Top Twenty Opening Sequences of FiM

Season 9 had a couple more opening sequences I thought were worthy of being noticed and mentioned, though for the most part I'd say that Season 9's opening sequences mostly fell somewhere in between or on the bad end of the spectrum (usually when the episode was bad the opening sequence would be bad and if it was good the opening sequence would be good). Since I did a Top Twenty Worst, I knew I had to make a Top Twenty Best to include five from Season 9. But I really struggled over that because there were ultimately really only four that stood out to me in a good way, and one that I struggled to consider because of some things. We'll get to that when we get to that, though. As always, feel free to disagree. If you're curious here's the top fifteen version, from a season ago. Let's see what changed.

20. Field Trip to Cloudsdale (School Raze, Part 1 Season 8, Episode 25)
Why it stayed on the bottom: You know those two random OCs that popped up here, well this time the OCs had an actual reason to be there. Prior to "School Raze" there was a contest where the top two winners would get to have their own OCs featured briefly in a scene in the finale. And the idea of a field trip to Cloudsdale that goes awry when magic starts to fail is executed nicely enough, the cloud walking spell getting a mention is a great reference to continuity. The biggest problem is how they're shoving Cozy Glow in your face to make the obvious revelation of her being evil later on seem more shocking, and it just further demonstrates how we know nothing about her that explains how she so quickly gained Twilight's trust.

19. Announcing the Amity Ball (She's All Yak Season 9, Episode 7)
Why it was added: Honestly, this is really more of a collection of little snippets to kick start the plot. We begin with Twilight putting up flyers for the Amity Ball and Smolder inviting Gallus to hang out and have dinner. Then after Twilight explains the event is open to every creature despite its pony roots, Sandbar walks up to Yona and in a pretty cute scene he asks her to be his pony pal for a dance contest. Keep in mind what Yona says in reply here: "But Yona yak, Yona not pony." Right off the bat Yona already thinks she has to be a pony to be able to even attend the Amity Ball, and it takes Sandbar convincing her the dance contest will be fun for her to agree to go with him. So no, Rarity isn't the one who's trying to turn Yona into something else, Yona is the one who believes she has to be a pony. Speaking of Rarity, we have Rarity bumping into Yona with her frazzled mane from episodes like "Suited for Success" and "Sweet and Elite" which isn't bad but comes across more as recycling animation than anything else. Really, the big thing that makes this entire sequence stand out is Sandbar asking Yona to basically be his date. Even if YonaBar being canonized was a spur of the moment decision when writing "The Last Problem" why wouldn't they go back to "She's All Yak" and make it so the romantic undertones were more obvious?

18. Spike and Rarity Visit Peewee (Molt Down Season 8, Episode 11)
Why it moved up: It moved up by not being second from the bottom. I do like this opening sequence, it was great to see Peewee again and see him all grown up. The stone scale is thankfully only focused on up close once and that's the extent of gross out humor, a sign of how to do it properly. But there is a slight continuity error when Rarity tells Spike not to get shampoo from Zecora, Rarity didn't wash with shampoo she took remover potion by mistake because Zecora didn't label her vials. Plus, the phoenix feathers are just used for the subplot with Rarity that really should've been cut, what "Molt Down" really needed was more Spike and Smolder interaction and less cliche romantic comedy antics like hiding from your crush because you're having a bad breakout.

17. Crusaders Go Bowling (The Cutie Pox Season 2, Episode 6)
Why it moved up: This sequence is the only part of "The Cutie Pox" that doesn't feel padded out or pointless filler. The Crusaders pick an activity and actually try it out instead of just giving up on it the moment it doesn't work out. We get to see three ways in which ponies bowl: Kick the ball with their legs, push the ball with their nose, or roll the ball after spitting it out of their mouth ("Slice of Life" showed a fourth way, a sort of Flintstones way with hooves). I'm a little bit bummed we never got a bowling episode or subplot, or even a pony bowling video game (preferably with the option to mess up and have power ups, though I kind of like the former more to see what sort of exaggerated mishaps developers can come up with: Like sliding onto the lane or my favorite: Tekken Bowl from "Tekken Tag Tournament" where you can roll the ball into the crowd and trigger a K.O. even though it will still count as a foul).

16. Rarity Shows Off Her Collection (Rarity Investigates! Season 5, Episode 16)
Why it moved down: Speaking of things we never got to see, whatever happened to Shadow Spade? Couldn't we have gotten something exploring her world of noir detective stories and films that she's clearly a nod to? Is she real like Daring Do? We'll never know. Considering this came on the heels of Sassy Saddles' sudden redemption at the end of "Canterlot Boutique" this did a lot to show that she had in fact learned her lesson, and that she could play off of Rarity well. I'm still very bummed that she and Canterlot Carousel just sort of fizzled out after this, only popping up one more time. Ultimately though, we'd get a bit better of a RarityxSassy dynamic in another opening sequence, because this one just seemed to use Sassy as a prop for Rarity to bounce dialogue off of.

15. Twilight's Sibling Supreme Story (Sparkle's Seven Season 9, Episode 4)
Why it's in the top fifteen: Now this is how you handle exposition properly, using a character that would believably not have knowledge of what's been conveyed and thus justifying the need to tell them (and by extent the audience). I know this was Tara's idea, but the fact that they put it first seems to convey how important this detail was to not just the episode but to Twilight's overall character (and Shining Armor's as well). To those who say it contradicts Twilight's claim from "A Canterlot Wedding" about how she and Shining "Never had a single fight", I personally think that line was just Twilight's memory being colored by nostalgia. You always tend to remember the good more than the bad, so of course she would remember the happy memories with her brother and not the bad ones. Some complain about Night Light and Twilight Velvet's use of a paper crown and a chart where they would basically reward their children for good behavior. To an extent I understand this concern, we should want others to do good things not because they think they'll get a reward but because they're the right thing to do. But a little positive reinforcement can go a long way towards helping a child understand right from wrong. If they associate their action with a positive consequence then they'll feel obligated to repeat it. The trick is making sure they understand that they don't automatically get the reward just for trying. On top of all of that, this episode was one of the ones in Season 9 that even though it didn't have a need for Starlight, it still at least acknowledged her presence and gave a believable reason as to why she was being written out of the story.

14. Keeping Carousel Boutique Running/Rarity's Breakdown (Forever Filly Season 7, Episode 6)
Why it moved down: Sadly my hopes were not realized, this was in fact the last we would see of Canterlot Carousel and the last time Sassy Saddles would have a speaking role (I know she and Starlight share the same VA in Kelly Sherdian but I'm not sure the unusual terms of using Starlight explains why Sassy wasn't used more). I still don't think this is the first time she's witnessed Rarity in the middle of one of her overly dramatic meltdowns. And there is still the odd detail of how Rarity is having what amounts to a mid life crisis when she's only in her late 20's maybe early 30's (perhaps mid 30's at absolute oldest), not to mention this opening sequence makes it seem like she's been there for Sweetie Belle more than their actual parents (which just shows how little their parents mattered after their initial appearance). Still, for what it's worth this opening sequence did a great job of keeping Rarity likable and making us care about her side of the conflict. Something that wasn't easy to do considering she's trying to treat Sweetie Belle as far younger than she actually is.

13. Spike Learns to Fly (Father Knows Beast Season 8, Episode 24)
Why it moved down: Yes it contradicts what I wrote in a fanfic shortly after "Molt Down", and yes it's kind of repeating/ripping off an entry we'll see later on, but I think it's still unique enough to stand on its own. It gives Smolder something to actually do with Spike instead of just expositing about dragon culture, while also not making Twilight look incompetent. It's a nice way to start off an episode, showing Spike as determined but uninjured. It's just too bad that the bit with Twilight towards the end gets ignored, indicating what the episode is going to do (instead of emotional investment or further hints into Spike's past it's going to just rehash "Dragon Quest").

12. The CMC's New Clubhouse (The Show Stoppers Season 1, Episode 18)
Why it moved down: Season 9 seemed to all but regress the CMC back to how they were here, back when they just seemed to be the cliche "dumb kids" that so many shows write when they don't know how to write kid characters. Quite frankly, considering this episode went on to drop the ball so badly, it opened up on such a promising note. I really have to wonder why we didn't just get an episode of the Crusaders fixing up the old clubhouse and making it their own? And sassy Scootaloo really should've been a thing. It's just too bad this is one of those opening sequences that actually isn't relevant to the actual episode, one of those ones where the real story begins later on.

11. Twilight and the CMC (Twilight Time Season 4, Episode 15)
Why it moved down: It was always the better nature of Twilight's character to be a teacher/mentor to others and this was the first time she truly seemed to be making something of her title and status since the Season 4 premiere. She displays the kind of mentorship that only the best can truly master, not doing things for their students but offering them the encouragement and support to get it done on their own. She's certainly strong willed if she can resist the adorable face Scootaloo gives her (complete with that high pitched squee). We also got the first hints of growth for Sweetie Belle, seeing her take an interest in magic and actually pull it off (to an extent). This was a sign that the CMC were getting older not just vocally but emotionally as well. The only thing that really hurts this sequence is that we never learn how this all got started. The synopsis said it was set up so Twilight could help the CMC with their homework, but that never materialized in the episode itself.

10. Spike The Distraction (Celestial Advice Season 7, Episode 1)
Why it moved down: Part of it is sort of the obligatory exposition/recap of the events of the previous season finale, which gets lampshaded when Starlight says "I know, Spike. I was there." Thankfully that's not the only thing this opening does, they spice it up a bit with Spike pretending to be Rarity (as a mythology gag to G3 when Cathy Wesluck was the voice of Rarity). And it still irks me we never got anywhere close to a proper SpikexStarlight episode, the two seemed to almost never be in episodes together, especially with Twilight, it was always one or the other. There is also the bit with Spike calling Twilight by her last name, and Pinkie Pie producing a party by just pulling on a rope, which are nice touches. It's ultimately moving down to make room for other opening sequences.

9. Skedaddle's Cutie Mark/Scootaloo's Aunts (The Last Crusade Season 9, Episode 12)
Why it's in the top ten: Skedaddle's cutie mark in knot tying is a subtle nod to Scootaloo's aunts (Holiday and Lofty) which is the only real hint the episode gives at all about their relationship (if not for the chapter books that preceeded this episode I wonder if anyone would've thought they were a couple). Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty definitely steal the show with their canonical designs and voices, and I imagine many were surprised that it's Holiday who's the chubby one (even though she mentions leaving healthy food for Scootaloo). The opening sequence ending with a letter stating Scootaloo's parents will be coming home is a nice touch, as is the mention of how Scootaloo has other foalsitters when her aunts are away (basically she's a latch key kid like the show staff say Starlight was).

8. Celestia's Ones-versary (Horse Play Season 8, Episode 7)
Why it moved down: I still love how adorable Celestia is in this opening sequence, especially when she's prancing and acting giddy. I know for some it shatters the image of a wise, reserved ruler, but I think it adds more to her character overall when we get to see behind that mask. It's in character for Twilight to want to give Princess Celestia a starring role in a play about her, especially one that Twilight herself came up with, wrote, and directed. Again, there's a difference between the kind of acting a politician or ruler must do, and the kind of acting professional actors engage in. The former often involves suppressing one's true self to avoid seeming weak or unstable, while the latter often involves exaggeration and overly emotional displays to convey yourself to the audience. And again, it's really only moving down to make room for new entries.

7. Rainbow Dash Becomes A Wonderbolt (Newbie Dash Season 6, Episode 7)
Why it moved down: A.k.a "The one where Spitfire does a superhero landing" (even Deadpool does it, if only to demonstrate how impractical and painful it really is). Considering this was the first big thing Season 6 had done since Flurry Heart's sudden arrival, it really did a lot to get people excited for something they'd been anticipating since day one of the show. It's just unfortunate that it would become part of why 2016 is remembered, among other things, as a year of massive disappointment for so many hyped products. But bad episodes can have good openings, just as good episodes can have bad openings if my previous list is any indication.

6. Petunia's Cutie Mark (The Fault in Our Cutie Marks Season 6, Episode 9)
Why it moved down: Well, Scootaloo finally got her canonical parents this season, but I still have to ask if I'm the only one who at first thought that the two ponies we saw the CMC talking to here were Scootaloo's parents when they said "Our daughter"? I guess you can chalk that up to a result of playing the pronoun game a little too soon. Even if this doesn't exactly tie into what the CMC end up doing in this episode, it still feels nice. Though Petunia's cutie mark refers to palentology and not archeology (Daring Do is an archeologist). As for why her parents might assume she was gonna be a pirate, their cutie marks could be pirate themed: Crossed fencing swords in the shape of an x and a pearl inside a clam (sword dueling and buried treasure respectively), though most likely their special talents/careers have nothing to do with piracy. If "Shadow Play" is any indication, Petunia's talent actually did cross over to archeology indirectly.

5. Starlight Becomes Headmare (A Horse Shoe-In Season 9, Episode 20)
Why it's in the top five: The only thing that holds this intro back is Starlight having a potted plant she treats like a sentient thing (she names it Phillyis, and according to Kelly Sherdian's Twitter account it survived Trixie's horrible treatment). Other than it's a really sweet passing of the torch, made even sweeter by Starlight tackling Twilight into a hug and pulling Spike in. One YouTube commentor said it looked like Spike was Starlight and Twilight's kind in that moment, which if Twilight hadn't already been established as Spike's older sister I could kind of see it in that way (truth be told I always saw Starlight as like a big sister figure to Spike). It's really the only good thing about an episode that quickly takes a nosedive into flames. Hey, anypony who can keep the school running more or less normal even when Discord showed up is a pony who's well qualified to be headmare.

4. Trixie's Magic Show (Road to Friendship Season 8, Episode 19)
Why it moved down: It's really hard to look back on this sequence now that it's been tainted by Season 9 Trixie regressing to back where she was in Season 7, ignorant of Starlight's feelings and treating her as an excuse to do bad things without remorse or consequence. This shows how great their friendship could've been if it ever moved past one getting the other into trouble all the time (usually Trixie getting Starlight into trouble). Opening sequences like this work because even though they are tied to the narrative of the episode, they still feel like a sort of mini short of their own (sort of like "The Best Gift Ever" encore shorts but actually good). Heck, Flurry Heart is with Cadence and Twilight here, which seems to suggest that Twilight and Trixie finally buried the hatchet (I guess Trixie realized she can't compete with Twilight anymore). And Flurry Heart appears to be embarrassed by the chant her mom and her aunt do (yet I'll bet she ends up doing it when she gets older anyway).

3. Equestrian News Roundup (Common Ground Season 9, Episode 6)
Why it's in the top three: Does anyone else get a Avatar: The Legend of Korra vibe off this newscast? I'm pretty sure it's just Peter New, but it sounds an awful lot like Jeff Bennett who voiced the radio announcer who was featured on every episode at the beginning to explain the events of the previous episode/episodes. Anyway, this is a great nod to something that used to be done quite often a few decades ago. Most people would get the news through little news reels with a narrator that would play before movies (or more often short cartoons). Fittingly, this came out during the time when Avengers: Endgame was poised to become the all time highest grossing movie in box office returns (not adjusted for inflation). It's a nice little way of showing how far buckball has come, and how far our main characters have come. Though I have to ask, is Snails really that dense or is he just feigning obliviousness?

2. The Big Finish (Princess Twilight Sparkle Season 4, Episode 1)
Why it stayed the same: The top two spots haven't changed, so like the previous list you can skip to the end if you saw the top fifteen version. This one still holds up very nicely to this day, because it was the first thing people saw of Season 4 after a long hiatus with only "Equestria Girls" to tide us over. It showed that the show could work with Twilight's new wings and title. It does seem odd how throughout Season 4 Twilight had trouble with her wings or never really used them, and then after Season 4 she just seemed to have more or less mastered them (to be fair she seemed to be improving throughout Season 4 even if they never called attention to that fact). But I'm glad that they started out Season 4 with Twilight struggling to get used to them, and her not wanting to embrace her new title. It went a long way towards reassuring fans that Twilight being an alicorn princess wasn't going to magically change her character, she was still the same loveable, adorkable egghead we'd all come to know.

1. Elements of A Good Cheer (Sonic Rainboom Season 1, Episode 16)
Why it stayed on the top: By now I've pretty much gushed about everything that this opening sequence did right, and I don't want to repeat myself too much here. I still love the musical cue this opening sequence starts off with it, it makes me wish it'd been a reoccurring thing for more episodes (maybe not some of the bigger, more important ones, but definitely more of the typical slice of life ones). There's the out of context lines from Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy's yay that became the standard fandom censor bleep (though some have used the squee sound effect, and some have used "Buy Some Apples" mostly from back when "Friendship is Withcraft" was popular and in competition with "Mentally Advanced Series" for the definitive abridged series of the fandom). And there's Fluttershy inhaling, which was a reversal of Pinkie Pie's gasp from the first episode of the show. This opening sequence just does everything right, which is why it stays in the number one spot.

And there you have it, come back tomorrow when we'll update the rankings for the Celebrity Guest Star Characters.

Comments

[Bronycommander]

Agreed. I liked the boiling as well, Shows how ponies aren't that much different from us and that they can Grab things normally.

[powerpony]

Here's all mine (Updated)

Season 1:
-The Ticket Master
-Applebuck Season
-Winter Wrap-Up
-Sonic Rainboom
-The Show Stoppers
-A Dog and Pony Show
-Green Isn't Your Color
-The Cutie Mark Chronicles
-Party of One

Season 2:
-Luna Eclipsed
-The Cutie Pox
-Family Appreciation Day
-Baby Cakes
-A Friend in Deed
-It's About Time
-Dragon Quest
-MMMystery on the Friendship Express

Season 3:
-Magic Duel
-Sleepless in Ponyville
-Apple Family Reunion
-Spike at your Service
-Keep Calm and Flutter on
-Games Ponies Play
-Magical Mystery Cure

Season 4:
-Daring Don't
-Pinkie Pride
-Somepony to Watch Over me
-For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
-Leap of Faith

Season 5:
-Make New Friends But Keep Discord
-The Lost Treasure of Griffinstone
-Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
-Canterlot Boutique
-Crusaders of the Lost Mark
-The One where Pinkie Pie Knows

Season 6:
-Newbie Dash
-A Hearth's Warming Tail
-The Saddle Row Review
-Stranger than Fanfiction
-Dungeons and Discord
-The Fault in our Cutie Marks
-Every Little Thing She Does
-Top Bolt
-To Where and Back Again

Season 7:
-Celestial Advice
-Forever Filly
-Parental Gluidence
-A Royal Problem
-The Perfect Pear
-Triple Threat
-A Health of Information
-One upon a Zeppelin
-Uncommon Bond

Season 8:
- Fake it till you Make It
-Surf and/or Turf
-Horse Play
-The Breakup Breakdown
-Molt Down
-The Mean 6
-Friendship University
-The Road to Friendship
-School Raze

Season 9:
-The Beginning of the End
-Sparkle's Seven
-She's All Yak
-The Last Crusade
-Between Dark and Dawn
-The Last Laugh
-The Big Mac Question
-The Last Problem