History CodexEquus / TropesCToD

** The Sandwich Clan is a more infamous Equestrian clan, notorious for producing eccentrics and maniacs throughout the generations. The first mayor of Ponyville, [[Fanfic/TheGreatAlicornHunt Soup Sandwich, belongs to this clan, and is responsible for many of its wacky and silly festivals - to put it lightly, he is insane, and it was said his regular habit of wearing trousers for a hat is considered the ''least'' eccentric part of his character. Cheese Sandwich, the Festive Wanderer, also a member of this clan, is a party-pony whose talent and wackiness surpasses even that of ''Pinkie Pie'' (whom [[HappilyMarried he would eventually marry]]), serving as a positive example of the clan's eccentricities. His older sister [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendsForeverIssue1 Marine Sandwich]] meanwhile would embody the clan's darker, madder side on account of being an eccentric and unstable gourmet artist who snapped over having her place in a cooking contest in Ponyville accidentally taken over by Applejack and not being believed, which led to her trying to freeze the venue with fondant/icing in retaliation [[spoiler:and later descend into full-blown super-villainy by becoming a Ravenous Regent of Queen Eclaira, the Voracious Shadow of the Shadowpact Pantheon/Empire]].
* ClassicalAntiHero: Many heroes, divine and mortal, are recorded within the Codex, and because of the project's objective views, these heroes are depicted as flawed yet generally good people who must overcome their flaws to become better.

* DeathIsCheap: {{Downplayed}}: theoretically, anyone can come back to life, even thousands of years later, but the method of doing so is extremely difficult and not something just anyone can do on a whim. Namely, it requires becoming a demi-god of a domain other than Death, which effectively earns an 'extra life' in the process. While anyone can theoretically ascend, it's something that normally takes years of training and patronage of someone who is already divine to pull off.
* DeathWorld: Dear gods, '''''Equus.''''' While there are still nice places to live in like Equestria, even it's not without problems, and there are races of creatures who are dangerous by nature, with even more dangerous pantheons backing them. And there are regions like the Parvata Mountain range, the Amorean jungles, and Meridia that are deadly and terrible environments even by the setting's standards.
** Tellus (as the world [[IHaveManyNames was called]] back in the [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTales Second Age]]), especially during the 'Great Wars Era' where it is constantly threatened by supervillains and diabolical masterminds, manipulated by world-spanning secret conspiracies, invaded by alien invaders from multiple worlds, troubled by reawakening ancient evils and antediluvian monsters, torn by multiple world wars between superpowers, among other constant perils. It is implied that even with many superheroes, hidden deities and other good and noble people and forces fighting the good fight and holding the line, Tellusian Ponykind became rather militant just to survive year by year, to the point [[HumansAreWarriors they]] became known across 'Known History' as the ''[[RedBaron Lords of War]]''
** Meridia deserves particular mention: even the SHEEP are/became borderline psychopathic savage omnivorous monsters just to survive and thrive (though they got along well with other Meridians, who often provide room and board in their farms in exchange for fur and protection). Then there's plants that eat you, torture you, or shoot seeds at you with speed and force to blow your brains out; the seas full of poisonous coral reefs, sea monsters, flesh-eating sea worms, enormous whirlpools and what not; the horrible geography where the land is toxic, the ground could give way to crevices with jagged rocks below, and the storms could flay the flesh off your bones; the predatory wildlife which could kill you horribly in a thousand ways while simultaneously being too tough to kill; the incorrigibly hostile natives who would butcher you if they catch you...
** The antediluvian Golden Imperium saw Ponykind establishing an inconceivably vast empire across the galaxy, but constantly besieged by countless threats from within, without and beyond. Worse, the incapacitation of their founder/ruler in a brutal CivilWar saw a slow, steady decline into religious fanaticism, internal corruption, technological regression, and rampant intolerance, dooming it to a slow death. It took exceptional amount of effort by [[spoiler:Queen Majesty]] and good fortune for it all to be fixed.

* DeityOfHumanOrigin: "Ascendant Deities" are a subclass of deity. They're considered InUniverse to be the rarest deities because it requires specific conditions for a mortal to gain godhood. The Church of the Stars is trying to invoke this on a global scale - not only to help mortal sapientkind become the best they can be, but to [[spoiler:prepare for the day when the [[MadGod Void Sovereign]] manages to escape his [[SealedEvilInACan cosmic prison]] so everyone wouldn't [[BrokeYourArmPunchingOutCthulhu pay a huge price for defeating him]]]].

** [[spoiler:For a long time, it was hinted that Empress Blackrose and Emperor Blackthorn are the Alicorn Princess and Earth pony Prince who both fell madly in love with each other in the Hearth's Warming Eve tale, which was eventually confirmed in later entries. However, the Codexverse has a darker take on it - the incident that would become the Hearth's Warming Eve tale started when Blackthorn, then an Earthpony Prince, tried seducing Blackrose with the infamous 'Love Poison', leading to them conceiving the [[ChildByRape Zeroth Spawns]] under its influence. Blackrose was so traumatized that she became a monstrously abusive mother to the Zeroth Spawns, causing them to flee and hide themselves from her. Also, Blackrose was revealed to be the Flutterpony Queen Rosedust, but it's never clear which one she is, as all Flutterpony Queens were traditionally given the name.

* CameBackStrong: The most effective method of coming BackFromTheDead without drawbacks is by [[DeityOfHumanOrigin ascending to divinity]], transcending life and death in a traditional sense. However, they can't become a Death God, however, or they're still partially bound to the afterlife.

** [[spoiler:It is heavily implied, though unconfirmed, that Empress Blackrose and Emperor Blackthorn are the Alicorn Princess and Earth pony Prince who both fell madly in love with each other in the Hearth's Warming Eve tale. This is eventually confirmed, as well as the fact Blackrose is ''a'' Queen Rosedust, but not clear which ''one'']].

* TheChosenOne: Various individuals have been chosen by divine forces, usually [[BigGood Luminiferous]], to act as embodiments of heroism and benevolence because of their extraordinary potential and actions. However, given the changing morality of said individuals, whoever's chosen could change at any moment.
** Thorax, formerly a lowly mutant Changeling drone of ex-Queen Chrysalis's hive, [[DeityOfHumanOrigin became a Royal Changeling]] after willingly sharing his love with Chrysalis while she was publicly executing him by [[YourSoulIsMine forcibly draining him of his love]]. Because of this, he has garnered the attention of both Spring and Summer Courts, as well as Luminiferous, who would later state that his act of forgiveness during the Toxikon Crisis ([[NiceGuy among other things]]) resulted in Thorax having more innate potential and power to become a true Changeling deity should the time comes. This is compared to the other Royal Changeling children of Blackthorn and Blackrose, most of whom are at best hypocritical, arrogant, and racist.

** Princess Twilight Sparkle is regarded as the chief candidate to become 'She Who Will Unite Us All', one of three beings required to break the Cycle, according to the prophecy made by the Church of the Stars. In her case, it's notable since she was explicitly named by said prophecy, while the identity and gender of the other two were left vague.
** It should be noted there are hints the Codexverse favours '[[MultipleChoiceChosen The Mandate]] [[TheChosenMany of Heaven]]' interpretation of the TheChosenOne concept more than the 'Birthright' or 'Predestination' options. On a meta-level, this is because some of the co-authors (including original creator and main editor) of the Codex Equus setting personally dislike the latter-two as a matter of principle, as it implies the intrinsic worth of any individual is defined not by merit, character and opportunity but by 'privileges' given to them (i.e. wealth, status and relations) or forces beyond anyone's control, and if one is not chosen in some way, they might as well be irrelevant. Believing the idea some are simply born destined to do great things as an appalling concept (since it justifies things like slavery and despotism), the authors settled for the 'Mandate of Heaven' conception of the Chosen One i.e. ANYONE can become it if they fulfill the conditions stipulated, allowing everyone an equal worth and chance to achieve greatness if they got what it takes. As such, many of the above were chosen ''because'' they exhibited the traits that would make them have the potential to do great things.
** The above is best shown in the case of Omega [[spoiler:and Mana Equus]]. Any creature, of which there are many, that has a piece of Promes' essence in the form of a Seed of Omega had the potential to become an Omega and eventually become Promes' {{Reincarnation}} if they prove themselves worthy of it. Tranquel Harbor eventually does. [[spoiler:Meanwhile, ''any'' sapient equuid to ever live could've become Mana Equus's {{Reincarnation}} if they made the right choices and did the right things. Twilight Sparkle does just that.]]

** Above the [[spoiler:cosmic Sovereigns]] is the [[spoiler:Architects. Each of them are [[EldritchAbomination vastly incomprehensible]], with their eyes being the only thing that could be perceived by lesser beings, but they are decidedly benevolent and care a great deal for their creations. They created the divine hierarchy so lesser deities of various tiers can interact and help mortals on their behalf, knowing their BlueAndOrangeMorality would just put a hamper on things]].

*** Crimson Star would exploit this in another incident involving his friend, Jasper, and the Bogolenya Deer Pantheon. According to Jasper, he [[{{Seers}} foresaw]] one of Pokhot's sons, a Bogolenya Deer god of Pride, Deception, and Evil, [[FaceHeelTurn becoming a Fallen deity]] and causing much destruction. To prevent this, Crimson Star made a risky gambit where he "lost" his soul in a devil's deal, and instructed Jasper to ''lose'' the ensuing card game that will decide the fate of his soul. It worked - not only did the Deer god [[VillainousBreakdown have his pride shaken over nearly losing to a mere mortal]], he was also spectacularly humiliated when [[PapaWolf a protective Golden Scepter]] arrived and [[WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice repeatedly and mercilessly poked him]] into giving up Crimson Star's soul.
*** In a huge irony, it's revealed that defying this is led to Crimson Star's Ascension. Once, he attempted to stop a group of students from using a dangerous magic ritual to give themselves knowledge of the past, present, and future. In protecting the students, he ended up absorbing a huge amount of the magic that was intended for the students, yet refused to let it overwhelm/corrupt him in any way. This turned him into the Alicorn of Psionics, Knoweldge, and History.

** The antediluvian Golden Imperium saw Ponykind establishing an inconceivably vast empire across the galaxy but constantly besieged by countless threats from within, without and beyond, even as following the incapacitation of their founder/ruler in a CivilWar saw a slow, steady decline into religious fanaticism, internal corruption, technological regression and rampant intolerance that slowly destroys it as readily as the outside threats they fought against over countless millennia. It took exceptional amount of effort by [[spoiler:Queen Majesty]] and good fortune for it all to be fixed.

* DeityOfHumanOrigin: A subclass of deity, referred to as "Ascendant" deities. They're considered the rarest deities because it requires specific conditions for a mortal to gain godhood.
** As in canon, Twilight Sparkle, a unicorn, transformed into an immortal Alicorn thanks to finishing Starswirl's unfinished spell, which in the Codexverse turned out to be a ''time spell''.
** Thorax is another one, as he ascended through sharing ThePowerOfLove with Chrysalis and defeating her, purifying/transforming every Changeling within the immediate area in the process. Emperor Blackthorn theorizes that [[{{Determinator}} Throax's drive to share love]] was what actually caused the ascension. Either way, he is now a Changeling Progenitor, though a young one, and the nature of his ascension has become an important research topic for Changelingkind, as it provides a clue to breaking their Curse.
** It's implied that Queen Dazzleglow of the Glimmering Isles was once mortal, as Daring Do expressed surprise at seeing a Sparkle Pony Alicorn in ''Tales of Equestria''. Her profile classifies her as "Ethereal/Ascendant". This is later confirmed, as Luminiferous, the Alicorn god of Potential, was revealed to have nurtured her, until she grew into her own potential and Ascended.
** It's implied that the Changeling Progenitors, Blackrose and Blackthorn, were once mortal. [[spoiler:Specifically, Blackrose was the Alicorn Princess from the Hearts and Hooves Day story, while Blackthorn is the Earth pony prince who tried seducing her with a love potion from the same story]].
** King Aspen of Thicket was once a mortal Alvslog Deer who [[StrongFamilyResemblance heavily resembled his son Bramble]] when he was younger, but he would Ascend to demi-godhood after [[PayEvilUntoEvil brutally and ruthlessly punishing the Hydianite Covens for what they did to his family and childhood kingdom]], leaving no one alive. He would end up Ascending as a Godling after doing more good deeds under Irminsul's guidance; while it's not known exactly what he did since the Alvslog Deer are [[FantasticRacism unwilling to talk about them to non-Deer]], he became a member of the Elternteil Deer Pantheon afterwards as a reward. It's noted that in Alvslog Deer society, becoming a deity and being included in the Elternteil Deer Pantheon is one of the highest honors a Deer, both does and stags, can receive.
** Crystal Prism is a young, butterfly-like Alicorn demigod who was transformed at a young age. His "creators", Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker, wanted to invoke this by mass-producing Alicorns for the greater good of Equus, so they kidnapped him and made him one of their test subjects, but this backfired in a horrible way. Only after he was killed by Luminiferous and the Equestrian Princesses did he revive himself and Ascend.
** The enigmatic Medicine Seller's true form is that of a black-pelted Alicorn with gold markings and clothes. The fact that his "appearance" as a pale Neighponese unicorn is actually a magical disguise just raises more questions about his past, other than he was once mortal.
** It's implied that Blood Fang, known as "The Dark Conqueror", is one, as his most popular depiction of him is that of a dark Alicorn with red hair and covered in scars. Notably, he was so powerful that Queen Onyx Flare couldn't stop him even while at the height of her power, resulting in her fight tragically turning into a CurbStompBattle.
** All five members of the Black Heron Corpse Investigation Team were "promoted" to godhood by the Shinseina pantheon [[KarmicJackpot as a reward for their good deeds]]. This turned them into Alicorn demigods, the equivalent of newborn infants according to divine standards, though both the Shinseina pantheon and Luminiferous believe that they have the potential to become powerful individuals once they get "older".
** One theory in regards to Emperor Golden Scepter's childhood proposes that he was once a mortal who Ascended to Alicornhood. Considering how Alicorns in general are described as "Ascendant" deities, and that he's classified as an "Ethereal/Ascendant" deity himself, there might be some truth to it. However, another theory proposed that he was once a group of undying immortals who managed to achieve godhood and the incredible powers that came with it.
** All of Golden Scepter's nineteen sons each Ascended and became Alicorn demigods by [[CharacterDevelopment overcoming their own flaws]] and doing good things based on what they each embody individually.
*** Prince Steel Barricade was once a mortal demi-divine pegasus, but after [[BreakTheHaughty having his pride thoroughly broken]] and truly learning empathy while staying in the Tauren Peninsula, he would eventually Ascend to demi-Alicornhood by being a source of Innovation for his mortal subjects, teaching them politics, science, and technology so they could essentially learn how to govern themselves. Because of this, he would be treated as a "[[CategoryTraitor disgrace]]" by the [[FantasticRacism Scions of Hurricane]] post-Ascension, who see him as one of many "traitorous" pegasi who are out to [[EvilReactionary ruin their way of life]].
*** Prince Crimson Star was once a mortal demi-divine unicorn, but would eventually become a demi-Alicorn by [[TheAtoner doing a lot of good deeds to make up for his arrogant behavior]], such as helping his classmates improve their academic learning, and practicing complicated magical techniques with them. The fact that he was able to do so in the years Fanged Paw was gone in exile surprised his older brother when he came back a few years later.
*** Prince Written Word was once a mortal demi-divine pegasus, but would eventually become a demi-Alicorn by freeing a Pony kingdom from a corrupt religion, realizing the true value of faith, and then magically empowering his allies by inspiring them to have faith and trust in themselves and each other, allowing everyone to defeat a demonic horde led by a Demon Queen ''despite having little to no military training at all''. Golden Scepter saw his Ascension as a sign that his religious son finally matured and saw the truth in what he had tried to teach him.
*** Prince Fanged Paw was once a mortal demi-divine Earth pony, but would eventually become a demi-Alicorn by learning how to let go of his hatred towards Crimson Star, who had been an InsufferableGenius until he was blinded in an accident, and accepting both his [[AntiMagic Disruption magic]] and his role in the grand scheme of things.
*** Prince Night Shade was once a mortal demi-divine pegasus, but at one point he went through a "phase" where, thanks to a combination of bitterness towards Golden Scepter, his grief over losing mother, Blessed Skies, and being constantly plagued by his visions and the voice of the "Night Haunter", Night Shade let himself be influenced by the [[KnightTemplar Poenan Pantheon]] to the point of joining them. He [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere fled to Nocturnos]] after his brothers called him out on his actions, but his time in Nocturnos gradually influenced his perceptions on justice and mercy, especially after saving a Pony mare from thieves and befriending her family, which motivated him to lead a rebellion against Nocturnos' corrupt leadership and criminal underworld. When the Poenans tried to kill him and destroy Nocturna to get rid of "Evil", Night Shade gained a new conviction in protecting the innocent and repentant, even driving off the "Night Haunter" when it tried getting him to give in to his inner bloodlust and vengeance, which led to him Ascending and becoming the Alicorn demigod of Justice, Darkness, Protection, and Karma.
** Blue Suede Heartstrings was a mortal unicorn and one of the most famous celebrities of the Second Age, until he met Luminiferous during a particularly low point in his life. After that, he quit his job as a career musician and went globe-trotting to perform on his own terms. The list of his good deeds grew until it warranted his Ascension into an Alicorn god of Music and Humility.
** Played with. Many members of the Trimortidae were once spirits of mortals who died in some way, including [[TragicStillbirth stillbirth]] (Bossa Nova), murder (Blue Goldstone), accidents (Moon Ray), old age (Knight Shade, Cloudy Brush), and [[DrivenToSuicide suicide]] (Sola Mors). However, they would eventually Ascend to godhood through performing good deeds, giving them a new life... though it results in them being tied to the Heaven/Hell-Realms as they are duty-bound to usher souls of the deceased into their respective afterlives.

** Gagal was born with albinism; while he's not blind like Healing Song, he suffers from bad eyesight and he's extremely photosensitive, forcing him to wear sunglasses and carry umbrellas with him all the time. However, like Healing Song, he never let his disability embitter him and sees it as a fault that he's willing to work with. He was bullied for being albino as a foal, but he didn't let it affect him, and his albinism didn't really become a social issue anymore once he reached adulthood.

** In one story, Zinabi was awoken by his Abyssinian worshipers, who were throwing a party in their gods' honor. Instead of being pleased with their devotion or simply asking his worshipers to be quiet, he ''created a flash flood'' to punish their insolence, resulting in thousands of deaths.

** A literal case with the Changeling Courts where the SemiDivine Royal Changelings are hybrid children sired with different members of mortal races by the Changeling Progenitors, Empress Blackrose and Emperor Blackthorn, giving them legitimate rulership by biological divine right. Unfortunately, this gives even the most benevolent of them a strong sense of entitlement that makes them patronizingly arrogant, causing them to hate dissension of any kind because they threaten their legitimacy with their very existence.

* DoAndroidsDream: A debated topic InUniverse. It's eventually revealed the answer is 'yes' and that any machine that becomes fully sapient will grow a soul of its own, and can even ascend to godhood.

** [[GodEmperor Golden Scepter]]'s relationship with the Elternteil Deer Pantheon revolves around this. He once publicly humiliated High King Irminsul for saying horrible things about Temnobog and [[FantasticRacism the non-Deer/hybrid Bogolenya deities]], which led to Irminsul avoiding the Bogolenya Deer Pantheon just to avoid Golden Scepter. The possibility of incurring Golden Scepter's wrath again is what saves [[Music/ElvisPresley Blue Suede Heartstrings]] from being wrongly convicted/punished by the Elternteil Deer Pantheon for "stealing" their mortal Alvslog Deer subjects away; Belyolen points out they horribly abused a god connected to the Bogolenya Deer Pantheon out of xenophobia, which led to the Elternteil Deer Pantheon [[KnowWhenToFoldEm dropping the case and letting Blue Suede go free]]. Golden Scepter being a ''far'' more powerful and ancient deity than even Irminsul played a large part in this.
** {{Skin Walker}}s are nigh universally feared. This is because rather than just being a different kind of werewolf, they follow actual Navajo mythology and are extremely powerful monsters with a wide variety of deadly abilities, and becoming one in the first place practically requires already being an irredeemably monstrous psychopath. To note, [[https://www.deviantart.com/comments/1/875815844/4930302757 Vinyl Scratch is utterly terrified]] to discover she and Octavia are near one, despite being a very powerful Equestrian Vampire herself.

** Several "Ponyfriends" from G1 were also incorporated into ''Codex Equus'', though reimagined for the setting and under different names.
*** High King Kaldr, the leader of the Hoyklan Deer pantheon, was G1 Oakly the Moose, who was friends with Mzazi/Zigzag and Ascended to godhood with her help.

*** A Diamond Dog legend, his appearance, and some of his abilities imply that Mampfen, the Diamond Dog god of Mining, is actually Crunch the Rock Dog from G1.
*** Queen Mzazi, the Mother of All Zebras and a 4-million-year-old goddess, is revealed part way through her entry to be G1 Zigzag, one of the Pony Friends. It's implied she may have been experiencing a lifetime living like a mortal to maintain perspective at the time.

* TheChurch: Because of the prevalence of deities and pantheons in the Codexverse, so too is the world awashed with many religions, and many of them in the form of centralized churches. Both flavours of this trope are depicted, as the Codexverse does not shy away from depicting the worst aspects of religion as [[CorruptChurch corruptable, manipulative, intolerant, reactionary, anti-intellectual, fanatical and hypocritical]] institutions of faith, yet also affirms the existence of benevolent churches which does their best to guide adherents towards morality, peace, salvation and enlightenment. Members of both kinds of churches could even sometimes be found within the same church.

** The Church of the Stars based in the kingdom of Kerajaan Kahaya, founded by Dazzleglow, the Shining Queen and her sisters and allies, is firmly a SaintlyChurch and one of the biggest and most influential BigGood factions of Equus in the Fourth Age, trying to break the various ViciousCycle which had doomed previous ages and civilizations and unite all of Equuskind in benevolence so that they may reach their highest potential and reach for the stars.

** The Sandwich Clan is a more infamous Equestrian clan, notorious for producing eccentrics and maniacs throughout the generations. The first mayor of Ponyville, [[ShoutOut Soup]] [[{{Fanfic/TheGreatAlicornHunt}} Sandwich]], belongs to this clan, and is responsible for many of its wacky and silly festivals - to put it lightly, he is insane, and it was said his regular habit of wearing trousers for a hat is considered the ''least'' eccentric part of his character. Cheese Sandwich, the Festive Wanderer, also a member of this clan, is a party-pony whose talent and wackiness surpasses even that of ''Pinkie Pie'' (whom [[HappilyMarried he would eventually marry]]), serving as a positive example of the clan's eccentricities. His older sister [[{{Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendsForeverIssue1}} Marine Sandwich]] meanwhile would embody the clan's darker, madder side on account of being an eccentric and unstable gourmet artist who snapped over having her place in a cooking contest in Ponyville accidentally taken over by Applejack and not being believed, which led to her trying to freeze the venue with fondant/icing in retaliation [[spoiler:and later descend into full-blown super-villainy by becoming a Ravenous Regent of Queen Eclaira, the Voracious Shadow of the Shadowpact Pantheon/Empire]].

** One of the most notable eras of the '[[{{WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTales}} Second Age]] of Known History' is the 'Great Wars Era', and its name is no exaggeration, as it was a time of tribulation and turmoil as a whole for the world and Ponykind. The world is far more conflict-prone and war-torn than the Human world, with [[WorldWarWhatever MULTIPLE global wars]] between hostile superpowers occurring almost periodically, while countless more smaller border wars, civil wars, proxy wars and other lesser conflicts rage across Tellus/Equus even in more peaceful times. [[WeaponsOfMassDestruction WMDs]] and other super-weapons are often fired with impunity during these conflicts, stopping just short of global, civilization-ending exchanges, and just as often out of it by various renegade factions. AlienInvasion from Mares, Venera and other worlds of the Solar System poses a constant threat to Pony civilization. Super-Villains, Mad Scientists, Diabolical Masterminds and Evil Geniuses run amok, trying to plunder nations, conquer the world or just blow it all up for whatever diabolical reasons. Giant monsters stirred or spawned by the wars, pollutions and recklessness of Ponies then would rampage and level cities, while ancient, forgotten horrors and evils often awaken to find a near-hapless world at the mercy of their dark and terrible powers. Vast, hidden and often squabbling conspiracies manipulate modern civilization from the shadows, pursing agendas both sinister or not that threaten the freedom of all Ponykind. All this shows that while in many ways the Second Age is the best of times - a promethean age of Pony progress and power - in many ways it is also the worst, even by the standards of the Ages of Known History.

** Promes, the Overlord of Light, one of King Equus' heirs is the closest analogue of Jesus in the Codexverse, although he is actually [[CaptainErsatz based on]] the [[{{Series/KamenRiderAgito}} Overlord of Light from]] ''[[Series/KamenRiderAgito Kamen Rider Agito]]'', who is also this trope.

* CulturedBadass: Queen Acanthosomastidae, known as "the Cavalier Queen". On top of being one of the best warriors among the Changeling Queens, she's also among the greatest patrons of Changeling art and high culture, having authored, painted and directed many works of literature, artwork and theatrical productions. Unsurprising, considering who [[{{Theatre/Tannhaeuser}} her father]] is an {{Expy}} of.

* CycleOfRevenge: Deconstructed. A deep grudge has been present for ''aeons'' between the Changelings and Dragons, including the destruction of the Changeling homeland and the Time of Broken Scales. Choice warns them both inevitably their choice to perpetuate this ancient grudge indefinitely will have consequences and reckoning, which has recently began to take hold with villains born from their grudge attempting devastating retribution against both sides. Thus far only Thorax, Ember, and Spike have managed to completely escape it unscathed. Thorax and Ember finally have enough after the end of the Toxikon Crisis and forgive the parental deities of the other's species for their kind's respective crimes, and apology for their own to the other, having come to see the cycle for what it was and wanting no part in it. Thorax also rightly points out that the meaning of survival is completely moot [[{{Hypocrite}} if one of Changelingkind's methods is to satisfy an old grudge that would get everyone killed, innocent or not]].

** Tellus (as the world [[IHaveManyNames was called]] back in the [[{{WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTales}} Second Age]]), especially during the 'Great Wars Era' where it is constantly threatened by supervillains and diabolical masterminds, manipulated by world-spanning secret conspiracies, invaded by alien invaders from multiple worlds, troubled by reawakening ancient evils and antediluvian monsters, torn by multiple world wars between superpowers, among other constant perils. It is implied that even with many superheroes, hidden deities and other good and noble people and forces fighting the good fight and holding the line, Tellusian Ponykind became rather militant just to survive year by year, to the point [[HumansAreWarriors they]] became known across 'Known History' as the ''[[RedBaron Lords of War]]''

** [[{{Characters/CodexEquusSecondAgeHeroes}} Moki Sunbright]], a character whom Bright Eyes met and befriended in ''MLP Tales'', received a minor AdaptationalAngstUpgrade with her homeland, Tropika, being ruled by a dictatorship which ruthlessly suppressed dissent and tried to turn her into an asset and weapon of the regime as soon as they found out she became a superheroine, forcing her to fight them off and flee to Ponyland with her parents to seek asylum. And since they had backing from a superpower at the time, nobody can do anything to overthrow it without sparking off a global conflict.

** Some are found even among the ''good'' guys (nominal or actual): the regime founded by [[https://www.deviantart.com/comments/1/843809841/4865645216 Gilded Pleasantries]], a follower of the morally/judicially-hardline [[{{Characters/CodexEquusPoenanPantheon}} Poenan Pantheon]], in his home country of Amber Plains is a ''Theocratic'' Dictatorship which worships the Poenans as their state religion and is dedicated to fighting evil in all forms, even if it means crushing dissent and deviance within the nation and preparing for war with more hostile and malicious countries. They are still considered on the side of righteousness due to their foreign enemies such as the Autorists and Tribalists being ''worse'' and the Poenans in general still dedicated to the side of good and righteous.

* CameBackStrong: The most effective method of coming BackFromTheDead without drawbacks is by [DeityOfHumanOrigin ascending to divinity]], transcending life and death in a traditional sense. However, they can't become a Death God, however, or they're still partially bound to the afterlife.

* CosmicHorrorStory: As more entries are published, ''Codex Equus'' is slowly revealed to be this at its core - a story that takes place in a world where sapient creatures live together, governed by (mostly) benevolent divines and demi-divines. [[spoiler:They're also largely unaware that their collective existence is set on a metaphorical timer, as the Void Sovereign, an extremely ancient EldritchAbomination that [[OmnicidalManiac wants to return everything to the Void]], is sealed in a PocketDimension in space, waiting to be freed]]. However, as it is set in ''My Little Pony'', ''Codex Equus'' is also LovecraftLite, as despite its depressing and even nightmarish moments, the story also has very optimistic undertones as various individuals, both divine and mortal, have been known to take down even the most dangerous of threats under the right circumstances, which the [[BigGood Church of the Stars]] hopes would work on the day the Void Sovereign is let loose upon the universe once again.
* CrapsackWorld: While the setting is fundamentally optimistic, there are often times and places on Equus and beyond that brings a lot of darkness and despair to the setting. Every Age, no matter how bright, is seemingly doomed to face its own suffering, even if those who lived through them would [[AWorldHalfFull persevere]] to [[HopeSpringsEternal better times]].
** One of the most notable eras of the '[[{{WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTales}} Second Age]] of Known History' is the 'Great Wars Era', and its name is no exaggeration, as it was a time of tribulation and turmoil as a whole for the world and Ponykind. The world is far more conflict-prone and war-torn than the Human world, with [[WorldWarWhatever MULTIPLE global wars]] between hostile superpowers occurring almost periodically, while countless more smaller border wars, civil wars, proxy wars and other lesser conflicts rage across Tellus/Equus even in more peaceful times. [[WeaponsOfMassDestruction WMDs]] and other super-weapons are often fired with impunity during these conflicts, stopping just short of global, civilization-ending exchanges, and just as often out of it by various renegade factions. AlienInvasion from Mares, Venera and other worlds of the Solar System poses a constant threat to Pony civilization. Super-Villains, Mad Scientists, Diabolical Masterminds and Evil Geniuses run amok, trying to plunder nations, conquer the world or just blow it all up for whatever diabolical reasons. Giant monsters stirred or spawned by the wars, pollutions and recklessness of Ponies then would rampage and level cities, while ancient, forgotten horrors and evils often awaken to find a near-hapless world at the mercy of their dark and terrible powers. Vast, hidden and often squabbling conspiracies manipulate modern civilization from the shadows, pursing agendas both sinister or not that threaten the freedom of all Ponykind. All this shows that while in many ways the Second Age is the best of times - a promethean age of Pony progress and power - in many ways it is also the worst, even by the standards of the Ages of Known History.

* CrystalDragonJesus: The Codexverse setting starting from the Second Age have one in the form of the Magnean/Meganian Faiths, which worships the 'King In Heaven' (Actually King Equus, the progenitor of Equinekind) and reveres Megann Wilms, the Rainbow Empress as a [[MessianicArchetype messianic figure]].

** As a test to see how strong Thorax post-ascension was, the Summer Court had him fight Changeling King Zorpheus. An arcane blast ''blew'' Zorpheus across Avalon Valley, leaving him unconscious in a crater with a cracked carapace, which was by ''complete accident''. It's noted that Thorax's attack would have killed many other Royal Changelings upon impact, [[UnskilledButStrong showing just how much potential he has now]]. It was a BreakTheHaughty experience for Zorpheus, who came to realize that his defenses are not as invincible as he thought they were.

** {{Skin Walker}s} are nigh universally feared. This is because rather than just being a different kind of werewolf, they follow actual Navajo mythology and are extremely powerful monsters with a wide variety of deadly abilities, and becoming one in the first place practically requires already being an irredeemably monstrous psychopath. To note, [[https://www.deviantart.com/comments/1/875815844/4930302757 Vinyl Scratch is utterly terrified]] to discover she and Octavia are near one, despite being a very powerful Equestrian Vampire herself.

** [[EvilWillFail The self-destructive nature of Evil and how it'll ultimately ruined itself]] (with the exception of evil directed towards constructive purposes or at least done pragmatically). Also Deconstructed as just because they're doomed to fail doesn't mean they shouldn't be stopped by the forces of good, especially [[NiceJobBreakingItHero when they will cause enormous amounts of damage even in short-term success]] and have a tendency of [[TakingYouWithMe taking everyone down with them when evildoers fall]].

** [[EvilWillFail The self-destructive nature of Evil and how it'll ultimately ruined itself]] (with the exception of evil directed towards constructive purposes). Also Deconstructed as just because they're doomed to fail doesn't mean they shouldn't be stopped by the forces of good, especially [[NiceJobBreakingItHero when they will cause enormous amounts of damage even in short-term success]] and have a tendency of [[TakingYouWithMe taking everyone down with them when evildoers fall]].

** With entries like the ones with the Clovenists: Does the [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans ends justifies the means]] in achieving a better world? Even if utopia can be achieved, is it [[WasItReallyWorthIt worth the costs and the price?]] Is there a perfect world that can be reached for all, or is it fundamentally subjective to the self-interests of those reaching for them, like the Autorists, the Tribalists and other Evil/Fallen mortals and immortals whose dreams are a nightmare for others not them?
** Also related to above: the conflict between Principles and Pragmatism. Can principles survive in a world where nothing is absolute except that one must adapt or die? Is pragmatism truly offer a better option? Should a person stick to their principles, be honourable and rule-bound at all times, even if it leads to inflexibility and even ruin for themselves and everyone? Should a person be pragmatic, willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how distasteful, to achieve a better end, even if it means making yourself no different from what you fight against? What if there ''[[NecessarilyEvil simply isn't]]'' ''[[IDidWhatIHadToDo any choice]]''?
*** The Changeling Courts by racial and cultural imperative is dedicated to surviving ''no matter the costs'', and represents the extremes of pragmatism with their secretive survivalist civilization. Their mercurial ruthlessness reach a level to unnerve even the outside world, but given [[DarkAndTroubledPast their circumstances]] and [[TheExtremistWasRight the results]], one could find it hard to blame them for thinking like that.

** While still fundamentally optimistic, Codex Equus does not shy away from dark stories and themes not seen or explored in detail in the [[Franchise/MyLittlePony canon series]]. Several entries explicitly detail racism, wars, tyranny and genocide, as well as explore themes of hatred, vengeance and trauma on individual and collective levels, with hefty doses of [[SurprisinglyREalisticOutcome reality]] and problems that have no easy solutions and cannot be fixed via ThePowerOfFriendship.

** There's quite a few theories surrounding Golden Scepter about this trope.
*** One theory made in-universe in regards to his origins is that he's the child of an extremely ancient god, which might explain why he's so powerful. It's mentioned in his entry that the Alicorns were the greatest of Equus's mortal/immortal Equine children, as Equus birthed all sapient Equine races in general, making Golden Scepter himself one of Equus's "sons".
*** It's also theorized that he's the "Parent Deity" of modern Ponykind in the same vein of Equus himself, considering how he embodies Ponykind's best and worst traits. However, Golden Scepter has stated that his domain of Ponykind is likely figurative, since Ponykind had existed before he did... [[MysteriousPast though he's not so sure himself]].
** In a roundabout way, all nineteen Princes of the Terran Empire are demi-divine sons of Golden Scepter through his marriage to a mortal pegasus mare, Blessed Skies, and settling down with her. All of them managed to Ascend at some point in their lives thanks to Golden Scepter's benevolent influence, which is a testament to how well he raised them all despite having so many children and the difficulties that came with it.

** Amour-De-Soi, the Alicorn goddess of Self-Love and Self-Esteem, is a biological daughter of Amareros, a Love god and one of the Grand Primevals, a group of extremely ancient and powerful deities whose collective existence either came about during the beginning of Equus, or before the planet's birth. Her mother is an unnamed Alicorn goddess.

** Blue Suede Heartstrings, the Alicorn god of Music and Humility, is sometimes speculated in-universe to be an Ascended demi-divine son of Amareros the Love Primeval, since one of his domains is Love. On the flipside, Blue has ended up with a few mortal demi-divine descendants of his own thanks to the few relationships he had with both mares and stallions over the course of Known History. Among said descendants are Lyra Heartstrings, Flash Sentry, Roneo and his older brother, Gladstone, though the latter three are unconfirmed in-universe. Lyra in particular was shocked that she turned out to be related to a famous celebrity who is ''also'' a god.
---> '''Lyra Heartstrings:''' I'M RELATED TO THE KING OF MUSIC?!!\\
'''Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops:''' [[DullSurprise Wow, that sure explains a lot]].
** Canteros, the god of Requited Love and Reconciliation, is Amareros' firstborn son and child, hence his epithet as "Love's Firstborn". However, the identity of his mother is unknown - it's speculated that either Amareros sired him with a mortal mare from an early sapient Equine species, or he was born when Amareros and Symvíosi created the concept of Co-Existence based on mutually-shared love, creating a massive abundance of marriage, dates, and wedding ceremonies but also heartache, broken promises, and unanswered desires. The latter would make Symvíosi the mother/father of Canteros if true, despite them and Amareros being siblings.

** 1) Godling (1 - 100 Years)
** 2) Lesser God (100 - 1,000 Years)
** 3) Intermediate God (1000 - 10,000 Years)
** 4) Greater God (10,000 - 100,000 Years)
** 5) Titan (100,000 - 1 million Years)
** 6) Antecedent (1 million - 10 million Years)
** 7) Preeminent (10 million - 100 million Years)
** 8) Primeval (100 million Years and Beyond)

* DoingInTheWizard: Notably defied: while scientific studies and analysis for magic and even divines are discovered, it's pointed out this doesn't mean they stop being ''magic'' or ''gods''. While some like Overmare refuse to call them such, it seemed to have been the general consensus in the Second Age that calling it Magic or Metamagnatism was more up to personal preference than anything, with both sides recognizing they're just different words and interpretations for the same thing. The Fourth Age simply has a science ''of'' magic without trying to make a distinguish between a scientific understanding and a mystical understanding. While ''how'' gods work can be scientifically understood, that doesn't change the fact they still have access to a form of magic that can warp and alter reality on a level beyond anything else and have a completely different composition than any nondivine creature.

* ClosetPunishment: "The Chokey" is an old, narrow, antique closet that [[SadistTeacher Trench Bull]] converted into a kid's version of the IronMaiden by lining its interior with sharp nails and glass shards. Much like its [[Literature/{{Matilda}} source inspiration]], the Chokey is essentially a kid's version of the IronMaiden - it is big enough for a small child to fit inside, but no one can lean against the walls without getting scarred in the process. Because of its claustrophobic effects, especially on winged children such as pegasi foals and Griffon cubs, Trench Bull used the Chokey to terrorize her students for a long time [[KarmaHoudini while escaping punishment for it]] because [[RefugeInAudacity everyone (initially) believed the Chokey was too outrageously sadistic to exist]]. Naturally, the Chokey became TheDreaded, with one student being terrified of it that he'd rather [[ForceFeeding force himself to eat a large homemade chocolate cake]] as punishment for stealing a slice of it rather than be imprisoned in the Chokey forever. As a result of its frequent use, Prince Crimson Star ended up [[TheEmpath psychically experiencing what's implied to be years worth of fright and despair left behind by all the students trapped within the Chokey]], nearly leading to an [[HeroicBSOD emotional breakdown]] until his younger brother, Prince Night Shade, dragged him to a safer place. Fortunately, the Chokey was destroyed with Trench Bull's arrest and imprisonment, with the goddess [[InUniverseCatharsis Katharsis]] filming the event for the abused students.
** On the other hand, it's noted that this is just one of many punishments that awaits Trench Bull in the afterlife should she die. Phykti, the oldest sister of the Four Terrors, loved the Chokey so much that she built a divine version of it, and had requested for Golden Scepter to let her have "first dibs" to Trench Bull's soul so she could test it out. The deities and archangels of the Poenan Pantheon have also been fighting to have Trench Bull's soul transferred to their jurisdiction, so they could give her "an ironic, eternal taste of her own creative medicine".
* TheConqueror: Owing the vast time-spans explored in the Codexverse, the setting is ''chocked-full'' of them. The Codexverse is notable for being willing to portray them in more sympathetic light where they aren't flat-out evil, presented with complex nuance and wide historical contexts behind their actions. Entries of them look at both the well-intents behind ([[NotSoWellIntentioneExtremist where]] [[BigBad they]] [[EvilOverlord exist]]) and terrible consequences (almost inevitable) of their ambitions and brilliance.

** This is the state of the Equestrian nobility post-Storm King Crisis. The '[[ShockingDefeatLegacy Storm King Crisis]]' had caused massive public backlash to be directed at the [[DecadentCourt corrupt nobility]] - being a large reason ''why'' the Storm King was able to invade Equestria easily - which finally gives the Equestrian Royal Family a chance to pass the reforms the nobles were trying to block. However, Princess Celestia is given a warning by a disguised King Brachion about [[TheUnfettered just how far they may be willing to go]] just to secure their crumbling power.

** The Grand Primeval's mysterious parent is implied to be this, having tasked them with creating and maintaining Equus.

* CosmicHorrorStory: As more entries are published, ''Codex Equus'' is slowly revealed to be this at its core - a story that takes place in a world where sapient creatures live together, governed by (mostly) benevolent divines and semi-divines... largely unaware that their collective existence is set on a metaphorical timer, as the Void Sovereign, an extremely ancient EldritchAbomination that [[OmnicidalManiac wants to return everything to the Void]], is sealed in a PocketDimension in space, waiting to be freed. However, as it is set in ''My Little Pony'', ''Codex Equus'' is also LovecraftLite, as despite its depressing and even nightmarish moments, the story also has very optimistic undertones as various individuals, both divine and mortal, have been known to take down even the most dangerous of threats under the right circumstances, which the [[BigGood Church of the Stars]] hopes would work on the day the Void Sovereign is let loose upon the universe once again.
* CrapsackWorld: While the setting is fundamentally optimistic, there are often times and places on Equus and beyond that brings a lot of darkness and despair to the setting. Every Age, no matter how bright, is seemingly doomed to face its own suffering, even if those who lived through them would [[AWorldHalfFull persevere to]] [[HopeSpringsEternal better times]].

** If Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker hadn't experimented on talented foals and teenagers in a well-meaning yet lofty attempt to create [[PhysicalGod Alicorns]], Crystal Prism wouldn't have existed.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: [[OmnicidalManiac King Xestobium]], [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Princess Apterus]], and [[MadScientist Dr. Toxikon]] would go on a rampage against the Dragons and Changelings... and were born entirely as a result of the eons-old grudge between the two species. This would prompt Thorax and Ember to choose to forgive the divine leaders of Changelingkind and Dragonkind, as they rightly believed doing anything but that would only perpetuate the cycle of racism, violence and death, and at this point they were both sick of it.

* CulturalPosturing: Deconstructed. A common theme in ''Codex Equus'' is that cultural/national/social pride will often lead to [[LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair great acts of hubris]] that will lead to their downfall, and contribute to the existence of {{Vicious Cycle}}s as others will attempt to destroy/conquer those who brag of their own achievements out of resentment and envy. Queen Dazzleglow hopes that she and the Church of the Stars could help mortal/divine sapientkind in general break free from this nasty habit so they could become truly successful.

* CaptainErsatz: Several individuals; though they might be based on certain characters from other fiction, the resemblance is only superficial, as ''Codex Equus'' puts in various twists that still make these individuals unique in their own way.
** Golden Scepter was inspired by [[TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 the Emperor of Mankind]]. Much like his character inspiration, Golden Scepter is an Emperor of godlike power and unmatched intellect, and is beloved by his subjects as a protector of a certain species, but also had raging flaws that ultimately spelled the stagnation and doom of one of his empires, the Imperium of Ponykind. However, unlike Emps, whose slew of terrible mistakes ultimately led to him getting gravely wounded by [[AntagonisticOffspring Horus Lupercal]] and put on the Golden Throne, where he was left to rot until he was a corpse kept barely alive by human sacrifices and sheer force of will, Golden Scepter would ultimately survive thanks to the kindness of benevolent deities, realize the error of his ways, and become TheAtoner until he truly became a benevolent protector and ruler of Ponykind, and the loving father of many demi-divine sons. Golden Scepter would even state that if t hadn't been for Luminiferous and Dazzleglow, he would have rotted away a long time ago.
** Prince Crimson Star, Golden Scepter's eighth son, is based on Primarch Magnus the Red, though according to one of the Codexverse writers, he's based on [[WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice TTS!Magnus]] as well. Much like Magnus, he's a red-skinned/haired individual who's taller than most of his brothers, and is an extremely powerful mage/psychic who dedicated himself to higher learning. Even his folder quote is an altered version of Magnus's "light of Chaos" quote. However, unlike Magnus, who was very much an InsufferableGenius who [[NeverMyFault deflected blame for his own mistakes off of himself]], and [[FaceHeelTurn who turned traitor during the Horus Heresy]] largely thanks to the Emperor's actions as well as the Chaos gods' manipulations, Crimson Star had the fortune of having a loving divine parent who continued to support him after he was blinded in an accident, and helped him become a much better person. During the "Temptation Unbound" conflict, he would prevent a potential catastrophe that was engineered by a group of Fallen divines and their worshipers by warning Golden Scepter about a bad vision he had. This would save his family from being permanently torn apart, [[SpannerInTheWorks while exposing the culprits responsible]].
*** And as pointed out by one Codexverse reader, Crimson Star's also based on [[LightNovel/{{Slayers}} Rezo the Red Priest]], though it was stated to be [[https://www.deviantart.com/comments/1/805716067/4756140795 completely unintentional]] as the writer never watched ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' at all. Much like Rezo, Crimson Star is a highly respected and skilled, yet blind sorcerer who was disfigured at some point in his life, and tried researching ways to cure his disability. However, unlike Rezo, who was a VillainWithGoodPublicity yet callously destroyed people's lives in order to cure his blindness, Crimson Star, who had been an InsufferableGenius prior to this point, was quickly stopped in his research and attempts to [[DealWithTheDevil summon demonic and eldritch forces in exchange for sight]] by his father, Golden Scepter. This would ultimately allow him to properly redeem himself for his previous arrogant behavior and [[TookALevelInKindness become a kinder stallion]].
** Prince Fanged Paw, Golden Scepter's second son, is based on Primarch Leman Russ. Like Leman Russ, he has a wolf motif as well as an extremely strained relationship with his magically-inclined brother, Crimson Star, the CaptainErsatz of Magnus the Red, though here it's out of [[TheResenter resentment]]-turned-[[CainAndAbel hatred]] rather than distrust towards psychics in general. However, unlike Russ, Fanged Paw would later go through CharacterDevelopment after he took his hatred of his brother too far and was exiled as punishment, resulting in him forgiving Crimson Star and reconciling with him after sharing a mutual apology.
** Prince Blazing Hoof, Golden Scepter's firstborn son, is based on Primarch Horus Lupercal. Much like Horus, he's the first son of a divine Emperor, and he serves as his father's second-in-command in both military and political duties. However, Golden Scepter becoming a kinder and more benevolent person would later influence his parenting methods when he decided to settle down and have a family, in turn influencing Blazing Hoof into becoming someone entirely different than the reviled traitor Horus was.
** Prince Steel Barricade, Golden Scepter's eleventh son, is based on Primarch Perturabo. Much like Perturabo, he is an incredibly talented war-strategist and engineer who specializes in siege warfare and the building/inventing/repairing of technology. His entry notes that he styled his mane and tail into dreadlocks, which often got mistaken for mechanical wires and tubes, which is reminiscent of the wires covering Perturabo's head and face.
** Prince Written Word, Golden Scepter's thirteenth son, is based on Primarch Lorgar Aurelian. Like Lorgar, Written Word would idolize his divine father and essentially worship him as a god, and became a priest to preach to his subjects the virtues and benevolence displayed by his father. And like Lorgar, his religious activities were eventually exposed, causing him to be disciplined by his father. However, the similarities would stop there - because Golden Scepter was gentle yet firm in explaining to his son the folly of promoting public worship of him and his family, Written Word never turned evil. Instead, he would realize the true value of faith as a unifying, empowering force after doing some soul-searching outside his home, which would lead to him Ascending after he inspired the residents of a backwater Pony kingdom to have faith and trust in each other. Written Word would also become a staunch enemy of Demonkind and corruption in general due to witnessing the horrors perpetuated by both, making him more similar to [[FanFic/TheRoboutianHeresy RH!Lorgar]] in terms of character.
** Prince Sparkling Wing, an [[PhysicalGod Alicorn]] member of the Church of the Stars, is based on [[WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil Jushtin Butterfly]], being royal Princes who had potential to become great heroes and beloved Kings, but were rejected by their own people because they didn't want to break matriarchal tradition by accepting a male on the throne. Sparkling Wing also has Jushtin's [[TheDandy foppish tastes in fashion]] and his talent in diplomacy, except here, he eventually became an Alicorn god because he had people who continued to believe in him and cultivate his potential, rather than let him fade into obscurity. As a result, Sparkling Wing became powerful in both magic and physical combat than Jushtin ever was.
** The members of the Black Heron Corpse Investigation Team (BHCIT for short) are based on the [[Manga/TheKurosagiCorpseDeliveryService Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service team]]. Collectively, they are both teams of five university students who have the black heron as their call-sign, are regarded as creepy and eccentric weirdos who aren't used to them or their line of work, behave in a cynical, sarcastic, and morbid manner, and are very opportunistic and greedy because of [[PerpetualPoverty their floundering businesses and generally poor financial situations]]. They even rely on a former homicide detective-turned-social services agent for expenses and dead "clients" in return for doing odd jobs for him. However, they are also both compassionate people who are very unwilling to turn down a dead and living person in need, even at the cost of earning more money for themselves. For bonus points, their team names are heavily similar, with "Kurosagi" meaning "black heron" in Japanese. However, what would make them different from their character inspirations is that after they became Alicorn demigods, their nastier personality traits would [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome actually be taken into account]] and curbed by more experienced deities in the Shinseina pantheon, as they want the Black Heron group to become benevolent and proper deities by doing away with unsavory behaviors that would eventually spell not only their doom, but Equus's doom as well.
*** Individually, each member of the BHCIT are based on each member of the Kurosagi crew: Whispered Winds is based on Kuro Karatsu, Guiding Light is based on Makoto Numata, Lovely Bones is based on Ao Sasaki, Felt Actor is based on Yuji Yata, and Violet Peony is based on Keiko Makino.
** Belyolen is based on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belobog Belobog]], an ancient Slavic god of Light and Good who is often portrayed in tandem with his evil divine counterpart, Chernobog as part of a duality of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil. It's noted that during feasts, the Slavic peoples would dedicate all good and fortunate things to Belobog, while all evil and adverse things were dedicated to Chernobog. Belyolen, being inspired by him, is attributed to all forms of Good and Contentment, as they keep Evil in check and provide relief and mercy to those affected by Evil, though they in turn must be kept in check by Evil to make sure they don't stagnate. His beliefs regarding morality in general came from living with the Elternteil Deer pantheon, whose members became stagnant and corrupted to the point they became morally puristic and abused his younger twin brother, Temnobog, for being born evil. Encouraged by the Alicorn goddess of Self-Love, Amour-De-Soi, Belyolen would confront and shame his family for their arrogant and hypocritical mistreatment of Temnobog, and leave with his brother in tow so he could form his own opinions on Good and Evil and give Temnobog the love and respect he believed he deserved.
** On the other hand, Temnobog, Belyolen's younger twin brother, is based on [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobog Chernobog]], an ancient Slavic god of Evil and Darkness who is often portrayed in tandem with his good divine counterpart, Belobog as part of a duality of Light and Darkness, Good and Evil. It's noted that during feasts, the Slavic peoples would dedicate all good and fortunate things to Belobog, while all evil and adverse things were dedicated to Chernobog. Temnobog, being inspired by him, is attributed to all forms of Evil and Suffering, but the Erobreseg Deer herds see this as a good thing as the presence of Evil is what motivates people to be Good and strong, as their lands are often harsh and unforgiving. However, what makes him different from his character inspiration is that in Slavic mythology, Chernobog is constantly fighting with Belobog, as his evil nature clashes with Belobog's good nature. Here, Temnobog [[TheDogBitesBack became evil]] after a lifetime of emotional abuse from his family for merely existing, and would torment and antagonize Belyolen for being the favorite of their parents, but would reconcile with his brother after he learned the truth of his and his brother's existences.
** Crystal Prism/Page Wheel and his neighbor/wing-pal/filly-friend, Midnight Bell, are respectively based on Peter and Mary from ''Anime/MaryAndTheWitchsFlower'', except they serve as a case of SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome that deconstructs various things in the movie, such as how Peter would react to being experimented on and turned into a magic-eating monster, how Mary would feel knowing she endangered another person with her lies, and how each of them would try to cope with everything that has happened after returning to normal life.
** Silver Bane is based on [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Donovan Baine]]. Silver Bane's name, appearance, and magical/psychic/combat skills are heavily similar to Donovan's, especially after leaving the Poenan Pantheon, where he starts donning monk robes that follow the red, blue, and yellow color scheme as Donovan's outfit. He even wielded the same [[{{BFS}} large sword]] (at first) that Donovan uses as a weapon. They're also both dhampirs, though how they reacted to it differed - Donovan was a KnightTemplar who ruthlessly hunted down the Darkstalkers in hopes that he could purge his "cursed" blood from himself, [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie only to fail and become a vampire anyway]]. Furthermore, it's implied that Donovan had to be put down by Anita, a young psychic girl he adopted, in order to end his misery. Silver Bane was taught to suppress his vampiric side by the Poenan Pantheon, as the other option consisted of [[MercyKill being put down to prevent him from becoming a monster]]. This would give him quite a bit of self-loathing, and made him believe that he could only obtain inner peace by smiting Evil and those he called the "Dark Ones". However, [[SparedByTheAdaptation he would ultimately be spared Donovan's fate]] when, after falling into a coma, the efforts of his friends and adoptive daughter to redeem/save him influenced Silver Bane to accept and reconcile with [[EnemyWithin the mental manifestation of his vampiric heritage]] instead. This not only caused him to physically transform into a true dhampir, but also saved his life, as he and his vampiric side are one and the same.
** Mercy, a [[EmpathicWeapon sentient]] divine Poenan sword, is based on [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Dhylec]], a huge sword wielded by Donovan Baine. While Mercy heavily resembles Dhylec in appearance, she is vastly different than her character inspiration. Notably, after Silver Bane accepted his vampiric heritage and gave her away to Golden Scepter and his sons, she became a heroic and benevolent sword who fights for "true" Justice. This contrasts Dhylec, who eventually became a corrupted weapon after Donovan Baine gave in to his vampiric side and transformed into Dee, who becomes a bonus boss in ''Darkstalkers 3/Vampire Savior''.

** The members of the Black Heron Corpse Investigation Team (BHCIT for short) are based on the [[Manga/TheKurosagiCorpseDeliveryService Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service team]]. Collectively, they are both teams of five university students who have the black heron as their call-sign, are regarded as creepy and eccentric weirdos who aren't used to them or their line of work, behave in a cynical, sarcastic, and morbid manner, and are very opportunistic and greedy because of [[PerpetualPoverty their floundering businesses and generally poor financial situations]]. They even rely on a former homicide detective-turned-social services agent for expenses and dead "clients" in return for doing odd jobs for him. However, they are also both compassionate people who are very unwilling to turn down a dead and living person in need, even at the cost of earning more money for themselves. For bonus points, their team names are heavily similar, with "Kurosagi" meaning "black heron" in Japanese. However, what would make them different from their character inspirations is that after they became Alicorn demigods, their nastier personality traits would [[RealityEnsues actually be taken into account]] and curbed by more experienced deities in the Shinseina pantheon, as they want the Black Heron group to become benevolent and proper deities by doing away with unsavory behaviors that would eventually spell not only their doom, but Equus's doom as well.

** Crystal Prism/Page Wheel and his neighbor/wing-pal/filly-friend, Midnight Bell, are respectively based on Peter and Mary from ''Anime/MaryAndTheWitchsFlower'', except they serve as a case of RealityEnsues that deconstructs various things in the movie, such as how Peter would react to being experimented on and turned into a magic-eating monster, how Mary would feel knowing she endangered another person with her lies, and how each of them would try to cope with everything that has happened after returning to normal life.

** Another theme is that while Equus is ultimately a hopeful and fantastical world, not even the gods can escape [[RealityEnsues the natural and inevitable consequences of certain actions and events that are usually brought by their own doing]], however people wishes it was not to be. And more often then not, the world would instantly or eventually catch up, with outcomes ranging from the hilarious and heartwarming to the harrowing and horrific.

** While still fundamentally optimistic, Codex Equus does not shy away from dark stories and themes not seen or explored in detail in the [[Franchise/MyLittlePony canon series]]. Several entries explicitly detail racism, wars, tyranny and genocide, as well as explore themes of hatred, vengeance and trauma on individual and collective levels, with hefty doses of RealityEnsues and problems that have no easy solutions and cannot be fixed via ThePowerOfFriendship.

* DeviousDolphins: UpToEleven. Unlike popular portrayals, Dolphinkind of Equus - or at least some of them - are closer to marine equivalent of ''TheFairFolk'' in how they behave than the cute and playful critters usually portrayed in fiction, which is actually closer to [[TruthInTelevision what they are like in real life]]. Adagio Dazzle, an Oceanaiad, [[https://www.deviantart.com/comments/1/873725947/4909143206 outright mocked]] both Humans' and Ponies' perception of Dolphins are friendly creatures and told the Rainbooms/interviewers of the Codex project under no uncertain terms that, [[UnreliableNarrator at least from the Sirens/Dazzlings' personal experiences]], the Dolphins they know are capricious, sadistic and murderous sociopaths [[BlueAndOrangeMorality who might help you on a whim one day and then kidnap, torture and kill you the day afterwards]].

** Prince Healing Song is a blind Alicorn who lost his sight as a baby; he got infected with retinoblastoma, a rare ocular cancer, and doctors had to [[EyeScream surgically remove his eyes]] to prevent spreading. When he Ascended to godhood on his deathbed, he was still blind. [[HandicappedBadass He managed to get around this thanks to his mentor]].