"The Iron Horse" Official Timeline! · 6:50pm Jul 26th, 2018
Hello everyone! Well, today, I thought I’d provide a little bonus: a timeline of the major events of The Iron Horse stories, including the major works that they appear in. If you’re trying to follow the events of the story or if you’ve missed some of the stories in the canon, this is a chance to get caught up. Let’s get started…
First, a list of all stories so far that are part of the canon, in order:
- “Running Free Across the Plain” (referenced in Better With Robots chapter “Prime Time of Your Life, Part 2,” relevant to finale "Digital Love")
- “Gadget’s Gift: A Hearth’s Warming Tale” (explains more of Gadget’s backstory)
- The Iron Horse: Everything’s Better With Robots! (Main story in canon)
- “The Iron Ho-Ho-Horse: Everything’s Merrier With Robots!” (takes place during events of Better With Robots, referenced in chapter “Touch”)
- “Marble’s Horizon” (referenced in BWR chapter “Touch”)
- “Why Not My Father?”
- “The Iron Horse: Human After All”
- “The Iron Ho-Ho-Horse: Hearth's Warming By The Numbers”
NON-CANON stories:
“BINARY: Pony.exe x The Iron Horse”
TIMELINE OF EVENTS:
50,000 P.E. (Pre-Equestrian Era) - Extra-terrestrial visitors influence the evolution of ponies into intelligent, magical beings. An enigmatic entity known as the Caretaker would oversee this evolution after they departed and had some influence on the Tree of Harmony’s creation. (“Running Free Across the Plain”)
~5000 P.E. - The Yudacorns create the Golem later known as “Unit Zero.” After a period of years, it is deactivated indefinitely.
1 P.E. - Nightmare Moon is banished to the moon; Beginning of Celestial Year of Peace era (CYP). (MLP: FiM)
NOTE: Since the Summer Sun Celebration marks the beginning of a new CYP, this means that the Equestrian New Year is essentially the start of summer, not in what we could consider January.
~800 CYP - Mustangia becomes part of Equestria.
~900 CYP - Dearborn Crumble (Cobbler Mustang’s grandfather) creates and demonstrates his farming automaton, prompting Celestia’s period of technophobia.
942 CYP - Cobbler Mustang is born.
957 CYP - Cobbler joins the Mustangian secessionist movement, but leaves shortly thereafter
~960s CYP - The Mustangian secessionist movement folds; TechQuestria is founded by Cave Dweller under the name ‘The Group’ or simply ‘The Nation’; Fjord Mustang provides property and resources for it; cavern under Mustang-owned properties begins excavation
962 CYP - Cobbler meets Sweet Clementine at George Tech University; begins graduate school
967 CYP - Fjord Mustang dies; Cobbler and Sweet Clementine marry.
972 CYP - Georgia Peach is born; Sweet Clementine dies in childbirth.
977 CYP - Cobbler joins ‘The Group’ at Cave Dweller’s request
982 CYP - Georgia gets her cutie mark and develops her heart condition.
985 CYP - Runic computing is developed based on the Yudacorn golem.
987 CYP - The artificial heart prototype is developed and testing begins.
990 CYP - Georgia is given an artificial heart to save her life
991 CYP - Cave Dweller dies; Cobbler’s experiments on the artificial heart are discovered and halted by Celestia’s ministers.
992 CYP - Georgia develops a blood disease as a side effect of her artificial heart; Cobbler scans Georgia’s mind to create an artificial brain; Georgia passes away.
993 CYP - Unit 001 is built and activated using the brain scan of George Peach (all subsequent automata are based on that scan with increased complexity); TechQuestria is officially named and Cobbler is elected President.
~995 CYP - Unit 002 is built and testing begins.
999-1001 CYP - Unit 003S and Unit 003M (Turing Test) are developed and tested; Unit 003S is destroyed in an accident while testing his modes; Mode Switch is invented and installed on 003M.
999 CYP - Gadget is hired to work at Vanderbull Industries and develops a new electric braking system for trains, subsequently becoming Vanderbull’s assistant. (“Gadget’s Gift: A Hearth’s Warming Tale”)
1000 CYP - Nightmare Moon returns and is transformed back into Princess Luna. Twilight moves to Ponyville and the events of MLP: FiM begin.
1001 CYP - Twilight is crowned Princess; TechQuestria begins plans to send her an automaton to influence her. 003M is chosen; Events of Season 4 occur in this year; Twilight officially assumes the title “Princess of Friendship” [note: MLP: FiM states at the start of Season 4 that it has been one year since the Summer Sun Celebration that began Season 1]
1002 CYP - Season 5 begins. Starlight Glimmer is defeated. Shortly thereafter, Unit 003 is found and named Turing Test. All of The Iron Horse: Everything’s Better With Robots! takes place in this year within Season 5. As a further division:
- Early Fall - “Discovery” through “Deep Blue”; work on Unit 004 begins
- Late Fall - “Rhinestone Eyes” through “Apple Computer”
- Hearth’s Warming Eve - Events of “The Iron Ho-Ho-Horse: Everything’s Merrier With Robots!”
- Winter - Events of “Marble’s Horizon” and “Love Machine” through “Touch”
- Early Spring - “01110001 01110100” through “Steam Machine”
- Late Spring - “Monody” through “Digital Love”
1003 CYP - Turing Test becomes the Minister of Technology; Season 6 begins; Events of “Why Not My Father?” and “The Iron Horse: Human After All” occur during the early summer months, respectively.
“The Iron Ho-Ho-Horse: Hearth's Warming By The Numbers” occurs in early winter.
Nice.
Neat, this makes it easier to follow and understand so thank you.
I think you forgot one. Fluttershy mentioned helping Bulk Biceps through his fear of butterflies, referencing your story, "BUTTERFLIES!!" In, I believe but I may be wrong, the chapter, 'Rhinestone Eyes, Part 1'
And what about the reference to vdrake77 's story, "Changeling of the Guard"?
Well in any case, thank you for making this timeline. It's very helpful.
Signing out, VShuffler42
4909225
Good points. In "BUTTERFLIES"'s case, though... I honestly just don't care for the story. I'm not that proud of it.
I suppose I could mention "Changeling of the Guard," but it's a cameo, not so much a crossover. Not sure I want to make it part of the timeline.
I'll think about it, though!
4909440
CotG: You should probably keep it a cameo, because as far as I know CotG is set in mostly show canon while this is its own universe.
As for Butterflies, do what you want. The technical side of me is wanting it on there just because it is referenced, but the understanding side is like "Oh okay, if you're not proud of your story, than it's fine.
Signing out, VShuffler42
4909523
Well, like I said, I'll think about it.
You still have yet to update this with your newest story in the series, "The Iron Ho-Ho-Horse: Hearth's Warming by the Numbers".
Just wanted to remind you.
Signing out, VShuffler42
4999719
Yeah, and I should probably update the gallery as well. I've just been lazy.
Still, thanks for the reminder.