Friendship Is Betrayal

"Don't trust anypony."

Once upon a time, the magical land of Equestria was ruled by two sisters: one who governed the sun and one who controlled the moon. However, the darker sister grew resentful and turned upon her sibling, becoming the dreaded Nightmare Moon. In order to save their subjects, the elder was forced to call upon the Elements of Harmony, sealing her away in the moon and taking the burden of controlling the night upon herself. Ever since then, Equestria has been peaceful and harmonic...

At least, that's the version of events passed down by Celestia herself. Twilight Sparkle, however, suspects there's more to the story than that... and she wants nothing more than to see that mule fall.

As the name implies, Friendship is Betrayal is a Darker and Edgier FanComic based on My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. Rather than being Celestia's faithful student, Twilight merely pretends to be loyal while plotting to bring about the cruel alicorn's downfall. To succeed, she'll need allies -- but who, if anyone, can she trust? As both mentor and student prove, the most sinister of intentions can be hidden behind the brightest of smiles.

Tropes used in Friendship Is Betrayal include:
  • A Day in the Limelight: Each episode features a different primary POV character. "The Mare in the Moon" focuses on Twilight; "Griffon the Brush-Off" primarily stars Pinkie Pie, and "A Dog and Pony Show" revolves around Rarity.
  • Ax Crazy: Pinkie Pie.
  • Big "What?": Nightmare Moon, when Twilight turns the others against her.
  • Black and Gray Morality: While mostly gray, Celestia being a Complete Monster tips the balance towards this.
  • Black Magic: Rarity has added this art to the art of the dress. It's distinct enough from normal magic that Twilight recognizes the diffence.
  • Bloodier and Gorier: Not the most difficult thing to accomplish, considering no one even gets a paper cut in the original cartoon until late into the second season. Still, expect someone drenched in blood when it starts flying.
  • Break the Haughty: The Diamond Dogs try this on Rarity, supported by Celestia's magic.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: Not surprisingly, Pinkie Pie does this.

Pinkie Pie: *looking straight out* Huh? Don't give me that look! What did you expect? Empathy? Wahaha!

Rainbow Dash: "I knew you were good at baking... but that cake just takes the cake! Get it? Hehe! The CAKE, heh..."

Twilight Sparkle: "That's surprisingly wise coming from a homicidal maniac."

  • Even Hyper-Paranoid Protagonists Have Standards: Twilight is horrified that her decisions resulted in Luna's gruesome execution.
  • Every Pony Has Her Price: In "Griffon the Brush-Off", Gilda appears to be plying Rainbow Dash with promises of a Wonderbolts membership.
    • In "A Dog and Pony Show", Celestia might be trying to determine Rarity's price... but is actually setting her up for something else entirely.
  • Family-Unfriendly Aesop: Spoofed when Pinkie wraps up "Griffon the Brush-Off" with one:

Pinkie Pie: We should never trust anypony's judgement, no matter how good friends they might be! They'll just end up ruining everything even if that wasn't their intention!

  • Fantastic Racism: The Diamond Dogs state they hate the ponies for something which was done to their species by them, and are perfectly willing to take it out on Rarity.
  • Fantastic Slurs: 'Mule' is thrown about fairly frequently.
  • "Friend or Idol?" Decision: "A Dog and Pony Show" starts this way: Celestia offers Rarity a penthouse in Canterlot in exchange for designing a beautiful gown for the princess to wear to the Grand Galloping Gala. However, Rarity fears that if her friends learn about this, they'll suspect she supports the mule... So she tries to Take a Third Option by completing the work secretly.
  • Fun with Acronyms: Friendship Is Betrayal shortens to FIB.
  • Geas: Spike is bound to Twilight by magic and cannot leave her service. Twilight rather gleefully informs Fluttershy of this when she tries to convince him to ditch Twi and stay with her instead.
  • Gory Discretion Shot: Used when Celestia tears Luna apart.
  • Gratuitous French: Pinkie calls Fluttershy 'mon petit fleur'.
  • Hanlon's Razor: Due to her paranoia, Twilight is always looking for something that'll prove one of her friends is a traitor, and will leap to that conclusion whenever a new detail presents itself. In "Griffon the Brush-Off", for instance, she immediately assumes Pinkie betrayed everyone simply because Fluttershy didn't recognize Gilda's name.
  • Heel Face Mole: Played with in "Griffon the Brush-Off", where this was Dash's plan all along, but she bucked it up.
  • I Did What I Had to Do: Twilight reassures herself of this when she feels guilty about causing Luna's death.
  • I Know You Know I Know
  • I Need A Freaking Milkshake: In "Griffon the Brush-Off", Pinkie Pie decides to go get one to distract herself from her suspicions.
  • In Love with Your Carnage: Pinkie thinks that Twilight ripping open a hydra's belly with her horn is a beautiful sight.
  • Irony (Situational): Twilight thinks the others might betray her to Celestia, but they're all working for Nightmare Moon.
  • Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique: "Griffon The Brush-Off" sees Pinkie Pie doing this to Dashie. Whether or not she's enjoying it is ambigious... in THAT instance, at least.
  • Just Between You and Me: Gilda gloats to Pinkie Pie about tempting Dash to flip sides before trying to kill the pink pony.
  • Kick The Cutie: Gilda tries to go to full-on Kill the Cutie with Fluttershy as her target.
  • Killed Off for Real: The Mare in the Moon arc ends with Luna dead at her sister's hooves. "Griffon the Brush-Off" adds the swamp hydra and Gilda to the body count, and "A Dog and Pony Show" adds the head Diamond Dog.
  • Manipulative Mule: Celestia, who does it all with a sunny smile.
  • Mind Rape: Nightmare Moon inflicts this on Twilight.
  • The Mole: Twilight fears at least one of her new aquaintances in Ponyville might be secretly working for Celestia. Celestia herself hints at this, though this may be a Paranoia Gambit.
  • Mood Whiplash: Pinkie Pie goes through this after witnessing Luna's execution. Celestia may or may not have 'nudged' her into it.
  • Moral Myopia: Pinkie doesn't care about Gilda terrorizing Granny Smith -- and even explicitly points out her Lack of Empathy to the audience -- but when Gilda threatens Fluttershy?

Pinkie Pie: *thinking* Doesn't she know Fluttershy is one of us?

  • Mule In Sheep's Clothing: Fluttershy seems just as sweet, shy and innocent as ever... but when she spots Spike, it's "Move aside, bitch!"
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Nightmare Moon accuses Twilight of this: in defeating her, she may have accidentally ensured that nobody will be able to stand against Celestia.
    • At the core of "Griffon the Brush-Off"'s events: Dash thought she could manipulate Gilda into joining their cause, but just put her friends' lives at risk. Lampshaded by Pinkie declaring this An Aesop.
  • Of Corset Hurts: While fussing over Twilight, Rarity tightens her corset a little too much...
  • Painting the Fourth Wall: Each of the girls has a unique framestyle for their inner thoughts.
  • Paranoia Gambit: Princess Celestia may be running one against Twilight. The mere fact that Twilight isn't sure one way or the other is what's making it so effective.
  • Passive-Aggressive Kombat: The way Twilight and Celestia address each other. While their letters seem polite, tension simmers beneath the surface, and questions hide their points in sweet words.
  • Properly Paranoid
  • The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: Nightmare Moon's rebellion. Twilight's rebellion is shaping up to be little better.
  • Self-Made Orphan: Twilight accidentally became one, while Pinkie Pie deliberately did so.
  • Shout-Out: Pinkie's murder schemes sure seem to involve the victims with Cupcakes.
  • Splash of Color: Flashbacks are mostly grayscale, with only a few things left colored.
  • Start of Darkness: The seeds of Twilight's resentment of her mentor were planted when she left her parents cursed as plants, gleefully telling Twilight the curse she'd accidentally laid upon them could never be reversed -- but that was okay, since that meant she could take her on as a student!
    • Pinkie Pie was disowned by her parents because laughter was 'a sin against God' and forced into slave labor. Before she was Driven to Suicide, however, she witnessed the Sonic Rainboom and became more positive... and Ax Crazy.
    • Rarity didn't get to star in the school play, and turned to Black Magic to make everypony more interested in the costume she designed than the actual actors. Oh, and Luna dragged her away from her home and told her she was one of her chosen ones.
  • Take a Third Option: Join Nightmare Moon's rebellion or perish? Twilight would rather take down both alicorns, thanks.
  • The Stations of the Canon: A rather large station-skipping occurs when Twilight drinks the wrong thing and awakens in front of Nightmare Moon.
    • Broad Strokes: The author also welds elements of different episodes together, like the Hydra from "Feeling Pinkie Keen" appearing in the middle of "Griffon the Brush-Off.
  • This Is for Emphasis, Bitch: Normally done with "mule", but Fluttershy uses the straight form.
  • Vain Sorceress: Rarity believes she's So Beautiful It's a Curse, and has used magic to make her dresses more desirable.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Nightmare Moon wishes to overthrow the tyrannical Celestia, but her overbearing methods don't win her many followers and ultimately leads to her downfall.
  • Written by the Winners: Twilight doesn't trust Celestia's account of what happened.
  • Yandere: Pinkie Pie is a little obsessed with Rainbow Dash, since witnessing her Sonic Rainboom changed her whole mindset.
  • Your Head Asplode: The fate of the Diamond Dog's leader.
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