S05:E01+02 - The Cutie Map

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

It wouldn't have to apply to any specific culture, and could even address some completely random, made up belief (or at least something that's established enough in our society that it's almost universally agreed upon--e.g. people shouldn't be forced to do labor without their consent, people shouldn't endeavor to make others miserable, people shouldn't be judged solely on their appearance--many themes like this are accepted enough that it wouldn't cause any controversy if they were included in the show, and several already has been; that's what makes it a show about good morals!). It doesn't have to pertain to anything in the real world. They could make an episode where the moral is "Don't make fun of others", and the only antagonist is a culture in which mockery is accepted and encouraged.

Oh I see. Maybe that could work…. It would still have to be done very carefully.

[NavelColt 22,880]

I feel like too much was spoiled in the trailers tho...

 

Tis how premieres tend to work. This isn't the first time, sadly.

[Abia 258]

I don't find rising the sun and moon to be on the same level as something like screwing around with destiny, which is exactly what taking cutie marks does. It doesn't just remove the symbol, the ponies begin losing their sense of talent altogether. That's dark shit.

 

...

 

Something super specific and disturbing like removing cutie marks is the kind of strange shit you'd expect from Discord, not some random unicorn. So either Starlight's been screwing around with dark magics she shouldn't have been, or she's somehow special in some other manner.

 

You've got a good point there. We really don't know enough about Starlight Glimmer to know whether or not she was, in fact, a regular Unicorn, or if she's something more sinister. Sunset Shimmer was a normal Unicorn until she became Celestia's student. Then she had access to what I imagine is some pretty elite magic.

 

So far there are a few ponies we know who have their special talents in generalized magic: Star Swirl, Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and now Starlight Glimmer. (I'm not including Trixie because she seems pretty talentless, and I think her cutie mark is more about performance value than magical prowess.) There might be some I'm not thinking of, but I think this is a good list of average ponies who became significant because of their talents and studies. Twilight started out as someone completely average, a filly who couldn't even cast a levitation spell, but she turned out to be the Element of Magic. Sunset presumably also started out normally, but was later able to cast teleportation spells, which we know are advanced. I'm guessing Starlight Glimmer grew similarly. They're are all incredibly skilled ponies with normal designs and humble beginnings, average-looking ponies with unusual abilities.

 

It might be that the ability to mess with cutie marks isn't actually all that special, but because of the morality issues, it isn't something often done. Tirek also messed with the marks, and he was able to do this far before returning to full power.

[Castle Bleck 19,360]

What would Starlight do to a Blank Flank or a non-Pony?

[Abia 258]

What would Starlight do to a Blank Flank or a non-Pony?

 

Dunno about a non-pony, but I think for a blank flank, she would just give them the sameness cutie mark prematurely, and nullify any of their developing talents.

[Castle Bleck 19,360]

Dunno about a non-pony, but I think for a blank flank, she would just give them the sameness cutie mark prematurely, and nullify any of their developing talents.

 

Why do I get the feeling she'll probably tempt the CMC in a future episode?

[Abia 258]

Why do I get the feeling she'll probably tempt the CMC in a future episode?

 

Oh my gosh, that's an awesome idea! Fingers crossed for that to happen later on!! 

[Montag 3]

It might be that the ability to mess with cutie marks isn't actually all that special, but because of the morality issues, it isn't something often done. Tirek also messed with the marks, and he was able to do this far before returning to full power.

That seems to fly in the face of Twilight, one of the most skilled and knowledgeable Unicorns in the setting said that at least normal magic couldn't effect cutie marks. In fact the only other times we see cutie marks manipulated involved some of the most powerful magical artifacts in the setting and being who could absorb and utilize what ever magic he wanted. 

 

Admittedly this may just be a retcon in order to better integrate the whole "cutie mark magic" toyline in to the show better. I still would say that Starlight's power is something unique she either acquired from discovering her own talent or for some other magical source, be it forbidden arcane knowledge, a currently unknown artifact, or a gift from another magical being.

[Pastel 7,630]

Dunno about a non-pony, but I think for a blank flank, she would just give them the sameness cutie mark prematurely, and nullify any of their developing talents.

I think the = cutie mark only appears when removing the true cutie mark of a pony.

I'm not sure she can give it to a blank flank.

[StevieBond 13]

Well, I finally got around to watching it, thanks to a Youtube upload and I really enjoyed it.   

 

Season 5 is off to a great start, roll on the next episode.   

[Sig Hoovestrong 838]

This music tells how i felt after watching the first episode.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WKCBn4l-uQ

 

And most say it was good start to what seems to be promsing season. This show keeps on giveing!

Edited April 5, 2015 by Sig Hoovestrong

[Abia 258]

I think the = cutie mark only appears when removing the true cutie mark of a pony.

I'm not sure she can give it to a blank flank.

 

I think you're right. If any of the foals had cutie marks, we should've been able to see at least one of them in this frame. I guess every individual pony must make the decision to give up their cutie mark. That goes along with some of the dialogue better than my theory, too. 

[Adash 193]

I have been listening to the song for a good two hours now.  I think I need help.

[SwampShadow 7]

Yeah, I thought it was better than Return of Harmony. I'm so glad that they returned to this being all about the mane six and not just Twilight, and I'm also glad that it broke a lot of formula: no meeting in Canterlot/Crystal Empire, no Celestia, no taste the rainbow, it was really a refreshing change.

 

Starlight Glimmer is best villain for me. The reason being is that she doesn't immediately reveal herself as the villain, and instead seems friendly and effective in her philosophy. In fact, the equalists don't seem that evil to begin with, and actually seem happy like Twilight and Fluttershy point out. But what's evil about Starlight is that in order for this system to work, she forces her philosophy and then her friendship on others, and like Applejack says "you can't force no 2 ponies to be friends, it just doesn't work that way." The episode also pointed out a very clear flaw with communism, in order for it to work, everyone needs to be equal except for the dictator. In this case, everyone needs to get rid of their cutie marks apart from Starlight, because she's the one that operates the Staff of Sameness.

 

Another thing I thought was great is that the towns people don't have all the same views. They've all been brainwashed by Starlight, but some actually want their cutie marks back as shown by the episode. However Starlight Glimmer will not let anyone not have her views, and will brainwash them with nonsense about selfishness.

 

The song was also good. It's not the best song, but I liked how it explained to younger views how communism works, and how it seems ALMOST like a happy song but with little minor drops. Implying that these people may not be as good as they seem.

 

It also spoke a very important lesson about friendship, in that differing opinions and personality's can strengthen a friendship rather than weaken it, just like Twilight says how her friends with differences got her to alicornhood. Starlight could and probably will return... I'd love to see her backstory.

[Ice Fox 1,145]

I have been listening to the song for a good two hours now.  I think I need help.

Starlight has taken over you...

[Kel_Grym 1,917]

Perhaps the best episodes to date. I really couldn't find anything wrong with them.

 

Pinkie Pie really shone in this too. It feels like the writers finaly heard all the complaints of her character being dumbed down and returned her subtle intellectual acuity from the parasprite episode.

 

Starlight is also an excellent villain. Glad she wasn't turned good at the end of the episode.

 

As a whole the episode is well done critique against marxism in the form of a children's show. You dont see that everyday.

 

Spectacular.

[Luffyiscool 397]

This episode in a nutshell (loved it btw)

[Honsou 399]

Personally, I was a little bummed out we didn't see Celesia or Luna at the end, but I like how the other ponies banded together in the end to get the mane six's cutie marks back. Sorry guys, I'm a closet brony at heart still, so I gotta be careful about who's around me.

[Twilight Frost 271]

I LOVED IT!!!!

 

I loved the theme for it too. Starlights ability in magic is quite impressive and her unique magical spell means that she might be a reoccurring villain as well. The song was pretty good and the philosophy between true equality vs individualism was pretty well written. I hope to see more of starlight in the future. Perhaps at the end of season 5 maybe? Season 5 started out pretty strong and I have the feeling that this arc is all about the spread of Friendship accross equestria and the unification of friendship accross the globe as twlilight reaches her dominance even further than ponyville.

 

Anypony else agree that Startlight Glimmer is one of the best villains EVER!?

[Shadowking58 1,137]

This episode in a nutshell (loved it btw)

 

Is that Ska music? It sounds like Reel Big Fish

[Castle Bleck 19,360]

I guess every individual pony must make the decision to give up their cutie mark.

 

But the Mane 6's Cutie Marks were brute-forced away against their will.

[Abia 258]

But the Mane 6's Cutie Marks were brute-forced away against their will.

Besides them, of course. The spell obviously didn't require consent to work (as it probably would have had it actually been an enchanted item), but it would make sense that Starlight made sure everyone was consenting until the big fish came along... or at least she brainwashed them into believing they'd agreed, or something similar.

[PonyHag1 591]

I liked the episode very much. It was a nice break from all the dramatics of previous premiers and finales. I think Starlight Glimmer will return at some point.

 

Double Diamond is my favorite of the new ponies.

[roptiriolg 49]

I voted 'Loved it!' because I think every 2-part episode so far deserves that. It is clearly not one of the best 2-part episodes but like some said, after the awesome Twilight's Kingdom, we needed to see some lighter episode. Personally I liked it, and a good start, it's like an introductory episode, showing that some of the things displayed in this episode will happen in future episodes.


I wonder if the Cutie map is like instead of the scrolls that Spike received from Celestia - instead of that, now the Mane 6 will gather in front of that map, and the map will point them their next quest, that would be so cool! Also I like the open way that this episode left - the mountain with the skull and some other places that have yet to be revealed as what is in there, and how these caves once someone enters there, they cannot find them inside.


When I first read the episode title, I thought it would be about the cutie mark crusaders and how they earn their cutie marks but I never really got much into CMCs. Wondering if they will gain it this season tho.


And last but actually from the most important - glad to see favorite Fluttershy taking a more major role and that in 2 part episodes!
 

I feel like too much was spoiled in the trailers tho...

Good I skipped the Season 5 trailers, I expected smth like that

 

 

Btw here it is at 1080p:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUl1yCZZGEI

[speedyblupi 76]

I'm pretty sure starlight's going to come back later this season... Why else would the writers let her get off like that?

 

It was pretty interesting for me, considering that I'm a communist (not in the traditional marxist or stalinist sense, but I'm a "communist of sorts"). It made me think a lot about ways Starlight could have gotten around the problems she caused and about how accurate the outcome presented would be likely to be in the real world.

The politics of Equestria has interested me right from when I first became a brony, and the knowledge that communism exists in Equestria makes me even more interested...

 

Trying to make everyone completely equal is obviously impossible - you need some people to have some level of power over others in order to organise and coordinate them, and Starlight pretending to do this was why she failed. Even if people don't have different talents they can still have different opinions and ideologies, so I don't really see why removing the cutie marks would have helped at all - I guess by removing some of the personality of the ponies, but then it makes me wonder why this happens when we see that the CMCs and other blank flanks have their own personalities despite no cutie marks. Maybe the ponies of the town got that effect because of the brainwashing? People need to have different talents in order to get things done efficiently and at high quality, as we saw in this episode, and simply having different talents doesn't lead to conflict. Starlight probably would have also done better if she hadn't tried to get what she wanted with intimidation and brainwashing.