Sunset Shimmer

"True magic comes from Honesty! Loyalty! Laughter! Generosity! Kindness! I understand you, Twilight, and I want to show you the most important magic of all... the magic of friendship!"

- Sunset Shimmer to Midnight Sparkle after turning into Daydream Shimmer

Sunset Shimmer, is the reformed main antagonist of My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, turned tritagonist in My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, the main protagonist in My Little Pony: Equestria Girls: Friendship Games and the deuteragonist in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree.

She is voiced by Rebecca Shoichet (pronounced Shoy-ket) who is also the singing voice of Twilight Sparkle.

Personality
Throughout the first film, Sunset Shimmer is shown to be self-absorbed, condescending, manipulative, and dishonest. She frequently insults and belittles others and thinks little of it. According to human Fluttershy, Sunset makes life miserable for "anyone who stands in her way." As a result, most of the Canterlot High School student body is afraid of her. She is also not above making threats and blackmail in order to realize her goals. When Sunset puts on the element of magic, she transforms into a demonic visage of herself. While in this form, she becomes more ruthless, going so far as attempting to dispose of Twilight. After she is defeated, Sunset Shimmer becomes immediately repentant and apologizes for her actions, appearing to renounce her prior dishonest and unkind ways.

In the second film, Sunset Shimmer has completely discarded her old self and starts believing in friendship, being kind toward others and befriending former enemies. She is also deeply repentant for her actions in the first film, referring to her transformed self as a "raging she-demon". However, she suffers from a lack of confidence, keeping silent in situations she feels it isn't her place to speak up and falling prey to the Dazzlings' taunting. During the final battle, she finally overcomes her insecurities and joins the Rainbooms in defeating the Dazzlings, gaining a half-pony form in the process. By the end of Rainbow Rocks, Sunset starts writing friendship reports to Princess Twilight using the book she once used to communicate with Princess Celestia.

By the third film, while Sunset has managed to fully integrate herself into the group and take mentions of what she did in the past with good humor, she also harbors a fear of losing her school's newly gained trust, and she becomes deeply depressed when she believes she has let them down, despite their assurances. She also becomes increasingly irritated by her struggles to understand how magic works in the human world, briefly snapping at her friends at one point. When the human Twilight Sparkle endangers her friends, Sunset's anger explodes as she berates Twilight for meddling with forces she doesn't understand, taking her own frustrations and self-doubt out on her. However, she immediately regrets her harsh words and reaches out to Twilight in friendship by the end of the film.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls
Sunset Shimmer first appears as the main antagonist in My Little Pony Equestria Girls. She steals Twilight Sparkle's element of magic crown and during a tussle with Twilight, the crown is thrown into the Crystal Mirror that acts as a portal to another world. She then follows the crown shortly after.

Princess Celestia reveals that Sunset was a former student of hers who began her studies not long before Twilight did. However, when she didn't get what she desired as quickly as she wanted, she turned cruel and dishonest, eventually abandoning her studies to pursue her own path. In this other world, Sunset has been living as a human and student at Canterlot High School for some time. She discovers that the alternate Fluttershy found the crown and turned it over to Principal Celestia, much to Sunset's annoyance.

After learning that Twilight will be competing against her for the title of Princess of the Fall Formal, Sunset employs various ways to hinder and humiliate Twilight. She has Snips and Snails record embarrassing videos of Twilight struggling to get used to the human world and releases the videos online, and she doctors photos to frame Twilight for ruining the dance decorations. But Twilight's friends help to counter these ploys by improving Twilight's reputation, and Flash Sentry, Sunset Shimmer's ex-boyfriend, helps prove Twilight's innocence.

At the Fall Formal, when Twilight is named princess and given the crown, Sunset has Snips and Snails kidnap Spike and threatens to destroy the portal to Equestria unless Twilight gives her the crown. Twilight refuses to give the crown up, stating that her being stuck in the human world would be worth stopping Sunset. As Twilight's friends commend her bravery and sacrifice, Sunset snaps and attacks her. Despite Twilight and her friends' efforts, Sunset succeeds in getting the crown and puts it on, and a dark magic aura transforms her into a demon. With her newfound powers, Sunset transforms Snips and Snails into similar-looking minions and brainwashes the other students at the school. She reveals that she never intended to destroy the portal and plans to invade and conquer Equestria with her army of teenagers.

Twilight is able to evoke the powers of the Elements of Harmony when her friends move to protect her from Sunset Shimmer's attack. Temporarily given pony-like characteristics, they use the magic of friendship to defeat Sunset Shimmer and return Snips, Snails, and the rest of the students to normal.

As everyone recovers, a beaten and repentant Sunset is reduced to tears and apologizes to everyone she's hurt. She admits to not knowing anything about friendship, to which Twilight says her friends can teach her. Sunset, Snips, and Snails are later tasked by Vice Principal Luna with rebuilding the part of school they had destroyed during their attack.

Rainbow Rocks
Sunset Shimmer re-appears as the tritagonist in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, reformed from her villainous ways in the first film. With the exception of the Rainbooms, the rest of Canterlot High bears resentment toward her and she even resents herself for the actions she'd taken as what she refers to as a "raging she-demon". She even admits to herself and her friends that she only dated Flash Sentry to make herself more popular.

When Sunset gives the Dazzlings a tour of the school, she gets a bad vibe from them when Adagio Dazzle gets defensive about her pendant. Her suspicions are later confirmed when the Dazzlings mesmerize the students and faculty with their singing. Using a magical book with her cutie mark on the cover, Sunset sends an SOS to Twilight Sparkle in Equestria. During Twilight's role as the Rainbooms' lead singer, Sunset acts in a supportive role and keeps an eye on the competition, especially the Dazzlings during the Battle of the Bands.

When the Rainbooms lash out at each other during the final round of the Battle of the Bands, Sunset realizes the Dazzlings' true intentions and is able to stop the arguing. She even accepts partial blame due to her lack of knowledge on friendship. When the Dazzlings overpower the Rainbooms during the film's climax, Sunset Shimmer steps up and sings on the band's behalf. Her help not only gives the Rainbooms the strength needed to defeat the Dazzlings, but she also undergoes a half-pony transformation like her friends. Afterward, Sunset joins the band as a singer and guitarist, and she uses her old journal that she communicated with Princess Celestia through to write her friendship reports to Princess Twilight Sparkle.

During the credits, Sunset is seen having now been accepted by the rest of the school, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders walk happily with her and Bulk Biceps helps her get Angel Bunny down from where he is stuck.

Sunset Shimmer is featured in the songs Welcome to the Show and Shine Like Rainbows during the film.

My Past is Not Today
Sunset Shimmer is the central focus of the musical short "My Past is Not Today", having solo vocals during the titular song. In the song, Sunset reflects on her past to show what lessons are learned. She explains about how misguided her goals were during the first film and decides to let go of the past. The phoenix appearance at the end shows how she is being reborn.

Friendship Games
Sunset appears as the main protagonist in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games, competing on the Wondercolts' team in the Friendship Games' motocross event. She is tasked with keeping magic out of the event, but she gets worried that she might fail at understanding how magic works in the human world and that she doesn't have Princess Twilight to help her with her task.

When human Twilight's device starts gathering magic from the main characters and she releases it under pressure from Principal Cinch, she becomes overwhelmed and corrupted by the power. Sunset uses the device to harness the magic of friendship from her friends to stop Twilight's rampage. In the end, Sunset realizes that she is fully capable of solving her own problems and that she can't always count on someone else to do it for her.

Legend Of Everfree
In the film Legend of Everfree, Sunset Shimmer appears as the deuteragonist, serving as moral support for human Twilight. At Camp Everfree, Sunset is paired up with Twilight in the Sapphire Tent. While at the camp, Sunset's magic undergoes a dramatic change, and she develops the ability to sense others' thoughts, memories, and feelings through physical touch.

Throughout the film, Sunset helps Twilight come to grips with the dark magic of Midnight Sparkle inside her, and she guides all of her friends in embracing their new magical abilities. She also helps Flash Sentry get over Princess Twilight, and they start over as friends after their bitter breakup.

When Sunset discovers strange goings-on behind the scenes at Camp Everfree, she initially suspects camp co-director and Twilight's crush Timber Spruce. However, she later discovers it to be Timber's sister Gloriosa Daisy. By helping Twilight overcome her fear of Midnight Sparkle, Sunset proves integral in defeating Gloriosa when she is consumed by Equestrian magic. She and her fellow Rainbooms also take part in saving Camp Everfree from closing down with a Crystal Ball fundraiser. After the ball, Sunset ask where the magic from the cave come from.

Equestria Girls: Dance Magic
In the half-hour special Dance Magic, Sunset Shimmer helps her friends raise money to renovate Camp Everfree. She also takes part in the Dance Magic music video near the end of the special, but she accidentally tears Rainbow Dash's jacket during rehearsal.

Equestria Girls: Movie Magic
In the half-hour special Movie Magic, Sunset accompanies her friends to the set of the Daring Do movie, expressing an interest in seeing the volcano movie sets. She is also briefly mistaken for an actress in the Power Ponies movie, cast as the Mane-iac. In the end, she helps expose Juniper Montage's thievery and deception, and she is cast as an extra in the Daring Do film.

Equestria Girls: Mirror Magic
In the half-hour special Mirror Magic, Sunset expresses considerable worry about the next magic-related problem that she and her friends will have to face. During a brief visit back to Equestria to get a replacement magic journal, she befriends Starlight Glimmer and brings her back with her to the human world. With Starlight's advice, Sunset learns to stop worrying too much about the future and instead live in the moment. Sunset also contends with a revenge-hungry Juniper Montage when she traps her and her friends in limbo with an enchanted mirror. After Starlight convinces Juniper to set them free, Sunset and the rest of her friends forgive and accept Juniper as a new friend. Sunset, as well as Twilight and Starlight, is especially forgiving of Juniper, having used magic to enslave a whole school in the first film.

Equestria Girls: Summertime Shorts
Sunset and Twilight are the focus of the short Monday Blues, which also reveals Sunset's house. In the short Pet Project, Sunset feels left out when all of her friends have a photo shoot for their pets, so she adopts a pet leopard gecko and names him Ray. In The Art of Friendship, she helps Pinkie find inspiration on what to paint.

In Epic Fails, Sunset thinks back to her most embarrassing moment of chewing on a plant while trying to warn Rarity about a piece of lettuce stuck in her teeth. In Good Vibes, Sunset is revealed to work at a sushi restaurant in the Canterlot Mall. Rainbow Dash gives her a new pair of sneakers after she breaks her sandal strap, and she later offers some lunch to a depressed Flash Sentry.

Better Together/Choose Your Own Ending
Sunset Shimmer is featured throughout the new Equestria Girls digital series. In A Fine Line, she waits in line for the new video game Tirek's Revenge. In Queen of Clubs, she appears as a member of the CHS fencing club. In Overpowered, her geode powers become supercharged, allowing her to read others' thoughts without touching them. In Display of Affection, she is revealed to be a street artist named Flanksy and helps Rarity with her window display. Throughout the Choose Your Own Ending series, Sunset serves as director for the Canterlot High School play. She also retakes her driving test in Driving Miss Shimmer and is the one of three possible endings in Text Support and Opening Night.

Equestria Girls: Forgotten Friendship
In the hour-long special Forgotten Friendship, Sunset oversees the school yearbook committee and, with the help of Trixie and Princess Twilight, deals with a mysterious magic that erases her friends' memories of her. She also reconciles with Princess Celestia.

Personality
Throughout the first film, Sunset Shimmer is shown to be self-absorbed, condescending, manipulative, and dishonest. She frequently insults and belittles others and thinks little of it. According to human Fluttershy, Sunset makes life miserable for "anyone who stands in her way." As a result, most of the Canterlot High School student body is afraid of her. She is also not above making threats and blackmail in order to realize her goals.

When Sunset puts on the element of magic, she transforms into a demonic visage of herself. While in this form, she becomes more ruthless, going so far as attempting to dispose of Twilight. After she is defeated, Sunset Shimmer becomes immediately repentant and apologizes for her actions, appearing to renounce her prior dishonest and unkind ways.

In the second film, Sunset Shimmer has completely discarded her old self and starts believing in friendship, being kind toward others and befriending former enemies. She is also deeply repentant for her actions in the first film, referring to her transformed self as a "raging she-demon". However, she suffers from a lack of confidence, keeping silent in situations she feels it isn't her place to speak up and falling prey to the Dazzlings' taunting. During the final battle, she finally overcomes her insecurities and joins the Rainbooms in defeating the Dazzlings, gaining a half-pony form in the process. By the end of Rainbow Rocks, Sunset starts writing friendship reports to Princess Twilight using the book she once used to communicate with Princess Celestia.

By the third film, while Sunset has managed to fully integrate herself into the group and take mentions of what she did in the past with good humor, she also harbors a fear of losing her school's newly gained trust, and she becomes deeply depressed when she believes she has let them down, despite their assurances. She also becomes increasingly irritated and stressed by her struggles to understand how magic works in the human world, briefly snapping at her friends at one point. When the human Twilight Sparkle endangers her friends, Sunset's anger explodes as she berates Twilight for meddling with forces she doesn't understand, taking her own frustrations and self-doubt out on her. However, she immediately regrets her harsh words and reaches out to Twilight in friendship by the end of the film.

In the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls Holiday Special comic, Sunset Shimmer displays a forgiving and compassionate side when she forgives the Cutie Mark Crusaders for framing her as the rumormonger "Anon-a-Miss".

In Sunset Shimmer's Time to Shine, Sunset displays a considerable level of intelligence, being ahead of her friends and classmates in school and smart enough to develop various computer applications. Her affinity for science and research is also seen in The Science of Magic, where she explains she prefers a hands-on approach to studying magic over "studying ancient books".

In The Art of Friendship, Sunset has a fondness for sunflowers that she expresses through her painting in art class. Her artistic side is further shown in Display of Affection and Super Squad Goals.

A Fine Line shows that she likes to play video games, and she is excited to get the new game Tirek's Revenge.

Trivia

 * Her human counterpart does not exist, according to the writers.