Shining Armor The Very Useful Unicorn/Shining Armor The Really Useful Unicorn

Shining Armor The Very Useful Unicorn, retitled Shining Armor The Really Useful Unicorn for American audience, is the twenty-third episode of the sixth season of Spike the Dragon and Friends, and the one hundred and fifty-third episode overall. It is a parody of the Thomas and Friends episode, Edward The Very Useful Engine/Edward The Really Useful Engine.

Cast

 * Spike as Thomas
 * Shining Armor as Edward
 * Big Macintosh as Henry
 * Chief Thunderhooves as Gordon
 * Pipsqueak as Percy
 * Hoity Toity as Sir Topham Hatt
 * Changelings as The Troublesome Trucks
 * Cranky Doodle Donkey as James (does not speak)
 * Soarin as Duck (does not speak)
 * Noteworthy as Stepney (does not speak)
 * Everyone Else as Themselves

Transcript
Narrator: "The animals in Ponyville are good at different things.

Chief Thunderhooves is a very good express. Pipsqueak is good at carrying the mail. And when Shining Armor is not hauling changelings, he is very good at being a back animal. When animals have heavy loads, Shining Armor walks up behind and helps push. But Shining Armor is old. Some animals think this makes him unreliable."

Chief Thunderhooves: "Shining Armor is a useless old pony!"

Narrator: "Chief Thunderhooves sniffed."

Chief Thunderhooves: "He should be retired!"

Pipsqueak: "But he doesn't have tires."

Narrator: "Pipsqueak said."

Spike: "Retire,"

Narrator: "Said Spike."

Spike: "Means taken out of service."

Chief Thunderhooves: "And not a moment too soon."

Narrator: "Said Chief Thunderhooves. And the other big animals agreed with him, but Pipsqueak was very upset.

Later, his driver asked him why he looked so glum. Pipsqueak told him about Shining Armor."

Pipsqueak: "The big animals don't think he's useful anymore."

Narrator: "He said.

Pipsqueak's driver saw Hoity Toity, and told him what Pipsqueak had said."

Hoity Toity: "I will attend to the matter immediately."

Narrator: "Said Hoity Toity.

Hoity Toity had a plan."

Hoity Toity: "The new loop path is completed."

Narrator: "He said to Shining Armor."

Hoity Toity: "I want you to teach Noteworthy how to run it properly."

Shining Armor: "But, sir,"

Narrator: "He asked."

Shining Armor: "Who will look after the changelings?"

Hoity Toity: "Soarin will do your work."

Narrator: "Hoity Toity replied.

When the other animals heard Soarin was going to help them, they were pleased."

Big Macintosh: "Soarin is very reliable."

Narrator: "Said Big Macintosh."

Chief Thunderhooves: "It makes no difference to me!"

Narrator: "Said Chief Thunderhooves pompously."

Chief Thunderhooves: "I don't need a back animal!"

Narrator: "And he stomped away.

Shining Armor enjoyed working with Noteworthy. It was great fun delivering passengers to stations in the beautiful countryside.

But Soarin was not happy. The changelings were playing their silly games."

Changelings: "Soarin should play with other birds cause he's no good at pulling changelings. Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet! Hold back, hold back!"

Narrator: "They giggled. Soarin found himself going slower, and slower, and slower. Halfway up Chief Thunderhooves' Hill, his hooves and wings stopped altogether. Soarin was stuck."

Soarin's Driver: "Oh no!"

Narrator: "Said his driver."

Soarin's Driver: "This is Chief Thunderhooves' path."

Narrator: "Soarin's guard phoned the signalman to warn him."

Signalman: "It's too late to switch Chief Thunderhooves to the middle path."

Narrator: "Said the signalman."

Signalman: "You'll have to flag him down."

Narrator: "Chief Thunderhooves saw the guard."

Chief Thunderhooves: "If I stop on this hill, I'll never get started again!"

Narrator: "He said crossly, and he walked up to Soarin. Chief Thunderhooves tried to set off again, but his feet spun and spun."

Chief Thunderhooves' Driver: "It's no good. We need a back animal."

Narrator: "Said the driver."

Chief Thunderhooves' Driver: "I'll send for Shining Armor."

Narrator: "Chief Thunderhooves was cross.

Shining Armor was excited. He was going to be the back animal for two animals.

Shining Armor cheerfully walked up behind, and the strange line set off.

They chuffed gently into the station."

Stephen Hatt: "Look at that!"

Narrator: "Laughed a boy."

Stephen Hatt: "The back animal must be the strongest and the best."

Narrator: "Chief Thunderhooves was embarrassed. Hoity Toity spoke severely to Chief Thunderhooves."

Hoity Toity: "You have said rude things about Shining Armor. He proved today that he is useful, reliable and very helpful!"

Narrator: "Chief Thunderhooves felt very ashamed.

The next morning, Chief Thunderhooves apologized."

Chief Thunderhooves: "Thank you for helping me, Shining Armor."

Narrator: "Puffed Chief Thunderhooves."

Chief Thunderhooves: "You really are a useful unicorn."

Shining Armor: "It's good to be back."

Narrator: "Shining Armor chuffed happily.

Hoity Toity's plan had worked. There was no more talk about Shining Armor retiring."