The Show Stoppers

"My little ponies! Think about the things you already enjoy doing. Think about what you're already good at."

- Twilight Sparkle

The Show Stoppers is the eighteenth episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, season one. In this episode, the Cutie Mark Crusaders believe an event will help them discover what they are meant to do for the rest of their lives, and they hope that winning the contest will help them earn their cutie marks.

Episode summary
At the start of the episode, Applejack leads the Cutie Mark Crusaders through Sweet Apple Acres, without telling them where they're going. They eventually reach an old club house that she used when she was younger. Unfortunately, the group is less than thrilled at this hand-me-down, because it's falling apart from years without use. Applejack tells them that they can fix it up to become their new base of operations, then immediately falls through a wall.

Later, Scootaloo is shown standing a small distance away from Twilight's library, adding it to a map of Ponyville. After an epic (and somewhat violent) run on her scooter, she returns to the club house, which Apple Bloom has completely repaired. Sweetie Belle is dusting, while making up a theme song for the group.



With everything set up, they continue their quest to find their special talents. Their comical adventure takes them everywhere on their map, from feeding pigs at the Apple Acres Farm, to taffy-making in Sugar Cube Corner, to hair styling in Rarity's shop. Each attempt is a spectacular failure, after which they look eagerly at their flanks but do not recieve their cutie marks. The last stop on their map is the library.

Twilight and Cheerilee walk into the library and see the Cutie Mark Crusaders among a huge pile of fallen books. Twilight asks what's going on, to which Apple Bloom replies "Well we sure aren't getting our cutie marks being librarians." Twilight tells them that they're trying to get their cutie marks the wrong way, and suggests they do things in areas they already like. Cheerilee shows them a flier for a talent show that will be taking place the next day. With so many possibilities to find their talents, the fillies start to plan their show, each making bizarre or dangerous suggestions. Twilight again urges them to do something they're already good at. The girls say they can do that, then go around town collecting and borrowing random items.

Inside the club house, the Crusaders come up with a plan for the show: a spectacular musical number. Sweetie Belle is suggested as the singer, but she fears the crowd, and says she would rather be like her sister Rarity and design the scenery. Despite Scootaloo's skills with maneuvering for choreography, she wants to sing instead. That leaves Apple Bloom to be the choreographer, but the closest thing she knows is kung-fu. They all fail miserably while practicing, but gladly help each other out.

While they're finishing their preparations, Applejack comes to check in on them. She sees that their act is terrible, and hesitates when they ask her opinion. Thinking she's impressed, they feel ready to wow the crowd.

The show begins with Snips and Snails trying to pull off a magic trick. Backstage, the Cutie Mark Crusaders talk with Twilight, who initially tells them they'll do great, but looks worried when she learns that they aren't sticking to their own talents. The performance starts off smoothly, but soon Scootaloo begins singing off-key, Apple Bloom starts accidentally dancing into scenery, and Sweetie Belle struggles to maintain the backdrops. In the end, the entire act literally falls on top of them, and the audience laughs. They slink backstage, wondering if they were really that bad. Cheerilee meets them and tells them to go back onstage for the awards, but they're too embarrassed. She tells them to be good sports, so they return with her but try to hide behind the other performers.

To their surprise, however, they win the award for best comedy act. This immediately perks them up, until they find that they still haven't gotten their cutie marks. After the show, Twilight congratulates them for a job well done and asks them if they learned anything, saying she could make a special Friendship Report. As she asks them questions, they initially seem to understand their mistakes, but then gleefully come to the conclusion that their true talent is comedy instead. Just then Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash come in. As the Cutie Mark Crusaders run off to talk with them, Twilight laughs and says "One day... one day."

Major events

 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders won the talent show for Best Comedy.
 * The likely special talent for Sweetie Belle (singing/music) was again on display, and Apple Bloom's (carpentry/design) and Scootaloo's (choreography/dancing) were introduced. However, they again did not realize this, much to Twilight Sparkle's dismay.

Quotes

 * Applejack: It just needs a little... TLC.
 * Scootaloo: TLC as in "Tender Loving Care" or "Totally Lost Cause"?
 * Scootaloo: *sings* We fight the fight! Walk the walk! Talk the Talk! Eat the... uh... food. Like a celery stalk?


 * Sweetie Belle: Hey, Scoot. How's the song going?
 * Scootaloo: *Thphthph*
 * Sweetie Belle: *Thphthph*? Oh my. Sounds serious.


 * Scootaloo: I'm just no good at lyrics. Coming up with words is, like, really hard.
 * Sweetie Belle: Oh, they can't be that bad... (reads lyrics) "With our cutie marks, we'll rock Equestria. We use our stomachs to... digest-ia"? Um... Well... these are good but...


 * Scootaloo: OK. So that's 6 wooden planks, 4 by 8 plywood, a box of nails, 4 cans of paint, and 4 brushes. Anything else?
 * Sweetie Belle: Yeah... Instructions on how to use 6 wooden planks, 4 by 8 plywood, a box of nails, 4 cans of paint, and 4 brushes.


 * Twilight: "Ghosts, Goblins, and Ghoulish Figures?" Good heavens, girls. what do you need a book like this for?
 * Scootaloo: You'll see, thanks Twilight! We'll give it back as soon as we're done with it.
 * Twilight: What do you think they're up to?
 * Spike: I have no idea, and I don't know if I should be excited or scared to find out.


 * Apple Bloom: We should be embracing our true talent!
 * Twilight: And that is...?
 * Cutie Mark Crusaders: Comedy!

Gallery



 * The Show Stoppers image gallery

Trivia

 * The title of this episode may be literally referencing the Cutie Mark Crusaders' antics, in which they perform a theatrical showstopper - a performance that garners enthusiastic or prolonged applause. An alternate meaning in business terms, however, is an action or event that puts a halt to all other activities until it can be resolved.
 * At the end of the episode Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash arrive backstage and meet the Cutie Mark Crusaders. While Applejack is Apple Bloom's sister and Rarity is Sweetie Belle's sister, Rainbow Dash is not related to Scootaloo, as stated by Lauren Faust. However, Rainbow Dash's presence suggests that they may have a connection.
 * In this episode, the special talents of Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were revealed, but the three of them were oblivious of trying out what they were best at and aim to try out other talents instead.
 * Not counting the first two episodes, this is the first episode that does not end with Twilight sending a letter to Princess Celestia, monologuing the letter in her head or having the Princess present while she tells it. She does mention in passing that she will turn this lesson into a report to the Princess, however.
 * The way Scootaloo bangs her head on the piano in frustration trying to write a song is reminiscent of Sesame Street character Don Music. It is also similar to the Peanuts character Schroder.
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders' costumes during their performance are typical late 1970s/early 1980s glam rock outfits. Their costumes also resemble those of such cartoon bands as the Misfits from the mid 1980's animated series, Jem and the Holograms, or Funky Jan and the Animal Kingdom from the late 1970's animated special, The Devil and Daniel Mouse.
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders' rock song might melodically have been inspired by Bonnie Tyler's 1984 hit, "Holding Out For a Hero", from Footloose (verses), and Irene Cara's 1980 hit, "Fame", from the movie of the same name (refrain).
 * The skulls seen on Apple Bloom's bandana are reminiscent to human skulls.
 * The Cutie Mark Crusaders theme song that Sweetie Belle sings as she dusts the table bears a strange resemblance to the song "21st Century Breakdown" by punk rock band Green Day.
 * Scootaloo's scooter makes a motorized noise, even though you can see her use her hooves and wings to push it along, and there is no visible motor on the scooter.
 * Twilight broke the 4th wall in this episode. As seen in the above quote, she refered to the Cutie Mark Crusaders as 'My Little Ponies', a obvious reference to the title of the show.
 * The piano that Scootaloo plays in this episode is actually a celesta, but it makes a piano noise instead.
 * Near the end of the episode (after the Cutie Mark Crusaders perform and recieve the award for best comedy) Scootaloo has the wrong eye color (Green instead of Purple).
 * A similar error happens with Sweetie Belle with red eyes instead of green eyes.
 * Scootaloo's eyes are purple and Sweetie Belle's eyes are green, so maybe they switched eye colors with Apple Bloom