Ranking the Mane Six/Seven/Eight Episodes (From Worst to Best), Version 2

This one is probably going to be the most interesting to do because of the fact that "The Best Gift Ever" is considered an episode, and it most definitely can't count as any one character's episode. When you add that to the group episodes of Season 9 (which there were surprisingly more than you might think: Eight out of a total of twenty six), that adds up to a total of nine more episodes to consider as part of this collection of group episodes (mane six counts only the six ponies, mane seven for me counts the six ponies and Spike but not Starlight, and mane eight counts them all) for a whopping total of 53 episodes, just four less than the total number of Twilight focus episodes! And like the recently updated list for Twilight, I'm going to do something different. for mane six, mane seven and mane eight episodes I will highlight the newcomers and explain why they ended up where they did at the end of each part, and then at the end we'll see how all 53 episodes stack up together. As always this list is purely the result of my personal opinion. Here's the first version, from March. Let's see what changed.

First up are the mane six episodes, we got four more this season which brings their total up 28. And here's how they all stack up.

28. Hearth's Warming Eve (Season 2, Episode 13 in production order/11 in airdate)
27. Rainbow Falls (Season 4, Episode 10)
26. Trade Ya! (Season 4, Episode 18 in production order/22 in airdate)
25. Bats! (Season 4, Episode 7)
24. Yakity Sax (Season 8, Episode 18 in production order/14 in airdate)
23. Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, (Season 4, Episode 22 in production order/21 in airdate)
22. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? (Season 5, Episode 13)
21. and 20. The Return of Harmony Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2)
19. The Best Night Ever (Season 1, Episode 26)
18. Magic Duel (Season 3, Episode 5)
17. Swarm of the Century (Season 1, Episode 10)
16. and 15. Princess Twilight Sparkle Parts 1 and 2 (Season 4, Episodes 1 and 2)
14. The Saddle Row Review a.k.a Saddle Row and Rec (Season 6, Episode 10 in production order/9 in airdate)
13. Bridle Gossip (Season 1, Episode 9)
12. The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows (Season 5, Episode 21 in production order/19 in airdate)
11. and 10. The Beginning of the End Parts 1 and 2 (Season 9, Episodes 1 and 2)
9. Dragonshy (Season 1, Episode 7)
8. Rarity Takes Manehattan (Season 4, Episode 8)
7. Between Dark and Dawn (Season 9, Episode 13)
6. Maud Pie (Season 4, Episode 18)
5. Party Pooped (Season 5, Episode 11)
4. The Cutie Mark Chronicles (Season 1, Episode 23)
3. The Summer Sun Setback (Season 9, Episode 17)
2. and 1. The Cutie Map a.k.a Cutie Markless Parts 1 and 2 (Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2)

Now allow me to explain why each episode ended up where it did, especially since all of them ended pretty high (all within the top twelve). Even though "The Beginning of the End" is focused more on Twilight's struggles ("Shadow Play" was a group effort the whole time, they just happened to put a great deal of focus on Twilight wanting to impress Starswirl, hence why I don't count it as just her episode) the rest of the mane six are a big part of it too, not just in lampshading but in actually helping (or trying to). I'm kind of bummed their little chant didn't get used again in the finale, it kind of grows on you. "Between Dark and Dawn" does connect to the big theme of Season 9, though it does suffer from not connecting well to the A plot with the royal sisters. However, it feels like everyone has something to contribute in it, whereas others were uneven in their group focus. And ultimately, the rest of the mane six are witnesses to Twilight's character growth while Twilight herself is showing it off in "The Summer Sun Setback". I know Spike appeared in that episode, but he really didn't do much in an already crowded episode. But the top placer truly felt like a group mission, a team effort, something they could only do if everyone did their part (and in turn inspired others).

Next up is the mane seven episodes, we got three more here for a grand total of 12 episodes that count.

12. Over a Barrel (Season 1, Episode 21)
11. Power Ponies (Season 4, Episode 6)
10. What About Discord? (Season 5, Episode 22)
9. Castle Mane-ia (Season 4, Episode 3)
8. A Dog and Pony Show (Season 1, Episode 19)
7. The Ticket Master (Season 1, Episode 3)
6. The Best Gift Ever (Season 8, Episode 26? or Season 9, Episode 0?)
5. and 4. The Crystal Empire Parts 1 and 2 (Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2)
3. Keep Calm and Flutter On (Season 3, Episode 10)
2. The Last Problem (Season 9, Episode 26)
1. Sparkle's Seven (Season 9, Episode 4)

And for the newcomers, here are my explanations. It's kind of hard to know how to count "The Best Gift Ever" as an episode, is it an extra episode of Season 8 or a sneak preview of Season 9? I think it leans toward the former just a little, but sometimes it can feel like it's unaware that we already did a lot of these things in Season 8 (Pinkie leaving Ponyville for Yakyakistan, Twilight freaking out with her friends being along for the ride, Flim and Flam conning other ponies with the same routine, Discord setting things up just to be a jerk), and some plots feel kind of weak (Spike's in particular makes you wonder why they bothered to bring it up) but at least it feels like everyone had a reason to be in it. Choosing between "The Last Problem" and "Sparkle's Seven" was very hard, both good things and bad things going for them. But ultimately, "The Last Problem" was a mane seven episode during the flashback and towards the very end, the present was spent on Luster Dawn and her struggles that parallel Twilight's. Meanwhile, "Sparkle's Seven" was very much a group effort with even Spike getting a role to play, it helps that each of the mane seven's VAs were credited with the story because of the ideas they basically spitballed.

And since we only have one additional two parter to include for mane eight episodes, the total for them is 13 (meaning they still consist mainly of two parters).

13. and 12. School Raze Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 8, Episodes 25 and 26)
11. Fame and Misfortune (Season 7, Episode 14)
10. The Mean Six (Season 8, Episode 13)
9. and 8. School Daze Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 8, Episodes 1 and 2)
7. and 6. The Crystalling Parts 1 and 2 (Season 6, Episodes 1 and 2)
5. Horse Play (Season 8, Episode 7)
4. and 3. The Ending of the End Parts 1 and 2 (Season 9, Episodes 24 and 25)
2. and 1. Shadow Play Parts 1 and 2 (Season 7, Episodes 25 and 26)

As for why "The Ending of the End" is where it is, ultimately Starlight's part was just a quick fight with Chrysalis and then being freed by Discord to in turn free the rest of the mane seven to go find Twilight. We have to assume that she failed to fend off the Legion of Doom, and while I'm pretty sure she was in the final battle she wasn't the one who cast the protective shield over Twilight and the others (kind of a missed opportunity). I don't count "The Last Problem" since while she did get a touching moment towards the end of the flashback, she wasn't part of the group meeting and seemed to have settled into her role as headmare of the School of Friendship.

And finally, it's time to rank all 53 episodes from worst to best. Just ask if you're curious about anything.

53. Hearth's Warming Eve (Season 2, Episode 13 in production order/11 in airdate)
52. and 51. School Raze Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 8, Episodes 25 and 26)
50. Fame and Misfortune (Season 7, Episode 14)
49. The Mean Six (Season 8, Episode 13)
48. Over a Barrel (Season 1, Episode 21)
47. Rainbow Falls (Season 4, Episode 10)
46. Trade Ya! (Season 4, Episode 18 in production order/22 in airdate)
45. Power Ponies (Season 4, Episode 6)
44. What About Discord? (Season 5, Episode 22)
43. Bats! (Season 4, Episode 7)
42. Yakity Sax (Season 8, Episode 18 in production order/14 in airdate)
41. Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3, (Season 4, Episode 22 in production order/21 in airdate)
40. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? (Season 5, Episode 13)
39. and 38. The Return of Harmony Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 2, Episodes 1 and 2)
37. The Best Night Ever (Season 1, Episode 26)
36. and 35. School Daze Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is lower than Part 1) (Season 8, Episodes 1 and 2)
34. and 33. The Crystalling Parts 1 and 2 (Season 6, Episodes 1 and 2)
32. Magic Duel (Season 3, Episode 5)
31. Castle Mane-ia (Season 4, Episode 3)
30. and 29. Princess Twilight Sparkle Parts 1 and 2 (Season 4, Episodes 1 and 2)
28. A Dog and Pony Show (Season 1, Episode 19)
27. The Ticket Master (Season 1, Episode 3)
26. Swarm of the Century (Season 1, Episode 10)
25. The Saddle Row Review a.k.a Saddle Row and Rec (Season 6, Episode 10 in production order/9 in airdate)
24. Bridle Gossip (Season 1, Episode 9)
23. The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows (Season 5, Episode 21 in production order/19 in airdate)
22. Dragonshy (Season 1, Episode 7)
21. The Best Gift Ever (Season 8, Episode 26? or Season 9, Episode 0?)
20. and 19. The Ending of the End Parts 1 and 2 (Season 9, Episodes 24 and 25)
18. and 17. The Beginning of the End Parts 1 and 2 (Season 9, Episodes 1 and 2)
16. Between Dark and Dawn (Season 9, Episode 13)
15. and 14. The Crystal Empire Parts 1 and 2 (Part 2 is weaker than Part 1) (Season 3, Episodes 1 and 2)
13. Rarity Takes Manehattan (Season 4, Episode 8)
12. Maud Pie (Season 4, Episode 18)
11. Party Pooped (Season 5, Episode 11)
10. The Summer Sun Setback (Season 9, Episode 17)
9. Horse Play (Season 8, Episode 7)
8. The Cutie Mark Chronicles (Season 1, Episode 23)
7. Keep Calm and Flutter On (Season 3, Episode 10)
6. and 5. Shadow Play Parts 1 and 2 (Season 7, Episodes 25 and 26)
4. Sparkle's Seven (Season 9, Episode 4)
3. and 2. The Cutie Map a.k.a Cutie Markless Parts 1 and 2 (Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2)
1. The Last Problem (Season 9, Episode 26)

Whew, and there you have it. Come back tomorrow when we'll update the rankings for the Discord episodes.

Comments

[superfun]

My ranking:
The Last Problem
Ending of the End
Between Dark and Dawn
School Raze
Sparkle’s Seven
Beginning of the End
Summer Sun Setback
Best Gift Ever
The Mean Six
Shadow Play
Fame and Misfortune
School Daze
Cutie Map
Saddle Row Review
The Crystalling
Best Night Ever
The Cutie Mark Chronicles
Castle Sweet Castle
Castle Mane-ia
Trade Ya!
Games Ponies Play
Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
Hearth's Warming Eve
Friendship is Magic
The Ticket Master
Bridle Gossip
Return of Harmony