Well, I'll admit to being curious here. This group is dedicated to giving him some dephts, but there is no actual discussion or consensus on what he's like. So, I'd like to hear about how you perceive him as a character.

My personal interpretation is that he's well-meaning, intelligent and surprisingly strong. He is ALSO completely lacking in common sense, was brought up with strong traditional perception of nobility and is utterly selfish. Personally, I also think he admires his Aunt Celestia and this may in fact be part of why he seems himself as such a great pony. Being related to Celestia must mean that you are great, no?

What about you?

509235

It really. . . depends. I'll just stick to the basics. He's smart, but inexperienced. He's a bit spoiled, being an actual relations to Celestia, and may have been too sheltered. He cannot relate to normal ponies, and has odd ideas on how to act. This makes him a bit stand-offish, or an utter jerk depending on who he's with.

Its the basic premise that makes it easy for me to manipulate how he acts depending on his circumstances.

509235

My general interpretation of Blueblood is like this...

First of all, he is given to misogyny. That much is amply evidenced by canon situation at the Gala. However, I don`t believe he`s factually that shallowly stupid to do all that happened during Gala at the face value.

Second, I do tend to think that beyond the veneer of vain egotist, Blueblood is factually competent statesman. The level and nature of this competence tend to vary depending on what kind of story I`m putting him in.

In one interpretation, he is the mind behind much of Equestrian civic legislation. In other, he is rather ruthless military commander with a penchant for mad science in his spare time (granted, he`s got his jilted reasons for being this way in that storyline).

___

I suppose that there can be much in the way of detail interpretation. But the sum of traits would lead to this...

Blueblood tends to know what he`s doing, when it`s about business. He`s cynical, situationally cruel, manipulative and deceitful whenever he feels like pretending. He tends to view most ponies around him as inferior - but depending on situation, it may be either a comical prat routine he puts on to be rid of irritating applicants... or it may be a pure business "don`t stand in my way" approach, in which "I`m better then you" is usually delivered through decisive action rather then posturing.
Lastly, Blueblood is well educated erudite (princes are expected to be knowledgeable, it`s not like he has much of a chance), most likely a good speaker (again, basic skill for prince) and an important part of Equestrian government.

Depending on author and intent to write the story, Blueblood can run a gamut from disillusioned bureaucrat to magnificent bastard to utter monster using obfuscating stupidity in order to hide his true goals.

Hm... my interpretation of Blueblood.

Honestly? I believe he's everything Demon Eyed Laharl said. Howecer, I also see that he's used to the high life, the snobbiness and and butt-kissing, briwn-nosinf sweet and elite. He's smart in business, but socially naive everywhere else.

Still, there must be some niceness beyond the snob.

My thoughts.... while he is bit of a dunce when it comes to mares (and with Rarity... she is bound not to be the first one to hang on to him like that) he is competent at his job as the Inspector General/Director of the Equestria National Police and loves his aunt greatly.

Hum... they're all pretty interesting interpretation. I will admit having a bias toward redemption fics with Blueblood, so I obviously prefer when he's not ruthless or a complete jerkass(the misogyny you spoke of, Cytotoxin, really strikes me as odd though, what's with Celestia ruling unchallenged for a thousand years...), but that's me .

(Forgot to talk about mares in my first post though. I believe that if he finds his match in terms of rank, he could be actually charming, but it's a stretch to say he would recognize a mare as that (maybe Cadance or a foreign princess?))

So far, he's thought of as competent in whatever his job is, but a horrible pony in a social context. Whether he likes Celestia or not is in the air, just like everything else?

Hum... another question: Is he better suited for the role of a protagonist or of an antagonist? (It varies a lot, I know, just wondering)

He loves his aunt, he really does and Celestia loves him. They are family.

I do think he will find his match, might not be a noble or royal but some pony that won't latch onto him because he is a prince.

I think he is better suited for a protagonist, not so much because I think he would be good at it (which I think he would) but more for the reason that in nearly every single fic that has as a bad guy its... well they make him be powerful enough to best Twilight or Celestia...

On the topic of mares, funny thing when you look up how the herds work for horses it's the eldest mare that runs the show.

517466

I`m talking about garden variety of misogyny - that being distrustful and wary of mares, always expecting some kind of ordeal from them.

Obviously enough, if Blueblood ever entertained the notions of supremacist misogyny, he would not have survived as he is until adult age.

As for protagonist or antagonist - he could fill either role equally easily.

As a protagonist, he might be too naive to know better, or he might be tormented by past that sours his attitude to mares, or he could be cynical deceiver who seeks his match in skills, not in titles.

As an antagonist, he might be a naive boor, he might be a restructive bureaucrat, he might be tormented by the mistakes of the past (and likely pulling a heel face turn later) or he could be a complete monster.

I agree. Blueblood can fulfill both roles easily.

Usual protagonist has the fallen hero, or the misunderstood loner. I made him a jerk with a heart of gold to ponies close to him.

Antagonist, what cryotoxin said, except we can add noble demon to the list.

518128

CYTOtoxin. Not cryotoxin. As in, not frost-poison, but cellular poison.

But I`d think that the role of noble demon is better suited for protagonist role, not antagonist.

520283

They work with both, depending who the protag is, I guess.

And sorry about misspelling your name.

520284

Public usually tends to sympathize with noble demon angle.

For a proper antagonist, character needs to have a defining flaw that makes them unlikeable in the end.

What to say about Blueblood?

First off I think he's very antisocial, no matter how you look at it he's an absolute jerk during his screen time and definitely not good person. He's arrogant at his best moments and scum at his worst, but it seems like he never really learned to hold himself accountable for anything.

My guess is that his personality is simply the result of growing up in a world where nothing he did was ever actually considered wrong, or at least nobody ever telling him that he messed up. As a result he never learned proper manners or more likely simply chooses to ignore them as he likely couldn't care less.

Second point is that I think he's lonely, in a world where everyone treats each other nicely practically all the time his antisocial tendencies most likely drive people ponies off, as a result he pushes himself deeper into his own little pity party and continues to be a rude, arrogant, and easily hateable character.

Though I honestly like some stories where he gets redeemed I still honestly think he makes a to good a villian to ever be seen by the fandom as anything else, plus since he's got so little development as a character he can really be taken as far in any direction as a writer wants.

520460 Actually, the idea that he is lonely can be pivotal to his character. He would obviously earn that loneliness though, as canon showed how bad he can be out of arrogance. A noble at the very top (well, my headcanon) must not have many, if any, friends at all. It's more of the question whether it bothers him or not.

He's definitely alone in my fic, but not actually lonely. It's how he believes the world should be. It's lonely at the top and that's proof that he is a pony of noble standing.

Oh, another important would be whether he is conscious of his own faults or not. In my fic, he definitely isn't. He does not even realize how bady others could be hurt by his behavior, because to him, it's the proper way to act.

Do you also believe that as a protagonist, he should be more oblivious of his jerk tendancies than as an antagonist? The further you go on the scale of villain, the less needed that should be , but has anyone read a fic where he was the evilest villain and never realized it?

520283 By the way, a frost-poison does sound like an awesome username too.

524997

The problem with villain not realizing is that either he`ll have to be too simple to do anything decisively evil or blatantly insane.

525068 Touché. However I was thinking more along the lines of completely self-righteous arrogant jerk. Thinking that what he did was not evil because he was justified in doing so, like being slighted and demanding reparation regardless of how little he had a right to it and how disproportionate the response was.

(I remember reading fics (not of mlp however) where the main antagonist was simply convinced beyond all beliefs that he was the hero, that the protagonist was just a jealous idiot and that was he saving the world. The fact that he was the most frustrating exemple of jerkass ever is a completely different argument though.)

525333

That kind of reminds me of dr. Horrible`s archnemesis, Captain Hammer.

Hey guys, just got a new headcanon the other day after reading on Tvtropes.

There was a line about Changelings not liking apples, which, of course, brings us to the scene where Blueblood spits free food because it's not regal enough for him. Thus is born the interpretation that Blueblood is secretly a changeling. Well, okay, I know, it's not new at all, but still I find the idea interesting.

Specifically, I like it because it could tie in with other fanon origins for Chrysalis. Before it was clarified that Blueblood was distantly related to Celestia, there was speculation about Luna or a third alicorn being his mom. So, what if Chrysalis used to be an alicorn and was Blueblood mother? Whether he was born before or after her transformation is up to debate, but it could tie in nicely to make him a villain (or anti-villain, depending on the writer) with reasonable motives (ex: he acts like a complete jerk toward mares because he can't bear to get in a relationship and dry them of their loves, so he prefers fanmares everywhere just admiring his good looks). It could also explain his absence in the season 2 finale, either with him being on the plan and not wishing to be a part of it (thus not opposing his mother) or he was actually one of the changelings in the streets.

What do you think?

535331

Huh. So, Prince Blueblood, is a White Court Vampire like Thomas Raith?

535364
I was thinking that as well

535586

Would make an interesting view. I wish I could write that, but I'm going to stick to Iron Colt for now when it comes to Blueblood-centric stories

536531
Same here, it would be interesting but it contradicts my headcanon of him being the decedent of Princess Platinum

536554

Well, as long as Princess Platinum is related to Celestia, you could still make it work.

After all, as Blueblood once said, 'looking good runs in the family'

536562
She is while not directly (I think). Celestia and Luna are decedent from Rhodium Blueblood, Platinum's older brother. He abdicated his position as Crown Prince when he married an Earth Pony.

536576

Wait, just to make sure... is your Blueblood a Crown Prince?

536599
Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Monoceros and Heir to the Throne of the Horn. He does not ascend the throne as he is forbidden by law and tradition to do so.

536620

Mine is the Crown Prince, designated to replace Celestia in the event she abdicates from the throne, by death or decree. It kinda tensed up his relationship with her, as he rightfully (though only partially so) thinks she just used him to promote gender equality after a war had almost taken down the large mare population.

536631
Great Epona... mine wouldn't want the job, he has enough on his hooves as Director of the National Police without add that headache, while he technically has a seat in the Rohirrim (the House of Lords) he doesn't vote and tries to avoid politics as much as he can.

536649

Mine neither. He just wants to run his company.

I think I have a thing of making my characters suffer.

536665
Normally I wouldn't agree but seeing I have a fic plan that has Celestia vanishing after Nightmare Moon's defeat, Luna being emotional unstable, Blueblood gets saddled with having the run the government... at least until he and senior most Pegasus and Earth Pony deiced to pass the buck to a different Alicorn.

536671

Who, Cadance?

536688
Staff Sergeant Mi Amora Cadenza Everfree, Gaea Company-Detachment Arete, ERG. Also known as that crazy mare that fired a rifle at Nightmare Moon.

536693

How's the tech level on your story?

Uh, wait. . . Are we actually allowed to discuss that here? lol. We're kinda derailing the thread, now that I look at it.

536704

Alright... yeah we are... PM?

Am I the only one that does not see him as the exclusive heir to Celestia's throne? In my fic, there are three royal ponies, Blueblood, an earth pony mare and a pegasus stallion. Each of them represent the sub-races of ponies in Canterlot. And they're all royal pains in their own ways.

Cadence fits somewhere above them or just as a foreign ruler (Cristal Empire, anyone?) not quite decided on that yet.

Blueblood is gay.
...
Gay in the fact that he prefers colts over mares. Possiblely he swings both ways (bisexual) or for whatever reason is asexual. I see him having problems with his identity and this fuels his antisocial behavior along with the other complexities of being a prince.

540717 Actually, I hadn't thought of that. To fit with canon it would have to be more homosexual than bi or asexual though, if you want to use it as justification for his behavior (insecurity + jerk toward Rarity). It probably would only be one thing among many (in my humble opinion).

539963
Not sure, I don't even think of Blueblood being in line for either the Helianthus or Selenicereus Thrones. All he is, is the Heir to the Throne of Horns. Cadence could be in line for Celestia or Luna's throne (she is a native born Equestrian) but is Heir of the Lapuslazuli Throne of the Crystal Empire.