Line #65 Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E14AMatterOfPrincipals


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/22b3bffa_ff5d_4c9d_b4df_cf4804d946dd.png]]
2
3	->''"You're a good leader and an expert in friendship. I trust you to run this school exactly as I would."''
4	-->-- '''Twilight Sparkle'''
5
6	-> Written by Nicole Dubuc
7
8	Twilight Sparkle is preparing the students for a scavenger hunt, to locate six artifacts from the various Equestrian species she will hide around the school, when her cutie mark starts glowing. She meets the other Mane Six at the cutie map, all to find them summoned by the map to a far-distance location outside Equestria. Twilight realizes that this will leave the school with no teachers, and institutes a backup plan -- putting Starlight Glimmer as the temporary headmare, with Spike's help, to run the school in their absence.
9
10	As the Mane Six depart, Starlight and Spike find Discord is there too. Discord is upset that Twilight didn't ask him to help run the school, but before he can take over, Starlight asserts she's going to follow the lists that Twilight left, as she doesn't want to let Twilight down. Discord seems to accept this, but Spike knows that Discord will likely cause a ruckus. The next day, they find Discord has hired temporary staff, all ill-fit for their teaching duties, such as Iron Will for friendship lessons. Starlight reprimands Discord, tells him to leave her alone, and replaces his hires with competent ponies. However, Discord still manages to cause disruption in the classes with his chaos. Starlight approaches Discord, but he refuses to recognize Starlight as the headmare, leading Starlight to hit him with powerful magic that permanently banishes him from the school.
11
12	The next day, Starlight is prepared to start the scavenger hunt, assigning the students in pairs. As the students look for the artifacts, Discord, in a more ghostly form, still manages to cause havoc by appearing to make the school haunted and scaring the students. Starlight witnesses all this from observing the students and realizes she was far too harsh on Discord. Before he can cause more trouble, Starlight returns his body to him, apologizes, and offers to make him the vice-principal for the school so that he can help. Just as Discord is ready to start, the Mane Six return, having discovered that Discord purposely tricked them away from the school for a few days. After assuring that all is well, Twilight tells Starlight she did a good job, even with dealing with Discord.
13
14	----
15	!!Tropes:
16
17	* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: None of the students are excited when Starlight offers Discord a job at the school as vice-headmare.
18	* AnimatedArmor: The pony armor that is wearing the Helm of Yickslur comes to life and chases Ocellus and Smolder thanks to Discord's magic.
19	* BigNo: After Starlight offers Discord position of vice-headmare, Yona shouts one out while the other students voice their own objections.
20	* BlueAndOrangeMorality: When Starlight wonders why Discord is messing with her, stating that she thought they were friends, Spike points out that Discord can care about others but still play tricks on them (usually in the name of "testing" them). While that's partially the case here, Discord does have [[GreenEyedMonster another reason.]]
21	* {{Bookworm}}: Ocellus correctly calls the objects at the beginning of the episode artifacts since she read ahead in the textbook. She later checks her book for clues during the Spell-venger Hunt.
22	* BreatherEpisode: This episode takes a breather from the previous which was rather villainous and gory.
23	* CallBack:
24	** One of the "substitute teachers" Discord gets is [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E10PrincessSpike a dragonsneeze tree]].
25	** As a reference to the same episode, Spike refuses to run the school because "being a princess for Twilight was hard enough."
26	** Starlight mentions she and Discord are old "save-Equestria buddies," referencing "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS6E26ToWhereAndBackAgainPart2 To Where and Back Again]]".
27	** Discord mentions a [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E2SchoolDazePart2 song about how the school is about making your own rules]].
28	* TheCameo:
29	** Derpy makes a quick nonspeaking appearance during Trixie's class, with Trixie pulling her out of her hat due to Discord messing up her trick.
30	** Maud Pie and Spitfire appear briefly as two of the three substitute teachers Starlight hires to replace Discord's terrible choices. Spitfire makes a second appearance at the buckball field, flying away at the end of PE class.
31	* ContinuityNod:
32	** [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E12MarksForEffort Cozy Glow]] makes several background appearances.
33	** One of the changes Discord makes to Twilight's office is a swarm of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E4BloomAndGloom Twittermites]].
34	** Iron Will's methods of teaching "friendship" are similar to his original [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E19PuttingYourHoofDown assertiveness training techniques]].
35	** During Trixie's class, Discord causes an [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E6BoastBusters Ursa Major]] to emerge from her hat.
36	** Discord uses a [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E9SliceOfLife Bugbear]] to get the students to take some laps.
37	** One of the artifacts is the crown of [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E8TheLostTreasureOfGriffonstone Grover, first king of Griffonstone]]. Another is a shell formerly owned by Knuckerbocker, a dragon from the Daring Do book ''Daring Do and the Eternal Flower''.
38	** The portrait of Mirage the changeling seen in the library depicts her in the original changeling style.
39	** Cranky Doodle is still wearing the wig made from [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E9SliceOfLife Steven Magnet's mustache]].
40	* CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot: As Starlight stated at the end of the episode, the entire plot could have been avoided had Discord simply talked to her about how he felt and politely asked to help out in the school, rather than spending the entire day chasing her and her students around the school. Discord [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall justifies not doing so by saying they wouldn't have such crazy misadventures otherwise.]]
41	* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: Played with. When Starlight blasts Discord with a huge magic beam, the students clearly think that Starlight's killed him, but she reassures them that she only banished him from school grounds. However, Starlight's banishment spell only affects Discord's body, not his spirit nor his powers. As such, [[LoopholeAbuse he revisits the school as a spirit instead]]. According to WordOfGod, Discord also ''let'' her do so.
42	* DishDash: When Discord drops the six artifacts with his telekinesis, Spike dives to catches them all before they'd hit the floor.
43	* DisproportionateRetribution: Discord's reaction to Starlight bluntly turning down his suggestions for the school is to make her role as acting headmare as difficult as possible.
44	** Later, Starlight's reaction to Discord insulting her during an argument is to just end the argument through physically banishing him from the school, in a spell that looks like it ''killed'' him. This only ends up playing to Discord's favor.
45	* DontMakeMeDestroyYou: Starlight threatens Discord with her banishment spell in this manner. Spike tries calming both of them down until Discord insults Starlight, at which point Starlight fires a large beam of magic.
46	* DoubleMeaningTitle: Explicitly "Principals" in the title, but "[[EveryoneHasStandards principles]]" is clearly implied.
47	* EasilyForgiven: After spending the entire episode wreaking havoc around the Friendship School and endangering the students at several points, and even sending the Mane Six on a bogus Friendship Map quest, Discord reveals he did all this because he felt left out for not being a part of the School. Starlight then apologizes to him and offers him a job.
48	* ExactWords: When Starlight tells Discord to leave, he indignantly states that he won't try to "help" anymore. The next day, he resorts to simply sabotaging the classes and spell-venger hunt.
49	* FaintInShock: Rarity is her usual DramaQueen self and faints (into Fluttershy's arms) at the prospect of leaving in the middle of her friendship quilting class.
50	-->'''Rarity:''' All of those unfinished seams! ''[faints]''
51	* FlatWhat: Discord's reaction when Starlight apologizes to him.
52	* {{Foreshadowing}}: The glowing effect on the Mane Six's cutie marks is different from how it usually is (an early clue that things aren't as they seem).
53	* GreenEyedMonster: Discord is upset that he wasn't picked as temporary principal and sets out to drive Starlight crazy by messing with the school.
54	* HiddenDepths:
55	** Gallus actually paid attention when Twilight was teaching about King Grover (something he tells Silverstream not tell anycreature).
56	** Sandbar seems to have a fondness for poetry.
57	* ILetYouWin: According to WordOfGod, Discord ''let'' Starlight banish him from the school and even viewed it as a victory for him.
58	* ImpactSilhouette: After being cranked up by Iron Will's motivational lesson, Yona bursts through the wall of the classroom, leaving a Yona-shaped hole behind.
59	* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: The artifacts introduced for the scavenger hunt go on to have a critical role in the [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E25SchoolRazePart1 season]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E26SchoolRazePart2 finale]].
60	* JerkassBall:
61	** Discord holds it firmly for the entire episode. He lures the Mane Six away on a bogus map mission, makes Starlight as miserable as possible while she tries to run the school, and practically tortures the students with his antics. All because he felt left out due to not being invited to the school's grand opening.
62	** Cranky Doodle Donkey is suddenly viewing others as being at his beck and call.
63	* KindaBusyHere: Discord interrupts Trixie's class with something ringing in a paper bag he carries. Turns out his phone is a ''banana'' which he answers and has a conversation with (and which has an actual phone handset hidden under its peel).
64	* LoopholeAbuse:
65	** After getting annoyed with Discord, Starlight tells him he can't be a teacher. So he rejoins as a student instead.
66	** Starlight banishes Discord from school grounds with a spell. This doesn't stop his spirit or his magic affecting the school, though.
67	* NoSell: [[https://derpibooru.org/1793179 A post from one of the writers]] reveals Discord was completely unhurt by the spell, and ''wanted'' Starlight to blast him in order to prove his point.
68	* NotHelpingYourCase: Both Discord and Starlight Glimmer suffer from this. Actively and intentionally making the acting principal's job harder doesn't help Discord's argument that he should have been acting principal instead, while blasting Discord with a spell that physically banishes him from the school doesn't help Starlight's argument that she's not a power-hungry ControlFreak.
69	* OhCrap: Spike has one when he realizes the tree Discord brought in was a ''[[PlotAllergy dragonsneeze tree]]''. Smolder [[SneezeOfDoom starts sneezing out fire uncontrollably]] seconds later.
70	* PortraitPaintingPeephole: Discord spies on Starlight in the Friendship School through a portrait of Twilight Sparkle. There aren't really peepholes in this case, it's more like Discord fuses with the painting with his magic.
71	* PrimalChestPound: After bursting through a wall, Yona pounds her chest while yelling "''BE MY FRIEEEEENNNND!''"
72	* PullARabbitOutOfMyHat: Trixie attempts this trick during her class, only for Discord to mess around as she pulls out in order [[RuleOfThree a pig with wings, Derpy Hooves and an]] ''[[RuleOfThree Ursa Major]]''.
73	* PullingThemselvesTogether: Discord ''literally'' falls to pieces at one point, much like Pinkie Pie in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E20TheOneWherePinkiePieKnows a previous episode]].
74	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: When Iron Will makes Yona come to the front of class and loudly assert herself to "make" everyone be her friend, she eventually shouts at the other students so loud they run away scared.
75	-->'''Yona:''' BE! ''MY!'' '''FRIEND!'''
76	* RageBreakingPoint:
77	** Discord has his after it becomes clear that none of his chaotic tricks are going to make Starlight take him on as a helper.
78	--->'''Discord:''' ''Fine!'' From now on, I won't try to help. AT ALL!
79	** Starlight holds back a banishment spell until Discord calls her "an incompetent, power-hungry unicorn." Cue WaveMotionGun-level magic.
80	* SayMyName: Trixie yells "DISCORD!" when the latter ruins her magic show by summoning an Ursa Major through her hat.
81	* ScavengerHunt: The "spell-venger hunt" Twilight was organizing is one of the main points of the episode when Starlight takes over headmare duties and which Discord gleefully disrupts.
82	* ScrewPolitenessImASenior: Cranky Doodle Donkey (firmly holding the JerkassBall) forces Gallus, Cozy Glow and other students to cater to his whims while relaxing under a chair.
83	* ShaggyDogStory: Discord's whole motivation for holding the JerkassBall in the episode is that he wanted to be involved with the School. Finally, at the end, he is made vice-principal...but then the Mane Six return from the fake friendship mission Discord had them sent on, which means Discord won't be vice-principal after all. The episode ends with Discord sighing and throwing away the business cards he'd already made for his new role.
84	* ShipTease: Silverstream is practically beaming with pride when she realizes Gallus actually paid attention in class.
85	* ShoutOut:
86	** Discord at one point appears among the students in an outfit based on the ''Series/ThirtyRock'' meme involving Creator/SteveBuscemi appearing to try to look cool among school kids, and repeats a similar line: "How do you do, fellow creatures?"
87	** The sticky staircase brings ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984'' to mind.
88	** Discord's Cellphone going off in class is a banana, which seems to be a reference to the old Banana Phone meme.
89	* SmokeOut: Unsurprisingly, Trixie begins her class by making an entrance through a smoke screen.
90	* SneezeOfDoom: The dragonsneeze tree (first seen in "Princess Spike") makes a return. Smolder has the same allergic reaction to it that Spike did, sneezing uncontrollably and blasting dragon fire everywhere.
91	* SnipeHunt: What the Mane Six's "Cutie Map mission" turns out to be.
92	* SpookyPainting: Discord brings several paintings to life in order to scare and mess with the students.
93	* SurpriseSlideStaircase: Discord turns a flight of stairs into sand when Sandbar and Yona attempted to go up to the floor above during the spell-venger hunt.
94	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: When Twilight makes the presentation of the six artifacts for the spell-venger hunt, Spike feels the need to point out:
95	-->'''Spike:''' And the gems are real! Eh, not that I... tasted them.
96	* TakeAThirdOption: As talking to Discord and using magic to keep him away from the School didn't work to keep him in line, Starlight chooses to hire him as vice-principal under her which he accepted... [[ShaggyDogStory only for Twilight Sparkle to return and overturn this result.]]
97	* TemptingFate: Upon being given the role of headmare by a departing Twilight, Starlight drolly says "What could possibly go wrong...?" Her surly tone makes it quite clear that she knows full well she's jinxing herself, though.
98	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Spike after Discord is turned down by Starlight.
99	-->'''Discord:''' Reeeeeeally? Well, we'll see if you change your mind.\
100	'''Spike:''' Uh-oh. When we play ''Ogres & Oubliettes'' and he puts that many E's in "really", the things don't usually end well.
101	* TookALevelInJerkass: Cranky Doodle Donkey, generally portrayed as being a nice guy in spite of a short temper, here uses his stunt as one of Discord’s substitute teachers to order his students to make him tea and spits in their faces when anytime he doesn’t find it perfect.
102	* TwitchyEye: Starlight's eyelid start twitching after Discord's hired teachers cause a mess and he sarcastically teases her.
103	-->'''Discord:'''Mmmm, my, my, my. You do seem like you're in over your head. Won't Twilight be so disappointed with how you're ruining -- I mean, ''running'' her school?
104	* VisualPun: When Starlight says to Discord that she needs him to leave, the trickster quite naturally shapechanges into a huge tree leaf with eyes.
105	-->'''Discord:''' Happy now?
106	* VomitDiscretionShot: Spike gags and has to cover his mouth to keep from losing his lunch when he gets a whiff of the Limburger cheese wheel Discord drops on him. Starlight has a similar reaction a short time later.
107	* WaveMotionGun: Starlight's banishment spell is a massive beam of magic that tears through the ground after it hits Discord.
108	* WithFriendsLikeThese: Starlight starts out thinking there's nothing to worry about because she and Discord are "old save Equestria buddies." Spike's attempt to warn her of how Discord can be when he's unhappy initially falls on deaf ears.

Context Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E14AMatterOfPrincipals