History EnsembleDarkhorse / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic

->'''Currently, only MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic and [[EnsembleDarkhorse/{{Transformers}} Transformers]][[hottip:*:Hasbro is really good at this trope, apparently]] have their own pages dedicated to ensemble darkhorses, [[EnsembleDarkhorse/WesternAnimation so please click here for more examples from other shows.]]'''

*** At one point in the Season 2 episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]]", Dinky Hooves and Carrot Top (who {{Fanon}} often portrays as being HeterosexualLifePartners with Derpy Hooves) are shown together in the background. Coincidence, or subtle double AscendedMeme?

** In the Season 2 episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]]", Carrot Top and Derpy share a gag scene together. At another point in the same episode, Carrot Top and Dinky Hooves (who {{Fanon}} often portrays as being the daughter of Derpy Hooves) are shown together in the background. Coincidence, or double AscendedMeme?

** At one point in the Season 2 episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]]", Carrot Top and Derpy share a gag scene together. Coincidence, or subtle AscendedMeme?

** At one point in the Season 2 episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]]", Carrot Top and Dinky Hooves (who {{Fanon}} often portrays as being the daughter of Derpy Hooves) are shown together in the background. Coincidence, or subtle double AscendedMeme?

** In Season Two's HalloweenEpisode, she's seen wearing a dentist costume. Coincidence, or AscendedMeme?

* Derpy Hooves might be the most spectacular example of this in recent fiction. In a background shot of episode 1 a grey pegasus pony with "derp" eyes was spotted, and swiftly Derpy was born, a [[CloudCuckooLander strange]] but [[AchievementsInIgnorance surprisingly competent]] mailpony who [[TrademarkFavoriteFood loves muffins]] and, in spite of her difficulties, is very friendly and hard working. In "Feeling Pinkie Keen" she even managed to become a combination AscendedMeme[=/=]AscendedExtra and [[WordOfGod Lauren Faust herself said]] "She can be Derpy if everyone likes" (during production of season one, none of the background ponies had official names.) Not bad considering her googly eyes were just a random joke thrown in by one of the animators.

** Shortly before Season 2 began, the animators announced that she was getting her own scripted scenes in the show.

* During one of Twilight's {{Imagine Spot}}s about being sent back to Magic Kindergarten in "Lesson Zero", one of the unicorn fillies laughing at Twilight is apparently based on a pegasus filly (previously seen in "Call of the Cutie") whose wings the animators forgot to remove, leaving her with both wings ''and'' a horn. It wasn't long before fans started calling her "Pluto" and joking that she was the long-lost heir to Celestia's throne.

* As proof of how amazingly dedicated the fanbase is to this show, a new background pony appeared which the fans have dubbed "Topsy Turvy" on {{Ponychan}} and "Screwball" on Ponibooru (the latter due to her screw/baseball cutie mark). She only appeared for a few seconds as a pony presumably turned crazy under Discord's power, but she quickly gained not only [[http://ponibooru.413chan.net/post/list/screwball/1 fanart]], but a ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7408169/1/When_lifes_a_Screwball fanfiction]].'' To put this into perspective, the episode she appeared in was broadcast for the first time not even ''6 hours earlier!''. Fanon so far seems to be pitting her as a friend or rival of Derpy, and some interpret her as either the mother/sister of Diamond Tiara (due to their similar color schemes) or somehow the daughter of Discord.

** Nightmare Moon is either another element of Luna's popularity or an entirely different Darkpony herself, depending on whether she is considered a separate character or simply [[EnemyWithin an extension of Luna]]. Although considering the ending of Luna Eclipsed, she seems to be more like an extension of herself and less like a seperate character.

** Nightmare Moon is either another element of Luna's popularity or an entirely different Darkpony herself, depending on whether she is considered a separate character or simply [[EnemyWithin an extension of Luna]].

* In an odd round about way, [[RetroactiveRecognition some G1 ponies have gained popularity due to this show,]] in particular the ones on which the Mane Six were originally based (Firefly, Surprise, etc). It's pretty common for fanfic writers to use previous gen ponies (or at least their names) as supporting characters, and there's quite a bit of fanart interpreting previous gen ponies in the G4 style.
** Firefly was already an Ensemble Darkpony, being on everything and anything back when G1 was popular. Not to mention she was LaurenFaust's favorite pony...
** On a similar note to above, Minty from G3. She was a popular character who had a passion for socks and was Pinkie's best friend, so it makes sense. When she was brought back into the G4 toyline the fandom rejoiced. Some fans are hoping she makes an appearance in the show.
** Surprise, the G1 pegasus that Pinkie Pie was based on, has gained a boost in popularity thanks to what could be a LawyerFriendlyCameo as one of the Wonderbolts and this [[http://asksurprise.tumblr.com/ funny Ask Tumblr]] blog. She's also been depicted as Pinkie's friend, partner in crime, or grandmother.

* During one of Twilight's {{Imagine Spot}}s about being sent back to Magic Kindergarten in "Lesson Zero", one of the unicorn fillies laughing at Twilight is apparently based on a pegasus filly (previously seen in "Call of the Cutie") whose wings the animators forgot to remove, leaving her with both wings ''and'' a horn. It wasn't long before fans started calling her "Pluto" and joking that she was the long-lost heir to Celestia's throne.

** When Luna finally appeared in [[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Luna Eclipsed]], she was received exceptionally well amongst fans, in no small part due to her humorously overplayed and lampshaded YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe and NoIndoorVoice.

* Pipsqueak, a little colt with British accent, gained a following ''before the episode he's in even aired''.

** Surprise, the G1 pegasus that Pinkie Pie was based on, has gained a boost in popularity thanks to what could be a LawyerFriendlyCameo as one of the Wonderbolts and this [[http://asksurprise.tumblr.com/ funny Ask Tumblr]] blog. She's also been depicted as Pinkie's friend, partner in crime, or grandmother.

** Surprise, the G1 pegasus that Pinkie Pie was based on, has gained a boost in popularity thanks to what could be a LawyerFriendlyCameo as one of the Wonderbolts and this [[http://asksurprise.tumblr.com/ funny Ask Tumblr]] blog.

->'''Currently, only MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic and [[EnsembleDarkhorse/Transformers Transformers]][[hottip:*:Hasbro is really good at this trope, apparently]] have their own pages dedicated to ensemble darkhorses, [[EnsembleDarkhorse/WesternAnimation so please click here for more examples from other shows.]]'''

->'''Currently, only MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic has its own page dedicated to ensemble darkhorses, [[EnsembleDarkhorse/WesternAnimation so please click here for more examples from other shows.]]'''

* If you ever wanted to prove that this fandom can never have enough ponies, look no further than Maplejack. She is by far one of the most interesting cases of Darkponyhood, because she's not even a My Little Pony Brand Pony! She actually appeared on a recent episode of the animated parody show ''WesternAnimation/{{MAD}}'', and bronies took great interest in her adorable looks and extraterrestrial background.

* As proof of how amazingly dedicated the fanbase is to this show, a new background pony appeared which the fans have dubbed "Topsy Turvy" on {{Ponychan}} and "Screwball" on Ponibooru (the latter due to her screw/baseball cutie mark). She only appeared for a few seconds as a pony presumably turned crazy under Discord's power, but she quickly gained not only [[http://ponibooru.413chan.net/post/list/screwball/1 fanart]], but a ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7408169/1/When_lifes_a_Screwball fanfiction]].'' To put this into perspective, the episode she appeared in was broadcast for the first time not even ''6 hours earlier!''. Fanon so far seems to be pitting her as a friend or rival of Derpy, and some interpret her as either the mother/sister of Diamond Tiara due to as similar color scheme or somehow the daughter of Discord.
* During one of Twilight's {{Imagine Spot}}s about being sent back to Magic Kindergarten in "Lesson Zero", one of the unicorn fillies laughing at Twilight is apparently based on a pegasus filly whose wings the animators forgot to remove, leaving her with both wings ''and'' a horn. It wasn't long before fans started calling her "Pluto" and joking that she was the long-lost heir to Celestia's throne.

* During one of Twilight's ImagineSpots about being sent back to Magic Kindergarten in "Lesson Zero", one of the unicorn fillies laughing at Twilight is apparently based on a pegasus filly whose wings the animators forgot to remove, leaving her with both wings ''and'' a horn. It wasn't long before fans started calling her "Pluto" and joking that she was the long-lost heir to Celestia's throne.

* As proof of how amazingly dedicated the fanbase is to this show, a new background pony appeared which the fans have dubbed "Topsy Turvy" on {{Ponychan}} and "Screwball" on Ponibooru (the latter due to her screw/baseball cutie mark). She only appeared for a few seconds as a pony presumably turned crazy under Discord's power, but she quickly gained not only [[http://ponibooru.413chan.net/post/list/screwball/1 fanart]], but a ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7408169/1/When_lifes_a_Screwball fanfiction]].'' To put this into perspective, the episode she appeared in was broadcast for the first time not even ''6 hours earlier!''. Fanon so far seems to be pitting her as a friend or rival of Derpy, and some interpret her as either the mother of Diamond Tiara due to as similar color scheme or somehow the daughter of Discord.

** There's also a Big Macintosh Recolor that appears in the show's opening with Caramel's colors. Big Mac's original design or yet another relative? The fandom may never know.

* As proof of how amazingly dedicated the fanbase is to this show, a new background pony appeared which the fans have dubbed "Topsy Turvy" on {{Ponychan}} and "Screwball" on Ponibooru (the latter due to her screw/baseball cutie mark). She only appeared for a few seconds as a pony presumably turned crazy under Discord's power, but she quickly gained not only [[http://ponibooru.413chan.net/post/list/screwball/1 fanart]], but a ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7408169/1/When_lifes_a_Screwball fanfiction]].'' To put this into perspective, the episode she appeared in was broadcast for the first time not even ''6 hours earlier!''. Fanon so far seems to be pitting her as a friend or rival of Derpy, and the fact she looks like an adult Diamond Tiara (or a relative of hers) hasn't gone unnoticed.