Changelings

Like Discord and Nightmare Moon, changelings have been expressed in a positive light by many artists and writers. Ever since their appearance in the season finale, a great deal of fan art and fiction has surfaced pertaining almost exclusively to the changelings and their leader, Queen Chrysalis.

Depictions in Fandom
Many stories about changelings follow a basic setup. It begins with a changeling, who after being blasted away by the force field created by Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, lands somewhere within Ponyville and surrounding countryside. Sometimes the changeling is injured, or in some weakened state. When the changeling finally realizes what is happening, they will not initially go back to the swarm. This is either through losing contact with the swarm, through choice, or through some other inability preventing them from re-grouping. The changeling may end up disguising his or herself as they search for the nourishment of love, which will lead to the events of the story.

Some fan fic examples of "changelings in Equestria" include Smoke and Mirrors, Thrown Abroad, and A Changeling to Remember. Interestingly enough, it appears that all three stories occur within the same universe, simply being told through different perspectives of multiple changelings.

Changelings have been expressed visually through comics, vectors, and paintings, as well as other forms of art. Some have used this art to develop their own OC's while others have used it to express their thoughts on the new villains. Still others use the shape-shifting abilities of the changelings for humorous purposes, such as having an annoying character copied a hundred-fold for example.

Old Eastern European Society
A new but growing theme within the changeling fandom is that they come from a kingdom far away from Equestria. This Changeling Kingdom is one based on Tsarist Russia and other 18-19th century Eastern European nations. It is a mountainous, winter beset country, overwhelmingly populated by a large and extremely poor peasant population who are ruled over by an extremely rich, but incompetent and inept autocratic monarchy. Queen Chrysalis is essentially the Tsar; incompetent, having little grasp on the reality of her subjects' suffering, living in an extravagant palace and even has a royal adviser called Rasputin.

Hive-Like Society
A different but still widely accepted theme within the changeling fandom include the fact that the race works with a "hive-like manner" otherwise known as eusociality. The drones, or workers of the hive, are under the leadership of a queen. This is however, based on the evidence shown within the show itself. Mainly being the fact that the changeling's appearance and behavior is already reminiscent of typical insect societies we see today.

Armored changeling
Briefly seen in the show itself, what appears to be an armored changeling is briefly seen before the main characters charge to battle. Many speculate he or she is some sort of leadership caste, perhaps a captain, general, or commander. This idea of an "officer" in the changeling ranks has led to fan fictions, and artists recreating the changeling in various stances. Some have speculated the catse may be some sort of general or second-in-command. Surprisingly, the changeling officer is another element found in "changeling in Equestria stories". In some of these stories, he/she represents the changeling swarm itself, being the element that tries to convince the main character to abandon their new-found life and return to the old one they served back at the swarm. In other depictions, he himself is the main character of the story. Whatever one might think, the changeling officer has been shown to be very loyal to the queen, to outright hating their job.