How long are the 4 seasons in Equestria?

[RockinRarity 1,605]

This!... The Equestrian Calendar thread debates the time span in Equestria vs IRL and establishes that the drawn calendar has less days per month than the one IRL does. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that it’s official, but based on past topics, Id run with this idea.

 

From the "How Old is Granny Smith" topic.

 

This got me thinking a bit. Most of the time during the show, it seems to either be spring or summer. Only one episode is during the fall and 2 are during the winter. But if Equestrian years do not last as long as earthly years, this makes things a little confusing.

 

This has to be because the writers/animators haven't really been paying attention to which season the ponies are in, but I'd like for there to be a better explanation than that. >.>

[Spock 91]

Shorter years would explain how young the mane 6 act

[Nah 3,182]

Probably has a temperature and climate similar to the Pacific Northwest, southern part, like southern Oregon/northern California.

 

Or just like here on earth in the temperate regions, just don't show.

 

Also does it seem like the only time it snows in cartoons is Christmas?

[Twi Rubix 726]

Maybe the pegasus make it whatever season it wants!

Lol, No.

[Fghik 360]

You are forgetting how different animals age at different times.

Similar to how dogs can die of "old age" any time after 10 years old, I'm sure equines have a similar effect.

Think "pony-years."

Besides, it can't always be summer. It would be nice, but it's impossible. Seasons must change; and I'm sure kids (you know... the REAL demographic) have too low of an attention span to care for a show that seems to always have the same weather. If you think of it, most kids' shows now go through seasons very fast. Of course ending every human-year with a winter themed episode. As if there isn't enough winter during those last few months.

Most likely, most the episodes may not even go in chronological order. Like I mentioned earlier, attention spans... Kids' shows now are being tailored to little kids who quite honestly can't even remember Rainbow Dash's name. Let alone story arcs and plot values. So even bringing up a possible story-line is completely preposterous. However, all shows need a "flashback" episode, or a "clip show" of sorts; but we got that when reviving the Mane6's memories (and honestly, it was pulled off quite well.) Really to serve as a quick "catch-up" episode. Why do you think children's shows that introduce new characters mid-series or change character-developments crash and burn?

Recall Ed Edd and Eddy? My first reaction when I found an episode was pretty close to "What the buck? Why are they in school?"

Or even Jackie Chan Adventures (woohoo! Netflix!)? I was rewatching that, and I found out why I lost interest in the show after the first season!

There are tons of other examples. Face it, kids' shows aren't made for major changes or storylines. Why do you think Spongebob is still running today (although...I doubt it will last much longer?) It never changes. Ever. A stupid sponge does stupid things.

If seasons were added to the MLP universe, and actually had some sort of timeline effect, kids would lose interest, and we really wouldn't want that. Now if there were some special episodes (which we have seen) that only show different weather/season patters for ONE EPISODE, then never see them again for a while; such as holiday specials; then of course the show will do fine.

 

I'm not saying the 'seasoned' episodes are bad; I'm just saying they really have no more impact than just an episode. No timeline, no aging. and no...ummm...EPA!

 

Besides, if there were an aging element, the pegasususus and unicorns would be vastly overpowered... Goodbye Applejack!

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

I think the Pegasi control what season it is in though I would assume they time it around the same time as human seasons.

[Killian Jones 2,655]

By saying this I might just end this topic. And what I'm about to say might as well come from a season TV producer as well.

 

While the general consensus is that episodes are aired chronologically in order, there is no general rule that depicts time passed between episodes. two episodes can be a single day apart or months apart. And thus trying to extrapolate how much actual time has passed is hard to know.While anypony can make assumptions like "the time passed is this long because they passed two winters" is somewhat valid. But it will not give anyone insight. I also want to note that because of the intermediate time passed, you can have as many episodes as you want in a certain period of the year, but never need to refer to it. And it's often decided on the whims of the writer anyway.

 

So I don't think we can actually know until a writer or creator of the show makes something canon. There are of course certain things that are confirmed, like the use of weeks and naming of the weekdays.

 

At any rate, happy speculating.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Tich

[Robert3186 45]

By saying this I might just end this topic. And what I'm about to say might as well come from a season TV producer as well.

 

While the general consensus is that episodes are aired chronologically in order, there is no general rule that depicts time passed between episodes. two episodes can be a single day apart or months apart. And thus trying to extrapolate how much actual time has passed is hard to know.While anypony can make assumptions like "the time passed is this long because they passed two winters" is somewhat valid. But it will not give anyone insight. I also want to note that because of the intermediate time passed, you can have as many episodes as you want in a certain period of the year, but never need to refer to it. And it's often decided on the whims of the writer anyway.

 

So I don't think we can actually know until a writer or creator of the show makes something canon. There are of course certain things that are confirmed, like the use of weeks and naming of the weekdays.

 

At any rate, happy speculating.

 

Props to you Tich; definitely the most reasonable answer.

[---------------------- 1,645]

I always thought that maybe it was more a hotter climate, but ill just respond with this

 

[cuteycindyhoney 13,315]

Since we have "Winter Wrap-up", is there also a "Summer Start-up"? Pinkie threw a party for "Spring has Sprung". How about "Autum is Falling"?

[sweetolebob18 728]

Strict equality of seasons would have 91 days (more or less) in each season.  However, Hearts and Hooves day is supposed to be Pony Valentine's Day (Feb 14) & it is shown to be Spring.  This means either

1) Winter is a lot shorter OR

2) H&HD is a lot later (March 22 or later)

 

In 6 seasons they've had 2 Hearthwarming episodes, Winter Wrap Up, + Tanks for the Memories.  Everything else is Spring or Summer. This implies Winter is pretty short.  On the other hand, the Winter Wrap Up song says 90 days of Winter

[Luminance 2,186]

Observing the geography of Equestria, it's loosely based on the topography like the U.S. The east would house Manehatten, Baltimare, Fillydelphia and those climes experience seasonal continental temperate climates like hot summers and cold and snowy winters. The west where Las Pegasi and Vanhoover are would represent they're climates correctly so Las Pegasi would be arid, warm while Vanhoover has the climate simliar to the Pacific Northwest. Right to the center represents Canada vaguely including Canterlot and Ponyville so does the Crystal Empire to the north. Finally, we have smaller regions in Equestria with different references to different regions to real life so the basic climate of Equestria is skewed somewhat.

 

How this pertains to how long each season is in Equestria is whether where your located in Equestria at most. So somewhere to the Southwest would be warmer on average what less chance of snow and the rest would be roughly around the same climate adjusted for small differences.