So, I've heard and hypothesized myself crazy ideas of why Scootaloo can't fly. Everything from Scootaloo being physically handicapped, to her having one parent or both not being a pegasus themselves, to her even being a changeling. But even I overlooked something that was explained to us in the season 4 finale. Something as simple as magic.

I'm not talking the unicorn/alicorn magic we see manefest in front of our eyes. I'm talking pegasus magic. Now, hear me out. I am not saying that Scootaloo has no pegasus magic. As we have seen in Parental Glidance, she had no trouble walking on clouds without unicorn magical aid. And we saw in Newby Dash that she is able to move clouds, should they be within her reach. But what if her pegasus magic isn't fully up to snuff to allow her flight with ease?

In a sense, I am hypothesizing that Scootaloo may be magically handicapped, only allowing her to hover a few inches for short spans. Perhaps there is a magical procedure that all pegasi foals go through after their born to allow them full usage of their pegasus magic. Perhaps Scootaloo wasn't able to receive this procedure for reasons we don't yet know, or perhaps the procedure was done improperly when she received it. Or maybe there is something more simple that explains why she is magically handicapped.

Now like I said this is a hypothesis, and I don't expect anyone to fully agree with it, if at all. There are many mysteries about Scootaloo yet to be unveiled. I mean, perhaps she does not know why she can't fly yet.

Perhaps it could take another character to be entered into the show, be they unicorn, pegasi, or earth pony that is also magically handicapped. Like a unicorn who can't use their magic in their horn properly, causing magical surges they can't control. Or an Earth Pony who can't perform even the simplest earth pony tasks that all others master, and this character explains to Scootaloo how they deal with being magically impaired.

But what do you think? Do you think Scootaloo could be magically impaired with her pegasus magic? Or do you think it's something else that keeps her from soaring across heavens of Equestria?

6581873 Actually I agree with you here, I've given this a lot of thought because I'm kind of weird like that. Her wings seem fine physically, and strong even given we've seen her effortlessly pull along her friends in a wagon on wing power, and like you said she is able to do other Pegasus things. I call it a magical defficiency, something about her natural Pegasus magic keeps her from achieving lift.

Since Pegasi are about as aerodynamic as a brick, there has to be a magical element to their flight. So if a Pegasus, like say Scootaloo, doesn't have enough magic to achieve flight, they can't fly.

6581873
I personally think that its a combination of weak magic and tiny wings because in a fairly recent episode scoots confirms that she will never be able to fly. Granted we've known this for a while but I do believe that this is the first time it has been said on the show and we know she is not the only handicapped pony either

6581873 Well considering Aunt Holiday is her dad's older sister, that could mean Scootaloo has a bit of earth pony magic in her bloodline, and that may have interefered with the pegasus magic a filly her age is supposed to have.

6581882
That was her lashing out at Rainbow Dash, who was afraid of potentially losing a fan to her fan club, more than I think it was that she actually thinks she'll never fly. In Flight to the Finish, Rainbow said she may fly one day, or maybe not, but flight doesn't make her who she is. Though that does trail a little off subject, I think Scootaloo is wanting to fly one day, but has to figure out how to achieve her goal.

And tiny wings has nothing to do with it. Look at Bulk Biceps. He has wings tiny for his size, and he has no problem lifting off. I mean, he went to Wonderbolts Academy. So the tiny wing argument doesn't seem to hold much footing, from my perspective.

Also, I am having a huge brain fart. Who was the other handicapped pony? Was that Sunburst your speaking of?

6581873
I think she's magically handicapped. There's no way pegasi can fly without magic, so it can't be a physical one.

6581894
Yes, but Carrot Cake and Cup Cake have two foals, and one is pegasus, Pound Cake, I believe is the name. And he has no trouble with his wing power, but than again, he is a foal, so I may not have the best argument on that bit. But, I still feel that Earth Pony being within the bloodline wouldn't impair her flight capability.

6581902
Well, it could be physical, but because the show has not given us a straight answer on Scootaloo's inability to fly, we are left to wonder.

6581908
It might be, but I think magic is way more likely. Pegasi wings are pretty much for show. They don't produce anywhere near enough force to actually fly or manuver (not to mention the muscle structure is wrong)

6581896
it wasn't sunburst it was the second apperince of flim and flam and the mirical tonic.

Bulk still has trouble flying with the tiny wings as it is shown that he does half to flap his wing a lot faster then normal to acheive lift and thats not taking into account his magic levels which may be above average or even on the higher end of things

6581873
I've been operating under the theory, for my writings, that Scootaloo suffers from a condition called 'thaumic anemia' - weak magic.

The thinking is that every pony is born with different amounts of innate magic, and while their innate magic grows as they grow, some are simply born with more or less than others. Scootaloo has enough innate magic to allow her to do what pegasi would consider to be passive magic - manipulate clouds with their hooves - but not enough to perform acts of active magic - flight. I'm also of the opinion that some grow out of it with time, usually after earning their cutie mark, but Scootaloo is one of the unfortunate cases where it doesn't happen.

That being said, efforts are being made to treat the condition.

6581873

to her having one parent or both not being a pegasus themselves

I'm, like, 99% sure it doesn't work that way. I mean, we do have an example of two earth ponies siring twins who are unicorn and pegasus respectively, which makes no damn sense if it's supposed to be a purely genetic thing. Both of them appear to be very gifted with their respective magic.

Pet theory of mine is that the tribes simply express different aspects that are inherent in all ponies. That is to say, all ponies have the potential to be born as earth pony, pegasus or unicorn. That would explain the alicorns, who would then be the "true form" of the species.

In a sense, I am hypothesizing that Scootaloo may be magically handicapped

Well, it's not a new idea. Arcum42 and RaylanKrios have both written stories that bring this possibility up, and I've used a variation of it myself. I wouldn't be surprised if others have also used it.

At any rate it seems supported by canon: We know that pegasi who have their magic stolen immediately lose the ability to fly, and when Twilight gained the power of the other alicorns she was able to fly much faster and had trouble controlling her flight. Also, Rainbow occasionally appears to simply hover in the air without really using her wings. It's actually not unlikely that the flying part is purely magical and they only use their wings for thrust and steering.

There are some issues with the theory worth considering, though. Chief among them is that Scootaloo specifically only seems incapable of generating lift. In all other regards, she is actually ridiculously powerful. With only the thrust she generates by flapping her wings, this kid is able to propel herself, her scooter, a wagon with two passengers equivalent to her own weight and various supplies at what seems to be at least adult pony running speed, and she can do this without effort for extended periods of time. At one point it was heavily implied she was able to catch up with a train. I've heard it argued that she should realistically be able to fly on thrust alone, like a rocket.

This is noteworthy because ponies who lose their magic also become noticeably weakened, which doesn't apply to Scootaloo at all. It seems unlikely she simply doesn't have enough magic.

So, if it's a magical handicap it has to specifically apply to whatever part of her magic that allows her to defy gravity rather than in a general sense. Which is certainly possible, it's just something you want to keep in mind if you ever use this in a story.

6581922
Oh yeah. Wasn't a fan of that episode, so you can see where my mind wondered for a bit. And there are other ponies that are way smaller, and seem to have their wings to be of a reasonable size, in comparison to their body, mostly children when I think about it. Like the one little pegasus who wanted the Pony Tones at her cute cinyara (No idea how to spell that.) And her wings her flapping as if she was some sort of humming bird. As for grown ups, I'd have to do a thorough check from all season to say if there are any that flap their wings wicked fast.

And then you got Flurry Heart. Even though I'm sure a lot others would say that her wing span should give her no problem, when I look at it, those things should be way too heavy for her foal body to keep them held up like that. But she flies as if they're no biggie. Again, this is just from perspective, so I could be wrong on Scootaloo's wing size bit.

6581925
Okay, so I am guessing your are agreeing in a sense that Pegasus Magic may be the culprit as to why Scootaloo can't fly?

6581953
I think the younger pegasi flap harder because they don't have A the wing size and B the same magical control as the adults. which might actually be it Scootaloo just can't get her magic to flow through her wings properly and they don't have a way to fix that

6581946
Well, to be honest, Pegasus Magic was something I overlooked when trying to figure out why Scootaloo can't fly. And you said that when pegasi were stripped of their magic, they were noticeably weaker, but that's because all magic was stripped. I was inquiring that Scootaloo may have pegasus magic, but just not enough, that her flying doesn't let her do little more than hover for short periods. The other parts you described sounded more of a physical nature, so to say she is "physically" handicapped doesn't seem a likely scenario.

6581965
Well, when you look at Cozy Glow, who now scares the Nightmares out of me, when she was first introduced, she flapped her wings a normal pace we could see the flapping.

But I seem to be arguing over something minuscule, when you already seem to agree that Pegasus Magic may be a promising factor in Scootaloo's inability to fly.

6581980
for the most part yeah as for (totally not creepy but super creepy) Cozy glow she may of just reached that age where she has more adult flaps as she is attending what might as well be a high school

6581985
I am sometimes left to wonder if maybe Cozy Glow is an adult who has a stunted growth, which makes her look like a kid filly. A "miniature" pony if you will. I can't see how a pony of a filly age could go so dark, so fast. I don't even think Starlight became that dark at such a young age.

6581992
well i think it over comes down to we don't know when a equestria pony stops being a filly/colt and becomes a adult for all we know the ponies could live hundreds of our years

6581958
Yep, pretty much. The real question is, will they ever work around that?

Seriously, if they can figure out a way to get Tank airborne, they can figure out a way to get Scootaloo airborne.

6581896 Actually I disagree on this point, I think her feelings in the Washouts have been under the surface awhile, probably because she knows she can't ever fly and she feels like that means she can't ever live up to Rainbow Dash. Its likely what attracted her to the Washouts to begin with, she doesn't have to fly to be like them.

Mind you that didn't go well for her, but its how I interpret it.

6582000
Well, Granny Smith seems to be around 100 years old, give or take a decade, and she even said is was nearly a century ago she and her family founded Sweet Apple Acres, when she talked about it at family appreciation day, so I can say that they seem to live about a human life span. Which is why I tend to think the Royal Sister's immortal, seeing as they are more than 1000 years of age. Cadence? I'm not sure, she still seemed to be growing from a teenage form, back Twilight's flashback, so I think she's relatively new to being an Alicorn. But this is getting off topic.

6581972

And you said that when pegasi were stripped of their magic, they were noticeably weaker, but that's because all magic was stripped. I was inquiring that Scootaloo may have pegasus magic, but just not enough, that her flying doesn't let her do little more than hover for short periods. The other parts you described sounded more of a physical nature, so to say she is "physically" handicapped doesn't seem a likely scenario.

It's just that magic does seem linked to physical abilities, as it's treated as a type of vital force. That's why the effects of Tirek's magic draining ability and Twilight's magic boost are both kinda important, as they basically prove that relationship. How much magic is taken or added is different matter.

Though, since flying is a very basic pegasus ability (cases like Scootaloo apparently being extremely rare, and most foals her age already being adept flyers) I imagine they'd have to lack quite a lot of magic before it simply can't be done.

What I'm basically saying is that if Scootaloo's problem was having considerably less magic than other pegasi, it should be noticeable in ways other than just an inability to fly: She should be comparatively weak, have low stamina and generally be a bit lethargic, have at least some trouble interacting with clouds, etc. She just seems way too strong and healthy.

6582009

6582011
Well, that is your opinion, and you have a right to that. I may have my own perspective on it, but that is my opinion.

6582022 That's fair, but I do agree with you on the magic thing, that's actually my go-to explanation for her flightlessness in my fics.

6582019
I guess I can see your point in that regard. But at the same time, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy seemed to quickly recover from their magic depletion when helping out Twilight get back to her feet near the end. It seemed more like a "I got the wind knocked out of me" kind of thing, but in this case the magic was knocked out, but than after regaining their senses, they felt right as rain, in a physical manner.

Also, when you see their cutie marks get stripped by Starlight, you can see how they were magically affected, but physical strength didn't seem to be an issue. Just their unique talent started to deplete.

6582009

Seriously, if they can figure out a way to get Tank airborne, they can figure out a way to get Scootaloo airborne.

Thank you, I've been saying that for years. Even if Scootaloo is handicapped, it should realistically be about as serious as needing glasses.

Actually, going by what Rainbow said in Flight to the Finish, it seems they don't actually know what the problem is but think there may still be a chance she will eventually fly.

6582015
well a century in pony years is not the same as a century in human years

6582034

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy seemed to quickly recover from their magic depletion when helping out Twilight get back to her feet near the end. It seemed more like a "I got the wind knocked out of me" kind of thing, but in this case the magic was knocked out, but than after regaining their senses, they felt right as rain, in a physical manner.

Point, thought it could also have been a "let's put on a brave face and try not to show our enemy how weak we are" kind of thing.

Also, when you see their cutie marks get stripped by Starlight, you can see how they were magically affected, but physical strength didn't seem to be an issue. Just their unique talent started to deplete.

Yeah, but if you think about it, what Starlight did was actually very different from what Tirek did, even if it had a similar effect. So the question is whether stealing a pony's cutie mark is the same thing as draining them of magic, or if the former just metaphysically messes with their ability to express their magic/destiny/personality without necessarily affecting their vitality.

Anyway, to be clear, I'm largely agreeing with your here. I just think it's kinda weird how Scootaloo seems to be a perfect specimen aside from the flying thing. This doesn't even need to be a problem. Heck, it's actually a plot point in my story - a character noting this inconsistency is pretty much what kicks the plot off.

See, writing is about seeing potential in ideas, even the parts that don't appear to make sense. Questions like these are good, because they tend to be highly useful to us when we allow ourselves to entertain them. If you have an idea but something doesn't quite add up, you should get interested and start asking why. Never just dismiss it.

6582047
I get that. But like I said, ponies seem to age as fast as humans in this series. I mean, if a more than a full year has past since the last summer sun celebration for starters, shouldn't the CMC look as tall as their sister's by now. Shouldn't all the children we were introduced to be adults. They still look like children. A horse is pretty much fully grown by the end of a full year after being born. So yeah, ponies seem to age as fast as humans in the world of Equestria.

Now if they had stated something like 100 generations, that's a different matter entirely, but they don't.

6582047

well a century in pony years is not the same as a century in human years

Um, it actually is. I mean, lifespan kinda doesn't have anything to do with how you count years. Cats and dogs don't really have their own type of years, it's just a way of estimating their age in proportion to human aging, which is something ponies wouldn't need to do. They'd just say they're so and so many actual years old.

For that matter, they actually seem to age at the same rate as humans going by everything we've seen. They absolutely don't age at the same rate as real horses.

6582076
I can see what your saying. I have started off a new story about Scootaloo, where she gets adopted by Ocean Flow, Queen Novo's sister, and while this does delve more into the physical aspect of things, it gives me a chance to decide whether or not Scootaloo will fly later on in the story. But it does start off where she is regressed to a foal stage, and she must be kept in her sea pony form til she's at least 4 years old. The story explains it a bit more, but it gives me a something to dive into the realm of, will Scootaloo fly. Now, yes, it is in the Scootadopt story group, and I understand some get touchy about saying she's an orphan, which, in canon, I don't believe she is. Anyways, The story explains a few more details in itself to give us a what if scenario. When I saw how much Scootaloo loved her Sea Pony form, I just had to jump at the idea.

6582103

Now, yes, it is in the Scootadopt story group, and I understand some get touchy about saying she's an orphan, which, in canon, I don't believe she is.

I'm actually the same way. I could never really accept the idea that she's an orphan, but at the same time I kinda love Scootadopt stories and ended up writing one myself. Can't let headcanon get in the way of a good story, after all.

6582096
until I see a officail guide saying that one year in queatria is xamount of time here then I'm going to stick with my head cannon that ponies live a lot longer then humans

6582103
what about that daring do fic where Rainbow is turned into a foal you gonna continue that or should i stop tracking it?

6582120

until I see a officail guide saying that one year in queatria is xamount of time here then I'm going to stick with my head cannon that ponies live a lot longer then humans

Well, that's pretty much impossible to debate either way since we have no point of reference. So, fair enough.

My personal stance is that unless we have a reason to believe a year in Equestria is not the same thing as what we call a year, one should assume they are the same.

6582135
fair enough but i guess it depends on the story for that specific topic

6582153

Honestly, I don't really mind what kind of headcanon others go by.

Though, I should point out that we do know that there have only been three or four generations since the founding of Ponyville, counting the characters who are currently foals. (Because Stinking Rich was Diamond Tiara's great-grandfather, plus everything we know about the Apples.) That would factor into how often they reproduce assuming they have very long lifespans, for what that's worth.

6582190
that helps a little

6581905 We have no idea how well Pound Cake will fly when he gets older, or if Scootaloo could fly as well as Pound Cake could when she was a foal. So it could go either way.

6582120
I will continue it. But I am trying to take one stroy at a time right now. And the one I am focused on, is MLP: A Lunar Twist. For the time, it is in Hiatus status, but not forgotten. I was trying to focus on too many stories at once, and it threw me into a writer's block everywhere. So, for the time being, I focus on one story. Than I move onto the next story I wish to work on, til it is finished, then the next one after that, etc. The Daring Do story is in my top 5 right now for future stories that will come soon after my story I currently am working on is finished.

6582119
Indeed.

6582227
Like I said, not my best comparison for an argument. But I still feel that having a non-pegasus blood relation wouldn't hinder a pegasus's ability to fly.

6582044
You and a number of others. As for Scootaloo flying one day...I live in hope and have fanfiction to fill the void.

6582324
thank you for the update

6582227

We have no idea how well Pound Cake will fly when he gets older, or if Scootaloo could fly as well as Pound Cake could when she was a foal.

Though, if you think about it, it would make sense if they started flying very early considering the pegasi tendency to live in and on clouds.

Plus, wouldn't it be really weird for them to learn that skill intuitively as infants only to forget about it and have to relearn it later in life?

6582332
Oh, one other thing to point out about how fast ponies age. There is also the factor of seasons to bring into account. We've seen four Hearths Warming Eve holiday episodes, newest being with the Student Six. That's four human years, at least, that has passed by, and the kid ponies still look like kids. They haven't become as tall as the adult ponies. So to say that they age at a different pace than humans, it seems to not hold much footing, from my perspective.

6582634
i'll give you that but that also lends credit to my Cozy Glow theory

6581873
Read through this theory, and mostly skimmed the non-Fervidor posts in this thread. I read his fully because, as usual, he has interesting insights into things and is articulate.

On one hand, I support this theory. Something to do with Scootaloo's pegasus magic not working correctly is likely at fault here. Pegasi flight is explicitly magical, as none of them have properly proportioned wings for their bodies nor musculature to support bird-like flight mechanically.

I would like to point out though, that like the other theories you're dismissing, you engage in one critical flaw that I didn't see anyone else bring up. Allow me a tangent for a moment.

In human evolution, genes responsible for several things were expressed differently from the typical way of our ape ancestors. Genes for our teeth expressed in a recessive manner such that our jaws are much weaker. Far less muscle mass, gradually different shape, smaller (and occasionally harmful to us) wisdom teeth, and so on all contributed to our mouthparts taking up less room in our skull. There was also an increase in brain cavity space, paired with brain size growth. That growth came as a result of a gradual decrease in the expression of genes responsible for combatting cancer in the brain.

There were a whole lot of little things that either shut off, or weakened, and in doing so less strongly opposed other forces. Because of some "harmful" genetic mutations that led to weaker jaws, smaller teeth, and more susceptibility to brain cancer, we got larger and more powerful brains, and with it more intelligence.

Simply chalking something up to "physical" and declaring it all disproven based on a few simple details is wrong. Discounting mental health or magical causes, in the same way, is wrong. Indeed, what really is likely is that whatever the reason Scootaloo can't fly is, it is much more likely that it is the result of many little things: genetics (not merely parents, but her entire ancestry), magic (perhaps as a result of genetics), mental health (confidence), as well as other factors.

In my own story, Hungry (still incomplete), I have my own theories that I use and present as fact on Scootaloo's situation. A portion of it is indeed genetic. It isn't as simple as "tiny wings" or "lack of strength" either muscular of magical. It is that what is normal for pegasi is off in one or many ways not obvious on the surface. That paired with some of her upbringing by earth pony parents who failed to recognize or help offset her problems early so she could develop more normally.

Life is complicated. Things like this are not as simple as one narrowly defined item being off like a switch, and a solution involves flipping that switch on. It also likely isn't a case of something very basic and obvious like "amount of magic" or "wing size." Because those sorts of things would, as Fervidor noted, express in broad manners. Something like "the portion of genetic/magical ability that gives lift to oppose gravity" isn't working right for Scootaloo. She can flap her wings. She can push air back to generate thrust. She can push air down to produce some lift. But that aspect of her pegasus magic doesn't appear to allow her to hover the way Rainbow Dash, Pound Cake, and Zipoorwhill can. Whatever is creating this disability might be purely magical, like blocked leylines or chakra nodes or some mumbo-jumbo. It might have a genetic cause. It might be the result of some childhood accident or trauma. It might be due to a form of malnourishment growing up. It could be several of those things, none of which alone would result in the disability Scootaloo has, but in combination all create that result.

6581873
Thar pretty much my main theory about her inability to fly.

to her having one parent or both not being a pegasus themselves

I'm pretty sure that at this point of time there either no pureblood families of unicorns, earth ponies or pegasi, or they incredibly rare. Heck, even Apples have at least a bit of unicorns blood in them - there several unicorn foals in their younger generation.
So I really doubt that having a earth pony or unicorn parents would hamper pegasus ability to fly.

6581873
In terms of storytelling and fanfics? Sure, gone that route myself. It makes no sense to blame it on her wings when we have Rumble and Bulk Biceps being shown as strong flyers in their own right.

Will it be on the show? Doubtful. There's never been a concrete answer to how magic is trained, why one unicorn can cast this one spell while the other cannot, aside from a remark in Season 1 that would make Celestia's school look downright stupid in context. Besides that, the show itself tends to try and keep its options open as much as possible, have their cake and eat it, until they're ready to move on, in which case it becomes a slash and burn style of writing. So it can go either way, still, or go nowhere. I'm actually working on a story that kind of touches on the Scootacapped angle (yup, seems I ain't broken that record yet... ) but in a slightly roundabout way. Let's just say Starlight Glimmer is involved, along with victim culture.

I've taken the angle of it being her magic, too. Specifically, in my Rumble's Big Day trilogy, it turned out to be that pegasi first trigger their magic after fasting, and kids who don't get sick when they're young simply don't go hungry enough for it to click the first time. You know, standard stuff you'd find if anyone ever actually researched magic practices... The other time that comes to mind was a, err *ahem* less-known, not-so-popular story that only dealt with Scootaloo in the background while the real involved, umm, stuff of a more adult nature, let's say. In that one, she went to a doctor, and the diagnose was that she lacked the right gut bacteria. The idea was that pegasus flight, or magic in general, even, was like a lot of things in the animal kingdom: not a property solely of the organism, but of the bacteria colonising it (see also: digesting cellulose, bioluminescence, the pink colour of shrimp and flamingos... all down to micro-organisms.) Basically, because Scootaloo's mother did not have the correct compounds in her milk, Scootaloo couldn't fly yet. A simple magic probiotic would fix that in due course.

Remember The Invisibles: "The germs are part of the magic."