What do you think determines the color of a unicorn's magic?

[ggg-2 3,553]

I used to think that a unicorn's magic matches their eye color but as seen with Shining Armor (whose eyes are blue but his magic aura matches that of his sister) and Cadance (whose eyes are purple but her aura is light blue. which, hey, mirrors her husband's eyes and magic  and vice versa, fancy that!) among others, that's not the case. So what do you think determines the color of their magic?

Edited June 17, 2014 by ggg-2

[Banul 3,831]

Probably, the color of the aura is chosen to look good with the rest of the body. I don't think there is a specific reason in the lore that we know yet about why the colors are the way that they are.

[ReverieRiver 526]

It could possibly be genetics - just as genetics determines hair color or eye color. Shining Armor's aura being the same as his sister's supports this, since they are siblings, after all; it would only make sense for there to be genetic similarities. Now, there have been quite a number of instances where the unicorn's aura matches their eye color - but there are also cases where it doesn't. Perhaps the genes for eye color and the ones for aura color are simply closely related. They are likely to match, but may not.

[Rainblow H. Ash 5,091]

Perhaps magic auras run in the family? To explain differences in colors between family members, I'd just say that certain genes in the family determine the color. Perhaps there are dominant colors and recessive colors in a family line.

 

Or maybe it even depends on what part of the Unicorn's brain they use to cast the magic or something.

[StarburstMLP 32]

I kinda think its something to do with the cutie mark. Twilight has a pink star as her cutie mark and her magic is pink. Rarity has blue gems and her magic is blue. Cadence has a blue crystal heart-Blue magic.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

Sometimes the aura matches the cutie-mark. Sometimes it matched their eyes. Also: sickly green magic aura usually indicates 'dark magic'.

 

It looks like there may be some kind of pattern, but it's going to be a complex pattern that's for sure.

[RainbowMau 291]

Probably the magic level, just like the belts in karate.

[StarburstMLP 32]

:comeatus:@RainbowMau if it was the magic level.that means that rarity has the same level magic as princess cadence

Edited June 17, 2014 by StarburstMLP

[Silver Letter 1,832]

I think it's supposed to be eye color but sometimes, they forget when making the episodes. Or it's random except for Twilight and Rarity.

[Pastel 7,630]

To me it's just another color determined by genes, like the color of the eyes, or the hair mane...

Edited June 17, 2014 by Blobulle

[Justin_Case001 4,891]

Every unicorn is born with an inherent magic color, determined by the strength of their magic.  The darker the color, the stronger the magic.  The colors are as follows:

• White
• Yellow
• Tiger Eye
• Rose
• Summer-sky
• Purple Dusk
• Opal
• Green
• Sapphire
• Red
• Gray
• Ebon-gray
• Black

When a unicorn comes of age, he/she will make her Offering to the Darkness.  For example, Twilight made her Offering to the Darkness in Magical Mystery Cure.  When this happens, a unicorn can decend a maximum of three ranks.  For example, when an Opal unicorn makes his/her Offering, he/she can become, at most, a Red unicorn.

 

I'm just screwing around, of course.  In all seriousness, I'm sure the color of a unicorn's magic is determined by whatever color the animators think would look nice against the pony's coat.

[Scootalove 10,689]

I think the color is based on the genes and the strength of the magical aura.

[Adorkable 2,737]

I can't completely say for sure, but I would guess as they get older, the color of it changes.

 

As for how it originates, I'm unsure.

[sweetie bloom 44]

Depends on the cutie mark if u don't, then yo eyes. If you dont have eyes then you create yo own color threw the mind.

[PoisonClaw 8,164]

At first I thought it was based on eye color, but now I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the individual's cutie mark. Cadance uses magic the same shade of blue as the heart in her cutie mark for example. It's possible that either a unicorn's magic is inherently tied to their cutie mark somehow even before it appears (call it fate or destiny whatever) or that a unicorn's magic actually changes color afterwards to better match their mark. 

[Pastel 7,630]

At first I thought it was based on eye color, but now I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the individual's cutie mark. Cadance uses magic the same shade of blue as the heart in her cutie mark for example. It's possible that either a unicorn's magic is inherently tied to their cutie mark somehow even before it appears (call it fate or destiny whatever)

Interesting! But that doesn't seem to be the case with Luna.

 

If it's true, Sweetie Belle's cutie mark is going to be pale green.

[Pinkamena-Pills 6,839]

It's most likely whatever looks best on that particular pony.

 

I really don't think there's something complicated that determines magic aura color,just DHX.

[I used to be a stranger 7,993]

Whatever looks best on the color scheme of the character.

[dekutree64 713]

I say genetics. Each pony has their own color palette, just like humans. Eyes, skin/coat, hair, and in ponies, cutie mark. And rather than the magic gene being a color itself, it says what palette entry to use for their magic

 

Twilight and Shining both get their magic color from their cutie marks.

Rarity and Sweetie Belle both get their magic from their eyes.

But Celestia's is from her cutie mark, and Luna's is from either her coat or hair... so not all siblings have the same gene.

[Rainboom Dash 1,056]

Genetic, most likely. Every unicorn must have a certain magic color type.

[Magnum Flare 553]

I wonder. If genetics is the answer then, what about the dark magic? Cause I felt that it contradicts the idea.

[Pastel 7,630]

I wonder. If genetics is the answer then, what about the dark magic? Cause I felt that it contradicts the idea.

The magic aura of a unicorn can change of color if he masters dark magic, or if he uses an artifact (like in Inspiration Manifestation).

[wewi567etyrerag 82]

maybe it has to do with the genes or just the personality 

[Washougal_Otaku 1,020]

I think the animators have a giant wheel of several colors that they spin around every time they feel the need to randomly select a color to use, including for something like this.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Washougal_Otaku

[OptimisticNeighsayer 478]

In Season 1 it was the eyes, from all seasons onward it was the cutie mark.  So probably genes, yes.

 

But if we want to get really technical, absolutely nothing.  The "aura" surrounding a unicorn's magic doesn't actually exist.  Otherwise, the ponies would have investigated what was going on backstage in "Green Isn't Your Color", Queen Chrysalis would have been revealed much earlier in "A Canterlot Wedding", and Twilight might have thought twice about helping Spike in "Equestria Games", just to name a few.