Why does music transform the Humane 5?

[KatonRyu 1,026]

I'm fairly certain somewhere on this site there is a topic like this, but neither the search function nor Google got me any further, so here we are.

 

The one thing about Rainbow Rocks that still bugs me to this day is the fact that the Humane 5 transform when they play music. Now, out-of-universe, this decision was obviously mandated by Hasbro because they wanted a battle of the bands, and that's why, in the movie, this plot hole is lampshaded and then promptly ignored. The writers are saying "we don't know why this happens either, but we had to put it in anyway". I get that, fine.

 

But a fandom wouldn't be a fandom without needlessly overanalyzing everything in this harmless children's movie, and this is the one part of the movies I haven't been able to cram into my headcanon somehow, and it's so vital to the plot of the movie I think it really should be answered.

 

So, why do the Humane 5 transform when they play music?

 

My first thought was that playing in a band is a sign of harmony, and that causes them to transform. That's all well and good, but the transformation also occurs when they're playing alone. Now, it seems to happen when they really lose themselves in the music, but what is the significance of that?

 

Going back to the first movie, they promoted harmony within the school with their song in the cafetaria. Was that perhaps the moment the magic and music got intertwined? It's a shaky premise, granted, but it's all I have to go on. Sure, they didn't have their magic yet at that moment, but the Elements of Harmony were within them at that point, they simply had not been triggered yet.

 

But still, how does this explain that they transform when they play alone, and lose themselves in the music? I don't really have a satisfactory explanation for that. The only thing I can think of is that music acts like a sort of substitute trigger for the magic of the Elements and that causes them to transform, but that's a very far-fetched explanation, I think.

 

Well, that's my theory, such as it is...I'd really like to know what everyone else thinks about this.

[Lamniform 33]

That is something that really bugs me too and I don't have a good explanation for.

The only reason for me would be that they are all very passionate about music and their instruments are something they were meant to play. Just why were there no signs they're interested in music before EG2 except an occasional song? Kinda also riles me up because people nowadays seem to place music higher than other arts like painting, dancing, or acting so they ignore their other talents for an entire movie. Idk that last part's a personal thing.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

The crown was an element of harmony, so they transformed with their elements of harmony to go against the corrupted use of the crown. The sirens used music, so the human five had to use music to counter the sirens.

 

I think they get magic based on what the enemy uses against them, and that magic doesn't go away. So they still transform with music.

 

This is just a guess. Maybe they're magic is psychic and knows what measures need to be taken?

[KatonRyu 1,026]

The crown was an element of harmony, so they transformed with their elements of harmony to go against the corrupted use of the crown. The sirens used music, so the human five had to use music to counter the sirens.

 

I think they get magic based on what the enemy uses against them, and that magic doesn't go away. So they still transform with music.

 

This is just a guess. Maybe they're magic is psychic and knows what measures need to be taken?

 

I agree that the crown unlocked their magic, but the trouble with the music is that they ponied up even before the Sirens showed up, and that's what messes with my headcanon so much. If they'd only started transforming after the Sirens showed up, I'd fully support the explanation you give.

[RarityFan01 2,444]

I agree that the crown unlocked their magic, but the trouble with the music is that they ponied up even before the Sirens showed up, and that's what messes with my headcanon so much. If they'd only started transforming after the Sirens showed up, I'd fully support the explanation you give.

That is precisely why I figured that the magic was psychic. It knew what the threat was going to be. There has got to be some psychic connection with the elements of harmony to make sure the right ponies or people where in the right place at the right time.

[KatonRyu 1,026]

That is precisely why I figured that the magic was psychic. It knew what the threat was going to be. There has got to be some psychic connection with the elements of harmony to make sure the right ponies or people where in the right place at the right time.

 

Interesting. While I wouldn't call it psychic, I'm certainly willing to write it up to 'destiny' in this case. Destiny has done weird things in the series before, so chalking their aptitude for music up to it isn't even that far-fetched. It's certainly the best explanation I've heard so far.

[cmarston1 5,951]

I don't think it's the music that transforms them specifically.

I think their transformations work similarly to how the pony mane 6 wield the elements of harmony, and it's them using the literal magic of friendship.  Since human world magic works differently than Equestria, it makes since for it to manifest itself in a different form.

But that's just my headcanon.

[cat-girl 13]

I would like to know the same thing.

[MLPFanatic34 3,234]

I wonder that too, I mean it's obvious magic was brought into the human world when Sunset took Twilight's crown and that the magic was used through music to defeat the Sirens, but the rest of it is somewhat confusing.

Edited October 23, 2015 by MLPFanatic34

[KatonRyu 1,026]

I don't think it's the music that transforms them specifically.

I think their transformations work similarly to how the pony mane 6 wield the elements of harmony, and it's them using the literal magic of friendship.  Since human world magic works differently than Equestria, it makes since for it to manifest itself in a different form.

But that's just my headcanon.

 

I do believe it's the magic of friendship at work, but what bothers me is that they transform even when they play alone, like they do in the shorts. Like @RarityFan01 said, it might be destiny because the magic 'knew' the Sirens were coming.

[Lulaypp 2,554]

I always thought of it! I was thinking the instruments might represent the elements like the necklaces in the Pony world. But that doesn't really make sense since they didn't need them in EG1. So I think I shall go with @RarityFan01's theory.

[J. Brony 313]

I really feel like the Humane 6 ponied up when playing music because that's what had to happen for Rainbow Rocks to make sense.  Hence, there isn't a solid reason why it would work in retrospect, now that we've seen how their magic really works in Friendship Games.

 

My best guess would be that playing music triggered their individual elements in some way.  Like, there was some kind of personal expression behind their playing, something emotional that came out during their songs and caused them to pony up.  I dunno, that's all I've got. 

[Yufery 205]

I honestly came up with something not long ago that I think makes sense.

 

As we see in the shorts, the instruments are unique to each of them. I personally feel that playing music helps show who they truly are, and thus triggers their element. After all, we see that their elements are basically inside of them (the physical versions are just like training wheels to help them use the magic), and playing the instrument they feel most comfortable with helps them feel like their true self, which helps trigger the element.

[Lucky Shot 232]

Because in the land of movies, teen girls become 100% successful and amazing at everything when they become music pop stars. I'm serious, this is the reason.

 

Fortunately, Friendship Games makes a bit more sense in this regard -- in that film, they pony up when they're actually displaying their relative element.

[Chronamut 355]

because they can't show orgasming on a childrens movie.

[KatySimmer 13]

When they ponied up in the first movie and unleashed their sonic rainbow power hammer friendship magic bolt of DOOOOM! on Sunset, some of that magic stayed in them. The magic comes out when they have the same feeling they had when they ponied up the first time. Notice how they pony up when they get lost in the music. I'm guessing they get the same sensation they did when they first ponied up, so the magic comes out of them. Don't be hatin' cus I'm just thinkin'. 

[MissSpotLight 27]

I always thought that they would "pony up" while playing music because that was how they tapped into the magic of friendship, thus triggering their transformation.