Sunset Shimmer 4,910 members · 6,655 stories
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4540222 I found relevant information, I thought of this thread, I posted here instead of starting a new one.

Just kicking startin' an old thread.

Whilst some ideas are certainly great and very valid, fits within the Sunsets Shimmer overall character design.
However, I have something else to throw up.

I like to theorize her element is in fact ‘Empathy’

She can emphasize with either side, she carries the capacity to relate to others in darkness, and in light, which in turn makes a very powerful element. Also, can also correlate to the power of friendship, through understanding, you do build bonds.
Her cutie mark, a vague resemblance to ‘Ying and Yang’ might be her overall ability to emphasize with those through light and darkness, she can understand from her own experience, and how others may struggle.

I think she far is far more relatable in this regard than Twilight.

This would also add to her growth in terms of future development, gives more of a basis to become a fearsome force in the name of Friendship! LETTHEHAPPYSPARKLESUNLEASHONTHYFOE

Whilst I do like Forgiveness, or Redemption, I think her character can grow far more value under the Empathy, rather than the other two, it’s somewhat restrictive on what she can do or understand; she forgives yes,

I’d rather it be Empathy.

I could easily see Sunset being the Element of Friendship. Yes, yes, "Friendship is Magic." But that's the point. Friendship is a type of magic, but that's a one-way connection. Twilight's element is Magic, which manifested in her having a wide variety of spells she can perform and having a thirst for knowledge, long before the Elements of Harmony came around.

Sunset being the Element of Friendship works well with her character arcs - notice in all three films, her pivotal moments have been based around friendship. She drove apart the friendship of the Humane Five, accepted a chance for friendship from them after her defeat, recognized better than any of them including Twilight what was damaging their friendship most, and in Friendship Games talks down Midnight Sparkle instead of overpowering her. Note the important parallels - Twilight used magic to defeat Sunset, but Sunset defeated Midnight Sparkle with an offer of friendship.

Friendship and Magic are two sides of one coin, but they are two separate sides. Twilight can be Magic, and Sunset can be Friendship. It ties perfectly into their character parallels and their opposite presences on the two sides of the mirror. One could even say that Sunset and Twilight have the same Element, but it's manifested in different ways for the two. By that interpretation, Sunset could literally take Twilight's place as the lead Element in the human world.

4750579 It's not a bad idea, it just seems...dull. Plus it makes Sunset seem like a variation upon Twilight rather than her own distinct character.

I agree with MLai.
There are exactly six elements of magic - Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, Honesty and Magic.
If Sunset is not magic, some onde else will have to be Magic and Sunset can take their place.
A cool idea would be to make Sunset Honesty (because she had to be very honest with herself to acknowledge that she was evil and try to change) and make AJ Magic - not in a sense of being spell caster, but because she makes the group gel together and makes their friendship complete.
Or make Pinkie Magic, RD Laughter, AJ Loyalty and Sunset Honesty

Guys, guys, you're all overlooking the answer that can cover most of these ideas. Empathy. If you can't share in the emotions of another, then how can you hope to understand them and their motivations? It sits well with what she usually does, both magically and socially.

Cryosite
Group Admin

6484536
You might want to take a look at the dates of the folks you're replying to. Take into consideration the material that was published at the time they made their arguments.

Also, I think some of the ideas being expressed were more along the lines of, "can I make a coherent fanfic with this depiction" rather than an attempt to explain canon. So there is that.

That said, I feel you're right that Sunset is being depicted lately as being "Empathy."

Jondor
Group Admin

6484536

Sunset being the "element of empathy" also comes from comments made by the writers/show runners, so that's pretty clear at this point in the game. It wasn't as clear at the time this thread was started.

Jondor
Group Admin

6485029
While not much of value was added in this instance, we encourage people to make use of existing threads rather than starting new ones and spamming the entire group with notifications if the topic does not warrant a brand new thread.

New-ish information incoming:
The fact (now) that the Equestrian Tree of Harmony is not a primal creative force, but rather something planted by Starswirl, means it's subject to change. So there could be more than 6 elements, and they don't have to be the exact 6 as the current Mane 6 either.
So now there's less canonical reason to oppose Sunset being some sort of SEVENTH element. Whatever that would be.

Element of Forgivness

Sunset has been forgiven, forgiven herself, and forgiven others.

I think it’s the element of love, she transforms when she’s with her friends, helping her friends, all who she loves like family. But really, it’s mostly because I have this thought in mind, can’t share because it is going in my story I’ve been writing, and I believe the last element of friendship is love because people feel love for there friends, sorry is this is a little sappy.

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