History YMMV / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E9SliceOfLife

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: It's not impossible to expect the episode to be about Derpy and Dr. Hooves time-traveling, then Doc gets distracted and the plot begins to zigzag from one background pony to the next. Some fans may see this as a wasted opportunity.

* NeverLiveItDown: For some, Derpy will always be remembered for locking the Mane 6 out, even after she made a HeroicSacrifice for Twilight in the [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017 movie]].

** We have nothing to back up Bon Bon's provided backstory except her word and a suitcase she's carrying with her. She might be telling the truth, or maybe she's just crazy and paranoid. Turns out it's the former, as Lyra becomes part of the agency as well in [[Literature/LyraAndBonBonAndTheMaresFromSMILE a tie-in book]].

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
** It's not impossible to expect the episode to be about Derpy and Dr. Hooves time-traveling, then Doc gets distracted and the plot begins to zigzag from one background pony to the next. Some fans may see this as a wasted opportunity.
** Then there's the idea that ''every'' episode would be better if it focused more on the citizens of Ponyville.

* AccidentalInnuendo: Octavia and Vinyl make "beautiful music" together. This involves a lot of longing looks, Octavia undressing, and suggestive smiling between them. It's almost borderline GRatedSex.

** The fact that this episode canonizes several background characters, whose popularity has been the fandom's [[EnsembleDarkhorse most iconic feature]] for four years. Some have their {{fanon}} personalities, while [[{{Jossed}} others toss such notions aside]]. Some fans have also complained that an episode about the backgrounders is PanderingToTheBase, while others agree that that's exactly what it is but [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools don't see it as a problem]].
** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is Ruined FOREVER, or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[PseudoRomanticFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking.

* PanderingToTheBase: Much of the [[PeripheryDemographic fanbase]] has wanted some canon characterization for the background ponies, whether it [[IKnewIt confirms]] fanon or [[{{Jossed}} not]]. Creator/{{Hasbro}} apparently [[ExecutiveMeddling pushed the writers]] to make this episode expressly for this purpose. The fact that the monster that the episode uses to distract the Mane 6 from having a big role in the episode is [[PandaingToTheAudience part panda]] is a pretty big lampshade.

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops being an undercover secret agent provides an explanation for why her voice has been different in subsequent speaking roles -- she'd have experience adopting different voices as part of a disguise. Also, while she was called Bon Bon for some time, the loss of the trademark means that for a while now, her merchandise has been sold under the name "Sweetie Drops". This episode canonizes ''both'' names.
** Some fans were upset about Featherweight being a KarmaHoudini in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E23PonyvilleConfidential Ponyville Confidential]]". [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty Here he gets sprayed with ink, just like Diamond Tiara's punishment in that episode]].
** You can really feel everyone involved trying not to make a repeat of Derpygate. She has a more feminine voice that fits her personality better than Tabitha's initial Saving Throw, she's a more relatable screw-up than the WalkingDisasterArea she was before, and she has a lazy eye problem rather than either being permanently "derped" or normal.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

** DJ Pon-3's complete silence in this episode has sparked questions if she simply didn't speak, or is actually a mute. (She's spoken in comics and been quoted on TCG cards, but they're considered LooseCanon.) Episode writer M.A. Larson has said she had dialogue in earlier versions of the script, but Creator/{{Hasbro}} [[ExecutiveMeddling told him]] "she doesn't talk." The showrunners have since been very vague on the matter of if she ''can'' talk and just chooses not to, or can't, and prefer it this way since it makes her more interesting.

** Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops being an undercover secret agent provides an explanation for why her voice has been different in subsequent speaking roles -- she'd have experience adopting different voices as part of a disguise. Also, while she was called Bon Bon for some time, the loss of the trademark means that for a while now, her merchandise has been sold under the name "Sweetie Drops." This episode canonizes ''both'' names.
** Some fans were upset about Featherweight being a KarmaHoudini in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E23PonyvilleConfidential Ponyville Confidential]]". [[KarmaHoudiniWarranty Here he gets sprayed with ink, just like Diamond Tiara's punishment in that episode.]]

** The next ''Series/DoctorWho'' series after this episode actually featured a character who simply calls herself "Me." Though ''why'' she does it, along with Whooves calling it an "unfortunate name," can push this into HarsherInHindsight.

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is Ruined FOREVER, or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking.

** While some fans are happy to have an episode staring the background characters, others are upset that that they picked the 100th episode to do it on instead of focusing on the Mane Six, the Cuite Mark Crusaders, and Spike.

* NeverLiveItDown: For some, Derpy will always be remembered for locking the Mane 6 out.

** The fact that this episode canonizes several background characters, whose popularity has been the fandom's [[EnsembleDarkhorse most iconic feature]] for four years. Some have their {{fanon}} personalities, while [[{{Jossed}} others toss such notions aside]]. Some fans have also complained that an episode about the backgrounders is PanderingToTheBase, while others agree that that's exactly what it is but [[TropesAreTools don't see it as a problem]].

** One image of the freeze-frame before the booth crashes the DHX staff wearing horse head masks.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: One featuring a literal alligator: Gummy's monologue of his existential crisis. It's abrupt and has nothing to do with the events of the episode in any fashion.

** Given what occurred in the last few episodes of the series and their interaction in this one, was this episode the start of [[spoiler: Lyra and Bon Bon's relationship as a couple]]?

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is Ruined FOREVER, or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking. As it turns out, [[spoiler: this episode may have been the start of their relationship]], as by the end of the series [[spoiler: Lyra and Bon Bon are an OfficialCouple]].

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: The entire interaction between Lyra and Bon Bon is this after [[spoiler: their RelationshipUpgrade]] at the end of the series.

** Given what occurred in the last few episodes and their interaction in this one, was this episode the start of [[spoiler: Lyra and Bon Bon's relationship as a couple]]?

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is Ruined FOREVER, or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking. As it turns out by the end of the series [[spoiler: Lyra and Bon Bon are an OfficialCouple]].

** We have nothing to back up Bon Bon's provided backstory except her word and a suitcase she's carrying with her. She might be telling the truth, or maybe she's just crazy and paranoid.

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is Ruined FOREVER, or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking.

** Did this episode [[{{Jossed}} de-confirm]] a Lyra×Bon Bon romance or flat out [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar show that Lyra and Bon Bon's "friendship" is a lot deeper than one would think]]?

* AwesomeMusic: Octavia and DJ Pon-3's duet. [[https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=techno+cello Cello and techno beats]] go together better than some people might think.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: The literal moment is Gummy's monologue of his existential crisis. It's abrupt and has nothing to do with the events of the episode in any fashion.

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpibooru.org/916134 being very touchy-feely and making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is [[DarthWiki Ruined FOREVER]], or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: Considering how very important to him his sweet 'stache is, Steven giving half of it to Cranky as a toupee is one. Even more so if one thinks of it as as an echo of when Rarity did the same thing, a pay-it-forward moment, as it were.

* BaseBreakingCharacter:
** Bon Bon. Was her DarkAndTroubledPast as a former secret agent out of left field and too nonsensical, or was it funny and unexpected? Part of the debate is that, contrary to a lot of other background ponies featuring in the episode, it's a complete reversal of fandom's portrayal of Bon Bon being the OnlySaneMan to Lyra's human-obsessed {{Cloudcuckoolander}}; some fans approve of the writers diverging from that fanon, while others prefer the fanon.
** Vinyl Scratch remaining TheVoiceless. Was it something that kept her unique and preserved what made her popular or does it stop her from being as well developed as others and inhibit interesting character interactions?

** Also, while it was surprisingly easy on wider fanon about the characters, there's still some debate: Lyra and Bon Bon referring to each other as "best friends" over and over while [[https://derpiboo.ru/916280 being very touchy-feely]] and [[https://derpiboo.ru/916134 making half-lidded expressions at each other]] the whole time, then arguing LikeAnOldMarriedCouple, then going right back to touching and making eyes at each other as they reaffirm their "friendship" is either epic ShipSinking or epic ship confirmation. And if it's ShipSinking, then either all is [[DarthWiki Ruined FOREVER]], or they're clearly [[HeterosexualLifePartners so very close]] and [[RomanticTwoGirlFriendship near-romantic]] that romance is ''nigh,'' and FanWorks will continue just as before. Or, you prefer them as friends and ''want'' this to be ShipSinking.
** And then there's the matter of voices and whether or not you thought each SuddenlyVoiced character got an appropriate one. As for a certain DJ, either her status as TheVoiceless[=/=]TheSpeechless (derived from her EQG counterpart) -- whichever you believe her to be -- is either an interesting touch that adds to her character, or it isn't and it just feels like a cop-out.

** Amethyst Star proudly says she was Ponyville's best event organizer before Twilight moved to town. This has led to joke "so she's the reason the Winter Wrap-Up never finished on time?"
** There have also been jokes that Amethyst Star is [[SarcasmMode totally not bitter]] about having been replaced.