Boast Busters

Boast Busters
Season №:	1
Season episode №:	6
Overall episode №:	6
Original airdate:	November 19, 2010
Written by:	Chris Savino
Storyboard:	Kevin Schmidt and Alex Basio
Featured characters:	Trixie Snips Snails
See also
credits • transcript • gallery • allusions animation errors • statistics • speculation
Episode guide
Previous Griffon the Brush Off	Next Dragonshy

Boast Busters is the sixth episode of the first season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. In this episode, a new unicorn going by the name of "The Great and Powerful Trixie" arrives in Ponyville, claiming to be the greatest unicorn in all of Equestria. The title of the episode is a play on the title of the Ghostbusters franchise.

Production, development, and airing

The episode's premise called for a boastful boy unicorn, but writer Chris Savino came up with the character Trixie instead.

Magnet Bolt, Cherry Spices, Electric Sky, "Rivet", and Barber Groomsby were to appear in the episode.

This is the first episode of the show to not have all of the main ponies talk. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy only appear sporadically in the crowd.

When this episode aired on Treehouse TV in Canada, an entire sentence with the word "loser" was muted in the scene where Trixie is taunting Rainbow Dash.

This is the last episode to have a fancier font on the closing credits, as every other episode starting with Dragonshy uses a bland credit font.

Summary

A new unicorn in town

All magic spells completed... with a mustache for added effect.

Inside the Golden Oak Library, Spike encourages Twilight Sparkle as she performs the last of a set of magic tricks—growing a mustache on Spike. As he imagines showing it off to Rarity, Twilight says that it is just for practice and makes it disappear.

Later, Twilight Sparkle and Spike go for a stroll. They bring up how most unicorns only have a little magic suited for their special talent, and Twilight wonders what happens when the talent is magic, as hers is. Spike praises her vast magical knowledge, though Twilight denies having more knowledge than many others in Ponyville. Their conversation is cut short when Snips and Snails spread the word that a new unicorn with unrivaled powers has arrived in town.

The Great and Powerful Trixie

"Who is so ignorant as to challenge the magical ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie?"

— Trixie

The Great and Powerful Trixie.

On a stage in the town square, a booming voice announces the arrival of the "The Great and Powerful Trixie", who claims to be the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria. Twilight takes notice when her friends disapprove of the magic display and stops Spike when he tries to advertise her ability, saying that she doesn't want her friends to think she is boastful. When Rainbow Dash demands to know what makes Trixie so special, she claims that she once saved the town of Hoofington from an ursa major by sending it back to the Everfree Forest. She then challenges the crowd, asserting she can surpass anyone’s abilities.

Twilight's friends contest Trixie's claim with their own skills: Applejack performs a rodeo rope trick, Rainbow Dash flies through some clouds before landing on the stage to create a mini-rainbow, and Rarity creates an elegant costume out of stage curtains. Trixie "counters" each feat in turn by humiliating the friends in front of the crowd. Spike pleads with Twilight to show off her magic, leading Trixie to challenge her directly. Twilight quickly makes an excuse and runs off as Trixie declares herself to be “the most amazing unicorn in all of Equestria.”

Trixie and her fans.

After the show, Snips and Snails press Trixie for more detail about the ursa major, but she professes exhaustion and dismisses them. They encounter Spike and boast about Trixie's feat with the ursa major, but Spike tells them they shouldn't believe her claim of defeating one unless they themselves witness it. The admonition gives Snips an idea, and he and Snails wander off.

Spike approaches Twilight Sparkle as she studies in the library and tries to convince her to use her magic to stand up to Trixie and help her friends. Fearing it would be seen as showing off and result in her losing friends, Twilight refuses, leading Spike to leave in frustration.

The ursa major

Trixie attempting to vanquish the ursa "major".

In the Everfree Forest, Snips and Snails walk into a cave in search for an ursa major. They find an enormous blue bear and accidentally arouse it from slumber, causing it to chase after them in anger. Spike encounters the group as they head toward Ponyville and runs off to warn Twilight Sparkle.

Snips and Snails find Trixie in her trailer and begin to explain the situation, but she panics and flees upon seeing the bear in pursuit. The bear chases and corners the trio, and after some failed attempts by Trixie to quell the beast, it begins to rampage across town. Twilight arrives amid a crowd of panicked townsfolk and learns that Snips and Snails lured the bear to town so Trixie could vanquish it, but Trixie confesses that she made up the story of defeating the ursa major.

As the bear menaces overhead, Twilight finally decides to intervene with her magic. She soothes the creature by blowing wind over cattail reeds to play a lullaby. She then levitates a water tower, fills it with milk by passing it through a barn full of cows, and feeds the milk to the bear. As the bear drifts off into a deep sleep, she magically carries it back to the cave in the Everfree Forest.

The real ursa major.

Twilight's friends praise her as the townsfolk cheer the feat. Twilight apologizes for "showing off" her ability, but Applejack reassures her that her magic is a part of who she is, and that they are proud to have such a powerful and talented unicorn as their friend. When Spike asks Twilight how she knew what to do, she explains that Trixie's story about defeating an ursa major made her want to learn more about the creature. She also points out that the bear was actually an ursa minor, a younger and much smaller version of the ursa major.

A lesson learned

Snips, Snails, and Spike get mustaches.

Refusing to admit she was outdone, Trixie proclaims that Twilight will never surpass her "amazing, show-stopping ability" before conjuring a puff of smoke and running off. Snips and Snails try to sneak away but are caught by Twilight, who orders them to clean up the area as punishment for luring the ursa minor into town. With Spike's encouragement, she gives them and Spike mustaches.

Later, in the library, Twilight writes a friendship report to Princess Celestia about how you should be proud of the talents that make you who you are, and that there are times when it is appropriate to show them off. Twilight finally admits to Spike that she is the most talented unicorn in Ponyville but insists it's nothing to brag about. When Spike remarks how Rarity didn't go for his new mustache, Twilight advises him to just be himself, though he instead considers sporting a matching beard.

Quotes

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.

Spike: I thought unicorns were only supposed to have a little magic that matches their special talents.

Twilight Sparkle: True, for ponies whose talents are for things like cooking or singing or math. But what if a unicorn's special talent is magic?

Rarity: Just because one has the ability to perform lots of magic does not make one better than the rest of us.

Rainbow Dash: Especially when you got me around being better than the rest of us. Uh, I mean, yeah! Uh, magic 'schmagic'! Boo!

Rarity: Rainbow Dash and Applejack may behave like ruffians, but Rarity conducts herself with beauty and grace.

Trixie: Ooh. What's the matter? Afraid you'll get a hair out of place in that "rat's nest" you call a mane?

Rarity: Oh, it. Is. On!

Rarity: What did she do to my hair? I know she did something terrible to my hair!

Twilight Sparkle: Nothing.

Rainbow Dash: It's fine.

Applejack: It's gorgeous.

Spike: It's green. What?

Twilight Sparkle: I, uh... I think I hear my laundry calling. Sorry, gotta go.

Snips: The Great and Powerful Trixie vanquished an ursa major. Can your Twilight claim that?

Spike: Oh really? Were you guys actually there?

Snips: Well, eh, uh... no, but—

Spike: But nothin'. The proof is in the pudding.

Snails: [laughs] I like pudding.

Snips: Snails! You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?

Snails: Why is it they call it a flea market when they don't really sell fleas?

Twilight Sparkle: What do you think, Spike? Should I give them number twenty five?

Spike: Oh, twenty five! Yes! And I think I deserve it, too.

Gallery

Boast Busters image gallery

References

v • e Episodes, films, and animated shorts

Make Your Mark
Episode 1 Izzy Does It	Episode 2 Growing Pains	Episode 3 Portrait of a Princess	Episode 4 Ali-Conned
Episode 5 The Cutie Mark Mix-Up	Episode 6 The Traditional Unicorn Sleep-Over	Episode 7 Hoof Done It?	Episode 8 Have You Seen This Dragon?
Episode 9 Top Remodel	Episode 10 The Jinxie Games	Episode 11 Sunny Side Up	Episode 12 The Manesquerade Ball
Episode 13 A Little Horse	Episode 14 Missing the Mark	Episode 15 Cutie Blossom Bash	Episode 16 Family Trees Pt. 1
Episode 17 Family Trees Pt. 2	Episode 18 Father of the Bridlewood	Episode 19 Mane Smelody	Episode 20 Nightmare on Mane Street
Episode 21 The Isle of Scaly‎‎	Episode 22 Roots of All Evil Pt. 1‎	Episode 23 Roots of All Evil Pt. 2