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. It is the first half of a two-part season finale. Twilight Sparkle grapples with her conflicted feelings when she finds out her brother, Shining Armor, is marrying Princess Celestia's niece, Princess Cadance. Twilight also begins to suspect if Cadance has changed since their childhood.

The wedding announcement
Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack are picnicking outdoors, when Spike interrupts them with the delivery of a royal scroll. The scroll is a set of instructions from Princess Celestia, asking Twilight and her friends to participate in the upcoming royal wedding in Canterlot. Applejack will provide catering for the reception, Pinkie Pie will set up the reception, Fluttershy will train and conduct the bird choir, Rainbow Dash will perform a sonic rainboom during the ceremony, and Rarity will design the wedding dresses. Twilight receives the keystone job of making sure everything goes as planned.

Twilight wonders who the groom and bride are, prompting Spike to produce the invitation card. She is shocked to learn that it is her brother, Shining Armor, and "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza" who are going to marry. Twilight sings about her close relationship with Shining Armour, her "Big Brother Best Friend Forever", and how they used to do everything together. She is upset because he never directly wrote to her about his wedding or who "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza" was.

Arriving at Canterlot
On the train ride to Canterlot, everyone except Twilight is happily discussing the occasion; only Applejack notices Twilight's glumness. Upon inquiry, Twilight says that she is still thinking about Shining Armor's neglect of her, recalling that they had been seeing each other less and less frequently after her relocation to Ponyville.

The train passes through a pink protective sphere encasing the city and comes to a halt under the scrutiny of many guards at the station. Even Princess Celestia is keeping careful watch with the aid of a telescope from the balcony of the highest tower. Twilight, intent on confronting her brother, heads to the castle, where Shining Armor is dispatching soldiers and angrily calls to him. Shining Armor's happy response quells the alerted guards and runs down to greet his sister, affectionately calling her "Twily". Twilight immediately berates him for not telling her about the wedding, but Shining Armor pacifies her by explaining that he had no choice and that Princess Celestia wanted an increase in security in response to an exterior threat. Twilight concedes, but is still hurt at how her brother did not spare time for her. Shining Armor consolingly tells her that she has always been, and always will be, important to him, and asks her to be his Best Mare.

When Twilight asks who the bride is, Shining Armor tells her that Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is actually the full name of Cadance, Twilight's former foalsitter. Twilight then gladly recalls childhood memories of young Cadance and herself, admiringly proclaiming her to be "beautiful, caring, and kind" and "the best foalsitter ever". The two used to frolic in the park, play on the swings, resolve lovers' quarrels, and recite their little chant:

"Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

Now, Twilight's misgivings are banished and she is extremely pleased that her brother is going to marry a loving and caring mare.

Cadance appears
Twilight sees Princess Cadance and eagerly runs to her, saying "Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake!..." However, the Princess does not recognize the chant and is indifferent to Twilight altogether. Shining Armor says he needs to return to his station, and that Cadance will be monitoring the wedding planning. When Shining Armor states that they're both very happy to have Twilight there, Cadance gives her a malevolent smile.

Directing the preparations
Twilight goes to oversee the wedding preparations, starting with Applejack. Twilight ticks off the cake, ice sculpture, and bite-size apple fritters as Applejack tirelessly makes one after the other. When Cadance shows up to check the catering, Applejack offers her an apple fritter, which she insincerely calls "delicious". Applejack gives Cadance a paper bag with some to take with her in case she forgets to stop for a meal, but when Applejack turns around, Cadance tosses the fritters into the trash.

Twilight, incensed by Cadance's ungratefulness, goes to see Rarity, who is working out of the tower room she stayed at in Sweet and Elite and begins to describe Cadance's temperamental behavior. At the mention of her name, Cadance arrives with her bridesmaids (Lyra Heartstrings, Minuette, and Twinkleshine). Rarity expresses her gratitude for being able to play a part in the wedding, but the Princess ignores the greeting and critically looks at her dress. Saying that she was hoping for more beading and a longer train, which Rarity dutifully notes, she turns her attention to the bridesmaids dresses. She is displeased with the results, and rudely requests that Rarity make them over in a different color; even though her bridesmaids love their dresses the way they are, she silences them with an angry glare. Rarity is more than happy to comply with the royal commands, but Twilight calls Cadance "Princess Demandypants" when Cadance is out of earshot.

After nightfall, Cadance meets Pinkie Pie inside the castle ballroom, who presents her flamboyant reception plans, including a board game, carnival music, and dancing. The Princess contemptuously likens the setup to a "party for a six-year old". Pinkie Pie takes it as a compliment and is oblivious to the insult. Meanwhile, Twilight has been eavesdropping on their exchange.

Disbelief
Opening a hole just big enough to fly through, Princess Luna enters the shield and switches with Princess Celestia at the vantage point of the tower balcony for the night. Meanwhile, the six friends and Spike are sipping drinks after a day of work; nonetheless, Twilight seizes the opportunity to find fault with Cadance, calling her the "absolute worst bride-to-be, ever". However, her friends heartily disagree with her and rationalize Cadance's apparent mean-spirited behavior. Fluttershy mentions that Cadance did raise her voice at one of her choir birds during rehearsal, but that the singer in question really was off key. They try to suggest that Twilight is still being excessively protective of her brother, but Twilight loses her cool upon hearing this and asserts that her friends are too preoccupied with wedding preparations to notice anything unusual about Cadance's attitude. Frustrated, she punctuates her lasts words with slamming her front hooves onto the table before walking off, spilling everyone's drinks.

Talking to Shining Armor
Later, Twilight visits her brother's house and tries to talk to him privately, but is interrupted by Princess Cadance, who is also intent on speaking with him. In an adjacent room as Twilight nudges the door a crack after a moment, Cadance scolds Shining Armor about a crest he is planning to wear with his dress uniform, which belonged to his favorite uncle. He protests and suddenly twitches; Cadance swiftly casts a spell on him, causing him to go wall-eyed. Twilight, petrified, runs away. Shining Armor, appearing moments later, sees Twilight running off, and with a quick notion by Cadance, wonders what she had to tell him.

Attempting to warn everyone
Twilight runs to a mansion where her friends are staying. Upon entering, she sees all of her friends chattering and wearing elaborate dresses. They explain that Cadance had chosen them to be her new bridesmaids, and interpret it as a reward for their diligence and more evidence of her sweet personality. Nobody knows the location of the former bridesmaids, and the friends are too excited to listen to Twilight's warning. She walks out unnoticed, saying dejectedly, "Looks like I really am on my own."

The next day, the wedding rehearsal takes place. When Shining Armor turns to his best mare to take his wedding ring, Twilight is not there. At that moment, Twilight bursts into the wedding hall, dramatically exclaiming that neither Shining Armour nor she should stand next to Princess Cadance. Ignoring the anxious inquiries of Fluttershy and Applejack, Twilight approaches the podium and points at Cadance, crying, "She's EVIL!", to the dismay of all present. While aggressively cornering Cadance, Twilight condemns Cadance's terrible behavior towards her friends, the sudden disappearance of the bridesmaids, and the damaging spell she cast on Shining Armor.

Cadance is completely bewildered at Twilight's accusations and runs away in tears. Twilight chases her out, shouts a few parting words, and proudly trots back into the hall until she runs into Shining Armor's resolute frame. He is visibly fed up and disproves each of his sister's arguments. Cadance's magic was intended to alleviate his migraines that were caused by 24/7 maintenance of the protective magic barrier. Secondly, she replaced her bridesmaids because they only wanted to meet Canterlot royalty. Lastly, her behavior towards Twilight's friends was due to the stress of having to make all of the decisions for the wedding, since Shining Armor was preoccupied with defending Canterlot.

Shining Armor goes on to contrast Cadance's effort with Twilight's lack of concern for the wedding. He storms out, dismissing Twilight from her Best Mare post and suggesting that she should not even attend the wedding at all. Her friends and Princess Celestia also leave to check on Cadance, and Princess Celestia even adds that Twilight herself has a lot to think about, leaving the unicorn visibly and emotionaly devastated. Twilight is left in the wedding hall alone, where she tearfully laments the loss of a brother and a potential sister. She begins to seriously doubt her conviction, and perhaps that it really is herself that is in the wrong.

When Twilight is still sprawled on the stairs of the podium, Princess Cadance appears before her to comfort her, stroking her mane affectionately. Twilight tearfully apologizes; for a split second, Cadance's eyes change to green and look completely unnatural for a pony, then replies ominously by saying that she will be sorry. She summons a ring of green fire around the shocked Twilight, and as it engulfs the unicorn in a green sphere of energy, her eyes flash once more as she grins evilly. The final shot shows the Princess walking out of the room, smiling sinisterly as the sphere and the trapped Twilight sink silently underground.

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? [puppetering a sandwich 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: Twily, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance. Your old foalsitter.
 * Twilight Sparkle: Cadance? As in the Cadance? As in the greatest foalsitter in 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. Rainbow Dash, you're with me, right?


 * Twilight Sparkle: She's not just unpleasant and rude, she's downright evil!
 * Shining Armor: Twilight!
 * Cadence: Let her go.


 * Princess Celestia: Perfect girls, no need to rush. Then of course, Cadence will enter. I'll say a few words and then we will begin with the vow.


 * 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: (evil tone) You will be.