Comic-Relief

[FlareGun45 2,221]

This was pretty much the show that got me to really not like comic-relief characters. Not the characters themselves, but just how they're treated. Characters like Scrappy Doo, Flounder from Little Mermaid, Iago from Aladdin, Zazu from Lion King - only there to pretty much make the main characters look better by providing humor and much of the story not really needing them. That's how I felt about Spike in the earlier seasons, and most of the time during the present seasons (not all, but most). Grubber was like that too - makes ya wonder why he was actually there - the story coulda gone well without him. 

Here's a problem with comic-relief characters - you're mostly expecting the humor coming outta them, and you don't expect much development around them, despite their potential. Comic-relief shouldn't be a character-only thing, but more of a regular thing between everyone. That's what Pinkie is there for, and every so often Rarity when she whines, or Twilight when she gets a bookgasm. Comic-relief was mostly made to be a moment between storms, and not so much of having a character being made for that purpose. That's what makes the comedic moments funny - when they're unexpecting, especially from a serious character! Or everyone being a comic-relief, while at the same time, being badass or serious! If y'give one character a comic-relief role then how is this character have a role in the story? Why are they there? It seems lazy to make have a character there just to make the main character look better - when the main character and side characters should be reflecting on eachother, which makes the best character development! This includes FIM too, not just other media!