Guard Headcannon

[timemagetim 21]

So my SO and I were having a discussion about why all of the pony guards could possibly look so alike in a world that entails and encourages so much individuality and so many different colors. Its practically impossible that there are so many guards that look the same. We came up with the idea that they are all under a Glamour. (A spell that changes the outward appearance of something) This is to promote uniformity in the ranks, intimidate foes, and make it more difficult to pick out members from one another. We figure if a unicorn like Shiningarmor can create such a powerful forcefield it must be fairly easy for even a mediocre unicorn to be able to change the outward appearance of themselves and a few others around them into the generic or classic look for the guards. this could also explain the special appearance of Luna's batpony carriage pullers.

[Misty Rose 3,217]

Sounds like an interesting theory Though I think to me it's just the artists being lazy and not wanting to make a different design for each guard, or it could have some significance You know those guards in Britain with the red suits and big furry black hats? They all pretty much look the same Plus Celestia's guards are about as serious as those guys are, especially seen in A Bird in the Hoof, so possible reference is likely Edited January 6, 2015 by Pink Mist

[sweetolebob18 728]

It's not in any of the episodes.  In many fanfics, it is assumed the guards are the same either because they use make up or the armor has a Glamour on it.  It is usually assumed that the uniform look is intentional, like a soldier's uniform.

 

IDK if any of the comics mentions anything about it.

 

Although, as Pink Mist says, IRL it is probably because the artists don't want to draw so many individual figures.

[Tameless 980]

Sounds like an interesting theory Though I think to me it's just the artists being lazy and not wanting to make a different design for each guard, or it could have some significance You know those guards in Britain with the red suits and big furry black hats? They all pretty much look the same Plus Celestia's guards are about as serious as those guys are, especially seen in A Bird in the Hoof, so possible reference is likely

 

I've noticed that too. I also agree with Pink Mist. The animators always use the same background characters, so to have royal guards? "Let's make them only grey and white". Anyway that's what I think.

[Elegron 168]

in canon, i think you have a valid point, in reality, hasbro is lazy.

[Tao 8,905]

The term: All for one and One for all.  Might fit into the guards in

also if a you have massive army that all looks the same it might

make a foe think twice of striking but act as major confusing  if

one thinks into battle tactics...

 

Also it might be the "uniform" of the guards they have

used for a long time if you think about it in both the

Solar and Lunar and where the hell is the females of

the guards?

 

Glamor would be the most open answer but if that glamor

could be broken by a counter spell?  Also we don't see

a break down of ranks minus the one time with Armor

and all sadly!

[Nature's Spell 526]

The other aspect is that the three different races are also different color: gray (unicorns), white (pegasus), and brown (Earth ponies). I'd love to know how the writers would explain it.

[Metemponychosis 1,262]

Lauren Faust once said that the bat ponies are like pegasi that live in deep caves. It would make sense for the Guard to recruit these ponies for night duty This would explain the bat ponies, and they could very well use the same kind of glamour in their armors, so that all look alike.

 

Anyway, I'd really like the show to expand on the Royal Guard and mention if there is any kind of "local guards".

[Malinter 3,064]

I like to think the Royal Guard's rank and file soldiers are from families bred to train soldiers as they are really the only ponies that exist to do the opposite of be happy and pretty, namely to kick flank and die defeating the princesses from any and all threats possible.

 

However, a glamour spell would make more sense as if protecting the princess was their life's purpose then ALL royal guardsponies would have the same cutie mark (in theory) with only Gaurd Captains having anything unique.

[silvadel 1,393]

The armor has a glamour that only the princesses and the guards themselves can see through.  This enables guards to be anonymous in performing their duties (so criminals do NOT know who to take revenge against) and makes it so the enemies that they fight do not know whether they are fighting "Sledge hammer" or "Iron Shield," where a much different style could be used if they knew.

[Metemponychosis 1,262]

 

 

anonymous in performing their duties

 

Am I the only one who thinks that this could actually be bad?

[timemagetim 21]

Am I the only one who thinks that this could actually be bad?

It could be in the regular world but in a place like equestrian where so few ponies are actually bad and most evil is from outside sources I don't think its bad.

[Manman20x6 359]

This is quite a popular headcanon, but I don't believe it.

 

I think that all guards DO have different appearances, but the show depicts them all as looking similar to save time. Evidence of this is that some of the guards have a unique look (Such as Flash Sentry). Why wouldn't Flash's armor turn his coat white?

 

It's like how in some scenes showing a large crowd, you can see several clones of Lyra and Colgate. These clones probably don't actually exist in the universe of Equestria, but the animators put them there because they don't have the time to create hundreds of unique character designs.

[Metemponychosis 1,262]

It could be in the regular world but in a place like equestrian where so few ponies are actually bad and most evil is from outside sources I don't think its bad.

True. If we consider Equestria as being a world where ponies are just "good" and "evil" exists because of monsters and some ponies like Sombra... Then yes... It would actually be good for guards to be anonymous in their job. After all, if a bad pony got his plans foiled by the Royal Guard, he could target those responsible. I really like to think that of Equestria, but most people in the fandom seem to think that ponies are exactly like people.

 

This is quite a popular headcanon, but I don't believe it.

 

I think that all guards DO have different appearances, but the show depicts them all as looking similar to save time. Evidence of this is that some of the guards have a unique look (Such as Flash Sentry). Why wouldn't Flash's armor turn his coat white?

 

It's like how in some scenes showing a large crowd, you can see several clones of Lyra and Colgate. These clones probably don't actually exist in the universe of Equestria, but the animators put them there because they don't have the time to create hundreds of unique character designs.

Because people put that jerk there just to make people who don't like him see that he was there. Because there is a clone of him in the "other world"... Flash Sentry is different. He's not even a crystal pony in the Crystal Empire... It's like he is not organic to the show. He's an anomaly, as far as I'm concerned until we start seeing guards that are different within the Royal Guard. And it may also be the case that the guards in the Crystal Empire are different from the Royal Guards.

[~Sassy Dashie~ 712]

Sounds like an interesting theory Though I think to me it's just the artists being lazy and not wanting to make a different design for each guard, or it could have some significance You know those guards in Britain with the red suits and big furry black hats? They all pretty much look the same Plus Celestia's guards are about as serious as those guys are, especially seen in A Bird in the Hoof, so possible reference is likely

I agree with Pink Mist.

 

I honestly think the animators are too lazy.

[Malinter 3,064]

Same with changlings, in the comics they fleshed them out abit with different sized ones and even bigger ones in armour like those of the royal guard,

[NavelColt 22,883]

in canon, i think you have a valid point, in reality, hasbro is lazy.

 

DHX Media* :3 Hasbro owns the My Little Pony franchise, and occasionally knocks on the door when they want to insert shit relevant to selling toys *i.e, 'OKAY GUYS, the S2 finale has to be fancy-ass wedding with new characters, oh, and the S4 finale has to have over-the-top Rainbow designs and unneeded shiny crystal castles!'* but outside that, Hasbro is one of the more hands-off major companies out there; they give DHX and its' staff a lot of creative freedom for what they believe is good for the show. After all, Hasbro loved Fausticorn, and Fausticorn left Meghan and her very capable team to handle it. Hasbro has no need to try and micromanage. They just have final say on where the show heads and what its themes contain, in the broad sense.

 

TL;DR --> if you asked a Hasbro Suit why they made all the pony guards the same, chances are they'd look at you like 'wat'.

 

The pony guard thing is something I think everyone's thought about at least once. I like the creativity in your idea, OP. Headcanons are awesome when they're creative as well as highly believable for explaining shit that'll never get explained in the show. I do agree that they're probably modeled after the guard trope best represented by Britain's palace guards that were also mentioned earlier; uniform, silent and at the ready at all times.