Theorycrafting The FiM book as a framing device

[Neoeryn 196]

I had a thought, and I wanted to share it to see what you all thought of it...

So, we know the book in FiM; the one that started and ended the series:

 

 

(Video credit: Artist Creations Pictures, Inc.)

 

What if, in this new G5 era, it was published as an actual book? What if Sunny had read everything that took place in FiM, and wanted to be exactly like the Mane Six? Like a role model type thing.

The closing of the book could have been Sunny (aside from the viewer) reading the whole thing, and they may try to add that into the movie? I don't know how to explain it. I know it probably wasn't an idea of theirs at the time, but somewhere in the movie, she may mention something about reading the whole book?

We saw in one of the screenshots that she's reading a book of some sort, but we don't know for sure what it's on. We can only make assumptions, but I like to believe she carries the book around, reading parts of it that relate to events she experiences throughout the movie, to do everything the way the Mane Six had.

It could be that, as the book looks really old, and it looks like there could possibly be tabs or cards in between some of the pages? Or it could be the pages are falling apart.

What do y'all think?

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

I think this theory has some validity. And I personally hope that it's true because the thought of things going to shit after Twilight's reign i think would undermine everything she did in FiM.

[Neoeryn 196]

15 minutes ago, TheAnimationFanatic said:

I think this theory has some validity. And I personally hope that it's true because the thought of things going to shit after Twilight's reign i think would undermine everything she did in FiM.

I doubt everything started going down right after, but yeah. I mean, it probably got ruined because Equestria at the end of G4 was too perfect, and essentially became boring to some, causing either a group of ponies or other species to try and create drama or spread rumors about the other pony races. Basically, Equestrian highschool gossip.
I personally like to believe this takes place in the far off future, in a time when Cozy, Chrysalis, and Tirek escape from their stone prison. Or events after that happens.

I'm really hoping there's a solid explanation that doesn't involve "New generation! Let's destroy everything to give this character a purpose, with no character development at all!" and it's more like "Everything broke apart, because of these events, ___ and ____. With the original Mane Six gone, everyone lost hope, leading up to these consequences, and because of that, this character here will try to restore what her role models had before her, to bring back the Equestria that they created and would have wanted."

I'm super hyped either way, but if the movie doesn't.. address anything other than just Mane Six cameos, I most likely won't watch the series, but I'm not sure yet. I guess we gotta wait and see until we get a trailer or something? Whenever that will be.

[TheAnimationFanatic 3,596]

You're right. I suppose that makes sense. I just hope they honor the legacy of the Mane Six. 

[SaburoDaimando 1,196]

I think I'm going to add in my own theory.

What if the punishment for Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow, backfired horribly?  What if they broke out of their stone prison and went back to causing a drift between ponies once more?  Only this time, in secret when no one is looking?

[Truffles 2,033]

6 hours ago, Neoeryn said:

It could be that, as the book looks really old, and it looks like there could possibly be tabs or cards in between some of the pages? Or it could be the pages are falling apart.

It looks like the Friendship Journal Discord helpfully handed to Twilight at the end of S4 where he bookmarked all the important parts in it for her.

[Neoeryn 196]

2 minutes ago, Truffles said:

It looks like the Friendship Journal Discord helpfully handed to Twilight at the end of S4 where he bookmarked all the important parts in it for her.

That's what I was thinkin! Not sure how Sunny would've gotten access to it, unless she snuck into Canterlot and it was put on display somewhere... Unless we may possibly get Discord in G5 and he kept it? Whatever the case, I'm hoping we get a lot of G4 references and hopefully cameos.

9 minutes ago, SaburoDaimando said:

I think I'm going to add in my own theory.

What if the punishment for Chrysalis, Tirek and Cozy Glow, backfired horribly?  What if they broke out of their stone prison and went back to causing a drift between ponies once more?  Only this time, in secret when no one is looking?

That's quite interesting for sure. I mean, G4 never mentioned what had happened to them. We just saw they were imprisoned in stone, and I think placed in Tartarus? I don't remember.. 
I mean, in the background of the pegasi screenshot, it may just be the cloud effects of Cloudsdale, or normal weather, but it looked like there was a huge storm as well.

Really hoping we get to see those three again.

[Truffles 2,033]

11 minutes ago, Neoeryn said:

Not sure how Sunny would've gotten access to it, unless she snuck into Canterlot and it was put on display somewhere... Unless we may possibly get Discord in G5 and he kept it?

Sunny having Twilight's Friendship Journal in a non-magical modern pony society would be akin to a non-celebrity human having something like the Holy Grail, lol. It seems like almost everyone has forgotten Twilight, Spike, and their friends or thinks they're just fairy tales and were never actual beings that existed. So it may be that she simply came upon it somehow and that book is what drives her quest to travel Equestria to try and restore the magic that was lost.

[Jeric 46,851]

@Neoeryn I updated the formatting of the OP and topic title to promote interest in the topic. 
 

I believe that the book is either pieces of the journal, personal notes, or something along those lines ... or as @Truffles suggested perhaps a foals storybook if enough time has passed. 
 

 

[Will Guide 21,360]

5 hours ago, Truffles said:

It seems like almost everyone has forgotten Twilight, Spike, and their friends or thinks they're just fairy tales and were never actual beings that existed. So it may be that she simply came upon it somehow and that book is what drives her quest to travel Equestria to try and restore the magic that was lost.

Even fairy tales in our world had a grain of truth to it. And that's why the morals of the fairy tales are still being taught today about being kind, honest, loyal, etc. Even early Disney Animated movies like Snow White and Pinocchio still have meaning today

[CorvetteZora 39]

Even if the book isn't Twilight's actual copy it could still be some kind of history or story book based on the original.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

18 hours ago, Neoeryn said:

I had a thought, and I wanted to share it to see what you all thought of it...

So, we know the book in FiM; the one that started and ended the series.

What if, in this new G5 era, it was published as an actual book? What if Sunny had read everything that took place in FiM, and wanted to be exactly like the Mane Six? Like a role model type thing.

The closing of the book could have been Sunny (aside from the viewer) reading the whole thing, and they may try to add that into the movie? I don't know how to explain it. I know it probably wasn't an idea of theirs at the time, but somewhere in the movie, she may mention something about reading the whole book?

We saw in one of the screenshots that she's reading a book of some sort, but we don't know for sure what it's on. We can only make assumptions, but I like to believe she carries the book around, reading parts of it that relate to events she experiences throughout the movie, to do everything the way the Mane Six had.

It could be that, as the book looks really old, and it looks like there could possibly be tabs or cards in between some of the pages? Or it could be the pages are falling apart.

What do y'all think?

I don't know if anyone remembers, but this fits in with something I said in a post weeks ago. I want there to be a bookish character that is always talking about / quoting Twilight Sparkle. Could it be I hit on something?

[Prospekt 11,018]

No matter what, I wouldn't at all be surprised if the book is at least somehow connected to the events of G4. After all, Sunny's room is filled with stuff that has to do with the Mane Six.

My personal theory is that it's a book of stories about ponies from long ago. The stories of the Mane Six are the most prominent. Many ponies see these stories as nothing but fables, useful for nothing more than entertainment but something about them makes Sunny believe they are accurate descriptions of historical events in Equestria. Sunny feels disillusioned with the divided world around her, so she reads about what the Mane Six accomplished in her book and wants to emulate that. She wants to change the world. She sees how the Mane Six promoted friendship and harmony, even between ponies and non-ponies.

Sunny is G5's Twilight Sparkle. She's a misfit bookworm. She carries this book around wherever she goes and tries to follow its advice in order to spread friendship. However, the hearts of her fellow ponies are so hardened that she can't really do anything until she befriends Izzy.

[Bright Honor 2,671]

Funny I just posted a thread of a theory of how sunny is most likely the one reading the FiM story book. G4 series premiere starts with opening a book and series finale ends with closing a book.

 

imo G4 did happen and is canon to G5 but FiM is an idealistic retelling of G4 made with foals in mind, written and illustrated by a mare in the image of Lauren Faust.

Edited February 28, 2021 by BoopMan

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

On 2021-02-26 at 3:27 PM, Truffles said:

Sunny having Twilight's Friendship Journal in a non-magical modern pony society would be akin to a non-celebrity human having something like the Holy Grail, lol. It seems like almost everyone has forgotten Twilight, Spike, and their friends or thinks they're just fairy tales and were never actual beings that existed. So it may be that she simply came upon it somehow and that book is what drives her quest to travel Equestria to try and restore the magic that was lost.

I would TOTALLY read a story about a normal, possibly Midwestern American teen suddenly getting ahold of the Holy Grail. XD 

[Happy Heart 330]

Enough of that—the book introduction is a bit played out, even for MLP.

[Jeric 46,851]

11 hours ago, Happy Heart said:

Enough of that—the book introduction is a bit played out, even for MLP.

If Sunny is using the book throughout the series as others had suggested (like Dipper in Gravity Falls) to learn from the Mane Six, it would be a bit more substantive than a open and close .... bookend. 

[Northern Star 1,024]

Any thoughts on the mane 6 doing something like the "pillars"(I think that's what they were called) did? Sacrificing themselves into some paused dimension or something to save their world?

Granted it would be a recycled line but...its a thought.