Season 4+ Wishlist & Bingo

Season 4 is here in about a week, and this needed to be written a while back. But since there is still time, I figured I would give it now. Rather than asking for anything I want at the top of my head, I'll keep this list close to the actual canon of the show, although some might unintentionally be a little fanon. Also, some of the following I expect to see beyond season 4, if there will be a season five. As for the bingo chart, the following is what I expect to in the fourth season, while some of them are what I'm personally hoping for.

1. Alicorn backstory

One of the mane characters has reached the status of a princess, so it would make sense to discuss the origins of an Alicorn. What exactly needs to be done to earn the role? Are there different sub-breeds? Are Celestia and Luna a special case? I specifically want to see the story of how Celestia and Luna earned the title of a princess. So far, Celestia and Luna haven't had any real episodes focused on them, and any episode for them could be something new.

2. The rest of the mane characters reach a higher status.

So far, Twilight is the only real mane character who earned a higher role in her dreams. Well, I only think it would be fair for the other characters to have a higher status! I am not really talking about all of them becoming princesses, but rather achieve their dreams.

Rainbow Dash seems to be the next example. Wonderbolts Academy shows that she has what it takes to become a wonderbolt. Some people seem to have a problem with the ending, wishing that Rainbow won't be a wonderbolt, and yet they are telling us to like Alicorn Twilight, well I find them to be rather similar. Rainbow has been training for a good amount of her life to join the wonderbolts, it would only be fair for her to achieve her dream.

With Rarity, I can see her becoming a pioneer in the Canterlot fashion industry, becoming an influence for the other nobleponies while appreciating the roots of where she is from, and encouraging the other ponies to act less snobby.

Applejack is more of an example in that she wants to stay on the farm, but she still wants to improve the family business. I see her becoming a matriarch for the whole Apple family, and eventually being the one who keeps in contact to see how the business is doing, and reminding the whole clan to work as a team.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy are probably the only mane characters who are completely happy with their lives, and don't feel too ambitious for improvement, but it would only be fair for them to reach a higher status too. I like to think that Pinkie Pie might decide on traveling more around Equestria, planning parties and making friends of a more diverse group. A Friend in Deed tried to show that Pinkie learned that there are different types of friends, but to me the lesson came off as shallow. Meeting new ponies along the way can help Pinkie learn about other ways to have fun, which could help emotionally balance herself more. In addition, Pinkie is the best candidate to learn how she can stay in touch with her Ponyville friends while learning that having more friends doesn't exactly mean you'll be happier.

As for Fluttershy, her cottage is near the Everfree Forest, which she is initially terrified of. However, the forest also features what is relevant to her talent: communicating with animals! The Everfree Forest can help Fluttershy grow, by becoming friends with some of the animals residing there, and getting other ponies to realize that just because the forest is different doesn't mean it's dangerous.

Spike, on the other hand, I don't know exactly what I want for him. Maybe he could act as a leader if Twilight becomes occupied with Princess duties, and the group needs to know what Twilight is up to and what should done. Or he could ultimately be the one who keeps them all in touch if their jobs cause them to drift apart and their way to communicate is using letters.

3. One of the CMC gets a cutie mark.

Adding to the above, it's about time for the Cutie Mark Crusaders to achieve their dream. However, it makes more sense for one of them to be the first to get one instead of all at once, creating an arc on testing the strength of their friendship and realizing how they're growing up. Maybe they decide on an activity, and one of the CMC ends up really enjoying it to the point of not wanting to move on to another idea because of the other CMC's frustration. Not sure who would get it first, but that's the basic concept I have for now.

4. Less focus on Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight has pretty much reached that spot of achieving her dream, and is already declared the mane character, but in a show that is about a group of friends, having Twilight be the only one who grows thanks to her friends can lead to some bad implications. Friendship doesn't work with the benefits affecting only one person, and leaving everybody else a static personality. It is a lot more fun and interesting to have the focused character learning to overcome their personal problems, and learning how to grow and develop overtime. Twilight has reached a point where she has grown and has overcome a number of flaws, and is already getting her own three-parter and had the starring role in Equestria Girls. Shouldn't the other mane characters have their own arcs? Twilight got three seasons, and after a while it gets old. This is partially why Applejack has less focus in comparison to some of the other characters. She is already happy with her life, and in general is a mature, and down-to-earth pony, making her a better character supporting the more focused characters on how to grow. Now, there can be episodes for Twilight that focuses on adjusting to the responsibilities of a princess, but I'd rather have the other characters be given a chance to grow and develop, eventually achieving their dreams.

5. Rainbow Dash gets a solo song.

She's the only mane character who hasn't had one, and it's only fair for her to have one too! Fix this writers.

6. Meghan McCarthy writes a Spike episode

Out of all the writers for MLP, Meghan has given Spike's best characterization season 2 and onwards. She seems to present Spike as something more than just Twilight's assistant, and actually plays a part in keeping her on the right path. Spike is also given some strengths that Twilight lacks (handles stress well, adapts easily in new situations, understands socialization). Episode idea? I currently don't have one, but I'm still surprised Meghan hasn't written an episode focused on Spike. She seems to really get him, and I'm sure a lot of us agree that we want to see Spike with this portrayal more.

7. The mane six eventually distant from one another.

You heard me. Almost everyone of us has dealt with friends moving away, and this isn't something that should be ignored on a show that's about learning friendship. Twilight becoming immortal to symbolize this would be too dark, but the mane six actually getting preoccupied with work and possibly having to move away for work. At the same time, the moral should be that despite this, friends will find a way to stick together even if they are miles apart. How would they do that? Writing letters, referencing how Twilight stayed in touch with Celestia.

And here's the bingo chart.

Here's to an awesome season 4!