A Chimera Coincidence · 4:22pm Mar 8th, 2014
Warning: Spoilers from the latest episode, Somepony to Watch Over Me, abound. Proceed with caution.
Remember my first story on this site? The one where Rarity ends up fighting the Chimera in order to save Sweetie Belle? Well apparently, someone over at DHX saw that, because the conclusion of today's episode seems to mirror that theme with Applejack and Apple Bloom. Of course, my chimera and DHX's chimera are of different designs and have different motivations (for the record, I think DHX's design is more creative). But, I thought this was a neat little coincidence.
So, yeah. Chimeras a canon now. How does this change Beasts and Burdens? Well, it doesn't. Not really. There can be multiple chimeras. The word "chimera" just means a creature that's made up of multiple animals parts (technically, Discord's a chimera). So, it's very possible that one chimera lives in the fiery swamplands while another was defeated by a pegasus named Bellerophon and sent to Tartarus, and it's possible for them to have different designs.
Although I have to wonder if Bellerophon used a snake charming flute, a lion tamer's chair, and a wad of ricotta cheese in his legendary fight (not the actual fight; the ponified version I came up with for Beasts and Burdens). Sheesh, that would've been embarrassing.
Chimera with a capital C does refer to a specific critter... lowercase C is when things get murky
Let me just say one thing about that. Chimera's are great allies.
img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131122051300/megamitensei/images/0/02/Imagine-Chimera.jpg
I should know I've teamed up on more than one occasion.
I did some research and I was impressed with the fact that the guys on DHX did their job with the creature, from the different heads to the fact that Chimeras are female.
Hats off to the staff, they earned it.
1907586 Well, the Chimera of the original myth (from every interpretation I've read, at least) had the head of a lion, not a sabertooth tiger. But honestly, like I said, DHX's design is at least twenty percent cooler.
Also, while it's true that the Chimera of the original myth was female, I'm not sure if all chimeras are female. At least as far as Equestria is concerned. But, that's just me.
If I recall, Bellerophon obtained a lump of lead from a blacksmith, mounted the noble Pegasus, and flew above the Chimera, tossing the lump of lead into the gaping maw of one of the heads. Perhaps they substituted the ricotta cheese for the lump of lead?
1907888 I, honestly don't remember that part. In the original myth (or at least the version I've read), Bellerophon just shoved a spear into the serpent head's mouth, and that was the killing blow. Applejack, on the other hand, tossed a wad of ricotta cheese into the goat head's mouth. It's not even remotely similar from where I'm standing.