S5E18 "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" (MASSIVE SPOILERS) · 4:04pm Oct 10th, 2015
Before we begin, I just want to say that this is the most astonishing and unexpected episode of season five. Or the series overall. 
I am so shocked I cannot breathe right now.
And we open with the Crusaders...crusading. Again.
A song in the cold open? We haven't seen that since the season three finale!
Poor Pip.
...Ponyville has a school board?
Hi Button!
So Diamond Tiara's mother, Spoiled Rich, is president of the school board.
...suddenly DT's ability to get away with ANYTHING is starting to become clear...
Diamond Tiara gets a villain song! Sort of. More of a pathetic bitchy little bully song.
Cheerilee's just standing there letting Diamond Tiara be a bitch. Wow.
...wow, Silver Spoon got some depth.
Button Mash is getting a LOT of screen time in this one!
Wow, Sil's outright TURNED on Diamond Tiara! This is what we've all been screaming for ever since season two!
OH MY GOD DIAMOND TIARA'S MOTHER IS EVEN WORSE THAN SHE IS!
I...actually feel a little sorry for Diamond Tiara now... 
...make that a LOT sorry. She's turning into Pacifica Northwest...
My jaw HIT THE FLOOR when Diamond Tiara went off on her mom.
This...I was not expecting anything that happened in this episode. I thought this was going to be yet another "CMC versus Diamond Tiara" episode.
OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD.
I...am absolutely astonished. Surprised. PLEASANTLY so. This episode gave amazing depth to the two most one-dimensional characters in the entire series.
More importantly, this episode has changed everything for the Filly Five.
This...this could've been a season finale.
This is going to be the hardest episode to top of them all. Wow. Just...wow.
Well done, DHX. WELL DONE. What could be a better way to celebrate the fifth anniversary of MLP:FiM than with the Crusaders finally getting their Cutie Marks?
(Also, as an addendum: Season 4 of Littlest Pet Shop premieres on November 7.)
EDIT: Rest assured I will be writing SOMETHING related to this episode within the next week. Probably not today because I've got other surprises in store for today...I hope. I need time to decide exactly HOW to properly react to this episode.
I know it was so awesome!
Also, my headcannon was somewhat confirmed. I always suspected that deep down inside, Diamond Tiara wasn't really a monster, she was just a filly who didn't know how to properly express herself.
Anyone else's mind blown? Also, Spoiled Rich is a b*itch.
Well, I'm glad to know that Sweetie's cutie mark was accurately portrayed somewhat.
I'm still crying over this episode. It feels so good to know that the CMC finnally got their marks. And I really liked the redemption of DT.
I agree 100%.
I can't believe that in one episode, Diamond has gone from my most hated character on the show into easily one of my favorites. That is impressive.
And that ending literally made me shout for joy. And I'm still excited about it.
Yeah I felt really bad for DT. Suddenly, her bitchy attitude has a logical explanation, and it's canon. A lot of bullies have a bad home life, and with that kind of pony for a mother, everything just makes sense. I gotta admit though, I was afraid SS was going to abandon DT to misery entirely, like so many fanfics have her do. I'm glad DT got a happy ending though. The Crusaders getting near identical marks at the end was just icing on the cake. Also, mailpony Derpy ftmfw! Awesome episode, the best in a while.
3457197
I think my brain rebooted more times then ep 100.
I was half expecting for Luna to pull the plug on this little dream. Then the credits rolled.
I'm still riding an emotional high from this episode, it was that amazing. The entire CMC episode formula just got body slammed into submission in possible the most spectacular way.
3457265 Eeyup. Definitely an ep that I loved.
3457228 You're not the only one who was psyched about it.
3457286 I can tell.
Heck, even before the episode began, I thought, "If what I think happens in it actually happens, the fandom will explode."
And it turns out that I was 100% correct in that.
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3457265 Anyone thinking
this?
They get their marks?... I don't know how to feel about it... Happy? Sad? I guess I get to judge once I see the episode later.
3457322
I've never seen that before, yet it is extreme appropriate for this situation.
3457265
I think everybody was
3457322 I was thinking more along the lines of:
3457338 Battlefield friends is funny; in fact they released another S5 episode today on Machinima.
3457343 Either or.
3457344
I will have to check it out in that case.
3457349 You are gonna be laughing.
And the fandom finally rejoices. I honestly did expect them to look like that.
I guess I should go work for Hasbro since I can guess their every move.
3457352
Just watched the first 2 episodes and I am pissing myself laughing. Thanks for recommending it.
3457366 No prob. They sold their content on Amazon, iTunes, and a few other places.
Happy Birthday, MLP! You've brought us all awesomeness and, in turn, you have yourself one of the biggest fandoms in the world as your present.
I pronounce today Death of a Million Headcanons.
Edit: As for the episode itself, all I have to say is EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
The only thing I find disappointing about this is that AB doesn't have a hammer on her flank.
I kept excepting them to somehow hvae it all be a dream, or something to reset the status quo. But no, they went and did what everyone has been wanting since Season 1!
Now they HAVE to do a Princess Celestia episode, they have no excuse! They gave us some amazing growth for Big Macintosh, and now this, in addition to what they did in "Slice of Life"!
So, a recap:
DT is redeemed.
Silver Spoon finally does what she should've done years ago.
The CMC get their marks... Which are awesome... And practically match... Which is awesome!
We see DT's snobby, bitchy, manipulative mother. (Headcanon, RIP)
We still have no word on the Apple parents. (Headcanon still going... For now...)
And a lot of songs that made High School Musical look like a silent film from the 50's.
This was a wonderful way to celebrate their fifth anniversary!!!
I just had a thought about this episode. Diamond Tiara rich, irritating, and full of herself. Now she is running for President. Remind you of anyone in real life?
Anyways, this episode was really impressive in my opinion. Seeing how Diamond Tiara's mom was a real overbearing mother shows that DT has to be somepony she doesn't wanna be in order to earn her mother's approval, but in truth, Diamond just wants to be a better pony. Plus, the musical number she did was pretty sad. Anyways, I still cannot believe it has been 5 years since this awesome show first premiered. Many things have happened since then, and we can only hope that the Magic of Friendship continues to thrive. Happy Birthday MLP:FiM!
PLEASE tell me that the cutie marks in that "screen shot" are fakes. There's no bucking way Scootaloo's not destined to be a pro-skater with those scooter skills. I mean sure, have them start their own "help the world" group following in their sister's footsteps but DON'T HAVE THAT BE THEIR CUTIE MARKS! Their sisters have lives outside of their "save the world" part time jobs...
I'm sorry, I'll shut up now. And go watch the episode somewhere too.
And I'm still crying even when it's ended... I CAN'T HELP IT! I'M JUST SO HAPPY-HEE-HEE-HEE-HEEEEEE!
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Actually, the episode CONFIRMED they're dead in dialogue.
3457683 You're not the only one to notice that. There's already a "TIARA - Make Equestria Great Again" thing on Derpibooru.
3457689 Yeah, there are bound to be complainers about the cutie marks. And then there's those of us who thought this might happen (it was one of several possibilities, really)...
3457745 Yeah. I actually just realized that. A part of me is still just in denial. It'll get over it soon.
This was the perfect episode. it going to tie with Slice Of Life as my favorite season 5 episode
So...their special talent is helping others understand their own talents?
...Cutie Mark Crusaders Occupational Therapists, Yay?
To heck with a season finale, this could have been the SERIES finale!
Okay, so my thoughts:
One: I was right about Diamond Tiara's mother. And cudos to the producers of the show for actually making Diamond Tiara a good character in the end and not making her a bitch forever for no reason like many cartoons would.
Two: This show had the best music ever. All the songs were catchy, unlike Magical Mystery Cure. Funny, how most of the CMC episode are hit or miss while Mane 6 episodes are usually pretty good, yet the one musical episode for the Mane 6 was... meh (my opinion) while the CMC musical episode was GREAT! (also my opinion, at least)
Three: I was even right about Diamond Tiara's special talent! Who would have thought? I'm pretty observ-
Four: HOLY HELL THE CMC GOT THEIR CUTIE MARKS!!!!!! I AM SO FREAKING HAPPY!!!!!!
So this is my new favorite episode ever. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon redemption, great songs, and most of all, CMC get their Cutie Marks. Honestly, I was crying at the end I was so happy. This was the best episode by far this season.
WHAT DE BUCK?!?!?
Wow.
Just wow.
Three episodes worth of reveal in one episode. And am I the only one who is thinking about how they helped Trouble Shoes find out his special talent? Foreshadowing...
OMG, they actually mentioned Applejack and Applebloom's mum and dad
All in all it was and amazing episode that will be hard to beat
BEST CMC EPISODE EVER!
And the songs were all amazing and didn't feel like fucking filler! every song was really needed and had lots of emotions and was a much better musical episode than Magical Mystery Cure :D
Exactly why no one will vote for you.
1 rest of episode later
Oh right, everyone else (plus me) is taking your heel-face turn with enough grains of salt to deal with blood pressure problems globally.
3457440 I was thinking the exact same thing!
This is literally life-changing. I could not be happier for the girls, and what's more, their talent is helping others find theirs. I cannot think of anything more rewarding in this continuity.
We have a new Hate Sink, people! Spoiled Rich! I'm surprised that I was feeling sorry for Diamond Tiara during her sad little song, but kudos to her for standing up to her asshole mother!
You're right. This is gonna be hard to top. This may be my new favorite episode in the whole series. This is a moment I've been waiting for for three years, and I'm so glad it finally happened.
3458458 I forgot about that part. Still, pretty sweet!
This episode was also the first canon instance where somepony mentions the Apple Parents. But I guess that kinda went under the radar after CUTIE MARK FO CUTIE MARK CRUSADING!!!
I think that what's most special about it is that each CM also represents their particularities. It's like having two CM!
3457837 my thoughts exactly
I can't be the only one who cried in pride for the Crusaders. And at the fact Applejack's parents are dead. And for Diamond. Feels, feels, and more feels. But so much pride!
This was such a great episode, however am I the only one who thinks that DT's personality change was too fast and a bit inconsistent? Let's no forget that she's done some truly awful things to people on a personal level, and if her parents condoned this kind of cut-throat behaviour, why were DT and SP nervous when Babseed threatened to tell their mothers about what they've done? Still, I'll take the cannon of this episode over that generic bully episode any day.
3459060 Yeah, she redeemed herself a bit TOO quickly, but you have to remember it's a children's show.
3459119 Funny, that's typically my response whenever I see someone trying to over analyse an episode.
You guys noticed how many points there are in Tiara's Cutie Mark?
vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/b/b5/Diamond_Tiara_cutie_mark_crop_S1E12.png/revision/latest?cb=20120713033853
Maybe Gen5 or season end will focus on DT,SS and the CMC? After all, it's the CMC's job now to show people,how they are special, DT focuses on traits that makes ponies special (super strength, super teeth), and i guess SS is there to keep them from turning into monsters/back into b****** (since silver is lethal to most monsters)