The following is a list of allusions to other My Little Pony generations, works of fiction, people, places, events, and other cultural touchstones in the fourth season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. Entries on this page must follow the similarity guidelines.
When Spike straps into Twilight's back with a seatbelt, it is a reference to how Bernard and Miss Bianca ride on the back of Orville the albatross in the 1977 Disney film The Rescuers.[dubious – discuss]
Spike's regret about not taking the train also alludes to lines said by Bernard in The Rescuers.
The end of the cold open is a play on the cartoon cliché of having birds or stars circle around a character's head when they receive a blow to the head.
The author of the Daring Do book series is named A.K. Yearling. This is a reference to the author of the Harry Potter book series, J.K. Rowling.
A.K. Yearling's name is also a reference to a yearling, a male or female horse between one and two years of age.
A.K. Yearling's name could also be a reference to Yearling Books, an American company that reprints classic works of literature.
The traveling sequence with the red line being drawn across the map is a variant on similar sequences in all four of the Indiana Jones films.
Including Ahuizotl, the episode makes a number of references to Aztec history and mythology, such as Tenochtitlan and Quetzalcoatl.
On the cover of the book that Rainbow Dash receives in the mail, she is depicted as wearing a faded baseball cap similar to the one Short Round wears in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Dr. Caballeron's henchponies' Cutie Marks are an allusion to comic book actions.
Spike says, "Holy new personas, ponies!" like Burt Ward's role as Robin in the 1960s live-action Batman TV series. In addition, the color scheme of Spike's superhero costume is similar to that of Robin's.
Fili-Second's name is derived from the word "millisecond".
Though it is embellished with a lightning bolt, the pink trail of light left behind by Fili-Second strongly resembles the trails of colored light produced by the Light Cycles in the TRON films, particularly noticeable in the distant camera shots where it can be seen changing directions at only right angles.[dubious – discuss]
How the Mane-iac walks with her long mane and the manner in which she uses it as appendages is based on that of Doctor Octopus (aka Otto Octavius) from the Spiderman comics.
In addition, the clouds at 12:29 are similar in design to the cliff on which Jack Skellington stands on in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The idea of stopping bats from eating apples, the results of an "apple-test" on a bat, and Fluttershy turning into a vampire-pony hybrid are allusions to the 2005 film, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
Twilight's diagram grid is done in the style of Tron and its sequel, Tron: Legacy.
Rainbow's "She's coming!" is in a similar pitch to that of Alvin and the Chipmunks.[specify]
In the end, Pinkie does an impersonation of Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Dracula, even though he never said, "I vant to drink your blood" anytime during the film.
One of the buildings in Manehattan is modeled after the Chrysler Building.
In the Manehattan equivalent of Times Square, there is a billboard with two pony eyes with pony silhouettes in them, like the logo for the Broadway musical Cats. There is also a juice box above it that is a take on the Coca-Cola logo.
Before Apples to the Core starts, the clanging of the pans and the clattering of the cart resembles the beginning to The Open Road song in the 1983 Cosgrove Hall film adaptation of The Wind in the Willows.
During the song "Apples to the Core", Pinkie Pie says the lyrics "Swim, not sink" and throws a kitchen sink that she found from the cart. This is a reference to the common phrase, "everything but the kitchen sink", meaning that someone packed too much stuff.
Pinkie Pie pounces on Applejack in the same fashion Tigger pounces on Pooh in the Winnie the Pooh series.
The four photos taken on the waterfall are in the style of photos seen at Splash Mountain in the Disney Parks.
At 17:04, when Pinkie pounces Applejack, a faceless gray character in a suit and red tie resembling the Slender Man can be seen hiding behind the bushes in the background for a split second.
The title is a part of the proverb 'two is company, three's a crowd', meaning that a third person spoils the ideal combination of a couple.
Pinkie chasing a red balloon is a reference to the 1956 French film Le Ballon rouge.[specify]
When Rainbow Dash asks what flew towards them and crashed into a nearby tree, Discord responds, "Not a what, but a who.", a quote taken from the Dr. Seuss book Horton Hears a Who.
Discord's thinking tree also resembles trees from Dr. Seuss' works as well.
The Star Swirl costume that Twilight wore in Luna Eclipsed is reused for the Star Swirl the Bearded traveling museum.
Discord, Twilight and Cadance are standing before a castle dressed in black robes and ties and Twilight's wearing glasses, a reference to the Harry Potter series.
When Discord asks for lozenges, he is standing in front of a hilly background while a pony in lederhosen plays the sousaphone, a parody of the Ricola ads.
The shot of Discord looking out a window wishing on a wishing star is a parody of a scene in Disney's version of Pinocchio.
The shot of Discord holding a magic lamp is a reference to the 1992 Disney film Aladdin.
The line he sings during both of these aforementioned scenes, "I wish I may, I wish I might", is a reference to the nursery rhyme Star Light, Star Bright.
Discord holds up a glass of water victoriously against a black background like Luke Skywalker holding up his lightsaber in the theatrical poster for the 1977 film, Star Wars.
The shot of Discord pouring water on himself is a parody of the scene in Flashdance.
The name of "Weird Al" Yankovic's character is "Cheese Sandwich". Cheese is a recurring motif in many of Weird Al's songs. The character incorporates many attributes of Weird Al's work and his persona:
He has a similar mane-style.
His cutie mark is a grilled cheese sandwich shaped like an accordion, Weird Al's signature instrument.
The Super Duper Party Pony and The Goof Off are done in the style of polka, which also include random sound effects in the background, like a slide-whistle, and the W.A.Y. Moby Polka melodies in the middle of the song. Weird Al is known for combining various parts of modern songs into polkas featured on his studio albums.
The colt version of Cheese has a "Jew 'fro" and large glasses, and an alternate version of Cheese in a police lineup has a technicolor shirt and mustache, much like Al did before he got laser eye surgery.
Pinkie finishes off the episode by saying "I never did catch that pony's name" as Cheese Sandwich trots off into the sunset, further cementing the comparison.
The song Pinkie the Party Planner resembles the song "Belle" from the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast in that it features the protagonist singing about what she enjoys while the townsfolk sing about the protagonist.
At first, Pinkie suggests holding the goof-off at High Noon, but after seeing that it is already 3:00, she suggests 3:10 to Goof-Off, both references to classic western films.
Applejack saying "For corn's sake", a line originally written for Fall Weather Friends, is a reference to the character Fred Mertz from the 1951 sitcom I Love Lucy.
She also says to Big Mac, "You've got some 'splainin' to do", a line attributed to, but never actually said by, Ricky Ricardo from the same show.
Pinkie climbing up the wall to Fluttershy is an allusion to the Marvel superhero, Spider-Man.
The reveal of Fluttershy singing behind the curtain is similar to the ending of the 1952 film Singin' in the Rain.
Sweetie Belle's line, "We made a huge mistake", is an allusion to one of George "Gob" Bluth's catchphrases in the American sitcom Arrested Development.[dubious – discuss]
A ponified colt version of Philip J. Fry from the animated sci-fi comedy series Futurama can be seen multiple times in the background.
Maud Pie's name is a play on mud pie, a popular dessert that originated in the southern U.S state of Mississippi.
Maud is said to be working on her "rocktorate in rock science", a play on the doctorate degree awarded by universities.
Rainbow Dash's line describing Maud—"a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an igneous"—is a reference to the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill's 1939 statement about Russia's initial role in World War II—"a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma".
Pinkie does her own ponified version of "A Friend in Need", part of the "Dogs Playing Poker" series by C.M. Coolidge, during her amusement park montage.
The coloring that Pinkie Pie makes is resemblant of what the character Tyrone "TD" Kennelly does from the PBS Kids show Martha Speaks.[dubious – discuss]
The obstacle course Pinkie Pie sets up is reminiscent of the classic Nickelodeon children's game show Double Dare's stunt challenges.[dubious – discuss]
Maud's spiked helmet resembles the German Pickelhaube.
Sweetie Belle's line "Ooh, dresses, dresses, dresses, dresses!" is delivered in a similar cadence to Jan Brady's famous catchphrase on The Brady Bunch, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!"[dubious – discuss]
Rarity says, "What in the wide, wide realm of Equestria" similar to the line "What in the wide, wide world of sports?" from the 1974 satirical western film Blazing Saddles.
The title is a common phrase used by musicians to test the volume levels of a microphone.
Twilight mentions Princess Celestia's favorite flight pattern as being the "Icaranian Sun Salutation," a reference to the mythological story of Icarus, who fashioned his own makeshift wings and fell to his death after flying too close to the sun.
During the rap song "The rappin' Hist'ry of the Wonderbolts," Pinkie wears an alarm clock on a chain, a reference to Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav, who often wears a huge clock on a chain during performances. She also wears a hat similar to the ones worn by the members of the American hip hop trio Run–D.M.C.. Furthermore, it is reminiscent of '80s hip-hop, or early '90s rap, music videos.
One of the shots of the rap is a reference to the 1992 anti-piracy PSA "Don't Copy That Floppy".
Also during the sequence, the headphones that DJ Pon-3 is using are very similar that her human counterpart uses in Equestria Girls.
The founder of The Wonderbolts is named General Firefly alluding to the show's creator Lauren Faust's DeviantArt screen name and Twitter username "Fyre Flye"[9] and, by extension, the G1 Pegasus pony of the same name.[10]
Rainbow Dash's consideration of learning to shine shoes, sell hats, and dig ditches is a reference to the 1952 musical film Singin' in the Rain.
During the flight over Ponyville, Filthy Rich is seen buying apples from Big McIntosh with a briefcase with unseen glowing contents, referencing the mysterious briefcase from Quentin Tarantino's 1994 black comedy crime film Pulp Fiction.
The pony who runs the antique chicken booth has a voice similar to that of American comedian and actor Paul Lynde.
The scene in which Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy attempt to cross a thoroughfare crowded with lines of ponies is a reference to the 1981 arcade game Frogger.[12]
The scene in which Spike finds the magical spell book is reminiscent of the scene in Disney's 1992 animated film Aladdin in which the title character finds the magic lamp.
Rarity saying "I'm so excited!" and Spike replying with "I'm so scared!" is a reference to the character Jesse Spano from the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell.[13]
Claude the puppeteer pony's voice is modeled after the American comedian W.C. Fields.
When Spike decides to follow the golden road that Rarity created to find her, it resembles the famous "Yellow Brick Road" from The Wizard of Oz.
The episode title and titular event allude to the Olympic Games.
When Spike sees the crystal statue in his likeness, he does an imitation of Barbra Streisand in the film/musical FunnyGirl saying, "Hello, gawgeous."
Twilight says, "Equestria, we have a problem", a reference to the famous, and often misquoted, dispatch from NASA's Apollo 13 space mission, "Houston, we've had a problem."
Discord's army uniform, accompanied by the flag of Equestria behind him, is reminiscent of George C. Scott's portrayal of George S. Patton in the 1970 biographical war film Patton.
Furthermore, Discord's use of a corncob pipe and a pair of sunglasses in his military display alludes to the trademark appearance of General Douglas MacArthur.
When Pinkie Pie confronts Discord about how he knows what Twilight is feeling, he says a line from William Shakespeare's Hamlet: "woe is me."
Rare Find walking down a deserted alleyway carrying oranges, only for him to become Tirek's first victim, is a "sly" reference to the 1972 Francis Ford Coppola film The Godfather, in which oranges are associated with death and misfortune.
Discord's appearance when capturing the Earth ponies with a fishing rod is slightly similar to the character Quint in Jaws.
Discord says he got Twilight's friends "...and her little dragon, too!". This is yet another reference to the "...and your little dog, too!" line from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
Tirek's defeat mirrors that of his Generation 1 version in the TV pilot, Rescue at Midnight Castle.