Sherlock Twilight is on the Case!
- Story by Thom Zahler, Art by Kate Sherron
Twilight Sparkle receives a mysterious message about a missing turtle! Only it's not just any turtle — it's the most famed of racing turtles, Silver Blaze! With friendship on the line, it's up to Twilight and Spike (armed with deerstalker caps and capes) to solve the mystery before it's too late! Elementary, my dear fillies! It's a brand-new Pony mystery to solve! Get ready to solve a mystery-Sherlock Holmes-style!
Tropes:
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Millerspoke (the prime suspect in Silver Blaze's disappearance) gives Twilight a Sherlock Holmes-style hat and coat to help her keep warm because she was the only pony who gave her the benefit of the doubt.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: One of the pages at the races states that they could've "saved pages" if Twilight had just told them the culprit right away.
- Continuity Nod: Leight Stride mentions that Twilight has solved many mysteries, such as "The Mystery of the Crystal Empire".
- Foreshadowing: When she first appears, Downey Burns has a bruise under her right eye. It is later revealed that Silver Blaze kicked her there when she tried to feed her food that would give her a stomach ache.
- Gone Horribly Wrong: Downey Burns only intended to give Silver Blaze an upset stomach by giving her some argula lettuce. But Silver Blaze, hating that food, lashed out at her and ran away instead.
- I Am Very British: As it takes place in Trottingham, the Equestria equivalent of London, a lot of the natives speak like this.
- Insistent Terminology: Nock Pointe, Downey Burns' sister, stubbornly refers to her doll collection as "fully posable articulated collectibles".
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Leigh Stride, Trotland's local inspector. She readily agrees to let Twilight and Spike assist with the investigation.
- The Reveal: It is eventually revealed that Downey Burns attempted to sabotage Silver Blaze so she could bet against her in the race, and use the winnings to clear her debts for all the dolls in her sister's collection.
- The Rival: Alder Brown, Downey Burns' longtime foe in the tortoise races. She despises Downey, not only because Silver Blaze (her tortoise) always wins the races, but because she had the chance to buy Silver Blaze years ago, and Downey beat her to it.
- Serious Business:
- When Twilight sees that Silver Blaze's disappearance has left the residents of Trotland depressed and unwilling to celebrate the races, Twilight considers it a "crime against friendship", and pledges to help find Silver Blaze.
- The entire town treat the tortoise races this way, cheering and acting like it's the most exciting, nail-biting thing in the world (to Spike's bemusement).
- Shout-Out: This story has multiple references to the Sherlock Holmes books. It even ends with a dedication to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
- Spared by the Adaptation: In the original story, Silver Blaze killed Straker by kicking him in the head. Because this is Lighter and Softer (and because she's a pony getting kicked by a tortoise, not a human getting kicked by a horse) Downey Burns just has a bruise.
- Stating the Simple Solution: When Twilight gathers the town for the contest, stating that she's solved the mystery of Silver Blaze's disappearance, one of the townsponies points out that she could just tell them who the culprit is right now.
- We Used to Be Friends: Downey Burns and Alder Brown were once friends, before racing rivalries divided them. When Downey learns that the runaway Silver Blaze went to Alder because she remembered they were once friends, she gladly renews their friendship.
