Are all crystal ponies...

[Cosmic Spiral 19]

Are all crystal ponies earth ponies? I know they've shown other kinds of ponies in the Crystal Empire but it seems that crystal ponies specifically are just Earth ponies.

[Will Guide 21,364]

Well, I do know their coats shine and that their eye reflections are more polygonal compared to the oval shaped ones of non-crystal ponies.

Seriously, look at the shape of the eye reflections; that's what draws my eye the most about a crystal pony!

[Rhythm Red 6,484]

I think crystal ponies are their own separate pony race. In other words, there are earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and crystal ponies. There aren't crystal pegasi or crystal unicorns. That's how I see it, anyway.

[King of Canterlot 9,603]

  On 2018-02-04 at 4:31 AM, Rhythm Red said:

I think crystal ponies are their own separate pony race. In other words, there are earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, and crystal ponies. There aren't crystal pegasi or crystal unicorns. That's how I see it, anyway.

Expand  

Gotta agree with Red here, their more than likely a separate type of pony species that never developed beyond earth ponies, because in the show, there never seems to be any crystal unicorns or pegasi, just earth ponies. If crystal unicorns or pegasi did exist, I think we would have already seen them in the show too.  

[Nye 1,652]

Unless you consider the normal ponies changing into crystal whenever the Crystal Heart gets fixed.

[Mortar 143]

We've seen what happens when the Crystal Heart is gone.  They lose their shiny appearance and look like regular Earth ponies.  This lends me to think that perhaps their shiny look is a manifestation caused by the Heart.  After all, the Mane Six became shiny when the Heart was restored, and vanished when they left.  If that theory is correct, my question is, what benefit does being shiny/crystal get you?

[Lambdadelta 1,462]

Besides being connected to Crystal Heart and flashy crystalling appearance, they are just mere earth ponies, nothing more nothing less, that why their empire has no chance against magical threat like Sombra who are a unicorn. They are reminders to us that non-unicorns races are easily to be enslaved, they replied on Crystal Heart, which is a magical artifact to survive another magical evil cloud. And thanks god, they can live outside Crystal Empire, i just thought they will be die if they leave their Crystal Heart or something lol.

So i think Crystal ponies are just normal Earth ponies who can live in hostile environments thanks to power of a artifact, Wingdigoes cant touch them.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

I am not sure that is true. I believe they began as earth ponies, but it is shown repeatedly that earth ponies DO have magic, just magic centered upon themselves (AJ's applebucking ability, for example, is an expression of her pony magic). Crystal ponies have learned how to pool that magic, and have over time adapted though ritual (the Crystalling) to better express that ability, combined not by the Crystal Heart itself (which is more an expression of that an ability than a cause) but by the snowflake-shaped arrangement of roads that are the true heart of the crystal empire, and the channel for the pooled magic they can create.

Anypony can be given their crystal form by the combined power of crystal ponies acting in concert, but it is the exposure to the focus of that event (the Crystalling) that truely separates a crystal pony from the earth ponies; Flurry then IS now a crystal pony, the first non-earthpony we know of to become one, and once she grows up will truely be the crystal princess.  The Crystalling episode also introduces other elements - that the combined light and love of the crystal ponies can be absorbed and stored in a sufficiently pure crystal - which is probably how the seed of the Crystal Heart was first created - and that it can be imbued with the power to continuously cast magic spells by adding them to the seed during the ritual of the Crystalling.

[Hierok 11,832]

I always wondered this too. And now I'm wondering if there are other kinds of races. Maybe there are Phoenix ponies. I would like another race. 

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 10:11 AM, Hierok said:

I always wondered this too. And now I'm wondering if there are other kinds of races. Maybe there are Phoenix ponies. I would like another race. 

Expand  

"Yeah, but the purpose of the Journal isn't supposed to be marketing" - Twilight Sparkle

Seriously though, we have Seaponies now, but I don't think, despite their toyline potential (and Sunset's pheonix moment in her song), pheonix ponies are really enough different from pegasi/alicorns to count; seaponies and crystal ponies work well because they add a specific physical change to the basic pony frame; pheonix ponies would just look more like daybreaker.

[Cosmic Spiral 19]

  On 2018-02-04 at 4:25 AM, WiiGuy2014 said:

Seriously, look at the shape of the eye reflections; that's what draws my eye the most about a crystal pony!

Expand  

I've also noticed that Crystal Ponies have a Cutie Marks that are usually more Greek centered and their mane and trail style is also more ancient Greek style as well.

  On 2018-02-04 at 10:11 AM, Hierok said:

I always wondered this too. And now I'm wondering if there are other kinds of races. Maybe there are Phoenix ponies. I would like another race. 

Expand  

 

 

Technically there are bat ponies, but I don't know if that's really canon or not. It could be just part of the armor that Luna's guards wear.

  On 2018-02-04 at 10:20 AM, CypherHoof said:

Seriously though, we have Seaponies now,

Expand  

Can we really count them as ponies though? They don't have Cutie Marks and they are basically the hippogryphs in disguise

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 2:04 PM, Cosmic Spiral said:

I've also noticed that Crystal Ponies have a Cutie Marks that are usually more Greek centered and their mane and trail style is also more ancient Greek style as well.

Technically there are bat ponies, but I don't know if that's really canon or not. It could be just part of the armor that Luna's guards wear.

Expand  

Well, that you can wear fake bat wings over pegasus wings is canon - as Fluttershy does it during /scare master/ - and still fly, so it's possible that Luna's night guard do so also.

 

  Just now, Cosmic Spiral said:

Can we really count them as ponies though? They don't have Cutie Marks and they are basically the hippogryphs in disguise

Expand  

Mane 6 get seaponied, after all - and still have their cutie marks (albeit on fins)

[Cosmic Spiral 19]

  On 2018-02-04 at 2:21 PM, CypherHoof said:

  On 2018-02-04 at 2:04 PM, Cosmic Spiral said:

I've also noticed that Crystal Ponies have a Cutie Marks that are usually more Greek centered and their mane and trail style is also more ancient Greek style as well.

Technically there are bat ponies, but I don't know if that's really canon or not. It could be just part of the armor that Luna's guards wear.

Expand  

Well, that you can wear fake bat wings over pegasus wings is canon - as Fluttershy does it during /scare master/ - and still fly, so it's possible that Luna's night guard do so also.

Expand  

Though now that I think about Luna's guards also have slit eyes too. But also in Nightmare Moon's alternate timeline does Rainbow Dash have bat wings on her armor? Personally, I like the idea of bat ponies and in my headcanon they one of the ponies of night species. However, you know, headcanon.

  On 2018-02-04 at 2:21 PM, CypherHoof said:

  Quote

Can we really count them as ponies though? They don't have Cutie Marks and they are basically the hippogryphs in disguise

Expand  

Mane 6 get seaponied, after all - and still have their cutie marks (albeit on fins)

Expand  

Exactly, the Mane 6 had still kept their Cutie Marks but none of the sea ponies did because as hippogryphs they didn't have them either. 

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 2:27 PM, Cosmic Spiral said:

Though now that I think about Luna's guards also have slit eyes too. But also in Nightmare Moon's alternate timeline does Rainbow Dash have bat wings on her armor? Personally, I like the idea of bat ponies and in my headcanon they one of the ponies of night species. However, you know, headcanon.

Expand  

I know, just suggesting that there is a canon example of a fake batpony; equally so though, Flutterbat WAS a real batpony, so we have a canon example both ways. Batponies on night guard would make sense; with SoundSight, a batpony would be vastly more effective than a pegasus pony, especially in a world where most everypony sleeps once it gets dark.  I don't say combat effective though, as it seems ponies collectively suck at combat.

 

  9 minutes ago, Cosmic Spiral said:

Exactly, the Mane 6 had still kept their Cutie Marks but none of the sea ponies did because as hippogryphs they didn't have them either. 

Expand  

Indeed, but that isn't to say you can't have more - that the other movie examples showed hippogryph-based seaponies doesn't mean you couldn't have more seaponies who were (or whose ancestors were) ponies originally, so can have cutie marks. Presumably there is more to this subspecies than just a hiding place for the hippogriphs, or why does Twi have a book on Seapony Etiquette?

[Hierok 11,832]

  On 2018-02-04 at 10:20 AM, CypherHoof said:

"Yeah, but the purpose of the Journal isn't supposed to be marketing" - Twilight Sparkle

Seriously though, we have Seaponies now, but I don't think, despite their toyline potential (and Sunset's pheonix moment in her song), pheonix ponies are really enough different from pegasi/alicorns to count; seaponies and crystal ponies work well because they add a specific physical change to the basic pony frame; pheonix ponies would just look more like daybreaker.

Expand  

Well, it was just an example.  But you're right. Only when necessary and not just to make money out of it. 

[The_Gobo 36,257]

Aren't 'crystal ponies' just whatever race with a crystal effect applied to them?

 

[Orenda 127]

So, the father of Cadence, King Rubinus gifted a group of Earth ponies that were devoted to him, and gave them a crystal coat feature and the ability to grow crystals.

Edited February 4, 2018 by mellifluous

[Castle Bleck 19,386]

According to the comics, Princess Amore and Radiant Hope are Crystal Unicorns.

Edited February 4, 2018 by A.V.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 5:47 PM, The_Gobo said:

Aren't 'crystal ponies' just whatever race with a crystal effect applied to them?

Expand  

Sorta; certainly that is true for merchandising; however, it is also true that the crystal ponies in the show (with the exception of Flurry Heart, who may be the first true non-earthpony crystal pony) look like and live as earth ponies most of the time, and only go to their "crystal" form when combining their light and love, an effect that the Crystal Heart can also produce in other ponies (and spike, of course).

Sunburst is presumably an import (given he and glimglam were around before the return of the crystal empire) and of course so are Cadence and Shiny.

[Hierok 11,832]

  On 2018-02-04 at 5:52 PM, A.V. said:

According to the comics, Princess Amore and Radiant Hope are Unicorns.

Expand  

It could be Sombra or another threat killed or locked away all crystal unicorn and pegasi in order to make his soldiers more loyal. ~But that's just a theory.~

  On 2018-02-04 at 5:47 PM, The_Gobo said:

Aren't 'crystal ponies' just whatever race with a crystal effect applied to them?

Expand  

Yes, but there are only earth pony versions of them.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 5:57 PM, Hierok said:

It could be Sombra or another threat killed or locked away all crystal unicorn and pegasi in order to make his soldiers more loyal. ~But that's just a theory.~

Yes, but there are only earth pony versions of them.

Expand  

We will see. It is my theory (but only headcanon of course ) that the Crystalling is what makes an otherwise normal pony into a Crystal pony - so Flurry Heart is now the only Crystal Princess, even if her mother has been given that title

[Hierok 11,832]

  On 2018-02-04 at 6:00 PM, CypherHoof said:

We will see. It is my theory (but only headcanon of course ) that the Crystalling is what makes an otherwise normal pony into a Crystal pony - so Flurry Heart is now the only Crystal Princess, even if her mother has been given that title

Expand  

Maybe you'll find this interesting. This is just my fanfic.

I think the changelings are mutated ponies. When Celestia and Luna battled Discord, who turned Celestia and Luna into alicorns for dark purposes, he put a curse on a couple of ponies. There shadows became the Umbrum, their spirits the Windigo's and their bodies the changelings. 

This would make the changelings also a pony race. 

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 8:55 PM, Hierok said:

Maybe you'll find this interesting. This is just my fanfic.

I think the changelings are mutated ponies. When Celestia and Luna battled Discord, who turned Celestia and Luna into alicorns for dark purposes, he put a curse on a couple of ponies. There shadows became the Umbrum, their spirits the Windigo's and their bodies the changelings. 

This would make the changelings also a pony race. 

Expand  

It's possible, but the changelings ARE very insect like and the comics (which of course are frequently non-canon) attribute an insect origin.

[Hierok 11,832]

  On 2018-02-04 at 9:05 PM, CypherHoof said:

It's possible, but the changelings ARE very insect like and the comics (which of course are frequently non-canon) attribute an insect origin.

Expand  

Yeah, that comic was a little disappointing for this, so I need to switch something.

[CypherHoof 26,483]

  On 2018-02-04 at 9:06 PM, Hierok said:

Yeah, that comic was a little disappointing for this, so I need to switch something.

Expand  

A Discordian joke isn't an unreasonable origin story, but I do think changelings are too insectoid for that to be an obvious step. That said, the Breezy spell of Twilight's shows that pony to insect IS an option, so a pony origin isn't impossible; discord could have thought it funny to transform ponies into egg-laying insects, and that is really all it would take.