Picked pockets.

Plus, a Supernova, if close enough, is visible during the day. The Orion Nova was bright enough to read by it by night, they say.

You don't have to be an astronomy geek to say "Wow, where did that come from?"

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:15:22 PM by pvtnum11

Hmm. Could've been a thug or a mob heavy. Think of it, no one would take the silent, guy miming things and constructing a box around you too seriously. But when he seals you in one and leaves you for a few days until you agree to pay the protection fee.... then who's laughing?

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:16:06 PM by Drenius

^Isn't Betelgeuse scheduled to go in a few years? Supposedly that'll be bright enough to see during the day.

Actually, I'm not sure what the specifics told to us in the pilot was, but what if those stars that released Luna were set up by Celestia?

Like, she made it so that they absorbed harmonious energy from ponies as they spent time outside at night. The more time they spend outside celebrating it, the more energy the stars get, and when it reaches critical mass it releases the lock on the moon. The less time ponies spent outside, the more the star's power wanes.

Basically, she rigged it so that Luna will only be released when Equestria has fully come to respect her night, and she's had students primed to wield the elements for the past 1000 years.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:18:39 PM by gingerninja666

Foil Twi is element of Redemption,

Big Rig is, repentance?

RD is...

Check Up is forgiveness?

I always got the impression that he was kind of poor so I can see him pulling off some thievery in his early days to make ends meet.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:16:19 PM by Mio

How did she predict it would take exactly a thousand years to absorb enough energy. I'm all for Chessmaster Celestia but that is just to exact.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:16:59 PM by Badwolfwho

@ Ginger

And you doubt your creative potential!

That's what I mean. I don't think she did know. That's why she's had students ready to take up the elements for over a thousand years

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:18:03 PM by gingerninja666

Ginger - good stuff, but one small quibble: timeframe. Luna has only been out for a year. That makes our Other Six just out of adolescence, and quite a bit younger than the Mane Six.

I think the nova-when-they-fought angle works.

Unless you want a second nova that drew them together and hearlded Nightmare Moon's escape. That's doable, I think.

But Twilight's prophecy, which I thought was put there by Celestia, says that Nightmare Moon will escape in 1000 years.

The fist Nova gave them their cuite marks, the second drew them together again?

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:21:24 PM by LMage

After the nova they all developed at least a passing interest in sky watching, the event that brought them all together was they all ended up watching meteor shower from Owl's Well That Ends Well at the same place, and...something...happened. Gives a decent chunk of time for Luna to see how the Eo H get together and desire her own....champions? knight errents?

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:23:32 PM by Seraphem

Yeah, and the first one actually went nova the moment Celestia and Luna fought, a millenia ago. Second one's timing is unimportant, only that that is what pulls them together.

^ Yeah, that works great. Knight errants and all that. Now that She knows that some respect Her work and Her night, She goes about orchestrating them together to do stuff.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:24:22 PM by pvtnum11

That works well.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:25:54 PM by SkyStrike

@badwolf Who wrote that prophecy? We don't know if it was Celestia. That was just a rumour that developed over the years thanks to paranoid nutjobs (Hi Foil!Twi) She just happened to pick the right time.

Celestia could probably sense that the stars were at brimming point and would probably go off during that years summer sun celebration, so decided to mobilize Twilight then and there

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:25:17 PM by gingerninja666

True. It's probably like Apocalypse predicting and there's at least one predicted every year.

^That's nonsense. If the Elements of Harmony were being treated like a first-response system, they wouldn't be in the Everfree Palace. Celestia would have a hold of them in Canterlot, since she'd need to check them every generation. More importantly, that makes Twilight and her friends just another group in a long line of schlubs. They're not destined Bearers; they're the latest in a long line of potential failures.

Why would you set up your sealed-evil-in-a-can to be released on a variable timer, especially when that timer isn't anything that would purify Luna?

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:31:47 PM by RedSavant

Yeah, it was a timed event. Celestia's been busy getting her ducks in a row with the Mane Six the last decade or so.

Well, what's the point in Luna becoming good again if her night is still underappreciated? The same thing could just happen again.

Also, why would the elements still be in the Everfree forest if Celestia KNEW when Luna would be released in 1000 years. Why not have the element bearers be ready with them for when Luna steps out? She had ALL the time in the world to prepare.

I figured that the conflict imposed by Nightmare Moon was always going to be part of what brought the element bearers together (like it did in the pilot) Kinda like a Batman Gambit against NM.

The same sequence of events would've happened 10 years ago, or 100, or 500. Just with different element bearers

AND I always figured that Celestia could sense the condition of the stars, and the second things started to reach their brimming point she'd move the group into action

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:39:29 PM by gingerninja666

Yes. Celestia had to allow the Bearers to be tested for them to realize that they were Bearers at all. No test, no revelation, no Harmony.

All Luna is doing now is trying to make amends. As as we've seen already, there are ponies who do appreciate the night. Twilight is an avid fan, for example, so much that she wanted the constellations on her GGG gown to be perfect.

Oh, here's an idea. Luna is gathering this motly crew of Stallions in order to help her remain aware that ponies still appreciate Her nights.

She wants to be loved, guys.

"Since you choose to fear your Princess, rather than love Her, and dishonour Her with this insulting celebration, We decree that Nightmare Night is to be cancelled, forever!"

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:42:43 PM by pvtnum11

I think we're getting side tracked...

So, Mane 6 meet Foil 6...what happens?

Who likes who, who dislikes who etc?

This would be a good way to develop their characters imo.

I like that...Cele wants Twi to learn Frienship...Luna wants to learn...something.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:47:16 PM by ApplelightLimited

Yeah, I think we've codified why we have this Other Six now. Which means I'll not be very useful for the OC stuff.

Pig Iron and AJ would get along I think. Twilight Foil and Pinkie would probably get on. Check Up may dislike them all. Big Rig and Big Mac might have a good chat.

Hm... Foil!Twilight and Mane Twilight would probably hate each other....I would love for them to accidently mix up their letters to their respective Princesses.

edited 22nd Dec '11 4:50:17 PM by LMage