Harmony Theory / Characters

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Main Character (Heroes)

Rainbow Dash

A rainbow pegasus, and the Bearer of Loyalty. After being assigned tornado duty in Ponyville, she somehow ends up 1000 years in the future and wakes up next to a stallion's corpse, with no memory of her past. She intends to find out why Equestria as she knew it is now a Crapsack World.

Does Not Know Her Own Strength: A variation. She does know what she's capable of: It's just that modern ponies have become weaker over time, so she doesn't know how strong in comparison to them she is.
Gale-Force Sound: Her Sonic Rainboom can be used this way.
Healing Factor: She heals incredibly fast compared to modern ponies.
Instant Expert: Picks up on modern Solar shockingly fast. It's implied that this has to do with whatever brought her here.
Mythology Gag: She briefly disguises herself and takes the identity of Firefly.
Poor Communication Kills: Accidentally gets into a fight with two Lunar patrolmen, because neither party could understand each other.
Super-Soldier: Pre-Schism ponies are seen as these to modern ponies, and Dash is no exception.
Super-Strength: She's stronger than most modern Earth Ponies.
Technical Pacifist: Despite her willingness to get into a fight, Rainbow Dash doesn't get the whole having to kill thing, that unfortunately happens a lot in this Crapsack World.
Unskilled, but Strong: She has no combat training, but her natural strength usually makes up for it. Bites her in the flank, when she has to face Charisma, who is far weaker, but makes up for it with superior training.
What the Hell, Hero?: Given one, for almost getting Star Fall killed.

Star Fall "Fall"

A spy and magic student, who is the first pegasus in the post-schism world to be born with a magic talent as well, as first pegasus to be given nobility.

Action Girl
An Arm and a Leg: Charisma severs one of her legs to lure Rainbow Dash into their rematch.
Arranged Marriage: Is forced into one by the Solar King, who hopes her magical talent will lead to her giving birth to a powerful Alicorn, like the Royal Pony Sisters of old.
Badass Bookworm: Scholar, magic student, spy, Combat Medic, and the Smart Girl, all she needs is some kung fu and her badass resume will be complete.
Berserk Button: Don't make fun of her unique position.
Break the Cutie: Is forced into an arranged marriage with one of the Solar king, turned into a political tool, forced to banish her own parents, all because she was born with a magical talent. Oh, and her Parental Substitute figure turns out to be Nightmare Umbra.
Combat Pragmatist: Her methods of dealing with Charisma is to simply use her magic. She's the only one that beats her fairly easily.
Blessed with Suck: Her Magic talent comes in handy a lot of the time, but just look how it has affected her life as well.
Broken Pedestal: To Twinkle Shine. After the latter is revealed to be Umbra.
Child Prodigy: Was the first pegasus to be born with a magic talent, which in a Post-Schism land is very impressive. It's because of this that the Solar King plans to make her the mother of a powerful Alicorn via an Arranged Marriage with his son, Regal Stature.
Combat Medic: Can use healing spells. Sadly, it turns out this can lead to cancer.
Happily Adopted: Unusual example. Her real parents are still alive, but her magical talent lead to her being "adopted" into nobility, for political reasons by the professor. Nonetheless, she still admires the professor, like a mother.
Magic Knight: Is capable of both using healing magic and fighting physically.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Astrid's red.
Super Breeding Program: Is forced into this by the king, in hopes that she can produce an Alicorn heir.
Vitriolic Best Buds: With Astrid and Rainbow.

Astrid

"Oh no, I missed out on learning egghead, to become an unstoppable badass."

Star's bodyguard and closest friend. Astrid is a member of the Royal Griffin guard, charged with protecting Star at all costs. She also develops a fast, if shaky friendship with Rainbow Dash.

Anti-Hero
Big Damn Heroes: At the dig site.
The Big Guy: Physically the strongest of the group.
Bodyguarding a Badass: For Star Fall.
The Bus Came Back: Does recover from her fight with Charisma. But it's through magical healing, which not only puts her long-term health at great risk, but it also permanently puts her out of the Griffin breeding program.
Curb-Stomp Battle: On the receiving end of one, against Charisma.
Deadpan Snarker: Especially around her friends.
Hair-Trigger Temper: Very fast to anger.
Lightning Bruiser: Not only is she strong, but she's also stealthy enough to get past Cash's defenses.
Put on a Bus: Is hospitalized, after her fight with Charisma.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The Red Oni to Star's Blue Oni.
Super Breeding Program: Like all griffins, the lack of magic means she needs the aid of pony breeding programs to help continue her line. This comes into a little problem though. See The Bus Came Back below.
Undying Loyalty: Will always be there for Star, whether she wants her there or not.
Vitriolic Best Buds: Basically all of her friendships.
What the Hell, Hero?:
- Gives one to Rainbow Dash for almost getting Star Fall killed.
- She's also given one of her own for using magical healing. Knowing that it means she'll permanently be taken out of the breeding program and the genetic material of one of there best warriors will never be added to their already dwindling gene pool.

Trail "Blaze" Blazer

"What the bartender was doing was robbery because it was stealing, because he's taking from you. What Silas is doing is murder, because he's going to leave you to die."

A highly talkative and eccentric guide, operating in the Everstorm and Charisma's ex boy friend. Blaze has been shown to be a very kind hearted and eccentric guy. Constantly going out his way to help others. When he agrees to help a certain changeling cross the Everstorm, he's dragged into a huge conspiracy that threatens the entire world.

Action Survivor: Has the least combat ability out of the entire main cast.
Batman Gambit: Pulls one on Charisma.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Is still a confident guide, despite being out of his mind.
Cloudcuckoolander: To the point that many readers have theorized that he's a descendant of Pinkie Pie, from his first appearance.
Combat Pragmatist: Tries do this: mixed results.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Is starting to lean towards this.
Dating Catwoman: With Charisma.
Expy: To Pinkie.
Foil: His idealistic attitude and friend with all living things status, contrast greatly with his ex Charisma's cynical attitude and psychotic nature. Also, his rival Silas is a scumbag, while he's an honest pony.
Friend to All Living Things: He outright says he loves everyone in the world, including all the Jerkasses. It's saying something that even he agrees that Max Cash needs to die.
Heel–Face Turn: Implied. Not only did he date Charisma, but he also seems to know Cash personally. He also tries to get Charisma to go along, but fails.
Legacy Character: Many readers believe he's this, to Pinkie.
Morality Pet: Tries to be this for Charima and later Column.
Motor Mouth: Another similarity, between him and Pinkie
Nice Guy: Is by far, the kindest person from the future we've seen.
Odd Friendship: With Calumn.
Plucky Comic Relief: Provides the most amount of Funny Moments.
Plucky Girl: A male example. No matter what happens, Blaze never loses his cool. Even when someone's pressing his broken rib against his lungs.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red to Calumn's blue.
Rival: To Silas, a diamond dog guide, who constantly scams his clients, before leaving them for dead.
Sympathy for the Devil: He feels that Charisma was never a bad pony at heart, but forces outside her control were what made her the monster she is.
Too Kinky to Torture: He used to go out with Charisma. In his words, "It was an exercise in time and pain management."
What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?/Heart Is an Awesome Power: In a world with talents like magic and even killing, his talent always points him in the right direction, doesn't sound too impressive. But it is.
What the Hell, Hero?: Gives a subdued one to Calumn, when his friend Brainwashes Rainbow Dash into loving him, just so he could bring her back to the Night Lands.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Is the only one to still see good in Charisma.
Undying Loyalty: To his friends.

Calumn "Strong Heart"

A Changeling agent of the Lunar Republic, currently using the alias of a deceased Lunar soldier (Including pretending to be his mother's son.). He is sent to capture Rainbow Dash (Who was believed to be a Solar agent at the time.), at all cost. But along the way, Trail Blazer, the guide he hired to bring him across the Everstorm, befriends him while trying to act as a moral compass. This, combined with his guilt over having to deceive the mother of the soldier he's impersonating, throws him into a moral dilemma that causes him to re-think his entire life and what it means to be a changeling.

Anti-Hero: As a Changeling, he relies on deception to achieve his goal and at first, is willing to use whatever means necessary.
Body Horror: When he tries to fight Charisma, he gets part of his Caracas torn off. Which is basically his SKIN.
Conflicting Loyalty: Has one, when he starts question the morality of what he's doing.
Dark Is Not Evil: Has a black body like most changelings, but is definitely not evil.
Emotion Eater: Comes with being a changeling.
Gender Bender: As a shapeshifter, Calumn can do this when need be.
- Attractive Bent-Gender: He can also be as attractive, as need be.
Heroic BSoD: After he starts questioning the morality of what he does.
Hypnotist: Has this ability.
Mind Rape: Though benevolent(ish), Calumn is capable of this.
Odd Friend Ship: With Trail Blazer.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue to Blaze's red.
Replacement Goldfish: Calumn implies that his "mother" knows he's not her son, deep down, and he's some kind of subconscious version of this.
Shapeshifter: He is a changeling, after all.
Took a Level in Kindness: Blaze manages to help Calumn become a better person.
The Worf Effect: Calumn is supposed to be an elite agent. But, whenever an actual fight rolls around, he's dispatched pretty quickly.

Spike

"You want to know what the Elements are capable of?"

After 1000 years, Spike has grown into a strong and intelligent dragon, as well as one of the most influential creatures around, despite staying neutral in most of the world's conflicts. He went on to become a world-renowned artist—don't assume he's not dangerous on the battlefield — credited for teaching generosity to his fellow dragons. At first glance, he seems like just an older version of his past self, who's just as clueless as everyone else. But, it's made clear that there's a lot more too him then that and he knows a lot more then he's admitting to.

Berserk Button:
- Don't mess with his friends or hurt baby dragons, or else he'll kill you.
- Also, he makes it clear to Gamma, how much he wants to talk about the Elements.
Big Fancy House: Carved his own personal palace into the interior of a mountain.
The Big Guy: A given, since he's a large dragon.
Dark and Troubled Past: Not much is known about his past, beyond what happens in the show, but it's clear that a lot happened.
Deadpan Snarker: Has shades of this.
Determinator: He will never stop fighting, until he no longer can.
Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: Well not friends, but he's the only one who is able to talk to Nightmare Umbra without getting attacked right away.
Genius Bruiser: He's highly intelligent. Also, he can rip you in half.
Half the Man He Used to Be: Did this to one of Cash's henchmen.
Hidden Depths:
- Apparently, he's a world renowned sculptor and architect.
- He knew Twinkle was Umbra the whole time. It's also implied that he knows more about the elements than he's telling.
Implied Love Interest: Spike says Rarity was a powerful influence in his life, but never outright says what became of his romantic interest in her.
Jade-Colored Glasses: Not obvious at first glance, but it's made clear this isn't the happy little dragon we're used to.
Kill It with Fire: How he mercy kills Cash's brainwashed mooks.
Lightning Bruiser: Is surprisingly agile for a dragon.
Made of Iron: Thanks to being an adult dragon, shrug off bullet wounds and gets back up after being thrown around like a ragdoll.
The Mentor: Becomes this for the whole dragon race, after the schism. He also helped Twinkle Shine mentor Star Fall.
Playing with Fire: He is a dragon.
Revenge: His motive for going after Cash, after Max corrupted a baby dragon to use as a distraction.
Took a Level in Badass: A far cry from the little baby dragon from the past.
Took Alevel In Cynicism: Not as obvious as other examples, but it's clear that this Spike is not as idealistic as he once was.
The Slow Path: How he got to the future.
Shell-Shocked Veteran: Not shown at first, but our favorite little dragon has definitely seen a lot of action in his life.
Shrouded in Myth: Not only is very little is known about what happened to him, between past and present Equestria, but he's definitely not telling much about what he really knows.
Stronger with Age: Is currently one of the oldest surviving dragons, but can still tear mooks apart with ease.

Lt. Hard "HB" Boiled

Lt. Hard Boiled is a unicorn police officer from Orion City. When a pony with connections to the infamous criminal Max Cash, is found murdered in one of his dig sites, at the same time as a mysterious "super" Pegasus, Rainbow Dash, injured two patrolmen, he's dragged into a huge conspiracy. While reluctantly, being partnered up with a changeling agent (who happens to have a crush on him.).

Badass Normal: He's just a normal pony. But, he does make up for it with police training and quick thinking.
Body Horror: After finally exerting his magic too much, Hard Boiled gets his horn bent at a 90 degree angle during the fight with Cash in Fluttershy's temple.
Blessed with Suck: His Living Lie Detector powers cause him to be physically uncomfortable around anyone who lies to any extent. Even a white lie stands out in his subconsciousness and jars him. This is particularly true when it comes to being around changelings; even in her natural form and telling nothing but the truth, Traduse is almost painful to be around.
Combat Pragmatist: He isn't afraid to use his magic trip up Cash's assassin.
Fantastic Racism: Like most ponies, he doesn't view changelings in a very positive light. This makes it especially aggravating when he's partnered up with Traduse: a changeling.
Foil: To his partner Traduse. While he's an honest cop unicorn who hates all the cloak and dagger stuff, she's a changeling secret agent. This puts them at conflict at first.
Genre Shift: His and Traduce's segments have a lot of Buddy Cop in them, along with plenty of Film Noir.
Good Old Fisticuffs: Compared to Traduse, he uses a much simpler fighting style.
Handicapped Badass: He has a debilitating condition that causes his magic to slowly weaken over time. This also causes him to have intense migraines that hinder his physical ability. Doesn't stop him from going out in the field and fighting Cash's Mooks.
Jerkass Has a Point: He really can't be blamed too much for not trusting changelings, given they are a race of shapeshifting emotion-eaters with Mind Control powers. Plus, it's hard to like some creature who causes you pain with their mere presence.
Living Lie Detector: His talent is to always find the truth. As a bonus, he can also sense the presence of changelings, as their shapeshifting and mind control powers makes them "living lies" to his talent.
Meaningful Name: He's pretty much a Noir-styled detective come to life.
Noble Bigot: He eventually mellows out on his Fantastic Racism, after growing close to Traduse.
Odd Couple: With Traduse.
Opposites Attract: Traduse outright says this to him when he asks why she's attracted to him.
Relationship Upgrade: Though he admits that he can't honestly say he loves Traduse, at least this early on, he does admit she's become a close friend.

Traduse

A changeling agent for the Lunar Republic and Straff's right hand girl. She's partnered with Lt. Hard Boiled, who she (much to his chagrin) quickly takes a liking to.

Abhorrent Admirer: Seen as this by Hard Boiled due to his Fantastic Racism, but after mellowing out, he admits he sees her as a close friend.
Action Girl
Anti-Hero: Not exactly the most honorable of member of the cast.
Body Horror: The during the fight in Fluttershy's temple, Max Cash uses his magic to throw back a barrage of bullets she fired at him, leaving her covered with some nasty injuries.
Dark Is Not Evil: Like all changelings, she's covered in black chitin.
Emotion Eater: Part of being a changeling.
Femme Fatale: Has elements of this. Blunter-spoken than most, though, at one point outright telling Hard Boiled that she intends to have sex with him the moment she can get him into bed.
Genre Shift: Her and Hard Boiled's segments have a lot of Buddy Cop Show in them, along with plenty of Film Noir.
Interspecies Romance: She's a changeling, which are more or less shapeshifting equine-insect hybrids, and she wants to be in a relationship with Hard Boiled, a unicorn.
Love at First Sight: Her attraction to Hard Boiled kind of comes out the blue.
Love Interest: Takes a quick liking to Hard Boiled, though whether he reciprocates is more ambiguous.
Odd Couple: Has this relationship with Hard Boiled; he's a straight-laced steadfastedly honest cop who hates "cloak-and-dagger" stuff, whilst she's a spy who comes from an entire race that thrives on deception. The fact that Hard Boiled's Living Lie Detector talent means changelings are actually painful to be around by their very nature also adds a certain complication to the attraction.
Opposites Attract: Outright says this to Hard Boiled when he wants to know why she wants to bang him.
Shapeshifter: She's a changeling, it's kind of her thing.

Gamma

The leader of the Royal Secret Service and an adviser to the King.

Distaff Counterpart: To Straff.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Zigzagged. She admits that she is partially responsible for molding Charisma from a dangerous and unstable filly, into an even more dangerous and unstable mare, because she was useful at the time. But, she also points out that she did make some efforts to help her and that they are all products of their world.
The Pragmatist: She does try to do good, but knows she must be willing to take the less honorable path sometimes in a Crapsack World.
Reasonable Authority Figure: She has been shown to be a pragmatic and even ruthless leader, yet is still one of the more understanding and considerate characters in the story.
Sympathy for the Devil: To Charisma. Though she makes it clear that Charisma still needs to be taken out, regardless of any sympathy she has for her.

Directer Straff

The leader of the Republic Intelligence Agency and superior to Calumn, Trabuse, and Hard Boiled.

Distaff Counterpart: To Gamma.
Reasonable Authority Figure: He often puts pragmatism over feelings, but is not completely cold-hearted. It's best shown when dealing with Column, concerning his "mother".

Professor Twinkle Shine

Star Fall's mentor and adopted mother. Twinkle Shine is a respected professor and most trusted adviser and friend, to the Solar King.

Affectionate Nick Name: Refers to Star Fall as her little Fallen Star.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: [[folder:It's apparent from the beginning, that she has great disdain for Rainbow Dash, who she sets out to prove is a fraud. But she pretends to be a kind and welcoming pony.]]
Body Horror: Her transformation into Umbra involves her bones, tendons, muscles, and flesh all graphically rearranging themselves into a Winged Unicorn shape.
Broken Pedestal: Star Fall does not take kindly to her betrayal.
Devil in Plain Sight: Sort of. Her and Nightmare Umbra share the same body, but Twinkle Shine's clearly a separate entity. Chapter 37 clarifies that "Twinkle Shine" is actually a cover-identity for Corona, a peaceful alternate personality installed into Nightmare Umbra for after she succeeds at her programming.
Evil Chancellor: Is revealed to be this to the King of the Solar Kingdom, as she's actually Nightmare Umbra. Made a little more complex with The Reveal in chapter 37.
Literal Split Personality: She's "Corona", the peaceful side of Umbra, programmed by Twilight Sparkle.
Manipulative Bastard: She's been secretly shaping the history of both the Solar Kingdom and the Lunar Republic from the beginning, wearing different identities in each generation.
The Mentor: To Star Fall.
Mind Hive: Share's one with Umbra. Corona and Umbra are separate entities in the same body; Umbra's role is to be the BBEG who forces Equestria to reunite in order to defeat her, after which Corona is supposed to take control and find a new, peaceful existence for herself.
Walking Spoiler: Just look at the whited-out tropes under her name.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: She's only doing what, she sees as best for the world. And, as it turns out, herself: Nightmare Umbra's programming is to reunite Equestria and end the war. The Schism ended the war, but only by dividing the two factions and making it impossible for them to continue waging war. This woke Corona, but left Nightmare Umbra still active, with both personalities fighting for the body. The only plan they agreed upon was to subtly shape the redevelopment of the two kingdoms in order to refight Umbra's war against ponykind "properly", this time ending it with either reunification or annihilation.

Main Characters (Villians)

Nightmare Umbra

"At My Weakest, I Fought Three Of Your Best, And They Did Not Impress."

The War Goddess and most feared being in post-Schism Equestria. After being temporarily put out of commission by Celestia and Luna, Umbra is believed to be one of the causes of the Schism, but her true origins are a complete mystery.

The Assimilator: Can absorb any pony's ashes and bring them back as her undead mooks.
Ax-Crazy: Very.
Badass Boast: Gives these all the time. One of them even served as her folder quote.
Nightmare Umbra: When I Emerged From My Silence I Expected To See Armies Arrayed Against Me! Heroes And Sages Aiding Great Leaders In Battle Against The Only Foe That Will Ever Matter For You. A Worthy Challenge To My Dominion. What Have I Found? The Petty Rulers Of A Broken World, Sitting In Pretty Rows Celebrating The Union Of A Blushing Filly And Pampered Fop Who You Expect To Be Your Sovereign. Are You Such Fools That You Thought I Was Gone Forever? Where You Not Informed Of My Return? Did You Not See The Signs?
Berserk Button: She really doesn't like the mention of the Element Barriers.
Bloody Murder: If by some miracle, you actually get her to bleed, her blood will physically attack and infect you.
Call-Back: Makes one to Nightmare Moon's speech, at the end of her speech above.
Card-Carrying Villain: Nightmare Umbra makes no secret of her bloodlust or her desire to kill everyone. Because it turns out that's the purpose she was made to fulfill, so she literally has no other alternative ways of acting.
Death by a Thousand Cuts: The only reason Rainbow, Astrid, and Star won was through spamming repeated hits to the same area while she was healing.
The Dreaded: She makes Charisma look like a minor nuisance.
Even Evil Has Standards: Even she seems to despise Max Cash.
Foil: To Max Cash. While they're both Ax-Crazy villains with mysterious goals, she's a boisterous [War Goddess, Unskilled, but Strong, blunt with her disdain of others, and relies on an brute force to solve most problems. Max Cash is a calm and-mostly-level headed Manipulative Bastard, who toys with people behind a Faux Affably Evil personality, and relies on manipulating as many people as he can (not that he won't personally kill his enemies when the chips are down).
Godzilla Threshold: Twilight Sparkle's motivation for creating her; she was supposed to be an unstoppable, all-annihilating super-villain so deadly that the two warring factions would be forced to reunite in order to defeat her. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a case of Gone Horribly Wrong - they were too stupid to react that way, forcing Twilight to intervene herself... the Schism was a side-effect of their battle.
Golem: This is her actual nature, as revealed in chapter 36. Twilight Sparkle made her through necromantic rituals using "blood, bone, ashes and Ashfire", even incorporating the remains of the Mane 5, Shining Armor and Cadance into her body. Her one-mare crusade against all life is a program that Twilight Sparkle imbued her with, having created her to be an "ultimate villain" that she hoped would finally end the bloody Civil War by giving both sides something to unite against. It didn't work.
Healing Factor: Not that most ponies that face her will ever see it used.
Jerkass Has a Point: Her scathing speech to the Solar nobles, as well as her speech about the ponies becoming weak are not that far off.
Mind Hive: Nightmare Umbra is actually two "souls" in one body. Nightmare Umbra was supposed to be the villainous War God role-filler, but after being defeated, she was supposed to "die" so her alternate self, Corona, would take over the body and find a way to live a peaceful life. Because her purpose was never fulfilled, they're both active at the same time.
Nigh-Invulnerable: At her weakened state, it takes an incredible amount of repeated hits, just to get her to back off.
No Indoor Voice: She Always Speaks To Ponies In Capitalized Words.
Omnicidal Maniac: She plans to turn the world to ashes if the ponies of the Post-Schism land don't unite themselves against her.
The Power of Hate: Nightmare Umbra's mind and soul is literally composed of the core of all of Twilight Sparkle's hatred, guilt, sorrow, rage and despair over the Civil War. It's why she can never give up her mission; she is pure hatred, and cannot be quenched until the right methods are followed.
"The Reason You Suck" Speech: Gives an epic one to the nobles of the Solar Kingdom.
Nightmare Umbra: To Call Yourselves Noble Is Laughable. You Claim To Worship Celestia, Yet When I Look Into Your Precious, Little, Sun-Loving Faces, I Do Not See Ponies She Would Be Proud Of. Just Look At You Now: You Trample Those Weaker Underhoof In The Hope Of Buying Yourself Another Breath Of Life. Craven Beasts, That Hope Is As Empty As Your Hearts.
Red Baron: Known as "The Nightmare" and "The War Goddess".
The Social Darwinist: She is greatly displeased by how weak ponykind has become in her absence. She judges all of ponykind unworthy of life for this reason.
Unskilled, but Strong: Is the most powerful character seen so far, but is not particularly talented in direct combat.
Voice of the Legion: Can speak in the Royal Canterlot Voice.
War God: Believed to be this by modern ponies.
We Have Become Complacent: Accuses the ponies of both the Solar Kingdom and the Lunar Republic of this.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Implied to be this.
Winged Unicorn: Nightmare Umbra takes the form of what Equestrians consider an Alicorn. However, she's not an alicorn; as Twilight Sparkle explained to Spike all those centuries ago, a true Alicorn has a direct link to the powers of the cosmos, and she was smart enough even in her despair to realize that giving that kind of power to a one-dimensional killing machine was a bad idea.

Maximillion Oswald "Max" Cash

"I think I'm going to raid the candy store. You never deprive a chocolate-attic from his fix. Oh, and while I'm replenishing my supply, can you kill everyone?"

A powerful magic-talented unicorn from the Lunar Republic and one of the main antagonist, Max is shown to be brilliant, polite, and highly ambitious, if eccentric character. But he is not to be underestimated by his demeanor: Max is a VERY ruthless and cunning. He has acquired great wealth from both legal and illegal ventures, as well as a lot of powerful connection. He has also been shown to very sadistic and shows many characteristics associated with sociopaths. Despite their best efforts, Cash and his plans have remained an enigma to everyone: including his closest operative.

Armor-Piercing Question: With the help of the Element of Loyalty, Max is basically able to weaponize this trope. Simply asking someone what they truly want, and to just allow one little betrayal, is enough to send them into Heroic BSoD.
Ax-Crazy: When he throws away the Affably Evil demeanor. He orders the death of an entire town, including the children, with a sadistic smile on his face.
Bad Boss: He is perfectly willing to send his own henchmen to their deaths and occasionally taunts Charisma.
Big Bad: Both he and Umbra share this position.
Beware the Silly Ones: Max may have a very laidback and playful demeanor, but he is one of the most dangerous criminals to ever live.
Break Them by Talking: His favorite method of dealing with ponies.
But for Me, It Was Tuesday: He's responsible for driving Melody insane and destroying everything she ever cared about., but he can't even remember her name.
The Chessmaster: Is very good at planning ahead.
Cloudcuckoolander: A villainous example.
Charm Person: His preferred tactics.
Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Max will betray anyone, so long as it's convenient.
Evil Can Not Comprehend Good: He seems to be a very friendly and charming stallion, but he really only has a basic understanding of things like loyalty and love.
Faux Affably Evil: He comes off as friendly and polite stallion, but he is anything but.
Foil: To Nightmare Umbra. While they're both Ax-Crazy villains with mysterious goals, she's a boisterous War Goddess, Unskilled, but Strong, blunt with her disdain of others, and relies on brute force to solve most problems. He is a calm and mostly levelheaded Manipulative Bastard, who toys with people behind a Faux Affably Evil personality, and relies on manipulating as many people as he can. (Not that he won't personally kill his enemies when the chips are down.)
For the Evulz: He definitely does way more evil things than he has to.
Imposter Forgot One Detail: How Calumn figures out, his story is fake.
Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Any time it looks like Cash is about to show a sympathetic side, he's sure to it end in way that further solidifies what a scumbag he is.
Lack of Empathy: He's basically the worst scumbag imaginable.
Manipulative Bastard: There is no one he won't do this too.
More than Mind Control: He uses a combination of his "social skills" and the inverted Element of Loyalty to do this to corrupt ponies. The only one who isn't affected by this is Rainbow Dash, who is an Element Bearer; being hit with her own corrupted Element just gives her a seizure.
Trademark Favorite Food: Chocolate and cookies.
Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: One of the reasons he has gotten away so far, hence his name "Max Cash". He even outright says that even if he does get jailed, he has the funds and connections to stall for an entire decade, while his people do whatever necessary to get him out. This was after marching his private army into a senator's mansion and killing multiple cops.
Slasher Smile: Switches between this and Stepford Smiler.
The Sociopath: Is heavily implied to be one.
Smug Snake: Very.
Straw Nihilist: Revealed in chapter 29:
Max Cash: I knew someone would come. I knew it not because I had planned for you to be here, or because I'm somehow in control of these grand events. No, I knew it because I hadn't planned for it. I knew it because I'm not in control. This isn't my story. I'm not the hero, but neither am I the villain. I'm just like you, in fact. Just like them. I'm a puppet. I'm just another fucking plaything for the real villains. Freedom is a joke, and choice is an illusion. In the end there's only a hoofful of ponies who can honestly say that they've ever actually had one, and most of them never even realized it. Me? I want to be one of them. I want myself to matter. But I can't ever do that unless those same forces that are pulling the strings want to let me. I am at their mercy, just like every other sucker in the whole damn universe. You know how I feel about that? I hate it.
Psychic-Assisted Suicide: Can do this.
Troubling Unchild Like Behavior: Max apparently murdered the father of three of his classmates, to see how very similar ponies reacted to a problem For Science!.
Unreliable Narrator: His stories should be taken with less than a grain of salt.
Villainous Breakdown: Is starting to have a major one.
Villainous Friendship: He had this with James Bay, until he murdered him. To a lesser extent, Charisma. Though he makes clear she's only a useful tool him.
Wicked Cultured: Is very refined.
Would Hurt a Child: During his massacre of a small town, he gleefully sets a school on fire.
Xanatos Speed Chess: When his plans do run into problems, he's quick to improvise.
You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: He doesn't even try to hide the fact, that he'll do this to everyone. Including his only friend.

Charisma

'Max Cash: I hired you, because your a murderous psychopath.

Max's personal bodyguard and Blaze's ex girl-friend. Charisma is a former member of the Solar Kingdom's special forces and very skilled combatant, with a talent specifically for killing. On the surface, she appears as a fairly innocent pink Pegasus, but underneath is a psychotic killer who's constantly being told by her talent how to kill everyone in her immediate vicinity.

Ax-Crazy: Is this by nature, of having a killer mark.
Badass Adorable: A psychotic commando, who literally was born to be killer, just happens to be an adorable pink Pegasus.
Badass Normal: Can go toe to toe with griffons, dragons, and Rainbow Dash. despite only being a regular Pegasus. Albeit, one with a literal talent for killing.
Because You Were Nice to Me: Possibly the reason she cares for Trail Blazer.
Berserk Button: Not even Max is allowed to bring up her parents.
Blessed with Suck: Her killer talent does give her incredible combat ability, but it also drove her insane.
Blood Knight: Part of her talent.
Combat Pragmatist: Her tactics include everything from throwing decoy knives to distract from the knife that's really heading for you, to lightly hitting Astrid with her wing to throw her off-balance. As Star Fall puts it:
Star Fall: The three of us can outrun her. You and Astrid can over power her. But NONE of us can outfight her.
Cute and Psycho: She is regarded as attractive.
Dance Battler: She ruminates on how similar her fights are to the dances she did as a filly.
Dark Action Girl
Dark and Troubled Past: Hinted at.
David vs. Goliath: A rare villainous example: She faces Astrid, Rainbow Dash, and Spike, all of whom vastly outpower her in strength.
The Dragon: Is this to Max.
The Dreaded: Is this to many ponies who are familiar with her.
Empowered Badass Normal: After Max gives her the Element of Loyalty.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Blaze is the only pony she hesitates to kill.
Even Evil Has Standards: Though she never acts on it, even she is clearly disturbed by her boss's actions. Blaze tries to invoke this, to snap her out of her homicidal rage.
Fragile Speedster: She's able to outfight most enemies, but one hit from Spike leaves her severally injured.
Friendly Enemies:
- Even after their falling out, she seems to still be on good terms with Trail Blazer, albeit in a very twisted way. Even after he uses this to distract her so his friends have enough time to catch her off-guard, so she doesn't kill them, she manages to laugh it off and complement him for getting the drop on her despite being in agonizing pain and dying.
- She's also taking to calling Rainbow Dash "hot stuff".
Incurable Cough of Death: Has developed this due to Max's rather lackluster healing abilities.
Ironic Name: Being a deranged killer, Charisma is not exactly the most charismatic of ponies.
Jerkass: She can be very cruel when she wants to be.
Killed Off for Real: Decides to try to destroy the planet if Rainbow Dash can't stop her in a race with a lethal blow. Rainbow Dash wins.
Made of Iron: For a modern Pegasus, she can shrug off some serious hits.
Omnicidal Maniac: Chapter 33 reveals that her talent's uncontrollable blood lust has drove her to wanting to kill everyone in the world and with the power of The Element of Loyalty, she can.
One-Winged Angel: After her second fight with Rainbow, she accesses "The Rainbow Power"... but unlike the show, this version is a little more intimidating.
Orgasmic Combat: Apparently, her talent give her a very satisfying filling, every time she successfully kills some one.
Pet the Dog: Tries to give Melody genuinely helpful advice on how to advance her career as a bodyguard.
Psycho Ex-Girlfriend: To Trail Blazer.
Psycho for Hire
Sex Is Violence: She's very kinky.
Took a Level in Badass: After fully tapping into the Element of Loyalty, she becomes more scary than before, and that's saying something.
Torture Technician: Really enjoys interrogations.
Used to Be a Sweet Kid: She used to be an innocent filly with a loving family, who liked dancing... until her talent showed up.
Villainous Valor: As monsterous as her action are, it's hard not be impressed with her combat ability.
Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Charisma, After it's revealed that her talent is constantly telling her to kill literally everyone she comes in contact with, destroying any hope she may have ever had about having a normal life and relationship. It's also revealed that she used to have a happy normal life, with loving parents before her Glyph showed up, revealing that she was a born killer. Even worse, she got it, after something drove her into killing her own brother.

Secondary Characters

Melody Drop

The young bodyguard of a local noble living in a rural town. Melody is the latest in a long line of bodyguards who protected her master's family. She is a very kind and capable young warrior that aspires to advance her own combat ability, but all this changes when her town is brutally massacred by ponies, driving her insane.

Big Damn Heroes: When she saves HB and Traduce.
Break the Cutie: She had to go through the brutal massacre of her entire town, and mind-raped by Max Cash into guarding her master's dead body, after being betrayed by two people she trusted. The worst part? She's completely aware, but can't stop.
Horrible Judge of Character: Somehow, Charisma almost killing her on sight didn't clue her in on how dangerous she and Max were.
Killed Off for Real: Is murdered by Cash during the raid on Senator Berch's mansion.
No-Holds-Barred Beatdown: Delivers one to Max Cash, during the raid on Berch's mansion. Sadly, it gets her killed.
Replacement Gold Fish: A very dark example. Since she can't physically leave her master's side (despite said master being a decaying corpse), she has to keep a little doll of him around at all times.
Sanity Slippage: Is a babbling mess after surviving a town massacre and being mind-raped by Max Cash.
Undying Loyalty: To her master, High Fashion. This is what Max uses to brainwash her.

Big Wig

A unicorn foreman and war veteran. Big Wig has a talent in telekinesis.

Fantastic Racism: He's immediately ready to kill Calumn, after finding out he's a changeling. Until he sees one of the children Calumn had befriended and saved.
Not Quite Flight: Big Wig can use his telekinesis, to fly around on a concrete slab. But, he has very poor maneuverability.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Is considered this by his employees.
Retired Badass: Despite being retired from the military, he managed to put Charisma on the defensive.

King Golden Scepter

The Alicorn co-ruler of the Solar Kingdom (though not a true alicorn like Celestia and Luna). He is married to his wife, Queen Aqua Regis, and the father of Prince Regal Stature.

Arranged Marriage: Orders one between Star Fall and his son, Regal Stature so they could produce a powerful Alicorn heir, akin to Celestia and Luna.
Blue Blood: He's descended from the Crystal Empire's original royal family.
Good Parents: He tried instilling compassion and a moral compass into his son, Regal Stature. Thus when Star Fall meets him, Regal is a very dorky, if rather timid stallion.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Has some degree of Celestia's benevolence. All in all, he's just doing what he thinks is best for his people.
Winged Unicorn: Is one, though not a true Alicorn.

Queen Aqua Regis

The Alicorn co-ruler of the Solar kingdom.

Blue Blood: He's descended from the Crystal Empire's original royal family.
Winged Unicorn: Is one, though not a true Alicorn.

Senator Alan Birchfield

A pegasus senator in New Lunar Republic and former soldier. Senator Birchfield is a patron of the art and history of his people, craving for the days when pegasy ruled the skies. Unfortunately, his desire for pre-schism artifacts has lead to him repeatedly coming into competition with Max Cash, who for unknown reasons has been buying very specific works, only to sell them back just as soon.

Big Fancy House: His mansion. At least until the battle with Max's private army anyway.
Corrupt Politician: Implied, but so far, it hasn't gone beyond some shady Black Market art-shopping.
Fan of the Past: He has a high regard for his people's history and admits to fantasizing about ruling the skies like his pegasus ancestors did.

Jim "Big Jim" Bay

One of (if not the only) true friends of Max Cash. For years, he has loyally served and mentored his best friend, Max Cash.

Aerith and Bob: A name like Jim really stands out in world like this.
The Gambling Addict: Was one.
Human Sacrifice: Well, pony anyway. Max made him the first sacrifice to remove the Elements of Harmony.
Horrible Judge of Character: Apparently, he thought his murderous, sociopath friend would return his loyalty.
The Mentor: To Max.
Posthumous Character: His death kicks off the story. He's the pony Rainbow Dash wakes up next to after 1000 years passed.
Small Role, Big Impact: His murder is what frees Rainbow Dash, gives control of Loyalty to Cash, and leads to the investigation that brings Hard Boiled into the story.
Undying Loyalty: To his friend, Max Cash. Which Max repays just how you think a murderous sociopath with no sense of loyalty himself would.
Villainous Friendship: With Cash. Max Cash repays his service in the only way he knows how.

Prince Regal Stature

One of the king's younger, less influential sons, and reluctant fiance to Star Fall. Despite barley knowing Star and being five years her junior, he tries his best to make the most out of it.

Arranged Marriage: With Star Fall, thanks to his father.
Cannot Talk to Women: When we finally meet him, it turns out he's just a sweet and inexperienced young stallion, who's just as clueless as Star Fall on how to make being married to someone he barely knows work. All he can do is make a few feeble passes on Star Fall before she stops him, and says that she want to at least become friends with him before they marry in a week.
Dark Horse Victory: In-universe; He's the middle child and hasn't learned all that's necessary to be king, because odds are he would have never been given the opportunity. Then, his father decided he was the one to be married to Star Fall, and made him his heir to the throne.
Super Breeding Program: He is later named the heir to the kingdom, due to being able to see into the realm where the "dead" princesses reside and is also the reason his father wants him to marry her, thinking it's their best shot at producing an alicorn heir. This technically makes Star Fall the Solar Kingdom's future queen.

Minor Characters

Silas

"Shut up, stupid pony."

A shifty Diamond Dog guide, who offers to lead people through the Everstorm, only to leave them for dead. He has a long standing feud, with a rival guide, Trail Blazer.

Foil: To Trail Blazer, a rival guide. While Silas leaves his customers for dead in the Everstorm and makes off with their money, Blaze doesn't do that, and in fact tries to warn people about Silas's shadiness.
Fantasy Counterpart Culture: He gives off a Russian vibe.
Jerkass: He leaves his customers for dead in the Everstorm. This bites him in the ass later when Blaze does the same thing.
Laser-Guided Karma: Tries to murder Blaze over losing a customer to him. This gets him left for dead in the storm he abandoned all his customers in.
The Rival: Apparently has a long grudge against Blaze, likely because Blaze warns his customers how untrustworthy Silas is.

High Fashion

A wealthy unicorn and Melody's employer. He comes from a long line of nobles who have ran his estate.

Killed Off for Real: Is driven to suicide by Max Cash.
Satellite Character: Only serves as Melody's boss.

Conrad Sherman

A minor associate of Max Cash and gambler. Conrad is enjoying a laidback suite, while Cash's goons shadow him, when Lunar agents go after him.

The Alcoholic: Drinks his heart away while in his hotel suite.
Casanova Wannabe: Really loves chasing tail.
Dirty Coward: Doesn't even try to fight back.
Killed Off for Real: Used as a sacrifice by Max Cash, to retrieve the Element of Honesty.
Oh, Crap!: When he realizes he's busted.

Characters / Harmony Theory

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