Characters / Codex Equus Bossa Nova Heartstrings

Here is a list of tropes sorted under Bossa Nova Heartstrings, now King Rubeus Stella Equestria-Corporatum.

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Bossa Nova Heartstrings, the Laughing Musician/King Rubeus Stella Equestria-Corporatum, the Sovereign of Empathy

Classification: Ethereal/Ascendant, Evolved

Portfolio (Old): Death, Music, Joy

Portfolio (New): Death, Musical Magic, Empathy, Understanding, Mana

Rank: Divine (Tier IV/Greater; resembles a "Titan"-ranked deity)

Affiliation: Corporatum Pantheon (main), Equestrian Pantheon, Trimortidae

"I know Death can be scary for everyone, but in reality, it is no different than the changes we face everyday. The first step to realizing this is learning when to let go... and learning when to laugh." (as Bossa Nova Heartstrings)

"Music does more than make us happy. It opens up our hearts n' minds an' allow us ta feel. Ta understand each other. That is the true power of music." (as King Rubeus Stella Equestria-Corporatum)

King Rubeus Stella Equestria, born Bossa Nova Heartstrings (his entries here and here), is the Alicorn god of Death, Musical Magic, Empathy, Understanding, and Mana, and is the older identical twin brother of Blue Suede Heartstrings, now King Caerulus Melodia Equestria-Corporatum.

Like Blue, Bossa Nova was "born" during the Second Age in southern Ponyland to Copper Wheel Heartstrings and his wife, Sunny Love. Copper Wheel and Sunny were very poor and expected to have only one child, but they didn't expect Sunny becoming pregnant with identical twins. Bossa Nova was born first, but tragically, he was stillborn; his younger brother, Blue, survived.[WIP]

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# — B

• Abstract Apotheosis: This happens to him twice.
  • He Ascends to godhood as the Alicorn god of Death, Music, and Joy after doing a number of good deeds, having come to realize he shouldn't obsess over what could've been to the point of neglecting his duties and adoptive family. His entries have noted that Blue Suede was there when it happened, returning the favor for him witnessing his own Ascension previously.
  • During the "Dark Ages Crisis", both he and Blue Suede re-Ascend as reincarnation "aspects" of Mana Equus by realizing how people are like "songs" shaped by their experiences in both life and death. In Bossa Nova's case, he re-Ascended as the Alicorn god of Death, Musical Magic, Empathy, Understanding, and Mana. According to him, re-Ascending gave both him and Blue Suede helped them defeat and kill War Rock after he stole the godhood of one of Blue Suede's friends.
• The Ace: Much like Blue Suede, he, too, is a "prodigy deity", except he specializes in combat. While he is skilled in scythe combat, he is actually extremely talented in multiple forms of combat beyond what the Three Deaths taught him, even though he isn't a war veteran like Blue Suede is. This is helped by his skill in handling and repairing weapons of all kinds. He is also good at wielding combat magic, which revolves around status buffs/debuffs, enhancement, and using the same spells Blue Suede has either to make his attacks stronger or in conjunction with his attacks. Sadly, it's deconstructed as like his twin brother, he is incredibly flawed — specifically, while good-intentioned, his impulsiveness and desire to live the life he could've had massively contributed to Blue Suede's own psychological issues, leading to the latter's near-corruption. It took being called out by both Blue Suede and Nittunak for him to realize how badly he screwed up and start working on atoning for his actions. Once he does, he ends up becoming a better person than before, even joining Blue Suede in reincarnating as "aspects" of a dead, ancient goddess of Magic.
• Affectionate Gesture to the Head: When Glittering Coin's spirit worries over not being able to have fun or make friends in the Heaven-Realms, his response is to put a hoof on the filly's head and assure her that she will, if she decides to let go of the mortal plane and move on.
• Affectionate Nickname: He's often called "Boss" by his (many) younger adoptive siblings, who look up to him.
• Always Identical Twins: He and his younger brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, are identical twins and thus look exactly the same, save for their respective colors and Cutie Marks — Bossa Nova is associated with dark red and has a Cutie Mark depicting a skull-shaped guitar, while Blue Suede is associated with dark blue and has a Cutie Mark depicting a heart-shaped guitar. Following their re-Ascensions as reincarnation "aspects" as Mana Equus, they gained traits of the extinct Eohippus race like toed hooves, stripes, and a Zebra-like tail, though their colors remained different. Their Cutie Marks also turned into six-pointed star-shaped guitars, except Bossa Nova's is red while Blue Suede's is... blue. Their extreme physical similarities caused Temnobog to assume that they were magically separated in the womb by their own father until they confiremd that no, they were just born that way.
• And Then What?: He admits that he didn't know what to do after he fulfilled his goal of finding and connecting with his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, which fueled his resentment of the latter. This led to an argument that led to him realizing how his obsession with what could've been caused him to neglect both his Psychopomp duties and his adoptive family. It turns out to be invoked; Gavisus Manes wanted him to learn this, which is why he was allowed to find Blue Suede in the first place. With Blue Suede's encouragement, he goes back to his adoptive family and apologizes to them.
• And This Is for...: After War Rock's first death, he confronted the former's deceased soul and, upon being mistaken for Blue Suede, fires back that no, he's Blue Suede's twin, and he'll be dragging War Rock's soul down to hell to avenge the harm Blue Suede suffered at War Rock's hooves.
  War Rock: Blue Suede?!
  Bossa Nova Heartstrings: No, Ah'm 'is twin! An' this... IS FER BLUE!
  War Rock: NOOOOO-!
• Anthropomorphic Personification: He's an Alicorn god who, prior to his re-Ascension, embodied Death, Music, and Joy. After his re-Ascension, he embodies Death, Musical Magic, Empathy, Understanding, and Mana.
• Atomic F-Bomb: This was his response to hearing that Professor Bubbling Beaker used the Trimortidae as one of his inspirations for his horrible Ascension-related experiments.
  Bossa Nova Heartstrings: That SONUVA-BITCH!!!
• Back from the Dead: Initially subverted; he was a stillbirth, and while he later Ascended as a Death god, he was still technically dead as he was bound to the afterlife-realms he helped look after. This initially gave him a lot of grief as he discovered he had a twin brother he could've grown up with had he not died so young. Then it's double-subverted once he finally gets his wish by re-Ascending as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, which returned him back to life despite remaining a Death god. Due to being alive for real, he has a lot more freedom compared to non-resurrected Death deities, allowing him to work with Blue Suede more often.
• Badass Teacher: Like Blue Suede, he taught his own fair share of students over the course of his life. He is also a powerful, ancient Death god and a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus; while not a musical prodigy like his brother, he is still a prodigy in that he specializes in various forms of physical combat as well as combat magic.
• Baritone of Strength: His first entry describes his voice as being deep like Blue Suede's, but with a fainter Southron Ponyland accent. He's also an ancient Alicorn god, a skilled musician, and a prodigy who specializes in combat. Then like Blue Suede, he re-Ascends as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, making him even more powerful.
• Batman Gambit: He was both on the receiving and giving ends.
  • After Bossa Nova's obsession with what could've been leads to him endangering Blue Suede's life while neglecting his own duties as a Reaper, he is suddenly allowed to leave and reunite with Blue Suede by a sympathetic Gavisus Manes. Turns out part of the reason was to teach Bossa Nova a lesson — sure enough, Bossa Nova does find Blue Suede, but then starts resenting his twin brother for having at least something to look forward to while he doesn't, leading to a heated argument between the two. Bossa Nova soon realizes the point Gavisus Manes was trying to make and breaks down in guilt over what he had done, and later apologizes to his adoptive family with Blue Suede's encouragement.
  • Bossa Nova would later pull one to help the soul of an elderly mare overcome her Mortality Phobia. To convince her there's nothing scary about Death, he plays possum by appearing as an injured stallion (thus appealing to the elderly mare's sense of empathy), and forming a friendship with her as he "recovers". The elderly mare eventually figures out the ruse and freaks out, but Bossa Nova calms her down by requesting her to take his hoof, which she does. Nothing happens, thus disproving the elderly mare's initial views of death and finally allowing her to move on.
• Beauty Equals Goodness: He is described as being incredibly handsome like his younger brother, Blue Suede, and while he is a very flawed stallion, he's still a benevolent and compassionate Death god who helps his adoptive family comfort both the dying and newly-deceased. Following a series of events and epiphanies, he became more empathetic towards his fellow creature, eventually becoming a divine therapist and gaining the domain of Empathy when he re-Ascended as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus.
• Be Careful What You Wish For: He obsessed over the possibility of what if he didn't die from stillbirth, and desired to connect with his younger twin brother, Blue Suede, to the point of becoming a Knight Templar Big Brother. Gavisus Manes, his adoptive father, eventually grants his wish and allows him to meet Blue Suede... after which he starts resenting his twin brother for having more to look forward to while he himself is left clueless on what to do once his goal is fulfilled. Cue argument and him realizing that he was neglecting both his Psychopomp duties and his own adoptive family. With Blue Suede's encouragement, he goes back and apologizes to his adoptive family.
• Benevolent Mage Ruler: While not The Archmage like Blue Suede is, he is nonetheless talented in his own way as he is a prodigy in both physical combat and combat magic, with much of his spells revolving around status buffing/debuffing and weaponry enhancement. Becoming a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus enhanced his power drastically. Now he co-rules the Corporatum Pantheon alongside his brother and is doing pretty well, though like Blue Suede, he feels he doesn't deserve his position and wonders if he's doing a good job at being King.
• Beware the Nice Ones: While more cheerful and impish compared to Blue Suede, he is a friendly and empathetic soul who wants to help alleviate people's suffering, including their fear of death. Following the reemergence of magic in the Second Age, he helped clear up many misconceptions of death and comforted those who were terrified over dying one day. After becoming more mature, he starts using music as a form of therapy to help people overcome their traumas and mental disorders, or at least control them better, believing that music's true power lies in developing empathy for others. That being said, he shares Blue Suede's hatred for Fantastic Racism, and after becoming more mature, he starts despising corrupt managers and people who demean others for being flawed out of self-righteousness. He's also an ancient and powerful Death god, and this is emphasized by his present status as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, which boosts his power quite drastically. And woe betide you if you harm Blue Suede in any way.
• Beware the Silly Ones: While charismatic and friendly like Blue Suede, he also has an impish sense of humor and a penchant for pranking people, even though he did mellow out significantly. However, he shares Blue Suede's hatred for Fantastic Racism, and after becoming more mature, he starts despising corrupt managers and people who demean others for being flawed out of self-righteousness. He's also an ancient and powerful Death god, and this is emphasized by his present status as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, which boosts his power quite drastically. And woe betide you if you harm Blue Suede in any way.
• Big Brother Instinct: While marginally older than Blue Suede due to being identical twins, Bossa Nova is very protective of Blue Suede and will do anything to ensure the latter's safety. This feeling is deepened by their spiritual bond. However, it's deconstructed — Bossa Nova's good intentions were ruined by impulsiveness that was in turn compounded by his precognitive visions, which made Blue Suede's mortal life hellish. Later, his attempts to keep himself out of his brother's life out of guilt only worsened Blue Suede's deep-rooted psychological issues, leading to his near-coruption. Understandably, Blue Suede resented Bossa Nova for it for thousands of years, and when it came out, he brutally chews him out for screwing up his life. It's after being skunked by Nittunak that Bossa Nova finally realizes how much he hurt his brother, and worked hard to atone for his past actions. In the process, he matures quite a lot, and Blue Suede eventually forgives him.

C — E

• Celibate Hero: Justified; he's both aromantic and asexual, having had trouble maintaining past romantic relationships and bearing little interest in sex. This made him a contrast to his younger twin, Blue Suede, who romanced multiple partners and sired children biologically with them. At first, discovering his romantic/sexual preferences made him very insecure as he's both handsome and Blue Suede's splitting image in all but hair color and Cutie Mark, but Blue Suede was very supportive and helped him through it. On the other hand, his orientation led to him becoming closer to fellow aromantics and/or asexuals like Prince Shamrock Bloom and Moon Ray Vaughoof, as well as befriending Princess Daphné Odora Moufette.
• Color Motif: His appearance is heavily associated with red, which represents passion, confidence, and energy. In contrast to his twin brother, Blue Suede, he is more cheerful, excitable, and mischievous, and has a penchant for pranking people. However, he is also more emotional, hot-tempered, and prone to impulsiveness, which has brought serious consequences for both himself and others, especially Blue Suede. The color contrast he shares with Blue Suede is further emphasized when, after re-Ascending as a Reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, he gains red-colored Eohippus traits, while his original Cutie Mark changes to a six-pointed star guitar Cutie Mark that's almost the same as Blue Suede's, except his is red.
• Combat Clairvoyance: As a god of Empathy, he can predict incoming attacks to a degree by sensing his opponents' emotions and intents.
• Comfort the Dying: Like his adoptive father and siblings, he comforts the deceased and dying by spreading joy, which he came to embody after Ascending to godhood. His most favorite way to do this through music, which generally helps calm his listener(s)' anxieties and ensures a peaceful death. If someone's too jittery and/or worried to relax, then he'll play a wild, upbeat song so they can enjoy themselves and die happy... or too happy to notice that they've already died. Usually they end up realizing that being in the afterlife is no different than living in the mortal planes by this point.
• Cool Big Bro:
  • Many of Bossa Nova's younger adoptive siblings on Gavisus' side of the family look up to him and call him "Boss", implying that he treats them well. While he did neglect them for a time in favor of meeting and connecting with Blue Suede, his younger twin brother, Bossa Nova eventually realized the error of his ways and apologized to them, vowing never to neglect his adoptive family again.
  • This is deconstructed and played for drama in his relationship with Blue Suede himself. Bossa Nova genuinely loves him, and will do absolutely anything to protect him and keep him happy, but being stillborn prevented him from truly connecting to Blue Suede. This, combined with their spiritual bond and his dark precognitive visions, made him very impulsive to the point of making Blue Suede's early life worse every time he tries to help him, whether in dealing with an abusive manager, or coping with their biological parents' deaths. While he realizes his mistake, Bossa Nova's choice to not interfere in Blue Suede's life was equally bad, as without help, Blue Suede's psychological issues worsened until they boiled over and nearly corrupted him. Understandably, this led to Blue Suede hating him with a passion and calling him out for ruining his life. Getting skunked by Nittunak finally makes Bossa Nova realize how much he screwed up with his brother, and he becomes The Atoner to make amends with Blue Suede, eventually restoring the latter's trust and earning his forgiveness.
• Cynicism Catalyst: Defied. Initially, he was badly affected by his stillbirth and wanted to connect with his younger twin brother — and by extension, the life he could've had if he hadn't died so young. However, thanks to his adoptive father's Batman Gambit, he realizes he was wrong to obsess over what could've been and lets it go. After Ascending as a Death god, he teaches people the same lesson — that all things eventually die and it's useless to cling to the past — and helps people, both living and dead, overcome their trauma regarding death.
• Dark Is Not Evil:
  • In Bossa Nova's eyes, Death itself is this. Though scary, Death is ultimately an important part of life that gets rid of old things to make room for new life. Even harmful abstract concepts like personality traits and habits "die" so people can develop healthier ones. Clinging to the past and refusing to move on is akin to a person stinking up their house by letting garbage pile up. Following the reemergence of magic in the Second Age, he spent much of said Age clearing up any misconceptions regarding death and comforting those who were afraid of dying one day.
  • This also applies to Bossa Nova himself. Despite being a Death god, he takes after his adoptive father, Gavisus Manes, in being a joyful, yet compassionate and gentle musician who comforts the deceased and dying. Even Bossa Nova's choice of wearing a black leather jacket in his mortal Unicorn form is just his way of making the dying trust him more easily. After maturing significantly, he gains more empathy for both the dead and living to the point of using musical therapy to help them overcome their traumas, since in his eyes, music's true power lies in developing empathy and understanding.
• Deity of Human Origin: He was once the spirit of a stillborn Unicorn foal who was supposed to be the older of identical twins, but instead "grew up" under the care of his adoptive father, Gavisus Manes. After letting go of his obsessions with what could've been, he proceeded to do many good deeds that eventually led to him Ascending as a Death god. Three Ages later, during the "Dark Ages Crisis", he re-Ascends alongside Blue Suede as a reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, changing his original portfolio and making him more powerful than he was before.
• Delinquent Hair: Like Blue, he also sports a pompadour while taking the form of a mortal unicorn stallion, though it's subverted in that he's not a delinquent. At worst, he can be stubborn, impulsive, hotheaded, and mischievous, but he's also a joyful, charismatic, compassionate, and gentle person who wants to comfort the dead/dying and bring joy to them.
• Determinator: In his early postmortem life, he was willing to do anything to connect with Blue Suede, the twin brother he could've grown up with had he not died in stillbirth. This ends up being deconstructed — because he was so obsessed with what could've been, his attempts to help Blue Suede during his lowest points ended up making his twin brother's life worse, compounded by their spiritual bond and his ability to predict bad futures. It also led to him neglecting his adoptive family and his duties as an Angel of Death. While he realized his error and reconciled with his adoptive family, his impulsive actions caused Blue Suede to secretly hate him for making his early life hell... and kicked off a series of events that eventually led to Blue Suede's breakdown and near-corruption. It took being skunked and chewed out by Nittunak for him to realize what he had done to Blue Suede and make amends for his past actions.
• Didn't Think This Through: Deconstructed. One of his flaws is that he can be impulsive and short-sighted, ensuring that even his good intentions can backfire because he didn't plan things out very well. Notably, his attempt to help Blue recover from his parents' deaths by subtly directing him to unicorn DJ, Record Beat, backfired because he was unaware that same-sex relationships were greatly frowned upon in the early Second Age. Blue did get the emotional support he needed and he even ended up marrying Record Beat, but he also became the target of public disgust for falling in love with a stallion. Blue's record manager at the time, "Colonel" Hollow Note, also used his relationship as blackmail to control him.
• The Dividual: He and his younger brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, were mistaken by Temnobog to be a "Twindividual" example. Because Bossa Nova and Blue are identical twins, Temnobog assumes that their father created them when his selfish attempt to create a perfect and flawless son backfired, much like what High King Irminsul had done to his own son eons ago. Learning this was not the case left Temnobog extremely relieved, leaving Bossa Nova and Blue understandably confused... then horrified and disgusted when they learned the truth behind Temnobog's assumptions.
  Temnobog: Another set of identical divine twins, hmm? Tell me... did your father try to purify you in the womb, too, so he could have a son and heir who is completely benevolent and without flaws?
  Bossa Nova Heartstrings: Uh... no?
  Temnobog: Huh. I could have sworn that was the case...
  Blue Suede Heartstrings: No, sir, we were born this way. I grew up with our Pa in Ponyland, though Bossa here grew up with Gavisus in Heaven. It's a long story... but our Pas still loved us all the same.
  Temnobog: Ah. Then you two must be extremely fortunate.
  Bossa Nova Heartstrings: What do you mean, Dark One?
  Temnobog: That... is also a long story...
• Do Not Call Me "Paul": Downplayed. His entry notes that he's somewhat embarrassed by the name his birth parents gave him, but he tries not to let it get to him.
• Don't Fear the Reaper: Despite being an ex-psychopomp who later became a Death god, Bossa Nova is a joyful, charismatic, and mischievous person who likes playing music and pulling practical jokes on people, but is also really compassionate and gentle to both the dead and the dying. His perception of Death as a normal, everyday change rather than a malicious concept is what keeps him from becoming bitter and cynical towards everything as both divines and demi-divines tend to do, and is a major reason why he's very sympathetic to those who have a hard time accepting their deaths or fear the idea of dying one day, especially children and the elderly.
  • His entry notes that whenever he meets a dying person, he'll play a lullaby and/or a generally relaxing song that'll calm their anxieties and ensure a peaceful death. However, if the person's too jittery and worried to be relaxed, then he'll play a wild, upbeat song so they can have the time of their lives and end up dying happy... or end up being too happy to notice that they're dead until they find themselves in the afterlife. At this point, though, they usually end up realizing that being in the afterlife is no different than living in the mortal planes, so they'll just continue enjoying themselves.
  • One incident had Bossa Nova invoke this in order to deal with the soul of a fearful elderly mare, who holed herself up in her house and refused to move on because she feared dying. To convince her, he tricked her into letting him "recover" in her house by appearing as an injured stallion, and struck a friendship with her to get her to trust him. When she later figures out who he is and is both angry and frightened over being tricked, he calms her down until she is finally placated enough to take his hoof when he requests her to. Nothing happens, revealing that the elderly mare actually feared not Death, but what might come after.
    Bossa Nova Heartstrings: ...You see? No shock... no engulfment... no tearing asunder. What you feared would come like an explosion is like a whisper. What you thought was the end is the beginning.
  • His entry also notes that his experiences with Death and helping people deal with it means that he has often helped his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, grieve whenever a loved one dies, including Blue's romantic partners, due to both of them being Alicorns. When Blue's first coltfriend and husband, Record Beat, eventually died of old age, he personally delivered the unicorn stallion to the afterlife himself as a reward for taking such good care of his brother.
• Easily Forgiven: Downplayed and justified. Although Blue was mad at him for manipulating his life (and even admitted it), he forgave Bossa Nova because he acknowledged that if his brother hadn't interfered at all, he still would've been stuck under "Colonel" Hollow Note's hooves all those years ago, unable to get out.
• Elvis Lives: Subverted. He's based on Jesse Garon Presley, the stillborn older identical twin brother of Elvis Presley, so like his real-life counterpart, Bossa Nova came out stillborn while his younger brother, Blue Suede, survived. However, unlike Jesse Presley, he's raised by a Death god, allowing him to 'grow up' and play a more active role in his brother's life, which kicks off a series of events that leads to both of them Ascending to godhood. That being said, Bossa Nova becoming a Death god means that his very nature ties him to the Heaven/Hell-Realms he now watches over, so in a way he's still 'dead', though it still doesn't stop him from being active in the mortal planes, especially if it means protecting his little brother from harm.
• Emotion Bomb: His entry notes that he can use his psychic empathy to punish those who willingly rob people of their joy. Sola Mors' entry mentions that he can also curse people to feel the suffering they've inflicted on their victims indefinitely until they've genuinely repented, such as the bullies and teachers who drove a despairing Sola to kill herself in her mortal life. He would later teach this ability to Sola, presumably after she Ascended.
• The Empath: Due to embodying Joy, he has empathic powers that allow him to detect feelings of joy and project an empathic aura that fills people with joy and happiness. While he normally uses his empathy to help bring comfort to those who are dying, his joy-based empathy makes him a powerful person when facing entities that thrive solely on negative emotions, as said entities can be weakened and/or killed by positive emotions. Naturally, given his domain, he often gravitates to those who spread joy. He can also "emotion-bomb" those who willingly rob people of their joy as punishment for their actions, and also curse them to feel their victims' suffering indefinitely unless they genuinely repented.

F — I

• Family Theme Naming: Like his younger twin brother, he's named after an Elvis Presley song - in his case, he's named after the song "Bossa Nova Baby". On the other hand, he's named after a musical genre like his brother - whereas Blue is named after Blues music, he's named after Bossa Nova, a style of Brazilian music that combines samba with jazz.
• Fantastic Racism: Defied and averted. Like Blue, he has an incredibly low tolerance of tribalism/racism, and sees those who become hateful bigots as bullies who rob people of their ability to feel joy just for existing. However, he believes that they potentially can be redeemed of their ways.
• Fiery Redhead: He has a dark red mane and tail to contrast his younger brother, who has a dark blue mane and tail, and he's noted to be more emotional and hot-tempered than Blue, who usually displays Tranquil Fury when angered. However, it's subverted in that he displays an extremely cold rage when he's really pissed off.
• A Form You Are Comfortable With: While he has appeared in various mortal forms thanks to his Death domain, his most preferred one is that of a mortal unicorn stallion who dresses up like a Greaser, with a pompadour and a black leather jacket.
• Freudian Excuse:
  • He was initially obsessed with connecting with Blue, his younger twin brother, because he wanted to be with the family he could've grown up with had he not died prematurely, and felt insecure over whether he was truly wanted or not. Though his reasons are sympathetic, it's deconstructed as his actions resulted in Blue suffering a brutal Trauma Conga Line that led to a brief lapse into uncontrollable rage, and got himself in trouble with Gavisus and his family for neglecting his duties. And once he finally got to meet and know Blue, he found he had nothing else to look forward to after that, leading to him resenting his brother. Blue confronting him about the subject made him realize just how badly he screwed up with everyone, so he went back to apologize to his adoptive family once Blue forgave and encouraged him to make amends, and swore never to neglect his duties again.
  • His current perception of Death ultimately stems from his experiences mentioned in the above point. After seeing how his obsession with Blue nearly destroyed his relationship with his adoptive family, he learned to let go and see Death as a beneficial concept that helps people "throw away" old things like certain personality traits, roles, habits, and traditions. Obsessively clinging to them is like a person stinking up their house by letting garbage pile up. This gives him the experience needed to help Blue deal with his own grief whenever someone close to him dies, such as his partners and children.
• Friend to All Children: Like Gavisus, his adoptive father, he is one. His entry notes that he is incredibly sympathetic to children in general because they tend to be the most emotionally vulnerable when they die, or have a hard time accepting that they might die one day. His fondness of children also extends to his younger adoptive siblings, many of whom are spirits of deceased foals and babies, and as a result they love him in return.
  • This trope is what factored into his anger towards Trench Bull and his willingness to help Terran Princes Crimson Star and Night Shade arrest her, as Trench Bull sadistically abused and tormented the students of her boarding school for years, including imprisoning them in "the Chokey" for hours on end. Later, both he and Sola Mors were seen at the boarding school playing with the abused students, and cheering them up with music and theater. It's also implied that he wanted to punish Trench Bull himself, as Emperor Golden Scepter mentions to the Four Terrors that one of Malus Manes' adoptive nephews, the twin brother of "that travelling musician" Golden Scepter's adoptive granddaughter, Mercy, became a huge fan of, had visited the Terran Empire with a request to take Trench Bull's soul under his jurisdiction should she die.
  • He also empathized with Glittering Coin, a young Earth pony filly, for being robbed of a proper chance to live by uncontrollable circumstances like he was. After he and his adoptive cousin, Blue Goldstone, found Glittering Coin crying on the day she was to be exorcised from her unicorn body, Bossa Nova talked to her to help her overcome her fears of Death, and took Glittering Coin to see her idol, Rarity, so she could fully understand what her parents did for her sake was wrong. After Glittering Coin chose to let herself be exorcised to let the original owner of her unicorn body live, Bossa Nova personally ushered her into one of Gavisus Manes' Heaven-Realms as a reward.
• Gentle Giant: Like Blue, his true form is a tall and handsome Alicorn god, only being dwarfed by older Alicorns such as Luminiferous and Golden Scepter, the oldest members of the Church of the Stars. He's also a joyful, optimistic, compassionate, and gentle (if a bit mischievous) stallion who likes bringing joy and comfort to the dead/dying, and is sympathetic towards those who have a hard time accepting their deaths and/or fear dying one day. And like Blue, provoking his wrath is also ill-advised.
• God in Human Form: Justified. Like Blue, he has often appeared in various mortal forms, with his preferred form being a mortal unicorn stallion. This is so as a Death god, he could make it easier for the dying to accept and trust him more during their last moments.
• Good Wings, Evil Wings: He has dual-colored wings, his feathers bearing a magical gradient that goes from yellow-orange to dark red. Due to the nature of how divines grow in Equus, especially Alicorns, his possession of a wing gradient is a sign of his age and incredible power.
• Greaser Delinquents: Subverted. Like Blue, he appears as a Greaser whenever he takes the form of a mortal unicorn stallion, wearing a black leather jacket and styling his mane into a pompadour. However, he's an Alicorn god of Death, and being raised by Gavisus influenced him to become as cheerful and benevolent as his adoptive father. His entry also notes that despite his divinity, he generally prefers to look more casual so the deceased and dying could accept and trust him more.
• The Grim Reaper: Pre-Ascension, he worked as a Psychopomp, assisting his father Gavisus Manes in comforting the dying and ushering the souls of the deceased into the afterlife. He neglected his duties for a time when he grew obsessed with meeting and connecting with his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, which got him temporarily barred from the afterlife, but he eventually realized his mistakes after fulfilling his goal and getting into an argument with Blue, and returned home and made amends with his adoptive family. He would later Ascend and become a Death god shortly after Blue Ascended via performing lots of good deeds. Despite his domain and job, however, he's a very joyful, compassionate, and gentle (if a bit mischievous) person who only wants to bring joy and comfort to the dead and dying. If there's anything he wants people to learn, it's that Death is one of many changes people go through everyday, so there's really nothing about it to be afraid of. As a bonus, he carries a scythe as his main weapon... though it's really a guitar-scythe hybrid, as the scythe part is connected to the divine guitar he carries with him, and the blade can be folded or unfolded at any time when needed.
• Happily Adopted: His entry notes that after he died in stillbirth and was ushered into the afterlife, he was adopted by Gavisus Manes, who raised him with as much love and care as his biological parents raised his twin brother, Blue. Bossa Nova really appreciates this and credits Gavisus for teaching him everything he had learned, though there was a time where he completely neglected both his adoptive family and his duties in favor of connecting with Blue. He soon realizes his mistakes thanks to Blue, and reconciles with his family once Blue encourages him to make amends.
• Healing Hands: Through music, he can heal his listeners. This is how he saved Blue after he was severely injured fighting a monster.
• Hell-Bent for Leather: Like Blue, he also wears a black leather jacket when appearing as a mortal unicorn stallion.
• Historical Badass Upgrade: He is based on Jesse Garon Presley, Elvis Presley's older identical twin brother who came out stillborn. While he came out stillborn like Jesse did, Bossa Nova was adopted by the Three Deaths, giving him a surrogate family of his own. His noble upbringing influenced him to eventually become something great — an Alicorn god — despite being dead, and being a Death god means he's still rather powerful despite not being a "prodigy" deity like his younger brother. Later, like his twin, he would re-Ascend as a divine reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, the Empyrean Magician, turning him into the Alicorn god of Death, Musical Magic, Joy, Understanding, and Mana.
• Historical Domain Superperson: He's based on Jesse Garon Presley, Elvis Presley's stillborn older twin brother. Here, he becomes first an Angel of Death working under his adoptive father, Gavisus Manes, then later an Alicorn god of Death after overcoming his resentment and obsession over his early death and what could've been. Later, during the "Dark Ages Crisis", he would re-Ascend as a divine reincarnation "aspect" of Mana Equus, the Empyrean Magician, turning him into the Alicorn god of Death, Musical Magic, Joy, Understanding, and Mana.
• Holy Hand Grenade: Thanks to his friendship with Virtuecrat Fairytale, he can wield Vertusian White Magic, a far stronger and more complex version of ordinary White Magic, which lets him perform greater light and purification spells. This starkly contrasts Blue Suede, who can wield Malrègnarian Dark Magic thanks to his friendship with Vicearch Iniquitous.
• Hot-Blooded: It's noted that he can be hot-tempered and thus is easier to anger than Blue, who is usually the level-headed and calm brother of the two. However, he starts displaying an extremely cold rage when he's really pissed off.
• Hot God: His entry describes his true form as a tall and handsome Alicorn god. However, it's noted that like Blue, he's incredibly handsome even when he was a mortal, and his favorite form as a mortal unicorn reflects this.
• Identical Twin ID Tag: Due to being identical twin brothers, he and Blue look almost exactly the same in both their mortal and divine forms, save for a few differences - he has a dark red mane and tail, and his Cutie Mark depicts a skull-shaped guitar. His true form as an Alicorn god has wings with a dark red gradient, and his hair is made of dark red energy soundwaves with bright orange musical bars and notes running through them. His Cutie Mark has the same halo of notes as Blue's does, except the guitar part of his Cutie Mark is flanked with black wings instead of white. The fact that they're identical twins initially caused Temnobog to assume that they were magically separated in the womb by their own father until they confirmed that no, they were just born that way.
• Immortality Begins at Twenty: Subverted. After Ascending to Alicornhood, he became immortal and eternally youthful just like his twin brother. However, as deities only get Stronger with Age in the Codexverse, he would continue "growing" and become more eldritch, which Mzazi states is normal for Alicorns. As such, his wings gained a magical gradient that goes from bright yellow-orange to dark red, and his hair changed magically to represent his domains. And because he Ascended shortly after Blue did, he's now "younger" than him by divine standards despite being marginally older biologically, something that he hilariously didn't take well but gradually accepted.
• Innocently Insensitive: He genuinely believed that Blue's problems would end once "Colonel" Hollow Note died and got Dragged Off to Hell by Malus Manes. What he didn't know was that Hollow Note's behavior left behind psychological trauma that took years for Blue to recover from, something that Blue himself hid extremely well. Once that came to light, Bossa Nova apologized for his mistakes and promised Blue that he'll help him more and be more attentive to his needs from now on.
  Bossa Nova Heartstrings: I thought things would be fine once that abusive bastard died and was dragged away to Tartarus in chains by Uncle. I didn't know things like that can still hurt...
• Instrument of Murder: His primary weapon is a divine guitar-scythe hybrid that looks like the electric guitars of the Second Age at first glance, but can be unfolded to reveal a scythe's blade. It's rather appropriate since he is a psychopomp-turned-Death god who loves music.
• Interspecies Friendship: He has befriended Amina, the Griffon goddess of Selfless Love, and Narren, the Elternteil Deer god of Music and Celebration, because they embody Music and/or are skilled musicians themselves.

J — O

• Karmic Jackpot: After he and Blue were there for the all the members of the Virtusidae since their births, they decided to show their collective appreciation for him and his brother by throwing them a surprise birthday party in the Fourth Age once the group was reunited.
• Large Ham: It's noted that like Blue Suede Heartstrings, he can get really wild and hammy whenever he performs on-stage.
• Living Is More than Surviving: Essentially what his worldview is - in the end it's not about surviving, but rather it's about living one's life to the fullest. Death is just one of many beneficial changes that help people live better despite its frightening connotations, because without it, people will not be able to move on. Clinging to things that have long since expired is like letting garbage pile up in the house, causing it to stink.
• Magic Hair: In his true form as an Alicorn god, his mane and tail are much longer and rippling, and they're made of dark red energy soundwaves with bright orange musical bars and notes running through them.
• Magic Music: Much like his younger twin brother, Blue, he is capable of wielding this since he embodies Music. Due to the nature of his job, he is very good at calming and soothing listeners with music, and is capable of playing lullabies to achieve that effect. However, he can also empower and heal his listeners, and dispel effects created by fear and hatred-based spells. His musical healing in particular was how he saved Blue from a monster that severely injured him during their first encounter pre-Ascension.
• The Magnificent:
  • At first, he was knkown as "the Laughing Musician" due to his cheerful and joking character despite being a Death god, as well as being the Alicorn god of Music.
• Make Some Noise: Due to sharing the domain of Music with Blue Suede Heartstrings, he can also wield sonokinetic magic, which allows him to manipulate sounds in general. His entry notes that much of his capabilities are more or less the same, including hypnotizing and lulling people to sleep with his singing voice, creating shockwaves, unleashing powerful and disorienting screams, and nullifying sound indefinitely.
• Master of Illusion: As a god of Empathy, he can create empathic illusions. When combined with his domain of Musical Magic, his empathic illusions become stronger.
• Meaningful Name:
  • As noted previously, his name comes from the Elvis Presley song "Bossa Nova Baby" to give him a connection to his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, who is based on Elvis Presley himself and named after the song "Blue Suede Shoes". His name also refers to the Brazilian "Bossa nova" genre, which combines samba and jazz.
  • His family surname, "Heartstrings", refers to deep feelings of love or compassion. He deeply loves both his biological and adoptive families, and while he initially neglected the latter in favor of connecting with Blue Suede Heartstrings, who survived to adulthood while he was stillborn, he eventually realized the error of his ways and apologized to his adoptive family for his actions. In general, he's a joyful, compassionate, and gentle (if a bit mischievous) Death god who, like Gavisus, helps bring joy and comfort to the deceased/dying so they can have an easier time passing on.
  • His naming structure echoes how his and his brother's ages were switched around upon Ascending. "Bossa" is one letter longer than "Blue", referring to how he's biologically older than Blue, if only marginally due to being identical twins. However, his middle name, "Nova", is one letter shorter than "Suede", referring to how he became younger than Blue by divine standards due to becoming a god shortly after Blue did. As a bonus, he is named after a song that Elvis Presley made later in his career while Blue is named after a song Elvis performed early in his career. Hilariously, Bossa Nova didn't take it well when he learned that he is now "younger" than his twin brother, but he gradually accepted it.
• Meaningful Rename: He is renamed "Rubeus Stella" by Princess Twilight/Amicitia during a divine coronation that crowns both him and Blue Suede as Alicorn Princes. Rubeus Stella means "red star" in Latin, which has elements of his old name, Bossa Nova (with "nova" possibly referring to the cosmic phenomenon "supernova").
• Mellow Fellow: His entry notes that while he can be more emotional, immature, and excitable compared to the level-headed and calm Blue Suede Heartstrings, and has a more outgoing and playful personality in general, he can be calm and mellow at times just like his brother.
• Modest Royalty: Technically, as an Alicorn god of Death, he is royalty due to social representation of Alicorns as royalty in general. It's noted that he does have divine barding in the form of dark red regalia/armor, but he prefers to wear casual clothes like a black leather jacket to make it easier for people, especially the deceased and dying, to accept and trust him more.
• My God, What Have I Done?:
  • He was so obsessed over connecting with the twin brother he could have grown up with had he not died prematurely that he accidentally subjected Blue Suede Heartstrings to a brutal Trauma Conga Line trying to help him, and ended up neglecting both his duties as a Psychopomp and his loving adoptive family. And when he finally completed his goal, he ended up resenting said twin brother for having something to look forward to while he did not, something he initially kept to himself. Blue confronting him about it and forcing his brother to reveal his hidden feelings made him realize that he screwed up majorly with everyone on both sides, causing him to break down apologizing. Blue forgave him, and his encouragement to make amends motivated him to go back home and apologize to his adoptive family for neglecting them in favor of his biological family.
  • He would have another moment of this when Blue finally confessed his lingering trauma over "Colonel" Hollow Note's exploitation and emotional abuse, causing Bossa Nova to realize that despite their empathic twin bond, he still remained ignorant of his brother's suffering due to knowing little of the long-term consequences of emotional abuse and Blue hiding his pain extremely well. In Bossa Nova's words, he assumed that things would be fine once Hollow Note was Dragged Off to Hell for his crimes by Malus Manes. He resolved to make things up to Blue by promising to help him more and be more attentive to Blue's needs and problems.
    Bossa Nova Heartstrings: (to Blue Suede Heartstrings) You've been hurting all this time... I thought it was 'cause of me or something else... or maybe I was just imagining things. I just didn't realize that it was my 'brother's instinct' telling me that something was seriously wrong! I'm really sorry for not helping you when you needed it, Blue. I thought things would be fine once that abusive bastard died and was dragged away to Tartarus in chains by Uncle. I didn't know things like that can still hurt... From now on, I'm going to help you as best as I can. If you need somebody to lean on or talk to, don't hesitate to come to me, okay?
• Nice Guy: For all his flaws, he's rather gentle and compassionate when it comes to helping the dead and dying, especially if the people in question are children and/or the elderly, as they often have a hard time accepting their impending fates the most. And like his adoptive father, Gavisus Manes, he's a cheerful party-goer who brings joy wherever he goes, to the point of embodying it as a concept when he Ascended to godhood.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Bossa Nova's well-meaning attempt to help Blue Suede Heartstrings recover from his depression over his parents' deaths by directing his twin brother to a stallion who loved him completely backfired, as it led to Blue facing public disgust for having a same-sex relationship, and caused Blue's record manager, "Colonel" Hollow note, to use it as blackmail to control him. The brutal Trauma Conga Line that would follow pushed Blue to his absolute breaking point, and when he got into a heated argument with Hollow Note, he snapped, and beat him up for years of exploitation and manipulation... only to be so horrified by what he had done that he was later found at home by Record Beat, praying to the "King in Heaven" for forgiveness. Bossa Nova attempted to fix this by directing an incognito Luminiferous to Blue, which was successful, but his meddling in mortal affairs got him in trouble with the Three Deaths, who were all incredibly disappointed with him. Blue would also get mad at Bossa Nova for manipulating his life when he found out, but he forgave his brother as he truly meant well and apologized for it, and acknowledged that he wouldn't be able to leave behind the music/movie industries had Bossa Nova not interfered at all.

P — S

• Physical God: Like Blue, he is one due to being an Alicorn. While he isn't a "prodigy deity" like Blue is, being a Death god automatically makes him powerful, as he can summon weapons out of thin air, appear in multiple places at once, and has power over spirits of the deceased, including the power to free them from whatever is binding them to the mortal planes. His Death domain also gives him both clairvoyance to sense when people are going to die, and psychic foresight to predict how people are going to die. His Music domain gives him control over both Magic Music and sound magic, and he has almost all the same abilities as Blue, who taught him how to use said abilities. His domain of Joy also gives him telepathic and empathic abilities that allow him to detect and spread joy, especially among the dying and deceased. As Blue's older twin brother, Bossa Nova is also pretty ancient and is only marginally older than, though being a Death god who started out as a stillborn foal means that he doesn't have to deal with people constantly guessing his past like Blue does.
• Point of Divergence:
  • It's revealed that he was responsible for Blue's Ascension to godhood when his well-meaning attempts to help his younger twin brother recover from his parents' deaths unwittingly kicked off a series of traumatic events that left Blue grieving and rather depressed after he snapped from it, which led to Bossa Nova directing an incognito Luminiferous to his brother in a desperate attempt to fix his own mistakes. Blue would later admit that while he was mad at Bossa Nova for manipulating his life, he forgave him nonetheless because he truly meant well and apologized for it. He also acknowledged in-universe that if his brother hadn't interfered at all, Blue still would've been stuck under the hoof of an exploitative record manager, unable to get out. Bossa Nova was both horrified and livid when he learned of this.
  • Had he not come out stillborn, things would've been completely different. Bossa Nova knew this painfully well In-Universe, and the fact that he died so early while his brother survived initially gave him a lot of insecurities and issues, including his obsessive desire to connect with Blue, whom he felt should've grown up with him instead of without him. He eventually learns to let it go when an argument with Blue makes him realize that his obsession nearly destroyed his relationship with his adoptive family, and he would reconcile with them after going back and apologizing for neglecting them.
• Polar Opposite Twins: Subverted. On the outside, despite being identical twins, he and Blue Suede Heartstrings seem like complete opposites, both in looks and personality - Bossa Nova is red-haired and is more emotional and excitable, being a cheerful, optimistic, and mischievous person who's also stubborn, impulsive, and hotheaded. Blue is... blue-haired, and is normally calm, mellow, and level-headed, being a very humble and compassionate person who usually displays Tranquil Fury when angry. However, they have elements of each other's personality, as Bossa Nova has his calm and mellow moments just like his brother and falls into an extremely cold rage when he's really pissed off, while Blue is more hotheaded than he appears as he becomes openly angry and upset when confronted by something he truly hates. In addition, it's noted that they actually have a lot in common than people assume - like Blue, Bossa Nova loves playing music and acts wild and hammy whenever he's on-stage, and became an avid fan of superheroes after Blue introduced him to comics. He also shares Blue's hatred of tribalism/racism in general, as it robs people of their ability to feel joy just for existing.
• The Prankster: His entry notes that he's a prankster who enjoys playing practical jokes on people, but generally he never goes too far. He has sometimes used his Death domain to make himself appear as Blue and pretend to be him, something that Blue himself is not amused with. This personality trait is what endeared him to Amina, the Griffon goddess of Selfless Love, as she has a similarly mischievous sense of humor.
• Psychic Link: He shares a psychic, empathic bond with Blue that has survived long after his stillbirth, and is believed to have stemmed from being born identical twins. This bond allows Bossa Nova to sense what Blue is feeling and vice-versa, though it has the potential to develop into something more if they decide to improve on it. Bossa Nova calls it his "brother's instinct". If either one of them is hurt, the other will feel his pain, something that happened when a Poenan deity assaulted Blue during the Poenan Pantheon's attack on Ponyville for housing repentant/redeemed members of Sunnytown. Kúzelník, the Deer god of Sorcery, took interest in Bossa Nova and Blue specifically for this reason, as their bond is different from the magical bond shared by Belyolen and Temnobog, and offered to help them improve their bond. It was noted that he and Blue turned Kúzelník's offer down after a long talk.
  • However, despite their twin bond, Bossa Nova still remained ignorant for years of the lingering trauma Blue suffered from being controlled, exploited, and abused by his manager, "Colonel" Hollow Note, partially due to his own ignorance over the long-term consequences of emotional abuse, and partially due to Blue hiding his pain extremely well. Once Blue finally confessed his trauma, Bossa Nova realized how much his brother was hurting and resolved to make it up to him by promising to help him more and be more attentive.
• Psychic Powers: Like Blue, he has these. As part of his domain of Joy, he has telepathic and empathic powers that allow him to detect and spread joy. And due to being a Death god, he has clairvoyant powers in the form of sensing impending deaths and precognition in predicting how a person is going to die, which just motivates him to spread joy and comfort to the dead however he can.
• Psychopomp: His entry notes that once he grew "older", he became an angel and assisted his adoptive father, Gavisus Manes, in bringing joy and comfort to the dying as well as ushering in the dead to their respective afterlives. He neglected his duties for a time when he became obsessed with meeting and connecting with his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, but he soon realized his mistakes and made amends with his adoptive family. Later, he would Ascend and become a Death god shortly after Blue Ascended by doing lots of good deeds.
• Raised by the Supernatural: In his case, the supernatural being is Gavisus Manes, the Alicorn god of Joyous Deaths and the youngest of the "Three Deaths". While Bossa Nova has his biological parents, much of his personality and beliefs were heavily influenced by Gavisus, and he gives him credit for turning him into the person he is now.
• Related in the Adaptation: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jesse Garon Presley are completely unrelated to each other in real life, with the latter having had died from stillbirth long before Stevie Ray was born. Here, Moon Ray and Bossa Nova are related by adoption, since they both became part of the Trimortidae after dying and Ascending to godhood.
• The Resenter: By his own admission, he didn't know what to do with himself after he finally fulfilled his goal of meeting and connecting with Blue, his younger identical twin brother, which led to him resenting Blue for having something to look forward to while he didn't. Blue confronting him about is what led to him realizing how his obsession with what he couldn't have led to him neglecting his duties and nearly destroyed his relationship with his adoptive family. After Blue forgave and encouraged him to make amends, he went back home and apologized to his adoptive family, who welcomed him back.
• Seers: As part of his Death domain, he possesses precognitive abilities that allow him to foresee how a person is going to die. While it's normally a terrible power to have, he only sees it as motivation to comfort the dead and dying however he can.
• Sinister Scythe: His main weapon is a guitar-scythe hybrid - at first glance, it appears as a divine, skull-shaped electric guitar, until it unfolds and reveals a scythe's blade. It's subverted in that his weapon is used for beneficial purposes - namely, helping the dead pass on to their respective afterlives and freeing trapped souls from whatever is preventing them from passing on.
• Spanner in the Works:
  • He's revealed to be responsible for the events in Blue's life that ultimately led to his twin brother becoming an Alicorn, when he directed Blue to Record Beat, a unicorn stallion and DJ, in an impulsive yet well-meaning attempt to help Blue recover from his depression over losing his parents. Blue acknowledges this in-universe, admitting that while he was mad at Bossa Nova for manipulating his life, he would've been still stuck under the hoof of his exploitative and controlling record manager if Bossa Nova hadn't, which is partially why he decided to forgive his brother.
  • He also foiled an attempt made by a few of his adoptive siblings and cousins to prevent everyone from dying, among which Sola Mors and Blue Goldstone participated. Bossa Nova caught them and reported them to the Three Deaths, who proceeded to lecture the party responsible for their actions. This later led to Sola Mors and Gold accepting Death as a beneficial change, especially the latter after meeting with the spirit of his deceased birth father in Audens Manes' Heaven-Realm.
• Spider-Sense: As a psychopomp-turned-Death god, he has the ability to sense when a person's going to die, allowing him to comfort them and bring them joy in their last moments.
• Strong Family Resemblance: Justified with him and Blue Suede Heartstrings. Because they're identical twin brothers, they look almost exactly the same save for a few differences, such as hair color, Cutie Mark appearances, and wing gradients.
• Super-Hearing: His entry notes that as part of his Music domain, he has enhanced hearing like Blue. Presumably, he also possesses the same endurance that makes his mouth and ears resistant to damaging noises.
• Super-Scream: Like Blue Suede Heartstrings, he has the ability to unleash powerful, disorienting screams as part of his Music domain.
• Supernatural Floating Hair: In his true Alicorn form, both his mane and tail are much longer and perpetually rippling.
• Surprise Party: The entire Virtusidae would hold one for him and Bossa Nova in the Fourth Age after being reunited since the "Void Aeon" event, wanting to show their appreciation towards the twin Alicorns for being there for all of them since the Second Age.
  Blue Suede Heartstrings: You needed us here fast, somethin' wrong?
  Prince Shamrock: Just through here...
  Virtusidae: (shouting) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
• Synchronization: Due to the empathic bond he shares with Blue as twins, one of them will feel the other's pain if either one is hurt in some way. This happened when a Poenan deity assaulted Blue during the Poenan Pantheon's attack on Ponyville for housing repentant/redeemed members of Sunnytown, provoking him into going on a furious rampage against the Poenans in retaliation.

T — Z

• Telepathy: As the Alicorn god of Joy, he has telepathic abilities that allow him to dig up a dying person's happiest memories and allow them to relive said memories, which has the effect of snapping them out of their bitterness and making them realize that ultimately, their life wasn't as bad and worthless as they believed.
• Twin Telepathy: It's believed in-universe that being twins gave him and Blue a psychic, empathic connection that survived even beyond Bossa Nova's stillbirth, allowing them to sense what the other is feeling, though it's also noted that their bond could develop into something more if either one of them decides to improve on it. Bossa Nova calls their bond his "brother's instinct". If either one of them is hurt, the other will feel his pain, something that happened when a Poenan deity assaulted Blue during the Poenan Pantheon's attack on Ponyville for housing repentant/redeemed members of Sunnytown. Kúzelník began taking interest in Bossa Nova and Blue because they are connected differently than Belyolen and Temnobog, and offered to help improve their psychic bond, but Bossa Nova and Blue turned him down after a long talk.
  Kúzelník: Fascinating. My younger brothers, Belyolen and Temnobog, they only have a magical bond that empowers them when they work together, and weakens them when they don't. But... I have never encountered a set of divine twins that shared a bond of psychic nature.
• Tragic Stillbirth: Copper Wheel Heartstrings and his wife, Sunny Love, never knew that they were expecting identical twin colts, and only realized this after Sunny gave birth and Bossa Nova came out stillborn. This understandably affected them as Copper and Sunny grieved their elder son's death, and became the target of scorn from their wealthier neighbors who looked down on the Heartstrings family for being poor. It's believed in-universe that Bossa Nova's death also affected his younger twin brother, Blue Suede Heartstrings, in some way as he developed a fondness for kids and has been seen talking to those who lost family members of their own, such as Prince Written Word from the Terran Empire. On the other hand, the fact that he was stillborn became the source of a lot of Bossa Nova's issues - he was driven to meet and connect with the brother he could've grown up with had he not died prematurely, yet wondered if his birth parents truly wanted another foal since they lived in abject poverty at the time. Thankfully, he soon realized that he still had people who loved him, and much of his fears were disproven when Copper and Sunny revealed to him that they still loved him all the same.
• Tranquil Fury: While he's normally hot-tempered and easier to anger than Blue, he falls into an extremely cold rage when he's really angry.
• Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He, the Trimortidae, and other Ascendant deities would end up becoming sources of inspiration by Bubbling Beaker, who respected them for Ascending to godhood despite facing immeasurable odds, and performed horrible experiments to unlock the secrets of Ascension itself. Bossa Nova was so furious that he dropped an Atomic F-Bomb in response.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: As part of his Death domain, he has shapeshifting abilities that allow him to appear as members of various mortal races so he could make the dying feel more at ease around him. Being The Prankster, he has used his shapeshifting to impersonate other people as a joke, such as his own brother, Blue. Blue was not amused with this.
• Warrior Prince: He and Blue Suede are crowned as Alicorn Princes by Prince Twilight/Amicitia Sparkle following Blue Suede's full psychological recovery and decision to join the Equestrian Pantheon. As his page shows, Bossa Nova, now Prince Rubeus Stella, is a powerful Death god and competent fighter.
• Winged Unicorn: His true form is a tall and handsome Alicorn god who looks almost exactly like Blue by virtue of being identical twin brothers, save for a few differences - his mane and tail are made of dark red energy soundwaves with bright orange musical bars and notes running through them, while his Cutie Mark is a red, skull-shaped guitar flanked by black wings and surrounded by a halo of music notes. His wings have a magical gradient going from yellow-orange to dark red.
• With Great Power Comes Great Perks: It's mentioned that he sometimes used his Death-related shapeshifting to impersonate people as a joke, which he has done with his twin brother, Blue. Blue was not amused with this.

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