Wikia

Swarm of the Century
Season №:	1
Season episode №:	10
Overall episode №:	10
Original airdate:	December 17, 2010
Written by:	M. A. Larson
Storyboard:	Tom Sales & Lih Liau
Featured characters:	Parasprite
	See also
	transcript • gallery • allusions; animation errors • statistics • speculation
	Episode guide
Previous; Bridle Gossip	Next; Winter Wrap Up

Swarm of the Century is the tenth episode of the first season of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. In this episode, Princess Celestia is coming to Ponyville for a visit, and everyone is making sure it's perfect for her arrival, especially Twilight. However, things go wrong as a swarm of strange creatures called parasprites causes chaos throughout Ponyville.

Production and developmentEdit

This episode was originally called "Pied Piper Pinkie", but was then changed at a following story meeting.^[2]

According to Lauren Faust, Swarm of the Century was "initially conceived as just a story about a plague of locust-like creatures, but the parallels to Tribbles became apparent pretty fast. I'm a huge Star Trek dork," she wrote, "so we went with it."^[3] Writer M. A. Larson added that he had Gremlins in mind when writing the episode.^[4]

SummaryEdit

Fluttershy discovers somethingEdit

The episode begins in a field near the Everfree Forest, with Fluttershy gathering flowers for Princess Celestia, who is planning to visit Ponyville. She then notices a strange yet adorable creature from the forest. Despite its small size, it devours a large basketful of apples. This does not deter Fluttershy, however, and she takes the new creature to show off to her friends.

The rest of Ponyville is also preparing for the Princess's arrival, including Twilight Sparkle, who wants everything to be perfect. Arriving at Sugar Cube Corner, she catches Pinkie Pie eating cakes and pastries that the shop owners, Mr. and Mrs. Cake, have made for the Princess. Pinkie Pie says that she is sampling them to make sure they are fit for any royal visitor. Fluttershy arrives in the shop to show Twilight and Pinkie Pie the creature she found, but inexplicably, two more creatures appear. Twilight decides to adopt one of them so Spike can have a companion. Pinkie Pie, however, reacts in disgust, calling them "parasprites". She leaves, saying that she needs a trombone.

In her boutique, Rarity is putting the finishing touches on Rainbow Dash's elaborate dress. Twilight enters and praises Rarity's costumes that were designed specially for the royal visit. When Twilight takes out her creature, she discovers that she is carrying not one, but three creatures. Both of her friends adopt one.

The swarm appearsEdit

The next day, Twilight Sparkle and Spike are shocked to find their house filled with parasprites. The parasprites are impossible to control and they freely destroy books and parchments. Meanwhile, in Rainbow Dash's home in the clouds, Rainbow Dash's parasprites cling to her body, driving her mad. Rarity is fond of her helpful swarm until she witnesses their unsightly method of reproduction, cusing her to get scared and shriek really loudly; namely, coughing up/vomiting new parasprites. Even Fluttershy has lost control over the swarm in her house. Twilight realizes that if they do not handle this situation immediately, Celestia's visit would be a disaster. Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie is busy gathering random musical instruments, including a harmonica, a banjo, and a pair of maracas. No one really knows why, so they assume she is just "being Pinkie".

Applejack, using her herding skills, directs her friends in an effort to round up the pests. They succeed in driving them into the Everfree Forest. Unfortunately, when the friends head back to Fluttershy's house, a dense swarm of parasprites bursts out. Fluttershy admits that she had kept one of the parasprites in her house. Rainbow Dash steps up to the plate by creating a tornado that sucks up the parasprites. Everything is working until Pinkie Pie walks up to them, sporting a pair of cymbals. The cymbals are drawn into the tornado; Rainbow Dash tries to dodge them, but they break her concentration and the tornado falls apart. The parasprite horde flies into Ponyville and the friends run after them, ignoring Pinkie's attempt to explain why she was gathering the instruments in the first place.

Twilight tries to fix thingsEdit

The ponies watch in horror as the parasprites begin to eat all of the food in town. Twilight Sparkle casts an effective spell to stop them from consuming food. However, when the ponies watch a parasprite eat a basket instead of a nearby apple, they realize that the parasprites are eating everything except the food: signposts, lamps, Rarity's ensembles, and even the words from Twilight's books. Twilight carries a parasprite to Zecora in the Everfree Forest, hoping the zebra can find a solution. Zecora easily recognizes it, but not even she knows how to get rid of them. Frantic and almost hysterical, Twilight begins to formulate a plan to build a replica of Ponyville next to the real one before the Princess's arrival, but the royal procession appears on the horizon.

Pinkie saves the dayEdit

Pinkie Pie appears as a one-pony band, with all of the instruments she has gathered. Twilight suspected this to be another one of her games, but she and her friends watch as the parasprites become attracted to the music and follow the "Pinkie Pied Piper" out of Ponyville.

At the town's outskirts, the ponies meet Princess Celestia, who construes the orderly, bouncing bugs as a parade in her honor. She informs her pupil that she needs to cancel her visit to deal with an infestation of some "incredibly bothersome creatures" in Fillydelphia. She asks Twilight if she would like to give a report on friendship before she leaves. Twilight tells her mentor that the solutions to one's problems can come from unlikely sources, and that it's a good idea to listen to your friends' opinions and perspectives, even if they don't seem to make any sense. Commenting on how impressed she is with Twilight Sparkle and her friends, Celestia takes off.

Afterwards, the ponies listen to Pinkie Pie explaining why she was gathering instruments. The friends apologize to her for stubbornly ignoring and underestimating her, tell her that she is a great friend even though they don't always understand her, and thank her for saving Ponyville. The six friends return to what is left of Ponyville, and the episode ends when Pinkie Pie plays a trombone to express their dismay at the ruins.

QuotesEdit

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.

Twilight Sparkle: You can't hang a banner that says "Welcome Princess Celest". Take it down and try again!

Pinkie Pie: I, Pinkie Pie, declare that these treats are fit for a king, or a queen, or a princess!

Pinkie Pie: UGH! A parasprite?! Are you kidding?!

Fluttershy: "Ugh"?

Twilight Sparkle: A para-what?

Fluttershy: How could you not like–?

Pinkie Pie: UGH! Now I need to find a trombone...

Twilight Sparkle: ...A what?

Rarity: I don't have time for some silly scavenger hunt! I've got a real problem...

Pinkie Pie: You've got a real problem all right, and a banjo is the only answer!

Fluttershy: I tried everything I know. I tried begging, and pleading, and beseeching, and asking politely, and...

Rainbow Dash: Time to take out the adorable trash!

Twilight Sparkle: Pinkie Pie, what have you done?

Pinkie Pie: I've lost a brand new pair of cymbals, that's what I've done.

Twilight Sparkle: Will you forget about your silly instruments for one second? You're ruining our efforts to save Ponyville.

Pinkie Pie: Me? Ruin? I'm not the ruiner, I'm the ruinee! Or is it ruinness? Ruinette?

Rainbow Dash: Hey. It worked. They're not eating the food anymore...

Rarity: Oh no. If they get inside my store... Every pony for herself!

Rarity: My outfits! Go on, shoo! Get out of here. Naughty! Naughty! AAH! AAH!

Pinkie Pie: I'll save you!

Rarity: AAAAAAAAAAH!

Zecora: Oh, monster of so little size! Is that a parasprite before my eyes?!

Twilight Sparkle: I don't know! Is it?

Zecora: Tales of crops and harvests consumed. If these creatures are in Ponyville...you're doomed.

Twilight Sparkle: Okay, here's the plan. Rainbow Dash, you distract them.

Rainbow Dash:(being attacked by parasprites) YAAAAAAAEEEAAAA!

Twilight Sparkle: Good. Everyone else, we need to build an exact copy of Ponyville right over there. We've got less than a minute. [gasp] Zecora was right, we're doomed.

Princess Celestia: I'm so proud of you, Twilight Sparkle, and I'm very impressed with your friends as well. It sounds like you're all learning so much from each other...

Pinkie Pie: Hey! What happened to the princess?

Twilight Sparkle: Emergency in Fillydelphia...

Rainbow Dash: Some sort of... infestation.

Pinkie Pie: Oh no! Have they got parasprites too? Well... Have tuba, will travel!

Twilight Sparkle: I think the princess can handle it...

Twilight Sparkle: You're a great friend... Even if we don't always understand you.

Pinkie Pie: Thanks, guys. You're all great friends, too... even when I don't understand me...

Twilight Sparkle : You saved my reputation with Princess Celestia and, more importantly, you saved Ponyville. [pause] Or not...

GalleryEdit

Swarm of the Century image gallery

ReferencesEdit

↑ Raven Molisee's deviantART journal (2012-02-23). Retrieved on 2012 February 23.
↑ M.A. Larson discussing Swarm of the Century (2012-06-03). Retrieved on 2012 June 9.
↑ Lauren Faust discussing Swarm of the Century (2010-12-18). Retrieved on 2012 July 30.
↑ Interview With M.A. Larson. Celestia Radio (2013-01-27). Retrieved on 2013 January 29.

v • e My Little Pony Friendship is Magic — episodes

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