An MLP G5 AU, where I take the established G4 canon and make G5 actually fit into the universe it was set in. Instead of nonsensical, vague connections made through nostalgia-bait, this AU aims to reimagine what G5 could've been with more dragons, more conflict, and more sensitive themes!
This blog is a mixture of an askblog and a general comicblog, telling bits and pieces of this AU with a leisurely pace! An introductory comic is in the works, but for now, I'm reblogging the original posts that spurned this on from my main blog, @vinnae-records!
TAGGING GUIDE:
#vinnae art - art tag for various artworks!
#vinnae rambles - long posts tag for lots of infodumping!
#fiery questions - any asks from the askbox about the au!
#fiery imagery - artwork, comics, etc from this au!
#fiery muses - references for characters in the au!
#og au posts - reblogs from my main blog!
#modtalk - any posts unrelated to the au!
Thought it be fun to recreate my G5 rewrite au designs in a MLP G4 style. I think I came off more adjacent to the G4 style, but it was a fun art study!!!
If you want to know about this AU, and the designs, check out this post and the connecting ones! :)
These two are just a bonus to the group, just because I loved them in the show. They deserved better than what they got (missing ears for Jazz... sighs...) so I'm including them in the reference line-up!
Both are moderately unchanged, but they didn't have much to begin with. Jazz and Rocky work in a salon together (AMP-lified Styles). Jazz takes care of hoof and coat, while Rocky handles mane and feathers!
I made Jazz hard-of-hearing, as a nod to the animation errors in canon where she frequently lost her ears and only had them during the higher budget scenes. Jazz is also a MTF pony, while Rocky is a FTM! They're also an established couple in this AU, being the first of the changing era, and being a positive sight for others still uncertain of the other pony kinds. They also still play as stylists and confidants to Pipp, as they do in canon!
Again, rehashing the details of the Concept Sketches post, along with the OG post that started this whole AU up!
The Empress's concept is this:
Opaline was a half-dragon half-alicorn, hoping for greater recognition after being shunned for being a half-breed for her entire youth. When the Dragon Lord calls for the Gauntlet Of Fire (S6:EP5) again--while Twilight is in Equestria's seat of power at this point in time--Opaline takes her chance, and wins.
With this victory, she establishes herself as a dictator/tyrant of the Dragon Lands, and deigns herself to come to Canterlot's doorstep, inclined to be welcomed by her fellow rulers. She is not. Twilight, understandably, doesn't welcome tyrants into her court. Angered, Opaline declares war on Equestria, and conflict ensues.
After ponydom takes a fierce battering, Twilight does what she must to protect Equestria. She creates the Unity Crystals (G5 Movie) with her (and other's) magic along with the Elements, in order to protect and hide as many ponies as possible to cease the conflict altogether. The magic crystals work, but with an unintended side effect. Although the crystals concealed the three tribes, it sapped them of their magical properties over the centuries. While it was meant as a temporary fixture, the ponies still fighting draconic forces lost, and thus the crystals' protective seal was never lifted.
When the events of the G5 Movie occur, it creates an Aurora Borealis, alongside a powerful magical surge, which obviously gains the Empress's attention, to which Lapis is sent into investigate undercover and squash the possibility of a renewed pony rebellion, as the Empress obviously doesn't want her iron rule to be thwarted after such a long time of certainty and quelling the enslaved ponydom.
Finally, the next post is two BG characters I liked from the show: Jazz Hooves and Rocky Riff! After that, will be all the references put together in a big group.
Once again, rehashing a lot from the Concept Sketches post, and also the OG post that started this AU! (Lapis is the reason for the AU being called Draconic Destinies, hehe.)
Now as Opaline's heir, Lapis was meant as a ruler for when Opaline "stepped down." Of course, that just means that Opaline was just going to be ruling from the shadows, puppeteering her daughter into her bidding. Other than that, Lapis and Opaline are pretty unchanged storywise in the series. I do like both characters, though I would definitely tweak a few character beats a lot more, especially on the "revealing that Lapis is working with Opaline."
Important to note: Opaline is a half-dragon half-alicorn tyrant in this AU, ruling over the Dragon Lands, after winning in the Gauntlet of Fire (referencing S6 - E5) and becoming the Dragon Lord further down the line. After being shunned by Twilight, Opaline declares war. Twilight creates and uses the Unity Crystals to hide the pony races to keep them from Opaline's wrath. It was meant as a temporary plan, but given the events of the G5 Movie, that wasn't the case. But Opaline will get her own post after Lapis'.
Onto the main topic: I changed a lot about Lapis' character, and I mean it. I didn't like the tie in with Lapis' father being Alphabittle, it felt... forced and sudden. So, instead I switched things up!
Opaline is now Lapis' actual mother. Instead of the flat "I saved you, now you're my servant," shtick, I flipped it. Lapis is the idealized vision of Opaline, more pony than dragon--(as this is what Opaline thought was the reason for her shunning from Twilight and ponydom as a whole)--and Lapis was the only hatchling that Opaline kept from her brood of eggs.
As with the prior parts, I'm mostly rehashing the Concept Sketches post, but with added detail and explanation! (And bonus art!)
These two are actually really well handled in the show, I think. Their sibling dynamic reflects what could be possible in reality. Pipp and Zipp are understandably strained due to the pressures of being royals, their mother's expectations, and so on. It's really well portrayed, for the most part!
Focusing on Pipp: I feel like she was... a little too perfect at times? I know she was putting a lot of pressure on herself in the series, but I think they could've pushed the envelope even harder. She's vying for her mother's attentions, for anyone's attentions at that, and so she puts on this persona, to be more appealing, more perfect to those around her. That's a thrilling concept to play around with, and I'm disappointed that they didn't!
Beyond that, I think that she should've had struggles with her little wings. They're pretty downy and not big at all, and I feel that should be something she's conflicted with, being unable to fly as well as Zipp or not at all depending on the conditions of the situation. It would've made her perfect persona crack around the edges, especially because of the facade about "only royals" have flight in the movie. But that's something I can gradually explore as I play around with G5 as a whole.
Focusing on Zipp: I think that Zipp was a good character with poor execution. The pivot to investigative work was kind of abrupt in the series? But I think it would've been received better if she was more inquisitive in the first place. So I think that would stem from her rebellious nature, pushing the bounds, questioning authority, and so on. She must've tried getting into the history of things and kept hitting walls. Which, would lead into a good plotline with Sunny, given the historical background there. Beyond that, Zipp wasn't changed too much, and I kept a lot of her facets and character beats because they fit well.
Bonus Art!
Queen Haven is a very interesting character too, but I've also not changed her too terribly much. Mostly, she's been visibly aged, along with the general vibes of her character. In canon, she's treated very... oddly? I wanted her to still have the "uncertain mother" character beat, but I also wanted to make her a more stable and secure leader energy compared to canon. She knows how to run Zephyr Heights, and she's not afraid to use her authority, unlike in the show/movie.
She's not passing off responsibilities, but she IS pushing Zipp about the issue of being the heir and the expectations of that. It will make a good pressure point, and give both Queen Haven and Zipp the push to have growth and bonding, alongside with involvement from Pipp.
Next on the part is Misty, so keep an eye out for that !!
Once more, rehashing the information from the Concept Sketches post, but with additional details and more information!
I made some significant changes to Moonbow!
I always thought that she was just... kinda of a reskin of Pinkie Pie? Not a one-to-one replica, but there was similar character points and I just wasn't fond of it.
But the changes I made were fun! She's a full-bloodied unicorn, though she's descended from Discord from wayyy back. (Which will make for some interesting storylines for when the cast go looking around the Canterlot Ruins.)
I think she would struggle with magic, finding the rigidity of the others are using it too... unusual for herself. Which then ties into her recycling projects! She takes the chaos that she sees, and turns it into something that can be useful (albeit chaotic)!
The other changes I made were to her personality. Moonbow will still be bubbly, but I made her smarter, a bit sarcastic and blunt at times, along with some social blindness. She was a hermit in her community, after all.
Beyond that, I also made her the tallest of the cast, just for some MORE visual differences between the body types so she isn't "mare #999." Plus, I also made her coat darker, as to fit in with the darker tones of Bridlewood!
Tomorrow is Pipp and Zipp! They're just so iconic together that I think it'd be perfect to just put them next in line for this line of posts!
Again, rehashing concept information from the Concept Sketches post, but with added details and refinement!
While I really like Hitch's character within G5, I changed a few things about his character. Number ONE, I definitely am NOT doing anything with Sparky, the atrocious mockery of a baby dragon. Eugh. Hitch can talk to animals as he likes, but not that... abomination. (Sorry Sparky lovers.)
But the changes I did make were for different reasons!
I gave Hitch some pegasi heritage, so he's a bit fluffier than the rest of the cast. It gives him some body variation other than being "generic stallion #999." Beyond that, I gave him the other half of the alicorn magic! I think that Unity Crystals would've split it, granting what the pair needs to further their growth and character development. Hitch would have to work past his fears of the other races and change, while Sunny would have to confront the past and understand her heritage and the truths of the world.
It's good character beats for both, which is why I made this choice!
Plus, it gives them a stronger bond connection to work with BEYOND the childhood friends aspect, and Hitch being an older brother figure.
Tomorrow is Izzy, who I've renamed to Moonbow Wishes!
Her name just didn't sit well with the rest of the cast, so I changed it.
I'm just rehashing the Concept Sketches post, but now with fully rendered references and concepts! I'll add some additional details in this post, compared to the concepts though! (And some bonus art!)
Sunny, as a baseline protagonist character, she was... pretty flat.
Kind of a cookie-cutter character, attempting to be what Twilight Sparkle was, and... falling directly on her face. Fortunately for Sunny, I can fix that! Hasbro might've messed you up, girl, but the fans got you!!!
And now, bonus art!
First thing I did for Sunny was to change up her heritage and style. We know just about zero about Sunny's mother, besides that one memory flashback of her and leaked info about her being an alicorn. I thought it was rather uninteresting, bland, and unimaginative for the setting of the movie, which could've been PERFECT for a mixed heritage approach!
So instead of a plain, regular Earthern, Sunny is half unicorn, half earthern! Nova Dusk, in this AU, is a unicorn historian who met and fell in love with Sunny's father, Argyle Moonlight. Their relationship was obviously taboo and secretive, and believe that when Sunny was born, Nova took her to Argyle so she wouldn't be cast out of the Bridlewood community. Of course, Argyle disappears in the movie due to a supposed death, but what I do with him and his character will be kept secret for now! (And, perhaps, I may do something with Nova too...)
So, all Sunny has left of her mother is the mark on her forehead, and the journals that her father left her. And from thereon, she's researching, trying to connect the races together, and so forth, going through the events of the movie. But, instead of gaining an alicorn form, she instead gains a mere unicorn horn, one half of the whole. The other half, the wings, go to Hitch, which is the next post for references! That will be up tomorrow, though, so shoot me a follow if you'd like to see more!
For locations between G4 and G5, where do you think everything is relative to one another in the AU? Or if not that; what are the fates of places like the Crystal Empire or Cloudsdale under Opaline?
(Obviously don’t answer and force yourself if you’d don’t want to haha)
Well... I mean you asked so nicely! Hehe!
Here's a brief comic about the alicorn magic being granted after the events of the G5 Movie! I would've gone more in-depth, but I thought it was simpler to keep it short and to the point :D! (Also thank you for your interest!!! Makes me happy to see people enjoy the things I create!!!)
Anyone unfamiliar with this AU of mine, check out these posts:
G5 Screenshot Redraw with Opaline & Misty
Asks About the AU: here & here!
Concept Sketches & LORE
Also, if you've enjoyed these, check out Broken Harmony, my MLP webcomic! It's my OTHER take on the G5 possibilities, with OCs and a entirely new plotline based around my personal headcanons and lore! I've made several posts about it in the past, using the #Broken Harmony AU tag, so feel free to check it out!!!
This post is about to have a lot of yapping, so I'm putting most of it under the cut to keep things clean! ENJOY ! :D
We'll start with Sunny!
As a baseline, she was... pretty flat, kinda of a cookie-cutter character, attempting to be what Twilight Sparkle was, and... falling directly on her face. Fortunately for Sunny, I can fix that! Hasbro might've mess you up, girl, but the fans got you!!!
First thing I did was change up her heritage and style.
We know just about zero about Sunny's mother, besides that one memory flashback of her and leaked info about her being an alicorn. I thought it was rather uninteresting. So I went with a different approach! Instead, she's a unicorn historian who met and fell in love with Sunny's father, Argyle. Their relationship was obviously taboo and secretive, and believe that when Sunny was born, Nova took her to Argyle so she wouldn't be cast out of the Bridlewood community. Of course, Argyle disappears in the movie due to a supposed death, but what I do with him and his character will be kept secret for now!
So, all Sunny has left of her mother is the mark on her forehead, and the journals that her father left her. And from thereon, she's researching, trying to connect the races together, and so forth, going through the events of the movie. But, instead of gaining an alicorn form, she instead gains a mere unicorn horn, one half of the whole. The other half, the wings, go to Hitch, which is up next!
I really like Hitch's character within G5, so I didn't change him as much as the other in the cast. (Though, I definitely am NOT doing anything with Sparky, the atrocious mockery of a baby dragon. Eugh.) But the changes I did make were for a reason! I gave Hitch some pegasi heritage, so he's a bit fluffier than the rest of the cast. It gives him some body variation other than being "generic stallion #99."
Beyond that, I gave him the other half of the alicorn magic! I think that Unity Crystals would've split it, granting what the pair needs to further their growth and character development. Hitch would have to work past his fears of the other races and change, while Sunny would have to confront the past and understand her heritage and the truths of the world. It's good character beats for both, which is why I made this choice!
But onto Izzy!
I made some significant changes to Izzy! I always thought that she was just... kinda of a reskin of Pinkie Pie? Not a one-to-one replica, but there was similar character points and I just wasn't fond of it.
But the changes I made were fun! She's a full-bloodied unicorn, though she's descended from Discord from wayyy back. (Which will make for some interesting storylines for when the cast go looking around the Canterlot Ruins.) I think she would struggle with magic, finding the rigidity of the others are using it too... unusual for herself. Which then ties into her recycling projects! She takes the chaos that she sees, and turns it into something that can be useful!
The other changes I made were to her personality. Izzy will still be bubbly, but I made her smarter, a bit sarcastic and blunt at times, along with some social blindness. She was a hermit in her community, after all.
But onto Pipp and Zipp!
These two are actually really well handled in the show, I think. Their sibling dynamic reflects what could be possible in reality. Pipp and Zipp are understandably strained due to the pressures of being royals, their mother's expectations, and so on. It's really well portrayed, for the most part!
Focusing on Pipp: I feel like she was... a little too perfect at times? I know she was putting a lot of pressure on herself in the series, but I think they could've pushed the envelope even harder. She's vying for her mother's attentions, for anyone's attentions at that, and so she puts on this persona, to be more appealing, more perfect to those around her. That's a thrilling concept to play around with, and I'm disappointed that they didn't!
Beyond that, I think that she should've had struggles with her little wings. They're pretty downy and not big at all, and I feel that should be something she's conflicted with, being unable to fly as well as Zipp or not at all depending on the conditions of the situation. It would've made her perfect persona crack around the edges, especially because of the facade about "only royals" have flight in the movie. But that's something I can gradually explore as I play around with G5 as a whole.
Focusing on Zipp: I think that Zipp was a good character with poor execution. The pivot to investigative work was kind of abrupt in the series? But I think it would've been received better if she was more inquisitive in the first place. So I think that would stem from her rebellious nature, pushing the bounds, questioning authority, and so on. She must've tried getting into the history of things and kept hitting walls. Which, would lead into a good plotline with Sunny, given the historical background there. Beyond that, Zipp wasn't changed too much, and I kept a lot of her facets and character beats because they fit well.
But onto Misty and Opaline!
I talked about Misty and Opaline in this post, but I'll just rehash it here too! Basic notes: Opaline is a half-dragon half-alicorn tyrant, ruling over the Dragon Lands, after winning in the Gauntlet of Fire (referencing S6 - E5) and becoming the Dragon Lord. After being shunned by Twilight, Opaline declares war. Twilight creates and uses the Unity Crystals to hide the pony races to keep them from Opaline's wrath. It was meant as a temporary plan, but given the events of the G5 Movie, that wasn't the case.
I changed a lot about Misty's character, and I mean it. I didn't like the tie in with Misty's father being Alphabittle, it felt... forced and sudden. So, instead I switched things up. Opaline is now Misty's actual mother. Instead of the flat "I saved you, now you're my servant," shtick, I flipped it. Misty's the idealized vision of Opaline, more pony than dragon--(as this is what Opaline thought was the reason for her shunning from Twilight and ponydom as a whole)--and Misty was the only hatchling that Opaline kept from her brood of eggs.
Now as Opaline's heir, Misty was meant as a ruler for when Opaline "stepped down." Of course, that just means that Opaline was just going to be ruling from the shadows, puppeteering her daughter into her bidding. Other than that, Misty and Opaline are pretty unchanged storywise in the series. I do like both characters, though I would definitely tweak a few character beats a lot more, especially on the "revealing that Misty's working with Opaline."
When Opaline first wins and realizes she's a ruler now, does she think akin to "Oh this is so wonderful-! I get to be friends with other rulers now! Me and Twilight Sporkle will be the be the best of friends! We can have Tyrant parties together!" [Sorry for the embellished language] Or does she think more in lines to something else prior to meeting Twilight?
Unsure if this may or may not be too silly: Imagining this AU where Misty either first meets the cast or when the draconic form is revealed and Pipp goes "Why don't you look like a Dragon" or "If you're a (half) dragon why can't you breath fire" and the cast are just "Omg Pipp you can't ask a dragon why they can't breath fire" or smthn like that XD
Does Anyone Still Think About The Missed Potential of MLP G5? No? Just Me? Hm.
Anyways. If you were. Take another MLP AU out of me, just cause I can. Fire alicorn nonsense? I think NOT. Opaline you are now half-dragon half-alicorn because that is MUCH cooler and your now-actual daughter Misty can be one too. For the funsies!
Rambles about the AU (and bonus art) under the cut!
So, like. G5, as a premise, was actually FASCINATING. Separated ponydom once again? No mentions of the other races of Equestria for the most part? Earthern pony magic drop? Yeah. There was so much potential, and yet it swung powerfully... and missed hard.
And thus, this AU was born.
Vague idea is this: Opaline was a half-dragon half-alicorn, hoping for greater recognition after being shunned for being a half-breed for her entire youth. When the Dragon Lord calls for the Gauntlet Of Fire again--while Twilight is in Equestria's seat of power at this point in time--Opaline takes her chance, and wins.
With this victory, she establishes herself as a dictator/tyrant of the Dragon Lands, and deigns herself to come to Canterlot's doorstep, inclined to be welcomed by her fellow rulers. She is not. Twilight, understandably, doesn't welcome tyrants into her court. Angered, Opaline declares war on Equestria, and conflict ensues.
After ponydom takes a fierce battering, Twilight does what she must to protect Equestria. She creates the Unity Crystals with her (and other's) magic along with the Elements, in order to protect and hide as many ponies as possible to cease the conflict altogether. The magic crystals work, but with an unintended side effect. Although the crystals concealed the three tribes, it sapped them of their magical properties over the centuries. While it was meant as a temporary fixture, the ponies still fighting draconic forces lost, and thus the crystals' protective seal was never lifted.
Until the events of the G5 Movie, anyways.
But that's a separate post! Onto Misty!
Misty's the actual heir to the draconic throne in this universe.
She's the idealized vision of Opaline, more pony than dragon--as this is what Opaline thought was the reason for her shunning from Twilight and ponydom as a whole--and Misty was the only hatchling that Opaline kept from her brood of eggs. After all, she was going to shadow-rule her heir when she "gives up" the throne, and Misty was pretty much perfect.
Beyond that, Misty is pretty unchanged. I do like her character, though I would definitely tweak her character beats a lot more, especially on the "revealing that she's working with Opaline" part.
Now the bonus art!
These were concepts I made, to scratch out a few ideas and get the vibes down! I'll probably post more on the rest of the cast later, but this is what you get for now!
If you've read this far, thanks so much! Maybe shoot me a follow or send an ask about this au, or my other au that I mention on my blog, Broken Harmony! It's a work-in-progress webcomic, an alternative take on G5, using my personal OCs and unique Equestrian lore I've come up with!
Anyways, thanks again! See ya next time! :)
