Princess Cadence is an important character in the My Little Pony universe. She is first introduced as Twilight Sparkle’s foalsitter in a flashback in the episode “A Canterlot Wedding.” Later, it is revealed that Cadence is a princess who rules over the Crystal Empire alongside her husband Shining Armor. Her full title is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.
Many fans have wondered about Cadence’s relationship to the other pony princesses like Celestia and Luna. Specifically, some have speculated that Cadence may actually be Celestia’s niece based on certain clues and evidence from the show. In this article, we’ll examine the question of whether Princess Cadence really is Celestia’s niece or if she is unrelated.
Clues Hinting Cadence is Celestia’s Niece
There are a few subtle hints throughout the show that suggest a family connection between Celestia and Cadence:
Cadence Calls Celestia “Auntie”
In the episode “A Canterlot Wedding – Part 1,” when Cadence first arrives in Canterlot, she affectionately calls Celestia “Auntie.” This implies Cadence sees Celestia as a close family member like an aunt. Calling non-relatives “auntie” or “uncle” is uncommon, so this hints at a blood relationship.
Cadence Was a Foalsitter for Twilight
As a foal, Twilight Sparkle was under the care and tutelage of Princess Celestia. The fact that Cadence was chosen as Twilight’s foalsitter shows a close bond between the royal family and Cadence dating back to when she was young. It would make sense for Celestia to pick a niece for this role.
Cadence Lives in Canterlot Castle
In flashbacks, Cadence is shown to live in Canterlot Castle alongside young Twilight. The castle is the home of Celestia and Luna, so Cadence likely lived there because she was part of the royal family.
Cadence’s Cutie Mark Matches Celestia’s Cutie Mark
Cadence and Celestia share similar looking cutie marks featuring a Sun image. This could symbolize their family connection. Other pony family members often have cutie marks with common themes or designs.
Cadence Possesses Alicorn Magic
Cadence is an alicorn pony like Celestia and Luna. This means she has great magical power associated with alicorns. It would make sense that she gained this through her royal bloodline.
Evidence That Cadence is Not Related to Celestia
However, there are also some indications that Celestia and Cadence may not actually be biologically related:
Different Coat Colors and Manes
Cadence has a grayish violet coat with a purple, pink, and gold mane. Meanwhile, Celestia is white with a rainbow pastel mane. Their distinct coloring suggests they are not closely related.
No Confirmation in the Show
At no point in the show is it explicitly stated that Cadence is Celestia’s niece. Their relationship is left ambiguous. If they were truly aunt and niece, this likely would have been clearly confirmed.
Cadence is a Princess by Marriage
Cadence gained her title of princess by marrying Shining Armor rather than by blood. This suggests she was not originally born as part of the royal family.
Younger than Celestia and Luna
As an alicorn, Cadence appears younger than Celestia and Luna who are over 1,000 years old. This large age gap makes it unlikely for Cadence to be their niece.
Different Upbringings
Whereas Celestia and Luna were raised in Canterlot as the royal sisters, Cadence did not grow up in the castle with them. She had a different upbringing before becoming Twilight’s foalsitter.
Conclusion
While circumstantial evidence exists on both sides, it remains unclear if Princess Cadence is biologically related to Princess Celestia as her niece. The show keeps their relationship purposefully ambiguous. Many small hints suggest a family bond, but there is also evidence contradicting the niece theory.
Ultimately, while Cadence clearly has a close mentorship and friendship with Celestia, they may not actually be aunt and niece by blood. Their bond seems more akin to a fond teacher and student dynamic or godmother/goddaughter relationship. But the mystery still intrigues fans who continue searching for a definitive answer. Until the show creators perhaps one day confirm it, the true nature of Celestia and Cadence’s connection remains uncertain but special regardless.
Additional Questions and Analysis
To provide some additional background information and analysis on Princess Cadence and her potential relationship to Princess Celestia’s family, here are some further questions to consider:
How is Cadence connected to Twilight Sparkle?
As a foal, Twilight was cared for by Cadence who was her “foalsitter.” The two developed a close sisterly bond during Cadence’s time in Canterlot as part of Twilight’s royal tutelage under Princess Celestia. Cadence possesses a special connection with Twilight through their shared love of magic. This mentorship prepared young Twilight for her future role as a leader of Equestria.
What do we know about Cadence’s history and family?
Very little canon information exists about Cadence’s family history or her early life before becoming Twilight’s foalsitter. Some ponies speculate she was an orphan taken in by Celestia. But others suggest she comes from a lesser noble family in Canterlot. Her past remains largely a mystery. Some fans have theorized she could be related to Princess Amore, the former crystal princess. But this has not been proven.
How did Cadence become a princess?
Unlike Celestia and Luna who were born as princesses, Cadence became a princess by marrying Shining Armor. As captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard and Twilight’s brother, Shining Armor likely had some royal heritage himself facilitating this marriage alliance. Together, Cadence and Shining Armor used their combined love and magic to defeat Queen Chrysalis and take control of the Crystal Empire where they rule as princess and prince consort.
What cutie mark magic does Cadence possess?
As an alicorn pony, Cadence possesses powerful magic associated with her cutie mark and her role overseeing love and relationships. Her cutie mark matches her special talent for spreading love and affection. Cadence can nourish love in ponies’ hearts and restore broken relationships. At her wedding to Shining Armor, this allowed her to overcome Chrysalis’s evil magic and protect Canterlot with a spell of love and light.
How old is Princess Cadence?
Cadence’s exact age is never specified in the show. As an alicorn, she is likely at least a few hundred years old. She is portrayed as being younger than ancient ponies like Celestia and Luna who are over 1,000 years old. Based on her young adult appearance and maturity, most estimate Cadence’s age to be somewhere between her late teens to early hundreds.
Character | Age |
---|---|
Princess Celestia | Over 1,000 years |
Princess Luna | Over 1,000 years |
Princess Cadence | Likely early 100s to 200s |
How are alicorns different from other ponies?
Alicorns like Celestia, Luna, and Cadence have a few key differences from regular ponies:
- They possess wings and a horn allowing them to fly and use magic
- They have extremely long lifespans, living for thousands of years
- They have enhanced magical abilities and strength
- They tower over other ponies in height
Together these traits make alicorns exceptionally powerful and destined to rule over ponies. Cadence exhibits these special alicorn traits, further suggesting her royal heritage.
Quotes About Cadence’s Relationship to Celestia
To provide some direct perspective from the show on Cadence’s connection to Princess Celestia, here are some relevant quotes:
“I’ve got just the person to watch you – a very special somepony who I know will take excellent care of you.” – Princess Celestia, about arranging Cadence as Twilight’s foalsitter
This shows Celestia trusts Cadence completely to care for young Twilight.
“Auntie Celestia!” – Princess Cadence, greeting Celestia affectionately
Cadence calls Celestia “Auntie”, implying family bonds.
“I’ve never seen a pony with such raw, natural ability for magic. She will make an excellent student.” – Princess Cadence, regarding young Twilight Sparkle
This demonstrates Cadence recognizes Twilight’s gifts and supports her magical tutelage, just as Celestia does.
“Cadence is the only pony with the love and power to protect an entire Empire!” – Shining Armor praising Cadence’s abilities
As an alicorn, Cadence has exceptional magic to match her role over love. This fits with Celestia and Luna’s similarly immense power and duties.
Implications If Cadence is Celestia’s Niece
If Cadence was indeed revealed to be Princess Celestia’s biological niece, this would have some notable implications:
– It would connect Cadence to Equestria’s original ruling family lineage descending from Celestia and Luna.
– As Celestia’s niece, Cadence’s place among Equestrian royalty would be cemented.
– It would raise questions about who Cadence’s parents were and why she was not raised with Celestia.
– Celestia’s guidance of Cadence as her aunt could have helped prepare Cadence for her future role.
– It would give more context about how Cadence ascended to become an alicorn princess.
– Her marriage to Shining Armor would bond the old royal bloodline with the new Crystal Empire monarchy.
– As family, Celestia might have had some sway or influence over Cadence’s ascent, relationships, and role compared to other ponies.
– It would help explain small hints through the show like Cadence’s cutie mark, her “Auntie” nickname for Celestia, and why Celestia trusted her as Twilight’s foalsitter.
Overall, confirming Celestia and Cadence as aunt and niece would solidify Cadence’s place in Equestria’s dynasty and legacy. It would connect the past and future rulers of ponykind.
Comparison to Real-Life Monarchies
To provide additional context, it is interesting to compare the potential family relationship between Princess Celestia and Princess Cadence to real-life royal family lineages in monarchies:
Passing Down Titles
In many monarchies, titles like king, queen, prince, and princess get passed down through bloodlines and family relations. Being part of a royal family grants nobility. This seems to also be the case in Equestria royalty.
Marriages and Alliances
Royals often married other royals to form alliances. Political strategy drove these pairings. Cadence’s marriage to Shining Armor bound her to Equestria’s ruling order in a similar fashion.
Raising Heirs
Royals play a big role in raising heirs and mentoring future rulers. Celestia guiding young Cadence continues this tradition. Examples include Queen Elizabeth mentoring Prince William.
Extended Family Included
Monarchies feature extended royal families like cousins, nieces/nephews, and in-laws beyond just the immediate king/queen. Celestia having Cadence as a niece follows this model.
Succession Complexities
Order of succession and rulership claims can get messy in royal lines. Similarly, it is unclear how new Equestrian princesses like Cadence and Twilight are chosen and added.
Viewing Celestia/Cadence in light of real-world royalty provides helpful perspective on their potential aunt-niece bond. Though pony power transitions are generally more harmonious.
Significance of Cadence’s Uncertain History
The ambiguity around Princess Cadence’s backstory and her relationship to Princess Celestia allows the show creators flexibility in how they want to eventually shape Equestria’s lore and history.
Leaving Cadence’s past open-ended gives the writers freedom to later invent family members, new generations of princesses, and complex dynastic politics as desired. Trying to overly define every connection now would constrain the story possibilities.
The uncertain nature of Cadence’s connection to Celestia mirrors the uncertain destiny of Equestria itself as it evolves from ancient harmony under Celestia/Luna to a more diverse landscape with many new leaders like Cadence and Twilight ascending. There are parallels between Cadence’s unknown personal history and the unknown future history of Equestria under new princesses.
So rather than a story weakness, the lack of rigid definition around Cadence’s relationship to Celestia allows the pony universe to organically grow and change over time. Their connection remains meaningful whether by blood or friendship. And the show creators and fans are free to imagine rich new layers to Equestria’s royal heritage.