The Crystal Empire - Part 1

The Crystal Empire - Part 1 is the first episode of the third season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the fifty-third episode overall. In this episode, a curse that caused a mighty empire to vanish for a thousand years has finally ended. Princess Celestia orders Twilight Sparkle and her friends to help defend the newly awakened empire against King Sombra, the evil unicorn who had cursed the empire.

Beginning the test
The episode begins when a royal guard dashes into Princess Celestia's room to inform her that "it has returned". Celestia tells the guards to find Princess Cadence and Shining Armor at once, and begins to write a letter to Twilight Sparkle to summon her to Canterlot. After the theme song, Twilight is seen ransacking her room in Ponyville, frantically readying quills, flash cards, and reference books. Spike dares to say that it is "just" a test, enraging Twilight to the point that she levitates the entire house.

The camera cuts to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna looking outside a window in the Canterlot castle. When Luna says that the empire cannot fall again, Celestia reassures her that "she will succeed at her task", bringing her one step closer to "being ready" (it is unclear whether Celestia is referring to Cadence or Twilight). Twilight walks in with two bags full of quills and paper in anticipation of a written test. However, Celestia solemnly tells her that it is a different kind of test.

Celestia takes out a light purple crystal and magically expands it into a three-dimensional map of the Crystal Empire. She tells Twilight that a thousand years ago, King Sombra, a unicorn whose heart was "as black as night", took over the Crystal Empire. He was ultimately overthrown, but not before he placed a curse on the Crystal Empire, causing it to vanish into thin air. Now that the Empire has returned, it needs to be filled with hope and love. As Celestia says this, she shrinks the map and lifts the crystal, letting its radiance fill the room. When she grimly says, "If hatred and fear take hold...", her horn glows purple and her eyes turn green (like those of King Sombra's). The crystal casts a black shadow that causes dark crystals to spring up around Twilight. Celestia destroys the black crystals and goes on to explain that she needs Twilight's help to find a way to protect the Empire. Celestia is confident that Twilight can succeed and guarantees that she will move on to the next level of studies when she does.

Twilight rejoins her friends and sings about how she is not prepared for this mission, despite knowing many spells, facts, and figures. The friends board a train to the outskirts of the Crystal Empire and disembark in the middle of a snowy, windy, wasteland. Shining Armor greets them and tells them to make haste because there are dangerous things beyond the Empire's borders. King Sombra, manifesting as great clouds of billowing black smoke, starts pursuing them. The friends break into a run and Shining Armor stops to confront the cloud. It dodges the beams of magic that the prince shoots at it and plunges straight at him.

Meeting Shining Armor and Princess Cadence
The camera cuts to the friends running through a bright blue sphere, finding themselves on a stretch of grassy land before the gateway to the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor enters the safety of the barrier as well, but his horn has been encrusted with small black crystals. He tries to cast a spell, but the crystals impede his magic and he sadly shakes his head at Twilight. The ponies gaze at the city in the distance and Pinkie Pie exclaims, "Sparkleriffic!" As the ponies walk through the deserted streets towards the castle, Rarity is evidently dazzled by the crystalline roads and buildings, but Rainbow Dash is not wowed. Applejack reminds Rarity that they are here to help Twilight, not admire the scenery.

In a room overlooking the Empire, the friends find Princess Cadence slumped in the throne. Her horn is constantly emitting blue magic and she has bags under her eyes. When Twilight greets her, she momentarily loses her fatigue and the old friends sing their "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake, clap your hooves..." chant. At that moment, thunder from outside is heard and Cadance's magic flickers. Shining Armor sadly explains that she has barely ate or slept ever since she had to use her magic to spread love and light throughout the Empire to keep Sombra out. Cadence insists she's fine, but her husband sadly tells the ponies that she can't keep the shield up forever. He says that they haven't been able to gather much information about the Crystal Ponies (Rarity is ecstatic at the prospect of Crystal Ponies), what with Cadence protecting the Empire and him patrolling the arctic. Twilight is more than happy to embark on what she calls a "research paper".

Gathering information
Twilight and Spike are next seen standing outside a Crystal Pony's house. The resident, who looks glum and lusterless, says she can't remember anything from the time before King Sombra came to power, nor does she want to remember. She retreats to her house and closes the door. Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, is accosting another citizen, asking her for information on how to protect the empire. She responds in the same listless manner, saying that even though she wants to help, she has no information. Rainbow Dash is frustrated and storms away. Fluttershy is faring no better because she is too embarrassed to interrogate passerbys. Pinkie Pie, who is wearing a black suit and "night vision goggles", surreptitiously descends on a rope to eavesdrop on two Crystal Ponies, but ends up scaring them away. Rarity is engrossed in imagining how beautiful her mane will be if she was a Crystal Pony too, making her interviewees nervous and uncomfortable.

The friends reconvene at the base of the castle. "Fluttershy" stealthily tiptoes up to Twilight and looks around before taking off her "skin" to reveal Pinkie Pie. Pinkie hisses, "My cover has been blown. I repeat, my cover has been blown!" Applejack is the only one who has a lead, namely, something about a library. Once they reach the library, Twilight is overjoyed at the abundance of books. After getting over her excitement, Twilight asks the librarian where the history books are located. The librarian does not appear to remember where the history texts are located, and says she isn't even sure if she works there. The friends set to work and Twilight finally finds the book they need, History of the Crystal Empire. The camera cuts to Twilight reading a section about a 'Crystal Faire' to Cadence and Shining Armor. According to the book, the Faire was established by the first queen and became the Crystal Ponies' most cherished tradition. The annual Faire was held to restore the spirit of love and unity in the empire so they could protect it from harm. With Shining Armor's encouragement, Twilight takes on the task of setting up a Faire for the ponies with her friends.

Setting up the Faire
In The Ballad of the Crystal Empire, the friends emulate the Crystal Empire's customs in order to "save the Crystal Ponies with their history". According to Twilight's book, the Crystal Ponies liked jousting, flew a colorful flag, made sweets with crystal berries, had a petting zoo with many ewes, played crystal "flugelhorns", and had a national anthem. By the song's end, the friends have set up many tents and booths, each featuring a traditional product or event. Twilight also crafts a crystal heart to put at the center of the Faire, following what the book said. With the preparations complete, Twilight announces the beginning of the Faire from a castle balcony.

The Crystal Ponies eagerly walk to the base of the castle where the Faire is located, and one by one, regain their beautiful crystal colors as they partake in the food and games. The same glum pony that Twilight had interviewed earlier tells her friend that she's starting to remember how life was like before the king. They look at each other and delightedly smile as they regain their former colors. When they wonder if the Crystal Heart is really present at the Faire, the librarian pony overhears them and comments that the light within the Crystal Ponies powers the Crystal Heart, hence protecting the empire. Rainbow Dash anxiously asks the librarian what she means by "powering" the Crystal Heart, but the librarian, not knowing that the real Heart is missing, merely says she's glad they found it, considering Sombra said he'd hidden the heart where nopony could find it. Rainbow Dash realizes the greater significance of the Crystal Heart and uses a flag to cover the useless heart-shaped crystal that Twilight crafted.

When Rainbow Dash informs Twilight of this, Twilight exclaims that she didn't know it was an actual relic. Upon flipping through the history book, she discovers that the last page was ripped out. Cadance tells her it's okay, but suddenly faints and gasps for air as the magical shield fades. Black smoke rushes across the perimeter of the Empire, weaving its way to the center where everyone is located. King Sombra's face appears as he viciously growls.

Quotes

 * Spike: Twilight, calm down. It's just a test.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Just a test? Just a test!? Princess Celestia wants to give me some kind of exam and you're trying to tell me to calm down because it's just a test?!
 * Spike: Uh... yes.
 * Applejack: I'd say she's handlin' things pretty well, considering.


 * Applejack: Twilight! Did you pass?
 * Pinkie Pie: Are we gonna celebrate your awesomeness with Princess Celestia?
 * Twilight Sparkle: Not quite.


 * Pinkie Pie: Sparkleriffic!


 * Rarity: It's gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous! [mumbles incoherently] There are no words!
 * Applejack: Focus, Rarity. We're here to help Twilight, not admire the scenery.
 * Rainbow Dash: Eh, I don't see what the big deal is. Just looks like another old castle to me.
 * Rarity: A- p- guh! Another old...! Have you lost your mind?! Look at the mag-
 * Applejack and Rainbow Dash: [laughing]
 * Rarity: Very funny.


 * Princess Cadence: One of these days, we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging in the balance.


 * Rarity: Crystal Ponies? Hahaha, there are Crystal Ponies?! Umm, hmm. Please continue.


 * Applejack: Sorry, Twilight. These crystal ponies seem to have some kind of collective amnesia or something. Only thing I was able to get out of them was something about a library.
 * Twilight Sparkle: [gasps] A library? Well why didn't you say so?
 * Applejack: Uh... thought I just did...


 * Female Crystal Pony #3: It just feels like something is missing.
 * Male Crystal Pony #1: I know. It looks the same, but it doesn't feel the same.
 * Pinkie Pie: Because it isn't!
 * Female Crystal Pony #3: [gasps] A spy!
 * Pinkie Pie: Aaaah!
 * Pinkie Pie: A spy? How did they know? Ah! Must have noticed my night vision goggles. Ooh! Night vision-y!


 * Pinkie Pie: [draws deep breath] [blows flugelhorn] [takes deep breath]
 * Twilight Sparkle: Hear ye, hear-
 * Pinkie Pie: [blows flugelhorn] [laughs nervously] My bad.


 * Rainbow Dash: Of course we have it! Can't have a Crystal Faire without the crystal heart, right?
 * Librarian Crystal Pony: Of course you can't. The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the crystal ponies, so the light within them can power the Crystal Heart, so that the empire can be protected! [gasps] I do work at a library!

Gallery

 * The Crystal Empire - Part 1 image gallery

Fannon
Since it's broadcast the episode is referred to by some fans as, "Operation Crystal Freedom Part 1" as a satirical reference/play on words of, "Operation Iragi Freedom".