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Recap / My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic S5 E7 "Make New Friends but Keep Discord"

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Nothing can stop the Smooze... from PARTYING!

"Can you imagine how dull it would have been if I hadn't invited Discord? Come on! WOO! The night is still young!"
Princess Celestia

Special Guest Star: John de Lancie as Discord
Written by Natasha Levinger

While talking with Discord at their Tuesday tea party, Fluttershy mentions the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala. Discord is eager to go with her, but Fluttershy, assuming Discord had received his own invitation, already invited a new friend of hers named Tree Hugger. Discord tries to pretend it doesn't bother him as he storms out of Fluttershy's cottage. He visits the rest of the Mane Six in hopes of being invited by one of them, but he finds out they're all taking their sisters to the Gala (except for Twilight, who is in Canterlot preparing for it with Princess Celestia). While at Pinkie Pie's cake shop, Discord spots Fluttershy with Tree Hugger, whom Discord immediately takes a dislike to. He returns home in a huff and spends some time stewing over Fluttershy taking somepony else to the Gala, until the mailpony arrives with a ticket. It turns out that Discord is invited after all, but the mailpony had trouble finding his way to Discord's house. While Discord is excited to go, he decides that he can't show up alone...

The night of the Gala, Discord arrives with the Smooze, a sentient green blob that constantly tries to eat shiny objects and grows with each object consumed. Twilight, who has taken on the responsibility of helping Princess Celestia organize the event, warns Discord to keep the Smooze under control. Discord halfheartedly assures Twilight he will before going off to interrupt Fluttershy and Tree Hugger's conversation. However, Tree Hugger is so calm and mellow that she's not at all bothered by Discord's thinly-veiled hostility. While Discord is distracted, the Smooze begins eating the jewels off of Rarity's dress, covering her in slime and causing a commotion. Twilight again admonishes Discord to keep the Smooze under control, and Discord reluctantly cleans up after the troublesome creature. He then proceeds to ditch the Smooze by locking him in a storage room, not noticing that the shelves are filled with all manner of gold and jewels.

Throughout the night, Discord does everything he can to prove that he's better than Tree Hugger, including performing a (bad) stand-up comedy routine after Fluttershy calls Tree Hugger "funny". While he's doing this, the Smooze, having grown to an enormous size, breaks free of the jewelry room and covers the entire floor in slime. Twilight and Celestia find that their magic is ineffective against the blob, but Tree Hugger manages to calm the Smooze with some soft singing, causing it to gather up in one place and release everypony. Fed up, Discord rips open a portal to another dimension, intending to send Tree Hugger through it, but Fluttershy angrily demands that he stop. Discord argues that Tree Hugger was driving a wedge between them because Fluttershy invited Tree Hugger instead of him. Fluttershy counters that just because she invited somepony else doesn't mean that they aren't friends, pointing out that it's possible to have different friends for different reasons. Finally realizing his mistake, Discord releases Tree Hugger and pulls the contents of the treasury room out of the Smooze, returning the blob to normal size. Discord apologizes to Tree Hugger for his irrational jealousy and also to the Smooze for ignoring it all night. Twilight apologizes to Princess Celestia for a ruined Gala, but to Twilight's amazement and confusion, Celestia replies that it was the most enjoyable Gala in years and that she's glad Discord was present to liven things up. Celestia then leads Twilight back onto the dance floor, saying that the night is still young.


Tropes:

  • Actually Pretty Funny: Discord's joke about Twilight's flying ability gets a chuckle out of Celestia.
  • Adaptational Heroism: In G1, the Smooze was a villain who consciously absorbed most of Ponyland. In G4, the Smooze seems to be a friendly and benign entity who just has trouble controlling its powers and frightens other ponies by its nature as a Blob Monster.
  • Ahem: Played for Laughs, when Discord tries to get Fluttershy's attention at the Gala. He keeps turning it up until he's outright coughing and hacking.
  • All There in the Manual: The Pocket Dimension where Discord lives is identified as "Chaosville" in the official chapter books and artbook.
  • American Gothic Couple: When Discord is praising the dimension he's about to banish Tree Hugger to, he makes appear a ponified version of the famous painting.
  • Another Dimension: Where Discord is threatening to send Tree Hugger so that she won't get between Fluttershy and him any more.
  • Anti-Humor: Discord asks Fluttershy to tell Tree Hugger a funny anecdote about "that time we went to the store and came back with two cakes instead of one; that's how crazy we are when we're together."
    Fluttershy: Um, we went to the store and got two cakes.
    [Beat]
    Discord: Oh, well you kind of left out all the fun and frivolity there.
  • Anti-Magic: Not only is the Smooze immune to magic blasts, a small blob of its slime covering Celestia's horn is enough to prevent her from using magic, much like Sombra's dark crystals on Shining Armor's horn.
  • Apology Gift: Thinking he has to apologize to Fluttershy for his jealous and possessive behavior, Discord presents a flower to her.
  • Armor-Piercing Question: While calling Discord out, Fluttershy asks him one that leaves him tripping over his words and realizing he might have overreacted a bit.
    Fluttershy: What if you had a friend you could discuss chaos-based magic with? Would that mean we weren't friends anymore?
  • Ascended Meme: When Hasbro began airing commercials for Nickelodeon's Gak, a common fandom meme was that "the Smoozenote  was the original Gak".note  At the end of this episode, the Smooze's "dancing" makes it look like he is made of Gak.
  • Aside Comment: Discord's "Tough crowd..." remark is directed straight at the viewers (and not the pony audience).
  • Ass Kicks You: Blink and you'll miss it, but when Discord "butts in" the conversation with the ponies, he shoves Tree Hugger aside with his posterior.
  • Audience Participation Failure: Discord tries to start a "Knock Knock" Joke during his impromptu stand-up routine, but the pony audience doesn't respond with "Who's there?", to his bafflement.
  • Batman Gambit: Celestia reveals that she counted on Discord being his whimsical self at the Grand Galloping Gala just so she could have a good time. She gets the Mane Six to do the exact same thing at the previous gala, though Discord's trickery with the guests and the Smooze in this episode has more intent.
  • Big "WHAT?!": Twilight gives one when Celestia says that the night was a blast because of all the chaos caused by Discord and the Smooze.
  • Binocular Shot: From Sugarcube Corner, Discord spots Fluttershy walking with Tree Hugger; we see from his point of view a scope-like display that turns red as soon as it centers on Tree Hugger. Lampshaded in that Discord is then shown looking through a periscope in the cut back.
  • Blob Monster: The Smooze is a sentient green blob of slime that grows larger with every shiny object it eats, eventually covering everything with its smooziness.
  • Blowing a Raspberry: Apple Bloom gives Discord the tongue treatment after he scares her and her friends.
  • Bowdlerize: In the UK, Discord's line "I can't have you interfering in my relationship with Fluttershy anymore!" is cut out.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: Pinkie pushes her usual fourth-wall-leaning antics even further than usual when Discord states he's there to buy all the cakes, and she turns to the camera to shake it with excitement.
  • Brick Joke:
    • During his conversation with Fluttershy about the Gala, Discord makes the table with the teapot levitate toward the ceiling. When he later leaves in a huff, the table and teapot unexpectedly fall back to the floor.
    • At the start of the scene at Carousel Boutique, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are playing a type of card game, with Applejack taking her turn. Throughout the scene, which includes the CMC shouting, AJ using her tail as a handkerchief, and Discord causing his usual mischief, Rainbow keeps looking at her cards. She finally makes a play at the end of the scene, causing everypony to stare at her.
  • Burning with Anger: Discord is engulfed in green flames as he watches Fluttershy making a friendly gesture to Tree Hugger.
  • Call-Back:
    • The Grand Galloping Gala becomes a central plot point for the first time since the season one finale.
    • Fluttershy mentions meeting Tree Hugger on her trip to visit the Breezies.
    • Maud Pie is Pinkie's companion at the Gala.
    • As mentioned in "The Best Night Ever", the Gala usually is dull and tiresome for Celestia, so she invites Discord, hoping that he'll liven it up. And just like last time, she actually enjoys the chaos that the rowdy guests bring.
  • Camera Abuse: Pinkie Pie shakes the camera when Discord says he plans to buy all her cakes.
  • Changing Clothes Is a Free Action: It's nothing unusual for Discord, but he really changes clothes a lot in this episode. Just for the comedy routine, he switches three times, for a total of four outfits (Jim Carrey's Dumb & Dumber tuxedo, Eddie Murphy's Delirious vest, Rodney Dangerfield's suit, and finally Gallagher's getup).
  • Comedic Sociopathy:
    • Discord's treatment of the mailpony, who has apparently been drifting around in the pocket dimension where Discord lives for days. While the mailpony thinks he can find his way out again if Discord would just give him some directions, Discord absentmindedly sets him adrift again.
    • Celestia is a mite too entertained by Discord holding her guest up to a portal.
  • Comically Missing the Point: Discord demands to know why the mailpony was late with his ticket, ignoring the little detail about entering and finding one's way around in a pocket-dimensional Eldritch Location.
  • The Comically Serious: Maud definitely shows she has a sense of humor this time. She's still sullen and monotone, though.
    Discord: This is the most basic of jokes!
    Maud: You're the most basic of jokes.
    Pinkie: Good one, Maud!
  • Continuity Nod:
    • There are a lot of nods to the previous Gala-related episodes. Like the Mane Six previously, the CMC are excited for their first Gala, saying it's going to be "the best night ever." Applejack is quick to mention there's nothing really life-changing about it. Like Spike was, Discord is disappointed to not get a ticket, pretends not to be, but is excited when it comes belatedly. Celestia is happy with having it wrecked because it would have been boring otherwise.
    • Discord's home features both his "thinking tree" from "Three's a Crowd" and the bizarre creatures from "the scariest cave in Equestria" and the ancient beast dealer's tent.
    • Rarity once again gets Covered in Gunge at the Gala.
    • Discord starts his stand-up routine next to a stool holding a glass of water.
    • While floating above the Smooze, Discord once again performs the little dance he did in his first appearance (as a stained glass window figure).
    • Discord conjures a flower as an apology (though this time, it doesn't take).
    • Celestia is once again looking forward to an annual event which she usually doesn't enjoy.
    • The way Discord telekinetically grabs Tree Hugger when threatening to send her to another dimension is almost identical to the way he grabs the Mane Six in his first appearance.
  • Covered in Gunge:
    • Rarity gets slimed by the Smooze when it tries to eat the jewels off her dress. Discord takes a vacuum to the mess, but he ends up vacuuming off her entire dress rather than just the slime.
    • Maud Pie gets splashed by watermelon pulp during Discord's stand-up routine, prompting her to heckle him.
    • After the Smooze is left unattended in a room full of treasure, it grows, breaks out, and covers the entire floor. Everypony at the Gala gets covered in the slime, which, in addition to being messy, is also extremely sticky.
  • Cower Power: Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle take cover behind their respective sisters when Discord shows up.
  • Cringe Comedy: Discord trying to do stand-up to the ponies and failing (save for a few in the crowd like Pinkie and Celestia).
  • Cute, but Cacophonic: The CMC happily (and loudly) rejoicing that they're going to the Gala causes Discord to pluck out his own antlers and use them to plug his ears. Yes, pointy ends first. (Don't Try This at Home unless you're a Spirit of Chaos.)
  • A Day in the Limelight: This isn't just an episode featuring Discord, but a Discord-centered episode. He has more screen time and dialogue in this one than in most of his previous appearances, and the ponies (save Fluttershy and Tree Hugger) are relegated to being secondary characters.
  • Dimensional Cutter: After growing increasingly irritated with Tree Hugger over the course of the episode, Discord raises his eagle claw, audibly sharpens it, and uses it to slice open a portal to another dimension to throw Tree Hugger into.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Discord almost ruins the Gala because he's jealous of Fluttershy going with Tree Hugger. By the climax, he's so upset he tries to send Tree Hugger to another dimension!
  • Easily Forgiven: Played for Laughs. Discord's outright sociopathic behavior that endangers every pony in the Gala and almost puts one into another dimension is met with a stern scolding by Fluttershy concerning jealousy. The mellow Tree Hugger also rather jovially accepts Discord's apology for "overreacting", though isn't quite comfortable with hugging him just yet.
  • Eat Dirt, Cheap: The Smooze feeds on gems and other "shiny things".
  • Eldritch Location: Discord's home is one, looking even more bizarre than what he turned Ponyville into.
  • Emerging from the Shadows: The reveal of the Smooze has it slithering out of the shadows.
  • Faint in Shock: One of the Gala guests, next to Lyra, faints when the Smooze is introduced.
  • Fauxdian Slip: Despite his claim about it just slipping out, Discord's comment about excluding the teacakes from their party is clearly intended as a passive-aggressive retort to not being invited to the Gala as Fluttershy's "plus one".
  • Fireball Eyeballs: Discord turns into a literal Green-Eyed Monster when green flames burn in his eyes, as part of the Burning with Anger moment.
  • Foreshadowing: After being introduced at the Gala, Discord brings the Smooze into the ballroom proper and feeds it a giant diamond. The Smooze briefly glows and then grows in size, alluding to what happens later when it finds itself in a room full of shiny things.
  • Freeze-Frame Bonus: While waiting for the CMC to get dressed up, Applejack and Rainbow are playing a game of cards. Cards with the Mane Six's Cutie Marks on them.
  • Funny Background Event:
    • The mailpony that delivers Discord's ticket to the Gala is sent off floating into Discord's void, where a flying creature grabs him.
    • While Discord talks to Pinkie after telling her he'd like "ALL of the cakes," Pinkie dashes after and grabs a plate of cupcakes on the table.
  • Furry Reminder: Tree Hugger's singing is rather like a horse's whinny, albeit more tuneful than one.
  • Giant Eye of Doom: One of the mirrors at the Carousel Boutique turns into a giant yellow eye with a red pupil staring at the CMC, naturally spooking them. It's just Discord making one of his creepy entrances.
  • Granola Girl: Fluttershy's friend Tree Hugger is a hippie pony who spends a lot of time talking about auras and nature.
  • Gravity Screw: Another trait that makes Discord's Pocket Dimension such a World of Chaos is that gravity seems purely random here. Pieces of land float around, and the poor mailpony can't help but tumble uncontrollably. Discord himself can ignore this, though, thanks to his reality-warping powers.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: In one scene, Discord literally turns into one when his eyes glow with green flames. He doesn't take kindly to Fluttershy inviting someone other than him to the Grand Galloping Gala.
  • HA HA HA—No: When Discord hears Fluttershy, Tree Hugger, and some of their friends laughing, he barges in and pretends to laugh harder than the whole group. When everypony stops laughing and Tree Hugger asks him what's so funny, he says "Exactly."
  • Hand-or-Object Underwear: After Discord accidentally sucks up her gala dress with his vacuum, Rarity tries to cover her chest and crotch with her forelegs. Never mind the fact that there's nothing for her to cover, or that ponies don't normally wear clothes, or that she has to use her forelegs as "arms" to pull off the gag.
  • The Heckler: Maud Pie delivering her No, You rejoinder to Discord during his try at comedic stand up.
  • Heel Realization: Discord eventually realizes he overreacted to Fluttershy having a friend other than him and apologizes to Tree Hugger. He also apologizes to the Smooze for his treatment.
  • Hilarity Ensues: Discord, the Spirit of Chaos, bringing the Smooze, a blob of slime, to a high-society party to perform trickery with the guests. Celestia was certainly hoping hilarity would follow.
  • Hypocritical Humor:
    • Applejack says that the Gala isn't some life-changing event just seconds before tearing up at Apple Bloom in her gala dress, taking it as a sign that her sister is all grown up.
    • Discord has this exchange with Fluttershy:
      Fluttershy: Treesy and I would love to talk to you more later.
      Discord: "Treesy"? Really? Sort of a juvenile nickname, don't ya think? [offscreen yell] Smoozey, wait up!
  • Idiosyncratic Wipes: A couple are used in the beginning:
    • The cards Applejack and Rainbow Dash are playing with fall down to transition from the Carousel Boutique to Sugarcube Corner.
    • A weird flying creature crosses the screen before we discover Discord's chaotic pocket dimension.
  • Innocently Insensitive:
    • Fluttershy, to a degree. She invites her brand-new friend to the Gala without ever confirming that Discord had even been invited; while she's not exactly obligated to do so, and it certainly doesn't excuse what Discord does next, it is sort of a raw deal for him. Although she does mention she didn't initially invite Discord because she thought he'd be getting his own invitation from Celestia, and as we find out, she was right.
    • She also ignores Discord when he tries to greet her at the Gala, though she does seem delighted to greet him once Discord ramps up the attention-getting coughing, so the latter case was most likely just being too involved in her conversation with Tree Hugger. Which, of course, does wonders for Discord's mood.
  • Is This Thing On?: Discord starts his stand-up routine with the obligatory "Check, check, check, is this thing on?"
  • It Can Think: At first it is not certain how sentient the Smooze is, but it kisses Discord after his apology.
  • "It" Is Dehumanizing: The Smooze is mostly referred to as "it" or a "thing", including by Discord, who isn't too convincing when he claims that he cares about his guest. The exception is Tree Hugger, who consistently uses male pronouns when talking about it.
    Discord: The Smooze might be an "it", but it's an "it" with a heart of... well... blob.
  • It's the Best Whatever, Ever!: The CMC, as usual for them, saying "This is gonna be the greatest night ever!" Well, they're not entirely wrong; it's just going to be a bit more eventful than expected...
  • The Juggernaut: The Smooze, who is Nigh-Invulnerable and Anti-Magic. Given its G1 self's reputation as this trope, this is rather fitting.
  • "Knock Knock" Joke: Discord tries to tell one during his impromptu comedy routine. However, no-one responds when he says "knock knock," much to his frustration.
  • Ladies and Germs: Discord opens his Stock Jokes stand-up bit with "Good evening, Fillies and Germs!"
  • Leitmotif: The background music tends to switch to a sitar tune whenever Tree Hugger speaks.
  • Malicious Misnaming:
    • Discord calls the Grand Galloping Gala the "Gross Gruesome Gala".
    • Discord does this to Tree Hugger by pretending to forget her name and calling her "Tree Embrace". However, Tree Hugger actually likes it and even considers changing her name to that.
  • Medium-Shift Gag: The dimension Discord threatens to throw Tree Hugger into is done in live-action instead of Flash animation, with a hand puppet passing by and a child's drawing as a background.
  • Mellow Fellow: Tree Hugger follows all the credentials of a cliche hippy by never getting excited, angry, or scared, even when she's hanging upside down from smooze goo. She doesn't seem to take Discord's threats all too dramatically either.
  • Midair Bobbing: Discord bobs up and down a lot whenever he's floating in the air (and he's not even always using his wings when doing so, further showing his flight is essentially magical). Also happens with things he's moving with telekinesis, like Tree Hugger before the portal to another dimension.
  • Miracle-Gro Monster: The Smooze grows in size with each shiny object he consumes.
  • Morality Chain: Once more, Fluttershy proves to be this with Discord, pulling him back in when he crosses the line.
  • Murder the Hypotenuse: Or at least pack her off to another dimension. Discord believes that, with Tree Hugger out of the way, his relationship with Fluttershy will return to the way it was before.
    Fluttershy: Discord! Stop!
    Discord: I will! Just as soon as she's gone.
  • Music Soothes the Savage Beast: The Smooze stops attacking everypony and recedes from them once it hears Tree Hugger sing.
  • Mythology Gag: Just like Tirek, the Smooze is inspired by the character of the same name from G1's My Little Pony: The Movie (1986). It being immune to magic is also similar to its G1 counterpart, which likewise was immune to everything up to the Rainbow of Light.
  • Naked People Are Funny: When Discord uses a vacuum cleaner to try and suck the ooze off of Rarity's dress, it ends up taking her entire dress off. Rarity covers her front with her forelegs while trying to shuffle away.
  • Never My Fault: Discord refuses to accept any sort of blame for how he's acting at the Gala, foisting all of the blame on Fluttershy for not bringing him along. Then he recants and admits that he has more to learn about friendship, leading to apologies.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Discord locks the Smooze in a storage room which turns out to be filled with treasure. This allows the Smooze to grow to an enormous size, break out of the room, and flood the Gala.
  • Nigh-Invulnerable: On top of being Anti-Magic, the Smooze easily shrugs off having holes blown in it or getting split in half. Fitting, given that the G1 version's defining trait was how unstoppable it was.
  • Nightmare Fetishist: Princess Celestia, of all ponies, is entertained by the Smooze's rampage at the gala and Discord's attempted banishment of an innocent pony.
  • Non-Malicious Monster: The Smooze is far less of a threat here than it was in G1. This Smooze might get a little out of control, but it's rather pleasant once things calm down.
  • Noodle Incident: Discord's stories are apparently full of these.
    Fluttershy: I love that story about the time you tried to train your right paw... [giggles] ...to fetch your left leg!
  • No-Sell: The Smooze is impervious to magic attacks as well as physical attacks.
  • No Sense of Personal Space:
    • Discord, naturally. He arrives looking for Twilight in Spike's bed of all places, scaring the poor dragon who was napping in it.
    • A downplayed example occurs when Applejack doesn't hesitate to use Rainbow's tail as a makeshift tissue during an emotional moment.
    • The Smooze, too, who at one point eats a shiny thing off a gala attendee and is only noticed at the end.
  • Not So Stoic:
    • Despite the claim from two episodes ago that she "cries on the inside", Applejack can't help but get choked up at the sight of Apple Bloom in her Gala dress. Although this could be justified as AJ only crying on the inside over sad things, while crying openly for happy things.
    • The normally relaxed Tree Hugger is understandably terrified when Discord tries to send her to another dimension, if still in a rather subdued way considering.
  • No, You: Discord tries to win the crowd with a "Knock Knock" Joke, but nopony understands, even though Discord says that it's "the most basic of jokes." Maud Pie retorts, "You're the most basic of jokes." The audience thinks it's hilarious.
  • The Nudifier: Played with. Discord's vacuum cleaner sucks up Rarity's slime-covered dress, leaving her with nothing on. Normally, ponies don't wear clothes, but Rarity still covers herself up.
  • Off Screen Moment Of Awesome: The nameless mailpony not only found a way into Discord's Pocket Dimension but also found his way past a bottomless pit and hostile flying beavers to reach his front door.
  • Oh, Crap!: A colt at the Gala has this reaction just before a growing Smooze bursts out of a room filled with treasure.
  • Operation: Jealousy: Discord's plan in bringing the Smooze to the Gala is a classic (if platonic) example of this, with him "bumping into Fluttershy" and making sure that she sees him with his new friend. Notably, he apologises to the Smooze as well as to Fluttershy and Tree Hugger for this, since being the vector for Operation: Jealousy is never fun.
  • Orphaned Punchline: The episode itself opens with one from Discord:
    Discord: Ohoho, but that's not all! When I went to look for them again, they were on the ceiling!
  • Playful Cat Smile: The Smooze gives a catty grin at the end of the episode.
  • Pocket Dimension: Where Discord's home seemingly is, as emphasized by the vortex-like sky. It's apparently accessible by the mailpony, though it takes him a while to find Discord's home within the dimension.
  • Pop-Culture Pun Episode Title: The title derives from a Girl Scouts' song "Make New Friends but Keep the Old".
  • Power Nullifier: The Smooze's slime appears to interfere with the normal casting abilities of unicorns and alicorns should some of it get on the tip of their horns.
  • Pulling Themselves Together: The source of the Smooze's invulnerability; at one point, Discord accidentally splits it in half, but the two halves simply reunite. Also, the goo it leaves behind seems to still be a part of the creature; when soothed by Tree Hugger's song, all of it oozes back into the Smooze, including the slime on the guests.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: When speaking for the first time to Tree Hugger, Discord's pupils briefly glow red as he misinterprets her "digging your vibes" comment.
  • She Cleans Up Nicely: The Crusaders are seen as this by the older ponies thanks to Rarity's dressmaking skill.
  • She Is All Grown Up: Applejack's reaction on seeing Apple Bloom in her dress for the Gala is happy crying at how her little sister is growing up.
  • Ship Tease: Discord's actions throughout the episode seem like that of a jealous boyfriend.
  • Shout-Out:
    • Discord appears in Sugarcube Corner from a cardboard box straight out of the Metal Gear series (including saying "The Orange" on the side). When Pinkie discovers him, a red exclamation mark briefly appears, as when the player-character is discovered in game.
    • The livery worn by several royal servants is similar to that of the coachmen at the Royal Mews of Buckingham Palace.
    • The tuxedo Discord wears to the Gala is the same bright orange one as Lloyd's from Dumb and Dumber. The Smooze's top hat is also the same blue as Harry's.
    • The headpiece of Discord's cane includes the Symbol of Chaos that is derived from Michael Moorcock's "Eternal Champion" stories, and adopted by the Warhammer franchises.
    • During his stand-up routine, Discord first wears Eddie Murphy's outfit from his Delirious show, followed by Rodney Dangerfield's suit (complete with his famous facial expression and "tough crowd..." Aside Comment) and finally the outfit worn by Gallagher as he smashes a watermelon. He also borrows some material from Jerry Seinfeld (an "observational humor" joke in the "what's the deal...?" vein) and Jeff Foxworthy ("You might be a Ponyville pony if...").
    • The scene of the colt noticing the glowing door where Discord locked the Smooze away and the subsequent flooding of the room are a take on The Shining, as per Sabrina Alberghetti. The colt is wearing a knit sweater with a rocket on it very similar to Danny's from The Shining.
    • The Smooze eating up "shinies" and grossly growing is reminiscent of No-Face from Spirited Away.
    • When describing the Pocket Dimension into which he is about to send Tree Hugger, Discord uses a long-stemmed microphone similar to those used by Bob Barker of The Price Is Right and Gene Rayburn of Match Game, and describes the dimension in terms similar to those used by game show hosts when describing trips to exotic locales.
  • Skewed Priorities: Rarity, once again, as the Smooze is flooding the Gala.
    Rarity: Oh! My shoes will be ruined forever!
    Applejack: That's what you're worried about? Really?
  • Stealth Pun:
    • When Fluttershy starts talking about Tree Hugger, Discord takes a bite out of his teacup. He'd sooner eat glass than listen to Fluttershy drone on about her new friend. It's also a possible reference to the "I can eat glass" linguistic project.
    • Tree Hugger being friends with Fluttershy, who has commented that she'd like to be a tree and who has disguised herself as a tree more than once. This is never noted in the episode.
    • Tree Hugger is a green-coated mare. Discord is clearly jealous because he is seeing green.
    • The first time Discord "butts in" on a conversation between Fluttershy and Tree Hugger at the Gala, he deliberately bumps into Fluttershy's backside with his own.
  • Sticky Situation: The Smooze's slime is (thankfully) not corrosive, but it is extremely adhesive. The slime sticks many ponies to the floor, leaving winged ones unable to fly — even Rainbow Dash, despite all her efforts. Fluttershy and Tree Hugger end up stuck against a glass window, Tree Hugger upside-down.
  • Sting: A rimshot coming from nowhere punctuates each of Discord's failed jokes.
  • Sudden Anatomy: The Smooze is just a blob with a mouth, but when it spots the treasures in the storage room, it suddenly grows a tongue to lick its chops.
  • Talk About That Thing: Twilight Sparkle forcefully pushes Discord off to the side of the room, out of earshot of others, to talk about the horror of bringing the Smooze to the Gala.
  • Teleport Spam: Not a combat situation, but Discord teleports a lot in this episode, sometimes several times in a row, especially when pretending to not care about Fluttershy's new friendship and saying he has to go... only to flash back on the spot to add a few words, three times.
  • Tender Tears: Applejack cries these when seeing her sister's beautiful gala dress, much to Rainbow's chagrin when Applejack needs a hankie to blow her nose and uses Rainbow's tail.
    Applejack: My little sister's all grown up.
  • This Looks Like a Job for Aquaman: The Smooze is immune to magic but can be tamed by hippie singing. Good thing Tree Hugger is there.
  • Took a Level in Cheerfulness: The episode ends with Princess Celestia heartily reveling in how much excitement Discord and the Smooze brought to the Gala. This is the first time we see her allow herself to be seen as anything other than a regal queen.
  • Totally Radical: Tree Hugger's speech is peppered with jargon appropriate for a Granola Girl, including "radical", "mellow", and "groovy", as well as an occasional Like Is, Like, a Comma.
  • Tough Room: At one point, Discord tries to tell some jokes, but the crowd is less then receptive.
    Discord: [with a typical Rodney Dangerfield expression] Tough crowd.
  • Tranquil Fury: After receiving his invitation to the gala a little later than expected, Discord coldly and quietly asks the mailpony "Why is this so late?"
  • Twitchy Eye: Discord's eye gets twitchy after Maud's heckling of his comedy routine draws far more laughter out of the crowd than any of his jokes.
  • Unstoppable Mailman: The mailpony delivering Discord's invitation is a little late, but he made it to Discord's house nonetheless, which is inside a chaotic pocket dimension of its own. Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, indeed.
  • Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When Discord is asking the Mane Six if they'll take him to the Gala, his antics only seem to really get a fright out of Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders; the Mane Six don't seem fazed at all. Rainbow Dash doesn't even look up from her card game.
  • Visual Pun:
  • Wacky Sound Effect: Nothing new for the series, but Discord has some good ones in this episode; notably, his head making a cowbell sound when he's completely baffled by Tree Hugger's antics.
  • What Happened to the Mouse?: We never found out if that poor mailpony ever made it back from Discord's home; he was last seen being carried away by some bizarre creature in the background.
  • What the Hell, Hero?:
    • Naturally, Fluttershy calls Discord out on his jealousy when things get out of hoof.
    • Blink-and-you'll-miss-it: Twilight gives Celestia a scandalized look when she laughs at Discord's joke about her flying skills.
  • Woman Scorned: Discord provides a gender-flipped example, becoming so outraged with Fluttershy's rejection that he threatens to throw Tree Hugger into another dimension.
  • Won't Take "Yes" for an Answer: Twilight has a delayed reaction after Celestia tells her she thinks this was the most fun Gala in years; she pursues her apologies before registering what the Princess said.
    Twilight: I know, it was a—WHAT?
  • The Worf Effect: Once again, Celestia seems helpless before what seems to be a major threat after it gums up her horn and wings, though no-one else is able to do any better against the Smooze either. Subverted in that it turns out Celestia actually enjoyed its antics.
  • World of Chaos: Discord's Pocket Dimension all the way. The Alien Sky is a mix of constantly shifting blue and purple, the few pieces of lands are floating, the gravity is nonsensical, and some very weird fauna is seen flying around. Discord's house is rather tame in comparison, though it still has some weirdness, like furniture on the ceiling and upside-down stairs. It's also in the little details, such as the bunny-shaped dust bunnies sitting under the couch. Discord himself contributes to the strangeness as well; when he cleans house while stewing about Fluttershy, he does it in reverse — the dishes go into the sink clean and come out dirty, he washes the windows to make them streaky and blurry, etc.
  • Yandere: Discord is acting like a platonic example... maybe.
  • You Have GOT to Be Kidding Me!: Discord's reaction when Tree Hugger doesn't remember meeting him earlier.

Maud Pie: You're the most basic of jokes.
Waldorf: Why, she's almost as good at heckling as we are!
Statler: Even if she sounds a little hoarse!
Both: Dohohohoho!

 
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The most fun gala in years

Even Twilight couldn't believe that Celestia actually loved Discord and the Smooze's meddling with the Grand Galloping Gala.

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