King Sombra's Backstory Ideas?

[Night Shine 769]

Hiya everypony!

 

So i was watching the Season 3 Premiere last night, and the way they displayed Sombra was...interesting. I really loved the episodes and the way that Sombra twisted ponies' minds, but as a huge fan/critic of good villains it really irked me that he wasn't really developed or explained.

 

His backstory was vaguely hinted at--he's apparently an old unicorn king who cursed the Crystal Empire for some reason or other--but I for one can't let it go at that. Also, one does not get HIS kind of power only by being a king.

 

I was wondering, does anypony here have their own ideas about his backstory?

[PonyEcho 1,610]

erm Unicorn.... turned to dark magic ..... saw the power and potential in controlling the crystal kingdom and worked to get him crowned king (or maybe he was already in line to rule meaning he is nobility)

[himanuts 165]

Well, two things that could relate to that, or how he got to power I took notice of when watching the episode.

 

-All Crystal Ponies are Earth Ponies.

 

-They where once ruled by a Queen (probly had different Queens during different periods).

 

Them being Earth Ponies kind of fits with the Heart's Warming Eve concept of the different races once being divided. Some Earth Ponies probly went on their own and the Crystal Empire eventually came to be.

 

Sombra, being a unicorn could've probly come along and notice he could take advantage of the Crystal Ponies as their connection with magic wouldn't be as profound as his considering his race.

 

He could've then overthrown the reigning Queen and taken over.

 

Or atleast something along those lines.

[Night Shine 769]

Well, two things that could relate to that, or how he got to power I took notice of when watching the episode.

 

-All Crystal Ponies are Earth Ponies.

 

-They where once ruled by a Queen (probly had different Queens during different periods).

 

Them being Earth Ponies kind of fits with the Heart's Warming Eve concept of the different races once being divided. Some Earth Ponies probly went on their own and the Crystal Empire eventually came to be.

 

Sombra, being a unicorn could've probly come along and notice he could take advantage of the Crystal Ponies as their connection with magic wouldn't be as profound as his considering his race.

 

He could've then overthrown the reigning Queen and taken over.

 

Or atleast something along those lines.

 

That makes a lot of sense as to why he came to power. I didn't even notice that they were all Earth Ponies in the episode!

 

...But still, I feel like he wouldn't get those kind of powers just from being a tyrannical king. The whole "dark magic" thing and his smoke-like form don't seem like powers any regular unicorn king could use....Why and how can he do that stuff? :/

[TailsIsNotAlone 3,695]

I suspect he was a brutal, tyrannical unicorn ruler who treated his kingdom of earth ponies as slaves--part of the old Equestria where the different races were constantly in conflict with each other. Beyond that, damned if I know. I'd like to give the writers the benefit of the doubt and assume that his lack of dialogue or physical presence in the episode meant there was nothing left of him except an evil spirit or whatever. But they didn't say that, so...

[NavelColt 22,882]

Like I voiced in another topic, my head canon about his past currently goes as follows:

 

"How dare you, witch! You cannot do this to me! Me! The most talented and powerful being ever to grace this land! The empire is MINE to rule, and mine alone!"

 

"You were a light in the dark, Sombra. But you strayed from the path I sought to help you down. I only wish I could have stopped you before it had come to this."

 

 

 

 

Sombra was a past student of Celestia, back when she was just beginning to truly take on apprentices, over a thousand years ago not long after Discord was taken down, and the princesses' reign truly began. Sombra was a unicorn prodigy like Twilight, and Celestia saw much talent in him. Despite noticing how rough he was around the edges, she was sure she could smooth them out. Like I said, he was one of her very first apprentices. She was a bit naive.

 

Unlike Twilight, he constantly sought power and admiration for his talents, but that's not all. He had an unhealthy obsession with the dark arts, because dark magic was fiercer, more intense and more deadly than normal magic. It attracted him like a moth to the flame. He let dark magic consume him, and it would eventually turn him into the power-hungry tyrant we know.

 

He fled from Canterlot's region to escape Celestia's immediate watchful eye, and, seeing the rather helpless Crystal Empire in the far northern reaches, took it over with ease using the vast dark magic he had mastered over the years, of which was unbeknownst to the princess. By the time he took over the Crystal Empire, his mind was too warped by dark magic and lust for power and control to be brought back to the good side, so Celestia and Luna had no choice but to seal him away when they became aware of his tyrannical reign.

The fact he's so mysterious makes him great for theories like this.

[Glacier Chasm 15]

He is an interesting character for head Cannon. Especially if you realize that the crystal empire existed right before the Nightmare Moon incident, and he has the power to affect emotions, or at least vicariously through the Crystal Kingdom. He was after the Kingdom for its abilities to affect the emotions of all of Equestria. So the question comes, for what purpose? If he could affect emotions, then that lead him to having affected Luna, but what else did he effect other then the crystal ponies, and what was the value of making them his slaves? Where they mining for something?

 

Another thing I wonder is what is his connection with Crystals, because he can make Crystals outside the Crystal Kingdom (Shining's Horn), so he obviously is connected to the Crystal ponies, but did this ability come from before or after his take over of the Kingdom? The fact that all Crystal Ponies are Earth means Sombra probably wasn't born a crystal pony... so how did he gain such power over it. Or if he was born a Crystal Pony, it means that he committed Genocide on the Other two races, which would make sense seeing how Jousting is Pegasus thing, but was still vital to the Kingdom's Crystal Fair.

[pinkieshyrose 58]

lunas boyfriend he went crazy that luna went missing from equstria and ploted revege on the crystral empire which could be the reason why celestia told luna twilight could handle it and why luna seemed a bit angry at the begging he could have taught her black magic turning her evil through these could be my shipping brain scince i also think discord could have been celestias boyfriend

[Glacier Chasm 15]

lunas boyfriend he went crazy that luna went missing from equstria and ploted revege on the crystral empire which could be the reason why celestia told luna twilight could handle it and why luna seemed a bit angry at the begging he could have taught her black magic turning her evil through these could be my shipping brain scince i also think discord could have been celestias boyfriend

 

That is the most excellent undebatable, yet totally not true theory I have ever seen. My applause, I'm impressed. You have a skill for finding the loophole to ship any character you so choose. I think you crazy insane... .but that is some skill.

[Jadefire 2,798]

In my headcanon, his Special Talent is fear. Apart from that, I don't really have any other thoughts on his backstory.

 

I do have one idea, as dumb as it is. Sombra was the old king affected by the love poison (in the old legend Twilight told in the Hearts and Hooves Day episode). However, he eventually went insane and evil over time when he was seperated from his true love (due either to her death or banishment) causing the love poison to react and corrupt his body and mind. Eventually, his mind was ruined until he lost the ability to feel love or compassion entirely. Now fully sociopathic, he became a brutal and tyrannical dictator, enslaving and oppressing his subjects on his psychotic whims. And the rest is history.

[GreatPonyNui 6]

The great creators needed a villain to make things interesting(utopa got boring, not to be in, but to observe) So they made one strong enough to give the princesses a ru for their mony but be weak enough not to get in the way of future events that might be more interesting...

[NavelColt 22,882]

After seeing this incredibly well-done fan animation for one particular theory on a possible past for Sombra, I felt it needed to pop this back up, also given that S4 is looming, and for all we know, he -could- return, or be given some further relevant information on his back story. For the record of which, I still don't believe he needs to have been/be a successful villain.

 

[Amethyst_Blossom 1]

He is an interesting character for head Cannon. Especially if you realize that the crystal empire existed right before the Nightmare Moon incident, and he has the power to affect emotions, or at least vicariously through the Crystal Kingdom. He was after the Kingdom for its abilities to affect the emotions of all of Equestria. So the question comes, for what purpose? If he could affect emotions, then that lead him to having affected Luna, but what else did he effect other then the crystal ponies, and what was the value of making them his slaves? Where they mining for something? Another thing I wonder is what is his connection with Crystals, because he can make Crystals outside the Crystal Kingdom (Shining's Horn), so he obviously is connected to the Crystal ponies, but did this ability come from before or after his take over of the Kingdom? The fact that all Crystal Ponies are Earth means Sombra probably wasn't born a crystal pony... so how did he gain such power over it. Or if he was born a Crystal Pony, it means that he committed Genocide on the Other two races, which would make sense seeing how Jousting is Pegasus thing, but was still vital to the Kingdom's Crystal Fair.

Actually Jousting isnt just a pegasus thing, in the book with the Crystal Faire information the picture showed two earth ponies Jousting, which means that there didnt have to be any pegsi or unicorns, though there might have.

[Singe 2,111]

The Crystal Empire and Sombra feels kinda similar to Thran empire and Yawgmoth from Magic the Gathering.

[Scootalove 10,689]

In my headcanon, the Crystal Empire used to be under Sombra's parents until they died years later where he would be able to take the throne when he grew up and he discovered the power of dark magic when one day he stumbled upon black crystals that were embedded in the underground catacombs of the Crystal Empire.

[Forlong 1,726]

I have my own head-canon that will be expressed in a fanfic I'm working on, but it's a spoiler.  Just so I have something of more substance to contribute than "you can hear my theory once you learn the secret handshake", Ink Rose has her own that is actually pretty good.

 

And no, mine is not much like her's at all.

Edited February 17, 2014 by Forlong

[Sarah The Pegasister 22]

For my fan-fic's 'verse I use the backstory that Sombra was really fascinated by those black crystals so he studied them day in and day out. Well as it turns out the more you're coming into contact with it, the more it corrupts you, and eventually Sombra was fully currupted.

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

He was "born bad" just like Voldemort. 'Nuff said.

Edited March 3, 2014 by Anti-Villain

[Mywas 687]

He was "born bad" just like Voldemort. 'Nuff said.

I could see it now. When he comes out of his moms womb he Yells CHAAAAAAARGE and stabs the doctor

[Forlong 1,726]

He was "born bad" just like Voldemort. 'Nuff said.

"Did you know then, Princess Celestia?"

"Did I know that I'd just met the most dangerous dark conjurer of all time?  No."

[Seaweed-Headed Dragon 359]

I have a feeling King Sombra will be returning in a later episode. Perhaps Hasbro will include info about his backstory....I hope so XD

[Castle Bleck 19,383]

@RainDash Dragon,

 

He's already going to be in the comics in about a month or so.

[Seaweed-Headed Dragon 359]

@RainDash Dragon,

 

He's already going to be in the comics in about a month or so.

Oh really?! Sweet! I can't wait :3 

[Forlong 1,726]

@RainDash Dragon,

 

He's already going to be in the comics in about a month or so.

No, you're thinking of Star Swirl.  They will never--

 

*checks wiki*

 

[Mywas 687]

Wait, wasn't Sombra's backstory stated in the episode?

He was a unicorn whos heart was black as night that took over the empire for personal benefits. Thats morr backstory than what Chrysalis and the changelings had