Top Ten Opening Sequences of FiM, Version 2 · 5:04am Nov 25th, 2017
Hope all of you stayed safe and avoided getting trampled if you had to go out shopping on this Black Friday, we're going to be ending these Top Ten lists for the show tonight, and I wanted to go out on a positive instead of a negative note. We updated the worst opening sequences last time, so now we're gonna update the best opening sequences. Here's the first version, from a season ago. Let's see what got added, moved down, or dropped off.
10. Crusaders Go Bowling ("The Cutie Pox" Season 2, Episode 6)
Why it stayed on the bottom: Even "The Cutie Pox" as much as it was crammed with filler, at least started off with a good opening scene. Had the entire episode just consisted of this sequence (and been turned into a promotional short instead of an episode), it at least wouldn't be ignored by the fandom. If "Secrets and Pies" should've learned anything from "The Cutie Pox", it's that if you're gonna have filler, at least include one part of the episode that's actually worth watching without being padded out.
9. Rarity Shows Off Her Collection ("Rarity Investigates!" Season 5, Episode 16)
Why it moved down: We got a better Rarity/Sassy Saddles interaction in an opening sequence that'll appear on this list a little later, and since Rainbow Dash only comes into play at the very end of it, she doesn't count as a factor. It really is a shame we don't have an entire episode of Sassy Saddles just trying to keep Canterlot Carousel running smoothly and dealing with her boss' dramatic tendencies, because Sassy plays off Rarity's drama queen antics really well.
8. The CMC's New Clubhouse ("The Show Stoppers" Season 1, Episode 18)
Why it stayed the same: While Sassy Scootaloo may have been a relatively new concept in Season 7, technically she got her start with sassy comments in this opening sequence when she said this gem of a line: "TLC as in 'tender loving care' or 'totally lost cause'?". It seems like Scootaloo's always the first one to say whatever's on her mind. But Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle get some good reactions here too, and Applejack being on the receiving end of some old fashioned slapstick is a nice touch. But my overall thoughts on this opening sequence haven't changed, it's still a good start to what was a very disappointing CMC focus episode, one that I'm glad is no longer the benchmark for them.
7. Keeping Carousel Boutique Running/Rarity's Breakdown ("Forever Filly" Season 7, Episode 6)
Why it was added: This is the sequence I was talking about that better utilized the Rarity/Sassy Saddles dynamic. Not only do we have Sassy's reactions to Rarity's overly dramatic crying, but we also see a contrast in organization between Rarity and Sassy, and how Rarity is more organized now since Sassy manages the day to day operations. This entire opening sequence goes a long way towards making Rarity sympathetic and understandable, especially considering the things she ends up doing later in the episode. It would've been so easy to make her the bad guy, but this sequence gave her more of a reason to treat her little sister so little than Applejack had at any point in "Somepony to Watch Over Me". But what holds this sequence back is that, somehow, I doubt this is really the first time Sassy has witnessed one of Rarity's dramatic breakdowns. She's had to have been around for at least one by now, it's been over a year since they entered into business together (probably two to two and a half since this episode mentions a Spring season).
6. Twilight and the CMC ("Twilight Time" Season 4, Episode 15)
Why it moved down: It's such a shame that we haven't really seen Twilight and the Cutie Mark Crusaders interact much outside the episode this opening sequence is a part of. That's more or less the big thing dragging down this opening sequence, because everything else about is just fine, aside from maybe Spike showing up suddenly, but even then his brief appearance serves a purpose. Also, LittleshyFiM found an exploitable meme that I'm surprised the fandom hasn't already run with, Scootaloo saying "Aw, you're okay" whenever something bad happens to someone (either in the show, or in other media). Seriously, fandom, get on it!
5. Spike The Distraction ("Celestial Advice" Season 7, Episode 1)
Why it was added: Although the start of "The Crystalling" opened up with a pretty clever joke about Starlight struggling to find her way around the castle, I think this opening sequence left more of an overall impression just for Spike impersonating Rarity (fun fact: Cathy Wesluck voiced Rarity in G3). But there's also the exploitable moment where Spike pulls Starlight close to keep her distracted, and I'm sure quite a few people in the fandom made edits of that where Spike kissed Starlight. Spike also gets a good exchange with Twilight, and Twilight's mirror is a nice touch. One has to wonder where she got some of those photos though, particularly the Celestia and Discord one.
4. Rainbow Dash Becomes A Wonderbolt ("Newbie Dash" Season 6, Episode 7)
Why it moved up: "Parental Glideance" actually had a pretty decent opening sequence, up until Scootaloo started screaming her head off (if only they hadn't thought to drag it on through the next several minutes of the episode and waste precious time we could've spent fleshing out Bow and Windy), so although it was the worser episode overall (not that that's saying much), this opening sequence at least was enjoyable and thus got bumped up. I just have to wonder, and I really hate to be that guy, but how can Spitfire land like that and not at least hurt her leg?
3. Petunia's Cutie Mark ("The Fault in Our Cutie Marks" Season 6, Episode 9)
Why it moved up: While it wasn't bad, "Forever Filly"'s scene with Chip Cutter lacked the kind of connection that this opening sequence had. Meeting the parents and hearing their concerns, went a long way towards making us interested in the CMC helping out a random pony. Also, no joke, the first time I saw this opening sequence and heard the parents talk, I thought they were referring to Scootaloo and were her parents. Apparently, if "Shadow Play" is any indication, Petunia has gone on to already start her palentology career (or she was on a class field trip).
2. The Big Finish ("Princess Twilight Sparkle" Season 4, Episode 1)
Why it stayed the same: The first scene we saw after an incredibly nerve wracking hiatus that lasted more than half a year, and one that went a long way towards winning over those previously skeptical of Twilicorn for whatever reason. This scene did a lot to establish what would be different about Twilight now that she was an alicorn princess, and what would stay the same. I don't think it's technically a retcon of the ending of "Magical Mystery Cure", because we never saw Twilight take off on her own power (we assumed she did) or see her land for that matter. For all we know, she could've been launched and then crash landed. On top of that, I think this marked the start of a change in dynamic for Twilight and Rainbow Dash, who previously didn't interact all that much in spite of their few areas of overlapping interest.
1. Elements of A Good Cheer ('Sonic Rainboom Season 1, Episode 16)
Why it stayed on the top: Maybe it's not iconic for everyone, but for the early fandom at least this was one of the most memorable scenes of the entire show. There was even a turret version of this (in which the characters voices were modified to sound like the turrets from Portal and Portal 2), and one showing what this sequence was like in other languages. Not to mention the fact that at least a handful of people got the wrong context on this initially, thinking that this sequence was talking about something other than a cheer. And Fluttershy's "Yay" said here, has more or less become the standard censor bleep among the fandom (at one point though, it alternated with the "Squee" sound effect and "Buy Some Apples"). I doubt anything's going to top an influential and memorable opening sequence like this.
And there you have it. Now, come back tomorrow for one more list, a wishlist of the Top Five Things I want to see the Equestria Girls YouTube series do.
I already commented on my favorite openings from seasons 1-6 in version 1. Here's my favorite from season 7:
-Celestial Advice
-Forever Filly
-Parental Gluidence
-The Perfect Pear
-Triple Threat
-A Health of Information
-Once Upon a Zeppelin
What was wrong with "The Show Stoppers?" I thought it was great.
Considering the fact that these two have great chemistry, this is less than surprising.
I actually thought that sequence was freaking hilarious! It's like the writers knew exactly how the fans would react to this, so they had Scootaloo mirror their reaction. After all, like the seaponies in the movie, this was something that the fans had been wanting for years and they delivered, so Scootaloo's squeeing seemed more than appropriate.
That was one of my favorite bits from that finale.