Hello, everyone. It's your favorite neighborhood Slorg here with another pony spotlight. Some of you might be wondering if, since it is called Pony Spotlight, we'll only be featuring ponies here. The answer to that is no! While ponies are most certainly the main focus of the show, we can't leave our non-pony friends behind!
More on that in later weeks, though. Getting back to this week's focus who is a pony, he also happens to be another pegasus. It's Bulk Biceps!
But he wasn't always a pegasus, or even a pony for that matter. What do I mean? Head on down below the break to find out!
Aliases: Snowflake, Roid Rage, Horse Power
Cutie Mark: A dumbbell
Appearances: 13 episodes, Rainbow Rocks, several EQG shorts
First Appearance: Hurricane Fluttershy
Speaking Roles: 5
Random Fact: Bulk's Yeahs were originally voiced by director Jayson Thiessen, until Rainbow Falls called for an expanded speaking role provided by current VA Michael Dobson.
Beginnings
In the beginning there was a voice, and that's all there was. You see, Bulk Biceps wasn't initially scripted to be a character at all. His 'Yeah!' shouts in season two's Hurricane Fluttershy were meant to be part of the general sound of background voices disassociated with any characters in particular. At some point, however, someone decided to give the voice a huge, muscle-bound body as a visual gag and it all evolved until we were given the largest pony to ever be seen up to that point. YEAH!!
Bulk is among the group of pegasi who are called together by Rainbow Dash to assist in creating a tornado that will transport Ponyville's water reserves to Cloudsdale for cloud making. Despite being mostly a visual gag, we see that he is shown to be enthusiastic, with multiple 'Yeah's being issued throughout the episode. He also manages to keep up with the rest of the pegasi in the tornado, despite his tiny wings. Because later episodes see him struggle to fly quickly, it can be assumed that the wind from the rest of the pegasi in the tornado helped to make it easier for him to keep up.
It wouldn't be until season three's Wonderbolts Academy that Bulk Biceps would make his return. This time, he is seen in the group of potential Wonderbolts recruits alongside Rainbow Dash, Cloud Chaser, and Lightning Dust, among others. He is cowed when confronted by Spitfire, who scrutinizes his tiny wings and asks him if he thinks he's 'hot stuff.' He is later seen looking ill after getting on the Dizz-a-tron. Afterward, he is named as Cloud Chaser's wing pony and ends up on the red team during a flag hunt. He gets caught up in a cloud during an aerial obstacle course designed to measure precision flying under extreme conditions, and is later bowled over when Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash knock two pegasi off-course in their efforts to pass them. He also chooses to bite clouds to dissipate them, as opposed to the general kicking that most pegasi do.
When Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust accidentally unleash a tornado on the rest of the Mane Six's hot air balloon, Bulk ends up saving the care package they had put together for Rainbow Dash. He has a look on his face that shows obvious disapproval when it is revealed that it was Lightning Dust's idea to make a tornado. He may be slow and clutzy, but he definitely knows the difference between what's right and wrong.
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| I am okay with this. Very okay. |
Growth
Bulk's next appearance wouldn't be until season four, where he briefly appears in Flight to the Finish. He is given a bit of character development here, despite not having any lines to say in this episode. During the song, Hearts as Strong as Horses, he is shown training with the Cutie Mark Crusaders by holding a tug-o-war rope. This wouldn't be his last time hanging with the Crusaders, and it also shows his fear of butterflies when he drops the rope in terror upon seeing one land on his snout. His fear of butterflies is confirmed again in his series 3 trading card, where it lists butterflies and wing-ups as his fears. The card also explains that he is an incredibly kind pony, and that it is his immensely strong physique that allows him to fly with such tiny wings. This means without his muscles, he wouldn't be able to fly! Scootaloo, take note!
His next appearance was in Rainbow Falls, and it is the first episode in which he is named. He is part of the Ponyville aerial relay team trying to qualify for the Equestria Games. He has far more dialogue in this episode than in his previous appearances, though most of it just shows off more of his endless enthusiasm. He is also confirmed to not be the brightest pony of the bunch when he admits he needs to be reminded what his team's goal is at the qualifier. He also shouts "P is for Rainbow Dash!" and has to be reminded by Fluttershy that Rainbow Dash actually begins with an R. He later shows off his pectoral muscles to Fluttershy, earning him a giggle, and eventually puts on a dress that matches hers. When she accidentally hits him while trying to pass a horseshoe baton, he runs off crying, but he shows heart later on when he visits Rainbow Dash in the hospital. With Rainbow Dash's help, he and Fluttershy qualify for the Equestria Games.
In Simple Ways, he briefly shows up in the crowd as Mayor Mare chooses the pony of ceremonies. In Inspiration Manifestation, he is shown standing next to a 'test your strength' game. He also, of course, shows up in Equestria Games, flying in last place in the aerial relay, though his team would go on to medal. His last appearance in season four was in the finale, where he is among the ponies whose flight is stolen by Lord Tirek.
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| I am also okay with this. Very okay. |
Current Status
Season five gave Bulk even more character development, with it being revealed in Castle Sweet Castle that he works at the Ponyville Day Spa as a deep tissue masseuse, much to Spike's dismay. Unfortunately, the rest of this season's appearances were just cameos. In Slice of Life, he is hugged by Steven Magnet during Cranky's wedding to Matilda, and in The Cutie Re-Mark part 2, he shows up in the final shot as all the ponies stare at the camera.
Season six continues Bulk's occasional development in On Your Marks, where he once again teams up with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. This time, he overhears them talking about how they can't find anyone with a cutie mark problem. He comments that he knows exactly how they feel, because he has a cutie mark problem and can't find anypony to help him out. This not only again confirms that he's not the sharpest pair of scissors in the drawer, but it also tells us that he's not sure what his cutie mark means. Not only that, but he was playing alone at a children's playground as he pondered this.
Bulk saw a dumbbell cutie mark appear on his flank, so he went out and lifted every dumbbell in Ponyville. Every. Single. One. Then he ran out of dumbbells to lift and became dismayed. The Crusaders suggest he lifts other things besides dumbbells... something he hadn't thought of. When he asks what he should do when he runs out of other things to lift, Sweetie Belle suggests that he should teach other ponies how to lift things. This is very likely the start of a path that will lead him towards becoming a fitness instructor. As fitting a career as you can get!
This latest episode shows us some deep insight into Bulk's mind. He isn't the smartest pony around, and he really seems to take things quite literally. When faced with a problem, he took the most straight-forward approach to solving it. When that didn't work, and he couldn't think of any other solutions, he became upset and went to an empty playground to think about it. Pretty deep for somepony who started out as just a voice!
Some Bulk Biceps Fanfics
Scootalift
Ask Snowflake
Buff Love
More Than Muscle
Milkshakes
Stronger
Bonus Videos!
