spoiler "Pony of Shadows" speculation/theories

[Dark Qiviut 22,173]

Note: There are unmasked spoilers for the S7 finale in this thread, so if you're weary of them, be careful!

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With the S7 finale revealed comes a "brand-new" villain. Back in Castle Mane-ia, we were introduced to the Pony of Shadows, though it was done primarily as a joke. Early speculation indicated this Pony of Shadow was Tirek, because the cloak from both figures looked identical. However, that's not the case, and the Pony of Shadows is his own entity. This opens to a lot of theories of who the PoS is, what he does, and what purpose he has.

What are your theories of the Pony of Shadows? Please lay as many as possible. Don't be afraid to post a crackpot theory and run with it if you feel you can. Given the show's history, it might be there.

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I have five of them in mind.

1. If not taking any of the comics prior to this season's tie-ins into account, he may've been responsible for Luna transforming into Nightmare Moon in the first place. He was able to channel her biggest insecurities and transform them into eventual jealousy and bitterness of Celly.
2. The Pony of Shadows's real form is a generic pony. Every pony in this series is stylized to give it some character, but the PoS is the opposite and takes form after feeding on negative energy.
3. To go into specifics with the negative energy, the Pillars of Magic trapped in Limbo each have a moment that eats them up so much they can't let go and truly rest in peace. The PoS takes advantage of their guilt by eating it to create shape and generate grand powers, some of which copycat the souls he victimizes. The only way they can defeat him is for them to finally let it go and put it behind them.
4. The Pony of Shadows is able to trigger each of their biggest regrets. Think about how Sombra lays a trap in the Crystal Castle, where opening the door triggers their biggest fear at that moment. Instead of a dark object, the PoS himself triggers it whenever he can. This tactic humanizes our heroes further and makes the PoS look like an even eviler scumball than he already is.
5. The Pony of Shadows is a Legend of Magic himself, one that went bad. The Legends arc seems to be tapping forth the eight magical items that Twilight stated in TCM, Part 2. If the PoS is a Legend of Magic, that'd make seven, one for each of the Mane ponies. Once you consider what Starlight did and how much she's overcome since Re-Mark, she may be able to channel in the PoS's biggest flaws and fears and see him as her. If it goes this route, I think it makes sense for the PoS to be redeemed, so the Pillars of Ancient Equestria can unite as one.

Edited September 23, 2017 by Dark Qiviut

[hollow-shades 129]

I really hope that the PoS ends up being an Umbrum (the species that Sombra is). Considering that Sombra had pretty strong dark magic to the point of stopping other magics, it would be nice if we got another powerfull Umbrum.

And, considering that Sombra is a unicorn stallion umbrum, its possible that there are things like pegasus mare umbrums for example.

[Valeska 184]

My Hopes for the Pony of Shadows:

• Gender - Male
  • We already have a large cast of female pony villains (check my signature), so why not have a male pony villain. Sombra doesn't really count in my opinion because he didn't really interact with the main six, either verbally or physically. And the Flim Flam Brothers are antagonists, not villains.
• Pony Species - Non-Unicorn
  • Don't get me wrong, unicorns are great to an extent. But the writers have overused unicorns as villains. I would die to have a villain not be a unicorn. Plus if the Pony of Shadows is either an earth pony or pegasus, it would be more impressive for them to have entrapped Starswirl and the others. Heck, maybe the Pony of Shadows is its own species.
• Powers - ???
  • I'm honestly not really sure about this topic. I guess it depends on whether or not the Pony of Shadows is its own species, if the pony is cursed, or if they obtained some power on their own to turn into shadows. I really don't know. Any of those options I listed would work for me. I guess it would be cool if the Pony of Shadows could shift from one shadow to the next or if it could appear in shadows out of nothing.
• Evil Motivation - Rejection/Evil Desire 
• Location of Confrontation - Castle of the Two Sisters
  • I think it would just make sense to bring back the Pony of Shadows in the original point of origin to it being mentioned in the series.

Who are the Pillars of Old Equestria supposed to be? I'm thinking that they are the legend ponies introduced earlier in the season. It would just make sense to give the audience a little background on the characters before the finale.

Celestia and Luna better get some good reunion scenes with Starswirl, when he is released from captivity. I mean, they have a lot more history together than Twilight does. 

[Sparklefan1234 161,858]

@Dark Qiviut

 

I posted this in the EQD thread but, I'll post my theory here, too.

 

What if the Pony of Shadows ends up being Star Swirl the Bearded?

 

I don't read the comics so, this is just a theory.

[Valeska 184]

5 minutes ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

@Dark Qiviut

 

I posted this in the EQD thread but, I'll post my theory here, too.

 

What if the Pony of Shadows ends up being Star Swirl the Bearded?

 

I don't read the comics so, this is just a theory.

I don't know how that is possible because Starswirl is one of the ponies of which The Shadow Pony imprisoned. 

[Jeric 46,834]

18 minutes ago, Sparklefan1234 said:

What if the Pony of Shadows ends up being Star Swirl the Bearded?

I had this thought a few weeks ago but walked it back. It's a great idea -- I speculated that the PoS is a cursed entity that corrupts only the powerful. The only way to release the host from the curse is basically to become the Pony of Shadows. After that SStB would have set it up so that he would take on the curse and either trap himself in limbo or get trapped by the other legends who sacrificed themselves and got stuck with him.  

A tad complicated which is why I think it's going to be a formless entity that is trapped in limbo with the legends and when Twilight sets them free she releases him too. 

Powers? I have no idea but off the cuff he has the ability to possess people, has access to immensely powerful dark magic, hide in shadows, and may have fallen due to embracing darker magic. 

 

[Hierok 11,829]

I still think the pony of shadows (pos) is an umbrum working for Grogar. He looks after the dungeons of Limbo, where Grogar keeps all his most hated foes. Pos was the leader of the umbrum, till Grogar convinced him he made himself useless there and he joined him. He now is so corrupted that he doesn't even see he is used by Grogar. The mane 6 gonna let him realize that, but he doesn't turn good. In fact, he is gonna look for a way to free the umbrum and bring Sombra back. I hope in the end of the two parter we see two evil goat eyes looking down upon it and swore revenge after pos and the mane 6.

[cmarston1 5,951]

I think your final speculation, that of the Pony of Shadows being a corrupted Legend of Equestria, is the most likely to happen.

And like what others have mentioned in this topic, I could see Starswirl being the one to become the Pony of Shadows.

[Steve Piranha 28,778]

9 hours ago, Valeska said:

I don't know how that is possible because Starswirl is one of the ponies of which The Shadow Pony imprisoned. 

It's still possible for Starswirl to have either become the Pony of Shadow out of an accident (like human Twi becoming Midnight Sparkle), or he sealed the Pony of Shadow in his own body. Then again, we'll have to wait after the movie to find out

[Drunkfrank 1,125]

I am not expecting him to show up until the end of Part 1, maybe part 1 if Twilight reads about him in the journal

I think the Pony of Shadows will be Shadowlocks ancestor, and he is trapped in Limbo as well and Twilight will free him accidentally. Hoping the Pony of Shadows is like the Discord equivalent but with dark magic, the embodiment of it. 

[silvermoon15000 337]

I just see the PoS as Starswirl, who may have been messed up by a spell.

[Castle Bleck 19,166]

I'm hoping (s)he's either an offshoot of Sombra's dark-magic experiments... or a fellow Umbrum altogether.

 

Either way, seems like a waste to call him/her "Pony Of Shadows"... and not have him/her be related to Sombra in any way.

Edited September 23, 2017 by The Artist Formerly Known As A.V.

[Star Petal 215]

Pony of shadows is a pony made from shadows, a being from another dimension, the world of shadows and wants to shroud the world in darkness. Or something like that. He will be bland and boring. I am betting we will be very disappointed. Oh, and he is evil because of no friendship. 

[Peter16373 103]

It would be cool if the Pony of Shadows was a creature from another one of the universes that surround them. It could be a cool way to introduce the Infinite Multiverse from the comics into the show.

[heavens-champion 1,893]

Maybe it's an evil pony sorcerer who sacrificed his pony nature to become a being of pure magic for the sake of power. UNLIMITED POWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Melody Key 0]

I think the Pony of Shadows is a being of its own that affects the mind of ponies who are already in a state of extreme bitterness and hatred and turns them into different ponies entirely. It has to be willingly though, because Luna wouldn’t blame herself if it wasn’t. Maybe it lures them in with promises of power and revenge. Apple Jack said that it was remnants of Nightmare Moon, and maybe it is peices of an otherworldly spirit that once roamed the castle of the two sisters after it was separated from Luna (also explaining why it was haunted in CastleMania)