Is there a tag for this sort of fantasy adventure party?

@God_of_Awesome  
Twilight never got estranged from Celestia and Twilight would be an entirely different character if she did estrange from Celestia. One would have to take a massive amount of liberties or not-in-show character development just to bring Twilight to that point. Sundown’s world for them is darker and more adult, but they’re core attributes are the same.
 
Here they’re all supposed to be independent heroes/vagabonds from different circles. Twilight’s circle being dependent on Celestia, the princess of the land, is pretty integral to her character.
 
Not exactly the same situation. I suppose one could use Human Twilight, but she was only introduced recently.

I always rather got the impression that they were all from rather different circles before circumstances brought them together.
 
Besides, wouldn’t Shimmer be in the exact same situation as Twilight?

@TheAbridgenator  
How so? When shit went down with Nightmare Moon and Rainbow wanted to investigate Twilight, all the rest followed her into Twilight’s home, and when all 5 decided to go with Twilight, it was like second nature to them. None of them had any real reservations with any of the others coming into the Everfree Forest, so its only natural they considered each other dependable.
 
If were talking pre-season 1, all we know is that RD didn’t know Pinkie’s mischievous side yet, and all 5 had pre-existing close friendships that grew even stronger as the series went on. When I think about it, the only two ponies among the 5 that haven’t really bonded with each other with close nit friendships are Fluttershy and Applejack, and I’m not sure if Bats! counted as a bonding episode.

@God_of_Awesome  
Oh, the reasoning is bullshit; the closest friendships we see are between Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow, and those are shaky at best.

I don’t think they were @TheAbridgenator  

 
I don’t think they were exactly close friends beofre NNM.

Its reminiscent of Akira Toriyama’s style in a way, early Dragon Ball/Dr. Slump.

@Background Pony #33E1  
@Comrade_Pony  
Its not really that bizarre in retrospect. The entire continuity between EG1 and EG3 is of the Mane 6 including the Mane 5 and Sunset. Minus when Twilight returns and tries to keep herself together in Rainbow Rocks.
 
And as for Sunset’s popularity, why do you think that is? DAPLR says it best, she’s just way more interesting and developed then Twi.
 
@TheAbridgenator  
Its not a bad observation to be honest.
 
Even objectively, most protagonists in fiction of this type establish themselves to be invested and close-nit characters that would stick their necks out for their friends be damned what a higher authority says what they should do…very early on. Season 1 or Season 2 of almost any show, quite often usually the first episode. Twilight, on the other hand, has only made mild progress towards that by Season 5, with Amending Fences and a few other episodes. That’s a pretty huge and unusual discrepancy no matter how you spin it.
 
Anyway, its a choice Hasbro and DHX both decided was good for inbetween movie continuity, and its a choice Sundown happened to make as well.
 
Anyway, this debate has been done to death, so let’s just enjoy the cute chibi Sundown art. :)

Cute image c:

@Comrade_Pony  
Sunset’s design is more appealing, and her character is far more interesting….and she is canon  
herewegoagain

@TheAbridgenator  
And yet the inclusion of of Sunset, a character that doesn’t appear in one canon, and was a bully in the other, is perfectly fine? There’s something odd going on there.

I love these chibi designs so much!

@Background Pony #33E1
 
@MLPFan2012  
Actually, he said something to the effect of him finding her unbelievable as an inclusion to this circle of friends who had all known each other for years, not buying that she could just come in out of the blue and become besties with all of them.

@Background Pony #33E1  
I think he said he just didn’t find her character interesting after she became an alicorn or something along those lines.

It’s so bizarre how Sunset basically takes the place of Twilight in this Mane 6 group. Has Sundown ever explained why he doesn’t like Twilight?

@PonyPon  
Knowing Sundown she probably turned her into a newt or something. XD

@TheAbridgenator  
Might not be as close to her in this continuity.

@ChuymaruZ  
He mentioned he doesn’t really have an opinion on her in one of the asks.

I wonder if sundown hates starlight as twilight

Considering Sunset pretty clearly cares deeply for Twilight as a friend in EQG proper, one wonders how she’d respond to having this adventure without her.