How to Find Hidden References in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

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posted on 9 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The 4th generation cartoon of the My Little Pony franchise is regarded as one of the best cartoons of the 2010 era. It has attracted a large audience with its story, humor, and subtle pop culture references. If you want to find out just what My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic references throughout its series, read below for steps to learn how to recognize them.

Steps

Start off having a basic knowledge of what you're looking for. Be educated in pop culture history and trivia. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has almost no bounds when it comes to their references.

Begin watching the show. Have a keen eye, and pay attention to the slightest details.

Pay attention to the dialogue. Spoken lines sometimes indicate jokes or references meant to go over the heads of children, such as alcohol jokes, or pop culture quotes (Babs knows the power of the Dark Side, you know).

Listen carefully to background music. Depending on the theme of the situation in a particular episode, you may find music that is strikingly familiar. Daniel Ingram, the show's musical composer, has slipped in pieces based on music from Batman, Legend of Zelda, and even a few cult classics such as "Ride of the Valkyries" and "Road to Viridian City".

Look at the background ponies. Animating can be a stressful job. To liven things up, animators sometimes cook up designs for ponies that are inspired by historical figures or other fictional characters. Time Turner and Gladmane, for example, are modeled after David Tennant's incarnation of the 10th Dr. Who and Elvis Presley, respectively.

Pay mind to the sound effects used. It's not uncommon for cartoons to use the Wilhelm Scream or zany cartoon sounds, but My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic occasionally borrows original sound effects from other fictional works, such as Star Trek and Five Nights at Freddy's.

Look at the title of episodes. Writers like to sneak in puns and jokes whenever they can. If you read the title, you may find puns such as Sleepless in Ponyville (a reference to Sleepless in Seattle) or Crusaders of the Lost Mark (a reference to Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark).

Look carefully at attire donned by characters throughout the show. The fashion choices of characters in the series can dish out several hidden references. If you're observant, you may notice clothing that resembles designs from Harry Potter, Metal Gear Solid, and Mortal Kombat.