Page 856 - Breaking Ground

Scrapped, dumb lines:
Rainbow Dash: I thought that was, like, your character buys land and builds a house or something.
Applejack: “Character de-” Ugggggh.
Pinkie Pie: Gosh, I wish I’d thought of that one!

I feel like, knowing my audience, this is going to open up a can of worms about what exactly “character development” is. (I could probably fill up your screen with my thoughts on the subject.) I hemmed and hawed over Applejack’s wording for a while, but I decided to stick with this. To help contain the worms, I’ll just leave some little caveats here:

1. The context is tabletop character development, which, when you’re piloting the character in question, you view a little differently than when you’re observing characters in fiction.
2. “Development” tends to imply change in inner character, but I’d argue that changes in status (as a direct result of the character’s actions, and the preceding pursuit of that status) inevitably do cause a character’s interactions and reactions to change.
3. Rainbow Dash is still new at this.
4. This single page of a webcomic is not exactly meant to be a writing guide.

Applejack: Ah’ll just go ahead and ask the question that’s on everybody’s minds:
Pinkie Pie: “What toppings on the delivery pizza?”
Applejack: What’s gotten into you?
Rainbow Dash: Who, me? I mean, I’ve been hanging out with you guys, so I guess it was gonna happen eventually. But now that this Competition’s here… I guess I kinda get it now? It’s like… Well… My character is in a certain “position” in their life right now, and… if I do and say the right things… they’ll be in a better “position,” that will make them happier. I guess. …Does that make sense? Anyone?
Applejack: Yes, yer basically describin’ character development.
Rainbow Dash: OHHH! Is THAT what that’s been this whole time!