My Top Ten Episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Part One)

Well, I hope that title got your attention. Now that the series is over, and we've gotten all the episodes of FiM that we're ever going to—which, admittedly, is still kind of a painful thought—I feel confident in choosing a top ten. My top ten may be different than your top ten, but hey, that's what makes it mine.

And one more thing before we dive in: Though I'm presenting this in a ranked order, all ten of these episodes are pretty close. It's not as though number one is light-years ahead of number ten in terms of quality. Believe me, I never realized just how much hair-splitting you have to do when you're working on a top-ten list. The differences in these rankings are pretty minuscule.

So, without further ado...

10. "Bridle Gossip"

The first entry on the list is honestly mostly here for sentimental reasons. Back in the halcyon days of 2012, when I first started watching the series at the behest of one of my friends, I started out a bit ambivalent. I started with episode one (which I know some people will say is a terrible way to be introduced to the show, but whatever), and the first few episodes left me pretty lukewarm. I could see why people liked the show, but I wasn't sure it was going to be my thing.

Then I got to "Bridle Gossip," and something clicked. Zecora, Apple Bloom, the effects of the poison joke... all of it combined into a really entertaining episode. And the effects of the poison joke are character-driven comedy, because it attacks things which are important characteristics of the ponies. Twilight loses her ability to do magic with her horn. Rainbow loses her ability to fly. Applejack loses her size, and thereby her strength and authority over Apple Bloom. Pinkie loses her ability to talk at 100 miles an hour. Fluttershy loses her soft, demure voice. And Rarity loses her flawless beauty. The strength of the comedy that comes from this character subversion is testament to the strength of the characters themselves. "Bridle Gossip," as an early episode, is one of the first real showcases of that.

And for a long time, it was my favorite episode. I'm still really fond of it.

9. "Slice of Life"

What's not to like about this one? It's a self-described love letter to the fandom, and it feels like it. We get to hear Derpy talk for the first time since the debacle of "The Last Roundup," and she's adorable and perfect. I loved Steven Magnet's cameo. I love Octavia and Vinyl. The whole thing is a great ride, and a perfect way to celebrate the show's 100-episode milestone.

8. "Sonic Rainboom"

As my avatar can attest, I really love Rainbow Dash. I mean, from the moment she first showed up in the pilot, I knew I liked her. Different characters speak to different people (the friend who first got me into watching the show, for example, is—or at least was—a huge fan of Pinkie Pie), and Rainbow Dash speaks to me.

All that being said, I think "Sonic Rainboom" is still the best Rainbow Dash episode. It's the first time we really see beyond her brash exterior, the first time there's more to her character than competitiveness and the Wonderbolts. Granted, I like her brash exterior, but seeing her vulnerable side is just as endearing.

Also, this episode introduced its titular feat of flying, and I love Sonic Rainbooms ever so much. I'm basically Pinkie Pie in this clip whenever a Rainboom is about to happen.

Also also, this episode is the origin of Fluttershy's "yay," and I can't not love that.

7. "Sparkle's Seven"

I think putting "Sparkle's Seven" ahead of "Slice of Life" might be the most controversial this list gets. As such, let me explain myself.

I do like "Slice of Life," but at the end of the day, it focuses on background ponies, and background ponies are in the background for a reason. While it was fun to see those characters have their day in the spotlight, I believe they should remain largely in the realm of fan works. So sue me.

"Sparkle's Seven," conversely, focuses on the main characters. They're the ones we've spent the most time with, and they're the ones the we (or at least I) love the most. I love this episode's comedy. I love that the writers were able to make a heist episode of FiM that didn't feel out of place. I love the end of this episode, with the revelation that Luna and Spike were working together, and the affirmation of Spike's sibling relationship to Twilight and Shining Armor. It's heartwarming, and it's good pony.

I also love that "Sparkle's Seven" is a love letter to the voice actresses that bring our beloved ponies (and dragon) to life. I love that the VAs got writing credit. Think about it: how many other shows do you think would let the VAs write an episode?

6. "The Secret of My Excess"

If you've read some of my stories, you'll know that I'm a pretty big fan of Sparity, and I do believe that this is the episode that all Sparity fans love. I admit, putting an episode in your top ten just because it props up your favorite ship is pretty feeble reasoning, but like I said at the beginning of this list, this is my top ten.

But shipping isn't the only reason I like "Secret of My Excess." I like it because it's probably the best Spike episode of the series. I like it for its epic-ness. I like it for its moral—generosity saves the day, and even a creature prone to greed can overcome his nature and save himself through generosity. It's a hopeful message.

Well, this got a bit long on me. As such, I'm going to stop here, and post the rest of my list in a part two. Stay tuned for that.

EDIT: Part two is now up!