Snowdrop Fanclub 421 members · 52 stories
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hawthornbunny
Group Contributor

I've made a character analysis for Snowdrop to aid authors who want to write about her. As always, if you see anything that's incorrect or can think of more to add, leave comments below.

1. Snowdrop is the title character of the 2013 fan animation Snowdrop, by Silly Filly Studios. Although she isn't a canon character, we may consider her to be part of the MLP universe within her own canon. Thus far, that canon only includes Snowdrop.

2. Snowdrop is presumably named for the snowdrop flower, Galanthus nivalis. One such flower can be seen at the very end of Snowdrop, after the credits.

Snowdrop happens to share her name with a G1 pony, although the two characters are likely not connected or related. G1 Snowdrop was part of the "Flower Ponies" toy line, and her cutie mark depicts genuine Galanthus flowers, as can be seen in this image.

3. Snowdrop was born at least one thousand years before the events seen in the show's pilot episode. Exactly how long ago is unknown, but it's heavily implied that Snowdrop was alive at the time Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon, as Luna appears to regret being absent at the end of Snowdrop's life. One time reference we are given is that Snowdrop takes place in the one hundredth year of Celestia and Luna's rule of Equestria.

4. Snowdrop lives in Cloudsdale, in Equestria, so she must also have been born after the unification of the three tribes seen in the show episode "Hearth's Warming Eve" (assuming the events shown in the pageant actually happened). This would also put her birth after that of Star Swirl the Bearded.

5. Snowdrop is a blind pegasus filly. Although it's not outright stated, it seems pretty clear that she's been blind since birth. The specific kind of blindness is not given either, but it appears to be total in both eyes. Her eyes have a glazed, misted appearance, commonly associated with cataracts or glaucoma.

6. Snowdrop appears to have no friends her own age. If her school is any indication, there seems to be quite a bit of discrimination against her for her disability, and little to no accomodation for her special needs. This could be interpreted as a social commentary on pegasus culture ("Hearth's Warming Eve" suggested that prior to the unification of the three tribes, pegasi had a militaristic culture; a blind pegasus would likely be considered worthless in such a society). Snowdrop offers no evidence to support such an interpretation, however.

7. Snowdrop appears to be an only child, and possibly fatherless too. Only her mother is seen taking care of her.

8. Snowdrop's mother is a light green pegasus named Primrose, in keeping with the flower-themed naming. Her cutie mark is a pink, rose-like flower, presumably a primrose, which is stylistically similar to the cutie mark that Snowdrop eventually earns.

9. Snowdrop's teacher is a light yellow, gray-maned pegasus named Mrs. Windith. Two pupils in Snowdrop's class also have speaking roles: a white-coated, gray-maned colt named Cirrus, and a pink-coated, blond-maned filly named Cumulo Nimbus. Cumulo Nimbus appears to have something of a Diamond Tiara-like personality; while not necessarily a bully, she isn't afraid to interrupt and speak her mind in class, and isn't particularly polite to Snowdrop.

10. Snowdrop has learned how to get around Cloudsdale by herself without sight, at least for the journey to school. It's implied that she does this by memorizing the route, and presumably uses sound and touch when necessary to orient herself.

11. Snowdrop owns a brown travelling cloak, possibly burlap. Although the primary use of a cloak is to keep its wearer warm, for Snowdrop it may serve an additional purpose in increasing her visibility to other ponies. Blind people sometimes wear bright or contrasting clothing to make sighted people aware of their presence. For Snowdrop, this could be especially important, as her light-blue-and-white coloration blends in very easily with the Cloudsdale environment.

12. Snowdrop appears to have no difficulties with the physical aspect of flying. Being blind, however, makes it more useful for her to stay on the ground (or at least, on cloudtops), as she can use her tactile senses more easily there.

13. Because of her blindness, Snowdrop's other senses are more well-trained. Her hearing is sharp and her sense of touch is exceptional; she's able to tell the difference between natural snow and a frozen teardrop just from it briefly falling on her coat. Her refined sense of touch ultimately leads her to her special talent.

14. Snowdrop is a figure of historical significance in Equestria, as the inventor of the snowflake. She is commemorated by a triptych of stained-glass windows in Canterlot Palace. Snowdrop saw the process of snowflake-making as 'turning snow into stars'. Prior to this discovery, winters were harsh and unpleasant. In MLP's present, snowflakes are still manufactured, but in factories and laboratories as seen in the show episodes "Sonic Rainboom" and "Tanks For The Memories".

15. Snowdrop's cutie mark is a cross between a flower and a snowflake. Despite her name, the cutie mark does not depict a snowdrop.

16. Snowdrop's personality shows many traits of the 'inventor' archetype: a burning desire to make a difference, a refusal to accept the status quo, and a pragmatism that isn't bound by sentimentality. This is evidenced by Celestia's statement at the end of Snowdrop: that she wouldn't have wanted her first snowflake to sit around doing nothing if it could be put to use.

17. Princess Luna has a great deal of fondness for Snowdrop, even a millennium later. The fan animation Lullaby for a Princess by WarpOut pays tribute to Snowdrop by showing a depiction of Snowdrop's cutie mark in Princess Luna's room. WarpOut (who worked with Silly Filly Studios on Snowdrop) has said that he considers Snowdrop to be canonical in Lullaby for a Princess.

Szalhi
Group Admin

ALthough I already knew pretty much all of this, I still found it interesting and a must for authors to read.

Cerulean Voice
Group Contributor

4577054
This is as complete and total of an analysis as possible. I'm glad now that I managed to nail her traits in my story., particularly her heightened other senses and her pragmatism.

Chaos Phantasm
Group Contributor

Having written a story about a very old aged Snowdrop, and now just seeing this, I feel I could have had her senses deteriorate as she got closer to passing on. I missed the reference in Lullaby for a Princess, and I think Snowdrops mother was green, not yellow. I could be wrong.

I agree with Cerulean, it's a very complete analysis on everything. I think it should be stated that there was a character called Snowdrop (who had the Galanthus nivalis flower as her cutie mark) who appeared in Generation One of My Little Pony. May not matter at all but I'm getting rambly.

This will definitely provide some help to those who have seen the animation but don't quite know the character. Analysis like these are really helpful.

hawthornbunny
Group Contributor

4577101
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Thanks! :)

4577101
You're right, Primrose is a very light green, not yellow. Now fixed.

I didn't know about the G1 Snowdrop, but I've added some info on her as well, just in case anyone wants to make the mythological connection.

I also added a little about her cloak, which I forgot previously :)

4577054

In the movie, The teacher states that it is the 100th year of the Reign of the 2 Royal Pony-Sisters.

Szalhi
Group Admin

It's not mentioned, but there's always the fact that Snowdrop may utilise Echolocation. However at the same time, her age and the density of clouds may make it harder or even impossible.

There's also the idea of what she does outside Winter.

hawthornbunny
Group Contributor

4577219

Ah, true! Well, she doesn't outright say it, but it's implicit in what she says. Added. :)

TailsIsNotAlone
Group Contributor

This is a really excellent analysis. It never occurred to me that Snowdrop might wear the brown cloak to make herself more visible, or that her lack of accommodations in school (besides Mrs. Windith going easy on her) might be due to the rather spartan culture of the pegasi. Your post is not only thorough, it does a great deal to inspire new story ideas for Snowdrop. I will definitely keep these things in mind as I continue my fic. :scootangel:

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