Sunset Shimmer rules Canterlot High School like a spoiled empress, with the ego to match. Sunset is the reigning Princess of the Fall Formal for three years running, the president of the school, and is the daughter of Principal Celestia to boot, increasing her influence- and her ego. All that changes when Twilight Sparkle, a new student, comes along in addition to the takeover schemes of her (soon-to-be-former) vice president Vignette Valencia, followed and aided by her bumbling yet optimistic henchmen, Pinkie Pie and Bulk Biceps.

After a botched attempt to off Sunset, which instead changes her into an animal, Sunset ends up in Twilight's household and they (along with her new friends) get off on the wrong foot until they come to an uneasy truce until Sunset gets her throne and her body back. Meanwhile, Vignette plots to take the school presidency and the Fall Formal crown from Sunset so she herself can rule the school with an iron fist. Along the way, Sunset gets a much-needed reality check on what is really important in life. Will Sunset learn a new groove, or will she spend the rest of her days in a beast's body...?