Overthinking: a single pony timeline

[reanna-mator]

 

I got to thinking last night about the My Little Pony cartoons. I know I'm not the first to do it, but I just love overanalyzing things. How would all of the MLP cartoons fit together, and do they take place in the same world? Suffice to say that most of the creators didn't deliberately make things one way or the other, but our imaginations can certainly paint a picture of an evolving Ponyland! Here's how I see it:

My Little Pony n Friends probably takes place first. It's the most pastoral and is the most full of danger. In the movie it's implied that Ponyland was even more dangerous and desolate before the ponies arrived.

Then, some sort of disaster that the ponies couldn't deal with probably happened. The populations were scattered and began to pick up the pieces, living according to race: earth, unicorn and pegasus.

A lot of time would have to pass between then and G3, the cartoon I feel is most likely to have taken place afterward, since the earth ponies react with shock at seeing unicorns and pegasi.
(An alternate interpretation is that G3 came first! After all, there are electric appliances seen in Paradise Estate, but I can't recall many in the way of that in G3-- correct me if I'm wrong. That way the ponies start out unaware of the different races, then join together and move to Dream Valley, where over time they make it clean and beautiful.)

Then, Friendship is Magic probably takes place. Very pastoral but has a fair amount of technology. And they have their own myths about how the three main kinds of ponies came together. Perhaps over the centuries that story is what ponies tell when they're referring to the settling of Dream Valley.

Then... My Little Pony Tales probably takes place much later, for obvious reasons. The only tragic part about this is that magic seems all but forgotten.

So yeah, that's my attempt at overthinking the world of My Little Pony. I know I've probably made some mistakes-- care to fill in the gaps and correct me? Even if it makes no sense at all, let's put this thing together!

[hathorcat]

I think that timeline makes sense

For me however, I honestly go on the assumption everything is its own separate unique world. So perhaps I am more along the lines of parallel universes?

[reanna-mator]

I think that timeline makes sense

For me however, I honestly go on the assumption everything is its own separate unique world. So perhaps I am more along the lines of parallel universes?

Perhaps. I guess my brain really, really wants to put everything together like a puzzle, despite the fact that multiple universes is the answer that makes the most sense.

[Elfpony]

I sort of think that the different generations evolved in different areas of Ponyland, in the order that they appeared (but I pretty much ignore MLP Tales.)

Elf

[Moondancer Jaye]

Interesting post!
I too like to analyze, find links and make up scenarios...might write a few paragraphs here...bare with me 

Your post reminds me of something I read on another site (or perhaps it was some kind of article): the Frienship is Magic series wanted to put a certain focus on "ancestry", i.e. they wanted to make links with the ancestors of the Mane Six and the ancestors of some other G4 characters.

From what I remember, this is what can serve as a "family tree" (linking the G4s to the G1s):
- The original Applejack would be Applejack's ancestor 
- The original Twilight would be Twilight Sparkle's ancestor.
- Firefly would be Rainbow Dash's ancestor.
- Posey would be one of Fluttershy's ancestors.
- Surprise would be one of Pinkie Pie's ancestors.
- Glory would be one of Rarity's ancestors.
- Queen Majesty and Sunbeam would be ancestors to Princess Celestia.
- Moondancer would be one of Princess Luna's ancestors.

The text stated that the G1s were the original ponies, but then there was an event (like you said) that had an important impact on Ponyland, dividing the respective "clans" (Pegasus, Unicorn & Earth ponies) into respective territories. The event was in regards to humans (something happened...I don't remember what) and Queen Majesty decided to cut ties between Ponyland and the human world (hence the absence of human characters like Megan, Dany and Molly in the G4 episodes). Afterwards, as we can understand in one of the G4 episodes, the different clans banded together at some point and lived together in harmony. Then came the reign of the next monarchy (Celestia & Luna's family/parents), a reign which lasted more than a thousand years...Eventually the two queens or princesses who we now know and love (Celestia and Luna) became rulers of Ponyland (the name Ponyland was changed to Equestria as the years passed). This is what I remember from the text I read. I hope this contributes to your analytical fancy 

Someone sent me these images from deviantart.com - The first image focuses on the Moondancer/Luna/etc. ancestry. The second shows Celestia & Luna's parents while they were rulers (young Celestia and young Luna are soooo cute!!)

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[Nightbow]

I like your theories. I tried to piece together a timeline myself, and what came out if it was my roleplaying game. Though much was solved with the parallell universes idea. ;P

I'd love to see more cannon hints towards the earlier generations. Well, not so much the others as G1 ... I can't really see how the G2 and G3 universes could mix with G4 but hay, they have a mirror that makes them human now so ... why not ... (ew.)