History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E11KeepCalmAndFlutterOn

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Discord knows Twilight and company will most surely find an alternative way to confront him once they realize he doesn't want to be reformed, so he uses his magic (and appetite) to get rid of any written spell that might affect him.
** Likewise, the reason he has to be so sneaky in the first place is because Celestia, learning from her main mistake the last time he was free, enchants the Elements to prevent him from just taking them by force again.

* HeelFaceBrainwashing: {{Discussed|Trope}}. Twilight seriously considers doing this to Discord, as a backup plan if he can't be reformed conventionally. However, Discord is [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy a few steps ahead of her]] and destroys the instructions for how to perform the spell.

->'''Twilight:''' [[Film/AllAboutEve Hang on to your Elements, girls. It's gonna be a bumpy night]].

'''Discord:''' Now, look who's a liar. Anyone can plainly see that I'm not big at all. (''camera zooms out to show [[VisualPun he's barely the size of Angel Bunny]]'')

-->'''Twilight:''' [[WithDueRespect With all due respect]], Princess Celestia, '''''[[SuddenlyShouting HOW COULD YOU BRING DISCORD HERE]]?!?!''''' (''clears throat'') Your majesty.

-->'''Fluttershy:''' (''{{gasp}}'') Such language!

** [[Film/AllAboutEve "Hang on to your Elements, girls. It's gonna be a bumpy night."]]

-->'''Twilight:''' With all due respect, Princess Celestia, '''''[[SuddenlyShouting HOW COULD YOU BRING DISCORD HERE]]?!?!''''' (''clears throat'') Your Majesty.

'''Discord:''' (''groans'') All right... ''Friendshipismagic''.

-->'''Discord:''' You think you can boss Discord around?! You think I'm gonna turn all this back because you say so? Because if I don't I'll lose the one friend I ever had? (''gasps in realization of what he just said'') [[{{Touche}} Well played, Fluttershy. Well played]].

* DisapprovingLook: Discord dismisses Fluttershy's "[[DeathGlare Stare]]" as "your disapproving eyeballs" because it has no affect on him.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Applejack insults a local beaver, that leads to him ''damming the Apple forest'' in retaliation.

* HandWave: Princess Celestia explains explains she placed magical wards on the the Elements of Harmony to prevent Discord from stealing them [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E1TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 like last time]]. As for why such wards weren't (seemingly) in place before Discord broke out and [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls the next time an Element was stolen]]...

* ForcedMeme: One of the show's staff said that Discord will say something that would "make the fandom explode!" He says [[TitleDrop "Friendship is magic."]] Given the Base Breaker nature of the episode (and the awkwardness of the line lampshaded by Discord's delivery of it), it didn't work out that way.

* NotInTheFace: Rarity pleading "Not the dress! NOT THE DRESS!" to the animated soup tureen.

* GenreSavvy:
** Twilight and friends know that Discord's going to find some way to bring his chaos onto Ponyville despite any assurance he may give.
** Celestia as well; she enchants the Elements of Harmony so Discord can't remove them by force or teleport/hide them away as he did the first time.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: While he bullied the ponies out of self defense in "The Return of Harmony", Fluttershy calls Discord "a real sweetheart once you get to know him".

->'''Discord:''' I'm Discord! The Master of Chaos! You think you can just boss Discord around? You think I'm going to turn all this back because you say so? Because if I don't, [[ExplainExplainOhCrap I'll lose the one friend I ever had]]?

* CassandraTruth: Twilight and Rarity don't believe Spike when he says that the "guest" accompanying Celestia is Discord. Then they see who's in that second chariot behind her...

* CreditsGag: Tabitha St. Germain was the one who provided the voice to the gravy boat. It should be pointed out that the gravy boat was mute.

* ScreamsLikeaLittleGirl: Angel, of all bunnies.

* TakingAdvantageofGenerosity: Or of Kindness in the present case. After Fluttershy gives her word that she won't use her Element of Harmony against him, Discord figures he has himself a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, and that there isn't a damn thing anypony can do about it because, in his words, "we're ''friends''!" Thankfully, [[RageBreakingPoint even Fluttershy has her limits]] to how much of Discord's antics she can take.

** Discord inviting Fluttershy to go water skiing and then ice skating with it shows that he'd come to truly value their friendship, even before he himself realizes it.

* TakingAdvantageofGenerosity: Or of Kindness in the present case. After Fluttershy gives her word that she won't use her Element of Harmony against him, Discord figures he has himself a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, and that there isn't a darn thing anypony can do about it because, in his words, "we're ''friends''!" Thankfully, [[RageBreakingPoint even Fluttershy has her limits]] to how much of Discord's antics she can take.

* WholePlotReference: As if the ActorAllusion wasn't enough already, the episode greatly mirrors the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E13DejaQ}} "Déjà Q"]]. Like this episode, it takes place during the third season, involves John de Lancie's character being rejected by most of the cast who think the idea of him turning over a new leaf is insane, striking an odd bond with one of the main characters, and eventually making a genuine HeelFaceTurn because of it, which in turn leads to him taking on the role moreso of a TricksterMentor in future episodes to allow him to still antagonize the show's protagonists but be a bit more noble about it.

!!Tropes present in this episode: [[YMMV/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS3E11KeepCalmAndFlutterOn YMMV tropes here.]]

'''Pinkie Pie:''' And making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it ''anywhere in sight''--'''[[FelonyMisdemeanor NOT A SINGLE DOLLOP!]]'''

* AsideComment
** Discord nods at the audience right after he casts a spell on a colony of beavers at the beginning of the episode.
** Fluttershy turns to the camera and says "Oh dear" after Discord reveals he'll be living with her.

* BatmanGambit

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Discord (after he enchants the beavers).
* TheBusCameBack: For Discord. He hasn't been seen since the season 2 preimer.

* CallBack

* ContinuityNod: Fluttershy is identified--by Celestia herself--as being uniquely qualified to reform Discord. Back in "The Return of Harmony", Fluttershy was the only one of the Mane Six who wasn't susceptible to Discord's silver tongue; he only corrupted her by using magic to brainwash her.

** Celestia as well; she enchants the Elements of Harmony so Discord can't remove them by force or teleport/hide them away as he did the first time.

* DidWeJustHaveTeaWithCthulhu: Fluttershy invites the rest of the Mane Six to dinner at her cottage to prove that Discord can be civil.

* EasilyForgiven: Downplayed. Except for Fluttershy, The Mane Six ''haven't'' forgiven him and even Celestia, who came up with the idea in the first place, decides to leave the Elements with The Mane Six, "just in case". Also, justified, since he had to earn their forgiveness and trust.
* ExplainExplainOhCrap: Near the end of the episode, after Discord succeeds in securing his freedom and Fluttershy declares that she is not Discord's friend, Discord begins to rant that he isn't going to undo what he's done even if it means losing the one friend that he's ever had.....Only to abruptly realizes that yes, as a matter of fact, her friendship ''does'' mean a great deal to him.
* EvilPlan: Discord plans to usurp Celestia's plan to redeem him into a plan to make himself safe from the Elements of Harmony and then, once again, recreate his WorldOfChaos. It backfires when he realizes he care about his friendship with Fluttershy.

* ExtremeDoormat: Self enforced by Fluttershy, who plays nice with malicious prankster Discord in hopes he will genuinely come around.
* ForcedMeme: One of the show's staff said that Discord will say something that would "make the fandom explode!" He says [[TitleDrop "Friendship is Magic."]] Given the Base Breaker nature of the episode (and the awkwardness of the line lampshaded by Discord's delivery of it), it didn't work out that way.

* GenreSavvy

* GiveMeAReason: Except for Fluttershy, The Mane Six are more than ready to use the Elements against Discord the moment he goes too far, and they make this very clear to him just moments after he's freed.

'''Discord:''' Now, look who's a liar. Anyone can plainly see that I'm not big at all. ''(camera zooms out to show [[VisualPun he's barely the size of Angel Bunny]])''

-->'''Fluttershy:''' Oh, dear...

* ProperlyParanoid

-->'''Twilight:''' [[WithDueRespect With all due respect]], Princess Celestia, '''''[[SuddenlyShouting HOW COULD YOU BRING DISCORD HERE]]?!?!''''' ''(clears throat)'' Your majesty.

* ReformedButNotTamed: Discord vows to use his powers for good, 'most of the time'.

* RollOutTheRedCarpet: Discord does this with his tongue....And he happens to be inside the fully rolled-out carpet too...

-->'''Fluttershy:''' ''({{gasp}})'' Such language!

* SequelEpisode: To "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E1TheReturnOfHarmonyPart1 The Return]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E2TheReturnOfHarmonyPart2 of Harmony]]"; after the Mane Six trap Discord in stone, Princess Celestia orders them to release him so he can be reformed.
* ShipTease

** The title was originally going to be "[[WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends Fluttershy's Home for Reformed Draconequi]]".

* [[TakingAdvantageofGenerosity Taking Advantage of Kindness]]: After Fluttershy gives her word that she won't use her Element of Harmony against him, Discord figures he has himself a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, and that there isn't a darn thing anypony can do about it because, in his words, "we're ''friends''!" Thankfully, [[RageBreakingPoint even Fluttershy has her limits]] to how much of Discord's antics she can take.

* WholePlotReference: As if the ActorAllusion wasn't enough already, the episode greatly mirrors the ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "[[{{Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS3E13DejaQ}} Déjà Q]]". Like this episode, it takes place during the third season, involves John de Lancie's character being rejected by most of the cast who think the idea of him turning over a new leaf is insane, striking an odd bond with one of the main characters, and eventually making a genuine HeelFaceTurn because of it, which in turn leads to him taking on the role moreso of a TricksterMentor in future episodes to allow him to still antagonize the show's protagonists but be a bit more noble about it.

** Celestia, as usual; she enchanted the Elements of Harmony so Discord can't remove them by force or teleport/hide them away, as he did the first time.

** And a much more long term on as Celestia mentions [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E25TwilightsKingdomPart1 they'll have need for his powers later on]]. For the time being she just wants to reign in his chaos.
** ''Possible'' one: Twilight's ''How could you bring Discord here?!'' line isn't just loud, but quite amplified with an echo. [[Recap/LunaEclipsed We know someone who can talk like that]] at will, though Twi's not up to her her level yet. It could be the first sign of what happens in Recap/MagicalMysteryCure. ''Or'' it could simply be something the showmakers did because it's funny.

** And a much more long term on as Celestia mentions they'll have need for his powers later on. For the time being she just wants to reign in his chaos.