Does each creature in the show represent a real country or region?

[Azure Acrylic 24]

I’ve been theorizing, each of the creatures in MLP: FIM should represent the people of a specific country in the real world. After all, the towns they live in are named after real world locations, so why should they?

I’m thinking, normal ponies(Earth, Pegasi and Unicorns) represent the USA, Australia, South India, and Japan, Griffions represent the EU(European Union), Crystal Ponies represent Canada, Hippogriffs/Seaponies represent Southeast Asia, Yaks represent North India(Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet), Kirins represent Central Asia(China), and Zebras and Dragons both represent Africa.

Now these are all just my theories, so they could be wrong, or not true. What about you people? Do you think this theory is all wrong or maybe half true? Let me know.

[Sepul-Coloratura 762]

I'd say it ain't like that, but they are clearly inspired by certain cultures in real places on earth, especially Yaks and Zebra(s).

[aoEAF2FBvC0MIo2Q 3,673]

If anything, the Gryphons themselves strike me more as referencing Turkey.

I remember hearing about Zecora being a reference to Obeah witchcraft -- something you'll find in the Caribbean among (West) African descendants.

Ponies seem to be a mixed bag of different European cultures. You'll find a bit of Ancient Greek, Roman and Nordic mythological references. As far as architecture goes, it's very much Western Europe.

Changelings... I'm drawing a blank there.

Yaks are pretty obviously a reference to Central Asian peoples. It's this area of the Asian continent where you get different territories (whether countries or regions) with names that end in -stan. I also get Mongolia vibes from the Yaks.

As far as I know, Hippogriffs are a purely a thing from Ancient Greek mythology.

As for dragons, they're the Western type of dragons that are mean in contrast to Eastern dragons who tend to be gentle and wise. "Western" here could include references from Slavic, Germanic, Greek and Roman mythologies.

[SharpWit 2,752]

Here's a little something I put together a while back.

Spoiler

Sentient Species:

Ponies:

               -Alicorns

               -Unicorns

               -Pegasi

               -Earth Ponies

               -Crystal Ponies

               -Bat Ponies

               -Umbrum*

Donkeys

Mules

Zebras

Breezies

Changelings

Kirin

Hippogriffs/Sea Ponies

Griffins

Parrot Folk

Deer**

Reindeer

Sheep***

Goats****

Cattle

Yaks

Buffalo

Minotaur

Cat Folk

Diamond Dogs

Dragons

Tortoise folk

Lizard Folk

Salamander Folk*****

Fish Folk

Shark Folk

Eel Folk******

Sea Serpents

Giraffes

Hippos

Hedgehog Folk

Storm Creatures*******

Pig Folk

Tapir Folk

Mouse Folk

Rat Folk

Naked Mole Rat Folk

Unknown Folk 1

Unknown Folk 2

Unknown Folk 3

Unknown Folk 4

Unknown Folk 5

 

Distinct Sentient Creatures:

Draconequus

Ahuizotl

Sphinx

Cyclops

Sirens

Gargoyle

Centaur

Ram (List was made before season 9)

Storm King

Chimera

Pony of Shadows*********

Smooze**********

Sentient creatures with Folk attached to them, specifically walk upright on two legs like people. Minotaur, Diamond Dogs, Draconequus, Cyclops, and Gargoyle also walk upright. Dragons will walk upright while they are young, but prefer to walk on all fours once they’ve reached an adult size. Sirens fly at all times as far as I’m aware, and Smooze has no limbs to speak of. The Remaining creatures walk on all fours but can stand or rear up briefly, and have some prehensile use of forelimbs.

*Umbrum is not a canon term. King Sombra was referred to as an Umbrum Pony in the comics. He is also unique in having a curved horn, and although his is not spiraled like other examples, this is still a unique feature that I think worthy of being a sub species of unicorn.

**Deer have not been shown to be sentient. Their eyes have had simple animal like designs, and they haven’t interacted with characters in any significant way. However, the fact Reindeer exist means there is a chance that there could be other sentient deer species.

***Sheep have clearly been shown to talk and are sentient, but they seem to live lives completely controlled by the ponies. Like how Cattle live this way sometimes, but others live independently.

****Goats don’t have speaking roles, but will act on their own and follow specific commands from Iron Will. The only time this behavior is witnessed in other animals is around Fluttershy who has a unique ability to communicate with animals, and a few major pet characters. The goats are shown operating equipment and communicating with one another on a higher level. This is enough I think to view them as fully sentient, but perhaps unable to speak and belonging to a weaker society.

*****Salamander Folk is not a canon term, but one I have given to an unnamed but clearly sentient species seen in Klugetown.

******Eel Folk is not a canon term, but one I have given to an unnamed but clearly sentient species seen in Klugetown.

*******Storm Creatures are said to be Hedgehog Folk, like Grubber, but they differ from earlier-introduced hedgehogs in size and sapience, according to Enterplay’s trading cards.

********The Pony of Shadows is referred to as The Darkness before using Stygian as a host. At first the they together are one and the same as the Pony of Shadows. The Darkness appears to warp and corrupt his mind, preventing Stygian from being able to or wanting to separate from the Darkness. When Twilight and Starlight were able to free him, the Darkness maintained its sentience as the Pony of shadows prior to its second banishment.

*********The Smooze is at least somewhat sentient, but we’re not sure to what degree.

I believe we are left with a possibility of 59 sentient species, however not all species are necessarily united under a single state, or have one of their own.

For locations we have confirmed or mentioned:
 

Spoiler

 

Equestria

Crystal Empire

Changeling Hive/Badlands

Griffin Kingdom/Griffonstone

Yakyakistan

Dragon Lands

Mount Aris/Hippogriffia/Seaquestria

Storm Realm

Technochtitlan Basin

Breezie Village

Somnambula

Saddle Arabia

Mustangia

Maretania (based on the real life Mauritania)

Maretonia (based on either Estonia or Macedonia)

Puerto Caballo (Could be based on Puerto Cabello in Venezuela, Puerto Rico in the United States, or Puerto Vallarta in Mexico)

A variation of France

Abyssinia, the former name of Ethiopia

A variation of Switzerland

Klugetown

 

I did not include Trottingham or soverign Buffalo lands under the belief they are more than likely a part of Equestria. The Griffons are clearly supposed to represent mainland Europe, things get crazy when you go south of Equestria, The Dragon Lands appear to be where Africa would be, and Zecora has a mix of things from African cultures but her neck bands are specific to people in certain provinces of South Africa. More mythic beasts like Iron Will the Minotaur and Tirek the Centaur for sure are supposed to have come from some far off land. The Yaks are positioned oddly but have Mongolian roots, and we've seen ponies with characteristics pointing towards Asian cultures, East Asia and India more specifically.

I have my own theories and head canons that go deeper into other possible nations and partial reasons for why groups live wher ethey do and why we see cultures somewhat out of place. My biggest ones are that there used to be a lot more ponies living where the griffons due prior to the three pony tribes uniting, and that bat ponies would have made up a Germanic culture.

Edited November 12, 2019 by SharpWit
Stygian, not Gideon

[Latecomer 440]

10 hours ago, Rainbows2424 said:

I’ve been theorizing, each of the creatures in MLP: FIM should represent the people of a specific country in the real world. After all, the towns they live in are named after real world locations, so why should they?

I’m thinking, normal ponies(Earth, Pegasi and Unicorns) represent the USA, Australia, South India, and Japan, Griffions represent the EU(European Union), Crystal Ponies represent Canada, Hippogriffs/Seaponies represent Southeast Asia, Yaks represent North India(Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet), Kirins represent Central Asia(China), and Zebras and Dragons both represent Africa.

Now these are all just my theories, so they could be wrong, or not true. What about you people? Do you think this theory is all wrong or maybe half true? Let me know.

I think some obviously do (like buffalo) but most don't. Sorry.

(Also, there are characters who tie into a regional identity different to the rest of their race - like "French" griffins and "Indian" ponies.)

[RDDash 19,212]

I suppose they are. Equestria = North America, Crystal Empire = Canada. Communist ponies may or may not exist depends on which fanon do you believe in. G1 ponies are on another continent = EU? Dragons who knows. South America who knows who lives there, Hasbro never cared. Yak yakistan some tribe in the North. Sadle Arabia and Zebrica in Africa/ Middle East. Kirins are Asian ponies.

[Will Guide 21,364]

On 11/10/2019 at 1:57 PM, SharpWit said:

The Pony of Shadows is referred to as The Darkness before using Gideon as a host

The pony's name is Stygian, not Gideon.

This is why reading a transcript or turning on Captions help

Anyway, I don't particularly care if the races were intended to represent a different country. As much as Equestria has pony punny names based on cities in America, I like it when they have differences compared to their real world counterpart