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// Even With an Injection of Estrogen, Calli Flower's Story Still Holds to Its Roots 
// Story: Brief History: Side Stories 
// by K9Thefirst1 
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Even With an Injection of Estrogen, Calli Flower’s Story Still Holds to Its Roots
By Flimsy Critic, originally published in Equestria Daily Star, 6/30/996


The Fall of Calli Flower entertained theater goers once more with Daisy Studio’s latest animated feature adapting Speaks Clear’s classic play, brought to life with the voice work of critically acclaimed Aurora. Though this time with a new twist added, which is that the titular character is now a mare who is the love-struck judge. When asked if a statement was intended, the director simply stated that it was for nothing more than to make a new take on an old story.

And it is certainly an interesting take, albeit one that takes many liberties for the sake of today’s audience. After all, the idea of a mare holding a position of authority is a non-issue for us, but when the story first came about, it was seen as an insane concept, but more on that later. Another alteration being the ending, which is changed to a happier one, with Calli Flower and Emerald escaping into the mountains from persecution, the film fading out with falling snow, implying that the two got out just in time for the start of Hearth’s Warming. In the original play, Emerald and Flower are tied to the steak to burn together. Fun times.

Of course, this was Clear’s own attempt at a happier end for the duo. In the source story (because Speaks Clear is the only author allowed to plagiarize, as all of us academic types will gladly admit), Emerald was drawn, quartered and then burned, while Calli Flower was beheaded for high treason to the Kingdom. Lovely.

Of course, while Speaks Clear’s take on the story in his 595 AW play is undoubtedly the most famous version, which all versions since would in fact try to be adaptations of it, it is far from the only version, or even the original. In fact, the tragic love story of the Unicorn judge Calli Flower and the Earth Pony traveler Emerald preceded Speaks Clear in numerous novels, novellas, and a host of references in sonnets and ballads and, yes, even other plays.

Each version ranged in length and cast, but all held the same core tenants of the setting being the Kingdom of Unicorns, where stallion Judge (or Minister) Calli Flower, who falls in love with an Earth Pony nomad mare named Emerald. Calli Flower’s conflicted emotions for the mare come to a head in two iconic scenes, the first (and much more popular with audiences due to its dark themes) scene of him praying to his ancestors to save him from her ‘gypsy’s spell’ to save his soul (preferably via her death), or to grant him peace by allowing him to have her as his mistress, and the second where he resigns himself to his love for her and wishes to wed her. They are exposed by a member of the nobility (the rank varies, but he is always a rival) and are killed for their relationship. It is difficult to pinpoint when exactly these elements originated, but they became recognizable to modern scholars as early as 2093 BW, and versions that preceded the solidification of these elements most assuredly existed, making this story the Ur Example of the Tragic Love Story.

To modern audiences, the message of the story (as it was for Speaks Clear’s original audience), was to be unafraid to reach out to others in spite of who or what they were, the ultimate triumph of Love and Friendship over Hatred and Racism. But to the Pre-Equestrian Unicorns, it was in fact a cautionary tale against associating with the other pony races. In fact, Calli Flower was cast as what we would today call a “Villain Protagonist,” a character that is placed in the traditional role of the Hero, but whose actions, motivations and very nature are that of the villain. The noble that exposes him is likewise what is known as the “Heroic Antagonist,” who, naturally, fits the role of the Villain, but is otherwise matches the hero in deed and motivation. The same set up is present in Miller’s epic poem Paradise Saved with Chaos and Celestia.

Of course, this may not have been universally so. A few years ago, a small collection of documents was uncovered during the annual maintenance of the Ancient Documents Archive in the Royal Archives of Equestrian History amongst papers that belonged to both Clover the Clever and Mimic the Great and Powerful. Amongst them was a lengthy play version of the story written by none other than Princess Platinum, likely during the decade leading up to Hearth’s Warming.

However, the Princess presents a unique take on the themes and morality of the story, which are virtually unchanged from the contemporary consensus. It is not a racist diatribe against interbreeding, nor does it call for all ponies to love each other. In fact, Platinum is shockingly neutral on the topic. Rather, from both her detailed stage directions and the dialogue, it is a scathing and hateful critique of the deceptive and chronic backstabbing that had been rampant in the court for centuries.

When it was first found there was some discourse over whether or not the play was ever performed, and if so, when. However, given that there was never any record of the play’s existence before it was discovered, and the fact that there were never any fragments of the play found before, the current consensus is that Princess Platinum had written it either to vent her feelings, or as a Closet Drama for personal entertainment.

That said, there has been a call in certain circles in both the literary and dramatic worlds for the play to be performed for the better part of a decade. And if certain rumors are to be believed, funding for such a production on Broadway may be secured in the near future. Time will tell.

And with time, the excitement over a genderbent lesbian Calli Flower will fade. Though Aurora’s spittle-filled singing demand for Emerald to be burned by the fires of Hell will certainly remain with theater goers and Daisy fans for decades to come. True it’s different, but I’d think even the most puritan of academics can take this version of The Fall of Calli Flower for what it is: A new and unique twist on an old favorite that still manages to fulfill its purpose, to entertain, and caution against the evils of the world.