Missed Opportunities in FIM.

[BrawnyCharger 511]

As fantastic as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was, and we are sad to see it end, let's not beat around the bush. There's still a lot of things that they could have done with certain characters, storylines and such, but just didn't bother doing. Let's discuss what we think are the biggest missed opportunities in FIM.

[Hierok 11,829]

I think they covered a lot, but some characters could have been more explored. 

[Cash In 21,493]

The Student Six are my main one. I feel that they were introduced too late, as some of them got a lot more development than others -- Ocellus barely got any and Silverstream didn't get much either. Had they been introduced earlier, I feel that it could've worked in their favour, as they would have more time to be expanded upon.

[Latecomer 438]

2 hours ago, Cash In said:

The Student Six are my main one. I feel that they were introduced too late, as some of them got a lot more development than others -- Ocellus barely got any and Silverstream didn't get much either. Had they been introduced earlier, I feel that it could've worked in their favour, as they would have more time to be expanded upon.

I think that a better written Season 9 could have handled this. You do't introduce the clearly signposted Next Generation until the show is coming in for a landing.

[Sepul-Coloratura 756]

Are we starting this? I can't even find where to start this conversation.

[ExplosionMare 18,007]

- Zecora origins

- Rumble getting his Cutie Mark (maybe in the background)

- Flurry Heart’s accomplishments and what her parents looked like at old age (maybe Cadance looks more like Luna?)

- Twilight talking to Lyra since she didn’t make up to that one friend

- Pinkie Pie achieving a large goal (since everyone else kinda did)

 

[RulesofRarity 489]

Cadence and Shining Armor getting sidelined in the finale sucked.

[Megas 27,052]

The Wonderbolts in general. I've already ranted a lot about this but it bears repeating. Also, having RD become captain and only dedicating a minute to it in the finale(after practically begging for an episode about it) while dragging her and wasting episodes with stupid bullshit no one liked or wanted was utter bollocks

Edited October 13, 2019 by Kiryu-Chan

[Latecomer 438]

Just now, Kiryu-Chan said:

The Wonderbolts in general. I've already ranted a lot about this but it bears repeating. Also, having RD become captain and only dedicating a minute to it in the finale(after practically begging for an episode about it) while dragging her and wasting episodes with stupid bullshit no one liked or wanted was utter bollocks

I'd say the Wonderbolts got quite a bit of focus, even if it wasn't necessarily flattering. What else would you have liked to have seen done with them?

[Megas 27,052]

Just now, Latecomer said:

I'd say the Wonderbolts got quite a bit of focus, even if it wasn't necessarily flattering. What else would you have liked to have seen done with them?

Actually try making them likeable? Actually trying to develop them? Show what they do outside of shows? What are they like outside the WBs? Have them go on rescue missions or something?

Most episodes where they weren't an issue just did the very bare minimum, Actually try to put some effort into them

[Latecomer 438]

3 minutes ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

Actually try making them likeable? Actually trying to develop them? Show what they do outside of shows? What are they like outside the WBs? Have them go on rescue missions or something?

Most episodes where they weren't an issue just did the very bare minimum, Actually try to put some effort into them

Yeah, there was probably more that could have been done. i guess the writers only saw them as part of Dash's arc rather than popular characters themselves.

Actually, this leads into one of my complaints - for a friendship show, we didn't see much of the Manes having other outside friends, old or new..

[Megas 27,052]

The Pillars too. It was really dumb to introduce them into the end of S7, then completely drop them for another 6 new characters, especially when the Pillars are more interesting, it would have been fun seeing them trying to adapt to the new world, or seeing them bring their wisdom and experiences to a completely different generation. One of the franchise's biggest wastes

Edited January 9, 2020 by Megas

[Latecomer 438]

2 minutes ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

The Pillars too. It was really dumb to introduce them into the end of S7, then completely drop them for another 6 new characters, especially when the Pillars are more interesting, it would have been fun seeing them trying to adapt to the new world, or seeing them bring their wisdom and experiences to a completely different generation. One of the most franchise's most biggest wastes

I heard that they were originally planned for Season 8, but were crammed into Season 7 when the School was announced.

Even so, though, I don't see them as a waste as they are. It would have been nice to see them more in Season 9, though.

[Megas 27,052]

Just now, Latecomer said:

Yeah, there was probably more that could have been done. i guess the writers only saw them as part of Dash's arc rather than popular characters themselves.

Actually, this leads into one of my complaints - for a friendship show, we didn't see much of the Manes having other outside friends, old or new..

Twilight - The Princesses, Starlight, Moondancer
AJ - Really the Apple family
RD - Scootaloo, the WBs, Daring Do, Quibble
Rarity - Sassy Saddles, Coco, Sweetie Belle, The Canterlot Elite
Pinkie Pie - The Cakes, Cheese Sandwich, The Yaks for some ungodly reason

I'd say Fluttershy was the only where it was a problem, most of the time they just glued her to Discord, they tried giving her something with Zecora or her animals, but it really feels like Discord took up a lot of her time especially by the half way point of the show

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

I would have loved to see Starlight Glimmer and Trixie outwit the Flim Flam brothers.

[Latecomer 438]

1 minute ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

Twilight - The Princesses, Starlight, Moondancer
AJ - Really the Apple family
RD - Scootaloo, the WBs, Daring Do, Quibble
Rarity - Sassy Saddles, Coco, Sweetie Belle, The Canterlot Elite
Pinkie Pie - The Cakes, Cheese Sandwich, The Yaks for some ungodly reason

I'd say Fluttershy was the only where it was a problem, most of the time they just glued her to Discord, they tried giving her something with Zecora or her animals, but it really feels like Discord took up a lot of her time especially by the half way point of the show

Twi took her time, but I suppose she was a frindship newbie. It seems like she might have had something with Cheeriliee, but that never went anywhere.

Regarding Rarity, employees may be frinds but it's not quite the same. AJ was one of the more egregious cases, given how she's pretty personable and has lived in Ponyville her whole life. really, it's pre-exisitng friends that are the biggest gap in general - Twilight not having any isn't notable if no-one does.

Fluttershy, on the other hoof, works well IMO - it's obvious why she had no friends pre-show (save a retconned Rainbow) and she's one of the only ones to explicitly make a new one (tree Hugger) in show.

[BrawnyCharger 511]

One that I've been wishing for but never got, following up to Brotherhooves Social with Big Macintosh getting a big hero moment. Though he did partake in the final battle with Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow.

[Megas 27,052]

3 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

Fluttershy, on the other hoof, works well IMO - it's obvious why she had no friends pre-show (save a retconned Rainbow)

That was never retconned, their childhood friendship has been a thing since S1

[Latecomer 438]

Just now, Kiryu-Chan said:

That was never retconned, their childhood friendship has been a thing since S1

Please show me where.

[Tacodidra 59,781]

It would have been nice to see at least something about Spike's backstory. Also, some of the side characters returning (especially Coco!), otherwise I didn't really feel much was missing.

[Megas 27,052]

 

It's been further elaborated in later seasons, but they were always friends

3 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

Please show me where.

Edited October 13, 2019 by Kiryu-Chan

[Latecomer 438]

3 minutes ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

 

It's been further elaborated in later seasons, but they were always friends

They always knew each other. Friendship was a later embellishment.

[Kevin Tang 2,422]

I wish Autumn Blaze got more screentime, or just the kirins in general

I lnow she's just a one time character, similiar to Coloratura, but cmon

They introduced a whole new race just to make an episode about a one time character

Why did they have to waste it? 

[RulesofRarity 489]

4 hours ago, Kiryu-Chan said:

The Pillars too. It was really dumb to introduce them into the end of S7, then completely drop them for another 6 new characters, especially when the Pillars are more interesting, it would have been fun seeing them trying to adapt to the new world, or seeing them bring their wisdom and experiences to a completely different generation. One of the most franchise's most biggest wastes

I don't know why we needed the Pillars to begin with. Did we really know need to know the origins of the Elements of Harmony considering they hadn't been a huge factor in the show since like S4 by that point.

[Latecomer 438]

2 hours ago, RulesofRarity said:

I don't know why we needed the Pillars to begin with. Did we really know need to know the origins of the Elements of Harmony considering they hadn't been a huge factor in the show since like S4 by that point.

Well for starters, if the show contained only necessary characters it would be a lot more sparsely populated.

But really, the Pillars being the origin of the Elements isn't their reason for exiting - the Tree was explanation enough. No, they exist to show that Equestria has always had it's heroes, and Twilight and her friends are neither the first or the last (setting up the Student Six). Tying them in to the Harmonic chain of descent was surely just another way of representing this, as well as the idea that what we do lives on after us.