Iron Will

Iron Will is a male minotaur who appears in Putting Your Hoof Down and in the IDW comics' Friends Forever Issue #10 and Siege of the Crystal Empire. He travels around Equestria, holding assertiveness seminars. He has a habit of referring to himself in the third person and using various, often rhyming, catchphrases, such as, "When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!"

Development
The writers and directors had a wrestler-type person in mind for Iron Will, which storyboard artists Joel Dickie, Emmett Hall, and Jim Miller later envisioned as professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, giving Iron Will poses that mimic Hogan. Trevor Devall's inspiration for Iron Will's voice came from "listening to Paul Dobson do a Jesse Ventura impression," although he admitted that the directors asked for elements of Mr. T as well.

On Twitter in mid-December 2015, IDW comics writer Jeremy Whitley was asked, "Was there meant to be more done with Flim, Flam, Iron Will, and Lightning Dust that got cut? They just kinda...disappeared.", and replied, "I'd actually like to do a ff [sic] with LD and IW. I stand by Flim and Flam as unrepentant opportunists".

Depiction in the series
Iron Will first appears in a flash of fireworks at his seminar in Ponyville. After putting the audience in a frenzy of enthusiasm, Iron Will proclaims that his methods would work for anyone and without any dissatisfaction. He first demonstrates his methods with Fluttershy acting as a volunteer. He gives Fluttershy advice on how not to let anyone treat her as a doormat or a pushover, with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, or she doesn't need to pay.

After hearing around town that Fluttershy "doesn't take no guff from nopony," he soon comes over to see Fluttershy in order to collect the bits she owes him for the assertiveness program. Rarity and Pinkie Pie, who had come over to confront Fluttershy about her recent reclusive behavior, try persuading Iron Will into leaving, but he shrugs their offers off after insisting that Fluttershy was overdue with her payment. Fluttershy comes out of her house and Iron Will demands he be paid his fee up front. However, because Fluttershy was not satisfied at all after her new attitude drove her friends away, she refuses to give payment. After trying to cut a deal, Iron Will is instead given an emphatic "No means no." Proving to be a minotaur of his word, he concedes, and while leaving, he comments that he should use it as a new catchphrase for his next seminar.

In the season six episode Flutter Brutter, Iron Will is depicted in a photograph in Pinkie Pie's wallet.

In season seven, Iron Will appears in Once Upon a Zeppelin as the announcer for the zeppelin cruise the Sparkle family is traveling on.

Personality
Iron Will constantly refers to himself in the third person, except in few cases such as introducing himself: "Iron Will's my name, training ponies is my game!" His overuse of the third person comes during situations in which he is confident or proud, like during his seminars. Correspondingly, he uses the first person when he feels defeated, such as after he is humbled when Fluttershy refuses to pay him.

Depiction in the comics
A sheet of paper showing Iron Will appears on page 3/Dynamic Forces cover RE. Iron Will appears alongside several other creatures on cover RI of. In, an alternate universe Iron Will is referred to as "Mayor Iron Will?" on a sheet of paper. In, Fluttershy helps Iron Will get in touch with his "inner pony" so he may better support his wife and son.

In Siege of the Crystal Empire, Iron Will takes part in an invasion of the Crystal Empire with Flim and Flam, Lightning Dust, and Queen Chrysalis in hopes of regaining his lost charisma. Iron Will's participation in the invasion is voluntary at first, but by, he begins to have second thoughts in consideration of his family.

The Elements of Harmony guidebook
''IRON WILL is a muscle-bound minotaur who travels throughout Equestria as an inspirational speaker. He loves using his positive mantras and high-octane energy to get ponies up and moving. Iron Will has an enormous ego and often refers to himself in the third person because he loves to hear his own name.''

Quotes
"That's no joke, friends. Iron Will is so confident that you will be 100% satisfied with Iron Will's assertiveness techniques, that if you are not 100% satisfied, you. Pay. Nothing. But I pity the foal who doubts Iron Will's methods."

- Putting Your Hoof Down

"Iron Will's my name, trainin' ponies is my game."

- Putting Your Hoof Down

"You were nothing but a doormat and Iron Will turned you into a lean, mean assertive machine!"

- Putting Your Hoof Down

"You're right! I did say me! Now I said I! Iron Will is losing it!"

- To Bertha,

"Iron Will is ready to bring the pain!"

"Iron Will is scared of nothing! But Iron Will has a family! He didn't want to overthrow the kingdom!"

List of Iron Will's assertive sayings in chronological order:


 * "Don't be shy, look 'em in the eye."
 * "When somepony tries to block, show them that you rock!"
 * "Don't be sorry! Be assertive!"
 * "Never apologize, when you can criticize."
 * "Attack the day."
 * "Treat me like a pushover, and you'll get the once over."
 * "Maybes are for babies!"
 * "You laugh at me, I wrath at you!"
 * "Cut in line, I'll take what's mine!"
 * "You apologize, I penalize!"
 * "You make me lose, I blow my fuse!"
 * "If you laugh in my face, then it's time to erase!"
 * "Put food on my head, consider yourself d—"