• Pony Spotlight #5 - Amethyst Star



    Greetings all. TheSlorg here with another Pony Spotlight. The first few Spotlights were done in a specific order to showcase some interesting comparisons between various background ponies.

    This time we're highlighting a pony who has specifically been requested a few times in the comments sections of previous Spotlights; a purplish unicorn who is both a leader and known for her organizational skills.

    Did you guess Twilight? Of course you didn't. She's in the title and the image above. It's Amethyst Star! Head on down below the break to read all about her.


    Name: Amethyst Star
    Aliases: Sparkler
    Cutie Mark: Three diamonds
    Appearances: 69 episodes, Equestria Girls, Life is a Runway
    First Appearance: Friendship is Magic part 1
    Speaking Roles: 2
    Random Fact: She has 3 speaking roles if you include the German Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.

    Beginnings

    Amethyst Star. This here is the pony who could have been Twilight Sparkle before, well, Twilight Sparkle. Purple, smart, and organized—but how much so? As leader of the animal team in Winter Wrap Up, she was organized enough to still find time to assist the weather team in breaking up the ice. In Slice of Life we learn that she was the "best organizer in all of Ponyville" before Twilight came along. She even attended the same magic kindergarten class as Twilight, as shown in Amending Fences!

    Before all that—as with many other ponies—she was just a pretty design used to fill up the background. She had no name, and no personality. But her very first appearance did at least offer some clues.

    Amethyst Star's first appearance was in Friendship is Magic part 1, right next to another unicorn we've all heard of: Lyra Heartstrings. Yes, just as Twilight Sparkle ran past Lyra, completely ignoring her, so too did she run past Amethyst Star. Amethyst had a shopping bag in her mouth, suggesting that she may have been out shopping with Lyra. Even early on, it is apparent that Lyra and Amethyst are friends, or at least acquaintances.

    As an additional little tidbit, we already have confirmation that Lyra Heartstrings was once known as 'Incidental Unicorn #2.' While not confirmed, the fact that Amethyst Star is standing directly next to Lyra in this first scene makes for a strong case that Amethyst could very well be the elusive 'Incidental Unicorn #1.'

    She picnics with royalty. Top pony, right here.

    Growth

    Amethyst's real claim to fame, before she had any speaking roles, was her saddle and dress combo that she was often seen wearing. It first appears in Applebuck Season as Amethyst runs past the screen, fearful of the incoming stampede. It can then often be seen in many of her appearances, including at the Grand Galloping Gala in The Best Night Ever. She's not the only pony who loves the outfit, either. It has been spotted on many other ponies, often recolors of Amethyst, throughout the episodes.

    Her next hint of personality was in Winter Wrap Up, where she is shown to be the leader of the animal team. As mentioned above, she takes the initiative to put on some ice skates and assist the weather team with breaking up the ice that covers the lake, showing us that she is indeed an organized and take-charge sort of pony.

    Season two brought us her first speaking role, and with it a further peek into her personality. But before that episode, she appears in Sisterhooves Social as a participant along with the filly fans know as 'Dinky Doo'. This means one of two things: Either Amethyst and 'Dinky' are sisters, or they share a bond strong enough that they can get away with it in the same way Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were able to in Brotherhooves Social. The Mysterious Mare Do Well was the episode in which we first got to hear Amethyst speak. In the episode, she puts up with Rainbow Dash's antics with barely-concealed contempt as she struggles to open a jar of peanut butter. She also possibly becomes the first pony to nearly swear when she is cut off from telling Rainbow Dash "Oh, you're amazing alright. An amazingly—" before Rainbow dashes away.

    Another small detail here: Amethyst is shown having a picnic with the filly, Liza Doolots. Could Liza be another of Amethyst's sisters? Sound like a bit of a stretch? How about the fact that Liza's first appearance in the show was when she was hopping behind 'Dinky Doo' during Winter Wrap Up, as part of the animal team directly under Amethyst Star's supervision! Continuity!

    She looks like she'd rather be doing anything else.

    Current Status

    While she appears a few times in Season three, the only ones to note are her appearance in One Bad Apple dressed up as a strawberry, and her appearance at Twilight's coronation in Magical Mystery Cure.

    Season four didn't see many notable appearances from her, either. She is seen next to Junebug during the Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic song in Leap of Faith. She trades a pineapple for a potato during the Trader's Exchange in Trade Ya, so she's a potato fan? Maybe?

    As with many other background ponies, Amethyst had a bigger role in Season five, specifically in Slice of Life when she is shown taking charge and leading ponies to safety during the bugbear attack. She proclaims that before Twilight Sparkle came along, she was Ponyville's best organizer, and leaves to help Matilda the Donkey with her wedding arrangements. Throughout season five she is seen associating with several ponies, including Sea Swirl, Twinkleshine, Sunshower Raindrops, and Sprinkle Melody. Of special note is that in Brotherhooves Social, she is again paired up with 'Dinky Doo' to participate in the Sisterhooves Social, further strengthening the theory that the two are related. She is also shown to be a fan of Countess Coloratura in The Mane Attraction.


    Amethyst Star! A well-organized leader of ponies who has no patience for show-offs, and who is (possibly) a caring sister to two young fillies. What are some of your favorite Amethyst Star moments? Which pony would you like to see featured in the next Spotlight? Let me know in the comments below!

    Some Notable Amethyst Star Fanfics
    Sparkler's Secret
    Sparkler Has No Friends
    Second Best
    Metamorphosis

    Bonus Video!