Tree of Harmony, is it sentient?

[BlinkZ 1,151]

Now I know this may be really really overthinking things here but bear with me.  Could the Tree of Harmony being Sentaint.  I mean provided a new device to save the day, gave twilight a castle with what she needed and all that others stuff. Sure it can't talk but clearly some intellegnce at work.

Though yeah stretching believability with this thought I know. 

[Stardust Balance 7,716]

Hey I'd be shocked if it wasn't. Heck I'd be surprised if the magic itself in Equestria didn't have some form of sentience.

[Omar 692]

I'm absolutely sure that it is sentient. Or it could be that there is some unknown sentient being behind it all... just waiting for the right time to strike...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxfEg54cCKo

[Jeremiah 1,586]

it is sentinet, other wise how would i cause its temper tantrum when Luna an Celstia disappeared

[Honsou 399]

It's more than likely that the tree of harmony is actually more like Yggdrasil, the tree of all life. 

[Argumedies 1,748]

I actually got to thinking about this yesterday but didnt get to ask.

 

My take, it has to be.

 

And honestly its not that far fetched of an idea. Afterall even BUGS are shown to have some form of intelligence...

 

hmmmm maybe thats why there are no humens in Equestria.... (Just saying)

Edited April 16, 2015 by Argumedies

[Steel Accord 6,658]

hmmmm maybe thats why there are no humens in Equestria.... (Just saying)

 

"Just saying" is no defense. Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, Neil Degrasse Tyson. None of these humans are intelligent? 

Now I know this may be really really overthinking things here but bear with me.  Could the Tree of Harmony being Sentaint.  I mean provided a new device to save the day, gave twilight a castle with what she needed and all that others stuff. Sure it can't talk but clearly some intellegnce at work.

 

Though yeah stretching believability with this thought I know. 

 

Absolutely I think it is.

 

If not truly sentient, it at least has some kind of will, in a manner like how the Jedi interpret the Force. Even those who dismiss the Living Force and prefer the Universal Force admit that the Force has some kind of will or order if not a specific agenda.

 

The Tree of Harmony could be similar. Maybe it doesn't recognize physical things like the events that transpire around it but it senses emotions and virtues, so when the world is not harmonious or is in danger of being thrown out of balance, it takes steps to prevent disruption or restore balance.

 

Or maybe it is fully sentient and picked Celestia, Luna, and the Mane Six specifically, seeing Discord/Nightmare Moon for what the kinds of villains they were.

 

I don't know but it would make sense. After all, the map that showed up in Twi's castle did point them to a place where Harmony needed to be restored and Celestia did not bequeath that mission to her. Perhaps the tree is now acting through it's own seed.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Steel Accord

[Argumedies 1,748]

"Just saying" is no defense. Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, Neil Degrasse Tyson. None of these humans are intelligent?

My my, defencive aren't we!

 

Exibit A still stands and logic is irrelevant in a phantasy world. Your arguement is invalid

 

If you want to get logical, the place doesnt exsist

Edited April 16, 2015 by Argumedies

[Steel Accord 6,658]

 

 

My my, defencive aren't we!

 

When it comes to blanket assumptions of all humanity, yes, I am very defensive. 

 

 

 

Exibit A still stands and logic is irrelevant in a phantasy world. Your arguement is invalid

 

Logic can still apply in a fantasy setting depending on tone, nature of the universe, and intention of the author. Equestria clearly has some form of internal consistency with how it works so logic can still be applied. 

[Argumedies 1,748]

When it comes to blanket assumptions of all humanity, yes, I am very defensive.

 

 

 

Logic can still apply in a fantasy setting depending on tone, nature of the universe, and intention of the author. Equestria clearly has some form of internal consistency with how it works so logic can still be applied.

This whole thing is a creation of someones imagination and adapted by others. Edited April 17, 2015 by Argumedies

[Lunix 46]

I would say that it's at least semi-sentient. It practically chose Twilight and her friends to bear the Elements of Harmony.

[windy_prance 114]

I personally think it is not only sentient but Tree of Harmony is the driving force of the Everfree Forest.

 

Remember, Celestia states that the Tree of Harmony "control and contain all that grows here" with its magic. We just assume she meant the tree kept Everfree Forest from expanding its borders but what if it isn't. "Control" is the key word here. Are the seemingly uncontrollable phenomenons in the Everfree forest the Tree of Harmony's doing?

 

It'll make sense if the reason the ponies can't control the magic within the forest is because the entire area is being controlled by a higher power like the tree.

 

This leads to another question pretaining the word "contain". If my theory is right and the Tree of Harmony controls the Everfree Forest...then what is the Tree "containing"? Could this mean the Tree of Harmony is protecting Equestria from something else that is even WORSE than Everfree magic?

[The Professor...8D 823]

Ahhh................this gets into a theory I have............................Like they said earlier......Yggdrasil......tree of harmony is the defensive instinct/life of their world given form............................and why you ask......................I think there's something Like a world eater that attached it's self to their planet when it formed...........waiting for enough Life to develop/ripen......before it devours the world.........and the tree was developed to combat this when the time comes..................or some such nonsense..............8D

Edited April 17, 2015 by The Professor

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Ahhh................this gets into a theory I have............................Like they said earlier......Yggdrasil......tree of harmony is the defensive instinct/life of their world given form............................and why you ask......................I think there's something Like a world eater that attached it's self to their planet when it formed...........waiting for enough Life to develop/ripen......before it devours the world.........and the tree was developed to combat this when the time comes..................or some such nonsense..............8D

 

Like Jörmungandr. Hey, if they took reference from Greek mythology, Aztec mythology, technically Egyptian mythology if you count the comics, I don't see why Norse mythology is out of bounds. 

[dekutree64 711]

I personally think it is not only sentient but Tree of Harmony is the driving force of the Everfree Forest.

 

Remember, Celestia states that the Tree of Harmony "control and contain all that grows here" with its magic. We just assume she meant the tree kept Everfree Forest from expanding its borders but what if it isn't. "Control" is the key word here. Are the seemingly uncontrollable phenomenons in the Everfree forest the Tree of Harmony's doing?

 

It'll make sense if the reason the ponies can't control the magic within the forest is because the entire area is being controlled by a higher power like the tree.

 

This leads to another question pretaining the word "contain". If my theory is right and the Tree of Harmony controls the Everfree Forest...then what is the Tree "containing"? Could this mean the Tree of Harmony is protecting Equestria from something else that is even WORSE than Everfree magic?

Interesting theory I took that to mean that it just keeps the Everfree from expanding, but that does make sense if the wildness of the forest is the will of the tree, and that's why ponies can't control it. I think it's something we humans need to remember too, that it's ok to civilize some areas, but we should leave room for nature as well. The tree of harmony enforces it for the ponies, whereas humans have to self-impose, which is more difficult.

 

It's hard to tell if the tree is fully sentient, or just has automatic responses to disharmony in the Force/magic of Equestria. Real plants can look surprisingly sentient sometimes too, so it could go either way. But I lean toward sentient.

 

I do believe the castle is not just a creation of the tree, but a living child, with its own will and magic. Most likely fully cooperative with the old tree, so it just further increases the harmoniousness of the country. The map's ability to locate disharmony seems like a definite indication that the castle is alive, and I think we'll get to see some awesome stuff in the remaining seasons of the show as the ponies learn more about the castle and how to interact and communicate with it.

[ArcheoPony 76]

I like to think it has some level of sentience. It adds a bit more depth to the whole Elements of Harmony thing.

[Adorkable 2,737]

I agree with those saying it would be surprising. I mean, the land is covered in magic, ponies should be used to this stuff by now.

[DND 2,354]

I would honestly be disappointed if they threw away the Tree of Harmony just like that for a little backstory for the elements. (Aww, cm'on, the writers wouldn't do that to us) So I would hope at best that they will return to the tree if needed for some power or more answers for the mane sixe's respective elements now oustide Twilight's castle.

Edited April 17, 2015 by IncognitoKiwoy

[BlinkZ 1,151]

a lot of intersting thoughts, love this forum so much.  So yeah it must have soem sort of intlegence invovled. Hope they do include the tree somehow iinstead of leaving it aside for the whole season."

 

the tree castle being alive...oh wll that makes sense.

[Pastel 7,627]

I like this idea but.... I can't help but think it was just for plot convenience.

[NavelColt 22,876]

The Tree is essentially the opposite entity of Discord (in more ways than one). I feel like its' going to stay what we've seen; a magical object that mysteriously represents peace and harmony, in a contrast to Discord, who represents chaos in a very direct and talkative way. I wouldn't really call that 'sentient' in a world full of magic, as-is. It reacts, responds and creates, but I wouldn't call that sentient.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,153]

I dunno; having the Tree being sentient would ruin some of the mystique for me in a similar way that Grandmother Willow does in Disney's Pocahontas.

 

Personally, as it stands, I find the mystery and wonder surrounding the ToH to be among it's most interesting aspects. Adding sentience is really unneeded, IMO.