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“ | It doesn't matter whether or not Crystal Prep wins or loses. The important thing is we are expected to win because Crystal Prep has a reputation. And it is that reputation – my reputation – that is responsible for everything we have here. | „ |
~ Principal Cinch. |
“ | I think I've made it plain what will happen if we have the losing scores. | „ |
~ Principal Cinch while singing "Unleash the Magic". |
Principal Abacus Cinch is the main antagonist of the third Equestria Girls film Friendship Games, and one of the two overarching antagonists (alongside Filthy Rich) of the fourth film, Legend of Everfree. She was the headmistress of Crystal Prep Academy, and the archenemy of Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.
Her name, ironically, is a play on "Atticus Finch" - the Gregory Peck character from To Kill a Mockingbird.
She was voiced by Iris Quinn in her first villainous role.
Biography[]
My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games[]
Principal Cinch first appears, calling Twilight to her office through Dean Cadence. She talks with Twilight about her application for the Everton Independent Study Program, admiring her as the best student the academy ever had. However, she then points that Twilight has to compete in Friendship Games, which will strengthen the academy's influence, as it always was. When Twilight tries to say that she's just a researcher and doesn't want to compete, wasting her time, Cinch tells her that she has influence due to the academy's high social status. The principal points that she can use that influence to get Twilight's application approved faster or even denied at once if she won't take part in Friendship Games, forcing Twilight to do so.
In Canterlot High School, Principal Cinch first spends some time talking with Principal Celestia, as the latter shows her the school upgrades. They end up seeing Human Five and Sunset Shimmer chatting with a confused Twilight, only for Cinch to reveal that Twilight is her best student, apologizing for her curiosity. After that incident, Cinch forbids Twilight from making friends with the Canterlot High students. Principal Cinch also ruins Pinkie Pie's welcoming party, forbidding her students to have fun, and Pinkie couldn't do anything at the moment, as Twilight accidentally drained her magic which made Pinkie too tired to oppose the principal.
During the main action of the games (in song "Acadeca"), Cinch observes her students' work and gets angry or disgusted anytime they fail to win, like in bakery competition, which was won by Pinkie Pie and her tremendous "Mona Lisa" cake. While Principal Celestia, Vice-Principal Luna and Dean Cadence judge most of the competitions, Principal Cinch judges the last one, a math competition between Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle, pointing out that Sunset's answer is incorrect.
Afterwards, Principal Cinch instructs the remaining Shadowbolts before Tri-Cross Relay, inspiring them to victory and hoping that Twilight could deal with the first part of the relay, hitting a target in archery which is actually the P.E. standard for Crystal Prep Academy. However, Twilight fails miserably, not being able to hit the bulls-eye with an arrow, which enrages her classmates. She is helped by Applejack, who then gets pony-up for her honesty, which was accidentally drained by Twilight. The latter drops her pendant which opens several random portals to Equestria, releasing the Everfree Forest into this dimension. It crushes the track, nearly killing Sunset Shimmer and Sugarcoat in process, as Rainbow Dash and Indigo Zap prove themselves to be more competent racers. However, Rainbow saves Sunset, getting pony-up, and then Sunset wins the race. A bit later, Principal Cinch witnesses Twilight draining Rainbow Dash's magic and Sunset yelling at Twilight about all the magic, learning that she drained much magic yet and decides to use it to her advantage. Upon being caught eavesdropping, Principal Cinch accuses Canterlot High of using magic to cheat. however, Celestia tries to convince Cinch that no one had advantage due to that.
Before the final competition, Principal Cinch and the Shadowbolts try to convince Twilight to releasing the magic to the point of peer pressuring her to do it in their villain song "Unleash the Magic". However, the magic goes unstable and corrupts Twilight, as everyone, including Cinch, looks on in horror. Twilight transforms into horrifying Midnight Sparkle, and Cinch tries to flee from her, directly calling Twilight a "monster" when she is caught, a statement which disgusts her students.
After Midnight Sparkle is defeated, Cinch accuses Canterlot High of using magic to cheat once more and demands that Celestia and Luna forfeit the Friendship Games. Both schools call Cinch out for causing Twilight's corruption by attempting to use the stolen magic to cheat and win the game. Cinch tries to cover it up by calling it ridiculous, but Spike points out that that's pretty much what happened. Cinch then threatens to report the incident to the school board. However, she is mocked by the others, who point out that the board would never believe her claims about "magical students with wings, portals to different dimensions, and a talking dog", with Spike sarcastically telling her that it would never ruin her reputation. Though Cinch is enraged (as she looks at everyone, knowing that she's outnumbered), she then saves her face and leaves in defeat, most likely leaving to Crystal Prep the next day with the other students and Dean Cadence.
Equestria Girls Specials[]
Dance Magic[]
In the special "Dance Magic," Sunny Flare mentions that Cadance has taken over as the Principal of Crystal Prep, meaning that Principal Cinch had either quit, retired, or was fired by her superiors for her actions. It's also quite plausible that she was arrested on numerous charges.
Appearance[]
Abacus Cinch has a unique, but very typical design, both in physical appearance as well as clothing, showing a strong resemblance to a pony, typically an Alicorn. Identical to the school authority trio, her body is quite tall and slender, despite being noticeably older. She has a very different facial structure and shape, plus noticeably smaller and distinct eyes along with ears, her face is a typical resemblance to that of an Alicorn. She has light cyan skin, classic rose eyes, wears telemagenta lipstick and bright ube eye shadow. Her long hair is a combination of 5 different colors blend in together, old burgundy, sky magenta, dark byzantium, antique fuchsia and lilac, she wears her hair tied down into a bun, with a lose part at the front of her head, brushed to the side and shaped into a curtain curve with a large, hollow curl at the end of it. She wear’s claret eye glasses and triple white pearl earrings. She dresses up in a maya blue turtle-neck line sweater with an open neck, held closed by a circular, médium carmine brooch with a tiger’s eye shine and a white frame, over that, she wears a yale blue tailored jacket with a dark pastel blue collar and three celadon blue diamond buttons, with one on each end of the sleeves as well, a small space cadet, knee length skirt, medium ruby leggings and space cadet high heels with medium turquoise lines.
Personality[]
Principal Cinch is the haughty principal of Crystal Prep Academy, taking her students and culture in pride but prides itself mostly on the awards her school receives when winning the Friendship Games. Even when she considers the human Twilight Sparkle her prized student since she receives the most high scores in her school, but when she discovers magic withheld in her, she reveals herself to be an evil, competitive woman who has no reservations of exploiting her students and cheating in the Friendship Games. Cinch cares only about her reputation than her own student’s well being and her feelings; being un remorseful to her. When Twilight transforms into Midnight Sparkle, Cinch proves to be a coward when she tries to bail. She’s even real hypocrite calling Twilight as “Midnight Sparkle” a monster, despite that she’s the real monster for making her do something dangerous. Besides, her abusive nature led to be her downfall, as her students turned back on her for being responsible of Midnight Sparkle's creation, now seeing how awful they were and not wanting to become greedy monsters like Cinch.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
- Shadowbolts (all formerly):
- Twilight Sparkle (formerly)
- Sour Sweet (formerly)
- Lemon Zest (formerly)
- Sunny Flare (formerly)
- Sugarcoat (formerly)
- Indigo Zap (formerly)
- Jet Set and Uppercrust (formerly)
- Principal Cadence (formerly)
- Shinning Armor (formerly)
Enemies[]
- Wondercolts:
- Sunset Shimmer
- Rarity
- Rainbow Dash
- Fluttershy
- Applejack
- Pinkie Pie
- Flash Sentry
- Principal Celestia (archenemy)
- Vice Principal Luna (second archenemy)
- Other Wondercolts
- Shadowbolts:
- Twilight Sparkle
- Sour Sweet
- Lemon Zest
- Sunny Flare
- Sugarcoat
- Indigo Zap
- Jet Set and Uppercrust
- Principal Cadence
- Shinning Armor
Trivia[]
- Her actress, Iris Quinn portrays a character named Mrs. Biers in the film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.
- She is the first main Equestria Girls villain to be an average adult and not from Equestria, as the previous ones were teenagers that are from Equestria.
- Due to wearing glasses and her voice sounding slightly more older than Celestia's, it is possible that she is middle aged.
- As Principal Cinch is a regular human who has to have a pony counterpart, she is the only current character not having a cutie-mark symbol as even the Dazzlings had those, giving fans the material to create their cutie-marks. Cinch doesn't have any symbol which could be taken as cutie-mark.
- As a result of the above point, this implies her counterpart might not even be a pony at all.
- According to the Blu-ray/DVD commentary, an early draft of the script had Principal Cinch falling through one of the rifts to Equestria and becoming a monster during Midnight Sparkle's rampage.
- Abacus Cinch was named after Atticus Finch from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which means "to kill the innocent".
- She is one of the only villains in the My Little Pony G4 franchise to not make a reappearance nor is she a recurring character.
- She and the Dazzlings are the only major villains in Equestria Girls to not reform.