If you were to come up with new Virtues/elements/macguffins for the group...

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

So, here's a question.

If you were to come up with new virtues or elements for the mane six (like the six get a totally new set of macguffins that are different from the EOH but represent something that they exemplify) what would you assign to each of the group?

What would the theme of this set of macguffins be (like the EOH all are about what makes a good friendship), and what would each of them have? Would you have it just be the six, or would you give spike or starlight one? ect.

[cmarston1 5,951]

I wouldn't actually want to see the mane 6 anymore elements of harmony of other mccguffins, unless it was an improved version of Rainbow Power (with better designs) and has something to do with the tree of harmony. preferably it would take place during the movie.

 

Outside of that, I would actually like to give some to Sunset Shimmer and her crew back at Canterlot High.  I would like to see them create bracelets or some other kind of trinkets that would be able to help control the magic that goes on when they transform.

It could involve some of the same kind of technology that Sci-Twi used to create her pendulum device in Friendship Games that was able to store energy, as well as having human world magic from Legends of the Everfree (human world of everfree forest could have it's own special kind of magic) being used to help keep the devices stable.  Basically I would like to see the main cast of EQG create their own version of the elements of harmony, which would act like henshin pens in order to be able to transform whenever they want or need to easily.

[Wind Chaser 4,767]

First off, one thing the fandom tends to do is misuse the term MacGuffin in reference to the Elements of Harmony, the Crystal Heart, or Rainbow Power. Even Antony C does this. The official definition of MacGuffin holds that it is a plot device with no apparent practical purpose other than to progress the plot, one of the best examples being the mystery suitcase from Pulp Fiction. Most of the devices used in MLP are symbolic and necessary to defeat the villains, thus making them practical plot devices and not MacGuffins. A plot device is a means to a goal while the MacGuffin is the goal.

 

Rather than just being a plot device, I'd use a set of virtues mainly to guide the characters' development if I were writing a spiritual successor to MLP. There's one set that I found, outlined by Martin Seligman called "Character Strengths and Virtues". Fittingly enough, there are 6 core virtues. They don't correspond directly to the Mane 6's elements, but many rough parallels can be made. The hardest one to cast is Pinkie Pie, as laughter is fairly arbitrary. The way the core virtues are further broken down could help to define the strengths and flaws of a character. This could also help resolve the arbitrary definition of "magic" as well as the overlap between loyalty and honesty.

 

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

First off, one thing the fandom tends to do is misuse the term MacGuffin in reference to the Elements of Harmony, the Crystal Heart, or Rainbow Power. Even Antony C does this. The official definition of MacGuffin holds that it is a plot device with no apparent practical purpose other than to progress the plot, one of the best examples being the mystery suitcase from Pulp Fiction. Most of the devices used in MLP are symbolic and necessary to defeat the villains, thus making them practical plot devices and not MacGuffins. A plot device is a means to a goal while the MacGuffin is the goal.

 

Rather than just being a plot device, I'd use a set of virtues mainly to guide the characters' development if I were writing a spiritual successor to MLP. There's one set that I found, outlined by Martin Seligman called "Character Strengths and Virtues". Fittingly enough, there are 6 core virtues. They don't correspond directly to the Mane 6's elements, but many rough parallels can be made. The hardest one to cast is Pinkie Pie, as laughter is fairly arbitrary. The way the core virtues are further broken down could help to define the strengths and flaws of a character. This could also help resolve the arbitrary definition of "magic" as well as the overlap between loyalty and honesty.

 

Ironically, based on that model, Applejack would probably be the best leader of the group