A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1

A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 is the twenty-fifth episode of the second season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and the fifty-first overall. It is the first episode in a two-parter which concludes the season. Twilight Sparkle is confused by her conflicting feelings when she finds out her brother, Shining Armor, is marrying Princess Celestia's niece, Princess Cadance.

The wedding announcement
The episode starts out with Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack having a picnic in a field. While they are having their picnic, Spike quickly runs towards the group, and when he arrives, out of breath, he burps up a scroll for Twilight and her friends. In this scroll, Princess Celestia describes to Twilight that she wants her friends to take part in the wedding, and asks each of them to perform a certain role. She wants Applejack to bake the cake, Pinkie Pie to host the reception, Fluttershy to train her choir of birds, Rainbow Dash to perform a sonic rainboom, Rarity to make the wedding dresses, and Twilight to make sure everything goes as planned.

Twilight then wonders who are marrying, then Spike gives Twilight the invitation scroll. She is shocked to find out that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, also known as Princess Cadance and her brother, Shining Armor, are the couple to be wed. She reveals that he was her B.B.B.F.F - Big Brother Best Friend Forever - before she was sent to Ponyville, and explains her story through a song. Twilight's friends try to reassure her of her suspicions of Cadance.

Arriving at Canterlot
After this, the six plus Spike make their way to Canterlot. Everyone, except for Twilight, is happily discussing the occasion. Applejack notices this and asks Twilight what is bothering her. She answers by saying that she in unable to take her mind off of Shining Armor, and that they had been seeing each other less and less after she left Canterlot for Ponyville. Even after being comforted by Applejack, Twilight is still angry that Shining Armor did not find time to tell her about the wedding personally.

Immediately after arriving in Canterlot, Twilight rushes off the train, intent on confronting her brother. She jogs towards a wall upon which Shining Armor is directing his soldiers around. Twilight angrily calls for him and on hearing this shout, the guards immediately take up defensive positions. However, Shining Armor quells the guards, running down to greet his sister, calling her by the nickname Twily. Twilight immediately begins to berate him for not telling her about the wedding, but Shining Armor states that he had no choice and that Princess Celestia wanted an increase in security. He later explains that this security is due to an outside threat. Twilight concedes, but still feels hurt at how her brother does not have time for her. Shining Armor consoles her, telling her that she has always been, and always will be, important to him and then asks her to be his Best Mare.

Twilight is still infuriated at the idea of her brother marrying someone she does not know. However, Shining Armor reveals to her that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is the full name of Cadance, Twilight's former foalsitter. Twilight then gladly recollects on memories of her as a filly and a younger Cadance, admiringly proclaiming her to be "beautiful, caring, kind" and "the best foalsitter ever". During this sequence of flashbacks, Sabrina Alberghetti's (the head storyboarder of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) original character appears is featured, arguing with another pony, presumably a partner.

Cadance appears
Amidst Twilight's jubilation, Princess Cadance appears before both siblings. Twilight cheerfully runs up to her and performs the rhyme that she and Cadance used to recite. However, the Princess remains indifferent, confusedly walking past Twilight even after the unicorn introduces herself. Shining Armor says he needs to go back to his station, and that Cadance will be monitoring the wedding planning. After Shining Armor states that they're both very happy to have her there, Cadance gives Twilight a malevolent smile.

Organizing the Wedding
Twilight goes to monitor the wedding preparations, starting with Applejack. Twilight ticks off the cake, ice sculpture, and bite size apple fritters, all of which Applejack finishes quickly one after another. Cadance enters the room to check on the catering, stating that she prefers to be called by her full name. Applejack lets her try an apple fritter, which she insincerely calls delicious. Before leaving, Applejack gives her a pack full of them, but disposes of them while Applejack's back is turned.

Twilight then makes her way to Rarity and explains Cadance's temperamental nature to her. At the mention of her name, Cadance arrives at the dressing room, followed by her three bridesmaids, Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, and Twinkleshine. Rarity expresses her gratitude of playing a role in the wedding, but the Princess ignores the greeting and critically looks at her dress. She is not pleased at the results, and requests that Rarity make a handful of alterations, even after her bridesmaids show their approval.

Cadance then meets Pinkie Pie, who presents her reception plans, including a board game, carnival music and dancing. The Princess feigns a compliment, sarcastically remarking the childishness of Pinkie's arrangements. Pinkie Pie nonetheless thanks her, oblivious to the insult. Twilight overhears the conversation from behind a pillar.

Discussing Princess Cadance
In the next scene, Princess Luna arrives at the watch tower Princess Celestia is using to watch over Canterlot, and she assumes the watch position for the night from her sister. The six friends and Spike are spending the night at a café, and Twilight immediately remarks that Cadance is the "absolute worst bride-to-be ever", voicing her suspicions on the Princess. However, her friends do not agree with her, each one of them giving their reasons why Cadance's mean-spirited behavior is justified. Her friends believe that she is simply being too protective of her brother, but Twilight asserts that her friends are too preoccupied with their wedding preparations to notice anything about Cadance's attitude.

Talking to Shining Armor
After the discussion at the café, Twilight storms off to her brother's house. There, she attempts to talk to him, but they are interrupted by Princess Cadance, who wishes to talk to Shining Armor.

They go into an adjacent room, and in there, Cadance scolds Shining Armor about a crest he is wearing. Cadance expresses her disapproval, but Shining Armor says he thinks he should wear it. After he disagrees, he suddenly has a twitch, and Cadance casts a spell on him, causing him to go wall-eyed. An eavesdropping Twilight catches sight of this and runs off, horrified.

Attempting to warn everyone
Twilight runs to a mansion in which her friends are. On her way there, Princess Luna detects her and requests for her to stay indoors. Upon entering, she notices that all of her friends are wearing elaborate dresses. Fluttershy floats towards her and says that Princess Cadance has chosen them to be her new bridesmaids. Twilight is speechless at this, wondering about the whereabouts of the previous bridesmaids, and slowly walks out. With no one else to turn to, she decides to solve the problem herself.

The next day, the wedding rehearsal takes place. When it comes for the time for Shining Armor to take a wedding band from his Best Mare, he notices that Twilight is not present. Twilight then bursts into the audience room, exclaiming that she will not stand next to Princess Cadance, and neither should Shining Armor. Fluttershy and Applejack rush up to ask if Twilight is alright, both of whom are pushed aside. She approaches the podium and points at Cadance, exclaiming that she is evil. She corners her and tells everyone in the room of her behavior towards her friends, the sudden disappearance of her bridesmaids and the spell cast on her brother.

Cadance cries at Twilight's accusations and runs away in tears. Everyone else is left widemouthed and stunned. Twilight walks proudly right into Shining Armor, who is angry with her because of her actions and as he scolds her, picking apart each of her accusations. He explains that Cadance's magic was to alleviate the migraines he keeps receiving from casting the barrier over Canterlot, and that she replaced her bridesmaids because the only reason they wanted to take part in the wedding is to meet Canterlot royalty, and justifies her behavior towards her friends because of the stress of having to make most of the decisions for the wedding, with Shining Armor caught up with defending Canterlot.

Shining Armor walks off in a huff, telling Twilight that it was not important to her that everything went perfectly, invalidating her role as his Best Mare in the process, and suggesting that she not attend wedding. Her friends and Princess Celestia herself follow suit and walk out on her, also disappointed with Twilight's actions. Twilight is left in the audience room alone, where she laments the thought of losing her brother.

Princess Cadance then walks up behind Twilight to comfort her, stroking her mane affectionately. Twilight apologizes for her accusations, and Cadance replies ominously by saying that she will be sorry. A ring of green fire is summoned beneath and around Twilight, which starts to swallow her. The final shot of the episode shows the Princess walking out of the room smiling sinisterly as Twilight sinks into the floor in the background.

Quotes

 * Twilight Sparkle: [reading letter] Rarity, you will be responsible for designing the dresses for the bride and her bridesmaids.
 * Rarity: Princess Celestia wants me to- [breaks down into gibberish] ...wedding dress? For a Canterlot wedding... I, ah, ooh, oooh!
 * [thump]


 * Applejack: Your brother's getting married? Congratulations, Twilight, that's great news!
 * Twilight Sparkle: Yeah, great news. That I just got from a wedding invitation! Not from my brother, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Shining Armor. I mean, really, he couldn't tell me personally? [puppeting a sandwitch as Shining Armor] Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, nevermind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation. [normal] Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?! [snorts]


 * Fluttershy: Uh, Twilight? Are you okay?
 * Twilight Sparkle: Sorry. It's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close. [turns to face the other ponies] He's my B.B.B.F.F!
 * Main Cast (Except Twilight Sparkle) & Spike: [confused] ......
 * Twilight Sparkle: Big Brother Best Friend Forever?
 * Main Cast (Except Twilight Sparkle) and Spike: [looks at each other] Oooooh!


 * Spike: So you all get to help with the big fancy wedding, but I'm the one who gets to host the bachelor party! I have just one question. What's a bachelor party?
 * Main cast besides Twilight: [laughing]


 * Twilight Sparkle: Okay, okay, I get it. You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up. But still... how could you not tell me about something as big as your wedding? Am I not that important to you any more?
 * Shining Armor: Hey. You're my little sister. Of course you're important to me. But I'd understand if you didn't want to be my best mare now.
 * Twilight Sparkle: You want me to be your best mare?
 * Shining Armor: Well... yeah.
 * Twilight Sparkle: I'd be honored! [pause] But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony I don't even know! When did you even meet this "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza"?
 * Shining Armor: Twilie, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance. Your old foalsitter.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foalsitter in all the history of foalsitters?!
 * Shining Armor: [chuckles] You tell me, she was your foalsitter.


 * Spike: [deep voice] I do. Do you? [high voice] I do! [kissing noises] [laughs nervously]


 * Princess Cadance: And those should be a different color.
 * Twinkleshine: I think they're lovely.
 * Minuette: Me too!
 * Lyra Heartstrings: I love them.
 * Princess Cadance: Make them a different color.


 * Pinkie Pie: Okay, let me see. We've been over the games... [rattles dice] ...the dances...
 * [polka from Swarm of the Century plays]
 * Pinkie Pie: I think this reception is gonna be perfect! Don't you?
 * Princess Cadance: Perfect! ...if we were celebrating a six-year-old's birthday party.
 * Pinkie Pie: [gasps] Thank you!


 * Twilight Sparkle: Pinkie Pie, you had to have noticed how Cadance treated-
 * Pinkie Pie and Spike: [kissing noises and laughing]
 * Twilight Sparkle: Nevermind.


 * Twilight Sparkle: Maybe I was being overprotective. I could've gained a sister. But instead... I just lost a brother.


 * Twilight Sparkle: I'm sorry!
 * Princess Cadance: (evilly) You will be.

Gallery

 * A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 image gallery