Shining Armor

Shining Armor is a supporting character of the Soldier's Memoirs saga. He is the Captain of the Guard and the head of the Equestrian Armed Forces.

Early life
Shining Armor grew up in a comfortable life in Canterlot. From a young age, Shining had a fascination with the military, particularly with the ceremonial Royal Guards seen around Canterlot Castle. He was accepted into the Royal Academy right out of high school. Shining Armor's proficiency with combat magic and defensive spells garnered him the attention of his superiors, and upon graduation, was accepted into the Royal Guard as a corporal in the prestigious 1st Canterlot Company.

The Second Griffon-Pony War
Shining Armor was eager when he received his deployment notice for the Second Griffon-Pony War, prepared to serve his country nobly. On the voyage to the Griffon Kingdom, he met Fleethoof, and throughout the Battle of Skyfall, the two relied heavily on the support of the other. Shining Armor helped Fleethoof get his first taste of battle and the two led a successful campaign through the city weakening the griffons enough for the Army to smash through them. Shining Armor helped to clear out the remaining buildings once the city had been taken.

Following the invasion, Shining Armor was assigned to Captain Phalanx's unit. He fought honorably alongside Fleethoof all the way to Midgard, until the two were separated and forced to make their own ways to Asgard. Shining Armor took command of a trapped Equestrian unit in Midgard after their commanding officer had been killed and led them to safety, losing Fleethoof and the others in the process and continuing on without them. Shining Armor led his new team to Asgard without any further incident.

Outside of Asgard, Shining Armor continued to practice his magic, finding an ability to bypass the hindering effects of arcanate. When the city walls were destroyed, Shining Armor was one of the first through the defenses, leading his platoon, which included future Ranger Centurion, on a bloody campaign through the griffon army. Shining's troops snuck their way over the walls into the Dawnbreaker Stronghold and into the fortress first, opening the gates for the others and effectively winning the fight. Shining Armor was nearly killed during the fighting inside the citadel, however, but persevered through to the throne room. However, the griffon king Alaric had already fled the city. Shining Armor and his friends were the ones who lowered Alaric's flag from the top of Asgard, signaling the end of the war.

In the Second Battle of Skyfall, Shining Armor led a squad in a flanking maneuver around the remaining griffon forces, splintering and disorienting them enough for the bulk of the Army to finish them off. During the fight, he pursued several griffons into a holdout and engaged them in a tense battle. When he finally breached the house, he ran into Fleethoof, and the two discovered Alaric hiding in the house. Fleethoof pursued him through the air while Shining gave chase on the ground, fighting through what remained of the battle to support his friend. He lost him, however, and when he finally spotted him again, Fleethoof had been defeated. Shining Armor was the one who stayed with him and saved his life while waiting for the medics to arrive.

In the aftermath of the war, Shining Armor was promoted to the rank of captain and offered the prestigious title of Captain of the Guard for his intuitive cunning, his ability to lead by example, and his honor and courage in the face of danger. Shining Armor graciously accepted, becoming the first Captain of the Guard in decades.

Captain of the Guard and The Double-Edged Sword
Not long after Shining Armor had been promoted, cryptic threats began arriving for Princess Celestia, threatening her with violence if she didn't reveal the truth of her reign and the Frozen North Offensive. Shining Armor started a relentless search for the group, identified only as The Double-Edged Sword. However, when months of searching turned up nothing, he yielded the investigation over to Fleethoof and his new Skyfall Unit. Shining continued to assist on the search and arrest of Night Shade, suffering a minor injury in the process.

Shining Armor increased the amount of security around the castle once Night Shade had been arrested. However, while Skyfall was hunting for the Sword's headquarters, two Sword members managed to sneak into the castle and free Night Shade. The three ponies then armed themselves and attempted to assassinate the princesses during breakfast. However, Shining Armor had been escorting the princesses as their bodyguard to ensure their safety. A gunfight broke out between the ponies; Shining Armor managed to kill two, but Night Shade escaped before he could be captured again.

Fearing for the safety of Celestia and Luna, Shining Armor further increased the searches for the Sword while Fleethoof moved to protect Princess Cadance in Saddle Arabia. Several more fights broke out between the Royal Guards and the Sword on the streets, but they came no closer to capturing them. Frustrated, Shining Armor put all of his focus on protecting the princesses.

When Skyfall and Cadance returned to Canterlot, Shining Armor and the princesses went to meet them at Canterlot Grand Station. However, Night Shade appeared and took Shining Armor and the entire station hostage and threatened to kill everyone if Celestia didn't admit her crimes. Skyfall Unit joined the standoff and attempted to talk Night Shade down, but to no avail. Once Night Shade was killed by a sniper, Shining Armor began opening fire on the rest of the Sword. Along with the rest of the Royal Guard and Skyfall, the Sword was wiped out.

Reformation of the Royal Guard
Following the incident with Night Shade, Shining Armor implemented a plan to retrain and reorganize the Royal Guard into a formidable fighting force once more. Working closely with Princess Celestia, Minister of Defense Just Cause, and several officers within Celestia's military cabinet, Shining created a rigorous training regiment meant to test and push the soldiers beyond the threshold. It was his goal to make sure nothing like what had happened ever happened again, and that Equestria's military would stand as one of the best in the world.

During this time, Shining Armor also commissioned the creation of the Equestrian Marine Corps to create a hybrid unit between basic frontline infantry and Special Forces operators. He sent a platoon of Marines to Saddle Arabia to reinforce the garrison there, which would be a major pivotal point in the Battle of FOB Sierra Alpha.

The Hunt for Alaric
During the arrest of Dandridge Clydesdale, Fleethoof approached Shining Armor with evidence that linked Dandridge to Alaric Dawnbreaker. Fearing that the griffon had a plot to harm Equestria, Shining and Fleethoof went to interrogate him, only to find he had committed suicide the night before. However, Shining Armor detected powerful magical residue lingering in the cell, concerning him that his death hadn't been a suicide, but a murder to keep him quiet. Fleethoof shared his speculation that an unknown entity known as Silence was behind it, but Shining Armor remained skeptical.

In the following months, Shining Armor stepped up security for Princess Celestia and Canterlot in preparation for anything Alaric had planned. However, Celestia had not been the target, but Cadance. When word reached him of the ambush on the convoy, Shining Armor went ballistic, running soldiers ragged in endless searches and interrogating everyone involved, even blaming Fleethoof for her abduction.

After the searches turned up fruitless and Shining lost an eye during combat with some of Alaric's soldiers, Just Cause activated the Operation Black Wraith program, forcing Shining Armor to work alongside Fleethoof and ten other operators to recover Cadance and eliminate Alaric. Shining was reluctant, but was pressured into it when Fleethoof urged Just Cause to find him someone else to work with. Shining took over one of the two leadership roles and recruited Centurion, Rook, Fire Wave, and Raptor.

Personality
Shining Armor is a kind-hearted, protective stallion. His spirited demeanor usually has him in a good mood, save for when something is threatening him, his loved ones, or his country. He has a deep sense of devotion and loyalty to his friends and family, putting them above all else. Shining's sense of duty is paralleled only by his courage and honor. Whereas Fleethoof follows his patriotism by any means necessary, Shining adheres to a strict code of ethics and morals, never straying from his path and preferring to do things "by the book".

In combat, Shining is a careful and attentive leader. He pays close attention to everything going around him and tries to solve puzzles in his head before acting impulsively, as doing so usually results in him hurting himself or others. He is reliable and trustworthy, and he refuses to leave a pony behind at any cost. To Shining Armor, duty comes before all else, and he has said he always felt he'd meet his end in the line of duty.

Skills
Shining Armor is a brilliant tactician and charismatic leader. His words are adamant and persuasive, and he is able to command hundreds of ponies in an instant. His skills in combat are decent, having gotten some rust from lack of use, but still a cut above the rest. He has a deep passion and knowledge for the law and justice, and personally sees to it that any who step outside the lines to harm others are punished swiftly.

In terms of magic, Shining Armor is a powerful spellcaster. His shield and teleportation spells are his greatest assets, and he is able to cover the entire city of Canterlot in a protective dome. He also has a host of offensive spells, including blinding and concussion spells to stun and confuse his enemies.

Equipment
As Captain of the Guard, Shining Armor has access to any weapon of his choosing. He always carries a .45 Colt pistol on him for personal defense which he carries in his custom Royal Guard armor. When in the field, he prefers to use an M16 similar to the one he carried during the Second Griffon-Pony War, and he wears similar ACUs and kits as other infantry.

Injuries
Following the abduction of Cadance, Shining Armor began inserting himself more and more into the searches, regardless of danger. During a raid on a suspected location of the missing princess, Shining Armor came under fire from Alaric's griffons. Although he was victorious, Shining's eye was damaged when a bullet destroyed the scope of his rifle, rendering the pony half blind.

Military
Shining Armor is the absolute head of the military, second only to Princesses Celestia and Luna. He conducts his job in a very serious and professional manner that many consider well beyond his years. He is looked up to by many of his subordinates and respected by his fellow officers. His by the book manner of leadership is revered by the public, and many consider him the greatest Captain of the Guard of the last millennium.

Twilight Sparkle
Although Twilight has not been seen much yet, her relationship with her older brother is incredibly close and intimate. Shining Armor is fiercely protective of her, even from himself, refusing to tell her of the horrors he endured during the war for fear of startling her or making her worry. Twilight, however, holds a soft spot in his heart, and is able to get him to say or do anything. He is proud beyond words of his little sister, and secretly looks up to her as an example of how to be in his friendships and his position of power.

Cadance
Shining Armor and Cadance have had a passionate and intense relationship from a very young age. As a schoolmate and Twilight's foalsitter, Shining Armor spent a lot of time with Cadance, forming a close friendship with her that quickly developed into a lifelong attraction. However, Cadance continued on with a finishing school while Shining Armor went to the Royal Academy, forcing the two to separate. Shining's affections for Cadance never failed, however, even after he was sent to war. During the war, Shining continued to harbor a love for Cadance and vowed to seek her out once he returned home.

When he returned to Equestria and became Captain of the Guard, he found Cadance had become an ambassador of Equestria. The position was both a blessing and a curse, as it allowed Shining to spend more time with her—when she was home. He admires Cadance's passion for helping others, and she likewise is impressed by his chivalric manner. The two shared a kiss one evening on Hearts and Hooves Day after Shining and Fleethoof both attempted to court Cadance.

Shining Armor holds some resentment toward Fleethoof and sees him as competition for Cadance's love.

Fleethoof
Fleethoof is Shining Armor's closest friend, and someone he considers to be his brother. The two became fast friends during the war, sharing some of the most arduous and dangerous times of their lives together. Fleethoof acts almost as an opposite to Shining Armor, not afraid to step outside the lines when things need to be done and keeping Shining grounded in the reality of situations. Shining often turns to Fleethoof for advice and trusts his input implicitly. On the flip side, Shining is one of the few ponies that can soften up Fleethoof and get under his shell.

Following the abduction of Cadance, however, Shining Armor has been at odds with Fleethoof, blaming him for her capture and losing faith in his friend's abilities.