YMMV / My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic S5 E18 "Brotherhooves Social"

• Alternative Character Interpretation: The head judge said "we knew already" that Orchard Blossom was Big Mac in drag. This suggests the male judge who finds "her" attractive could be taken with her specifically because she is an Attractive Bent-Gender.
• Angst? What Angst?: Unlike the appropriately miffed Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle shows no outward disappointment about Rarity having to duck out of the games at the last minute, much unlike when she had a near-breakdown the previous time when Rarity initially refused to participate. However, it must be taken into account that the point of tension back in the first Social was Rarity not wanting to do it, rather than being unable to.
• Broken Base: The plot of Big Mac becoming a Wholesome Crossdresser has been divisive among viewers. Some found it lent itself to some of the funniest moments in the series, while others hold it as an example of Cringe Comedy at its absolute worst. Members of the LGBT community were also split between those who see it a funny, touching, and respectful portrayal of real-life crossdressers and trans people, and those who see it as a cheap shot.
• Harsher in Hindsight: The basic premise is that Big Mac disguises himself as a female to enter (what he believes is) a female-only sporting competition (albeit with his younger, female sibling, and part of his motivation was to spend time with her). This seems much more awkward given the controversy over Transgender women in Women's sports in the years after this episode aired.
• Heartwarming in Hindsight: The young Apple Bloom thinking Big Mac had magic thanks to the dragonfly toy is probably why he dreams about having it.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: "Made in Manehattan" established that Twilight is currently sitting around bored at her castle, with nothing to occupy herself. Why couldn't Sweetie Belle have asked her to participate as her sister?
• The Woobie: Big Macintosh and it's not hard to see why. The fact that he's willing to disguise himself in drag if it means spending time with his sister and making her happy, even if she will likely ignore him in favor of Applejack when she returns is pretty heartwrenching. Plus he feels like he was her hero and now that Applejack has become a hero, he's no longer his sister's hero. He even almost cries near the end.

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