Cutie mark acquired through 'destiny' or not? Special with or without a mark?

[ManaMinori 4,146]

If so, then that would mean that a pony's special talent is pre-determined, and that- whether they know this beforehand or not- there's no fighting against it, and their cutie mark will be what it's determined to be, in spite of that pony having something they might already be good at, and working toward improving in that field.

 

In “Call of the Cutie”, Cherilee specifically asks her class “Can anypony tell me when a pony gets his/ her cutie mark?” to which Twist replies “when that pony discovers that certain something that makes them special.” A cutie mark only appears when a pony finds a talent that makes them different from everypony else. But what I find most interesting is Twilight's line about cutie marks, in “Cutie pox”. There, she says to Apple Bloom that “A cutie mark is something a pony has to discover for herself. Not even magic will cause a cutie mark to appear before its time.”

 

If a cutie mark came about by 'destiny' would Twilight, of all ponies, be saying that? If it's something a pony has to discover for herself, then no amount of pre-determination magic whatever, should be able to decide their cutie mark for that pony, right?

 

Also- does having a cutie mark really make a pony special (when everypony else seems to have one), or does lacking one make them even more special? When Diamond Tiara said that Apple Bloom wasn't Special, Sweetie Belle countered, saying that such a claim was false, that that a blank flank is full of potential. Twilight added to this saying that blank flanks should consider themselves lucky, because they still get to experience the thrill of discovering who they are and what they're meant to me. So.....one could assume that being a blank flank makes a pony more special than a pony who already has their cutie mark....right?

[Dulset Tarn 441]

Predestination and destiny aren't magic, you're completely misunderstanding what Twilight said.

[Marimo 555]

Having a cutie mark does not make someone more special or less special than not having a cutie mark. They're special for their own reasons. Having no cutie mark means you're a blank slate, filled with wonder and possibility, while having a cutie mark gives someone a more specialized and specific talent and purpose that they know they're good at.

 

And I took Twilight's comment as the lucky part being the transitioning from being a blank flank to having a cutie mark to be the lucky experience. It applies to the blank flank because they're the before state, the ones who have yet to get the feeling of realization on what they're specialty is, but it's sort of meaningless if you don't get the after state, since the discovery is what makes a pony get their cutie mark. It's like there's always this sense of wonder when you see a big pile of Christmas gifts all wrapped up and that sense of joy and discovery of unwrapping them and finding out what they could be, but it's utterly pointless to have the gifts if they can never be opened and you don't get to enjoy what's under the wrapping.

[Pastel 7,630]

Just a headcanon: I think that every pony has their cute mark pre-determined. Whatever they do, there is only 1 specific cutie mark they can have.

 

And yes, not having a cutie mark makes a pony special, but not more than a pony who has one. (actually every pony is special, so none of them is... XD)

Edited March 3, 2015 by Blobulle

[StoneCold 144]

I think cutie marks are pre determined, somewhat. However, not at birth. Rather, when the pony develops enough to experience enought things, they may subconcsiously know what their talent is, even if conciouslly don't know.

[Prince Firemane 309]

I think there's a level of predetermination, as is the nature of the magic of Equestria. I think Magical Mystery Cure hand-waved certain aspects of cutie marks and the nature of destiny to make Twilight's transition to Princess smoother. Rarity is living proof that just because you have a cutie mark in a specific area, does not mean that it will dictate your life. Her cutie mark highlights her ability to find rare and fabulous gems. However, she's not some kind of geologist of jeweler, she's a fashion designer. And while gems do sometimes play a role in her fashion, it doesn't do so nearly as much as one would expect from a pony with three gems on her flank.

[Thespian 78]

I mean it is very much like a real life scenario. At some point in your life you will find that one thing you absolutely love to do and have a niche for and you know that this is what defines you. This is your thing. The only difference is that you don't get a magically appearing tattoo on your buttcheeks.

To further expand on this about whether it is pre determined. In my opinion it is more likely that the magic of the pony universe has symbols that mean different things. When you know in your heart you found your special thing, the universe knows what symbol to give to you and bam, it just magically appears.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Thespian