Shining Armor

Prince Shining Armor is a male unicorn pony from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, appearing as Twilight Sparkle's older brother, Princess Cadance's husband, and Flurry Heart's father. He is the captain of the Canterlot Royal Guard, serving under Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and bears the title of prince as a result of his marriage to Cadance. He first appears in the two-part season two finale alongside Cadance. In the season three premiere, he and Cadance are appointed as the rulers of the Crystal Empire.

Season 2
Shining Armor first appears in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1. Princess Celestia invites Twilight Sparkle, his younger sister, to the wedding of Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Twilight is upset that Shining Armor did not write to her directly, and doesn't recognize who his bride is. In the song B.B.B.F.F. ("Big Brother Best Friend Forever"), Twilight remembers how she was very close to Shining Armor until she moved to Ponyville and lost touch with him. Twilight fears that they will become even more distant after he marries someone and starts a new family.

Shining Armor later tells Twilight he was unable to tell her of his engagement in person due to a threat on the safety of Canterlot; he adds that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance, Twilight's former foal-sitter. At the request of Princess Celestia, Shining Armor used his magic to create a protective barrier around Canterlot and keep it there constantly. Twilight states that only Shining Armor can conjure up the shield.

Twilight tries to tell Shining Armor that something is wrong, but Queen Chrysalis, having taken the place of and impersonating Cadance, interrupts and takes Shining Armor into another room. Twilight, peeking through the door, sees the fake Cadance casting a spell on Shining Armor that makes his eyes glow green. The next day, Twilight confronts the impostor Cadance at the wedding rehearsal and accuses her of evildoing in front of Shining Armor and her friends. After Cadance runs off in tears, Shining Armor contradicts Twilight's accusations, saying that the spell Cadance cast on him was to ease his chronic headaches from maintaining the magical shield around Canterlot. Shining Armor is so upset with Twilight that he takes away her position of Best Mare and suggests that she should not come to the wedding at all. Chrysalis traps Twilight in the catacombs under Canterlot and states that she has plans for Shining Armor.

Shining Armor, fully under Queen Chrysalis's magic, is in a trance-like state at the wedding. Twilight and the real Cadance burst into the hall, and Shining Armor is reunited with his true bride. Cadance's magic breaks the spell on Shining Armor, but by now the changeling army has broken through Canterlot's defensive shield and is invading the city. Shining Armor tries to perform a spell to repel the changelings, but he doesn't have the power. Cadance tells Shining Armor that her love will give him strength, and their combined magic spreads outward and blasts all the changelings and their queen out of Canterlot.

With peace restored to Canterlot, another wedding is planned with the real Cadance. Shining Armor makes Twilight his Best Mare again. He jokes that Cadance only agreed to marry him after he told her she'd be gaining Twilight as her sister. At the wedding, Princess Celestia declares that the power of Cadance and Shining Armor's love is undeniable, and pronounces them "mare and colt." The couple waves to the cheering crowds from a castle balcony and kiss. After a wedding reception montage, Shining Armor thanks Twilight for her help, and leaves the reception with Cadance in a carriage.

Role in the Series
Shining Armor is still a major part of the SAFA series as a supporting character. He still guards the kingdom as the ruler of the Crystal Empire and the Captain of the Royal Guard. According to Magic University, Shining Armor met Princess Cadance in the events of the flashback, but after their rescue of Twilight and Taiku, the two never met each other until the events of their meet explained in the comics.