Well, I won't go over it in much detail in the actual story, since it's such a minor thing that the characters won't need to explain it much detail - since they already know how it works - but basically, all of the members of the Mane 6, with the exception of Twilight, were given scrolls specially designed to be delivered to Spike upon being burned. They were given this so that they could provide crucial information in an instant to Twilight, or simply inform her that they have no leads and are on their way back.
By sending a scroll, Fluttershy allowed a trail to form between her and Spike. So as far as a magical fax is concerned, there is a deteriorating route a message can be sent back along as a response. Though Fluttershy was on a train, she hadn't wandered too far from the original sending location, and the reply was able to find her in time before either she strayed too far or the trail went cold. As I said, it took mere minutes between sending her message and getting a reply.
Magic, it's like science, but also has more friendship involved.
By sending a scroll, Fluttershy allowed a trail to form between her and Spike. So as far as a magical fax is concerned, there is a deteriorating route a message can be sent back along as a response. Though Fluttershy was on a train, she hadn't wandered too far from the original sending location, and the reply was able to find her in time before either she strayed too far or the trail went cold. As I said, it took mere minutes between sending her message and getting a reply.
Magic, it's like science, but also has more friendship involved.
That last line was the best explanation on how magic work I've heard so far.
Time is not constant, but relative to the observer's friendship.
Time is not constant, but relative to the observer's friendship.lol
It's definitely better than saying "It's magic, I ain't gotta explain ponyfeathers!"
Judging by how the show's rules on magic have evolved, it seems that all creatures that have a Cutie Mark (which includes Zebras) have the ability to exert or control some form of magic.
For Earth ponies and Zebras, they have a very innate understanding of plantlife and everything that could possibly come out of and stand up on the ground. So it stands to reason that they make the best alchemists, farmers, and builders.
Unicorns can wield their full magical ability thanks to having their horns, which act as a conduit between the internal strength and willpower of a Unicorn and the world outside. Thus, they are able to exert are less subtle form of magic, usually finding greater ease in casting spells relating to their talents. They seem to be more attuned to details, utilising their magic to do things that the other races find difficulty in.
Pegasi possess the ability to manipulate the weather and fly. While flying is a given to any creature with wings, being able to easily manipulate the weather at will is not. So it seems likely that Pegasi, much like Earth ponies, have a deeper understanding of the sky and making it work with them, and use their magic in subtle ways to alter the sky to suit their needs.
Alicorns, or Pegascorns, appear to draw strength from all three races, yet have other weaknesses to counter the strengths. While very little is actually said about The Royal Sisters or Cadance in the show, it does seem that the Alicorn race is extremely rare, but not unheard of, in Equestrian society, and Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are possibly two of the most powerful in existence.
As for magic itself, the general rules seem to be that nothing can use magic out of nowhere, everything has it's pool, and when that pool runs dry, so does the ability to cast spells. It is possible for two entities to share their power, giving one entity a 'jumpstart' to cast a spell they have the skill for, but not the power. Such methods seem to be uncommon, perhaps frowned upon, since the only time that has been demonstrated in the show temporarily changed the two participants (Cadance and Shining Armour) into a different form, which suggests a level of risk with performing that method. Magic usage also seems to be heavily impacted by a user's skill and natural capacity, so it is unlikely that an Earth pony would be able to cast spells with skill if they were to suddenly gain a horn - but they may possess the power for it anyway!
It's definitely better than saying "It's magic, I ain't gotta explain ponyfeathers!"
Judging by how the show's rules on magic have evolved, it seems that all creatures that have a Cutie Mark (which includes Zebras) have the ability to exert or control some form of magic.
For Earth ponies and Zebras, they have a very innate understanding of plantlife and everything that could possibly come out of and stand up on the ground. So it stands to reason that they make the best alchemists, farmers, and builders.
Unicorns can wield their full magical ability thanks to having their horns, which act as a conduit between the internal strength and willpower of a Unicorn and the world outside. Thus, they are able to exert are less subtle form of magic, usually finding greater ease in casting spells relating to their talents. They seem to be more attuned to details, utilising their magic to do things that the other races find difficulty in.
Pegasi possess the ability to manipulate the weather and fly. While flying is a given to any creature with wings, being able to easily manipulate the weather at will is not. So it seems likely that Pegasi, much like Earth ponies, have a deeper understanding of the sky and making it work with them, and use their magic in subtle ways to alter the sky to suit their needs.
Alicorns, or Pegascorns, appear to draw strength from all three races, yet have other weaknesses to counter the strengths. While very little is actually said about The Royal Sisters or Cadance in the show, it does seem that the Alicorn race is extremely rare, but not unheard of, in Equestrian society, and Princess Luna and Princess Celestia are possibly two of the most powerful in existence.
As for magic itself, the general rules seem to be that nothing can use magic out of nowhere, everything has it's pool, and when that pool runs dry, so does the ability to cast spells. It is possible for two entities to share their power, giving one entity a 'jumpstart' to cast a spell they have the skill for, but not the power. Such methods seem to be uncommon, perhaps frowned upon, since the only time that has been demonstrated in the show temporarily changed the two participants (Cadance and Shining Armour) into a different form, which suggests a level of risk with performing that method. Magic usage also seems to be heavily impacted by a user's skill and natural capacity, so it is unlikely that an Earth pony would be able to cast spells with skill if they were to suddenly gain a horn - but they may possess the power for it anyway!
As I read the part about earth poniy magic, I could almost hear the happy tune in the background. Watch as I work my gypsy magic. Eye of a newt and cinnamon...
I'm not a skilled flyer, but I think it would be very difficult to hover the way pegasi does in the show without magic. Although I've always dismissed it as laziness from the animators/sacrificing laws of physic to make it look good. But I mean, look at RD flying on his back during winter wrap up and then tell me magic was not involved!
I like to think that the biggest difference between magic and science is that science does what you tell it, not what you meant, while magic tends to do what you meant, not what you told it. For example, if the shock wave that destroyed ponykind were science-based, it would probably leave clothing and other equipped items behind as it EXTERMINATED the pony, as it wouldn't be able to see difference between those and other nonliving material.
Of course, sometimes it can backfire too, and they end up meaning something they didn't meant to mean. For example, I was once trying to detect water with a dowsing rod indoors, but ended up getting wild readings everywhere. Then I realized the roofs were covered in snow, which is in fact frozen water. When I started looking for liquid water instead I got much more realistic readings.
Now, I don't believe in such nonsense as dowsing, to be honest. It's just something I sometimes do when I'm bored. And I highly doubt that what I mapped out were where the pipes actually were, but the point still stands: The same kind of mistake could possibly be made by users of real magic, ending up making them look silly, or kill them, or both.
Magic is not for everyone, contact your doctor before use.
I'm not a skilled flyer, but I think it would be very difficult to hover the way pegasi does in the show without magic. Although I've always dismissed it as laziness from the animators/sacrificing laws of physic to make it look good. But I mean, look at RD flying on his back during winter wrap up and then tell me magic was not involved!
I like to think that the biggest difference between magic and science is that science does what you tell it, not what you meant, while magic tends to do what you meant, not what you told it. For example, if the shock wave that destroyed ponykind were science-based, it would probably leave clothing and other equipped items behind as it EXTERMINATED the pony, as it wouldn't be able to see difference between those and other nonliving material.
Of course, sometimes it can backfire too, and they end up meaning something they didn't meant to mean. For example, I was once trying to detect water with a dowsing rod indoors, but ended up getting wild readings everywhere. Then I realized the roofs were covered in snow, which is in fact frozen water. When I started looking for liquid water instead I got much more realistic readings.
Now, I don't believe in such nonsense as dowsing, to be honest. It's just something I sometimes do when I'm bored. And I highly doubt that what I mapped out were where the pipes actually were, but the point still stands: The same kind of mistake could possibly be made by users of real magic, ending up making them look silly, or kill them, or both.
Magic is not for everyone, contact your doctor before use.
>Reading the part about Pegasi and how their own magic might extend to also bending physics to give them extra flying abilities
In an advanced flying school, high atop a secluded mountain adorned with Cherry Blossom trees...
"Now the most important thing about flying is not how big your wingspan is, how strong you can flap, or even how fast you can go. The most important thing is finding peace within the strongest winds, making the air lift you up and work with you. Simply asking for the air to part so that you may slip through and it gladly doing so.
"When you feel the desire to fly, and fall in tune with your will to touch the clouds, and discover that undying faith within yourself, you will also find that you will not be fighting the breeze to stay aloft, and the magic that allows you to shape the weather will also shape physics to suit your will".
Just found it fun to write that right now.
I think that magic can behave in similar ways to what you think, but is a lot more personal to the caster. If a caster is experiencing an extremely powerful emotion, whatever spell they cast will reflect it, regardless of how irrelevant the spell would be to the caster's mood. Also, if a caster is simply too deaf to their own heart and soul, then their magic ability would weaken, as they are not in sync with themselves. Greater power can only be reached by solving any and all internal conflicts, and learning to fall in harmony with oneself. It may sound like some wise old stallion rubbish, but the fundamentals are very true even in the show. Unicorn characters have spells become exaggerated or even fail when under extreme stress, depending on their mood and and what is on their mind. Twilight started spamming teleport spells in S2E3 as she became more and more frustrated about her overdue letter to Princess Celestia, meanwhile, in "Dragon Quest", while being chased by a gang of Dragons, she outright fails to cast a teleport spell the first time around.
In an advanced flying school, high atop a secluded mountain adorned with Cherry Blossom trees...
"Now the most important thing about flying is not how big your wingspan is, how strong you can flap, or even how fast you can go. The most important thing is finding peace within the strongest winds, making the air lift you up and work with you. Simply asking for the air to part so that you may slip through and it gladly doing so.
"When you feel the desire to fly, and fall in tune with your will to touch the clouds, and discover that undying faith within yourself, you will also find that you will not be fighting the breeze to stay aloft, and the magic that allows you to shape the weather will also shape physics to suit your will".
Just found it fun to write that right now.
I think that magic can behave in similar ways to what you think, but is a lot more personal to the caster. If a caster is experiencing an extremely powerful emotion, whatever spell they cast will reflect it, regardless of how irrelevant the spell would be to the caster's mood. Also, if a caster is simply too deaf to their own heart and soul, then their magic ability would weaken, as they are not in sync with themselves. Greater power can only be reached by solving any and all internal conflicts, and learning to fall in harmony with oneself. It may sound like some wise old stallion rubbish, but the fundamentals are very true even in the show. Unicorn characters have spells become exaggerated or even fail when under extreme stress, depending on their mood and and what is on their mind. Twilight started spamming teleport spells in S2E3 as she became more and more frustrated about her overdue letter to Princess Celestia, meanwhile, in "Dragon Quest", while being chased by a gang of Dragons, she outright fails to cast a teleport spell the first time around.
"Now the most important thing about flying is not how big your wingspan is"
YEAH!!!
That was actually a beautiful piece of work there.
Something worth noting is that when Twilight spams teleport she is often only moving herself short distances, and when she failed, she was trying to move the entire group a long distance. But your point is still a good one. I think she also spammed teleports when she was concerned about Applejack's well being in whatever episode that was. Not sure if her being concerned increases her ability to teleport or her will to do so, or both.
The most powerful ponies being alicorns? Great powers require focus and inner balance? Pff, ever heard of Pinkie Pie?
But yes, Pinkie is the exception that confirms the rules. All rules, in fact.
YEAH!!!That was actually a beautiful piece of work there.
Something worth noting is that when Twilight spams teleport she is often only moving herself short distances, and when she failed, she was trying to move the entire group a long distance. But your point is still a good one. I think she also spammed teleports when she was concerned about Applejack's well being in whatever episode that was. Not sure if her being concerned increases her ability to teleport or her will to do so, or both.
The most powerful ponies being alicorns? Great powers require focus and inner balance? Pff, ever heard of Pinkie Pie?
But yes, Pinkie is the exception that confirms the rules. All rules, in fact.