S05:E18 - Crusaders of the Lost Mark

[Makasu 27]

     What a ride!! I'm glad I was alone when I watched it because I was literally cheering and jeering at my screen the whole time! I was hesitant at first at the concept of DT's redemption, as she was one of my most hated characters, but they wrote it surprisingly well! The way they explained her bully-ish tendencies was more than believable; I caught myself actually feeling sorry for her! The actual redemption went against the stigma and presented itself slowly, rather than just saying, "Poof, she's good now!"

     The CMC's dialogue was written very well; they didn't lie to DT because most of them already learned that that's a bad idea in a previous episode. Most of what they said was very appropriate for their situation, and I forgot for a good moment that it was all scripted!

All in all, it was a very good episode.

[Soaring Symphony 372]

Love it or hate it, let's all just be glad the CMC got their marks before they ended up doing something completely stupid......

 

like this

Edited October 13, 2015 by Serenade

[UltimaX 63]

I was like this when they got their cutie marks.

 

 

 

They're cutie mars are not what I expected.

[LongGoneGr 1,305]

What about other questions?

 

No offense, but your response to me isn't clear, the questions don't make any sense.

[Will Guide 21,378]

Also, I'd like to say that Diamond Tiara has been redeemed in my eyes. It would be too soon to publish any facfic ideas I might have involving her being a jerk.

[arftbmrf 40]

No offense, but your response to me isn't clear, the questions don't make any sense.

I'm sorry then. Nevermind.

[Kaleidoscopic Clutch 83]

Normally I don't care for CMC episodes, but it was pretty exciting having them finally get their cutie marks!  I love that they got the marks they got.  Also nice to give Diamond Tiara a bit more character development.

 

I miss Pinkie Pie.  Can we get a Pinkie Pie episode next? 

[MovieLord101 140]

OK, I know I'm late to the party but I just watched the episode and to say I'm surprised is an understatement. I really don't know what to think. It is going to take some time for all of that to sink in.

 

The part were it was finally confirmed that the Apple's parents are really and truly gone, OMG!!!!

 

I'm getting some strong "Magical Mystery Cure" vibes right now.

I agree, though I think this was IMO MMC done RIGHT. That episode's ending would've had FAR more of an impact had the Princess Twilight twist wasn't spoiled ahead of time by Hasbro, a mistake they've clearly learned from with this episode. Though, as much as I enjoyed Slice of Life, I feel THIS should've had it's airdate spot swapped with that one. Would've made more sense honestly.

Writers are starting to finish stuff that Lauren Faust didn't. She wanted the CMC finally get their cutie marks, Rainbow Dash become a wonderbolt, and Twilight Sparkle become Princess Celestia's successor. They will probably make an episode, where Rainbow Dash becomes a wonderbolt, but Twilight can't become Princess Celestia's successor, cuz she's a Princess. That's something M.A. Larson goofed and let Lauren Faust down when writing Magical Mystery Cure. The first important thing was about the Mane Six, but it already got itself in the first episode, that their friendship is magic. But seriously Meghan McCarthy did a do about Twilight's Kingdom and her written episodes are the greatest, and btw where did she go in Season 5? Did she disappear? Why not write the Season 5 finale, Meghan McCarthy? Then I'll totally have fun and hype watching it. Cuz from the sound of the syponosis, it seemed quite boring in my opinion.

 

I know that the 2017 movie will be the closing for MLP, and it will make sad 100% of the whole mlp fans, and 85% of people in the whole world. Lauren Faust will have tears I can tell. Don't let us down writers, make the closing of mlp very great that it could remind everyone the opening of mlp which Lauren Faust did, and make us proud of that show in our whole lifes. It lived 7 years, brought friendship in 7 years, and gone very sadly. I know that movie will be the end of mlp, cuz it makes 6 seasons of mlp, marking the main six characters, who brought friendship to the world and the source of the show.

 

I hope in 2017 movie, Lauren Faust will be back to write it and close the show very dramatically and excitingly how she opened it.

 

:( :( :(

Uhh, sorry. Meghan McCarthy's writing it. Lauren's too busy with Wander over Yonder and her Medsua movie for Sony Animation to return.

Edited October 12, 2015 by MovieLord101

[Luffyiscool 397]

Spoiled Rich...wow, what a bitch she was.

She publicly called her kid's classmates "lowlives" loudly and matter-of-factly, which for a kids show was very extreme of her.

Even Diamond Tiara, a pony known for putting others down, thought that her mother was being hurtful. To me, that said a lot right there.

 

Seeing that Diamond Tiara was a product of her upbringing, and that she wanted to change, I instantly forgave her and joined the CMC in feeling sympathetic.

I've seen enough of the trope to just accept it, roll with it and see where it goes, rather than get hung up on the cop out.

The music was on point, the chase scene especially. The "stop!" "wait!" "listen!" thing gave me eargasm. That was some really nice switch up of the vocals.

I was also pleased that they addressed the seemingly pointless crown cutie mark, and showed that even DT herself didn't know what it meant. That was super cool.

I imagine that she bossed someone around while wearing a dress, and didn't realize that a cutie mark appeared until she undressed at home. She wouldn't be able to make the correlation.

 

And wow, the CMC's "special talent" blew my mind, and it adds a new context to what happened in Appleoosa's Most Wanted.

Helping others figure out their true selves and destinies is a wonderful thing to be good at, and I'm so proud of them.

 

It also adds new context to The Cutie Mark Chronicles. The mane six, through the CMC, learned something special about their own cutie mark origins.

Looking back, that's become pretty damn symbolic.

[Varrack 1,080]

Watched it three times now. So good. Much wow. I'm just blown away by it. Best episode ever.

 

There were a few flaws though. Like how Diamond Tiara's mom didn't really say anything after DT told her that she wanted friends and didn't want to follow in her mom's footsteps. Also, it didn't seem right that Pip just walked into their clubhouse asking them to campaign manage for him and they just went with it. What exactly qualifies Pip to be president, and why did the CMC just go with it? They could have had one of them run. I guess it doesn't take much effort to win the election. And if that's true...why were DT and Pip the only ones running?

[cuteycindyhoney 13,345]

What exactly qualifies Pip to be president, and why did the CMC just go with it? They could have had one of them run.

Pip is their friend. They found out that Pip wanted to be class president. As friends, they were more than willing to help him. It fits right in with how they earned their Cutey marks. Perhaps once he has a little experience, Pip will get a Cutey Mark denoting public service of some kind. Mayor Mare can't run Ponyville forever, you know. 

 

 

And an edit...

 

Am I the only one who noticed Button Mash was in the episode?

Edited October 12, 2015 by cuteycindyhoney

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 3,224]

Earlier, it would have been obvious for Scootaloo's to be that of a scooter, Applebloom of something apple, and Sweetie Belle singing. But I think they made a good choice for their cutiemarks; the cutie mark crusade continues even after obtaining it. While I'm happy that cutiemarks were obtained, discussion about show ending is making me sad as more characters are accomplishing their goals (while being happy that they're achieving them).

 

One thing that must be mentioned is Diamond Tiara. O Diamond Tiara, I've strongly hated you since I began watching this show four years ago. But now it's confirmed that you were a product of your parents' (or at least mother's) ideology and you were frequently pressured to act in a certain way. Well... I don't know what to think now. Can you really blame the child especially if their own actions were questioned? That would be no but her behaviour throughout the series still have been very mean spirited towards the innocent so there's still a sense of bitterness even while understanding context. But at very least now there is context. For me personally, I wish episode was longer/went more in depth about Diamond Tiara; felt at least slight rushed to me.

 

As for her mother Spoiled Rich... her disapproving of blankflanks make me wonder, does she therefore have general hatred towards children? And in extension towards Diamond Tiara until she obtained her own cutiemark?

 

Anyway I'm now emotionally confused about the show and Diamond Tiara so the episode accomplished doing that.

Edited October 12, 2015 by Luna the Great

[Luffyiscool 397]

This week's mini PMV.
Diamond Tiara's struggle summed up by Freddy Mercury.

[Glike 488]

This week's mini PMV.Diamond Tiara's struggle summed up by Freddy Mercury.

Yeah, I saw that a couple of hours ago. I love it! Well, I'm also a fan of Freddy Mercury so that helps too. Anyway, great work. I loved the reaction as well.

[Equus 92]

I have re-watched the episode at least three or four times now, after seeing it live with the Alabama pone group at our campout.

I cannot express just how much I've been bawling like a baby from all the feels every time I come to the post-CM song reprise, especially when RD, Rarity, and AJ congratulate them. Just, wow. In five seasons of the show, nothing has come anywhere close to producing that level of emotion and heartwarming. Like, I just felt like going somewhere and gushing because it was so freaking heart-meltingly awesome and... honestly, I can't think of any words to describe it.

DT's sad song is easily now my favorite song in the entire series due again to the extreme and deep emotional content coming from a character I've highly disliked ever since season one. I've been humming it all weekend and re-watching it on the DVR and Youtube well over a dozen times.

While this was not the way I expected them to earn their marks, thinking about it in depth, it makes so much sense at least to me... despite thinking that they probably should've gotten it earlier when they helped others, but... the concept of blank flanks genuinely wanting to befriend and help a cutie marked bully understand her special talent when they didn't even have their own marks yet is a crowning moment of heartwarming.

They're reforming a lot of characters and while it's going to be nice to (hopefully) see the same grating insults finally retired, and nothing can match the emotional impact of her rapid change, I would love to see more of this reformed DT trying to make up lost ground with her newfound understanding. Please please please let this be a thing in S6. And please let's not just throw away the lessons learned and never see DT again, or send her into relapse. I trust the writers though, even though AKR is sadly leaving and this will be her last season writing mind-shattering episodes such as this.

So while there are things that people aren't going to like, in the manner it was handled, and I can find about a dozen other things people can dislike about the episode, for me the total impact far overrides any minor flaw in execution or the many alternate possibilities. Many thought they'd get their mark in the last season or individually, and while that would have been nice, they probably are ready to write more than cutie mark finding episodes for the CMC, and I forsee a massive subplot from the three, their bond, and their vision in future seasons. Looking forward to that.

I haven't cried this hard or this much in a happy manner and situation in many years, if ever, in my 24 years. How and why on earth a show about magical tiny horses manages to do this is a monumental mystery.

20/10, easily eclipses my previous favorite episodes in the show's entire run (we'll see how novelty factors in)

Now back to drawing requests now that the campout is over...

[PonyFunk 155]

Undoubtedly the best episode of the 5th season, and possibly I dare say the entire series!

 

Diamond Tiara has at last become a likeable character, the CMC got their Cutie Marks, and all sorts of wonderful messages were brought across at the same time. It's an episode I will never forget, and hopefully we will get to see a bit more of the legacy that thr CMC leads in further episodes.

 

You done good MLP, you done good.

 

P.S. Let's see an episode about the Apple's mom and dad already!

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Does anybody think the opening/intro song sequence will be changed to show the CMC with cutie marks? Does anybody think the CMC might at least try to reform Starlight Glimmer in the finale? 

[Truffles 2,033]

Does anybody think the opening/intro song sequence will be changed to show the CMC with cutie marks? 

 

I think it will, and possibly with more changes (like Diamond Tiara actually appearing with them...  )

 

Also, did anyone else expect to see Diamond Tiara pull out a folder with the unpublished photos Featherweight took for the Gabby Gums column in "Ponyville Confidential" when she sung about revealing her classmates' secrets? That actually would have made a lot of sense since he was snapping photos left and right through the whole episode, and would have made for yet another nice ref to a past season!

[Rawzy 1,302]

Check out Alex's reaction to this eisode.....holy crap....

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1x-3_zfHeA

 

 

I had a very similiar reacion even though it was at 3:00AM xD

[AD_Pony 32]

I'm really excited about the CMC's realizing that their lives shouldn't revolve around their cutie marks and they grew because of this. I'm also really happy that Diamond Tiara learned what it's like to not let some pony else run her life and to let friends in.

However I was really hoping that each respectable CMC would find their unique talent on their own but in a relevant timeline.
I've seen pictures of which CMC would get what I was really taken by how those cutie marks would pan out; I just kinda feel like they were just thrown to them. :/

For example: Sweetie Bell has a beautiful singing voice so I wanted her cutie mark to kinda resemble that, her sister makes beautiful clothes so Sweetie should make beautiful music.
Apple Bloom is really good at fixing things up and making them structurally sound (not sure if that's from being a farm girl but it counts.)
Scootaloo is similar to Rainbow Dash and is a adrenaline junkie.

These are things that I really wanted to see the CMC's find on their own but probably all through a stunt so they got them at the relative same time, this episode kinda seems like it was just handed to them. I'm still happy that they found out what it is that they can do, which is helping other ponies in their time of need.

[ArDee 101]

@@Equus, everything you said pretty much sums up my feelings on this episode too.

 

Easily my favorite episode of the series, to the point where I'm not even sure that the upcoming Lena Hall episode or, hell, even the season finale will be able to top it. Yes, I loved it that much.

[Unlikeable Pony 2,700]

Watched it three times now. So good. Much wow. I'm just blown away by it. Best episode ever.

 

There were a few flaws though. Like how Diamond Tiara's mom didn't really say anything after DT told her that she wanted friends and didn't want to follow in her mom's footsteps. Also, it didn't seem right that Pip just walked into their clubhouse asking them to campaign manage for him and they just went with it. What exactly qualifies Pip to be president, and why did the CMC just go with it? They could have had one of them run. I guess it doesn't take much effort to win the election. And if that's true...why were DT and Pip the only ones running?

 

 

agreed 100% on how good it was.

As for the Class president thing, eh, it reminds me of my highschool's class president things. I remember one class president's campaign was basically just "Vote me me, I'm not a total B****" (not to her face of course, but it was well known that was pretty much all he was running on) and he WON. The girl he was running against was basically diamond tiara and he had no real plans except to NOT be her.

 

 

School presidencies can be 100% like what the show was about.

 

 

Does anybody think the opening/intro song sequence will be changed to show the CMC with cutie marks? Does anybody think the CMC might at least try to reform Starlight Glimmer in the finale? 

Naaaah. the finale is going to be about the mane six.

It'll be twilight who reforms starlight (They have the whole "basically the same name" thing going on after all)

 

 

Undoubtedly the best episode of the 5th season, and possibly I dare say the entire series!

 

Diamond Tiara has at last become a likeable character, the CMC got their Cutie Marks, and all sorts of wonderful messages were brought across at the same time. It's an episode I will never forget, and hopefully we will get to see a bit more of the legacy that thr CMC leads in further episodes.

 

You done good MLP, you done good.

 

P.S. Let's see an episode about the Apple's mom and dad already!

 

Haha, true about AJ's parents. BRONIES DEMAND IT HASBRO!

 

 

I was like this when they got their cutie marks.

 

 

 

They're cutie mars are not what I expected.

Eh, I like them. They make sense, and work thematically.

[IcefireInfinite 227]

This is one of the best episodes hoofs-down. I give it an 9.2/10

 

The singing parts were absolutely amazingly constructed yet again. Diamond Tiara's solo was brilliant and all the times she sang she spoke really powerful lyrics full of feels and determination which hooked every time I've watched the episode. The songs and all their parts were all beautifully arranged and I would love to learn to write music like that.

 

Honestly, this episode is full of those things that attack your emotion box, but the thing that got me the most was what AJ said to Apple Bloom about their parents being proud of her, that was too much. Too ingeniously placed. Amy Keating Rogers will be missed and I hope, while she is working for Disney, she pulls off more great things there too.

 

It was all a tad rushed because of the singing and it was unfortunate they didn't make this into a two-part episode to slow everything down a bit, but it was nonetheless made into one of the best episodes of the show you will find. (For those who are fans of the show of course. More of an impact from the characters and all that.)

 

The season is looking to be one of the best and by the looks of things we are only going up from here.

[gamecubeguy214 2,516]

My god this is an amazing episode. Better than my old favorite, Sleepless in Ponyville. Best episode by far. One thing though, why were the CMC floating when getting their cutie marks? In Cutie Mark Chronicles, the ponies were grounded and only their flank was shining, while with the CMC they were rising off the ground and their entire bodies were shing. Other than that, this episode was SO HYPE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Rainboom Dash 1,057]

What a great episode. I for one love the fact the CMC's cutie marks are tied together.