Pipp and Zipp worry about Queen Haven when she uncharacteristically postpones brunch, while Hitch competes in Forest Critter Field Day.
Tropes:
- Affectionate Nickname: Queen Haven calls Alphabittle "Alphie".
- Antiquated Linguistics: Cloudpuff apparently "speaks" this way, if Hitch's translations of his barks are anything to go by.
- Bland-Name Product: Zipp's cell phone is from the FlyPad line of products (a take-off on the Apple iPad).
- Butt-Monkey: Hitch is this for the entire episode due to not understanding the rules of Forest Critter Field Day and failing to win any of the events.
- Bystander Syndrome: When Sparky sneaks away and climbs a tree alone, a few unicorns are the first to spot him, but despite their claims of how that looks bad they don't do anything to stop him. When Sparky eventually falls, one of them shouts for somepony to use their magic to save him, instead of any of them trying to catch him in their magic themselves.
- Call-Back: Hitch remembers Sparky's fascination with the tree the Mane Five created in "Growing Pains".
- Calvinball: The rules for Forest Critter Field Day seem to make no logical sense. For example, during the "Push Over" event, Hitch loses for pushing over his opponent, but Cloudpuff being pushed over by the opposing critter is also considered a loss. In the last event, the second-place winner from the previous year is awarded the victory by default. At least two events end with ponies winning who didn't actually take part, and a tree and a busted football somehow end up with trophies.
- Canon Immigrant: One of the critters competing in the Field Day is a Pigasus, a creature introduced in the 23rd issue of My Little Pony: Friends Forever.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Izzy acts as a coach variant while training Hitch for the events.
- Embarrassing Old Photo: Subverted: Pipp thinks that Queen Haven is showing Alphabittle her embarrassing filly photos, when she's actually showing him cute pictures of Cloudpuff.
- Empty Nest: Queen Haven admits to Alphabittle that she has been feeling lonely ever since her daughters Pipp and Zipp moved away from Zephyr Heights.
- Facehoof: Zipp does this when Cloudpuff arrives with a written note from Haven, frustrated that she hasn't learned how to text.
- Full-Name Ultimatum: Queen Haven uses both her daughters' full names when she loses patience with them. Zipp and Pipp react to that exactly the way you'd expect them to.
- Match Cut: A headline image of Zipp and Pipp with Queen Haven fades to the former two hiding behind the tree in the same position as in the image.
- Parent with New Paramour: Queen Haven gets together with Alphabittle in this episode, just like in Tell Your Tale.
- Parental Sexuality Squick: G-rated version; Both Zipp and Pipp with their mother dating Alphabittle. Even after they make peace with the fact, they still are quick to excuse themselves just for Haven almost finishing the sentence about her new love.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: When Queen Haven says she thinks she understands her daughters' friendship with Hitch now, comparing it to her relationship with Alphabittle, both Pipp and Zipp are disgusted by the implication and Pipp says the two of them are Just Friends with Hitch, saying how they play board games with him rather than doing anything romantic.
- Sickeningly Sweethearts: Pipp and Zipp consider Haven and Alphabittle to be this, being openly repulsed by their displays of affection.
- Tempting Fate: Hitch declares that he has figured out the rules for the Field Day events, at which point he trips and gets pelted with stewed cabbage balls...something a referee rewards him for.Hitch: (sighs) Spoke too soon.
- Unseen No More: Elder Flower, an old unicorn Izzy has mentioned a handful of times before, makes her onscreen debut.
- Weird Moon: Izzy mentions that Forest Critter Field Day takes place during every fourth purple moon.
- What You Are in the Dark: Misty has a chance to grab Sparky when he delivers the photo of her with the Mane Five, but just leaves him at the front door before anyone notices.
