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[LordBucket]

I would also like to know how that would help the teeth grow.

 * Gems are rock. Sapphires/Rubies in particular are oxidized aluminum.
 * Teeth are bone.
 * Human bones are largely composed of calcium and phosphorous.
 * Calcium, phosphorous and aluminum are all metals.
 * Theory: Equestrian dragon bones are composed of aluminum instead of calcium and phosphorous.

I'd love to see a lawyer get around the laws of physics.

Sure. I'll do it for you right now:


 \|/
 tree
 /|\         * <-- ball
  |
  |
---------- Ground ---------

Look at that ball. See how it isn't falling? It's suspended above the ground, clearly defying gravity.

Don't dismiss this, there's a valid point in the metaphor. "Laws" be they laws of physics or anything else, only apply within relevant frameworks. It's possible to create a scenario outside of any particular framework, like I just did. Similarly, within the framework of that picture, it's "law" that neither gravity nor time exist, and all that exists is one single static frame. But those "laws" relevant to the framework inside the picture don't apply to you or me, and it would be trivial for us to print that picture out, then cut out the ball and move it around by hand, in violation of the laws of physics of that framework, because we are not a part of it.

Pinkie is not part of the framework of Equestrian physics. Those laws simply don't apply to her. The same is true for Discord. As well as for Q in Star Trek and many other characters in fiction. They're not chess pieces playing a chess game, so they're not obligated to move chess pieces according to the rules of chess. When you play chess, a rook only moves in straight lines. A bishop only moves diagonally. Pinkie isn't playing chess, so she can pick both pieces up and throw them across the room.

plot for an episode
the Elements could make their bearers immortal, but the
bearer could choose to live out a normal life.

That would put a delightful end to all the Spike-outliving-Twilight bawwness.

Rarity would do it for the ego boost thing.

Rarity would do it for the eternal youth. Whether or not she intended to actually live any longer, she'd certainly appreciate living out however many years she had looking youthful.

think of a name for this.
when Applejack hit the apples against a rock dramatically?

"Abstract Art"

If Spike's any indication, though, she'll be able to subsist off of gems. Considering Rarity's her best friend, I don't think she'll have a terrible time, and since dragons seem to have an affinity for finding treasure, she'll probably be able to support herself anyway.

Pretty sure Spike is a boy.

[kaijyuu]

think of a name for this.
when Applejack hit the apples against a rock dramatically?

"Abstract Art"

I might just go with this.

[LordBucket]

In other news, true story:

I had dinner with some relatives earlier this evening. My uncle happens to know I like the show, so he half-seriously half-in-humor asked me how it was doing. I explained to everyone at the table about how princess Luna would be making a comeback for the Halloween episode this Saturday, along with a brief summary of how she came to be banished and redeemed in the first place. It evolved into a couple minute discussion about the show, with smiles and polite interest to spare.

Except from my niece, who is 8. She announced to the world at large that she hates ponies, and that one of her friends also hates them so much that she made a song about them:

"My Little Pony,
Scrawny and bony..."

I didn't get the rest of it. But I found it amusing to see the intended audience hating on the show so much when there are millions of teenage and adult bronies loving it.

"Abstract Art"
I might just go with this.

When the game reaches its target audience of millions and you're rich and famous, remember me.

[Crazy Cow]

You, good sir, have more balls than me. I have trouble talking to my brother about how excited I am for Luna's episode, and he loves the show (thanks to me) as well :p

[Dsarker]

Bucket, that was talking about if Fluttershy became a dragon, not about Spike.

[Roboboy33]

How can aluminum teeth break and chew gems?

[LordBucket]

How can aluminum teeth break and chew gems?

Why would they not be able to?

 * Sapphires and rubies are composed of aluminum oxide. Loosely speaking, a sapphire is rusted aluminum in a crystaline form.
 * Crystalline materials tend to break more easily along their shear lines. Just like how it's easier to break a wooden board along the grain rather than against it.
 * Impact forces and compressive forces are not identical. A gem might happen to be very dense, but it is brittle, and susceptible to shattering. Chomping down violently would be more effective than attempting to slowly crush them.
 * Aluminum has roughly four times the compressive strength of bone. It's reasonable to suggest that aluminum based bone might be better for crushing than calcium/phosphorous based bone.
 * Finally, keep in mind that aluminum need not be the only material. Your teeth are not purely calcium phosphate either.

The premise here is simply that dragons requires aluminum for their skeletal structure, just like your skeleton requires calccium and phosphorous. But aluminum is not a material in great abundance in plants or animals. So to grow larger they require an alternate source, and certain gemstones are suitable. This is why baby dragons need to eat lots of gems, but adult dragons don't. Once the skeleton is fully grown, they don't require the aluminum intake they once did. This also explains the hoarding tendency of adult dragons: they're collecting gems to provide for their young.

[Roboboy33]

Well arent you just Mr. Scientist.

[Dermonster]

It's geology/biology. This is the Dwarf Fortress forums.

Trying to think of a sig worthy sentence that proves what little of my point there is but failing miserably, so I'm going for the meta-humor. Also failing miserably.

[Flying Dice]

Dwarf Fortress: Your Only Source For Geology Trivia Since 1834!

[LordBucket]

...or maybe Twilight was coaching me.

[Dsarker]

MLP:FIM as Biblical metaphor. Discuss.



I'd start by pointing out that the situation is Edenic in nature. Starting with the entire environment being perfectly suited for our ponies' needs, we go into clothing (which is not used extensively, and even when it is used, it is not covering up but embellishing), and finally a direct relationship with a divine being, who is presented as benevolent in nature. We've got two 'evil' beings, who are mostly evil because they have turned away from Celestia and are rebels.

[Dsarker]

And for those of a more image inclination, what is wrong with this picture?

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[LordBucket]

what is wrong with this picture?

The beige pony sitting directly to Twilight's left has both a horn and wings.

[LordBucket]

Biblical

WIll assume a more or less Protestant old+new testament version of "biblical." Please correct me if you had something else in mind.

the situation is Edenic in nature.

Ok, but Eden accounts for 43 verses from the book of Genesis: 2:4 to Genesis 3:21. Less than two chapters out of a book with 50 chapaters, from one single book out of 66 books in the (christian) Bible. Saying that Equestria being vaguely Edenic makes FIM a Biblical metaphor is like saying that since my mouth has saliva in it, that makes it resemble the Atlantic ocean.

And while there are a few matches between MLP and Eden, there are lots of very significant mismatches:

 * No nonsense about trees or fruit
 * No temptation story
 * No fall from grace, and no being kicked out
 * There were two humans in Eden. How many ponies are there?

a direct relationship with a divine being

But very little similarlity between the divine beings in question.

 * Two goddesses doesn't mesh well with a singular god who insists on having "No other gods before me."
 * Even if you consider the triumverate, the numbers still don't match: Celestia/Luna, Father/Son/Holy Ghost, and no obvious way to reconcile the difference.
 * The corruption/banishment/redemption of goddess Luna is a very significant event in Equestria. I see no suitable metaphor for this in the bible.
 * The obvious "sun/Jesus" metaphor doesn't really work, because Celestia is the sun, but Luna is not her father. Celestia appears to be the one more fully "in charge" which would tend to imply that she's "the Father" rather than the son. And neither Celestia nor Luna seem to have any notion of redemption or salvation for ponies being through either of them. The only character who's been "redeemed" is Luna. If anything, MLP is an inversion on this point, because Luna was redeemed by the mane cast. This would be like saying that Jesus can only be brought to god by the actions of man. The whole metaphor just isn't working.

We've got two 'evil' beings, who are mostly evil because
they have turned away from Celestia and are rebels.

...k.

Few problems with that:

1) The christian notion of Satan as a fallen angel is not really biblical. Satan in the bible hasn't been cast out of heaven at all, nor is there any indication that he's turned away from god. Rather, he is present in heaven and he acts like either a private investigator or a legal assistant, depending on how you look at it. For example, in the book of Job, Satan is in heaven reporting to god personally in a more or less advisory capacity.

2) Even if you ignore what the bible actually says and work with what christians think it says:

a) According to Celestia, Discord was the former ruler of Equestria before she and Luna overthrew him. That would be like Satan ruling in heaven until god and his little sister kicked him out.

b) You say two 'evil' beings. I assume you mean Luna and Discord. how do you reconcile two single,  individual beings rebelling against Celestia with the "biblical" notion of a third of all angels in heaven following a singular Lucifer in rebellion?

as Biblical metaphor. Discuss.

Really not seeing it.