What do you think are the biggest plot-holes in MLP?

[IceBeerG 55]

 

Another thing is in the Hearts and Hooves day episode. The love potion. Now if the book is telling the history of the potion, and it told the effects, then why in Celestia's name did they put in the recipe to make the potion. This was made for a plot, but thinking logically it makes no sense. Why would they put on the recipe of a potion which could cause catastrophic events.

 

Well... If we go on a deep internet search, we can find how to create atomic bomb. This is rather thing that make mess, isn't it? But still lot of humans have this "receipt" on a hand.

So i dont find anything really out in receipt of love poison in a book =)

 

So I was thinking about the show's "plot" if there ever was one, and I found several parts that don't really make sense if you think about the canon and the overall story of the show. Thought I'd ask your opinions on the issue of plot-holes and absurdities in the show. What do you think are the worst "blunders" story-wise that the writers have made throughout the three seasons? Here are the two I find the strangest/most absurd.

 

1) Nightmare Night

Ever since I first saw this episode, I found it odd that the ponies had this sort of holiday. Why? Because none of the ponies should know who Nightmare Moon is, if we're to believe the pilot episodes of the show. Think about it; the ponies of Equestria celebrate annually by dressing up and collecting candy so that the feared Nightmare Moon won't come and eat them up. They "sacrifice" some of the candy to Nightmare Moon by leaving it on the ground in front of a live-accurate statue copy of the mare in question. Yet, when the real Nightmare Moon appears in front of them, looking every bit like the statue, only Twilight, the pony who only a day earlier found out that such a pony even exists, recognizes her. How is it possible that they don't know her, even though they see what she looks like every single year, and possibly even more often, because I doubt that the statue stands there only on Nightmare Night?

 

2) Apple Family Reunion

This little event caused a lot of discussion after the season three episode aired. I myself immediately grabbed onto one word in Granny Smith's explanation of the history of the Reunion. Granny Smith's exact line in the episode is: "We've been hostin' these things at Sweet Apple Acres every hundred moons since we first planted roots here in Ponyville." See that? Every hundred moons. The last time I checked, one moon means one month, which would mean that the Reunion is hosted approximately every 8,3 years. What is so weird about that then? The fact that in the first episode, there are a lot of Apple Family relatives on the farm when Twilight arrives and later in episode 4 of the first season, when Twilight asks Applejack why all those ponies don't help her during the applebuck season, AJ's answer is: "They were just here for the Apple family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvestin' their own orchards." This basically means that Twilight has actually been living in Ponyville for almost 8 and a half years! Where did all that time go? And why haven't the ponies, especially the CMC grown at all since the first season? You'd expect that even magical colourful ponies age a little bit during 8 years, no?

 

I've heard a few explanations for this plot-hole, but personally I find them a little bit unconvincing. The first one I heard is that Granny Smith wasn't talking about 100 months, but instead about 100 days, one moon meaning one night. This however, I find even more absurd than the fact that it's been 8 years since the show started. All that's happened couldn't possibly happen during only about three and a half months. Besides, there are at least two winter episodes in the show, slightly apart from each other, so we can assume there was a year in between the Winter Wrap-up episode and the Hearth's Warming Eve episode. So I just can't bring myself to believe that there has only been a hundred days worth time in between season one and season three. It just doesn't make any sense.

 

The other explanation for this was that Applejack in episode four was mistaken, that the Reunion taking place when Twilight arrived wasn't the big reunion, but instead a smaller gathering, taking place every year or so. One that only the ponies living closer by would attend. This however I don't think is true, because Applejack clearly states that the event taking place when Twilight arrived was "THE Apple Family Reunion" not just A Reunion. She also says that "They actually live all over Equestria", not just close by, but all around.

 

This is not the only absurdity concidering the episode. If we assume that the event taking place when Twilight arrived in Ponyville indeed was The Reunion, and that it in fact has been more than 8 years since, some of Granny Smith's statements in the episode make absolutely no sense. She says "Whooeee! Looks like the family's grown tenfold since the last reunion! I'm gonna be busier than a worm in a rotten tomater tryin' to get everything ready!" Eight years seems an awfully short amount of time for one's family to grow tenfold, no? Even with some generous rounding-up, it seems like quite a feat. A few moments later when the others offer their help, she says "Oh, I sure would appreciate that. Granny's a little rustier in the giddy-up since the last time the Apples all got together." That would imply that Granny Smith was quite a bit younger during the last reunion. Is eight years so much in the end? I don't think so.

 

Oh, and don't even get me started on the fact that the scenes we see when Granny is telling her story are apparently supposed to be from the last reunion... There are a lot of things I don't know, but I'm fairly certain that Applejack is NOT 8 years old...

 

So, what do you think? What are the most glaring mistakes the writers have made, concidering the canon? Share your thoughts.

 

EDIT:

(Totally forgot to add this part. I was supposed to, though.)

 

Yes, I understand that it is a kids' show, and that we shouldn't over analyze too much, but that's just how I am. Maybe these parts mean nothing, and maybe I'm just stupid for thinking this way, but hey, what can you do? Analyzers analyze

 

1 The nightmare moon was actually create by elder ponies, who actually remember Nightmare moon by themselves. The years past, the memories blur, and this knowledge gone, So after hundreds of years ponies forget what they actually celebrate - it's tradition. Nopony know actual story of Nightmare moon (except for Celestia ofc).

Nopony know legend of Nightmare moon, course she still out of equestria and nopony know about her. Everypony afraid of Everfree investigation, so they didnt find Nightmare moon statue (If you will see through "Luna eclipsed" episode, they one who follow all ponies to the statue was Zecora, and Mane 6 didnt met with her yet).

So when Nightmare moon actually came, nopony recognize her, course you know - this is sun summer celebration, not Nightmare moon

 

2 One moon = one day, while Celestia and Luna changes day sun and night daily. However it is really funny to think that everything that happend with Mane 6 was happend for 100 days. My opinon that autors just hide other reunions, and show this one. So between Twilight come in a town and apple family reunion episode was... what was that? 4? 7 reunions? Who know! =)

P.s Now that is i am thinking about this plot holes. Ya know, ya can always make ends meet

Edited March 18, 2013 by IceBeerG

[hawkflame 3,310]

Hearth's Warming Eve was a plothole that has been bugging me to no end. One of the biggest things was the lack of the princesses. I might be just me since it's been a long while since I haven't seen the Luna Eclipsed, but didn't Luna say that she knew Starswirl the Bearded? This would mean that she existed before Equestria was founded, because that would make their absence in HWE even more confusing

 

All Luna did was recognize the costume, never said she knew him personally.  I'd recognize if a guy was dressed like Abe Lincoln, that doesn't mean I;ve ever met the 16th president.

 

Edit: On a related note, why the heck are pegasi allowed to fly and all that stuff, while unicorns aren't allowed to use magic? I mean, you practically already broke tradition before, so now you're just going to be all "fuck you" to the unicorns and not let them do what they can do to help?

 

I think it's because it still involves physical labor, doing everything with their own hooves, while using magic is seen as something of a cheat.  Yeah, maybe they're using their hooves *and* their wings, but it's still purely out of their own strength, you know? 

 

As for my own additions to this thread... not really a plot hole, but in Sonic Rainboom, where in the hell did Pinkie Pie get that very *human hand* shaped foam finger she was waving around? 

[Clover Heart 978]

Ooh, I have one that I just noticed right now, as I'm re-watching all the episodes. This may not be a plot hole so much as it is an inconsistency, but consider this: Season 1 episode 11 is the episode Winter Wrap-Up. Season 1 episode 13 is Fall Weather Friends, where the ponies race to make the fall leaves fall from the trees. Short spring, summer and fall, innit?

[Tank the tortoise 262]

Ooh, I have one that I just noticed right now, as I'm re-watching all the episodes. This may not be a plot hole so much as it is an inconsistency, but consider this: Season 1 episode 11 is the episode Winter Wrap-Up. Season 1 episode 13 is Fall Weather Friends, where the ponies race to make the fall leaves fall from the trees. Short spring, summer and fall, innit?

Lauren Faust stated in an interview while she was a show runner that the episodes are not airing in chronological order and that there were a few episodes that even crossed seasons such as Hearthswarming Eve being before Winter Wrap Up but after Fall Weather Friends.  She has also stated that the actual dates are kept vague for this reason.

 

Regarding Nightmare Night, my head canon was that it was founded by Ponyville AFTER Nightmare's attack in the first ep.  This would back up the fact that Pip coming to Ponyville was experiencing this night for the first time.

 

My biggest plothole concern comes from the amount of time Twilight has lived in Ponyville.  It has been implied by the show creators that it has been about 1.5 years since she moved there.  This is backed up by the 'a short while ago' line in Magical Mystery Cure.  However, there are times, such as Sweet and Elite, and A Canterlot Wedding when people who SHOULD know her at least vaguely do not.  If she was gone for an extended period of time or if she was not the most important pony in the land's student/gopher I could understand the lack of recognition.  This confusion is backed up by things like cider season and nightmare night that she participates in with the apparent recognition as if she has done it multiple times.

 

Another one that bothers me is the apparent lack of night weather patrol ponies.  If the weather is 100% controlled by pegasi as it heavily implied by eps like Winter Wrap Up and Hurricane Fluttershy, then why don't we see any of them working at night?  Heck I seem to remember that noone being up at night was part of Luna's initial rebellion as well.  As weather still continues and changes during the night why does it appear that no pegasi are doing it?

 

Finally on Winter Wrap Up, Twilight goes out early before the opening and there is no snow anywhere.  She comes back out only a short while later and the level of snow and ice is almost post blizzard level.  As with my previous plot hole of pegasi not appearing to work at night where did this snow come from?

[chukker 3]

2) Apple Family Reunion

This little event caused a lot of discussion after the season three episode aired. I myself immediately grabbed onto one word in Granny Smith's explanation of the history of the Reunion. Granny Smith's exact line in the episode is: "We've been hostin' these things at Sweet Apple Acres every hundred moons since we first planted roots here in Ponyville." See that? Every hundred moons. The last time I checked, one moon means one month, which would mean that the Reunion is hosted approximately every 8,3 years. What is so weird about that then? The fact that in the first episode, there are a lot of Apple Family relatives on the farm when Twilight arrives and later in episode 4 of the first season, when Twilight asks Applejack why all those ponies don't help her during the applebuck season, AJ's answer is: "They were just here for the Apple family reunion. They actually live all over Equestria and are busy harvestin' their own orchards." This basically means that Twilight has actually been living in Ponyville for almost 8 and a half years! Where did all that time go? And why haven't the ponies, especially the CMC grown at all since the first season? You'd expect that even magical colourful ponies age a little bit during 8 years, no?

 

I've wondered about this too.  I think the best explanation is that months are much shorter than 30 days.  If a month is only 7 days, that would be two years between reunions, which fits the in-world chronology a lot better.  Given that the sun and moon are controlled by Celestia and Luna it seems reasonable not to constrain months to 30 days

 

Of course, that doesn't explain why it's only been winter once.  Maybe the lunar orbital period is a lot shorter than the solar one.  Or maybe there aren't orbital periods at all, and someone (Celestia?) just declares that it's winter.

[Wingnut 7,003]

 

Something that I noticed is in the episode Baby Cakes, where Pinkie Pie takes care of the Cakes' babies, the kids give Pinkie a hard time. It's explained in the episode that baby unicorns have uncontrollable magic bursts. This explains Pumpkin Cake's use of magic. However, Pound Cake is seen flying around. In the series, we see that Scootaloo can't fly yet. How come Scootaloo, a school-age kid, can't fly, yet a newborn can? I'd also heard that pegasi need to be taught to fly. I don't know if that's canon or not, but if it is, how exactly did Pound Cake learn to fly? Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cake are pegasi, so they obviously couldn't teach him. And to our knowledge, nobody else has taught him. This has always bothered me.

 

While mild "outbursts" of unicorn and pegasus power are to be expected, what those foals did defied all logic and reason.  Pound should hardly be able to fly, let along carry Pinkie along with him!  And Pumpkin did a lot too.  At the most, she shouldn't be able to do any more than make some sparkles with her horn and maybe move some items around with telekinesis.  But to break chains, self-levitate, and PHASE THROUGH a crib with it?  Uh-uh, that's a bunch of hooey!

 

There is only one X factor, one culprit I can point the finger at in this equation.  Pinkie Pie herself!  Some how her bizarre cartoonish power amped those foals up big time.  I believe Pinkie's mere touch and presence greatly enhanced their natural abilities just as she once turned Twilight from a one shot at a time magic blaster into a Changeling mowing Gatling gun.

[pinkiefan1287 610]

Not sure if this is a plot hole, but maybe it is.

 

In the episode MMMyster of the friendship express, The Cake family, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Big Mac are leaving for the train station, but the Cakes don't bring their kids. So where are they? I know it was just for a while, but why do they not bring their kids with them? They have an animation of them in the saddle bag and they don't have to do much.

 

Just something that bugs me. 

[pinkiefan1287 610]

 

Something that I noticed is in the episode Baby Cakes, where Pinkie Pie takes care of the Cakes' babies, the kids give Pinkie a hard time. It's explained in the episode that baby unicorns have uncontrollable magic bursts. This explains Pumpkin Cake's use of magic. However, Pound Cake is seen flying around. In the series, we see that Scootaloo can't fly yet. How come Scootaloo, a school-age kid, can't fly, yet a newborn can? I'd also heard that pegasi need to be taught to fly. I don't know if that's canon or not, but if it is, how exactly did Pound Cake learn to fly? Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cake are pegasi, so they obviously couldn't teach him. And to our knowledge, nobody else has taught him. This has always bothered me.

 

I have also heard that pegasus need to learn how to fly. This idea came from the episode Cutie Mark Chronicles. In the episode we see Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy at a flying summer camp. So that's where the idea came from, but I think anyone who says that is wrong. To me it looks like the school is a way to improve on ones flying and not to teach how to fly. Also if you lesion to the bully ponies he says, That even his baby brother is flying. Now we don't know how old this baby is and that the baby form did not show up tell season 2, but this does say that baby ponies can fly at a young age.

 

As for Pound Cake I have 2 ideas.

 

1. It just Pound Cakes pegasus instincts at work.

 

2. We know that Pound Cake is super strong, so I think his super strength is being used in his wings to give him the power to fly.

 

As for why Scootaloo can't fly being a school kid pegasus. The writers are going with the idea that she is disabled. My idea is that she comes from a earth pony family and was malnourished when in her mom, because they did not know they were having a pegasus. So she did not receive the right neutrinos to grow right while in her mother.

 

That is just an idea.

 

As for a plot hole I saw. In the episode, Call of the Cutie, how does Applebloom not know about Sweetie Bell or Scootaloo at the start of the episode? All 3 of them go to the same school.

[DERPY HO0VES 5]

wow.... da title really made me tink it wuz bout sumpin...ummmmm.....other than wat the reall topic for dis post iz...hehe... i like muffinz!!

[hawkflame 3,310]

Clearly the biggest plothole in the series is Prince Blueblood, especially with the way he treated Rarity.  She should have kicked his plot at the end of the date. 

 

...Oh, you mean the *actual* plot...

 

 

I keep going back to how they've apparently done Winter Wrap Up that way in Ponyville for *centuries* yet next season they clearly established that it was founded by Granny Smith and her family.  Now I know she's old, but... *centuries*?

[Dreadmallon 353]

Why are 3/4th of the villains from the past? For that matter, why have they all been defeated "1,000 years" ago? Am I supposed to believe that they defeated all of them in a year's time? Did they pull a Revenge of the Sith and have Luna be a hero, and become corrupted within, like, a week? How come Luna was a younger version of herself in the Episode two, but was shown to be her older self in the flashback with Sombra? Why am I asking these questions when I know the answer to some of them?!

[Harmonic Revelations 8,835]

The plot hole in Nightmare Night wherein Luna's hair color changes from it's Season 1 design even though it's not implied that they have hair dye.

[Fluttermena 1,223]

The plot hole in Nightmare Night wherein Luna's hair color changes from it's Season 1 design even though it's not implied that they have hair dye.

 

I think Lauren Faust said that the Elements of Harmony left her weak and it took some time for her to regain her normal appearance.

[An Old Head 4,816]

Something that I noticed is in the episode Baby Cakes, where Pinkie Pie takes care of the Cakes' babies, the kids give Pinkie a hard time. It's explained in the episode that baby unicorns have uncontrollable magic bursts. This explains Pumpkin Cake's use of magic. However, Pound Cake is seen flying around. In the series, we see that Scootaloo can't fly yet. How come Scootaloo, a school-age kid, can't fly, yet a newborn can? I'd also heard that pegasi need to be taught to fly. I don't know if that's canon or not, but if it is, how exactly did Pound Cake learn to fly? Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cake are pegasi, so they obviously couldn't teach him. And to our knowledge, nobody else has taught him. This has always bothered me.

 

If unicorns are prone to involuntary bursts of magic when they're foals, then it would seem appropriate that Pegasi also have involuntary bursts of flight. Should this be the case, I reckon Rarity only saw it fit to mention the magic bursts because they'd cause a lot more issue for the Cakes. 

[Awesomeface 8]

I'm not sure this is a plothole, but here goes.

 

Crystal Empire- During games ponies play, they say the Crystal Empire could host the Equestria games. Does that mean Cadence and Shining Armour are co-mayors? I thought it was a separate country, or it's an autonomous region, but the Equestria games are hosted per city... I'M SO CONFUSED! 

[pinkiefan1287 610]

I'm not sure this is a plothole, but here goes.

 

Crystal Empire- During games ponies play, they say the Crystal Empire could host the Equestria games. Does that mean Cadence and Shining Armour are co-mayors? I thought it was a separate country, or it's an autonomous region, but the Equestria games are hosted per city... I'M SO CONFUSED! 

 

I think the Crystal Empire is just another kingdom that is in Equestria. So as long as they are in the Equestria area they can host the games. As for Cadence and Shining Armour they are the king and queen of the Empire or the princes and the princess of the kingdom right now.

 

I think that is how it works. 

[Loona 287]

The Apple Family Reunion one really bothered me, and I too assumed it was just a small gathering. Saying "The Apple Family Reunion" was just referring to yet another pony gathering.

 

 

Nightmare Night:
While Nightmare Moon isn't known by the townspeople when she reveals herself, as we can see in the first episode, the "old pony's tale" of "The Mare in the Moon" does seem to be well known. Maybe the one they were leaving candy out was supposed to be the Mare in the Moon. Maybe they were worried, though, that people wouldn't remember the myth of the Mare in the Moon, so they just used Nightmare Moon's name in place. Or it was an oversight and they forgot to make it the Mare in the Moon. However, you're right. This is a bit of a glaring mistake.

 

Apple Family Reunion:
I think this is just a flub, not a plot hole. Probably when they were making the first season, they weren't planning on making this episode. Then, when the Apple Family Reunion episode came along, they either forgot that that line was in the fourth episode or they just said "Screw it. We're just going to establish this from this point on."

Something that I noticed is in the episode Baby Cakes, where Pinkie Pie takes care of the Cakes' babies, the kids give Pinkie a hard time. It's explained in the episode that baby unicorns have uncontrollable magic bursts. This explains Pumpkin Cake's use of magic. However, Pound Cake is seen flying around. In the series, we see that Scootaloo can't fly yet. How come Scootaloo, a school-age kid, can't fly, yet a newborn can? I'd also heard that pegasi need to be taught to fly. I don't know if that's canon or not, but if it is, how exactly did Pound Cake learn to fly? Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Cake are pegasi, so they obviously couldn't teach him. And to our knowledge, nobody else has taught him. This has always bothered me.

 

I always thought flight came naturally to pegasi, seeing as Twilight flew perfectly at the end of the S3 finale. But for pegasi like Fluttershy, it was simply her being nervous.

[hawkflame 3,310]

I'm not sure this is a plothole, but here goes.

 

Crystal Empire- During games ponies play, they say the Crystal Empire could host the Equestria games. Does that mean Cadence and Shining Armour are co-mayors? I thought it was a separate country, or it's an autonomous region, but the Equestria games are hosted per city... I'M SO CONFUSED! 

 

I think the setup is basically this:  Celestia and Luna rule the whole country as well as the immediate area around canterlot, but more remote areas like the Crystal Empire, while part of Equestria, are headed by Shining Armor and Cadence.  That's my head canon, at least.

[Fan of Silverstream 51]

Shining Armor and Cadence  and how they

fell in love and such.  I mean it was like

out of the blue there is a huuuuggee wedding!

 

Seeing more of a backstory of them would be

a nice ep for season four and a bit

of them as teenager also.

[Mylittlealicorn 3]

I've been watching Brony Curious' videos such as Luna the Dreamwalker and he brought up some interesting points. Now, i do love mlp but i see a few problems with some plots.

 

1. Mlp fim season 1 ep. 1 and 2:

Why did it take 1000 years and why banish luna if the elements of harmony freed her right away when the mane 6 used them on her?

 

2. Apple Family Reunion:

Granny Smith says the reunion is every 100 moons (8 years) yet in one reunion photo we see applejack, applebloom and big mac all the same age and not little.

Also in S1E4 Applejack says the ponies that Twilight met in episode 1 were there for THE reunion. Could It have been 8 years already since twilight's arrival or is it just a writers goof?

 

3. Dreamwalker Luna- this isn't really a plot hole, however, could it be that nopony remembered her advice in their dreams if she had this power pre- Nightmare Moon? And therefore felt that she got no recognition in that sense either? Or it could just be that she was given this job after her return to make her feel more useful.

 

Please tell me what you think/if you found more plot holes. And again, i love this show, but i noticed some problems in some episodes. That said, i hope S4 gives me some answers!

[Scootalove 10,689]

There have been a lot of plot holes, so I'll point out two plot holes. Both from A Canterlot Wedding.

 

1. If Chrysalis was disguised as Cadence, then why didn't the guards ask her any questions?

 

2. Why did the writers introduce Shining Armor and Princess Cadence at the last minute?

[Mylittlealicorn 3]

@Scootalove yeah... Those two as well. But it doesn't stop me from loving the show xD.

Yeah and Chrysalis made a threat too and they put the shield up so the only way she wouldve gotten in is by disguising as somepony other than cadence (she was already in there).

[techno915 408]

so, luna was banished 1000 years before S1. but celestia said that she and luna sealed away discord with the elements of harmony 1000 years before S2. did celestia just go "hey luna, can i borrow you for a fight! thanks!" and then banish her back to the moon when she was done?

[Mywas 687]

I have a lot:

1) Discord being put in a place where everypony can see him while they could have thrown his statue in a lost place where no one could find him

2) Alicorns, what are they, are they all royalty, are they all females, how are they made, how are they born, are they all immortal? Alicorns in general needs like five episodes to adress the subject

3) Mare do well.......

4) How badly Spike was at Spike at your service compared to how good he is at housework when working with Twilight

5) What happened at the clash of Shining and Sombra,

6) Prince Blueblood not being at the wedding or in MMC.

Thats just it right now

[ASocialyAwkwardPony 299]

Here are my theories on the points you brought up in the OP:

1.: I think this one is addressed in the show, can't remember the full details but I think I remember it involving the Elements of Harmony specifically being made to make sure there had to be friendship magic used to get these great powers in case something happened to Celestia as well. Also 1000 years to give time for someone destined to wear the Elements of Harmony to appear, and it indeed took exactly 1000 years for that to happen. There is a lot of mythology involved in the show, so you should always try and look at these things like you would with old Greek and Norse legends and expect somethings that could be considered logical plot holes in a regular modern tale.

2.: This is a bit of a question indeed, though there is possible "moons" have a different meaning in Equestria than in our world since everything is controlled by ponies rather than nature itself. Maybe what they actually mean is every 100 nights even? It would be a lot of work yes, but it would also make sense in a time frame perspective

 

3.: Nopony would remember her powers pre-Nightmare Moon because that was a 1000 years ago. I don't really see the problem, she is a goddess so obviously she is going to have a lot of mystical powers that we don't see regularly

Edited September 3, 2013 by Nightmare Lyre