My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic/Recap/S1/E24 Owl's Well That Ends Well



"Spike: Uhh... hi there. I'm Spike. I'm sure Twilight has told you all about me.

Owloysius: Hoo?"

"Written by Cindy Morrow"

Spike and Twilight are getting ready for the meteor shower which happens every 100 years, and when Twilight asks Spike for an astronomy book, Spike goes to get it, only to accidentally burn the pages away due to him sneezing from the dust. Rather than tell Twilight the truth, he tells Twilight someone else must have checked out the book. They arrive at the spot where they meet with their friends, including the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and Spike enjoys being admired as "Twilight's #1 assistant". He eventually falls asleep during the party and Twilight takes him home. After getting Spike to bed, Twilight begins to write about meteors and a gust of wind blows away the paper. An owl grabs it for her, but when it's about to fly away, Twilight asks him to accompany her during the night.

When Spike wakes up the next morning, he notices the owl, now named Owloysius, now is helping him with the daily chores as the junior assistant. While Twilight leaves, she asks him to introduce himself to the owl. However, Spike gets suspicious and starts to get jealous at the possibility of being replaced, as Twilight shows off Owloysius to her friends and basically having most of his chores done by the owl, leaving Spike with little to do. Eventually, Twilight finds the book Spike burned by accident, and is angry and disappointed in him for lying to her. In response, Spike steals Opalescence's toy mouse, then tries to use ketchup and feathers to frame Owloysius as a mouse-killer. Twilight catches him in the act, and expresses her deepening disappointment by saying "This is not the Spike I know and love!"

Thinking Twilight hates him, Spike runs away to the Everfree Forest and takes refuge in a cave when it rains. He sees a lot of gemstones, only to later find the cave is occupied by a full grown dragon. Spike tries to have a friendly chat, but the dragon is more interested in frying him to a crisp. However, Owloysius shows up and distracts the dragon, and Spike is overjoyed when Twilight comes to rescue him. They escape with Owloysius taking point so they can see their way through the dark forest.

After everyone is safe, they discuss their issues. Twilight was worried about Spike running away; she tells him he'll always be her #1 assistant and friend, and that Owloysius is to help her at nighttime (so Spike can sleep)...not to be Spike's replacement. They both apologize, Spike for being jealous, and Twilight for not being more sensitive. Spike then apologizes to Owloysius for his jealousy, and learn that the two followed him to the cave because Owloysius noticed his ketchup-smeared footprints.

Spike decides to write the weekly letter to Princess Celestia, learning that telling lies and being jealous gets you nowhere, and there's a lot of love for everyone to go around. During the writing, he falls asleep.

Tropes
"Spike: Twilight hates me. I'm cold and hungry, tired and lonely; could it get any worse?
 * Added Alliterative Appeal: The Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy
 * Adult Fear:
 * Affectionate Gesture to The Head: Pinkie Pie gives "little Spikey-wikey" a tousle while all the ponies are congratulating him for being so amazing at the picnic. And Twilight gives him one when telling him she loves him even when he's being a jealous numbskull.
 * Balloon Belly: Spike gets one after finding the other dragon's cave and pigging out on a stash of gems.
 * Big Ball of Violence: Spike gets in a fight with a chicken.
 * Bindle Stick
 * A Bloody Mess: Spike invokes this with ketchup in order to frame Owloysius.
 * Bow Ties Are Cool: Rarity makes some Gem-Encrusted bow ties for both Spike and Owloysius.
 * Call Back: while looking for a quill Spike looks into a daisy sandwich, similar to the one that Twilight ordered in "The Ticket Master".
 * Chickification: Twilight, who has faced down a rampaging Ursa Minor, suddenly balks at going out into the town at night to retrieve a scroll that's been blow out her window. She says, "This is a job for Spike!" while worriedly shuffling from hoof to hoof, despite being a powerful magician and teleporter, whereas Spike is a toddler with no evident nocturnal affinity. Later, she has no qualms whatsoever (or ever again) about venturing out into the Wild Magic forest at night to find him.
 * Crazy Jealous Dragon
 * Cue the Rain:

(It starts to rain)"

"Twilight: Spike knows he can't be replaced.
 * Dastardly Whiplash: Spike, as seen above, carries out his plan to set up Owloysius dressed as one of these. He even twirls his mustache.
 * A Day in The Limelight: The first episode with a plot centered around Spike.
 * Disappointed in You:
 * Evil Laugh: Spike gets one, complete with a Dastardly Whiplash getup.
 * Getting Crap Past the Radar: Pinkie Pie's joke about how the punch is Spiked.
 * There's also the easy-to-miss shot of Spike briefly holding one of Twilight's frilly saddles like it's a pair of panties.
 * Got Me Doing It: Twilight Sparkle hears Spike mishear Owloysius's hoots as "Who?" enough that she does it herself at the end of the episode.
 * Green-Eyed Monster: Spike suffers from this when he thinks the owl will replace him. (For bonus Stealth Pun points, he's literally a green-eyed monster!)
 * Harmless Villain: Spike stoops pretty low when he, but he gets caught way too quickly to cause any significant harm in doing so.
 * Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain: Spike's obviously in the wrong here, but you can't help but feel pity for him.
 * Ironic Echo Cut:

(cut)

Spike: They're trying to replace me!"

"Spike: But the store is called 'Quills and Sofas'. You only sell two things!
 * Mood Whiplash: The transition from Twilight gently praising Spike as he sleeps to angrily confronting him about the burnt astronomy book is very sudden and shocking.
 * Owl Be Damned: Spike suspects this of Owloysius, but then again, he's slightly biased.
 * Reality Is Unrealistic: It took time before some Bronies realized Owloysius was based on the real name Aloysius.
 * Rock Bottom: The classic "Can it get any worse?" accompanied by a sudden downpour.
 * The Runaway: Spike
 * Severely Specialized Store: When Spike needs a new quill, he goes straight to Ponyville's quills and sofas store.

Store Owner: Sorry, Junior. All outta quills until Monday. [beat] Need a sofa?"


 * Shout-Out: "Who?" "No, Spike."
 * Owloysius' habit of turning his head 180 degrees to stare at people.
 * Even remarked on Spike the first time he sees it, as he says "Dude, that's creepy!"
 * Owloysius' Big Damn Heroes moment is very similar to Fawkes'.
 * Twitchy Eye: Spike's first attempt to engage Owloysius in conversation gives him one.
 * Who's On First?: Nearly every conversation Spike has with Owloysius ends up this way.
 * Wink Ding: Owloysius right before the Iris Out at the end.