My Little Pony XXXIX: There is no Pegasus Mafia!

[Pokonic]

Snails (horn light spell, though that might count as a basic spell, since all unicorn horns glow, and I can't think how light spells relate to snails)

Bioluminescence?

[darthbobcat]

New episode spoiler:

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Okay, that scene had me giggling. That's the Fun Twilight I like; the know it all who's enthusiastic, and has no ability to focus when it comes to a new discovery. I also like the Snark Twilight. I'm not a fan of the freak out Twilight. I predict we'll see some Freak Out Twilight this time, but that scene itself was amusing, just because I wasn't expecting that flavor of Future Twilight.

One thing I noticed: did Twilight's voice sound subtly different? Like, due to not doing the voice for a while, when she came back to do it, it sounded a little... off? Off is the wrong word, because that implies it was bad voice acting. Just a little different.

Also, theory on what Twilight has to prevent:
1) Serious theory: grandfather paradox where the time travel creates the problem she's trying to avoid. The eyepatch thing is either due to getting a case of Lazy Eye or just getting it poked by a unicorn horn.

2) Alternate serious theory: "Whatever you do, don't do that OTHER spell in the archives!" This would be more creative; she'd go to the archives looking for the time travel spell she told herself about, see another disastrous spell and try that, with the time travel spell being the actual solution to the problem. So, like the first, only in a more creative, roundabout way.

30 "Whatever you do, DON'T LET YOUR BROTHER GET MARRIED."
"But future me, that wedding isn't for months and months."
"Yes, but I realized Monday night that she's all wrong for him! Princess Celestia says SHE DOESN'T LIKE BOOKS!"

[Anarion]

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30 "Whatever you do, DON'T LET YOUR BROTHER GET MARRIED."
"But future me, that wedding isn't for months and months."
"Yes, but I realized Monday night that she's all wrong for him! Princess Celestia says SHE DOESN'T LIKE BOOKS!"

This is the single most damning criticism I have ever seen. Most damning, no exceptions. And if you don't read episode spoilers, just know, it's damning.

[maximus25]

This is the single most damning criticism I have ever seen. Most damning, no exceptions. And if you don't read episode spoilers, just know, it's damning.

Good lord I laughed hard.

[Pendulous]

Clip from this week's episode released! *SPOILERS*

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Twilight being Twilight. But is this a little too science-fiction-y for this show?

Also, new favorite line already, "You're not scientifically possible"

[Athaniar]

Clip from this week's episode released! *SPOILERS*

In which the video preview of this Saturday's episode is discussed:

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Future Twilight looks badass. Also, Star Swirl mentioned again, good, I like continuity. That (present) Twilight will end up causing trouble trying to prevent whatever is going to happen is practically guaranteed.

[Mewtarthio]

I'd say that all unicorns can use some magic beyond TK, though its generally specialized enough that they just use TK outside of work. They can learn a small number of spells naturally (like Rarity's Gem-Finder), and they can study other spells depending on their cutie marks.

For example, a unicorn miner might naturally know a spell that reinforces tunnels automatically. Gem-finding is related pretty strongly to mining, so if Rarity managed to get over her aversion to all things dirty, she could probably teach him the Gem-Finder spell relatively quickly. Conversely, turning mice into terrifying abominations has nothing at all to do with mining, so it would take a prohibitively long time Twilight to teach him that spell she used in "Best Night Ever." Twilight and Trixie, of course, can learn any spell at the "perfectly matches the cutie mark" level.

As for the magic books: I'd imagine there are a number of spellbooks out there teaching a variety of spells in a related field for practical reference by unicorns whose talents lie in that field. Twilight, however, is probably studying historical examples of spells in the past or worked examples of magical theories. I'd guess most spellbooks are collaborative works or compilations of writings by a number of unicorns ("Boast Busters" implies that unicorns with a "magic in general" talent are pretty rare). Most spells probably arose naturally as young unicorns spontaneously manifested them; that being said, I do like to think that unicorns who study magical theory can develop spells of their own (if only because the thought of a young filly waking up to find "unicorn destiny magic" forcing her to cast the Want-It-Need-It spell is too horrifying to contemplate).

[Pokonic]

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Twilight being Twilight. But is this a little too science-fiction-y for this show?

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Nah. Pure magic-y.

[Dexam]

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However, in the spirit of ponysanity, here are some other theories.
-Celestia's DNA recombination and cloning program is finally getting into full swing and Shining Armor is the first of a new race of super soldiers based on Twilight's DNA

Season finale speculation:

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So, Shining Armor is Captain America Equestria?

Ooh ooh I have one

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Princess Cadence is actually Prince Cadence!
...and the wedding goes off without a hitch!

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... now that's just crazy talk!

I can't watch this week's episode sneak-preview clip yet, so no comments from me on that.

[MCerberus]

Next ep clip:

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I like 'Escape from Manehatten" style Twilight, also adorkable Twilight. Maybe Twi can make up all the points she's been losing to Rarity and move back into second.

Also, tangent on paradoxes:

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I don't think the universe particularly hates a paradox. Stuff happens, you go to the future where you may not exist. If you do, congrats you just semi-cloned yourself.

I mean to do this you've already smashed the law of conservation to tiny tiny pieces, so why would the universe care

[Eakin]

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

[Gamerlord]

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Twilight being Twilight. But is this a little too science-fiction-y for this show?

Also, new favorite line already, "You're not scientifically possible"

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Nah, plenty of fantasy works of fiction have used time travel. Harry Potter, Prince of Persia, Skyrim, etc.

[Tiki Snakes]

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

I think Trek needs to earn it's way back in. I've heard they might be making a newtrek sequel, we'll see how that goes.

Also, I tick three to four of those boxes, are you sure there can be only one? I'm sure there are several natural coalition partners there.

[Pokonic]

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

Wait, wheres the GEoM? I mean, yes, Brony 100%, but if there is a strong following in the extremeist Discordian (Why Choose the Lesser Evil?) faction, its best to have a good eye out for other parties...

[Lix Lorn]

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

I am all of them to some extent

[darthbobcat]

1) What's a Browncoat?

2) The only vote I can give is Imperialist.

[Gamerlord]

1) What's a Browncoat?

2) The only vote I can give is Imperialist.

Browncoats are fans of the science fiction TV show Firefly, by Joss Whedon, creator of shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse. It only got 14 episodes before Fox canned it, though it became very popular among geekdom (Though pretty much anything he made is.) Also got a movie.

[darthbobcat]

Browncoats are fans of the science fiction TV show Firefly, by Joss Whedon, creator of shows like Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Dollhouse. It only got 14 episodes before Fox canned it, though it became very popular among geekdom (Though pretty much anything he made is.) Also got a movie.

Oh yeah. I've seen 'em. Just never really thought about them again afterwards.

[MCerberus]

I'd have to vote Pony this year with my geek card. Mostly since the IN FALSE-DEPTH 3D!!!! *shudder*

Although I am in full support of The Old Republic - Pony crossover's. Especially with Darth Pinkie

[SiuiS]

And I fell behind in the thread.

That's cool, mate. It happens. No worries! Just jump back in or catch up as the mood suits you.

Been a little busy with something else today...

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...yeah, that. So the thread has produced numerous pages that I don't have time to catch up on, sorry. But I've spent some time on Ponibooru today too, and wanted to share a couple of pictures, so here, have some cute:

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Zevox

All my approval!

My disembodied energy matrix daughter ain't marrying no platonic ideal! Marriage is between beings with ontological provability!

I love you guys.

My platonic ideal daughter ain't marrying no mortal man! Marriages are metaphors for the merging, conflict and propagation of ideas, not vectors for biological reproduction!

Pfffft. prove it. Can you even tell me what a marriage is? Kinda hard to set limits when you might not even be arguin the same things.

Son, the real reason my daughters ain't marrying no robots is 'cause my daughters are crazy and more often than not have freaky lightning powers.

Robogiggity? And not all of them!

*imagines mask on a shag rug* never mind.

i read this in his voice...damn it.

----------------------------------------

*stumbles into thread*
So once again i am several days without out sleep. Luckily this time im in a good mood.

Bleakbane, hows the study of the Jalkerions(?)....that pony like race. havent heard anything about them in a long time.

Heres a question for the masses. What would warfare look like in equestria? Would it be old fashioned medieval style of honor on the battle field? 2 armies meeting to engage, sending their commanders to negotiate before battle?

Or would it follow the WW1, WW2 urban fighting, trench warfare, artillery

Or prehaps the route of the league of legends, each faction selects champions to fight in an arena.

Possibly some elaborate game of magical horse?


Another topic: If we were to pit our OCs against each other in various comeptions, what would they be and how do you think it will all pan out?

War in Equestria has happened; the buffalo soldiers versus the mild west towns-folk.

It took the form of pies.

As for OCs...

Midnight and Lixie would win, as the only acceptable method o warfare between all parties would be Hug-offs. While everyone is distracted, Bleakbane moves in and claims victory, saying Equestria is now his. His orders; keep doin' wot ya doin'. Everypony obeys explicitly (or ignores him, probably the first one though). Lix claims double victory as an ally of thr AOTRS. Raz, myself and Thanqomponents continue causing small amounts of strife because our convoluted schemes lead to hilarity as we fail, with the occasional heartwarming moment to explain why we haven't become moon colonizers. Lix adds triple victory as she is also sided with us, as guild-members and ne'er-do-wells. Thanqol claims quadruple victory because Lix is Thanqol, and they both pull off masks ScoobyDoo style. Several bystanders then pitch in to develop algorithms to see if the Thanqol-Lix-everypony feedback loop ever reaches some form of conclusion or plateau.

And then ponies.

I'm rather pessimistic about most changes that appear out of nowhere, especially major additions like that one. It could be handled well, in which case the finale could well be on par with last season's Best Night Ever (as in, fairly good). If it's not handled well enough, which I'm considering to be more probable (given my current opinion that the writers don't care about the universe much anymore), the whole thing is going to crash and burn, at least figuratively speaking. Right now, I'll hold my judgement until I see what they do with the next three episodes, which seem to promise at least some kind of interesting happenings.

And while I too enjoy my own worldbuilding, Thanqol, it becomes pretty hard for someone without serious language/writing skills to talk about the show with others when they're not talking about the same version of the show. When headcanons collide, heads usually hurt. :P

Well, it--

Tshhh, accept instead that the entire world is an Arcadian dream; that is, it operates on mutable time and narrative laws. Rainbow Dash wants to be a hero, so the entire town retcons itself into a disaster zone to support that desire. The hero wins because that's what heroes do. Ponies run faster when they're pulling carts because that invokes the narrative power of vehicles. It's all nonsense, but it's narratively consistent nonsense.

It's not a world, it's a beautiful, insane dream filled with lovely ponies and their fascinating minds.

Stupid Thanqol, beating me to these points, and more eloquently to boot!

The place is internally consistent, it just has weird internals.

Well, see, this just makes for the exact kind of metaverse I hate with the burning intensity of a thousand thermonuclear fireballs. Trying to navigate one is an exercise in frustration of such magnitude that it's easier to forget it existed in the first place and "accidentally" pay no attention when some intermultiverse monstrosity decides to make a snack out of it. Figuratively speaking. When a universe literally runs on the whims of the authors, without any regard for internal consistency or common sense, it becomes impossible to associate with. I've brought up a few examples earlier, where the nature, lore, and logic of the FiM 'verse were uprooted and thrown into the shredder for the sake of a quick gag. They Just Don't Care. And that makes me very sad. So much wasted potential...

I've been seriously considering using what little standing I have here to get permission (somehow, still not sure what that actually entails) and collapse the whole thing into a physical 'verse. It'd kill the entirety of the canon and fanon, retroactively, which is why I've only been considering it, but it'd mean a good universe would get to exist on its own, without some "higher" intelligence dictating every twist and turn. None of you would remember it existed anyway...

I disagree and feel the writers do care, but that their understanding o the back end is different from our understanding of the end product. But the undercurrents are similar enough that icould say season 1 was farther than the intended 'artist's vision' than season 2 is.

And that wouldn't necessarily work. I remember people and events that never happened all the time!

...

Oh, hi there Ennui. Been a while.

I'll throw out my opinion on this one in a moment, but first, you used "risible" in a sentence. That's the first time I've ever seen anyone actually use it naturally. *Squee!*

I have avoided using the word risible because I dot know how to pronounce it. Stupid reading things I've never heard spoken...

*ahem* Right, the world-building. I hope I haven't contributed to this problem. Although I complained earlier that the writers have made some errors in world-building, I don't think they've done a terrible job. Actually, I think season 2 has done a good job of being relatively restrained. Season 1 established Ponyville, Canterlot, Cloudsdale, Appleloosa, Manehattan, the Everfree forest, froggy-bottom bog and probably more that I'm forgetting. Those were all new locations and, frankly, if season 2 had kept throwing out locales at that rate, it would have become too large and unwieldy. Instead, season 2 has spent its time fleshing out these various locales, mostly done well, but with a few mistakes.

The other thing to keep in mind is that we don't have a fight between two extremes here. The choice is not Thanqol's dream world idea vs. a perfectly consistent 100% accurate physical location that always obeys its own rules. Rather, the setting exists on a continuum somewhere in the middle. If I had to place it, I think it's actually pretty close to Simpsons version of Springfield right now. That is, there is a basic layout of consistent areas such as Twilight's home, Sugarcube corner, and Sweet Apple Acres. Then laid over this consistent setting are new areas as the plot demands, which can fade out of existence just as easily as the Springfield monorail or burlesque house.

Finally, I want to point out that complaints about character personality don't go in the same category as world-building. If you want to point out that during Season 1, the window of Twilight's library moved into 3+ different locations, that's an example of inconsistent architecture (that apparently bothers nopony). But if you want to say Applejack or Fluttershy acted out of character at some point, that's much more subjective. Especially since real people act out of character all the time. Sometimes we don't really know someone's character, or we know her character, but her mind classifies activities in a way that differs from ours so that consistent for her is not consistent for us.

In sum, if you catch a mistake or don't like how something was done, you can certainly point that out. But I think we're premature to argue that all consistency, continuity and world-building have been thrown out of the series for some variation of the plane of Limbo.

Ate, people cross their own purposes all the time. I'm a huge example of that. So I'm generally more forgiving. Still, my complaint is not that Fluttershy is out of character, but that her character is not what I would like it to be. People hat nice, are always manipulative, and generally passive aggressive and liars as well. it took until a month or two after season 1 ended for me to be able to give Fluttershy a chance, as I couldn't accept that she was genuinely nice. Now that I've accepted that, and begun to understand exactly how wonderful her characterization is, it's changed and I'm wrong.

Once bitten, twice fluttershy, y'know? Except instead of shy I'm antagonistic.

Y'all are insane, you know that? Thirty-nine threads...

('Course, I'm even more insane, what with trying to catch up through all of them.)

Anyway, hey there, Playground Ponythread! Feel free to call me KD; lots of people do. Fluttershy's my favorite, Tom and Iron Will are duking it out for the Best Pony title.

As far as what appears to be the current topic, yeah, it's really not as S1 established it. Which bugs me, but apart from MMDW it's not enough to really make me uncomfortable.

*salutes* enjoy slogging through the acid mines! Lemme know f my initials are still there. I had to care them with my horn, and it was excruciating! Stupid nail-on-chalkboard noise...

Also, hullo! Welcome! Stay a while, and listen Pony!

[the_druid_droid]

Re: Unicorn Magic

We do know that Professor Xavier Princess Celestia has a school dedicated to exceptionally talented magic users. Although Twilight is apparently the cream of the crop, its existence would imply that there are other unicorns with abilities that are somewhere in an order of magnitude or so of hers, and that broad magical ability isn't completely unheard-of. Also, if Twi's comment about "magic kindergarden" is to be believed, there appears to be some sort of basic magical education system for unicorns, even if it's only in Canterlot.

I think in my own head, I'd put the number of relatively talented magic users in Equestria at somewhere around the same percentage as say the analogous academics in our world.

[Forum Explorer]

I think that Unicorns can basically learn nearly any spell as long as they can connect to it. As in feel that it relates to their cuties mark in some way. However they tend to have much less power and it will still be on a small scale.

so Trixie can basically learn any spell out there since it deals with magic. However she can't cast every spell or only with extreme effort.

While Twilight can cast any spell and only the most difficult would be tiring. So Trixie could teleport but it's likely more tiring then walking (and not as good for your muscles!) while Twilight can spam it.

[Pokonic]

Re: Unicorn Magic

We do know that Professor Xavier Princess Celestia has a school dedicated to exceptionally talented magic users. Although Twilight is apparently the cream of the crop, its existence would imply that there are other unicorns with abilities that are somewhere in an order of magnitude or so of hers, and that broad magical ability isn't completely unheard-of. Also, if Twi's comment about "magic kindergarden" is to be believed, there appears to be some sort of basic magical education system for unicorns, even if it's only in Canterlot.

I think in my own head, I'd put the number of relatively talented magic users in Equestria at somewhere around the same percentage as say the analogous academics in our world.

Starswirl, presumably, is the local equivulent of a Athenian philosopher, and pretty much made it into the institution it is today. From the basic teliport to the ever-lovely hair-growing spell, he pretty much standerdised magic by writing the steps down, refining them, and them mass-producing the documents. Hence, the time where a unicorn would only have the chance to learn only a few spells over his lifetime was over, and there came the time of true unicorn wizerds. Hence, Twilight's slightly fangirlish additude about him is like a Hollywood scientist obsessing over Einstein.

[darthbobcat]

For Unicorn Magic, I'd say that we don't have enough to go on, and what we have to go on is made up as they go along and can be contradicted as needed without consequence. After all if, as Thanqol eloquently put it, the show has a negative continuity that only exists when the writers need it to exist, a unicorn can do anything they need to in order for the plot to move forward.

[SiuiS]

To the kind pony who thanked me for the quote wall; you're welcome! My only regret is that I burned out for a bit. Oddly, now it's harder for me to do these frequent posts...

Finale speculation that is not as depressing as some:

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Twilight is a middle child. Shining Armor is the older one, always trying to be parent's best child and so went off the join the royal guard and become a knight. Twilight is the middle one, cared for but fell into books and studying once the third child arrived and there didn't seem to be much time for her parents to focus on her anymore. The youngest child, in an attempt to get attention from her two highly accomplished siblings, decided to act out and do some of the craziest things to get noticed.

Twilight's younger sister?

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It explains why she was hired for the music at Rarity's fashion show, at least.

Canon-get!

(snugglesnugglesnuggle ^_^)

I must admit, Cuddly like a fox would probably shut me out of argument mode. AND INTO SCIENCE MODE *does science to Mask and Raz*

Ooh ooh I have one

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Princess Cadence is actually Prince Cadence!
...and the wedding goes off without a hitch!

I actually think this is one of the subplots in Mass Effect 3.

Hehe. Subplot.

♫ What is this place filled with so many spoilers? ♫
♫ Casting its spell that I am now ...oiler? ♫

...eh, I was never good at rhyming.

Aye, this would be easier if I knew more than two lines of the song by heart >>;

What is this place
Filled with so many spoilers,
Churning and gushing like big venting boilers?

eBay full of plushies, and tales sand and funny...
So why won't Hasbro just accept my darn money,
Mooooneeeeey~

Oh~ what a maddening place,
Where I can see ponies kissing with a plot for a face!
If I knew Equestria Daily had so much up its sleeve
I'd have dodge the spoilers, and gone to leave.

Yes, I
Know
Everything!

I'm terrible Bard. *turns in his harp, harmonica, and didgeridoo*

Random discussion!

Also, random thought recently occurred to me: What does the title of Over a Barrel refer to? I'm not quite sure I understand where that comes from. Google tells me it means "being in someone's power". I'm not sure how that relates to the episode. Unless it's a pun I'm missing? Were they keeping the apples in barrels?

If you are over a barrel, you are in the same physical position as if someone took you over their knee to spank you.

And of course, plot!

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... Eyup.

...it's as if someone took Cthulhu and shaved the tentacles off. Different appearance, same SAN damage.

... Eyup.

Well we know Rarity can cast the Locate Gemstones spell naturally, and she doesn't seem to cast anything other that Locate Gemstones and the basic cantrip-level TK. Only two other unicorns seem to know any magic aside from that: Trixie and Twilight. We know Twilight has a totally hax Talent, and thus doesn't really count for this discussion. We also have no idea how Trixie came upon her magic. So there's really very little to go on.

But my hunch is that most unicorns don't know magic. They get on with basic TK the way most Pegasi just use their wings to get from A to B. At most, they have a single spell they developed naturally. However, all unicorns can learn magic if they bother - again, like a Pegasus who trains willl be a better flyer, a unicorn that trains will be better at magic. Obviously natural talent (not Talent, like Twi has) will factor in how good they get at it.

I'm pretty sure 'wizard' is a legitimate career path for unicorns.

I like this. Low strata canon'd.

we also saw Rarity do quite advanced light show/illusions for the 2nd fashion show with Hoity Toity
also i wouldnt call Rarity's tk cantrip level..we have seen her manipulate multiple items a few times each in its seperate tk field
---now im trying to think if we have seen Twilight do that...we have seen her pick up large amounts in a single tk field, but has she done the multi field thing rarity does

Did we see her put on a magical light show? It was in a boutique. She may actually own lights to that effect.

She also uses a Fabricate type spell to turn fabric into clotihng in both Boast Busters and Sweet and Elite (so why she still needs the sewing machine is beyond me).

Thinking about it, how many unicorns have we actually seen do any magic other than basic TK? So far I can think of:

Twilight (obviously)
Rarity
Trixie (mostly illusion and transmutation)
Snails (horn light spell, though that might count as a basic spell, since all unicorn horns glow, and I can't think how light spells relate to snails)
Flim & Flam (possibly. Their magic powered their machine, but I'm not sure that counts as a spell so much as just pouring "mana" into it for power)

That's about it. (I'm not counting the princesses).

I know that Lauren said that some of the gadgets in the show would be made from magic to explain away the need to electricity (the example she gave was Rarity's sewing machine if I remember rightly, and of course, the Super Squeezy Cider Machine) so there must be specific spells for that. What else?

I do not think pony magic can be separated into 'spells' and 'pouring mana into it'. It's like cooking. You're always following a recipe, even if you make said recipe up as you go.

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

Hm. I'd Har to go for one of the last two.

But. Which. One. ?

Re: Unicorn Magic

We do know that Professor Xavier Princess Celestia has a school dedicated to exceptionally talented magic users. Although Twilight is apparently the cream of the crop, its existence would imply that there are other unicorns with abilities that are somewhere in an order of magnitude or so of hers, and that broad magical ability isn't completely unheard-of. Also, if Twi's comment about "magic kindergarden" is to be believed, there appears to be some sort of basic magical education system for unicorns, even if it's only in Canterlot.

I think in my own head, I'd put the number of relatively talented magic users in Equestria at somewhere around the same percentage as say the analogous academics in our world.

Magic is an innate ability, ponies have altitudes rather than binary yes/no powers. What sets Dame Sparkle as unique is her bus. The amount of power she can put out at any given instant is phenomenal. But that didn't stop Celestia from undoing her spell, because that requires finesse. Similarly, Star Swirl seems to have been a contemplater, astronomer and and sage (all associated with the stars) rather than a magibattery like Twilight Sparkle.

For Unicorn Magic, I'd say that we don't have enough to go on, and what we have to go on is made up as they go along and can be contradicted as needed without consequence. After all if, as Thanqol eloquently put it, the show has a negative continuity that only exists when the writers need it to exist, a unicorn can do anything they need to in order for the plot to move forward.

congratulations Bobcat. You win.

There's a plot joke in there, but... I can't make it. Feels wrong.

[Draconi Redfir]

GENTLEPONYS! BEHOLD!

I AM IN A SONG!

(My youtube name (blizrfiz) shows up at about 3:38.)

Can't really hear my own voice since it's drowned out by two hundread others, but meh.

Derpy wants everyone to smile!

[Lix Lorn]

I must admit, Cuddly like a fox would probably shut me out of argument mode. AND INTO SCIENCE MODE *does science to Mask and Raz*

Pushed me into cuddle mode.
It's not hard to get me into cuddle mode.

I actually think this is one of the subplots in Mass Effect 3.

Hehe. Subplot.

...so...what does subplot even mean?

[Thanqol]

Ah, the classics. When I was a teenager, I detested archaic writing and old books. They were the result, I reasoned, of a time when the number of authors was tiny and the rules of effective storytelling were still being explored. While that perspective still holds sway in my mind, more and more I have come to find that some classics are classics for a reason. I have A Study In Rainbows to thank for this growing fascination. I find myself compelled by the middle path, the blend of old and new, and that interest has woven through all my writing recently.

I'm reading Dracula now. Did you know Dracula actually had a moustache? I've never seen any picture or film of Dracula with a moustache. Funny how that worked out, yes?

The point of this ramble, and what makes it pony related, is that Dracula actually holds a genius format. It switches between letters and diaries - ah, why didn't I think of that! - and pits doomed scientific minds against the horror of the supernatural. I'm collecting notes on Dracula, oh yes, which may see resolution in my next piece. I'm feeling optimistic, creative. I have for days. I've got inspiration in my mind. Like a thunderstorm's brewing, sculpting the conditions for lightning with hands made of wind and rain. There's a stillness, ah! A stillness in the air as mere anarchy begins to structure itself!

For Unicorn Magic, I'd say that we don't have enough to go on, and what we have to go on is made up as they go along and can be contradicted as needed without consequence. After all if, as Thanqol eloquently put it, the show has a negative continuity that only exists when the writers need it to exist, a unicorn can do anything they need to in order for the plot to move forward.

This is how it's always been. If Twilight was played straight in terms of effectiveness every episode she'd basically curbstomp the entire show. I'm fine with Twilight's magic being wildly erratic between writers and episodes; if her magic is consistently erratic, rising and falling from episode to episode, then I can accept that in itself as an explanation.

Why doesn't Rarity just ask Twilight to magic up all the gemstones rather than teaming up with Spike and digging them up for herself? Because Twilight's magic isn't reliable - sometimes she can teleport like ganon, and sometimes she destroys the entire town of Ponyville with a plague of locusts.

Pushed me into cuddle mode.
It's not hard to get me into cuddle mode.

What's the time?

What's the time?

It's adventure cuddle time.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

we also saw Rarity do quite advanced light show/illusions for the 2nd fashion show with Hoity Toity
also i wouldnt call Rarity's tk cantrip level..we have seen her manipulate multiple items a few times each in its seperate tk field
---now im trying to think if we have seen Twilight do that...we have seen her pick up large amounts in a single tk field, but has she done the multi field thing rarity does

I was using the word cantrip a little too losely, yeah. That kind of use is basic TK as far as I'm concerned. As for the light show... wait, that was her? I thought it was just a light show she had in her boutique. Guess I'll have to rewatch Suited for Success. How terrible. I have no idea how I'll possibly manage.

She also uses a Fabricate type spell to turn fabric into clotihng in both Boast Busters and Sweet and Elite (so why she still needs the sewing machine is beyond me).

Didn't notice that. Good heavens, I now have to watch not one but two Rarity episodes. Quite possibly even three. This has to be the WORST. POSSIBLE. THING!

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

Spoiler

Show

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

Brony. All the way. I'm indifferent to Firefly and Dr. Who, and while I like Starwars and Potter, they're merely interesting settings for me.

[Forum Explorer]

Tangent so that we can talk about something without spoiler boxes!

GEEK PARTY PRIMARY 2012:

Spoiler

Show

THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE and ironically that particular franchise isn't represented.

Also seriously lacking in Trek. I mean, come on.

Brony. While I really like and enjoy Firefly, Star Wars and suspect I would enjoy Dr. Who I'm only really passionate about ponies.