Sparkle's Seven

Sparkle's Seven
Season №:	9
Season episode №:	4
Overall episode №:	200
Original airdate:	April 20, 2019
Story by:	Ashleigh Ball, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St. Germain, Tara Strong, & Cathy Weseluck
Written by:	Nicole Dubuc & Josh Haber
Storyboard:	Kaylea Chard and Tori Grant
Featured characters:	Shining Armor Zephyr Breeze
See also
credits • transcript • gallery • allusions animation errors • statistics • speculation
Episode guide
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Sparkle's Seven, also titled Twilight's Seven by some sources and in the episode's script,^[1] is the fourth episode of season nine of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic and the show's two hundredth episode overall,^[2] celebrated as a milestone episode. The title is a reference to the 1960 film Ocean's 11, its 2001 remake, and/or the all-female spin-off to the latter Ocean's 8, previously referenced by "Sparkle's Six" in Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell and "Luna's 5" on the My Little Pony: Nightmare Knights Issue #1 cover RI.

In this episode, Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor pit their wits against each other to settle a long-standing sibling rivalry, but they soon discover they are not the only competitors.

Production[]

According to Jim Miller on Twitter, this episode "is a thank you to the 5 voice actresses who brought us this far".^[3]

On April 13, 2019, Miller explained, "Back in the fall of 2017, we got [Andrea Libman], [Ashleigh Ball], [Tabitha St. Germain], [Cathy Weseluck] and [Tara Strong] (via Skype) in a boardroom at DHX, and asked them to tell us the things they’d always wished their characters had been able to do, but had not yet done on their series."^[4] "There were a lot of great, fun and funny ideas! We narrowed them down to the ones we liked best and [Josh Haber] and [Nicole Dubuc] went off and wrote a great script that incorporated those ideas in to a cohesive narrative."^[5] "The end result is another unique, and dare I say especially funny, episode. All the voice actresses who helped us out are receiving a “Story by” credit."^[6]

To clarify, Miller explained that St. Germain came up with the concept of Rarity organizing a heist, Strong developed the rivalry between Twilight and Shining Armor, Libman wanted Pinkie to go to space and Fluttershy to be a super spy, Ball had Rainbow Dash interact with Zephyr Breeze and Applejack's country singer alter ego, and finally, Weseluck suggested Spike's relationship with Twilight as a sibling surrogate.^[7]

A behind-the-scenes look into the episode's production, including interviews with the writers and voice cast, was uploaded to the My Little Pony Official YouTube channel on April 19, 2019, one day prior to the episode's premiere.^[8]

According to Miller, the sequence of Pinkie Pie in space was designed to resemble the art style of Le Petit Prince.^[9] The episode was titled "Twilight's Seven" in the script, but it was changed to "Sparkle's Seven" for broadcast.^[1]

The scene when "Apple Chord" distracts the guards reappears in Harvesting Memories.

Summary[]

The Sibling Supreme[]

At the School of Friendship, Spike excitedly enters Twilight Sparkle's office with a recently-arrived scroll from Twilight's brother Shining Armor. The scroll depicts a toy crown, and Twilight immediately realizes what it means. They explain to Starlight Glimmer that Twilight and Shining Armor had frequent competitions when they were little, including kite-flying and getting good grades, and whoever won the most competitions at the end of each week would earn the crown as well as the title of "Sibling Supreme"—a title that Spike has also long coveted.

Shining Armor invites Twilight to Canterlot Castle for their final Sibling Supreme competition.

The castle job[]

Upon arriving at Canterlot Castle, Twilight and Spike meet with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Shining Armor—wearing the Sibling Supreme crown. They explain that, in the wake of King Sombra's recent return, they have decided to reinforce the castle's defenses. Despite Luna's insistence that they handle the task themselves, Celestia has appointed Shining Armor for the task, and he needs someone to test the new defense systems.

Among Shining Armor's new castle defenses are an anti-magic field made from the shards of Queen Chrysalis' throne, giant fans that prevent getting in from the air, brick walls over the entrances to the castle's underground tunnels, doubled and round-the-clock royal guard security, doors that only open with royal guard medals, a trap door, and an alarm system of geese. Shining Armor tells Twilight that if she can get past all these defenses and steal the crown without getting caught, she will earn the title of Sibling Supreme forever.

Back at the Castle of Friendship, Twilight explains the situation to her friends and organizes an elaborate heist to steal the crown, and her friends agree to help pull it off. Playing to everyone's strengths, Twilight tasks Pinkie Pie with distracting the guards with a party, Applejack with breaking into the underground tunnels, Rainbow Dash with getting past the blowing fans, Rarity with making guard costumes, and Fluttershy with charming the geese. Unfortunately, Shining Armor sends another scroll and says he has already predicted and accounted for all of these measures.

Rarity suggests doing the opposite of what Shining Armor expects them to do, and she takes charge of the operation, telling each of the ponies to come up with their own part of it. She and Rainbow Dash decide to interrogate the local bar scene about other secret passages into the castle tunnels. Pinkie Pie decides to serve as the team's lookout—from outer space. Applejack offers to distract the guards with her country music-singing persona "Apple Chord". Fluttershy and Spike offer to infiltrate the castle like super-spies. Finally, Rarity tells Twilight to do nothing whatsoever.

When a heist goes wrong[]

Using the Twinkling Balloon and a flight path provided by the Wonderbolts, Pinkie Pie drops Fluttershy and Spike off so they can enter the castle through the vents before she goes up into the clouds. On the ground, Shining Armor finds Twilight hanging out outside the castle and suspects she is up to something, but Twilight denies it. All of a sudden, Pinkie goes flying out of control when her hot air balloon springs a leak. Applejack takes advantage of the distraction this causes to steal one of the guards' medals.

Meanwhile, Rarity and Rainbow Dash head to a nearby juice bar to "shake down ne'er-do-wells for information", but the bar is closed. A local stallion points them in the direction of a blocked-off entrance into the underground tunnels, but it is guarded by the recently-hired Zephyr Breeze. Remembering Zephyr's big crush on Rainbow, Rarity outfits her in a pretty dress and convinces her to distract Zephyr by swooning over him. With Zephyr pulled away from his post, Rarity unseals the entrance into the tunnels.

Elsewhere, Fluttershy and Spike infiltrate the throne room via stained glass window and try to steal the crown, but they quickly alert the geese. As the geese honk loudly, Fluttershy and Spike trigger the trap door near the thrones and fall inside. When Luna comes to investigate and finds the throne room empty, she believes it to be a false alarm. With no lookout, no distraction, and no word from the ponies inside the castle, Twilight fears the entire heist is a failure.

Salvaging the operation[]

Inside the trap door under the throne room, Fluttershy succumbs to claustrophobia, remembering the time she got similarly trapped in the Castle of the Two Sisters and was separated from Angel. She recalls fearing that Angel felt alone and forgotten, and Spike sympathizes, having always felt like Twilight and Shining Armor's little brother during their sibling rivalries but unsure if they felt the same way about him. Fluttershy assures Spike that he is special to Twilight and Shining Armor, mentioning that her own brother Zephyr Breeze could learn a lot from him about being a brother.

Just then, an entrance from the trap door into the underground tunnels opens when Rainbow Dash pulls a torch lever, and she and Rarity reunite with Fluttershy and Spike. Unable to navigate the maze-like tunnels, the group decides to turn back and meet up with the others to reevaluate their plan.

Back outside the castle, Twilight nervously paces back and forth while waiting to hear from the rest of their friends. When Rarity and the others appear from inside a vent, they inform Twilight that their parts of the plan all failed as well, and Twilight despairs that she will never get the crown. Spike suggests they go back to Twilight's original plan, even though Shining Armor is expecting it. With the rest of her friends in agreement, Twilight decides to give it a shot and thanks Spike for the well-needed encouragement.

"What are little brothers for?"

— Spike

The true Sibling Supreme[]

In accordance with Twilight's original plan, Pinkie Pie distracts the guards with a party, Rainbow Dash carries Fluttershy as she zooms past the blowing fans, Applejack breaks into the sealed-up underground tunnels with assistance from Maud Pie, Rarity poses as a royal guard to get past security, and Fluttershy calms down the honking geese. Once inside, everyone regroups in the throne room, and Twilight sees the crown within sight. Unfortunately, Shining Armor appears to stop them, having predicted Twilight's whole plan as he previously warned.

Just before Celestia can declare Shining Armor as permanent Sibling Supreme, Spike holds the crown for himself, having conspired with Princess Luna the entire time. He explains that he sensed Celestia and Luna's disagreement regarding castle security earlier and made a deal with Luna. She deliberately appointed Zephyr Breeze to guard the tunnels and kept Celestia out of the castle hallways, while Spike sabotaged Pinkie's hot air balloon and made sure the Mane Six went back to Twilight's original plan. Finally, during Shining Armor's victorious gloating, Luna teleported the crown directly into Spike's hands.

Celestia half-heartedly apologizes to Luna for disregarding her earlier concerns and begrudgingly agrees that they need to account for both inside and outside threats to castle security. With both Twilight and Shining Armor having lost the competition, they declare Spike to be the true Sibling Supreme and the little brother they have always had, and everyone gathers around him for a group hug.

Quotes[]

For more quotes, see the episode's transcript.

Starlight Glimmer: Uh, I don't. What's so exciting about a toy crown?

Spike: [laughs] This is no "toy crown". It's the hard-won helm of the Sibling Supreme!

Twilight Sparkle: When Shining Armor and I were small, we competed over everything.

Princess Celestia: With the return of Sombra, Princess Luna and I felt it was time to reinforce the castle's defenses.

Princess Luna: I said we could do it ourselves, but some ponies are a bit stubborn.

Princess Celestia: So I asked our old Captain of the Guard to handle the job.

Applejack: Of course, Apple Chord could come out of retirement for a farewell concert this one time.

Rainbow Dash: Wait. Did you just make all that up, or did that actually happen?

Applejack: Um...

Twilight Sparkle: Mm-mm. I guess I'm the only one left that still needs a plan.

Rarity: [laughing] Oh, no, darling. That is the plan. You shall do nothing!

Twilight Sparkle: [gasps]

Spike: Shining Armor definitely won't expect that.

Twilight Sparkle: Where's Spike and Fluttershy? Did they make it into the castle?

Pinkie Pie: They jumped out right before the balloon went [blows raspberries] but that's all I could see without being in space, where I didn't get to go!

Fluttershy: Once, I got trapped in the Castle of the Two Sisters, and Angel Bunny and I were separated! Now whenever I'm in a tiny room, it's all I can think about! I was so worried he felt alone and forgotten!

Spike: [sighs] I know that that's like.

Fluttershy: What do you mean?

Spike: I was always excited to be a part of Twilight's and Shining Armor's rivalry, like I was their little brother. But they never really thought of me that way.

Fluttershy: I know they both have a special place in their heart for you, but sibling dynamics are hard. Trust me.

Rarity: I am sick of being lost in these slimy corridors, too! But you shouldn't pull every lever you come across! Half of them are traps!

Rainbow Dash: And the other half might open a secret passage to the castle!

Rarity: It's not worth the risk! Oh, hello, Spike. [to Rainbow Dash] Even if we did find our way back to the castle, we'd still have all of those guar— Spike? Fluttershy?!

Rainbow Dash: So, if Twilight and Shining Armor failed, who gets the crown?

Spike: [sighs]

Twilight Sparkle: The true Sibling Supreme. Spike.

Spike: Huh?

Shining Armor: The little brother we've always had.

Gallery[]

Sparkle's Seven image gallery

References[]

Friendship is Magic

Season one Episode 1 Friendship is Magic, part 1 Episode 2 Friendship is Magic, part 2 Episode 3 The Ticket Master Episode 4 Applebuck Season Episode 5 Griffon the Brush Off Episode 6 Boast Busters Episode 7 Dragonshy Episode 8 Look Before You Sleep Episode 9 Bridle Gossip Episode 10 Swarm of the Century Episode 11 Winter Wrap Up Episode 12 Call of the Cutie Episode 13 Fall Weather Friends Episode 14 Suited For Success Episode 15 Feeling Pinkie Keen Episode 16 Sonic Rainboom Episode 17 Stare Master Episode 18 The Show Stoppers Episode 19 A Dog and Pony Show Episode 20 Green Isn't Your Color Episode 21 Over a Barrel Episode 22 A Bird in the Hoof Episode 23 The Cutie Mark Chronicles Episode 24 Owl's Well That Ends Well Episode 25 Party of One Episode 26 The Best Night Ever Season two Episode 1 The Return of Harmony Part 1 Episode 2 The Return of Harmony Part 2 Episode 3 Lesson Zero Episode 4 Luna Eclipsed Episode 5 Sisterhooves Social Episode 6 The Cutie Pox Episode 7 May the Best Pet Win! Episode 8 The Mysterious Mare Do Well Episode 9 Sweet and Elite Episode 10 Secret of My Excess Episode 11 Hearth's Warming Eve Episode 12 Family Appreciation Day Episode 13 Baby Cakes Episode 14 The Last Roundup Episode 15 The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 Episode 16 Read It and Weep Episode 17 Hearts and Hooves Day Episode 18 A Friend in Deed Episode 19 Putting Your Hoof Down Episode 20 It's About Time Episode 21 Dragon Quest Episode 22 Hurricane Fluttershy Episode 23 Ponyville Confidential Episode 24 MMMystery on the Friendship Express Episode 25 A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1 Episode 26 A Canterlot Wedding - Part 2 Season three Episode 1 The Crystal Empire - Part 1 Episode 2 The Crystal Empire - Part 2 Episode 3 Too Many Pinkie Pies Episode 4 One Bad Apple Episode 5 Magic Duel Episode 6 Sleepless in Ponyville Episode 7 Wonderbolts Academy Episode 8 Apple Family Reunion Episode 9 Spike at Your Service Episode 10 Keep Calm and Flutter On Episode 11 Just for Sidekicks Episode 12 Games Ponies Play Episode 13 Magical Mystery Cure Season four Episode 1 Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 1 Episode 2 Princess Twilight Sparkle - Part 2 Episode 3 Castle Mane-ia Episode 4 Daring Don't Episode 5 Flight to the Finish Episode 6 Power Ponies Episode 7 Bats! Episode 8 Rarity Takes Manehattan Episode 9 Pinkie Apple Pie Episode 10 Rainbow Falls Episode 11 Three's A Crowd Episode 12 Pinkie Pride Episode 13 Simple Ways Episode 14 Filli Vanilli Episode 15 Twilight Time Episode 16 It Ain't Easy Being Breezies Episode 17 Somepony to Watch Over Me Episode 18 Maud Pie Episode 19 For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils Episode 20 Leap of Faith Episode 21 Testing Testing 1, 2, 3 Episode 22 Trade Ya! Episode 23 Inspiration Manifestation Episode 24 Equestria Games Episode 25 Twilight's Kingdom - Part 1 Episode 26 Twilight's Kingdom - Part 2 Season five Episode 1 The Cutie Map - Part 1 Episode 2 The Cutie Map - Part 2 Episode 3 Castle Sweet Castle Episode 4 Bloom & Gloom Episode 5 Tanks for the Memories Episode 6 Appleoosa's Most Wanted Episode 7 Make New Friends but Keep Discord Episode 8 The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone Episode 9 Slice of Life Episode 10 Princess Spike Episode 11 Party Pooped Episode 12 Amending Fences Episode 13 Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep? Episode 14 Canterlot Boutique Episode 15 Rarity Investigates! Episode 16 Made in Manehattan Episode 17 Brotherhooves Social Episode 18 Crusaders of the Lost Mark Episode 19 The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows Episode 20 Hearthbreakers Episode 21 Scare Master Episode 22 What About Discord? Episode 23 The Hooffields and McColts Episode 24 The Mane Attraction Episode 25 The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 1 Episode 26 The Cutie Re-Mark - Part 2 Season six Episode 1 The Crystalling - Part 1 Episode 2 The Crystalling - Part 2 Episode 3 The Gift of the Maud Pie Episode 4 On Your Marks Episode 5 Gauntlet of Fire Episode 6 No Second Prances Episode 7 Newbie Dash Episode 8 A Hearth's Warming Tail Episode 9 The Saddle Row Review Episode 10 Applejack's "Day" Off Episode 11 Flutter Brutter Episode 12 Spice Up Your Life Episode 13 Stranger Than Fan Fiction Episode 14 The Cart Before the Ponies Episode 15 28 Pranks Later Episode 16 The Times They Are A Changeling Episode 17 Dungeons & Discords Episode 18 Buckball Season Episode 19 The Fault in Our Cutie Marks Episode 20 Viva Las Pegasus Episode 21 Every Little Thing She Does Episode 22 P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View) Episode 23 Where the Apple Lies Episode 24 Top Bolt Episode 25 To Where and Back Again - Part 1 Episode 26 To Where and Back Again - Part 2 Season seven Episode 1 Celestial Advice Episode 2 All Bottled Up Episode 3 A Flurry of Emotions Episode 4 Rock Solid Friendship Episode 5 Fluttershy Leans In Episode 6 Forever Filly Episode 7 Parental Glideance Episode 8 Hard to Say Anything Episode 9 Honest Apple Episode 10 A Royal Problem Episode 11 Not Asking for Trouble Episode 12 Discordant Harmony Episode 13 The Perfect Pear Episode 14 Fame and Misfortune Episode 15 Triple Threat Episode 16 Campfire Tales Episode 17 To Change a Changeling Episode 18 Daring Done? Episode 19 It Isn't the Mane Thing About You Episode 20 A Health of Information Episode 21 Marks and Recreation Episode 22 Once Upon a Zeppelin Episode 23 Secrets and Pies Episode 24 Uncommon Bond Episode 25 Shadow Play - Part 1 Episode 26 Shadow Play - Part 2 Season eight Episode 1 School Daze - Part 1 Episode 2 School Daze - Part 2 Episode 3 The Maud Couple Episode 4 Fake It 'Til You Make It Episode 5 Grannies Gone Wild Episode 6 Surf and/or Turf Episode 7 Horse Play Episode 8 The Parent Map Episode 9 Non-Compete Clause Episode 10 The Break Up Break Down Episode 11 Molt Down Episode 12 Marks for Effort Episode 13 The Mean 6 Episode 14 A Matter of Principals Episode 15 The Hearth's Warming Club Episode 16 Friendship University Episode 17 The End in Friend Episode 18 Yakity-Sax Episode 19 Road to Friendship Episode 20 The Washouts Episode 21 A Rockhoof and a Hard Place Episode 22 What Lies Beneath Episode 23 Sounds of Silence Episode 24 Father Knows Beast Episode 25 School Raze - Part 1 Episode 26 School Raze - Part 2 Season nine Episode 1 The Beginning of the End - Part 1 Episode 2 The Beginning of the End - Part 2 Episode 3 Uprooted Episode 4 Sparkle's Seven Episode 5 The Point of No Return Episode 6 Common Ground Episode 7 She's All Yak Episode 8 Frenemies Episode 9 Sweet and Smoky Episode 10 Going to Seed Episode 11 Student Counsel Episode 12 The Last Crusade Episode 13 Between Dark and Dawn Episode 14 The Last Laugh Episode 15 2, 4, 6, Greaaat Episode 16 A Trivial Pursuit Episode 17 The Summer Sun Setback Episode 18 She Talks to Angel Episode 19 Dragon Dropped Episode 20 A Horse Shoe-In Episode 21 Daring Doubt Episode 22 Growing Up is Hard to Do Episode 23 The Big Mac Question Episode 24 The Ending of the End - Part 1 Episode 25 The Ending of the End - Part 2 Episode 26 The Last Problem Clip shows Episode 1 A-Dressing Memories Episode 2 Cakes for the Memories Episode 3 Memnagerie Episode 4 Deep Tissue Memories Episode 5 Harvesting Memories Episode 6 Memories and More

Pony Life

Season one Episode 1 Princess Probz Episode 2 The Best of the Worst Episode 3 How Applejack Got Her Hat Back Episode 4 Cute-pocalypse Meow Episode 5 Bad Thing No. 3 Episode 6 Pinkie Pie: Hyper-Helper Episode 7 The Trail Less Trotten Death of a Sales-Pony Episode 8 Bighoof Walking The Fluttershy Effect Episode 9 The Fast and the Furriest Disappearing Act Episode 10 Badge of Shame Discord's Peak Episode 11 A Camping We Will Go Campfire Stories Episode 12 Friendship Gems Dol-FIN-ale Episode 13 Potion Mystery Sick Day Episode 14 Meet Potion Nova! Pony Surfin' Safari Episode 15 All Bottled Up All That Jitters Episode 16 I, Cookie Keynote Pie Episode 17 Ponies of the Moment One Click Wonder Episode 18 Zound Off Unboxing Day Episode 19 Don't Look a GIF Horse in the Mouth The Root of It Episode 20 The Mysterious Voice The 5 Habits of Highly Effective Ponies Episode 21 Game Knight Director Spike's Mockumentary Episode 22 Whoof-dunnit Dear Tabby Episode 23 Pie vs. Pie Superb Six Episode 24 The Debut Taunt Flutterdash Episode 25 The Rarity Report The Great Divide Episode 26 The Great Collide Sportacular Spectacular Musical Musak-ular Season two Episode 1 Cute Impact The Crystal Capturing Contraption Episode 2 The Comet Section Cotton Candy-Colored Glasses Episode 3 Close Encounters of the Balloon Kind The Tiara of Truth Episode 4 Terrorarium Bubble Trouble Episode 5 Time After Time Capsule The Great Cowgirl Hat Robbery Episode 6 Planet of the Apps Back to the Present Episode 7 Magical Mare-story Tour Life of Pie Episode 8 The Rarest of Occasions Portal Combat Episode 9 What Goes Updo Communication Shakedown Episode 10 Lolly-Pop Little Miss Fortune Episode 11 Playwright or Wrong The Shows Must Go On Episode 12 The De-Stress Ball Mad Props Episode 13 Magic is Ahoof Journey to the Center of the 'Cord Episode 14 One Last Wish Wild Heart Beats

Make Your Mark
Episode 1 Izzy Does It	Episode 2 Growing Pains	Episode 3 Portrait of a Princess	Episode 4 Ali-Conned
Episode 5 The Cutie Mark Mix-Up	Episode 6 The Traditional Unicorn Sleep-Over	Episode 7 Hoof Done It?	Episode 8 Have You Seen This Dragon?
Episode 9 Top Remodel	Episode 10 The Jinxie Games	Episode 11 Sunny Side Up	Episode 12 The Manesquerade Ball
Episode 13 A Little Horse	Episode 14 Missing the Mark	Episode 15 Cutie Blossom Bash	Episode 16 Family Trees Pt. 1
Episode 17 Family Trees Pt. 2	Episode 18 Father of the Bridlewood	Episode 19 Mane Smelody	Episode 20 Nightmare on Mane Street
Episode 21 The Isle of Scaly‎‎	Episode 22 Roots of All Evil Pt. 1‎	Episode 23 Roots of All Evil Pt. 2

Feature films
Equestria Girls	Rainbow Rocks	Friendship Games	Legend of Everfree
	My Little Pony The Movie	A New Generation

Specials
Dance Magic	Movie Magic	Mirror Magic	Forgotten Friendship
Rollercoaster of Friendship	Best Gift Ever	Spring Breakdown	Rainbow Roadtrip
Sunset's Backstage Pass	Holidays Unwrapped	Make Your Mark	Winter Wishday
	Bridlewoodstock	Secrets of Starlight

Animated shorts
Rainbow Rocks shorts	Friendship Games shorts	Summertime Shorts	Equestria Girls: Better Together (season 1)
Equestria Girls: Better Together (season 2)	Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending (season 1)	Equestria Girls: Choose Your Own Ending (season 2)	Equestria Girls Minis
Baby Flurry Heart's Heartfelt Scrapbook	Rarity's Peek Behind the Boutique	Fundamentals of Magic	My Little Pony Established 1983
Friendship is Magic shorts	Hello Pinkie Pie	Stop Motion Shorts	Tell Your Tale (season 1)
Tell Your Tale (season 2)