Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E5SisterhoovesSocial

Go To

1%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
2%%
3%% SEEN IT BEFORE?: If it happens in different episodes to the same character, you could put the trope in that character's description on the Characters page.
4%%
5%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
6[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Sisterfight_3972.png]]
7[[caption-width-right:350: Gives a whole new meaning to locking horns.]]
8
9->'''Applejack:''' Being sisters is like... ''apple pie!'' You can have amazing apples, and you can have a wonderful crispy crust, but only together can you have a perfect apple pie.
10
11->Written by Cindy Morrow
12
13One morning, Rarity is awakened by Sweetie Belle's [[LethalChef attempt at cooking her breakfast in bed]]. Before they can begin arguing, however, they're interrupted by their parents, who are going on vacation and leaving Sweetie Belle with Rarity in the interim. Rarity decides to make breakfast again since Sweetie Belle burnt it, but turns her away from most of the work, and the one task she gives Sweetie Belle (adding the garnish) ends up making a big mess. Determined to win Rarity's approval, Sweetie Belle tries various ways of making herself useful (doing the laundry, drawing her a picture, cleaning up around the shop), but they all end in disaster, too (Sweetie shrinks Rarity's favorite sweater, garnishes her drawing with rare gems Rarity needs for a big project, and straightens up the "organized chaos" of Rarity's "inspiration room"), and soon Rarity is on her last nerve.
14
15When Sweetie Belle leaves, upset by her inability to spend time with her big sister, she runs into Apple Bloom, who suggests the two enter the Sisterhooves Social, an annual tag-team competition for sisters at the Sweet Apple Acres farm. Rarity refuses, however, and the tensions boiling over cause Sweetie Belle and Rarity to disown each other as sisters. An angry Sweetie Belle leaves the boutique and heads to Sweet Apple Acres, where she discovers the excellent relationship between Applejack and Apple Bloom. Applejack invites her to help with the chores, and Sweetie Belle enjoys herself immensely.
16
17Back at Carousel Boutique, Rarity slowly begins to realize she misses her little sister more than she thought after finding little ways in which Sweetie Belle's mistakes paid off (her shrunken sweater fits Opalescence perfectly, and the neatly-organized cloth in the inspiration room inspires a new line of outfits). She finally starts to regret their argument after finding Sweetie Belle's heartwarming drawing of the two. When Rarity arrives at the farm, however, Sweetie Belle gives her the cold shoulder, announcing that she's "adopting" Applejack as her big sister, to everypony else's surprise and consternation. Rarity's attempts to convince Sweetie Belle to return backfire when the filly calls her out for wanting to do things that only Rarity wants; after Applejack points out that Rarity needs more give-and-take in her relation with Sweetie Belle, Rarity devises a plan to fix the problem.
18
19Come the day of the Sisterhooves Social, Apple Bloom "gives" Applejack to Sweetie Belle (for "'''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis ONE. DAY.]]'''") to enter the contest. Applejack falls into the first obstacle but gamely continues the race while CoveredInMud, finishing the course with Sweetie Belle just strides behind Berry Punch and her sister. As they celebrate, however, Sweetie Belle discovers that "Applejack" was actually a mud-covered Rarity, who had arranged to swap places with Applejack in the mudhole.
20
21Rarity and Sweetie Belle reconcile, and the two write a letter to Princess Celestia about having learned to compromise and have fun with one's siblings... only to begin [[HereWeGoAgain arguing over the wording of the last sentence]]. Luckily, Spike is on hand to help them compromise.
22
23----
24!!Tropes:
25
26* AesopAmnesia: Enforced for laughs in the tag when the sisters start bickering again.
27* AnAesop:
28** It's great to have a sibling, but it takes teamwork, too.
29** Having siblings is about compromising, accepting differences, and mostly having fun, even getting your hands (or hooves) dirty.
30* AllTakeAndNoGive: Applejack gently chides Rarity for acting this way towards Sweetie Belle. Rarity believes she's been giving enough of her own, until Applejack points out that sometimes, to really give back to someone else, you have to be willing to ''give in'', and do what they want. Realizing she has been acting this way by snubbing Sweetie Belle's attempts at sisterly bonding ([[{{Irony}} going against the spirit of her Element of Generosity]]) is what prompts Rarity to make amends.
31* AmazinglyEmbarrassingParents: From what we can see, Rarity's parents are the complete inversion of their elegant social-climbing daughter.
32* {{Angrish}}: Rarity's chief reaction to most of Sweetie Belle's actions is incomprehensible.
33* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Despite trying to help, the results that doesn't end well only made Rarity feel this way about Sweetie Belle.
34* ArgumentOfContradictions: Rarity and Sweetie as Spike writes their friendship report at the end, disagreeing over getting your hooves "a little bit dirty" or "a lot dirty". Spike stops them by suggesting, "a medium amount of dirty, not too little, not too much, just right."
35* ArtEvolution: Rarity's wet mane is a mix of deep blue and purple, not just purple like it was before.
36* AssumedWin: When Sweetie and "Applejack" jump for the finish line, they land and look up...only to see they landed just before the line, and the sister couple they were neck-and-neck with has landed further than them and won.
37* BeautyIsNeverTarnished: Mud-covered Rarity is able to shake off all the mud in a few seconds and return to her pristine white coat.
38* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Rarity wants to get away from Sweetie Belle earlier in the episode, but misses her later in the episode.
39* BeyondTheImpossible:
40** Sweetie Belle's cooking skills.
41--->'''Rarity:''' I didn't know you could burn juice.
42** Also, the next dish presented seems even more impossible, a bubbling bowl of grey sludge:
43--->'''Rarity:''' Let me guess, applesauce?\
44'''Sweetie Belle:''' Nope, toast.
45* BigWhat: Rarity, Applejack, and Apple Bloom consecutively when Sweetie Belle declares that she's adopting Applejack as her new big sister.
46* BookEnds: The episode starts with a zoom-in on Carousel Boutique, with two birds on a tree branch, and ends with the same shot zooming out, with same birds snuggling each other.
47* BottleEpisode: Like "Look Before You Sleep", it may have been made to conserve the voice-acting budget, considering only three-sevenths of the mane cast appears.
48* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Rarity before breakfast in bed:
49--->'''Rarity:''' (''mumbling in sleep'') Oh... Are those sweet... carrot... pancakes I smell? (''gasp'') Mmm, how divine, num num num num. The aroma... spiced warm apple cider. (''sniff'') Ahh, and the smell of... smmmoke... (''wakes up'') smoke? Smoke?! SMOOOKE! YAAAAAAAH! Oof!
50* BreakfastInBed: At the beginning of the episode, Sweetie Belle tries making breakfast in bed for her sister Rarity, the keyword here being [[LethalChef tries]].
51* BriefAccentImitation: Sweetie Belle does this twice to mock Rarity. She's not too bad either. She must have an ear for speaking voices like she has an ear for music.
52* CantLiveWithThemCantLiveWithoutThem: Rarity and Sweetie Belle both think they're better off without each other. [[BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor Turns out they're not.]]
53* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Sweetie Belle finds it difficult to understand her sister's frustration sometimes.
54-->'''Rarity:''' Ugh! Sweetie Belle, what ''am'' I going to do with you?!\
55'''Sweetie Belle:''' (''hopping around'') Oh! We could paint together! We could ride bikes, play chess, sing a song, catch frogs, pillow fight!
56* ColorCodedStones: Sweetie Belle used rare baby blue sapphires for her picture.
57* ContinuityNod: Applejack's explanation of the meaning of "uncouth" shows that she still remembers a thing or two from her [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E23TheCutieMarkChronicles time in Manehattan]].
58* CoolBigSis: Applejack presents as one here to Applebloom and it makes Sweetie Bell envious.
59** Rarity decides to become one at the end by getting covered in mud in order to spend time with and have fun with Sweetie Bell.
60** Also the other big sisters in the Sisterhood Social itself: Berry Punch (to Piña Colada), Golden Harvest[=/=]Carrot Top (to Noi), Amethyst Star (to Dinky Hooves), and Cloud Kicker (to Alula).
61* CoveredInMud: Happens to Applejack during the race. Turns out that Rarity was hiding in the mud, and the two used this to let Rarity do the race without Sweetie Belle realizing it.
62* CutenessProximity: Rarity goes from fuming over her ruined sweater to crooning over how ''darling'' Opal looks in it in a heartbeat. Complete with BabyTalk as well. "Ooh, Opal-Wopal! It's as if Sweetie Belle knew the sweater was perfect for YOU!"
63* ADayInTheLimelight: This one of Sweetie Belle's focus episodes.
64* EmpathicEnvironment: With the {{Bookends}}, two birds are just standing next to each other at the beginning of the episode. At the end after Rarity and Sweetie Belle make up, the two birds are much closer together and are snuggling.
65* EpicFail: Sweetie Belle's cooking. [[JustifiedTrope Justified however]], as she's only a child. See BeyondTheImpossible above and LethalChef below for the examples.
66* EverybodyLaughsEnding: Parodied with everypony laughing at Rarity's suggestion that they celebrate her and Sweetie Belle making up with a visit to the spa:
67-->'''Rarity:''' No, I... I'm serious.
68* EyeScream: Granny Smith really shouldn't have tried working a megaphone from her rocking chair.
69* FairPlayWhodunnit: After the mudhole, the shape and color of the eyes of Sweetie Belle's partner is the only clue that another pony has taken Applejack's place. If you look ''very'' closely, you can see a horn.
70* FeedbackRule: Granny Smith somehow manages to produce a feedback whine with a speaking trumpet.
71* FeudEpisode: Rarity and Sweetie Belle have a sibling bicker over misunderstanding and agenda clashing. They reconcile by the end.
72* FinishingEachOthersSentences: Applejack and Apple Bloom do this briefly before the race.
73* FriendlyTickleTorture: Applejack does this to Apple Bloom as payback for being covered in grape juice.
74* FullBodyDisguise: Rarity passes herself off as Applejack by wearing a cowboy hat and completely covering herself in mud.
75* FurryConfusion: Applejack and Apple Bloom herd a flock of sheep into a pen, but before closing the gate:
76-->'''Lamb:''' You could've just asked...
77* HawaiianShirtedTourist: Rarity's father for vacation, complete with straw hat and Minnewegian accent; her mother wears the equally stereotypical tennis outfit.
78* HereWeGoAgain: The episode ends with Rarity and Sweetie starting to argue again because of what they should put in their letter to Celestia, but Spike resolves it.
79* IAmNotMyFather: Rarity's preference for glamour and fashion is in direct contrast to her parents' less classy tastes.
80* IdiosyncraticWipes: The montage sequence while Rarity and Sweetie Belle are composing their letter to Princess Celestia uses objects from each of the activities they are enjoying together to transition into the next scene, such as the clouds of smoke from Sweetie Belle's baking, laundry on the washing line, etc.
81* IHaveNoSon: Used, then inverted as Sweetie Belle declares AJ is her ''new'' sister.
82* IronicEchoCut: Sweetie Belle finding out about the Sisterhooves Social.
83-->'''Sweetie Belle:''' Rarity will think it's an excellent idea!\
84(''cut'')\
85'''Rarity:''' What a ''ridiculous'' idea.
86* {{Irony}}:
87** Although her status as the Element of Generosity is not specifically referenced, Rarity is called out by Applejack about not giving (selflessly) very much in her "give and take" relation with Sweetie Belle.
88** Apple Bloom asking what "uncouth" means while acting in the most uncouth manner possible.
89--->'''Apple Bloom:''' *chomp chomp chomp* (''wipes mouth with foreleg, talks with mouth full'') What's "uncouth"?\
90'''Applejack:''' It means uncivil. Y'know, bad-mannered?\
91'''Apple Bloom:''' ''**BELCH!**''\
92'''Applejack:''' Exactly!
93** Rarity's "organized chaos".
94* IsThisThingOn: Granny Smith, with the megaphone.
95* LaymansTerms
96** Applejack, as she likens the relationship between sisters to apple pie.
97** Also happens when Applejack explains the meaning of "uncouth" for the benefit of both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, with Apple Bloom as a perfect example.
98* LethalChef: Sweetie Belle's breakfast is a uniform shade of charcoal. [[EpicFail Even the liquids]]. She also somehow managed to liquefy ''and'' burn toast. And this is ''after'' her mother has given her lessons, implying either Sweetie is a ''really'' slow learner, Sweetie's cooking was ''even worse'' before, or that Rarity's mom is every bit as bad. She improves in the final scene, at least somewhat: even though she nearly sets the kitchen on fire again, she manages to produce a decent-looking pie.
99* MomentOfWeakness: While Rarity is seen actively trying not to blow up at a well-meaning Sweetie Belle. It's not until Sweetie Belle's frustration hits the critical point and she angrily disowns her that Rarity finally loses her own temper.
100* MoodWhiplash: After Rarity sees the heartwarming drawing and barely manages to hold back her tears, she belts out [[LargeHam a deliciously hammy]] "MyGodWhatHaveIDone" speech.
101* MundaneMadeAwesome:
102** Rarity's declaration that she's going to make things up to Sweetie Belle. See ShoutOut.
103** Everyone takes Rarity's declaration that they should celebrate at the spa as a joke. She's mystified as to why.
104* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Rarity, upon seeing and apparently for the first time actually paying attention to the contents of the drawing Sweetie Belle made of the two together, realizes how poorly she had been treating Sweetie.
105* ObliviousToHisOwnDescription: Apple Bloom asks what "uncouth" means while demonstrating uncouth behavior.
106* ObsessivelyOrganized: Rarity needs things to be just so in her shop. This is particularly the case when she discovers that Sweetie Belle has cleaned up her "inspiration room" (normally kept a mess). On the other hoof, Sweetie Belle also seems to have some, even organizing paper clips in a row when she cleans this up. It's also equally likely that Sweetie Belle was just arranging the room to Rarity's usual standard.
107* OldFashionedFruitStomping: Applejack and Apple Bloom prepare for the titular event by stomping grapes in a matter of seconds, along with applebucking and pie-eating. Sweetie Belle, upon witnessing the grape juice stomping, remarks that Rarity would call the fashion police on her if she gets grape juice anywhere near her outfits. By the race proper, Rarity, disguised as Applejack and covered in mud, also does the grape stomping with Sweetie Belle in order to reconcile with her.
108* NoOSHACompliance: Minor variant -- Rarity's home isn't dangerous, but it's unchild-proof! Many valuable and important things are left out where not only can Sweetie Belle get at them, but be attracted to them. [[JustifiedTrope Justified in that Sweetie Belle doesn't normally live with Rarity.]]
109* NotHelpingYourCase: When Rarity tries to convince her sister to come back, she suggests activities like teaching her how to cook Rarity's favorite dishes.
110-->'''Sweetie Belle:''' You want me to go home with you so ''we'' can do what '''you''' want to do?\
111'''Rarity:''' Um... yes?
112* ParentalAbandonment: Averted for the first time in the show, if you don't count flashbacks (else we've also seen Twilight's and Pinkie's parents); we see Rarity's parents taking care of Sweetie Belle.
113* PoorCommunicationKills: Sweetie Belle ''means'' well, but without certain bits of information, (i.e. Do Not Wash That Sweater) her help continually backfires.
114* PunBasedTitle: "Sisterhooves Social" to Sisterhood Social.
115* PunctuatedForEmphasis: "'''ONE. DAY.'''"
116* RedOniBlueOni: While "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E8LookBeforeYouSleep Look Before You Sleep]]" already established the contrast between Applejack and Rarity, this episode shows that Sweetie Belle is the red to Rarity's blue but being much more energetic.
117* TheReveal: The first scene reveals Sweetie only comes to visit Rarity, and lives with their parents somewhere else in Ponyville.
118* RhetoricalQuestionBlunder: After Sweetie Belle used the sapphires for her drawing:
119-->'''Rarity:''' Sweetie Belle, what am I going to do with you?\
120'''Sweetie Belle:''' Oh, we can paint together, we can ride bikes, play chess, sing a song, catch frogs, pillow fight...\
121'''Rarity:''' That's not what I meant!
122* RuleOfSymbolism: Rarity acts more sisterly to Sweetie Belle following Applejack's apple pie metaphor (see Page Quote). Among the activities seen during the Friendship Lesson montage is the two successfully baking an apple pie together.
123* RuleOfThree: [[PunctuatedForEmphasis "ONE. DAY."]]
124* SayMyName: "SWEETIE BELLLLE!"
125* SchizoTech:
126** Ponyville apparently has megaphones, but no washing machines or automatic dryers. Then again, necessity is the mother of invention; most ponies don't bother to wear clothes -- even Rarity doesn't wear clothes on a regular basis -- so it makes sense that washers and dryers wouldn't take off. Alternatively, Rarity primarily works with delicate fabric and probably prefers to hoof-wash everything.
127** You can also hear a smoke alarm beeping when Sweetie Belle and Rarity make their pie at the end. [[RuleOfFunny But that can be explained as a joke.]]
128* SecondPlaceIsForWinners: Even if they didn't win, Rarity and Sweetie Belle bonded over their strong performance.
129* ShoutOut:
130** [[Film/GoneWithTheWind "As Celestia is my witness, I will never go sisterless again!"]] Appropriate, considering Rarity's enough of a drama queen to rival Scarlett O'Hara.
131** Sweetie Bell's cooking is comparable to that of [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants Squidward]], all of the foods she cooked are completely burnt, even the juice, and her toast is a bowl of black mush.
132* ShrunkInTheWash: Sweetie Belle ruins Rarity's wool sweater by washing it.
133* SiblingRivalry: The plot of this episode is driven by Sweetie Belle wanting to do things with Rarity and Rarity wanting Sweetie Belle to stay away.
134* SidetrackedByTheAnalogy: Rarity's reaction to the Apple Pie analogy delivered by Applejack at the top of the page. She still comes away with the correct message, though.
135-->'''Rarity:''' But apart all we are is a pile of mush, and some crumbly dry mess.
136%%%%%What does it mean?
137%%%%%%%%
138%%* SleepMask: Worn by Rarity in the beginning of the episode.
139* SpikingTheCamera: Apple Bloom does it while asking Applejack about the word "uncouth".
140* StaircaseTumble: The episode begins with Rarity falling down the stairs.
141* TerribleArtist: Sweetie's art project is dreadful, though she ''is'' just a filly and it does move Rarity to tears.
142* TalkingInYourSleep: The episode opens with Rarity apparently dreaming about [[FoodPorn feasting on carrot pancakes and apple cider.]] And then she smells the smoke.
143* UnkemptBeauty: Rarity in the brief moment where she is standing the rain. Her mane dripping wet and she looks [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXrpRJV_8yU great]].
144* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Viewers know Rarity's plan will work because there's a commercial break before it's revealed.
145* WeUsedToBeFriends: Rarity and Sweetie Belle. Sweetie even calls Rarity an "un-sister" at the end of their argument.
146* WhamShot: Sweetie Belle knocking the hat off "Apple Jack" and exposing the white horn (though, as noted above, there are subtler indicators before this for those paying close attention).

Top