Elements of Harmony

The Elements of Harmony are legendary objects that represent the six elements of...harmony: magic, honesty, kindness, laughter, loyalty, and generosity. When wielded by individuals embodying those particular traits, they can produce Harmony Magic, a force of unsurpassed strength. Multiple sets of these elements have existed throughout the history and across the world that is home to Equestria.

History

Origins

The first Trees-and therefore Elements-of Harmony originated on the island of Cunabula, where the Elements were wielded by the Knights of Harmony. In a desire to spread the harmony they enjoyed throughout the world, the Knights carried Trees of Harmony to four other lands. Each Tree and its Elements symbolized a different connection between individuals and/or nations.

Elements of History

The Elements of History were gifted to Farasi, but remained hidden in an ancient temple for a number of millennia. The Elements were rediscovered when Team Applejack arrived at the temple, fleeing from the hostile Grootslang. After discovering the Tree of History and recognizing its import, Zecora and her childhood friends Cactus Rose, Crystal, Dust Devil, Marini, and Medley Brook were revealed as the bearers of the Elements. After receiving the Farasian Elements of Magic, Generosity, Loyalty, Kindness, Honesty, and Laughter, respectively, the six were able to wield them against the Grootslang, destroying the beast after a failed attempt to make peace with it.

Equestrian Elements

Creation and early use

The Equestrian Elements of Harmony grew from the Tree of Harmony, which in turn grew from a crystal seed planted by the Pillars of Old Equestria. These ancient heroes infused the seed with their own magic, which embodied the principles of sorcery, strength, healing, hope, bravery, and beauty. It was the Pillars' intent to provide a defense for their world, as they would soon leave it without their protection in order to seal away the Pony of Shadows. By one account, the Tree and Elements had already come into existence by the time Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were crowned as Princesses of Equestria.

So far as is known, it would be Celestia and Luna who would first put the Equestria Elements to use as an active power against the forces of evil. Faced with the threat of Discord, whose Chaos Magic even their Alicorn Magic could not overcome, the Two Sisters sought out the Tree and removed from it the Elements. Though this would leave the Tree somewhat weakened, it retained its own magic that would continue to add to Equestria's defense over the coming centuries. Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna were able to wield the Elements to cast a stone sleep upon Discord. Sadly, Celestia would subsequently be forced to use the Elements against her own sister, after Luna's jealousy and bitterness led to her transformation into Nightmare Moon.

Following Nightmare Moon's banishment, Equestria enjoyed a prolonged period-specifically, a thousand years-of relatively uninterrupted peace. At the very least, no threats are known to have emerged that required Celestia to make use of the Elements again. As such, five of the Elements were hidden away in the ruined Castle of Two Sisters, while the Element of Magic evidently disappeared, as only when the other five Elements were united could it be present. Some of the history and nature of the elements was subsequently recorded in a book, The Elements of Harmony.