History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS4E2PrincessTwilightSparklePart2

->'''Applejack''' Well all right then! [[ItMakesSenseInContext Let's go save a...tree!]]

Abruptly, Princess Celestia steps in and orders her sister to lower the moon. Nightmare Moon replies that they are not sisters any longer and chases Celestia into the sky, with Twilight struggling to keep up. Though Celestia refuses to attack, a bolt from Nightmare Moon -- clearly meant to be lethal -- knocks her down to Twilight's sadness, but then she gets back up again; Twilight is happy Celestia is still strong, but is confused when Celestia does not even see or hear her, and she reluctantly arms herself with the Elements of Harmony -- in their original gemstone appearances -- it is that moment Twilight realizes she is actually witnessing an event in the past. Nightmare Moon is sent into her thousand-year exile, and Twilight comes back to herself in the present day.

* BaitAndSwitch: The previous episode ''seemingly'' ends on the reveal that Luna had turned into Nightmare Moon a second time, and was responsible for the invading Everfree Forest. It turns out that Twilight was just experiencing a flashback of when Luna transformed the first time, to clue her in on what was really going on.

* BerserkerTears: In the flashback, Princess Celestia is crying while unleashing the Elements of Harmony's power against Nightmare Moon as she knows that's her own sister she's turning them on and hopes Luna can forgive her for what she's about to do.

* HijackedByGanon: DoubleSubverted. When vines from the Everfree Forest start invading Ponyville and the princesses go missing, everyone assume it is a new threat or villain causing all this. At first it seems to be because of Luna becoming Nightmare Moon again, when it's revealed that it is all a flashback. Then it gets double-subverted at the end. It turns out that it was caused by seeds that the recently reformed villain [[MadGod Discord]] planted right before his defeat by Celestia and Luna over a millennium before. The Tree of Harmony's power managed to keep them from growing for that long.

* OffModel: Just when Twilight hovers into the air to remove the elements, her wings become Pegasus wings until the elements spin around her.

-->'''Twilight Sparkle:''' Are those the Elements of Harmony? But that's how they looked in...the ''past.''

-->'''Twilight Sparkle:''' I know how we can save the Tree...we have to give it the Elements of Harmony.

-->'''Luna:''' Six locks, six keys.\\

* KnockoutGas: twilight gets hit with this by some of the Plunderseeds, thus rendering her unconscious.

%%* FailedASpotCheck: See AchievementsInIgnorance.

Abruptly, Princess Celestia steps in and orders her sister to lower the moon. Nightmare Moon replies that they are not sisters any longer and chases Celestia into the sky, with Twilight struggling to keep up. Though Celestia refuses to attack, a bolt from Nightmare Moon -- clearly meant to be lethal -- knocks her down, and she reluctantly arms herself with the Elements of Harmony -- in their original gemstone appearances -- it is that moment Twilight realizes she is actually witnessing an event in the past. Nightmare Moon is sent into her thousand-year exile, and Twilight comes back to herself in the present day.

** The Elements of Harmony appearing in their original rupee shape when Celestia reveals them, which causes Twilight to realize she's actually seeing a flashback.

Abruptly, Princess Celestia steps in and orders her sister to lower the moon. Nightmare Moon replies that they are not sisters any longer and chases Celestia into the sky, with Twilight struggling to keep up. Though Celestia refuses to attack, a bolt from Nightmare Moon -- clearly meant to be lethal -- knocks her down, and she reluctantly arms herself with the Elements of Harmony. Nightmare Moon is sent into her thousand-year exile, and Twilight comes back to herself in the present day, realizing she witnessed an event in the past.

* ManEatingPlant: The Plunder Vines have mobile Venus Flytrap-like parts that spray spores that cause anypony that's exposed to them to lose consciousness. They subdue and almost eat Twilight before the rest of the Mane Six show up to save her.

* WhenTreesAttack: It's revealed that it's not the Everfree Forest attacking, but more specifically the Plunder Vines that sprouted there.

* ThreeDEffectsTwoDCartoon: The Elements of Harmony during the flashbacks are very obvious 3D models.

* ConspicuousCG: The Elements of Harmony during the flashbacks are very obvious 3D models.

** The Elements of Harmony appearing in their original rupee shape when Celestia reveals them, which causes Twilight she's actually seeing a flashback.

* WhatTheHellHero:
** Rainbow Dash calls out Applejack the moment they realized they needed Twilight right after Applejack's idea to send her away. Applejack flips it around, saying they ''all'' agreed to the idea.
** Discord gives a subtle one to Twilight for agreeing to leave her friends in the forest.

* ConspicuousCGI: The Elements of Harmony during the flashbacks are very obvious 3D models.

Twilight decides that only by returning the Elements of Harmony to the tree will they be able to save it, believing that the bonds of friendship between the girls have become so strong that they no longer need the Elements to keep themselves united. The tree is restored, dispelling the vines and freeing Celestia and Luna from their grasp. Just then, the tree sprouts a flower containing a mysterious box with six locks. Unsure of what's inside or where the keys are, Celestia hints that Twilight and her friends will be able to unlock the mystery together.

** "Are those the Elements of Harmony? But that's how they looked in...''the past.'' This is the night you banished her."
** "I know how we can save the Tree...we have to give it the Elements of Harmony.
** "I do not know where [the keys] are, but I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone."

* BigBad: Discord turns out to be behind the Plundervines after all, but he wasn't directly causing trouble on his own, rather letting the vines do it for him.

The girls quickly run into trouble when Twilight accidentally angers a cragodile and has trouble flying away to safety. After the others wrangle the beast, the girls become concerned with Twilight's safety and propose she is better off returning to Ponyville to lead in Celestia and Luna's absence while they continue their search for the Tree of Harmony without her. Hurt by her friends' decision, Twilight reluctantly agrees and dejectedly leaves along with Spike. Once she reaches Ponyville, however, Discord berates Twilight into changing her mind and rejoining her friends.

* BigDamnHeroes: Twilight's friends save her from danger twice: once from a giant cragodile, and again when she gets attacked by magic-sapping plants.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: Not once does Spike attempt to use his dragon-breath to fight off the vines. Twilight likewise forgets her teleportation ability when they get attacked by a cragodile.

* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: The "cragodile" the Mane Six get in a scuffle with as soon as they enter the Everfree Forest.

* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Normally Fluttershy can talk or stare down any animal into apologizing for threatening the Mane Six. This includes [[OurMonstersAreDifferent a manticore, a cockatrice]] and even a ''[[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]]''. Yet she doesn't even try with the cragodile.

** One could almost say that the "cragodile" was a [[Music/EltonJohn Crocodile Rock]].

** One could almost say that the "cragodile" was a [[Music/EltonJohn Crocodile Rock.]]

* BroughtDownToBadass: The Mane Cast give up the Elements to save the Tree of Harmony, though naturally they've shown themselves to be pretty badflank ''without'' them already. Of note, Fluttershy effortlessly cows Discord out of trying to take advantage of them losing the Elements.

* IdiotBall: Downplayed, but it takes Twilight longer than it should to realize she's witnessing a flashback to the night Celestia banished Nightmare Moon.

* BaitAndSwitch: The previous episode ''seemingly'' ends on the reveal that Luna had turned into Nightmare Moon a second time, and was responsible for the invading everfree forest. It turns out that Twilight was just experiencing a flashback of when Luna transformed the first time, to clue her in on what was really going on.