Entry #4- The Cores of the Mane Six

As I read and watch stories about the Mane Six, I notice some portrayals of them seen truer to me than others. It makes me wonder- what are some general reoccurring traits I’ve noticed each of the mares have that seems closest to who they are?

It obvious to me that in differing degrees, each mare is kind, loyal, generous, honest, and has a sense of humor- things that are important to have in a good friend. People say Apple Jack and Rainbow Dash’s Elements should’ve been swapped, but I think each one of those ponies could’ve embodied each Element of Harmony. Fluttershy is generous with her time- and home- with her animal friends. Rarity wants ponies to be happy. Rainbow Dash is kind to the point of heroics. Twilight is loyal to her friends. Maybe not every pony is a clown like Pinkie Pie, but each of the mares has their own type of humor. Maybe only Twilight could be the ‘Element of Magic’, but right there in the title- FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC- tells us that you only need to be a friend to have magic.

But even if they are alike in those traits, the Mane Six isn’t just like a bunch of clones of each other. Each of the mares has their own distinct personality, which makes their dynamics interesting for the people being told their story. So as an exercise, I thought about each pony and the general terms that made up their individual characteristics, and looked up character archetypes I thought matched up with each pony. None of the archetypes fit the Mane Six perfectly, but few well-written characters are an absolute cookie cutter fit of an Archetype.

Twilight Sparkle is an intellectual erudite who believes all problems can be solved with either books or friendship. She has complete faith in things she knows to be true, and will doubt things that go against what she’s learned. Her traits seem closest to the Archetype The Sage. The Sage believes the truth will set you free and its strategy is seeking out information and knowledge while using self-reflection and understanding thought processes. Its weakness is that it can study details forever and never act. That’s why narratively Twilight needs her friends- so they can help move the story forward.

Pinkie Pie thinks everything is fun- until it’s not. She then feels obligated to go out of her way to make it fun again, even at the expensive of herself. If she can’t make it fun again she’ll get depressed- especially if she thinks she’s the problem. I think she fits The Jester archetype, whose core desire is to live in the moment with full enjoyment. Their goal is to have a great time and lighten up the world, and their weakness is frivolity, or wasting time. Which is why there are at least three level heads (Twilight, A.J., and Rarity- Fluttershy’s not assertive enough and Rainbow Dash is likely to join in the fun) to help move the story forward.

Fluttershy is only open with those she trusts; otherwise she’s shy to the point of standing the story still. It is easier for Fluttershy just to go along with what the group wants even if she sees differently, as she’d rather not be the center of attention and risk being isolated from the few friendships she has. It’s why she likes surrounding herself with animals, as they (except for angel bunny) love unconditionally. If pressed, though, Fluttershy isn’t social enough to mince words so she comes across as harsh. Fluttershy’s Archetype appears to be the Orphan/Regular Gal, whose core desire is connecting with others. Their talents are realism, empathy, and lack of pretense. The Orphan/Ordinary Gal fears standing out from the crowd, which leads to their weakness of losing one's own self in an effort to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships. What’s great about the Mane six is that their friendship isn’t superficial, so they often encourage Fluttershy to be who she is, even if that means just curling up with a book and her animal friends at home.

Apple Jack puts her family first, and behaves like a motherly caregiver. The best way to get through life is through hard work, and she stubbornly sticks with methods she knows to be “tried and true”. She’ll get prickly if someone eludes that another way from hers might be better. So it isn’t surprising to you when I suggest her archetype is The Caregiver. Caregivers’ core desires are to protect and care for others, with their strategy being doing things for others, which is most commonly for AJ her family’s farm. Their greatest fear is selfishness and ingratitude, and their weakness is martyrdom and being exploited. It is a good thing when Apple Jack’s friends and family are kind people who insist on helping her rather than letting her do everything by herself. It’s not that they think you can’t, AJ!

Rarity is definitely a diva with a lady-like attitude. She believes the world to be a beautiful place, but would be even more beautiful if she could get her hooves on it. She loves helping others as it often puts her in the spotlight, and adores the feeling of being the center of attention. That feeling is something all ponies want, isn’t it? She must share it! I think The Lover archetype suits Rarity best, as the Lover’s goal is being in a relationship with the people/ponies, work and surroundings they love. They are talented in passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitment, and they achieve their goals by becoming more and more physically and emotionally attractive. Their greatest fear is being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, and unloved, which makes their outward-directed desire to please others more likely to lose their own identity. Like with Fluttershy, the others in the Mane six encourage Rarity’s talents and let her be herself.

And finally, Rainbow Dash- she has to be the best in everything she does. Like Rarity, she loves attention, but is less patient with the world. Why doesn’t everything go faster? Her impatience often leads to her taking rash action, which often backfires. But when she’s not in a hurry, she’s surprisingly easy-going and can be as fun loving as Pinkie Pie. The archetype I think best suits Dash is The Hero, whose core desire is proving one's worth through courageous acts. The Hero’s goal of expert mastery in a way that improves the world seems at odds with Rainbow Dash’s desire to be a Wonderbolt for fame and glory, but didn’t she get her Cutie Mark in a race to defend Fluttershy? The Hero’s weakness is arrogance and always needing another battle to fight, which makes them feel weakness, vulnerability, and a "chicken" if they can’t prove themselves. In some other story, Rainbow Dash could be the main character, but in My Little Pony, we focus on learning how to be a better friend. Rainbow Dash can be a foil to the lessons, but she’s often put in a defender’s role, guarding her friend’s hearts- who, really- gives her all the attention she craves.

So what do you think of my assessments? Do you agree or disagree? Were there traits about the characters I missed, or did you agree with me? I’d love for thought on this.
And if you’d like to read about the Archetypes yourself, my source is: http://www.soulcraft.co/essays/the_12_common_archetypes.html

Have a good day!

-Daisy Daedal