Sleepless in Ponyville

Sleepless in Ponyville
Season №:	3
Season episode №:	6
Overall episode №:	58
Original airdate:	December 8, 2012
Written by:	Corey Powell
Storyboard:	Corey Toomey and Justin Nichols[1]
Featured characters:	Scootaloo Princess Luna
See also
transcript • gallery • allusions animation errors • statistics • speculation
Episode guide
Previous Magic Duel	Next Wonderbolts Academy

Sleepless in Ponyville is the sixth episode of the third season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the fifty-eighth episode overall. Scootaloo has nightmares during a camping trip after hearing Rainbow Dash’s campfire stories. The title is a reference to the film Sleepless in Seattle.

Production and development

In the week before the episode's scheduled premiere, show head writer Meghan McCarthy wrote on Twitter that the premise for the episode had been submitted on July 29, 2011.^[2][3]

This episode was nominated for a Leo Award for "Best Overall Sound in an Animation Program or Series" for Marcel Duperreault, Todd Araki, Jason Frederickson, and Adam McGhie.^[4]

Summary

The camping trip

Rainbow Dash compliments Scootaloo's scooter-riding. In the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse, Scootaloo speculates that Rainbow Dash might become her mentor. Apple Bloom suggests that Scootaloo joins her, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash in camping at Winsome Falls that weekend. Sweetie Belle convinces Rarity to come as well.

The first day

All the ponies except Rainbow Dash meet up at the edge of the woods. Rainbow Dash meets them at their first campsite. Rainbow Dash tells Scootaloo that they will be sharing a tent. At night, Rainbow tells the ponies a scary campfire story about The Olden Pony. Much of it is told offscreen. When she finishes, Rainbow Dash imitates The Olden Pony and asks, "Who's got my rusty horseshoe?" She scares the Crusaders by shouting that they do. Scootaloo mocks their fear while badly concealing her own in an attempt to impress Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash leaves Scootaloo outside the tent. Scootaloo’s fears become more real when she is alone. She quickly enters the tent and falls asleep. Scootaloo “wakes up” when she hears a pony's voice outside. When she exits the tent, Applejack and Rarity's tents are gone. Scootaloo runs out of the clearing. When she looks back, she sees The Olden Pony following her.

Scootaloo slows down and comes face-to-face with The Olden Pony when she turns around. When the pony asks about her horseshoe, Scootaloo gallops back to the campsite. On the way back, she sees Princess Luna in the trees. Scootaloo returns to the tent and finds that The Olden Pony has taken Rainbow Dash’s place.

Scootaloo wakes up from the nightmare and attempts to prevent herself from going back to sleep.

The second day

In the morning, Scootaloo suffers from lack of sleep. However, she lies to Rainbow, saying that the previous night was the "best night ever."

Scootaloo sleeps in the cart as the ponies continue traveling. She wakes up when Applejack mentions that they may not reach the campsite before dark. Scootaloo rushes to check the path ahead and pokes fun at her fellow Crusaders' fear.

Scootaloo has a difficult time staying awake when traveling ahead on the path. She eventually returns to the other ponies. Worried, Applejack walks with Scootaloo, who is extremely jumpy. Scootaloo denies Applejack's concerns and moves away to pull the cart.

The ponies stop for the night in a large cave, and Scootaloo collects firewood. She only gathers a small amount because she is frightened by eyes she sees in the forest. At the campfire, Scootaloo unsuccessfully attempts to tell a happy story. Rainbow tells the story of The Headless Horse despite Applejack’s interjections. When Rainbow finishes, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are frightened by the sparks from the fire. However, they quickly realize there's nothing to be afraid of.

Scootaloo suggests singing campfire songs to stall before bedtime. Sweetie Belle sings "Ninety-nine buckets of oats on the wall." When she finishes, the ponies go inside the cave to sleep. Scootaloo continues to find alternatives to sleeping, such as a dance competition or game of hide-and-seek. Applejack attributes this to Scootaloo's desire to spend time with Rainbow Dash.

Scootaloo's second nightmare

In her dream, Scootaloo is pursued by The Headless Horse’s hoofsteps in a forest. The Headless Horse approaches her when she falls down a hill. However, Princess Luna appears and banishes the Horse. She explains that it is her duty as the princess of the night to step into ponies' dreams. Luna tells Scootaloo that when she wakes up, her greatest fear will still exist. Scootaloo admits that she is afraid that Rainbow Dash will find out that she was scared by the campfire stories. Luna says that everypony must face his or her fears. Scootaloo is uncertain, but the dream begins to dissipate.

Facing her fear

Once awake, Scootaloo is still scared by Rainbow Dash's story of The Headless Horse. She leaves on her scooter when she mistakes Rainbow Dash's snoring for the Horse's whinnying. She slides down a hill and toward a river canyon when her scooter hits a rock. When she falls into the river, it carries her toward a waterfall.

Rainbow Dash saves her as she falls over the waterfall and asks why she was outside. Encouraged by Princess Luna’s silhouette in the moon, Scootaloo admits that she was scared and why she pretended to be brave. Rainbow Dash says that she was also scared when she first heard those stories. She promises to take Scootaloo under her wing, and the two hug. The next day, the ponies reach the Winsome Falls, large waterfalls of liquid rainbow. When the other ponies start a race, Rainbow and Scootaloo fly after them together.

The final nightmare

In a dreamscape forest, The Olden Pony asks Scootaloo for her rusty horseshoe. Scootaloo resolves to face her fear. When she does, Rainbow Dash appears and gives the horseshoe in question to The Olden Pony. She thanks them and walks away. On the side, Princess Luna winks and smiles at Scootaloo’s solution.

Quotes

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.

Rainbow Dash: Nice moves, kid.

Scootaloo: Rainbow Dash said I had nice moves!

Rarity: I despise camping! All of that... urrgh... nature.

Rainbow Dash: Okay, everybody get comfortable, 'cause I'm about to tell you the best story you've ever heard.

Scootaloo: Is it about the time when Rarity had wings, and then they got ruined, and then you saved her from plummeting to her doom?

Rainbow Dash: Okay, maybe it's the second best story you've ever heard.

Applejack: If it doesn't have a head, then how in tarnation does this pony know where it's goin'?

Rainbow Dash: It's headless, not brainless. [spookily] ...looking for little lost ponies—

Applejack: So where's its brain?

Rainbow Dash: Ugh.

Princess Luna: Everypony has fears, Scootaloo. Everypony must face them in their own way. But they must be faced, or the nightmares will continue.

Sweetie Belle: I call sister teams! Last pair to make it to the falls is a moldy carrot!

Rarity: Ugh, if you insist. [giggles] It is so on!

The Olden Pony: Who's got my rusty horseshoe?

Rainbow Dash: Here it is, for pony's sake. Now take it and stop all your moaning.

The Olden Pony: Thank you, and have a nice day.

Gallery

Sleepless in Ponyville image gallery

References

1. ↑ 'Big' Jim Miller (2012-12-08). Tweet. Retrieved on 2012 December 8.
2. ↑ Meghan McCarthy on Twitter (2012-12-05). Retrieved on 2012 December 5.
3. ↑ Meghan McCarthy on Twitter (2012-12-05). Retrieved on 2012 December 6.
4. ↑ "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" (2010) Awards. IMDb. Retrieved on 2013 September 22.

v • e Episodes, films, and animated shorts

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

Feature films
Equestria Girls	Rainbow Rocks	Friendship Games	Legend of Everfree
My Little Pony The Movie

Animated shorts
Rainbow Rocks shorts	Friendship Games shorts	Equestria Girls Minis	Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook