What's the Hubbub With My Little Pony's Season Finale

The fourth season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic draws to a magical close this Saturday on Hub Network. In the two-part season finale, Princess Twilight Sparkle continues to struggle with her identity as a princess. When Princess Celestia has a premonition about a mysterious evil foe from the past and turns to an unlikely source for help, Twilight Sparkle feels extra pressure to prove her worth.

To answer questions about the season finale and everything My Little Pony, Hub Network hosted a web chat called “What’s the Hubbub?” with star Tara Strong and lead writer Meghan McCarthy. Strong, who plays Twilight Sparkle, is even more animated than the character she plays. As the interview kicked off, she called the finale “big.” McCarthy agreed, saying that the one word she’d use to sum up the end of season four is “epic.”

When I asked if the season was completely planned out from the beginning, McCarthy noted that the big story arcs like the Equestria Games and the mysterious locked box were part of the plan, but the season finale took shape later. While they couldn’t talk much about what’s in store, McCarthy did say that the season finale sets up next season, coming in 2015.

Brony culture was a hot topic in the chat, and while Strong and McCarthy acknowledged that those fans are important and a big part of the show, they don’t write exclusively with them in mind. So how do they write with two different audiences, bronies and young children, both tuning in? “It’s first and foremost about the characters. That’s what guides us,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy also spoke briefly about Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks, the sequel coming this fall. “I like to call it the Empire Strikes Back of Equestria Girls,” she said with a laugh. “Everything gets kicked up a notch.”

Check out the full chat for more My Little Pony fun, and don’t forget to tune in to the season finale this Saturday on Hub Network.