SPOILERS! Journal of the two sisters. What the hay?

[ManaMinori 4,145]

SPOILERS!!!!

 

I've been wanting the Journal since its release, and today, I finally got it, but after digging into it all in the first few hours, I'm just left wondering. It explains so mich, but at the same time, leaves so many more questions open.

 

One, in particular, being the alicorn sisters upbringing. It's made clear that they most likely born in, and definitely grew up in Canterlot- with other Alicorns raising them. They were both taught the Royal Canterlot Voice, which had to mean that both Luna and Celestia were born into royalty, if they were being taught how to speak like nobles...so what confuses me is that if they were both born as nobles, and likely descended from a royal bloodline, then why were they playing princesses in their fillyhood, when even before Starswirl appointed them pricesses over Equestria, they were, already? Sure, their reign might've just been in Canterlot rather than all of Equestria, but I think they still were noble born and princesses from the start, from what I'm led to believe, from the passages in the Journal.

 

And come to think of it, why did Starswirl pick Luna and Celestia to rule, if there were obviously other Alicorns in Canterlot (presumably with far more knowledge of how to rule, if somepony predating the sisters was also born royalty, like their parents, or whatever royal was teaching the sisters the Royal Canterlot Voice, to begin with)?

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

From what I gathered from the book it didn't really seem like they were true royalty, if at all, and I don't remember if the book stated exactly why they were chosen as princesses instead of other alicorns.

 

I was also under the belief that Canterlot didn't exist at this time, considering that going by "Hearth's Warming Eve" we see no indication of a city as grand as Canterlot. Adding in the book and some later episodes, it seems to imply that Canterlot came to be shortly after the Nightmare Moon bit when she had wrecked up their original castle in the Everfree.

 

If I had to speculate a little, it would seem that Starswirl saw some great potential in young sisters; and it helps that alicorns age differently than the other races anyway.

[ManaMinori 4,145]

From what I gathered from the book it didn't really seem like they were true royalty, if at all, and I don't remember if the book stated exactly why they were chosen as princesses instead of other alicorns.

 

I was also under the belief that Canterlot didn't exist at this time, considering that going by "Hearth's Warming Eve" we see no indication of a city as grand as Canterlot. Adding in the book and some later episodes, it seems to imply that Canterlot came to be shortly after the Nightmare Moon bit when she had wrecked up their original castle in the Everfree.

 

If I had to speculate a little, it would seem that Starswirl saw some great potential in young sisters; and it helps that alicorns age differently than the other races anyway.

If they weren't royalty from the get go- how, then would you explain the ROYAL Canterlot voice? I doubt what lower tier they might've been in Canterlot, at the time, would've been taught the speech used by royals.

 

As for the city existing back then......In hearth's Warming eve, what we're shown in the dispute bewteen the 3 tribes, seems to take place outside of the land of what was eventually founded as Equestria, since all 3 tribes had to move out of...wherever they were, due to the Wendigoes, and find a place to start anew. Commander Hurricane even said that they'd find- and if need be- Conquer that new land. So if they moved out of..whatever land they were originally in, and to a land that they eventually named Equestria, and Canterlot was one of the cities already existing within the borders of it (and I assume it was, because the alicorns were there, teaching their young how to speak in Canterlot Caps, and the alicorns are a long-loved species), then that would mean that Canterlot was there, at the time of Hearth's Warming Eve, when the 3 tribes moved into the new land; and it was then that Starwsirl would've come across canterlot, discovered the alicorns, and appointed representatives from their unbiased race to rule the 3 tribes that moved into the territory, I suspect.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,162]

If they weren't royalty from the get go- how, then would you explain the ROYAL Canterlot voice? I doubt what lower tier they might've been in Canterlot, at the time, would've been taught the speech used by royals.

 

As for the city existing back then......In hearth's Warming eve, what we're shown in the dispute bewteen the 3 tribes, seems to take place outside of the land of what was eventually founded as Equestria, since all 3 tribes had to move out of...wherever they were, due to the Wendigoes, and find a place to start anew. Commander Hurricane even said that they'd find- and if need be- Conquer that new land. So if they moved out of..whatever land they were originally in, and to a land that they eventually named Equestria, and Canterlot was one of the cities already existing within the borders of it (and I assume it was, because the alicorns were there, teaching their young how to speak in Canterlot Caps, and the alicorns are a long-loved species), then that would mean that Canterlot was there, at the time of Hearth's Warming Eve, when the 3 tribes moved into the new land; and it was then that Starwsirl would've come across canterlot, discovered the alicorns, and appointed representatives from their unbiased race to rule the 3 tribes that moved into the territory, I suspect.

 

Fair enough on the Royal Canterlot Voice, and going back to the book, Luna does mention it specifically by name, so it's safe to assume that the city did exist; just not in the state that it is now.

 

Of course, that also raises other questions. Is the Canterlot on the mountain in the show the same Canterlot that the sisters were referring to in the book?

 

It's fun to speculate though.

[dekutree64 713]

As for the city existing back then......In hearth's Warming eve, what we're shown in the dispute bewteen the 3 tribes, seems to take place outside of the land of what was eventually founded as Equestria, since all 3 tribes had to move out of...wherever they were, due to the Wendigoes, and find a place to start anew. Commander Hurricane even said that they'd find- and if need be- Conquer that new land. So if they moved out of..whatever land they were originally in, and to a land that they eventually named Equestria, and Canterlot was one of the cities already existing within the borders of it (and I assume it was, because the alicorns were there, teaching their young how to speak in Canterlot Caps, and the alicorns are a long-loved species), then that would mean that Canterlot was there, at the time of Hearth's Warming Eve, when the 3 tribes moved into the new land; and it was then that Starwsirl would've come across canterlot, discovered the alicorns, and appointed representatives from their unbiased race to rule the 3 tribes that moved into the territory, I suspect.

Mind = blown I always though Canterlot was the new capital, built after Luna's banishment, not existing before the founding of Equestria. That finally resolves something that's bothered me for ages: The flag bearing Celestia and Luna's image in Hearth's Warming Eve. It totally never occurred to me that the alicorns could have been pre-existing residents there. But it makes so much sense, and the flag was probably meant to hint us toward that conclusion all along. I feel stupid now But now there's a whole new mystery: What happened to all the other alicorns? If they built a city as grand as Canterlot, there must have been more than just Celestia, Luna and their parents.

 

This also adds intrigue to the mines underneath Canterlot... just how old are they?

[Forlong 1,726]

You know what I realized?  That Prince Blueblood is the last decendant of King Bullion.

Well, there goes the male line.

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

Interesting to know how they didn't pop up from nothingness. Maybe i will find it pirated somwhere and read it. Anyways... sounds interesting.

[jeray2000 111]

Know what bugs me? A lack of Discord. I mean, this was the perfect opportunity to explain his origins and how the princesses defeated him. Maybe Hasbro is planning to save that for a later time though, and will give it it's own book/comic arc/season finale or premier. But then there could at least be a journal entry by him in the modern section, since being that Discord had access to the journal at the season finale I don't believe Discord wouldn't take that opportunity to add in a prank entry.

 

Also, I know have the headcanon that the Everfree has space warping in it, if it contains the entire species of zebras and yet can't take up that much of Equestria if it takes a several hour train ride from Ponyville to reach cities in every other direction(Manehatten, Canterlot, Appleloosa, Crystal Empire.) Either that or Equestria as a whole is absolutely massive.

[IridscentNionios 1,420]

 

 

if it contains the entire species of zebras

Nobody ever said the Everfree contains all the Zebras.