A Question for the FiM Fiction Readership

I've wondered: how many times is it now that Twilight has become an alicorn, and why hasn't it stuck?

Comments

[Honey Mead]

I don't understand the desire to make Twilight an Alicorn

[Jordanis]

Someone keeps stealing her wings*. When she catches them, hoo boy watch out!

*They just pop off, actually.

[SierraAR]

720327

This. She's perfectly fine as a unicorn, if you ask me.

[djthomp]

Much of the fan base comes from a history of watching shows that involve the major characters receiving power ups over time, and alicorn is the pretty obvious power up in FIM.

That's the guess I just made up, at least.

[elmagnifico]

Equestria hasn't invented duct tape. That's why it hasn't stuck.

[Themaskedferret]

720434 I think that sounds like a pretty valid idea though. Me personally I think if it was a temporary power boost to fight the big bad or something I could go for that but to have her permanently become an alicorn feels like a dealbreaker. I just have yet to see it handled well with any sort of seriousness. Any yime it works is when it's done purely for laughs.

[mimezinga]

ah... because ponies! I mean, unicorns are cute, pegasi are cute, alicorns must be double cute!.... oh, and up to eleven syndrome, but a couple of stories with twilicorn are pretty good

[Blue Thrush]

Well, it's one of the more common, er, evolutions of the character. One that a lot of authors can easily:
1) Figure out
2) Write about

It also presents a lot of classic "does she leave Ponyville/become a Princess/live longer than her fellow ponies" scenarios, as well as the question of immortality.

Plus, people love alicorns. People love Twilight Sparkle. Mash 'em together.

I, personally, don't think that that's how Twilight ends up canonically, but I can see a lot of good stories evolving from the concept of our friendly neighborhood egghead sprouting a pair of wings.

[Ether Echoes]

I am sure I have a section on my Transformations group explicitly for alicorn transformations...

It seems to me like a perfectly natural idea, even if I am not super-fond of it myself. What is of more import to me is the question of what an Alicorn is. The reason I don't like most Alicorn stories is because Alicorns are depicted as being leagues and leagues above normal ponies. I don't mind the idea in principle of alicorns being straight up better (as the syncretic union of all pony types) but the evidence is moving further and further away from them being gods.

[Dream Volt]

I think Twilight wants to be an alicorn. She had some friends growing up but they were, her parents, her brother, Spike eventually, and her best female friend was clearly her babysitter Cadence. Then there is Celestia, and what she is to Twilight is complicated, and not entirely clear, but obviously saying she looks up to Celestia. Now all that said just wanting to be something isn't enough, but Twilight doesn't exactly let anything stop her, so it just seems inevitable. Also it can be tons of fun to write about, especially if she doesn't get some sudden power boost, and has to deal with the silly ponies expecting a lot more of her than is reasonable.

That being said in my stories I gave a pony antlers, and one of the main six can shape change, so I'm far from neutral when it comes to changing physical appearance.

As to it not sticking, I don't think I've actually read an alicorn story where Twi goes back to normal. Heck, even the AJ alicorn story doesn't do that.

[Autumn Wind]

It's a plot that has a lot of potential for character development and intrigue. It's also kind of an obvious plot, so naturally it gets seen a lot.

To answer the original question, it has stuck in various continuities. Just not in the multiverse.

[lordelliott]

Maybe it has something to do with all the Alicorn Twilight merch and media that keeps popping up?

[SilverBrony]

Oh the irony if her destiny in the show is to become one ...

[Dubs Rewatcher]

I swear, if it turns out alicorns are born from normal ponies, my headcanon will be like 25% complete.

[ZeirMakavar]

720434

I'd have to digress.
Yes, Magical Mystery Cure was indeed a good episode. But it didn't have to be good because Twilight got a power up by becoming an Alicorn. Hell, just leaving it at "You did something not even Star Swirled the bearded could do" would have been good enough for me. She didn't have to become an Alicorn to get a power up. Do you see people in other shows changing their race because of a power up? No, at least not many.
Done right, I think they can pull it off. But if done right. Which, I don't think they did. It has to feel like that had to happen, and quite frankly it didn't. I do agree that Twilicorn is a good concept, but I just think they could have done the transition better.