[Superlong] Headcanon Blasts! -or- How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the God of Chaos · 4:25pm Mar 3rd, 2017

This blog was meant to collect and show off some new art cuts I've been making. You know, the ones where I take a jpg or a screenshot and cut out the background in order to capture an epic face moment. I've made videos on this process. Anyway, while I do have a few of those that are ready to be shared, the computer on which those art cuts are stored is about one day left from retirement. (Short story on that is: yesterday it had a bunch of audio problems that led to crashes, today it had a bunch of connection problems that stopped me from doing taxes, and I shudder to think what tomorrow will bring.)

So that idea is shelved for now. I'll share those art pieces when I stop being so mad. In the meantime, I'll fall back on an older idea I've wanted to rant about for some time: sharing a few of my headcanons!

1. Discord is the closest thing to a god that Equestria has
This one is pretty obvious thanks to Humility, my guilty pleasure. (Quick note: HUMILITY is NOT DEAD! I swear I'll go back to it! I love it too much to let it die!) For all of the power that the ponies tout around, Discord has been shown time and time again to be on a whole other level. In fact, it's shown that it took two powerful alicorns wielding incredibly delicate artifacts to beat him once, and he was laughing about it even then. Plus, they didn't really defeat him so much as make him wait. And even when the new generation came along to stop him, it was in the same method.

Just consider that. Discord, a being who is unique in many ways, is only stopped by being petrified. Even when he is, he retains his awareness - at least, as far as being able to tell how much time has passed. Not only that, but the means of his escape are as simple as a few friends showing discordance in his vicinity. That's paramount to summoning a demon just by speaking its name three times in a mirror!

Thank god that he learned to value friendship. Or rather...thank Discord that...uh, Discord learned to...um, value non-discordance? Look, the point is that Discord has powers beyond imagination, and the old ways of stopping him would only delay him until the next plot development came around. Meanwhile, ponies can still die and grow old and get lost, and even the royal alicorn immortals have responsibilities to their followers. Before Fluttershy came around, Discord's only concern was himself.

Oh, and since I mentioned those "delicate artifacts," I'm sure you've guessed that...

2. The Elements of Harmony are incredibly dangerous
I wrote an entire editorial that touched on this, but it's worth including because I seriously love the implication. The Elements of Harmony, for all of their magical mac-guffin-ness, are super-duper-loop-de-hoop-er dangerous when they're taken away from their origin spot. In my mind, it's not so much the elements that contain power. Rather, they act as the key that opens the door to all of that power.

I compare this to real-life radiation and the effects on the body, especially considering the permanent changes seen on the Mane Cast in season four (rainbow connection) and the implication seen in season five (instant RAINBOW POWER SAILOR SCOUT transformations). This is aided by the fact that Celestia only used the Elements twice in her life for all we know, and that Luna has used them once. This also suggests that they knew what the Elements were really doing to allow them to access such powerful friendship beams. To top it all off, they were desperate for a solution when they came to remove them from their Tree of Origins. The Elements, for all of the problems they can solve, were their last resort.

It's also why I'm personally glad that they have been removed as plot devices in the show. I mean, the RAINBOW POWER SAILOR SCOUT is no better (in fact, it's mildly to moderately sickening), but at least they aren't around anymore to act as a magical reset button. Or a radioactive inanimate carbon rod with which to beat neigh-sayers over the head.

3. Spitfire and Rainbow Dash have a bunch of professional/ethical disagreements
I mean, the show itself has kinda confirmed this one, but I've been entertaining this idea for a while: if Rainbow Dash and Spitfire ever sat down to talk, they would soon come to blows over what is and isn't "the right way" to lead the Wonderbolts. I even have the remains of an attempted fic that dives into this, which I do want to submit once I put all the pieces together. For that matter, The Other Side goes into it a little bit, with plans to go deeper about halfway through.

There's not much detail I can give this one that the show hasn't already touched upon. Suffice it to say that both Spitfire and Rainbow love the 'Bolts, but they have different viewpoints on how to lead it. One operates based on actual experience and demands, the other has wishes fed by morals and honor. Neither pony is wrong, but neither pony can agree with the other.

4. The Everfree Forest had a beginning
This is one I like to come back to when I'm feeling all talk'd out. Considering the old capital of Celestia and Luna (prior to Nightmare Moon's first arrival), it's strange to think that the Everfree Forest has always been as haunting and dangerous as it is in current day. If it were just as bad back then, why build their city on the fringe? Therefore, I figure that the forest was not always such a variable, but in fact was just a normal part of the world until Nightmare Moon came around.

I like to think that all of the power that was thrown around by Tia and Lulu caused something to change within and around the forest. Like the Veil being torn open so eldritch horrors can crawl through. Or, to get away from Dragon Age examples, like a permanent imbalance that changed the forest and, over time, the creatures within. It totally helps that the Tree of Harmony exists there as well, since that would suggest there is a source of magic already present. Having even more magic being thrown around so near to it, especially after the Elements were taken away, would only contribute to this imbalance.

And that's how Equestria's most threatening area was made.

5. Starswirl the Bearded became King Sombra
This is a favorite of mine. Starswirl is praised as the most influential unicorn in history, credited with over two-hundred spells (did any of them do anything?). But...well, where did he come from? And where did he go?

I like to think that the comics painted a very good picture of him, acting as a friend, confidant, and mentor for Celestia. But I also like to think that Starswirl was perhaps too gifted in his magical knowledge. After all, for a unicorn who is praised so highly, and shown to be a step above Celestia's own maturity, who else could hope to understand the powerful magic that lay beneath the Crystal Empire? Especially since Celestia's "own knowledge of the Empire is limited."

This is also what prompted the second entry in the Confide duo. Starswirl crossed a line at some point in his life, which led to his transformation into something sleek and sinister. Plus, come on - if an entire region is made with crystal, including the ponies who inhabit it, then any scholar worth his 'ship would want to study abroad. Having a source of magic to enhance the whole of Equestria is just icing on the tempting cake.

There's even a logical sequence of events for this, too. Following the first defeat of Discord, Starswirl would have gone to the Crystal Empire to study their particular brand of magic. He would do this with the intent of bringing back some beneficial information, since the Tree of Harmony was empty at that time. But eventually, something changed that caused him to abandon his scholarly pursuits in favor of crystals and sadness. This inevitably forced a confrontation between him and the Royal Sisters.

Plus, consider this: if Starswirl truly did become Sombra, then wouldn't that explain Celestia's reluctance to battle him again in the season three premier? Aw, man, that would totally play into her psyche, too! She fought against Discord and won, then fought a reluctant battle against Sombra and won, then finally had to face her sister on the Everfree fringe! No wonder Sad Celestia has so much potential! Now if only my headcanon for Confide weren't uprooted - I might be able to build on it some more.

So, to summarize...

1) Discord is a god and you can't tell me otherwise
2) The Elements of Harmony are radioactive
3) Spitfire and Rainbow Dash fight a lot
4) The Everfree Forest is a victim
5) Starswirl was only Sombra's first form

Got all that? Sweet! Take a cookie, have a seat, and learn to stop worrying and love the god of chaos.