My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Wiki
Stranger Than Fan Fiction
Season №: 6
Season episode №: 13
Overall episode №: 130
Original airdate: July 30, 2016
Written by: Josh Haber and Michael Vogel
Storyboard: Karine Charlebois and Thalia Tomlinson
Featured characters: Quibble Pants
Daring Do
Dr. Caballeron
See also
creditstranscriptgalleryallusions
animation errorsstatisticsspeculation
Episode guide
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Stranger Than Fan Fiction is the thirteenth episode of season six of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the one hundred and thirtieth overall. The title is a reference to the saying "truth is stranger than fiction" and fan fiction, an in-universe example of the latter of which is Untitled Mare Do Well fanfiction.

In this episode, Rainbow Dash attends a Daring Do Convention and meets Quibble Pants, who hates Daring Do's post-book three stories as much as she loves them.

Production[]

In production order, this is season six episode fourteen.

This episode was initially teased by Daring Do voice actress Chiara Zanni in a direct message on Twitter in August 2015.[1]

In early June 2016, Latin American dub director Maggie Vera tweeted, "No lo puedo creer! En un cap de MLP van a una convención!!! Y hay Ponies-fans!! Y hablan de sus cosplays jajaja esto sí que es increíble!!!",[2] which, translated in English, indicated that there would be an episode where ponies go to a BronyCon-like convention, with Pony fans, and talking with cosplayers.

On July 13, 2016, Entertainment Weekly revealed that stand-up comedian Patton Oswalt would be providing the voice of Quibble Pants.[3] Oswalt himself later confirmed the reveal on Twitter, adding that the episode has a Wes Anderson Easter egg.[4]

The episode was released eight hours early on the U.S. and Canadian Netflix service.

The co-writer of the episode Michael Vogel revealed that Quibble Pants's monologue during the episode's end credits was all improvised by Oswalt.[5] Also according to Vogel, this episode was originally envisioned as a Discord episode based on Oswalt's comedy routine "Rats".[6]

Summary[]

Prologue[]

Twilight "I wish Princess Celestia didn't need my help" S6E13

Princess duties are sometimes a drag.

The episode begins with Daring Do braving an underground temple's hazards to claim a rare artifact. This is revealed to a Daring Do story being read to Rainbow Dash by Twilight Sparkle while Rainbow packs up for the Daring Do Convention in Manehattan. Twilight is upset that she is unable to attend the convention due to an upcoming friendship summit in Griffonstone, but Rainbow promises to get A.K. Yearling to sign her book for her.

Rainbow tries to downplay her excitement for the convention in front of Twilight, but she is overcome with excitement as soon as she arrives.

The Daring Do Convention[]

As Rainbow Dash wanders through the convention, a salespony briefly tries to sell her on the Daring Do Experience "adventu-cation", but she declines, having already done it. Afterward, she meets a pony named Quibble Pants, who shares her fanatical passion for Daring Do. The two spend some time exploring the convention together and checking out various booths and activities.

Rainbow and Quibble angrily face off S6E13

Super-fan vs. super-fan.

During lunch, Rainbow suggests they check out convention activities relating to the Daring Do books that were released after the initial trilogy. Quibble refuses, however, claiming that the later books in the series are "dumbed down" and unrealistic. This leads to a heated argument between Rainbow and Quibble regarding the quality and realism of A.K. Yearling's subsequent writing, and Rainbow is unable to properly defend her points without revealing that Daring Do is a real pony.

Unable to come to an agreement on the matter, the two decide that they cannot be friends and part ways.

The Amulet of Culiacan[]

At the hotel near the convention, Rainbow Dash searches for A.K. Yearling so she can prove to Quibble Pants that the Daring Do books are indeed realistic. When she meets with Yearling claiming to have an "emergency", Yearling pulls her into a hotel room, believing that Dr. Caballeron is somewhere at the convention. Yearling dismisses Rainbow's fan interests as she is more concerned with a key-shaped artifact she recently came into possession of and finding a lost treasure before Caballeron does.

Daring Do smirking confidently S6E13

Sometimes the best way to hide is in plain sight.

Discarding her A.K. Yearling persona, Daring Do asks Rainbow Dash to keep a lookout for suspicious activity around the convention hall. As Rainbow returns to the convention, Dr. Caballeron lurks close by, blending in with cosplayers as he searches for Daring Do. Rainbow once again bumps into Quibble Pants, who continues to voice his distaste for the later Daring Do books.

As Rainbow follows Caballeron and Quibble Pants follows her, Caballeron's henchponies overhear them talking about Daring Do's artifact and capture them.

The Temple of Chicomoztoc[]

Rainbow and Quibble bound in chains S6E13

Rainbow and Quibble are Caballeron's hostages.

Caballeron and his henchponies drag Rainbow and Quibble out to a remote jungle, believing them to be working for Daring Do and intending to use them as bait to draw her in. However, Quibble believes the entire setup to be fake—that Rainbow Dash signed them up for a Daring Do Experience adventu-cation and that Caballeron and his henchponies are merely actors.

After the henchponies bind Rainbow and Quibble in chains, Quibble uses his intricate Daring Do savvy to lure the henchponies away and free himself and Rainbow. However, he still refuses to acknowledge that anything happening around him is real. Rainbow guides Quibble through the treacherous jungle, and it is only after Quibble nearly falls into raging rapids that he realizes his life is in genuine danger. Unfortunately, Caballeron and his henchponies quickly catch up with them, and through their unwitting help, Caballeron discovers the lost temple he had been searching for.

Quibble Pants looking at the Cipactli S6E13

Oh, dear... This is real, isn't it?

Caballeron and his henchponies drag Rainbow and Quibble into the temple, and Quibble still believes everything happening around him to be a performance. As he continues to voice his cynicism, he inadvertently triggers some traps that releases a monstrous Cipactli and slowly fills the temple chamber with mud. Once he is face-to-face with the Cipactli, Quibble comes to a frightening realization:

"This is real!"
— Quibble Pants

Escaping the temple[]

Caballeron traps Rainbow and Quibble in the mud chamber with the Cipactli, but Daring Do swoops to their rescue. Quibble is eager to escape the temple, but Daring Do says they have to find the treasure before Caballeron first.

Daring Do approaches the Alicorn door S6E13

Quibble's an insufferable know-it-all, but a know-it-all nonetheless.

Rainbow, Quibble, and Daring Do find themselves in a chamber with seven doors, behind only one of which lies the treasure. With Quibble Pants' cynical help, Daring Do opens the correct door with her key-shaped artifact and claims the temple's treasure. However, as mud starts to fill the room, the temple entrance is sealed off and the Cipactli slowly closes in.

Using a vine to pull Quibble Pants along, Rainbow and Daring Do avoid the Cipactli and escape the temple through an open skylight. Once the three are outside the temple, they elude Caballeron and his henchponies by having the Cipactli chase them off.

Epilogue[]

Daring Do thanks both Rainbow Dash and Quibble Pants for their help and flies off to bring the temple treasure to a museum.

Rainbow and Quibble hoof-bump of friendship S6E13

Rainbow Dash and Quibble Pants are friends again.

As Rainbow and Quibble return to civilization, Quibble admits that the later Daring Do books are more realistic than he realized, but he still does not like them. Before Rainbow can argue with him again, Quibble says he figured something out. While he prefers the intelligent and puzzle-solving Daring Do of the original trilogy and Rainbow prefers the brave and unbeatable Daring Do of the later books, it is okay for them to like the series in their own way, and neither of them are at fault for their personal preferences.

Quibble also compliments Rainbow Dash for the bravery and awesomeness she demonstrated during their adventure. Rainbow returns the sentiment, complimenting Quibble for his perception and puzzle-solving skills. As they leave the jungle as friends, Quibble goes on an extended ramble about his Daring Do fan fiction that continues over the end credits.

Quotes[]

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.
Salespony: You look like a pony who'd be up for an all-inclusive one-of-a-kind adventu-cation, where you can get to live the Daring Do experience!
Rainbow Dash: No thanks. Did that already.
Rainbow Dash: Nice costume.
Quibble Pants: You, too.
Rainbow Dash: Thanks. The hard part was figuring out the right...
Rainbow Dash and Quibble Pants: ...number of arrow holes.
Quibble Pants: B-B-Because on page 84 of Sapphire Stone, i-it describes her dodging a, quote, "score of arrows shooting forth from holes in the very walls," unquote, but then on page 107, Daring Do says she, quote, "barely made it past the traps' barrage of arrows," unquote, but clearly, Daring Do is embellishing and the correct number of arrows is...
Rainbow Dash and Quibble Pants: Twenty! [chuckle]
Rainbow Dash: Caballeron!
Quibble Pants: See, now that's a great character. Solid backstory, good motivations...
Rainbow Dash: No-no-no-no! Caballeron is right there!
Quibble Pants: Of course he is. He's also over there, over there... Ooh, ooh, over there, and and over there.
Quibble Pants: Right. We're actually being held captive by Caballeron. Please! This guy's accent is all over the place! No offense.
Dr. Caballeron: I...
Quibble Pants: If this were really a real Daring Do adventure, I'm sure I'd step on the wrong plank at exactly the wrong—
[wood crunches]
Quibble Pants: Whoa!
Rainbow Dash: [straining]
Quibble Pants: [sighs] Good thing this is all just a pretend adventure. Least we know all of this struggling won't make the bridge fall apart.
[snap]
Quibble Pants: You need to get your money back.
Quibble Pants: Listen, buddy, I don't take orders from some second-rate performer who learned acting from the Supervillain School of Bad Accents! The only thing this mess is missing is some giant Ahuizotl wannabe monster, and I have a feeling that would be too much for you bargain-basement adventurers to pull off!
[mud dripping]
Quibble Pants: Huh?
Cipactli: [roars]
Quibble Pants: Um... you're real. This is real. This is real!
Quibble Pants: Uh, do you think A. K. Yearling would consider letting me write the next book? I... I think I can make things way clearer. I mean, for instance, in the second adventure...
[Quibble continues talking over credits]
Quibble Pants: ...there's a side character. I don't want to kind of name it right now, because it's sort of this thing that I've already written a lot of fan fiction on. I don't want you to... Not that I'm saying that you would steal it! But I am saying this would totally go along my whole thing about puzzle-solving, except what if each puzzle that was solved unlocked a new karate move? Think of it that way, right? And I mean I'm kind of a "Yearlite" myself, so I'm sure she'd be open to—
Rainbow Dash: Uh... Quibble?
Quibble Pants: Sorry!

Gallery[]

Stranger Than Fan Fiction image gallery

References[]

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Episodes, films, and animated shorts
Friendship is Magic
Season one
Episode 1
Friendship is Magic, part 1
Episode 2
Friendship is Magic, part 2
Episode 3
The Ticket Master
Episode 4
Applebuck Season
Episode 5
Griffon the Brush Off
Episode 6
Boast Busters
Episode 7
Dragonshy
Episode 8
Look Before You Sleep
Episode 9
Bridle Gossip
Episode 10
Swarm of the Century
Episode 11
Winter Wrap Up
Episode 12
Call of the Cutie
Episode 13
Fall Weather Friends
Episode 14
Suited For Success
Episode 15
Feeling Pinkie Keen
Episode 16
Sonic Rainboom
Episode 17
Stare Master
Episode 18
The Show Stoppers
Episode 19
A Dog and Pony Show
Episode 20
Green Isn't Your Color
Episode 21
Over a Barrel
Episode 22
A Bird in the Hoof
Episode 23
The Cutie Mark Chronicles
Episode 24
Owl's Well That Ends Well
Episode 25
Party of One
Episode 26
The Best Night Ever
Season two
Episode 1
The Return of Harmony Part 1
Episode 2
The Return of Harmony Part 2
Episode 3
Lesson Zero
Episode 4
Luna Eclipsed
Episode 5
Sisterhooves Social
Episode 6
The Cutie Pox
Episode 7
May the Best Pet Win!
Episode 8
The Mysterious Mare Do Well
Episode 9
Sweet and Elite
Episode 10
Secret of My Excess
Episode 11
Hearth's Warming Eve
Episode 12
Family Appreciation Day
Episode 13
Baby Cakes
Episode 14
The Last Roundup
Episode 15
The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000
Episode 16
Read It and Weep
Episode 17
Hearts and Hooves Day
Episode 18
A Friend in Deed
Episode 19
Putting Your Hoof Down
Episode 20
It's About Time
Episode 21
Dragon Quest
Episode 22
Hurricane Fluttershy
Episode 23
Ponyville Confidential
Episode 24
MMMystery on the Friendship Express
Episode 25
A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1
Episode 26
A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2
Season three
Episode 1
The Crystal Empire - Part 1
Episode 2
The Crystal Empire - Part 2
Episode 3
Too Many Pinkie Pies
Episode 4
One Bad Apple
Episode 5
Magic Duel
Episode 6
Sleepless in Ponyville
Episode 7
Wonderbolts Academy
Episode 8
Apple Family Reunion
Episode 9
Spike at Your Service
Episode 10
Keep Calm and Flutter On
Episode 11
Just for Sidekicks
Episode 12
Games Ponies Play
Episode 13
Magical Mystery Cure
Season four
Episode 1
Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1
Episode 2
Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2
Episode 3
Castle Mane-ia
Episode 4
Daring Don't
Episode 5
Flight to the Finish
Episode 6
Power Ponies
Episode 7
Bats!
Episode 8
Rarity Takes Manehattan
Episode 9
Pinkie Apple Pie
Episode 10
Rainbow Falls
Episode 11
Three's A Crowd
Episode 12
Pinkie Pride
Episode 13
Simple Ways
Episode 14
Filli Vanilli
Episode 15
Twilight Time
Episode 16
It Ain't Easy Being Breezies
Episode 17
Somepony to Watch Over Me
Episode 18
Maud Pie
Episode 19
For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
Episode 20
Leap of Faith
Episode 21
Testing Testing 1, 2, 3
Episode 22
Trade Ya!
Episode 23
Inspiration Manifestation
Episode 24
Equestria Games
Episode 25
Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1
Episode 26
Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2
Season five
Episode 1
The Cutie Map - Part 1
Episode 2
The Cutie Map - Part 2
Episode 3
Castle Sweet Castle
Episode 4
Bloom & Gloom
Episode 5
Tanks for the Memories
Episode 6
Appleoosa's Most Wanted
Episode 7
Make New Friends but Keep Discord
Episode 8
The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
Episode 9
Slice of Life
Episode 10
Princess Spike
Episode 11
Party Pooped
Episode 12
Amending Fences
Episode 13
Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
Episode 14
Canterlot Boutique
Episode 15
Rarity Investigates!
Episode 16
Made in Manehattan
Episode 17
Brotherhooves Social
Episode 18
Crusaders of the Lost Mark
Episode 19
The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows
Episode 20
Hearthbreakers
Episode 21
Scare Master
Episode 22
What About Discord?
Episode 23
The Hooffields and McColts
Episode 24
The Mane Attraction
Episode 25
The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 1
Episode 26
The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2
Season six
Episode 1
The Crystalling - Part 1
Episode 2
The Crystalling - Part 2
Episode 3
The Gift of the Maud Pie
Episode 4
On Your Marks
Episode 5
Gauntlet of Fire
Episode 6
No Second Prances
Episode 7
Newbie Dash
Episode 8
A Hearth's Warming Tail
Episode 9
The Saddle Row Review
Episode 10
Applejack's "Day" Off
Episode 11
Flutter Brutter
Episode 12
Spice Up Your Life
Episode 13
Stranger Than Fan Fiction
Episode 14
The Cart Before the Ponies
Episode 15
28 Pranks Later
Episode 16
The Times They Are A Changeling
Episode 17
Dungeons & Discords
Episode 18
Buckball Season
Episode 19
The Fault in Our Cutie Marks
Episode 20
Viva Las Pegasus
Episode 21
Every Little Thing She Does
Episode 22
P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)
Episode 23
Where the Apple Lies
Episode 24
Top Bolt
Episode 25
To Where and Back Again - Part 1
Episode 26
To Where and Back Again - Part 2
Season seven
Episode 1
Celestial Advice
Episode 2
All Bottled Up
Episode 3
A Flurry of Emotions
Episode 4
Rock Solid Friendship
Episode 5
Fluttershy Leans In
Episode 6
Forever Filly
Episode 7
Parental Glideance
Episode 8
Hard to Say Anything
Episode 9
Honest Apple
Episode 10
A Royal Problem
Episode 11
Not Asking for Trouble
Episode 12
Discordant Harmony
Episode 13
The Perfect Pear
Episode 14
Fame and Misfortune
Episode 15
Triple Threat
Episode 16
Campfire Tales
Episode 17
To Change a Changeling
Episode 18
Daring Done?
Episode 19
It Isn't the Mane Thing About You
Episode 20
A Health of Information
Episode 21
Marks and Recreation
Episode 22
Once Upon a Zeppelin
Episode 23
Secrets and Pies
Episode 24
Uncommon Bond
Episode 25
Shadow Play - Part 1
Episode 26
Shadow Play - Part 2
Season eight
Episode 1
School Daze - Part 1
Episode 2
School Daze - Part 2
Episode 3
The Maud Couple
Episode 4
Fake It 'Til You Make It
Episode 5
Grannies Gone Wild
Episode 6
Surf and/or Turf
Episode 7
Horse Play
Episode 8
The Parent Map
Episode 9
Non-Compete Clause
Episode 10
The Break Up Break Down
Episode 11
Molt Down
Episode 12
Marks for Effort
Episode 13
The Mean 6
Episode 14
A Matter of Principals
Episode 15
The Hearth's Warming Club
Episode 16
Friendship University
Episode 17
The End in Friend
Episode 18
Yakity-Sax
Episode 19
Road to Friendship
Episode 20
The Washouts
Episode 21
A Rockhoof and a Hard Place
Episode 22
What Lies Beneath
Episode 23
Sounds of Silence
Episode 24
Father Knows Beast
Episode 25
School Raze - Part 1
Episode 26
School Raze - Part 2
Season nine
Episode 1
The Beginning of the End - Part 1
Episode 2
The Beginning of the End - Part 2
Episode 3
Uprooted
Episode 4
Sparkle's Seven
Episode 5
The Point of No Return
Episode 6
Common Ground
Episode 7
She's All Yak
Episode 8
Frenemies
Episode 9
Sweet and Smoky
Episode 10
Going to Seed
Episode 11
Student Counsel
Episode 12
The Last Crusade
Episode 13
Between Dark and Dawn
Episode 14
The Last Laugh
Episode 15
2, 4, 6, Greaaat
Episode 16
A Trivial Pursuit
Episode 17
The Summer Sun Setback
Episode 18
She Talks to Angel
Episode 19
Dragon Dropped
Episode 20
A Horse Shoe-In
Episode 21
Daring Doubt
Episode 22
Growing Up is Hard to Do
Episode 23
The Big Mac Question
Episode 24
The Ending of the End - Part 1
Episode 25
The Ending of the End - Part 2
Episode 26
The Last Problem
Clip shows
Episode 1
A-Dressing Memories
Episode 2
Cakes for the Memories
Episode 3
Memnagerie
Episode 4
Deep Tissue Memories
Episode 5
Harvesting Memories
Episode 6
Memories and More
Pony Life
Season one
Episode 1
Princess Probz
Episode 2
The Best of the Worst
Episode 3
How Applejack Got Her Hat Back
Episode 4
Cute-pocalypse Meow
Episode 5
Bad Thing No. 3
Episode 6
Pinkie Pie: Hyper-Helper
Episode 7
The Trail Less Trotten
Death of a Sales-Pony
Episode 8
Bighoof Walking
The Fluttershy Effect
Episode 9
The Fast and the Furriest
Disappearing Act
Episode 10
Badge of Shame
Discord's Peak
Episode 11
A Camping We Will Go
Campfire Stories
Episode 12
Friendship Gems
Dol-FIN-ale
Episode 13
Potion Mystery
Sick Day
Episode 14
Meet Potion Nova!
Pony Surfin' Safari
Episode 15
All Bottled Up
All That Jitters
Episode 16
I, Cookie
Keynote Pie
Episode 17
Ponies of the Moment
One Click Wonder
Episode 18
Zound Off
Unboxing Day
Episode 19
Don't Look a GIF Horse in the Mouth
The Root of It
Episode 20
The Mysterious Voice
The 5 Habits of Highly Effective Ponies
Episode 21
Game Knight
Director Spike's Mockumentary
Episode 22
Whoof-dunnit
Dear Tabby
Episode 23
Pie vs. Pie
Superb Six
Episode 24
The Debut Taunt
Flutterdash
Episode 25
The Rarity Report
The Great Divide
Episode 26
The Great Collide
Sportacular Spectacular Musical Musak-ular
Season two
Episode 1
Cute Impact
The Crystal Capturing Contraption
Episode 2
The Comet Section
Cotton Candy-Colored Glasses
Episode 3
Close Encounters of the Balloon Kind
The Tiara of Truth
Episode 4
Terrorarium
Bubble Trouble
Episode 5
Time After Time Capsule
The Great Cowgirl Hat Robbery
Episode 6
Planet of the Apps
Back to the Present
Episode 7
Magical Mare-story Tour
Life of Pie
Episode 8
The Rarest of Occasions
Portal Combat
Episode 9
What Goes Updo
Communication Shakedown
Episode 10
Lolly-Pop
Little Miss Fortune
Episode 11
Playwright or Wrong
The Shows Must Go On
Episode 12
The De-Stress Ball
Mad Props
Episode 13
Magic is Ahoof
Journey to the Center of the 'Cord
Episode 14
One Last Wish
Wild Heart Beats
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
Feature films
Equestria Girls Rainbow Rocks Friendship Games Legend of Everfree
My Little Pony The Movie A New Generation
Specials
Dance Magic Movie Magic Mirror Magic Forgotten Friendship
Spring Breakdown
Rollercoaster of Friendship Best Gift Ever Spring Breakdown Rainbow Roadtrip
Sunset's Backstage Pass Holidays Unwrapped Make Your Mark Winter Wishday
Bridlewoodstock Secrets of Starlight
Animated shorts
Rainbow Rocks shorts Friendship Games shorts Summertime Shorts Equestria Girls: Better Together (season 1)
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
Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook Rarity's Peek Behind the Boutique Fundamentals of Magic My Little Pony Established 1983
Friendship is Magic shorts Hello Pinkie Pie Stop Motion Shorts Tell Your Tale (season 1)
Tell Your Tale (season 2)