Theory I might be just about to commit MLP heresy...

[Waplon 14]

...but what if the Main 6 aren't the only holders of the Elements of Harmony? In fact, why stop there? What if most, or even all ponies are EoH holders, depending on which Element they are most closely associated with?

[Prince Lightning Da Cute 619]

This could be possible, because Twilight gave the element of Loyalty to Spike once, but we don't know if he could actually activate it though.

[Strafe 594]

I highly doubt the EoH are bound to the mane 6 in some way. I think anybody can use them if all 6 users match the elements correctly and are all friends.

[Swordfishtrombone 384]

Well, I see it as possibility. But then the mane 6 wouldn't be super-duper unique special. And I would be sad.

[Nightfall 3,950]

Heretic.

Naw, the EoH gotta be attached to the mane 6 somehow.

[Queen Cassie 3,057]

...but what if the Main 6 aren't the only holders of the Elements of Harmony? In fact, why stop there? What if most, or even all ponies are EoH holders, depending on which Element they are most closely associated with?

 

The show has stated that in the past, Celestia and Luna used the Elements of Harmony together to defeat Discord, and later Celestia harnessed at least some of the Elements to temporarily imprison Nightmare Moon. This means that it is possible for the Elements of Harmony to transfer.

 

However, I would argue that they can't simply be used by anypony. The Elements of Harmony are amongst the most powerful magic in all of Equestria. They were able to completely destroy Nightmare Moon and return Princess Luna to her true form, an act even Celestia was incapable of without them. They were also capable of sealing Discord in stone and completely reversing everything he did, and Discord was shown to, at the very least, control significant powers of illusion, if not wrest control of the Sun and Moon from Celestia and Luna outright. To allow for the Elements of Harmony to be used by anypony is, I feel, a little ridiculous.

 

The Elements themselves are not something easily lived up to, either. Note how often that the Mane Six, the chosen spirits of the Elements of Harmony, barely manage to live up to their Elements at times, whether it's simple cases such as Rarity displaying a certain amount of greed or Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy suffering temporary psychological breakdowns that make them act against their normal character, or deeper cases, the Mane Six are not perfect. But they were chosen as the spirits of the Elements of Harmony for a reason. Each of them lives up to their Element, their virtue, as it were, to the best of their ability, arguably better than almost anypony else in Equestria, even with their failings. And as I said, they certainly don't always live up to them.

 

More importantly, however, than just living up to those virtues, is the friendship between them. The basic definition of Harmony requires that the six spirits of the Elements cooperate together, with true friendship. Celestia and Luna lost control of the Elements of Harmony when the friendship between the Sisters was disrupted due to Nightmare Moon arising. The Elements failed to work when Discord successfully, for a time, disrupted the friendship between the Mane Six by making them all despise each other. That friendship is the most important aspect of the function of the Elements.

 

The Mane Six forged their friendship through trial by fire initially, while in the forest hunting down Nightmare Moon. I look at the events of the pilot as something of an abridged version of what their "actual" ordeal was like, that it took place over a much longer stretch of time and with far more struggling by everypony to survive and succeed. While they would continue to test the bonds of their friendship throughout the rest of Season One, the important bonds were already formed.

 

Now, is it possible that at some point down the line, say fifty, a hundred, or five hundred years from the current date, another group of ponies could come together and make use of the Elements of Harmony? Of course. But can just anyone use them? No. They're simply too powerful for anypony to be able to use.

[Ra1nbowCrasH 272]

@Kyronea: Fallout Equestria seems like a good example of what you're talking about happening.

[Marcusaralius76 150]

I'll bet there are more people who can wear the elements. Honestly, if I were a part of the only group that could wear the most powerful weapons in history, I'd have told Celestia to go **** herself and wear my element EVERYWHERE!!!!

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

The Elements of Harmony are more than simple values. Whilst anypony can exhibit the values, only the Mane 6 are the ponies who show the elements' in the highest degrees.

[The Awesome One 1,315]

Yes but in their generation.Maybe in older times when the Mane 6 weren't born their were other EoH holders.Kind of like the Dragonborn.

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

Think about this: If someone held the Elements before them but after Celestia/Luna, why in Tartarus were the things in a musty old ruin deep in the Everfree Forest?

[Shagbark 15]

I gotta lean towards "almost anypony can use them", because Dash is the element of loyalty and is too selfish to be loyal, while Applejack is the element of honesty and is also the only pony to break a Pinky-promise.

 

Switched at birth:

[KakeiTheWolf 652]

Actually, she never broke a pinkie-promise. She said she would tell after breakfast. So, in order to both not break an oath and retain her dignity, Applejack just didn't have breakfast. Loophole.

 

And, though Rainbow Dash is incredibly lazy and selfish at times, in the end, she'll always be by her friends' side. By the time most people have given up, Rainbow is still there.

[tejntanga 42]

I figure the EoH are like being a Slayer in the Buffyverse: There is traditionally only one concurrent weilder for each element able to unlock their power - but things could always change due to unforeseen circumstances.

 

When one weilder is unable to continue their purpose, another can take up their element. Celestia and Luna shared all 6 between them - one could assume each held 3 of them, but their characters haven't been explored enough to definitively say who held which. When Luna went Nightmare mode, she lost control of her share, but Celestia took them over and harnessed their power to banish her. Seems taking up all 6 took its toll on the Princess, since she can no longer use them - opening the door for the Mane 6, the current weilders.

 

It would be interesting to see who could take their place should they fall. Maybe the CMC =D