| Flight to the Finish | |
|---|---|
| |
| Season №: | 4 |
| Season episode №: | 5 |
| Overall episode №: | 70 |
| Original airdate: | December 14, 2013 |
| Written by: | Ed Valentine |
| Storyboard: | Steve Sanderson Jocelan Thiessen Tim Packford (storyboard supervisor)[1] |
| Featured characters: | Scootaloo Ms. Harshwhinny |
| Song: | Hearts Strong as Horses |
| See also | |
| credits • transcript • gallery • allusions animation errors • statistics • speculation | |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous Daring Don't |
Next Power Ponies |
Flight to the Finish is the fifth episode of the fourth season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the seventieth episode overall. In this episode, the Cutie Mark Crusaders enter a competition to carry the Ponyville flag at the Equestria Games, though Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon manage to convince Scootaloo that her performance is letting her friends down. The episode title is a play on the term "fight to the finish."
Production and development[]
On July 20, 2013, an animatic clip of this episode was shown at San Diego Comic-Con International. Apple Bloom, Diamond Tiara, Scootaloo, Silver Spoon, and Sweetie Belle appear in the clip, and Ms. Harshwhinny is mentioned.[2][3][4]
Summary[]
Carrying the flag[]
Waving the Flag, Rainbow Dash style.
At the Ponyville Schoolhouse, Cheerilee introduces the school ponies to Ms. Harshwhinny, who starts telling them about an opportunity to take part in the Equestria Games. Rainbow Dash flies in moments later and excitedly explains that students can present a flag-carrying routine in a competition to decide who will introduce the Ponyville team at the Games.
They may be small but their hearts are strong!
After clamping down on Rainbow's burst of enthusiasm, Ms. Harshwhinny tells the class that the competition will be held in the Crystal Empire in three days, and that Rainbow will be their coach. When the school bell rings, the Cutie Mark Crusaders convene and decide to compete with a routine that highlights the friendship between unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth ponies living in Ponyville. They sing a song expressing determination to work hard and succeed in the competition.
When the song ends, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon approach and begin ridiculing the Crusaders for not having cutie marks, only for the three friends to shrug off the comments and assert confidence in their ability to win.
The Crusaders' routine[]
Climax of the Cutie Mark Crusaders' performance.
Sometime later, the Crusaders show off their work-in-progress flag routine to Rainbow Dash for feedback. Although Rainbow is highly impressed with the performance, she fears that being too expressive will upset Ms. Harshwhinny and says only that the routine was "okay" before flying off.
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, having watched the display from behind a bush, fear that the Crusaders could win the competition and determine to attack the group's cohesion. They approach and begin lauding the routine as "brave" because Scootaloo is meant to represent the Pegasi of Ponyville but cannot fly. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle dismiss the taunts, though Scootaloo becomes convinced that she needs to fly in order for them to win and insists that they rework the routine.
A rift between the Crusaders[]
Trying to fly.
For the rest of the day, Scootaloo tries to incorporate aerial stunts into the routine but continuously struggles to perform them. The Crusaders attempt to demonstrate the updated routine the next day in front of Rainbow Dash, who encourages them to stick with the original plan. Scootaloo assures her exasperated friends that she'll be able to perform the stunts in time for the competition, but after spending several more hours by herself straining to maintain flight, she finally acknowledges her inability to do so.
The next morning, as Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle wait to board the train to the Crystal Empire for the competition, Scootaloo shows up and informs them that she will be staying in Ponyville, asserting that her inability to fly will only hurt their chances of winning. Upset by the desertion, Apple Bloom claims that they don't need Scootaloo and boards the train with Sweetie Belle moments before it departs.
A trio, a team[]
Three fillies reconciled.
A short time later, Rainbow Dash finds Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle on the train and reveals her excitement about their routine. Upon learning that Scootaloo won't be part of it, however, she pulls the emergency brake and calls on the girls to follow her back to Ponyville. They find a dispirited Scootaloo in her bedroom with her scooter tossed in the garbage, though after some discussion, they manage to convince her that she doesn't need to fly to represent the Pegasus ponies of Ponyville. When Scootaloo questions whether she'll ever be able to fly, Rainbow responds that she's "all kinds of awesome" in either case.
The winners!
Encouraged, Scootaloo retrieves her scooter and drives it up to the Crystal Empire with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle in tow on skis. The girls perform their original routine before a packed stadium and end up being selected to represent Ponyville in the upcoming Games. After the Crusader's victory is announced, Ms. Harshwhinny begins gushing about their performance only to be called out by Rainbow Dash for her lack of professionalism.
Quotes[]
- For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.
- Ms. Harshwhinny: Professionalism, Ms. Dash. I must insist. If you want to keep your job as coach of these ponies, you must maintain a professional attitude and keep your emotions in check. Am I making myself absolutely, one hundred percent crystal clear?
- Rainbow Dash: Yes, Ms. Harshwhinny. Y'know, 'professionalism' is my middle name. Rainbow Professionalism Dash.
- Scootaloo: So... what's special about Ponyville? It's... it's... I got it! It's a place where different kinds of ponies live together as friends!
- Apple Bloom: Earth ponies like me!
- Sweetie Belle: Unicorns like me!
- Scootaloo: And Pegasi like me!
- Scootaloo: What did you think?
- Rainbow Dash: That was ama— [thinking] Wait. Hold on now. Gotta stay calm, cool and collected. [aloud] To give a calm, clear analysis— wait. You whipped that act together just yesterday?! That is— [thinking] Professionalism, Dash, keep those emotions in check! [aloud] Overall, it was... kinda, sorta... [quickly] overall, it was okay. Keep working hard. Who knows? You might have a shot. Gotta go!
- Diamond Tiara: Did you see that?! I can't believe I'm saying this. They could win!
- Silver Spoon: But how do we stop them? We already called them blank flanks!
- Diamond Tiara: Then we need to find a new way to get under their skin. Or maybe... get under their wings.
- Diamond Tiara: Sorry you can't make it! We'll take some pictures for you from the winner's circle!
- Sweetie Belle: I do not like them one bit!
- Rainbow Dash: Ahem. Look. What you three did was... acceptable.
- Ms. Harshwhinny: Acceptable? Acceptable?! Why, it was totally stupendously the single most amazing thing I've ever seen!
- Rainbow Dash: Contain your excitement, Ms. Harshwhinny. Remember–professionalism.
- Ms. Harshwhinny: Ahem. Y-yes, well, I– [nervous laugh]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Jim Miller (2013-12-14). Today's #mlpseason4 episode .... Twitter. Retrieved on 2013 December 14.
- ↑ SDCC 2013 Hasbro presents My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Panel (2013-07-23). Retrieved on 2013 November 12.
- ↑ SDCC 2013 MLP Panel Exclusive Season 4 Clip (2013-07-20). Retrieved on 2013 July 21.
- ↑ Season 4 Animatics From SDCC 2013 Panel (High Quality) (2013-07-20). Retrieved on 2013 July 21.
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| Make Your Mark | |||
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| Episode 1 Izzy Does It |
Episode 2 Growing Pains |
Episode 3 Portrait of a Princess |
Episode 4 Ali-Conned |
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| 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? |
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| Episode 9 Top Remodel |
Episode 10 The Jinxie Games |
Episode 11 Sunny Side Up |
Episode 12 The Manesquerade Ball |
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| Episode 13 A Little Horse |
Episode 14 Missing the Mark |
Episode 15 Cutie Blossom Bash |
Episode 16 Family Trees Pt. 1 |
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| Episode 17 Family Trees Pt. 2 |
Episode 18 Father of the Bridlewood |
Episode 19 Mane Smelody |
Episode 20 Nightmare on Mane Street |
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| Episode 21 The Isle of Scaly |
Episode 22 Roots of All Evil Pt. 1 |
Episode 23 Roots of All Evil Pt. 2 |
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| Equestria Girls | Rainbow Rocks | Friendship Games | Legend of Everfree |
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| Sunset's Backstage Pass | Holidays Unwrapped | Make Your Mark | Winter Wishday |
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| Equestria Girls: Better Together (season 2) | Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending (season 1) | Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending (season 2) | Equestria Girls Minis |
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| Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook | Rarity's Peek Behind the Boutique | Fundamentals of Magic | My Little Pony Established 1983 |
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| Friendship is Magic shorts | Hello Pinkie Pie | Stop Motion Shorts | Tell Your Tale (season 1) |
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