The Ticket Master

Dear Princess Celestia (CC: Princess Luna)...

3 to go!

Twilight is helping Applejack try to win a bet against Big Mac. If she wins, he will have to walk down Stirrup Street in one of Granny Smith's girdles. Spike is weeding out apples, Twilight is hungry, Spike pulls out the perfect apple and eats it in front of her. He then belches up a scroll. Princess Celestia invites Twilight and one guest to the Grand Galloping Gala. Five friends. One guest. I think we can guess what this episode will entail.

"I'm your 'plus one' right?"

Applejack and Twilight are real excited about the Gala. Spike belches up two tickets and is annoyed. He says he's never been to the Gala and never wants to go. Applejack says she would love to go. She fantasizes about selling apples there, which would drum up business and let them make repairs around the farm and replace Granny's hip. Applejack says she'd give her left hind leg to go, and Twilight is about to invite her when Rainbow Dash smashes into them.

Rainbow is excited about Twilight having a Gala ticket.

 Hmm, I think Rainbow might have a thing for Twilight, it seems every time she goes out of control she just happens to smash into Twilight and/or her house.

Applejack is pissed, asking what Rainbow was doing that she able to spy on them instead of helping her with apples like she asked. Rainbow was sleeping in a tree. She then fantasizes about the Wonderbolts at the Gala. She wants to interrupt their performance and amaze them so much with her Super Speed Strut, Fantastic Filly Flash and Buccaneer Blaze finale that they would insist that they join them.

Applejack says she asked for the ticket first, and to settle it with hoof wrasslin'. Twilight breaks it up and says it's her ticket and whomever has the best reasoning should go. They both present compelling reasons in Twilight's eyes, and Twilight runs off, saying she can't decide on an empty stomach. Hold on a minute though, if Rainbow's dream is to just fly in and interrupt this performance, why would she even need a ticket. Or even Applejack, who could set up shop outside the Gala grounds somewhere.

Twilight is walking about, looking for a place to eat, and Pinkie leaps out and tackles her. She sees the Gala tickets and goes full-on Pinkie, fantasizing about it and singing a song about how the Gala is the best place for her.

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

Oh the Grand Galloping Gala is the best place for me

'Cause it's the most galarrific superly-terrific gala ever

In the whole galaxy

Wheee!

Pinkie starts thanking Twilight for the ticket, and Rarity comes out and notices them too. Rarity says she has designed gowns for the Gala, but never got to go, but it's where she belongs.  She then fantasizes about wowing everyone, getting an audience with Celestia, who would then introduce her to her nephew, the most handsome, eligible stallion in all of Canterlot. They would fall in love, he would propose, she would say YES, and they would have a royal wedding.

Man, I feel bad for Rarity, since we've seen how that really ends up.

Fluttershy's moronic rabbit Angel steals the tickets and brings them to her. Fluttershy says she wants to go so she can see all the flowers and animals in the gardens. Again, that might be something she could do without needing a ticket.

Rainbow Dash interrupts, saying she couldn't let a goody-four-shoes like Twilight give the ticket to just any pony. Applejack then shows up, saying she was following Rainbow to make sure she didn't try any funny business. All her friends start arguing over who should have the ticket.

So, since we've seen what happens (although we know they must get more tickets) who would be the best to get the ticket, if there was only one? Applejack, no, she sells one thing. Rainbow Dash, not necessarily, the Wonderbolts end up ignoring her and she attacks people/makes things worse like a Bill Dauterive. Rarity, she would probably prefer not meeting her prince given the way he ends up acting. Fluttershy, no, she just freaks out. Which would mean it should go to Pinkie Pie, as she at least tries to enjoy the party like she wants to do.

Damn, even Fluttershy's getting in on that action.

Twilight snaps, and tells them it's her ticket, her decision, and she'll figure it out, but first she needs to eat.

At a cafe, she doesn't know who to choose, and plays the 'she loves me, she loves me not' thing sort of on a flower, ripping the petals off with magic.

Aww..

Twilight orders a daisy and daffodil sandwich, and is still going on about her decision. She even is willing to give up her own ticket, but that would still leave 3 disappointed friends. The other diners rush inside and Twilight wonders what is going on. It's raining, but Rainbow has left a hole in the clouds leaving a clear section on Twilight's table.

Instead of thinking, "Wow! Cool, I can eat outside without getting soaked!" Twilight whines that she isn't comfortable accepting unwanted favors and orders Rainbow to seal up the cloud. Twilight smugly goes to eat her sandwich, and gets drenched.

"It's a a torrential downpour, I better tell Rainbow to seal up the gap that's keeping me dry."

"Who could have seen this happening!?"

Rarity shows up with an umbrella and brings Twilight back to her boutique to get her dried off. She gives Twilight and Spike new outfits. Spike runs off, reiterating that he wants no part of the girly Gala.

Rarity is of course trying to 'butter up' Twilight for the Gala ticket, Twilight rages and goes to find some lunch. Applejack is waiting outside with a cart full of apple baked goods. Instead of eating, Twilight rages off, complaining about all these favors being aggravating.

"Why is every pony being so nice to me? Maybe if I rough them up a bit they'll knock it off."

At home, she finds Fluttershy and her animals cleaning the place. Twilight groans, "Et tu, Fluttershy?" and leaves, saying she isn't accepting any favors until she makes her decision. Pinkie ambushes her at the door with a party and song. Twilight rages, saying at least the others tried to be subtle.

"PINKIE!"

Pinkie spills the beans that Twilight has an extra Gala ticket, and the crowd of ponies start offering services and goods in hopes of getting the ticket. Twilight decides to just run, and we get another Yakety Sax/Benny Hill chase.

They corner Twilight and Spike, and Twilight teleports themselves to the Library, apparently on accident. Spike is scorched for some reason. She tells him to lock the doors and they shut off all the lights. Her friends are waiting for her.

Twilight freaks out, saying she can't decide but she really wants to make all her friends happy, and she can't. Applejack apologizes for helping to stress her out and says she doesn't want it anymore. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie also say they don't want it. Rainbow Dash is ecstatic.

The others glare at her, and Rainbow says maybe she hasn't quite perfected her moves, and doesn't need the ticket either.  They all apologize to Twilight in unison.

Twilight dictates a letter to Princess Celestia, saying she learned one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, and if there's not enough to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel awful. She says she appreciates the invitation, but she will be returning both tickets.

 Spike looks bemused, her friends gasp. Twilight continues, if her friends can't all go, she's not going.

"That'll show her! No one will go!"

Spike sends the letter, her friends feel bad, Celestia sends back a letter asking Twilight why she didn't just say so in the first place, and includes 6 tickets. Rarity says they are going to treat her to dinner and they all head out. Alone, Spike is sad and wondering why he didn't get a ticket. Another letter arrives with a ticket for him.

Applejack catches Spike being happy about getting a Gala ticket, and he plays it off like he doesn't want it. The episode ends with both of them laughing as the camera pans up to Canterlot.

What I learned from this episode:

• Fluttershy needs an intervention to get rid of that stupid rabbit. 
• Instead of appreciating the nice things her friends were doing for her, Twilight had to snap and yell at them. I mean honestly, she couldn't just enjoy her lunch in her own sunbeam? Or try some of the baked goods Applejack had made for her?
• This was the 3rd episode, and look at all that Twilight rage. I love that that is apparently a long-standing part of her character.
• Oh, more Trixie related hypocrisy, Rainbow, one of the anti-Trixie agitators, has her entire Gala dream about being a show-off, and no one fussed about her apparent plans to disrupt a performance and make it all about herself.
• Did Princess Celestia really not know how many friends Twilight has? I mean, this is just the 3rd episode, so maybe, but I'm pretty sure the first two involve her and her friends using the Elements of Harmony, so looks like another case of: bored immortal toys with subjects' emotions for fun.