Howdy everyone! TheSlorg here, and it's time to address something that has been bothering me for a while now.
Ponies cry. A lot.
Seriously, though, My Little Pony can be a lot more emotional than many viewers might initially predict. There have been tears of sorrow, tears of joy, and an occasional tear from pain. I began to take notice somewhere around season four, and it's been nagging me ever since then. Just how often do they cry? Is it every episode? Which pony cries the most often?
Well, if you've ever wondered the same—or are just bored and need a few minutes of entertainment—then you're in luck! I've taken on the enormous task of studying every single episode of My Little Pony, and have counted the tears. We'll be exploring the entire series, starting with season one, and we'll even include non-pony characters for the fun of it. Head on below the break to get the facts!
Before We Begin
So why bother with researching such a thing as pony tears? As we are all aware, the characters we know and love are a complicated lot, with a much larger emotional spectrum than what you might typically find in a show targeting the demographic that it does. Tearful moments are but one small part of that spectrum, but they do tell us a lot about one's personality!
Additionally, watching an entire season of a series in search of something as specific as tears can be a daunting task. You have to ask yourself what, exactly, counts as crying, for instance. For the purposes of this article, I have skipped over a lot of close calls, or instances where a character came close to crying, but didn't quite make it. I didn't skip them all, however, and will make a note of them as they appear. The rest of the moments I have listed will either have visible tears, or will have the character's eyes visibly shimmering.
Finally, as much time as I put into trying to keep the list as accurate as possible, there is always the chance that I missed a moment or two. There will also likely be some who would contend what, exactly, counts as crying. If you find anything I missed, or wish to challenge a moment that is listed here, feel free to comment below. And now for what we've all been waiting for, let the tears begin!
Season One
Friendship is Magic part 1 - Twilight Sparkle cries twice. Once when subjected to Rarity's torturous dress-fitting, and another time after accidentally drinking hot sauce.
Friendship is Magic part 2 - Steven Magnet cries over his lost mustache. Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna all tear up over the reunion of the two sisters.
The Ticket Master - Twilight Sparkle daydreams about Rarity crying due to not getting tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala. Possibly doesn't count due to not being an instance of Rarity actually crying, but I'm listing it anyway.
Applebuck Season - Daisy is the first background pony to cry after a stampede of bunnies ruins her flowers. Applejack comes very close to tears, as her eyes shimmer when Twilight offers to help her with her chores. Seeing that this is usually as close as Applejack ever gets to real tears, I'm counting it.
Griffon the Brush-Off - Fluttershy melts hearts everywhere when she cries over being roared at by Gilda. Gilda also cries when she eats pepper-laced vanilla lemon drops. This one could be contended though, as it may actually be sweat instead of tears. It comes from near her eyes though, so I'm listing it.
Boast Busters - Rarity cries after her hair is turned green by Trixie.
Dragon Shy - The Red Dragon cries after being scolded by Fluttershy.
Look Before You Sleep - Twilight Sparkle cries very briefly when she becomes fed up with her failed attempts at the perfect slumber party.
Bridle Gossip - It took nine episodes, but we finally have one that is tear-free!
Swarm of the Century - Lyra Heartstrings tears up after a parasprite consumes her pie in a single bite.
Winter Wrap Up - Twilight Sparkle cries after Applejack scolds her for using magic during Winter Wrap Up. Rarity later cries when she falls behind in her nest-making duties.
Call of the Cutie - Berry Punch possibly cries briefly when Apple Bloom pressures her to buy some apples. This could also be sweat but, as above, it comes from near the eyes so I'm listing it. Apple Bloom also gets teary-eyed after being tormented by Diamond Tiara.
Fall Weather Friends - Another tear-free episode!
Suited For Success - Rarity cries after the failure of her first fashion show.
Feeling Pinkie Keen - The third tear-free episode!
Sonic Rainboom - Rainbow Dash cries for the first time... twice! First when saving Rarity using her sonic rainboom (though it could be argued that the wind on her eyes is what is causing this, tears are still tears!), and again after the crowd erupts into cheers.
Stare Master - The fourth tear-free episode!
The Show Stoppers - Vera, a background pony with a pink lotus cutie mark, weeps after her mane in ruined by the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Apple Bloom's eyes get teary after the CMC realize their song was awful. Much like Applejack, she still doesn't fully cry though.
A Dog and Pony Show - Rarity fakes some crying here and there, but cries real tears when one of the diamond dogs calls her a mule.
Green Isn't Your Color - Rarity and Fluttershy both get teary-eyed when they realize how they truly felt about Fluttershy's sudden popularity.
Over a Barrel - Spike cries for the first time after watching the ponies and buffalo fight.
A Bird in the Hoof - Fluttershy cries when she watches Philomena die (before her resurrection).
The Cutie Mark Chronicles - Tear-free episode #5!
Owl's Well That Ends Well - Spike cries when he feels as if Twilight no longer loves him.
Party of One - Pinkie Pie gets very close to tears when she thinks her friends have abandoned her. This one is debatable, but her actions clearly show distress so I'm including it.
The Best Night Ever - We end the season with the sixth episode without tears. Huzzah!
So Who Cried the Most?
With only six of the first twenty-six episodes managing to avoid tears, that means that nearly 75% of the episodes did have crying. There were certainly plenty of tears to go around. So which pony ended up crying the most?
Below is a list of all the characters who cried in season one, and how often they did, beginning from least to most.
- Steven Magnet - 1
- Daisy - 1
- Gilda - 1
- The Red Dragon -1
- Lyra Heartstrings - 1
- Berry Punch - 1
- Vera - 1
- Princess Luna - 1
- Princess Celestia - 1
- Applejack - 1
- Apple Bloom - 2
- Spike - 2
- Rainbow Dash - 2
- Pinkie Pie - 2
That means that all three of the top three teariest ponies are members of the Mane Six. Here they are, in order from least to most!
Top Three
- Fluttershy - 3
- Twilight Sparkle - 4
- Rarity - 6
So there we have it! Rarity is the character who cried the most in season one. Congratulations? Were you expecting a different character to be number one? Do you think Rarity will still be number one once the season two post goes up? Do ponies ever make you cry? Let me know in the comments below.
Twitter: TheSlorg
