Discord, evil or just plain chaotic?

[Flying Whales 311]

Physical violence isn't a necessary requisite for evil acts. You can deprive someone of hope, much like Discord did with the ponies, or socially ostracize them. As an example, Jim Crow laws opened the door for racial violence; but arguably the most insidious aspect of those laws was the fact it deprived human beings of basic fundamental rights.

 

What Discord did was violate the ponies, breaking their spirits to secure his victory. He didn't need to leave bodies of ponies stacked in front of Twilight's door; he twisted and manipulated their fears in order to drive them to despair. That is evil.

 

The Majin Vegeta analogy doesn't work very well. Babidi was undeniably evil. He and Discord effectively share the same role as corrupters. If the discussion revolved around the Mane Six potentially becoming evil as a result of Discord's influence, then the comparison might function more appropriately.

 

See, I don’t think the Jim Crow Laws are the best example here either, they did make violence towards minorities justifiable but the act of the violence was up to the individual. Discord never deprived the ponies of their rights, he never oppressed them like the acts of the Jim Crow laws. Actually, that’s not entirely true, I do agree with you in the sense that he sort of brainwashed them, which is a violation of their rights.

 

Maybe I’m just stubborn, even though you’ve pretty much drilled my argument I’m not ready to say hands down yes, Discord is evil. I’m not ready to put him in the same category as a true villain like the Joker who has been mentioned in this thread, or even Chrysalis for that matter.

[Yellow Diamond 7,574]

Someone evil is not going to only target those who threaten him. Someone evil is going to target those who have absolutely nothing to do with anything. Innocent bystandards. If he was truly evil he would have not only messed with Ponyville, but also Canterlot, and actually all of Equestria. He decided that he would instead spend his time and energy making the mane six's lives miserable, messing with their home town, discording them, and overall creating chaos towards everything they love. When Joker on the Batman has an evil plot, it is hardly ever created specifically for Batman. He never outright attacks him. He does however realize that the Batman will most likely interfere with his plans at one point so he tries to account for that. Discord is much different in the fact that he is actually targeting one group that can actually do him harm.

 

But Discord did exactly that: he targeted the friendship of the Mane Six. He exploited their mutual care and love for one another. He disrupted their lives in a fashion that made them all miserable. The implication is therefore that other ponies were also subject to Discord's machinations, regardless of who they were.

Edited September 13, 2012 by Thereisnospoon303

[Samurshy 708]

But Discord did exactly that: he targeted the friendship of the Mane Six. He exploited their mutual care and love for one another. He disrupted their lives in a fashion that made them all miserable. The implication is therefore that other ponies were also subject to Discord's machinations, regardless of who they were.

 

No, no, no. He did not attack innocent bystandards. He retaliated towards those he knew could harm him. In a way he was using self-defense which in my eyes is a bit justifiable. He did not go out of his way to make EVERY ponies' life miserable, only the ones that could harm him. Edited September 13, 2012 by Bronynonymous

[Clarity 3,094]

Discord gave them CLUES of where he hid the Elements of Harmony. "Twists and turns and back where you begin." He's just a prankster, like all the previous people said. I personally would like to live in one of his chaos capitals for a day. Chocolate milk rain!

[Valureon 93]

I wouldn't say he is evil.... At least not completely.... If he was evil he just wouldn't have told the mane 6 where he had hidden the elements of harmony (Or just not given them any clues).... And he would have done more than just mess with them.....

Discord is just a devious little trickster... Just looking for a little Chaos and Mischief to amuse himself...

[Yellow Diamond 7,574]

No, no, no. He did not attack innocent bystandards. He retaliated towards those he knew could harm him. In a way he was using self-defense which in my eyes is a bit justifiable. He did not go out of his way to make EVERY ponies' life miserable, only the ones that could harm him.

 

If a criminal restrains a police officer, is he justified simply on the basis that the officer poses a threat to his interests?

 

Discord didn't retaliate. Retaliation implies a response to an attack. He preemptively removed the Elements of Harmony and struck against the Mane Six. Furthermore, the Mane Six are not soldiers; they are effectively as innocent as any other citizen in Equestria.

 

For me, the whole business of corrupting the Mane Six seals the deal. I'm not certain how one can consider that anything but diabolical. It would otherwise be akin to thinking that Loki betraying his brother and his kingdom in Thor was completely justifiable and, worse yet, morally consistent---simply because he claimed it was "just a little fun."

[None42069 520]

Chaos isn't necessarily a bad thing. His chocolate rain and chocolate explodium wasn't that bad and neither was turning the buildings into cardboard cutouts and having them fall at a simple sneeze. It's just chaotic.

 

That said, he was still an evil being. He caused ponies misery in the past that forced him to be sealed and when he was released, he corrupted the mane with forcing Twilight to watch her friends losing who they were and caused her to go into despair. Not only that, he actually ENJOYED watching her and her friends suffer! Chaos isn't always evil. Discord is.

[Samurshy 708]

If a criminal restrains a police officer, is he justified simply on the basis that the officer poses a threat to his interests?

 

Discord didn't retaliate. Retaliation implies a response to an attack. He preemptively removed the Elements of Harmony and struck against the Mane Six. Furthermore, the Mane Six are not soldiers; they are effectively as innocent as any other citizen in Equestria.

 

For me, the whole business of corrupting the Mane Six seals the deal. I'm not certain how one can consider that anything but diabolical. It would otherwise be akin to thinking that Loki betraying his brother and his kingdom in Thor was completely justifiable and, worse yet, morally consistent---simply because he claimed it was "just a little fun."

 

Well I was on Loki's side in the Avenger's. I am not a evil person, I know what is morally acceptable and unacceptable. I have a conscious. I just tend to think that when society points fingers and cries "EVIL" that there is always a person behind the evil and that maybe his reasons for what he did were justifiable. What happened right when Discord was released? Did everyone start freaking out? Yes. Did Celestia immediately tell the mane six to find the weapons that could defeat Discord? Yes. I am thinking that maybe if they had left him alone instead of automatically jumping to the conclusion that since he was released that he was going to reign chaos and terror, that he might have just been happy to be released and go off somewhere to live life. I might be a bit delusional but I would like to think that there is some good in everyone.

[Winona the Dog 1,984]

Im just gonna spew some random junk

 

Discord is just misuderstood his chaotic nature is dangerous but could be good if he used it he takes it too far and people take it negativly.

 

As Harmony cannot exists without Chaos in the first place so thanks to Discord the Elements of Harmony were created.

[Samurshy 708]

Im just gonna spew some random junk

 

Discord is just misuderstood his chaotic nature is dangerous but could be good if he used it he takes it too far and people take it negativly.

 

As Harmony cannot exists without Chaos in the first place so thanks to Discord the Elements of Harmony were created.

 

Exactly, much like light cannot exist without darkness, and joy cannot exist without strife, harmony cannot exist without chaos.

[None42069 520]

As I posted, Chaos isn't always a bad thing. Discord COULD have been a good guy. However...

• The character is truly heinous by the standards of the story, which makes no attempt to present the character in any positive way.
• The character's terribleness is played seriously at all times, evoking fear, revulsion and hatred from the other characters in the story.
• They are completely devoid of altruistic qualities. They show no regret for their crimes.

This is taken from the Complete Monster trope. He mentally tortured the first 5 to the point of having them go bad, made Twilight watch it happen causing her to go into despair and depression AND enjoyed every single moment of it!

 

He's a monster not just in looks or in chaoticness but in the way he acts! He breaks ponies and enjoys every second of it! That's not simply chaos, that's evil!

[Nilkad_Naqadah 144]

He's definitely just chaotic. He loves chaos, he loves any and all reactions to chaos, positive or negative, because they in turn create chaos, and he just plain loves how interesting chaos can make things. I have a theory, now mind you this is not in any way canon, confirmed, or even really implied, it just seemed logical to me, but I think that Discord is hyperintelligent, allowing him to gain such a full, complete understanding of how the world naturally works, that it became utterly predictable and therefore indescribably boring to him. he therefore channeled his intellect into learning how to instigate chaos in every way possible, as this was the only way he could make the world interesting and worthwhile. It's essentially the dangers of a brilliant mind being left idle; a brilliant mind is wonderful, but it must be kept stimulated, lest it turn to madness. And there are far, far too many roads to madness. But anyway, that's my theory, again not in any way proven or even implied by the show. I'm thinking I might make a fanfic out of this idea actually...

[Princes Cadance 345]

Discord is literally means chaos in english

lol but I think they put him in to add humor to the show haha

But it would be cool if he came back!

[Nilkad_Naqadah 144]

As I posted, Chaos isn't always a bad thing. Discord COULD have been a good guy. However...

• The character is truly heinous by the standards of the story, which makes no attempt to present the character in any positive way.
• The character's terribleness is played seriously at all times, evoking fear, revulsion and hatred from the other characters in the story.
• They are completely devoid of altruistic qualities. They show no regret for their crimes.

This is taken from the Complete Monster trope. He mentally tortured the first 5 to the point of having them go bad, made Twilight watch it happen causing her to go into despair and depression AND enjoyed every single moment of it!

 

He's a monster not just in looks or in chaoticness but in the way he acts! He breaks ponies and enjoys every second of it! That's not simply chaos, that's evil!

 

I quite like this assessment, and find it a very interesting and well-thought-out way to look at the character. However, as I said in my comment, I personally believe he was driven to madness, to the point where any and all chaos, and any and all results of chaos, and any and all actions that result in chaos, is good in his eyes. Essentially, the madness that budded in his mind basically removed his perception of good and evil in the traditional sense, instead seeing chaos, and anything "interesting" as good, and order, or anything "boring," as evil.

[Miss Light Diamond 2,802]

I think he is just crazy and chaotic, Chrysalis Is evil, Discord just likes having fun and messing around with everything going on in Equestria.

[Shift 4,272]

dis·cord/ˈdiskôrd/

Noun:

Disagreement between people.

Verb:

(of people) Disagree.

Synonyms:

noun. dissension - dissonance - disagreement - discordance

verb. disagree

 

*coughcoughvillanofseason3coughcough*

[Zygen 6,066]

Discord is just chaotic. I never really saw him do anything I'd consider truly *evil* Just he caused chaos, He is suppose to represent Chaos (Or discord)

[Wubsie 1,123]

Discord is the best villian EVER!

He's both, he loves chaos and thinks it's fun to see them in disharmony.

Discord is so funny lol...

[Azzalol 0]

As evil as a G rated villain can be... Which to your average brony if not viewing through the lens of a kid will find him merely a prankster. But if you where to find a magic dial that modulated/ matched the rating of whatever you where watching you'd see discords antics become truly horrible.

As mentioned already he essentially broke the spirits of all the main six and set them against each other by sapping them of their primary virtue. Imagine such an act performed in an MA15 rated film... Wouldn't be pretty.

 

But to say everypony was made miserable by his antics would be a lie, it astounds me that people forgot Pinkie's conduct through out the whole ordeal. I mean right before they Re-petrified Discord Pinky wrings out a fairyfloss cloud for that last drop of chocolate milk before the fun ended. She was portrayed as REALLY loving what discord was doing to the environment. Almost oblivious the the G rated suffering around her. It would be unrealistic to think Pinky was the only pony in Ponyvill to enjoy what was happening.

 

His evil could have been seen as good by a sizeable minority of ponies sick of all the harmony.

[My Little Mandy 838]

I think he's what we call Chaos Neutral.

Cause he probly could've done much worse to Equestria

when you think about it. Like having it rain hot tea or hot peppers.

[Midnight Seeker 302]

Discord is utterly evil and downright terrifying!

 

Look, for his cheerfulness and have fun attitude, you forget what he's really like!

Discord does not care about anyone but himself. He's a child with the powers of a God. We can call Celestia a dictator because she controls everything in her kingdom, but she doesn't abuse her power or enforce her will on others.

Discord is very much the pony version of the devil. He may do something for them that they would like, but only if he liked it (and there is no guarantee he wouldn't twist everything to make anyponies dreams a nightmare as a joke).

 

Consider what he did to Fluttershy. When he couldn't persuade her to accept his lies, he just lost his temper and forcibly changed her into a nasty version of herself.

 

If Discord were judged by human terms, he'd be a malevolent Charlie Manson like sociopath. He only cares about himself and his amusement.

 

So what if he never killed anypony. He still destroyed their world, made them dark parodies of themselves and caused anypony who resisted horrible depression.

 

Nightmare Moon was motivated by loneliness and the belief she’d been wronged.

 

Queen Chrysalis might have been evil as she enjoyed what she did (which was get her people the food they needed to thrive).

 

Discord was a monster who could change reality at will.

[My Little Mandy 838]

Oy that sure was a long rant about my beloved Discord-kun.

Aren't you being a tad over dramatic and over the top?

I mean this is a kids show for crying out loud! LOL!

[Midnight Seeker 302]

CAFFEINE HIGH CAUSED BY THE ENERGY DRINK I DRUNK MAKES ME OVERLY DRAMATIC, DAMM IT!

 

But still, I stand by my points. Discord was created to be a nasty bit of work and fills the part wonderfully.

 

He’s basically an unrepentant villain.

[My Little Mandy 838]

I think Discord is a funny, chaotic, and smexy villian. Tee hee hee!

(wishes she had a Discord Plushie) I have a crush on the guy too LOL

[Midnight Seeker 302]

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN FINDING THAT PLUSHY! PLEASE EXCUSE ME AS I MUST NOW RIP OF MY SHIRT AND RUN THROUGH THE WOODS HOWLING!