That tree could become the G5 Mane Cast’s new meeting place in the upcoming special and series.

@Background Pony #D33A
 
I agree.

@Ebalosus  
Lets just wait for the show.

@Ebalosus  
I’m even less familiar with the Mass Effect franchise (only played the first game a long time ago), so I am unable to argue with that.

@Background Pony #1E8C
 
Sure, but something being plausible in no way makes it canon. It’s plausible that in Mass Effect they could rebuild the relay network after what happened at the end of the third game, and it’s plausible that no one starved to death in the Sol system while they used a war-shattered economy to do as such, but just because those two things are plausible does not make them canon. The Indoctrination Theory is also plausible, but it sure-as-shit isn’t canon, despite Bioware affirming that.

@Ebalosus  
I don’t know much about Harry Potter, but I reckon that case is covered by “if plausible”.

@Background Pony #1E8C  
@Background Pony #D33A  
@GoodVibesGorgeous
 
Uh huh. I guess if we’re playing that game, then Dumbledore is gay and Voldemort represents trans-rights activists, because hey, if JK Rowling says so not in the books, then it’s canon, right?
 
This is why I practice Death of the Author…

I think that’s where the “Ground Zero” is located, exactly where the magic began to disappear - because the tree has lost its magic as a crystallized tree, and become an organic tree even though the internal magic is preserved, partly proven by its appearance. Harmony magic is one of the strongest in the G4, what could have ribbed this tree for its very essence must have been unbelievably formidable. There are only meadows around this tree, and from what little can be seen, it seems to stretch for miles around.
 
These are artificial, or pony-made in Equus, and there is too little overgrowth despite three important elements being needed; the meltwater from the surrounding mountains - these in the southwest are covered with snow - remnants of a large and nutrient-rich forest - and finally a temperate climate with rain and sun. Abandoned meadows quickly become overgrown within a few decades, these are kept with grazing and hay harvest, but these on the movie seemed to be too nutrient poor. From the G4 there is agriculture in the form of meadow farming (very common in Scandinavia) and food plant cultivation. But then there were always artificial interventions such as well-used path, buildings and so much more. There it is completely naked, and in some places very thin and a bit rocky as against the ravine. There was very varied vegetation throughout the valley.
 
With the possible exception of an unidentified object high up on the mountain just after the crossing of the ravine and the stone bridge itself among a path, it is like being in a wilderness with only a tree. This means that there is little overgrowth potential there, as in dreaded ravaged areas - in France there are meadows where little grows, because they were very poisoned with chemical weapons over a hundred years ago. This is not natural as it was a very rich forest that was also rich in water - Everfree faced a river to the west. And the mountains seem pretty windy - something they did not do in the G4, with the exception of the southern mountains where the Macintosh Hills are located. When we saw the mountain where Zephyr Heights is located at the top in the evening, it looked like it was exposed to violent climatic changes that dried up the west side. One fan thought this might mean desert climatic conditions. Sunny and Izzy had gone up Rambling Rock Ridge where they were surprised by Zipp, and from what the movie showed, they had reached the southeastern part of the mountain.
 
Until the revelation, I thought the Mane 5 had never gone down the valley, instead still down the same road that Sunny had taken, and reached the Macintosh Hills by walking on a higher slope above the valley. By the way, it’s very annoying that we did not get to see the sequence between the arrest and the elevator ride after Sunny and Izzy met the pegasi guards, nor the sequence when the Mane 5 got out of Zephyr Heights and down into the countryside around the harmony tree.
 
Looked like Everfree had exploded and disappeared in a magical disaster that may have left the entire valley up to Canterlot desolate for all life. It was the heart of Equestria, the cornerstone of the pony civilization of Celestia and Twilight. Absence of irregularities around the tree is not promising; these should be there even after many millennia as experienced in our own world. It is very easy to spot such things on just such meadows. As it is completely deserted all around, the ruins may not have been reused. In addition, meadows are usually created by burning down trees and forests, and then sending in grazing animals as goats to graze down any unwanted growth. In Equestria, it appears that they use fire and plowing to level the desired area. But then stones, roots and other things are often thrown aside. It is a full-time job to look after a meadow, and then one must have a settlement nearby. Something that followed to a very dispersed population in Scandinavia.
 
Everything looked deserted, and this was a very special place for the ponies so they should remember what the valley meant to them. They did not.

@Sunba  

 
That’s probably it…when all the magic in Equestria disappeared, it became an ordinary tree.

If that’s the tree of harmony, then that means the area is everfree forest and the exact spot where the ruins of the castle of the two sisters.

@Background Pony #1E8C  
@Background Pony #D33A  
Yup, that’s correct.

@Background Pony #1E8C  
Agreed, I’ll take her word over fans.

@Ebalosus  
I’m in the “creators’ words, if plausible, are canon, unless later contradicted” camp.

@Background Pony #515B
 
Yes, because if it’s not in the movie, it’s not canon. I can’t believe we’re still litigating stuff like this in the year of our Lord 2021, because I was sick of litigating it back in 2012 during #RetakeMassEffect.

@Ebalosus  
Even if they made the movie?

@SparkleDash
 
Yeah I’m pretty doubtful of that myself. Homage, sure, but someone saying something on Twitter does not make it canon.

@SparkleDash  
Actually…that’s a pretty good theory.

@Sunba  
Theory: The Tree will become Twilight. That’s why in G4, the Tree appeared as a Twilight hologram thing. It was preparing for when it’d be needed to be used as Twilight’s reincarnation. Either that, or the tree will grow fruit with seeds that when planted, grows Twilight out of the ground.

@SparkleDash  
Well it’s been hundreds if not thousands of years since Twilight’s reign. Something must have happened in that time, plus magic was gone, so it may have just became a normal tree.

How is this the Tree of Harmony?! 🤨