Why did Twilight use dark magic on Zecora's potion?

[LED Dasher 228]

In the first episode of season four, Zecora gives Twilight a potion. Twilight uses dark magic on the potion, and then she sees flashbacks.

 

Why did Twilight use dark magic instead of other magic? Is there a specific reason dark magic was necessary? How is the potion related to dark magic? Is the potion related to something evil? This was the part in the show that didn't make too much sense to me.

[Emperor Posh 360]

I don't even know if it is dark magic anymore, Zecora said the potion needed alicorn magic. So I have no idea what to call it.

[The Blades Shadow 444]

I was wondering the exact same thing actually... It may just be more powerful than regular magic or something.

 

I don't even know if it is dark magic anymore, Zecora said the potion needed alicorn magic. So I have no idea what to call it.

It couldn't be alicorn magic specifically though. Remember in the season 3 premier Twilight used it on the door in Sombra's castle? (If I remember correctly, it was in the castle.)

[Scootalove 10,684]

Alicorn magic/dark magic was needed to turn the potion into a alicorn milk potion (so to speak). They don't really explain it as much, the writers will have to elaborate on that.

[Emperor Posh 360]

I was wondering the exact same thing actually... It may just be more powerful than regular magic or something.

 

It couldn't be alicorn magic specifically though. Remember in the season 3 premier Twilight used it on the door in Sombra's castle? (If I remember correctly, it was in the castle.)

True, I am still confused though. They could have done something cool with that scene.

[caramba2654 601]

Dark magic = alicorn magic.

 

Everypony can use it, but it's dangerous.

 

Twilight was able to use it in the Crystal Empire because she was powerful enough to control it.

 

Sombra tried to used it, but he was too weak, so he got corrupted by the magic.

 

-----------------

 

That's my take on dark/alicorn magic.

Also, the potion was there as a plot element to remind the viewer that "Oh, don't forget that Twilight is now an alicorn!"

[LED Dasher 228]

I don't even know if it is dark magic anymore, Zecora said the potion needed alicorn magic. So I have no idea what to call it.

 

Is it implied in the show that alicorn magic is a type of dark magic, or that dark magic is a type of alicorn magic? This really raises some questions.

 

Alicorn magic/dark magic was needed to turn the potion into a alicorn milk potion (so to speak). They don't really explain it as much, the writers will have to elaborate on that.

 

I think the writers really need to give people a better idea of the various types of magic.

 

 

Dark magic = alicorn magic.

 

Everypony can use it, but it's dangerous.

 

Twilight was able to use it in the Crystal Empire because she was powerful enough to control it.

 

Sombra tried to used it, but he was too weak, so he got corrupted by the magic.

 

-----------------

 

That's my take on dark/alicorn magic.

Also, the potion was there as a plot element to remind the viewer that "Oh, don't forget that Twilight is now an alicorn!"

 

 

This makes sense. In the episode "Magic Duel" there is an Alicorn Amulet. This amulet corrupts Trixie, making her crave power and control over others. I am starting to get the idea that Alicorn magic is the most powerful type of magic, but it is difficult to control and can potentially corrupt ponies.

Edited November 26, 2013 by LED Dasher

[SasQ 1,355]

Someone asked on DeviantArt why Twilight used Dark Magic upon that potion when Zecora said it requires Alicorn Magic, and whether it mean that Alicorn Magic is the same as Dark Magic. Here's what I replied:

 

It's simple: Ancient Alicorns invented all Magic we know. They invented both Bright Magic and Dark Magic, so that they knew the entire Magic of Harmony (a.k.a. Magic of Friendship, since friendship is about living in harmony and balancing goods and bads). So when they say about using "Alicorn Magic", it simply means the ability to use Dark Magic too, in addition to Bright Magic. Recall how Princess Celestia could use both these kinds of Magic when demonstrating Twilight the Crystal Empire stuff. That's all about it.

Well, almost. There's also Chaos Magic, or the magic of imbalance, disharmony. It's about introducing deliberate imbalances in both these kinds of Magic. This is the type of Magic which Discord uses 

 

But as to the second part of the question (why she used particularly Dark Magic and not Bright Magic for that potion), I have no idea. Maybe the creators of the show used the other kind of Magic because they wanted to emphasize that she now can use both kinds of Magic, as Alicorns know how to do?

 

Edit: I wouldn't put an equal sign between Alicorn Magic and Dark Magic so easily. For me, there are only two kinds of Magic: Bright Magic (positive, creative) and Dark Magic (negative, destructive), which are the equivalents of Yin and Yang known in our world. Together they form Harmony Magic (which is not a separate kind of magic, but how one uses these two aforementioned kinds of Magic together, in balance) or Chaos Magic (when one introduces deliberate imbalances in them). Alicorn Magic seems to me to be the most general term which describes all forms of Magic known to Alicorns.

 

Edit 2: As to Dark Magic being more bad/evil/dangerous/powerful: My views are that both kinds of Magic are equally powerful, but they have different uses. Also they aren't inherently good or bad. In Nature, both these opposite poles of Magic are needed, because Nature uses creation and destruction together, to form a closed, ever-perpetuating cycle of life (balance, Harmony). It's just that Dark Magic is the destructive one, so it can do some damage much easier to an unexperienced conjurer, than the creative Bright Magic which cannot do much harm. But, of course, Bright Magic could be mis-used as well. E.g. when one casts a love spell upon a rag doll and causes havoc in a local village 

{Yeah, Twilie, I'm talking about you now ;-J }

Edited November 26, 2013 by SasQ

[Nature's Spell 526]

I don't know if the writers will ever define the various kinds of magic, but even if she used a Sombra like "black magic" it's not a big deal since, as an Alicorn, she can control it. A normal unicorn using it is another matter.

[ReverseFaller 2,483]

I myself am also curious about this. Does it mean that Twilight is strong enough to control dark magic? That'd be pretty cool if true. Also then maybe my friends would stop bitching that Twilight is "So weak, and useless."

 

Anyways I hope we learn more about this in the future, as I'm now interested in this topic.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Digital Tears

[Winona the Dog 1,981]

I got nothing other than the fact the writers wanted to show us they haven't forgotten the concept of dark magic. I guess Dark Magic can be compared to Alicorn Magic.

[Argumedies 1,748]

Out of everything in PTS, this whole thing with Zecora and the flash back potion made no sense to me at all let alone using dark magic on it.

 

So is this dark magic now considered alicorn magic?

 

I don't know. Whole thing just felt like the writers just did it to give Zacora a spot in the opening

[. eris . 1,661]

It might be Twilight thinking of the most powerful magic she knows, which is Dark Magic. That's the only thing I can think of.

[Dark Horn 430]

I've given up on theories, just waiting for an explanation now from Meghan.

[FoxyCryptid 4,327]

Maybe it's a case of "Dark is Not Evil" where neither light nor dark magic are truly good nor evil. Maybe they're just opposite elements and what they are is defined by the wielder? 

Edited November 26, 2013 by Shoboni

[Mutemutt 772]

Well, the first thought that came to mind is that dark magic and alicorn magic have the same origin, they just branched off in different directions. In that case dark magic would have been enough to satisfy the "alicorn magic" requirement. But then why would Twilight deliberately choose to use dark magic? I guess she doesn't have a handle on alicorn magic yet, she is rather new.

 

Or maybe alicorns themselves have some dark origin and dark magic and alicorn magic are one and the same, and all other magic is just normal, regular magic; I mean, the alicorn amulet had some seriously bad juju. And then, and then maybe the alicorns creating dark magic is what ultimately led to their downfall. An ancient and powerful society brought to its knees by its own creation!  Yeah, I know you've seen it a thousand times, but I know part of you wants to see it again 

 

Or maybe, just or maybe, "alicorn magic" simply meant powerful magic. 

Edited November 27, 2013 by Mutemutt

[Metemponychosis 1,236]

My opinion is that the producers wanted to make a point that the magic wielded by alicorns is somehow different than magic made by regular unicorns. So they used a different animation effect for it and used the same effect that was used with "dark magic".

 

Stupid in my opinion. So I'm hoping there is something else to this. After all, just before it, they showed that Twilight has wings and a horn.

[Wingnut 6,726]

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.  In the Crystal Empire, Twilight was forced to use dark magic because King Sombra's spells rendered light magic useless for the most part.  Twilight is also smart enough not to overuse dark magic and corrupt herself. 

 

It remains to be seen why it was needed for the white potion, if dark magic and alicorn magic are correlated, and if even alicorns can be corrupted by its overuse at some point. 

[FNGRpony 655]

It might be Twilight thinking of the most powerful magic she knows, which is Dark Magic. That's the only thing I can think of.

I thought friend ship was the most powerful magic she knows.  ^ ~.

 

hell in that case pinkie could walked up and hugged the potion to activate it.

[SasQ 1,355]

Right, I'm sure that Pinkie Pie would use the potion in a very unexpected way: as a creamy frosting :-)

And then the whole Ponyville would be tripping balls ;-D That would be a massive flashback, I say! ;-)

 

Edited November 28, 2013 by SasQ

[Mywas 687]

Because The only way to fullfill your true power you must have both the dark side and the good side. By the magic she was taught by Celestia and The Dark Magic she learned by watching Sombra she will be able to cast all type of spells wether they are for good or bad deeds.

 

Twily shall join The dark side soon.

She can not Hide, He seeeees her

[brian577 120]

 

This makes sense. In the episode "Magic Duel" there is an Alicorn Amulet. This amulet corrupts Trixie, making her crave power and control over others. I am starting to get the idea that Alicorn magic is the most powerful type of magic, but it is difficult to control and can potentially corrupt ponies.

 

If we ignore the comics this would also explain Luna's transformation. 

[Sunny Fox 5,929]

Someone asked on DeviantArt why Twilight used Dark Magic upon that potion when Zecora said it requires Alicorn Magic, and whether it mean that Alicorn Magic is the same as Dark Magic. Here's what I replied:

 

It's simple: Ancient Alicorns invented all Magic we know. They invented both Bright Magic and Dark Magic, so that they knew the entire Magic of Harmony (a.k.a. Magic of Friendship, since friendship is about living in harmony and balancing goods and bads). So when they say about using "Alicorn Magic", it simply means the ability to use Dark Magic too, in addition to Bright Magic. Recall how Princess Celestia could use both these kinds of Magic when demonstrating Twilight the Crystal Empire stuff. That's all about it.

 

Well, almost. There's also Chaos Magic, or the magic of imbalance, disharmony. It's about introducing deliberate imbalances in both these kinds of Magic. This is the type of Magic which Discord uses 

 

But as to the second part of the question (why she used particularly Dark Magic and not Bright Magic for that potion), I have no idea. Maybe the creators of the show used the other kind of Magic because they wanted to emphasize that she now can use both kinds of Magic, as Alicorns know how to do?

 

Edit: I wouldn't put an equal sign between Alicorn Magic and Dark Magic so easily. For me, there are only two kinds of Magic: Bright Magic (positive, creative) and Dark Magic (negative, destructive), which are the equivalents of Yin and Yang known in our world. Together they form Harmony Magic (which is not a separate kind of magic, but how one uses these two aforementioned kinds of Magic together, in balance) or Chaos Magic (when one introduces deliberate imbalances in them). Alicorn Magic seems to me to be the most general term which describes all forms of Magic known to Alicorns.

 

Edit 2: As to Dark Magic being more bad/evil/dangerous/powerful: My views are that both kinds of Magic are equally powerful, but they have different uses. Also they aren't inherently good or bad. In Nature, both these opposite poles of Magic are needed, because Nature uses creation and destruction together, to form a closed, ever-perpetuating cycle of life (balance, Harmony). It's just that Dark Magic is the destructive one, so it can do some damage much easier to an unexperienced conjurer, than the creative Bright Magic which cannot do much harm. But, of course, Bright Magic could be mis-used as well. E.g. when one casts a love spell upon a rag doll and causes havoc in a local village 

{Yeah, Twilie, I'm talking about you now ;-J }

That's a pretty well thought out take on the magic issue. Nice.

[Legacy Dash 438]

Maybe Twilight had to use Dark Magic because she was going to view a flashback of something bad?

 

Or maybe the Everfree forest or something like that was interfering with her magic? That could make sense.

[Sunny Fox 5,929]

Maybe Twilight had to use Dark Magic because she was going to view a flashback of something bad?

 

Or maybe the Everfree forest or something like that was interfering with her magic? That could make sense.

This made me think of something. When was the last time Twilight saw a vision? When she used dark magic on Sombra's door! To see a vision, true or false, requires dark magic. That's why she used it.