MLP Space Opera

[das grunkle 7]

I'm thinking about building a space opera setting for MLP:FiM and/or Equestria Girls. It's a universe where high magic and high technology co-exist, where optimism clash with cynicism, where galactic powers battle each other for their place in the stars.

 

First I need to figure about the factions involved, and I have some ideas to work out from:

 

There are two main warring factions:

• Solar Imperium - The Empire. It can either be ruled by a mad despot (like in StarCrafts' Terran Dominion), or be founded by a benevolent monarch but now controlled by a corrupt cabal of aristocrats and politicians (an expy for Warhammer 40K's Imperium).
• New Stellar Republic - The republic founded by rebels. I have a clearer idea for this faction, as while the idea behind the Republic is noble and just, there is the danger of degrading into a paranoid militaristic police state, similar to what happened in the French Revolution under Robespierre.

And there's other factions:

• Crystal Empire (Princess Cadance) - A star nation recovering from a brutal magical dictatorship. I imagine it being based on the Spanish Empire, with an Latin American baroque aesthetic. Another idea is that the Imperium "liberated" the Crystal Empire only to rule over it as a feudal overlord.
• Bifrost Federation (Twilight's Kingdom) - A magocratic monarchy, recently freed from Imperial rule. Another idea would be a principality under a feudal vassalage to the Imperium.
• Sky Nation (Buffalos) - A collective of technologically in advanced (compared to the great galactic powers), yet proud and fierce tribes that resist encroachment by the Imperium and the Republic. They may be nomads that hop around planets without using them up.
• Everfree Territories (The Deers from the new IDW comic) - Like the Sky Nation, the territories resists the expansion of the other powers. But they are famously masters of genetic engineering, constructing great Dyson trees and bio-ships.
• Kingdom of Griffon (Griffins) - Another potentially militaristic power. I feel this would be like space Prussia.
• Changeling Hives (Chrysalis) - Swarm of chameleon-like insectoid aliens bent on conquering the universe for it's resources. Or it could be a rogue, cybernetic-hive-mind faction that excels in infiltration and subterfuge.
• Diamond Dogs - The most infamous of the great pirate bands that plague the known universe, so called for their affinity for gemstones.
• Discord - A very power mischief maker. He could be called a cosmic anarchist, but he really more like a guy with magic powers in a Guy Faux mask that just screwing with the waring nations of known space.
• Sol - Colonial empires and megacorporations, all more or less centered on humanity's home system.

... ... ...

 

The story could be that the interstellar empires "cracked-open" the pocket dimension containing Equestria, pulling Ponies and other species into their star-flung conflicts. The ponies would venture out of their universe and colonize the star around the dimensional breach, making new friends while fighting new enemies.

 

Another idea is that Sunset Shimmer and other Canterlot High Students getting "sucked into" this war-torn galaxy where they have to struggle for survival. I can't help but picture Sunset as Kerrigan from StarCraft, embracing her demon-form in her pursuit of vengeance against the tyrants that used and betrayed her and her friends.