Friends Forever Issue 3

My Little Pony: Friends Forever #3 is the third issue of IDW Publishing's My Little Pony: Friends Forever comic series. In the issue, Spike enlists Princess Celestia's help in getting a birthday present for Twilight Sparkle.

Summary
At Canterlot Castle, after Princess Celestia finishes a meeting with Duke Silversaddle of Appleloosa, Spike enters the throne room. He mentions that Twilight Sparkle's birthday is coming up and, wanting to get her a new telescope, asks Celestia if she knows any telescope makers. Celestia summons Starry Eyed, the best telescope maker in Canterlot, to the castle. Starry Eyed says he can't make any telescopes because he's out of lenses, and the finest lenses can only be found at the peak of Crystal Mountain.

Spike is uncertain about making such a trip by himself, so Celestia offers to accompany him. She assures her aide Raven that she'll return soon, and she and Spike set off. Spike is uncomfortably silent with Celestia at first, but Celestia tells him he doesn't need to act so formal, and he begins to speak openly with her. Before long, the two are confronted by a trio of rock lobsters. The lobsters ignore Celestia's royal authority and capture them.

Spike begins to question his ability as an adventurer, saying that he's "just a sidekick", but Celestia assures him that she's hardly an adventurer either and that she's more of a teacher. Spike gets an idea and intimidates the lobsters into freeing them by convincing them that dragons eat rocks.

Celestia commends Spike for his quick-thinking, but Spike notes that Celestia could have freed them easily. Celestia agrees, but she wanted Spike to do it, stating that as a teacher, sometimes the best way for a student to learn is by making them do. Spike also notes that Celestia herself could have dealt with many of the villains and trials that Twilight faced. Celestia explains that she does this because she is Twilight's teacher, and sometimes this is how Twilight must learn.

The two finally reach the peak of Crystal Mountain, and Spike finds an ideal pair of lenses for Twilight's telescope. On their way back down the mountain, a nearby volcano starts to erupt. Spike climbs onto Celestia's back, and Celestia dodges raining fireballs and leaps over streams of lava. In their attempt to escape the eruption, Spike and Celestia become trapped by a cave-in. Spike tries to set them free, but Celestia easily does so with a blast of magic. Spike asks why she didn't let him do it, and Celestia says every teacher must recognize when a problem is too big for a student.

With that, Spike and Celestia return to Starry Eyed with the lenses, the new telescope is made, and some time later, Twilight unwraps the gift at her birthday party and thanks Spike with a hug. Spike receives a letter from Princess Celestia; she thanks him for the opportunity to go on an adventure and reminds him that ponies' roles can change—a teacher can become an adventurer and a sidekick can become a leader.

Quotes

 * Princess Celestia: If you're going to Crystal Mountain, you'll need help. And it looks like my schedule just cleared up!


 * Princess Celestia: I'm glad that you have a close friend like Twilight... and I'm glad that she has a friend like you.


 * Spike: They've defeated manticores, changelings, adult dragons, teen dragons, hydras, nightmares, bad manners... I'm just a sidekick.
 * Princess Celestia: I know. I feel the same way.
 * Spike: You— You do? But you're a princess!
 * Princess Celestia: Yes, I am. But princesses are not usually adventurers. Sometimes I wish I could join them, but... Well, a princess has duties of her own. Besides, I've always been more of a teacher than an adventurer. And there's nothing a teacher wants more than a student who surpasses her.


 * Spike: I'm a dragon. And you know something about dragons? Dragons eat rocks.


 * Spike: All those monsters and villains that Twilight had to overcome... Could you have stopped them instead?
 * Princess Celestia: ...Yes. Many of them. As you said, Spike, I am very powerful, and there are many things I can do. And yes, sometimes I have let Twilight take care of an incident that I could have cleared away easily. But I do not do this because I am cruel, or because I want to play a joke on Twilight... I do this because I am her teacher, and sometimes, this is how she must learn.