What Lesson(s) Would You Like to See Your Favorite Pony Learn Most?

[duidamasterXD 9,627]

Exactly what the title says. In MLP: FiM, characters learn all sorts of lessons. Is there any particular lesson you think your favorite character needs to learn, or something you'd like to see them take to heart?

 

I'd like for Rainbow Dash to learn that she doesn't have to be cool/the best. While she's known for being pretty blunt at times, she actually can struggle with being herself. In Sonic Rainboom, she was compelled to put on a cocky and confident face while inside she just wanted to get away from everything. Her fear of not living up to everyone's expectations and messing up in public crippled her. In Mare Do Well, she hid just how bothered she was with how quickly a new hero replaced her in the eyes of the town and how quickly she became yesterday's news, showing only brashness and jealousy, and not how troubled she was. In Read it and Weep, she was afraid to let people know that she liked a freaking book. Seems to me that she'd be better off and happier being who she is and not trying to be who everyone (and she) thinks Rainbow Dash is/should be.

 

How about you?

[Megas 27,692]

I'll try to give some without accidentally rehashing already used ideas

 

Rainbow Dash - You don't have to be the best at everything, you don't need to live up to everyone elses expectations

 

Rarity - this is actually kinda hard...Sometimes not everyone is going to give you generosity in return?

[Discordian 6,015]

I'd actually like them to get rid of this idea of learning lessons and writing to the princess entirely. It's restrictive writing at it's finest and adds an unnecessary "conclusion" to each episode that they could and should use for anything else. In season one and maybe season two it worked out but they are not only going to start repeating lessons at some point but it's just going to start sounding extremely lame. Some would argue that many of the lessons they learned are already lame and not very well thought out.

[Shanks 10,816]

Applejack: Sometimes the best thing to do is to simply stop and take a break. Applejack works hard both because she was raised in an environment that places a high value and hard work and because she had to step up and take care of her sister and the farm after the untimely death of her parents. Applejack has often been shown to be overworking herself and being way too hard on herself for even minor failings, she is improving in this but still has a long way to go. I have learned that sometimes you need to step back from something for a while and then come back to it later when you have a clearer head.

 

 

Luna: I will get back to you on that.

 

Twilight Sparkle: Not everything can be learned from a book or organized with a checklist. Twilight is intelligent but often lacks basic common sense and has been shown in a few cases to be fairly closed minded often dismissing information which disproves her previous held assumptions. In Bridle Gossip for example she literally judged a book by its cover and even denied the existence of curses which is a rather odd thing for a magical prodigy like her to deny.

Some would argue that many of the lessons they learned are already lame and not very well thought out.

I think they could still keep lessons without necessarily having to "write to the princess" all the time. It is true that there is the occasional lesson that was not executed well case in point being the lesson on false friends in Griffon The Brush Off which while it is a good lesson was the most poorly executed one in the series so far because it made Gilda out to be the bad guy when while she was wrong so was nearly everypony else in that situation. I like how they approach lessons because it gives some good ones without being too preachy or repetitive, I have noticed several lesson throughout the series that are a tad more subtle but are very profound.

[Discordian 6,015]

Applejack: Sometimes the best thing to do is to simply stop and take a break. Applejack works hard both because she was raised in an environment that places a high value and hard work and because she had to step up and take care of her sister and the farm after the untimely death of her parents. Applejack has often been shown to be overworking herself and being way too hard on herself for even minor failings, she is improving in this but still has a long way to go. I have learned that sometimes you need to step back from something for a while and then come back to it later when you have a clearer head.

 

 

Luna: I will get back to you on that.

 

Twilight Sparkle: Not everything can be learned from a book or organized with a checklist. Twilight is intelligent but often lacks basic common sense and has been shown in a few cases to be fairly closed minded often dismissing information which disproves her previous held assumptions. In Bridle Gossip for example she literally judged a book by its cover and even denied the existence of curses which is a rather odd thing for a magical prodigy like her to deny.

 

I think they could still keep lessons without necessarily having to "write to the princess" all the time. It is true that there is the occasional lesson that was not executed well case in point being the lesson on false friends in Griffon The Brush Off which while it is a good lesson was the most poorly executed one in the series so far because it made Gilda out to be the bad guy when while she was wrong so was nearly everypony else in that situation. I like how they approach lessons because it gives some good ones without being too preachy or repetitive, I have noticed several lesson throughout the series that are a tad more subtle but are very profound.

While true I still believe that having to craft every episode around a lesson in some way is only limiting what the writers can do.

[Shanks 10,816]

While true I still believe that having to craft every episode around a lesson in some way is only limiting what the writers can do.

I agree completely that they shouldn't shoe horn them in, that just cheapens the lessons learned and makes the whole thing tacky and preachy. That is one the things I like about this show is it has avoided that trap, it heavily used the "letters to the princess" in season 1 and to a lesser extent season 2 but it made sense to the story and added to it. I think now that the series has evolved I am for the occasional "letter to the princess" just so long as it is not overdone, as even a lot of great things lose their power when used too much.

[Melior 52]

I would like Pinkie to learn to be able to better understand people's feelings. We've seen plenty of times Pinkie acting goofy when everyone around her doesn't want any part of it. It'd be nice to see Pinkie realizing her fun has a place and not act goofy when it isn't the time.

[Sugar Cube 4,843]

I would like to see Applejack learn to be less bossy and overprotective of Apple Bloom. We know that Applejack and Apple Bloom are extremely close, and often times AJ acts more like a motherly figure to Apple Bloom than a sister. Often times it is Applejack who acts as a wise and caring parental figure to Apple Bloom, rather than Granny Smith.

 

Applejack has been known to "play mom" and tell Apple Bloom to do things like go home, or to clean her room up for when Babs comes over. Applejack has acted as a chaperone to the Crusaders a few times, and AJ has a natural need to worry about her little sister in perilous situations. The best example of Applejack being overprotective is in Bridle Gossip when AJ is downright bossy and demanding about Apple Bloom staying away from Zecora. Apple Bloom even states that Applejack is treating her like a baby. I think it would be interesting to see a scenario where Applejack is just a tad too hard and/or protective of Apple Bloom and learns that she needs to loosen up some and to trust her little sister.

Edited August 10, 2013 by Sugar Cube

[cmarston1 5,959]

Since Twilight is a princess now I would like her learn that she doesn't have to please Celestia all the time and she is a pony like everyone else.

For Spike I would like him to become more mature (possibly end his crush on Rarity) or with that same thing how to deal with conflicting emotions.

I would like to see Fluttershy learn to stick up for herself without having to resort to violence or anger.

Lastly I would like to see Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and that cardboard cutout that hangs out with them learn that just becaue someone is mean to you that doesn't mean that you need to be mean to them (like if Diamond Tiara goes broke they shouldn't enjoy her misery) or maybe something having to do with forgiveness like befriending Silver Spoon after she and DT get in a fight or something.

Edited August 11, 2013 by cmarston1

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

I would love it if Celestia would test herself. She has learned a lot in her life, I'm sure, but what she really needs to learn is how to do the Safety Dance.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I would like Rainbow Dash to learn that, not everything can be accomplished by being competitive. There will be other times where you can prove yourself but, being a little too competitive can really lead you into hot water. You can accomplish anything that you set your mind to but, sometimes having a big ego can lead you into something that you can't get yourself out of.

[Veylon 255]

 

 

Since Twilight is a princess now I would like her learn that she doesn't have to please Celestia all the time and she is a pony like everyone else.

This I would like to see. At some point, Twilight needs to step out of her mentor's shadow and be her own pony. If I could, I'd make this a two-parter or even a movie. The way Celestia would handle something and the way Twilight should aren't always the same thing, if only because they are good at different things. If she constantly tries to imitate Celestia in every way, she's going to be miserable and feel trapped in inferiority. And it would be a very easy trap for her to get into.