I come from details-focused story and setting land, which means you are free to disregard anything I say regarding the structure of this drama-focused series. You’re right that what I’m insinuating would turn the movie into a shaggy dog story, but feel that replacing her horn shouldn’t be too difficult. I agree that it shouldn’t be done in the movie, but it should be done at some point in the future…which is unlikely given her voice actress is some hollywood somebody.
After years of thinking she needs to be fixed and using her horn to hurt others, she finally uses it to create something beautiful; something she can be proud of.
You know, both sides are providing decent points. Tempest’s design is gorgeous top to bottom, the color choices compliment each other, and her character VERY likable. Those design choices are also drawn from many of the shortcuts mentioned below (the edgy broken horn, a tall build to appear imposing, the eye scar from tragic backstories everwhere). Her likeability is in no small part due to the AMAZING portrayal by her voice actress, and while her backstory and personality are totally serviceable and a lot of love and care obviously went into her, it all may have fallen flat in less talented hands.
My point is, Tempest DOES draw from many cliches and shortcuts, it can’t really be denied. She was also well designed and beautifully acted and animated, which put those cliches to great use. There’s a saying, “Tropes are tools”, and that really applies here. We can try to ignore that Tempest was deliberately designed using several overused tropes. Others can ignore the fact that it WORKS WONDERFULLY and she’s a fun and cool character THANKS in part to those tropes. She’s still tropey. She’s still awesome. Both are true. :P
@Naughtypony2010
It’s both objective and subjective, really. Yes, it’s an opinion at the end of the day, but it’s an analytical one. I’m not claiming a completely objective observation like you can have in architecture, “that building has no doors, that’s a bad design”, nor a completely subjective one, like “broccoli tastes bad”. This falls under the same category as movie reviewing. Batman and Robin (1997) was bad. The Last Airbender (2010) was bad. There are probably plenty of people that loved those movies, many even because they were bad. Plenty of people even thought they were “good”—people that haven’t seen many movies and thus are unfamiliar with tropes, and the directors that created them. It’s the same situation here, really. I can state my educated point of view, but one thing I can’t state is whether or not you like Batsuit nipples. Holy hell was that a bad idea….
@Delphince
You said that her design was something a teenager would create on their first try. I pointed out that the colour composition is more nuanced than that. Same thing with her motivation; it’s more nuanced than you presented it.
This is a setting where you can tell exactly what a character is about just by looking at them. My very first thought when I saw her design was
“The decision to make her look like an edgy OC is so obviously intentional. I wonder where they’re going with this.”
And then it subverts every single expectation her design creates. The reddish mane means you expect her to have a lot of attitude. In reality, she’s very polite and professional. She isn’t doing what she does because she’s a badass conqueror bent on revenge; she’s working as a mercenary to get something important back. The fact that someone like The Storm King holds something important over her gives her a sense of vulnerability, and makes her relatable.
The eye scar and broken horn aren’t the product of her being tough and dangerous. They’re the result of the life-changing injury she sustained; a reminder of her vulnerability. The broken horn isn’t to make her unique, it’s an exploration of an idea that exists within the show’s setting, as well as the main driving force behind her character arc. People like her because the loss of her horn and her quest to get it back can represent a variety of things. It’s a relatable journey. I convinced my mom to watch it, and when we got to Tempest’s backstory, she said “That’s what happened to me.”
As for her backstory, young ponies leaving home in pursuit of their destiny is a recurring thing throughout the show.
Your criticism consists of pointing out details and just assuming they’re bad, without considering their underlying reasons for existing. Some guy uploads a bad OC to DeviantArt and suddenly no one is allowed to use certain ideas? Come on. I’m starting to wonder if you’ve even seen the movie.
