spiraled into many directions outside of the 6 ring circus, and I believe the reasons are more complex to examine with reason alone (think, VA contracts and possible annual threats of moving on...).

I've enjoyed the ever expanding spotlight, for the most part. But once you introduce a character like Starlight Glimmer, and imply her strength and influence and leadership, you've added another ribbon to the golden circulate, and it's desperately hard to balance without it...

Some damn good words of wisdom right here. No character ever stops growing. 

[Will Guide 21,360]

25 minutes ago, Mirage said:

There is no such thing as a life that has arrived to its destination. Life is always arriving, and the same goes with characters that feel 'alive'. However, a writer must be permitted to go through chapters and reach and end, for the unsettling nature of a writer is to keep moving from story to story, to satisfy their own yearning for adventure.

The Mane 6 have enough personality for continuous development. There is no question about this. But as has been said previously, the direction of the show has spiraled into many directions outside of the 6 ring circus, and I believe the reasons are more complex to examine with reason alone (think, VA contracts and possible annual threats of moving on...).

I've enjoyed the ever expanding spotlight, for the most part. But once you introduce a character like Starlight Glimmer, and imply her strength and influence and leadership, you've added another ribbon to the golden circulate, and it's desperately hard to balance without it...

 

3 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

I don't think there's such a thing as not being able to have any more character development. I believe that there's always potential for character progression, it's just that you can progress a character towards something good or something bad. I just feel that the focus is falling off the Mane 6 (SEVEN!) more now because of more characters being introduced to the cast that need development too. 

Some damn good words of wisdom right here. No character ever stops growing. 

Dang. You guys stated my point so much better than me. Good for you, but bad for me. I should go.

EDIT: I seriously want to be a good contributor without feeling like my words are insignificant. 

Edited October 22, 2018 by Happy Yoshi

[Misty Shadow 7,863]

5 minutes ago, Happy Yoshi said:

 

Dang. You guys stated my point so much better than me. Good for you, but bad for me. I should go.

EDIT: I seriously want to be a good contributor without feeling like my words are insignificant. 

Please don't go and continue to share whatever thoughts you have. It's very good that you're a humble guy and we appreciate your respect, but we don't want you to feel that your opinion doesn't matter. That was not at all the intent of Jeric, Mirage, or I. Don't feel expected to get absolutely everything right in a debate, that's a ludicrous expectation for anyone to have. We'll explain why we don't agree if we don't agree, but we always want everyone to feel welcome to say what they want to say. 

[Twilight Luna 31,360]

There are still places the mane 6 can got but it will depend on the Hasbro since the writers answer to them. Twilight could still be given her own kingdom to rule like Cadence was, leaving Starlight in charge of the school . Pinkie could open up her own party/sweets shop by herself or with Cheese Sandwich, Rarity can open up more shops in Equestria or become the Princess’s personal fashion designer, Fluttershy could open animal habitats all over Equestria or overcome her fear of singing in front of others, Rainbow dash could be in charge of the Wonderbolts, but I think Applejack is done unless they want to answer what happened to her parents.

Edited October 22, 2018 by Twilight Luna