Talk:What Lies Beneath/@comment-26423071-20180826211713/@comment-5837525-20180826223650

The Tree directly communicated with the Young Six. That implies some degree of sentience. Like it said in the episode, its abilities change as it grows.

And there hasn't been any indication in the series (at least none that I know of) that the Elements have no power of their own. No, they're not sentient by themselves. But they're a source of magical energy. The Mane Six defeated several villains with them. They stopped the Tree from dying in the season four premiere.