Top Ten Earth Ponies, Version 6 · 11:32pm Oct 23rd, 2018
The earth ponies are back again and once again they're leading off the character rankings after a season. There aren't really any newcomers this season that cracked the list, just old returning characters and a few that didn't quite make the cut the last time around. Here's Version 5.2, pushed out after a correction. Let's see who moved up, moved down, got added, or dropped off. Before we begin, we have some honorable mentions (and they are: Quibble Pants, Tender Taps, Apple Bloom, Pipsqueak, Countess Coloratura a.k.a Rara, Double Diamond, Filthy Rich, Babs Seed, Cheerilee a.k.a Miss Cheerilee, Mud Briar, Cat Tail, Kettle Corn, Star Tracker, and Coco Pommel). As always, this list is purely the result of my personal opinion, it's not official.
10. Granny Smith
Why she returned: After being absent from the list for every version except the very first one, Granny Smith finally got to return to the spotlight. Ultimately, it was because other characters got bumped off the list (including Cheerilee who was the previous spot holder here). Though Granny Smith has admittedly gotten the occasional chance to shine such as in "The Perfect Pear" or "Grannies Gone Wild", for the most part it's just a case of moving back on because others moved off.
9. Diamond Tiara
Why she moved down: If not for her fanfiction presence, Diamond Tiara wouldn't even be on this list at all. She's been utterly forgotten about and left behind, even though she was more popular after her reformation than at any point before it. It's really sad to think that she's probably never going to speak again or even be seen again if Season 8 is any indication. She's among the characters that got shafted because of the school theme.
8. Bright Macintosh a.k.a Bright Mac
Why he was added: When I had the choice to decide between him and Rockhoof, originally Rockhoof won out on the previous two lists. But after Rockhoof floundered horribly with "A Rockhoof and a Hard Place" he never had a chance on this list as even an honorable mention. And so Bright Macintosh got put on the list in his place, even though he was only around for one episode. Of the two Apple parents, he has a better chance of maybe getting a speaking role again, since he's not voiced by a celebrity.
7. Cheese Sandwich
Why he stayed the same: What can I say about him that I haven't already said? Unless he gets another show canon appearance, I don't think there's anything I can really add to him that would be new. Ultimately, it's his appeal in fanfics (which have also seen a bit of a drop off) that keeps him on here at all.
6. Maud Pie
Why she moved down: After making her back into the top five last time around, Maud got knocked back out due to Season 8. "The Maud Couple" was a relatively good follow-up to "Rock Solid Friendship" but while everyone's getting on Pinkie Pie and Mud Briar's cases for their behavior, no one seems to be saying anything about Maud. The fact that she basically said nothing for years and pretended to be happy while her sister kept throwing surprise parties makes her look pretty selfish. At no point is it ever established that she tried to talk to Pinkie and tell her that she didn't like surprise parties. Going along with it the first time around was fine, that's considered the polite thing to do. But after that Maud should've pulled Pinkie aside and told her flat out that she didn't want surprise parties again. Pinkie would be upset, but she'd understand. She values Maud's happiness, and if her sister would be happier without a surprise party that's what she would do.
5. Pinkie Pie
Why she moved down: From one Pie sister to another. I don't really need to repeat myself on why Pinkie Pie moved why down this list, do I? "The Maud Couple" was already pushing her character flaws pretty far and at times felt like a bit of a reach with her cartoon antics. But that was passable, and if that was the worst she'd gotten this season I would've let her be number one here and on my mane eight ranking. Alas, "Yakity-Sax" is a wound too harsh to ignore. The return of Pinkamina was done solely for shock value, and Pinkie was at her most selfish potrayal of all time. Dare I say it she was even worse than she was in "Secrets and Pies". And from that point onward she just never recovered, she never got a focus or significant non-focus appearance to redeem her. It really hurts to do this to her, but Season 8 did her no favors and even I can't pretend that she made it out okay.
4. Limestone Pie
Why she added: Bet you never imagined a day when Limestone would end up on this list so high, let alone higher than either of two of her younger sisters who've both gotten way more screen time than she has. But if there was one thing "The Maud Couple" did that was truly worthy of praise, it was fleshing out Limestone's character in a way that fans had been wanting for a long time. It made her into something besides just the token jerk and caused her to develop into a "Jerk with a Heart of Gold" type of character. It may not have been much, but in a season like this where the bad often outshined the good getting any positive development was something worthy of praise.
3. Mage Meadowbrook
Why she moved up: Mage Meadowbrook is the one pillar who it made sense to not have a lot of issues adapting to modern society, because there will always be a need for healers. And besides, Meadowbrook always felt the most real of all the pillar/legend six, the one who was more than just a legend. It helped that she had a modern descendant, Cat Tail, who was there and ready to help her. A little touch like that went a long way for her.
2. Big Macintosh a.k.a Big Mac
Why he moved up: Even if it was just for one episode, Big Mac speaking more was a nice touch that I was glad to see carried over from Season 7. And him and Sugar Belle being seen occasionally throughout the season was quite nice too. The reason why I didn't ship the two before was not because of chemistry but because of distance, they didn't strike me as the ones who would benefit from a long distance relationship and I assumed they were too tied down to their locations for one or the other to leave. But to my surprise, Sugar Belle chose to move to Ponyville so she could be with Big Macintosh and he seems to have taken full advantage of the situation. Had he gotten more episodes to himself, I imagine he might've even made his way up to number one. As it is, he just misses that position.
1. Pear Butter a.k.a Buttercup
Why she stayed on the top: Although we haven't seen her in any way, shape, or form since her only appearance in "The Perfect Pear" the appeal of her still holds up very strongly. Despite never having heard of Felicia Day prior to her voicing (and singing as) Buttercup, I can safely say she did a good job. She is basically what Autumn Blaze could've been like with better writing, instead of focusing on how she's the only one who matters the writers took the time to get us invested in Pear Butter's story and how it connects to Bright Mac's. Not to mention the fact that she had to make an actual on-screen choice with real consequences, a decision that she would've rather not made but had to anyway. Perhaps next time around, she'll move down if Big Macintosh does enough to shoot up to number one, or Pinkie Pie somehow redeems herself in Season 9. But for now, she's still number one.
And there you have it. Come back tomorrow, when we'll look at the next version of the Top Ten Pegasi.
What about Applejack?
4957242 Season 8 was probably her worst season to date, it did her no favors at all. I couldn't even dignify her with an honorable mention after how beyond rude she was to Fluttershy in "Sounds of Silence".
My personal picks:
1. Cheese Sandwich
2. Mean Applejack/Mean Pinkie Pie
3. Bright Mac and Pear Butter
4. Toola Roola
5. Pinkie Pie
6. Limestone Pie
7. Maud Pie
8. Big Macintosh
9. Cheerilee
10. Mage Meadowbrook
PINKIE PIE IS BEST
4957458 If not for this season, she'd be higher. I'm sorry, but even I can't pretend she was great when in fact she wasn't.