Starlight Glimmer and Why I Think She's Effing Scary · 9:43pm Sep 6th, 2015
Warning for those who haven't seen the Season 5 Premiere: this will contain spoilers and it will also contain information regarding this season's finale sometime down the way. Also, this might include some graphic information that might be unsettling to some readers. Discretion is advised before entering this blog post.
As the title suggests, I find Starlight Glimmer to be completely scary in her own right. And I know some of you think that's funny or that I'm exaggerating, but allow me to explain my fear.
Now, we've all heard jokes about how Starlight is the living example of communism and how she's just a traitor to American beliefs (MURICA!). However, allow me to explain why Starlight does not embody communism.
Communism- a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.
The whole point of communism is the shared ownership means and the destruction of class. Starlight is in charge of the village AND is happy to have endorsement from a Princess, nonetheless. Others claim that this might be cultural communism or neo-Marxism; the elimination of special talents so that it doesn't breed inequality.
HOWEVER, if you pay attention to the episode, you'll see that Unicorns are still able to do limited magic AND Pegasi are still able to fly, just not to extreme speeds.
So, I can hear a lot of you asking me: "Harmony, if it's not communism, then what is it?"
Well...
Ladies and gentlecolts, I introduce you to the first Equestrian cult!
Yep, that's right, MLP has managed to make a CULT feature on air. I mean, I didn't even realize how much the Town acted like a cult until I watched Silver Quill's review on YouTube over the Cutie Map.
This hippogriff knows what he's talking about.
If you don't want to watch the video, then allow me to sum up why he brings up some good points about the cult-like behaviors of the Town. The Town seems to feature all of the eight attributes of Robert J. Lifton's model for thought reform. Allow me to include the examples from the video above to the best of my ability:
1. Environment control- "Nopony has ever come to our village and ever wanted to leave!" -Starlight Glimmer
2. Mystical manipulation- In the song "In our town", they have actual lines saying, "Join in our Uotpia, come out of the dark!" This is strong rhetoric that even influences Fluttershy into liking the cult.
3. Demand for Purity- When Starlight guilted Party Favor and made him feel bad for helping the Mane Six, claiming that he, "had complete disregard for his friends and how they'd feel." She even goes as far to say, "Such selfishness," in order to make him think that his own thoughts are impure.
4. Cult of Confession- After being punished, Party admits that he never wanted to leave the village, even though his behavior said otherwise. He's obviously distressed and he's once again given into the cult, despite his own thoughts and desires.
5. Sacred Science- "A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy!" This is not very different from the cultural wars that we battle in our own world. We make the assumption that because another group of people is doing something different from us, we believe it to be infringing upon our rights, when in reality, that isn't the case.
6. Loaded language- After the Mane Six have shown themselves to be angry and upset over the loss of their cutie marks, Starlight says, "This is a perfectly NORMAL part of the equalization process." She's more or less convincing the rest of the cult that the Mane Six holding indignation over the loss of their own beings is NORMAL and FINE. She wants everypony to stay on board and to continue to follow her terms.
7. Doctrine of person/pony- When confronted about lying to the village and stealing their cutie marks, Starlight shouts out, "I gave these ponies friendships they never could have had!" She was so invested in her own cause that she didn't care how much it hurt others and that she was doing these ponies a favor by ripping off a literal part of their own being, despite not doing it herself.
8. Dispensing of existence- When Party joined the Mane Six and Fluttershy was let out, he exclaimed, "Your friend has accepted our way! You'll all accept our way! It's only a matter of time!" all while still being clearly distressed by his own words. Party Favor originally held doubts when the Mane Six came into town and while he still has them, he has been brainwashed to the point where he can only cling onto the ideas that Starlight forced onto him.
Now, we've already seen that Starlight has violent tendencies and that she's incredibly manipulative. She acts sweet and she puts on a show to make ponies think she's being inviting, but in reality, she's a liar and a sociopath.
Any ideals that go against her own are considered awful and poison to her.
Adult ponies have fallen victim to her ideas and to be honest, no one really knows how long these ponies have been involved in this cult. It's a bit upsetting once you begin to realize how much mental abuse and possible physical abuse must have gone into making these ponies think that Starlight's way was right. Well, now that I think about it, Starlight DID include physical abuse into her ethics.
Watch at 1:50 onwards.
"The cutie unmarking is a beautiful experience!"
...I honestly doubt that.
And can I just take a moment to talk about how Starlight is SMILING all while this is happening? She's ENJOYING the pain she's causing everypony and she's so smug about it because she knows that she's the one doing it, not the staff. Not only is she manipulative, she's egotistical and sadistic, too. These are the makings of a psychopath and an abuser.
Now, if you want my personal opinion on what was just witness, I wouldn't hesitate to say this is a form of ritual abuse that most cults take part in. The term ritual abuse is generally used to mean repeated, extreme, sadistic abuse, especially of children, within a group setting. The group’s ideology is used to justify the abuse, and abuse is used to teach the group’s ideology. The activities are kept secret from society at large, as they violate norms and laws. Any ideology can be twisted or adapted to abusive ends. In the United States, Canada, and Europe, people have reported being ritually abused under the banner of Satanism, Christianity, various pagan and pantheistic belief systems, white supremacy movements, Naziism, Santeria, voodoo, and many others. At the present time, Satanism is either the most common ideology under which ritual abuse is practiced or it is receiving the most attention.
There have been many cases in real life, more specifically in the 80s and 90s, that have had cults include themselves in ritual abuse and killings of people in an attempt to keep to their ways. One of the most notable ones is Satanic Ritual Abuse, which in the end turned out to be a hype for the sake of media attention. However, once you look at the SRA storybook meant to discuss the things that were usually done in cults, it gives you a scary and really unbelievable look into what cult survivors have experienced.
Speaking of cult survivors... Has anyone noticed how there aren't any foals in the episode? It's all adult mares and stallions, none of whom appearing to have any foals or the potential to have any. Which begs me to ask... Does Starlight want foals as a part of her cult?
Think about it. Really think about it. Children are very easy to manipulate and they are very prone to mimic the behaviors of the adults around them, so I'm sure that Starlight would have loved to have had children in the cult. But, this could be very problematic to what she was trying to do. She wanted to make everypony equal and in order to do that, she had to take away the cutie marks and replace them with the equal signs we all know. Foals in Equestria are a whole different situation, though.
Foals are born blank flanks. They have the potential to be anything and everything, as they still have no mark to define what they're meant to do for the rest of their life. Foals grow up wondering what they're capable of and sooner or later, that question is answered by whatever appears on their flank.
I'm seriously beginning to feel complete disgust over what Starlight might have done if she had managed to get any foals, blank flanks or no, involved in her cult.
Blank flanks might be isolated at young ages so that any talents they develop don't contaminate the rest of the Town. Or, maybe they'll be "equalized" as foals before they can even begin to develop independent thought. Or, maybe, just maybe, Starlight will help them cultivate their talents and once they do, she rips it away just so she can maintain power and dominance over everypony. Can you imagine how sickening and terrifying it must be to watch your own child have their innocence ripped away from them in the name of equality? Oh, wait, that's already happened in almost every cult ever:
Children Raised In High Control, Destructive Groups
My Childhood in an Apocalyptic Cult
How A Cult Stole My Life
Children and Cults: A Practical Guide
Born into a sex cult: Natacha Tormey on how she survived those dark days, escaped, and finally built a new life
Read these articles or don't; it doesn't change how disgusting and terrifying the experiences a child in a cult must go through.
Another thing to think about when in regards to Starlight is how she acts as a cult leader. Cult leaders are very terrifying and more often than not end up being revealed as psychopathic and sociopathic. Once you apply it to Starlight, it makes her... suddenly all the more frightening.
She holds her own being above others and she's not regretful over lying in order to keep herself dominant over everypony else.
She's constantly plotting and calculating new ways to expand her ideas, all while continuing to manipulating everypony and to keep power.
She delights in the despair and pain of others if it means she's in control and that she can bend them to her will.
She does not subject herself to the terms that other cult members do. Besides keeping her cutie mark, she also doesn't wear her hair like the other mares and she obviously exercises control over everypony. Equal my ass.
She does not feel any remorse whenever ponies begin to call her out on her toxic behavior and she does not care if anypony get hurt because of it.
Still not convinced? Here are some dangerous qualities that cult leaders usually possess so that you can get an idea of how Starlight acts and behaves:
1. He has a grandiose idea of who he is and what he can achieve.
2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, or brilliance.
3. Demands blind unquestioned obedience.
4. Requires excessive admiration from followers and outsiders.
5. Has a sense of entitlement - expecting to be treated special at all times.
6. Is exploitative of others by asking for their money or that of relatives putting others at financial risk.
7. Is arrogant and haughty in his behavior or attitude.
8. Has an exaggerated sense of power (entitlement) that allows him to bend rules and break laws.
9. Takes sexual advantage of members of his sect or cult.
10. Sex is a requirement with adults and sub adults as part of a ritual or rite.
11. Is hypersensitive to how he is seen or perceived by others.
12. Publicly devalues others as being inferior, incapable, or not worthy.
13. Makes members confess their sins or faults publicly subjecting them to ridicule or humiliation while revealing exploitable weaknesses of the penitent.
14. Has ignored the needs of others, including: biological, physical, emotional, and financial needs.
15. Is frequently boastful of accomplishments.
16. Needs to be the center of attention and does things to distract others to insure that he or she is being noticed by arriving late, using exotic clothing, overdramatic speech, or by making theatrical entrances.
17. Has insisted in always having the best of anything (house, car, jewelry, clothes) even when others are relegated to lesser facilities, amenities, or clothing.
18. Doesn’t seem to listen well to needs of others, communication is usually one-way in the form of dictates.
19. Haughtiness, grandiosity, and the need to be controlling is part of his personality.
20. Behaves as though people are objects to be used, manipulated or exploited for personal gain.
21. When criticized he tends to lash out not just with anger but with rage.
22. Anyone who criticizes or questions him is called an “enemy.”
23. Refers to non-members or non-believers in him as “the enemy.”
24. Acts imperious at times, not wishing to know what others think or desire.
25. Believes himself to be omnipotent.
26. Has “magical” answers or solutions to problems.
27. Is superficially charming.
28. Habitually puts down others as inferior and only he is superior.
29. Has a certain coldness or aloofness about him that makes others worry about who this person really is and or whether they really know him.
30. Is deeply offended when there are perceived signs of boredom, being ignored or of being slighted.
31. Treats others with contempt and arrogance.
32. Is constantly assessing for those who are a threat or those who revere him.
33. The word “I” dominates his conversations. He is oblivious to how often he references himself.
34. Hates to be embarrassed or fail publicly - when he does he acts out with rage.
35. Doesn’t seem to feel guilty for anything he has done wrong nor does he apologize for his actions.
36. Believes he possesses the answers and solutions to world problems.
37. Believes himself to be a deity or a chosen representative of a deity.
38. Rigid, unbending, or insensitive describes how this person thinks.
39. Tries to control others in what they do, read, view, or think.
40. Has isolated members of his sect from contact with family or outside world.
41. Monitors and or restricts contact with family or outsiders.
42. Works the least but demands the most.
43. Has stated that he is “destined for greatness” or that he will be “martyred.”
44. Seems to be highly dependent of tribute and adoration and will often fish for compliments.
45. Uses enforcers or sycophants to insure compliance from members or believers.
46. Sees self as “unstoppable” perhaps has even said so.
47. Conceals background or family which would disclose how plain or ordinary he is.
48. Doesn’t think there is anything wrong with himself – in fact sees himself as perfection or “blessed.”
49. Has taken away the freedom to leave, to travel, to pursue life, and liberty of followers.
50. Has isolated the group physically (moved to a remote area) so as to not be observed.
Take a moment to read all these and see which ones apply to Starlight. Go ahead, do it. Once you do, tell me how many you think apply to her and if there are any reasons why you think that.
Starlight is dangerous. She managed to convince an entire group of ponies to go to the Town in which we know and to give up their marks, or perhaps she even forcibly took them so that she could maintain power over them. I wonder what she must have done to gain her first recruits: did she set herself up in public and make an announcement of it? Or did she simply encounter ponies in their own places of comfort and manipulated them there? Or maybe, just maybe, she took residence in the Town and anypony who passed by was forced into the group.
There's no telling what Starlight has done in her quest for equalization and there's no telling what she could have achieved had the Mane Six and the Townsponies not stopped her plans for the time being. However, we know that Starlight is still out there, and we know that she's plotting revenge against what Twilight and her friends did. Judging by the animatic that was released revealing some part of the season finale, there's no doubt that we're going to be seeing Starlight again.
I know that we don't know a lot about Starlight and that she might have a tragic past attached to her actions, but it doesn't change what terrible things she has done and might continue to be doing. I don't know what she's really planning to do or if there's some reason she's doing everything she's doing other than to make herself more powerful, but I doubt it will change my thoughts about how dangerous and psychotic she is.
Motive does not excuse behavior.
Once you look into the behavior of cults and apply it to here, it makes Starlight seem like one of the most dangerous ponies in the series. Yes, Nightmare was going to plunge Equestria into eternal darkness, but she only did that for a few minutes at best before being defeated; Chrysalis was just trying to feed her Changelings, but again, she also failed; King Sombra was corrupted by dark magic and thus he was an incoherent babbling buffoon who had five lines that was laced with growling and hissing(though I still love him to death); Tirek managed to steal everypony's magical abilities away, but in the end, he was defeated by his own haughtiness; and Discord, lovable Discord, is now a reformed prankster.
Starlight, however? She has convinced an entire group of ponies that her way is correct by using her charismatic nature and loaded rhetoric, then proceeded to rip off an a literal part of a pony, all while keeping her own for the sake of keeping a dominant stance over these ponies.
Starlight may not be all-powerful or intimidating at first glance, but that does not change how much damage she has caused.
If you have any observations to add to this, then feel free to. I'm interested to know what you guys think.
she reminded me a lot of Jim Jones actually
She's pretty fearsome in of herself. A clever villain will always be more dangerous than a simply strong one.
It is a cult, not communism per se. Although communism, as practiced in the Real World, generally seems to end up as a Cult of Personality. And the dreary gray existence for everyone but the leader is pretty much spot on for it as well.
All of this is very scary. It makes me sweat even more thinking about how the finale will play out. Because it seems that unlike the other villains who treated the Mane 6 as just obstacles to defeat, she's taken her first failure personally and she's going to make them hurt for her loss before moving on to the rest of Equestria. Even Discord didn't seem all that upset with them the second time he was released.
Actually, there were foals in the Town. They welcomed the Mane 6 along with a mare who appeared to be in charge of watching them. Scary to think about in terms of cult behavior and cutie marks...
Wondering if any foals were there long enough that they were indoctrinated their whole lives and the equal sign was ACTUALLY their cutie mark. How would they deal with everypony else in town suddenly getting their cutie marks back?
It's power hungry ponies that ruin it for everypony else; they only care about themselves, and how they can control others.
On an unrelated note, am I the only one that can't seem to find episode 14 of season 5?
Wall of text is late.
Most people who compared it to communism only did so because it was a convenient label.
She's actually pretty tame for a cult leader, sure, she locked ponies up to indoctrinate them, but at least she didn't kill anyone.
I remember feeling a sense of vague, inarticulate horror while watching this episode. I couldn't explain why, something just felt... nauseating.
It was way too Stepford Citizen to feel comfortable, and there was obviously something REALLY eerie behind it all.
I actually kept pausing the episode and messaging my friend with my reactions. Remember, I didn't know anything about the episode, this is just my scene-by-scene reaction. Here's a few selections:
The Vault of Souls. Dear mother of god...
Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes her to get her new town of Helter Skelter started?
Onna real, though, Starligjt Glimmer is actually the single most terrifying and outright dangerous villain the show has seen thus far. To paraphrase Jean-Luc Picard, villains who twirl their mustaches are easy to spot. Those who cloak themselves in rightness are well-camouflaged. We all knew she was bad news when we saw her, but it wasn't until someone looked harder that we saw how bad that news was. The real moral of that episode was not about what true friendship was, so much as it was about the price of the liberty to pursue true friendship, and indeed the price of all liberty: Eternal vigilance.
We must keep watch for the vipers of the world not only to protect ourselves, but to protect those around us.
3374190
That we know of. MLP would never actually show death on-screen, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.
Starlight still appears to be mentally unstable and managed to brainwash the entire town and, as someone pointed out to me, managed to involve FOALS in her cult, as well.
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If you don't think that that's a bad thing, then please look at some of the articles that refer to children growing up in cults.
And just because no one was allegedly killed, doesn't mean that there wasn't suffering. The whole mentality of "at least THIS didn't happen" isn't good to apply to this specific instance as while things can be worse, it doesn't take from how bad it is.
Starlight may be tame now, but she is deteriorating and she is deteriorating fast. She was even stalking Twilight at one point!
40.media.tumblr.com/145edeba8811ee5bb0763edff2d2d64b/tumblr_inline_nqz0sdMJfa1rgt6r2_500.png
Trust me, dear commenter, this can only end in disaster.
3374021
I looked at the images gallery and I saw one foal with a cutie mark that didn't appear to be an equal sign. I fear what might have happened to them.
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3374191
I've never thought of the cutie mark as a symbol for the soul. That makes what Starlight did even more terrifying and ten levels of creepy.
3374145
We're on hiatus at the moment being. We come back next Saturday.
3374254 Thank you.
3374252
That's all I ever saw it as. As you grow up, you gradually understand more of the person you will be for the rest of your life. As ponies discover their purpose, and come to terms with who they are as they age, the mark of their soul manifests, the same way that there is a feeling of sincerity and openness to someone who is at peace with their life and purpose.
I guess it always seemed simple to me. I thought everyone saw cutie marks that way.
3374339
Dude, that's actually one of the most profound ways I've seen someone describe a cutie mark. It's a literal way of showing you that you've found what you're meant to and it's a reflection of your very soul. It's simple and so complicated at the same time, I love it!
3374349
I have a lot of that sort of stuff floating around. I don't make headcanons just to support my ideas, I use them to strengthen the overall story and improve the world.
Holy.... Celestia... The Princess has to hear about this first!
I am so glad that someone else agrees with me
3562561
I got your invite to the I Hate Starlight group. Flattering as it may be, I'm going to decline the offer. This was merely a character analysis of Starlight and why I think she's not being taken seriously in the fandom as a villain. I understand your dislike for her and I can say, I'm not particularly fond of her myself. I just don't feel comfortable joining groups where all people do is tear characters down that others may like. Being in groups that are Anti-(insert subject here) haven't worked out for me in the past and don't really accomplish anything for me as an individual.
Thanks for the invite, but I'm going to say no. I wish your group good luck.
3562633 Ok, thanks anyway, I'm just glad you understand my dislike for her