Princess Twilight Sparkle's new wings

[Mars Caramel 319]

Yes, I was not in favour of Alicorn Twilight from the start. However, Meghan McCarthy's confirmation of Twilight remaining in Ponyville with her friends with her personality remaining the same does make me feel better. It could have been as if this whole crowning of Twilight as a princess never even happened, but even if the crowning doesn't really matter to me now... what about the wings?

 

I feel like I need to say this. I'm now almost fine with Twilight becoming a princess, but now the only thing that's bothering me is the wings. Isn't this weird? Maybe I'm just upset about the balance of the Mane 6, or it could be Twilight's possible superiority over everypony in Ponyville.

 

Even if Twilight loses her wings, but still remains a Princess, that would make me feel better, even if it doesn't happen for a long time, until the end of season 4 or something, but I know that they will most likely stay. I'm not going to leave the fandom over something like this, but coping with it might take some time if we find out these wings are permanent.

 

Does anyone else feel this way? In favour of Princess Twilight, but not of the wings?

[Ihei 711]

I like it, I mean, I really think that Twilight was a nice princess. I think there would but ALOT more singing though. But I'm happy that Twilight can take part in flying and more royal duties.

[Freewave 1,145]

The wings are a significant change. Sure they will likely take some time to get used to and plenty of fannon will have to change or ignore that. I think we've had enough time to get over it though or at least some will before season 4's start. Twi's always been more powerful and the leader, now her appearance simply makes that fact even more transparent.

Edited May 16, 2013 by Freewave

[garrenn 74]

Exactly! And because of that, she is no longer a social outcast. This completely removes one of her biggest weaknesses. Remember back when Twilight struggled to be heard? And whenever she was heard, nopony would ever listen to her. They'd just laugh it off and ignore her. But with her being a princess, suddenly everypony is submitting to her authority. Just in that way alone, combined with the fact that she can effortlessly fly toward the screen in a fancy dress is more than enough to feel overpowered.

 

I don't really see how that's an exactly moment. It's too early to really tell where they're going with it, but in my opinion it seems they'll be working on each character to actually, you  know, give them resolution? Something not a lot of shows are brave enough to do. Take Ash from Pokemon. Still 10 years old and wants to be the best, but each season they rehash the same stories and same character developments until he's in an endless loop.

Each character is going to find new things about themselves and grow to be better ponies, which is good story telling. They will grow and evolve for the better most likely, and I have a feeling they'll start focusing more on each other character now that Twilight's... arc, if you will, is completed.

And for all we know, it may not be completed. It's too early to tell what's going through the all the creator's minds. They've blown ME away so far, so I have no reason to doubt them yet until the product is out there for all to see.

I just think people like you are jumping the gun and assuming the worse without knowing anything that's planned for the future.

Edited May 16, 2013 by garrenn

[ToxicNinja78 148]

Meh. It really didn't bother me that Twily became an alicorn. The idea was executed poorly, but hopefully season 4 will have a few awesome episodes that make up for that mediocre season 3 finale.

 

Though, Meghan McCarthy announced in her Twitter feed that there will be fifty-three new alicorns

...This just screams "troll". Like seriously, I get the feeling she's just fucking with us. I'm gonna go read more of her tweets.

[MadPointer 75]

 

 

No I said princesses look different and since Alicorns=princess and vise versa she has to have wings. Again, the alicorn is a mixture of all the pony races.

 

Faust said that Celestia and Luna were meant to be the only alicorns and Cadance was supposed to be a unicorn. Things had changed in Canterlot Wedding. Cadance become an alicorn. It was easy for us to accept it because it's a new character. She is easily to ignored and according to Brony Study, she is the least liked character anyway. Despite the change, the established canon doesn't support the "Alicorns=princess" theory.

 

Unlike Cadance, Twilight is a fully established and developed character and she can't radically changed without anyone noticing.

 

 

 

Now bringing in Shining Armor isn't fair because he's only a prince by marriage

If Twilight become a princess trough the most unconventional method possible, I don't see why Shining Armor couldn't have the same alicorn treatment too.

 

 

 

Blue Blood also can't be used to support anything since it is clear he was created to just be Rarity's "prince" in Best Night Ever. He is simply a background pony for all purposes.

 

Blue Blood was established as a unicorn before the change and he's a supporting character which plays a significant part so you can't easily dismiss him.

 

[Ficta_Scriptor 165]

I'm not really in favor of her title as Princess, or the wings, but I guess what matters most is my enjoyment of season 4, so (like many) I'm waiting until that time comes before I come to my final conclusion. Until then...

 

There are lots of little things that I don't really like, but concerning the wings in particular, I feel that they make her too privileged over the other mane six characters. And considering that (as of right now) there are only 4 alicorns in existence, I find her less relatable. She's one of a select few that are part of a superior race, and that idea just doesn't sit right with me. I know they're taking the 'Twilight sucks at flying' route but to be honest, that still doesn't make any difference to how I feel. It's been nearly 3 months since MMC aired and despite reading various theories on how this change could be made to work, it's become apparent that I just plain don't like it, and that's unlikely to change, ever. All I can hope is that season 4 is of sufficient quality to keep me interested. (Again, I don't see what the big deal is if someone stops watching the show or leaves the fandom. It's just a cartoon. Hell, I abandoned my religion when I was younger and I haven't looked back)

 

And I refuse to listen to anyone who says that "this is a good thing because she deserves it." 'She' is a fictional cartoon horse that exists solely for our entertainment. 'She' is not a sentient being who 'deserves' anything.

[Blue Moon 6,336]

You know how Twilight was able to fly very well even though she had only had wings for short period of time? Well, I have come up with a theory for this. You know how in the Baby Cakes episode, Pumpkin and Pound Cake were able to use magic and fly very well, respectively. This is explained to be because Unicorns and Pegasi are not able to control their powers very well when they are first born and are a bit more powerful. As they get older, their abilities get more normal like any other unicorn or pegasus. This is where my theory comes in.

 

Even though Twilight was not just born (well, she kind of was, but as an alicorn), her wings were brand new, meaning that they could technically work as a newborn's would. Meaning, she is only able to fly well because she just got the wings and she will eventually lose her abilities and would need to be taught like any other pegasus. 

 

Another theory of mine would be that Twilight is considered "reborn" because she is now a new alicorn. I assume newborn alicorns act in the same way as unicorns and pegasi, so this means that she has very good flying abilites, like the theory above. I'm guessing that her flying skills are on a higher degree than a pegasus due to the fact that she is an alicorn which is a much more powerful species.

 

 

Tell me what you think of my theory.

Edited May 16, 2013 by Blue Moon

[MadPointer 75]

But baby Cakes have been having magic surges for at least a month(Happy monthiversary).

 

Anyway I personally don't understand why are people looking forward to seeing her learning to fly. I see it as exciting as watching an adult learning to ride a bicycle. There is no interesting struggle like addressing Scootaloo inability to fly.

Edited May 16, 2013 by MadPointer

[Blue Moon 6,336]

But baby Cakes have had having magic surge for at least a month(Happy monthiversary).

 

Anyway I personally don't understand why are people looking forward to seeing her learning to fly. I see it as exciting as watching an adult learning to ride a bicycle. There is no interesting struggle like addressing Scootaloo inability to fly.

Then I guess, according to my theory, that Twilight Sparkle would have her flying surge for at least a month.

 

Not saying I want to see her learn how to fly (More neutral on the matter), but I'm guessing that the reason people want to see her learn to fly is because that is the first thing that comes to most people's minds when they hear Twilight has wings now.

[Nature's Spell 526]

That's as good a theory as any and sounds fine to me. The other theory is that she was using her magic to steady her flying. I guess we'll see what happens in season 4.

[Shanks 10,811]

That is actually a good idea, I hope they implement something like that as it could pull her back a bit from the whole Mary Sue territory I mean really her being able to fly perfectly on the first try sounds a little ridiculous but I guess we will see what they do with that and other things and season 4 and hope for the best.

[Princess Periwinkle 3,774]

Actually, I think that all she did was jump off the balcony and swoop down, and the very beginning of the fourth season is going to be her crashing.

[Nature's Spell 526]

The other thing is that in her Hot Minute, for what it's worth, we saw her land on her face and she admited all she can do is fall on her face.

[Blue Moon 6,336]

That's as good a theory as any and sounds fine to me. The other theory is that she was using her magic to steady her flying. I guess we'll see what happens in season 4.

Well, she is good at magic, so this is very possible as well. So yeah, I guess we'll see what the writers decide to do in season four.

[crazitaco 596]

exactly! what use are wings for her? she just teleports everywhere anyway, and she's probably not far off just using her magic to fly. all the wings do for her is look silly on her frame.

i'm okay with optimus prime's new jetpack because its actually useful and has a purpose. he couldn't fly before, now he can and he can use it to the fullest extent. there are plenty of circumstances where he might NEED flying.

what does twilight's wings do? absolutely nothing, they are merely decoration. before having wings, she could reverse gravity, teleport, and levitate in the air. what use are wings for twilight, who has already mastered gravity?

Edited May 22, 2013 by crazitaco

[Orablanco Account 3,706]

Physically perhaps. Twilight was fairly overpowered anyway in my opinion, and I doubt becoming an Alicorn does much in the way of rectifying that, but I'd dispute the character development angle. While Twilight has certainly come a long way since the first episode, I would also argue that she is far from leaving the rest of the Mane Six in the dust in that regard. Rainbow Dash in particular has development that is actually comparable to Twilight's in my opinion(which is fairly impressive given how much time was set aside to showcase Twilight's growth relative to Dash's). While I am concerned that from this point forward the show will focus on Twilight more than I want it too (since it already does), I don't feel that you can make that conclusion yet. Applejack, Fluttershy, etc, deserve more credit for how they've developed.

 

Agree, agree, agree, and I'm actually a bigger fan of Dash's arc than anyone else's, besides maybe Spike.

 

As for the topic, Twilight getting wings is rooted deep in the show's mythology and whether she had earned them, and thus was prone to debate.

 

I only watched the first season of Transformers Prime, but for the most part, I'm assuming Optimus getting resurrected with a jet-pack was triumphant, but much more of "Upgrade in Badassery" type thing.

[Blue Lightning 275]

I see what your getting at, but I'm pretty sure the only purpose that her wings serve other than common flying would be the fact that Alicorns seem to be the only race becoming princesses. I don't know what it is but I have no serious problem with the Twilicorn scenario all together. The only thing that I wonder is exactly that though. Why does it seem necessary to be an Alicorn just to be a princess?

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

Which sums up things perfectly on why the complaining is pointless. Consider she's already just sort of a demi-god, the wings are a purely aesthetic and symbolic change that doesn't change who she is at her core.  

[Dolphanatic 298]

I don't really see how that's an exactly moment. It's too early to really tell where they're going with it, but in my opinion it seems they'll be working on each character to actually, you  know, give them resolution? Something not a lot of shows are brave enough to do.

Having everypony submit to her and giving her the ability to fly eradicates two of her biggest weaknesses. It's not too crazy to call this overpowered. Try to think of one thing any other member of the mane have that Twilight doesn't. Only minor things come to mind (such as Pinkie Pie's "Pinkie Sense" or Rainbow Dash's extraordinary flying abilities). They used to be major points to the storytelling. Now our beloved undeserving alicorn princess can do both (using her magic while flying could easily ruin what would've been a difficult situation). The only good thing that could come out of this would be more powerful villains. However, being that much more powerful would downsize everypony else. Soon it would feel more like "battle of the gods" than being relatable, which was the main reason we loved the show to begin with.

 

...Blah blah blah Pokemon...

Sorry, but am I the only living being in existence who has never played Pokemon?

 

I have a feeling they'll start focusing more on each other character now that Twilight's... arc, if you will, is completed.

You can keep telling yourself that. But a simple look around will tell you the exact opposite is happening. The synopsis of Equestria Girls is a perfect example. They've already recklessly bashed her character, and they'll continue to do so. Being a magical unicorn simply wasn't enough for them, so they made her an alicorn princess. But lo and behold, even that wasn't enough. So they came up with a way to make her a bratz doll in high school.

 

And while I'm here, can I just say that I'm extremely bummed that the main villain seems to be nothing more your typical "popular girl"? And it had to be Sunset Shimmer of all ponies! They could have gone with any other design they wanted to and it still probably would have worked. Sunset Shimmer had so much potential to be an interesting protagonist (maybe she could've been an optimist of sorts that would've caused some friction between her and Twilight and eventually they would have to settle their differences in order to help the rest of the Mane cast defeat some common enemy). That would've worked like a charm in both story writing originality and in retail sales ('New pony in the show! Yay! Imma buy a new figure now!"). Such a pity.

 

And for all we know, it may not be completed. It's too early to tell what's going through the all the creator's minds. They've blown ME away so far, so I have no reason to doubt them yet until the product is out there for all to see.

I just think people like you are jumping the gun and assuming the worse without knowing anything that's planned for the future.

May I remind you that Magical Mystery Cure was supposed to give us a good first impression on Twilicorn? And in that respect, it failed miserably, as can be seen by the fact that even pro-Twilicorn fans are speaking out against the episode.

 

TL;DR: People need to stop pushing away valid arguments by simply putting off their own concerns by saying "Trust the Writers". Everyone makes mistakes. This is true of even the best of writers. They are not gods.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Dolphanatic

[garrenn 74]

Hon, I never said they weren't invalid, I said it's just too soon to say that they're going to screw everything up. That's just the way I see it. We don't know what all they're planning. Yes, it's very possible it may end up ruining everything, but it's also possible that this is the best thing for the show and we just don't know it because we don't know what they have planned. All I'm saying is to not to just assume that the creators have suddenly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in one fail swoop.

[Twiliscael 3,958]

Exactly! And because of that, she is no longer a social outcast. This completely removes one of her biggest weaknesses. Remember back when Twilight struggled to be heard? And whenever she was heard, nopony would ever listen to her. They'd just laugh it off and ignore her. But with her being a princess, suddenly everypony is submitting to her authority. Just in that way alone, combined with the fact that she can effortlessly fly toward the screen in a fancy dress is more than enough to feel overpowered.

 

^This. This, my friends is the direction they're trying to take this show. They've recently been giving an unusual and unfair amount of attention to Twilight Sparkle alone with her friends seeming more and more inferior every week. Sure, she may be the main protagonist, but even that doesn't make up for the "Show off Twilight Sparkle and then turn her into a sellout Mary-Sue princess and then a Barbie princess in high school" attitude that they've been showing recently. Add to that the fact that the writers have become too self-absorbed to realize that such decisions are not doing the franchise any good. They want no more than to turn Twilight into a princess to bring even more attention to her. That way they can use her as a tool to get more toys on the shelves. Equestria Girls shows how out of character Twilight has become.

My friend, you do not understand how perfectly you said all of those thoughts swimming around my head that I was unable to straighten-out and make a post about.

 

This man is a wise man, let it be known.

[SilverScreen 1]

This is pure speculation of course, but the way I see it an alicorn's wings may actually be for more than just show. Yes, Twilight is capable of levitation and teleportation magic, but I would imagine it would use up a lot of magic and drain her energy pretty quickly if she used it to fly for any length of time. It may be more advantageous to have wings as backup in the event an alicorn is fighting some type of villain. If they were using all their magic to remain airborne they couldn't focus their attention on launching attacks. In other words, it's actually more practical to have both.

[kirbyboi 587]

I understand what you mean. 

 

We're not really used to seeing Twilight with wings. And on top of that, it leaves Rarity as the only pure unicorn in the mane six. Plus, it was kinda randomly thrown in. 

 

But it's normal. I mean seeing Twilight with wings is a pretty big step for her! But just keep in mind that it's only wings, nothing more. It's just , apparently, the requirements for a Princess. Twilight will be Twilight, and although she has become a bit more superior, it doesn't mean she'll diss her friends. 

 

I don't really mind the wings, but I understand how you feel. If it is permanent, we'll get used to it one way or another. I guess you feel like this because its just weird or odd seeing Twilight all of sudden with wings. But don't worry, it's just wings!  

[SilverTurtle 19]

More than anything I think building strength and stamina is what she will have to work on. When Rarity had the gossamer wings she was flying fine with them. I think it's less of riding a bike and more like rowing a boat. It's easy to do with strong arms but navigating exactly takes practice. I think if anything they will give 2 or 3 minutes to have Rainbow Dash give her an expert flying lesson. Maybe after she becomes a wonderbolt!