History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E20ItsAboutTime

* ForgotICouldFly: Twilight could have just teleported through the locked door to the Starswirl Wing. She's also teleported both Spike and Pinkie before, so she could have brought them with her.

* StableTimeLoop: The reason Twilight freaks out about the future is because her future self comes back in time in order to tell her not to freak out about the future.

** It also nodes to Solid Snake from the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' games, including a ''sneaking mission'' and [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4 posing as a statue.]] All that's missing is the cardboard box. The Metal Gear explanation doubles as a subtle ActorAllusion[[invoked]]; one of the many characters voiced by Tara Strong is [[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker Peace Walker's]] Paz.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, this example was removed. Please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: Comically subverted. After Twilight tries hard to sneak into a locked library section containing powerful magical artifacts, a guard she bumps into just lets her in... because as Princess Celestia's protégé, she's allowed in there, which Twilight herself forgets.

** The music playing during Twilight's encounter with herself is a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong near copy]] of [[Series/DoctorWho'' "I Am the Doctor"]]. Also, before Future Twilight materializes, the iconic "house key scraping piano string" sound of the [=TARDIS=] can be heard -- though some have contended that it also resembles the Linking Book sound effect from ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}''.

** The music playing during Twilight's encounter with herself is a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong near-copy]] of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' theme "I am the Doctor". Also, before Future Twilight materializes, the iconic "house key scraping piano string" sound of the [=TARDIS=] can be heard -- though some have contended that it also resembles the Linking Book sound effect from ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}''.

* HardWorkMontage: While everypony is disaster-proofing Ponyville.

* SuperOCD: Twilight obsessing about not scheduling time to schedule her next schedule. She's also so caught up in tracking down the Starswirl Wing by her calculations that she fails to notice it right at the point they started.

* OffModel: Several times throughout the "distaster-proof Equestria" montage, Twilight is levitating a list to mark the progress, but her horn isn't glowing.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[VideoGame/NoTimeToExplain I am you from the future! There's no time to explain!]][[note]]Though there would have been if Past Twilight could've keep her mouth shut for a few seconds.[[/note]]]]

* LickingFoodOffTheFloor: Spike eats an ice-cream scoop after he drops it on the floor. Twilight drags him out of the room.

* CallBack: [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve Starswirl the Bearded]] is mentioned once again, and the Starswirl "wing" in the Canterlot Library that was mentioned is basically just an extra-secured room -- which is as big as the entire Ponyville library. A section of the library named after him was alluded to [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed from the start]].

* StockEpisodeTitles: Two other shows have used this as an episode title: ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'' and ''WesternAnimation/ThePenguinsOfMadagascar''. Both of those episodes feature TimeTravel just like this one.

* YouCanPanicNow:
** Pinkie Pie ask if anyone wants to panic with her when Twilight is telling everyone about the warning from Future Twilight.
** She also encourages everypony to panic when Cerberus approaches.
--->'''Pinkie Pie:''' Okay, everypony. Follow my lead: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

Remembering that Future Twilight said that the time spells were locked away in the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the Canterlot Archives, Twilight takes Spike and Pinkie with her to Canterlot. After donning black catsuits, eating ice cream, sneaking past guards, going in a circle, eating more ice cream, and having a helpful guard let them into the wing, the trio begin a frantic search for the time spells -- but they're too late! Dawn is breaking, Tuesday morning is here! As Twilight realizes she now looks ''exactly'' like her future self, she panics, bracing for the impending disaster...

* CallBack: [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E13HearthsWarmingEve Star Swirl the Bearded]] is mentioned once again, and the Star Swirl "wing" in the Canterlot Library that was mentioned is basically just an extra-secured room -- which is as big as the entire Ponyville library. A section of the library named after him was alluded to [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed from the start]].

* FailedASpotCheck: Twilight doesn't notice that the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing is right across the hall from where they came in.

'''Pinkie Pie:''' Maybe we should ask somepony in the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing.\\

* ForgotICouldFly: Twilight could have just teleported through the locked door to the Star Swirl Wing. She's also teleported both Spike and Pinkie before, so she could have brought them with her.

'''Twilight:''' (''[[FailedASpotCheck notices the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing is right across the hall]]'') Huh, how did I miss that?\\\

* SuperOCD: Twilight obsessing about not scheduling time to schedule her next schedule. She's also so caught up in tracking down the Star Swirl Wing by her calculations that she fails to notice it right at the point they started.

Pinkie Pie visits Twilight the next day, who has an epiphany (as well as a bandage) -- disaster can be averted if she monitors ''everything'' until Tuesday! But when Pinkie reminds her that Tuesday is actually ''tomorrow'', Twilight gets into a panic, then ends up looking at the sun through a telescope and blinds herself. While Pinkie provides an emergency eye patch from her secret stashes around town[[note]]you know, [[CrazyPrepared just in case]][[/note]], Twilight decides there's only one thing left to do: ''[[InsaneTrollLogic Stop time itself]]''.

...''[[StableTimeLoop oh]]'', so ''that's'' where Future Twilight came from! Oh well, it's Past Twilight's problem now. After a few laughs, the girls head home, especially now that Spike has a stomachache from eating too much ice cream. He had assumed that would be Future!Spike's problem... until he ''became'' Future!Spike.

** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E15FeelingPinkieKeen Once again, Pinkie Pie uses her Pinkie Sense, and once again, it targets Twilight]]. [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E8TheMysteriousMareDoWell And she uses it to detect a falling flower pot]]. [[LampshadeHanging ...which sort of appears out of nowhere, indoors]]. Perhaps Pinkie needed a [[WrongContextMagic soapbox]] when expounding on the capabilities of her Pinkie Sense to Twilight.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E15FeelingPinkieKeen Twilight thinks something is not scientifically possible]].

** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E16ReadItAndWeep Ponies sneaking around in]] [[SpyCatsuit black spy catsuits]]. Now with added dragon.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E4LunaEclipsed Pinkie Pie loves being scared]]. "Anypony else want to panic with me?"
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E8LookBeforeYouSleep Applejack and Rarity working together]]. With Applejack doing most of the work and Rarity keeping her clean.
** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E4ApplebuckSeason This isn't the first time one of the Mane Six went a week without sleep]].

--> '''Pinkie:''' (''[[FlowerPotDrop flower pot falls from nowhere]]'') Where did that even come from?\\\

* MindScrew: [[DownplayedTrope Just a little bit]], which is for the best since we have the target demographic's sanity to watch out for. At the end of the episode, Twilight just wanted to warn her past self about not worrying the future, a lesson she would have not learned if her future self didn't make her paranoid. Though she was already worried about the future ''before'' Future Twilight showed up. Even worse is how Twilight got the knowledge of where the scrolls are: Future Twilight got it from Past, who got it from Future, who got it from Past, who got it from Future, who got it from Past....

** Unicorn horns can be used as flashlights. [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E6BoastBusters It's not the first time we've seen this utility, either]].

* SanitySlippage: [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E3LessonZero Poor Twilight can't catch a break]].

Future!Twilight [[OminousMessageFromTheFuture has an important message to convey]], but Present!Twilight is so excited at the prospect of TimeTravel that she's full of questions. Future!Twilight has to put a hoof to her mouth to get her past self to shut up, but before she can deliver her message ("Whatever you do, don't --"), she disappears in a flash of light. Suddenly realizing that she should have listened to herself, Twilight is charged up to prevent whatever unspecified cataclysm that's about to befall Equestria!

Remembering that Future!Twilight said that the time spells were locked away in the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the Canterlot Archives, Twilight takes Spike and Pinkie with her to Canterlot. After donning black catsuits, eating ice cream, sneaking past guards, going in a circle, eating more ice cream, and having a helpful guard let them into the wing, the trio begin a frantic search for the time spells -- but they're too late! Dawn is breaking, Tuesday morning is here! As Twilight realizes she now looks ''exactly'' like her future self, she panics, bracing for the impending disaster...

...''[[StableTimeLoop oh]]'', so ''that's'' where Future Twilight came from! Oh well, it's Past!Twilight's problem now. After a few laughs, the girls head home, especially now that Spike has a stomachache from eating too much ice cream. He had assumed that would be Future!Spike's problem... until he ''became'' Future!Spike.

* {{Fangirl}}: Twilight, of herself, and why Future!Twilight can't get a word in edgewise.

* MadnessMakeover: {{Inverted|Trope}}, as instead of Twilight's looks becoming more wild as she loses it, it's her madness that increases as her appearance approaches that of Future!Twilight.

* MindScrew: [[DownplayedTrope Just a little bit]], which is for the best since we have the target demographic's sanity to watch out for. At the end of the episode, Twilight just wanted to warn her past self about not worrying the future, a lesson she would have not learned if her future self didn't make her paranoid. Though she was already worried about the future ''before'' Future!Twilight showed up. Even worse is how Twilight got the knowledge of where the scrolls are: Future Twilight got it from Past, who got it from Future, who got it from Past, who got it from Future, who got it from Past....

* SelfFulfillingProphecy: All of Twilight's worrying results in her acquiring all the ominous physical differences that Future!Twilight had.

** The music playing during Twilight's encounter with herself is a [[SuspiciouslySimilarSong near-copy]] of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' theme "I am the Doctor". Also, before Future!Twilight materializes, the iconic "house key scraping piano string" sound of the [=TARDIS=] can be heard -- though some have contended that it also resembles the Linking Book sound effect from ''VideoGame/{{Myst}}''.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPay: Twilight pronounces ''Tartarus'' as the Greek "Tar-Tar-Os", and not "Tar-tur-us" like is most common in English.

Future!Twilight [[OminousMessageFromTheFuture has an important message to convey]], but Present!Twilight is so excited at the prospect of TimeTravel that she's full of questions. Future!Twilight has to put a hoof to her mouth to get her past self to shut up, but before she can deliver her message, she disappears in a flash of light. Suddenly realizing that she should have listened to herself, Twilight is charged up to prevent whatever unspecified cataclysm that's about to befall Equestria!

%% * GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* RealityEnsues: Twilight forgets a basic fact about herself when she breaks into the Archives: she is the personal protégé of Princess Celestia herself, who else outside maybe senior government ministers would have more privileged access than her? Though it still bothers her that they aren't so surprised by her sneaking around.