Bats!

Bats!
Story: When Applejack's orchard is taken over by a swarm of vampire fruit bats, her efforts to clear them out take a frightening turn when Fluttershy turns into a vampire pony. There are two reasons why I like this story. One: it's well constructed with a great setup, good humor, an exciting climax, and a great ending. And two: the tone. This episode has a creepy, horror tone that I just absolutely love. I think it's no surprise when I say I love everything scary, and when a My Little Pony episode dives into the scary zone, you know it's gonna be a great episode. And as for the song, it's really good, building on the conflict while setting the tone of the episode with its creepy Nightmare Before Christmas vibe. The story is fantastic, and it earns a 5.

Characters: The two most important characters in this episode are Applejack and Fluttershy, and they actually work off each other very well here. Both of them have different ideas about how to handle the fruit bats: Applejack wants them out, and Fluttershy wants her to keep them around because they'll actually help the orchard. And even when Fluttershy becomes Flutterbat, the episode never loses focus on the conflict between both characters. As for the rest of the main 6, they're pretty good. Also, Twilight's explanation for why Fluttershy became a bat actually does make sense. So, the characters earn a 5.

Ending Morals: Both Applejack and Fluttershy learn a lesson in this episode. Applejack learns that it's unwise to make short-sighted decisions, and Fluttershy learns that you shouldn't let your friends pressure you into something you don't want to do. Both morals are great, and they earn a 5.

Final thoughts: 'Bats!' is pretty much Putting Your Hoof Down done right. The story is consistent, the characters are great, the morals are what they should be, and most important, Fluttershy becomes a monster through consistent and likeable reasons. If you're in to horror, check this episode out and see how scary My Little Pony can get. Final score - 15/15