"You will never win, tyrant. Equestria is more than just the land, its magic or even its people: it is an ideal. You can conquer, plunder and enslave this nation, but you cannot never destroy what it stands for – the dream of a world where all can live in peace, harmony and friendship.
Scoff all you want about the value of it all, but mark my words; so long as there’s even one pony in this land who believed in that ideal, Equestria will live on!
YOU WILL NEVER WIN!"
Scoff all you want about the value of it all, but mark my words; so long as there’s even one pony in this land who believed in that ideal, Equestria will live on!
YOU WILL NEVER WIN!"
— Stonewall, Royal Guard and Fillydelphia resistance leader, moments before his execution. 'Stonewall’s Speech' would become an iconic instance in the historical events of the Storm King Crisis, and in subsequent decades, his last words would achieve symbolic status as a battle-cry by rebels worldwide fighting against tyrants and oppressors, as well as a rally-cry for Equestrian nationalism.
[WIP]
Tropes:
- Curbstomp Battle: Initially this in the Storm Empire's favour, as Equestria's complacent defenses and populace were breezed over by the battle-hardened and numerous forces of the Storm Empire, although the lore indicated that the Royal Guards and the Princesses, who were decimated and petrified respectively, did not go down without a fight. Then much of the whole world rallied, and the Curbstomping went against the Storm Empire in short order.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The reason why Abyssinia appeared as a Wretched Hive in the 2017 movie is because its leading goddess, Fik'iri, abandoned her mortal followers and children to the Storm King out of spite for their supposedly poor worship services, and convinced her lover and consort, Zinabi, to do the same. This would anger Abyssinia's benevolent deities into leading a coup and overthrowing them as the leading divines of their pantheon.
- Foregone Conclusion: The Storm Empire was ultimately defeated, as was depicted in the 2017 movie, but how it happened is further elaborated in the Storm King Crisis arc, with many changes and many, many additional participants.
- Gondor Calls for Aid: Most of Equestria was overran in short order and occupied for much of the war, save for places like Manehattan (Which was guarded by Lizza), Cloudsdale (Which literally took flight out of the country to Mustangia) and the Crystal Empire (Which was besieged for much of the conflict). Fortunately, Equestria established many, many ties over its history with other nations, while all the major powers of the world from empires to pantheons knows its importance in the balance of Equus. Thus in its Darkest Hour, virtually the whole world answered its call.
- Hero of Another Story: As it turned out, Mjolna obtained her powers during the Storm King Crisis and fought elsewhere during it. The "Final Ragnarok" conflict was happening around after the defeat of the Storm King during the aftermath and finishing off the Storm Empire. While the three Deer pantheons and their divine/mortal allies would work on killing the Shadowed Ones, Equestria would lend its aid, albeit limited, by letting some of its local heroes travel to the Nine Realms to deal with the enemy there. Some of these individuals included Rainbow Dash, as well as those from other nations such as Prince Crimson Star and a few of his brothers, who were allowed to participate in "Final Ragnarok" by Golden Scepter while the rest of the family either protected the Terran Empire from the Storm Empire, or helped deal with its forces in other places.
- Lethal Joke Character: According to a canonized Codexverse Drabble, Gleaming Shield, under the alias of "Quarter Hearts" at the time, would decimate an entire platoon of Storm Warriors led by its Yeti captain... by chucking a strange, chicken-like bird at one of the Storm Warriors and then fleeing the premises. The result when the bird was struck was the summoning of a vicious and enraged flock of the same birds, who all proceeded to peck and tear at the offending Storm Empire forces to death, leaving behind a maddened Sole Survivor after everything was done.Surviving Storm Warrior: The beaks... the beaks... the beaks...!
- Shocking Defeat Legacy: From all available hints so far, the Storm King Crisis was this for the entire nation of Equestria, the one event that truly knocked it out of its centuries-long stagnation and complacency and motivated it to begin making social, political, economic and military reforms necessary to adapt to the new era.
- Summon Bigger Fish: Dr. Annelida made his presence in Manehatten known by letting himself be held at weapon point by the Storm Empire's troops...summoning his enraged and protective adopted son Lizza, a very powerful kaiju, to his and the city's defense.
- Unwitting Pawn: The Storm Empire general who was approached by Blood Fang for a possible "alliance" ended up becoming this. By the time he realized this, he and his army were set up for failure, resulting in both of them being utterly massacred by Gleaming Shield and Radiant Primrose who fought back to take back Hyrule from Storm Empire occupation.
