Ranking the 10th episodes

[KH7672 1,604]

Wow you're all getting fast at this, not even a day and we already reached the normal amount of replies. Guess I'll keep it going with episode 10. A much more of a mixed bag that has things that may appeal to some while turn off others so we'll see:

1. A Royal Problem- The princesses are great, Starlight is great, I even even enjoyed Twilight as she serves her purpose. This episode is just chock full of entertainment and also opens up for plenty of discussion for me.

2. The Break Up Break Down- A return of the Guy's Night crew, a rectification of "Hard to Say Anything"'s outcome, and great characterization all around from Spike and Discord. Plus I really enjoyed the side plot with the CMC.

3. Keep Calm and Flutter On- Despite my ever growing dislike for Discord as the seasons progressed, I actually never minded his initial reformation episode, in fact his characterization clashing with Fluttershy's is very entertaining.

4. Rainbow Falls- I will say I never outright hated this episode, and I think it aged really well as one of the better "Rainbow's a jerk" morals. Also can't say I'm not entertained by Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps plus we also have Fleetfoot!

5. Going to Seed- Also as the Seasons progressed, I became more enamored with the Apple Family too. Plus this episode just invokes childhood very well for me.

6. Secret of My Excess- A very middling Spike episode, where Spike is okay and nothing much gets me until the third act but I do have to commend Twilight's characterization here for how much she worried over him.

7. Swarm of the Century- Also a very middling episode. The build-up to Pinkie is rather frustrating but other than that it's just fine entertainment with each of the characters getting their moments plus Celestia at the end is great.

8. Applejack's "Day" Off- While the moral is kind of bland and the episode just kinda meanders around the entire time, it still has it's character moments. Plus I'll never forget that Spoiled Rich cameo.

9. Princess Spike- Yep, we all saw this coming, the one praise I can give this is it's the last torturous Spike episode before the chain is broken in Season 6, but man is it a slog. I do like all the different delegate characters we meet though.

[DivineDefender1000 71,433]

@KH7672 A Royal Problem because it was the first MLP episode I ever watched and also because Celestia and Luna!

[Here No Longer 5,286]

1. A Royal Problem 
2. The Break-Up Break Down
3. Applejack's "Day" Off
4. Swarm of the Century
5. Keep Calm and Flutter On
6. Secret of My Excess
7. Going to Seed
8. Rainbow Falls  
9. Princess Spike

Edited October 1, 2019 by Angus Delaney

[Cash In 23,112]

This one was up in the air between A Royal Problem, The Break Up Break-Down and Going to Seed. Ultimately, I picked A Royal Problem as my favourite, as it is a very enjoyable episode that manages to show  the dynamic between Celestia and Luna. Not to mention that it is an episode that I've watched numerous times.

[Sparklefan1234 180,749]

"Going to Seed" is my favorite 10th episode as well as my favorite episode of Season 9. 

I also really like "Swarm of the Century". 

[Moonlight 7,291]

A Royal Problem cause Luna and Celestia! <3

Also, Princess Spike is the only episode of the entire show I never finished so it's last for me by default...

[Sepul-Coloratura 765]

1. Secret of My Excess : A+. It is a remarkable episode with character motivations. Spike and Rarity's relationship practically stops here and there are nothing more to tell from then actually. Spike was kind of a punching bag and we see him become Godzilla and King Kong combined for once and break everything. But I think how Rarity gets the ruby jewel is not fair or honest, nor generous.
2. Keep Calm and Flutter On : A. Another great episode because it sets up a ridiculous and extreme situation while not breaking anything. It avoids common pitfalls that these kind of tropes fall into and most importantly, Fluttershy is smart and aware of the situation. Discord completely giving up feels a little rushed, it should have took several days in the show's time, but overall and interesting episode.
3. A Royal Problem : A. Not an original story btw, nor an archetypal story. But it is exceptionally good at the pacing. It feels remarkably tense and thick for MLP.
4. Swarm of the Century : A. The first episode that the focus was on the action and external, practical struggles. And it benefits from it by just being entertaining with action packed stories. The lesson is quite absurd considering what happened, but it's just a good ride. M.A. Larson is good at acknowledging the past episodes and using them not just as references, but as a part of a logical decision that the characters make. Why wouldn't you try something that worked before?
5. Going to Seed : B. Surprisingly an old style MLP episode in a late season. I like when MLP's episodes are just about picking apples. The characters and setting is very grounded, small, but has the MLP charm. Like to see the sisters getting along and Applejack having fun and being just herself.
6. Applejack's "Day" Off : B-. I don't dislike this episode as much as others do. It flows very naturally and it has the slice of life MLP vibe. The problem is that Applejack is being ridiculous about feeding the pigs, but if you consider those as exaggerated depictions to support the lesson or as being comedic, it's not that bad. One of the best lessons of the show.
7. The Break Up Break-Down : B-. Liked Discord's reveal at the end, but the whole thing feels like a cheap melodrama's happening. The threat or conflicts doesn't feel genuine, but how the characters act and behave are fun to watch, especially how Discord comforts Big Mac.
8. Princess Spike : C-. I didn't find anything that intriguing about this episode. Spike is being Spike (which is branded wrong) in a painfully wrong way. I don't get the lesson when the episode establishes itself early on not to wake up Twilight. Should he have woken up Twilight or what? If the lesson is to be just smart when making decisions, what do you expect from this Spike which the episode uses him for the sake of being wrong?
9. Rainbow Falls : D. I don't think I will rewatch this episode that much. Painfully predictable, boring, not so much resonates with royalty. And the Wonerbolts' depiction is just one of the worst.

The 10th episodes are way better than the 9th episodes.

[Oleks 1,994]

1. A Royal Problem – I wanted to see an episode about the Royal Sisters for a long time, and this one was very interesting and entertaining.
2. Keep Calm and Flutter On – “Well played, Fluttershy” – gets me every time.
3. Swarm of the Century – the scene of twilighting at the end was pure gold.
4-7. Secret of My Excess, Rainbow Falls, The Break Up Break-Down, Going to Seed – all good episodes, and I don’t have special preferences here.
8-9. Princess Spike, Applejack's "Day" Off – those feel like missed opportunities, although they both have good moments.

[bigbertha 417]

1. The Break-Up Breakdown- By far the funniest episode of season 8 and the writing is surprisingly sharp (9/10)

2. Swarm of the Century- The moral is kinda a mess, but it's a really funny episode (8/10)

3. Secret of My Excess- Fun monster story with a terrible ending (7/10)

4. Going to Seed- There's nothing too bad here and it is a little charming, but most of this is boring (5/10)

5. Applejack's "Day" Off- Feels more like an outline than an actual episode (5/10)

6. Keep Calm and Flutter On- Even when the show was good it wasn't good at reformations (4/10)

7. A Royal Problem- A worse version of the Luna's Micro comic (3/10)

8. Rainbow Falls- The worst story the show has put out (0/10)

9. Princess Spike- There is literally nothing of value here. It's the most boring and worthless episode of the show (0/10)

[Thrond 3,271]

1. Going to Seed - I just like the warm, gentle tone here. I like how it has a conflict without getting too tense, and it has a lot of solid cute and funny moments that keep it from feeling overly mild to me. And sue me, I think the moral about letting your imagination run wild sometimes - and more importantly, allowing yourself to have some fun instead of working all the time - is a solid one. 
2. Keep Calm and Flutter On - I really enjoy Discord's antics in general, and this actually has a lot of the same strengths as Fluttershy's season 6 episodes: she's thoughtful and kind-hearted, and even wants the best for people she doesn't really like (like Discord at this time), but can also stand up for herself when needed. And I must admit that I've always enjoyed the sheer optimism of every villain in this show reforming, even though this one only has Discord agree to be slightly less awful. 
3. A Royal Problem - I have a soft spot for this because it did a lot to humanize Celestia, who until this point I had always felt could have been a more relatable character than she was. But it also helps that this has a really good moral about how we underestimate jobs we don't understand, and both the sisters and Twilight are really funny in this. Admittedly I'm kinda dreading a rewatch, because some of the details are... less than convincing, but I still think what this does well stands out. 
4. Secret of My Excess - Very fun as a monster movie riff; seeing Spike rapidly become greedier and greedier is really amusing, as is watching him become giant and trample through Ponyville. And Pinkie Pie assaulting Spike with cakes is classic. Not a fan of how this treats the Spike/Rarity relationship, however. He's too young for her. 
5. The Break Up Break Down - Still not entirely sold on the conflict here, which is a really predictable misunderstanding story that I feel only happened due to characters being dumb, but the little moments are pretty consistently great. As in their first episode together, I really enjoy that Spike and Big Mac are nearly as silly as Discord, so they have a very different dynamic from Discord and anyone else.
6. Swarm of the Century - See above; in this case, because the show hadn't fully established its internal logic yet, the misunderstandings are even more frustrating to me. But it's season 1 so there's still a lot of cute and funny moments, as always, and Pinkie Pie rummaging for musical instruments with no context is one of her defining moments. 
7. Applejack's 'Day' Off - This episode is really slow and mild; I find it boring, mostly, though Dash still being defensive about going to the spa in season 6 got on my nerves, and having a whole extra scene at the end just so they could repeat the moral annoyed me. And everything in this episode takes longer than it should. 
8. Rainbow Falls - This episode doesn't make any sense, but I do like Rainbow Dash's internal conflict in it. 
9. Princess Spike - This strikes me as one of the show's blandest episodes. It just doesn't do a lot that's creative or interesting. And I always thought that Spike's decision to abuse his power came out of nowhere, and that the conflict resolved itself too easily.  

[Dark Qiviut 22,599]

Quote

Discord: Please! Can’t you see that that holiday is a commercialized ruse…pushed on you by the greeting card industry?

That’s the most memorable line of Break Down’s amazingly funny and heartwarming episode, which I loved back when it was first leaked and still love today. It’s one of the greatest episodes of the whole series.

Also…

1. Break Down
2. Secret of My Excess
3. Going to Seed: The first half is quite bland, but after the flashback, it’s ultra-warming Apple sister love. <3
4. Swarm of the Century: Had Pinkie communicated better, the problem woulda been solved much, much quicker.
5. AJ’s “Day” Off: the show’s blandest episode, but nowhere nearly as bad as many say and mostly inoffensive.
6. Keep Calm: Good god, the episode would’ve been far better had it not be supremely crammed, Celestia not “test” the Mane Six and let them handle the job on their own accord, Twilight not try to find a forceful reformation spell, or Fluttershy suggest that her friendship’s with Discord is created with intent to control and manipulate him.
7. A Royal Problem: the former’s worse, but this was more annoying. The princesses belittling each others’ important jobs was extremely out of character, and Celestia’s convenient forgetfulness or raising the moon contradicts continuity dating back to the pilot.
8. Rainbow Falls: I hate this trash. Nothing makes sense. Besides Derpy, EVERYONE is flanderized, OOC, or both. Several characters had their worst showings of the series to date, if not ever. Bulk Biceps’ sudden inability to fly is pure bullshit. Spitfire and Fleetfoot made no sense locally, and how they acted like villains makes less sense. Every moment of “comedy” is lazily written. The third act is probably the worst act of the entire series; how everyone (from her friends to the Wonderbolts to the doctors) was fooled boggles my mind. No idea meshed together or belonged here. From top to bottom, an epic, lazy atrocity, and objectively the worst-written episode of the first five seasons.
9. Princess Spike: Rainbow Falls is worse, but as a Spike brony, this makes me angrier. Take everything bad about Spike episodes, multiply its awfulness by ten, add a moral that makes no contextual sense, and double down on it with a sexist ending. It doesn’t make the Animated Atrocity category, but came super close.

[Will Guide 21,372]

Ok, I admit that seeing Spike grow to Godzilla size in Secret of my Excess was a huge turn on (Pardon the pun). I'm a sucker for those kind of Growth Stories.

However, I thought Fluttershy reforming Discord by making him realize she truly is the first real friend he ever had was one of her strongest moments.

Hard to vote for one or the other

[Rushing cash 845]

A royal problem by a loooong shot. One of, if not the best episode in the series.

1. A royal problem 10\10
2. Keep calm and flutter on 8\10
3. Rainbow falls 8\10
4. swarm of the century 8\10
5. The break up break down 8\10
6. Going to seed 7\10

The other 3 are pretty mediocre 

[ChB 18,574]

Keep Calm At Flutter On is one of my favorite episodes of all time. Excellently executed redemption arc, IMO. 

Close runner-ups are Secret Of My Excess and Going To Seed.

[DonMaguz 1,023]

'A Royal Problem' with 'Going to Seed' as a close second.

[Js250476 1,367]

A Royal Problem hands down one of my favorite episodes with strong characterization and finally getting a Celestia and Luna episode.

[Astralshy 29,405]

In my list the first two a rather close together while last two are also rather close together too xD I don't dislike any of these episodes but Princess Spike always feels a bit hard watch even if it has some interesting scenes in it. Winner for me is A Royal Problem :>

1. A Royal Problem
2. Keep Calm and Flutter On
3. Swarm of the Century
4. The Break-Up Breakdown
5. Rainbow Falls
6. Applejack's "Day" Off
7. Going to Seed
8. Secret of My Excess
9. Princess Spike

[bigbertha 417]

1. Going to Seed (lmao I did not expect a season 9 episode to be at the top)

2. Swarm of the Century

3. Secret of My Excess

4. The Break Up Breakdown

5. Keep Calm and Flutter On

6. Applejack's "Day" Off

7. Princess Spike

8. Rainbow Falls

9. A Royal Problem

[Landi 602]

1. Keep Calm and Flutter On - This is just a great Fluttershy episode that does a good job at showcasing how great of a character she really is.
2. A royal Problem - While this is definitely a strange episode, it does a good job at giving the princesses more character along with developing starlight's.
3. The Breakup Breakdown - This is one of the few episodes in season 8 I didn't dislike. It isn't anything special, but compared to most of that season, it was a small breath of fresh air.
4. Swarm of the Century - While this episode may not be the most interesting or engaging, it still is pretty fun and iconic.
5. Rainbow Falls - This episode definitely has some major flaws, and I can understand why so many hate it. I just appreciate the fun humor this episode has along with the concept of the pegasus relay trials.
6. Secret of My Excess - While not a very entertaining episode most of the way through, I do enjoy the last third of it.
7. Going To Seed - It's not the worst episode, but I found it pretty lackluster and pointless.
8. Princess Spike - Not only is this episode forgettable, but it also is just an annoying spike episode.
9. Applejack's Day Off - One of the most forgettable episodes in the series. It honestly feels like nothing really happens throughout this entire episode.

While the bottom three are pretty forgettable and poorly written, the rest of them are pretty solid episodes. Other than the top two, there isn't really anything outstanding, but at least they are able to pack in some enjoyment.