Chancellor Neighsay is an anti-hero in the eighth season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. He is a male unicorn pony who is the head of Equestria Education Association (also known as EEA), a board of scholars who oversee all schools in Equestria. He is the main antagonist of season eight premiere "School Daze", minor villain of the episode "Friendship University", and former tertiary antagonist of season eight finale "School Raze". He was voiced by Maurice LaMarche, who also voiced Mr. Talbot in Alvin and the Chipmunks: Meet the Wolfman, Brain the Mouse in Pinky and the Brain, and Father in Codename: Kids Next Door.
Biography[]
In School Daze - Part 1, Chancellor Neighsay first appears when Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) and Spike meet with him and his association to get the School of Friendship approved. The chancellor approves the school with the conditions that they strictly follow the EEA's guidelines and not leave the school unattended to go off on their friendship adventures. In addition, he approves it under the assumption that it will be a school for ponies only, and will teach its students how to protect themselves from other creatures. Neighsay later pays a visit to the school to check on Twilight's progress, just as the new students decide to cut class for the afternoon. Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, and Rainbow Dash distract him by giving him a tour of the school and summarizing the main points of its curriculum. The students return in time for Friends and Family Day, but changeling student Ocellus appears in the form of a giant insect-like creature, causing chaos at the event. Upon seeing that non-ponies are enrolled at the school, Neighsay reveals his prejudice and bitterness toward other creatures and insinuates that they would use the school's lessons against Equestria. Neighsay's sentiments are such an insult to Prince Rutherford, Ember, Thorax, Grampa Gruff, and Sea Spray that they pull their students out of the school. Determining that Twilight failed to uphold the guidelines and standards of the EEA, Chancellor Neighsay closes the School of Friendship and locks its doors with a magical seal.
In School Daze - Part 2, Neighsay returns when Twilight breaks his magic seal in an attempt to reopen the school without the EEA's influence. He declares that the school's non-pony element would be dangerous and unpredictable, but his views are opposed not only by Twilight but also Princess Celestia. The chancellor eventually relents and leaves, proclaiming that Twilight's school could potentially destroy Equestria.
Chancellor Neighsay appears again in Friendship University, where he approves of and accredits Flim and Flam's Friendship University, favoring it over Twilight's school due to its pony-only environment. He even showed no remorse over his actions and gets away with it. In School Raze - Part 1, Neighsay appears at the School of Friendship again. Fed up with Twilight constantly leaving the school insufficiently attended, especially during the crisis of magic disappearing across Equestria, he assumes control of the school and declares it to be for ponies only. He also ties up the Young Six for suspicion of being the ones responsible for the disappearing magic, intending to summon their guardians to take most of them home.
In School Raze - Part 2, Neighsay's new position as the school's head stallion is usurped when Cozy Glow orchestrates a school uprising, and she and the students tie him up in chains. After the Young Six help him escape, he uses his EEA medallion to travel to Canterlot and warn the princesses about Cozy's plans. In the end, he realizes he was wrong about non-pony creatures and welcomes Twilight back as head mare.
In The Ending of the End - Part 2, Chancellor Neighsay takes shelter with other unicorns inside the School for Gifted Unicorns as Canterlot closes itself off from the other pony races. Later, he rallies the unicorns in the final battle against Queen Chrysalis (Kathleen Barr), Lord Tirek, and Cozy Glow.
Personality[]
Chancellor Neighsay is portrayed as very strict and conservative, insistent that all schools under the EEA's authority follow its guidelines. His delusional tendencies and stubbornness causing himself to abuse his power and be very prejudiced toward non-pony creatures, openly describing them as dangerous and even going as far as to disrespect them even while in their presence. He also despised Twilight and her institutions for allowing all non-pony creatures to stay at the School of Friendship and ignoring the EEA rules. Not to mention that he is also a sore loser, as he was getting mad at Twilight and the others standing up to him.
Despite his rough personality, however, he does appear to care for the quality of education and the safety of pony students, hypocritically justifying his actions and beliefs as being for the greater good of Equestria. As Cozy Glow betrayed him by having pony students turned back on him, he became remorseful over his actions. After the Young Six save him and stop Cozy Glow from draining the magic from all of Equestria, Chancellor realizes how wrong he was about non-pony creatures incapable of learning the magic of friendship and cause use it as a weapon against ponies, even accepting Twilight's institution and apologizing to the Young Six for his actions against them.
Abilities[]
As the head of the Equestria Education Association and supreme authority on all school-related matters within the EEA's jurisdiction, Chancellor Neighsay demonstrates impressive power and abilities throughout his debut in School Daze - Part 1 and Part 2. He can open and sustain magic portals through space, create chains and seals that presumably only a unicorn on Twilight's level can break, and generate small earthquakes with his hooves (though it appears his medallion provides a boost to his magic so he can accomplish these deeds - most notably, the seal around the School of Friendship).