Perhaps they're considering Trixie, I mean she got mentioned in Ponyville Confidential.

It might be interesting to have her back.

I think it's more avoiding Continuity in a sense every episode works individually and you don't have to watch them one after the other to enjoy them or completely get the plot. Vague nods or references to development seem to be fair game. Hense why starting off recurring plots like the CMC seem to be okay. This is why I think a new villain would work.

Hmm, while I know this goes completely against Ginger's ethics, but what about an Amneoba Boys type villain, as in one so harmless and unevil that the heroes outright feel sorry for them?

edited 13th Jun '12 6:40:41 AM by Psi001

Trixie has a few different toys while Gilda only has one, so Hasbro would get more merchandise-driving from a Trixie comeback than from a Gilda comeback.

MOUSA!

Prepares to jump

Oh wait...I remember what happened last time...

edited 13th Jun '12 6:40:48 AM by ApplelightLimited

Yeah, there's a pit of fire behind me so you wouldn't want to miss again, Applelight.

So recurring villain topic? I still wish Discord wasn't defeated for good, there was so much potential in him being a down-powered trickster mentor, like a guy who is a mold threat per episode but can't do any actual damage.

So... I rented Lollipop Chainsaw last night. The main character, Juliet, is voiced by Tara Strong. If the voice actor connection wasn't funny enough, at one point Juliet shouts "I hate you more than Carrot Top!".

She's talking about the comedian, but now I can't help but think Twilight Sparkle has this irrational hatred for Derpy's best friend.

And I'm sorry, but I really think the idea of Pinkie being attracted to the villian is just too funny not to do. She could defeat them by chasing after them Pepi Le Pew style. A real chance to get some Looney Toons antics going on.

And then Pinkie learns a valuable lesson about stalking.

@Mousa She already learned that lesson in A Friend in Deed, though.

edited 13th Jun '12 6:56:10 AM by PerpetualLurker

Villian (Sees Pinkie approaching his lair):

To minions: QUICK! TO THE PANIC DIMENSION! opens portal and jumps in

Stalkie Pie

Quick! fan-art it!

Pinkie Hayabusa

I'm not sure she actually learned that lesson since she wouldnt have found a way to make Cranky happy if she wasn't obsessively stalking him in the first place.

Would anyone like their own panic dimension?

Well, you know how life is. 1) People often don't learn their lesson right away, or 2) they learn it, but it doesn't really stick until 3) the same situation happens again that they have to deal with until 4) they finally get it.

Maybe we'll see in a later episode.

I think Discord could work recurring, but only for spaced occasions so as to maintain his competence and threat against the ponies, sorta like a more comedic Knight of Cerebus. Maybe Once a Season or something with other more prominant bumbling villains playing the role for the rest of the time. Abiding by announcements of his VA returning that might be what they are doing though.

Possibly Discord as the Big Bad and Trixie as a Big Bad Wannabe.

edited 13th Jun '12 7:16:35 AM by Psi001

@Mousa But she said that she was going to leave him alone forever. She just got lucky and the last thing she tried worked. Not to mention that the lesson was pretty clearly spelled out in the letter at the end.

Trixie is a jerk, but she's by no means villainous. She'd have to have a damn good reason to turn evil.

edited 13th Jun '12 7:18:20 AM by PerpetualLurker

I still think a good villian would be a single pony who exibits all of the anti-elements: lies, is treacherous, greedy, angry, cruel...and is solitary.

EDIT:

And who is friends with the shadows, like keg said.

edited 13th Jun '12 7:18:28 AM by ApplelightLimited

And an earth pony.

I'd sorta like an Anti-Villain really, most of the villains so far are one note evil or nasty with no pathos. I'm sure they could make a sympathetic villain while keeping the heroes rootable.

@Lurker: I could sort of see Trixie as a villain in an Attention Whore sort of sense. Take Bowser or Dr Eggman for example, they are villains but their whole outlook seems very petty and childish and just to aggrandise themselves. Eggman once brainwashed the whole world to his bidding, but solely so they would think he was cooler than Sonic, and spent the remainder of his rule making dollar bills with his face on and placing himself as the show's protagonist.

Daffy Duck is similar, he just wants to be more popular than Bugs, but takes it to such a vindictive scale he is willing to murder Bugs just to make it happen.

edited 13th Jun '12 7:24:54 AM by Psi001

I should like to see some more of places beyond Ponyville. Needs more Las Pegasus.

Considering how Twi never socialized at all until she came to Ponyville, it makes a lot of sense that her social skills would be "charmingly rustic" rather than upper-crust.

I kinda want to see something previously "learned" having to be relearned. With some character going "Didn't you learn your lesson last time?"

So... Dr. Facilier?