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[Demonic Spoon]

You're assuming that the telekinesis is stronger than the earth ponies' muscle. And the momentum of a bullet, which has a hard time being stopped by half-inch steel plate. Admittedly, it likely is strong enough to at least match the earth ponies, but most unicorns don't demonstrate the ability to handle several objects like Twilight could, and the earth ponies once again outnumber the other two races. A single unicorn might have to face two armed earth ponies, and would have an immense amount of trouble fighting both.

Pegasus ponies would have an easier time controlling earth ponies, but the earth ponies seem to demonstrate the greatest amount of tool use, and therefore ingenuity. They could probably rig up ways to protect themselves from even the worst storms. Like bunkers.

I am not, I am assuming it can be applied in a more useful and focused manner than earth pony muscle. Yes, but the gun example was a bit of a stretch in any case wasn't it? If we're gonna bring out guns then the unicorns can use devastating magical spells. And any range weapon less advanced than a gun can't really be utilized. Let us take the example of two earth ponies fighting one unicorn. Unicorn runs away from earth ponies, stopping them from closing in. Earth ponies have no choice but to let her go or pursue her since they can only hurt her in melee. Unicorn bashes there heads in with a rock that she telekinetically controls. Also what Crazy Cow said.

Bunker would help against storms sure, but they don't help much against famine when your crops are all dying due to drought or your croplands are flooded. Controlling the weather is a lot more than just storms.

It's possible that earth ponies have abilities that haven't been well studied or documented; cf. Pinkie Pie's prognosticative abilities in "Feeling Pinkie Keen" and Twilight's response to them. Not necessarily all abilities of a divinatory nature, but all subtle and not associated with any special anatomical features that are not universal to all ponies.

This is actually just further proof of the illusion of solidarity. Did you notice how Twilight reacted to the possibility of magical cabilities in a member of one of the lesser races? She seemed frankly horrified and threatened, sensing a possible threat to the unicorn powerbase.

[TheBronzePickle]

The earth ponies are the only creatures shown growing plants. Fluttershy is shown prowling the edge of the Everfree Forest to collect the food for her animals. I think the earth ponies either much more efficient in growing things, or possibly the ONLY ponies with the ability to coax life from the ground.

[Crazy Cow]

That would actually go a long way towards balancing the castes. If earth ponies need to be around for food, then they would naturally be treated better than slaves.

[Demonic Spoon]

The earth ponies are the only creatures shown growing plants. Fluttershy is shown prowling the edge of the Everfree Forest to collect the food for her animals. I think the earth ponies either much more efficient in growing things, or possibly the ONLY ponies with the ability to coax life from the ground.

Of course they're the only ones growing things, they're the peasant class! It's their role in society. As to fluttershy, I dunno, could you direct me to the episode? Maybe she needs special food for her animals that isn't easy for the earth pony slaves to grow.

That would actually go a long way towards balancing the castes. If earth ponies need to be around for food, then they would naturally be treated better than slaves.

What? No. Aren't there numerous examples in history of a large lower class that produces the food for the benefit of the higher castes while getting little of this benefit themselves? Admittedly many of these societies were overthrown/collapsed, but the presence of Celestia aka I control the sun bitches! makes overthrowing the regime...inadvisable and/or unfeasible. Heck, Celestia seems to be a parallel of the pharoahs/the sun godkings.

[TheBronzePickle]

@Demonic Spoon
Swarm of the Century, the first thing we see is Fluttershy walking away from the forest with apples. She either got them from the Everfree Forest by foraging, or she's actually walking away from Applejack's farm. Admittedly, that says nothing of feeding her animals, but we certainly don't see any indication of a garden around the house, even a small, inefficient one.

Honestly, I'm trying to justify the earth ponies' apparent ability to thrive in an environment where they are apparently completely inferior. If you have any ideas as to why in Celestia's name they might have the presence and political power they demonstrate without some kind of enforcement by the princesses themselves, then I really want to hear it, because I've pretty much run out of arguments in their favor.

[Dsarker]

So if Rarity can use her powers so easily, why doesn't she while finishing the Applebuck season? That is the essential reason for Unicorns being on top, that they can outproduce the Earth Ponies. You've got to establish why they would care about the Earth Ponies if they didn't need them. We also know that the Earth ponies are more adaptable to new circumstances: the only new settlement we see is dominated by Earth ponies, whereas the other settlement we see is so fixed in their ways even with more efficient methods available BECAUSE THE OTHER TYPES OF PONY ARE THERE.

They also appear to have more stamina and strength, see that same episode, 21, as well as 7.

What about episode 13?

Episode 13? The first CM episode? What about it?

Wait, has there been any confirmation as to the populations of the pony castes? I am assuming that unicorn, pegasus and earth ponies are functionally even, because it hasn't been mentioned in the show at all.

@Bohandas
That's actually been hinted at quite a bit thorughout the show, so it is entirely possible that earth ponies have various abilities like precognition that simply haven't been studied... maybe because those mostly responsible for scientific research (unicorns) look down on earth ponies and don't think them worth studying?

@TheBronzePickle
The way I'm imagining unicorn vs. earth pony combat goes roughly along the lines of:

Unicorn yanks weapons away from earth ponies, promptly attacks earth ponies with said weapons

There is no way even multiple earth ponies would be able to take out a unicorn without some element of surprise because of that telekinesis.

Why would they need weapons? One quick buck and the bitch/bastard is dead. Even worse for the unicorns, we KNOW that they get tired from using spells, especially if they haven't done much of it recently, or the specific spell before. See the second episode, when Twilight teleports. See 6. I'm imagining something like this, but decidedly more lethal.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[Demonic Spoon]

@Demonic Spoon
Swarm of the Century, the first thing we see is Fluttershy walking away from the forest with apples. She either got them from the Everfree Forest by foraging, or she's actually walking away from Applejack's farm. Admittedly, that says nothing of feeding her animals, but we certainly don't see any indication of a garden around the house, even a small, inefficient one.

Honestly, I'm trying to justify the earth ponies' apparent ability to thrive in an environment where they are apparently completely inferior. If you have any ideas as to why in Celestia's name they might have the presence and political power they demonstrate without some kind of enforcement by the princesses themselves, then I really want to hear it, because I've pretty much run out of arguments in their favor.

A obvious explanation is that the earth ponies' politicial power is a sham. Minor powers granted to them to make them think that they are equal.

However I am by no means claiming that my is the one and only true interpretation of of MLP, this is just a very interesting and engaging debate. Possible the ponies have a very good union, or there was some politicial upheavel in the past due to the biological differences we discussed and a new better order was workd out, wit the signs we noticed being relics from a previous age. Admittedly this is all rather blocked by that damn Celestia. Actual godkings are so annoying.

And now I bid you goodnight.

Why would they need weapons? One quick buck and the bitch/bastard is dead. Even worse for the unicorns, we KNOW that they get tired from using spells, especially if they haven't done much of it recently, or the specific spell before. See the second episode, when Twilight teleports. See 6. I'm imagining something like this, but decidedly more lethal.

And telekinetically controlled rock to the head and the earth ponies are dead, while the unicorn stays out of their reach. Obviously wartrained unicorns would have more telekinetic stamina. Earth ponies get tired from, I dunno, moving and fighting?

[Dsarker]

But we know that Applejack, who is your typical 'peasant' earth pony, can stand several days AWAKE ALL THE TIME. Your unicorns can't do that. Plus, we know that the unicorns can't pull their abilities when surprised OR moving. See Dragonshy again.

[Demonic Spoon]

Or they actually physically incapable or is it just difficult for the to concentrate enough to do it when surprised or moving? I seem to recall twilight doing telekinesis while moving.

[TheBronzePickle]

@Demonic Spoon
Warrior earth ponies would have the same stamina training. Also, the telekinesis would have to be strong enough to give the rock the momentum needed to do severe damage to the target pony while being hard to dodge. The rock would either have to be big, which would be a strain to move, fast, which would take a lot of buildup and could be dodged, or accurate enough to hit the offending pony in a weak spot while still having the momentum to cause damage anyway. A unicorn could obviously do any of the above, but it would take time and concentration, which are to very limited resources in a battle situation.

Edit: Wow, I posted late. Anyway, Twilight did perform very weak telekinesis while moving, but nothing that would actually pose even the slightest threat to even a small bug. The only thing she's ever done running is teleport, and that both seemed to take a fair amount of concentration (all of her concentration that wasn't focused on running) and it took a long time for it to charge to a level where it worked.

[Demonic Spoon]

I thought we already established warrior ponies would have enough stamina for the first few minutes of battle? That's about how long it would take for it to be resolved I think. It doesn't need to be a rock, or it can be a sharp rock. Unconscious would do. They could use knives or shurikens that they carry with them in a saddlebag or whatever. Even if the telekinesis is relatively weak, a knife through the brain can be pretty fatal no matter how fast it enters. I really should go sleep now.

[TheBronzePickle]

Good night. Try not to dwell on this too much, you might go without sleep. And then you couldn't put up a good argument tomorrow.

[Jacob/Lee]

Interesting. In most places with ponies, they discuss the show. Here, we discuss how ponies would kill each other in a fight to the death

[FunctionZero]

Interesting. In most places with ponies, they discuss the show. Here, we discuss how ponies would kill each other in a fight to the death

Cool story bro. I've yet to find a place that'd actually discuss that.

[TheBronzePickle]

I'm pretty sure every other place I've seen with ponies has at least one case of debating about the socioeconomic, political and/or philosophical ramifications of the Equestrian utopia. The show allows us to see just enough to peer into the background of the entire system, but doesn't show us much. It's a rich breeding ground for discussion.