Harmony always found a way to protect Equestria and the lands beyond by bringing guardians of all shapes and sizes to protect her and all nations beyond. From the Pillars, the fellowship of legendary ponies who would protect the young kingdom through their virtues, to the Mane Six, the six ponies who protect their home a thousand moons later through their elements, to the Young Six, the six young creatures of all sorts who continue to protect the pony kingdom and carry with them the virtues and elements of their predecessors while showing us the magic of friendship. Each of these three groups has a representative that has a tie to one another, through their character and virtue/element.
 
After Equestria was founded, a newfound harmony came to be between the three pony tribes (the Unicorns, the Pegasi, and the Earth Ponies) through friendship. However, danger and evil threatened the new pony nation. In order to maintain and share the light and virtues that shine within all, six legendary ponies, two from each tribe, were united and together they stood against the darkness, serving as Equestria’s pillars through their virtues.
 
Representing the Pillars of Old Equestria is the Earth Pony healer Mage Meadowbrook. She gained fame for her incredible healing skills. When a disease known as Swamp Fever swept across Equestria, only Mage Meadowbrook had the bravery, skill, and determination to figure out the secret to a cure lay within flash bees. Donning a mask to protect her from the bees’ stings, Meadowbrook harvested their honey to make medicine that saved the lives of countless ponies. Since then, Meadowbrook became known as the Mystical Mask due to her medicine mask, which is now prized by healers far and wide. Her heroics and her Mystical Mask have been told to all, including to the equally compassionate Fluttershy when she was a filly. Mage Meadowbrook came to represent the virtue of Healing.
 
When the Pillars of Old Equestria were forced to banish Stygian/the Pony of Shadows and themselves to Limbo, they left behind a magic seed through their enchanted possessions in hopes that one day it would grow into a force to stand against the darkness for all time. And sure enough it did, as the Tree of Harmony. It carried the best elements that shined within the Pillars and Equestria’s foundations. For a while, the princesses of Equestria, Celestia and Luna wielded these Elements to protect their kingdom from more foes. But a thousand moons after Celestia was forced to trap her fallen sister to the moon, the Elements of Harmony would find new bearers: six mares, two from each type of ponies, who each represent the elements that together forge friendship.
 
Representing the Mane Six is the gentle Pegasus mare Fluttershy. Graceful and fawn-like, she has been known for her sweetness and sincerity, which can charm just about any animal she meets, from tiny woodland creatures to the most powerful of mythical beasts. Fluttershy lives a peaceful life in her quaint cottage, although she lives with so many animal friends that can sometimes get a little noisy. Sweet, soft-spoken, and often fearful, Fluttershy’s pony friends treasure her kindness, but have to work hard to help her come out of her shell. While sometimes timid and lacking confidence in herself, Fluttershy has an inner strength that she uses to help others. She sees the good in everypony. Fluttershy, who who tamed a dangerous beast with her compassion, represents Element of Kindness.
 
Through the Elements of Harmony and the magic of their friendship, the Mane Six would continue to protect their home from enemies, old and new. Even after freeing the Pillars from Limbo and making amends with Stygian, they all knew that they couldn’t keep the world safe forever. When Twilight opened up a school of friendship to walks of life, even she didn’t know that she managed to find successors. Attending the school were six creatures students, one representing each race, and while they became fast friends, they would play an even bigger role given to them by the Spirit of the Tree of Harmony.
 
Representing the Young Six is the laidback Earth Pony colt Sandbar. Despite some ponies, like Chancellor Neighsay, having a distrust towards other creatures, Sandbar was more than willing to accept them as friends, and sure enough he made five of them. As the most level-headed of the group, he is usually the first to get in the middle of a budding argument to try to calm things down. He is the glue that holds the new gang of schoolfriends together. It was also him who sheltered the rest of the group in Ponyville after they ran away sometime after Twilight’s school was shutdown. He’s demonstrated a remarkable capacity for empathy. He has faith in others, from piping up in the Mane Six as his and the Young Six’s teachers, and despite Neighsay’s opposition to non-pony creatures, Sandbar still believed he could appeal to his better nature. Sandbar treats everyone with respect and compassion because he truly believes everyone deserves it. And he is thoughtful and considerate enough to offer Gallus a replacement quill, defends Yona’s love for her heritage, and agrees to cut class with his schoolmates in order to keep them out of trouble. This all seems to pinpoint to his Element and Virtue: Kindness and Healing.
 
Just like the Pillars of Old Equestria and the Mane Six, the Young Six would bring harmony through their virtues, elements, and the magic of friendship, not only to the ponies, just as their predecessors did, but to all creatures, and they continue to the day.
 
 
Here’s the next batch of the Mane Six, Pillars, and Young Six together. Representing Kindness are Fluttershy, Mage Meadowbrook and Sandbar.
 
Mage Meadowbrook, Fluttershy, Sandbar by me
 
Two down, four more to go. :D (Big Grin)