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?".
 * Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor's mother Twilight Velvet is inspired and designed after a 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 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 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 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.

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 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 and in Power Ponies when the Power Ponies are battling the Mane-iac's henchponies in the shampoo factory. 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 supposed death of Philomena, again in Hurricane Fluttershy where she is crying under a tree and in My Little Pony Equestria Girls when she 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 five 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.
 * 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 mustache, 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.
 * 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 the was created specifically for that episode.
 * 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 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 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; and Keep Calm and Flutter On, during the main cast's dinner party with Discord.
 * Rainbow Dash's repetition of "Oh my gosh!" in Sonic Rainboom was re-used again in Wonderbolts Academy.
 * 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.
 * 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 final line in Friendship is Magic, part 2 is taken from a line she said in Friendship is Magic, part 2, with some parts edited out.
 * 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.

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.
 * 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.
 * 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 animation and drums playing 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.

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 respectively say that he is "the pony responsible for keeping Ponyville's clocks in sync, setting the hourglass for cider competitions, and pretty much all things timey-wimey", that he "keeps Ponyville's clocks in sync, sets the hourglass for cider competitions, and takes care of all things timey-wimey", and that he "takes care of all things timey-wimey." The phrase "wibbly wobbly, timey wimey" originates in the Doctor Who episode Blink.

Season three

 * One of the third season's episodes airing after January 7, 2013 (Keep Calm and Flutter On, Just for Sidekicks, Games Ponies Play, and Magical Mystery Cure), is inspired by an episode of Fawlty Towers. Games Ponies Play is similar to The Hotel Inspectors.

The Crystal Empire - Part 1

 * King Sombra was meant to be a "dark presence", inspired by Sauron from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
 * The scene in which Shining Armor greets the main ponies parallels that of when Han Solo searches for Luke Skywalker on the planet Hoth during a blizzard in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
 * Pinkie Pie's spy outfit is very similar to that of Sam Fisher's from Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.

Too Many Pinkie Pies

 * Twilight attempts to perform a spell that turns an apple into an orange, echoing a similar idiom.
 * One of the Pinkie duplicates narrowly misses being crushed by the falling barn by being precisely in a window opening – a nod to the famous scene with Buster Keaton in Steamboat Bill, Jr.
 * One of Pinkie Pie's duplicates makes a 'crazy face' that matches the G3 version of herself.

One Bad Apple

 * The episode title is a reference to the saying: "One bad apple spoils the bunch."
 * Scootaloo's comment about the Dark Side is a reference to Star Wars.
 * The "Babs Seed" sequence is reminiscent of early 1970s cartoon shows like Josie and The Pussycats with its chase scenes and bubblegum pop melody.
 * The movie scene is a reference to Let's All Go to the Lobby.
 * In a scene during the Babs Seed song, the gala dresses from season one make a return, along with a number of the Nightmare Night costumes from Luna Eclipsed.
 * The costumes the Cutie Mark Crusaders wore during the musical number is a reference to The Three Little Pigs with Babs wearing the wolf costume.
 * When the Cutie Mark Crusaders are building the float to get back at Babs, a version of The A-Team theme plays.
 * in the parade Amethyst Star is dressed as strawberry shortcake, and Dr. Hooves is dressed as a pear, a possible reference to the 10th doctor hating pears.

Magic Duel

 * The intro sequence resembles scenes from a number of other works in which a customer wishes to buy a dangerous item. For instance, in The Monkey's Paw, a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror segment, the shopkeeper only sells Homer a wish-granting item after warning him that it will grant wishes in the worst possible way, while Chinese curio shop owner Mr. Wing refuses to sell Gizmo the Mogwai to the main character's father out of fear of the destruction he will cause if improperly cared for. The shopkeeper is modeled after the bookkeeper from King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.
 * Twilight's training with Zecora references Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. Twilight, much like Luke Skywalker, seeks a mentor to defeat a corrupted enemy. Zecora directly quotes Luke's mentor, Yoda, as she instructs Twilight to "unlearn what you have learned." Also within this scene, Twilight loses focus with her magic as she remembers Trixie's control of Ponyville, much like how Luke loses focus during training as he has a vision about his friends.
 * When Trixie summons the fishbowl to cover Ponyville, a musical score closely resembling 'Carnival of the Animals: Aquarium' by the classical composer Camille Saint-Saëns can be heard.
 * The scene is also a reference to the Stephen King book Under the Dome and The Simpsons Movie

Sleepless in Ponyville

 * The episode title is a play on the 1993 romantic comedy movie Sleepless in Seattle.
 * The entire opening scene mirrors the one after the introduction in The Show Stoppers. The two ponies Scootaloo rushes past are the same (Shoeshine and Cherry Berry), Granny Smith appears, and there is also an obstacle in the middle of the road which Scootaloo catches air from, though the scenes are in a different order and the ponies react differently.
 * As with the bag in Sweet and Elite, the two horseshoes on Rarity's bag in her camping cart bears similarity to the Chanel logo.
 * Rainbow Dash tells the story of the Headless Horse, an allusion to the Headless Horseman.
 * Sweetie Belle sings "99 Buckets of Oats on the Wall", a pony version (and more kid-friendly version) of the campfire song "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall".

Wonderbolts Academy

 * There are "several references to Top Gun throughout" the episode.

Apple Family Reunion

 * Young Granny Smith's mane and tail resemble Applejack's in her development sketch.
 * The "Pappy Pony" tongue twister is likely a reference to the well-known tongue twister Peter Piper.

Spike at Your Service

 * Spike's face-off with the giant Timberwolf, and the Timberwolf's defeat, mirrors the Biblical tale of David and Goliath: each story's adversary is defeated with a single rock.

Keep Calm and Flutter On

 * The title is a reference to the 1939 British WWII propaganda poster Keep Calm and Carry On.
 * The original title of the episode, Fluttershy's Home for Reformed Draconequi, alludes to the title of an animated series, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, which writers Amy Keating Rogers, Meghan McCarthy, Cindy Morrow and Chris Savino have all worked on. Also of note, Lauren Faust had also worked on Foster's prior to her work on Friendship is Magic.
 * Before the friends leave Fluttershy's house, there is a reference to Alice in Wonderland with Discord in the Mad Hatter's outfit.
 * The dancing candles are a reference to the 1991 Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.
 * Twilight's line at the dinner party, "Hold on to your elements girls.  It's going to be a bumpy night." is a reference to the movie All About Eve. Bette Davis as Margo Channing utters the famous line, "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."

Just for Sidekicks

 * The title is a play on the term "just for kicks".
 * The song Spike sings at the beginning of the episode: "Spike is great, making a jewel cake", is a reference to a famous skit performed by Bill Cosby about giving his children chocolate cake for breakfast. In return his children sang, "Dad is great, gives us chocolate cake!"

Games Ponies Play

 * The title of this episode alludes to 1964 bestselling book, Games People Play.
 * The Equestria Games are based on the Olympic Games.
 * The winged shoes the messenger was wearing is an allusion to the ancient Greek god Hermes, who wore winged sandals which enabled him to fly. Hermes, having the ability of flight, played the role of messenger for the Olympian Gods, and was likewise a patron of sports. The winged shoes also allude to the myth of Perseus, a hero who borrowed Hermes' sandals during his ventures.

Magical Mystery Cure

 * The title is a reference to the 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour by the Beatles.
 * When Twilight says "I consider myself the luckiest pony in Equestria", it mimics Lou Gehrig's July 4, 1939 speech at Yankee Stadium; specifically, the portion where he said, "I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth".
 * Twilight's line "It dosen't even make sense, it dosen't even rhyme."comes from the 1999 film Julien Donkey-Boy.

Season four

 * There is to be a "[r]idiculous early '90s pop culture reference".

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 a little like the Dalek gunstick discharge from Doctor Who.
 * Near the end of the episode, Discord is shown wearing clothes similar to those of Yosemite Sam.
 * The gas-spewing vines that attack Twilight bear a resemblance to the facehuggers from the Alien film series.

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 music that Pinkie plays on the organ after the "Charge!" fanfare sounds similar to "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".

Daring Don't

 * The Daring Do book series' author is A.K. Yearling. This is a reference to the author of the Harry Potter book series, J.K. Rowling.
 * 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 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 the torch to the Olympic Games.
 * According to Daniel Ingram, Hearts Strong as Horses was inspired by a "modern classic from Disney".
 * Most likely "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan.
 * During the musical number, Scootaloo doing crunches on the platform is an allusion to the Rocky IV training montage.

Power Ponies

 * Maretropolis is an allusion to Metropolis from DC Comics.
 * Each of the Power Ponies 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: Green Lantern
 * Rainbow Dash/Zapp: Thor
 * Fluttershy/Saddle Rager: The Hulk
 * Spike/Humdrum: Robin (as portrayed by Burt Ward)
 * 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.
 * The title is an allusion to the Power Rangers series.
 * How the Mane-iac walks with her long mane is based on that of Doctor Octopus (AKA Doc Ock) from the Spiderman comics.
 * Fili-Second comes from the word millisecond, and is based on the superhero, Flash.
 * Saddle Rager's powers is based on that of The Hulk.
 * The Mane-iac's origin is a reference to the Joker's origin in Tim Burton's Batman.

Rarity Takes Manehattan

 * The title is a reference to the 1984 film The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Pinkie Apple Pie

 * During the song when the Apples dress as pirates, Pinkie Pie resembles Mr. Smee from Disney's Peter Pan.

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
 * 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 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 the Gangnam Style dance.
 * Scootaloo does the Chicken Dance. This is a reference to the episode Stare Master.
 * Sweetie Belle does the Robot, a reference to the Sweetie Bot meme.
 * The beginning of "Equestria Girls (Cafeteria Song)" is similar to "We Will Rock You" by Queen.

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 pony equivalent 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.
 * One commercial is a direct reference to the 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 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 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 of 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.
 * Rarity mentions a place called Mythica, Neigh York, a play on Ithaca, New York.

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.