Because this is My Blog and I am allowed to squee about ponies if I want to.
I have to admit, when Rarity was first introduced I was like “oh fuck. It’s The One Who’s Into Fashion.” It is a truth universally acknowledged that every shitty girls’ TV show must have a Girl who is Into Fashion and all of whose character traits revolve around shoe shopping and the need for added closet space. I am pretty much 100% the biggest proponent of femininity you’ll find, and even I am profoundly annoyed by The One Who’s Into Fashion.
I think the thing that separates Rarity from ordinary girls’ TV characters that are Into Fashion is that most of the fashionistas in girls’ TV are primarily consumers of fashion: they like shopping and coordinating outfits. Rarity, on the other hand, is a creator.
A lot of Rarity’s plotlines are about the problems of being an artist. What do you do when a friend becomes more successful than you do? How do you deal with criticism of your work? What about when you’re on deadline but you spend so much time making something absolutely perfect that you don’t have time to finish all the work you’re supposed to do? Or when people keep bothering you when you try to work? Artist problems!
Furthermore, just because Rarity is feminine does not mean that she isn’t made of pure badassery. Which is another of my problems with the Characters that are Into Fashion– they often are kinda dumb and don’t have much going for them beyond awesome outfits. Feminine does not mean dumb or weak, people. If you write all your feminine characters as dumb and weak you are bad and you should feel bad.
I think A Dog and Pony Show shows it off best: Rarity gets kidnapped and the Mane Six decide to stage a rescue! Fortunately, Rarity has maxxed out her Charisma score, so she just Ransom of Red Chiefs the hell out of her kidnappers until they’re cowed into submission. What I particularly like is that it’s not that Rarity is suddenly able to fight: it’s that she’s manipulative and clever and good at people, the same personality traits she’s had throughout the show, and she can fucking destroy you with them. And that is a trope I adore.
Y’know this post is almost enough to convert me from someone with zero interest in this show to someone watching a few episodes to try it out.
I have recently started watching FIM and I loved this episode. Although I think Rainbow Dash is still shaping up to be my favourite. :3
I’ve noticed that conflating of ‘interested in fashion’ with ‘airhead’ way too often too. Very lazy stereotyping, in my opinion, and I think the ‘femmephobia’ tag is apt.
You sir, have won the internet for such a thought provoking article.
I’ve loved the way Rarity is done, too. In fact, I like how all the mane 6 are characterized. You have:
- Rarity. Ozy did a good job of fleshing her out, so not much more to say there.
- Twilight Sparkle. Type-A bookworm who wants all her friends to be happy, but isn’t always sure how to accomplish it; in the 1st season and parts of the 2nd, she’s terrified of not going By The Book because what if she’s wrong?
- Rainbow Dash. A daredevil flyer who loves to play pranks, but would never let down a friend in need.
- Fluttershy. Shy animal lover, but you do NOT mess with Fluttershy. She’s quite forceful when she wants to be. Super-sweet to her friends, who often help her to come out of her shell a bit.
- Pinkie Pie. I used to be annoyed by Pinkie Pie, but she’s definitely grown on me. Fun, loud, ADHD pony who loves to see people laugh. She has a strong need for her friends’ approval (“Party of One,” anyone?) and is occasionally a bit of an airhead.
- Applejack. Hard-working country girl who values honesty and being someone you can depend on. Occasionally a bit hard-headed, but she loves her friends and family and just wants to make things work out for everybody.
Any one pony, by herself, wouldn’t be able to carry the show. But by having all 6 characters, with the implication that “you can have any kind of personality, whether it’s feminine or not, and that’s a Good Thing,” you get a fairly balanced show.
You know why girls’ shows always have The One Who’s Into Fashion?
Merchandising.
If you have a character who’s obsessed with clothes, you can sell a shit-ton of doll clothes.
So, as I understand it, while Lauren Faust was developing MLP:FIM, Hasbro told her she to include One Who’s Into Fashion so that indo addition to little plastic ponies, they could sell little crappy dresses to put on the little plastic ponies. She turned the stereotype on its ear by making Rarity an artist and entrepreneuse rather than the typical shopaholic.
Lauren Faust. May her path ever be clear of LEGOs.
My favorite pony was Pinkie Pie.
It took a while for her to win me over, but she eventually did just by the fact that she is always the center of the more “cartoony” sort of jokes. I like to think that she knows she is in a cartoon, and “chose” to be the laughing party lover as opposed to something potentially more serious.
Furthermore we got a glimpse of what happens to ponies when something interferes with fulfilling thier one true calling in Party of One.
Smile Smile Smile might be the most sickly sweet song EVER.
My one gripe is that they gave “child care” as a personality trait to her. This seemed to come a little out of left field, and the fact that they had one of the earth ponies do it seems a little off. As in all the other ponies have something special, wings, magic, lacking that you have… Babies. That being said the more I think about it the more it seems like that would not have really fit with any other character, so I might just be nitpicking.
PsyConomics–But they DIDN’T give “child care” to her. They made it LOOK LIKE that was a trait of hers, but it isn’t. Remember how terrible she turned out to be at the actual caretaking part of childcare? What she’s good at is being childish and having fun for the sake of it. She’s great with kids because she’s a goofball, but she can’t take care of them. I think one of the points of that episode was recognizing your strengths, and how your actual strengths might not extend to related but HIGHLY DIFFERENT fields. And admitting failure in time to save the thing you’re failing at.
And remember, they have two of each of the pony types. One of each pair is special because of their type-trait, and the other of the pair is special because of something else. Twilight Sparkle is a magical prodigy–Rarity is a creative genius. Rainbow Dash can fly like a badass–Fluttershy is compassionate to the max, and also authoritative mama bear when necessary. Applejack makes things grow–Pinkie Pie is… I don’t know what Pinkie Pie is exactly, which I think is the thing that makes her special. So. Earth ponies’ “thing” is working the land, in a semi-magical way like how pegasi work the weather, but not ALL of them do that. I really like how this show sets it up so that there are different categories of people, and what you are is part of who you are, but it’s not everything and it’s not even that important, in the end.
Rarity, on the other hand, is a creator.
I tend to hate fashion too, but this is why I never miss “Project Runway”–people just stare at me in disbelief.
This post convinced me to give the show a second chance after being underwhelmed by the first episode and setting it aside. And now I love it! Thank you.
P.S.: Rarity is exactly as awesome as this made me expect.