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Changelings
Residence Changeling Kingdom
Other links
More info
Eyes Moderate arctic blue
Mane Dark arctic bluish gray
Coat Sea greenish black
Magic aura Brilliant green

Changelings are a race of creatures in Equestria that first appear in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2 as the secondary antagonists and the minions of Queen Chrysalis. They also appear in several IDW comics.

Development and design

Changelings are largely equine in appearance but possess insect-like characteristics. They have black carapace-like coats, webbed manes and tails, reflection-less eyes (unlike their queen's), fangs, bent horns, jagged ears, insect-like wings, and holes in their legs. Unlike ponies, changelings do not have cutie marks.

Like Queen Chrysalis, the changelings were designed by Rebecca Dart.[1]

The changelings' nature and desire to feed on love are similar to changelings in folklore, who would take advantage of the love given to them by their unwitting caretakers.

Depiction in the series

Main 6 surrounded by clones S02E26

Changelings disguised as the Mane 6.

Changelings first appear in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2, the second part of the season two finale. They are able to change their appearance to match that of ponies; in particular, Queen Chrysalis shape-shifts into Princess Cadance, and several changelings take the form of Twilight Sparkle and her friends.

In the episode, Chrysalis explains her desire to take over Equestria, saying, "Equestria has more love than any place I've ever encountered. My fellow changelings will be able to devour so much of it that we will gain more power than we have ever dreamed of!" The changelings soon break the magical protective sphere around Canterlot and terrorize the city and its inhabitants. When Princess Celestia orders the Mane Six to recover the Elements of Harmony from a nearby tower, the changelings take the form of the six ponies and fight them, preventing them from reaching the Elements. They subsequently take the ponies and Princess Celestia captive. The changelings and their queen are defeated when Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's combined magic throws them out of Canterlot at the end of the episode.

In the season five episode Slice of Life, a single changeling appears in the audience at Cranky Doodle Donkey and Matilda's wedding, frightening some foals. In Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? several changelings appear in Rainbow Dash's dream.

Depiction in the comics

Comic issue 3 page 2

In the IDW comics' Friendship is Magic comic series, the changelings and their queen appear as the antagonists of the story arc The Return of Queen Chrysalis, which takes place after the second season of the show.[2][3]

In the story, the changelings invade Ponyville and assimilate into the populace. Their invasion is later revealed to be part of a much larger plan for Queen Chrysalis to consume Twilight's magic. A changeling with a helmet appears briefly in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2; they are featured more prominently in the comic series, where they serve as guards and advisors for Queen Chrysalis. In the show, the changelings' dialogue while in their true forms is limited to laughter and various sounds; issues #3 and #4 feature changelings with spoken dialogue for the first time.

In My Little Pony: Friends Forever Issue #3, Spike mentions changelings on page 8. Several changelings appear with Dr. Hooves on the Hot Topic exclusive cover of Friendship is Magic Issue #14, cover RE and page 3 of Issue #19, cover RI of Friends Forever Issue #4 and the Core Games cover of Friendship is Magic Issue #22.

In the My Little Pony: FIENDship is Magic Issue #5 story, it is revealed that the changelings invaded several kingdoms in the past, including those of King Orion and Emperor Incitatus, though the latter invasion was thwarted by Princess Celestia. It is also revealed that the changelings were born from a carnivorous plant that grew from a rotten acorn that fell into a magic pond under a cemetery. They were inadvertently released by Star Swirl the Bearded, who nailed a warning sign to the plant to keep others away, only to create a crack from which the changelings emerged. At the end of the issue, the changelings escape from imprisonment together with Chrysalis.

Other depictions

Fleur Dis Lee Alicorn MLP Mobile App

A changeling posing as Fleur Dis Lee.

In Gameloft's mobile game, a changeling assuming Fleur Dis Lee's identity but pretending to be an Alicorn was added to the Android version of the game on March 28, 2013 and to the iOS version of the game on April 15, 2013, before being replaced by the real Fleur Dis Lee in both versions of the game on June 13, 2013.

Fleur Dis Lee's in-game description reads, "While this unicorn supermodel was away for a photo shoot, a Changeling assumed her identity but pretended to be an Alicorn! Knowing Fleur Dis Lee's true nature, her friends exposed the Changeling's deception just in time for her return to Canterlot."[4]

The Elements of Harmony guidebook

CHANGELINGS are grotesque shape-shifting ponies who can morph their bodies into anything. These frightening creatures have fangs as well as insect features and translucent wings designed to scare even the bravest pony into submission.

Gallery

Changling army S02E26

Changelings image gallery

See also

References

  1. Showrunner Jayson Thiessen (2012-04-24). Twitter shoutout to R. Dart. Retrieved on 2012 April 25.
  2. Cincinnati Comic Expo Interview: Katie Cook. Retrieved on 2012 October 14.
  3. Andy Price (2012-09-21). The news has broken! MLP #1 stars.... Retrieved on 2012 October 14.
  4. vdQeA (2013-06-18). Retrieved on 2013 June 30.
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