Top Ten Stallions, Version 6 · 8:25pm Oct 22nd, 2018
After Season 7 ramped it way up with the strong male characters, Season 8 seemed to put the pause on that. We didn't get really bad stallions per say, we just saw a lot less of ones that in previous seasons had been really prevalant. In particular, Shining Armor got arguably the worst treatment as a result of this new school direction. Although he was added to the new intro, he didn't appear or get mentioned in a single episode all season long (here's to hoping he appears in "The Best Gift Ever") making it the first season since his introduction where he never appeared. So he at least had to be knocked off so someone else could take his place, but there are a couple more characters that either moved down or get left off the list this season. By now I don't think I need to repeat myself, lists like this are purely my personal opinion so please respect it. Here's the fifth version. Let's see who moved up, moved down, got added, and got removed.
10. Soarin
Why he stayed on the bottom: Soarin only barely made it out of Season 8 with better treatment than Shining Armor, a brief speaking role at the start of "Viva Las Pegasus" that could potentially be seen as ship fuel for SoarinDash. Otherwise he was not a factor for the enterity of Season 8, even though as part of the Wonderbolts he got added to the new intro.
9. Starswirl the Bearded
Why he stayed the same: The show may have given Starswirl a few appearances this season, but that didn't do anything for him. He was just there, almost an afterthought. "Friendship University" just had him there to be exploited unknowingly by Flim and Flam, and "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" and "School Raze" only mentioned him briefly. I do like the idea of him traveling, realizing that there is still much for him to learn even in his old age. In fact, you could argue that he's become Twilight's new student since he's sending her letters. But like the rest of his fellow pillars, Starswirl was just tossed aside in favor of new characters that ended up getting arguably less screen time than the pillars.
8. Firelight
Why he was added: I like him, and I'm not ashamed to say so. He was definitely one of the better additions to Season 8, and I'd be up for seeing him return in Season 9 or for a special. Like with Spoiled Rich for Diamond Tiara, his existence helps to fill in a lot of gaps about Starlight's backstory and motivations. Having an overprotective father like Firelight helps to explain at least a little why she got so attached to Sunburst and so upset by his leaving. There is also the detail from Jim Miller about how Starlight was a latch key kid, which didn't get brought up in "The Parent Map". We also know that Starlight was supposed to have parents appear in her flashbacks in "The Cutie Re-Mark" and "The Crystalling" though it's not known if they had already planned on Firelight as a character or if he came about after their original ideas for parents were scrapped.
7. Cheese Sandwich
Why he moved down: Weird Al has said he'd be more than willing to reprise the role of Cheese Sandwich, all the show staff has to do is drop him a line. I suspect that what's keeping them from doing so is Weird Al's schedule. It's probably hard to get him to have enough time to fly to Vancouver and record his lines for an episode, especially since he doesn't have Canadian citizenship like Tara Strong or Maurice LaMarche do. But I feel like they could still work in at least a cameo of him, just have someone in Studio B originally record the lines when everyone else is doing so, then send a crew to LA or wherever Weird Al currently is and have him re-record the lines there. Then take it back and edit it in. "Yakity-Sax" could've even given him a non-speaking cameo by implying he was the one who set up Pinkie's party, I don't think that would've been too much of a stretch.
6. Grand Pear
Why he moved down: I know William Shanter is a busy man and getting him to record lines would be difficult, but you would expect Grand Pear to at least still appear in the background from time to time. This was the season that saw Sugar Belle move to Ponyville, and we got to see cameos of her and Big Mac throughout. So I'm sure they could've snuck in a Grand Pear cameo or two if they wanted to.
5. Star Tracker
Why he moved down: Star Tracker got his role taken over by a newcomer on this list, so ultimately he lost some of his originality. There's really not much to say about him since he was a one off character that was not likely to come back or be mentioned again. As far as I know, fans didn't really ship him with Twilight either. He was just a flash in the pan that was quickly forgotten about, despite a memorable appearance in "Once Upon a Zeppelin".
4. Flash Magnus
Why he was added: After missing out on the top ten list last time around, Flash Magnus roared way up the charts this time! His presence may have been brief, but it seems to have really amounted to something. We saw marching with recruits in the royal guard in "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" which gave him a chance to finally seem like something other than a male Rainbow Dash. And it seems that his skills were put to use given the stepped up royal guard presence in "School Raze", probably one of the few things that two parter did right. I suppose that explains where he was during the movie (still think it was wrong for them to throw it into the timeline between the end of Season 7 and the start of Season 8, it just doesn't fit), he was busy training recruits.
3. Sunburst
Why he moved down: Sunburst went from being arguably another sixth ranger at the end of Season 7, to being all but forgotten about in Season 8. He was only around for "The Parent Map", where of course he played well off of Starlight, and his mom, Stellar Flare. But it's still a mystery how the map could call him when he has no ties to either Twilight's castle or Ponyville, the only thing I can think of is that he has ties to Starlight, who's tied to the map. But if that's enough to be called by the map, then literally anyone can be called by it and thus the appeal of it is null and void. As at least one reviewer pointed out, you didn't need to make "The Parent Map" a map mission, you already established a way for Sunburst to come back to Sire's Hollow.
2. Hoofar
Why he was added: Hoofar was basically a subdued version of Star Tracker, but with potential affections for Trixie instead (though it seemed to be mostly on the level of devoted fan rather than anything romantic). He was easily the best new character Season 8 had to give us, not that he had much competition. "Road to Friendship" even though it wasn't focused on him, did a lot to show us who he was and how he lived. If he'd had more screen time, maybe he could've even taken the number one spot.
1. Big Macintosh
Why he stayed the same: If there was one thing Season 8 kept from Season 7, it was the concept of Big Mac speaking more frequently and more openly. Granted, it was for one episode, the mostly underwhelming "The Break Up Break Down" but that episode did a lot more to explain why Big Macintosh used to not talk so much. Words can hurt, and talking all the time is what got Big Mac into trouble. So he figured that if he stayed silent and didn't speak up, nothing could hurt him. It wasn't entirely a bad way of thinking, but as I think he learned with Apple Bloom, staying silent about things meant that it was harder for those who didn't know him so well to understand what he was going through. And sometimes, talking even just a little is the only way to convey what would otherwise be ignored. Plus, Big Mac appears to be making inroads with his relationship with Sugar Belle. We saw a couple of cameos with the two throughout the season, including one where they were watching the Washouts' show in Ponyville together (kind of interesting to see them attend a stunt show, doesn't exactly seem like a romantic type of thing). I wouldn't be surprised if Season 9 sees a significant development for the two where they decide to settle down together. Even if Sugar Belle comes to live on the farm with Big Mac, I can imagine he won't have as much time for chores since his special somepony will need tending to. It could make for an interesting episode for Applejack, who would have to cope with her brother developing a life of his own independent of the farm and Apple Bloom becoming old enough to work the fields.
And there you have it. Come back tomorrow, when we'll update the Top Ten Earth Ponies list.
Here's my list:
1. Cheese Sandwich. He's still my favorite, even after 4 seasons with only a silent cameo.
2. Sunburst.
3. Firelight
4. Bright Mac
5. Bow Hothoof
6. Soarin
7. Flash Magnus
8. Grand Pear
9. Big Macintosh
10. Shining Armor
No offense, but I didn’t like Star Swirl in “Friendship University”. When Twilight was caught by the Flim Flam brothers, Star Swirl just assumed that she was jealous instead of listening to her. You can say that Star Swirl pulled a “Stygian” as he made the assumption instead of listening...AGAIN!