#another told me i looked like sunset shimmer from mlp

[iknowwhereyousleepatnight]

i have classes again! (i do not know if this is good or not yet) so i will not be able to draw as often. that or i will be drawing extra as a way to procrastinate working on assignments

[globophobicligyrophobiccontent]

MLP Eg Fanfiction: We can still party

By: Sannaturek at AO3

April is almost near again.

Wow, he really can't believe another full year of life is here again. And within weeks from his birthday, Snail can't avoid feeling happy, and scared...

As normal, a certain happy pink girl wants to throw Snails a birthday party at the park near Canterlot High. She usually does this for everyone, every year.

Usually this wouldn't be a problem, who wouldn't enjoy a good birtyday with friends, food, color and music? Snails didn't.

The social pressure for that day was big for him, since Snails wasn't exactly a fan of attention. Also, BALLOONS.

This was something he didn't tell anyone, even his best friend, Snips. But, balloons? Why would someone ever be scared of balloons? I tell you why, from Snails perspective, those weren't the nice party decorations and toy that everybody see. Oh no, balloons are something straight up from hell, noisy, squeaky and even worse, explosive demons.

The mere presence of balloons at his visual range put him in alert mode, waiting there and never knowing when those demons in disguise will pop loudly and unexpectedly. He just couldn't handle the noise and surprise.

Someone like him, who a time ago worked for someone as important as Sunset Shimmer, couldn't get the privilege of being scared of something as pitiful as a balloon. Also, the fact of being scared of it was not meaningful enough. Snails think you would (and should) laugh at him for that, that it's ok if you do. So he just pretend everyone is ok, every time, every year.

And with some like Pinkie Pie at you school, evade them isn't as easy as pie as can be sometimes.

He himself sometimes fell like the pressure it's at it's limits and wants to tell someone, but he's not in the mood for people to laugh at his fear, and with something as silly as a balloon. Years lf pressure just accumulated inside him.

Maybe someday, someone will know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

*After school, in the corridors*

*Snips: Hey dude, that important day is coming sooooon! How do you feel about it? I'm already looking for another perfect gift this year.

-Snails: Hey, you are right, thanks for that! But, well, fine I guess...

*S: Hey my guy, are you ok now? Every year since I knew you it's the same with you and feeling down. It's the seasonal flu taking you down this days?

-S: No! Of course no, I'm not, I'm completely fine! Whatdoyoumean?

*S: We should talk to Pinkie so she gets time to get everything ready and starts party planning. Where do you feel like doing your birthday this time? Last year near the lake was amazing! And now the field at the park near the school it's pretty and it's big, so we can get good places, but Pinkie should know better and(...)

As soon as Snails heard 'Pinkie' and 'Party Planing' his mind got down the clouds and reacts clear and loud (With a nervous touch on his voice)

-S: No! I mean, n-no, I thinks it's kinda early to get ready, and I want something small this year. I know Pinkie isn't that kind of p-party planner but we- I! I can make it work...

*S: Ok, if you feel like that... Heeey... Your voice is weird, are you stuttering? It's everything ok up there? *Snips says and point to Snails head*

-S: Y-yes! Everything is fine all right! *He says while walking slower and straighting up his gaze*.

*S: Dude, friend, guy, Snails, I know I usually not the type of person to tell you this, but if you feel bad inside, don't doubt to tell me, I'm your best friend, the cream to your berry, the flesh of your nail, the, the, well you know. The point is that we are friends since like, forever! There's nothing I can't do for you and I'll be there when something is wrong.

For a moment as he heard this words, Snails felt a little relief in his body, now moving a little faster, enough to catch up Snips.

-S: Thanks Snips, actually I really needed to hear that...

*S: It's nothing... Heeeeey why frown faces? Wanna go eat something now? I heard of a new sandwich place near here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snails didn't even noticed how 2 weeks flew by, and he was a day away from his birthday. The only important things about his birthday that he remembered from it('Cause he most part of the time, the anxiety of thinking about his party, people and the balloons made him dissociate) was thas Pinkie asking him for cake flavors (He answer dark chocolate and strawberries), a theme for the party(As normal, Spring Days) and the decorations(This wasn't a lot in discussion since we know the Pinkie Style, but she just wants to be sure the day is perfect for everyone).

Snails didn't told anyone about the balloons yet, since just thinking about it makes him dizzy. But when he got out of his classroom during lunch, he saw Pinkie carrying balloons to an all purpose classroom that wasn't being used. He got light headed just from seeing that, knowing what's coming tomorrow. So he and Snips ended up eating too little near the windows, in a table that nobody usually uses because it's far from the other table's at the cafeteria.

Snips knew now that something it's not ok now, because Snails only ask to eat in that table just when he feels bad or sick in some way and want to get away from people. Snips didn't want to bother Snails since felt that he already was having a hard time, so he didn't say anything during lunch.

At the end of the classes, Snail saw Pinkie Pie near the auditorium with her friends, she was waving very fast at him, clearly saying hi and wanting him to notice. He nervously waved and said hi, then rapidly proceed to go away, almost running to the entrance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, as every night before, Snails dreamed about how he was bullied in his old school. Classmates popping balloons usually to scare him, leaving him behind, and no adult doing anything to stop it. Even Snips was there, just saying how lame he was.

In that moment, his phone sounds an alarm and wakes him up. Clearing out his eyes and drinking a glass of water, he saw the calendar, April 12, his birthday. Ok, he clears his mind for today. His parents made him breakfast, and give him a gift, the jacket that he wanted! Amazing!

The day at school goes as every year, everyone saying happy birthday, some people and even teachers giving little gifts, and even his classroom was decorated with green streamers, his favorite color. For now he didn't saw any balloons, so he was pretty calm.

As usual, at lunch, Pinkie Pie get up and says:

-P: HEY EVERYBODY, LET'S SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A VERY SPECIAL PERSON TODAY! AND WISH OUR FRIEND SNAILS A VERY HAPPY DAY!

Everyone sings happy and Snails it's just flustered from all the attention, even a little tired, but he knows the intentions are the best, so he puts on his best happy face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the end of the classes, as usual in a birthday, Pinkie goes to talk to Snail.

-P: Hey birthday boooy! How was everything going?! I hope great because now it's just time to get better!

As he laughed, he noticed Snips wasn't with them anymore, and before hes can ask something, Pinkie blindfolds him, leading them to as he can feel, grassy, windy terrain. When Pinkie stops and get the green fabric out of his eyes, he sees 'a lot' of people (for him everything it's a lot so don't take his opinion in count)

-¡SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SNAILS! WOHOO! YAAY WOOO!

A desolate part of the park was nicely decorated he saw a lot of friends and classmates that Pinkie probably just invited, Snips was there, with a big box that looks like a gift, there was foods, drinks, a table full of gifts, another with activities to play, and BALLOONS, there weren't a lot, but yes a considerably big number, nothing that he could handle, or that's what he thought....

The party went as usual, just inner interruptions for Snails everytime a balloon popped, because someone accidentally popped it, or the wind put it in a spiky zone. He had to downplayed it saying he had hiccups or something similar. The food and drinks were delicious as always, the gifts were amazing, and even the games were fun, the cake was so tasty, the people invited was giving him proper personal space. It was actually a pretty nice afternoon for Snails.

It was almost time to go.

For a moment, he noticed Pinkie Pie disappeared, making him a little anxious. But when she came back, a chill ran down his spine. Pinkie Pie brought a bag full of inflated balloons, and began to distribute them to everyone there. Snails, reluctantly, picked one of the balloon Pinkie gave him. Faking the best smile he could at this point, he looked at Snips trying to say help me out with his eyes, but Snips was too excited for the games to understand undertones. He was hyperventilating and sweating like crazy at this point, but nobody noticed with all the voices talking and sounds of the exterior. He felt like crying, but he wasn't going to demonstrate weakness in front of his best friends, and not in his birthday, not for some stupid balloons.

-P: Ok everybody, last new game here! I gave everyone of you a balloon! Inside every balloons there's tiny paper with a number! When I say go, you can pop your balloons and check wich numbers you get! Then before you leave, look at the table over there and check with prize you got! I hope you have fun with this one!

Now making weird faces of disgustand fear, and with his legs shaking, Snails took some steps back before everything started. Snips noticed it and tried to follow him, but at the moment he moved, Pinkie gave the signal:

-P: OK EVERYONE! START! YOU CAN POP THE BALLOONS!

*POP*pop*Pop* *poP*pop*Pop*

Balloon after balloons popping. This never happened to, this new game was like a torture, why? This was never necessary, why now? Why at HIS party? He remembered his old school, the inferno was here again. It was too much for Snail to take. The people, the sudden noise, the commotion. His heart was almost running away, the pops keep going as some people struggles. Snails starts to hyperventilate, sweaty, and feels dizzy again, but a different type of dizzy.

*S: Snails? Everything fine? Hey are you ok? You are not popping your balloon *Pop* (Snips pop his balloons)

Snails can't do it anymore, his eyes got black, he felt light, he was falling, the last thing he hears it's Pinkie calling his name.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Snails wakes up again, he's sitting in a chair, and Twilight it's checking he's not hurt or anything bad. As she inspects, Snails and Pinkie are by his side, everyone is gone already. "Oh yeah, the party was almost over", it's the thing he first remember.

-Twi: It's ok guys, he's completely fine. I'm pretty sure this was just a panic attack, nothing else, but I will stay a little more just in case. Just talk a little down until he gets better, can you try, Pikie?

-P: Heeeey buddy, it's everything ok? You got me really scared right there...

*S: Snails! You're ok again(!) What was that? Do you feel fine? You scared us everyone there.

-S: Y~yeah, I'm fine, I don't know what happened...

While inspecting the surroundings with the eyes, he notices the green balloon Pinkie gave him in the game, at the table with his gifts, looking a little more and, he noticed there were some balloons attached to his chair. At the mere sight of this, Snails gets another shiver, and gets a gulp of saliva. Even when he tries to fake it, Twilight noticed it.

-Twi: I think I have and theory, but I think it's better that Snails tells you...

As Twilight says that, the three of them look at Snails. We sll think it's time for the revelation, he thinks.

-S: I-I really feel ashamed to say this, and even worse now that I ruined my party...

-P: No no no, don't say that, anything was ruined, the party was ending anyways, but if you feel like theres something to tell us, it's up to you buddy. I just want to evade you from hurting again. But if you don't wanna tell us it's completely fine and valid...

*S: Snails, remember what I told you two weeks ago, I'm your best friend, and I'll do anything for you, you can tell me everything and if you feel like having a secret, it's ok! But remember, me and Pinkie will do anything to make sure you are having a great time... We will listen...

-S: Ok, I guess this is for the best of everyone. Even when it sounds ridiculous, I hope this helps... I'm, kinda, well, mot kinda, very very scared, afraid of .... balloons...

Pinkie and Snips look at each other for a moment, then look at the chair, and the at Twilight, and when the two understand, said "Oooooooh" at unison. After that they let Snails talk again.

-S: It's just, I don't like the noise that they make when they pop, it's loud and unexpected. And I don't like that kind of stuff, makes me feel very nervous. Even when I'm looking at them I'm scared because you never know when a balloon can pop, and, and... Ok I think I talked enough, if you feel like laughing it's ok and I understand it, even I would laugh of myself... I feel so stupid and ashamed for this, I'm sorry I should...

Pinkie gives Snails a second to let his tears flow, she can see how Snails was keeping this up for himself for a long time, he didn't hsve anyone to vent his feelings. Snips gives Snails a paper napkin to clean the tears. When he calms down, the friends talk again.

-P: So, that's it? You are scared of balloons? I know you might find this weird coming from me, but it's completely fine! Your feeling are completely normal little dude! You don't have to be ashamed of everything, it's completely ok to have fears, even when we thought they're ridiculous. You should have told me before! Ooh geez I'm the one that should be apologizing! I'm the one who always plans this parties! I'm so sorry I didn't know! An I didn't take you in count. I'm sorry Snails! Accept my apologies, no more balloons in the parties I know you will be! Oh and I'm sorry for the "special" chair...

-S: You don't have anything to apologize for, Pinkie, you didn't know a I didn't told you, I'm the one who's sorry. And thanks for your statement, it make me feel more comfortable now.

*S: And with me, you think that I would make fun of you because of that? I'm your friend, I'm gonna understand you and be with you at the best and the worst, I'm not making fun of you for anything, it's ok to have fears. To make you feel better, I also have some silly fears, like high places or bears! You see, we can trust each other as always!

-S: Well, I guess we can do it, thanks for sharing that with me.

As they were talking, Twilight step into the conversation.

-Twi: I know it's very soon, but when you feel confident enough, you can let me know so I can put a little bit of my knowledge at work. You can let me know your feelings, and if you feel like it, a step by step exposure therapy. It may not cure you, but I can assure you that you'll not faint in another event. Like a little counselor program.

-S: Yeah, that sounds great, thanks, thanks to everyone for help me out. But, can we keep this a secret for now? I'm still not comfortable with people knowing this..

"Of course, yeah!" The three says.

After that, they help Snails with his gifts and Snips goes with him to assure he gets home safely.

Snails sleeps that night with much less nightmared he usually have this day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 months later, in one of the celebrations of Canterlot High, theres balloons almost everywhere, classrooms, corridors, cafeteria, etc. And it's almost time for lunch.

*S: Aaand, usually I don't ask this, but, how's everything going with Twilight? It's working?

-S: Yes, I'm feeling a lot better now, and we are making progress and-

*pop* (He hears a balloon popping near, but start shaking again)

*S: It's ok dude, you got this, you got us.

-S: Thanks Snips.

[marvelandponder]

I’m a Little Upset They Made Me Excited for Something Called Hascon

But, they did, and over the past two days (and counting! expect an IDW comic panel on Sunday!), they’ve released some spoilers and news that’s pretty damn cool.

No real movie news aside from Hype! It’s coming in 4 weeks! because they didn’t want to reveal too many spoilers for that (although I’m still waiting for Hasbro to step up its marketing game with this one), but aside from that, let’s see what news we got for MLP this weekend [if you want Movie insight, I actually recommend picking up the art book. I just got mine in the mail and WOW is the concept art ever pretty]! This is your spoiler warning if you don’t like that sort of thing.

UPDATED: TONS OF STUFF! Movie Screenshots, more season 8 news, IDW comics, and more!

MLP: The Movie!

Not much in the way of spoilers (you can read the novelization or the art book for those, I guess was their thinking), but have three stills!

Equestria Girls

New outfits, designed by an actual red carpet stylist, Carol Lam, for both the new doll line and the characters in canon

New Youtube series officially announced, and it’s Choose Your Own Adventure style! Expected in November

Shorts to continue, and one has even been teased

Another one was a “2 minute short about Sunset Shimmer drawing a comic and them animating it... based around [the] girls catching a jewel thief.”

School play is a concept that’s coming up. Whether in short form, 22 minute special form, or perhaps even movie (although please note there has been no explicit mention of an EG5, so lovers of the movies will have to be patient)

“When asked if there is a Sunset Shimmer doppleganger rolling around, one of the panelists noted that her pet theory is that it was always Sunset's fate to travel to humanland, and there isn't an original Sunset in the world. They are leaving this open in canon though.”

No plans for Discord in EQG at the moment, but who knows?

Find EQD’s report on that here.

Okay, so first off? Loving the new outfits. With any other teenager characters, it would be ridiculous that they’re so well dressed and styled (I noticed Sunset’s hair is juuust slightly different, can’t see the others well enough to tell), but for these girls, it makes sense, since they’re all friends with Rarity.

So, yes, Hasbro. I’ll buy your crazy marketing tactics for now, because cute outfits.

As to the Choose Your Own Adventure series, I think that’ll be interesting, but not quite as cool to me as stuff like the shorts, specials, and movies. Just a matter of personal taste, but the world-building going on in the Overpowered short, for instance, is only really cool if it has a lasting effect on the characters and their world (the report said something about a coal miners daughter wanting to disco, and while that sounds possibly cute, it’s not exactly my cup of tea).

But it’ll be fun to try, no doubt! And definitely cool for younger fans!

The post wasn’t super clear on whether the Choose Your Own Adventure stuff was the only EQG content coming to Youtube (we have been teased about a series, similar to the Hana Zuki show Hasbro has on there already), but until we hear otherwise, assume it’s just the CYOA series.

And a school play theme really does sound like it could be used for a movie or a special, if they wanted to keep doing long-form stories, so that’s what I’m hoping for, personally.

Oh and we still don’t know what these are from/for:

A currently unreleased summertime short, most likely a music video.

A Netflix listing we found out about back in August. This might be the place they feature the specials and shorts, but who knows?

Season 7 News

Clips were shown for next week’s episode, It Isn’t the Mane Thing About You (which might end up being a Pinkie and Rarity episode) and Marks and Recreation 

It Isn’t the Mane Thing About (better clip than the first that was released)

Marks and Recreation (featuring the last song of the season)

Find EQD’s report on that here.

In addition, have some stills from a promo yet to be released on the rest of the season!

Likely from Secrets and Pies

Likely from A Health of Information

Likely from A Health of Information

(Not shown: Applejack falling into the party cave) Likely from Secrets and Pies

From It Isn’t the Mane Thing About You

From Once Upon a Zepplin

Likely from A Health of Information

Likely from A Health of Information (mask modelled after Mage Meadowbrook, so this will undoubtedly feature her story in a similar fashion to Daring Done, possibly told by Twilight, from the earlier screenshot)

From Once Upon a Zepplin

From It Isn’t the Mane Thing About You

Additionally, I’ll point out what we know for the season 7 finale: that there’s a tie into the Legends of Magic comics, and it’s called Shadow Play parts 1&2. Whether “shadow” refers to the character Shadowlock from the main comic series or King Sombra or something else entirely, we’ll have to wait and see!

Okay, so the most exciting thing for me is that Vincent Tong, voice of Flash Sentry and Feather Bangs, gets to sing again! As a villain this time! I could make a joke about him embracing the role the fandom has given him this season (Feather Bangs, the waifu stealer, and now Rumble, the antagonist).

Oh and for those who don’t remember, Rumble is Thunderlane’s little brother, who appears in Hurricane Fluttershy. It’s been a while, but he looked cute there.

I wonder if Starlight will have any role in this episode...

The addition of the Cake twins is to Mane Thing also adds hype for me. I’m still on the fence with the episode concept, mostly because I need to see how they’re going to run with it (could be uncomfortable to watch Rares lose her mane if done wrong), but the Cake twins were extremely endearing in Baby Cakes, and it would be nice to see more interaction between them and Pinkie Pie.

This season has been spectacular so far, so I’m glad not too much was spoiled (or you know, leaked...) so we get to enjoy it in full!

Season 8 News

Seaponies confirmed for season 8, the Movie will tie into the show

An animatic was released as well:

Find EQD’s report here.

SHE RETURNS! 

I find it super interesting that Chrysalis is outright ignoring Starlight Glimmer while gathering DNA, given that she swore revenge against her. A large number of fans are speculating that this will be some sort of voodoo plot, where Chrysalis literally turns Starlight’s friends against her, like Starlight did to her.

Not only that, but if you look in the background of that animatic, you’ll find the mane 7 are in a suspiciously new building...

Some have speculated it’s Twilight’s new castle (meaning the crystal castle will get destroyed at the end of season 7, which is alarming because it’s connected to the Tree of Harmony). I feel like it might be more of an addition to her castle, either a school of Twilight’s own (hence, calling the rest of the girls Twilight’s “teachers”) or a house of diplomacy of some kind, like a U.N. building for the different nations that Twilight and company have been befriending (dragons, changelings, griffons, yaks---heck, even Sunset Shimmer could be considered a diplomat from Equestria to the humans).

It’s still a mystery...

Also, sea ponies! And they’re adorable! They translate to show style really well, actually! And it only makes you wonder just how many other things will carry over from the movie....

New info!

Look for a Cheese Sandwhich cameo

G. M. Berrow wrote a Season 8 episode she is super passionate about and her favorite episode overall. Maybe more book tie-ins like in "Daring Done".

Josh Haber's favorite pony is The Great and Probably Going To Be In Season 8 Trixie!

Derpy won't get a featured episode like Episode 100, but she will be around, likely more than season 7.

There will be two-parters, and that's plural, so it sounds like we return to the opening and closing episodes being epic two-parters. So expect You-Know-You that we saw in that animatic to be in one of these!

Things we already know about season 8 that you may have forgotten:

26 episodes confirmed

Orchestra music from the movie to be used in some of the season’s songs, which are all finalized by now

As well, there will be twice as many songs are there are in season 7, since Daniel Ingram’s time won’t be split up between the show and the movie

Discord confirmed

Josh Haber returning as story-editor

Mike Vogel returning finally after working on the movie

IDW Comics

This year’s holiday special!

For those of you who have listened to the Christmas album, that’ll look somewhat familiar...

MLP:FIM #60 Sara Richard cover!

MLP: FIM #61 Cover revealed! A collection of foreign dignitaries, from dragons, to deers, to cats/abyssnians, to gryphons! 

“The story is going to be a "united nations" type gathering where all the various creatures throughout the planet convene to discuss the future of the planet. So think a Meeting of the United Nations but with Dragons, Buffalo, Hippogriffs, Anthro Cats, and a pony who controls the sun with a mere thought. Oh but there is a discovery made at the conference that could lead to trouble for our little ponies! A problem that might end up costing Equestria ownership of Canterlot!”

Legends of Magic #9! Seems to be a continuation of Flash Magnus’s previous issue, if the cover is to be believed.

Aaaand a page from Legends of Magic #6! Yes, that’s right, zombie ponies drawn by Andy Price. If 28 Pranks Later wasn’t grim enough for you, surely the master of expressions will deliver!

Find EQD’s report right here!

Year of the Pony

[the-crystal-muse]

Crime in Equestria

You know, after looking at the ask from @ofinlustris (gee, you’re giving me a lot of meta fuel lately. XD), I actually have to wonder: What exactly is Starlight’s crime? I mean, it’s pretty confusing, especially given her “punishment”. I can’t help but wonder what her legal track record is?

I mean, looking back on it, she hasn’t exactly broken many laws. The ponies in her village gave up their cutie marks willingly. Sure, they did so based on deception (that she gave up her mark too) and persuasion that hinged on emotional manipulation, but that makes her about on the same level as a cars salesman. Considering everything, her only actual crimes during the season five premiere would be assault of a princess + heroes of the land, and leading a cult. And even then, I’m not even sure if the latter constitutes as a crime. Does it? I’m not too sure.

And then there’s the season five finale, which makes the line blurrier. Starlight’s crime there is, again, assault of a ruling princess as well as Filly Dash abuse. She’s technically committed treason twice due to this. Her other crime is genocide of what could be a nation-wide scale, but...Does that count? She’s killed thousands, millions maybe, through alternate timelines and wars caused by her time travel, but do those lives matter in the end? What is the value of a life that was killed or erased, and most citizens of Equestria don’t know about it? That’s not even considering the fact that Starlight’s actions were predestined. Since there is no alternate Twilight in this timeline, there’s reason to believe that the Season 6 timeline is the exact same as the season 1 timeline, and that the time travel spell used by Starlight did the exact same thing it did in “It’s About Time”: It made a stable time-loop and that these events were always meant to happen. Can you punish destiny and fate? Is Starlight truly at fault for what she did when it’s possibly not her true choice?

And then you have to consider how Equestria has punished criminals in the past. Each of the Mane Six have done things that count as crimes in the past. Twilight mind controlled the whole of Ponyville, Rarity used dark magic to cover the place in crystals (likely causing property damage as well as actually affecting ponies such as the ones trapped inside the crystal), Rainbow Dash infiltrated Cloudsdale and let loose a ton of rainwater collected by the pegasi, as well as delaying winter which ensured the earth wouldn’t heal after the harvest seasons, Fluttershy unleashed parasprites on the town twice, Applejack poisoned the town with her baked bads, Spike rampaged through town as a giant dragon monster, and Pinkie let loose hundreds of Pinkie clones that destroyed property all over Ponyville. That’s not even taking redeemed villains such as Sunset Shimmer (who bullied students relentlessly until she had an iron grip on the school, mind controlled the student body, and destroyed part of Canterlot High as a she-demon) into account.

In fact, Equestria seems to have an interesting policy on crimes like that. Even acts of treason (like trying to conquer the country led by your sun-loving sister) don’t seem to warrant punishment as long as you have friends in high places. Maybe the Heroes get slack cause they saved Equestria x amount of times. Except Sunset was a stranger to Twilight and she was redeemed. Maybe because as the only Equestrian there, Twilight was the only one with authority to deal with a magical Equestrian supervillain, so the principals deferred to her. And Twilight is something of a naive mare when it comes to dealing with other ponies...

You also have to consider the mental health of the ponies in question. Twilight showed signs of extreme cases of OCD and anxiety during “Lesson Zero”, while Rainbow dealt with the latter during “Tanks for the Memories”. Rarity was possessed by a magic spell book, Spike was at the whim of his biology, and Applejack was sleep-deprived. Do these things excuse what they did? No, but you have to wonder why none of them are getting help. If they lived in the real world, Twilight could’ve found help through medication if she wished. Rainbow too.

And that is a weird thing, because Equestria lives in a quasi-modern-fantasy world. It’s the textbook definition of urban fantasy, a genre I love! But I have to wonder, are there psychologists? Therapists? Medication? I don’t know! They have a ton of technological advancements (that according to the comics from from the mirror world and maybe even the human world), but we don’t really know how they deal with mental health. Which is sad, cause that’s kinda important. During “Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep”, we saw Luna dealing with an extreme form of depression where she forced herself to go through painful trials every night as a form of self-penance. Instead of getting professional help, though, she was told, “You’ll be okay because you have friends”. It’s a nice idea, and I really do believe that her friends start helping her with problems after that, but it is worrysome. Especially when you consider how many supervillains in Equestria come to power.

A pattern in MLP is that supervillains become such due to two things: Desperation and a power high. I’m serious, that’s what caused about half of the disasters the Main Six caused, but it also caused Starlight’s crimes (panic over Sunburst + huge magical power), Sunset Shimmer (a desire for power + an unstable magic crown), Nightmare Moon (depression + unstable magic power), Gloriosa Everfree, Midnight Sparkle, the Comics’ King Sombra, Trixie...In Equestria, most super villains exist because their negative emotions make them choose bad choices, and those bad choices tend to end with magical power taking control of them. It’s something that citizens of Equestria might just live with, the cost of living in a magical world.

This was a long tangent...A lot of long tangents. But my point is basically, Starlight’s crimes are interesting to consider, because she’s one in a long line of ponies who’ve done terrible things, but got let off the hook for one reason or another. Be it magical mind control, nepotism, or the police looking the other way, magical threats to Equestria really don’t get punished like they did in the good old days. Can’t help but wonder why, but it’s interesting to consider how this world works and why. Now, I should probably get to replies about now...

[marvelandponder]

Better Question: Is Dr. Wolf Right?

Some time ago @drwolf001 posted a theory that Sunburst could in fact be a young Starswirl the Bearded. This was in response to a trailer for the season 7 premiere that has since been given more context, but the idea was so fun that it stuck with me. Given that we’ve already had some crazy time travel adventures, we know for a fact this sort of story is possible.

Time Travel Logic

Starswirl’s time spell is the sort that loops. As in, if someone uses the spell, their interference in the past is what leads to the present they came from.

This is called a causal loop (or temporal causality loop which just sounds cooler). It’s where an event is the cause for another event, which itself is the cause for the original event. Yeah... loop is a good word.

We’ve even seen it in action. In It’s About Time, we see Twilight worrying too much because of future Twilight, only to find out that was the problem she went back in time to warn herself about. A causal loop. In this case, a self-fulfilling prophecy (which is a type of causal loop).

But, even in The Cutie Remark, we’re working with the same rules.

It’s thanks to something called the Novikov Self-Consistency Principle. Back in the 1980s, a physicist named Ivan Novikov came up with a bunch of fancy physics principles that (for our purposes) basically boiled down to a simple conclusion: you can’t change the past.

These two ideas go hand in hand in the MLP universe, when you think about it, so here are our hard and fast rules for time travel:

Causal Loop: If you go back in time, your going back is what causes the present you came from (which causes you to go back in time, to cause the present, etc.)

Self-Consistency Principal: You logically cannot change the past that leads to anything except the present you came from

The Butterfly Effect: In the event you do create a change that doesn’t lead to the present you came from, any small change can branch out to have untold consequences temporarily; BUT, don’t worry: because of the self-consistency principle, you logically have to eventually fix things, otherwise you couldn’t have come back in time in the first place (you would be a different person in the first place, different memories)

So, Starlight, Twilight, and Spike eventually standing to the side and not interfering with the past was inevitable in order for them to be who they are. The fact that Starlight’s version of the spell continually brought them back to the past until they got it right seems to indicate that to me.

Starlight also specified that she used the map’s magic to go to any time and place she wants (for as long as she wants, they could apparently exist there “for all eternity”), so in terms of the actual time travel spell itself, she isn’t operating under different rules. Meaning, she hasn’t changed the whole causal loop thing---they still go back in time and reenact what would lead them to the present they came from, it’s just a bigger loop, thanks to some more powerful magic.

So, a character getting trapped back in time and going on to live the rest of their days there is entirely possible. It just means they were supposed to, because it’s another loop. A much bigger loop.

But, beyond all that time travel mumbo-jumbo, we obviously don’t have anything close to confirmation for the Sunburst goes back in time to live out his days as Starswirl theory. It’s theoretically possible in this world, but possible isn’t proof.

But, let’s say, hypothetically, the writers wanted to go down this path. I for one would like to know how they could do it.

Perhaps this is better suited for a fanfiction than an analysis series (and by all means, please go write stories based off of this theory). All the same, let’s treat this as a how it could be done sort of thing, to build on this theory with what’s already established in-universe.

To do that, we’ll need to gather some “evidence” (and again, I use the word with the spirit of fun in mind, there’s nothing conclusive). The first is the time travel spell itself.

Clue #1: The Disappearing Time-Travel Spell

At the conclusion of The Cutie Remark, we see the nearly ripped time-travel scroll get... somehow mysteriously sucked away.

Now, Starlight said she was the one who designed the spell to take them back to the Rainboom again and again, so this may also be her doing, but it’s unclear what exactly is being done.

It seems to have some kind of shock-wave out, which I guess implies they’re out of the time-loop now, but that doesn’t explain where the scroll ended up.

All we know is the same time portal Twilight, Spike, and Starlight came out of seems to suck the spell up with it. But, not without first taking some magic from the map, which was what allowed the spell to be so powerful.

I’m not sure if that would enchant the parchment itself, giving it the same immense power to travel to any time for as long as the pony using it wants.

But the fact that it disappeared into a time portal, even if it appeared to be the same one they were ejected from, seems like something the writers left for whenever they need it.

Where did it end up? Was it supposed to do that, and if so why? We didn’t see anyone’s magic lifting it toward to portal, but was someone on the other side of that portal waiting? Does someone have the spell now (or better yet, will they)?

Clue #2: Starswirl “never understood friendship like [Twilight]”

In the past, we’ve seen supplementary material portray Starswirl in a variety of different ways. From Celestia and Luna’s point of view in the Journal of the Two Sisters, to his own in Legends of Magic, to a 3rd person, more objectively told story in the Reflections arc.

But in the show, what little we know of him comes from and in relation to Twilight. In particular, a line that always stuck with me.

That he was unable to complete his cutie mark restoration spell because he didn’t understand friendship. At least, not like Twi.

Which is a bit saddening, given that he mentored Luna and Celestia. Luna did end up feeling isolated, so perhaps Starswirl’s lack of expertise in friendship played a role in that.

It seems he was still focused on teaching them magic and writing his many spells. Even if he loved them as students, which I suspect he did given his B-canon portrayals, he evidently didn’t do enough to save them from their fate.

Does Sunburst not understand friendship? He and Starlight have reunited now, but then again, you certainly couldn’t say he’s an expert in friendship (and in the same way Twilight focused on her studies, Sunburst did focus heavily on the study of magic instead of, say, visiting Starlight). He’s still studying magic in the Crystal Empire so he might very well still be a borderline shut-in.

Now that he’s Flurry Heart’s magic adviser, perhaps that’s starting to slowly change. Then again, if Starswirl could not understand friendship and still be Celestia and Luna’s mentor, couldn’t Sunburst theoretically also miss some crucial understanding about friendship while looking after Flurry Heart?

Clue #3: Sunburst’s Talents with Magic Theory and Starswirl’s 200+ Spells

Here’s one of the more compelling coincidences.

Sunburst can’t perform any of the magic theory he’s been studying his whole life, but he’s a damn fine magic theorist. I might even wager a guess that Starlight’s habit of combining spells comes from Sunburst, as that’s something he’s been shown to do in The Crystalling Part 2.

We know for a fact that Starswirl was the “father of the anmiomorphic spell,” “the most important conjurer of the preclassical era,” and that he “created more than 200 spells”... but we don’t actually know if he could perform any of that magic himself.

Now that’s a stretch, but when you think about it, it holds true for just about everything we know about the things Starswirl’s done. Even when Starswirl banished the Sirens to the Equestria Girls dimension, it wasn’t like he made those portals with his own magic, he found them (at least, according to the Reflections arc).

And in Legends of Magic, he seems to know combat magic, but then again, he makes his escape off-screen, so we never see him cast much of anything.

For all we know, Starswirl might be a great wizard, maybe the greatest, but not necessarily a powerful one. His talent lies in writing spells.

Clue #4: Very Important Wizard

Okay, this one’s just neat from a story-telling perspective. We’ve been introduced to Sunburst as someone whose insecure about not being a very important wizard. That’s how we know him, a resourceful but ultimately powerless magician.

If, in fact, he were to turn out to be the most important wizard of them all, even despite his lack of natural talent for magic, that’s just... wonderful, don’t you think? That he found ways to be influential in the magic world despite the handicap of not being able to use magic?

He became the most important wizard of all time, even despite his problems performing magic himself.

Clue # 5: A... Changing Appearance?

Starswirl actually doesn’t have a consistent eye-colour or look at the moment. We’ve seen him with gold eyes, grey, and even purple.

And, most recently blue, in Legends of Magic.

I suppose if we were explaining how Sunburst could turn into Starswirl, his entire coat would have to grey completely (if we’re going with the depictions of Starswirl with a white or grey coat). A pony’s coat can grey in real life, so perhaps it’s possible in this world. Or we could guess that Sunburst would knowingly disguise himself as what he knows Starswirl to look like via some kind of spell, if he had a reason to assume that role.

Speaking of purely cosmetic similarities, I would also like to mention that in a manner of speaking, “Starswirl” and “Sunburst” are kiiiinda synonymous with each other. In the same way the Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer are supposed to parallel each other, it’s roughly the same name.

A sun is of course a star, and both a burst and swirl suggest an outward projection.

Another neat coincidence, I guess. Just like the fact that both of them wear capes and grow beards.

That’s what we’re left with when theory crafting something like this. Coincidences that can help us imagine fantastical fanfiction, but can’t ultimately take us any closer to knowing who Starswirl the Bearded actually was, whether Sunburst or just pony of a long-gone era.

One thing that still intrigues me, though, is that according to the comics, Starswirl didn’t die. He went missing.

And there are elements in play like his mysteriously vanishing time spell scroll that are available for the MLP staff to act on whenever they so choose.

So, perhaps we’ll never know who Starswirl was, outside of B-canon and the legends we’ve been told thus far. Or, maybe we’ll get to learn who he is someday, and some or all of this will come into play. Who knows? This pony has both a past and a future that’s shrouded in mystery. So much so that this theory is only one of many, and will continue to be until we meet again.

And until that day, I hope to share many more theories together.

MLP content? Sure, I’ve got some of that! Here’s my editorials and my reviews! I’d of course recommend checking out Dr. Wolf on Youtube. And for the heck of it, here’s the last three things I’ve done:

Fluttershy Leans In Review, Forever Filly Review, and New Fluttershy Editorial

Year of the Pony

Special Thanks to...

Original Theory by Dr. Wolf Sunburst Vector by ChainChomp2 Starswirl Cave Background by MysteryMelt

I’m a huge fan of Dr. Wolf, so I loved building off his ideas! If you somehow never have, you’ll thank yourself for checking out his channel. I’d also recommend checking out these talented vector artists! Without their hard work and willingness to share it, I wouldn’t be able to make the headers.

Gotta Get Back, Back to the Past