Would you trust Celestia with a WMD?

[Ruddboy Olaf 10,628]

I wouldn't trust the Princesses with the Equestrian equivalent of a nuke. Their military sucks, their security is a joke, and there's too many threats looming over Equestria to risk them having it. The best thing would be to bury it, burn all evidence of such a thing existing, and never talk about it again.

 

I especially wouldn't trust your Celestia and Luna, considering in the last post I read from you, they were killing ponies for the hell of it and threatened to torture me if I said a word about it.

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

Just now, Princess Panzy said:

I especially wouldn't trust your Celestia and Luna, considering in the last post I read from you, they were killing ponies for the hell of it and threatened to torture me if I said a word about it.

Lol. Technically, only the threat was factual. The killing part may or may not be true, since you haven't seen them doing it.

[Ruddboy Olaf 10,628]

 

Just now, KillerKingBakudan said:

Lol. Technically, only the threat was factual. The killing part may or may not be true, since you haven't seen them doing it.

Last I checked, Celestia threatened to personally torture me slowly and painfully in the dungeon if I said anything about the mirrors. That pretty much tells me that they knew what they were doing and were willingly murdering ponies for their own sick amusement. Thus, who's to say she wouldn't use the WMD to murder thousands of innocents to satisfy her bloodlust even more?

[KillerKingBakudan 702]

Just now, Princess Panzy said:

Last I checked, Celestia threatened to personally torture me slowly and painfully in the dungeon if I said anything about the mirrors. That pretty much tells me that they knew what they were doing and were willingly murdering ponies for their own sick amusement. Thus, who's to say she wouldn't use the WMD to murder thousands of innocents to satisfy her bloodlust even more?

Nobody likes being accused of a crime, regardless if they actually did it or not. Especially not one as heinous as mass murder. So Celestia may have also threatened you because you expressed a lack of faith and offended her. The scenario made it just as likely that some filly could have used the magic from the mirrors to create false evidence for a prank. But the conclusions to be made are 50/50, so to each their own. Lol.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

10 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Or maybe they fail because they're combatting a genetic life form that was designed to kill them, and in addition to the lack of information they're fighting in close quarters. Daring do probably would destroy it but I'm sure it's priceless to someone, and if it requires excavation and has a section of a book dedicated to it then there might be some historical significance to it. Being surprised that no mercenary wants to cooperate with pirates doesn't make sense if the mercenary represents Callaberon because he's almost constantly working for Ahuizotl. He's a professional thief who puts money before everything else. If the pirates were paying enough, he'd jump right on board. Callaberon would also has the same risks with Ahuizotl when it comes to betrayal. The only difference is that Celestia is more powerful and has more guards at her disposal, however both are at a point where if they wanted to remove Caballeron from the picture, they probably could. The only reason Ahuizotl doesn't do this is probably because most of the time Caballeron follows through but Daring Do gets in the way, and he doesn't mind if Caballeron robs others living in his territory, so long as he's not stealing from him. Celestia is like a 2 ton block of concrete, while Ahuizotl is like a 500 pound block of concrete, and both are dangling from a crane. The 2 ton block of concrete might have more potential kinetic energy, but if both are dropped on your head, the result is the same. If Caballeron were to deliver the gem, and then go back to his usual working for Ahuizotl, then Ahuizotl might be furious that Caballeron didn't think of making him an offer for it, or even worse, Celestia might decide that Ahuizotl is too dangerous, and fry Caballeron's butt along with his.

Colonial Marines are fully capable of killing Xenos. You said it right: they were uninformed about what and where of their engagement, which is my point.

 

 

Does he have another option? We don't really have a good kingpin in Equestria to manage the black market.

 

 

Precisely, Celestia is a more powerful employer, and quite possibly a smarter one. If she offered you a shady job you'd betray Ahui too. Of course she'd have to make a deal that would encompass his self-preservation and in return she'd get an artifact expert who is willing to carry out any sort of covert job since he doesn't exist in the eyes of most Equestrians.

10 hours ago, SharpWit said:

I'll admit that's not healthy but it showed how sincere she was and that she claimed full responsibility for her past actions.

And she's not alone. Discord is a needy man-child, and every powerful unicorn goes complete apeshit over the most trivial things. I would not trust them with any task that can be compromised by stress. They are not made for this world. Would recommend them to try their luck in Marvel Comics or become IDW exclusive characters

 

10 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Only as of this last episode has a character been called who doesn't directly work on friendship problems, and the friendship problems are always ones that will end up spiraling out of control and harm others if they're not solved. They don't go because the map id ordering them to, which it's not. They go because of moral obligation and because it's their job. the cutie map is just like the cell trackers used by police to figure out where there's an emergency if a location is not given during a call, with exception to those with the friendship problem not actively seeking help.

There is no nation X in the OP unless that is how you refer to Equestria in which case I'm enquired as to why?

That's what they do? Who decided that? The Map just happened and their butts started blipping. Nopony is asking questions. They just obey. They even had to hit Twilight with a tard stick since nopony is asking how it works. And how can a bad restaurant cause the downfall of anything? How about a grudge between two families of rednecks? Somepony should tune the Map cause it's way too sensitive. I mean, do I really need to state how bad it is to intrude in personal relationships, even the bad ones that are not abusive as defined by law? Why do normal ponies with normal problems need mind NSA on steroids?

Creatures from a faraway land = Nation X

10 hours ago, SharpWit said:

How the hell were they not official enemies of Equestria? The United States and the Soviet Union never actually went to war and did things behind closed doors all of the time. Were they not enemies? The main six may not have been government officials, or acting under orders when they retrieved the elements of harmony, but Celestia as the highest authority has granted them their use, entrusting to use them responsibly, and as such have become an integral part of Equestria's defenses. Your reasoning for why can't be trusted with a WMD is pretty solid except for part on a magical tree dictating their actions because it's not. If someone were to write a letter saying "Hey, these two ponies used to get along but now they're not and it's tearing the town apart, please help us." They'd go right ahead and try to solve the problem because that's what they do. A call from that tree is equivalent to that sort of letter, it's not an order, it's bringing awareness to an existing problem. But the fact that there's that much deciding power with no consistency or oversight required in the hooves of a few is a slippery slope. However this is condoned by the highest authority being the rest of princesses. There's no way that an unreformed Nightmare Moon and Discord, a still living King Sombra, and Queen Chrysalis wouldn't be considered enemies of Equestria. Look at Tirek! That's why he's locked away in Tartarus!

Deals behind closed doors should be off the table when you have villains that have already affected your citizens in a very public way.

As I said: once you reform all sins are forgiven. There's even talk about Tirek's reformation. Now, this is just a fan theory for now but it does expose the doubt many share about the wanton implementation of reformations. As things stand there is no case where such absolution is not possible. It is expected if not compulsory of FIM's narrative and Princesses are not there to judge but just to nod. And what is the embodiment of FIM's narrative? ToH. One could say their country is not run by secular rulers but by Cult of Friendship. No written laws made by secular intellectuals that serve all people equally, no dice.

10 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Daring Do at least isn't a risk for the Gem falling into the wrong hands, and Limestone I don't know well enough to trust her with something like this. It'd also be difficult to convince her to leave the rock farm, no matter how much we offered to pay, plus she's on the opposite end of Equestria. How about Maud? She's in Ponyville so not far away, probably knows more about rocks than anypony else, already knows the area around Our Town, because we've seen her just outside of it, and when Starlight was still up to no good, Maud had no issue pointing her in the direction of a super powerful stone that could store the cutie mark magic of an entire village. Send her in with a guard escort and get this over with.

Yeah, I really wouldn't expect Luna to show up and be so threatening but that's how these things go with KillerKingBakudan. 

Maud is like a badly programmed library. She is helpful if you know exactly what to ask. I'm afraid she'd remain silent and not instruct the royal guards how to handle the stone. Or she might do something she thinks is completely reasonable but royal guards would interpret it as a transgression due to her silent nature. Limestone is a leader who can communicate on a required level for such a high stakes mission.

 

 

Were you here in the good old days when you couldn't go a week without at least one thread painting Celestia as a villain?

Edited May 8, 2018 by Goat-kun

[cmarston1 5,958]

Nope.  Celestia can't defend her subjects to save her life.  What makes you think that some villain wouldn't just overpower her and taking the weapon away from her and use it for nefarious purposes?

[GrimGrimoire 4,973]

I don't believe in anyone having a WMD. So I would not support anyone utilizing or building them.

[GiFTGewEhrSCHutzen-4 8,828]

Do what Princess Celestia says without question and complete the mission. What? I am a Princess Celestia fan after all...

[SharpWit 2,569]

4 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Does he have another option? We don't really have a good kingpin in Equestria to manage the black market.

Not one we know of at least, then again regulation of dangerous artifacts doesn't seem to be their biggest concern in the actual show so maybe what we'd expect on the black market could be found in a regular market.

4 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Precisely, Celestia is a more powerful employer, and quite possibly a smarter one. If she offered you a shady job you'd betray Ahui too. Of course she'd have to make a deal that would encompass his self-preservation and in return she'd get an artifact expert who is willing to carry out any sort of covert job since he doesn't exist in the eyes of most Equestrians.

Alright yeah, but I still say he has a bad record that needs some serious cleaning up along with supervision.

4 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

And she's not alone. Discord is a needy man-child, and every powerful unicorn goes complete apeshit over the most trivial things. I would not trust them with any task that can be compromised by stress. They are not made for this world. Would recommend them to try their luck in Marvel Comics or become IDW exclusive characters

Well he is almost completely self centered but he only has the experience of a child when it comes to friendship. Considering how much everypony has been through they're holding up surprisingly well despite being overly dramatic at times.

5 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

That's what they do? Who decided that? The Map just happened and their butts started blipping. Nopony is asking questions. They just obey. They even had to hit Twilight with a tard stick since nopony is asking how it works. And how can a bad restaurant cause the downfall of anything? How about a grudge between two families of rednecks? Somepony should tune the Map cause it's way too sensitive. I mean, do I really need to state how bad it is to intrude in personal relationships, even the bad ones that are not abusive as defined by law? Why do normal ponies with normal problems need mind NSA on steroids?

Well Twilight decided she was going to try to find the elements of harmony in order to save Equestria in the very first episode, and the rest decided to do the same so they made the decision themselves, and then it sort of became an obligation. Like how in the movie Tombstone, Wyatt Earp steps in after the town marshal is shot and takes down the man responsible, refusing to give him up to the gang he belongs to or to the people of the Tombstone who want to lynch him rather than let him stand trial. Wyatt is a private citizen at the time but it's this moment where he's needed and when the marshal dies that he's convinced to go back into law enforcement. It doesn't necessarily have to be him who has to step up, but he's the only one willing to in the heat of the moment. Twilight and the rest were willing to step up which is why they're in the position they're in.

They do ask questions, they just don't have any answers, and the best way to try and get any is to follow along. As individuals they all decide to go where the map says.

It's less about preventing a downfall, and more about preventing the needless suffering of others. In the case of the restaurant Tasty Treat, the relationship between Saffron Masala and her father Coriander Cumin could be ruined, the restaurant shut down from the lack of business, and nopony being satisfied with the remaining restaurants because their food is terrible. And for the fun of seeing how a downfall could play out, since there aren't any good restaurants in Canterlot, fewer ponies visit to eat there which is a loss of revenue, soon other restaurants begin to shut down and the local economy suffers, taxes are raised to cover losses, not everypony can afford them or feel their bits are being wasted on a city that only keeps rich ponies happy, and so there's discontent in the populace, no solutions are brought about and soon enough everyone is in debt and it's only getting worse, and there's so much upheaval that protests rise up and those turn into riots which cause further damage and guards are sent to intervene but that only upsets everyone more, martial law is declared but no followed, and we see the rise of domestic terrorism and secession movements and soon the country is plunged into civil war. But that's a very extreme what if sort of thing . And the Hooffields and McColts are based off of actual feuding families, the Hatfields and McCoys where I think some 13 people died. MLP of course will never show something so dark but you can see how things could go south pretty quick if our pony equivalents carried on and their hatred for one another only grew. I don't think the show is really pushing the message that you should intrude on personal relationships, but that could be taken away from it. The intent is really to pass on lessons for kids so they know how to resolve any problems within their own friend circles.

6 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

As I said: once you reform all sins are forgiven. There's even talk about Tirek's reformation. Now, this is just a fan theory for now but it does expose the doubt many share about the wanton implementation of reformations. As things stand there is no case where such absolution is not possible. It is expected if not compulsory of FIM's narrative and Princesses are not there to judge but just to nod. And what is the embodiment of FIM's narrative? ToH. One could say their country is not run by secular rulers but by Cult of Friendship. No written laws made by secular intellectuals that serve all people equally, no dice.

That's all it is though, talk. And I think judgment has been given when you're thrown in a cell in what I assume is another realm or the pony form of Guantanamo Bay/Hell. And Chrysalis has not only been defeated twice but she's rejected friendship. Some mindsets are too engrained but we'll have to wait and see. And you should really look back on the origins of the Tree of Harmony. It plays a part but it's not the lead role. The main six simply have a large degree of autonomy granted to them. It's questionable whether they should have that but it's nowhere organized enough to be cult like.

6 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Maud is like a badly programmed library. She is helpful if you know exactly what to ask. I'm afraid she'd remain silent and not instruct the royal guards how to handle the stone. Or she might do something she thinks is completely reasonable but royal guards would interpret it as a transgression due to her silent nature. Limestone is a leader who can communicate on a required level for such a high stakes mission.

 

Now you're providing doubt for the guards. If their orders are to allow Maud to do her work and do as she says, then all will be fine, and she can be trusted with knowing what the gem is capable of because she knows to be quiet and she could figure it out on her own pretty quickyl, so she'll also know to instruct them how to handle it with care or however need be. Limestone may be a better communicator, but she's overly aggressive and when it comes down to it, she's a rock farmer. Maud is a doctor of rockology, top of her class. Plus there's the first 25 seconds of this bit.

Sure she says what she says to mess with Starlight, but if you go through all of the jokes she's told, they've all been true statements that just happen to be funny in the moment, or were supposed to be at least. Her delivery could use some work. either way, she knows this stuff.

6 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Were you here in the good old days when you couldn't go a week without at least one thread painting Celestia as a villain?

I might have been. I never saw her as a villain, but at times I've seen her as quite incompetent and not tough enough on certain issues so I have rooted for Luna believing she is more capable, although her self punishment and difficulty interacting with the public have since risen so there's more work than I initially anticipated were we to groom her as the sole ruler of Equestria. I found many others who would be supportive of her but they did so because they felt bad for her, (Not that I didn't. I'd be pissed off too if I was the co-ruler of a nation and barely acknowledged as such.) and because they thought she was cute. You make do with what you have I guess.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Not one we know of at least, then again regulation of dangerous artifacts doesn't seem to be their biggest concern in the actual show so maybe what we'd expect on the black market could be found in a regular market.

It's my little fanon that "shopkeepers" like Zecora and Curio are the black market. Zecora took the alicorn amulet and nopony objected. Who knows what really happened afterwards or how it got to Curio in the first place. Maybe it was sold to him by somepony like Caballeron. It's just another small mystery that will remain as such forever.

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Well Twilight decided she was going to try to find the elements of harmony in order to save Equestria in the very first episode, and the rest decided to do the same so they made the decision themselves, and then it sort of became an obligation. Like how in the movie Tombstone, Wyatt Earp steps in after the town marshal is shot and takes down the man responsible, refusing to give him up to the gang he belongs to or to the people of the Tombstone who want to lynch him rather than let him stand trial. Wyatt is a private citizen at the time but it's this moment where he's needed and when the marshal dies that he's convinced to go back into law enforcement. It doesn't necessarily have to be him who has to step up, but he's the only one willing to in the heat of the moment. Twilight and the rest were willing to step up which is why they're in the position they're in.

They do ask questions, they just don't have any answers, and the best way to try and get any is to follow along. As individuals they all decide to go where the map says.

It's less about preventing a downfall, and more about preventing the needless suffering of others. In the case of the restaurant Tasty Treat, the relationship between Saffron Masala and her father Coriander Cumin could be ruined, the restaurant shut down from the lack of business, and nopony being satisfied with the remaining restaurants because their food is terrible. And for the fun of seeing how a downfall could play out, since there aren't any good restaurants in Canterlot, fewer ponies visit to eat there which is a loss of revenue, soon other restaurants begin to shut down and the local economy suffers, taxes are raised to cover losses, not everypony can afford them or feel their bits are being wasted on a city that only keeps rich ponies happy, and so there's discontent in the populace, no solutions are brought about and soon enough everyone is in debt and it's only getting worse, and there's so much upheaval that protests rise up and those turn into riots which cause further damage and guards are sent to intervene but that only upsets everyone more, martial law is declared but no followed, and we see the rise of domestic terrorism and secession movements and soon the country is plunged into civil war. But that's a very extreme what if sort of thing . And the Hooffields and McColts are based off of actual feuding families, the Hatfields and McCoys where I think some 13 people died. MLP of course will never show something so dark but you can see how things could go south pretty quick if our pony equivalents carried on and their hatred for one another only grew. I don't think the show is really pushing the message that you should intrude on personal relationships, but that could be taken away from it. The intent is really to pass on lessons for kids so they know how to resolve any problems within their own friend circles.

That's all it is though, talk. And I think judgment has been given when you're thrown in a cell in what I assume is another realm or the pony form of Guantanamo Bay/Hell. And Chrysalis has not only been defeated twice but she's rejected friendship. Some mindsets are too engrained but we'll have to wait and see. And you should really look back on the origins of the Tree of Harmony. It plays a part but it's not the lead role. The main six simply have a large degree of autonomy granted to them. It's questionable whether they should have that but it's nowhere organized enough to be cult like.

That explanation reminded me of a very old video about restroom etiquette. Anyway, these things are for police/city watch, lawyers, and other kinds of counselors who are actually paid to resolve these things and are easily available all over the country. It's not something a small group of unqualified youngsters should be doing as a from of state service. The constant emphasis on dogmatic optimistic messages does make it cult-like, but it is only truly disturbing to the viewer who understands that things don't work the way they try to teach us. What is stopping such a group from making shit up as they go along? There is no written law whatsoever, and if it exists it is clearly easily sidestepped. All they really have is spoken word and ToH. If I was a neighboring country and my informants noticed Equestria is gathering artifacts of mass destruction I'd be ordering my army to throw everything at them. I wouldn't care for reasons. Such a country can turn on you in an instant cause a few ponies felt like it. That's my problem with the whole arrangement: they are like some primitives dancing around a tree, doing whatever they feel is right.

The Mane 6 showed some understandable curiosity about the Map. That is not the cast anymore. They do it for the same reason anypony does anything apparently: they just feel like it.

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Now you're providing doubt for the guards. If their orders are to allow Maud to do her work and do as she says, then all will be fine, and she can be trusted with knowing what the gem is capable of because she knows to be quiet and she could figure it out on her own pretty quickyl, so she'll also know to instruct them how to handle it with care or however need be. Limestone may be a better communicator, but she's overly aggressive and when it comes down to it, she's a rock farmer. Maud is a doctor of rockology, top of her class. Plus there's the first 25 seconds of this bit.

Sure she says what she says to mess with Starlight, but if you go through all of the jokes she's told, they've all been true statements that just happen to be funny in the moment, or were supposed to be at least. Her delivery could use some work. either way, she knows this stuff.

She may possess a lot of information but she can only function at her own pace. Just because she has a degree doesn't mean she's more qualified to handle stones on the field. I need somepony who can assume command no matter what happens and coordinates with the royal guard officer to achieve the best result. Limestone is like Bruce Willis from Armageddon. Maud is a bad caricature of ... something. Whatever that something is, I seriously doubt she can adapt to situations that rip all control out of her hooves and leave her dazed and confused (Aliens). She'd break if something like that happened. What if the stone does something that it should not be able to do? Precise communication leading to swift, determined action are key.

... It's not too late to call Dr. Caballeron. Leadership dangerous artifacts, field experience: the Good Doctor has it all

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

I might have been. I never saw her as a villain, but at times I've seen her as quite incompetent and not tough enough on certain issues so I have rooted for Luna believing she is more capable, although her self punishment and difficulty interacting with the public have since risen so there's more work than I initially anticipated were we to groom her as the sole ruler of Equestria. I found many others who would be supportive of her but they did so because they felt bad for her, (Not that I didn't. I'd be pissed off too if I was the co-ruler of a nation and barely acknowledged as such.) and because they thought she was cute. You make do with what you have I guess.

She could have been Director Fury. She became a joke instead. Gratitude is overrated.

[SharpWit 2,569]

17 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

That explanation reminded me of a very old video about restroom etiquette. Anyway, these things are for police/city watch, lawyers, and other kinds of counselors who are actually paid to resolve these things and are easily available all over the country. It's not something a small group of unqualified youngsters should be doing as a from of state service. The constant emphasis on dogmatic optimistic messages does make it cult-like, but it is only truly disturbing to the viewer who understands that things don't work the way they try to teach us. What is stopping such a group from making shit up as they go along? There is no written law whatsoever, and if it exists it is clearly easily sidestepped. All they really have is spoken word and ToH. If I was a neighboring country and my informants noticed Equestria is gathering artifacts of mass destruction I'd be ordering my army to throw everything at them. I wouldn't care for reasons. Such a country can turn on you in an instant cause a few ponies felt like it. That's my problem with the whole arrangement: they are like some primitives dancing around a tree, doing whatever they feel is right.

Restroom etiquette, funny. You should link that to me.

A very valid argument, but this is a world where the head of state almost rules as an absolute monarchy, and has a thousand years worth of leadership experience. It's not usually the best mentality to blindly accept what our leaders tell us but I have a feeling that most ponies do and it's because there's a long founded trust in her rather than from being suppressed. When it comes down to it, nearly everything she says is law. It doesn't have to be written down. And that's a scary thought for those who have witnessed abuses of power time and time again, but the simple mentality is if the princess think's you can be trusted then the public will trust you, and if that pony trusts you then you can be trusted by the public as well. And so long as you don't betray that trust, you're qualified for whatever.

Pretty quick to jump onto the war train are ya? Maybe that's why they're gathering artifacts of mass destruction. So they can hold up against you. This is the sort of thing that starts an arms race.

45 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

She may possess a lot of information but she can only function at her own pace. Just because she has a degree doesn't mean she's more qualified to handle stones on the field. I need somepony who can assume command no matter what happens and coordinates with the royal guard officer to achieve the best result. Limestone is like Bruce Willis from Armageddon. Maud is a bad caricature of ... something. Whatever that something is, I seriously doubt she can adapt to situations that rip all control out of her hooves and leave her dazed and confused (Aliens). She'd break if something like that happened. What if the stone does something that it should not be able to do? Precise communication leading to swift, determined action are key.

She's the equivalent to a human geologist, a profession that requires mainly field work. She's worked on the farm, we've seen her working in Ponyville, Ghastly Gorge, and most importantly, just outside of Our Town. She travelled Equestria as part of getting her Roctorate, and has likely had on site training for how to work with a huge variety of minerals. Limestone may know how to run the rockfarm and her mining operation, but her qualifications end there. I think Armageddon is a great movie but I have to quote CinemaSins, "Because it's easier for drillers to learn how to astronaut than it would be for astronauts to learn how to drill." He was being sarcastic when he said that, so this comparison may make Limestone sound like a badass movie hero, but it also makes her sound even less qualified than she already is. If the stone does something that it shouldn't be able to do, then everyone is screwed no matter who you pick for this mission. Maud remains calm in every circumstance and jumps to action when the time calls for it. She rushed in to save Pinkie Pie when that boulder was about to hit her, and in the alternate timeline where Equestria is at war with King Sombra, who do we see working together effectively and saving Rainbow Dash? It's Maud and Pinkie. It may not have actually happened, but we know she's fully capable in a warzone, so should any sudden issues arise, she can handle them.

1 hour ago, Goat-kun said:

... It's not too late to call Dr. Caballeron. Leadership dangerous artifacts, field experience: the Good Doctor has it all

Yeah, and a bad reputation too 

[RDDash 19,110]

"Sure", gives them a gem. "It's yours problem now."

[Goat-kun 2,527]

 

14 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Restroom etiquette, funny. You should link that to me.

A very valid argument, but this is a world where the head of state almost rules as an absolute monarchy, and has a thousand years worth of leadership experience. It's not usually the best mentality to blindly accept what our leaders tell us but I have a feeling that most ponies do and it's because there's a long founded trust in her rather than from being suppressed. When it comes down to it, nearly everything she says is law. It doesn't have to be written down. And that's a scary thought for those who have witnessed abuses of power time and time again, but the simple mentality is if the princess think's you can be trusted then the public will trust you, and if that pony trusts you then you can be trusted by the public as well. And so long as you don't betray that trust, you're qualified for whatever.

Pretty quick to jump onto the war train are ya? Maybe that's why they're gathering artifacts of mass destruction. So they can hold up against you. This is the sort of thing that starts an arms race.

It's not the absolute monarchy that is the problem. It's the lack of structure. There are no courts, no experts on pony law, and the decisions that are made have no foundation in anything other than vague notion of friendship and harmony. The whole thing is based on what one could only describe as a religion that is so primitive, the only book that exists about it is Twilight's journal. That is scary.

 

If I was their adversary there would be no arms race.

14 hours ago, SharpWit said:

She's the equivalent to a human geologist, a profession that requires mainly field work. She's worked on the farm, we've seen her working in Ponyville, Ghastly Gorge, and most importantly, just outside of Our Town. She travelled Equestria as part of getting her Roctorate, and has likely had on site training for how to work with a huge variety of minerals. Limestone may know how to run the rockfarm and her mining operation, but her qualifications end there. I think Armageddon is a great movie but I have to quote CinemaSins, "Because it's easier for drillers to learn how to astronaut than it would be for astronauts to learn how to drill." He was being sarcastic when he said that, so this comparison may make Limestone sound like a badass movie hero, but it also makes her sound even less qualified than she already is. If the stone does something that it shouldn't be able to do, then everyone is screwed no matter who you pick for this mission. Maud remains calm in every circumstance and jumps to action when the time calls for it. She rushed in to save Pinkie Pie when that boulder was about to hit her, and in the alternate timeline where Equestria is at war with King Sombra, who do we see working together effectively and saving Rainbow Dash? It's Maud and Pinkie. It may not have actually happened, but we know she's fully capable in a warzone, so should any sudden issues arise, she can handle them.

Yeah, and a bad reputation too 

The sarcastic remark does not apply. We're not going to collect gems in deep sea, and if we were gonna be doing it I'd want a hippogriff salvage expert directing the whole operation with someone like Maud providing support from the surface. But since we're doing it in Equestria's outback I fail to see the merit in her extra qualification. If anything, she does not have so much experience in coordinating an excavation effort.

 

Maud has rushed into situations that were all written specifically to make her look cool. What if something went wrong that is outside her area of expertise? What if the crystal is actually a volatile creature egg? What if the thing is like ToH and it starts playing with their cutie marks? It's one thing to know about the shining trapezohedron, another to hold it. Both Lime and Caballeron are leaders who must carry the burden of failure. If Maud gets roflstomped by something that is beyond her control she's not gonna be capable of commanding anypony. She may be an expert, but she is unfit to be anything else. Granted, Caballeron would likely see guards as useful shields, but even that is more than one can expect from Maud. Oh, I'm sure she is lovely deep inside. That's not helpful to ponies who just want to do their job without having to cater to her special needs.

 

... Pony war zones are not really that bad. They are like Japanese game shows with higher stakes. Call back when enemies start using assault creatures and WWI weapons as is befitting of the current pony era. If a pony can survive that without enemy handicap then they are worthy.

[SharpWit 2,569]

"Knee deep in butt pudding" 

1 hour ago, Goat-kun said:

It's not the absolute monarchy that is the problem. It's the lack of structure. There are no courts, no experts on pony law, and the decisions that are made have no foundation in anything other than vague notion of friendship and harmony. The whole thing is based on what one could only describe as a religion that is so primitive, the only book that exists about it is Twilight's journal. That is scary.

The Royal Guard and Wonderbolts have a hierarchy, the Equestrian Games has an inspector, Ponyville has Mayor Mare, Appleoosa has a Sheriff, and there's Chancellor Neighsay of the Equestrian Education Association. There's structure, we just haven't seen all of it yet. Prior to Twilight taking up the crown, the best way to look at the main six would probably be along the lines of a militia. You can compare characters to holy figures but none of them are actually being worshipped. If Twilight's journal is supposed to be equivalent to the Torah, Bible, or Quran, then so is every autobiography by a celebrity.

2 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

If I was their adversary there would be no arms race.

 Right, because you'd just launch a preemptive strike.

2 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

The sarcastic remark does not apply. We're not going to collect gems in deep sea, and if we were gonna be doing it I'd want a hippogriff salvage expert directing the whole operation with someone like Maud providing support from the surface. But since we're doing it in Equestria's outback I fail to see the merit in her extra qualification. If anything, she does not have so much experience in coordinating an excavation effort.

How does she not have the experience?!

2 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Maud has rushed into situations that were all written specifically to make her look cool. What if something went wrong that is outside her area of expertise? What if the crystal is actually a volatile creature egg? What if the thing is like ToH and it starts playing with their cutie marks? It's one thing to know about the shining trapezohedron, another to hold it. Both Lime and Caballeron are leaders who must carry the burden of failure. If Maud gets roflstomped by something that is beyond her control she's not gonna be capable of commanding anypony. She may be an expert, but she is unfit to be anything else. Granted, Caballeron would likely see guards as useful shields, but even that is more than one can expect from Maud. Oh, I'm sure she is lovely deep inside. That's not helpful to ponies who just want to do their job without having to cater to her special needs.

You think Limestone and Caballeron are going to know what to do with a volatile creature egg? You're suggesting what if scenarios that would result in no one being qualified for the task. You say you're locked out of your house, you call a locksmith. Locksmith arrives only to find your toilet is flooding. No matter how many locksmiths you call, none of them are going to stop the toilet from flooding. Caballeron isn't going to carry the burden of anything. If things go south he's making a run for it, and the guards seen as a hindrance for his illicit practices. What special needs does Maud have? Limestone has a short temper and always feels the need to assert herself. Kind of like King Geoffrey only with redeemable qualities.

 

2 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

... Pony war zones are not really that bad. They are like Japanese game shows with higher stakes. Call back when enemies start using assault creatures and WWI weapons as is befitting of the current pony era. If a pony can survive that without enemy handicap then they are worthy.

War is war mate. The only thing holding back what we see id the TV-Y rating.

Was looking up the artillery we've seen so far when I found this "gem". If Twilight can find a rulebook for anything, then there's clearly further structure to pony society.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

"Knee deep in butt pudding" 

The Royal Guard and Wonderbolts have a hierarchy, the Equestrian Games has an inspector, Ponyville has Mayor Mare, Appleoosa has a Sheriff, and there's Chancellor Neighsay of the Equestrian Education Association. There's structure, we just haven't seen all of it yet. Prior to Twilight taking up the crown, the best way to look at the main six would probably be along the lines of a militia. You can compare characters to holy figures but none of them are actually being worshipped. If Twilight's journal is supposed to be equivalent to the Torah, Bible, or Quran, then so is every autobiography by a celebrity.

These are not officials that keep ponies in check when it comes to law and order. Have you seen a royal guard officer lately? How about an Equestrian court judge? Nope. That's why you can have ponies like Flim and Flam doing shit like taking over farms via stupid bets. There are no rules for stuff that matters. They do have mayors and sheriffs who don't seem to have any relevant link to the Princesses and are just governing however.

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

 Right, because you'd just launch a preemptive strike.

It's not about what. It's more a matter of how and where

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

How does she not have the experience?!

You think Limestone and Caballeron are going to know what to do with a volatile creature egg? You're suggesting what if scenarios that would result in no one being qualified for the task. You say you're locked out of your house, you call a locksmith. Locksmith arrives only to find your toilet is flooding. No matter how many locksmiths you call, none of them are going to stop the toilet from flooding. Caballeron isn't going to carry the burden of anything. If things go south he's making a run for it, and the guards seen as a hindrance for his illicit practices. What special needs does Maud have? Limestone has a short temper and always feels the need to assert herself. Kind of like King Geoffrey only with redeemable qualities.

Coordinating an excavation effort ... You know, talking to ponies, ordering them around, warning them about possible trouble, inspecting stuff, and all that good jazz. I don't expect them to know how to handle a creature egg, at least in Lime's case. I do expect them to haul their ass out of there with great haste. We've seen how Maud doesn't care about dangerous creatures. She'd get mauled to death by something very angry while staring blankly at some rock in the nest.

 

It's not the burden of being a hero. It's the overwhelming burden of unexpected defeat. Caballeron has had the pleasure of experiencing this quite a few times, yet the number of his henchponies has only increased. He must be doing something right. Lime is aggressive and she is quite a control freak, but that is exactly what you want out of an officer. In spite of this we've seen her ability to explain things in a way even Pinkie can understand. That's a quality skill. Maud can talk a lot but she tells very little, and before you can even receive the message you need to first decipher it from all the rock references. When that fails she only has violence. If that fails and she gets rekt, what does she have then? Would she be able to firmly and soundly order a retreat? Could she be heard by ponies standing ten meters from her position?

 

What would happen if somepony had enough and told her that she should buck off with her rocks and explain it like a normal pony? Would she be able to adapt to a team of ponies who do not care about her? When on a job, leave your quirks at home.

 

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

War is war mate. The only thing holding back what we see id the TV-Y rating.

Be it as it may, ponies are ill-equipped to handle such warfare and if such contraptions and creatures had indeed been present behind the rating, ponies like Maud would have been dead on the first day of war.

3 hours ago, SharpWit said:

Was looking up the artillery we've seen so far when I found this "gem". If Twilight can find a rulebook for anything, then there's clearly further structure to pony society.

Yup, they have rulebooks for everything except for Equestrian law. That's why we don't see Twilight objecting to all these villain reformations without proper trials.

[Thorgir the Mighty 736]

I’d find a weapon,go find it,stay there and guard the area,grow a awesome beard,and live off rats,snakes,rabbits(sorry angel it’s survival),and other animals,learn forbidden magic,and create a magical necklace that can’t be opened and carry it around and call myself,”The Gaurdian of the Element of Mass Destruction”

also make it to where I can still use some of the magic 

And if Celestia tries to take it...well...consider them screwed

[SharpWit 2,569]

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 4:53 PM, Goat-kun said:

These are not officials that keep ponies in check when it comes to law and order. Have you seen a royal guard officer lately? How about an Equestrian court judge? Nope. That's why you can have ponies like Flim and Flam doing shit like taking over farms via stupid bets. There are no rules for stuff that matters. They do have mayors and sheriffs who don't seem to have any relevant link to the Princesses and are just governing however.

 

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 4:53 PM, Goat-kun said:

Yup, they have rulebooks for everything except for Equestrian law. That's why we don't see Twilight objecting to all these villain reformations without proper trials.

I'm inferring that with the existence of these enforcement regulatory positions, some of which requiring a democratic process, and rulebooks for even something as absurd as a "Goof-Off", that its reasonable to assume they would have written law. Royal guards aren't your typical enforcers of the law, just like a marine in our world isn't so beyond the capital or a set escort we shouldn't expect to see them. In Rarity Investigates, Soarin mentions bylaws which makes sense since branches like to handle issues among their ranks themselves, but that was really the only instance I could think of that you might expect to see a judge in an episode. There just hasn't really been a reason for one to appear, in part because moments of reformation don't only act as judgment but they are also the moments of apprehension. The closest thing to that we would have is opening fire on someone deemed too dangerous to attempt arresting so the only way to save other's lives is to end theirs.

Flim and Flam got the Apples to agree on the bet, and they had Mayor Mare oversee it. Honestly this doesn't phase me in the slightest. We have State run lottery programs that raise funds for projects but it's a form of gambling none the less. The bet is a winwin for Ponyville. If the Apples won, it only increased the reputation of a local business. If Flim and Flam won, they'd meet the demand for cider, sell more, profit, then the town would profit from increased tax earnings. Hooray for gambling! 

This has been really fun and we've covered things going well beyond what the OP intended, but I think we might have to agree to disagree at this point and go home imaging the princesses picking our suggestion over the others. Or maybe the princesses will disagree with each other and it'll become a race to retrieve the gem to use on the other and Equestria erupts in the most petty civil war imaginable 

[Im_not_crazy_im_just 1,814]

As long as she’s not like that one time in Hiroshima I’m fine

[Goat-kun 2,527]

7 hours ago, SharpWit said:

 

I'm inferring that with the existence of these enforcement regulatory positions, some of which requiring a democratic process, and rulebooks for even something as absurd as a "Goof-Off", that its reasonable to assume they would have written law. Royal guards aren't your typical enforcers of the law, just like a marine in our world isn't so beyond the capital or a set escort we shouldn't expect to see them. In Rarity Investigates, Soarin mentions bylaws which makes sense since branches like to handle issues among their ranks themselves, but that was really the only instance I could think of that you might expect to see a judge in an episode. There just hasn't really been a reason for one to appear, in part because moments of reformation don't only act as judgment but they are also the moments of apprehension. The closest thing to that we would have is opening fire on someone deemed too dangerous to attempt arresting so the only way to save other's lives is to end theirs.

Flim and Flam got the Apples to agree on the bet, and they had Mayor Mare oversee it. Honestly this doesn't phase me in the slightest. We have State run lottery programs that raise funds for projects but it's a form of gambling none the less. The bet is a winwin for Ponyville. If the Apples won, it only increased the reputation of a local business. If Flim and Flam won, they'd meet the demand for cider, sell more, profit, then the town would profit from increased tax earnings. Hooray for gambling! 

This has been really fun and we've covered things going well beyond what the OP intended, but I think we might have to agree to disagree at this point and go home imaging the princesses picking our suggestion over the others. Or maybe the princesses will disagree with each other and it'll become a race to retrieve the gem to use on the other and Equestria erupts in the most petty civil war imaginable 

Well, there is a reason why this meme exists. You can even get the Bondrewd edition. Doubt and fear are very human. You cannot expect the audience to accept something by telling them it may exist while constantly feeding them the opposite.

I have never agreed on FIM redemptions. One can forgive another, but one cannot forgive in the name of others. And I have never agreed with them on what we call worldbuilding, not cause one would need sophistication for such an IP, but cause a fair amount of realism of behavior is needed as an anchor for us, the viewers. The lack of pristine human interactions in current entertainment industry is annoying.

 

P.S: the gem would actually turn out to be another shitty toy line catalyst so the only things we need to worry about are bad color schemes and lack of AJ

[SharpWit 2,569]

5 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

P.S: the gem would actually turn out to be another shitty toy line catalyst so the only things we need to worry about are bad color schemes and lack of AJ

It could be a grenade covered in glitter! 

[EpicEnergy 23,075]

I wouldn't trust her with whatever that is, it sounds like she's up to something. 

[Splashee 28,558]

If you cannot trust your god, then who will you trust?

 

Princess Celestia can send the sun into the planet and destroy us all, so I trust her

[Cheerilee 26,570]

No way in hell for sure.

[Cirrus. 1,089]

Hell no. She did unleash Discord on the Mane 6...

Is that NOT kind of the same thing?

[Sonic Shimmer 4,131]

No, I wouldn't trust anyone with a WMD, in Equestria or in the real world.