Is Pinkie Pie a more interesting character when she's a Woobie?

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

The Woobie, according to TV Tropes, is a name for a character that you should feel sorry for.  Why?  On the inside, they are hurting emotionally by an external source.

 

Pinkie Pie has gone through the Woobie status many times on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Obvious spoilers for those who didn't see the episodes

 

 

First on the Cutie Mark Chronicles, Pinkie's childhood life was considered rough as she lived on a Rock Farm with her family. 

In Party of One, we see her Rock Farm attitude take over her mentality when her friends are too busy for her parties and she believes that they don't want to attend them. 

In Return of Harmony, Pinkie's Discorded moment involves balloons laughing back at her in a scary way(Some may consider it one of the creepiest ways of a character being discorded). 

Baby Cakes takes this up when Pinkie Pie breaks down crying cuz she couldn't control the Cake Twins. 

Too many Pinkie Pies really goes with it when Pinkie becomes sad over the damage she did with her clones.  She even acts as if she were a clone as well

Let's not get started on Magic Duel and the fact that Pinkie lost her muzzle

Ditto with Magical Mystery Cure, reverted her to her Rock Farm attitude when taking up Applejack's life(Then again, the entire Mane 6 got this one.

And then Pinkie Pride, where Pinkie felt like she was replaced by Cheese Sandwich, attempts to go to lengths to beat him, and then forfeiting after realizing her own error(At the end, Cheese Sandwich convinces her to keep partying)

 

 

So what do you think.  Is Pinkie Pie a more interesting character when bad things happen to her that you just want to pick her up and cuddle her just to make her feel better?

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

I more feel now attatched to her since I feel extremely sorry for her, especially since she's my favorite so in a way she is a better character.

[Grumpy Enchantress 587]

NO!!!! :okiedokielokie: Pinkie Pie is best when she's a fun party pony that loves to make all her friends smile and doesn't have a care in the world!!!! Not to mention fourth wall breaking god. 

Edited March 4, 2014 by Grumpy Enchantress

[Everleaf 542]

Not the most interesting but most relatable (forgot the spelling) I have breakdowns very often closest to Party of one and start going crazy talking to myself in a very similar way to Gollum (It's true actually 0-0) but then I would say Rainbow interests me the most but i don't exactly know why...

[Puddlejumper 1,649]

I like her more when she shows different sides rather than just annoying all the time. She has gotten so bad lately that her place as last on my list of  the main 6 is pretty much cemented at this point. She needs a brain-to-mouth filter, and she needs to calm down. The writers seem to just be making her the fan service pony with all her stupidity, and hyper randomness. And if I were in Rarity's shoes in Filli Vanilli, I would have whacked Pinkie with a bat instead of a rolled up newspaper when she yelled at Fluttershy.

 

If the writers can't come up with anything new for her except crazy, I wish Trixie had permanently deleted her mouth...

[SnipSnap 432]

This is actually one of those reasons why I like Pinkie Pie, because I feel really sorry for her! Because with her eccentric behavior, it causes stuff she really doesn't like, which makes me want to hug her to make her feel better.

 

And yes, I really do want to hug and cuddle with her anyways

Edited March 4, 2014 by SnipSnap

[ghostfacekiller39 23,874]

Depends on the situation, actually.

 

You can't over-do it; she needs more balance, believe or not, in her own weird, Pinkie Pie, way

 

She can't be nothing but an element for humor in the show (yeahh, Element of Laughter, I know) because she'd get irritating and boring. She needs the depth.

 

However, she shouldn't just be a woobie, either, given THAT would be boring.

 

Honestly, be the bubbly, happy, Pinkie Pie we all know, but just don't be like that 24/7; she could use more depth, like she had pre-S3. 

[Grumpy Enchantress 587]

And yes, I really do want to hug and cuddle with her anyways

I agree with you, Pinkie Pie is best snuggle pony.  Although, I have to disagree with your signature, I'm Pinkie's biggest fan!  :okiedokielokie: 

 

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

I like her more when she shows different sides rather than just annoying all the time. She has gotten so bad lately that her place as last on my list of  the main 6 is pretty much cemented at this point. She needs a brain-to-mouth filter, and she needs to calm down. The writers seem to just be making her the fan service pony with all her stupidity, and hyper randomness. And if I were in Rarity's shoes in Filli Vanilli, I would have whacked Pinkie with a bat instead of a rolled up newspaper when she yelled at Fluttershy.

 

If the writers can't come up with anything new for her except crazy, I wish Trixie had permanently deleted her mouth...

Note to self: Next MLP fanfiction you write, give the viewers a reason to feel sorry for Pinkie Pie.

[Puddlejumper 1,649]

Note to self: Next MLP fanfiction you write, give the viewers a reason to feel sorry for Pinkie Pie.

 

Well I don't know that you would need to make people feel sorry for her, ghostface explained it much better than I did. She can remain bubbly Pinkie Pie, but she needs more depth to her than just being hyperactive random pony who can climb walls and doesn't have an off switch unless something hurts her feelings. Pre-S3 Pinkie was just fine in my books, before the fan service seemed to start.

 

There is a fine line between being the Element of Laughter, and being the show clown just there to do silly stupid things for comic relief. Every time Pinkie is shown anymore she appears to be over the top in one way or another. That's not how she started out. As the show goes on she should have grown and matured, gained more depth rather than reverted and become more two dimensional.

[OptimisticNeighsayer 479]

Any character is going to be more interesting when you take a central part of their personality and then put them in situations where that part becomes challenged.  In Pinkie's case, the "woobie" status is especially the case since it goes against her normally optimistic and carefree attitude.

 

For me personally, the only time they pulled it off successfully was in "Party of One". 

[MLPForums Phanact 1,374]

I always feel worse for Pinkie Pie than any other pony when they are challenged. In Pinkie Pride, I related to her character so much and I think the actual design of Pinkie Pie where her hair deflates lets you see very clearly that she is upset which makes you empathise with her more.

[Ace O. Jade 122]

The Woobie, according to TV Tropes, is a name for a character that you should feel sorry for.  Why?  On the inside, they are hurting emotionally by an external source.

 

So what do you think.  Is Pinkie Pie a more interesting character when bad things happen to her that you just want to pick her up and cuddle her just to make her feel better?

I absolutely love Pinkie both ways. I love both of her personalities in this aspect, and I constantly want to pick her up and hug her either way.

 

Did I mention how much I love Pinkie's character?

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

Depends on the situation, actually.

 

You can't over-do it; she needs more balance, believe or not, in her own weird, Pinkie Pie, way

 

She can't be nothing but an element for humor in the show (yeahh, Element of Laughter, I know) because she'd get irritating and boring. She needs the depth.

 

However, she shouldn't just be a woobie, either, given THAT would be boring.

 

Honestly, be the bubbly, happy, Pinkie Pie we all know, but just don't be like that 24/7; she could use more depth, like she had pre-S3. 

 

Am I seriously the only one not seeing a change in Pinkie's character in Season 4?

[PinkiePride 12]

Am I seriously the only one not seeing a change in Pinkie's character in Season 4?

 

No. I think people are overreacting about it and nitpicking which I'm also guilty of myself, I admit. I don't think she's that different.

 

But, still, I'm personally starting to feel that she's just not being appreciated as much by her friends, and being reduced to just her element as a character outside of her episodes. And yes, that's her personality to be hyper, optimistic and bubbly, but I miss those little bits of wisdom she used to have before. 

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

No. I think people are overreacting about it and nitpicking which I'm also guilty of myself, I admit. I don't think she's that different.

 

But, still, I'm personally starting to feel that she's just not being appreciated as much by her friends, and being reduced to just her element as a character outside of her episodes. And yes, that's her personality to be hyper, optimistic and bubbly, but I miss those little bits of wisdom she used to have before. 

 

She's been appreciated by her friend in every Season 4 episode minus 'Filli Vanilli'. The REAL problem with Pinkie actually has nothing to do with her character, but rather the Mane 6 and Spike being in every non-CMC, non-Apple Family episode. AJ, Rarity, and RD are imo benefitting from the extra screentime. I don't consider it extra screentime for Twilight, so no change there, and Fluttershy never really does anything in her added screentime. The problems of the inconsistent characterization of Pinkie and Spike are shining through, though. I don't see any change in Pinkie or Spike for better or worse this season, and to address your other point, her wisdom and intelligence has been shown more subtly this season than others, but it's still there.

 

Castle Mane-ia: Plays the organ fluently with no prior knowledge.

Daring Don't: Appears to actually understand RD's and Twi's fangirl conversation.

Bats!: Was the first to catch Fluttershy being suspicious, came up with the idea of using Flutters' stare against her.

Pinkie Apple Pie: Teaches AJ that families don't need to get along all the time, it's natural.

Pinkie Pride: I shouldn't have to explain this so I'll just say, this is my favorite episode in the series, and your username.

Filli Vanilli: She may have come across as mean, but everything she said had the potential to be, or was, true. She also beat out Big Mac's turkey call, presumably with minimal training.

[Harmonic Revelations 8,837]

I don't feel strongly one way or the other. Whatever works, works. That's just how writing is, very specific to each situation. At times, sadness is called for, at other times, it's not.

[PinkiePride 12]

Castle Mane-ia: Plays the organ fluently with no prior knowledge.

Daring Don't: Appears to actually understand RD's and Twi's fangirl conversation.

Bats!: Was the first to catch Fluttershy being suspicious, came up with the idea of using Flutters' stare against her.

Pinkie Apple Pie: Teaches AJ that families don't need to get along all the time, it's natural.

Pinkie Pride: I shouldn't have to explain this so I'll just say, this is my favorite episode in the series, and your username.

Filli Vanilli: She may have come across as mean, but everything she said had the potential to be, or was, true. She also beat out Big Mac's turkey call, presumably with minimal training.

 

All of these are excellent points and many of them didn't even occur to me. Definitely makes me reconsider, and it does reinforce how I said I think people are nitpicking and overlooking (which, like I also said, I am guilty of too). 

 

Let's just appreciate Pinkie for a sec. 

Edited March 6, 2014 by PinkiePride

[hawkflame 3,313]

For good pinkie Pie, you need to portray her with a good dose of sensitivity.  Don't necessarily make her a woobie, but give her some understanding or awareness of the situation she's in, even if it's an awareness that's not obvious. Pinkie Apple Pie , for instance.  She wasn't stupid, insensitive, or spastic, but she had an awareness of a greater truth that no one else had in that episode.  There was a wisdom and sensitivity in that.  As opposed to, say, Filli Vanilli, where she had no clue as to what was going on with Fluttershy.

 

Really, though, it's more that she's a better character when she has *focus* in an episode, particularly this season.  I explain it a little better in my Youtube video on the subject:

 

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

For good pinkie Pie, you need to portray her with a good dose of sensitivity.  Don't necessarily make her a woobie, but give her some understanding or awareness of the situation she's in, even if it's an awareness that's not obvious. Pinkie Apple Pie , for instance.  She wasn't stupid, insensitive, or spastic, but she had an awareness of a greater truth that no one else had in that episode.  There was a wisdom and sensitivity in that.  As opposed to, say, Filli Vanilli, where she had no clue as to what was going on with Fluttershy.

 

Really, though, it's more that she's a better character when she has *focus* in an episode, particularly this season.  I explain it a little better in my Youtube video on the subject:

 

 

Yea true, but I think they were trying to emphasize her insensitive nature in Filli Vanilli (presumably to tackle it in a later episode). Silver-Quill states that Pinkie should've contributed to the resolution, then her part in the episode would've been better, with which I agree.

Edited March 6, 2014 by DryColt84