Celestia: “Yes. We were going to build an arsenal with the Elements. I never put all my chips on that number, though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Spike knows this, called the Harmony Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of of remarkable ponies to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Pear Butter died still believing in that idea. In heroes. …Well, it’s a good old-fashioned notion.”
 
 
@Background Pony #3A8B  
Why not have Juniper be Mantis? Or Sunset, for that matter, since she already has a similar ability?

@Background Pony #3A8B  
Well, they are a bunch of a-holes.

and then the guardians of the galaxy as follows: Indigo Zap:Star-Lord, Sunny Flare :Gamora, Sour Sweet:Drax, Sugarcoat:Groot, Lemon Zest:Rocket, and Fluttershy:Mantis.