My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (2010-present, creator Lauren Faust), a reboot of the 1980s My Little Pony series/product line, is a cartoon aimed at 7- to 10-year-old girls in which a diverse group of ponies with various personalities, interests, and powers learn lessons about friendship. With its character-based humor and precisely-timed physical comedy, the show has attracted a huge audience outside its target age group.

Key Episodes

I'm writing this just after the conclusion of season two. A third season has been confirmed, so these picks are subject to change.

This is actually remarkably easy, because most of the main magic plot happens in the two-part episodes.

1.1 "Mare in the Moon" & 1.2 "Elements of Harmony": The two-part pilot has main character Twilight Sparkle (voiced by Tara Strong), an introverted academic who rejects other ponies as a waste of time, socializing with the rest of the cast under orders from her boss, Princess Celestia (Nicole Oliver). Cooperation and respect of the other ponies' different talents turns out to be key when an evil pony, Nightmare Moon (Tabitha St. Germain), attempts to create eternal night and the ponies must defeat her by combining the Elements of Harmony, jewels which represent qualities that they have. An allegory for the entire series.

2.1 "The Return of Harmony Part 1" & 2.2 "The Return of Harmony Part 2": The two-part opener of Season 2 has a new baddie, Discord (John de Lancie, a.k.a. Q from Star Trek: The Next Generation) stealing the Elements of Harmony and forcing the ponies to work through his twisted labyrinth where he psychologically manipulates each pony into betraying her friends by appealing to her deepest desires. Episodes like this are always great for character development. Also, Q!

Bonus Episodes

1.5 "Griffon the Brush-off": The first episode to feature fan-favorite Rainbow Dash (Ashleigh Ball) as well as the equally entertaining Pinkie Pie (Andrea Libman) and a delightfully badass griffon.

1.7 "Dragonshy": Scaredy-cat Fluttershy (Andrea Libman) is the reluctant key to a mission involving a dragon.

1.15 "Feeling Pinkie Keen": Twilight is skeptical of Pinkie's inexplicable future-predicting power in an episode that raises questions of science vs. faith.

1.16 "Sonic Rainboom": Rainbow Dash's biggest episode, including elements of her backstory, a totally sweet and awesome new power, and the amusingly terrible Wonderbolts flying team.

1.23 "The Cutie Mark Chronicles": Backstory for all six lead ponies and a cool intricate-flashback structure reminiscent of How I Met Your Mother.

1.26 "The Best Night Ever": The ponies go to the big, hyped-throughout-the-season Grand Galloping Gala expecting to have the best night ever, but end up having the worst, because they are not together. A nice full-team episode and I do like a party.

2.3 "Lesson Zero": A milestone change from season 1, the show discards the previous structure of having each episode end with a letter from Twilight Sparkle to Princess Celestia explaining the friendship lesson of the week (likely to increase focus on the ensemble) in an amusing episode in which nerdy Twilight freaks out because she has not done her assignment of learning a friendship lesson this week.

2.4 "Luna Eclipsed": The not-so-triumphant return of my favorite pony, Princess Luna (the "nice" reincarnation of Nightmare Moon), who frightens the villagers until Twilight realizes she's just a pony who needs love. Her awkward, used-to-being-evil attempts at making friends are genuinely hilarious.

2.9 "Sweet and Elite": Rarity (Tabitha St. Germain) is tempted away from her old ragamuffin friends by the movers and shakers of the Canterlot social scene.

Bonus Observations

Many of the MLP:FIM episodes use music to advance the plot. This would be my dream team celebrity cover album.

• "Laughter Song" (Pinkie Pie in "Friendship is Magic Part 2"): Kristen Chenoweth
• "Winter Wrap Up" (Cast in "Winter Wrap Up"): Broadway cast of Rent
• "Rarity's Dressmaking Song (The Art of the Dress)" (Rarity & Ponies in "Suited for Success"): Glee Cast (with Rachel as Rarity and Puck as Rainbow Dash)
• "Hush Now, Quiet Now" (Sweetie Belle in "Stare Master"): Adele
• "Gala Song" (Cast in "The Best Night Ever"): Broadway cast of Sweeney Todd
• "Heart Carol" (Cast in "Hearth's Warming Eve"): Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• "The Flim Flam Brothers" (Flim Flam Brothers in "The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000"): Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane seem obvious for this, but I'm going to go with David Bowie and Bing Crosby
• "My Big Brother Best Friend Forever" (orig. Twilight Sparkle in "Royal Wedding"): Morrissey
• "Cadence's Aria" (Cadence & Evil Cadence in "Royal Wedding"): Madonna
• "Love's in Bloom" (Twilight Sparkle in "Royal Wedding"): Lady Gaga

and of course

• "Theme Song": Cake