Princess Celestia

Princess Celestia, called Queen Celestia in one comic and early development, is an Alicorn pony, the former co-ruler of Equestria alongside her younger sister Princess Luna, and the adoptive aunt of Princess Cadance. In addition to her responsibility of raising the sun, she has also been the teacher of Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer at different periods in time, often addressing Twilight as "my faithful student" while mentoring her. She has a pet phoenix named Philomena.

Development and design
Princess Celestia was inspired by Majesty, a G1 unicorn. Celestia's name comes from the word "celestial", derived from Latin "caelum," meaning "sky" or "heaven". Lauren Faust commented that Princess Celestia was originally supposed to be Queen Celestia, the highest authority, with no parents who outrank her. Her status was changed to "princess" at Hasbro's request, though she was eventually referred to as "Queen Celestia" in the IDW comics' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Issue #62, on page 2 of which Gestal addresses her as such. The show bible, as seen in The Art of Equestria, shows her original name as "Queen Majesty".

Faust also mentioned that during the initial casting of the show, Kathleen Barr, Trixie's voice actress, did a "very good" audition for Princess Celestia before Nicole Oliver ultimately got the role.

Princess Celestia is larger than most ponies, with four exceptions being Nightmare Moon, who is about the same size until she reverts back to being Princess Luna, Trouble Shoes, Steel Buns, and Twilight as a fully-grown Alicorn in the future. As with regular unicorns, when Celestia casts magic, a magic aura surrounds both her horn and the objects her magic affects. The color of this glow varies: for instance, it is blue in A Bird in the Hoof, pink in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, and white in Griffon the Brush Off. In The Return of Harmony Part 1, it is blue when Celestia opens the door to the vault, pink when she levitates the empty box the Elements of Harmony are supposed to be in, and blue when she drops the box. The glow is yellow in the remastered title sequence introduced with Lesson Zero, as well as in that episode itself and all the second season episodes that follow it. Her tail and mane have a natural flowing motion, even when Celestia herself is not moving, but they stop doing so when Celestia is weak, as in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2, unconscious, as in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2, magic-less, as in Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2 and The Ending of the End - Part 1 and Part 2, or covered in slime, as in Make New Friends but Keep Discord.

Ruling Equestria
Celestia is introduced in the prologue of the first episode, depicted in a series of medieval-style drawings with a narration that says that "two regal sisters who ruled together [...] created harmony for all the land," and that "the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night."

The narration continues: their subjects, the ponies, played in the day but "shunned" the night and slept through it, which made the younger "unicorn" grow bitter, eventually refusing to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. Her bitterness "transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon." The elder sister reluctantly harnessed the power of the Elements of Harmony and banished her "in" the moon for 1,000 years, maintaining harmony in Equestria by taking responsibility for both sun and moon.

The day of Nightmare Moon's return is also the 1,000 year anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration, so Princess Celestia sends Twilight to oversee the celebration's preparations, which are being held in Ponyville, and encourages Twilight to "stop reading those dusty old books" and make some friends, much to Twilight's surprise.

Celestia is expected to appear at Ponyville's pavilion, but she goes missing and Nightmare Moon appears in her place instead. Celestia doesn't reappear until Nightmare Moon is defeated and transformed back into Princess Luna at the end of the second episode by Twilight and her friends. Princess Celestia offers her younger sister a chance to rule by her side again, and she accepts.


 * "Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister. Will you accept my friendship?"
 * — Celestia offering Luna redemption

In one alternate timeline in The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 1, Celestia wages a war against King Sombra and his Crystal Ponies, leading the royal guards and Wonderbolts into battle. In another alternate timeline in The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2, Celestia is banished to the moon by Nightmare Moon. In a third alternate timeline, Celestia and Luna are reduced to being Discord's personal entertainment.

Prior to ruling Equestria
Celestia describes more of her history in The Return of Harmony Part 1. She tells Twilight Sparkle and her friends that before Princess Luna and she stood up to Discord, he ruled over Equestria, keeping it in a state of unrest and unhappiness. Celestia goes on to describe that after seeing how miserable life was for Earth ponies, unicorns, and Pegasi alike, she and Luna discovered the Elements of Harmony and defeated Discord, turning him to stone. Discord's spell is later broken because, as Celestia explains, "Luna and [herself] are no longer connected to the elements." In The Crystal Empire - Part 1, Celestia describes how she and Luna worked together to defeat King Sombra, turning him into a shadow and imprisoning him in "the arctic north."

Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1 confirms that Celestia was an associate of the legendary Star Swirl the Bearded. After Star Swirl disappeared to imprison the Pony of Shadows in limbo, Celestia remained unaware of his reasons or whereabouts until the events of Shadow Play - Part 2. During the Pre-Classical era, Celestia and Luna were involved in the first defeat of the evil centaur Lord Tirek, sending the villain to Tartarus.

Summer Sun Celebration
The Summer Sun Celebration is first mentioned in the first episode. Twilight reads of the legend of the Mare in the Moon, who is set to return and bring everlasting night "on the longest day of the thousandth year"–the summer solstice–since her defeat, which is also the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration. Princess Celestia sends Twilight to oversee the preparations for the celebration in Ponyville, where it's being held this year, also telling her to make some friends while she does that. Nightmare Moon claims to have been imprisoned for a thousand years, so this indicates that the first celebration happened after Luna was imprisoned. It is a celebration of Celestia imprisoning her and restoring the sun to Equestria.

During a party, Spike reminds an irate Twilight that the ponies have to stay up all night in order to witness Princess Celestia raise the sun. Later, at the Ponyville pavilion, Mayor Mare holds a brief speech and introduces Princess Celestia, but she turns up missing, and Nightmare Moon appears in her place. Only at the end of the following episode does Princess Celestia reappear with the defeat of Nightmare Moon, and the sun subsequently rises.

The Summer Sun Celebration is featured again in Twilight Sparkle's flashback during The Cutie Mark Chronicles. Twilight describes it as "the most amazing, most wonderful thing" she'd ever seen, which made her want to study as much as she can about magic. The event itself takes place in Canterlot, where eight royal guards play a fanfare for Princess Celestia, who comes on stage and flies up, raising the sun behind her.

In the two-part season four premiere, the Celebration is featured and mentioned. Unlike the previous Celebrations, this represents not the defeat of Nightmare Moon but the return of Princess Luna. In The Summer Sun Setback, the Celebration is held for the last time, as Celestia and Luna feel no need to continue it after they retire, and Twilight creates a new holiday to replace it: the "Festival of the Two Sisters".

Overseeing Twilight Sparkle's studies
Princess Celestia refers to Twilight Sparkle as her "most faithful student" in the first episode, and Twilight is very proud of this fact. At the end of the second episode, Celestia tasks Twilight with staying in Ponyville with her friends and writing a weekly report about her studies of the "magic of friendship", which Twilight usually sends via Spike. These letters typically serve to illustrate each episode's moral for the show's viewers.

During a flashback in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, Princess Celestia witnesses Twilight's rare magical talents and takes her as a protégé. Lauren Faust has suggested that there is more to Princess Celestia than has been depicted of her in the series. Relating to the events in the flashbacks in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, Celestia sensed that Twilight Sparkle was connected to the Elements of Harmony and arranged the dragon-hatching test for her; the time travel events of My Little Pony: IDW 20/20 follow. Celestia then raised and trained Spike, and subsequently assigned him to be Twilight's assistant; see My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Issue #40.

In a flashback in Celestial Advice, Celestia sees Twilight progressing in her studies, but not so much in her social life, which leads her to contemplate how to further her studies. This leads her to her decision to send Twilight to Ponyville, a decision that she is, at first, rather hesitant about.

Celestia has been present during an episode in a few cases, allowing for Twilight Sparkle or another pony to deliver the report to her in person. She arrives for a scheduled royal visit in Swarm of the Century, and meets the six main ponies outside of Ponyville where Twilight makes her report. She comes to celebrate the Running of the Leaves in Fall Weather Friends, and Twilight makes a brief report about friendship being more important than a competition. She also attends the Best Young Flyer competition in Sonic Rainboom, where Rarity delivers the report to her directly. She is present for a royal visit in A Bird in the Hoof, so she hears Twilight Sparkle's intended report from Fluttershy.

Celestia makes a surprise cameo at the end of Feeling Pinkie Keen, dropping out of the sky to grab Spike's letter and then taking off just as quickly, confirming another one of Pinkie Pie's twitchy tail predictions.

Celestia is asked to come to Ponyville by Spike in Lesson Zero, after Twilight, fearing that being unable to send a friendship report will have dire consequences, enchants a doll, causing all of Ponyville to fight over it. Celestia arrives and undoes the spell, then sternly asks Twilight to meet her at the library. Despite Twilight's fears, Celestia does not reprimand her, telling her that she should only send a friendship report if she learns a lesson. She also decrees that Twilight's friends may also send her friendship reports.

Celestia makes a brief appearance in Sweet and Elite, showing Rarity to the room she will stay in while visiting Canterlot. She also displays awkwardness at Rarity fawning over her in thanks. At the end of the episode, she hears Rarity's friendship report. She next appears in It's About Time, passing by the "Star Swirl the Bearded" wing of the Canterlot library. She shows no signs of objection to seeing Twilight who had made an elaborate show of sneaking in, and compliments Twilight for her new hairstyle.

Celestia presides over the wedding of Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 and Part 2, and monitors an anonymous threat that was made against Canterlot. The threat turns out to be an invasion by the changelings and their queen, who was already in Canterlot impersonating Princess Cadance. However, through most of the two-part episode, no one except Twilight suspects there's something wrong with Cadance. When Twilight brands the fake Cadance as "evil" at the wedding rehearsal, Celestia is greatly disappointed by her actions and agrees with Shining Armor's suggestion for Twilight not to bother coming to the wedding. Celestia sternly tells Twilight, "You have a lot to think about," before walking out on her with the others. However, after the exposure and defeat of Queen Chrysalis and the wedding ceremony, Celestia commends Twilight for persisting in the face of doubt and following her instincts in bringing Princess Cadance back, reaffirming their good relationship.

In Magical Mystery Cure, Princess Celestia appears in a starry realm with Twilight Sparkle, revealing that she had sent Twilight the spell book of Star Swirl the Bearded as a test, which Twilight had passed by creating new magic. Just as Celestia starts singing, dozens of images float by, depicting Twilight's lessons and everyday studies, and she tells her about how it is time for Twilight to fulfill her destiny. Twilight, now having been transformed into an Alicorn, frets that she will no longer be Celestia's student. Celestia reassures her that she will still be her student but in "a different way" - that Celestia and the other princesses will also be learning from Twilight now, as well. She then arranges a coronation ceremony for Twilight, to crown her as Equestria's newest princess.

Retirement
In The Beginning of the End - Part 1, Celestia and Luna announce their decision to retire as rulers of Equestria, and have Twilight and her friends rule in their place.

However, in The Beginning of the End - Part 2, when King Sombra returns from the dead to take over Equestria, and he destroys both the Tree and the Elements of Harmony, Celestia and Luna return with Star Swirl to stop the Everfree Forest from going out of control again, so that Twilight and the others could stop Sombra. Ultimately, they decide to hold off on their retirement to give Twilight more time to prepare to rule.

In The Last Problem, Celestia officially turns control of ruling Equestria over to Twilight and retires to Silver Shoals with Luna.

Personality
Princess Celestia acts as a mentor to Twilight Sparkle. She often does not directly state her goals but rather gives the advice to help her student find the answers she needs. For example, she wrote a letter prompting Twilight to make friends in Friendship is Magic, part 1 when her goal was for Twilight Sparkle to find the Elements of Harmony.


 * "I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more..."
 * — Celestia to Twilight Sparkle

Despite being royalty, she often encourages her subjects to relax with jokes and gentle questions. She also shows great patience with any inappropriate behavior towards her, as seen when Pinkie Pie snatches a cupcake from her at a party in A Bird in the Hoof.

Princess Celestia displays a fun-loving side when she chuckles at the bottle of disappearing ink sent to her by Twilight in Griffon the Brush Off. In A Bird in the Hoof, while sipping from a constantly refilled cup of tea, she pretends to sip from her already full cup, causing Mr. and Mrs. Cake to overfill it. She watches with a smile on her face when Pinkie Pie devours one of her cupcakes, while Mrs. Cake gasps and drags Pinkie away. Celestia tells Twilight and her friends in The Best Night Ever, after they ruin the Grand Galloping Gala, that she always found the Gala awful and she was hoping they would liven it up. In Make New Friends but Keep Discord, Celestia invites Discord to the Gala for this same reason, and by the end of the episode, she declares it to be "the most fun Gala in years."

While kindhearted and slow to anger, Celestia's patience does have its limits. When faced against the threat of Discord's return in The Return of Harmony Part 1, Celestia wastes no time in demanding that Discord return the stolen Elements of Harmony. Also, in Lesson Zero, when Spike makes her aware that Twilight inadvertently unleashed mass chaos onto Ponyville in her obsessive attempts to find a friendship report to send to the Princess, Celestia personally intervenes to undo Twilight's out-of-control spell. She sternly orders her student to a private meeting to discuss her actions but remains understanding, and at the insistence of Twilight's friends she agrees not to punish Twilight, instead asking them all to send her friendship reports only when the lessons make themselves apparent to them. In A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1, after Twilight furiously accuses imposter Cadance of being evil, Princess Celestia, along with the others, makes clear her deep disappointment in her student and walks out on Twilight after Shining Armor and the other ponies. But in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2, while displaying righteous rage to the newly exposed Queen Chrysalis, she eventually commends Twilight for her instincts that told her the imposter Cadance was evil.

In Ponyville Confidential, the Cutie Mark Crusaders manage to get a hold of a photo depicting her eating cake in an unladylike manner for their Foal Free Press gossip column titled "Celestia: Just like us." At the end of MMMystery on the Friendship Express, she admires the cake made by the combined efforts of the bakers and overlooks Pinkie's attempts to gain her attention.

Celestia can also be very forgiving. She does not admonish Fluttershy for taking Philomena without asking in A Bird in the Hoof. As mentioned above, she does not punish Twilight for the chaos she caused in Lesson Zero. In Keep Calm and Flutter On, she firmly believed that Discord could be redeemed, in spite of the trouble he had caused in the past.

She mentions that fall is one of her favorite seasons in Fall Weather Friends while at Ponyville to celebrate the Running of the Leaves.

In Celestial Advice, Celestia reveals that she once shared some of Twilight's anxieties as a teacher, having worried a lot over sending her pupil away to Ponyville and that Twilight wouldn't need her anymore after making her own friends. In A Royal Problem, Celestia is further revealed to have a tense relationship with her sister Luna. Despite her efforts to bring them closer with daily pancake breakfasts, their lack of appreciation for each other's royal duties creates a rift between them, and Celestia demonstrates more impatience and irritation than usual. In School Daze, she shows great trust in Twilight's ability to run the School of Friendship and restore good feelings between Equestria's kingdoms.

In Between Dark and Dawn, Celestia shows a liking for exciting activities while on her vacation with Luna, such as ziplining and diving into the ocean, and shows boredom when Luna takes her to the theatre, or an art museum. During the song Lotta Little Things, she displays a love for stuffed animals, and later in the episode, is revealed to have trouble with maps, and suffer from alektorophobia (a fear of chickens).

Daybreaker

 * Not to be confused with Nightmare Star, one of Celestia's alternate world counterparts.

The episode A Royal Problem reveals a potential evil alter-ego for Celestia named Daybreaker, self-described as "the better, prettier, and more powerful version" of Celestia. This version of Celestia is considerably arrogant, power-hungry, and destructive. She boasts that she doesn't need Luna or anyone else, claims that she should have destroyed Luna instead of banishing her to the moon, and dismisses the notions of balance and harmony in favor of ruling over all.

Daybreaker harnesses more of the sun's power than Celestia does, allowing her to breathe fire and generate intense, burning light.

Daybreaker briefly reappears with Nightmare Moon in a vision shown to Twilight by King Sombra in The Beginning of the End - Part 1.

Magic
The legend narrated in the first episode tells that Celestia raises the sun, and that she had raised the moon and stars in her sister's absence. A display of Celestia raising the sun is depicted in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, and the sunrise coincides with Princess Celestia's return in Friendship is Magic, part 2. Princess Celestia's cutie mark is a stylized sun, which matches her responsibility of raising the sun. Celestia is said to have wielded the Elements of Harmony on two occasions. The first is in the legend narrated in the show's first episode, which says that "the elder sister" [Celestia] used the elements to banish Nightmare Moon. The second is in The Return of Harmony Part 1, where Celestia says that she and her sister discovered the Elements of Harmony and used them to defeat Discord. In the same episode, Celestia further explains to Twilight and her friends that she and Luna are no longer connected to the Elements, and that Twilight and her friends have to face Discord with the Elements now. Both of the confrontations and using the Elements against Discord and Nightmare Moon are fully explained in minor detail in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 and Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2.

Other than raising the sun and wielding the Elements of Harmony, Princess Celestia displays telekinesis in various episodes and in the show's opening sequence. Other instances of her using magic are in The Cutie Mark Chronicles, where she stops Twilight Sparkle's wild magic burst, and in Lesson Zero, where she dispels the "want it, need it" spell from a massive amount of affected ponies at once.

Celestia finds herself unable to overpower the magic of Queen Chrysalis in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2. Celestia attacks Chrysalis with a beam from her horn, and Chrysalis retaliates with a beam of her own, which repulses Celestia's beam. However, this instance of Celestia being overpowered was because Chrysalis's own magic had been augmented by her feeding on Shining Armor's love for Princess Cadance.

In The Crystal Empire - Part 1, both Celestia and Twilight use some magic that surrounds their horn with black fog and makes their irises glow red and their eyes glow green and emit a purple trail, much like King Sombra's usual appearance. The magic causes black crystals to grow from the ground, again in the same fashion as King Sombra's magic. Celestia says this demonstrates what would happen if hatred and fear took hold of the Crystal Empire. When Twilight uses this magic, she mentions to Spike that she learned it from Celestia. In addition, Celestia used her magic alongside Luna to turn King Sombra to shadow and banish him within the ice of the arctic north.

In Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2, Princess Celestia performs a magic-transferring ritual with Princess Luna and Princess Cadance to bestow their power upon Twilight Sparkle. When the task is completed, Celestia loses her cutie mark and much of her strength. She regains both of these following the Mane Six's victory over Lord Tirek and the return of Equestria's stolen magic.

In Make New Friends but Keep Discord, Princess Celestia is unable to stop an out-of-control Smooze with her magic.

In A Royal Problem, Starlight Glimmer instinctively switches Celestia and Luna's cutie marks. This also causes an exchange of magic auras and magical abilities, with Celestia gaining Luna's ability to visit the dream realm.

In The Beginning of the End - Part 2, she, Luna and Starswirl the Bearded use magic to control the Everfree Forest after it grows out of control after the Tree of Harmony is destroyed, having previously done so before the Tree of Harmony was planted.

In The Ending of the End - Part 2, she, Luna and Discord turn Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow to stone without the Elements after their defeat.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls
In My Little Pony Equestria Girls, Celestia appears at a princess summit in the Crystal Empire. When Sunset Shimmer steals Twilight's crown, Celestia reveals that Sunset was once her personal student, and she tasks Twilight with traveling to another world in order to retrieve it. In this alternate world, Celestia's human counterpart is a high school principal.

Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks
Princess Celestia does not appear in the sequel My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, but she is mentioned several times, and her magic book serves as a tool for Twilight to reopen the Crystal Mirror.

Equestria Girls: Forgotten Friendship
In Forgotten Friendship, Princess Celestia reconciles with Sunset Shimmer after she returns to Equestria. She then leads Sunset and Twilight to a secret room in the Canterlot Library and helps them research Equestrian magic that erased Sunset's friends' memories.

Equestria Girls: Spring Breakdown
Princess Celestia gets mentioned by Sunset Shimmer while she talks about the portal to Canterlot High.

Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending
In the second season short Wake-Up!, Princess Celestia is mentioned by Sunset Shimmer in her sleep, asking her for five more minutes of sleep and not wanting to go to magic school.

Depiction in My Little Pony The Movie
In My Little Pony The Movie, Celestia appears with the other princesses at the Friendship Festival when Twilight asks them to use their magic for the festival's main event. When the Storm King's forces invade Canterlot, Celestia tries to instruct Luna to go to the Hippogriffs for help, but Tempest Shadow turns her, Luna, and Cadance to obsidian statues. Her magic is later drained by the Storm King's Staff of Sacanas. She is turned back to normal at the end of the film after the Storm King's defeat. During the film's credits, Celestia meets Queen Novo.

Depiction in comics
An example of Princess Celestia's physical strength is briefly seen in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Issue #10. Big McIntosh is seen visibly struggling against her in hoof-wrestling. Celestia, however, is shown displaying considerably less strain from the match. She is even smiling slyly at Big McIntosh as he struggles.

The Fall of Sunset Shimmer shows Celestia's time as Sunset Shimmer's teacher. She tries to teach Sunset the values of humility, but Sunset doesn't take the lessons to heart. Sunset's deep desire for power leads to Celestia removing her from her position as Celestia's student. When Sunset escapes to the human world through the Crystal Mirror, Celestia keeps the mirror in her throne room in hopes that Sunset will one day return.

Reflections reveals more of Princess Celestia's history: long ago, during her travels with Star Swirl the Bearded into mirror universes, she met and fell in love with an alternate Equestria's King Sombra—a good, kindhearted ruler. In the present, the reality-altering effects of Celestia's decision to continue meeting with this Sombra put both Equestrias, as well as the royal sisters' lives, at serious risk. The alternate Equestria also introduces an evil version of Celestia who seeks to take over the kingdom, though she is later purified by the Elements of Harmony. The evil version of this Celestia appears in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Issue #68.

In My Little Pony: FIENDship is Magic Issue #4, Celestia protects the ponies of Canterlot from Nightmare Moon's nightmares and banishes Nightmare Moon from her own dreams. In My Little Pony: FIENDship is Magic Issue #5, a changeling reveals that Celestia defeated Queen Chrysalis when the changelings were invading the ancient city of Trot and imprisoned her and her subjects in a volcano.

In Siege of the Crystal Empire, Celestia and Luna go to the Crystal Empire to battle a revived King Sombra and his allies. However, Radiant Hope's intervention allows Sombra to gain the upper hand and turn both of the princesses to stone. By the end of the story, they are returned to normal, and they use their magic to turn Sombra into a normal unicorn.

In My Little Pony: Legends of Magic Issue #1, Celestia shows Sunburst to Star Swirl the Bearded's private study and vast collection of records about Equestrian myths and legends. Celestia also appears in flashback, where she frequently made fun of Luna for mastering magic slower than her when they were younger. Through Star Swirl's teachings, however, Celestia learns to treat Luna with more sisterly love and guidance. In Legends of Magic Annual 2018, she and Luna are abducted by an alternate dimension's Pony of Shadows, who seeks to corrupt them into becoming Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon.

In My Little Pony: Friends Forever Issue #38, Celestia tries to participate with Luna in the Sisterhooves Social. However, a rush to finish their royal duties, lack of sleep, and the influence of magically enchanted berries contribute to them becoming very competitive and testy with each other. With help from Rarity and Sweetie Belle, the two sisters resolve their differences.

In Convocation of the Creatures!, Celestia attends the titular assembly of creatures with Twilight, Cadance, and Raven Inkwell as representatives of Equestria. On page 2 of the latter half of the story arc, Gestal of the griffon lords of Griffonstone refers to Celestia as "Queen Celestia". In My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Issue #65, Celestia uses a magical amulet to transform herself into a Pegasus as part of her annual walkabout across Equestria. In Cosmos, Celestia is seen in flashback with various other rulers and Discord banishing Cosmos to the Andalusian constellation. She, Luna, Twilight, Cadance, Zecora, and Big Mac are later possessed by Cosmos using the Andalusian stars before being freed of her control by the story arc's end.

In My Little Pony: Nightmare Knights, the Celestia of an alternate universe, corrupted into Daybreaker, is enslaved by Princess Eris and used to lure Princess Luna to her casino. Daybreaker also serves as Eris' head of security, but breaks free of her control and takes over her position of power after helping Luna and her team defeat her. Celestia herself appears on Issue #2 page 1 and Issue #5 page 20.

Other depictions
In a promotional image posted by the official European Spanish My Little Pony Facebook page on March 28, 2015, Princess Celestia's mane is partly translucent.

Hasbro.com description / Teacher for a Day
This Magnificent Princess pony is the ruler of Equestria!

''Princess Celestia is the most magical pony. She's responsible for raising the sun to create light in Equestria.''

''Wise and kind, she is a mentor to Twilight Sparkle. All of the ponies look up to her and depend on her. Some say she is SO wise because she is over ONE THOUSAND years old.''

Hasbro.com second description
''Princess Celestia is the benevolent ruler over all of Equestria! She and her younger sister Princess Luna are responsible for raising the sun and the moon to create light and darkness in Equestria. As a wise and magical teacher, Princess Celestia has entrusted great responsibility to her best student: Twilight Sparkle. Together with her friends, Twilight uses the Elements of Harmony that the Princess has given them to bring friendship to Equestria!''

Meet Princess Celestia
''This magnificent princess pony is the ruler of Equestria. Princess Celestia is the most magical pony. She is responsible for raising the sun and the moon to create light and darkness in Equestria. She is the only pony with a unicorn's horn and Pegasus wings. Wise and kind, she is the mentor to Twilight Sparkle. All of the ponies look up to her and depend on her. Some say she is so wise because she is over one thousand years old.''

Coloring books
The front and back cover of a My Little Pony Giant Coloring and Activity Book by Bendon Publishing shows Princess Celestia with her cutie mark containing an image of Derpy.

Adventures in Ponyville
Princess Celestia is shown when the player's pony earns friendship sparkles by solving one of the six main ponies' dilemmas. She also appears in the ending after the player's pony earns her cutie mark.

My Little Pony (mobile game)
Several versions of Celestia appear as playable characters, and Celestia also has a role in many story events, notably serving as a boss in the Siege of the Crystal Empire event.

Princess Celestia:

''Princess Celestia is the ruler of Equestria, responsible for raising the sun, moon, and stars. She is also Twilight Sparkle's mentor.''

Daybreaker:

This fiery brute's not Celestia's twin: If the Princess were bad, this is who she'd have been.

Disguised Celestia:

''One day a year, Princess Celestia used to transform herself into a Pegasus with Changeling magic! Would that make her a 'Pegasus-lestia?'''

HubNetwork.com description
''Beautiful, kind, and wise, Princess Celestia raises the sun in the morning and rules Equestria with a velvet hoof. She is a very powerful Alicorn (part-Unicorn/part-Pegasus), and everypony looks up to her. Gracious and powerful, she loves her subjects and her protégée, Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia inspires everypony to be their best.''

The Elements of Harmony guidebook
''PRINCESS CELESTIA is the wise and kind ruler of Equestria. Governing her subjects from her castle in Canterlot, she emanates a commanding presence with both a Unicorn's horn and magnificent Pegasus wings. Princess Celestia is profoundly magical, and some say she is more than one thousand years old. With the help of her sister, Princess Luna, she makes sure the sun and moon rise and set each day.''

Volume II guidebook
''From within her shimmering castle in Canterlot, PRINCESS CELESTIA rules Equestria with an attentive ear and an open heart. Celestia's mentorship to young ponies gives her the greatest hope for the future. She takes great pride in encouraging ponies to seek out new experiences in the pursuit of self-betterment. Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's most famous student, continues to impress the princess with her unwavering belief in the Magic of Friendship. Twilight's passion and positivity inspire Celestia to seek peaceful resolutions to Equestria's most troublesome issues. She recently used her leadership skills to improve the relationship between ponies and Changelings.''

Sticker book
"Princess Celestia is the beloved ruler of Equestria. She watches over the ponies from her castle in Canterlot. With the help of her younger sister Princess Luna she makes sure the sun rises and sets each day."​[​specify​]​

The Journal of the Two Sisters
Celestia and Luna are asked by Star Swirl the Bearded to become princesses of Equestria and help unite the three pony tribes, since they represent all three as Alicorns. This is a dream come true, for the sisters always dreamed of becoming princesses. When they accept Star Swirl's invitation, the sisters are still blank flanks because Alicorns age at a different rate from other ponies, and because the duties of raising the sun and moon were still under the control of King Bullion's and Princess Platinum's unicorns.

Celestia feels a sense of attachment to the sun carving on the Tree of Harmony, deciding to build the Castle of the Two Sisters nearby with Star Swirl's full support. Celestia, or "Celie" as Luna nicknames her, is puzzled by Luna's request for all the trap doors and the Organ to the Outside, but agrees when Luna offers to include a secret reading room for Celestia in the library. Thanks to Luna befriending cragadiles, bats, owls and a manticore named Melvin, Celestia has the castle nearly completed, knowing she and Luna are meant to rule together.

Once the castle is finished, the princesses are introduced to unicorn King Bullion and Princess Platinum by Star Swirl personally. King Bullion is very friendly while Platinum is very rude, even going so far as to insult Celestia for being their sovereign without a cutie mark. To teach Platinum a lesson, Luna uses the Organ to send the former sprawling outside. Platinum makes amends by having the unicorn seamstresses fill the castle with beautiful tapestries of the new royal sisters, including designing the new seal for the Equestria flag. Afterwards, the second-in-commands for the three tribes meet with Celestia to reveal all the new progress the tribes are making since Celestia and Luna's coronation, displaying the new sense of peace and harmony the sisters have brought to Equestria.

Star Swirl invites Celestia to see his library, offering her the chance to study up on everything involving the three tribes that she had never seen before, and she happily accepts. Star Swirl even lets Celestia know of some spells he is working on that are still in development. She assists him in perfecting his spell to travel through time and space without limitations.

Celestia is introduced to Zecora's kind when she goes looking for Luna and finds her on the outskirts of where the zebras reside.

After learning of the change of authority in Equestria, the griffons, with their leader Gregor, renew their feud with Commander Hurricane and the Pegasi. Soon after, Celestia finds herself trying to broker a new peace treaty with the griffons. Gregor refuses to negotiate with her until she and Luna bring him his favorite éclairs and Luna baffles him into silence with the rhyming she learned from the zebras. She also finds herself having to retrieve the Crystal Heart for the Crystal Empire's sovereign, unicorn Princess Amore, when it is taken by a dragon. The dragon reclaims it under the pretense that it was mined from his keep and is thus his property. When the dragon disrespects her too much, Celestia unleashes her own royal Canterlot voice on the dragon, spooking him enough that he returns the heart and flees into his keep, never to bother anyone again.

One night, Celestia awakes to find Star Swirl exhausted and looking older than he should. He reveals that he has run out of full-grown unicorns to help lower the moon and raise the sun. He tried to do it alone, but used up his own unicorn magic in the process. Realizing that Alicorn magic is more powerful than unicorn magic, Star Swirl asks Celestia and Luna to assume the duties of being guardians of the sun and moon, believing their magic will become stronger as the sun and moon would rejuvenate them, according to legend. Celestia and Luna take flight and perform the setting of the moon and rising of the sun flawlessly. When it is over, Celestia has earned her sun cutie mark and Luna her crescent moon cutie mark. Remembering that her cutie mark looks just like the carving on the Tree of Harmony, she asks about the third carving, but Star Swirl says nothing, leaving her to find out for herself.

Celestia's final entry states that she and Luna have entered a new stage in their lives. Now that they have their cutie marks, she hopes that more exciting adventures are to come for her and Luna.

Chapter books
Princess Celestia is the central character of the chapter book, Princess Celestia and the Summer of Royal Waves. In the novel, Celestia travels to Monacolt to teach some students at Duchess Diamond Waves' magic academy. Princess Celestia also appears in flashback in Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell and in the present day in Princess Luna and the Festival of the Winter Moon, Discord and the Ponyville Players Dramarama, and Ponyville Mysteries: Peryton Panic.

Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook
Princess Celestia appears in All About Alicorns, in Saving the Crystal Empire, in Nightmare Night, depicted on a flag in Hearth's Warming Eve, and in The Crystalling.

Fundamentals of Magic
In Fundamentals of Magic, Princess Celestia serves as narrator and instructor at her School for Gifted Unicorns.

Appearances

 * See also: Character appearances

Merchandise

 * See also toys, merchandise

Celestia's likeness is used for several toys. She appeared in the Royal Castle Friends and Princess Luna & Princess Celestia boxsets, and a Talking Princess Celestia figure. The Celestia toy is colored pink in contrast to Celestia's very light white-pink coloring. Lauren Faust suggests that this was done to get retailers to buy more of the toys. A white Celestia figure was released as an exclusive to Toys R' Us in Autumn 2012. A new Playful Ponies model was released in the in-show white color and sold in a pack with Pinkie Pie and accessories as a part of the Crystal Empire toyline. Miniature versions of Princess Celestia can be found in wave 5 of the My Little Pony blind bags and in the collector set, A Royal Surprise with Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis.

The Crystal Princess Celebration toyline features a toy of Sunset Shimmer whose packaging reads "Years ago, she was also a student of PRINCESS CELESTIA."

An Alicorn figurine of Princess Celestia was released with an Equestria Girls Principal Celestia human doll and a few other accessories. The front of the packaging reads "I'm the school principal, and a pony princess!" The back of packaging reads "As a princess of Equestria, I guide and protect all the ponies in the land." and "As principal of Canterlot High, I oversee students and keep them under my wing!"

Nightmare Star

 * Not to be confused with Daybreaker.

Enterplay collectible card game Absolute Discord expansion set card #-1 UR and Enterplay's "Midnight Star" poster show Celestia as Nightmare Star upon an Elements of Harmony-studded throne. Enterplay trading card series 4 card #F26 gives Nightmare Star the description "While visiting alternate worlds, Star Swirl the Bearded found one where Celestia ruled Equestria in eternal day as the terrifying Nightmare Star. He destroyed the mirror to that world and never told a single pony about it."

Quotes

 * "I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return, and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart."
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, Friendship is Magic, part 2


 * "I've missed you, too."
 * — To Princess Luna, Friendship is Magic, part 2


 * "Spike, take a note please. I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville.'"
 * — Friendship is Magic, part 2


 * "Gotcha!"
 * — To Mr. and Mrs. Cake, A Bird in the Hoof


 * "We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these six friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos."
 * — The Return of Harmony Part 2


 * "You are a wonderful student, Twilight. I don't have to get a letter every week to know that."
 * — Lesson Zero


 * "Hm, a very valuable lesson to have learned."
 * — Sweet and Elite


 * "Good morning, Twilight. Love the new hairstyle. Well, happy Tuesday!"
 * — It's About Time


 * "You may have made it impossible for Shining Armor to perform his spell, but now that you have so foolishly revealed your true self, I can protect my subjects from you!"
 * — To Queen Chrysalis, A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2


 * "Mares and gentlecolts, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of the real Princess Mi Amore Cadenza..."
 * — A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2


 * "You persisted in the face of doubt, and your actions led to you being able to bring the real Princess Cadance back to us. Learning to trust your instincts is a valuable lesson to learn."
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2


 * "Far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice than one who only looks out for her own best interests."
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, The Crystal Empire - Part 2


 * "The lessons you've learned here in Ponyville have taught you well. You have proven that you're ready, Twilight."
 * — Magical Mystery Cure


 * "My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, has done many extraordinary things since she's lived in Ponyville. She even helped reunite me with my sister Princess Luna. But today, Twilight Sparkle did something extraordinary. She created new magic, proving without a doubt that she is ready to be crowned Equestria's newest princess."
 * — Magical Mystery Cure


 * "You may no longer be my student, Princess Twilight, but I hope you know that I will always be here if you need me. Just as I hope that you will always be there when I need you."
 * — Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1


 * "Luna, I will not fight you! You must lower the moon, it is your duty!"
 * — Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2


 * "Playtime is over for you, Discord!"
 * — Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2


 * "You will not prevail, Tirek!"
 * — Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2


 * "Can you imagine how dull it would have been if I hadn't invited Discord? Come on! Whoo! The night is still young!"
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, Make New Friends but Keep Discord


 * "Thorax, as the new leader of the changelings, I look forward to discussing how we can improve our relationship in the future. However, for the moment, perhaps it is best that we leave the Changeling Kingdom to the changelings."
 * — To Where and Back Again - Part 2


 * "So you have an overachieving student. Sounds familiar."
 * — Celestial Advice


 * "Hmm. I was not aware that I was an expression. An appropriate one, of course, for even I don't know the answers."
 * — Celestial Advice


 * "If Luna can turn into Nightmare Moon, you can absolutely turn into me — Daybreaker! The better, prettier, and more powerful version of you!"
 * — As Daybreaker, A Royal Problem


 * "I never should've banished you to the moon! I should've destroyed you!"
 * — As Daybreaker, to Nightmare Moon, A Royal Problem


 * "Ugh. So much black. We get it. You're sad."
 * — As Daybreaker, to Nightmare Moon, A Royal Problem


 * "I never felt I had to be on stage to be a part of the show. All I ever wanted was to share an honest bond of creativity, artistry, and happiness with my friends. And that's exactly what I got to do."
 * — Horse Play


 * "Remember, sister. From now on, we are regular, carefree ponies!"
 * — Between Dark and Dawn


 * "My sister and I have decided. The time for us to retire is upon us. You and your friends have proven you are ready to lead Equestria. So let this be the last Summer Sun Celebration as Equestria leaves behind the old to embrace the new!"
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, The Summer Sun Setback


 * "When I sent you to Ponyville, I had high hopes. When you became Princess of Friendship, I knew I made the right choice. But nothing could prepare me for how proud I am right now. Equestria is definitely in the right hooves. You are ready."
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, The Ending of the End - Part 2


 * "We know Equestria is in the perfect hooves with you and your friends looking out for it. And while we'll always be here if you need us, it's time for us to be on our way."
 * — To Twilight Sparkle, The Last Problem


 * "I'm switching you to decaf!"
 * — Micro-Series Issue #10 cover RI


 * "I told you it felt good to do things for others."
 * — Friends Forever Issue #2 page 22


 * "I feel like you've learned a valuable lesson here today, Discord."
 * — Friends Forever Issue #2 page 22


 * "And yes, sometimes I have let Twilight take care of an incident that I could have cleared away easily. But I do not do this because I am cruel, or because I want to play a joke on Twilight... I do this because I am her teacher, and sometimes, this is how she must learn."
 * — Friends Forever Issue #3 page 13


 * "Raven is one of my most trusted aides. Any endeavor she oversees meets, and often exceeds, my expectations."
 * — Enterplay collectible card game The Crystal Games #54 C card of Raven


 * "The day shall last FOREVER!"
 * — Enterplay collectible card game Absolute Discord #-1 UR card of Nightmare Star


 * "I will light the way!"
 * — Princess Celestia talking toys

Gallery

 * Princess Celestia image gallery