Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer's Chemistry · 2:00am May 3rd, 2016
WARNING! The following is an informal analysis and mostly my own personal opinion. With that being said, please do not take what I say here as gospel truth. Also, SPOILERS! PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
--Beginning Blog---
With the revelation of Season Six's sixth episode, I've been pondering about Sunburst and Starlight Glimmer. Even though they had relatively low screen time, I've tried so hard to analyze their character and their chemistry. Seeing the two of them team up to restore the broken Crystal Heart really sparked something in me. And after seeing more of what Starlight can do with her magic, I believe that Sunburst's role in Starlight's life is a very critical one. With that being said, here are five ways I see their chemistry as.
#1: Compensation
I was honestly not expecting this but it was revealed that as much as Sunburst knows about magic and how much he passionately studied it, he is actually incapable of performing very advanced spells. But who can, though? Starlight Glimmer can. At a very young age, she had great magical potential and even said more than once that Sunburst was the one who taught her everything there is to know about magic, and we've actually seen in the Season Five finale that she can levitate herself with her magic as well as compete with Twilight's magic on equal footing or perhaps even on a higher level. It's as if he were like an older brother to her. However, with the raw prowess Starlight possesses, it can be difficult to control. Who's there for her, though? Sunburst. She was so loyal to him before they were torn apart when Sunburst got his cutie mark and left for Magic School. With Sunburst's knowledge and Starlight's raw magical prowess, these two can form a team that quite frightening to match.
#2: Ghosts of the Past
They thought the other was better off without one them but they were wrong. It turns out that they need each other more than ever.
Sunburst was very afraid of facing Starlight Glimmer and revealing to her that he doesn't have the talent to cast the advanced magic that he had been studying for years. She looked up to him because he was the one who taught her what she knew about her magic. She would be so disappointed in him if it turns out that his own skill with magic paled severely to hers.
For Starlight Glimmer, she felt so bitter and left behind. She once used the magic that Sunburst taught her how to control for her own twisted ends that was influenced by a broken and bitter heart. After being shown the error of her ways, she calmed down and tried to listen to Twilight's advice on friendship. But what would Sunburst think of her, though? With how much she used her magic for evil deeds and being exposed as a hypocrite, there would be no way that Sunburst'd be proud of her.
One was a failure and the other was a fallen. But through this, they could still find common ground between each other. Sometimes, through painful pasts lies a hidden seed of happiness wanting to be planted so that it could grow. This shows that communication is very important. One never forgot about the other and feared the other leaving for good. That makes the reunion much more sweeter between them once relief set in that they'd never want to be apart from one another ever again.
From pain comes pleasure.
#3: Limiter/Stabilizer
With Starlight's reformation, she has shown to be a rather timid, insecure pony who wants to make up for the misdeeds she has done in the past by making new friends that she can make a connection with. The demons of the past still loom large over her and sometimes causes her to believe that doesn't have any pony to turn to. In No Second Prances, it has been shown that she can easily yell out loud in public when stressed out enough. Also, with her magic, it is revealed that she can change the way ponies talk, instantly bake cakes, and teleport other ponies to a location of her choice.
With the overwhelming power she seems to possess with her magic that we have seen that dates back to her MLP debut, I am led to believe that she is a walking time bomb. I am not convinced that her magic is tied with those of the Alicorn species. I believe that in a head on fight, she can single-handily best any Alicorn in a one-on-one fight. If it weren't for Twilight's persuasive words, Starlight would have won the battle between them.
Sunburst could play yet another critical role in this. Sunburst was the only pony who knew Starlight from childhood and the only pony that Starlight could trust. It has been shown that Starlight still has not gotten over the heartbreak she was put through when Sunburst left for Magic School, meaning that she still wishes that she could be with him. Also, given his knowledge and connection with Starlight, he probably has a few more things he could teach her about her magic. If he had the knowledge on how to control Flurry Heart's volatile powers, perhaps there's more things he knows that he could teach Starlight about her magic.
Also, his role could be for emotional support as well. With how timid and easily stressed she is when trying to make her own decisions, Sunburst could provide some much needed reassurance. Given his connection with her, she'd believe in his word and trust him in definitely.
#4: It Makes for some Comedy Gold
What? You think this would be a serious blog all the way? Pfft! Come on! Where's the fun in that? I also think that these two make for some comedy gold! For example, the image you saw up there that shows Starlight trying to shave Sunburst. But that's only one example! Let me share you some funny scenarios I can see happening.
Scenario One: Starlight tries to surprise Sunburst by baking a cake for him for breakfast! But when he takes a bite, ack! He's allergic! Oh no!
Scenario Two: Starlight plays baseball with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Starlight hits a homerun! ...Right into Sunburst's house. She's in trouble!
Scenario Three: Starlight challenges Sunburst at a poking contest! When Sunburst refuses to focus on reading, Starlight playfully persists by poking him. Having enough, he finally pokes back...but at her eye. Ouch!
#5: A Possible Romance?
Yeah, I know. This is what practically people are speculating but...honestly, this can go either way. But I'm not optimistic. There have been male/female best friendships before and perhaps this is just destined to be it. Which I am fine with. Also, from what I've seen, they don't really have signs of a crush between each other. I honestly think that they are better just being best friends. If it happens, it happens but I hope it would be pulled off with a good reason. Romance is one of those delicate things that has to have the fine line walked as if you were on a tightrope.
Would I love this as a ship? Yes and no.
Artwork above by: Osipush
What chemistry?