History JustForFun / PoniesWithPikes

For example, there was the return of the exiled Princess Luna in 2009, during she not only managed to overpower Celestia and crash a reception intended for her, but afterwards also managed to [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony evade arrest by the Guard almost single-hoovedly]]. Later, the Royal Guard got involved in the so-called "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E22ABirdInTheHoof Phoenix-gate]]", "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime Archive-gate]]' and [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls Portal-gate]] [[ScandalGate scandals]], which sparked a debate that [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy drew the overall competence of the Guard into question]].

For example, there was the return of the exiled Princess Luna in 2009, during she not only managed to overpower Celestia and crash a reception intended for her, but afterwards also managed to [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony evade arrest by the Guard almost single-hoovedly]]. Later, the Royal Guard got involved in the so-called "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E22ABirdInTheHoof Phoenix-gate]]" and "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime Archive-gate]]' scandals, which sparked a debate that [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy drew the overall competence of the Guard into question]].

Next to such minor slip-ups there were also a ton of [[EpicFail much more massive slip-ups]], such as the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart22012 Siege of Canterlot]], if it could even be called a 'siege'; despite the Royal Guard being put on full alert, they were overrun by a small army of [[TheFairFolk Changelings]] in a fight that lasted [[CurbStompBattle less the 45 minutes]]. While this incident did pretty much [[TropeCodifier codify]] the bad reputation of the Guard, it was a bunch of minor factors such as bad strategic foresight, undersupplied troops, a certain preoccupation the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 Royal Wedding]] and the fact that the commanding officer was [[MindControl under the attackers' spell]] that culminated in the easy defeat that it was.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed, with many claiming the training regime is wholly ineffective. Furthermore, they question why they even had the wedding during such a chaotic time, and how the capital of the country of all places could let their soldiers be under-supplied when they knew something was up. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

* EstrogenBrigade: While it may or may not be the case nowadays, it has certainly become an active part of their image. Recruits with deep, baritone voices and prominent muscles are still favoured.

The Royal Guard boasts more than 45,000 personnel, 30,000 of them active and 15,000 as reserves, and includes members of all of the three major Pony races (Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi), but admissions from minorities, including gryphons and donkeys, are generally accepted. Thus, the Royal Guard makes up a typical 0.5% of Equestria's entire population, and that doesn't even include the various militias and foreign mercenaries that have fought alongside the them from time to time. Its current Commanders-In-Chief are Her Royal Highnesses Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, in a unique case of dual command.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed, going so far as to make accusations that the training regime is wholly ineffective. Furthermore, they question why they even had the wedding during such a chaotic time, and how the capital of the country of all places could let their soldiers be under-supplied when they knew something was up. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective. Furthermore, they question why they even had the wedding during such a chaotic time, and how the capital of the country of all places could let their soldiers be under-supplied when they knew something was up. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece. Furthermore, they question why they even had the wedding during such a dangerous time, and how the capital of the country of all places could let their soldiers be under-supplied especially considering they knew something was up.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece. Furthermore, they question why they even had the wedding during such a dangerous time, and how the capital of the country of all places could let their soldiers be under-supplied.

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective. Some go so far as to accuse the Captain of the Guard of only getting his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

* GlassCannon: The general consensus on many Pegasus and Unicorn brigades. The former are perfect targets and traditionally [[FragileSpeedster lightly armoured]] to make flying less of a chore. With the latter ones it's usually [[SubvertedTrope subverted]], as, unless they are actual [[SquishyWizard wizards]], they tend to do (and specialise on) a lot of defensive magic in the form of pioneer and defense expert companies. For one famous example may be none other than former Shield Casting Specialist [[YouAreInCommandNow Prince Shining Armour]].

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: In remote places where the Guard is not stationed, its duties are mostly done by militia ponies. They do their work pro bono, and are not officially designated as militia by Canterlot, but have oftentimes proven to be capable defenders against surprising odds. As proven by the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel Appleloosa Militia]] in 2009.

!!Muffin-Munching Surrender Ponies?

However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective and that the Captain of the Guard only got his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

Next to such minor slip-ups there were also a ton of [[EpicFail much more massive slip-ups]], such as the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart22012 Siege of Canterlot]], if it could even be called a 'siege'; despite the Royal Guard being put on full alert, they were overrun by a small army of [[TheFairFolk Changelings]] in a fight that lasted [[CurbStompBattle less the 45 minutes]]. While this incident did pretty much [[TropeCodifier codify]] the bad reputation of the Guard, it was a bunch of minor factors such as bad strategic foresight, undersupplied troops, a certain preoccupation the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 Royal Wedding]] and the fact that the commanding officer was [[MindControl under the attackers' spell]] that culminated in the easy defeat that it was. However, cynics counter [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel how the Appleloosan militia held its own against the physically imposing buffalo]] while the Royal Guard couldn't even hold the line long enough for orders to be relayed has led to accusations that the training regime was wholly ineffective and that the Captain of the Guard only got his position as a commander as opposed to a Shield-Casting special operative because he was the fiancee of Princess Celestia's favorite niece.

Many have argued that the Guard's golden age had come to an end as Princess Celestia and Luna seemed to have decided to give it a more of a symbolic, ceremonial role rather than a seriously military one. The were tremendous budget cuts on military expenditure, the amount of Guards was heavily reduced, and new recruits were given inferior training compared to that of their senior comrades. It is not an uncommon thought that the reason behind this decline in focus can be attributed to Princess Celestia outsourcing her royal magic power, in the form of the Elements Of Harmony, to six members of the public ([[{{Nepotism}} one of whom is a Wonderbolt cadet and another one is a close relative of an important Guard commander]]) who had participated in the capture of Princess Luna, and later became known as the Royal Element Bearers. Naturally, this decision caused a lot of derision among many guardsponies, as these element bearers were allowed to wield a power equal only to that of Discord, but effectively had little to no military training whatsoever. That many of those Element Bearers had been indicted with [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E16ReadItAndWeep criminal]] [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero charges]] in the recent past and had regularly been the sources of [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E20GreenIsntYourColor scandalous headlines]] and many [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E10SecretOfMyExcess catastrophes]] on their own accord, only served to turn the knife in the wound a bit more.

* OldShame: The Siege of Canterlot is not gladly remembered by most Guardsponies, for obvious reasons.

Next to such minor slip-ups there were also a ton of [[EpicFail much more massive slip-ups]], such as the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart22012 Siege of Canterlot]], if it could even be called a 'siege'; despite the Royal Guard being put on full alert, they were overrun by a small army of [[TheFairFolk Changelings]] in a fight that lasted [[CurbStompBattle less the 45 minutes]]. While this incident did pretty much [[TropeCodifier codify]] the bad reputation of the Guard, it was a bunch of minor factors such as bad strategic foresight, undersupplied troops, a certain preoccupation the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 Royal Wedding]] and the fact that the commanding officer was [[MindControl under the attackers' spell]] that culminated in the easy defeat that it was.

The Royal Guard boasts more than 45,000 personnel, 30,000 of them active and 15,000 as reserves, and includes members of all of the three major Pony races (Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi), but admissions from minorities, including gryphons and donkeys, are generally accepted. Thus, the Royal Guard makes up a typical 0.5% of Equestria's entire population, and that doesn't even include the various militias and foreign mercenaries that have fought alongside the them from time to time. Its current Commanders-In-Chief are Her Royal Highnesses Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, in a special case of dual command.

In recent times, the Royal Guard has received a rather negative protrayal from media. They are often generalised as being incompetent, cowardly, or plain stupid. While those portrayals do the actual Guard no justice and are grossly [[{{Flanderization}} simplifying the reality]], the Royal Guard did manage to get a lot of bad press after a cavalcade of embarrassing incidents.

First, there was the return of the exiled Princess Luna in 2009, during she not only managed to overpower Celestia and crash a reception intended for her, but afterwards also managed to [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony evade arrest by the Guard almost single-hoovedly]]. Later, the Royal Guard got involved in the so-called "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E22ABirdInTheHoof Phoenix-gate]]" and "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime Archive-gate]]' scandals, which sparked a debate that [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy drew the overall competence of the Guard into question]].

Next to such minor slip-ups there were also a ton of [[EpicFail much more massive slip-ups]], such as the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart22012 Siege of Canterlot]], if it could even be called a 'siege'; despite the Royal Guard being put on full alert, they were overrun by a small army of [[TheFairFolk Changelings in a fight that lasted [[CurbStompBattle less the 45 minutes]]. While this incident did pretty much [[TropeCodifier codify]] the bad reputation of the Guard, it was a bunch of minor factors such as bad strategic foresight, undersupplied troops, a certain preoccupation the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 Royal Wedding]] and the fact that the commanding officer was [[MindControl under the attackers' spell]] that culminated in the easy defeat that it was.

Many have argued that the Guard's golden age had come to an end as Princess Celestia and Luna seemed to have decided to give it a more of a symbolic and ceremonial role rather than a seriously military one. The were tremendous budget cuts on military expenditure, the amount of Guards was heavily reduced, and new recruits were given inferior training compared to that of their senior comrades. It is not an uncommon thought that the reason behind this decline in focus can be attributed to Princess Celestia outsourcing the royal magic power, in the form of the Elements Of Harmony, to six members of the public ([[{{Nepotism}} one of whom is a Wonderbolt cadet and another one is a close relative of an important Guard commander]]) who later became known as the Royal Element Bearers. Naturally, this decision caused a lot of derision among many guardsponies, as these element bearers were allowed to wield a power equal only to that of Discord, but effectively had little to no military training whatsoever. That many of those Element Bearers had been indicted with [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E16ReadItAndWeep criminal]] [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero charges]] and had regularly been the sources of [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E20GreenIsntYourColor scandalous headlines]] and many [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E10SecretOfMyExcess catastrophes]] on their own accord, did not help the matter.

Historically, the Guard can directly trace its roots back all the way to the Pegasus Tribes of the Pre-Discordian Era. As the Earth Pony tribes were mainly a culture of farmers and workers, and the unicorns generally paid the other races for protection, the militaristic and war-like Pegasi were quick to become ''the'' dominant military power of their time. They gained both historical fame and infamy for their attempts to lay sole claim to the weather in the Equestrian skies, trying to expand their borders, stirring up trouble with neighbouring tribes, and their rather legendary [[FantasticRacism racism]] against their earth-bound contemporaries. One of the most infamous Pegasus chieftains was [[TheGeneralissimo Commander Hurricane]], who ironically went on to become a member of the founding trifecta of the modern Equestrian nation in 251 bd[[hottip:*:Before Discord]], as featured in the award-winning 2012 play ''The Three Tribes''.

It was only after Discord’s defeat at the horns of Celestia of the Sun and Luna of the Moon that the Pegasus warrior culture recovered from being nearly swept away by the Discordian influence. After their coronation as the Princesses of Equestria in 1 ad[[hottip:*:After Discord]], Celestia and Luna recognised the potential of the Pegasus legacy, and began recruiting male Pegasi into PraetorianGuard to defend the young Equestrian royal court from competing forces. In the years following its formation, the aptly named Royal Guard became a fully fledged army, originally split into two branches in 690 ad – the Celestian Guard, commanded by Princess Celestia, and the Night Guard, led by Princess Luna. For the sake of balancing the power between the two, each army took turns acting as the national defence force alongside their commander every sunrise and sunset.

Needless to say, this overly complicated system lasted only as long as the good relationship between the two sisters. When Princess Luna began demanding the right to her sister’s throne in 1007 ad, her branch of the Royal Guard declared allegiance to her cause. With their aid, Luna rose up against Celestia, and the country was soon plunged into a fully fledged civil war, with Royal Guards fighting Royal Guards in the streets of small provincial city of Canterlot.

While Princess Celestia managed to summon the Elements of Harmony to defeat and ban her sister from Equestria in 1009, the Night Guard was defeated in battle with a year, surrounded and forced to capitulate by the Celestian Guard. Even though all its members were pardoned by Princess Celestia, TheRemnant of the Night Guard was dissolved or integrated into the ranks of the Celestians soon after. It was at that time that the terms “Royal Guard” and “Celestian Guard” became synonymous, as Princess Celestia took control of all the country’s troops under her banner. Under her thousand-year sole reign, she expanded the Guard further, splitting it yet again into two branches in 1412 ad, but differentiated by purpose rather than allegiance. In the spirit of the ancient Pegasus Warriors, the Royal Equestrian Air Force was formed as an extended hoof of the ground-based Royal Guard in 1914. This gave birth to the Wonderbolts in 1916, a legendary brigade of crack flyers who were routinely tasked with high-risk missions, and garnered nearly unprecedented pop-cultural fame, becoming a symbol of the Royal Guard's glamour for a long time.

The next major change the Royal Guard would experience was the reinstallation of the Night Guard after Princess Luna was pardoned by her sister several decades later in 2009.

No, it's the Wonderbolts. Originally an air wing of the Royal Equestrian Air Force, they soon gained fame by exceeding in dangerous and difficult situations above all other air wings. It has been a traditionally small detachment, holding seldomly more than ten ponies. They are easily distinguishable by their unconventional uniform design of blue bodysuits and goggles. Since their foundation, the Wonderbolts have been the absolute epitome of MemeticMutation in the Royal Guard, gaining so much fame that their use as a combat unit was soon overshadowed by their propaganda potential. They are regularly featured in air shows and races, and have come closer to becoming a sports team than a military unit in recent years. They even have their own InstantFanClub. In fact, their fame has enabled them to open their own aeronautical academy, where they supply military-grade training for both civilian and military pegasi bent on improving their flying skills. The current Commander-In-Chief is Group Captain Spitfire.

* AppealToForce: Commander Hurricane was very fond of this trope. She even brought a group of armed soldiers with her into the Grand Summit of the Three Tribes ([[SubvertedTrope though she still lost the argument]]).

Its current annual budget consists of 800 Million bits, which sadly makes it one of the least subsidised government investments, especially compared to the Crown's expenditures for education and welfare. Its primary goals are the protection of the Royal Family, the defence of the nation's sovereignity and borders, and to enforcethe rule of harmony in times of peril.

No, it's the Wonderbolts. Originally an air wing of the Royal Equestrian Air Force, they soon gained fame by exceeding in dangerous and difficult situations above all other air wings. It has been a traditionally small detachment, holding seldomly more than ten ponies. They are easily distinguishable by their unconventional uniform designof blue bodysuits and goggles. Since their foundation, the Wonderbolts have been the absolute epitome of MemeticMutation in the Royal Guard, gaining so much fame that their use as a combat unit was soon overshadowed by their propaganda potential. They are regularly featured in air shows and races, and have come closer to becoming a sports team than a military unit in recent years. They even have their own InstantFanClub. In fact, their fame has enabled them to open their own aeronautical academy, where they supply military-grade training for both civilian and military pegasi bent on improving their flying skills. The current Commander-In-Chief is Group Captain Spitfire.

Next to such minor slip-ups there were also a ton of [[EpicFail much more massive slip-ups]], such as the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E26ACanterlotWeddingPart22012 Siege of Canterlot]], if it could even be called a 'siege'; despite the Royal Guard being put on full alert, they were overrun by a small army of Changelings in a fight that lasted [[CurbStompBattle less the 45 minutes]]. While this incident did pretty much [[TropeCodifier codify]] the bad reputation of the Guard, it was a bunch of minor factors such as bad strategic planning, a certain preoccupation the [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E25ACanterlotWeddingPart1 Royal Wedding]] and the fact that the commanding officer was [[MindControl under the attackers' spell]] that culminated in the easy defeat that it was.

First, there was the return of the exiled Princess Luna in 2009, during she not only managed to overpower Celestia and crash a reception intended for her, but afterwards also managed to [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony evade arrest by the Guard almost single-hoovedly]]. Later, the Royal Guard got involved in the so-called "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E2ElementsOfHarmony Phoenix-gate]]" and "[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime Archive-gate]]' scandals, which sparked a debate that [[TheGuardsMustBeCrazy drew the overall competence of the Guard into question]].

!!The Royal Equestrian Guard Featured In Media

!!Tropes of the Royal Equestrian Guard

!!Tropes of the Royal Equestrian Guard

Many have argued that the Guard's golden age had come to an end as Princess Celestia and Luna seemed to have decided to give it a more of a symbolic and ceremonial role rather than a seriously military one. The were tremendous budget cuts on military expenditure, the amount of Guards was heavily reduced, and new recruits were given inferior training compared to that of their senior comrades. It is not an uncommon thought that the reason behind this decline in focus can be attributed to Princess Celestia outsourcing the royal magic power, in the form of the Elements Of Harmony, to six members of the public, who later became known as the Royal Element Bearers. Naturally, this decision caused a lot of derision among many guardsponies, as these element bearers were allowed to wield a power equal only to that of Discord, but had effectively no military training whatsoever. That many of those Element Bearers had been indicted with [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E16ReadItAndWeep criminal]] [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero charges]] and had regularly been the sources of [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E20GreenIsntYourColor scandalous headlines]] and many [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E10SecretOfMyExcess catastrophes]] on their own accord, did not help the matter.