Everyone except twilight = can't hold their own?

[LightningGearV3.01 52]

Sorry for the sub par title. Couldn't think of a decent one for this issue.

 

So I recently watched the season 4 finale, and, sweet celestia, did the show take a turn for the super saiyan. I loved every single second of it. But...there was just one thing that bothered me about it. Actually, about some of the other episodes overall. I don't know to explain my concern, but I'll try my best.

 

We all know that twilight is the crown with the other five being the jewels. It always has been from the start. But in this recent finale, it just felt that the other elements of harmony were just there because the show demanded it, and the episode needed some damsels in distress to pull of the "I'll give you X for the one thing that I need to take over the world" cliche. I mean, think about it. We are talking about the ELEMENTS OF HARMONY. A herd of ponies who single handedly saved the crystal empire, defeated gods, dragons, pulled off impossible feats, fought changelings, saved Canterlot, Ponyville, and sometimes, each other.

 

And they all so happened to get captured by a metal cage, and give off no resistance as their abilities are taken from them.

 

This kind of thing has happened on multiple occasions. Pretty much every episode that either isn't exclusive to one of the six characters either ends up being A: all of them being defeated and twi has to go in and save them, or B: having some super natural occurrence or the princesses swoop down and fix everything.

 

This problem was also present in the inspector gadget cartoon series. I'll pretty much sum down the line.

 

Villain appears --> Mane 5 get defeated easily --> twilight fixes everything in the end

\ or

Twilight gets defeated --> princesses fix everything.

 

 

So, in short, in ever episode where one single main character isn't highlighted, the mane 5, who are supposed to be the wielders of the elements of harmony, gets defeated for the count by the most ordinary, plot-demanding, or predictable way possible, making absolutely no attempt to try and fight back.Twilight, every single time, usually ends up having to fix everything on her own. If she goes down, the princesses fix everything. If the princesses go down and twilight is down too, then equestria blows up.

 

It just ticks me off that the mane 5 are held within the same relevancy and mortality as background ponies, when, with their achievements in mind, should at least but up some kind of resistance to the bad guys.

 

Call it nitpicking, but I had to get this out of my head. Criticize as you will.

Edited May 17, 2014 by Steel Thunder

[BastementSparkle 20,312]

Discord showed up out of nowhere acting normal. Summoned a cage around them which would be pretty shocking, and then Tirek drained them of all of their magic. Essentially rendering them defenseless. Twilight only held her own because the other princesses had essentially supercharged her with their magic. If they hadn't of done that she would have lost and been drained in seconds.

 

 Besides they all used the Rainbow Power thing to defeat him in the end. Showing once again that friendship is the most powerful magic of all.

[Rainblow H. Ash 5,090]

I don't think this is necessarily true. Twilight only did so well against Tirek because she was prepared with knowledge of what Tirek was after and of the fact that Discord had betrayed them. If Discord had found Twilight before she knew that he had betrayed them, it would've been game over for Equestria.

 

Every other time, Twilight wasn't able to do much without the other Elements of Harmony, and that's true for any of the other major villains. Twilight didn't defeat Sombra and Cadance wouldn't have been able to do it without Spike and Shining Armor's help. Chrysalis was defeated because of the power of love, and the Mane Six all fought about equally against the Changelings but still were outnumbered and overpowered. Discord was defeated through a mostly equal effort, though Twilight had to first make the other ponies remember what made them friends in the first place. And Nightmare Moon was definitely an equal effort considering that each of the Mane Six had a moment to shine in the first two episodes.

 

I will say that all of the two-parters do have a focus on Twilight Sparkle, and that can be annoying, but she is the Mane Mane character, after all. She was the first living pony to ever appear on screen, so it does make sense that she'd have more of a focus on her during the two-parters now, especially since she is an alicorn and a princess. It makes sense that she'd have more of a focus.

[Oblivion 20,266]

I think that that is one minor problem with MLP, we all tend to have our favorite ponies and hate to see when one single pony (Twilight) out shines all the others, though don't get me wrong Twilight is still awesome, I just wish we could have another two parter like the season 1 two parter, where (Like Hash stated) all of the mane 6 get their time in the spotlight, instead of them just being used as a temprorary plot device.

 

And I know there are some people out there that didn't care much for the season 4 ending, I actuallyl did like the fact that the rest of the 5 got their own throns in the end, which I thought was pretty badass, and also I like the Rainbow power as well, so meh, kinda hit and miss with me on certain things.

[multifacetedbrony 88]

I think the implication was that Tirek could defeat any pony, even the princesses. Twilight only had a chance because she was so super-charged with the others' power at the time, and she also had the element of surprise on her side.

[Rainboom Dash 1,055]

Twilight was prepared for what she had to face, and had more power than anypony else.

[Rainblow H. Ash 5,090]

Also I want to add that the only reason Twilight was chosen to weild the power in the first place, and this makes sense, is that Tirek didn't even know she existed. Yes, she's also the Element of Magic, but the reason the Princesses gave her the power in the first place was more to keep it safe and hidden for as long as possible. Heck, if it wasn't for Discord not changing that pane of glass of Twilight, she might have had ample time to plan a different kind of attack to defeat Tirek.

 

Either way, I do want to see the other members of the Mane Six shine in a huge situation as well, but since Twilight is the big Princess of the group it usually won't happen. Now that they're all sitting on a council together as equals, though, maybe that will change.

 

We'll see.

[Wingnut 6,733]

Well, there was at least one occasion where all six ponies managed to hold their own:  The Canterlot Wedding battle.  I still see what you're saying though.  But part of the reason Twilight is so powerful and successful is because of her friends' support.  Without them, she'd still be "only" a high level unicorn today.  And finally she needs their assistance to use Equestria's ultimate defense. 

 

Of the remaining five ponies, Pinkie has the most exotic abilities.  She's no match for what Twilight can do but just once I'd like to see a season opening/finale where she uses her peculiar talents to thwart a villain or at least give them a very hard time.  

[hawkflame 3,308]

My biggest complaint about the last couple of premieres and finales is that the Mane Six aside from twilight got *nothing to do*. I always like finales where the main character faces gone against the main villain, but the rest of the cast also has plot important things to do at the same time. Avatar had that kind of ending- you had Aang vs the Firelord, but at the same time there was Katara and Zuko against Azula, and Sokka, Toph, and Suki taking down fire nation airships. Everyone had something important to do.

 

Now of course avatar was an action adventure show, so it's a little different, but I think something similar could be done for FIM. Twilight facing the main bad guy, Dash and Fluttershy looking for the other princesses, and AJ pinkie and Rarity protecting an important macguffin. Something like that where it still fits the feel of the show but gives all the characters something important to do.

 

Hell even the first season premiere handled handled this aspect better than the last few two parters. Yes there weren't multiple storylines, but each character had something important to do for the story to continue.

[LightningGearV3.01 52]

My biggest complaint about the last couple of premieres and finales is that the Mane Six aside from twilight got *nothing to do*. I always like finales where the main character faces gone against the main villain, but the rest of the cast also has plot important things to do at the same time. Avatar had that kind of ending- you had Aang vs the Firelord, but at the same time there was Katara and Zuko against Azula, and Sokka, Toph, and Suki taking down fire nation airships. Everyone had something important to do.

Now of course avatar was an action adventure show, so it's a little different, but I think something similar could be done for FIM. Twilight facing the main bad guy, Dash and Fluttershy looking for the other princesses, and AJ pinkie and Rarity protecting an important macguffin. Something like that where it still fits the feel of the show but gives all the characters something important to do.

Hell even the first season premiere handled handled this aspect better than the last few two parters. Yes there weren't multiple storylines, but each character had something important to do for the story to continue.

This. Couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you.