On Changelings · 9:33am Sep 24th, 2013
What if the Changelings weren't always as monstrous-looking as they are now?
This is a fairly common headcanon from what I could see, with "they were originally Flutterponies" as a particularly popular specific variant. But I know next to nothing about the Flutterponies, so let's ignore that for a moment.
There are quite a few established ways for a being to change. There's possession (Luna becoming Nightmare Moon), poison joke, discordance (both the Mane Six turning and the Dali Bunnies), Twixie (mustaches and age spells), and who knows what more. It helps that the Changelings are supposed to physically change.
Now, the Changelings have a default, true form. As we know them, this true form is riddled with holes in the extremities, includes insect wings, blank eyes, and sharp fangs that turn out to not be used to feed. This post posits that the Changelings' true form used to be less monstrous. Like Tolkien's Orcs who are corrupted Elves.
The Changelings, of course, don't know this -- they forgot over time, or whatever corrupted them locked the knowledge away.
(Using Discord for demonstration purposes only)
It could be worse -- it could be that getting blasted by the Elements returns the targeted Changeling to its true form.
They just never found out yet cos last time they got blasted it wasn't the Elements ❤
That's my headcanon in progress. Discuss, if you please.
I think Eakin covers aspects of this very nicely with his later Time Loop works.
Eh, the whole 'elements fix whatever' idea is kinda annoying.
But the concept of twisted/corrupted ponies/whatever works.
1876043 But then, the elements thing is just an added bonus that can be ignored as hard as Discord can be in this theory.