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.
 * Western black hat symbolism is used in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Dance Magic for Sunset Shimmer and in the IDW comics for Applejack's alternate universe counterpart and for King Longhorn.

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, in My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree during Timber's Gaea Everfree story, and in Not Asking for Trouble while Pinkie attempts to stomp on a stick. 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, Spice Up Your Life and Make Up Shake Up.
 * 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.

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.

Celestial Advice

 * Twilight mentions "Claw-achella", a reference to the Coachella music festival.
 * Starlight and Sunburst's use of a drawn circle to "materialize an object that was lost in the past", as well as the ritual's result in failure, mirror the similar plot point of the anime/manga series Fullmetal Alchemist in which lead characters Edward and Alphonse Elric use a Transmutation Circle in an attempt to resurrect their dead mother.

All Bottled Up

 * While on their Friendship Retreat the Mane Six play an "Escape Room"
 * The Jewelry Store Pony throws her hat at Trixie in a similar fashion to the James Bond villain: Oddjob from the Bond movie Goldfinger.

A Flurry of Emotions

 * Generation 1 characters Gusty and Grogar are mentioned as characters in a book.
 * When Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake are fighting over the same toy, Flurry Heart breaks the toy in two and gives half to each of them, alluding to the Bible story Judgment of Solomon.

Rock Solid Friendship

 * Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 in D, which is often associated with graduation, is heard during Maud's graduation.

Forever Filly

 * The title is a play on the expression "forever young", which is frequently used in film, television, and music.

Parental Glideance

 * The title is a play on "parental guidance".
 * The phrase on Rainbow Dash's motivational poster alludes to the classic proverb "when the going gets tough, the tough get going".

Hard to Say Anything

 * The title is a reference to the 1989 film Say Anything..., which is also referenced at the end when Feather Bangs plays a gramophone over his head like John Cusack in the movie.
 * While playing with their disguises, the Cutie Mark Crusaders assume a group pose similar to that of Charlie's Angels.
 * The three swooning ponies sigh and swoon over Feather Bangs in a manner similar to how the "Bimbettes" do the same over Gaston in Walt Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
 * Pictures in Sweetie Belle's book of fairy tales allude to real-life fairy tales:
 * The first picture alludes to the tale of Saint George and the Dragon.
 * The second picture alludes to the tale of Sleeping Beauty.
 * The shot of Feather Bangs pouring cheese fondue on himself is a parody of the scene in Flashdance.
 * Scootaloo's line "The cupcake has landed!" alludes to the phrase "The Eagle has landed" spoken by Neil Armstrong when he landed on the moon in 1969.

Honest Apple

 * The title is a reference to "Honest Abe", the nickname of sixteenth U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.
 * Hoity Toity and Photo Finish argue over which of a pair of identical-looking belts goes best with Starstreak's dress design, similar to how Miranda Priestly had to choose between two identical belts for a dress in the 2006 film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.
 * Applejack's line "I don't think that word means what you think it means" is a reference to a near-identical line by the character Inigo Montoya in the 1987 film The Princess Bride.

A Royal Problem

 * In one of the bubbles of Celestia's dreamscape, Dr. Hooves is seen in a hedge maze avoiding a statue trying to catch him. This is a reference to the Weeping Angels from the sci-fi TV series Doctor Who.
 * In Princess Luna's nightmare, the fillies sing in creepy voices in a similar manner to the children singing in A Nightmare on Elm Street. Celestia appears in the mirror and pulls Luna into it, similar to how Freddy Krueger pulls Nancy's mom into a mirror after killing her at the end of the 2010 remake.

Not Asking for Trouble

 * Pinkie Pie's expression "You can lead a yak to water, but you better not let him know you're doing it" is a play on the real-life expression "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink".

Discordant Harmony

 * When Discord's duplicate swings a baseball bat, the famous "Charge" fanfare commonly played at sporting events plays in the background.
 * One of the clothes Discord tries on is Tudor clothing identical to those worn by King Henry VIII of England.
 * Discord's red sweater attire and normal, soft-spoken behavior give him a strong resemblance to Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame.

The Perfect Pear

 * The title is an allusion to the phrase "the perfect pair" referring to an ideally matched couple.
 * Young Granny Smith's bedtime story to her apple trees is a reference to the children's book Goodnight Moon.
 * Bright Mac and Pear Butter's love story as the son and daughter of feuding families is somewhat similar to that of Romeo and Juliet in the Shakespeare play of the same name.
 * Burnt Oak bears a resemblance to frequent Western film actor Sam Elliott.
 * Jeff Letrotski buying rugs from Burnt Oak is a reference to Elliott's appearance as "The Stranger" in The Big Lebowski.
 * Bright Mac and Pear Butter sharing a milkshake and their noses meeting in the middle is a reference to the iconic spaghetti scene in Disney's Lady and the Tramp.
 * It is also similar to the iconic image of Archie, Betty and Veronica sharing a milkshake.

Fame and Misfortune

 * The title is a play on the phrase "fame and fortune".
 * Pinkie Pie tackles Twilight in a similar fashion to Tigger bouncing Winnie-the-Pooh and other characters in Walt Disney Animation adaptations of the Winnie the Pooh franchise.

Campfire Tales

 * Each legend draws influences from different real-life cultures:
 * Rockhoof: Norse
 * The members of the Mighty Helm wear winged helmets.
 * Mistmane: East Asian
 * One of the villager ponies wears a tangzhuang.
 * Flash Magnus: Roman
 * The Royal Legion are based on the Roman legionary.
 * Sable Spirit is based on Chinese empress Dowager Cixi.

To Change a Changeling

 * Trixie suggests using the "good pony/bad pony" routine on Pharynx, alluding to the "good cop/bad cop" tactic used in law enforcement interrogations.
 * Starlight's speech is patterned after that of Mel Gibson's character in the film Braveheart.

Daring Done?

 * When Pinkie, Rainbow, and A. K. Yearling travel to Somnambula, a map with a moving red line marks their journey, identical to the traveling scenes in the Indiana Jones films—the same allusion to which was made in Daring Don't.
 * Just as the legends in Campfire Tales were influenced by real-life cultures, the legend of Somnambula draws influences from Ancient Egypt, such as the ponies' clothes and makeup, the pyramids, and the sphinx.
 * Somnambula shares her name with a G1 villain, a human witch who steals youth from others.
 * The sphinx's bridge challenge for Somnambula, and Dr. Caballeron's challenge for Daring Do, bears a resemblance to the "Path of God" challenge in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

It Isn't the Mane Thing About You

 * Vanity Mare magazine is an allusion to the real-life fashion magazine Vanity Fair.

A Health of Information

 * The title is a play on the expression "a wealth of information".
 * According to Fluttershy, ancient Equestrian healers like Mage Meadowbrook would wear bird masks to prevent them from getting sick themselves. Twilight and Fluttershy also wore bird masks in the episode to protect themselves from Swamp Fever. This all alludes to the real life medieval Plague doctors who would wear bird shaped masks to prevent infection from the Black Death.

Marks and Recreation

 * The title is a play on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, which was previously spoofed as the working title of The Saddle Row Review ("Saddle Row & Rec").

Once Upon a Zeppelin

 * The title alludes to the phrase "once upon a time", a common opening line in fairy tales.
 * Twilight recalls Shining Armor getting sick on a ride at Pony Island, a reference to Coney Island, a borough of Brookyln.
 * Shining Armor does the famous "I'm flying" scene from Titanic while on the airship.
 * The Neighagra Falls barrel-jumping activity alludes to Annie Edson Taylor, the first woman to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Secrets and Pies

 * The title is a play on the phrase "secrets and lies".
 * One of the episode's scene transitions mimics the classic scene transition of the 1960s Batman television series.

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.
 * A promo for season 7 parodies the theme song from the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

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.

Trading cards

 * Series 3
 * Card #PP1 gives the Masked Matter-Horn the secret identity of Trot Summers, a student of Professor Celestia's School for Gifted Youth; these are references to Scott Summers and the X-Men franchise as a whole, respectively.
 * Card #PP2 describes Mistress Mare-velous as hailing from Alfalfis, a lost city on a hidden island where the female inhabitants are all born with super strength; this is a combined reference to the DC Comics' locations of Atlantis and Themiscyra.
 * Card #PP3 identifies Radiance as a former pilot named Green Gardener who received her power bracelets from an alien hero; this is an homage to the Green Lantern mythos of DC Comics, with her name specifically referring to Guy Gardner while her origin resembles that of Hal Jordan.
 * Card #PP4 identifies Fili-Second as Marey Allen, a detective who acquired her super-speed after an accident involving lightning and a chemical plant; these are a parody of Barry Allen's origin story as the Flash.
 * Card #PP5 details Saddle Rager's backstory: as scientist Spruce Spanner, she was exposed to radiation as a result of an experiment gone wrong, a nod to Bruce Banner's origin story.
 * Card #PP6 reveals that Zapp is in reality a princess named Aurora who traveled from her distant homeland in disguise to prove herself worthy of becoming queen; this is a nod to the concept of Marvel Comics' Thor.

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.