PROOF Unicorns are NOT Overpowered

Just how powerful is a unicorns magic in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic? Are unicorns as strong as everyone assumes they are in MLP?

Artists: (Thankies again!) :D
Ceci - Discord: •✧♪ c3ci ♪✧•#5729
Rainbow Shine - Discord: 🌈✨Ultimate miitopia fan✨🥀#1561
Keaproductions (No link, but big thank you! ❤️)
Scorpio Gacha: @scorpiogacha1577
Inky-Rose: @inky-rose6460
Cringey Tea: @cringeytea
- Not Round Trip

#MLP #mylittlepony #MLPFIM

Music Used:

How strong is Twilight Sparkle? How strong is Starlight Glimmer? How Strong is the average unicorn in Equestria? Today we take a look at the magical capabilities of unicorns in MLP!

[dacotamorris]

I would say that really only overpowered thing with unicorns is the manipulation of tools and better dexterity in general. Pegasi can hold stuff with their wings but that stops them from flying. And Earth Ponies just struggle in general

[desertbatstudios]

One thing I always remember is when Rarity used her magic to throw a boulder at Tierk; it actually caught me by surprise. You can see that it put noticeable strain on her, and we never really see her use her magic to the same degree like Twilight or Starlight.

[KalijahAnderson]

Might I point out the magic feats that the Cake twins pulled off? The unicorn of the two was casting all kinds of spells. And she didn't even have her Mark yet.

[sharaheartsixx]

One thing I love about Starlights magic is its directly influenced by her emotions or emotional state. Like that massive laser beam that banished Discord. If I remember correctly she was so furious with him, she was able to cast such an enormous spell. She's done this on multiple occasions.

[sleipnirtheth]

This actually annoys me when people say earth ponies aren’t special enough and need magic, but I Highly disagree.
I think earth ponies are already special enough, their specialty is of course their specific skill.
And even if they don’t have as unique of a power Than the other two, it still makes them interesting enough working off these challenges, Wich is why I feel g5 just rips out the challenge by giving them a over powered ability, and yes I think it’s very much overpowered compared to unicorns in that universe.

[icecrystal]

Sure, let's just overlook the fact that in part two of both beginning of the end and ending of the end, regular Unicorns were able to produce fairly rudimentary laser blasts, and working together they were able to produce a quite powerful shield. So they can combine their magic to heighten spells, which could mean that a small army of regular ol unicorns could combine their magic to just nuke a larger army of either or both other races.

Additionally, the Unicorn species *can* produce paragons of their race, like Star Swirl, Starlight, Sunset, Tempest, Sunburst, Moondancer, Twilight, Mistmane, and possibly Chancellor Neighsay. The other races have their extra powerful individuals as well, like Rockhoof, or Rainbow Dash. But they can barely compete with the weaker of the Unicorn paragons. The strongest Unicorns can take on entire armies of the other races using just regular nuking, clever tactics, and/or attrition

The simple fact that Unicorns have those powerful exceptions make the entire race op, just because those exceptions are many of orders of magnitude more powerful than anything any other race can produce

*Also I'd argue that the ability to walk on clouds is not much of a sign that Pegasi are incredibly powerful. Unicorns can replicate the effect quite easily with a simple spell that lasts awhile and doesn't create conscious upkeep, so Pegasi having that ability built in is not much of a show of power. Being able to create tornados is pretty powerful though. The problem being that they are hard to control/aim, and dissipate fairly quickly once Pegasi are no longer actively sustaining it

[EmberAura]

And even with TWILIGHT, when she’s shown studying as a filly, she could BARELY TURN A PAGE using her horn. Her magical ability as an adult is only as powerful as it is because of all the studying and practice she did as a filly. 😊

[magicalmercy]

I thought to myself “but what about Rarity moving the clouds that one time in Magical Mystery Cure?” and the answered my own question. She had Rainbow’s cutie mark, so her special talent allowed it.

[WindStriker]

Not exactly. Pegasi still have to learn to fly and control the weather. Like when ranbow dash and fluttershy were in flight school as fillies. Plus, their wing power determines how strong they are with flying. And flying determines how good they are with weather control. So pegasi have to train their wings like unicorns have to train their magic. EARTH PONIES DONT HAVE TO DO EITHER! THEY'RE OP!

[dylanhentch]

It is fun when watching the show to remind yourself that Trixie and Sunburst are actually a cut above when it comes to magic. Starlight and Twilight are just that crazy good.

[nicknackpaddywacks]

Kind of unrelated but this video proves how incredible Rarity in particular is, because like, remember in the series finale she just managed to conjure up magic strong enough to lift a huge chunk of rock? For Twilight, that would have been super easy, but for Rarity it took ALL of her magical power and she still did it!!!

Another small moment is during the season 7 finale when Chrysalis is defeated and threatens them all, every single powerful magic user lines up and flexes their magic, AND RARITY IS DEADASS JUST RIGHT BESIDE THEM!!!! Flurryheart and Cadence and Shining Armor are on either side of her, very powerful ponies, but Rarity is also prepared to throw hands right next to them and I think that's just such a powerful moment, because she's only as strong as the average unicorn. Sorry for the long comment this video just made me think of that lmao

[Cantersoft]

"Let me explain" xD

I wonder if earth ponies start out with an inherent level of super-strength in the same way that pegasus foals can already walk on clouds from the beginning of their lives.

Applejack is the epitome of an earth pony's strength magic for being able to stop a boulder weighing several hundred tons, but she actively improves her strength as time progresses. On the other hand, there is a school filly earth pony (I forgot her name) who can lift an entire house. She hasn't had a lifetime to train yet.

Anyway, I think that that of the three races which is the most powerful depends on how one analyzes the problem, but this is an insightful approach to pegasus magic that reveals a unique perspective!

[Skystarry]

Most unicorns are only ever seen levitating stuff and occasionally performing a few talent related spells.

All pegasi have cloudwalking, flight and some degree of weather manipulation. They all help out with winter wrap up and the rainwater funnel.

Earth pony magic is arguably the most varied and unpredictable- From "Pinkie Sense" to some subtle plant growing magic and increased strength.

You'd have to wonder what would happen if an Earth Pony or Pegasus had a talent related to magic, though it might not be possible.

[uberkirbeeh]

Unicorn magic is like a skill similar to hard sciences and metaphysics. Everyone can learn them and use it to do bs feats, but not everyone is able to and has the time, resources and capabilities to have the brains of Einstien to get to that skill level and use it to it’s fullest potential. Ponies like Twilight are the realistic exception, but the average unicorn only ever uses a levitation spell. Just like the average Joe only needs to know basic caculus, untill it’s no longer used and needed because caculators.

[cublikesplanes]

Starlight straight up can pull a beam like the death star

[kukuandkookie]

Most unicorns throughout the show are definitely shown to be nowhere near the main characters’ levels, what with Trixie, Sunburst, and Rarity all proving that it’s pretty common for unicorns to just know a few (skill-specific) magic spells, and to struggle with larger magic. Plus most unicorns are just shown levitating things, which—while nice—definitely doesn’t scream OP. 😆

I will also say that the claim that pegasi are the most advanced in terms of magic kind of makes it interesting that they became the most technologically advanced and financially capable in the new MLP series. I know some people felt like it didn’t make much sense, especially when paired with the idea that unicorns got relegated to “superstitious forest freaks, ” but I guess this assertion about pegasi being so advanced already kind of helps serve as a justification for that. Of course, they _lose_ their magic in the far future (according to the new MLP, which I guess some fans of FiM might not want to view as canon ahaha), but hey, maybe as the three pony types began fracturing before they lost their magic, pegasi rose in power with their weather control before just…skedaddling off into the mountains and becoming technologically advanced with their resources.

As for unicorns becoming superstitious and not coming across nearly as royal or elegant or high society as they once were… Well, I suppose any society can fall far enough when given enough time, but also the fact unicorns were the ones who had the most _visible_ manifestation of magic could maybe mean losing that affected them pretty bad. Especially when it’s not like they had other things they could rely on for continued thriving (like the farming of earth ponies). In fact, since unicorn society was so upper crust high society-esque, maybe that made them less willing to let go of traditions and move into a new age, and with magic slowly becoming a legend (or an “old mare’s tale, ” to use MLP’s words lol), they could’ve become superstitious that way.

As for earth ponies… They just seem to have developed pretty normally, but the whole thing G5 added of them being able to grow plants out of thin air—as opposed to G4 where they had an _affinity_ for farming but were mostly shown as being stronger than average—I wonder about that. It kind of feels like the writers took pity on them and gave them more visible magical powers, but I guess maybe in the show’s canon that affinity for farming just eventually translated into magic plant-growing skills asjakfl.

Anyway, I went off on a huge tangent there, but just some musing for fun ahaha.

[SmokeTheHorsehog]

Maybe we should have seen this coming. After all, our residential RD may be an overachiever by breaking the sound barrier, but unlike with those exceptions in unicorn magic, not nearly as much training is required to pull off something THAT OP. Twilight, Starlight, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have all done their studies of Starswirl's magic, as Starswirl was the famed wizard that started all of the unicorn legends after Equestria's founding. So in comparison, hypothetically, it would not take nearly as much for other pegasi to possess as much power as Dash.

[princessstar]

I’m glad I’m not the only person who realized this from that line from Boast Busters. Also I never thought of pegasi being the most powerful species.

[KageTenshiiRyuu]

I already figured all this but I am SO GRATEFUL someone has pointed this out.
Also 1:49 makes it clear why Starlight never became an Alicorn; that and she was able to _match_ Alicorn Twilight in battle. An Alicorn Starlight would be _way too powerful_ all things considered.

[Ruby-]

I think unicorns just feel overpowered cus almost all of the unicorns we know as main characters have magic as their talent. Also I think it feels that way because a lot of the big bads in the show have unicorn magic/horn magic and it’s usually twilight who ends up defeating them via some sort of spell/unicorn magic…and with just the theoretical notion that all unicorns could be as strong as twilight if they tried hard enough also adds to that