The last episode of Season 1, "The Best Night Ever" is undoubtedly one of the most important episodes in MLP: FiM history! Whether or not the show would leave viewers wanting more after the end of Season 1 very much hinged on how well this first season finale did, and it most certainly did not disappoint in every single way imaginable. So, let's look at what makes "The Best Night Ever"... well, the best night ever.

So first off, the animation was probably the best we'd seen in the series thus far. This episode has dozens, if not hundreds of ponies (and despite the fact that they reuse a number of character models it's still undeniably impressive), introduces about five new supporting characters (Spitfire and Soarin in their first (and the latter's only) talking role, Prince Blueblood, Donut Joe, and Mr. Greenhooves), and has some amazing sights throughout! This is the first episode where we get extensive action in Canterlot itself, and the royal city and castle look simply spectacular (bonus points for having the first Canterlot episode take place at night, definitely unique introducing a location in a nighttime episode). Overall, this episode once and for all confirmed that not only did Studio B's animators passionately care about improving their artwork as best they could and pushing themselves to the limit, but that Flash animation really can look gorgeous and is not just a cheap way to skimp on animation effort and costs.

Yes, we know, we all do indeed look FABULOUS!!!

Second, the music as usual is great, and this was actually one of only two times in Season 1 that all of the Mane 6 sing together in an ensemble, in the lovely number "At the Gala". While I prefer "Winter Wrap Up's" catchy tune to "At the Gala", there's no denying that this song was incredibly important to MLP: FiM, namely in that it showed that not only was Daniel Ingram willing to go outside the box for children's music and put together numbers that you would never expect to find on a children's show (the song has a 20-person choir along with solo parts for each one of the Mane 6, and is a sound alike for Stephen Sondheim's "Ever After" from the musical "Into The Woods". DAYUM!!! ), but that viewers young and old could be sold this variety in music, because frankly, everyone and their cousin absolutely loved this song when it debuted!!! Pinkie's "Pony Pokey" song is also tons of fun, but musically "At the Gala" has proven to be one of the most important contributions to MLP: FiM canon, and is definitely one of my personal favorite songs in the entire show!

Remember, the only way to enter a formal state event is while performing a spontaneous, perfectly orchestrated musical-number along with friends and total strangers. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT!!!

Third, the humor as usual is spot on. It certainly varies from pony to pony; while some have funnier experiences than others, they all at some point have their own moments and are hilarious in their own ways. For me, Fluttershy especially steals the spotlight; her descent into a raging inferno of love for all woodland critters that simply will not be denied I'm sure caught a lot of viewers off guard and is a hilarious curve ball, much like Pinkie Pie's similar descent into insanity in the previous episode. Other notable comedic bits include Rarity's terrible night with Canterlot's resident Prince of Douchery himself, the much loathed Prince Blueblood, and Pinkie Pie's desperate attempts to get her kind of party going at the Grand Galloping Gala!

Finally, the story and theme are the perfect cap to the first season in every way. While this finale has probably less in the way of momentous events than any of the other season openers or finales in any season of MLP, that's part of what makes it so good and important. The reason that the Season 1 opener needed to be so momentous was because it established that there could potentially be a larger mythology and universe to this pony world. The reason that the Season 2 and Season 3 openers and finales have been so momentous is because they could be, that door was opened and very much viable to the makers of the show. But the Season 1 finale needed to achieve something that the others haven't had to achieve. It needed to show that viewers could simply be enraptured by MLP: FiM just by stories about friendship alone. It didn't need big action, a big villain, or some huge revelation or change to be an amazing episode. All it is is the payoff that this whole season was building up to; a night that each one of the Mane 6 had been looking forward to for most of the season (since Episode 3 actually), but turned out far differently than any of them expected. Just as the episode itself didn't need to be the most grandiose season finale ever, the Mane 6 themselves learn that they didn't need the night to go exactly as they expected for it to be the best night ever. All they needed in the end was each other's company, which they'd come to love and appreciate so much as Season 1 progressed (though to be honest Twilight technically gets what she wanted all along since Princess Celestia hangs out with all of them at the end... greedy main characters always get everything they want). In the end, all that the episode really does is reaffirm just how important the Mane 6's friendships are to each and every one of them, and ultimately that's all it needs to do; audiences worldwide loved it and the finale's success secured the future of MLP through another season which would build off of the first season's success and treat us to even bigger and better episodes, stories, characters, music, and animation!

It is for these reasons that, for me, "The Best Night Ever" is not only one of the best episodes in all of MLP: FiM, but also the greatest episode of Season 1! To this day it has its own unique place in MLP: FiM canon, and is definitely an episode worthy of many, many rewatches! This brings to a close my Season 1 episode reviews; I hope those of you who've taken the time to read them have found them helpful and insightful in some small way. Season 2, here I come!!!