TheGr3ml1n

I enjoyed this episode. However, I would've preferred that it take place outside of Equestria. It seems odd to me that the show has yet to explore the idea of entering new lands outside of the main borders, and the Daring Do storyline (as well as many of it's characters) strike me as characters that live quite disconnected from the Equestrian lifestyle. Plus, if you take into account the aztec-style temples and mythology, at the very least I would assume that Daring Do's adventures take place in the pony equivalent of "south america". I'll withhold my judgement on how they're handling the Daring Do storyline (which I sincerely hope they continue), because I see multiple ways that they could explore the concept in a way that makes logical sense. My reasoning for this is because this episode was written by Dave Polsky, whom wrote the Discord reformation episode (an episode which was also met by mixed reactions). For me, the worst thing they could do is never return to the Daring Do storyline to explain how her character gets away with these things, yet manages to keep her life a "secret".

As interesting and entertaining as evil Discord was, "reformed" Discord provides many interesting options for the writers to work with (and simultaneously, becoming more like his ST:TNG counterpart). But more than that, Discord also provides the show with it's (arguably) first canon gray character. That's actually a pretty big deal if you think about it. While Luna may have had some somewhat darker characteristics, up until the premiere we've never really seen that side of her. Same with Discord; when he was reformed, many people expected him to turn (completely) good, yet in the premiere, he seems to be leaning towards what many people call "chaotic neutral". Kid's shows, like MLP, tend to stay away from these types of characters, because they've been a taboo in cartoons for a very long time. The fact that they're starting to experiment with this, as well as elements such as story-arcs and connecting episodes (which we saw a preview of last season), makes me think that Hasbro has given the writers more leash to do things they wouldn't necessarily have agreed to before. This, to me, is a good thing. Anyways, long story short, I view "reformed" Discord as a definite step in the right direction, and I think it represents the fact that this season may be a bit different than what we've seen before. Hopefully in a good way.

I've heard a rumor that the official name could be that of Snowflake, and that it would be "Bulk Biceps" (I doubt it, though the name was on the FiM wiki). I'm with those who think it'll be Vinyl Scratch. I mean, as far as I know, Hasbro has acknowledged her stage-name DJ-PON3, but they have yet to make her actual name canon. Plus, with the comic-con figures and all the talk about her character, it seems very likely that she'll be the one to ascend from background-pony status. I'm a bit unsure about this. Not because of how I think the writers will perceive the character; i'm more worried about the fandom's reaction to her canon personality differing from her "fanon" personality (this can apply to any of the bg ponies). Also, since so many are used to Nowacking's take on her character, it may be a bit jarring if, say, her voice is significantly different.

I believe the flashbacks may not have been 100% accurate. I feel as though we perceived the events through the eyes of Twilight, and so they weren't factually perfect. Think of it as when something is directly translated from one language to another. It can have similar meaning, but sometimes it differs a bit from the original. Of course, that's just my headcanon that explains the inconsistencies from the flashbacks, such as the fact that through the first few minutes of the flashback, Luna seems to be talking to thin air.

I believe this is the most plausible explanation as well. It wouldn't make sense if only a year had passed since the last Summer Sun Celebration, for several reasons (some stated above). The only other explanation I can think of is if the SSC is not an annually celebrated event. First off, look at the two winter episodes, Winter Wrap Up and Hearth's Warming Eve. This was already pointed out, but they both take place in the same "season", but not in the same show season. I guess one could say that they both took place at the same time through some strange quirk in the timeline, but that would suggest that the entire show had no focus on chronological order, which we've seen in the past to be, for the most part, untrue. Then you have Luna Eclipsed and fall Weather Friends. Now, one wouldn't expect there to be much of a connection between these episodes, except for the fact that... well, LE is a Halloween episode. Halloween takes place in the fall. The Mane Six themselves also refer to their friendship in a way that suggests they've known eachother for a few years now. So again, I find it very unlikely that only a year has gone by since the first two-parter. Now, my own thoughts on this is that it took not only two-three years to reintroduce Luna to the show, but it also took that long for the inhabitants of Equestria to get used to the idea of having someone who had been regarded as one of the most evil things in existence for the last thousand years, as someone who had been reformed and seen the error of their ways. For that reason, this represents the first Summer Sun Celebration where Luna is now fully included in Equestria as one of the two ruling sisters.

Ah, after a long 9 month wait, the time has finally come. The time where hundreds of fan-fic writers voices will cry out, but be suddenly silenced. I, for one, look forward to the epic headcanon destruction that is to follow.

Hmmm... I don't quite agree with that. If it were true that Hasbro wanted to completely remove us from the equation... how do you explain things like the comic-con exclusive Derpy? The comic-books, aimed almost exclusively toward us? The allowance of we-love-fine merchandise? The six appearances by Derpy in the Season 3 finale? The copyrighting of names such as Lyra Heartstrings, Doctor Hooves, and Steven Magnet? The launch of Enterplay trading cards and games, with tons of references hidden in them? If anything is true, it's the opposite. I'm worried that Hasbro misunderstands how to appeal to both fan bases. The best example is actually EqG, since it's been stated several times that part of the reason it exists was the overabundance of humanized art by the fanbase.

Hey all, I'm back again with another crazy conspiracy theory, one that (as far as I know) hasn't been proposed yet, and it has to do with the "foe" mentioned in the synopsis of the S4 two-parter. Any possible spoilers this may reveal is just a result of speculation. Bare with me here, this post may be a bit long... ------------------------ The Rumor Long ago, in fact before the start of season 3, there was this crazy rumor floating around. One that started due to a supposed leak from an intern on the show. This theory, was that Discord was in fact a corrupted form of Starswirl the Bearded, due to some leaked lines that were to be performed by John De Lancie. From the second I heard this, I thought it was quite an intriguing idea. Yet, it seemed highly improbable. The credibility of this rumor seemed to drop considerably, when Meghan McCarthy stated that Discord was not in fact Starswirl. Furthermore it seemed unlikely, with the reformation of Discord, that this theory had any real merit. Not without stretching it considerably. And so I resolved that the whole thing was likely false and that any supposed lines leaked were just a ploy to get the guy who "leaked" them a lot of attention. However, something changed my mind. Not enough to make me accept the entire rumor as fact, but enough to make me think that maybe this leak wasn't entirely wrong, instead it was likely misinterpreted. ------------------------ Back around the time of Season 3's finale, a name started popping up quite frequently on the net. It was the name of a toy character that seemed to have quite a lot of backstory for never having been on the show. A lot of people thought that this character was an up-and-coming villain from the S3 finale. That was, until, Meghan tweeted that this character was never going to be on the show (which served to confuse many). Since she's the show-runner, most people left it at that. This character, was none other than Sunset Shimmer. There have been other cases where leaks were "apparently" denied by the show staff, but to a certain extent turned out to be true. Not because they lied, but because they denied specific parts of the rumor. What made me consider that Starswirl had any upcoming role in the show, was how fast questions about Starswirl were shot down at various writer's panels. Each time he's brought up, the writers seem to deny all knowledge of him, or state "how could he be alive? He'd have to be thousands of years old." This is true. However, we also know that Starswirl is MLP's version of Merlin. Merlin's true name is Ambrose, or Emeryst. Both of which translate as a synonym for "immortal". ------------------------ The Conspiracy Now, I know what you're thinking. "The writers wouldn't put that much thought into the show. It's still just a kids show". This is quite true, it is just a kid's show. But it also seems to have quite a surprising amount of depth. Patterns seem to pop up frequently in the show, things that unless you were to really analyze the show, you would never notice. One of these patterns seemed to lend credence to the idea that Starswirl may be involved in Season 4. A certain chart of every villain in the show so far, and how each represents the opposite of a specific Element of Harmony. If we're to take this chart as completely true, and we're to believe that the writers indeed intended for this to happen (and it isn't in fact due to some freakish coincidence), then that means that the next major villain would have to be both a male character, and represent greed. Why would Starswirl represent Greed? Well, if you remember back to the Season 3 finale, we hear Celestia mention that Starswirl's greatest masterpiece was never finished, because he never understood the concept of friendship. However, later it's revealed that the very same spell Starswirl spent all that time trying to perfect, when completed by Twilight, successfully transforms her into an Alicorn. This would seem to imply that Starswirl had quite an interest in power. Specifically, the power of an Alicorn (which we have yet to see a male version of, btw). And we all know what an obsession with power can lead to... ------------------------ All of this is fine and good, but you may be asking yourself, what does any of this have to do with Luna's flashback appearance in the comic-con animatics? I have an entirely different theory about that, and I could write much more on it, but this post is probably long enough as it is. Basically, I view the flashback and Luna's transformation as precedent for what occurs with Starswirl (basically to explain how he could become evil). Who knows, maybe Starswirl had his part to play in Luna becoming Nightmare Moon. ------------------------ Alright, now that all that's out of the way, lets get into the supposed leak itself. The link to it comes from Discord's Domain, and was posted by the well-known Sweetie Bot. It shows many lines that are apparently made by Discord, that imply he was once Starswirl. http://eqmegathreads.blogspot.com/2012/12/rumor-possible-discord-lines.html There are several theories here on how Discord could possibly be Starswirl. And as far as i'm concerned, they're all somewhat plausible. But I don't believe Discord is actually Starswirl. Let's pretend for a moment that none of the lines are from Discord. Instead, imagine that Starswirl and Starswirl alone is the one who says them in the season premiere. Well, then you may ask yourself, why does Starswirl sound so similar to Discord? (This starts crossing into headcanon territory, but then again, this whole theory is pretty crazy anyway.) I believe Discord is actually the result of some form of experiment by Starswirl. An experiment to try and realize the "ultimate power". In his quest and obsession for trying to discover the key to this power, he creates a creature of chaos. Furthermore, his creation is formed from a part of himself. So in a way, Starswirl is Discord... only not. The lines stated by Discord in the supposed link sound very plausible. They sound very much like they could be in the actual show. The only thing is, they don't sound exactly like Discord. In fact, they almost sound more logical than anything you'd normally hear from him. The lines also refer to themselves several times as Starswirl, but not specifically Discord. Add to that the fact that the press release of the episode lists all the voice actors involved, but yet none of them listed are shown as the "mysterious foe" in the synopsis. Unless, of course, John De Lancie is playing Starswirl's lines much like how Tabitha is playing Luna's lines (Luna's not mentioned in the cast list, yet we know for a fact that she's in the episode). ------------------------ TL;DR To make a long story short, my theory is that Discord was an accident, created out of the power-hungry greed that Starswirl gained later in his life. In an effort to become all-powerful (possibly in a quest to become immortal), he created Discord out of a part of himself. And much like history has a tendency to cover up the flaws of certain celebrities, the latter years of his life might've been erased from history, including his possible descent into madness. Now, again, I realize how far out this theory may seem. However, there are many things that seem to imply that if not this, something similar occurred. If the writers really wanted to add a plot twist to the series, they could add that many of the things that have occurred in the past, such as the Alicorn Amulet, as well as the escape of Cerberus the three-headed dog (which BTW occurred in an episode that had a lot to do with Starswirl and consequently had the sound effect that is commonly associated with an appearance by Discord) are somehow connected to Starswirl. Let me know what you guys think. I know that if I were a writer on MLP, I would definitely add in a plot twist like this. I also know that it may seem like a bit much for a show like MLP. But who knows... Meghan did state that something crazy and unexpected was going to happen in the season premiere, if it wasn't leaked first... ------------------------ BTW, some of the pics may be a bit out of context. I just wanted to add them in to make the post a little less wall-of-texty.

No I have not. If anything, I think my faith in their ability might have been strengthened. Don't get me wrong, Season 3 was, IMHO, the weakest season of FiM, specifically in terms of pacing and character. I have my own theories on why this was (most of it relating to the shorter season and the infamous 65 episode rule), but the thing that I think saves this season, is the fact that it introduces something that we've barely seen in the FiM universe; a much heavier emphasis on cross-season continuity. Now, we have in fact seen this in the show before (although minimally). More specifically when Cadence and Shining Armor show up both in Season 2 and 3, or when several previous episodes were referenced in Magic Duel. But what I think redeems Season 3, is the fact that it introduced several storylines that appear to play major roles in Season 4. (Note: Spoilers ahead) From what has been released in the animatics, we already know that Season 4 will have a major sub-plot relating to the Equestria Games that seems to span more than one episode. In itself, this is already a cross-season arc, but it goes even further as to mention Mrs Harshwinny, as well as capitalize on Scootaloo's "disability" (something that's been hinted at throughout every season). Besides the fact that tackling such an issue in FiM seems quite gutsy of them, the relationship between Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash was introduced heavily in S3. Assuming they're sticking to this trend of story arcs in S4, this means Rainbow Dash could have a significant role in this episode, which also means that this episode has the potential of combining both those episode arcs (without it having to be a season finale.) Going further with this, if S3 was indeed designed to set up many of the things that happen in S4, then the reformation of Discord was no coincidence. It seems all signs are pointing to him having a major role in the next season (perhaps in order to defeat the next big bad?). If you start to consider the idea that S3 was a setup for S4, it unlocks a lot of potential for the future of the show. And with S4 being a total of 26 episodes, I have high hopes that many of the issues of S3 won't carry into the next season. To be honest, my only major worry is if the crew isn't willing to go far enough. But as long as they're able to raise the stakes enough to match that of Twilight's ascension, I have no doubts in their abilities to provide another epic season of pony.

I do not believe they ever mention a name for their "planet" (nor do i believe the writers have come up with one; yet). Who knows, maybe with Season 4 potentially taking the cast to more exotic locations, they will make a canon term for the planet. Personally I prefer Equus, but i'm willing to bet they'll just end up calling it Earth. This provides conflicting and confusing information though. It's already been mentioned several times in canon (And by Lauren Faust herself if I remember correctly) that Equestria is in fact a country. There's even a canon map showing it as only a portion of the planet. It would be pretty odd if both the planet and the country were named Equestria, don't you think? Now, one theory I heard was that the ponies themselves consider the world "Equestria", because as far as they know, that is the extent of their world. However, with the confirmation of a Griffon Empire, (and some sort of dragon kingdom) both residing outside of Equestria, it seems likely that a different term would be used to describe the planet in it's entirety.

I believe the most obvious explanation for why Twilight's friends didn't follow her into the portal, is because Meghan didn't want to focus on six different characters having to adjust to a new universe. Lets say they did do what you suggest, and have Twilight bring her friends through the portal. From an "In-universe" stand-point, it makes sense. However from a writing standpoint, I would say it's an absolute nightmare. Think about it, this movie had a little over an hour to present it's plot and solve the problem. Splitting the focus of the story in six different directions would've taken it's toll on the integrity of the plot, and the film would've lost it's focus. I could understand if it was only two or three characters crossing over, but you're talking about six different characters. They managed to keep the theme of the show by keeping the mane six in their alternate forms. Nothing about the alternate characters makes them seem any less "real" than their pony versions, and they had a great deal to do with the plot. With their help Twilight defeated the big-bad. Now, i'm not saying I was the biggest fan of EqG, but I certainly did feel that it reinforced the idea that the mane six still have a major role to play in Twilight's future. And if one thing's for sure, Twilight certainly did not come across as a Mary Sue, which seems to be everyone's favorite doomsday word to throw around nowadays.

Of all the clips that were shown at comic-con, this was my second favorite (behind the whole Luna/Nightmare Moon flashback sequence, of course). It seems that this episode may be parodying several superhero tropes, as well as referencing some popular comic book heroes/villains (namely that villain at the end, which seems to bare a remarkable resemblance to a certain Spiderman baddie). However that isn't what interests me most about this episode. What I find most intriguing is what causes this scenario in the first place. Now, I have heard several people say they think this is all some sort of dream Spike is having, perhaps due to his late-night reading of a comic-book before drifting off to sleep. I disagree with this, namely because along with Spike, the Mane 6 seem to have no idea what's going on at the beginning of the story. I'd be willing to bet that either they've been teleported to an alternate universe, or they're all sharing the same dream. And if I had to guess who would do such a thing, I would think the most obvious answer would be Discord. What makes this concept so great, is that assuming Discord is basically MLP's "Q", this would be just like him. Sure, he would get massive amounts of entertainment out of it, but just like Q, in the end he would orchestrate these contrived scenarios in order to teach whomever is his target (be it Picard or Twilight) an important "lesson". Perhaps that's what Discord's role in Equestria becomes, teaching ponies lessons that Celestia is unable to. I would sincerely prefer this to the idea that they need him to defeat some big-bad, because in that case defeating the villain would become almost too easy (and he becomes a sort of "Get Out of Jail Free" card). Of course, there's always a chance i'm reading way too much into this (happens often). and it's a lot simpler than that. Either way, I like the direction they're taking in Season 4. It seems they're storylines are getting much more ambitious than before. Whether or not that proves to be a good thing, we'll find out soon enough. EDIT: Regarding the superpowers of the Mane 6, I don't think the clip actually said what they were, but instead just stated their superhero names.

Personally, I would enjoy it if the remixed version of the theme song used in EqG was partially used for the intro (or something similar to it). Of all the things in that film, pros and cons, that was the highlight of it for me. It would be a nice way of showing that the show is evolving as a whole (with new animation included of course).

I'm with those who think that an entire episode shouldn't be based around the background characters, and likely won't happen, because of the writer's stance on the subject. However, I DO think they could have a more prominent role in an episode, and I think their personalities should be a little more hinted at. Not so much that it destroys people's views of said characters, but enough so that we get a few in-jokes. It would be interesting if they had something to do with the actual plot of the episode, but I think it would probably be best if they simply had more common appearances. Basically, the way Season 2 did it, but a bit more pronounced. Of course, if I were to make a fandom nod, it might be neat if now that humans are (arguably) somewhat existent in relation to the FiM universe, we could have a certain mint-green unicorn say something in reference to a particular fanon interpretation (though hopefully, that would be the extent of it's canon involvement).

Honestly, I doubt they will ever fully remove Derpy from the show. Season 3 had a lack of Derpy for a number of reasons, it seems the number 1 reason being they simply didn't have time for the usual fandom nods (the argument that the controversy happened at the same time as they were making season 3 though doesn't seem completely valid, as it seems that actual boarding and animation was taking place in the late summer). I can't be the only one that suspects this season was rushed out as quickly as possible, and I have my suspicions that the infamous "65 episode" rule was involved. I do believe that with Season 3's finale, and the fact that Derpy is used for all sorts of promotional material/teasers and TONS of merch, that Hasbro is very much trying to say that they like Derpy. It's almost like the only reason they won't bring her name back is the fear of a lawsuit. In all likelihood, Derpy will continue making appearances throughout Season 4 and beyond. I don't see there being any reason not to, after all. It's the perfect loophole for them, as long as they never mention her name.

I would not mind a G5 if they did something akin to ST:TNG or Legend of Korra. A My Little Pony: The Next Generation set a good distance in the future could provide for decent storylines. They could either make it only a few years in the future, where only some things have changed (likely after Twilight has completely ascended to replace Celestia as her heir), or they could go the Avatar or ST route and make it 100 to a thousand years into the future (could bring about some interesting technological developments) One thing is for sure, the rating would probably have to be upped to TV Y-7. So far in the series, there have been scenes that, at least to me, edge dangerously close to a higher rating (changelings, king sombra, etc.), so instead of skirting around it all the time, give the show a little breathing room. Because of the strictness of a TV-Y rating, I find it difficult to believe they would be able to replicate the success that FiM had in a spinoff show like this. (the perfect example of what would be perfect in terms or rating, is the comics.) Another thing, retain a good amount of talent. If not the same writers, bring in new but equally skilled writers to take this on. As much as many don't like EqG, they maintained the talent from FiM in order to ensure the product wasn't a complete catastrophe (as well as seemingly not giving it a rating, allowing for the possibility of higher action). Do the same for G5, otherwise you risk losing a lot of the popularity and quality MLP:FiM had. Lastly, make it interesting. Lauren Faust originally intended to make FiM an adventure show, with the Mane Six going on missions against villains possibly even outside of Equestria. If handled correctly, this could make for a very intriguing show. They probably wouldn't serialize it completely, but continuity between episodes (which FiM has to a certain extent), as well as more exploration of the show's lore, could make it akin to something like Avatar or Gravity Falls. Also, coming up with a good overarching plotline like FiM would be a must. The big point would be to give the people who work on the show plenty of room to create an intriguing storyline. I DO think it's possible to create an engaging sequel to G4 that's as clever and enjoyable, but Hasbro has to be willing to do the same thing they did for G4 when they asked Lauren Faust to work on it: let the writers handle it. And don't completely discount it either, MLP now has a huge following with kids and adults. Also, Hasbro hasn't ignored bronies, as they've given us comics and merch. Sure they've made missteps, but they've also embraced our demographic more than possibly any other company would have. That's not to say that our demographic is what they should be aiming for explicitly, but instead go in with the intent of making it an all ages show. TL; DR: It's possible to create a good G5. but Hasbro has to allow the writers to come up with their own storylines. The best way I can see it turning out, is if Hasbro were to bring in the talent from G4, and give them at least as much leeway as they gave the comics.

That's a good observation, and it seems to be a trend in the MLP-verse. Though I'm not as convinced that it's a marketing technique, as much as it's the difference between DHX's and Hasbro's way of marketing. It seems the second trailer was more designed to get people from the brony audience interested, but the first trailer was intended for the target audience. When A Canterlot Wedding was first advertised, images of Cadence, a "pretty pink pony princess" were the first things leaked and Hasbro advertised the girliest aspects of it. However, when the release came closer the Hub released a trailer with a bunch of clones battling it out with a machine-gun Twilight. Now there's no way to be sure of this, but it seems that Hasbro prefers to advertise things the way they've always known how to advertise (their traditional views on childrens programming), and DHX and The Hub have a more brony-centric, or better said all ages, advertising agenda in mind. In any case, both the leaked images and the new trailer have given me a lot more hope for the film (as well as confirmation that Spike can talk). What would really sell it for me though, is If they throw in a reference or two to Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I mean the plotline so far seems to sort of have that vibe.

I voted indifferent, although I am cautiously optimistic. I think it mostly depends on a few factors. Did the staff anticipate that Season 3 would be their last season? If that's the case, if they didn't have one heck of a good contingency plan, it could lead to quality decay. However, if they didn't anticipate this to be their last season, then that means they've had the chance to plan this out for quite some time. (And there is evidence to support this, because MLP has shown no signs of slowing down since it's premiere) Personally, I believe there are several more topics that can be explored, from the history of Starswirl the Bearded, to political relations with different nations, and even the reasoning behind the "Cosmic Council". (Not to mention the true lore surrounding Alicorns and how they work). Really, I think it depends on how prepared they were to handle this. And the Season 3 finale I don't believe counts as a way to judge it because, from what I've heard, the staff originally intended the plotline to be a two-parter.

These images give off a major Buffy vibe. Also, it seems they might be able to get away with more if they can kill off the bad guy like that... Hmm... it depends really. If they can maintain a coolness level that the last few minutes of the film seem to have throughout the entire thing, it's possible it could turn out alright... I still have my doubts, but this definitely gives me some hope for how they'll handle it.

I think it's more the social stigma. People bash the older gens for the same reason they bashed G4 before they watched it, because MLP is branded as a little girls cartoon, and it's easier for their friends to understand that they like a "reboot" version with pop culture references rather than the original. Of course, I personally prefer G4 and do not watch the older versions, but I don't bash them either because I understand their importance in the ponyverse. However when someone questions me on the topic of MLP and starts the sentence off with "Isn't that that 1980's little girls cartoon?" I make sure to point out the differences.

Well... obviously the show isn't going for realism, but if we were to be realistic, it would make sense for such a villain to have a contingency plan. I see your point, and i'm not saying I entirely agree they would take such a drastic risk in the show. But I also think that there's enough room for them to create a plausible explanation that doesn't violate the meaning of the show if they really wanted to.

I have been partially dissuaded from this theory, not because I believe the writers couldn't work in the story of Luna's revenge into the plot over time (as well as not step on any toes regarding the morals of the show), but because i'm not convinced they would go so far as to create such an intricate plot-line that, while it does have some evidence backing it up, has at least as much evidence against it. However, if somehow it is true, and the writers are really planning on having Luna return to Nightmare Moon, (I don't believe myself that Luna is Chrysalis) and we assume that the Tolkien novel(s) The Silmarillion have anything to do with it, then it is worth noting that Discord and Nightmare Moon were once intended to be one and the same. (An interview with Lauren Faust revealed that they were originally supposed to be the same character, or at least that Nightmare Moon's original name was in fact Discord.) In the video which has been posted multiple times in this thread, it is mentioned that the main baddy of Tolkien's story was the ruler of "Darkness and Chaos". At some point, he's brought down from his position of power, and asks for forgiveness while secretly planning his revenge. The significance of having the words "Darkness and Chaos" is that it is the exact combination of Nightmare Moon and Discord. However, as some have said, you have the whole issue of it going against the message of the show and weakening the effect of the EoH. I do think this can be explained, if for example the Elements did have a significant effect, but (and this is pretty wild speculation) being that Nightmare Moon had enough warning ahead of time, she created a sort of "contingency plan", something that would resurrect her old self in the form of Nightmare Moon. This could all be resolved because, while Nightmare Moon would have counted for almost every variable, she didn't account for her friendship with Twilight. In the end, it's that connection that prevents her from bringing about eternal night once again.

You do bring up valid points. My personal headcanon regarding the design of Canterlot based off of the LOTR castle, is that it's specifically the design used, and not the actual history of the castle (more for looks than anything else). The big reason I consider there to be relevance to Camelot is the amount of times Starswirl is brought up in the show or alluded to. As for the three species coming together like that, yes it is true that each species had a big part to do in defeating the Windigoes. However, if we're to take the play to be literal in several ways, then Clover has a display of magic that is very similar to that of Twilight's (super-mega-powerful) and the Elements of Harmony, and we also know that, because of Twilight's abilities, she eventually ascended to become an Alicorn with the help of her friends. (people have actually expressed similar issues with this, saying they prefer if Twilight stay the way she were instead of "rising" above her friends) The connection I made was this: Clover has reason to become an Alicorn. However, we only know of one other Alicorn that could ever match the description, that being Celestia. Of course, you're right in saying there isn't enough evidence to say if this is true or not, so we'll just have to wait and see if there's any merit to this theory at all (hopefully with that evasive backstory episode). Those are some pretty interesting theories. The one that I have a slight issue with, is that Starswirl was female and needed to disguise herself as a male to gain respect. Granted, it's entirely possible, but from everything we've heard so far Equestrian society seems to be the complete opposite in regard to the value of a certain gender's social status. Aside from the fact that we haven't seen a single male Alicorn in the show, there's also the case of mares running the majority of jobs in the workplace (with a few exceptions). However, it could be explained if there was a radical shift in cultural views over the last thousand years (possibly due to Discord?). Personally, I like to believe that Starswirl couldn't become an Alicorn because one, he wasn't female, and also because he wasn't as in-tune with the concept of "Friendship is Magic". Then, if I were to expand this theory into conspiracy territory, I would say he was consumed by the desire to become an Alicorn, but with the solution to his spell always just beyond his reach, he chose the next best thing: The Spirit of Chaos. Though one thing does intrigue me (going off a little bit on what you originally said). One possible theory is that there was actually a generation gap (I believe it probably would only be one generation, seeing as we don't know of any other rulers of Equestria besides Celestia), it might solve several holes in this theory. It could be that Celestia (as well as Luna) is actually Clover's daughter, after Clover herself became an Alicorn. This would establish the theory that Celestia and Luna were born as Alicorns, and have always been Alicorns, as well as the possibility that they were born right around the time of Discord. What would make it even more interesting is if Discord was in fact Starswirl, and that he was once married to Clover. Clover had Celestia and Luna without Discord's knowledge, making it so that Celestia and Discord had no true idea that they are in fact related, and that Celestia was never fully aware that Discord was in fact Starswirl. Of course, as amazing as this sounds, it seems it might be a little dark and mature for a kids show, (as well as complex) but who knows? The show has surprised me before. (BTW relating to the theory that the unnamed princess could be involved with the story, it is definitely possible. However, I have heard somewhere, i'm not sure where, that making her an Alicorn was actually an animation mistake. Again though, it's possible, (might've even been done on purpose) because we know that the staff will almost flat-out lie about certain things if it means not revealing spoilers.) It is true, that Clover doesn't seem to quite fit as the name of Celestia. However, we aren't actually aware of what Clover's true talents were, or her destiny, because ironically enough it was Twilight that played her in the play. If, for whatever reason, (be it Celestia didn't want others to know of her past, specifically enemies, or another reason) Celestia wanted to change her name in the history books, Clover the Clever could be a good Pseudonym. Also, I personally like to believe that Lauren Faust thought the history of Equestria out ahead of time, and that it's only up to the writers to think of creative ways to implement the stories into the show. Because if that weren't true, then there would most assuredly be huge continuity gaps in the future of the series. Thankfully, evidence so far has shown minimal conflicts in canon, so we can assume that there is an actual established storyline from the creation of Equestria, up until the point of the return of Nightmare Moon.

The problem with any theory is that we don't know enough about the show's canonical history to say with certainty one way or the other. The one big hole with this theory (which, if it does end up being at least partially accurate, i'm sure could be fairly easily explained) is that Luna was not included in the founding story of Equestria. I don't have an explanation for it, because it seems we know even less about Luna's past than we know about Celestia's. Now, relating to the timeline differences, we don't know for sure when Discord attacked, nor do we know if Celestia and Luna were around during that time. It could very well be, in the case that Celestia truly is Clover the Clever, that during this period of time without the Elements of Harmony, she was powerless against Discord (or banished to the Sun/Moon). It was not until she discovered the elements later with her sister, that they were able to defeat Discord. This is mainly speculating at this point, because again, between the founding of Equestria and the introduction of Discord there isn't much to go in terms of canon. However, if for some crazy reason the rumor that Discord was actually Starswirl the Bearded (as was apparently leaked), possibly caused by his corruption in desire to become an Alicorn, it does provide a lot of interesting backstory on the relationship between Clover, and Starswirl (Celestia, and Discord). I am more hesitant to accept this theory, because there is very little in canon that has been used to support it. (plus, as much as I do have faith in the writer's abilities, i'm not sure if they would go on such an awesome route as this). On the other hoof, the evidence supporting the idea that Clover could be Celestia is much more plausible, since it could go hand-in-hand with the stories of King Arthur and Camelot. We already know that FiM parodies those stories, with the inclusion of "Merlin", and "Camelot". I find it difficult to believe that with all that, they wouldn't have designed the formation of Canterlot with that in mind. At the moment however, the most applicable pony that could have become the ruler of Equestria and Canterlot is Clover, because of what she did, and because of the similarities she shares with Twilight. So I do find it odd, being the apprentice of Starswirl himself, and managing to perform such high level magic, that she wouldn't be rewarded with major recognition and known across Equestria for what she did. At the very least, it seems highly likely that the history of Equestria is influenced by Arthurian legend, and that Clover the Clever had a much bigger role in things than was initially let on (the similarities just seem too obvious to ignore). On the case of this being a spoiler post, it isn't really, I merely posted possible spoilers in the case that some people didn't want to know of certain things that may or may not actually occur in the show (especially since Celestia is supposed to be such a mysterious character). Also of course, if I was a writer and I had a mysterious character I wanted to implement into the story, I would be likely to place certain hints and clues as to the true nature and history of said character throughout the show, in order to make the impact of their reveal much more meaningful.

If the show staff were indeed basing it off of the legends of King Arthur, The Sword in the Stone would act more as an analogy for that moment of "realization", similar in a sense to how Arthur truly realized he was worthy of becoming king when he was able to pull the sword from the stone (and coincidentally, the moment that Clover the Clever defeated the Windigoes, as well as the moment Twilight discovered the meaning of Star Swirl's spell). In regard to it being passive magic, the magic Twilight used was not one with any harmful or offensive intentions, but the Windigoes, (which are powerful magic beings that feed on hatred) would naturally be drawn away from such magic, because their very fabric of existence relies on conflict and war, and not friendship and harmony.