S05:E01+02 - The Cutie Map

[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 75]

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.

[Zhortac 1,473]

Pinkie made this episode imo.

Fluttershy is now lower on my like list, and I want to hate this episode because Rainbow Dash seemed good and right to be herself...ugh, makes me sick to think that.

Also...when the hell was AJ's special talent, speaking? Seriously, I thought it was apple bucking or whatnot...

[Ice Fox 1,145]

Pinkie made this episode imo.

Fluttershy is now lower on my like list, and I want to hate this episode because Rainbow Dash seemed good and right to be herself...ugh, makes me sick to think that.

Also...when the hell was AJ's special talent, speaking? Seriously, I thought it was apple bucking or whatnot...

I think it was because the = marks don't only take away their talent, but all their unique traits. Like how Rainbow Dash couldn't fly any faster than the other 5 could walk, whereas the other pegasi could fly much faster, even though they probably don't have talent in flying.

[Stormlight 1,371]

...Muffins... Pinkie Pie took the challenge like a champ, though

 

Also...hooray for equal signs :v

[Honsou 399]

 

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.

 

I personally would like to see her return, as a recurring villain, kinda like Trixie or Sunset Shimmer in the equestria girls series. 

 

Hopefully Hasbro, doesn't just mention her and forget her. 

[The Boulder 121]

 

 

Hopefully Hasbro, doesn't just mention her and forget her.

I agree. They let her escape for that very reason. She'll be back... the question is: When?

Dun Dun Dunnnnn!!!

[Zhortac 1,473]

I think it was because the = marks don't only take away their talent, but all their unique traits. Like how Rainbow Dash couldn't fly any faster than the other 5 could walk, whereas the other pegasi could fly much faster, even though they probably don't have talent in flying.

 

Not sure if that comparison is the same, since Rainbow Dash's talent is the ability to fly really fast.

[Gernia 690]

I really enjoyed the episode. There were some very clever parts to it in terms of writing, and I enjoyed the cliffhanger-ish ending. Makes me think that Starlight Glimmer will return.

 

My two favorite ponies were the one who baked and the one that made balloon creations (don't know their names).

[Twilight Frost 271]

What happens if someponies cutie mark ends up being that very same equal mark?

[Persona22 205]

Tried to listen to the Intercom, that was playing in the cell.

 

“In sameness there is peace.”

 

“Exceptionalism is a lie”

 

“Free yourself from your cutie mark”

 

“Choose equality as your special talent.”

 

“Difference is frustration”

 

“To excel is to fail”

 

“Be your best by never being your best”

 

“Conformity will set you free"

 

“Accept your limitations and happiness will follow”

 

“You’re no better than your friends.”

 

(Repeats order) “In sameness there is peace…”

 

There are a few missing.

 

Jesus, that's some 1984 stuff right here.

 

"If i say 1+1=3, do you really think it's 3?"

They basically stumbled into the Equestrian equivalent of North Korea

[Fl1cker 107]

 

 

 

 

So, to make it clear, I didn't like it.

 

For me, this double-episode is clearly not worth of a season debut after what we've seen back in the previous seasons. Just look at season 2 with Discord, season 3 with the Crystal Empire, season 4 with the Tree of Harmony. Even if some of you were pleased to have a "lighter" episode after the last season's finale, I don't think it should have been THAT light. I mean, come on, what do we got here :

A villain as charismatic as an oyster. She doesn't come even close to the likes of Discord, Chrysalis (I don't even like Chrysalis but she was a damn good villain, gotta be honest with myself), even Sombra who was talking the same way as a 2-year-old. We don't even know what plans she had for these cutie marks, something I would have actually liked to know, but guess we'll have to wait to find out. I had some troubles following the episode because of the rythm that I found quite chaotic. The end disappointed me, this villain launches a flash grenade and disappears like that. ok well i guess cya l8r. I didn't enjoy the song either, not to mention the whole double episode looked like a criticism towards communism.

 

I enjoyed some stuff as well, don't worry. Pinkie and Fluttershy were really cool and I enjoyed watching Fluttershy spying on this villain (I'm really sorry but I forgot her name so I'll keep calling her that way). The 4 ponies helping the mane six at the end get their cutie marks back were actually quite great. Thanks to this double-episode, we know what to expect for this season even if I don't really care about it (sprending the magic of fwiendship accross Equestria y'know). The interesting part is that we've got a villain to look for who's still running, and I hope she won't be as dissapointing next time she shows up and we'll have something spectacular to look for.

 

So, I've been away from anything related to MLP for months now, and I've been really disappointed. Clearly, in my opinion, this was nowhere near the level of quality recquired from a season debut. I'll keep watching the rest of the season because I'm interested in the development they'll put in this new villain even though she's got the charism of a dead octopus. Hope they'll make some better episodes.

 

It's quite amusing to see the contrast between here and the french forum. Frenchiesgave a lot more negative feedback that you.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Shawns

[Mesme Rize 15,681]

They basically stumbled into the Equestrian equivalent of North Korea

 

 

Our great leader, will lead us to victory.

Edited April 5, 2015 by Hypnosparkle

[Castle Bleck 19,174]

even Sombra who was talking the same way as a 2-year-old.

 

And even that was only because he took too many dark-magic steroids.

[Fawkes The Phoenix 737]

Best season opener, two-parter and probably best MLP episode ever. I just loved everything about it.

[sweetolebob18 724]

I give it 3 stars out of 5.  Neither so great as I had hoped, nor so bad as I had feared.  There was nothing you could point to & say "This is bad" but, IMO, it was the weakest of the 2 part episodes.

 

Still, if the rest of the season is at least this good, I won't complain -much.

[Scootaloo Is Best Filly 576]

I really loved this episode. And despite the song being very different to what we're used to from this show. I really loved it. I have become an instant fan of Starlight Glimmer, and would love to find out more about her. Like why she wanted to keep all those cutie marks. (Maybe, it had something to do with simply wanting to keep them cause it was a "Power trip" we found out later in the episode, that she actually had a "real"cutie mark. So, maybe she wanted to keep the cutie marks , because, she could, and made her more "Superior" or "Important") Either way I'd love to hear more about her.

[Shou 100]

I loved the comedy in these episodes, and it was sooo much better paced than the start of season 4. Glad this show is still awesome!  

[PoisonClaw 8,153]

A bit of possible Fringe Horror just occurred to me. Starlight said that everyone who's ever come to the town has never wanted to leave, yet the town itself is isolated enough that they would have likely needed to import supplies from somewhere. Assuming those supplies were delivered by somepony, said pony would have promptly vanished without a trace, along with anyone else who found themselves unfortunate enough to stumble across the town.

 

No wonder the train refused to go any further. I can just imagine the ghost stories of "Any pony who's ever gone there has never returned..." 

[Zhortac 1,473]

BTW, I want to make sure it wasn't just me here...but the part where they arrive at the town, and Pinkie rolls down the cliffside....did Applejack sound like a dude when she told Pinkie to be careful?

[Twilight Frost 271]

I also noticed a lot of the 1984 themes in this as well. Starlight is a major totalitarian. She is North Korea, with a bit of Mother Russia.

[NavelColt 22,876]

> Everyone is equal, there is never any arguments or disagreements, everyone is always smiling, main antagonist has strange powers to take away CMs

 

Starlight Glimmer is from an alternate dimension that we Bronies know as G3, and she is here to convert Equestria to the ways of the 'Shitty Girl's Show' trope.

[simba86 1,541]

twilight's force field she put up to protect everypony from starlight's magic blast was cool, she is getting better and better at magic, like she used to have trouble teleporting "remember all the effort it took when she was fighting nightmare moon?" and now she can teleport multiple times in a row with no trouble

[Sobana 100]

BTW, I want to make sure it wasn't just me here...but the part where they arrive at the town, and Pinkie rolls down the cliffside....did Applejack sound like a dude when she told Pinkie to be careful?

Yeah, I heard that as well. Thought I might of been the only one to catch that.

[Chaton 3,765]

twilight's force field she put up to protect everypony from starlight's magic blast was cool, she is getting better and better at magic, like she used to have trouble teleporting "remember all the effort it took when she was fighting nightmare moon?" and now she can teleport multiple times in a row with no trouble

Where she has improved a great deal by herself, everything magical becomes a lot easier when your an Alicorn and the element of magic.