Written by Christina Rice
Art by Tony Fleecs
Colors by Heather Breckel
Published by IDW Publishing
How are villains created? Are they born out of the pits of Hades? Are they raised to act like they do? What creates a villain and how they see good and evil? My Little Pony Fiendship is Magic # 2 reveals the origin of the villain Tirek and his path which would lead him toward being banished later in the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic series. The writer, Christina Rice, shows Tirek as a power hungry child, but leaves hints to take into consideration as My Little Pony Friendship is Magic weaves a story about Tirek and his early life.
The tale begins with Tirek, a young prince of his homeland, and his brother on their way to visit Tirek’s mentor Sendak the Elder. Sendak instructed Tirek in the ways on magic and this day he reveals to Tirek that he has become interested in Equestrian music. Sendank shows his student the captured unicorn in his dwelling, but before student and mentor can discuss the subject further, Tirek’s parents King Vorak and Queen Haydon summon the two princes home. The king and queen argue over the trust to be placed on Tirek due to fear of his desire for power. Under the protection of nightfall, Tirek returns back to his mentor’s home and attempts to steal the power of the unicorn for himself. From here everything in Tirek’s plan fails and his life goes sour.
Rice does a careful job of constructing Tirek’s character for the reader and to think upon the reason why he is a villain. In the comic, Tirek is shown as power hungry by being addressed so by his mentor when he tries touch the unicorn cage without his mentor’s help. His father’s dialogue also shows distrust of Tirek’s nature. The question to think on is: why does his mentor and father do not trust him? Rice hints that his magic skill is rare in his kingdom and therefore it would only be natural people may not trust him. Now Rice’s move to provide supportive characters to Tirek such as his mother and his show Tirek had compassion and love. Still the environment of distrust from others makes him view his brother as a tool and his mother as a political figure. Rice creates Tirek to be more than a one note evil doer by setting up inner conflicts in him.
My Little Pony Fiendship is Magic #2 works on a subtle form to introduce the idea of gray area for young reader and insightful thought to older readers. It works to reveal that good and evil are not absolute. There is in the moral scale areas of gray and questioning of why people develop the morality they have. The character who is seen has a villain can become the hero, and the hero can easily become the villain. My Little Pony Fiendship is Magic #2 gives much for a tale about Tirek and his downfall to power.