Coming up next millenium, on a Very Special Episode of Sunny Side Den:
A recently created thread is sparking a heated debate about Trixie! And her (mis)treatment at the pointed ends / of the writers' quill pens... (Do they still use those? Why did that last sentence sort of rhyme? WHY DO WE PARK ON DRIVEWAYS AND DRIVE ON PARKWAYS?! So many Questions!™) But I have cut through the Gordian Knot™ of argument and counter-argument to arrive at THE TRUTH!™ Sad! Sick! Believe me!
And here, in
Oh, you wanna do this the hard way? We’ll do this the hard way! – Rainbow Dash
Pinkie Pie opens the episode with a song as she travels to each of the Mane Six and sings out an invitation to Gummy’s birthday party. As she visits each of them, her song gets slower and less energetic as she tires, and when she’s finished, she just manages to crawl up the stairs to her room before slumping to the floor.
By the time of the party, though, she’s totally recovered, and the party proceedings ar
I am truly disappointed! This is NOT the Spike I know and love! – Twilight Sparkle
This is the other episode that tends to top many Worst Episode lists for Season 1, or overall. I guess I can sort of see why. Is has quite a number of flaws in characterization, writing and execution. Let’s turn a baleful gaze upon “Owl’s Well” and see why it tends to make people cough up pellets.
The episode starts off cheerfully enough, with Spike helping Twilight to make arrangements for an evening of
These namby-pamby stories aren’t getting us any closer to earning our cutie marks. They’re all about “finding out who you really are” and boring stuff like that! – Scootaloo
The Cutie Mark Crusaders are trying to get their marks in zip lining, despite Sweetie Belle’s uncertainty. Unfortunately, the friction from the three sliding fillies burns through the rope, dropping them through the trees and onto the ground. As they clean off the tree sap and pine needles, they lament their continual l
Do you know what Princess Celestia will do to you when she finds out you’ve kidnapped her pet? – Twilight Sparkle
In her cottage, Fluttershy is busy reuniting one of her mouse patients with his family. Angel Bunny runs onto the scene, carrying a pocket watch and trying to get her attention. Despite a few false starts, he manages to remind his mistress of an important event: brunch with Princess Celestia at Sugarcube Corner. She keeps coming back to thank him, until he locks the door behind
My father stampeded on these grounds, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him… – Chief THUNDERHOOVES
The Mane Six are on their way via train to the Western frontier town of Appaloosa so that Applejack can give one of her apple trees, Bloomberg, to her relatives there.
The train's engine is not very powerful, unfortunately… it only has four horsepower!
Applejack is babying the tree by reading it a bedtime story, to the annoyance of Rarity, s
Losing a friend’s trust is the fastest way to lose a friend… FOREVER! – Pinkie Pie
Another Rarity-centric episode, but it also shines a spotlight on Fluttershy to an equal degree… which is precisely the problem. As Fluttershy and Rarity are having their weekly spa visit, Rarity tells Fluttershy about a chance meeting with Photo Finish, yet another important fashion pony in Equestria. She is a photographer, so Rarity manages to convince a reluctant Fluttershy to be her model for a photo shoo
“Whining”? I am not “whining,” I am complaining. Do you want to hear whining? – Rarity
Rarity is hard at work in Carousel Boutique as she puts the finishing touches on her latest creation. Hearing the bell at the door ring, she turns to find a living legend in her shop: Sapphire Shores, the Pony of Pop! Ms. Shores even greets Rarity by name, saying that she heard of her through a rave review in a fashion magazine, and has come to buy a SENSATIONAL! outfit for her latest tour.
Rarity qu
Look here are three little fillies / Ready to sing for this crowd. / Listen up, ‘cos here’s our story / We’re gonna sing it really loud! – Scootaloo
As the episode opens, Applejack is leading the Cutie Mark Crusaders towards a secluded area of Sweet Apple Acres. They arrive at her old treehouse, which Applejack offers to let them use as a club house. The three fillies’ response is in a word, subdued, mainly due to the fact that the clubhouse is literally falling apart, as Applejack finds ou
You’re the Queen of Stares! You’re the Stare Master! – Cutie Mark Crusaders
The episode opens in Carousel Boutique, where Rarity is working herself into a state due to a large order for the following day. Not helping matters is Sweetie Belle, who wants to assist her sister and perhaps earn her cutie mark, but instead ends up causing a domino disaster when she tries to get a spool of ribbon off a high shelf.
After losing the time to set the room back to rights, Rarity declares that she
“Yay!” – Fluttershy
Rainbow Dash is teaching Fluttershy how to be a cheerleader. As the quote above indicates, it doesn’t really seem like the best choice of pony for the role, with her sweet, demure voice unsuitable for loud cheering. Dash needs Fluttershy to cheer for her as she competes in the Best Young Fliers Competition, to be held in Cloudsdale. Dash practices her routine for the competition, to more barely audible cheers from Fluttershy. However, her piece de resistance, the Sonic
I know it doesn't make much sense...but those of us who have been in Ponyville a while have learned over time that if Pinkie's a-twitching, you better listen. - Applejack
Alrighty. This episode. I've put it off for long enough. Let's go.
Spike and Twilight are working together on a spell to make Spike a tux, a cane and a top hat out of leaves, a stick and a rock. I'm not sure why they don't just ask Rarity to make the clothes for them. Maybe they're on a budget. Anyway, Spike is dist
Exile! I guess technically I’d have to move away to live in exile. Where would I go? And what would I pack? Oh, it’s going to take me forever to do all of that packing. What are you supposed to pack when you go into exile? Are you supposed to pack warm? – Rarity
This is the episode that made me a Rarity fan. Before I watched it, Applejack was top in my book. So, with that, let’s jump in headfirst, and see why it happened.
Rarity is busy with her dress for the Grand Galloping Gala, whil
Forgive me, girls. I know I’m not an athlete, but shouldn’t the Running of the Leaves involve actual running? – Twilight Sparkle to Applejack and Rainbow Dash
Applejack and Rainbow Dash are engaging in a friendly match of horseshoe tossing as the episode begins. Their good natured banter is marred a bit when Applejack ends up the winner, and is just a little bit too smug about it for the somewhat-of-a-poor-loser Rainbow to overlook. Rainbow suggests an Iron Pony Competition to settle once a
*Deep breath* There’s a cuteceneara this afternoon and every pony in my class will be there and they’ll all have their cutie marks, and I wanna get my cutie mark, but I'm no good at selling apples, but I really want to go to the party but how can I go to the party if I don't have my cutie mark which my big sister says I’m gonna get eventually, but... I want it now! – Apple Bloom
This episode introduces not only the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but also the Bully Duo of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spo
The time has come to welcome spring, and all things new and green.
But it’s also time to say goodbye, it’s winter they must clean.
Twilight Sparkle, you may not sing; this kind of rhyming is my thing!
This episode gives us the first proper song of the series. By “proper”, I mean not a Pinkie Pie “random song out of nowhere”, but an actual musical number featuring multiple characters. And it is glorious. But let’s start at the very beginning; a very good place to start.
Twiligh
You’ve got a problem, all right! And a banjo is the only solution! – Pinkie Pie
Princess Celestia is on her way to visit Ponyville, and preparations are well underway. While the town goes to town on the decorations, Fluttershy is searching the fringe of the Everfree Forest for flowers in honor of the Royal Visit. She comes across one of the cutest little critters you’re ever going to see. Despite seeing it devour an entire bucket of apples, she decides to take it home to show off to the oth
It is unwise to venture down this road. Your actions will make my anger explode! – Zecora
This episode introduces the very convenient Zecora to the show. This magical Zebra eventually became a kind of second mentor to Twilight, a role she was supposed to play more frequently, according to Faust. However, in her first appearance, she is feared as an evil enchantress by the Mane 6, with the notable exception of Twilight.
We start with Twilight and Spike wandering through Ponyville, whic
Y’all wouldn’t know “practical” if it came up and bit ya! – Applejack to Rarity
This has always been one of my favorite episodes in Season 1, featuring as it does both Rarity and Applejack (my first and second favorite ponies). It’s one of those slice of life episodes that puts two ponies in a situation and just lets their personalities drive the story forward.
All of Ponyville is tidying up the trees in preparation for a big storm that the pegasus ponies are due to create, to make up
Listen here, Mister! Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you get to be a bully. You may have sharp scales, snort smoke and breathe fire, but you do not, I repeat, you do not hurt. My. Friends! – Fluttershy
This episode is the first in the series to focus mainly on Fluttershy. After being made aware of a thick cloud of smoke covering Equestria, her attempts to inform other ponies in town are hampered by her soft voice and shy demeanor. The louder and more boisterous Rainbow and Pinkie keep
Unless an Ursa Major comes waltzing up the street for Trixie to vanquish, I’m not going to believe a word she says! And neither should you! – Spike
The Disclaimer I'll come right out and say it... I'm not a fan of Trixie, at all. She is a blowhard, she cheats at challenges, she treats Snips and Snails badly (in private) even though she was happy enough with them when they were praising her in front of a crowd, refuses to acknowledge that Twilight stepped in and did what she claimed to be ab
If “being cool” is all you care about, maybe you should go make some new cool friends, somewhere else. – Rainbow Dash
Rainbow Dash is surprised to find a fellow prankster in the usually annoying Pinkie Pie when she is enlisted to help prank Spike by scaring him into getting hiccups. This leads to a strengthening of their friendship, as they spend the entire day pranking the rest of their friends. The pranks are all in good fun and pretty harmless, leaving even their victims smiling or chuck
Your applebucking isn’t only causing you problems: it’s overpropelled a Pegasus, practically poisoned plenty of ponies and terrorized bushels of brand-new bouncing baby bunnies. I don’t care what you say, you need help! – Twilight Sparkle
Applejack takes on the job of bucking all the apples out of the trees due to Big MacIntosh's injuries. Before she can start, she is forced to save Ponyville from a stampede. This action inspires the town to give her a big shiny trophy, but when she arrives
Rainbow, I do not feel comfortable accepting favors. Zip up that hole in the cloud right now! – Twilight
Twilight is helping AJ bring apples into the barn when a letter from Celestia forces its way out of Spike's oesophagus, to invite Twilight plus one guest to the Grand Galloping Gala. This scene pretty much created the Trollestia meme. Because there are not enough tickets, fans thought that Celestia was playing around with Twilight. It's pretty clear from the way the letter was written,
