History BaseBreakingCharacter / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger. He has still proven himself to be popular enough to get a supporting role in ''Pony Life''. His relationship with Fluttershy is generally well-received. There are those hoping for his return in G5, but also those who aren't.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger. He has still proven himself to be popular enough to get a supporting role in ''Pony Life'', with those hoping for his appearance in G5. His relationship with Fluttershy is generally well-received.

* Rainbow Dash. The base is split between those who think she's a {{Jerkass}} due to her arrogance and constant boasting, and those who think she [[AwesomeEgo actually has the skills]] to keep up with her boasts. She's on many fans' "best pony" lists, but also on just as many "worst pony" lists. The trend of Scootabuse (artwork of Rainbow abusing Scootaloo), ''Rainbow Factory'', ''Pony.MOV'', ''Friendship Is Witchcraft'', and other fanworks that [[RonTheDeathEater exaggerate Rainbow's attitude into outright villainy]] have not helped, despite being non-canon. Many early Season 2 episodes which were written before she TookALevelInKindness and focused more on her competitive drive, which only increased her hatedom. Rainbow's status as the Element of Loyalty has also been called into question, as episodes such as "The Last Roundup", "Three's a Crowd" and "A Canterlot Wedding – Part 1" involve her showing no remorse or having her [[KarmaHoudini suffer no consequence]] for ignoring her friends. She's hated in "Trade Ya!" for the unspeakably heinous crime of accidentally trading her friend away for a book, with very few fans realizing [[InnocentlyInsensitive she didn't understand]] what had happened until it was (almost) [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone too late]]. That said, Rainbow's also had a few episodes where she's shown genuine loyalty, such as when she was willing to quit the Wonderbolts (giving up her lifelong dream in the process) if it meant that her friends were put in danger. This character development seemed to have worked, as Season 5 onward mellowed her out quite a bit without really impacting her drive and desire to be the best, which turned down the base-breaking.

* Grogar. A majority of the fanbase were ecstatic about Friendship Is Magic bringing back another classic G1 villain. And many others love him for [[EvilIsCool how powerful he is even without his bell]], his preference for planning ahead and the fact that unlike the other villains, he knows not to underestimate the Mane Six and has some idea of [[WeWorkWellTogether what makes them formidable]]. But he has his share of detractors who find him to be a [[GenericDoomsdayVillain boring villain with a bland personality]] who spends more time planning than actually ''doing'' anything. Some have even admitted to preferring [[MemeticLoser the Storm King]] over him, claiming ''he'' at least had an enjoyable personality. Even more so since it turns out [[spoiler:the ''real'' Grogar never actually showed up, and the one we saw was just Discord in disguise]].

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger. He has still proven himself to be popular enough to get a supporting role in ''Pony Life'', with those hoping for his appearance in G5. His relationship with Fluttershy is generally well-received by many.

* The first episode of Season 6 had Starlight gain a newfound status as Twilight's pupil in friendship, essentially making Starlight [[SixthRanger an unofficial new addition]] to the core cast. Things got extra rough after that, as some felt it was entirely undeserved and makes her into a WishFulfillment fan fiction character. Some were embittered that [[EnsembleDarkHorse Trixie]] didn't get to fill this role, since she was TheRival to Twilight and already starting her own Heel-Face Turn. Others saw Starlight as an {{Expy}} of Sunset Shimmer, seeing as how Starlight and Sunset have similar character arcs. Others still saw Starlight taking this mantle as a new and exciting development for Season 6 and beyond.

* Trixie. She's either liked or disliked for being a pompous, arrogant showmare. Those who defend her claim she's defined by those traits and it's how stage magicians like her make a living. On the other hand, she's an obnoxious jerk who thinks she's better than anypony else. Fans have somewhat became more accepting after her second appearance where she apologizes to the citizens of Ponyville for the way she acted under the Alicorn Amulet.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger. He has still proven himself to be popular enough to get a supporting role in Ponylife, with those hoping for his appearance in G5. His relationship with Fluttershy is generally well-received by many.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger. He has still however proven himself to still be popular enough to get a supporting role in Ponylife with those hoping for his appearance in G5. His relationship with Fluttershy is also considered one of the best by many.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). A number of later appearances, such as "What About Discord?" and "A Matter of Principals" added fuel to the fire by having him deliberately antagonize the heroes, only for the writing to portray him as the wronged party. Some saw this as a good case of GrayAndGreyMorality, while others saw it as the writing going out of its way to make him more sympathetic than he deserved. He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly cemented him as one of the most polarizing characters, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger.

** [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales Some unemployed people who still live at home related to the character]], while others thought that the show was [[ThisLoserIsYou trying to paint them as lazy assholes who are just trying to take advantage of relatives]].
* Despite only appearing in the ''Ponyville Mysteries'' book "Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe" thus far, Scootaloo's aunts have already become two of the most controversial characters in the entire franchise, possibly even more so than Flash Sentry and Starlight Glimmer. In the book, Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are ''heavily'' implied to be lesbians, with Holiday giving Lofty an affectionate kiss on the forehead and calling her "dear". Some fans loved the idea of a potentially canon lesbian couple and hoped they made their way into the show proper ([[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E12TheLastCrusade which they eventually did]]), pointing out the large amounts of HoYay that [[HoYay/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Friendship is Magic has]] and the fact [[WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins that]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra several]] [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls other]] [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse children's]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse shows]] in TheNewTens have included LGBT characters without any issues. Others believe the inclusion of a lesbian couple is a bad idea for a franchise that has largely avoided political themes, and way too risky considering [[ValuesDissonance the show airs in countries that condemn homosexuality]]. Then there's the matter of whether the show did it properly, with Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty coming across as either [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales authentic]] or [[EthnicScrappy stereotypical]]. [[https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/918280280376561664 Mike Vogel's confirmation that Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are in fact a couple]] only added fuel to the fire.

[[folder:Supporting Characters]]

* Fans are as divisive on Cadance's husband, Shining Armor. In his first appearance, fans either accepted him for being Twilight's CoolBigBro or weren't pleased that he was introduced as such without any explanation. His BadassDecay has also been questioned with each appearance afterward, especially considering his status as captain of the Royal Guard. While some fans defend that he can't beat every BigBad, opponents cite [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter his uselessness as wasted potential]]. His [[ManlyTears crying]] at least OnceASeason sure isn't helping his case.

* Owlowiscious. Fans are divided whether he's a cool and funny character who needs more appearances or a ReplacementScrappy to Spike's place. Spike fans were also put off by how much better Twilight seemed to treat him (in contrast to how Spike [[ButtMonkey tends to be treated]]) and feel that Spike was fully justified in feeling jealous and angry. However, "Just for Sidekicks", where he acts more friendly toward Spike, may have redeemed him for some.
* Even Big Macintosh isn't safe. Fans have quarreled over two Season 5 episodes where he was given feminine characteristics, namely the Princess Macintosh scene in "Do Princesses Dream of Magical Sheep?" and his [[WholesomeCrossdresser crossdressing]] in "Brotherhooves Social". Fans who defend these have said he has had this characterization since "Lesson Zero" where he [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything obsessed over Twilight's old Smarty Pants doll]] even after he was taken out of his trance. Detractors have seen this uprising as chickification of the cast's most prominent stallion at best and insensitive to transgender people or cross-dressers at worst.
* Limestone Pie, one of Pinkie's sisters, is a minor case of this. While she's mostly beloved for having a HairTriggerTemper with a [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold softer side]], certain fans think she is way too much of a bitch to be properly enjoyed.
* Fluttershy's brother Zephyr Breeze is a manipulative jerk with crippling fear of failure, sure, and no one's really supposed to like him until the end, but the fandom's a little split over whether he's funny enough to justify it or if he's just an annoyance and spoiled the episode. Considering how true to life his situation was, this likewise made a few fans cringe.
** [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales Some unemployed people who still live at home related to the character]], while others thought that the show was [[ThisLoserIsYou trying to paint them as lazy assholes who are just trying to take advantage of relatives]].
* Despite only appearing in the ''Ponyville Mysteries'' book "Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe" thus far, Scootaloo's aunts have already become two of the most controversial characters in the entire franchise, possibly even more so than Flash Sentry and Starlight Glimmer. In the book, Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are ''heavily'' implied to be lesbians, with Holiday giving Lofty an affectionate kiss on the forehead and calling her "dear". Some fans loved the idea of a potentially canon lesbian couple and hoped they made their way into the show proper ([[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E12TheLastCrusade which they eventually did]]), pointing out the large amounts of HoYay that [[HoYay/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Friendship is Magic has]] and the fact [[WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins that]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra several]] [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls other]] [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse children's]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse shows]] in TheNewTens have included LGBT characters without any issues. Others believe the inclusion of a lesbian couple is a bad idea for a franchise that has largely avoided political themes, and way too risky considering [[ValuesDissonance the show airs in countries that condemn homosexuality]]. Then there's the matter of whether the show did it properly, with Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty coming across as either [[MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales authentic]] or [[EthnicScrappy stereotypical]]. [[https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/918280280376561664 Mike Vogel's confirmation that Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are in fact a couple]] only added fuel to the fire.
* The yaks. [[PlanetOfHats Their entire race]] is boisterous and short-tempered, more than a little stupid, and they have a large arrogant streak in regards to how ''all'' yak things are the best, better than the things of other races, and they will loudly and proudly let everyone know how much better yaks are than them. Either you find their schtick hilarious or you find it annoying.
* Either Mudbriar is funny because of his bluntness, or annoying because of his tendency to over-correct everything. The show's crew seem to be fully aware this would happen, as it's made clear that even after learning her lesson Pinkie isn't fully on board with him.

From the day she appeared until the day that MLP Generation 4 ended, Starlight split the fanbase into very vocal camps; just bringing up Starlight's name could potentially start an argument. Even though the vitriol against her would eventually calm down, discussing the finer points of Starlight's HeelFaceTurn remained one of the easiest ways to spark an argument among bronies.

* In her second appearance, Starlight broke the base even wider with a HeelFaceTurn, and it's where the worst of the fighting truly started. In the Season 5 finale "The Cutie Re-Mark", the reason that Starlight hates cutie marks and special talents is revealed to be that Starlight's childhood friend Sunburst got his cutie mark before Starlight did, causing Sunburst to move away from their hometown of Sire's Hollow. Some saw Starlight as UnintentionallyUnsympathetic with a poor excuse for a motive, citing other former villains like [[GuiltComplex Princess Luna]], [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Discord]], and [[ReformedButRejected Sunset Shimmer]] taking much longer to earn redemption as an explanation for why they felt Starlight's redemption was rushed, since they tried to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt some way or another as well. Other fans felt that Starlight was a victim whose [[FreudianExcuse motives were understandable]], that her redemption fit with the overall theme of Season 5, and that she was [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone appropriately remorseful for her crimes]] and had the rest of the series to [[TheAtoner adequately own up to them]]. A third group of fans ended up disappointed with Starlight, saying she started out as [[RealismInducedHorror a realistically-frightening villain]], and felt her motive and HeelFaceTurn was [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter a complete waste]], feeling that some of the things shown in the montage (her reconciliation with the members of her town being the ''big'' one) were [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot great potential episodes of their own flushed right down the toilet]]. There was very little overlap between the three groups, and the infighting among bronies between the airings of Seasons 5 and 6 got especially bad.

* In her second appearance, Starlight broke the base even wider with a HeelFaceTurn, and it's where the worst of the fighting truly started. In the Season 5 finale "The Cutie Re-Mark", the reason that Starlight hates cutie marks and special talents is revealed to be that Starlight's childhood friend Sunburst got his cutie mark before Starlight did, causing Sunburst to move away from their hometown of Sire's Hollow. Some saw Starlight as UnintentionallyUnsympathetic with a poor excuse for a motive, citing other former villains like [[GuiltComplex Princess Luna]], [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Discord]], and [[ReformedButRejected Sunset Shimmer]] taking much longer to earn redemption as an explanation for why they felt Starlight's redemption was rushed, since they tried to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt some way or another as well. Other fans felt that Starlight was a victim whose [[FreudianExcuse motives were understandable]], that her redemption fit with the overall theme of Season 5, and that she was [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone appropriately remorseful for her crimes]] and had the rest of the series to [[TheAtoner adequately own up to them]]. A third group of fans ended up disappointed with Starlight, saying she started out as a realistically-frightening villain, and felt her motive and HeelFaceTurn was [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter a complete waste]], feeling that some of the things shown in the montage (her reconciliation with the members of her town being the ''big'' one) were [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot great potential episodes of their own flushed right down the toilet]]. There was very little overlap between the three groups, and the infighting among bronies between the airings of Seasons 5 and 6 got especially bad.

* The yaks. [[PlanetOfHats Their entire race]] is boistrous and short-tempered, more than a little stupid, and they have a large arrogant streak in regards to how ''all'' yak things are the best, better than the things of other races, and they will loudly and proudly let everyone know how much better yaks are than them. Either you find their schtick hilarious or you find it annoying.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. This quickly became one of the most contentious things about him, as the fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger.

* In her second appearance, Starlight's redemption and HeelFaceTurn broke the base even wider. Some saw Starlight as UnintentionallyUnsympathetic with a poor excuse for a motive who committed terrible crimes and was given a very shallow HeelFaceTurn presented through an abrupt two-minute musical montage. These fans cited other former villains like [[GuiltComplex Princess Luna]], [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Discord]], and [[ReformedButRejected Sunset Shimmer]] taking much longer to earn redemption as an explanation for why they felt Starlight's redemption was rushed, as the aforementioned previous villains committed crimes that were arguably less severe than Starlight trying to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Others felt that Starlight was a victim whose [[FreudianExcuse motives were understandable]], that her redemption fit with the overall theme the season went with, and that she was [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone appropriately remorseful for her crimes]] and had the rest of the series to [[TheAtoner adequately own up to them]]. Other fans are greatly disappointed with a character who started out as a complex and realistically frightening villain and feel her shallow motive and abrupt HeelFaceTurn was [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter a complete waste]], with others still feeling that some of the things shown in the montage (her reconciliation with the members of her town being the ''big'' one) were [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot great potential episodes of their own flushed right down the toilet]]. Then, with her newfound status as Twilight's pupil essentially making Starlight [[SixthRanger an unofficial new addition]] to the core cast, things got extra rough, as some felt it was entirely undeserved and makes her into ascended fan fiction, some are simply embittered that [[EnsembleDarkHorse Trixie]] who has for a long time been seen as a Twilight's rival and candidate for SixthRanger didn't get to fill this role, and others yet see her as a blatant Sunset Shimmer {{Expy}}, with the ''exact'' same role, while others still see it as a new and exciting development for Season 6 and beyond.

No discussion of Base-Breaking Characters in ''Friendship is Magic'' would be complete without mentioning Starlight Glimmer, ''the'' Base-Breaking Character of Generation 4 of ''My Little Pony''. She caused more debates, drama, and {{Flame War}}s amongst bronies than any other character by a long shot. Starlight first appeared on the show in the Season 5's debut episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E1TheCutieMapPart1 The Cutie Map]]" as the season's antagonist, eventually pulling a HeelFaceTurn and becoming a main character in Season 5's finale "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E25TheCutieRemarkPart1 The Cutie Re-Mark]]".\\\
Until the day the show ended, Starlight split the fanbase into vocal camps about her, with just bringing up her name potentially starting an argument. Even though the vitriol against her would eventually calm down, Starlight caused a sustained conflict among the bronies that split the fanbase down very divided lines, and the finer points of her HeelFaceTurn remained one of the easiest ways to spark an argument.

[[folder:Equestria Girls]]

* Fluttershy. Some fans go through HypeBacklash when it comes to her cuteness, and find her passiveness and cowardliness irritating rather than endearing. Her willingness to stand up for herself and/or her friends also varies, [[DependingOnTheWriter depending on the episode]]. Whenever she does something wrong (like hurting her friends’ feelings), she’s quickly forgiven, yet when any of her friends hurt ''her'', [[DoubleStandard they quickly become targets of unrelenting hate]] as seen with Fluttershy's pet Angel in "Putting Your Hoof Down" and Pinkie Pie in "Filli Vanilli". Her cemented [[CharacterDevelopment assertiveness]] in the later seasons also causes this. Some people think it retroactively makes her a walking SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome and others think she's now [[FlatCharacter boring and unrelatable]].

* Rarity got hit with this pretty hard in the earlier seasons. Until her HiddenDepths were revealed in "Suited for Success". Many people admitted to hating her at first for being dim, shallow, arrogant and useless -- in other words, typical RichBitch, the very stereotype she was designed to subvert. Her detractors claimed she wasn't fit to wield the Element of Generosity whenever she lapsed into selfishness and greed, often citing her behavior in "Dragonshy" as an example where she cared more about the dragon's treasures than getting the dragon out of his den. As she was given more time to develop, fans eventually warmed up to her, though others were uncomfortable with her upstaging Rainbow Dash in "Sonic Rainboom" and intentionally trying to avoid Twilight's birthday party in "Sweet and Elite". Fans who have grown to like her have said that in her defense, she learned her lesson in each of those two episodes. Even still, fans either love her for being the DramaQueen of the cast or think she's annoying for the same reason. Her famous whining scene in "A Dog and Pony Show" for example is seen as either her funniest moment or yet another excuse to pick on her over-the-top behavior. Her mannerisms are also subject to this with the fan base saying she's either the most proper or the prissiest of the Mane Six.
** Starting with the second half of Season 5, Rarity has gotten a lot of focus. While some fans are okay with this, others feel like Rarity has become a SpotlightStealingSquad that is overshadowing the rest of the Mane Six.

No discussion of Base-Breaking Characters in ''Friendship is Magic'' would be complete without mentioning Starlight Glimmer. The character caused more debates, drama, and {{Flame War}}s amongst bronies than any other character in all of Generation 4 of ''My Little Pony''. Starlight first appeared on the show in the fifth season's debut episode as the season's antagonist, eventually pulling a HeelFaceTurn and becoming a main character.\\\

* [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E1TheCutieMapPart1 In her first appearance]], Starlight was [[ContrastingSequelAntagonist a major break from the prior]] arc villains. She lacked the size and scope of threat that many other {{Arc Villain}}s did, and her seemingly altruistic motives for her actions painted her as a VisionaryVillain. Some fans found a comparatively low-stakes villain a breath of fresh air after the old two-parter villain formula was getting predictable and found her methods interesting. Others found Starlight boring compared to prior villains and felt that idiocy was the only reason she lasted as long as she did. The fact that she was the first major villain to [[KarmaHoudini escape punishment in her debut]] left room for even more divisiveness.
* [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E25TheCutieRemarkPart1 In her second appearance]], Starlight's redemption and HeelFaceTurn broke the base even wider. Some saw Starlight as UnintentionallyUnsympathetic with a poor excuse for a motive who committed terrible crimes and was given a very shallow HeelFaceTurn presented through an abrupt two-minute musical montage. These fans cited other former villains like [[GuiltComplex Princess Luna]], [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves Discord]], and [[ReformedButRejected Sunset Shimmer]] taking much longer to earn redemption as an explanation for why they felt Starlight's redemption was rushed, as the aforementioned previous villains committed crimes that were arguably less severe than Starlight trying to cause TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. Others felt that Starlight was a victim whose [[FreudianExcuse motives were understandable]], that her redemption fit with the overall theme the season went with, and that she was [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone appropriately remorseful for her crimes]] and had the rest of the series to [[TheAtoner adequately own up to them]]. Other fans are greatly disappointed with a character who started out as a complex and realistically frightening villain and feel her shallow motive and abrupt HeelFaceTurn was [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter a complete waste]], with others still feeling that some of the things shown in the montage (her reconciliation with the members of her town being the ''big'' one) were [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot great potential episodes of their own flushed right down the toilet]]. Then, with her newfound status as Twilight's pupil essentially making Starlight [[SixthRanger an unofficial new addition]] to the core cast, things got extra rough, as some felt it was entirely undeserved and makes her into ascended fan fiction, some are simply embittered that [[EnsembleDarkHorse Trixie]] who has for a long time been seen as a Twilight's rival and candidate for SixthRanger didn't get to fill this role, and others yet see her as a blatant Sunset Shimmer {{Expy}}, with the ''exact'' same role, while others still see it as a new and exciting development for Season 6 and beyond.

* Rainbow Dash. The base is split between those who think she's a {{Jerkass}} due to her arrogance and constant boasting, and those who think she [[AwesomeEgo actually has the skills]] to keep up with her boasts. She's on many fans' "best pony" lists, but also on just as many "worst pony" lists. The trend of Scootabuse (artwork of Rainbow abusing Scootaloo), ''Rainbow Factory'', ''Pony.MOV'', ''Friendship Is Witchcraft'', and other fanworks that [[RonTheDeathEater exaggerate her attitude]] have not helped, despite being non-canon. Many early Season 2 episodes which were written before she TookALevelInKindness and focused more on her competitive drive only increased her hatedom. Rainbow's status as the Element of Loyalty has also been called into question, as episodes such as "The Last Roundup", "Three's a Crowd" and "A Canterlot Wedding – Part 1" involve her showing no remorse or having her [[KarmaHoudini suffer no consequence]] for ignoring her friends. She's hated in "Trade Ya!" for the unspeakably heinous crime of accidentally trading her friend away for a book, with very few fans realizing [[InnocentlyInsensitive she didn't understand]] what had happened until it was (almost) [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone too late]]. That said, Rainbow's also had a few episodes where she's shown genuine loyalty, such as when she was willing to quit the Wonderbolts (her lifelong dream) if it meant that her friends were put in danger, and Season 5 onward mellowed her out quite a bit without really impacting her drive and desire to be the best.
* Pinkie Pie. While many love her for being a FunPersonified pony whose driving purpose in life is to make others happy, and find her hyperactivity and fourth-wall breaking antics hilarious; Others hate her for being InnocentlyInsensitive and [[KarmaHoudini getting away with it]], being part of the most controversial aesops of the series (Such as "Swarm of the Century", "Feeling Pinkie Keen", "A Friend In Deed”, and “Yakity-Sax”), and find her irritating; this is not helped by the fact [[DependingOnTheWriter she is one of the most inconsistently characterized main characters in the series]], ranging from very mature but still Pinkie-like portrayals such as in "The Last Laugh", to episodes where she seems to have no tact at all, with few middle points.

* While the majority of fans like Applejack, she and her family are a SpotlightStealingSquad to the point where Applejack has appeared in more episodes than any other major character in the show, and it's left some divided on whether it's a good idea or not. While several Applejack fans appreciate the extra attention especially since she was somewhat OutOfFocus in the second season, other fans, particularly ones whose favorite pony is one of the other main characters, are starting to get tired of the extra CharacterFocus she's recently been getting for the last few years, not helped by the fact that more recent episodes where she's had a leading or major supporting role have started receiving more divisive reception.

* Twilight Sparkle got a ton of divisive opinions thrown her way after she became a princess at the end of the third season. Some fans love Twilight and think of her as an {{Adorkable}} BadassBookworm who deserves to be the show's main protagonist. Others see her as overpowered with the writers fawning over her and making her flaws [[InformedFlaw told rather than shown]]. Even ignoring the issue of her being an alicorn princess entirely, Twilight still gets some flak for having the majority of the show's more dramatic moments focused on her. This has led some bronies to accuse Twilight of [[SpotlightStealingSquad stealing the spotlight]], especially in the two-part episodes, despite being the main character.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom"). He then tops himself in the Season 9 finale, with the reveal that [[spoiler: he was posing as Grogar throughout the season and using the other villains as pawns in a scheme to boost Twilight's confidence]]. If he wasn't one of the more polarizing characters before, then he certainly was after this. The fanbase was split between those who felt that it was in-character for him and that he adequately made up for what he did, and those who felt that it undermined all of his character development throughout the show, and that he was too easily forgiven for putting all of Equestria in danger.

* Upon his introduction, Discord was ''immediately'' adored by the fan base for his whimsical villainy, trickster personality and mish-mosh appearance. Being voiced by Creator/JohnDeLancie helped his cause tremendously. Then in "Keep Calm and Flutter on", his second appearance, he underwent the makings of a HeelFaceTurn. This split his fans between those who welcomed it, expecting him to fight alongside the mane cast and those who thought he was better as a villain, thinking such reformation was rushed at best and forced at worse. Every appearance after that has been equally divisive, with some questioning whether or not his crossing over was genuine (especially considering his actions in "Twilight's Kingdom").

* Despite only appearing in the ''Ponyville Mysteries'' book "Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe" thus far, Scootaloo's aunts have already become two of the most controversial characters in the entire franchise, possibly even more so than Flash Sentry and Starlight Glimmer. In the book, Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are ''heavily'' implied to be lesbians, with Holiday giving Lofty an affectionate kiss on the forehead and calling her "dear". Some fans loved the idea of a potentially canon lesbian couple and hoped they made their way into the show proper ([[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E12TheLastCrusade which they eventually did]]), pointing out the large amounts of HoYay that [[HoYay/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Friendship is Magic has]] and the fact [[WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins that]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra several]] [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls other]] [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse children's]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse shows]] in TheNewTens have included LGBT characters without any issues. Others believe the inclusion of a lesbian couple is a bad idea for a franchise that has largely avoided political themes, and way too risky considering [[ValuesDissonance the show airs in countries that condemn homosexuality]]. Then there's the matter of whether the show did it properly, with Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty coming across as either [[ValuesResonance authentic]] or [[EthnicScrappy stereotypical]]. [[https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/918280280376561664 Mike Vogel's confirmation that Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are in fact a couple]] only added fuel to the fire.

* Sunset Shimmer, as her fanbase tends to come hand in hand with fans of the ''Equestria Girls'' spin-off, a divisive idea in the fandom since their inception. Some fans love her character arc and development, others find her a boring EvilCounterpart character. Another point of contention concerns demands to see her cameo in the main series or even permanently join the Mane Six, versus wanting to see her kept contained to the films for various reasons. The addition of Starlight Glimmer to the cast in Season 6 only added fuel to the fire, with some of Sunset's supporters seeing Starlight as a pale copy of Sunset that got the position Sunset should have.

* Babs Seed. Her FreudianExcuse for bullying the crusaders (she was also a bullying victim in her hometown of Manehattan) has been mixed. Some fans feel the way she was treated back at home was bad enough while others think the crusaders should have given her comeuppance for it. Babs appears in one more episode in Season 3, then is virtually unheard of until Season 5's "Bloom and Gloom" where she unceremoniously got her cutie mark, dividing the fan base even further.

* Despite only appearing in the ''Ponyville Mysteries'' book "Riddle of the Rusty Horseshoe" thus far, Scootaloo's aunts have already become two of the most controversial characters in the entire franchise, possibly even more so than Flash Sentry and Starlight Glimmer. In the book, Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are ''heavily'' implied to be lesbians, with Holiday giving Lofty an affectionate kiss on the forehead and calling her "dear". Some fans loved the idea of a potentially canon lesbian couple and hoped they made their way into the show proper ([[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS9E12TheLastCrusade which they eventually did]]), pointing out the large amounts of HoYay that [[HoYay/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Friendship is Magic has]] and the fact [[WesternAnimation/DocMcStuffins that]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra several]] [[WesternAnimation/GravityFalls other]] [[WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse children's]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse shows]] have included LGBT characters without any issues. Others believe the inclusion of a lesbian couple is a bad idea for a franchise that has largely avoided political themes, and way too risky considering [[ValuesDissonance the show airs in countries that condemn homosexuality]]. [[https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/918280280376561664 Mike Vogel's confirmation that Aunt Holiday and Aunt Lofty are in fact a couple]] only added fuel to the fire.