POTD 10/13/2020 Rarity

[Taffeta]

Re Sparkler/Glory: The pony Lauren was going to use was Sparkler, so she is the one who inspired Rarity (albeit Lauren's own interpretation of her - thought the toyline Sparkler collecting "shiny sparkling objects" kind of fits in with Rarity having a gem finding spell, but that could have been coincidence), but Lauren revealed that Glory also inspired Rarity, hence why she looks like her.

Since Hasbro said she was inspired by Glory AND Sparkler...
https://mylittlepony.hasbro.com/en-gb/characters/retro-ponies
That's enough for me.


I actually imagine that, rather than being inspired by both, Lauren probably muddled the two together in her head, hence her later correction about it being by both of them, not just Sparkler.

In any case, this is my rationale.

Rarity's personality isn't reflected in either Glory or Sparkler in G1. While Sparkler is a collecting magpie, the things she collects are all kinds of shiny things. She doesn't have a specific interest in gems, so much as glittering things including foil and stones. In the US media, none of that was ever used, but in the UK, Sparkler's collection was mentioned and on one occasion, used to light the way back home. The kind of collection Sparkler had doesn't really resonate with Rarity's fashionista persona. I realise that connection has not been made officially, but it is reaching.

While there is also nothing in GLory's media suggesting she has any fashion related context, there is one thing that stands out. In the UK fact file, Glory is described as the most elegant of the land based ponies. Elegance is something that fits with Rarity's persona. Though this is also reaching, it is about as plausible as the Sparkler/gem connection is.

[MJNSEIFER]

Lauren specifically said that both Sparkler and Glory led to the creation of Rarity - it never seemed like a correction from what I remember. 

The fashion thing was added by Hasbro; apparently they asked Lauren to include a character related to fashion, so she made Rarity a designer.  I realise the connection between Sparkler's "shiny things" and Rarity's gems is a reach, but there's a chance that it may have played into it - it depends if Lauren paid attention to the backcard storyline or not, but even then it could just be a coincidence, if Lauren ever gave Sparkler a gem finding spell when she played with her, since the Mane Six aren't really based on their G1 concepts, but Lauren's interpretation of them.

I can't say for sure - no one is above making mistakes, so Lauren could have confused the two, or she could have simply always played with Sparkler as the kind of pony Rarity ended up being.  I doubt she did confuse them, because I assumed the Concept Six were some of her favorite ponies - maybe she also like Glory, but as it was a Mane Six she needed she didn't fit in, then when things changed, and she had to create her own ponies, she got away with it by combining the two in looks?

If she did always play with Sparkler using Rarity's personality, again maybe she took not of the backcard story (doubtful, I admit), maybe she came up with gem finding magic on her own, either back then or while as  the Show Runner of FiM, or she discovered the backcard story then, and was inspired by it (of course, it could have easily have been the writer of that episode who came up with it, or another person entirely - and then the question again opens up as to where they got the idea from.)

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I've got more than a few!
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It's hard to discern specific releases but my favorites are the Rainbow Rocks one (who isn't in the picture...I DO have her) and the goth one. I'm still looking for quite a few releases of her but she's not a high priority at the moment.
She's one of my favorite main characters. I appreciate that they took the "business owner" route and didn't just make her like fashion, but I would have loved to hear what a shopaholic Rarity would be like (probably not as interesting a character).
Out of all of the G1 ponies matching up with their G4 counterparts...Sparkler/Rarity made the least sense to me. But I'm admittedly not familiar with Sparkler that much. Perhaps the shopaholic thing tied more into Sparkler a bit more originally, as she would be collecting things but not necessarily...buying clothes. I see way more of Glory in Rarity now if only because the color palettes.

[CloudyGlow]

I've got more than a few!
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It's hard to discern specific releases but my favorites are the Rainbow Rocks one (who isn't in the picture...I DO have her) and the goth one. I'm still looking for quite a few releases of her but she's not a high priority at the moment.
She's one of my favorite main characters. I appreciate that they took the "business owner" route and didn't just make her like fashion, but I would have loved to hear what a shopaholic Rarity would be like (probably not as interesting a character).
Out of all of the G1 ponies matching up with their G4 counterparts...Sparkler/Rarity made the least sense to me. But I'm admittedly not familiar with Sparkler that much. Perhaps the shopaholic thing tied more into Sparkler a bit more originally, as she would be collecting things but not necessarily...buying clothes. I see way more of Glory in Rarity now if only because the color palettes.

I love all your Raritys. I focus a lot on symbols/cutie marks so that's why I connect Sparkler and Rarity together more than Glory and Rarity. I also have the concept art by Lauren Faust, where Rarity has Sparkler's coloring, engrained into my mind.

[eveningstar79]

I actually got a lot of g4 ponies today that includes two Raritys. One has a heart symbol on her leg down near her hoof? I think it’s a code thing if I’m not mistaken?  And the other looks like the original one from 2010 that came out with the other main 6 ,but I’ll have to wait until I get her to be sure. It also include Lyra and fluttershy. Which is the main reason I got the lot as fluttershy was my fave my g4. But I like Rarity too 

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I actually got a lot of g4 ponies today that includes two Raritys. One has a heart symbol on her leg down near her hoof? I think it’s a code thing if I’m not mistaken? 

Oh, a hilarious part of pony history.
The Explore Equestria series of ponies had "Zapcodes", the heart symbol you see on the bottom of legs. MLPMerch has all of the zapcodes vectored so you don't need the pony itself! Hasbro partnered up with an app company (I don't think it was made BY Hasbro) which used the zapcodes as a way to...invite the pony to a tea party.
There was an Equestria Girl equivalent which is why the Chrysalis doll had a strange medallion around her neck that didn't go well with the rest of her outfit.

[Goanna]

I have.. the standard sized brushable version- the Canterlot Wedding version I believe- she was actually my first ever MLP! I also have the big Glamour Glow Rarity, who is absolutely beautiful but has the most atrociously frizzy hair
I love Rarity, she's such a beautiful gal.

[Taffeta]

@MJNSEIFER

The bottom line is that I am neither interested in, nor care how Lauren Faust defined either G1 (in her childhood or since) or G4.

Rarity looks like Glory and that is my reason for buying her originally. And since Hasbro said she was also inspired by Glory, that's enough for me and makes it official.

I've been around since before 2011 and I never heard any 'official' comment about it being Glory at the time FIM came out. Only Sparkler. But whatever the reason, my point was really that my comment didn't need to be corrected or clarified based on what Lauren Faust intended. As far as I am concerned she's just another person who played with G1 when she was a kid. And we're all free to make our own decisions.

[halicabi]

Army...

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and many more that are not photographed...

halicabi

[Ponybookworm]

Let's see...
I have the first brushable wi animal, Fashion Style wi the ribbons in her hair, Build A Bear, first McDs, TY, Egmont, Blind Bag mini, small Funrise & some small fabric haired plushie lurking about...

Not quite an army (that's TS), but a few

[BethyVic]

I have multiple versions of her.  She is probably my least favorite of the mane six.  I think it is the lack of color and her symbol just doesn't appeal to me. 

[brightberry]

I think I have her wedding version in the package still.  But I donated my unboxed version.  I do like her as a character.  But like Baby Yoda, it was starting to feel like she was everywhere. I need a long break from G4 characters.