Pony science! :D

[lemongrass]

Cadence was a pegasus, I don't know the full story but I know after cadence saved her village, Celestia adopted her as her niece and made her an alicorn.

[NightWish]

From the comics (which I haven't read) it becomes clear that Cadence was made alicorn just like Twilight after some deed in a village (which I do not recall). She was a pegasus at first. And I doubt Luna and Celestia stayed on the same magic level for all those years so I assume once you've reached high enough magic level ( that is probably unattainable for unicorns) your mane starts to get magical traits (sparkling/flowing).

Are you sure that was from the comics? I've read all of the comics, and it has yet to deal with the Crystal Empire at all, let alone Cadence. Maybe you're thinking of the books.
Post Merge

Cadence was a pegasus, I don't know the full story but I know after cadence saved her village, Celestia adopted her as her niece and made her an alicorn.

How long ago did that happen?

[lemongrass]

I think one of the people involved in hasbro has something to do with it.

[Night Pony]

No, no. The story of Cadence wasn't in the Crystal empire. It was before it appeared (i think). I haven't read the comics but I know that the story is cannon because everyone says that they've read it from the comics. I think that you can find material about this in the wiki (though not sure).

[NightWish]

No, no. The story of Cadence wasn't in the Crystal empire. It was before it appeared (i think). I haven't read the comics but I know that the story is cannon because everyone says that they've read it from the comics. I think that you can find material about this in the wiki (though not sure).

I just looked it up, it was in a book called "Twilight and the Crystal Heart Spell". I'll read it when I have some free time, if only to find out the time frame of it.

[lemongrass]

I knew that... 

[The Wandering Magus]

Though how would we explain Twilight not having it then? Maybe the longer you're an alicorn, the more powerful you become?

Though Twilight is powerful for a unicorn she isn't very powerful for an alicorn I think you need to be very powerful to have a flowy mane. Or maybe 'artificial' alicorns don't have flowy manes, for example Cadence.

I'm actually starting to subscribe to the age=power theory. Luna and Celestia have been alive for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.

Thousands.  One thousand years in the Moon, remember.  And Cadance needs either Her husband or the Crystal Heart empowered by Her citizens, and Twilight is still trying to get used to wings.  Celestia and Luna, on the other hoof, can lift and lower the Sun and the Moon.  Without breaking a sweat.  That's some serious power right there.

[NightWish]

Though how would we explain Twilight not having it then? Maybe the longer you're an alicorn, the more powerful you become?

Though Twilight is powerful for a unicorn she isn't very powerful for an alicorn I think you need to be very powerful to have a flowy mane. Or maybe 'artificial' alicorns don't have flowy manes, for example Cadence.

I'm actually starting to subscribe to the age=power theory. Luna and Celestia have been alive for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.

Thousands.  One thousand years in the Moon, remember.  And Cadance needs either Her husband or the Crystal Heart empowered by Her citizens, and Twilight is still trying to get used to wings.  Celestia and Luna, on the other hoof, can lift and lower the Sun and the Moon.  Without breaking a sweat.  That's some serious power right there.

So are you saying it comes with experience?

[The Wandering Magus]

Though how would we explain Twilight not having it then? Maybe the longer you're an alicorn, the more powerful you become?

Though Twilight is powerful for a unicorn she isn't very powerful for an alicorn I think you need to be very powerful to have a flowy mane. Or maybe 'artificial' alicorns don't have flowy manes, for example Cadence.

I'm actually starting to subscribe to the age=power theory. Luna and Celestia have been alive for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.

Thousands.  One thousand years in the Moon, remember.  And Cadance needs either Her husband or the Crystal Heart empowered by Her citizens, and Twilight is still trying to get used to wings.  Celestia and Luna, on the other hoof, can lift and lower the Sun and the Moon.  Without breaking a sweat.  That's some serious power right there.

So are you saying it comes with experience?

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

[NightWish]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

[The Wandering Magus]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.

it feeds on itself.  Increased mana base enables regeneration of natural chromosomal damage and other biological injuries, and increased life enables them to learn more about the intricate properties of magic, gaining better control over it and thus absorbing more environmental mana, adding to their mana base.  Then, as before, this increased mana base enables further and faster and longer lasting regeneration, and so on.

[NightWish]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.

it feeds on itself.  Increased mana base enables regeneration of natural chromosomal damage and other biological injuries, and increased life enables them to learn more about the intricate properties of magic, gaining better control over it and thus absorbing more environmental mana, adding to their mana base.  Then, as before, this increased mana base enables further and faster and longer lasting regeneration, and so on.

So in order to sustain their own life they'd have to continue studying magic. I guess that's not too far fetched, and correlates to Twilight's fascination with science and her subsequent alicornication (fun word bonus).

[The Wandering Magus]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.

it feeds on itself.  Increased mana base enables regeneration of natural chromosomal damage and other biological injuries, and increased life enables them to learn more about the intricate properties of magic, gaining better control over it and thus absorbing more environmental mana, adding to their mana base.  Then, as before, this increased mana base enables further and faster and longer lasting regeneration, and so on.

So in order to sustain their own life they'd have to continue studying magic. I guess that's not too far fetched, and correlates to Twilight's fascination with science and her subsequent alicornication (fun word bonus).

something like that.  perfecting the regeneration and absorption of mana would enable them to live even longer.

[Night Pony]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.

it feeds on itself.  Increased mana base enables regeneration of natural chromosomal damage and other biological injuries, and increased life enables them to learn more about the intricate properties of magic, gaining better control over it and thus absorbing more environmental mana, adding to their mana base.  Then, as before, this increased mana base enables further and faster and longer lasting regeneration, and so on.

So in order to sustain their own life they'd have to continue studying magic. I guess that's not too far fetched, and correlates to Twilight's fascination with science and her subsequent alicornication (fun word bonus).

something like that.  perfecting the regeneration and absorption of mana would enable them to live even longer.

By your theory Luna and Celestia are immortal. Isn't it widely acknowledge that they live long but not exactly immortal?

[The Wandering Magus]

it's a feedback loop.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live...

Not quite following.

The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.  The longer they live, the more experience they gain, the more power they accumulate, the stronger they grow.  The stronger they grow, the longer they live.

it feeds on itself.  Increased mana base enables regeneration of natural chromosomal damage and other biological injuries, and increased life enables them to learn more about the intricate properties of magic, gaining better control over it and thus absorbing more environmental mana, adding to their mana base.  Then, as before, this increased mana base enables further and faster and longer lasting regeneration, and so on.

So in order to sustain their own life they'd have to continue studying magic. I guess that's not too far fetched, and correlates to Twilight's fascination with science and her subsequent alicornication (fun word bonus).

something like that.  perfecting the regeneration and absorption of mana would enable them to live even longer.

By your theory Luna and Celestia are immortal. Isn't it widely acknowledge that they live long but not exactly immortal?

They haven't exactly aged in the last two thousand years.  And even after being in multiple wars, the most recent appearances of the Princesses show that they don't even have a single scratch or scar.  Cadance herself, after looking OLD from the lack of sleep for days/weeks, returned to perfect youth after exposure to magical energy.

[NightWish]

By your theory Luna and Celestia are immortal. Isn't it widely acknowledge that they live long but not exactly immortal?

Nnnnot quite *immortal* persay, but more like lives indefinitely. About as immortal as a vampire, in that it'll die if it doesn't drink enough blood, but as long as it has blood it can live.

[lemongrass]

So your saying Celestia and Luna are like vampires. Lol. 

[NightWish]

So your saying Celestia and Luna are like vampires. Lol. 

Cept instead of blood, it's knowledge of how to manipulate magic. =o=

[Coffee Rush]

Why is it that when Luna was banished to the moon, Lunar Mares were formed? I'm assuming it's a clever play on words, but I wonder...

[The Wandering Magus]

Why is it that when Luna was banished to the moon, Lunar Mares were formed? I'm assuming it's a clever play on words, but I wonder...

Celestial (hehe) trauma from the impact of a Goddess being thrown straight into the Moon.  It would have caused enormous volcanic eruptions as the surface fragmented and the shock-wave turns cold rock to molten magma, causing different layers to form as the surface slowly solidifies again and giant chunks of rock are attracted by the Moon's gravity, slamming into the surface to create craters.