S06:E19 - The Fault In Our Cutie Marks

[Trixie Heartstrings 433]

I loved the episode, you can tell by what I've set my profile pic to lol.

[Odd Ball 230]

For the most part, I thought Gabby was a fun character.

 

The show really seems to adore earth ponies over unicorns and peagasus.

 

It's weird how the CMC were scared of Gabby, but every pony she met before wasn't.

 

I'm really glad Gabby didn't get an actual cutie mark.

 

If the CMC in Ponyville are known all over Equestria, that means there must be other CMC across the land.

 

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon made a background cameo in the beginning. At least the writers haven't fully forgotten about them.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,152]

Definitely amongst the best of CMC episodes; IMO. The beginning was an amazing setup, the call-backs to previous episodes made sense, Gabby is just freaking adorable, Scootaloo's little connection was nice done, and the song was awesome.

 

Solid 9/10.

[Sonic5421 423]

This was a great Crusaders episode in my honest opinion.

 

We get a callback to Rainbow and Pinkie's mission to Griffonstone from Season 5 and the Cutie Map, Twilight being her adorkable self when it comes to learning new things, not to mention making a callback to when she tried to give Apple Bloom a cutie mark via magic back in Season 1, and Gabby being made the first griffon Cutie Mark Crusader, basically allowing her to start up a branch of the Crusaders in Griffonstone, so she'll have something to tell Gilda and the other griffons when she gets home.

 

Awesome episode, and it gets a 10/10 as my rating for it, along with my positive thoughts on the episode as well.

[Professional Horse 94]

So much continuity! There were, what, four or five references to earlier episodes! Is that a new record? Not to mention that the references weren't just jokes, but had a purpose!

 

Twilight and Gabriel were damn adorable. Although I'm terrified. Brace yourselves, for a storm of r34 art featuring Gabby is coming.

 

The CMC were really fun as well! Fishy applesauce, Sweetie's scepticism and Scootaloo relating with Gabby because of her disability were my favourites.

 

Also, dinosaurs confirmed! Now I need fanart of ponies riding dinosaurs to battle.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Professional Horse

[Truffles 2,033]

Although... I still can't figure out why this episode was pushed back so far. This was supposed to be episode 9, so why hold off on it until now?  

 

Jim Miller just Tweeted DFC wanted a CMC episode for the second half of the season. So that's why it got held back - scheduling (and presumably, ratings).

[weesh 690]

The show really seems to adore earth ponies over unicorns and peagasus.

 

my impression has always been the opposite.  

special consideration is given to those that can fly or use magic, and we almost never see anything that makes earthponies look good.  

They almost never talk about the earthpony nature of alicorns.  its all about the wings and horn for them.  

 

what evidence do you see for over representation of earth ponies?

[Truffles 2,033]

Also, dinosaurs confirmed! Now I need fanart of ponies riding dinosaurs to battle.

 

The funny thing is, Equestria kinda already has dinosaurs - they're these large, winged reptiles that fly around and breathe fire known as dragons? XD

 

Though I noticed that filly caused it a "ponysaurus", so it must be some species that was a evolutionary predecessor to current-day ponies and not dragons!

 

EDIT: Oooooh - maybe ponysaurs were a common ancestor to BOTH ponies and dragons! Now that would be a interesting revelation.

Edited September 10, 2016 by Truffles

[Photon Jet 5,489]

So much continuity! There were, what, four or five references to earlier episodes! Is that a new record? Not to mention that the references weren't just jokes, but had a purpose!

Silver Quill is gonna have a great time reviewing this episode when it comes to...

 

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

[Odd Ball 230]

my impression has always been the opposite.

special consideration is given to those that can fly or use magic, and we almost never see anything that makes earthponies look good.

They almost never talk about the earthpony nature of alicorns. its all about the wings and horn for them.

 

what evidence do you see for over representation of earth ponies?

I mean for the newly created ponies, almost every new pony is an earth pony. Even a lot of the new background ponies are earth. Edited September 10, 2016 by Odd Ball

[Allen 1,371]

That's a great episode for today.  That young griffon named "Gabby" is worried about earning her cutie mark, the Cutie Mark Crusaders helps her how to earn it, the reward is medals (a cutie mark in the future when her helping tasks is finished) nearly at the end of this episode and a celebration in Ponyville too. Also, the song was revealed in this episode and it was "great"!

Edited September 10, 2016 by Allen

[Midnight Seashell 206]

To me this episode is a reminder to never raise my expectations so much otherwise I might be disappointed but I'm not saying this is a bad episode infact i really enjoyed it.

[Dark Horse 12,799]

There was a point in that episode where I really thought they were going to give Gabby her cutie mark, while simultaneously thinking of the storm it would cause.

 

Alas, it wasn't to be. But I guess she'll now become the head of the newly established Griffonstone branch of the CMC. I wonder how successful she'll be at getting other Griffon's to realize their 'destinies'?

 

Still, this was a decent episode for the CMC. I'll be lying if I said I didn't find Gabby and her squeaky voice annoying at first, but she grew on me after the song. Yes, not every challenge that life presents you will be possible to overcome, but there are always alternatives and new ways that you can discover if you try and dig that little bit deeper. Never assume that any road is a dead end.

 

Also; TENDER TAPS!!

 

[weesh 690]

I mean for the newly created ponies, almost every new pony is an earth pony. Even a lot of the new background ponies are earth.

 

Are they?

 

On your marks: earthpony

Gauntlet of fire: dragon

Flutter Brother: pegasus

Spice up your life: full of new unicorns

Stranger than fan fiction: EP wearing cosplay wings

Cart before the ponies: (no new ponies?)

28 pranks later (no new ponies?)

Times they are a changeling: changeling!

Dungeons and discords: no new 3d characters

Buckball season: pretty balanced by the sport

Fault in our stars: griffon

 

Am I missing something?  

Ponyville having lots of earth ponies sorta makes sense, as it is was founded by earthponies, and there are lots of cities that tend to congregate specific types.  Even many of the pegasus in ponyville are either transplants, or don't even live there

[Zantetsuken 364]

Oh boy The Fault in our Cutie Marks, yep cause when I think of a new MLP episode I want to be reminded of a book turned movie about cancer patients and intricate relationships.

 

I'm just going to say this I think this episode is complete garbage I also hate the writer of this episode, Ed Valentine, with a burning passion. My hate for this... "writer" comes from the fact that every episode hes wrote I've hated. I'm not going to spend my post insulting the writer however I wonder if anyone has noticed that of the 4 episodes hes written 3 of them have been CMC episodes... I'm not sure what to think of that. I think that by their fourth episode most writers would... you know... branch out and or find a different character to do an episode on.

 

Anyway on with tearing this episode down.

 

Lets take this act by act. 

 

In act one we have a griffon who wants a cutie mark. Lets overlook the fact that no Griffon we have seen has had a cutie mark. Now you may say "but the CMC don't know that." You would be right if the CMC were not told by Twilight that it would NOT happen, unfortunately that is what she told them and the CMC know how this will end only 7 minutes in.

 

So act two, what we have here is an issue that we already have the answer to and the CMC already know the answer to trying to be resolved. So we have this pointless wasted scene where we have 7 minutes of an act we already know will bare no fruit. However the song was good, very charming, I like the song. 

 

So act 3, oh boy I love the real cliche emotional switch they pulled here.(sarcasm) "I wanted to make you think you did it so you wouldn't be disappointed." So this griffon decided to trick these 3 young fillies into thinking they managed the impossible, lets imagine she actually got away with this, the CMC would have been left thinking they did something they didn't do and I think that's a negative implication. Is anyone aware of the term "learn from losing." I'm pretty sure this is a case where the CMC finding out they didn't succeed would have been more valuable here. But they did find out so that makes it all ok! Sure I guess, but I still don't like the idea behind it.

 

So in the end Gabby is given some plaques and a cutie mark celebration is throw for someone not actually getting a cutie mark... Nope, nothing wrong here, why wouldn't they throw a cutie mark celebration for someone who didn't get a cutie mark? 

 

As for gabby I don't have much of an opinion oh her, it's your run of the mill "I'm just a misfit struggling to fit in" episode. Sure Gabby is nice and shes different but the fact that this episode is written off in my mind as completely pointless and spends 22 minutes telling us something we already knew and those who didn't know didn't want to know makes any thoughts I have on her irrelevant. 

 

5.5/10 I'm done 

Edited September 10, 2016 by Zantetsuken

[StitchandMLPlover 930]

Spoiler alert I loved this episode! It was a nice follow up to the last CMC episode. It was nice to see the CMC now comfortable in their talent and highly respected for it. I liked the new bubbly Griffon character and loved the flashback that tied in with "Treasure of Giffonstone"! The whole sequence and parts of the rest of the episode reminded me of "Times They Are A Changeling". I'm glad to see a Griffon other than Gilda. I liked how they made use of Twilight here. I loved the song and thought it sounded like the songs in "Crusaders of the Lost Mark". I think part of the lesson had to do with honesty. The body language with Scootaloo flittering her wing while talking about and empathizing with Gabby was spot on and subtle since she may never fly due to disability. I like how the crusaders made the Griffon into a cutie mark crusader because it was really touching but I thought the writers were going for a more direct "You do not need a mark on your butt to do what you love" lesson.

[weesh 690]

Turns out the 4 polish VAs for the new song are pretty incredible:
 

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

[TheAnimatorOfficial 566]

Loved the serial killer reference

[Sweet Palette 234]

I just got done watching the latest ep! I loved it!!!! I'm happy to see that they're doing more with Griffins! Hopefully we'll get to see much more of Gabby, Gilda and the other Griffons in later episodes! *crosses her hooves*

Edited September 10, 2016 by SpicyDemon

[Cleverclover 1,525]

After this episode, I just have one question: 

 

WHY THE F*** DID VALENTINE WRITE THE COMPLETE WASTE OF DHX ASSETS THAT WAS THE CART BEFORE THE PONIES!?!?!?!?!?!?! 

 

It's really annoying to me that the same writer who churned this episode out also wrote the episode that did absolutely nothing to advance the CMC. This was really the first and apparently only episode all season that has done anything to advance the CMC (and no, On Your Marks barely counts). 

 

Very sweet episode, overall. Possibly the best characterization for the CMC all season, especially Scootaloo. Also, despite the implication that she's talented on borderline Mary Sue levels, Gabby was quite an enjoyable character. Best griffon confirmed? 

 

It's just really bittersweet to me that this episode seems like the first legitimate step of an arc that should have started long before now. I don't understand why we have so many episodes in season 6 of the mane six spinning their wheels needlessly, when they could have instead gone towards advancing the CMC and Starlight. 

[weesh 690]

It's really annoying to me that the same writer who churned this episode out also wrote the episode that did absolutely nothing to advance the CMC. This was really the first and apparently only episode all season that has done anything to advance the CMC (and no, On Your Marks barely counts). 

 

how on earth is "on your marks" getting the shaft?!

it was the first episode after they got their marks, and dealt with how life was going to be different once they got their marks.  there was fallout from 5 seasons of obsessing over marks in that episode.  It took "our purpose is to help other", and fleshed it out.  Why didn't you like it?

 

I think you are just being picky.

[snowflame 189]

I can't believe that in a episode where characters are wondering about cutie marks Starlight was not consulted. I am honesty starting to wonder if she is not just Twilights imaginary friend she sometimes makes real accidentally without noticing this. Why is Starlight barely allowed to interact with ponies when it is not her episode?  

 

It was nice episode otherwise with a long overdue story for a non pony and it was nice to have another griffon even if Gabby was over the top. Did anyone have an issue with her name? I was wondering during the episode why it did bother me but then realized that it was because I was reminded of Gabby Gums lol. Not that it is a bad name. I need to listen the song again to say if it was good but it was pleasant.

[Eggy0 101]

I missed the livestream, but managed to find a recording about 30 minutes after the episode initially ended. I enjoyed it.

Though at the end of the episode, I'm left with just one question...

...Whatever happened to Twilight? I mean, the last time she's seen is when she's dashing to record information on a griffon "getting" a cutie mark, and I don't even know if she found out the truth about Gabby's "cutie mark" and everything... or even her reaction to it, especially given the fact she was very enthusiastic about the new "discovery" of a griffon getting a cutie mark.

It may be just me, but I think that could be a minor plot hole (it doesn't impact the story overall but leaves me with the situation I mentioned above).

[Officer Strike 152]

Lol. Yes I am looking forward to this episode.  Where on earth can a griffin get a cutiemark from anyway?

[Foliha 395]

Man, that Gabby was wired!  Jabber, jabber, jabber - flit, flit, flit...  But she was cute.  I just don't understand how she survived the endemic crankiness of Griffinstone. 

 

But now she has "honorary" cutie marks.  It's all good.

 

I'd like to see her team up with the dragon princess and get griffins and dragons over their orneriness.