The Season Finale and my Headcanon. *Season 4 spoilers* · 11:13am May 12th, 2014
Well, if you've read my blog that included my old bio you'd have seen that my headcanon on pony magic involves it being an energy generated by the planet's core (Or it's sun, depending on how the story is setup) and if you've seen the end of this Season it seems to contradict that notion. From the ending it would seem that the ponies house their magic internally, but my headcanon can still work with this seemingly contradicting evidence. Here's how.
My headcanon stated that the ponies convert a passive energy into an active energy, to make it simple, so it stands to reason that Tirek was unable to process this "unrefined" energy, but was able to extract the "refined" product from the ponies, much the same way my headcanon on changelings feeding off love works, being they extract a specific magic that is on a different frequency that's generated by emotion, this case being love.
"But wait, doesn't that mean the ponies would just be able to 'recharge' their magic!?" I hear you cry, but actually that may not be so. Take into consideration that ALL of their magic was removed, to the point of them not having their cutie marks, I like to think of it as the power grid. What many people don't know about large generators is that they are unable to just start making power, they have to be excited, by smaller generators. A "cold restart" on the power grid requires first that small power relay or substations to generate power (small generators are self-exciting) to excite the generators for small and moderate power plants, then those plants use their power to excite the generators on the main power stations, being nuclear plants and other large plants for major power generation.
I think that the ponies ability to use magic works in much the same way, since they were completely exhausted of magic they had no way of being able to convert more, without a "jumpstart", much like large generators need to be excited to generate power.
In fact the whole magical pulse at the end and how the unicorn's/alicorn's horns activated and stayed active for some time after the pulse hit seems to match the "jumpstart" idea. The pulse gave them the power to start independent energy conversion, (Like a large generator initially after being excited starts to independently generate power) their horns continued to glow for some time afterwards to "recharge" the pony's internal magic reserves.
Makes sense to me.
Of course, that episode had a ton of issues in it so I am generally taking it with a grain of salt, but this is a good explanation that avoids the need to flat out ignore things.
2106454 Yeah the show likes to contradict itself a lot, it's a cartoon so what can you expect? You just have to be fast on your heels with ways to explain it and make it flow smoothly together in ways the show alone doesn't.
2106477 Yeah, although it is really starting to get to the point where you just have to ignore large chunks of material in order to make sense of anything. Of course, my general disappointment with the more recent stuff makes it easy to pick what to ignore, but that is probably not a good thing overall....
2106540 They're probably running out of ideas that will remain consistent with the past events, so they're starting to go the way of "fuck it, lets just do this" and not be bothered with consistency.
We do have to keep in mind this show was meant for young children who wouldn't know the difference.
Besides, if I had it my way the show would not only be consistent, but everything more detailed, and the ponies would look like this.
fc06.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/142/8/4/octavia_evening_gown_commission_by_longinius_ii-d6666gp.jpg
...And Octavia would be the main character.
2106592 Of course she would.
But yeah, I do know what you mean and I can accept that to some extent, but I still feel like there is a lot of room to expand on what is already there. I also feel like they are shifting towards big flashy visuals over the really strong characters that made the show great so I feel like the show could have been much better if it had gone in another direction with the newer stuff (that is also why I have missed a bunch of episodes due to lack of interest).
They already did a great job with the main characters in previous seasons (and should really be doing a better job to maintain that depth
), but there are a lot of other characters they could explore more. Trixie in particular comes to mind as someone who would do really well if they gave her more screen time because her relationship with Twilight is at least ok after Magic Duel and she has a ton of room to grow if she were integrated into the series as a semi-regular character. Luna and Celestia could also use some more love and the ascension was a perfect way to make them more rateable as characters to explore the burden of leadership. There are also a lot of antagonists like the changelings that would do well with a return to explore them in more depth the way Discord did, and a number of side characters like Zecora could also use some more exploration. The other big one I was really hoping for was a Derpy-focused episode to explore the subject of people with disabilities and maybe bring her in as another recurring character, although that is more than a little risky to attempt so I can see why they didn't do it.
So yeah, while I can see what you are talking about, there was a lot of other stuff they could have done to broaden the scope of the show without causing problems. I probably just threw up at least a whole seasons worth of core ideas to build on, although there would obviously be a lot more to do than select a direction and some broad character-focused goals.
Yes, I agree they should've focussed more on character and world building than they did, which was disappointing because at the start I thought they would've gone the world building route, with the NMM flashback and stuff. But oh well.
Huh. That's pretty in-depth, and seems fairly plausible.
...buuuuuuut I think I'll stick to the whole "It's magic I ain't gotta explain shit" mindset.
The absence of a proper explanation for magic makes the show seem more fantastical and unrealistic.
2106878 Pfff, if you like the whole "it's magic, I ain't gotta explain shit" fallacy you came to the wrong place.
If you're referring to the Octavia picture in my comment, I'd say there'd be 150% more sexiness.
fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/022/7/6/rarity_s_secret___octavia_edition_by_longinius_ii-d5sd5g0.jpg
(I don't care if it's suggestive, this guy is my favourite MLP artist. In case you don't know it's the same guy who made the other, less suggestive, Octavia pic.)
2108677
That picture is simply beauteous, so I'm definitely inclined to agree.
... But then it wouldn't be a kids' show in the first place!
Now, Steamer. Why must we jump to conclusions so hastily?
I would never besmirch your artist's good name (Coupled with the fact that his/her work is impeccable)!
And since when have I possessed tendencies to react negatively to provocative artwork?
You know me well enough that I appreciate any and all works of art! 
2109667
You can still have that art style in a kids show, just don't draw the lingerie or focus on the rear.
fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/184/5/2/the_stars__the_moon_by_longinius_ii-d55tiuz.jpg
)
(Same artist, and style... though I don't think pony hind legs can bend that way...
Since every time I posted even mildly suggestive pony art on your page.
Does that apply to gay clop as well?
2109900
PROTIP: Because it's not of best pony.
Sonuva...
Yes they can. Because magic.
2109986 Oh really, who is best pony then?
...So that means you do sometimes?
Eww.
*Slap* No!
2110012
Oh, you know the usual. RD is first. Then there's Vinyl (even without all the glorious OctaScratch). I've also recently taken an interest in Maud... Intricate indeed.
Oh? Somebody hates chalking up the unexplainable as magic.
2110128
Heresy.
Eeyup.
(Besides, they said "or" which means I could choose between whichever. Steamer logic. 
)
It's neither unexplainable or magic. It would simply be a difference in the joint structure of Equestrian ponies to our ponies. (Though then their leg would be shaped differently.)
That being said though, I think this is more artist not quite knowing how equine hind legs should bend.
2110150
I can't tell if that's for Maud or Vinyl. But I can still say that OctaScratch is my OTP
Logic professors around the globe just suffered an aneurism because of that blasphemy.
Unexplainable and magic ARE ALL BUT SYNONYMOUS!
I already told you, magic allows their hind legs to bend!
2110221
Vinyl x Octavia.
Now, Vinyl x Neon, and Octavia x Frederic is much better.
fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/337/3/2/dj_w1sh____neon_lights_by_johnkapid-d4i1r4c.png
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/006/d/b/frederic_horseshoepin_idling_pose_by_jaybeebug-d5qpg7f.png
...but you know, forbid the fandom using straight ships as mainstream. After all, My Little Pony: Every Mare's a Lesbian.
Well technically, since you did say "or" it did make it possible to choose either. (Even if I knew what you meant.
)
So make it a point not to leave implicating options open.
...
0-media-cdn.foolz.us/ffuuka/board/tg/image/1367/03/1367034391261.gif
2110288
Insulting a man's ship...
24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7v0bzcRAs1rn95k2o2_250.gif
Derpy X Doctor Whooves
Pinkie X Cheese
Macintosh X any of Mane 6
Twilight X Sentry
Mr. Cake X Mrs. Cake
Your argument is invalid.
(Except for Rainbow Dash. Everybody knows she's gay for Applejack)
I had that exact quote in mind when I typed that! We're freakin' geniuses.
2110352
Well, then keep your ships to yourself.
Aside from the Doctor and the Cakes, (which don't count because it's canon) the others are all in an extreme minority compared to lesbian ships with the same characters. My argument is valid.
For every Mac x Fluttershy there are 5 Fluttershy x Rarity, and that's the lower of ratios, as the other interMane 6 shipping is more common.
And if we want to be specific to Octavia and Vinyl, well that's an easy one. About 80% of the romance fics with Octavia as a main character are Octavia x Vinyl. And of the remaining 20%, most are with OCs, be it human, pony that's basically a self insert anyways, or a non-self insert pony, with Octavia being shipped to a stallion, canon character being so rare it's on the endangered fictions list!
(Though Vinyl's ratio is different, and has more straight ships. I find it kind of funny how the one who is easier to see as bisexual is the one who gets more straight ships than the one who seems more likely to be straight!
)
No... Clarke is the genius, all we did was
stealuse his work.2110474
Heh, say that to the entire brony fandom, then come back and tell me what happens.
One instance of your argument being disproved still means it's invalid, my friend.
Why do you think this is so, Steamer? It's because they're an awesome pairing!
Also... I vaguely remember wanting to comment on your little Maud blog but not being able to. So I'll just say it here. The reason she was able to chisel out an entire boulder...
It wasn't technique. It wasn't brute force.
It was magic. Pure. Unadulterated. Magic.
2115366
Okay fine, I'll rephrase it: My Little Pony: Nearly Every Mare's a Lesbian.
Shoo, go away, no one loves you.
I'll except that. It was the magic of cartoons.