Season 10 Episode 5
Story by Mary Kenney, Art by Trish Forstner, Colored by Heather Breckel
"Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood are back in Ponyville! Scootaloo’s beyond excited for her parents’ visit, but when it becomes clear that they don’t have much in common, Scoots learns that there’s no right or wrong way to be a family—and that’s ok."
This issue contains examples of:
- Affectionate Nickname: Aunt Holiday and Auntie Loftie call Scootaloo "Sweetie-loo".
- The Bus Came Back: Scootaloo's parents return after their debut in Season 9 of the show. Scootaloo's aunts also appear, now in their show designs instead of the ones the comics used earlier in Ponyville Mysteries.
- Continuity Nod:
- During Flashback scenes to how Snap and Mane gained their interests, Snap is shown observing fruit bats, while Mane researches flash bees.
- At the Canterlot Institute of Creature Research, the family interact with a bufogren, a maulwurf, a phoenix, and a roc, and observe a cragadile.
- Deadpan Snarker: There is a lot of this on display:
- When Aunt Holiday offers to help Auntie Loftie with her lemon bars, Aunt Loftie jokes "Oh, good, another pony who doesn't know a whisk from a water buffalo".
- Shortly after Snap and Mane arrive, a crashing sound is heard from the kitchen. When Scootaloo states that Aunt Holiday is helping Auntie Loftie, Snap smirks "That sounds about right".
- Hidden Depths: Scootaloo displays a talent for waterskiing.
- Like a Son to Me: While assuring Scootaloo that she and her parents are still family despite their differences, Aunt Holiday and Auntie Loftie tell her that they see her as a daughter.
- Minimalist Cast: Scootaloo and her family are the only ponies to appear in this story.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Snap Shutter invokes this when a cobra suddenly drops down into his camera sight.
- Scootaloo freaks out when she learns her parents want her to help them study a Cragadile's teeth.
- Planimal: The bush babies are depicted as monkey-like animals made out of leaves and branches.
- Pun-Based Creature: During their expedition, Snap and Mane encounter a family of bush babies — who resemble actual bushes with faces, arms and legs.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Scootaloo's parents love her and have good reason to be away from her as much as they are, but they and Scootaloo have next to no knowledge of what the other likes and their relationship naturally suffers a bit for it. Their first attempt to connect with Scootaloo ends badly, as their job only serves to scare her or bore her. It isn't until Scootaloo is honest with them about it that they're able to reconnect properly, but also admit they don't know Scootaloo as well as they wish they did.
- Speak in Unison: When Scootaloo starts crying, her aunts ask her what's wrong at the same time.
- Stepford Smiler: Scootaloo presents one to her aunts after she returns home from the conservation place with her parents, but it soon crumbles away and she breaks down.
