History Recap / MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin

* DramaticPause: Played straight and lampshaded by Rainbow Dash.
* DramaticSpotlight: With Rainbow Dash, during the song.

* LetsDuet: Between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.

** When Fluttershy "politely asks" Rainbow to let the tortoise compete, she ''shoves him into Rainbow's face.''
** Fluttershy does the same thing earlier during their duet when showing off the "puddy tat" at her house.

* TitleDrop: The end of the LetsDuet sequence.

* TheVoiceless: The monarch butterfly. He's the only contender who doesn't make any sort of noise ''at all'', not as much as a wing flap. Lampshaded by Rainbow Dash's "I can't hear you!"

* BowtiesAreCool: Rainbow Dash always dresses in style.

* SimpleYetAwesome: Again, several of the pet candidates pull this to impress Rainbow Dash. Who would have guessed that a bald eagle could knit a sweater so fast?

* ShownTheirWork: The falcon shown in the episode [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111121184639/mlp/images/e/e3/Falcon_looks_cool_S2E7-W7.png strongly]] [[http://www.pegsteunenberg.com/images/peregrine_falcon_01.jpg resembles]] a Peregrine Falcon. Peregrines are known for their blazing fast 200 mph dive, which makes the species uncannily well-matched to a pony who can break the sound barrier when diving. Also, peregrine falcon mating rituals consist of daring flight maneuvers, and females are larger and stronger than males.

* ImplausibleFencingPowers: According to the PhotoMontage, the ''hummingbird'' is capable of fencing. (Which is odd, because it was earlier established that it couldn't give a high-five without plummeting to the ground.)

!!Tropes present in this episode (YMMV tropes can be found [[YMMV/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin here]]):

--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' You ''would'' think that, Twilight, and that's why ''you'' would never qualify to be my pet.
* AluminumChristmasTrees: While Fluttershy doesn't have one, there '''''are''''' [[http://www.livescience.com/28578-striped-bat-from-south-sudan.html yellow striped bats]] in the world.

-->'''Rainbow Dash''': The bat would be awesome but the wasp I'm digging too. Do you have anything in a yellow striped bat?

--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' Not much point in a Pony Pet Play Date for a Pony without a pet, right?\\

* CanadaEh: DHX Media/Studio B shows it's Canadian roots by staging Rainbow Dash and the eagle playing curling (a popular Canadian sport) in the photo montage. It's irony if the eagle is meant to be a bald eagle, the symbol of America, where curling is non-existent and stereotypically connected to Canada in this fashion.

--> '''Fluttershy:''' I'm sensing you want an animal who can fly.\\

* CatsAreMean: Played straight as always with the ever-upset Opal, but averted with Fluttershy's "puddy tat," who is affectionate (although it still fails to impress Rainbow Dash).

''[Opal hisses]''\\

---> '''Rainbow Dash:''' Cutsie-wootsie? Have you even ''met'' me?

---> '''Rainbow Dash:''' Any questions?\\
'''Applejack:''' ''[aside]'' I got one: Does she understand what a pet ''really'' needs?\\

** Rainbow sings under the same dramatic spotlights as in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E11WinterWrapUp Winter Wrap Up]].

** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by the tortoise donning a pair when Rainbow Dash talks about needing a "cool pet".
* CrashingDreams: Her freaky dream turns out to be a result of the rest of the mane cast's pets being noisy around her tree but one would wonder how Gummy and Angel make noises that would get her to think of them subconsciously.

--> '''Rainbow Dash:''' But I said whoever crosses the finish line ''with'' me gets to be my pet.\\

* FirstPetStory: Rainbow Dash's. It's about finding the 'the best pet'.

** By the time the owl and bat (3rd and 4th place) cross the finish line, the other five Mane cast are still cheering for the animals but clearly concerned about the lack of Dash.

* {{Gesundheit}}

* HelpImStuck: During TheBigRace at the episode's climax, a boulder from the avalanche lands on Rainbow Dash's wing. As the four competing pets passed her, she was stuck...until ''somebody'' came to her rescue.

* IWantSong: Wanting a pet may not be as grand a scope as your usual Franchise/DisneyPrincess song, but the duet does a wonderful job establishing all the key plot points for the episode.

* SecondPlaceIsForWinners: Even though the tortoise comes in last during the race, he still gets to be Rainbow Dash's pet for being the most loyal to her. She justifies this with the exact rulings she placed for the race.

-->'''Rainbow Dash:''' And so the final tie-breaking contest is going to be...''[to herself]'' [[DramaticPause pause for dramatic effect]], ''[{{beat}}, then to everyone]'' a race against me! ''[JumpCut]'' Through Ghastly Gorge! [[{{Sting}} Dun dun]] [[SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud dunnnnnn]]!! ([[StockSoundEffects hawk screech]][[note]] which was made by [[NoisyNature an eagle]][[/note]])

* MundaneMadeAwesome: During the musical number, Fluttershy gives one pet a grand entrance, including fanfare, curtain rise, and a specially made stage for it to stand on. The pet in question? A squirrel--a flying squirrel, but a squirrel nonetheless. (This may be [[BitingTheHandHumor a jab at the toy line]]; the basic ''[[http://www.hasbro.com/mylittlepony/en_US/shop/details.cfm?guid=BD9B4F66-5056-900B-104C-F1DAE68E28B8 Rainbow Dash]]'' toy comes with a squirrel figurine.)

* NobleBirdOfPrey: The owl, the falcon, and the eagle all qualify for the final race because they are all mighy and majestic/dignified creatures. The falcon is even a GracefulLoser.
* NonIndicativeTitle: The animals are competing to become a pet, and as such, are not yet pets. Fluttershy is more their caretaker than owner; something like a 'foster owner'.

** The mane cast is at the start line, and at the finish line, before anyone else. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as Twilight has genuine teleportation.

* PunnyName: "Quarray" Eels

* "Music/RideOfTheValkyries": Plays [[SourceMusic and is whistled by Rainbow Dash]] during the race through [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Ghastly Gorge.]] It's a PublicDomainSoundtrack: No SuspiciouslySimilarSong here!

* ShapedLikeItself: "I can't be stuck here forever! It's like...''forever!''"

** Fluttershy's "[[WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes puddy tat]]."

** When Dash slalom runs through the pets, she generates an angular rainbow light wall similar to the Light Cycles in ''{{TRON}}''.

* ShownTheirWork: The falcon shown in the episode [[http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20111121184639/mlp/images/e/e3/Falcon_looks_cool_S2E7-W7.png strongly]] [[http://www.pegsteunenberg.com/images/peregrine_falcon_01.jpg resembles]] a Peregrine Falcon. Peregrines are known for their blazing fast 200 mph dive, which makes the species uncannily well matched to a pony who can break the sound barrier when diving. Also, peregrine falcon mating rituals consist of daring flight maneuvers, and females are larger and stronger than males.

** Parodied when Fluttershy tries to drag Rainbow Dash to her house. She's so thrilled she's carrying Rainbow as she flies! [[note]] Except that Rainbow's rear hooves are dragging along the ground.[[/note]]

* UnderdogsNeverLose: The tortoise was only allowed to compete because Fluttershy brow beat Dash into allowing it. It wins but only because of the avalanche.

Tenacity!

* NobleBirdOfPrey: The owl, the falcon, and the eagle all qualify for the final race because they are all mighy and majestic/dignified creatures. [[spoiler: The falcon is even a GracefulLoser.]]

* EverythingsWorseWithBees: Averted. Fluttershy offers a wasp as a ''pet'' and it acts benign.

* MusicalWorldHypotheses: The duet in this episode follows the Adaptation Hypothesis. Fluttershy makes reference to the song at the end of the episode:

* [[EverythingsWorseWithBees Everything's Worse With Wasps]]: Averted. Fluttershy offers a wasp as a ''pet'' and it acts benign.

* [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Hoist by Her Own Petard]]: Rainbow Dash's bragging while flying backwards causes the avalanche that traps her. [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E5GriffonTheBrushOff You'd think Rainbow would have learned her]] [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E21OverABarrel lesson about not watching where she's flying.]]

* DreamTropes: Several.
** CatapultNightmare: After dreaming of falling a great distance, Rainbow Dash bolts up out of her makeshift bed on a tree branch.
** CrashingDreams: Her freaky dream turns out to be a result of the rest of the mane cast's pets being noisy around her tree but one would wonder how Gummy and Angel make noises that would get her to think of them subconsciously.

* IWantSong: Wanting a pet may not be as grand a scope as your usual DisneyPrincess song, but the duet does a wonderful job establishing all the key plot points for the episode.

* OffModel: Rainbow Dash is briefly animated without wings while lounging in a tree.

* {{Adorkable}}: Fluttershy when she hears Dash wants a pet.

* BigBadassBirdOfPrey: The owl, the falcon, and the eagle. They all qualify for the final race.

* BoringButPractical: The tortoise; Very boring, yet VERY practical.

** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by the turtle [[note]]ahem, ''[[RunningGag tortoise]]''[[/note]], donning a pair when Rainbow Dash talks about needing a "cool pet".

* FailedASpotCheck: Given that the tortoise is able to dig deep enough under the rock to put his head in far enough to leverage the rock off the ground, Rainbow should be able to do the same to free her wing without help. She's likely caught up in her panic, and possibly the fact that her wing hurts even though it turns out to not be badly injured. Since Rainbow Dash spends most of her time in theh air, this is basically a reversal of ForgotICouldFly.

'''Fluttershy:''' {{Whatever}}.

* BoringButPractical: The tortoise; Very boring, yet VERY practical. After he gets his helicopter pack at the end, he becomes AwesomeYetPractical.

* AwesomeYetPractical: Several of the pet candidates have abilities like this, such as the butterfly's hypnotic wings and the bat's echo.

* CallBack:
** "...[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E16SonicRainboom Yay]]?"
** All the pony pets besides Opal and Angel, as we haven't seen them in a while.
** In the starting dream sequence, Rainbow Dash's first reaction to Owlowiscious's hoot is "[[WhosOnFirst Who?]]"
** At the beginning of the song, we see the mallards from "Griffon the Brush Off".
** One of the outfits Rainbow Dash wears in the "Style Competition" includes Rarity's scarf from "Dragonshy".
** Rainbow sings under the same dramatic spotlights as in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E11WinterWrapUp Winter Wrap Up]].

* ContinuityNod This is not the first time Fluttershy's noticed [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E23TheCutieMarkChronicles so many wonders]].

* FinalExamBoss: Though no actual boss fight is involved, the race through Ghastly Gorge has segments that test the pets on all qualities they were previously tested on - speed (the wind tunnel), agility (the thorns) and guts (the Quarray eels).

* InsistentTerminology: It's a tortoise, not a turtle.

!!Tropes ([[YMMV/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS2E7MayTheBestPetWin YMMV tropes can be found here]])

''(Opal hisses)''\\

'''Applejack:''' ''(aside)'' I got one: Does she understand what a pet ''really'' needs?\\

-->'''Rainbow Dash:''' And so the final tie-breaking contest is going to be...''(to herself)'' [[DramaticPause pause for dramatic effect]], ''({{Beat}}, then to everyone)'' a race against me! ''(JumpCut)'' Through Ghastly Gorge! [[{{Sting}} Dun dun]] [[SayingSoundEffectsOutLoud dunnnnnn]]!! ([[StockSoundEffects hawk screech]][[note]] which was made by [[NoisyNature an eagle]][[/note]])

** Rainbow sings under the same dramatic spotlights as in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E11WinterWrapUp Winter Wrap Up]]

** Dash posing with the owl in a prominently red and gold school uniform might be a vague ShoutOut to Harry Potter, where owls are a pretty common pet at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

** Rainbow sings under the same dramatic spotlights as in [[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS1E11WinterWrapUp Winter Wrap Up]