" I'm sorry, Sparky. I've made a horrible mistake."
— Misty
Opaline successfully captures Sparky and the Mane Five must join forces with Misty to get him back.
Tropes:
- Anti-Magic: Opaline's force field bubbles negate the magic of the Mane Five. Sunny is able to replicate the trick with her alicorn magic, but Opaline is powerful enough to overwhelm the bubble since she doesn't have to transform like Sunny.
- Barrier Warrior: Lacking any actual combat experience with her magic, Sunny spends most of her fight shielding herself against Opaline's beams and then flinging her barriers forward to retaliate before finally trapping Opaline in a bubble.
- Be Yourself: Freeing the Mane Five is what causes Misty to finally get her cutie mark. Misty surmises that it's because she's finally being true to herself, rather than just going along with what Opaline wants.
- Call-Back:
- The Mane Five try using Sparky's lullaby to find him as they did in "Have You Seen This Dragon?", but it fails to work this time since he's much further out and already being drained. Hitch's "Operation: Glitterbomb" is also referenced, and Sparky's favorite blanket and the flute Izzy played during the lullaby also appear.
- While overcome with guilt, Misty looks at the bracelet Izzy gave her in "The Manesquerade Ball".
- The chest containing Rainbow Power from Season 4 of Friendship is Magic can be seen in Opaline's workshop.
- Color Failure: Sparky's color fades as his magic is drained. After the Mane Five get him back home, he returns to normal as he recovers.
- Combined Energy Attack: As Sunny's friends cheer her on during her duel with Opaline, their cutie marks resonate and power Sunny up. Misty then joins in and adds her own energy, allowing Sunny to overpower Opaline and briefly trap her.
- Covered in Gunge: Happens to Opaline and most of the throne room after she uses her magic to burst the force field Sunny has cast to confine her.
- The Dragons Come Back: The final scene has Opaline narrate that, with Sparky awake, more dragons are sure to follow, and she can drain them to fuel her magic.
- Et Tu, Brute?: The Mane Five are heartbroken and outraged that Misty has been lying to them all this time.
- Given Name Reveal: Opaline announces her surname of "Arcana".
- Heel–Face Turn: Misty decides to join the Mane Five after gaining her cutie mark, as that was the carrot Opaline was dangling over her to ensure her compliance. She sneaks off after the battle so Opaline doesn't immediately notice.
- Hoist by Her Own Petard: Misty breaks one of the decorative magic flames on Opaline's throne, using the magic inside to pop her forcefield bubbles since they don't negate her own magic.
- Internal Reveal: Misty takes the Mane Five to Opaline's castle, where they finally meet the queen herself and learn Misty has been working with her.
- Mana Drain: Opaline uses the dragon stone to drain Sparky's dragon flame. She manages to get enough to restore her powers and holds her own against Sunny.
- Moving the Goalposts: Despite Opaline previously reaffirming her promise to Misty to give her a cutie mark now that she has delivered Sparky to her, after the Mane Five escape, defeat her, and rescue Sparky, she says Misty has un-earned her cutie mark. However, this is moot since Misty already has a cutie mark by that point, though is keeping it a secret from Opaline.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Misty is horrified to see Sparky suffering from having his magic slowly drained, convincing her to lead the Mane Five to the castle, and even more so when she accidentally gets the Mane Five captured by Opaline.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Misty tries to sneak the Mane Five into the castle, but thanks to poor timing gets all five captured soon after they reach the throne room.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The episode opens with Misty having successfully kidnapped Sparky off-screen and delivering him to the lair.
- Pet the Dog: Opaline actually praises Misty for bringing both Sparky and the Mane Five to her. She even reaffirms her promise to grant Misty her cutie mark for it.
- The Power of Friendship: Ultimately, it is the cutie mark magic created by her friends (including Misty) that grants Sunny the strength to overpower Opaline.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: As Izzy throws books at Opaline in retaliation for the latter pinning Sunny under a slab of wood, she shouts, "Leave! Sunny! Alone!"
- Rule of Symbolism: Misty's cutie mark is a butterfly, which is often used as a symbol of growth and change. This reflects her choosing to no longer care about following Opaline and becoming a true friend to the Mane Five.
- Sequel Hook: Following her defeat, Opaline realises that Sparky's presence means that the other dragons may soon awaken and makes plans to use the Dragonstone to take their fire too.
- Skewed Priorities: When the Mane Five enter Opaline's castle, Pipp takes a moment to admire the decor.
- We Need a Distraction: Misty helps the Mane Five distract Opaline by pretending to be taken prisoner by them and calling for her help, and while she goes to investigate Zipp and Hitch sneak past her and rescue Sparky. By the time Opaline realizes something is going on, Sparky has already been saved and Sunny is ready to throw down.
- Wham Episode: Opaline drains enough magic from Sparky to repower herself, Misty defects to the heroes and gains her cutie mark, and the whole dragon species is apparently reawakening.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Opaline plans to drop Sparky's corpse into the water below the castle after she's done draining his magic.
- Your Approval Fills Me with Shame: While draining Sparky of his magic, Opaline tells Misty she is proud of her for finally doing something right. However, after having been abused by Opaline for so long and having betrayed the ones who truly cared about her to earn her praise, Misty just feels even worse and no longer cares about Opaline's approval or getting a cutie mark from her.
