(T>B) Relationships and conflicts between the Mane Six · 3:30pm Jan 17th, 2021
Original thread: https://www.fimfiction.net/group/50/the-writers-group/thread/430768/describe-characters-friendships-why-they-clash
(Note: some of the Pinkie-related portions feature quotes by SuperPinkBrony12 and are borrowed with permission.)
Twilight and Applejack are probably best friends. In the context of the group, it's something of an "officer and sergeant" thing - both are leader material, and in fact AJ would surely lead the group if Twilight wasn't around, but defers to her friend not because of her status (at least pre-Princess) but rather out of a sincere trust in her knowledge, intelligence and organisational and planning skills. Likewise Twilight deeply respects AJ's common sense, unflappability and way with ponies, as well as her formidable athleticism.
Outside of a mission/crisis context, this mutual respect manifests as an easy camaraderie that could quite possibly deepen to more if the two of them were suitably inclined. Both of them share a devotion to hard work, and juggle humility, quiet pride and fears of inadequacy. And both have older brothers they respect and younger siblings they take a parental role towards.
Conflict between the two is likely to spring from a clash of principles - both are quite stubborn. So if AJ's traditional values and beliefs butt up against Twilight's more modern, urban ones, perhaps. Both can also push themselves harder than any pony else too, so they might fight for each other's own good.
Key episodes: Applebuck Season, Princess Twilight Sparkle... they didn't actually get many, did they? A pity.
Twilight and Pinkie are probably the smartest two ponies in the group, but the way they apply their intelligence is almost completely different. While the former is an introvert who follows conventional logic, the latter is an extrovert who thinks diagonally and in spirals. It's only natural that they clash from time to time, because their thought processes and priorities are very different.
On the other hoof, there are factors which unite them too besides their intelligence. Both are altruists who seek to make the world a better place - Twilight on a large scale, especially after her promotion, and Pinkie on a more local one. And both fill each others needs in a way - Pinkie can make sure Twilight relaxes sometimes and help her socialize, and Twilight can keep Pinkie's train of thought more or less on the rails.
Key episodes: Feeling Pinkie Keen, Green Isn't our Colour, MMMstery on the Friendship Express, MLP Movie... Quite a few, come to think about it.
Twilight and Rainbow don't actually have much in common - the purest kind of jock/nerd dichotomy. Under ordinary circumstances, they likely wouldn't have become friends at all - and even pushed into it by circumstance, they're hardly the closest of the group. Rainbow's impatience and preference for simple, forceful solutions as opposed to Twilight's carefully thought-out plans doesn't help either.
On the other hand, though, that they move in separate spheres can draw them to each other. Twilight is the first pony Dash would come to with any "egghead problems", and she returned the favour when the new alicorn needed flying lessons. The key is a mutual respect for each other's excellence in their field of endeavour. And the fact that they're both natural prodigies who are still always striving to improve, while secretly feeling unworthy of their success sometimes... well, there are perhaps more similarities here than meet the eye. And hey - there's always Daring Do, right?
Key episodes: Testing Testing 1, 2, 3, Top Bolt
Twilight and Fluttershy, both being introverts who would rather spend their time with books or animals than other ponies, are another pair who don't naturally mingle unless as a group or seeking out each others' expertise. It's not that they dislike each other in any way - on the contrary, they consider each other very nice ponies doing very important jobs in society. It's just that neither of them are really the sort to seek each other out for a chat, and therefore they interact less with each other than they do with their more outgoing friends. On the bright side, they rarely disagree much either.
Key episodes: A Bird in the Hoof, Hooffields & McColts, A Health of Information
Twilight and Rarity were both born as unicorns - one in Ponyville who dreamed of Canterlot, and one in Canterlot who didn't give the first thought to places like Ponyville. It's only natural that the former would have a keen interest in the latter, and yet their friendship retains a touch of the casual to it. Perhaps Rarity did not wish to push too hard about Canterlot when Twilight was clearly glad to be in Ponyville, and perhaps Twilight had attracted enough social climbers as Celestia's student to be wary of ponies using her for social gain.
So they were just friends - there for each other when they needed another unicorn to talk to, or a pony with less of a small-town mindset. And even as Twilight rose in the world, Rarity mostly resisted jealousy and the urge to use her friend to promote herself, instead resolving to help shape her into the best princess she could be. Being known as a Princesses' friend was nice, of course - but being Twilight's friend was a much more valuable treasure.
Oh, and we can't forget Spike here - he's very important to both of them and them to him. Indeed, a disagreement over his welfare is one of the few things which could push them to outright conflict. (Another might be Rarity's feelings sometimes that Twilight doesn't appreciate what she's been given in life almost for free, while Twilight can find Rarity's idealization of her upper-class status a bit naïve.)
Key episodes: Uhh... Friendship University? A rather under-served pair.
And we move on to another same-tribe pair, Applejack and Pinkie. Of course, since Season 4 they've been family - a bond both take very seriously. In fact, taking some things - especially promises - very seriously is one thing that both of them shared before that. And while they weren't terribly close without the bond of kinship, they clearly had the mutual respect that ultimately formed between all of the Manes from the beginning, leaving little room for serious conflict. Can anyone think of occasions, actual or theoretical, when they found themselves in dispute?
Key episodes: Pinkie Apple Pie, Hearthbreakers
Another friendly but not very close or dynamic relationship is Applejack and Fluttershy. Early on AJ is nurturing towards the quieter mare and Flutters appreciates it (but might also resent it a teeny bit too). As she grows braver, they form a good but rare team who can mix hard and soft methods well. Besides the aforementioned resentment, conflict between generally comes from issues between one's precious crops and the other's beloved animals.
Key episodes: Bats!, Viva Las Pegasus, Sounds of Silence
One factor in the lack of focus on both the above two and her friendship with Twilight is the frequent use of AJ with her two main "rivals" in the group. While both are dynamics which can rile up the usually calm and composed AJ, they are also each distinct in their own way.
Applejack and Rainbow clash because they're similar (except where they're different) - and not just because they share an actress (although kudos to her for talking to herself so much)! AJ and RD are the most tomboyish and athletic of the group, and both proud and competitive in their own way (even if Rainbow takes it to greater extremes). A friendly rivalry between them is only natural. What can turn it unfriendly sometimes is Rainbow's hatred of losing and AJ's dislike of Rainbow's lackadaisical attitude and lack of a work ethic. (Possibly some tribal pride issues, too, if one reads under the surface.)
Key episodes: Fall Weather Friends, Castle Mane-ia, Non-Compete Clause.
But AJ's most-focused relationship is with the pony she's almost opposite too (except where they're similar). Applejack and Rarity embody contrasting concepts - function and form, low and high culture, contentment and ambition, honesty and a silver tongue. What they want out of life and think are important are so different, it's no wonder in a way that writers find throwing them at each other so easy - but I do think it's kind of overused to the cost of their other possible pairings.
Of course they also match in some ways too. Both of them are ridiculous hard workers who'll wear themselves out to meet impossible commitments - and they don't generally consider sharing the burden. Both are among the more mature, adult members of the group - I personally place them as the eldest. Both are relative normal ponies bi their tribe's standards - above average in many ways, but not legendary prodigies or possessed of strange powers.
And lastly, both were seemingly born and raised in Ponyville, as opposed to their friends who are all immigrants. And both dreamed of leaving it behind for their idealised image of the big city - the difference is that AJ got her dream young and realised it wasn't what she really wanted. I wonder how much of their beef with each other comes from that - AJ threw away something very much like Rarity's dream and said it was no good. And they have to have known each other, in a town that size with a one-room schoolhouse... but for all that the show returned to the two again and again, it sadly never went there.
Key episodes: Look Before You Sleep, Simple Ways, Made in Manehattan, Honest Apple... and that's not even all of them. Seriously, give somepony else a chance!
Pinkie Pie and Applejack even before they knew they might be related had a lot in common. Both were earth ponies born to families of farmers (though Pinkie Pie was born and raised "Just outside of Ponyville" with the exact location remaining unspecified) and both had older siblings they both looked up and clashed with, as well as younger siblings they felt a need to look out for or stand up for. Of course the difference is that Pinkie still has her parents whereas Applejack had to grow up without them, though in turn Applejack is closer to her family while Pinkie is distant from them (on good terms but not automatically able to contact them if she wants to). They're both bakers, Pinkie more so than Applejack. And Applejack obviously knows Pinkie the most being a Ponyville native. But Pinkie Pie's nativity and often optimistic, carefree nature clashes considerably with Applejack's workaholic tendencies and more "grounded" world view. Both seem pretty much tied to Ponyville, but much like Twilight Applejack can get annoyed if she thinks Pinkie isn't taking things seriously enough. Pinkie, for her part, may think that Applejack worries too much and just wants her to smile and have fun. That's not to say Pinkie doesn't appreciate hard work though, she's a master in her own talents just like Applejack is.
Key episodes: Pinkie Apple Pie, Hearthbreakers, some of Feeling Pinkie Keen and A Royal Problem
Mostly good points, although they don't seem to clash as much as you'd think - I feel AJ decided a while back that expecting Pinkie to be serious like her would be like expecting a rooster to lay eggs. I also highlighted some odd points that could use clarifying.
Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, the most unlikely of friends at first. Rainbow Dash seemed to regard Pinkie as an annoyance the most out of the mane six, and if not for their shared love of pranking she might have continued to view Pinkie solely as that. Pinkie Pie either never knew, or just felt more determined to get to Rainbow Dash because of that, seeming to especially value her friendship on many occasions. That being said, Pinkie has had her moments where even she can become annoyed with Rainbow's brash behavior or seemingly self-centered priorities, though it usually doesn't take much to convince her otherwise. Rainbow Dash in turn has learned to see Pinkie Pie as something other than just "random" but she can still get very easily annoyed by the latter's seemingly scatterbrained logic. She's also had the misfortune of being the only witness to Pinkie's darker side, though it seems it hasn't adversely affected their friendship. In turn, Pinkie has often been one of Rainbow's most loyal supporters and usually the first to want to know what the speedster is up to.
Key Episodes: Griffon the Brush Off, The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone, 28 Pranks Later, Daring Done?, Party of One
Pinkie does seem to look up to her quite a bit - I mean, she treasures all her friends, but perhaps she realises Rainbow wants adulation the most? She'll happily play cheering section - perhaps too happily, given Rainbows family history. And looking at the eps above, they're probably the two ponies most likely to rush off on an adventure.
Oh, and you've missed a key ep - Secrets and Pies.
Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, a very unusual friendship that may sadly be defined by one infamous moment where Pinkie's attempts to "help" Fluttershy overcome her stage fright only made things worse. It doesn't seem like Fluttershy took it too personally, though, since she and Pinkie Pie were still speaking when drafted to be the players for Ponyville's buckball team and seemed to sync well. If anything, Fluttershy was more annoyed by Pinkie's overprotective ways of her, treating her like a little sister despite the pegasus being older by a year. Pinkie Pie probably sees a lot of her youngest sister in Fluttershy, though she has seemed to back off on her protective tendencies upon realizing how assertive Fluttershy has become all on her own. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie probably help push each other not to be consumed by their own worst tendencies, Fluttershy being able to get Pinkie to relax and Pinkie in turn able to coax Fluttershy to be more socially active.
Key Episodes: Buckball Season, Common Ground, Rainbow Roadtrip, Filli Vanilli (reluctantly), Griffon the Brush Off, Putting Your Hoof Down
It's pretty amazing that Andrea can play both the most introverted and the most extroverted of the six. And it's a combination that can definite go wrong sometimes - but as one thing they both have in common is being perhaps the nicest of the six, there's usual plenty of room to recover.
Pinkie Pie and Rarity, probably the hardest to pin down considering Rarity tends to act the most like an adult and Pinkie Pie the most like a child. They do seem to get each other and are able to hang out together with no qualms, but it's likely that they only really know each other through being Ponyville natives. Rarity seems to be at times annoyed by Pinkie's antics, but at other times probably finds them a bit charming. Pinkie Pie in turn seems to respect Rarity's expertise, except when it clashes with her own perceived "expertise". There was a theory from a YouTube user that at least at first Rarity was pretending to tolerate Pinkie when she really couldn't stand her, based on how Rarity seemed to react whenever she was with Pinkie in the same scene. But I can't imagine Rarity would force herself to endure such a trial if it was really hurtful.
Key Episodes: Spice Up Your Life, Putting Your Hoof Down, Gift of the Maud Pie
Interesting - I hadn't heard of such a theory. It's possible they did have some friction when Pinkie first tried to befriend her - actually, that could have made a nice flashback ep like When the Apple Lies.
One notable point is that the two of them can be said to be the groups two social experts - but said expertise comes in very different flavours.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, our two pegasi, are the only pair confirmed to be of prior acquaintance, and although said relationship seemed shallow to me early on it eventually became undeniable that they were friends in their youth in Cloudsdale. Still, we know little of the details and origins of the relationship, leaving much to the imagination.
It's a good thing they have that going for them, because while previous same-tribe pairs had presumably tribal values to connect them, Flutters is a living exception to the stereotype of pegasi as a bold warrior race. She doesn't even live in the sky and rarely flies, while Rainbow rarely touches the ground if she can help it. Initially, it seemed like a similar dynamic to Rainbow and Pinkie, but them being close before this recolours Rainbow's early frustration with Flutter's opposing nature. (Honestly, they're almost as opposite as AJ and Rarity - Twilight and Pinkie don't quite form a third set, though.)
So what drew this unlikely pair together? Was it connected to how they got their cutie marks? Does it reveal some hidden side of them? Or were they just, like, neighbours or classmates or something? What do you think?
Key episodes: The Cutie Mark Chronicles, Hurricane Fluttershy, Flutter Brutter, Daring Doubt
Rainbow and Rarity are next - the two the show spent a whole episode telling us don't really have anything in common. Problem was, by focusing too much on their different tastes, they missed what they do have in common - they're both highly ambitious and image-focused ponies who intend to shine across all Equestria sooner rather than later. And they enjoy bringing out the best in others, whether as a designer or a coach.
Now that said, their differences in tastes do probably matter more when it comes to interaction - so it is likely they don't have that much to do with each other one-to-one. But still, looking at this list I do wonder if there aren't better examples of the Friends Who Never Hang among the Mane 6. I suppose it takes two personalities like theirs's to fall out so dramatically over it, though - another similarity!
Key episodes: Sonic Rainboom, Rarity investigates, End in Friend
We finish like we started, with a pair of subtly implied best friends with the potential for more - Fluttershy and Rarity. Close since early on, the unicorn is the only one of the Mane's extroverts with a soft enough touch to draw out the timid pegasus without scaring her off. Both are the most feminine and conventionally beautiful of the Manes, both work demanding jobs far over reasonable hours, and even their Elements are a close match.
Of course, that doesn't mean they can't have differences. Rarity may love Opal in particular, but animals in general are far too messy - and Flutters doesn't quite get why Rarity wants everypony's eyes on her all the time. And of course, neither of them are a straight speaker exactly, so they can get themselves a bit tangled in knots. But in the end they deeply enjoy each others company, and that's good enough.
Key episodes: Green Isn't Your Color, Putting Your Hoof Down, Castle Mane-ia, Filli Vanilli, Fake It 'Til You Make It... aside from the first they're not so much the main focus though.
That... might be intentional. If I recall correctly, Pink thinks Secrets and Pies is the worst episode of the entire series* (unless, of course, you already knew that and you're just being cheeky—in which case I'd have just whooshed myself—but I digress).
Interesting analysis on both your ends!
*personally, i thought it was kinda funny...
5437631
I did not, and am now highly confused - it's one of the many gems of Season 7 for me. May speak with him about it.