Kewln00b The Master of Unlocking wrote:
If you’re going to be someone’s successor doesn’t that mean you take their place? So if Twilight were to succeed Celestia she would be Princess…..but Lauren said she didn’t mean that because she’s succeeding Celestia would mean she’d be a princess.
Rather interesting point there. I suppose she originally wanted Twi to assume leadership without ascending to divinity. But, that begs the question of why?
We have every reason to believe that at least the royal sisters are immortal. After all, they have more than a millennium behind them and they appear to be immune to the withering touch of old age. So, they have no need of successors in the same way mortal rulers do. But, alicorns still seem to be susceptible to violence.
Of course, if the threat of violence were great enough, there would be an entire line of succession to draw from should Celestia and Luna fall in battle. This doesn't seem to be the case. Never has the risk been great enough, and Equestria has faced (and still faces) plenty of danger despite the idyllic atmosphere.
Way I see it, there's two possible scenarios:
Celestia knows her end draws near. Perhaps alicorns aren't immortal after all, or perhaps she's seen her doom in some upcoming conflict she cannot prevent. Given her nearly prophetic capacity for prediction, this could well be the case. So, she's grooming Twi to replace her in the event of her demise.
Or, she's grown tired of governing the affairs of mortals. After all, generation after generation of the same old tired routine will wear down even those with divine patience. All that responsibility gets in the way of having fun, you know? And you can't even get rowdy and rambunctious, what with all that "setting an example" nonsense. She needs a damn vacation, and someone has to take over for a while.
Could be either way. Celestia is clearly tired of the stuffy nobility she has to keep around and would rather have her subjects loosen up around her. What with the whole rigging of the gala and all. But then, she's also had a few cryptic conversations with her sister, all in a rather grave tone of voice. That sort of thing rarely bodes well, especially when it comes to the affairs of the divine.
You know, this reminds me of a tangentially related theory I've had floating around my noggin for a while.
I know the real explanation for the whole "Princess" thing is that "Queen" has connotations of evil thanks to Disney and all that, but what's the in-universe explanation?
Well, allow me to humbly propose that the ruler de jure of Equestria is a god. Not some cheap knockoff neither, a real-deal immaterial divine presence that permeates everything. The royal sisters are simply its divine agents. Kind of like the biblical angels, no? Celestia and Luna act as its regents in Equestria, since it can't, for whatever reason, interfere directly in the affairs of mortals.
So, this god is technically the sovereign entity on the royal totem pole. Its agents are therefore a step below, thus Celestia and Luna are merely Princesses. Of course, that still makes the royal sisters the rulers de facto, since old divine presence here can't be bothered to lord it over the rabble personally.
Of course, that's quite a lot of assumption there. Bet you're wondering if I have any evidence to back up such a wild claim. Well, as it turns out, I do.
Exhibit A:
Notice that sculpture that serves as the centerpiece of the library? Seems rather odd to have something like that in a place that should be devoid of things more interesting than the written word, no? Given that Celestia gave the place to Twi, it's a fair assumption to make that she's got some sort of stake in the property, so it wouldn't surprise me if she had something to do with decor. And it should be remembered that here on Earth, historically, many places of knowledge have first and foremost been monasteries. Could be ponies have a similar tradition.
Exhibit B:
Notice that picture on the right on the far wall? Looks familiar, no? Note how it's next to a picture of Celestia, as well. Monasteries, being repositories of knowledge, also served as schools in days past. In fact, there's still a strong connection to that past in modern schools, since many of the basics of operation are copied from those institutions of yore. Hey, don't fix what ain't broke.
Of course, that's still quite a stretch. Could be that this head is some sort of personification of knowledge, or some patron saint of education. And it doesn't explain why we've not heard any reference to any deities aside from the royal sisters. Well, perhaps the ponies are very serious about the whole "You shall not take the name of the lord in vain" clause of the deal. That'd line right up with our precedent, since you certainly don't often hear people talking about kindly old YHWH outside of certain academic circles.
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