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.
 * Applejack usually has her mane and tail tied with one red ribbon each, and her Rainbow Power appearance bears not red but green ribbons. In real horse shows, a ribbon of one of four colors may meaningfully be tied to a horse's tail, a red ribbon meaning the horse is a kicker, and a green one that it is unpredictable.
 * 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.

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, and in Scare Master while the ponies are going through the haunted corn maze. 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 while 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.

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.

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.

The Cutie Map - Part 1

 * Pinkie's line, "Something is rotten in...whatever the name of this village is", is a play on the line "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" from Hamlet.
 * Starlight's rallying call "no pony left behind" in the song In Our Town mirrors the negative effects of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act that requires everyone meets a minimum goal but does not set higher standards for gifted individuals.
 * Twilight references Admiral Ackbar's line "It's a trap!" from the 1983 film Return of the Jedi.

The Cutie Map - Part 2

 * The staff shattering the cutie mark wall is a reference to the famous "1984" advertisement for Apple's Macintosh home computer.

Castle Sweet Castle

 * The title is a play on the phrase "home sweet home".

Bloom & Gloom

 * The title is play on the phrase "doom and gloom".
 * The Pest Control Pony makes his entrance making breathing sounds similar to those of Darth Vader from the Star Wars original trilogy (Episodes IV-VI).
 * The pest control equipment and twittermite-catching scene are designed like the ghost-catching equipment in Ghostbusters.
 * When Apple Bloom sees that the twittermites have escaped, a snippet of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee" can be heard.
 * Scootaloo's daredevil outfit in her dream is similar to those made famous by the late American daredevil Evel Knievel.

Tanks for the Memories

 * The title is a play on the song "Thanks for the Memory" as made famous by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross.
 * Throughout the episode, while dealing with Tank's hibernation preparation, Rainbow Dash goes through the five stages of grief, also known as the Kübler-Ross model.
 * Rarity is seen carrying a light blue and yellow bobble hat, a dark blue and red bobble hat is seen in a bag, while Fluttershy is seen putting a green ushanka on a beaver. These are references to the characters of Eric Cartman, Stan Marsh, and Kyle Broflovski, respectively, from Comedy Central's animated adult sitcom South Park.
 * Rainbow's sinister grin at the end of act 1 is a reference to the Grinch's grin from the 1966 TV holiday special, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
 * The back-and-forth scene with Sunshower, Clear Skies, and Open Skies is reminiscent of the classic "Who's on First?" routine by the American comedy duo Abbott and Costello.
 * The background music that plays when Rainbow Dash sneaks into Cloudsdale's weather factory is similar to Lalo Schifrin's Mission: Impossible theme.
 * Twilight's line of dialogue "winter is coming" is a reference to a line often used in George R. R. Martin's novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire", which was made more popular by HBO's Game of Thrones, the television adaptation of Martin's novel series.

Appleoosa's Most Wanted

 * The title is a play on the name of the former Fox/Lifetime reality series America's Most Wanted.
 * Trouble Shoes' voice was influenced by both Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh and Karl Childers from the 1996 film Sling Blade.
 * The mudslide scene is an allusion to a similar scene from the 1984 action-adventure film Romancing the Stone.
 * Sheriff Silverstar's squinting and the rodeo clown playing the harmonica alludes to several common clichés seen in the Western genre.

Make New Friends but Keep Discord

 * The name "Tree Hugger" is a term commonly used, sometimes derogatorily, to refer to environmentalists and nature conservationists.
 * The Smooze is based on the Generation 1 villain of the same name.
 * The title is a play on the phrase "make new friends but keep the old."
 * Discord briefly appears in a cardboard box with a red exclamation point over it—a reference to Konami's Metal Gear video game franchise.
 * The Smooze and Discord wear Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas's tuxedo and top hats from the 1994 comedy film Dumb and Dumber.
 * The symbol on Discord's cane is the Symbol of Chaos from Michael Morecock's Eternal Champion series of novels.
 * During his comedy routine, Discord imitates the comedy stylings of Eddie Murphy, Jerry Seinfeld, Rodney Dangerfield and Gallagher.
 * Discord's first joke is a parody of the old vaudeville standby, "I just flew in from [insert location here], and boy, are my arms tired!"
 * Another one of Discord's jokes also references Jeff Foxworthy's "you might be a redneck" one-liners, but other characters' dialogue and the episode's musical score are laid over it.
 * The scene in which a young colt sees a glowing door is a reference to the 1980 psychological horror film The Shining. The young colt himself resembles Danny Torrence.
 * Discord announces where Tree Hugger is going in the style of The Price is Right, including holding former host Bob Barker's microphone.
 * One of the images Discord shows is a play on Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory.
 * Another one of the images Discord shows is a ponified version of Grant Wood's American Gothic.

The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone

 * Arimaspi is named after a race of one-eyed people in Greek mythology who fought with griffons over their gold.
 * Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie pass by two griffons playing a game reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons.
 * Gilda's grandfather Gruff seem to be based on Grunkle Stan from Gravity Falls, sporting the same elder appearance, wearing a red fez and gold-digging mannerisms.
 * The manner in which Rainbow and Gilda greet each other is very similar to the way Jerry Seinfeld and Newman meet on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld.
 * The choice Gilda makes between saving Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash and recovering the Idol of Boreas is reminiscent of Indiana Jones' choice between escaping the Temple of the Sun and claiming the Holy Grail in the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Slice of Life

 * There are dozens of explicit references to Doctor Who in this episode when it comes to the character of Dr. Hooves in this episode.
 * First and foremost, Dr. Hooves has an interest in time travel in reference to the Doctor's role as a Time Lord.
 * His interest in creating gadgets mirrors the third incarnation, as portrayed by Jon Pertwee.
 * He wears a long multicolored scarf as a reference to the fourth incarnation, as portrayed by Tom Baker.
 * He says, "Allons-y!" which was the catchphrase of the tenth incarnation, as portrayed by David Tennant.
 * He is also seen next to Rose, which was the name of the ninth and tenth doctor's companion.
 * Throughout the episode he wears a bow tie, the trademark of the Eleventh Doctor as played by Matt Smith.
 * There are two references to the 1998 film The Big Lebowski.
 * Jeff Letrotski's cutie mark is a rug, specifically the scene where someone urinates on The Dude's rug. Walter's cutie mark is a briefcase, alluding to the film's ransom plot.
 * During the pan shot of the wedding guests during the Mayor's speech, Jeff Letrotski and Walter are visible in the third row on the right side. Donny is apparently absent, but Walter is holding a red coffee can with a blue lid. This alludes to the scene where Donny dies of a heart attack and Walter carries his ashes in a similar-looking coffee can.
 * Once again, the flower ponies say, "The horror! The horror!", which is a line from the novel Heart of Darkness, which was adapted into Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 war epic Apocalypse Now.
 * Dr. Hooves begins to bowl on tiptoes, much like Fred Flintstone from The Flintstones.
 * The music Octavia Melody plays on her cello is reminiscent of the 1842 tune "Wedding March" by German composer Felix Mendelssohn.
 * The scene in which DJ-Pon-3 and Octavia Melody race through Ponyville on a mobile DJ station and pick up several bystanders is based on a similar sequence in the Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil episode "Runaway Recital", which M.A. Larson also wrote.
 * During this scene, DJ Pon-3's mobile DJ station jumps over a toy shark for a brief second. This is a reference to the phrase "jumping the shark", which refers to the point where a piece of popular culture, usually a TV series, declines in quality and gives in to programming gimmicks so much that it becomes unwatchable. The phrase originated from the Happy Days episode "Hollywood: Part 3" wherein Fonzie literally jumps over a shark whilst waterskiing with his leather jacket on.

Princess Spike

 * One of the summit delegates wears a cap and green striped shirt, matching Will Smith's look in the opening sequence and select episodes of the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
 * The Whinnyapolis Delegate pony bears a resemblance to Marge Gunderson from the 1996 neo-noir crime film Fargo.
 * The Manehattan Delegate pony resembles actor Joe Pesci.

Party Pooped

 * Prince Rutherford says, "Yaks smash!", which is a parody of the Incredible Hulk's catchphrase, "Hulk smash!"
 * Pinkie Pie briefly appears in photographs with a band resembling the Beatles. In one of the photographs, Pinkie and the band recreate the Fab Four's 1964 American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. In another, Pinkie and the band are seen walking across a street, mimicking the album cover for the Beatles' Abbey Road. In yet another, they recreate the album cover of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Amending Fences

 * The title is a play on the term "mending fences".
 * Twilight mentions studying using the Hayscartes method. This refers to the name of the philosopher Rene Descartes.
 * In addtion, Moon Dancer mentions having a copy of Hayscartes' Treatise on Ponies, a reference to Descartes' Treaties of Man.
 * The glasses Minuette wears matches those of the logo of Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant chain.
 * Pinkie Pie sitting backwards on Twilight while she is flying is reminiscent of the famous scene from the 1964 film Dr. Strangelove where Major T.J. Kong (played by Slim Pickens) rides a falling nuclear bomb.
 * The bookseller pony at Moon Dancer's party bears a resemblance to the character Honey Lemon from Disney's 2014 animated superhero film Big Hero 6.

Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?

 * The title is a play on the 1968 science fiction novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? written by Philip K. Dick.
 * In Rainbow Dash's nightmare, the sunflowers sing to the tune of the children's song "This Old Man".
 * Big McIntosh's transformation into an Alicorn is reminiscent of the transformation sequences of Usagi Tsukino transforming into Sailor Moon from the 1992 anime series Sailor Moon, complete with sound-alike music to the original Japanese version and the Viz Media redub.
 * Lyra and Sweetie Drops' fused dream form, being conjoined at the waist, is a reference to the characters Cat and Dog from the 1998 Nickelodeon cartoon series CatDog.

Canterlot Boutique

 * Rarity introduces one of her dresses under the name "Tripping the Light", to which Fashion Plate responds with "Fantastic!". This is a parody of the phrase "Trip the light fantastic", which means to dance in a light manner.
 * The beginning of the song Rules of Rarity sounds similar to Jona Lewie's 1980 single "Stop the Calvary".
 * The line "The Reign in Stain is too difficult to explain" is a play on the lyric "The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain" from the 1956 musical My Fair Lady.
 * The name of the fashion magazine Cosmare is a play on Cosmopolitan, also known as "Cosmo".

Rarity Investigates!

 * This episode is a spoof of film noirs such as The Maltese Falcon.
 * Rarity's investigator outfit is reminiscent to the fictional character Carmen Sandiego from the computer game series Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?.
 * Rarity modeled her latest fashion line after Shadow Spade, a play on the name of detective character Sam Spade from the 1929 novel The Maltese Falcon, made famous by Humphrey Bogart in the 1941 film adaptation of the same name.
 * When Rarity and Rainbow Dash are talking to Cinnamon Chai, three stallions resembling Sherlock Holmes, John Watson and Jim Moriarty, as portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and Andrew Scott in the 2010 British television adaptation, briefly appear in the background.
 * A brief shot in which Rainbow Dash is flying above Wind Rider, produces a camera, and takes a picture of him, is reminiscent of a famous scene from Top Gun.

Made in Manehattan

 * The title is a reference to the 2002 romantic comedy film Maid in Manhattan.
 * The comic book that Spike is reading in the beginning is a parody of Archie Comics, with ponified versions of Archie Andrews and Jughead Jones on the cover.
 * Rarity makes reference to the "Haypacking District" of Manehattan. This is a reference to the Meatpacking District in Manhattan.
 * She also makes reference to the "Fashion District" of Manehattan. A reference to the Garment District of Manhattan, which is also sometimes referred to as the Fashion District.
 * One scene has several references to the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz:
 * Rarity sets up a friendship problem booth similar to Lucy's psychiatric booth.
 * A pony passes by who resembles Charlie Brown.
 * The Charlie Brown pony has a football cutie mark, in reference to the running gag of Lucy always pulling the football away from poor Charlie Brown.
 * Jazz music is heard in the style of Vince Guaraldi, who composed the first few TV specials.
 * Rarity says, "Good grief!", which is the collective catchphrase of the entire Peanuts gang.
 * Coco Pommel mentions My Fair Filly, a reference to My Fair Lady, which was previously referenced in Canterlot Boutique.
 * The use of "midsummer" in a specifically theatrical context, namely in the Midsummer Theatre Revival, is likely inspired by A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare.
 * One of the actors mentions Trotter on the Roof, a reference to the musical Fiddler on the Roof.
 * Manhattan references:
 * One building looks similar to Grand Central Terminal.
 * One area of Manehattan looks similar to the entrance of the Central Park Zoo.
 * Coco's apartment block bears a striking resemblance to 55 Central Park West, also known as "Spook Central" in the 1984 film Ghostbusters.
 * In a photo album, Coco and two other fillies are dressed up like Dorothy, the Cowardly Lion, and the Tin Man from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
 * The line "I'm trottin' here!" is a reference to Dustin Hoffman's famous quote "I'm walkin' here!" from the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy.
 * The newspaper pony is modeled after Christian Bale's character, Jack Kelly, from the 1992 Disney musical film Newsies.

Brotherhooves Social

 * As "Orchard Blossom", Big Mac speaks in the manner of Scarlet O'Hara from the Margaret Mitchell novel Gone with the Wind, as well as its 1939 film adaptation.

Crusaders of the Lost Mark

 * The title is a reference to the 1981 Indiana Jones film Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows

 * The episode title is modeled after the nondescript episode titles of the 1994 sitcom Friends.
 * Smash Fortune's name is a reference to the similarly named 1980 space opera action film Flash Gordon. The poster design itself is reminiscent of the 1930 pulp-fiction hero Doc Savage.
 * The comic book Spike holds is a parody of the cover of Action Comics #1, which featured the debut of Superman.
 * The music heard during Pinkie's delivery montage sounds similar to the Clarinet Polka.

Hearthbreakers

 * Two stallions on the Friendship Express bear a resemblance to Steve Martin and John Candy's characters in the 1987 film Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
 * A mare on the train bears a resemblance to Catherine O'Hara's character from the 1990 Christmas comedy film Home Alone.
 * One part of the music heard during the gingerbread re-enactment of the Hearth's Warming story sounds similar to the "Aquarium" movement from the musical suite The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns.

Scare Master

 * Like the episode Stare Master, the title is a reference to the American exercise machine company, StairMaster.
 * Applejack's costume is an allusion to the Cowardly Lion from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
 * When Spike makes his entrance, he casts a shadow making him resemble Fritz from the 1931 film adaptation of Frankenstein.
 * The cardboard cutouts in Fluttershy's haunted house are based on famous anime characters; from left to right, they are modeled after Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon from the Sailor Moon series, Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion, Utena Tenjou from Revolutionary Girl Utena, Bulma from the Dragon Ball franchise, and Ranma Saotome from Ranma ½.
 * "Granny Smith" shown to be a skeleton clad in a dress and grey wig is a nod to the famous reveal of "Mother" in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, right down to the rocking chair and the use of deep shadow.
 * A stallion in the corn maze is dressed as Jason Voorhees, the main antagonist of the Friday the 13th slasher film franchise.
 * Harry's costume is an allusion to the Gill-man from the 1954 monster film Creature from the Black Lagoon.

What About Discord?

 * The title and plot is a parody of the 1991 black comedy film What About Bob?.
 * When Discord passes by Twilight before crashing into the ground, he leaves a plaid trail in the sky, much like how the spaceship in the 1987 sci-fi parody film Spaceballs achieves a speed of "plaid".
 * On two occasions, Discord assumes the appearance of painter Bob Ross.
 * When Pinkie Pie suggests time travel, she wears the same outfit as Marty McFly in Back to the Future.
 * The scene's background music is also briefly punctuated with a sound-alike of Alan Silvestri's Back to the Future theme.
 * When saying "Anything stand out as being different? Anything at all?", Discord wears an outfit similar to Dr. Emmett Brown's from the same film.
 * Zecora says her cauldron "ties the room together", a reference to what the Dude says about his rug in The Big Lebowski.

The Hooffields and McColts

 * The title is a parody of the real-life feud between the Hatfield family and the McCoy family.
 * The book being read for the animals' book club is Wuthering Hooves, a parody of Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte.

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.
 * When Twilight Sparkle and Spike see the person walking his dog after Twilight first arrives in the other world, the dog is drawn in the same style as the 2010 version of Pound Puppies.
 * The beginning of This Strange World is similar to "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen.
 * 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 Twilight and Rainbow's one-on-one soccer match, the music is similar to "A Little Less Conversation" by Elvis Presley.
 * The beginning of Equestria Girls (Cafeteria Song) is similar to "We Will Rock You" by Queen.
 * 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 Psy's signature "invisible horse dance" from Gangnam Style.
 * Scootaloo does the Chicken Dance. This is a reference to the episode Stare Master, where she is called a chicken by Apple Bloom.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks

 * The Dazzlings were inspired by the sirens from Greek mythology.
 * The video game controllers that Applejack and Rainbow Dash play with resemble those of the now defunct Nintendo GameCube system.
 * One of the outfits Rarity models during the rehearsal is similar to the suits the Beatles wore on the cover of their 1967 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, an idea further suggested by Rarity calling it "old-fashioned."
 * Another one is a robotic suit similar to that worn by Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, one half of the French house music duo, Daft Punk.
 * During the Battle of the Bands, Snails goes by the stage name "DJ Snazzy Snails," similar to DJ Jazzy Jeff.
 * After Pinkie catches Trixie hiding, Trixie escapes leaving some hairpins behind much like Witch Hazel from Looney Tunes.
 * The arena where the final battle takes place looks similar to the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, with a saddle replacing the dome.
 * The fight between the Dazzlings and the Rainbooms near the finale is similar to the scene in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World in which Pilgrim's band faces off against the Katayanagi twins.

My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Friendship Games

 * Sci-Twi going through Crystal Prep's doors before the opening credits is a parody of the main title sequence from the 1995 TV series Get Smart.
 * The filling of the winning cake during "ACADECA" is shaped like the famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci.
 * Applejack loosing her second arrow in slow motion is similar to when Merida in looses her final arrow from the 2012 Disney animated film Brave.
 * The song "Unleash the Magic" has a very similar sound and rhyme scheme to "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from the 1989 Disney animated film The Little Mermaid.
 * Similarly, the chorus resembles that of the song "Cell Block Tango" from the 1975 musical Chicago.
 * After Twilight sees Sci-Twi, the entire orchestra becomes silent for two xylophone hits for an eyeblink. This was a trademark of Warner Bros. cartoon composer Carl Stalling.

Music to My Ears

 * The scene of DJ Pon-3 walking and dancing down the street is a reference to the "Staying Alive" scene in the 1977 film Saturday Night Fever.
 * One scene in the short depicts a dog alluding to Paris Hilton's pet that she carries around.

Guitar Centered

 * The title is a reference to musical instrument store chain Guitar Center.
 * The Shred Off is an allusion to a scene from the 2010 film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World when Scott faces off against Todd Ingram in a Bass Off.
 * It also alludes to the guitar battles against Tom Morello, Slash, Lou, Zakk Wylde, and Ted Nugent in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Guitar Hero World Tour.
 * During the Shred Off, several of the licks Rainbow Dash plays are similar to actual rock songs.
 * The opening lick Rainbow Dash plays at the beginning of the Shred Off is similar to the opening chords in the song "Runnin' Down a Dream" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
 * The second opening lick she plays is similar to the opening chords in the song "Barracuda" by Heart.
 * There is a poster in the guitar store that features the logo of British rock band, The Who.

Hamstocalypse Now

 * The title is a play on the title of the 1979 movie Apocalypse Now.
 * Fluttershy leading the hamsters into the habitat is an allusion to the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
 * Rarity names one of the hamsters Emilia Furhart, a reference to famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart.

Pinkie on the One

 * Pinkie's drumming style is reminiscent of that of Animal from the Muppets.

Player Piano

 * Pinke saying "Po-tay-to, to-mah-to" is a reference to the George Gershwin song "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off."

A Case for the Bass

 * The record albums on display are Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, The Velvet Underground's self-titled album, and Wilco's "A.M.".
 * Also on display is the poster for Steven Spielberg's 1975 film Jaws.

Shake your Tail!

 * The Mane 6's facial makeup displaying their cutie marks resembles the band KISS' facial makeup.
 * The makeup is also reminiscent of the Hasbro TV series and property Jem and the Holograms.
 * Granny Smith, "Blueberry Cake," and "Rose Heart" do Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" dance.

Perfect Day for Fun

 * In a photo showing Twilight, Pinkie Pie and Rarity having fun on the carousel, Pinkie Pie is shown riding a carousel horse version of herself.

My Past is Not Today

 * The shot of Sunset letting her leather jacket blow away in the wind is similar to the shot of Elsa letting her cape blow away in the wind in the 2013 film Frozen.

Friendship Through the Ages

 * Each of the Main Six's attire as well as their respective backdrop represents a different music period: Twilight Sparkle in the 1950s, Fluttershy in the 1960s, Rarity in the 1970s, Rainbow Dash in the 1980s, Applejack in the 1990s, and Pinkie Pie in the 2000s.
 * The background scenery shown during Rarity's verse is reminiscent of the 1968 animated film Yellow Submarine.
 * Rainbow Dash smashes her guitar at the end of her verse, which was a trademark of Pete Townshend of The Who.
 * The scene of the Rainbooms singing together on a darkened background is a reference to Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" music video.
 * The scene where Sunset Shimmer is singing while on a spinning record is a reference to the opening sequence of Happy Days.

Life is a Runway

 * The title of the animated short alludes to Tom Cochrane's "Life Is a Highway."
 * When Rarity gives Cheerilee a new look, she has pigtails tied with green flowers, like her G3.5 look.
 * Once again, Rarity does Gene Kelly's lamppost dance from Singin' in the Rain.

All's Fair in Love &amp; Friendship Games

 * The title is a parody of the proverb "All is fair in love and war," which is often attributed to John Lyly's Euphues.
 * One brief scene of Lyra and Sweetie Drops fighting parodies old-school fighting arcade games such as Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.
 * Another scene is reminiscent of a fight scene in episode 3 of the 2013 anime television series Kill la Kill.

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.

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.

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. Alternatively, this could be a reference to the title characters referred to as the "Mane Six."
 * Rarity mentions a place called Mythica, Neigh York, a play on Ithaca, New York.
 * There are two allusions to the brony fandom: Twilight Sparkle calls Cadance her "pegasister-in-law," and Cadance says that her destiny was to lead other ponies with "True Love and Tolerance."

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 the reality television series American Idol.

Rainbow Dash and the Daring Do Double Dare

 * A landmark in the new Daring Do book is called Mount Vehoovius, a play on Mount Vesuvius.
 * Applejack mentions a place called South Amareica, a clear play on South America.

Rarity and the Curious Case of Charity

 * Chapter 1 makes mention of a place called Neigh Mexicolt, a play on the U.S. state of New Mexico.
 * Rarity imagines herself as a fairytale character named Raponyzel, a play on Rapunzel.
 * In chapter 5, Charity mentions having studied abroad in Mare-is, Prance, a play on Paris, France.
 * In chapter 7, Charity mentions buying a sun hat from Neighcy's, a play on the Macy's chain of department stores.

The Journal of the Two Sisters

 * Granny Smith's entry begins, "Four cores and seven seeds ago..." a play on the famous opening words of the Gettysburg Address.

Applejack and the Honest-to-Goodness Switcheroo

 * Rarity mentions PegasUs Weekly, a reference to the magazine Us Weekly.
 * Two of the apples trees are named after people who work on the show. Steffan is named after orchestrator Steffan Andrews and Big Jim is named after director "Big" Jim Miller.
 * Pinkie Pie sings a ditty to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad."
 * Rainbow Dash mentions a Pegasus named "Darwing" after talking about "Survival of the Leafiest," a reference to British scientist Charles Darwin and his studies on evolution.
 * Pinkie Pie mentions a writer of one of Twilight's books named Cart Bacon, whose name is a reference to American astronomer, Carl Sagan.

Daring Do and the Marked Thief of Marapore

 * Marapore is a play on Mayapore from the Indiana Jones franchise.
 * Two of the villages at the base of Mount Vehoovius are called Ponypeii, a reference to Pompeii, and Lusitano, a reference to the Lusitano breed of horse.

Daring Do and the Eternal Flower

 * The story shares numerous similarities with the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, such the main character's search for a missing family member, an ally that later turns out to be an enemy, and a priceless treasure being hidden in plain sight among various fake or misleading treasures.

Fluttershy and the Fine Furry Friends Fair

 * Flim and Flam introduce themselves as Farnum and Failey, a reference to Barnum and Bailey, two circus personalities who, along with Ringling Bros., created the famous circus, The Greatest Show on Earth.
 * One of the ponies thinks that Fluttershy, when dressed as a shepherd, is acting as Little Pony Peep, a reference to the nursery rhyme, Little Bo Peep.
 * Twilight mentions Trotland and Bales, parodies of Scotland and Wales.
 * Applejack's last line, "That'll do, Fluttershy. That'll do." is a reference to the line "That'll do, pig. That'll do." from the book The Sheep-Pig or Babe, the Gallant Pig as it is known in the United States, and its film adaptation, Babe.

Princess Celestia and the Summer of Royal Waves

 * The country of Monacolt is a reference to the country of Monaco.
 * The part where Celestia asks her students to tear up their essays is a reference to the late Robin Williams telling his students to tear out the introduction of their textbooks in the film Dead Poets Society.
 * Rainy Air says, "I like raindrops on roses. But that's more a favorite thing than a fun thing." This is a reference to a lyric from "My Favorite Things" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.

Discord and the Ponyville Players Dramarama

 * There are several parodies of Broadway musicals in this novel.
 * The Singing Stallion, the play that the Ponyville Players put on, is a parody of Meredith Willson's The Music Man.
 * The lead character of Professor Hayloft Shill is a parody of "Professor" Harold Hill, the role originated by Robert Preston.
 * The song "Fifty-Six Trombones" is a parody of this musical's showstopper, "Seventy-Six Trombones".
 * The role of Mare-ion Pear is a parody of the female lead, Marion "The Librarian" Paroo, as originated by Barbara Cook.
 * The song "Bubbles" is a parody of the Act I song "Ya Got Trouble".
 * Discord hopes to get the role of Captain Von Scrapp in Hinny of the Hills, a parody of Captain Von Trapp in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music.
 * He also hopes to get Pone Valpone in Les Miser Stables, a parody of Jean Valjean from Les Misérables.
 * He also hopes for Corny Cauliflower in Manespray, a parody of Corny Collins from Hairspray.
 * Cheerilee's audition song is "Fillies Just Want to Have Fun", a parody of Cyndi Lauper's hit song, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun".
 * Discord's audition song is "Singin' in the Chocolate Rain", a parody of the 1920's song "Singin' in the Rain", later made famous by Gene Kelly's rendition in the film of the same name.
 * Discord's pony alias is "Tony Stana", a parody of Tony Danza, most famous for his TV role in Who's the Boss, and who recently did a stint on Broadway in the stage musical adaptation of Honeymoon in Vegas.
 * Discord's goldfish is named Quincy, or "Q" for short, a reference to John de Lancie's Star Trek role.

Princess Luna and the Festival of the Winter Moon

 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders ask the Mane Six if they are playing Monopony or Settlers of Canterlot, but Pinkie responds they are playing Whisk. These are parodies of the board games Monopoly, Settlers of Catan and Risk, respectively.
 * The "Deal with it" meme is referenced by Apple Bloom when she puts on a pair of moonglasses and says this phrase.
 * Pinkie says the Tarax Hippo is "hungry! Like... hungry, hungry!" This is a reference to the Milton Bradley game Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Collectible card game

 * A couple of cards that have "Cheese Sandwich" quotes are actually lyrics from "Weird Al's" song, "Albuquerque," specifically, "Hey... you've got weasels on your face." and "Do you have any bear claws?"
 * The quote "... and when DJ PON-3 starts spinning different tunes, I'll see the Dark Mare of the moon." from the Canterlot Nights expansion set card #41 C of Purple Waters is a possible reference to Pink Floyd's song "Brain Damage".