Background ponies are one of the defining features of our fandom. Since the earliest days of Friendship is Magic, we have adopted pretty much any interesting looking horse to corrupt to whatever weird ideas we've come up with. Not only that, but many of them have wildly different stories just based on who you ask. Whether it be motherly Derpy with her daughter Dinky, or Lyra and Bonbon being really into each-other, the early era of MLP was completely filled with them.
Over the years, this practice has kinda died out. Even as models for these incidental characters increases in quality, the wacky idea machine for them seems to be... lacking. A sad situation all around if you ask me.
For this reason, we present 15 under-appreciated background ponies that desperately need more fan content. This post is split in two since we recruited an army of fanfiction writers to defend a few of their favorites, and fanfiction writers tend to be a little bit wordy. You will find them in tomorrow's second section.
Get set number one below!
Mixed Berry
Mixed Berry is seen twice in “The Parent Map,” both times guzzling a fruit smoothie. The first time, she’s coming out of the smoothie shop, but the second, she’s in perfect position to greet visitors to the town! Except her mouth is full. I hope that’s not still the same smoothie.
Probably not. With a name like that, she must drink one after another of those things. She’s the shop’s best customer! Hey, why isn’t she running the shop?
With unusually large eyes, she looks right into your soul, and you could get… lost in…
Berries. Must buy berry smoothies.
Huh? What was I talking about?
Oh, um, she sports a cute short haircut, and her dress with the thick vertical stripe reminds me of 60s fashion or racing models.
Now excuse me while I find my keys and swing by the smoothie shop.
Cinder Glow
Is this an official name? The wiki simply calls her “Composed Kirin” or “Unnamed Kirin #1.” In any case, she’s adorable, as are all kirin. Do you doubt me? Can you see that I am serious? Out of my way, all of you. This is no place for loafers.
The kirin are all now doubtless more emotionally healthy, but at what price? We lost the mildly curious head tilt. Plus Cinder Glow is the one who played the cutest game of charades ever. The wavy arms, the begging for water… and she already learned her lesson! Only moments before, Applejack and Fluttershy’s argument had alarmed her, but Autumn Blaze’s brief nirik therapy session just afterward didn’t even faze her.
Too bad that in the subsequent outpouring of kirin voices, we don’t hear Cinder Glow’s. She’s just working up to it gradually, letting the others have their say first, even though she was the catalyst to get them all started. She’s very considerate! Or she’s secretly plotting how to have a major nirik session.
All the Las Pegasus Showmares
Against all probability, there are still quite a few background ponies without a consensus fandom name. These mares don’t garner any, and we don’t even get to see them on the job! In “Viva Las Pegasus,” they enjoy a conversation in the lobby, no doubt between performances. Whatever friendship bug had ever so coincidentally bitten all of Gladmane’s employees, it didn’t affect this stalwart trio.
Interestingly, they share the long-legged character design of such ponies as Sassy Saddles and Fleur de Lis, yet they are all earth ponies. They’ve also concealed their cutie marks. How risque! They doubtless have something to do with show business.
Whatever their story, they’ve already mastered friendship enough to be immune to Gladmane’s meddling. I’d wager Flim and Flam got their Friendship University idea by watching these experts.
Cleopatra Jazz
Cleopatra Jazz struts her stuff front and center in “Dungeons & Discords,” when Discord snaps Spike and Big Mac into a jazz club while doing his Mask schtick. She has a lovely flapper-type character design, all accessorized.
It must take a lot of hairspray to get her tail to stay like that. Is she just a patron? Or a performer? Either way, she fits right in. A cutie mark of three bananas. Hmm… perhaps she enjoys a fruity drink, or maybe she’s a multicultural dancer and emulates Carmen Miranda. Or maybe she simply has a fondness for the tropics.
Discord’s antics don’t seem to bother her, but as he calls this club a place for a real guys’ night out, he must frequent the establishment. She’s seen enough of his monkeyshines over the years, and they no longer surprise her. He keeps it within reason here, or the owner would ask him to take his hijinks elsewhere. Would she dare to photobomb Discord otherwise?
Probably. Jazz royalty would do no less.
Fiery Fricket
Fiery Fricket makes background appearances in three episodes, plus Forgotten Friendship. In fact, except for that special, every time we see her, it’s in Las Pegasus. With her cutie mark of a ring of blue flame, I might expect her to be part of a stunt or circus show, but she’s always in the crowd.
Gathering intelligence. Sizing up the competition. Biding her time.
Yes, she’ll start her own extravaganza soon enough, and the ponies will flock in to watch. Death-defying, flaming thrills to delight and astonish! She’d be perfect for The Washouts, except she’s never found herself down and out. The filly with a flawless flair for flaunting fascinating fantastic fire formations, sure to branch out beyond Las Pegasus soon!
Fresh Coat
Fresh Coat barely makes an appearance at all, maybe one second of screen time. She’s part of the crew that helps Rarity and Pinkie fix up Coriander Cumin and Saffron Masala’s restaurant. Of course, in the pony world, if you’re doing a job, you’re probably good at it.
She already has a big smile on her face for the task at hoof, and it pays off: the renovated eatery… well, it flops. That’s not Fresh Coat’s fault though! Then Pinkie and Rarity undo all her hard work. That’s life as a background pony, I guess, but I bet Rarity wouldn’t hire just any painter. She knows quality work, and Fresh Coat delivers.
She’d be a wonderful friend to have. Everybody knows the pain of painting a room, so when someone is not only good at it but also enjoys it, that’s a valuable pony.
Like March Gustysnows, we don’t get to see her without her hat on, so there’s only a tease of what seems to be a cute hairdo, tied up in a bun to keep it out of her paint.
Sweet Biscuit
Sweet Biscuit pops up in the background of three episodes, plus the Best Gift Ever special. But in “Spice Up Your Life,” she gets a speaking line! In fact, she helps bring home the episode’s moral.
Once again, Rarity knows quality, and ponies respect that. Sweet Biscuit doesn’t let Zesty Gourmand tell her what food she is and isn’t allowed to like. Rarity recommended the Tasty Treat to her, and she trusts Rarity’s judgment. Of course, ponies should make up their own minds, but Biscuit gives it a fair shake and is well rewarded.
Her cutie mark is cookies… er, wait a minute. Her name refers to them as biscuits. But she doesn’t have a British accent. An expatriate? Caneighdian? Whatever, the reason, how appropriate for somepony endorsing international flavor. Interesting as well that when she stands up for the Tasty Treat’s owners, she goes on the advice of “Rarity and her friends.” Rarity would have the name recognition in Canterlot, but for somepony with an expertise in confections, might she identify more with Pinkie?
Except her first appearance was as a patron of Rarity’s shop in “Canterlot Boutique.” She learned long ago to respect Rarity’s taste.
Jasmine Leaf
Contributed by Sethisto
I've never like Tea. I've tried every single type out there and just don't "get" it. It's like drinking Kool-Aid when you only had a little bit of flavoring left but you didn't want to throw it out. Terrible.
I also don't get all these incredible health benefits people announce when they drink it. Increased energy, better skin, increased focus, the ability to melt steel with your eyes; none of it ever happens for me. Maybe there is a blockade buried in my brain somewhere that equates these magical effects with healing crystals and essential oils. The stuff of Multi-Level-Marketing pyramid scams.
But...
Jasmine Leaf here is different. She's not a money-pit for soccer moms. She's not out to steal your vaccine and replace it with special blend tiger tea with extra cosmic energy that she swears will make you completely immune to every form of disease and add 12 years to your life span for every gallon you consume. Not at all. She's just selling her teas. Her shop is comfy as hell, and the madness of the literal god of chaos barging in barely shook her. The ultimate chillpone. She might have quicksand dragon tea in stock that supposedly makes Viagra look like a sugar pill, but she's not forcing it on you.
She also reminds me of Cheerilee, and I love Cheerilee.
Because of this, I will consume 5 gallons of Arizona Tea until I like it. I feel like this would be a fitting tribute to a pony that desperately needs more fan content. Maybe I'll blow up with anime muscles and gain the power of flight. Who knows?
We continue tomorrow with seven more background ponies, contributed by fanfic writers who have written for them! Check it out at around the same time.
