So in the classic season 1 episode “Feeling Pinkie Keen” Twilight gets so angry, she bursts into flames. As far as I know, she never does it again, and it’s never explained. So, assuming that it wasn’t just a by-product of the cartoony style of the first season, what do you all think is the cause of this fiery outburst?

I’ve heard a couple good explanations, such as Twilight having some recessive Kirin genes, or high level unicorns having their magic tied into their emotions, somewhat like what Starlight said in S7’s All Bottled Up.

I want to say magic is the reason but the kirin theory is better

The original theories on Twilight's fiery transformation were as far as I recall.

One of her ancestors was a dragon, hence why her magic was able hatch spike's to begin with.

Though the more popular theory was that she was Celestia's daughter.

Keep in mind that both these were conceived before Twilight's family was established.

7331816
I have heard the one about being Celestia's daughter, but iv'e never heard the one about the dragon, that's really interesting!

7331779
i remember making a thread about this a while ago, would you like a link to it?

7331816
If i remember right a Kirin is (at least in some mythology) a mix of a unicorn and a dragon, so if Twlight is part Kirin that would still considered with the "Twilight has a Dragon ancestor" theory.

I remember there being a story here about it being the sign that Twilight is the prophesied destroyer of the world, but be darned if I can find it.

7331844
Oh i’m sorry! I didn’t know there was already a thread about this. I was just wondering about it, and wanted to see what other people thought too.

7331890
Thanks okay it is a bit of a old thread now anyways, the link to the picture i found that started it is even broken, anyways here is a link

7331779
Magic is always tied with emotions. I have the idea each unicorn has a "vessel" where they can bound their emotions together to create magic.
Too much magic can corrupt them. Thats why Luna turned into Nightmare Moon, Sunset turned into a demoness.

Honestly did we ever saw a corrupted Pegasus or Earth Pony?

No, only unicorns and alicorns can turn kinda insane.

7331983
and human's, we have seen corrupted humans in the EG series on a number of occasions

7331882
If I remember correctly, I belive you are thinking of Not My Destiny.

7331882
7332154
The story you are thinking of is probably What Choice Do I Have?.

7332171
That's the right picture.
I never did read that one. And I see it was never finished.

7332000
But only when they were in contact with magic, right?

7332210
Yeah, though for them it normally has to be done though some type of magic object as a medium.

7331779
In my headcanon Twilight could access a wide variety of spells she never had seen or used before, as long as she is in the right mindset.

Spell Twilight almost used was created to teach earth ponies what the word "consent" means, after one of them gave love potion to alicorn.

7332171
That was the one! Well spotted.

7331779
The first theories I had seen on "magical flares" was more so like a burst mode or "overclocking" where the pony in question while/when in a higtened state of emotion they could acces their reserves of magic without limit though it would leave them exhausted and unable to use magic since it was all burned up by the end of the flare, as for twilight the first theories was that she was related to Celestia or Luna either as a direct decendent or some sort of ancestry, another was that when the rainboom happened all the natural barriers that would normally stop any other pony vanished and it was just mental gates that celestia helped her build