The Top 40 BEST Episodes of FiM

Back before Season 5 aired, I made a list of the top 25 episodes best episodes of the show in my opinion. Naturally, now that Season 5 has come and gone, several new episodes have become deserving praise. As a result, I decided to go up to 40 episodes. If you saw my list ranking all 117 episodes from worst to best, chances are you'll know already what number 1 is, and what episodes will be making the cut.

But before we begin, I would like you all to be aware that this list is NOT offical. Also, two parters will count as one episode.

40. Call of The Cutie, Written by Meghan McCarthy
Kicking off this list is something really old school, the episode that started the CMC's arc all the way back in Season 1. It's amazing how far we've come since the arc began. It's hard to think that Diamond Tiara used to be so shallow and uninteresting, and that Apple Bloom used to be the only known blank flank in her class. Looking back, I think Hasbro's decision to scrap the CMC spin off show ultimately worked out for the better in the long run. And let's not forget the infamous grimdark fic that this episode's song spawned, though now it seems to have been eclipsed by "Smile HD".

39. Flight To The Finish, Written by Ed Valentine
Scootaloo still remains the character with the least amount of focus episodes, tied with Princess Luna at 2 episodes. This episode seemed to deconstruct the idea of Scootaloo being an orphan, though it also seemed to add fire to the debate as to whether or not Scootaloo was capable of flying. Though the question was never really addressed, and given a "It doesn't matter" resolution, it still speaks a lot considering how far Scootaloo went to try and fly, before she gave up. This episode also has pre reformed Diamond Tiara at her most despicable, and it's amazing how much of a turn around she could master in just under 2 years from when this episode aired.

38. Inspiration Manifestation, Written by Meghan McCarthy and Corey Powell
Spike seems to get a raw deal with episodes centered around him, and seems to work best as a supporting character. Here, he gets to play a little bit of both. He gets several scenes to himself, but also several scenes with Rarity. It also has all the hall marks of a Meghan McCarthy episode, including a character breakdown, and a well written Spike. Though the constant friendzoning gets annoying, and the ending seems to confuse the moral, this episode is a gem that really treats Spike as a proper character, and not some butt monkey. But Rarity gets her chance to shine as well, particularly during her breakdown. So, how long until we see Starlight Glimmer or Spike go crazy?

37. Rarity Investigates, Written by Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco, Story by Meghan McCarthy, M. A. Larson, and Joanna Lewis and Kristine Songco
Pretty hard to believe it took five and a half seasons for us to get our first proper RariDash episode, but better late than never. After the events of "Rainbow Falls" back in Season 4, The Wonderbolts were in deseperate need of a good potrayal to redeem their characters, and this episode did a good job. For the most part. Soarin actually got to beat Big Macintosh and Shining Armor to the punch in regards to getting some spotlight, and it's probably his best potrayal to date, even topping his potrayal in "Rainbow Falls" when he was argaubly one of the few characters that wasn't OOC. We also got to see Spitfire's mother, Stormy Flare, and the Wonderbolt Blaze was named on screen for the first time (she was voiced by Tabitha St. Germain). One of the show staffers teased the possibility of Wind Ryder and Lightning Dust teaming up in Season 6 to form the Anti-Wonderbolts, so we'll have to see where (if anywhere) that goes.

36. Sisterhooves Social, Written by Cindy Morrow
For the very first episode of the show not to feature Twilight in any way, shape, or form, this episode already attracted a lot of attention. But while Sweetie Belle was still somewhat of the genius ditz here (whereas now she seems to have matured and become the CMC member with the most common sense), her sibling relationship with Rarity got a lot of praise for how realistic it was. It also proved that Cindy Morrow can do really well when given heartfelt, emotional stories to work with, and this remains one of her best works. It's also one of the few Season 2 episodes Lauren Faust had some influence on (albeit not directly), and it features an unintentional moral that sometimes just saying sorry isn't enough. Perhaps I shouldn't have been so quick to criticize Applejack and Apple Bloom's sibling dynamic as too perfect, seeing as what we've gotten in recent seasons has been painful to watch.

35. Castle Mane-ia, Written by Josh Haber
Josh Haber got a really bad rap from a lot of people in Season 4 for being a comedic writer, and he seemed to really take that to heart in Season 5. But I feel like this episode started him off on a good note, and handled all the mane six pretty well, minus debateadly Rarity. Many people mentioned they got a "Scooby Doo" vibe from "Rarity Investigates", but I feel like this episode was much more of a direct nod to that old classic. While Twilight may have been a bit mary suish here, she wasn't the focus, and it wasn't to a distracting degree. This also completed the growing of the beard for the show, by doing away with the friendship reports all together, and replacing it with a journal. However, Season 5 seems to have done away with any sort of moral delivery system, which I approve of. At this point, our characters can recognize the morals they've learned when they happen.

34. Amending Fences, Written by M. A. Larson
Now this was unexpected, not that anyone was complaining. Going all the way back to a throwaway scene at the very start of the show, and expanding on the context of it. Rather than depend on fan service or fan pandering (not that it was a bad thing) M. A. Larson wrote the kind of story that drew us to the show in the first place. It's a simple, if somewhat overly dramatic, slice of life tale about old bonds. Moondancer was hardly the first Twilight foil we'd been treated to, but she felt the most like what Twilight would've been without the magic of friendship. And we can't forget about Minuette, who all but stole the show with every scene she was in. It's just too bad Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine were overshadowed as a result. But all things considered, this is very much a case of something the fandom never knew it wanted, but once we got it, we loved it!

33. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?, Written by Scott Sonneborn, Story by Jayson Thiesen and Jim Miller
Scott Sonneborn was the one writer that pretty much everyone in Season 4 hated, and considering how "Somepony to Watch Over Me" and "Trade Ya" turned out, it seemed like that hate wasn't completely absurd. But that all changed when Scott teamed up with Meghan and Larson for the Season 5 premiere, and perhaps because of that Jayson and Jim picked him for the third and final episode they'd written the story for. It seems like the basic thought behind this episode, was Jayson and Jim looking at the fan favorite Nightmare Rarity arc from the IDW comics, saw all the criticism people lodged at the issues, and decided they could take said criticism and use it to make a better story. Instead of Rarity's sudden doubts about her future, we have Princess Luna punishing herself for her actions as Nightmare Moon, and the mane six and the rest of Ponyville trying to convince her to stop blaiming herself for her past misdeeds. Hey, at least this time Luna's the only one causing herself to suffer, instead of some of our main characters contributing to the problem without showing remorse for it. Although I'm not sure why Jim himself admitted Princess Celestia should be in this episode, and yet he didn't include her, I feel like this episode is way better than people like Lilly Peet give it credit for.

32. Make New Friends, But Keep Discord, Written by Natasha Levinger
We'd gotten episodes were Discord was a major character since his reformation, but this was the first episode centered around his perspective for a change. And it did not disappoint. As is always the case with Discord episodes, the animators went all out with impressive visuals and clever references (including a reference of a reference, and you thought Robin Williams referencing Robin Williams was weird). But that wasn't all this episode had to offer in comparison to another Discord episode that thought it could get away with such things. It also included top notch comedy, some outstanding character growth display from Fluttershy, and a nod to a G1 villan reimagined for G4. It was this episode that also confirmed Season 5 was a season of callbacks, seeing as The Grand Galloping Gala and Maud Pie returned.

31. Pinkie Apple Pie, Written by Natasha Levinger
For two characters that hadn't really interacted much before, this episode gave them both a good deal of screen time, and it was nice to see some love for the Apple family as a whole. Pinkie Pie and Applejack have since become a pretty popular pairing in the show, though the fandom seems a bit torn on shipping possible cousins, even if their connection is distant and not close enough to count as incest. But of course, the highlight of this episode is the wonderful song "Apples to The Core", leaked as an animatic months before it aired fully animated.

30. The Mane Attraction, Written by Amy Keating Rogers
When Season 5 aired, it came with some bad news for long time fans. The first writer of the show, Amy Keating Rogers herself, was leaving for Disney, and this would be her final episode. Considering everything she'd done prior to this episode in Season 5 alone, her final episode had a lot to overcome, but it did so with relative ease. Compared to some of the more heavly emotional episodes like "Amending Fences" and "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?" this episode simply tried to be a good story on its own merits, without any major emotional manipulation. And the talents of Broadway music star, Lena Hall as Countess Coloratura, a.k.a Rara. Said character is currently winning the poll over on Equestria Daily for the best Season 5 character, even beating out Moon Dancer and Starlight Glimmer. Amy definitely went out with a bang here, and even now we already miss her greatly.

29. Slice of Life, Written by M. A. Larson
100 episodes is a feat to be proud of in and of itself, especially since the previous contender for longest running Hasbro show only made it to 98 episodes. And there's no doubt that if the Brony fandom hadn't latched onto the show the way we did, the show probably would never have come to this milestone, it would've wrapped up at 65 episodes. So this episode decided to celebrate the fandom with a great deal of fan pandering, but while some people complained specifically about this, most people appreciated this love letter to the fandom. And let's not forget that the mane six themselves were still present in this episode, and even got to speak at the very end. I guess some people are just never satisfied. Oh well.

28. Rarity Takes Manehattan, Written by Dave Polsky
Back in Season 1, Dave Polsky used his experience from working on "South Park" to great effect in regards to comedy. But his episodes seemed to be handled especially poorly, and were quickly shrouded in controversy. When he came back in Season 3, he seemed to improve, but his comedic ways still held priority, and it carried on into Season 4 with "Daring Don't". So when this episode came around, no one could've forseen how much of a writing metamorphosis Polsky would go through. He would leave behind his old comedic ways, and step up to tackle some more serious stories, earning massive amounts of praise from the fandom in the process. This episode also introduced Coco Pommel, who's fanbase exploded overnight for. And she not only became the first key bearer, but also the first key bearer to make a return appearance.

27. Applebuck Season, Written by Amy Keating Rogers
Count on seeing Amy Keating Rogers appear alongside Dave Polsky and M. A. Larson as the most frequent writers of these episodes. For the very first episode she wrote on her own (Amy worked with Faust to write "Ticket Master"), Amy did a very good job. Although the appeal of Big Macintosh speaking normally has since worn off thanks to an episode that will appear later on in this list, it still says a lot when many people consider this Applejack's best episode. And indeed, it seems to be, seeing as this episode resolved Applejack's defining flaw as a character, her stubborness and refusal to accept help. Perhaps because of this, and the fact that even now she hasn't really been given any major quirks or flaws to make up for losing her stubborness, she's had a lot of episodes where she shares the spotlight and tends to get upstaged. But several of the jokes here really harp back to the early days of the show, and it's amazing to see just how far they've come in the time since.

26. The Last Roundup, Written by Amy Keating Rogers
I don't want to sound like a broken record, so I'm only going to say this much in regards to Derpgate. Derpy was NOT offensive, and did not deserve to be censored. I am grateful she got to speak again in Episode 100, even if she was never mentioned by name. With that out of the way, we can focus on the other things about this episode that make it so good. The humor here is top notch, especially from Pinkie Pie, and unfortunately that means she overshadows Applejack even more than Derpy did. There's some debateadly OOC moments here and there, particularly from Applejack and Rainbow Dash, but they aren't anything really glaring. It's just a shame that the next time Applejack's rodeo career got featured as a plot point, it would be used so poorly. The original uncensored Derpy scene can still be readily found online and on the "Friendship Express" DVD which is still circulating.

25. Wonderbolt Academy, Written by Merriweather Williams
Rainbow Dash quickly became a fan favorite character as Season 1 progressed, but Season 2 gave her way too much screen time with bad potrayals that left her ready to slide into "Worst Pony" territory for some people. Merriweather Williams wasn't doing so hot either prior to this episode, as just about all of her episodes had been poorly recieved. But this episode allowed Rainbow Dash to look in the mirror and become likeable again, and allowed Merriweather to temporarily shrug off the ghost of "The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well". Lightning Dust proved to be a surprisingly enjoyable foil to Rainbow Dash, showing what Rainbow Dash might have been like if she3never became the Element of Loyalty. There was also the scene with Thunderlane saving Rarity, which launched the ship of RariLane that ran for quite some time, before ultimately dying down. But becaue Pinkie Pie got a little too much screen time, the ending was unfortunately rushed, becoming the only stain on an otherwise enjoyable episode. It's just a shame to think that Merriweather never again reached this high a quality with her writing. But I guess she just couldn't quite work with the show, and decided to go somewhere where she knew her talents could do her well. Who knows though, maybe she'll come back and improve like Polsky and Haber did?

24. Secret of My Excess, Written by M. A. Larson
So many people consider this to be the best Spike episode of all time, and the Spike episode to end all Spike episodes. But I don't quite think it's that good. There's a bit of a problem with the world building, that makes it seem like Spike can only grow if he starts hoarding things. I'm pretty sure that's not what M. A. Larson intended to potray, but that's what it came across as. But just about everything else in this episode was great, particularly the scene that seemed to confirm Sparity as a ship. So, if this isn't Spike's best episode, what is?

23. Equestria Games, Written by Dave Polsky
Even though it probably could've been expanded, it was nice to see the games after we were teased to us back in Season 3, then built up over the course of "Flight to The Finish" and "Rainbow Falls". What makes this such a good Spike episode, and probably his strongest outing as a character, is that instead of having him fix a mistake that he caused, the episode treats him with respect and dignity, and lets him save the day. It also manages to do cringe comedy better than "The Show Stoppers", though that's not saying much considering all the mistakes plaguing that episode. Now, if only we could get Spike episodes more on this level, instead of rehashing the same basic conflict with him over and over again.

22. The Cutie Mark Chronicles, Written by M. A. Larson
For our first and perhaps only backstory episode, we got to see how each of the mane six got their cutie marks, and the inclusion of Rainbow Dash helped to get this episode hyped up among older fans of the show, since the Brony fandom was just beginning to take off that this point. As I mentioned last time I talked about this episode, it seems to me that this is where Lauren Faust's vision for the show began to be tossed aside. Because if she had her way, none of the mane six would've had parents (even if we only saw Twilight and Pinkie Pie's parents). Five seasons later, only Rainbow Dash has yet to have anything revealed about her family. We know that Fluttershy has a little brother, and we'll likely see him in Season 6. In regards to why Pinkie's parents spoke normally in this flashback, yet spoke differently in "Hearthbreakers", I think we can chalk that up to Pinkie Pie being an unreliable narrator, though my personal headcanon is that Igneous and Cloudy speak the way they did in "Hearthbreakers" when in important or mixed company (such as family or royalty), until they get to know said company on a personal level. It's their way of being polite, especially since none of the Pie sisters speak it, even the ones who have yet to leave the rock farm.

21. Sleepless in Ponyville, Written by Corey Powell
It took 3 seasons, but Scootaloo finally got her very own episode. And it was well worth the wait, since this episode had Rainbow Dash take Scootaloo under her wing as an unoffical big sister. It also kicked off a trio of episodes that would feature Princess Luna and the CMC, one of which would come in Season 4, and one of which would come in Season 5. Perhaps the only thing about Scootaloo's personal life that we could pick up on from this lovely episode centered around her, was that she was an only child. Let's hope we finally get some clarification in Season 6, an explanation as to what (if any) family she has shouldn't be too much to ask for.

20. Suited for Sucess, Written by Charlotte Fullerton
This is when FiM really got good, and when it really got going. Prior to this point, it seemed to struggle with what exactly it was going to be, and what it would do. Starting with this episode, FiM would earn itself a place alongside the likes of "Adventure Time", "Gravity Falls", and "Star v.s. The Forces of Evil" as one of the best cartoons of the 2010's. And it did so by taking a concept that at its very core would sound girly and not very interesting to anyone but the target audience, and making it into something that anyone could watch and enjoy regardless of age or gender. It also harpens back to a time when Kazumi Evans was only known as the singing voice for Rarity, before she stepped up to start becoming a voice actor in her own right with "Rainbow Rocks" and Season 5 of FiM.

19. Dragonshy, Written by Meghan McCarthy
Prior to taking over as story editior in Season 3, Meghan McCarthy got her start by writing the show's first adventure story since the pilot. And considering her most recent work had been on the widly panned "Fish Hooks", Meghan probably shocked a lot of people by how well she could write. And it featured Fluttershy character growth so widly remembered, that many people consider all subsequent Fluttershy episodes (even in Season 5) to be rehashes of the growth she goes through here, and despite the show's best efforts to prove such as fact, that is not true. Sure, many things about this episode don't hold the greatest in regards to later adventure stories, but for the first one since the pilot, it was amazing. It's also one of the only solo episodes Meghan's written that wasn't a colab.

18. Hurricane Fluttershy, Written by Cindy Morrow
I think I speak for everyone when I say that THIS is Cindy Morrow's still untopped masterpiece! This is the kind of Fluttershy episode we need to see be remembered when future Fluttershy episodes are written, because this is how you make Fluttershy a good character. You need to have your characters work to overcome their flaws and better themselves, even if they don't completely succeed. As long as you can say that some progress has made been between appearances, you're doing something right. But Fluttershy was not the only one who was outstanding in this episode, after much of Season 2 dragged her good name through the mud, Rainbow Dash managed to start coming back into the likeable limelight. Rainbow Dash made an effort to reach out to Fluttershy, without being overly pushy, mean, or inconsiderate about it. This episode, perhaps more than any other, gave rise to the popularity of FlutterDash, one of the best known ships in the fandom.

17. Crystal Empire Parts 1 and 2, Written by Meghan McCarthy
From this two parter onwards, the animation for the show became perfected and polished to the point where it was hard to believe a time when it didn't look so eye catching. But amazing flash animation was not the only thing this two parter had to offer, it introduced fans to King Sombra, who became a dividing point for many people, and began the completetion of Twilight's character arc as she would ascend to alicornhood in the Season 3 finale. However, the real star of this two parter was Spike. Not only did we get to see that his greatest fear is that Twilight will not have a use for him and will send him away, but we also got to see him save an entire empire all by himself. The B plot probably wasn't the strongest in comparison to the A plot, and led to some pretty harsh mood whiplash a result, but it's definitely better than most people give it credit for.

16. A Canterlot Wedding Parts 1 and 2, Written by Meghan McCarthy
It's amazing how this episode is still so loved, and so hated, at the same time. Some people continue to praise this episode to the high heavens, and others attack it for the behavior of several of its characters. Personally, I think no episode is completely flawless, and if you hit anything with a hammer hard enough it will break. But considering what the trailer showed, there was a lot left to be desired, and the inclusion of Queen Chrysalis and the changelings made for a twist no one saw coming, and a fight sequence that people couldn't get enough of. Sure, it was probably a bit toyetic, but Shining Armor and Cadence would ultimately prove their inclusion in the show was a good idea.

15. Twilight's Kingdom Parts 1 and 2, Written by Meghan McCarthy
For the 30th anniversary of the franchise this show is a part of, Meghan brought back and reimagined the very first My Little Pony villan, Lord Tirek. And although he was a bit of a villan sue, Tirek made for a surprisingly powerful foe. Of course, the moments that everyone remembers are the destruction of The Golden Oaks Library by Tirek, Discord siding with Tirek and betraying his friends, and the Dragon Ball Z esque fight between Twilight and Tirek when both are enfused with powerful magic. To sum up the fight, it's basically what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. And while Discord's betrayal shouldn't have glossed over, this finale did not let up on the surprises and hard hitting action.

14. The Cutie Re-Mark Parts 1 and 2, Written by Josh Haber
Following up on his success from "Friendship Games" Josh Haber stepped up to write this two parter that was likely intend to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original "Back to The Future" and the 25th anniversary of "Back to The Future, Part III" by bringing back Starlight Glimmer, and featuring time travel and dystopian futures. Zecora and Princess Celestia got their long overdue chances to shine in two alternate timelines, and Twilight and Spike were undeniably the center of attention throughout the story's entirety. While I do have a problem with Starlight Glimmer being buffed up to force Twilight to lose for the sake of the plot, her backstory not being very strong, and her reformation seeming to be glanced over for the time being, I have to credit to this finale for not relying on new powers or new characters to solve the conflict.

13. Brotherhooves Social, Written by Dave Polsky
After the events of "Appleloosa's Most Wanted" earlier in Season 5, Dave Polsky was in desperate need of a good episode to put him back on track and restore his credibility as a writer. At first glance, this episode seemed like it would focus simply on Big Macintosh dressing in drag, and if that had been the case it would've been disappointing to say the least. Thankfully, Dave Polsky instead chose to focus on Big Macintosh's bond with Apple Bloom, and the last few minutes were written wonderfully, because for the first time in what seemed like forever, Big Macintosh spoke normally. Shining Armor would go on to get some character development a little later, but his development certainly couldn't compare to the development this episode gave to Big Macintosh. And give Peter New credit for that impressive Southern Belle voice he used for Big Macintosh dressed up as Orchard Blossom, he's been showing off his range quite a bit lately.

12. Cutie Markless Parts 1 and 2, Written by Scott Sonneborn and M. A. Larson, Story by Meghan McCarthy
The hiatus between Seasons 4 and 5 lasted for almost a year, largely due to Hasbro and Discovery parting ways, which caused The Hub to be replaced with Discovery Family. But the wait was definitely worthwhile when we got to see this two parter. Rather than try to intentionally top "Twilight's Kingdom" and "Rainbow Rocks" (which Lilly Peet criticized this two parter for not doing, and basically admitted he disliked the episode because he dislikes the kind of villan Starlight Glimmer is and represents), this two parter was on a more slice of life level. Starlight Glimmer wasn't an overly powerful villan, she relied on brain and quick thinking to outwit her opponents and catch them by surprise. Sure, all the communism jokes got old pretty fast, but it was nice to see the mane six not be the ones to save the day for a change, as was seeing a villan that was not defeated in their first appearance.

11. Princess Twilight Sparkle Parts 1 and 2, Written by Meghan McCarthy
Going into Season 4, especially after "Equestria Girls", this premiere had a lot to prove. It needed to prove that the show could roll with the changes brought on by the end of Season 3, while staying true to what drew people to the show to begin with. And the first scene alone proved to be a major reassurance that the show was far from finished, and that there was still more it could do. Discord being a trickster mentor actually made sense, and was actually enjoyable here, before subsequent episodes would wear out that idea quickly. And the flashbacks to Celestia's battles with Nightmare Moon and Discord proved to be quite unexpected and entertaining. But the biggest shocker of all, was seeing the mane six give up The Elements of Harmony, the very plot device that had defeated almost every big bad up to that point. And kicking off a season wide arc with a mysterious chest.

10. A Dog and Pony Show, Written by Amy Keating Rogers
Many people seem to attack this episode's moral because they claim it encourages girls to break down, cry, and whine, until they get what they want. What these people seem to ignore, is the fact that Rarity doesn't do this all the time. She knows when to utilize her whining to get the Diamond Dogs to back off, and she was even willing to co-operate with them even after they ponynapped her. This episode is largely because of how well it deconstructs and demolishes the "Damsel in Distress" trope that is best left in old cartoons, and anything paying homage to said old cartoons.

9. Magical Mystery Cure, Written by M. A. Larson
Although no one suspected this episode would be a musical going into it, everyone knew that Twilight Sparkle was going to become an alicorn princess. And the fandom became torn on whether this was a good or bad thing, with a consenus that seems to have finally been reached that it was a change for the better. Princess Celestia wasn't just referring to Twilight when she mentioned that "You've grown up", she was referring to the show. It took some time, but as of Season 5 the show seems to have matured as its target audience matures. And I hope that trend will continue into the next season and beyond.

8. Sonic Rainboom, Written by M. A. Larson
At this point, this episode is practically guranteed to make everyone's best of lists. regardless of what other episodes might appear. There is practically nothing I could say about it, that hasn't already been said. It may have come out all the way back in Season 1, but it's still a timeless classic even to this day. And it is said to be THE episode that many people consider the point when FiM went from being a good kids show, to being one of the best shows of the decade.

7. Party of One, Written by Meghan McCarthy
By the time this episode was released, there was not a single Brony who hadn't heard about the infamous grimdark fanfic "Cupcakes", and although more grimdark fanfics such as "Rainbow Factory" and "Cheerilee's Garden" would pop up after it, "Cupcakes" remained the most talked about. So, to see an episode supposedly reference said grimdark fanfic, or at least appear to do so, many people were thrown for a loop. Sure, Pinkie Pie's mental breakdown was pretty much played for laughs, but that doesn't mean it was any less creepy. "Cupcakes" actually depicted Pinkie Pie with her normal mane, but after this episode it was generally accepted that "Cupcakes" Pinkie Pie (often called Pinkamina due to "The Cutie Mark Chronicles") had a flat mane. It's gotten to the point where a group has been founded specifically to protest the idea of Pinkamina simply being an evil, murderous, pyschopath, that is an alternative personality of Pinkie Pie.

6. Keep Calm and Flutter On, Written by Dave Polsky and Teddy Antonio
Discord left a massive impression on the fandom during and after his debut, and many a fanfic was written exploring the idea of him being reformed. So, when the show did it, many people were naturally torn about this. Some liked the idea, but others hated and despised it, saying that Discord was better off a villan. While Discord was technically not the first villan to be reformed (that honor would go to Trixie), this episode started his growth into an anti-hero, and singlehandedly launched the still insanely popular straight ship, FlutterCord (as well as all but sinking CelestCord)

5. For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils, Written by Dave Polsky
Before callbacks became a routine thing in Season 5, Dave Polsky made a callback to Season 1 by bringing back Sapphire Shores, and tackling the second installment of the CMCxLuna triology. With Sweetie Belle getting older, and sounding older, it was only natural she would start to act a bit differently from how she did in Seasons 1 and 2. And although it was a few months late, this episode seemed to FiM's version of "A Christmas Carol" albeit one that did not take place on or around Christmas. This was also at the point where Rarity was not only winning back old fans, but also winning over new fans, myself included. And as is always the case with dream episodes, we got some impressive visuals. And it seems like Princess Luna isn't above giving ponies nightmares if she thinks it will straighten them out.

4. Lesson Zero, Written by Meghan McCarthy
Not many shows would have the guts to mock themselves to the extent that this episode did, and that alone meant this episode was going to leave a lasting impression. But it was Twilight Sparkle's slow descent into madness that really set the tone for the episode, and made it so iconic. It's also the first episode where Twilight's magic color changed to violet red whereas before it was purple. And while her breakdown was still kind of played for laughs, it was certainly much more creepy than Pinkie Pie's breakdown in "Party of One". Add in removing the one thing that could've hurt the show more than ever, and this episode is a timeless gem. It will always hold a special place in my heart for being the first episode of the show that I saw.

3. Pinkie Pride, Written by Amy Keating Rogers and Jayson Thiesen
After some less than stellar potrayals in Season 4, Pinkie Pie was in desperate need of a good focus episode to escape the jaws of flanderization. To help, Amy and Jayson brought on famous parody singer/songwriter Weird Al Yankovic to guess star as Cheese Sandwich in a musical episode. By the time this episode ended, everyone was praising to the high heavens, and for good reason. Pinkie Pie was wonderfully in character, to the point where we were sympathizing with her even when she was in the wrong. And rather than have Cheese Sandwich as an antagonist, the whole thing turned out to be a misunderstanding. And Cheese's backstory in "Cheese Confesses" gave shippers all the fuel they could ever want for CheesePie, which is still going strong even as it contends with a shipping war against PartyPie.

2. Simple Ways, Written by Josh Haber
As I've said countless times, I really appreciate an episode that can make me laugh with good jokes. And this episode was full of them. The role reversal between Rarity and Applejack was excellent, even if Trenderhoof was attacked by many people as a waifu stealer. The moral was perhaps one of the most mature morals ever tackled in a kids show, and I greatly respect them for putting that in there. This episode probably more than any other proved that Tabitha St. Germain was the right choice for Rarity, and by the end I'm sure that almost everyone was struggling to catch their breath afte laughing so much. I kind of miss having Haber as a comedic writer when he could do episodes like this, but as long as we've got a good replacement for him in the comedy department, it's not that big a loss.

1. Crusaders of The Lost Mark, Written by Amy Keating Rogers
What more can I say to praise this wonderful episode that hasn't been repeated over a hundred times by now? Diamond Tiara's reformation alone would've probably sealed this episode as the best episode of the entire show. But the CMC getting their cutie marks was an unexpected development that had just about everyone cheering. Some people attack this for the same reason they attack "Magical Mystery Cure" to which I say, you're completely overlooking all the wonderful things this episode had to offer. Sure, some foreshadowing to Diamond Tiara's situation would've been nice, and the CMC's cutie marks probably should've been individualized a bit more, but when one of the most despised and one dimensional characters of the entire show can change for the better, and become loved and adored by all, don't you think that more than makes up for any flaws there might be? (Looking at you, Lilly Peet.)

And there you have it.

Comments

[superfun]

But this episode allowed Rainbow Dash to look in the mirror and become likeable again, and allowed Merriweather to temporarily shrug off the ghost of "The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well"

I feel like I'm the only one who:
a. Considers The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well to be one of the best episodes of season 2.
b. Has never disliked RD in any of her appearances.

As for this list, my personal top 20 is:
20. “Just for Sidekicks”
19. “The Showstoppers”
18. “Magic Duel”
17. “Ponyville Confidential”
16. “Sonic Rainboom”
15. “Hearts and Hooves Day”
14. “Flight to the Finish”
13. “Rainbow Falls”
12. "Sleepless in Ponyville"
11. "Magical Mystery Cure"
10. "A Canterlot Wedding"
9. "The Best Night Ever"
8. "Party of One"
7. "Lesson Zero"
6. "Slice of Life"
5. "Tanks for the Memories"
4. "Twilight's Kingdom"
3. The Cutie Remark
2. "Pinkie Pride"
1, Crusaders of the Lost Mark

Plus, there is one episode on this list that I actually consider to be in the show's bottom 20:
Rarity Takes Manehatten.
I have a TON of problems with it, and I personally think it's Polsky's second weakest episode to date, with the weakest being Appleoosa's Most Wanted

[yodajax10]

I may not agree with a few of the episodes, but this was a still a really good list and the way you talked about each episode was well done.