Boast Busters

"It seems we have some "neigh-sayers" in the audience. Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie ?""

- Trixie

Boast Busters is the sixth episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, a new unicorn called "The Great and Powerful" Trixie arrives in Ponyville, claiming to be the greatest pony in Equestria.

Episode Summary
After practicing a set of magic spells, Twilight and Spike strolled through Ponyville, contemplating on the links between magic and talent. While Twilight believes that the amount of magic depends on certain talents, she also believed that magic itself can be a talent if one is born with it. Spike responds that he thinks that because of Twilight's vast knowledge of magic, there was no other pony in Equestria like her. As if right on cue, two male unicorns by the name of Snips and Snails spread the word that a new unicorn has arrived with even greater magic.

In the town square, the new unicorn had made herself known to the populace. Calling herself "The Great and Powerful Trixie", she claimed to be the most magical in all of Equestria. The ponyfolk are in awe with her magic tricks. Twilight's friends, however, seemed unimpressed because of the newcomer's constant boasting. When Spike tried to say that Twilight is more magical, the purple pony stopped him, saying that she didn't want to face the same looks from her friends as they did with Trixie. When Rainbow Dash demanded to know what made the robed unicorn so special, she responded by claiming that she had once saved the town of Hoofington from the "Ursa Major", sending it back to The Everfree Forest. She then challenged anyone in Ponyville to step up, saying anything they can do, she will easily do better.

Applejack was the first, performing a rodeo rope trick. Trixie countered by using a snake rope trick, hog-tying the southern equine. Dash came in to gather enough moisture to create her own mini-rainbow, but the braggart manipulated that very rainbow to dizzy her. Rarity declined, saying that she was "above all this nonsense". But when Trixie insulted her mane, she showed off her usual elegance by creating a costume out of stage curtains. Trixie used her magic to mess up Rarity's hair turning her hair green, and the dignified unicorn ran off in humiliation. Spike again tried to get Twilight to show the arrogant trickster who's calling. Trixie challenges Twilight, but Twilight ran away without accpting the challenge. With no one left to face her, she once more declared herself the superior pony.

With the show finished, Snips and Snails showed up near Trixie's trailer, wanting to hear how the star defeated the Usra Major. However, she cast them off so she can get some rest. A skeptical Spike met the two male unicorns, saying that unless there was some proof, there was no way Trixie's claim would be true. This gave the two an idea of finding the creature in the Everfree Forest.

Back home, Spike tried to convince Twilight that she can use her magic to stand up to Trixie and help her friends. However, Twilight feared that she would be no better than Trixie and she would end up losing her friends in the process by showing off.

In the forest, Snips and Snails found a giant blue bear, but accidentally woke it up and were chased all the way back to Ponyville. They woke up Trixie, who started panicking after seeing the bear. After a few terribly failed attempts to stop it, she finally confessed that she never really vanquished an Ursa Major. In fact, she made up the story to help with her image. Before the bear began to wreak havoc on Ponyville, Twilight finally stepped up to use her magic. Using the wind and cat tails as a lullaby, and the town's water tower filled with warm milk, the bear was finally asleep, before it was carried back to the forest.

Contrary to her fear, Twilight was cheered on by her friends and all of Ponyville, who saw her as the better magical unicorn than Trixie due to her modesty. Twilight confessed that she was studying on the Usra Major after hearing Trixie's bragging. However, the creature that attacked them was actually a very cranky Ursa Minor, a younger version of the Major.

Refusing to admit she was outdone, Trixie went back to her arrogance, saying that Twilight will never have the same power as her, before she rushed off in a cloud of smoke. Rainbow Dash was about to go after Trixie, but Twilight stops her, certain that Trixie will someday learn her lesson about her bragging.

Twilight then assigned Snips and Snails to clean up the mess for bringing the Ursa Minor to Ponyville, but not before giving them, including Spike, their own mustaches. She learns that she should be proud of her magical talent, and know when to use it. Twilight also admitted that she was the most talented unicorn in Ponyville, but "it's nothing to brag about..."

Major Events

 * Trixie, Snips and Snails were introduced in this episode.
 * Spike mentioned that Twilight Sparkle learned 25 different kinds of tricks.

Quotes:

 * Twilight: There's nothing wrong with being talented, is there?


 * Applejack: Nothin' at all... Exceptin' when someone goes around showin' it off like a school-filly with fancy new ribbons.


 * Rarity: Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us.
 * Rainbow Dash: Especially when you got me around being better than the rest of us...


 * Rainbow Dash: They don't call me "Rainbow" and "Dash" for nothing!
 * Trixie (under her breath): When Trixie is through, the only thing they'll call you is "Loser"...


 * Rarity: Rainbow Dash and Applejack may act like ruffians, but Rarity conducts herself with beauty and grace.
 * Trixie: Ooh. What's the matter? Afraid you'll get a hair out of place in that "rat's nest" you call a mane?
 * Rarity: ...Oh! It... is... ON!


 * Rarity: QUICK! I NEED A MIRROR! Get me a mirror! What did she do to my hair?! I know she did something terrible to my hair!!
 * Twilight: ...Nothing.
 * Rainbow Dash: It's fine!
 * Applejack: It's gorgeous!
 * Spike: ...It's green.


 * Rarity: No. Green hair! Not green hair! That's an awful, awful color! *cries*
 * Carrot Top: Well, I never!


 * Twilight: I, uh... I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry.


 * Spike: Hey, guys, where ya goin'?
 * Snips: Can't talk now.
 * Snails: Got a major problem!
 * Snips: Yeah, Ursa Major, to be exact.


 * Trixie: Trixie thought she said the Great and Powerful Trixie did not want to be disturbed!
 * Snips: We-- We have a tiny problem.
 * Snails: Actually, it's a big one.
 * Trixie: What is so important that you cannot wait until morning to disturb Trixie?!


 * Snails: Don't worry, the Great and Powerful Trixie will vanquish it.
 * Trixie: ...I can't.
 * Snips/Snails: What?!
 * Trixie: uh, I can't, I never have. No one can vanquish an Ursa Major. I just made the whole story up to make me look better.
 * Snips/Snails: Made it up?!!


 * Trixie: Huh. You may have vanquished an Ursa Minor, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!

Trivia

 * The title of the episode is a pun of the ever popular movie and cartoon series, Ghost Busters.
 * "The Great and Powerful Trixie" refers to herself as such or is called so by other characters a total of twenty times during the episode.
 * This is the first episode of the show to not have all of the ponies talk.
 * Trixie doesn't just turn Rarity's hair green, it's a mottled or "camoflage" form of green, is no longer neatly groomed, has a stick poking out of it, and sports two slightly floppy antennae out of the top.