S05:E01+02 - The Cutie Map

[Mr Underhill 219]

Yeah that was disheartening, but it was kind of funny when Spike stepped on Pinkie's family, I have to admit.

A Godzilla reference,perhaps?

[~ Dr. Ocsid ~ 690]

Edit: Ignore this post. It is bad.

Edited April 4, 2015 by ~ Dr. Ocsid ~

[The Boulder 121]

That was great in my opinion! Then again, today was my first live episode, so itd probably be pretty awesome no matter the quality.

[~ Dr. Ocsid ~ 690]

Exactly. Or maybe they didn´t actually see the episode, and just heard there would be some communism in it.

So they countered it with what they thought was the good side of capitalism...

Also, quote isn´t working.

 

 

And...

Sombra just slipped down a point on most bronies´ "Best Villains of MLP"-List.

As for me, Starlight Glimmer took place three, right after Chrysalis.

Edited April 4, 2015 by ~ Dr. Ocsid ~

[OptimisticNeighsayer 478]

These episodes were refreshingly good.  Of course, I love any episode that explores some of the tough questions of social philosophy such as equality and the ends of society, but it impressed me more than that.  The characterization of all of the characters, though a bit too obvious at times, really helped to drive the plot, especially Fluttershy's relative openness to the town.  Even the townspeople showed a perfect mix of obedience and secret and tentative resistance that helps us sympathize with them.  And of course, there were some surprisingly witty jokes, such as Pinkie's understated and humorously literal "laughter doesn't come in a barrel" that also helped to reemphasize their brainwashing.

 

For those of you who say that Starlight Glimmer needed more background, I sympathize with you.  But a whole backstory wouldn't be necessary, just a small clarification on her goals especially in light of her not giving up her own mark.  It almost seemed that the episodes were building up to a more sinister motive.  But then again, she doesn't need more.  As others have said, she's just an ordinary unicorn who just doesn't like to accept the fact that others can be special too.  It's human, or pony if you will, and helps us identify with her more and purge that jealousy.

 

One last note:  I speculate that Starlight Glimmer was fully familiar with Twilight and her friends and the meaning of their position even before they came to "Our Town".  Because the six are pretty much equals when it comes to spreading friendship, Starlight sees them as real competitors to her philosophy, hence why she kept their marks particularly close.

 

A Godzilla reference,perhaps?

Or all the way back to "Secrets of My Excess".

Edited April 4, 2015 by OptimisticNeighsayer

[Photon Jet 5,491]

I guess Tirek takes the spotlight on being the best villain so far. Am I right?

 

Looking forward to seeing what is going on in Equestria and probably what Starlight Glimmer is planning to do next... 

Edited April 4, 2015 by Photon Jet

[Carolina 212]

Well, holy shit, Batman! That two-parter was DARK and kind of scary in that it actually gave an accurate portrayal of a real world phenomenon. I'm not just talking about communist societies or cults, either. Hell, what about the way public schools are sometimes run? I'm getting my teaching certification and half of what we talk about is how some schools want to encourage sameness, let everyone "win" and ignore what makes each individual unique. Sure, the whole episode was a little on the nose with its message, but I liked it.

 

Starlight Glimmer, much like Sunset Shimmer before her, is another powerful unicorn with a slightly altered version of Twilight Sparkle's name. Also, like Sunset Shimmer, she seems to not understand friendship so she went about it the wrong way. Interesting. I wonder where she came from and if she will ever appear again. I have to say, I kind of saw the reveal coming of her Cutie Mark still being in place because her colors weren't so faded.  Thought the other townsponies were cool too, especially after their talents were revealed. Didn't think Double Diamond was going to be a skier, but that was a nice surprise (if you are familiar with skiing, you know a Double Black Diamond is how they label the most difficult terrain.) And a unicorn with Pinkie's talent? Seems like he could be quite a force to be reckoned with!

 

The Mane Six had some good roles this episode. I loved Pinkie knowing something was up the whole time, while Fluttershy was actually taken in by "The Town" (and on another note: LOVE that that was what they called it)

[Sidral Mundet 1,666]

So was this episode(s) called Cutie Markless or The Cutie Map? Just curious.

Also I love that Fluttershy got arguably the lion's share of the episode. I didn't see that coming and am still smiling about it 

[Blackshirt Brony 415]

When I saw the trailer for the first time, my expectations for the episode actually weren't too high. I really hate social commentaries in TV shows; it's a weird pet peeve of mine.

 

Of course, as is usual, the writers sank my battleship  blew my expectations out of the water. The plot was incredibly well-written and the villain was abnormally creative as far as MLP antagonists go. It was also nice to see that the writers have finally returned to the "adventure theme" idea. Does this imply that we will see more of where Zecora is from?

 

My favorite role in this episode goes to the villagers. I couldn't help but smile and sing along with them through the episode!

 

"We'll never have a nightmare if we never dream!"

[Kevin 160]

One thing I forgot to mention in my thoughts post is that there was no huge danger in in this season opener and that this time the villain was a smaller sense of danger being the leader of a strange tower trying to convince that all the ponies were equal. I feel that this was a fresh take on a Season opener vs "the big danger" we usually have. And you know what? I like it. It's something different and it shows that the writers still have a lot of great ideas for the series.

[Blackshirt Brony 415]

It's The Cutie Map, I know I was caught off guard by that too when I turned on my tv.

That's really disappointing. I guess no one caught the reference.

[Magnum Flare 553]

Great Great Episode to start! The twist is pretty unexpected, unless you watch The Legend of Korra. Both Equalist had the same twist. 

 

For people who praise Sugar Belle...

 

 

Uhh... Sunset Shimmer VA is Sugar Belle VA.

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

Awesome, finally got to sit and see both parts.

I really enjoyed it.

 

Some bits of dialogue I felt were a little stilted, but wow, the creepy cult-like atmosphere was just straight up bone-chilling. The vacant zombie smiles, the monotone brainwashing voice over the intercom... And let's not forget the most creepy line in the show:

 

"You'll never have a nightmare, if you don't ever dream."

 

Just... EEEEEUUUGH!! 

 

I'm pretty intrigued by Starlight. What's her backstory?

Why is she like this? What happened to her that made her think cutie marks were evil?

 

What's her cutie mark story? That's pretty scary itself... when was the first time she stole someone's cutie mark? I already have an interesting theory, maybe someone else has thought of the same thing. What if she was a blank flank for a VERY long time, perhaps even into adulthood, and her jealously of everyone having something she didn't eventually led her to begin taking them from everyone?

 

And I think it's cool that she got away. I'm thinking that means she'll be back.

 

The thing with Fluttershy was really interesting. She hates conflict so much that she's blinded to just how messed up the situation is. But then she gets to really help save the day. I loved her attempting to soak Starlight. So feisty!! XD

I also really liked that the girls had to let their new friends save them. That was really charming.

 

So yeah, I enjoyed it!! Looking forward to the next one!!

Edited April 5, 2015 by ShadOBabe

[ghostfacekiller39 23,860]

I didn't like it, honestly.

 

I don't expect the show to have Shakespearean levels of writing, but when it comes off as being nothing more than nationalistic, then it's going to irk me.

 

Communism, at its core, is a good thing. It's just easy to take advantage of and create a situation like the one that was seen in that village. If they had portrayed the villagers as being more than miserable, mindless followers and actually seemed devoted to the cause, and it was Starlight Glimmer just taking advantage of the otherwise good idealism she created, then it wouldn't bother me so much. It wasn't really an accurate representation of a political ideology, and its one that westerners are generally opposed to at that. I see this and I feel like it's trying to force feed right and wrong, and the fact that it did so without any sense of subtlety really annoyed me.

 

I hear many claim that it wasn't going for that. Even if it wasn't, all I could think of when I watched it was Communism vs. Capitalism. You need to be careful with what you're getting across to the viewer, as things like this can end up looking like something entirely different. I couldn't get those representations out of my mind, especially when they referenced it taking place in the eastern part of Equestria. If you're going to do a thing with a political message, please be subtle about it and don't portray one as inherently right and one as inherently wrong, unless it actually is inherently wrong, like fascism or so.

 

So basically, If they weren't doing Communism vs. Capitalism, then they really fooled me quite well and I'll still hold it against this episode due to the clumsy and misleading execution of what they were going for, but it won't hurt my opinion of the episode as much.

 

I'm seeing praise for it everywhere I look, but I found it to be kind of annoying with how it felt like it was going up on a soapbox to preach a political message. Maybe it's just because I like the show for being lighthearted and fun instead of one that uses metaphors to portray a political message, though.

 

 

Of course, that's not to say its without its positives. I really thought the villain, Starlight Glimmer, was quite effective, for one. I also really liked it when she interrupted Twilight's little soapbox schpiel about friendship xP That was amusing.

 

I also really liked the conflict it presented Fluttershy with - it was either cause innocent people to suffer or put her friends plan into ruination. I liked that moral dilemma quite a bit. Found it rather gripping, honestly. 

 

Lastly, the chase scene at the end was very exciting and I liked how it didn't fall back on Twilight, or even the mane 6 for that matter, to save the day, but instead it allowed the people Starlight Glimmer had made suffer the longest exact vengeance. Really liked that aspect of the episode.

All in all, I'd give it a 6/10 at best and a 3.5 or 4/10 at worst. Probably the same tier as the Crystal Empire, above the Pilot, and below Princess Twilight Sparkle and Return of Harmony. I need to let it sink in a bit more before providing a review that accurately portrays my feelings towards the episode, honestly.

[IJoinedForPonies 126]

This might be just a coincidence... But did anyone else besides me notice that a lot of the ponies seen in these 2 new episodes looked really similar to known-people's OCs?

[rpc8169 238]

I don't know why but I love the background music at the beginning. Hopefully it becomes a real song later in the season.

[Mand'alor Dash 2,224]

Over the years, MLP has taught me many great lessons about friendship, but today I feel I have been taught the most important friendship lesson of all:

 

 

 

 

;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 ;_;7 

 

 

[Blackshirt Brony 415]

 

I didn't like it, honestly.

 

I don't expect the show to have Shakespearean levels of writing, but when it comes off as being nothing more than nationalistic, then it's going to irk me.

 

Communism, at its core, is a good thing. It's just easy to take advantage of and create a situation like the one that was seen in that village.

 

 

I agree. The episodes were a complete straw man of what communism really is. There weren't even any prisons or breadlines!

[Marimo 555]

Why do people keep on saying its communism? Nothing is involved that comments on state owned property, a lack of free enterprise, wealth distribution, etc. Just because they focus on equality between ponies based on them having no special abilities maybe there's some people that think of some connection between that and how communism would advertise the lack of social classes, but even then they don't seem to disapprove of Twilight's status as a princess, just that they think the mane six's abilities and differences would cause dishamony amongst themselves.

 

And it's not like communism isn't the only form of society that has emphasis on equality. Heck, the story feels more like Harrison Bergeron, which was a commentary on egalitarianism.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Marimo

[roptiriolg 49]

Heyy been almost a year, im back to MLP FiM: episodes, wooho good to have the show back! This time has been a longer wait, as before every next season started from the fall of the same year. I think I know what the episode is about but I will not watch and comment it before - rewatching two of the best episodes of all seasons that Season 4's Twilight's Kingdom are!

[Trine 665]

I can't decide if it was a religious cult or a dictatorship. But glad it ended well ^ ^

The Pinkie senses works well, she's always so happy. But true happiness comes from within not from repression ^ ^

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

 

 

I'm seeing praise for it everywhere I look, but I found it to be kind of annoying with how it felt like it was going up on a soapbox to preach a political message.

 

I don't think it was going for a political message. It was going for a philosophical one.

Yes equality is good and everyone should have the same opportunities as everyone else. But this was about repressing people from being their very best. You shouldn't hold back someone from expressing their gifts, passions, and beliefs because of the chance that someone else will feel inadequate, feel jealous, or dislike/disagree with them.

 

As an artist for example, there are always people better than me. But there's also someone worse.

You should build up those who want to get better, not tear down the ones already suceeding because it's "not fair".

[ggg-2 3,553]

You know, when i first saw that clip of Rarity crying, somehow I knew it was going to lead up to a joke of some kind, and you know what? I was right.

[Pastel 7,630]

I loved it! Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were amazing! (I want Pinkie Pie like this for the rest of the season)

 

The plot was very intriguing, and very mature too. I didn't have the feeling to watch a cartoon for kids.

I also liked that we don't know where did Starlight Glimmer go... Hopefully we'll find out soon and not in the season finale.

 

The animation was good too, especially at the end.

 

Can't wait for the rest of the season! :3

[rpc8169 238]

Heyy been almost a year, im back to MLP FiM: episodes, wooho good to have the show back! This time has been a longer wait, as before every next season started from the fall of the same year. I think I know what the episode is about but I will not watch and comment it before - rewatching two of the best episodes of all seasons that Season 4's Twilight's Kingdom are!

My man, TK is the absolute best!