Free and Open Debates on the Nature of Ponykind

One thing I like to do is debate with people. Get me someone who can put up a good, logical argument and I'll have tons of fun trying to respond with the same. My Little Pony, Friendship is Magic is one of the things that I've noticed a lot of people have rather strong opinions about. I think it would be really interesting to see what other people have in mind about the background and nature of the show, as well as being able to debate about the different assumptions we make about what goes on away from what we get to see of the show.

I've got this down here because I'd imagine that some people would rather not have to read through a bunch of people bickering about this and that, and also because I'm sure someone might want to debate a topic that's a bit risque or graphic in nature, although my doubts about that run a little high.

On Pegasus wings and 'feathers'... from the new episode.

Spoiler:

It seems that they technically have no feathers in the traditional sense. Their wings and feathers being a part of themselves... a highly flexible and elastic-ish part.

EDIT: Umm hmm.. Everfree Forest.. Meh, I don't know.

I noticed that too. Makes my fic with Derpy that much more horrifying.

Spoiler:

A potential explanation is that the feathers are a lot more elastic for the pegasi than most real feathers, and a main feather like the one that was stuck under the rock has a really solid connection that lasts throughout their lifetime.

Alternately, cartoon physics.

Spoiler:

You can also notice how RD is completely oblivious of something very heavy having fallen on a supposedly "very" sensitive part of her body.

It's pretty obviously slapstick-ish in that instance. We've yet to see an injury properly depicted in the show, so the choice is between "a universe mechanic" or "a medium convention", and I'm leaning towards the latter.

That's not to mention the inexplicable (bandage? Whatever the hell that thing is called) at the end.

That thing looked like one of the temporary casts that doctors use to secure a broken bone before a proper cast can be made.

I think the confusion was more over how it got there.

Pegasus wings are not big enough to create enough lift for a pony anyway. So yeah, wings and pony flight = pony magic. They don't necessarily need feathers.

The cast pretty much just gives the turtle a reason to be carrying Dash, since she obviously can't fly. What injury she sustained, and where she got the cast from, well, maybe she had some medkits set up along the gorge for when she was too busy being cocky to pay any attention.

Turtle hides things in his shell. He pulled out some sunglasses earlier in the episode. Maybe he brought a medkit.

"Hey tortoise, how'd you hide a medkit in your shell?"

Would it hurt the animators so much to just show RD with a damaged/limp wing? They could have Rarity or even Pinkie then procure the inexplicable bandages and apply them. Would break suspension of disbelief much less.

Well obviously 6 year old girls are too stupid to tell that a wing hanging at a funny angle is injured.

Heh, maybe.

Anyhow, it seems pegasi are still ridiculously resilient. RD was hit by a falling boulder about four times her size, fell to the ground along with the same boulder, and was on her hooves and trying to fly almost before the dust had settled.

It could have been sheer adrenaline. Notice how once the dust settles and she realizes what happened, she slows down and starts freaking out.

Yeah, but she's only freaking out at the prospect of losing the race and being trapped in the valley forever. She doesn't even appear to register that her wing could be damaged, and doesn't seem to be in any pain.