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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. She was the corrupt 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[]
Principal Abacus Cinch possesses a uniquely symbolic and richly constructed design that communicates her authority, severity, and antagonist role within Equestria Girls, particularly during her time as the head of Crystal Prep Academy. Her visual presentation is laden with purposeful choices that echo both human authority figures and the regal, commanding essence of an Alicorn — not by species, but by symbolism. Through posture, styling, and color, Cinch projects a near-monarchical dominance, drawing a parallel to an “evil Alicorn,” even within her human form. Her character design balances visual elegance with cold rigidity, evoking an air of calculated control and emotional detachment. Her overall aesthetic draws inspiration from British formalism — a structured, almost aristocratic style — that leans into the portrayal of authority and emotional repression, often seen in antagonistic figures. This is not only reflected in her garments but in her demeanor, speech, and facial construction. She carries herself with a calculated poise, and every aspect of her appearance reinforces the impression of someone who exerts discipline through fear and unyielding tradition. Cinch’s skin tone is exceptionally pale, rendered in a luminous Light Cyan, a white-leaning tone that enhances her spectral presence and otherworldly detachment. This tone contrasts sharply against the deeper, cooler colors of her clothing and hair, enhancing her visual prominence and underscoring her symbolic association with isolation and coldness. Her hair is a masterclass in controlled elegance and symbolic detail. It is a sophisticated blend of muted yet regal tones, including Old Burgundy (a deep purplish-red), Dark Byzantium (a desaturated grayish-purple), Plum, Sky Magenta, and Lilac. These shades interlace with compositional precision, creating a palette that feels both royal and restrained — a mixture of formality and femininity edged with tension. The hairstyle itself is deeply expressive: her hair is pulled back tightly into a low, rounded bun, held securely with a band of Little Boy Blue, a cool turquoise that injects a subtle note of rigidity and polish. The front section of her hair is combed into a distinctly elegant, curved swoop that parts just slightly off-center, forming an uneven V-shape along the hairline — visually evoking the placement of a unicorn horn, further reinforcing her Alicorn-like aura. This section trails into a gentle, soft curl at the end, a rare moment of grace in her otherwise tightly controlled aesthetic, reflecting perhaps a buried softness or past idealism. Her facial features are carefully sculpted to echo equine — even Alicorn — shapes, with a rounded upper forehead that tapers into a more angular and geometric chin, invoking the square-jawed majesty of a regal mare. Her eyes are notably smaller than those of many characters in the series, shaped in a rounded form with thin, sharply pointed eyelashes that hint at severity. Her irises are a pale pinkish-fuchsia, best described as Pastel Magenta, giving her gaze a piercing yet cold quality. Her makeup enhances this effect: her lipstick is a deep Telemagenta, a red-infused shade that commands attention without warmth, and her eyeshadow is Bright Ube, a cool lilac tone that harmonizes with her hair and further cools her expression. Her clothing is a perfect extension of her character — calculated, refined, and emblematic of institutional power. She wears a high-necked, ribbed turtleneck sweater in Maya Blue, a calm turquoise that conveys intellect and tradition. This is layered beneath an authoritative blazer in Yale Blue, a deep navy shade often associated with academia and elite institutions. The blazer features a structured collar in Dark Pastel Blue, a silver-like color that adds formality and frames her neckline in a pointed V. The neckline is fastened at the center by a brooch of elegant construction: a Medium Carmine (ochre-red) gemstone set in a circular silver or white-gold frame. This brooch functions as both ornament and badge of office — a centerpiece of her design that suggests importance, legacy, and rigidity. She pairs her blazer with a straight-cut pencil skirt in Space Cadet, a deep navy that matches her shoes — elegant high heels that carry thin Medium Turquoise accent lines along their edges, adding a whisper of movement and detail. Her leggings are in Medium Ruby, a muted lilac that harmonizes with her overall cool palette while providing subtle variation. Her accessories include triple-pearl earrings in brilliant white, mirroring the color and polish of her brooch frame, further emphasizing her formal, almost ceremonial presence. Finally, her eyeglasses are rimmed in Claret, a deep maroon color that adds one final stroke of stately contrast to her face, balancing intellectual refinement with a subtly intimidating edge. Every element of Principal Cinch’s design — from her hairstyle and facial geometry to her palette, wardrobe, and even the shapes of her accessories — is crafted to reinforce her identity as a figure of strict control, prestige, and veiled menace. She is the human embodiment of an Alicorn that has forsaken harmony in favor of ambition, not through magic, but through meticulous power, influence, and cold-blooded authority.
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):
- Sour Sweet
- Lemon Zest
- Sunny Flare
- Sugarcoat
- Indigo Zap
- Jet Set and Upper Crust
Enemies[]
- Wondercolts:
- Sunset Shimmer
- Twilight Sparkle
- Rarity
- Rainbow Dash
- Fluttershy
- Applejack
- Pinkie Pie
- Flash Sentry
- Principal Celestia (archenemy)
- Vice Principal Luna (second archenemy)
- Other Wondercolts
- Shadowbolts:
- Sour Sweet
- Lemon Zest
- Sunny Flare
- Sugarcoat
- Indigo Zap
- Jet Set and Upper Crust
- Principal Cadance
- Shining Armor
Trivia[]
- Principal Abacus Cinch is voiced by Iris Quinn, a Canadian actress who is also known for her role as Mrs. Biers in the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.
- Her casting lends Cinch a more mature, authoritative presence, matching the character’s commanding personality.
- Unlike the other major villains in the Equestria Girls franchise—such as Sunset Shimmer, the Dazzlings, and Midnight Sparkle—Cinch is not a teenager. She is portrayed as an average adult, likely middle-aged, as suggested by her deeper, more refined voice and her conservative, formal wardrobe.
- These traits contribute to a characterization that stands apart from the more youthful antagonists of the series.
- Principal Cinch is also unique among the major villains in that she is entirely from the human world, with no direct connection to Equestria itself.
- This sets her apart from earlier villains like Sunset Shimmer and the Dazzlings, who were all former Equestrians with magical powers or origins.
- Unlike other major antagonists in the Equestria Girls universe—who, despite being human, were still given cutie mark-like emblems—Principal Cinch is not associated with any symbolic motif or personal logo.
- Her character design remains completely devoid of any iconography that could be interpreted as a cutie mark.
- This lack of a visual symbol adds to her image as a grounded, realistic authority figure rather than a magical or mythic one.
- The absence of any symbolic representation for Cinch has led some fans to theorize that her Equestrian counterpart may not even be a pony, or that she may not have a direct counterpart at all.
- Unlike every other villain who implies a mirrored identity in Equestria, Cinch remains anomalously grounded in the human world, further emphasizing her narrative role as a symbol of real-world pressure and perfectionism.
- According to the Blu-ray/DVD commentary for Friendship Games, an early version of the script included a scene where Principal Cinch would fall through one of the magical dimensional rifts created during Midnight Sparkle’s rampage.
- In this scrapped storyline, Cinch would have been transformed into a monstrous form, echoing Sci-Twi’s own descent into magical instability.
- This was later removed, likely to keep Cinch grounded in realism and to allow the focus to remain on Twilight’s internal struggle.
- Principal Abacus Cinch’s name is inspired by Atticus Finch, the iconic moral figure from Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
- While Atticus symbolizes moral righteousness and justice, the inversion of this reference in Cinch’s character name suggests an ironic contrast—Cinch becomes a symbol of institutional manipulation, pressure, and elitism, rather than ethical leadership.
- Her name subtly hints at her role in “killing the innocent”—metaphorically destroying Sci-Twi’s individuality under the pressure of competition.
- While Atticus symbolizes moral righteousness and justice, the inversion of this reference in Cinch’s character name suggests an ironic contrast—Cinch becomes a symbol of institutional manipulation, pressure, and elitism, rather than ethical leadership.
- Principal Cinch is one of the few major villains in the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and Equestria Girls franchises to never return after her debut.
- She appears only in Friendship Games and has not been featured in any subsequent media, spin-offs, or comics.
- Unlike Sunset Shimmer, Sci-Twi, or even the Sirens who gained some complexity through fan interpretations, Cinch is not reformed.
- Alongside the Dazzlings, she remains one of the only antagonists in the Equestria Girls universe who never receives redemption or character rehabilitation.
