Spike's throne & Defying Destiny

[ManaMinori 4,149]

Twofer topic, to save the forums from being cluttered with my topics. (blame my overactive thoughts of pony). Feel free to reply to one or both subjects of discussion. (And also if you prefer single or twofer topics) So here we go!

 

Topic # 1:What does Spike getting a throne in Twilight's castle, around the cutie map mean?

 

This has been bugging me since the seaon 4 finale. For one, I don't t we've ever seen him sitting in it, and certainly not when the table is assigning ponies on missions. But we've seen the ToH is sentient enough to dictate ponies' destnies (as seen from the cutie marks on its trunk, the creation of the elements as a means of defence, the bestowing of Rainbow power to the 6 at the right time, the giving of the castle and map to Teilight, etc) so what does the tree have in mind for Spike, to have given him a throne around a table that is irrelevant to him, because he bears no cutie mark, since he's not a pony?

 

I like how the tree gives him more purpose- though it's a mystery at this point- than most of the writers seem to.

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Topic # 2: Defying Destiny

 

One thing that I've always wished to have brought up in FiM is an adult pony who is a blank flank. There's so much mystery and potential to be explored as to the whys and if a pony can find happiness annd be a productive member of society without a mark, or their "destiny".

 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I'd also like to see "destiny" challenged by a pony who has gotten their cutie mark, but has lost interest in fulfilling it. There was a line said by somepony in one of the CMC's episodes that maybe they got their cutie mark too soon, after a speech about how being a blank flank was special, and gave the pony more time to find themselves. Upon reieving their mark, perhaps this pony could then realize just how much of their childhood was lost, not being a kid, but trying to be an adult and hardworking member of pony society, and shuts down, ignoring their destiny, and spending years being an adult child, to make up for lost time and a childhood they never got to experience.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,700]

Honestly I always felt that spike just got a throne because the map just wanted to make him not feel left out

 

That being said, if he gets summoned by the map in this upcoming dragon gauntlet episode, he may actually have a purpose after all.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,205]

Methinks Spike was given a throne because he is part of the group. He is one of the Manes. He can't be left out of it. Regardless of how one thinks of his treatment in episodes as of late, he can't simply be kicked to the side. His destiny is clearly tied with the Mane 6, something the map probably knows. 

[ManaMinori 4,149]

Methinks Spike was given a throne because he is part of the group. He is one of the Manes. He can't be left out of it. Regardless of how one thinks of his treatment in episodes as of late, he can't simply be kicked to the side. His destiny is clearly tied with the Mane 6, something the map probably knows.

 

as it should be, since he was the one to convince Twi to befriend the 5 in the first place, AND his being her very first friend. The tree damn well had better recognize that.

But what his destiny is, we haven't really seen. He's really only close to Twi and Rarity, and I would hate to see him just being an assistant, an extension of the more prominent manes, the ponies. I want him to have a destiny that puts him as an equal to Twi at least, and as his own dragon. Hopefully, that's what the tree has in mind for him, because he's not even included on important pony missions, finale's or premiers.

[Fhaolan 4,494]

I'm curious if the table can find some way to call Spike to a mission, with the lack of a cutie-mark. He wasn't officially part of the box-opening that spawned the whole thing, but that throne does beg the question, doesn't it?

[ManaMinori 4,149]

I'm curious if the table can find some way to call Spike to a mission, with the lack of a cutie-mark. He wasn't officially part of the box-opening that spawned the whole thing, but that throne does beg the question, doesn't it?

it certainly does. Maybe through his dragon fire? If the fire of friendship is tied to the tree of harmony, and Spike has fire breath....

I reallyhope they go deeper into defying destiny. Only scratched the surface on it through SG and her removing cutie marks

[CastletonSnob 3,094]

Any Spike episodes that the majority agree are good?

[Justin_Case001 4,938]

Topic #1: Spike's Throne

 

Wait, he actually has a permanent throne?  Huh.  Guess I never noticed.  I do hope that gets developed.  Side note, I wish there had been a scene at the beginning of The Crystaling where the mane 6 all sit around the table, and Starlight is awkwardly standing there, and then Twilight, goes, "Oh...uh, yeah....um...hang on."  Then she disappears into a closet where we hear a bunch of crashing around, then she comes out with a crappy folding lawn chair and sets it up for Starlight, who then gives Twilight a sort of annoyed look.

 

Topic #2: Defying Destiny

 

Oh, this is a good one.  I've long wanted stories like this.  I want a story about an adult blank flank.  But more so, I want a story about a pony who's cutie mark naturally changes.  I believe this is entirely possible.  Actually, for a second, I was really hoping that it was going to be revealed that Sunburst had lost his original cutie mark, and it had been replaced by something else, possibly book related.  The fact that they established that he was no wizard, even before he admitted it, and the fact that they went out of their way to keep his flank covered made me get my hopes up for a minute.  It's still possible, but they won't do it.

 

I need to take a minute to explain my theory, here.  It's all relevant to this defying destiny thing.  I believe that cutie marks have no magical power whatsoever, and moreover have absolutely nothing to do with a pony's talent.  They are a representation of a pony's own perception of who they are, nothing more.  If a pony's belief of who they are changes, the mark will change.

 

Here is my evidence:

 

Many cutie marks did not appear at the moment talent was discovered.  They appeared when the pony decided, inside, This is who I am.

 

• AJ had a talent for the apple business, but did not receive her mark until making her internal realization.
• Rarity's mark represents her gem finding spell, and talent for making things beautiful, but she did not receive it when she cracked the geode.  It came after the show costumes were a hit, and she realized this was what she wanted to do.
• The CMC have long had a talent for helping others, yet their marks did not come.  They helped Diamond, and still the marks did not come.  If they had continued their search, the marks may never have come.  Only when they said, This is who we are, this is what we want to do, did the marks come.
• Troubleshoes' mark came the instant he realized that the rodeo was where he wanted to be.  He exhibited zero talent whatsoever.  But never, not once in his life, did he ever doubt that he belonged in the rodeo.  His passion for it remained, and thus, so did the mark.  He misunderstood the mark's meaning.  It did not represent bad luck, but nor did it represent talent.  It did not represent a talent for clowning.  It represented his undeniable passion for the rodeo.
• Diamond's cutie mark represented her belief that she has strong powers of influence over others.  She always believed that's who she was.  She did indeed have a talent for this.  She used this talent for evil, until the CMC helped her see a better way.  She uses her talent for good now, but her belief that she has great powers of influence did not change.  (Incidentally, I support Diamond Tiara for Ponyville mayor when she grows up)

 

Magical Mystery Cure

 

• The elements did not switch the ponies' marks.  The spell did not switch their marks.  The elements did nothing to their marks whatsoever.  The ponies are tied to the elements.  The spell shuffled the elements.  The elements f*cked up their memories.  Some memories remained intact, but they believed that each others' jobs were what they were meant to do.  Their perception of who they are changed, so the marks changed to reflect that.  It came from within them.  As far as the lyrics, "what my cutie mark is telling me", I believe it's a chicken or egg type of question.  And they needed to come up with snappy lyrics for a song.  The real proof is how their marks changed back.  It involved no magic whatsoever.  All they did was try the thing they were meant for.  Upon realizing that this is who they wanted to be, their marks switched back.  It's worth noting here that for a brief time, pairs of two ponies had identical marks.  Marks were not "switched".  They changed based on internal perception.  Upon realizing who they really were, the elements were fixed, due to their connection to the ponies.  It's also worth noting that having the "wrong" cutie mark did not affect their talent in any way.  I put wrong in quotes because there's no such thing as a wrong cutie mark.  One can just be mistaken about who they really are.  Having each other's marks did nothing to their talents.  Rainbow's mark did not grant Rarity powers of weather or speed.  Furthermore, the changed marks had no affect on their true talents whatsoever.  They exhibited their talents before the marks switched back.  They used their talents, remembered their identities, and the marks changed back.

 

Starlight and Pleasantville

 

• Starlight did not take their marks away.  Her spell was a talent suppressant.  Her spell also created the equals sign.  In a magical world like this, it's not hard to imagine a powerful spell that can have an effect like this.  The ponies' memories were intact, their identities unchanged, and their talents unaltered.  Merely suppressed.  They were able to fight against it, some better than others.  As far as the actual marks floating in jars in a vault...well....this is one thing I don't have a great answer for.  It bothers me.  I chalk it up to a dumb writing choice.  I can reconcile it by supposing that the marks weren't really cutie marks, but just sort of a magical representation of what was being suppressed.

 

The Tree of Harmony, and the marks on its trunk

 

• The tree had on its trunk the marks that would come to be those of the sisters and Twilight.  The marks were not theirs until they were theirs.  I do not believe the tree controlled or manipulated them in any way, bestowing those marks upon them.  For unknown reasons, the tree had those marks, silently waiting for untold millennia until, coincidentally, the right ponies would come along who would feel that that's who they are, and have those marks.  Incidentally, I believe the cutie map is part of magical Daemon (Disk And Execution MONitor) created by Starswirl as means to create a new world order.)

 

 

Many believe that cutie marks are magical, talent augments and behavioral modifiers, even to the point of enslavement and destiny control.  My theory comes from the mind of a skeptic.  I like to look for the non-magical answer first, even in a magical world.  It's all for fun anyway--don't take it too seriously.  But I enjoy debating my side.  I like the theory that cutie marks are just a pony's own perception of their self-identity.  As such, I don't think it's technically possible for a pony to "defy" destiny.  Rather, I want an episode(s) featuring a adult blank flank who has never figured out who she/he is supposed to be, and even more so, I want an episode(s) about a pony whose sense of identity changes, and their mark along with it.  This could be something the pony struggles with greatly.  It could present storylines where the pony is not accepted by friends and family due to their new mark.  It would be the perfect opportunity for the CMC to do what they do best.

 

Or, if you like the side of the mystic, perhaps everypony in the world is held prisoner by their mark, and everypony's marks are decided and held by the Furies, three sisters who determine the fates of all.  One pony decides to fight destiny, but only by killing the Furies will she free herself from their bond forever.  Or maybe it's the fal'Cie who control all, and brand ponies with their marks.  Only by completing their Focus will a pony escape a doomed fate.  Six ponies fight fate and try to find a way to escape their marks and end the fal'Cie's rule forever.

 

One way or t'other, I really think that there needs to be an episode addressing the fact that you are exactly who you believe you are, and you can be exactly what you want to be, at every point in your life, regardless of your past or future, or what anybody else thinks.