List of allusions

The following is a list of allusions to other My Little Pony generations, works of fiction, people, places, events, and other cultural touchstones in the series My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Entries on this page must follow the similarity guidelines.

Development
My Little Pony Friendship is Magic incorporates elements of classic fantasy, fairy tales, and mythology. Among the works mentioned by Lauren Faust as inspiration for the show are Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Wizard of Oz, The Lord of the Rings, Transformers, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Faust saw the inclusion of European and Greek mythologies as obvious, since the characters, unicorns and Pegasi, themselves draw from mythology.

Character names and designs

 * All the designs of the leading characters, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Spike are inspired by characters from G1 named: Twilight, Applejack, Firefly, Sparkler, Posey, Surprise, and Spike, respectively.
 * Applejack's name is the name of an alcoholic beverage, and the derisive nickname "Apple Teeny" that Spike gives her in Bridle Gossip is pronounced the same as "appletini," the name of another alcoholic beverage.
 * Big McIntosh, Granny Smith, Braeburn, and several of the Apple family members' names are of apple cultivars. Other members' names are of culinary dishes made with apples.
 * Big McIntosh's design is inspired by the G1 Big Brother Ponies.
 * The royal guards wear crested helmets which are reminiscent of Roman galea.
 * Snips and Snails, two colts, are a reference to the nursery rhyme "What Are Little Boys Made Of?".
 * Flim and Flam appear to be inspired by the character of Professor Harold Hill in The Music Man.
 * Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor's mother Twilight Velvet is inspired and designed after G1 Twilight.
 * Derpy is named for her eyes being off-center, resembling a meme which afterward became a word.
 * Dr. Hooves is named after Doctor Who, and though his resemblance to the 10th Doctor (portrayed by David Tennant) was at first only coincidental, he has been depicted similarly in various official material. In some material he wears a green or red necktie and/or the 10th Doctor's outfit.

Other names, titles, and design

 * Canterlot is a portmanteau of "canter," a three-beat horse gait, and Camelot from Arthurian legends.
 * Canterlot's design is inspired by the city of Minas Tirith from the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien.
 * Cloudsdale's suffix, "dale," is an old word for a valley or open river valley, but the name is a play on the Clydesdale breed of horse as well.
 * Manehattan is a play on Manhattan, one of the five boroughs of New York City.
 * Fillydelphia is a play on the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
 * In Stare Master and Luna Eclipsed, a city called "Trottingham," a play on the city of Nottingham, England, is mentioned. Nottingham is notable for being featured in the lore of Robin Hood.
 * Las Pegasus is a play on the city of Las Vegas, though the writer of the episode felt that the latter was not a very successful pun, and it was eventually re-interpreted in the map of Equestria poster as Los Pegasus, then later changed to Las Pegasus on a newer map.
 * Baltimare is a play on the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
 * Princess Cadance mentions a place called Maretania in Three's A Crowd. Maretania is a play on the country of Mauritania.
 * Neighagra Falls is a play on the famous landmark Niagara Falls on the Ontario-New York border.
 * Applewood is named after the Hollywood neighborhood in Los Angeles, California.
 * San Palomino Desert, a desert near Las Pegasus is a play on the San Antonio Desert. Palomino is also the name of a horse coat color.
 * Vanhoover is a play on the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada.
 * Saddle Arabia is a play on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Arabian is also a breed of horse.
 * Whinnyapolis is a play on the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mythology

 * Lauren Faust and Rob Renzetti encouraged the writers to infuse mythology into the series.
 * The show features dragons, griffons, unicorns, and Pegasi in multiple episodes, and several other mythological creatures detailed in individual episode sections below, like manticore, windigo, Hydra, cockatrice, a minotaur, and others.

Audio

 * The famous Wilhelm scream is used in Magic Duel when Trixie is about to drop a cart on Shoeshine, in Apple Family Reunion when Apple Bloom falls over while running around the tree, in Keep Calm and Flutter On when Angel falls down in Fluttershy's house when Discord keeps spinning her house, in Games Ponies Play when two male athlete Crystal Ponies are knocked away by Ms. Peachbottom, in My Little Pony Equestria Girls when Sunset Shimmer starts flying toward the crowd behind the gap she broke in the front of Canterlot High, in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 during the reveal of Ponyville covered in the Everfree Forest, in Daring Don't when Daring Do fights with Ahuizotl's jungle cats and during the collapse of the Fortress of Talacon, in Power Ponies when the Power Ponies are battling the Mane-iac's henchponies in the shampoo factory, in Three's A Crowd when Twilight and Princess Cadance push the Tatzlwurm back underground, in For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils during the dream sequence when everypony runs from the rain during the Pony Awards, in Player Piano when one of the students is pushed by the grand piano, at the end of The Cutie Map - Part 2 during the celebration scene, in Bloom & Gloom during the twittermite infestation, in Tanks for the Memories during the nuclear winter explosion, in Scare Master while the ponies are going through the haunted corn maze, in Gauntlet of Fire when Ember sees the dragons get hit by boulders, and in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree during Timber's Gaea Everfree st Dick & Roger's Sound Studio designers worked the scream in a few episodes.
 * Granny Smith's voice clips from Friendship is Magic, part 1 are re-used to make every speaking appearance she has throughout season 1, excluding Griffon the Brush Off. In Family Appreciation Day, the voice clip "Move your caboose!" is re-used later in the episode after the third sign, along with the "That's what I said!" voice clip from Sisterhooves Social being re-used, and the "Soup's on" voice clip being re-used yet again. In Ponyville Confidential, the "Move your caboose!" voice clip from Family Appreciation Day is re-used again.
 * Spike's laugh, first heard in Friendship is Magic, part 1 is re-used in It's About Time and Just for Sidekicks.
 * Rarity's shocked reaction towards Twilight's mane from Friendship is Magic, part 1 is recycled as her excited laugh in Sonic Rainboom.
 * Fluttershy's nervous squeal from Friendship is Magic, part 1 is re-used three times throughout the series: in A Bird in the Hoof where she is crying over the 'death' of Philomena, again in Hurricane Fluttershy where she is crying under a tree, and in My Little Pony Equestria Girls when her human self gives out fliers to help the animal shelter.
 * The voice clip of Pinkie Pie's gasp upon meeting Twilight for the first time in Friendship is Magic, part 1, is re-used six times throughout the series: later in the same episode when Rarity confirms that Princess Celestia is missing; in Bridle Gossip, when everyone thinks that they crushed Applejack in the tub; reversed to form Fluttershy's inhalation in Sonic Rainboom; as Mrs. Cake's voice in A Bird in the Hoof, when Pinkie eats Princess Celestia's cupcake; in MMMystery on the Friendship Express, when Pinkie sees that the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness has been eaten; and in Too Many Pinkie Pies when the Pinkies find out that Twilight's test is watching paint dry. It is reversed again when Pinkie balloons herself in Simple Ways.
 * Rainbow Dash's line "loop-de-loop around and wham!" from Friendship is Magic, part 1 is re-used in Friendship is Magic, part 2.
 * The main cast's laugh at the end of the Laughter Song in Friendship is Magic, part 2 is re-used in My Little Pony Equestria Girls, shortly after the conclusion of This is Our Big Night.
 * In Friendship is Magic, part 2, after Rarity sacrifices her tail for the serpent's moustache, Twilight begins to sympathize for her, beginning with, "Oh, Rarity!" This audio is re-used in A Dog and Pony Show after the team attempts to find an open hole in the ground to save Rarity from the Diamond Dogs.
 * Pinkie Pie's final line in Friendship is Magic, part 2 is re-used from a line she says in Friendship is Magic, part 1, with some parts cut out during the iris-in.
 * Twilight's cry of "Pinkieee!!!" is used twice in the series, the first being in The Ticket Master and the second in Hearth's Warming Eve.
 * The music heard during Rainbow Dash's "so awesome" speech in Applebuck Season is re-used as party music in Daring Don't.
 * Rainbow Dash's exclamation of "So awesome!" in Applebuck Season is re-used in My Little Pony Equestria Girls when Twilight refuses to hand the element of magic over to Sunset Shimmer.
 * The mule who appears in Applebuck Season and Hurricane Fluttershy uses the same "None taken" voice clip in both episodes.
 * The musical cue used during the bunny stampede in Applebuck Season is re-used (in a different key) in The Last Roundup during the stagecoach chase.
 * The voice clip of Pinkie talking to Twilight at the beginning of Griffon the Brush Off is re-used in Sweet and Elite when Rarity regains consciousness.
 * During the welcome party in Griffon the Brush Off, after a prank is pulled the sound clip "that's so funny!" is used three times in a row.
 * Applejack's little giggle in Griffon the Brush Off is used again in Look Before You Sleep and The Crystal Empire - Part 1. In Look Before You Sleep, it is tied in with the laugh created specifically for that episode.
 * The dragon sobbing from Dragonshy is re-used for a Flutterguy scream in Filli Vanilli.
 * The musical backing to Pinkie's Hop Skip and Jump song in Dragonshy is re-used in The Crystal Empire - Part 2 when Pinkie is juggling flugelhorns.
 * The sound of Pinkie eating a cake in Swarm of the Century is re-used in Call of the Cutie, when Pinkie eats the burnt cupcakes, in Look Before You Sleep when Applejack eats the cucumbers off of her eyes, in Over a Barrel when Pinkie eats with the buffalo, in A Bird in the Hoof when Pinkie eats one of Princess Celestia's cupcakes and when she is eating and Fluttershy is seen under her, in The Return of Harmony Part 1 when Pinkie eats the cotton candy cloud, in Hearth's Warming Eve when Pinkie eats a gingerbread house, and in Sweet and Elite when she eats another cake.
 * Rarity's scream after Pinkie leaves her to fend for herself in Swarm of the Century is re-used three times throughout the series: in Lesson Zero, when Twilight runs to the Boutique; as the mother's scream in The Mysterious Mare Do Well; and in Secret of My Excess, when Spike's claw reaches through the window to grab Rarity.
 * Pinkie Pie's one-pony band fanfare to rid Ponyville of the parasprites in Swarm of the Century is re-used as the party music in Pinkie's flashback scene in The Cutie Mark Chronicles. Its ending from The Cutie Mark Chronicles is re-used in Sweet and Elite after the first time Pinkie fires her party cannon. The music is used again in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 when Pinkie leads Chrysalis disguised as Cadance to her reception plans, and in One Bad Apple for the parade fanfare.
 * Twilight Sparkle's scream from Winter Wrap Up in the ice skating scene is re-used in Secret of My Excess.
 * Rarity's crying near the end of Winter Wrap Up is re-used in Suited for Success.
 * The sound used for Twilight's grin in Winter Wrap Up is re-used for her nervous grin in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1, baby Applejack's squeak in Apple Family Reunion, Rainbow's smug grin in Daring Don't, Pinkie's grin in Pinkie Apple Pie, Apple Bloom's sheepish grin in Somepony to Watch Over Me, Discord's grin in Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1 and Fluttershy's grin in Rainbow Rocks.
 * The music that plays during Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara's cute-ceañera party in Call of the Cutie is the same music that plays during the montage of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' attempts to earn their cutie marks in The Show Stoppers and during Pinkie Pie's birthday party toward the end of Party of One.
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders' laughter from Call of the Cutie is re-used in Stare Master when they zoom past Twilight.
 * Rainbow Dash's laugh in Fall Weather Friends when she flips the sign is re-used again in A Bird in the Hoof.
 * The background music during Rarity's fashion show in Suited For Success is re-used during Fluttershy's first fashion show in Green Isn't Your Color.
 * The line 'Holy guacamole!' is spoken by Spike twice in Feeling Pinkie Keen, as is the line "Twitchy tail?."
 * The musical accompaniment to Rainbow Dash and Rarity's routine in Sonic Rainboom is re-used in The Show Stoppers, when Apple Bloom is practicing dancing; The Cutie Mark Chronicles, during Applejack's flashback; Keep Calm and Flutter On, during the main cast's dinner party with Discord; and Simple Ways during Rarity's first presentation and the Ponyville Days gala.
 * Rainbow Dash's repetition of "Oh my gosh!" in Sonic Rainboom was re-used again in Wonderbolts Academy.
 * Most of the background music in Wonderbolts Academy was re-used again in Rainbow Falls.
 * Fluttershy's laugh that was used twice in Stare Master is re-used in Over a Barrel.
 * Segments of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' theme song are re-used in My Little Pony Equestria Girls.
 * The background music during Sapphire Shores' introduction in A Dog and Pony Show is re-used during the Fashion Week scenes in Rarity Takes Manehattan.
 * Applejack's line "Get back here, you thievin' varmints!" from The Cutie Mark Chronicles is repeated later in the episode when she is done with her story and the rabbits run away.
 * Scootaloo's line, "What are you, a dictionary?!", directed at Sweetie Belle early in The Return of Harmony Part 1, is re-used in Family Appreciation Day, directed this time at Apple Bloom.
 * Golden Harvest's scream from Luna Eclipsed is used again from off screen in The Mysterious Mare Do Well.
 * Rainbow Dash's laugh sequence in The Mysterious Mare Do Well was re-used and reversed in The Crystal Empire - Part 1.
 * The Sorcerer's Apprentice inspired background music from Secret of My Excess is used again in Hearts and Hooves Day when the Cutie Mark Crusaders are gathering the ingredients for the love potion.
 * Pumpkin Cake's baby talk is re-used several times in Baby Cakes and re-used for the beginning of A Friend in Deed.
 * A snippet of Pinkie Pie's bawling in Baby Cakes is re-used in The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000.
 * Fluttershy's cry of "No!" at the beginning of Dragon Quest is re-used near the end of Hurricane Fluttershy.
 * In Dragon Quest, Crackle's noise is a pitch shift of Spike screaming in A Dog and Pony Show.
 * Apple Bloom's line "Seriously?" in One Bad Apple is re-used in Apple Family Reunion.
 * The line "Hello there!" is spoken by Twilight twice in Games Ponies Play.
 * Rainbow Dash's line "Yeah-heah-heah, whoo!" is used twice in Bats! and once at the end of Testing Testing 1, 2, 3.
 * Pinkie Pie's "wow!" in Games Ponies Play is re-used in Filli Vanilli.
 * The musical cue used at the very beginning of Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 is re-used after the opening theme sequence in Three's A Crowd.
 * The magic that Cadance and Twilight use to defeat the Tatzlwurm re-uses the sound effect of Nightmare Moon's dark magic from Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2.
 * Twilight's coughing when being attacked by the Everfree vines in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2 is re-used for the cold open of Twilight Time.
 * The "watching paint dry" music from Too Many Pinkie Pies is re-used in the end of Twilight Time.
 * Pinkie's panting after singing her "Evil Enchantress" song in Bridle Gossip is re-used for her panting after her wild drum solo in Pinkie on the One.
 * Pinkie's giggle when looking at the paper in Pinkie Apple Pie is reused in Inspiration Manifestation.
 * The party music from Griffon the Brush Off is heard during the Foal and Filly Fair in Inspiration Manifestation.
 * Rarity's gasp when she sees the Cragadile in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2 is re-used in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks when she gasps at her spilt nail polish.
 * Twilight's line "Never mind. It's not important." from Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 is re-used in Rainbow Rocks.
 * Pinkie's line when referring to Trixie's exit, "She's gone! Oh, wait, there she is," is used twice in Rainbow Rocks.
 * The tick-tock music heard when the Mane Six are making the dresses from Rarity Takes Manehattan is re-used in Bloom & Gloom during Sweetie Belle's dream sequence.
 * Rarity's scoffing sound from Equestria Girls is reused twice in Made in Manehattan and once in Friendship Games and Spice Up Your Life.
 * Flurry Heart's cooing sound from her first reveal in The Crystalling - Part 1 is also used at the end of the same episode.
 * Twilight's grunting when using Alicorn magic at the end of Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 is re-used when she uses the reconstitution spell in The Crystalling - Part 2.
 * The Brian Setzer-esque swing music heard during Twilight's birthday party in Sweet and Elite is re-used at the end of the cold open in Viva Las Pegasus.
 * Part of Twilight's speech from the end of The Times They Are A Changeling is re-used when Thorax impersonates Twilight in To Where and Back Again - Part 1.

Animation

 * Rainbow Dash's jumping on a cloud animation in Friendship is Magic, part 1 is used as the basis for the same animation used in Apple Family Reunion.
 * Pinkie Pie's crying animation in Friendship is Magic, part 2 is used as the basis for the same animation used in Baby Cakes.
 * Pinkie Pie's hopping animation from Friendship is Magic, part 2 is re-used in Too Many Pinkie Pies.
 * Rainbow Dash's "STAMPEDE!" animation on Applebuck Season is used again later in the same episode.
 * Pinkie Pie's jumping animation from The Ticket Master is re-used in Hearth's Warming Eve.
 * Applejack's scaring "ooh" animation from Look Before You Sleep is re-used in Castle Mane-ia.
 * Dancing animations for Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Twist in Call of the Cutie are re-used in Pinkie Pride for filly versions of Flitter, Cloudchaser, Lyra Heartstrings, and Sweetie Drops.
 * Scootaloo's wolf costume from Luna Eclipsed is shown in One Bad Apple and worn by Babs Seed to scare the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
 * Pinkie Pie's bouncing from Baby Cakes is re-used in Too Many Pinkie Pies.
 * Pinkie Pie's dancing and drums playing animation from A Friend in Deed is re-used in Too Many Pinkie Pies.
 * Pinkie Pie's rope-skipping animation from A Friend in Deed is re-used in Too Many Pinkie Pies.
 * Pinkie Pie's chicken dance from A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 is re-used in Too Many Pinkie Pies and Pinkie Pride.
 * Pinkie Pie wearing a chicken costume from Luna Eclipsed re-appeared in Bloom and Gloom.
 * Princess Celestia's solemn expression when she speaks to Queen Chrysalis in A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2 is re-used in Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2.
 * The animations in the background as well as the animations of Cutie Mark Crusaders running from Babs Seed and singing part of their song are repeated throughout the song played in One Bad Apple.
 * Dr. Hooves' animation of setting down his suitcase in Rarity Takes Manehattan is re-used in Equestria Games.
 * Human Derpy's dance during the end credits of My Little Pony Equestria Girls is re-used in "Perfect Day for Fun," though her muffin is removed and her hands are closed.
 * The animation from the first season theme song of Spike sending a letter, and Celestia receiving it is reused at the end of Crusaders of the Lost Mark.
 * The animation from the first part of the chorus of It's Gonna Work in Spice Up Your Life is re-used twice in the same episode.

Other

 * Dr. Hooves' descriptions on Enterplay's Mayor Mare & Time Turner trading card, in Gameloft's mobile game, and for Gaia Online's promotional item of him say, to varying effect, that he keeps Ponyville's clocks in sync, sets the hourglass for cider competitions, and takes care of all things "timey-wimey." The phrase "wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff" originates from the Doctor Who episode "Blink". In the season five episode Slice of Life and the Korean broadcast of the season one episode Call of the Cutie, Dr. Hooves speaks the phrase "Allons-y!", a signature saying of his live-action counterpart, the 10th Doctor.

The Crystalling - Part 1

 * "Crystalling" has the same cadence as "christening," a Christian rite with outstanding similarities to the titular ceremony in principle and purpose.
 * Starlight Glimmer remarking that the Castle of Friendship looks "smaller on the outside" is a reference to the TARDIS of Doctor Who lore.

The Crystalling - Part 2

 * Starlight exclaiming "We have to go back!" is a reference to the ABC mystery drama series Lost.

The Gift of the Maud Pie

 * The title is a reference to O. Henry's 1905 short story The Gift of the Magi. Pinkie Pie's trade of her party cannon is a reference to the story's plot.
 * During the sightseeing trip, the trio visits a toy store where two ponies are playing a duet on a foot-operated electronic keyboard, which is a reference to a famous scene from the 1988 movie Big. The tune they are playing is the beginning of the My Little Pony theme song.
 * The skating rink is modeled after the rink at Rockefeller Plaza.
 * Maud begins the story of how she met Boulder with the line "It was a dark and stormy night", which is attributed as originating as the first sentence of Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1830 novel Paul Clifford, and was further popularized by Snoopy in his persona of "The World Famous Author" in the comic strip Peanuts.
 * In the jewelry store, Rarity is dressed as Holly Golightly from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

On Your Marks

 * The title is a reference to the phrase, "On your mark, get set, go!"
 * Three stallions in the art class all bear resemblances to famous artists:
 * The first is modeled after Pablo Picasso.
 * The second is modeled after Salvador Dalí. His portrait of Tree Hugger resembles Dalí's The Persistence of Memory.
 * The third is modeled after Andy Warhol. His portrait of Tree Hugger is modeled after Warhol's portrait of Marilyn Monroe.
 * The ponies dancing on the stage at the recital are modeled after Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey from the 1987 film Dirty Dancing.

Gauntlet of Fire

 * The title is similar to the fourth Harry Potter novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

No Second Prances

 * The title is a play on the phrase, "No second chances".
 * The character Hoofdini is a reference to famed illusionist Harry Houdini.
 * The poster art for Trixie is modeled after a 1921 poster of the magician Bernardo.

Newbie Dash

 * When imitating Twilight, Rainbow suggests the nickname "Reading Rainboom", a reference to the 1983 literary educational children's TV series Reading Rainbow.
 * When imitating Fluttershy, Rainbow suggests the nickname "Care Mare", a reference to the Care Bears line of toys.

A Hearth's Warming Tail

 * The story A Hearth's Warming Tale is based on the Charles Dickens novella A Christmas Carol.
 * The characters are parodied as follows:
 * Starlight Glimmer/Snowfall Frost: Ebenezer Scrooge
 * Rainbow Dash/Snowdash: Bob Cratchit
 * Applejack: The Ghost of Christmas Past
 * Pinkie Pie: The Ghost of Christmas Present
 * Princess Luna: The Ghost of Christmas Yet-to-Come
 * In addition, Featherweight appears holding a crutch in reference to the character of Tiny Tim, and Octavia appears in the role of the Fiddler at Fezziwig's party.
 * Snowfall Frost's teacher Professor Flintheart is based on Severus Snape from the Harry Potter film franchise, as portrayed by the late Alan Rickman.
 * The duck doll seen throughout the episode has the same color scheme as Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb.
 * Pinkie and Featherweight's tap-dancing routine is almost similar to the one with Gene Kelly and Jerry Mouse in Anchors Aweigh.
 * During Say Goodbye to the Holiday, a little filly is seen modeled after the title character from the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Little Match Girl".

The Saddle Row Review

 * The episode's working title "Saddle Row & Rec" is based on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, which also uses a similar mockumentary style.
 * The reporter Buried Lede is modeled after the character J. Jonah Jameson from the Spider-Man comics.
 * Two stallions sitting in the diner are modeled after Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield from the 1994 film Pulp Fiction.
 * The three ponies that Rainbow Dash hires resemble fashion designers Karl Lagerfeld, Betsey Johnson, and Zandra Rhodes.

Applejack's "Day" Off

 * The scene in which Twilight is suspended over the pigpen and stops falling just short of the ground mimics a scene in the 1996 film Mission: Impossible, complete with a similar-sounding musical score.

Flutter Brutter

 * Zephyr Breeze tricking Spike into cleaning the throne room windows is a reference to Tom Sawyer getting a boy to paint a fence for him in the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
 * An Earth pony stallion in Ponyville bears a resemblance to Link from The Legend of Zelda video game series. This pony wears a green cap, has a Heart Container for a cutie mark, and appears pulling a cart of gems resembling the games' Rupee currency.
 * When Zephyr Breeze tries living in the woods, he starts talking to his mannequin and names it Wigford, referencing the 2000 Tom Hanks film Cast Away, in which Hanks' character has an imaginary friend that he makes out of a volleyball and names Wilson.

Spice Up Your Life

 * The title is an allusion to the Spice Girls song of the same name.
 * Multiple ponies at the second grand reopening of the Tasty Treat strongly resemble real celebrity chefs:
 * S06E12 Unnamed Earth Mare #1: Clarissa Dickson Wright
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Mare #3: Rachael Ray
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Mare #4: Cat Cora
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Mare #5: Julia Child
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Stallion #7: Gordon Ramsay
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Stallion #8: Jamie Oliver
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Stallion #9: Chris Cosentino
 * S06E12 Unnamed Unicorn Stallion #10: Art Ginsburg

Stranger Than Fan Fiction

 * The title is an allusion to the saying "truth is stranger than fiction".
 * Quibble Pants' dislike of books beyond the original trilogy is very similar to Patton Oswalt's attitude toward the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
 * Rainbow and Quibble's brief argument over whether Quibble said "go around" or "go over" mirrors a similar argument in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
 * Quibble's remark about a "Pony or the Tiger situation" is a reference to the infamously open-ended Frank R. Stockton short story The Lady, or the Tiger?
 * When Rainbow Dash is in the lobby, two pony versions of characters from the 2014 Wes Anderson film The Grand Budapest Hotel appear.

The Cart Before the Ponies

 * The title is a reference to the idiom "putting the cart before the horse".
 * Rarity laments about how her swan cart has turned into an "ugly duckling," referencing the Hans Christian Anderson story of the same name.

28 Pranks Later

 * The title is an allusion to the 2002 film 28 Days Later and/or its 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later.
 * The episode's story also contains various story elements and tropes reminiscent of zombie films such as Night of the Living Dead and The Return of the Living Dead, such as:
 * Pinkie lying sick in bed as a parallel to Night ' s Karen Cooper
 * The zomponies craving cookies as a parallel to Return ' s zombies craving brains
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders' uniforms and their cookies are references to Girl Scouts of the USA and their cookies.
 * The prank that Rainbow Dash uses on Pinkie, where she appears hanging upside down in a closet, alongside Gummy is a reference to a similar scene featuring Grandpa Munster and Igor the Bat, on the episode "Family Portrait" from the 1964 CBS television series "The Munsters".

The Times They Are A Changeling

 * The title might or might not be a reference to the 1964 Bob Dylan album "The Times They are a-Changin'", basis of Enterplay collectible card game Marks in Time #102 C card Invasion of the Changelings flavor text "The times, they are a'changelin'."
 * Twilight says, "I've got a bad feeling about this," which is a recurring phrase throughout the Star Wars saga.
 * The scene with Spike and the changeling's first encounter is a parody of the mirror gag from the 1933 Marx Brothers film Duck Soup.

Dungeons & Discords

 * The title is a reference to the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons &amp; Dragons, which has had two in-universe counterparts—Ogres & Oubliettes and Dragons & Dragons—introduced in the IDW comics.
 * The tiny Discord's running sounds is the sound used for Fred Flintstone revving up his Flintmobile.
 * "Discord as basketball player" "was inspired by actual real sports."
 * Discord's entrance music is similar to the song "Get Ready for This" by 2 Unlimited.
 * Discord's dance club and zoot suit are a reference to the 1994 film The Mask.
 * A background Earth pony mare dancing in the club scene bears a resemblance to Betty Boop.
 * Another background Earth pony mare bears a resemblance to African-American dancer Josephine Baker aka "Chiquita Banana".
 * In one scene, Discord, Spike, and Big McIntosh recreate Cassius Marcellus Coolidge's 1904 painting "A Friend in Need", part of the Dogs Playing Poker series of paintings.
 * Spike and Discord's role-playing characters Garbunkle and Captain Wuzz bear resemblances to Gandalf and Legolas respectively of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit book/film series.
 * Big McIntosh's character Sir McBiggun wears a helmet resembling the Dragon born helmet from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
 * The symbol on the Squizard's amulet is the "Super S" or "Stussy", a stylized "S" commonly drawn by elementary school students.

Buckball Season

 * Story inspiration: Bad News Bears meets Dumbo.
 * The game of Buckball is similar to the game of Quidditch from the Harry Potter universe.
 * The beginning scene of Applejack bucking in slow motion is similar to the 1973 science fiction television series The Six Million Dollar Man, right down to the "bionic" sound effects.
 * At the train station, Derpy and another pony are seen wearing hats identical to the hat worn by the Cat in Dr.Seuss's The Cat in the Hat.

The Fault in Our Cutie Marks

 * The title is a reference to the John Green novel The Fault in Our Stars.

Viva Las Pegasus

 * The title is a reference to the popular tourism slogan "Viva Las Vegas".
 * Many of the buildings in Las Pegasus resemble real-life hotels/casinos and attractions on the Vegas Strip.
 * The circus tent alludes to Circus Circus.
 * The giant Ferris wheel alludes to the High Roller.
 * The building shaped like Manehattan alludes to the New York-New York Hotel and Casino.
 * The pyramid and Sphinx-shaped building allude to The Luxor.
 * The Eiffel Tower-shaped building alludes to the Paris Las Vegas.
 * Gladmane's accent and manner of speech are reminiscent of Elvis Presley.
 * Applejack reinforces this resemblance by announcing "Gladmane has left the building!", which was often said whenever Presley was demanded an encore by the audience.
 * The three posters in the lobby bears a resemblance to:
 * street magician Criss Angel's 2005 TV show "Mindfreak"
 * pop singer Britney Spears' 2013 residency show "Britney: Piece of Me"
 * a Cirque du Soleil promotional poster
 * Two performers in Gladmane's employ resemble stage magicians Siegfried &amp; Roy.
 * Two other background stallions at Gladmane's resort resemble Penn &amp; Teller.
 * One of the games being played in Gladmane's resort arcade is Dance Dance Revolution.
 * The stage manager of Ponet Fantastique bears a resemblance to the Muppets character Scooter.

Every Little Thing She Does

 * The title is a reference to the 1981 Police song "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and/or the 1964 Beatles song "Every Little Thing".
 * The episode's plot shares elements with The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
 * Pinkie Pie's short cake-baking song shares its lyrics (but not its melody) with the LazyTown song "Cooking By the Book".
 * Several of Applejack's lines allude to various literature and film or famous quotes:
 * "Granny Smith knew she was gonna need a bigger boat" - Jaws
 * "If you can't say anythin' nice about anypony, come sit by me!" - Alice Roosevelt Longworth
 * "She was just a pony standin' in front of another pony askin' him to love her" - Notting Hill
 * "They can take our farm, but they can't take our freedom!" - Braveheart
 * "It was the best of apples, it was the worst of apples" - A Tale of Two Cities
 * "With a whole lot of power comes a heck of a lot of responsibility" - Spider-Man
 * The photo with Big McIntosh covered in mud and hiding from a mysterious creature is an allusion to a similar scene in the 1987 science-fiction film Predator.

P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)

 * The episode's premise is similar to the Japanese 1950 film Rashomon, in which one incident is retold from several different, sometimes contradictory, perspectives.
 * The jacket Rarity wears in Pinkie's story is similar to the one worn by Captain Stubing in the 1977 series The Love Boat.
 * Rarity's dress in Applejack's story is similar to the dress worn by the character Rose in the 1997 film Titanic.
 * Before Applejack joins Pinkie and Rarity on the ship, Rarity even recreates the film's iconic "I'm flying" scene.
 * The wave that capsizes the boat in all three stories mirrors the capsizing scene of the F/V Andrea Gail in the 2000 film The Perfect Storm.
 * Applejack's line "There'll be no mutiny aboard me ship!" is a direct allusion to the line spoken by Captain Queeg in the 1954 film The Caine Mutiny.

Where the Apple Lies

 * The title is a reference to the 2003 novel and 2005 film Where the Truth Lies.
 * Pony versions of the Grady twins from Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining are seen at Ponyville General.

Top Bolt

 * The title is a reference to the 1986 film Top Gun.

To Where and Back Again - Part 1

 * The title is a reference to the subtitle of the J.R.R. Tolkien novel The Hobbit, or There and Back Again.
 * Twilight and Starlight suspect the object heading toward them might be a bird or a parasprite, a reference to the opening of the Fleischer Brothers Superman cartoons: "Up in the sky, look! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!"

To Where and Back Again - Part 2

 * The scene when Discord conjures up a pig and a lance, rides on it and says "For Fluttershy!" is an allusion to the battle scene when Peter Pevensie says "For Narnia!" in the 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
 * The scene in which all of the changelings claim to be the real Fluttershy is reminiscent of the "I'm Spartacus!" scene from the 1960 film Spartacus.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls

 * The transforming sound effect from The Transformers is used when Pinkie Pie uncurls from being a ball at the start of the film.
 * When Twilight Sparkle and Spike see the person walking his dog after Twilight first arrives in the other world, the dog is drawn in the same style as the 2010 version of Pound Puppies.
 * The beginning of This Strange World is similar to "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen.
 * Fluttershy describes all the different student cliques to Twilight while they're in the cafeteria, referencing a scene from Mean Girls.
 * The skull that Watermelody is holding is a reference to the character Yorick from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.
 * Sunset Shimmer comments to Twilight Sparkle about Spike, "and your little dog, too," referencing The Wizard of Oz.
 * In the part where the Cutie Mark Crusaders are looking at their music video, there is a brown cat wearing a bow in the related videos that bears a striking resemblance to Fluffy from Pound Puppies. Also, the website that the Crusaders are surfing resembles the video-sharing website YouTube.
 * During Twilight and Rainbow Dash's one-on-one soccer match, the music is similar to "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley.
 * The beginning of Equestria Girls (Cafeteria Song) is similar to "We Will Rock You" by Queen.
 * During Time to Come Together, when Twilight tosses brooms to the rest of the main cast, Fluttershy flinches and lets the broom hit her instead. This is a reference to a scene from Arrested Development.
 * In the first Fall Formal dance scene, Sweetie Belle dances similarly to Tsukasa Hiiragi in the opening sequence of Lucky Star.
 * When the spell is lifted from the Canterlot High School students, removing them from Sunset Shimmer's mind control, the beam travels through them all like the power of the Ark of the Covenant did to the German soldiers in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
 * In the final dance of the film, near Trixie, Micro Chips is doing Psy's signature "invisible horse dance" from Gangnam Style.
 * Scootaloo does the Chicken Dance. This is a reference to the episode Stare Master, where she is called a chicken by Apple Bloom.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

 * The Dazzlings were inspired by the sirens from Greek mythology.
 * The video game controllers that Applejack and Rainbow Dash play with resemble those of the Nintendo GameCube system.
 * One of the outfits Rarity models during the rehearsal is similar to the suits the Beatles wore on the cover of their 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, an idea further suggested by Rarity calling it "old-fashioned."
 * Another one is a robotic suit similar to that worn by Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, one half of the French house music duo, Daft Punk.
 * During the Battle of the Bands, Snails goes by the stage name "DJ Snazzy Snails," similar to DJ Jazzy Jeff.
 * After Pinkie catches Trixie hiding the first time, Trixie escapes leaving some hairpins behind much like Witch Hazel from Looney Tunes.
 * The arena where the final battle takes place looks similar to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, with a saddle replacing the dome.
 * The fight between the Dazzlings and the Rainbooms near the finale is similar to the scene in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in which Pilgrim's band faces off against the Katayanagi twins.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games

 * Sci-Twi going through Crystal Prep's doors before the opening credits is a parody of the main title sequence from the 1995 TV series Get Smart.
 * Principal Abacus Cinch's name is similar to Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
 * The filling of the winning cake during "ACADECA" is shaped like the famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
 * Applejack loosing her second arrow in slow motion is similar to when Merida looses her final arrow from the 2012 Disney Pixar animated film Brave.
 * The song "Unleash the Magic" has a very similar sound and rhyme scheme to "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from the 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid.
 * Similarly, the chorus resembles that of the song "Cell Block Tango" from the 1975 musical Chicago.
 * After Twilight sees Sci-Twi, the entire orchestra becomes silent for two xylophone hits for an eyeblink. This was a trademark of Warner Bros. cartoon composer Carl Stalling.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree

 * Twilight's ringtone is Bach's Toccata and fugue in D minor, BWV 565.

Music to My Ears

 * The scene of DJ Pon-3 walking and dancing down the street is a reference to the "Staying Alive" scene in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.
 * One scene in the short depicts a dog alluding to Paris Hilton's pet that she carries around.

Guitar Centered

 * The title is a reference to musical instrument store chain Guitar Center.
 * The Shred Off is an allusion to a scene from the 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World when Scott faces off against Todd Ingram in a Bass Off.
 * It also alludes to the guitar battles against Tom Morello, Slash, Lou, Zakk Wylde, and Ted Nugent in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero World Tour.
 * During the Shred Off, several of the licks Rainbow Dash plays are similar to actual rock songs.
 * The opening lick Rainbow Dash plays at the beginning of the Shred Off is similar to the opening chords in the song "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
 * The second opening lick she plays is similar to the opening chords in the song "Barracuda" by Heart.
 * There is a poster in the guitar store that features the logo of British rock band, The Who.

Hamstocalypse Now

 * The title is a play on the title of the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now.
 * Fluttershy leading the hamsters into the habitat is an allusion to the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
 * Rarity names one of the hamsters Emilia Furhart, a reference to famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart.

Pinkie on the One

 * Pinkie's drumming style is reminiscent of that of Animal from the Muppets.

Player Piano

 * Pinke saying "Po-tay-to, to-mah-to" is a reference to the George Gershwin song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off."

A Case for the Bass

 * The record albums on display are Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, The Velvet Underground's self-titled album, and Wilco's "A.M.".
 * Also on display is the poster for Steven Spielberg's 1975 film Jaws.

Shake your Tail!

 * The Mane 6's facial makeup displaying their cutie marks resembles the band KISS' facial makeup.
 * The makeup is also reminiscent of the Hasbro TV series and property Jem and the Holograms.
 * Granny Smith, "Blueberry Cake," and "Rose Heart" do Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" dance.

Perfect Day for Fun

 * In a photo showing Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rarity having fun on the carousel, Pinkie Pie is shown riding a carousel horse version of herself.

My Past is Not Today

 * The shot of Sunset letting her leather jacket blow away in the wind is similar to the shot of Elsa letting her cape blow away in the wind in the 2013 film Frozen.

Friendship Through the Ages

 * Each of the Main Six's attire as well as their respective backdrop represents a different music period: Twilight Sparkle in the 1950s, Fluttershy in the 1960s, Rarity in the 1970s, Rainbow Dash in the 1980s, Applejack in the 1990s, and Pinkie Pie in the 2000s.
 * The background scenery shown during Rarity's verse is reminiscent of the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine.
 * Rainbow Dash smashes her guitar at the end of her verse, which was a trademark of Pete Townshend of The Who.
 * The scene of the Rainbooms singing together on a darkened background is a reference to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" music video.
 * The scene where Sunset Shimmer is singing while on a spinning record is a reference to the opening sequence of Happy Days.

Life is a Runway

 * The title of the animated short alludes to Tom Cochrane's "Life Is a Highway."
 * When Rarity gives Cheerilee a new look, she has pigtails tied with green flowers, like her G3.5 look.
 * Once again, Rarity does Gene Kelly's lamppost dance from Singin' in the Rain.

All's Fair in Love &amp; Friendship Games

 * The title is a parody of the proverb "All is fair in love and war," which is often attributed to John Lyly's Euphues.
 * One brief scene of Lyra and Sweetie Drops facing each other before the contest mirrors the character placement and on-screen display of early arcade fighting games such as Street Fighter II.
 * When Lyra and Sweetie Drops face off, one shot is posed and staged almost identically to a shot in the 2013 anime television series Kill la Kill, during the fight sequence between Satsuki Kiryuin and Ryuko Matoi in episode 3 where the two characters are viewed in silhouette against a pure white background, with Lyra taking the place of Satsuki (the combatant leaning back) and Sweetie Drops standing in for Ryuko.
 * Additionally, two subsequent close up shots of Sweetie Drops' and Lyra's feet (respectively) when they launch at each other mirror two shots of Ryuko and Satsuki (respectively) launching themselves at one another.

Television

 * The Equestria Girls commercial is a direct parody of Katy Perry's 2010 single, California Gurls, borrowing the entire song structure from the tempo to the melody.
 * The commercial entitled There's a Pony For That is a paraphrase and parody of the Apple commercial There's an App For That, even showing ponified versions of smartphone applications such as Yahoof! and eNay.
 * The 8 bit commercial features Pinkie Pie playing an 8 bit video game on a console similar to those of Atari, with a controller similar to Nintendo's NES Advantage.
 * One commercial is a reference to the famous Dos Equis advertising campaign, The Most Interesting Man in the World.
 * The music for Rarity's season 5 recap teaser is the Overture from Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker.
 * The teaser for season 6 posted on Yahoo! is modeled after the opening title sequence for Game of Thrones.

Billboards

 * Billboards in Los Angeles, California that promoted the show in June 2011 reference the film Bridesmaids. It shows the main cast against a brick wall in poses similar to the women in the poster of Bridesmaids, under the parody title Bridlemaids.
 * Billboards for season 2 show Pinkie Pie with her hooves pressed against a "snow screen" TV with the caption "They're baaack!" This references the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist, which has a poster where the little girl, Carol Anne Freeling, has her hands pressed against a "snow screen" TV and the tagline "They're here" and its 1986 sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side, which has the tagline "They're back."

Newsprint

 * On January 8, 2012, a full page ad ran in the LA Times, referencing the opening to AMC's award-winning drama Mad Men. It shows Rainbow Dash in silhouette, wearing a suit, falling in front of pictures of the main cast, with the parody title, Mad Ponies.

Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell

 * Chapter 1 makes mention of a place called San Franciscolt, a play on San Francisco, California.
 * Two books in Twilight's library are titled "The Princess Bridle," a reference to The Princess Bride, and "Purple Reign," a reference to the song Purple Rain.
 * A line by Pinkie Pie in chapter 6 mentions "Sparkle's Six," a reference to Ocean's Eleven. Alternatively, this could be a reference to the title characters referred to as the "Mane Six."
 * Rarity mentions a place called Mythica, Neigh York, a play on Ithaca, New York.
 * There are two allusions to the brony fandom: Twilight Sparkle calls Cadance her "pegasister-in-law," and Cadance says that her destiny was to lead other ponies with "True Love and Tolerance."

Pinkie Pie and the Rockin' Ponypalooza Party!

 * The featured event of the book, Ponypalooza, is a reference to the annual music festival Lollapalooza.
 * The book makes numerous references to various musical performers and bands:
 * Nine Inch Tails (Nine Inch Nails)
 * Switchhoof (Switchfoot)
 * Neigh-Z (Jay-Z)
 * Coldhay (Coldplay)
 * The Whooves (The Who)
 * John Mare (John Mayer)

Equestria Girls: Through the Mirror

 * Pinkie Pie makes mention of "Canterlot Idol," a reference to the reality television series American Idol.

Rainbow Dash and the Daring Do Double Dare

 * A landmark in the new Daring Do book is called Mount Vehoovius, a play on Mount Vesuvius.
 * Applejack mentions a place called South Amareica, a clear play on the continent of South America.

Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity

 * Chapter 1 makes mention of a place called Neigh Mexicolt, a play on the U.S. state of New Mexico.
 * Rarity imagines herself as a fairytale character named Raponyzel, a play on Rapunzel.
 * In chapter 5, Charity mentions having studied abroad in Mare-is, Prance, a play on Paris, France.
 * In chapter 7, Charity mentions buying a sun hat from Neighcy's, a play on the Macy's chain of department stores.

The Journal of the Two Sisters

 * Granny Smith's entry begins, "Four cores and seven seeds ago..." a play on the famous opening words of the Gettysburg Address.

Applejack and the Honest-to-Goodness Switcheroo

 * Rarity mentions PegasUs Weekly, a reference to the magazine Us Weekly.
 * Two of the apples trees are named after people who work on the show. Steffan is named after orchestrator Steffan Andrews and Big Jim is named after director "Big" Jim Miller.
 * Pinkie Pie sings a ditty to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad."
 * Rainbow Dash mentions a Pegasus named "Darwing" after talking about "Survival of the Leafiest," a reference to British scientist Charles Darwin and his studies on evolution.
 * Pinkie Pie mentions a writer of one of Twilight's books named Cart Bacon, whose name is a reference to American astronomer, Carl Sagan.

Daring Do and the Marked Thief of Marapore

 * Marapore is a play on Mayapore from the Indiana Jones franchise.
 * Two of the villages at the base of Mount Vehoovius are called Ponypeii, a reference to Pompeii, and Lusitano, a reference to the Lusitano breed of horse.

Daring Do and the Eternal Flower

 * The story shares numerous similarities with the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, such as the main character's search for a missing family member, an ally that later turns out to be an enemy, and a priceless treasure being hidden in plain sight among various fake or misleading treasures.

Fluttershy and the Fine Furry Friends Fair

 * Flim and Flam introduce themselves as Farnum and Failey, a reference to Barnum and Bailey, two circus personalities who, along with Ringling Bros., created the famous circus, The Greatest Show on Earth.
 * One of the ponies thinks that Fluttershy, when dressed as a shepherd, is acting as Little Pony Peep, a reference to the nursery rhyme, Little Bo Peep.
 * Twilight mentions Trotland and Bales, parodies of Scotland and Wales.
 * Applejack's last line, "That'll do, Fluttershy. That'll do." is a reference to the line "That'll do, pig. That'll do." from the book The Sheep-Pig or Babe, the Gallant Pig as it is known in the United States, and its film adaptation, Babe.

Princess Celestia and the Summer of Royal Waves

 * The country of Monacolt is a reference to the country of Monaco.
 * The part where Celestia asks her students to tear up their essays is a reference to the late Robin Williams telling his students to tear out the introduction of their textbooks in the film Dead Poets Society.
 * Rainy Air says, "I like raindrops on roses. But that's more a favorite thing than a fun thing." This is a reference to a lyric from "My Favorite Things" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.

Discord and the Ponyville Players Dramarama

 * There are several parodies of Broadway musicals in this novel:
 * The Singing Stallion, the play that the Ponyville Players put on, is a parody of Meredith Willson's The Music Man.
 * The lead character of Professor Hayloft Shill is a parody of "Professor" Harold Hill.
 * The role of Mare-ion Pear is a parody of the female lead, Marion "The Librarian" Paroo.
 * The song "Bubbles" is a parody of the Act I song "Ya Got Trouble".
 * The song "Fifty-Six Trombones" is a parody of "Seventy-Six Trombones".
 * Discord hopes to get the role of Captain Von Scrapp in Hinny of the Hills, a parody of Captain Von Trapp in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music.
 * He also hopes to get Pone Valpone in Les Miser Stables, a parody of Jean Valjean from Les Misérables.
 * He also hopes for Corny Cauliflower in Manespray, a parody of Corny Collins from Hairspray.
 * Cheerilee's audition song is "Fillies Just Want to Have Fun", a parody of Cyndi Lauper's hit song, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".
 * Discord's audition song is "Singin' in the Chocolate Rain", a parody of the 1920s song "Singin' in the Rain", later made famous by Gene Kelly's rendition in the film of the same name.
 * Fluttershy's line "There are no small parts, only small ponies" is paraphrased from an expression commonly attributed to Konstantin Stanislavsky: "There are no small parts, only small actors."
 * Discord's pony alias is "Tony Stanza", a play on actor Tony Danza's name.
 * Discord's goldfish is named Quincy, or "Q" for short, a reference to John de Lancie's Star Trek role.

Princess Luna and the Festival of the Winter Moon

 * In chapter 5, the Cutie Mark Crusaders ask the Mane Six if they are playing Monopony or Settlers of Canterlot, but Pinkie responds they are playing Whisk. These are parodies of the board games Monopoly, Settlers of Catan, and Risk respectively.
 * The title of chapter 8, "Dreamwalking in a Winter Wonderland", is a reference to lyrics in the 1934 Christmas song "Winter Wonderland".
 * In chapter 10, Apple Bloom references the "Deal with it" meme when she puts on a pair of moonglasses and says this phrase.
 * In chapter 13, Rarity mentions the department store chain Bloomingtail's, a play on the real-life department store chain Bloomingdale's.
 * In chapter 16, Pinkie says the Tarax Hippo is "hungry! Like... hungry, hungry!" This is a reference to the Milton Bradley game Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Lyra and Bon Bon and the Mares from S.M.I.L.E.

 * The title is a reference to the 1960s spy TV series The Man from U.N.C.L.E..
 * Chapter 3 is titled "True Lyra", a parody of the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger action comedy film True Lies.
 * Icons and landmarks in Manehattan mentioned in chapter 4 include the Neighcy's Harvest Balloon Parade, the Crystaller Building, and the Stockyard Exchange, which allude to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Chrysler Building, and New York Stock Exchange respectively.
 * Many of the agents working for S.M.I.L.E. are named after the NATO phonetic alphabet, such as Alpha Hoof, Bravo, Foxtrot, and Tango.
 * Chapter 7 is titled "Mares in Black", a reference to the popular UFO conspiracy theory about "Men in black", which, in turn, inspired a successful comic and film franchise of the same name.
 * The Saddle Hawkins dance is a parody of the Sadie Hawkins dance, in which girls ask boys to the dance. The tradition originated in the comic strip Li'l Abner.
 * Chapter 12 is titled " It's Element-ary, Dear Bon Bon", a reference to the phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson", often attributed to, but never actually said by, Sherlock Holmes. (Even though he never says it in the novels, he says it in the film adaptations starring Basil Rathbone.)

Princess Cadance and the Spring Hearts Garden

 * Chapter 9 is titled "Panic! at the Castle", a reference to the American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco.
 * Chapter 13 is titled "The Horse Awakens", a reference to the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Collectible card game

 * Premiere
 * Card α #21 R of Gala Appleby has the quote "Sweet Apple Acres is the place for me... Keep Manehattan, just give me that countryside!", a reference to the theme song for Green Acres.
 * Card α #59 R of Rare Find has the quote "Never tell me the odds", a line spoken by Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back.
 * Card α #136 C, Foal Free Press, has the Diamond Tiara quote "I want pictures! Pictures of ponies!", a reference to an internet meme commonly attributed to the Spider-Man character J. Jonah Jameson.
 * Canterlot Nights
 * Card #16 R of Pipsqueak has the quote "I wanted a real Red Rider sword for my birthday, but mum said I'd put my eye out", a reference to the 1983 film A Christmas Story.
 * Card #41 C of Purple Waters has the quote "... and when DJ PON-3 starts spinning different tunes, I'll see the Dark Mare of the moon", a possible reference to Pink Floyd's song "Brain Damage". In fact, Purple Waters' cards contains various references to the former bassist/vocalist of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters. Their names are alike, and Purple has made an album called 'The Fence', parodying the Pink Floyd album 'The Wall'.
 * Cards #102 R, Critter Stampede, and #141 C, Joe's Doughnut Shop, have the Cheese Sandwich quotes "Hey. You've got weasels on your face." and "You got any bear claws?", references to "Weird Al" Yankovic's song "Albuquerque".
 * The Crystal Games
 * Card #27 C of Sheriff Silverstar has the quote "I AM the law!", a possible reference to comic book character Judge Dredd.
 * Card #59 U of Top Marks has the quote "He just kept talking in one long, unbroken sentence, moving from topic to topic. It was really quite hypnotic...", paraphrased from a Captain Picard quote in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Timescape".
 * Absolute Discord
 * Card #27 U of Princess Luna has the song lyric "Princess Luna, bring me a dream! Make him the cutest that I've ever seen!", a reference to the Chordettes song "Mr. Sandman".
 * Equestrian Odysseys
 * The name of card #135 R, Rolling Tones, is a play on the band The Rolling Stones.
 * The name of card #138 U, Special Beam Cannon, is the name of a technique used by Piccolo in the anime/manga franchise Dragon Ball.
 * High Magic
 * Card #44 U of Dance Fever has the song lyric "Disco filly, coming through! That filly is you! Ooh ooh! Ooh ooh!", a reference to the Disney Channel original series Gravity Falls and the fictional song "Disco Girl".
 * Marks in Time
 * Card #24 R of Discord mentions "an evil interdimensional triangle wearing a tophat", specifically alluding to the Gravity Falls character Bill Cipher.
 * Card #70 U, Unplanned Guests, Very Animated, has the quote "Oh, it looks like Heero and Duo couldn't make it. They must be busy tonight...", a reference to Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing.
 * Card #87 C, Repulsor Blast, has the quote "All of Princess Celestia's unicorn soldiers are trained in this defensive technique, along with the offensive spell Uni-beam." Repulsor Blast and Unibeam are two techniques used by Iron Man in the Marvel vs. Capcom game series.
 * Card #93 U, Time Warp, has the quote "Let's NOT do the time warp again, Twilight", referencing the song "Time Warp" from the 1973 rock musical The Rocky Horror Show.