Headcanons: The Dazzlings · 7:54pm Oct 11th, 2018
Hello, everyone.
It's time once again for another installment of my Equestria Girls headcanon series.
On today's episode, we'll be talking about thoughts I've had for those bewitching villains of Rainbow Rocks, the three Sirens collectively known as "The Dazzlings".
I've been sitting on these ideas for a little while now, and only recently gotten to finish them up and get them ready to post.
As always, I look forward to seeing you all share your thoughts and responses to the ideas expressed here! 
The Sirens (as a group):
- It's been something of a joke that characters who end up going from Equestria into the human world end up as teenagers. The major examples being Princess Twilight, Sunset Shimmer... and of course, the three Sirens who were banished by Starswirl. Why is this the case, especially in regard to Sunset, who should definitely be older than Twilight - and also the Sirens, since they aren't even ponies using the Crystal Mirror? Well, Sunset's example is a topic for another day, but in regard to WHY I think Starswirl's banishment spell turned the three Sirens into human teenagers when it dumped them on the other world... that the three Sirens are, in fact, teenagers. By the standards of their species, anyway. Maybe it's a basic answer, but sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.
- Speaking of their species... we now know about there being seaponies in the world around Equestria, even if they aren't natural-born seaponies. But given the nature of the world of MLP, I still am sure that there probably are various sea-dwelling intelligent races, and that Adagio and her fellow Sirens hail from one of them. I don't consider the sirens to be "true" seaponies, though, and to be honest, I'm in no major hurry to figure that part of their background out.
- Though in regard to their relation to each other... many stories on the site have Adagio, Aria and Sonata be sisters, and I can understand that. However, I see their familial relationship to be a bit different. I actually view Sonata and Aria as being sisters (due to their blue and purple colors meshing together more than Adagio's gold tone), and the leader of the Dazzlings actually being a cousin to them or something. The idea of the Sirens all being related, but not all being sisters, was partly inspired by background information from the superb crossover story "The Bridge" (which I will probably plug whenever I get the chance XD).
- A major mystery about the Dazzlings is those gems that they wear, which they use to affect their singing and sow strife and feed on negative energy and such. Where in the world did they get these gems? (I don't buy the idea that they're some kind of natural part of the Sirens' biology - a theory that I recall seeing floated around by some at one point or other.) Personally, I hold it that the Sirens' gems were probably forged through a pact with some major villain or similar source of dark magic... and to be honest, given that the Dazzlings use their magic to create strife and fighting, I would almost compare their gems to some of Discord's brainwashing magic. Hmm. (Though I can't really see him deigning to share or split his power with someone, even if he might find it amusing.)
- In the Season Seven finale, we got a glimpse of the Sirens in action, using their magic to make an entire village of ponies break out into violence and fighting, before they were banished by Starswirl the Bearded and the other Pillars. So, why were the Sirens out doing this kind of reasonless cruelty to the ponies of Equestria? Probably just out of pride and simple spite. Like a little kid who might terrorize an anthill, I see the three Sirens using their magic for similar fun, watching the little ponies brawl and fight for their amusement. Maybe they had greater ambitions, I don't know, but one thing I'm pretty sure of is that their banishment to Equestria definitely made Adagio Dazzle step up her villainous aspirations for the sake of revenge and power.
- In regard to the Sirens' actual singing voices... my own headcanon is that they actually did once have lovely singing voices, but through the dark magic of the gems they used (and lack of actual practice, given how the gems seemed to act as a magic autotune for them) their singing ability decayed into the cacophonic screeching we heard when they tried to sing immediately after their defeat. Part of this is a kind of karma for dabbling in dark magic, but I actually feel that if they did work at training again, they could once again sing nicely. (However, Adagio wants their power back, Aria doesn't want to go through the effort, and Sonata hasn't made the connection yet, respectively.)
Adagio Dazzle:
- In regard to the ages of the three Sirens, I see Adagio as actually NOT being the oldest of the three. She's the middle one of the three, with Aria being the oldest of the bunch. (This is one reason among others for Aria's resentful behavior, as she feels that SHE should be the one in charge and not the younger one.)
- Ironically, of the three Sirens, I have the idea that she has adapted the best to her human body, or at least, to using her human body as a tool to getting what she wants. Probably an important distinction to be had there.
- It's very interesting to me to imagine what would have happened HAD the Dazzlings succeeded in their plan and gained all that magic power. Would they have actually looked into going back to Equestria and taking revenge? I'm actually not entirely sure of that. Part of me actually wonders if Adagio would have preferred to reign over the human world, rather than risk going up against whatever powers there would have been on the other side of the portal to Equestria.
- Like all the Sirens, Adagio has a close connection to the sea, and has a soft spot for the beach. It's a very bittersweet attachment for her, and one of her favorite memories (whether as a Siren or as a human) would be watching the sun set on the surface of the ocean.
- As a bit of a joke about her famously poofy, 80s-esque hairdo, I have it as a joke in mind that either Adagio is somewhat pop-culture ignorant due to her bitterness and dreams of power, or is a little bit stuck in that decade when it comes to knowledge of certain trends and knowledge.
- If I were to picture movies or media that Adagio would like... I can't really think of specific examples, although I have a feeling that she'd have a particular fondness for stories about revenge, and a certain interest in crime stories as well. (A joke from the story "Integration" that I get a kick out of is when she's introduced to an equivalent of GTA, and loves it. XD)
- A big question that people often have in regard to the Dazzlings is if they could reform or not, should they ever make a return. (Sonata is a perennial favorite there; more on that below.) For Adagio though, I kind of see her in a similar way to Cinch, in that she would probably deny culpability for her actions. Maybe she could reform, but I definitely see her as the stubborn holdout among the Sirens in that regard. For a long while after her defeat, I'd imagine that Adagio did a LOT of fuming and sulking, grumbling about getting revenge, and coming off as a wee bit obsessed towards Sunset and the Rainbooms.
Aria Blaze:
- As said above, I actually see Aria as being the eldest of the three Sirens. This is one of many factors in her resentment towards Adagio, and why she wants to be in charge of the group.
- Another big reason for Aria's angry attitude is that she is (justifiably, most likely) pissed at Adagio for her earlier plan getting them banished to the world where they are trapped in human bodies instead of their original Siren forms.
- She's an older sister to Sonata Dusk, and by older I do mean by a fair margin of several years. Sonata was the baby of the family, and one that Aria was not happy about having to put up with. There's a lot of "can't live with them, can't live without them" in their bickering...
- As a Siren, Aria was at her happiest in the ocean, especially in the wide open areas and in the deeper parts of the sea. As a human, she still dreams of the oceans back in Equestria, and misses them fiercely.
- As a human, Aria is the best swimmer of the three sisters, although she doesn't really care much for getting in the water, finding it a poor substitute for her original fins and tail.
- Besides that, Aria also practices boxing and some other fighting skills, mainly to have something to hit and vent her bad moods on. (Partly out of pragmatism, and partly out of genuine reluctance to carry out violence on her family, she has never struck Sonata.) The idea of Aria practicing boxing came from Jay David's stories, and also from a story by Shadowsnake89. Both well worth checking out. ^_^
- After the Dazzlings' defeat and depowering, Aria is in an odd place. While she is also angry at the Rainbooms for the loss of their powers, she is also in some ways happier as a normal human, mainly because (with Adagio planning revenge) she has more freedom to take charge in other things for the group. While she would still snark at and insult the Rainbooms, I think Aria would more likely know when to fold 'em, and call it quits.
- In comparison to Adagio, Aria is a bit more pop-culture savvy. Mostly her interests lie in video games (she's an online archenemy to Rainbow Dash XD), although she also has a fondness for wrestling; that being inspired by one fic I read, which unfortunately I can't recall the title of. Oh well.
Sonata Dusk:
- The baby of the three Sirens. Adagio's little cousin, and Aria's younger sister.
- Her curious/ditzy nature meant that she easily went along with her fellow Sirens' actions, and also meant that she's adapted the best to life as a human. (Even though she too isn't exactly happy with life on the human world, she can distract herself from it a lot more easily than Aria or Adagio ever could.)
- Even before the whole "dark magic gems" thing, Sonata enjoyed messing with the surface-dwellers. Mainly through singing in the mist and confusing or charming passing sailors. She did eagerly go along with the others' own cruelty, so she isn't entirely a blameless Siren here... though part of her malice is due to a certain childishness rather than any out-and-out sociopathy.
- Of course, there's the whole "Taco Tuesday" joke with Sonata. Besides her fondness for Mexican, I see the youngest Siren as something of a general lover of cooking, and she likes to experiment with fixing various dishes. (She and Aria have had a number of rows over Sonata impulse-buying certain ingredients and foods.)
- Another thing about Sonata and food... to help make ends meet after their failure to take over the world, Sonata has ended up as a dishwasher at a Mexican restaurant. This is something that Aria likes to rib her over: "Remember that the food isn't for you" and such.
- Post-defeat, Sonata's attitude is mainly one of boredom and a bit of confusion about what they might do next. She's kind of put-out with Adagio's planning revenge, as while she'd like to have magic back, she really doesn't see HOW they could ever get it back...
- Part of me imagines Sonata taking some silly "revenge" on the Rainbooms and calling it even.
- Of the three Sirens, Sonata Dusk is the most pop-culture savvy. She likes cartoons and comics, although some of her choices really grate on Adagio and Aria's nerves at points. Yet another part of the dysfunctional relationship between these three girls, though even as they bicker and squabble, I feel that they'd be pretty miserable without each other. They've just been together that long.
They saw and to a degree, still see mortals as just toys, insects. So beneath them that you give no consideration for doing things to them that you'd never do to someone you'd consider an equal.
She knows she's beautiful, even without her magic, suffice to say that 99% of the time, if she wants someone, she will get them, one way or another.
Agreed. Also, I imagine all the Sirens are slightly sociopathic to a degree. Due to spending so much time detached from the world and seeing most people as so far beneath them that they're still slightly, off kilter. Just, the way they talk and act, even on a good day, it's just, slightly OFF. Adagio strikes me as the type of person that if she felt that someone she gave even the mildest iota of a shit about, dare I even say, CARE about, was being threatened by someone, that person would very soon cease to be. And nobody could pin it on her. She is very much a mix of seductive and f*cking SCARY when she wants to be.
Yeah, I can see something. She is no stranger to violence and if the need comes, she will resort to it, but even if it's just because she's been around Sonata so long that even at her worst, she can't bring herself go hit her. She's dealt with her for so long that the idea of never seeing her again is, difficult to comprehend. So, if she's going to end up in situations where violence helps, might as well know how to more efficiently deal out said violence.
I see it as a bit of both. Is she less actively malicious than the other 2? Usually yes. That said, she is not blameless. She's just as capable of malice as the other two are. She's just, easily distracted.
PRECISELY. They are so used to the other 2 being a constant in a world that was always changing and evolving, often way faster than they'd be comfortable with, so used to them always being there, if only to bicker with, that they're used to it. Even if a lot of their interactions can end in venomous sniping, most of it isn't really meant and it's a reminder that no, being human hasn't changed WHO they are. Just WHAT.
4951822
I'm glad to see that our headcanons seem to mesh so well here.
And also, I definitely agree. I can really see the Dazzlings as - regardless of whether they give up evil or remain bad - being pretty off-kilter, kind of sociopathic. Just a consequence of what they are, how long they've been together, and all that.
4951830
They've been around for so long and have done who KNOWS what, shaking the mindset of "I'm better than you" is not easy. Even at their BEST, they would still not hesitate to resort to methods that would make most humans balk. They can be nice, but they will never be considered Good. Chaotic Neutral at best, I'd say.
4951833
That's basically my own summation of it. The best you can hope for with them would be to stop being evil, but that's it. They aren't ever going to become fully good, at least that's my own view of them.
4951836
Exactly. Adagio especially is something of a hedonist. She's used to getting whatever she wants, when and however she wants. Now, she more or less can, but much less so than before. That said, she likes to screw with (and given half a chance flat out screw) the Humane 7 mostly for fun/alleviating boredom.
4951840
Damn. I had something very similar lined up, and I forgot to put it in! Oh well, that's what the edit button is for. XD
But yeah, in all seriousness, I do see Adagio as a total hedonist. And yeah, she would hit on the Rainbooms (Sunset in particular) for shits and giggles, partly because it's fun and partly because she would like a good screw.
(Just wish some people didn't think that was actually romantic or charming.
)
4951846
Yeah, Adagio tends to do most of what she does out of boredom as well as shits and/or giggles.
4951848
You could probably say that about all of them. Dagi's probably the most open or noticeable about it.
4951851
Probably. She makes no attempt to hide what she is.
4951854
I can't help but think of "If you've got it, flaunt it." That could be her motto.
4951856
I mean, have you SEEN how she acts? She's as G rated as seductress as she can be.
4951857
Indeed she is. Probably what helped make her such a popular villain, too. XD
4951856
I SO can see her saying that.
4951873
Glad you can picture it too!
4951876
Hehe. Actually, I can probably see her saying it either way; good or bad.
4951879
Yeah, canon or Shattered-verse, I readily see Adagio saying that. ;-)
4951885
Hehe. Yeah.
4951887
It'd be funny to have that pop up in the canon/Shattered crossover.
Canon Adagio says as much, and Shattered-verse Adagio can't help but agree with her. XD
4951888
Mmmhmm.
Here we are again, me agreeing with a lot of your thoughts and headcanons. In this case, however, it's more a two out of three.
Suffice it to say, I have some very different thoughts about Adagio.
4951924
Heh, interesting! XD
Well, that's fine. I'll be very curious to see what your take on Adagio is like then...
Thanks for the shout out. Yeah, makes sense that Aria would be the oldest and act out of spite because while she's the oldest she isn't the most clever.
Question: What's your opinion on their time in the human realm? I know a lot of people think they they have been there for thousands of years and simply lived through the timeline. I don't subscribe to that theory myself as I believe the mirror portal distorts time and space.
4951949
No problem. Happy to do so. ^_^
Yeah, I too subscribe to the idea that the portal sent them through time as well as space. Especially considering that they were banished by Starswirl, who is supposed to be THE arch-wizard of Equestria and all that. He could well do it.
Some stories I've read have used the Dazzlings being around in the human for thousands of years, and some of them are pretty fun for that. But me personally, I see them as having been banished to the human realm, several months before the Fall Formal in EG1 and all.
(...Huh. Wouldn't that be an interesting "What if?"... Now I'm imagining if the Dazzlings had teamed up with Sunset back when she was evil...)
4951858
Yeah. I imagine Sonata is actually a good deal smarter than she lets on, she just plays up the ditziness because it makes her seem more harmless, "Oh I'm the good one, you wouldn't hurt me, would you?" When she is just as capable of malice as the others.
4992679
You know, I can see that. Or at least, her being ditzy but still having a certain amount of knowledge. Villainous equivalent of the Bunny Ears Lawyer trope - an eccentric who should be hapless and yet is quite skilled in certain areas.
4992848
Precisely. She pretends to be ditzier than she actually is. Adagio seduces you the traditional way, Aria makes you fall for the bad girl and Sonata? You think you've got her wrapped around your little finger, you wouldn't even think twice about leaning back so she can end you once you're no longer useful to her.
4992990
That's a hell of a way to put it. But it sure gets the point across.