Every series has it's dependable character that is always there backing up the rest of the cast, be it with logic, skills, or simply a protective nature. Friendship is Magic does it a little bit different. Since we technically have seven "main" characters, we tend to see a different form of this as the ponies provide this kind of support between the group using their various strengths and weaknesses.
But what would happen if you were suddenly teleported to Equestria, and had to brave a dangerous adventure with a single pony as your sidekick?! Which character in the show would be the most dependable and willed to see you succeed?
Below the break, we dive into four of the best choices! Obviously, your mileage may vary. Feel free to drop yours in the comments.
Now go get some dependable cartoon horses!
Twilight Sparkle
The paragon of dependability! Even the god queen of Equestria herself puts 100% faith in Twilight getting stuff done. If Celestia can do it, why can't you? There isn't a problem Sparklebutt can't solve. Rampaging beastie leveling your town? Grab a Twilight. Falling behind on your harvest quota and can't buck trees fast enough? Twilight will pick every apple in seconds. A certain princess of Friendship accidentally messed up a spell and turned you into a mindless zombie bent on destroying all of Equestria? Twilight has the solution on the same page as the spell surprisingly!
Sure, there are a few times where her endless repertoire of spells backfire... but she always fixes it in the end! Besides, I actually preferred Fluttershy as a batpony*, and seeing all of Ponville battling it out for a rag doll is dependably entertaining. If nothing else, you can always count on Twilight to keep the plot moving.
Her will to succeed is usually tied to helping her friends, and almost unmatched when a situation arises that requires it. From Discord corrupting everypony to cutie marks being swapped, she always digs herself out of whatever hole she has fallen into and wins. A friend in Twilight means a friend who will always have your back, no matter how bad the odds look!
*please don't send me angry emails
Princess Luna
It's still somewhat of a mystery when it comes to how powerful Luna actually is. Creating something like the Tantabus and brain-diving into all of Ponyville does hint at her abilities being pretty incredible. We aren't just going for power here though. How would her personality work when watching your back on your journey into the unknown?
Moony just wants some love. She has spent the last thousand years locked up with a bunch of creepy shadow beast things. She is repentant for what she has done, and desperate for the admiration of her subjects again. She'd see the chance to protect you as her number one priority, and do everything in her power to get you through your journey successfully!
The only negative is her sleep schedule. Luna is apparently a pretty heavy sleeper. I hear it's because she You might want to install some kind of alarm button to wake her up, or you might end up battling it out with an army of changelings while she snoozes back in the tent.
Applejack
I've always wondered why Applejack was the element is honesty. She is a lot more dependable than honest, and by far one of the most reliable of the mane cast. There aren't many ponies in the show that would drag their friend all the way up a mountain just so she isn't left behind.
Let's not forget that she was already named the most dependable of ponies by whatever council governs Ponyville. Her farm is run like clockwork despite constantly being threatened by everything from pests to the occasional random crazy magical beastie. Her barn seems almost cursed in how many times it has been obliterated, yet the structure returns in no time at all due to her hard working personality and ability to simply move on after a major disaster.
She's one of the most level-headed ponies we have gotten to know, and a shoulder to lean on during even the darkest of times. Even if her preference for the traditional over the efficient sometimes gets in the way of progress, she is still willing to change when it best suits her friends or family.
The Great and Powerful TRIXIE
Nopony has the will to succeed like the Great and Powerful TRIXIE! Her cutie mark origin story is literally the tale of a pony who spent her youth traveling across Equestria getting laughed at. Even the elite over in Canterlot caller her an amateur. Imagine the kind of damage that would do to a kid, constantly being told they are terrible. Think of the fortitude required to take that kind of criticism and still pull out ahead!
She's also pretty desperate for friendship. Just 24 hours of Glimglam and she was completely sold on the idea, ready to throw everything away for her new bestie. There may have been a few rocky periods of revenge, but that is only because she is so ambitious. A real go getter this one. In the end, she picked friendship over winning. A friend in Trixie is a friend you can count on!
On top of that, she is a reasonably talented unicorn, at least more talented than the average. We've seen her cast a wide range of spells over the last few seasons and comics. While nowhere near as powerful as Twilight, her tricky stage magic should come in handy if you find yourself tied up in a saw mill or dangling over a shark pit.
Why not RAINBOW DASH? She is the Element of Loyalty after all!
I love Rainbow Dash, and I definitely think she would be there for you in a pinch, but I also think she's a bit too spontaneous to be reliable. She's a big time go-getter, but she also lets it go straight to her head and usually requires bailing out. For all the times Dashie would be there to support and protect you, you'd have to return the favor twofold when she charges into something that is way over her skill level, just to impress you.
When she matures up a bit, I bet she will be the ultimate in loyal protector ponies, but right now, she has some growing up to do.
And that about covers it. Thanks to Bill Ames for the idea! Feel free to discuss whatever ponies you think would be much better protectors in the comments!
