Abridged Edition

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First e-book edition: December 2013

eISBN (9780316286374)

Book design by Charles Kreloff

Case art by Ross Stewart.

Jacket design by Steve Scott.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Snider, Brandon T.

My little pony : the elements of harmony : friendship is magic : the

official guidebook / by Brandon T. Snider. — First edition.

pages cm.

ISBN 978-0-316-24754-2

1. My little pony, friendship is magic (Television program)—Juvenile

literature. I. Title.

PN1992.77.M87S65 2013

791.45’72—dc23

2013000609

In the magical land of Equestria,

there were two regal sisters who ruled together

and created harmony for all the land.

To do this, the eldest used her Unicorn powers

to raise the sun at dawn.

The younger brought out the moon to begin the night.

Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom

and their subjects, all the different types of ponies.

But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The

ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth

but shunned and slept through her beautiful night.

One fateful day, the younger Unicorn refused to

lower the moon to make way for the dawn.

The elder sister tried to reason with her,

but the bitterness in the young one’s heart had transformed

her into a wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon.

She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night.

Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful

magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony!

Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her

younger sister and banished her permanently in the moon.

The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon, and

harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since.

Contents

Abridged Edition

A Few Words of Introduction...

by Jayson Thiessen and Meghan McCarthy

Why My Little Pony?

A foreword by Lauren Faust

1. My Little Ponies

Who’s who among ponies in Equestria, featuring some early preproduction artwork

2. Cutie Mark Crusaders

Meet the youngest ponies and discover the special power of the cutie mark

3. Fellow Equestrians and Animal Friends

A roll call of other Equestrian residents of all shapes and sizes

4. The Dark Side

Meet some characters who aren’t so friendly and read what the creators

have to say about them

5. The Elements of Harmony

A history of the most powerful magic known in Ponyville

6. The Magical World of Equestria

A map of the land and details on the different regions

7. An Interview with Lauren Faust

8. The Musical Pony

Complete song lyrics from the show, plus a few words from the show creators

9. Friendship Fanatics

An overview of the fandom, the appeal for fans of all ages,

and a few words from the show creators

Friendship.

It is something everyone needs in his or her life, but you have  to make it happen—plant a seed, nurture it, grow it, maintain it, and keep it alive. Then, if we accept each other wholeheartedly and maintain harmony between us, that friendship is magic!

At least it is according to colorful, pretty ponies in a sparkly world of rainbows and cupcakes.

Somehow, the simple notion of these ponies making friends and being kind, loyal, honest, generous, and fun with one another sparked a huge following of people of all ages and genders around the world. But how did it happen? How did a children’s cartoon geared toward little girls gain such a huge fandom?

This question has been answered many times in different ways, and if you ask me, friendship may be magic in Equestria, but in our world, storytelling is magic.

People love great stories, and I think that’s the key to what makes this cartoon about little ponies so captivating to so many. Storytelling is about emotion: the feelings that the audience has toward the characters, the world, the situation, and the stakes.

This feeling doesn’t come from the story itself; it’s from how the story is told.

That’s where I think My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic stands out. The combination of the writing, voices, design, storyboards, music and sound, animation, and timing—it’s all designed to create a poignant feeling, one that you walk away with and stays with you all day.

A magical feeling.

Like friendship.

—Jayson Thiessen, supervising director

When Lauren Faust first approached me about writing for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, I had been on a bit of a creative hiatus. I had two small children and was still navigating the murky waters of motherhood. After ten years in the entertainment industry, I was trying to figure out which direction to steer my writing career, and, to be honest, I was struggling to find the right path. So when Lauren asked if I’d be interested in writing a few episodes, I jumped at the chance. I knew the show would be good, as I knew how dedicated Lauren was to the project and how important it was for her to create a show that featured strong female protagonists. But what I didn’t realize was how much it was going to challenge me creatively and how satisfied I would be with the end result.

Ask any of the writers why they love working on My Little Pony and they will tell you how refreshing it is to tell stories that really mean something. We all feel like we are working on a project that isn’t just entertaining but contributes something positive to the world. No matter your age or gender, it is important to be reminded every now and then that honesty, generosity, laughter, kindness, loyalty, and friendship are the keys to a happy and fulfilling life. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic seeks to do just that—in a hilarious, music-filled, jaw-droppingly well-animated way.

I feel honored to work on the show and humbled by the support we’ve received from fans all over the world. If the show is half as fun for the viewers to watch as it is for us to make, then we are clearly doing something right.

—Meghan McCarthy, story editor

A foreword by Lauren Faust

Rainbows, unicorns, fairy tales, hearts, stars, cupcakes, and, of course, pretty pastel ponies. Many people look at these things and roll their eyes. They can’t imagine there could be anything more to such things beyond what they appear to be. But not little girls. They know something that we do not.

As adults, we observe that girls like these things. We absorb the information that this “frilly pink silliness” resonates with them, but we don’t understand why. So when we interact with them, we try to give girls a slightly polished version of the so-called silliness our outsider eyes think they see. But when we present them with this inadequate interpretation, we sadly risk slowly convincing girls that our shallow representation is what they are actually imagining, and that the ideas in their heads are not as awesome and amazing as they actually are. If we are not careful, they will adopt our dismissive attitude that all this magic is merely “frilly pink silliness.”

To truly understand, we adults must go inside ourselves and remember the time before the grown-ups told us these things were not worthwhile. That child is in there somewhere, and she believes unicorns are noble beasts that bring beauty to the world. She believes magical creatures are lovely and terrifying and the world they live in is one of wonder that has no bounds. She believes fairy dust is a powerful substance—what else in the world can so easily bring you your greatest desires? She believes the smallest, most helpless creatures can be your strongest support group if shown enough love. She believes something as simple as a cupcake can bring

two people together in the bonds of friendship and a giggle is a welcome mat or a warm handshake.

We cannot belittle this. To a little girl…This. Stuff. Is. SERIOUS.

To her, magic is not frivolous and silly; it is huge, and it is glorious. It is real. In her mind, it’s something that not only garners wonder and awe but also respect. She knows magic can give us everything we ever hoped for, if only we give it the reverence it deserves.

If we give little girls a respectful interpretation of the things they like—if we dare to take it as seriously as they do—we will see for ourselves that it’s not so silly at all. We can truly appreciate the merit they see in it. And, amazingly, we can enjoy it ourselves.

That child is in there, in each of us. And it’s not so hard to find her if we just open our minds to magic.

My Little Pony concept

art by Lauren Faust

“Building a

universe is a whole lot of fun,

but sometimes very challenging. In

the early days of [the show] we would

often have big conceptual discussions … ‘do

the ponies sleep in beds or stalls?’ or ‘if there

are no humans in this world, why would anyone

wear a saddle?’”

—Robert Fewkes, Hasbro Studios

“In her show bible, Lauren Faust really mapped out

the characteristics of the six main ponies. As we

wrote, characters developed, as they always do,

but their core characteristics were already

established by Lauren, giving us fantastic

groundwork to build upon.”

—Amy Keating Rogers,

writer

TWILIGHT SPARKLE has a love of

learning unmatched in Equestria.

She is a natural leader, a patient

friend, an obsessive organizer,

and an avid reader. Her home in

Ponyville is above the Golden Oak

Library, where she also serves as

librarian, assisted by Spike and

her pet owl, Owlowiscious. Of

the six Elements of Harmony, she

represents the Element of Magic. As

a young filly in Canterlot, she was

chosen by Princess Celestia to study the highest form of magic as the

princess’s apprentice. Seeing Twilight value knowledge over friends,

the princess sent Twilight to Ponyville to learn the magical properties

of friendship. Because Twilight not only mastered magic but also

created magic of her own through such friendship, she has been

bestowed with wings and the title PRINCESS TWILIGHT.

“In ‘Lesson

Zero,’ Twilight has

a meltdown over a looming

deadline. My husband can attest to

the fact that I have a lot of personal

experience with this.”

— Meghan McCarthy,

story editor

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

Under orders from Princess Celestia,

SPIKE THE DRAGON joined Twilight

Sparkle in relocating from Canterlot to

Ponyville. Twilight endearingly calls

Spike her “number one assistant” for his

extreme loyalty and ability to recognize

when Twilight needs help. He has an

incurable crush on Rarity, an insatiable

appetite for sparkly

gems, and the

uniquely

comical

ability to messenger letters via his

fiery dragon breath. Spike was found

orphaned as an egg, and his origins

remain a mystery.

“The fact that Spike

sometimes feels like

an outsider is a great place

from which to mine stories.

He’s trying to figure out who he

is. What beyond being Twilight’s

assistant is his role in this world?

I think he really reflects how

everybody feels at some point

in their life.”

— Meghan McCarthy,

story editor

Ponyville library development

art by Dave Dunnet and Martin

Ansolabehere

Giggly, playful, and super girly, it’s not

unusual to find PINKIE PIE prancing

and skipping blissfully through the

streets of Ponyville. The silliest pony

around, Pinkie Pie has a desire to entertain

that makes her the most likely source for

humor. She is a free spirit, often acting on

her whims and following her heart. You

would never guess she grew up on a dreary

rock farm. Eager to amuse her friends and

make everyone happy, Pinkie Pie will find

any excuse to throw a party. She loves

eating sweets and baking them so

much that she is often found at

the Sweet Shoppe in Sugarcube

Corner, where she works,

and lives in the apartment

upstairs.

“In ‘The Last

Roundup,’ Pinkie

had to annoy Applejack by

blabbering on and on. I had come

to that part of the scene and had no

idea what Pinkie was going to say. But

then as I was drifting off to sleep that night,

I was thinking about the fact that Applejack

and Pinkie were in a cherry orchard. Knowing

Pinkie, she would be inspired by the cherries.

Suddenly the words chimi-cherry, cherry-

changa, and chimi-cherry-changa entered

my brain. I jumped out of bed and quickly

wrote those words down before I forgot.

The next day, Pinkie was babbling about

chimi-cherry-changas, pickle barrels,

and kumquats and really getting on

Applejack’s nerves.”

— Amy Keating Rogers,

writer

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

RAINBOW DASH has one great all-consuming passion in life: to

fly—FAST!!! Anypony who has ever seen this rainbow-haired Pegasus

from Cloudsdale in the air has been in awe of her speed, agility,

and confidence. Even in her youth, Rainbow was a fantastic flier,

achieving what no other Pegasus had before: the Sonic Rainboom—a

rainbow that shot out behind her like a jet stream! When any problem,

big or small, arises, this aspiring Wonderbolt is the first to volunteer to

save the day. Despite the mischief she causes, her friends are happy to

have her around when

danger is a-brewing, as

Rainbow Dash proves

time and time again

that she is a true hero

and a true friend.

“I personally enjoy working with

Rainbow Dash as a character. She’s fun, sassy,

and excellent for using in action scenes!”

—Jim Miller, storyboard supervisor

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

RARITY could possibly be the most beautiful Unicorn you’ve

ever seen, and she works hard to keep it that way—but she wants

everypony to be beautiful, too! She uses her eye for detail, her

creativity, and her Unicorn powers to find gems and

make things sparkle! Her gorgeous designs are

displayed at Ponyville’s newest fashion salon,

the Carousel Boutique. Rarity sees tremendous

potential in her friends and always offers

them makeovers or beautiful new

clothes of her own design.

Rarity’s generous nature

inspires her to make her

friends as beautiful on the

outside as she knows they

are on the inside. Though

she may seem entitled

and prissy, Rarity has a

heart as pure as gold.

“It’s

really easy

to label [Rarity] as

emotional, superficial, and

materialistic, but she’s one of

the more complex characters on

the show…. She’ll pine for the

attention of a prince, but

drop everything to help

out a friend in need.”

—Brian Lenard,

Hasbro Studios

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

APPLEJACK is Ponyville’s resident farm gal! She

lives just outside town at Sweet Apple Acres with

her family. Applejack has come to be known as the

most down-to-earth, resourceful, and dependable

pony around. A talented arboriculturist, Applejack

is the kind of pony who ain’t afraid to get her

hooves dirty. This hardworking Earth Pony is

family-oriented and always ready to help Granny

Smith or her little sister, Apple Bloom. Incredibly

honest, Applejack would never stoop to telling

a lie. However, her honesty and practicality keeps her from being as

sensitive to others’ feelings as she could be, despite her best intentions.

Although Applejack can be a bit set in her ways, her friends know they

can always count on this trustworthy pony to come through for them

when they need her most.

“My favorite [friendship] lesson is from

[the episode] ‘The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy

6000,’ when Applejack writes to Celestia to tell her

she didn’t learn anything! Not exactly a ‘true’ lesson,

but one of the funnier ones!”

—Jim Miller, storyboard supervisor

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

FLUTTERSHY is a natural beauty with

gentle, serene ways. Despite her shy and

unassuming nature, Fluttershy has a unique

gift with animals. Her sweetness and

sincerity can charm every animal, from

tiny woodland creatures to the most

powerful of mythical beasts, making

her a valuable asset to her friends in

all their adventures. Although she’s

afraid of heights (very embarrassing for

a Pegasus) and shies away at the slightest

sound, Fluttershy has no problem

confronting grumpy manticores or

scolding greedy dragons. While she

lacks confidence, she has an inner

strength that comes out when others

are in trouble. Fluttershy has a lot of fears to overcome, but one day

her strength of character and enormous heart will make her a force to

be reckoned with.

“I think Fluttershy has shown a

lot of growth. She is constantly struggling

against her shy nature. And she’s really making

strides. She’s confronted dragons, she’s stood up to

ponies who try to step all over her, and she’s braved

making a tornado. This is quite a lot for a pony who

would rather just be having a picnic with woodland

creatures.”

—Amy Keating Rogers, writer

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

PRINCESS CELESTIA is the wise and kind ruler of

Equestria. Governing her subjects from her castle

in Canterlot, she emanates a commanding presence

with both a Unicorn’s horn and magnificent

Pegasus wings. Princess Celestia is

profoundly magical, and some say she is

more than one thousand years old. With

the help of her sister,

Princess Luna, she

makes sure the sun

and moon rise and

set each day.

Canterlot development art by Dave

Dunnet and Martin Ansolabehere

Princess Celestia’s younger sister, PRINCESS LUNA, has a history of

difficulty living in her older sister’s shadow. So difficult, in fact, her

jealousy turned her into the villain Nightmare Moon! Fortunately,

Luna was reformed and her heart softened by the ancient and

powerful Elements of Harmony. Luna and Celestia have forgiven each

other and are loving sisters

once again, but Luna still

has trouble adjusting to

modern Equestrian life

after her thousand-year-

long banishment in the

moon. Still speaking with

ancient formality and finding

it hard to move beyond her once

fearsome image, she may struggle,

but her intentions are pure and she is

certain to find the happiness she seeks

one day soon.

Development art by

Lynne Naylor. Note that Luna’s

original name was Selena.

PRINCESS CADANCE is the ruler of the Crystal

Empire. She is the former apprentice of Princess

Celestia, who practically adopted her

as a niece. Her love has a magical

quality that combines with the

magic of her husband, Shining

Armor, to make them nearly

unstoppable. She was the

foal-sitter of a very young

Twilight Sparkle, and the

two remain great friends. They

even have a secret hoof-shake. Her wedding day was nearly

ruined by an evil imposter, but the love between Cadance and Shining

Armor conquered all. Cadance is now happy to grace the Crystal

Empire with her kind spirit, potent magic, and unselfish nature. Her

full name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

Featured in “A Canterlot Wedding, Parts 1 & 2,” “The

Crystal Empire, Parts 1 & 2,” “Games Ponies Play.”

SHINING ARMOR is the Unicorn captain

of the Canterlot Royal Guard as well as the

coleader of the Crystal Empire alongside his

wife, Princess Cadance. He’s also Twilight

Sparkle’s protective older brother, whom

she affectionately calls her “BBBFF” (Big

Brother Best Friend Forever).

Featured in “A Canterlot Wedding, Parts 1 & 2,”

“The Crystal Empire, Parts 1 & 2,” “Magical

Mystery Cure.”

Ponyville Ponies

GRANNY SMITH is the wise matriarch of the Apple

family and loves to tell a tale or two about the days of

yore. Her memory may be fuzzy, but Granny’s wit is

as sharp as a tack. She was even one of the founders

of Ponyville!

BIG MCINTOSH, also known as Big Mac, is

the protective older brother of both Applejack

and Apple Bloom. The soft-spoken colt

generally doesn’t have much to say, but he’s

always keeping an eye

on his family.

If you’re visiting Appleloosa, you’re likely to be

welcomed by BRAEBURN.

Featured in “Over a Barrel,” “Apple Family Reunion.”

The extended APPLE FAMILY TREE also

includes Aunt and Uncle Orange, Apple

Bumpkin, Apple Cider, Apple Cobbler, Apple Fritter, Apple Pie, Apple

Strudel, Apple Tart, Buttercream, Caramel Apple, Golden Delicious,

and many others!

Featured in “Apple Family Reunion.”

See Apple Bloom and Babs Seed.

THE CAKE FAMILY are the

proud owners of Sugarcube

Corner, Ponyville’s most

delicious bakery. The

store is run by the kindly

MR. CARROT CAKE and his wife, MRS. CUP CAKE, who make

the tastiest sweets for every occasion. Pinkie Pie loves working

in the bakery and often watches over the Cakes’ twin foals,

POUND CAKE and PUMPKIN CAKE.

As the mayor of Ponyville, MAYOR MARE is

always prepared to do whatever it takes to

help her people.

Featured in “Applebuck Season,” “Winter Wrap Up,” “The

Mysterious Mare Do Well,” “The Last Roundup,” “Magic Duel.”

CHEERILEE loves being a teacher at the

Ponyville Schoolhouse.

Featured in “The Show Stoppers,” “Call of the Cutie,”

“Hearts and Hooves Day,” “Ponyville Confidential,”

“Family Appreciation Day.”

Foal concept art

by Lauren Faust

FILTHY RICH and his wealthy family date back to the

very founding of Ponyville. His daughter is Diamond Tiara.

Featured in “Family Appreciation Day.”

DR. HOOVES

ACE

DAISY,

LILY VALLEY,

and ROSE

NURSE REDHEART

and DOCTOR

LOTUS

BLOSSOM

LYRA

HEARTSTRINGS

SWEETIE

DROPS

BLOSSOMFORTH

SMARTY PANTS

GOLDEN

HARVEST

MINUETTE

MADAME LEFLOUR,

ROCKY, and

SIR LINTSALOT

MARKET

SALESPONY

BOWLER

PONIES

Canterlot Ponies

As Canterlot’s resident fashion guru, HOITY TOITY’s

been known to harshly critique the works of others,

especially Rarity, who longs for his approval.

Featured in “Suited for Success,” “Green Isn’t Your Color,”

“Sweet and Elite.”

PHOTO FINISH catches all the hot looks as

Equestria’s top fashion photographer. This

trendsetter keeps an army of impressionable

attendants with her at all times.

Featured in “Green Isn’t Your Color,”

“Sweet and Elite.”

SAPPHIRE SHORES is known for her music

throughout Equestria as the Pony of Pop. The

fashion-forward celebrity has a taste for Rarity’s

jeweled creations.

Featured in “A Dog and Pony Show,” “Sweet and Elite.”

FANCYPANTS is a high-society Unicorn who

is fascinated with lower-class ponies, who he treats as

novelties, though he claims no ill will toward them.

Featured in “Sweet and Elite,” “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2”

“Too Many Pinkie Pies.”

JET SET and his wife, UPPER CRUST, are

Equestria’s trendiest married couple. They

have a taste for the extravagant and can be

unapologetically snobbish about it.

Featured in “Sweet and Elite.”

When a party needs the hottest music in Equestria,

there’s only one pony to call: DJ PON-3!

Featured in “Suited for Success,” “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2.”

PRINCE BLUEBLOOD may

be of a noble background, but

he’s also quite vain, which is

no doubt why Rarity once had a crush on him.

Featured in “The Ticket Master,” “The Best Night Ever,”

“Sweet and Elite.”

OCTAVIA

Canterlot

preproduction art

Cloudsdale Ponies

THE WONDERBOLTS are an elite squad of

Pegasus ponies who perform amazing aerial

feats of derring-do at competitions across

the lands of Equestria. SPITFIRE is team

captain and a spirited competitor. SOARIN

loves blazing a trail through the clouds—but

only when he’s not chowing down on one

of Applejack’s pies. Other team members

include Blaze, Fire Streak, Fleetfoot, High

Winds, Lightning Streak, Misty Fly, Rapidfire,

Silver Lining, Surprise, and Wave Chill.

Featured in “Sonic Rainboom,” “The Best Night Ever,”

“Wonderbolt Academy.”

FLITTER, STORMWALKER, THUNDERLANE, and LIGHTNING DUST

Featured in “Hurricane Fluttershy.”

MUSCLE PONY

BOY BULLIES

Cloudsdale

preproduction art

“My cutie mark would

be a typewriter as, hopefully,

it is clear that my special talent

is writing. I’d go for a typewriter

instead of the laptop I really use to do

my writing since it is more fitting for the

not-quite-as-technologically-advanced

world of Equestria.”

— Meghan McCarthy,

story editor

“Someone

designed a cutie

mark for me a while

back. It’s a piano

keyboard with a large red

musical note in front of

it. I quite like it!”

—Daniel Ingram,

song composer

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle

hoped that by trying a bunch of different

things together, they’d get their cutie marks

lickety-split! So the three friends formed a

secret club called the Cutie Mark Crusaders,

whose members were dedicated to trying

as many things as possible. Although the

fillies have tried many diverse activities,

like baking and magic, their cutie

marks have yet to reveal themselves.

Unfortunately, some intolerant ponies

have mocked the young trio for not being

able to find their proper vocations yet. Thankfully, wise ponies such as

Princess Celestia have encouraged the girls to not lose hope and to keep

experiencing as many things as possible.

SWEETIE BELLE is a sweet-natured and sometimes

spacey Cutie Mark Crusader with big dreams. Her quest

for her cutie mark is not her only goal in life: Sweetie

Belle longs for the praise and acceptance of her older sister,

Rarity. Sweetie Belle has a blossoming talent for singing.

APPLE BLOOM is Applejack’s little filly sister, and like

her name suggests, she is full of potential but has a lot

of growing to do. Although she is the leader of the Cutie

Mark Crusaders, Apple Bloom truly has no idea what she

is meant to do or who she is meant to be. As the “head

crusader,” she comes up with most of their (unsuccessful)

cutie mark missions and spearheads their many (failed)

efforts.

“My favorite story [in ‘The Cutie Mark

Chronicles’] is Pinkie Pie’s. Playing against type is

always fun, so having the most ebullient pony grow up on a dour,

gray rock farm seemed like the right choice. It also provides a nice

subtext to who Pinkie is. She has a soft spot in her heart for the ol’ rock

farm and loves her family, but at her core (or, at her cutie mark),

she is totally different from this upbringing.”

—Mitch Larson, writer

In addition to earning her cutie mark,

SCOOTALOO is determined to learn how to fly.

In fact, Scootaloo has fashioned herself a special

pony scooter, and she uses her Pegasus wings not to fly but to propel

her wheeled contraption through the streets of Ponyville! Scootaloo

idolizes the adventurous Rainbow Dash and often tries to imitate her

“too cool” attitude as well as her athletic skill.

BABS SEED is a tough-talkin’ Apple

cousin from Manehattan and

the newest member of the

Cutie Mark Crusaders.

Featured in “One Bad

Apple,” “Apple Family

Reunion.”

“We wanted to create a

character who could bully the

Crusaders but whose behavior was the result

of an insecurity that the Crusaders could relate to

and ultimately help her to overcome. We’ve got our

three Crusaders in Ponyville and didn’t want to add a

permanent fourth, and we really liked the idea that

Babs would come from out of town and be able to

start up her own club with other ponies who

hadn’t yet gotten their cutie marks.”

— Meghan McCarthy, story editor

Other Young Ponies

DIAMOND TIARA and SILVER SPOON

believe that money and expensive baubles

can buy happiness. Together, the pretentious

pair enjoy teasing young ponies who haven’t

gotten their cutie marks.

Featured in “Call of the Cutie,” “The Show Stoppers,”

“The Cutie Pox,” “Family Appreciation Day,” “Ponyville Confidential,” “One Bad Apple.”

TWIST was picked on because of her blank flank until

she discovered that her true talent was making sweet

treats when two peppermint candy canes appeared on her

hindquarters—her cutie mark!

Featured in “Call of the Cutie,” “The Cutie Pox,” “Hearts and Hooves Day.”

SNIPS and SNAILS are two young Unicorns who are

the best of friends. Snips is known for his enthusiasm,

while Snails is known to be slightly more relaxed.

Featured in “Boast Busters,” “The Show Stoppers,” “Ponyville

Confidential,” The Mysterious Mare Do Well,” “Magic Duel.”

PIP SQUEAK, or “Pip” to his friends, is an Earth Pony

from Trottingham, while FEATHERWEIGHT

is a Pegasus pony as well as the editor in

chief of the Foal Free Press newspaper.

Featured in “Luna Eclipsed,” “Putting Your

Hoof Down,” “Ponyville Confidential.”

Pony Power Makes a Mark

Growing up can be difficult, especially when it comes to finding

your niche. Many young ponies in Equestria yearn to discover

that special something that makes them unique and allows them

to stand out in the crowd. Once they discover their true calling, a

symbol known as a cutie mark magically appears on each ponies’

hindquarters. Not all cutie marks are as literal as others, and many

of them are simply meant to represent a positive feeling that the

pony radiates to the world. But the road to finding one’s true talent

can be very frustrating for an anxious pony with a blank flank who’s

waiting patiently to bloom.

Before cutie marks appear, ponies must seek out life experiences

so they can truly discover who they are and what their calling may

be. It’s important for them to try different things, put themselves

in other ponies’ hooves, and keep on learning as much as they can.

There’s no set age when cutie marks appear; they might come right

away or years down the road. The key to

unlocking a pony’s true potential remains

a mystery. But any elder pony will tell

young ponies that even though the

wait for a cutie mark may be difficult,

it’s more about the journey than the

destination.

Scootaloo concept art

by Lauren Faust

“It’s not too hard to

describe what an animal

character might be feeling or

trying to communicate in a script;

the real challenge is up to the

storyboard artists and the animators

to make sure the emotions are

coming through in the expressions

and body language.”

— Lauren Faust,

show creator

ZECORA is a zebra who uses her

ancient magic to cast healing spells

from her enclave deep within the

Everfree Forest. The ponies of

Ponyville once believed her to

be an enchantress who

wielded the darkest of

magic, but after admitting

that they’d misjudged her,

they befriended Zecora and

often rely on her wisdom.

Featured in “Bridle Gossip,” “Cutie

Pox,” “Luna Eclipsed,” “Magic Duel.”

“Zecora

was supposed to

be a second mentor to

Twilight. I created her so

that whenever the ponies had

an adventure that needed a lot

of explanation in the setup, they

would have Zecora for a quick and

simple source for exposition. (In

fact, there was a scene where she

did just that in the pilot, but it had

to be cut for time.) Things just

didn’t pan out that way as we

made the episodes.”

— Lauren Faust,

show creator

CHIEF THUNDERHOOVES is

the wise and proud leader of the

buffalo tribe that sought to reclaim

Appleloosa from its pony settlers

and repurpose it as a traditional

stampeding ground. With the help

of a young and agile buffalo named

LITTLE STRONGHEART, the tribe was able to

come to an agreement with the ponies, allowing

them both to share the orchard.

Featured in “Over a Barrel.”

CRANKY DOODLE DONKEY may be a crotchety

old grouch who’s reluctant to loosen up, but

all that changed when the sweet-natured

MATILDA came around. Matilda met the cranky

mule at the Grand Galloping Gala, where he began

courting her as his “special friend.” Matilda is the

only one who’s allowed to call him by the nickname

“Doodle.”

Featured in “A Friend in Deed.”

IRON WILL is a muscle-bound minotaur who

travels throughout Equestria as an inspirational

speaker. He loves using his positive mantras

and high-octane energy to get ponies up and

moving. Iron Will has an enormous ego and

often refers to himself in the third person

because he loves to hear his own name.

Featured in “Putting Your Hoof Down.”

GUSTAVE LE GRAND is a boastful griffon baker

who believed his treasured éclairs would win

first place at the National Dessert Competition.

Gustave had some stiff competition from

MULIA MILD and her famous “mousse

moose,” not to mention DONUT JOE and his

mini city made of donuts known as

“Donutopia.”

Featured in “MMMystery on the

Friendship Express.”

MANNY ROAR, a manticore, is an intimidating sight with his lion’s

mane, scorpion’s tail, and scaly wings, but this angry beast can be all

bark and no bite, especially when he is shown a little bit of kindness.

Featured in “Friendship is Magic, Part 2.”

STEVEN MAGNET, the sea serpent of the river,

is quite a testy fellow. When Nightmare Moon

cut off part of his mustache, he went into a tizzy.

Thankfully, Rarity used her magic to solve the

problem, and in return the sea serpent offered

himself as a much-needed bridge to the other side.

Featured in “Friendship is Magic, Part 2.”

Manticore development

art by Lynne Naylor

DARING DO

MS. HARSHWHINNY

CRYSTAL EMPIRE

TOURIST

Animal Friends

Fluttershy thinks ANGEL the bunny is just as cute

as can be! But looks can be deceiving, because he’s

always keeping her on her toes with his bossy,

demanding, and childish ways.

Featured in “Putting Your Hoof Down.”

WINONA is Applejack’s loyal work dog who

absolutely adores helping her herd the flock.

Featured in “Just for Sidekicks,” “The Last Roundup.”

Be careful what you put in front of GUMMY,

because he’s likely to grab it! But don’t blame

Pinkie Pie’s pet alligator so quickly. He doesn’t

mean any harm; it’s just his nature.

Featured in “Just for Sidekicks,” “Party of One.”

OPALESCENCE, or Opal for short, may seem fluffy

and sweet, but that’s only when she’s manipulating

her owner, Rarity. This feisty little kitty has been

known to hiss when she doesn’t get her way!

Featured in “Just for Sidekicks,” “Suited for Success.”

“I do think Angel Bunny is one of the most

conniving and willful characters on the show. He has

Fluttershy completely under his cute little paw!”

—Jim Miller, storyboard supervisor

On the outside, PHILOMENA seemed like a poor,

suffering, and squawking old bird, but Princess

Celestia’s pet had a secret. After losing her feathers

and bursting into flames, she transformed herself

into a beautiful phoenix.

Featured in “A Bird in the Hoof.”

A PHOENIX is a mystical bird that

sheds its feathers and is reborn in an

explosion of brilliant flames.

Featured in “A Bird in the Hoof,” “Dragon Quest.”

OWLOWISCIOUS is Twilight Sparkle’s

adopted pet owl. At first, Twilight’s assistant,

Spike, thought he faced some stiff competition

when Owlowiscious appeared, but he quickly

realized that the bright-eyed bird was just being

his regular helpful self.

Featured in “Just for Sidekicks,” “Owl’s Well That Ends Well.”

Rainbow Dash assumed the little tortoise

known as TANK was boring and slow, and

could never be as exciting as she was—until

he heroically saved her from a rock slide!

Now she’s proud to call him her pet!

Featured in “Just for Sidekicks,” “May the Best Pet Win!”

PEEWEE became Spike’s pet when he hatched from a

phoenix egg! A group of bad dragons tried to persuade

Spike to smash the egg when he found it, but thankfully

he didn’t. Now he and Peewee are the best of friends.

Featured in “Dragon Quest.”

Character concept art

by Lauren Faust

“I’m quite

partial to Applejack’s

canine pal, Winona. She

reminds me a lot of my own dog,

Ripley, who just might be the

best dog in the world!”

—Jim Miller, storyboard

supervisor

“Gummy is my

favorite. The idea of a toothless

pet alligator is gold.”

—Ridd Sorensen, art director

“While it’s always

nice to see someone

learn from their mistakes, I do

enjoy having a few villains remain

villainous and never change. As a fan

of comic books, I do love when certain

exciting baddies return time and again

to vex our heroes. There are always new

and interesting things that happen

when we get to further explore their

relationships.”

—Jim Miller, storyboard

supervisor

NIGHTMARE MOON is the maleficent alter

ego of Princess Luna. In the dark form of

Nightmare Moon, Luna is consumed with

spite and enjoys manipulating unwilling

ponies to do her bidding. Imprisoned in the

moon, Nightmare Moon became even more

dangerous when she escaped.

Featured in “Friendship is Magic, Parts 1 & 2.”

Nightmare Moon concept

art by Lynne Naylor

“I really enjoyed

working with Rebecca Dart in creating

Queen Chrysalis . . . though all I had to do was

approve the amazing design!”

—Ridd Sorensen, art director

QUEEN CHRYSALIS is the shape-shifting

leader of the changelings, a vicious group of

creatures who are bent on destruction and

mayhem. The queen even tried to take over Canterlot by using her

powers to impersonate Princess Cadance and destroy the kingdom.

Featured in “A Canterlot Wedding, Parts 1 & 2.”

CHANGELINGS are grotesque shape-shifting

ponies who can morph their bodies into anything.

These frightening creatures have fangs as well as

insect features and translucent wings designed to

scare even the bravest pony into submission.

Featured in “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2.”

KING SOMBRA ruled the Crystal Empire thousands of years ago

but was banished and turned to shadow. Before he disappeared, the

snarling black-hearted monster made the kingdom disappear and

destroyed hope and love in the process. He recently returned but was

thwarted by Twilight Sparkle and her pony friends.

Featured in “The Crystal Empire, Parts 1 & 2.”

“The most underestimated villain on the show

would easily have to be King Sombra. I think, if given the chance,

he could do some serious damage throughout Equestria.”

— Ishi Ruddell, animation director

Discord concept art

by Lauren Faust

DISCORD is a draconequus, a rare beast with a pony head and a

body comprised of many nasty creatures. He was once imprisoned

in stone by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna but escaped, only

to be defeated by the power of friendship. He’s since reformed and

struggles to keep out of trouble since he knows that Twilight Sparkle

and her friends would use the Elements of Harmony against him if

he ever unleashed chaos.

Featured in “The Return of Harmony, Parts 1 & 2,” “Keep Calm and Flutter On.”

“I don’t think I’d want to

reform all of our villains. I don’t think that

would be realistic. No matter how hard you try, some people

(or evil alicorns) just aren’t going to change their ways. But for a

character like Discord, ‘reforming’ him allows us to tell new stories

with his character. He gets to be the not-always-reliable ally

instead of the known enemy.”

—Meghan McCarthy, story editor

“Every character has room to grow and

learn from their mistakes, and a good villain will still

have a sense of humanity that can be related to. Otherwise they are

just ‘bad for bad’s sake’ and cannot be identified with. Not every villain

we’ve had on the show has had a heart (that we’ve seen yet), but it’s nice

when we can work it in; it helps the viewer care about them . . . even

when they’re bad.”

— Jayson Thiessen, supervising director

The traveling magician TRIXIE believes

she’s quite superior to other ponies and

has been known to exaggerate her abilities

from time to time. Recently, the Great and

Powerful Trixie became remorseful once

she was shown the error of her evil ways.

Featured in “Boast Busters,” “Magic Duel.”

GILDA is a mythical griffon, a creature with the

head and wings of an eagle and the body of a

lion! She was once friends with Rainbow Dash

and loved good old-fashioned pranks. But Gilda’s

insecurities about being seen as cool caused her

to fall out of favor with her friend.

Featured in “Griffon the Brush Off.”

Gilda concept art

by Lauren Faust

“I particularly enjoyed writing

Flim and Flam. They are villains, but they are

designed to be charming and disorienting. They speak very

quickly. They finish each other’s sentences. They’re in constant

motion. Everything they do is designed to dazzle and confuse people, so

they can shake your hand while they’re stealing your wallet. You can see their

charm in action when the song ends and Apple Bloom is 100 percent ready to take

their deal. This is the reaction the brothers are used to. In the midst of the song,

one of the brothers confuses Applejack enough that she agrees to give them some

apples for their demonstration. And when you’re writing characters like

that, their energy and optimism infuses the actual writing. I wrote that

episode very quickly because their dialogue flew through my

head as fast as it appears on-screen.”

— Mitch Larsen, writer

The FLIM FLAM BROTHERS are a pair of

salespony tricksters who travel from town

to town, using song and dance to trick ponies

into buying their wares. But it’s all just a

sham—the Unicorn duo are often run right

out of town when their faulty products and

shady tricks are revealed!

Featured in “The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.”

The DIAMOND DOGS, known as FIDO,

ROVER, and SPOT, may be big and

brutish, but don’t be fooled, because

these canines aren’t very bright. If you

ever find yourself up against them,

don’t despair; their thirst for shiny

gemstones makes them easily trickable.

Featured in “A Dog and Pony Show.”

GARBLE is the teenage leader of a gang of

fire-breathing dragons who challenged Spike to a series

of trials to test his mettle. But these bad-natured

bullies didn’t take into account Spike’s friends, who

defended him using the power of friendship!

Featured in “Dragon Quest.”

“Because we are writing for children,

I think it is important for some villains to learn

from their mistakes. Kids need to see that bullies and bad

guys can change if given the chance. Sometimes kids may see these

characteristics in other kids they know or even in themselves. If they

then see that a villain can have a change of heart, then maybe

they can implement that in their own lives.”

—Amy Keating Rogers, writer

Other Beasts

Deep within the Everfree Forest live

the dangerous TIMBERWOLVES! Few

venture into the green so as not to come

face-to-face with its dark protectors.

It’s been said that the howl of the

timberwolf is the first sign of the yearly zap apple harvest.

Featured in “Family Appreciation Day,” “Spike at Your Service.”

The COCKATRICE is a rare beast that has the head

of a chicken and the body of a snake. But don’t stare

at this creature for too long, because one glance

from the cockatrice can turn a pony to stone!

Featured in “Stare Master.”

Legend has it that WINDIGOS are

cold winter spirits that are fueled

by hatred and evil. The more hate

that a Windigo absorbs, the colder

the weather becomes. They’re said

to look like transparent, ghostly

horses and can only be vanquished

using the Fire of Friendship.

Featured in “Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

From the depths of the Froggy Bottom Bogg comes

the HYDRA, a four-headed snake creature that

guards the swamp from outsiders. Ponies always

remember to step lightly because one false move

and the hydra may devour them.

Featured in “Feeling Pinkie Keen.”

PARASPRITES may seem sweet and innocent,

but feeding these little insects may cause more

trouble than they’re worth. Their gluttonous

appetites cause them to rapidly multiply, quickly

turning them from pets to pests.

Featured in “Swarm of the Century.”

Ancient myths say that CERBERUS is a giant

three-headed dog charged with the task of

guarding the gates to the nightmare realm

known as Tartarus. This ferocious creature

is responsible for preventing the evil trapped

behind the gates from escaping.

Featured in “It’s About Time.”

Tucked away in the depths of the

Ghastly Gorge is the QUARRAY EEL. The

elongated creature gets quite agitated

when anyone gets too close to a nest and has

been known to try to eat any unwanted visitors.

Featured in “May the Best Pet Win!”

Momma bear URSA MAJOR can

be big trouble if threatened, but a baby URSA

MINOR can be lulled to sleep by a skilled pony.

These two colossal bears have fur patterned

after the glimmering night sky.

Featured in “Boast Busters.”

Everfree Forest

preproduction art

“I thought

it was important to

keep the Elements of Harmony

extremely revered. They began [on

the show] as a myth that no one believed

was true. They were hidden away in castle

ruins in a forbidden forest. When they’re not in

use, they are kept in a vault in a stoic cathedral.

When they are used, they are used quickly and

powerfully, so they don’t suffer the indignity

of just being jewelry to wear. Rather than

defining them, I felt it was important to

keep them mysterious, so it was left to

the viewers’ imaginations just how

powerful they really were.”

—Lauren Faust, show

creator

the Elements of Harmony are six mystical jewels that harness

the power of friendship. Little is known about the enigmatic

Elements, but they’re extremely powerful and can only be used

in unison. Their mysterious origins are tied to Equestria’s distant

past, a time when two Unicorn sisters, Princess Celestia and Princess

Luna, used their magical powers

to rule the lands. Celestia raised

the sun in the morning, and Luna

roused the moon in the evening.

As time went on, Luna grew

frustrated watching ponies play all

day and sleep during the night. She

felt her hard work was going unnoticed, and her seething anger and

jealousy grew until they transformed the otherwise pleasant pony

into the vengeful Nightmare Moon. Using her newfound abilities,

Nightmare Moon plunged

Equestria into darkness.

Thankfully, Princess

Celestia was able to

harness the power of the

Elements of Harmony to

stop her sister and exile her into the moon for all eternity. Balance

had returned to Equestria, but Celestia knew that peace wouldn’t

last forever.

In the present, young

Twilight Sparkle discovered a

dark prophecy that heralded

the return of Nightmare Moon

on the longest day of the

thousandth year. She desperately

contacted Princess Celestia to warn her of the impending danger,

but the princess dismissed Twilight’s concern and insisted she focus

her attention on the upcoming Summer Sun Celebration. Princess

Celestia was convinced that the celebration would yield Twilight

a number of new friends, and it certainly did. During the event,

Twilight Sparkle instantly found five new pony pals: Fluttershy,

Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity,

and Rainbow Dash. It seemed,

at first, that the prophecy

was untrue, until suddenly

Princess Celestia disappeared

and Nightmare Moon once

again brought darkness to

Equestria.

Twilight quickly realized

that there was only one way to

save the day. She and her new

friends had to find and retrieve

the mythical Elements of Harmony from the ancient castle of the royal

pony sisters! They traveled through the dangerous Everfree Forest

and, after a perilous journey, finally arrived at the castle. During

their quest, the new pony friends confronted a myriad of dangers that

brought them closer together

in the process. Upon finding

the Elements, the group was

ambushed by Nightmare Moon,

who seemingly destroyed the

precious stones and doomed

Equestria forever. But Twilight

Sparkle realized that hope wasn’t lost and that her new friends were

the key to defeating Nightmare Moon. They each embodied the

various aspects of the Elements of Harmony, and by working together,

they pooled their power and used it against the vengeful Unicorn.

As Twilight called out the names of her friends, the broken

Elements re-formed into

sparkling new pendants

that gave each of their new

owners a power of friendship!

Applejack represented Honesty,

Fluttershy embodied the spirit

of Kindness, Pinkie Pie brought the group Laughter, Rarity exuded

Generosity, and Rainbow Dash’s strong suit was Loyalty. Twilight

Sparkle embodied the Element of Magic, which only sparked when

all the other Elements were present. Together, the ponies used their

newfound powers to transform Nightmare Moon back into the

benevolent form of Princess

Luna, once again bringing light

to Equestria. With her kingdom

now safe, Princess Celestia

revealed that she knew Twilight

Sparkle would be able to save

the day by harnessing the power

of the Elements. The princess then gave Twilight a special mission

to chronicle the magic of friendship and report on the valuable

lessons she learned. Over time, the Elements of Harmony have been

used sparingly, in times of dire necessity, and never in a harmful

or hurtful way. When

trouble arises, the duty

falls to those six brave

ponies to bring peace

and order to Equestria

once again.

“Who

knows what lies

beyond the lands we’ve

already shown? Seriously.

Who knows? Not me. Yet.”

—Meghan McCarthy, story editor

“Fans might be curious to know

that there are still parts of

Equestria we have yet to visit

and even discover!”

—Jim Miller, storyboard

supervisor

equestria

The enchanted lands of Equestria have become a beacon of hope and peace for

everypony to look up to, but that wasn’t always the case. The story of Equestria

began in the distant past with three tribes of ponies, each with a unique skill: the

horned Unicorns, the winged Pegasi, and the swift Earth Ponies. Every day, the

Unicorns used their magical gifts to raise the sun in the morning and the moon in

the evening. The Pegasi used their talents to create the weather, which helped the

Earth Ponies use their skills to grow food. It seemed as if the three groups worked

together, but the tribes lived separately from one another and rarely mingled.

They were constantly arguing and demanding special treatment for the use

of their skills.

All that changed on the day a blizzard caused a massive food shortage, and the

three tribes were forced to come together to seek out a new home. They came

upon a previously undiscovered land but began arguing over who had the right

to claim it. Their negative energy began to grow and fueled the power of the evil

creatures known as the Windigos! These ghostly beasts had caused the snowstorm

in the first place, and they fed off the hatred and distrust among the pony tribes.

Realizing that joining forces was their only solution, the three tribes were able to

light the mystical Fire of Friendship, which cleared away the snow and defeated

the Windigos once and for all. The three tribal leaders then decided to work

together in their new home, which would henceforth be known as Equestria.

canterlot

Canterlot is the noble capital of Equestria

and sits high atop a mountain in the middle

of the realm, overlooking the majestic,

sprawling lands. The city is filled with

beautiful golden spires, ivory towers, and

sparkling waterfalls. It’s also home to

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who

live there in the grand royal palace. Princess

Celestia supervises Celestia’s School for

Gifted Unicorns, the place where young

Twilight Sparkle learned to focus her

powerful magic. Each year, Canterlot hosts

the Grand Galloping Gala, and while the

city may be filled with many high-society

ponies, it serves to inspire the inhabitants of

Equestria to come together in times of need.

ponyville

Just down the mountainside from Canterlot

is Ponyville, a small town founded by Earth Ponies and filled with hardworking,

energetic ponies of all kinds. The sense of community is strong throughout town

with businesses like Sugarcube Corner, a sweet shop run by the Cake family,

and Sweet Apple Acres, a farm run by many generations of the Apple family.

Ponyville is also home to Twilight

Sparkle and her bright-eyed friends,

who keep themselves busy in

the town’s bustling marketplace.

Whether they’re reading a book

at the Golden Oak Library or

enjoying the annual Summer Sun

Celebration, the citizens of Ponyville

are a family through and through.

cloudsdale

The whimsical Cloudsdale hovers high in the skies above Equestria and is

populated exclusively by Pegasus ponies, who are the only ponies able to prance

safely among the clouds. The billowing skytown is home to the speedster

pony Rainbow Dash and also houses the weather factory, where the Pegasi

make rainbows, snowflakes, and various other types of weather for the Earth

Ponies below to enjoy. Each year, Cloudsdale plays host to the Best Young Flyer

competition, which is held in the ceremonial Cloudeseum.

everfree forest

On the outskirts of Ponyville lies the mysterious Everfree Forest, a wooded area

filled with bizarre creatures, such as ursas, manticores, and timberwolves. It’s

been said that the forest has an unnatural quality that puzzles the ponies of

Ponyville. Animals are known to take care of themselves, plants grow freely,

and the weather changes without the help of ponies. The forest once hosted

the Elements of Harmony, which were kept in the ancient castle of the royal

pony sisters. The mystical zebra Zecora lives deep within the green, where she

practices her magic in secret.

the crystal empire

The Crystal Empire is an ancient city that appeared on the frosty edge of

Equestria after a thousand-year curse kept it secret. This historic area is set

among an expansive mountain range and is inhabited by shimmering Crystal

ponies. The Crystal Empire is rich with culture and led by Shining Armor and

Princess Cadance, but it wasn’t always.

A thousand years ago, King Sombra,

a Unicorn whose heart was as black

as night, took over the Crystal Empire.

He was ultimately overthrown, turned

to shadow, and banished to the ice of

the arctic north. But not before he was

able to put a curse upon the Empire—a

curse that caused it to vanish into thin

air. Even my knowledge of the Empire

is limited. But what I do know is that

it contains a powerful magic. If the

Empire is filled with hope and love,

those things are reflected across all

of Equestria.

—Princess Celestia

white tail woods

The lush greenery of the White Tail

Woods is part of the annual Running

of the Leaves, where ponies compete

in challenges that include shaking the

leaves off all the trees in the forest.

froggy bottom bogg

Froggy Bottom Bogg is a swampy marshland

located south of Ponyville and is home to the

multiheaded sea serpent known as the hydra.

appleloosa

If you’re looking for horse-drawn

carriage rides and Wild West dances,

then Appleloosa is the place for you!

Saddle on up to the Salt Block saloon,

because this little town on the edge

of the Macintosh Hills has an old-

time flavor. And if there’s trouble in

Appleloosa, a pony can always turn to

the sheriff to help settle any disputes.

manehattan

Many young ponies dream of one day moving to the bright lights of Manehattan,

a bustling island city on the northeastern edge of Equestria. With its large size

and abundance of activity, Manehattan can be a lot for a pony to take in. Many

have made their home there over the

years, including Applejack’s high-

society aunt and uncle, the Oranges,

as well as the young Cutie Mark

Crusader Babs Seed.

Cloudsdale

(above) and Canterlot

development art by Dave

Dunnet and Martin

Ansolabehere

This page, the ruins of the Castle of the Two Sisters

in the Everfree Forest. At left, Fluttershy’s cottage,

the Sweet Shoppe and Ponyville. Development

art by Dave Dunnet and Martin Ansolabehere.

Are there any characters in particular that you enjoyed writing more than others?

I found myself getting excited when we would write episodes about Fluttershy. Fear and shyness seem like small things to overcome compared with some of the other ponies’ more tangible challenges, but Fluttershy’s challenges are very relatable. Experiencing fear is a very strong emotion, and, to me, the potential it brings is not just for great storytelling but [also for] great filmmaking. It is one thing to have a character say a feeling she’s experiencing, but to make an audience feel it as well is more challenging. It needs to come across in all aspects of your story: acting, body language, staging, camera moves, timing, and music. Using those elements to get an audience to experience—not just understand—emotion is exciting to me, and I found Fluttershy was the character we could get that out of the most.

Aside from Twilight Sparkle, which character do you think has seen the most growth throughout the run of the show?

To me, that would be Pinkie Pie. She began just as a giggly, silly sort of girl with only a smidgen of a weird streak (breaking the fourth wall, appearing suddenly in unexpected places). There was concern, in the beginning, that Pinkie Pie would be off-putting because I made the mistake of pitching her as “hyper” and “ditzy.” So we focused instead on toning her down and making her a simple “free spirit”

in the first several episodes. But as

everyone got more comfortable

Pinkie Pie concept

art by Lauren Faust

with her, and as everyone saw how much humor we were getting from her, we were able to loosen the reins considerably. By the end of Season One, she was really over-the-top strange and bordering on crazy, with a wacky cartoonish magic all her own.

Were the characters’ cutie mark origins already set in stone, or were you able to create them from scratch? Which one is your favorite? Why?

I had a couple of the ponies’ origins worked out in the development stage. I knew Twilight went to school for magic and had some sort of immense power inside of her that, once it showed itself for the first time, would create her cutie mark. I also planned that filly Rainbow Dash was the only Pegasus in recent history to create a rainbow from speed alone, and that she only ever did it once. All the other ponies’ cutie mark appearances were imagined in the writers’ room when we were planning “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” [episode]. Rainbow Dash’s story is still my favorite, just because it is so exciting and magical, and because of the way it touched all of her friends’ lives.

A few of the villains have seen the error of their ways as the show has progressed. How important is it for these antagonists to grow and learn from their mistakes?

[Nightmare Moon’s] reformation was integral to the plot of the pilot. For me, a lot of that story was extremely metaphorical. The Elements of Harmony were also the Elements of Friendship (a line that got cut), and I needed to think of something friendship would fix. I thought of the jealousy born of feeling ignored and left in someone’s shadow. I thought that if we knew someone who was hurting that way, showing them friendship, showing them that they were loved and valued, would be the cure. Nightmare Moon was effectively blasted with a gigantic friendship cannon (as silly as that sounds!), and the love from that lifted her jealousy long enough for her to reconcile with her sister and regain her true form.

I think there’s a double-edged sword to reforming villains. It’s good to see them come around, because it shows us that people can change and that if you find yourself making a mistake, you yourself can change and be forgiven. However, I also feel it’s actually important to show some villains remain villainous. Unfortunately, in this world, we run into people who will continue

to hurt us no matter how much kindness we show them. It’s realistic to show that this can happen and that it is best to cut abusive people out of our lives— like Rainbow Dash did with Gilda.

Which villain was the most fun for you to develop?

Discord was by far the villain who was the most fun to develop. By the time we were tasked with that episode, we felt some of the concerns over making the episodes too scary or confusing for our target audience were lifting. (For instance, Nightmare Moon was originally named Discord, but the name was rejected for fear children would not know what it meant.) I really held back on Nightmare Moon’s frightening factor in the first two-parter, but it seemed less of a worry twenty-six episodes in, so we really went for it when it was time to make Discord.

When creating the visuals for these villain characters, were you looking to cast a balance between the light of the ponies and the darkness of their enemies?

I can’t really say that was what our intention was. In fact, to address early concerns of frightening kids with villains and monsters, I tried to undercut the scariness by making Nightmare Moon beautiful, the manticore kind of cuddly, and the sea serpent silly. Early art of dragons depicted them as graceful and elegant. I always wanted there to be a sense of visual appeal to all the villains and monsters, avoiding anything gruesome or disturbing.

Who would you say is the most underestimated villain on the show and why?

I’d say Trixie. Jealousy is what transformed Luna into Nightmare Moon. I think Trixie’s jealousy could have festered in her and made her a larger threat than she was. I think she has a huge amount of potential for becoming a significant villain.

Many of the creatures in My Little Pony are based on Greek mythology. What prompted that choice?

Incorporating Greek mythology into the show just seemed natural to me. Having Unicorns and Pegasi in the world of My Little Pony automatically opened the door to classic mythology—both European and Greek. Pegasi, in particular, are derived specifically from the Greek myth of Perseus’s winged

horse, whose name was Pegasus. I wanted a recognizable, classic fantasy world, and Greek mythology is a well-known and abundant source for it.

Are there any characters that began as something quite different from what they ended up being on the show?

I originally intended for Twilight to struggle with the pressure she imposed on herself as Celestia’s top student. I had hoped to show her biggest motivation for studying was to try to live up to what she believed Celestia expected of her and, as a result, Twilight had an occasional insecurity complex to deal with. I think the pressure to be perfect is very relatable to girls, and I thought seeing a character struggle with it and learn from it could be helpful and comforting. We touched on it a little in [the episode] “Lesson Zero.” In the end, Celestia would know that Twilight’s talents would come to light with patience and support, and Twilight would learn that trusting her instincts and going with the flow a bit more would make her a better student and better leader.

Luna was intended to have a lingering issue with Celestia. I wanted her to be a bigger part of Season One, but I worried about pushback for her “darkness” in the beginning. I meant for her to still need to learn how to feel good about herself in her sister’s shadow, a lesson I thought could be valuable for girls with older siblings.

Who is your favorite animal pet on the show and why?

It’s close between Opal and Angel. They both have so much personality. But I think Angel wins for being unexpected and funny.

Spike is unique in that he’s one of the few nonpony main characters. How do you approach writing him and his struggles as opposed to the ponies?

I envisioned Spike as the sensitive little boy who has a lot of sisters and just seems to get along better with girls. I also imagined that he’s much younger than the ponies and has a little bit of the vibe of a little brother who wants to

My Little Pony concept

art by Lauren Faust

be included but can’t really keep up. He’s an outsider, and I think he feels it a little even though the ponies love and include him.

Each Element represents a positive quality a character should possess. What prompted you to choose these specific qualities?

It was quite a challenge, actually! When I was writing the pilot, I knew I had to come up with traits that defined friendship, but the trick was that these traits also had to be legitimately descriptive of the specific characters. Laughter and Kindness for Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were obvious, but it took time for me to find an iconic friendly quality for Rainbow Dash, a character who I saw initially as self-absorbed and rather irresponsible. But Loyalty suited her well and brought out her positive traits. Rarity was the toughest. Originally, I chose Inspiration for her, since she’s an artist, but others felt it was too much of a thinker, especially for kids. I’m so happy I found Generosity for her. It made me draw that aspect of her character out more in subsequent episodes, and I think that really helped pull her away from the stereotypical, unlikable debutante.

Are the Elements finite, or is there room for expansion?

I consider them finite. Three used to be wielded by Celestia, and three by Luna. I don’t know what the new writers have in store for them. Though I had toyed with the idea of opposing Elements of Discord . . .

As we’ve seen, there aren’t always musical numbers in each episode. What makes an episode song-worthy?

A song has to be integral to the plot. If it doesn’t push the story forward, it’s just fluff. For me, I always looked for instances where a lot of explaining needed to be done. Exposition, where characters are just talking about important information, can get extremely tedious. Getting the information across in a song adds a lot of extra entertainment value to something that would otherwise be boring to explain. I think “Winter Wrap Up” is a perfect example of this sort of song. I also think if there’s something we want the audience to feel extremely excited about, a song is warranted as well. “The Grand Galloping Gala” in [the episode] “The Best Night Ever” seems so much more amazing in song than it ever would have been if the ponies were just discussing it.

“Winter Wrap Up” is still the most special song to me. It was our first big number and opened my eyes to all the potential of what music could bring to this show.

What’s your process when creating a song? For example, does the script get written first, or the songs?

The script is written first. Many, but not all, of the writers will find a preexisting song that they feel has the tone or feeling they want to achieve and base the structure of their lyrics on that. Then the song goes to [composer] Daniel Ingram. I’m not sure if he utilizes the writers’ reference for inspiration or not. He’ll adjust the lyrics to fit his tune if he has to.

What is one thing that fans might not know about Equestria?

The ruins in the Everfree Forest where the Elements of Harmony were found were once Luna and Celestia’s childhood home. It used to be part of Equestria, but the magical, uncontrollable forest encroached on it and they had to move their home to Canterlot. Perhaps the Everfree Forest is still creeping over the borders of Equestria . . .

February 2013

Dress designs for

“Suited for Success”

by Lauren Faust

“When

writing songs, I like

to start with the lyrics. The

rhythm of the spoken words usually

gives me ideas for the melody. Then, as

I get writing and have a theme, sometimes

I’ll tweak and rework the lyrics to suit the

ideal musical phrases. I believe a great song

should be singable and playable in its most basic

form, so I like to start with just the tune and the

chords. It’s like building the frame of a house

before putting in the walls, plumbing, and

decorations. I know that if the song sounds

good as a piano demo, it will sound great

when it’s fully produced with all

the rest of the instruments.”

— Daniel Ingram,

composer

Season 1

Song: “Laughter Song”

Episode: “Friendship is Magic, Part 2”

Lyrics by Lauren Faust

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

Oh, girls, don’t you see…?

When I was a little filly

and the sun was going down…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Tell me she’s not…

PINKIE PIE

The darkness and the shadows,

they would always make me frown.…

RARITY

She is.

PINKIE PIE

I’d hide under my pillow

from what I thought I saw,

but Grammy Pie said that wasn’t the way

to deal with fears at all!

RAINBOW DASH

Then what is?

PINKIE PIE

She said, Pinkie, you gotta stand up tall.

Learn to face your fears.

You’ll see that they can’t hurt you;

just laugh to make them disappear!

Ha-ha-ha.

PONIES

[gasp]

PINKIE PIE

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Giggle at the ghostly.

Guffaw at the grossly.…

RAINBOW DASH

Guffaaaaww!!

PINKIE PIE

Crack up at the creepy.…

RARITY

Ha-ha-ha-haaa!!!

PINKIE PIE

Whoop it up with the weepy.…

APPLEJACK

Wooo-hoo-hooo!

PINKIE PIE

Chortle at the kooky.…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

K-k-hee-khee-khee!!

PINKIE PIE

Snortle at the spoooky.…

PONIES

Aaaaahhh-ha-ha-ha!!

PINKIE PIE

Tell that big, dumb, scary face

to take a hike and leave you alone,

and if he thinks he can scare you,

then he’s got another thing coming

and the very idea of such a thing

just makes you wanna—HAAAAAAAA-HA-

HA-HAAA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAAA-

HA-HAAAAAA-HA-HAAAAA—laugh!

PONIES

HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

Song: “Gala Fantasy Song”

Episode: “The Ticket Master”

Lyrics by Lauren Faust

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

It’s the most amazing-incredible-

tremendous-ginormous-super-fun-

wonderful-fabulous-terrifically

HUMONGOUS party in ALL OF

EQUESTRIA! I’ve always, always,

ALWAYS wanted to go!

Oh, the Grand Galloping Gala

is the best place for me.

Oh, the Grand Galloping Gala

is the best place for me.

Hip hip hooray, it’s the best place for me,

for Pinkie!

With decorations, like streamers and fairy

lights and pinwheels and piñatas and

pincushions...

With goodies, like sugar cubes and

sugarcanes and sundaes and sunbeams

and sarsaparilla.

And I get to play my favoritest of favorite

fantabulous games, like Pin the Tail on the

Pony!

Oh, the Grand Galloping Gala

is the best place for me.

Oh, the Grand Galloping Gala

is the best place for me.

Cause it’s the most galloprific, superly

terrific gala ever in the whole galaxy!

Whee!

Song: “Birthday Song”

Episode: “The Ticket Master”

Lyrics by Lauren Faust

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE AND PARTY

SURPRIIIIIISE!!!!!

PINKIE PIE

Twilight is my bestest friend,

whoopee, whoopee.…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Pinkie…

PINKIE PIE

She’s the cutest, smartest,

all-around best pony, pony.…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Pinkie.

PINKIE PIE

I bet if I throw a super-duper fun

par-tee, par-tee…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Pinkie.

PINKIE PIE

She’ll give her extra ticket to the Gala

to meeeeeeeeeee!

Song: “Winter Wrap Up Song”

Episode: “Winter Wrap Up”

Lyrics by Cindy Morrow

Music by Daniel Ingram

RAINBOW DASH

Three months of winter coolness

and awesome holidays.

PINKIE PIE

We’ve kept our hoofsies warm at home,

time off from work to plaaaaaay!

APPLEJACK

But the food we’ve stored is

runnin’ out

and we can’t grow in this cold.

RARITY

And even though I looove my boots

this fashion’s getting old!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

The time has come to welcome spring

and all things warm and green.

But it’s also time to say good-bye.

It’s winter. We must clean!

How can I help? I’m new, you see.

What does everypony do?

How do I fit in without magic?

I haven’t got a clue!

CHORUS

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

Let’s finish our holiday cheer.

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

RAINBOW DASH AND WEATHER TEAM

Bringing home the southern birds,

a Pegasus job begins,

and clearing all the gloomy skies

to let the sunshine in.

We move the clouds and

we melt the white snow.

When the sun comes up,

its warmth and beauty will glow.

CHORUS

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

Let’s finish our holiday cheer.

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

FLUTTERSHY AND ANIMAL TEAM

Little critters hibernate

under the snow and ice.

We wake up all their sleepy heads,

so quietly and nice!

We help them gather up their food,

fix their homes below.

We welcome back the southern birds

so their families can grow!

CHORUS

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

Let’s finish our holiday cheer.

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

APPLEJACK AND PLANT TEAM

No easy task to clear the ground,

plant our tiny seeds.

With proper care and sunshine,

everyone it feeds!

Apples, carrots, celery stalks,

colorful flowers, too.

We must work so very hard.

It’s just so much to do!

CHORUS

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

Let’s finish our holiday cheer.

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Now that I know what they all do,

I have to find my place

and help with all of my heart.

Tough task ahead I face!

How will I do without my magic?

Help the Earth pony way?

I want to belong, so I must

do my best today!

Do my best today!

CHORUS

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

Let’s finish our holiday cheer.

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

Winter wrap-up! Winter wrap-up!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

’Cause tomorrow spring is here!

Song: “Cupcake Song”

Episode: “Call of the Cutie”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

All you have to do is take a cup of flour.

Add it to the mix.

Now just take a little something sweet,

not sour.

A bit of salt, just a pinch.

Baking these treats is such a cinch.

Add a teaspoon of vanilla.

Add a little more and you count to four,

and you’ll never get your fill-a.…

Cupcakes! So sweet and tasty! Cupcakes!

Don’t be too hasty! Cupcakes! Cupcakes!

Cupcakes! Cupcaaaakes!

Song: “Stitching It Together”

Episode: “Suited for Success”

Lyrics by Charlotte Fullerton

Music by Daniel Ingram

RARITY

Thread by thread,

stitching it together,

Twilight’s dress.

Cutting out the pattern, snip by snip,

making sure the fabric falls nicely,

it’s the perfect color and so hip.

Always got to keep in mind my pacing,

making sure the clothes correctly facing

I’m stitching Twilight’s dress.…

Yard by yard, fussing on the details.

Jeweled neckline?

Don’t you know a stitch in time saves nine?

Make her something perfect to inspire

even though she hates formal attire.

Got to mind those intimate details

even though she’s more concerned

with sales.

It’s Applejack’s new dress.

Dressmaking’s easy.

For Pinkie Pie, something pink.

Fluttershy, something breezy.

Blend color and form—

do you think it looks cheesy?

Something brash, perhaps quite fetching?

Hook and eye,

couldn’t you just simply die?

Making sure it fits forelock and crest.

Don’t forget some magic in the dress.

Even though it rides high on the flank,

Rainbow won’t look like a tank.

I’m stitching Rainbow’s dress.

Piece by piece,

snip by snip,

croup, dock, haunch,

shoulders, hip.

Thread by thread,

primmed and pressed,

yard by yard,

never stressed.

And that’s the art of the dressssssss!

RARITY

Stitch by stitch,

stitching it together.

Deadline looms.

Don’t you know the client’s always right,

even if my fabric choice was perfect.

Got to get them all done by tonight.

Pinkie Pie, that color’s too obtrusive,

wait until you see it in the light.

I’m sewing them together.

Hour by hour,

one more change,

I’m sewing them together.

Take great pains.

Fluttershy, you’re putting me in a bind.

Rainbow Dash, what is on your mind?

Oh my gosh, there’s simply not much time.

Don’t forget Applejack’s duds must

shiiiiiine.

Dressmaking’s easy.

Every customer’s call

brings a whole new revision.

Have to pick up the pace,

still hold to my vision.

PINKIE PIE

All we ever want is indecision.

RAINBOW DASH

All we really like is what we know.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Got to balance style with adherence.

FLUTTERSHY

Making sure we make a good appearance.

APPLEJACK

Even if you simply have to fudge it.

PINKIE PIE, RAINBOW DASH,

TWILIGHT SPARKLE, FLUTTERSHY,

AND APPLEJACK

Make sure that it stays within our budget!

RARITY

Got to overcome intimidation.

Remember, it’s all in the presentation!

Piece by piece,

snip by snip,

croup, dock, haunch,

shoulders, hip.

Bolt by bolt,

primmed and pressed,

yard by yard,

always stressed.

And that’s the art of the dressssssss!

Song: “Hush Now, Quiet Now”

Episode: “Stare Master”

Lyrics by Chris Savino

Music by Daniel Ingram

FLUTTERSHY

How about I sing you a lullaby?

ALL THREE GIRLS

Yeah!

FLUTTERSHY

Ahem…

Hush now, quiet now,

it’s time to lay your sleepy head.

Hush now, quiet now,

it’s time to go to bed.

SWEETIE BELLE

I know this one!!!

FLUTTERSHY

Oh, how wonderful!

Why don’t you sing it with me?

SWEETIE BELLE

Ahem…

Hush now, quiet now,

time to lay your sleepy head.

Said, hush now, quiet now,

it’s time to go to beeeeeeeed.

FLUTTERSHY

Okay, Sweetie, that was—

SWEETIE BELLE

Drifting off to sleep,

the exciting day’s behind you.

Drifting off to sleep,

let the joy of dreamland find you.

FLUTTERSHY

Thank you, Sweetie, I’m—

SWEETIE BELLE

Hush now, quiet now,

lay your sleepy head.

Said, hush now, quiet now,

it’s time to go to BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!!!!!

Song: “Cutie Mark Crusaders Song”

Episode: “The Show Stoppers”

Lyrics by Cindy Morrow

Music by Daniel Ingram

SCOOTALOO

Look! Here are three little ponies

ready to sing for this crowd.

Listen up, cause here’s our story.

I’m gonna sing it—

APPLE BLOOM, SWEETIE BELLE, AND

SCOOTALOO

VERY LOUD!

SCOOTALOO

When you’re a younger pony

and your flank is very bare.

Feels like the sun will never come

when your cutie mark’s not there.

So the three of us, we fight the fight.

There is nothing that we fear.

We’ll have to figure out what we’ll do next—

APPLE BLOOM, SWEETIE BELLE, AND

SCOOTALOO

’til our cutie marks are here!

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

on a quest to find out who we are

and we will never stop the journey,

not until we have our cutie marks.

SCOOTALOO

They all say that you’ll get your mark

when the time is really right

and you know just what

you’re s’posed to do

and your talent comes to light.

But it’s not as easy as it sounds

and that waiting’s hard to do.

So we test our talents everywhere—

APPLE BLOOM, SWEETIE BELLE, AND

SCOOTALOO

until our face is blue!

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

on a quest to find out who we are

and we will never stop the journey,

not until we have our cutie marks.

We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders

on a quest to find out who we are

and we will never stop the journey,

not until we have our cutie maaaaarks!

Song: “Sharing/Caring Song”

Episode: “Over a Barrel”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

We may be divided,

but of you all I beg

to remember we’re all hooved

at the end of each leg.

No matter what the issue,

come from wherever you please,

all this fighting gets you nothing

but hoof-and-mouth disease.

Arguing’s not the way.

Hey, come out and play.

It’s a shiny new day.

So whaddaya say?

You gotta shaaaaaare.

You gotta caaaaaare.

It’s the right thing to do.

You gotta shaaaaaare.

You gotta caaaaaare.

And there’ll always be a way through.

Both our diets, I should mention,

are completely vegetarian.

We all eat hay and oats.

Why be at each other’s throat?

You gotta shaaaaaare.

You gotta caaaaaare.

It’s the right thing to do.

Aand there’ll always be a way—

throoooooooough!

Song: “Fluttershy Fantasy Song”

Episode: “The Cutie Mark Chronicles”

Lyrics by Mitch Larson

Music by Daniel Ingram

YOUNG FLUTTERSHY

What is this place

filled with so many wonders?

Casting its spell

that I am now under.

Squirrels in the trees

and the cute little bunnies.

Birds flying free

and bees with their honey,

hooooneeeeeey!

Ooooooh!

What a magical place!

And I owe it all

to the Pegasus race!

If I knew the ground had

so much up its sleeve,

I’d have come here sooner

and never leave.

Yes, I

love

ev—ry—THIIIIIIIIING!!

Song: “Singing Telegram Song”

Episode: “Party of One”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

This is your singing telegram.

I hope it finds you well.

You’re invited to a party

’cause we think you’re really swell.

Gummy’s turning one year old,

so help us celebrate.

The cake will be delicious,

the festivities first-rate.

There will be games and dancing.

Bob for apples, cut a rug.

And when the party’s over,

we’ll gather around for a group hug.

No need to bring a gift.

Being there will be enough.

Birthdays mean having fun with friends,

not getting lots of stuff.

It won’t be the same without you,

so we hope that you say yes.

So, please, oh, please RSVP,

and come and be our guest.

Song: “At the Gala”

Episode: “The Best Night Ever”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

At the Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

At the Gala!

FLUTTERSHY

At the Gala, in the Garden,

I am going to see them all.

All the creatures, I’ll befriend them…

at the Gala.

PONY FRIENDS

At the Gala!

FLUTTERSHY

All the birdies and the critters,

they will love me, big and small.

We’ll become good friends forever

right here at the Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

All our dreams will come true

right here at the Gala!

At the Gala!

APPLEJACK

At the Gala, I will sell them

all my apple-tastic treats!

Hungry ponies…

they will buy them.

Caramel apples, apple sweets!

“In the first

draft of ‘The Cutie

Pox,’ Sweetie Belle and

Scootaloo sang a rap to Apple

Bloom, hoping to cheer her up.

That got cut very early on. In ‘The

Best Night Ever,’ I had Fluttershy

singing to Celestia’s animals to try

to get them to come out. That

script ran really long, so

that was cut, too.”

—Amy Keating Rogers,

writer

PONY FRIENDS

It’s amazing!

Better hurry!

Yummy yum!

Feeling snacky!

Bring your money!

Gimme some!

APPLEJACK

And I’ll earn a lot of money

for the Apple family!

PONY FRIENDS

All our dreams and our hopes

from now until hereafter.

All that we’ve been wishing for

will happen at the Gala!

At the Gala!

RARITY

At the Gala, all the royals,

they will meet fair Rarity.

They will see I’m just as regal

at the Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

At the Gala!

RARITY

I will find him,

my Prince Charming.

And how gallant he will be…

he will treat me like a lady…

tonight at the Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

This is what we’ve waited for,

to have the Best Night Ever!

Each of us will live our dreams

tonight at the Gala!

At the Gala!

RAINBOW DASH

I’ve been dreaming.

I’ve been waiting

to fly with those great ponies…

the Wonderbolts!

Their daring tricks,

spinning round and having kicks!

Perform for crowds of thousands!

They’ll shower us with diamonds!

The Wonderbolts will see me

right here at the Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

All we’ve longed for,

all we’ve dreamed…

our happy ever after.

Finally will all come true

right here at the Grand Gala!

At the Gala!

PINKIE PIE

I am here at the Grand Gala!

For it is the best party!

But the one thing it was missing

was a pony named Pinkie!

For I am the best at parties!

All the ponies will agree!

Ponies playing, ponies dancing

with me at the Grand Gala!

PONY FRIENDS

Happiness and laughter at the Gala!

At the Gala!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

At the Gala…with the princess

is where I am going to be.

We will talk all about magic

and of what I’ve learned and seen.

It is going to be so special

as she takes time just for me!

PONY FRIENDS

This will be the Best Night Ever!

Into the Gala we must go…

we’re ready now, we’re all aglow.

Into the Gala, let’s go in

and have the Best Night Ever.

Into the Gala, now’s the time.

We’re ready and we look divine.

FLUTTERSHY

Into the Gala to meet new friends!

APPLEJACK

Into the Gala to sell some apples!

RARITY

Into the Gala to find my prince!

RAINBOW DASH

To prove I’m great, as a Wonderbolt is!

FLUTTERSHY

To meet…

APPLEJACK

To sell…

RARITY

To find…

RAINBOW DASH

To prove…

PINKIE PIE

To whoop…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

To talk…

PONY FRIENDS

Into the Gala…

into the Gala…

and we’ll have the Best Night Ever!

At the Gala!

Song: “Pony Pokey”

Episode: “The Best Night Ever”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

You reach your right hoof in,

you reach your right hoof out.

You reach your right hoof in,

and you shake it all about.

You do the Pony Pokey,

meeting lots of folks with clout.

That’s what I’m talking about!

You step your left hoof in,

you pull it right back out.

You step your left hoof in,

but you better help him out.

You do the Pony Pokey,

but you find a different crowd.

That’s what it’s all about!

You kick your back left in,

you pull your back left out.

You reach your back left in,

just be brave and have no doubt.

You do the Pony Pokey,

feeling like you’re gonna pout.

That’s what I’m singing about!

You tilt your head in,

you tilt your head out.

You tilt your head in,

then you shake it all about.

You do the Pony Pokey,

even though your date’s a lout.

You’re better off without!

You stomp your whole self in,

you stomp your whole self out.

You stomp your whole self in,

and you stomp yourself about.

You do the Pony Pokey,

and you give a little shout.

FLUTTERSHY

COME OUT!

PINKIE PIE

That’s what I’m talking about!

You do the Pony Pokey!

You do the Pony Pokey!

You do the Pony Pokey!

And that’s what it’s all about.

Yeah!

Song: “Jolly Good Fellow”

Episode: “The Best Night Ever”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

I’m at the Grand Galloping Gala!

I’m at the Grand Galloping Gala!

I’m at the Grand Galloping Gala!

It’s all I ever dreamed!

It’s all I ever dreamed!

Woo hoo!

It’s all I ever dreamed!

Yippee!

I’m at the Grand Galloping Galaaaaaa!

It’s all I’ve ever dreamed!

“Songs work really well

in My Little Pony: Friendship is

Magic for different reasons, but they are

all motivated by the characters. I think this is

why it works so well when the show has songs.

The songs can also make the stakes of the

episode that much bigger, and when things

don’t go right, the impact is greater.”

—Amy Keating Rogers, writer

Season 2

Song: “May the Best Pet Win”

Episode: “May the Best Pet Win!”

Lyrics by Charlotte Fullerton & Kevin Rubio

Music by Daniel Ingram

FLUTTERSHY

Now, Rainbow, my dear,

I cannot express my delight.

It’s abundantly clear

that somewhere out here

is the pet that will suit you just right.

RAINBOW DASH

I can’t wait to get started,

but first let me set a few rules.

It’s of utmost importance

the pet that I get is something

that’s awesome and cool!

FLUTTERSHY

Awesome. Cool. Got it.

I have so many wonderful choices.

Just wait, you will see.

RAINBOW DASH

I need something real fast like a bullet

to keep up with me.

FLUTTERSHY

Sure. How ’bout a bunny?

They’re cutesy and wootsy

and quick as can be.

RAINBOW DASH

Cutesy? Wootsy?

Have you even met me?

FLUTTERSHY

Rainbow, have faith.

You see, I will bet you

somewhere in here is

a pet that will get you.

Come on, the sky’s the limit!

RAINBOW DASH

Sky is good! I’d like it to fly.

FLUTTERSHY

Really? Because I think this

widdle puddy tat has your name

written all over it. Yes, he does.

Aw, look. He likes you!

RAINBOW DASH

Pass.

FLUTTERSHY

I have so many wonderful choices

for you to decide!

There are otters and seals

with massive appeal.

RAINBOW DASH

Otters and seals do not fly.

FLUTTERSHY

Maybe not, but I’ve seen

this particular seal catch ten feet of air

when he breaches the water.

RAINBOW DASH

That’s it. I’m outta here.

FLUTTERSHY

Wait! There must be a pet here

that will fit the ticket.

How about a ladybug?

Or a cute cricket?

RAINBOW DASH

Bigger. And. Cooler.

FLUTTERSHY

Bigger. Cooler. Right.

I’ve got just the thing

in that tree!

Dash, meet your new fabulous pet,

Squirrely!

RAINBOW DASH

It’s just a squirrel.

FLUTTERSHY

Not just any squirrel…

a flying squirrel!

RAINBOW DASH

Yeahhhh, so like I was saying—

Fluttershy, pal,

this won’t cut it.

I need a pet to keep up with me.

Something awesome!

Something flying!

With coolness that defies gravity!

FLUTTERSHY

I’m sensing you want

an animal that can fly.

RAINBOW DASH

Ya think??

FLUTTERSHY

I have plenty of wonderful

creatures who soar in the sky.

Like a sweet hummingbird

or a giant monarch butterfly?

RAINBOW DASH

Better. But cooler!

FLUTTERSHY

I see.

How ’bout an owl?

Or a wasp or a toucan?

There’s so many wonderful creatures

the likes of that.

There are falcons and eagles,

they are both quite regal.

Or perhaps what you need

is a dark and mysterious bat?

RAINBOW DASH

Now you’re talking!

But instead of just one standout,

now that’s too many!

So many choices,

and such riches aplenty!

FLUTTERSHY

Not a bad problem to have,

if you ask me.

RAINBOW DASH

The bat would be awesome!

But the wasp I’m digging, too.

Do you have something

in a yellow-striped bat?

FLUTTERSHY

No. But I’ve got a hot-pink

flamingo just dying to meet you.

RAINBOW DASH

What to do, what to do?

A prize? That’s it!

There’s really just one way

to find out which animal’s best.

Hold a contest of speed, agility, and guts

that will put each pet to the test!

FLUTTERSHY

Don’t forget style.

That should be considered.

RAINBOW DASH

Then I’ll know for sure

who’s best of the litter!

FLUTTERSHY

The one who is awesome-est, cool.

RAINBOW DASH

Just like me!

Can’t settle for less

’cause I’m the best!

RAINBOW DASH AND FLUTTERSHY

So a contest we will seeeeeeee…

RAINBOW DASH

who’s the number one, greatest,

perfect-est pet in the world for me!

RAINBOW DASH AND FLUTTERSHY

May the games begin!

RAINBOW DASH

And may the best pet win.

Song: “Becoming Popular

(The Pony Everypony Should Know)”

Episode: “Sweet and Elite”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

RARITY

I’ll be the toast of the town,

the girl on the go.

I’m the type of pony everypony,

everypony should know.…

I’ll be the one to watch,

the girl in the flow.

I’m the type of pony everypony,

everypony should know.…

Becoming as popular as popular can be.

Making my mark, making my mark

in high society.

I’m the belle of the ball,

the star of the show.

Yeah, I’m the type of pony everypony,

everypony should know.

See how they hang on every word

that I speak.

My approving glance is what they all seek.

I’m the crème de la crème,

not just another Jane Doe.

I’m the type of pony everypony,

everypony should know.

At home, at the opera, on a fancy yacht

becoming the talk,

the talk of all of Canterlot.

I’m the crème de la crème,

not just another Jane Doe.

Yeah, I’m the type of pony everypony,

everypony should know.

Because…I’m the type of pony,

yes, I’m the type of pony,

yes, I’m the type of pony

everypony should know.…

Song: “Heart Carol Song” or

“A Circle of Friends”

Episode: “Hearth’s Warming Eve”

Lyrics by Merriwether Williams

Music by Daniel Ingram

EVERYPONY

The Fire of Friendship lives in our hearts.

As long as it burns we cannot drift apart.

Though quarrels arise,

their numbers are few.

Laughter and singing will see us through.

We are a circle of pony friends...

a circle of friends we’ll be

to the very end.

Song: “Baby Cakes Song”

Episode: “Baby Cakes”

Lyrics by Charlotte Fullerton

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

Happy month-i-versary

to you and you today!

I-can’t-believe-you’re-already-a-month-

old. Time-sure-flies-doesn’t-it-wow.

Seems-like-only-yesterday-

you-were-born.

But now you’re a month old today, hey!

Song: “Piggy Song”

Episode: “Baby Cakes”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

First you jiggle your tail,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your snout,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your rump,

oink, oink, oink!

Then shout it out!

Oink, oink, oink!

[Repeat]

First jiggle your tail,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your snout,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your rump,

oink, oink, oink!

Then shout it out!

Oink, oink, oink!

[Repeat faster]

First jiggle your tail,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your snout,

oink, oink, oink!

Then you wriggle your rump,

oink, oink, oink!

Then shout it out!

Oink, oink, oink!

Song: “Flim Flam Cider Song”

Episode: “The Super Speedy Cider

Squeezy 6000”

Lyrics by Mitch Larson & Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

FLIM

Well, lookie what we got here,

brother of mine.

It’s the same in every town.

Ponies with thirsty throats, dry tongues,

and not a drop of cider to be found.

Maybe they’re not aware that there’s

really no need for this teary despair.

FLAM

That the key that they need to solve this

sad cider shortage you and I will share.

FLIM AND FLAM

Well, you got opportunity

in this very community!

He’s Flim—

he’s Flam. We’re the world-famous

Flim Flam brothers, traveling salesponies

nonpareil!

PINKIE PIE

Nonpa-what?

FLIM

Nonpareil! And that’s exactly

the reason why, you see—

Nopony else in this whole place

will give you such a chance to be where

you need to be.

And that’s a new world with tons of cider,

fresh-squeezed and ready for drinking.

FLAM

More cider than you could drink in all

your days of thinking!

RAINBOW DASH

I doubt that—

FLIM AND FLAM

So take this opportunity in this very

community!

FLAM

He’s Flim—

FLIM

he’s Flam. We’re the world-famous

Flim Flam brothers, traveling salesponies

nonpareil!

FLIM

I suppose by now you’re wondering

about our peculiar mode of transport.

FLAM

I say, our mode of locomotion.

FLIM

And I suppose by now you’re wondering,

where is this promised cider?

FLAM

Anyhorse can make a claim

and anypony can do the same.

FLIM

But my brother and I have something

most unique and superb,

unseen at any time in this big, new world.

FLIM AND FLAM

And that’s opportunity!

FLIM

Folks, it’s the one and only—

the biggest and the best—

FLAM

the unbelievable—

FLIM

unimpeachable—

FLAM

indispensable—

FLIM

I-can’t-believe–able—

FLIM AND FLAM

Flim Flam brothers Super Speedy

Cider Squeezy 6000!

“I have a soft spot for the

Flim Flam brothers’ song. It was just so

much fun to write—both because of its unique patter-

like quality and because of what the brothers are trying

to accomplish with the song: They want to mesmerize

Ponyville. And it’s catchy as heck.”

— Mitch Larson, writer

FLAM

Whattaya say, sister?

PONIES

Oh, we got opportunity

in this very community!

Please, Flim, please, Flam,

help us outta this jam

with your Flim Flam brothers

Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000!

FLIM

Young filly, I would be ever so honored if

you might see fit to let my brother

and I borrow some of your delicious—

and might I add spellbindingly fragrant—

apples for our little demonstration here?

APPLEJACK

Uh…sure, I guess.

PONIES

Opportunity!

In our community!

FLAM

Ready, Flim?

FLIM

Ready, Flam!

FLAM

Let’s bing, bang, zam

and show these thirsty ponies

a world of delectable cider!

PONIES

Cider…cider…cider…cider…

cider…cider…cider…cider…

FLIM

Watch closely, my friends—

FLAM

the fun begins!

FLIM

Now here’s where the magic happens,

right here, in this heaving,

roiling cider press coiling

guts of the very machine.

Those apples plucked fresh

are right now as we speak

being turned into grade A, top-notch,

five-star, blow-your-horseshoes-off,

one-of-a-kind cider.

FLIM

Feel free to take a sneak peek.

GRANNY SMITH

Now wait, you fellers, hold it!

You went and oversold it.

I guarantee that what you have there

won’t compare,

for the very most important ingredient

can’t be added or done expedient,

and that’s quality, friends,

Apple Acres’ quality and care!

FLIM

Well, Granny, I’m glad you brought that

up, my dear.

I say, I’m glad you brought that up.

You see that we are very picky when it

comes to cider, if you’ll kindly try a cup.…

FLAM

Yes, sir, yes, ma’am, this great machine

lets just the very best.…

So whattaya say, then, Apples?

Care to step into the modern world and

put the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000

to the test?

PONIES

Cider…cider…cider…cider…

FLIM

Whattaya think, folks?

Do you see what the Apples can’t?

I see it clear as day! I know she does!

So does he! Come on, Ponyville,

you know what I’m talking about!

FLIM AND FLAM

We’re saying you’ve got opportunity

in this very community!

He’s Flim, he’s Flam.

We’re the world-famous

Flim Flam brothers…

tra-vel-ing saaaalesponies

NONPAREIIIIIIIL!!

Yeeeeaaaaahh!!

Song: “The Perfect Stallion”

Episode: “Hearts and Hooves Day”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

SWEETIE BELLE

Cheerilee is sweet and kind.

She’s the best teacher we could hope for.

The perfect stallion you and I must find,

one to really make her heart soar.

But this one’s too young,

this one’s too old—

he clearly has a terrible cold.

SICKLY PONY

Aah-choo.

APPLE BLOOM

This guy’s too silly.

He’s way too uptight.

UPPITY PONY

I say!

SWEETIE BELLE

Well, nothing’s wrong with this one.

He seems all right.

SCOOTALOO

His girlfriend sure thinks so.

SWEETIE BELLE

How ’bout this one?

APPLE BLOOM

He’s much too flashy.

SCOOTALOO

He might do.

APPLE BLOOM AND SWEETIE BELLE

If he weren’t so splashy.

APPLE BLOOM

Too short.

SWEETIE BELLE

Too tall.

APPLE BLOOM

Too clean.

SCOOTALOO

Too smelly.

SWEETIE BELLE

Too strangely obsessed with tubs of jelly.

APPLE BLOOM

I don’t think that we’re mistaken.

It seems all the good ones are taken.

SWEETIE BELLE

I really feel that at this rate,

we’ll never find the perfect date.

Don’t want to quit and give up hope…

SCOOTALOO

Doing anything special for

Hearts and Hooves Day?

SWEETIE BELLE

Oh please, oh please, oh please say…

BIG MCINTOSH

nope.

SWEETIE BELLE

We did it, girls, we’ve found the one

who will send our teacher’s heart aflutter.

Song: “The Smile Song”

Episode: “A Friend in Deed”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

My name is Pinkie Pie!

Hello!

And I am here to say

how ya doin’?

I’m gonna make you smile and I will

brighten up your day!

It doesn’t matter now.

What’s up?

If you are sad or blue.

Howdy!

’Cause cheering up my friends is just

what Pinkie’s here to do!

’Cause I love to make you smile, smile,

smile. Yes, I do.

It fills my heart with sunshine all the

while. Yes, it does.

’Cause all I really need’s a

smile, smile, smile.

From these happy friends of mine!

I like to see you grin.

Awesome!

I love to see you beam.

Rock on!

The corners of your mouth turned up is

always Pinkie’s dream.

Hoof bump!

But if you’re kinda worried—

and your face has made a frown—

I’ll work real hard and do my best

to turn that sad frown upside down!

’Cause I love to make you grin, grin, grin.

Yes, I do.

Bust it out from ear to ear. Let it begin.

Just give me a joyful grin, grin, grin.

And you fill me with good cheer!

It’s true, some days are dark and lonely.

And maybe you feel sad.

But Pinkie will be there to show you

that it isn’t that bad.

There’s one thing that makes me happy

and makes my whole life worthwhile.

And that’s when I talk to my friends and

get them to smi-i-ile!

I really am so happy!

Your smile fills me with glee.

I give a smile, I get a smile,

and that’s so special to me.

“I would probably say that

‘The Smile Song’ is my favorite because it’s

just so uplifting and positive without being too

saccharine or cheesy. It strikes a great balance of

fun and meaning. There’s no way you can listen to

that and not feel better for doing so.”

— Jayson Thiessen, supervising director

’Cause I love to see you

beam, beam, beam. Yes, I do.

Tell me, what more can I say

to make you see that I do?

It makes me happy when you

beam, beam, beam.

Yes, it always makes my day!

Come on, everypony, smile, smile, smile.

Fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine.

All I really need’s a smile, smile, smile,

from these happy friends of mine!

Come on, everypony, smile, smile, smile,

fill my heart up with sunshine, sunshine.

All I really need’s a smile, smile, smile,

from these happy friends of mine!

Yes, the perfect gift for me-ee-ee

is a smile as wide as a mi-ii-ile.

To make me happy as can be-ee-ee.

PINKIE PIE AND FRIENDS

Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smiiiiiiiiiiile!

Come on and smile! Come on and smile!

Song: “The Cranky Doodle Song, Part 1”

Episode: “A Friend in Deed”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

You’re a Cranky Doodle Donkey guy!

A Cranky Doodle Donkey!

I’ve never met you,

but you’re my new friend.

And I’m your best friend, Pinkie Pie!

C’mon now, Doodle, give a smile!!!!

Song: “The Cranky Doodle Song, Part 2”

Episode: “A Friend in Deed”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

He had a Cranky Doodle sweetheart,

she’s his Cranky Doodle joy.

I helped the Cranky Doodle boy.

Yes, I helped the Cranky Doodle boy!!

Song: “Welcome Ditty”

Episode: “A Friend in Deed”

Lyrics by Amy Keating Rogers

Music by Daniel Ingram

PINKIE PIE

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

A fine welcome to you!

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

I say, “How do you do?”

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

I say, “Hip hip hooray!”

Welcome, welcome, welcome

to Ponyville todaaaaaaaaay!

Song: “BBBFF”

Episode: “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 1”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

When I was just a filly,

I found it rather silly

to see how many other ponies

I could meet.…

I had my books to read.

Didn’t know that I would ever need

other ponies to make my life complete.

But there was one colt that I cared for.

I knew he would be there for…me.

My Big Brother Best Friend Forever.

Like two peas in a pod,

we did everything together.

He taught me how to fly a kite.

Best friend forever.

We never had a single fight.

We did everything together.

We shared our hopes.

We shared our dreams.

I miss him more than I realized,

it seems.…

PONIES

Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever.

Like two peas in a pod,

you did everything together.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

And though he’s oh-so-far away.

I hoped that he would stay…

my Big Brother Best Friend Forever.

Forever.

Song: “This Day Aria, Part 1”

Episode: “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

IMPOSTOR CADANCE

This day is going to be perfect.

The kind of day of which I’ve dreamed

since I was small.

Everypony will gather round,

say I look lovely in my gown.

What they don’t know is that

I have fooled them all.

PRINCESS CADANCE

This day was going to be perfect.

The kind of day of which I’ve dreamed

since I was small.

But instead of having cake

with all my friends to celebrate,

my wedding bells, they may not ring

for me at all.

IMPOSTOR CADANCE

I could care less about the dress.

I won’t partake in any cake.

“ ‘BBBFF’

is special to me

because as I was writing

the lyrics I was thinking

about the amazing relationship

that my daughter has with her

big brother. If they start to get on

each other’s nerves as they get

older, I’m going to force them

to listen to it on a loop until

they make up.”

— Meghan McCarthy,

story editor

Vows? Well, I’ll be lying when I say

that through any kind of weather

I’ll want us to be together.

The truth is I don’t care for him at all.

No, I do not love the groom.

In my heart there is no room.

But I still want him to be all mine!

PRINCESS CADANCE

Must escape before it’s too late.

Find a way to save the day.

Hope? I’ll be lying if I say

I don’t fear that I may lose him

to one who wants to use him,

not care for, love, and cherish him

each day.

For I oh-so-love the groom.

All my thoughts he does consume.

Oh, Shining Armor, I’ll be there very

sooooooon!

IMPOSTOR CADANCE

Finally the moment has arrived

for me to be one lucky bride.…

PRINCESS CADANCE

Oh, the wedding we won’t make.

He’ll end up marrying a fake.

Shining Armor will be—

IMPOSTOR CADANCE

Mine, all mine.

The kind of day of which I’ve dreamed

since I was small.

Everypony I’ll soon control,

every stallion, mare, and foal.

Who says a girl can’t really have it all?

Song: “Love Is in Bloom”

Episode: “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy &

Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Love is in bloom.

A beautiful bride. A handsome groom.

Two hearts becoming one.

A bond that cannot be undone because

love is in bloom.

A beautiful bride. A handsome groom.

I say, love is in bloom.

You’re starting a life

and making room for us.

Song: “This Day Aria, Part 2”

Episode: “A Canterlot Wedding, Part 2”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

QUEEN CHRYSALIS

This day has been just perfect.

Season 3

Song: “The Failure Song”

Episode: “The Crystal Empire, Part 1”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

I was prepared to do my best,

thought I could handle any test,

for I can do so many tricks,

but I wasn’t prepared for this.

Levitation would have been a breeze.

Facts and figures I recite with ease.

The square root of 546 is 23.36664289109.

PROFESSOR PONY

She is correct!

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

I could ace a quiz on friendship’s bliss,

but I wasn’t prepared for this.

Will I fail or will I pass, I can’t be sure.

SPIKE

She can’t be sure.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

My mind is sharp, my skills intact.

My heart is pure.

SPIKE

Her heart is pure.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Oh, I’ve taken my share of licks.

I’ve made it through the thin and thick.

But no, I wasn’t…

SPIKE

Oh no, she wasn’t…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Oh no, I wasn’t…

SPIKE

Oh no, she wasn’t…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

No, I wasn’t…

prepared for this!

Song: “The Ballad of the Crystal Ponies”

Episode: “The Crystal Empire, Part 1”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Princess Cadance needs our help.

Her magic will not last forever.

I think we can do it,

but we need to work together.

We have to get this right.

Yes, we have to make them see

we can save the Crystal ponies

with their history.

RAINBOW DASH

It says that they liked jousting.

RARITY

They flew a flag of many hues.

APPLEJACK

Made sweets of Crystal berries.

FLUTTERSHY

They had a petting zoo with tiny ewes.

PONIES

Oh, we have to get this right.

Yes, we have to make them see

we can save the Crystal ponies

with their history.

PINKIE PIE

There was a Crystal flüelhorn

that everypony liked to play.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

And a Crystal Kingdom anthem.

Can you learn it in a day?

PONIES

Oh, we have to get this right.

Yes, we have to make them see

we can save the Crystal ponies

with their history.

Song: “The Success Song”

Episode: “The Crystal Empire, Part 2”

Lyrics by Meghan McCarthy

Music by Daniel Ingram

RARITY

You were prepared to do your best,

had what it takes to pass the test.

All those doubts you can dismiss.

Turns out you were prepared for this.

APPLEJACK

You clearly have just what it takes.

PINKIE PIE

To pass a test with such high stakes.

FLUTTERSHY

We knew for sure you would prevail.

RAINBOW DASH

Since when does Twilight Sparkle ever fail?

PONYVILLE PONIES

All those doubts that you can dismiss,

trust yourself and you cannot miss.

Turns out you were…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

turns out I was…

PONYVILLE PONIES

turns out you were…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

turns out I was…

RARITY

turns out you were…

PONYVILLE PONIES

prepared for this!

Song: “Babs Seed”

Episode: “One Bad Apple”

Lyrics by Cindy Morrow &

Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

APPLE BLOOM

First we thought that Babs

was so really, really sweet.

A new friend to have,

and it seemed like such a treat.

SCOOTALOO

But then we found the truth:

She’s just a bully from the east.

She went from Babs,

yeah, to a bully and a beast!

APPLE BLOOM

Everywhere we turn,

she’s just a step ahead!

CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS

Babs Seed! Babs Seed!

What we gonna do?

Got a bully on our tail,

gotta hide, we gotta bail.

Babs Seed! Babs Seed!

If she’s after you,

you gotta run, we gotta flee,

gotta hurry, don’t you see?

Babs Seed! Babs Seed!

She’s just a bad, bad seed!

APPLE BLOOM

Hiding from a bully,

we know it isn’t right,

but the Cutie Mark Crusaders,

we aren’t lookin’ for a fight!

SCOOTALOO

Oh, she’ll go home soon

and then we’ll have some peace again.

But for now we’re stayin’ out of her way

’til then.

APPLE BLOOM

Everywhere we turn,

she’s just a step ahead.

CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS

Babs Seed! Babs Seed!

What we gonna do?

Gotta bully on our tail,

gotta hide, we gotta bail.

Babs Seed! Babs Seed!

If she’s after you,

you gotta run, we gotta flee,

gotta hurry, don’t you see?

Why so mean? Why so crude?

Why so angry? Why so rude?

Can’t you be nice?

Can’t we be friends?

Isn’t it sad? Is this how it all ends?

Babs Seed, Babs Seed,

she’s just a bad, bad...

Babs Seed, Babs Seed,

she’s just a bad, bad…

Babs Seed, Babs Seed,

she’s just a BAD, BAD SEED.

Song: “Raise This Barn”

Episode: “Apple Family Reunion”

Lyrics by Cindy Morrow

Music by Daniel Ingram

APPLEJACK

Raise this barn, raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Together we can raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Up, up, up go the beams.

Hammer those joints, work in teams.

Turn ’em round quick by the right elbow,

grab a new partner, here we go!

C’mon, Apple Family! Let’s get to it!

Whooo-whee!

Raise this barn, raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Together we can raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Finish the frame, recycling wood,

workin’ hard, you’re doin’ good!

Turn ’em round quick by the right elbow,

grab your partner, here we go!

Raise this barn, raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Together we can raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Slats of wood come off the ground.

Hold ’em up and nail them down.

Turn ’em round quick by the left elbow,

grab a new partner, here we go!

C’mon, Apples! Git ’er done!

APPLE BLOOM

Look at us, we’re family.

APPLEJACK

Working together thankfully.

APPLE BLOOM

We Apples, we are proud to say...

APPLEJACK AND APPLE BLOOM

stick together the pony way.

APPLEJACK

Bow to your partner and circle right.

Get down if you’re scared of heights!

Forward, back, and twirl around.

That barn’s gonna be the best in town!

Yee-haw! Atta girl!

APPLE BLOOM

All right! Let’s get to it!

APPLEJACK AND OTHERS

Raise this barn, raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

Together we can raise this barn,

one, two, three, four.

APPLEJACK

Take your brushes, young and old.

Together paint it bright and bold.

Turn ’em round quick by the left elbow,

grab a new partner, here we go!

APPLEJACK AND OTHERS

We raised this barn, we raised this barn.

Yes, we did!

Together we sure raised this barn.

Yes, we did!

Being together counts the most.

We all came here from coast to coast.

All we need to strive to be

is part of the Apple FA-MI-LYYYY!

Song: “Morning in Ponyville”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Mitch Larson

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Morning in Ponyville shimmers,

morning in Ponyville shines,

and I know for absolute certain

that everything is certainly fine.

There’s the mayor en route to her office.

There’s the sofa clerk selling some quills.

Yes, my Ponyville is so gentle and still.

Can things ever go wrong?

I don’t think they will.

Morning in Ponyville shimmers,

morning in Ponyville shines,

and I know for absolute certain

that everything is certainlyyyy—

RAINBOW DASH! That’s not funny!

RARITY

Terribly sorry, darling. I’m afraid I’m not

good with the thundery ones.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

[gasps] Something tells me everything

is not going to be fine.

Song: “What My Cutie Mark Is Telling Me”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

RAINBOW DASH

These animals don’t listen,

no, not one little bit.

They run around, out of control,

and throw their hissy fits.

It’s up to me to stop them,

’cause plainly you can see,

it’s got to be my destiny.

And it’s what my cutie mark is telling me.

FLUTTERSHY

I try to keep them laughing,

put a smile upon their face.

But no matter what I try,

it seems a bit of a disgrace.

I have to entertain them;

it’s there for all to see.

It’s got to be my destiny.

And it’s what my cutie mark is telling me.

A NEARBY PONY

[laughs]

“We don’t usually go into a story

meeting knowing for sure that there will be a

song in the episode. The decision to include one usually

just comes from the process of fleshing out the episode. As

we’re figuring out the beats of the story, we start to see that an

emotion a character is feeling might be better expressed through

a song, or a montage we have planned calls for singing

instead of just instrumental music behind it.”

— Meghan McCarthy, story editor

PINKIE PIE

I don’t care much for pickin’ fruit,

and plowin’ fields ain’t such a hoot.

No matter what I try I cannot fix

this busted water chute!

I’ve got so many chores to do;

it’s no fun being me,

but it has to be my destiny.

’Cause that’s what my cutie mark

is telling me.

APPLEJACK

Lookie here at what I made,

I think that it’s a dress.

I know it doesn’t look like much.

I’m under some distress.

Could y’all give me a hand here,

and help me fix this mess?

My destiny is not pretty,

but it’s what my cutie mark is telling me.

RARITY

I’m in love with weather patterns,

but the others have concerns,

for I just gave them frostbite

over top of their sunburns.

I have to keep on trying,

for everyone can see.…

RAINBOW DASH

it’s got to be…

FLUTTERSHY

it’s got to be…

PINKIE PIE

my destiny…

APPLEJACK

my destiny.

RARITY AND RAINBOW DASH

And it’s what my cutie mark…

PINKIE PIE AND FLUTTERSHY

it’s what my cutie mark…

ALL MAIN PONIES

yes, it’s what my cutie mark is telling me.

Song: “I’ve Got to Find a Way”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

I have to find a way

to make this all okay.

I can’t believe this small mistake

could have caused so much heartache.

Oh why…?

Oh why…?

Losing promise, I don’t know what to do.

Seeking answers, I fear I won’t get

through to you.…

Oh why…?

Oh why…?

“As we are

breaking a story

into acts and eventually

individual scenes, we start

to see where it might be nice

to have a song. The writer of the

episode knows at the outline stage

whether there will be a musical

number and writes the lyrics

into the script.”

— Meghan McCarthy,

story editor

Song: “A True, True Friend”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

A friend will be there to help them see.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND FLUTTERSHY

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

to see the light that shines from a true,

true friend.

RAINBOW DASH

Um, hello?

Friend trapped inside, remember?

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Rarity needs your help.

She’s trying hard, doing what she can.

FLUTTERSHY

Would you try, just give it a chance?

You might find that you’ll start to

understand.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE AND FLUTTERSHY

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

A friend will be there to help you see.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

to see the light that shines from a true,

true friend.

RAINBOW DASH

Uhhh, what just happened?

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

There’s no time to explain…

but we need your help.

Applejack’s trying to make dresses!

RAINBOW DASH

Say no more.

Applejack needs your help.

She’s trying hard, doing what she can.

Would you try, just give it a chance?

You might find that you’ll start to

understand.…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE, FLUTTERSHY,

AND RAINBOW DASH

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

A friend will be there to help them see.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

to see the light that shines from a true,

true friend.

RARITY

Oh my!…What a terrible dream I had!

Or maybe I’m still having it.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Rarity, Pinkie Pie is about to lose the

Apple Farm.

We need Applejack’s help.…

RARITY

Lose the Apple Farm? Well, we can’t let

that happen now, can we?

Pinkie Pie is in trouble.

We need to get there by her side.

We can try to do what we can now,

for together we can be her guide.…

TWILIGHT SPARKLE, FLUTTERSHY,

RAINBOW DASH, AND RARITY

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

A friend will be there to help them see.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

to see the light that shines from a true,

true frieeeend.…

APPLEJACK

Yeee-haw! Now that’s more like it!

What’s next?

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

The townspeople are furious.…

We need the old Pinkie Pie back!

APPLEJACK

I’m on it, I know just the thing.

The townspeople need you,

they’ve been sad for a while.

They march around, face a-frown,

and never seem to smile.

And if you feel like helpin’,

we’d appreciate a lot

if you’d get up there and spread some

cheer from here to Canterlot.…

PINKIE PIE

Come on, ponies! I wanna see you

SMILE!!!

TOWNSPONIES

PINKIE!!!

EVERYPONY

A true, true friend helps a friend in need.

A friend will be there to help them see.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need

to see the light…that shines…that shines!

From a true, true frieeeend!

Song: “Celestia’s Ballad”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

PRINCESS CELESTIA

You’ve come such a long, long way,

and I’ve watched you from that very

first day

to see how you might grow,

to see what you might do,

to see what you’ve been through,

and all the ways you’ve made me

proud of you.

It’s time now for a new change to come.

You’ve grown up,

and your new life has begun.

To go where you will go,

to see what you will see,

to find what you will be,

for it’s time for you

to fulfill your destinyyy.…

Song: “Behold, Princess Twilight Sparkle”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Daniel Ingram

Music by Daniel Ingram

EVERYPONY

The princess Twilight cometh!

Behold! Behold!

The princess here before us!

Behold! Behold!

Behold! Behold!

The princess Twilight cometh!

Behold! Behold!

The princess is,

the princess is here!

Song: “Life in Equestria”

Episode: “Magical Mystery Cure”

Lyrics by Mitch Larson

Music by Daniel Ingram

TWILIGHT SPARKLE

Life in Equestria shimmers,

life in Equestria shines,

and I know for absolute certain...

PONIES

that everything, yes, everything,

yes, that everything, yes, that everything

is certainly fine.

Is fiiineee!

“ There are

actually quite a few

songs I’ve found myself

singing when no one’s around, but

the one that stands out for me the

most is ‘Celestia’s Ballad.’ As animation

supervisor over the past three seasons,

I actually got a little choked up the first

time I watched the finished sequence

where Princess Celestia shows Twilight

flashbacks from her life. It was almost

like seeing flashbacks from the past

three years of my life!”

— Ishi Ruddell, animation

director

“It amazes me to think of

how deeply children and fans of all

ages are embracing the DNA and true

essence of the My Little Pony brand. We

are thrilled the brand has transcended age and

gender globally because of our socially relevant

messages of friendship, tolerance, and that it is okay

to be who you uniquely are. It is quite wonderful

and has been an honor to be part of this new

generation of My Little Pony, and of all that

the brand represents.”

—Donna Tobin, senior director

of global brand strategy and

marketing, Hasbro

My Little Pony

Is Taking Over!

Trends will always come and go, but none have taken the world

by storm like the Friendship is Magic movement. Kids, parents,

and fans of all ages have been mesmerized by this undeniable

phenomenon. But what is it about these lovable ponies that have

people celebrating the world over? Sure, they’re charming, sweet,

and all-around awesome, but there’s more to these little ponies

than meets the eye. In a market flooded with animated programs

and requisite toy lines, My Little Pony has excelled because of its

combination of branding and substance. The equation is simple:

fun, bright characters + engaging storytelling mixed with a positive

message = a perfect blend of entertainment and education that’s fun

for families of all shapes and sizes. Kids love the characters, parents

like the messages, and fans love everything in between.

The My Little Pony animated series is filled with

magic, wonder, and escapism just

as any good children’s program

should be. In a saturated television

landscape, it can be difficult

to project a positive message

without coming across as heavy-

handed. But the dazzling ponies

of Equestria and their quest

to become the best ponies

“It makes me

feel good to know I’m part of

something positive. Goodness knows we

need that in this world.”

—Phil Caesar, location designer

they can be have proven it’s

possible to make entertaining,

quality television that teaches a

thing or two in the process. Whether

it’s Applejack’s Southern charm, Rainbow

Dash’s boundless energy, or Twilight Sparkle’s lovable neurosis, each

pony is known for her distinct and unique personality. Viewers see

themselves reflected in each character’s individuality and learn

that it’s important to be who you are. They celebrate their favorite

character’s triumphs and learn along with them when they make

a mistake. The diverse cast is filled with relatable representations

of a variety of distinct personality types. Conveying these positive

lessons are frenetic and exciting stories that use music, dance, and

a crisp pace to keep young people involved and energized. Episodes

are simple to understand, are smartly written, and feature subtle

adult humor to keep parents watching alongside their kids.

Bright personalities, bold colors, and high energy have been

proven to capture attention, but My Little Pony also empowers

young girls to be anything they want to be in life. As simple as

that tenet may sound, it can be difficult to find programming

with a strong feminine point of view that doesn’t shy away from

“It does surprise me that fans have

connected so strongly with the Elements of Harmony.

And the fandom has really impressed me with where they’ve

taken the philosophy of the Elements. They have done lots of

charity work and fund-raisers, feeling that philanthropy is

part of the message of the Elements.”

—Amy Keating Rogers, writer

“I’m not at all

surprised at the fans’

love of the show. It’s fun, funny,

and full of adventure, but never shies

away from the sincerity of emotion and

heart inherent in the characters. I really

believe the fans identify and admire those

qualities in our main ponies. They represent

the qualities we should all aspire to have

when choosing our own friends: honesty,

loyalty, generosity, kindness, and

laughter.”

—Jim Miller, storyboard

supervisor

confronting the choices a

young girl may be faced

with. While some girls

enjoy dressing up, others

like to play sports. While

some ponies love brushing

their mane, others enjoy a

hard day’s work. My Little

Pony encourages girls to be

girly in their own special way,

but only if they want to be. In

Ponyville, there’s room for everypony to be who they want to be and

embrace their talents and individuality. The characters refuse to be

easily defined and often encourage one another to try new things so

that they have a chance to grow and learn.

The word family means different things to different people,

but we can all agree that a family loves and supports one another

unconditionally. That’s why parents connect so deeply to the

bonds among Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, and the rest of the

“My favorite fan art is a ‘Chomper’

drawing done by my daughter when she came in to

hang out with me at work one day. It’s a burger-eating shark-pony

drawing that she did for a coworker who loves sharks. She wanted to help

the director out with ideas for new pony designs. The director [James

Wootton] took the drawing to the art director, Ridd Sorensen, to slick

it up a bit and then handed it back to my girl for final approval.

She and I were very touched with this gesture.”

— Sherann Johnson, storyboard artist

“I am definitely

honored to be a

significant part of such an

amazing show and cultural

phenomenon. As a parent myself,

I’m glad that other parents feel

that the work we do and the stories

we tell are something they feel

comfortable sharing with their

children, as I do.”

—Jayson Thiessen,

supervising director

ponies in Equestria. In addition to its entertainment value, My

Little Pony serves as a teaching tool for families to use at home

when illustrating important life lessons. As Twilight Sparkle learns

the importance of sharing and friendship, parents can use her

experiences to educate their children

and pass along these valuable

messages. Musical numbers like

the “Sharing/Caring Song” are

designed to engage kids by

making the message fun,

energetic, and relatable.

Nostalgia often plays

a part in popular culture,

and many parents have

welcomed My Little

Pony into their homes

because they grew up

with it. Moms share their

childhood love of the brand,

which helps them relate to the

“I was on vacation in Austin,

Texas, during a record-breaking

heat wave, and while walking along

the sidewalk near my hotel in South

Congress, I saw in the distance what looked

to be a person in a large pink mascot costume.

Initially, I dismissed it as someone on their way

to a sporting event of some kind and continued

chatting with my friends, but as we passed the

pink mascot, I noticed a balloon cutie mark on

the hip of the costume. This was Pinkie Pie!

Someone was dressed head to toe in this

fuzzy costume in 110-degree heat! Now

that’s dedication!”

—Devon Cody, producer

“As a parent, I’ve had to sit

through my share of shows with my kids so

I understand how great it is to find ones that we enjoy

watching together, and that have a positive impact on them.

I had a mom come up to me and tell me that when her sons start

to argue, she just has to say, ‘What would Pinkie Pie do?’ and instead

of continuing to fight, they try to calmly resolve their

differences. One of the many joys of working on this show

is knowing that I’m not just getting to write funny stories,

but that I’m putting something with a really positive

message out into the world.”

—Meghan McCarthy, story editor

kids in the process. Instead of stagnating, My Little Pony has

evolved to include modern attitudes toward family, community,

and acceptance. The characters and their

continued evolution serve to reignite a

fondness felt by parents, which they, in

turn, pass along to the next generation.

It can be argued that younger

generations have become desensitized

to violence because of the deluge

of images shown to them on

television and the Internet, and in

the news media. Though My Little

Pony rests comfortably in the

realm of fantasy, parents can rest

assured that even the most perilous

situations that the characters may find

themselves in can always be solved

“One

day I received

a package hand-

delivered by some fans

from out of town. It was

an incredible My Little Pony

poster that they had custom-

designed and signed by all the

prominent musicians in the fan

community at the time. It’s a

beautiful piece of work and a

very touching gesture from the

community. I had it framed,

and it hangs in my studio

today.”

—Daniel Ingram,

song composer

“It’s a

good feeling

knowing that

kids are not only

enjoying the show for

its entertainment value,

but that they are getting

something deeper out

of it as well. ”

—Ridd Sorensen,

art director

by a nonviolent resolution. The solutions

are always clear, clever, and positive.

My Little Pony may be aimed

squarely at younger audiences, but the

universal appeal of the series for all

ages is recognized by the show’s creator,

Lauren Faust, as one of the secrets to its

success. But what keeps teen and adult

fans engaged in a show meant for kids? The

message of Friendship is Magic is a universal

one, and fans of all ages connect deeply to

the show’s sense of camaraderie and fellowship.

“A fan I spoke to told me that Cindy

Morrow’s episode ‘Griffon the Brush Off’ really

had a strong effect on him. This fan always felt that

he needed to please everyone in order to have friends. He

would even change his personality to do this. But in watching

this episode, he learned that he just needed to be himself like

Pinkie was. If someone liked him, great! If not, then they

weren’t his friend to begin with.”

—Amy Keating Rogers, writer

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Contents

A Few Words of Introduction

Why My Little Pony?

1. My Little Ponies

2. Cutie Mark Crusaders

3. Fellow Equestrians and Animal Friends

4. The Dark Side

5. The Elements of Harmony

6. The Magical World of Equestria

7. An Interview with Lauren Faust

8. The Musical Pony

9. Friendship Fanatics