The Elements of Equestrian Imperialism, part one · 6:43pm Apr 18th, 2012
There was discussion in the comments what the reindeer (and presumably some other non-Equestrians) believe about the Elements of Harmony. I observed that it ought to be something that they could have got into their heads from rumor, gossip and sensationalistic mass media. I also think it should be aided by general prejudice about Equestria.
Let me just recap the central points about this idea of the Elements: that Equestria is an utopia, but it remains so only because Celestia keeps a special group of ponies to ruthlessly stamp out threats to said Utopia. That group is our heroes. It should be noted especially that this is just a paranoid fantasy, no matter how much I know half you dudes out there want things darker and edgier and cooler that way. "Canon" for this fic is that any Equestrian desperate measures are much more banal and sordid, and that they actually are relatively few. Yeah, I like the original flavor of the show. There is a reason this is an Adventure story but not a Dark one. Feel free to write fanfic of my fanfic where it IS close to the truth, though!
Now to the actual subject of this rambling essay: what do they think about the mane six?
First, they saved the world. Twice. The sun not rising and Discord's chaos was noticable all over the world. I am sure there are people who don't believe Equestrians when they say the Mane Six saved the day those times, but at least the second time was definitely advertised all over Equestria, given how Celestia honored them. I'm pretty certain the media must have tried to learn more after the Nightmare Moon incident as well. Luna coming back was the greatest news for a thousand years... before Discord returned the next year. (Yeah. Utopia.)
For purposes of cool, let's assume most folks actually believe it when Celestia announces these six ponies saved the world again. (If you wonder, in my crazy fanon world build, there are other immortal or long-lived beings than the Sisters, and some countries and peoples like the zebra and the ki-rin are ruled by them, so there are people around who have met Discord and heard about Nightmare Moon before.) So, the Bearers of the Elements basically defeats evil gods yearly. Keep that in mind. Within Equestria, I'd assume most ponies have heard of the Elements, even if they won't know much about them or not neccessarily recognize them at once. Yeah, I know this is not reflected in the show, but that is because the show would not work as intended if they always were treated like celebrities. Besides, they mostly hang out in Ponyville, who mostly knows them as just these ponies, you know?
But what about each pony specifically. What will they know other than "heroine"?
Let's begin with an easy one: Rainbow Dash. Best young flier. Star athlete. If I am not mistaken, first to ever pull off the Sonic Rainboom. Definitely the fastest pegasus alive. We have already heard what reindeer think of her; she rides a huge air elemental and flies faster than light. I think both flight and weather control would be emphasized. Why? Because they are exotic abilities associated with Equestrians. As have been touched upon in the fic, other ungulates find the whole controlled environment thing to be very, very creepy... and impressive! Likewise, having a third of the population flying must be rather exotic. Just as both Marvel and DC comics have Australian hitmen supervillains that use boomerangs as weapons, so I am certain non-ponies would associate Equestrian traits with the Elements - and one thing that will be said in any newspaper article about Rainbow Dash is her civilian occupation: weathermare.
So, Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty: superfast weather controller. The last part is probably the scariest to conspiracy theorists. The idea that the reigning superpower can affect your weather must be pretty unnerving, especially for someone like the reindeer who doesn't have something to use against that. (Other people, like the buffalo and the ki-rin, probably have their own weather control, but reindeer are at the mercy of really shitty weather, especially at sea).
We keep to the pegasi and the Captain Ethnic illusions: Fluttershy. I don't know how much has been spread about her power over beasts and monsters. The only incidents I think would possibly be publicized are her dealing with that dragon and with Cerberus, but they are big enough. Of course, there is that outburst at the Gallopping Gala... and her normal job. Let's say it is known, especially because it would fit in with another prejudice about Equestrians and their controlled environment: their power over animals. Anyone with a greater grasp of pony culture would think it strange that the Beastmaster isn't an Earth Pony, but remember that reindeer don't even know that only unicorns can cast spells.
Fluttershy's beauty will also be known due to her short model career - as would her tendency to avoid people and the spotlight. Why? Well, of course because she has things to hide!
So, Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness: shy, asocial, mysterious beastmaster. Presumably hiding in the forest for most of the time. As for those butterflies on her butt: do you know what insects can do to your crops?
(By the way, I assume the Gala fiasco would be publicized and talked about, given what a huge disaster it was. I assume the conspiracy theory about that would be that it was all planned by Celestia, to surgically weed out troublesome forces at court and so forth. Hey, the first part of that sentence is even true!)
Will continue tomorrow and cut off here for now!
Made it a story. Just made it. Or write "in universe" article or something.
Well thought out, and still nigh-on impossible tounderstand correctly.
Looks like someone spent a few hours on a blog post.
"So, Rainbow Dash, the Element of Loyalty: superfast weather controller. The last part is probably the scariest to conspiracy theorists. The idea that the reigning superpower can affect your weather must be pretty unnerving."
Interesting you should mention weather control and conspiracy theorists. Since the Wikipedia article in Svenska is a stub I'm guessing you haven't read of HAARP. Its stated goal is to study the ionosphere so we can figure out how to keep it from mucking up communications, conspiracy theorists assume it's a weather controller (among other things).
I can just see conspiracy rags going on about a "Single Pegasus Project" or somesuch.
Neat post. "So, Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness: shy, asocial, mysterious beastmaster. Presumably hiding in the forest for most of the time." --> Isn't that description actually fairly accurate? She is a shy, asocial, mysterious beastmaster! Milder than the popular conception has her, certainly, but that's really only going to matter to her friends.
For that matter the description of Rainbow Dash isn't too far off the image that Dash herself would like to project. Two for two on the deer rumormill.
it seems like the inaccuracy mostly lies in the notion that they're somehow Celestia's servants or work for her on a regular basis. In fact, they're probably the best check on her if she were ever to go screwy. (Not that she likely would, but then they said that about Luna once.)
75815
Erh, not to be rude, but I basically never read Wikipedia in Swedish... The exception would be if I needed to know something about Swedish culture, where English wikipedia would be inferior. Most Swedes I know would do the same, actually.
I know about HAARP, but that's from Kenneth Hite's writings for conspiracy-themed roleplaying games. I'm pretty certain I first saw it mentioned in the Suppressed Transmissions column.
Of course, Equestria already controls all their weather, and that is incredibly public... it's more like maintaining that the "Gnomes of Zurich" control the world economy because the Swiss have a lot of banks; no one denies the banks' existence.
76026
It's more what they would do with their skills, really, and that the Equestrian control of their environment is seen as really creepy by non-Equestrians. As I hinted at in Twilight's first conversation with Paki, in my headcanon Zecora lives in the Everfree Forest because pony "wilderness" creeps her out, and she needs to live in the wilds because of her work. Not to mention that Fluttershy would be incredibly adverse to use animals as weapons except in a very dire emergency...
76362 Interesting note about Wikipedia. I guess if the nations of the world wanted to fight the USA they'd have to conspire in English.
Regarding HAARP, it's good to see another Hite reader.
76803
But seriously, the rest of the world is much better at understanding English than most Americans think. (Speaking or writing it is another matter...) Americans is the only people I know who underestimate how popular and influential their language and their culture are! Everyone else is more likely to smugly assume you know their TV series and speak their language and the rest of us go "No, do you speak English?" Americans ask first, or try to find the link to the Foreigners native Wikipedia to be helpful.
Yeah, that one is very much an Author Tract, as they say on TVTropes.
76948
Aha, a fellow troper.
Having been in Japan for the last 3 1/2 and visited many other asian countries, I know exactly what you mean.
Concerning Wikipedia, there are more than twice as many english articles as the next two countries combined. I doubt that is because Americans (and England, Austrailia, and any other english speaking countries) use wiki more than the rest of the world.
I once heard a joke.
In Europe, if you know five languages, you're a genius. If you know four, you're pretty well off. If you know three, you're average. If you know two, you're pretty dumb. If you know one, you're American.
I'd love to see you continue these musings!
We all know how Twilight Sparkle, the Skinfaxi's Shadow, is seen by the average reindeer - oh-ho-ho-hoo!
- but I'm very curious as to how you see them imagining Rarity, Pinkie and Applejack.
I'm particularly curious about Applejack, who's definitely the most down-to-earth, pragmatic and reasonable of the Elements in the first place.
Why did I miss this one earlier?
About Fluttershy:
Bah. Their reaction would be more in line with Archer from Tinker, Tanner, Hunter, Spy - stay away from me, foul temptress! This beautiful pony has the power to bewitch one's mind with those eyes! Also, she's obviously a druid, in tune with nature in all of its blood-soaked primality. The evil enchantress seduces mares and colts, uses them to satisfy her urges in forbidden rituals (I figure the percentage of the population that needs to get laid is as big as anywhere) then sacrifices them to the dark, primeval gods of nature, the Princesses' relatives better left forgotten or feeds them to her beasts, it's the circle of life you know! Maybe she even breeds (new kinds of) monsters in the Everfree Forest, under Celestia's direction of course. Other ideas include putting select ponies and deer under her thrall, to control them in Celestia's name.
179768
Remember, few people are likely to know about the Stare - they only know about her uncanny hoof with animals. But otherwise I like your spirit!
Okay, thread necromancy, engage!
I recall one thing about Rainbow Dash, which may be pertinent to this discussion. She is, apart from everything else, a superb martial artist. If I remember Word of God correctly, the main six are all in their upper teens, meaning that Rainbow Dash, a karate black belt, is either a prodigy or started out very early, likely both. Also, we have seen her take a goodly-sized bite from a two-by-four and hurl it through a roof and a couple of hundred meters down the road with a flick of her neck. A martial artist like that is bound to have gotten at least some attention.
In my head, Pinkie Pie is definitely the weapons gal in Celestia's troubleshooter squad. I mean, we're talking about the pony who designed Equestria's first and only firearm, (the Party Cannon) and claims to never leave home without it. Add to that her baking career and the stopping power of Equestrian pastries... yeah....