Someone needs to write a fanfic with that idea.

NOW.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the unicorn/pegasus/earth pony status is determined by multiple genetic loci, which is a fancy way of saying that it's dependent upon many, many genes. This would pretty much mean that general trends are the best you can do in terms of prediction, and it becomes less accurate to think of traits in terms of simple dominant or recessive character. Kind of like human height or skin/hair color.

To my mind, the most likely explanation for the emergence of the three sub-types is that they were originally one type that split into three separate, fairly isolated populations, and some degree of speciation occurred. Again, kind of like what happened with humans, although with us, the differences are mostly cosmetic, whereas in the case of ponies, they're more functional. Of course, that's assuming that ponies arose through Darwinian evolution, as we did. Given that we don't really know the limits of magic in the show, it's possible that they were created in their current forms by some god-like being, but we haven't really seen anything to suggest that this is the case. Also, the fact that pony heredity seems to follow rules at least decently similar to our own (i.e., they reproduce with variation) means that Darwinian evolution at least applies to them, even if it doesn't necessarily establish it as the only possibility for the initial appearance of the species.

edited 15th Jan '12 1:40:48 PM by Hsere

http://sapphire1010.deviantart.com/art/MLP-The-Mane-6-255123738
http://sapphire1010.deviantart.com/art/MLP-The-Supporting-Characters-279512710

Best humanisations ever.

AGREED.

Narrator: "You should have acted. She is already here. The Equine Scrolls told of her return. Her defeat was merely a delay. For the time after Evergreen blossommed, when the daughters of Equestria would spill their own blood. But no one wanted to believe: believe she could exist! And when the truth finally dawned, it dawned in darkness! But there is one she fears. In the old tongue, she is Spar'kel... DUSKBORN!"

Twilight: "FRIEND-SHIP!"

Choir: "Elements!
Harmony!
Honesty!
Loyalty!
Laughter!
Kindness!
Magic!
Generosity!
They will form
Our strength!

Twilight! Twilight!
She will fight for what's right!
Be it day! Or night!
By the elements' might!
Pegasus! Unicorn!
An earth pony low-born!
Twilight! Twilight!
For them all she will fight!"

Apple! Commander and the leader!

Sweetie! She is the joy and the laughter!

Scoot-a-loo! She is the toughest fighter!

Cutie Mark Crusaders!

edited 16th Jan '12 9:58:49 AM by Haldo

Took long enough, Haldo...

Huh?

The comparision between the PPG and CMC. :P

Oh. Yeah, it's been done to death already, I know...

Haven't seen the PPG theme song used in the comparison before, though. :P

Some months ago, I was talking with my friend, who's been a Brony since the early Summer of last year. We happened to discuss the Powerpuff Girls. I don't remember the exact discussion, but basically when I started comparing the character types present in MLP to those in PPG, he said: "The girls in that show had distinct personalities?"

I facepalmed so hard. He's an enthusiastic member of a fandom whose whole point is "Girls' shows can be good if you give them a chance", and he judged a girls' show he'd never seen based on the fact that it's a girls' show.

Yeah, biases don't go away that easily, unfortunately.

And of course there's the other bias against MLP as well. The older versions were highly Merchandise-Driven so the characters were more "cute and profitable" rather than "interesting and/or relatable." Merchandise for the MLP FIM is still huge, but at least the characters are good this time.

Maybe in that case, they didn't judge it because it was a girl's show, they judged it because MLP did used to be that way before? If I were to guess, anyway.

Ugh, I hate when people are biased against this show, especially when they don't even give it a try {I'm looking at you, amid amidi and teens react}. I had overcome my bias against My little pony:friendship is magic because I figured if it get's that much attention, then it must be really good, and I was right.

Though I will begrudgly admit that I can see where the people who complain about the show being everywhere are coming from, since I feel the same about other show's, be it tv or internet {*coughTGWTGcough*}. But I try to avoid annoying fan's of those shows and just stick to things that I like. Why can't most haters do that?

edited 16th Jan '12 6:16:47 PM by marston

So, is this supposed to be a cheating joke?

People are biased against anything. People refuse to read what is one of my favorite book series, because they refuse to accept the idea that in it, nukes beat demons.

^What book series is that anyway?

The Salvation War. It's an acquired taste. I don't expect many people to like it, it just bothers me that people write it off because it has humans winning against hell and heaven.

Well, I love The Salvation War. Everything that happens is reasonably thought out in terms of narrative, and it all culminates in amazing moments that just follow one another like crazy.

Anyone see the Cupcakes Andrew WK PMV yet?

^Yup. I thought it was hilarious.

Haldo: Not really. Some kind of screwed-up genetics would have to be in play to produce twins of two different races from the mother, no matter how much of Ponyville was donating the filling.

This.