The "Season 11" Project! -- Camp Harmony! (And What Is Patriotism?)

by starponys87

#0 - Introduction (Season 10 comics spoilers)

In the Season 10 comics, it turns out that five other countries have their own Elements of Harmony. But this truth was hidden for thousands of years. Unfortunately, it turns out that one nation wanted it to stay that way ... the Kingdom of Cunabula.

In Cunabula, their Elements stand for Patriotism. Thousands of years ago, they tried to do basically what Twilight's been trying to do -- spread harmony around the world. But other nations turned their elements against Cunabula. Since then, Cunabula has been trying to make sure this never happens again.

But now the ponies have unwittingly thwarted those plans. And now the "Knights of Order" seek to destroy Equestria, along with Twilight and her fellow Element bearers. This is the ponies' most terrifying enemy yet. Since the Knights bear their own Elements, they can hijack the ponies' own Elements!

Up to now, the most malicious villains have also been the most honest about their motives. But this is completely different. These villains are as self-righteous as they are bloodthirsty. They say that what they do is right and fair. That's their concept of loving their country.

Make no mistake: These villains are not monsters altogether different from us. Many times, America has been no less despicable in its foreign policy. Many nations have exhibited this false sense of righteousness -- which is as vile as being openly evil (and in some sense worse).

As it turns out, the Elements themselves can be corrupted. The sense of fellowship needed to trigger the Elements can be highly perverted -- so long as there's a code of honor that just barely resembles what the Elements stand for.

Unfortunately, Shining Armor and his Royal Guard are once again a Redshirt Army. (I don't understand -- why does the series have to be so mean to Shining Armor? Spike gets far more respect.)

Fortunately, four new nations have become friends with Equestria: Abyssinia (cats), Farasi (zebras, abadas, kelpies), Caninia (dogs), and Ornithia (birds). With their own Elements, they join Equestria with the magic of friendship ... just when Twilight and company had lost all hope.

Ironically, the Knights of Order helped bring together the very alliance they feared! Recognizing their defeat, they retreat and return to their homeland.

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For a "Season 11", I would love Hasbro to achieve these basic goals:

1. Give the Knights of Order a redemption arc -- finally uniting the Elements of Patriotism with the other sets of Elements.

(The Knights temporarily lose connection with their Elements -- because their murderous hate starts making them harsh and selfish toward their own subjects. The message is this: You don't love your own country if you don't care for the people who live in it.)

2. Have the School of Friendship start training all students to bear the Elements of Harmony (perhaps a program called "Camp Harmony").

(And give Spike his own Element, maybe the Element of Empathy.)

3. Have Shining Armor become properly connected to the magic of friendship, along with his Royal Guard.

(To do so, he and his Guard must overcome toxic masculinity -- and learn from the girls and children [in the School of Friendship]. And have him finally become an alicorn.)

4. Have a "Younger 6" -- composed of a zebra, abada, kelpie, cat, dog, and bird. Each would be trained by a member of the "Young 6" (aka "Student 6").

(Have the "Younger 6" become key in helping their respective nations get along with one another. This way, the magic of friendship will work to its full effect.)

5. Have the Knights of Order get temporarily overthrown. But the new dictator is even worse -- using fearmongering and hatemongering to start an all-out war against the world.

(And she has some innocent and naive students to bear the Elements of Patriotism. This way, she can use friendship as a weapon against itself.)