SPOILERS! Mariusioannesp Reviews: "Bloom and Gloom" · 4:15am Apr 19th, 2015
WARNING!!! The following contains SPOILERS for today’s MLP episode “Bloom and Gloom”.
Now, without further ado-do, here is my review of “Bloom and Gloom”.
After learning that one of their friends has gotten a cutie mark, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle start having misgivings about getting their cutie marks. What if they get a cutie mark they don’t like? What will become of the Cutie Mark Crusaders once their crusade for their cutie marks is complete? Apple Bloom in particular is also worried no one will like her if she has a cutie mark they don’t like or what her family will think if she doesn’t have an apple cutie mark. Applejack assures her everything will be fine in the morning once she gets a good night’s sleep. Well, Apple Bloom does get a good night’s sleep and wakes up the next morning with her cutie mark! A cutie mark no one expected her to get in like a million years! And things just get stranger and weirder from there. Will Apple Bloom come to grips with what a cutie mark really means for her?
So, what’s the verdict?
I’ve been looking forward to this episode since I first heard about it, hoping it could be the completion of the CMC/Luna arc that I predicted in my blog on the future of MLP. Well, in that regard, it did not disappoint.
In all honesty, I have to say this is the first episode of Season 5 I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. So yeah, I liked it! I liked it a lot!
It starts off with Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo having a Cutie Mark Crusader meeting at the clubhouse. Apple Bloom brings up a letter she got from Babs Seed, announcing that she got her cutie mark!
Holy horseschnitzel! Babs Seed got her cutie mark! It’s apparently a pair of scissors.
No joke. While watching this episode live, I audibly gasped so loudly when this was revealed that my sister cried out from upstairs “What’s wrong?!” When I told her it was nothing, she was all like “Stop gasping like that!”
Anywho, credit where credit is due, I’d like to congratulate Bad_Seed_72 for successfully predicting in her Tangled Roots Trilogy that Babs Seed would be the first of the CMC to get her cutie mark. I’d have a meme of Stephen Colbert saying “YOU CALLED IT!” but he never said that.
Moving on though, this news causes Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo to start thinking. What would happen if they got a cutie mark they didn’t like? Later on, Apple Bloom is sharing her misgivings with Applejack. She wonders what would happen if she got a cutie mark she didn’t like or one no one likes and so no one likes her. Once they get their cutie marks, they won't really be the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore. What if they all drift apart? She wonders if she gets a cutie mark that isn’t an apple if she’ll have to leave the Apple Family and live elsewhere. Applejack assuages Apple Bloom’s worries, telling her that everything will be better after a good night’s sleep. She even sings her this sweet little lullaby.
So, Apple Bloom seemingly wakes up the next morning and discovers that everything is indeed better after a good night’s sleep. But that’s not all she discovers. Applejack points out to her that Apple Bloom now has a cutie mark! However, they’re not too sure what it’s supposed to be. That’s when the steampunk pony comes in to explain. 
It’s a steampunk cutie mark! That’s so awesome! It doesn’t make much sense, but it’s awesome!
Actually no, it isn’t. The steampunk pony is actually a pest pony, and Apple Bloom for some reason now has a pest pony cutie mark. So, the pest pony shows Apple Bloom all the ropes in pest disposal, in particular the calling and capturing of these little lightning bugs called twittermites. 
Wait! Hold the phone! Twittermites? I know back in the season premiere, Fluttershy had that line about how “now tweets don’t make sense,” but that kind of takes the cake when it comes to referencing Twitter.
Anyway, Apple Bloom shows a natural aptitude when it comes to calling twittermites. Not surprising since it’s her special talent. However, she’s not sure if this is something she really wants to do. And then Tweedle B and Tweedle Concha... I mean Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara show up to tease her about her cutie mark, telling her that now all her friends will be bugs. Apple Bloom suddenly finds herself in a foreboding clearing in the Everfree Forest where a mysterious mare in the shadows offers to fix her cutie mark problems by taking her cutie mark away. Wait… Starlight Glimmer? So, Apple Bloom agrees, and she returns to town where she finds to her horror that the twittermites have escaped and are now destroying Ponyville with their lightning. Apple Bloom tries to wrangle them up again, but without her cutie mark, she’s unable to. She then witnesses the twittermites destroy Sweet Apple Acres!
Suddenly, Apple Bloom awakes seemingly in bed again, everything that had just happened only a dream. So, Apple Bloom goes to Applejack once more and discovers once again that she has a cutie mark! This time, it’s a potion-making cutie mark, which makes sense given last season’s “Twilight Time”. They even directly mention Apple Bloom’s potions lessons with Twilight. Apple Bloom runs off to the clubhouse to show Sweetie and Scootaloo her cutie mark. They are initially happy for her, but then they point out how Apple Bloom can no longer be a Cutie Mark Crusader now that she has a cutie mark. In fact, they go so far as say they can’t be friends anymore. They basically kick her out of the clubhouse, which is then suddenly boarded up. Apple Bloom ends up once more in the foreboding clearing in the forest where the mysterious mare makes her the same offer as before, and Apple Bloom agrees again. Apple Bloom then un-boards the clubhouse, and Scootaloo and Sweetie show up again. Turns out, they now have their cutie marks and no longer have time for Apple Bloom.
Suddenly, Apple Bloom awakes seemingly in bed yet again, everything that had just happened only another dream. Apple Bloom goes to Applejack once more who just repeats the same thing she has said in the previous two dreams, oblivious to what Apple Bloom is actually saying. She once more discovers that Apple Bloom has her cutie mark! It’s some kind of derp-eyed dolphin. Then, things get really weird. Apple Bloom is suddenly on the kitchen table being ominously circled by her family. Big Mac talks a lot, sometimes with Applejack’s voice. Granny Smith and Applejack keep saying “Eyup” and “Nope”, sometimes in Big Mac’s voice. Applejack’s hat keeps disappearing. Sometimes Big Mac is wearing Applejack’s hat. The jist of it though is that since Apple Bloom doesn’t have an apple cutie mark, she can no longer be part of their family. Apple Bloom falls through a dark tunnel that is their front door!
Suddenly, Apple Bloom awakes seemingly in bed yet again, everything that had just happened only another dream. I know; this is getting monotonous! Apple Bloom checks her mirror to see if she has a cutie mark and is relieved when she doesn’t. However, she has a cutie mark on her other flank! And then different one on the previous flank! And this goes on and on through a couple of different cutie marks, including one of Apple Bloom’s face that winks at her! Apple Bloom suddenly finds herself again in the foreboding clearing, where the mysterious mare insists she only did what Apple Bloom wanted and only wants to help Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom runs away and runs into somepony I was very much hoping to see.
That’s right! It’s Princess Luna!
Say it with me and Stephen Colbert now. 
I CALLED IT!!!
Princess Luna reveals to Apple Bloom that the mysterious mare in the shadows is….
Please, let it be Starlight Glimmer. Please, let it be Starlight Glimmer!
… Her own shadow.
What? Oh, well. Can’t win them all.
Princess Luna shows Apple Bloom that her own fears have trapped her in this nightmare. It is her own dream after all. Apple Bloom admits that she’s afraid about what will happen when she gets her cutie mark. Luna explains to her that cutie mark is a reflection of who you are, and that she’s really worrying about who she is. If she can’t accept who she is, then her whole life will be like a waking nightmare. Apple Bloom realizes if she likes who she is, then other ponies will like her too. What her cutie mark is then doesn’t matter. Given how simple this is, Apple Bloom wonders if she must be the only pony who has been worrying about her cutie mark. Luna reveals that she in fact isn’t. Luna shows Apple Bloom that both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo have been having nightmares about getting an unideal cutie mark. In fact, Sweetie’s nightmare is of her getting a janitorial cutie mark while trying to sing before her sister, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch…
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!!
Behold! 
For the first time ever, Octavia and Vinyl Scratch appearing together on MLP proper!
Today is a most glorious day.
Oh, and Scootaloo’s nightmare was of her trying to fly off a ramp on her scooter while getting a baking cutie mark. Whatever.
So, Luna brings the CMC together in a shared dream in a dream CMC clubhouse. Yeah, this episode is basically the movie Inception; I love that movie. Scootaloo can also fly in the Dreaming! Anywho, Apple Bloom shares with the CMC what she learned about how a cutie mark won’t change them or what anyone thinks of them. Now, that’s a lesson I can stand behind. They wonder if perhaps Babs has been worrying about these things as well and resolve to make her a care package. You know, once they wake up.
So, Apple Bloom finally wakes up for real this time. She checks her flank and sees no cutie mark. Oh, thank goodness! She joins her family for breakfast, and Applejack points out that it seems a good night’s sleep did do her a lot of good. Apple Bloom agrees, but she wishes it wasn’t as exhausting as it was.
So, it’s no secret at this point that I loved this episode. Trippy dream stuff always appeals to me, but this had a lot of heart to it. I like how each of Apple Bloom’s dreams is reflective of something she mentioned being worried about. The first is about getting a cutie mark she didn’t like, the second is about what will become of the CMC once they get their cutie marks, and the third is about how her family will react if she gets a non-apple cutie mark. I like also how in Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo’s dreams, their special talents are apparently singing and athletics/agility/whatever. It seems at least they have a subconscious suspicion of what their special talents are. I feel it means they’re getting closer and closer to getting their cutie marks. I feel it in my bones!
Another thing I enjoyed that even though this is yet another episode about Apple Bloom worrying about a cutie mark, it’s not so much about getting the cutie mark but of what happens after. I love that the CMC are thinking about this. I think it bodes well for them finally getting their cutie marks this season. (Though in all honesty, if I’m right about this too, I will be impossible to deal with. I apologize in advance. God grant me humility!) Plus, Apple Bloom mentions in her second dream how she always wished that they would all get their cutie marks together. Perhaps that will still happen. The upcoming “Appleloosa’s Most Wanted” has something to do with them trying to get their cutie marks. Perhaps this will be the episode where they finally get their cutie marks or at least they’ll be one step closer to getting their cutie marks.
I like how Babs Seed hasn’t been left out and has already gotten her cutie mark. Speaking of Babs Seed, I found something very interesting when I recalled the MLP Friends Forever comic #13. 
It’s all connected!
I still like to think perhaps Babs Seed got her cutie mark by defending the honor of a fellow Manehattan CMCer by shanking a bully with a pair scissors. (That probably has a lot to do with how much I lean on Bad_Seed_72’s characterization of Babs Seed.) And perhaps a haircut was involved. 
Finally, I also liked how Apple Bloom’s dreams become progressively more surreal as time goes by. In her second dream, the rooster on her window sill lays an egg. In her fourth dream, instead of a rooster, Pinkie Pie dressed as a chicken crows while floating passed her window. In her third dream, Applejack is baking a cake for breakfast, instead of her usual pancakes, and even initially before it got really weird her hat keeps disappearing from her head.
As for what I didn’t like… Actually, there is nothing in this episode I consider a discernible flaw. I sense for some reason many will disagree with that.
Overall, “Bloom and Gloom” was a great episode that makes me feel that Season 5 is off to a great start. The Cutie Mark Crusaders are growing up, and I look forward to seeing them finally get their cutie marks really soon.
What did you all think about “Bloom and Gloom”?
God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.
Ask yourself how it is you came to be here at this moment? How do you know you’re really here, awake, and not just dreaming?
I think you and I are going to have a very interesting experience reading each others' reviews for this season 'cause, while I liked this episode, I didn't love it as much as you. But I'm glad that you loved it and I can see why. I'm not saying that I found the episode to be bad or anything like that. It just didn't entertain me as much as the previous three episodes have.
It looks like we were both shocked about Babs getting her cutie mark, expected the shadow in the dream to be Starlight Glimmer, predicted this to be another CMC/Luna episode, saw the weird Twitter call outs, and saw the odd similarities to Tangled Roots. Also, I can't believe I forgot to talk about Vinyl and Octavia in my own review! I guess I'll say that, while it was great to see them together on the show, I was a bit disappointed to see that the preview we saw of Sweetie about to sing to them was just a nightmare instead of something actually happening. Oh well.
But, yeah, I enjoyed the episode though it may not go down as one of my personal favorites from this season.