History CodexEquus / TropesEToF

** [[spoiler:It turns out the Void Sovereign has a sister, named the Genesis Sovereign, who is just as eldritch to behold and powerful as him, but [[CainAndAbel completely benevolent in her morality]]. She was the one who sent the seed that'd create the Tree of Harmony to Equus in the first place and also the creator of both the Rainbow of Light and the power held by the Seven Royals]].

** Subverted. with Moon Ray Vaughoof, who's based on Music/StevieRayVaughan. While he still died from a helicopter crash like Music/StevieRayVaughan did, he slowly came to terms with his tragic death and became a psychopomp. Later, after forgiving all the people who wronged him in life, he Ascended and became an Alicorn god of Death, Temperance, Water, and Forgiveness... except that becoming a Death god ties him to the Heaven/Hell-Realms he now looks after, so in a way, he's still 'dead'. He didn't visit his friends and loved ones until after they died of old age because he didn't want to make it look like he came BackFromTheDead and crush their hopes later on, only relenting with the now-Ascended Healing Song just to give him some closure.

** Glory Hounds feed off of pride, which they get by 'whispering' into the ears of ponies telepathically and stroking their egos. However, they ''can'' feed off of positive pride rather than hubris and are beneficial if tamed.

* TheEmpath: Several deities have this power, especially if their concepts involve Love, Diplomacy, or something similar.

** While Ceres, the deceased Malrègnarian goddess of Agriculture, Harvest, and Plenty, originally wasn't this, she slowly became entitled to rewards that she felt she deserved after centuries of providing for her mortal worshipers, which was largely thanks to the toxic influence of the 'Prideful King'. This led to her working her own worshipers and subjects like slaves, [[AllTakeAndNoGive making them grow bountiful produce to fill her quota while giving them so little of her own stock in return]], even though she actually had little need of her own stocks. Iniquitous punished her by turning the goddess into an emaciated monstrosity that devoured everything and everyone in sight, [[OffingTheOffspring including her own children]], before she devoured her in turn as a vermin swarm.

* EveryoneHasStandards: The Taurus Giant Pantheon were so disgusted by Khakiston, the Giant divine of Warmongers, Military Dictators and Amoral Warriors that they kicked him out of their ranks, with Terraton doing this to him quite literally out of the Taurus Peninsula. They might be domineering, aggressive and gluttonous at their worst, Terraton especially, but it seems even they can't stand the honorless brute Khakiston is shown to be.

* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: Rainbow Ponies are a mutated sub-type of pony that are generally treated as heroes and mystical figures of legend. This is because, aside from their beautiful, prismatic appearance, they have the ability to control light, energy, and rainbows. The most famous Rainbow Pony is Rainbow Dash, the fastest pegasus and performer of the Sonic Rainboom, [[AchievementsInIgnorance though she remains completely ignorant of her heritage]]. It's averted with Lady Prismis, an evil Rainbow Pony sorceress who was known as "The Baleful Spectrum", but thankfully it wasn't enough to tarnish the overall reputation of her people.

** Temnobog, as well as his his surviving loyal children, grandchildren, and his demonic followers, opposes destructive Evil because such a thing will eventually destroy Equus if left unchecked, much like how a wildfire will rage out of control until there's nothing left to burn.

** Temnobog, the GodOfEvil of Deerkind, noted this tendency of self-destruction as the reason why Evil must serve [[NecessarilyEvil constructive purposes]] and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil exist in balance with Good]]. Temnoism preaches that left unchecked, Evil will act like a wildfire that will consume everything it touches - including ultimately ''itself''. Temnoism also preaches the inversion, that Good will ''also'' inevitably fail as well [[GoodNeedsEvil if not constantly challenged by Evil]], resulting in stagnation and complacency that will leave it vulnerable to destruction or corruption. It is for this reason that Temnobog works with his benevolent brother Belyolen while his children and followers [[EvilVersusEvil fight 'Destructive Evil' factions]] as much as they oppose heroes and champions.

** It's mentioned in Prince Sparkling Wing's backstory that two ponies he helped out were Lady Sweet Song and Lord Cerulean Heart, who are based on [[Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet Juliet and Romeo]], respectively, in that they were heirs of two feuding noble Houses who fell in love with each other despite their families' grudge. However, things ended differently - Sparkling Wing exposed the root of the noble Houses' petty grudge against each other, saving Sweet Song and Cerulean Heart from running away and committing suicide together just to escape their families' hatred, and uniting the noble Houses as [[AdultFear their parents each couldn't bear the thought of losing their beloved children]].

** [[spoiler:It is ''heavily'' implied that what A.K. Yearling and her associate Antiguo found in the belly of a Second Age Ponyland strategic bomber recently dug up is none other than an actual nuclear weapon, which naturally horrifies them. Given the Second Age, despite being an analogue of Earth's Information Era, is implicitly described as divergent in many ways, there's no telling what sort of 'fantastical' modifications and enhancements Second Age nukes possess which would classify them as this]]

*** The Elternteil Deer Pantheon is led by High King Irminsul and his wife, High Queen Arvan, and was constantly praised by their mortal worshipers for being wise and benevolent. Unfortunately, this swelled their ego so much that they became incredibly biased, arrogant, and patronizing, and when the dark Temnobog was born as the result of Irminsul's attempt to turn his then-unborn son into a GodOfGood by purging his inner evil, they emotionally abused him for existing. This ultimately led to their divine children leaving them to form different pantheons when arguments arose over the direction their mortal children are (and should be) taking with their civilizations, and the emotional mistreatment of one of their own gods, the Deer GodOfEvil Temnobog. The Elternteil pantheon oversees the Alvslog Deer herds, who reside in forested areas and are just as morally puristic, haughty, and close-minded like their divine patrons.

*** The Caearnarian Deer Pantheon is the third sub-pantheon of Deer to form, led by [[SiblingTeam siblings]] Phoenix King Naur and his younger sister, Everqueen Naneth. This pantheon was formed when Naur, through a series of events, grew extremely disillusioned and bitter with his haughty and puristic family and their Alvslog subjects, and left home to succeed where the Elternteil Deer Pantheon failed. While the Caearnarian Deer deities watch over a verdant and lush island paradise where their mortal followers had settled down, they encourage the Caearnarian Deer Herds to be more open and tolerant, and have taken measures to ensure that they won't become as bad as their former Alvslog kindred.

** If Luminiferous had not found him in time, Blue Suede Heartstrings would have succeeded in quitting music altogether and presumably become a recluse out of depression and grief. His entry notes that meeting Luminiferous "changed the course of history", as the [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre pep-talk]] he received and the epiphany he had influenced Blue to continue performing on his own terms after quitting his job as a career musician. Eventually, he would end up Ascending to godhood after traveling the world and amassing a list of good deeds. On the other hand, Blue having a [[AcidRefluxNightmare food-fueled nightmare]] about becoming fat in his old age motivated him to cut down on his BigEater habits significantly, allowing him to remain in his prime by the time he Ascended to godhood, whereas his character inspiration, Music/ElvisPresley, got really fat due to not developing the same restraint.
* FreudianExcuse: Many characters in the Codexverse have reasons for why they ended up developing certain behaviors. [[RealityEnsues However]], this trope is mostly deconstructed in that while their reasons are certainly sympathetic, they usually don't justify horrific actions, as people have opportunities to move past their traumas and become better individuals.

** The members of the Black Heron Corpse Investigation Team are collectively cynical and borderline morbid in both humor and perception due to suffering deeply horrific and/or personal tragedies, to the point where they would unnerve people by [[CasualDangerDialogue cracking jokes and conversing during battles as if it's just another day of work for them]]. And because of their [[PerpetualPoverty floundering corpse business and constantly poor financial situations]], they're opportunistic and greedy, being willing to do anything to earn extra cash, including accepting yen from their followers as gifts. However, post-Ascension, this behavior would get them in trouble with benevolent authorities such as the Shinseina deities, who genuinely want to see these newly-Ascended death gods grow into their potential and succeed, yet greatly disapprove of their crass and snarky behavior to the point where they're willing to discipline their adoptive charges if necessary. In a canonized Codexverse drabble, Guiding Light would admit to Empress Izanami-no-kami in a private conversation that he and his friends were so driven to get by that they ''thought'' living in a divine realm would be no different than living in Neighpon, rent and all, and they all just wanted to stop worrying about living expenses for once.

** Blue Suede Heartstrings is one. His entry notes that he's very fond of children, and has been known to act as an [[CoolBigSis older brother figure]] for them; one of them in particular was [[WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitch an orphaned pegasus filly who lived in the Sandwich Islands with her older sister and "Stitch", a rehabilitated Maretian weapons experiment]]. It's believed in-universe that his fondness for children came from [[AngstySurvivingTwin losing his older identical twin brother at birth]], which he didn't confirm or deny. In the Fourth Age, he befriended the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Dazzling Divas]] and aided them in their fight against [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Ivory Towers]] and her demonic forces; out of them all, he formed a particularly close bond with Miracle Hymn, the youngest Diva, and essentially became a foster father for her after her parents were murdered by one of Ivory Towers' demons, something that he greatly sympathizes with Miracle Hymn for. And when unicorn tribalists from the Children of Platinum faction attacked the School of Friendship, he angrily admonished the tribalists for spouting racism in front of terrified young students, [[CoverInnocentEyesAndEars even covering one of the students' ears while doing so]].

** Blood Fang was speculated in-universe to have become the feared conqueror he is today out of the altruistic desire to give his nomadic family a home by taking over places with fertile lands like Hyrule. However, if one would go further back, it would be revealed that he was once a mortal Earth pony named Blood Feather, a former bully who would become a steadfast ally of Gleaming Shield and Radiant Primrose in one of their early incarnations. However, he was possessed by the spirit of Demise, a greater demon, [[HeroicSacrifice and committed suicide with Gleaming Shield's sword so he'll free himself and save his friends]]. A few gods reincarnated him out of pity, but it turned out that a portion of Demise's evil stayed with him, ultimately giving rise to Blood Fang.

** Silver Bane, a former follower of the Poenan Pantheon, is a [[SplitPersonalityMerge mental]] variant that combines "Composite" and "Power Booster". After accepting his vampiric heritage and making peace with his "[[EnemyWithin dark half]]", he mentally fused with it, which not only gave him a stabler, healthier mindset, but also transformed him in the real world as his long-suppressed heritage finally manifested itself, giving him traits like tufted ears, feathered bat wings, and sharp upper fangs. He also permanently gained enhanced physical abilities and greater magic, [[TookALevelInBadass making him more powerful than he was before]].

** Crystal Prism was once a unicorn colt named "Page Wheel". His mother became gravely ill for a time, and after teasing his young neighbor, Midnight Bell, he was later kidnapped and experimented on by two teachers, Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker, with the intent of turning him into an Alicorn that embodied Rebirth and Change to symbolize a "[[DeityOfHumanOrigin new age]]" for Ponykind. He became a magic-eating monster instead, and rampaged across the Grittish Isles before Luminiferous and the Equestrian Princesses killed him without realizing who the monster was until it was too late. Page Wheel was saved when the absorbed magic revived/Ascended him by incubating him in a magical cocoon, but came out severely frightened and traumatized several days later. Thanks to Mentálne's therapy sessions and the support of his family and friends, Crystal Prism is gradually recovering, with him becoming a student of Luminiferous and forgiving Midnight Bell for her role in his trauma. He was also encouraged to [[ScrewDestiny break away from his intended role and forge his own path]] by benevolent individuals such as Golden Scepter, leading to a few heroic deeds such as helping Button Mash defeat [[EldritchAbomination CreepEntity513]] and rescuing all of the latter's victims, and helping Katastrofa deal with his catastrophic foresight and accept his creative side.

** The Grand Primevals are also this, though benevolent in nature and downplayed compared to the former two, being primordial deities of such scope and power that even Emperor Blackthorn is afraid to tangle with them, and having somewhat alien mannerisms. They're also the grandchildren of the Genesis Sovereign.
** It's speculated in-universe that Canteros' true form is very powerful and eldritch just like his father, Amareros, and the rest of the Grand Primevals. And given how he often appears as a butterfly-themed Alicorn, his true form likely involves butterflies. However, few have lived to see it and leave with their minds and bodies intact, due to the Grand Primevals' terrifying rages and the warping effects their mere presence can have on even lesser divines.

** Double-subverted with Bossa Nova Heartstrings. He's based on Jesse Garon Presley, the stillborn older identical twin brother of Music/ElvisPresley, so like his real-life counterpart, Bossa Nova came out stillborn while Blue survived. However, he managed to get a life of his own via being adopted and raised by Gavisus Manes, the Alicorn god of Death and Joy, allowing him to "grow" up, and became a psychopomp assisting his father. His attempts to connect with Blue, his long-lost younger twin brother who is living, set off a chain of events that led to Blue discovering that his dead twin is actually "alive" and ultimately Ascending to godhood. Meanwhile, Bossa Nova realizes the mistakes he made with both his brother and adoptive family when his actions get him barred from the afterlife, and with Blue's encouragement, he goes back home and makes amends with his family, eventually leading to him Ascending as well.
** Double-subverted with Moon Ray Vaughoof, who's based on Music/StevieRayVaughan. While he still died from a helicopter crash like Stevie Ray did, he slowly came to terms with and became a psychopomp, only to become an Alicorn god of Death, Temperance, Water, and Forgiveness later after forgiving those who hurt him in life. He didn't visit his friends and loved ones until after they died of old age because he didn't want to make it look like he came BackFromTheDead and crush their hopes later on, only relenting with the now-Ascended Healing Song on Cloudy Brush's suggestion just to give him some closure.

** Glory Hounds feed off of pride, which they get by 'whispering' into the ears of ponies telepathically and stroking their egos. Though they ''can'' feed off of positive pride rather than hubris and are beneficial if tamed.

CodexEquus/TropesAToB | CodexEquus/TropesCToD | '''Tropes E to F''' | CodexEquus/TropesGToH | CodexEquus/TropesIToJ | CodexEquus/TropesKToL | CodexEquus/TropesMToN | CodexEquus/TropesOToP | CodexEquus/TropesQToR | CodexEquus/TropesSToT | CodexEquus/TropesUToV | CodexEquus/TropesWToX | CodexEquus/TropesYToZ]]]]-]

*** InUniverse, a rumor sprang up in the Second Age after his death that said he actually didn't die in a helicopter accident; Mag'ne just took him with her because she needed a guitar teacher. He and Sunny Field would [[TakeThat poke fun at this]] during an interview with ''Codex Equus'' researchers three Ages later.

** Princess Brightglow, the "Stellar Diplomat", has empathic powers that help her with diplomacy by allowing her to read people. This combined with her [[PlayingWithFire ability to read heat differentials]] makes it difficult to lie around her. Emperor Blackthorn finds her an amusing diversion, and often tests her limits whenever she goes on diplomatic meetings with the Changelings.

* EntitledBastard: Decepticolt, Zappityhoof, and Goldencap are this themselves, believing that their great power entitled them to the privilege of becoming [[PhysicalGod Alicorns]], to the point where they tried breaking into Canterlot's forbidden archives (which got them expelled from the School for Gifted Unicorns by [[DisappointedInYou a disappointed Celestia]]), and succeeded in stealing Rainbow Dash's wings until Twilight Sparkle teamed up with her to get them back. In a display of utter hypocrisy, the trio also sees those who are already Alicorns as entitled individuals who are keeping the secrets and power of Ascension to themselves, such as Twilight and the newly-Ascendant Crystal Prism. This ''enraged'' Crystal Prism, as he had gone through a lot of traumatic experiences before he Ascended in the first place, and had to adjust to his new form.

** Despite being an unapologetically evil god, Temnobog represents evil as a constructive, testing force and deep down, he's a pretty decent guy. While he's known for being a patron of various types of villains, he actually sees them as moral failures and uses them as divine pawns to test mortals' heroic resolve. He is also ''very'' opposed to his ex-lover, the fallen goddess Ispita, and has a standing order for her among his divine children and servants that essentially amounts to "Kill on Sight".

** Even Battryu, who is otherwise a genocidal KnightTemplar that will not hesitate to kill off every single living creature on Equus to protect the planet, considers the similarly nature-loving King Aspen to be too fanatical for his tastes.

** The Autorists are also stated to be blatantly reactionary, joining in the persecution of the inventor of the Vortex Engine along with the reactionary Pegasi beyond Equestria by making her PersonaNonGrata, and making it illegal to even ''discuss'' the new invention in their lands. Notably, even ''Rainbow Dash'', Bearer of Loyalty and a famous pegasus mare, has condemned the cruel treatment despite her personal feelings on the issue, and has expressed excitement towards the prospect of being able to race Vortex Engine-powered vehicles one day.
** The reason the old Roedinian regimes were so poor and backwards was the ruling elites' refusal to embrace or permit any form of innovation that could had greatly improve their peoples' lives, fearing they may undermine their power. Given that reason and how deeply corrupt and tyrannical they were by the time they were overthrown, it comes to no surprise they are this.
*** With that experience, the Clovenists who overthrown them views all reactionaries as this, and consequentially the Clovenist ideology embraced progress to almost [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] extremes.

** Temnobog, as well as his his surviving loyal children, and his demonic followers, opposes destructive Evil because such a thing will eventually destroy Equus if left unchecked, much like how a wildfire will rage out of control until there's nothing left to burn.

** Temnobog, the GodOfEvil of Deerkind, noted this tendency of self-destruction as the reason why Evil must serve [[NecessarilyEvil constructive purposes]] and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil exist in balance with Good]]. Temnoism preaches that left unchecked, Evil will act like a wildfire that will consume everything it touches - including ultimately ''itself''. Temnoism also preaches the invert, that Good will ALSO inevitably fail as well [[GoodNeedsEvil if not constantly challenged by Evil]], resulting in stagnation and complacency that will leave it vulnerable to destruction or corruption. It is for this reason that Temnobog works with his benevolent brother Belyolen while his children and followers [[EvilVersusEvil fight 'Destructive Evil' factions]] as much as they oppose heroes and champions.

** Changelings and Dragons do ''not'' like each other, at all. This is due to the fact that according the Changeling mythology/history, hordes of dragons were responsible for burning down their homeland out of greed for their riches, indirectly contributing to the suffering they endured at the dawn of their existence. This comes to a head with Xestobium, who takes this to insane lengths by Summer Court standards and nearly triggers a mass extinction event attempting to wipe the dragons out. Queen Acherontia and Dragon Lord Vulcan's love for each other and resulting hybrid child was met with both courts and dragonflights descending on their hive in disgusted rage and the two being sealed away. This came back to bite them when said hybrid daughter returns, now justifiably furious and all grown up. The "Time of Broken Scales" and Xestobium's rampage both caused Toxikon to despise the Changelings and eventually snap and try to wipe them out.

** Many Giants individuals and races look down upon the smaller races, often referring them as 'Tinies' and think nothing of crushing, eating, toying or otherwise dominating them. Likewise, the smaller races fear and revile Giants for being hungry, violent and otherwise monstrous brutes. That is by no means universal, as benevolent Giants who protect smaller races and nurtures their civilizations are said to be just as common, if less well-remembered. Supia, a gigantic Royal Changeling {{Kaiju}} Queen, avoids using 'Tinies' to refer to her subjects and the people she protects, because it's an indicator of a superiority complex.

** Generally deconstructed with Golden Scepter himself.
*** After the fall of the Alicorn Civilization and living among mortal ponies as the only living Alicorn in the outside world at the time for so long, Golden Scepter became extremely protective of Ponykind and wanted them to be the MasterRace of Equus, in turn becoming an AbsoluteXenophobe towards non-Equine races. To that end, he launched military campaigns that were little more than genocidal massacres, causing the Imperium of Ponykind to become expansionist. When confronted by a high-ranking Commander of the Ultra-marerines, Golden Scepter justified his actions with the excuse of being "right" while his so-called enemies were "wrong", much to said Commander's disgust. After he was injured and sealed away, his actions would influence his subjects to behave the same way as the Imperium turned into a WretchedHive, which ultimately led to its collapse. After going through CharacterDevelopment and [[TookALevelInKindness becoming much kinder]], he has become more tolerant towards non-Pony races, and notably became a bitter enemy against racist/tribalist factions such as the Scions of Hurricane and Autorists.
*** He ''really'' doesn't like Synthetic Automatons, known in the Second Age as "robots". His strong distrust towards them stemmed from personal experiences with [[AIIsACrapshoot rebellious and/or evil sapient A.I.]]; in one incident, he personally witnessed the "Manes of Iron Rebellion" event, which destroyed one of the most successful civilizations that came after the "Twilight of the Alicorns". Despite his beliefs, he abstained from participating in the Hoofington Conference so he could give his sons and technologically-minded subjects a chance to come up with their own conclusions. It's also noted that Corona, the {{Expy}} of [[Franchise/MegaMan Mega Man]], was the only Synthetic Automaton he genuinely respected, partially due to Luminiferous's benevolent influence, and partially because Corona chose to save and protect people of his own free will, [[WhatYouAreInTheDark even if he has many opportunities to go against his beliefs and programming]], such as Corona's refusal to kill [[ArchEnemy Dr. Guile]] despite the latter being a despicable coward responsible for many horrible atrocities.
----> '''Emperor Golden Scepter:''' ''(referring to Corona and Aurora)'' They were... a few of the good ones. [[YouAreACreditToYourRace Both credits to their kind]].

** Meridia, with it's DeathWorld aspects, is one for Australia. Interestingly, its name during the Second Age was called "Horstralia".
** The Kulesian-Mazlander Commonwealth is one to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, complete with a literal version of the Winged Hussars comprised of elite Pegasi and Griffon warriors.

*** The Elternteil Deer pantheon is led by High King Irminsul and his wife, High Queen Arvan, and was constantly praised by their mortal worshipers for being wise and benevolent. Unfortunately, this swelled their ego so much that they became incredibly biased, arrogant, and patronizing, and when the dark Temnobog was born as the result of Irminsul's attempt to turn his then-unborn son into a GodOfGood by purging his inner evil, they emotionally abused him for existing. This ultimately led to their divine children leaving them to form different pantheons when arguments arose over the direction their mortal children are (and should be) taking with their civilizations, and the emotional mistreatment of one of their own gods, the Deer GodOfEvil Temnobog. The Elternteil pantheon oversees the Alvslog Deer herds, who reside in forested areas and are just as morally puristic, haughty, and close-minded like their divine patrons.
*** The Bogolenya pantheon is the first sub-pantheon of Deer to form from the divine schism, led by twin brothers Belyolen and Temnobog. This pantheon was formed after Belyolen, after overhearing his family consider killing Temnobog for being born "evil, called out his entire family for their pride and abusive hypocrisy and left home, taking with him both Temnobog and several other siblings [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone who were shamed by Belyolen's speech]]. The Bogolenya pantheon oversees the Erobreseg Deer herds and is known for their incredible tolerance, letting both non-Deer and supposedly "evil" divines, such as Temnobog and his hybrid children, the Four Terrors, live among them in harmony.
*** The Hoyklan pantheon is the second sub-pantheon of Deer to form from the divine schism. Unlike the first two Deer pantheons, the Hoyklan Deer are led by the divine moose, High King Kaldr, when it turned out that no one among them was capable of leadership or standing their ground against Irminsul, who had been pressuring his divine children into reuniting with the Elternteil pantheon. They oversee the Nordskelt Deer herds, who live in a warrior-like society.

** The Old Orosian Gods were basically the Greek Pantheon and held dominion over the Taurus Peninsula. Their JerkassGod attitudes ultimately got them killed, and the benevolent gods that survived reforming as the much nicer Pramanthan Pantheon.

* FateWorseThanDeath: It's mentioned in Guiding Light's entry that blindness (or at least sight-impairment) is seen as this trope in general by many pegasi, who rely on sight to nagivate the skies as they fly. Even Guiding Light himself didn't believe that he could fly due to being born blind, despite becoming an Alicorn demigod. Fortunately, the deities of the Shinseina pantheon are teaching Guiding Light how to use pegasus magic as an "inner compass", so he could avoid weather hazards like storms.

** Aeons ago the 'Twilight of the Alicorns', caused by the [[SatanicArchetype Fallen Alicorn Morning Star]]'s twisted ambition to remake the world/universe in his 'perfect' image, led to the widespread death and destruction for both the Alicorn Civilization and everyone/everything caught in the crossfire. The conflict lasted for ten Ages, which in the Codexverse chalks up to '''''roughly 100,000 years'''''. It only truly ended when [[AntiAntiChrist Luminiferous]] put his father down for good, and the conflict is the main reason why Alicornkind is no longer around on Equus in significant numbers as most of the remnants retreated into [[PocketDimension Sanctuary Realms]] to recover and replenish their numbers.

** Had Irminsul not tried to purify his then-unborn son of his inner darkness, he would have ended up with a god who is balanced, incredibly powerful, and embodies mortal Deerkind's best and worst traits, ruling over everything that Deerkind holds in their highest esteem. While Luminiferous was ''furious'' with Irminsul for trying to enforce his twisted ideas of perfection onto his child, he does note that even his son's flaws have potential to become great, even though they're no longer part of him. Belyolen admits that both he and Temnobog do think about it sometimes, but then he states that life wouldn't be the same and speculates there would be no one capable of upholding Good and Evil. This fact is rumored in-universe to be why they respect the antediluvian Alicorn Golden Scepter, who would befriend them during [[WalkingTheEarth one of his journeys across Equus]], as he is a benevolent ruler who embodies Ponykind in general.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Played straight and inverted.

** Inverted with Thorax. He was once a Common Changeling drone of Chrysalis's hive that was trained from birth to fight and die in the name of his Queen. A series of events, including his request for asylum in Equestria and his confrontation with Chrysalis, resulted in Thorax turning into a Royal Changeling and becoming a 'Progenitor' of a new breed of purified Changelings. Thorax is currently regarded as a near-legendary heroic figure by Changelingkind, calling him the "Sanctified One" and seeing him as their greatest hope in curing their racial Curse.

** Inverted with Crystal Prism. He was once a mortal unicorn colt named Page Wheel, but after Midnight Bell lied about him, he was kidnapped by Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker, who proceeded to experiment on him to replicate the Alicorns' Ascension process. While the experiments did corrupt Page Wheel and turned him into a [[MagicEater magic-eating monster]], it wasn't until after he was defeated and killed by Luminiferous and the Equestrian Princesses that he became the Alicorn he is now, having been revived by the very magic he devoured. Nowadays he helps promote Change and Rebirth, as he embodies it, by helping people and even befriending "evil" deities like Katastrofa, instead of symbolizing a "new age" like Noble Grace intended, thanks to benevolent individuals [[ScrewDestiny encouraging him to forge a new path for himself]].

** Temnobog, the GodOfEvil of Deerkind, noted this tendency of self-destruction as the reason why Evil must serve [[NecessarilyEvil constructive purposes]] and [[BalanceBetweenGoodAndEvil exist in balance with Good]]. Temnoism preaches that left unchecked, Evil will act like a wildfire that will consume everything it touches - including ultimately ''itself''. Temnoism also preaches the invert, that Good will ALSO inevitably fail as well [[GoodNeedsEvil if not constantly challenged by Evil]], resulting in stagnation and complacency that will leave it vulnerable to destruction or corruption. It is for this reason that Temnobog works with his benevolent brother Belyolen while his children and followers [[EvilVSEvil fight 'Destructive Evil' factions]] as much as they oppose heroes and champions.

** Subverted with the Terran Empire. Despite its name, it's actually [[HegemonicEmpire a pretty benevolent one]], especially when compared to the Imperium of Ponykind, which became a WretchedHive largely due to [[GodEmperor Golden Scepter]]'s then-tyrannical influence and mistakes. Notably, the AbsoluteXenophobe behavior is absent, resulting in a happy and harmonious environment where Ponies are encouraged to live in peace with their non-Pony neighbors. And while the Terran Empire is technologically advanced and has a powerful military, with existing sub-chapters, the leaders of said sub-chapters are powerful demigod Princes, whose collective benevolence was influenced by how their father raised them. The Terran Empire also closely resembles the mini-empire of Ultramar, ruled by [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Roboute Guilliman of the Ultramarines]], in that it's a utopia as was envisioned by the Emperor of Mankind in regards to what he had in mind for humanity in general.

** The [[ShroudedInMyth mysterious]] and [[TheDreaded dreaded]] conqueror and sovereign known as [[GodOfEvil Iniquitous]], [[EvilOverlord the]] [[GodEmpress Vicearch]] [[TheEmpire of]] [[{{Mordor}} Malrègnar]] is a notable exception to this rule, being written specifically as a {{Reconstruction}} of the TheBadGuyWins trope by showing how even in a universe where EvilWillFail is in effect a villain can still win and maintain that victory. In-universe, she is widely considered one of the most successful and long-lasting EvilOverlord and GodOfEvil in existence, having won a war of domination in her lands long ago, crushing all opposition and then rebuild it in her image and reigned supreme for ''millennia'' ever since at the head of a (very steadily) ascendant evil empire. Her triumph was the result of a golden combination of [[PragmaticEvil pragmatism]], [[OpportunisticBastard opportunism]], [[TheChessmaster ruthless manipulations]], [[CrazyEnoughToWork sheer audacity]], squeezing every single advantage of [[SurroundedByIdiots her enemies'/rivals' weaknesses]] for all they are worth and [[BornLucky just enough luck]]. Her [[TheAce continued success]] had led to her being widely [[VillainRespect admired]]/[[GreenEyedMonster resented]] by malevolent and evil factions and villains, while benevolent and good groups and heroes rightfully feared her for not only what she is capable of, but also [[GoodIsImpotent what she may represent]]...

---> '''Emperor Golden Scepter:''' ''(referring to Corona and Aurora)'' They were... a few of the good ones. [[YouAreACreditToYourRace Both credits to their kind]].

** Implied to be the case with Queen Dazzleglow, who sealed herself away 20,000 years ago, allegedly to save the future from what she calls "The Cycle" of society-killing vices, as well as a similar disaster that destroyed her kingdom. She reawakened in the modern day while Daring Do was trying to protect her from Ahuizotl, who was trying to kill her and wipe away what remained of the Queen.

* ForTheEvulz: Usually averted. As a rule of thumb, a majority of the villains or evil bastards in the setting have some sort of motive or justification that makes sense, at least to themselves. Those who pursue senseless, banal evil for its own sake are generally seen as particularly abhorrent and usually deconstructed as being at least a little [[AxCrazy mad]], dysfunctional or just plain [[StupidEvil idiotic]].

* FreudianExcuse: Many characters in the Codexverse have reasons for why they ended up developing certain behaviors. [[RealityEnsues However]], this trope is mostly deconstructed in that [[FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse while their reasons are certainly sympathetic, they usually don't justify horrific actions]], as people have opportunities to move past their traumas and become better individuals.

** The [[ShroudedInMyth mysterious]] and [[TheDreaded dreaded]] conqueror and sovereign known as [[GodOfEvil Iniquitous]], [[EvilOverlord the]] [[GodEmpress Vicearch]] [[TheEmpire of]] [[{{Mordor}} Malrègnar]] is a notable exception to this rule, being written specifically as a {{Reconstruction}} of the TheBadGuyWins trope by showing how even in a universe where EvilWillFail is in effect a villain can still win and maintain that victory. In-universe, she is widely considered one of the most successful and long-lasting EvilOverlord and GodOfEvil in existence, having won a war of domination in her lands long ago, crushing all opposition and then rebuild it in her image and reigned supreme for ''millennia'' ever since at the head of a (very steadily) ascendant evil empire. Her triumph was the result of a golden combination of [[PragmaticEvil pragmatism]], [[OpportunisticBastard opportunism]], [[TheChessmaster ruthless manipulations]], [[CrazyEnoughToWork sheer audacity]], squeezing every single advantage of [[SurroundedByIdiots her enemies'/rivals' weaknesses]] for all they are worth and [[BornLucky just enough luck]]. Her [[TheAce continued success]] had led to her being widely [[VillainousRespect admired]]/[[GreenEyedMonster resented]] by malevolent and evil factions and villains, while benevolent and good groups and heroes rightfully feared her for not only what she is capable of, but also [[GoodIsImpotent what she may represent]]...

** The [[ShroudedInMyth mysterious]] and [[TheDreaded dreaded]] [[GodOfEvil Iniquitous]], [[EvilOverlord the]] [[GodEmpress Vicearch]] [[TheEmpire of]] [[{{Mordor}} Malrègnar]] is a notable exception to this rule, being written specifically as a {{Reconstruction}} of the TheBadGuyWins trope by showing how even in a universe where EvilWillFail is in effect a villain can still win and maintain that victory. In-universe, she is widely considered one of the most successful and long-lasting EvilOverlord and GodOfEvil in existence, having won a war of domination in her lands long ago, crushing all opposition and then rebuild it in her image and reigned supreme for ''millennia'' ever since at the head of a (very steadily) ascendant evil empire. Her triumph was the result of a golden combination of [[PragmaticEvil pragmatism]], [[OpportunisticBastard opportunism]], [[TheChessmaster ruthless manipulations]], [[CrazyEnoughToWork sheer audacity]], squeezing every single advantage of [[SurroundedByIdiots her enemies'/rivals' weaknesses]] for all they are worth and [[BornLucky just enough luck]]. Her continued success had led to her being widely admired/resented by malevolent and evil factions and villains, while benevolent and good forces and heroes rightfully feared her for not only what she is capable of but also [[GoodIsImpotent what she represent]].

** Blue Suede Heartstrings is one. His entry notes that he's very fond of children, and has been known to act as an [[CoolBigSis older brother figure]] for them; one of them in particular was [[Disney/LiloAndStitch an orphaned pegasus filly who lived in the Sandwich Islands with her older sister and "Stitch", a rehabilitated Maretian weapons experiment]]. It's believed in-universe that his fondness for children came from [[AngstySurvivingTwin losing his older identical twin brother at birth]], which he didn't confirm or deny. In the Fourth Age, he befriended the [[MagicalGirlWarrior Dazzling Divas]] and aided them in their fight against [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Ivory Towers]] and her demonic forces; out of them all, he formed a particularly close bond with Miracle Hymn, the youngest Diva, and essentially became a foster father for her after her parents were murdered by one of Ivory Towers' demons, something that he greatly sympathizes with Miracle Hymn for. And when unicorn tribalists from the Children of Platinum faction attacked the School of Friendship, he angrily admonished the tribalists for spouting racism in front of terrified young students, [[CoverInnocentEyesAndEars even covering one of the students' ears while doing so]].

** The '[[SpaceColdWar Tournament of Crowns]]' - A geopolitical struggle/competition between the three major successor states of the classical Equestrian Empire that had fallen, to claim the legacy of the old empire. There were three major players: [[TheMagocracy The]] [[TheEmpire Crystal]] [[LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair Empire]], the [[TheProtagonist Principalities of Equestria]] and the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Empire]] [[{{UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire}} of]] [[DeadlyDecadentCourt Trot]] ([[CanonForeigner Mentioned in the IDW Fiendship Is Magic comics]]), and also a number of smaller states in between that were gradually absorbed by the three big kids on the block. [[ForeverWar It lasted around 1,000 years]], with [[CloakAndDagger intrigues]] and even wars major and minor, and although it started out ironically the WEAKEST of the three major players, the Principalities of Equestria [[VictoryByEndurance outlasted her other two competitors]] as they went into their respective [[VestigialEmpire declines]] and [[TheCycleOfEmpires fall]], and the remnants were eventually annexed into Equestria. It was the Equestrian equivalent of RL Earth's '[[SecretWar Tournament of Shadows]]' cloak-and-dagger between the [[{{UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia}} Russian Empire]] and the [[{{UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire}} British Empire]] for influence in Central Asia, which is better known in the West as the '[[{{Literature/TheGreatGame}} The Great Game]]'.

*** Implied with Prince Crimson Star, as his entry notes that one of the abilities inherited from his father is far-reaching psychic empathy. However, it didn't stop him from becoming an InsufferableGenius due to his ego being inflated by constant praise for being a prodigy, leading to him mistreating anyone he deems beneath his intelligence, including a few of his brothers. Only after he was blinded in a carriage accident, [[JerkassRealization realized his mistakes]], and went through hell did he gain his empathy for others back.
*** Prince Steel Barricade is [[{{Technopath}} a technological variant]], sensing and empathizing with the emotions of technology as they form their own sapience, and though it's unknown when exactly he developed it, he believes it showed up during a stay in Machina, [[spoiler:where he sensed the (unconfirmed) budding emotions of [[HumongousMecha Colossus]], Crazy Ant's guardian mecha]]. This power partially influenced Steel Barricade's support for Synthetic Automatons in general, but he kept it a secret because most of his family, especially his father, Golden Scepter, are against Synthetic Automatons. However, it would be revealed anyway when, while helping Golden Scepter and Corona Neo fight the hateful Alicorn king, Exosus, Steel Barricade experienced the agonized suffering of the Synthetic Automatons working under Exosus, revealing that many of them were forced to turn against mortal sapientkind by Exosus himself to justify his genocidal hatred. This influenced Golden Scepter to rethink [[FantasticRacism his own views on Synthetic Automatons]] and let go of his grudges in order for him and Corona Neo to defeat Exosus for good. Naturally, this ability got the attention of many Machinery and Technology-based deities, who believe that Steel Barricade has potential to go beyond technological empathy and learn how to [[{{Telepathy}} psychically communicate with technology]] if he chooses to.

** The Shadowed Ones and their Ragnarok Cycle are such a big threat that it actually forces the three splintered Deer Pantheons to unite, largely because the Hoyklan Deer Pantheon contains loved ones of both groups. Of note is that the leaders of all three team up against the High King of the Shadowed Ones Ragnarøkkr, including Temnobog and his hated father Irminsul.

** King Rovnyy, being an {{Expy}} of [[Anime/CodeGeass Emperor Charles]], has the telepathic ability to erase and alter memories so things are not what people remembered. This was used to punish then-Prince Strazha for his rebellion by altering his memories to make his son think he's a loyal soldier of Bitaniya. Strazha got out of it thanks to his willpower, [[ThePowerOfHate his grudge towards his father]], and the help of an anonymous doe (who requested that her name be kept hidden for privacy, which Strazha respected) who's an expert in Geass magic.

** Changelings and Dragons do ''not'' like each other, at all. This is due to the fact that according the Changeling mythology/history, hordes of dragons were responsible for burning down their homeland, indirectly contributing to the suffering they endured at the dawn of their existence. This comes to a head with Xestobium, who takes this to insane lengths by Summer Court standards and nearly triggers a mass extinction event attempting to wipe the dragons out. Queen Acherontia and Dragon Lord Vulcan's love and resulting hybrid child was met with both courts and dragonflights descending on their hive and the two being sealed away. This came back to bite them when the two's daughter returns, now justifiably furious and all grown up. The Time of Broken Scales and Xestobium's rampage both caused Toxikon to despise the Changelings and eventually snap and try to wipe them out.

** Averted with the Bogolenya pantheon. The deities there are quite welcoming of non-Deer divines, and as such, divine Draconequui such as Válka, Ispita (before she turned evil), and later Cosmos had been known to have lived among their Deer compatriots. They also include Deer hybrids such as Válka and Mier's children and Temnobog's children, the Four Terrors, and Alicorns such as Blood Fang, Amour-De-Soi, and Golden Scepter. It's due to this tolerance that Belyolen wants to protect the Bogolenya pantheon from those with harmful attitudes, especially the Elternteil pantheon - if they emotionally abused and ostracized Temnobog for being born "evil", they would surely do the same to the non-Deer and hybrids for merely existing.

* ElvisLives: A prominent example with Blue Suede Heartstrings, known as "the King of Music". Being based on Music/ElvisPresley, Blue's life has been more or less an exact parallel to Elvis' up until he recorded the song "(You're the) Devil in Disguise", at which point he considered quitting performing music altogether due to both the deaths of his parents ([[MommasBoy especially his beloved mother]]) and his general disillusionment with the music/movie industry. [[BigGood Luminiferous]] found him while he was despairing, and the encounter led to Blue quitting his job and performing on his own terms, leading to not only his survival, but ''his Ascension to godhood''.

** The Changeling-Dragon blood-feud had spanned ''eons'', with countless generations of the two races fighting each other on-and-off in an endless CycleOfRevenge over [[ItsPersonal respective wrongs they had done to each other]]; the 'Burning of Amorea' at the claws of the Dragons which nearly drove Changelingkind to extinction, and for the Dragons in particular the 'Time of Broken Scales'. It's ultimately deconstructed in that both races' conflict and enmity for each other are ultimately only damaging themselves for little gain, as well as those who had completely nothing to do with the conflict, creating villains such as [[TragicVillain Princess Apertus]], [[FallenHero King Xestobium]] and [[MadScientist Dr Toxikon]]. And by the Fourth Age, it's becoming a HopelessWar that threatens to wipe out both sides and take the whole world with them.

** There's "Tinies", which is popularly used by the Giants and other large races such as the Jotunn Deer and Nature Giants (though they use the "smallfolk" variant instead). Even the more benevolent Giants tend to use this, which makes them InnocentlyInsensitive. Changeling Queen Supia, a gigantic royal {{Kaiju}}, doesn't like using them because it indicates that the person in question has a superiority complex towards "inferior" races.

** Golden Scepter's entry describes him as a powerful empath - while he can feel the emotions of all sapientkind, his empathy is more profound with Ponykind, since he embodies all of Ponykind in general, as well as its best and worst traits. He's also infamous for "[[EmotionBomb emotion-bombing]]", which he used to either show villains and other evildoers the harm they've done to their victims, or to force absolute loyalty to him during the Imperium era, [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone the latter which caused him to be disgusted with himself upon learning of it]]. In a Codexverse drabble, it's revealed that he's so powerful that he could sense the sheer hatred projected by a being who's traveling to Equus in space several light years away.

* TheEmpire: Countless empires of ponies and other races had come and gone as civilizations rose and fell across 45,000 years of Known History.

** The Shadowed Ones and their Ragnarok Cycle are such a big threat that it actually forces the splintered Deer Pantheons to unite. In part this is because the Hoyklan contains loved ones of both groups. Of note is that the leaders of all three team up against the High King of the Shadowed Ones Ragnarøkkr, including Temnobog and his hated father Irminsul.

*** Princess Laska, Strazha and Vesna's half-sister, is based on Euphemia, being pink-haired princesses who are [[AllLovingHero compassionate to all peoples]] and staunch pacifists. However, Laska didn't commit the genocidal massacre that Euphemia did because the writer [[ForWantOfANail removed Lelouch's Geass "accident"]], and was instead rescued from being Geassed by Deer Autorists by her brother instead.

** If Luminiferous had not found him in time, Blue Suede Heartstrings would have succeeded in quitting music altogether and presumably become a recluse out of depression and grief. His entry notes that meeting Luminiferous "changed the course of history", as the [[YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre pep-talk]] he received and the epiphany he had influenced Blue to continue performing on his own terms after quitting his job as a career musician. Eventually, he would end up Ascending to godhood after traveling the world and amassing a list of good deeds.

** Silver Bane, a former follower of the Poenan Pantheon, is a [[SplitPersonalityMerge mental]] variant that combines "Composite" and "Power Booster". After accepting his vampiric heritage and making peace with his "[[EnemyWithin dark half]]", he mentally fused with it, which not only gave him a stabler, healthier mind, but also transformed him in the real world as his long-suppressed heritage finally manifested itself, giving him traits like tufted ears, feathered bat wings, and sharp upper fangs. He also permanently gained enhanced physical abilities and greater magic, [[TookALevelInBadass making him more powerful than he was before]].

** The '[[SpaceColdWar Tournament of Crowns]]' - A geopolitical struggle/competition between the three major successor states of the classical Equestrian Empire that had fallen, to claim the legacy of the old empire. There were three major players: [[TheMagocracy The]] [[TheEmpire Crystal]] [[LookOnMyWorksYeMightyAndDespair Empire]], the [[TheProtagonist Principalities of Equestria]] and the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Empire]] [[{{UsefulNotes/ByzantineEmpire}} of]] [[DeadlyDecadentCourt Trot]] ([[CanonForeigner Mentioned in the IDW Fiendship Is Magic comics]]), and also a number of smaller states in between that were gradually absorbed by the three big kids on the block. [[ForeverWar It lasted around 1,000 years]], with [[CloakAndDagger intrigues]] and even wars major and minor, and although it started out ironically the WEAKEST of the three major players, the Principalities of Equestria [[VictoryByEndurance outlasted her other two competitors]] as they went into their respective [[VestigalEmpire declines]] and [[TheCycleOfEmpires fall]], and the remnants were eventually annexed into Equestria. It was the Equestrian equivalent of RL Earth's '[[SecretWar Tournament of Shadows]]' cloak-and-dagger between the [[{{UsefulNotes/TsaristRussia}} Russian Empire]] and the [[{{UsefulNotes/TheBritishEmpire}} British Empire]] for influence in Central Asia, which is better known in the West as the '[[{{Literature/TheGreatGame}} The Great Game]]'.

** Crystal Prism was once a unicorn colt named "Page Wheel", who wished he was an adult so he could take care of his mother, who was gravely ill at the time. After teasing his young neighbor, Midnight Bell, for being clumsy, Page Wheel was later kidnapped and used as a test subject by two teachers, Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker, to mass-produce Alicorns after Midnight lied about him being a magical prodigy to save her own skin. It was also revealed that, from what police investigators have gleaned from research notes and interrogations, that Noble Grace and Bubbling Beaker intended for Page Wheel to become an Alicorn that embodied Rebirth and Change to symbolize a "new age" for Ponykind. He ended up becoming a magic-absorbing monster instead, and would rampage across the Grittish Isles before Luminiferous and the Equestrian Princesses killed him without realizing who the monster actually was until it was too late. Page Wheel was saved when the absorbed magic revived/Ascended him by incubating him in a magical cocoon, but when he came out several days later he was severely frightened and traumatized by what he went through. Thanks to Mentálne's therapy sessions and the support of his family and friends, Crystal Prism is gradually recovering, and while he's coming to terms with his new powers and demigod status he is taken in as a student by Luminiferous, who wanted to make up for his mistake, and eventually forgave Midnight Bell for her role in his trauma, becoming "wing pals". He was also encouraged to [[ScrewDestiny break away from his intended role and forge his own path]] by promoting Change through helping others, which has resulted in quite a few good things, such as revealing Button Mash's hidden potential, and helping Katastrofa deal with his catastrophic foresight and accept his creative side.

*** Prince Steel Barricade is [[{{Technopath}} a technological variant]]. He has the ability to sense and empathize with the emotions of technology as they form their own sapience, and though it's unknown when exactly he developed it, he believes it showed up during a stay in Machina, [[spoiler:where he sensed the (unconfirmed) budding emotions of [[HumongousMecha Colossus]], Crazy Ant's guardian mecha]]. This power is what partially influenced Steel Barricade's support for Synthetic Automatons in general, but he kept it a secret from his family because most of them, especially his father, Golden Scepter, are against both Synthetic Automatons and artificial intelligence. However, it would be revealed anyway when, while helping Golden Scepter and Corona Neo fight the maddened and hateful Alicorn king, Exosus, Steel Barricade detected and experienced the agonized pain and suffering of the Synthetic Automatons working under Exosus, revealing that many of them were peaceful beings forced to turn against mortal sapientkind by Exosus himself to justify his genocidal hatred. This influenced Golden Scepter to rethink [[FantasticRacism his own views on Synthetic Automatons]] and let go of his grudges in order for him and Corona Neo to defeat Exosus for good. Naturally, this ability got the attention of many Machinery and Technology-based deities, who believe that Steel Barricade has the potential to go beyond technological empathy and learn how to [[{{Telepathy}} psychically communicate with technology]] if he chooses to.

** Similarly, while Blood Fang is an evil Alicorn demigod and one of the most feared villains in Hyrule, he does have a sense of honor, whether fueled by pragmatism or a hidden soft heart. He opposes other villains as much he opposes his Eternal Foes, especially if their plans involve conquering Hyrule and/or destroying Equus for various reasons, and will not hesitate to get rid of them in various ways to ensure their plans don't succeed. Notable victims include the evil usurper Malus Tenebris, and one of the Storm King's generals. It's because of his sense of honor that Temnobog hired him as his agent, knowing that Blood Fang is too principled to fall into "careless" Evil that the Deer god opposes.

** The... whatever that's residing in the Cosmic Void. It's implied that it's an evil being that was sealed within the Cosmic Void because it desired the end of the entire universe, and has done so to previous worlds in the past. The Church of the Stars warns that on the day the Cycle breaks, the Cosmic Void is the only place people should never explore, since the creation of Second Age villain Void Traveler [[spoiler:was the result of a pony wandering into it by accident, and the being inside proceeding to use said pony's body like a puppet]]. Queen Dazzleglow herself is trying to prepare everyone for when that day comes, but keeps her true motives a secret so the public wouldn't panic and her enemies wouldn't try destroying her. Its name is eventually revealed to be the Void Sovereign.
** It turns out the Void Sovereign has a sister, named the Genesis Sovereign, who is just as eldritch to behold and powerful as him, but [[CainAndAbel completely benevolent in her morality]]. She was the one who sent the seed that'd create the Tree of Harmony to Equus in the first place and also the creator of both the Rainbow of Light and the power held by the Seven Royals.

*** Prince Steel Barricade is [[{{Technopath}} a technological variant]]. He has the ability to sense and empathize with the emotions of technology as they form their own sapience, and though it's unknown when exactly he developed it, he believes it showed up during a stay in Machina, where he sensed the (unconfirmed) budding emotions of [[HumongousMecha Colossus]], Crazy Ant's guardian mecha. This power is what partially influenced Steel Barricade's support for Synthetic Automatons in general, but he kept it a secret from his family because most of them, especially his father, Golden Scepter, are against both Synthetic Automatons and artificial intelligence. However, it would be revealed anyway when, while helping Golden Scepter and Corona Neo fight the maddened and hateful Alicorn king, Exosus, Steel Barricade detected and experienced the agonized pain and suffering of the Synthetic Automatons working under Exosus, revealing that many of them were peaceful beings forced to turn against mortal sapientkind by Exosus himself to justify his genocidal hatred. This influenced Golden Scepter to rethink [[FantasticRacism his own views on Synthetic Automatons]] and let go of his grudges in order for him and Corona Neo to defeat Exosus for good. Naturally, this ability got the attention of many Machinery and Technology-based deities, who believe that Steel Barricade has the potential to go beyond technological empathy and learn how to [[{{Telepathy}} psychically communicate with technology]] if he chooses to.