History Fanfic / TheRejuvenationPlay

* HornyDevils: Aloe and Lotus' costumes are designed to evoke this.

* KillThemAll: Mayor Mare, as the narrator, applies this to Verrucas's DoomedHometown in an attempt to get his actor to shut up. It works.

* NotSoDifferentRemark: When forgiving Angel, Spike reminds himself that he gave Colgate quite a [[NoodleIncident hassle]] the first time he was pet-sat.

This is the first story in FanFic/TheRejuvenationverse, and the direct sequel is [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/350367/old-fences ''Old Fences'']].

* EvilOverlord: Tirek, as in [[MyLittlePonyTVSpecials canon]].

* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler:The father of Derpy's foal is the Doctor, after a drunken encounter some months earlier.

[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/349691/the-rejuvenation-play The Rejuvenation Play]] is a WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic[=/=]Series/DoctorWho fanfic by Purple Patch, published in 2016 on [=FimFiction.com=]. Set approximately seven years before Season 1, it tells the story of one very eventful play taking place in Ponyville. A heavily-pregnant Derpy Doo is taking part in the event, playing the equally-pregnant Dandelion. Meanwhile, Princess Celestia is in the audience, most of the other actors have their [[DysfunctionJunction own issues]] and the Doctor is running around. [[BlatantLies This cannot possibly end badly.]]

It has spawned a number of sequels depicting the consequences of the original story on the lives of those in the audience, and then the consequences of those consequences, as well as the consequences of the earlier lives of the participants:
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/349691/the-rejuvenation-play The Rejuvenation Play]]
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/350367/old-fences Old Fences]] Derpy's past comes back to disrupt her new life with Dinky.
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/352585/you-shall-go-to-the-gala You Shall Go To The Gala]]After Derpy is forced to abandon her friends in Ponyville, they launch a plan to get her and Dinky back to safety.
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/353584/intriguing Intriguing]] A diversion to the main plot, following the development of Fancy Pants and Fleur De Lis's love life as he campaigns for re-election to the post of Chairstallion against some very brutal competition.
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/358546/prelude-call-to-arms Prelude: Call to Arms]] A short depiction of the various characters preparing for the upcoming conflicts.
* [[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/358864/lost-reflections Lost Reflections]]: (Ongoing) Beginning on Dinky's [[TimeSkip seventh birthday]], it is time for Cascadius to make his move.
* [[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/375641/final-curtain Final Curtain]]: (Ongoing) A side-story in which a young Cadance and Shining Armor investigate a suspicious death.

'''Due to a major FirstEpisodeSpoiler at the end of The Rejuvenation Play, beware unmarked spoilers in the Series-Wide folder.'''

!!These stories contain examples of:
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Series-Wide]]
* AffectionateNickname: 'Muffin' for Dinky.
* AmoralAttorney: Mr Earwax.
* AndYourLittleDogToo: Cascadius deliberately works to kill the loved ones of everyone who opposes him, to [[VictoryThroughIntimidation discourage further opposition]].
* AntiMagic: Cascadius makes use of a powder that has this effect on ponies, with a side of MindRape. It was invented by Sombra, and Cascadius' access to it following the Crystal Empire's banishment tips off Celestia to his presence.
* AristocratsAreEvil: Played straight by most of the Glasses. {{Averted}} by Fancy Pants and his parents and by Derpy's parents, and Derpy herself.
* AttemptedRape: Nitpick assaults Fleur while she's working at a theatre. She reports him, resulting in scandal. After she begins showing up again due to her relationship with Fancy Pants, Nitpick begins viewing her as TheOneThatGotAway and tries several more times.
* BedlamHouse: Glanders Gate. Countess Glass is fond of sending enemies there, including Derpy in her youth, and she tells Mayor Mare she intends to repeat the act. Although she ultimately doesn't, she does use the threat to keep Derpy in line.
* BeleagueredBureaucrat: Mayor Mare and Raven Inkwell, often. Good job they are also [[BadassBureaucrat another trope]].
* BewareTheSillyOnes: [[LargeHam Photo Finish]]. See Bunny Ears Lawyer below.
* BigBad: Countess Magnifying Glass of Invitro Hall. [[spoiler:Until Cascadius, her Dragon, takes over at the end of ''Intriguing'']].
* BunnyEarsLawyer: Photo Finish and most of her crew. They're a quirky bunch of fashionistas, but they've managed to survive the rest of Canterlot's fashion industry trying to drive them out of business, and if one of their own is threatened, [[AmazonBrigade well...]]
* ConsummateProfessional: Cascadius is this, to the point where his frustration with Countess Glass's lack of such an attitude causes him to [[spoiler:seize control of the operation]] at the end of ''Intriguing''.
* CoolOldGuy: Stained Glass, Derpy's grandfather. A shame Countess Glass got him committed.
* CrazyPrepared: Mayor Mare has shades of this, having a button-activated trapdoor in front of her desk, and preparing a ProducePelting during the Play to bring any wayward actors in line.
* CreepyCrows: [[MeaningfulName Corax]] makes use of the [[AnimalMotifs motif]].
* CreepyGood: A couple of the heroes have this motif. Madam Coldblood, like the character she's an {{Expy}} of, is a [[ImAHumanitarian cannibal]] LizardFolk, and Princess Luna retains her DarkIsNotEvil tendencies from canon, such as having Octavia play a dirge to assist her with meditation.
* CulturedBadass: Cascadius appreciates fine music and ancient history, and is one of the most feared assassins around. Several of his mercenaries are also well-versed in culture of various kinds.
* DarkIsNotEvil: Luna and the Eternal Knights.
* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: Derpy's parents, Can Doo and Looking Glass. [[spoiler:Also Fancy Pants' parents.]].
* DirtyOldMan: Nitpick Glass.
* TheDitz: Prince Blueblood.
* TheDreaded: The Doctor, as expected. Cascadius, amongst those who know him.
* DoingItForTheArt:[[invoked]] Photo Finish and her crew. This causes friction with the more profit-oriented sectors of the industry.
* DoNotCallMePaul: {{Inverted}}, Derpy much prefers her given name to the one that Countess Glass forced on her (Irregular Glass).
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Several, in roughly chronological order:
** Mayor Mare demonstrating her status as both BeleagueredBureaucrat and CrazyPrepared during the demon scene of the play.
** Countess Glass demands that the local authorities assist her with recovering her niece whilst being insulting to everyone else and declaring herself greater than Princess Celestia, and when rebuffed, falls back on ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections and threatens violence.
** Nitpick running a KangarooCourt against Flash Sentry (whom he doesn't actually have any authority over) over an drunken prank, sentencing him to [[DisproportionateRetribution three years in prison, a dishonourable discharge and a 500 bit fine]]. (The fine was a "[[StealingFromTheTill service bonus]]"). All while taking the opportunity to soapbox about the "barbarians" and "parasites" of society.
** Shining Armor uses his actual authority to undo Flash's sentence and get some jibes in at [[UpperClassTwit Nitpick]], then, once outside of his line of sight, dealing a [[PunishmentDetail sensible punishment]] for Flash's actions. Then he gets teased for [[EatingTheEyeCandy enjoying the sight of]] Cadance with a wet mane.
** When [[UnclePennybags Fancy]] [[NiceGuy Pants]] meets Fleur serving ice-cream at a ball, and she tearfully admits that she's not as successful a model as she claimed, he compliments her on her resolve and dedication, saying that of all the models he knows, none of them took a second job to get there, and offers to introduce her to a photographer friend.
** [[BewareTheSillyOnes Photo Finish]] is introduced [[MamaBear literally]] [[DestinationDefenestration throwing]] a reporter out of the model's changing room. She then gives Fleur a chance to impress, instructing her to DontThinkFeel and ultimately giving her a job.
** Cascadius is introduced [[ConsummateProfessional signing a contract]] while calmly discussing torture and murder.
** Corax is first encountered [[CulturedBadass singing historical songs]] and considering how to [[ImAHumanitarian improve his cuisine]].
** Blue Murder's introduction largely consists of [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes insisting her son is kept safe]] and having a phone call with her underlings where she chews them out for being incompetent with JackBauerInterrogationTechnique.
** [[PsychoForHire Gringore]] murders someone that her companions wanted alive solely to perform a BondOneLiner after stepping from a lift containing [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill the remnants of a SWAT team]].

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Several of the villains have people they care about:
** Blue Murder wants her son Tungsten kept well away from her life as a mercenary.
** Senator Royal Flush has a daughter he cares about. [[spoiler:Too bad he betrays the mercenaries while they still need him]].
* {{Expy}}: Madam Coldblood, Spinning Jenny and Blunderbuss for the [[Series/DoctorWho Paternoster Gang]].
* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: It's hard to discuss this series without mentioning that Derpy is a noble on the run from an abusive stepmother, given how much of the second and third stories are based on Countess Glass trying to get her back under her hoof.
* GasMaskMooks: The guards at Glander's Gate.
* GentlemanAndAScholar: Fancy Pants.
* GoodParents: What Derpy is aspiring to be, like her actual parents were to her.
* GrimUpNorth: As in canon, the Frozen North is not a pleasant place to be, and the addition of the Jotnar Warhost doesn't help anything.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Dinky is half pony, half Time Lord.
* HappilyMarried: Lady Justice and Mayor Mare, Derpy's and Fancy Pants' parents [[spoiler:before they disappeared or were murdered, respectively]].
* HenpeckedHusband: Lord Nitpick.
* IGaveMyWord: Cascadius considers promises utterly binding. A shame he doesn't make more of them.
* ImAHumanitarian: Several characters, including [[LizardFolk Madam Coldblood]] and Corax.
* LargeHam: Bulk Biceps, part of the reason for his casting as Tirek in the Rejuvenation Play. Photo Finish has her moments as well.
* JigsawPuzzlePlot: Rapidly shaping up into one of these.
* TheKlutz: Derpy. She gets better when Dinky's around. It's a sign of how bad she's feeling at Invitro Hall when Dinky nearly gets hurt because of a clumsy mistake.
* MadeOfIron: Cascadius catches an iron poker swung with such force that it bends around his hoof with no apparent effect.
* MamaBear: Derpy is willing to stand up to Countess Glass to keep Dinky. Fleur's mother also gets violent when her daughter is threatened. [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes Blue Murder]] expresses the sentiment regarding Tungsten, [[spoiler:and later demonstrates it when she tortures a school bully to death]].
* MeaningfulRename: Attempted by Countess Glass when she forced the name Irregular Glass on Derpy Doo, but the name is quickly abandoned when she gets free. A measure of the amount of control the Countess has at any given point later on is which name she uses for her internal monologue.
* MoralityKitchenSink: At the brightest end, you've got Derpy, the foals and the Bearers. A little greyer is the Doctor and most of the other heroes, willing to go to some dark lengths to achieve their goals, but ultimately noble and good. The Eternal Knights fall somewhere greyer still, rebelling against Celestia out of guilt and willing to work with Downriver until he oversteps the mark. At the villainous end you've got the dark grey Tyria (who's being blackmailed into it), a bit darker is most of the mercenaries, and finally, the absolutely jet-black Cascadius, Marephistallion and Countess Glass.
* MorallyAmbiguousDoctorate: Doctor Bittersweet.
* MoodWhiplash: The author is fond of swapping between the daily lives of Derpy and Dinky and the activities of the more dangerous characters, whether as [[{{Flashback}} Flashbacks]] or not. Also used towards the end of ''Intriguing'' as Cadance goes from her ([[CoveredInKisses enthusiastic]]) SmoochOfVictory with Shining Armor to her office where a [[TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive different trope]] awaits.
* MildlyMilitary: The casual relationship between Shining Armour and his squad gives the impression that the Royal Guard is this.
* MindRape: Cascadius' anti-magic powder has this as a side-effect.
* MrFanservice: According to WordOfGod, the 3rd Palace Grounds Platoon is made up of semi-canon love interests for Twilight, and commanded by [[KnightTemplarBigBrother Shining Armor]], so many of them fit this.
* NobleFugitive: Derpy Doo, although in this case the pursuit is more social and political than literal.
* NoOneGetsLeftBehind: Cascadius' crew apparently believes this.
* OlderThanTheyLook: Fleur looks like she could be ([[JailBait just]]) underage, but is actually 26. Cascadius as well, [[Really700YearsOld to a much greater degree]].
* PapaWolf: Fleur's father inflicts a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown for his daughter's sake.
* PowerNullifier: Magic containment rings can be used to block a unicorn's magic.
* PsychoForHire: Several of the mercenaries, but Gringore especially. Not Cascadius himself though.
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Dinky Doo.
* Really700YearsOld: Cascadius is very old, old enough to have fought the Doctor and Celestia several times in the past.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Every Alicorn Princess shown has become involved when needed. The commander of the Jotnar warhost is also a princess, and quite likes bringing down castles.
* SavedByCanon: Most characters in the stories prior to ''Lost Reflections'', as they're alive during the show.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: Firmly adhered to by the Glasses.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: The Glasses again.
* ShipTease: Photo Finish and Hoity Toity have several moments.
* ShoutOut: ''Many''.
* TheSpeechless: Self-inflicted on members of the Echo Squad mercenary group. Also, Princess Bonjela in ''Lost Reflections''.
* SpoiledBrat: Monocular and Binocular Glass.
* ThisPageWillSelfDestruct: Frequently.
* TragicKeepsake: Fancy Pants' monocle.
* UnclePennybags: [[spoiler: Stained Glass]] develops into this by the time of ''Lost Reflections'', helping Sparkler and Tootsie Flute get back on their feet. Fancypants starts out at this, and only gets better.
* UndyingLoyalty: Fancy Pants has a very loyal staff, mostly hired after they resigned from Invitro Hall in protest.
* UnusualEuphemism: 'Curd'.
* UpperClassTwit: Nitpick and his cronies are this. Unfortunately Countess Glass is more competent.
* TheVillainKnowsWhereYouLive: Cascadius is fond of ensuring silence by leaving a potential threat a little gift on their desk: [[AdultFear a photograph of their family, impaled by a knife]], a note saying 'No Interference' and a gas mask. All removed without a trace as soon as the intended recipient has seen it.
* ViolentGlaswegian: [=MacTrowel=]. Handy for dealing with the paparazzi.
* WhipItGood: Countess Magnifying Glass.
* WholesomeCrossdresser: Timber Spruce. In ''Intriguing'' he manages to get Flash Sentry to do the same by acting like it's a vital component in ThePlan.
* WickedStepmother: Countess Glass to Derpy.
* WouldHurtAChild: Countess Glass has no compunction whatsoever about 'disposing' of Dinky. Cascadius has also, several times, used a child's injury as a distraction for their parents. Many of his mercenaries are of a similar bent.
* WrongGenreSavvy: When [[ProfessionalKiller Cascadius]] is around then this is ''not'' the bright HighFantasy kid's cartoon of [[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic My Little Pony]], instead being closer to the darker edges of ''Series/DoctorWho'', but many heroic characters act like it's the former, and Cascadius is all too willing to [[{{Exploited}} Exploit]] that. A particularly notable example is [[spoiler: the old Bearers]] in ''Lost Reflections''.
* XanatosSpeedChess: Each story (with the exception of the first) is an individual round of a very long game between several people, including the Doctor, Countess Glass, Fancy Pants, Mayor Mare, Cascadius and Celestia. Not everyone plays every round, and several are working together, but they're all involved somewhere.
* YoungerThanTheyLook: Fancy Pants looks older than his actual age (30).
[[/folder]]
[[folder:The Rejuvenation Play]]

[[/folder]]
[[folder:Old Fences]]
* AccidentalPublicConfession: A very distressed Doctor accidentally reveals he's Dinky's father to Mayor Mare, following the attacks on Carrot Top and Lady Justice.
* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler: Until the sequel]].
* TheBet: One of these gets Flash Sentry into trouble in the prologue.
* BreakHisHeartToSaveHim: Attempted by Derpy to all her Ponyville friends after Countess Glass threatens them.
* {{Cliffhanger}}: Leading into the sequel.
* DontYouDarePityMe: Derpy has this reaction to her friends trying to help her.
* EatingTheEyeCandy: Shining Armour to Cadence, to his subordinates' amusement. Not that they're innocent, given Flash's comments regarding Sunset Shimmer.
* EmpathyDollShot: The Doctor discovers one of Dinky's dolls after Derpy is forced to take her to Canterlot with her.
* ExactWords: How Marephistallion the Deceiver is ultimately defeated. Laurelore cannot harm him, but the souls of his victims, bound into her blade, certainly ''can''.
* {{Flashback}}: Many, revealing character backstories and what the Doctor actually does all day.
* HangingJudge: Nitpick is shown to be this towards those he thinks beneath him.
* HeroicBSOD: Derpy, after the attack on Carrot Top, leading to her returning to Invitro Hall.
* IfYouEverDoAnythingToHurtHer: {{Subverted}} Can Doo suggests that Fancy Pants (father of the better known Fancy Pants), might want to say this to him. Fancy laughs him off, saying that Looking Glass is an excellent judge of character. Then DoubleSubverted when he says that should Can Doo break her heart, the proposed threat (of financial ruin) [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown would be the]] ''[[OhCrap least]]'' [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown of his problems.]]
* MythologyGag: Looking Glass apparently had the nickname 'Ditzy', one of the alternate names for her daughter in the fandom.
* NonverbalMiscommunication: Most of the observers think this is the result of their interrogation of the ([[CopycatKiller fake]]) Echo Squad member. The Doctor knows better.
* PunishmentDetail: Flash Sentry is sentenced to this following the above-mentioned bet.
* StealingFromTheTill: Nitpick thinks of the fines he hands out as a 'service bonus'.
* UnfortunateNames: Several of Fancy Pant's ancestors.
* WilhelmScream: The journalist attempting to get around Photo Finish's rules about journalists in the changing rooms. [[DestinationDefenestration He fails.]]
* YouHaveFailedMe: Poor Carthage. Getting torn apart by the Deceiver's CombatTentacles cannot be fun. [[spoiler: The (fake) Echo Squad assassin also meets this fate, we get the details in the sequel, and they [[CruelAndUnusualDeath aren't pretty]]]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:You Shall Go To The Gala]]
* AfterActionPatchUp: The Doctor tends to Derpy's wounds after [[spoiler: Countess Glass beats her for attending the gala]].
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: Fancy Pants, after Derpy is dragged from the hall by Countess Glass intent on giving her a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown]].
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Screwloose and Screwball.
* DeathGlare: Poor Jet Set. He really shouldn't have tried being Devil's Advocate for Countess Glass.
* EveryoneCanSeeIt: Derpy and the Doctor. Lyra and Bon-Bon.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Countess Glass can't understand why the Doctor would come back for Derpy.
* HumiliationConga: [[spoiler: Countess Glass and her daughters do not have a good evening]].
* INeedAFreakingDrink: Fancy Pants, after he engages in some [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech justified yelling]].
* JawDrop: The response of everyone in the room when [[spoiler:the Doctor reveals he's Dinky's father]].
* LoopholeAbuse: [[spoiler: How they get Derpy away from Countess Glass. They can't prove she's capable of living independently, but they can provide an alternate guardian, the Doctor, due to him being Dinky's father]].
* NotOnTheList: Attempted by Countess Glass to Derpy, she has the name 'Irregular Glass' struck from the list upon learning that it is present. Fortunately the name Derpy Doo is also on the list.
* PimpedOutDress: Derpy's gala dress, as made by Rarity.
* PunctuatedForEmphasis: "That's! Quite! Enough!" Quoth Fancy Pants. Also, when Celestia becomes [[TranquilFury really, really mad]], she lapses into this.
* RightBehindMe: [[spoiler: Princess Celestia has been listening to the Doctor's conversation with Countess Glass. Countess Glass failed to notice this before attempting to punch the Doctor]].
* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Countess Glass tries to buy off the Doctor.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Earwax's response to Celestia's entrance.
* SummonBiggerFish: The Ponyvillians' plan to save Derpy boils down to giving her an opportunity to plead her case to [[TheHighQueen Princess Celestia]]. Although things definitely don't go according to plan, [[spoiler:Fancy Pants ends up taking on the role, using his social status to save Derpy from Countess Glass. Celestia does later use her own power to properly punish Countess Glass]].
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Given by Fancy Pants to Countess Glass after [[spoiler:he interrupts her attack on Derpy]].
* TimeSkip: Set two months after Old Fences.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Intriguing]]
* ActionGirl: Several of them develop from the models and photography crew, including Fleur.
* ALadyOnEachArm: How Blueblood enters the story.
* AttackOfThePoliticalAd: A major component of the plot for the second act, as the Glasses attempt to smear Fancy Pants.
* {{Ambadassador}}: Apparently Fancy was one in his youth.
* AssShove: Cumbersome gets a red-hot poker, courtesy of [[spoiler: Tinny, and an [[BrickJoke earlier conversation]] about how they 'Do not like it up em']]
* BadassCrew: [[spoiler:The staff of Briefly Manor repel an attack lead by Sir Cumbersome]].
* BadassInANiceSuit: Fancy Pants. Master duelist, impeccably dressed.
* BadassInDistress: Fancy Pants for most of the last act.
* BigDamnHeroes: Several times by several characters. First by Fancy Pants when [[spoiler:Nitpick attempts to rape Fleur again]]. Later [[spoiler: Carcassonne rescues Fleur, using her shields]] to give them time to OutrunTheFireball, and after they're cornered again [[spoiler:Cadence and the 3rd Palace Grounds Platoon perform a GunshipRescue]]. Celestia and Sunset Shimmer to the residents of Bittsburgh. [[spoiler: Photo Finish also pulls this off, rescuing Hoity and Blueblood with a cadre of flash-bulb wielding supermodels.]] BewareTheSillyOnes indeed. Finally, [[spoiler: Fleur rescues Fancy Pants from Cascadius]]
* BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord: Nitpick is not ''blackmailing'' Fancy Pants, merely 'encouraging him to retire'.
* BreakHisHeartToSaveHim: Like Derpy before, [[spoiler:Fancy Pants attempts this to protect Fleur]].
* CannotSpitItOut: Both Fleur and Fancy struggle to reveal their true feelings for each other. [[spoiler:[[RelationshipUpgrade They get better]]]].
* CardboardPrison: {{Averted}}. Countess Glass' house arrest is very strictly enforced.
* TheCavalry: [[spoiler: The 3rd Palace Grounds Platoon resues several heroes, including Fleur, Carcassone, Photo Finish and several others. The 2nd Platoon also wraps up the attack on Briefly Manor, although Aunt Bloomers and the staff had already done most of the work.]].
* ColdBloodedTorture: Cascadius finds this distasteful, but engages in it at the request of his employers.
* CoveredInKisses: How Shining ends the story, panicking about how he can't show up for drills like this and asking Cadance how to remove the lipstick.
* CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon: How Photo Finish gets the assistance of Cringeworth.
* DestinationDefenestration: The fate of the Emir in the prologue.
* DisneyVillainDeath: [[spoiler:Cascadius, inflicted by Fleur. He survives]].
* DragonInChief: [[spoiler:How Cascadius ends the story, sick of the Countess' meddling screwing up his plans to do what she hired him for]].
* DynamicEntry: When Fancy Pants interrupts [[spoiler: Nitpick's AttemptedRape of Fleur]]. Later on, Photo Finish [[spoiler: drives a carriage through a wall to rescue Hoity Toity]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Blueblood may be a LazyBum, DirtyCoward and an idiot, but when Fleur launches her distress signal he realises he has to fix his betrayal. Of course, he's still a coward, so he goes to get Fancy Pants rather than acting himself.
* EvilGloating: Nitpick's desire to indulge in this [[spoiler:ruins his plans to smear Fancy Pants, as he gives enough warning that Fleur is able to counter his plans]].
* ExactWords: If a mercenary is paying you for passage with an ancient dagger, don't tell him to 'Throw it over'.
* {{Foil}}: Aunt Bustle Bloomers to Countess Magnifying Glass, both are fearsome matriarchs of noble families who care about the reputation of their houses, but while Countess Glass is abusive and self-centered, Aunt Bloomers genuinely cares about Fancy and is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure that knows when to stop pushing.
* GoldDigger: Blueblood thinks that Fleur is this and offers a friendly (for him) warning to jump ship before Fancy's reputation is ruined.
* TheGoodChancellor: [[spoiler: Fancy Pants ]]is promoted to this, in practice if not in title, gaining the position of First Minister, a role last held by [[TheArchmage Star Swirl the Bearded]]
* HeroicBSOD: Fancy Pants after [[spoiler:Nitpick blackmails him to dump Fleur and abandon his political ambitions]].
* HeroicRROD: Fleur, after she casts through a [[PowerNullifier containment ring]] to help Fancy, suffers from severe magic exhaustion that would have killed her had he not been able to provide immediate medical help.
* HotBlooded: [[FieryRedhead Carcassonne]]. It hurts her political campaign sufficiently that she resigns her candidacy just before the story begins.
* InVinoVeritas: {{Exploited}} by Hoity Toity to discover Nitpick's plans.
* LoudOfWar: Courtesy of Vinyl Scratch, and able to disable large groups of mooks via SensoryOverload.
* NarrativeProfanityFilter: Hilariously done when a {{Mook}} gets [[KilledMidSentence Knocked Out Mid-Sentence]], Fancy Pants chooses to believe he was saying 'Oh Dearie Me'.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:Cascadius, after being thrown off a building]].
* NeverMessWithGranny: Grand Duchess Bustle Bloomers is cornered by some {{Mooks}}. Next thing we know, the only one still conscious is busy trying to escape from [[MrMuffykins Horatio]].
* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: [[spoiler:Cascadius is believed dead by the heroes after his multi-storey fall]].
* OutOfCharacterAlert: [[spoiler: Photo Finish is able to tell that there is something wrong with Fancy Pants' break-up letter to Fleur, and [[TranquilFury expresses her displeasure]]]].
* PaedoHunt: The Glasses attempt to exploit this against Fancy Pants using (completely real, and [[NotWhatItLooksLike innocent in context]]) photographs of him and [[OlderThanTheyLook Fleur]]. [[spoiler: Ultimately ruined when Fleur gets herself published in a fashion magazine, along with her real age (26). Thanks to Equestria's strict anti-defamation laws, it would then be illegal to even imply something untoward was happening.]]
* PreAsskickingOneLiner: WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!
* RelationshipUpgrade: It takes most of the story, but eventually Fancy Pants and Fleur get there.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Tombola disobeys Fancy Pants to save his relationship with Fleur.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:Bloodhound's response to [[PhysicalGod Cadence]] becoming involved]].
* ShipperOnDeck: All of Fancy's staff and most of Fleur co-workers.[[spoiler: Becomes a plot point when Fancy Pants is forced to dump Fleur, and the modelling crew come up with a [[ThePlan Plan]] to fix it]].
* SoProudOfYou: [[spoiler:Aunt Bustle Bloomers towards Fancy, in the end]].
* SwordCane: Part of Fancy Pants' outfit for the fundraiser.
* SympatheticMagic: Cadence is able to use this and ThePowerOfLove to turn Fancy Pants' [[TragicKeepsake monocle]] into a TrackingDevice.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Nitpick is the recipient of several, including one by ''[[PrinceCharmless Prince Blueblood]]''.
* TorchesAndPitchforks: [[spoiler:Ponyville takes care of its own]].
* WarForFunAndProfit: Cascadius quite happily murders a former employer in order to force a region into civil war he can profit off.
* WeNeedADistraction: Cascadius [[spoiler: sets the city of Bittsburgh ablaze to force Celestia to leave Canterlot for a while]].
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Prelude: Call To Arms]]
* ActionMom: Blue Murder. Kind mother to Tungsten. Also a battle-hardened mercenary working as an interrogator for a collapsing regime.
* BrownNote: The Sarakanite Gas Bomb that Cascadius uses to disable Nitpick's cronies is a particularly nasty one.
* HopeSpot: Nitpick's reaction to seeing Cascadius, but [[YouHaveFailedMe he's not there to save them]].
* MadeOfExplodium: Nitpick's prison carriage, it's an old design.
* MagicalLibrary: The Canterlot Archives apparently contains several books that update themselves over time, with one of them being about the Doctor.
* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: How Cascadius deals with Nitpick.
* MexicanStandoff: Celestia and Countess Glass are in one. Celestia has reason and means to remove the Countess from existence with a moment's work. Unfortunately, doing so means the mercenaries the Countess has hired won't get paid, and will seek payment by [[RapePillageAndBurn other means]].
* MyInstinctsAreShowing: {{Exploited}} by Madam Coldblood, when she orders Blunderbuss to "Sit!"
* NotInFrontOfTheKid: Tungsten is dismissed before Blue Murder and Shadowplay begin discussing the job at hand.
* OneLastJob: Blue Murder wants this trope to be in play. [[{{Averted}} Cascadius can't promise it]].
* OurGhoulsAreDifferent: And controlled by an artifact now in the hands of Cascadius' mercenaries.
* PuttingTheBandBackTogether: Part of this story is Cascadius gathering some old allies.
* RetiredMonster: Blue Murder is attempting this. [[ColdBloodedTorture She's bad at it]].
* StuffBlowingUp: Like his ''Series/DoctorWho'' counterpart, Blunderbuss is fond of causing this.
* WhatTheHellHero: The Doctor is called out by Madam Coldblood for revealing Dinky's parentage.
* YouHaveFailedMe: The final fate of Nitpick along with several of his cronies.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Lost Reflections]]
* AbsurdlySharpBlade: Miura's sword. Cuts through locks and necks with equal ease.
* {{Adorkable}}: Pipsqueak. He gives Dinky an [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons Ogres and Oubliettes]] figure for her birthday.
* TheAgeless: [[spoiler: All of the Eternal Knights have become this somehow]], whether by [[OurVampiresAreDifferent "natural means"]][[note]][[spoiler:Midnight Blade]][[/note]], a [[RitualMagic ritual to gain a]] [[OurElvesAreBetter deer's lifespan]][[note]][[spoiler:White Wolf]][[/note]], or [[{{Nanomachines}} Nano Mites]][[note]][[spoiler:Fletcher Fray]][[/note]].
* AirVentPassageway: Used by Lambasar when invading Royal Flush's compound.
* TheAlcoholic: Countess Glass seems to have degenerated into this. Berry Punch used to be one, but after encouragement from sister and marefriend and influence from her daughter, she's much better than she used to be.
* AnArmAndALeg: How Cascadius is defeated in the Laurelore {{Flashback}}, with [[spoiler: the Doctor cutting off his own leg to drop him down a crevice leading to Tartarus]].
* AndIMustScream: During her imprisonment on the Moon, Luna was apparently conscious and aware of everything going on in Equestria while it [[CivilWar tore itself apart]] because of her fight with Celestia.
* AnticlimaxBoss:[[invoked]] [[spoiler:Marephistallion's returned form during the Interlude]] is viewed as this InUniverse, due to being brought low by an asthma attack before really doing anything.
* AngerBornOfWorry: After Dinky defies the Doctor and becomes involved in the fighting during the Interlude, we see one of the very few times he's angry with her.
* ApologeticAttacker: The mysterious pony [[spoiler:in Dinky's room]] at the end of Chapter 13 offers apparently sincere apologies to the sleeping pony they're about to harm.
* AssimilationBackfire: During the Interlude, [[spoiler:Marephistallion possesses Pipsqueak]], and his demonically-supercharged form proves quite a problem for the heroes. Until the asthma attack disables him.
* BadassAdorable: Angel Bunny goes toe-to-toe with the self-styled [[TheBigBadWolf King of Nightmares]]. And wins.
* BadassBoast: Aunt Bustle Bloomers gives one to Countess Glass, making quite clear that she hasn't fallen for any of her false contrition.
* BadDreams: Fancy Pants is suffering from these after the events of ''Intriguing''.
* BadGuyBar: {{Downplayed}}, Moon Tea's bar is rarely visited by ponies from nearby Ponyville, and is far enough out that it's a decent place to hide out from the law, but it's not a full BadGuyBar, and some (such as Balisong) aren't welcome there (not that it stops her).
* BaitAndSwitchGunshot: During [[spoiler:the Doctor's nightmare Russian Roulette, Derpy shrieks (blocking potential gunshot noise) and goes limp during her turn. It quickly turns out to have been a panic response, rather than a lethal gunshot]].
* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[TheHighQueen Celestia]], upon being informed of the number of casualties from the mercenaries' attack on Boulette, cracks the ground with an angry stomp, and [[SuddenlyShouting demands the identities of those responsible]]. Later PlayedForLaughs as the Doctor exploits this trope by threatening to set [[NiceGirl Dinky]] on his guests if the rules are not obeyed. Back to seriousness, Fluttershy crushes a bolt pistol with her bare hooves when pushed.
* TheBigBadWolf: Gevaudan.
* TheBigBoard: Cascadius has constructed one to assist his planning.
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: The Eternal Knights]] arrive at just the right moment to keep Braeburn from getting gutted by the Cult of Piggsicorn when he [[spoiler:stumbles on their shrine underneath Appleoosa]].
* BigSisterInstinct: When Pipsqueak's alcoholic father tries attacking Tootsie, Sparkler takes a deep breath. Cut to the unpleasant stallion leaving the hospital with magic-assisted speed.
* BloodFromTheMouth: Whatever was [[spoiler:injected into Dinky Doo]] at the end of Chapter 13 produces bloody vomit come morning.
* BodyHorror: The bearers of the palanquin in the Interlude. Chaos in general does a good line in this.
* BoobyTrap: The Bearers try and rescue the Doctor from Cascadius during the flashback to Laurelore's reign, and fall prey to several of these:
** Cornflower is ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice and BuriedAlive.
** Iris and Nuzzle are stuck in a dead end that is [[KillItWithFire set ablaze]].
** Zipadee and Adamanta have [[SpikesOfDoom a cave's worth of stalactites]] dropped on them.
* BondOneLiner: Gringore kills Banana Republic for the sole purpose of doing this.
* BrotherSisterIncest: The founders of Boulette.
* CallBack: Several:
** The rejuvenation play described has several to ''The Rejuvenation Play''.
*** Dinky plays the same role as her mother.
*** A principal actor suffers from PerformanceAnxiety.
*** The demons (in this case played by Diamond Tiara) being subject to a ProducePelting.
*** Dinky and Twist watched the film of the earlier play to get the birth scene right.
** Najiva mentions the Echo Squad CopycatKiller who appeared in ''Old Fences'', and the dishonour of his failure is why the real Echo Squad are involved now. He's also mentioned by the Doctor when he's trying to explain Cascadius to the Mane 6.
** Celestia mentions the MexicanStandoff she's engaged in with Countess Glass.
** The sword Celestia uses during the Civil War was forged from part of Laurelore's sword from her fight against Marephistallion in ''Old Fences''.
** Warlord Schnortel was given one mention in ''Intriguing''. Apparently he's a proboscid tyrant making war with the Zebricans who lost in a war where the local king of West Zebrica, Kintampo, was aided by Fancy Pants and Zecora. Cascadius also runs a few jobs for him including retrieving a runaway slave.
* ChainsawGood: Favoured by Gringore.
* CantKillYouStillNeedYou: The only reason Royal Flush is still alive.
* CatapultNightmare: These apparently afflict Fancy Pants with sufficient regularity that the staff are well used to helping him deal with them.
* ClingyCostume: Doctor Poddle's armour is designed to never come off. The addition of chaotic magic just made it worse.
* ClipItsWings: Part of the plan for dealing with Fluttershy involves putting a bullet through one of her wings.
* ClosetGeek: [[spoiler:Diamond Tiara, to her mortification when the CMC find out]].
* ClothFu: Lambasar uses this as his weapon of choice.
* CombatByChampion: The three Eternal Knights duel Celestia to resolve the Siege of Olwen during the CivilWar. It turns out a draw.
* CorruptPolitician: Royal Flush got the position of Senator with the help of Cascadius' mercs.
* {{Cult}}: The Cult of Piggsicorn are now working for Cascadius.
* CurbStompBattle: Three of Cascadius' mercenaries vs. Royal Flush's security staff. Result: 3472 Boulette casualties. No mercenary casualties.
* CyanidePill: The Cult of Piggsicorn uses various poisons in their rites that are easily (if messily) converted into this.
* {{Demonization}}: Someone (probably Cascadius or Glanders Gate) is sending defamatory letters about Derpy and the Doctor to the residents of Ponyville, in an attempt to [[{{Invoked}} Invoke]] HeroWithBadPublicity.
* DirtyBusiness: The Lunar Republic leadership considers dealing with Downriver this until he crosses a line, at which point they (unsuccessfully) sentence him to death.
* DissonantLaughter: Cascadius, upon learning that [[spoiler:the Eternal Knights are still alive]], much to the concern of the Cult of Piggsicorn.
* DisproportionateRetribution: A 13 year old colt bullied Tungsten and broke his O&O set, [[spoiler: Blue Murder ''tortured him to death'']].
* DomesticAbuse: Pipsqueak's father wasn't just absent, or a cheater, but actually abusive to Nancy.
* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: After Corax gets rather poetic with [[spoiler:Rarity while she's]] his prisoner, she's left with the impression he's going to rape her. He was, actually, being literal with the [[ImAHumanitarian food metaphors]].
* TheDreaded: [[spoiler:The Eternal Knights]] are known to the Cult of Piggsicorn, judging by the reaction to their invasion of a shrine.
* TheEngineer: Bovril, for the mercenaries.
* EscapedFromHell: Cascadius' first meeting with the Doctor ends with him being dropped into Tartarus. It wasn't his last meeting.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Diamond Tiara may have been a bully, but she would never hurt Derpy, because of past favours. In addition, the entire Rich family cut ties with Countess Glass after ''You Shall Go To The Gala'', including [[AlphaBitch Spoiled Rich]]. In a much darker turn, Balisong considers herself above Corax because she doesn't kill her prisoners. Cascadius points out that they wish she would.
* EvilVersusEvil: During the Interlude, the demonic hordes attack Trottingham, where Tungsten is sheltering. The mercenaries are waiting.
* EvilVersusOblivion: Why Discord originally betrayed Marephistallion. He didn't want the world destroyed, that's no fun.
* FalseReassurance: Morlock said he'd let them go. He didn't say he'd spare their lives, and sets hellhounds on them as soon as he's given them a suitable head start.
* FantasticRacism: Ancient Griffonia apparently suffered from this. Boulette also suffers from this, with foreigners being arrested on sight and confined to a ghetto, and outsiders, even heroes explicitly there to help, being verbally and physically attacked.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Poor Trilby, she clearly believes this about what [[spoiler:the Cult Of Piggsicorn is doing to her as retribution for her father's rebellion]], as by Chapter 9 she's wishing for a MercyKill. What little we see of it suggests she's not wrong.
* FoeTossingCharge: Being a [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]] makes Iron Will rather good at this.
* ForcedToWatch: Cascadius can't do anything about what [[spoiler:the Cult of Piggsicorn does to Royal Flush's daughter]], only whether he gets to watch. Later on, a feature of Fancy Pants' nightmares.
* ForensicAccounting: Pinkie Pie, with the help of evidence gathered by Loli Beats and Blizzard Wind, links Countess Glass to Royal Flush via illegal campaign donations.
* GodzillaThreshold: Celestia considers the deployment of armed enforcement to be this, but given the chaos left in Boulette, does so.
* GoThroughMe: Berry Punch tries this when she and her friends get attacked by the mercenaries. [[spoiler:It doesn't go well]].
* GoodCannotComprehendEvil: Pinkie Pie seems unable to get the idea of a hate group, as groups are meant to get rid of hate.
* GoodIsNotDumb: {{Invoked}} by Princess Luna, who is expecting Cascadius to invoke its [[GoodIsDumb opposite]].
* GoodIsNotSoft: [[spoiler:The Eternal Knights have become this in the modern day, ruthlessly eliminating threats like the Cult of Piggsicorn]], in contrast to their [[GreyAndGreyMorality earlier appearances]]. The town of Ponyville later comes at this the other way, rallying against the mercenaries.
* HangingJudge: Grand Justice Nocifer was a horrifically corrupt one in Mareseille's past. Everyone tried in his courts had to give up [[PaedoHunt one foal]] or face the gallows. He was later torn apart by the ponies of the city.
* HarmfulToMinors: [[spoiler:Ruby Pinch is delivered a video of her mother being]] subjected to ColdBloodedTorture by Balisong. Also a feature of the Doctor's nightmare, where Dinky is forced to play Russian Roulette, and see someone lose.
* HeroicSecondWind: Rarity breaks out of a binding on her magic by using the pain and fear she's experiencing to kick the nerves back into action.
* HeroKiller: The Bearers of Laurelore's age were killed by Cascadius while they tried to rescue the Doctor.
* HonourBeforeReason: Downriver accuses the Eternal Knights of this when they disapprove of him using an arrow barrage against civilians to try and break a siege. [[spoiler:They also all gain immortality in order to keep their oath to put Luna alone on the throne of Equestria. Now that Luna has returned and is ruling alongside her sister, they can't fulfil it. They aren't too bothered, and intend to continue serving her as long as she needs them]].
* IAmSpartacus: [[spoiler:When Morlock comes to Ponyville in search of the Doctor's progeny, Pipsqueak claims that it's him to save Dinky and Tootsie]].
* IHaveYourWife: Tyria is being controlled by Glanders Gate because they are threatening her sister. Balisong also uses kidnapped ponies to force [[spoiler:Trixie to acquire the Alicorn Amulet]].
* InnocentInnuendo: Derpy makes one upon the Doctor's return from the Raptor War.
* IWantThemAlive: The Cult of Piggsicorn has plans for Royal Flush's fate.[[spoiler: Because Cascadius still needs him, they settle for his wife and daughter]].
* KillerRabbit: Angel Bunny.
* LadyOfWar: Fleur De Lis has developed into this over the TimeSkip.
* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: When Dinky is gushing about how cool her MagicMirror is, and how she can use it to watch her father:
-->'''Dinky:''' You wouldn’t believe the things Daddy does when he’s not at home.
-->'''Pip:''' My mother said that about my father once.
-->'''Derpy:''' I’d be careful, Dinky. Some of what he does shouldn’t be seen by foals.
-->'''Pip:''' She said that too.
-->'''Derpy:''' I don’t want you to get scared. All those monsters and villains and life or death. You might lose sleep.
-->'''Pip:''' ...she never said ''that''.
* LaughingMad: Gringore.
* LetsSplitUpGang: The ancient Bearers when entering a cave to rescue the Doctor.
* MagicMirror: Dinky's birthday present from the Doctor. She can use it to scry on anyone who's passed their hooves across the mirror's gems. It apparently even works across TimeTravel.
* MasterOfDisguise: The Doctor describes Cascadius as this. It's shown when Cascadius rapidly switches disguises during his attack on Laurelore, well enough to fool a crack squad with a WoundedGazelleGambit.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: While planning during the flashback in Interlude Part 1, [[spoiler:Luna is seen talking to a "dark grey batpony with colourless eyes", the exact same description used earlier for Midnight Blade, foreshadowing his part in the later battle, and the survival of the other Eternal Knights]].
* MechaMooks: The "Eagletrons" used by Colonel Lammergeyer.
* TheMedic: Sweetie Belle has an apparently surprising knowledge of first aid.
* MookHorrorShow: What happens to the Cult Of Piggsicorn underneath [[spoiler:Appleoosa, courtesy of the Eternal Knights]].
* MoralEventHorizon: [[invoked]] Cascadius' attempt to murder [[MessianicArchetype Princess]] [[TheHighQueen Laurelore]] is viewed as this by the heroes.
* MoreDakka: Angel Bunny favours this approach, as does Screwball.
* MyBelovedSmother: Pip's mother shows signs of this in her (so far limited) time onscreen, in particular disapproving of his Puppy Love with Dinky. She does have reasonable reason for disliking the Hooves household though, as from the outside they can appear recklessly irresponsible, and she's worried about Dinky following the [[YourCheatingHeart same trope]] as his father.
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Half of Equestria's failure to deal with their guilt over Luna's isolation and [[GoMadFromTheIsolation its]] [[DemonicPossession consequences]] leads to them using Celestia as a {{Scapegoat}} and starting a CivilWar.
* MyGreatestFailure: The Doctor views his failure to prevent the attack on Laurelore claiming so many lives as this.
* {{Nanomachines}}: The Nano Mites are {{Magitek}} that can be used to keep someone alive long past their normal lifespan.
* NerdyInhaler: Pipsqueak uses an inhaler in the flashback scene to his first meeting with Dinky.
* NightmareSequence: Fancy Pants is reintroduced having a truly disturbing one.
* NoodleImplements: The delivery of supplies for Pinkie's Birthday Super-Suprise-Stunt consists of a mini-trampoline, a roll of lights, three wheels of cheese and a [[CymbalBangingMonkey clockwork monkey]]. We never find out why.
* OddFriendship: Raven and Bustle Bloomers, working together on Countess Glass.
* OffWithHisHead: Miura is fond of this.
* OhCrap: Senator Royal Flush once he realises the mercenaries have come for him. Most of his staff once they encounter one of the mercenaries. The villains get a turn when [[spoiler:The Eternal Knights invade the Cult sanctuary underneath Appleoosa]].
* OneHitPolyKill: A single one of Fletcher's arrows can go through several ponies.
* OurElvesAreBetter: As in the canon comics, deer draw a lot from the Wood Elf variant, being long-lived and inhabiting hidden woodland kingdoms.
* OurOrcsAreDifferent: The demonic Ungul, twisted mockeries of equines.
* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Batponies are bloodsucking and immortal, and distinct from Thestrals, which causes some problems for the latter when prejudices about the former are transferred.
* ParanoiaFuel:[[invoked]] Rarity is annoyed at the Doctor for giving them a dose of this while describing Cascadius. The Doctor points out that it's more than justified and he's just trying to keep them alive.
* ParentalAbuse: Part of the campaign against Derpy's reputation is doctoring images of Dinky so that she looks injured, with this implication.
* PleaseWakeUp: Laurelore's steward, Knickerbocker, is seen with his wife after Cascadius' attack.
* PoweredByAForsakenChild: The [[MechaMooks Eagletrons]] are powered by griffin eggs, stolen from their nests. No wonder the Doctor is fighting their creator.
* ProudWarriorRace: Boulette used to be this, and they've never forgiven Equestria for giving them help when they needed it, and the attitude is still held by significant portions of its population, causing problems when the Bearers are sent to help after the mercenary attack.
* PuppyLove: Pipsqueak's fallen hard for Dinky. It appears to be reciprocated, although she's better at keeping it together in face of her crush. Silver Spoon is also going on long walks with Featherweight, to Diamond Tiara's annoyance.
* RageBreakingPoint: Celestia descends into a furious rant upon hearing the number of casualties in Boulette
* ReallyGetsAround: Captain Jack is introduced hitting on Miss Harshwhinny (and getting hit), and has apparently been in a threesome with Lyra and Bon-Bon, as well as feeling up the Doctor and flirting with Sparkler.
* RedshirtArmy: The Guard sent to Boulette become this, being armed with staves and shields and expecting to deal with individual criminals, not a full-scale mercenary attack.
* RescuedFromTheUnderworld: [[spoiler:How Cascadius escaped Tartarus. Marephistallion the Deceiver attempted to build an army by recruiting the prisoners there, and Cascadius was amongst them]].
* RevengeByProxy: Royal Flush is still too useful to Cascadius for him to kill, so he hands over his daughter instead.
* RussianRoulette: The Doctor has a nightmare where Cascadius enforces a game between himself, the Doctor, Derpy and Dinky. [[spoiler:Cascadius loses, although this doesn't kill him thanks to nightmare logic]].
* SanitySlippage: The years of house arrest have not been kind to Countess Glass.
* ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules: Filthy Rich abandoned all business dealings with Countess Glass after her mistreatment of Derpy, and refused all attempts to bribe him into resuming them.
* SexSlave: Warlord Schnortel maintains a harem of them, and part of his price for joining Cascadius is the opportunity to add Fleur to it.
* ShootTheMessenger: Morlock does this in a ShoutOut to VideoGame/DawnOfWar.
* SinisterSurveillance: The mercenaries have done their research on everyone they think connected to Ponyville and maintain a close watch, at least if Balisong's use of it to intimidate Trixie can be trusted.
* SleepCute: During the [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Lord of the Horseshoe]] film viewing, both Pipsqueak and Dinky get [[SecurityCling scared by ]][[GiantSpider Lurhk the Spider Queen]], and Dinky falls asleep before the end of the film, much to Pipsqueak's embarrassment when the end of the film rolls around and Dinky's dozing against his shoulder. Given what her mother's doing at the time, it apparently runs in the family.
* StraightGay: Lafayette.
* StrawNihilist: Discord describes Marephistallion as this.
* TheSlowPath: How Cascadius has managed to fight [[TimeTravel the Doctor]] through history. Or at least, the Doctor is pretty certain that it's this, and seriously hopes that Cascadius doesn't have access to TimeTravel.
* SurpriseParty: Dinky's Birthday party.
* TakeMeInstead: During the flashback to their first meeting, Pipsqueak gives himself up to [[spoiler: Morlock, son of Marephistallion]] to save Dinky and Tootsie.
* TakeOurWordForIt: The Birthday Super-Suprise-Stunt that Pinkie Pie performs is really cool, even if it does go somewhat [[AmusingInjuries awry]].
* TeleportSpam: Midnight Blade occasionally uses it.
* [[TestedOnHumans Tested On Ponies]]: Bovril's designs most certainly are.
* TrainingThePeacefulVillagers: When the mercenaries attack Ponyville and kidnap several ponies, they were probably trying to intimidate them. Unfortunately, Mayor Mare is a capable public speaker, and rallies the townsfolk against them.
* TranquilFury: [[MamaBear Blue Murder]] during the Interlude, when a demon makes the mistake of trying a BreakingSpeech devoted to his history of slaughtering foals.
* TrueCompanions: The Eternal Knights.
* TokenEvilTeammate: Downriver is this to the Lunar Republic, although after his ObligatoryWarCrimeScene he is sentenced to death by the leader of the Republic. He vanishes from history, along with any sent after him.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: {{Defied}} by Cascadius, he's very careful to research the Elements' capabilities properly. To his frustration, there's still a lot he can't predict.
* UnfortunateNames: {{Subverted}} by a Moose[[note]]Thrym Hrodrisson[[/note]] who claims his name is Knuckle to disgust people, but actually isn't called that.
* UnPerson: Celestia attempted this with Cascadius for his crimes the last time he showed up, and not just with mundane means, she used a very powerful spell to erase every record in the known world. The Doctor later believes it to have been a mistake, allowing him to hide much more effectively.
* VerbalBackspace: After asking why someone would want to kill Royal Flush and getting a flat stare back, Celestia amends her question to why someone would want to kill him who hadn't met him.
* VillainousRescue: [[spoiler: Threadbare, one of the mercenaries, rescues Rarity from two Boulette thugs]] because the plan at that point calls for the Bearers to be intimidated, not dead.
* VoiceForTheVoiceless: Najiva uses an undead cobra as a mouthpiece.
* VomitingCop: Twilight's encounter with the lift that Gringore dealt with the SWAT team in has entirely reasonable results.
* WeNeedADistraction: As always, Cascadius and his mercenaries like this, a particularly dramatic version being the destruction of Arch of Unity during his attack on Princess Laurelore.
* WeHaveReserves: The demons favour this tactic, as shown in the Interlude.
* WeWouldHaveToldYouBut: During the Interlude, [[spoiler:Midnight Blade doesn't reveal that the other Eternal Knights are alive and on their way]], as the defenders needed to give their all, and they might not have done had they known TheCavalry were coming.
* WoundedGazelleGambit: A trick used several times by Cascadius and his mercenaries.
* YouHaveFailedMe: [[spoiler: After Morlock brings his father the wrong foal to possess, Marephistallion devours his essence, which also works for reactivating his lost powers]].
* YoureInsane: Twilight's response to Colonel Quimper suggesting they invade the cities that the mercenaries originated from, despite the fact the mercenaries have little to no remaining connection to their birthplaces.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Final Curtain]]
* DrivesLikeCrazy: Conkers, perhaps a reaction to Blueblood's insistence on not walking, and very satisfying to everyone else watching.
* FairWeatherFriend: Jet Set and Upper Crust were apparently very friendly to Baron Brittler Borax, until Cadance brought him down, at which point they turned on him.
* GoneHorriblyRight: Sunset Shimmer's opinion of the guards' "villains" when playing with Twilight Sparkle being rather low, she then attempts to show them how it's done, and drives Twilight to tears.
* HappilyMarried: Jet Set and Upper Crust, somehow.
* NeverMessWithGranny: Alma's Granny Zumurud packs a mean right hook.
* NotInFrontOfTheKid: Sunset, while despairing of the guards' attempts to play the villain, gets scolded for swearing in front of Twilight Sparkle by Twilight Velvet.
* ParentalMarriageVeto: Herod Sanguine disapproves of Bayard and Rowena.
* ParentalSubstitute: Aeschylus, the butler at Sanguine Hall, basically raised Blueblood after Blueblood's father died.
* RoyalBrat: "Babbles", according to her older brother, and her brief appearances so far bear that out.
* SarcasmMode: Alma Rose very quickly ends up with hers locked on while around Blueblood.
* SpeechImpediment: Honeysuckle lisps so badly that Alma thinks it's fake.
* StylisticSuck: The "villains" created by the guards to play with Twilight Sparkle. Sunset Shimmer does not approve.
* UnfortunateNames: Blueblood's name at Sanguine Hall is "Gormless Blott Sanguine", as given by his grandfather.
* UpperClassTwit: Jet Set and Upper Crust. Unfortunately for Princess Cadance, breaking up a smuggling cartel benefited them greatly, so they insist on showing their gratitude to her.
* WhoopeeCushion: Someone leaves one under Prince Herod's seat, and Babbles gets the blame until Alma suggests finding out if she actually did it first.
[[/folder]]

* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[TheHighQueen Celestia]], upon being informed of the number of casualties from the mercenaries' attack on Boulette, cracks the ground with an angry stomp, and [[SuddenlyShouting demands the identities of those responsible]]. Later PlayedForLaughs as the Doctor exploits this trope by threatening to set [[NiceGirl Dinky]] on his guests if the rules are not obeyed.

* HarmfulToMinors: [[spoiler:Ruby Pinch is delivered a video of her mother being]] subjected to ColdBloodedTorture by Balisong.

* IHaveYourWife: Tyria is being controlled by Glanders Gate because they are threatening her sister.

[[http://www.fimfiction.net/story/349691/the-rejuvenation-play The Rejuvenation Play]] is a MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic[=/=]DoctorWho fanfic by Purple Patch, published in 2016 on [=FimFiction.com=]. Set approximately seven years before Season 1, it tells the story of one very eventful play taking place in Ponyville. A heavily-pregnant Derpy Doo is taking part in the event, playing the equally-pregnant Dandelion. Meanwhile, Princess Celestia is in the audience, most of the other actors have their [[DysfunctionJunction own issues]] and the Doctor is running around. [[BlatantLies This cannot possibly end badly.]]

* {{Expy}}: Madam Coldblood, Spinning Jenny and Blunderbuss for the [[DoctorWho Paternoster Gang]].

* WrongGenreSavvy: When [[ProfessionalKiller Cascadius]] is around then this is ''not'' the bright HighFantasy kid's cartoon of [[MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic My Little Pony]], instead being closer to the darker edges of DoctorWho, but many heroic characters act like it's the former, and Cascadius is all too willing to [[{{Exploited}} Exploit]] that. A particularly notable example is [[spoiler: the old Bearers]] in ''Lost Reflections''.

* StuffBlowingUp: Like his DoctorWho counterpart, Blunderbuss is fond of causing this.

* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: Every Alicorn Princess shown has become involved when needed.

* HonourBeforeReason: Downriver accuses the Eternal Knights of this when they disapprove of him using an arrow barrage against civilians to try and break a siege. [[spoiler:They also all gain immortality in order to keep their oath to put Luna alone on the throne of Equestria. Now that Luna has returned and is ruling alongside her sister, they can't fulfill it. They aren't too bothered, and intend to continue serving her as long as she needs them]].

* OhCrap: Senator Royal Flush once he realises the mercenaries have come for him. Most of his staff once they encounter one of the mercenaries.

* BigBad: Countess Magnifying Glass of Invitro Hall.

** Nitpick running a KangarooCourt against Flash Sentry (whom he doesn't actually have any authority over) over an drunken prank, sentencing him to [[DisproportionateRetribution three years in prison, a dishonourable discharge and a 500 bit fine]]. (The fine was a "[[StealingFromTheTill service bonus]]"). All while taking to opportunity to soapbox about the "barbarians" and "parasites" of society.

* TheAlcoholic: Countess Glass seems to have degenerated into this.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: [[TheHighQueen Celestia]], upon being informed of the number of casualties from the mercenaries' attack on Boulette, cracks the ground with an angry stomp, and [[SuddenlyShouting demands the identities of those responsible]].

** Warlord Schnortel is mentioned several times. He was given one mention in ''Intriguing''. Apparently he's a proboscid tyrant making war with the Zebricans who lost in a war where the local king of West Zebrica, Kintampo, was aided by Fancy Pants and Zecora. Cascadius also runs a few jobs for him including retrieving a runaway slave.

* {{Adorkable}}: Pipsqueak. He gives Dinky an [[DungeonsAndDragons Ogres and Oubliettes]] figure for her birthday.