So, it's been three years in Equestria?

[Steve Piranha 29,496]

Hey guys, you think it's been three years in Equestris since the show started? I'm basing this question on tomorrows episode, Hearts Warming Tail, which would be the third HWE in the series, and if we assume there's one each year. If that's the case, it's funny, since time passed slower within the first seasons, but since S5, the time skip seems to be longer in show time. I mean, last HWE was just last season, and let's not take into account Cadance's pregnancy (assuming these ponies take 11 months like real life ponies to give birth). What do you guys think?

[Roughshod 721]

I think it's been more like 3.5 years. The series started during the Summer Sun Celebration and then we saw the Hearths Warming Eve pageant in season 2. The Summer Sun Celebration would likely be about 6 months(or moons) from Hearths Warming Eve which clearly takes place in the dead of winter. But we also saw the Winter Wrap Up in between those times, during which a Hearths Warming Eve would presumably taken place but wasn't shown. So that would have been one year between episode 11 and episode 37(interestingly exactly one season apart). Then we have the two following Hearths Warming Eves which brings it up to 3 1/2 years as far as I can tell.

 

The chronology is never well defined or stated in the show for some reason... So that's my theory at least.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 42,202]

Sounds about right, going by the Heart's Warming Eve trends. Unless they have multiple HWE celebrations throughout the year. Equestria seasons, while seemingly similar to what seasons could be defined as on Earth, could be a lot different than what we know. Fun speculation is fun, especially when it is fueled by being tired.

[cmarston1 5,964]

I guess so, however at this point I have stopped trying to understand how time passes in the show.

It has gotten pretty confusing.  Especially when you add moons into the equation.

[Merion 783]

Equestria seasons, while seemingly similar to what seasons could be defined as on Earth, could be a lot different than what we know. Fun speculation is fun, especially when it is fueled by being tired.

 

This bothers me so much... Is there spring in Equestria or does summer come right after winter? Have we ever actually seen the Sweet Apple Acres orchard in bloom? Come on, those trees are either covered with ripe apples or with snow, and there's nothing in between. (Plus Equestrain apple trees seem to be evergreen since they always have leaves on, even during the Winter Wrap up.)

 

Maybe that's what Earth Pony magic is all about.

[Fhaolan 4,494]

Part of the problem here is that if you look at the broadcast order of the episodes, there's some odd time jumps in places where either there is a fairly severe gap (which is fine, but add several years to the time estimate but which is occasionally contradicted by statements made by the characters), or that the seasons are occurring somewhat randomly.

 

And then I think of Winter Wrap Up, where the ponies are shown to be in complete control over the change from Winter to Spring, and I wonder...

 

There's no guarantee that one year = a cycle of four seasons in Equestria, that's an assumption on our part. It's also an assumption that a year is a fixed period of time. Heck it might be that a year *is* a cycle of four seasons, which can be on any length as ponies can manipulate the environment. They could have a short winter simply because they decide to have a short winter, but keep the same length spring, summer, and fall, leading to a short year.

[Guest90210 3,569]

Part of the problem here is that if you look at the broadcast order of the episodes, there's some odd time jumps in places where either there is a fairly severe gap (which is fine, but add several years to the time estimate but which is occasionally contradicted by statements made by the characters), or that the seasons are occurring somewhat randomly.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. While FiM does evolve and have a normal timeline of sorts (as evident by character progression), some episodes are in a "frozen timeline", not necessarily indicating an advance in the normal timeline.

 

Think That 70's Show style, where a timeline is portrayed, yet several more holiday/birthday themed episodes take place than would logically make sense in a 4 year time frame (which is how long the show's timeline is).

 

And like you said, we aren't exactly sure how indicative holidays are in relation to time passed anyways, since Equestria's ecosystem and environment aren't the same as ours.

 

I'm glad FiM at least has some progression. One reason I don't like shows like the Simpsons is because its stuck in a perpetual, infinite frozen timeline. The characters have stayed the exact same despite the show having aired for decades.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Rivendare