As teacher and educator, I undertake... a huge headache.
Written by Ariel Shepherd-Oppenheim
Starlight is caring for her new philodendron (which she names Phyllis) when Twilight arrives with Spike. Because of her upcoming coronation to the throne of Equestria, Twilight wants to have Starlight take over as the school's headmare, which Starlight is nervously cautious of but accepts. Later, Starlight talks to Trixie about this change, but expresses concern that she would have to do this on her own, but Trixie reminds her that Twilight always had her friends' help when she needed it. This gives Starlight an idea, and she goes to ask Twilight if she can hire a vice-headmare to help her out, which Twilight heartily agrees. Trixie, overhearing this, quickly tries to position herself to be Starlight's vice-headmare, but Starlight insists on going through a proper interview process.
The next day, Octavia, Doctor Hooves, Big Mac, and Spoiled Rich have gathered for the job, along with Trixie. Starlight decides to run the candidates through several rounds to evaluate their performance. The first round consists of having each candidate teach a class; Octavia, Doctor Hooves, and Big Mac all do well, but Spoiled Rich tries to make the class on loyalty a business lesson and Trixie lets her students take a nap. Starlight quickly eliminates Spoiled Rich, but after Trixie sees her at the end of the day, she cannot let Trixie out of the process.
The next round involves speaking to the students parents and guardians to test their communications. Octavia and Doctor Hooves are clear forerunners, but Big Mac finds his lack of vocabulary a stumbling block and voluntarily drops out. Trixie, who is talking to Grampa Gruff about Gallus, gets into a major fight since Gruff seems to have no respect for Gallus' well-being. Again, Starlight considers dropping Trixie from the process, but her friendship gets in the way.
The final round is to see how well the candidates organize field trips. Octavia takes the students to a concert with her and Vinyl Scratch, while Doctor Hooves takes them to his lab. Trixie tries to shortcut the process by teleporting a piece of Froggy Bottom Bog into the school, but inadvertently brings along a flash bee hive. The bees soon swarm the students, and Starlight yells at Trixie for the harm she did and tells her to go away. Only after Twilight comes by to help clean up the mess does Starlight realize what she did after she soon knew she should've talked to Trixie and talks with Twilight. Twilight notes that even with her friends they always didn't get along, and maybe hiring Trixie to help would be a bad idea. Starlight goes to see Trixie at her wagon and apologizes, telling her that a lot of what she did just wasn't suited for the job, but she did see some things in her, such as Trixie's support for Gallus. Both agree that Trixie is not really vice-headmare material, but soon come to the same conclusion.
After finding out that Octavia decided to focus on her music, and Doctor Hooves wanted to go back to his lab, Sunburst soon arrives and agrees to be vice-headmare for Starlight, since Flurry Heart has grown up enough that she doesn't need his daily attention. Additionally, Starlight offers Trixie her now-vacant student councilor position, considering that she herself is trying to be a good friend. Trixie accepts and starts to redecorate the office by throwing Phyllis in the trash, much to Starlight's dismay.
Tropes:
- Absent-Minded Professor: Doctor Hooves can plan an interesting class, but his field trip is a much more boring trip to his lab for unimpressive demonstrations of his experiments. Also, his "time machine" is sitting in a chair doing nothing while time passes.
- An Aesop: When an important job needs to be done, the decision should be based on who's qualified, even if it's not your friend.
- All for Nothing: After whittling the candidates for the vice-headmare position down to two, both of those two decide they don't want the job after all, and Sunburst promptly shows up from out of nowhere to take the position on the spot.
- Asleep in Class: Gallus is snoring during history class. But then again, Trixie is making it quite boring. Which gives Trixie the idea to let the whole class sleep, herself included.
- Assumed Win: Trixie is convinced that the vice-headmare tryouts are just a "formality", and that she'll get the job no matter what.
- Baby Talk: Starlight briefly engages in this with Phyllis in the Cold Open.
- Big "NO!": Trixie's first act as student counselor is to redecorate the office, starting by dumping Starlight's philodendron into the trash. Cue Starlight's "Phyllis, no!" Smash to Black.
- Book Ends: The Cold Open ends with Starlight accidentally knocking her new plant Phyllis off her desk and breaking its container. The episode ends with Trixie throwing Phyllis in the trash while redecorating the office, albeit with the container still intact this time.
- Buffy Speak: After Starlight lists her positive qualities, Trixie refers to herself as "Trixie the Great and Powerful Advice Giver, Problem Talk-Through-er, and Student Care-About-er!".
- The Bus Came Back:
- Diamond Tiara's mother Spoiled Rich appears in this episode after having a cameo in the previous season.
- Silverstream's father Sky Beak also appears with a speaking role.
- Call-Back:
- Octavia (along with a later appearance by Vinyl Scratch), Spoiled Rich, and Doctor Hooves are all on the shortlist for vice-headmare. Doctor Hooves' and Octavia's appearances in particular include callbacks to their roles in "Slice of Life" — specifically, Octavia's field trip features her and Vinyl playing the classical/techno mix they came up within that episode, and the Doctor's lab is seen again alongside his flameless fireworks.
- Trixie shows how much her teleportation skills have improved, by teleporting a portion of bog to the classroom.
- This episode marks the next step before Twilight becomes the new ruler of Equestria, following on from "The Beginning of the End" when Twilight makes Starlight the new principal of the school before she is crowned.
- Starlight takes on a very nervous expression when Doctor Hooves mentions that he's been studying Time Travel, no doubt recalling her own past efforts in the subject.
- The Cameo:
- Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy make minor appearances when Octavia and Doctor Hooves are substituting for their classes.
- Vinyl Scratch briefly appears as part of Octavia's concert.
- Classical Music Is Boring: Gallus is initially bored at Octavia's field trip to a theater to watch her play music. He changes his mind when the curtain lifts to show Vinyl Scratch, and dubstep starts playing.
- Continuity Nod:
- Flash bees are shown during Trixie's class.
- Pinkie's yovidaphone also returns.
- Companion Cube: Starlight has one in the form of Phyllis; a philodendron that she adores... and which ends up being trashed by Trixie at the very end.
- Dramatically Missing the Point: Trixie spends two-thirds of the episode totally convinced that she's going to get the Vice-Headmare job no matter what, and that Starlight's other interviews are just a formality. Even when Starlight says "If I had to pick a Vice-Headmare right now, it wouldn't be you," Trixie still doesn't get it.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: When Spoiled Rich substitutes for the loyalty class, she tells the students that loyalty is best gained by buying it. For that reason, she ends up being the first candidate eliminated by Starlight.
- Face Palm: Starlight facehoofs (and stretches her face down) after Trixie points out that her making Grampa Gruff storm off means there'll be one less parent/teacher conference next semester.
- The Glomp: Starlight.
- After Twilight makes Starlight's position as future headmare official, Starlight tackles both her and Spike, and hugs them tightly.
- She gives Trixie a tight hug after hiring Sunburst as vice-headmare.
- Hidden Depths:
- Big Mac is revealed to be quite skilled at sewing, due to having to repair apple sacks back on the farm.
- Doctor Hooves says that Yona is very skilled at science, to the point that if properly nurtured she could expand the very understanding of science itself.
- Trixie can juggle without looking. who knew?
- Implausible Deniability: When Starlight goes to Trixie's wagon to apologize.Starlight Glimmer: Trixie? I know you're in there.
Trixie: Well, you're wrong! - Innocently Insensitive: When Trixie gives Starlight the idea to get some help as headmare.Starlight Glimmer: Thanks, Trixie! You can give good advice when you don't mean to.
Trixie: Uh, thanks? - It's All About Me:
- Trixie thinks that Starlight made the vice-headmare position just for her, so she can help Starlight with her job and give them both more time to socialize. She thinks she is guaranteed the position and that the process with the other candidates is just a "formality" before Starlight inevitably gives her the job, no matter how many times Starlight tells her that isn't the case. She finally realizes this herself when her idea for a "field trip" endangers several students and Starlight screams at her that she'll never be vice-headmare.
- Spoiled Rich offers to fundraise for the school, but only in the hopes of getting some buildings named after her.
- Jerkass Has a Point:
- Trixie gets into an argument with Grandpa Gruff over his apathy towards Gallus's development, with Trixie accusing him of being an unfit guardian and not caring about Gallus. This is lampshaded by Starlight being glad Trixie stood up for Gallus (and tacitly agreeing) but taking issue with how Trixie did it (mainly, she was worried about a potential vice-headmare getting into arguments with parents/guardians).
- After Trixie summons the flash bees, Starlight blows up at Trixie about how her performance during the interview process wasn't even acceptable, let alone exceptional. She even calls Trixie incompetent and tells her that there's no way she'd ever be vice-headmare. While it is harsh, Trixie admits that she wasn't a good candidate when Starlight goes to Trixie's wagon.
- Juggling Dangerously: Downplayed; as Starlight and Trixie discusses the quality of a vice-headmare inside her wagon, Trixie is juggling with three of her smoke bombs. Naturally, she ends up dropping them, which results in a cloud of smoke that transition to the next scene.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: After his awful performance at a parent-teacher conference, Big Mac admits that he wouldn't be a good fit for vice-headmare, and gracefully bows out of the running.
- Lampshade Hanging: When Starlight worries about running the School of Friendship alone, Trixie points out that Twilight never did anything alone, since she always had her friends with her.
- Literal-Minded: Doctor Hooves claims that everyone is traveling through time just by standing still.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Trixie, after she accidentally summons a mob of flash bees in a classroom.
- Mythology Gag: Inside Doctor Whooves' lab, we can see in a jar a reddish octopus with an orange fringe... which is reminiscent of villain Squirk
from G1. - No Indoor Voice:
- Doctor Hooves could be loud in "Slice of Life", but here he takes it to greater extremes to the point that almost nothing he says isn't loud.
- Yona's parents also play to this, as their response to Yona's glowing evaluation by Doctor Hooves is to start loudly chanting "Yaks best!" to congratulate their daughter.
- Nothing Is the Same Anymore: Starlight is given the position of headmare at the School of Friendship since Twilight won't be in charge anymore. Also, Sunburst becomes the vice-headmare, and Trixie becomes the new guidance counselor.
- Not the Intended Use: Octavia plays her cello while leading a student orchestra rehearsal. When a blast from Pinkie's yovidaphone shakes the whole room up, she drops her bow, flips the cello onto its side, and starts playing it like a bass guitar.
- Parental Neglect: Grampa Gruff has little interest in Gallus' development, and resents having to travel all the way to Ponyville to discuss it.
- Passing the Torch: This is the episode where Starlight officially becomes the new headmare of the School of Friendship before Twilight leaves prior to her eventual coronation.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Starlight and Trixie have one of these in the third act. It's caused by Trixie summoning a group of flash bees, and letting her confidence drive a wedge between her and Starlight.
- Rage Breaking Point: Starlight has to put up with Trixie's antics through the episode, even when she proves unfit to be vice-headmare. It is only after Trixie teleports a hive of Flash Bees into the classroom and scares the students away that Starlight loses her temper and says a really nasty speech to Trixie.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Trixie strongly criticizes Grandpa Gruff over him not being a proper guardian towards Gallus.
- Starlight gives a massive one to Trixie herself after the latter accidentally unleashes flash bees onto the students.Starlight: I don't know what team you're on, but it isn't mine! This was a disaster! It was dangerous! [...] It wasn't even acceptable! You went from "not taking it seriously" to blowing things so out of proportion, you put everycreature in danger! And I wanted to work with a friend so much, I ignored the fact that you would never be right for the job!
Trixie: I'm confused. What are you saying?
Starlight: I'm saying: you'll never be vice-headmare!
Trixie: But-But I thought you created the position for me!
Starlight: Why would you think that?! I created the position because I need help! But I can't think of any way that you would ever help me!
Trixie: Twilight's friends always helped her!
Starlight: Oh, that's because Twilight's friends are competent! They care about what they're doing, and they know how to do it!
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: The flash bee queen is seen amongst the swarm attacking the students.
- Rube Goldberg Device: In science class, Doctor Hooves uses an overly complicated machine to drop one drop of liquid into a baby bird's beak. The students all like it, though.
- Running Gag:
- Trixie giving a knowing wink to Starlight while saying "wink!" out loud.
- Starlight voicing her worries to Phyllis, and taking the plant's silence as replies.
- Also Phyllis constantly being put in peril by Trixie, ultimately getting trashed in the end. Starlight doesn't take it well.
- Scary Stinging Swarm: When Trixie teleports a chunk of the Froggy Bottom Bog into the classroom, it brings along a nest of flash bees who promptly swarm out and attack the students.
- Smoke Out: Yet another attempt from Trixie: after a bold speech on how she'll make "a Great and Powerful Field Trip" for the students while atop Starlight's desk, she pops out a smoke bomb. As usual, it's a dud: she's not fast enough to even climb down from the desk before the smoke dissipate. She later does a smoke in into class, coughing a bit in the process.
- Sudden Downer Ending: While it's played for laughs, there are probably a few plant lovers out there that also yelled "Phyllis, NO!" with Starlight after Trixie tossed it out. And that's how the episode ends.
- Sweet and Sour Grapes: Even though she didn't invent the position of Vice Head-Mare for her as Trixie believed, Starlight still really wanted to work with a friend. But, no matter what they may want, Trixie was just too unqualified. Fortunately, she manages to find Sunburst as a suitable hire and realizes Trixie can replace her as school guidance counselor, so she gets to work with two of her close friends.
- Talking to Plants: Starlight talks to a philodendron (which she names "Phyllis") throughout the episode.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Gallus tells Starlight no-one had ever stood up for him until Trixie did just that when she criticized Grandpa Gruff.
- Tournament Arc: Starlight decides to ween down the five candidates for vice-headmare via multiple rounds to test their qualities. Though ultimately none of them get the job when Spoiled Rich, Big Mac, and Trixie are dropped and Doctor Hooves and Octavia both decide to return to their regular careers.
- Tranquil Fury: After making the flash bees disappear, Starlight is hunched over, with her face covered by her mane. When Trixie keeps boasting anyway, Starlight says a quiet "Are you kidding...?" She promptly continues into very non-tranquil fury.
- Uncertain Doom: It's not explicitly shown what Starlight's spell does to the flash bees, only that they're gone in its aftermath.
- Vocal Evolution: Doctor Hooves is much louder and bombastic from his previous speaking appearance, plus Trixie and Octavia's voices are scratchier than before.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Starlight calls Trixie out for accidentally endangering students with flash bees.
- World-Healing Wave: Downplayed. The "world" in this case is one classroom; Twilight cleans up Starlight and the damage caused by Trixie's flash bees with a single spell.
"Wink!"
