De-Bunking TV-TROPE'S (Lightning Dawn's character) · 9:40pm Apr 28th, 2022
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Characters/MyBravePonyStarfleetMagicSpacePonies
*Sighs*
Maybe I should join the tropes myself and then I can really get rid of all this propaganda, especially seeing as how these bozos don't even read the stories right.
Expy:
He is basically a male version of Twilight Sparkle, only without her personality and what makes her likable.
Likable to you maybe...
...NAUSEATING to me. (That's why I change it so many of Twilight's personalities portray her as careless, reckless and ignorant)
The main protagonist of Starfleet Magic, Lightning Dawn was rescued by the Grand Ruler at the age of 5 after his home planet was attacked by Serpentari.
Age: 7!
Planet Harmonious was destroyed when he was 5, he spent 2 years lost and alone, wandering from planet-to-planet, struggling to survive.
(Learn to read)
Noticing his golden horn, the Grand Ruler took Lightning under his wing as his student.
Oh, sure... it's not like a poor little guy needs a home, and a caregiver, and show him he can be so much more.
Season 1 Episode 6:
Grand Ruler Celesto: “A boy like you needs a master. Someone who can guide to a proper path. Let me train you, and I promise you will discover that you are capable of doing far more than you believe you can.”
Despite his inability to use magic, he was able to quickly advance to the Admiralty of Starfleet due to his physical strength and ability to use the Uniforce.
Yeah, I mean it's not like he's a soldier who performed incredible feats, proved his worth, and earned a promotion. (His power alone is not just why)
The only absolute privilege he received was at the very start. When he was asked by Grand Ruler Celesto to join Starfleet, rather than start out as a raw cadet and make his way to Lieutenant... he was immediately given the rank of Senior Lieutenant. (Mainly because he had trained with his majesty for 10 years... longer than a normal 4-year term of studying and training, and his potential was well sensed and proven.)
Season 3 reveals that he is the last of the Enticorn race, allowing him access to a powerful, but uncontrollable super form.
No, he is THE CHOSEN ONE by the Entities who CREATED the golden powers; he is the one who would UNLOCK the ancient magic, thus combining it with his pony form... and THAT is how the Enticorn was even BORN. (The original entities were NOT ponies)
You people need to read more of the actual story instead of propaganda articles.
Badass Normal: In season I, he's supposed to be this, having compensated for his lack of magical ability with greater strength and speed.
What do you expect when you've been training like the Dragon Ball characters have, and possess similar powers and abilities to theirs?
In practice, he gets overwhelmed by a crate,
Hey, Goku wailed when Krillin threw a rock at his head, under the impression he'd sense it and blast it away, or feel no pain at all.
Quit your whining.
cowers in front of Titan
Well, it's not like this is his FIRST-EVER battle against a SUPER FOE, and he doesn't know how he can possibly fight it. (He's still new to all this)
before he gets the Uniforce and is hospitalized for exercising too much.
He's not hospitalized, he's just overly exhausted, passes out, and he gets better in almost no time.
However, it's subverted when he turns out to be able to use the Uniforce, and when he unlocks his Enticorn form later on.
Hmmm... Might it also have something to do with all the training and exercising he had put in to that point, thus naturally making himself stronger?
Born Winner: Double subversion. He seemingly can't use magic, so he seems to be relatively weak in the beginning. However, he was born with a Golden Horn similar to the Grand Ruler and is from an extinct species known as the Enticorn.
It's not like he's a freshman starting out or anything...
And again... the Enticorns are not a race. The Original entities that created the golden power are NOT ponies.
He does nothing when Human Twilight is put in a coma by Flash Sentry because he feels that he will only make the situation worse if he were to try to do anything with his suspicions of Flash and his mother being the culprits.
Lightning did suspect Flash Sentry had something to do with it... but even real police can't do much without proper proof, evidence, or fact, especially if they are trying to catch someone through STING or STAKEOUT and they can't compromise the mission.
They may suspect you, have a hunch or two... but they don't actually SEE what happens, or catch you in the act... they can't do much. the most they can do is question you and try to get evidence out of you, but in the end... with no proof, no way.
He also doesn't do anything about Sunset breaking up the HuMane 5's friendship with his reason being that trying to help will not accomplish anything.
Their problems are not his main concern. He's here to find the Rainbow Rod and stop Evil Beings...
(If he knew Sunset's true identity and intentions, maybe he would have helped)
Besides... if he did help them, then what would happen to the ACTUAL Equestria Girls Movie where Twilight has her own mission? (then you'd just complain he stole spotlight from Twilight, or make other excuses.)
Determinator: One of Lightning's defining traits is that he never knows when to quit, which is part of how he was able to draw out the Uniforce the first time. Although he once chose not to fight, which cost them Twilight Sparkle.
1: He did fight with Raven a little bit, but only to try and get Twilight to stop her foolish attempts. (Raven is too strong, even for him to fight)
2: He was ordered to stop Twilight and bring her back; not to engage in too much battle
3: (This is ME... the writer talking) I would've made Twilight die REGARDLESS of ANYTHING ALL that would've happened. (whether Lightning fought or not) So there!
His only real contribution to most fights is to end it with the Uniforce/Rainbow Rod/Capture Blaster.
You demand he actually...
-Punch someone through the heart?
-Kick their head off like a ball on a tee?
This is supposed to be like Power Rangers (with a touch of Dragon Ball in it)
You do it like this...!
Battle monster...
Tire it out...
Power up the finisher...
Monster goes BOOM...
Just like Megazord finishers... (I LOVE IT!!!)
ahem...!
Foil: He's pretty much the opposite of Twilight Sparkle in every way, right down to their respective genders.
Funny, I see, below, how much they are actually ALIKE... not to mention more ignorance from the posters...
Twilight is a prodigy in magic and Took a Level in Kindness from making friends and never sees herself as above them, while Lightning Dawn started with no magic at all, treats his friends as subordinates, and hardly undergoes any Character Development from the hot-headed pony he was at the start.
ALIKE: They are still BOTH students of their respective Royal Monarchs.
DIFFERENCE:
First of all, Twilight is studying to be a model citizen, learning to live apart with society, whereas Lightning is training to be an intergalactic warrior on a never-ending quest to combat evil.
Second: Maybe that's because THEY ARE his subordinates. They are lower in rank... he is the Commander. (Twilight may be Lightning's friend, and she may be a princess... but she is still part of his unit. HE is HER commander.)
Lightning is Supreme Allied Commander: He is the head officer in nearly all of Starfleet (Only answers to Celesto, Celestia, and Luna)
Starla Shine is a Five-star Supreme General: she is Lightning's second-in-command, and the second highest officer overall. Despite being Lightning's wife, she is still his subordinate.
(In Season 10, Lightning threatened to put her on report if she didn't let him go... but he never did that)
Just like HUMAN Celestia and Celesto. They may be husband wife... but when it comes to WORK, he is still her boss.
She is merely the COINCULOR/MANAGER of Canterlot High... Celesto founded and BUILT the school, and is also Director of the School Board... and HE gave Celestia her job in the first place.
Personal friendships/relationships does not really mean you get special treatment... especially While on the job, The boss is the boss.
Twilight earned her status as a Princess of Equestria through her studies on friendship and magic, drawing out her potential by trusting in her friends, while Lightning was handed his titles through countless battles that are only won through various Dei Ex Machina and unlocks power by believing in himself.
(Much as I don't like Twilight as Queen)
In other words, they both struggled, studied, fought for, and earned their ways to the top...
Personal spite for the characters will not change those facts.
Keeper: "Lightning's intentions appear as sincere as yours; yet you judge his approach?"
Twilight: "He's always so brash about things, and he's always hot-headed and trying to make a fight out of things!"
Keeper: "Things aren't always as they seem. Tell me this, Twilight: Is it not possible... that two different paths... can lead to the same destination?
Perhaps you and Lightning are not as different as you think."
They also have contrasting lifelong companions (a male dragon raised from birth versus a female fairy met while traveling).
That will not cut things.
They BOTH have lifelong companions. (You said you were saying how DIFFERENT they are. You went way on the other side on this one)
It's even apparent in their names (Twilight Sparkle vs. Lightning Dawn).
What about STARLIGHT GLIMMER or SUNSET SHIMMER... I don't see you picking on their names. Why should LIGHTING DAWN be the exception?
We've reached the bottom, and so far, and it seems Lightning and Twilight are not TOTAL opposites after all.
Hair-Trigger Temper: In Starfleet Humans, he is constantly mouthing off at people who act rude to him, and sometimes, he is barely restraining himself from using physical force on people who annoy him.
Do you like it when people try to boss you around, or push around others around you? I sure don't, and the reason he's restraining has been explained over and over again...
He has Dragonball-like strength... even if he holds back as much as he could, against these WEAK HUMANS; even his weakest blows could fatal to them.
EXAMPLE: (STARFLEET HUMANS)
When Celestia attacked him in a fit of rage, rather than attempt to punch her off him, Lightning threw a mug of hot coffee in her face, scalding her. (She was lucky the burns healed)
Even his weakest punch could have hurt her fatally... maybe even kill her!! (Can't do that... uhn-uhn)
Police carry guns... their main usage is not to KILL, but rather to scare, or non-fatally wound a criminal to get them to stop whatever it is they are doing. They only kill if it totally necessary, justified, and within procedure.
He-Man Woman Hater: This is the case with pretty much all of Starfleet, but Lightning often takes it to the extreme in some cases.
Great, more of this overblown nonsense (You hate one woman, you hate 'em all=you're sexist)
When he and Twilight have switched bodies, he legitimately contemplates slapping her when she complains about how his powers are difficult to control.
Twilight is freaking out (As usual) and not listening to reason, nor calming down. She needs to SNAP out of it!
In Starfleet Humans, he seems to focus most of his time showing contempt for Sunset Shimmer, Human Twilight, and Principal Celestia (even going so far as to subject the latter, who is a normal civilian, mind you, to a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown with his enhanced strength) rather than actually follow his mission of retrieving the Rainbow Rod or even concern himself with the real main antagonists of the story.
In the case of Sunset: Lightning has very little tolerance for bullies, or vain and shallow attitudes, and Sunset (at this time) is full of it all.
In the case of Sci-Twi: She's being reckless and careless and meddling in things she shouldn't be. In other words, she's getting in the way and causing him grief.
As for Celestia: The woman is a hot-tempered, out of control, loudmouthed, maniac! And (As I have explained many times before, but you people are STILL thick-headed) It was Celestia who started the beat-down by throwing the first physical punch. It doesn't matter if Lightning broke into her office and began to insult her to the point of losing her temper...
SHE... threw the punch, and had no right to.
(Explanation blogs)
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/901703/hitting-people-what-i-was-taught
https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/942371/justification-hitting-someone-for-reasons
You can say you think Lightning deserved to be punched, or you simply want him to be punched out of personal spite for him... but it changes nothing... LEGALLY; you have no right to slug him (Unless he physically tries to hit you first) No matter what he says, or how much he insults you think he's annoying... YOU DON'T SLUG HIM!!
I Resemble That Remark!: He rudely asks Human!Twilight "What kind of name is 'Twilight Sparkle'?" when his name is 'Lightning Dawn'.
Well seriously... at least "LIGHTNING" is a real human name... but...
"Twilight Sparkle?" What kind of a name is that for a human girl?
Relating to my YUGIOH E-QUEST story... it makes me play on the girls names; they're just nicknames given to them, but they have actual names.
Sci-Twi(Amanda)
Rarity (Pauline)
Pinkie Pie (Cathy)
Rainbow Dash (Hillary)
Fluttershy (Marie)
Applejack: (Laura)
Informed Ability: He has been stated to be extremely strong yet he never makes a dent on any monsters in the first seasons. Against other ponies, his strength is more or less equal, even once getting knocked down by a possessed Cheerilee. He also struggles when lifting things and gets out of shape quite easily despite his training with the Grand Ruler. He even passed out during fitness day, a yearly event, all the way back in season 1.
You forget, the monsters he fights are also equipped with the dragonball factor. Their strengths are on par with his and his friends.
As for Cheerilee... she was possessed by a changeling, and therefore, she was granted temporary Dragonball strength... which she used to hit Lightning with by surprise.
He doesn't get out of shape, he's just overly exhausted LIKE ANYONE would be. What, you think he can actually go on and on and on FOREVER?! Even he has to stop and rest at times.
(Just because you are strong does not make you invincible)
Informed Flaw: Lightning tells Twilight that he's sometimes been envious of her ability to do magic in the flashback of the 18th chapter of the 4th season, yet not once has he been seen to be in awe of her.
Just because he wishes he could DO magic like her, does not make him see her in awe. Twilight on the other hand she gazes in awe at him and the uniforce, because it's so incredibly powerful, and unlike anything she's ever seen. THAT is the difference.
Jerkass Has a Point: While he's a jerk and the lessons he gives to the Equestrians aren't always that great, he's sometimes right, e.g. calling out Specter for attacking him as a child.
I get really fed up with the way people keep calling him a jerk when the truth is he is usually right about something, and is being wrongfully questioned.
Karma Houdini: In Starfleet Humans, despite provoking Celestia into attacking him by insulting her and her dead horse, and then scalding her face, Lightning never suffers any punishment other than an extremely short-lived suspension.
Been explained many times...
People CAN try to provoke or goad into wanting to hit them... they are still not legally allowed to hit you, and then you can hit them back or sue them if they snap. But again, even if you are being provoked or insulted verbally... keep those hands to yourself!
Lightning's scalding her face was an act of justifiable self-defense... he will not face criminal charges.
You people are trying to defend Celestia like an abusive mother is trying to justify her actions in whipping her child... there is no excuse.
(THE STORY YOU ARE ABOUT TO HEAR IS TRUE... THE NAMES ARE CHANGED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT)
Dragnet: S3EP20
Mrs. Marion Devon: Caught whipping her 9-year old son, Chris, with an electric cord after he made a mess in the hallway (which she warned him about several times)
It doesn't matter how angry she is... or how deserved punishment she thinks it is... battering a child is a felony... PERIOD. She had no right to do it... PERIOD.
She tries pitifully to justify her actions... that she's under stress, she wants to set her kid right, and she's angry at her husband for leaving them (when it was really she who drove him away) and she was always harsh and strict with her boy.
Again... not an excuse.
Marion: "It was punishment! DESERVED punishment!"
Officer Bill Gannon: "Punishing" is one thing. "Battering" is something else.
She got off pretty easy too: 3 years probation (Provided she get psychiatric treatment) She took her anger out on Sgt Joe Friday, claiming he embarrassed her, made her look like a fool... (She brought it on herself)
Marion: "You know what really sickens me; is that I still have to continue to pay your salary!"
Sgt. Joe Friday: "And I'm going to continue to earn it, Mrs. Devon."
Marion: "Is that right?!"
Sgt. Joe Friday: "The next time we get a report of even a loud voice at your address, I'm going be there leaning on your doorstep!"
Marion: "Is that a threat Segreant?"
Sgt. Joe Friday: "No, Mrs. Devon... that's a promise!"
Kill Steal: Probably the most accurate (if uncharitable) way to describe his contribution to most fights in early seasons, which is to simply finish off an enemy with the Uniforce or Rainbow Rod after his teammates soften it up.
I try my best to balance characters off (Make them do at least something) and it's never easy with that many around and a limited word space permitted.
Until Lightning master's the uniforce, all he can do is punch and kick, and as for the others... they didn't HAVE their finisher moves yet. ONLY LIGHTNING can swing the megazord sword and make the monster go boom. (He has a finisher... THEY don't... yet)
Besides... Sailor Moon does the same stuff, all the other Sailor Scouts have regular attacks to strike or confuse the baddies, but only Sailor Moon does the finisher.
One of you steers the ship... the other fires the missile-gun (WORK TOGETHER AND HELP EACH OTHER)
Lack of Empathy: In Starfleet Humans, he mocks Principal Celestia for the death of her pet horse. He also brings up his own tragedy to justify not lifting a finger when it comes to Cadance's and not comforting her at all.
Perhaps... but then again, Celestia uses it as an excuse to blow her top at everyone, shove them, or hand out harsh punishment for no real reason (Other than she's made that she has a bug up her ass)
...Totally inexcusable, and undeserving of empathy.
You're also talking about HUMAN Lightning, not COMMANDER Lightning. And while he was a bit harsh on Cadance, he did have a point.
"Here you are, waiting for someone to come back (Her brother) that just is never coming back, and if waiting two years hasn't told you anything, you're not one to talk about being realistic."
He apologized to her for it and she accepted.
As for
not lifting a finger when it comes to Princess Cadance's loss of her brother and not comforting her at all.
Wrong again. He had a heart-to-heart talk with her in Season 3, by explaining to her the differences in their own trauma's (She's lost a few people to that point in her life, while Lightning lost his whole world and everything when he was 5) He's not to trying to turn it into a contest, but show her he knows how she feels.
"You feel like you've lost your whole world... I know what that feels like."
He's trying to tell her that, just like him, she's got to pick herself up and keep fighting. (And that he hates to see her all broken and sobbing all the time)
Last of His Kind: Is an Enticorn, explaining his lack of magical ability inherent to Space Ponies.
Oh boy!!
This is the third time I've explained... Lightning is the FIRST EVER enticorn (The combination of an entity and an alicorn)
The reason he has no magic is because he, like his parents, grandparents and several other generations... WERE NOT BORN WITH ANY.
Lightning is a Harmonian Pony (From the Planet Harmonius) Which was discovered by Unicornicopians many generations ago (Seeking other planets for their people to live on, away from all the battles and stress and dangers)
As the name suggested: Harmonious was a blissful planet, and the ponies had grown in a peace-loving society. No weapons, no warfare, no battles... NOTHING. They even stopped using magic, preferring to do things themselves (With their bare hands)
In time, the magic just seeped out of them (A play on... how the less you use certain muscles, they weaker they grow, until your body decides to SHUT THEM DOWN)
So, while they are still an alicorn race, their future decadents were both with no natural magic whatsoever.
THAT... is why Lightning does not have magic. His golden horn and being an enticorn have NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
WILL YOU GET IT RIGHT FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!
Leeroy Jenkins: Nearly always his first method of attack. It is usually ineffective.
Well DUUUUUUUUUUH!! It's a test of strength; to see how powerful the monster is. Like a Pokemon using TACKLE
Madness Mantra: While in his Enticorn form, Lightning repeatedly says, "Evil must die!"
Like practically ALL warriors of Starfleet; Lightning has a deep hatred of evil-- he doesn't like what they do, or what they are capable of doing-- and it is his sworn duty to stop them.
Evil destroyed his home planet, killed his family, and even Twilight... whom he considered like a sister to him. (Despite their differences, he truly loved and cared for her like a real friend)
It was his devotion to avenge Twilight's death that triggered his transformation...
In Season 4, he has a hard time controlling his Enticorn power because it is strongly linked to his emotions. (The more rage and hate he felt... the more wild and crazy his powers went)
Pet the Dog: Although he's a jerk, Lightning Dawn does have his nicer moments, like taking care of an orphaned baby robin and being a good mentor to Swift Star, as well as genuinely mourning Twilight's death.
I see... every time Lightning berates Twilight for her serious lack of judgment, and jeopardizing missions because she won't listen makes him a jerk.
I suppose Grand Ruler Celesto is a jerk to her when he gives her a talking to in season two about her screw up...
Celesto: "You may have had the fastest time... but you got the lowest score. You need to take the time to use your head, before you ever use your magic the way you did!"
Twilight: "But Sire... I hit every single target."
Celesto: "Which means nothing! You didn't think the situation through. Sometimes what you WANT to do is not what you NEED to do."
Or is Starla Shine a Jerk to the TRIGGER-HAPPY, showoff, Rainbow Dash, who flunks her shooting test.
Rainbow: "YEAH-HAW... look at that! I shot all the bad guys."
Starla: "And you also shot an innocent bystander, a hostage, a baby, and a dog! The whole point of this excercise is to show good judgment... not SHOW OFF!"
And don't forget, Twilight's been a jerk plenty of times in her own Canon, and the top three Biggest times she has...
3 HORSEPLAY: When she refused to be honest with Celestia about her terrible acting and tried crazy stunts to improve her, and then blurting out how horrible she is, hurting her dearly.
2 THE MOVIE: When she balks at the others after her attempt to steal the pearl fails, and she ends up hurting Pinkie dearly.
1 MARKS FOR EFFORTS: (Which a lot of us share) She blames the CMC for making Cozy glow fail her exam, and subsequently bans the CMC from coming near her school or her students... without hearing them out, without proper evidence, or getting all the facts straight. She just up and kicks them out... along with every single friendship lesson she ever learned or taught. (Many of us feel she was forgiven and let off FAR TOO easy, and deserved serious reprimanding)
So don't go telling me she's a sweetie-pie compared to Lightning.
This is Starfleet... you have to be tough, and when people do things that push Lightning over the edge, OF COURSE he's going talk down to you (especially when it's justified)
...But I do agree... a few times he has over done it. Like in season three when he was so angry they were all willing to let Starla die and not let Sombra get the last heart piece (Even though he himself knows better)
THINGS I HAVE NOT MENTIONED would just be more repeats and subjects that have already been covered. (and maybe I even agree with)
i agree completely and why dont you edit the tvtrope so its more true
5654105
I am very tempted to...
...It was Nightmare Moon!
... he was CHOSEN by his own people and OFFERED the position.
...And he CO-RULES with Celestia and Luna (They all share)