Future difficulties in Cross-cultural Interaction (Season 7)

[Arima 15]

One of the greatest challenges that Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight Sparkle, and Thorax will now face is Culture Shock between Equestria and the Changeling Kingdom. Many of the Changelings in the Changeling Kingdom have never done much to see, learn, or interact with the outside world and most of the ponies of Equestria will be reluctant to make friends with the Changelings even when Celestia insists that they've changed for the better. The citizens of Canterlot will most likely be the least willing to give up their xenophobic fears that all Changelings are dangerous which could potentially incite civil unrest if Celestia were to welcome a Goodwill Tour led by Thorax into Canterlot.

 

Possibilities:

1. Shining Armor will face a difficult dilemma where he must observe his duty as Captain of the Royal Guard to protect King Thorax and his Royal Delegation from dissenters among the citizenry of Canterlot who could threaten the reformed Changelings with verbal and physical abuse.

Even worse, there could be a faction of Royal Guardsponies that secretly maintains a hostile stance against Changelings after their emotional trauma of surviving Chrysalis' Invasion during "A Canterlot Wedding".

It may prove to be an emotionally trying time for him as his past experiences with Chrysalis will clash with his present orders from Celestia to provide diplomatic security for the Changelings.

2. Cadance will be worried for King Thorax if he visits Canterlot as she would know that there are still some lingering fears towards Changelings among its citizens which would discourage them from being hospitable and receptive to any that would visit their city.

If worse comes to worst and Cadance sees that fear turning into hatred and even harm, she would be deeply saddened by it and spurred to greater effort to help encourage a peaceful bond between Ponies and Changelings.

3. Twilight Sparkle will have to try her very best to be the voice of reason for the citizens of Canterlot and convince them, just like Spike did for the Crystal Empire, that not all Changelings are bad and that King Thorax and his Royal Delegation are really not the same as Chrysalis' Changelings.

The message she would teach to them is that "It's time for Ponies and Changelings to coexist in Peace and Harmony instead of living separately from one another in fear and hate."

[ponykittylonelygirl 73]

I secretly hope they'll send Starlight off to help as a royal adviser as such, working with them to learn the value of friendship.

I really like the changelings, in both forms old and new, but I hope they don't take over too much of the narrative in season 7. I'd like some core ponyville stories again.

 

It would be interesting to see if they integrate them in to pony society or whether they stay in their own kingdom.

[heavens-champion 1,905]

It would be nice to see Twilight settle a situation like this. The writers must give her something to do. Starlight has had her fun, and now it's time to get back on track.

[Hazard Time 1,127]

Or they could take the simplest route which is to allow time to heal those wounds.  You can't force people to accept an opinion contrary to the one they currently hold, and hard evidence won't always persuade the lunatic fringe.  I think the best course of action would be to keep any and all interactions between the Crystal Empire/Equestria and the Changeling Kingdom low key until such a time as ponies are much more willing to accept that the changelings aren't evil anymore.

[NeonCobalt 256]

It will be interesting to see how Equestria reacts to, in theory, complete peace with the Changeling Kingdom, given that they invaded Canterlot just a few years ago. I can see there being a lot of conflict there. I hope they explore this in Season 7 as opposed to just kinda sweeping the plot thread under the rug and forgetting it.

[EmeraldStar04 250]

I want them to fight and beat the Yaks. I hate Yaks.