Line #133 Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E13SimpleWays


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mlp_s4e13_simpleways_5242.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Hmm, something doesn't seem right here, [[PersonalitySwap but I can't put my hoof on it.]]]]
3
4	->''"Sounds like somepony has a little bit of a crush."''
5	-->-- '''Twilight Sparkle'''
6
7	->Written by Josh Haber
8
9	The Ponyville Days Festival, a celebration of the founding of Ponyville, is three days away, and several ponies have applied to be Master of Ceremonies. When everyone gathers in the village center to see whose proposal has been accepted, Rarity is delighted to be named the winning pony. She has decided to put together a high-class festival focused on "small town chic," featuring a cider tasting, a formal gala, and a fashion show -- very ambitious and demanding stuff. But the main source of Rarity's nervous excitement is the upcoming arrival of Trenderhoof, a travel writer (and her CelebCrush), who is so fashion-forward that he "knows what's going to be hot even before it's tepid."
10
11	With Twilight in tow, Rarity meets Trenderhoof at the train station and instantly dissolves into giddy antics; despite this poor start, Trenderhoof seems to be impressed with Rarity and the small town charm of Ponyville, especially Sweet Apple Acres. But when he catches a glimpse of Applejack, hard at work as usual, he becomes instantly smitten, calling her the "pony of his dreams." Rarity's heart breaks.
12
13	Trenderhoof's clueless but persistent advances annoy Applejack, who has nothing in mind except finishing her chores and getting Sweet Apple Acres ready for the cider tasting. But Rarity decides that it has become a competition, and she sets out to reclaim Trenderhoof's attention by going more "country". Dressed in her rural best, she returns to Sweet Apple Acres and unconvincingly claims that she's always had a "rustic" side, even attempting to plow fields and buck apples. Alas, Trenderhoof still has eyes only for Applejack. Rarity decides to double down. She completely overhauls the festival's theme from "small town chic" to "[[TitleDrop Simple Ways]]", puts on unflattering country clothes, lets her mane go neglected, and tops it all off with an exaggerated Southern drawl. Applejack, thoroughly exasperated, tells her to stop the country pony act and just be herself, but Rarity insists that it's a legitimate aspect of her personality and [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial not something she's doing just to impress Trenderhoof]].
14
15	At Sweet Apple Acres, Rarity is inflicting her "Simple Ways" outfits on a few fillies when "Apple Jewel" arrives. Carrying herself in an over-the-top imitation of Rarity's fashionista sensibilities, Applejack pretends that her posh pony persona is just how ''she'''s always been. Rarity makes a heroic effort to maintain the farm-filly act, but when Applejack's beautiful gown gets splashed with mud she can't take it any longer and reverts to her real self. She confesses that she was so caught up in trying to impress Trenderhoof that she was denying who she really was. By the time Trenderhoof himself shows up, announcing his intentions to move to Ponyville for its "rustic charm," Applejack and Rarity have reconciled, and they join forces to talk him out of it.
16
17	After returning her Ponyville Days festival theme to "small town chic", Rarity writes in the Mane Six's journal that you should never change who you are to try and impress someone: if they don't like you for who you are, it's their loss. The high-class affair goes off without a hitch, and Trenderhoof even gives Rarity a rose at the height of her fashion show.
18
19	----
20	!!Tropes:
21	* AnAesop: You shouldn't change who you are just to impress someone else.
22	* AffectionateNickname: Rarity calls Spike "Spikey-poo".
23	* AllLoveIsUnrequited: Spike still has his crush on Rarity, who has a crush on Trenderhoof, who gets a crush on Applejack, who would really like if he left her alone. In the end, no one ends up with anyone.
24	* AmbidextrousSprite: The turquoise and pink gems in the hair accessory in Apple Jewel's mane switch places several times as she turns her head.
25	* AsideGlance:
26	** Twilight gives one after Rarity faints at the train station, before a face-hoof.
27	** When Rarity asks Spike how he could possibly know what it feels like to be obsessed with someone only to find out they're obsessed with someone else, he gives the viewer a wry stare.
28	* BaitAndSwitch: At the end it looks like Trenderhoof is going to ask Applejack to dance with him, but he ends up extending his hoof to Granny Smith instead.
29	* BeYourself: The episode's [[AnAesop Aesop]]. You should never try to change who you are to impress someone else.
30	%%* BetweenMyLegs: Rarity
31	* BriefAccentImitation: When Rarity and Applejack swap their style of dress, Applejack barely attempts to put on a posh voice, while Rarity adopts a comically exaggerated Southern accent.
32	* CallBack:
33	** Granny Smith is on the committee to choose who will plan the party, and Rarity describes Sweet Apple Acres as the place where Ponyville started, references to the Apple Family founding Ponyville in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E11FamilyAppreciationDay Family Appreciation Day]]".
34	** Rarity asks Spike how he could know about having an unrequited crush -- to which he makes an irritated AsideGlance -- then she hastily backtracks. "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E10SecretOfMyExcess Secret of My Excess]]" confirmed that she knows about his crush on her.
35	* CallToAgriculture: Trenderhoof shows up dressed like a hillbilly and states he'd like to settle down on a farm.
36	* CardiovascularLove:
37	** Rarity is surrounded by a flurry of hearts when she looks at Trenderhoof.
38	** It's Trenderhoof's turn to produce hearts when seeing Applejack.
39	* CelebrityCrush:
40	** Rarity is ''badly'' crushing for Trenderhoof, a famous traveling journalist.
41	** Inverted with Trenderhoof crushing on Applejack. It's clear that he's attracted to the "hard-working farm girl" instead of the "multi-savior of Equestria".
42	* ChangingYourselfForLove: Zig-zagged. Rarity isn't so much trying to change herself and imitating (what she thinks of) Applejack out of love to get Trenderhoof's attention than to impress him, and she's getting jealous when he keeps focusing on Applejack, whom he becomes smitten with. Played straight with Trenderhoof, however, near the end when he nearly decides to leave his job and city life to be a "country bumpkin" (even dressing in overalls) just out of his crush for AJ, though she manages to talk him out of it.
43	* CharacterDevelopment:
44	** Both Applejack and Rarity are rather upset with each other when one imitates the other instead of being herself. This is a good showing of how far they have developed as friends since "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E8LookBeforeYouSleep Look Before You Sleep]]".
45	** Spike has come to a more mature acknowledgement that his crush on Rarity is unrequited.
46	* TheCityVsTheCountry: The normally refined Rarity attempts farm life to impress Trenderhoof.
47	* ContinuityNod:
48	** Rarity still has the Mane Six's dresses from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E26TheBestNightEver the Grand Galloping Gala]] in Carousel Boutique.
49	** Ever wanted to see a grown-up [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E23TheCutieMarkChronicles Orangejack]]? Good news!
50	** The "cider tasting" recalls earlier examples of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E1MareInTheMoon ponies treating]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E12CallOfTheCutie beverages]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E15TheSuperSpeedyCiderSqueezy6000 as alcohol]].
51	** The waltz music from "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E16SonicRainboom Sonic Rainboom]]" is used during Rarity's "Small Town Chic" presentation.
52	** Rarity asks Fluttershy, [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E20GreenIsntYourColor former extremely famous model]], to help with her fashion show.
53	** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E8LookBeforeYouSleep This isn't the first time]] the spotlight is on the clash between Applejack's and Rarity's opposing personalities.
54	* CostumePorn: The dress that Rarity wears for her informal presentation of "Small Town Chic" to the rest of the mane cast and at the festival itself is one of her more elaborately bejeweled creations.
55	* CringeComedy: Rarity's farmpony impression is this in spades, as she very clearly has ''no idea'' what she's doing.
56	* DoggedNiceGuy:
57	** Spike to Rarity, as usual, as he helps her with her schemes to impress Trenderhoof [[IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy despite his own crush on her]].
58	** Trenderhoof tries to be this to Applejack, but he just ends up annoying her while she's trying to work.
59	* DramaQueen: Rarity talks herself into freaking out when Trenderhoof is late.
60	* DramaticIrony: Rarity tells [[DoggedNiceGuy Spike]] he can't ''possibly'' know what it's like to be infatuated with someone who doesn't notice you. {{Lampshaded}} by Spike's AsideGlance.
61	* EveryoneCanSeeIt: All of Rarity's friends see clear as day that she is utterly obsessed with Trenderhoof (as if her StalkerShrine didn't give it away).
62	* EyeTwitch: Rarity's lower eyelid twitch right before she faints.
63	* {{Facepalm}}: When Rarity faints after first meeting Trenderhoof, Twilight does a facehoof.
64	* FacePlant: Happens to Pinkie when she literally trips over herself with excitement waiting to see Rarity's plans for the festival.
65	* FascinatingEyebrow: Spike in reaction to Rarity's DramaticIrony, because it annoys him.
66	* {{Flanderization}}: InUniverse, Rarity goes a bit overboard trying to duplicate Applejack's style in that she becomes a borderline stereotype of a country hick. AJ decides to fight fire with fire by overplaying Rarity's usual quirks into a snobby fob.
67	* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Trenderhoof tries to buck a tree, which gets an apple stuck on his horn. Then he eats it.
68	* GrossUpCloseUp: A mild example when "bumpkin" Rarity shows that her hooves are cracked and dry from working in the fields.
69	* {{Hipster}}: As is evidenced by his [[MeaningfulName name]], Trenderhoof is always on the lookout for the latest "authentic" experience to turn into a fad travel destination.
70	* ImpossiblyTackyClothes: Applejack incredulously asks "What are you wearing?" when Rarity shows up at Sweet Apple Acres in her first attempt at dressing up to buck and haul apples, implying her outfit looks ridiculous (not to mention utterly impractical as work duds). Then there's her ''second'' attempt... More is definitely not more.
71	* InflatingBodyGag: Pinkie gasps so hard, her head inflates like a balloon [[AllBalloonsHaveHelium and she floats away]]. She's fine later on.
72	* InnocentBigot: Trenderhoof (a unicorn) comments to Applejack that he admires "the work ethic of earth ponies".
73	* InnocentlyInsensitive:
74	** Trenderhoof when he's talking with Applejack. He mentions that he ate four apples of a variety thought extinct, and mentions "the mundane, the simple, and the unappreciated" while pointing to specific ponies.
75	** Rarity laments about how it feels to be in love with someone who's in love with someone else... to ''Spike''.
76	* ItsAllAboutMe: Trenderhoof spends most of his conversations with Applejack and Rarity talking about himself and his travels. He does try to get Applejack to tell him about herself but she just wants him to leave her alone.
77	* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: Spike loves Rarity to the point that he'll help her impress a love rival just to see her happy.
78	* LoveAtFirstSight: Tenderhoof is instantly smitten with Applejack, though the feeling isn't mutual.
79	* LoveDodecahedron: [[https://www.facebook.com/mylittlepony/photos/pb.118429394841173.-2207520000.1392240786./811384765545629/?type=3&theater As suggested by the Hub's Facebook page]] The Love Triangle between Rarity, Trenderhoof, and AJ is amended by Spike's adoration of Rarity, and AJ's love of apples.
80	* LoveMakesYouDumb: Rarity's crush on Trenderhoof makes her behavior throughout the episode {{Out of Character\|Moment}}.
81	* LoveTriangle: Rarity is attracted to Trenderhoof, who is attracted to Applejack.[[note]]Spike's PrecociousCrush for Rarity doesn't figure into this, as he's already showing signs of growing out of it.[[/note]] The preexisting friendship between Rarity and Applejack closes it to a type 12.
82	* MeaningfulEcho: Applejack fires back at Rarity the same retort the latter gave the former earlier about one of them not knowing the other well, just to show how silly Rarity is being.
83	-->'''Applejack''': You like fashion and high society and fancy things!\
84	'''Rarity''': And I can like plowin' fields and haulin' apples just as much!\
85	'''Applejack''': But you don't!\
86	'''Rarity''': How do you know what I like?\
87	'''Applejack''': Because ''I know you''!\
88	'''Rarity''': We-ell, maybe you don't know me as well as you think!\
89	----\
90	'''Rarity''': You like plowing fields and hauling apples!\
91	'''Applejack''': And I can like fashion just as much.\
92	'''Rarity''': But you don't!\
93	'''Applejack''': Well, maybe you do not know me as well as you think.
94	* MeaningfulName: Trenderhoof's special talent is setting social trends in motion.
95	* MessyHair: Rarity's hair when going full country bumpkin is the opposite of her usual elegant coif.
96	* NiceGuy: Trenderhoof is a bit full of himself and can come across as insensitive, but he is never mean and takes being rejected well.
97	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: According to Hasbro VP of Programming Mike Vogel, Trenderhoof was pitched as the [[https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/432176812135682050 "Anthony Bourdain of Equestria"]].
98	* NotHimself: Both Rarity and Applejack act like {{Flanderiz\|ation}}ed versions of each other, although Applejack is intentionally doing it to snap Rarity out of it.
99	* ObliviousToLove: Applejack spends much of the episode wondering why in Equestria Trenderhoof is so obsessed with her. She lets him down gently when she puts two and two together.
100	* OcularGushers: Implied by the puddle trail the distraught Rarity leaves to her StalkerShrine.
101	* OhCrap: After Rarity comes to her senses and apologizes for getting mud on Applejack's dress, she asks her where she got it from, whereupon Applejack hesitantly reveals that it's one of ''Rarity's''. Trope ensues.
102	-->'''Rarity:''' ''[frantically shaking Spike after realizing that she ended up ruining one of her own dresses]'' I'll need three gallons of boiling water and one ounce of detergent ''stat!''
103	* OjouRinglets: Applejack sports a pair of curly sidetails when dressed as Apple Jewel.
104	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: InUniverse; Creator/TabithaStGermain gives quite a convincing portrayal of Rarity faking a Southern twang and occasionally slipping into her real accent. At times she begins to sound like a younger Granny Smith; not surprisingly as she's also voiced by Tabitha St. Germain.
105	* OppositesAttract: When travel writer Trenderhoof is attracted to the down-to-Earth farm girl Applejack. Averted with Rarity, who's a fair bit like Trenderhoof and is attracted to him.
106	* PersonalitySwap: After Rarity tries to impress Trenderhoof by acting more like Applejack but going so overboard that she ends up being more like a stereotypical country hick, Applejack decides to retaliate by modeling as "Apple Jewel", a "trend-setting fashionista" who's an exaggeration of Rarity. The two of them essentially become [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] versions of each other, though Applejack is doing it to make a point about how silly Rarity is being, something which Rarity herself points out when she comes to her senses at the end of the episode.
107	* PimpedOutDress:
108	** Apple Jewel's dress befits her name and also its place in Rarity's closet.
109	** Rarity's at the beginning and end of the episode is very fancy but that's normal for her.
110	* PunnyName: Trenderhoof is a play on "tenderfoot", a term applied to novice ranchers.
111	* RaceFetish: Trenderhoof certainly seems to have something of a (G-rated, of course) fetish for earth ponies, and one of the driving forces of the plot is that he's interested in Applejack because she fits his idea of what earth ponies are supposedly like rather than being interested in her as an individual. Applejack, of course, wants nothing to do with him.
112	* RememberTheNewGuy: Rarity claims she's had a crush on Trenderhoof ''"EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING OF TIME!!!"'', but the only crush we've heard her mention before was for Prince Blueblood. Justified in that, well, it's [[DramaQueen Rarity]].
113	* SanitySlippage: Rarity, having adopted a "country" personality, breaks down more as AJ mocks her by posing as a Southern Belle, to the point where Rarity ''willingly jumps into a mud puddle''.
114	-->'''Rarity:''' ''[in a southern twang]'' I LOVE BEIN' COVERED IN MUD!
115	* ShoutOut: Rarity's newer "Simple Ways" feels like a city slicker doing a sillier version of the old TV country music variety show, ''Series/HeeHaw'' (in which normally more metro actors would appear as guests on and would try to act "yokel").
116	* TheSimpleLifeIsSimple: Rarity's and Trenderhoof's understanding of life on the farm is limited at best. At one point they talk about how much they love farm life and apple hauling in front of Applejack, who has doubts of their sincerity, let alone their aptitude for farming.
117	-->'''Applejack:''' ''[muttering]'' Maybe you two should ''try'' it sometime.
118	* SkewedPriorities: Rarity is more interested in impressing her crush than getting ready for the Ponyville events.
119	* SkywardScream: During Rarity's freak-out at the train station, which gets everypony within earshot gawking at her.
120	* SheCleansUpNicely: This isn't the first time it's happened with Applejack, but when she becomes "Apple Jewel" she looks like a SouthernBelle.
121	* SouthernBelle: Applejack comes across as this with her posh persona.
122	* StalkerShrine: Rarity has one for Trenderhoof. It includes a lock of his mane.
123	* StealthPun:
124	** Applejack becomes the apple of Trenderhoof's eye.
125	** At the beginning of the episode, Pinkie Pie is absolutely sure that she's a shoo-in for the pony of ceremonies job and then she holds her breath until her head swells up. [[{{Pride}} She got a swelled head.]]
126	* StockSoundEffect: The reversed version of Pinkie's gasp from the pilot is reused when Pinkie balloons herself.
127	* StraightMan: The only reason that Rarity and Applejack acting like each other doesn't turn into HamToHamCombat is that Applejack remains cool and collected, and it's just Rarity that goes over the top.
128	-->'''Applejack:''' My hooves are so polished, you can see your reflection in them.\
129	'''Rarity:''' My hooves are cracked and dried, from ''working in the fields''!\
130	'''Applejack:''' I smell like rosebuds!\
131	'''Rarity:''' ''I LOVE BEING COVERED IN MUD!''
132	* SubvertedRhymeEveryOccasion: Said by Trenderhoof while talking and staring right at Rarity...
133	-->''Without farm life, there'd be such disparity\
134	These thoughts I think with great clarity\
135	Apples high to the sky\
136	She's the one of my eye\
137	That fruit-hauling pony named... Applejack!''[[labelnote:*]]In case you haven't noticed, this is a limerick.[[/labelnote]]
138	* SwappedRoles: Rarity and AJ begin acting like each other (FarmGirl and TheFashionista, respectively) though AJ does so to mock how silly Rarity is acting.
139	* TakeThat: During Trenderhoof's spiel, he mentions "the unappreciated"... and points to Derpy. Whether this is a dig at [[BitingTheHandHumor Hasbro]] or to [[TakeThatAudience Bronies]] (or is just straight-up ironic or HypocriticalHumor) is up in the air.
140	* TitleDrop: When Rarity changes the theme of the festival, she names it "Simple Ways".
141	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: Applejack and Rarity, as usual, but pretend to be their opposite personality this time. In the end they create a caricature.
142	* UnkemptBeauty: How Trenderhoof sees Applejack; he just loves her "authentic" look. Rarity attempts to achieve this look with her farm-filly getup.
143	* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Rarity tries to avoid Trenderhoof's notice by hiding behind Princess Twilight, multi-time savior of Equestria. Rarity seems to expect Twilight to be this.
144	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie and Fluttershy were not seen again for the rest of the episode after "new" Rarity leaves the boutique; in fact, they weren't seen at the festival later on.
145	* WingdingEyes: Just before Trenderhoof pushes her aside to gaze on AJ, Rarity's eyes go heart-shaped staring at Trenderhoof.
146	* YourMakeupIsRunning: Rarity's mascara runs down her face while crying about how Trenderhoof has a crush on Applejack instead of her.

Context Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E13SimpleWays