Chaff in my Head Cannon: Sombra

Interesting to note - all of this came to me because I was thinking about Scootaloo and how annoying it is to me that folks portray her as a crippled orphan and say that it makes her a more interesting character.

The reason Sombra came to mind is because I was wondering who would Scootaloo see as someone she could relate to if she really was crippled (rather than being the late bloomer I've always believed her to be). He came to mind because of a cool bit of fan art I'd seen where his horn was intricately detailed to the point that it looked like it was made of crystal. I started thinking about what that conversation would be like.

Her, being as inquisitive and brash as she is, asking why his horn looks so strange, him explaining, her wings getting brought up, and some kind of connection coming because they're both different from the norm.

But, because it's how my brain works, I needed to actually have an explanation for why his horn looks so different, and here's what sounded the coolest to me:

It's not real.

Sombra, once tyrannical ruler of the Crystal Kingdom, is an earth pony. His special talent, however, is crystals. He feels some kind of deep connection to them. It's also worth noting that he's not from the Crystal Kingdom (he doesn't have that gem-like quality in his body and mane that all the natives have). His connection to, and special understanding of crystals drew him to the kingdom like a moth to a flame.

I'm not sure if he started out evil, but while in the Crystal Kingdom he found a way to use crystals to simulate a unicorn's horn. This new way of using crystals was something he jealously guarded and kept to himself, but just having a horn didn't mean he knew how to use it.

So, he studied... a lot. Given the combination of his ego and his brilliance, having the magic of unicorns at his fingertips and being about as effective at using it as an infant didn't sit well with him. He became so determined to conquer his shortcoming that he became quite the expert, and also increased his fake horn's power since he was constantly increasing his understanding of magic.

Eventually he's so adept at using the horn and so knowledgeable about magic in general that he's able to earn himself a royal appointment and become an advisor to the crystal princess of the time.

Through political maneuverings and a whole lot of deceit he's able to become second only to the crystal princess herself. After ingratiating himself to the noble court and the population in general he gets rid of the crystal princess either through a fatal illness he caused or a murder that he framed others for.

He stepped into power in the wake of the tragedy and then used additional nefarious machinations to get the last bits of knowledge, power, or whatever else he felt he needed before he could openly act on his desires for more.

His connections to crystals, his obsession with magic, and his lust for power all come together to have him get ready to look for more, which draws his eye southward towards Equestria.

Celestia and Luna would have already begun to hear news of Sombra's increasingly tyrannical ruling style and they were already on the move to deal with him before he could really finalize any plans for invasion. What they find is a corrupt ego maniac who has turned his entire population into slave labor. And while his love of crystals means the city has stayed beautiful, it's obvious to the princesses that it's all for his benefit and no one else's.

They use the friendship rainbow canon on him, but because of the precautions and powers he's built up they're unable to do anything more than contain him. In his evil and arrogance, he bound the entire kingdom to his soul believing that if he were ever destroyed that his enemies wouldn't get any of his knowledge, power, or slaves because they would be destroyed right along with him.

He poofs out of existence, so does the entire country.

The reason he's so adamant about keeping the Crystal Heart hidden is because it's something he isn't able to figure out. He doesn't know how to destroy it, and he certainly can't use it, so he hides it.

Like the Elements of Harmony, the Crystal Heart isn't really a weapon as much as it is a purifying agent - while the Elements tend towards imprisonment for things that can't be fixed and leaving a clear path to harmony when they can, the Crystal Heart is an extremely powerful protector. It eradicates the things that threaten its people - hate, aggression, and other evil intentions.

Sombra had tied himself so firmly to those evil things that he had basically become them, which is why the Crystal Heart destroyed him. The reason it didn't destroy his horn is because it isn't him. It also isn't inherently an evil artifact. I do think Sombra would have made it very receptive to being used for dark magic, but his lust for power wouldn't have allowed him to use only that kind of magic - he'd want them all.

It was blown out into the snowy surrounding country, so it's unlikely it'll ever be found, but I think if someone else were to find Sombra's horn that they'd be able to use it. I'm not sure whether it'd pull for its new user to become like its creator, but it seems likely.

Anyway, that's what I got because I was thinking Scootaloo and him could have an enjoyable conversation since they've both got physical aberrations.