History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E6SurfAndOrTurf

* MostWonderfulSound: InUniverse; a big reason Sweetie Belle adores the aptly named Harmonizing Heights is the musical ambiance.

** Twilight eats hippogriff treats that include fish, which ponies aren't normally shown eating. Real-life horses can eat meat, but will only do so if desperate and it's not the best for their digestive systems or diet.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders are surprised to discover that their cutie marks are glowing, and Twilight Sparkle tells them that the Cutie Map has a friendship mission for them, in far-off Mount Aris. As she needs to get a permission form signed by Silverstream's parents for the school, Twilight escorts the [=CMCs=] as they take the train to the newly opened Mount Aris station, since the hippogriffs there no longer have to worry about the Storm King.

When they arrive, they meet Terramar, Silverstream's brother, who helps to bring them to his father, Sky Beak. Twilight and the [=CMCs=] are impressed with how revitalized Mount Aris has become, and they have arrived just in time for one of their celebrations. While Twilight goes off to enjoy the festivities, the [=CMCs=] continue to talk to Terramar about himself, learning that while some of the hippogriffs returned to live on Mount Aris, others, including his mother Ocean Flow, opted to remain in Seaquestria as seaponies; fortunately, with the help of the shards of the magic pearl they each wear as necklaces, they can go back and forth between land and sea. However, Terramar is stuck trying to decide to stay with his father or mother, and the [=CMCs=] discover that Terramar is the problem they need to solve.

While exploring Aris, Sweetie Belle comes on the Harmonizing Heights, a valley with musical-like properties that enthralls her. She decides to start to make a checklist of the benefits and downsides of Mount Aris, but Scootaloo points out they haven't seen Seaquestria yet. When Twilight is ready to get Ocean Flow's signature, Terramar uses his necklace to transform all of them into seaponies. Scootaloo is quick to love swimming as it feels like flying to her, but Sweetie Belle is far less impressed. After they meet Ocean Flow and Twilight leaves to join her for some other activities, Terramar shows the [=CMCs=] around Seaquestria. Scootaloo identifies several positive elements of Seaquestria over Mount Aris. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo start to argue about which place is better, and Apple Bloom is unable to come to a decision. Terramar, frustrated that the [=CMCs=] have ended up arguing among themselves instead of helping him decide, runs off.

Apple Bloom tries to bring Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo back on speaking terms, while Twilight joins up with them on the beach. As they talk about Terramar's situation, both the hippogriffs and the seaponies arrive, looking to offer Twilight more opportunities to try their cultures. This gives Sweetie Belle an idea. The [=CMCs=] go off to find Terramar, who has given up hope in trying to choose, and they suggest there's a better way. By the time they bring Terramar back to the beach, there is a large picnic-like gathering of both hippogriffs and seaponies set up by Twilight and the [=CMCs=]. Sky Beak and Ocean Flow both apologize to Terramar, as they never wanted to make it sound like he needed to choose one place or the other, but instead assure him he has the freedom to go back and forth, and they will love him the same. Pleased that he doesn't have to make a decision, Terramar thanks the [=CMCs=] and happily joins his family, while the [=CMCs=] find their cutie marks glowing again, indicating their mission was a success.

** When the [=CMCs=] reveal to Twilight their glowing cutie marks, and Twilight tells them that the map is calling them, Scootaloo excitedly asks "Did I mention we're glowing?"

* FrameBreak: At one point during, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle "fight" over the screen division between the Harmonizing Heights and Seaquestria, pushing each of their sides with their heads, thus illustrating each "pushing" their opinions about those places.

* FriendlyPlayfulDolphin: A dolphin high-fives Scootaloo during her part in the song.

** Silverstream is mentioned several times, with Twilight going with the [=CMCs=] to Mount Aris so her parents can sign a permission form allowing her to go on school field trips, but doesn't actually appear in the episode.

* CallBack: Mount Aris and Seaquestria, first introduced in [[Film/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 the movie]], serve as the main settings of the episode. The plot itself is driven by the consequences of the movie's resolution: since the hippogriffs no longer have to hide underwater, some have chosen to take that form and return to their old home on Mount Aris. Others have decided to remain seaponies and continue living in Seaquestria since they've gotten used to it. A few, like Terramar, can't decide which world or form they want to live in.

* RealityEnsues: Part of the reason why Twilight comes with the Cutie Mark Crusaders on their mission is because they’re too young to go on an international trip all by themselves, so they need a chaperone.

* UnreliableNarrator: In Apple Bloom's retelling of the Battle of Canterlot, she claims her sister defeated the Storm King by herself until called on it by Twilight.

* WorldBuilding: The hippogriffs' society is shown in more detail, with Harmonizing Heights introduced. A new train line for the Friendship Express has also been constructed, allowing the denizens of Equestria to travel all the way to Mount Aris. The hippogriffs and seaponies are also shown to have a carnivorous(or at least omnivorous) diet, making them the first sapient society in the series that isn't herbivorous or doesn't EatDirtCheap.

* WorldBuilding: The hippogriffs' society is shown in more detail, with Harmonizing Heights introduced. A new train line for the Friendship Express has also been constructed, allowing the denizens of Equestria to travel all the way to Mount Aris. The hippogriffs and seaponies are also shown to have a carnivorous diet, making them the first sapient society in the series that isn't herbivorous or doesn't EatDirtCheap.

** Terramar is in a situation where his father has returned to surface and become a hippogriff while his mother opts to stay in sea as a seapony, with him torn between the two places. This situation could easily compared to a kid whose parents are divorced. Notably, after hearing that his father lives on Mount Aris and his mother lives in Seaquestria, Sweetie Belle acts sheepish and says "Oh, I'm sorry" like a person who realizes they've brought up such a sensitive topic.

* PlotMandatedFriendshipFailure: Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle get into an argument over whether Mount Aris or Seaquestria is the best place for Terramar to live and end up not speaking to each other.

** The bald eagle that briefly appears with Sweetie Belle during the song lets out the cry of an ''actual'' bald eagle, rather than the [[StockSoundEffect screech of a red-tailed hawk]].

* VisualPun: During the song, Scootaloo says "For all intents and porpoises", then high-fins an ''actual'' porpoise.

* TheoryOfNarrativeCausality: It's a Map episode. Apple Bloom brings up the idea that the Crusaders are the right ponies for whatever friendship problem they were called to solve, but it could have been a little more specific about where they need to go. Since this is their first Map mission and they're still young, inexperienced fillies, it takes them a while (and a little guidance from Twilight) to figure out how to fulfill their mission.

* WorldBuilding: The hippogriffs' society is shown in more detail, with Harmonizing Heights introduced. A new train line for the Friendship Express has also been constructed, allowing the denizens of Equestria to travel all the way to Mount Aris.

* PetTheDog:
** Sweetie Belle is rather insistent on Mount Aris, but immediately feels bad for Terramar when he mentions his mother still lives in Seaquestria.
** The episode does this for Scootaloo. She may not be able to fly, but rather than moping about it, she's ''thrilled'' when she gets to swim as a seapony and it's clear she's very much enjoying herself.

* RhymesOnADime: "Your Heart Is in Two Places" had rapid-fire rhyming within individual lines. Sweetie Belle rhymes "dare" with eight other words within two lines, which have a different terminal rhyme.

** Terramar is in a situation where his father has returned to surface and become a hippogriff while his mother opts to stay in sea as a seapony, with him torn between the two places. This situation could easily compared to a kid whose parents are divorced.
*** Notably, after hearing that his father lives on Mount Aris and his mother lives in Seaquestria, Sweetie Belle acts sheepish and says "Oh, I'm sorry" like a person who realizes they've brought up such a sensitive topic.

* CharacterDevelopment: Compare Twilight's behavior here to "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E10ARoyalProblem A Royal Problem]]". In that one she was obviously nervous, closely monitoring and often criticizing Starlight's actions, which inadvertently made the mission harder than it needed to be. Here she contents herself with acting as a chaperone and giving a little general advice, only stepping in when it's clear the CMC have hit a serious snag.

* OnlySaneWoman: Applebloom is the only one who tries to remain neutral and impartial when helping Terramar figure out where he should live. She gives both her friends a DisapprovingLook after they cause him to leave in frustration and blame each other for it.

* ShownTheirWork: Twilight eats hippogriff treats that include fish, which ponies aren't normally shown eating. Real-life horses can eat meat, but will only do so if desperate and it's not the best for their digestive systems or diet.

[[caption-width-right:350:''Don't you forget about me...'']]

* NewRulesAsThePlotDemands: While the rules of the Cutie Map haven't been spelled out in absolute terms, it's consistently been the case in previous episodes that it chooses who to send based on whose talents or personality will make them most suited to solve the problem. However, the CMC don't really bring anything unique to the table that anypony else couldn't have done – Twilight is the one who points out the solution, and the CMC just take advantage of a serendipitous meeting of the hippogriffs and seaponies to prove the point to Terramar.

* VacationEpisode: Twilight uses Silverstream's permission slip and chaperoning the Crusaders as excuses to tag along and do "research". Scootaloo hangs a lampshade on it immediately.
* VegetarianCarnivore: Averted. The hippogriffs enjoy salmon juice, and Ocean Flow offers Twilight and the Crusaders kelp chips and a cup of fish oil tea.

* AwesomeMusic: InUniverse; a big reason Sweetie Belle adores the aptly named Harmonizing Heights is the musical ambiance.

* CharacterDevelopment: Compare Twilight's behavior here to ''[[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS7E10ARoyalProblem A Royal Problem'']]. In that one she was obviously nervous, closely monitoring and often criticizing Starlight's actions, which inadvertently made the mission harder than it needed to be. Here she contents herself with acting as a chaperone and giving a little general advice, only stepping in when it's clear the CMC have hit a serious snag.

-->'''Scootaloo:''' Swimming is like flying, multi-color fish, and did I mention the flying thing?!

* UnderwaterCity: Seaquestria, a seapony city built in an underground sea beneath Mount Aris. The buildings of the city itself are seemingly made of glass, and hang from the roof of the cave like lanterns.