edited 27th Sep '11 9:06:50 PM by JapaneseTeeth
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
I'm afraid to look at the video! MAD didn't! Did they?!?! Did they really poke fun at this show?!?!?
edited 27th Sep '11 9:07:06 PM by Shota
:
Actual useful criticism! Yes! I finally have ways to actually improve!
I didn't say they were exactly the same, just that they share enough basic design elements that I doubt it's a coincidence. Especially as the idea that they randomly generated Twilight's mom or coincidentally designed her in a way that resembled the design of G1 Twilight so closely seems a bit ridiculous. I mean, you'd think that somebody on the team would have noticed "hey, Twilight's mom looks really similar to that sketch of G1 Twilight that the director did".
And again, there are always minor design changes between the concept sketches and the versions that end up on the show.
Anyway, I'm going to leave it at that. Not really worth arguing about any more. 
edited 27th Sep '11 9:17:57 PM by JapaneseTeeth
It would mean Pinkie Pie's ability to pop in from the ceiling make sense and make Fluttershy being a poor flier would no longer be an issue and her living in a cottage on the ground would make sense.
edited 27th Sep '11 9:30:15 PM by MousaThe14
This is actually the only visual clue to the actual phenomena - the light is bent in a bubble around them, as the original purpose of the magic was to create an energetic 'bubble' around the pony. The bubble disrupts energy, even kinetic energy, greatly dampening any oncoming threat - this is why ponies are so tough - the magic bubble absorbs the energy of the impacts. Over time different groups of ponies found that they could manipulate the bubble in different ways - some practiced turning it inwards, strengthening the physical form or changing it in other ways, such as displacing mass to make the pony lighter. They also found that, once it was inside the body, they could channel it into other objects, giving them the same benifits. More skilled ponies found that, with a suitable point of concentration, they could build a 'bridge' between themsevles and other objects, allowing them to manipulate the energies remotely.
These were the primordial days of ponies. There were no pony 'creeds' yet, only simple horse-like creatures. The world was untamed, and ponies roamed free. But there were three ponies, ponies who excelled in the manipulation of this inner energy, that thought this should not be the way. The world was dangerous for ponies, you see - they would often fall prey to other creatures. Griffons, Dragons, things rightfully lost to the shadows of time. These three brave ponies looked on this, and they said "no.". They said, "This is not how it should be. Are we not one? Are we not the same? We must work for our fellow pony, so that those that we call our brother and sister shall be safe from the world." And so these three ponies - great Steady, an enormous, gentle pony who gave his magic freely to the earth around him, wise Noble, who sought to connect with everything he could, and touched all with his magics, and jovial Free, who saw fit to use his magics to greater explore the world he so loved - these three ponies set out to bad their peoples together.
And they succeeded, for a time. Other ponies witnessed their great displays of power and finesse, and were taken in by their philosophies. They were enamored that three ponies, so different as they were, could set aside their differences for the greater good. These common ponies saw this, and they waled alongside Steady, Noble and Free. Together, they became the three kings - it was they who first built the foundations of pony society. Ponies were safe. And with their people safe, the three kings set down their weapons, and turned to studies.
Steady, ever the practical pony, wanted to ensure that his people would always remain safe. He meditated, steeling his body with his magics, until the time came that it no longer needed his focus to be as iron. He studied machinery, and building, so that he could build defenses for the ponies. as he developed more technologies, he began to build them. He took on apprentices who would learn his trades, and they built with him. In time, he taught them the inward magics so that they could be as strong as him. And while none but a few disciples would ever reach his mastery, all his ponies grew strong. Because of his efforts, ponies were safe.
But Steady did not have talent for thinking ahead. In his stead, Noble came, and he saw that even if they were protected, the ponies would never be able to settle without the proper foundations. So Noble exiled himself in his great chambers, thinking what he could do. In his exile he became self sufficient, learning to use his magic to touch and control that which he could not do himself. In time, his mastery became all-encompassing, and he could perform every task that needed doing without ever lifting a hoof. Noble experimented, flexing his gift like a new muscle, and learned to apply it to his conundrum. He invented the sciences. Returning from his exile he recruited many ponies, and he taught them what he had learned. Together, he and his acolytes built the foundations of true society, bringing order to ponykind under the organization of he and his apprentices.
But Free saw all this, and he wept. For in their quest to give their people a better life, his brothers had forgotten what made life grand. So Free stripped himself of his royal dressings, and went among his people. He stayed there, among them, sleeping in the houses of the generous, and in the gutters when there were none. The time he spent among his people filled his heart with joy, and he shared that joy with them. He turned his magic inside himself, and used it to make life grand for them. He chased away storm clouds, and brought good winds. The citizens held banquets in honour of him, and he taught them all to feel the joy as he had felt it. They danced, and they sang, and little foals drew pictures of him with berry juice. It was here, among the citizens, that Free and his brethren invented the arts.
Pony society was complete. It was a mecca. Nomadic ponies for miles around flocked to it, making their homes under the rule of the Three kings. The three were pleased with what they had done. Just as they had dreamed, their brothers and sisters were safe in this place! Here they could stay forever more, and they would be happy. At long last, the brothers embraced one another once again, their learnings and teaching complete. And one by one, content in the knowledge of the kingdom they had passed down to their apprentices, they closed their eyes to the world they had forged.
But all was not well. Steady, Noble and Free had loved each other. They had known each other as long as they had known themselves, and they could do no wrong in each others eyes. They shared their teachings with one another. But it was not so with their chosen apprentices. The disciples of Steady were headstrong, and practical to a fault. The acolytes of Noble were detached, and praised organization above all else. The brethren of Free were carefree, and aloof. Without the guidance of the Kings, the three factions clashed. Hurtful words were spoken, and deceit was commonplace. Wiser ponies tried to step in, tried to ease the tensions, but to no avail. In the dark, metal gleamed.
The city shattered. The three factions retreated. War was declared. Each faction thought itself i9n the right, thought itself best, thought the other foolhardy. None could convince them otherwise. None tried. For generations, battles waged between the three factions. The practices of magic were passed down, distilled and refined to make up for the power and intuitive knowledge the Kings had that their students lacked. Over so many generations of war, the knowledge of magics became inborn in ponies. It began to warp their bodies, asserting it's influence to make it easier. In those days great feats of magic were accomplished, on the borders of raw magic and the discipline of the creeds. So much raw force, raw potential lost in the sands of time. Great swathes of magic roared across the battle fields. Trees marched alongside the disciples of Steady, the skies rent apart an thunder came down like music, tearing the land apart at the will of the brethren of Free, and the aether itself bent to the will of Noble's acolytes. Destruction wiped through the land, and extinction faced the ponies - all to proud and headstrong to see anything but themselves.
High above their shattered world, the spirits of Noble, Steady and Free wept. This was not right, they bemoaned, this was not the world that they had set out to build. They had wished to unite their peoples, and now? Now they were so different they could scarce be call the same race. This was not right. "No!" The declared, "This is not right! Were we not one? Were we not the same? We cannot allow our children to destroy their home with petty infighting! We must protect them from the destruction they inflict upon themselves!"
This time, they knew, they could not be kind to their subjects. This time the would have to push. To exert their authority. Though they had been gone for millenia, were they not still kings? Was it not in their names that their children fought? And so, as the pegasus brethren of Free, unicorn acolytes of Noble and Earthen disciples of Steady prepared for what would no doubt be their final battle, the world owed to the will of the Three Kings.
From the earth rose a great golem, and it stood strong and steady no matter what force the pony armies through at it, for it was Steady! In the sky the clouds became as one, the light of lightning in it's eyes, and it could not be touched by the wrath of the children below, for it was Free! And along the backdrop of the world the stars moved with the unity of brotherhood, and nothing the earthly being had could touch it, for it was Noble! The Three Kings had returned to earth, more powerful and fearsome than even legends could dare to dream.
"CHILDREN, " The kings bellowed, all ponykind standing still beneath their fury, "DO YOU NOT SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? HERE YOU STAND, IN OUR NAMES, AND YET YOU DESTROY THE WORLD THAT WE GAVE TO YOU! THIS WAS OUR GIFT, AND YOU HAVE DEFILED IT! YOU DO NOT DESERVE OUR TEACHING!"
As one, ponykind hung it's head. For the first time in thousands of years, they truly saw. They had wreaked havoc on their world, and it was dying. Soon it would shatter, and there would be nothing left. Nothing could stop it now. But there was no fear, there was only shame. Every mare, every stallion and every foal knew: this was their doing, and they deserved their oblivion.
But for all their righteous fury, there was not but kindness in the hearts of the Three Kings. "HEED OUR WORDS, PONIES, " they decreed, "AND YOU MAY BE SAVED. SEND YOUR LEADERS BEFORE US!"
From the throngs, three mares came. A pegasus, a unicorn and an earthen pony. They prostrated themselves before their kings, and asked what they may do to spare their people.
"YOU MUST GIVE YOURSELVES FOR THE WORLD YOU HAVE DESTROYED, " The kings decreed, "BUT YOU SHALL NOT BE KILLED. INSTEAD, YOU SHALL BE BORN ANEW. THREE SHALL BECOME TWO, SO THAT ONE MAY NEVER PRESIDE OVER THE OTHER. TO RESTORE ORDER, THERE MUST BE BALANCE. DO YOU CONSENT OT HIS?"
The mares consented, and their bodies became ash. All of ponykind wept for their fallen leaders, for in spite of the hatred they felt to one another they loved their leaders more than anything. Their tears fell to the ashes, and mixed with them, becoming clay. From this clay two foals were formed. They were not pegasi, or unicorns, or earthen ponies. they were primordial ponies. One final time, the Three Kings spoke.
"IN OUR LIVES, WE TAUGHT YOU. NOW IN OUR DEATHS WE GIVE YOU ONE FINAL TEACHING. WITHOUT YOU, THIS WORLD WILL DIE. IF YOU LEAVE IT FOR EVEN A SINGLE MOMENT, IT WILL CRUMBLE INTO CHAOS AND OBLIVION. SET ASIDE YOUR PETTY SQUABBLINGS, AND LOVE THIS WORLD AS WE LOVED IT. IT IS OUR GIFT TO YOU."
The golem, the clouds and the stars all shrunk, and fell to earth. there they stood before the clay ponies, and they gave their final gift to ponykind. They no longer bellowed, their voices subdued - but the words they spoke were heard by all of ponykind as hey stepped forward, one by one.
"I wanted nothing more than for my children to be safe, " Said great Noble. "I give my strength to these ponies, so that they may protect my children in my stead."
"I only wished for ponies to be able to appreciate and understand the world, " Spoke wise Noble. "I give my wisdom to these ponies, so they may teach ponies after I have gone."
"When my brethren were happy, I was happy, " whispered happy Free. "I give my heart to these ponies, so that they may love my brethren when I cannot."
The world held its breath, and the forms of the three kings melted away. The swirled in the winds, and crept into the two clay foals. Colour overcame their grayness, and their ancient bodies grew. Wings bloomed on their sides, and a horn adorned each of their faces. In the stillness of the broken world, before all of ponykind, two goddesses were born. Finally, from the armies came three stallions - husbands of the mares who had given their lives to save the world. They went to the foals, and each one knew what must be done.
"We will raise them, " The declared, "We will see that they know of the teachings of the three Kings. When they are ready, they shall lead us."
On that day, all ponies, all throughout the world felt a great sadness in their hearts. Their fathers had died in the name of their foolishness, and without them their world would end as well. But amid the sadness, there was a kernal of joy. In their father stead they had gained two beautiful sisters, sisters who would never leave them, and would serve to remind them of the father they lost. They would fix their world. They were beings of magic, and if they could tear the world apart they could put it back together. Their fathers' final gift to them had not been the sisters. It had not been salvation.
It was the only gift they had ever wanted to give. It was the gift of strength, of Wisdom, and of happiness.
edited 27th Sep '11 9:35:36 PM by kegisak
I do think a species switching episode would be interesting. It would be a good opportunity to show some of the advantages of being an earth pony. That or everyone will gripe about losing their wings/horns and earth ponies will get the shaft yet again.
Same.
Also, the thought of Pinkie Pie with wings is kinda terrifying.
I don't see why. She can already go anywhere.
edited 27th Sep '11 9:55:00 PM by Crowfall