View source for Principal Cinch

{{Infobox Character
|name2 = Principal Abacus Cinch
|headercolor = #DCFDF7
|headerfontcolor = #3D1332
|image = Friendship Games Principal Cinch artwork.png
|caption = Principal Cinch in her [[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games]] artwork
|sex = Female
|race = [[Humans|Human]]
|residence = [[Canterlot|Human world]]
|occupation = Principal of [[Crystal Prep Academy]] (formerly)
|eyes = {{perbang|D075BB| Grayish fuchsia}}
|hair = {{perbang|3D1332| Dark fuchsia}} <br /> {{perbang|572952| Dark orchid}} <br /> {{perbang|86478A| Grayish magenta}} <br /> {{perbang|BF91C6| Grayish heliotrope}} <br /> {{perbang|C050A6| Moderate fuchsia}}
|coat = {{perbang|DCFDF7| Light opalish gray}}
|voice = [[Iris Quinn]]}}
'''Principal Cinch''' is a female [[Humans|human]], the former principal of [[Crystal Prep Academy]], and the main antagonist in the film ''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toonzone.net/2015/10/galloping-through-equestria-girls-friendship-games-with-ishi-rudell-and-josh-haber/|title=Galloping Through "Equestria Girls Friendship Games" with Ishi Rudell and Josh Haber|author=Ed Liu|work=ToonZone|date=2015-10-16|accessdate=2015-10-17}}</ref> In the film's opening and closing credits, she is named '''Principal Abacus Cinch'''.__TOC__{{clr}}

==Depiction in ''Equestria Girls''==
===''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games|Equestria Girls: Friendship Games]]''===
Principal Cinch first appears in ''Friendship Games'' as the principal of [[Crystal Prep Academy]]. She demonstrates great pride in her school and its reputation as the undefeated winners of the [[Friendship Games (event)|Friendship Games]] every four years—so much pride, in fact, that she views rival institute [[Canterlot High School]]'s recent boost in athletics and academics as a threat. In order to maintain Crystal Prep's reputation, Cinch forces her brightest student [[Twilight Sparkle (Sci-Twi)|Twilight Sparkle]] to compete in the Games, going as far as to threaten revoking Twilight's application for an independent study program to ensure she competes.

During her visit to Canterlot High School, Cinch displays considerable disdain toward the school and its choice of Games competitors, comparing their selection process to a "popularity contest." She interrupts the welcome party that the school holds for their rivals to assure everyone that Crystal Prep will win the Games like it always has.

During the Tri-Cross Relay event of the Games, Cinch witnesses Twilight's amulet open a dimensional rift and release a carnivorous plant, and she watches [[Rainbow Dash]] pony up. She accuses [[Principal Celestia]] of cheating, and when Celestia suggests ending the Games in a tie, Cinch refuses, determined to prove that Crystal Prep can win regardless of the presence of magic.

In the final round of the Games, Cinch and the [[Shadowbolts]] pressure Twilight into releasing the magic from her amulet and using it against the [[Wondercolts]], justifying it as fighting fire with fire. Her hubris results in the creation of Twilight's evil alter ego Midnight Sparkle. As Midnight slowly destroys the world around her, Cinch retreats into hiding.

After Twilight is returned to normal, Cinch demands that Principal Celestia forfeit the Friendship Games, citing Canterlot High's unfair advantage of using magic. However, the Shadowbolts turn on their principal and blame her for Twilight's wicked transformation. Cinch says that she plans to report the incident to the school board, but Celestia, [[Vice Principal Luna]], and [[Principal Cadance|Dean Cadance]] inform her that no one would believe her story. In an effort to save face, she leaves the school with calm dignity. She last appears in a photograph with Dean Cadance and the Shadowbolts during the film's end credits.

However, with the Friendship Games ending in a tie, Cinch's worst fears of Crystal Prep's winning streak being broken have been realized, and with Twilight transferring to Canterlot High, Crystal Prep's grade averages are sure to suffer as well.

Throughout the film, Cinch's scenes are often musically accompanied by a rather sinister-sounding tango.

===''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree|Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree]]''===
Cinch is mentioned by [[Sunset Shimmer]] in the film.

===[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Dance Magic|Equestria Girls: Dance Magic]]=== 
In ''Dance Magic'', [[Sunny Flare]] mentions to [[Rarity]] that Principal Cadance has taken over Crystal Prep, implying that Cinch is no longer the principal.

==Other depictions==
Principal Cinch is first mentioned in the My Little Pony Facebook page's "Friendship Games Fantasy League".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/mylittlepony/posts/1151806334836802|title=Want to participate in The Friendship...|author=My Little Pony|work=Facebook|date=2015-07-31|accessdate=2015-07-31}}</ref>

In the [[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games/Deleted scenes#Bloopers|Friendship Games blooper reel]], Cinch messes up her chair spin scene and laughs. It is the only time Cinch appears laughing or smiling.

In the replica journal ''[[Wondercolts Forever: The Diary of Celestia and Luna]]'', Cinch appears as the recently-appointed principal of Crystal Prep Academy during Celestia's senior year at Canterlot High School.

==Personality==
[[File:Principal Cinch's sinister smile EG3.png|thumb|Cinch's sadistic grin.]] Principal Cinch is the haughty principal of Crystal Prep Academy. She takes pride in her students and reputation, especially the awards that her school receives when winning the Friendship Games. She also considers the human Twilight Sparkle her most prized student because of her test grades. However, all the pride she has for her students is self-serving, as she knows that having such successful students will lead her to her ultimate desire of having an ever-lasting legacy.

Cinch is very competitive and arrogant when it comes to opposition. She accepts nothing less than perfection from her students, as seen during [[ACADECA]], and she shows no reservations in resorting to underhanded tactics to preserve her school's image, such as exploiting her students and cheating. Her actions are what ultimately lead to her losing her position.

Aside from using underhanded tactics, her wish to maintain her legacy can lead her to do rather impulsive and sometimes even poorly-thought decisions, such as recruiting Twilight Sparkle for the games, (since, while she is the smartest student at her school, she is also poorly experienced at physical activities), and forcing Twilight to use magic to cheat in the games by using the magic she obtained even though Twilight herself admitted to have no idea of how it works.

Cinch's arrogance seems to border in some sort of narcissism, as she refuses to find any flaw or fault in her actions. This can be seen at the climax, where she ran away from Midnight Sparkle's rampage and branded Midnight a monster instead of facing the consequences of her actions. This can also be seen when she puts all the blame for what happened in the games on CHS, even though they not only had no control over previous magical mishaps, but Midnight's rampage was her fault, something she refused to acknowledge even when her own students pointed it out, and instead assumed they were affected by magic. This could also explain why she made such impulsive decisions earlier, being so confident in that they will work that she refused to think things more deeply.

For all she wishes to create a great legacy for her, this can ironically be used against her, as seen when she refused to inform the school board about the events at the Friendship Games when everybody pointed out that her story is so far-fetched it would only make her seem insane, thus severely damaging her reputation.

Her self-centered nature and caring for her reputation can also cause her to perform somewhat poorly her duties as principal. While Crystal Prep was undoubtedly successful when she was principal, she admitted being aware of Twilight being bullied and still did nothing about it (if not ''encouraging'' it), even though one of her responsibilities is making sure such things never happen in the school. In another fit of irony, this, while never explicitly stated, was undoubtedly one of the reasons she lost her job as principal.

Cinch is also somewhat of a bad influence, as her teachings about centering on winning about all else remained with the Shadowbolts even long after she was gone.

According to Dean Cadance, Principal Cinch is "highly allergic" to dogs. Enterplay [[Merchandise#Trading cards|trading card]] Equestrian Friends #27 mentions about Principal Abacus Cinch, "Claims to be highly allergic to dogs". However, she dosen't have any allergic reaction when she is near [[Spike the Dog|Spike]].

==Quotes==
{{Quote|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.|''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games]]'' and partly Enterplay [[Merchandise#Trading cards|trading card]] Equestrian Friends #27 card of Principal Abacus Cinch}}

{{Quote|I must apologize for the curiosity of my prized student.|Referring to [[Twilight Sparkle (Sci-Twi)|Twilight Sparkle]], ''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

{{Quote|Twilight, what you do during your free time is of little interest to me, but while you're here, I—all of Crystal Prep, in fact—require your complete focus.|To Twilight Sparkle, ''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

{{Quote|I'd like to thank Principal Celestia for her unconventional welcome. It's been four years since the last Friendship Games, but it feels as though nothing has changed. Canterlot High continues to pick its competitors in a popularity contest, and Crystal Prep continues to field its top twelve students. It is a comfort to know that, even after so many years of losses, your school remains committed to its ideals, however misguided they may be. I wish you all the best of luck, regardless of the inevitable outcome.|''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

{{Quote|Incorrect!|''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

{{Quote|Was this your strategy all along? To force us into accepting you as equals? I think not.|To [[Principal Celestia]], ''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

{{Quote|Principal Celestia, on behalf of Crystal Prep, I demand that you forfeit the Friendship Games! Clearly CHS has had unfair advantages for quite some time, and it's certainly obvious that your students have been using magic for their own benefits!|To Principal Celestia, ''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games''}}

==Gallery==
{{Gallery|Principal Cinch polishing a trophy EG3.png}}

==References==
<references />

{{Characters}}
[[Category:Female characters]]
[[Category:Supporting characters]]
[[Category:Antagonists]]
[[Category:Principal]]
[[Category:Teacher]]
[[Category:Humans]]