Twilight’s New Immortal Groove

[Latecomer 439]

2 minutes ago, JH24 said:

If there ever would be a spell or power capable of upsetting the balance between life and death, it would probably require a huge amount of magic or a heavy price to be paid. (Like in the video in this thread) If Twilight could do it, she would likely only be able to (I'm only speculating here) grant immortality to a few before reaching a limit. 

In that case, she might be best thinking very carefully about who to use it on.

3 minutes ago, JH24 said:

For Twilight's friends immortality would be a curse and not a blessing. Twilight carries the burden of immortality (or a very long life) because she has accepted her role as leader of Equestria and resigned herself to it.

Perhaps this is the way you see it, but I don't agree. For one thing, I think she would work to try and grant others the long life she's been given. And if she can't, she might regret that deeply, fell survivor's guilt - but her friends would be the first to tell her that they're glad to live on in her memory.

[Pentium100 2,173]

7 minutes ago, JH24 said:

It's a cycle that will keep repeating itself, until you reach a point you might not want to attach yourself to anyone any longer out of fear of losing them again.

And then I could be like Korin from DBZ - just maybe not live on top of a tower.

Honestly I do not understand why would someone choose death over this if given a choice. Now, if you believe in an afterlife, then it's different, since then, to you, dying is just like moving to a different country, somewhere where it's better than here and you would still continue to live, just in a different, better, plane of existence or whatever.

[JH24 385]

24 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

Perhaps this is the way you see it, but I don't agree. For one thing, I think she would work to try and grant others the long life she's been given.

I understand what you mean. Yeah, we might have different opinions, but learning each other's perspectives is what makes discussions fun.

And if she can't, she might regret that deeply, fell survivor's guilt - but her friends would be the first to tell her that they're glad to live on in her memory.

I really like this line. I wanted to convey that in my last post but I couldn't find the words. You summarized in one sentence what I couldn't do in a wall of text.

 

It makes me think. What if Celestia was an exception? Twilight already has a student who is making friends. Who knows, maybe Luster Dawn will become the next ruler and Twilight can step down, living the rest of her (now mortal) life together with her friends. 

Maybe future rulers will only rule in periods of decades instead of centuries.

[Latecomer 439]

3 minutes ago, JH24 said:

I understand what you mean. Yeah, we might have different opinions, but learning each other's perspectives is what makes discussions fun.

 

 

I just don't grasp why you think this is an improvement. Why can't Celestia become the rule - not just for the ruler, but for the people? Why should ponies live such a scant time compared to dragons?

[JH24 385]

21 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

I just don't grasp why you think this is an improvement. Why can't Celestia become the rule - not just for the ruler, but for the people? Why should ponies live such a scant time compared to dragons?

If ponies were meant to live long lives nature would have given them that ability. Why do you think immortality would be an improvement? Unless the birthrates go down you would get overcrowding and shortage of resources. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by JH24

[Latecomer 439]

1 minute ago, JH24 said:

If ponies were meant to live long lives nature would have given them that ability. Why do you think immortality would be an improvement? Unless the birthrates go down you would get overcrowding and shortage of resources. 

First, you're assuming ponies are a natural race in the first place rather than modified.

Second, natural doesn't mean better. Half the point - maybe all of the point - of civilisation is surpassing nature's limits.

It would be an improvement in the same way as reducing any other cause of death, from cancer to car accidents, would be an improvement.

And there are ways of managing those things, especially with magic.

[JH24 385]

20 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

First, you're assuming ponies are a natural race in the first place rather than modified.

Second, natural doesn't mean better. Half the point - maybe all of the point - of civilisation is surpassing nature's limits.

It would be an improvement in the same way as reducing any other cause of death, from cancer to car accidents, would be an improvement.

And there are ways of managing those things, especially with magic.

Let's assume the ponies were modified by someone or something. Would that make a difference for their current lifespans?

There might be old spells or scrolls deep within the Canterlot Archives that deal with age-related magic. Tirek did mention Celestia and Luna hoarded information for themselves.

 

[Latecomer 439]

3 minutes ago, JH24 said:

Let's assume the ponies were modified by someone or something. Would that make a difference for their current lifespans?

There might be old spells or scrolls deep within the Canterlot Archives that deal with age-related magic. Tirek did mention Celestia and Luna hoarded information for themselves.

 

Well, it would make refusal of further useful modifications quite hypocritical.

And if Celestia and Luna know magic that can undo aging without consequence and hid it... well, I guess we found the villains for season 10, folks!

[JH24 385]

18 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

Well, it would make refusal of further useful modifications quite hypocritical.

And if Celestia and Luna know magic that can undo aging without consequence and hid it... well, I guess we found the villains for season 10, folks!

I'm sorry, I don't exactly understand what you mean with the first sentence.

Or they're hiding it because there are potentially serious drawbacks to this kind of powerful magic. In season 3 Trixie for example had the Alicorn amulet but it was corrupting her. 

I just re-watched the duel between Trixie and Twilight. Trixie turned Snips and Snails into a foal and an old pony. Twilight stated that only the highest level unicorns can use age-related spells. Maybe you do have a point, maybe some kind of immortality isn't that far away.

Edited October 23, 2019 by JH24

[Latecomer 439]

2 minutes ago, JH24 said:

I'm sorry, I don't exactly understand what you mean with the first sentence.

Or they're hiding it because there are potentially serious drawbacks to this kind of powerful magic. In season 3 Trixie for example had the Alicorn amulet but it was corrupting her. 

I just re-watched the duel between Trixie and Twilight. Trixie turned Snips and Snails into a foal and an old pony. Twilight stated that only the highest level unicorns can use age-related spells. Maybe you do have a point, maybe some kind of immortality isn't that far away.

Ah - you're asking whether the modifications would have affected their age? Well, real non-magical ponies only live to about 30.

And I said "without consequence". Turning the user evil would count as a consequence.

 

[Pentium100 2,173]

5 hours ago, Latecomer said:

Second, natural doesn't mean better. Half the point - maybe all of the point - of civilisation is surpassing nature's limits.

I agree with this so much. A lot of things are "natural", like getting bit by mosquitoes or dying of various diseases. And yet, for some reason people do not like those "natural" things and try really hard to avoid them.

[Star Petal 215]

pretty sure since rarity has grey mane hair that they are all going to die of old age and twilight's immortality will keep her going. Probably happened to Celestia dozens of times with any friends she has ever had. 

 

[Goat-kun 2,528]

Broadly speaking, immortality needs a certain "Je ne sais quoi" within a character's personality to be both tolerable from the perspective of said character and believable from the perspective of the audience.

Spoiler

 

It is fairly easy to believe that elven lords of Tolkien are ancient immortals. It is a bit harder to accept that the same is true for the Alicorn Sisters. FIM immortals are more like those sparkly high school vampires. Edward's immortality is there to be ignored, not to be explored. In other words: Twilight would be fine cause "Deus vult!"

[Rushing cash 836]

It seems that twilight will indeed outlive her friends, spike will live for a few centuries maybe longer, but she will out live him probably too. I don't think there is a spell that can make them immortal without consequences unless they all become alicorns somehow, but it seems that they can't seems they are older now and still normal. And even if there was, would they want to? Would AJ want to outlive her family? Same goes to the others, and twilight will never want to torture her friends, unless she will go insane.  

[Latecomer 439]

7 hours ago, Star Petal said:

pretty sure since rarity has grey mane hair that they are all going to die of old age and twilight's immortality will keep her going. Probably happened to Celestia dozens of times with any friends she has ever had. 

 

It's probable, but that doesn't mean alternatives can't be explored.

46 minutes ago, Goat-kun said:

Edward's immortality is there to be ignored, not to be explored.

Actually, in the hands of better writers than Meyer it can be quite interesting. (Though Carlisle would be better - Edward is still within a human lifespan more or less.)

And I could believe Celestia was an ancient immortal quite well until recently.

 

[Goat-kun 2,528]

6 minutes ago, Latecomer said:

It's probable, but that doesn't mean alternatives can't be explored.

Actually, in the hands of better writers than Meyer it can be quite interesting. (Though Carlisle would be better - Edward is still within a human lifespan more or less.)

And I could believe Celestia was an ancient immortal quite well until recently.

 

Don't tell me why

[Latecomer 439]

1 minute ago, Goat-kun said:

Don't tell me why

OK, I won't.

[Lucky Bolt 35,073]

My only question is..who will be the princess of the next mane 6? 

[Latecomer 439]

2 hours ago, Lucky Bolt said:

My only question is..who will be the princess of the next mane 6? 

I'm not quite sure what you mean by this.