Chief Thunderhooves

Chief Thunderhooves is the chief of the buffalo tribe featured in the episode Over a Barrel. He leads the buffalo against the settlers of Appleloosa because the settlers' apple orchards block the buffalo's traditional stampeding grounds.

Depiction in the series
Chief Thunderhooves is introduced in Over a Barrel. After Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash find that Spike is safe and sound with the buffalo, they speak with Little Strongheart who apologizes for the train heist and explains that the buffalo didn't want to hurt anyone and were only after the tree that Applejack was delivering. Little Strongheart shows them to the Chief, who is sitting with other buffalo around a campfire. He explains that the buffalo "have a long and winding stampeding trail, that we have run upon for many generations. My father stampeded upon these grounds, And his father before him, And his father before him, And his father before him. And his father before him. And–" His listeners get bored and drowsy, and finally Little Strongheart interrupts so he'd move on. He starts describing the problem with the Appleloosans, but gets so worked up and angry that he can't continue talking. Little Strongheart calms him a little and explains that the Appleloosans' trees are blocking the buffalo's passage.

Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Little Strongheart go to talk to the Appleloosans about the situation, and while Little Strongheart and Braeburn are re-conciliatory, Dash and Applejack only polarize the situation. Pinkie Pie then tries putting up a musical number about sharing to the Appleloosans and the buffalo, but Chief Thunderhooves declares it's "the worst performance we've ever seen" and announces the buffalo will be stampeding "at high noon tomorrow", and if the orchard is still there, they'll flatten it and the town.

After the town's fortification and armament montage, and the buffalo's war-paint montage, Chief Thunderhooves and his tribe stand on a cliff overlooking the settlement, moments before high noon. The clock strikes the hour, but Little Strongheart gently places her hoof on Chief Thunderhooves, and he sighs resignedly. For a moment, the ponies sigh in relief that the buffalo aren't going to charge, but then Pinkie Pie sings her song again, which angers Chief Thunderhooves, who commands the buffalo to charge. The sheriff of the town, then runs out of ammunition. The battle ends when the chief is brought down by a stray apple pie, which the Appleloosans were using as ammunition. He tastes it and finds it very much to his liking, and decides that the buffalo will allow the apple orchard to stay in exchange for a share of the apple pies. A path is cut down through the orchard and the buffalo stampede through it with their apple pies.

Gallery

 * Chief Thunderhooves image gallery

Hövding Åskhov