Why are the writers abusing Spike so much this season?

[Azureth 687]

Granted, he's not really up there as one of my favs and even his past episodes I found to be pretty meh, but I blame that on the writers for the most part.

But in S4 he is REALLY getting the shaft, why do you think that is? They seem to have relugated him to either a pack mule (Rarity in Manehattan) or just as someone that inadvertantly causes trouble (It aIn't easy being breezies).

Edited March 19, 2014 by Azureth

[Metemponychosis 1,262]

Because the writers don't know what else to do with him.

 

He is supposed to be Twilight's little brother, or even son, some would say. But in the end, save for a few episodes, he ends up being her slave and/or secretary.

[Singe 2,111]

It's hard to constantly keep Spike as an equal to the Mane 6 when he's normally placed back a few levels under them, when not in the spotlight.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Singe

[NomDeSpite 452]

One thought that has occurred to me: why not have one of the long-term developments of Friendship Is Magic be Spike's process of growing up and unhinging himself from his role as Twilight's assistant, so he can forge his own path in life? While still remaining friends with her and the others, of course. Why not? How much could it hurt? It would be good for him and good for the writers since they wouldn't feel a need to fill a "Spike quota"...or feel guilty for commiting Spike abuse.

[BastementSparkle 20,334]

They just have no idea what to do with him. I like him, and wish the writers would take him a bit more seriously, instead of being comedic relief every single time. Though he was pretty awesome in simple ways.

[Eloquence 2,076]

One thought that has occurred to me: why not have one of the long-term developments of Friendship Is Magic be Spike's process of growing up and unhinging himself from his role as Twilight's assistant, so he can forge his own path in life? While still remaining friends with her and the others, of course. Why not? How much could it hurt? It would be good for him and good for the writers since they wouldn't feel a need to fill a "Spike quota"...or feel guilty for commiting Spike abuse.

 

Part of me likes this idea, because it makes sense for him to grow up and branch out, but the other part of me doesn't want to let him go! Spike could actually be a fascinating character, and I would love to get to know him better as well as explore his role in pony society, as well as the role of dragons in general, a species that so far has been written in such a nonsensical fashion that the breezies are the most logical beings ever written by comparison.

 

Honestly though, the writers have put themselves in a bad position with Spike. Even in my fanfiction I struggle with what to do with him, and I could even see myself falling into some similar pitfalls to the writers. I think the main issue is that no one is really sure whether Spike is Twilight's friend, her lackey, or her child, and he seems to fill all of these roles in one way or another.

[Cwanky 17,613]

Wait you mean to say the writers haven't abused Spike nearly as much in past seasons? If so I didn't notice the difference.

[Jammo 986]

It hasn't gotten Squidward bad where there are entire scenes dedicated to ripping off his toenail or burning his eyes out,

[Singe 2,111]

There is a rare one of a kind exquisite jewel on display. It disappears and evidence suggests the work of a dragon in which Spike gets blames for it. Mane 6 spends the episode to exonerate Spike, while he's stuck being treated badly by the authority. The culprit is a dragon named Spain that looks like Spike with some minor differences and is a girl. She has a magical ability to freely change her natural form from baby to adult and escapes leaving open a future episode.

[Tabe 217]

I have always seen Spike as the "clumsy assistant" who is there to bring some comic to the scene.

[Eloquence 2,076]

There is a rare one of a kind exquisite jewel on display. It disappears and evidence suggests the work of a dragon in which Spike gets blames for it. Mane 6 spends the episode to exonerate Spike, while he's stuck being treated badly by the authority. The culprit is a dragon named Spain that looks like Spike with some minor differences and is a girl. She has a magical ability to freely change her natural form from baby to adult and escapes leaving open a future episode.

 

This sounds interesting, but it also makes me think, what if the culprit wasn't a dragon at all? What if it was a pony who saw Spike nearby prior to the theft and picked him out as an easy scapegoat due to the way ponies view dragons? I mean, we've already had episodes about not passing unfair judgments, but looking at it from this angle would be interesting.

 

I do like the idea of throwing in another dragon though, since it might help us better understand dragons as a species.

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

It hasn't gotten Squidward bad where there are entire scenes dedicated to ripping off his toenail or burning his eyes out,

 

Yuck, I hate new Spongebob. It's like the writers don't understand the line between slapstick and physical torment (which Spike has never gone through).

Part of me likes this idea, because it makes sense for him to grow up and branch out, but the other part of me doesn't want to let him go! Spike could actually be a fascinating character, and I would love to get to know him better as well as explore his role in pony society, as well as the role of dragons in general, a species that so far has been written in such a nonsensical fashion that the breezies are the most logical beings ever written by comparison.

 

Honestly though, the writers have put themselves in a bad position with Spike. Even in my fanfiction I struggle with what to do with him, and I could even see myself falling into some similar pitfalls to the writers. I think the main issue is that no one is really sure whether Spike is Twilight's friend, her lackey, or her child, and he seems to fill all of these roles in one way or another.

 

Couldn't "little brother" suit all of those roles?

[Singe 2,111]

Abusive Twilight Sparkle...

 

Twilight: Spike make me a sammich! There better not be one pickle on there or I'll ram down your gullet straight to Princess Celestia.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Singe

[Eloquence 2,076]

Couldn't "little brother" suit all of those roles?

 

Yes and no. He could definitely also be seen as a little brother, but little brothers don't usually work for their big sisters, nor are they usually raised by them (though I suppose he could have been initially raised by others). On the other hand, it's certainly not impossible for a brother to fill either of these roles... If we are to see him as a little brother figure, he still doesn't have the average little brother relationship with Twilight. Then again, we have seen some other interesting family models on the show...

See, this is why we need more Spike. His relationship with Twilight is really interesting on the occasions when we actually get a glimpse of it...

[FlutterDash4072 189]

Like others have said, the writers didn't know what to do with him, so they've reduced him to being the butt of many jokes. The comics treat him much better. The characterization he got in Friends Forever #3 was the best we've seen in a couple of years.

[FNGRpony 658]

more spike respect is in my top 5 season 5 wish list.

[Scootalove 10,689]

The writers don't know what to do with him, don't know whether to keep his characterization consistent and equal with the Mane 6 or try to develop his character some more. He is the main point of jokes, and I believe that the comics give him justice.

[MadScienceMC 14]

I feel like the writers just don't know what to do with him anymore; so now their making him the center of comic relief and dumb slapstick. More respect for Spike and more character development is on my top 10 wishlist for season 5.

[Katana 298]

Dude; he was ALWAYS this way. You're just more attached to him now.

 

The show's perception changes quite a lot when you "take it seriously" now.

[Henny Penny Benny 936]

There is a rare one of a kind exquisite jewel on display. It disappears and evidence suggests the work of a dragon in which Spike gets blames for it. Mane 6 spends the episode to exonerate Spike, while he's stuck being treated badly by the authority. The culprit is a dragon named Spain that looks like Spike with some minor differences and is a girl. She has a magical ability to freely change her natural form from baby to adult and escapes leaving open a future episode.

 

*cough*FUTURAMA*cough*BENDER AND FLEXO*cough*

[Chuckles4lyfe 441]

Like others have said, the writers didn't know what to do with him, so they've reduced him to being the butt of many jokes. The comics treat him much better. The characterization he got in Friends Forever #3 was the best we've seen in a couple of years.

 

Not only is Spike well written in FF#3, he's also great in issue #17 with Princess Luna. Why can't this Spike be in the show? Aside from the occasional 4th wall breaking and snide remarks that he makes, Spike really doesn't contribute to the story. But that doesn't mean that he should be reduced to a narrative "punching bag" for writers to use; it's just downright insulting to his character. The 1st few times it is pretty funny, but it just gets repetitive and boring after a while.

 

If the writers don't know what to do with Spike, then they should turn their attention to the comic series to see how the authors handle Spike there. It's absolutely brilliant the way they write him there. 

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

I'm hoping Spike gets more respect next season. I know he's always been a butt monkey, but in other seasons he's had moments outside of that. This season he's had little involvement in episodes outside punching bag. (etc. Castle Mane-ia, Three's a Crowd, It Ain't Easy Being Breezies..)

[Adorkable 2,737]

He is supposed to be Twilight's little brother, or even son, some would say.

 

No no no, a thousand times no.

 

Just...no! xD

 

 

Spike was never really one of my favorites, I don't think I've ever really liked him. :/

 

I know what you mean though, I thought it was kind of a low blow making him "useless Humdrum" in Power Ponies.

 

Maybe Spike's character will develop a little more? I mean, we have a few seasons left..right?

 

I mean, they have given him a few bad episodes trying to show and improve on his character a little bit. Maybe they'll have another one soon of him that will help out his character a bit, you know?

 

I do have to agree with @moonlightavenger though, I don't think they really know what to do with him anymore.

 

I don't want to sound mean, but I think the show or just Spike would be better off without him.

 

I know what you're thinking, that does sounds mean, I know. That's why I put that it wasn't intentional. ^^"

 

But if you think about it, if the writers don't know what to do with Spike, why even bother keeping him around?

 

I dunno.

 

However, I do think the Spike's nachos thing in Twilight Time was funny. ^^

[Metemponychosis 1,262]

I don't want to sound mean, but I think the show or just Spike would be better off without him.

 

 

I think that removing Spike is certainly one way of dealing with this problem. But why not give him some shred of respect?

For example: after Simple Ways, I feel is a good time to make him stop swooning over Rarity like an idiot. To be honest, I have the same feeling with Pinkie. Every time she is not the focus of the scene she is making something stupid and unnecessary. It's simple to solve: if there is nothing for the character to do in a scene, just don't put him/her there or keep his/her mouth shut. But this is just my opinion, of course.

 

I think that the problem with Spike is actually the same with Celestia. We know what is their game, but we hardly see them DOING what they are supposed to be doing. Celestia is always moved out of the action because she is supposedly knows how to solve stuff or she is given a hard smack with the idiot stick so that the story can happen. Spike on the other hand just can't find a place in the group dynamic of the Mane Six because there is never anything that needs doing that the preferential characters, the Mane Six, can't do. Well, he is not sending letters to Celestia anymore, Twilight doesn't seem to need him to bring her back from her madness anymore. (By the way, what happened tho the breathing technique Cadance taught her?)

 

This is why I say that this show is a litany of wasted potential. Instead of taking the characters away GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO WORK WITH. Luna would be a big blue Spike if she didn't have her dreamwalking ability right now. And even when she appeared in Luna Eclipsed, she didn't have this. All she needed was a personality and the character bloomed. Well, give Spike a real personality, give him quirks, give him a flaw that can be explored. The same with Celestia. The same with any other character. Freaking Derpy for example... Instead of using her so that the fans can excuse the abhorrent flaws with the episode, give her a personality. Flash Sentry. The same.

 

The problem with Spike is that he is a part of the show and we can't forget him like we actually do with Derpy and Flash Sentry. You see, what is Spike's theme? Luna is the "underdog", that lived under her sister's shadow, the one that cracked under her depression, and now she has evolved into the Princess of The Night. She enter ponies' dreams and she helps them fight their fears, their shortcomings. She also moves the moon, but this is even secondary now. What does Spike do? He has been doing the same thing from episode ONE: swoon over Rarity, be Twilight's secretary. And sometimes, more often than not, he is the idiot to be laughed at. Spike never changes, never grows.

 

Maybe it would be a good idea to change him so that he gravitates around the CMC rather than the Mane Six? Change his crush from Rarity to Sweetie Belle or remove it entirely? Maybe he is searching for what he is, because not even his writers know.

 

EDIT: Come to think of it... Maybe Spike should have a crush on Maud.... 

Edited March 20, 2014 by moonlightavenger