Student Six Ranking, Version 4 (Slight Spoilers for American Viewers)

First and foremost, there are mild spoilers for those who haven't seen "Student Counsel" yet. Nothing truly significant, but if you're on a strict, spoiler free diet you'll want to avoid this list for a couple of weeks. I'm going to hold off on the lists I normally do for mid points in a season until the episodes have aired in the U.S., and the mane eight ranking isn't going to be updated until "Rainbow Roadtrip" comes out and I have a chance to see what (if anything) it does to affect my opinions on some of the characters. So this is the only list I felt willing to update at this point. The student six did thankfully come back for this season, but honestly it might have been better to just leave them in the background until the finale since they haven't done much and sucked away screen time that could've gone to the mane eight (Starlight and Pinkie Pie in particular, the latter of whom hasn't gotten a focus episode of any sort for the entire first half).

Anyway, a list is a list, and there have been some things worth considering for the student six. Here's the third version, from the end of Season 8. Let's see what changed, and as always this list is purely the result of my personal opinion.

6. Ocellus
Why she moved down: I'm as surprised as you are that this is happening, but poor Ocellus hasn't gotten anything of substance this season. The most we got was a really random throwaway line about her having an identity crisis, which I'm not sure why she would be having it now. It is surprising that she was the only student to have their respective leader show up to look for them and berate them for leaving without telling anyone. It really shouldn't have just been Thorax who was upset. And you'd think that someone as smart as Ocellus would know better.

5. Sandbar
Why he moved up: They didn't exactly do much to expand his character in "She's All Yak" but at least they were willing to try. They didn't flesh him out very much, but there were a few brief moments where he shined (particularly him comforting Yona after the dance). Aside from the plot dictating it, there's really no indication why he asked Yona to the dance. I feel like they could've tried to come up with a reason (even something as simple as wanting her to liven things up).

4. Smolder
Why she moved down: "Sweet and Smoky" didn't do her a lot of favors. She originally did stick up for Spike when Garble and the other dragons were bullying him, but after that she seemed completely oblivious to Garble's constant bullying of Spike and acted surprised that he'd been doing it. I honestly would've liked it if she'd stood up to Garble and chewed him out for his behavior, asking why he was being so mean to Spike when all he wanted was to befriend Garble. Also, they never quite explain why Smolder became so worried about her brother all of a sudden, or why she couldn't just get Ember to check on her. Yes, we later learn Ember was busy watching the eggs, but at the start of the episode Smolder didn't know that. And Garble being her brother wasn't exactly a surprise, quite a few fans were already speculating that might be the case.

3. Gallus
Why he moved down: It's understandable that they want to shift the focus to some of the other students, and therefore Gallus isn't going to get as much attention. He stole the spotlight last time around with the revelation that he's an orphan and considers the rest of the student six to be his family. Not to mention the ship fuel for GallusStream in "What Lies Beneath". Here, we didn't get to see much of him, and for the most part he was just kind of there. But I loved the little bits of him teasing Sandbar in "She's All Yak", I love him being a snarky kind of guy. It's the kind of ribbing only true friends can get away with (it feels like a case of "I know you too well"). I'll also be honest, I never understood the appeal of GallusBar outside of it being a gay ship. The two never interacted in any meaningful way and still haven't.

2. Silverstream
Why she stayed the same: Silverstream hasn't been completely forgotten, and it seems she still has family issues if "Student Counsel" is anything to go on. Though the fact is that this is twice in the same season she has never left any kind of note as to where she's going and caused a panic (I also don't understand why she had to convince her parents to let her go back to Equestria, when she should be asking either General Seaspray or Queen Novo). Her befriending a cockatrice to help with her project was unexpected, but they made it work. I kind of want to see her adopt it as a pet, kind of like how I was hoping Yona would take home one of the spiders from "What Lies Beneath". And speaking of Yona...

1. Yona
Why she moved way up: Yona really shot up the ranks this time around! It helps that she was the only likeable one in "Uprooted" and it shouldn't have had to be that way (you can have her be the voice of reason without making everyone else stupid). She really feels like the heart of the team, the glue that holds them all together. It makes sense when you consider Yona was the one most excited to attend the school, and the most open about her feelings and her customs. "She's All Yak" was carried by her, particularly in the third act when everything fell apart. Seeing Yona make so much of an effort to change herself just to impress Sandbar, really speaks volumes about her character. That perhaps deep down she isn't as confident and self-assured as we're led to believe, and that a part of her has felt like an outcast in a world of ponies. I kind of wish they had followed up on that for "Student Council", but at the same time that probably would've been too much of a good thing. So for all those reasons, I'm proud to put Yona at number one.

And there you have it.

Comments

[Spooksi]

Let's hope Ocellus gets an episode focused on her, she's a real sweetie. And I can agree 100% with this list.

[superfun]

My rankings was originally going to be a bit closer to how I first had them, but after thinking about it, the differences are a bit more significant:
1. Smolder. Sweet and Smoky reaffirmed her place for me. As for the whole "Garble being her brother thing", I think it works more than it being some random dragon we've never heard of before.
2. Gallus. His interaction with Smolder in She's All Yak was the second best part of that episode for me (best being the song)
3. Silverstream. Student Counsel moved her way up.
4. Yona. She's All Yak raised her up.
5. Sandbar. His crush on Yona was adorable, and freed up Gallus for shipping with either Silverstream or Smolder (either works)
6. Ocellus. You pretty much hit the nail on the head.

[JimmyHook19]

-sees Silverstream at #2-

WAT

[BezierBallad]

6. Ocellus
Why she moved down: I'm as surprised as you are that this is happening, but poor Ocellus hasn't gotten anything of substance this season. The most we got was a really random throwaway line about her having an identity crisis, which I'm not sure why she would be having it now.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. Especially when you recall the moments of the other 5:

• As far as I can tell, Smolder was the first to be hit with the limelight; ever since “Molt Down” she has had some pretty good interactions with Spike, and she’s even been a big-sister figure in “Father Knows Beast.”
• We got a good look Gallus’ character depth and at least some backstory in “The Hearth’s Warming Club” when it’s revealed that he didn’t have any parents and that he sees his 5 friends as his true family.
• Out of the 6 students during School Raze, Sandbar seemed to play the biggest role. Bland personality aside, he actually did something productive; Getting help from the CMC when his other friends were captured.
• Yona had her own spotlight just recently, in She’s All Yak. Enough said. And we can’t forget her moment of being the voice of reason in Uprooted.
• Even Silverstream got some time to shine; first, we get to know her brother, Terramar, and she at least got limelight in “Student Counsel,” where not only does she tame a cockatrice of all creatures, but she also learns to only seek help from Starlight for truly important matters.