Angels in equestria...

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

so, here's a question: We've got a pony with the name angel wings; so this implies that the concept of "angels" exists in equestria, yeah?

So what do you think, in equestrian mythology, "Angels" are? I mean, we've got winged ponies already and "Celestial winged horse that's composed of virtue" seems like what an ALICORN is in their world, so what do you think the concept of an angel is in their world?

Edited October 11, 2016 by Unlikeable Pony

[Steve Piranha 28,751]

so, here's a question: We've got a pony with the name angel wings; so this implies that the concept of "angels" exists in equestria, yeah?

 

So what do you think, in equestrian mythology, "Angels" are? I mean, we've got winged ponies already and "Celestial winged horse that's composed of virtue" seems like what an ALICORN is in their world, so what do you think the concept of an angel is in their world?

God question. For us, angels are exactly like us appearance-wise, but with wings. It's hard to translate that concept to ponies since they got pegasi, which already covers the winged person. I've once tumbled with alicorn=angel in a fic, and considering how special and powerful they are, they come closer to the concept, if not outright embody it

 

Another possibility I can think of, is that they have more than one pair of wings. It's possible, as we got the seraphs who got at least four pairs of wings. It isn't to far fetched ponies got a similar concept

 

The gameloft game had an angel decoration for the Hearts Warming events, but due to the low quality of the image, it's hard to tell if said angels have anything other than the classic wings

[silvadel 1,393]

Of course there are other definitions of angel such as "a person of exemplary conduct or virtue." 

 

The word doesn't necessarily point to something supernatural.

[Steve Piranha 28,751]

Of course there are other definitions of angel such as "a person of exemplary conduct or virtue." 

 

The word doesn't necessarily point to something supernatural.

Well, I dunno what can possibly be considered supernatural in a world of colorful horses that deals with the occasional dragon, sea serpent, cerberus, hydra, parasprites, and some world-ending threats. Oh, and magic is a mundane habit for them

[simba86 1,541]

not really, they have used the term "hands" before to in the show

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

I'd laugh if they had an "Angel" show up at some point and it was the lovecratian kind like the ones made up of wheels and eyes that are on fire

 

Of course there are other definitions of angel such as "a person of exemplary conduct or virtue." 

 

The word doesn't necessarily point to something supernatural.

yes, but saying that someone is an "angel" is like saying someone is a Beast or someone is a monster-- the phrase still originates from saying you're LIKE a pre-existing mythological concept.
so while its possible that angel exists simply as a noun, one would still think that there'd be a being for the term to originate from.

 

 

 

God question. For us, angels are exactly like us appearance-wise, but with wings. It's hard to translate that concept to ponies since they got pegasi, which already covers the winged person. I've once tumbled with alicorn=angel in a fic, and considering how special and powerful they are, they come closer to the concept, if not outright embody it

 

Another possibility I can think of, is that they have more than one pair of wings. It's possible, as we got the seraphs who got at least four pairs of wings. It isn't to far fetched ponies got a similar concept

 

The gameloft game had an angel decoration for the Hearts Warming events, but due to the low quality of the image, it's hard to tell if said angels have anything other than the classic wings

yeah, could have seraph pegasi or Seraphicorns for the term's origination.

not really, they have used the term "hands" before to in the show

hand exist in their world though; Spike has hands, Iron will has hands, Tirek and scorpan had hands, gremlins have hands, trolls have hands...

A massive number of intelligent beings in their universe possess hands, so that word working itself into their dialect isn't too impossible.

[Megas 27,050]

It's in the same boat as Tank imo, just an english word that found its way into the pony world. 

[Radiance64 7,051]

Don't forget Angel bunny now

I'm sure Fluttershy didn't come up with his name out of nowhere now.

And that one time Pinkie Pie imagined Rarity as her conscience depicting her as a devil... and an angel

So, angels are certainly at least a concept there. Alicorns though, I'd say are the closest to an angelic concept being a reality in Equestria since they have superior abilities and tend to watch over other ponies like angels would, in edition to having larger, more angel-like wings than pegasi.

[Steel Accord 6,658]

@@Unlikeable Pony,

 

Brohoof for the mention of what an angel is supposed to actually look like.

 

To me the answer seems obvious, we've already seen many creatures of differing mythologies exist in their world it doesn't seem that far fetched that angels would be rare but still very existent creatures known for their virtue. I mean this has been a part of the show since . . . a certain someone.

 

Spike: Angel . . . >: (

Edited October 12, 2016 by Steel Accord

[Steve Piranha 28,751]

@@Unlikeable Pony,

 

Brohoof for the mention of what an angel is supposed to actually look like.

 

To me the answer seems obvious, we've already seen many creatures of differing mythologies exist in their world it doesn't seem that far fetched that angels would be rare but still very existent creatures known for their virtue. I mean this has been a part of the show since . . . a certain someone.

 

Spike: Angel . . . >: (

Yes, but the question is how they would look like? We believe angels are human in appearance, but with wings and a halo; ponies cover the wing part with the pegasi and alicorns, so I guess they'll have an halo like Pinks' Angel Rarity

[Steel Accord 6,658]

Yes, but the question is how they would look like? We believe angels are human in appearance, but with wings and a halo; ponies cover the wing part with the pegasi and alicorns, so I guess they'll have an halo like Pinks' Angel Rarity

 

That IS certainly the question, but I'm happy not knowing the answer. Not everything needs an explanation after all.

[pnylvr 185]

It could be similar to the Ainur and Valar from the Silmarillion. In other words, alicorns are angels that exist in the physical world and that the word "angel" refers to a spirit of the same sort. Remember, Twilight's ascension occurred in some sort of spirt world. Maybe there's one beyond that where angels live (and become alicorns when they descend to the physical world).  

[silvadel 1,393]

Don't forget Angel bunny now

I'm sure Fluttershy didn't come up with his name out of nowhere now.

And that one time Pinkie Pie imagined Rarity as her conscience depicting her as a devil... and an angel

So, angels are certainly at least a concept there. Alicorns though, I'd say are the closest to an angelic concept being a reality in Equestria since they have superior abilities and tend to watch over other ponies like angels would, in edition to having larger, more angel-like wings than pegasi.

 

Of course that was PINKIE PIE.  Seeing angels and devils could be Pinkie being Pinkie.

[cmarston1 5,951]

Well the show has used the terms of hand and tank before, but none of them being used in their society, so the same could be for angels.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

Of course that was PINKIE PIE.  Seeing angels and devils could be Pinkie being Pinkie.

Clearly Season 6 pinkie is Actually human pinkie filling in for pony pinkie

so she had human world views of angels!

[silvadel 1,393]

Clearly Season 6 pinkie is Actually human pinkie filling in for pony pinkie

so she had human world views of angels!

 

And they were both on the equestria side of the portal for a little while in saddle rec and row.  It has some measure of plausibility.

[Nara 84]

I'm guessing they're just using the angel/devil visuals so that the audience would understand they're talking about the concepts of good and evil. If they had to come up with an equivalent of pony angels etc they'd have to explain it to the audience (meaning, as interesting as this would be, adding extra stories, plots, reinventing a lot of symbols) and by using established tropes we (hyoomans) know it's way easier to convey certain things fast and many people will get the idea in an instant   

[Castle Bleck 19,163]

According to the Nightmare Night and Hearth's Warming episodes, Ponies do have a concept of ghosts -- which angels tend to be higher-ranking versions of.

[internet pone 2,916]

Well, we have several options:

 

Angels are nonmaterial and have no appearance.

 

Pegasi are just pony-angels. Just it means nothing. XD

 

Pony-angels just have moar wings.

 

[Cwanky 17,445]

Not to get off topic, but that orange guy on the left bears quite a resemblance to a pegasi color coded version of Snips.

[Trinitron Keys 89]

*checks out six-winged Twilight, puts hoof to chin like an art gallery patron*

 

Mega-pegasus for Reindeer?

As for "angel", maybe the word or its spoken Equestrian equivalent only exists as an adjective in this quantum reality. If Tartarus is canon, i.e., where bad ponies go, it follows then that there is probably an unaforementioned Elysium where good ponies go, and the rest of the "religion that intersects with physical reality" most likely has more Hellenic than Abrahamic elements.

 

As always, not speaking for Hasbro here, this is just hypothetical extrapolation on my part.

[ManaMinori 4,143]

Well, Twilight knew what a demon was, when Shimmy turned into one, so I guess angels do exist in Equestria

[Unlikeable Pony 2,698]

As for "angel", maybe the word or its spoken Equestrian equivalent only exists as an adjective in this quantum reality. If Tartarus is canon, i.e., where bad ponies go, it follows then that there is probably an unaforementioned Elysium where good ponies go, and the rest of the "religion that intersects with physical reality" most likely has more Hellenic than Abrahamic elements.

 

 

 

MLP seems to be verging more into the "fantasy kitchen sink" thing than strictly hellenic lately though, given how many of its creatures are from other cultures: We have The tatzlwurm from Swiss folklore (Though, its absolutely NOTHING like the swiss tatzlwurm, as that was a dragon), we have Ahuitzotl from Aztec mythology, that crocodile/frog thing was from aztec as well, The Bunyip is from australia, changelings are from European folklore, ect.

 

So there's probably an equal number of non-hellenic creatures in their world too.

Well, Twilight knew what a demon was, when Shimmy turned into one, so I guess angels do exist in Equestria

Did twilight ever say demon? Sunset said that, but I don't think Twilight ever said that (and sunset had lived in the human world for like 3-4 years prior so she'd have picked up on human culture to know what a demon was)

[cider float 2,535]

Maybe there's angel ponies. But I think the term angel is used as an adjective not a noun in the Equestrian world so far.

 

 

[Nightmare Saturn 806]

Oof this thread is old, but I needed to say something, I like to think that angel ponies are just pegasi that were granted their halo in the afterlife. Take my OC, Glory Feather for example, once an ordinary pegasus who lost her life due to falling off a cloud (her wings had been broken in an accident because of one of her friends at that point if you're asking why she simply didn't fly) became an angel due to a grieving friend who begged the spirits of Everfree Forest to reunite Glory's soul with her body. She was at a level of peace and serenity, and decided to become a guardian angel to one of my other OCs to learn who she really was. 

THAT was a short explanation.