Princess Amore

"I saw that you had the potential to be better. I see it even now." – Princess Amore to Sombra

Long before the Crystal Empire became a forgotten artifact of Sombra’s tyranny it was instead a land of light, warmth and love, thanks to its founder, Princess Amore. Filled with love from a young age, Amore and so when she discovered the Crystal Heart hidden in a frozen tundra she felt an immediate connection to the timeless relic. She understood innately that the heart did not create but reflect whatever energy was poured into it and so decided to project positive energy, creating what would later become the Crystal Empire and earning her Cutie Mark, that of a blue snowflake. The warmth of the heart turned frozen wastelands into fertile fields allowing crystal ponies to settle into the area. Out of gratitude and awe they crowned her the title of princess of the Crystal Empire.

Later after her ascension to the throne she became a close acquaintance of Celestia and Luna, so much so that when the heart was stolen by a dragon the two sisters where tasked with it’s recovery while Amore kept up the spirits of the crystal ponies with her love. When the heart was returned it was celebrated with the first Crystal Faire.

For as wise and benevolent as she was Amore’s greatest strength was also her greatest weakness: her endless capacity for love. For you see she knew Sombra’s true nature all along and yet took in the young umbrum colt in, believing Sombra had the power to change his future. When Sombra embraced his dark destiny he confronted Amore and despite her pleas that his destiny was his to change, Sombra transformed her into a black crystal statue and shattered her to pieces, said pieces then being scattered to the far ends of the world. Thus Princess Amore’s story came to a tragic end. Or so it seemed.

After the return of the Crystal Empire, the defeat of Sombra and the birth of Flurry Heart, Princess Cadance managed to find all the pieces and resurrect Princess Amore who is Cadance’s distant ancestor.

Amore was restored to her full glory, a gorgeous Celestia-sized unicorn mare with eyes of brilliant amber, a mane that shifts from raspberry to cobalt at the tips and a coat of pale vermillion decorated in blue tack with yellow hearts.

As a pony Amore is characterized by the love. Not in the way that Cadance loves, directly mending the wounds in broken hearts with her magic, but rather a more philosophical approach to love. To Amore all life is sacred and worthy of love, not unconditionally necessarily but because all living things have the capacity for goodness in their hearts. To this point she was willing to give Sombra endless chances and would likely forgive him should he ever choose good over evil.

Her wisdom also blends the practical and magical, being a gifted sorceress with a nuanced understanding of magic and artifact. When Shining Armor learned of a collection of spells and magical relics that Amore sealed away in the caverns underneath the Crystal Empire he sought it out and discovered an enchantment bearing Amore's image guarding said collection. The enchantment allowed Shining Armor access to the chamber after proving himself when he chose to abandon his quest in order to save his friends.

Being from the ancient past Amore is unfamiliar with modern Equestria but is adaptable, more than Luna by comparison. Despite speaking an archaic form of Ponish resembling classical Latin she gets around the language barrier through translation spells that communicate intent straight to the heart.

Ultimately she is a wise and loving mare, who sees the good within evil.