When you’re working with alternate dimensions, of course not everything will be as reflective as a mirror. That’s even more so with our main pony character and slightly lesser main human character Twilight Sparkle. I do like the idea of a “Spot the Difference” scenario with these two down to their taste in eyewear since one character we’ve followed for nine straight years and the human counterpart we first meet in a cliffhanger scene in the second movie Rainbow Rocks and didn't even keep the same design. So since the banner still says we’re loving books and purple smart, let’s look at the highs and lows of these counterparts and why we still like our nerdy girls in messy bun hairstyles.
1. Similar and Anti-Social Beginnings
Since this had to be nearly the same character, of course Sci Twi had to start off more into studying and her books than anything else. No real different from the original. However, there was a noticeable difference not just with how they came to friendship, but the environment they started in.
While from the very first episode, we at least see that there are acquaintances Twilight can associate herself with in Twinkle Shine, Lemon Heart, and Minuette and we do get to know more of that five seasons later in Amending Fences (literally the only way I even remembered who was there in the first episode). I know it’s to show that Twilight is more interesting in studying…or in this specific case, possibly saving the world, but it does show that there were chances for her to have friends and be around others.
Now with Sci Twi, the world isn’t so bright and colorful. Well…it is…but in a less optimistic way. We fully meet Sci Twi at her school Crystal Prep and see that she’s not only more into studying, but not really well liked around her school. Even in the first few minutes of her walking through school in Friendship Games, she just gets pushed around and glared at like she was the start of all the Flash Sentry fanfictions. Probably doesn’t help to sing a passive aggressive song about how everyone hates you without actually talking to anyone, but that’s just me. Crystal Prep is a vast difference between Ponyville and even a little different from Canterlot. It’s less of a community where everyone worries about their own grades and their own issues, but that’s probably high schools in a nutshell and not really a place to welcome the idea of friendship.
2. Level of Importance
This is a pretty crucial thing when you have so many main characters in one show and each episode there’s focus on one or more characters at a time. But there is a hierarchy when it comes to the Mane 6 vs. the Humane 7 and the biggest factor is Sunset Shimmer.
Since the first season of the show, Twilight has always been out main character aka the “every girl” that the audience would identify with and play either a main or minor part or observer in each episode. She was a major part in The Ticket Master, a minor part in Look Before You Sleep, and an observer in Call of the Cutie. By the way, when I say "observer", it mostly means the episode has nothing to do with her, but she’s there regardless with a line or two and needs to do the moral of the episode. After Lesson Zero, the main focus could switch to other characters without Twilight’s involvement since anyone can experience a lesson in friendship and write their own morals and letters to Celestia. I’m sure it made it a lot easier not to try to cram Twilight into every random situation. But she still had a major role to play in the whole arching story with her and her friends being rulers of Equestria in the end. I can tell you. Never would’ve predicted it from Day 1.
For Sci Twi, she kind of has a bit less importance than her royal counterpart. She didn’t start with the group from the beginning since the lead up to EqG was Twilight visiting the human world. But in the human world, the one with the biggest change of character was Sunset Shimmer, our villain turned best character. She had a lot more going for her than the others with her backstory as Celestia’s runaway pupil, her desire for power, and her struggle for redemption with some minor relapses into her “mean girl” phase. But Sci Twi was still an important part to Sunset’s redemption with seeing her past self in Sci Twi’s desires knowledge and magic. These two would be better working off each other and keeping each other in check, but it feels like Sci Twi faded into the other Humane 7. It’s not to say none of the other characters aren’t equally as important and everyone has their favorites, but it becomes noticeable when conflict strikes who is looked at as the “key” to victory (i.e. Sunset helping against the Dazzlings)
3. Magic vs. Science
Well it’s no surprise these girls love to nerd out with a good book or an experiment here or there. But I do find it interesting that both science and magic can exist in both worlds simultaneously. Not to mention there’s no point in questioning how exactly it works since it’s only explained in the EqG and not FiM.
Granted, magic only came to the human world due to Sunset stealing a magical McGuffin and brining it there, but now it’s just something that happens. At least with Sci Twi she’s not performing as a magician with her telekinesis and instead works at a tech store.
On the other hand, magic and science seem to work hand in hand…hoof in hoof…hand in hoof…you get the idea. While Twilight studies magic, she also seems to dabble in some potion making when teaching Apple Bloom about it in Twilight Time. Zecora is a zebra with no unicorn horn and also practices potion making. And I know I’ll get chewed out for it if I don’t mention the great scientist coincidentally named Doctor Hooves as seen in A Slice of Life with a laboratory and experiments of his own…including time travel. In a way, the pony world can be comprised of anything and everything since modern items like refrigerators, video game machines, and electricity exist.
4. Circle of Friends
This might go along with the whole “being a princess” thing, but it’s safe to say there’s more people that at least know Twilight before and after the wings. Now this might still play into the size comparison of two major cities like Ponyville and Canterlot knowing her compared to two high schools. I would’ve put the Crystal Empire on the list, but pretty sure the statue of Spike holding the Crystal Heart proves who was more important. Twilight is also more involved in her community with her role in Winter Wrap Up and her acting as Celestia’s problem solver of problems she doesn’t feel like dealing with. So in Twilight’s case we can have her interacting with other ponies and along with her old acquaintances turned friends from Amending Fences, her circle continued to grow.
Sci Twi still had a rough start with not many people around her and the only person who actually showed some concern and care was Dean Cadance. It’s hard to tell if their story aligns with Twilight and Princess Cadance with the babysitter turned sister-in-law since they had only two conversations in The Friendship Games and Shining Armor didn’t seem too close to the Cadance when sharing one scene together. I want to say it was to maintain a professional surrounding when talking to their school principal Cinch and it wasn’t a main focus for Sci Twi’s character. And even when going to Canterlot High she mostly stuck close to the Humane 6, which is not a bad thing. It’s still a good start to where she came from and it’s worth it to see some interesting interactions with her and the others. Until we had to force the Twilight x Flash shippers away for a new ship in Twilight x Timber.
5. No Need to Pick Favorites
Yeah this might be cliché and it might be another version of “girls, please. You’re both beautiful”. But this is really how I feel with both versions of Twilight. Both had their fair share of growths and struggles when trying to be open to friendship and both became better for it. I probably would’ve loved to see Sci Twi freak out as much as Twilight did and I would’ve loved to see more science stuff going on with Twilight. I’m glad EqG wasn’t just another re-telling of the Twilight story we already had and made her fit more into just being the nerdy girl we all love to watch becoming confident and more reassured in her friends. If I had to pick, Sci Twi’s biggest moment was with Legend of Everfree where she had to trust in herself and in her friends to know she’s not Midnight Sparkle anymore. Just the idea of her overcoming that self-doubt and fear to really open herself up is something inspiring for someone starting out so meek and distant. I feel like a broken record when saying I wish we got more out of her in EqG just to see how far she grows and how big her character can become with all the big personalities we got from the rest of the Humane 7 and to still appreciate the princess ruling with the power of friendship in another dimension. I’m Penny Wrights and be careful of the next book you read. It just might become your own story, too.
