The truth about the CMC's cutie marks

[ManaMinori 4,143]

Everyone seems to believe that their 'destiny' is helping others to find their special talents, because from the moment the CMC got theirs, no one sad otherwise when they came to that conclusion,  after helping Diamond Tiara. But there's still something that doesn't make sense, if their destiny really did lie in helping others to find their cutie marks....WHY THE BLOODY BUCK ARE ALL THREE OF THEIR CUTIE MARKS A SHIELD?! And what does that shield represent, on all three of their butts?

 

To answer this, I really think that we need to look at 2 things- 1: Shining Armor, and 2: a piece of canon in the chapter books that really does a better job of explaining everything, and that I will hold as canon, because the series doesn't explain jack squat, or bother to fill in plotholes)

 

Aaaaanywaaaaay.....

Looking at the prime example, Shining Armor, shows that he's very clearly connected to the element of magic from the Tree of Harmony? How? He's got the big honkin' symbol for it right on his pony butt. But one other thing- it's in the center of a shield that has a cluster of 3 stars over it, which could represent his desire and ability to protect the three other members of his family from before he met Cadance- his mom, dad, and little sister. He has been seen managing rather powerful shield spells for days around the city of Canterlot, as Chrysalis' swarm was attempting to break it. I doubt many average unicorns are capable of such feats of defense.

 

The Cutie Mark Crusaders' marks look very much like shields, also, and the chapter book, "Ponyville Mysteries: Peryton Panic" actually offers a lot of depth and explanation as to why- put simply, they are destined to guard Nightmare Moon's Helm of Shadows that is locked away in the deepest part of the Everfree forest. Luna recalls the time when she turned into Nightmare Moon. During her transformation into Nightmare Moon, she had created a helmet from her turbulent emotions called the Helm of Shadows. When the Mane Six returned her to normal with the Elements of Harmony, the Helm was too powerful to be destroyed and remained intact. Fearing that others would be corrupted by its power, Luna and Celestia buried the Helm in the Everfree Forest and sealed it inside an enclosure of living forest: the Livewood. They also created the Timberwolves and summoned the peryton to guard the Livewood.

However, for reasons unknown, the peryton created an additional security measure: a lock that only three ponies with matching cutie marks can open. Because of this, Luna asks the Cutie Mark Crusaders to protect the Livewood and make sure it is never opened.

 

This makes perfect sense! Any why? We already KNOW that theCMC's have a sort of attachment to Luna, and have been guided and helped to grow and mature by her on 3 separate occasions. Additionally, we very clearly see, from as far back as the season 1 premiere, that immediately after Nightmare Moon is vanquished and Luna returned to her base form, the helmet that she wore as NMM is nowhere among the broken pieces of armor- perhaps left offscreen and in tact, as it was far too powerful to be shattered, even by the Elements of Harmony.

 

Thus, much like the mane 6 being destined as "guardians of harmony" for Equestria, the CMC are meant to be, also, acting as guardians and protectors- which is why their cutie marks are all shield shaped- from the threat of the NMM's helm of Shadows that is locked behind a security measure that specifically bears  and corresponds to their symbols, in the Livewood in the Everfree.

 

There's just no other way that their cutie marks could mean anything else, and are meant for the job that they think they're doing, currently.

 

Edited September 1, 2018 by Nightmare Muffin

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

 

3 hours ago, Nightmare Muffin said:

 

There's just no other way that their cutie marks could mean anything else, and are meant for the job that they think they're doing, currently.

 

I think there is. It's called a Coat of Arms, or Family Crest. They are meant to show the three are completely loyal to each other. I don't think there is any dark meaning to it.

Edited September 1, 2018 by cuteycindyhoney

[ZomBrony 346]

2 hours ago, cuteycindyhoney said:

 

I think there is. It's called a Coat of Arms, or Family Crest. They are meant to show the three are completely loyal to each other. I don't think there is any dark meaning to it.

Why you gotta be that way, mang? x3 I'm not actually mad, but I would understand if OP might be upset about this.

They probably took a lot of time researching and thinking about that because they weren't satisfied with how the CMC got their marks. I haven't watched the show for years, so I can't really have a say on this and your theory makes sense too, but that just seems so anticlimactic after the epic story of NMM. And if their marks, their literal destinies, the meaning of their lives, is really equated to be so simple, why do they have their bond with Princess Luna? And why are they there in the presence of NMM, long before they're actually introduced to the series, in the very first episode?

I have more faith in our show writers than that, even if they do have to keep it somewhat simple for their target audience.

[cuteycindyhoney 13,283]

22 hours ago, ZomBrony said:

Why you gotta be that way, mang? x3 I'm not actually mad, but I would understand if OP might be upset about this.

They probably took a lot of time researching and thinking about that because they weren't satisfied with how the CMC got their marks. I haven't watched the show for years, so I can't really have a say on this and your theory makes sense too, but that just seems so anticlimactic after the epic story of NMM. And if their marks, their literal destinies, the meaning of their lives, is really equated to be so simple, why do they have their bond with Princess Luna? And why are they there in the presence of NMM, long before they're actually introduced to the series, in the very first episode?

I have more faith in our show writers than that, even if they do have to keep it somewhat simple for their target audience.

I don't see why anyone would get mad at what I posted. It wasn't insulting or anything. The OP said there was no other way the cutey marks could mean anything else. I think there is. I went on to say what I think the CMC having a common crest as their cutey marks means. If everyone agrees with everything in a post, how will there be any discussion? Besides, hasn't it already been established that the chapter books and comics are not cannon to the actual series?

Lastly, what's a mang?

Edited September 2, 2018 by cuteycindyhoney

[Sunlight Glisten 368]

22 hours ago, ZomBrony said:

Why you gotta be that way, mang

Ahhh I haven't heard mang since high school. Do people still say mang? I haven't heard it in over a decade?

Maybe they are the defenders of the right to a cutie Mark? They should have been the ones to bust up starlight village then. Perhaps since cutie marks seem to have a self fulfilling prophecy about them, they will soon have to defend ponies uniqueness agenst some foe with the power to remove cutie marks...

[ZomBrony 346]

31 minutes ago, cuteycindyhoney said:

I don't see why anyone would get mad at what I posted. It wasn't insulting or anything. The OP said there was no other way the cutey marks could mean anything else. I think there is. I went on to say what I think the CMC having a common crest as their cutey marks means. If everyone agrees with everything in a post, how will there be any discussion? Besides, hasn't it already been established that the chapter books and comics are not cannon to the actual series?

Lastly, what's a mang?

Fair enough. I guess that's just me being oversensitive. x3 I can't speak for OP, especially on a topic I know so little about, but I'd sure be a little offended if I had a big post like that shot down so quickly.

 

2 minutes ago, Sunlight Glisten said:

Ahhh I haven't heard mang since high school. Do people still say mang? I haven't heard it in over a decade?

Maybe they are the defenders of the right to a cutie Mark? They should have been the ones to bust up starlight village then. Perhaps since cutie marks seem to have a self fulfilling prophecy about them, they will soon have to defend ponies uniqueness agenst some foe with the power to remove cutie marks...

And I really doubt it. x3 I just got "mang" from my dad and even he barely says it anymore.

 

Also, mang is just a silly way of saying "man," for Cindy.

[Sunlight Glisten 368]

3 minutes ago, ZomBrony said:

Also, mang is just a silly way of saying "man," for Cindy.

Its more than that, mang has an inherant broski affect. You would only say mang to your tru OG's. Otherwise you'd be out a wack and off the heezzy. Mang is for your homies.

 

[MangoFoalix 24,898]

Please stay on topic. This is about the CMC's cutie marks, not what the definition of "mang" is

[Jeric 46,834]

On 8/31/2018 at 8:19 PM, Nightmare Muffin said:

WHY THE BLOODY BUCK ARE ALL THREE OF THEIR CUTIE MARKS A SHIELD?! 

The name they gave their friendship group, a group that bound then as friends forever, had a symbol to represent them. That symbol appears on their capes, flags, etc. That symbol is this

Their cutie marks share a shield in the same way that they shared a shield to symbolize a united goal in friendship. 

[ZomBrony 346]

I'm surprised this is still only one page long.

 

I like your theory too, Jeric. It's pretty similar to Cindy's, but without the coat of arms argument. I like that it would be more symbolic than that, and I truly do believe there's a lot of symbolism in MLP. It's like a little something extra just under the surface, for us older fans so we're more satisfied with the story then the short and simple explanations that a kid needs.