Pharynx

Pharynx was a Changeling male who lived at the Changeling Kingdom.

History
Pharynx was born some time before Thorax and became protective of his younger broodmate. Like most Changelings of their generation, Pharynx sought to embrace the warrior culture of their race. However, where the other young Changelings bullied the more sensitive Thorax, Pharynx stood up for his younger brother and defended him. Pharynx was of the opinion, however, that Thorax needed to toughen up, and thus subjected him to some one-on-one teasing. He was eventually made head of the Changelings' security patrol.

For unknown reasons, Pharynx was part of a group of Changelings who did not embrace sharing love at the same time as the majority of the hive. These Changelings continued to feed off of love as a food source, ignoring Thorax's pleas for them not to do so. However, with some coaching from his new friend Dragon Lord Ember, Thorax was able to persuade most of the group to join the rest of the hive in its new way of life. Unfortunately, the most stubborn holdout proved to be Pharynx, who thus became a lone agitator in the midst of the reformed Changeling Pack. In spite of his distaste for the Changelings' new way of life, Pharynx remained with his people, and continued in his duties patrolling the hive.

This proved well, as a maulwurf moved into the area and began feeding on the plant-life that had begun growing again in the wake of the metamorphosis. Unfortunately, he received no help from his fellow Changelings, who felt that their new peaceable way of life didn't require such vigilance. Pharynx became increasingly frustrated with his comrades' attitudes, while they in turn grew to dislike his growing temperamental nature. When Starlight Glimmer and arrived to pay Thorax a surprise visit, Pharynx-not recognizing the pair-took them as prisoners and brought them to Thorax. Upon seeing his friends, Thorax ordered Pharynx to let them go and assured him that they were friends; Pharynx was annoyed and expressed nostalgia for the days when he would have simply drained their love.

Thorax introduced his brother to his friends, though Pharynx remained hostile and annoyed Thorax by knocking holes in the hive walls. Thorax led his friends off on a tour of the redecorated hive, but Pharynx's presence was soon felt again when a Changeling he had covered in black paint to make them look more intimidating appeared to complain. After Thorax explained the difficulties surrounding his brother, Trixie and Starlight volunteered to help try and win him over while the other Changelings enacted a plan to lure the maulwurf away from the hive. Unfortunately, their attempts to bond with Pharynx by explaining their own difficult pasts failed to impress him. Later, during a feelings forum attended by the two s, other Changelings began to express their frustrations with Pharynx's behavior, only for Pharynx himself to appear and express his own complaints.

Sadly, he received no sympathy from the others-due no doubt to his aggressive manner of expressing himself-and the other Changelings began calling for his banishment, much to Thorax's dismay. Despite their own experiences, even Trixie and Starlight came to doubt that Pharynx could change, and decided to approach Thorax, unaware that Pharynx had overheard them while in the form of a rock. However, when the two approached Thorax, he explained how Pharynx had defended him when they were both younger, and how he saw that Pharynx was loving and good under his prickly exterior. His words brought Starlight inspiration, and she began enacting a plan to let the other Changelings see Pharynx's positive traits by arranging for him to save Thorax from the maulwurf. Unfortunately for her, Pharynx had already taken it upon himself to leave the hive, leaving the Changelings without their sole remaining defender with the hostile creature approaching.

Learning of these developments, Thorax insisted on going out to find Pharynx, who he feared might be in danger from the maulwurf. Starlight and Trixie were forcibly recruited for the mission, given that it was their fault the hive was now in peril, and Starlight attempted to rally support from the other Changelings. None of them would come, however, and the trio were alone when they found Pharynx locked in battle with the maulwurf. Pharynx tried to get Thorax to leave for his own safety, but Thorax refused out of determination to help his brother. The maulwurf proved too much of a challenge for the four allies, and Pharynx noted that he could only beat it with the help of the other Changelings.

Fortunately, at that moment a party of fellow Changelings arrived to join in the attack, though their rusty warrior skills prevented them from being of much aid. Pharynx, recalling how he had teased Thorax in their childhood, suggested that they take a page out of his childhood book of tactics: make the maulwurf hit itself. The trick worked, and the maulwurf fled, allowing Thorax to question why his brother was away from the hive. Pharynx admitted that he had been in the process of leaving, but also denied Thorax's claim that he had been doing so since he didn't care about the hive anymore. In truth, Pharynx felt the hive to be the most important thing in his life but felt that he no longer had a place there and became defensive about not liking the new practices of the other Changelings.

However, Pharynx's fellows noted that they had been wrong to dismiss his continued emphasis on defending themselves from threats and expressed gratitude for his faithfulness to this duty. Realizing that the others wanted him to stay with them, Pharynx was finally able to share his love with them and undergo his metamorphosis. However, he quickly demonstrated that he hadn't changed beyond recognition, reminding Starlight that she had been ready to give up on him when she expressed pride in his transformation. He also expressed gratitude for Thorax not losing hope for him, before launching into the story of how he used to tease his younger brother.

Afterwards, Pharynx seems to have settled into the hive happily and served Thorax faithfully. He was present when came to request that Ocellus be allowed to return to the School of Friendship, and joined a number of Changelings in celebrating their new Hearth's Warming traditions. Later, he stood by his brother when Ocellus appealed to the Changelings to come to Equestria's aid against the Legion of Doom, which included their own former ruler. He was among the many creatures who appeared to aid the future Council of Friendship during the Apocalypse, and subsequently attended the Coronation of Twilight Sparkle as Queen of Equestria. Years later, he would be remembered among various friends and acquaintances of the Mane Six by, despite not being known to have had any interactions with her.

Behind the scenes
None of the episodes in which Pharynx appeared stated why it was that he was part of the renegade Changelings who continued to feed on love after Chrysalis was deposed. It seems probable, however, that they were not present for her overthrow and only returned to the Changeling Kingdom after her departure. A likely conclusion is that Pharynx and his comrades were the Changelings chosen to impersonate the Equestrian royal family, the other members of the Mane Six, and after they were captured on Chrysalis' orders. As the Changelings responsible for impersonating the future Council of Friendship members all shared the generic pre-metamorphosis Changeling design, it might be further concluded that he was one of the Changelings dispatched either to Canterlot or the Crystal Empire to impersonate or assist the Changelings impersonating the royals there.

Appearances

 * "Triple Threat" {indirect mention only)
 * "To Change a Changeling" (debut)
 * "School Daze"
 * "My Little Pony: Best Gift Ever"
 * "The Ending of the End"
 * "The Last Problem"
 * My Little Pony: Magic Princess