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A thought on humans and magic


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I realized sometime yesterday that it's quite possible that no only would a human be unable to use magic in Equestria, they would also be unable to experience any effect from magical spells. Let me explain.

In our world, there is a binding principle, something which connects every living being together. To have it is essentially life itself. That force is electricity. Our entire body depends on carefully layered out electrical signals telling our bodies what do. When we're hit by an electrical shock, all sorts of negative reactions occur because the signals in our body can't handle the influx of foreign energy. This goes the same for all other living things.

In Equestria, the binding principle is magic. Every living thing thrives on the magical energy that runs through their bodies, and in unicorns cases, they are able to manipulate that energy for a variety of uses. When a pony is hit with an energy blast, they're hurt because their bodies cannot handle the influx of magical energy. This is can cause massive damage(Celestia was rendered unconscious in A Canterlot Wedding). It's based primarily on resistance, however; too little, and the attack will have no effect(Trixie in Magic Duel). To ponies, things that would compromise magical systems in any form are dangerous(I assume magical leylines,places full of excessive amounts of magic,exist; such places would be incredibly dangerous for ponies to go to.).

Where am I going with this? The two different energy systems would be totally incompatible with each other. You would be a magical sink:the energy would go directly from your body to the nearest compatible source without ever affecting you. Trying to hurt a human through magical blasts would be like trying to hurt a rock by pumping it full of electricity.

That's the theory. Of course, any by-products of magical effects would still work, like heat. A magical explosion would still very well hurt you. Also, your body would eventually absorb magic through the environment, meaning eventually magic would begin to affect you after a while. I may have missed something here, though, so feel free to correct me. Discuss to your hearts content.

Edited by Shimmer5000
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That is an interesting theory. But it all really depends on a subjective interpretation of what magic in the FiM universe is. It could be just a form of general energy manipulation, or just a greater form of mind ability's ala telekinesis. But the way you are putting it sounds almost like a comparison of basic functioning systems.  So if their magic did not effect you due to the human system not actually using magic in any regard (due to being an electro-chemical nervous system, rather than the magical one the op suggests) Not only would their magic not effect you, but any biological weapons/illnesses would not as well. Due to the complete difference in cellular structure, and the ponies due to their use of magic may not even use base amino acids like DNA. (although it still could effect you, again it is all speculative). 

 

 

In my own personal head canon, when one travels to a magical land, they gain the ability to use magic (like Twilight transforming into a human upon arrival in EqG). This would mean that faith based magics (such as clerical protection charms and blessings) would now have a fuller 100% physical effect.

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Well, they can use their magic to lift objects up. So, I believe it is a physical force. Hence, a magical blast would hurt you just like a normal blast (because it is a force).

 

That is what I think.

 

Now, electricity is also a force. But, you know, being a scientist, I find it really hard to place magic. 

So, answering this question seems to be impossible to me.

 

Sorry :(

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That is an interesting theory. But it all really depends on a subjective interpretation of what magic in the FiM universe is. It could be just a form of general energy manipulation, or just a greater form of mind ability's ala telekinesis. But the way you are putting it sounds almost like a comparison of basic functioning systems.  So if their magic did not effect you due to the human system not actually using magic in any regard (due to being an electro-chemical nervous system, rather than the magical one the op suggests) Not only would their magic not effect you, but any biological weapons/illnesses would not as well. Due to the complete difference in cellular structure, and the ponies due to their use of magic may not even use base amino acids like DNA. (although it still could effect you, again it is all speculative). 

 

 

In my own personal head canon, when one travels to a magical land, they gain the ability to use magic (like Twilight transforming into a human upon arrival in EqG). This would mean that faith based magics (such as clerical protection charms and blessings) would now have a fuller 100% physical effect.

It's very likely that magic is interwoven into a ponies systems; we see Twilight fail to do an age spell because the magical "cost" is greater than the amount of energy she currently possesses. And the magical "system" would belong to all ponies: Tirek could drain the energy of Pegasi and earth ponies, and when it's stolen, ponies wind up in a a near comatose state(ala Twilight's Kingdom), somewhat like a discharged battery. 

 

Well, they can use their magic to lift objects up. So, I believe it is a physical force. Hence, a magical blast would hurt you just like a normal blast (because it is a force).

 

That is what I think.

 

Now, electricity is also a force. But, you know, being a scientist, I find it really hard to place magic. 

So, answering this question seems to be impossible to me.

 

Sorry :(

Well, this would only apply to magic designed to affect the body system. Telekinesis is a physical force, an energy field of sorts, so it would work independent of the body structure.

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It's very likely that magic is interwoven into a ponies systems; we see Twilight fail to do an age spell because the magical "cost" is greater than the amount of energy she currently possesses. And the magical "system" would belong to all ponies: Tirek could drain the energy of Pegasi and earth ponies, and when it's stolen, ponies wind up in a a near comatose state(ala Twilight's Kingdom), somewhat like a discharged battery. 

 

Well, this would only apply to magic designed to affect the body system. Telekinesis is a physical force, an energy field of sorts, so it would work independent of the body structure.

 

I would think it would be like most D&D eks set ups. Magic is a force that all creatures can tap into due to divine and arcane allowances, but they still function in the same characteristic as normal living beings from earth. The difference being that their world has a aetheral power source that all beings can tap into (in their own way).

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What I've read in fimfiction has come with these conclusions:

 

In the Conversion Bureau Year One (not a great fic but still an interesting one in this regard) was that magic IF it was brought to earth was able to be used AND was both harmful to both humans and technology. Using magic around electrical equiptment could short it out and destroy it. Using magic in close proximity to humans could also harm people. Also magic was something ingrained in pony DNA and that includes unicorns, pegasus (which can only fly with wings AND the boost of magic that negates the gravity of their masses), and earth ponies (likely extra strength and endurance). :wacko:

 

Other fics like Stardust (wonderful fic) also have ponies on earth. in that one Twilight is massively powerful and ends up located to earth and being the savior to humans who are trying to stave off an alien invasion with a more powerful alien enemy force. Twilight is able to use magic on earth because the capabilitiy exists there. People just have not been tapping into the existing magic lines that exist there. The alien forces actually have built their technology on capturing and using that same "magic" energy. Twilight eventually helps the science teams develop their own weaponry that are built off blueprinted magic (like ruins). Incidentally the "background pony spell" becomes a key resource for the human soldiers to use to escape the onslaught in several battles, blending into the background and going covert. Some of the humans closest to Twilight in fact begin to tap into these magic sources directly (think mutants like in X-Men and you're not far off). So in this scenario there is magic on earth, we just don't know how to tap into it yet and use it (through technology or our bodies). It would take a visiting unicorn to show us the ropes. :P

 

Other fics with people in Equestria have magic working just fine on people. It's a force to be reckoned with and used and while it may see illogical to humans its very real there.   

Edited by Freewave
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What I've read in fimfiction has come with these conclusions:

 

In the Conversion Bureau Year One (not a great fic but still an interesting one in this regard) was that magic IF it was brought to earth was able to be used AND was both harmful to both humans and technology. Using magic around electrical equiptment could short it out and destroy it. Using magic in close proximity to humans could also harm people. Also magic was something ingrained in pony DNA and that includes unicorns, pegasus (which can only fly with wings AND the boost of magic that negates the gravity of their masses), and earth ponies (likely extra strength and endurance). :wacko:

 

Other fics like Stardust (wonderful fic) also have ponies on earth. in that one Twilight is massively powerful and ends up located to earth and being the savior to humans who are trying to stave off an alien invasion with a more powerful alien enemy force. Twilight is able to use magic on earth because the capabilitiy exists there. People just have not been tapping into the existing magic lines that exist there. The alien forces actually have built their technology on capturing and using that same "magic" energy. Twilight eventually helps the science teams develop their own weaponry that are built off blueprinted magic (like ruins). Incidentally the "background pony spell" becomes a key resource for the human soldiers to use to escape the onslaught in several battles, blending into the background and going covert. Some of the humans closest to Twilight in fact begin to tap into these magic sources directly (think mutants like in X-Men and you're not far off). So in this scenario there is magic on earth, we just don't know how to tap into it yet and use it (through technology or our bodies). It would take a visiting unicorn to show us the ropes. :P

 

Other fics with people in Equestria have magic working just fine on people. It's a force to be reckoned with and used and while it may see illogical to humans its very real there.   

If magic did exist in our universe, it's possible we're saturated already, we just don't know or "understand" it yet. Magic would affect us normally, then. Stardust also seems interesting, I might give that a read.

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If magic did exist in our universe, it's possible we're saturated already, we just don't know or "understand" it yet. Magic would affect us normally, then. Stardust also seems interesting, I might give that a read.

 

Yeah I'd highly recommend it. The writer basically only has Twilight to play with but he does a fantastic job of capturing her personality well and really captures how she's highly capable and powerful but still this sweet overachieving innocent girl who's thrust into a war-torn world that she's really unpreapred for. It's a really great what if scenario and the writer does a good job of making the story work well and realistically (compared to the Conversion Bureau which a whole lot clunkier a read).

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