Did the Mane 6 lose something besides the physical Elements?

[Wingnut 6,725]

OK, the season opener ends with our favorite mares returning the gems to the Tree of Harmony. But did they lose a little piece of themselves in the process? This season is dedicated to finding six keys and so far we apparently have three of them. In Rarity Takes Manehattan and Rainbow Falls, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were put to the test and it was necessary for them to relearn the virtue of the elements they previously had. At this point in their personal growth and character development, it really shouldn't have been so much of a struggle for them to be generous and loyal to their best friends.

 

Pinkie Pride is a bit different from what happened in the aforementioned episodes. EDIT: After initially embracing a welcoming attitude towards Cheese Sandwich and perhaps hoping to team up with him for Ponyville's benefit, she feels despair and fears he's trying to replace her. Without the Element of Laughter, Pinkie wasn't able to see the bigger picture. Parties are about enriching lives and raising spirits. Having a new pony to help Ponyville do that doesn't mean her friends love her any less.

 

The other thing that seems to be different in Season 4 is Pinkie Pie's zany abilities. We haven't seen as much of them as in previous seasons. I don't know if it's a coincidence or if her powers have in fact diminished because she doesn't have her Element now.

 

This might be something else to keep an eye on as the key episodes for Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight come up. I strongly suspect that they're not exactly themselves either. 

Edited February 9, 2014 by Wingnut

[Scootalove 10,684]

Well for them to realize their mistakes, they have to learn why they are the physical representation of the Elements of Harmony in the first place. With all of the things so far in Season 4, I don't think they have lost something so it would be pretty hard to see whether they did lose something or not.

[silvadel 1,393]

That is an interesting thought -- did some of their growth in the past years apply to the elements and now that they are lost, did they lose that?  We haven't seen any HIGH end magic out of Twilight either that would push herself. 

 

Good question.

[Anilewe 2,178]

It's really an interesting idea. Especially if you think about how Applejack reacted, when they find out that they have to give up the elements. She seemed unsure and while I wouldn't say that they lost something, it's possible that they're more insecure than ever. 

Edited February 8, 2014 by Anilewe

[GhostPony750 958]

That is an interesting thought / It's really an interesting idea.

 

I noticed too some flaws here and here, but I thought it was mostly some writing mistakes. But let's see for those episodes...

[Empress Pinkamena 41]

 

OK, the season opener ends with our favorite mares returning the gems to the Tree of Harmony. But did they lose a little piece of themselves in the process? This season is dedicated to finding six keys and so far we apparently have three of them. In Rarity Takes Manehattan and Rainbow Falls, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were put to the test and it was necessary for them to relearn the virtue of the elements they previously had. At this point in their personal growth and character development, it really shouldn't have been so much of a struggle for them to be generous and loyal to their best friends.

Even when they had the elements, they still broke them quite often.  Also, Rarity was being extremely generous at the beginning of Rarity Takes Manehattan, and only became demanding after it got taken advantage of, which is a very realistic reaction.  Even some nice people won't want to ever do a good deed again if they get backstabbed like Rarity, no matter how much development she went through.  

Rainbow was also being very in touch with her element in the beginning of Rainbow Falls.  She was fully supportive of Bulk Biceps and Fluttershy, despite being bad flyers, and stuck with them.  Later she was being torn between loyalties, which happened slowly, hesitant at first, and more accepting later.  To her knowledge, if she went for Ponyville, then Cloudsdale, her former home, would be screwed without a teammate, but if she went for Cloudsdale, Ponyville and her friends would be screwed.  Of course it was a challenge, and she has been shown before to try to get out of her problem if it's too hard to deal with, so she faked her injuries.  

 

Pinkie Pride is a bit different from what happened in the aforementioned episodes. But instead of embracing a welcoming attitude towards Cheese Sandwich and immediately teaming up with him for Ponyville's benefit, she feels as if she's being replaced. Without the Element of Laughter, Pinkie wasn't able to see the bigger picture. Parties are about enriching lives and raising spirits. Having a new pony to help Ponyville do that doesn't mean her friends love her any less.

...Did we watch the same episode?  At first, Pinkie was very welcoming of Cheese Sandwich, and was eagerly trying to join in.  She only started getting upset after she kept on getting left out and ignored again and again during the song, then literally trampled on, and then completely forgotten about.  She still followed them, and only left after Rainbow basically said her parties weren't as good.  And it has been shown before, like in Party of One, that Pinkie feels depressed if her parties aren't being appreciated.  After all, her mission is to make others smile through parties, but if they don't like her parties anymore, she feels useless and unloved.  In Party of One, she went crazy after just assuming her friends didn't love her.  Now, they still loved her here, but at this point, they abandoned her for somepony they didn't know, praised him, said his parties were "superior" and better than Pinkie's, and never noticed she was getting distressed, so now she had actually somewhat valid proof they didn't love her as much, which again, as shown, makes her feel completely worthless.  You're acting like she instantly was hostile and has never gotten upset like this before, when this is completely untrue.

[Wingnut 6,725]

 

 

You're acting like she instantly was hostile and has never gotten upset like this before, when this is completely untrue.

 

You're quite correct.  I never meant to give the impression that Pinkie was antagonistic from the get-go.  That's what happens when I try to write analytical posts when I'm under the weather.  ^^; 

 

But when Pinkie feels overlooked and unloved by her fellow Ponyville residents...which is what did happen, look out. 

[Totally Ducklett 181]

You certainly make a good point... maybe the writers are trying to show this?

 

Pffft! I just realized that the objects they are receiving from ponies they help (Medal, Rainbow Twine, Rubber Chicken...) are the keys! Think, Ducks, think!

 

 

[Singe 2,109]

I can't think of anything short of Twilight losing the pinnacle of magical power. The Elements were Twilight's most powerful magic that could stop the villians or purify them.

[TwilightDreamer 69]

I can't really tell at that point but it could be possible that by returning the Elements to their rightful birthplace, they pretty much did lose a part of themselves in the process, I don't know.

 

Season 4 could be a lesson refresher to the ponies as far as I know. With the Elements having gone back to the Tree of Harmony, they seemed to have lost a bit of the traits that make them unique and stay true to their chosen element.

 

In that respect, in episodes centering around the Mane 6 individually, they have to re-learn lessons centering around the one character element that makes the girls who they are today and remind them of their most important lessons that they've learned up to the point when they parted with the elements.