Why do we know so little about earth ponies?

[ManaMinori 4,146]

Its pretty ironic that we spend so much of the series focusing on Ponyville, which 8 started by earth ponies, and yet they are the very race that still remains the most shrouded in mysters when it comes to how their magic works. 

Why is that?

[Ganondorf8 11,453]

Maybe it isn't as mysterious as it seems. Perhaps we've been seeing it the entire time without ever knowing? That's just my best guess though as this is something the writers haven't really touched up on all that much.

[cmarston1 5,962]

Because there isn't a lot to say about them.

[MintTiramisu 105]

I think maybe because there's not much about them that could be very interesting, though it's possible we might learn something new and interesting about them later on :3

[ManaMinori 4,146]

7 hours ago, Ganondorf8 said:

Maybe it isn't as mysterious as it seems. Perhaps we've been seeing it the entire time without ever knowing? That's just my best guess though as this is something the writers haven't really touched up on all that much.

There has to be more to them than "super strength", which isn't even the case for ponies like Pinkie and Apple Bloom

[Jeric 46,871]

10 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

Its pretty ironic that we spend so much of the series focusing on Ponyville, which 8 started by earth ponies, and yet they are the very race that still remains the most shrouded in mysters when it comes to how their magic works. 

Why is that?

It could be argued that unicorn and pegasus magic is just as mysterious for a different reason. Yes you see it more often, but it's rules and limits aren't explained in any depth making aspects of it confusing for some. 

It's sort of like knowing as much as we do about classical physics, yet knowing much less about quantum physics. There a quite a few gaps there, just like unicorn and pegasus magic. Hm. Actually, how pegasus magic works definitely is a huge question too. 

Anyway, you asked why. I believe the answer to that is story driven. Unicorn magic is much easier to visually depict, and reference. Earth magic is, by all reasonable logic, more subtle. You can visually depict it in just the right way, like the last scene in Perfect Pear, but it's more difficult to execute well in a story. At least more difficult that name dropping a spell, showing a horn glow, or depicting parchment. 

Anyway, from a thematic reason, I don't believe the founding of Ponyville is a strong reason to explain Earth magic. It's been established that a unique aspect of Ponyville is that it is inhabited by all races, and that they have traditions that seem to distance themselves from magic in general. Culturally that may be your answer right there. 

Also, I am far more interested in more Bat Pony lore. That is still an unanswered question on the show. 

22 minutes ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

There has to be more to them than "super strength", which isn't even the case for ponies like Pinkie and Apple Bloom

Life perhaps? 

[Ganondorf8 11,453]

7 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

There has to be more to them than "super strength", which isn't even the case for ponies like Pinkie and Apple Bloom

Like I said, it's something the writers haven't touched up on that much. Super Strength for Earth Ponies would equate to those who perform physical labour constantly but I do agree that certain Earth Ponies don't possess that kind of thing--I attribute Apple Bloom into having strength but on a reduced scale since she's still young and isn't a unique case like that one filly.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,700]

12 hours ago, cmarston1 said:

Because there isn't a lot to say about them.

+1 this.
Earth ponies were pretty clearly intended from the start to be the "muggles" of the group, with no real defined magic except the writers occasionally coming up with a random and unquantifiable thing specific to that character (Pinkie has Pinkie sense, and Fluttershy was intended to be an earth pony shutterfly and has the stare, another esoteric and unexplainable ability).

As such, while Unicorns have virtually unlimited things they can do and are the source of all "technology" in the world, Earth ponies were just intended as your kind of normal joes.

11 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

There has to be more to them than "super strength", which isn't even the case for ponies like Pinkie and Apple Bloom

Eh, Super strength seems to be something that the writers just came up with as a last second idea due to fans clamoring that they needed SOMETHING. Given how there's never really been anything explicitly said of "They have super strength" apart from some very, VERY vauge statements (Like "without their strength they cannot work the land" In twilight's kingdom), and its never come up as something focused on like Unicorn magic or Pegasi weather control.

Super strength is more of a "Here, they have something, now please stop asking" kind of thing IMO from the writers. Hell, Super strength is even a late thing, given how their original "magic" was "they can grow crops", and then fans kept calling foul on THAT, so the writers just chucked something else in too XD

[Hierok 11,833]

I think the show focusses a little bit more on unicorns and pegasi. This are the more dangerous races of ponies I think and kids love to see that a bit more. That is my thought. I think there is not much more to that. They just aren't that interesting to write for and maybe a little bit more difficult.

[Luminance 2,187]

Introducing an Earth pony villain may bring some interests into the earth ponies. 

[ZethaPonderer 2,200]

Sarcastic and Insane Explanation:

Because Earth Ponies are deep down Super Saiyans that have yet to unleash their true potential. Unicorns and Alicorns belong in the Frieza Race who have inhabited The World of Equestria which used to be Planet Vegeta way back in the Ancient Times while Pegasus are ancestors of the Tuffle Race.

All of these ponies are ancient species that lived before DBZ ever happened.

 

Realistic Explanation:

Because Earth Ponies are just that. Normal, ordinary Ponies. There's nothing special about them in comparison to a FLYING PONY and a MAGIC PONY.

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

Earth Pony look like a normal pony without horns and wings, they are 'common people' of pony kind. If a pony want to go from Ponyville to Our Town, what race can go to Our Town the fastest? Rank pony race who can use spoons properly in top 3. Compare to other races, Earth Pony is like a mundane creature compare to mythical creature, thanks to FIM physics, Earth Pony can somehow play piano lololololol. Look at how painful Miss Cheerilee when she had to write the black board with HER MOUTH, pegasus can do that with  wings, unicorns can do almost everything that a human can do with human tools. 

Is there any hope for Earth Ponies? Can we have an earth pony can single-handle the Eldritch Abomination for once? 

Maud said about you can rule the Equestria with the right rock, that's interesting but the problem is, Earth Pony lacks AMBITIONS, even they know there is a rock can store your cutie marks, they dont use it anyway. 

Earth Ponies have magic connect the land, that's interesting, but i think the writers dont care about it that much. 

random: Maud can be a terrifying villain if she WANT to...

[Hierok 11,833]

11 hours ago, Star Trail said:

Introducing an Earth pony villain may bring some interests into the earth ponies. 

I think that will be cool, but then...

What can an earth pony do that can defeat an unicorn? 

[Castle Bleck 19,400]

4 hours ago, Hierok said:

I think that will be cool, but then...

What can an earth pony do that can defeat an unicorn? 

 

Sneak up and knock them out from behind, get an anti-magic MacGuffin (e.g., leftover piece of Chrysalis's throne(?)), etc.

Edited July 2, 2017 by A.V.

[Jeric 46,871]

8 hours ago, Hierok said:

I think that will be cool, but then...

What can an earth pony do that can defeat an unicorn? 

Figure out a way to internally harness their own magic in another way that makes them immune to external magic. Better than a mystical artifact, and emphasizes that Earth Pony magic is more passive perhaps. Similar to a nullification, but unlike Amon or Tirek it's passive and can't be used to remove magic from others. 

 

[Luminance 2,187]

19 hours ago, Hierok said:

I think that will be cool, but then...

What can an earth pony do that can defeat an unicorn? 

Extreme Intellect and/or strength. 

[Hierok 11,833]

35 minutes ago, Star Trail said:

Extreme Intellect and/or strength. 

I don't think being strong is gonna do much. An earth pony could easily be flying through the air, for example. Wingardium Leviosa! 

16 hours ago, A.V. said:

 

Sneak up and knock them out from behind, get an anti-magic MacGuffin (e.g., leftover piece of Chrysalis's throne(?)), etc.

I don't think this is gonna work. Chrysalis throne doesn't work anymore.

12 hours ago, Jeric said:

Figure out a way to internally harness their own magic in another way that makes them immune to external magic. Better than a mystical artifact, and emphasizes that Earth Pony magic is more passive perhaps. Similar to a nullification, but unlike Amon or Tirek it's passive and can't be used to remove magic from others. 

 

If you want to be immume for magic, don't you need magic or an magical object?  Earth pony magic is being strong and bound to earth. I don't think can use it otherwise. 

Edited July 3, 2017 by Hierok

[Unlikeable Pony 2,700]

On 7/2/2017 at 11:17 AM, A.V. said:

 

Sneak up and knock them out from behind, get an anti-magic MacGuffin (e.g., leftover piece of Chrysalis's throne(?)), etc.

but if its an anti-magic macguffin, its not really feeling like the villain is the threat, rather the object is.

When you give a character an object to increase their threat level, you generally want it to feel like an extension of who they are so it still feels like "Them" that's the threat, like how its not captain america's shield that's the threat its his skill with it, or how  a Mobile suit pilot isn't just a guy in a fancy mech, its his skill piloting that's special.

 

On 7/2/2017 at 2:58 PM, Jeric said:

Figure out a way to internally harness their own magic in another way that makes them immune to external magic. Better than a mystical artifact, and emphasizes that Earth Pony magic is more passive perhaps. Similar to a nullification, but unlike Amon or Tirek it's passive and can't be used to remove magic from others. 

 

It'd be neat to have an earth pony that's the E.pony equivilent of twilight, but that would require the writers to commit hard to what Earth pony magic actually "is", and they seem to be highly reticent to do any concrete confirmation of any specific abilities that can actually be "used" at will.

[Castle Bleck 19,400]

On 7/3/2017 at 3:17 AM, Hierok said:

I don't think this is gonna work. Chrysalis throne doesn't work anymore.

 

All that shattering the throne did was remove its large-scale effect over the place.

 

Doesn't preclude a small shard from being used as an individual-scale "Kryptonite," though.

Edited July 8, 2017 by A.V.

[Hierok 11,833]

4 hours ago, A.V. said:

All that shattering the throne did was remove its large-scale effect over the place.

 

Doesn't preclude a small shard from being used as an individual-scale "Kryptonite," though.

This is maybe true, but the stone wasn't the one who sucked up the magic. The artifact himself did that. So a small shard doesn't do anything anymore I think. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to use magic at the end of s6 finale.

[Castle Bleck 19,400]

6 hours ago, Hierok said:

This is maybe true, but the stone wasn't the one who sucked up the magic. The artifact himself did that. So a small shard doesn't do anything anymore I think. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to use magic at the end of s6 finale.

 

Except Thorax specifically said, "Chrysalis's throne is carved from an ancient, dark stone that soaks up outside magic."

 

And like I said before, all that shattering it did was remove the "broadcast" effect over the entire area; but still, nothing precludes a small, leftover piece from being used as an individual "shield" or something.