History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E3TheMaudCouple

'''Pinkie Pie:''' See? ''[beat]'' Wait, what?!

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Mudbriar points out that Pinkie's "olive branch" is actually "a ''Quercus'', most likely ''castaneifolia''" (a.k.a. a chestnut-leaved oak). But the leaves on the branch [[https://derpibooru.org/1695519 don't match]] ''Q. castaneifolia'' leaves at all. On the other hoof, they are a pretty good match for ''Q. cerris x castaneifolia'' (a.k.a. the hybrid of turkey oak and chestnut-leaved oak).

* BusmansVocabulary: In the midst of one of Pinkie's {{Group Hug}}s, Limestone says that Pinkie is "crushing [her] to gravel."

* SidetrackedByTheAnalogy: Limestone tries to make Pinkie understand what Maud sees in her boyfriend by using a geode as an analogy. Pinkie initially thinks she should break Mudbriar open like a rock.

** Starlight's [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E1CelestialAdvice friendship mirror]] is seen in her room.

** Pinkie yells "Oh come on!" in frustration, calling back to Sweetie Belle's cry in Hearts and Hooves Day.
** There is also a picture in Starlight's room of "No Equals Signs". It looks like Starlight doesn't want a relapse of The Cutie Map.

** Pinkie's Party-Planning Cave is seen again.

* BusmansVocabulary: In the midst of one of Pinkie's GroupHugs, Limestone says that Pinkie is "crushing [her] to gravel."

* WhenSheSmiles: This episode marked the first time Maud Pie has been shown actually smiling; it's small, but it is there. She also breaks a bit from her usual monotone speech as well.

* VisualPun: Mudbriar's cutie mark is a stick standing up in a mud puddle, a ''literal'' "stick in the mud".

** Pinkie visits Yayakistan and Ghastly Gorge during her search for Maud.

** He also share more than a few similarities with [[Series/TheBigBangTheory Sheldon Cooper]].

* MovingAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Pinkie is able to travel all over Ponyville and to Yakyakistan and Ghastly Gorge and Discord's dimension before visiting Starlight in only a few hours while she looks for Maud.

* HoldYourHippogriffs: In the midst of one of Pinkie's GroupHugs, Limestone says that Pinkie is "crushing [her] to gravel."
* HypocriticalHumor: Pinkie dislikes Mudbriar on the basis he's a strange, monotonous, and unsociable pony with a weird fixation on wood. Never mind the fact Maud is the exact same way(subbing rocks for wood), as Starlight points out.

* HypocriticalHumor: Pinkie dislikes Mudbriar on the basis he's a strange, monotonous, and unsociable pony with a weird fixation on wood. Never mind the fact Maud is the exact same way, as Starlight points out.

* PromotionToOpeningTitles: This episode debuts a new opening sequence, featuring the Friendship School students from the season premiere and several supporting characters that have appeared through the series.[[note]]In order of appearance: The Wonderbolts (Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and Misty Fly), Cranky Doodle, Matilda, Zecora, Cheerilee, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Trixie, Lyra Heartstrings, Bon Bon, Trixie, Maud Pie, DJ Pon-3, Ember, Thorax, Sugar Belle, Sassy Saddles, Princess Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart.[[/note]]

* GotMeDoingIt: Mudbriar's habit of [[VerbalTic starting sentences with "Technically..."]] starts to rub off on other ponies.

* InsistentTerminology: Mudbriar. He takes a long time deciding to say either "goodbye" or "see you later" to a shop clerk (since "See you later" implies an event in the near future wherein they would see each other again, and "goodbye" expresses good wishes where parting or at the end of a conversation). He also tells Pinkie that her Party-Planning Cave is actually a cavern, due to the speleothems growing from the ceiling, and later points out that her "olive branch" is actually a ''Quercus''. He seems aware others see his insistence on various terminologies off putting, but as he notes:

-->'''Mudbriar:''' I will not apologize for speaking with precision.\\

* InsistentTerminology: Mudbriar. He takes a long time deciding to say either "goodbye" or "see you later" to a shop clerk (since "See you later" implies an event in the near future wherein they would see each other again, and "goodbye" expresses good wishes where parting or at the end of a conversation). He also tells Pinkie that her Party-Planning Cave is actually a cavern, due to the speleothems growing from the ceiling, and later points out that her "olive branch" is actually a ''Quercus''.

Pinkie learns that Mudbriar is just as obsessed with sticks as Maud is with rocks, the pair having met at a petrified wood show which included both their interests. Despite her efforts at being friendly, Pinkie cannot get used to Mudbriar's mannerisms and finds herself perplexed and annoyed by his relationship with her sister. Starlight advises Pinkie to spend some time with Mudbriar planning Maud's birthday party to get to know him better, since they both clearly care about Maud and that commonality might help them bond.

Pinkie learns that Mudbriar is just as obsessed sticks as Maud is about rocks, the pair having met at a petrified wood show which included both their interests. Despite her efforts at being friendly, Pinkie cannot get used to Mudbriar's mannerisms and finds herself perplexed and annoyed by his relationship with her sister. Starlight advises Pinkie to spend some time with Mudbriar planning Maud's birthday party to get to know him better, since they both clearly care about Maud and that commonality might help them bond.

At the store, Pinkie becomes irritated with a stallion that is taking a rather long time just to decide how to say goodbye to the store clerk. Pinkie manages to get him out of the store, but by then, the clerk's on her own lunch break. Annoyed, Pinkie is then surprised to find Maud outside. Maud apologizes for not being there for Pinkie, but explains that she's got a boyfriend, and introduces Pinkie to Mudbriar, the stallion Pinkie had just met.

While making preparations for a surprise party for Maud, Pinkie Pie starts to doubt her bond with her "super-best-sister-friend" when she has trouble getting along with Mudbriar. After some uncomfortable re-introductions, Pinkie learns that Mudbriar is just as interested in sticks as Maud is about rocks, having met him at a rock show. Pinkie cannot get used to Mudbriar's mannerisms and goes to complain to Starlight. Starlight suggests that Pinkie spend some time with Mudbriar to help with Maud's party to get to know him better, since otherwise he and Maud have similar personalities.

Pinkie invites Mudbriar to her party cave, and explains what she know Maud likes such as surprise parties, but Mudbriar counters her, stating that that's something he knows Maud doesn't like. Pinkie, further irritated, takes Mudbriar to where Maud and Starlight are flying kites and asks Maud directly about how she feels about surprise parties. Maud says she likes them, but only because they bring Pinkie so much happiness. Realizing that Mudbriar was right, Pinkie runs off, believing she's no longer Maud's "best sister friends forever". She travels to her family's rock farm to get away from Maud and Mudbriar, and talks to Limestone and Marble about how Maud's been behaving around him. Limestone offers Pinkie a metaphor, that Mudbriar is like a geode -- Pinkie may only see the blandness of Mudbriar's personality, but she should know that Maud likely sees something within him that she likes.

Inspired, Pinkie returns to Ponyville and makes amends with Mudbriar, and offers to listen to his advice for Maud's party. Later that day, the rest of the town gathers for the party, while Maud, Mudbriar, and Pinkie watch from afar, as Pinkie decided to hold a surprise party that Maud didn't have to be there for, based on Mudbriar's advice. Maud declares it is the best party she's had.

* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Mudbriar points out that Pinkie's "olive branch" is actually "a ''Quercus'', most likely ''castaneifolia'' (a.k.a. a chestnut-leaved oak). But the leaves on the branch [[https://derpibooru.org/1695519 don't match]] ''Q. castaneifolia'' leaves at all. On the other hoof, they are a pretty good match for ''Q. cerris x castaneifolia'' (a.k.a. the hybrid of turkey oak and chestnut-leaved oak).