S05:E01+02 - The Cutie Map

[Persona22 205]

I was re-watching the episode when something came to my mind.

 

Despite of the huge fandom this show has, the show is made, in esscence, for little kids. The show is to adress issues that little kids may face in their lives growing up, and tries to present them with a solution, or at least have them confront said problem.

Now, regardless of what you might think, communism, or even the idea of what communism is, is not something that might affect little kids. So, what was the episode about then?

 

Then I remembered an old news article I read a few years ago:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/preps/basketball/2009-01-25-coach-fired_N.htm

 

We live in a society that, more and more often, has our youth trying to be the same in all aspects so nobody would feel left behind.

A coach that has a team that wins 100 to 0 is fired. Kids get "participant" trophies all the time.

Then this

 

So, maybe, the episode was not about communism, or anything of that nature.

 

Starlight Glimmer is the society that sees excellence as a bad thing, being talented is frowned upon, being proud of your achievements is bad. You must comform, you must become less of what you are so the rest of society is happy.

 

Then comes Twilight, saying that no, it's not wrong to be talented, its okay to be good at something as long as you don't bully others or try to push them down in your quest to reach the top. To be great at something is amazing and it should be cultivated. Being proven wrong, or being beaten at something, is not bad, because it provides you with an opportunity of growth.

 

But when Starlight Glimmer is confronted by this, she shuts Twilight up. She will not change her mind.

 

The episode (episodes) are not about communism. They are a critisims on our educational system and society as a whole that pushes down kids so the other, less talented kids will not feel left behind, instead of encouraging those other kids to do better so as to reach or even surpass those that are great at things.

 

This little video kind of explains it better.

 

 

What do you think?

Edited June 26, 2015 by Persona22

[Sazama Ichida 2,367]

This episode got this season off to a really good start I'll say that.

[ponylaces 1,870]

I'm trying to rank the premieres in my head right now. Man, it's hard.

 

This premiere was awesome. It was entertaining, funny, well paced, and it was just really interesting. It was certainly different from other premieres we've had, but in a good way.

[Unibeat Brony 63]

The cutie map was one of the most exciting episodes I've ever watched. 

[Pixel Stick 927]

Finally catching up with the rest of the forums and getting to see Season 5 stuff.  I skipped right to the last page and haven't read anything on pages 41 or before, so I apologize if I repeat anything.

 

First off, it's pretty obvious to me that the new Crystal Palace is a HUGE money grab on Hasbro's part.  (Buy the playset!)  And ever since the Season 4 finale when it appeared, I've felt that it's grossly out of place in Ponyville.  And unfortunately, this premiere cemented one of my worst fears: That the Mane 6's roles have all changed dramatically as a result of those events.

 

They're no longer just Applejack tending her farm, Rarity running her business, Pinkie Pie throwing parties, Rainbow Dash managing the weather and generally being awesome, and Fluttershy taking care of her pets.  Now they're also "on call" to go save the world whenever some unseen force (aka the writers) tells them to.  Rather than coming across opportunities to learn about and spread friendship organically, they're now at the beck and call of whatever it is that's running the new mysterious map.  (And every few episodes this season are going to start with "Now where is the map going to send us today?".  You just know that's where it's headed.)

 

Okay, rant over.  Now on to the episode.

 

Overall, I liked the episode - it had definite shades of 1984, Animal Farm, Big Brother and a few other historic political references thrown in, along with some rather pointed commentary about elements of modern society.  This was a pretty big and powerful thing for them to take on, and I thought they did a good job with it, overall.

 

My only real complaint came at the end.  Any pretense that Starlight Glimmer might have truly believed she was doing good went out the window as soon as she started attacking her "subjects".  To my knowledge, this was the first time in the whole series where, aside from Luna (as Nightmare Moon) attacking Celestia in Twilight's flashback last season, an ordinary pony (eg. not Discord, not Chrysalis, not Sombra, etc.) has tried to deliberately hurt another pony physically.  Her attacks were meant to inflict real harm, or even kill, the ponies confronting her.

 

Now, that by itself isn't what I'm complaining about.  My complaint is in how Twilight handled it.  Good for her that she blocked Starlight's final attack, but then she just launched right into "My friends showed me all this great stuff about friendship!".  Twilight, you're a PRINCESS.  Doesn't that mean you're in a position of AUTHORITY?  You had a pony, supposedly a subject of Equestria, committing a CRIME right in front of your eyes!  You SHOULD have bound her so she could face justice, but instead you ham-hoofed a moral to the viewership and let her get away.  (Thank goodness the villain at least acknowledged how corny the speech was.)

 

That to me was a really big miss here.  Yes, I get the whole "cooler heads prevail" and "violence just begets more violence" slant, but there should still be room for holding ponies accountable for their behavior and bringing them to justice when you catch them.  The CMC have faced far worse punishments for far, far less, frankly.

 

Anyway, that was really the only significant problem I had with this episode (that and my more general problem with the new playse... er, palace).  Otherwise, well-executed, good plot, and good overall approach to a difficult subject.

[NeonTheChangeling 91]

That song, the irony of it's upbeat nature it reminds me of the Happy Happy Joy Joy song in Ren and Stimpy.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0V4TZAyd8I

that fit the episode more perfect than the song in the episode

[MlgDashie29 27]

i liked the episode because of the diferent plot line to it

           

[Ceavem 18]

In my opinion,this was the good episode! Now 'bout morals:

 

1. Be open armed,but carefull.

2. Have your decisions and stand on them

3. Never forget teleportation spell. It can help a lot.

4. Try to keep your freakouts in smaller circle.

5. Generosity inspires generosity.

6. FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!

7. Never EVER forget your villains

[No One and Nobody 85]

When the episode came to this part

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZF7VXRyis8

I literally jumped out of my seat and almost screamed. My sister didn't get the reference until I showed it to her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UZV7PDt8Lw

Then I looked around and only a few people have noticed the reference.

[Time Shield 402]

When the episode came to this part

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZF7VXRyis8

I literally jumped out of my seat and almost screamed. My sister didn't get the reference until I showed it to her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UZV7PDt8Lw

Then I looked around and only a few people have noticed the reference.

 

Oh wow.  Why didn't I get that one?  I know the source but didn't make the connection.

[Lady Diana 412]

I do not understand why Starlight would take their cutie marks and pretend to have the equal sign cutie mark.

But I still loved it.

[Poptropica Player:) 15]

was awesome. loved it. does any want to see my posts? I 'm famous.

[Officer Strike 152]

OMG that was a really scary episode and all of my friends were wondering what the heck was happening

[kingtiger 19]

I'm new to the forums here, and just saw these episodes for the first time the other day... Just wanted to say:

 

OMG it's just like "A Wrinkle in Time"!! creepy as hell

[Limeblossom 482]

I think those 2 episodes have a great message when it comes with messages like "to live and let live" and Individual rights (cutie Marks and special talents in the pony universe).

 

Starlight Glimmer is really creepy. And especially since she reminds me of real people who use the same kind of ideologies and wickedness to destroy others.

[kingtiger 19]

I think those 2 episodes have a great message when it comes with messages like "to live and let live" and Individual rights (cutie Marks and special talents in the pony universe).

 

Starlight Glimmer is really creepy. And especially since she reminds me of real people who use the same kind of ideologies and wickedness to destroy others.

Yeah Starlight's basically a cult leader isn't she?

[Limeblossom 482]

Yeah Starlight's basically a cult leader isn't she?

You're right. Just as scary as Scientology and People's Temple (the one with the Kool Aid fiasco).

Edited October 15, 2015 by Limeblossom

[GiFTGewEhrSCHutzen-4 8,828]

Man, when I saw Starlight Glimmer remove those cutie marks from ponies, that was scary. With that kind of power she uses, who knows what she might do with that. Heck, I'm even scared for the 2 Princesses if ever SG went ninja on both Princesses and tried removing their cutie marks.

[Limeblossom 482]

I'm even scared for the 2 Princesses if ever SG went ninja on both Princesses and tried removing their cutie marks.

She probably would remove her own Cutie Mark and replace it with one from the princesses.

[best poni 1,519]

I loved it! Two great episodes  to show new comers! They were kind of dark though... 

[Persona22 205]

There is a company in Japan, an internet service provider, called SoftBank. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoftBank

 

This is their logo:

 

Freaky, isn't it?

[Nitro Dash 35]

Seems like another one of those episodes where the Mane Six lose their cutie marks and get them back towards the end of the episode.

[Shiny 54]

Phineas and Ferb theme song parody

 

"So stick with us cause Starlight and Discord are gonna troll you all"

Edited November 29, 2015 by Shiny

[Worldfrog 121]

....................

Edited December 10, 2020 by Tadpole

[MiniHoovy 37]

That white ski pony: "YOU LIED TO US!"

Starlight Glimmer: "So what? Everything else I said is true!"

Me: What a politician.

Edited December 29, 2015 by MiniHoovy