What indication is there that Phoenixes auto-resurrect when they die of unnatural causes? I always thought it was just when they died of old age causing them to spontaneously combust or if they died from some other fire related cause. They have to turn to ash to be reborn.

Well I don't know about actual mythology, but phoenix eggs are vulnerable in Warcraft and Age of Mythology.

edited 17th Mar '12 7:53:37 PM by storyyeller

@Bad If only for the reason that the phoenixes inside haven't fully developed yet. It might not be able to produce the fire needed to regenerate.

But once they hatch, the only way you can get rid of them is preventing them from rising from the ashes again.

In my headcanon at least...

If the egg isnt hatched, and the hatchling isnt viable I would imagine that it wouldnt survive being smashed.

I think phoenixes need to die of old age in order to be reborn, if they are killed before its time to regenerate they die.

Thats my headcannon anyway.

Giving Birth is the final stage of the pheonix life cycle. On their final regeneration they go and mate, and have chicks. They then spend that life cycle raising their chicks. At the end of it both parents burn to ash, and pass the gift of regeneration onto their children.

I like that idea, but does that mean a celibate Phoenix would live forever?

If anyone's interested in how it is in mythology, check here

It seems to be more that Phoenixes reproduce asexually because when they die, they make a new phoenix rather than are reborn, but Philomeena's rebirth and a Phoenix couple prove that it's not that way in the Ponyverse

edited 17th Mar '12 7:58:28 PM by crowlover

More like, they have a set amount of regenerations before it's done for good. Their final burning is just sort of... teaching their chicks how to do the same. Even without a mate, they would die.

In which case, of course, the magic has nowhere to go... it's a raw force of life, and needs a host. So it finds the closest living thing and imbues it with the life of phoenix. It could even be a pony...

It seems to imply that it's definitely a lifecycle thing, not so much immortality. Although there's also the whole, "Live the exact length of time as the first time around" thing, which could imply that the lifecycle is the length of the first death, and beyond that they're immortal. Which means that killing the chicks would basically make them constantly die and be reborn.

They'd make a nice nightlight, I suppose.

edited 17th Mar '12 8:00:21 PM by kegisak

Now I wonder what phoenix eggs taste like. Can you hard boil them?

In which case, of course, the magic has nowhere to go... it's a raw force of life, and needs a host. So it finds the closest living thing and imbues it with the life of phoenix. It could even be a pony...

Now we really need an OC like this...

@kegisak Yeah, but I think it said it needed to burn a nest with it in the article

edited 17th Mar '12 8:07:03 PM by crowlover

I think you could. They are probably hot and spicy

I love this speculation. It's awesome. But I really like the theory that phoenixes are unable to be reborn until they are older. Then again, invulnerable chicks/eggs also kind of makes sense in it's own way.

This is off topic, but I just realized I always look at shipping bait within episodes. I've been reading waaaaaay too much fan fiction.

edited 17th Mar '12 8:07:32 PM by ilsemmr

I'm curious about the Dragon-Phoenix relationship. Did they just want to break the eggs because of the Evulz? Or is egg breaking some sort of Coming of Age or something. Maybe their like cobras and mongooses :/

Look, mom! The dragon is killing a phoenix! (From a cartoon version of Rikki Tikki Tavi I once saw...)

edited 17th Mar '12 8:10:17 PM by crowlover

I think it's just teenages being jerks.

THIS IS A SHOW THAT CATERS TO LITTLE GIRLS! WE MUST OVERANALYZE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS.

Did anyone feel like Spike taking the egg and raising it was child abduction?

Yes and no?

Nope. It relates to his situation, plus that's writing material for a future episode concerning the chicks parents.

edited 17th Mar '12 8:18:38 PM by Chadaman99

The fact that is typically stands up under such analysis is part of what makes it such a good show.

edited 17th Mar '12 8:17:35 PM by PerpetualLurker

@Pan Couldn't have put it better myself. But I'd use "targeted at" rather than "caters to"

@L Mage Spike could've been child abduction...

edited 17th Mar '12 8:19:24 PM by crowlover

@L Mage: I kinda get the feeling that Spike would have put it back, but couldn't because of the dragons and because he didn't know where the parents were. Figured that raising it himself would be better than leaving it to an uncertain fate.

I just hope Peewee actually shows up again. Anyone remember Owliciuos?

I really wanted to learn where Spike came from. Was his egg abandoned? Was he a gift from the Dragon Emperor or something? I WANNA KNOW

Who?

Exactly.

Spike is like Chomper from the Land Before Time