The topic of "Forgiveness" in MLP.

[Spinelspike 78]

So far throughout the 3 seasons we've had of the show, we have watched and observed episodes covering numerous different aspects and area's of friendship, ranging from those represented in the elements of harmony such as "honesty, generosity, and loyalty" as most often explored and developed by the main 6 characters, as well as other area's including "Jealousy" like in "Green isn't your colour" and overcoming fears in "Hurricane Fluttershy" and even simply accepting help from friends without demanding a debt to be paid in "Spike at your service", but out of all the morals and lessons learned throughout the main different aspects of friendship within the show, I don't believe that we have yet had a story yet concerning the aspect of "Forgiveness" yet...at least not fully. We've had the characters forgive each other numerous times during certain points of episodes, such as in "Look before you sleep" with Applejack and Rarity resolving their differences and Twilight requesting forgiveness from Cadence in "A Canterlot Wedding", but the closest we have ever gotten has been Rarity's very noble forgiveness of Spike in "Secret of my Excess", despite Rarity herself suffering more than anyone else during the events. 

This is a very interesting aspect of Friendship that I believe has the potential to be explored more, and can become a very valuable lesson to one of the main characters. Perhaps something very drastic or personal makes the choice of forgiving someone incredibly hard for one of the main characters, especially considering how easily angered some of them can be such as Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

I know that we have had similar things happen in the likes of "Sisterhooves special", but I still believe that it could be explored further. As far as I am aware, I do not believe that a letter to Celestia has yet covered this issue.
 

Please feel free to correct me on anything if you believe I am wrong, and/or feel free to express your opinion on this matter. Do you agree or disagree? Perhaps you see a better aspect of friendship that could be explored more...
 

[Mywas 687]

I think that it would make a great episode if one of the mane cast did something to one of her friends and she seeks forgiveness. After all forgiving is a very important thing in life. (forgive but never forget)

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,795]

While I sit here and try to come up with another aspect that could be explored more, I think I have another example of, at least some kind of, forgivness in one of the episodes.

 

"The Last Roundup"

 

It's not directly mentioned, but Applejack's friends didn't even care about the way she had acted in the end because they're friends. They forgave her her doubts and self-doubt induced running away, because it was of no matter to them once they understood her actions. And forgivness is one of the most natural things in a deep friendship. Of course, only up to a certain point.

 

It was shown at several points, like you pointed out, and it is something that simply comes with real friendship. Like being friendly, helpful, solidary and supporting in all kind of situations. Celestia forgave Luna, Twilight realized that Trixie wasn't fully to blame at some point... actions that can be seen as some kind of forgivness are quite common. But the opposite was never really there, right? Real "grudge". Maybe forgivness is not that noticable as a single aspect because the opposite was never really mentioned.

 

The problem is that to directly thematize only forgivness, somepony would have to make a really big mistake, or do something that is acting against any aspect of friendship and trust. And I don't know if the writers would ever pull that off, to let one main character act like a real *coughs* "prick" at some point.

[Galen 1,354]

What about "Keep Calm and Flutter On"? That entire episode is centered around reforming Discord which by itself should already indicate there's a strong element of forgiveness taking place there. Everyone but Fluttershy was hesitant to forgive Discord's misdeeds, but Fluttershy was the one that persevered in trying to reform him despite all the things he's done even long before her time and in the midst of her attempts at trying to understand him.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Freedan

[I used to be a stranger 7,994]

What about "Keep Calm and Flutter On"? That entire episode is centered around reforming Discord which by itself should already indicate there's a strong element of forgiveness taking place there. Everyone but Fluttershy was hesitant to forgive Discord's misdeeds, but Fluttershy was the one that persevered in trying to reform him despite all the things he's done even long before her time and in the midst of her attempts at trying to understand him.

 

Actually S3E10 "Keep Calm and Flutter On" is centred around hope of change and grace of character, I would say. Forgiveness, again is an aspect of the episode, but not the focus.

 

In regards of an episode about forgiveness,

“I think that if God forgives us we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him.”

? C.S. Lewis

 

This is a thing that's taken for granted and pretty straight-forwardly portrayed in the episode. Forgiveness is a thing which is simply taken by children, but has deep rooted complexes of social standards, human condition and ethics. Children I imagine don't often appreciate the complexity of the thought that drives their parents to tell them "Say you're sorry", and their response of "I'm sorry" before returning to a game of dodgeball. It in essence is a sort of cognitive and spiritual payment of justice for wrong-doing. We expect payment for being wronged, and compensation comes in the form of the offender admitting their offence, and forgiveness is the strength of heart to accept the apology as full penance. Why, and what for, can go quite far into the psyche when closely examining the moral imperatives which make those thoughts happen.

 

It's a topic I think could be very badly mishandled, especially if there's a loss in translation trying to convey such a matter to children which doesn't offend the mature as well. Recall S1E15 Feeling Pinkie Keen where the episode's aesop (acceptance of things you don't understand) was very badly handled by most of the fandom audience (analogy for faith), partly because the show staff was tasked with conveying to children the subject of nonsensical standpoints that some [children] have which do nothing to impede who they are (character quirks) while not coming to bear on the complex relationships of Faith, Reason and Assumption. To say nothing of Twilight using science.

Shown: Science

Not Shown, but taken as implicit: the nonexistent dichotomy of reason and belief.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Blue

[Ihei 713]

"Keep Calm and Flutter On" would be "Forgiveness," I believe. Only Fluttershy forgiven Discord, not the whole Mane 6, but I hope that counts. Fluttershy was kind enough to think that Discord was thinking of reforming. Sadly, the rest of the Mane 6 didn't trust her, and eventually forgiven him. I think that's "Forgiveness."

[Justin ZW 396]

I have a reply to this post which could spoil Equestria Girls, so the rest of my post will have a spoiler tag. Ignore it if you don't want EG spoiled for you.

 

 

Equestria Girls touched on forgiveness heavily. After Sunset Shimmer was defeated, she was filled with remorse about her actions, and Twilight was quick to forgive her and leave her in the hands of her humanized friends so she might learn about friendship. I know that EG isn't canon, but I still feel that it's worth mentioning here.

 

 

Also, "Keep Calm and Flutter on" showed a theme of forgiveness toward Discord. I would count that as part of it.

[Dark Horn 430]

What are you talking about?

 

Princess Luna was forgiven by Celestia. Trixie was forgiven by Twilight. Discord was forgiven by Celestia. [spoiler ALERT] Sunset Shimmer was forgiven by Twilight.

 

And I'm a bit sleepy right now, but tons of other villains have been reformed, I'm sure.

[LordDiscord 289]

Since you brought this up I would like to post a idea I have been pondering for a while. Now I don't know how many saw the rumors about Trixie becoming part of the mane 6 but I was thinking, what if there was a 7th element of harmony that may even predate the 6 that we have now that when all combined can create a force to be reckoned with. I was also thinking that forgiveness could have been this element and that maybe Trixie could be a potential bearer. Though this is my head canon and those rumors supposedly have been confirmed as a joke. But still imagine a element based off of forgiveness, I mean after all isn't it one of the main aspects of friendship just like the other elements. 

[Scootalove 10,689]

I'm pretty sure that we have seen forgiveness in the show, we have seen forgiveness portrayed in many episodes. So, I wouldn't say that you made a mistake but it would be better to check out episodes that have forgiveness as a theme.

[SCS 7,537]

I see where you're coming from about forgiveness not seeming to have been a central lesson to an episode yet, but it has cropped up numerous times. Nightmare Moon/Luna was forgiven, Discord was forgiven, Fluttershy was forgiven in Putting Your Hoof Down, Trixie was forgiven in Magic Duel, the CMC and Babs Seed forgave each other in One Bad Apple, etc. However, it would be nice for there to be an episode that focused specifically on the moral of how essential forgiveness is to friendship, and to a peaceful world.

[Veylon 255]

I think there's an essential component of forgiveness that's being missed: contrition. A character has to be sorry for what they did, commit to not doing it again before asking for forgiveness. And forgiveness can only be asked for, it cannot be demanded. Otherwise the risk is run of a character being bullied into forgiving someone, which destroys the whole point of it. This could also become the plot of an episode at some point.