History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E3CastleManeia

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: Briefly, when Rarity is in the dark.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: As a FinalBossPreview. [[spoiler:The shadowy figure seen at the end would eventually be revealed by WordOfGod to be Lord Tirek, the villain of the season finale.]]

** Applejack and Rainbow Dash still have their rivalry from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E13FallWeatherFriends "Fall Weather Friends"]].

** When trying to scare Rainbow Dash, Applejack does the save hoof waving and scary noises as Rarity did to her from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E8LookBeforeYouSleep "Look Before You Sleep"]].
** The portrait with the moving eye is the same one from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E24MysteryOnTheFriendshipExpress "MMMystery on the Friendship Express"]].

-->'''Princess Celestia (recited by Twilight Sparkle)''': Though the Hall of Hooves still gives her a bit of a fright, the trap door slide is Luna's favorite!"

* TemptingFate: Rarity says "we must use the utmost care--" and then she and Fluttershy fall into a hole.

* MinimalistCast: Only the mane six, Spike, Angel and the Pony of Shadow appear in this episode.

* SlapstickKnowsNoGender: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy repeatedly scare each other in the castle and fall victim to its booby traps.

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: To the video game series, ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'', in that the oft-repeating antagonist was Dracula, the Lord of Shadows. Also, Twilight's Freeze spell is almost similar to St. Germain's Time Stop magic from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCurseOfDarkness'' or the [[PowerCopying abilities]] of [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Chronomage and Zephyr]], but [[SubvertedTrope without]] [[TimeStandsStill time actually stopping]].

* CardboardPrison: The "cell" that Rarity and Fluttershy land in after falling through the trap, since the means to open the cell can be easily gotten at though the hoof-hole in the wall. Assuming you think to stick your leg through whatever hole in the wall you see. Judging from the hash marks scratched into the wall next to the hole, at least one previous occupant was a bit slow to catch on.
** Possibly justified, as it's indicated that the various traps were made by the sisters to have fun. So it makes sense that whoever made up that particular one would think to have a way to allow a pony to get out. It's possible the scratch marks were from the first "prisoner" who took awhile to figure it out, or some unlucky pony unfamiliar with the Princess' games that got caught in it.

* DramaticUnmask: "PINKIE!?"

* SayMyName: "AAANGEEELLLLLL!!!"

* {{Squee}}: Twilight's reaction to the ancient library.

* SynchronizedSwarming: No geometric shapes nor letters, but when the beekeeper retrieves his bees, they do follow him as a single airborne blob instead of scattering.

* AdultFear: Fluttershy getting separated from Angel and going over all the terrible things that could happen to him in the castle. Then she watches a pillar fall on the silhouette of what she thinks is Angel (it's just two leaves and a rock)...

* BeeAfraid: Applejack and Rainbow Dash try to top each other in bravery with a staring contest... [[Creator/EddieIzzard covered in beeeeeees!]] Luckily, they're both wearing beekeeper suits underneath.

* TwoDVisualsThreeDEffects: The hallway Applejack and Rainbow Dash run through.
* {{Adorkable}}:
** Twilight once again shows this best when she lays eyes on the library in the castle. She can now {{Squee}} in three dimensions.
** Rarity also has her moment over the ancient tapestries.

* RedHerring: Star Spider Season. The spiders just add to the spooky environment of the castle. Their prominence and the mention of it being their season have nothing to do with the plot of the episode.

* ThreeDEffectsTwoDCartoon: The hallway Applejack and Rainbow Dash run through.

* ConspicuousCG: The hallway Applejack and Rainbow Dash run through.

* ShaggySearchTechnique: How Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash find out about the secret passageways.

* ConspicuousCGI: The hallway Applejack and Rainbow Dash run through.

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: To the video game series, ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'', in that the oft-repeating antagonist was Dracula, the Lord of Shadows. Also, Twilight's Freeze spell is almost similar to St. Germain's Time Stop magic from ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCurseOfDarkness'', but without the time stopping.