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.
 * Applejack usually has her mane and tail tied with one red ribbon each, and her Rainbow Power appearance bears not red but green ribbons. In real horse shows, a ribbon of one of four colors may meaningfully be tied to a horse's tail, a red ribbon meaning the horse is a kicker, and a green one that it is unpredictable.
 * 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?".
 * 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 divisions of New York City. New York City is also known as the Big Apple.
 * 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.
 * Twilight mentions a place called Saddle Arabia in Magic Duel. Saddle Arabia is a play on the modern kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
 * 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 Mauritania.

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, 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 Talicon, 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, and in Player Piano when one of the students is pushed by the grand piano. 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.
 * 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. It was likely accidental.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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 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.
 * 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 was tied in with the laugh that was 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.
 * 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 and Discord's grin in Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * In Dragon Quest, Crackle's noise is a pitch shift of Spike screaming in A Dog and Pony Show.
 * Rainbow Dash's laugh sequence in The Mysterious Mare Do Well was re-used and reversed in The Crystal Empire - Part 1.
 * The line "Hello there!" is spoken by Twilight twice in Games Ponies Play.
 * Pinkie Pie's "wow!" in Games Ponies Play is re-used in Filli Vanilli.
 * Apple Bloom's line "Seriously?" in One Bad Apple is re-used in Apple Family Reunion.
 * Pumpkin Cake's baby talk is re-used several times in Baby Cakes and re-used for the beginning of A Friend in Deed.
 * 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 Rarity's eyes, in A Bird in the Hoof when Pinkie eats one of Princess Celestia's cupcakes, in The Return of Harmony Part 1 when Pinkie eats the cotton candy cloud, and in Sweet and Elite when she eats another cake.
 * The music heard during Rainbow Dash's "so awesome" speech in Applebuck Season is re-used as party music in Daring Don't.
 * 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.

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.
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * 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, making it look as if she's holding something invisible.

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 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.

Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1

 * The black thorny vines bear a resemblance to those in Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
 * The half-day, Half-night sequence somewhat resembles a similar occurrence in the Lewis Carroll Poem, The Walrus and The Carpenter, seen recounted by the characters Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in several adaptations of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, specifically the Disney adaptation and the 1999 live action adaptation.
 * When Spike straps into Twilight's back with a seatbelt, it is a reference to how Bernard and Bianca ride on the back of Orville the albatross in the 1977 Disney film The Rescuers.
 * Spike's regret about not taking the train also alludes to lines said by Bernard in The Rescuers.
 * When the main cast summons Discord, he is singing the song from Winter Wrap Up.

Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2

 * During her battle with Princess Celestia, Nightmare Moon's magic beam which she fires at her sister sounds somewhat similar to a Dalek gunstick firing from Doctor Who.
 * The gas-spewing vines that attack Princess Twilight bear a resemblance to the facehugger parasitoids from the Alien film series.
 * Near the end of the episode, Discord is shown wearing clothes similar to those of Yosemite Sam.

Castle Mane-ia

 * Writer Josh Haber's inspiration for this episode idea and story was Scooby-Doo.
 * The title is an allusion to the Konami video game series Castlevania.
 * The dark hallway with torches/candles and the disembodied pony legs holding spears is a reference to the 1946 film Beauty and the Beast.
 * Pinkie playing the pipe organ is an allusion to The Phantom of the Opera. The most elaborate music she plays is reminiscent of J.S. Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565, especially the pedal point.
 * The music that Pinkie plays on the organ after the "Charge!" fanfare sounds similar to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

Daring Don't

 * Much like in Read It and Weep, while in Rainbow Dash's imaginative scene, Ahuizotl is hijacked by another character, this time by Fluttershy.
 * The end of the cold open is a parody of the cartoon cliché of having birds or stars circle around a character's head when they get conked on the head.
 * The author of the Daring Do book series is named A.K. Yearling. This is a reference to the author of the Harry Potter book series, J.K. Rowling.
 * A.K. Yearling's name is also a reference to a yearling, a male or female horse between one and two years of age.
 * A.K. Yearling's name could also be a reference to Yearling Books, a company that reprints classic works of literature.
 * The traveling sequence with the red line being drawn across the map is a variant on similar sequences in all Indiana Jones films.
 * Including Ahuizotl, the episode makes a number of references to Aztec history and mythology, such as Tenochtitlan and Quetzalcoatl.
 * On the cover of the book that Rainbow Dash receives in the mail, she is depicted as wearing a faded baseball cap similar to the one Short Round wears in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
 * Dr. Caballeron's henchponies Cutie Marks are an allusion to comic book actions.

Flight to the Finish

 * The episode title is a play on the term "Fight to the Finish."
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders carrying the flag to the Equestria Games is an allusion to the traditional carrying of the torch to the Olympic Games.
 * According to Daniel Ingram, Hearts Strong as Horses was inspired by a "modern classic from Disney".
 * During the musical number, Scootaloo doing crunches on the platform is an allusion to the Rocky IV training montage.

Power Ponies

 * The title is an allusion to Haim Saban's Power Rangers franchise.
 * The Mane-iac's origin is a reference to the Joker's origin in Tim Burton's Batman.
 * Maretropolis is an allusion to Metropolis from DC Comics.
 * Each of the Power Ponies and their abilities were inspired by various Marvel and DC Comics characters:
 * Twilight Sparkle/Masked Matter-Horn: Cyclops
 * Applejack/Mistress Mare-velous: Batman/Wonder Woman
 * Pinkie Pie/Fili-Second: The Flash
 * Rarity/Radiance: Star Sapphire/Green Lantern
 * Rainbow Dash/Zapp: Thor/Storm
 * Fluttershy/Saddle Rager: The Hulk
 * Spike/Hum Drum: Burt Ward's portrayal of Robin
 * Spike says, "Holy new personas, ponies!" like Burt Ward's role as Robin in the 1960s live-action Batman TV series. In addition, the color scheme of Spike's superhero costume is similar to that of Robin's.
 * Fili-Second's name is derived from the word "millisecond".
 * How the Mane-iac walks with her long mane and the manner in which she uses it as appendages is based on that of Doctor Octopus (AKA Otto Octavius) from the Spiderman comics.
 * The Mane-iac's powers resemble those of Sedusa from The Powerpuff Girls
 * Mistress Mare-velous using the lasso on the tornado is an allusion to Pecos Bill.
 * Spike's "Once again, the day is saved!" is an allusion to what the narrator ends each episode with in The Powerpuff Girls.

Bats!

 * The bat's screech right before the theme song (00:40) resembles a Boo's laugh from the Mario series.
 * The title could be a pun on the common saying "Rats!" which is said when something wrong or unfortunate happens.
 * Rainbow Dash's cry of "Won't somepony please think of the cider!" is a parody of the common phrase, "Won't somebody please think of the children!", which is most famously parodied on The Simpsons as Helen Lovejoy's catchphrase.
 * Pinkie Pie sings a parody of "Winter Wrap Up" as "Fruitbat Round-Up".
 * The ponies' use of "pony signals" imitates that of the Batman comics' own Bat-Signal.
 * At one point, Pinkie wears apples on her head like Brazilian performer Carmen Miranda in the 1943 film The Gang's All Here.
 * The scene of the bat licking the apples off of Rarity's hazmat suit is a parody of a scene from Alien.
 * The song bears a strong resemblance to "This is Halloween" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and the scene where the trees "dissolve" into crowds of bats, in a similar way to the lyric "The shadow on the moon at night"
 * The clouds, at 12:29, is similar in design to the cliff on which Jack Skellington stands on in the movie poster of "The Nightmare Before Christmas"
 * The idea of stopping bats from eating apples, the results of an "apple-test" on a bat, and Fluttershy turning into a vampire-pony hybrid are allusions to the 2005 film, Wallace &amp; Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
 * Twilight's diagram grid is done in the style of Tron and its sequel, Tron: Legacy
 * Rainbow's "She's coming!" is in a similar pitch to that of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
 * In the end, Pinkie does an impersonation of Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Dracula, even though he never said, "I vant to drink your blood" anytime during the film.

Rarity Takes Manehattan

 * The title is either a reference to the 1984 film The Muppets Take Manhattan or to the 1987 Leonard Cohen song "First We Take Manhattan" (which specifically refers to the fashion industry).
 * Manehattan's Fashion Week is based off of the real life bi-annual New York Fashion Week event where designers showcase their works.
 * "Bridleway" is wordplay on Broadway.
 * A bridge in Manehattan is modelled after either the Brooklyn Bridge or the Manhattan Bridge.
 * One of the buildings in Manehattan is modeled after the Chrysler Building, briefly the world's tallest building for 11 months.
 * In the Manehattan equivalent of Times Square, there is a billboard with two pony eyes with pony silhouettes in them, a parody of the logo for the Broadway musical Cats. There is also a juice box above it that has a parody of the Coca-Cola logo.
 * As with the bag in Sweet and Elite and Sleepless in Ponyville, the two horseshoes on Rarity's bag that Spike is carrying bears similarity to the Chanel logo.
 * There are four ponies present in the background that are modeled after characters from the television series, Mad Men, including Don Draper, Joan Holloway, Peggy Olson, and Roger Sterling, and the statue (first seen in The Cutie Mark Chronicles) resembles that of the Statue of Liberty.
 * One of the ponies has a cutie mark of Tardar Sauce a.k.a. Grumpy Cat. The pony even does her famous frown.
 * Rarity swings on a lamppost like Gene Kelly does in Singin' in the Rain.
 * Hinny of the Hills is a parody of The Maid of the Mountains.
 * Coco Pommel's character name is a play on fashion and makeup icon Coco Chanel.
 * According to Dave Polsky, the Registration Pony is based on the character of Grace from the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Pinkie Apple Pie

 * Apple Bloom does her own version of the Twilightlicious meme.
 * Before Apples to the Core starts, the clanging of the pans and the clattering of the cart resembles the beginning to The Open Road song in the 1983 Cosgrove Hall film adaptation of The Wind in the Willows.
 * Pinkie Pie pouncing on Applejack resembles how Tigger pounces on Pooh in the Winnie the Pooh series.
 * The four photos taken on the waterfall are parodies of photos seen at Splash Mountain in the Disney Parks.
 * The fourth and final photo depicts Pinkie doing a duck-face.
 * At 17:04, when Pinkie pounces Applejack, a ponified version of Slender Man can be seen hiding behind the bushes in the background in a split second.

Rainbow Falls

 * The pony giving Spitfire a massage is a caricature of Burgess Meredith's character, Mickey Goldmill, from the Rocky movie franchise.
 * The Wonderbolts' training music is patterned after "Gonna Fly Now", the theme song from the original 1976 Rocky film.

Three's A Crowd

 * The title is a part of the proverb 'Two is company, three's a crowd', meaning that a third person spoils the ideal combination of a couple.
 * Pinkie chasing a red balloon is a reference to the French film Le Ballon rouge.
 * When Rainbow Dash asks what flew towards them and crashed into a nearby tree, Discord responds, "Not a what, but a who.", a quote taken from the Dr. Seuss book Horton Hears a Who.
 * Discord's thinking tree also resembles trees from Dr. Seuss' works as well.
 * The Star Swirl costume that Twilight wore in Luna Eclipsed is reused for the Star Swirl the Bearded traveling museum.
 * During the Glass of Water song:
 * Discord, Twilight and Cadance are standing before a castle dressed in black robes and ties and Twilight's wearing glasses, a reference to the Harry Potter series.
 * When Discord asks for lozenges, he is standing in front of a hilly background while a pony in lederhosen plays the sousaphone, a parody of the Ricola ads.
 * The shot of Discord looking out a window wishing on a wishing star is a parody of a scene in Disney's version of Pinocchio.
 * The shot of Discord holding a magic lamp is a reference to the 1992 Disney film Aladdin.
 * The line he sings during both of these aforementioned scenes, "I wish I may, I wish I might", is a reference to the nursery rhyme Star Light, Star Bright.
 * Discord holds up a glass of water victoriously against a black background like Luke Skywalker holding up his lightsaber in the theatrical poster for the 1977 film, Star Wars.
 * The shot of Discord pouring water on himself is a parody of the scene in Flashdance.
 * When Discord is giving directions, he dresses like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas author Hunter S. Thompson and his fictional counterpart Raoul Duke.
 * Discord's chariot resembles Xerxes's throne from the movie 300.
 * Discord slides offscreen and reappears in sunglasses, a button down shirt, underpants and white socks like Tom Cruise does in Risky Business.
 * The Tatzlwurm bears a striking resemblance to the graboids from the Tremors series.

Pinkie Pride

 * The name of "Weird Al" Yankovic's character is "Cheese Sandwich". Cheese is a recurring motif in many of Weird Al's songs.
 * Cheese Sandwich is essentially a pony version of Weird Al.
 * He has a similar mane-style.
 * His cutie mark is a grilled cheese sandwich shaped like an accordion, Weird Al's signature instrument.
 * The Super Duper Party Pony and The Goof Off are done in the style of polka, which also include random sound effects in the background, like a slide-whistle, and the W.A.Y. Moby Polka melodies in the middle of the song. Weird Al is known for combining various parts of modern songs into polkas featured on his studio albums.
 * The colt version of Cheese has a "Jew 'fro" and large glasses, and an alternate version of Cheese in a police lineup has a technicolor shirt and mustache, much like Al did before he got laser eye surgery.
 * Cheese Sandwich is initially dressed like the Man with No Name from Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. He even speaks in a style reminiscent of Clint Eastwood and is accompanied by an Ennio Morricone-esque harmonica score.
 * Pinkie finishes off the episode by saying, "I never did catch that pony's name," as Cheese Sandwich trots off into the sunset, further cementing the comparison.
 * The song Pinkie the Party Planner resembles the song "Belle" from the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast in that it features the protagonist singing about what she enjoys while the townsfolk sing about the protagonist.
 * The song Pinkie's Lament was based on Don't Cry for Me Argentina from the 1978 musical Evita.
 * At first, Pinkie suggests holding the goof-off at High Noon, but after seeing that it is already 3:00, she suggests 3:10 to Goof-Off, both references to classic western films.
 * The Goof Off song shares some elements with:
 * Weird Al's "W.A.Y. Moby Polka"
 * The Czech polka song "Škoda lásky" (known in English as "The Beer Barrel Polka")
 * American folk song 99 Bottles of Beer
 * The jump-rope rhyme "Miss Susie Had a Steamboat"
 * A portion of the Smile Song, from the Season 2 episode "A Friend in Deed"
 * Cheese Sandwich says, "This cheese has stood alone a long time." A reference to a lyric from the nursery rhyme "The Farmer in the Dell".
 * Pink's "Raise Your Glass" was the inspiration for the song Make a Wish.

Simple Ways

 * The ending of the tango music heard under "Applejewel"'s first entrance is taken from the Uruguayan tango "La cumparsita".

Filli Vanilli

 * The title is a play on the controversial German R&B band Milli Vanilli.
 * The episode's storyline also shares some parallel with the band's infamous lip-syncing scandal.
 * Fluttershy singing to the animals closely references to Briar Rose singing from Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
 * Zipporwhill's name is a play on the nightjar bird, Eastern Whip-poor-will.
 * Applejack saying "For corn's sake", a line originally written for Fall Weather Friends, is a reference to the character Fred Mertz from the 1951 sitcom I Love Lucy.
 * She also says to Big Mac, "You've got some 'splainin' to do", a line attributed to, but never actually said by, Ricky Ricardo from the same show.
 * Pinkie climbing up the wall to Fluttershy is an allusion to the Marvel superhero, Spider-Man.
 * The reveal of Fluttershy singing behind the curtain is similar to the ending of the 1952 film Singin' in the Rain.

Twilight Time

 * Sweetie Belle says, "We made a huge mistake", an allusion to a catch phrase said by George "Gob" Bluth in Arrested Development.
 * A ponified colt version of Philip J. Fry from the animated sci-fi comedy series Futurama can be seen multiple times in the background.
 * The shot of the fillies chanting "Twilight time!" while looking baggy-eyed and one of the ponies drooling is a nod to zombie movies such as Night of the Living Dead and Shawn of the Dead.

It Ain't Easy Being Breezies

 * The title may be an allusion to the defunct Cheetos slogan "it ain't easy bein' cheesy".
 * The cold open of this episode is essentially a role reversal of the cold open of Sonic Rainboom, where instead of Rainbow Dash trying to teach Fluttershy on how to cheer loudly, Fluttershy is trying to teach the rest of the Mane 6 on how to cheer quietly.
 * The music that plays during the Breezies' party, up until Seabreeze breaks the musician's saxophone, resembles a jazz rendition of "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson.
 * Dr. Hooves passing by while wearing anaglyph 3D glasses is a reference to the tenth incarnation of his namesake.
 * Rose is next to Dr. Hooves, as a reference to Rose Tyler, a companion of both the Ninth and Tenth Doctors in Doctor Who.

Somepony to Watch Over Me

 * The title is a reference to the 1926 George Gershwin song "Someone to Watch Over Me".
 * The Flame Geyser Swamp is a reference to the 1987 film The Princess Bride.
 * The chimera's snake head briefly has hypnotic eyes, a reference to Kaa, the secondary antagonist of Disney's 1967 animated film The Jungle Book.
 * One of the Cajun ponies does Shermy's dance from the 1965 animated TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Maud Pie

 * Maud Pie's name is a play on mud pie, a popular dessert that originated in the southern U.S state of Mississippi.
 * Maud is said to be working on her "rocktorate in rock science", a play on the doctorate degree awarded by universities.
 * Rainbow Dash's line describing Maud -- "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an igneous" - is a reference to the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill's 1939 statement about Russia's initial role in World War II - "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma".
 * Pinkie does her own ponified version of "A Friend in Need", part of the "Dogs Playing Poker" series by C.M. Coolidge, during her amusement park montage.
 * The coloring that Pinkie Pie makes is resemblant of what the character Tyrone "TD" Kennelly does from the PBS Kids show "Martha Speaks".
 * The obstacle course Pinkie Pie sets up is reminiscent of the Nickeloden children's game show Double Dare's stunt challenges.

For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils

 * The title is a reference to the 1940 Ernest Hemingway novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.
 * Sweetie Belle's line "Ooh, dresses, dresses, dresses, dresses!" is delivered in a similar cadence to Jan Brady's famous catchphrase on The Brady Bunch, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"
 * The scene in which Princess Luna transports Sweetie Belle to the past, present, and future is a reference to the 1843 Charles Dickens novella, A Christmas Carol.
 * Rarity says, "What in the wide, wide realm of Equestria" similar to the line "What in the wide, wide world of sports?" from the 1974 satirical western film Blazing Saddles.

Leap of Faith

 * The music while Big Mac tricks Apple Bloom into thinking there's a shark in the water is a reference to the theme from the 1975 film Jaws.
 * Silver Shill's voice is modeled after actor Jimmy Stewart.
 * Flim Flam Miracle Curative Tonic is very similar to the song Passamaquoddy from the 1977 Disney film Pete's Dragon.

Testing Testing 1, 2, 3

 * The title is a common phrase used by musicians to test the volume levels of a microphone.
 * Twilight mentions Princess Celestia's favorite flight pattern as being the "Icaranian Sun Salutation," a reference to the mythological story of Icarus, who fashioned his own makeshift wings and flew too close to the sun.
 * During the rap song "The rappin' Hist'ry of the Wonderbolts", Pinkie wears an alarm clock on a chain, a reference to Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav, who often wears a huge clock on a chain. She also wears a hat similar to the ones worn by the members of the rap trio Run–D.M.C.. Furthermore, it is reminiscent of '80s hip-hop, or early '90s rap, music videos.
 * One of the shots of the rap is a reference to the anti-piracy PSA "Don't Copy That Floppy".
 * Also during the sequence, the headphones that DJ Pon-3 is using are very similar that her human counterpart uses in Equestria Girls.
 * The founder of The Wonderbolts is named General Firefly alluding to the show's creator Lauren Faust's DeviantArt screen name and Twitter username; "Fyre Flye".
 * Rainbow Dash's consideration of learning to shine shoes, sell hats, and dig ditches is a reference to the 1952 musical film Singin' in the Rain.
 * During the flight over Ponyville, Filthy Rich is seen buying apples from Big McIntosh with a briefcase with unseen glowing contents, referencing the mysterious briefcase from the 1994 crime film Pulp Fiction.

Trade Ya!

 * The title is a common phrase that nerds, geeks, and/or gamers use when they want to trade or exchange trading cards with other people.
 * Two ponies in the background of Applejack and Rarity's first scene bear a resemblance to Robert and Rosalind Lutece from the video game BioShock Infinite.
 * The pony who runs the antique chicken booth has a voice similar to that of American comedian and actor Paul Lynde.
 * The scene in which Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy attempt to cross a thoroughfare crowded with lines of ponies is a reference to the 1981 arcade game Frogger.

Inspiration Manifestation

 * The scene in which Spike finds the magical spell book is reminiscent of the scene in Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin in which the title character finds the magic lamp.
 * Rarity saying "I'm so excited!" and Spike replying with "I'm so scared!" is a reference to the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell.
 * Claude the puppeteer pony's voice is modeled after comedian W.C. Fields.
 * When Spike decides to follow the golden road that Rarity created to find her, it resembles "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" from The Wizard of Oz.

Equestria Games

 * When Spike sees the crystal statue in his likeness, he does an imitation of Barbra Streisand in the film/musical Funny Girl saying, "Hello, gawgeous."
 * Twilight says, "Equestria, we have a problem", a reference to the often misquoted dispatch from the Apollo 13 space mission, "Houston, we've had a problem."
 * When Spike shows up unexpectingly to sing the Cloudsdale Anthem wrong, it's similar to what Detective Frank Drebin did in the movie The Naked Gun.

Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1

 * Tirek is named after and based off the Generation 1 villain of the same name.
 * Scorpan betraying Tirek mirrors the events in the Generation 1 TV pilot, Rescue at Midnight Castle.
 * Discord makes his entrance dressed as Julie Andrews' portrayal of Mary Poppins.
 * Discord's army uniform, accompanied by the flag of Equestria behind him, is reminiscent of George C. Scott's portrayal of George S. Patton in the 1970 biographical war film Patton.
 * Furthermore, Discord's use of a corncob pipe and a pair of sunglasses in his military display alludes to the trademark appearance of General Douglas MacArthur.
 * Discord takes off on Blythe Baxter's electric scooter from Littlest Pet Shop.
 * When Pinkie Pie confronts Discord about how he knows what Twilight is feeling, he says a line from William Shakespeare's Hamlet: "woe is me."
 * Rare Find walking down a deserted alleyway carrying oranges, only for him to become Tirek's first victim, is a "sly" reference to the 1972 Francis Ford Coppola film The Godfather.
 * Discord dividing his head in two to avoid getting hit by Tirek's fireball is an obvious reference to Terminator 2: Judgment Day's main antagonist, the T-1000, who, being a robot made of liquid metal, reconstructs his head after it gets blown in two by a close-range shotgun blast.

Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2

 * Discord says he got Twilight's friends "and her little dragon, too!". This is yet another reference to the "...and your little dog, too!" line from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
 * Tirek's defeat mirrors that of his Generation 1 version in the TV pilot, Rescue at Midnight Castle.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls

 * The transforming sound effect from Transformers is used when Pinkie Pie uncurls from being a ball at the start of the film.
 * There is a slight plot reference to the 1985 film Back to the Future.
 * When Twilight Sparkle and Spike see the person walking his dog after Twilight first arrived 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 one of the drama students in the cafeteria 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'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, a male student 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 Mane 6's facial makeup displaying their cutie marks resembles the band Kiss's facial makeup.
 * The makeup is also reminiscent of the Hasbro TV series and property Jem and the Holograms.
 * DJ Pon-3's locker contains a poster with a picture of a speaker with the words "It's just my bass cannon!" surrounding it, a reference to the popular MLP fan-animation by Alligator Tub Productions called "Epic Wub Time: Musicians of Ponyville."

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.
 * One of the opening licks Rainbow Dash plays during the Shred Off 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, who mysteriously disappeared in 1937, along with her navigator, whilst attempting a circumnavigational flight of the globe.

Pinkie on the One

 * Pinkie's drumming style is reminiscent to 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 banana suit Applejack wears at the end is an allusion to the internet meme, "Peanut Butter Jelly Time".
 * The record albums on display are Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Velvet Underground's self-titled album and Wilco's "AM".

Shake Your Tail!

 * Granny Smith and two other girls do Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" dance.

Perfect Day For Fun!

 * When Fluttershy hits the Discord plushie with a hammer, a straw hat similar to that of Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece can be seen in the background.
 * 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.

Television

 * Equestria Girls 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.
 * 8 bit features Pinkie Pie playing an 8 bit video game on a console in the same vein as Atari consoles, 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.

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 movie Poltergeist, which has a poster where the little girl, Carol Anne Freeling, has her hands on a "snow screen" TV and the tagline "They're here.", and its 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 the AMC television show Mad Men. It shows Rainbow Dash, 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. Or this could be a reference to the title characters referred to as the "Mane 6".
 * 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 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 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 outlet of department stores.

Daring Do and the Marked Thief of Marapore

 * Marapore is a play on Singapore.

Collectible card game

 * A couple of cards that have "Cheese Sandwich" quotes are actually lyrics from "Weird Al's" song, "Albuquerque", specifically, "Hey...you've got weasels on your face." and "Do you have any bear claws?"

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.